Day 7 of #21DayAssKicking If you’re wondering what this is all about, flip back to my intro post. I was planning to run again today but there’s ice and snow on the ground so Lee and I took to our basement - home gym (which is luckily fitted with a heavy bag, weights, pull up bar and mini trampoline so we can make a good workout from it).  Day 8: Bootcamp Again. 

Day 7 of #21DayAssKicking

If you’re wondering what this is all about, flip back to my intro post.


I was planning to run again today but there’s ice and snow on the ground so Lee and I took to our basement - home gym (which is luckily fitted with a heavy bag, weights, pull up bar and mini trampoline so we can make a good workout from it). 

Day 8: Bootcamp Again. 

3 months ago

Day 4 of #21DayAssKicking: A “Barre Ride” is No Joke

If you’re wondering what this is all about, flip back to my intro post first. 

Yeah, so here’s how a “Barre Ride” goes down…

I signed up for an introduction month at Revolve in Clarendon to throw something different into the mix for the next few weeks. Revolve is an “indoor cycling studio” so when I reserved space for my first class I didn’t think to read class descriptions - spinning is spinning, right? Yeah, um, no. Not that I’m complaining but this totally caught me off guard!

Following 40 minutes of hardcore spinning we dismounted our bikes and thus began the madness. Next I know we’re barefoot gripping our saddles for a never-ending series of ballet plies (basically squats only people try to look more elegant) - on our toes, off our toes, with a ball between our legs, with small weights in our hands….Yup, then some planks and a stretching finale. And finally release from jail. 

It was pretty fabulous actually and I know I’m going to feel it everywhere tomorrow - more that the usual spinning class that rips your legs and butt apart, this one really murders them. 

Day 5: Intense Abs

3 months ago

Day 3 of #21DayAssKicking

If you’re wondering what this is all about, flip back to my intro post first. 

Back to Bootcamp this morning…at 6AM. This time the cardio drills (after every 4th station) included boxing gloves and a heavy bag - two of my favorite things :) That said, nothing’s too appealing at the crack of dawn.

We boxed the heavy bag, we lunged with a 40 lb. vest on, we did step up’s with leg raises, chest presses, burpees with a half-moon exercise ball above our head, bear crawls dragging a weight bag, kettle bell swings and arm raises, multiple ab killers…and a half dozen other stations I can’t even name. 

But you know what? By 7AM I was ready to take on the world. Damn it felt good to be alive.

Day 4: Back to spinning!

3 months ago
Day 1 of #21DayAssKicking: BOOTCAMP If you’re wondering what this is all about, flip back to my intro post first.  Brutal. I think my friend Vanessa summed it up well when she asked “do we have to pick up our own vomit too?” I talked the talk all day and come 7pm it was time to walk the walk…or run three flights of stairs 4 times in between 4 sets of various vicious leg, arm, and ab numbing exercises. Oh, and some boxing drills to complete the assault (on oneself).  I felt sick. I felt fabulous. 20 more habit-forming days to go… The most essential factor is persistence - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come - James Whitcomb Riley Day 2: 3 Mile Track Run (a stretch given I’ve ran twice, for 2 miles in the last 2 months since recovery).  High-res

Day 1 of #21DayAssKicking: BOOTCAMP

If you’re wondering what this is all about, flip back to my intro post first. 


Brutal. I think my friend Vanessa summed it up well when she asked “do we have to pick up our own vomit too?” I talked the talk all day and come 7pm it was time to walk the walk…or run three flights of stairs 4 times in between 4 sets of various vicious leg, arm, and ab numbing exercises. Oh, and some boxing drills to complete the assault (on oneself). 

I felt sick. I felt fabulous. 20 more habit-forming days to go…

The most essential factor is persistence - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come - James Whitcomb Riley

Day 2: 3 Mile Track Run (a stretch given I’ve ran twice, for 2 miles in the last 2 months since recovery). 

3 months ago
January was for clean eating, February is for ass-kicking. I tried to get back in the bootcamp game and lasted a week before I was hit with chronic hives - WTF? Yeah, still trying to find the root cause of those. Anyways, I allowed it to deter me for a while but it looks like I may spend more time than expected trying to sort that out - so it’s back to the grind, hives and all.  We hear so much about how it takes 21 days to form a habit, right? Well, taking that to heart, I’ve drawn up a 21-Day Kick Ass Plan to get back in the game once and for all. Yes, it looks extreme. Yes, I know I don’t need to do something every day for life - that’s why I ended up with achilles tendentious the first time. But I have to do something drastic to kickstart my body into believing in me once again! So I’m going to do SOMETHING, every day for 21 days - no excuses, no exceptions, no bullshit. I’ve got a 10-miler in April and my first half marathon to conquer in May, the time is now.  This ass-kicking includes hourly bootcamps and spin classes, 3 weekly runs (outdoor track and trail), and a little yoga and boxing drills. I’ve scheduled a lot of it in the AM so if something crops up I can still make up for it in the evening. I’m okay if I go off schedule, DOING SOMETHING COUNTS, I just need to visualize a plan to get motivated.  So, it’s Day 1 of #21dayasskicking (yes, I’m going to tweet and tumble this daily to hold myself accountable, first up this evening is bootcamp (indoors, thankfully!) Read More - Day 1 Recap: BOOTCAMP High-res

January was for clean eating, February is for ass-kicking. I tried to get back in the bootcamp game and lasted a week before I was hit with chronic hives - WTF? Yeah, still trying to find the root cause of those. Anyways, I allowed it to deter me for a while but it looks like I may spend more time than expected trying to sort that out - so it’s back to the grind, hives and all. 

We hear so much about how it takes 21 days to form a habit, right? Well, taking that to heart, I’ve drawn up a 21-Day Kick Ass Plan to get back in the game once and for all. Yes, it looks extreme. Yes, I know I don’t need to do something every day for life - that’s why I ended up with achilles tendentious the first time. But I have to do something drastic to kickstart my body into believing in me once again! So I’m going to do SOMETHING, every day for 21 days - no excuses, no exceptions, no bullshit. I’ve got a 10-miler in April and my first half marathon to conquer in May, the time is now. 

This ass-kicking includes hourly bootcamps and spin classes, 3 weekly runs (outdoor track and trail), and a little yoga and boxing drills. I’ve scheduled a lot of it in the AM so if something crops up I can still make up for it in the evening. I’m okay if I go off schedule, DOING SOMETHING COUNTS, I just need to visualize a plan to get motivated. 

So, it’s Day 1 of #21dayasskicking (yes, I’m going to tweet and tumble this daily to hold myself accountable, first up this evening is bootcamp (indoors, thankfully!)

Read More - Day 1 Recap: BOOTCAMP

3 months ago
It’s January 2013, a new year and 5 months since my achilles injury. And it’s finally time to get back on the wagon. The problem with me is that it’s all or nothing. Doing half-assed boxing classes where I had to avoid all the sprints and jumps and interval jumping jacks just pissed me off, I didn’t see the value. So I did nothing. And when I do nothing I eat everything (that I want to eat). So now 5 months later my pants are tight, the weighing scales is a total pr!ck and I’m annoyed. I’m annoyed because I know better. I’m annoyed because I could have at least eaten better and wouldn’t have undone so much of what I’d achieved. Well listen, I didn’t pack back on 20 lbs or anything I’m just bang outta shape and toxic with crap food. I went to Ireland for the holidays and boy did I go to town - Mom’s cooking, the chipper, tasty beverages… you get the idea. So with very little pain in my achilles (a small bit here and there), an expanding waistline, and a pissed off Lisa - it’s go time. Before I hit the gym I had to clean up my diet. I joined Grant Hill’s #30DayTransformation to get me motivated and have Lee (my better half) on board with eating better. Basically it’s a Paleo diet (only they’ve all forsaken alcohol too and I’m not on board that ship), clean grain-free unprocessed eating. It’s a good thing I like to cook because you have to invest time in the kitchen to rock this one. I dropped $500 at Whole Foods just to get started *palm face*…but nothing worth doing ever comes easy.  The eating part hasn’t been too bad though - a little sugar craving here and there and bumpy moods as the body adjusts - compared to the first time I cleaned up my act, that was pure torture. Anywhoooo….getting back to exercise was a different story. Not yet brave enough to hit the cold pavement running I joined a local indoor bootcamp class on Saturday and a yoga studio. Both are unlimited monthly commitments and meant to jump start my activity level and get my energy up before I return to running and boxing. Let me tell you something - I was CRIPPLED for 2 days. Even getting through the class was miserable…I hid in the toilet on several occasions to compose myself. I suppose I could have eased back in and half-assed the class but it’s not my style. I pushed my limits, as I do, and made it through. And hated it. So I paid for a month and went back at 6am this morning. And it sucked again. And it will keep on sucking until I get my head back in the game - because that’s what you do - you push through and suck it up. It takes 21 days to form a habit (some wise fool once said so it must be true) and I’m on day 4. Bitter, party of 1! Alas, I’ll carry on… Kites rise highest against the wind—not with it ~ Winston Churchill High-res

It’s January 2013, a new year and 5 months since my achilles injury. And it’s finally time to get back on the wagon. The problem with me is that it’s all or nothing. Doing half-assed boxing classes where I had to avoid all the sprints and jumps and interval jumping jacks just pissed me off, I didn’t see the value. So I did nothing. And when I do nothing I eat everything (that I want to eat). So now 5 months later my pants are tight, the weighing scales is a total pr!ck and I’m annoyed. I’m annoyed because I know better. I’m annoyed because I could have at least eaten better and wouldn’t have undone so much of what I’d achieved. Well listen, I didn’t pack back on 20 lbs or anything I’m just bang outta shape and toxic with crap food. I went to Ireland for the holidays and boy did I go to town - Mom’s cooking, the chipper, tasty beverages… you get the idea.

So with very little pain in my achilles (a small bit here and there), an expanding waistline, and a pissed off Lisa - it’s go time. Before I hit the gym I had to clean up my diet. I joined Grant Hill’s #30DayTransformation to get me motivated and have Lee (my better half) on board with eating better. Basically it’s a Paleo diet (only they’ve all forsaken alcohol too and I’m not on board that ship), clean grain-free unprocessed eating. It’s a good thing I like to cook because you have to invest time in the kitchen to rock this one. I dropped $500 at Whole Foods just to get started *palm face*…but nothing worth doing ever comes easy. 

The eating part hasn’t been too bad though - a little sugar craving here and there and bumpy moods as the body adjusts - compared to the first time I cleaned up my act, that was pure torture. Anywhoooo….getting back to exercise was a different story. Not yet brave enough to hit the cold pavement running I joined a local indoor bootcamp class on Saturday and a yoga studio. Both are unlimited monthly commitments and meant to jump start my activity level and get my energy up before I return to running and boxing. Let me tell you something - I was CRIPPLED for 2 days. Even getting through the class was miserable…I hid in the toilet on several occasions to compose myself. I suppose I could have eased back in and half-assed the class but it’s not my style. I pushed my limits, as I do, and made it through. And hated it. So I paid for a month and went back at 6am this morning. And it sucked again. And it will keep on sucking until I get my head back in the game - because that’s what you do - you push through and suck it up. It takes 21 days to form a habit (some wise fool once said so it must be true) and I’m on day 4. Bitter, party of 1! Alas, I’ll carry on…

Kites rise highest against the wind—not with it ~ Winston Churchill

4 months ago
So…there’s been no posts here since my “I’ve Overtrained..” one. Yup. It’s been an emotional battle since then. For several months I’ve been up at the crack of dawn, daily, running or boxing. With an apparent Achilles Tendonitis creeping up on my left leg I took to rest, that was three weeks ago. Since then I’ve tried to run twice and failed by mile 3. I’ve continued to box, although not as often as I was. I attempted swimming and was bored to death. I’ve done the icing, the roller stick, bought the pacer and HRM. And I’m scheduled to see an Orthopedic Specialist this coming Thursday. So not excited to hear what he has to say as I’m pretty sure it lies somewhere in between “rest for 6 weeks” and “rest for 8 weeks”. Womp womp. Here’s the thing…I can’t rest. Not in that way. Assuming I’m right I foresee a return to spinning classes, I need something ass kicking and swimming doesn’t do it. I’ll stick with boxing, maybe reduce it to 2-3 times a week and avoid the movements that impact my achilles.  Regardless, I’m running that damn marathon November 18th — even if it’s the first mile I run from now till then. 

So…there’s been no posts here since my “I’ve Overtrained..” one. Yup. It’s been an emotional battle since then. For several months I’ve been up at the crack of dawn, daily, running or boxing. With an apparent Achilles Tendonitis creeping up on my left leg I took to rest, that was three weeks ago. Since then I’ve tried to run twice and failed by mile 3. I’ve continued to box, although not as often as I was. I attempted swimming and was bored to death. I’ve done the icing, the roller stick, bought the pacer and HRM. And I’m scheduled to see an Orthopedic Specialist this coming Thursday. So not excited to hear what he has to say as I’m pretty sure it lies somewhere in between “rest for 6 weeks” and “rest for 8 weeks”. Womp womp.

Here’s the thing…I can’t rest. Not in that way. Assuming I’m right I foresee a return to spinning classes, I need something ass kicking and swimming doesn’t do it. I’ll stick with boxing, maybe reduce it to 2-3 times a week and avoid the movements that impact my achilles. 

Regardless, I’m running that damn marathon November 18th — even if it’s the first mile I run from now till then. 

9 months ago

I’ve Overtrained, I Think

Tough lesson learned this week as I attempted to get back up on the treadmill for a short run ‘post’ achilles pain. Seems it’s not all that post. It felt fine walking but on mile three of my run I had to stop and limp back to my apartment. I chatted with @GrantHillFit about it and he shared some of the most informative content around the subject via a post by Sock Doc (which you can find here). Here’s my current analysis of my own situation…

I’ve overtrained. My Dad asked me that very question last week and I shot him down. How could I be over doing it if I was following a strict marathon training plan written by a seasoned professional? Never mind the boxing and yoga, that’s not causing a pounding to my calves, we’re just looking at the running here. 

Perhaps it’s not so much the distance but the speed I am pushing myself at. Sock Doc’s article taught me the difference of training in the aerobic state versus the anaerobic state. Now I have no idea what state I’m in as I’ve never actually worn a heart rate monitor. Yes, yes, it’s just been ordered along with my Nike+ GPS SportWatch so I can figure this out. But my guess is that I’m spending too much of my workout time in an anaerobic state, coupled with the fact that marathon training requires 4 weekly runs and now averages 20-25 miles per week (with 107 days to go). That’s a lot of pounding. A part of me hopes I’m wrong, I don’t want to run slower. But I do need to figure this out and get it sorted, we’re on a schedule here!

Have you ever dealt with achilles tendonitis? Is it caused by gait as someone mentioned? I hate the thought of that, rethinking how I move…

9 months ago