In the Pool

It's been a couple weeks since my last post -- primarily because I haven't had much to talk about. I've been, as was recommended, keeping ative and in shape without doing any real training.

I've gotten back in the weight room a couple times and kept up with teaching my regular BodyFlex class and Spinning class. I've also spent more time in the pool at the Y.

Boy, am I going to need help there! I'm working on increasing my endurance in the water, but I've got a long way to go. Brett, the Y's aquatics director, and I couldn't get our schedules to mesh for her to help me with my technique as we had planned. This is something we've got to do right after the first of the year.

For now, I'm just plodding along. This morning I plan on taking my first yoga class and tonight I'm teaching a "Christmas Carol" Spinning class (the remixed Bing Crosby First Noel is a killer.) I'll get one more time in the pool before heading to sunny, warm Wisconsin (he said, dripping with sarcasm) for Christmas. But I've already located a YMCA to get a workout in on the day after Christmas - something I never would have done a year ago!

Congratulations Andy!

A HUGE congratulations to my friend Andy, who just did Ironman Western Australia and beat his personal best by an hour and 40 minutes! Awesome! You are the man....um, make that the Ironman!

Back At It...and Exhausted

Having fully recovered from the marathon, I figured this week I'd get back in the swing of things, and stay active. I'd been advised to keep in shape through December but not do any real "training."

Well, I was a slacker for the first half of the week, but made up for it the past two days.

Yesterday I taught my usual 8:00am BodyFlex class at the Y. I hadn't taught in a few weeks so I stayed light on my own weights but leading 4 minutes of squats right off the bat did a number on my legs later in the day. Then I was looking forward to teaching my usual Spinning class, but because (a) it has gotten cold out and all the cyclists wanted to ride indoors or (b) my class is so darn popular (I prefer to believe the latter) there were so many people in class I gave up my bike and taught from the floor.

Yesterday afternoon I finally hit the weights after a far-too-long absence. I pretty much did a full-body minus legs workout and, of course, am paying the price today.

Not content to leave any part of my body less than exhausted, Meyer and I went swimming this morning. It was my first time in the pool since I can't remember when. I'm pooped and am ready for a long nap!

But it sure feels good!

Favorite Ads

If you flip through running or triathlon magazines, you'll find some really interesting or inspiring or well written or funny ads. (Sometimes they are all of the above.) So occasionally I'm going to share my favorites. Here's one that I read, and re-read, and re-read before running the marathon two weeks ago. Since the text is probably too small to read, this is what it says:

"If you ran without sacrifice, congratulations. You just jogged. Running hurts. It always has. Woolly mammoths didn't just roll over onto a plate and serve themselves up to prehistoric man with fries and a shake. They had to be caught - and running down woolly mammoths was a bitch. Guess what? Running is still a bitch. But one with a purpose. It teaches us that good things do not come easy. It teaches us that we are capable of more than we think. It teaches us that hard work will be rewarded and laziness will be punished. Don't expect to learn those life lessons from running's shiftless stepchild, jogging. Next time you suffer on the roads or trails, suffer proudly. It means you run like an animal."

I love stuff like this!

Video Time!

NBC shouldn't tease us like this. I know where I'll be the afternoon of Dec. 13...on the couch watching!