Wednesday Workout

This post is for my sister E. She has recently started exercising and I thought that I would post some of the training that I do as a source for ideas on how to mix things up and keep things interesting.

Yesterday I was put through the following. At all times of course go as hard as you can.

500m cross trainer (level 7)
20 each of jump squats, pushups, situps
500m rowing machine
20 each of jump squats, pushups, situps
400m cross trainer (level 7)
20 each of jump lunges, tricep dips, reverse situps
400m rowing machine
20 each of jump lunges, tricep dips, reverse situps
300m cross trainer (level 7)
20 each of jump squats, jump lunges, pushups, tricep dips, situps, reverse situps
300m rowing machine

We are so proud of you for getting started! Keep it up!

Getting back on the track

I like to exercise but I struggle to keep the momentum going on regular* sessions. When we got back from our honeymoon on the weekend I had not done anything for two weeks, and was feeling flabby and unfit. I have managed to motive myself to run on the last two days.

On Monday I felt slow and unfit and it was a struggle to finish 23 minutes! Yesterday I fared better. I ran my summer circuit in a reasonable time of 35 minutes and my foot feels fine so it is all good!

We have been threatened with hockey preseason timetables so I am expecting the mad exercise to begin in earnest again soon.

* By regular I mean maybe five times a week. I can usually manage once or twice a week but that is not enough!

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Oh no! Not a puncture...

This morning I was all geared up to ride to work. As I made my way down the driveway I heard a noise. It sounded like paper was hitting my spokes. I looked behind me. I looked around. I looked down, and realised that my tyre was pancake status.

Oh dear. So back inside my bike and I went, and a quick change of outfit - no sexy lycra for the bus passengers - and I was out the door again on my trusty feet.

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Bemused

Today was quite a peaceful day for me, doing the laundry, chasing up lost wedding invitations and brushing up on my Jane Austen.

Still, it is difficult to escape that today is the Grand Final of Australia's favourite sport (at least it is here in WA and Victoria and possibly SA) and I was curious to see that the game has ended in a draw.

I would have thought, given the hype and the leadup to the game, that they would have a mechanism for deciding a winner from a drawn game. It seems anticlimactic for the players and the spectators to lob up in a week to try all over again. Okay, the sponsors and the broadcasters might make money out of it, but how do the players and fans maintain their enthusiasm for watching?! What happens if the result is again a draw?

We shall have to see how this week pans out.

Being a hockey player and umpire, extra time is the most obvious solution to me and after that some sort of penalty system or more extra time with reduced numbers of players on the field. Evenutally you have an outcome.

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Winners - one down, two to go

My hockey team came third this season. We played in our semi final tonight and won 2-1! We thought that 7.45pm was a fairly unfriendly time to play a game but we managed to make the most of it. Next week we get to do it all over again, for the chance to play in the grand final. Stay tuned.

Photo is not of my team, but our top team playing a game earlier in the season.

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Dinner with the hockey girls

Second last fixture of the season and I finally managed to get my act together to organise a dinner for my hockey team! Ten of us were able to make it, so not a bad number for a team of eleven plus reserves.

Dinner was at The Windsor Hotel. Coincidentally this is Chad's and my favourite pub and we generally have good food and a good time!

It was great to catch up with the girls socially and it is always fun to see everyone out of uniform and with their hair down. It was an especially good day as we had won our game earlier and we were on a high.

The team... well, most of us!

Kirsty and Dannii

Janelle and AJ

Marie and me

Ellen and Sara

Meg and Molly!

Committed to exercise

Yesterday morning after my regular (weekly!) PT session I signed up for bulk classes. It works out slightly cheaper for me but it also means that I am committed now for 25 sessions! That is, another six months. Woah.

I enjoy the session. I look forward to it on Sunday evenings when I get my clothes and lunch ready. Usually I sleep poorly on Sunday night and when the time comes to wake up and go all I want to do is sleep. By the time that I get started it is good!

I have a one on one personal training session. There is some cardio mixed up with weights and generally my body feels achy for a few days afterwards. Today it was all about arms – I am definitely weak when it comes to the upper body and I use embarrassingly light weights!!

Now I just need to make sure that I motivate myself to pick up the exercise regime again and keep myself going to run and cycle and maintain a level of fitness.

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Getting around on my treadly

I found this article by the ABC very topical, at least for me. I do try to reduce the use of my car where I can, for short trips. If I have the time I walk to the shops to by groceries on a Saturday. Using my bicycle would increase my hunting range however I am reluctant to do so more for security reasons.

I am happy to ride my bike to work as I have a secure area in which to lock my bike, a locker for my gear and more importantly shower facilities! I take lights etc off it just in case, and lock the bike up. My helmet I store in my locker.

I am less comfortable with the thought of riding my bike to the shops, when I am short of time and walking will take too long. There are a few places to chain your bikes but they are quite exposed with pedestrians walking past frequently.

I also thought about riding to my physio appointments. The practice is close to home but in an awkward spot from a public transport point of view. The only place there to tie up my bike would be to the parking signs, and I do not think it would be too difficult to lift a bike up and over the sign if you had the inclination.

So... I think that they do not just have to look at improving paths for cyclist, but also more amenities for chaining your bike up for security purposes, and not just in the City of Perth but surrounding councils too. Oh, and they definitely need to educate Perth drivers!

Frustration

I have been frustrated lately in my efforts to get race ready (!) for the City to Surf. I must have twisted something during the first run that I did, as I was unable to walk without pain for four days.

Three physio appointments, an x-ray, some new shoes and two weeks of rest and I tried to run again. The result - more pain and a visit to the podiatrist. She has done something to my orthotics and fingers crossed I will be able to gradually get back to pounding the pavement.

On the other hand I can still exercise and I have no excuses now for not riding my bike to work!!

Mission accomplished!

Last weekend we went over to Melbourne to watch the Fremantle Dockers beat Carlton at Etihad stadium. It was a bit nerve wracking in the final quarter as the Dockers let their lead dwindle. Thankfully they held on and it made the trip seem so much sweeter!

Until I met C, I had only watched one AFL game live. I have managed two so far this year and my weekends consist of an AFL TV diet when he is home. (When he is not home I get blissful silence from the TV.)

I like sport. I just prefer to participate, or watch someone I know!

What was sad was the number of Carlton fans who left before the game was over. The same happened at the Western Derby when the Eagles fans left in droves. It showed a lack of respect for their team.

Motivation to run

I started my training for the City to Surf today. I have been exercising, I just have not run for any sustained length of time since February.

Today I ran the circuit that I was running during the summer. I managed it in 32 minutes. That is three and a half minutes faster than my previous best time! I am not as unfit as I thought I was...

Hopefully I can manage to keep up the motivation in the leadup to the race. Winter has to hit at some point. It has been lovely and mild here in Perth, with daytime temperatures in the low 20s.

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Exercise in the City

J and I went for our Wednesday Walk again this week, that makes it two in a row! We headed to the river this time and J was intrigued by the exercise equipment available for us to play with.

We might have to try and incorporate the use into our walks. It would change it up a bit and stop us from getting bored.

The view is pretty awesome though for getting sweaty. I love running around the river. I cannot imagine an exercise location much better than this!

PS I forgot to add that J turned up in shorts and tshirt and walking shoes this time!!

I think I might be crazy!

I just signed up for the City to Surf for the 12km run. I have never run that far before! The most that I have managed is 10km when I was training for my Laos trip and that was all flat.

I had to predict my time and I ticked the "70 minutes or longer" box. I cannot imagine doing it any quicker.

My work offers a 10 week training session every Tuesday. It will bring my exercising up to four times a week - playing hockey + training, personal training and the running session. I will try and bulk it out with riding to work and motivate myself to either do a long ride or run every Sunday.

I have been putting off buying new shorts for exercising in as well as new running shoes, but I think they will be on my list of things to buy in the next month or two. I am arranging for shower access at work and have myself a locker so I have no excuses now for not riding to work.

Oh well, I need something to strive for. In 2007 I rode 420km in six days in one of the hilliest countries in Asia, in 2008 and 2009 I did the BRW corporate triathlon (400m swim, 10km ride, 4km run) so this is the challenge for 2010!

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Coming out...

No, it's not quite what you might think. I have spent most of my life trying to avoid aussie rules and taking an interest. With C, it is not an option. He loves his football, and indiscriminately. He will watch every single game on a weekend if he can.

C is an Eagles supporter at heart, and the second AFL game I ever went to was with him in 2007 to the last final that the Eagles played at Subiaco. He bought me an Eagles scarf at that game, and although I have been to a few games since then I have not been able to bring myself to wear it.

Early on I have had a soft spot for the Dockers, probably because they were getting flogged every week and my hockey team was also getting flogged. Kind of a sympathetic thing, I could relate to their plight.

When people ask me who I barrack for I say I do not support anyone but that it would not be the Eagles in a Western Derby.

My indifference has shifted so far that we are actually heading over to Melbourne later in the year to watch a Dockers' game! The things you do when you are in love. I decided to buy myself a scarf to add to my wardrobe. Melbourne will be cold, and I will need something to help keep me warm!

At any rate I think it is great that the Dockers are doing so well, after years of being written off and underperforming. Hopefully we will be in for a treat on our Melbourne trip to make the flights seem all the more worthwhile!

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Wednesday Walk

I suggested to my friend J that we go for Wednesday walks at lunchtime. I changed into tracksuit pants and a tshirt. She turned up in a skirt with her handbag! I love it! I think next time we will be more in tune with our attire.

Today we wandered up Mount Street to King's Park. The weather was sunny and warm, a contrast to the way the day ended. Neither of us had been up there for a while and we took the opportunity to stop and enjoy the view.

It was our first effort and hopefully we will be able to get into a routine. It looks like winter is finally coming though so we shall have to play it by ear as far as the weather is concerned.

It was nice to get out of the office and into the sunshine and just enjoy the fresh air.