2,856 Hours...

After finishing a workout with my Tough Mudder Team this morning, I decided to figure out just how much time there is left to drop this last 10 pounds, build up my stamina and completely convince myself that I can do this 10 mile course!  As of this very moment I have 

2,856 hours

which is 171,360 minutes

or 10,281,600 seconds...  

However, I guess the most effective measure is 119 days from today!

But I think I like looking at the minutes best.  It makes me feel like I have more time. :)

This morning I followed my fellow Mudders through an interesting course. We went back to a playground with a small ski slope.  We ran around the field, up the hill (a very STEEP hill, mind you... ok, so that's when I have to confess that I NEVER run up the entire hill.  I run up about 1/3 of it and then pray to God that my lungs won't explode while I'm walking to the top to meet my team), through all kinds of obstacles on the playground, did pull-ups (I can't do ONE!), suicides, side crawls, push ups, and more.  We worked hard for an hour.  


                I only thought I was going to die 3-4 times...                                                                 improvement!


It's funny... when I work out alone I feel like I'm getting stronger!  When I work out with my VERY young teammates, I feel like the old lady that I truly am (ok... I know I'm not old, but compared to my team, I might as well be using a walker).  


         But it's good.  
               I like the challenge that they bring.  
                      I HATE pushing myself that hard during the hard parts, 
                                 but I like feeling GOOD the rest of the time.  


Down 5 pounds since I signed up.  Up to 5 push ups.  Moving in the right direction.  


Hoping to post a picture of the team soon.  Then you'll "get it" when you see my young compadres. But don't hold it against them that they're young and beautiful.  I love them! (until I'm trudging up the hills behind them... then I strongly dislike them for just a few minutes...)


119 to go...

Getting Stronger

It's been 3 weeks to the day since I signed up for Tough Mudder VT 2012.  For three weeks I've worked out just about every day.  For three weeks I've died with Jillian (from Biggest Loser), been beaten by Amanda (who's showing our team how to run) and tried to whip myself into some sort of shape so that I don't feel like I'll DIE on Mt. Snow come May 5th.

It's beginning to pay off!!!!

Saturday I had the best 3 mile run.  It actually felt good to run!  And today I walked with Tim for 2 miles, and then did Jillian's 20 minute SHRED.  And I didn't feel dead when I was done!  I think I'm actually beginning to get some strength, increase my lung capacity and generally have more energy for my workouts.  YES!  This truly feels really good! 

As of today I have 4 months and 4 days to train...

Tomorrow I head out with my Tough Mudders for a 4.2 mile run, followed by a one hour workout.  I'm feeling less intimidated by it than I was a week ago.  That's progress!  Tough Mudder suggests that by the time you tackle the 10 mile course, you (I) should be running 5 miles twice a week.  So that's my goal.  But more than that I'm working on upper-body strength... an area of weakness for me.  So most days I work on push-ups and use weights to build strength.

I must confess that I've HATED moments of this.  There have been several times that I thought, "Why did I lock myself into this?  I'm hating this and now there's no backing out!"  But more often than not, and especially now that I'm geting stronger, I realize that it's worth it.  It's GOOD to push myself.  I LIKE getting stronger and more fit.  So if you find yourself H A T I N G the discipline that you've committed to in the New Year, in the long run the payoff is worth the investment!

Hebrews 12:11  All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Happy New Year!  Here's to a year of change...