Paintball at Blackhawk Down

I am wiped out today after playing paintball yesterday down near Salem, Oregon at Blackhawk Down.  The day was filled with epic gunfights and battles (enough that I might just write an After Action Report on it once I get my head on straight again) and it was a great day for running, ducking, dodging and diving with temperatures that barely made it to 35 degrees mid-day.

Today is a day for relaxation and recuperation.  God bless Sundays!

Housework and Yoga Go Hand-in-Hand

I began my morning workout by discovering that nothing makes you aware of the need to vacuum more than a poorly-situated Downward Facing Dog.  So it seems that I will be spending a fair portion of this beautiful snowy day indoors tidying up.  I've already gotten my yoga, vacuuming and dusting out of the way but it appears that sweeping, mopping, laundry and dishes are all equal parts of my future.

The nice thing about starting the day with yoga is that once you get used to the poses it isn't an overly thought-consuming activity and it gives you an opportunity to reflect on what you hope to accomplish during the day.  It gives you time to reflect on the things that are going on in your hectic life as you ascend into Eagle Pose, and makes you think that if everyone just took 5 minutes out of their day to perfect Pose of the Dancer then the world would be a much better place.

Another thing yoga in the morning does is punish you for skipping breakfast and remind you sternly that it is the most important meal of the day.  As I type, I am clutching a cereal bowl and vowing that tomorrow I'll eat before I attempt the Warrior Series.

Goodness, Yoga teaches me a lot.

30 Minutes Isn't Really That Long...

This weekend we are celebrating a milestone in M's life... she's turned 50 this week and is embracing her new life with gusto!  Our family decided to start her out on her 50th year on the right foot, so we are headed to the casino for the next two days for fun, gambling, family and delicious eats.

I figured I probably would need whatever extra "feel good" energy I could muster to keep up with her this weekend, so I popped in my Yoga DVD and for the first time this week was able to make it through to the end of a 30 minute session without succumbing to my body's cries for a break.  Whenever I get back into the groove I am amazed at how quickly a 30 minute workout can fly by when you aren't focusing on how hard it is or how sweaty you're getting, and I am glad that I made it to the last Sun Salutation without falling over.

I am hoping (fingers crossed) that I am building workout momentum again.  It feels like I am making more strides in this arena after putting the endeavor on "pause" the last couple of months.  I am glad that even though some days this winter have made fitness seem like an impossible endeavor I never gave up on myself completely.  I think it will be a good year for not only M, but for me as well.

Flexing Fannies

I hit the living room for another round of yoga today and managed to stay on the mat for about 25 minutes before my left knee took on a life of its own and began dancing and wiggling in a kind of muscle spasm I've never seen before.  Rather than push myself through the last 5 minutes of the workout and risk my Jello-knee going completely haywire I did a little cool-down stretching and then walked away.

Unfortunately as the weather has started getting nicer and my friends and family have realized that spring is quickly approaching, our group has become littered with twisted ankles and pulled muscles.  We're all in a rush to get back into our workout routines and while getting back into shape after a winter of hibernating under a stack of pumpkin pies, roasted turkeys and chocolate covered strawberries is rapidly climbing to the top of our list it is best to tread softly during these first few weeks of workout weather.

My knee has stopped jiggling, so I think it's time to hit the showers.  On to the rest of the day!

Get 'Er Done!

I've been feeling a little... sloth lately.  It's been difficult with the cold weather and abundance of yummy holiday treats to get motivated to keep with the workout instead of curling up on the couch and eating chocolates, and I've got to admit that the couch and chocolates have been winning the battle more and more lately.

I talked to T about my lethargy this morning and she reminded me that it's those days when we'd just rather stay in bed that we need to get out and do something the most.  With a heavy sigh, I agreed, and because of our chat I pulled together all the energy and determination I could muster.  The result?  20 minutes of Yoga on my "done" list for the day and a healthy dose of sweaty reminder that I can do this stuff!

Now I'm off to battle the rest of my day, but wanted to pass my exercise endeavors onto the internet before I forgot.  If you're having the same problem of getting your workout going, fear not! You are not alone.  Together we can fight the flab and win!

Guns, Knives and Exercise

I'm hopping on for just a brief moment before going back to enjoying my relaxing day off. :)

Today Mr. Kawaii and I headed to a Gun and Knife show at the Expo Center in Portland and walked through the show for about 2 1/2 hours before finally deciding it was time to stop shopping and head home for some lunch.  We had a great time, saw lots of really cool and interesting things, successfully avoided the hot dog and hamburger stands and got to enjoy being out and about together.

It's been a great day!

Getting the Most from My Mile

It was a pleasure to wake up this morning without any back pain for the first time in a couple of weeks.  I decided that getting back into the workout one mile at a time is certainly working without aggravating my current bumps and bruises so Pooch and I headed out for another mile around the neighborhood this afternoon during one of my breaks.

Since I knew that a mile is comfortable for me now, and I'm hesitant to do much more than that at once for fear that the twinge in my back isn't quite ready for more, Pooch and I decided to get as much as we could from our one mile trip.  Once we had walked a couple hundred yards and I was feeling in the groove, I spent a block jumping over cracks in the sidewalks, a second block doing grapevine sets on the even strips between driveways and a third block jogging at a comfortable pace.  Although none of the three exercises were overly strenuous, they sure did get my heart pumping (and kept the neighbors entertained) and I was able to focus the rest of the walk on simply maintaining the sweat that was forming and watching my breathing.  

It surely wasn't a workout to match the herculean efforts of many of you who head to the gym several times a week, but it was a great test of my activity level and a "wake up!" to all the muscles that have laid dormant over the last month or so.

I'm looking forward towards the Adidas Shamrok Run (March 15th in Portland) with anticipation, wondering if I'll be in good enough shape to participate this year.  Perhaps just the 5k to wet my whistle and make me feel accomplished?  We shall see...

The Pooch Walk

This morning, Pooch awakened to the day like a puppy let out of his mother's pen for the first time.  He brought me several bones in bed, barked at me through the bathroom door, bounced on Dummy to say "hello" and generally ran amok through two episodes of Sabrina the Teenage Witch (don't you judge me).  I finally gave in to his hounding and got myself up and dressed for a walk around the block.

I was hesitant to take him on a walk earlier this week because of my back, but his flamboyancy this morning warranted risking the possibility of pain just to gain some peace and quiet!  Luckily, once he was on the leash and out the door he behaved himself and refrained from pulling too hard on the leash to inspect tantalizing shrubbery and barely-contained trash cans during our stroll.  I decided, partially in an effort to make sure he'd nap the rest of the day and partially to see just how out of shape I've gotten since my workout hiatus, to jog a portion of the way and was relieved to be able to make it from one end of the block to the other without feeling out of breath or pulling some vital muscle group.

We only went a mile, and I'm glad I didn't push myself further because as I type I can feel my back tensing as I sit here.  A nice hot shower and some extra strength Tylenol are in order to keep it from getting worse, I think.  But back pain aside, it was a great walk - and Pooch... is already asleep. Peace!

Ah, My Aching Back!

Well, the back saga continues.  I made it out of the house for a short romp around the neighborhood, about a mile and a third, but by the time I rounded the last corner my upper back was achy from all the swinging and strutting of my hips and shoulders.  Oh yes, I swing and strut.

The little adventure got me out of the house for a bit though and loosened up the rest of me.  I'm going to have to rest a while, but who knows - the joys of lifting laundry and folding it energetically may just be in my future.