I Conquered Centennial Lake!

First, I actually had to type my password in to blogger. This means that it has been FAR too long since I've posted. Sorry! I have been crazy-busy. I've done some cardio, some lifting and had a Liz session and you all know nothing of it. :( My apologies. But now for the exciting part!

Today was the practice swim/dress rehearsal for the IronGirl Triathlon! As some of you may remember, I am relaying the event and taking the swim leg. This entails swimming 0.62 miles in Centennial Lake. For those non-Marylanders, Centennial Lake is...it's...um...think nastiness. Think a pond of stagnant nastiness. One year they almost canceled the event because E Coli levels were too high. And I signed up to swim in it. You know me. I have no germ issues... ::sarcasm::

I don't even remember when I signed up but it was some point last fall or winter. I give 100% of the blame/responsibility to Amanda F. Amanda is amazing and did the IronGirl some years ago and relayed it last year. She suggested we both relay this year and both do the swim portion. Because I do almost anything anyone tells me to, I signed up. Then instantly regretted it. Amanda may or may not know this, but her name has been cursed repeatedly from my lips many, many times since I registered. Every time I pictured getting into that water (can we call it water?) my stomach turned a bit.

When I found out there was a dress rehearsal, this did not instantly make me feel better (as it does for some), but my first thought was: "I have to get in that water TWO times!?!?" And my dread for August 21st became my dread for July 29th. The date on my calendar laughed at me each time I scanned July. Oh man, was I worried.

So, this week when I checked with Amanda to see if she wanted to carpool she gave me the terrible news that her tri relay team has completely bailed on her and she can no longer participate!!! Despite me offering her MY spot several times, I was now in this alone. She graciously offered to get up insanely early this morning and swim with me anyways. Did I mention she's amazing? We set off at 6 am and that was that.

While registering today, Amanda found another relay team in need of a swimmer, so she is back in the game! I'm glad she came to support me so she could meet the right people! Then we waited for our wave. I felt the same way as I felt during my first half marathon (that I did not train for and sign up for 6 days prior to run with the lovely Julie VLF!). My thought process in the starting corral, waiting for the gun to fire, was: "It's happening. I can embrace it or not. But it's happening either way." So far, quitting has not been an option for me. I felt the same way about this. It's on. I should embrace it.

We walked down to the water and I got in. Some people panic the first time they swim in open water. There are different reasons given like being so far from anything to hold on to or not being able to see in the murky water, but for whatever reason, panic is common. I am not above these things, so I was curious to see how I'd do. Amanda offered to swim alongside me the entire way and I took her up on it. We set off and I was fine. The water? Not so bad. The smell and feel instantly brought me back to swimming in the lake at my cottage as a kid and I got all happy. Amanda kept saying encouraging things and before we knew it, we were done! I didn't struggle at all--physically or mentally!

I swam 0.62 miles in nasty Centennial Lake and I did it with nearly 20 minutes to spare for the cutoff. I feel great! I feel great for race day (August 21st!). I feel like I won't let my triathlon relay team down. I feel like I can check another box of fun fitness things I've done!!!

Oh, and I no longer curse Amanda's name. I think very nice things about her for getting me to stretch a little beyond comfortable and feel this great when I succeed!!! :)

What Happened to Solidarity???

I've been sick for sooooooooo looooooooooooooooooong! Ok. Like a week, but still... I was really apprehensive about going back to the gym in general. I hate not working out for a week at a time and also, breathing tends to make me cough, so...seems like it could be a bad idea. But! I do have to ease back in.

I had a session scheduled with Liz for yesterday but canceled it on Sunday due to the death-like state I was in. She had no openings later in the week as she is having shoulder surgery Friday (at noon for those who would like to send thoughts and prayers her way!) and so squeezed all her clients into evenings this week. Yesterday, she emailed me that she had a 6pm opening today. I deferred to her on whether or not I should take it. I had already decided I'd go back to the gym today--the question was whether or not it was worth her time and my money to have it be with her. She felt it would be. I nervously took her advice.

Well, it was a great decision! I feel like she pushed me and the session was NOT pansy, but I also never felt like she was not respecting my current physical state. As Devon used to say (or was it Zak???), a good workout is challenging, but doable. Well done, Liz! I love my trainer!!!

Today's session we did a bunch of exercises all in a row, then rested. Yup, one large superset. Yup, it is as sucktastic as it sounds--in a good, workout way. ;) Specifically, we did all of these:

Assisted Pull-Ups: 105/15, 105/12, 105/15
Deep Squats: BW/25, BW/25, BW/25
Seated Row: 40/15, 50/15, 60/12
Lunges (double pump): BW/15, BW/15, BW/15 *only single pump last set
Push-Ups: BW/15, BW/15 (only 2 sets)
DB Sumo Squats: 30/15, 30/20, 30/20
DB Upright Row: 15/20, 20/15, 20/15
DB Deadlifts: 30/12, 30/10 (only 2 sets)
Reverse Crunches: BW/15, BW/15, BW/15
Alt. Toe Touches: BW/15, BW/15, BW/15

So, I went down the list, then rested. Then went down the second set of each, rested and then the third.

I'm very honest in my sessions with Liz. You'd think she appreciates this fact--maybe she does, who knows?--but she usually just tells me to do it right. An example, during the first set of double pump lunges, I found the second half of the set to be rough, so I started standing for a second between lunges. On the second set she told me to try not to do that. She said if I need to, I can tap my foot for balance, but don't stand. I frankly told her that I don't stand for balance, I stand for the brief rest period I get. :) She informed me that she already knew that. I should get points for not making excuses...just sayin'...

During the second set of toe touches, I must have been giving Liz some lip. To be completely honest, I have no idea what I said. My money is on something like: "I *AM* holding my legs straight up. THAT'S AS STRAIGHT AS THEY GO!!! " But who can be certain? :) Two different men were drawn into our conversation. The man directly next to me on the incline press machine just laughed at me. I am pretty sure I grunted something about not liking him. Then, the man on the OTHER side of me on the lat pulldowns, told Liz she should make me do twenty more for giving her lip. GASP! Fellow gym patron, we are in this *TOGETHER*. What happened to solidarity?!!?!?!? He thought he was soooooo funny. I told him. In as clear a voice as I could muster (while still doing the toe touches) that I was not afraid of him (and his very big and scary muscles) and that I would glare at him for a good long time. He was not scared. Fool.

All in all, my session was great! The whole body then rest thing was a fun new way to lift. Also, I am pleased with my stamina given my recent sickness. OH! And I lost oodles of weight by being too sick to eat. I was thrilled. Liz yelled at me for all my birthday cake eatage and told me not to be proud of myself for losing weight from being sick. Irregardless (::wink at Pete R.::), I'm proud. ;)

Next workout: something tomorrow. Probably of the cardio variety. :)

BIRTHDAY MONTH/WEEK/DAY!!!

This post is entirely dedicated to my 30th birthday!!! As everything in life should be. :)

This may have been my most amazing birthday yet. I attribute this fact largely to two things: 1) I really have the best family and friends; and 2) I mentioned it to anyone and everyone I came in contact with for the past 3 to 4 months--I've found this technique to work incredibly well.

Birthday month started out early June when my mom threw me an awesome surprise party with family, high school and college friends up in New Hampshire! I had an amazing cake made by my very talented sister and lots of fun!



Then, this past week I have had an overwhelming amount of celebrations!

Monday: ice cream cake with aunts, uncles and cousins!
Wednesday: birthday dinner and shopping with Aunt Rachel!
Thursday: office party with cake AND a cookie cake, birthday lunch with the super-cool awesome Amanda's and Birthday Eve dinner with good friends!!!

Then...THE DAY ARRIVED!

I brought cupcakes into work for a meeting and for my lunch table creating two parties. I even received cards from people at both places--somehow they knew it was my birthday... ;)

Also, Awesome Holly Holly brought me a fun-ly decorated card and declared it to be another party. (She gets me...and I love her so much for it!)

My friend, Sean, was somewhat unexpectedly over here from England and so had to go buy nice clothes for my dinner. We went shopping together and got him a sharp and snazzy outift to match my super-awesome, slightly inappropriate birthday outfit. Check out our black and red hotness:



I made Sean stop at Target so I could pick something up. Like a gentleman, he dropped me off and picked me up at the door as it was raining. While waiting in the lobby area, I saw a Target employee asking co-workers for rides because she had been waiting for an hour! She mentioned something about walking if it wasn't raining. I offered to have Sean drive her home--she couldn't live THAT far away if she could walk. She was heading west and so were we! The ride to her place was only slightly awkward and she must have trusted we would not kill her since we looked so hot in our sharp black and red outfits! Even with our detour we were still on time for dinner! I secretly love that I have a fun little story on my 30th birthday about helping a stranger!!! (Let's be honest--it wasn't completely selfless... Life is a story! I want mine to be a good one!)

I had an amazingly delicious and fun birthday dinner at Bistro Blanc with some friends:



Then went over to my Aunt Rachel's new house to have about 40,000 of my closest friends over for a party! (Ok, less than that--but it sure felt that way for a lot of the night!):



As if ALL of that weren't enough, my Uncle Joe came down from Philadelphia, my sister TRIED to come but is in her third trimester of pregnancy and I'm glad she didn't and my mother bought a plane ticket, drove to the airport, checked in, went through security and then called me to let me know that due to torrential downpours in MD they wouldn't take off!!!! She gets a A+ for effort!

I don't know what I ever did to deserve the kind of love that was bestowed upon me this past month, but I am only grateful and thankful! I am so rich. So blessed. So loved. And I love you all so much!!!!

(raising an imaginary glass) Here's to the next thirty!

Thwarted By Pain But Lifted Still!

I had big plans to do full body today. I even was going to get a little crazy and start off with a leg/leg/plyo set like Liz has me do. I was going to lunge 15 steps each leg then squat 12-15 reps (both with the same DBs) and wrap-up with 10 burpees before resting. Look at this girl gettin' all crazy.

So, I grabbed 10 lb DBs--light, I know, but I wanted to do a warm-up--and went to begin my lunges. I slowly eased into my first, attempting to have near flawless form with my light, light weights. And OH! the pain. My right glute hurt very badly. Like an idiot, I decided that I could power through it and took a step with my other leg. The left glute felt the same, but I must have been a little cautious and didn't dip all the way down causing it to hurt less. I limped over to the training desk and confirmed with Liz that I should work only upper body today. I limped through my entire workout. After the lying dumbbell pull-overs, I re-hurt it while standing up. :( I limped to and from meeting Rufus (an adorable nearly 3 month old who crossed the pond to meet me!). I'm hoping it won't hurt in the morning...hoping...

I told Liz I thought it was from last Thursday when she destroyed my legs since I have not worked them since. She does not think so. It's just odd to me because it is the same pain on both sides... I did swim as well. It could be anything I guess. Just hope it goes away soon!!!

My upper body only routine:

Close Grip Lat Pulldowns: 50/15, 60/15, 70/10
SA Low Row: 30/15, 40/15, 50/15
Lying DB Pull-Overs: 25/15, 35/15, 35/15
Compound Row: 65/15, 75/15, 85/15
FM Chest Press: 35/15, 45/15, 50/12
Pec Decks: 50/15, 60/15, 70/15
Flat DB Press: 20/15, 25/15, 25/12
FM Shoulder Press: 25/15, 30/15, 35/15
Rear Delt Flyes: 40/15, 45/12, 45/10

All in all, it was a decent lifting day, but I am just not feeling 100% percent. I'm tired and achy. This is NOT cool during BIRTHDAY WEEK!!! Hope I feel better before the big day... :)

Deep Thoughts by Erin

This Saturday after lifting I saw Irving. Irving is a trainer at the gym who works in the mornings, so I rarely see him. We've chatted a bit in the past, so I'll usually say hello on the rare times we are both at the gym. It had been months since I'd seen him so I of course reminded him that I was gone because I got my tummy tuck. He said he had noticed I looked good and thought I just lost some more weight. I said thanks and followed up with my standard, "Yes, but I need to lose 30 more pounds." Irving replied with, "And I need..." and allowed the word 'need' to drag on as he was over-dramatically thinking. I thought, if he says he needs to lose weight that is just ridiculous because he is fine the way he is. But then he finished his sentence: "to earn about $21.4 million more dollars." I joked that he should tell Liz I am fine the way I am and walked away, but I haven't shaken the thought.

I told Liz in my session last Thursday that I am ok with losing and gaining the same 5 pounds week after week, but want the range to be 30 pounds less than where it is now. She said that this behavior is not good for that and even if I lost the 30 pounds, the gaining and losing will inevitably put the 30 back on. In her opinion.

So, I have been thinking. Thinking a decent amount about this. Do I want to lose 30 pounds? Of course. I know I can get there (I was there last year) and it makes me "healthy" according to the world of medicine. This is one of the goals I asked Liz to help me achieve. Other goals are: a) to be strong; b) to feel healthy and fit; and c) to have nice looking arms. :)

I was talking to a friend yesterday and I feel like what I took from what Irving was saying is that it has to be about the journey as well. It has to be about finding my passion/drive/joy/excitement from the process as much as--if not more than--the goals.

The reality is: I am VERY happy with how I currently look (with the exception of my arms--but they're ok...just could be better) and feel and with how my clothes fit. So why am I playing the "30 more pounds" game? I wonder if this goal and my lack of forward progress toward it isn't making me feel defeated and not be as successful.

I am toying with the idea of removing the 30 pound weight loss goal from my list and have my entire purpose in training be to be healthy, fit and strong. I really think that weight loss--however much or little may be--will come as a natural by-product of that. I don't think anything will change in my day to day practice...but it would just...be different?

I don't know...still thinking... :) And as always, this is an open invitation for your thoughts as well. :)

Sun Fun!

I lifted today. I chose to do upper body since Liz destroyed my legs on Thursday. However, I was feeling a little ill this morning, so I took it kind of easy. I wanted to be sure to do *something* for each major muscle group.

Here's what I did:

Assisted Pull-Ups: 115/15, 105/15, 95/12
Lying DB Pull-Overs: 25/15, 25/15, 35/15
Neutral-Grip Seated Row: 40/15, 50/15, 60/15
Assisted Dips: 64/15, 58/12, 52/10
Machine Shoulder Press: 30/15, 40/15, 50/12

Then, I showered, ate and headed out to the pool to meet my Aunt and two cute cousins! (my Aunt is cute too... :) I understand the original wording did not necessarily imply that...) We splashed and played and caught the kids from the waterslide over and over and over again. For like 30 minutes I just played fetch with Zachary--kids are so easy to entertain! :)

After 2 hours of fun in the sun, I am exhausted! A nap is in order before my evening festivities!!!

Oh! I also bought a cute new dress and pair of funky red pumps for my birthday dinner next Friday! Both were on ridiculous sale! WIN! :)

I Love Swimming.

I love swimming. I really do. I have a friend who is an ultra-marathoner and she HATES swimming claiming that she likes to breathe when she wants to. Very valid point. I find the rhythmic breathing of swimming to be one of the best things ever!

Based on the advice of my triathlon relay team, I am working up to swimming 1 mile in the pool. The theory is that this will make the .62 mile open water swim be "no big deal" on race day. I like this theory. In that vein, and since I have never swam more than .50 miles, I decided to go for .75 miles today. And was able to do it no problem. I feel like I could have kept going, but was ready to get out of the pool.

I went very slowly since I knew I was going further than I'd ever gone before. I also did not push off of any walls as the open water will have no walls. :) This slowed me down.

Here are the times:

1, BS: 1:46
2, BS: 2:05
3, EB: 2:09
4, BS: 1:59
5, BS: 2:05
6, EB: 2:19
7, BS: 2:04
8, BS: 2:08

.25 miles: 16:39

9, EB: 2:31
10, BS: 2:03
11, BS: 2:08
12, EB: 2:40
13, BS: 1:59
14, BS: 2:10
15, EB: 2:37
16, BS: 2:00

.50 miles: 34:50

17, BS: 2:18
18, EB: 2:45
19, BS: 2:06
20, BS: 2:17

.625 miles: 44:17

21, EB: 2:30
22, BS: 2:06
23, BS: 2:10
24, EB: 1:56

.75 miles: 53:01

I have 60 minutes to complete the swim leg of the triathlon, so I feel *pretty* good about my 44-ish minute time. Having said that, open water swimming is a whole different ball game: currents, other people, nasty water, etc... So, I shall keep practicing and hopefully speed that up a bit to give me some room to account for the yucky factor. :)