Tis the season to be a slacking Spud!!

Yup, you got it... last week I did not run... but according to Alex, the "power swim" on Tuesday counts :P  It doesn't count as part of running in my book, but it's better than nothing.  I did not lay about and hoover back bon bons while I was slacking from the running.... I was working late, xmas shopping and attending xmas parties.... tough gig, but somebody has to do it.

One thing shopping for a party dress for the xmas party made me realize ...if I were a size 14 or even a 16, I could have paid a third of the price I paid for the dress I bought.... thinner definitely is cheaper in many ways...Not to say that I didn't look smashing and very sparkly, but more smashing is always good.

This week I think I'll continue with level 4, but may dip my toe into level 5 since I forsee next week becoming difficult to schedule in 3 runs.

We'll see how it goes.... wish me luck!!!.

Putting the Spud through the machine

Alex and I were talking the other day and we decided that a once a week update of the blog should be the minimum since we're working out apart.. unless of course something noteworthy happens.  So don't feel like I'm slacking off, or hiding from everyone... I'm still kicking ass and taking names... just really slowly hahaha

So, this week... working on level 4... and it is KICKING MY A$$!!  lol but in a good way.... i think.

Here is what level 4 looks like
5 mins warm-up walk
3 mins run
1:30 min walk
5 mins run
2:30 walk
3 mins run
2:30 walk
5 mins run
5 mins cool down walk

PHEW!  So it was hard and on top of that I also did one session at home on my eliptical machine and that had well... torrents of sweat pouring down LOL  Poor John came home from the store and wondered what all the heavy breathing was about :P

I'm definitely going to repeat this level again next week.. and maybe the week after :P  Xmas is coming and I'm not sure how I'll manage with keeping up the workout, but I've been watching the Biggest Loser for the first time and that show really inspires me a lot.  I don't think I could loose 100 pounds in 6 months or whateer crazy thing they do because I've got to work for a living and sleep at some point in my day hahaha  But I think 3 good sessions of running, plus the swimming and then a few days of working on the treadmill or my eliptical at home should really help with stamina, strength and maybe even some more inches/pounds gone.

I'll say one thing... if I had the cash, I would buy that Bodybugg (tm) that they use on the contestants... it tells you how many calories consumed and how many calories burned... that would be some awesome information to have .. expecially to see how much your exercise is making a difference.... but the damn thing is about 200+ dollars plus there is a membership to a website to manage the data from the arm band and the wrist watch.... siigh... a girl can dream right? LOL

Foward crawling Spud

So Alex, John, Jen and I signed up for an adult learn to swim class.  No we're not naked, it just means there are no kids in the group... well except for the instructors who seem to be maybe 13 or 14 LOL

We all know how to swim in varying degrees, most at least dog paddle and some of us are ninja experts at imitating floatation devices (fat floats baby!  look at me just wallowing like a hippo!)  The first lesson was last Tuesday and it's about 45 mins.. they started off by quickly figuring out who couldn't swim much at all and who were ready to learn the various strokes.  All of us proudly made the cut to the advanced 201 class and they quickly taught us the flutter kick while leaning back on a pool noodle or against the side of the pool.  Then they taught us the forward crawl to combine with the flutter kick.  To me that one has always been the hardest stroke (even though I didn't know the name of it) because you have to have your face in the water for the majority of it until you poke out to breathe on the side.  I didn't bring my goggles, because I didn't want to look like a keener/geek, boy did I regret that.. I forgot how much chlorine goes into a public pool.  But that aside I think we all did fairly well, some were breathing harder than others, but overall it was a great relaxing exercise class.  I think we all slept like logs that night!

Tonight we're supposed to go again, but I'm having tummy issues, I do however have my 1 piece, towel and goggles ready to go if I feel better by 7.  I knew i missed swimming (grew up with a pool in our backyard and the sea 15 mins away) but I didn't realize how much I missed swimming.  John is going to pick up their schedule and maybe we'll all go for one of the "free swim" nights to get more time in the water.

Spud floatation device out!

Still gym spudding...

Still working on level 3 of the program and I think next week it's time to move onto the 4th level.

Again it's a bit of a jump from 3mins of running to 5 mins of running, so we'll see how it goes.. I think 2 to 3 weeks per level in the program should be a pretty good pace, but I'm sure I'm going to get to the point where I won't be able to jump up quite as far quite as fast...

Week 5 is coming soon... looking forward to getting my running jacket... now to just pick a colour!

Gym Spud

Went to the gym last night to do my run and I was firmly determined to run the complete day 2 of week 3.  Since I'm a dumb ass and forgot to take my earphones out of my purse and put them back into my gym bag, I ran the program from memory.... figured the other gym patrons wouldn't want to listen to my program alarms wailing as the female voice says "Run now" or "Walk now".  Nobody likes to hear an alarm when they don't need too.

So the minute and a half run part of the program is easy peasy right? and this time I know for a fact that there are a few 3 minute run sessions... but I'm ready and I plan to kick ass.  3 minute run starts... I'm running, I'm pacing myself.. don't wanna go in all guns blazing, but I'm firm and determined... 1 minute goes by, I'm golden, no issues, it's right as rain... minute 2 shows up, I'm feeling the effort, I'm beginning to breath hard, but I'm doing ok.... 2 and a half minutes and I'm really feeling it, I'm definitely breathing hard, but it's all good because I know I can make it to 3 minutes.  I'm not saying it wasn't an effort to make it to 3 mins, but the mind is a crazy tool.  Armed into the knowledge that I would need to run a full 3 mins beforehand, I did way better than the Monday night run....

The distance run was 1.58 miles or 2.52 kilometres, and that fills me with confidence that by the time race weekend rolls around, I can fer sure finish the 5 kms.  190 days to go, little over 6 months, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can LOL

Spudding along

Alex and I ran on Monday night as we were privilege to some nice mild weather.  It was a pretty good run, we were both feeling healthier and I think I only coughed a bit after we were done.  (damn phlegm!) 

The week before Halloween, I was busy with Halloween prep and Alex was sick and then the first week of November I had to work late most of the week..... sooooo I didn't do any running at all and Alex used her elliptical and hopefully annoyed the crap out of her neighbors LOL  (Seriously, the place is not sound proof at all!)

I foolishly (at least in my mind) chose week 3 of the program which is:

5 min warm up walk
90 seconds run
90 seconds walk
3 mins run
3 mins walk
90 seconds run
90 seconds walk
3 mins run
3 mins walk
5 min cool down

Everything was going well until the 3 min run... it caught me off guard because I hadn't looked at the program beforehand.  I ran 2 mins of the 3.. but then i pooped out LOL

I did great on the 90 seconds.... like I told my friend Bill who has been an avid runner for years "man I look back on that 60 second run fondly, it would be so easy now LOL!"

Let's hope I look back on the 5km when i'm training for the 10km with great fondness"

Spud out!

The Spud is on fire, but the cough still remains!

Tonight's run was fantastic!  So good to see Alex again.  Wish I could have brought the great 25 degree weather back with me, but despite the cold, we had a really good run.  I ran through all the running segments and managed to catch my breath much quicker that during our last run.

The doctor's scale today said that I'm 5 pounds lighter than in April (Yay!)

I just need to get rid of this cough, drop more poundage and things will be golden :)