Progress...I've got a bit of a story to tell...

If you think for one second, that hard work, AND perseverance doesn't pay off...well, then you are sorely mistaken.  I've got a bit of a story to tell, and I'm getting stronger and more brave as the days go by.  It's pure, it's honest, and it's true.  I hope to share soon!

I'm feeling the best I have in years...

I've been running, here and there...

8k -  Dec. 2011

We're working ourselves back up into some longer miles and on Sunday we got in a fantastic 7 miles! Hello, RNR USA Half Marathon! :)

Flipping tires and climbing up ropes at CrossFit...

I've been CrossFitting 3 x's a week for the past 3 months and so far I am LOVING the challenge it brings me.


I've also been busy tending to my lovely little family...

Physically I'm feeling (and looking) the best I have in years!  I've been focusing a lot on CrossFit (3.5 months in!) and I've also been fitting in a run and spin class every now and again.  This new change in routine seems to be working really well for me and my body is changing in so many ways.  For January, I've been cleaning up my eating, trying to eat clean for 75-80% of the time and in the next few weeks or so, I'm hoping to have a really nice progress photo update to share with everyone!

A little thank you...and update. Crossfit!

You guys, I am overwhelmed by the comments as well as all of the emails you all have sent over the past few weeks.  I really had no idea my last post would spark such great responses and feedback.  So again, thank you. I'm super happy with the path I am on now after struggling to see "change" for so long.  I cannot express to you all enough just how important the weight training is.  I never ever thought for a minute that cutting back my cardio and increasing my lifting would yeild such great results.  I'm almost to the point where I want to kick the scale to the curb forever!  LOL! On another note, many of you asked and emailed about my training plan! If you'd like to know what I did for the initial 12 weeks, feel free to send me an email.  Email addy is on my sidebar. :)



Anyway, I should share that about a month ago, I decided to lose my ever-loving mind and give Crossfit a try.  I knew going into the winter and holiday months that I needed something new, interesting and challenging for myself and that this would be a great fit.  In fact, I had been doing a ton of research and reading about it, when I found that there was an awesome local Crossfit box that just so happened to be around the corner from my current gym, and my daughters cheer gym.  Anyway, my friend and I went in about a month ago.  We had our initial assessment, our free session, and then a few days later we were both experiencing our very first Workout of the Day. (WOD)

To say the WODS are challenging would be putting it lightly.  In fact, for the first time in my life I am moving my body and challenging myself in ways I never would have otherwise.  I'm doing all of the movements, like pull-ups (oh, they are assisted at this point LOL), sit ups, push-ups, burpees, box jumps, jumping rope (seriously!)...that I would normally avoid.

Is it hard? Sure.  However, everytime I walk out of the box, I have surprised myself and I'm actually proud.  Proud that I have committed myself to 3x's a week, proud that I have finished every workout thrown my way.  In  fact I'm getting ready to committ myself for another month of Crossfit.  So here goes month #2...

I hope to blog about this more over the upcoming weeks...

Weight Training works. The End. (Photos!)

It's not easy for me to share these photos, but I feel pretty strongly about the title of this post and the changes my body has made over the past few weeks.  The photo on the left was snapped just AFTER I trained and finished the Iron Girl triathlon relay back in August.  In that photo I was logging serious miles mainly spinning, cycling outside and running 5-6 days a week.  All cardio...all the time!

In the photo on the right, I cut back on my cardio (which was really hard to do at first) and stuck to my lifting plan of  5 days a week (split body parts...back/bi's, chest/tri's, shoulders, legs, etc.) and had 2-3 days of either 60 minutes of running or spinning. I should also add that I've made a concerted effort to eat 6 meals a day (mainly clean eating and upping my protein intake!), and I'm sure to have a protein shake after every single workout. :)

I knew my body was changing over the past few weeks, but I didn't realize just how much until I snapped the photo on the right.  Between the two photos, I've really probably only lost about 5 lbs....but you can tell I've certainly leaned out a bit.  I'm also on my way to fitting in a jean size that never existed to me after my kiddos. :)



Anyway, I just popped in to share my progress!  I have more to share on my new workouts...and will def. do that soon!

I made it 8 weeks!

Hi All! Just wanted to pop in and say that I've made it 8+ weeks on my new weight training plan,  and man oh man what a difference it is making in my body!  I haven't lost that many lbs. on this plan (4-5ish?) but I've gone down another size in clothes! Just goes to show that the scale isn't always what we should go by!

Me on my way to the gym a week ago!

I also did something pretty exciting and participated in my first ever obstacle course 5k last weekend!  3+ miles of never-ending hills, wall climbing, sliding, swimming (yes swimming!!!), thick mud, jumping haystacks, oh and being chased by zombies. LOL! You name it, we did it! Such an awesome experience!  I highly recommend looking into whether or not the Run For your Lives 5k is coming to a town near you.

I have some more updates coming soon. Hope you all are doing well!

What have I been up to? Pumping Iron...that's what...UPDATE!

Most recent photo

Since the Iron Girl triathlon relay I've been going really strong in the 5-6 days a week workout department.  I've also had quite a bit of time to reflect and re-group as my next big event isn't until March of next year. 

During this time I've decided to make some big changes in my training plan... 

Most of my friends already know this, but over the past few months I was logging anywhere from 40 to 100+ miles a week spinning, running, and outdoor cycling.  IT WAS ALL CARDIO. ALL THE TIME.  NOTHING ELSE.  Don't get me wrong, it was great!  In fact, all the cardio is what helped me shed almost 30lbs, while helping my endurance become rock-solid.  The thing was...and this something that I realized was that despite all the mileage and hard work, I was also...STILL FLABBY!

I knew in my heart that I needed to change things up.  I trained hard for Iron Girl, moved out of my comfort zone of just running, took up cycling...but I knew that if I wanted to get that leaner, tighter, physique I needed to add something else.  This something else turned out to be weight training.  So after talking to a lot of people and with the support and advice of my husband, trainer, and gym, and online buddies I have begun a new 8 week training plan which (if followed closely) I will get leaner, stronger (let's face it, I'm weak!) and toned.

The training plan consists of lifting (heavy! none of that low weight/high rep stuff) 4-5 days a week (splitting up body parts) and cardio 3 days a week, and abs.  So with this plan I still get to run, and take my favorite spin classes. Yay! (Just not 6 days a week of it. LOL)

Right now I just began week 3 and I am finally starting to LOVE it.  During week 1 I admit it took everything within me to walk past that Monday night spin class and hit the weights, but you know what? I'm seeing results already!  I have a new soreness (muscle growth) that I'm becoming more familiar with and my cardio days are days that I now look forward too. :)  It's true absence does make the heart grow fonder. ;)

I hope to continue to update you all along the way over these next few weeks.  As of right now, I am not to be following a scale, but how my clothes fit and measurements.  I'm really, REALLY excited about kicking it up notch and seeing some muscle tone...FINALLY!

We did it! IG triathlon relay is in the bag!

We did it! The Iron Girl Columbia triathlon relay is in.the.bag!  I couldn't of asked for a better swim, bike, and run team! So much fun! I'm not sure if a lot of you know, but my teammate was the lovely Katye, from Long Legs on the Loose who in fact, crushed the 3.3 hilly run. :) 

I kept telling her the entire weekend how happy I was that we were teammates.  This was by far, THE most stress free race/event I have ever participated in.  We roomed together at the host hotel and together we spent some $ dough hitting up the expo, racked my bike at the park, had a nice low-key pasta dinner, and then stopped at Target for some last minute items.  Not too long after, we got back to the room did we shower and head off to dreamland. :)

The next morning we were up early.  Step 1 for me was starting the coffee maker (sorry Katye! ha!).  We packed up our things, checked out of the hotel and we were on the shuttle to Centennial in the dark.  Shortly after we got there we got our bodies marked with our race #'s and a HUGE "R" for relay on our calves. LOL

We settled in, walked around for a bit (I caught up with my hubby and kiddos! :)) and before we knew it...the rain started and then it started P-O-U-R-I-N-G with a little bit of thunder! Yikes! We took cover under some trees, laughed about the rain, and people watched.  Eventually we made it over the Team ASA tent and waited until the first swim wave started...and waited some more! LOL  Everything had been pushed back by 20 minutes, so the downtime was a bit more than anticipated.  In between the waiting I found my family and friends, which def helped pass some of the time.

Around 9 a.m. (I think?) our swimmer was in the water!  It was time for me to head over to the transition area to be ready for her to meet me at my bike.  It didn't take long for her to crush the .6 mile swim and the next thing I know we were transferring the chip to my ankle, and I was off to conquer this...

As soon as I hit the course I settled in and started pushing it (passing a few of the ladies on 108).  It wasn't until I was around mile 3 that I realized I forgot to hit start on my Garmin. LOL  Time was flying and I was having the BEST time out there.  The hills were no joke, but being in the right gear made them totally doable.  In fact, the dreaded, steep Mt. Albert didn't seem as bad as it once was...(I think the longer gradual climbs were worse! LOL).  Before I knew it I was at the turnaround and heading back.  I realized at times going up those hills that I was going steady but slow, so I made a mental note to get in a heavier gear on the downhills to push it and GO...sometimes reaching a speed of 28.1 mph!  For the first time ever, I wasn't scared of the downhills. I felt in control and just so fearless! 

Coming down on the home stretch I was still feeling good. Still smiling, still cheering on the other gals out there.  Coming back into Centennial was a bit of a blur, I sort of couldn't believe it was over...  I came in fast, hopped off the bike, and ran to my rack where Katye was waiting. I don't even think we said two words to each other then. LOL I just stuck my leg out, she grabbed the chip...and took off!!!!  I got myself together, caught up with my family and friends...and we were off to see Katye bring it home....

And that she did my friends...I couldn't believe it! Minutes after getting to the run course finish area there she was! LOL

FINAL RESULTS:
Team We TRI Together - a.k.a. - Team Long Hugs and Sweaty Legs ;)
Placing: 19 out of 96 Relay Teams!!!!

Combined Time: 2:02:47
.6 Swim: 17:44

17.5 bike: 1:17:35
3.3 Run: 24:46

And there you have it folks, my Iron Girl triathlon relay experience. It was just.plain.fun and I would LOVE to do it again! :)  All in all, I think it's pretty damn amazing what can happen when you train well for something.  A mere 6-7 months ago, I didn't have much road cycling experience. I got my road bike, took a class, joined up with strangers for group rides, went out to Columbia to do the actual course, put in serious miles in spin classes...and I DID IT!!!!!!  I couldn't be more proud of us. :)

I'll end this post with a quote I wanted to share...

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new." - B. Tracy