Get Out There

The way my classes at Clay worked out this session (due to work, life, and all that other crap) I am on my own Saturday - Tuesday and then slammed with athletic training greatness at the end of the week.  

Since I'm still struggling with my shins Scout & I are (much to my dismay) temporarily eliminating any running. We're keeping our cardio up, however, by walking at what we consider a fairly fast pace.  Yep, I'm the crazy lady you keep seeing pumping her arms like a freak down the Rivanna Trail (the one you all make fun of...). I've been using the MapMyRun app on my iPhone to keep track of our mileage as well as my pace.  I love it because it tracks all of our outings and enables me to see our progress (or lack thereof).  The one thing I have unintentionally learned via this app is that while Scout is a great motivator for me because he gets me out the door by sitting by it and "patiently" whining waiting, he also slows my pace down significantly with his incessant need to pee on every third tree or bush that we pass (seriously, how much urine could that little bladder hold???).  We average a 14 minute mile together and 12.5 when I leave him at home. He doesn't actually know that do this so let's keep that between us, okay?  (It's totally crazy, but that dog is my best friend and it's important for me to keep him happy). 

On Wednesday mornings I head to Clay for an in-studio Athletic Training class with Hyam. It's no secret I think this woman is the shit and she totally kicks my ass every time I work out with her. So while it's definitely difficult, I love every painstaking minute of it.  Friday's this spring, however, I'm doing something new - an outdoor athletic training class with Sandy Archer.  Sandy is fairly new to Clay but definitely not new to the fitness scene in Charlottesville.  If her name sounds familiar it could be from her days of leaving people in the dust on the UVA track, or from the infamous Arch's restaurant she and her husband Rob own (of which there are now three delicious shops in town) or for the "standing room only" classes she has taught at ACAC for years.  Yep, she's that freaking awesome - and I'm totally pumped to be doing this new class with her this spring.  

The premise of this class is that we meet at a different park in Charlottesville to do cardio and strength training in a new and fun way outside.  We started our first week at Belmont Park, which is just a few blocks from Clay. During the class we did everything from running laps around the park, to Killers on the sidewalk, to pull-ups on the bars. to lunges up hills, to crazy tandem exercises where we pull each other across the basketball court with bike tires wrapped around our waists (not as crazy as it sounds, but definitely as difficult!). While the workout is intense the time flew by - and I can't wait to see what Sandy has in store for us this week!

I'm often asked what I love so much about Clay.  This is just one example of what keeps me going there week after week, month after month.  I NEVER get bored - and neither do my muscles.  There's always something different that challenges both my body and my mind in a new way.   I've learned that though the BOSU is a really cool training tool that can be used in a million different tortuous ways, I don't have to have one to get a good workout in.  There are plenty of things I could do right in my own back yard (if I wasn't afraid that my neighbors would report me to social services on the premise of insanity).  

So my challenge to you this weekend is to get outdoors.  Find a trail and go for a hike - run a few laps around your neighborhood - check out a new park in our area - whatever makes you happy - just get out there, do something new and have some fun! 

Life is Like a BOSU

The other day a few friends and I were sarcastically expressing our "love" for the BOSU on Twitter.  I admitted that I have a love-hate relationship with this piece of equipment.  Love because it's so good for so many parts of my body.   Hate because, well, it can really suck.  (Not to mention that it's a known fact at Clay that it's not safe to stand next to me when proprioceptive abilities are called into play, which they are every second you're on the BOSU). 

If you haven't used a BOSU I challenge you to try it (most gyms have them). Essentially it's half a balance ball with a flat middle that can be used for a million different exercises and for every part of your body.  At Clay we use it for everything from push-ups (inverted with the round part facing the ground) to jump squats and lunges -  and everything in between.  What challenges me most, however, is balancing on it.  


I fall off every once and awhile (ok, quite frequently) but I always get back on.  It reminds me a little of life and this journey that I am on.  Last week, for instance, was a fabulous week.  The kids went back to school, work started flowing, and I was back on my regular schedule at Clay. I lost 3 pounds in a week and felt like I was balancing with ease! This week, however, was quite different.  It started off great - with a killer workout at Clay in the new studio.  I was pumped when I left there - certain my balance was completely in check.  However, a few hours later it all changed.  M got a migraine that afternoon, the Spicy Chicken was really late from work and at 6 I realized I'd forgotten to defrost the fish so our healthy dinner didn't pan out. Tuesday I got a call from the nurse again and found myself driving to the school at 2pm instead of taking my afternoon run with Scout. Due to M's illness I had to miss an important committee meeting at 5, which frustrated me enough to eat chocolate for dinner.  On Wednesday school was on a 2-hour delay so I missed Clay and that afternoon K came home with a fever (again no run). The Spicy Chicken was late, stressed and drinking wine that evening so I, of course, had to join him. Today is Thursday and I am sitting in the living room with K at my side as we are waiting to head to the doctor's office.


Obviously I didn't just stumble off this week - I threw myself to the ground. As a parent, this is what you do when something happens with your kids, but it's where many of us let things get out of control.  It's inevitable that life is going to get tough and we're going lose our balance at times. Sometimes we even fall off. The important part, however, is that we hop back on and keep trying.  It's not always easy - and sometimes it's embarrassing (like in the middle of class - or on a public blog!).  But one thing I learned from the BOSU is that sometimes the falling off isn't so bad because when you get back on you discover that you're getting stronger and you can do it!


K is asleep on the couch so I'm heading to the garage to use the jump rope I got for Christmas (love this thing!).  I probably only have a 30 minute window before she starts calling my name again, but if I don't climb back on the BOSU right now I know it will be even harder to do tomorrow.  

Inspiration

I ramble a lot about Hyam and my entire experience at Clay Fitness + Nutrition (btw, that's the studio above in another fabulous photo by Jamie Reincke) but I haven't given you a lot of information about what it is that we do. I've omitted this information partially because I'm not even sure where to begin and partially because I doubt my words could accurately describe it all well enough.  To say "we do jacks on the Bosu" doesn't sound like much, but when you see us doing it - along with the other 100 other things we do in that hour - well, that's much different.

So when Hyam included this YouTube clip of her demonstrating the ropes in her latest newsletter I knew I had to post it here, too.  I think you will see several things in this video: 1) just one example of the varied things we do in class, which is one of the things that I love about it so much - it's always changing, 2) how these crazy ropes are used for exercise (they are heavier than they look and are torturous but I love them and, 3) why I'm so inspired by Hyam from the outside (which is, believe it or not, nothing compared to what she has on the inside!).


Also check out this video from a few months back when CBS19 evening anchor Dan Schutte, worked out with Hyam for his Make Dan Sweat segment. Dan is an avid exercise enthusiast (biking, running, skiing, ballroom dancing...) and he's in great shape, so Hyam gave him a real Clay Fitness workout just like we do in class. You can tell, and I think Dan would attest to, that it's not your average gym class! (Even Dan claimed to be sore for several days after!).