Triathlon 101

I started reading the book Triathlon 101, and they have some exercises to complete that I felt I should do somewhere, as I don't have a hard-copy journal (yet? probably won't get one, let's be honest). That's what this blog is for, right?

Motivation

List 15 benefits of achieving your triathlon goal. Try to add 5 more to your list every week until you've reached 50.

1. Where I began my 20s: far over 200 lbs.
2. Where I will end my 20s: the fittest I've been.
3. This can be a way for me to keep up my competitive behavior...
4. ...without having a "team" behind me.
5. Variety!
6. I'll look better in my clothes.
7. I'll have to buy new clothes.
8. Overall, an affordable way to stay in shape (running shoes, bike maintenance, pool access).
9. I'll learn to balance a stressful work environment with stress-relieving activities.
10. This will motivate me to bike places instead of drive...
11. ...which means I'll save gas money!
12. I've always wanted a fancy shmancy bike...which I'll only allow myself if this is a serious endeavor.
13. This will be something new to talk about with people!
14. This may be something N and I can do together.
15. It will improve my CrossFitting...

Federal Student Loan

Paid off the last bit of my federal student loan on Friday. I keep checking the site to see if it has posted...I can't wait until "Repayment" is replaced with "Paid in Full."

One thing done before 30.

Just keep swimming...

Swimming. Remember when you were a kid, and how joyful it was? How easy to jump in the pool and get started? Diving boards, swimmies, sun tan lotion.

Apparently, life is so different as an adult.

I didn't think I'd find swimming so terrifying, and yet...and yet...even something as simple as going under water and trusting that my goggles won't flood with water panics me.

Wait, I think "panics" might be a bit hyperbolic. It's really that I have been trained (by my mother) to fear swimming with my contacts in.

Please, dear heavens, let my eye doctor not read this blog.

My goggles work really well -- they have not flooded (yet), and I haven't needed to freak out...and yet, after a few strokes, I'm up, gasping for breath, scared out of my mind that I'll not be able to finish.

And yet, I'm NOT finishing simply because I'm scared I'll not be able to finish...

In other words, Ugh. I have the phone number of a swim coach, which, as each day goes by, I realize more and more that this will be necessary. There is also a swim class to work on strokes, breathing, and effectiveness in the pool in March or April at the rec center, which is absolutely necessary.

I complete all of my swimming thus far after my workouts -- I figure if I can swim the required sprint triathlon distance after a completely exhausting workout, I can do it "pretty easily" as the workout on tri-day. Am I completely insane?

Don't answer that.

End of 2011

I have to say...I've done pretty damn well this year.

See below for the before and after picture: Christmas 2010 is atrocious to look at!

I've deadlifted 205# this year.
I've maintained CrossFit workouts regularly.
I've participated in racquetball leagues (and, overall, enjoyed myself).
I've focused on eating Paleo/Primal since Labor Day, with some mishaps around the holidays...which I refuse to beat myself up over.

So we end 2011 on an overly positive note. Now to go into 2012 strong -- and to keep it up.

PS, My student loan was forgiven: $5,000. Happy 2011!

Complicated life

My car has been out of commission for over a week, which means all of my routines are shot. I've been trying hard the past few days to get to the gym (after the most HORRENDOUS night of racquetball...ever), but I cannot wait to get my car back to reclaim it all.

I'm hoping for a happier, better update in a few days once the car is back.

Beginning of Week 8

I never updated about the timed mile: I cut down about 40 seconds of my mile from 9/19. CRAZY. We'll see if there is any improvement next month (can there be with that big of a jump after just one month?).

NT and I ran the Scream Scram on Friday night, which was a good time -- a bit slower than I wanted, and a bit more walking than I wanted, but we completed it under 45 minutes, which I should be happy about.

And so, I will do my best to be happy about it.

Is it time for a Before/After (erm, progress?) picture? I think so.

This is called Before -- this was December 2010.

And this is called "After/Progress":

Any differences?

I've joined a second league of racquetball -- so I'm now playing Sunday afternoons and Thursday nights. Pretty freaking excited about that, too. :)

The middle of week 7

Can I just restate how awesome I feel? I'm able to run for 25 minutes "comfortably," my body is starting to turn into something I can be proud of, and I've been able to deadlift 205 pounds!

It's remarkable, I think. Especially since last year, when I was just doing CrossFit constantly, I wasn't having the results I've had in the last seven weeks with CF + Paleo. It's just...so amazing.

So. Happy.

Timed mile run today!

Almost week 6...

And now at a loss of 16 pounds.

Also, down two jean sizes (say whaaaat?), and very very happy and energetic.

Yes, things are going well so far.

Eating, Running, Playing

I'm now a bit over one month of eating Paleo-esque, and I feel fantastic. I'm about to reach the 15 pound mark, as well. It would be nice to reach this by the end of the weekend.

A few recent wins:
1. Ordering pizza in our house for a friend and M-I-L, and not eating any (instead, tomatoes, a grilled peach, and a grilled banana).
2. Taking a field trip today and still maintaining Paleo eating (they had a station in the cafeteria specifically for non-wheat, gluten, and sugar eaters!).
3. Running for 20 minutes straight without any issues (breathing, leg pain, or otherwise). No inhaler needed before, during, or after.

Tonight was Week 1, Day 2 of our 10K running program. 10K. Can this really be possible?

Racquetball starts soon; not soon enough, but soon. I can't wait to get back into it and see how these gains in strength, endurance...and loss of weight...show on the court.

Week 4

Today is the beginning of the fourth week I've maintained a Paleo eating lifestyle (is it a lifestyle after 3 weeks?). Some stats:

I've lost 10 pounds.
I can totally tell I'm losing weight. Of course, I'm feeling impatient overall (I want to be thin...NOW), but it's happening before my eyes.
3 rep deadlift last night of 175#. This looks good in terms of me being able to DL 200 by January 1.
I'd like to bench press 100# by January 1, as well.

I'm joining 2 racquetball leagues in October. I enjoy it, and by joining leagues, I can assess how my CF-ing is going. Speaking of which, I need to do some serious box jumps to help my movement in rball. I'm beginning every work out with bench presses, and I'll end every work out with box jumps. We'll see how that helps!

It's My Birthday!

29 years young.

We went for a run tonight because I wanted to time my mile (so that I could have a way to compare to 30!), and I ran it in 11:54, which was 6 seconds faster than I hoped for...and probably 1:30 - 2:00 faster than I've ever run a mile before. CrossFit & Paleo are working...

1 Day from 29

I'm still waiting to hear back about my student loan; I've sent them additional information, so I'm not sure how long to wait before I call and ask for an update (it's been about a week so far). My loan is at $5,990 left to pay, so $5,000 forgiven would be fabulous. And I could pay it off by the end of the year, which is even better.

Should I establish other 29 --> 30 goals besides weight and debt? A certain amount of books to read? Hikes to take? Sites to see?

A post later may come...

Also, Day 14 of Paleo = I've lost 8 pounds so far. I'm 1 pound away from where I "ended" with WW in the Spring.

Major and Minor Updates

I'm about a week from my 29th birthday, so what better way to finish up year 28 than with a blog post?

Major updates:
* Well, I bought a house. My credit score had improved dramatically, I had the cash on hand (though not what Suze Orman would approve of...), and there was a perfect house. So, at the end of June, I closed on a house. I have one credit card left to pay off, which will be done in/by November.
* I sent in the paperwork to have (hopefully) up to $5,000 of my student loan forgiven -- being a teacher in a Title I school can have its ups, that's for sure! We'll see how much is ACTUALLY forgiven, though. Still waiting on that part...
* I started eating a Paleo diet last Monday. So far, I've maintained the "rules" fairly well (I DO still have cream in my coffee in the morning, though). Right now, I have 5 steaks thawing so that I can grill them and save them for the week...

Minor updates:
* Cyst burst this week, which was, to put it mildly, alarming. And excruciating. Ultrasound yesterday, so I'm not sure when the results will be in. I seriously doubt surgery is an option, though.
* I have picked up CrossFit workouts again -- very seriously. Same with running. And racquetball -- I will continue to be in racquetball leagues, as well, since I use the games each week as a "benchmark" of sorts with how the diet / running / lifting is working (am I getting stronger? am I able to jump in game 4? game 5? am I able to hit the ball as hard in game 4/5 as game 1/2?).

3 down, 1 to go

Reminds me of a softball cheer from my childhood...

But yesterday, I paid off the third of four credit cards. I can't believe it. Even better? I know that in a few weeks, the fourth will be paid off, as well.

It causes so much less stress to actually KNOW how much money I have and how much money I can spend on certain items/"categories." I know I can pay off this fourth card because I know how much I pay on everything else. And, you know, I'm working extra jobs to be able to afford EVERYTHING.

Off to racquetball. Time to REALLY get serious about the Fat Free part.

A mid-March update

My previous post was about how I wanted to have all of my credit card debt paid off by April 1 -- well, I'm going to be VERY close. It'll be more like April 10. But still.

I'm only a few weeks away from paying off my credit cards. I remember a year ago thinking, This will never happen. Never. And here I am, only $2,200 away from wiping the debt away.

I cannot adequately express how it feels. "Monumental" comes close enough.

Also, since January 2, I have lost 26 pounds. Thank you, WW, for helping me get on the path of where I want to be by thirty.

In August of 2012, I want to do a sprint triathalon. I think that would be a great way to say goodbye to my 20s...

No update?

So I haven't updated ever. Sad face.

Here is the lowdown: I'm getting fatter by the minute...mostly because I'm working all of the time. Four jobs. FOUR. Yesterday, I started an email to Suze Orman, but stopped because I didn't know what I would say. I want to pay off my debt, but I also want to lose weight.

Right now, it's all about debt.

By the end of this month, I will have paid off one credit card -- one credit card that was closed months ago due to default. This month, I will have put about $700+ to pay it off and be done with it. Thank heavens.

Next month is Christmas, so I will probably pay a low amount on the three remaining cards so that I might buy gifts with actual money instead of credit. January, I will pay off my Chase credit card, February my Best Buy card, and then March my Capital One card.

Well, that's the PLAN. I want them all paid off by April 1, 2011. I'm working on it...but working constantly.

For a half second, I considered picking up a job over Winter break...but I don't think I would survive the Spring if I were to do that. I just want to make it out of this semester at this point.

Current Debt: $4,900

Fat Free Final Standards

Standards to be met by September 19, 2012:

Physical Stats
Weight: 150
Body Fat Percentage Range: 20-25%
BMI: 25 or less

Physical Fitness Abilities
Flexed Arm Hang: 20 seconds
Crunches (2 minutes): 45
3-Mile Run: 32:00

CrossFit Workouts to be Completed

Angie
Complete in order:
100 pullups
100 pushups
100 situps
100 squats

Annie
50-40-30-20-10 reps of:
double unders
situps

Cindy
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 pullups
10 pushups
15 squats

Nicole
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
Run 400m
Max reps of pullups

Murph
Run 1 mile
100 pullups
200 pushups
300 squats
Run 1 mile
Partition the pullups, pushups, and squats as needed.

Fat Free Contributing Factors

Because of the many comparisons to make, and standards to set, I've listed below all of the contributing factors to my Fat Free Challenge.

From the Marine Corps Weight Chart (Females)
Height: 65 inches
Maximum Weight: 150
Minimum Weight: 114

Body Fat Standards (Maximum), Age 27-39: 27%

No, I'm not a Marine. No, I will never become a Marine. But aren't they the best of the best (in many people's minds)?

From the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test Chart (Females)
Flexed Arm Hang: 15 seconds, minimum
Crunches (2 minutes): 40, minimum
3-Mile Run: 32:00, minimum

There is also a point system, but again, since I am not planning on becoming a Marine, I will just use these basic minimums as factors in my final standards.

According to Sport Fitness Advisor, there is a range of standards for body fat percentages. The only sports I've played in the last year are racquetball, rugby, and running (it's been an R year), and according to the chart, I should be in the 15-22% (racquetball).

The Body Mass Index is pretty much the bane of my existence. A normal BMI is 18.5-24.9. An overweight BMI is 25-29.9, and obese is 30 and over. According to the official BMI chart, for my height of 65 inches, I need to weigh less than 150 pounds.

And finally, CrossFit's workouts. I am not sure if I will be a "big dawg" by then (the term they give to individuals who complete the workout of the day as prescribed), so to be "safe," I'm going to choose five workouts that they use for benchmarking and competition (descriptions to follow): Angie, Annie, Cindy, Nicole, and the first workout I ever saw on their site, Murph.

I will post my "Final Standards" next, and, again, my current statistics on September 19.

Setting Up the Blog and the Two-Year Challenge

I'm not a "blogger," really. I've tried it, let's say, numerous times. It's like most of the activities I participate in; I start them, and then they are forgotten because of whatever activity comes along next.

Unfortunately, the same trend applies to my weight "journey" (who doesn't love a good euphemism?), which sky rockets and plummets with the comings and goings of relationships. How many times have I heard it / said it? "I'm fat and happy." Is that an excuse? Is it a dig at whomever I'm talking to -- as if they aren't happy because they aren't fat?

Here's the reality, though. I'm in a relationship that is going to last me a long, long time. Marriage. Of course, there is room here for a joke about happiness =/= marriage or something to that effect, but that's not the point. I am tired of being overweight -- obese, really -- and falling into a "comfort zone" because I'm in a relationship.

By my thirtieth birthday on September 19, 2012, I want to be "Fat Free." This, of course, is just a term. For the past few months, I've considered different standards by which I should be measured.

I thought about BMI, but that alone isn't necessarily "accurate" because of muscle mass (which I'm acquiring, due to CrossFit).

I considered setting an arbitrary number for how much I want to weigh, but how to come up with such a number?

I thought about choosing a few CrossFit workouts and seeing how much I improve over the course of these two years, but what would be impressive enough?

I wanted to find out my body fat percentage, then set a goal...and so on.

And then I realized, why not do all of these things? I have two years, so why not use all of these criteria for a "Fat Free" lifestyle? This upcoming birthday, I will post my statistics, and...pictures. Heaven help us all.

Now, what about debt?
"How much debt could a 27/28/29/30 year old have?" At this time, I don't even want to respond to that question, the answer is so ludicrous. Again, I can blame so many factors; unfortunately for me, the common denominator is me. Who else could it be? This birthday, I will list every dollar amount I owe to every agency, group, and person. How I have amassed this much debt just ten years out of high school is beyond my own comprehension.

The trick to this blog will be maintaining it. I will have to set aside at least one day a week in which I write about my triumphs and failures. My "journey," if you will. Every week, at the same time, I will sit down and blog.

I do not want my thirties to be like my twenties.