Friday, September 30, 2011

Boot Camp!

Last night I went to my first Boot Camp at Snap.  It was fun!  Well fun in a working out way.  Clara was our trainer and she was great!  So sweet and nice before we start but doesn't let you get away with anything once the workout starts!  We basically had 1 minute of work and then we rotated activities for a break of about 30 seconds in between.  I was there for 45 minutes including a short warm up and cool down.  But most of the time we were working. 

I was joined by a guy in fatigues wearing his boots and an older lady who looked and sounded like a smoker.  They were both very nice but there wasn't much talking going on during the workout.  I was surprised at how quickly my muscles got exhausted.  At one point my arms were shaking so badly that I thought they were going to give out on me!  It was definitely the kick in the butt I needed. 

Here is a shot of the bruise I got from doing plank slaps.  I had never heard of that...but basically it's 2 people doing planks facing each other then they alternate slapping hands.  GI Joe and the trainer were partners and the smoker and I were partners.  Something struck GI Joe as funny and both he and the trainer laughed the entire time they did their plank slaps.  The smoker and I struggled just to keep ourselves in a plank position and slap.  We definitely weren't laughing!  I'm not sure how the bruise happened but it's proof that I was probably not doing something right. 

I am looking forward to continuing the boot camp training.  It will keep me focused and on track!  Now if I could just find some motivation to run!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

This May Work Out After All

I had an appointment with the trainer yesterday.  I thought I was getting measurements taken, being shown how to use the equipment and told about the Super 8 or something like that.  (I guess it's 8 exercises that make up a good well rounded workout.)  Anyway, I guess the trainer didn't get the message because she basically gave me a tour of the gym...which I've already had.

She showed me the machines and that they each have little pictures on them showing you what muscle groups are targeted with each machine.  She showed me the seat setting for each machine based on my height.  I told her that I hadn't used machines in like 15 or 20 years so I was very intimidated.  She smiled politely.  I told her that I had been doing a "crossfit type" workout and she looked impressed.  Maybe we were getting somewhere!

I asked about the bootcamps that she runs.  BINGO!  She told me that they are 2 nights a week (unfortunately the worst 2 nights for my schedule) and described the workouts.  It's EXACTLY what I am looking for!  She brings in her kettle bells, they go outside and do wallballs and sprints in the parking lot.  YES!  One of the guys in the group is training for the marines!  Perfect!  Unfortunately they are right in the middle of a session right now and Ryann has practice every Tuesday night at the same time as the bootcamp.  Oh well.  I told the trainer that I would love to join but would probably have to wait until the next session starts.  The down side is that it's an extra charge.  The up-side is that it's perfect for me.  I think I need to find that money...

On another note, running is not going well.  I'm probably not going to be able to be ready for a 10 mile run at the end of Oct.  I will focus on the 5K's that I have coming up and worry about training for longer runs after the holidays. 

Thursday, September 22, 2011

OK So Now What?

I have stepped foot in my new gym once.  I have to say that the equipment is really intimidating.  Where's my white board with the workout written on it?  Where are Dave and Lisa telling me exactly what to do and correcting my form when I do it wrong?  Where are my workout buddies?  Oh yeah...all of that is back at Live Long Fitness. 

So now I need to figure out what to do in my new gym with no trainers and no workout buddies.  Maybe trainers and workout buddies will come later, but for now I'm setting out on this gym adventure alone.  Here's what I'm working with:

Is it me or do all these machines look EXACTLY alike? 

I am meeting with one of their personal trainers on Monday who will show me how to use the equipment and explain to me something they call the Basic 8.  I think it's 8 different exercises on the machines, but I don't know for sure.  But in the meantime, I don't want to waste my "free" week.  Any suggestions on what I can be doing on these weird looking contraptions?

I got a Facebook message from an old college friend who said he was running the Seaside 10 in Oct.  That made me sad.  I wish I was running the Seaside 10 in Oct.  But that's a month away and I have not run at all in the last month.  I would be starting from square one and needing to ramp up my endurance pretty quickly.  I'm not sure I can do it...although there is a part of me that really wants to do it...

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Snap To It!

I joined a gym!!!  It's called Snap Fitness and it's right in my little neighborhood shopping center.  I can jog there as my warm up!  It's nothing like Live Long Fitness...I'm not sure I'm going to like it.  I am going to give it a try.  Basically I have a free week to try it out.  Then they do their membership on a month to month basis so there are no long term commitments.  I like that!

I met the owner who toured me around the space and talked about the 2 personal trainers.  I'm concerned because the gym has a lot of circuit machines and that's not what I'm used to.  I'm going to have to talk to Dave and Lisa about what I should be doing when I go there!  Thank God for Dave and Lisa!!! 

Stay tuned for updates on my new gym and my re-energized workout and running routine!  Step 1 was to find a gym.  Step 2 is to actually get my butt there and do something!

Monday, September 19, 2011

MOVING DAY!!!

This weekend I completed what I hope to be my last move in a VERY long time.  It went OK...lots of unexpected surprises along the way...none of which are all that interesting to share on here.  But at the end of it all, we are in the house!!!  It will take awhile for me to get everything unpacked and arranged.  But we've spent 2 nights there and I can say that I am very happy.  I love the house and the neighborhood.  I love that I'm 2 minutes from the daycare and less than 10 from Ryann's high school.  I love that I'm only 20 minutes from my parents.  And I love that I'm in Howard County.

So now it's really "MOVING DAY"!  Yes, I mean working out and running again!  Life is going to settle into a routine and I plan to find a chunk of time where I can re-start my running and workouts.  I have a 24/7 gym in my neighborhood.  I'm meeting with the owner tomorrow to check it out.  I'm not sure that a 24/7 gym is the best way to go, but it's affordable and convenient.  And they offer a free week to check it out. 

I have a feeling that nothing is going to be as good as what I had at Live Long Fitness, but I will do my best to find something that works for me.  There's also another gym not too far away from my house, but honestly their website scared me.  Their homepage shows a picture of a very intimidating looking, muscle bound man glaring at me.  That's not what I'm looking for in a gym thank you very much.

What do you look for in a gym?  I stumbled into the best scenario possible for me when I went along with someone to Live Long Fitness.  But when it comes to going out and finding a gym, I really don't know how to evaluate them.  Any suggestions or ideas you might have for me???

Since I'm looking forward to getting back on track, I'll have more to blog about so keep checking back!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

A is for Awesome

At Live Long Fitness I was known as kind of a cheerleader.  There was nothing more that I enjoyed than cheering on other people to do their best.  I always did better when I was cheering for someone else.

Right now I feel like I need a cheerleader.  It's been challenging to find time to run and/or workout during this weird time in my life.  I've been living at my parents' house until we can get into our new house.  I get up at 5 am just to get out the door in time to get Ryann to school and the little ones to daycare.  There's not really a spare minute in the day when I can workout or go for a run.

HOWEVER, I still feel like I'm AWESOME!  Moving day is Sept. 17th.  Once we get into the new house, I will have less time in the car every day and a little bit more time in my schedule to workout and/or run.  There's a gym less than a half mile from my house.  It's open 24 hours! 

I may be losing a little bit of my conditioning...and I'm definitely losing some of my endurance...but I am not losing my attitude. I feel good about where I am.  My job is great and I am SOOO much happier living in the Baltimore area.  I miss my friends at Live Long and the running group, but I know that I am in the right place.

AWESOME is a state of mind.  I may not be physically awesome right now but I am mentally AWESOME!  Once the logistics work themselves out, I will be working on my physical awesomeness.  Stay tuned...I promise to blog about my progress.