(G) Remember when I said I was ready to train and be hard-core? You might, because I just said it last week. However, after this past week I am beginning to understand that:

• My training schedule is hard-core
• My intention is hard-core
• My body, on the other hand, is more like soft, squishy and “mommy, can I have a drink of water” quality!

During the week when theoretically the mileage is “easier” I was already struggling. But Saturday arrived and let’s just say that 15 miles is like a roller coaster. It’s long enough that you feel good, you feel bad, you feel really bad, you feel good again. Although the “good again” may be what feeling bad was 5 miles earlier. Who knows?

And the real kicker is waking up Sunday morning, with your cat puking on your bed, and then you realize you have 10 miles more to run today. I would’ve pulled the covers over my head but most of them were on the floor from when the cat puked on the bed.

I saw a fellow runner/Personal Trainer at the park Sunday morning. She was tearing it all up with another beautiful person. I passed by them twice and while she shared with me they were doing 10 miles also, their 10 miles looked a lot different. For one, they kept their tongues in their mouths unlike me who at times looked like a retriever. They were bright, shiny and fresh. I was not so bright, shiny and my running visor has taken on a stinky quality. Not fresh.

I wonder again about the beautiful people and how that all happens.

Beyoncé posts those selfies, without makeup, saying she woke up looking like that. Hmm.

I had some miles to think about these things so forgive the tangent.

The good news is that I did accomplish my mileage for the week and have 43 miles in for the month of September. YAY!

The bad news, well it’s always so abundant, and frankly, funnier.

First off, I pulled an abdominal muscle Friday while trying to stay on task with my ab challenge. Now, this is partially good news since I found my abdominals long enough to strain them. 🙂

However, is this a sign I should quit or that I should have started long ago?

Oh the yoga challenge continues… it’s possibly the saddest excuse for a challenge EVER but continue I will. I decided on September 1 that I would commit to 10 minutes of yoga Monday through Friday, at least.

I wanted it to be unstructured and let it take whatever form it needed to each day depending on my other activities. Saturday night I am pretty sure I spent most of the time lying on my mat pretending it was “savasana” waiting for the timer to go off so I could meditate. Why was I so committed? I wanted to enjoy an adult beverage and it felt like meditation and yoga were standing in my way. I really was just ticking off the boxes so I could say done and done. Is that bad?

Becoming PocaLocaLowi (A Little Bit Crazy)

(L) Remember when I said I was going to train hard-core…oh, no wait, that was G, not me! Seriously, though, I did find my mojo this week after being given my new name.  And thanks to all of you, I have been referred to as “Poca,” “Loca” and “hey crazy” all week.

I have been giving a lot of thought to my workouts the last couple of weeks, trying to create not only a plan, but a vision for myself.  This is what it looks like and no it’s not Beyoncé doing a backbend although I wish I could do that! (If you haven’t seen her birthday backbend selfie you should probably go check it out).

Clearly I have a long way to go, but having a vision for what I am training for feels really good.

Speaking of training.  I was also thinking this week about the fact that we call this the torture report.  Merriam-Webster.com defines torture as the act of causing severe pain as a way to force someone to do something.  Hmmm. Severe pain? Check.  Feeling Forced? Check.  Doing something?  Check.  Yes, these last couple of weeks I have become re-acquainted with some muscles that I forgot existed.  Last week, I told you about my close call with the removal of my shirt and almost needing an emergency response team. This week I was thinking about installing handicap bars in my bathroom.  Do you know how difficult it can be to lower oneself to a sitting position after using dormant muscles in ones legs for kettle ball sumo squats, deadlifts, lunges and barbell squats?  Very difficult.

I have also been working on my abs.  You know we started that whole Ab challenge thing again. I am remembering why I hated the month of June now.

Running?  Yes, I have been running slow like a turtle and I have only logged 21 miles for the month, but I will get there.  It’s only the 9th after all and you know how I like to work right up against my deadline!

Oh yes, and I don’t want to forget the yoga challenge that G set forth.  How many hours does she have in her day anyway?  My yoga challenge has looked a little more like me just trying to get out of bed and stand up straight.  It includes a lot of slow stretching (it looks a little like yoga) and it usually ends up with my hubby saying something like, “are you alright?”  Yeah, I am graceful like that.

Stay tuned next week for more adventures in muscles, lost and found!

Sunshine & Sarcasm, Okay, Mostly Sarcasm,

Lowi & G

 

Tuesday’s Torture Report is a running log of our progress as we train toward fitness, specific races or our latest exercise-related obsession. Lowi’s working toward Becoming Pocahontas and G’s latest adventure goal is Croatan 24. To read last week’s torture report click here.