I decided today, after having that tag line when I began this blog in July of 2011, that well, things...have changed.
When I started this blog almost 2 years ago, I was diving into training for my second full marathon, and I wanted to document it. And I did, with painstakingly elaborate updates about literally...everything. Since then, my posts have tapered off a bit, and while looking back at them, I realized that really, no longer is this just a blog about my running. Yes, I'm still the "little runner that could"...but currently the little runner is on a bit of a hiatus trying out some new things. Which is what inspired the tag line switch.
Flash forward 21 months, and I'm no longer a girl documenting her running adventures (although I still do that...), but instead, I'm a girl that has branched out...a bit. I've written posts on triathlons that I've done, and I've written about the girls I coach to run, their conquests, their goals, etc. So as I've entered "go time!" as my trainer/coworker/bestie, Renea has said, on my newest venture, I decided.
Why in the heck am I not documenting this...like I did when I was training for that second marathon. This is even NEWER territory for me here. I've NEVER done this before. I may NEVER do it again...WHO KNOWS. Either way...my current goal is pretty much consuming my life...all things social and professional. So I'll be talking about it in detail...probably until around the beginning of July.
Let's establish my goal: I'm going to compete in the Adela Classic, June 22nd. In the bikini A division. The division for short people...like me!
What am I doing to reach this goal? Well, I'm doing about 5 days of weight training. I drink a lot of protein shakes. I eat a lot of chicken and ground turkey and greens and sweet potatoes and brown rice and drink a lot of water. And I only get to cheat on my diet currently on Saturday evenings and all day Sunday.
That's probably going to change this week...as I've been at this goal for 4 weeks now...and now that Saturday was the official 12 WEEKS UNTIL I STEP ON STAGE AND FLAUNT (and yes...I will flaunt...responsibly...) my little self, things are about to get more...interesting. Intense? Hard. I won't know until tomorrow when I see my coach that takes care of my diet and nutrition.
It's a little hard to imagine, today, that this is going to get harder. For me, it's been about a complete 180 in my way of thinking and my lifestyle. Not to say that I didn't workout or eat well. I'm a trainer...its my job. So I worked out a lot. But it was more piecey to say the least. I would do a little bit of stuff here and there with my clients, and then usually spend 2 hours a week devoting 100% attention to my workouts. And then I would run. A lot. And bike. And swim.
Right now, I have a specific plan that I follow every Monday-Friday mixed in with a crazy a** cardio routine that involves me doing some rhythmic dance stuff (not really...but kind of...) on a treadmill to help build my endurance and well...build my booty. I lift weights almost every day. I target a different muscle group(s) everyday, and then I do my fun fancy cardio routines. I'm not running....
At all. I went swimming a couple of weeks ago. Asked if that counted as my cardio. NOPE. But I still do it. But running is not allowed. WHY???
Because...well, running will inhibit my muscle growth. When I run as much as I do, I've had issue with keeping muscle because...I burn it off. So right now. That's a big no no. And since I'm on runcation. And had decided to take a runcation before I decided to do this...it was perfectly fine with me. So I don't run.
Unless I'm sprinting...during my cardio routine. Renea told me today to throw out my runners knowledge. Because my plan this week said to sprint at a 9 min mile. Smarty pants that I am, I naturally informed her that a 9 min mile is not a sprint (for me...). She told me to hush and just do it.
So no running. BUENO! There's a group of us at Bod Squad that are all training for shows this Summer. A couple are doing bikini, the rest are aiming to compete in the figure category (easiest way to describe the difference...more muscle in figure...less muscle in bikini). It's been amazing to feel the camaraderie that has grown between the ladies that are all doing this right now. We are all "suffering" together...so we vent, we bitch, we cry and whine. It helps. But all commonly, we all want to do this...really bad...and we want to do it well...and we are all new to it. So it helps to have partners.
Now let me say this. I know very little about this process other than what I'm learning and watching every day. This is such new territory for me. I'm 100% in the hands of my trainer Renea, and my nutrition coach, Daniel from Lean Nutrition. They decide for me. Because I know NOTHING. It's kind of freeing in that aspect. The past couple of years, I've been honing in on all the knowledge I could get my hands on in regards to the running and triathlon world. Getting certified in coaching, and I routinely draft plans for runners...all the time. So having someone draft a plan for me is like going back to the basics. It's like I'm learning a whole new craft. Which I love. I dig learning. So I'm like a baby bird being fed all this knowledge by bigger birds that know a lot of stuff. So I listen, and I try not to whine too much. But whining...is inevitable.
Let's talk about CHEAT DAYS! Which are about to turn into cheat meals. Which then will turn into cheat MEAL (singular)...and then to...I really wish I could eat an entire pizza and a gallon of ice cream and a bucket of chicken but I can't because I'm going to step on a stage in a bikini and be judged soon.
CHEAT DAYS! Up until this weekend, I'm going to be honest. I had "cheated responsibly." That sounds funny. But yes, I was kind of watchful to not go completely overboard and indulge my ever loving every fantasy on Saturday night and Sunday with food...and alcohol. I chose things that I like to eat regularly. That aren't necessarily bad for me. That I can't eat right now. Like last week. I had sushi and oysters and like 5 vodka sodas (ok that sounds excessive...). And Sunday I had a super yummy Cranberry Gorgonzola Salmon burger. This weekend...really...all bets were off.
I knew my plan was going to change this week. And I don't know how much. So I cheated the sh** out of Saturday night and Sunday. I will not divulge the extent. But yes, I was fairly awful. I feel mucho satiated...and I'm glad I got that out of my system. I had been responsible for 4 weeks...and well, before I head into the "you are 12 weeks from stepping on stage" unknown...I figured I would go out with a bang. And by golly...I did.
Mostly, this experience is teaching me a level of discipline that I haven't had in a while in regards to my own training. When I started training others, I lost a little bit of the "me" focus, and became kind of haphazard with my own stuff. I was never off the wagon completely, but I lost a little bit of the drive I had when it was simply all about me. Now, balancing this very all about me goal...and training others...is well, requiring a lot of discipline. And time management. And it makes me more tired so I have officially become a granny that is in bed by 9pm. But I'm so grateful for what it's taught me so far in 4 short weeks, that I can't even begin to think how much more I will know by week 16.
In all honesty, I am hoping this does what I want it to. And I know it will. It is going to make me a stronger athlete (I still giggle when I use that word in relation to myself...), which will hopefully make me a stronger runner. And the knowledge of muscle growth, diet, discipline will make me a better trainer for my girls as well. I'm learning a lot about my body. Through experiencing this. I've read and studied a lot since getting certified, taken tons of CEU's, etc. But actually implementing and doing things on myself, that's where I think the true knowledge thrives. So I'm soaking it all in. And hoping that this will make me more well rounded in a lot of areas.
So I've taken some photos. Before and After. The first was on the Monday I began my training. March 4th. I was 2 weeks removed from running my Austin Marathon...and well...I'd been on a bit of a "post 3 marathons in 3 months I am winding down from a bunch of craziness and doing whatever I want workout and food wise" binge. When I started, March 4th, I was really...all over the place. The second photo was taken Saturday, March 30th. Both pics taken in the morning. And if you don't like this sort of stuff...you can feel free to stop now...but here's my progress so far. Pictures really don't lie. They tell the truth. And I'm happy with the truth after 4 weeks, and I look forward to it over the next 12!
Thanks for cheering me on!
Lacy
Definitely cheering you on! I did a body building competition once, most challenging but rewarding experience ever. Can't wait to see your progress. This inspires me to try one again after this baby gets here lol!
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