11 August 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Sniff, Sniff, Sniff

I woke up this morning with a sore throat, runny nose, slight headache and body ache...Yikes, that's two days before the Tour de Pain race series this weekend <sigh> If I can’t run the race that means DH wins the deal automatically but I will do everything in my power to get well real soon so I can beat him to the finish line ;-)

Wish me luck!
 

                                     

    1 August 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Ran 4.20 miles on the Beach

The Tour de Pain Race is fast approaching! You know I dreaded for this day to come because it’s the hottest season of the year let alone the first 4 miles run is going to be on the beach. So today at 6PM, DH and I decided to dry run the route to see how it feels to be running in the sand. I would say the run was harder because I can’t get enough traction. Running on sand is something that I really have to ease into and have to get used to it I guess. We run at low tide and close to the water where the sand was still pretty packed down so it’s a little firmer surface to run on…but still, it felt harder on my legs and thigh especially when we were running against the wind. So glad though it was cloudy and the moisture in the air from the ocean breeze felt good with the temp of only 86 degrees. So here I am so hoping we get the same weather next weekend ;-)

After the run, DH and I walked on shore and around the block holding hand to cool down and it felt as magical as he reminisced and mused over his childhood memories in the same exact place… then around 7:40 PM, we decided to check out The Snappers Seafood & Spirits Pub.

DH drinks beer occasionally but not when I am around.  The man has more respect on me and that he always look after my comfort and is always willing to sacrifice anything just to make me happy.    I have never had a drink in my whole life but maybe I'll try it one of these days ;-)

So I ordered seafood platter with Bang Bang Shrimp, Coconut Shrimp, Crab Cakes, and Conch Fritters ($8.95) while DH ordered Fish Tacos ($9.95) with blackened mahi-mahi fish with fresh citrus, diced tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro and sour cream on a soft corn tortilla…it has a kick to it, and love the taste of the spices.

The place is not a fancy place to eat, it’s just a run of the mill bar for regular folks who want to chill out for a few drinks at night... there’s a band is playing in that patio and some folks get up from their seats and dance for the music. The wait staffs are very courteous and attentive. The girl who took care of us was showing half of her boobies… I know DH sneak a quick peek at them every now and then and he confessed when I mischievously asked him. I am a little jealous but have to give him credit for being honest with me. I told him he can look… just look and that’s it ;-)
 

                                     

    31 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Last Session with my Swimming Instructor

I completed the last session for the one-on-one swimming lessons with my instructor today yet I still can not swim freestyle with proper breathing technique. But the good thing is I learned about breaststroke style a little bit… not quite there yet, but I think with more practice, I’ll be able to master this breaststroke quicker than freestyle.

With DH help, I may not need to sign up for another package deal class with the Pro. You see, the package deal for the one-on-one swimming class is by 4 sessions; 45 minute/session for $100. That’s $25 per session that I can save in my pocket.
 

 

                                     

    25 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Swimming Practice

I went to Y with DH at 2PM today to swim and I didn’t get out of the pool until 4PM. I did my own thing while DH did his laps for an hour then afterwards he spent time teaching me to swim backstroke in a very relaxing way. Can you believe I managed to swim two laps with no problem? Yes, two laps baby ;-) That was quite an accomplishment for me because I have never done that yet with my instructor so I was so ecstatic!!! Then DH asked me to practice swimming freestyle with proper breathing technique but sad to say I still suck and failed miserably in that area :-(

 

                                     

    24 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

3rd Swimming Session with the Pro + Blody Flow

Today is my third session with my swimming instructor. It’s frustrating that I still couldn’t swim freestyle with proper breathing technique but at least I feel better knowing that I can do backstroke style like a pro… her words not mine ;-)

After my session with the instructor at 8:45 AM, I hang around the pool and just enjoy watching the veteran swimmers do their laps back and forth alternating different strokes and style… I so wish more than anything that I can swim like them… and I really got envious watching them swim like a fish… so left the pool at 10:15AM, changed clothes and jumped right into the Body Flow class at 10:30 AM until 11:30AM. I finally got home in time to get ready for my part-time job at 1:00PM.

                                     

    23 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Ran 5.01 Miles

It’s my first time ever to run 5 miles with a pace of 10 minute per mile. I do think the cross training (strength training/Pilates/yoga/swimming) I alternately do at least 3 times a week is really working out for me as I have less muscles and joints pain nowadays compared to last year.

 

                                     

    21 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Swimming Practice + Adoptive Aqua Zumba

Adaptive Aqua Zumba: Water-based workout that integrates Latin moves and music into traditional aqua fitness.

I took off work an hour early today and went straight to YMCA. This is the time of the year where everybody wants to be in the water all the time because it’s just too hot outside… so glad the Y I go to has this indoor pool otherwise I probably won’t go there every chance I get. Yes, I am hooked to this gym because of the indoor pool plus there are so many group classes I want to attend to but I don’t have the luxury of time to do it as often as I would like to. Anyway, I was at the pool this afternoon from 3:30pm to 5:00pm, practicing the breathing technique and floating on my back… and Yaay! I even managed to swim backstroke style for few times without anybody teaching me. Sad to say, I still can’t swim freestyle with proper breathing technique but that’s ok… I am not giving up… In fact, I am even more determined now to get this breathing thing right and I know it's going to happen sooner or later.

The pair of Speedo nose clip that I first wore works ok as it prevents water from going into my nose and I finally learned how to float on my back… but I thought there’s got to be something better than this thing…you know something that can be easily adjusted to fit the size of a Filipina flat nose. LOL I mean the clip is too tight and it pinches my nose so hard and turned it into like a red tomato afterwards.. not comfortable at all. So then I ordered this nose clip Cressi swim from Amazon for $10.08 and what a big difference. I like this one better because it is something I can adjust easily to perfectly fit into my flat nose although I must admit there were few times that it fell out of my nose and had to look for it… so I thought why not tie it into my swim goggles permanently so I won’t lose it again... works like a charm ;-)

So anyhow, at 5:00 PM I joined the “Adoptive Aqua Zumba” group class at the heated Therapy pool for the first time and I must say, I love it because the Latin steps are very simple and much slower in pace compared to the regular group Zumba class. The instructor said I did great considering it’s my first time and he won’t even believe me when I said I can’t dance at all. After the class at 6:00 PM, I jumped right back into the regular pool and boy I thought I was going to freeze.  The water in the regular pool wasn’t freezing at all…  it was a normal temperature… it’s just that my body got toasted to the heated pool for an hour.  I swum and float there for another 30 minutes as I was waiting for the next class in Body Flow at 6:35PM only to find out when I was taking off my bathing suits that I didn’t bring the right clothes for the class… so I head home and did drive thru at KFC for grilled chicken breast, wing, biscuit and green beans and tea for my dinner.

 

                                     

    18 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Practice Floating + Body Pump

BODYPUMP: An original barbell class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls. It's perfect for males and females who want to add strength training into their cardio workout. The simplicity of the class makes bodypump a great starting point for developing strength and confidence.

Just so you know I have been struggling to learn how to float on my back for three weeks now and I thought to myself I would never ever learn to float this way in my life because every time I tried, I failed dreadfully as the water gets into my nose and I can’t stop sneezing not to mention the chlorinated water from the pool hurts my sinusitis badly. So I candidly told my instructor last weekend that I could care less if I can’t float on my back at this time. The most important thing for me now is to be able to breathe while swimming freestyle.

Well, when I told DH the problem, he suggested trying one of those nose clips for swimming. So I went ahead and bought this Speedo silicone nose clip from Dicks’ Sporting Goods for $3.99 yesterday and can’t wait to try it on today so instead of staying home with DH who is still on call and we can’t really do anything, I decided to go to Y by myself.

Lo and Behold, after getting used to it for an hour of trying to float on my back while holding on the rail of the pool ladder, I was slowly feeling my body floating on it’s own and before I know it, I was already floating on my back moving away from the edge of the pool but then after few minutes I panicked thinking I might not be able to pull myself out of the water when I get to the deeper side of the pool. I think I would be more at peace and can float longer if DH is with me. I can’t wait for my next swimming class next  weekend to show off to my instructor that I’ve learned something new over the weekend ;-)

So yeah, I was in the pool by myself for two hours today and then I joined the strength training Body Pump class for an hour; went home at 3:40PM and shared a medium rare Sirloin steak and roasted potatoes with DH for late lunch. Then at 6PM, we took mom to Olive Garden for dinner. I had 3.5 breadsticks and a platter of fried breaded calamari, chicken fingers and  beef raviolis with 2 glasses of peach tea. I was so stuffed I can hardly breathe freely. See? I told you I run and work-out hard to eat a lot! LOL
 

                                     

    17 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Swimming Practice + Aqua Fitness

Aqua Fitness:   A refreshing alternative to land aerobics with low impact. This class offers a cardio workout with muscular gains by using the natural resistance of the water.

DH is on call this weekend so I went to Y by myself and I got to practice the swimming breathing technique for an hour yet I still couldn’t pull it off all together. I mean I am getting the hang of it when I do the trick out of the water but as soon as I try to put them all together in the water, I failed miserably! So out of my frustrations, I joined the Aqua Fitness class with bunch of mostly senior citizens and mid-lifer’s folks trying to get some low impact exercise to stay in shape. It was fun and refreshing doing the cardio work-out using the natural resistance of the water.

                                     

    14 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

P90X + Group Cycle + BodyFlow

GROUP CYCLE:   A unique, high-energy group workout that utilizes non-impact indoor stationary cycling, guided imagery and carefully selected music to inspire you though a workout unlike no other workout.  Each participant individually controls the speed, intensity and duration of each riding interval.

It’s amazing how much our body can do when we push it hard to the limit. I woke up at 5:00 o’clock this morning to do the strength training for P90X for 45 minutes and 15 minute ABS.

Then this afternoon after I got off work I went straight to Y to join the Group Cycling class. It’s my very first time ever to do this type of exercise although I am used to riding my bicycle in our neighborhood but couldn’t do it this time because it’s just too hot outside….so all these times I thought all we’ll going to be doing in this class is to pedal the stationary bike that doesn’t go anywhere… so how hard can that be? But boy I was wrong! At the end of an hour class I was literally soaked with sweats and my legs were trembling that I can hardly walk… so I had to go in to the next class in Body Flow to do more stretching and relaxation but 45 minutes later I just laid down on my back doing nothing because I couldn’t stretch my legs any longer. So I walked out without finishing the class and when I got home at 7:40 PM I was famished! Glad DH has healthy left over food for me to eat right away. The Group Cycling class was equally hard and fun to do so I am going to do this class every Wednesday night for at least few weeks until I find something interesting to do later.

                                     

    14 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

P90X + Group Cycle + BodyFlow

GROUP CYCLE:   A unique, high-energy group workout that utilizes non-impact indoor stationary cycling, guided imagery and carefully selected music to inspire you though a workout unlike no other workout.  Each participant individually controls the speed, intensity and duration of each riding interval.

It’s amazing how much our body can do when we push it hard to the limit. I woke up at 5:00 o’clock this morning to do the strength training for P90X for 45 minutes and 15 minute ABS.

Then this afternoon after I got off work I went straight to Y to join the Group Cycling class. It’s my very first time ever to do this type of exercise although I am used to riding my bicycle in our neighborhood but couldn’t do it this time because it’s just too hot outside….so all these times I thought all we’ll going to be doing in this class is to pedal the stationary bike that doesn’t go anywhere… so how hard can that be? But boy I was wrong! At the end of an hour class I was literally soaked with sweats and my legs were trembling that I can hardly walk… so I had to go in to the next class in Body Flow to do more stretching and relaxation but 45 minutes later I just laid down on my back doing nothing because I couldn’t stretch my legs any longer. So I walked out without finishing the class and when I got home at 7:40 PM I was famished! Glad DH has healthy left over food for me to eat right away. The Group Cycling class was equally hard and fun to do so I am going to do this class every Wednesday night for at least few weeks until I find something interesting to do later.

                                     

    13 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Ran 4.02 Miles + ABS and Stretching

11 minute per mile for 4 miles is good for now.  Hopefully I’ll be able to run less than 10 minute per mile by the end of this year.
 

                                     

    11 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Ran 7.02 Miles + Pilates

There I ran almost an hour and half with a pace of 12 minute per mile to get rid of my stress and frustrations from yesterday swimming lesson and to top it all, right after I got back home from my run, I did Pilates and stretching for an hour.... it just felt so good. Took a nap after lunch and went to work at 1:00 PM to cover the shift of one person who worked over night for the inventory. When I got to work there’s Pizza, bread sticks and iced tea everywhere in the break room for everybody so there I was, found myself pigging out again. I had two big slices of Pizza, 6 bread sticks and 60 ounces of Arizona herbal iced tea… yeah, I know why I gain 1.1 lbs this week not to mention we also had Pot Luck party at my full-time job last Friday. Oh well...
 

                                     

    10 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

2nd Swimming Session with the Pro

It felt like I just wasted my second 45 minute session today. I was very frustrated and disappointed about myself. I don't know why I am finding it so very, very hard to learn how to breathe in and out of the water while swimming. Well, I managed to breathe in once and barely twice at the most but that’s about it. Although my instructor keeps comforting me with the fact that breathing in and out of the water while swimming is the hardest part to learn but still not feeling good about myself… maybe I should not be too hard on myself and just slowly learn one step at a time as I go along. The problem is I have such a high expectations with myself and it's stressing me out!  Dammit!!!
 

                                     

    08 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

My Email to Brooks YMCA

Hi Devin,

Just to let you know Stephanie is so awesome!!! She's the best swimming instructor in the world!!! I never thought I would ever learn how to float and swim on the water but she made it happen for me... it's like a miracle... I am totally hooked!!! It's hard to believe I already learned how to float and swim in just one 45 minute session with her. It’s just a short distance for now until I learn how to breathe in and out while on the water...  yeah, it's hard and I also know I still have a long way to go before I would be able to swim naturally as my body are still tensed and I still get so nervous from time to time but it's work in progress...and I couldn't be any happier :-)

I'd say Brooks YMCA is the best gym in town!!! I was a member of  Bailey's gym, Gold's gym, World's Gym, Just Fitness and Curves before I came here but nothing compares to Brooks YMCA facilities and services :-)

Thanks for employing an excellent staff!!

Rhebs

Here's the reply:

Rhebs,

Thank you very much. I appreciate your praise and I too agree that Steph is one of the best instructors around.  I would like to let you know that I have posted your letter in the lifeguard area, without your contact information of course, so that she will be recognized by the staff.  On a personal note your email reached me on “one of those days” that you can really use a pick me up. 

Thank you again and I am very pleased that you are learning quickly.  Have a wonderful day.

 

Devin Aquatic Program Coordinator  YMCA of Florida 's First Coast www.FirstCoastYMCA.org

Brooks Family YMCA 10423 Centurion Parkway North Jacksonville, FL 32256

 

                                     

    07 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Swimming Practice + P90X Plyometrics

I had a follow-up swimming session with DH today and I am loving it!!! think we finally figured out why I couldn’t learn from him before… that’s because he’s an easy grab for me and as soon as I get tensed he comes to the rescue by scooping me out of the water and I would climb up to him and cuddle up--- it’s the place where I wanna be forever ;-) With Stephanie, I couldn’t do that.   In fact, she told me to just barely touch her hands after I first got rid of the floating device... oh there were lots of pep talk before I finally get rid of the floating device and tried to do it on my own but when I did it I wasn’t even touching her hand anymore. I'd say Stephanie is the best swimming instructor and Brooks YMCA is the best gym in Jacksonville!!! I have been to Bailey's gym, Gold's gym, World's Gym, Just Fitness and Curves gym but nothing compares to Brooks facilities and services.

DH spent a considerable amount of time coaching me at the pool this morning making sure my legs are straight when I swim. He said there’s quite an improvement on my legs but as soon as we start focusing on my arms, I forgot about the position of my legs and had this tendency to do bicycling style again. He also taught me how to breathe in and out while swimming for about 30 minutes yet I still couldn’t pull that part off. I am just finding it so hard to coordinate my legs, arms, body and breathing in and out all at once while swimming… it’s like learning to drive a stick shift car from the get go and I was so frustrated and disappointed about myself… So glad DH has patience of a saint ;-)

Anyway, with everything I ate yesterday, I decided to do the P90X Plyometrics work-out at home after dinner. It's a very intense cardio work-out.  Here's the definition from Wikipedia: Plyometrics (also known as "plyos") is a type of exercise training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving performance in sports. Plyometric movements, in which a muscle is loaded and then contracted in rapid sequence, use the strength, elasticity and innervations of muscle and surrounding tissues to jump higher, run faster, throw farther, or hit harder, depending on the desired training goal. Plyometrics is used to increase the speed or force of muscular contractions, providing explosiveness for a variety of sport-specific activities".   Oh boy this exercise training nearly killed my legs.. it's very intense and I was literary out of breath  so I had to stop after 35 minutes and just run/walk for 1.5 miles instead then I followed it up with 25 minutes of ABS work-out and stretching.

Nonetheless, DH and I enjoyed our day off today running around town and eat bad food…what can I tell you? It's our last cheat day for the month I promise =P

                                     

    05 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Ran 5K + BodyFlow

It’s a holiday weekend so DH fired up his grill for some baby pork ribs while I went to the gym to work out;  I ran 5K on the treadmill followed by an hour BodyFlow and then I went shopping for bathing suits so when I got home I was famished and immediately gorged on DH ribs. Oh it was so rich… best ribs in the world ;-)

Then later on I took an hour nap and got ready for my part-time job. Had pork ribs again for dinner and later on that night, I feel kinda sick…not really sick but I didn’t feel right…it feels like I just completely lost my appetite to eat anymore pork.  Actually it’s been about six months since I ate pork not because I am a vegetarian.   It’s just that in a much as possible I stay away from pork. Now, I eat red meat once in a while (NY steak is my favorite) but I try to limit it maybe once in 2 or  3 weeks. I do eat a lot of grilled chicken breast with skin/bones though and I also like to have some fish and shrimp every now and then.
 

                                     

    04 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

P90X Chest & Back/Abs Ripper X

I was supposed to do BodyPump at the gym today but in observance of Independence Day, the Y facility decided to give their Fitness Trainers a break hence no group exercise classes today. Instead, I did P90X – Back and Chest/Abs Ripper X at home.

Here’s what I did this morning: The X/Y represents the number of reps: X for the first round and Y for the second round.

5 minute Warm-Up

 X / Y   Exercise routine:
15/10   Standard Push-Ups
15/10   Wide Front Pull-Ups
15/10   Military Push-Ups
15/10   Reverse Grip Chin-Ups (using the hanging Iron Gym)
10/10   Wide Fly Push-Ups
12/8     Closed Grip Overhand Pull-Ups
            (using 60 lbs of weights on Weider Pro Machine)
10/10   Decline Push-Ups
20/5     Heavy Pants 20 reps using 2 x 8 lbs
            and 5 reps using 2 x 15 lbs dumbbells
10/8     Diamond Push-Ups
20/20   Lawnmowers (using one 15 lbs dumbbell)
15/10   Dive-Bomber Push-Ups
10/4     Back Flys (10 reps using 2 of 8 lbs and 4 reps using 2 of 15 lbs dumbbells

15 minute ABS Ripper X
  5 minute Cool Down/Stretching

The whole work-out lasted for an hour and 20 minutes but I only did half the number of reps performed by the crew because I just couldn’t do what these guys are capable of doing. I mean these guys do 20-35 reps at a time while I can only do 8-15 reps at the most depending on how hard is the exercise.

                                     

    03 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

1st Swimming Lesson with the Pro

I had my first swimming lesson this morning and I am totally hooked!!! It's hard to believe I already learned how to float and swim in just one 45 minute session... but of course, it's just a short distance for now until I learn how to breathe in and out while swimming.

Well, according to my trainer, Stephanie (she's amazing by the way!) I am the fastest learner among her adult students this summer LOL... I know she’s just trying to boast my confidence because I told her that I sure do feel like a hopeless case already because of a traumatic experience on the beach and on the pool when I was younger; I nearly got drowned and was traumatized by it. I also told her that my husband has been trying to teach me how to swim for 11 years now and he has given up on me this time because I can't even float on the water as I get so nervous/tensed as soon as I lost touch of his hand so he decided to sign me up for private one on one swimming lesson and that’s why I am here hoping to learn it from the pro.

DH is of course in close proximity watching us the whole time and he's impressed and proud by how quickly I learned this time....still a long way to go before I would be able to swim naturally (my body are still tensed and I still get so nervous whenever I get to the little deeper side of the pool but it's work in progress…and I can't wait for the day that I can swim without any fear.

Whatever they say about not being able to teach an old dog new trick? Now I can prove to the world that this is absolutely WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!! LOL

 

 

                                     

    02 July 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Ran 6.02 Miles

I worked-out two hours straight at the gym the other day (Wednesday) by doing a back-to-back classes on Pilates and Body Pump and I was literally dragging my butt off the bed the next morning so DH went ahead to run without me.

But this morning I woke up at 5AM and went for a spin while DH stayed in bed. I ran 6.02 miles with a pace of 11'14" per mile and it felt so good. When I came back around 6:15 AM, DH is already getting ready to leave for work and told me he made chicken teriyaki and stir fry some veges for me to take to work for my lunch… isn’t he such a sweet darling husband?

Anyway, this time around, I have to be very careful not to over train myself like what I did last year to avoid injury. I am actually supposed to be following Hal Higdon's Half Marathon Training Schedule but since my first half marathon race is too far out, I figured I'll make my own schedule by regularly running just 3 to 6 miles thrice a week and incorporating weight training and stretching work-out twice a week until the end of October to build my strength and endurance back-up and get by body flexible. I read from runner's mag that flexibility will help prevent injury and one of the best ways to improve speed is with cross training work-out. That being said, I'll start following Higdon’s Half Marathon Training Schedule strictly starting November 1st in preparation for my race on February 13, 2011.

                                     

    30 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Registered for 2 Races

DH just signed up to run for “Tour de Pain” on August 13 & 14, 2010 and this is his very race ever. It’s called “Tour de Pain” because August is the hottest month of all seasons here in Florida and this is a race series designed to test the runners' ability to run three different races in a twenty-four hour period.

4.0 Miles - August 13 at 7:30 PM
3.1 Miles - August 14 at 7:30 AM
Mile Sizzler - August 14 at 4:30 PM

He is now more excited to do this race while I keep waffling back and forth whether or not to run with him because I simply can not stand the summer heat of 100+ degrees F plus running 3 different races in 24 hours made me feel a little doubtful but DH and I have a deal which means if I back-out, I’ll be saying “Yes, Darling” for just about anything and everything; No If’s No Buts until the end of this year... and that's like close to impossible for me to do... so this race is do or die for me! LOL

We also both just registered to run for 26.2 with Donna--The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer on February 13, 2011. Yaaay!!! We were only volunteers this year but next year we’ll be running along with thousands of generous supporters’ of breast cancer fund raising campaign. This race would be our very first half marathon….so this is so exciting for both of us especially for DH as he just started training two months ago after he lost a significant amount of weight.

 

                                     

    29 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

500 Miles & Counting!

Wow!!! I didn't realize I have already ran a total of  500 miles with Nike+ and got this video from marathon legend, Paula Radcliffe.

Paula Radcliffe congratulates me for running 500 miles!

This morning at 4:58 AM,  I ran with DH and it felt really good to finish 4.16 miles with a pace of 11 minute per mile.  I am slowly building up my endurance again and I think I can do the half marathon before the end of this year with no problem ;-)

So as of this morning, I actually ran a total of 512.69 miles already!!!

 

                                     

    27 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

BodyPump

Have you ever joined the group exercise class with a little chubby Fitness trainer?  At first I was a little discouraged to join her class thinking how does she even get this job if she herself isn't fit and couldn't lose the extra flabs? But  boy I tell you what this woman can pump iron non-stop for an hour plus she does this back-to-back class (BodyPump and BodySteps) for 2 hours straight! I shouldn't judge a book by its cover =D

Anyway, from now on, I am going to be doing BodyPump on Wednesdays and Sundays; do a short outdoor run with DH at 5AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then do a long run on the treadmill and an hour of BodyFlow on Saturdays.  That leaves me Monday and Friday as my rest days.  I might do Pilates and other class exercise here and there but for now, I don't really have a choice but stick to this schedule because I work at my part-time job on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 5m-9pm and Saturday from 1pm-10pm.

 

                                     

    26 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Ran 3.60 miles + BodyFlow

BODYFLOW: A Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates workout that leaves you feeling long, strong, centered and calm. It's your personal "time-out" from the stress and strains of daily life---a 55 minute group exercise-to-music class that enhances your physical and mental well-being.

Doing an hour stretching and strengthening after a long run is so heavenly.  I adore our BodyFlow Fitness trainer today so I approached her after the class and asked what other group exercises she's teaching at Y.  We chitchat a little bit and found out she used to be a dance instructor but she lost her flexibility when she got injured and couldn't do much of what she used to do...but she's slowly getting back into the ball game again.   I can't wait to join her class on BodyPump every Wednesday night at 6:30PM. 

 

                                     

    23 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Pilates & Intro to Zumba

PILATES: This class offers a functional approach to strength and flexibility training. Pilates exercises are created to strengthen abdominal and back muscles by developing pelvic stability and abdominal contral. The mind/body awareness developed in Pilates will improve your posture and form in all areas of your fitness program.

INTRO TO ZUMBA: Learn how to do all the dance moves in a typical Zumba class. Instructor will break down the moves and give the class time to learn the moves before putting them together.

I was supposed to run with DH yesterday at 5AM but I didn’t wake up until 7:10 in the morning because I stayed up pretty late watching the recorded Bachelorette show in our DVR until 11pm and I didn’t really fall asleep until after midnight plus I was a little sore from last Sunday’s workout so I decided to take a break from running.

Well, today, I went to the gym by myself and joined the Pilates class for an hour. I didn’t realize how hard this exercise is until I was being coached by the trainer to do the moves and stretches in a correct pose and position and then towards the end of the class while doing the final stretches, all of the sudden I get this big leg cramps and I screamed for such an intense pain grabbing my calf muscles. Yes, I made a scene and was a little embarrassed by it so I walked out the door and rest a little bit before I headed to another class which is an Intro to Zumba.

As you all know, I am an avid fan of Dancing with the Stars show and I would really love to learn how to dance gracefully but it just dawned on me today that I can’t dance at all…period. I mean the DI for this class is really very patient in breaks it down one by one and very slowly then repeats it few times for us to master the moves before playing the music (yes, we are all beginners) yet I still don’t get it… I can't catch up with him... so no, dance is not my cup of tea. Thank you very much. I may not come to this class again :-(

                                     

    20 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

BodyPump

BODYPUMP: An original barbell class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls. It's perfect for males and females who want to add strength training into their cardio workout. The simplicity of the class makes bodypump a great starting point for developing strength and confidence.

For a chance, I decided to join this strength training group class rather than run and oh boy, it was one heck of a work-out. I haven’t pumped iron this hard for a long time and this was more of a shock to my muscles than anything else but I am loving it so we’ll see how this affect my body tomorrow.

                                     

    19 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Ran 3.10 Miles + BodyFlow

BODYFLOW: A Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates workout that leaves you feeling long, strong, centered and calm. It's your personal "time-out" from the stress and strains of daily life---a 55 minute group exercise-to-music class that enhances your physical and mental well-being.

Working out with DH is so much fun :-)   I didn’t really think he was up to doing this group class with me when I invited him to try it once for flexibility. We headed to the gym an hour before the class so I could run on the treadmill for at least 3.10 miles while he swims for 45 minutes.

Wow I was really impressed by his over all performance in this exercise. He has never done this type of exercise before and there were few hard moves that he tried so hard to do it and I was so worried about him pulling some dormant muscles but he did just fine. At the end of the class he was sweating like a pig and I know he’s going to get so sore the next day. Overall, he said he’s loving it.. so we made a deal to do this class together every Saturday. You go Darling ko!!!

 

                                     

    15 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

P90X


I had this P90X DVD's, 13 of them for six months now but I haven't really been able to follow through the schedule regularly because it's just too damn hard to keep up with these guys.  The truth is I can only do half (30 minutes) of what they are capable of doing in an hour and every time I do this work-out, I hurt so bad the next day.  I think my body is not prepared to do this type of exercise yet but so far I actually like the whole work-out moves and no, I didn't regret paying $150 for it.  One of these days when I am ready to do this work-out, I will do it regularly in all my power and see if I will ever actually get ripped in just 90 days ;-)

                                     

    13 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

5 Miles


I alternate walking and running for 5 miles today and it took me  an hour and 18 minutes to finish it. That's 15 minute per mile yet I was having hard time finishing it but it felt good afterwards.  I know it's going to get easy as I do the run regularly.

                                     

    12 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Goal for 2010: Learn to Swim


Yes, I am signed up at Brooks YMCA and is scheduled to do my first swimming lesson on July 3.  DH Tony has been trying to teach me how to swim for 11 years now and he has given up on teaching me. I can't even float on the water because I get so nervous and sunk as soon as I lost touch of his hand... so he decided to sign me up for private one on one swimming lessons at YMCA hoping I could  learn it from the pro. The truth is I don't really know if I ever learn how to swim. I sure do feel like a hopeless case already because of terrifying experiences on the beach and the pool when I was younger; I nearly got drowned and was traumatized by that horrible experience but I sure will try my very best to learn this time because I am SO desperate to swim with dolphins plus joining the Triathlon is also in my bucket list ;-)

The package deal for my one-on-one swimming lesson is by 4 sessions; 45 minute/session for $175 for non-member and $100 for member. I am signed up for 4 sessions and go from there. The main thing for me is to learn how to float on the water by myself without any floating device and be able to swim without any fear then DH Tony promised to teach me to learn the other stroke mechanics afterwards…we’ll see. I am also toying the idea of doing Triathlon in the near future but for now I have to learn and master the art swimming first. My goal is to be able to at least swim before the end of this year

Now, I get a little excited because to my surprise, my DH Tony also signed up for YMCA gym membership. I really didn’t expect him to join the gym but I guess when he saw all the gym amenities at Brooks YMCA he’s hooked!! I mean they have indoor swimming pool, therapy pool, Jacuzzis, dry & wet sauna, basketball court and it is huge two story gym with all kinds of exercise machines. I love their high-tech treadmill with built-in TV and other kinds of bells and whistles. I also like the line up of their group classes 7 days a week from 5:00AM to 8PM and the best thing about it is we can go and work out to any YMCA gym locations. The membership for both of us with no contract is $94/month and $100 one time sign up registration fee.

Can't wait to work-out with DH on the weekend :-)

 

                                     

    9 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA   

                                     

Back to Square One Again

I have been slacking off for the last three months because of my high intolerance to pollen so now I feel like a beginner runner again as I had a hard time completing the 3 mile run the other day.  Hard to believe I weigh 122.5 lbs over a year ago when I started running and to think I was just 110 lbs three months ago; then when I came back from out of town road trip for six days with my 2 girlfriends, I was literally tipping the scale at nearly 120 lbs! <Sigh>   I should know better… but I think I know what I am going to do from now on. I will have to register and run for the race at least twice a year to keep the momentum going...

Now it's time to lace up the shoes again and hit the road consistently...

 

 

 

                                     

    1 June 2010 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA        

                                

Training for Half Marathon Begins

Running for Half Marathon before the end of this year is my next goal.