Wanderlust

Once again, I've gone MIA; this time I absconded to Turkey for a week.

I needed a break after spending the past two and a half months living in my office.  It was also a nice post-RnR Half treat.

I spent four days in Istanbul, walking somewhere between 8-12 miles a day and taking in sights like these:

I then moved on to Cappadocia for two days to do some hiking and see the cave homes and churches, underground cities, and Uchisar Castle.

The flight home was tough on my IT bands - sitting for 10.5 hours after being so active caused them to tighten up - but I tried my best to get up every couple of hours, walk around, and stretch.  I had to be ready to run the morning after I landed!

Reformer Pilates

A few weeks ago I decided I needed to shake things up and try something different.  The long hours at work and my volunteer commitments on weekends were leaving me too tired for constant intense cardio (my go-to) - I needed something a little less sweaty on my "off" days.  Because my wrist problems prevent me from doing a lot of yoga, pilates seemed like a reasonable option, except...

...I've always been terrified of pilates.  I'm well-aware that I have a weak core; my abs are the underachieving muscle group in my body.  Pilates scared me because it would force me to address that issue.  On top of that, reformer classes are expensive and I knew would be "that" newbie slowing down the class and taking all of the instructor's attention as they corrected my bad form.

Then I read DC Fit Crasher's review of Reformation Fitness's reformer pilates class.  Not only are they offering an affordable option to try the studio ($20.13 for two classes), but the small class size meant I would embarrass myself in front of a limited amount of people and the instructor would be able to give me a lot of personalized attention without detracting from my classmates' experience.

I signed up for a class at 10am this morning.

I volunteered at a charity event from 5pm-1am last night, so getting out of bed today was pretty difficult.  If I'd had an intense, sweaty workout planned for this morning, I probably would have bagged it.  Pilates seemed like a perfect idea.

And it was.

I won't go in to a lot of details because I think DC Fit Crasher's review nailed all of the major points.  The studio was intimate and felt high-end but not pretentious.  The small class size (there were only three of us this morning) meant everyone was friendly and we were all able to get personalized attention throughout the class.  I felt really spoiled.

As for how hard I worked, I was feeling the burn in my core 5 minutes in.  I hope no one tells me any jokes over the next few days, because laughing is going to hurt.  Pilates was much easier on my arms and legs than BodyPump, but there were some muscle groups I tend to ignore that will definitely be sore tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to my second class, but I don't think I'll be working pilates in to my permanent routine - it's just too expensive.

Holy HIIT

Determined to turn things around and get back in to shape but short on time, I decided to give high intensity interval training a try.  Most of the HIIT workouts I saw seemed, well, impossible, but I saw a couple of workouts on DC Fit Crasher's blog that seemed somewhat do-able.  I combined a couple of them, subbed out some items I wasn't familiar with for some I knew how to do, and came up with this:

• 30 burpees with calf raises instead of jumps
• 30 spiderman push-ups
• 30 switch jump lunges
• 30 V pushups
• 30 squats with alternating single-leg front kick
• 30 tricep dips
• 30 side to side lunges
• 30 V-ups
• 30 mountain climbers
• 30 toe touches
• jump rope 100 reps in between each item above

I spent 8 minutes on the rowing machine to warm up before starting this routine, which ended up being totally unnecessary.  Halfway through the burpees my heart rate was up and I knew I'd bitten off more than I could chew.  I decided to adjust each item to 20 reps and cut down the jump rope to 50 reps.  By the time I got through the squats, my heart rate was through the roof and I was feeling a bit nauseous, so I decided to ditch the jump rope entirely.  Needless to say, it was an excellent workout.

I'll definitely be trying this again until I'm able to complete it as it's written.  It only took 20 minutes (granted, I cut it down a bit), required minimal equipment, and moved quickly enough to keep me entertained.  If you find yourself running low on time for workouts and/or looking for something new to do, I highly recommend it.

TRX Fail

I apologize for the dearth of posts - between my computer not working and being injured I've been offline in more ways than one.

Three of my college friends stayed with me in my tiny condo over the weekend.  It wasn't an environment conducive to making healthy choices (hello champagne and baked brie), but my friend Katie and I managed to sneak in a workout on Saturday morning.  She had tried a TRX workout a few weeks ago and loved it, so she searched the DC area for a class we could attend.

Crunch gym in Chevy Chase offers a Saturday morning TRX class and a free one-day guest pass to anyone who signs up on their website.  With literally nothing to lose, we decided to check it out.

Within hours of signing up on the website we were contacted by a membership representative at the gym.  He sent multiple emails, which had us worried that we would be pressured to purchase memberships when we showed up.  We decided to get to the gym early, as we'd been told they would give us a tour.

Um, not so much.

We arrived at the gym about 40 minutes before the TRX class, and without the gym tour (or accompanying hard sell) we were told about, we had a chance to get some cardio and gossip in.  I usually work out alone, so it was a treat to have someone to talk to as I pedaled along.

We made our way to the group fitness room 5 minutes before the class began and most spots were already taken.  I hadn't looked up anything beforehand about TRX, so I had no idea what to expect.  I wish I could have seen the look on my face when Katie brought over straps to clip to a hook on the ceiling.  She had to do it for me!

TRX is a suspension-based workout that uses your body's weight and resistance to build strength.  In most gyms you clip a set of straps to a ceiling and use them to do a wide range of different exercises.  There's a large margin for error and incorrect form with these exercises, so it's important to have someone show you what to do.  A crowded class isn't the best environment to try this equipment for the first time, especially with an instructor that isn't paying much attention to people's form.  Unfortunately, that's what we had on Saturday.

Luckily, I was able to self-correct by looking at the instructor and other people's forms and using the mirror.  Katie was working out next to me and gave me some good feedback.  Unfortunately, it wasn't much of a workout.  I left with more energy than I came with, and wasn't sore at all on Sunday.  Katie told me it wasn't as good as the first class she took - the exercises we did weren't as challenging and the music and instructor weren't as good.  I'll take her word for it, but I'm not sold.  I would try the equipment on my own or with a trainer, but I don't think I'll be trying a TRX class again.

That "D'oh" Moment

I've long hated the elliptical*.  Regardless of how high I increase the resistance and incline, or what interval workouts I try, it still feels like a long monotonous series of pedal strokes.  While I ellipt, time creeps by more slowly than it did during Thursday night lectures in college.  Luckily, the only time I need to use the elliptical is when I'm injured.

Unluckily, I injured my foot on Saturday night.  I'm still not sure what I did to it - there could be a small fracture on one of my toes or it could be really bad bruising - but after three days without any cardio (I did some weightlifting on Tuesday) I knew I needed to get my heart rate up and my foot wouldn't be able to handle running.  Like it or not, I was relegated to the elliptical.

As I grabbed my keys and gym pass out of my purse, my hand brushed against my iPad.  I immediately thought about how I'd downloaded a movie and how frustrated I was that I couldn't get it to play on my TV from my iPad.  When was I ever going to watch it?

I swear to you, if I was a cartoon I would have had a lightbulb flash above my head at that moment.

I got an iPad mini because it was small, light, and convenient to carry around.  I sometimes see people reading Kindles at the gym, which are around the same size, but it's pretty much impossible to read on a treadmill - I have a hard time focusing on the gym TVs while running.  My iPad is the perfect size to prop up on the elliptical like a magazine and, unlike reading, I don't have to focus too much to watch a movie.

It was perfect.  I got through the first half of the movie (Pitch Perfect - don't judge) and could have kept going if I didn't have to get back to the office.  I'm saving the second half for Friday morning's workout.

Awards season is starting up and I'm desperately behind in watching nominated films.  Something tells me rehabbing my foot is going to be productive in more ways than one...

*I also dislike the stationary bike outside of spin class - sitting down during my workout makes me feel like I'm working less, and those seats start to hurt after a while!

Oof

There are 5 times in my life I've taken Advil because I know I'm going to be extremely sore the next day, when:

• I ran Marine Corps Marathon in 2010
• I dared my trainer to "do your worst"
• I ran 20in24
• I ran Marine Corps Marathon in 2012
• Tonight

As I said yesterday, one of my New Years' resolutions is to lift weights more often, so I went to a weights class at the gym this evening.  The description from the club's website says:

BODYPUMP™ is the original barbell class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls. You'll get the results you came for – and fast!

I'd never used a barbell before and thought I'd taken it easy using light weights.  Ten minutes in to class, I knew that wasn't the case.  By the end of the squat series, my legs were shaking.  As we cooled down, my triceps were already sore.

The class is broken in to segments, each of which concentrates on a different muscle group or exercise.  I started each segment thinking I might want to increase the weight I was using, and ended it out of breath with tired muscles.  One by one, my legs, triceps, back, and shoulders were worked hard.  By the end of class, I was ready to go home and curl up on the couch.  I stopped by the grocery store on my way home and could barely carry my groceries - it probably didn't help that I bought cartons of milk and orange juice.

I know I'm going to be really sore tomorrow, but it's totally worth it.  I'll be back to that class once my muscles recover - it's a fun way to keep one of my resolutions.

Lessons Learned

This week has been trying, to say the least, but I managed to stay on track and work out Monday - Friday.

On Wednesday I learned the true value of social running groups.  I'd had a bad day at work and all I wanted to do was go home and curl up on the couch, but I promised some friends that I'd go to run club.  Reluctantly, I dragged myself to lululemon and was met with... ugly Christmas sweaters.  My mood brightened immediately.

Photo c/o the lululemon Bethesda Run Club Facebook page

There was no way I would have worked out on my own that evening and that would have been to my detriment.  As each mile passed, I felt the stress from my day melt away.

Yesterday I learned how far I've come.  During Bikram I was completely focused on my practice, barely noticing anyone around me.  This may not be impressive to most people, but when I first started practicing yoga I spent a lot of my class looking around the room at everyone else and trying to figure out how much time had passed.  When I fell out of a pose, instead of getting frustrated, like I had in the past, I simply got back in to it.  My patience and ability to focus made the class far more enjoyable and reminded me of why I started practicing yoga in the first place.

This morning I learned the value of making a plan and sticking to it.  It's been a bit over a year since I started working with my trainer and each time we meet I can feel myself getting stronger.  I'm lifting heavier weights and using machines I would have been far too intimidated to try a year ago.  When I first started training with Rob, I thought I'd meet with him for a year, then train on my own; now our sessions have become so ingrained in my weekly routine that I can't imagine foregoing them.

Part of reaching the end of a year is reflecting on experiences and lessons learned.  I like what I'm seeing so far.

For those of you counting:
MYB Challenge workouts 12-15 of 22 completed.

Yoga at Home

Thursday's workout left me pretty sore and I debated taking Friday off, ultimately deciding it would be worth it to do some yoga and stretch out my muscles.  None of the times my bikram studio and gym were offering classes worked with my schedule, so I decided to try a DVD I got in my Popsugar "Must Have" box last month.

I don't have any extra space in my condo, so moving furniture around to create a space to practice was a bit of a workout itself.  I could have done with more space than I had, but I did the best with what I could.

My home "yoga studio"

I probably should have done a bit more research (or read the DVD case), because I was in for something far different than the serene yoga session I had in mind.  Mandy Ingber's Yogalosophy DVD is described as "yoga meets toning to sculpt sleek muscles."  Whoops.  I chose to do the 55 minute "fully loaded challenge" and was feeling the burn within the first fifteen minutes.  That said, the video was pretty easy to follow and didn't require advance knowledge of yoga (though it certainly helps).

I still prefer going to a class, but I'll definitely use the DVD again when work picks up and I can only work out at crazy hours.  It will be nice to have an option other than cardio machines after a long day in the office.

For those of you counting:
MYB Challenge workout 6 of 22 completed.

Kicking Off the Holiday Season

Last night was my first holiday party of the 2012 season.  If it's any indication of what's to come, I'm in for a lot of fun, festive cocktails, and unhealthy (but extremely delicious) food.  That all sounds super until I think about it in light of the fact that I will be laying out on a beach in Mexico in less than a month.

I'm no teetotaler and I love food, so not drinking and refusing to eat at parties is out of the question.  I want to try everything!  So what's a girl to do?

My plan is to keep working out regularly and eat as healthy as possible on my "off days."  Ever since I got back from Morocco I've been craving fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy, but hearty, meals.  I've been eating a lot of baked fish and chicken, gilled meats, quinoa, and salads.  As for vegetables, I'll take them any way I can, but prefer them fresh or steamed.  Hopefully this will cancel out some of my bad eating habits at parties.  I can't help myself when it comes to dips and cheese trays.

This week I've done pretty well with workouts.  Run club on Wednesday was a great reminder that I don't have to work out alone - it's far more fun with friends!  I had a great time catching up with the lululemon Bethesda run club crew during our chilly evening run.  Our run was after dark and parts were in quiet areas where we could see the stars.  It reminded me a lot of my night legs during relays, except I had some great people telling entertaining stories to keep me company.  It also made me feel much better about my 8k coming up on Sunday.

Yesterday I worked out with Rob during lunch.  It was a tough workout, heavy on squats, lunges, and balancing exercises to get me ready for my ski trip.  I am starting to get a little concerned because my left hamstring has been acting up the past few workouts.  It gives a little warning (not much), then seizes up.  If anyone has any recommendations I would love to hear them.

For those of you counting:
MYB Challenge workouts 4 and 5 of 22 completed.

Monday... Funday?

Mondays are usually pretty bad. The weekend is over, I inevitably oversleep, and it's back to the weekly grind. Yesterday was different. While my day still started slowly, I spent my morning entering the lottery for the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler and signing up for the Maryland Double, which consists of the Frederick and Baltimore half marathons. I find there's nothing that motivates me to work out more over the winter than looking forward to spring races.

After my morning race sign-up spree I knew I needed to hit the gym. I decided on an hour-long cycle challenge class. The class was much better than last week and I got a great workout in, finishing in time to watch the Redskins win.

Monday was a fun day, indeed.

For those of you counting:
MYB workout 3 of 22 completed.

Run It Out

Yesterday I was having a bad day.  After a few hours of sulking, followed by a few hours of catching up with friends, I realized the only cure to my Sunday blues would be a trip to the gym.

I was feeling pretty sore from my barre method class, so I didn't want to push things too hard.  I was resigned to pedaling along on the elliptical when I remembered I have an 8K coming up next weekend.  So I jumped on the treadmill and hoped for the best.

Whenever I take a long break from running I worry about what will happen when I return.  Will I be significantly weaker?  Will I injure myself because my muscles won't know what to do?  Will I be slow and hate it?  Luckily, my legs knew what to do and I was able to knock out 4 miles at a 9:13/mile pace. Not my best work, but not too shabby for taking time off.  It also helped my mood immensely.

I'm not a big treadmill fan, so I cut things off at 4 miles and spent some time on the ergometer.  For those of you who aren't familiar with the erg, it's an indoor rowing machine and one of my favorite machines.  If you're doing it properly, you will work your legs, arms, and back.  If you're doing it wrong, you'll probably end up hurting your back.  It's a lot of fun once you know what you're doing, burns a lot of calories, and is a great way to mix up your cardio routine.  Just have someone show you how to do it properly before you begin.  I have a lot of former rowers in my life, so I've had a lot of tutorials over the years.  I highly recommend it.

For those of you counting:
MYB Challenge workout 2 of 22 complete

Barre-d

Yesterday I went to my first barre class and oh my god was it hard.  I had high expectations - ballet dancers are in insanely good shape and I'd been warned by multiple people to expect a tough class - but this class far surpassed it.  I may not be in the shape I used to be in, but I think I'm still in decent shape and I had a hard time getting through the class without taking any breaks.  It's definitely not a class I could take every day.

The class was a mix of ballet, pilates (not that I've ever taken a pilates class, but this is what some other ladies said), and yoga.  I recognized some of the poses from various yoga and ballet classes I've taken over the years, but the sequence they were in was totally new.  We used hand weights for a lot of the arm workouts and I managed to get a good workout in using only 1 pound weights.  Yes, 1 pound.  I was surprised too.  The class alternated between arm, core, and leg workouts, often incorporating multiple muscle groups in to single exercises.

The studio, Barre3, is a great space in Georgetown.  It has somewhat of a rustic look, with stone pillars and exposed wood beams in the ceiling, but has the traditional wood floors, mirrored walls, and barres of a ballet studio.  It was a welcoming space with a large area in back for storing your stuff and changing.  They also had a childcare area.  If you're looking to check out a barre method class I would definitely recommend this studio.  The $25 per class fee is a bit steep, but they run a lot of specials.  I was able attend a special class for only $10.

Moving My Booty

Forgive me for my absence.  It was tough going to get workouts in through jet lag, sickness, and the parade of gluttony that was Thanksgiving weekend.  I managed to squeeze in a 10K Turkey Chase and a session with Rob, but other than that I haven't done a thing.  It feels awful.

I need to get myself back in shape before my ski trip on the 21st.  There's nothing worse than having to leave the slopes early or stick to easier trails because you're out of shape and your body can only handle so much activity in one day.

As I was telling myself I need to get back on the trails and in the gym regardless of what holiday-related excuses come my way, I spotted the Move Your Booty Challenge.  The challenge is 22 workouts before 2013, starting today.  This is perfect for my purposes - I'll get in most of the workouts before my trip and keep up the good work while I'm on vacation.  I think working up a sweat in mogul fields can count as a workout - it certainly feels like I've been doing hours of squats afterward!

First up: a barre method class this afternoon.  I've heard it's a lot harder than it looks, so I'll be sure to report back.

Autumn Hike

Saturday was my father's 70th birthday party.  As it was a surprise party, my sister and I were tasked with keeping him out of the house while the caterers set up.  We decided to take him to lunch at Family Meal (the fried chicken is well worth the trip to Frederick) then go for a hike at Sugarloaf Mountain.

After nervously eyeing the weather forecast all week we were pleasantly surprised by a cloudy day in the mid-70s.  The weather was perfect for hiking.  As we only had an hour and a half, we decided to take the white trail, a 2.5 mile loop around the summit.

My dad is notorious in my family for taking a while to stretch and get going.  My sister and I decided to take that time to stretch and take some photos.

Once he was ready, we set off.  The sun came out, but the trees kept us shaded and cool.  The trail was pretty rocky and hilly, but I liked the varying terrain.  We didn't pass too many other hikers, which made our hike quiet and peaceful.  Everyone we passed seemed as happy to be on the trail as we were.

One of my favorite things about hiking Sugarloaf is the view.  We took a few photos at different vistas throughout the hike.

It was a wonderful afternoon with my family, and a great chance to relax before the madness that occurred Saturday night.

On the way to the party, our car was hit by a drunk driver.  Everyone is ok, but a bit shaken up.  The woman who hit us didn't "seem" drunk (my father and I didn't suspect she was driving under the influence), but her BAC was twice the legal limit.  Please let this serve as a reminder to put away your keys if you've had a couple of drinks.  Taking a cab home and coming to get your car the next day may seem inconvenient, but it's a lot more convenient than spending the night in jail.

Back to Bikram

A few months ago I noticed my old Bikram studio was offering a Groupon - $100 for 3 months of unlimited yoga.  It was too good to pass up.

Today I went to my first class in almost two years.  I was a little worried about adjusting to the heat and being able to get in to the poses.  My balance is definitely nowhere near where it used to be, but I know it'll get better over time.  There are only a few poses I had issues with, and I think I'll be able to do them after a few more classes. What remains to be seen is how sore I'll be tomorrow.

For those of you considering a Bikram class, I'd highly recommend it.  I've tried a lot of different forms of yoga and Bikram is the only class where I've felt like I've had a good workout - the heat allows you to get deeper in to poses and lets your muscles work harder.  I weight train fairly regularly without soreness, but am always sore after my first few Bikram classes.

3 In a Row

This morning, in my continued effort to cross-train and stay in shape, I went to three classes at the gym.

Yes, three.

Apparently my "go hard or go home" mentality isn't exclusive to running.

I started off with an hour long "cycle challenge" class with my favorite spin instructor.  Today's theme was "fathers."  (Sidenote: please remember to call you dad tomorrow.)  The theme was a bit of a stretch, as most song about fathers are slow-paced or downers.  There were a couple of really good ones in the mix though, notably "Gone, Daddy, Gone," which I need to add to my workout mix.

After spin, I headed to CXWorks, which was 30 minutes of core work.  This is not a class for people who don't want to work hard.  I used to go on a regular basis and got to a point where I could keep up with the instructor - today I found myself able to hold a plank for only half of the time I was supposed to.  Even so, I am not going to be able to laugh without pain for the next few days.

After CXWorks I went to Zoomba.  Zoomba is always an interesting experience for me because I have zero coordination.  I felt a bit better about myself today because someone else fell.  Schadenfreude is a terrible thing.  I looked like an idiot throughout the entire class, but I wasn't the only one.  I had a really good time, but all of the jumping around exacerbated my shin splints.  I guess I'll stay away from this one until I've recovered.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to spend some quality time with an ice pack and a bottle of Advil.

Spin It

Earlier this week, as I started to exit denial and move toward acceptance, I realized I need to cross-train in a major way.  20in24 is a month away and, while I'm currently not running and hoping for a miracle regarding my shin splints, I need to do something to stay in shape.

During the winter I attend spin class on a fairly regular basis.  I haven't been since March, as lately the weather has been too enticing to spend my cardio sessions indoors.  Yesterday I decided to return to the spin studio.

To my surprise, my favorite instructor now teaches Wednesday nights.  She chooses a theme for each class's music and last night's theme was "partying."  It was awesome.  It was also an excellent workout - we did a lot of hills, sprints, hill sprints, isolations, and lifts.  While it's rare that I finish a run feeling like I couldn't take another step, after 60 minutes of class I walked out of the studio on legs that felt like Jell-O.  Best of all, my shins feel perfectly fine today.

Clearly I'll be back.