Oh...What Have I Gotten Myself Into Now??

My girlfriend just talked me into doing The Wild Canyon Games next June. For someone who gets lost every single time I leave the house...the geocaching part of this whole big mess is what scares me the most...but there's plenty of other stuff to be scared of.

The weekend starts with a party on Friday night. Saturday morning bright and early, three members participate in a triathlon and the other 4 members head out to do some geocaching with the snakes and scorpions over 170 square miles of desert. We then move on to the zip line, ropes course, canyon swing, blob tower to ice wall, adventure course, cliff jump, thrill water slide...and the evening ends with another well deserved party. On Sunday, we'll be doing a sprint run, cyclo cross course, obstacle course, swim, more sprinting, etc, etc.

As soon as I realized how much this was scaring me I knew I had to sign up for it. I was at a party at a Kung Fu place on Saturday and found these wise words in the bathroom.

...so I committed. Oh...what have I gotten myself into? A whole lotta fun, I'm thinking!

The second bathroom had some even more profound reading material...

• Would you or have you ever signed up to do a race like this? Was it simply a BLAST??

• Have you ever committed to something that scared the poop out of you? Tell me about your biggest craziest commitment and how it turned out. Did providence move once you fully committed?

Monday Morning Dance Party and A WINNER!

TGIM!!

Jill at Run With Jill is the winner of the Gym Boss giveaway! Congrats, Jill. Pick out your color from their website and email me your address.

We've also got a little BodyRock competition to get started now. Both Jill and Cautiously Audacious thought they would play a joke on me and pick Zuzana's Side Burpees challenge. How could they have known that burpees are my nemesis? So girls...let's get this challenge started. It's a timed challenge and we have to do 60 total (that's 30 for each side). Get your timers started. GO!
Well...at least some time this week, GO!
I'll do mine tomorrow.

It looks like we've got some other great workout challenges coming up, too. So...
Christy,
Penny,
Michelle,
Jen,
Nikki,
Jess,
and
Jenna... I haven't forgotten you've challenged me to become a Sexy Beast of a Bad Girl with a Bombshell Butt and Balls of Fury that will make me a Bad A$$...so look for me to call you out in the next two weeks!!

Now...go get your groove on...
I'm dedicating today to all you Brick House women tough enough to take on these challenges!

Murder Before Breakfast

Ugggg....I awoke to a sinus headache and simply did not want to go to my last class of my $1 bootcamp today. This class has been extremely awesome in wearing me down. I even skipped swim last night because I was just so exhausted. Oh boy...speaking of swim...

I DID go on Tuesday. It seems I have friends with a lot of different drinking styles. A few of you hardcore athletes don't drink at all (tsk tsk...the fun hangovers you are missing). A few others actually encouraged me to drink before and after. I don't think anyone offered that I should drink DURING my swim, though. The majority of you said to go get my workout on and then have a drink if I still wanted it.

So I made it through my swim. There's nothing like thinking you've perfected your stroke only to be evaluated by the pros and told differently that makes you want to have a flippin' drink. As I was leaving the pool, I became that fool that you see walking down the street texting (or in my case tweeting a congratulatory note to Super Kate who has started drinking booze as a replacement for her soda addiction :-p ) and fell off a curb and into a bike lane where I promptly had my foot run over by one lucky cyclist who I'm sure had me in his sights from blocks away. Anyhoo....more than one glass of wine was enjoyed...

My husband told me yesterday I have old hands. I told him he's currently unlucky at getting any action love with this old hag.

...and then I spent my entire Wednesday wishing I had just gone straight to bed instead. There is just something about watching The Biggest Loser while drinking booze or eating Doritos that does it for me. What can I say? I'm a rebel.

So where was I? Oh yes, Murder. So I talked myself into going to bootcamp and on the way I murdered a poor bird. A big bird. I bounced him right off my bumper in mid-flight and he hurled over the top of my car. I immediately burst into tears. I was just commenting to Kovas the other day that I can't even bring myself to kill spiders or ants (which is terrible for the wee girl right now as she is afraid of Mosquito Eaters and they have infiltrated our house. She is constantly in tears every time she has to go into a bathroom, which is where they all seem to congregate). My one caveat...if they are in my tent...they are dead meat. I'm not letting them crawl on me! Get REAL!
Now, I can eat a nice steak or a juicy half cooked mad cow burger...but killing animals? Not. My. Thing.

So I arrive at bootcamp in tears and find out that it is jump and twist day. Jump as in jump rope (remember that I have post pregnancy female issues with this??!!) and twist...as in ab work (my gut is so soft that marshmallows are jealous) so I almost just slid out the door without anyone being the wiser...but the thing that has happened in this one short week of bootcamp is that they've remembered my name every day, they are friendly and caring...and almost already feel like family...so since we're all so close, I let them watch me wet my pants for 45 minutes.

Sweaty and drained (literally) I made my exit. I'll miss this new family as the $1 per week preview fit my budget. The $247 per month from here forward...not so much. I'm still working on a way to swing it though. This bootcamp class really did it for me. Something completely different every single day. I talked with a girl who has been there for 10 months and she said she's only seen one class repeated in that whole time.

What say you? Have you done bootcamp style classes? 

Did you like or dislike?

Were they indoors or outdoors?

What was your favorite part?
How much would you pay per month for a 5 day a week bootcamp?

For me...in this circumstance, the people (both the leaders and participants) and their style of training really won me over.

Drink or Swim?

Oh man...I could really use a drink...buuuuuut I'm supposed to go to my first instructed swim class tonight in what seems like forever. Steve assures me the booze will still be available when I return home...but who wants to start drinking at 9pm? I guess it depends on your age right? Do you remember when the party didn't even get started until after 10pm???? Those days are L.O.N.G. gone. I'll be lucky if I stay awake on the drive home from the pool.

I also thought my days of public jumping rope were over (sorry...way too much info on my bladder control, I'm sure), but there I was this morning at my second day of bootcamp jumping away. This second class did not disappoint. If I thought yesterday was hard, today was simply H.E.L.L. My form was so poor and sloppy at the end that I had a bright red blush of embarrassment over top of my deep purple flush that was trying to indicate I was about to pass out. I was so happy to be done...and THEN Satan's mistress the bootcamp leader perkily said "that was great work, people, we've only got 2 sets left". WHAT?? I had just spread out my towel

Damn that towel!!

and sat down to drip a pool of sweat around my butt and started to stretch so I could leave.
Two MORE sets?
Brutal.
It seemed to never end...crab something this, squat something that, repeat, double repeat, twirl over onto your stomach and give me 10. Over and over and seemingly over again.
and...

I. Loved. Every. Minute. Of. It.

...and tomorrow is the only day I don't have bootcamp this week, so seems like a good night to have a drink (or two...) right?

So...WWYD? Drink or swim? Swim then drink? Swim and sleep?

How does alcohol play in your life centered around health and fitness?

Monday Morning Dance Party

I'm beat! I did a little triathlon of workouts yesterday: A morning run with Deb, an afternoon hike with Mai and Ki (pictures on FB page) and then a swim last night. I'm headed to a bootcamp class this a.m. and need a little funk to get me going today...

It Never Rains At Autzen Stadium

I just got home after a 4.5 mile rainy run with my friend, Deb. It was a great run fueled by a ton of pizza. Yesterday started early as we headed down to Eugene for the Duck Game.

Kim was right...I didn't need to worry about rain ponchos after all, because as you know...

...it never rains at Autzen Stadium.

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Whenever it got super noisy, I thought of my "non-shout out" last week from Nelly on the run...

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and wondered how Stanford would fare for him later in the day.

We were right next to the student section and the students dropped the Duck on his head no fewer than 5 times, so my kids went over to pull his tail feathers console him...

...and then it was time to go to Mom and Dad's for a 40th (gasp!) birthday party for my SIL, where I consumed 4 pieces of glorious pizza plus probably another 3 or 4 full pieces in small snippets. Do you chip away with a knife at full pieces of pizza until you've completely inhaled another adult size meal like me? Followed that up with an amazing piece of my mom's chocolate pie, said good-bye to my 20 year old looking 40 year old SIL and then rolled home...only to get up this morning to feel like a million bucks for my run. Every weekend should be this delicious.

Feels Like Fall

The Halloween decorations are starting to make their appearance in unexpected places around the house...

...and our 90 degree temps have been turned way down. We even received some sprinkles on our ride yesterday...

Our treasured slip 'n slide is being shelved for the year and looking at the weather forecast, I might need to buy new rain ponchos for the Duck game tomorrow.

With Autumn comes our new tri group that we've been waiting for, though...so I'm ok this year with Summer ending.

officially kicked off this week. Unfortunately, I missed the first swim (School Open House) and I'll miss the first ride tomorrow (Duck game) and I'm sure keeping up in the off season for the first time is going to be more difficult than when I'm training and racing for a cause (The LLS) during the regular season and for a specific period of time. Will my family revolt? Will my childless coaches understand that although I want to get better, faster, stronger...that family comes first? Will my attempt to maintain a base this Fall and Winter be fruitless?

WILL I get better, faster, stronger? Will I move down to olympic distances only in 2012 or will I move up to a full IM? Will I ever give up my old comfy wetsuit even though it is chafing me horribly where the neoprene armpit holes are growing or will I squeeze into my new teeny tiny tight one? Will I ever replace the leaky goggles that I needed to replace last February or will I continue to have left eye freeze over at every open water swim? So many questions left unanswered.

...to be continued during this Fall and Winter season...

P.S. don't forget to enter my giveaway for an AWESOME GYMBOSS HERE!!!

GymBoss Rocks!! GIVEAWAY!!

I finished my Grab Your Balls workout yesterday...barely.

Those 10 second breaks to write down your max reps are just NOT enough time to even catch your breath. I slowed down significantly during the last set. The workout looked like this: 3 sets of 6 exercises, 50 seconds each exercise, 10 second rest between each exercise:
1) Wood Chops -left side 8# Medicine Ball
2) Wood Chops -right side 8# Medicine Ball
3) Burpees with Bosu Ball
4) Sprint Lunges with Bosu Ball
5) Ball Climbers with Bosu Ball
6) Toss and Catch 8# Medicine Ball

My totals at the end of all three sets were:
54 each of woodchoppers
25 Burpees with a bosu ball lift
119 Sprint Lunges
192 Ball Climbers
85 Toss and Catch
I'll do this workout again next week and hope to see some improvement...especially those burpees...that's just embarrassing.

I finally added an Adventure Is Out There Facebook Page. Go LIKE it to keep up with my Zuzana workouts and other stuff that never makes it to my blog.

I'm telling you guys - the GymBoss interval timer is AWESOME!

It worked perfectly with my sweaty BodyRock workout yesterday and I can't wait to try it at the track and the gym. I'm going to give away one Gymboss to a lucky follower on Monday 9/25/11 during our Monday Morning Dance Party.

Ways To Enter:
*Be or become a follower of this blog (mandatory) +1entry
*Like Adventure Is Out There on FB HERE. (mandatory) +1entry
*Follow on Twitter @juliearts +1entry
*Tweet or Facebook or mention this giveaway on your blog (possible +3 entries)
*Tell me which BodyRock workout you want to challenge me to from THIS LIST and let's get it on!! +5 entries. (or if there are enough people brave enough to take the challenge, we'll choose the most picked workout and do a group challenge...c'mon..let's have some FUN!!!! with Sexy Zuzana.)

Where's The Beach?

Steve woke up yesterday to find the weatherman predicting a mid 90s day in Portland and a little cooler 85 degrees at the beach. We threw out our original plans for the day and headed West to cool off in the ocean. All was looking good until we got within about 2 miles of the beach. The thermometer had dropped to 58 degrees and the fog was THICK. Having forgot our sweatshirts and dressed mostly in swimwear, we headed to Cannon Beach and spent all of 1 minute on the sand before we headed back to the car and traveled a few miles North to try out Seaside. The sun was out on this side, but you could see the fog endlessly rolling over the hill. Fortunately, once it rolled over, it disappeared.

Unfortunately, the wind was so wicked that it was blowing small babies across the sand. Seriously. I think I saw a baby wrapped up in a blanket blowing towards the ocean. Some big guy was running way faster than he looked like he should be running to catch up with it.

But you know kids...

...they can find fun in even the worst conditions...even if it's just a wrestling match in the sand.

I spent most of my time like this...

...but managed to keep my phone out to snap some pictures of them finding a spot where the sand wasn't blowing in their eyes...

...chasing the waves...

...and enticing the seagulls with especially over the top cheesy popcorn...

...I kept the salt water taffy for myself.

Weekend Workouts

Mai decided to run in a 5k at Thanksgiving, so we headed out for a trail run/training run yesterday at Mount Talbert in the Clackamas area.

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Today we decided to start doing more bootcamp style workouts. To be honest, if I want to teach bootcamp classes I really need to get into better cardiovascular shape for these types of exercises. This is not your endurance type of workout that I'm used to.

I decided to try a workout Bobbi posted last week and it was 20 minutes of awesome torture that you can do at home with really only one set of dumbbells needed. We used our Bosu ball for the pushups, but you could just use the floor if you don't have a bench or step. We also warmed up with stretching, some high steps and jumping rope.


1. Shuffle lunge side to side x 1 minute
2. Pushups on a bench x 1 minute
3. Jump Squats x 1 minute
4. Side lunge with a lateral raise x 1 minute
5. Burpees! x 1 minute
Repeat through 4 times.

if you dare, take 20 minutes to do this workout some time this week and come back and tell me what you thought of it.

Operation Big Balls

So...the camping trip...

We had the best view from our tent. Look out and see the lake, look up at night to millions of stars.

...wasn't ALL about the kiddos...

She loves kayaking SO VERY much! I think I'm going to take her on some rivers here at home with a group.

The lake was very clear. We saw LOTS of creepy things with our goggles on.

...I had lots of fun, too!!

Ron and I even got in a couple of long lake swims...

Nothing like spending the morning on a swim with your bro with your mama kayaking along side you. Loved these swims!

...to work off those homemade berry pie (thanks, Mom!) breakfasts that I enjoyed topped with ice cream.

It was on the drive home that I started having major buttular discomfort. My a$$ to mid calf was just screaming. This injury is obviously not getting better. I was, in fact, going to make an appointment at my favorite Sports Injury Clinic last week, but we had an unexpected change in finances, and so I decided before I get myself into a couple months of deductible and copays maybe I could try harder to work it out on my own. I'm giving myself two weeks of twice daily stretching, 3x week yoga and daily working at my desk on my Big Ball...

...to see if I can get over this hump. I seriously cannot sit in my desk chair for longer than a couple hours anymore, as the pain is too great. A full day of work is just not happening. darn. :p

I DID get in a run yesterday. I made it to 2.5 miles before feeling a twinge in my back. I tried to work it out over the next .5 miles but finally dropped down to a walk at mile 3. I feel good about the 3 miles, though. I held about a 9:30m/m pace and it was probably best for my leg to drop it down to a walk then as well.

So this week has been nice. The kids are in school and it's completely quiet around here for 6 hours every day. Lovely. I even took a nap yesterday. ahhhhh....
But after school, let the games begin...I'm talking soccer games. Girl made the first goal of the season for her team on Wednesday...

Jack is less of a team sport type of guy. Last year he did archery. I'm thinking swim team or golf maybe for this year, but for this quarter, he's chosen Lego Engineering. Not exactly a sport, but I know he'll have fun!

In other news, I've joined a Womens Football Pool. Anyone have any inside information on this week's games?

SUN, SEP 11 TIME (ET) TV RESOURCES LOCATION
Atlanta at Chicago 1:00 PM FOX
Cincinnati at Cleveland 1:00 PM CBS
Buffalo at Kansas City 1:00 PM CBS
Philadelphia at St. Louis 1:00 PM FOX
Detroit at Tampa Bay 1:00 PM FOX
Tennessee at Jacksonville 1:00 PM CBS
Pittsburgh at Baltimore 1:00 PM CBS
Indianapolis at Houston 1:00 PM CBS
NY Giants at Washington 4:15 PM FOX
Seattle at San Francisco 4:15 PM FOX
Minnesota at San Diego 4:15 PM FOX
Carolina at Arizona 4:15 PM FOX
Dallas at NY Jets 8:20 PM NBC

MON, SEP 12 TIME (ET) TV RESOURCES LOCATION
New England at Miami 7:00 PM Tickets
Oakland at Denver 10:15 PM Tickets

The Last Hoorah of Summer...OR The Seven Dwarves Go Camping

Summer ended on a high note this Labor Day weekend. Camping with 7 (and at one point 8) wee ones. Lots of swimming, playing in the sand, campfires, dam tours, bear shows, bike riding, kayaking, berry pie and icecream breakfasts and they even all got a turn at the wheel of Uncle Ed's boat. Now THAT'S the way to end the summer...

Enjoying popping out into the sun after being in the cold damp dam tour.

Lots of bike riding around the park.

More sand in more crevices than should be allowed.

We built our own camping bathtub!

We are monsters. Feed us!

Getting ready for the bear show.

Always a good idea to take little kids to a bear safety show right before bedtime when you're camping. NOT.

We've already eaten 3 bags of marshmallows. Better round out our nutrition plan.

C'mon already Grandmpas. Let's get this party started!

Lovin' the open water.

Dahling...when is it my turn at the wheel?

This boating stuff is fun!

Captain Silly Pants.

This is easy peasy.

Duck Duck Goose.

I haven't showered in 4 days. You aren't putting me on your blog are you?

We got home Monday late afternoon, scurried to the store for school supplies and I was SO ready for this...

yesterday morning. Yep! They are back in school. Just in time to avert that nervous breakdown I felt coming on ;-)

Gone Camping

What do you do when you didn't catch enough fish to feed the kids breakfast? Well, you have a peanut eating contest, of course.



Heading out to do some more camping. See you on the flip side of this holiday weekend...smeared with bug spray and the remnants of s'mores, bellies and hearts full...ready for the new school year.  Have a wonderful weekend, All!

The Stronger You Are, The Better You Feel

Unfortunately...or fortunately (depending on how you look at it), since Pac Crest I've taken quite a bit of time off from any major work outs. I've run a few short runs, biked one epic 83 mile ride and then parked the bike in the depths of the garage, lifted weights on occasion, and only made it into the pool twice in August. On one hand, I'm starting to huff and puff a bit coming up the hill to our house on dog walks...on the other hand, my kids have been happy to have me around this summer.

After witnessing H2C and some exciting recaps at a birthday party the other night with some teammates who were just up in Canada for Ironman, my tri excitement juices are flowing. I see ice baths in my future again!

Added to the H2C and Canada hoopla is that my brother has decided to take up triathlon and I'm pleased as punch. We're heading out camping this weekend and he's going to try out my wetsuit for an open water swim we have planned. He is going to be SO good at this sport!

It's September and I have to say it - I am SO ready for these kiddos to be back in school. They are SO ready, too! Our new Portland tri team starts training together again in two weeks and I'm ready to get to my strongest in this next year...

Stolen from Mary's Blog today.

• What has you excited about September?