Thursday, July 24, 2008

wednesday weigh in

I think it's important that I be honest and tell you ... I took a little hiatus from consistent running. Because, well, driving and staying in a new place every night for three weeks straight can throw a wrench in your exercise routine unless you are really dedicated.

And well, I'm not. At least not yet.

But I hope to be. One day.

This past weekend, Sunday to be exact, I started to run again. When Charlie told me that he had spoken to my mother and she told him that she booked her plane ticket to fly to California with Jim in August to watch the children so that we could participate in our triathlon, and Charlie then went on line and registered and paid money for our triathlon, and then I looked at the calendar and realized Good Golly the triathlon is in less than four weeks, I got a little panicky.

Since we are out $65.00 per person and my mother has dropped a small fortune on plane tickets, there is no turning back now. We are committed.

So Sunday, right?

I jump on to my recently* tuned up bicycle (*is five months ago still considered "recent"?) and make it to the end of the street before realizing that the tires are both flat and the seat is six-inches higher than it should be. And although I could still make it to the track, I look and feel like an idiot pedaling along with two flat tires and my legs over-extended, so I turn around and ride home. Awkwardly.

Charlie comes out of the house and fixes the bike for me. I hop back on and make my way to the track, after doing a three-mile loop around our neighborhood. Since I hadn't been on a bicycle in over four years (the last time was before I was pregnant with the triplets), this three-mile loop robs my brain of it's thinking power and leaves my legs feeling like jelly. But since I have to swim and ride before I run on race day, I figured that riding before I ran would be a good warm-up.

Once I got to the track, I hopped off my bike - did some stretches - plugged in my headphones - turned on my iPod and took off running. The first 1/2 mile was great. No problem. I was trotting along, with the mantra "wicked pissah" repeating over and over again in my head.

(This phrase happens to be a little something I picked up during my recent trip to Boston. Along with five pounds from eating hot fudge sundaes every-other-night.)

With each step, I'd tell myself "I'm wicked pissah, out running. I'm the wicked pissah runner. I'm going to do a wicked pissah race and finish in wicked pissah time, because that's what a wicked pissah athlete does. And I AM wicked pissah."

Left foot hits ground ... "Wicked"

Right foot hits ground ... "Pissah!"

Left foot hits ground ... "Wicked"

Right foot hits ground ... "Pissah!"

"Wicked Pissah! Wicked Pissah! Wicked Pissah!"

As I'm jogging along, I noticed that a few of the people that were walking or running in the opposite direction were smiling and laughing in my general vicinity and I assumed it was because they were thinking I looked so good.

But instead, it was because I realized, right about the time I finished a mile and felt like my lungs were going to explode that OH! I'm still wearing my big bike helmet and I look like a wicked pissah goofball staggering around the track.

My goal this week was to run twice, ride twice and swim twice. Thus far, I haven't been running or riding since Sunday and I have yet to step foot in the pool.

But I've watched figure skating while eating corn dogs.


That has to count for something.

***********

How are you doing with your goals?

16 comments:

  1. You never fail to make me chuckle. The helmet! oops!

    I'm still impressed that you are going for this, though - awesome goal.

    And corn dogs and ice skating absolutely count for something.

    You go, girl!

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  2. I'm giggling something fierce at the visual of you running in a helmet! SOOOOOOOOOOOO didn't see that coming!

    My goal of my 5k in September (the single digits, it's the closest I could come to August)...was going great! I even FINALLY got my new sneakers (been trying to do that since April) and a cheap watch to time my miles. I'm up to about 2 miles of solid running. BUT I haven't run since Monday. It's not as easy as I thought it'd be to fit a run in everyday!

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  3. Damn. Could you warn people before you toss out the image of you running in a bicycle helmet! I almost choked on my breakfast. That is just too funny. Thanks for the laugh!

    Jennifer
    Triplet Mom in MN

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  4. Don't feel bad, I lef t my helmet on during a race. Lovely!!

    Good for you for going back out after Charlie fixed your bike. Most people (me) would have quit for the day.

    Good luck, you're off to a good start.

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  5. Chicken pot...chicken pot...chicken pot pie......

    I have been working out at the JCC since Shayna started school. I can actually run 2 miles on the treadmill now without stopping, thanks to you! My feet no longer fall asleep and if I fall off, I know my head will be safe because of my bike helmet! LOL

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  6. I try not to have too many goals - I might have to actually do something. But I am dying laughing with the visual of you running in your bike helmet.

    Too funny.

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  7. My goal is to be able to run 5K - I'm up to 2 miles. Making progress...

    -Christine

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  8. Very funny.

    After being sick for about a week I discovered that one can actually lose weight! So.... if I milk it a little longer perhaps I can loose about 10 lbs altogether! Then I will be able to run further b/c I don't have as many extra pounds to carry around!!!! Sounds like a plan!

    I have slipped into a funk and haven't done much since June! But I'm feeling sluggishly optimistic w/the helmet story and will get back to work this weekend. Thanks for a bit of movtivation. (I think) Love, Marg

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  9. Congratulations on wearing a helmet!! As a reasonably dedicated biker myself, I am stunned by stupid people who lack the common sense to protect their brains!

    And, yes - five month ago for a tune up is recent. My husband rides a century (100 miles) or so every weekend and only gets his bike (fancy, expensive) tuned once a year.

    You might want to search out some chain lube. I'm checking our bottles and they are from ProLink. I'm not really mechanical, but if I squirt this on my chain once a week (I ride about 150 miles a week), it not only takes off all the "oog" (I'm sure there is a technical term for this), but the bike peddles much more smoothly and I feel like I'm so much faster! Just squirt some on a rag, a little on your chain, and slowly turn your peddles backwards with one hand while the other holds the rag on the chain.Repeat until you stop getting so much oog on the rag.

    And, don't be embarrassed by the helmet while running - just tell them you are cross-training; it is a good all-around excuse. People don't really know what you mean, but it sounds jock-like so they don't question. I recently hurt my Achilles tendon and have to lay off the bike for a while (sob!), so I've started swimming at the Y. I was feeling reasonably confident to stuff myself in a swim suit (bikers stuff themselves into lycra shorts but no one else really sees me on the bike!), until I noticed some of the senior citizen ladies staring oddly at me. Apparently my biker tan - pale white from mid-thigh up and dark down to my sock marks, with the farmer tan arms and oddly tan finger ends where my gloves stop half way down my fingers - kind of stands out in a swim suit. At least I think it was the weird tan lines, not the general chubbiness I also haul around on the bike! :) I just informed them I was cross-training, and at least it stopped them from staring at me so directly. All good.

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  10. OMG ... I nearly woke up the 6 month old in my arms when I busted out laughing picturing you running with your helmet on. How hilarious!!!

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  11. Aaaah ha ha!!! I'm laughing soooo hard. I can just picture it now. It totally would have been better if you were repeating your "mantra" out loud while running with your helmet.

    The positive spin on all that is that you were running with some extra weight (helmet, not sundaes) so when you take it off and run next time, you will definitely be a wicked pissah runner.

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  12. Hi Jen
    Wicked pissah- I love it!
    I was going to do a race called the Bridge to Brisbane in Sept- 10k run/jog. Unfortunately with my very lite training schedule I have already managed to get a stress fracture of my foot so no more running or racing for me for a while :(. Just a bone density scan next Wednesday to see if I have early osteoporosis (at 34!) One doctor told me it may be 3 pregnancies and breastfeeding in 3 yrs has drained my body of calcium- so please take some calcium supplements because I'm sure Henry is doing a good job of draining you of calcium!. Good on you for running and training. I'm actually a bit envious.

    Rebecca D

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  13. I'm still laughing my butt off and re-telling your Wicked Pissah story. TOO FUNNY!

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  14. I'm a Wicked Pissah who is munching on a box of TJs Peanut Butter Cups. I finally broke down and bought some.

    I'm not sure that saying Thank You is appropriate. My thighs aren't thanking you.

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  15. You never fail to make me laugh!! This is hilarious.

    I'm doing terrible on my goals (and blog reading). We went on vacation for 10 days and I ran twice, haven't got off my bottom to run since coming back. Eek!!

    Going to use wicked pissah as my inspiration to hit the road today. Love it!!

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  16. Ha ha! My husband cracked up too!

    He just did his first Olympic length triathlon on the weekend...come check it out on my last two posts.

    It's so awesome you are doing it. I am thinking of doing a "Try a Tri" next summer. I caught some of the bug while cheering him on!

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