.62 Mile swim, 17.5 mile bike, 3.4 mile run...

A top Mt. Albert...yeah its as bad as it looks! Welcome to mile 6.2 !

Well its the eve of the eve of the Iron Girl! Not sure what tomorrow will bring so I wanted to jot a few thoughts down before my first triathlon!

1) The summer FLEW by! If I had it to do over again I would have started to train sooner even if it was just joining TnT for swimming on Sunday evenings. But gone bad already as Jamaican's would say! I have received a lot of emails about doing something with Team in Training. I would highly recommend them. I was too busy to take full advantage of the program but they always kept me in the loop and sent emails and hey its for a great cause! So Advice #1- if you want to do a marathon, half marathon, tri, century bike ride etc check them out TEAM IN TRAINING WEBSITE


2) I am excited!!! I spoke with my Linesister/Soror Jacintha and I feel good about her health she got a fully clean bill of health from her Doc this week and I am sooooooo happy about that! As Puffy would say "Take that, take that!" Praise God (I know quoting Puffy then praising the Lord might not be right but that's how I do!) lol Cancer isn't a game but it feels good to say she is cancer free the week of my Iron Girl. Love that! Advice #2- To plug TnT again it made and is making doing this event worth while. I was happy to call her and tell her I exceeded my goal and people were really supportive of the fundraising efforts because of her.


3) I've been reviewing the results for the past 4 years of the Iron Girl. They give you 4.5 hours to finish the event. I am righttt up on that line. There are names with no times beside them so either they never finished or they didn't make the time I am guessing they dropped out though...b/c there are longer times (pass 4.5 hours) so I am guessing they didn't finish! Advice #3- Finish what you start! Now the Iron Man is gansta they will come get you off the course if you do not meet the time requirements so I am glad I don't have that pressure. But whatever time I make I plan to cross the finish line. I'll be honest I haven't done a brick (ie. where you do 2 or more events ie. swim then run or bike-to build up your endurance) all I got is my mind & the way my parent's raised me. Like my friend Tovia always says "Your parents did a good job with you." *insert head shaking here* Now as I have said before she says it in such a way that it implies they may have done a lil too good with the self esteem part lol BUTTTTTT that "I can do anything, you can do better" attitude has served me well and will do the same this weekend. I am just proud I am stepping up to the plate to be honest I know people 100 pounds less than me that wouldn't dare try a triathlon so bragging rights are mine skinny heffas!!! Take that, take that! Puffy forever! Ok, ok, ok

4) My goal is 4 hours 15 minutes needless to say if I get in at 4 hours: 30 minutes: 59 seconds I'll take it lol I WANT MY MEDAL and I am trying to figure out if they won't give it to me if I am longer than 4.5 hours !!! Do they know I will flip?! LOL I will cut up and act a fool after my nap and full body massage and after I eat of course! Advice #4- Post race pampering a must!

5) Vision Board time. I need to think of some new fitness goals. I am thinking of doing a Mediterranean Cruise in May with my Mom & Sister and I want to be TIGHT & RIGHT so I can buy some amazing clothing is Italy! The trip will be to Barcelona, Spain then Rome, Pisa, Florence (Italy),& Cannes, France can we say AMAZING!? CAN'T WAIT! I texted my sister who incidentally is in my fave city in the world Amsterdam (at the moment) that I want to lose 50 pounds by May. She has the same goal so oh yeah she is coming to live with me for a few months *inhale exhale* so I'll have a workout buddy to do the damn thang with! Advice #5- Workout buddies can be good... I've had a few but I work well with "Bobbie Christina" she's good! She was thinking about doing the Iron Girl this year but went to Europe for a month instead. Hard sell...But she said next year she's on it! We have a trip to Sedona in Jan so we'll be hiking again can't wait that experience in 2009 was not pleasant I was carrying almost 70 plus pounds on me and it just wanst not funny! (Shout out to the old school MTV Real World fans!) Ha!


Ok well 2 days to go before Iron girl and see how my mind works already onto the next big adventure!

But that's how I do! See ya at the finish line! THANKS FOR ALL THE LOVE & SUPPORT!!!!! I pick up my race packet tonight and TnT has a luncehon tomorrow so pics to follow!

IRON GIRL (SOON TO BE) OUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT! :-)

Rain rain go away!

Finish line at end of 3.4

6 days to go!

Well this was a busy workout weekend! Saturday my boyfriend and I did the Iron Girl 3.4 mile race portion of the triathlon. Its a good 3.4 miles and we only had one argument lol but a great workout. I opted to not tell him how long it was until half way through so I guessed that would come. Anyhoo its a good course very pretty and we agreed to do it again. It did take me about 1 hour which was straight walking. But in all honesty after swimming more than half a mile and then biking 17.5 miles I don't imagine I'll be even jogging it anyway. I only get 4.5 hours so this is gonna be close. I am trying to get my mind wrapped around the best strategy to get in under that 4.5 hours otherwise i might hurt someone lol there are some crazy hills in the bike ride and I spend so much energy getting up these hills that by the time I am done I cant even peddle on a flat part of the course so I am thinking of skipping all the hills by hopping off the bike and walking them to save energy.

Sunday I wanted to do the 17.5 mile ride again and boy was I in for a surprise! The first time I did only 15 miles because the marker was a middle school well I turned around at the wrong school lol that extra 2 miles makes a big dang difference. Jesus Lord I called His name several times. I have no choice but to get a new ipod and take it for the ride the mind is crazy alone all that time. It took me 3 hours! WAY TOO LONG! But about 30 minutes in the heavens opened up WIDE! It was a light drizzle that turned into a full on rain storm then into a monsoon! I was like God you got jokes?! Several people stopped and tried to wait it out and it just wasn't letting up. Everyone had a good attitude and kept saying "Some great weather huh?" LOL All I kept saying back was well at least next week if its clear we'll have nothing to complain about since we did this. My clothing felt like cement at a certain point. So between the amount of riding, the rain in my eyes and slashing in my face, the cars and the wet clothing I was too through!! But I did it. I walked a good portion on the tail end but like I was saying about the hills at a certain point the legs were just not interested. I still need to get the energy bites and this week I will do the walking course and swim aint touching the bike lol

I finally came home and my bf so sweet bought me a pillow top for my mattress. My bed feels like a cloud! I took a shower and a quick lay down but didn't sleep and really couldn't. I used a heating pad the whole night though. No realllll pain so I am happy about that. Less than a week! I am looking forward to it!!!

EAT * PRAY * LOVE

Today is THE day! Eat Pray Love -The Movie!!! In my usual style I planned a girls night out to see it. This time with my old Lynne Bricks Gym workout peeps! We used to go HARD! I mean the spirit of that place at that time was awesome. Like one day the power went out in the middle of Joanne's Body Step class and we kept going lol literally they had to come into the class and tell us it was unsafe to have us working out in the dark! LOL Who needs lights, who needs music!? LOL good timeS, good times! Looking soooo forward to seeing them again!!!

Ok Eat Pray Love (the book) if for some reason like me you were unaware of this book when it came out pleaseee go get it! It is amazing!!! I mean she is a great writer but not in the traditional sense more so in the down to Earth this sounds like a conversation I had with my BFF sense! A lot of travelling, loving, praying, learning, and growing! You literally laugh, cry, smile & sigh all at the same time! Its wonderful! I think Julia Roberts was the BEST woman on Earth to play the lead and I can't wait to see it come alive tonight!

I really loved the book from a 'that's why she's skinny' point of view because it demonstrated that most people who over eat and don't exercise will gain weight! lol She had a fab time in Italy and between all the pizza and pasta she wasn't fitting into some of her clothing so she got a bike and got back into her yoga in India and fell in love in Bali! But who can't fall in love in Bali!?! Ahhhh Alls well that ends well! :-)

Anyhoo no workout this week not sure what the scale will say tomorrow a Weight Watchers. I want-scratch that--I will go and walk the Iron Girl course I plan to ask Mister to come with! Then we can come back home to the gym Socaerobics was great and then we can chill and then Mister & I are going to my good friend's home for dinner and that should be nice! Looking forward to it. I like doing couple things its nice. I am not gonna lie and say I miss dating because I don't! I like the stability of a relationship! I like that we are on the same page with most things, I like his personality and sense of humor, I like how he makes me feel and life is good! We are planning a trip to Myrtle Beach, SC in the fall and I want it to be more active than laid back so I am looking into things to do besides eat and sleep on the beach! I am excited this will be our first "trip" :-) How cute! A/w I found miniature golf and lots of walking (in order to shop)!! Sounds like a plan to me! :-) If you know of anything else active to do let a sista know!

Progress

Well we have forward or should I say downward movement on the scale. I went to WW last Saturday and I am hoping for good results this week as well. TOM came and went and I am still trying to eat everything that is not nailed down! Frustrating when the body actively works against you. I straight up ditched my trainer on Monday (lol) ok no lol Well he ditched me first *looking around* and then I ditched him later that day. And for no good reason other than my mini protest against Verizon was over and I had my cable back after whatever issues were going on and they took their time to fix it and I was watching True Blood... Yes True Blood on demand which means I could have come back and seen it. But ohhh noooo! Anyway I feel tired. Mister says I always say I am tired lol and I do. My Doc told me last year I need to take iron pills but I been chilling... not cool. I am not anemic but something in my test results said my iron stores are low so should I burn through my normal levels there's nothing really there. Long and short of it take iron supplements. Anyway last Saturday I was down 4.8 pounds from my last Weight Watcher weigh in which really doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot because of what my Doc's scale said. I still want to lose 30 pounds by Oct. 12th !

I stopped drinking *gulp* likka in an effort to keep my body on top to train for the Iron Girl which incidentally is less that 2 weeks away. Funny. As I chill. I need new sneakers or at least new insoles gotta get on that. *note to self* Anyway point was no extra liquor/liquid calories to derail me.

I am just yapping away because what I really want to do is go downstairs at work and get some cookies or some butter popcorn or some chips or some...well you get the point. Tricks of the trade was supposed to be the title of this post so here we go:

- Fast Food portions---When I want fast food, which is often, I buy the kiddie meal. Yes it costs less and has less calories! So for example this week I wanted Chick-fli-a and I got the 2 strip kiddie meal with low fat chocolate milk which in all honesty is more than enough. That's why kids are fat because the strips are the same as the adult size. Anyway let me stop calling people's kids fat... Ok that is why obesity is on the rise b/c children eat too much...just like their parents.... ok back to the Verizon thing so I love fat/weight loss shows although I now hate the Biggest Loser (totally unrealistic and btw I watched the Iron Man this weekend and Matt from Biggest Loser was on there! HUGE!!! He didn't make it though.. Talk about rebound!!!) but things like Ruby & this new joint Too Fat for Fifteen. OMG OMG OMG I can't get enough even upped my cable bill to get the Style network... my point this young lady from Suitland Md came in at 510 pounds OMG parents WTH?!? I can't tell that lie my parents did try to help me as a child but really what happens why you can't stop a child from being 500 pounds as a teenager!? Another kid's parents said they couldn't lock the cabinets? Why the heck not? I guess its easier said than done as a non-parent but I know I got sent to boarding school and came back skinny lol I think now that may have been part of the plan! lol my parents know I don't eat Jamaican food! Ok ok all over the place I know... Point... I don't deprive myself of fast food I just opt for the smaller portion ie., the kiddie portion.

-Snack- I don't buy a lot of snacks. This is an issue with Mister because I swear he doesn't eat real food all I see are pretzels, teddy grahams, and granola bars. That's a problem for me. Aside from a few Weight Watcher snacks I dont have them in my home because I will sit and eat 10 of them without batting an eye. My latest snack craze is the Utz white cheddar popcorn. I eat the whole bag 12 points. I get 28-29 POUINTS A DAY MIND YOU and I feel no kinda way about it. That's how I do. After going hard on his snacks he said he would hide them to help me out. I said ok but don't put them in obvious places because my sister does this all the time! Be creative! He left his house the first closet I went into had all the snacks!! He didn't even mix it up put a few in the hallway, some under the bed, and others behind the toaster. My sister got skills. She knows snacks are my crack! And she doesn't give them up! I don't find a 100 calorie pack unless I tear the house up! Granted she is selfish and greedy but that helps me. Well he came back and just gave up put the snacks back on top of the refrigerator. *SMH* I'll have Bobbie Christina show him how its done when she gets back!

Anyhow...I aint been feeling the gym. Imma go Saturday morning and save my Iron Girl bike ride for Sunday morning. And just try and get something else in this week swimming or the treadmill anything. I already know this isn't the way to make that happen need to set my goals and put them in my blackberry but again just not feeling it.
Its Wednesday and the day is young :-) maybe Massage Envy is calling...

Ride on!

At the hill on mile 9.4 just in time!

Well Saturday I went to do the 17.5 mile Iron Girl ride and I went earlier but wanted to go to my Weight Watchers meeting and get "The Word" lol it was a good week I was down (FINALLLLLLYYYYY) 4.8 POUNDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHEW! Thank the Lord! I think that bike ride had something to do with it for sure lol The meeting was about binge eating and I can so relate eating is such a slippery slope for me which is what happened the past 3 months a meal out there, a snack there, a bag of popcorn there it just doesn't take much for me to go off track and wayyy off. I mentioned the book Women, Food, & God most said they heard about it and I was making the point that I have used the WW Tool of reframing but things like eating in the car I was just doing mindlessly and that book helped me to realize all that eating in the car is a form of binge eating. The book suggest you do not do that and its a great tip because I was famous for a Mc Donalds meal on the go can be 2000 calories easy! And that was just my in the car eating not the other "planned meals." I for one know exactly where all my weight came from so I know I must make efforts to not do those things!

Well back to the ride!!! I went yesterday and I was so excited I forgot my dang helmet in the car! I was about 1 mile out and I just couldn't justify going back! So I didn't wand to go back so I made up my mind to do about 10 miles and I did about that. I know some places you can get a ticket for riding without a helmet so I didnt want to risk that! Or get hurt which would just be my luck. I also went alone so needless to say I got lost! They do have marks on the ground but I am directionaly challenged and I just missed it. So I went stright through the roundabout at mile 4.8 instead of turning right. So I went up to about mile 6-7 and then turned around and headed back. I got a lil mixed up because the course goes the same first 4 miles and last 4 miles the same way but the other 10 they take you out and over then back if that makes sense. So going straight looked familiar because it was lol I saw it on the way home. I saw a St. Anthony Shine and I didn't recognize the pretty red sign but I KNEW I saw it and there was a sign for a bull roast and sure nuff I turned around and saw the sign that's when I realized I went the wrong way.

All in all it was a great ride I didn't get off as much and while I was still winded I wasn't nearly as winded as before. The plan was to go back today but I am feeling lazy but I am getting a late start and I am sure the roads will be jam packed. I will cross train today catch a class or two at the gym and then bounce back to Mister's place and then to his parents for dinner again.

Things are still going well, very well I really like him. We went to a friend's house party yesterday he enjoyed himself especially when the men talked football lol but it was nice we left a lil early because he had to work but we had fun.

Yesterday I got a camel pak well its the Target version it rang up for $44 I said what? I thought it said a $23 value?! Well the cashier didn't feel like doing a price check and gave it to me for $23 lol I told him I won't fight him on it!

I also picked up the In Style Magazine with Jennifer Hudson OMG....OMGGGGGG SHE IS TINYYYYYYYYY I never like when people say someone shouldn't lose anymore weight butttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt JHud you made it girl! lol

Ok well headed back to bed then to the gym! Latersssss

TGIF!

New snack alert! Odwalla bars! My friend Nicole hipped me to these while we were in Trinidad! They are good! High in points though 5 for one bar but its a high end snack or meal replacement if you are doing 5-6 small meals a day! I got this one and the Almond one very good! One sale at Safeway this week 2 for $3.00 I had it the morning of my 17.5 mile bike ride its sweet but not over the top!

Check them out!

Philly, PA.

Welll TGIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am happy its Friday that's for sure! The week flew by and no exercise! I know right?!? Well Monday--no that's a lie I did Body Flow & I did 1 mile on the treadmill. Tuesday I had to work and then a Junior League meeting and then an AKA Conference call. Wednesday I was supposed to my trainer b/c I took the day off for a Doc's appointment but he forgot :-( I really wasn't :-( lol I went back to bed happily. Had my Doc's appt she is not amused by the weight gain but I told her I was getting back on track---scratch that---I am back on track and told her about the Iron Girl she was happy to hear about it! I will see her again in September. I might hit up my nutritionist again as well its been a minute. Its not like the info is new new its just he accountability but accountability cost! But so does gaining weight! Ok so I told her my goal 30 pounds by Oct 12th that 10 weeks 3 pounds a week. She says its do-able and I need to increase my protein and stop the snacking... I know I know! Anyway after my Doc's appointment Mister asked if I wanted to do dinner I said sure so he suggested Philly! LOL I said Ok why not! So we drove the back way up to Philadelphia! It was nice! It was a good time to talk and fuss and make up :-) I opted to skip dinner and got flowers instead of a cheese steak!



This place in Reading Terminal Market has the most beautiful flowers I was taken aback so he asked it I wanted some with one eye brown raised and I shook my head like a kid in Toys R Us!

That's the bag even the bag was cute!!!!

Thanks my flowers :-) a nice mixed bag of beautiful!

LASTLY!!!!!! I AM AT 106% OF MY GOAL FOR TEAM IN TRAINING!!!! I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT!!! I met a girl who was on a team of 4 people and they only raised $300 all together!!! How sweet that I know such amazingly generous people to raise drum roll please

******************************************************************

$1,380.00!!!

and counting!!!

I still have checks coming in!

MY PAGE

If you didn't get a chance this time fear not in the next few years I plan to run the New York City Marathon for charity so I'll be backkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk :-)

This weekend I am doing the 17.5 mile ride Saturday & Sunday again! Gotta get it in! If I know the course I can master the course! My goal was to also do the 3.4 mile walk this weekend! I wanted to do it last night but a thunderstorm and tornado watch as on! It was on like boiled corn! Down pour!!! The plan was to take the walk with Mister last night but the weather killed that. Today planning on calling it an early night and catching the earliest WW meeting and then go for my ride. I'll check in this weekend! Thanks again for all the love & support!!!

Steroids

My Bikey!

Ok well Saturday I did my 17.5 miles bike ride and the only thing that came to mind is: why do steroids get such bad press? No seriously. There is no way what I did was healthy! No way! Just like these body builders and top athletes push themselves beyond normal human limits there are certain things the body should not do. Now the mind pushing the body to do these things and THIS is how steroids come into play. I totally get it. It was a hard ride! Everyone was saying (well you know the people who took this seriously and are not last minute trying to train therefore they have been out on the course...yeah them) said there was a really bad hill... A BAD HILL... That makes it seem like there is only 1- ONE- UNO bad hill! Well hell the first hill out the gate got me off my bike!!! Granted this was my first time riding it or even seeing it and others said they at least drove the route in their car but ohhhh no not last minute me!

So I head out and immediately I realize I am not a good bike rider. I hate hills. I even hate going down hills and the worst is we left at 9am or so from Princeton Sports in Columbia and that was hell-a late in my opinion! The traffic was all a buzz and it was just a trying experience. I really don't see why people do those century ride and what not Tour De France and what not. *kissing teeth* Biking is not pleasant in the least bit. The route is beautiful but you cant really enjoy it like that because you are trying to avoid getting hit by cars on back roads and oh yeah trying to breathe!!!! Here is the BIKE MAP so you can see the route! Madness. I tell you madness. Although the Princeton folks said no one gets left behind on their weekly ride...well damnit I got left behind!!! lol I wasn't mad though because I was huffing and puffing and maybe swearing a little so no need to have others witness my breakdown! But I did it and I stopped a few times to drink water (Note to self get camel bak) and when I made it back to civilization I stopped at a gas station for Gatorade and and some crackers because my hands were shaking so bad I figured I was depleted of something.

Bikers are not as friendly as walkers and runners although I did get a few "Good job!" and "You Rock" but bike riders seem to be in a zone. I can respect that. One lady did slow down enough to say I should point my knees straight ahead and not to the side...Like at mile 10....ok like I am worried about form?! Lady I am just trying to make it! Can I liiveeee!?!?! But I tired to remember that tip along the way. It is easier on your knees.

Well I left after 9am and didn't get back until 11:45 way too long I assume since the parking lot was empty lol But to my credit I saw a few people turn around at mile 2, 4 and 7 so I am just happy I did the course. Plus I stopped a number of times and walked and just caught my breath. I will do the course again this weekend and next weekend so I am at least use to it more and I'll be better prepared on race day. Oh and I am going at 6 or 7 am this weekend and not at 9am with the Princeton people since I basically rode alone anyhow. There will be less traffic and I think that will be better so at least I am more comfortable. You get 4.5 hours to finish the entire tri and I took 50 minutes for the swim, 2:45 for the bike, which leaves about 55 minutes for the 3.4 mile walk/jog. I can typically walk a 5k in 40 minutes but that's fresh out the gate not after swimming and biking so the goal will be to shave some time off of my swim since apparently that will be my strongest event lol and tighten up on the bike and work the hills and really the walk/jog is the last part so it is what it is. I will do that course this weekend. Here is the WALK/SWIM MAP Its all inside the park so I like that. I will plan to do that maybe Wednesday after work just to get a feel for it. Mister is off so maybe I'll ask him to join me.

A/w I made it back to the bike place and an older couple was in there van and husband yelled " Yeahhh!!" I said "Yeah is right!" Well I made it back and had my bike inspected which the event requires so got that out the way which is good. So as I am about to get the bike on my rack the couple drives over and the wife asked if I was doing the Iron Girl I told her yes she said she was too and asked what I thought about the course. I said it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. She said a few of the other women told her about one big hill and she said there were several. I agreed and this led me to believe that she did not see THE big hill called Mt. Albert. Her hubby followed her in the van while she biked that was sweet. Anyway we chatted for a few and she mentioned these gummy energy bites and her hubby insisted that I try one and I did and it was good tasted just like an orange gummy bear and I was able to get home and not pass out! I will buy a few and test them over the next few weeks. You got to take something to do this kind of event you swim .6 of a mile, bike 17.5 miles, the run 3.4 miles? Come on man ain't no way! I will say this THIS will be my LAST triathlon that's for sure!

Ok a side note of the weight thing well I missed a few Weight Watcher meetings even lost my book I was up 6.2 pounds. Ouch! That is putting me back where I was in Nov 09! So this weekend I really tried to work hard at cleaning up my eating and I did better not perfect (HAD A DONUT, BEAR CLAW, AND BOUGHT CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH CEREAL, AND UTZ WHITE CHEDDAR POPCORN) but better and I am going to set a new goal to lose 30 pounds by Oct 12th. That's 10 weeks. Now that's a lil above the 1-2 week mark I was doing but I am feeling ambitious and I think after the triathlon I'll really get fully back in gear. So I'll keep you posted!

Click below!

ONE MORE THING!!! FRIDAY IS THE DEADLINE FOR $$$ IF YOU HAVE $10 I'D APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!