Week #11 - Wasted…

It's not easy to share a training update when the week has whizzed by with no energy to do anything. I mean I did try - on Thursday gave in to the desire and asked to trainer to stick to the training date. What followed was a workout at 50% capacity and the rest of the day as fatigued and washed out as possible! It's not easy to deal with the situation when the mind is willing but the body is not and hanging in there is all one can do!

I have missed a lot of training and I missed some important events - a movie screening (Spirit of Marathon), the launch run of the Bangalore Marathon - which it seems will coincide with the date of my 42 weeks, a celebration party of dear TimTim, my own longest run of this training so far and more. I have spent this week watching everyone else's, updates and that is just about the only exercise I have had.

I am concerned that the 10 days of whatever I seem to have is going to set me back and that I will have to start training from scratch.

But we must wait it out, we must wait to get strong before we get back to the track, for a wrong move at this time will only lead to a further set back in bouncing back..And like they say, a viral will take as long as it needs to take…

Till then, we will
- Drink a lot of water
- Rest Rest Rest (yes that dirty four letter word)
- Get a blood test done (well I did go to the doc I just didn't want to pop those pills after the first dose set my tummy off!)

So signing on the positive note, though without any pictures this week, that I hope I have something real to report for next week's training!

Remember: Crap happens but we can choose to… Stay POSITIVE, stay inspired and keep running. 

Week #10.. When the mind is ready but the body is not!!

Writing from a bed after being in it for 3 days does not make the most inspiring setting but, report I must!

Let's start with the more positive parts. Finally the scale not moving just got to me. As in not 'got to me' like one writes it, but 'got to me' like it was PINCHING me. A combination of factors led to that - first having to put away a lot of my favourite clothes because they didn't fit me anymore and two going over some pictures just a year old that showed me the difference between what a 7 kilo gain can 'LOOK' like on the body! And so, I went about the weight loss attempt with renewed energy.

Minus 7 kilos - 2012 end

Now remember that I am not one of those who can keep away from eating, I don't just love my food but also can't live without it. So, all I did was as follows:-

1. Changed the portions of my meals and made my main meals smaller
2. Brought back the fruits throughout the day - adding at least 3 and at times 4, smaller snacks (one of them includes nuts) - one being a heavy duty glass of carrot, beetroot and such - fresh juice!
3. Added a bowl of raw salad to my meal - to be eaten before the meal itself
4. Increased my water intake
5. Made no compromises on my chocolates (what's the use of living if you can't eat what you want, right?)

I am pleased to report that the weight loss has kicked in. And it is here to stay!!! :)

On the training bit, on the personal trainers recommendation I bought myself a new exercise bench and promptly  got a nasty bug that has kept me in bed since Thursday evening. A completely energy sapping cough with a body-ache and sniffly nose has led to a small break in training. I hope to be back on my feet really soon - though I may have to miss a day or two more.

But, we did go through training till thursday and this included
Monday - Lower body and upper abs workout
Tuesday - Speed training - 200m, 400m, 600m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m and I am pleased  to report that the post 800 timings were better than pre ones.
Wednesday - Upper body and lower abs
Thursday - Hill training and post that all the trouble started, the rest of the week as they say was history!

A huge congratulations to the Bangalore boys and the crew (that very much included a few gals), who attempted the 100 miles run from Mysore to Bangalore. Kudos to you boys.. Dharmendra Kumar, Kieren D'souze, Udaya Napa and Vishwanathan Jayaraman - I would have so loved being part of the crew, but God wanted me to stay in bed!

Bangalore Ultra Boys - picture stolen from their event page!

As a result, I also missed the very fun Bangalore Unity run today but, I guess here too God wanted me to stay in bed!

Finally, since there was all this noise about woman's day, I would like to end my this week's update by dedicating this post to a woman I met for the first time this week. She is a running friend's wife and I met her when Coach Pani and I went over to her place, for the first time. The purpose of the visit was to pay our condolences for the loss of their 13 year old daughter the previous week. I am amazed at the strength and composure of this ultra woman despite the loss of her beautiful daughter - the one she carried in her arms as a baby and the one who passed away in her arms. Her strength to cope with this tragedy comes from the fact that she has to still be a mother to her older daughter. May no woman's have to prove her strength with such a test - may God bless her and her babies - the one on earth and the one in heaven!

Amen.

    

Week # 9.. 33 more to go!

Almost 25% of the journey is over. What is it about last week that made me feel so fatigued?

Monday - Strength training with trainer but don't forget that it was a day after my 'back on track' 10K at the Pinkathon. Legs and lower body was todays treat.

Tuesday - Training at Kanateerva - Coach had returned from a new training himself and was all charged to experiment balancing on two of us - venky and self. And guess where or rather what, the balancing work out is supposed to work - the G word - gleuteus, the ass, the butt.. you get it. And I could 'feel' my backside for a few days after that..

Wed - trainer core and upper body. He loves crunches, leg raises… like half a dozen variations of them,   planks - variations even there!

As I got on the plane on Wed night, I was secretly thrilled to escape working out. I am having super fun, don't get me wrong. It is just been a sort of exhausting feeling, that's all. And, the time in Mumbai was not spent twiddling my thumb either - even if I wasn't exactly spending all my time at some gym!

Before I got back the Active Holiday Company was appointed sole representative for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Second one of the World Majors. Yeaaa!

Anyway, returned on Saturday evening. And finally I went to the Contours' Women's Day run. I had registered for another 10K and my 12 year old Aprajita for a 5K (Gayatri too had registered for this race but she was sick and so she dropped out, after waking up for the race).

This was the day coach and I had discussed an easy 12K run for, but I am afraid that a small but painful wardrobe 'malfunction' led me to abandoning the 12K plan. This time it was my new pair of shorts that I didn't expect any misbehaviour from.

Culprit Shorts.. oh and mother daughter picture

By the 4th km my inner thighs were chaffed enough to make me consider cutting the distance down to 5K but then I thought about the calories I would burn if I continued to walk a bit more or run a bit more. What did they all say after the race? G, you looked completely focussed. G, you were not in your element. G, you were so quiet.. basically G's thighs were paining - and it was not the good pain…

Runners High Boys - Pic Courtesy  FlashBulbzz

Anyway, glad that I completed the 10K. Before I close this week's update, I gotta mention the incredibly cute all boys dance by Runners High boys post the Contours race! I like it when the boys do this for us gals.. was super fun.. Such a lovely, intimate, fun race.. that was - chicken skin or bruised thighs.. this is one race I sure was happy to have run… Thanks Chandra for organising it for us Bangalore folks!!