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Day 1 of “What Have I Done” September 17, 2007

Posted by kimayars Las Vegas Half Marathon, Run Digg! this story! Digg! this story. , 3comments

Today was my first offiicial training day for the Las Vegas Half Marathon. I modified the Sweat365 Beginners Training Plan so that Sundays were my “long days”.  I’m also going to squeeze an extra run in this week, so instead of taking 3 days off I’ll only take off two.  Here’s the plan:

Beth will join me on Thursdays and Sundays (I’ll need her as those runs get longer) and the rest will probably be done at the gym.

We both came back soaked — it was drizzling this morning and we’ve got a nice level of “damp” going on.  It probably didn’t help that I got sprayed by a passing truck.  My right side is not only wet but a bit muddy too.  Next time I’ll make Beth run closer to the road.  :-)

We did finish todays run with the “Hill to Hemlock” which made us feel incredibly sick, but also incredibly happy. We were fondly remembering when we couldn’t run 2 miles without walking. Now we’re finishing with a HILL. Rock on.

Workout:

I Want It All September 16, 2007

Posted by kimayars Ramblings Digg! this story! Digg! this story. , 2comments

[Cue 1989 rock anthem by Queen]

This past week I’ve been pretty flustered with life in general.  Part of it has been my monthly friend that causes an endless fluxuation in mood swings.  Part of it was that this was the first full week of school and after-school activities for the girls.  Part of it was because I want it all:

 I want diets lifestyle changes to be easy.  I’m on week 4 of following the “You on  a Diet” plan.  To be honest, it’s been working quite well. I’ve felt good, enjoyed some delicious meals I wouldn’t have otherwise tried.  While I did put back on some weight this week, I did still take off another quarter-inch off my waist.  Jeff was kind enough to notice that my “muffin-top” was gone when I wear my jeans. Thanks…I think.  So, we’ll keep on going.

I want my stirrups back.  On Wednesday I needed to shorten my stirrups a hole (which is about an inch).  It was a blow to my ego, and I still haven’t quite gotten over it.

I want some decisions to be made for me.  I’m in the process of pursuing a part time job at a local non-profit organization. I also have quite a few organizations that I volunteer for. I can’t do everything. I need to make a decision about what I want to that will be good for me, for my kids, and for Jeff.  It’s a lot of pressure, and I didn’t fully understand that until this weekend.  Luckily I have a great support structure through friends and family to help me prioritize things.  That and a night of drinking with Sherene really took the edge off.

I want my DSL to be on all the time.  Lately we’ve been having some spotty outages.  It has been infuriating.  I’m beginning to feel like an addict in this area.

I want to be able to finish the Las Vegas Half Marathon. This is a real concern for me. I’ve never run that distance before, and I should already be on week 3 for the training plan, which has me a little flustered.  But sometimes we shine in the face of adversity.  I’d be happy for just a little sparkle.  Hopefully I won’t go down in a ball of flames.

So you see, my wants are simple.  Now how many of you have at least one Queen song humming along in your head? C’mon, you know you want to…

Another Day in Paradise September 16, 2007

Posted by kimayars Arena Work (Horse) Digg! this story! Digg! this story. , add a comment

I did spend a lot of today’s ride getting used to my new position.  It feels a little awkward still, but by the end it was feeling more natural and I was able to keep myself better centered in the saddle.

I focused on keeping my hands together. I have a bad habit of holding my hands about hip-width apart when they should be only six inches apart.  Instead of changing my hips to be only six inches wide, it seemed easier to try and bring my hands in.  I’m beginning to think twice about that.

Rasyn was superb again today. We worked on walk/halt transitions and walk/trot transitions. The emphasis was to do the transitions in a controlled, relaxed manner.  It took a few repetitions before Ray understood what I was asking for, but towards the end he was listening to my seat quite nicely.  Just a simple change of my seat was enough to send him into trot.  We had a few instances of a really nice, big floaty trot that just made my heart flutter.  I truly can’t be any happier with how things are going right now.

We did have a fairly big spook today at, well, I’m not exactly sure at what.  I got thrown a little off-balance and had to grab a bit of mane, but what was nice was he went right back to work without being Mr. Freaky horse.  Things are just coming up roses.

Workout:

A Little Help From My Friends September 13, 2007

Posted by kimayars Run Digg! this story! Digg! this story. , add a comment

Today I had a really hard time keeping going.  It was a good thing Beth was with me or the run wouldn’t have turned out so well. 

Workout:

Swallowing My Pride September 12, 2007

Posted by kimayars Arena Work (Horse), Las Vegas Half Marathon Digg! this story! Digg! this story. , add a comment

I had another wonderful lesson on Rasyn, but there was a small hiccup that I’m having trouble letting go of.  Lately I’ve been having a little trouble with my position.  Ray is sensitive enough that shifts in balance or inconsistency in your aid set make him nervous. While it’s not catastrophic, it does make it more difficult to get to a place where you can teach him something new or perfect something already introduced.

Today my instructor suggested that I raise my stirrups. Erck!

In dressage, you strive for the infamous “long leg”.  A leg that is elastic, yet firm.  A leg that caresses the horse and delivers subtle aids through your calf yet not altering the influence of your seat.  Essentially, the longer you can let out your stirrups and still maintain all of the above listed, the better rider you are.  I feel like I’ve worked very hard to get to “hole 5″ on my stirrup webbers.  As of today, I’ve been demoted to ”hole 4″.  I’m feeling remedial.

I asked my friend Sherene if I was overracting.  She said no, it feels a lot like having to go back to diapers.  And she’s right.  After my lesson I found myself wanting to lobby hard for a second chance.  “Just let me try “hole 5″ again!  I know I can do better!”  *sniff!*

To be honest, even though I felt like a jockey with my knees in my nose, I did have a much more stable seat and a quieter leg.  It feels awkward because it’s new, but I’m willing to give it a shot.  In fact, we changed a LOT with my position today, and most of it feels like it’s the right thing to do.  What makes it easier to swallow my pride and accept the shorter stirrups is that I have really come to trust my instructor.  Just about everything she has asked me to do has worked extremely well for Ray and I.

And speaking of the brown, sweet, and chewy one, it was a tad cooler today so Ray wasn’t channeling his inner bovine.  Even though he wasn’t falling asleep, he was still MUCH more manageable than in the past.  Things are definitely heading in the right direction.  I am EXTREMELY pleased with his progress.

Tonight I have tasked myself with putting together a plan for LVHM training. Good heavens, I’m getting butterflies just thinking about it. 

I have also registered for the NW Trek Run Wild 5K. Since I couldn’t find a friend to run with me (slackers!), Jeff is going to bring the kids and they’re going to do the 5K walk.  It will be a fun family affair.

Workout: