I have a good workout and a wonderful dinner to share! 🙂
Today’s workout was a back-to-back run and swim. First, I started with Legs Day of the Intro To Iron Pumping Challenge:
Day 2: Legs
- Warm Up: 5 minutes of cardio
- Lunge and Lift: 3 x 12 (novice system) for each leg
- Stability Ball Hamstring Curl: 3 x 12
- Leg Extensions: 3 x 10 with 30 lbs
- Stability Ball Calf Raises: Skipped
- Step Ups: 3 x 12 with two 12 lbs weights for each leg
- Straight leg pullover crunch: 22 with 5 lb weight
And then I actually left the gym to go on a short run. The weather was nice, and I would always rather run outside then on the dreadmill. I did:
- Distance: 1.5 miles
- Duration: 15:00 minutes
And then I came back to the gym, changed, and did an EPIC swim! As you all know, I have a slight fear of the swim leg of the upcoming triathlon (it’s in March) because I was disqualified from my first triathlon because I had a panic attack in the lake!
That was a sprint triathlon (0.75 km) and I’m signing up for an Olympic one (1.5 km)…. so not only do I need to conquer my fear of swimming, but I need to go BEYOND my fear and swim double the length!
The thing that really freaked me out during my first race was I didn’t really think about:
- You can’t stop swimming and hang onto a ledge. It’s a lake!
- You can’t see the bottom. It’s a lake!
- Yes, your feet will brush against slimy, scary things. It’s a lake!
One of my goals for training this time around is to NOT stop swimming during training swims. If I need a break, I should float on my back, just like I’ll have to do during the race. I used this technique and managed to do .75 km without stopping to rest!
- Distance: 750 meters
- Duration: 17:40
Obviously, it’s easier to swim in the pool, but that time isn’t SO bad! :) And the experience kind of reminds me of learning how to run – at first, I would run and then take walking breaks as needed. Now, I swim and take floating breaks as needed.
Post-workout snack was Pumpkin Yogurt and about 1.5 servings of granola;
And dinner was a lovely whole wheat pasta with artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, Brussel sprouts, and a cream sauce.
The vegetarian’s meatball: steamed Brussel sprouts.
I’ve found the key to using artichokes and sundried tomatoes when they canned and packed in olive oil is that you have to rinse them over water and then pan-fry them in a wok. (I get both in LARGE containers from Costco, which is why I eat them all the time.) If you don’t rinse, they are too greasy. And the frying brings out the flavors more, I think!
Dessert was three chocolate seashells:
I’m happy, full, and sleepy! Have a wonderful Sunday night.
I love Costco but haven’t checked out the artichoke hearts there yet. I say sun dried tomatoes are nature’s pepperoni 🙂 Yum!