Setbacks

After my last post, I was gearing up to train full-force. I had just finished my second session with the trainer at the gym and was both sore and excited. Then, I got the flu. My mother and doctors have been trying to convince me to get the flu shot since I was seven (as an asthmatic, I'm considered high risk), but I have stubbornly resisted. In fact, I was proud of stubbornly resisting! What do they know, anyway? HA! The flu hit me upside the head on Saturday. Fever, chills, achey, the whole nine yards. I slept all day Sunday and then spent a few more days slowly getting better (with the help of Tamiflu). I'm on the upswing now, and I'm still not sure I will get the flu shot next year... (Sorry, Mom!)

Normally, I try to stay pretty positive, but this week I feel like I lost time. When I finally emerged from my bed yesterday afternoon, I realized how much there still is to do. With 24% of my fundraising completed and only a little over three months left, I have a long way to go. Not to mention training! With all this snow, even when I get my bike I can't bike outside just yet. But it's ok! I've almost recovered from illness and I'll be able to get back to the gym, and then it will be spring and I can bike outside. It's all going to be fine. Woosah.

Training Time

It's time to kick my butt in gear. Until now, I've been managing to drag my ass to the gym and do a 10-mile ride on one of their stupid stationary bikes at least once a week. My goal is three times a week, but I'm under the impression that I have all the time in the world to prepare for this trip. In the Rider Manual, they suggest 10 miles, three days a week starting in March, but I know if I don't start now I never will.

Biking, great! It's wonderful. However, I've been doing solely cardio, and I'm starting to feel like it. To even myself out and train more effectively, I made an appointment at the gym for Tuesday. I've been going to Planet Fitness for about a year now. They advertise that working with a trainer comes with the $10 monthly fee. I took advantage of it last February or March and was a bit disappointed. I got there for 6am (with a cold, mind you!) and he gave me a sheet of paper that listed the machines available in the gym and in what order to use them. The session wasn't completely unhelpful, but it was disappointing. When I went on Tuesday, I was determined to get more out of this session.

I got to the gym for my 6pm appointment and proceeded to fill out the form the trainer gave me. What are your short and long term goals? Any injuries? Past experiences with exercise? Pretty typical, but I had no clue what my goals were exactly. I'm not here to lose x number of pounds, I don't strive to life 400 pounds, I had nothing concrete to say. I settled for "increased stamina." I handed my form over to the trainer and, after scanning it, he took to highlighting another sheet that lists the machines, etc. I needed to act or doom myself to boredom with my silence.

Now, there was a time when I would have sat there and let myself become disgruntled. I'm sick of doing that, so I started talking about my trip. I'm biking across the country and I'm excited and it's kind of awesome and going to be difficult! He perked up, to say the least.

Apparently, he's a biker too. I could see the wheels turning (badum tiss). In the end I had to reschedule for Wednesday, but I'm getting three cycling-specific workouts out of it. I had the first one (leg day!) already and, boy, am I sore today. I'm meeting with him Friday for arms/back and one more time next week for core. I have to say, this is starting to feel real. It's exciting, but also a little frightening.