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Lazy or Tired?

Or a little of both?

It's true, I gave myself a mental time-out from exercise following the Blackwood. I promised myself an "off-to-light" couple of months, nothing serious to train for, just the classes I have to teach, so I can recoup and focus on other things.


Afterall, it's Silly Season. Christmas is nearing. Work is insane. We are short staffed, we're all working overtime. There are parties and functions to organise, plus I am teaching three extra classes a week. I'm not *completely* resting on my laurels. I also promised I would put more focus and effort into work. And I am doing that, too.

But since I'm not training about 10-12 hours a week anymore, I'm feeling an odd kind of guilt. Because I have a lot of time on my hands that used to be spent training, I'm finding that I'm fluffing through my empty time and not really being purposeful about spending it. So, it'll take all morning to do dishes, cuz it can, rather than hurrying the process to get out and doing something else right away. This makes me feel lazy. But I also feel tired. And sometimes I'm not sure about which one it really is that I'm experiencing at any given time. Some of the things I'm experiencing:

• I am sleeping in later - but I'm staying up later, too. I don't have to be up any more. And I'm watching more pointless television. I'm wanting or having more naps.
• I'm drinking more tea again - this usually means I'm looking for a pick-me-up, which means I'm tired, but also I learned that artificially boosting my energy with caffiene (even as little as is available in a cup of black tea) does turn out to be an energy drain in the long run, so this is a viscious cycle I'd be better off dropping (again).
• I am skipping workouts without really worrying about making them up. E* couldn't make it in for our workout this morning, so I just didn't do mine. Generally I don't rely on other people to get me to exercise. I mean, they help - big time - but I've been (reasonably) self-motivated the last 12 months, so to skip out on a 15 minute workout seems like a silly lazy cheat.
• I don't have a big goal in mind, so as a result, I am 'floating', so-to-speak. Motivationally, I do far better having a big fat hairy audacious goal to strive towards. Without that, I'm just going through the motions.

How do you know if it's time to push through (cuz you're just feeling lazy) or rest (because you truly are tired)?

Quick Weekend Recap

I've been away, so no post for awhile. To briefly summarise the last few days:

Friday morning I did the next workout, Expert exercises for 10 minutes. I wasn't at my best, feeling rather lethargic, however, I did get a good workout from the extra intensity added for this level:

• Pushups with a 3 second hold and then explosive jump
• Lunges with a 3 second hold and double arm overhead press (I was actually tempted to lower my weight, it got so challenging)
• Incline rows with elevated feet and a 3 second hold at the top. (I had to lower my feet!)
• Goblet squats with a 3 second hold. (I could probably increase this weight)

It was screaming hot on Friday. I taught Aqua and really had to take it easy. 36 degrees and rising! And then worked as a guard until 6pm. It was a long day, but a really good one.

The best thing about the day was that when I got home, Mat was doing the dishes, our bags were packed and we were leaving!! By his logic we would just sit watching tv until 10:30, so we might as well just sit in the car until then!

So we made it to Margaret River and did mostly nothing for all of Saturday and Sunday. Visiting, snacking, I dived into the ocean fully dressed (AWESOME) and went for a very short walk.

And we napped a LOT! I feel very rested!

Now we are home and I am off to teach Aqua Gold in the rain.

I will do my measurements on Tuesday morning and do the next workout on Wednesday (Expert for 15 minutes).

Guinea Pigs

I've been enjoying my Efficient Workouts, and also enjoying the Body by Science book, particularly now that I've had a few of my concerns addressed, and once again have skimmed forward and see that they will be responding to other questions I have. I think there's a nice balance that can be struck between doing functional high intensity exercise, and 'other' exercise.

My friend E* came to Balance on Monday night and complained at how difficult she found the class because she, due to some medical issues, was not able to exercise for several months, and having gone from a very fit person to an unfit person was very frustrating to her. So, I decided to invite her along to my Efficient workout this morning. Recalling how easy the first one seemed I thought it would be an ideal starting point for her to rebuild her strength after a lengthy time off, and she happily agreed to be a guinea pig for me!

The workout didn't disappoint! As predicted, it was doable, and didn't leave her sweating like a pig and unable to head to work without a shower - though I've warned her they do get harder and she will get sweatier. It also left her feeling like she challenged herself - she didn't believe she was capable of an inverted row, and yet there she was, doing a great job of them, and even liking them! And she even did 5 toe pushups! She came out of it saying, "I don't feel all used up, but I feel like I've worked. I also feel like I could use more weight on the overhead presses."

I thought that was a good starting point for her.

I did workout #4 which was same as workout #3 but for 15 minutes this time. I increased my squat weight to 10kg, but otherwise kept all the other things equal.

And I sweated and puffed and was nearly tempted to put my feet on the floor for the inverted rows. At about 13 minutes I was really really struggling to get rep 5 out of each of those rows, grunting like those weight-mad-monkeys at the gym! How embarassing!  But I perservered and actually did all sets for all 15 minutes with the elevated feet! Woohoo!

I also have another (in principle) guinea pig for the Body by Science workouts. Mat has agreed to try them out. Mat has a physical job - he's a welder - so he's always moving heavy things around. Improved functional strength is going to be a big help to him in doing his job better. It will also, hopefully, reduce his risk of injury, and improve his cholesterol levels (his aren't bad, but his family history suggests he's really going to have to watch it). So, since it's only 12 minutes a week and only 5 exercises, and it doesn't involve running (Mat says "running's got knobs on it unless someone's chasing you") he has agreed to try it out and see what he thinks.

Cool.  Now I just need to pin down a time with him!

I followed my workout with a quick run - 4.25km in 24ish minutes. It was, in fact, a quick run! I did about a 10.6 km/hr pace! Wow! And I thought I was struggling... probably just because I was pushing harder than usual! Nice!

Now I'm off to pay for a freezer, play with my horse, and await delivery!

Awesome day!

Must. Stop. Eating!

There is a difference between appetite and hunger.

For example, this morning, during circuit class, my stomach rumbled and growled. It felt empty. I was HUNGRY. Hunger is the physical desire to eat.

I ate some nuts and felt really satisfied. I stopped eating!

At lunch time I ate a nice Caesar Salad. Just a little one, with some Banana Bread for dessert and I felt really good. I wasn't hungry or stuffed, I was nicely satisfied.

And then in walked Sandy's Catering. The leftovers from today's lunch showed up and they looked soooo very good!!  And I said "No, I'm NOT eating anything, I'm NOT hungry" and then proceeded to scoff down two kebabs, a piece of chicken, four brownies (oh those brownies!!), two mini savoury muffins, a piece of quiche and three pieces of bread.

WHAT!?

I wasn't even hungry! I ate until I felt sick! I could NOT control my appetite! Appetite is the psychological desire to eat. And I had no control over it what-so-ever! Stupid thing is, it's MY brain and I should be able to tell it when to stop. facking. eating. already!

Luckily I did teach Aqua Intense afterwards, but there's no way it even came close to knocking off the amount of calories I consumed in those 20 minutes.


I don't even know what else to say. I am just so frustrated and embarrassed!

Thoughts? Advice? Anyone? Bueller?

Book Review: Body by Science (part 1)

D* put me on to this book: Body by Science: a research-based program for strength training, body building and complete fitness in 12 minutes a week by Doug McGuff, M.D., and John Little.

I've made it through to Chapter Four, which is where I think it'll get really interesting, because it starts to talk about actual exercise!

The first three chapters lay the scientific and research base upon which they build their thesis, which can be summarised in a VERY lay-man's way as being:

One weekly short high intensity session of prescribed weight training is all the exercise you need to be healthy and fit.

In fact, they go further and suggest that no only do you not need low intensity long duration training (such as running, cycling, tennis, etc), but that in fact you should not do these things because, again to paraphrase:

these repetitive exercises will cause your body to break down and you'll be crippled with arthritis and die of a heart attack at 50.

Uh! Okay... umm ...

Now, they don't dumb the first three chapters down, and I don't disagree with the science, even if I can't pronounce all the words. I agree with the the HIT principle (High Intensity Training). I prescribe interval training to all my clients, it's a great way to pack in a fat burning workout without spending hours doing it. I also agree that weight training is excellent for so many things: bone density, metabolic function, fat loss, and to improve strength which in turn improves our ease of daily living. Yup, I like weight training. And I like HIT!

I guess the thing that bothers me is not that this isn't a sound idea, or that they haven't gone out of their way to prove that it is effective, but that it so strongly rejects the idea of 'cardio' and essentially labels it as bad. This premise leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth for two reasons:

1. I like 'cardio'! It's fun! Bouncing around in Attack, doing Aqua, running... these are fun things to do! People like sport, they like to socialise, they like to challenge themselves. These are motivating factors to exercise and that keeps people going back. People should do things they enjoy so they keep doing them! Exercise is not exclusively about optimising health in 12 minutes a week. Well, it might be for some, but not for everyone. 
2. I am not sure that the intensity at which they suggest a person work is suitable for those new to exercise. Although their studies look at "the average" person, and have tried to eliminate genetic anomalies, I am thinking that some of my seniors, those new to exercise, and many weight loss clients would really struggle with this program. However, I admit, I haven't gotten that far into the book yet, so really can't make that call now.

One thing I really like about this book is how clearly it demonstrates that the body responds to all load in the same fashion, that the body should be looked at as a whole, rather than separate systems. In other words, it doesn't matter what you're doing to challenge the body, once it's appropriately challenged, the metabolic functions of creating and sustaining energy is the same. The anecdotal evidence to support this is from my efforts in the Most Efficient Workout program. By doing those resistance training exercises in rapid succession, I felt that I was getting a greater 'cardio' challenge than muscle-building challenge. My muscles were not fatiguing at the same rate that my heart and lungs had to work to keep up with the work load, but I was definitely getting benefits from working harder and faster than I normally would.

The authors also mention specificity of training: where if you want to be a good cyclist, you will have to cycle, and if you want to be a good swimmer, you'll have to swim (though they clearly state that certain body types are clearly pre-disposed to being more effective at some forms of exercises than others).  Therefore, so far, the place that their 12 minute system would seem to fall flat for me is that although this weight training program will improve my metabolic function, my muscle strength, will help me burn adipose (fat) tissue, and improve my heart and lung's capacity under load, it won't make me a good swimmer, runner, cyclist. So if I want to do a triathlon, I'm going to have to do those things.

In glancing through chapter four, when they discuss the Big Five, their core weight training exercises, I have to admit, I prescribe each of these exercises to almost all of my clients. They do provide a nearly full body range of exercises, they're compound and therefore are very effective in recruiting lots of muscle fibres. All good so far! Can't wait to learn more!

Better get reading!

Workout #3 and Measurements

This morning I woke up with a little muscle tenderness in my lats! And I thought, "oh wow, maybe that was a better workout yesterday than I thought!"

You're supposed to have at least one day rest between workouts, but I did today's anyway, because I'd like to get back on and stick to the schedule. Today, I did my measurements and the 10 minute Advanced workout.

Workout 3:
5 reps of each exercise for 10 minutes without stopping:

• Explosive Push Up (make hands leave the floor on the 'up stroke')
• Reverse Lunge with 1-Arm Press (as before, using 4kg weights)
• Elevated Feet Inverted Row (bar in same position as before, feet on step with 2 risers)
• Goblet Squat (holding 8kg dumbbell)

The Conclusion: Oh my goodness!

I wanted an upper body workout and I sure got it! I could only do the explosive pushups from my knees. And if you want to see a flailing monkey, that's how I felt! Very uncoordinated at first, but I eventually got the hang of it.

The elevated feet on the row, in essence, would have been like lowering the bar another notch, and was very effective at pushing my limits. I was definitely struggling to complete the last few reps to full range in the last several circuits.

The added weight in the squat allowed me to feel my glutes engage far more than previously, and I will probably go up to 10kg for the next round.

It took several minutes for my heart and respiration rate to return to normal after today's workout. I was working quite hard today! I needed to stretch my chest and shoulders for quite a lot longer than I normally would.

For a short little effort, definintely a challenge!!

As for my measurements, there is minimal change, and according to the chart, both my Body Fat Percentage and my BMI has gone up (I've gotten fatter!?), probably just because my weight has gone up. But my waist, chest, & wrist measurements have gone down - although the changes are realtively insignificant, and variations in those measurements could be due to not measuring in the exact same spot each time, as much as in genuine change in body shape. But I do think my arms are slightly more defined. When I am doing the rows, they sure look muscley in the mirror!

Another thing not considered is my diet over the last week. I must say it has been TERRIBLE! I have had a few really good meals, but I have also had a significant number of convenience meals, chocolate bars, and bread bread bread! I've also eaten more than I've needed on numerous occasions (why do I eat when I'm no longer hungry?) and I can generally say this week has been nutritionally poor. Lots of excuses, but mainly just poor planning... sleeping in and not having a lunch prepared, that sort of thing.

I'm hoping this week will be more nutritionally sound and that I will see, and, more importanly, FEEL changes in my body. I am so done with being tired all the time!

Workout #2

Yay! I did it! I found 15 minutes and I didn't forget!

Here's what today's workout was:

Workout Two:
5 repetitions of each of the following four exercises in sequence with no rests for 15 minutes.

• Push Ups
• Reverse Lunge and 1-Arm Press (5 per side)
• Inverted Row
• Prisioner Squat

The conclusion: MUCH BETTER!

This time I was working much harder. I got my heart pounding in my ears! I was trying to move more quickly, but I was still doing a circuit in about 1 minute, but I was getting more out of it this time.

• I did the first three circuits of Push Ups from my toes - until my right arm was very noticably over-compensating for my left and I was no longer going to full range. I was also able to do the last two sets from my toes. This means I did 25 full push ups after not being able to do ANY for MONTHS. Very pleased!
• I used 4kg dumbbells for the overhead presses in the lunges. I definintely felt my shoulders working hard by half-way.
• I focused on dropping directly into the lunge and keeping the front leg loaded when I stepped forward. This increased my speed, but I'm not sure I got into my legs enough. Might have to try to drop a little deeper still.
• I had the bar in a suitable spot for a bit of challenge immediately in the Inverted Rows, so there were no wasted reps.
• I focused on getting as deep as possible in the squats, but I think more than 5 reps is required, or some weight is needed to really make this exercise count in such a short workout.

15 minutes of the above left me short of breath, my heart was pounding and I was sweaty. I felt like I had gotten a fair workout, though certainly not the hardest workout in the world. I am looking forward to adding more weights/reps/challenge to the exercises, because although I did get a work out, it was almost more of a cardio challenge than a weight lifting type challenge. I could probably lower the bar one more notch for the Rows and I am looking forward to doing more toe push ups!

Yay! I can do pushups again!

World's Most Efficient Workout ... ?

I suppose this workout isn't going to be too efficient or effective if I don't do it, eh?

I was going to do Workout 2 Friday morning at 6am, but I was so very very tired. I have been tired and my tummy upset again this past week. Very frustrating. So, I slept in Friday morning and then was determined to do it after I completed AquaGold at 3pm.

But then I had to get my Working With Children Check renewal done! Oops! And it had to be renewed before 4pm on Friday! Double Oops! I did get that done, bought groceries, picked up horse food, came home and promplty forgot about the World's Most Efficient Workout.

Then, when I remembered, I said to myself: "That's okay, I'll do it Saturday after work. I will close up shop at 1pm and then do the 15 minutes and head home."

Instead I had a rather distressing encounter at work that sent me scurrying to see Mat for comforting, and, once again, put the workout well and truly out of my mind.

I have to work tomorrow, too. I am opening and on-call all day. I am therefore saying no to a 6am ride of 60-80km because I'm not so sure that a) I'm up to it, and that b) I'd make it back in time to do my job.

Instead, I will endeavour to do a mini-triathlon in the morning and then, when I open up on Sunday I will do my 15 minutes.

Maybe. :P

I might just need a more alluring goal.

World's Most Efficient Workout - Workout 1

So, I said I was going to get my proverbial in order and try this workout on for size.

I went ahead and measured myself on Saturday in anticipation of a Monday start, and my starting weight and measurements are available in my Measurement Chart, which is quicklinked to the right. It is my plan to measure myself weekly to see if this workout stacks up to its claims:

In only 4 weeks, you'll create a lean physique that looks like the product of hours at the gym.

This measurement chart does some approximations based on the data provided to determine weight from fat and from lean tissue. It also calculates BMI. I'm not a fan of BMI, but it's a standard measure and one way to see if there are any changes to my body composition. I've also added two other body parts, biceps and thighs, that are not considered in the calculations.

Unfortunately I didn't do this workout on Monday, I slept in and focused on Aqua choreography instead.

Leading up to this Wednesday's workout I did a fair amount of other exercise:
- Sunday: 30km bike ride, aqua training
- Monday: taught Aqua Gold, taught Balance
- Tuesday: did a little in Circuit, taught Aqua Intense, did a Body Odyssey with Kirsty (Pump warmup, squats and chest and Balance warmup, sun salutations and standing strength, plus cool down)

Today I intended to run to the gym and do the workout and then run home (I really need to run!), but I got called into work for a short time, so drove over, did what had to be done, then did my workout and came home.

Here is what the workout is meant to be:

Workout One:
5 repetitions of each of the following four exercises in sequence with no rests for 10 minutes.
- Push ups
- Reverse Lunge and 1-Arm Press (5 per side)
- Inverted Row
- Prisioner Squat

The conclusion: TOO EASY

I did about 10 reps of this circuit in 10 minutes, working hard on good form, and got up a bit of a sweat and felt my quads quite a bit. But I could already feel my quads from the night before. Without the big exercise day from the day before I don't think I would have felt my legs half as much. My upper body only got an ok workout. Not exactly what I was expecting. The article does state that:

Instead of counting reps and sets, you'll focus on the total amount of work you can accomplish in a fixed amount of time. As you progress, you'll naturally increase your sets and reps, be able to use more weight, and perform exercises that are more challenging.

So in all likelihood, I probably wasn't trying hard enough or going fast enough.

I really wanted to do more than 5 reps of each exercise, and I dropped the bar lower on the inverted row about the second set to get more challenge out of that exercise. I would have gotten a better workout if I had done the pushups on my toes, but just wasn't able to do that yet. I did two toe pushups and my shoulder complained. My shoulder is nearly mended and I can do a wide grip knee pushup quite comfortably, but once on my toes I can really feel the shoulder twinge. Won't be long though, and it'll be fine!

Friday is the same workout but for 15 minutes. Then the next few sessions increase the intensity using 'explosive' moves and isometric moves. That will probably create a much more distinctive burn!

I will weigh and measure myself on Mondays to see if there are any changes.

Resting on my Laurels

I've had a week off. It's been nice, but a bit too easy to get used to sitting around and just doing 'whatever'. Whatever often includes eating something, watching tv and sitting on facebook. Not really quality use of my time.

Now, I grant you, I needed that. I wanted to catch up on things. I wanted to rest.

Afterall, I really didn't have my whole body working for me until Wednesday, I had Aqua Gold and Aqua Intense choreography to sort out, I worked all day Saturday. I did some scrapbooking, bought much-needed groceries, cooked meals, did housework. So I had plenty of good reasons for sitting on my proverbial. I wasn't completely idle, but ... well...

What I didn't have a good excuse for was this Sunday morning.

My plan was to ride my bike to the pool at 6, have a little swim, head out for a little while on the bike, then open the Centre at 8am for the cleanup crew. I was thinking that I'd take TK for a walk today, too. He's got a nasty bite mark from Nero on his back, and can't put a saddle on him right now, but I thought a little time socialising with him would be a great idea.

Instead I slept in until 7am, went to work to open for the cleanup crew at 8am, then came home and started to clean my kitchen.

Okay, the kitchen REALLY REALLY needed a deep clean. It's probably been since this time last year that I washed the curtains and windows. It was time to de-web the house. And the mouse tracks were beyond disgusting. All the mice have moved indoors to hide from the big ass snake hunting in the hay shed. In truth, I've been putting cleaning the kitchen off for too long, and it is a huge job that I haven't managed to finish yet, even with most of the day spent on it. But at least most of the cupboards now smell 'lemon fresh bleach' clean!

But then, where was the swim, ride, walk? Have I already fallen that far off the wagon? "Yeah, I'm an Iron Woman, so I don't have to exercise." Uh, no, that doesn't seem right at all!!

Luckily, Helen asked me if I was coming on the 4:00 social ride today. I almost turned her down, but decided to put down my kitchen sponge and go for a ride!!

This coming week will see me pick up the number of active classes I teach from two to five, and there are pleny of opportunities to stay active thanks to work. But there's plenty more I need to do. If I don't run soon, I'll be back to square one. I want to try these exercise claims out. I need to set some goals. I need to get locked in to something great! I need to set a new workout schedule.

I don't seem to be able to exercise 'out of habit.' I know plenty of people who just get up and workout and that's that. I still have to make a conscious effort to strap on the shoes and head out. And this after a full year of high volume training, and knowing how great I feel when I workout.

Do you think this is strange? Or are you a regular exerciser who has to work at it too?

Tim Tam Explosions and Other Great Ideas

Body Attack was cancelled tonight, and instead of doing a workout, or going for a run, I went to T&Es and had tea and Tim Tams. I only had one Tim Tam, which shows major restraint on my part, because I ADORE Tim Tam Explosions!

For the uninitiated, a Tim Tam Explosion (or also called a Tim Tam Slam) is where you nibble off alternate corners of your Tim Tam, set one nibbled corner into your cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or Milo, and then SUCK as if through a straw from the alternate corner of the biscuit. What you get is the chocolate (and in today's case, chewy caramel) melting and exploding into your mouth! Then you have a warm slightly soggy Tim Tam to finish off, generally in a single mouthful, or you'd just make a terrible mess of yourself. Here's a wickipedia link to the process. Wickipedia knows everything!

If you haven't tried this, you MUST. I do believe Tim Tams are avaialble now in Canada, and last I heard, they were known as Arnott's Originals.

Anyway, I came home and while waiting for dinner to cook - just basic fish rice and veggies - I was surfing along and saw this post from Men's Health: "World's Most Efficient Workout." And didn't think a whole lot about it at first... but then the fact that I have started to read  Body by Science (which means I have scanned the book and looked a the pictures) and the fact that I am looking for a new training regime, put the idea in my head that I should try these workouts and review them!

So I am putting a little plan in place, and if I get my proverbial together over the weekend and get my Aqua Intense choreography figured out I will start off doing a weigh-in and measure on Monday morning and start the World's Most Efficient Workout! What fun!

If, in the meantime, you see any workouts you'd like reviewed, send them to me! Not sure what to expect or how it'll go, but it'll be a fun experiment!

War Wounds

These pictures don't really show off my injuries as well as I'd like, but here are the three main culprits that keep making me wince! I'm such a wuss!

This first one is my left calf/shin where I fell against the rocks trying to get into my kayak. It doesn't look like much in the photo, but it's surrounded by a lovely green bruise that just doesn't like being touched. It needed to be covered to keep the flies off it. It was kind of embarassing to have a big bandage on it for just a few scrapes, but flies love blood, and I hate flies! So I had it dressed up with a full wrap bandage, since the ambos didn't just have a bandaid, fix-a-mole or spray plaster. What kind of dodgy service are they running there anyway? hehe


Kayaking Wounds

This is the saddle sore on the back of my left knee/thigh. It burns just being there. It doesn't even like to have fabric touching it. It sucks. I can't bend my knee right back (as in swan pose) without feeling it heat up like a fresh ember! Funny though, I didn't even know I had it until I had a shower after the event and the water running over it made me jump!



Saddle Sores

And finally, also not impressive until you touch it, my second toe. There was a nasty blood blister underneath it, which has released, but the nail is lifted and there's dried blood under the nail too, that just won't clean out. It hurts every time I bump it. I felt this happen, as I was running down those big hills, my toe was sliding slightly forward and jamming into my shoe. I have the misfortune of having a size 8.5 left foot and 8 right foot. So I wear 8.5s. This has never been a real issue until taking up running, as that extra half size allows the right foot to move a little more, and voila! I have smashed toenails!



Ugly feet!

 Anyway, there's my war wounds!
Don't you just love showing off your bruises, scars and other injuries of pride? I know I do!!
Do you like to compare injuries, or are you more of a "I don't want to see that" kind of person?

So, now what?

So, I did it! My four year journey has ended.

I am a Blackwood Iron Lady!

So, now what?

I promised Mat I wouldn't do it again in 2011. Maybe 2012!? :)

My cousin Darin has been inspired to do the Iron Man next year, so I guess I have passed the baton. If I am able, I will be there to support him as he supported me! And offer lots and lots of good advice!

In the immediate future I need to focus on getting my Aqua Gold choreography figured out for Friday, and even more critically, my Aqua Intense choreography for Tuesday next week. I have only just glazed over the music and my notes and ideas. So I will be quite intent on all things aquatic for the next seven days.

In no particular order, and without deep reflection, these are the things that come to mind when I say to myself: In the next year I want to focus on:

• Mat, and providing whatever he needs from me to be successful in business and happy in life
• TK and getting our relationship strong
• Running - maybe doing a half-marathon
• Gardening, cooking and keeping house
• Home renovations
• Friendships - I'd like to entertain more frequently
• Finding ways to maximize my work - both in output and quality
• Being a great and inspiring fitness instructor - make more connections and have a greater impact on participants and clients
• Getting my Cert IV in fitness

These seem like the start of new year's resolutions, and I guess to some extent they are. I will have a time void now that I won't be training as much and I need to have a focus to fill in that void or I will only blunder along without purpose. I feel more 'whole' with a purpose!

As an aside, I haven't got my photos posted up yet but will do that shortly. I am still waiting for Jan to send a few over, but I have the few that Eleanor took and that Mat got on the phone (Mat's are already on facebook). The official photos are now up and you can see my photos by clicking on this link and then searching for w418.

I also plan to write a letter to the Blackwood organisers to thank and congratulate them on a well run event!

So, that's it! A few photos, and then ... ??

If I Had To Do It Again...

And I would... in a heart beat! But I promised Mat I wouldn't. It's his year!

But if I had to, here's some things I would change:

1. Equipment training. Get the equipment you are going to use on the day and practice in it. Change it if it isn't going to work and feel perfectly comfortable for the event!
2. Location training. Go to those hills and ride them, run them, cycle them. Paddle more, portage more.
3. Build in more recovery and cross training in training cycle. A macro-cycle of one week long slow distance, one week of speed and interval training, one week of maintenance and cross training, repeat cycle and then one week off, so you get a rest week every 6 weeks (adjusted depending on competition schedules). Actually, just thinking maybe that should be flipped around, with cross-training, then speed, then distance, so you rest after a distance week... only one way to find out which will be best! :)
4. Block training. Nail your transitions. Run then kayak. Swim then run then ride. Ride then cycle. Seems obvious, but practice with the gear you are going to use and get your transitions down to a fine art. Know where everything is, what order it needs to come out of the box. Stack it just so. Use it in that order. Be able to do it yourself, just in case you have to!
5. Nutrition. I was pretty happy with my nutrition planning. I had enough to eat and drink and never felt completely depleted. I was struggling a bit due to not being able to eat while on the horse, but I did drink and I wasn't completely destroyed. Practice with the food you use. Find what works for you and be consistent with it. Know that you don't have to use gels or gus or special drinks, that real food works fine too.
6. Preparation. I did good with this (except for missing my crop top, I had everything I needed when I needed it). Unless you have done it a few times and know exactly what you want and need and have packing down to a fine art, take the two days before. Plan everything, write a list, organise and recheck. Cook lots of food! Put everything in boxes for each transition and label the boxes. Let everyone who needs to handle the boxes know what's in them and what you need them to do with the boxes.
7. Recovery. Once again, I think I did well with this. Plan lots of food, plenty of time for sleep and rest, and massage and stretching. I probably didn't need to take two days for recovery, but am grateful for the second day, none-the-less, as it means cleaning up after the event is possible, and more naps and eating is possible, and there won't be any struggling through work.
8. Helpers. It takes an ARMY to support an Iron Person. There were 200ish teams, not quite 1000 competitors, and approximately 2000 support crew! That's a lot of people to help out! You need a team manager, you need to review the what's and where's, and the team members who are helping you need to know your expectations at each changeover, for example, "Meet with with a bottle of water, then I need the towel to dry off, then if you can put sunscreen on my back and shoulders while I change my shoes, I'll be ready to go." Clear expectations means that when you're adrenaline rushed you won't be puffing out instructions that might sound more like barking out orders. Also, trust that they have your back. Just do your thing and know that they are doing everything that needs to get done to make sure you can focus on your race. Trust! :)
9. Also, take good care of  your helpers! Organise food and drinks for them. They need to be strong and healthy to support you. Make sure they have chairs to sit on and hats and sunscreen and jackets too. Maybe some money for ice cream, if they are so lucky to be near an ice cream van. Yum!

Some discipline specific changes I would make are:

Run:

I was pretty happy with my running. But in training I did start to get bored with the long slow distances, and was struggling to get my distance over 12km. So the changes I would make are:

1. Use recovery macro-cycle: build long slow distances; build up speed in 5 and 10k runs with sprints and intervals; do hill climbs, stair runs, plyometrics, lunges, and other running drills to improve form, and keep it interesting.
2. Add off-road running.
3. Practice downhill running.
4. Make sure you are doing it in good shoes.
5. Stretch and do yoga to keep the muscles limber. I would love to have done about double the amount of yoga I did! It is good for a runner to be flexible!

Kayak:
Obviously, this easy point to make here is to actually practice in the equipment you are going to use!

1. Get good equipment. Try lots of things out, find something you like well before the event, and then practice in it lots. Even if you can't afford a flash kayak, get something you can afford (or borrow something you will be able to use regularly) and get on the water!
2. When you can't get on the water, do paddle at home in your living room. It really does help. Use a much heavier paddle than you will use on the day.
3. Go to the Blackwood River and train on it.
4. Practice getting in and out of the kayak quickly.
5. Practice carrying and dragging your kayak.
6. Cross train with lots of push ups, rows, tricep work (I have strong triceps and they were on fire after the paddle!). Chin ups and other lat work would also be a huge benefit. Wrist and forearm strengthening exercises will be of great benefit too.
7. Do pilates for core strength. Your back and core need to be in tip-top shape for maximum stroke effect. Get your obliques strong!
8. If your kayak has a rudder, pull up the rudder and practice paddling and controlling your craft without the rudder. You hear about this every year: rudder lost, kayaker can't control boat, barely or doesn't finish race.
9. Check your equipment before the race and have a back up plan! :)

Swim:
Fitness and some swimming ability alone will get you through the swim. But, there's always ways to improve!

1. In the case of the Blackwood River, don't wear brown-tinted goggles, as I did. It matches the water colour. And then you really can't see! Clear goggles are the way to go.
2. A wet suit adds buoyancy and warmth, but is not critical to the success of the swim, unless it's a really cold day.
3. Train in open water if possible, if for no other reason but to experience the distance for yourself before the race.
4. Train to swim about 2km in a pool, because without the rests and without pushing off at the end of each lap, you end up experiencing a much more challenging swim, even if you're going faster, because there is absolutely NO PAUSE button.
5. Practice running after your swim. Since you need to get up that bank, and you need to THINK after the swim, you need to develop your stamia beyond the 1km.

Horse:
Some of the things I mention here might be fairly specific to TK, but generally this is a harder and faster ride that is busier and has more people running out of control than is probably ideal. So you need trust and control with your horse.

1. Secure a strapper early. Lock them in. Work with them. Thank them profusely!
2. Expose the horse to lots of different environments. Go to endurance rides, social rides, ride in new places. Go to pony club, take him/her to different events. Let strangers handle your horse, take them to busy places, and away from them.
3. Work on control and TRUST. By trust I mean get the horse to trust that the rider does know what's best and will not steer you wrong, and get the rider to trust that the horse will listen, watch its own feet, and tell you when something is wrong. Do 'spooking' exercises, do group work, do alone work, get a good trainer you can relate to and work with your horse so that you know that when it comes to the day, he's not just fit, but will ride the ride you ask.
4. Build athletic and gymnastic ability as well as just stamina. Use the recovery macros-cycle mentioned earlier. Do long slow distances. Do some speed and heart rate training. Do lots of dressage style work, focusing on flexibility, strength. Do some jumping and in-hand work.
5. If possible, get a heart rate monitor for your horse so you actually know how hard he's working.
6. Always always always follow your cool down routine. Just starting the routine will teach the horse that the end is here and that he can rest and he'll be more likely to cool to requirements quickly. Practice this routine with your strapper.
7. Practice good equine management. Get the teeth done, worm, drench, and feed your horse appropriately. Get feet done regularly and make sure that you really trust your farrier, and that he understands the demands you are placing on your horse.
8. Separate your horse from a group, pull him up and make him do something different than his friends. Teach your horse that you are the herd, and he doesn't need the other horses. And, if you're lucky, you'll also teach him that he doesn't need to be first!
9. Practice riding in whatever you are going to be wearing out of the swim. Get it wet and ride in it. I got terrible saddle sores from my bike shorts under my pants. Wet rubber leg bands rubbing through onto the fender of the saddle made a BIG ouchie. I rode in my bike shorts in training, but not in them wet. What a difference!
10. Make sure your horse loads easily and that anyone can get him on a float. Practice loading with your strapper.

Bike:
I did alright in the bike, but there's heaps of room for improvement.

1. Get a decent bike with good gearing. I saw a few people doing this on mountain bikes, and they were working hard. Yes, they passed me, but that's not the point! :) Or is it? They had good gearing and knew their bikes. I also saw young Ryan on a very old bike that he wasn't very familiar with and didn't have good gearing and he struggled. He could have done the bike ride way faster if he had a better bike to practice on before the race.
2. Go to Bridgetown and ride those hills. Over and over again. In fact, ride it in reverse, too. I think it'd be even harder that way.
3. Use the recovery macro-cycle for training. Get some distance rides in, some hills, do some time trials, and a little weight training to develop leg strength.

So, now, in theory, you should be able to go out and do the Blackwood Marathon! Maybe see you there next year! :)

Recovery

Recovery has been interesting. I knew I'd be sore and I planned for that. I knew I'd be hungry and I planned for that. And I knew I'd be tired and planned for that too!

But my body thrown me a few surprises along the way.

I ate when I crossed the finish line, had an iced chocolate (milk, whipped cream, crushed ice and chocolate sauce - YUM) and an apple, a museli bar, some lollies, lots and lots of water. But could only eat two bites of a burger at that point. I was still feeling strong an hour after the whole thing was over, but I was feeling COLD! I knew I'd be cold as my body temperature started to settle back into resting mode, but I was really cold, and on a 23 degree sunshiney day I was in the warmest jumper Rob could find me! Heaven!

Got home and had a shower, and then had a few choc chip cookies and banana bread and a lot more water, and then laid down for awhile, thinking I'd probably sleep through dinner, but I didn't. I rested, I dozed, but couldn't sleep well. My war wounds were starting to ache, my body was starting to 'thrum' so I got up and Mat and I went for a very short walk to get my muscles moving.

I started peeing ALOT, but was still dehydrated, a bit headachey, so took some Tylenol, drank and drank and drank, and then at dinner ate my burger. It was PERFECT! Just what I needed! I even put pickled beetroot on it, and I liked it!! I stayed awake for longer than I thought, Rob went to bed with the kids at 8ish, and I was in bed by 9ish. No one stayed up late, not even Mat and Darin, who always stay up late talking! It had been a big day for everyone!

It took me a long time to settle into sleep. I was restless, I kept running over and over the movie of the day in my mind. This is what surprised me most. I thought I would crash and burn, and I didn't. I finally settled into a nice sleep, but was awake at 1am to go to the toilet. I couldn't fall back asleep, so got up and went to check the horses (Kat, Rob's horse, was making a terrible racket), laid back down, thinking "what is WRONG with me!?" and it finally dawned on me...

I was HUNGRY!

So at 2am I ate some biscuits, and a sausage (I know, how gross) and went back to bed. This time I slept wonderfully until 5am. And then I was HUNGRY again!

I have been hungry for small amounts of food every few hours for the last two days. Last night (Sunday) I slept through the night, but ate right till bedtime, and ate the moment I woke up. In fact, it was my stomach that woke me up! I thought I would be ravenous and want to eat large amounts of food in a sitting, but in fact I can't eat that much. I have been eating smaller portions than I usually eat, but much more frequently.

I also haven't been sleeping as much as I thought I would. Instead of long deep sleeps, I have been having these lie-downs, for anywhere between 20 and 60 minutes, I just rest, and sometimes sleep. I thought I would konk out and need to sleep for 10-15 hours, but even last night I only got about 7 hours. I am just happy to lie down whenever my body asks and let it rest.

Today I have a massage planned, and am so looking forward to that, and also Body Balance tonight. I took the night off, and wasn't going to do the class at all, but I realised that I would really benefit from the class and decided to come along, but have Kirsty do most of the teaching. I am so grateful that Kirsty is taking the 'hard' tracks. Standing Strength, Balance, Abs, Back, and a few others (she is doing most of the class, in fact) because I tried to so some Warrior 1s and 2s yesterday and let's just say they are not up to standard! I may need to rest frequently or 'cheat' in my form a little to get through those tracks. But I am really looking forward to the stretching and loosening up.

Time to feed the horses, dog, cat, do a few dishes, laundry, and plan my day. I also have a few other posts I want to work on and will be sharing much more soon! I am especially looking forward to writing the "If I had to do it again" post!