Day off...?

Today was nominally a day off. I did a whirlwind of cleaning for Noah's one and a half hour nap, never pausing. Back and forth, bending, carrying, vacuuming. I think that has to count for some calorie burn! I cleaned for two sets of relatives who were supposed to visit today and tomorrow. (I don't want them to see how I really live.) Of course, both canceled. It was really nice to come home to a clean house tonight. I may have to do that more often!

Tomorrow, a nice walk to the library and back, and maybe more.

Duh, stairs!

Imagine me smacking my forehead in realization. Now I remember why my calves hurt! We did the Devil's Millhopper on Sunday. No wonder my calves hurt on my walk yesterday. I almost never use stairs, because they are not around me! If I see stairs, I take them instead of the elevator. However, there are so many one story buildings in Gainesville that I don't get a chance to use them. So I'm guess my pain was from that, not my sneakers.

I never made it to buy sneakers today. Instead, Noah took a nice two hour nap. I was able to do 50 minutes on the elliptical machine, doing 2 sets of sprints. The sprints consisted of 1 minute hard, 30 seconds slow for about 12 cycles each time. Great workout!

I bought a new sports bra today, an Enell. I am so excited! Finally, some support!. I also bought a Zoot TRIfit tank. Stage one of gathering together racewear.

My friend Summer is also loaning me her jogging stroller (thanks, Summer!) so I can start building up my endurance, since I currently have zero. So it's starting to start...

Calf woes

Both calf muscles now feel pulled and uncomfortable. I've been doing most of my walking with Noah on my back in my Ergo, although I was solo when I pulled my right calf muscle. I tend to supinate (roll on to the outside of my feet) and my old sneakers aren't helping matters. Noah's extra weight exacerbates the supination. My errand for Tuesday morning is to go to Lloyd Clarke Sports and get a new pair of sneaks. I guess the calf strain is a reminder to take a break, but it's tough because I don't want to lose momentum! I'll do some ellipitcal at home tomorrow, which shouldn't be too strenuous.

On a positive note, I found an iPhone tabata app! Yay! I loaded it tonight, will try it tomorrow.

I walked to the pediatrician this morning for Noah's 15 month visit (he's splendid) for 1.4 miles roundtrip. I also did a wall sit tabata. My thighs feel more solid and less jiggly after only one week of exercise. Noah's doc also said we could try the gym daycare (we've been avoiding it due to Noah's recurrent ear infections). I would love to start lifting again.

Part of my reason to do a blog is to keep a diary of my training and keep me accountable to people who read this. I apologize if my posts aren't scintillating every time!

Devil's Millhopper!

Family walk this morning at the Devils Millhopper. I had Noah on my back again. We did the stairs and the trail. I love this place! I am coming back with Noah to add stair walking to the regimen. We saw pitcher plants and beautiful violets. I also did a wall-sit tabata tonight - my thighs are burning.

I realize that I am in control of my body and my eating. Sounds silly, but sometimes the sugar cravings are so much I just say, what the heck and eat, eat eat. I have to think positively and remind myself that I am not the sum of my food. I don't need to eat sugar. I will eat good food that helps me strengthen my body.

Stretching

I've been remiss in remembering to stretch. That was driven home yesterday when my I pulled a calf muscle on my long walk. For a variety of reasons, I didn't get a walk today or do a tabata. Running from place to place, doing chores, etc. So I decided to focus on stretching tonight. I did some yoga and some hamstring stretches. Much better!

Spring has Sprung!

I love Gainesville in the spring! So many blossoming trees and flowers! I went for a brisk 2.6 mile walk with my dog, Mollie, this afternoon. Noah was home asleep (Craig stayed home today) so I was able to go at a faster pace, 3.5 miles an hour. 25 extra pounds does make a difference! Walking is so peaceful, I don't use my ipod during a walk. Instead, I listen to the bees, birds and breeze. I focused on my breathing for this walk, trying to breathe through my nose. I have a tendency to breathe through my mouth, which I think is inefficient. I am also working on a breathing pace, though I wasn't as successful with that today.

I also did a plank tabata, but only lasted 4 planks of 20 seconds. I literally couldn't lift my body after the fourth. I need to work on my abs!

Tabata is tough

I did my first tabata interval today, using an improvised system: kitchen timer plus my stopwatch on my iPhone. I've realized three important things:

1. I desperately need a good quality sports bra.
2. Four minutes is an eternity when you are out of shape doing your first tabata.
3. I want a gymboss.

I was able to do the tabata right after Noah went down for his nap and I knew he wasn't going to wake up and try to get out of bed. 20 second run. 10 second walk alternating for 4 minutes. Towards the end the run was more of a slow run. My lungs were burning. Ten hours later, I can still feel the effect on my lungs. I will do at least one tabata a day, I have to figure out doing weight training tabata.

I've also come to the conclusion that doing a running tabata outside while neighbors burn leaves and there is an incredibly high pollen count is really dumb. I am still wheezing.

No other exercise today (life interfered), so I am wondering if that is why I am feeling extremely pissy tonight. I think I better go to bed.

Pathtracker worked!

No one called while I walked with Noah today! I was able to track both my distance and my pace. 1.8 miles at 2.8 miles an hour. Since the running section of the triathlon is 2.8 miles, I figure by October I'll definitely be faster than 2.8 miles an hour. Nathan, Noah and I also took our afternoon walk to the playground, and I discovered it was a half mile there! So another mile walked today. And on a side note, I have no idea where Nathan gets his boundless energy. The kid is never tired!! Ever. Even after walking, playing, punching on the punching bag, he keeps going. I need to catch some of that.

I need to figure out a good eating plan. Giving up carbs is great, but I need to eat in a way that stays off sugar cravings. Tips appreciated.

I'm thankful for the exercise. Noah has been waking up at least every 30-45 minutes to nurse the past two nights, so the exercise is keeping me awake. For now. I'm hoping he cuts his teeth soon. I think that's the problem.

Six, er, SEVEN months to go!

So it turns out that I miscounted. There are actually seven months to the triathlon on October 23. I can count this first month training as my banish the couch potato month, before I start a structured training program.

Today Noah and I had a hike in UF's nature area behind the Museum. I used my new Pathtracker app, but there are some bugs with it, so I am disappointed. It will accurately gauge the distance, but only if I don't interrupt it, for example with phone calls. And I can't block my phone calls without turning off the GPS. So I think, but I'm not entirely sure, that I walked around 1.5 miles again. I also did all the stairs available: the set behind the museum, and the three sets in the parking garage, around 200 total. That's 198 stairs more than on a usual day! All this wearing my 25 pound bunny. Plus I got to learn about Florida's pine uplands and visit the butterfly exhibit.

If you haven't done the nature walk, I recommend it. There is a boardwalk and other trails. You can access it to the left of the museum entrance. Did great with food again today. I weighed myself. I will keep the number to myself, but I am disappointed. I am well over the weight for Athena category. I will be stronger and more fit by the time October 23 rolls around. I will!

Monday Madness!

Okay, not really. More like Monday Motivation! I did two workouts today. 30 minutes on the elliptical at home while Noah napped and then a brisk mile plus walk with Noah strapped to my back after he woke up. I also gave up my morning sugary tea, and it wasn't so bad. I like the taste of plain matcha, so not bad. Also, no grains today.

I'm finding that the more attention I pay to exercising, the more attention I pay to other things in my life. I am known as "The Tornado" in my family, as I am unable to have an entirely neat house. I think my messiness is congenital. No matter how hard I try, I just can't be neat. However, I am finding, that even after three or so days I am more mindful of cleaning up.

Craig installed an app on my iPhone called Pathtracker which uses GPS to accurately gauge my walking distance. Yay! Can't wait to try it out tomorrow.

Research time!

I love to research my new passions. I picked up a copy of Triathloning for Ordinary Mortals by Steven Jonas, M.D. from the library, natch. I'm not going to invest in a book unless I think it is worth it! I found this book from a suggestion from my friend Marci. She suggested Running for Ordinary Mortals. Although the library didn't have the latter book, they had the triathlon book, which was even more perfect! I've also found a couple of websites, including one focused on gear especially for the plus sized triathlete. Or, as we are classified, Athena triathletes. (Any women over 150 pounds. The poor plus sized men are Clydesdales.)

I will also be checking out High Intensity Interval Training, suggested by Naomi in the comments for day two. Thanks for the tips! I will incorporate HIIT into my training regimen as I find a good example, most likely in the next week.

As for today's training, we took a family walk to the library, 1.5 miles roundtrip. I wore Noah on my back, adding an extra 23 pounds. I most impressed with Nathan who walked cheerfully the entire way!

The Second Day...

was not as successful training-wise as the first. Life interferes sometimes. Poor Craig had a migraine, so I couldn't take off by myself. So Nathan, Noah and I walked to the CVS down the block. Only about a half-mile roundtrip, so better than nothing. We also strolled the Haile Village Music & Arts Festival this morning (not that great, by the way.) I was able to do some sprints by chasing Nathan around the yard tonight, although I don't recommend sprinting in flip-flops while chasing a four year-old. Man, is he fast!

For the next couple of weeks, I am going to focus on eating better and walking, walking, walking! Now, I think eating better can be more subjective than people think. I've done a lot of reading recently about nutrition contrary to the commonly accepted orthodoxy of low-fat, high fiber. I'm convinced that low grain is the way for me. Low grain does not equal all fat, though. I still love fruits and veggies. I've given up grains a couple of times, and felt so good! I'm determined to give them up again. Why do I fall off the wagon? I love to bake. I've recently started baking my own bread and had to try a piece. Of course, one led to another, then another... And cookies - yum.

So the next big step is going low-carb. No grains, low sugar. I'm kind of relieved to be forced to give up sugary tea. I love hot tea, with tons of milk and sugar, both in the morning and at night. I'll substitute milk at night and matcha green tea in the morning. I'd love some low carb tips! Post away in the comments...

Why a Triathlon?

I used to be quite the athlete. I was a competitive swimmer from ages 5 to 14 and captain of both volleyball and soccer as a senior in high school. (Alright, so our soccer team never won a single game. I never said I was a World Cup caliber athlete.) Then I went to college and gave up team sports. I really miss them, but being a mom to a pre-schooler and a toddler has prevented me from joining a soccer or softball team. Plus, I'm out of shape, big-time.

I've wanted to do a triathlon since law school, more than 10 years ago. But I never found the time to do it. Now, I have to complete one. I turn 39 in November. This is not the big 4-0, but if I give myself a year and six months to train, I'll never do it. The triathlon I want to do is October 23 in Orlando. This gives me a little over 6 months to go from zero to triathlete. I can do it!

Swim training should be easy. We have a pool, so once it warms up I can swim at night when the boys are asleep. Cycling is fine, too. I once rode 63 miles across Cape Cod, from Sandwich to Provincetown in one day (I only walked up the two big hills in Wellfleet.) It's the running that worries me. I am not a runner. I became a soccer goalie so I wouldn't have to run the field. I really hate running. Runners never look happy. Plus, being a plus-sized woman, I have to consider two other things. I'll leave that to the imagination.

So, today, March 19, was my first day of training. I walked a mile and a half pushing my little one in a stroller. That's a mile and a half more than yesterday. I figure I'll take it slow and steady, at least until I can find a jogging stroller.