Monday inspiration

"Nothing happens unless first we dream." - Carl Sandburg

Monday workouts - Run + Pump Iron?

Ran 10K this morning in 1:02:14. Whoo-hoo! Thank goodness for nice cool mornings.

As I wrote before I still want to add in some pumping iron. Specifically, I want to keep working on my pull-ups. So it's either P90X or P90 Masters with some additional pull-up work. I'm leaning toward the former. My only concern with P90X is that the Yoga X workout takes 90 minutes. The lifting workouts take around an hour + 15 minutes for ARX. So every other day will be 1:15 - 1:30 long. Arrgh! In addition to running for an hour 3 mornings a week.

I know I can do it, I just need to be disciplined. Of course the discipline is always my problem.

But I'm working on that!

Adding back the iron

I really like lifting weights. My body makes noticeable improvements faster with resistance training than with cardio. Or maybe it's just that I like the measurable changes of "I can do more push-ups!" or "I can go deeper with my squats!" as opposed to "I don't feel as winded after that sprint!"

Either way, I'm going to a rotation of P90 Masters Series. I'm not quite up to P90X again since I've lost some serious upper body strength. Sigh. It's all my own fault for not exercising at all for so long. But P90M will allow me to get stronger so I can hit P90X with all I've got.

Also, my running is going well. I went out Tuesday to run a 5K (according to my Nike+iPod). Felt good and turned it into a 10K! Whoo-hoo! And did another 10K on Wednesday! Whoo-hoo! I can run 6 miles in about an hour and not feel like I'm dying. That's pretty damn cool!

Friday Inspiration

"Many people shy away from hills. They make it easy on themselves, but that limits their improvement. The more you repeat something, the stronger you get." - Joe Catalano, running coach

Way behind on the sweating

Unemployment sucks.  I need to structure my days better.  Since I'm in the job hunt - and not with an actual job and on summer break from classes - it's far too easy for me to fritter away my days.

Thus, I need to make up

• a 5.5 mile training run
• TJ Cardio Party 3
• Ab Jam
• Cardio Party Remix
• Booty Sculpt with Abs
• Punch, Kick, & Jam and Ab Jam

Cripes!  I think it's feasible for me to do the run, CP3, Ab Jam.  Maybe CPR since it's just 30 minutes, and Booty Sculpt is short too.  Maybe just leave off the 2nd Abs so I don't overwork them.   Basically if I do Monday & Tuesday workouts today, then double up tomorrow with Wednesday + Thursday workouts I'll be back on track.

Discipline is key for me.  I don't have to workout well every day, but I need to work out every day.  This no workout - no workout - no workout - make up 3+ days of workouts is a sure way to knock myself on my butt with injury.

Believe it or not, I have a great plan outlined.  I always do.  But I never stick to it.  So either I'm being overambitious with my plan or I need to focus more.  I think my issue is the latter.

A little extra inspiration

"Sweat cleanses from the inside.  It comes from places a shower will never reach." - George Sheehan

Monday Inspiration

Be courageous.  It's one of the only places left uncrowded. - Anita Roddick

Tony Awards!

A little pop culture diversion:

I use to watch the Tonys every year for a while in high school, maybe into college.  But past few years I've just read a award rundown.  I forgot how much I like seeing performances from musicals (and a bit of the plays), even if I may never see them.  But I live in Chicago, so tours and stagings are always a distinct possibility.  But it's expensive, so I rarely go.  Shame on me.  I need to get more serious about rush tickets or something.

NPH was a great host.  His closing song was spectacular.  (See how I avoided a Barney joke there?)  The sound suuuuuucked!  If I can hear it wonking out, it was bad.  At one point, the revival cast of Guys and Dolls was singing "Sit Down."  Or actually, they were just starting, Nicely's pin mike (I guess that's what the forehead zit mike is called) went kaput, then you heard a tech saying "Should I take it out?!  Should I take it out?!" and techie ran on stage with a wireless mic.

There was a lotta dislike of Billy Elliot (BE) in the BroadwaySpace.com chat room I was in last night.  I think folks felt it was overhyped and the 500-lb gorilla that (almost) swept the awards.  Haven't seen it or anything else on B'way in a while, but I can see why they felt that way.  I know a lot of people are carrying resentment about good shows/performers that got left out of categories all together and/or got overlooked by bigger shows.  Apparently this year on B'way wasn't quite a full-out feast, but much less famine than in some years. 

I've never even seen the movie, so this is a lot of speculation.  But I've seen talk on some West End boards that there was concern about moving the show from London to New York.  Like Full Monty, there's a lot of cultural framing that needs to occur.  But some of the surrounding events for BE are specifically related to labor issues in the UK that US folks would know little about.  I assume there were some tweaks done to make sure it all makes sense.

The speech by the 3 Billys as they won Best Actor in a Musical was cute.  I hope they all have long, enjoyable careers.  They're all 14/15 and I can't imagine having a show resting on your shoulders like that.

The opening number was huge and great.  Instead of the host singing and dancing, actually had the musical casts doing their thing.  There was some nice interplay between some casts.   Opening number ended with probably most of the audience on stage singing "Let the Sun Shine In" from the Hair revival.

Now I've never seen a production of Hair that I like, but I can fully believe that this revival earned it's awards.  I probably should try to see it someday to see if it can make me care at all.  But it was funny watching various folks in the audience get teabagged by the male leads during their part in the intro and as they sang later on.

All in all, a good night.  I think the chatting really helped me watch it and not feel all bleh-y.  It's hard slogging through awards shows without some social interaction.  Maybe I'll try to throw a Tony party next year.  But I'm not sure I could tolerate that many drama queens in my living space.

Sunday's workouts

Spent the 2 hours before the Tonys getting caught up with TJ workouts.  Knocked out Ab Jam, Fat Blaster, Booty Sculpt + Abs, and Cardio Party Remix (CPR). 

I really like Fat Blaster - yeah for intense 30 minute workouts!  I always forget CPR is 30 minutes also.  Plus, I really like the 2 consecutive Turbos (short, higher intensity sections).

Blog formatting

Urgh!  Trying to get my desired blog format from iWeb on my Mac to Blogger.   It's not working!  All the instructions at Mac.com are for iWeb '09 - which I do not have and cannot afford right now.  Blergh!

My show idea

Get me and a male host.  Every week we get a new challenge of some sort that's beyond our regular abilities, i.e.

• juggling flaming clubs
  
• racing cars on a track
  
• learning to use a trapeze
  
• surviving Hell Week at the Citadel
  
• working a weekend as a line cook
  
• learning a "Dancing with the Stars" style routine
• doing the Men's Health Urbanathlon

For things that are just a sporting event with a clear winner, that host wins.  If it's something based on style points the audience can call in afterwards to vote.  Which ever host wins gets a chunk of money put in the bucket for the money they'll donate to a charity at the end of the season.  Also, the audience can also add money to whichever host's bucket they choose.

At the end of the season, both charities will receive money from the hosts, but the winner of the season is the host who gave more money.  I think some nice physical challenge based battle of the sexes could make for good ratings.

TV producers - give me a call!

Vented baking sheet

I have a weakness for tater tots.  So, to make them crisp without frying them I put them in a hot 450 F oven on a vented baking sheet.

I couldn't find a picture of the one I've got, but it's similar to the linked picture of the vented pizza crisper.  It's a baking sheet with ridges and holes on the bottom to let the hot air circulate around my fries.

I use it constantly.  Which means I should probably lay off the tater tots; they're frozen, thus filled with extra oil.  But at least I'm not adding any more oil.

Happy Belated National Running Day!

Apparently it was June 3, but it's never too late to celebrate getting healthy and reducing stress.

I guess this was the inaugural event.  We can put it on our calendars for next year.

Back in the saddle

This morning I ran 5 miles and did Turbo Jam Cardio Party 2.  The music in CP2 starts off kinda techno which I'm a bit meh on, but it ends with Baby Got Back which is one of my favorite wedding reception songs ever!

I still hate running.  But I'm consistently doing a (barely) sub-10 minute/mile pace.  I'm stunned!  The reason I've never tried to do a marathon - besides the pain and agony and all that - is because I don't want to be stuck running for 8 hours.  I know I'd get bored by then.

I still remember running the Indy 500 Mini Marathon in 2007.  13.1 miles in 3:16:41, around a 15-minute/mile pace.  We couldn't use iPods, but they had musical acts spaced out. 

At 10 minute/mile, I could finish in 2:11.  So that increase in speed could decrease my agony by over an hour!   If I can keep that pace up, I could run the Chicago marathon in 4:22!  Less than 4 and a half hours!  That rocks!  Now I'm all inspired.