Sweaty Sunday: Some Inspiration

I used to be fit; good cardio going on and I was very, very strong. Though I'm getting my cardio back and gradually shedding lard, I miss my strength.

I loved feeling strong and I loved lifting weights. Not dainty pink dumbbells but rusty plates of iron on a barbell (grrrowl!). I sweated and groaned and at my then best could deadlift just over 200lbs/15 stone. I felt like She-Ra Princess of Power!



I loved the mental and physical challenge of the actual lifting, the release of stress and tension, the completely shattered feeling that followed, the solid sleep and the slight yummy ache the day after.

For many months, I've wanted to return to this exercise that I truly love but lots of excuses have gotten in the way. The result is feeling more like this version of She-Ra:

Image swiped from here.

A few days ago my friend Jayne emailed me wonder video (thanks, Jayne!):



A much needed perspective adjuster for sure and just a beautiful wee film in its own right.

I have just finished my first 'back at it' weightlifting workout. So that along with my 'running' I hope to regain my fit self. :-)

What motivates you? What gives you a different perspective?

Sweaty Sunday: Here It Goes Again

During my holiday to Scotland, I ate and drank a lot... waaay too much! Lots of great beer, wine, cider, crisps, fish n chips, the best 'coriander chicken' I've ever had, 5 million full Scottish breakfasts, an amazing steak, a memorable chili burger, scones, baguettes, etc... etc... and I did SFA in terms of exercise.

I loved the food and booze binge but wish I would have kept up with the 'running' cos I was finally making real progress. Alas, I didn't... so the last 2 weeks have been all about easing my way back at it... well, really the first week back I pretty much slept 24/7... but this last week, I've been back on the golf course trail, walking -->walk/running. It was tough at first but I've improved a lot in the last couple of days.

I've just looked at the forecast for the coming week... hot and sunny... like 30 degrees hot (ugh). Hmmm... I just might have to stick to a treadmill in a gym with A/C. I've never run on a treadmill before... Hooray for YouTube and instructional videos:

;-)

Sweaty Sunday: Mumbai Motivation

Last Sunday to Tuesday, I felt pretty gross. Wednesday's 'run' was not great but ok considering I had been ill. Thursday, I walked a million miles. Friday, I did some leg strength work (squats, lunges).

All good but Saturday's 'run' was my best since taking up this masochistic activity. I still alternated walking/running but I was impressed with my myself all the same! Eventually I'll string all these mini running segments into a steady, continuous actual run... and when I do? Neil Tasker has promised me that he'll send me a bag of Bombay Mix* when I can run a full mile without stopping!


How's that for motivation? mmmmmm.....

Anyways...

Here's where I'm at! The meat of Saturday's 'run' (excludes the warm up and cool down):
5 mins - walk
1 - run
3 - w
2 - r
3 - w
2 - r
2 - w
3 - r
2 - w
3 - r
2 - w
1 - r
2 - w
2 - r
1 - w
1 - r
2 - w
3 - r

40 minutes of sweat; 19 of it running.
No knee pain. (thumbs up!)
No pain or DOMS today (tomorrow's still a possibility though!).
It felt good and, most importantly, I enjoyed it!

One whole mile at once? Bring it on!!! (eventually...!)

*Punjabi Mix in Canadaland... imported from India by Indo-Canadians for Indo-Canadians, ie, it's very, very, very hot!

Sweaty Sunday: Knee Needs

It's Sunday!

This week has been a bit frustrating.



Monday's 'run' was good!

Wednesday's was sore. A few strides into the running bit of my run and both knees starting feeling odd. Not really painful but a sensation that felt like a warning. I listened to it and stopped running. After a few more minutes of walking, I tried running again. Knees said, 'no.' So, I walked the rest of the way, went home and pouted. (violins)

Friday, I tried again. Still, my knees did not feel right.

On my way home, I detoured into a running shop 'just to look' and had a nice surprise. The woman working there was a runner and also a physiotherapist. We chatted informally about my knees and she gave me a bit of advice which was essentially: let my knees catch up with my enthusiasm and some other tidbits.

It's very difficult to finally feel like wanting to get fit again and finding the holy grail of sports bras and finding great shoes and having excellent support and feeling very excited about trying something new... even the weather's been great! ... and having to take it slow. ARGH!!!! ;-)

But, it's just what I need to do. Simple as that.

I'm still sweating though; walking and doing some strength building and 'prehab knees' exercises but... so frustrating! lol. And I should be back to running very soon!

Sweaty Sunday: The Uniboober vs The TC10K

What have I gotten myself into? Last week, I went and registered for a local 10K race; the TC10K. In 83 days, I just might find myself in a scene similar to this:

(A photo of last year's TC10K I swiped from here.)

Insane or what?

I'm chubby.

I've spent the last year doing SFA in terms of physical exercise.

I haven't run beyond chasing after a bus in about 15 years.

I can only run for about 3 minutes at a time before I have to kick it down into a walk.

But!!!

I'm also in need of a challenge and a goal.

Desiring to shed some lard.

I have some knowledgeable support from Neil Tasker and co-learning to run buddy, Jayne.

And running is something that I've always wanted to do.

So, the insanity makes sense. Besides, it's just the 'rec' class I've entered; I'll be in good company with all of the other middle-aged, chubby, weekend warriors at the back of the pack.

Oh and an update! I received the 'holy grail' sports bra the other day and yesterday was the first test run. It's freakin' great! It took me a while to get it on. 11, yes ELEVEN, hook and eye closures all up the front. It was like trying to close an overstuffed suitcase. It was a battle but I got there. Very comfortable and it works. I love it.

Amusingly though, the bra squishes everything up, front and centre and with a t-shirt on it looks like I have one big boob in the middle of my chest; I am The Uniboober. :-)

Anyways.... (Hi Neil)

I have 83 days to attempt to achieve some better fitness for this 10K race. I don't think that I will be able to run the whole thing but I do think that I will be able to walk/run the sucker in about an hour and a half and that's my plan.

I'm going to try to keep track of my progress on my blog on Sundays; Sweaty Sunday.

Week 1 (this past week) NT's Plan was:

- 10 mins brisk walk. Followed by:

- 3 mins jog. Followed by:

- 3 mins walk.

- Repeat 3 times.

- Finish with 5 mins brisk walk.

Total workout time: 33 mins

9 mins jog
24 mins walk


I am so out of shape! Not once did I achieve the above in full, as directed, but I'm getting there and improving, which is the point. And it's been fun and enjoyable ... until the muscle soreness kicked-in. Toilet seats are soooooooo low when your quadriceps are screaming. ;-)

I'm damn proud of myself for taking those first running strides despite feeling like the whole world was watching and for actually taking up something I've wanted to for quite some time. It's going to be a lot of hard work. One week in and I'm sore and exhausted but it feels great. :-)

My Holy Grail is a Sports Bra

... that works. And I think I've found it!

Hallelujah!

Now that my depression is lifting, I'm needing and wanting to get more active to shrink the muffin top that I've accumulated over many months of hibernating under my duvet.

One activity that I'm going to attempt to take up is running! I have dabbled in running before and it's always something I've wanted to do more of but, problem: boobage. It's uncomfortable and embarrassing running with large breasts and so I figured it was either breast reduction surgery or just not run.

I was chatting with Neil of Light and Dark fame about running (he's run marathons! Insane or what?) and he encouraged me to seek out a good bra... that technology had come along way, baby... and that I shouldn't let boobage stop me from doing something that I want to do. So true. (Thank you, Neil.)

So, I started up my google and searched and OMG! I heard a chorus of angels singing when I happened upon the Enell Sports Bra; a sports bra designed specifically for 'well endowed women' by a woman who was frustrated by a lack of sports bras that actually worked.

Here it is:



I haven't received my order yet but I'm all excited to try it out. Industrial strength support by the looks of it! And while ordering the bra from an online shop, I happened upon this edifying video. See the Enell difference for yourselves, ya pervs. ;-)





Oh! And here are my new shoes. Snazzy, eh?





So, with my shoes and my top half of me all sorted, now all I need to do is track down this gear for my bottom half.




BTW, I'm not in any of the photos or the video! ;-)