R2: INSANITY - Day 39

I decided to do a little tweeking to the schedule, so today was Max Cardio Recovery.

Tomorrow I will try to do the Snowflake 5K virtual race. I'm sick of having it put off. Seeing that I will probably be in great amounts of pain, it will be done in place of Max Interval Plyo, after that, back on schedule.

Tomorrow: Snowflake 5K

Eating like an athlete v. well...just eating

Here is a subject that I'm currently struggling with: the idea of clean, "athletic" eating v. just regular eating. I do like clean eating, in fact, that was what I did during Round 1 of  Insanity. However, I also like to cook, and cleaning eating is unfortunately a very, painful boring experience. The cookbooks that I use for "fun" cooking are all lowfat, so caloric content isn't really the issue, but it doesn't seem to pass the muster on what constitutes as "clean" eating. So how do I merge the two? I want to fuel myself better like athletes do, but the idea of eating steamed fish and brown rice for the rest of my life is something of torture to me. What I am thinking about doing is following a plan modeled after the Insanity food plan for two weeks, and the other two weeks cooking the way I like.

We'll just have to see how that goes.

R2: INSANITY - Day 37 & 38

Today was Max Cardio Conditioning and Max Interval Circuit.

I'm working on a new mantra: GTSOW (Get This S*** Over With). These workouts were done this morning with a determination and a focus that I have been desperately lacking. Hopefully, this new sleep technique that I am trying out will increase this progress.

Max Cardio Conditioning: Could have been better, but still not bad.

Max Interval Circuit: Same review as above.

Tomorrow: Max Interval Plyo

Gobbler Gallop medal came today!

R2: INSANITY - Day 34, 35 & 36

All of these days were marked as Injury Watch days. Hopefully I can come back strong next week, but I'll be damned if I'm starting this thing over.

Other races

There is a race that I was supposed to do this weekend, but I completely forgot to register for it. Perhaps there will be onsite registration and I can still do it.

R2: INSANITY - Day 33

Today was Max Cardio Conditioning.

I think this is my favorite of the Month 2 workouts, and not just because it is the shortest. It is demanding, but not at the level of making someone bedridden for a week.

Holiday Streak: I walked it today instead of running it, which was probably for the best because the police were searching for someone along my route. and I didn't need that extra attention.

Tomorrow: Max Recovery

Sleep Challenge

On the list of problems that serve as a detriment to my health, sleep is in the top five. I either can't get to bed early enough, or when I do, I can't sleep at all. There is a challenge on Tribesport about getting eight hours of sleep a night for seven days. I'm going to try it. Hopefully this effort will stick.

I'm thinking about going seven days without meat, too. Something about meat is making me nauseous lately.

R2: INSANITY - Day 32

Today was Max Interval Plyo.

Forced myself to get through it, but barely committed. I hate Month 2 with every fiber of my being.

Holiday Streak: Didn't do because of thunderstorms.

Tomorrow: Max Cardio Conditioning

R2: INSANITY Month 2 - Day 31, Fit Test #8

Today was Fit Test and Max Interval Circuit.

Fit Test sucked, as usual. I haven't done Max Interval Circuit yet.

Here's the breakdown:

58 switch kicks
41 power jacks
88 power knees
12 power jumps
  8 globe jumps
12 suicide jumps
  8 push-up jacks
24 low-plank obliques

Tomorrow: Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Holiday Streak: Did 1 mile after Fit Test. I am VERY glad that this was all done in the morning!

Tomorrow: Max Interval Plyo

R2: INSANITY - Day 30

Today was Core Cardio &  Balance.

Still in an extreme amount of pain, an executive decision was made.

Holiday Streak: Why that one mile was so difficult is a mystery to me, but I can only surmise that I wasn't fully recovered from the five-miler.

Runner's World Holiday Streak

Runner's World magazine has a challenge to do at least one mile a day until New Year's Eve. This won't be fun at all because I will be in Month 2 of Insanity, but it would be good to at least try.

R2: INSANITY - Day 28 & 29

Both of these workouts were Core Cardio & Balance.

Day 28: Did it on Thursday like a BOSS!

Day 29: Monumental amount of soreness and stiffness, even after pain medication. Declaring today to be an Injury Watch day.

Tomorrow: Core Cardio & Balance

Executive Decision #5

Today will be declared to be an Injury Watch day. It's not worth the risk.

Runner's guilt

I was going to make an executive decision today to chill out. The soreness is strong, and I believe in the concept of rest-when-needed. In any other case, the outcome would be to declare today a rest day. Yet there is such an overpowering guilt I'm feeling at the idea, I no longer believe that is possible. The Insanity workout may be skipped, but for crying out loud, that mile is calling me like a child waiting for a Christmas present. It's not desire, it's guilt. I feel like I'm doing something wrong by skipping today. However, no amount of runner's guilt is worth risking injury, so I will wait until later today to make a final decision. If I am still horribly sore, game over. If there is a notable improvement, then I will at least attempt the mile.

New Year's Resolutions...CONQUERED!!

 I only had two New Year's Resolutions: 1.) to run a 5K...so done; 2.) run 5 miles straight. Today I am pleased to proclaim that I have conquered my resolutions! This is probably the first time ever that I've made resolutions and actually completed a list!

R2: INSANITY - Day 27

Today was Core Cardio & Balance.

The arm section was less painful today!

Tomorrow: Executive decision in the works

The Hangover

In the height of stupidity, I drank last night. Yes, knowing full well that I was to run this morning, I got toasted last night. I'm behind schedule.

Here's the deal, though: I've only had one "real" hangover in my life, and I fully deserved it. Everything else has just been well...serious dehydration. Pump a liter of water in me and I'm right as rain again. In my younger days, I would drink heavily the night before and actually feel better the next day. The fact is that I have the tolerance of a pirate. It's not a new phenomenon. I vividly remember the first time I drank. It was while I was in the military and somehow I allowed myself to be talked into going to an Army party. This was typically verboten because Air Force and Army self-segregated. But there I was, with a friend who I was protecting because she had the tolerance of...well, she could look at a beer and get drunk. A very intoxicated Army guy came over to me and asked me why I wasn't drinking. I timidly admitted that I never drank alcohol before. It seemed like the entire party stopped. The Army guy was a mix of shock and horror. He went over to a group of his compadres, pointed to me, and in a dramatic yet genuine timbre announced that there was an alcohol virgin at the party: "She's never drank before! No, bro...it's true! It's terrible!" I felt like that elf on "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" when the other elves found out that Kirby didn't like to make toys. The three of them came over to me and guided me to a chair. Disgusted Army Guy ordered me to sit in that chair and gave me the bottle he had been drinking out of all night. "You sit right here and you drink this!"  I was expecting him to say "And don't you dare move, young lady!" After insuring that the bottle was sanitized, I obeyed and could not get drunk for the life of me. By the end of the night, they were shaking their heads and I was near tears because I thought something was wrong with me.

That was an unnecessary tangent, but still worth telling. Funny story. I digress.

The gameplan was to run this morning, but I think I'll play it safe and shoot for this afternoon. There is no incentive to stupidity.

The Resolution

My 2012 New Year's Resolution consisted of two parts. The first part was to do a 5K. Smashed it. The second part, however, was to run five miles straight. I was hesitant to put the mileage that high. This goal has not been accomplished yet, but there is still time. The most I have done straight is four miles. That 10K in September was partially walked because the race coordinated failed to mention how hilly the course was, and I wasn't willing to risk injury during a first-time attempt. If this is going to be accomplished, then the best time to do it is this week.

There is another issue that is bothering me. I think my efforts are hampered because I'm not on a schedule. I am FAR behind what I hoped I would be in mileage. If a sincere reconstruction of my training plan isn't done, I can kiss that first half goodbye...well, the first half that I actually want to do in February.

There is still time, though.

This schedule is a necessity now. I have to get more sleep on a regular basis. I have to be consistent with wake-up times. I have to do this so I can be a better runner. Even though I am doing FAR better with my health than I was last year--better than I have been in many years--there is still so much more to do. I am no where near where I hope and want to be. It's time to shake off this noncommittal chain that is holding me down, and let that runner out that has been clawing her way out of me for years. She is ready to be released. She is ready to be free.

It's time to cut up or shut up.

R2: INSANITY - Day 25 & 26

Both were Core Cardio & Balance...the entire week is Core Cardio & Balance.

Day 25: I actually did this yesterday, but forgot to record it. Lots of sweating and sore arms.

Day 26: Same as yesterday, but this time I am going to do some yoga to offset some of the soreness. Must maintain the balance.

On a side note, it may be just my imagination, but this round of Insanity feels more difficult than the first round!