Happy Weekend!

Still getting over my cold most of the week, but did manage to get in a couple bikerides, and on Friday morning, had an awesome workout... 15/15 for 5 jump rope 1 minute rest 1 minute 4 times alternating between cleans and presses. I used 2 12K kettlebells and did alternating cleans and alternating presses (I saw J doing these Wed. night and had to try it!). I couldn't stay on the time, but did keep up reps of 6 each side, and worked as fast as possible while I did the reps--I guess that's the point with doing alternates.

I'm planning on a FIT workout this weekend and lots of bike riding. It's so pretty out!

Light workout

I did a VERY light workout today. Low reps of:
-Body rows
-One-arm open-up body rows (60 degree)
-One arm pullups (90 degree)
-Dips on bench
-Ring pushups

A little HEY: down dog and thinker.

I woke up feeling tired and with some drainage in the throat. Apparently most people's allergies are out of control right now, so it might be something like that... Be strong!

Whooo-hoooo! I passed!

I passed my test! Everything is moving along smoothly now. Today I got stuck full of needles...ok, it was only two shots in each arm....but they hurt.

So between being tired and all my shots, I took today off. Tomorrow I should be meeting with K, so I'll go light.

Be strong!

Test anxiety

Well, the time has come to test again. I am testing Monday morning. I KNOW I can pass, but I am still very nervous. Why can't I just be calm? I just want this over with!

So here's what I've done to prepare this past week:

Monday: Ran through test at the track at night. I was tired and dehydrated, it was late, and the track was pretty crowded. I also ate too close to testing. But I still got 4 points over what I need to pass. Good deal. 33 consecutive pushups. Only 52 situps in the time allowance, and I think that was because I still had too much food in my stomach.

Tuesday: Over an hour of HEY with K. Every client of mine canceled that day (weird!) which was actually good for me. I also did 100 pushups, ran 4 miles, and a bunch of situps (can't remember how many exactly).

Wednesday: Went running at Town Lake. I did intervals: 4 minutes of running alternating with 2 minutes of walking; covered a total of 4 miles. I did some pushups, and some situps, but not a huge amount.

Thursday: rest

Friday: 3 sets of 30 situps, 100 pushups (in sets of 10 or 15), short run (about 2.5 miles), one sprint across a football field. This was a "dress rehearsal" workout. I wanted to wear what I plan to wear to the test to make sure its comfortable.

Today and tomorrow: rest.

Monday morning...have courage and try to do my best.

I wish I could say that I am calm and confident, but I keep finding myself going over all the possible variables and scenarios that would make this test go wrong. I know its not constructive to do that. But then I spend some time in prayer, and I feel calmer. I need to keep myself in that frame of mind...surrendering myself to prayer.

Here's the one dilemma that I haven't figured out yet. Its hot, so I'm going to wear my comfy running shorts. However, when I do situps in my running shorts, they creep all the way down my legs to my hips. I am going to have a male tester, so he'll be holding my feet down. I'm wondering if I should wear my workout pants over my shorts for the situps and then take them off for the other events? Or just try to not think about it and just wear my shorts?

I'm going to go try to be calm.... :)

Be strong!

Edit: I solved the shorts problem. I got the most comfortable, awesomest compression shorts and soccer shorts today. Totally comfy and full coverage. :)

Giving myself a chance...

That's my new motto these days. Had a long weekend in New York and got back yesterday. It was very hot and humid there, and down in the subway it was...hell. I couldn't drink enough water. Even so, had a great time, I looked normal, everyone looked normal, but underneath we were poached. Did the Centure Bikeride around the city on Sunday. My friends and I signed up for the 55 mile ride. We rode 15 miles to the first station in Brooklyn, took a break to have a delicious brunch, caught up with the pack and headed over to Queens and back to Manhattan for about 40 miles. The path was marked on the streets, but streets were not closed. It was not so bad early on, but later in the day there was a lot of traffic. We had fun!!!! New York is beautiful!

Today's workout was 4 x 6 of:

1 arm clean-squat-push press (6 each side) with 20K
regular swings with 36 k

Power wheel rollout alternates.

I did the PW first. I could really feel my core working on the squat and push-presses. We finished with 1 minute holds of:

Incline plane
Prone Mountain
Forward flexion (I used standing rather than wide-angle and thought about seated L while I looked at my feet)
Supine bridge

Feels good! I really mean it about giving myself a chance without trying to force something to happen. It feels nice, light. Of course, I'm no longer distracted by my internal rantings from the fact that I have no control over what happens apart from my own actions. That doesn't feel so easy. But, it helps to workout!

Good workout

I had a good workout day today...perfect for preparing for the fitness test.

K and I took turns doing pullups - I did singles, and she did sets of 2 or 3. I had to start with my feet on a box, and I am doing the narrow grip with my hands facing each other. I still can't come close with the overhand grip. Then I did a set of weighted pushups with 25 or 35 lbs on my back, and then we'd run a lap together. We did this circuit 4 times...then I did an extra set of pushups, and we did some HEY. I LOVE having someone to do HEY with!

By the end of the workout, I had done 20 pushups with 25 lbs on my back, and 30 pushups with 35 lbs, probably about 20 pullups, and ran 5 laps.

Later in the day, I went for a 20 minute run, followed by one set of 60 situps, and two sets of 30 situps.

I'm still a little stressed about whether or not I am ready for the test. I keep bashing myself and telling myself that I should've worked harder over the past year. I know its ridiculous. I know I can do it... I need to practice being positive and mentally strong too.

Be strong!

Freaking out

Yesterday: workout with K

3 rounds of:
6 turkish getups each side
6 windmills each side
6 pistols each side

And, of course, more HEY.

Today: no workout - I was planning on it but didn't feel so great, so I thought it might be better to take an extra day of rest and workout hard tomorrow.

I may have to retake the fitness test in a little less than two weeks. I'm freaking out about it. I am really nervous. I am trying to convince myself that I am totally fitter and stronger than I was in 05 when I failed it, and I know I am, but the whole thing still makes me nervous.

Meeting K for another workout tomorrow. Also planning on weighted pushups and tons of situps on my own...maybe a short run too.

5 X 5 for 3

That was this morning's workout... I woke up super early, had b-fast, dropped off some videos, got to the gym, did 5 sets of 5 reps of:

Chin ups
Push-ups (feet on high (mid thigh) box)
step ups (onto same high box).

Not too heavy. Felt good.
Went for a easy walk/run last night just to unwind and cool off so I didn't want to over do it this morning. Usually 5 x 5 is a hard workout, so I'm glad I took it light on this one.

Went home to clean out my gutters. With all the rain we had, I know they were blocked up, but I didn't want to climb up there this last weekend, I just couldn't make myself do it, but quick and easy right before getting ready for work was fine.

That's all I got! Don't waste your pretty being weak!

Back to work...

Had a good weekend. Friday was toasted and started to workout then left. Saturday had a terrific workout FIT, of Prison countdown from 10 to 1 on:

lunges
sit n reach
sprints (count lengths of floor)
burpees

Then yoga. Road my bike to and from the gym, so that added a little more activity as well. I was done.

Sunday took a long bike ride early in the morning. It was beautiful!

Took Monday off.

Today, went in for FIT and did a j-rope workout by myself:

2000, the 50 sit ups holding a 16 k over my chest (this one's for you K-smash!).

Be mighty! Be strong!

Happy Labor Day

Yesterday - went for a 2 or 3 mile jog with DH. We stopped at the pullup bar in the park to do a few pullups too.

Today - went to the track to run some sprints and a couple hill runs. I kept putting off eating because I was planning on sprinting, but then I didn't realize how much time had passed before I actually got to the track...so I was STARVING. My sprints went OK, but I only did 100s and 200s. It was a little frustrating. Well, actually,at the time I was there, I was really frustrated. I think it was because I was so hungry.

That's for today. :)

Beautiful day

Today I went for a 4 mile run, broken into 5 or 6 intervals. Between intervals I walked in circles. Right before my last interval, I stopped at the incline bench in the park for 100 situps (6x15 + 10). Its 87 degrees out, but it felt really nice. When I got home, I did 100 pushups: 25 each of wide feet + wide hands, wide feet + narrow hands, incline (feet on chair), and standard. The wide feet + narrow hands were by far the toughest. If I didn't bring my hands in right under my chest, I could feel my right rotator cuff start to complain a bit. Otherwise, they all felt OK.

Yesterday I took the day off, except for a 45 minute yoga session with my new training partner, K.

Thursday I ran about 3 miles (and I was SUPER sore from that KB workout on Wednesday).

Today is DH's and my seventh wedding anniversary, so we're probably going to go out for dinner tonight. Have a fun and safe weekend! Be strong!