tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55635640941426097192024-03-12T17:42:16.747-05:00Funny Things in Fluffy CloudsAlyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-7583289795873543252014-05-27T13:31:00.000-05:002014-05-27T13:31:00.083-05:00Here's a Re-post on Simplicityand why I'm a minimalist in progress.<br />
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<a href="http://bemorewithless.com/simplicity-in-action-alyssa/">Originally written for and posted on Be More With Less.</a> Thank you for allowing me to share, Courtney.<br />
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I stood in my mom’s closet, her flashy clothes and fun shoes stuffed on the hangers and shelves around me. She had died two days earlier, and now I was struggling to pick an outfit that would best represent her one last time before we laid her to rest. I had a lifetime of memories with her, yet couldn’t find the clothes that encompassed her vivaciousness, passion, and kindness. I was in too much shock to cherish memories and “fondly look back at the good times,” as many friends and family members urged me to do. I clung to the things she last used, grasping for anything to keep her close.</div>
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The next spring, we finally hosted a garage sale of most of her things, with the family keeping our favorite mementos to bring us comfort. Sorting through someone’s stuff after they’ve died is a traumatic experience you cannot describe without having been through it. Yet with each item I passed along to its new owner, I was able to <a href="http://bemorewithless.com/2012/feel-your-pain-mini-mission/" style="border: 0px; color: #7da7d9; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">feel my pain</a> and process it. It began to sink in that while these things and this stuff felt like my mom, they weren’t her. Overcoming that mental hurdle was the biggest challenge, but coming to that realization is what started me down the path to simplicity.</div>
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During college and as a young graduate, I moved six times in seven years. Each move was in July, with temperatures in the triple digits. Even after suffering through these tough moves in the hot and humid Texas summer, I still never cut down the amount of stuff I owned. Jewelry, clothes, bags, shoes, things, stuff…everywhere. I strived to be organized and clean, but I wanted all these things. The juxtaposition of my feelings often overwhelmed me, but I realized that what I had learned about my mom’s stuff applied to my own as well.</div>
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I began purging the clothes, shoes, and tchotckes that I had clung to for some reason and didn’t care for anymore. I took my favorite old t-shirts and had them made into a t-shirt quilt. It keeps me warmer than 25 individual t-shirts ever would. For every thing that I give away, I think of all the people who will use it more than me. I think of what my family would have to deal with if I died suddenly. I take a deep breath and enjoy the space that I create.</div>
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During this new simplicity era, my dad caught the bug. We never needed to vocalize it, but it’s clear that the trauma of my mom’s death and the garage sale pushed us both to get rid of what didn’t matter anymore to make room for what does. Additionally, my dad has a chance to process his memories as well. He finds old pictures and texts them to me, and we have a good laugh. By having less, we’re able to highlight those few cherished possessions that bring us joy every time we see them. By having less, we’re able to enjoy our time together even more–although I still haven’t gotten him to take a yoga class with me.</div>
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I’m still a simple living work-in-progress. I still love shoes and clothes; however, I buy far less than I used to, and I make sure everything fits well and is made well. When I bring something new into my closet, I get rid of one (or more!) things. Learning about simple living and putting my knowledge into practice has given me the tools to continue living a life of purpose.</div>
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Even though it’s been five years since her death, I still think of all the memories we have: all our inside jokes, the way she taught me to speak my mind and my heart with poise and grace, and how important it is to give to others. I know she would be proud of the life I’m creating for myself. And I know she would tell me to continue enjoying the simple things, and always look for the fun shapes when you look at clouds.</div>
Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-27548498250597641772013-05-15T08:34:00.001-05:002013-05-15T08:34:53.670-05:00You Want a Physicist to Speak at Your FuneralI saw this circulating a popular facebook page espousing love of science. Apparently, the original text comes from Aaron Freeman during an <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4675953">NPR</a> bit. It's the most comforting thing I've read about death since <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Stand_at_My_Grave_and_Weep#Full_text">Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep</a>.<br />
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"You want a physicist to speak at your funeral. You want the physicist to talk to your grieving family about the conservation of energy, so they will understand that your energy has not died. You want the physicist to remind your sobbing mother about the first law of thermodynamics; that no energy gets created in the universe, and none is destroyed. You want your mother to know that all your energy, every vibration, every Btu of heat, every wave of every particle that was her beloved child remains with her in this world. You want the physicist to tell your weeping father that amid energies of the cosmos, you gave as good as you got. <br />
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And at one point you'd hope that the physicist would step down from the pulpit and walk to your brokenhearted spouse there in the pew and tell him that all the photons that ever bounced off your face, all the particles whose paths were interrupted by your smile, by the touch of your hair, hundreds of trillions of particles, have raced off like children, their ways forever changed by you. And as your widow rocks in the arms of a loving family, may the physicist let her know that all the photons that bounced from you were gathered in the particle detectors that are her eyes, that those photons created within her constellations of electromagnetically charged neurons whose energy will go on forever. <br />
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And the physicist will remind the congregation of how much of all our energy is given off as heat. There may be a few fanning themselves with their programs as he says it. And he will tell them that the warmth that flowed through you in life is still here, still part of all that we are, even as we who mourn continue the heat of our own lives. <br />
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And you'll want the physicist to explain to those who loved you that they need not have faith; indeed, they should not have faith. Let them know that they can measure, that scientists have measured precisely the conservation of energy and found it accurate, verifiable and consistent across space and time. You can hope your family will examine the evidence and satisfy themselves that the science is sound and that they'll be comforted to know your energy's still around. According to the law of the conservation of energy, <b>not a bit of you is gone; you're just less orderly</b>. Amen."Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-15504175319163868982013-05-06T16:23:00.000-05:002013-05-08T12:52:51.525-05:00Travel vs. Minimalist LifestyleThe path to minimalism is filled with struggles. Not because being a minimalist is punishment, but because this path to "enlightenment" requires letting go of your subconscious death grip on previously understood ideas. I'm seeing minimalism work its way more and more into culture, and seeing more and more people unsatisfied and disillusioned with our nation's (and many parts of the world's) consumerism.<br />
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For many people, minimalism is just practical. <a href="http://www.savespendsplurge.com/">Everyday Minimalist</a>* comes to mind when I think of the practicality. She travels a ton, so minimalism just makes sense. She can't afford to take everything and the kitchen sink with her. However, for others, it's a long process of realizing we have way too much Stuff. I fall somewhere in between the two. The closer you arrive towards a comfortable minimalist lifestyle yourself, the more it becomes practical.<br />
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A minimalist lifestyle is perfect for traveling. However, in reducing the consumerist and wasteful lifestyle, we're met with a challenge: the cost of travel on our world. Yes, we may get rid of everything and carry our life's belongings in a backpack, but what's the cost of flying around the country? Around the world? What's the cost of our privilege?<br />
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I know flying has a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_aviation">tremendous impact on our environment</a>. However, we are able to see so many parts of the world that were untouchable even as recent as 50 years ago. I hear so many people return from traveling with a huge shift in perspective. Their ingrained Western-centric mindset has been adjusted. There is a world outside of our bubble. That kind of perspective is invaluable. I try to retain perspective, but I haven't seen these things myself. One day.<br />
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By reducing our consumerism, we can reduce the huge impacts on the environment that all our plastic crap and disposable stuff have. Purchasing <a href="http://www.carbonfund.org/">carbon offsets</a> may not eliminate this effect, but it's a good start.<br />
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Some may argue that with the internet, we're connected throughout the whole world and can see many things we've been shielded from. That is true. However, experiencing the world in person just isn't the same. You can look at pictures of the beaches and ocean in Hawaii, but until you've heard the ocean, smelled it, listened to it, you can't truly grasp it. Our privilege means we have a duty to embrace it and protect it. We're lucky that we live somewhere where we have the freedom to travel. We should take advantage of it.<br />
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*Everyday Minimalist is now over at <a href="http://www.savespendsplurge.com/">Save. Spend. Splurge.</a> where she continues to post matter-of-fact manifestos on life and consumerism. Love her posts!Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-84719477569550931172013-05-02T09:11:00.000-05:002013-05-02T09:11:27.383-05:00Regaining Your VoiceI've always been a writer. I grew up solving puzzles while listening to my mom click away on her <a href="http://www.computerhistory.org/atchm//wp-content/uploads/2012/08/1984macintosh.jpg">old Mac</a>. She would shake her head back and forth, much like Stevie Wonder does when he's really into a song (I mean that as the best compliment to both my mom and Mr. Wonder, who are both inspirational and vibrant). She instilled her love of the written word, both in reading it and creating it, in me.<br />
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It's been years since I completed my English degree, and I have not written for fun nearly as much as I should. I write a lot at my job, but it's a very specific style. Great for factual analysis and professionalism, but not nearly as juicy or decadent. But writing, much like reading, quenches a thirst you didn't even know you had. In rebooting this blog, I feel like someone clearing their throat after not having spoken in so long. I'm finding my place and regaining voice.<br />
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So, I appreciate you sticking with me while I clear my throat. I may jump around from minimalism and consumerism talks to travel to crafting (both Pinterest successes and pinstrosities). As we go along for this ride together, I promise that while it may be random, disjointed, and foggy, it will never be boring.<br />
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Ahem.Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-19044530432987493222013-04-30T09:04:00.000-05:002013-04-30T09:08:43.830-05:00In Which I'm Super CraftyI'm a hopeless romantic. I love crafting. The two combined can be dangerous. Luckily, I'm pretty selective about my crafts.<br />
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I saw this <a href="http://thespottedfox.com/diy-projects/diy-valentine-food-passport">amazing, adorable, must-do idea for a restaurant passport on The Spotted Fox</a>. It seems the original link is down right now, but you might be able to see what she did on <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://thespottedfox.com/diy-projects/diy-valentine-food-passport">Google's cached version</a>.<br />
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Austin has an unreal selection of cheap and tasty food options. We have our favorites, but we're always pointing out ones we've wanted to try. Since R does not have a birthday or Christmas coming up soon, I thought this idea would be wonderful as a pre-versary present. Yes, we're getting married in a year, and yes, I'm celebrating this pre-milestone.<br />
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The best part? When I told R I was making a present for him for this momentous occasion, I expected him to roll his eyes and say it was dumb. His response? "I was going to try to surprise you by taking you out to a nice dinner like it was nothing special and then saying 'Hooray! Happy Pre-versary!'". He may not be able to surprise me with dinner, but his similar romantic dorkiness pleasantly surprised me.<br />
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I made a list of the restaurants off the top of my head, and added to it over a few weeks. Then, I had credit card points available to use on Amazon like cash, so I was able to "purchase" <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moleskine-Plain-Notebook-Cover-Pocket/dp/8883707141">this</a> Moleskine notebook for free.<br />
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I started out drawing the restaurants with cutesy font ideas. However, I couldn't come up with that many cutesy font ideas. And I had over 50 restaurants to list.<br />
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So, I started looking at each restaurant's webpage and imitating whatever logo they had. While some look like a third grader drew them, others turned out pretty good. It took longer than I thought it would--about 3 hours spread over two evenings. However, I enjoyed the process. Having a few episodes of Family Guy running in the background didn't hurt, either.<br />
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I decided to also code each restaurant by price. Restaurants that are $10 or less per person per entree receive one $, $10-20 receive $$, and greater than $20 receive $$$.<br />
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The original poster used colored sticker dots to rank restaurants. We're just using hearts, smiley faces, and slant faces (:-/) to indicate our Love It, Like It, and Meh ratings. Plus, I'm still in shopping ban mode, so I wouldn't purchase stickers anyway.<br />
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While we try to limit our dining out (a budget category that can easily get out of control), we do like to go out on occasion. I think this passport will help keep our dining under control because we'll be excited about trying new places. Instead of just defaulting to our favorites when we can't figure out what to eat and don't want to make food, we'll have something to look forward to. It gives us motivation to make dinner at home Monday - Thursday in anticipation of trying something new on Friday.<br />
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Fin.<br />
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Edit: The restaurants with an asterisk * are ones that one of us has been to before.Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-79606815484487641852013-04-29T13:52:00.004-05:002013-04-30T09:32:19.203-05:00May's ChallengeAfter the (<a href="http://funnythingsinfluffyclouds.blogspot.com/2013/04/does-this-violate-ban.html">mostly</a>) successful <a href="http://funnythingsinfluffyclouds.blogspot.com/2013/04/shopping-bansuccess.html">shopping ban of March and April</a>, I'm setting my sights on a new challenge for May: <b>working out every day</b>.<br />
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For a lot of people, this is no challenge. However, for me, establishing the routine of regular exercise has been a challenge for several years. I'm very active and like working out and being fit. Working 50-60 hours/week throws a kink in that lifestyle. Yes, I'm making excuses, but I'll be damned if anyone else who works those hours doesn't find it difficult sometimes to exercise. But I digress.<br />
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This challenge will be great because it forces me to be consistent. I've printed a colorful calendar so I can X off each day that I exercise. It's important for me to do something every day because that breeds the consistency. If I just said I'd exercise 3 times/week, I'd either front-load my week so I could binge at the end of the week, or put it off until later in the week. <a href="http://zenhabits.net/bank/">Investing in habits daily</a> adds up over time, and who doesn't love compound interest?<br />
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Even if I can't get a full 30 minute cardio or weight burn-out, I can at least do sets of push-ups burpees, crunches, and other quick but effective exercises. R and I are already doing the <a href="http://hundredpushups.com/#sthash.wWKGOs82.dpbs">Hundred Push-Up Challenge</a>, which adds a great little something extra to this 31-day goal. It certainly helps that my birthday is at the end of the month, so I definitely have something to look forward to.<br />
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Every person has a prime goal window during which their goals are best achieved. Mine seems to be a month. If I can start focused, I can maintain that drive for a month. Sometimes I fall short, but mostly I can stick with it. I have a few trips planned this year where I'll be in a swimsuit. I know I want to tone up and be in shape, but since they're farther off, they don't seem as pressing. A month is just long enough to see progress, but not too long that I feel like I'm running a marathon.<br />
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I'm starting this challenge a little early as I'll be going to the gym tonight. One day at a time.<br />
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<b>Have you set any fitness challenges before?</b>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-41428983346783791552013-04-24T14:33:00.002-05:002013-04-29T16:36:59.845-05:00Does this violate the ban?<b><span style="font-size: large;">Visits with Dad</span></b><br />
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My dad came into town a few weekends ago, and as always, we had a great time together. His health hasn't been great lately, but we're trying to get him back healthy again. So, when he visits I make sure he eats well and gets some exercise.<br />
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Well, after we chowed down some delectable brunch at <a href="http://www.eastsidecafeaustin.com/">Eastside Cafe</a> (please tell me why it took me so long to go there?!), he wanted to go shopping. I window-shopped with him and just enjoyed myself. However, he kept wanting me to pick things and buy them.<br />
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"Dad, I don't need those sandals."<br />
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"But they're wearing out."<br />
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"Not that badly. I'll get new ones when I need them. I don't NEED them right now."<br />
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"But you will."<br />
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"But I don't RIGHT NOW."<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Moment I Succumbed</span></b><br />
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Finally, after battling this for a few hours, I gave in. YOLO, right? He was intent on buying me things, so I picked out a couple things I really liked and would definitely use. I ended up with three summer dresses and one pair of <a href="http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/boc-by-born-shoes-ramey-flat-thong-sandals?ID=820631&cm_mmc=Google_Womens_Shoes_Geo_PLA-_-Womens+Shoes+PLA_Ad+Group+%232-_-20549606429_-_-_mkwid_oF0bz46e_20549606429%7C-%7CoF0bz46e">comfortable and cute sandals</a>. I felt guilty because I've gone so long without shopping (this is a long time for me). However, I did make sure that his gifts were things I would use for a long time.<br />
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So the question remains, "did that violate the ban?" I presume that if I have to ask, it probably does. However, I did not spend my own money. And those who know my dad know that he is a stubborn, persistent man.<br />
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I will vow that next time he visits, we'll take in more nature walks. It's better to be outside than in the long aisles of a big shoe store (no matter how deliciously tempting those shoes are).<br />
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Now do you see why I struggle with an insatiable desire to shop and trying to be minimalist? What doesn't kill your wallet makes you stronger.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
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Your friendly neighborhood minimalist shopaholic*<br />
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*Aren't oxymorons fun?!Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-2748123739090389972013-04-04T19:00:00.000-05:002013-04-04T19:00:03.764-05:00Shopping Ban...Success!During the month of March, I banned myself from all recreational shopping. I told people "I'm not shopping this month." The most frequent responses, which I found odd, were "well are you grocery shopping?" Yes, I need to eat (I did challenge myself to make the most meals I could out of our pantry, but that didn't stop us from picking up things we needed). I wouldn't nix that. But recreational shopping? Banned. I've done this ban in the past (for Lent one year*), and I've found it's a great challenge, but I don't suffer tremendously (like my fiance would if he had to give up caffeine for a month - although I am proud of him for nixing the Monster habit. Disgusting stuff, that Monster).<br />
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For many, this wouldn't be a challenge. But a challenge to them might be not drinking sodas. I, however, haven't had a soda in I can't remember how long. As are most things in life, these challenges are personal and unique to each individual.<br />
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I printed a blank calendar for March and X'ed off each day I didn't shop. <a href="http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-secret">Jerry Seinfeld's</a> advice is genius indeed. I also made a note if I had a no spend day. All in all, I went 31 days no shopping, 12 of which were no spend days.<br />
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I'm actually extending this ban for the month of March. I had three items I wanted to purchase come April:<br />
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<b>1. Stainless Steel Spatula</b> - I've been using my cast iron pan a lot more frequently, but only had plastic spatulas.<br />
<b>2. Moleskine Notebook</b> - I want to make <a href="http://thespottedfox.com/diy-projects/diy-valentine-food-passport">this </a>restaurant passport book for R and I. Valentine's Day has already passed, and his birthday isn't until later in the year. So, it'll just be a surprise for us.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
<b>3. Silk Pillowcase</b> - supposed to be much gentler on your hair and skin, and since I currently have a frizzball on top of my head, I'll use any help I can get.<br />
<br />
Well, my FMIL gave us a stainless steel spatula in our Easter basket this year (so practical! It's made of recycled stainless steel and the handle is bamboo-based. She knows me well), so luckily I didn't have to buy that. I was able to used credit card points to order the Moleskine, so I figured at this rate, the pillowcase can wait! My new goal is no shopping until the end of April for a full 60 days no shopping.<br />
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I know plenty of people have completely nixed shopping, or have done <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Compact">The Compact</a>. These are great challenges and I admired the participants. However, I'm not ready to take that plunge yet. Plus, with wedding planning going on, it doesn't seem practical to banish myself from purchasing anything new. However, that DOES give me a great idea for a blog. Planning a wedding on all used items. Hmmm...<br />
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Either way, I'm proud of myself for accomplishing another goal. I think everyone can find their "sweet spot" where they're successful with their goals. Mine seems to be a month. So, I look forward to tackling more goals in the coming months.<br />
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Have you ever done a shopping ban or another type of ban? How did it go for you?<br />
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--<br />
Alyssa<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*I'm not Catholic, but Lent always seems like a great time to challenge yourself. I don't observe it anymore, but I still like to challenge myself to bans like this one.</span>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-14580021587683360002013-03-16T09:58:00.000-05:002013-04-04T13:58:17.734-05:00Welcome!To all who've found my tiny space on the internet thanks to my <a href="http://bemorewithless.com/simplicity-in-action-alyssa/">guest post on Be More With Less</a>, I welcome you! This blog started back in 2010 to chronicle my training for the Danskin Triathlon. While I successfully completed it, I was not very successful in the follow-up to maintain the blog. This is true of many tiny spaces on the internet. However, as I've done in the past, I plan on continuing to track my minimalist progress.<br />
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It doesn't seem like it, but it's been over three years since I discovered <a href="http://zenhabits.net/">Leo</a>, <a href="http://bemorewithless.com/">Courtney</a>, and the others. Sometimes I'm shocked at the progress they've made. But then they mention the five or six years since they started their journeys, and I realize I'm doing quite well. I still struggle with wanting to shop and accumulate, but I remember the space I create and love the freedom. During the month of March, I'm on a shopping ban. I find that when I set up challenges like that for myself, I'm successful.<br />
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I'm also engaged to a <a href="http://longhornroadtrip.com/">wonderful man</a>, and wedding planning puts a lot into perspective. My minimalist skills (if you can call them that) are helping to keep me in line and remember the real reason we're doing this rather than get wrapped up in the color of the linens. I am still early on the process, but I feel I have a good start.<br />
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Walking into my home, you might not think I've made this journey. It probably looks like a normal home to you. But the progress I've made means so much to me, and I can see the differences. I know where I've been, and I have an idea where I'm going.<br />
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As minimalism makes its way into more people's lives, you occasionally find the judgmental people (as you do in any facet of life): How can you be a minimalist? You have a shelf of books. Pots and pans. Board games. A full closet! I'm a minimalist because I practice keeping what's important to me and getting rid of everything else. It's still a work in progress (as evidenced by a shameful mini shopping spree a month ago--oops), but having goals and perspective helps keep me on the path toward what I want.<br />
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I thank you for stopping by and hope to see you around the blogging world more often. Until next time!Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-28456718659737961102011-08-10T10:19:00.000-05:002011-08-10T10:19:25.905-05:00My (Not So) New Minimalist LifestyleFor the past 18 months, I've been on a slow but steady path toward a minimalist lifestyle. No, not the <a href="http://www.batamhousing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Minimalism-Feminine-Glossy-Bathroom-Design-1.jpg">stark white walls</a> you picture when you normally think of minimalism. I don't wish to just live out of my backpack--though one day that could happen. I'm far too sentimental over some things to reduce myself to an R.E.I. container (more on sentimentalism later). However, thanks to <a href="http://zenhabits.net/">Zen Habits</a>, <a href="http://rowdykittens.com/">Rowdy Kittens</a>, <a href="http://bemorewithless.com/">Be More With Less</a>, and <a href="http://www.everydayminimalist.com/">Everyday Minimalist</a>, I've spent time purging clothes, tchotchkes, junky kitchen utensils, old shoes, and pretty much anything I can part with.<br />
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I've also realized that minimalism is unique and catered to each person. Live with only what you need. Spend time thinking about what constitutes a need for you. Truthfully, we don't NEED a lot. We could live naked in the woods eating nuts and berries (<a href="http://20somethingfinance.com/consumer-12-step-program-my-counseling-with-mother-earth/">thanks for the imagery, G.E.</a>), but most people like to enjoy extra things they can afford. Where it gets out of hand is when you think your 50 DVDs are something you NEED.<br />
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It's funny that I've been drawn to this lifestyle after growing up in a house where we could (and often) bought anything we wanted. My parents didn't have a lot growing up, so of course when they had to ability to own more, they did. Our house was always clean and we were never hoarders, but I grew up keeping things. While it felt good to give to others as we often did, it was difficult for me to part with things like stuffed animals.<br />
<br />
I realized what triggered my change while watching <i>Hoarders</i>. The producers talk with each person they feature about their past, and all of them have been traumatized by an event in some way: divorce, death of a spouse or loved one, children moving out. Something in them snapped, and they cling to whatever they can to try to fill that hole.<br />
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My trigger? Cleaning out my mom's house after she passed away. She endured life-changing trauma when she moved out of my dad's house and lost her job in the same year. She had difficulty finding work and her chronic back pain kept her from being active like she normally was. She clung to her possessions because they were her immediate comforts. When she passed away suddenly, we were left having to sort out her <a href="http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/08/10/the-tyranny-of-stuff/">Stuff</a>. If you've never done that before for someone who's passed away, it is one of the most arduous, depressing, exhausting (both mentally and physically) tasks ever. We had a garage sale. We donated items. We threw Stuff away. In the end, I hung onto Stuff because I had no idea how I would feel in the future about it. Nearly four years later, I've reached the point--and have been there for awhile--that it's okay to get rid of that flamingo purse I gave her for her last birthday. I now know what I want to keep of hers.<br />
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As a result of her house, my dad and I had our own snap moments and began purging. It started slowly, first with my dad wanting to sell his house. I know it was emotional, but cathartic, for him to go through all the pictures, toys, all our memories. For me, I realized I didn't want to leave my loved ones with a bunch of crap to deal with if I die suddenly. I also realized just how much of a clean person I try to be. I love to organize, and it's so much easier to do with less Stuff.<br />
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The hardest part of my purging process was, and still is, sentimental Stuff. If I'm not sure I can bear to part with something (like the cute little stuffed Kokopeli doll my flute teacher gave me one year), I take a picture of it. I've found it makes giving it to someone else a lot easier. On a side note, I am careful, however, not to build digital clutter, as that's just as hard on the eyes as closet clutter.<br />
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Still, it's hard to say goodbye to certain things. I have three shelves on my bookshelf dedicated to my tchotchkes and sentimental items. A crystal unicorn given to me by a boyfriend. My bow tie from my first year in Longhorn Band. My mom's tiara. All of these things invoke wonderful memories, memories I should keep my whole life. Truthfully, I don't need them. Maybe one day I will give them away. However, my admittedly irrational fear of something happening to my memory is a big reason why I keep sentimental Stuff. Each person has to drawn the line for what is sentimental enough to keep for them.<br />
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Minimalism is an ongoing process for me. It will be for a long time. Frankly, I'm fine with that. I enjoy taking a bag of Stuff to Goodwill or SafePlace, knowing it will go to someone who needs it more than me. You wouldn't think I was a minimalist by walking into my apartment. However, my mind is getting there, and that's the biggest part of the battle. It took 25 years to accumulate that Stuff. A couple years to get where I want to be is fine with me.<br />
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<i>“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”</i> <strong style="font-weight: normal;">- William Morris</strong><br />
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<strong style="font-weight: normal;">Next time, I'll discuss the conundrum of insatiable wanderlust versus a minimalist lifestyle. </strong>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-90176996720302488342010-09-29T20:30:00.001-05:002010-09-29T20:30:16.582-05:00I'm baaaack<div class="ecxMsoNormal">Greetings, friends and readers.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">I decided to jump-start the bloggy blog once again as I’m taking on another fitness adventure. The triathlon was great and I’d love to do another one or two next season. However, the afternoon after I finished the triathlon, everything changed—we got a puppy from Austin Pets Alive! (link) </div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">APA! is an amazing organization that seeks to make Austin a No-Kill City, a feat that’s already been done in cities bigger than us. As a volunteer with APA!, I’ve seen the direct results of everyone’s efforts in helping to save animals from euthanasia. We picked up our Maggie after the race, and our lives have never been the same. Couple that with moving in together and working long hours, and I had hardly any time to sleep much less work out.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">The first month with the pup was hard, naturally, but things have settled in and she’s doing well. Minus the fact that she’s a teenager, and likes to show it.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">After I felt mostly settled in at our new apartment, I knew I had no more legitimate excuses not to work out. I tried to come up with a routine and failed. Getting up at 5am to go to the gym before work wasn’t going to keep happening, and going at 7pm after work also was difficult. Several friends and people I know had been doing P90X, and I looked into it. I knew it worked, no doubt about that. But I couldn’t decided if it was for me or worth the investments. I took the plunge and bought it anyway.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">It works in three phases, 28 days each (there’s one more recovery week tacked on at the end to make it 90 days). The first three weeks of each phase are the same 6 workouts (3 cardio, 3 weights) followed by a rest day. The last week (which I have yet to reach) is a mix-up of workouts designed as a recovery week for your hard work for three weeks.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">The mealplan follows the similar three phase pattern, with the first month as fat-burning, second as energy, and third as stamina. You eat a LOT of protein in the first phase, but it’s definitely kept me energized.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">I’m two and a half weeks in and really enjoy it so far. Yes, I have missed a few workouts (as is likely to happen), but I’m still holding strong and I’m already noticing improvements. I followed their mealplan hardcore during the first week. Since then, I’ve kept to the general outline of amount of proteins and such you should eat. I use the recipes of theirs that I like and modify others to fit my tastes Unfortunately, with my work schedule, I can’t eat dinner until several hours after my lunch, so I have two snacks in the afternoon. Plus with tailgating season in full swing, Saturdays are hard to do.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">It’s pretty well understood (but not always easy to follow) that in order to see physical results in your body, you <b><i>have to </i></b>eat well. You can polish a car and vacuum the seats all you want, but it won’t be a good car until you give it the right fuel and maintain it. Or something like that. I feel better already and I’m starting to notice results from the hard work.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Here is how the workout is formatted for my first three weeks and my thoughts on each one:</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Day 1 – Chest/Back + AbRibberX</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Day 2 – Plyometrics</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Day 3 – Shoulders/Arms + AbRibberX</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Day 4 – Yoga</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Day 5 – Legs/Back + AbRibberX</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Day 6 – Kenpo</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Day 7 – Rest day (or catch-up day for me when I’ve missed something)</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">The chest and back workout is a <b><i>tough</i></b><b><i> </i></b>one to start out. You do a lot of pull-ups. Or, if you’re like me, you attempt to do pull-ups and fail miserably. It’s a workout that definitely makes you wonder what you’re getting yourself into.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Plyometrics is okay. It’s a good cardio workout and it keeps you moving. You’re tired but not dead afterwards; always a sign of a good workout.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Shoulders/Arms is a great workout. I’ve never felt comfortable doing weights, either free weights or machines, and this workout really shows you proper technique. I can do all the exercises with whatever weights I choose.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Yoga is awesome. I already fell in love with yoga from the classes I took at 24 Hour Fitness. Yoga and swimming are the two exercises I can do that I can completely lose myself in and quiet my brain. That’s a lofty task for my buzzing mind, and the quiet is peaceful. P90X’s yoga starts out with moving poses. I was doing well, but about 40 minutes in, shit got real. We did poses that I’ve never done before, which is fine, but were extremely difficult. I stuck with it, breathed, and took breaks where I needed to. The second half is balance poses which I also like. The great thing about yoga is the ability to make leaps and bounds with your progress in just a few sessions. There is no competition in yoga. No reps, nothing. Just breathe and you succeed.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Legs and Back is a tough but good exercise. I see why we only do one legs workout a week. My butt hurt for 3 days afterward.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Kenpo is very similar to the kickboxing I did for a year and a half at a local academy. It was a good cardio workout and got my blood flowing. However, since I’ve done kickboxing before, not much of it was new. I do like that the warm-up is yoga poses.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">AbRipperX is a tough cookie. 15 minutes of pure core work. Not just measly crunches, but deep-in-your-torso work. Again, it’s one of those exercises that you can see improvement with each time you do it. Having a strong core is such an important part of any exercise you do. You will be a better runner, cyclist, swimmer, dancer, yogi, kickboxer, anything, if you have a strong core. Plus it helps protect your body from injuries otherwise sustained by your joints. So, while AbRibber is tough, I don’t mind 45 minutes a week to help me overall.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">These past few weeks have been crazybusy at work, so I’m getting home near or after 7pm each night. This making working out tough. Even though I just have to turn the tv on and push play, it can be hard when all you want to do is sit on your balcony and pet your dog. Furthermore, getting up early enough before work to do an hour workout is even harder. I’m back to the same challenges as beforehand.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">However, I will stick through it. I feel better and look better already. Not many exercises programs or regimens will show such results so quickly.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal">Until next time…</div>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-25390794733558335412010-07-15T10:32:00.000-05:002010-07-15T10:32:41.225-05:00I actually did it!Yes, I'm aware this post is so far late that it's barely worth it. However, as cliche as it is, better late than never. Alas, I did indeed compete and finish the 2010 Danskin Triathlon. It was quite an amazing experience to say the least. At the time and in retrospect, there's a soft haze over the entire morning. It was appropriate that it was overcast because some moments, like standing in the water with 50 other people in your age group waiting for the gun to go off, felt very real yet very ethereal.<br />
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I woke up with the same feelings I've had throughout all my training: excited yet scared shitless. I knew I would finish but there was so much I didn't know and didn't expect. Would people swim over me? What if I drop a chain on my bike? I've never had to fix that before. <i>What do I do?!</i> I got dressed and piled in the car with Ryan and his mom. We met up with my Dad and godfather for them to follow us. Actually getting to Decker Lake and making sure they followed was an adventure all by itself, but nonetheless we made it. We had to park 1 mile away and be bussed to the course. As we got in the line, race officials rushed the athletes to the front so we could get all our stuff into transition.<br />
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It was this moment that I felt like a kid going off to a summer camp they don't want to go to. I had to leave my family behind and pile on a bus with a ton of other chipper, athletic girls (including someone who insisted on singing "Lisztomania" as if she were trying out for <i>Glee.</i>). Personally, before races, I'm in the zone and just want to be left alone. I haven't stirred up all those endorphins so I'd rather not discuss how much I "carbed-up" the night before. I holed up next to a window on the bus and luckily someone sat next to me who hadn't done it either. We made it to the course and were told we had 10 minutes left in the transition area. <i>10 minutes?!</i> Of course, I had a minor mental freakout. I set everything up (thanks, other girls in my bike area, for spreading your stuff all around. You know, since you're the only ones in the transition area). I wandered out in my swimsuit, barefoot (note to self: bring disposable flip flops next time), just taking it all in. After a restroom break, I waited near the entrance to see if my family would make it in on time. My wave didn't start until 40 minutes after the start, and luckily Ryan spotted me in the crowd. Talk about a wave of relief. He, my dad, and I chatted it up for awhile until it was time. I splashed water on myself to get over the shock (the water felt great, actually). I waded as far as I could go and gave one last wave to my dad and Ryan.<br />
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I stuck to the left of the swim area which was the outside. As soon as I got in the water, I could feel myself get into my groove. There were a few bumps here and there, a few pauses to get my bearings, and one time swimming around a Swim Angel. But 17 minutes later, I swam straight until my arms touched bottom and burst out of the water. It felt fantastic. I saw my dad and Ryan and through their cheers I heard one of them say "whoa she made it out fast!"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_02EbgsSNx7o/TD8oj77F67I/AAAAAAAAABQ/MsSZ9mUKVsk/s1600/triathlon+-+swim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_02EbgsSNx7o/TD8oj77F67I/AAAAAAAAABQ/MsSZ9mUKVsk/s320/triathlon+-+swim.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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The race should have ended there because I would have been on top of the world. But alas, it had to continue. I ran up to the transition area, got changed, and headed out on my bike. I'd biked the total distance before but I have to say that was the toughest bike I've ever done. There were a ton of hills, including one downhill that went straight into a curve that went straight into an uphill. So uphill that people had actually gotten off their bikes and were trudging up the hill. I powered through in the lowest gear and made it. Since the course was one big giant square, I felt like I was getting close to the end. Then I passed the 6 mile mark. I kept pushing through and rehydrating with my Camelbak (best idea ever for a tri--thanks Ryan). The most fun part about the bike, besides the awesome views of hill country, was the camaraderie among the athletes. If you were struggling, people would encourage you and keep you going. I found myself cheering other people on. Right around mile 10, as I was powering up a steep hill and nearly to the top, my bike made a pop noise and my pedals started spinning--but I went nowhere. I hopped off, made it to the side of the road, and concluded that I had dropped a chain. I've never done that before nor fixed it, but after a couple minutes I was back on my bike and rarin' to go. As I pulled into the transition area, I could see my family waving me on. I shook my head and gave them the look of "holy crap I'm tired."<br />
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As soon as I parked my bike, I took a swig of water and headed out for the run. The run, subsequently known as jog/hobble/walk, or jogobbalk, was quite sad, really. I kept going but I think I reached that level of exhaustion that you don't even realize you're tired. I had to stop and pee in the woods once, too. Very difficult to do in bike shorts and a swimsuit. 42 sad minutes later, I finished the run and the race. They passed out medals and plastic water bottles already ice cold. I tracked down my family and we exchanged hugs while dad, of course, was videoing on his iphone. He loves that thing.<br />
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So ended the race. On our walk back to the car, we realized that my back tired on my bike was low, despite the fact that I filled it the night before. I'm not sure how much that affected me, but it didn't matter anymore. I was done. And very happy and proud.<br />
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Below are my race and transition times, for anyone who has stuck this long through the rambling entry. I felt guilty for not posting but felt the task couldn't be complete until I wrote it all down. I'd like to send a big thank you to <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/trifit/trifast.htm">Hal Higdon</a> and his amazing triathlon training program. I really enjoyed it and the flexibility it gave me to adjust the schedule while training well. And of course, I want to send a big thank you to my friends and family for supporting me through this whole venture. It's been a blast, and this isn't the end of my triathlon adventures. I'll continue the blog as I tackle other triathlons and athletic events, along with any random projects I have. Next up is painting and decorating my new apartment!<br />
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<table cellspacing="0" summary="Race Results for ALYSSA HUDSON"><tbody>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Distance</b></td><td><b>Short</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Clock Time</b></td><td><b>02:04:04</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Overall Place</b></td><td><b>989 / 1580</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Division Place</b></td><td><b>43 / 56</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Swim</b></td><td><b>00:17:42</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Swimrank</b></td><td><b>207</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Trans1</b></td><td><b>00:03:47</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Bike</b></td><td><b>00:58:27</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Bikerank</b></td><td><b>1286</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Mph</b></td><td><b>12.3</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Trans2</b></td><td><b>00:01:48</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Runrank</b></td><td><b>1162</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Run</b></td><td><b>00:42:18</b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="title"><b>Pace</b></td><td><b>00:13:38</b></td><td><br />
</td><td><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellspacing="0" summary="Race Results for ALYSSA HUDSON"><tbody>
<tr><td><br />
</td><td><br />
</td><td><br />
</td><td><br />
</td><td><br />
</td><td><br />
</td><td><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-55693874633263653282010-05-23T12:31:00.000-05:002010-05-23T12:31:48.341-05:00Checking in...Well it's down to 2 weeks until the triathlon. It's kind of hard to believe it's already that close. I've noticed plenty of results from my training, with both endurance and physical appearance, but I also feel very unprepared.<br />
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Last weekend I did an open water swim clinic at Lake Pflugerville. It's a small, pedestrian lake with no boats allowed. They even have an area roped off for you to practice swimming. It was a cold, overcast, windy day; not ideal for swimming. However, I was out there and I was going to swim.<br />
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I've done two big open water swim events in the past: the Freedom Swim in my grandparents' town of Punta Gorda, Florida. It's a fun swim that happens every July 4th where you swim from one side of the town to the other across the Peace River. It's a mix of gulf and river water and the current can push you around sometimes. It totals about 1.5 miles and is always fun. However, even though I've done it twice, I can't get over my irrational fear of the water. It doesn't happen until I've been in the water for awhile, but all I want to do is be out of the water. It's not a fear of drowning. I can't pinpoint it, but I think it's mainly the fear of the unknown. Having my goggles on and being able to see the brown water but not much else with it is very jarring.<br />
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So, this little Lake Pflugerville thing should have been easy. A way to help me get over it. But as soon as I hit that open water my technique just bombed. I mean, <i>bombed.</i> I was too busy trying to keep my head over water to see where I was going that I couldn't get into a rhythm. I was too afraid of swimming out the wrong direction that I couldn't get my stride. I stuck to the drills for the "weaker" swimmers so I wouldn't get caught out in the middle of the lake. And of course my heart rate was racing. I spoke with one of the instructors afterward (who is a multiple Iron Man) about my issues. After all, I consider myself a strong swimmer, but I can't let this irrational fear ruin what is likely to be my best leg in the race. He said that after all this time he still gets uncomfortable in the water occasionally, and the best method to overcome it is to try to get in my stride within the first 100 yards and to talk myself down. I think it's a good strategy and hopefully I can keep my head down long enough to get in my stride (while hopefully not swimming over someone or getting swam over).<br />
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Hopefully I can get back out to the lake before the tri to get a little more practice in.<br />
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This week's workouts haven't been great. Very half-hearted and haven't madea lot of progress. I didn't even get to run as scheduled yesterday. Sleeping in was far more important and I had a lot to do during the day.<br />
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I'm going to make up for it this afternoon. I've got a 30 swim/60 bike scheduled. It's a nice day outside so I've planned a bike route up to north Austin and back. I'm looking forward to being on my bike outside again. It's been awhile. I really would rather not do the swim and just do the bike, but bricks are important. sigh.<br />
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Hopefully I'll be back later with an update on the bike ride. Here goes!Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-83499897793113046972010-05-12T14:34:00.000-05:002010-05-12T14:34:10.470-05:00Two Workout UpdatesSo, as previously mentioned, last week was a mental health week. Workouts were a wash and ineffective, when I did them. I started fresh this past Sunday with an intense 90 minute workout consisting of 30 minutes each of swim/bike/run. I admit that I was a little nervous about doing such an extended workout; I was afraid I've overwork myself. However, it went really well. I hopped into the pool and did a 500. Just like that. No stopping, nothing. Then I took a minute break. Then did another 500. It felt great and I felt like I was really in the flow. I glided through the water and focused on different parts of my technique every 50 or so. Finally, I decided to do some speed work. I did 6X50, slow/med/fast/slow/med/fast. I like doing speed drills and it helps your overall endurance. I cooled down with 50 breast.<br />
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The bike was also a great workout. I really enjoy the hills workout because it's similar to what I'll be doing in the race and gives me chances to power through the hills and recover on the downhill (not the hills workout of walking from place to place to brunch and drink with your fake friends, but the hills on the bike). It's always awkward on the bike after I swim because, despite my best efforts of quickly drying off, I always drip water everywhere. And of course, it just looks like I'm *that* sweaty girl. But oh well.<br />
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The run was the toughest part, of course. I ran the first mile in 10 minutes and pooped out and resorted to a power walk at 4.5mph for the next 15 minutes. It was definitely tough. Luckily I have more brick workouts coming up. Also, when I bike, my goal is to run a little afterward just to keep my legs warmed up and to practice the transition.<br />
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I missed Monday night's 30 minute bike workout so after hula tonight I'm going straight to the gym to make up for it. Today would be a strength day anyway, and hula works my arms and legs like crazy.<br />
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Last night, I expressed to Ryan my frustration with my lack of pacing. I try to maintain 10 minute miles (6mph) which is on the low end of acceptable for pacing but I always end up exhausted and need a walking break. It's been better with my training, yes, but it's still tough. He suggested I look at <a href="http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm">McMillan's Running Training Calculator</a>. You enter your race time for your most recent race and it calculates the different paces you should use for training. According to the calculator, I should be training around 12 minute miles (5mph) and work in speed workouts to help increase my endurance and thus my pace. It felt really pathetic and defeating to see that I should be training so slowly. However, it does make sense that you shouldn't constantly train at your race pace (my race pace being 10 minute miles). No wonder I was so exhausted!<br />
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So, I ran 3.61 miles in 40 minutes. I did the first mile at 5mph, the second at 5.2, and somewhere during that time with 15 minutes left of my run I decided to increase by 0.1mph every minute. I finished out going 6.5mph. The best part was that even though I was tired, at no point did I feel like I wanted to die or that this was the most miserable thing ever. Usually I feel like that when running 6.0 or faster (unless of course I'm sprinting at the end).<br />
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Lesson of the day: sometimes you have to really slow it down in order to go faster.Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-60783743136597802792010-05-05T15:49:00.000-05:002010-05-05T15:49:37.180-05:00Hanging On to the BumperThe bumper of The Wagon, that is. I haven't fallen off but I'm very close. These past few days have been tough to get a workout in because of my own mental hurdles. Sunday was just overall frustration. Monday was the beginning of a bike ride that ended early and failed miserably in anger and frustration. Yesterday was better as I got in the pool, but I still feel like I haven't had a good workout since The Longhorn Run last Saturday, and even that was only two miles. I've decided this week is a mental health week. And of course, after my progress the last three weeks it's only natural that I would come down and end up frustrated.<br />
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I'm hoping to pick back up with hula tonight and running Thursday and Saturday. Sunday will be a big day as I'm doing all three legs for 30 minutes each. Gasp! I hope I don't pass out and die. I'm kind of looking forward to it. Sunday is Mother's Day, and while I think of my mother every day, this Hallmark holiday throws it in your face more. I'll be able to push through a solid 90 minute workout knowing that I'm doing something that would make her so proud.<br />
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In exciting news, I signed up for an open water swim clinic at Lake Pflugerville. I do have open water swim experience (see: Freedom Swim. In brown water. Ugh), but my utter lack of the ability to swim in a straight line when I'm not in the pool lead to a lot of energy wasted. With the swim being the first part of the tri, I can't afford to waste energy. Hopefully this clinic will give me a bunch of good tips for focusing during the madness that is the swim portion.<br />
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That's all I have for now. I've been trying to post this post for several hours now but work has been insanely busy. Hopefully hula will be fun tonight.Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-76579436967853458132010-05-03T08:14:00.000-05:002010-05-03T08:14:03.925-05:00Mental Health DayYesterday is what I'm calling a Mental Health Day.<br />
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Ryan and I ran The Longhorn Run on Saturday (he the 10K, me the 2.2 miler), and since running was scheduled for my workout that day, it worked out nicely. Nothing to exciting to report, except that I finished the 2.13 miles (I mapped it on Map My Run because I didn't believe the student who ran it) in 19:59! That was exciting. Not a great time compared to my friends who are runners, but for me I'm conquering bit by bit and that's what matters.<br />
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Yesterday, on the other hand, did not go well. I woke up around 9:30 in hopes of getting my brick workout in then relaxing by the pool. I was supposed to swim for 30, run for 45. I had absolutely no desire to do either. I put on my swimsuit and I'm pretty sure I grimaced. Although I don't want to mix my training up too much, Ryan suggested that I bike then run as a good brick. Surprisingly, I was really excited about that idea. It was a gorgeous day out and I felt like I'd been cooped up at the gym for awhile. I even intended to trek down to <a href="http://veloway.com/">the Veloway</a> to ride the trail there. After I got dressed and headed to my car, I spent the next 20-30 minutes trying to Houdini my bike into my car. Perhaps I'm smoking crack, but I remember fitting my bike into my car in the past. Maybe my car shrunk. Either way, it would not go in. I ended up almost ripping a hole in my brand new bike shorts (I screwed up part of the material for sure), broke my nails, scraped my knee, and got my hands filthy. I was sweating and frustrated to the point of tears. It seems trite, but from a morning that started with a grimace, I felt very mentally defeated. It was me vs. the bike and despite the fact that I wanted to win so badly, I decided to say screw it. I'm not doing this.<br />
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At this point, I could have just biked around the neighborhood, but I was mad at my bike. So, I said I'm taking a mental health day. If I decided to work out that night then so be it; otherwise, nope. And of course, I ended up not working out. But that's okay because I relaxed by the pool, finished <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Firm-Novel-John-Grisham/dp/0440245923/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272892225&sr=8-1">The Firm</a> in one weekend (great book, although makes me a tad paranoid), and overall got to recharge. Sometimes you need a break.<br />
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Today is a swim 30/run 15 so I should be able to conquer it and bounce back to a steady training schedule. Should. Here's hoping.Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-6612780191449249942010-04-30T09:39:00.000-05:002010-04-30T09:41:03.119-05:00Adding Yards and MilesAs mentioned earlier, my workout for last night was supposed to be a 30 minute swim and 20 minute run. However, I hadn't biked since last Sunday and was itching to test out my new padded bike shorts, so I decided to turn my run into a bike. Plus, it gave me an opportunity to practice a transition. Obviously, a transition from the pool to the bike at the gym isn't a true transition, but it's the best I have right now. I'm going to look into some open water practice options (I hear you can at Lake Pfugerville?) so I can get a real transition in. I know it's vital that I practice them as much as I can. I timed myself from when I jumped out of the pool until I made it to the bike (and until I started peddling). It took me 3:13 to get from pool to bike, and another minute to set my workout and get started. Considering that on race day my workout will be to just peddle (rather than setting time, weight, etc), I was pretty proud of myself. Last time I did a pool-to-bike transition it took 5 minutes.<br />
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The swim workout ended up being pretty good. I used Workout 2 found <a href="http://www.active.com/swimming/Articles/Keep-Your-Feel-for-the-Water-With-These-30-Minute-Swim-Workouts.htm">here</a>. I wasn't able to complete the full 1800 yards because by the time I made it to 1500 (and all that was left was a 300 cool-down), I'd been in the pool nearly 40 minutes and needed to get to the bike. The workout ended up like this:<br />
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300 warm up (3X100)<br />
400<br />
300<br />
200<br />
100<br />
4X50 IM (fly, back, breast, free)<br />
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I was disappointed that my times weren't nearly what was written on the workout. However, considering the workout is made for the off-season for open water ocean swimmers, I didn't feel as bad. I'm still working up to speed and endurance, so I'm trying to push myself a little more each time.<br />
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The bike workout was also good. I like doing the hills workout with interval training. It keeps things interesting on the bike, especially when you're watching your hometown basketball team choke in the playoffs...again. And, let me make my plug now, that now matter how much they feel like a maxi-pad when you walk, padded bike shorts are AWESOME. My butt didn't hurt at all. I had to adjust a few times on the seat because I was getting used to them, but regardless they felt great. Next time I run I'd like to practice running with them because I see no need to change shorts between the bike and run (T2). That just adds time to my transition.<br />
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Finally, in encouraging news, I received my official Danksin Triathlon Series training shirt in the mail yesterday. It was the boost I needed to encourage me to workout. It reminded me again that I actually *am* training for a triathlon, and that when I cross that finish line, no matter how fast or slow I am, no matter that it's "just" a sprint triathlon and not Olympic or anything else, I will be a <b>triathlete</b>. I felt a little pep in my step when I put it on.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_02EbgsSNx7o/S9riLMY6hzI/AAAAAAAAAAk/IhpQZGbLuF8/s1600/10DanskinTT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_02EbgsSNx7o/S9riLMY6hzI/AAAAAAAAAAk/IhpQZGbLuF8/s320/10DanskinTT.jpg" /></a></div><i>*note: that's not me modeling the shirt</i><br />
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Now for some inspirational quotes:<br />
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<i>There is nothing noble in being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self. -- Hindu proverb</i> <br />
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<i>"Unless you test yourself, you stagnate. Unless you try and go way beyond what you've been able to do before, you won't develop and grow. When you go for it 100% when you don't have the fear of 'What if I fail', that's when you learn. Thats when you are really living." -Mark Allen </i>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-40091857091310865262010-04-29T17:06:00.000-05:002010-04-29T17:06:15.050-05:00Running the TrailI was supposed to do a 35 minute run on Tuesday but was pretty tired so I opted out. Never fear, for I ran yesterday to make up for it. I decided to check out the other half of the <a href="http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/trails.htm">Lady Bird Lake Trail</a>: the part going from Congress Ave to Mopac. I love running the trail. The trees shade a good part of it and make you forget that you're downtown in a major city (although downtown Austin is pretty cool regardless). I also love the people watching. Seeing all the cyclists, runners, and walkers reminded me of one of the many reasons Austin is awesome. So many people out enjoying the weather and getting fit. My favorite was an old man, probably in his 80s, with a small hunchback in a long-sleeved black shirt, blue jeans, and black Converse shoes. He trudged along with a hiccup in his step, but he was out there nonetheless. I had to smile at his dedication.<br />
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I did around 3.5 miles but I'm not 100% sure of the time. I started my timer while I walked from my office and forgot to pause it when I stopped to stretch. I did a slower run but not quite as slow as <a href="http://www.dailymile.com/">Daily Mile</a> predicted.<br />
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Tonight's workout calls for a 30 minute swim and 20 minute run. I'm going to adjust that to be a 30 swim/20 bike. I need to get some more cycling in, especially because the swim/bike transition can be tricky. I can't wait to try out my new cycling shorts so hopefully my tushy won't hurt as much. I also don't want to do the run portion today since I ran yesterday and will be doing the <a href="http://longhornrun.com/">Longhorn Run</a> on Saturday morning. I want to make sure I'm balance and don't tire myself out.<br />
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Honestly, I'm not looking forward to the workout tonight. I've felt better recently because of all the exercise I've been doing and I've seen small but noticeable results in the mirror lately. However, I'm just not feeling it tonight. I hope I'm able to get into it because I really enjoy being in the pool and it frustrates me when I'm not enjoying it. Now that I'm back in the pool on a more consistent basis my focus needs to be adding yards to help with my endurance. A simple google search led me <a href="http://www.active.com/swimming/Articles/Keep-Your-Feel-for-the-Water-With-These-30-Minute-Swim-Workouts.htm">here</a> for three separate ideas for 30 minute swim workouts. All of them look good, but I think I'll go with Workout 2. I love ladder workouts in the pool and mixing up the strokes.<br />
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Stay tuned for more details tonight.Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-31812852744881837282010-04-26T16:24:00.000-05:002010-04-26T16:24:04.108-05:00It's (Not) Always Sunny in Spin ClassToday's workout is a 50 minute bike ride plus some strength. I decided to wake up at ass o'clock (5:30am) to make it to spin class at my gym. I'd never been to a spin class before and heard lots of good things about it (Seth Rogen's character on <i>The 40-Year-Old Virgin</i> recommended it as a great place to meet girls. Not that I'm trying to meet girls, obviously, but clearly it's become part of our culture enough to warrant a reference in a big movie). I arrived at class about ten minutes early and warmed up on my bike.<br />
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First off, that bike seat hurts your ass like none other. Luckily my padded bike shorts arrived today so my future rides won't be as painful. Secondly, they keep the lights really dim which is nice when it's early in the morning and your eyes are adjusting, but not good as you keep up the workout. It's not easy to wake up when it's dim.<br />
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Finally, and the most telling part, was that I just did not enjoy the class. It was boring, to say the least. I got a good workout, got my heart rate up (although not as high as I would have liked), and peddled away. But I felt like I was looking at the clock every two minutes (I really think I was). The intervals were challenging but not frequent enough to keep me on my toes. What I like about riding my bike outside is the scenery and getting fresh air. And I understand the same arguments can be made about running outside vs. running inside. The difference is that when I'm on the treadmill, I can zone out with the TV or my headphones (like I can when I'm on the bike in the main workout room, too). But for a class, there was nothing engaging about it. Since I started ten minutes early I left ten minutes early to get ready for work. And it definitely wasn't ten minutes too soon.<br />
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It's a shame, really, because I like group classes. They help you stay focused and push you beyond what you would normally do. I guess for now I'll stick with my yoga and pilates classes. Maybe I'll venture out again to the other ones they offer. However, dear spin class, this is where our date ends.<br />
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I'd like to thank <i>It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia</i> for verbalizing my feelings:<br />
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<b>"Dennis: Spin class, come on, bunch of hamsters on a wheel! <br />
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Dee: Yeah, I'm gonna ride a bike hard, I'm gonna ride a bike fast, and, oh yeah, I'm not gonna go anywhere!!" </b>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-68075030992509688372010-04-25T19:08:00.000-05:002010-04-25T19:08:09.373-05:00Sunday FundayFear not, readers, for I have been working out this week. I have not, however, been updating this dear collection of my training adventures. Here's a brief update of the week followed by how my morning went today.<br />
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Wednesday: first hula class in nearly two months. I had a great time getting back into the groove of the techniques I learned and reviewing all our past dances. We're learning a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hula#Hula_Kahiko">kahiko</a> dance about the fire goddess taught by our lovely instructor, <a href="http://www.viviankaw.com/viviankaw/index.html">Vivian Kaw</a>. Kahiko dances are my favorite because they're more traditional and have a more tribal feel. I feel like I'm really immersing myself in hula and the Hawaiian culture as it began as opposed to when we do the more modern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hula#Hula_.CA.BBauana">ahuana</a> dances. Don't get me wrong; they're both fun. But each person that does hula has a preference of one over the other ;-).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_02EbgsSNx7o/S9TKbjHwDFI/AAAAAAAAAAc/37R4pgbsTpw/s1600/hula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_02EbgsSNx7o/S9TKbjHwDFI/AAAAAAAAAAc/37R4pgbsTpw/s320/hula.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Thursday night's workout didn't happen, unfortunately. However, instead of taking a rest day on Friday as schedule, I decided to go running. Well, sort of. I worked out with Ryan at his gym and biked for 10 and ellipticalled for 20. I did the hills workout on each machine so I was able to power through the lows of the hills quickly. I did some ab work after that with various crunches and pilates moves.<br />
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Saturday night I also ran. My gym, 24 Hour Fitness, was having a "bring a guest" day, so I wanted to show Ryan my gym (and perhaps encourage him to join). We went to the one up north at 7:45 and were told that we were welcome to go work out but they closed at 8. Oops. Back to Ryan's gym, both the treadmill and elliptical were full. Oops. Finally went to the middle school down the street and luckily did not run into the state track championship or any other event (minus some parents with their kid on a 4-wheeler. Really?!). I accomplished a small but important goal for me; I finished 3 miles in under 30 minutes. For most runners, that's an easy feat. However, I'm a sloooow runner so doing that made me proud. 29:45, folks. My next goal is to get to 29, then 28 minutes.<br />
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I prompted crashed that night and woke up this morning. Since it was a sleepy Sunday in the ATX, I decided to take advantage of that and get my workout done early. I biked to my gym (nearly a mile) then swam for 30 minutes (and 1150 yards). I even threw in 2x25 butterfly at the end to make it interesting. It took a little while to get into the swim; my legs felt dead and I just wasn't feeling it. But I pushed through and made it.<br />
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I hopped on my bike and decided to do a huge block around the neighborhood that should have given me a little over 5 miles in 30 minutes. However, despite mapping it out beforehand, I didn't realize that a street I planned on turning down to head back actually dog-legged with <i>another </i>street first. As I approached the stoplight for the other street, I thought it might be my turn. I decided to keep going because I didn't want to short myself. And, naturally, that was the turn. I made it all the way up to 2222 and turned back to head home. I biked 6.88 miles in 36 minutes and felt great. There were some challenging hills in there (slow but steady) and a comparable number of downhills to give my legs a much-needed break. I need to work on balancing with one hand while I'm riding in order to drink more water. I know I didn't hydrate enough.<br />
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I ordered <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000Y0HBEO/ref=oss_product">these padded bike shorts</a> to help cush my tush for longer rides. My training plan is going great so far. I am, however, worried about how little biking I'm scheduled to do. I just finished week two, and for the next six weeks, I have the following numbers of workouts (these include bricks):<br />
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Swim: 12<br />
Bike: 8<br />
Run: 24<br />
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Yes, running isn't my strongest; however to have 3 times as many runs as bikes seems a little much, especially since I have very little bike experience. While my goal is to just finish the tri, I'd really like to get a decent time while I'm at it.<br />
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I checked out last year's results for my age group (all 88 of those gals). The times for the bike ranged anywhere from 36 minutes to over an hour. I'd really like to be less than an hour and I know I can do it. But with my current schedule (and many of those bike days being Sunday/Mondays or Monday/Tuesdays), I don't feel like I'm getting enough experience. I might switch up some of the run days with bike days, especially if they involve bricks. I have to work on the transitions.<br />
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Speaking of transitions, I timed myself today with getting out of the pool, dried off, and on my bike. It took nearly 5 minutes. I was shocked at how long it took. Granted, I had to get out of the gym and unlock my bike, it still was entirely too long. I realize now why all the veteran triathletes say you've got to focus on the transitions.<br />
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I'm finding it increasingly helpful to have last year's results in front of me where I can see all the details of the different legs and transitions. It puts the entire race into a better perspective. Going into this, I knew what I had to do as far as swim/bike/run goes, but had no idea how the actual race turns out. I still won't know until I'm actually there, but at least I have a little window to look out of rather than just being in the dark.<br />
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What I've noticed improving in the past two weeks since I began this program is my will and determination. Whether it takes someone telling me they're not sure if I can do it or me saying out loud on a busy street "Push...push!", I've realized I've already come so far. I'm jumping so many mental hurdles. I know it will get tough, but I'm already proud of what I've accomplished. I know I can keep doing it. So, as usual, I leave you with a quote:<br />
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<div style="color: black;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: left;"> <b><span style="font-size: medium;">"Only those who risk going too far, can possibly find out how far they can go."</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>- T. S. Elliot</b></span></div>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-66588268303575645892010-04-20T22:27:00.000-05:002010-04-20T22:28:13.901-05:00So apparently tires need airToday's workout called for a 30 minute bike followed by a 15 minute run. It was a gorgeous day outside so I was looking forward to biking outside. On a side note here, I'd like to tell a little tale of how me and my bike met. At my old apartment, my old roommate, <a href="http://hollacopter.wordpress.com/">Josh</a> (who is currently in China teaching English. I highly recommend his blog for more entertaining adventures than mine), and I were walking outside and saw two bikes underneath the stairs to our apartment. Both had manila tape on them with "FREE" haphazardly written on them. If I remember correctly, one was small and purple, impractical for both me and Josh. But the red beauty next to it had my name on it (my other name is Free, for those of you who don't know). I rode it around the parking lot and it was love. I took it upstairs and later bought a helmet. Then I didn't ride it. For a long time. Much more than I would like to admit. However, after my ride, described below, I feel like this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.<br />
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I got all my gear together and pulled my bike out of the Harry Potter closet beneath the stairs. The tires felt a little low and since I didn't have a bike pump (note to self...get one), I figured I could make it the 6 blocks down to the <a href="http://www.peddlerbike.com/">Peddler Bike Shop</a> for some air. I started peddling and I could not believe how hard it was. I had a couple bikers pass me which was a tad embarrassing. By the time I made it to the shop my thighs were burning. According to their window, they closed at 7pm. It was 7:15. Oops.<br />
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I saw some folks inside so I frantically waved them over. I pleaded with the gentleman who opened the door that my tires were way low. Of course, he was super friendly and they got me hooked up. Thanks especially to the guy with the cross between the handlebar mustache and fu manchu who filled my tires.<br />
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When I hopped back on, I had a laugh out loud moment because I couldn't believe that not only did I let them get that low, but that I attempted to actually ride with it! The rest of the ride was me getting used to riding around the neighborhood and remembering how to ride a bike. True, you never forget how to ride. However, slowing down and stopping appropriately takes a little getting use to. Overall it was a great ride (over 5 miles) and beautiful day outside.<br />
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I dropped off my bike and went for my run. My legs felt like jello on top, lead on bottom. It was a strange bouncy feeling and took a good 6-7 minutes to get in the flow. I ran for 16 minutes and got in a measly 1.4 miles. However, I'm optimistic because I know I have to start somewhere and I at least I ran.<br />
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On a side note, I trained today with my handy dandy new <a href="http://spibelt.com/">Spibelt</a>. It's a fashionable fanny pack, basically. And not in the ironic hipster fashionable sense (no, you are not unique), but in the sleek, I'm-training-and-want-to-feel-fancy kind of way. They're made here in Austin (Go Local!) and really are an awesome accessory (and soon to be necessity if I keep loving it) for outdoor workouts. They don't bounce at all and held my iphone, a couple keys, and my headphones with room to spare. Plus, if you wear it you'll have abs like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_02EbgsSNx7o/S85ttT64-2I/AAAAAAAAAAU/eR4mOS2JbgI/s1600/SPIbrand_Photo+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_02EbgsSNx7o/S85ttT64-2I/AAAAAAAAAAU/eR4mOS2JbgI/s320/SPIbrand_Photo+edit.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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For now, it's on to some relaxing and reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SOQDG8/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1594860866&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1G59GRFSENE01FX93P1C">No Opportunity Wasted.</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;">The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without shocking the entire community. ~Ann Strong</span>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-64410775107362097262010-04-20T11:55:00.000-05:002010-04-20T11:56:12.826-05:00Big MondayWhile last night's workout didn't include all the hype and ESPN coverage that most Big Mondays do, it still felt big. My gym, 24 Hour Fitness, has yoga classes on Monday nights. I used to go a few months ago but hadn't in awhile. It felt great to get back. The class was really stimulating because we did several new poses briefly. My favorite was the <a href="http://www.yogabasics.com/asana/postures/goddess.html">Goddess Pose</a>. I look forward to going back to more classes. Even just one a week really helps me stretch. I could tell my muscles were tight and any of the progress I made with classes a few months ago faded away because I hadn't been going.<br />
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After the relaxing yet invigorating yoga class, I hopped in the pool for a 30 minute swim. I was able to get in 1100 yards, which isn't bad for it being my second time in the pool since starting the training program. I've been doing hand drills (fingertip drag, catch-up drill) to help bring my technique back. The biggest thing I need to work on (other than endurance, which comes with time), is being able to swim with my head up and swim in a straight line. It's easy to swim in a straight line when the water is clear and you can see the tiles all the way down. However, as I know from my past experiences with the Freedom Swim (a 1.5 mile swim across the Peace River in Florida. Did I mention the water is the color of molasses? And there's a current coming in the river from the Gulf?), that swimming in a straight line is hard. I also need to work on swimming with my head above water. It's surprisingly tiring to do so. I know it'll be important when I'm around a lot of other women frantically paddling.<br />
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After the swim, I dried off quickly, changed, and went to look for a treadmill for my 30 minute run. I was honestly surprised when I saw not a single treadmill was open. Rather than waiting it out and letting my heart rate drop more, I hopped on the elliptical and got started. Of course, nearly half the treadmills opened up around the same time. I stuck with the elliptical and worked hard.<br />
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Overall it was an awesome workout. I'm not really sore today and I felt great last night. To top it off, I came home to delicious cake balls, courtesy of the roomie.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I'll leave you with a nice yoga quote:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif; font-size: small;">Yoga has a sly, clever way of short-circuiting the mental patterns that cause anxiety. ~Baxter Bell</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif; font-size: small;">and another one for good measure:</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><q> The beauty is that people often come here for the stretch, and leave with a lot more.</q> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">~Liza Ciano</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-28004208892888032032010-04-18T14:51:00.000-05:002010-04-18T14:51:58.833-05:00Training ScheduleHokay, so, with a little configuration I'm finally able to post my training schedule. I used <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/trifit/trifast.htm">Hal Higdon's 8 week triathlon training schedule</a> and modified it by switching Monday's workout with Wednesday's to better fit my schedule. So far it's been a great schedule and really easy to follow.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_02EbgsSNx7o/S8tibDxDM9I/AAAAAAAAAAM/aaaLJtQKLfE/s1600/Training+Schedule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_02EbgsSNx7o/S8tibDxDM9I/AAAAAAAAAAM/aaaLJtQKLfE/s400/Training+Schedule.jpg" width="395" /></a></div>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-71886890589693163802010-04-18T14:38:00.000-05:002010-04-18T14:38:17.795-05:00Saturday's "run"Nothing special to report with Saturday night's "run". I used the elliptical instead of the treadmill in hopes to open up the tightness in my legs. I think it helped.<br />
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Today's workout consists of a 30 minute swim and a 30 minute run. Will report back when done.Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5563564094142609719.post-80215161155766473152010-04-16T09:02:00.000-05:002010-04-16T09:17:28.410-05:00Just keep swimming Just keep swimmingDory had it right. Her mantra and song really keeps you going when you know you need that extra mental push. But, for me last night at the pool, I had to stop myself from swimming or else I would have spent two hours at the pool.<br />
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My workout last night called for 20 minutes of swimming and 25 minutes of running. I hopped in the pool and warmed up with 3X50, 2X50 hand drills, 50 breast, and a 100. I kept going and did a 200, 150, 100, 2X75, and instead of going down to a 50, I did a 200. I had a Forrest Gump moment in that "I just felt like [swimming]." I finished with a 50 breast to cool down.<br />
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I've heard runners try to explain to non-runners about the "runner's high" they feel when they're out on the trail. Sometimes it takes me awhile to get to that point and once I'm there I'm happy. More often than not though, I'm borderline miserable and only feel good once it's over. My high is the pool. I love being in the water. I get into a rhythm and it just feels so natural. I'm an awkward runner with poor form, but when I'm in the pool everything just clicks.<br />
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After the swim, I decided to bike instead of run. I did 20 mins on the bike with a 2 minute cool-down. I took it easy on the bike and just kept going to keep the blood moving in my legs. Nothing else interesting to note about it, unfortunately.<br />
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Overall it was a great workout and I felt awesome. A little sleep had to be sacrificed for it, but it was worth it.<br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia,bookman old style,palatino linotype,book antiqua,palatino,trebuchet ms,helvetica,garamond,sans-serif,arial,verdana,avante garde,century gothic,comic sans ms,times,times new roman,serif;">I can't fly, but swimming is the next best thing.... The water is my sky. ~Author Unknown</span>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702671145281448826noreply@blogger.com0