Sooooooo Tired…..

Ok short post. This week has been INSANE. Yesterday, today and tomorrow are all long days – working out from 8am till 7pm. Lots of sports (TBA yesterday, basketball today) and cardio (cardio movie tomorrow!) So I’m BONE tired and a wee bit sore. But I’m happy that I’m still moving, and not too stiff.

Additionally, I’m really pushing myself hard this time – much harder than before. I think it’s a little bit mental and a little bit physical and I’ve got a whole ‘nother blog post formulating in my head about this. But I need a few more days of data

PS – I love all the renewed comments and love on my blog, FB and twitter. Have I mentioned how much I like you people?

P.S.S.  Right after I published this post I saw a commercial that really struck me!  Its for www.50millionpounds.com, a site that looks to be challenging people to lose weight as well as provide community and information.  I haven’t explored it really, but the commercial was enough to make me check it out.  I’ll report back if it’s interesting!

The ‘Skins should draft me. Can’t make ‘em any worse.

Today I played “TBA” – LIFE’s version of football.  While when I first got on the schedule to play, I was WAY nervous.  But in Sept I played three times and got a little better each time.  I knew they thought I was still in decent shape after my three week break because they put me on TBA today.

TBA here is a little like a mix of soccer and football.   We play with flags of course.  We also play without a set number of players – today we had 9 on 9 – I’ve played with as few as 4 on 4.  There are no “downs”….basically the point is to run your butt off…so what would be the point of stopping every 5 min for a new down?  If a play stops (ball dropped, pass missed, flag pulled) the other team gets the ball and play starts right away.

If you catch a ball (or pick it up) you have two options/  Option 1:  Stand still.  You have 3 one thousand to think about it – either throw the ball or start running before the other team can pull your flag (you know….one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand).  Option 2:  Start running immediately.  Once you start running, the other team can pull your flag anytime.

You can throw forwards or backwards, you can throw to anyone and they can run with it, or catch it standing and use the 3-count to throw it back to you (or anyone else who’s open).  Most of the best plays involve like, 4 team members throwing it back and forth along the field to keep it out of the other team’s hands, while moving toward the goal line.  I myself have actually MADE A TOUCHDOWN this way.  We play 3 games – the first two till 10 points, the last till 15.

We usually play TBA 2 times a week.  Tuesdays its mostly campers and a few trainers.  Saturdays is a little different – generally you get a few folks who have either been to camp before or are friends of the people who work/play here.  So there are some people playing who are SUPER in shape and some who are….well, not.  So while it can get competitive, generally people are cool – everyone plays, everyone runs.  Everyone will get the ball at some point because even the fastest folks are bound by the same rules.   Everyone covers someone close to their own abilities – so it’s not like I’m covering one the my trainers (my proudest moment on defense was grabbing the flag of one of my trainers – I got lucky, but STILL!)

The last few times I played I was covering/being covered by folks much faster than me.  I kept joking that anyone covering me was only allowed to WALK FAST.  But that didn’t work   Today was fun because I was playing against a girl who is very close to my own abilities.   That made playing defense a bit more fun for me, I have to admit.  More like I actually had a shot at making a play (even tho she totally beat me twice – once I was just not paying enough attention tho).

Don’t get me wrong – I am getting better!  I run more, and faster (than I used to anyway).  So what the heck.  I’m gonna enjoy it. A few months ago, I never would have played something like this.  I would be all torn up about how I was the slow one and that I was hurting the team or whatever cause I wasn’t a good enough player.  Screw that.  It doesn’t really matter as long as I’m trying hard.  It’s mean to be fun…and it is!  I’m finally getting over myself

First day…still strong.

Can we talk about how excited I am?   I had my first full day back at camp today, and it was a good one.  I was worried that I would have lost some of my stamina after my 3 week break, but honestly?  I felt strong today.  I was able to keep up with no problem.

Started the day with stretching of course, then had a 60 min cardio bootcamp.  Whew.  Its intense – 60 min of cardio intervals (meaning we go fast for 3 min, then slower for 4 min, then high resistance for 3 min then low resistance but faster pace for 4 min – you  get the idea.)  Your heart rate gets up and stays up, and you burn a TON of calories.

After cardio, I had a circuit training (mix of cardio, weights, and core stuff) with Marco.  Then I had a 30 min abs class and 30 more min of cardio (I’m doing a lot more cardio now – which is good…that’s what I need to improve most).

After lunch (taco salad – my fave), I did 30 min of cardio on my own, then had a personal training session with two other girls and a bootcamp.

Finished up at 4:15 – a little early since they didn’t put me in the 5:15pm beach bootcamp (letting me take it easy my first day, hehehe).

Tomorrow I have a long day including TBA, another cardio bootcamp, yoga and a end-of-day bootcamp.  I don’t finish till about 7pm.  I need to sleep tonight that’s for sure! 

I also weighed in – turns out in my three weeks at home, I lost an additional 3lbs.  Woot!  I think that the third week was a little rough – lots of wonderful dinners, happy hours and lunches with my wonderful Blackboard colleagues.  So I probably lost that 3lbs those first two weeks I was home.  Mostly I just tried to eat less.  Dramatic huh.  I ate less and excersized.  I love it when a plan comes together.

OK am going to watch a little TV and go to bed.  BTW, WTH is this new reality cop show with Steven Segall!!???  Seriously?

PS – If you call my cell, just want to let you know that I have CRAPPY cell reception in my room.  Once I get a call its fine, but you may go to voicemail automatically.  I’ll call ya back

On the road again…

OK, at 7am tomorrow (Sunday) I get on a plane (who made these reservations anyhow). I’m off to L.A. again. I could use a few more days of decompression between the end of my job and the beginning of this new adventure, but whatever,* I’ll get over it.

The last few days have been exceedingly exciting and emotional. The folks at Blackboard and my clients have been amazing – I’ve gotten so many wonderful notes, hugs, tweets and FB posts from everyone telling me how much I’ll be missed. But I think it didn’t really hit me until Friday, my last day at work. Around 3:30pm I started packing up for my scheduled “check out” meeting with HR. I shut down my computer for the last time….and burst into tears. Unstoppable, ridiculous, fat, flowing, sobby tears. I didn’t realize I had it in me to be honest! I guess no matter how happy you are to be doing something, 8 years of your life is hard to let go – both the good and the bad.

So eventually I stopped crying (my poor officemate Shelby walked me down to my car with all my stuff), and I got in my car. Started driving out to meet my parents for dinner, and pretty much cried the whole way. By the time I got to dinner tho, it was done. I had the headache that all girls get after that much crying, but the good energy had returned.

I’m so excited to head out to LA tomorrow. Early flight and all.

*Yeah, I know “whatever” has been selected as the most annoying word this year. Whatever.

Holy crap! I quit my job!

So if you haven’t heard yet…get ready.  There’s a reason my blog has been quiet the last week. 

 I resigned from my job here at Blackboard. 

Holy crap.

I’ve been at Blackboard for 8 years!  EIGHT!  I’ve never had a job for that long.  Heck, I haven’t gone to any school that long.  I’m not sure I’ve known my parents for eight years.    OK I’ve totally known my parents for that long, but you get the point.

Its hard to point to one event or decision that has led to me leaving.  But one decision does loom a bit larger than others at the moment.  I’ve decided to return to LIFE for another month! 

Holy crap!  I’m going back to bootcamp!

While I was there, I just had this nagging feeling that I needed more time.  And the closer I got to the end of my month, the nagging took on the tenor of a mother-in-law convention.  I had some momentum for the first time in so long.  I felt great and knew that a few more weeks would make a huge difference.  But I had to go back to work.  So I considered the pros and cons of quitting my job:

Pros:  More time to get myself in fighting shape.  An opportunity to go back to a smaller company again, or a non-profit/association (I miss that small, entrepreneurial feeling that a start-up has – Bb 5 or 6 years ago). New opportunties, new challenges.

Cons:  No job!  Bad economy.  Will anybody but Bb really think I’m any good?

So I thought about it for a while then decided to stop thinking so much and make something happen.  Because in the end, you gotta go with your gut.  I’m sad to be leaving my colleagues and clients here at Bb (family really!) but excited to be trying something new.  I’m going back to LIFE on Sunday, Oct 18 and staying until November 20.  I’ll still be sharing my experiences here on my blog.

I’ll also be beginning my job search remotely while I’m in L.A., then returning home to pound the pavement to make my next career move.

So umm, yeah, if you know someone hiring a marketing events/client relationships type person, I can send you my resume

Before and After

Here are my before and after shots taken at LIFE.  Fun Stuff!

All in all, I’m very happy with the results.  I lost a total of 14 pounds.  I gained 3.5 lbs of “lean mass” (muscle) so I really lost almost 18 lbs of fat.  I also lost over 20 inches!

Chest:  3 inches
Bellybutton: 2 inches
Waist: 4 inches
Hips: 4 inches
Saddle: 4 inches
Right Thigh: 2 inches
R Calf: 0.25 inch
R Biceps: 1 inch
Neck: 1 inch

Excellent results all around.  I had hoped to lose about 15 lbs, and I did.  So I can’t really ask for much more!  All my clothes at home fit now, and I’m on my way to even smaller sizes.  I think in the long run, my intital goal is to lose about 50lbs more, but that goal will change as I get closer to it I’m sure.

In the meantime, I’ve been busy getting my life back in order here at home in DC.  I have to make my own food!  Go out to excersize on my own!!  Insanity   But I’m doing good.

On Tuesday I went for a run/walk through the zoo in my ‘hood.  My path is about 2.5 miles and I did my ‘run twenty steps, walk 20 steps’ pattern – always trying to work my way up to more running and less/faster walking.  I’ve also worked out with my trainer twice since I’ve been home.  So the journey continues.

More posts over the next few days.  What you say?  What could these new posts be about?  Isn’t the “Quest” over?  Maybe not.  You’ll just have to read and find out.

Before (August 31, 2009)

After (Sept 28, 2009)

 
 
 

Front Before!

Front After!

 

 

 

 

 

Back Before

Back After

 

 

 

 

Right Side Before

Right Side After