Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd;

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,

I don't care if I never get back.

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If they don't win, it's a shame.

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,

At the old ball game.

Ross & I went to watch the Baseball tonight.  It was an AWESOME game.  SA annihilated the Vics.  Well, that's an exaggeration, by annihilated I mean the score was 2-5 with SA not batting in the 9th (no need).  We had such a fun evening.  The game lasted nearly 3 hours, but it seriously felt like we were there no more than 1.  The picture above was taken in the 8th inning just as the big lights had come on.

The game was kind of bitterswet.  Ross used to go with his Dad to the Baseball, so there was some tender moments while we remembered.  No here's the weird thing.  I remember my Dad taking me.  We went to Norwood Oval, which was where tonights game was.  As I was sitting there, I looked over to my right and I actually remembered where we sat.  Dad passed over 28 years ago, and was sick for a while before that, so we are talking going at least 29 years into my memory.  But I am sure I remember where we sat, and just some general feelings about it.  It was really nice.

Next season we will definitely be going to more games.  It truly was an awesome night.

xox

Challenge Changes

I think I made a mistake.  Now this is not something I usually admit to, but I think I did.  As you know I have been working through my Running Challenge and my Cycling Challenge.  Yet each week I can not seem to get through.  I think the reason is I have set too hard a target and my body is just not ready for 6 days a week of intensive exercise.  That is where I one day hope to be, but I am not there yet.  My body feels completely exhausted and fatigued by Tuesday, and I still have the rest of the week to go.

So last night I gave it some serious thought.  I love my cycling.  So I decided to stick with the Running Challenge.  That may sound convoluted, but let me explain...

If I drop the running challenge and stick with the cycling with the aim of doing a run 'when I can', I won't do any running.  At this point in time running is hard and it is painful and it exhausts me.  My natural inclination towards laziness would then see me avoiding this. 

However, if I drop the cycling challenge, and alter the running challenge so I am now doing 3 runs a week instead of 2 runs and a walk, I will improve my running faster which will help me meet my goal of going in the Mothers Day Classic in May.  Plus, I know myself, I will still ride.  I ride to work every day.  Ross & I ride together when we can.  And I still love going out for a ride.  Instead of doing 3 hard cycling sessions a week, I will still do a decent amount on the bike, just not as rigidly.

So that is what I have decided to do.  My running is going well.  Wednesday night I did 4 running (aka shuffling) intervals and they were 90 seconds, 2 minutes, 90 seconds & 2 minutes.  7 minutes all up - my best yet.  And I want to keep improving on that.

On a slightly different note, the Accountability thing is still playing in my head.  I was Reading Deb's Blog this morning and she has just made arrangements with a friend to be Accountability Buddies.  What a great concept.  So now to work out if anyone I know has similar goals to me so we can do the same for each other...  Thanks for a great idea Deb.  :o)

Tonight Ross & I are off to watch a baseball game.  I haven't been since I went with my Dad.  He passed away in 1981 so that tells you how long ago it was!  I am really looking forward to it.

Have a great day all!

xox

The Tour is Here!

Tour Down Under is here!  I love the Tour!  I was just out the front of the office putting our signs out, and the Caisse-Epargne Tea, came riding past on a training ride.  My oh my those boys are fine...  swoon...  LOL

Last year I was lucky enough to be a volunteer on the public ride day.  What an amazing day we had.  Talking to and seeing so many cyclists.  Although I am not participating as a volunteer this year, I am hoping to catch some of the action.  I have a couple of days off next week and have my niece staying with me.  I am hoping to go and see the start of stages 3 & 4, and maybe drop into the city to see some of the final stage as well.  I will also make a trip into the Tour Village at some point.

How I love this time of year!

xox

Putting it Out There

Last night I gave my 2 posts from yesterday and the comments I received a lot of thought.  I know I am getting stuck 'in my head' which is usually when I collapse in a heap.  The result of discussions with the boy and deep thinking is that I will not be joining the gym - I can not afford it.  Also, I don't like gyms.  Never have.  So would I use it?  No, probably not.  I will save up and buy a treadmill when we are living somewhere more permanent again.

As for all the other accountability stuff, I know that the only person I am accountable to is me.  I know that I constantly let myself down.  And I know that if I don't find a way to fix this, I will never reach my goals.

A few weeks ago when I started my training programs I mentioned a large fitness goal I had in mind that I wasn't ready to share.  I am still not really ready to share it, but I am thinking maybe I should.  This is something I don't know if I will ever be able to do, but something I want to try.  And if you all know about it, it may be the mental kick I need to keep moving forward.

So here it is...

I want to run a Marathon before I am 40 (just under 3 years).

Am I insane?  Yes.  Considering I can currently only run for 1 minute and we are talking about running for 6 hours.  But there you go.  Now you all know so I have to get my butt into gear...

Thank you everyone for the comments yesterday.  I really did listen to what you were all saying and it really does mean a lot to me.

xox

More on Accountability

Further to my post this morning about Accountability, I have been thinking.

I know I said I wouldn’t do it, but…

I am thinking of joining a gym again. I need something to keep me accountable. There is a womens gym down the road from work. They have a personal trainer package which gives you full access to the gym, plus once a week/fortnight/month you see a trainer. You get this nifty little training diary and between visits you are expected to have achieved certain things (based on your goals etc).

I am thinking that this may be what I need to get me doing what I need to be doing. It would definitely give me the Accountability if I know a trainer will be assessing my progress once a month.

The gym also has Pilates & Yoga, both things I was wanting to learn this year. As well as other classes including RPM.

The only thing holding me back, is that it is $24pw for the once a month plan… sigh…

xox

Accountability

Each morning when I get to work I flick on the computer, go and make my breakfast, then sit down to catch up on my favourite blogs over my oats with honey & nuts.  It is a morning ritual I love.  Most mornings I have ridden to work.  Today was not one of them.  The heat has finally broken and it is now raining, but that happened AFTER I left for work.  I now haven't ridden for 5 days.

Anyway, I was reading my blogs, and one of them jumped out at me.  I put it aside and read it again when I was done with my Facebooking and Foruming.

Swayerm over at A Day in the Life Of... has really made me sit up and think today.  I won't repeat what she said, go over and have a look yourself.  But it made me realise I need some accountability in my eating and my exercise.  Ross is no good.  If I say I'm too tired, he gives me a kiss and says ok.  I have tried to make him be tougher on me, but he just looks at me with his puppy dog eyes and says ok.  He doesn't mean it.  Well, he probably does, but he is no good at following through.

I am too complacent, and too quick to find the excuse to not eat well, or not exercise.  Truth is, I hate being this fat.  HATE HATE HATE it.  But I still struggle to do all the things I need to do to get rid of it.  I need to work out a way to become more accountable.  I need to find a way to MAKE me do the things I need to do.

xox

Challenge Updates

It has been so hot here in SA for the last few days. Despite having air conditioning, I have been feeling slightly queasy for a few days. So that has translated into not doing my exercise over the weekend. Here is the updates:

Running Challenge
Monday and Wednesday were great. I got out there and pushed myself. Saturday I did not do my walk.

Cycling Challenge
Tuesday’s ride was great. Thursday I went out in the morning and although I did my ride, it wasn’t brilliant. Sunday – no ride.

Healthy Habit a Week Challenge
You would think with the heat drinking all my water would have been a cinch… But for some reason I got stuck into the Pepsi Max all weekend. That is probably one of the reasons I am feeling queasy.

This week I am going to get out there as much as I can for the Running & Cycling Challenges. Although today is another too hot day. The cool change is due tomorrow – YAY – so I will get out there for my ride and take it from there. And for the Healthy Habit a Week Challenge, I am adding habit 2, which is 2 serves of fruit a day. I am determined to have a more solid week.

xox