Boot Camp

Today was my first day of CrossFit Boot Camp. CrossFit is a gym that had a different approach to fitness. Each day is a different workout that may feature anything from running and kettlebells to rowing and push-ups. You never know what you are going to get, but each workout is designed to be a complete core workout, even if it only takes a few minutes. The key is intensity.

I am familiar with the concept of CrossFit. My sister-in-law's sister-in-law owns a CrossFit gym in Florida. My own hubby has been a member of this gym for probably about a year now. I have been to an open house, but I have never done the workout myself because I always thought it would be too hard. Hubby forwarded an e-mail announcing their latest edition of Boot Camp, and I decided to give it a try.

I had hoped today would be an orientation session. It was not. Our instructor, Ashley, introduced herself to us and got each of our names. She then sent us out to run 400 meters as part of a warm up. When we returned, she said that we would always warm up together. She got us started crossing back and forth the gym floor doing a variety of activities like high knee lifts in front, butt kicks to the back, and squats. She then demonstrated each move for the main workout. Our workout today was repetitions of three exercises - push-ups, air squats, and sit-ups. We were to do them as fast as possible starting the first round with 10 of each, the second round with 9 of each, continuing until we were to zero. When we finished, we were to yell "Time!" so she could record our times.

I can't do push-ups, so it was nice to see Ashley demonstrate several different options for movement including knees up or using a bar. She was more concerned with the posture of the push-up (straight back, chest down) that the leg position. I finished last among the girls, but strangely, sooner than both the guys. I was a sweaty mess when I finished, but I did my first workout. We finished with 30 seconds of plank, 30 seconds of rest for three rounds. I was not able to get my body off the ground, so she again showed a modification. Then, we were done.

On the drive home, I felt my right shoulder aching. I knew I would be sore, but I think I tweaked something during the push-ups or the plank. It brought to life my biggest fear - that this new workout could negatively impact my other training. I need to be able to use my shoulder for Masters swim and for the race I have on Sunday. I think it is just a fluke - a first time trying something new minor injury. I hope it feels better tomorrow.

I want upper body strength and core strength. I just don't want to have to work hard or hurt to get it.

Time to try something new

We like to challenge ourselves to doing at least one new thing a year. In the past few years, we have run half marathons, then marathons, then triathlons, then longer triathlons (still not done with that one yet!) We have also tried new classes and things we have just always wanted to do (Yes, I have a bucket list.) Well, I tried something new on Tuesday, sort of.

A few weeks ago, a website called Groupon (which I am now addicted to) featured a daily deal to a local indoor rock climbing center called The Vertical Edge. I was familiar with VE as hubby has climbed there on and off for many years. I have been there and I have watched people climb, but I have never done it myself. So, I used the deeply discounted deal as an excuse to go.

I signed up for the class and arrived at 7pm as an eager student. Of course, my eagerness waned after the instructor told us it was about a two hour class (I was expecting to be there about an hour so we could then head out to dinner). Since I was there, I tried to make the best of it. We first learned how to fasten the harness properly (see red and you are dead), and then we moved on to knots. We learned how to tie in to the climbing ropes safely. After learning how to be a safe climber, we learned how to tie in as a belayer (the person who stays on the ground to make sure the climber will not fall if he/she slips.) There were more knots, safety positions, and voice commands to learn. Soon, we were on the floor ready to belay with the instructor as backup.

Hubby got to be my climber. He headed up the wall and took a series of falls - some planned and some unplanned. I was able to belay him (after the initial jolt of weight - it is really not hard.) I took my test, and passed with flying colors. I am good to go.

Well, I did spend some more time belaying for Bill. It is actually kind of fun to focus on someone's climb and know you are there to catch them if they fall. It was nice to be able to hold up hubby's entire weight and lower him after he finished his climb. It made me feel strong (yes, there are pulleys, friction, and safety equipment so you are not holding all of their weight, but it still made me feel good.) The only thing I did not do is climb myself.

It seemed like a good idea until I got there, but then all sorts of things crossed my mind. What if I am too fat to climb? What if I get scared of the height and freeze? What if the rope breaks and I fall? What happens if I just can't do it? These thoughts kept me grounded this time, but I still had fun.

Luckily, the deal included a pass for a second session and equipment rental. I have a chance to go back when I am ready. I only hope that this time I don't keep my feet on the ground.

New Toy #3

We have finally come into the cell phone technology era. For years, hubby and I had just phones. Yes, the salespeople at the store would just stare at us when we requested a cell phone that just made phone calls-no camera, no data, no messaging. Well, with the end of our latest cellular contract, we decided to take the leap. Yes, that's right. We are Smartphone users with full plans.

It has been strange getting used to the new technology. I can text message now - so weird! I have to say that it come in handy. Just last night, I was able to send a message to a friend who was at a concert. He got the message - no screaming over the phone or disturbing those around him. The phone also has a calendar function. It has been fun getting all of my various events loaded into the phone. There has been a lot of syncing between the phone, my computer, and my ITouch. I have been working the past few days to update my "people" as well. I have been eliminating the duplicates and cleaning up my entries (finding those entries that make you say who is this person?) It has been a lot of work, but I think I am finally ready to get the most use out of the phone.

My biggest issue is with my ITouch. I love my ITouch. It is a great device, but lacks the phone and camera functions of my new Hero. For now, I am carrying both with me, but I am wondering how long it will last. I really don't need the ITouch any more -the phone does everything it does and more. I just don't want to part with it.

It is always fun to get a new toy. With the new toy, you also get to buy new accessories. I got a great hot pink case for my phone that makes it look less plain and helps to differentiate my phone from hubby's exact same model.

I am happy for now, but I wonder what the next great thing in cell phones may be. I hope we can just enjoy this one before it becomes obsolete.

Best of Fall

I love the fall. It is my favorite season for so many reasons. I love the cooler temperatures, the changing leaves, the beginning of hockey and football, and all of the wonderful holidays. It is also the beginning of the new TV season.

I have checked out a few of the new shows this year. Here's what I think so far:

Community - I thought the first episode of this show was hilarious. It has a great ensemble cast including the great Chevy Chase. The second two episodes were enjoyable, but not as funny as the premier. I am a little upset with NBC. They have moved Community to 8:00pm which will conflict with two other shows that I watch. So, I guess Community lasted for three episodes as far as I am concerned.

The Vampire Diaries - I love anything with a paranormal premise. In this show, we have two brother vampires who have returned to their small VA town. One is a vampire with humanity who does not drink human blood and seems to want a normal life. The other is an evil vampire who thinks of humans merely as food and does not seem to care who he hurts. In the middle of the brothers is Elena, a gorgeous young woman who resembles a woman from the brother's past. It seems the past is repeating itself as both brothers are drawn to Elena. So far, I like it. Yes, the cast is mostly teenagers, but I do enjoy the love triangle and the supernatural. Did I mention there is a witch, too? I am keeping this one on my list.

Cougartown - I have always liked Courteney Cox. I think she is a gorgeous woman and a funny actress. I had high hopes for this show about a 40 something divorced woman starting to date again. The premier episode was a dog. I stopped watching with about 5 minutes left. It was not funny or clever. I deleted the show and have not looked back.

The Good Wife - This story is set in Chicago. The state's attorney (guest star Chris Noth) has resigned in scandal. He has shamed his family and is now serving time in prison. His wife, Alicia, has stood by him and now must put her family back together. She (the wonderful Julianna Marguiles) has returned to the law and is now a 40 something woman working as a junior associate in a law firm headed by her good friend (Josh Charles - loved him since Sports Night) from law school. I like the quirky cast and watching Alicia find her legal skills after a 13 year absence. I really like this show and hope it continues.

Modern Family - The first show made me weep because I was laughing so hard. We missed the second episode due to a DVR failure, but saw the third episode last night. I love the crazy son-in-law and the gay couple. So far, so good.

Flash Forward - This show was one of the most hyped coming into the new season. Every person on the planet blacks out for 2+ minutes. People are given a glimpse into their own future - what they are doing on April 29, 2010. We return to the present, and all the pieces must be put together to find out why it happened and how we get from here to there. Promising premise. It sounded interesting, and the initial episode was interesting. How does a loving wife who would never cheat wind up with another man in a few short months? What killed it for me was an commercial that aired during the show. The main character is walking down the street just as everyone is coming to from the blackout. There is a kangaroo that jumps past him. The announcer point it out again and says something like "Did you see the kangaroo? It may be important." Well, it the show need to point out things that may be important, it is assuming I am not smart enough to follow it. I finished the first episode and moved on.

So, what are you watching this season? Has anything caught your interest?

My achin' back!

My back has been sore for three days now. It is my lower back, and I am not completely sure what is causing it.

Hubby and I went for a bike ride on Sunday. It was a hot day, but I really wanted to try out my new bike. I was nervous about working with the clipless pedals (shoes that clip right in to the bike pedals), but I soon got the hang of it. I actually have a bigger problem getting my feet in the pedals than out. I am pleased to report that never fell over on my bike (at least not yet). I rode around the parking lot for a bit, then we headed out to the road for a short ride. Soon, we were back at the car, and it just didn't seem like we had gone far enough. So, out we went again.

We rode along the American Tobacco Trail until it ended. We ran into fellow biker who told us he had been harassed by two teens further down the trail. He said that they had tried to knock him off his bike. We rode with him for a while until he got a call from the police stating that the perps had been found and returned home (one boy was receiving a beating from his mama in the front yard). I was starting the get very tired at this point, and it was well after lunch. My back was aching and my hands hurt from holding the handles. I was afraid I would not be able to make it back to the truck.

Luckily, we ran into friends on the trail, and I perked up a bit. We did make it back to the truck after about an hour and a half of riding (courtesy of my new bike computer that track time actually moving on the bike).

I know one needs good core strength for bike riding (which I don't have). I also know that the position of the bike is different than what I am used to being in, but should my back still hurt because of the ride?

New Toy #2

After the Triangle Triathlon, I really wanted a road bike. While I love my sport hybrid, it is just not the bike you want to use for racing. So, last weekend, I got a new bike.

We went to several stores and I rode several bikes. This one, however, just felt right. This bike literally makes me smile when I ride it. Well, you can't just buy a bike nowadays. With a road bike, you need bike shoes to clip into the clipless pedals. You need cages to hold your water bottles and a computer to monitor how fast you are riding. There is also the necessary biking wardrobe - gel bike shorts to make the seat more comfortable and bike jerseys that are tight at the bottom to keep from causing wind drag. It cost a pretty penny, but I think it will be so worth it.

This weekend is the hard part. I will be practicing the clipless pedals for the first time outside of a trainer (a device that keeps you steady an upright). I am afraid that I will fall over. Most people do forget that their feet are attached to the bicycle for their first ride. I know I will get used to it and it will become second nature. Then, I can do what I really want to do - ride my beautiful new bike for miles and miles.

Liking the new gym

I am really enjoying our new gym.

This evening I went for a fitness consultation. It was an opportunity for me to ask questions about any of the fitness equipment available at the gym. We started off slow and I wondered if I had made a mistake with the appointment. I thought perhaps I would not get much out of it. I mentioned that I was particularly interested in working my core and my upper body. Once he heard this news, we were up and running.

He took me all over the gym floor to point out different pieces of equipment and different exercise I could do to reach my goals. We used rubber balls, mats, free weight, machines, medicine balls, and the floor. I love that I have new ideas and new exercises to try. I have always felt that I never know what to do in the gym, but I have no fears now. I have a good foundation of moves now, and it was all complementary.

I am looking forward to my nutrition evaluation next week. I also plan to take advantage of the free clinics held periodically. There are clinics to highlight upper body, lower body, abs, stretching, and many others. I really think this gym will work for me. I am feeling motivated already.

My new ride

I have had my new Honda Element for 2 days now. I really, really, like it. It is fun to drive, but it is super comfortable. I love that it is so sporty, yet the interior feels very plush.

I have a full navigation system (I don't even know how to use is yet, but it's cool!), a removable cooler between the front seats, a leather wrapped steering wheel with controls for the radio on it, a back up camera (it doesn't work so well in the rain - trust me), and the rear seats flip up out of the way for full doggie access. I like that the doors open 90 degrees with the rear door opening toward the back of the car. I like the clam shell rear door. It opens with a short tailgate that the pups can easily jump on to get in the truck. And, I absolutely adore the color!!! It is so vibrant, so warm, and so me!! I have even personalized it already. Bill gave me two chrome features for the truck - a Georgia Bulldawg mascot and a silhouette of a dog. I also bought myself a sticker that says Peace, Love, and Running.

I just want to so for a ride now!!

New Truck

We are picking up the new truck tonight. Watch for updates!

Sold!

We posted an ad in the paper and online. We listed it on Craig's List. And, now it's gone. My car sold yesterday.

Bill met with the buyers on Sunday to look at the car. They liked what they saw, but were going to look at one other car before making a decision. The decided to take my car yesterday. We didn't get full price, but we did get a really good price. My car will be gone on Friday.

So, now I need a new car. We are trying to order a new Honda, and are waiting to hear if the sale will go through. Until then, it looks like it will be rental car time for me.

I am a little sad that my Mustang will be gone. It is a good car, and I do enjoy driving it. I know it is not practical, and I know an SUV will be so much better for my family. I am excited about getting a new car, but I will be sad on Friday. Guess I will have to gun it one last time on the way to the drop off point.

Big Auto Changes

We put my car, a 2005 Ford Mustang, on sale this weekend. As much as I like the car, it is time for me to get something bigger. I need a vehicle that I can use to carry my two furry girls, and you just can't do that in a 2 door Mustang.



I think the car is well priced. I hope it will sell quickly. My next vehicle will be a Honda, but we have not picked a specific model. It will be an Element, a CR-V, or a Pilot. Input, anyone?