This morning I got up a bit early and did my push up test (to give my arms as long as possible between the test and bowling tomorrow night as I could and still progress in the program quicker :P ), and I am proud to say that I was able to do 12 push ups before my arms said "no." Coming from 2 on my first day, that's just awesome. So, I'm not yet strong enough to move on to week 3 (ah well), but I did move up a rank and two columns. On Wednesday I'll be starting on my w3, but on a progression of w1c3.
Then tonight I went running and ran for 25 minutes. Let me let that sink into you for a bit.
. . .
You get that? I ran for 25 minutes, but here's the absolute sick part. I could have kept going. For once I finally got it into my head that yeah, I really really REALLY need slow down and go so slow it feels like I'm barely moving, and I hit that pace, that pace that felt like I could just go on forever. It was awesome. My 30 minute walk at the end didn't seem like a recovery walk nearly as much as an I can still go, look at me go walk. And, I was able to walk at my actual normal pace (which is really fast). Boo ya.
That said, I did get an ache in my left knee today, not a sharp pain, or a cramp, just an ache. Not even enough to make me stop. And I got a few blisters on my toes. I usually wear size 8 1/2 shoes, but the summers here are so brutal that last summer I noticed that my feet swelled pretty badly, so I bought some size 9 shoes in anticipation. My feet don't quite fit in the 9s, and I was wondering if that had to do with some of the weird little, I don't even know how to put it, I feel like my pace is off, like where I put my feet, so today I switched back to the 8 1/2s. I'm not going to make that mistake again. From now until I go home, it's 9s for me.
I also went at 7pm, and watched a beautiful sunset that I got a few pictures of. I'm actually looking forward to next week, it's nothing but 25 minute runs. From here on out for the next 2 weeks, it's nothing but straight running, just adding 3 minute on the end each week until I hit 30.
Tonight, I also did my exhaustion test for crunches. I was able to pull 46 out of nowhere. I thought I was done at around 30, but got disgusted with myself and actually went up to 46. My initial test was 21. That's more than double in 2 weeks. I'm stoked. Now, I'm not doubling the program's numbers or anything, just going by actual numbers. So with that total, I'm actually going from a progression of w4, skipping w5 and going straight to w6, column one. Boo. Ya. Ka.
In other news, they may have found a cure for cancer. I really really really hope it works.
And, June 21st is kani no hi (crab day), because when you go through the japanese alphabet, ka is the 6th character, so June, and ni is the 21st. So, kani no hi. I thought it was awesome when I heard that. From a teacher no less. And I understood what she was talking about before the other teachers. Because that's the way my brain works. Rock.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
I've been playing with Google Docs
So, one of my fellow pushupers has made a simple google spreadsheet that shows her push up and crunches progression totals. It's really nice and simple. But I like seeing all of the numbers, so.
My push up chart.
My crunches chart.
Look at me, being all data entry and whatnot. Now, if only I could figure out how do to the same formula over and over on the same column but on a different rows without spelling it out every row . . . I suck at spreadsheets.
Oh, I've also put up my bowling scores.
Working with online spreadsheets is hard. Sometimes the values don't update right . . .
My push up chart.
My crunches chart.
Look at me, being all data entry and whatnot. Now, if only I could figure out how do to the same formula over and over on the same column but on a different rows without spelling it out every row . . . I suck at spreadsheets.
Oh, I've also put up my bowling scores.
Working with online spreadsheets is hard. Sometimes the values don't update right . . .
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Excersice and bbq
Today's w6d2 was not very interesting. I'm so over the intervals. Especially the long ones. I use an analog watch, I like it, when I was first starting it was nice to be able to physically see how long until I could quite, but as soon as we got to intervals over 5 minutes it just got annoying. Mostly because I don't want to have to look at how far I have left to go, and it's hard to see on an analog, at a glance while your arm is bouncing up and down, exactly what minute you're at. And then fit in a 3 minute walk in the middle so that the next 10 minutes ends at somehour:08? Annoying. But, that's over. At least until I start doing it from the beginning, either working on time, or distance, or both.
I also think I figured out why I insist on going out around noon. I think I'm subconsciously trying to prove to myself that I can. I mean today was 88 degrees, 75% humidity, 20mph wind. That's just kinda nasty. I mean, the heat index is 102. And I was asking myself why I didn't get out of the house when I woke up at 9 this morning and go then. Why I sat around and messed on the computer and just procrastinated until it was bloody hot. I asked myself this about 8 minutes into my final interval. And I think I came back with "to prove to myself that I can." Which is stupid, and now that I know the reason, maybe I'll be better about it. I'm also hosting a dinner party tonight, so that's why I couldn't just wait until it got cool again. Ce la vie.
In other news, I saw a sea turtle again today. Again, I ran down by the port, so I didn't have a good angle, but it was a sea turtle. Woo.
Version: modified push ups
Progress: w2d3c1
Progression: 5, 5, 4, 4, max 6
Today's Max: 10 (+4)
Today's Totals: 28
Version: normal crunches
Progress: w2(4)d3c2
Progression: 25, 19, 19, 17 (+2, oops), max 24
Today's Max: 35 (+11)
Today's Totals: 117
I REALLY like those numbers ^_^
Now I got to get the rest of the house ready for a bbq that I wish more people were coming to, and I think it's going to rain, so it might not matter if I get my place clean because we'll probably have to do it next door, but if I don't clean, it'll be as dry as New Mexico.
While procrastinating I found some nice memories on youtube involving the muppets, kermit, rainbows, and cookies.
I also think I figured out why I insist on going out around noon. I think I'm subconsciously trying to prove to myself that I can. I mean today was 88 degrees, 75% humidity, 20mph wind. That's just kinda nasty. I mean, the heat index is 102. And I was asking myself why I didn't get out of the house when I woke up at 9 this morning and go then. Why I sat around and messed on the computer and just procrastinated until it was bloody hot. I asked myself this about 8 minutes into my final interval. And I think I came back with "to prove to myself that I can." Which is stupid, and now that I know the reason, maybe I'll be better about it. I'm also hosting a dinner party tonight, so that's why I couldn't just wait until it got cool again. Ce la vie.
In other news, I saw a sea turtle again today. Again, I ran down by the port, so I didn't have a good angle, but it was a sea turtle. Woo.
Version: modified push ups
Progress: w2d3c1
Progression: 5, 5, 4, 4, max 6
Today's Max: 10 (+4)
Today's Totals: 28
Version: normal crunches
Progress: w2(4)d3c2
Progression: 25, 19, 19, 17 (+2, oops), max 24
Today's Max: 35 (+11)
Today's Totals: 117
I REALLY like those numbers ^_^
Now I got to get the rest of the house ready for a bbq that I wish more people were coming to, and I think it's going to rain, so it might not matter if I get my place clean because we'll probably have to do it next door, but if I don't clean, it'll be as dry as New Mexico.
While procrastinating I found some nice memories on youtube involving the muppets, kermit, rainbows, and cookies.
Virtual 5k
Okay, so my virtual friend has proposed that we (the couch to 5kers) do a Virtual 5k. Kind of like a coming out (like the olden parties when you were introduced to society), but without all of the people watching us do it. I figured I should be in my 8th week of the program by then (knock on wood) so I'll be running for 28 minutes anyway, why not race for it? I know my time will be atrocious compared to the people already completed with the program, but eh. I'll do it for me.
However, I do not have to be the only one doing this Virtual 5k. You can do it too! Here, have some details from's original post.
When: July 12-13
What: 5k and 2 Mile virtual race
Who: walkers, beginner runners, c25k grads
Register Now
Why participate in the C25K Virtual Race Weekend?
This is the perfect opportunity for you to get your feet wet with racing without the added pressure of a huge crowd or an unfamiliar route. If you've raced before, this can be your chance for a new PR or to practice for your next race.
How does it work?
You simply choose the best time and place for you, measure out the distance, and run! Keep track of your time and then post a new entry in this community with your time, race report, and pictures if you have them by noon on Monday, July 14th. We'll post the official results Monday night.
Who should participate?
Everyone!! To accommodate those still in the program as well as the graduates, we have 2 distances and 3 divisions. You can run either a 5K or a 2 Mile race and we'll recognize the top 3 runners in the following divisions: current c25k runners, c25k graduates, walkers.
I'm in! Now What?
First, make sure you register so we know what division and distance you are running in (you can run both distances if you want, but must register separately for each).
Second, tell us a little about you and your running, and help us promote the race. Post an entry in your own journal telling us about your running (how did you start, why do you do it, etc) and what your goals are for the Virtual Race Weekend. Post a link to your post in the comments so we can check it out.
She just said it so well, I didn't feel like paraphrasing.
So. Me and my running. I think I'm gonna take a cue from this fellow runner for my questions.
1. When did you start running?
My first run was on May 23rd, 2008. Before that I'd always said that I had such bad knees and ankles that running would be a stupid fantasy. Even in elementary school, when they made us run, I didn't run properly. I'm sure being overweight and out of shape didn't help, but I hated running with a firey passion of doom. So yeah, May 23rd, 2008, and not a single day before. Ever.
2. Did you follow a plan (C25K etc.) to get you started running? If so, what plan did you use? If not, how did you go about getting started?
I'm currently plugging away on the couch to 5k program, andhating loving every minute of it. No, I kid. I don't really like the running in and of itself. I love the before and after feeling. More on this in a minute.
3. Why did you start running?
. . . Because if the zombies come, I would die. And yes, you have permission to take that with a grain of salt. Through a friend I found The Post Apocalyptic Workout. And yeah, it's about what would you do if the zombies would come, and yes, if they came, I would probably die, but it's also about all of the other terrible possibilities in the world that if something disastrous happened, I'd want to be physically and mentally fit enough to handle it. And if, in the process of preparing myself for the hopefully non-immanent zombie invasion, I slim down, get stronger, condition myself to run for an hour, and learn good things to know anyway, like basic first aid? All's the better.
4. Now that you are running regularly, what do you find to be the biggest benefits?
Before and after--definitely not the during. As I said before, I don't really like running (although the more I do it, the more I forget how much I don't like it), but I like the anticipation of accomplishing a goal, I like how I feel when I've finished my run for the day (accomplished, endorphins, whatever), I love being able to say "I ran twenty minutes today." I love that I can do things now without getting winded (like walking up stairs, or running down the street to catch up with my friend). I love being outside and seeing wildlife on my runs.
5. What are your future plans for running? Short-term and Long-range.
After finishing c2k5 the first time, I plan to do it again. I'm currently adding 25 minute walks to the end of each of my runs, and when I finish I want to go through the program again. I think what I'm going to do is to double the length of my second program, week 1 run week 1 faster, going for speed, followed by 30 minutes of walking. Week 1 run 30 minutes followed by week 1 of c25k normal. I think. I'm not sure about the logistics just yet.
Longterm, I'm planning to run the Peachtree Road Race next year. My parents reserve me a number every year, in hopes that one day I'd get up early on July 4th and run 10k (HA!), but this next year, I'm seriously gonna do it. When I get back state side, I plan to sign up for a 5k.
6. What are your personal goals for the Virtual 5K?
Less than 50 minutes. I can currently walk 5 minutes, run 20 minutes, and get back to my car in about 25 minutes. By week 8 I should have cut that time down considerably, but that's my current goal.
7. Do you have a music “theme song” that you will use for this race?
As I've said before, I don't listen to music during my runs. I'll probably be done with my current book, Stephen King's The Green Mile and haven't decided what I'm going to listen to next. Probably something funny, maybe some Terry Pratchett.
If you're interested, this is my 5k race plan. I had to do it in miles, so it's a very little off, I'll make up for it on race day.
However, I do not have to be the only one doing this Virtual 5k. You can do it too! Here, have some details from
When: July 12-13
What: 5k and 2 Mile virtual race
Who: walkers, beginner runners, c25k grads
Register Now
Why participate in the C25K Virtual Race Weekend?
This is the perfect opportunity for you to get your feet wet with racing without the added pressure of a huge crowd or an unfamiliar route. If you've raced before, this can be your chance for a new PR or to practice for your next race.
How does it work?
You simply choose the best time and place for you, measure out the distance, and run! Keep track of your time and then post a new entry in this community with your time, race report, and pictures if you have them by noon on Monday, July 14th. We'll post the official results Monday night.
Who should participate?
Everyone!! To accommodate those still in the program as well as the graduates, we have 2 distances and 3 divisions. You can run either a 5K or a 2 Mile race and we'll recognize the top 3 runners in the following divisions: current c25k runners, c25k graduates, walkers.
I'm in! Now What?
First, make sure you register so we know what division and distance you are running in (you can run both distances if you want, but must register separately for each).
Second, tell us a little about you and your running, and help us promote the race. Post an entry in your own journal telling us about your running (how did you start, why do you do it, etc) and what your goals are for the Virtual Race Weekend. Post a link to your post in the comments so we can check it out.
She just said it so well, I didn't feel like paraphrasing.
So. Me and my running. I think I'm gonna take a cue from this fellow runner for my questions.
1. When did you start running?
My first run was on May 23rd, 2008. Before that I'd always said that I had such bad knees and ankles that running would be a stupid fantasy. Even in elementary school, when they made us run, I didn't run properly. I'm sure being overweight and out of shape didn't help, but I hated running with a firey passion of doom. So yeah, May 23rd, 2008, and not a single day before. Ever.
2. Did you follow a plan (C25K etc.) to get you started running? If so, what plan did you use? If not, how did you go about getting started?
I'm currently plugging away on the couch to 5k program, and
3. Why did you start running?
. . . Because if the zombies come, I would die. And yes, you have permission to take that with a grain of salt. Through a friend I found The Post Apocalyptic Workout. And yeah, it's about what would you do if the zombies would come, and yes, if they came, I would probably die, but it's also about all of the other terrible possibilities in the world that if something disastrous happened, I'd want to be physically and mentally fit enough to handle it. And if, in the process of preparing myself for the hopefully non-immanent zombie invasion, I slim down, get stronger, condition myself to run for an hour, and learn good things to know anyway, like basic first aid? All's the better.
4. Now that you are running regularly, what do you find to be the biggest benefits?
Before and after--definitely not the during. As I said before, I don't really like running (although the more I do it, the more I forget how much I don't like it), but I like the anticipation of accomplishing a goal, I like how I feel when I've finished my run for the day (accomplished, endorphins, whatever), I love being able to say "I ran twenty minutes today." I love that I can do things now without getting winded (like walking up stairs, or running down the street to catch up with my friend). I love being outside and seeing wildlife on my runs.
5. What are your future plans for running? Short-term and Long-range.
After finishing c2k5 the first time, I plan to do it again. I'm currently adding 25 minute walks to the end of each of my runs, and when I finish I want to go through the program again. I think what I'm going to do is to double the length of my second program, week 1 run week 1 faster, going for speed, followed by 30 minutes of walking. Week 1 run 30 minutes followed by week 1 of c25k normal. I think. I'm not sure about the logistics just yet.
Longterm, I'm planning to run the Peachtree Road Race next year. My parents reserve me a number every year, in hopes that one day I'd get up early on July 4th and run 10k (HA!), but this next year, I'm seriously gonna do it. When I get back state side, I plan to sign up for a 5k.
6. What are your personal goals for the Virtual 5K?
Less than 50 minutes. I can currently walk 5 minutes, run 20 minutes, and get back to my car in about 25 minutes. By week 8 I should have cut that time down considerably, but that's my current goal.
7. Do you have a music “theme song” that you will use for this race?
As I've said before, I don't listen to music during my runs. I'll probably be done with my current book, Stephen King's The Green Mile and haven't decided what I'm going to listen to next. Probably something funny, maybe some Terry Pratchett.
If you're interested, this is my 5k race plan. I had to do it in miles, so it's a very little off, I'll make up for it on race day.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Flickr update
More pictures are up on the photostream. You can go look at them. There's stuff there from Irabu and around the island, and my apartment and whatnot. Cool stuff. Some beautiful scenery.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Some things about our friend Stephen
As most of you probably know, I'm a big enthusiast for Stephen King's Dark Tower series. So this is a list. A list of things to do, if you will. The following is the list, from Wiki, of all of the Stephen King books that have something to do with the Tower. I've marked off the ones that I've already read. Put a star next to the ones I have my grubby little hands on.
Now I don't know about you, but that seems like a doable list. There are some others that I'm pretty sure I have the paperbacks back at my house (bag of bones and it, I think), but I don't think I'll be reading those in paperback form. I'm really digging the reading of scary books while I'm running in the nice bright sunshine, so I think I'll continue with that, thanks. I think it's just nice to have everything in one place.
* The Gunslinger (Revised Edition)
o Bag of Bones
o The Stand
o The Eyes of the Dragon
* The Drawing of the Three
o The Eyes of the Dragon
o The Shining (film)
o The Stand
* The Waste Lands
o Rose Madder
o The Stand
o Cell
o It
o Insomnia
* Wizard and Glass
o The Mist (from Skeleton Crew)
o The Stand
o The Eyes of the Dragon* Wolves of the Calla
o 'Salem's Lot
o Black House
+ The Talisman
o The Stand
o Low Men in Yellow Coats (from Hearts in Atlantis)
* Song of Susannah
o The Eyes of the Dragon
o Black House
+ The Talisman
o The Little Sisters of Eluria (from Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales)
o Desperation
+ The Regulators
o Low Men in Yellow Coats (from Hearts in Atlantis)
o From a Buick 8
o It
o Insomnia
o The Shining*
* The Dark Tower
o Insomnia
o 'Salem's Lot
o Everything's Eventual (from Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales)
o Low Men in Yellow Coats (from Hearts in Atlantis)
o From a Buick 8
o It
Now I don't know about you, but that seems like a doable list. There are some others that I'm pretty sure I have the paperbacks back at my house (bag of bones and it, I think), but I don't think I'll be reading those in paperback form. I'm really digging the reading of scary books while I'm running in the nice bright sunshine, so I think I'll continue with that, thanks. I think it's just nice to have everything in one place.
Transformers Knitting
Now I want to learn how to knit. Because I could knit things with Transformer's logos on them.
Here's the link to the original design and pattern.
But because there's some debate on row 25 (and I don't know enough about knitting, read "anything," to know which one's right), I'm gonna repost the pattern here, just so I have it for later works.
CO 43
1-4. MB (make border of your choice)
5. MB4 , K35, MB4
6. MB4, P10, K1, P3, K7, P3, K1, P10, MB4
7. MB4, K10, P2, K2, P7, K2, P2, K10, MB4
8. MB4, P10, K3, P2, K5, P2, K3, P10, MB4
9. MB4, K7, P1, K2, P4, K1, P5, K1, P4, K2, P1, K7, MB4
10. MB4, P6, K2, P2, K4, P2, K3, P2, K4, P2, K2, P6, MB4
11. MB4, K5, P3, K2, P4, K2, P3, K2, P4, K2, P3, K5, MB4
12. MB4, P4, K4, P2, K4, P7, K4, P2, K4, P4, MB4
13. MB4, K3, P5, K2, P4, K7, P4, K2, P5, K3, MB4
14. MB4, P3, K5, P2, K15, P2, K5, P3, MB4
15. MB4, K3, P5, K2, P15, K2, P5, K3, MB4
16. MB4, P3, K5, P2, K15, P2, K5, P3, MB4
17. MB4, K3, P5, K2, P4, K7, P4, K2, P5, K3, MB4
18. MB4, P3, K5, P2, K4, P7, K4, P2, K5, P3, MB4
19. MB4, K3, P5, K2, P4, K2, P3, K2, P4, K2, P5, K3, MB4
20. MB4, P3, K5, P2, K4, P2, K3, P2, K4, P2, K5, P3, MB4
21. MB4, K3, P5, K2, P4, K2, P3, K2, P4, K2, P5, K3, MB4
22. MB4, P3, K5, P2, K4, P2, K3, P2, K4, P2, K5, P3, MB4
23. MB4, K3, P5, K3, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K3, P5, K3, MB4
24. MB4, P3, K5, P4, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, P4, K5, P3, MB4
25. MB4, K3, P5, K5, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K5, P5, K3, MB4 (this one is from here.
or MB4, K3, P5, K5, P1, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P1, K5, P5, K3, MB4
or MB4, K3, P5, K5, P1, K2, P3, K3, P1, K5, P4, K3, MB4
or MB4, K3, P3, K5, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K5, P5, K3, MB4
26. MB4, P3, K4, P9, K3, P9, K4, P3, MB4
27. MB4, K3, P3, K10, P3, K10, P3, K3, MB4
28. MB4, P3, K2, P3, K5, P3, K3, P3, K5, P3, K2, P3, MB4
29. MB4, K3, P1, K4, P5, K3, P3, K3, P5, K4, P1, K3, MB4
30. MB4, P6, K7, P3, K3, P3, K7, P6, MB4
31. MB4, K6, P7, K2, P5, K2, P7, K6, MB4
32. MB4, P5, K8, P2, K5, P2, K8, P5, MB4
33. MB4, K5, P8, K2, P5, K2, P8, K5, MB4
34. MB4, P4, K9, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K9, P4, MB4
35. MB4, K4, P9, K1, P2, K3, P2, K1, P9, K4, MB4
36. MB4, P3, K10, P1, K1, P5, K1, P1, K10, P3, MB4
37. MB4, K3, P10, K3, P3, K3, P10, K3, MB4
38. MB4, P2, K10, P3, K5, P3, K10, P2, MB4
39. MB4, K2, P9, K3, P7, K3, P9, K2, MB4
40. MB4, P1, K9, P3, K9, P3, K9, P1, MB4
41. MB4, K1, P8, K3, P5, K1, P5, K3, P8, K1, MB4
42. MB4, P1, K6, P3, K4, P7, K4, P3, K6, P1, MB4
43. MB4, K1, P5, K3, P4, K9, P4, K3, P5, K1, MB4
44. MB4, P1, K4, P3, K5, P9, K5, P3, K4, P1, MB4
45. MB4, K7, P8, K5, P8, K7, MB4
46. MB4, P7, K21, P7, MB4
47. MB4, K7, P21, K7, MB4
48. MB4, P9, K17, P9, MB4
49. MB4, K35, MB4
50. MB4, P35, MB4
51-54. MB (make border of your choice)
Bind Off
Here's the link to the original design and pattern.
But because there's some debate on row 25 (and I don't know enough about knitting, read "anything," to know which one's right), I'm gonna repost the pattern here, just so I have it for later works.
CO 43
1-4. MB (make border of your choice)
5. MB4 , K35, MB4
6. MB4, P10, K1, P3, K7, P3, K1, P10, MB4
7. MB4, K10, P2, K2, P7, K2, P2, K10, MB4
8. MB4, P10, K3, P2, K5, P2, K3, P10, MB4
9. MB4, K7, P1, K2, P4, K1, P5, K1, P4, K2, P1, K7, MB4
10. MB4, P6, K2, P2, K4, P2, K3, P2, K4, P2, K2, P6, MB4
11. MB4, K5, P3, K2, P4, K2, P3, K2, P4, K2, P3, K5, MB4
12. MB4, P4, K4, P2, K4, P7, K4, P2, K4, P4, MB4
13. MB4, K3, P5, K2, P4, K7, P4, K2, P5, K3, MB4
14. MB4, P3, K5, P2, K15, P2, K5, P3, MB4
15. MB4, K3, P5, K2, P15, K2, P5, K3, MB4
16. MB4, P3, K5, P2, K15, P2, K5, P3, MB4
17. MB4, K3, P5, K2, P4, K7, P4, K2, P5, K3, MB4
18. MB4, P3, K5, P2, K4, P7, K4, P2, K5, P3, MB4
19. MB4, K3, P5, K2, P4, K2, P3, K2, P4, K2, P5, K3, MB4
20. MB4, P3, K5, P2, K4, P2, K3, P2, K4, P2, K5, P3, MB4
21. MB4, K3, P5, K2, P4, K2, P3, K2, P4, K2, P5, K3, MB4
22. MB4, P3, K5, P2, K4, P2, K3, P2, K4, P2, K5, P3, MB4
23. MB4, K3, P5, K3, P3, K2, P3, K2, P3, K3, P5, K3, MB4
24. MB4, P3, K5, P4, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, P4, K5, P3, MB4
25. MB4, K3, P5, K5, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K5, P5, K3, MB4 (this one is from here.
or MB4, K3, P5, K5, P1, K2, P3, K2, P3, K2, P1, K5, P5, K3, MB4
or MB4, K3, P5, K5, P1, K2, P3, K3, P1, K5, P4, K3, MB4
or MB4, K3, P3, K5, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K5, P5, K3, MB4
26. MB4, P3, K4, P9, K3, P9, K4, P3, MB4
27. MB4, K3, P3, K10, P3, K10, P3, K3, MB4
28. MB4, P3, K2, P3, K5, P3, K3, P3, K5, P3, K2, P3, MB4
29. MB4, K3, P1, K4, P5, K3, P3, K3, P5, K4, P1, K3, MB4
30. MB4, P6, K7, P3, K3, P3, K7, P6, MB4
31. MB4, K6, P7, K2, P5, K2, P7, K6, MB4
32. MB4, P5, K8, P2, K5, P2, K8, P5, MB4
33. MB4, K5, P8, K2, P5, K2, P8, K5, MB4
34. MB4, P4, K9, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K9, P4, MB4
35. MB4, K4, P9, K1, P2, K3, P2, K1, P9, K4, MB4
36. MB4, P3, K10, P1, K1, P5, K1, P1, K10, P3, MB4
37. MB4, K3, P10, K3, P3, K3, P10, K3, MB4
38. MB4, P2, K10, P3, K5, P3, K10, P2, MB4
39. MB4, K2, P9, K3, P7, K3, P9, K2, MB4
40. MB4, P1, K9, P3, K9, P3, K9, P1, MB4
41. MB4, K1, P8, K3, P5, K1, P5, K3, P8, K1, MB4
42. MB4, P1, K6, P3, K4, P7, K4, P3, K6, P1, MB4
43. MB4, K1, P5, K3, P4, K9, P4, K3, P5, K1, MB4
44. MB4, P1, K4, P3, K5, P9, K5, P3, K4, P1, MB4
45. MB4, K7, P8, K5, P8, K7, MB4
46. MB4, P7, K21, P7, MB4
47. MB4, K7, P21, K7, MB4
48. MB4, P9, K17, P9, MB4
49. MB4, K35, MB4
50. MB4, P35, MB4
51-54. MB (make border of your choice)
Bind Off
Yesterday and today, followed by w6d1, w2d2X2
Yesterday was pretty uneventful. I stayed in most of the day. Cleaned up a bit, talked to people, tried to eat Wicked but the story's not as much to my liking as I'd hoped, so it's slow going. I did decide about half way through the day that I desperately needed waffles, and seeing how I had a waffle iron and waffle mix, needed to get me some eggs and milk. While I was checking out, the lady in front of me stole one of my bags (probably an accident), and so I got to wait while they tried to find everything again, although I'd gotten the last of that size of inarizushi, so there was no inarizushi for me and a reimbursal of 200yen. And that was the highlight of my day yesterday. Today's highlight is probably going to be going out for lunch, whenever I get around to eating. I was woken up at 8:30 by Curi and after having to think couldn't get back to sleep. I'm too dripping to go outside just now. Must shower.
When I started this program the thought of week 5 was so incomprehensible that week 6 just seemed like a figment of people's imaginations--not something that I could actually get to and accomplish myself. But, here we are.
I had today off, and after talking to my family down in Florida for the funeral, I went out. I was a bit stupid in this, as it was 87 degrees with 75% humidity, but I thought because the humidity was lower, and the wind was going about 15mph, and that it's suppose to storm later, that it would be better to just go on and go.
It was hot, but after running the 20 minutes on Tuesday, I felt good. In fact, running for that 5 minutes and stopping was harder than just keeping going--I finally understand what y'all were talking about. It's a WHOLE lot easier to run when you're not checking your watch to keep track of the seconds, to just zone out on your music or whatever you do (I'm currently getting through Stephen King's The Green Mile, I hadn't read it, nor seen the movie so I thought it was about time) and not concern yourself with time. But the intervals were okay today. The first 5 I told myself to slow down, and then gave up and ran a little faster, and that was okay. So was the 8 minutes. The last 5 hurt, but I think it was more from the heat and having to run into the wind than anything else. The clouds were such a tease. I could see them coming, and if I'd waited another 30 minutes before starting, I bet I would have gotten some of them.
After my run, I ended with my 25 minute walk, or that was the plan, but I messed up my timing (walking down by the port, on piers and whatnot), that I was about 10 minutes from my car with 5 minutes to go. And then I saw a sea turtle off the pier, and walked in place for about 3 minutes waiting to see if it'd come up again, but it didn't. So I was tired getting back. All in all though, I feel really good about today. Although, I think I'll feel even better day after tomorrow, when all of the intervals are behind me.
After getting back and hydrating a bit, I did my push ups and crunches.
Version: modified push ups
Progress: w2d2c1
Progression: 6, 5, 3, 3, max 6
Today's Max: 7 (+1)
Today's Totals: 24
Version: normal crunches
Progress: w4d2c2
Progression: 22, 17, 17, 15, max 20
Today's Max: 26 (+6)
Today's Totals: 97
Look at me, I are strong. My left arm is doing a bit of a wobbly thing during my push ups. I think it's just letting me know that it's really that much weaker than my right (I'm insanely right handed). In light of this (and it was my left arm's fault that I couldn't go past my max of 7 today), I've been thinking about The Test.
Let's put The Test into perspective (seeing how we're all going through this program for the first time). I'm doing column 1, right? Now on w2d3 the largest number of push ups I'm scheduled to do in a row is at least 6. But then on week 3 (after doing The Test, and let's assume I'll be able to do 16-20 and still be in column 1) I'm expected to start doing 15 in a row. That's a big jump. But not only that, for this test, I should be able to do 16-20 push ups. Now, I'm not freaking about this, I think it's totally doable (and if it's not, I don't have a problem repeating the first two weeks of the program, I mean I started with 0 and can do 7 push ups in a row, the program works, I'm sold), but I'd rather set myself up for success than failure.
With this in mind, my plan is to take The Test AS a work out day. Even on the 100 push ups site it says:
At the end of Week 2 it will be time to check your strength and perform another exhaustion test. In simple terms, perform as many good-form push ups as you can manage before you physically can't do another rep. The number of push ups you complete will determine which level of the program you'll start in Week 3. Perform this test within a couple of days of completing Week 2. Good luck!
Obviously we won't be able to do our true max after completing a work out day, and we'll be exhausted if we try to do the test right before starting the new week (the whole point of the test is to exhaust yourself, right?), so my plan is to do w2d3 the day after tomorrow, Saturday, and then my next workout day, which with my schedule will be Monday, to do The Test, as my workout.
Maybe I've been thinking about this too much, but that's what I've come up with. Do y'all have any thoughts on it?
When I started this program the thought of week 5 was so incomprehensible that week 6 just seemed like a figment of people's imaginations--not something that I could actually get to and accomplish myself. But, here we are.
I had today off, and after talking to my family down in Florida for the funeral, I went out. I was a bit stupid in this, as it was 87 degrees with 75% humidity, but I thought because the humidity was lower, and the wind was going about 15mph, and that it's suppose to storm later, that it would be better to just go on and go.
It was hot, but after running the 20 minutes on Tuesday, I felt good. In fact, running for that 5 minutes and stopping was harder than just keeping going--I finally understand what y'all were talking about. It's a WHOLE lot easier to run when you're not checking your watch to keep track of the seconds, to just zone out on your music or whatever you do (I'm currently getting through Stephen King's The Green Mile, I hadn't read it, nor seen the movie so I thought it was about time) and not concern yourself with time. But the intervals were okay today. The first 5 I told myself to slow down, and then gave up and ran a little faster, and that was okay. So was the 8 minutes. The last 5 hurt, but I think it was more from the heat and having to run into the wind than anything else. The clouds were such a tease. I could see them coming, and if I'd waited another 30 minutes before starting, I bet I would have gotten some of them.
After my run, I ended with my 25 minute walk, or that was the plan, but I messed up my timing (walking down by the port, on piers and whatnot), that I was about 10 minutes from my car with 5 minutes to go. And then I saw a sea turtle off the pier, and walked in place for about 3 minutes waiting to see if it'd come up again, but it didn't. So I was tired getting back. All in all though, I feel really good about today. Although, I think I'll feel even better day after tomorrow, when all of the intervals are behind me.
After getting back and hydrating a bit, I did my push ups and crunches.
Version: modified push ups
Progress: w2d2c1
Progression: 6, 5, 3, 3, max 6
Today's Max: 7 (+1)
Today's Totals: 24
Version: normal crunches
Progress: w4d2c2
Progression: 22, 17, 17, 15, max 20
Today's Max: 26 (+6)
Today's Totals: 97
Look at me, I are strong. My left arm is doing a bit of a wobbly thing during my push ups. I think it's just letting me know that it's really that much weaker than my right (I'm insanely right handed). In light of this (and it was my left arm's fault that I couldn't go past my max of 7 today), I've been thinking about The Test.
Let's put The Test into perspective (seeing how we're all going through this program for the first time). I'm doing column 1, right? Now on w2d3 the largest number of push ups I'm scheduled to do in a row is at least 6. But then on week 3 (after doing The Test, and let's assume I'll be able to do 16-20 and still be in column 1) I'm expected to start doing 15 in a row. That's a big jump. But not only that, for this test, I should be able to do 16-20 push ups. Now, I'm not freaking about this, I think it's totally doable (and if it's not, I don't have a problem repeating the first two weeks of the program, I mean I started with 0 and can do 7 push ups in a row, the program works, I'm sold), but I'd rather set myself up for success than failure.
With this in mind, my plan is to take The Test AS a work out day. Even on the 100 push ups site it says:
At the end of Week 2 it will be time to check your strength and perform another exhaustion test. In simple terms, perform as many good-form push ups as you can manage before you physically can't do another rep. The number of push ups you complete will determine which level of the program you'll start in Week 3. Perform this test within a couple of days of completing Week 2. Good luck!
Obviously we won't be able to do our true max after completing a work out day, and we'll be exhausted if we try to do the test right before starting the new week (the whole point of the test is to exhaust yourself, right?), so my plan is to do w2d3 the day after tomorrow, Saturday, and then my next workout day, which with my schedule will be Monday, to do The Test, as my workout.
Maybe I've been thinking about this too much, but that's what I've come up with. Do y'all have any thoughts on it?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
w5d3, bowling, and w2d1
. . . and we're back.
Life got in the way this weekend.
I did w5d2 on Saturday before the giant concert, but because of giant concert being in the same area where I usually run, I did a different route. And ended up going up hill for most of it. I slowed waaaaaaaay down, but with how hard the first 8 minutes had been, let alone the second, I honestly didn't know if I was ready for week 5's 20 minutes or not. So I had a plan today. See how I was doing at 8 minutes, if I needed to, I'd do day 2 again, if I felt good, I'd keep going for the 20. I was suppose to do this run yesterday. But it was my birthday and I had plans that basically took up the entire day. So.
At 5 minutes I felt good. At 10 minutes I felt good. At 15 minutes I was dying, but that was more to do with doing my run out at the bridge and that being the first up hill more than the actual length of the run. I got to the end of the bridge and turned around at around 19 minutes. At 20 minutes I couldn't actually tell that it was 20 (I use an analog watch, which I prefer, but these longer runs are more difficult, as it's hard to see the exact minute), so I actually ran for 21 straight minutes. Let me say that again. I actually ran for 21 straight minutes. Woo. No, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
After running I took some time at the beach--I'm reading Wicked now, just started today. I found a coconut, just sitting there in the surf. It was kinda neat. Then I went home, showered and bowled.
This week was MUCH better than last week. How much better, you ask? I did my high game this week.
This week's scores: 124, 136, 163=423 This weeks avg. = 141
Last week's running avg: 117.25 Last week's session avg: 117.7
Running total: 1360 Running average (11 games): 123.6 Session average (4 sessions @ 123.5, 100.2, 129.6, and this week's 141): 123.6
Then I got home and talked to my parents for a bit. Cried for a bit. It was a good talk.
After I did my 100_pushups and 100_crunches.
I was suppose to do this day after taking Veronica and Kat to the airport on Sunday. But with my grandmother dying, I really didn't feel like it. Yesterday either, but that was my birthday, so it was just a whole lot of other didn't feel like it. But today we got back on the horse. And it felt good.
Version: modified push ups
Progress: w2d1c1
Progression: 4, 4, 3, 3, max 5
Today's Max: 9 (+4)
Today's Totals: 23
I'm really happy with that end number, especially since I went to the bowling league tonight. I didn't think I'd be able to do that many after throwing a ball around for an hour and a half. Although, I'm really glad that I did the push ups after bowling, not before.
Version: normal crunches
Progress: w2(4)d1c2
Progression: 22, 16, 16, 14, max 22
Today's Max: 22 (+0)
Today's Totals: 90
I'm kinda dissapointed that I couldn't do more than the max today. But then, I did run 20 minutes in couch_to_5k, participate in the local bowling league, and then did 100_pushups before doing the crunches, so I guess it's to be expected. At least I did them at all.
Here's to getting right back on the horse.
Life got in the way this weekend.
I did w5d2 on Saturday before the giant concert, but because of giant concert being in the same area where I usually run, I did a different route. And ended up going up hill for most of it. I slowed waaaaaaaay down, but with how hard the first 8 minutes had been, let alone the second, I honestly didn't know if I was ready for week 5's 20 minutes or not. So I had a plan today. See how I was doing at 8 minutes, if I needed to, I'd do day 2 again, if I felt good, I'd keep going for the 20. I was suppose to do this run yesterday. But it was my birthday and I had plans that basically took up the entire day. So.
At 5 minutes I felt good. At 10 minutes I felt good. At 15 minutes I was dying, but that was more to do with doing my run out at the bridge and that being the first up hill more than the actual length of the run. I got to the end of the bridge and turned around at around 19 minutes. At 20 minutes I couldn't actually tell that it was 20 (I use an analog watch, which I prefer, but these longer runs are more difficult, as it's hard to see the exact minute), so I actually ran for 21 straight minutes. Let me say that again. I actually ran for 21 straight minutes. Woo. No, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
After running I took some time at the beach--I'm reading Wicked now, just started today. I found a coconut, just sitting there in the surf. It was kinda neat. Then I went home, showered and bowled.
This week was MUCH better than last week. How much better, you ask? I did my high game this week.
This week's scores: 124, 136, 163=423 This weeks avg. = 141
Last week's running avg: 117.25 Last week's session avg: 117.7
Running total: 1360 Running average (11 games): 123.6 Session average (4 sessions @ 123.5, 100.2, 129.6, and this week's 141): 123.6
Then I got home and talked to my parents for a bit. Cried for a bit. It was a good talk.
After I did my 100_pushups and 100_crunches.
I was suppose to do this day after taking Veronica and Kat to the airport on Sunday. But with my grandmother dying, I really didn't feel like it. Yesterday either, but that was my birthday, so it was just a whole lot of other didn't feel like it. But today we got back on the horse. And it felt good.
Version: modified push ups
Progress: w2d1c1
Progression: 4, 4, 3, 3, max 5
Today's Max: 9 (+4)
Today's Totals: 23
I'm really happy with that end number, especially since I went to the bowling league tonight. I didn't think I'd be able to do that many after throwing a ball around for an hour and a half. Although, I'm really glad that I did the push ups after bowling, not before.
Version: normal crunches
Progress: w2(4)d1c2
Progression: 22, 16, 16, 14, max 22
Today's Max: 22 (+0)
Today's Totals: 90
I'm kinda dissapointed that I couldn't do more than the max today. But then, I did run 20 minutes in couch_to_5k, participate in the local bowling league, and then did 100_pushups before doing the crunches, so I guess it's to be expected. At least I did them at all.
Here's to getting right back on the horse.
Miyako Island Rock Festival and my Birthday Weekend.
I woke up to dreams about the Super Mario Brothers traveling in a fantasy realm. Thing is, I could totally turn it into a story about two brothers who don't get along but care for each other, falling through the realms. Would be kinda neat.
Okay, let's start this. My weekend.
Friday, I got off at the usual time, went home, finished picking up, did 100_pushups and 100_crunches, and the picked up Veronica and Kat (from Ishigaki) at the airport. We were starving so we went to have pizza and then walk down Nishizato where there was apparently a street festival in honor of the Miyako Island Rock Fest the next day. Had some shaved ice. It was good. Oh, and they brought me birthday presents. I got Hello Kitty Shisa, a pair of beautiful wood chopsticks, a nice wooden almost puzzle box, and a box of flower flavored inside jokes from Kat, and handdrawn pictures of my Bleach boys from Veronica. I is very happy camper.
Saturday, I get up at 8 because I was just lying there anyway. I go on my run (w5d2), which I should have gone and tried to park down at the port where I usually run, but I didn't, because I got it into my head that it would be closed off and I'd have to turn around anyway (not actually true) so I parked at the big port and ran down the road towards the other port and past it, and by the end of it almost back to my house (mostly uphill, it sucked) before turning around and running back. Fun fun. Then I grabbed Veronica and Kat, we went to Mitchan's to eat lunch (heavenly!) and then head off to the fest.
I honestly couldn't believe that they wouldn't let us take water into the event, seeing how it was so damn hot, but they didn't, so I had to catch a cab back to my apartment, drop off my camera and water jugs, and then catch a cab back. In hindsight, I should have driven them down there, seen what we could or couldn't take in, and driven back and then just caught the one cab myself. But ah well.
We get in just as the first band was playing. I don't remember who they were, some girl fronter with boys, oh, Hearts Grow. In the course of the day we listen to ストレイテナー (ok), TOKYO SKUNX (really fun, bought their album), Rickie-G (good music), 湘南乃風 (good music), ELLEGARDEN (very mainstream, but good to listen to), PUFFY (as in Puffyamiyumi no Puffy. And I totally didn't realize it until Veronica and Kat were talking about it as they were going on. Holy cow. They didn't play anything I knew, except for Green Day, but it was a pretty good performance), FUNKY MONKEY BABYS (GREAT show, music was okay, couldn't decide on their style), and MONGOL800 (who were last, and we didn't really dig, so we left).
During the course of the very hot day, we bought several 300yen CUPS of water (about 16 oz.), several shaved ices, food, and towards the end of the day, when it wasn't nearly as hot, some awamori. Then we went back home, and I showed them the wonderfullyness that is David Tennant as Doctor Who. They didn't know. Now they do.
Sunday was their last day in Miyako, and seeing how it was Kat's first, we tried to go to Sunnyside for lunch, but failed because she was closed, so we hit Family Mart. We drove out to the cape where the water was the clearist I've ever seen it. Like, down by the far end, where the really big waves hit, we could see the rocks underneath the waves. I mean, it was just perfect.
Then we do a driveby of the Ueno German Cultural Village, get a bit lost getting to Utopia (but agreed it was totally worth it), then drove out to the Kurima bridge and Maehama for a minute. Maehama was closed. But get this, it's a public beach, it can't close. Yeah, they'd blocked off the parking lot for the Festival workers. So that they could have a "private day on the beach." After a few minutes of actually getting the story out of the guys, we turn around and go park down at the port--the Other End of Maehama. If we had wanted to, we could totally have walked all the way to the best part of Maehama. It was totally pointless. But we only stay a minute before heading to the bowling alley and playing a few games before leaving to drive them to the airport at 5:30 to catch their 6:15 flight. Or that was the plan.
Shortly after the first game, my dad calls. Like Calls My Cell Phone, something that's just not done. Yeah, my grandmother had passed away in her sleep that morning (like just a few minutes ago), and I cried for a bit, but rallied, because it was a good day, and they were here and all, and we finished the game. For your information, 125, 122=247, avg. 123.5. Running total is 937. Running avg is (8 games) 117.25. Running session avg is (3 sessions) 117.7. And that was with a 10 lb ball. Usually I roll with a 9 pounder, but it wasn't there, so I had to take what I could fit my fingers into. I was Tired after just the 2 games, but it was pretty good. I think I might try to use that ball from now on, but I'm kinda scared to. I don't think I have the endurance to do it for 3 games yet. It was heavy.
I take them back home, mope for a bit, talk to my dad for a bit, and then go out for Janine's birthday.
We started at the bowling alley izukaya that I hate. Mostly cuz they're slow. And that was fun. I was actually told I looked "knackered" by Kirsty, and she said it was a good reason to look knackered. We sat down at 8, left for our karaoke apt at 11:30, added another hour to our 2 hour booking. Then, because Justin (from mainland Okinawa, not nextdoor neighbor), Suzy and Jon (from Ishigaki) and Jan and I weren't quite karaoke'd out, we hit a smaller room for another hour. I got home at 4am. Then I talked to Leo, until I could honestly say that I was passing out on the couch, and then I crashed.
But for some silly reason I woke up at 10. My super called and said she'd been thinking and yes, I should be able to take this week off, not just because I wanted to go home (because I didn't, 2 days travel time each way, along with I'm coming home in 50 days, it's just not worth it), but because I didn't want to go home I'm more lonely and sad so I shouldn't have to deal with children. Yay. I sent out an email to everyone telling them that my day would consist of lunch at Sunnyside at 12:30, beach, and then dinner at Pisala at 7:30. I said I didn't want anything, just company.
Jason, Kirsty, and Amy joined me at Sunnyside for lunch. I had the ebi curry and the chocolate cake with the molten happiness inside (she even gave me a happy birthday decoration :) ) and we stayed there talking for 2 hours. It was awesome. Also, Jason went home to Hawaii recently, and I asked him to bring me back something free (because everyone says bring me back something, but it's just a pain to find things that people will like and whatnot, so I said, something free, something small, but if you forget, no worries) and he brought me back a postcard of O'Ahu. It's really pretty, and I loved it.
I then proceeded to go down to Maehama, where no one I knew was there, but I had a lovely time reading, sun bathing, and occasionally dipping into the perfect water. I mean, just cool enough to be soothing, just warm enough to not be a shock. Perfect.
Just as I had finished my hour and a half at the beach, I get a phone call from Curi who just called to talk, and we talked for 30 minutes, while I pulled my car off to the side of the road in the shade of some satokibi. It was awesomes.
Then shower and Doctor Who (OMGWFTBBQ this week's episode *splodes!*) and went to Pisala. Jeff, Jonathan, Jason and Erika, and Justin showed up. Nana was working (of course) and I had the amazing tuna and mozzarella pasta, and then Nana surprised me with cheesecake and candles, and a free drink (I had a maitai~ish, it was loverly). Then we went to "31" and I had a strawberry cheesecake cone. I finally got home around 10, so again about 2 and a half hours of just good company and good food. Towards the end Erika gave me a small cell dangly with okinawan glass and a hibiscus flow. It's really pretty, and was really sweet.
I had a near perfect birthday. Considering you all weren't here. A ton of people mailed me or called me to wish me happy birthday, the only one that got a hold of me was Rosie (sorry I wasn't here or asleep when the rest of you called) and we talked for a bit. My head is still sploding about her and Jason, but whatever. It's good.
Today, I'm taking it easy. I was thinking about running and whatnot today, but it's already 89 degrees, heat index 109, so I'm not doing that until much later. I have bowling tonight, which I'm going to go to, as it makes me happy (and that's what this week is going to be about, making Kim happy--I got it off, due to death). But because of bowling, I might do my crunches earlier and then my pushups after. (Because making Kim stronger and more able to out run the zombies also makes her happy). And I don't want to get too behind on my programs (because finishing the programs and obtaining the goals will also make her happy). I'm even in the process of cleaning. Not because cleaning makes me happy, but living in a clean house does. And I might pack up a box of extra clothing to send home. Because that would make me feel more accomplished. And applications for working need to happen this week, but probably not today.
Okay, let's start this. My weekend.
Friday, I got off at the usual time, went home, finished picking up, did 100_pushups and 100_crunches, and the picked up Veronica and Kat (from Ishigaki) at the airport. We were starving so we went to have pizza and then walk down Nishizato where there was apparently a street festival in honor of the Miyako Island Rock Fest the next day. Had some shaved ice. It was good. Oh, and they brought me birthday presents. I got Hello Kitty Shisa, a pair of beautiful wood chopsticks, a nice wooden almost puzzle box, and a box of flower flavored inside jokes from Kat, and handdrawn pictures of my Bleach boys from Veronica. I is very happy camper.
Saturday, I get up at 8 because I was just lying there anyway. I go on my run (w5d2), which I should have gone and tried to park down at the port where I usually run, but I didn't, because I got it into my head that it would be closed off and I'd have to turn around anyway (not actually true) so I parked at the big port and ran down the road towards the other port and past it, and by the end of it almost back to my house (mostly uphill, it sucked) before turning around and running back. Fun fun. Then I grabbed Veronica and Kat, we went to Mitchan's to eat lunch (heavenly!) and then head off to the fest.
I honestly couldn't believe that they wouldn't let us take water into the event, seeing how it was so damn hot, but they didn't, so I had to catch a cab back to my apartment, drop off my camera and water jugs, and then catch a cab back. In hindsight, I should have driven them down there, seen what we could or couldn't take in, and driven back and then just caught the one cab myself. But ah well.
We get in just as the first band was playing. I don't remember who they were, some girl fronter with boys, oh, Hearts Grow. In the course of the day we listen to ストレイテナー (ok), TOKYO SKUNX (really fun, bought their album), Rickie-G (good music), 湘南乃風 (good music), ELLEGARDEN (very mainstream, but good to listen to), PUFFY (as in Puffyamiyumi no Puffy. And I totally didn't realize it until Veronica and Kat were talking about it as they were going on. Holy cow. They didn't play anything I knew, except for Green Day, but it was a pretty good performance), FUNKY MONKEY BABYS (GREAT show, music was okay, couldn't decide on their style), and MONGOL800 (who were last, and we didn't really dig, so we left).
During the course of the very hot day, we bought several 300yen CUPS of water (about 16 oz.), several shaved ices, food, and towards the end of the day, when it wasn't nearly as hot, some awamori. Then we went back home, and I showed them the wonderfullyness that is David Tennant as Doctor Who. They didn't know. Now they do.
Sunday was their last day in Miyako, and seeing how it was Kat's first, we tried to go to Sunnyside for lunch, but failed because she was closed, so we hit Family Mart. We drove out to the cape where the water was the clearist I've ever seen it. Like, down by the far end, where the really big waves hit, we could see the rocks underneath the waves. I mean, it was just perfect.
Then we do a driveby of the Ueno German Cultural Village, get a bit lost getting to Utopia (but agreed it was totally worth it), then drove out to the Kurima bridge and Maehama for a minute. Maehama was closed. But get this, it's a public beach, it can't close. Yeah, they'd blocked off the parking lot for the Festival workers. So that they could have a "private day on the beach." After a few minutes of actually getting the story out of the guys, we turn around and go park down at the port--the Other End of Maehama. If we had wanted to, we could totally have walked all the way to the best part of Maehama. It was totally pointless. But we only stay a minute before heading to the bowling alley and playing a few games before leaving to drive them to the airport at 5:30 to catch their 6:15 flight. Or that was the plan.
Shortly after the first game, my dad calls. Like Calls My Cell Phone, something that's just not done. Yeah, my grandmother had passed away in her sleep that morning (like just a few minutes ago), and I cried for a bit, but rallied, because it was a good day, and they were here and all, and we finished the game. For your information, 125, 122=247, avg. 123.5. Running total is 937. Running avg is (8 games) 117.25. Running session avg is (3 sessions) 117.7. And that was with a 10 lb ball. Usually I roll with a 9 pounder, but it wasn't there, so I had to take what I could fit my fingers into. I was Tired after just the 2 games, but it was pretty good. I think I might try to use that ball from now on, but I'm kinda scared to. I don't think I have the endurance to do it for 3 games yet. It was heavy.
I take them back home, mope for a bit, talk to my dad for a bit, and then go out for Janine's birthday.
We started at the bowling alley izukaya that I hate. Mostly cuz they're slow. And that was fun. I was actually told I looked "knackered" by Kirsty, and she said it was a good reason to look knackered. We sat down at 8, left for our karaoke apt at 11:30, added another hour to our 2 hour booking. Then, because Justin (from mainland Okinawa, not nextdoor neighbor), Suzy and Jon (from Ishigaki) and Jan and I weren't quite karaoke'd out, we hit a smaller room for another hour. I got home at 4am. Then I talked to Leo, until I could honestly say that I was passing out on the couch, and then I crashed.
But for some silly reason I woke up at 10. My super called and said she'd been thinking and yes, I should be able to take this week off, not just because I wanted to go home (because I didn't, 2 days travel time each way, along with I'm coming home in 50 days, it's just not worth it), but because I didn't want to go home I'm more lonely and sad so I shouldn't have to deal with children. Yay. I sent out an email to everyone telling them that my day would consist of lunch at Sunnyside at 12:30, beach, and then dinner at Pisala at 7:30. I said I didn't want anything, just company.
Jason, Kirsty, and Amy joined me at Sunnyside for lunch. I had the ebi curry and the chocolate cake with the molten happiness inside (she even gave me a happy birthday decoration :) ) and we stayed there talking for 2 hours. It was awesome. Also, Jason went home to Hawaii recently, and I asked him to bring me back something free (because everyone says bring me back something, but it's just a pain to find things that people will like and whatnot, so I said, something free, something small, but if you forget, no worries) and he brought me back a postcard of O'Ahu. It's really pretty, and I loved it.
I then proceeded to go down to Maehama, where no one I knew was there, but I had a lovely time reading, sun bathing, and occasionally dipping into the perfect water. I mean, just cool enough to be soothing, just warm enough to not be a shock. Perfect.
Just as I had finished my hour and a half at the beach, I get a phone call from Curi who just called to talk, and we talked for 30 minutes, while I pulled my car off to the side of the road in the shade of some satokibi. It was awesomes.
Then shower and Doctor Who (OMGWFTBBQ this week's episode *splodes!*) and went to Pisala. Jeff, Jonathan, Jason and Erika, and Justin showed up. Nana was working (of course) and I had the amazing tuna and mozzarella pasta, and then Nana surprised me with cheesecake and candles, and a free drink (I had a maitai~ish, it was loverly). Then we went to "31" and I had a strawberry cheesecake cone. I finally got home around 10, so again about 2 and a half hours of just good company and good food. Towards the end Erika gave me a small cell dangly with okinawan glass and a hibiscus flow. It's really pretty, and was really sweet.
I had a near perfect birthday. Considering you all weren't here. A ton of people mailed me or called me to wish me happy birthday, the only one that got a hold of me was Rosie (sorry I wasn't here or asleep when the rest of you called) and we talked for a bit. My head is still sploding about her and Jason, but whatever. It's good.
Today, I'm taking it easy. I was thinking about running and whatnot today, but it's already 89 degrees, heat index 109, so I'm not doing that until much later. I have bowling tonight, which I'm going to go to, as it makes me happy (and that's what this week is going to be about, making Kim happy--I got it off, due to death). But because of bowling, I might do my crunches earlier and then my pushups after. (Because making Kim stronger and more able to out run the zombies also makes her happy). And I don't want to get too behind on my programs (because finishing the programs and obtaining the goals will also make her happy). I'm even in the process of cleaning. Not because cleaning makes me happy, but living in a clean house does. And I might pack up a box of extra clothing to send home. Because that would make me feel more accomplished. And applications for working need to happen this week, but probably not today.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Yesterday's w5d1
I drove down to Maehama beach after school today. School was awesome today, by the way. It was my last day with my 3rd and 4th grades, and they were all broken up about it when I told them, no not just for the semester, forever. But that's okay, the classes themselves went well. And during afternoon break most of them came into my room and played with me. I got some pictures, it was pretty cool.
Then I drove down to the Beach side of the island, parked at the port and started my 5th week of couch to 5k. This is not necessarily true, mind. I haven't taken a weekend off since week 2, so I've been running off and on every other day. It cuts out a day every other week. Anyway.
I started on the 5 minute warm up walking towards the bridge from the port. The first interval going fine, like I could have continued for a few more minutes fine. Not pushing myself. Woo. And when the second interval hit, of course it hit on the uphill of the bridge, but whatever, I was only dying by the time it ended. The third interval was also on the next uphill, but I turned around at the end of the bridge about a minute to the end of the 5 minute run. Then I had to walk alllllll the way back to my car. I'd planned this to take about 25 minutes, it took about 27, so good. The total is about 5.5k.
On the way back, one of the fishermen pointed over the bridge and said look. It was a sea turtle. Yay! That was my second one on the bridge. I always keep my eye out, but things don't often show themselves. I also was welcomed back by a fisherman I pasted towards the beginning of the bridge. That was pretty neat.
After my run, I went to the beach for some tanning and reading. I ran into the tail end of volleyballers, including Janine and Teresa, but they left soon. I went for a small swim on the deserted beach, small because it was deserted, and then laid down on my towel and read for a bit. All in all, a nice day. Although I think I burned my back a little bit. There's something to be said for being so hot that you just can't get that layer of sweat off of you long enough to lotion up.
While I was lying there reading, I saw a small blue crab skitter amongst the surf. I also could Hear the tide coming it. It was pretty neat.
Then I drove down to the Beach side of the island, parked at the port and started my 5th week of couch to 5k. This is not necessarily true, mind. I haven't taken a weekend off since week 2, so I've been running off and on every other day. It cuts out a day every other week. Anyway.
I started on the 5 minute warm up walking towards the bridge from the port. The first interval going fine, like I could have continued for a few more minutes fine. Not pushing myself. Woo. And when the second interval hit, of course it hit on the uphill of the bridge, but whatever, I was only dying by the time it ended. The third interval was also on the next uphill, but I turned around at the end of the bridge about a minute to the end of the 5 minute run. Then I had to walk alllllll the way back to my car. I'd planned this to take about 25 minutes, it took about 27, so good. The total is about 5.5k.
On the way back, one of the fishermen pointed over the bridge and said look. It was a sea turtle. Yay! That was my second one on the bridge. I always keep my eye out, but things don't often show themselves. I also was welcomed back by a fisherman I pasted towards the beginning of the bridge. That was pretty neat.
After my run, I went to the beach for some tanning and reading. I ran into the tail end of volleyballers, including Janine and Teresa, but they left soon. I went for a small swim on the deserted beach, small because it was deserted, and then laid down on my towel and read for a bit. All in all, a nice day. Although I think I burned my back a little bit. There's something to be said for being so hot that you just can't get that layer of sweat off of you long enough to lotion up.
While I was lying there reading, I saw a small blue crab skitter amongst the surf. I also could Hear the tide coming it. It was pretty neat.
Push Ups and Crunches w1d3
Current Stats
Version: modified push ups
Progress: w1d3c1
Progression: 5, 4, 4, 3, max 5
Today's Max: 6 (+1)
Today's Totals: 22
I couldn't go past 6 today. I really had my eyes set on 7, but just couldn't. I had this problem last time too. My left arm starts shaking something terrible at around 5. I'm pretty sure that's my body telling me that it can't go any further. I'm going to continue on to week 2 though, as the min max isn't above 6 until week 3, and that's after another test, so we'll see where we rate.
Also, I've found that The Number One Don't Be Sore The Next Day Stretch is to grasp my hands behind my back and lift them up behind me. Or, position them on top of something, and lean my body down (as that gets more of a stretch then just me lifting). Other stretches are necessary too, but that one is the one that helps the most. I know because I forgot to do it the first day and was uber sore, but remembered on d2 and was FINE. Thought I'd share.
Current Stats
Progress: w3d3c2
Progression: 25, 19, 19, 17, max 22
Today's Max: 25 (+3)
Today's Totals: 105
I think I'm just tired today. Last time was so good, but today was a lot harder. Maybe just because it's Friday, or because it's so hot I'm swelling (like my hands and feet and whatnot). Either way, I did more than the max, so I feel good. And dood, I just did 105 crunches. Woot.
This is my Birthday weekend. Because my birthday is also the Battle of Okinawa's Anniversary, we get Monday off. I asked and there's not any festivals or anything, just people going to family graves and whatnot. I don't know what I'm specifically doing for my birthday, no one's really asked, so no plans have been made. I am going to the Miyako Island Rock Festival. And Veronica and Kat are flying over from Ishigaki, which is pretty awesome. But the actual birthday celebrations? I just don't know. At least I don't have to work on the day of.
I also have several things to share with you. The first being a petition. See, I like being an American. I think discrimination is bad. I think this even if I don't agree with whatever it is that they're doing, so long as nobody is getting hurt in this process. So, I support marriage (for as far as I support "marriage" at all, personally I think that that should be completely separated from the state, but I digress) being available and open to whoever wants to do it. Therefore I signed the Million for Marriage Petition. You don't have to, but if you like the whole religious freedom and lack of discrimination, you should think about signing as well.
Also, an interesting petition on oil drilling more is not gonna lower gas prices and just make the rich richer. Is Not Solution. Again, you don't have to sign. Just thought you'd like it brought to your attention.
Version: modified push ups
Progress: w1d3c1
Progression: 5, 4, 4, 3, max 5
Today's Max: 6 (+1)
Today's Totals: 22
I couldn't go past 6 today. I really had my eyes set on 7, but just couldn't. I had this problem last time too. My left arm starts shaking something terrible at around 5. I'm pretty sure that's my body telling me that it can't go any further. I'm going to continue on to week 2 though, as the min max isn't above 6 until week 3, and that's after another test, so we'll see where we rate.
Also, I've found that The Number One Don't Be Sore The Next Day Stretch is to grasp my hands behind my back and lift them up behind me. Or, position them on top of something, and lean my body down (as that gets more of a stretch then just me lifting). Other stretches are necessary too, but that one is the one that helps the most. I know because I forgot to do it the first day and was uber sore, but remembered on d2 and was FINE. Thought I'd share.
Current Stats
Progress: w3d3c2
Progression: 25, 19, 19, 17, max 22
Today's Max: 25 (+3)
Today's Totals: 105
I think I'm just tired today. Last time was so good, but today was a lot harder. Maybe just because it's Friday, or because it's so hot I'm swelling (like my hands and feet and whatnot). Either way, I did more than the max, so I feel good. And dood, I just did 105 crunches. Woot.
This is my Birthday weekend. Because my birthday is also the Battle of Okinawa's Anniversary, we get Monday off. I asked and there's not any festivals or anything, just people going to family graves and whatnot. I don't know what I'm specifically doing for my birthday, no one's really asked, so no plans have been made. I am going to the Miyako Island Rock Festival. And Veronica and Kat are flying over from Ishigaki, which is pretty awesome. But the actual birthday celebrations? I just don't know. At least I don't have to work on the day of.
I also have several things to share with you. The first being a petition. See, I like being an American. I think discrimination is bad. I think this even if I don't agree with whatever it is that they're doing, so long as nobody is getting hurt in this process. So, I support marriage (for as far as I support "marriage" at all, personally I think that that should be completely separated from the state, but I digress) being available and open to whoever wants to do it. Therefore I signed the Million for Marriage Petition. You don't have to, but if you like the whole religious freedom and lack of discrimination, you should think about signing as well.
Also, an interesting petition on oil drilling more is not gonna lower gas prices and just make the rich richer. Is Not Solution. Again, you don't have to sign. Just thought you'd like it brought to your attention.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Push ups and Crunches w1d2
I think I'm doing these wrong. What I do is just like that vid I posted (also on the profile), but I don't go down all the way--I can't. There gets to be a point, about halfway down, that if I go down any further, that I fall down. My arms just can't support my weight at that point. I'm debating doing week one over again, at least until I can go down further, but I don't know, yet.
Also, I learned that so long as I'm in Japan (countdown, t minus 55 days), and participating in the local bowling league, I shouldn't do my push up workout Monday or Tuesday, because my control goes soooo far away. It's kinda sad. I know I'm the worst person in the league, but I don't want to let my teammates down and just be HORRIBLE (like I was last night). So for now it looks like I'm on a Wednesday, Friday, Sunday rotation (no matter when I run for couch25k . . .)
Even so, today was a lot better than Monday. I stretched before and after and don't feel half as sore. And I was able to do above the max at the end :) I also started out the workout with carrying this week's 20 liter jug of drinkable water up the stairs to my apartment (always a fun trip) and followed the push ups with crunches.
Current Stats
Version: modified push ups
Progress: w1d2c1
Progression: 4, 3, 2, 2, max 4
Today's Max: 6 (+2!)
Today's Totals: 17
Oh, wow. I really like that total. That makes me feel so good.
So, in response to some of the How To questions, I did an internet search and found this how to video.
According to this, I've (of course) been doing them wrong. But that's okay. Today went really well, I think. The "proper" crunches were both harder to do, and easier all at the same time. I was able to do a few more, but they hurt more, if that makes sense.
Current Stats
Version: normal crunch
Progress: w3d2c2
Progression: 22, 17, 17, 15, max 20
Today's Max: 30 (+10!!!!!!!)
Today's Totals: 101
Oh, wow. I really like that total. That makes me feel so good.
Also, I learned that so long as I'm in Japan (countdown, t minus 55 days), and participating in the local bowling league, I shouldn't do my push up workout Monday or Tuesday, because my control goes soooo far away. It's kinda sad. I know I'm the worst person in the league, but I don't want to let my teammates down and just be HORRIBLE (like I was last night). So for now it looks like I'm on a Wednesday, Friday, Sunday rotation (no matter when I run for couch25k . . .)
Even so, today was a lot better than Monday. I stretched before and after and don't feel half as sore. And I was able to do above the max at the end :) I also started out the workout with carrying this week's 20 liter jug of drinkable water up the stairs to my apartment (always a fun trip) and followed the push ups with crunches.
Current Stats
Version: modified push ups
Progress: w1d2c1
Progression: 4, 3, 2, 2, max 4
Today's Max: 6 (+2!)
Today's Totals: 17
Oh, wow. I really like that total. That makes me feel so good.
So, in response to some of the How To questions, I did an internet search and found this how to video.
According to this, I've (of course) been doing them wrong. But that's okay. Today went really well, I think. The "proper" crunches were both harder to do, and easier all at the same time. I was able to do a few more, but they hurt more, if that makes sense.
Current Stats
Version: normal crunch
Progress: w3d2c2
Progression: 22, 17, 17, 15, max 20
Today's Max: 30 (+10!!!!!!!)
Today's Totals: 101
Oh, wow. I really like that total. That makes me feel so good.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
w4d3 and Push Up Vid
Wooo! I feel really good about today. Especially since this is the day (Tuesdays) that I normally have to get up earlier, catch a ferry to go to work, and then, while I have a ride to work from the port, I do not have a ride back to the port from work, so I get to walk with my backpack full of all of my teaching supplies for 15-20 minutes. And then I ran today. And I killed it dead.
84 degrees, 79% humidity. 6:30pm.
Today's run actually felt good. The first 5 minute interval kinda hurt, but the second one felt fine, oddly enough. I mean, really really fine. I mean like I could have (really, with a good oomph) pushed myself to do another minute. Instead I didn't and did my now regular 20 minute walk, but still. I feel really good about how this week turned out and am really looking forward to next week (something I haven't said in the past 2 weeks or so). Even the 20 minute run at the end of next week day 3 doesn't look all that scary, when you put it into perspective. I mean, last week it looked like Jason from Friday the 13th, no matter how far or how fast you run, it'll catch up with you and kill you. Now it just looks like that troll from the first Lord of the Rings movie. A mythological enemy (not quite real), a pain in the keaster to kill, and it might throw me 20 feet into a wall, but killable with effort and a little luck. I like those odds a whole lot better. :)
Also, I found a video that's really informative on how to do a "proper push up" and guess what, I was doing it wrong. Ah, well, from tomorrow on . . .
84 degrees, 79% humidity. 6:30pm.
Today's run actually felt good. The first 5 minute interval kinda hurt, but the second one felt fine, oddly enough. I mean, really really fine. I mean like I could have (really, with a good oomph) pushed myself to do another minute. Instead I didn't and did my now regular 20 minute walk, but still. I feel really good about how this week turned out and am really looking forward to next week (something I haven't said in the past 2 weeks or so). Even the 20 minute run at the end of next week day 3 doesn't look all that scary, when you put it into perspective. I mean, last week it looked like Jason from Friday the 13th, no matter how far or how fast you run, it'll catch up with you and kill you. Now it just looks like that troll from the first Lord of the Rings movie. A mythological enemy (not quite real), a pain in the keaster to kill, and it might throw me 20 feet into a wall, but killable with effort and a little luck. I like those odds a whole lot better. :)
Also, I found a video that's really informative on how to do a "proper push up" and guess what, I was doing it wrong. Ah, well, from tomorrow on . . .
Bowling, first night, new team
Today was the first night of the new league. I didn't impress my teammates very much, I don't think.
This might have been due to running at 6, showering by 7:20 and showing up for bowling at 7:40. Or might have been due to my push up workout yesterday that I'm still sore from (yep, definitely need to stretch both before and after push ups. And maybe not ever do them the night of or the night before bowling, which'll restrict me to a Wed, Fri, Sun schedule, no matter when I run, but I hope not. We'll just have to see.)
Tonights scores were: 90, 89, 123=302 avg.=100.2 (broke 100! woo! but still, not so good a night.)
Last week: 130, 150, 109 = 389. avg=129.6(repeating)
So running total is 691. Running avg of games = 115.2. Running avg of sessions = 114.9
My teammates were nice though. I like Ikemura-san, but I don't know quite what to make of Masayu-san yet. He's a bit nondescript.
This might have been due to running at 6, showering by 7:20 and showing up for bowling at 7:40. Or might have been due to my push up workout yesterday that I'm still sore from (yep, definitely need to stretch both before and after push ups. And maybe not ever do them the night of or the night before bowling, which'll restrict me to a Wed, Fri, Sun schedule, no matter when I run, but I hope not. We'll just have to see.)
Tonights scores were: 90, 89, 123=302 avg.=100.2 (broke 100! woo! but still, not so good a night.)
Last week: 130, 150, 109 = 389. avg=129.6(repeating)
So running total is 691. Running avg of games = 115.2. Running avg of sessions = 114.9
My teammates were nice though. I like Ikemura-san, but I don't know quite what to make of Masayu-san yet. He's a bit nondescript.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Okay, I've been slacking here, and I'm not quite sure why
But this is gonna be a large one to catch up. Mostly it's gonna be copy and pasted from my private blog (the one where I'm not nearly as polite :P ) because for some stupid reason I've been able to keep up there and this one has fallen behind, so.
w3d1
Jun. 7th, 2008
Hmmm, why is it that every time (although it's only been the second, but you know what I mean) I get used to one week's training, the next week comes along to kick my butt? Today's run went okay until the end. The last minute or so of the final 3 minute run was not pleasant, but it happened. I'm sure I'll just be getting use to it when day 3 comes around and I'll have to move on :P
[79 degrees, 89% humidity.]
I found a place down by the port where they're building (the longest bridge of it's kind in japan, 20k) the bridge to Irabu that has tons of sqwishy squishy turf for the nice walking and running. I found it last week Tuesday as I did my walk/run from the port, but reached it as soon as I hit my turn around point, and then revisited it on Thursday, actually driving down there and parking, but I did my run so late that I couldn't hardly see anything. Today I went around 6 and could actually see various paths go off into and around the area that were also made of that wonderful squishy material. I think on Monday's run I'm gonna go down and explore a little more.
I also got on Google maps and actually measured what I did today. With my 7 (not 5) minute warm up walk, and my 13 minute cool down walk (not on the plan) I did 3.3k or 2 miles. Realizing this makes me really glad I'm doing the extra walking, as (well, today it is, but on Monday I'll go farther) it doesn't take that much out of me, and it adds my distance. Remember the goal is to be able to run a 5k, but I'm doing the program based on minutes, not distance, so at the end I probably will be able to run 30 minutes, but not necessarily be able to run 5k. The ultimate goal (down the line a ways) would be to run 5k in 30 minutes, but I would like to be able to run 30 minutes and walk the rest of the 5k within the 9 week program. Which (in theory) means I'll be able to cover 5k, 30 minutes of that running, the week before I leave Miyako. I like that goal. Knock on wood to not having a hold up (getting sick, injured, too busy, etc).
And then there are day:s like thisJun. 11th, 2008
"Oh, the 6th graders have stuff to do this afternoon, so they can't do your English Class."
"Okay, no problem. Since I don't have any classes after lunch, can I go to the iinkai?"
"Sure, no problem."
Turns out they were on a 3 day field trip to Okinawa. Naw, I don't think I can get mad at them for missing my class for that :P
w3d3Jun. 11th, 2008
Heat 86. Humidity 79%
That hurt. I did it, but it hurt. With how much that hurt, I'm not sure I'm actually ready for w4 yet. There were, however, several possible reasons for so much hurt.
1. I went running at 2pm. I got out of work early so decided to go to the Cape (link for pictures), since the school I taught at today was halfway to the other side of the island (where the Cape is), and gas prices are astronomical (1.70per liter!) and I hadn't been running out there yet. And it's got the squishy turf. So groovy.
2. It was so hot I could have taken a bath and been less wet. Half the time I felt like I was swimming, not running.
3. Also, there is NO SHADE by the Cape, and wonderful scrubby tree-type things that block the beautiful wind for most of the length of the trail.
4. And there were hills. Not big ones, mind, but Miyakojima is a Really Flat Island. So even the little ups and downs were more than I was use to. I really felt like I was dying on the ups, but the downs and flat bits I was fine with.
So, it makes me wonder if I need to do a day or two of week 3 over, until I can really kill it dead, or whither I should just try to move on and see if that really kills me dead. Decisions, decisions . . . Also, I'm thinking that this really solidified the fact that I can no longer go running before about 6:30 unless it's overcast. It's just not worth it. At the end I was starting to get a heat headache.
I suppose I should also mention that day 2 also kicked my butt a bit, and because I felt so tired I did a 15 minute walk at the end (if that motivation makes sense to you, it makes perfect sense to me . . .). I tried to do the same today, but I think the heat just got to me, and I was only able to do 10 minutes after the sets.
w4d1 and packages Jun. 13th, 2008
I've been doing this for 3 full weeks? It doesn't seem like long, and at the same time seems like forever.
Today's run was again done stupid early, 3pm, but we had a thunder storm with several buckets of rain go over from about 1:30-2:30, so it'd cooled down and was mostly cloudy out when I started. Then the sun came out and it was kinda nasty for a bit, but I had a nice cooling breeze to compensate.
I forgot to check the exacts when I got home, but around 5 it was 81 degrees with 74% humidity.
Anyway, to the actual run. Can I mention how much I hate week 4's intervals? Not that they were all that hard (no, I lie, the 5 minute run was all that hard), it's just I can't run to music (I'm currently working towards the end of Eragon by Chrisopher Paolini having just finished Orson Scott Card's Ender series, starting with Ender's Shadow through Shadow of the Giant before going back to the beginning with Ender's Game and finishing with Children of the Mind. The Card audio presentations are WONDERFUL, by the way, with several different actors actually PERFORMING the books, not just reading. Though I'd recommend starting with book 1, Ender's Game, if you're going to start at all :P I've read them all before, so going out of order was just interesting.), so I'm not listening to the podcasts, and it's hard to remember where you are and when to switch over to walking or running. I miss the set run for x, walk for y, rinse, repeats. But I'm just griping.
I did have to stop about 3 times, for 5-10 seconds, to stretch out my shins. Only once during a run though. Stupid cramps. Need to hydrate more.
I feel like I've found my "running stride." You know, the pace that my body wants to run at? Unfortunately, I'm not yet to the point where I can keep it up for more than about 2 minutes, so I have to remember at the onset of a running interval that I really do need to go That Slow, so I don't burn myself out. I keep forgetting and pushing too fast.
Also, I finished the run with a nice 20 minute walk. I'm thinking that when I finish c25k, I'm going to try to do it again, to work myself up to 10k. Basically start with the 30 minute run, and then follow with w?d?. I wonder if anyone else had done this. I figure if I work myself up to a 30 minute slow walk at the end of my runs, a week or two of running 30 walking 30 at the end of c25k will be good enough to embark on the next set. I'm not really concerned with speed and racing so much as being able to accomplish that level of activity for that amount of time.
Also, after work today I went to the post office to post another box home. 30 bucks for about 11 books and a few knickknacks. This hurts. But again, I'm happy that Mom was able to take so many books home with her when they came to visit. Saves me so much. I also asked about shipping my suitcases home, seeing how all of the airlines have initiated the Only One Checked Bag policy. Basically, I can ship my small suitcase back (inside a box with nothing in the suitcase), but my big suitcase is too big to ship so I'll be taking that with me (in all of it's huge glory) to Taiwan and checking that and only that, or I'll have to find another carrier. If I take my big suitcase with me, it'll mean I'll have to ship my new bookbag home, as that's too big to check. Which stinks. I really didn't want to bring a bag that I couldn't just sling on my back if I chose. We'll have to see what I can come up with.
Can we talk for a minute? Jun. 13th, 2008
Can we talk about how much I HATE cleaning? I mean, yeah, it's good to be clean. It's good to be free of clutter. But if being free of clutter was what I was good at, I'd have a place to put the clutter, wouldn't I?
It's Still Not Clean. Landlord and people are coming tomorrow at 10:30 (I hope I got that time right) and it's still not clean. May I remind you that Saturday is usually the day that I like to sleep for 12 hours or so. Not gonna happen. Neither is cleaning more tonight. I only have a few more piles of clutter that are going to be dumped unceremoniously onto bookshelves. If I get up at 8 I'll have time to do that, and vacuum, and clean the last bit out of the sink (stuff that was just put there today and yesterday), and put away the clothes, and pack my overnight stuff into a bag (it's in a pile, just waiting for the toiletries), although I'm still praying to several gods that I won't, in fact, have to vacate my house.
I like having a clean house. I don't like all of the Random Little Things that Need To Be Kept and don't really have Away Places. Hopefully, though, since this is the first time it's been Clean since Leo left (yeah, he visited in April, what about it?) hopefully I'll do a better job of Keeping It Clean, which is a WHOLE lot easier than Cleaning Up.
And yes, I have been working on cleaning since last weekend. Why do you ask?
not getting kicked out! Jun. 14th, 2008
After all that, they come over and look for about 10 minutes (at 1:30, by the way. They must REALLY have been on Island Time) and then decide that they'll come back on Monday (when I'm not here o~O) and replace the bad boards. They're not gonna use bug killer, so the problem is still gonna be there, but you know what? It's not my house. I'm not gonna worry about it. I'm just gonna take ALL of my valuables to work with me on Monday. That's all.
Unfortunately, I used most of my motivation now and don't really wanna go out and do anything. I should want to go to the beach . . . I might go in a bit . . .
w4d2 and a New Program Jun. 15th, 2008
Now, THAT's more like it.
Today was Much Better. I ran down at the Kurima Bridge again, back where I was first running, before I discovered the squishy turf by the Hirara Port. I did down there, on actual pavement, because the bridge actually has 2 hills (one to let boats under it, one to make level with the higher elevation of Kurima Island), and I figured I needed the hilly practice for when I come back home to Georgia (USA) in (OMGOMGOMG) two months. Also, I wanted to hit the beach afterwards :P
84 degrees, 79% humidity, KILLER WIND, 18mph.
The wind was blowing HARD today, and at the start, against me. It made the first crossing of the bridge difficult, but not as difficult as those hills. Of Course I hit all 3 of the uphills at the beginning of a running interval. But it was okay. No, really, it was Okay. I just had to slow down even more than my normal slow pace (so much that I was only going a little faster than walking), but I was able to run up the hills in about 3 minutes each, and run down them is less than 2 :) And I didn't feel like dying. It was awesome. The 5 minutes still hurt me a bit, but today was easier than day 1, and I'm more confidant than I was last week. I again ended the day with a 20 minute walk, which I had to double back on the bridge a bit to complete, but that's good. I just means I have to park my car farther away next time, maybe down at the Maehama Port, nearer to the beach :P
I think, just for hill training, I need to make sure I get at least one day a "week" down there. Oh, darn. An excuse to go to the beach (this time links to my flickr set).
And, if you care, I've finished Eragon (which I liked much better than the movie, and still, it wasn't that great of a book. I blame the writing experience and finesse, or lack thereof. But it was good enough that I read the rest of the trilogy) and started on Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey. The introduction by Clarke alone was hilarious enough to make me enthused about listening to the book. Here, just for you, Wacko.
Writing a novel is like swimming through the sea. Writing a film script is like thrashing through treacle.
--Arthur C. Clark
Yeah, I'm gonna like this one. That and the fact that I've never actually sat through the movie. Maybe I'll be more inclined after reading it. There's a lot of nothing happening if I remember correctly . . . from those several attempts on TBS . . .
Also, yzztik (over on livejournal) pointed out another program called 100 Push Ups. I really like this idea (another slowly working your way up to a goal program), so I've created a community for it, again, on livejournal. "100_pushups". Feel free to check it out and join if you want.
Initial Test Jun. 15th, 2008
Okay, so there I was, ready to test myself, see how far I'd come in my fitness over the course of the year. Some bowling, some running, some crunches, sounds good, right? So I try the Initial Test, to see where I should start. I first try the actual push up. Toes on the floor, straight back, and I fall. Nope, that's not going to happen. So okay, maybe I too will try yzztik's idea of doing easy push ups (knees on the ground, "girl push ups" for all of us kids raised in the 80s and early 90s) and just do the program twice, once on my knees, once on my toes. Sounds good to me.
Okay, so I get myself ready for the girl push ups too see how many I can do, and I do two. Right up until I realize that I'm not actually going down as far as you're suppose to, so that my shoulders are equal with my elbows. So on my third push up, I go down, and I fall down. My arms couldn't take it. So yeah. I'll be starting in Column One--0-5 push ups, under 40 years of age. Woo hoo!
I'm looking forward to my first day tomorrow.
Oh! Watch my little Community Grow! June 16, 2008
I now have 10 members over at "100_pushups" and am watched by 12 people (2 people are just lurking). I feel so proud!
Also, yzztik is adapting the program from push ups to crunches and created a community for it. Guess the name. Go on guess. "100_crunches". Yep, you guessed right.
I'm gonna do both. Because I can, and before I hurt myself (stupid staircase) and lost my motivation, I was doing about 100 crunches. In 25 or so sets. So I know it can be done, easily. What they:re doing is just doubling the numbers in the program. I think I might have to triple them, but we:ll see how it goes with my initial test. I:ll do that today as soon as I get home, and then push ups, then my first crunch day. It would be nice to have a good layer of solid muscle underneath my layer of fat, don:t you think? I mean, cuz the layer of fat isn:t going anywhere. That:s just how my body type is, if I want the good girly bits, I get the belly and kester fat. I:m (kinda) okay with this. Also, if I loose too much more weight, my face starts to get toooooooo thin, and I really don:t like that. So, layer of belly fat it is. But underneath that, having a solid layer of muscle would be very nice, I think.
Also, might I add how amazing exercising is when you have a group of people doing it with you? I mean, even if I don:t know these people. I don:t even really know what they look like. But we:re doing it TOGETHER. Giving support and whatnot. I REALLY like that.
100 Push Ups w1d1c1 and 100 Crunches w1(3)d1c2 Jun. 16th, 2008
Today I did Week 1, Day 1, Column 1 of 100_pushups
Hooray for just getting started! There's something about that first day, isn't there? When you first start and then do what you wanted to? So, yep. I started! Yay!
Day 1 was hard. This might be because I wasn't really able to do more than 2 push ups during the initial test, and then I had to do those 2 repeatedly, even if they were all girl type push ups, but my buttocks is apparently rather large and heavy. Or at least that's how it feels to me when I try to push myself back up! But it wasn't too bad, and I don't think I blew out anything, although my left arm (the one that hasn't been getting weight training every week by bowling in a league) kinda hurts. And my pecs definitely Feel The Burn (tm).
Between each level I waited from the standard 60 seconds to about 70 seconds, which might be why I only was able to do the at least 3 as my max. So, in total, I did 11 (girl) push ups today. Wooo!
On Wednesday I plan to wait for a full 2 minutes or more between level 4 and 5 and see if that makes a difference.
Afterwards, I went ahead with my first day of 100_crunches.
LaFou I'm afraid I've been thinking . . .
So, the goal for the 100 Push Ups Program that we're basing this thing off of is to do 100 consecutive push ups, right? Well, I know I can do 100 crunches. Before I hurt myself (again, and again, I say, "stupid staircase") I was doing about 120 in a sitting. I just wasn't doing them consecutively. I was doing them in about 25 repped sets. So, I figure if the goal is to do 100 crunches consecutively, then I don't really see a problem with doing the program as is, seeing how during my initial test, I could only do about 20 crunches consecutively before my stomach and back started burning so much I couldn't continue and needed a rest. So, based on that number for my initial test, I'm at Rank 3.
When looking actually at the week one chart, there isn't a place for "if you did 20 push ups during the initial test," and there isn't one for week 2 either. But starting with week 3, there is. Column 1 is for 16-20, Column 2 is for 21-25. So I did that. I decided, because I was right on the cusp anyway to go ahead and start my 100 Crunches Program on Week 3, Day 1, Column 2. And it went fantabulously.
I waited the standard 60 seconds between each level, until the last one, in which I waited until it really stopped hurting, about 2 minutes. During level 5 I was able to push myself and do 23 crunches. For a daily total of 86 crunches. Woot! I feel pretty good about it.
Also, they finished messing up--I mean, fixing my apartment. Things are not yet back in their assigned places, but I'm just glad that the termites are all dead and gone.
I'll try to keep better track of this thing :P
w3d1
Jun. 7th, 2008
Hmmm, why is it that every time (although it's only been the second, but you know what I mean) I get used to one week's training, the next week comes along to kick my butt? Today's run went okay until the end. The last minute or so of the final 3 minute run was not pleasant, but it happened. I'm sure I'll just be getting use to it when day 3 comes around and I'll have to move on :P
[79 degrees, 89% humidity.]
I found a place down by the port where they're building (the longest bridge of it's kind in japan, 20k) the bridge to Irabu that has tons of sqwishy squishy turf for the nice walking and running. I found it last week Tuesday as I did my walk/run from the port, but reached it as soon as I hit my turn around point, and then revisited it on Thursday, actually driving down there and parking, but I did my run so late that I couldn't hardly see anything. Today I went around 6 and could actually see various paths go off into and around the area that were also made of that wonderful squishy material. I think on Monday's run I'm gonna go down and explore a little more.
I also got on Google maps and actually measured what I did today. With my 7 (not 5) minute warm up walk, and my 13 minute cool down walk (not on the plan) I did 3.3k or 2 miles. Realizing this makes me really glad I'm doing the extra walking, as (well, today it is, but on Monday I'll go farther) it doesn't take that much out of me, and it adds my distance. Remember the goal is to be able to run a 5k, but I'm doing the program based on minutes, not distance, so at the end I probably will be able to run 30 minutes, but not necessarily be able to run 5k. The ultimate goal (down the line a ways) would be to run 5k in 30 minutes, but I would like to be able to run 30 minutes and walk the rest of the 5k within the 9 week program. Which (in theory) means I'll be able to cover 5k, 30 minutes of that running, the week before I leave Miyako. I like that goal. Knock on wood to not having a hold up (getting sick, injured, too busy, etc).
And then there are day:s like thisJun. 11th, 2008
"Oh, the 6th graders have stuff to do this afternoon, so they can't do your English Class."
"Okay, no problem. Since I don't have any classes after lunch, can I go to the iinkai?"
"Sure, no problem."
Turns out they were on a 3 day field trip to Okinawa. Naw, I don't think I can get mad at them for missing my class for that :P
w3d3Jun. 11th, 2008
Heat 86. Humidity 79%
That hurt. I did it, but it hurt. With how much that hurt, I'm not sure I'm actually ready for w4 yet. There were, however, several possible reasons for so much hurt.
1. I went running at 2pm. I got out of work early so decided to go to the Cape (link for pictures), since the school I taught at today was halfway to the other side of the island (where the Cape is), and gas prices are astronomical (1.70per liter!) and I hadn't been running out there yet. And it's got the squishy turf. So groovy.
2. It was so hot I could have taken a bath and been less wet. Half the time I felt like I was swimming, not running.
3. Also, there is NO SHADE by the Cape, and wonderful scrubby tree-type things that block the beautiful wind for most of the length of the trail.
4. And there were hills. Not big ones, mind, but Miyakojima is a Really Flat Island. So even the little ups and downs were more than I was use to. I really felt like I was dying on the ups, but the downs and flat bits I was fine with.
So, it makes me wonder if I need to do a day or two of week 3 over, until I can really kill it dead, or whither I should just try to move on and see if that really kills me dead. Decisions, decisions . . . Also, I'm thinking that this really solidified the fact that I can no longer go running before about 6:30 unless it's overcast. It's just not worth it. At the end I was starting to get a heat headache.
I suppose I should also mention that day 2 also kicked my butt a bit, and because I felt so tired I did a 15 minute walk at the end (if that motivation makes sense to you, it makes perfect sense to me . . .). I tried to do the same today, but I think the heat just got to me, and I was only able to do 10 minutes after the sets.
w4d1 and packages Jun. 13th, 2008
I've been doing this for 3 full weeks? It doesn't seem like long, and at the same time seems like forever.
Today's run was again done stupid early, 3pm, but we had a thunder storm with several buckets of rain go over from about 1:30-2:30, so it'd cooled down and was mostly cloudy out when I started. Then the sun came out and it was kinda nasty for a bit, but I had a nice cooling breeze to compensate.
I forgot to check the exacts when I got home, but around 5 it was 81 degrees with 74% humidity.
Anyway, to the actual run. Can I mention how much I hate week 4's intervals? Not that they were all that hard (no, I lie, the 5 minute run was all that hard), it's just I can't run to music (I'm currently working towards the end of Eragon by Chrisopher Paolini having just finished Orson Scott Card's Ender series, starting with Ender's Shadow through Shadow of the Giant before going back to the beginning with Ender's Game and finishing with Children of the Mind. The Card audio presentations are WONDERFUL, by the way, with several different actors actually PERFORMING the books, not just reading. Though I'd recommend starting with book 1, Ender's Game, if you're going to start at all :P I've read them all before, so going out of order was just interesting.), so I'm not listening to the podcasts, and it's hard to remember where you are and when to switch over to walking or running. I miss the set run for x, walk for y, rinse, repeats. But I'm just griping.
I did have to stop about 3 times, for 5-10 seconds, to stretch out my shins. Only once during a run though. Stupid cramps. Need to hydrate more.
I feel like I've found my "running stride." You know, the pace that my body wants to run at? Unfortunately, I'm not yet to the point where I can keep it up for more than about 2 minutes, so I have to remember at the onset of a running interval that I really do need to go That Slow, so I don't burn myself out. I keep forgetting and pushing too fast.
Also, I finished the run with a nice 20 minute walk. I'm thinking that when I finish c25k, I'm going to try to do it again, to work myself up to 10k. Basically start with the 30 minute run, and then follow with w?d?. I wonder if anyone else had done this. I figure if I work myself up to a 30 minute slow walk at the end of my runs, a week or two of running 30 walking 30 at the end of c25k will be good enough to embark on the next set. I'm not really concerned with speed and racing so much as being able to accomplish that level of activity for that amount of time.
Also, after work today I went to the post office to post another box home. 30 bucks for about 11 books and a few knickknacks. This hurts. But again, I'm happy that Mom was able to take so many books home with her when they came to visit. Saves me so much. I also asked about shipping my suitcases home, seeing how all of the airlines have initiated the Only One Checked Bag policy. Basically, I can ship my small suitcase back (inside a box with nothing in the suitcase), but my big suitcase is too big to ship so I'll be taking that with me (in all of it's huge glory) to Taiwan and checking that and only that, or I'll have to find another carrier. If I take my big suitcase with me, it'll mean I'll have to ship my new bookbag home, as that's too big to check. Which stinks. I really didn't want to bring a bag that I couldn't just sling on my back if I chose. We'll have to see what I can come up with.
Can we talk for a minute? Jun. 13th, 2008
Can we talk about how much I HATE cleaning? I mean, yeah, it's good to be clean. It's good to be free of clutter. But if being free of clutter was what I was good at, I'd have a place to put the clutter, wouldn't I?
It's Still Not Clean. Landlord and people are coming tomorrow at 10:30 (I hope I got that time right) and it's still not clean. May I remind you that Saturday is usually the day that I like to sleep for 12 hours or so. Not gonna happen. Neither is cleaning more tonight. I only have a few more piles of clutter that are going to be dumped unceremoniously onto bookshelves. If I get up at 8 I'll have time to do that, and vacuum, and clean the last bit out of the sink (stuff that was just put there today and yesterday), and put away the clothes, and pack my overnight stuff into a bag (it's in a pile, just waiting for the toiletries), although I'm still praying to several gods that I won't, in fact, have to vacate my house.
I like having a clean house. I don't like all of the Random Little Things that Need To Be Kept and don't really have Away Places. Hopefully, though, since this is the first time it's been Clean since Leo left (yeah, he visited in April, what about it?) hopefully I'll do a better job of Keeping It Clean, which is a WHOLE lot easier than Cleaning Up.
And yes, I have been working on cleaning since last weekend. Why do you ask?
not getting kicked out! Jun. 14th, 2008
After all that, they come over and look for about 10 minutes (at 1:30, by the way. They must REALLY have been on Island Time) and then decide that they'll come back on Monday (when I'm not here o~O) and replace the bad boards. They're not gonna use bug killer, so the problem is still gonna be there, but you know what? It's not my house. I'm not gonna worry about it. I'm just gonna take ALL of my valuables to work with me on Monday. That's all.
Unfortunately, I used most of my motivation now and don't really wanna go out and do anything. I should want to go to the beach . . . I might go in a bit . . .
w4d2 and a New Program Jun. 15th, 2008
Now, THAT's more like it.
Today was Much Better. I ran down at the Kurima Bridge again, back where I was first running, before I discovered the squishy turf by the Hirara Port. I did down there, on actual pavement, because the bridge actually has 2 hills (one to let boats under it, one to make level with the higher elevation of Kurima Island), and I figured I needed the hilly practice for when I come back home to Georgia (USA) in (OMGOMGOMG) two months. Also, I wanted to hit the beach afterwards :P
84 degrees, 79% humidity, KILLER WIND, 18mph.
The wind was blowing HARD today, and at the start, against me. It made the first crossing of the bridge difficult, but not as difficult as those hills. Of Course I hit all 3 of the uphills at the beginning of a running interval. But it was okay. No, really, it was Okay. I just had to slow down even more than my normal slow pace (so much that I was only going a little faster than walking), but I was able to run up the hills in about 3 minutes each, and run down them is less than 2 :) And I didn't feel like dying. It was awesome. The 5 minutes still hurt me a bit, but today was easier than day 1, and I'm more confidant than I was last week. I again ended the day with a 20 minute walk, which I had to double back on the bridge a bit to complete, but that's good. I just means I have to park my car farther away next time, maybe down at the Maehama Port, nearer to the beach :P
I think, just for hill training, I need to make sure I get at least one day a "week" down there. Oh, darn. An excuse to go to the beach (this time links to my flickr set).
And, if you care, I've finished Eragon (which I liked much better than the movie, and still, it wasn't that great of a book. I blame the writing experience and finesse, or lack thereof. But it was good enough that I read the rest of the trilogy) and started on Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey. The introduction by Clarke alone was hilarious enough to make me enthused about listening to the book. Here, just for you, Wacko.
Writing a novel is like swimming through the sea. Writing a film script is like thrashing through treacle.
--Arthur C. Clark
Yeah, I'm gonna like this one. That and the fact that I've never actually sat through the movie. Maybe I'll be more inclined after reading it. There's a lot of nothing happening if I remember correctly . . . from those several attempts on TBS . . .
Also, yzztik (over on livejournal) pointed out another program called 100 Push Ups. I really like this idea (another slowly working your way up to a goal program), so I've created a community for it, again, on livejournal. "100_pushups". Feel free to check it out and join if you want.
Initial Test Jun. 15th, 2008
Okay, so there I was, ready to test myself, see how far I'd come in my fitness over the course of the year. Some bowling, some running, some crunches, sounds good, right? So I try the Initial Test, to see where I should start. I first try the actual push up. Toes on the floor, straight back, and I fall. Nope, that's not going to happen. So okay, maybe I too will try yzztik's idea of doing easy push ups (knees on the ground, "girl push ups" for all of us kids raised in the 80s and early 90s) and just do the program twice, once on my knees, once on my toes. Sounds good to me.
Okay, so I get myself ready for the girl push ups too see how many I can do, and I do two. Right up until I realize that I'm not actually going down as far as you're suppose to, so that my shoulders are equal with my elbows. So on my third push up, I go down, and I fall down. My arms couldn't take it. So yeah. I'll be starting in Column One--0-5 push ups, under 40 years of age. Woo hoo!
I'm looking forward to my first day tomorrow.
Oh! Watch my little Community Grow! June 16, 2008
I now have 10 members over at "100_pushups" and am watched by 12 people (2 people are just lurking). I feel so proud!
Also, yzztik is adapting the program from push ups to crunches and created a community for it. Guess the name. Go on guess. "100_crunches". Yep, you guessed right.
I'm gonna do both. Because I can, and before I hurt myself (stupid staircase) and lost my motivation, I was doing about 100 crunches. In 25 or so sets. So I know it can be done, easily. What they:re doing is just doubling the numbers in the program. I think I might have to triple them, but we:ll see how it goes with my initial test. I:ll do that today as soon as I get home, and then push ups, then my first crunch day. It would be nice to have a good layer of solid muscle underneath my layer of fat, don:t you think? I mean, cuz the layer of fat isn:t going anywhere. That:s just how my body type is, if I want the good girly bits, I get the belly and kester fat. I:m (kinda) okay with this. Also, if I loose too much more weight, my face starts to get toooooooo thin, and I really don:t like that. So, layer of belly fat it is. But underneath that, having a solid layer of muscle would be very nice, I think.
Also, might I add how amazing exercising is when you have a group of people doing it with you? I mean, even if I don:t know these people. I don:t even really know what they look like. But we:re doing it TOGETHER. Giving support and whatnot. I REALLY like that.
100 Push Ups w1d1c1 and 100 Crunches w1(3)d1c2 Jun. 16th, 2008
Today I did Week 1, Day 1, Column 1 of 100_pushups
Hooray for just getting started! There's something about that first day, isn't there? When you first start and then do what you wanted to? So, yep. I started! Yay!
Day 1 was hard. This might be because I wasn't really able to do more than 2 push ups during the initial test, and then I had to do those 2 repeatedly, even if they were all girl type push ups, but my buttocks is apparently rather large and heavy. Or at least that's how it feels to me when I try to push myself back up! But it wasn't too bad, and I don't think I blew out anything, although my left arm (the one that hasn't been getting weight training every week by bowling in a league) kinda hurts. And my pecs definitely Feel The Burn (tm).
Between each level I waited from the standard 60 seconds to about 70 seconds, which might be why I only was able to do the at least 3 as my max. So, in total, I did 11 (girl) push ups today. Wooo!
On Wednesday I plan to wait for a full 2 minutes or more between level 4 and 5 and see if that makes a difference.
Afterwards, I went ahead with my first day of 100_crunches.
LaFou I'm afraid I've been thinking . . .
So, the goal for the 100 Push Ups Program that we're basing this thing off of is to do 100 consecutive push ups, right? Well, I know I can do 100 crunches. Before I hurt myself (again, and again, I say, "stupid staircase") I was doing about 120 in a sitting. I just wasn't doing them consecutively. I was doing them in about 25 repped sets. So, I figure if the goal is to do 100 crunches consecutively, then I don't really see a problem with doing the program as is, seeing how during my initial test, I could only do about 20 crunches consecutively before my stomach and back started burning so much I couldn't continue and needed a rest. So, based on that number for my initial test, I'm at Rank 3.
When looking actually at the week one chart, there isn't a place for "if you did 20 push ups during the initial test," and there isn't one for week 2 either. But starting with week 3, there is. Column 1 is for 16-20, Column 2 is for 21-25. So I did that. I decided, because I was right on the cusp anyway to go ahead and start my 100 Crunches Program on Week 3, Day 1, Column 2. And it went fantabulously.
I waited the standard 60 seconds between each level, until the last one, in which I waited until it really stopped hurting, about 2 minutes. During level 5 I was able to push myself and do 23 crunches. For a daily total of 86 crunches. Woot! I feel pretty good about it.
Also, they finished messing up--I mean, fixing my apartment. Things are not yet back in their assigned places, but I'm just glad that the termites are all dead and gone.
I'll try to keep better track of this thing :P
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Important things
Have I actually out and out said here that I'm coming home on August 13th?
Also, I took a break in cleaning today and watched The Karate Kid. I'm noticing a whole lot more of Japanese/Okinawan Culture, and a whole lot less of "he's trying to be a Japanese-like silly man." What, I was how old when I first watched it? And yay for being more culturally aware. You know his head band? White with the blue dots. I Have One. I picked it up as a prize at a party. Go me. I use it for sweat while I'm cleaning :P A very traditional use.
Also, when he was speaking Japanese to the official, he was calling the official names.
I HAVE to finish cleaning by tomorrow. The people come to inspect the termites on Saturday morning.
Also, I took a break in cleaning today and watched The Karate Kid. I'm noticing a whole lot more of Japanese/Okinawan Culture, and a whole lot less of "he's trying to be a Japanese-like silly man." What, I was how old when I first watched it? And yay for being more culturally aware. You know his head band? White with the blue dots. I Have One. I picked it up as a prize at a party. Go me. I use it for sweat while I'm cleaning :P A very traditional use.
Also, when he was speaking Japanese to the official, he was calling the official names.
I HAVE to finish cleaning by tomorrow. The people come to inspect the termites on Saturday morning.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Bowling league
I think I should mention that last nights bowling league was awesome. It was the last night of the session, so there were prizes (I won 10 bucks for getting a perfect something score (like 510 with my handicap) and a case of green tea cuz my team won the league), I actually got to bowl with people I knew (it was Wherever You Want, so me, Mike, Stu, and Justin) and then we went out and then went to the afterparty. It was bunches of fun.
I:m doing the next league too, even though I:ll only be here for 7 weeks of it (dear god, is that how soon I leave?). Should be fun. We figure out who our teammates are at the next gameday, Tuesday.
Because I:m planning on continuing to play when I get home, I thought I should start marking down each weeks scores, not just the good ones, so I can figure out my average before I leave.
So, last night: 130, 150, 109 = 389. avg=129.6(repeating) Good night.
I:m doing the next league too, even though I:ll only be here for 7 weeks of it (dear god, is that how soon I leave?). Should be fun. We figure out who our teammates are at the next gameday, Tuesday.
Because I:m planning on continuing to play when I get home, I thought I should start marking down each weeks scores, not just the good ones, so I can figure out my average before I leave.
So, last night: 130, 150, 109 = 389. avg=129.6(repeating) Good night.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Good day
First off, Saturday was UBER fun. I got up, caught the ferry over to Irabu, met up with my Sarahama kids, got pictures of the fishermen throwing fish at the people (video too :)), and watched them do some sumo. Then I met up with our supervisor, Yamaguchi Akemi and she introduced me to her husband (who was having a party at 10am on his friend's boat with fresh sashimi (like they killed it that morning) and otori), and then took me on a drive around Irabu. She told me so much about the area, where she grew up, where the whales can be seen, where the mermaid use to live (aparently, nengyou hime fell in love with a man, and married him, but she missed the ocean, so she prayed to the Ocean God to take her back home, and he sent a tsunami to bring her back (I'm pretty sure this meant that all of the people on Irabu at the time were killed, but eh), and I got tons of beautiful pictures and for the most part had a great time hanging out.
Then I caught the ferry back, had lunch at Nishino's with Jeff and Nana, and then went running around 6. It was a really good day.
Yesterday I avoided cleaning like a pro, but still managed to pick up the place, go figure.
Then I caught the ferry back, had lunch at Nishino's with Jeff and Nana, and then went running around 6. It was a really good day.
Yesterday I avoided cleaning like a pro, but still managed to pick up the place, go figure.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Well, that was interesting . . .
I went to the Japanese OBGYN today. It was . . . an experience . . . But at least he took one look at me, told me yep, you were right, and gave me meds for it and told me to go back in 2 weeks. Fun fun.
I was really impressed with the clinic itself. It was so VERY girly, for the doctor being male and all, but I guess that most of the people who go there are having babies and they're very girly people, or whatever. Also, they had this microscope that hooked up to a TV and he showed me the cell sample he took. I love looking at microscopes so it was REALLY neat.
Also, the apartment people got back to me about my termites. Apparently they not only want to meet with me in the middle of school hours, they also want to bomb the house and kick me out for 3 days next week. Depending on how this goes, I might ask for next Friday off and run away to Ishigaki instead . . .
And it totally did (is) rain today, so I'm really glad I did my run yesterday :D And I'm gonna get up early tomorrow and try to watch the Dragon Boat Races. Should be fun, but I won't be home in the morning to talk to people :(
I was really impressed with the clinic itself. It was so VERY girly, for the doctor being male and all, but I guess that most of the people who go there are having babies and they're very girly people, or whatever. Also, they had this microscope that hooked up to a TV and he showed me the cell sample he took. I love looking at microscopes so it was REALLY neat.
Also, the apartment people got back to me about my termites. Apparently they not only want to meet with me in the middle of school hours, they also want to bomb the house and kick me out for 3 days next week. Depending on how this goes, I might ask for next Friday off and run away to Ishigaki instead . . .
And it totally did (is) rain today, so I'm really glad I did my run yesterday :D And I'm gonna get up early tomorrow and try to watch the Dragon Boat Races. Should be fun, but I won't be home in the morning to talk to people :(
Thursday, June 5, 2008
w2d3 or Wasn't I suppose to take today off?
I got horrendously anxious today. This might have had something to do with a 2 hour doctor's visit (only about 3 minutes with the doctor himself saying my ankle is now fine and I've officially graduated rehab, yay!) and a slight headache, not to mention the massive amount of cleaning that really should be done in and around my apartment and just as I was grudgingly getting around to starting to clean I looked at myself and said, "Self, you really don't want to do this." And I said, "I know, what I really want to do is run today. It's suppose to rain tomorrow, and the week will just be nicer if I run today, Saturday, then Monday and Wednesday, based on this week's work schedule. And I'm getting towards the end of my book on tape (mp3) and I want to hear the ending." To which I replied, "Okay, Self, so why don't you go run?" "Because I really SHOULD clean, and I'm suppose to be taking 2 day's break because of that twinge in my knee Tuesday night at bowling." At this I gave myself a stern look and said, "Self, don't be silly. You feel fine. You can always just stop if something hurts. You really didn't want to clean anyway. It's going to rain tomorrow. And the schedule will be so much nicer if you run today, then Saturday and Monday and Wednesday. Get off of your @$$ and go running. Perhaps on that nice cushy turf by the port." And I looked at myself, and I looked at my kitchen, and I got my running shoes out and went running.
It felt awesome. My muscles are a bit sore, but seeing how it was a tendon twinging before, I think this is okay and I'll do some more stretching today and tomorrow before running on Saturday and Monday and Wednesday :P Seeing how I've been a champion couch in the past, I think this attitude is remarkable and quite . . . nice, actually. I hope your weeks are going as nicely.
We're not gonna talk about the apartment . . .
It felt awesome. My muscles are a bit sore, but seeing how it was a tendon twinging before, I think this is okay and I'll do some more stretching today and tomorrow before running on Saturday and Monday and Wednesday :P Seeing how I've been a champion couch in the past, I think this attitude is remarkable and quite . . . nice, actually. I hope your weeks are going as nicely.
We're not gonna talk about the apartment . . .
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