Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Ropes and Nipples Before 7:00 a.m.

It’s double workout day. I went to spin this morning at 6:00 a.m.and am trying to get motivated to go back to the gym and get on the treadmill for six miles. Just had big bowl of oatmeal with almond butter and dropped some kids off at the pool.

I was supposed to run some gorgeous trials with Joie today, but it’s pouring rain here and I’m not into slugging my way through the mud. I only do that when I run the Muddy Buddy.

This HIM (half ironman) training keeps forcing me out of my comfort zone. Today was my second spin class ever. I try to pretend I know what I’m doing. Towel on the handlebars, check. Look really cool and effortless when you’re out of the saddle, check. Wipe my scum off my bike at the end of the class, check. Do not remove bike seat at the start of class and risk impalement  just to be cool.

Today the instructor, Zach, brought out these ropes at the beginning of class. WTF? Ropes? I panicked. Are we going to make a noose? Tie all our bikes together? Hang them from the ceiling and climb them and ring the bell at the top like in gym class?

I quickly learned we were going to pretend to be on the Biggest Loser.

ropes

The deal was at any point during the class you could go to the ropes and do one minute intervals. In front of everyone. I debated. No one would care if I did or didn’t. But I did. Twice. And it was hard. There was a learning curve. During my first interval I squatted really low like a dork taking a dump. Didn’t go well. Second set, much better.

When you are done with your interval and making your way back to the bike for some reason your headlights come on big time from the exertion, I suppose. I noticed it wasn’t just MY headlights, but everyone’s. Interesting. Ropes and headlights all before 7:00 a.m. Good morning nipples!

headlights

Trying to fit in all my workouts in a given week is proving to be a challenge. It is much easier to just run than to run, bike, swim, and do yoga. It is requiring creativity. But, I am doing it. Last week my goal was 7 hours of workouts. I did 7 hours, 18 minutes (Type A overachiever) , so success!

trainingpeaks1

Here are some more wise nuggets from the Training Bible.

trainingbible

A bit on setting your race goals

  1. Make them measureable. How will you know you met your goals? Don’t say “Run faster,” say “Finish my 10K in under 45 minutes.”
  2. Make them under your control. Don’t base them on what other people might do (for example, it’s risky to say a goal is to win your age group because you never know who will show up, like Kara Goucher). You only have control over yourself, your own training and your motivation.
  3. Make your goal stretch you. Don’t make it too easy to achieve. Or so difficult you will get exasperated and quit.
  4. State your goal in the positive. For example, if you say, “I will not crap during the run,” you are sending a message to your brain to crap during the run. Instead say, “I will have clean pants the entire run.” Or if you can’t relate to crap, here is another example. Instead of saying “Don’t get a running injury,” say “I will lower my risk of injury by running only when recovered.”

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Don’t forget my Champion giveaway. Since there will be one female and one male reader, here is a tip. Those with penises have very good odds right now, so get in there and enter.

SUAR

23 comments:

  1. I guess a TWSS was just to easy on that last sentence.

    Those ropes have shown up everywhere thanks to the Biggest Loser. They even have them at the dinky country-club gym where I work out, where the average age is somewhere around 70. They look just as shiny and new as when they first brought them in. I'd like to try them sometime, but have no idea what I'm doing.

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  2. My nips look awesome in that picture. thanks for posting it.

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  3. I just found you, and I'm already in love. You mentioned poop not once but TWICE in this post. "I will not crap during the run." Bahaha! No wonder I have to crap every time. I'm sending my brain the wrong message!!

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  4. lol. I HATE the ropes. I'm so uncoordinated which is why I dislike them so much.

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  5. Where'd you get that picture of me?
    This little bit on the race goals is particularly timely for me…I am taking them to heart and will now figure out what my tangible and realistic goals wiil be :)
    P.S. it is frustrating when you post such a 'sporty' piece…gives us assholes very little to work with :P

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  6. dude. penises and nipples in the same blog post. epic.

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  7. I was all pumped to try the ropes when my trainer brought them out. That lasted for about 4 sets. Ouch.

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  8. Nipples like the ropes - very interesting!! And very funny once again, girl!!!!

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  9. Ropes rule!!! I feel like such a wimp and a badass at the same time on the ropes.

    I sport headlights in the gym pretty much all the time.

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  10. Ropes AND Spinning - I am so impressed. I am trying to fit a Marathon in between 2 little sprint triathlons - Your HIM is way beyond me right now. Keep it up.

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  11. Love your thoughts on the ropes. I took advantage of a free personal training session last week and he had me do them. Totally thought of Biggest Loser too. I had no idea about the headlights.....This new gym doesn't have wall to wall and floor to ceiling mirrors (for all the narcisists) like my old one so I have no clue what I looked like. I am sure not as good as Jennifer Aniston looked, though.

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  12. okay, no one HAS to show headlights! I get the Danskin Now sports bras from Walmart that have just a lil cushioning on top (i hate for my post-kids belly to stick out further than my chest so i need just a lil help here! ha!) and i NEVER have headlights showing! I just wish more gals owned bras like mine... ;-)

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  13. It was always my worst fear in elementary gym that it would be rope climbing day... absolutely hated it. That bell. It was so high. And those shorts were so short. And that rope burn hurt so bad. I think I might still be traumatized.

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  14. I thought this was going to be a different kind of post and just hid my laptop so nobody would see me going to a nipples and ropes page.....well I wasn't disapointed b/c well there were nipples and ropes.

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  15. I didn't realize Jennifer Aniston had a boob job. Do you think that's what she's smiling about?

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  16. Thanks for the goal setting help. But what about those A B C goal people? What's up with that? ... I have to go an water a plant right now. ... and check to see if that bulb is bright enough.

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  17. Hmmmm...I only have one penis, so I guess I don't qualify...crap :(

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  18. That sounds like a hard core spin class! I don't think I would have done the ropes!

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  19. Wait.........that seems weird! Ropes in a spin class?! Whhhaaaat?! I don't get it.

    I have that same tri book--it's great!

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  20. I don't get the ropes in spin class either??? Boot camp maybe... nevertheless, you can Jennifer can be identical twins with those boobs!!

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  21. Gotta like how straight to the point you are with some things. Glad to hear I have decent odds.

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  22. I'm gunning for those shorts and jacket! I'm getting married this Saturday and this would be the most amazing weekend ever if I got married one day and won new running gear the next! :-)

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  23. I've always wanted to play with those ropes! Something tells me it's not as fun as it looks.

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