Diversity

Hello, fan! (mommy) 

For the past three years I've avoided the gym like Andy avoids housework, which is a little bit like superman avoiding kryptonite. As a result, I have become so one dimensional at times I think I resemble flat stanley. Not good. 

In case you don't know Flat Stanley, here he is. He's flat.

So about four weeks ago one of my co-workers challenged the office to Boot Camp, a body weight based fitness class that meets three times a week just up the road from the house. The group challenge, and pretty low cost, motivated me off my patootie and at 6 am on October 10 I found myself doing my first pushup since high school. The exercises were awkward and I quickly confirmed what I had long suspected - I have zero upper body strength and little core. At least I'm the best (girl) runner there.... Most everyone's in the same boat and it has been a great experience to go to the same class three days a week, getting to know people who probably wouldn't make eye contact with me at the grocery store otherwise.

Unicoi, TN CX - my legs are begging me to stop. Photo by Ddubb

After diligently attending all three sessions the first week, I found myself too damn tired to train. In spite of my 0 hours training plan, I journeyed to Tennesee on the weekend (10/15-16) for a double header of 'cross racing. And, as could be expected but not necessarily accepted, it felt like someone had tied lead balloons to my legs and I therefore interpret this to mean I sucked. Super frownie face! Everything hurt, everywhere!

I started week two with a bit of an attitude (why am I doing this, it's making me suck!), but also with a little more determination to get some cycling training in, as well. I'm still a cyclist, right? Maybe.  I made a key decision - avoid 8 hours of driving for two 45 minute races and stay home and train, which in theory goes against my bike racery grain. As that crazy country bumpkin I used to work with would say, in barely understandable southern drawl, "do whut?" [Insert pause here for shocked interpretation of county speech] Turns out, it made sense, and last weekend was fantabulastic, filled with solid riding, sunny days, and much homestead accomplishments.

With my new found arm-strength, I was able to help Andy carry our bee hive from its black mountain home to a borrowed truck, to a new temporary home at my girlfriend Trish's. (we have to build a bear fence if we want to keep it at our new place). Three weeks ago, my arms probably would have failed me and I would have dropped that sucker on Andy's foot, causing hundreds of worker bees to kamikaze themselves all over him. Instead, we made the transfer smoothly (although slowly), and now potential tenant or purchasers will not be distracted by the weird white box with little stinging insects flying in and out of it.

And now I'm done with three weeks of boot camp, AND I went running yesterday, AND I've been swimming at the Y when Andy goes. Hence, the post title, 'diversity'. It doesn't really help the cycling. BUT, I think I've been long overdue for a routine shake up, and the DIVERSITY is making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Which helps everyone, outside.


Up next? Well, I did decide to skip Boot Camp on the Fridays before I race... which would be this weekend. It might actually give me half a chance at not sucking. MSG Cross on Caturday, and my first NCCX race of the year on Sunday in Boone. It's Halloween weekend, which means there's potential for a whole lot more silly than usual. Woot!