What an Awesome Adventure

We are an awesome bunch. I am sincere in this. I looked around the room on Sunday and was astounded by the transformations ! We were pumpin out push-ups and crankin out sit-ups and running miles in shorter times (in some cases, really shorter times) and all with smiles on our faces. I remember going to the initial fitness test with such trepidation. I know I was not the only one! But Sunday, all I saw was pure joy. There are a few mental snapshots of these 12 weeks that I can draw on when I need inspiration, but the smiles on our faces as we wound this up will be among the strongest. Isn't it wonderful to have done something so important and know that you will be an inspiration to those around you?

Congratulations to all of us! I could not have had a better group to spend the last 12 weeks with!

Making Progress

Although a certifiable pain, the air cast is definitely working. I don't have pain with every step I take. I did an interval workout on a stationary bike yesterday that was challenging and more importantly, doesn't seem to have left any marks.
I am so proud of you guys that are participating in "Race for the Cure" on April 18th. I have participated for many years and actually ran it last year. That event is what created the itch to try training for the Mini! I am very sad that I will not be able to do this with you, but I will be with you in spirit. It is a gratifying and emotional event. I have wonderful memories of last years race. So with everything else, I have a story about it. My husband Rick was volunteering at the Zoo that Saturday morning (as he does every Saturday) so he came out to the road to wait for me to pass. It was pouring down rain....(I was having so much fun that I didn't realize how hard it was raining!). When I passed by Elephant hill I heard Rick call to me. There he was standing under an umbrella. I ran up the hill to give him a kiss. He told me that I felt like a popsicle! When I ran back to join my fellow runners, a guy in the crowd asked if I was going to get a kiss at every mile! I told him to keep up with me to see!
I hope everyone enjoys their recovery week.

Finally I know what I have been knowing

Well......I am just back from the Sports Medicine doc. As I feared, I do have a stress fracture in my left tibia. But there is good news to this. I am in an air cast instead of a boot and only for 3-4 weeks. My bad news is no Mini Marathon. I am really disappointed but know that there are far worse things out there. I will heal and be back running in as few as three weeks! In the meantime, I have to brush up on my swimming strokes as that and cycling are about the only aerobic things I can do. But I can do them and will. It's a relief to me just to finally know what's going on.

In the keeping it real category, I just happen to be reading a book that is keeping me grounded instead of singing the woes. As I state in my blog bio I am originally from South Louisiana, a little town 45 miles southwest of New Orleans called Houma. Close enough to New Orleans that growing up, I could put the car on auto pilot and get there in ......well fast. I with the rest of the nation watched in horror as the flooding and aftermath of Hurrican Katrina unfolded. I cried for days because the places that they showed (the Gulf coast as well because I had family in Gulfport, Mississippi) were so familiar to me. I know that it is hard for people who aren't don't know the South Louisiana people found it hard to understand why these people didn't just leave, but I understood. I knew it was a terrible mistake, but people from that area just don't leave when a storm is brewing. Home is all they have in most cases. They just can't bear to leave it to fate. I am reading a book called "The Good Pirates of the Forgotten Bayous" that tells the story of a group of shrimpers that road out the storm in a place called Violet Canal which is south and east of New Orleans. They went through the worst of the storm, including too many tornadoes to count and storm surges of 20 to 25 feet from more than one direction on their shrimp boats and lived to tell about it. They were heroic in their rescue of stranded folks and were courageous in their attempts to keep life going because they were forgotten......for days. The author happens to be an acquaintance of mine from my home town that now writes for The Wall Street Journal which has made it even more special.

My point to all of this is that reading this couldn't have come at a better time for me. To read about these people's resilience in the face of a terrible tragedy and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, it serves as a reminder that life throws you big curveballs and little curveballs. This is a little curveball that will be better in a blink.
Thanks for reading. Hope all of you are healthy and doing well.

Back from a Set Back

Hi everyone. I have been away from the blog for too long! I have been down with an injury......just when you think that things are going so well and couldn't get any better, BAM! Two Sundays ago I was out for my 7 mile run on the Monon. It was a great day and I was anxious to add a half mile on to my longest ever endeavor. About three miles into it, my left ankle started feeling funny - not hurting exactly just funny. By three and a half and time for me to turn around and head back, it was really hurting. I stopped to give it a break, walked a bit and it seemed better. Running didn't feel any worse than walking so I ran. By the time I was done stretching, steaming and showering, it hurt to put weight on it. I got home, tried ice, then a wrap but nothing helped. Called the doc Monday morning and after a horrible experience including being told that I shouldn't expect to be able to do that AT MY AGE, I was told that it was probably a stress fracture. I cannot tell you how down I felt. It literally knocked all the wind out of my sails. I saw my Mini go out the window. I saw all kinds of implications about fragile bones. I was really low. I let Chris know what was going on Tuesday and after a long telephone conversation, I felt better than I had since this all happened. He gave me hope and we talked about plan B :>)
Now to the good news.......after an xray and a CT scan, I do not have a stress fracture. I am seeing a sports medicine doc tomorrow who specializes in running injuries. Hopefully, he will tell me that it is tendonitis or all because of my running shoes or something and that if I lay low for a couple of weeks, all will be well. That is what I am directing my energy towards.
I am back doing what I can as far as strength training, but I really have to watch it. Even yoga hurts right now. That makes me so sad, but I know that it is temporary.
I have missed interacting with all of you and plan on being at Au Bon Pain at the least this Saturday. It's not that I didn't want to be there, but I felt so low, that I didn't feel I had anything to share.
But I want to thank all of you that got in touch with me for your support. It means so much to me.
See you Saturday.

10K - it was a really good day

Today was a really good day! I ran in the 10K training run for the Mini - Marathon. I had never run 6.4 miles before and ran it with a time of 61:34. This is so exciting for me. I was totally focused and enjoyed it so much. I learned how to pace myself so I didn't ever feel a struggle. I chose not to listen to my iPod. I have been leaving it behind about half of the time lately, although I do love my tunes while I run. But I wanted to soak up the whole experience. I found that I loved the sound of my fellow runner's feet around me. It hit me immediately when I took off at the start. I was somehow comforted by hearing all those tennies hit the pavement. I found that even if I find a perfect running partner to run stride for stride with me one day, I will never be a talker when I run. When I ran past people that were jabbering away, I didn't like it. I found that it gave me a real sense of satisfaction to pass people! Okay that is my ego talking, but evil Ginger sometimes doesn't cut herself alot of slack! I found that thanking the volunteers and policemen that were out there made me feel really good. I found that walking through the water stations and actually getting the water down my throat was a really good idea! Those 30 second breaks made a world of difference. I also found that my having a husband that is willing to be my roadie is one of life's greatest gifts! Whatta guy!
I know that I've got a long way to go to be ready for May, but I know that my BTWG training will give me what I need to do that.
Sorry to have missed Chris' class and missed being with all of you. But I was there in spirit and I know that you were with me too!

Whew What a Week!

I am so glad that week 6 is over. It was one of those weeks that I kept getting in my own way. It started out really great - my relationship with my intervals is still very good. I can't say exactly that I love them anymore since I am doing the minute ones, but I do know that intervals are probably the biggest reason why my running is getting so much stronger, so I have a guarded appreciation for the exercise! Anyway after Tuesday one thing led to another and I was unable to do my Wednesday and Thursday workouts. Project grad Matt made a statement at one of our Saturday get togethers that rang so true for me after last week. Having to miss those workouts did make me feel cheated. But I showed the fates! I did both my strength workouts on Friday. Boy, did I pay for it in yoga class Saturday, but the good news is that I made it through them and yoga class too.
I ran as scheduled on Sunday and knocked a little time off my run, so I think I am back on track.

I just wanted to say thanks to all who were at Saturday's get together after Chris' class. I left with such a great warm feeling. The room was full of "Good, good, good good Vibrations" as the Beach Boys would say. Pam bringing in that wonderful childs book with Bob Dylan's words was really awesome. I have an absolutely precious great niece and great nephew and two more babies soon to be born. I always make sure to buy them feel good about yourself books. They each have Dr. Seuss' "Oh, The Places You Will Go" and a lovely book called "On the Night You Were Born". I am going to order each of them the Bob Dylan book as well.

I am glad to be starting Week 7 - I just can't believe it! Spring is right around the corner. Saturday is the 10K prerace in preparation for the Mini. I am really excited about it. I will have a much better idea of how prepared I am after that. But with this great training, I really think I will be ready. Good night and good luck to all of us this week!

Lawd Lawd Month II is hawd!

Month 2 Day 3- I can barely move my arms this morning......My husband had to cut my steak last night. Wow! Four different types of pushups. What masochist sat around and invented different kinds of pushups? All I know is I never want to be a Hindu if that's the pushups they have to do! PU as I like to call them has always been my "Achilles Heal" so that is why I know they are important, but it was all I could do to get them done. I am not making it all the way through the reps, but I'll get there.
But.....as in all things in my life I do have a funny story. There is a surprise benefit to muscle failure that I never knew before that I would like to share. My husband Rick was in the kitchen putting together our dinner while I was in the living room doing the strength workout. I really was struggling......I was groaning and (blush) moaning alot. Rick peeked his head around the door and gave me the suggestive Groucho Marx eyebrow raise and then went back in the kitchen. I did the rest of the strength workout and moved on to the bonus round and core/ab and the groaning and (blush) moaning increased. Once again there's Groucho. So when I finally got done with abs and core I went in to the kitchen and said "What!!!!????" Rick shyly smiled and said "That was really hot, like $24.95 a minute hot."
Who knew?

Starting Month 2

Month 2 Day 1 It's really amazing to think that we are already 1/3 done. I am absolutely ecstatic about the progress I am making. I am almost to my weight loss goal (granted I am lucky that it I didn't have much to lose, but oh trying to drop the weight has been oh so pesky) and I can fit in pants that haven't fit in two winters so my "dimensions" must be changing too. We are eating really wonderfully and although Rick isn't doing the project, he is supporting me and eating and exercising regularly as well. I can see big changes in him too. But my big Yippeee is my running. I am still not fast, but Sunday I ran the whole neighborhood in 50 minutes and had some kick left in me when I was done to do a Rocky dance when I got back home! For the longest time I thought that running would be the thing that I tried so hard to master and just wouldn't ever be able to. I don't think that way now. I am doing my intervals today and can't wait. I don't see slow or hard days as failure any more. I see them as part of learning.

A girlfriend and I went to see "Movin Out" Sunday. It was really fantastic. If you don't know about the play it is Billy Joel's music choreographed by Twyla Tharpe. Not a word was spoken, but through the music and dance you definitely got the story. Took me back to my "Big Hair" days.

It is going to be a theater week again this week as we are finally going to get to see Rob Johansen in "To Kill a Mockingbird". If you have never gotten to see Rob in anything, you really should. He brings his wonderful spirit to anything he does. I can't wait!

Good luck to all starting Month 2.

Forecast: Sunny, but Windy

Week 4 day 3 I am on call this evening, so I left work early enough to do my run in the neighborhood before my call shift started. It has been a gorgeous, sunny day, but deceptively windy. We have some pretty decent long hills in the neighborhood and the wind stood me straight up a couple of times even though I was trying to run with my head kinda tucked. I made it though - a decent 40 minute run. I came home to a warm home and a hot cup of tea. Can't beat that. I can't say that I feel 100% charged and ready to go for next week, so I think tomorrow will be just a fun day for me. I am meeting some friends for lunch and I think that will be the extent of my exertion. I will be at home doing the P90X yoga class on Saturday morning. Enjoy Patrick's class for all of you that go.

R-E-C-O-V-E-R-Y

Week 4 Day 1 - Wow I cannot believe I didn't get one post in last week. It really was a hectic week for me. Work is ramping up after the holiday and new year break and my husband was gone! Anyway, it was a fantastic BTWG week. I had really solid workouts and ended up uping my weights a bit more and adding 5 reps to my core workout by the end of the week. I had a great time running with fellow yogis and BTWG participants on Sunday.
That being said, I am so ready for this recovery week. And aren't we lucky that we will have some really unseasonably nice weather to walk/run in? I feel that sun is like a filled prescription! I looked over the next month strength/toning (Holy Sh*t!) I think that it will be a butt kicker and make me humble again. I was feeling pretty full of myself by the end of week 3. But I'll be ready.
Best things about this project so far:
Cutting my caffeine and not whining about it anymore
Getting back to the joys of cooking with my husband - he's just my best buddy
Sticking to a workout routine and making real progress
The wonderful people I am sharing this journey with . Seriously you guys are just too cool. ;>)

Stumbling into Week 3

Week 3 - Day 1 I really enjoyed my rest day yesterday. I got a little extra sleep, planned this week, even went for a massage. If you have never had a massage, you really should. I don't do this often enough, but it is one of the true great pleasures in life that is good for you, too :) As it turns out my shoulders were a mess and needed lots of work.
Now on to week 3 - I really need to get organized. I woke up this morning feeling really overwhelmed. I looked around at my house that sorely needs my attention and decided that I really needed to take some time and get at least get one big thing done to feel like I've finished something. And now, writing this I realize why I feel this way. It is because I am involved in a long project. This one is not work related, but I get this overwhelming I don't get anything done feeling anytime I start a long involved project. So, it's time to put things in perspective, pull myself up by my boot straps (that is if I can find my boots in this mess!) and get on with it. As Nike says "Just do it!" Today my frig gets a bath. We have been shoving so many raw veggies in there that I am afraid that it will explode! Now, I feel better :) Have a good third week everyone.

The Longer Run

Week 2 Day 6 Seeing the sun shine today was really wonderful. What a great way to celebrate Sunday and look back on that awesome get together last night. It was easy to see that Alison and Ellen put alot of thought into the planning and the guests put alot of thought into the dishes they made. What I loved the best is that we were so busy talking and getting to know one another that all else, food and music were just great back drops. And damn, we're a bunch of good cooks. I do think we have the makings of a cook book. How fun would that be?
I did a 45 minute run on the Monon today. I was lucky enough to be joined by a great friend and fellow yoga enthusiast. Although I am alot slower than he is, he was kind enough to keep pace with me and encourage me along the way. I took a couple of short walk breaks along the way, but all in all it was very rewarding. On the way back I actually picked up my pace. Kinda like a horse when he is in sight of the barn! That would be me. But at least I still had some "kick" in me.
Hope everyone enjoyed their Super Bowl outings if they had them. I am a HUGE football nut (anyone who knows me knows that) and really appreciated the fact that this was a great matchup albeit not the teams I would have liked to see playing.
Thanks a ton to Alison and Ellen. It really was a great party.

I'm Counting my Blessings instead of Sheep

Week 2 Day 4 - Today was one of those introspective days for me. I was lucky enough to have a day off from work. The sun was just about as brilliant as you could want, my hubby was working at home and had some things that were troubling him with a project all work out, and I had the time to do my strength workout and slow cook my jambalaya for the get together tomorrow. I had lots of time to think and reflect on how blessed I am. I know that for lots of people things are not good in these hard times, yet we are doing okay and have the means to give a bit of aid to others. There are alot of people, some who are dear to me, facing grave health issues, yet we are blessed with good health. There are people who feel that they are alone, yet we bask in the warmth of friendship, family and faith.
I had a great workout. I am beginning to have the confidence to push a little harder each time. My meditation was a bit more peaceful.
Yes, today was a great day for counting blessings.

I was bad - I shoulda gone with the beer

Week 2 Day 3 We went to a comedy club tonight. Tickets we had forever that were about to expire. Two drink minimum. Coulda had a $4.00 dollar bottle of water, but I thought red wine couldn't be that bad? Wow. 80 calories a glass. Coors Light 52 calories. In my twisted mind I thought I was better off with the wine. Wrong! I did make a great food choice, though. They had a salmon salad with strawberries that was only 280 calories. The comics were great and it was a fun evening. I am not one to drink so I am sure I will pay for it tomorrow with my strength workout. I will push ever so hard to get that poison up and out!
Today I was going to run in the neighborhood. I drove in from work and saw a car sideways on the main street. I decided that the wise choice was the dreaded dreadmill. The workout was great, though. Not as fast as last week, but still 3 miles in 30 minutes.
Today was not one of my better days. I made some bad choices from being uninformed and my workout was disappointing cause I really wanted to hit the streets. But I made good food choices all day and at least I ran! The old me would have just said No to the run. I am all about making improvement and to me though it wasn't perfect, it was better. The comics really were funny ;>)

The Big Snow

Week 2 Day 2 - I am lucky enough that when we have these big snows I am set up to work at home. I took advantage of that today. I hooted when I read Chris's shovel instead of blow snow tip. Rick and I have never had a snow blower. In fact, we would be ashamed to use one as our 70 plus neighbors are out there with their shovels as soon as the snow stops falling! Heck, if we aren't fast enough, they will do ours too! Inspiration comes from the most unexpected places at times.
Once again the strength workout was really challenging for me. I was pooped after jumping rope and I hadn't even started! I upped my weight some. It really made a difference. By the time I was to the core work, I was done. The muscles were definitely partying again. Hope everyone made it safely around town today. Back to the office tomorrow!

I Love Intervals? I must be Weird!!!!!

Week 2, Day 1 - I took the time to catch up on everyone's blogs today and am so glad I did. I am getting such a great feeling from all these witty great people. I liken this to spices. We are all bringing a certain spice to season this adventure and the flavor is fantastic! Geez, a food analogy! I guess that comes from spending way too much time planning meals. I hope this gets easier as time goes by. But my husband Rick and I have been eating so well. It is worth the time put into it. For those of you who haven't tried the Bragg Liquid Aminos, I highly recommend it. We have eaten stir fry at least five meals since this started. I even put turnips in the stir fry. The flavor was unbelievable!

Even though it was snowing and the roads were a mess, Rick and I got to the health club. I figured I would have the track to myself to run my intervals. Okay, I love intervals!!!! Am I weird? I've always harbored this fear of trying this, but those thirty second pushes are just so satisfying. I play the I can't go anymore game after the third one. So I say, do just one more and then see how you feel. Before I know it, I am done and wishing for more (I have a feeling more (or longer) are in my future). Because of the mindfulness I have gained through yoga, I just feel my legs getting stronger. I know that the other two runs a week will yield results too, but somehow not like this. I can do this. I will run the Mini in May. I don't care about speed. It would be nice to set a goal and surpass it. But that isn't what this is about. This is about sticking to something and seeing it through. Maybe my Momma is sitting on my shoulder? If she is she better hold on tight! Good night and thanks for reading.

Calories, Crunches and all that Jazz

Day 7 - My off day. It felt strange not to get a workout in. I was late leaving the office so missed Marsha P. yoga class. I did do my ten minute meditation. I digressed from the second one. The yakker was back. The time seemed to pass quicker though.
I spent the greater part of the evening planning the meals for the week so that Rick and I wouldn't be rushing around like we did the first week. I am going to have to get more inventive with salads! As much as I thought that cutting back on coffee would do me in, that hasn't been near as much of a challenge as I thought it would! I'll try to reduce again next week.

Tomorrow is intervals. I am looking so forward to it. I am going to stay on the indoor track, at least for this week to get the hang of it. I feel like such a jock rounding the corners at lightning speed (well in Ginger's world it's lightning speed :>) Anyway, I am ready to put my best Nike Freed foot forward to get the most of of this. It is good to have a day off and not be on call!

Leaving Footprints in the snow - a first

Day 6 - I got up knowing that today was my longer run and that I had mentally prepared myself for running through my neighborhood no matter what the temp or weather. It was snowing and 12 degrees. I consulted my Runner's World guide as to how much layering to do and set off. My intention was to run for 40 sustained minutes. This one like the previous two runs turned out to be awesome! I actually logged a firsts. I NEVER left footprints in fresh snow because I NEVER ran in the snow before. That was such a cool thing to do. Hearing it fall as I ran was also very cool as I opted to try to get used to running with out my beloved iPod. It also had been so long since I ran for 40 minutes without a walk break that I don't even remember it. Yes, it was a little slick in places, but I learned that if I gave wide berth to previous lumps of snow on the street or tire tracks I avoided most of the slick spots. I am anxious about falling, but the mindfulness of yoga really helped me here. I can't stop grinning. :0)) I am a happy BTWG camper.

If you are reading this, I thank you. I am writing these long passages for basically two reasons, the first selfish, the second not so much. First, I want a good record of what each day brings during this 12 weeks and second, I really want to give somebody else out there the guts to try something they may be a little anxious about. I have always been the Queen of Excuses, not the Princess, but the Queen , so I really feel that we all have it in us to make progress. Once again thanks for reading!

Missed the Gang but No Excuses!

Day 5 I missed my yoga class this morning. I am on call this weekend and past experience has taught me that trying to stay focused when worrying whether my pager would go off or if I would hear it or respond in time is not cool. So, I just happened to have a great alternative yoga class. I bought the P90X workout DVD's last year, but then had some tendon issues and never used it. So I previewed the Yoga DVD knowing that today was a no go with Chris. I know that he approves of this class so I used it as my yoga class. Other than the "instructor" being a little annoying with the way he said Chatarangaaaaaaah it was a great alternative. It's nice to know that I have one cause this will come up once more in the three months.
I did miss the gang, though. I hope that everyone is doing well and getting into the "BTWG groove".
Tomorrow is a longer run for me. I will do it in the neighborhood and hope that Rick doesn't have to track me down cause the pager has jangled.
Good Night Group! Sleep well.

Is the Honeymoon over or did I just have a bad day?

Day 4 I had this great plan to leave work mid-morning and get my strength workout done and then work the rest of the day at home. Then came a last minute meeting called for the afternoon by my director (kinda can't tell him no) - So I had packed breakfast and a snack but no lunch. (next time I have to be better prepared) By the time I got home I was starving, but wanted to get my workout done. To say I totally crashed was an understatement. I thought geez the honeymoon is over and this really sucks! I had to back down on what I had been able to do on Wednesday. I learned a valuable lesson - cars aren't the only thing that need fuel. It was really painful. I cramped- I couldn't get any lift when I jumped. I felt like a wimp! That was the downside - the upside was that I really enjoyed doing the workout at home. I was really organized and felt I got into a great rhythm.

A note on meditation - this was my second attempt. The first attempt didn't go that great. My mind yacked the old time! I was practicing ujayyi breathing. I thought that listening to my breath might help. The second time I breathed normally and I tried to concentrate on the feel of the breath instead of the sound. I felt the cool air when I inhaled and felt the warm air as I exhaled. It helped so much. I felt totally peaceful and calm when I was done. Then I treated myself to a bubble bath which extended the really good feeling ; >)

Hello Quads!

Day 3 - went to Eagle Creek to run after work. I feel I put a solid effort into what was asked of me today. I ran 3 miles in 28:45 and that counted the warmup. That is really Wow for me. I pushed, but didn't feel like I was going to draw my last breath. The legs are overtaking the head :>) My quads were really stiff to start but warmed up as the time went by. Who knows? I may just be ready for the Mini when it comes around.
Rick and I are really getting the calorie counting and menu thing down. I have a whole new appreciation for vegetables. I remember when I was little and ran in the house starving from school. We lived in the middle of nowhere and my Momma and Daddy had this great vegetable garden. I never ate cookies and milk when I got home. It was usually some vegetable that Momma had cooked or a serving of fruit or veggie straight out of the field. I was always famished and those vegetables were good. Relying more on fruits and veggies is bringing back good memories and I also know that we are doing the best for our bodies.

Day 2 Adventures in Strength and Toning

Day 2 and looking back on Day 1
I really enjoyed my interval training yesterday. I did the work on an indoor track - and while doing my work, I got to hear alot of President Obama's speech and view the millions that were there; they will be able to tell children and grandchildren that they witnessed history. Outside of politics the speech was truly moving. So I ran.....full of hope for a new beginning for our country and for my body and spirit, inspired by the words and the atmosphere.

Day 2 - Level II Strength and Toning
The first time through my circuit of exercises, I thought Hey I can do this. The second time through all I could think was "Owww, this is going to leave a mark!" And then when I am already shaking, I did the ab work. It felt brutal!
That muscle party that Chris always talks about? My muscles were so rowdy I had to call the police! But I did it and really am looking forward to tomorrow's adventure.
I am going to run outside!

Interviewing appropriate calories for the job

Day 1 - Wow! I am amazed at how much food you can eat if it is the "right stuff"and how much thought you need to put into putting meals together. I feel like I should put an ad in the want ads
"Wanted: Calories that are willing to work hard and believe in teamwork"
As it stands now, this is going to be a big challenge for me - well that and reducing my coffee intake :>). But I am working on it.
Drank my morning cup with Stevia - Not bad! Bye bye sugar!
Off to intervals

Entering the Blog Zone

Wow! I'm blogging. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks ;>)