I don't think there's any bodybuilder/figure competitor that says in competition shape year round, so I wouldn't worry about not being in competition shape. You've done it before, and you can do it again if you so choose - all depends on what your goals are. Good job on the run.
X2 and more! Leah the whole point of doing a figure or bbing competition is to stay that lean for the shortest amount of time possible. Get in, take pictures and get out. You have to go back to a >15% or so bf amount as soon as possible to stay healthy. You did not fail by gaining back. You did exactly what you are supposed to do (except you had too many head trips about it) So celebrate the great deed that you did and celebrate your body now and the amazing running that you are doing. You are my hero and an inspiration to me on so many levels. You go girl!
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The BIGGER I get the smaller you look
I don't think there's any bodybuilder/figure competitor that says in competition shape year round, so I wouldn't worry about not being in competition shape. You've done it before, and you can do it again if you so choose - all depends on what your goals are. Good job on the run.
Hey Tom - You are definitely right about no one staying in competition shape, I guess I just hoped not to get so far off the mark! I am doing a lot better at seeing the whole thing as a great learning experience and not getting so emotional.
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Originally Posted by fengshway
leah, that was so well written! I really identify with what you are writing. congrats on such an awesome run, you are doing so well!
Thanks Wendy!
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Originally Posted by beesknees
Sounds like a great run! You are a runner.
Thanks Bree!
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Originally Posted by kfisherx
X2 and more! Leah the whole point of doing a figure or bbing competition is to stay that lean for the shortest amount of time possible. Get in, take pictures and get out. You have to go back to a >15% or so bf amount as soon as possible to stay healthy. You did not fail by gaining back. You did exactly what you are supposed to do (except you had too many head trips about it) So celebrate the great deed that you did and celebrate your body now and the amazing running that you are doing. You are my hero and an inspiration to me on so many levels. You go girl!
Thanks Karla - I think the head trip stuff is over now, so its all good.
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Originally Posted by GinnyLou
Just checking in on you, Leah. How's the running?
Hey Ginger - Running is going very well!
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Originally Posted by realcdn
Hey Leah, just trying to catch up today and see that you're probably as busy as I've been. Anyway, I hope everything is going well for you.
Hi Anne - Everything is going well - I'm glad you finally got the racoons to move on.
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Originally Posted by Celestialmom
Hi Leah! Checking in...I've been a little AWOL myself recently! Hope the running is going well.
Hey Celeste - I'm glad you're back!
So I can't believe it has been more than a month since I posted! Right now I am in San Antonio for a hydroprocessing seminar. The hotel has wireless internet so I'm not restricted from getting on this site.
Not much new is happening with my training - running, lifting, martial arts. I finished the 12 weeks of the hypertrophy program from Power Lifting yesterday. I'm planning to take this week as a rest week and decide what I want to do next. On the one hand, I love Power Training because it is so flexible to fit the program to the equipment I have. I also think I have made some upper body gains and my overall fitness has improved from the explosive work. However, these workouts are so hard! I just never seem to stop being sore and exhausted from them and I'm wondering if I should take maybe 8 - 12 weeks to do something a bit less stressful and then go back.
I'm ramping up my running to officially start my 16 week marathon preparation on June 15th. I've got my long runs up to 10 miles, but the first run of the program is 13 miles, so I'd like to go a bit higher before then.
I also ran in the Pittsburgh Race for the Cure 5K on Sunday. I really wanted to do well and I was pretty nervous. It is a pretty hilly course so I'd been doing some of my tempo runs in my neighborhood rather than on a trail. I had struggled hard to keep a good pace for those runs, although I improved from week to week. The weather was perfect, sunny and breezy and about 50. I did a lot more running to warm up than I usually do, including tackling the first hill, but my legs did not feel great - they just felt kind of stiff and heavy. When the gun went off we started and stopped and started and stopped and finally I crossed the line. I should have lined up further forward because I had to get around so many people, including people that started walking after maybe only a quarter of a mile. When I got to the first mile, my watch said 10:20. Most of the hills are in the second mile, but I decided I really needed to pick up the pace. I didn't have to do as much weaving around people, but it was still pretty crowded. The really big hill was challenging, but it seemed much shorter than I remembered. When I got to mile marker 2, my watch said 9:59. At that point I started to feel really frustrated because I was working way too hard for a ten minute mile. I was thinking I might have trouble breaking 30 minutes and that depressed the crap out of me. I decided I had to push out everything I had for the last mile and cranked it up to that wanna puke pace. Before I knew it there was the finish line and the clock only said 28 something. My official time was 27:06, so obviously the splits were not marked right. I had hoped to beat my time of 26:50 from Thanksgiving day, but that was on a flat course and was not so crowded, so I was pleased. When I looked at the results later that day, I was in the top 20% for my age group and I thought about how far I've come from when a 35 minute 5K was a hard effort for me.
This morning I'm doing my speedwork on the treadmill - boo. The workout is 10 x 400's with 1:30 rest intervals. This is the first week the recovery intervals are basically cut in half, so we'll see how it goes.
Nice job leah! Hilly courses are so challenging. My marathon season technically starts saturday, so I look forward to sharing the season as you do your first!
Hey Leah - good to hear from you! Sounds like you're doing great!
We miss you around here... hope you can stop by again soon!
Hey Bytsi! I definitely am planning to be around more.
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Originally Posted by fengshway
Nice job leah! Hilly courses are so challenging. My marathon season technically starts saturday, so I look forward to sharing the season as you do your first!
Hey Wendy - there are nothing but hilly courses in Pittsburgh so I figure I better suck it up. Yeah for starting on Saturday! I can't wait to hear how it goes at running camp.
So I didn't quite complete the workout as written, but I came pretty close. I did 9 x 400's at 7.8 with 1:30 rest, except I rested 2:00 between 8 and 9. I have really started to enjoy running at the track and the treadmill was definitely not as fun. Although at the track, as I get tired I would start to slow down and on the treadmill you force yourself to keep going more.
Last night my grandma's younger brother came to the hotel and took me on the Riverwalk and out to dinner. My mom said I had met him at my cousin's wedding nine years ago and I couldn't remember him and I felt kinda weird about calling a stranger, but she kept bugging me and I'm really glad I did. He was really nice and friendly and way cool. He is into martial arts and kettlebells and he was in really good shape for a 72 year old man. He has lived in San Antonio since the 60's and he knew a lot about the city and the changes that have happened. He reminded me so much of my grandma the way he talked. I'm really glad I called him and it was a really nice time.
The seminar is going well too. Its very specific to our industry and very technical, but really dense! I'm trying hard to stay focused and take in everything. The food has been amazing too - huevos racheros and chorizo and black beans for breakfast, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, also lots of desserts and junky stuff but I have resisted so far.
Tonight we are going out with the class to a Mexican restaurant. I really hope the Pens win because Shawn is going to be heartbroken if they are eliminated. He was really bummed out when they lost on Monday night, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Hey Leah, glad you're back and that you're doing well. Family is always meant to be called on when you're in a strange city. That's the good part of family. I remember years ago going to Cairns, Australia and meeting relatives there. It was kind of neat as they were a branch of the family that left Scotland and most people had never met. Since that point they've visited Canada (and Scotland) and my mother went back to Australia and stayed with them. So, it can be a good thing.
I totally feel the same way about the treadmill vs. track. I had this debate with a friend not too long ago. We both agree the treadmill can be deceiving. But, when doing intervals it helps keep you going at the same speed where as outside even though you don't try to, its hard to keep the same steady pace.
Hey Leah, glad you're back and that you're doing well. Family is always meant to be called on when you're in a strange city. That's the good part of family. I remember years ago going to Cairns, Australia and meeting relatives there. It was kind of neat as they were a branch of the family that left Scotland and most people had never met. Since that point they've visited Canada (and Scotland) and my mother went back to Australia and stayed with them. So, it can be a good thing.
That is really cool about the relatives in Australia!
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Originally Posted by beesknees
I totally feel the same way about the treadmill vs. track. I had this debate with a friend not too long ago. We both agree the treadmill can be deceiving. But, when doing intervals it helps keep you going at the same speed where as outside even though you don't try to, its hard to keep the same steady pace.
Hi Bree! Since I quit the gym I don't normally have access to a treadmill anyways. I might have to do something about that in the fall when the weather starts to turn.
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Originally Posted by GinnyLou
Yeah! Leah's back!
Hi Ginger!
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Originally Posted by foodfromafar
HI, Leah!
Hi Pauline!
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Originally Posted by stingo
Just checking in - looks like you're doing ok.
Hey Tom - I am doing well!
So this three day weekend was so awesome and relaxing! I left work early Friday afternoon and attempted a tempo run, but it didn't go very well. I don't think I'm used to the heat yet and the place I went was quite hilly. I covered the eight miles, but it wasn't pretty.
Saturday we took an awesome ride, about two hundred miles. We got poured on by a little storm cell, but luckily the sun came up and dried us out.
Sunday I did a twelve mile long run. Shawn was kind enough to pick me up so I could run twelve straight miles on the trail instead of going out and back. I tried hard to go out slow, but it always feels so easy at the start. My first couple miles were just a little over nine minutes each, which led to a horrible death feeling in the last five miles or so. I finished in 1:56:47, including a quick pit stop, which worked out to 9:44 average pace.
I have been trying to practice eating and drinking while running my long runs, but I just hate it. Every type of food that people recommend like a candy bar, granola bar, pretzels, gummy candy, etc is extremely hard for me to chew and swallow without choking and I just don't feel like it is giving me a burst of energy or anything. I am scared of gu's, but I might have to get over that.
Monday we worked in the yard for a lot of the day. My mom gave me this book called square foot gardening. The author spends a lot of time talking about how it is so much easier and better than traditional row gardening, so I decided to give it a try. So far it has been somewhat difficult and expensive. The latest addition is my pest control cages which is basically chicken wire on a frame. We spent several hours and ended up all scratched up from the stupid wire. Shawn has made a lot of threatening statement towards my mother for sending me the book.
Here's a picture:
We also went to a concert in the evening. It was a benefit for three police officers that were killed in Pittsburgh a few months ago and they had about twenty different bands. They each played about five songs and there were awesome fireworks after.
I also started NROL4W on Monday. I had another Power Training plan all set up, but I decided to do NROL4W at the last minute because it seems more time efficient.
Here was my first workout:
Squats: 85/15 85/15
Push ups supersetted w/bent over row: BW/7 65/15
BW/7 65/15 - Not sure why these pushups were so weak!
Step ups & Swiss ball jack knife: 15's/15ea BW/8
15's/15ea BW/8 - I never did the jack knifes before and I am sore in the strangest places in my lower abdomen that I never felt before
I tried to do my track workout on Tuesday morning, but I felt like death from too much beer and staying out to late, so I decided to give up after the first repeat and try again today. I am so glad I did because today went very well.
This was probably my best pacing effort to date and they did not even feel that hard! I love this track work because it is so cool that every time is a little easier.
Ooooh, Leah! I am definitely going to look into that square foot gardening idea! Looks so interesting. Can you give a little synopsis of what it's about, how it's better, how you did it?
Ooooh, Leah! I am definitely going to look into that square foot gardening idea! Looks so interesting. Can you give a little synopsis of what it's about, how it's better, how you did it?
Hi Jane-
Basically, you build 4x4 boxes 6" high and fill them with your own soil that you mix from stuff you can buy at a garden place. Then you build the grid on top which is basically an organizational tool. By eliminating the space you would have between rows in a traditional garden, you can grow a lot more in less space. A lot of plants need their own square, like tomatoes and peppers, but beets, lettuces and greens and carrots you can plant as many as 16 in a square depending on the spacing the package says they need. The author recommends the 4x4 size because you can reach in from all sides to take care of everything. Also, it is easier to protect from pests since it is small. That was the reason I didn't plant anything last year - groundhogs and deer ate everything the year before!
So far, I got a used palette from work and broke it into pieces to get the sides for the boxes. The bottom is lined with weed cloth. The soil is vermiculite, peat moss, and compost, which was somewhat expensive and mixing it was really hard work. However, the author said that since it usually takes people a few years to get their soil the way they want, this is a shortcut to having great soil. The cages took several hours to build, but hopefully they are critter proof. I can just lift them off when I need to.
Leah, the running is going great! My sister does square foot gardening as well. I'm not sure if they found it as big a pain as you have, but after the first year everything is already there and ready to go. Seems to work well year after year!
The set-up is the hardest part. My parents did something like that at the last house, building raised beds. Once they were going though it was amazing how much stuff they eventually got out of them (planting berries in one spot as they didn't need any more tomatoes, peppers, onions, etc. They didn't have to build critter cages, but I'm thinking they might be a good idea in case mama raccoon comes back in tomato season.
So celebrate the great deed that you did and celebrate your body now and the amazing running that you are doing. You are my hero and an inspiration to me on so many levels. You go girl!
Yeah for starting on Saturday! I can't wait to hear how it goes at running camp.
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