post-vacation malaise

The second definition at dictionary.com

2. a vague or unfocused feeling of mental uneasiness, lethargy, or discomfort.

Unfocused? Check.
Lethargy? Check.
Discomfort.... hmmm? Well I am back to work.

I am happy enough to drop most nutrition and fitness goals by the wayside on vacation. I really am. Darn it, I work hard and eat well the other 90% of the year so I can forgo a few days, weeks (months?) here and there without much guilt. In the span of about 8 days, I completed one 4 mile walk around my boyfriend's mother's complex in Florida. We went kayaking for a good few hours one afternoon (note attached picture). What else? Do 12 oz. Corona curls count? Oh vacation, how I long for you already.

I am drained as well. That's the lethargy I suppose. I slept for nearly 13 hours last night and still felt like I could have slept longer. (Bed sores be damned!) I'm not sure when I'll next think about going to the gym, let alone for a run. Bah! Well, maybe a run to the nearest Corona store...

Happy trails.

Exhaustion

I feel ragged and weary. My gusto for Florida, that motivated me through an intensive week of work, is ebbing away. I don't mean to say I'm not excited---I am. Crazy supah dupah psyched excited. Now, I'm just ready for it to be here.

56 hours I worked at MR last week (a personal record). I also spent about another 10 on my editing duties for Her Active Life. I also managed 4 workout sessions. At the expense of all of this was much needed sleep.

Then to cram in a final workout I was up today at 6am for a 2hr gym session before work. I'm really getting in the habit of squeezing workouts in beforehand. After some of these long days, I have a sad supply of energy remaining at the end of the work day.

Oh well, saddle up, right? Time to stop bitchin'. In 27 hours I'll be at the airport and in less than 48 I'll be on the beach in all my linguine-white noodle glory :)

(I was going to attach a picture, but I don't even feel like it.)

Morning Glories

Today I went to the gym for an hour of weights before work. It was the 3rd time I managed a workout in the early hours this week. It's such a feeling of accomplishment to have that out of the way. Especially with these 10+ hour days...I don't think I could muster the energy for dragging my ragged bones to the gym afterwards. Of course, I'm sure having Florida on the horizon is a big motivation. I keep hearing those Biggest Loser trainers screaming "Last chance workout!!" If you haven't seen the show, don't ask.

Why I got up this morning.

We all know the adage that it is the little things that get us through the day.
And the little things get us out of bed as well. I am a big fan of Nature's Path hemp granola. That stuff is so tasty that my mouth waters just
thinking about it. I decided to treat myself during this hard-working week and so I went to buy it, but I saw that it cost 50 cents more than the Nature's Path peanut butter granola. Well, heck, I might as well save the 50cents and try something new, right? This granola cereal is a delicious way to start the morning. Wow. I realize it is not thee absolute power-packed healthiest cereal out there, but it's not that unhealthy either. Actually, my ideal cereal would offer a bit more fiber and protein, but hey I can treat myself now and then.

Beach or Bust

This t-shirt sums up my feelings perfectly! I'm finally in the less-than-a-week to go zone. As I type this, the current temp in Ann Arbor is 55 (which, hey, that really isn't too bad), but the current temperature high for Fort Myers today is 72. AND the 10 day forecast has temps reaching into the 90s. Yes, my friends, that is what I am talking about. In my next life, I will definitely live on an island. Sure, Neebish is wonderful, but it's not beach season all year long.

Why I feel sorry for non-exercisers

I had a fabulous run with Ed (Mr. Ultra-training beast) at Maybury State Park. It was an uncomplicated 3.5 trail run through familiar territory (well, more familiar for him). What a perfect day for running it was! The skies were fresh and expansive. There weren't many other people crowding the route. The trees are just beginning to think about a summer coat, and so the sun could drip down in plenty of wide, unobstructed spaces.

Well I know the run we had wasn't any crazy feat for him, and that's okay. I tell myself though that 3.5 miles with him (even as he crawls at my pace) is akin to me doing 5 miles on my own. HA! And when I tell myself that, I feel very good for accomplishing a run with him.

In fact, I felt great. I felt happy with myself because part of me didn't even want to run at all. That sun I was talking about---it felt so good coming through my car window on the way over that I started feeling drowsy and lazy. Plus, my legs were still tight from working out the other day (damn those sumo squats with weights). However, in the face of those obstacles (and the 30 other ones I won't bore you by listing), I still went out and pushed myself and I know I am better for it.

That's what the non-exercisers are missing out on: the swelling feelings of accomplishment that accompany a goal achieved. How sad to go through life missing out on that. You go home, maybe you walk your dog, maybe you watch some tv or read a book but you never push youself and you suffer for that. I believe you really do. The thing is there are a lot of healthy behaviors that people don't get excited about: the time it takes to prepare a salad, the courage it takes to cut off a bad habit, the stamina it takes to run your first 3 miles, etc. There is this misconception that healthy people are different somehow, that we got lucky with a crazy gene. I don't think we are any different. Well, to an extent. Maybe we just love feeling proud and feeling happy and we learn to thrive on that...because, yep, we know that it's good for us.

beach season boom boom on the horizon

I have really had a terrific past few days of fitness. Maybe that race was the kick in the butt that I needed? Hmmm. For the past few weeks, I was moping and whining and sniffling and coughing (well I am still doing some of that) and feeling sluggish and had a no-can-do attitude. Then I had an about face.

Monday morning: I went to the gym before work. I laughed as I walked by the treadmill and saddled up to the elliptical instead. I pushed myself on that for 25 minutes. Then I had a muscle-screaming session of upper-body weights (shoulders, chest, lower back, upper back, biceps and triceps). Definitely a good start to the week.

Tuesday evening: The rain held off and I took that as a motivating sign. I ran 3.75 miles around my neighborhood. My legs sure felt tired, but when I was done I felt like a champ!

Thursday morning: I decided to skip the cardio in favor of some strength training. I did the whole-body circuit: smith machine squats, one-legged leg press, abductor, adductor, chest, back, arms and shoulders. Then I finished with some deep stretching.

I can't wait for the beach!!!

Meteor 10K race t-shirt

The first pic is the back of the t-shirt. The one below is the front of this bad boy. Now I am all for something free. Hells yeah. This is frugal Alexandra, in case you forgot! I've got to say though that this shirt is, ahem, quite loud. What do you think?!

I did it!

This blog had a tagline about aiming to enjoy a 10K and I can say proudly that I accomplished that! If you talked to me in person or inferred the vibe from a few of my posts, you know I was quite weary going into this event. I had been busy and sick and only managed two runs in the 3 weeks prior. I think I considered backing out under the guise of illness, solely as a rationalization for the fear that I wouldn't be able to run the whole thing. The reason that I signed up for this 10K in the first place was with the goal of running the entire 6.2 miles. Last year, I was saddened that I walked so much of the FREEP half marathon. To be fair, it wasn't some horrible defeat that left me dejected. I felt proud that I stuck with the whole 13 and that I did finish. I could have backed out and I didn't. This was just as much of a learning experience. These are the things I learned:

• I am a lot tougher than I think I am. To be able to wake up and run a healthy 10K with a drastically reduced training schedule proves that I do have some strong guts inside me.
• Just because you don't feel 100% doesn't mean that you still can't give your best effort. I haven't been able to breathe or use my normal vocal inflection for weeks. I've been jamming meds and hosing out my nose and going through kleenux like that's the race, but in spite of all of that, I woke up and pushed myself to success.
• A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E is your best weapon. That alarm bell can sound and you can pull the covers over your head and come up with a million excuses why today's just not your day or you can take a deep breath and determine to give your best effort.

Well that's enough of my self-help column. I don't know what the next goal will be. I can't say I'll be looking for longer races. I think it's possible the 10K might be my thang, so to speak. Although, I'm Type A enough to know that I don't settle for much for very long. I'll keep you updated. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy not running on a treadmill. The weather's perking up and the roads and trails are looking more welcoming. I'll just be playing with different plans and programs and machines at the gym while I'm working my way towards beach season. Florida in 2 weeks. Now, that's something to look forward to! Cheers.

Answer the poll at HAL

Click on this link to vote about your feelings on running dresses.

This cartoon speaks for itself.

I ran 3 miles outside last night. I guess that's all I had to give before Saturday's 10K. I decided I am going to run it. Yeah I could list my lame reasons for not doing it (my cold, not having run much in the past two weeks, etc) but that would just be whining. I'll do it. I'll either be the turtle or the snail, but we all know the "slow and steady" fable, right?

Cheers!

Mapping anything

In case you haven't realized it from my other posts, I'm a big fan of the website mapmyrun. I think it's a darn handy tool. Yeah it does have its drawbacks but the ability to measure distance so easily is pretty great. You can map out routes for biking and galloping and whatever mode of getting around you want.

Today I wanted to check out the route I do on my usual 20-minute work break. That is the official amount of time that we are allotted, twice a day for an 8hr day.

I logged in and set my starting point as the address of my building in Ann Arbor, MI. I clicked along the streets and realized that my usual pace takes me 1.2 miles. That's not too bad if I'm trying to build some extra fitness into my day. Of course, my inner Type A personality wondered if I could push that farther. Could I work up to 1.5 miles in one break, thereby covering an extra 3 miles a day over two break periods? That would be awesome. Well I tweaked my route a tiny bit online and found a route that is 1.4 miles long. I figured that would be a decent starting point, but I had to see how long it would take me in real life.

After finishing my lunch, I loped outta here. My phone said 2:57 as the door clicked behind me. I was pushing a good pace and eventually my stomach cramped up. I had to pause twice to re-tie my shoelaces. By time time I returned, 22 minutes had passed. Not too bad, but I was walking fast enough to break a mild sweat. I don't think I'd like to be doing this in July. I'd need a shower upon each return back to my desk!

Anyways, it's a fun tool to play with. It's nice to have a device that can measure the progress you've made and continue to make.

Love my gym.

I have been a member of Planet Fitness for about 10 months now. I love my gym. At a monthly cost of $10 (with a $20 annual fee), the price is beyond compare. How many people find these kinds of deals on gym memberships? Hardly anyone! So because I am such a frugal nut, the price is what immediately attracted me. As far as I was concerned, they could have 4 treadmills and awful hours and I still would have been hooked. However, they have three rooms of treadmills, stair masters, ellipticals and bikes. They also have four separate areas for different weight equipment: the free weights, the 30-second routine, weight machines with adjustable plates, and weight machines that are resistance based. You can definitely find something that suits your personal tastes when you are given these kinds of choices.

Another interesting feature is their motto: the judgement free zone. From their website: "We discourage weight dropping and obnoxious grunting so you can focus on your own workout and not the person next to you." This is the non-intimidating atmosphere that makes people feel comfortable. Sure, there are some burly lads in the free weight area chest pressing the bar with car tire-size plates on each end, but it's not like you're at a Gold's Gym or a Powerhouse Gym. Those places are notorious for meathhead conventions. On the reverse side, this isn't Curves either. There truly are all types of people here. Male high schoolers breezing along at 8.0 on the treadmill. Moms in sweatpants carrying their bright pink water bottles. Dads with cassette players and bright white shoes. Your usual smattering of women with too much make-up. Overweight. Thin. Old. Really old. Pregnant. Diversity is in abundance!

Yesterday I made it to the gym for a run (*finally*). I walked for a 15 minute warm-up and ran 2.5 miles in an unhurried 30 minutes. I think I coughed enough to slightly disturb some people around me, but my lungs didn't end up on the treadmill's dashboard. I have no idea what asthma feels like, but if it's anything close to the restricted feeling of not being able to take a full, deep breath---yikes. I have new sympathy.

Well the clubs are opening at increasingly fast paces. Franchises are exploding. If you're lucky enough to find a PF new you, by all means sign yourself up!

What is your workout soundtrack?

You basically read the blog a few weeks ago, but now it's up on Her Active Life. Check it out here.

I succumbed and bought the neti pot last night. Let's see if miracles can drain through my head and get me into my running shoes. Huzzah. Maybe I should attach some pictures? Bwah ha haaa.....