GoJoFit’s BodyBlog

Lets see whats been up?  I started off the year good, training hard.  I was training for a Bank of America Lung Association Climb, here in Tampa(which I did do, and not to shabby considering).  In the progress of doing all my regular workouts, weight training, obstacle course competitions, I had added… training with a weighted vest 1-2 times a week 28-42 flights of stairs(sound easy..try it) and I want to run a 1/2 marthon with my dad some time this year, so I had added some distance training.  Ok, I have a tendency to oh..I don’t know..sometimes do a tad to much.  Oopsie!  I don’t usually know when I injure myself, usually I wake up the next day and something doesn’t feel quite right.  When the Doc’s ask how I received an injury, well they don’t ask any more, but when they did.. I’d be like I don’t know..probably on the obstacle course.  So this time.. my hip was stiff..ok..big deal.. kept training..run through the pain.  No pain, no gain…etc.. I was a gymnast for 11 years.. I don’t stop training for pain.  Well, I  guess sometimes you should.. about 2 weeks after that.. I felt like a little old lady.. still doing the same training regimen..but at night I’d sit on the couch for an hour or so..and when I went to get up.. it was painful..and difficult.  Then it started happening at work to.. more sitting, [b]sitting is overated![/b]  One of my friends at the gym is a physical therapist and one morning we were discussing my latest… training issue(I refuse to call it an injury!)  Apparently, some of the muscle in my hip is freezing up.. she thought probably I was only able to use about 60% of that muscle…and therefore I was overtraining it.  So in to the doc I go.  And off to physical therapy…some newfangled kind with a machine..really cool.. I"m not going to lie..its um..somewhat painful..can you say Tband, ouch!  Ok, so the muscles in my legs and lower abs..are tight..gee thanks, to me that’s a compliement..guess they aren’t suppose to be quite so tight.. who’ve guessed?  And they are pulling on the ‘Tensor fasciae latae’ which is a muscle that runs from your iliac crest down into your iliotibial band(or tband).  The machine pushes on your thigh muscles and iliac muscle and abs..causing them to flex..and eventually release.. it was truly an amazing thing.  I still have a way to go before its completely healed.  I had to stop physical therapy, because, well even the co pays for this..are out of this world!  But if I could afford to..I’d have it all the time. I didn’t realize what your legs are suppose to feel like.  Obviously, no one gets to this stage over night…but now I know how it feels, and I will get my foam roller..and work on my tbands as much as possible in the meantime.  And work to strengthen the other muscles around this one.  I have backed off a lot on my training for now.  Just weight training 3 times a week, obstacle course 1 time(but skipping parts that are painful to that hip for now) and indoor rock climbing once a week(I’m loving this new challenge).  I’m hoping in a few weeks.. things will be back to ‘normal’.  But a word to the wise..don’t neglect your foam roller, or your massage therapist.. and don’t shy away from having them work the tband, if it hurts..there is a reason.. and it needs to be worked out..before you end up.. needing a lift chair to get up.  Ok, I’d better get some rest.  I have to do chest in a little over two hours..woohoo, upper body!  It still works. 

Well the time has come to climb the tallest building in Downtown Tampa.. ugh!  Why did I sign up for this?  In December I did the tallest building in St Pete, then I had only trained on the stair master..but I felt better prepared then right now.  And that was only 28 floors this is 42!  I have been training off and on since december.  I did 27 floors with a friend of mine twice on two Saturdays in December, then I received a weighted vest for Christmas..and about 3 times in January I did the 27 floors once with 12.5 pound  and then again without it.  I felt like I was going to die everytime it did not get easier and I dreaded it.  I was getting ready to increase the weight to 15 pounds..when I had a tightness come up in my hip..and I had to take two weeks off.  Last weekend I did the 27 floors 3 times, without the weighted vest, didn’t want to push the hip to far..as I’m already in physical therapy for it.  On top of this training, I was doing my normal cardio..and weight training.. increasing the step type training on legs.  And my obstacle course training..since the hip injury about 3 weeks ago I’ve had to cut way back ..I did start indoor rock climbing ..which has been fun…but won’t really help me much on the stairs. Hopefully things will go well and the days of training and feeling like I am going to die will help me get to the top of the BOA with a respectable time.  Since I’m injured, I’m not going to go crazy..and hope for a repeat performance of December (3rd in my age group) but I will do the best that I can.  Ready or not.. its time! 

Obstacle course practice was frustrating again, I can’t do much because my hips are so tight.  And my upper body was still sore from lifting and indoor rock climbing.  But I still went.. and I still did something. Then I went and climbed stairs, if you think that sounds easy.. go to the tallest building near you..lately I’ve been practicing on one that is 31 floors, but next week I have to climb a 42 floor one for the BOA climb.  So we climbed 27 floors today..3 times!! If my hip didn’t hurt I would’ve done it again!!  So, I’m happy with that workout.  And I got to sit by the Hilsborough river for a few mins while drinking a latte I bought at an amazing little French restaurant(I want to go eat there!!!)  It was an awesome latte, so good I needed no splenda!!!  wow!!  And it was sunny and nice.. and the sky was clear blue..I was truly very happy there.    Not sure what I’m doing yet tonight, but hopefully I will be hanging out with some friends and having some fun  

I said it last week and I’ll say it again, great fun.  This week I tried some of the more challenging walls.. and boy is my upper body sore, let me preface this by saying I work chest and back.. with weights every week, with the aid of a personal trainer who competed in bb on a national level..so my workouts.. are good, the kind..if you don’t eat like you should..your on the floor before the hour is over!!  Then on top of that I do the obstacle course training at least once a week.  Monkey bars, cargo net, wall.. when I’m in the best of shape all three climbing obstacles are some of my best.  Then add years of gymnastics..and more recently fitness routine practices..although I need to start doing more of those..and what do you have..well someone who isn’t really weak in the upper body, yet.. indoor rock climbing kicked my upper body something awesome!!  The people who are there often are obviously in great shape.  There are a set of gymnast rings and a tightrope as well.  My plan is to continue to go at least once a week, I’d like to go more, but I live an hour a way so additional session will be on a availability basis.  So I’m looking forward to gaining a lot of new strength in my upper body.  And lots of fun climbing and playing on the other ‘toys’ at the rock climbing place!!! Awesome!!! 

Its been a little over 2 months since my last blog, ya’ll probably think I fell off the earth or at least the fitness wagon, nope, and nope.  Dieting is not really happening right now, but the body, at least mine needs time to recover from the months of dieting last year.  But I rarely rest, from working out.  That might be a problem?  How much rest is enough?  I keep running into little nagging injuries and I’m trying to avoid them, I stretch..I warm up, etc…etc… but I keep hearing, the words ‘overuse’ injury.  But I like over using my body, its fun.  So I’d appreciate some feedback on how much rest everyone feels we need?  I think its very individual..but just curious.  What have I been so busy doing in the last 2 months, dealing with a lot of emotional issues, death of a neighbor, and mainly relationship issues.  Why is it so hard in todays world to make relationships work?  I think I am somewhat successful in most of the other areas of my life, but in this one, its always been a constant struggle.  With my ex husband and my current bf.  So sometimes we have to stop blogging and stop dieting and devote more time to the significant others in our lives..and try to figure out where our lives are going..I know this blog is just a bunch of random thoughts  run together..but …just catching myself up on what’s been going on the last two months.  I tried something new last week, indoor rock climbing, I’mhooked, I might even want to outdoor rock climb…its so much fun! 

I get really sick of people who are positive all the time.  I mean hello, no one is happy about everything all the time, and whether you like it or not..you don’t know everything.(neither do I)  I mean I was a cheerleader..but we all disliked the girl on the squad with the 24 hour a day smile on her face…why, was she so darn happy?  I believe she was clueless…others I think just lie to themselves..who knows.  I was a gymnast, not the best, not the worst but I was a competitive gymnast.  And I grew up with the old way of training.. if you aren’t dead train..and train harder…I don’t care..if its hard..or not fun…just do it… and I love training because of this…I love to push myself… My father raised me to believe I will never be the best at anything..and if I’m good enough to do anything..its just a fluke…because there is always someone better out there.  Maybe it works for all of you to be the ‘Happy’ Dwarf..and I’m happy when I’m training(or I wouldn’t be there) so don’t ask me why I’m not smiling at the gym at 5am, duh! I’m there aren’t I?  Don’t ask me why I’m not happy with my personal best score on whatever..even though its probably better then 85% of others?  Don’t ask me why I feel fat sometimes..when by ‘normal’ standards.. I’m not..  This is who I am.. I train hard.. I work hard.. I am not at the gym to socialize, I am not a bad person because of any of this.  Deal with it.  And if you want to wish me a Merry Christmas..weight until I’m done with my set!

This hasn’t been my best year, injuries and now the flu…seem to have caused numerous set backs.  But even those these pics weren’t my favorites, I figured I’d post them.  I worked hard to get to where I did, even if it wasn’t my best ever.  Here’s to being Thankful for what we are able to accomplish.  May everyone have an enjoyable and productive off season, a wonderful holidays!  And may we all have tons of new personal bests in the new year!!

Yes, that’s me on the flyer..with my big red hair flying over the wall!  Last year I place 3rd on the obstacle course at this competition.  I’m no where near that kind of shape now, but me and 50+ other females, and a few brave men!  Will be going out to test ourselves on the unforgiving course once again,…there is also a bikini contest.. fit skills and routines.  So take a look at the flyer..come out and join us!   If nothing else you will meet some really cool ppl I PROMISE You that!! 

Yes, that’s me on the flyer..with my big red hair flying over the wall!  Last year I place 3rd on the obstacle course at this competition.  I’m no where near that kind of shape now, but me and 50+ other females, and a few brave men!  Will be going out to test ourselves on the unforgiving course once again,…there is also a bikini contest.. fit skills and routines.  So take a look at the flyer..come out and join us!   If nothing else you will meet some really cool ppl I PROMISE You that!!