THE CAPRICORN IS ALIVE

LOOKING BACK, LISTS GALORE

BEST OF'S, WORST'S OF....I DO ADORE

LOOKING AHEAD, A FRESH START

MAKING PLANS RENEWS A GIRL'S HEART.

Jump, Jump, Jump Around....Jump Up, Jump Up and Get Down

From Chucky Cheese CessPools, Perfume Baths, Surgeries, and Sore Throats this week has flown by.

Forget closing the schools if you want to rid the world of swine flu, why don't you try closing Chucky Cheese. I felt dirtier after spending two hours there for my nephew's 3rd birthday then I do after leaving a 12 hour shift in the er. On a side note, as you can see above racing boats is serious business!

***SOAP BOX OF THE WEEK*** If you work in a hospital you should not wear perfume! If you work anywhere in which you are in contact with other people you should not wear perfume! I'm not talking about the lightest scent in which only the one that loves you most can identify that smell as being yours. I'm talking about the ladies who wake up in the morning and have somehow figured out how to connect their perfume bottle to their shower pipes, thus replacing the water. Thanks to one said lady who I merely had to stand by for 20 minutes at the end of my shift the other day caused an allergic reaction in me that nearly landed me as a patient in the er. Instead I opted to just spend the next two days in a benadryl coma. I am still congested from the incident and now woke up in the middle of the night with a sore throat!

Despite all that, I had a good run of 2 miles on Wed then did about 10 minutes of jumproping. Yesterday, was another wonderful TSOTD which I will be returning to post starting next week for all you out there looking for some weightlifting motivation! After my workout I ran 5 quick hills while on a walk with Riggs. We are working on the leash training and can't wait until he is old enough to go for a real run with me and hiking season is about to start which will mean a whole new world for my pokey little puppy to explore!

Finally, Squidney had to have surgery yesterday to have a huge tumor removed from her back. Hope she gets to feeling better soon!

I love, love, love lululemon workout apparel and also their manifesto which I will share with you bits at a time. To read or learn more about LULULEMON

•A daily hit of athletic-induced endorphins gives you the power to make better decisions, helps you be at peace with yourself, and offsets stress.

For today's athletic-induced endorphins I dare you to find a jumprope and relive your childhood! Not only is jumproping a great calorie burner and metabolism booster it is fun! For specific jump roping workouts or tips on jump roping

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back!

July - while on vacation I had to put my beloved Barnacle Bo down when he got "bloat" while we were on vacation in WA.......needless to say really, really sucky vacation! I miss him so, so, so much.

I have been in blogging hiberation for the past two months. The summer heat sucked all the life, creativity, and motivation out of me. A recap of some happenings.

August - my pretty Squidney as well as I were devastatedly lonely and depressed missing our best friend.....we welcomed Riggs into our family who has brought much excitement, pee, poop, and chewed up things into our life

Sept - although only the first week, it has started off with a bang! 6 years of nursing and I have successfully avoided the feared deposition.......of course to break the ice I got called in on not one but yes TWO different cases in a matter of the past 5 days, gotta love that.

Other things to make note of:

- I finally went to the chiropractor got an adjustment and 3 weeks of therapy on my hip and am happy to say I am pain free and hopefully getting back into my running frame of mind and body

- I passed my level 3 pilates instructor test. I have two more levels within my program and then I can sit for my national certification!

Final food for thought......how does one break up with their hairdresser? I am in a style rut and the bad part is that as a person I really like my hairdresser and like to go chat it up however just not getting the creativity that the mop of mine needs right now.

Upcoming:

I have decided to forgo the fall garden this year as Riggs has taken a liking to gardening or shall I say excavating and so I think it would be a losing fight at this point in trying to plant anything.

Looking forward to cooler temps and wishing I was taking another trip to New England this month like last year. Such beautiful colors!

Season PremierE!

STAY TUNED!

I WANT TO HAVE MY CAKE AND EAT IT TOO!

Ahh...to be 1 again. Happy Birthday Kierstin (cutest niece ever!) I am officially on vacay!!!! Today is a matter of packing and last minute details and then we are off. I will be back mid month with pics of our camping/road trip bonanza and maybe a book review or two. So nice to have time off of work.

It's the final countdown!

TSOTD - THURSDAY

warm-up
plank - opposite arm/opposite leg up hold - 30 secs/then switch
side ups - 30/side
v-ups - 10
single leg squat hold on flat side of bosu - 30 secs/leg

4 sets

incline press - 10 reps/35lb dumbbells
push-ups (feet on step bench/hands balanced on physio ball) - 10 reps
single leg leg press - 10 reps/leg 4x45lb plates on
jump ups to big tire - 10 reps
hanging knee raises - 15 reps

3 sets

squat to cable row - 10 reps/pin at 25's
assisted pull-ups - 10 reps/pin at 5
rdl's - 10 reps/25lb dumbbells
burpees - 10 reps

1 set

bicep cable curls - 10 reps/pin at 15's
medicine ball overhead raise with single leg raise and opposite leg few inches off ground - 10 reps/leg

Up again at 4am so I also got a bike ride in at 5am.

The countdown now begins. Day 1 of 4 today, may they go fast. We are doing vacay road trip style with lots of camping. We will be doing car camping since we are taking the Barnacle Bo and Squidney along. I am thinking that I may have to get this



We have tried multiple air mattresses and I swear I always wake up with half the air out of it. So I am thinking a thermarest is the way to go and this is suppose to be the deluxe car camping crem'de'la'crem of them. A bit pricey but all the reviews are very positive. If I do get one then I will definitely provide you with a review of it. Who else likes to go camping?

Embrace the things you can not change

This is what I have decided to do in regards to my frustrating sleep non schedule. After working 4 nights in a row the past two nights at home I have woke up at 3am. Today I decided I would make use of that time. So I was out the door at 5 am off and running. Good thing to, check this forecast out. Todays high - 108!

Good news - I actually ran today
Bad news - a return of my left hip/left it band/l knee irritation....I blame it on my lack of recent massage and my TSOTD yesterday

SUPERSET TUESDAY TSOTD

warm-up
w/ physio ball
30 ball rolls
20 overhead passes

w/ medicine ball
15 - push-up (w/ hands balanced on ball) squat and jump w/ ball throw

3 sets (no resting between two exercises)
10 inverted cable rows
10 chest press (30lb dumbbells)

3 sets
10/leg lunges w/ squat bar
10 - single leg ball hamstring curls

3 sets
10/side - hang clean to overhead press (25lb dumbbell)
15 pushups on bosu ball (flat side up)
25 squats (flat sided up, holding 25lb dumbbell)

3 sets
10 - cable tricep pushdowns (pin at 15)
15 - dips on bench
10/leg - split jumps

3 sets
10 - dumbbell flys (10lb dumbbells)
8 - cat's curls (12lb dumbbells)
30 - situps (holding 25lb dumbbell to chest)

My thoughts of the week:

1. HGTV stubbornly is waiting til the last minute to notify me about winning the green home.
2. Being a female is not all it's cracked up to be. I just switched my bcp and my face is not appreciative of it.
3. I also blame the new hormones for my moment of weakness last night when I indulged in a brownie batter blizzard! Tasted good until I looked up the calorie count for one of those suckers (small = 630 calories! ridiculous)
4. I am currently obsessed with the new song by Katy Perry "That's what you get for waking up in Vegas".....mostly because she uses the word glitter in it.
5. For a detailed look into the uprising of cocaine across this country and the people and money behind it check out the following documentaries "Cocaine Cowboys" and "Cocaine Cowboys II" (triage was very slow the other night and you can watch it on netflix if you have an account)
5. What do you buy a girl for her 1st birthday?
6. How can I get Charm City Cakes to design me a cake for (insert event here)?
7. I wonder if the new palm pre from Sprint is worth the $200? probably not a necessity - it could potentially increase my blogging consistency though and you may get a new picture on here more than once a month.
8. If your out of control pumpkin plants and your out of canteloupe plants start to grow together and the flowers get cross pollinated should you call your crop and cantumpkin? or pumpkaloupe?
9. I am deeply disturbed that I wasted an hour of my time on Monday to hear that Jon and Kate are getting divorced. Why do I care? Why do I support tv programming like this? Ahhhhh, I blame Karen! Prior to living with her back in the day I didn't even have cable, then came cable, then on one very sleepy after night shift afternoon I stumbled into the living room sat down and was immediately sucked into Flava Flav and it has been a downhill slide since then into the reality tv abyss!
10. 4 shifts left until vacay!!!!!

The countdown is on!

Hmmm....I am currently MIA. I am out of whack. I am discombobulated. I am lost at sea. I have 8 days, 5 shifts, 1 niece's 1st birthday party, and lots to get down in the mean time before I am on vacation for 11 days and nights!!!!! This past week was a wash for me. I got one workout in and only 1 day in at the pilates studio, ugh! Allergies up, hormones on a roller coaster, sleep in the negative, and immune system down did not equal a good, productive week for me. And I worked 60 hours this week so yeah I am all of the aforementioned. Anyways, here is a run down of my
TSOTD (Thursday).

warm-up
reverse crunches w/ physio ball between ankles - 15
plank ball rolls - 20
side ups 15/side w/ 20 second hold knee to chest at end
reverse lunge to balance chest pass w/ medicine ball to wall - 15

3 rounds
alternate chest press 25# dumbbells 10/arm
pushups - 15
single leg leg press 4x 45lb plates 10/leg
plie squats 35lb dumbbell - 15
single arm seated cable row - pin at 35 - 10/arm
inverted row - 15
1/4 mile run on treadmill at speed 7.5

2 rounds
high cable seated on physio ball row - 15
ball leg curl w/ resistance - 15
double arm skull crusher w/ 35lb - 15
1/8 mile run on treadmill at speed of 8.0

20 squat to curl to press using 15lb dumbbells

Any thoughts on what to do with buckets of yellow pear tomatos and cherry tomatos.....the birds are even tired of them!

Today's workout brought to us by the number 8!

Dear 1st client of the day,
Please do not go get my trainer coffee after your session and before mine. It is just not nice!

Sincerely,
Me

TSOTD - with a triple shot of espresso (FRIDAY)

warm-up
small phsysio ball passes arms to legs - 15
alternate arm/alternate leg crunch with opposite leg 2-3 inches of ground holding onto the 15Lb medicine ball - 10/side
single leg squat to balance with 15lb dumbbell - 10/leg

3 rounds
45 degree incline bench press - 8 reps (1st round 30lb dumbbells, 2nd round 35's, 3rd round 40's)
seated leg press - 8 reps (315lbs)

3 rounds
RDL's - 8 reps (30lb dumbbells)
assisted pull-ups - 8 reps (pin at 5, 2nd rd 4, 3rd round back to 5 as arms went into muscle failure!)

3 rounds
squat to overhead press - 8 reps (30lb medicine ball)
one hand on medicine ball push-ups - 8 reps/arm
falling hamstring curls - 8 reps

2 rounds
cable tricep extension - 8 reps (pin at 15's)
hanging knee raises - 8 reps

Finished off with 30 minutes of arc trainer

Now it is off to work 1st of 3, blah! Next 2 weeks, lots of work.....then vacay!

My piriformis is on fire!

This morning I taught and then did 2.5 hours of pilates (some self practice then a 1 hr mat class). The mat class was evil, pure evilness including a magic circle and some horrible L position that set my piriformis on fire. My level 2 stuff is going ok, everything is clicking but I still am finding "my voice" for teaching. This afternoon I visited an old friend that has been feeling neglected as of late.....Mr. Treadmill.

For fun I cranked up The Blacked Eyed Peas and did a 1 minute ladder run, first I did an easy .5 miles at a slow jog pace (speed 5.7)

Goes somthing like this.

1 min run/1 min off
1 min run/50 sec off
1 min run/40sec off
1 min run/30 sec off
1 min run/20 sec off
1 min run/10 sec off
1 min run/10 sec off
1 min run/20 sec off
1 min run/30 sec off
1 min run/40 sec off
1 min run/50 sec off
1 min run/and cool down

I started at speed of 8.5 about midway ended up dropping to 8.0 then 7.8; was dying in the middle of this! It was fun though, I guess!

Black-eyed Tigers

MONDAY
2 hours pilates

TSOTD - TUESDAY

warm - up
crunches on physio ball holding 15lb dumbbell at forehead - 15
side iso's with feet up on bosu -25/side
single leg squat touchdown up to balance and overhead press w/ 15lb dumbbell - 10/side

2rounds (rest 2 minutes between rounds/no rest between different exercises)
alternate arm dumbbell press on physio ball - 25lb dumbbells - 15/arm
push-ups 15
lunges w/ squat bar - 15/leg
box jumps - 15

2 rounds
alternate arm rows - 20lb dumbbells - 15/arm
cable lat pull down one knee on airex pad pin at 30 - 15
single leg ball leg curls - 15/leg
side to side quick jumps - 15

2 rounds
shoulder combo - 8lb dumbbells (raise arms front to sides down up to sides back to front and down = 1 rep) - 10
cats curls - 12lb dumbbells - 8 each direction then 8 hammers
cable tricep extension pin at 15? 10 palms down/10 palms up
hanging knee raises - 15
dips on bench - 15

WEDNESDAY -
2 hours pilates lab


Onto the better part of my week now. I actually had a great, "felt good to be a nurse" night at work last night. Today after my pilates lab I hung out by the pool and started reading my Runners World that came in the mail. I downloaded the new Black Eyed Peas album which has me super pumped to go run to tomorrow. Finally, I just got back from seeing THE HANGOVER. This movie is not for the faint of heart or easily offended crowd, however if you want to laugh your ass off until your face hurts I highly recommend this movie!!!!! oh and you enjoy some sophomoric humor which I do as long as it's good and not trying to hard.

MY MONDAY, NOT MY FUNDAY

TSOTD - FRIDAY AM


Plank w/ 25lb plate on for 1 min
Pull over situps w/ 25lb plate - 15 reps
Flutter kicks holding 25lb plate up – 30 sec
Side iso top leg into chest – 30 sec?/side

3 rounds
Single arm chest press 25# dumbbell other hand on hip incline bench – 10 reps/arm
Push-ups on physio ball – 10
Single leg leg press 135lbs?? – 10 /leg
Jump up to tire - 10 quick

3 rounds
Single leg Single arm Dumbell Row w/ 25# dumbbell – 10/arm
Assisted Pull-ups – 10
Side Lunges holding 15lb dumbbells – 10/leg
Ball leg curl – 10 w/ resistance

2 rounds
Bicep curls w/ 20lbs on short curlbar – 10
Tricep skull crushers w/ 15 lb dumbbells – 10
Rear flys w/ 8lb dumbbells – 10

I am off to work next 3, yuk! Really sucks because their is an actual cooldown in the desert this weekend so I would rather be hiking, running, working in the yard (weird I know), riding my bike, oh and would also rather go see THE HANGOVER that comes out tonight because it looks hilarious! Too bad I am not that 23 year old SD rancher who just picked up $232.1 million dollars in the powerball! I still have my fingers crossed though that I will win the HGTV Green Home! I could handle a move to Florida next to the ocean! As of June 29 I will officially be on vacation for 12 days, if I make it til then! Hope you all have a fun weekend, do something fun and exciting for those of us who have to work!

SLEEP DISORDERS AND GARDEN DELIGHTS

I HAVE UNOFFICIALLY OFFICIALLY DIAGNOSED MYSELF WITH A SLEEP DISORDER. I WAS UP AGAIN LAST NIGHT FROM 12:30-4 AM THEN OVERSLEPT THIS MORNING AND MISSED MY TRAINER APPOINTMENT. LUCKILY? UNLUCKILY HE ALLOWED ME TO COME IN AND WORKOUT THIS AFTERNOON BUT I HAD TO WORKOUT WITH THE FIREFIGHTER WANNABE'S (2 OF HIS GUY CLIENTS THAT ARE BOTH TESTING AT DIFFERENT FIRE DEPTS). SO HERE IT IS....TSOTD FIREFIGHTER STYLE!

warm - up????

2 ROUNDS

SQUAT THRUSTER TO OVERHEAD PRESS 20# DUMBBELLS - 15 REPS
PUSH UP POSITION ROW/ROW - 10 REPS
BURPEES W/ PUSHUP - 10

1 ROUND
TRAINER HATERS (PUSH UP/ROW/ROW/SQUAT/CURL/OVERHEAD PRESS) - 20# DUMBBELLS - 10 REPS

3 ROUNDS
TRACTOR TIRE FLIP (YES, I AM SERIOUS)
50 M SPRINT

2 ROUNDS
SIDE THROW TO WALL W/ MEDICINE BALL 10REPS/SIDE
SQUAT CHEST THROWS W/ MEDICINE BALL 15REPS

3 ROUNDS
OLYMPIC BAR BENCH PRESS 75# - 8 REPS
CABLE LAT PULL DOWN ONE KNEE ON AIREX PAD PINS AT 35 - 8 REPS
FORWARD FALL HAMSTRING CURLS - 8 REPS

1 ROUND
UP/UP/DOWN/DOWN - IN PLANK POSITION ON ELBOWS COME UP FROM ONE ELBOW TO HAND THEN THE OTHER THEN GO BACK DOWN TO ONE ELBOW THEN OTHER ALTERNATING WHICH ONE COMES UP FIRST - 1-2 MINUTES NOT STOPPING
LOW LEG HOLD - WITH THUMBS UNDER BUTT HOLD LEGS OFF GROUND 5-6 INCHES USING ABS - 30SEC - 1 MINUTE

I WILL SLEEP WHEN I AM DEAD

TSOTD: FRIDAY
Warm up

overhead medicine ball pull sit ups - 20
overhead medicine ball leg raises - 20
medicine ball russian twist - 20/side

3 rounds

ball leg curls - 20
single arm dumbbell 25# hang clean to press - 10/arm
pull up hang 30 sec
walking lunges 10/side - round 1
side lunges 10/side - round 2
front/side/transverse lunge 5/side -round 3

3 rounds

push up to row/row with dumbbells 15# - 10
rdl's to upright row w/ dumbbells 15# - 15
split lunge jumps - 20

2 rounds

cats curls 12#
bench dips - 25 (round 1); 30 (round 2)
P.S. - MY HAMSTRINGS ARE KILLING ME NOW 2 DAYS AFTER THIS WORKOUT!!!!

WORK.....PILATES LEVEL 2 LECTURE SAT/SUN WITH LOTS OF COOL NEW EXERCISES TO TEACH....WORK.....AND THIS

****SO I HAVE BEEN REALIZING THAT MY 24 HOUR WAKING DAYS HAVE STARTED TO BECOME MORE AND MORE OFTEN (PROBABLY NOT A GOOD THING); ON THE OTHER HAND AT ABOUT 4AM MY 22ND HOUR AWAKE I OUTCALCULATED A PREPROGRAMMED PUMP FOR A DRUG CALCULATION ON ONE OF MY PATIENTS. MY THOUGHTS ON THAT ARE THIS, I CAN FUNCTION PRETTY DAMN WELL WITH NO SLEEP. I WOULD PROBABLY MINUS THE RUNNING PART OF THE ORDEAL DO OK AT AN ULTRA EVENT BECAUSE I ROUTINELY AM ON MY FEET FOR 12 HOURS STRAIGHT AND HAVE MORE FREQUENTLY BEEN PUTTING IN THE 24 HOUR DAYS SO I AM ACCUSTOM TO FUNCTIONING ON VERY LITTLE SLEEP, LOL.

SO OTHER THAN NO SLEEP THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY WEEKEND (THANKS TO FACEBOOK) WAS YESTERDAY WHEN I WENT TO LUNCH WITH A GOOD FRIEND FROM HIGH SCHOOL THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN SINCE THE SUMMER AFTER OUR SENIOR YEAR (15 YEARS!). SHE WAS IN TOWN FOR A CONFERENCE AND WE RECENTLY FOUND EACH OTHER ON FACEBOOK. IT WAS SO, SO, SO GOOD TO SEE AN OLD FRIEND!!!!!!

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST THE FUNNIEST THING THAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT WAS WHEN THE PSYCHOLOGIST IN ALL SERIOUSNESS TOLD ME THAT SHE ASKED THE COOK IN THE CAFETERIA WHAT TYPE OF MEAT THE CHICKEN FRIED STEAK WAS AND WAS DISAPPOINTED TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS BEEF BECAUSE SHE HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS CHICKEN?!?!! LOL

AND NOW IT IS TIME FOR SLEEP! GOODNIGHT (0738 AM)

QUICK UPDATE:

I haven't run away, well because that would involve running which I have done none of lately! What have I been doing work, work, catching up on sleep from last week, more work. If you all remember the taxxacre I suffered earlier this year I am currently working my butt of to pay off Uncle Sam sooner rather than later. Also, I had my level one pilates instructor test today. I passed my practical with just a few minor mistakes and haven't got my written test back, but feel very confident in all my answers.

I did have a TSOTD on Monday, but forgot to post it as it was after work and I went straight to bed after getting home.

Working tonight and tomorrow but planning on a TSOTD in between hopefully with a post of the fun and games. This weekend is my level two lecture. For now I will just breathe, having level one under my belt feels much better.

Ending thought: WELCOME FAIR WEATHER RUNNER, glad to hear that my TSOTD inspire you. The one good thing I get from paying my trainer is that I am never bored with my workout and never feel like it is routine.

The circadian clock strikes again!

After working 4 nights in a row, off one, on again, and off again my circadian clock is on the fritz! I haven't had a week like this since before Christmas. Monday night I was off and was up from midnight to 4am. This morning I got off work at 3am then my stupid phone rang at 9am (I am usually really good about shutting my ringer off). Now I am super sleepy. I feel asleep at around 10 then a truck outside woke me up at 10:30 and I tossed and turned, my mind started going a million miles an hour, and here I am. The sad thing is I have been practice teaching pilates and studying it so much that I lay there and count out "The Hundred" over and over in my head. Inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5; exhale 2,3,4,10; inhale 2,3,4,5; exhale 2,3,4,20......one would think that it would be numbing like counting sheep. It's not. I skipped my run Monday morning after work : < Then was planning on running early Tuesday morning before having to get the weekly grocery shopping in prior to going to work; but that was the day I was up from 12-4am so when I finally went to sleep I didn't wake up until the last possible minute. Despite still being tired today I had my pilates instructor lab and then went to the torture chamber.

TSOTD -
medicine ball warm-up (see previous tsotd); quick 10 minutes of shooting hoops with my trainer while waiting for the girl working out with me to show up; and ran 1 lap around the building

ME - "really? I have to run around the building?"
JAKE (TRAINER) - "REALLY, I don't want you to cool down"
ME - "I could just stand outside. It is Arizona"
JAKE - "Go"

Onto the meat of this sandwich

21/15/9 today's selection

Thrusters w/ squat bar
Push-ups
Box Jumps

do 21 reps each, then 15, then 9; no resting in between as fast as you can keep good form

Moving on

6 rounds of 6 reps

Deadlift - 95#
Pull-ups - assisted (trainer holding feet) - I still suck at these!
Squat Jumps

***I really need to work on my deadlifts (form) and pull-ups (incentive to drop another 5-10 lbs, less weight to pull-up)

and moving on

2 rounds

lunge holding medicine ball to side, keeping arms straight, lift up and to opposite side 5 reps/leg
50 meter sprint
10 swings w/ 20lb dumbbell arms straight powering through legs as dumbbell goes up (think kettle bell swing)
50 meter sprint
10 count push-up hold (not on my count either!)
50 meter sprint

and DONE!

I am scheduled to go run with a friend at 6am, come on sandman bring me some sleeeeep!

TOMORROW - DIY HOT WATER HEATER REPLACEMENT - WEEEEEE!

mundayne....

TSOTD -

jumpboard intervals reformer workout

Nothing like working 4 nights in a row, having one off, and gearing up for another tomorrow and being up at 1am wide awake. Not a bad thing to keep a night schedule when working like that, but much easier to do when you live alone and can crank the music and get your household chores done. When I first moved into my house and lived alone I pretty much painted my entire house during nights I didn't work. Now when I can't sleep it involves a lot of reading and websurfing. Not as productive as I would like. Well I guess this will be a good time to study for my level one test. Despite being a nurse the functional anatomy that I have to learn for my test does require me to study. I tried to explain to my anatomy teacher that even though I see a lot of musculoskeletal injuries while working in the er; my job pretty much goes like this.....

"Here is your vicodin and you need to follow up with the orthopedic doctor"

Work is annoying lately. My schedule is super busy right now. I really, really want to be here

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRL!

RACHEL ALEXANDRA - 1ST FILLY IN 85 YEARS TO BEAT OUT THE BOYS AT THE PREAKNESS STAKES IN MARYLAND TODAY!


***Mine That Bird ran a damn good race and what a kick that horse has just wasn't a long enough race today for a Triple Crown this year!***

WHAT DAY IS IT?

Wow, I have been busy this week and I am on another 4 day stretch of 12's at work. My garden is taking a turn for the worse I think. This past week's 100+ degree temps have not been kind to it. This is my first year with a garden in the desert so I am still learning how plants respond and how to water/feed them. I lost one zuchini plant and think my other one is dying also. I do not think the zuchine are dying from the heat, I think they have disease. Anyways, not to worry the pumpkin plants are still growing like crazy so if nothing else I will have some of the best jack-o-laterns come October (August at this rate, lol). We are about midway through my level one pilates class. I have to take my level one test by May 28th which I don't know how I will be ready for that at all! This upcoming week I am just as busy as this past week, in fact my schedule does not let up until the first week in July when we are going to Washington! Road trip! Cool weather! No work!

TSOTD (this was on Thursday) not my best workout I had no energy... not sure if it was a touch of dehydration (I definitely have not been drinking enough water with the increased heat) or if it was not having the right fuel earlier that day.

alternating single arm lat pull down 25 - 15/side
single leg/leg press - 90lbs? 15/side
push-up to burpee w/ 15lb dumbbells press at end - 15

round 2 same except
lat pull down 35 lb/arm - 12

round 3 same except
single arm lat pull down 35lbs/8 per arm then switch
full burpee

30lb dumbbell alt arm incline chest press - 15/arm
ball leg curls single leg - 15/side
jumps

round 2 same except
35lb dumbbells inc chest press - 15

round 3 same except
35lb sing arm inc chest press 8 per side


3 rounds
lateral arm raises/ forward arm raises/ bent over dumbbell flys 12/8 lbs - 20
dips on bench - 20
bosu squats w/ 25 lb plate - 20

OBLIQUES, OH MY!

Yesterday I spent another 4 hours or so at the studio doing more class observation and practice teaching. Today we have our first lab in the studio which hopefully will increase the comfort level while practicing on my guinea pigs somewhat.

Just a side note, my obliques are sooooo sore from my pilates class on Monday night!

This morning I got an early start and have already got my 2 mile run in (just went along the canal, felt ok although I think I was still asleep during it). And I finished mowing, trimming, and raking my front yard. The early bird beats the 100 degree temps. Starting tomorrow I work another 4 shifts in a row, ughhh. (Can you tell how excited I am?)

DAY OFF?

First, let me just say that Sunday night at work sucked! I have not had a shift like that in a while. It wasn't one of those I had back to back codes or STEMI shifts either. It was one of those I had at least 12 admit shifts, nothing was simple, every time you turned around to do something equipment not there, "I need more pain meds", and every time you walked into a room to do nursing stuff the admit Dr. called to have you take telephone orders! I swear I should get half of his paycheck from the other night just for writing down all his damn admit orders!! I was not a happy ER nurse Sunday night. The techs were a little scared of me and about 04:30 am when I still had not peed or eaten (since before 7:30pm) I was not being a nice person.

So, after my shift I went to the gym and ran on the treadmill. Nothing like a few treadmill sprints to shake off a bad night.
TSOTD

Warm-up
1 mile - speed at 6.5 w/ incline 1 (incline stayed same throughout workout)

Sprints -
15 sprints

30 sec on/30 sec rest - starting speed 8.5 increasing over the course of the 15 sprints until the final 2 sprints speed was set at 11.

Cool-down

.5 mile - speed at 6

Last night I got 1 hour instruction in at the pilates studio. After that the next class was empty so the instructor did a 1:1 class with me and kicked my butt! actually it was my abs that were crying.....but ended with some great IT stretches on the Cadillac (I need one of these things in my house!).

New thoughts on my cardio training for the summer.......

Anyone out there do cross-fit? A lot of my TSOTD are cross-fit hybrids that my trainer does with me. I am thinking of following the crossfit main wod 2-3x/week in addition to the 1-2 TSOTD that I do with my trainer and also following the crossfit endurance wod 2-3x/week. I've been reading a lot about it and it sounds interesting. With the heat and having to do more workouts on the treadmill over the summer and not really having any races planned for the next few months I thought it would be a good time to give it a shot and see if it increases my endurance. It is quite a change from the long, slow distance (LSD) training concept that most runners know and have a love/hate relationship with. Although I have read quite a few accounts where people have done nothing but crossfit and crossfit endurance workouts to train for a full ironman and not only finished but pr'd.

Any thoughts? experience?

Today is one of my "days off", but with the instructor training program I am doing I really don't have any days off anymore. Although spending time at the pilates studio is peaceful compared to my shifts at the hospital.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

MY MOM AND I AFTER THE PF CHANG'S ROCK AND ROLL 1/2 MARATHON IN PHOENIX JAN 09. IT WAS HER FIRST RACE EVER! SO, SO PROUD OF HER!

FOUR IN A ROW!

W
O
R
K


UGHHHH! THIS IS A TORTURE SESSION IN AND OF ITSELF.

It's not that I hate my job, it's that I hate having to work it gets in the way of my life!

BOOM BOOM POW

I can not get this song out of my head!

Yesterday I did my first practice teaching sessions (3 different girls from work came for their first pilates workout with me!). I think I did ok. I did some more observation hours this morning watching the other instructors. I am planning on featuring some different mat pilates exercises on here. I have just been overwhelmed with trying to get into the routine of doing all the hours at the studio on top of everything else. Last night I spent good amount of time weeding and working the soil in my garden. I skipped my run last night, this morning, and on the treadmill at the gym today : < My run will still be waiting for me when I get to it, so I am not too worried.

It is officially summer (100+degrees) here in AZ with a foreseeable future of much the same! Almost pool season which made me think about this ad that I believe came out last year. I myself thought it was funny and taped it up to one of the guys lockers at work because he was saying how he needed to get into shape for swimsuit season. When I looked for it today on the Internet I found quite a few "I hate Special K" rants because of this ad. While I don't condone the challenge of switching two meals/day to cereal in order to fit into a bikini; I still find this ad funny in a "hey get off your ass type of way!" (a real challenge would be to take my cereal away from me of course that cereal would not be special K because that is boring cereal!) What do you think about the ad?

Finally, here it is today's TSOTD

warm up:

overhead medicine ball sit-ups - 15

flutter kicks - too long? any flutter kicks are too long if you are not in a swimming pool!

squat to high throw w/ medicine ball against wall - 15

3 rounds

hang clean to squat to overhead press - 45#bar/10 reps

burpee to jump-up pull up - 10 reps (kids don't try these at home, they will suck the life out of you)

push-up to row/row with the 20# dumbbells - 5 push-ups/5 rows right arm/5 rows left arm

assisted dips (pin at 5) - 10

3 rounds

single leg roman dead lift (rdl's) - 20# dumbbells/10 reps per leg

stability ball alternating butterfly - 20#dumbbells/10 reps per arm

bench jumps - 10

squat side steps w/ green and blue band around ankles - 15 steps each way

core round

medicine ball overhead sit up throw to partner - 15

partner russian twist (feet off ground) w/ medicine ball - 15/side

squat to throw w/ partner using medicine ball - 10

side throws w/ partner using medicine ball - 10/side

BUSY LITTLE BEE

TSOTD (after my 12 hr shift last night)



warm-up


15 ball crunch w/ twist


15 stability ball on forearms roll forward and back


20 lunges avalanche medicine ball style (if you ever need to dig your way out of an avalanche with basketball this is the exercise for you!) - functional fitness is important





4 rounds





95# deadlift - 8 reps


30# alternating dumbbell press - 8 reps/arm


25# dumbbell swings to full extension? - 8 reps


30# dumbbell row (on bench) - 8 reps/arm





3 rounds





medicine ball opposite arm/opposite leg crunch up - 10 reps/side


12# dumbbells on bosu ball squat/curl/press - 10 reps


assisted dips (pin at 6) - 10 reps





25# dumbbell pull over to skull crusher - 15 reps


wall sit 1-2 minutes



AND SLEEP!



This evening I went to the studio. I got one hour in of observation and then did my self practice in the reformer class that was going on. We also worked some on the wunda chair. Tomorrow I am teaching my first "students", kinda nervous!

Who moved my cheese?

TSOTD - dealing with the new computer program at work while still trying to provide quality patient care in the er........and now staying awake through pilates class after having worked all night.



After work this morning I went for a short run; 2 miles; 4 min run/1 min walk; hips/low back/hip flexors soooooo tight from my workout Thursday and work last two days. Just got done foam rolling and stretching feeling a little better.




OH AND WE CAN'T FORGET!



The true athletes will be running the track today in Kentucky! I am rooting for General Quarters to win it all!

PANDEMIC UPDATE!

Last night at work a local news station decided to fuel the fire and do live remote from outside the er. Some local schools got shut down and at 5:00pm sharp they started rolling in with their fevers, cough, aches, and runny noses! And for their overwhelming devotion to their health (ha!) they got two qtips up the nose and one to the back of the throat, dose of tylenol, one week off of work or school, and a pat on the back! Don't worry if this sounds like fun to you, you haven't missed out! Luckily for you EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS are open 24/7!!!!!!



****the part about the week off of work sounded appealing at first, but then I remembered you don't get a week off of your bills****



TSOTD - WAKING UP! Still working on that one. Today is a rest day for me and my body soooo needs it. After that TSOTD yesterday I was getting so stiff the last 4 hours of my shift yesterday!



THE SIMPLE LIFE - DAY 1

-I made turkey lettuce wraps for lunch/dinner (I always just take my leftovers for a second meal at work later). Ingredients included ground turkey, crushed garlic, shredded carrots, chopped red/yellow bell peppers, soy sauce, hoison sauce, chili paste, and the most green ingredient..........green onions from my garden!

I am not riding my bike to work tonight because I did not get the bike corral key from security yet : < I will work on that tonight while I am there!

GREEN ACRES IS THE PLACE FOR ME!

TORTURE SESSION OF THE DAY (TSOTD) :



warm-up - medicine ball wall throws (overhead/15 reps, chest/15 reps, facing forward side throws/15 reps each side); squats w/ bar only (45#)/10 reps



1st set - 3 rounds



5 squats - round 1 (65#), rounds 2&3 (95#)

5 lateral raises - 12 lb dumbbells



2nd set - 7....yes 7 rounds!



8 deadlifts - (65#)

50 m sprint

8 assisted pull-ups alternating wide grip and neutral grip (pin at 6 for rounds 1&2, at 5 for rounds 3,4,5, &6, then assisted bar chin-ups for round 7)



Rest 45 secs between rounds. I'm not going to lie my arms were in failure for my round 7 chin-ups and they were pretty pathetic to say the least!



3rd set - 2 rounds



15 cable lat pull downs (I actually have no clue what my weight was on this because I was gone at this point.......maybe 25? 35? for each cable)

8 cat's curls - 10lb dumbbells (8 internal rotation curls, 8 external rotation curls, 8 hammer curls = 1 cat's curl)



cool-down=LOTS AND LOTS OF STRETCHING!

Tomorrow marks the beginning of May (already! May never came this fast when I was in school)! Also, it marks the beginning of The Simple Life Challenge

Here is how I am suppose to track my points:

Tracking your points:

•1 point for riding your bike, carpooling, taking the public trans, running, or walking to work or to the market or some place you would normally drive too.
•1 point for every meal you prepare at home(not snacks just meals).
•1 point for doing something frugal! This is where you can get really creative!

Eating out is not too big of a deal for me. The creative frugal thing is something I am going to have to think about. As for the green commuting......I need to get a key from security at my one job to lock my bike up in the bike cage (otherwise that will be short-lived); my other job I work 3p-3a and it is a little farther away (the buses don't run out there at that time of night and safety is more of a concern at 3am then being green is so I don't plan on biking there); I will try to ride my bike to my TSOTD's in May.

In doing this challenge it made me think about some things yesterday as I was reading a few magazines. Is having a magazine subscription "non-green"; what if I donate my used magazines to the hospital, and then they get recycled after that? Is reading a news publication or magazine online actually "greener" despite the plastic and other products used to make my computer and also the electricity it uses up while reading on-line?

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT (UPDATE).....I FOUND THE SOURCE!

Had to share that, thought it was pretty funny in all the mass hysteria!

Torture Session Of The Day(TSOTD) -

GROCERY SHOPPING!!!!!

Lol, seriously though if I was rich these are the things that would be at the top of my list to spend money on:

1. Professional driver - except for the month of May because I am going to try and ride my bike or walk more to places I would normally drive.....it's the Live Simply Challenge brought to us by N Her Shoes

2. Professional menu planner and grocery shopper

3. Professional ironer - if they are BOARD with just that they can actually do the laundry too!

Ok, on to real stuff! This morning I ran at 5:30am!!!! It was actually quite nice out, I forgot how nice it is to run that early in the morning. I ran with the bf who hasn't ran since the Ragnar Relay back in Feb. We did an easy 1.5 miles since it was his first day back running. I say easy, but I definitely have a faster pace whenever I run with him because he is just naturally (ARMY trained) faster (and taller) than I am.

My quads are pretty tight so after this I am going to revisit yoga for runners and my foam roller. Tonight we bbq'd some teriyaki steak skewers and peppers. Squidney invited some friends to join us, they decided to go for swim.

Hope everyone had a good day and remember WASH YOUR HANDS!

TSOTD

Yesterday evening I went on a nice bike ride along the canals with one of my friends. We rode about 8 miles. At the 4 mile turnaround we caught the back end of a community world gym trail and so we followed it off the path and stopped and did some of the exercises along the way push-ups, balance walk, leg raises, and pull-ups (lol, well the attempts were at least hilarious). Today I spent all morning cleaning and doing laundry which is typical of Tuesdays. This afternoon I met up with my trainer for this. I am going to try and start posting more of my workouts like this mostly as a journal of workouts to do on my own.

TORTURE SESSION OF THE DAY (TSOTD)

total time - 60 minutes (resting 1 minute between rounds)

warm-up - y/t/w; hanging knee raises



Round 1 -

alternate arm chest press on ball - 30# dumbbells/10 reps

burpee jump up to box - 10 reps

single arm squat to clean w/ 20# dumbbell/10 reps each arm

sprint 100m? was outside gym in parking lot area distance not measured



Round 2 -

repeat round 1

backpedal 25m? sprint 50m? backpedal 25m?



Round 3 -

repeat round 1 doing only 8 reps of each exercise; increase dumbbells for chest press to 35#

shuffle right 25m? sprint 50m? shuffle left 25m?



Round 4 -

repeat round 3

ali shuffle 25m? backpedal 25m? sprint 25m? shuffle 25m?



Round 5 -

medicine ball push-up (move ball from r to l in between push-ups)/ 8 reps

side to side jumps on step box (4 tall)/8 reps

hanging knee raises/20 reps

assisted dips (3 or 4 on machine) /15 reps



Round 6-

medicine ball push-ups/8 reps

broad jumps/8 reps

plank on medicine ball with 1 leg in air (30 secs/each leg)

assisted dips/15 reps



Round 7-

clapping push-ups on bench/8 reps

bunny hops over mini hurdles (30-40 jumps)

russian twist w/ medicine ball/20 reps each side

assisted dips/15 reps



This evening I went to an advanced pilates class which we worked mostly on the wunda chair and tower. Tonight I learned that changing an exercise in even the slightest can make all the difference in the world. Normally, I can do a pretty decent teaser or at least I think I can. Tonight we did a teaser with the pull-down bar on the tower under I knees and as you go up into teaser you slide the pull down bar along the back of your calf up to your ankle. For the life of me it was like I couldn't even lift my legs off of the floor with the bar like that. Then we turned around and did teaser with lifting the bar up above our heads and I was back to being able to do a decent teaser (so weird). To most of you that last paragraph probably is jibber jabber so just ignore.

Sunday Brunch

Normally, I am asleep at this time because I usually work Saturday nights. So what does a girl do on a Sunday morning off. Go for a run!

I had a nice 2 mile run this morning (I'm still sticking with the 2 miles/run for a few weeks to get my legs back under me). Today I ran 9 minutes/walked 1 min during my run which ended up being just under 20 minutes and I am ok with that because I still have not had any knee or IT band pain while I am running which is WONDERFUL, MAGNIFICENT, AMAZING! I did some stretching and foam rolling when I got home. My hip flexors and low back still get pretty tight and I am starting to get a little sore from my workout yesterday.

Next up, work in the garden!

Here are some updated pics of the pumpkin patch, oops I mean ant hill, oh wait I mean garden!

These are my sunflowers that I just got planted a few days ago and already they are springing up! Sunflowers are my favorite!

Look strawberries! One is already turning red! Although I am not seeing many more blooms on them, any suggestions?

Last week I replanted some okra since only a few seeds took the first time. Much better results now that the ground is warmer!

Corn stalks looking good!

Finally, the problem child. Check out the huge blooms on the pumpkin plants! Also, check out how the pumpkin plants are taking over the carrots and green onions. I know I should cut them back some. Also, I have ants! Specifically all around the back side of the pumpkin plants where I found an ant hill. Any suggestions on how to get rid of them without poisoning my dogs or my garden?

So I am hoping to meet up with a good friend for brunch now that I haven't seen in a while. Then it is back to work tonight. Has anyone seen THE STAND recently? WASH YOUR HANDS AND STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK!

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!

WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH YOUR HANDS PEOPLE!

If any of you have watched the news this weekend I am sure you have heard of the mutant swine flu which they are stating is a flu virus that resembles part swine flu, part bird flu, and part human flu virus. The CDC is concerned about this for a number of reasons. Mexico City is basically shut down according to the news and cases have been confirmed here in CA, TX, and I have now heard KS and possibly NY. One of the most concerning things about this strain is that it most of the people it has killed in Mexico are between ages of 20-40 an age group usually not affected to this extent by flu viruses which make it more of a concern of having a wider outbreak. Again all I can say people is WASH YOUR HANDS! Here is a resource (there are a million resources out there)

http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oids/epi/flu/swine/index.htm

Ok onto fun? stuff.

My torture session of the day (aka personal trainer) started off with a little competition among his clients and ultimately with yourself. Here is the deal.

21/15/9

The sequence of the exercises goes like this -

squat thrusters (I was using 2-20lb dumbbells), push-ups, burpees (hands down to ground, jump back to plank, then jump feet back to hands and explode into vertical jump)

The basics of it is you do 21 reps of each exercise, then 15 reps of each, then 9 reps of each. You can rest when you want, but you are clocking your time from beginning of first rep to end of last. My time was 6:42. This was my first time doing this and I felt pretty good about my time, but definitely will try to beat this in the future. Try it out sometime; let me know what your time was.

Keep on keeping on'

Yesterday I did another easy 2 miles this time at 8am. It's only April and already I hate running at 8am. I don't think it is the heat so much as it is the desert sun beating down on me. I really hate 5 am, but it is going to have to happen. I hate wearing stuff on my head (hats, headphones, sunglasses, bandannas, baskets of fruit, etc) while I run, but I may have to just try a few different running hats that can block some of that desert sun.

Question of the day? Do you run with a hat? Sunglasses? Headphones? If so what kind?

My mom runs with a baseball cap on (of the cotton sort) and I offered to buy her one that wicks the sweat away and stays cooler and she said "No, then I wouldn't form a sweat ring on it. That is how everyone can tell how hard I am working when I am running."

So besides my 2 mile run yesterday I worked at my new job so I guess you could add a 12 hour walk to that training total. I tried to wear a pedometer at work one day to see how far I had walked by the end of my shift. My data was slightly skewed. I think mostly due to the fact that the pedometer I was wearing was from my box of Corn Pops.

This weekend I start my Pilates instructor program which throws my schedule for a curve. Work, workout, treadmill run, lecture.....sleep......lecture, work.

Coming up next week - more running! more pilates! updated garden pics aka killer pumpkin plants from outer space! maybe some local pics from bike ride or hike!

I scream, you scream, we all scream

ICE CREAM!!!



Today was a cross train day and another hot one. 98 degrees!



Cross train - 60 min Pilates Reformer class (focused on some basics); favorite exercise of day = Single Leg Thigh Stretch

One-hundred and TWO degrees

HOT! HOT! HOT! Summer has arrived here in the desert. The temperature peaked yesterday at 102 in the valley of the sun sometime in the mid afternoon. Due to my being unable to find Motivation yesterday morning I ended up running at 6:30 pm. Still daylight and I am sure still well up in the high 90's. I ran an easy 2 miles - yogging 4 minutes and walking 1 minute throughout. My left it band/knee didn't hurt at all! I was a little tight afterwards, stretched, and foam rolled. The legs are feeling pretty good this morning so despite my runs being very slow and short right now I am happy that I am not having any pain and shall continue with my very slow build up of a new and improved base. Today is a cross train day.

While running yesterday and realizing that it is only going to get worse as far as the heat goes I was thinking about how people continue to be runners living in the desert in the summer. Here are some options I came up with. Please feel free to add to this.

A. Become a hamster and join a gym!
B. Become a bat and run at 3 am!
C. Become a camel and continue your normal routine!

Dear Motivation,

Where are you hiding? I woke up this morning hoping to see you. I've looked near the coffee pot where you sometimes like to hide. The yard, the laundry, the garden, the workout, the run....all these things are in dire need of your presence today. I will keep looking.

GO KARA!!!!!

WATCH THE BOSTON MARATHON LIVE ON THE INTERNET RIGHT NOW!

http://www.universalsports.com/mediaPlayer/media.dbml?CLIP_ID=110201&_MODE_=EVENT&db_oem_id=23000

Sunday Brunch

I wish. That is one thing that sucks about working sat/sun nightshift is you don't get to enjoy a good lazy Sunday brunch because it is in the prime of your sleeping hours.

This morning I drove straight from work to the gym to meet up with my trainer. It is sooooo hard to go workout after I get off work in the mornings but during and after it is not so bad and I actually get my workout in. It felt good to be lifting weights again. My last trainer session was almost exactly one month ago (03/20). Maybe the lull in training will jump start my body since it will think I am doing something new again.

Workout - 60 minutes of I can't remember what, lol! My brain shut off about 5 minutes into my workout and then it was just robot zone. It was a good workout, hard but not as bad as I thought my first back would be (ask me again tomorrow when the lactic acid sets in)!

Back to work now - food for thought though.

If you go to a doctor for a physical complaint don't be shocked when the nurse asks you to change into a gown. I mean really is this such a novel concept? Also it is rude to continue to text message while a health care provider is trying to explain something to you and even ruder to continue after they have asked you nicely to put the f$@#*!#g phone down.

Cross train Saturday

Todays cross train was pilates (reformer class) - 60 minutes

I again ventured into class with a new teacher. It is actually really fun going to classes with different teachers because they all focus on correctly just slightly different parts of your form. This was the first time I have had a male pilates teacher (actually I take that back I was a guinea pig for Bart when he was going through instructor training). Either way it was a great class and my favorite exercise/stretch of the day which I haven't done since going to STOTT class was The Mermaid.

When I got home I did some foam rolling and further stretching. My legs were a bit more taxed by the mere 20 minute yog I did yesterday than my cardio was. It is amazing how fast you lose it.

Ok so this post is short and sweet as it is now time for my weekend vampire life to start. To mix things up a bit and because my trainer cancelled my friday torture session I will be dragging my tired self to the gym in the am for some good ol' weight training torture! I can feel the lactic acid brewing already!

Have a great rest of the weekend. Good Luck to everyone in Boston especially Kara!

THE END OF A HIATUS

Running shoes on, check. Watch, check (not like I need to keep some pace or am going to lose track of the hours and hours I am not about to run). MP3 player? Not today, must concentrate (where is that thing anyways? I should cancel Napster. I bite the bullet and get an ipod. Why I don't even know where my mp3 player is). Hydration? This short of an outing will not require such (have I drank any water today? hmmm....coffee, coffee, better take a few sips of water before I go). Weather? Sunny, warm, no wind. And I was off and running.


Actually I walked for a few minutes to loosen up the legs, get the blood flowing. Stopped at the footbridge over the canal to stretch. Wouldn't you know it, I get a splinter in my hand from the stupid railing while trying to stretch. No worries though MRSA won't take over at least for a day or so. And then I was off and running.



Actually it was more of a jogging, shuffling, pathetic little run but there I went. And then I stopped. Stupid traffic. Stupid street interrupting my long, straight, flat, dirt canal. ***cue Frogger music*** and I'm off again.


4min easy run - 1 min walk x 4


short, simple, the end of my running hiatus!


My left knee was a little irritable, frustrating since I haven't ran in over a month. My left hip popped quite loudly while I was stretching when I got home. It actually felt good, like it relieved some pressure. I need to reschedule with the sports therapist (that went to the wayside along with everything else in my life the past few weeks).


My running plan right now is simply to start low, go slow, and build to a therapeutic level (it's the nursing way in elderly-ville). More specifically my running plan includes:
1. run 3-4 x week
2. cross train on bike or elliptical 1-2x week
3. stretch 5-7x week
4. start logging at least 1 of my runs/week on the treadmill since triple digit weather is nearing upon us and history tells that I usually stop running altogether in the summer due to this
5. try out this running group that one of the volunteers at work has been inviting me to every week during my hiatus


Haven't posted this week because I was waiting to break the hiatus. Also I had to work wed and thur at my new job orienting 11 am -11pm. The worst shift ever. I would rather work 7p-7a any day of the week.

I'm also gearing up for the start of my Pilates instructor program. I am thinking that once it starts I will take one day a week and post about a Pilates subject (exercise, history, philosophy).



I did some work in my garden today. WEEDS! GRASSHOPPERS! I restaked some of my tomato plants. I replanted some watermelon, okra, and cantaloupe. I think the first seeds I put out the ground was not quite warm enough for them to take. I don't think it will matter though because as you can see my pumpkin plants may take over my whole garden soon anyways. Linus would be so happy!

Exhausted

I did not leave the blog world, only my computer. After being sick last week and working all weekend I was planning on getting back on track and schedule this week, however when I got off work Monday morning I had a message that my grandpa had emergency surgery for a ruptured aneurysm. Tuesday morning I hopped a plane to Texas via Denver? to be with my grandpa. I just returned home today, exhausted from spending the week in the hospital (so weird to be the family and not the nurse). My grandpa is doing good for having gone through what he did. I got to see A LOT of my family which is always good. My grandparents have 8 kids, 22 grandkids, and 14 great grandkids (I think another 1 or 2 on the way). My previous reference to John Wayne was while I was thinking of my grandpa. My grandpa is truly one of those last real American cowboys.

Upon returning home I realized what month and day it is and finally faced up to my taxxacre sending in my state payment and doing the unthinkable of making a deal with the devil (aka irs) to pay off my federal in payments. ***again I vomited a little in my mouth***

The Cowboys

Favorite John Wayne flick

MY BODY HATES ME

Do I blame it? No.

Let's rewind one month to a little 33 hour race. http://idlenessidealness.blogspot.com/2009/03/run-drive-sleep-repeat.html

I am going to tell you a story of a girl and her body. Now the girl's body told her "NO" prior to the race by coming up with some lame sinus infection. She ignored the warning, popped some antibiotics and told her body, "We can do this." Her body responded after the first leg, "blah" (all over the van floor remember). Now during this little squabble between the girl and her body were some uninvited guests "Mr and Mrs. Germinator". Now Mr. and Mrs. Germinator took note of the ongoing battle between the girl and her body and decided that due to the war among the land they could sneak in and start a little family. Fast forward after the race and the girl now willing to listen to her body finished off the antibiotics. These antibiotics were too much for Mr. and Mrs. Germinator and sadly they passed, BUT not before they had started their little family. Now because the kids of Mr. and Mrs. Germinator were exposed to these antibiotics in their young stages some died. The ones that didn't were the strong. Throughout the next few weeks the strong Germinator kids grew up and had families themselves. Back in the homeland the girl and her body continued to fight. The girl attempted to take care of her body and thought it was getting better. So once again she pushed the body making it work multiple days in a row and depriving it of its recovery sleep flipping from days to nights back to days. The new Germinators with their families decided that where they were living was too small for all their new kids and set out to conquer more land and as the girl and her body were in turmoil still they felt it the perfect time. The Germinators were already living in the sinuses barrio, some ventured out and took up roots in the ear, others the wildest of the bunch moved down into the throat. The girl had lost her fight. The body was now being overran by the Germinators and was letting the girl know just how mad it was about this by shooting pain and fever all over. The girl is now making one last attempt to save her body and once again be in a state of balance. A stronger antibiotic is being taken and the girl is letting her body rest as much as it can for as long as it needs. STAY TUNED TO SEE IF OUR GIRL WINS BACK HER BODY!


oK with that being said here are some updated pics of what is going on outside!



PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS IN BLOOM - DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO GET RID OF THE WHITE PATCHES ON IT I BELIEVE IT IS A FUNGUS

ROSES ABOUT TO BLOOM

OKRA FINALLY COMING UP

ZUCCHINI STARTING TO FLOWER

GREEN ONIONS!

CARROTS!

CORN - ABOUT TIME TO SPACE OUT

PUMPKINS- JACK-O-LANTERNS, PUMPKIN PIE, PUMPKIN ROLLS, PUMPKIN COOKIES, PUMPKIN BREAD, PUMPKIN PORTER (OK I WILL LEAVE THAT UP TO THE BREW MASTERS)

I'm alive.....

BARELY! This past weekend has kicked my ass. My diet has been crap. I guess I figured if I wasn't getting sleep, I should at least get food. My allergies are back, my nose is once again a faucet. I haven't worked out in over a week (as if I've had time). Saturday someone thought it would be awesome to put speed walls (I mean bumps) in the parking garage. Sunday night I walked into a bomb threat at work (thanks for letting me know prior to clocking in). Monday I became a blessed healer. And tonight my Barnacle Bo had a sudden onset of pain while eating and now he can't eat or open his mouth all the way?!? Anyways, tomorrow is a small respite in this crazy two week schedule of mine (although now may end up with a trip to the vet). Then I work thur,fri,sat, and sun! I am missing my torture sessions this week due to my schedule again (that's 2 weeks in a row, boo!).

On the positive side **my okra finally bloomed up**

I think I will try and go for a run tomorrow, maybe that will drain my sinuses!

I can't wait for next week when my schedule gets back to norm!

Dear Mother Nature,

If I wanted it to be windy all day long I would move back to Kansas!

Ok so did I mention that I am working 60+ hours this week and 60+ hours next week? I have done nothing besides my pilates and some stretching this week, : ( After next week I will be done with this orientation stuff and my part time job will finally be just that PART TIME!!! So I am going to warn my lovely 2 readers now that I will be M.I.A. until at least Tuesday of next week if not longer due to 2 ultras I will be partaking in this weekend. No, not running ultras which actually sounds more appealing than the following:

Fri 0800-1700 orient to new unit......1900-0700 work....... yes that is 20 hours of work in a 24 hour awake period!

Sat 1900-0700 work (what just 12 hours?)

Sun 1900-0700 work..........0800-1700 cultural competency training..........again 20 in 24......I doubt I will be competent in anything at this point!

Good thing I won a gift card to Starbucks this week! oh wait that would entail having time to go to Starbucks (screw it). My circadian rhythm will be begging for mercy when I get done with it! Take that sleep pattern, up yours! If you are reading this, please send dark chocolate espresso beans to me. On the up side, I do work in the er and should I happen to die they have all the appropriate paperwork to fill out!

She didn't have her v8 today!

PIC: JOSEPH AND CLARA PILATES





"I must be right. Never an aspirin. Never injured a day in my life. The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises. They'd be happier."- Joseph Hubertus Pilates, in 1965, age 86






Since my sports massage got cancelled for this evening and I am missing my two hours of trainer torture this week I took the opportunity to hit up a late pilates class. I have been going to the same studio for about 2 years now I think but tonight the teacher was someone that I have not taken class from before and therefore she didn't know me or any of my recent issues going on. I love my pilates workouts because they are challenging to my core and because I am able to be so focused while doing it, it is almost like an hour of meditation for me. One of my biggest challenges that I get cued on and that I also catch myself doing is letting my shoulders ride up. Despite that the teacher tonight did comment that I have good form, but! but! said that my left side definitely tries to work harder than my right. For someone to pick that up and didn't know that I've been having extreeeeeme tightness in my left side.......I must look like I need a v8!

Sign of the times.

So today I went to the first day of my orientation for my part time job at another hospital. I have sat through many of hospital orientations and always before (because the nursing profession had such a shortage) the whole first day you would hear how great it was that you (the nurse) had chose them (the hospital) to work for. Today though it was a different story. All we heard was how lucky we were that they chose us to work there. Don't get me wrong I know I am very lucky to not only have one job (with benefits) but now to have another job for extra hours........On the other hand, I am a nurse........my job is not going to be outsourced.........my profession is still largely populated with nurses of or nearing retiring age even if they do decide to put in a few extra years before the final vacation. Just another sign of the times that I pondered during my 8 hours of boring orientation. Good grief Charlie Brown : <