C3W3D17

Challenge 3
Beginning Date: October 15, 2007
Ending Date: January 6, 2008

Workout: Treadmill
3 miles: 35:06
Distance: 4.152
Time: 50:00

I took 22 seconds off of my 3 mile time this morning by increasing my speed by 1mph with each mile. I did not run the entire time without stopping - I had to stop early on and it broke my mental game. I have to remember to threaten the treadmill like I threatened the weights yesterday.

This afternoon I will do yoga.

Don't have a clue why I didn't post yesterday... I did the bike and I did biceps and triceps. For my very last set - standing barbell curls - I stood in front of the barbell, looked at the weight on the right and looked at the weight on the left and said - out loud - to them: "You and YOU will NOT conquer me. IIIII will conquer you." And I killed the last set. I even threatened them during the set.

It proves to me that the mental game is as important as the physical game. I need to get that down better - I need to threaten the weights before every set. And I need to threaten the treadmill before I get on - I do think its so early, though, that I don't remember to do it. I've kind of thought the idea of talking to your weights or your muscles was a little hokey, but after yesterday I'm more convinced. I just need to remember to do it.

C3W3D15

Challenge 3
Beginning Date: October 15, 2007
Ending Date: January 6, 2008

Workout: treadmill
3 miles: 35:28
distance: 4.122
time: 50:00

Had a good day off from working out and 2 good free meals over the weekend. Saturday night we went to Carson's for ribs with my family. I had salad, 1/2 slab ribs, 3/4 of a boneless porkchop and some dessert and I didn't feel like I overate. Perhaps because I laid off of the bread before dinner came. I had one small slice of bread with some butter - everyone else was eating a ton of bread and felt horrible after dinner. I felt fine - in fact, I felt like I could have eaten again when we got home.

Yesterday I didn't get all of my meals in or eat at the proper times due to what was going on during the day, but I still ate very clean. We went to the Berg's for small group social/dinner and I had a free meal there - one hamburger, some salad, potato salad and a slice of my pumpkin spice cake with maple frosting and a rice krispie treat. Again I didn't feel overful and was just satisfied. I don't feel at all guilty about anything that I ate. I also had a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch before bed and it was yummy:)

Weighed myself this morning: 132.2. Thats a 1.6lb loss this week. I also took my BF measurement, but I have to redo it - I have a hard time believing that I lost almost 2 full points in one week, so I'm going to check again before I get in the shower.

I feel like I finally found a way to make this a lifestyle and not overdo it on the weekends. Two free meals vs. a whole free day really is much better for me - mentally as much or moreso than just calorically. I'm going to start looking at carb cycling this week - trying to gear up and plan for it. I won't start carb cycling until after week 4 - so two weeks from now, but I want to have a good plan in place with good menu ideas and grocery lists.

This afternoon I will be lifting quads/hams - ugh!

C3W2D12

Challenge 3
Beginning Date: October 15, 2007
Ending Date: January 6, 2008

Workout: Running
3 miles: 35:41
distance: 4.111
time: 50:00

I DID IT! I ran 30 minutes straight without any stops! I can't believe it - oh yes I can! I actually visualized myself running this morning and I repeated over and over for about 20 minutes while I got ready: "I run 27 minutes straight." That was my goal - 27 minutes - which would have been a personal best for me so far. In the back of my head I kept thinking that when I reached 27 minutes, I would just go for the extra 3... when I was actually running, though, I didn't know if I would even make the 27. It was tough - more mentally tough than anything else. I had a wall up since I didn't make my time on Wednesday. I had to break through the wall this morning and get to 27 and once I got there I decided to go for the extra 3 minutes and I'm so excited that I did!

It was a tougher run this morning - my legs were tired and sore. And I'm sore now, but I feel good. I love the feeling I have AFTER I run. And I love listening to my book on cd - really helps!

Still deciding if I should do weights - shoulders/abs - this afternoon or yoga. I'm leaning toward weights and then doing cardio and yoga tomorrow. Maybe. We'll see. I would like to get the weights out of the way so I can kind of rest a little tomorrow. I'll probably do weights today and just yoga tomorrow.

C3W2D11

Challenge 3
Beginning Date: October 15, 2007
Ending Date: January 6, 2008

Workout: Bike - HIIT, LH at 1 minute intervals
Distance: 10.34miles
Time: 40:00

My poor sleeping caught up with me and I slept hard and good last night. I think I woke up once, but I missed several of the alarms this morning and finally heard it at 5:50 and got up. And I didn't have any tea last night. I wonder why that would make such a difference.

Listening to a book on CD really makes the time go by quickly while doing cardio. Yesterday the battery died on the cd player within a few minutes of me starting. Got some new batteries last night and it helped with the HIIT this morning - otherwise I think it is so boring.

This afternoon I will lift Back and Chest, which left me with quite sore abs last week (push ups and pull ups).

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DB Flyes: 3x12 @ 25lbs
Incline Bench: 50lbs - 12, 8, 7
Push Ups - feet elevated: 12, 10, 7
One Arm DB Row: 3x12 @ 32lbs
Bent Over DB Row: 3x12 @ 28lbs
Lat Pull Ups: 12, 10, 9

Was unable to do any pull ups or chin ups after this workout

C3W2D10

Challenge 3
Beginning Date: October 15, 2007
Ending Date: January 6, 2008

Workout: Running
3 miles: 35:16
total distance: 4.125
time: 50:00

I took 20 seconds off of my 3 mile by increasing my speed to 5.4 for the last mile. However, I did not run 30:00 straight like I had intended to this morning. Part of it, I think, is a mental block - 30 minutes just seems like a long fricken time to be running. So I have to get past that mental block. I may have to do it 1 minute at a time instead of increasing by 5 minutes.

The other problem I was having was sinus/phlegm related. I had so much drainage going on in the back of my throat that every time I would sniff it back I would get a mouth full of phlegm and have to swallow it - all of that would take about 1 or 2 breaths away from my breathing leaving me in a continual state of catch up. I finally gave in after 16 minutes and took a break - which meant that I had a rough time running more than a couple of minutes at a time after that. After I had run the 3 miles, though, I walked for a quarter mile and was able to run for 3/4 of a mile straight.

My body was exhausted last night by the time I went to bed. Day 2 of lifting 2 days in a row always feels that way. I lifted pretty heavy yesterday and my body was tired.

Did not sleep well again last night. I guess I can't say I didn't sleep well - I didn't sleep hard. I'm not sure if it is the difference between running 5 days a week and now doing the bike on T/TH and not getting as hard of a workout or if it is the tea thing. I should cut the tea out for a week and see if it makes a difference.

C3W2D9

Challenge 3
Beginning Date: October 15, 2007
Ending Date: January 6, 2008

Workout: HIIT on bike (LH at 1 minute intervals)
Distance: 10.15
Time: 40:00

I've been having some trouble sleeping through the night - I wake up a couple of times over night, roll over look at the clock and go back to sleep. I'm not awake for very long, but it is annoying and I don't feel like I'm sleeping as well as I could be. I'm wondering if it is because of the tea that I'm drinking just before bed - but it is decaf tea and I don't remember having this issue before when I drank it before bed...

I think it is good that I'm varying my cardio and not running every day. I thought about doing HIIT on the treadmill this morning, but remembered that I'm intentionally not doing that in order to give my legs and ankles a bit of a rest and try to reduce the chances of overuse injuries. I think that I'm doing well in that area, I just enjoy running more than the bike.

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Skull Crushers: 3x12 @ 22lbs
Tate Press: 16lbs/ - 12, 12, 16
Dips: 12, 12, 18
DB Concentration Curls: 20 lbs - 12, 8, 8 (each arm)
Hammer Curls: 17lbs - 10, 10, 8 (each arm)
Standing Bbell Curl: 24lbs - 11, 9, 7

C3W2D8

Challenge 3
Beginning Date: October 15, 2007
Ending Date: January 6, 2008

Workout: Treadmill
3 miles: 35:36
total distance: 4.109
total time: 50:00

I ran 26 minutes straight, which is a little over 2 miles. It was almost torturous:) I have been having sinus problems for the last week and spend as much as 20 minutes before running just trying to clear them. Today I didn't do that great of a job because they were dry and I wanted a drink so badly - making the run torturous. I wanted to cave in around 10 minutes, but knew I had done 20 minutes last week so I flipped the switch and kept going. I had to keep flipping that switch for the last 8-10 minutes almost every minute. I did it!

I also took 9 seconds off of my previous 3 mile time by increasing my speed during my warm up 1/4 mile and increasing my running speed for the last 1/4 mile. I have to take 2:36 off of my 3 mile time to hit my goal by January 6 - I definitely think that is do-able.

I ate clean over the weekend with the exception of two free meals. We had pizza and Corner Bakery salads on Saturday after church and I helped Dave eat a molten lava cake (which needed some ice cream). Sunday morning we had pancakes and a donut. I'm proud of how well I ate over the weekend especially considering I was painting Dave's office all weekend and had to bring meals with me. I can definitely do this every weekend.

Weight check and BF% measurement:
Weight: 133.6 - same as last week/beginning weight
BF%: 22.92% - almost a whole 1% less than beginning

This afternoon I will be lifting quads & hams - I intentionally put them on Monday to get them out of the way:)

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Quads -
one leg extension: 3x12 @30lbs
DB step ups: 3x12/leg @ 25lbs (each hand)
DB walking lunges: 3x12/leg @ 25lbs (each hand)
deadlifts: 3x12 @ 45lbs
hamstring curls: 45lbs - 12/12/9