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workouts

Workout Update

Jan 29th, 2009
by gazelle.
23 comments

Another busy week is 3/5 over. I am not overjoyed about the 5-day work week, but am overjoyed to, you know, have a job and all. So yay!

I am tired & ready for my (2-day) weekend, but guess I have to get through today & tomorrow before that happens.

Things have been stressful in the gazelle/architect household, as well as at work, but I’m trying to remember that exercise is not optional, and a workout will proabbly make me feel better (in the long run, at least) than a bottle glass of wine. January has never been my favorite month – even though I know that the days are getting longer, it’s hard to see the evidence. I know a month from now, I’ll feel great! The time will be changing, it will be light after work again, I’ll be wicked old having a birthday! Things have just seemed so….grim….lately.

But – I have been working out.

Saturday, I hit Bikram for the first time in MONTHS with the Ambitious One.  It was good, and I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t die afterwards. I was a bit sore the next day, but not so bad. I already blogged about my fast run last Sunday with Junk Miles – I was a little sore after that, too – but again, in a good way.  Monday I took the day off, as per my agreement with myself to deal with my new Monday work schedule by working but NOT working out. Tuesday I ran 3 miles in 32:43 (I did a mini-tempo: Mile 1 at 11:06, Mile 2 at 10:31, Mile 3 at 11:06.  Also did some abs. Wednesday was my epic 750 yd swim. It was HARD! I’m still not sure I actually like swimming, but I will concede that it is a good workout, and a nice no-impact workout for my knees, which are still sore from time to time. This morning I was on the bike for 30 minuts, then did upper body weights & some abs.  Tomorrow, I will run. Saturday I’m meeting the Amibitious One & If You Can’t Beat Them for Bikram, and then Junk Miles & I will run again on Sunday.

Weekend challenges will be going out on either Friday or Saturday (I’m unclear as to what’s happening) and then a Super Bowl party on Sunday (I’m pretty pleased that I even know who’s in the Super Bowl this year).

I had to set computer reminders to tell me when to snack – but that’s working, so at least I’m eating on a regular schedule. I ran out of breakfast food at home due to an unfortunate maggot incident, so I had to buy a bagel this morning & will need to figure out something for tomorrow that doesn’t involve buying anything at a coffee shop.

I’m kinda all over the place lately. And just want to apologize for not commenting on blogs. I’m totally reading them! Kind of! But am so busy that I just don’t have time for more than a quick skim. But I still think you’re awesome.

Um, Hi!

Jan 16th, 2009
by gazelle.
7 comments

So – here it is Friday. And there was NO CONTENT yesterday. Sorry. I know that many of you cried yourselves to sleep.  

This week has been intense! 

And changes are underway in the Gazelle work schedule. After previously thinking that it wouldn’t be happening, it turns out that starting on Monday, I will be going full-time for 5 weeks. Which means I have to work ON Mondays. And for FIVE WHOLE DAYS IN A ROW! Except, you know, next Monday – because it is a holiday. But, still!

And then, on February 20, the day this current round of insanity comes to an end, I am planning on canoodling with a martini. Possibly several martinis. I am a whore that way.

I have the entire last week of February off. I am planning on eating bon bons and watching soap operas. Or not. I might just sleep late (’til nine, maybe!) and workout a lot. Oh yeah, and turn 32. Although I may nix that last bit.

Starting March 2, I will be working Mondays-Thursdays. It does make sense, really, for me to work on Mondays & not Fridays. Except that I hate Mondays with a fiery passion, and love Fridays, so this is going to be a hard adjustment. 

As for other stuff – I have, with the exception of today, worked out every day this week, stress or no stress. 

Monday – elliptical
Tuesday – gym for treadmill & upper body weights
Wednesday – home stuff: squats, crunches, push-ups, one-legged squats
Thursday – gym for bike & lower body weights
Friday – a planned walk with the architect after work before dinner
Saturday – a shortish, very easy run around my neighborhood – 3 or 4 miles
Sunday – a longer run with Junk Miles 

I’m not sure what I’m going to do when I have to work 5 days a week – it’s going to change my workout schedule. Since I only have one more allowed day off in January, I think I will take it 1/26, so I don’t have to worry about a Monday pre-work workout.

Starting in February, I may just take Mondays as my rest days & not worry about getting a workout in (although I’m certainly WELCOME to work out, if the mood hits me).

Thoughts? Suggestions? Condolences for having to work a 5-day weekday? No? Well, fine then!

I did get to do a fun thing this week – I had knitting night with my girlfriends. We even did some knitting! Woo! And we ate cheese & drank wine & watched the New Kids from November’s American Music Awards (what? Are you saying you didn’t TiVo it? Liar!). A good time was had by all – and it was the perfect mid-week destressor.

Next week is likely to be fairly intense. I will still give you content (and definitely shoes), but there may not be timely updates – as I may have to write almost everything in advance. If I’m still alive & sane next Saturday, I’ll let you know how it went.

PS – scroll down to Tuesday’s entry if you haven’t yet entered the contest to win the performance grips. I’m telling you – they are pretty damn awesome!

Memories….All alone in the office…

Jan 6th, 2009
by gazelle.
22 comments

That’s how that song goes, right?

Anyways – remember (see, I tie it ALL together) when I said that I was going to be a wee bit busy in January? It turns out that I was not lying.

Honestly, people, I may not be getting you your regularly scheduled porn. Let me tell you how far gone I really am. Last week (Friday), I took two pairs of boots to a shoe-repair shop to be 1) re-heeled & 2) stretched. They were ready yesterday. Not only did I not go pick them up yesterday, I also completely forgot about it until I started typing this “your regularly scheduled porn may be delayed post.” That is a SICKNESS. 

Anyways – back to my previous thought: It may not be so bad to have a shoe porn hiatus. I’m over fall/winter shoes. But it’s not yet time for the new spring shoes. I’m ready for sandals! And open toes! And finding a replacement for the wedge sandals that I wore almost every day between April & September in both 2007 and 2008 (they are falling apart now).

Also, in addition to being all worky, and non-sequitury; I am also all PMSy, and cranky. And I have a weird condition that causes me to add ‘Ys’ to the end of all my words(ys). 

I did not work out yesterday – and my knee & ankles were grateful. I did run this morning (2.8 miles, if you’re curious, and I know you were) as well as do a killer upper body strength routine with The Ambitious One. And you know what sucked? The gym! I mean, I’m fairly fond of my gym, as far as a fondness for a gym can go. But the New Years Resolutioners? I do not like them*. They take all the parking. And the machines (although not the strength training stuff – resolutioners are all about the cardio). And they do not have good etiquette! I saw a guy stand, motionless, on a treadmill for a good 5 minutes, talking to his neighbor. Apparently guy#1 had finished first (isn’t that always the case) & was waiting for his friend. And there was a line for the treadmills – RUDE! (But I got a treadmill, so I wasn’t incensed – just irritated.)

We are supposed to start swimming tomorrow, but between A’s hectic work schedule (worse than mine, even) and the crowds at the gym, maybe we should not swim until February, when people have given up**. 

I think it might be nearly time to go home & drink wine.

*I like you, though – even if today was your first trip to the gym. I can tell that you are going to stick with it, and probably didn’t take either my parking spot OR my locker. So please – keep working out! So healthy! So fun!

**Don’t give up! There are so many rewards to a regular workout routine! And might I suggest that ideal times to visit the gym are before 6:30 am or after 8 am. 

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