Talk about temptation!

I was reading NissanNurse's blog about his Sunday temptations and thought about what I have to face soon. I can really empathize with him.

My company has a conference center for training and meetings. Whenever we have training, it's binge-city. First there's the full breakfast -- the works: bacon, sausage, eggs, pancakes (or french toast) hashbrowns, fruit (how'd that get in there?!) pastries, biscuits, etc.

Now let's all go to training and sit on our butts for a couple of hours and then take a mid morning snack -- the pastries left from breakfast, or maybe some fresh cinnamon rolls. Couple more hours on the butt and then comes lunch -- hot or cold, grill, sandwich or steam table, always with dessert (best banana pudding around). Exercise for the afternoon is nodding our head up and down, trying to stay awake in class until the afternoon snack -- cheese, crackers, maybe chips and rotel, maybe soft pretzels, cookies, maybe brownies. Yeah, they usually put out some veggies and dip, too, but really, what's the point?

Full yet? No? Well, sit around a couple more hours then get ready for dinner. But first, stop by the bar where there's beer, wine, mixed drinks, oh, and appetizers in case you're too hungry to wait for dinner, which will be a full course, salad to dessert, or the ice cream bar if you prefer.

Oh, and the "juice bar" is always stocked with all manner of soda (and water), ice cream bars, and various snack mixes like gold fish, malted milk balls, jelly beans, chocolate covered peanuts, and is open day and night.

So let's sum up:
7-8 am -- full breakfast
8-10 am -- sit on butt in training
10-10:15 am -- morning break
10:15 - noon -- sit on butt in training
12-1 pm -- lunch
1 - 3 pm -- sit on butt in training
3 - 3:15 -- afternoon break
3:15 - 5pm -- sit on butt in training
5 - 6:30 pm -- open bar with appetizers
6:30 - 7:30 pm -- dinner


Really bad news, I have to be there for two work weeks starting next Monday. Lord help me! I think I'll write WWMD on my hand so that every time I reach for something to eat, I'll see it.

There is a fitness center in the facility, so I really have no excuses ... and that's my mantra, right? No excuses!

Pray for me...

Great weekend!

Yesterday was great! Was able to walk with "cjonesrun", so I made a new friend. "Nissannurse" gave me tickets to see Billy Joel, another new friend, and Cheryl and I did the two miles in 33 minutes -- not quite 4mph, but we're getting there. That last hill 'bout killed me.

Today my husband and I did 19.2 miles on our road bikes -- but I am disappointed I am soooooo slow! 11.5 mph average speed. Jeez...Goal is to get to 15mph by end of summer.

My husband and I looked at a spinning bike at Indian Cycle yesterday -- a Cycle-Ops. Very nice! I have a birthday coming up so maybe he'll take the hint. He likes to spin, too, but we can never get to the Healthplex at the time the classes are offered.

Hope everyone has a good week...blog, wog on!

Is Banana Pudding a Super Food?

If not, it should be.

Other than that little slip, today was good. XT'd on the bicycle at the fitness center tonight. 45 minutes. Heart rate wasn't very high but I sweated enough and legs felt like they got a workout.

Saw Mark's email about the Saturday route and immediately set up my walking routes on the Sanoodi web site. Didn't know about that web site and it is way cool. Ain't technology grand!

Good to be home

I spent the last 4 days at my Mom's and was able to walk every day (except Friday, which I took off and really enjoyed that!). Wasn't able to XT, but walked instead. Feel great.

I have a treadmill tape I use when I walk at home on the treadmill. I used it tonight when I got home from work. I can tell I'm making progress because when I started all of this I couldn't do the sections that were 3.5 mph for very long. Now I can do all of those (even those on a 7% incline), all of the 4 mph (no incline and only about 4 min out of 30) and a little (about a minute) of the 4.5 mph section. Yippee! It really gets my heart rate up, too.

I am enjoying everyone's blogs and am looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday. I missed last week, but won't miss this next one. I hope everyone has a good week training and getting stronger.

Off Friday

In my job, we are off every other Friday, and when I first learned that we would take Fridays off from training, I thought that I would train on Friday anyway, since I'm off from work every two weeks on Friday and what a great opportunity to spend some time at the Healthplex or ride my bike. I figured I would take Thursday or Sundays off.

Now, though, I am really appreciative of an "off Friday" where I am free to do whatever I want and not have to worry about fitting in some training time. I like it -- a true day off from work AND from training. Woohoo!

Sorry I won't be at the meeting tomorrow -- it's my weekend to be with my Mom. I will get out in the morning, though, and walk the 1.5 miles.

For me it's been a good two weeks -- no missed days, no excuses. Still need to work on the diet thing, though!

Snowflakes

Had a fire drill at work today and while we were waiting in the cold saw a couple of snowflakes come down.

After the fire drill I decided to walk up the four flights of steps rather than take the elevator. Legs felt like rubber since I had already done 30 minutes on the recumbent bike this morning. Breathing and heartrate were good, though, so I know my stamina is improving!

Walked in the evening last night when I got home from work. It was a little rainy, but not enough to even get my hair wet. Started trying to walk really fast (could maybe even be called a SLOWwwww trot) between the street lights. Was able to do about a quarter mile that way. Walked backwards for a couple hundred yards at the end. Glad it was dark and no one could see me...Dog couldn't decide what side to walk on!

I did give MOST of the Valentine's cookies away :)

WWMD

What would a marathoner do?

Probably wouldn't bake Valentine's cookies on the pretext of sending them to her sons in Colorado...then decide it was too much trouble to frost, pack and mail, leaving them here to eat.

Probably would get in a good 14 mile bike ride outdoors on Sunday and two walks (the leisurely dog walk in the morning and a more strenuous treadmill walk in the evening)on Monday.

Okay, so I'm not perfect, but I am a marathoner, so I will frost the cookies and give them to a neighbor -- before I eat all of them! >:)

(I did send my sons something from Nandy's candy and I DID NOT buy anything there for myself.)

One year from now

I will:
1) Have run a marathon
2) Be 100 pounds lighter
3) Wear a size 10 clothes
4) Be riding my bike routinely to work
5) Have completed the "Hotter N' Hell 100" bike ride in Wichita Falls, TX (August, 2007)
6) Be able to hike in the Colorado Rockies with my husband and kids and not get left behind or make them have to wait up for me.
7) Have the right eating habits that help me do all of the above.

There are other personal and spiritual goals that I am still reflecting about after Mark's inspiring talk yesterday, but these fitness goals came to mind pretty quickly. I also like the mental exercise of asking yourself, "Is what I am doing now helping me make my goals?" Writing down the goals sure helps you answer that question! Thanks, Mark!

Today is cross training day, and I've talked myself into riding my bike outdoors. Brr...

Flexibility -- if only I had some!

When I can run a marathon, will I be able to sit on the floor cross-legged? I never feel as old as I am except when I have to sit on the floor. I am going to have to get to the Healthplex earlier on Saturdays if I want a seat!

Good turnout today and good walk. Once again, the group pushed me faster than I walk on my own and had a good heartrate (150ish) the whole 1.5 miles. I have a tape that I listen to on the treadmill that helps me walk faster and get my heart rate up (stays in 145-150 range), but I am not very successful doing that (walking fast and getting my heart rate over 125)when I walk outside alone. Perhaps I just need some music with a fast beat to set the cadence. I'll try that Monday.

Slinky clothes

I am a tee-shirt person. When I die, I want everyone to come to the wake dressed casually in tee shirts and jeans. I want to be in my casket in a tee shirt -- not a "casket dress".

Now, though, I might change my mind and ask to be buried in technical clothes! I got a couple of shirts (loose fitting like a T-shirt) and love the feel -- light and slinky. Made me feel like a marathoner!

Good workout today on the stationary bike for 40 minutes. Kept heart rate in 135-145 range.

Two good training days

Had a good bike ride at the Healthplex yesterday for XT and a good walk on the treadmill at home tonight. I use a heart rate monitor so it will be fun to watch my stamina and heart rate improve as I get regular aerobic exercise.

I walk alot -- have a dog who needs a lot of exercise and try to adhere to Cesar Millan's (The Dog Whisperer) principles of taking your dog on a walk for at least an hour a day. I don't make it every day, but usually 3-4 times a week we walk 3 miles. (My husband handles the other days by having her run along side his bike.) So I was surprised how hard that "measly" mile in Bellhaven was Saturday. I think, in retrospect, though, it was a combo of excitement, trying to walk a little faster to keep up with the group so I wouldn't feel like a slug, and the hills. Sure showed me how long I have to go to get fit enough to run! It sure feels good, though, to be working on it!

A new beginning

I was very impressed with the turnout yesterday! I feel like it was really the kickoff for me as I didn't do very well last week with training. Had to drive to Baton Rouge, Atlanta and Port Gibson during the week, making for long days. Have resolved to do better -- and will. I do travel alot and will have to figure out how to work in my training despite the travels. I often get up early to drive to New Orleans or Baton Rouge and then don't get home until late in the evening. Those days will be the tough ones. No excuses will be my mantra!

So it's off the the Healthplex today for some cross training. Swimming or cycling....maybe both!

Freudian slip

Went to Fleet Feet today to get shoes and when I walked in I said I was with the Marathon madness group. They knew what I meant!

I've never worn such big shoes before!