Maraton del Agua: 6K in Buenos Aires

A little over a week ago I signed up for a 6K run here in Buenos Aires. I didn't really train for it at all, I was just doing it for fun with a group of friends. I ended up finishing in 36 minutes. I didn't have a set goal so I can't be unhappy with that. I really wanted to be in St. Louis today running the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon. This 6K just made me crave a half marathon, I'm dying to beat my Denver time and cross the finish line in under 2 hours. I know I can do it, I just need to train properly.

There is a half marathon in Buenos Aires September 11th. It's too soon for me to know if I will be able to dedicate the training time I'll need to beat my time. I will not run unless I can kick my old time's ass. I also might be traveling in September. However, I have already figured out my goal pace time in both miles and kilometers.

I now stare at a sticky note on my desktop that says "9min/mile=1h 57min. 5.5min/km=1h 56min". I don't think I'll be able to shake the need to make those times a reality.

That being said, today was a blast. I signed up for the race with girls who started out as fellow Boot Camp attendees (and the instructor) but have now become some of my best friends here in Buenos Aires. We ran the race and then enjoyed a delicious brunch together. Excellent day!

Boot Camp Ladies! Nina and I are pretending like Katrina and Nadine need our help.

Cute and candid at brunch.

Dear Fitness Fakers

I went for a run today, as I often do, and found myself annoyed by the amount of Fitness Fakers I saw or nearly ran into. It was frustrating enough to inspire a rant.

Dear Fitness Fakers,

I hate to break it to you, but buying the fanciest workout clothes money can buy is not going to get you in shape. Your ass is just as wide in those Nike capris as they are in your jeans, perhaps wider. Also, I can see your thong, and anyone wearing a thong is clearly not planning on completing a legitimate workout. Furthermore, the latest Reebok running shoes are not going to enhance your slow trot enough to burn the calories as actually running.

I know the fitness trail is a great place to people watch but perhaps you could do that from the sidelines instead of zig-zagging slowly in front of me. Yes, I know, all those hot athletes are less likely to see you all dolled up in your cute workout shorts paired with hoop earrings and mask of make-up, but all of us that are using the fitness trail for well, fitness, sure would appreciate the extra space.

I know your cell phone is glued to your ear, but I think my labored breathing is loud enough to give you a hint of my approach. I especially appreciate when glance back at me just to give me a nice, long look over with a crinkled face only to turn back around, continue to block my way and perhaps even roll your eyes at my appearance. Yes, I am sweaty, and no, I did not bother to slip on any lip gloss.

No, Fitness Faker, do not mind me. I will simply take a detour around a tree to avoid you. You can continue to chat away while you waddle through the park in your fashionista workout gear, you work that look while you can. I'll see you tonight when I'm showered and toned while you sip on a 400 calorie drink and complain about your cellulite.

Sincerely,
A girl who is isn't afraid to sweat.

Fitness Challenge #2- 50% Finished

Screen shot of my workout calendar. 50% complete!

As I mentioned in my final update in the 30 Day Shred and Yoga challenge, I started a new fitness challenge immediately after completing the first. This one is more intense. I didn't update last week but I wanted to do a quick post now to let you all know I am officially 50% through and I have not missed a single workout.

I don't have access to a printer so I had to forgo the stickers this time. Instead, I am using clip-art of gold stars to mark my progress. The calendar does not mention that I have to do yoga every night, but I still do. It also refers to workout numbers, as there is a separate workout reference sheet. (I told you it was more intense!)

I'll be honest, I'm not as enthused about this challenge as I should be. I don't have all the fitness equipment I wish I did nor do I have access to a treadmill, which would be very helpful. I'd really like to re-train for a half marathon but I really need a treadmill to get my pace back in check. After running on a treadmill for a while I could feel out my pace when running outside. I think I need to re-calibrate it, so to speak. I'm also kind of irritated with the whole fitness thing right now. Usually, working out is a nice escape from a worried mind, but it has not been working for me lately. I'm finding it harder and harder to force myself to keep up with this even when I'm not getting everything I want out of it. 

I think my lack of enthusiasm is disheartening, but at least my stubbornness keeps me on track. That's the beauty of the fitness challenge- I really hate failing. I don't say I am going to do something unless I plan to do it, so the challenge continues. 

Any suggestions for keeping motivation alive? Or stories of challenges of your own?

In case you want to read about the past Fitness Challenge

30 Day Fitness Challenge

Fitness Challenge: End of Week 1

Fitness Challenge: End of Week 2

Fitness Challenge: End of Week 3

Fitness Challenge: End of Week 4

Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 4

I'm a little late on this update, but I thought I should let you all know the first month long challenge is complete and it was a complete success!

4 weeks straight. Nailed it.

Six days a week, 1 workout video and 1 yoga workout for 1 month straight. I did not miss a single one.
I am significantly stronger and super proud of Emily and myself.

I work out a lot and I am pretty good at keeping myself motivated, but I can honestly say that there were days I forced myself to get up and work out or take the time to do yoga before bed just so I wouldn't fail at this challenge. I knew that, in the short term, it only resulted in a sticker. I knew that I could tell Emily I skipped a workout and she wouldn't be mad at me, she would just tell me to do better tomorrow. However, I never wanted to do that. I didn't want to face Emily, my blog, or myself because I knew it would mean I chose to fail.

For that reason, Emily and I have started yet another Fitness Challenge. We didn't even take a day off, it started on Monday. This challenge is significantly more difficult. It is so complicated that I had to have several talks with my brother, Ben, who is a personal trainer. Together, he and I designed the next challenge. He provided me with 5 different circuit training work outs. I added in all 3 levels of the 30 Day Shred and running. I made a workout reference sheet and a corresponding calendar that lists 2 workouts a day. We never do the same workouts two days in a row. It is intense. Yoga is also still a  required portion, for recovery and relaxation.

I'm two days in and sore. However, I feel really, really good about this. Wish us luck for our next endeavor and keep up with the updates!

Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 3

Week 3 of the Fitness Challenge has come to an end and I can declare it a success!


This week was pretty good, challenge wise. Emily and I switched to Level 2 midway through week 2. Somehow, I always thought Level 2 was the worst. Maybe not for the actual difficulty level but the combination of really annoying moves. I hate having horse-faced Jillian tell me to get into plank pose for the 5,222nd time in 20 minutes then point to her professional helper and say "If she can do it, you can do it!". Jillian, you are a moron. If I pointed to a doctor and said the same thing, would you magically be able to perform surgery? No, because you need training for that.

Emily and I tired of Level 2 quickly. We had originally planned to switch to level 3 today, but we started it yesterday. It is much more intense but I actually enjoy it much more. It seems to go by incredibly fast. I end every work out completely drenched in sweat, but feeling good.

Today was my biggest challenge of the week. I went to a party last night and went to bed around 4am. I didn't want to do anything, much less work out. However, I convinced myself to just suck it up, work out and then have a lazy day of nothing. Oh yes, I worked out, showered and put on comfy clothes, took out my contacts and  proceeded to have a do-nothing day.

So, I ran into an issue this week. I'm not even sure if it can be called an issue since that sounds negative. I realized that several of my shirts are now way too tight around my biceps. I put on one of my shirts and felt like Chris Farley trapped in a tiny jacket. I mentioned last week that Emily and I were both gaining a lot of muscle, but this seemed a little ridiculous. My shoulders and arms have rendered many shirts useless to me now. On one hand, I feel like a beast. On the other hand, I fucking liked those shirts, damn it.


Even though I earned my reward, I decided not to buy one this week. I want to save money and I also like knowing that this blog update was motivation enough to make me get off my ass today. I didn't want to let anyone, including myself, down.

3 weeks down, 1 more to go. Get after it!

Past Fitness Challenge Posts:
Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 2
Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 1
30 Day Shred and Yoga Challenge

Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 2

Week Two- Nailed it.

One more week down in the Fitness Challenge. I have some highs and lows to report but first I would like to let you all know that I can officially declare week two a success!

My proudest Fitness Challenge moment was at 9am on Wednesday morning. Why, you ask? Well, if you read my Rags to Riches post you would know that on Wednesday morning I was sleeping in a king sized bed in the fanciest hotel room I have ever seen.

I, of course, knew I was going to be at this hotel. I packed my yoga DVD for Tuesday night and my Shred DVD for Wednesday morning. I even brought empty 2.25 liters bottles so I could fill them up at the hotel and have weights. I was ready. However, you have no idea how much dedication it took to go through with it. First of all, I went to bed around 3am. I simply did not want to waste time sleeping in the awesome hotel room. However, at 3am I set my alarm for 9am and went to sleep. Sometime early in the morning I heard a thunderstorm brewing and smiled at the relaxing sound of the rain on my window and went back to sleep. At 9am, my relentless alarm sounded, breaking through the lovely sounds of rain. I hit the snooze and lay there, contemplating my options. I could trade my rest day, I thought. Yes, sleep now, work out on Friday. That's not against the rules, right?


The answer is no, it's not against the rules. However, we never mentioned any sort of rest day trading, so it would fall under the category of shady loophole in my mind. I pondered this, arguing with myself. In the end, I decided that if I could drag myself out of my glorious bed it would show true dedication, it would take my will power to a whole new level. I did it. I did it guys, I worked out in a 5 star hotel room on a few hours of sleep. Rejoice and be proud!

My lowest Fitness Challenge moment was this morning. I was crabby and pessimistic about the end of the week. I woke up and did my Shred, going through the motions. I knew when I measured my waist it would be the same. Here's the issue, Emily and I's muscles are sculpted and toned. We could definitely beat you up or at least give you a few bruises. However, the aim was not just to beef up, but to also slim down. We have realized our Fitness Challenge is giving us results, but not exactly what we want. Seeing as I was already crabby, this threw me into a very irritable mood indeed. However, one of our rules is no negative talk about ourselves, so I re-focused. I spent a lot of time going through workouts with my brother (who happens to be a personal trainer and badass boxer, in case you happen to need one) and devised a new plan for the next 30 days. Emily and I will be finishing out this challenge as planned, but in February we are taking it up a notch.

Last week's reward was Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. I finished it today and I really loved it. This week's reward was Annabel by Kathleen Winter. No thoughts on it yet.

Past Fitness Posts: 
30 Day Shred and Yoga Challenge
Fitness Challenge: End of Week 1

Keep the positive thoughts coming, Emily and I are hard at work! Also, my friend Lexi joined our quest, though she has a slightly altered challenge. She started a week after us and will also be doing some running and doesn't have all the same rules. Go Lexi, Go!

Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 1

It's time for a Sunday Fitness Challenge update. I would like to declare Week 1 a success!

I'm really pleased with how this is going. I find the most difficult part is the "Shred before the clock hits double digits" rule. For 23 years I have been a morning person, always the girl who woke up hours before everyone else at slumber parties, the annoying early riser. While I still sleep lightly and wake up quickly and easily, the sleep routine is very different here. Going to bed before 1am is basically unheard of some waking up early to Shred is not always easy. I'm proud that I managed to do it every day. I often said "just get up, you can nap later" but I didn't nap once.

I also went to Boot Camp 3 day this week, as planned. That meant Monday and Wednesday I had to go to Boot Camp from 8-9 and then immediately come home to do the Shred. It was hard on Monday, but Wednesday I actually felt really excellent while shredding. Thursday I did Shred in the morning and Boot Camp at night. The double work out days were not nearly as hard as they first sounded.

Emily and I agree that adding yoga to this challenge was an excellent idea. Since the Shred is an intensive circuit training work out, you feel fine the day of but the next day you are terribly sore. The yoga really helps keep my muscles toned and well stretched. Also, with my Boot Camp stuff I am in danger of over-training or injury, the yoga helps protect me. In fact, before this challenge started I was having some bad pains in my left hip. Thanks to the yoga, the pain is almost gone. 

I keep my sticker sheet right where I can see it while I work out.

Since I finished the week, I got to reward myself. I bought myself Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford for my Kindle. I really like it so far.

I'm pumped for the next week. Halfway through we have to switch to Level 2 on the Shred. Bring it on!

30 Day Fitness Challenge

Rease and Emily's 30 Day Shred and Yoga Challenge

I would first like to say that my fitness challenge has nothing to do with the New Year. I don't make resolutions and I certainly don't think fitness is a quick fix thing. If you know me, you know I work out a lot, that I enjoy it and that I certainly do not strive to be a bikini model.

That being said, Argentina is not a healthy place. I work out every day, but it's not enough to battle all the sodium, carbs and sugar packed into everything in this country. I don't start my new job for at least another month, so I was planning on doing an intensive fitness routine. Just in time, Emily asked me if I wanted to do some kind of 30 day challenge with her. We outlined some rules for ourselves, but here are the basics:

• The challenge will last 30 days (January 10th-February 6th)
• Each morning we must complete the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred workout before 10am
• Each evening before bed we must do a 20 minute night time yoga routine
• Friday is our only rest day
• At the end of each week, if we have done both workouts every day we get a reward. It cannot be food related so it will likely be something like a new book. The final week is a new outfit.
• Every Sunday we must report our progress on our blogs. It makes us accountable to people other than ourselves and each other. Also, you guys can cheer us on!

We wanted to do measurements and weight but I'm having some issues with that. Mainly, I don't own a scale or a tape measurer. I did a rough measurement using a jump rope, a dry erase marker and a ruler I printed offline. Obviously, it wasn't very precise. I'll attempt to find something better.

I will also be doing Boot Camp classes 3 times a week because I love them and I already bought my membership. This makes things especially hard because twice a week I will have to come straight home from an early boot camp class and immediately do my Shred workout. I did it today. I'll just admit it-- it hurt.

I'm really excited about this. I made a chart for me to check off each work out. It will live on my wall for the next month. I like working out and I really like checklists. I hope you guys will check up on Emily and I each Sunday and cheer us on!