LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 10 (b)

I thought I would post some pics from the running training clinic I just received. They need to let people know when they are taking our dayum picture so I could suck in and pose. Vince, the Lisa Foronda pic was the best I got 4 ya.

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 10

I never know how to start out my posts. Do I say hi, warm up to u all a bit or just jump in.

So, how u doin' (Joey style)?

I hit a spinning class today. I only got 45 minutes in with dropping off Lil' Buster at Preschool at 9, and class starting at 9 gets me there at 9:15. It was good though, "whoo hoo Rachel" did not waste time with the climbing and jumps. It felt great! I must be getting somewhat insane because I am now an avid fan of the jumps. I know I am going to disappoint people now, but this is a blog so I have to straight forward. I ran yesterday. The running clinic started, and my leg has been feeling really well. I do not have the tenderness I had been having. I know, I shouldn't have done it, but I did so let me elaborate. The group was cool. They paced us out. They called up the people who could run a mile. Now, recall that before I was injured I was only doing 6min Run/1min Walk. I figured with all this cross training, I was feeling confident and could hang a mile. I paced in at 11 min mile. Whoop there it is! My leg felt great afterward too. When I got home I iced it and took Naproxen to aide in the leg recovery. I called Mc Dreamy today. He said if it felt good then it should be fine. He still suggested I take it easy and run twice a week for now, and if I feel any discomfort back off STAT. It was nice to run with a group. The coaches are cool, and I can tell they will be motivational and full of advice. It is great because the coaches volunteer. They do it for get this, the love of the sport, so you know they are totally there for us. The first day was good all we had to do was pace out 1 mile, and nothing else to run. Next week we will be in business. The first few weeks should not be too rough since it is that beginning training schedule, I had been following anyho. I will just run on clinic days, which is Wednesdays, and find another day fairly spaced out. I am guessing Sunday, we will see since that will be the day after my long, outdoor bike ride (13 measly miles).

Strike measly...you're right Monica, huge accomplishment for

even trying tomorow!

OMG! I can not believe, me TV trash watching Viv, is actually booked full with a workout schedule. Holy shit! I am glad that I have DVR with Dancing With The Stars and Grey's Anatomy returning soon. Damn, times have changed. Sorry, if I am seriously rambling. It is so hard to concentrate with Peyton Manning on my screen, and than he is in most of the commercials, so I cant get in any concentration. I will be back tomorrow with the bike and pedal drama!

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 9 Part III

Maybe, I should start tittling my posts as cross training week blah blah. I had my visit with Mc Dreamy. Here is the status, the leg is still extremely tender to the touch indicating there is still edema, and there is still bruising on the outside of my shin, so it's not ready to run. It does not bug me when walking or anything else that does not involve direct pavement pounding. I am officially out of the boot, that umm..I have really not been wearing. Than, I bitch that I can't run yet. Doc said four more weeks of cross training for me. However, I can reinstate the elliptical officially. He let me know that he can see that runners fever in my face. I guess I had that lower lip hanging way down. Any further damage to the leg and it will quickly turn in to stress fracture and crutches. I don't know how I feel about it yet. I start my running clinic next week, and I might attend and see how it goes. If that run kills it, I will stop. I was thinking if I don't abuse it and just run once or twice a week it might be alright. I didn't let Mc Dreamy know all this, but I am stubborn, strike that extremely hard headed, strong minded, rebellious, unyielding, inexorable, _________ insert your own synonym here. I might skip the 2 a day tonight. I have been doing 2 a days since Monday, and my legs are finally sore. I will ice it up, Advil, and back to the gym in the morning.

I forgot to mention that after spinning today I again got convinced to take a group coordination class, cardio strength, that to me resembled a kickboxing class with free weights, and some sort of apparatus that I step up and down off of!! I just had strength trained yesterday..ouch. No more group efforts that require coordination for me again. NEVER AGAIN!

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 9 Part II

Kickboxing...where do I start, but by saying I suck ass at it! Rita, my best friend, texted me saying did you kick ass tonight? Uh, no! If confronted in some kind of fight I now know that I would: A. run away or B. cycle away. I started the morning by hitting a spin class for an hour followed by a full body strength training session. I was telling "Killer Rachel" I wanted to do another spin class again tonight, and she suggested that I join her since she teaches the kickboxing class. I thought I could hang, right? She taught me some alternative steps to take as to not put too much pressure on that bum leg of mine. I will start by saying I am not coordinated. I am a klutz without a doubt. I love to dance, but to the beat of my own drum, hence never being successful in any dance class. I was in there just a kicking and a punching every wrong way. All that was going through my mind as I looked in the mirror was that song, everybody was kung-fu fighting ta da da those cats were fast as lightning, as I looked like an uncoordinated goofball! I guess I am uncoordinated due to lack of concentration and focus. I think my heart rate got up to decent level, but nothing off the charts since I spent most of the class trying to be on cue. The best part was 15 minutes of ab work at the end, cause you can never do too much abs. Dr. Mc Dreamy date tomorrow, hoping I get cleared. I guess I really won't know till I try to run again.

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 9

Howzit
I have been cross training like crazy, can I possibly say that anymore. It is going well though. This weekend is the final weigh in for a little family challenge we have been doing for 90 days this Saturday. We have been doing it by weight percentage loss so it is fair to all since some do not have a massive amount of weight to lose, (clearing throat)! The prize purse $100 and I figure I can save that and hopefully get some gift cards or something for my birthday. Thinking about a HRM. I am not sure if I want a Garmin or just a plain Jane one, but than I don't want to have to reinvest in another one a couple months down the road when I will be running more and working on some distance. I have to lose 3 to 4 pounds this week to beat my toughest competitor, my Mom. The some what good news is she just returned from a few weeks in Europe and has only 3 days to deflate a bit. I am not going to assume she gained weight and move forth with my plan of 2 a days all this week and up my protein intake verses a bunch of carbs. My workout schedule has been elliptical for 35 minutes, abs, strength training every other day and on off days of ST I do extra on the elliptical. Than I go back to the gym in the evening and hit up a spinning class for an hour. Thanks, Shane for understanding and supporting me. I also needed an extra push since I lost a big 0.0 pounds last week. I had spinning last night with "killer Rachel" super challenging, but I loved every minute of it. We did 3 songs of jumps, and I was rocking it! I also am going to start cycling with a club the weekend after the holiday weekend. I will be joining the Ultra Beginners group who does 13 miles every Saturday morning. I am really looking forward to that. I have signed up for two more 5K's which is really ambitious of me considering I have not ran in 2 weeks and I have not even gotten clearance to run yet! I guess I am the glass half full kinda of chick! I think I am officially rambling now. My body is ready to go rest up and prepare for tomorrow.

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 8 Part II (b)

I am back from my spinning class this morning. It was the hardest class I have done thus far (2nd week). My first clue was when the sub instructor came in she was wearing a tank that said, "drop and give me 20" that is the kinda tank that made me say whoa! She was awesome though, super fit and amazing arms! It was challenging, but I made it through. There was so many sweat drops all around my bike. Yuck! After, the class I was feeling fantastic! Those endorphins were in full effect. I than did my strength training and instead of chilling for 30 seconds between sets I ran to the stationary bike (like I did not have enough cycling) and would do full out 45 sec sprints. I feel awesome! I am so ready to run again. I really don't have it that rough. When ever I get a lil bummed I think of Maria, I'm feeling for ya chickie. U R awesome to keep up all the XT your doing. I have no doubt u will be set to qualify for Bawston.

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 8 Part II

Happy Friday!!
O.K. remember me saying that I was not sore. It must have been a freebie day cause I have been feeling the slight soreness from incorporating back in the strength training. I also invested in some cycling shoes since I heard the efficiency in your workout is better, and I admit I am pretty addicted to it. I am now sore in a few new places since I got the shoes. My butt, is feeling it more, my hamstrings, and a different part of my calves, if that makes any sense, and don't forget the bottom of my feet from those hard soles! Let me tell you it takes me a good 5 minutes to clip into the bike. Once, I am clipped in there is no getting me off till the end of class. My water bottle fell yesterday half way through the class, and I just stared at it like it would magically jump back on to it's holster. I guess the instructor could see me in agony and picked it up for me. Thank God! I hope everyone has a nice weekend. I am going to go see the Nanny Diaries this weekend. I really hope it does the book justice. 6 more days till I see Mc Dreamy again, I hope I will be given my thumbs up to run again. The leg has really improved bunches. It is a whole different story once I put that weight impact back on there so we will see...keep ur fingers crossed!

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 8

How is the gimp doin?
I am pretty well, and my leg is starting to get better at least when just walking around and taking stairs. I have been otay with the boot. I will admit that I am not wearing it as much as I should. I better stop that crap! It hurts the most if I put too mush pressure on it, either by standing long periods of time or hard impact. I jogged from the mail box today since there was a slight spit of rain, and damn it hurt! I hope it will all go away soon. My biggest fear is that when I start running again I will not be able to hang anywhere close to where I was. Not, that I was at some glorious running place, but it is a hell of a lot better than I was 7 weeks ago. I have been to spinning class almost everyday. On Friday & Saturday I did the recumbent or the chillin bike, as I like to call it at home. It was hot in that garage so I could only hang about 35 minutes. Sunday, was my R&R and I volunteered at a womens tri. It was a great experience! I left the place feeling completely motivated and inspired to continue my quest on achieving a strong level of fitness. I saw a couple ladies at the gym today who participated in the tri. It was great to hear their thoughts on the whole experience. I did spinning today, and it was with none other than "killer Rachel". It was awesome though, and the hour was up before I knew it. Either, I am getting better or she had an off class! Cool feeling alert.. a girl from class said she can tell I have been shrinking since I started at the gym. Yaa! I than incorporated strength training back in the mix. I had taken all last week off from strength training with all the drama of not being sure what was up with my leg. It felt great to work out with the weights again, for some reason I instantly feel supa strong. LOL! I am not really sore, which I thought I would be. I wonder at times if I am not working hard enough. I know I don't want to tear something and over extend myself so I will try to chillax. I do 3 sets of 15 reps with a weight that begins to get tough on the last reps on each set, so I should be good right? I really need to do some core work. I tried to this side plank exercise I saw in Runners World, and umm... I looked like I was just laying on my side. I couldn't budge an inch, alright I will be honest, I couldn't budge a centimeter off the ground. Note to self, gotta work the core!

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 7 Part II

The verdict is in on my gimp leg. It is actually really great news. It is not a stress fracture, but a stress reaction on the tibia. My MRI showed edema, fluid built up on the outer layer of my tibia. He said there was a lot of fluid and the outer layer of the bone is pretty inflamed, which would explain the pain and sensitivity I am having in that area, He explained it to me like this;

Level 1 : Shin Splints
Level 2 : Stress Reaction
Level 3 : Stress Fracture

The treatment plan

1. No running till I see him on my 2 week follow up, also means no elliptical
2. I have to wear this huge knee high boot while I am moving around
3. I can spin or cycle for 6 days a week, but he prefers I do 5 days a week
4. Take Naporsyn 500mg twice daily, he recommended Celebrex, but my pharmacy background makes me hesitant of that shit

I did an hour spin class today, but this teacher was killer man! She had us up and down hubbering through an entire song, the top part of the body freezing and riding slow on high resistance! KILLER! OK that is enough bitching about how tough the class was..waa waa! This is a good example of spinning, except what the fuck! Why is everyone in this video smoking hot! LOL!
I Look like the chick suffering in the white tee shirt, look for her..

In Conclusion, I am thrilled! Thanks for all the advice and well wishes. I will spin my ass off so I can go back to running smoothly. I know, I know gently ease back in to it. I don't know why, but I just giggled when I typed that. So, I will be on my best behavior for ten days and keeping Ben Gay in business.

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 7

Well, here I am second day of week 7, and I can't run not that I don't want to. I want to run now with every bit of my being. I had been feeling pain in my left shin area since last Wednesday. I assumed it was shin splints from running too many days consecutively. I took it easy over the last 5 days, and just did spinning classes, and strength training. I had been icing it, and probably taking way too much Naproxen, Ibuprofen, and any other NSAID's I could get my hands on. My leg felt great while active, during spinning I thought I was healed! Right after my muscles would cool off again, holy shit, the stabbing pain would return. This morning as I loaded up on the Advil, I thought this is not the way I should be feeling. I made an appointment with a sports medicine orthopedic, Dr. Johnson, A.K.A. Dr. Mc Dreamy. They first took an x ray of my left tibia, which showed nothing significant. Dr. Johnson than examined my leg, and when he pressed on the center anterior tibia the pain was instant and pretty severe. The Dr. said that a stress fracture would not appear on x ray for about 3-4 weeks after the injury. If I continued to run without knowledge I could make things worst. He felt it is most likely a stress fracture, but to be sure I had an MRI done. It was late in the afternoon so the results will not be read till tomorrow. My instructions for the time being is to continue spinning and other non pound paving activities. I should get my results tomorrow. What do I do now? I keep cross training as hard as I physically can . The 5K is now eight weeks away, and I will not give up! The finish line will only be that much damn sweeter for me now!!

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 6 Part III

I officially feel like a loser right now, this instant. I went for my scheduled run. It was supposed to be a 6R/1W, and 5 minutes into the run my legs were burning. I swear I left one of my lungs somewhere around minute 3. What's up with me? I did so wonderful on Thursday and now that feels like a lifetime ago. To start with the truth I was just going to do nothing today. Damned be that 4th scheduled running day this week. I was going to make it a full day of rest since I have not had one of those in almost 2 weeks. Shane, my husband said we should go for a run this evening and have Andrew, drive his lil monster truck. It all sounded like a fabulous idea in theory. Except, after 7 minutes, I quit! I gave up! I did not cross my own imaginary finish line. I should have walked the rest, but I didn't feel like it, I just fucking didn't! I am assuming others have had days like this. I am sitting outside posting this blog, and I am still in my running clothes, and the evening is perfect, breezy, sundown, and not even humid. It is the complete opposite of what Houston should be in August. So, do I sit here and keep bitching or do I get off my ass and do something!

***I did it!! After, venting on my blog, I got up and, "I was runnin" to quote Forest Gump. I did 3 cycles of 6R/1W, my scheduled training run. The house was the 1/2 mile marker, and every time I passed the house Shane & Andrew would give me the thumbs up..I felt so much better after completing it, crossing my imaginary finish line felt incredible. My pace was get this, drum roll please, better than Thursdays 14.08. I was down 2 minutes per mile from the last run. Still, nothing to put in the Guinness Book of World Records, but definitely a record for me. I had my iPod rockin' the Three Days Grace song, "Pain". It rang true to me while I was runnin'
"I'd rather feel pain than nothin at all"

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 6 Part II

Giving my runners sup nod....

I am beginning to understand the term runners high. I am not by all means a full fledged runner yet, but I am definitely trying. Why do I feel like I am on top of my own world right now? I did my third run for the week, and guess what? I was able to move to the next tier of my training schedule. I did 3 cycles of 6R/1W. It was slow, but completed! I do not let myself get down about my pace since right now I am just trying to run a 5K with out walking. I did 2 miles at a pace of 16.02. I than did an additional 1/2 mile walking to cool down and threw some sprints in there, I guess you could call it a beginner form of fartlek. LOL! I think I am really cool when I speak runner lingo! Today was another 2 a day today workout. I did 45 minutes on the elliptical and abs. Tomorrow, is a strength training day and elliptical again.

Today when I finished my running cycles I gave myself the thumbs up.

Dumb Ass!

or for my spanish speaking pals

Come Meirda!

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 6 Part I

Glad u stopped in,
Today is now day one of week six. I have delayed the running schedule by a bit. I had those nagging shin splints twice since I started the training schedule for running the 5K. I should be starting 6R/1W, but am going to hang out in this 3R/1W till maybe the end of this week. I went for my run this morning, and it felt great! Thanks, Rita for waking up early after working for 11 days straight to go run with me and encouraging me to do a lil extra. This week was awesome on the weight loss. I lost 6 pounds! HOLY SHIT!! So what do I do, go to a Mexican restaurant and drink margaritas and eat chips and salsa. D'oh! I have to be on my best behavior this week. I still would like to lose a good bunch of pounds before the 5K in October. The other day I was not feeling the run at all and what was in the mail, some swag from the 5K already. It gave me that extra push I needed to get out there. I have changed my training schedule a bit thanks to a lot of advice from the chickes on the running thread. It is helping a bunch! I feel the difference now in my runs big time! I am still working out 6 days a week, 3 days running and 3 days elliptical with strength training. I might mix in a little swimming to help with my endurance. We will see about that. This week had a couple outings, and I don't know what it was, but I was feeling like I was HAWT!! I am far from my goal still but I believe the working out and my mindset is blowing up my mind. LOL! Allrighty, peeps thanks for checking me out...

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 4

Hi All, Welcome to my blog. Today is the hump day of week 4 in my training schedule. I have been training 6 days a week, and on 3 of those days I incorporate strength training. I have been doing it for four weeks before I decided to start blogging my escapade. The idea was not original in any form as I was inspired by a mega runner in the message board I frequent. I saw her most recent post, and thought I have to do this. Blogging will make me stick to my path , and if I veer from it; it will be on the Internet for all to see, how embarrassing!! The title of the blog reminds me to stay on cue. No excuses!! If I want to be fit, I have to RUN!

I am huge right now, fat! I have been up and down for years now, OK news flash..mostly up, and have tried everything. Name it to me and I betcha I have done it, at least twice. LOL! My mission lose weight, STAT! I joined Weight Watchers for the first time on June 17, 2007. My Mom has done it before, and currently and has had great success on it. It is a wonderful program it customizes your caloric intake by your weight, and nothing is off limits. You are given a certain amount of points per day; I calculate approximately 50 calories per point. You always want to use your points in a smart fashion so they last through the day, and make smart choices for your body. The nice thing is if you do want to have a drink or a little something extra you can just plan your day wisely, and u r set! I have lost 14 pounds thus far. It is a little slower than say the Atkins, but like I said it is flexible and you do lose a healthy 1-2 pounds per week.

OK now that we got the diet squared away I will jump into the running, and work outs. PS I will post my starting weight once I lose some more weight, right now it is too scary to post on this forum ;-0 My girls from the running thread know the deal, and of course my closest friends and family. I switched gym's because Bally's was killing me! That place smelled like a sewer, and everything was outdated! I joined Pure Fitness and I'm loving it. It is an all woman gym, which I thought would suck ass at first, sometimes the guys give extra motivation. It is great though. It is nice and clean, tons of equipment, and totally up to date with flat screens and an awesome Kid's Club that my son loves! It also has many different classes that are included not this extra fee per class like so many places, and it has a pool, sauna and steam room, which love to stretch out in and let the heat soothe my aches away!

OK u still with me here..I started the training schedule that I used 7 years ago, when I did Power in Motion, a running clinic to train beginner runners for a 5K. News Flash.. never finished, and quit after week 4 :-( I am taking my time with it, and extending the running cycles where need be so I do not keep going ahead if I am not ready for it. I am now doing a cycle of 1 min run / 1 min walk. It is pretty good considering I started at 3W/1R. I did get shin splints a couple of weeks ago on my left leg it even bruised a bit. I took it easy, iced, Advil, and was good in a few days. I also bit the bullet and invested in some super support running shoes. I went to a running store who took their time, and patience with me to find the best shoe to meet my needs. I call them my moon boots! I incorporated strength training last week three times a week to help shrink my fat ass a bit! It is feeling good, not too sore, talked to a trainer at the gym who told me to increase my reps to get a harder work out. It's working!! I had to schedule my run for this afternoon today because I could not run after strength training, my legs were shot! I am pretty determined so I better stickwithit!!!

I have a great support system from my family on my journey. My son actually reminds me daily to go to the gym. I think he just likes to go hang out and play over there. My husband told me just today how proud he was of me! My Mom helps a lot with the diet portion we talk daily about what is going on. I have an awesome friend she knows who she is who I text my workouts to everyday. She keeps telling me I can do it! The biatch can already do a 5K, but she worked hard to accomplish that, and I love her for it! We have already signed up to do our first 5K together in October. It will be in Austin so I am sure the course will be hilly, so I better train for that as well! SDS!

U still here, damn it u must have nothing to do or u really, really like me! Going to pound the pavement, literally. I hate running outside with a lot of people around to think to themselves of what my big azz and huge boobs look like jiggling outta control! I will perceiver, and there are always cool people who motivate by giving me the thumbs up! Love those!