Month: October 2013

Fitness: Martindale Triathlon

TriathlonTomorrow morning Michelle Geyer and I will be making our first ever attempt at a triathlon (7 mile run/16.5 mile bike/5 mile kayak). Event starts at 9am.

We must complete two legs of the event (7 mile run and 16.5 mile bike) within a 3 hour window. My goal is to complete the 7 mile run by 1 1/2 hours (I’m more of a tortoise than a hare). My goal for the 16.5 mile cycling is to complete it in no more than 1 hour 15 minutes. Allowing 15 minutes for the transition from running to cycling.

I am doing this event not as a competition against anyone else but more as a personal accomplishment. I just want to finish the entire event.

Originally, I was concerned with the run portion of the event since it had been a good long while (over 2 1/2 years) since I had done any serious running. The Duathlon I participated in last year (2 mile run/15 mile bike/2 mile run) was tough on me. The fact I did not train for the run portion had a whole lot to do with the difficulty and extreme soreness afterwards. A 7 mile run is not something I could even begin to take lightly. So, this time I knew I needed to actually put some training time into running.

I found the 5K101 training podcast by Todd Lange and knew right away I had found the perfect training partner. I started out running with the 5K101 podcast and quickly graduated to the 10K101 podcast. 1 1/2 weeks before the triathlon I actually completed a 7 mile run in 1 hour, 29 minutes and 32 seconds. Talk about cutting it close. I then knew that I could handle the run. The next training test was to combo or stack two events. 4 days before the triathlon, Michelle and I went out for a 4 mile run and a 13 mile bike. I felt pretty good about that training, too. All in all, I was feeling confident about completing the triathlon within the time requirements.

Can I admit to now being nervous about the kayaking portion? With my slow running and cycling, I already know I’ll be left way behind everyone else. During our training I have felt comfortable kayaking with Michelle, but the idea of kayaking solo is a bit daunting. I have been told this is a calm portion of the river but for someone who has only kayaked 3 times calm could mean something entirely different to this newbie vs. someone who is a seasoned pro.

I am going to rely on my training and hope that the Good Lord will see to my safety. See you all on the flip side.

 

Struggling on a Saturday Morning Run

I am a speaker at an inner circle retreat in Tennessee this weekend. I decided to go for a run to keep up with my triathlon training. To say it was less than stellar would be putting it mildly.


nike run struggle

Health Assessment Part 3: The Bloodwork

In part three of the Health Assessment, Dr. Ho from Pinnacle Wellness draws some blood and explains what I will learn once the results are back from the lab.

 

 

Disclosure: Pinnacle Wellness is providing me with services for the health portion of my Health | Fitness | Beauty Quest. I will share my personal experiences of my weekly visits through audio posts and videos which will be posted on the site as well as on the Health|Fitness|Beauty Quest YouTube channel.

Fitness: The Workouts

Quick update: As many of you know, I am training for the Martindale Triathlon which is happening at the end of the month. My main concern has been the running since it had been 2 1/2 years since I put forth some serious effort towards any kind of running. Using the 5K101 podcast training, taking the USANA supplements from Penny Muckelroy and about 3 weeks later, I am on track to complete the 7 miles without much fuss.

Here is the workout I did on Sunday in the rain. I felt so good I could have done a few more miles, but the rain was falling harder and I knew that I need to stick to training and not overdue it if I want to be successful.

Ran well on a rainy Sunday afternoon

Ran well on a rainy Sunday afternoon

 

Health: Spine Check and X-rays

In part 2 of the Health Assessment, Dr. Q takes a look at my spine to see it’s current state. During the check, I learn a whole lot about which part of my body is carrying more weight than the other, how carrying a bowling ball is very similar to what my spine has to do with my head and that I may not be as straight or as centered as I thought.

 

 

Disclosure: Pinnacle Wellness is providing me with services for the health portion of my Health | Fitness | Beauty Quest. I will share my personal experiences of my weekly visits through audio posts and videos which will be posted on the site as well as on the Health|Fitness|Beauty Quest YouTube channel.

Health: The Background

After my interview with Dr. Ho and Dr. Q, I scheduled a health assessment at Pinnacle Wellness. I completed a double-sided two page form which was unlike any I had ever filled out at a doctor’s office. I knew right then and there this was no ordinary place. I was even more intrigued to learn more about how the Pinnacle Wellness philosophy would impact my journey.

 

When I sat down with Dr. Q, one of the first things he did during my Health Assessment was ask me questions related to my working habits, physical activity, drinking, eating habits and more. The part  I found rather interesting was when he asked me about the physical health and happiness during my childhood and teen years. There is a method to their system so I invite you to join me in part 1 of a 3 part Health Assessment Series.

 

Food: Keeping Track

I have decided the best way to really understand the balance between fitness and food is to keep track of them both. I already do a fairly good job of tracking my bike rides with MapMyRide and runs with Nike+. I took a look at several tools and apps, but after review opted to work within the “Log Food” under the Nutrition section of MapMyRide.

Synching

It actually works pretty well because I have my Nike+ runs sync with MapMyRide. So, whether I run or bike all my workouts are tracked in one place. Which makes tracking food in the same place a no-brainer. Here is a snapshot of the workout and food consumption calories from Saturday:

MapMyRide Food and Fitness Log

 

The Numbers

As you know the part of the taking you on my Health|Fitness|Beauty journey is sharing all the pros and cons nitty gritty. Did you notice the Daily Snapshot not only lists allowed daily calorie intake and calories burned, it also shows my age, height and weight? This was pretty tough for me to share. I pondered this for a while. I realized that while I am not using weight loss as an indicator of success, it does give everyone a true picture of my starting point. I have not owned a scale for a long time and do not plan on owning one anytime in the future.  My philosophy when it comes to fitness has more to do with the way I feel and how my clothes fit than it does a number on a scale.

What platforms and/or apps do you use to keep track of your health and fitness goals?

Fitness|Food: Bless Me Father For I Have Sinned…

The past few weeks have been an amazingly productive time for me. I work with some phenomenal clients and have had 3 launches in the last 3 months. I was coasting along quite nicely until I added in some online training courses and some social media events. Not sure why I am surprised that all of the sudden my fitness and health program are going by the wayside. And do not even get me started on the food. I am still eating fruit and salad during the day but, after pulling 3 all-nighters in the last week, pecan pie, Krispy Kreme donuts and cake have become a major food group.

Turns out that when I’m crunched for time the first thing that gets the heave ho is me. Sleep, Exercise, Healthy Eating have suddenly become some foreign language. At this point I don’t even think it’s Klingon. Hence the title of my post.

Confession

Bless me Father for I have sinned…

Clock…..I love what I do but I need to do a better job at managing my time. Which means no matter how much I love a project the answer might be no…or at least not now.

…..I have not gotten a good night’s sleep in at least two weeks. I really do like working in the wee hours of the morning when the house is silent and my creativity is free to dance and frolic. Which does not mean I have to stop pulling all-nighters. What it does mean is that I need to not do cram them all in together. I need more of a gap so that my body and mind can replenish itself.

…..I have been slacking on my fitness regimen. I enjoy cycling. No wait. Let me rephrase that.  I really, really, really enjoy cycling. When I am on my bike I can’t help but smile. For me, being on my bike is a state of blissful childlike abandon. Every place is magical and every moment an opportunity to revel in God’s Glory. Which means I need to do more to protect this piece of zen in my life.

SnapMeal…..I am still stubborn about my food. I am bargaining with myself to allow donuts and pie and cake (oh my!) . Eating a salad does not equal a delicious, tasty, sweet donut. No matter how much I want it to, it just doesn’t. Which means I need a reality check regarding this aspect of the Health|Fitness|Beauty Quest. Being accountable to only myself is not working. I told you I would put myself out there, so I am going to start share my meals using the MealSnap app. Hat tip to Pamela Price for sharing this gem of an app.

Absolution

It is my hope that by confessing and coming up with what I believe are positive solutions that I can be absolved of these health, fitness and beauty sins.

Have you ever known you needed some accountability to help you stay on track during busy times?