I Am a Sponsored, Competitive Athlete!

I guess I should complete that thought.  I am a sponsored, competitive athlete… in my own little magical world.  And as crazy as it makes me sound, it also makes me overcome Lazy.

In fact, I had a biking competition on Saturday.  My first rival was easily passed as he was having trouble clipping in or something.  Yeah, having clips (I don’t) are supposed to help you bike better and faster, blah, blah, blah.  Well, they certainly weren’t helping him!  Hahahaha, sucka!

I didn’t encounter my second and more serious adversary until I’d turned around and was heading back.  She and I both had pulled out onto the main road from the same turn-out at almost the same time with her being about 25 meters ahead of me.  We were on a very slight decline before we were to hit the gradual incline which leads into a serious hill.  It was evident that I was taller and heavier than she was, so I knew I had to make the most of my momentum advantage while I could before the climb turned it into my disadvantage. 

I zipped by her and almost uttered, “see you on the hill,” but decided to save my energy.  It did me no good.  She smoothly passed me a few minutes later and this was before we’d even started the major hill ascent! 

Oh well, as I was bad-mouthing the basic laws of physics (curse you, second law of motion!) – not to mention her obvious superior physical fitness - I consoled myself by remembering that my abundant height does has its advantages in certain situations.  Like at the grocery store.  Sometimes people will ask for my help in reaching something on the top shelf.  I’m always happy to comply…. Although sometimes, I admit, I have a little fun with them when I innocently ask them over and over, “This one? Oh, this one?  So, this one, then?  No?”

In my competition today, my plan was to keep my new frenemy within my sights up the hill and then let my heavy duty frame (body and bike) overcome the petite waif as she ineffectively pedaled her skinny little tires. 

Well, it didn’t quite play out that way.  She kept her speedier pace consistent enough to stretch the distance between us to a good 150 meters or so.  Hmmph.

But I’ll tell you what, I worked notably harder because of this imaginary contest I had going on in my head.  So, I thank you, Anonymous Biker Chick.  You had no idea this major rivalry was happening on the road behind you, but I was waging a full-on war!  And, as a result, I got a killer workout because of it.

Anyway, I got the last laugh as we came back into town.  It didn’t take me long at all to finally catch up to her and pass her like she was standing still… because she was.  She’d stopped at a red light to go straight and I barely yielded as I cruised by her to turn right.

Yeah, baby.  How do you like them apples?!  Eat my dust!!!

That grand finale kept me smiling all the way home!

OVERCOME LAZY!

How I Overcame Lazy This Week: Oh, I Just Ran a Half-Marathon, That's All!

The following is my report on my first ever half-marathon race (which is a whopping 13.1 miles in case you didn’t know!):



Pre-race.  Fresh, smiling.... naive.

I think last night I ran more than I ever want to have to run again in my life. 

Okay, I’m gonna drop a bomb here:  Running a half-marathon is WORK!  Who’da thunk!?!

Especially on the Red Rock Canyon Scenic Byway, which has an elevation increase of 1031 feet within the first 5.3 miles.  There are some nice downhills after that but the terrain continues to roll and includes a few more good uphill climbs.

Though the first hilly miles were tough, what really got to me was the sheer distance.  Somewhere between mile 8 and 9 I was starting to get annoyed that I was still running.  I mean, come on, just end already!  The fact that it was very dark and I couldn’t see the course ahead of me at all probably didn’t help with my impatience.

It was an interesting experience to run at night.  This was a twilight run that started at 8pm on a road with no lights.  We were required to wear headlamps but other than the lanterns they had at the water stations, there was nothing lighting our way except the stars (the moon didn’t show up until about mile 11).

I’d done a night run before while running one of my Ragnar Relay legs but that was only about 4.5 miles and had streetlights along part of the course.  I have to say, this time it was a bit lonely running in the dark.  I could see headlamps bobbing from the runners ahead of me and then as we’d switchback, I would see the long trail of lights from those behind me, but it was a strangely anonymous race.  I didn’t really see anyone’s face.  Even the people I chatted with before and after the race were just shadowy strangers to me.

As strange as the darkness was, it was uniquely marvelous, as well.  When you’re that far from the city and Strip lights, you’re reminded how many stars there are in the sky!  The first 6 or so miles, I was running straight toward the big dipper, which was brilliant and low on the horizon – a perfect set of guiding stars for me.  When the trail finally had us switch back to head east, there was the unmistakable glow of the Las Vegas Strip in the distance with the Luxor beam serving as the new beacon for us to follow.

The first few miles, I listened to the constant whirring and chirping of the bugs and howling of the coyotes… (Okay, no coyotes, but that would’ve been cool!).  But once that become monotonous and I got tired of listening to my own gasping breaths, I was happy to stick my ear plugs in and listen to my music.

I was disappointed that the moon hadn’t been out there with us during the race, but somewhere around mile 11, I glanced up to see it starting to peek up behind the distant hills.  And what an entrance it made!  It was 2/3 of a harvest moon and I swear it cast my shadow onto the rocky calico hills behind me, it was so bright! 



At the finish line:  Stilling smiling, or is it grimacing!
That clock said 2:05 when I crossed the the tape.
Uh oh, I think I'm gonna have to see if I
can break 2 hours!



So I’ll drop another bomb on you:  Despite all my griping, I have to say that running a half marathon was a spectacular and satisfying accomplishment.  (I know, I know, you’ve never heard THAT before.)

But, if you’ve done one, you know what I mean.  If you haven’t, you should find out for yourself.

Oh, and, don’t worry:  no desert tortoises were harmed during the running of this race.

How I Overcame Lazy This Week: I Got Me Some Friends With Benefits

Yes, I am married to my best friend and I do get benefits.

But I’m talking about different friends and different benefits.

It’s good to have friends with cool toys that are generous enough to let you borrow them.  Like the kayaks K’s co-worker kindly lent us a couple of weeks ago.  This is the second time she’s entrusted them to us.  The first time we used them on a cold, leech-infested reservoir in northern Utah, then on a man-made neighborhood lake here in town (which we found out was NOT legal!).  This time we finally got it right and took them out to Lake Mead.

Me and Z.
She insisted on paddling "by herself."

It was one of the most enjoyable summer outings I think we’ve ever done as a family.  We launched the kayaks near a marina where the personal watercrafts also shove off.  Then we paddled to some nearby islands and spent the morning just swimming around, watching the jet skis zip by, the fishing boats put-put along, and a crane or two swoop in to join us on our private little beach. 

K and R.

Another way we recently took advantage enjoyed the generosity of some friends was  by using their pool while they were out of town.  We regularly enjoy going to our nearby community pool, but it was so nice to go to a private residence and just do our own thing with no rules and weird stares from people as I do my water jogging and pool plyometrics.  (Pool workouts rock!)

Thanks to my brother, we made use of their timeshare (right on the beach!) at the Oregon coast for our latest family reunion.  When I grew up in Washington on the glorious Columbia River, our family did not own a boat but pretty much every other family in town did, so I still got plenty of water skiing, wakeboarding and tubing in.



This could totally be me!



I’m telling ya, the expense, maintenance and storage of too many recreational toys is wack when you can just mooch off borrow from generous friends, family and acquaintances.

So, hey, if anyone out there has anything like a windsurf board, 4-wheeler… mountain cabin in Aspen, that’s just sittin’ around gathering dust, we’ll put it to good use for you!

Random Act of Fitness #1 - Dr. Seuss Style

Okay, new thing:  I'm going to be regularly throwing out ways I've managed to incorporate small (but NOT insignificant) moments of fitness into my life.  These aren't workouts, per se.  These will just be additional events that help me maintain an active and healthy lifestyle, have fun and... Overcome Lazy!

My goal is to do at least 3 Random Acts of Fitness per week until the end of the year.  Hence the "#1" in the title:  I'm going to number them and tally 'em up.  With 23 weeks left in 2011, I will need 69 RAFs to reach my goal.  Piece o' cake (Mmmmm, cake), right?

Anyone want to join me?  You're welcome to try any of my RAFs (at your own risk, because I'm one risky gal!) or come up with any on your own.  I would love a blog comment, email, facebook comment, etc., from anyone sharing their RAF experiences.  I think I'm going to need some ideas, people, so share and share alike!

I know I don't have a huge following, so spread the word and let's get more people to Overcome Lazy!  Become one of my blog followers, sign up for my email alerts, friend me on facebook, start leaving comments.  I want to know I'm not alone in this war on laziness!

I can even envision free give-aways in the near future to loyal followers.  I'm not promising yet, I'm just sayin'...

So here's RAF #1...



Don't let the kids have all the fun!
Join in!

 

I ran across theee coolest game recently for young kids!  I actually contemplated composing a Seuss-like rhyme as an ode to this great new source of amusement but I’m not a poet, and I know it. 

Sorry.  Had to.

My girls are 5 and almost 3 and they loved this!

I saw it by chance at Toys R Us the other day while shopping for a birthday present and threw it in the cart.  It was under $8 so I thought, why not, it looks cute.

It turned out to be a great find and, what enthuses me the most, is that it’s a totally un-lazy game!

 

R crawling around a chair with the
fish on her head.
Steady... steeeeady!



It requires that you do a mixture of silly activities; and they’re so goofy that you don’t mind going through the effort of pulling them off … some of which are pretty tricky!

I have to admit I wasn’t thrilled when I picked the cards requiring me to crab walk to the bathroom sink while holding the “fish” under my chin.  But, by golly, I did it!

The girls, on the other hand, were tickled pink to be hopping, skipping and jumping to various parts of the house all while hanging on to that pesky fish the whole time!



Z taking giant steps to the front door
with the fish under her left arm.
Just look at that concentration!



Throw this into a stocking (yep, already thinking about Christmas), add it to a birthday gift, or just treat your young ‘uns (I think it’s ideal for the 10 and under set) to a new fun and active game!

How I Overcame Lazy This Week: I Showed Off My Beach Body... Ha!

It's been a few weeks since our family reunion at the Oregon Coast.

Jumping for joy!



Future surfer girl.



Pure bliss...
because she's in the pool and not near the ocean!



Not bad, eh.  He looks like a real "boarder"
even though it's his first time every trying it.

It was a wonderful vacation.  My family is so fun to hang out with and it was a beautiful place to visit.  But it was a bit chilly.  Okay, it was darn stinkin’ cold!  I wasn’t showing off my beach body (not that I have one!) I was bundling it up!



My favorite quote from Z during the vacation,
"I don't like the beach.  I want to go home."

Yes, we jumped some waves, went on some hikes, played a little tennis - just to name a few activities - but I think we honestly burned the most calories on the beach by shivering! 

Thankfully we had an awesome heated pool and hot tub that we practically lived in.  I’ve visited the Oregon Coast several times but I’ve never swam so much at the ocean before... because this is the first time I stayed somewhere with a pool!



Ahhh our favorite place to be...
Oh and I think that's the Pacific Ocean behind us.

One of the highlights of our week together was our family’s Golden Sneaker Beach Challenge. 

It was just a little something I organized in order to refresh everyone’s resolve to make this year much less lazy than last year and to remind us that it’s fun to be fit and healthy! 

It was an obstacle course/relay race type thing that turned out to be a blast!  I designed it to make sure everyone – young and old, fluffy or skinny – could participate in some way. 

 And we all did!  

And we all had fun.

And it actually warmed us up for a time.  Did I mention it was cold?  And windy.

Ahhhh, life is good (mostly!) and it feels great to overcome Lazy!

How I Overcame Lazy This Week: I Officially Declare My Independence (From Laziness)



It’s finally the 4^th of July holiday weekend!  And we’ve got a beach vacation on the agenda.

Great new novel to read?  Check

Little nest egg I’ve been saving for shopping spree?  Check

Birthday cake fixins to celebrate two birthdays?  Check

(Neither my brother nor I was born on the 4^th of July, but close!)



Ummm, I think he's declared his
independence from laziness...
but not hunkiness!!!



Oh, and tennis racquets, and bicycles and hiking boots and wet suits (did I mention it’s the Oregon coast?  Brrrrrr!) Check, check, check and check!

Yes, while there will be plenty of relaxation and indulgence, this will not be a vacation from our active and adventurous ways.

Nope.  In fact, in the true spirit of Independence Day, this week I’m declaring my family’s independence from Lazy!  Like our forefathers 235 years before us, we feel Lazy has been unfairly taxing us.  Most certainly, Lazy has been brutally taxing ON us in many ways by constantly threatening to authoritatively rule our thoughts and actions to make us virtual pawns in its imperialistic fast hold.

Well, not the “T” family.  We are declaring war on Lazy!

Here’s our official Declaration of Independence From Lazy:

(Don’t worry:  it’s waaaaaay shorter than the original… and possibly a little less dry).

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to hoist their lazy posteriors off the couch and to wrest the Cheetos bag from their steely grip and to assume among the power of human nature, the magnificent potential yet imperfect qualities with which we are all bestowed from Nature’s God, that a decent respect to their well-being requires that they should declare the intentions which impel them to pursue an improved, un-lazy lifestyle.

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created with flaws, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unenviable Characteristics, that among these are slothfulness, gluttony and the pursuit of Laziness.  That to overcome these tendencies, Exercises and Nutrition Programs are instituted among Men and Women, deriving their degree of effectiveness from the dedication of the participants.  That whenever any Form of Laziness threatens to overtake our lifestyle, it is the Right and Duty of the People to  alter or abolish it… and kick its arse* to the curb!!!**

This is war, Lazy!  We’re sick of you trying to dominate our lives.  We’re knocking you off your high and mighty throne and wiping that smug, confident smirk off your face!  You’ve ruled our thoughts and actions long enough.  You are our dictator no longer!  We’re the new Superpower in town now and just wait till you see what we become in 235 years….or more like, 5, since we’ll be dead in 235 years!

WE SHALL OVERCOME!

We’re already winning some of the battles, however something tells me this is gonna be a looooong war.  But - like our founding fathers discovered – it’s well worth the fight!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, EVERYONE!!!

*When I use naughty words I tend to use a cockney accent.

**Also, I try not to use massive amounts of run-on sentences (not that I haven’t!) like our friend Tommy Jefferson but I wanted to remain true to the style of this historic document.

How I Overcame Lazy This Week: I Ditched The Kids!



I ran across this pic at
The Great Fitness Experiment

My daughters are one of the greatest joys of my existence.  I feel so blessed to have them in my life and to be able to spend my days with them full-time.  I love my little family. 

And yet, I have to say, as Grandma chauffeured the girls off for a sleepover, I stood waving good-bye and was awash with a giddy feeling of… freedom!  What to do first?!  My initial action was to do a kind of involuntary happy dance; it just sort of spontaneously sprung forth.  Next, I ran inside and blared the music that I wanted to listen to without worrying a whit about its appropriateness for the five-and-under set. 



And then… I got down and dirty.  Oh yeah, folks, I went into a House. Cleaning. FRENZY!!!  The carpets hadn’t been shampooed for months, the tile hadn’t been mopped for days and I had nobody getting in my way, demanding sippy cups and potty breaks nor making me feel guilty for not paying attention to them.  I was in heaven!

Ugh.  I’m a full-fledged, boring “housewife,” aren’t I? 

In my defense, my very first fantasy was, in fact, to hop in the car and go on a shopping frenzy.  However, that yearning was quickly quashed by the fact we have no expendable income and K was at work with the car; hence my enthusiastic focus on the next available option.

As I came to a cleaning break, it hit me that, despite my lack of motorized transportation, I wasn’t tethered to the house like I usually am.  I realized I could go out and do any type of workout I wanted to do for as long as I wanted without having to worry about the usual 20-minute prep of sunscreening, pottying, packing snacks/drinks, etc.  Nope, I just had to lace up my sneaks and head out!  I went for a neighborhood run.  I was in paradise!

Then when K got home later that night, we were discussing what in the world we were going to do with our kid-free morning the next day.  We were glumly listing the errands and home projects that we needed to get done when suddenly, it hit me that I’ve been wanting to go trail biking.  K’s been able to go a few times recently with friends, but I’ve had to stay with the girls because it’s not a very-young-kid-friendly activity. It struck us that we were unencumbered with the kiddos and we would be remiss to not take advantage of this sublime situation.  We were in ecstasy!

Quick aside: Two words for my mountain biking experience:  Awe.  Some.  This will be a topic for another blog posting very soon here, but I’ll just leave it at that for now.  Incredible.  Okay, now I’ll leave it.  Exhilarating.  For real, I’m done.  FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!!!

What was a happy realization from all of this is that, when faced with the delicious prospect of some self-indulgent free-time, what I truly was most excited about was the option to do some lively, un-lazy activities that I haven’t been able to do recently and I actually got out and did them!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE relaxing down time that involves a good book or a good movie.  I LOVE indulging in some yummy treats that I don’t have to share with anyone else!  And I manage to do those things occasionally as well, but I like being in a place right now that, when give the choice, my first desire is to do something fun and active and to just jump in and enjoy life!

I also want it understood that I LOVE adventuring with my girls and even thrive on the challenge of ensuring their participation and enjoyment of our active lifestyle.  But, boy, it sure was nice and a bit refreshing to be a little selfish! 

So, my advice:  take a break from something that usually gobbles up your time and energy (kids, work, America's Got Talent re-runs, etc.) and do something un-lazy for YOURSELF!  It’s usually a win-win situation.

When we went to pick them up, the girls didn’t even complain when we smothered them with sweaty, stinky hugs and kisses.  They'd had a blast with the grandparents and I think they enjoyed their little break from us as much as we did!