Breathe, Keep Calm & Swim On

That's the mantra on repeat in my head. 

After a week off from swimming, getting in the pool last night was absolutely necessary but also terrifying. I decided to try simulating open water swim conditions. 400M, nonstop without warmup (other than dynamic arm stretches), no walls and sighting drills throughout. Ugh. It was like swimming for the first time. Again. I've said this before, swimming is not like riding a bike at all. 

My breathing pattern was off. No, it was nonexistent. I guess my imagination took the best of me as I was visualizing race day conditions...

1- can't see the bottom, my goggles got foggy and I didn't allow myself a break to fix them...

2- getting to the length end & awkwardly turning sans touching the wall and starting again was draining. I worried about fatiguing in the lake. Which led to eradic breathing and caused me to flip on my back to catch my breath. 

3- The start & stop also broke any kind of rhythm I was even close to attaining which I figured would be much like getting smacked in the head. 

A fantastic training swim, don't cha think? :/

It was the longest 11 minutes ever. And then, I took a break and did it again! It wasn't easier because now I was tired. Swimming for your life has away of sucking the energy out of you, I suppose. It took an extra minute too. 

I really just wanted OUT of the pool by then but I had to get past this craziness. I did another 400 of drills (100k, 150p, 150fs DPS).  Good grief, so much better. And then, I did another 400 straight, with wall and was AMAZED at how fluid my breathing was. WTF? I could have swam forever. Ugh. So frustrating!

In any event, I realize that practice is the only thing that will help me, plus the actual experience of DOING IT. 

I've been repeating this mantra to myself all morning every time the race pops into my head. And then, I get an email from a buddy who just finished Ironman St George, Utah last weekend. He sent some inspirational finisher videos and had this to say about my OWS qualms:

"HI Val!  I hope you will watch the “recap video” below!  It’s soo inspiring and you can see the amazing scenery at Ironman St. George.  It was totally amazing!!!  Maybe you’ll be inspired too and I’ll see ya there next year!  Ha! Man, I LOVED that course!  Soo beautiful.  I found myself just looking around soo much during the race!  Wow.  I'll be back for more next year. 

OMG!  Open water swimming is a different world.  EVERYONE feels just like you do the 1st couple times! EVERYONE!  If you have to float on your back for a bit fine!  If you have to do breast stroke for a while fine.  Who cares!  Just get there early and do a practice swim to calm yourself.  And if someone pisses you off in the swim (likes kicks you in the face!)  just pull their feet REALLY hard. Ha!

I'm Sooo excited for your VAL!!!  You goo!  I can't wait to hear about it!!!"

That coupled with all the articles I've read on the subject since my swim makes me 

feel slightly better. But not sure I'll be joining him so soon. Baby steps. :)

Stay tuned!!

Valerie

I can breathe! - Diary update of a swim newbie Part 3

I just couldn't wait until post baby.  I couldn't.  I have conquered the fear of standing on my hands and on my head and I could tell you a horrific story of conquering one of my greatest fears (roaches), but I'll spare you the Creep Show-esqueness of that story. I probably just really dated myself by even mentioning that movie, didn't I?  Anyway, my most recent (and my husband would say, ridiculous) fear has been traversing the pool sans snorkel.  I guess I've built it up SO much and used the darn thing as a crutch during the pregnancy that the idea of not having it started becoming...well, scary.

Last night, I went to the pool and did a swim workout that I modified from one I found on the web.  I wanted to focus on my legs so I figured a kick workout would cover it.  It looked like this:

Swim Workout #15

Category: Intermediate

Workout Goal:Improve kicks and timing

Total Distance:1800 yards

·         400 yards freestyle warmup 

(choice of strokes)

·         200 yards crawl alternating lengths of pull and kick

(on the first 25 pull only, on the second 25 kick only, repeat -- do not use a kick board)

·         4 x 100 yards flutter kick arounds

(one length each of kicking on stomach, left side, right side and back -- ok to use kick board)

·         4 x 50 yards crawl, resting :15 between

(count 3 kicks per arm stroke)

·         2 x 100 yards IM kick only

(with or without kickboard)

·         400 yards freestyle warmdown

(swim choice of strokes slowly)

Notes:

 On the 200 yards alternating pull and kicks, do not usse a kickboard. Instead hook your thumbs together and hold them out in front of you wilth face in the water. Lift face out of the water to breath as needed.

This workout is a total of 1800 yards and 700 of those yards are kicking. With the exception of the IM kick drill, it is ok to use swim fins if you like. Swim fins can help to strengthen your leg muscles by adding resistance and making your muscles work harder. You do not have to use swim fins though and the swim drills are sequenced so that you alternate some swimming with kicking.

I modified it by changing the warm up to 600M at 200/200/200 EZ/Kick/Pull. I also swam the first 200 kick drills with my head down in the water working on bilateral breathing (because one day I'll need that!). The unexpected and completely unplanned thing I did was that at cool down...I ditched the snorkel!! I should be using all CAPS for that! (Considering how I mentioned it here and here) I figured I would just swim an EZ 200 but I hung there by the side of the pool, I thought...what the heck. Let's tear this thing off and see how it feels. I have been working on breathing intervals the last couple of weeks and I just did the whole bilateral thing so I just figured I'd work off of that. Aaaand it also helps that there weren't many people at the pool.

The first 25 were horrific. I barely made it to end of the pool without gasping or swallowing water. The second 25 were a little better but my breathing was hurried and my timing was off. By the time I got to the end of the pool, I was just pissed off at myself. I was way over thinking this thing.

So I went again. This time I used the same pattern as with the snorkel...one big breath in, hold, 3 arm strokes, blow all the air out and THEN go out for a big breath. Shaky at first but I got the hang of it. The next 25 I started alternating sides to which I would take a breath. It required a lot of mechanical thought which I am guessing was nerve induced and because that first 50 was a mess, I was worn out.

I decided to call it a day...a successful day at that!

So the lesson here I guess is: Don't wait until tomorrow, er, I mean, until after you're cleared to exercise POST-baby to do what you can do today, at 31 1/2 weeks pregnant. Anxiety levels about this have started to diminish which means that I will keep working on that every week until the baby comes so that when I do come back...I can put it in total beast mode. Lol!

Happy Friday all and get out there and stay active!

~V

Week 29 update from all angles

Looking back at this week from memory, I would say "wow, 3rd trimester got the best of me and I didn't do a whole lot".  By looking at my notepad entry of workouts, however, I'd say I did TOO much!  Why on earth I felt like I was a slacker is beyond me but I am thinking it has something to do with the way I felt physically at the end of the week or better yet, at exactly the time I was thinking back (presently in week 30, that is).

I had a strong week of workouts and I even did a better job of eating fairly balanced meals including morning smoothies with all the power punch ingredients I've never really tried before...coconut oil, kale, chia seeds and a host of different fruits.

I ran out of gas by the end of the week which really skewed my perspective.  But by the looks of things, with good reason...I wore myself out! 

Here's the wrap up:

Monday - 1700M Masters Swim

wu 200 free

wu 200 kick

wu 200 pull

wu 200 1 arm drill

WO 200 5 stroke breath int

WO 100 3 stroke breath int

WO 50 5 stroke breath int

WO 100 easy breast

WO 200 5 stroke breath int

WO 100 3 stroke breath int

WO 50 5 stroke breath int

cd 100 easy free

Day 15 yoga ToeKillerAsana

Practice Day 16 (argh) of Yogangsters challenge (Bhujipadasana)

Tuesday - Travelling daddy = fulltime mama duty after work and welcomed physical rest & no complaints. :)

Wednesday - Pulled a double hedging the ominous rain storms...Lunchtime Aerial Tone (so tough after a couple of weeks off) and made it to MasterSwim to find out it was cancelled but I pulled out a saved workout and made my own 1600M swim plan. :)

w/u same as above total 800M

WO 200 br

3x 50k50p100fast (My son came with me and timed these...made it go by even faster and got a heck of a workout...phew!)

Day 17 (easy leaning tree thankfully) & another try at 16 (ugh! probably not the best to try this after Aerial AND swim...my wrists, arms and quads were toast.)

Thursday - Total recovery day...even went to sleep before midnight!

Friday - Rested for the most part but couldn't help but spend some timecatching up on Yoga Challenge poses Days 18 19 & 20 (High Lunge w Eagle Arms, Prasarita (which I ended up redoing) and the awkard Archer Pose, respectively)

Saturday - Decided to venture out for a "walk" which of course, less than half mile in, turns into a 3.5 run.  I ran to the neighborhood park since this was a "trial" run because 1- it was hot and the park offers partial shade and a water fountain 2- it has a nice new padded track and 3- it's near by so I can easily walk back home if I felt too tired.  I redid Yoga day 19 while there and it turned out to be a nice stretch.

Double perspective with the #Dblcam App

All in all, I felt great during the actual run.  I came home to cool down and rest and realized that the run completely wiped me out.  I felt pretty worthless the rest of the day.  So much so that I was dreading a party later that evening because I didn't know if I could handle wearing my cowboy boots and standing/dancing for an extended period of time.  I wanted nothing more than to just LAY.

I managed a short nap and recovered fairly well...enough to boot scoot with my honey and have a great time...(I did reserve a stool to keep me off my feet as long as possible, though)

Sunday - I was going to pass on the day 21 (Koundinyasana II Variation) challenge because it looked too difficult and because I was both sore and tired.  I downloaded a book, which I haven't done in well over a year and had full intention of reading on the couch and veging out all evening.

My daughter on the other hand, was working on her pose when her dad decided to give it a try.  They took photos of each other and I kept hearing "oh, I can do better, let me try it again"...I found this amusing and it made me quite happy to see them doing this together.  I couldn't let this all go down without at least giving it a try.  Ugh.  It was so hard.  I tried one way and then another and when I finally felt something "click" I knew I could do it in some modified way.  My biggest issue with this pose (aside the fact that I have a baby in me and an additional 25 pounds to contend with) was my wrists.  Oh my goodness, I guess I am in the stage of the pregnancy where are all your joints loosen up and open up because they just plain hurt trying to hold my body up.

I finally got into position but getting that leg up and keeping it there was quite the challenge.  I broke a sweat and I can honestly say that I am still sore from this excerise.  My husband and kid continued with their antics and even started doing some acroyoga moves.  I was terrified but they were both having so much fun.  I honestly can't believe my eyes sometimes to see my husband participating in these things.  It makes me happy, happy, happy. :)

Two photographers = 2 angles...ha!  A face plant or two *may* have occured during this process.

I'm hoping to crack that ebook open during week 30 when I really DO slack off! ...unless I am convinced otherwise.

Happy hump day!

~V

Swim lingo decoder: diary of a newbie Part 2

You can't teach an old dog new tricks they say.  Learning how to read a swim workout is a new trick I wasn't prepared for.  I thought swimming involved nothing more than a large body of water, arms and legs moving simultaneously and breathing. In some sort of coordinated effort. Oh what a simpleton I was to think that!

Once I figured out how to work on that coordination, which by the way I am happily improving on with every Masters class I attend, I realized that there is a shorthand of terms that are thrown about haphazardly around the pool.  I never noticed before because I was busy with the basics or perhaps I was thinking that was a "pro" language that surely I would never have to learn.  I was wrong.

Whenever a coach can't make practice, the weather is bad (it's cold) or if there is a long holiday break when no classes are being held, it is customary to get an emailed workout from the coach.  My first email back when I was pregnant with #3 in 2011, looked like this:

I did not follow this workout. Obvs!  My eyes crossed a little and I gave up on trying to translate this into English.  I just went up to the pool and swam mundanely back and forth, trying ever so hard to not lose count of how many laps I'd put in (was that 19 or 21? Ugh!).  This particular coach is not very consistent with how she writes her workouts up because the next one looked like this:

Oh my goodness.  Whaaat??? I could decipher about a 3rd of that message (and reading it now, there are still things that I don't know!)  So, I passed but going to the pool again and just counting 1, 2, 18, 32, 47 can get REALLY boring.  I started looking into buying a waterproof mp3 player to help pass the time and after a few web searches I instead decided to put that effort into LEARNING what the heck all that mumbo jumbo meant.

So here is a swimmer's lingo translator for beginners.  FOR BEGINNERS.  Which I am still.  I am sure there are bunch of other terms and shorthand that I am completely unaware of and I'll be sure to include that in the Intermediate or Advanced installment of this post (if I ever get there).

First and foremost...laps or lengths?  I thought a lap was point A to B. WRONG.  THAT is a length. Point A to B and BACK to A is a lap.  So...if you swim 20 laps, you have gone the LENGTH of the pool 40 times.

Pool distance.  That's another doozy beginner's are unaware of.  How long is the length of pool you are swimming in?  Most people have no clue but in my case, the club owner and the swim director are always willing to stop by and chat and they for sure knew the answer when I asked.  The majority of lap pools are 25 yards or 25 meters.  Bigger fitness facilities or aquatic centers will have a 50M or Olympic sized pools.

So, in a 25M pool, if you swim a "100" you've gone 2 laps or 4 lengths of the pool.  Easy peazy, right?

100M = 2laps = 4lengths

To expand on that for the sake of relativity:

1 mile = 1609.34 meters = 32.19 laps = 64.37 lengths
.5 mile = 804.67 meter = 16.09 laps = 32.19 lengths

Sprint Triathlon - usually .5 mile or 750M (but can be shorter (200-500) & sometimes referred to as a "Super Sprint")
Olympic Triathlon - .93 miles
Half Ironman (IM) - 1.2 miles
Full IM - 2.4 miles (!!!!!)

Easy to see how counting back and forth can be a chore, not to mention incredibly easy to lose track.  In my case, I end up swimming "extra" just in case so I don't short change my work out.  And that's just crazy talk.

Usually a swim workout is structured like any other workout, start with a warm up, have a main work out and then a cool down to wrap it up.  My warm up has consistently looked like this:

200 easy free
200 pull
200 kick
200 1 arm free

That's a half mile warm up right there.  In my past life, I would just call it a day right then! But in layman's terms, this is what that means:

Free - Freestyle swimming or the "Front Crawl"
Pull - Using a pull buoy between your legs so only your arms are activated during your swim.
Kick - Using a kick board so your arms rest and your legs do all the work.
1 arm - I am sure there is a more technical name for this but it basically means swimming freestyle using the right arm only going up one length and only the left coming back.
Easy - or "EZ" not necessarily slow, but a good time to be aware of form.

The main workout can be configured in many different ways to either focus on speed, form, breathing, etc.  I really like that there is a format because the monotony goes away and before you know it, you've swam at least a good mile and probably more in an hour's long class.

What I didn't know until last week that I know now is the "3,5,7 breathing" talk going on in that second email up there.  Since I started drafting this post, I had a workout that consisted of something just like it.  It's a breathing interval workout where (as in the above example) you'd swim 200 (4 laps) using a Pull Buoy (arms only) and every 50 within that (1 lap) you alter breathing patterns by taking a breath every 3 arm strokes, then every 5 strokes for the next 50 and so on. 

As someone (a 29 week pregnant lady) that needs every bit of air they can in a workout, my intervals were more like 3,4,5,4,3 and when things got tough at 5, I'd ratchet down.  The rest of my class this week was going up to 8 I think.  (Also while my workouts tap out at about 1800M theirs usually go to anywhere between 2000-2400M).

Sometimes the workout will say "drill" which means you can choose what drill to use during that particular part of the work out.  I have not been exposed to a whole lot of drills but since you're out here on the internet, you know there is a plethora of information out here with ideas.  I did a quick search a found a few places that have more useful information including drill and full blown workouts...check them out!

http://100swimmingworkouts.com/
http://beta.active.com/swimming/Articles/Swimming-Workouts
http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/premium/swimming_technique/2009b.asp
http://www.ironman.com/triathlon-news/articles/2013/06/ironman-101-swim-workouts.aspx#axzz2ZQm8KaAc

This is all just scratches the surface of what all you can do during a swim workout.  It's always nice to have a class to join for the comraderie, motivation and extra push but if you can't and do have access to a pool, there's no reason to make it a fruitful and fun workout.  In addition to the pull buoy, kickboard, swim cap and goggles in your bag (and the snorkel I mentioned here), you can also add some extra gear to make things a little more interesting.   Paddles, flippers, ankle weights and gloves can all work on conditioning and technique...you'll just need a bigger bag! And don't get me started on the gadgets...mp3 players, lap counters, stop watches and watches that track everything from heartrate to distance, pace, splits, stroke rate, etc.  

Photo credit: http://brendanrake.me/2013/02/

For me, I'm keeping it simple and just trying to keep up with the Master Swimmers by doing as much of the workout as possible while still feeling comfortable and not over doing it.  I'd love to swim all the way through the end of the pregnancy and get started back up post baby as soon as I am able. My coach, who has been very encouraging and who called me a "hero" this week, has already been alerted that my goal post baby is to come back ready to ditch the snorkel and kick it in to high gear.  We will do just that and then watch out! Ha!

27 weeks and SUP we go!

Nearing the end of the 2nd trimester and there's no denying, I'm feeling pregnant now.  The energy to get up and GO is not quite as abundant, however, I feel that more so when I am sitting for extended periods or with idle time.  It seems more difficult to get up and go DO something when I'm sedentary but once I'm "doing", I feel fantastic!  If I can only figure out that happy medium so that I don't have these wild swings from one end to another. :/

I did manage to keep a little active during the holiday break however, even trying out new fun things that the whole family could enjoy!  I've been wanting to try "SUP" (Stand Up Paddleboarding) for a couple of years now and was determined to get it in this year. Specifically, I wanted to try SUP Yoga - where you take a yoga class while on the board.  I figured I have to crawl before I walk so getting on the board first would be a big accomplishment.  Finding a place that offers this type of class may be a little more challenging but at the very least, I could attempt balancing into some poses (just to see if I could do it) if I can get myself on a board.

Two failed attempts over Spring Break and our early Summer vacation was making feel like it was just not meant to be (too windy or cold).  I knew the 4 day weekend would lend itself to give it another go but I also knew that it would require buy-in from the family (i.e. the other half).  Luckily, my other half is in tune with what I'm thinking and SO sweet and thoughtful that he kept this in the back of his mind and decided to surprise us (really, me) with a getaway to do just that...SUP! YIPPEE!!!  He did all the research on where we should go and even had a game plan (wha-what?)

I was pretty ecstatic particularly because I've been really yearning to be near the water.  Maybe it's the Florida beach girl in me that just equates summer with water fun.  Unfortunately, the beaches around here are...well, let's just say that they leave much to be desired (compared to what I know).  We do, however, have plenty of lakes.  Finding one that offers SUP rentals are few and far between though. We went to Austin where they are making a big splash with trying to get the word out about SUP, pun intended.  And when I say splash, I mean that at SUPATX , they have the largest paddle board fleet in the world!  They have all the boards and they have Canoes and single, double and triple kayaks too!

It was a trial run for us so we had a few boards and a triple kayak that we could switch off into and put the baby on that had a bit more stability (although she really liked being on the board too!) I really thought that I would have some serious balance issues and would end up falling off a bunch but I am happy to report that I never fell!  You basically start paddling slowly on your knees, find your balance and step up to standing with a wide stance and ta-da you are SUPping!  It's a bit of a slow movement but a great arm workout to get you going across the lake.  We pulled over and played in the water for a while.  The kids battled each other off the boards a la American Gladiator style and the baby eagerly jumped off the kayak to get in on part of the action too.  The water was very refreshing and cool on a hot and sunny Texas day and I honestly did not want to go back.  I could have stayed there all day.

My water camera is awful.  I can't believe the resolution is so bad on something we paid so much for. :( 

We managed to get our yoga challenge poses in for the day too (two checks off my wants list!) but before we could get more fun pictures, we realized the wind had drifted us downstream and we had a LONG way to get back. With a HEAD wind!  This is where the workout came in to play, big time.  Kayaking back with the baby was a breeze but keeping track of three very playful kids on their SUPs was a little more difficult.  The current was pushing them back so we were running interference to get them moving in the right direction.   I swapped out and paddle boarded all the way back and by the time we were done by shoulders were burning (oooh, so good!). :)

All in all, a great time was had by all and the next morning I heard "let's do that again!".  So now, I am searching for a lake that is in closer proximity so that we can make this a common weekend excursion throughout the summer.  I highly recommend giving this a try.  I, for one, cannot wait to do it again!

Ah, yes let's not forget our 27 week wrap up (via iphone screen shots):

That pretty much wraps up the second trimester (already?!).  I am really curious to see what the next trimester brings and how active I can stay.  Stay tuned! :)

~V

Playing catch up on week 22

As promised, I took my transition week and made sure to get back on the wagon. More changes are coming up next week which will put the program on a "see how it goes" basis. I managed to kick the week off strong by getting a workout in on a holiday. No easy feat I assure you, but so well worth it. Here's a snapshot of how my week went: Monday - Memorial Day! A full day at the club...bowling, dodgeball, pool fun in the sun, hanging out with friends and then...my desperate plea..."can ya'll keep watch of the baby while I go swim?" Ooooh, what a party pooper mom I was! Haha. I managed a decent 1250M with only 2 interruptions of "how many more laps mom?...we are ready to go" D'oh! Talk about turning an already difficult swim into a sprint. Rush, rush, rush. Tuesday - A free day? What to do? Oh, not one to sit idle, I ran errands, had lunch with family, got some pampering mani/pedi time and then...I loaded up Blu and went out for a ride. How could I not?! It was such a fantastic opportunity! I went a little over 22 miles in honor of baby boy V and his 22 weeks of baking. It was a great ride and half way through I got caught in a rain shower that was absolutely exhilarating and refreshing! After such a great ride, I was ready to sit back and watch my 5th grader perform in the year end program. Wednesday - Another free day with more TexMex serving up at lunch so I thought I'd head out for a run in the morning. It was a tough one. I procrastinated and got about 4 loads of laundry done before heading out (I must have known how hard it was going to be). It was hot and humid and after such a long break since my last run, it was just hard to catch my breath. None the less, I got over 5 miles in...followed by chips n salsa, and a fajita taco and barely enough energy for my nephew's graduation and dinner. Pooped is an understatement for hump day. Thursday - My "baby" girl turned 11!! Another fantastic "free day" complete with a hair cut (lost about 5 lbs of hair!) and lunch at school with both my girl, my boy AND my hubby! A family affair over Subway and cake pops can't be beat. An early dinner at the restaurant of baby girl's choice meant no Aerial class. :( (two weeks without and I'm having some serious withdrawals) Friday - Volunteering for the 5th grade class at their graduating event should be workout enough right? A fun filled day at the University of Houston Recreation Center proved exhausting but I managed to get the kids to the club after school for some fun in the sun and with the intent that I could squeeze in another swim. A swim meet at the lap pool and live music and drinks at the adult pool kept me from my workout and I'm actually ok with it. I didn't leave the club feeling guilty or mad even that I didn't make it work somehow but rather...relaxed. It's pure joy to just sit and watch the kids play in the pool. Having the hubby and baby join later was icing. That kid is a water baby, I think. She dives in, holding her breath in anticipation of the cool water that will come over her head. She comes out with with her big eyes drenched and long lashes flattened against her face. I'm thinking she will be a challenge this summer since she appears to be fearless. I'll have to try to capture this on video or pictures, it is just too cute. Saturday - Off - too many errands to break away for a long workout but did start 2 different 30 day challenges. The first is an Ab challenge that a big group of friends are all doing. It starts off easy enough but the coming weeks look...well, let's just say that I may pull the "I'm pregnant" card and modify it. ;) The other is a Yoga challenge on Instagram. My daughter and I follow a group of yogi's on IG that have a monthly challenge with different poses. We attempt them from time to time but we've never tried doing (and photographing) every single day. We'll see just how far we get (it'll depend on how complex and crazy some of the poses are!) Sunday - Swimming was in sight as well as a family bike ride but more errands to run before a hectic week left me thinking that the Ab and Yoga challenge were all I was going to get in. It was late in the day when a window opened up and I laced up for a quick neighborhood run. I ran 3.5 miles and honestly, I was dreading it because the run earlier in the week was awful...the heat, humidity and the allergies I'm fighting make it so difficult to breathe that I just want to STOP. This is usually ok except it makes a quick run into a looooong drawn out one. Thankfully, this one went a whole lot better but it was still both hot and humid (and shorter too). All in all, I lost a little steam mid week but I think closing it off with a run makes me feel *a little* better. It's a big week around the household complete with new jobs, travel, graduation and the last week of school. I'm not sure how the workouts will pan out but I've got my fingers crossed that I can get creative enough to make something happen. At the very least, I have those 30 day challenges that will keep me honest and on my toes. Until next week, ~V

Ooooh, we're halfway there...

20 weeks!

I wish I could say I really knocked out the workouts this week but really what I did was work crazy hours.  I'm not all thrilled about pulling 70 hours this week, especially in a chair.  Every time I stand up I feel a delicate balance between pulling my back out and being perfectly okay.  It takes a few gingerly taken steps to get into a "normal" stride.  Until that is, the next time I have to stand up.  I fear that one of those times will be the one where a loud "OW!!!" will come from my office.

That's my only complaint.  Not bad, I'd say. So with that, here's the 20 week wrap up:

Monday - Yoga at lunch. So glad they moved the day, otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to do it at all.

Tuesday - Long work hours.

Wednesday - Long work hours.

Thursday - Broke out of the office with just enough time for Aerial Tone! SOOOOO happy about it! (it's not lost on me that I just a jail reference, btw)  Anywho...our teacher, Lori, switched up the curriculum and it was an intense workout!  We did a series of one legged and varied plies and releves (ballet moves consisting of squatting and lifting at the toe) that had my feet screaming.  Those tiny little muscles that help you balance in your feet and toes were getting a beating like they've never experienced before.  Two days later my feet felt fine but I felt I had baseballs for calves.  (Honestly they still feel a little tight).  We also did a fantastic conditioning move for that muscle that runs directly over the spine, by balancing in air with the fabric wrapped around the hip.  I need to keep practicing getting in and out of this move as it take fancy footwork to wrap your body in the fabric and then flip upside down so that you are in an airplane type position (hovering parallel to the ground, face down).  The object is to let go of the fabric (which you hold like you would a swing) and put your arms out, like an airplane and arch your back as far as you can.  Here's the best picture I could find of it (the fabric is wrapped around the waist here whereas our hammock, once flipped was in the lower hip area, whereby requiring a more drastic arch to balance) From Aerial_Wiki:

Friday - more work...

Saturday - Summer has officially arrived with temps in the high 90s.  Took a break from work and headed to the pool with the family.  After splashing around and relaxing for awhile, I decided to get my work in.  1250M complete which seemed harder than it had been all these previous weeks.  I'm guessing the sun took a toll on me and wore me down.  Nonetheless, it's done!  Here's a cool pic my daughter took with my iPhone.

1250M swim at 20 weeks

(side story...my phone was in a LifeProof when this and other pictures/videos were taken...everything seemed fine until morning when Siri just started having conversations with herself.  After a few hours of listening to her nonsense and realizing my home button was defunct...well, long story short, I have an iPhone 5. And just like any other rattling sound in a car when it goes to the mechanic, the original phone works perfectly fine AFTER the purchase was made while STILL. AT. APPLE.  Same daughter has already claimed possession of the "damaged" phone.  Sigh.)

Sunday - work, work and more work.

So you see, I'm not exactly thrilled with my exercise accomplishments this week, however, I did get a few other things done that I am pretty excited about (and I don't mean the phone upgrade either - but thanks to my honey for treating me to it!).

20 weeks down, 20(ish) to go!  Here's to a productive and fit week 21...wish me luck!

~V

Tomatoe, Tomato 19 weeks, that's a wrap-o!

Goofy, I know.  I sign up for weekly pregnancy newsletters and I always find it kind of funny how they relate the size of your baby to a fruit or vegetable.  During my last pregnancy, I got the crazy idea of taking self portraits of my baby bump progress along with said fruit/veggie.  Some turned out cute, some were a total reach but when it became stressful to try to accomplish this EVERY week...I gave up.  The frustration to find that special produce item that sometimes was not in season that if you did happen to find, would go bad if you bought too early was unnerving.  I should also mention what anyone that has ever attempted at GOOD self portraits already know...they are a total pain the rear.  Being your own art director, set designer, and being on both sides of the camera is a challenge especially when you move out of position to see how the last shot turned out.  Thinking about it makes me break a sweat (or reminds me of the hot days when I was shooting in the sun outdoors!) It was easy to give up too, since my bump really never made a significant appearance until the end the pregnancy.  Honestly, it was pissing people off to see how small I was when I was that far along (it's not my fault, people!).

In any event, it's week 19 aka Heirloom Tomato(e) workout wrap up time....

Monday - 4 mile run after work...passed on Aerial Tone (I was in the 5 day zone, more here)

Tuesday - Parenting solo on a hectic work/school/special event type day.  OFF!

Wednesday - Didn't pass on Tone...just could not get there. Frustratingly off. :(

Thursday - Double duty...Lunchtime Yoga (discovered that side crow is way easier than frontal crow...although I did accomplish it) & evening Aerial Tone (hallelujah!!)  I have never been so grateful for my kid's persistence. Another great workout here and a reminder that if I stick with ONLY once a week, I'll sorely pay for it...pun intended.  I really love this class and watching all the other classes that take place along side (Lyra, Aerial Fabric, Trapeze) is really motivation to get flexible and strong so that I can participate in those post-baby.

Inverted Duo

Friday - Off

Saturday -  Never got around to doing any exercise but did catch the Spring Show at Vault/GyrotonicHouston.  They did demonstrations of what each class entails starting with the kids level.  My kids were in total awe (and I KNOW they could totally do it too).  They followed the demonstrations with a recital of sorts performed by the teachers and even some students.  It was eye opening to know that the majority of those performing were not gymnasts, dancers or aerialists by trade but rather, doctors, lawyers, marketing executives and such.  So inspirational and motivational to know that I amongst them and working towards achieving those levels of performance.  Their next show is in December and we already know that the very least, my daughter wants a piece of that action.  I'm not sure what condition I will be in physically by then, but the idea of a mother/daughter demonstration is pretty darn cool if you ask me.  We'll just have to wait and see how the cards fall between now and then.

Sunday - Mother's Day!  I didn't have the heart to push and let my family know that I really wanted to get my swim in or that..."hey guys, it's beautiful outside, let's go for a ride!" because well...eyes would be rolling. I know it.  Instead we just played the day by ear and got a great breakfast together, shopping and some good fun family time with cousins that included a pretty exciting kickball game.  I will call it an official holiday rest day. :)

So, only 3 workouts in this week but some pretty great family time and other exciting things happening that filled up the week and made it a great one.

Off to week 20...the halfway point where we go...bananas?

~V

Poof, there goes week 18!

Just like that, another week has gone by and I am beginning to finally see a bump and also...FEEL pregnant.  Just last night, I jumped out of bed to check on the baby and whoa, Nelly!  My hip popped and my legs felt like they weren't attached to the rest of me.  I needed a few steps to um...wobble into a normal stride. Oh boy.

Nonetheless, I will continue to keep my fitness levels in check but most importantly, read the signs of my body and know when to pull back and take it easy.  Here is the run down on how last week went:

Mon - I had an early doctor's appt so I had to pass on Aerial class so I went for a 5 mile run after work.  For the 1st 5k of it, I ran with my son and pushed the baby in the jogging stroller.  I found a nice perk to this is that we could take turns  pushing the baby and he now has a new found respect for his mama...that thing hinders speed FOR SURE.  (Hence why he only hung for the first 3 miles...he was pooped!)

Last Monday, at 18wks2days, baby bump still in hiding...

Tues - off

Wed - Aerial Tone at lunch...I had the instructor all to myself so she was able to do extra modified moves just for me...like a private lesson! Sweet!

Thurs - I did double duty here...Lunchtime Yoga at work (I was the only one in class that was able to do the "Side Crow"...on both sides!! Yay!!)  and then Aerial  Tone in the evening.  My daughter's first words when I got home from work were "are we going tonight?!"...she pumped her brother up about it and really, I had no choice.  I was a little nervous about bringing them both and having them be a distraction but ironically enough, the threat of NEVER, EVER coming back there if so much I heard a peep from them kept them on their best behavior for a solid hour.  I couldn't help but enjoy the play time and monkey swinging free time at the end of the session with them.  Honestly, although my body was pooped, the time I spent with them is absolutely priceless.  ...my sister thinks I am the coolest mom ever and by the way my kids have told all their friends, I'm thinking they do too. :)

My favorite pigeon pose on the top right and some fun moves at the end of class with the kiddos (while I can)...I spy itty bitty baby bump! :)

Fri - off

Sat - off and the 1st time I felt HUGE.  My jeans felt tight and my hubby grinned all day about how my belly bump was protruding. We were supposed to go on a family bike ride (the weather was AMAZING) but our errands consumed the day and before we knew it, it was time for IRONMAN 3!  Fun!

Sun - Another gorgeous day and I was feeling antsy that we wouldn't get out there again because of a soccer game right smack in the middle of the day.  Getting 5 people in sync for a bike ride outside the neighborhood takes some juggling and when the baby fell asleep for a nap, I thought my outdoor activities were doomed for  the day. Luckily, my awesome husband stepped up and offered me a golden ticket..."you go, enjoy it, I don't want you to feel bad" I was hesitant and guilt started to wash over me but when he said "you better go before you run out of time!" I quickly packed up my gear and headed out.

I took Blu (my beloved road bike) out for a gorgeous ride from the club onto the trail and ran into a couple of friends that are training for a long ride next weekend.  They were on their way back and had already logged in 42 miles! ...I decided that at 8 miles, it was as good time as ever to turn back and ride with them for a bit.  I totaled 14 miles back to the club and quickly changed into my swim gear and worked on my laps.

Those first 10-15 laps are the hardest.  The water is cold, my body was cold and I was just plain 'ol tired.  But once I got warmed up, the laps came easier and easier.  I was shooting low because of the bike ride but managed to keep it at 50 for a 1250m swim.

My friend and I upon meeting on the Terry Hershey Trail. (I need a new helmet) 

Not bad for a prego mama, huh? Hopefully, I can keep it going!

Week 17 Work out Wrap Up

It was a hectic Monday and I didn't get around to posting my 17 week wrap up.  This week was the first of, I'm sure, many to come where I have to improvise for changes in the schedule. Without further ado, here goes:

Monday - Lunchtime Aerial Tone class
Tuesday - I'll call it "Twowheel Tuesday"...a fun family bike ride (a little over an hour)
Wednesday - off (couldn't make it to Aerial Tone) :(
Thursday - missed Yoga at lunch but caught Aerial Tone with kiddo at night see here
Friday- off
Saturday- off
Sunday- 60 laps in the adult pool at club (25yd)

So you see, I missed two scheduled classes but managed to pick up an evening class and conveniently labeled the family bike ride a workout because...we could have all been on the couch watching tv, right?!  I knew it was a good workout when my kids start getting tired and complaining that their legs are sore.  Ha!  Plus, riding the mountain bike takes that much more effort than my road bike.  That thing is heavy!

I love this DoubleCam app! Takes a simultaneous pic from both front and back cameras of the iPhone.
Here I am following my little ducks (baby duck is in a seat in front of dad)

The weekend's plans were altered quite a  bit because of the buckets of rain that fell over Houston and by late afternoon Sunday, I was going stir crazy.  I patiently waited for my daughter to finish a school project and rushed everyone to get ready for the pool before it was too late.  Of course, upon arrival, the disappointing sign "Lap Pool Closed - Sorry for the Inconvenience"  just about brought me to tears. Waaaa! I had all my swim gear but didn't think to pack anything for a gym workout if need be. Bikini circuit training, I'm guessing, is frowned upon. ;)

I quickly dashed over to the adult pool and seeing that it was 1) open and 2) had lines on the bottom of it was enough for me to jump in and give it a go.  At first, I swam 50 laps.  Not knowing what the length of the pool was and not wanting to go *under* what I had done the previous two weeks was driving me a little crazy.  I pulled my portable computer to the ledge of the pool (i..e. iPhone) and looked up the club and it's pool stats.  I quickly learned that it is 25 yards versus the lap pool's measurements of 25 meters. I knew I would be short and when hubby walked by with the baby to check on me, I put him to work to do the math.  I figured an extra 10 laps would more than suffice and sure enough, with his research, I learned that I surpassed what I swam last week! Yay! (I really am that competitive with myself).

1 yard - .9144 meters.
60 x 25 yards = 1,500 yards x .9144 = 1,372 meters
That's 122 meters or almost 5 laps more than last week!

So...now, I KNOW that I can easily add laps without feeling like it's just too much and bonus, I learned that I have a backup pool if necessary.  Win-win! This week, I'll have to shoot for 1,500 meters. (What's another 5 laps, right? Totally doable!)

Hope everyone had a fantastic Monday on off to a great week!

Week 16 Wrap Up

If you want something to happen, you have to make it happen.  "One day" or "next week" has fallen empty on me too many times where I just now know better.  The schedule will ALWAYS be busy and hours in the day will fall short but if you push hard enough, you will find a way to squeeze it in. That is, if you really want it.

I want it.  I need it. And I'm making it happen.  Week 16 has come and gone and my fitness goals were surpassed. Yay!  Here's a wrap up of how the week went:

Monday - Aerial Tone at lunch (adjusting the work schedule on both ends to accommodate)

Tuesday - off

Wednesday - AerialTone at lunch (different instructor, different routine...like!)

Thursday - Lunchtime Yoga (provided by our company, nice fringe benefit)

Friday - Unplanned 4 mile run (with baby in the jogger)

Saturday - off (though there were was plenty of running around going on)

Sunday - 1250m swim (early evening after all kiddo activities were complete)

Closing the week with a swim was not planned either.  We were all tired after a long day of activities but when the sun made a strong appearance, the big kids wanted to play in the pool.  It was painful, but I obliged by taking them to the club while hubby stayed home with the baby (and grocery shopped AND made dinner! Lucky me!).  I didn't pack a magazine or iPad or Nook...but boy, I didn't leave home with my swim bag with all my workout goodies. Clearly, I felt the week needed one last push before I put it to rest.  Also, I feel a whole less guilty coming home to all those chores done from having a workout done than simply lounging around. :)

I hadn't planned on going over the 40 laps I did last week but when I looked at the time and saw how well I was coming along, I topped another 10.  It wasn't too hard considering that every time I stopped, I began to shiver (temps were dropping and the water was warmer than the air out there...hence the goosebumps in the picture!).  

I'm ready to conquer week 17 and I'm wishing you a full, fit and happy week too!