Cross-training Tuesday

50 minutes of cross-training on eliptical - DONE!

When other beings, especially those who hold a grudge against you, abuse and harm you out of envy, you should not abandon them, but hold them as objects of your greatest compassion and take care of them.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

I guess he did not have to deal with any of his exes. Oh well!

Tommorow - 50 minutes of running

Another awesome cross-training session

I kicked A** on the eliptical today. I feel so good. Tommorow's workout - HILLS, oh my!!

40 minutes
4.31 miles
9:19/mile - WOW! I am on FIRE!!

This is why I LOVE the eliptical machine...

...after a brief break ('cept for some long walks along the lake shore). It's these results that really help me keep the faith. Or it could be that I had a crazy day at work and needed to release some BAD adrenaline out. Tomorrow - PERSONAL TRAINING DAY at Bally's! Pack the Advil for afterwards. IT will be a must! Stay tuned! Today's Workout 40 minutes - Elliptical machine 4.11 miles 9:43/mile - HOLY FUCK! I was working on TOTAL ENERGY!

Week Craziness and Travel Weekend

Well, this week has been very crazy. Here's a summary of what happened so far:

1. Rode my bike to work on Tuesday.
2. Did not realize that it would RAIN on my way home from work on the bike.
3. Rode it in a TOTAL downpour with a little mix of pebble of hail.
4. I will SOAKED from head to toe from the rain.
5. Josh lit a yahrtzeit candle and recited the Mourner's Kaddish with me for my dad.
6. Worked out on the Eliptical on Wednesday night, but did not do so well.
7. Biked to AND from work in the cold, which actually was not so bad.
8. Ran for the first time in 4 month, but could only get less than 2 miles done. Very disappointed and dealt with the damn shin splints.

I am in the process of completing my current shift and then heading to Chicago-Midway with Josh to catch a flight home back to MN for the weekend. Josh and I are running a 5K on Saturday - more details after we return.

Treating my body well should be FIRST...

....with a chiropractor adjustment. It is my second adjustment with my new chiropractor. I am really enjoying the adjustments because there's a surprise and a new adjustment in last two visits. Today I had him focus on my ankles and feet even though there was MAJOR tightness in my quads and ITB. He massaged the ITB, which hurt like FUCKING HELL. He says that my quads had gained a lot of muscle tone, but the ITB have not caught up to the growth - almost like wearing a pair of jeans two sizes too small. He also found some trigger points on the bottom of the feet, which will worked out over the next few visits. The adjustment seemed to help because my elliptical machine today. I was very tired by the time I got home last night. I ate a late meal with Josh after work before totally crashing for the night. It was a very hard day. Tomorrow's going to be a much better day with Josh while I celebrate Mother's Day. It involve bikes, hot dogs, and a very nice dinner. Today's workout 40 minutes - Elliptical machine 3.99 miles 10:01/mile

De-stressing after the Mondays

It was a very BAD Monday (at least in the morning). I ran late to work due to an uncooperative backpack, but made it on the Red Line after sprinting down the street. (Thank GOD I was wearing athletic shoes!) Then I had to tend to bad news from the weekend upon my return to work. UGHHHH! Then getting grossed out first thing in the morning by one of my officers who told me about his adventures in the morgues (to keep it short: one body bag and red bodily fluid LEAKING out of it onto the floor - 'nough said! SO gross!) On top of that, I received bad news about the car and will be in the process of getting a new vehicle upon my return to MN. :( Thank goodness for the gym where I can unwind and remove the stress after work. I want to get back outside and run, but I will do it soon enough. Today's workout 40 minutes - Elliptical 4.01 miles 9:58/mile - Awesome pace!

Could have done better...

...but I was running behind and I forgot my iPod. Ugh! I FINALLY got my back fixed by my new chiropractor this afternoon. My back is VERY, VERY happy now. My boyfriend, Josh, did awesome at the Mini-Indy. He will have post-race report later. Great job, baby! I am proud of you! Anyways, off to the Loop for some fun shopping. Today's workout 30 minutes - Elliptical machine 2.82 miles 10:38/mile - a little slow today, but will kick butt tomorrow after some fun today

Great eliptical machine session...

......and great way to burn out calories AND stress. It's been very rough two days at work (officer attitude issues and problem visitors - oh joy!) TGIF tommorow!! YAYYYYY! PLEASE join the cheer squad for my sweetie, Josh, who will be running Indy Half-Marathon on Saturday. I know that he will do great, but extra support never hurt. I can not be there to cheer him on and a little sad about that, but I will be the best support partner from afar. Today's workout 40 minutes 4.17 miles Pace: 9:35/mile - I am a speedy Firefly!!

Another good day on the eliptical machine...

......but in a desperate need of a rest day. Legs are taking a beating! Today's Workout 40 minutes - Elliptical machine 4.00 miles 10:00/mile - still great, but not as fast as Sunday.

The Queen rises again...

....and KICKS ASS on the elliptical machine. I feel so good that I moved SO fast. It was the first time too in 3 months listening to my iPod on the elliptical machine. I think it had an effect on me...positively. Yes, the weather was beautiful and I could have made an attempt to run outside, but I want to make sure that I am completely ready (and get a new pair of running shoes too.) I ended up walking from Bally's along Clark Street to Belmont, where I caught the Red Line home. I needed this workout after pigging completely out on Dim Sum this morning with Josh and his friends. Ah.....YUMMMMMY! Tomorrow's another Yoga day where I can stretch my legs (and challenge them too again!) Today's workout 40 minute - Elliptical machine 4.11 miles 9:43/mile - BRING on! I OWN the machine!

Another great day on the elliptical

I finally gave in today to have my "big as Montana" blister drained by the nurse in Employee Health Services. It's the third blister in a month on the SAME DAMN heel and starting to cover 2/3 of the heel. She's concerned about calliusitis developing when looking at the blister post-drainage. I have to baby my foot this weekend. NO work boots this weekend - only sandals to take the pressure from the foot. Today's workout 40 minutes - Elliptical 4.01 miles 09:58/mile - Getting faster even AFTER I raised the endurance level

Queen of the Elliptical

I ROCK....and I rolled! I feel SO good! BTW, I have updated my race calender for the next year. Everything's tentative as long as everything keep going very well. As you see on the calender, Josh and I will hopefully registering for the Tokyo Marathon in 2008 (as we both can get in and be not placed on the lottery). Today's workout 40 minutes - Elliptical Machine (with TWO big blisters on my right heal too!) 3.99 miles 10:01/mile - I am FIRE!!

I'm BACK!!!!!

I went back to an old friend - the eliptical machine - today while at Bally's. I did not exactly go back to the level I was at before the ITB problems. It has been over 3 months since P.F. Chang's and since I have made it into the gym (ME BAD!) I struggled towards the middle of the workout, but I finished the whole thing. But I had NO pain in my ITB band area. All I have to say after reading the stats below is......this FIREFLY'S BACK!!! Today's workout 35 minutes - Elliptical machine 3.32 miles 10:32/mile pace - YAYYYYYYYY!

I have been VERY naughty today....

...at least according to the orthopedic doc would say. It is SO scandalous!! (like I haven't been lately. teehee!) But I could not resist the temptation...and the extra pounds that keep creeping up on me. I am SO bad!! Very bad! I went on the eliptical machine today for 30 MINUTES! Eeeeeeeek! Yes, I did, fellow bloggers! I have been going to SO nut the last week. Walking does not cut it for me. I can not run goddamnit, people! I need to do SOMETHING or I will end up driving the people who love NUTS especially the one who still lives with me. **sigh** After I got off the eliptical machine, I worked on my legs like a good Firefly focusing on the quads and glutes. I even attempted to work on my abs (Sorry, people, I will spare the details on that one!) and even did 30 push-ups in about 20-30 seconds (I think that long...just guessing!) I plan to get back on the eliptical machine tommorow. I will not resist the temptation. HELL NO! And as for your information, It's TOO DAMN COLD HERE. I received this in my e-mail a few minutes ago: "...DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND ACROSSCENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN....EXTREMELY COLD WIND CHILLS WILL PERSIST THROUGH MONDAY MORNINGAS BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS COMBINE WITH SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES. THELOWEST WIND CHILLS TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED DURING THE MORNINGHOURS...WHEN VALUES WILL APPROACH 40 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ACROSSWEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. WIND CHILLS FROM 25 TO 35 BELOW WILL OCCURACROSS THE REMAINDER OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA ANDWEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. FRI FEB 2 2007...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM CST MONDAY...A WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM CST MONDAY. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES...COUPLED WITH BRISKNORTHWEST WINDS...WILL CAUSE DANGEROUS WIND CHILL CONDITIONSTHROUGH MONDAY MORNING. THE MOST HAZARDOUS WIND CHILLS ARE EXPECTED DURING THE MORNING HOURS WITH WIND CHILLS TEMPERATURES FROM MINUS 25 TO NEARLY MINUS 40 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OFCENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN." Please think of us poor UPPER midwest people when you are outside running this weekend. I HATE this weather...and my car does too. I moved 3 years ago to my current residence this week when it was -16 and a wind chill of -40...and it SUCKED! Please stay warm...and help the people at the coffee places stay in business. I will! :D Today's workout 30 minutes - Eliptical machine 2.54 miles 298 calories 11:48/mile

I made my goal....but I still felt it.

Yes, I did. I was able to be on the eliptical machine for over an hour. Part of me wishes that I did not stay on the eliptical machine for the extra 5 minutes, but oh well. But it felt very good. I did my ankle exercises afterwards and stretched. Then I headed home to get ready for work. I want to thank you again for the support. I means a lot to me right now. This is very difficult time for me especially with the holidays. For me, something I left out of the last post, it is more than just the money, but the pain of not being able to enjoy the holidays like we wanted to and the loss of my pride. Well, I had at least one request for what the drink, Dirty Monkey, is. Well, here's the recipe: 2 1/2 oz. Banana Schnapps 4 oz of pineapple/coconut juice 4 oz of cola (I used Caffeine Free Diet Coke) Mix all of the ingredients all in order in a glass served with ice. It was a recipe that I made by mistake, but it's SO good. There's one warning on the drink: One drink one a time because the monkey (the schnapps) bite you in the butt. Tommorow and Thursday going to be another cross-training day to keep the endurance up. I was going to run the Turkey Trot 5K on Thursday, but today's work-out might have changed my mind. Today's work-out 65 minutes 6.49 miles 756 calories burned 10:00/mile - Let's keep it going, but a little bit shorter in time.