Step Up to Awesome

Not only am I awesome, but I am Harder to Kill.  

Cult Leader Ed Veak stepping with tons of weight.  Got to give that guy props.

Today we wrapped up a 12-week program designed to get us ready to climb a mountain (not sure what mountain) or make us Harder to Kill.  I can't put my finger on why but this program kind of sucked.  Not only was it hard, but it was mentally taxing.  There was a lot of repetition and there were a lot of times I wanted to cry, or leave, or cry then leave.  But, despite knee pain and "leg blasters" from hell, I did it.  Because I am awesome.  

Jen Veak, girl knows how to put together an outfit!

Today, the final day, was especially sucky, but we knew the suck was coming.  Every Friday the number of box steps has gone up by 100, until we got to today, where we did 1000 box steps with weights.  That was after we did 10 minutes of sandbag get ups and 5 leg blasters.  

We are pretty sure Rod miscounted and did 2000 box steps.  He's a bad ass.

Because it was the last day, and it turns out, when you are working out, counting is hard, we all brought in something to help us count.  Jen brought in date rolls to eat after each 100 steps.  I brought it beer.  Every 100 steps, I would take one out and line it up.  I was tempted to shot gun one each 100 steps, but considering my state after my adventure with bike-trainer/Coors Light/Cable Guy, where I only managed to drink 9 beers in an hour and a half, while exercising, I didn't think 10 Shandy's before 7am would be a good idea.  

Which one is the real Stormin' Norman? 

So, we stepped and stepped and stepped.  Every 100 steps I would pull out a can, wipe off my face, and take a drink of water.  Repeat.  The first 100 are always the hardest.  

Don't worry, he's not dead.  He's hard to kill.

Post workout stretch/beer fest.

After, we drank some beers and then went to coffee.  Whew.

Jenny always leaves the imprint of her tshirts in her sweat stains.  If you look closely it says, "from the block."

Yesterday, I got a massage and when I told her what I would be doing today, she asked, "can you do 1000 box steps."  Yes!  Because I am awesome.  

Newest Beaver recruit!  Bruce is awesome.

I think I am going to take a little break from the workout cult.  At least for July.  I want to see what it is like to stay up past 9pm is like again, sleep in, and ride by bike more.  But, I know I will be back.  Even if my friend Lexi is right, and "no one is trying to kill you," I think it's important that I am harder to kill.  

Hard to Kill, baby.  Boy that beer tasted good.

Awesomeness Points: 789,345,764,902.

BeCumming Awesome

Rode to Cumming for tacos despite insane southern winds and heat. (Got to beat the heat!). 9075 awesomeness points.

Only eating two tacos, not three. 457.76 awesomeness points.

Also my Surly frame arrived today

The Sweaty Face of Awesome

Went for a solo after work ride up to the top of the Saylorville Dam. And yes, cute runner girls, that was me huffing and puffing, because I am awesome.

580.56 awesomeness points.

Two work outs in one day?
43 awesomeness points

Awesome Inspired: A Musical Journey

"Looking out on the morning rain, I used to feel so uninspired.  And when I knew, I had to face another day [of Ed's House of Pain, the gym-experienece formerly known as Beav-X-90], oh, it made me feel, so [f@#king] tired."

Oh, the timeless words of Ms. Aretha Franklin.  Did she know how many ways they could be interpreted?

Yes, I'll say it.  I've been so uninspired. I've been the meh that was heard around the world.  Meh.

There's only 2 weeks left of our Hard-To-Kill/Mountain-Climbing workout, and I am so ready for it to be done.  (And, I am not the only one).  Unlike other workouts series at the EHoP, the H2K has left me feeling really run down.  Busted really. 

If only Ed's House of Pain, were like the original House of Pain, I'd jump around.

Don't get me wrong, I go.  Out of the last 12 weeks of suffering, I've missed just 5 workouts.  (Awesomeness: 87).

And, when I do take a few days off, I feel like a freaking beast. 

Also, for some reason, I've been neglecting my bike.  We've only been out once since the Tour de Pepin, and I still have hopes for riding my pre-RAGBRAI 1000 miles before we go to Colorado next month. 

Where has all the awesomeness gone?  (I will spare you the Paula Cole, "Where Have all the Cowboys Gone?").

Anyway, last week I was in a 4-day seminar where they denied us internet access!  Curse on your household Urbandale Schools and Lutheran Church of Hope!

So, I was behind on my blog-reading, and I hadn't read this, or this, or this. 

Look how healthy and gorgeous and fit the Mayor and Steven are looking!  They look so happy and fun-filled!  Now, if that doesn't make you want to put the spice back in the old workout routine, what does?
(Awesomeness points for Steven: 567)

Steven's been calling me and taunting me about how awesome the Brewery 100 is going to be.  She won't tell me why, but she doesn't want me to be concerned with the projected level of awesomeness.  It will be awesome.  

Now, with RAGBRAI only 35 days away, and the Brewery 100 looming just over the horizon, one thing that I can do to increase the levels of awesomeness is to bring the extreme awesomeness.  (Awesomeness poitns for wanting to me more awesome: 61).

Now, imagine instead of "men" the Weather Girls are saying "awesome."  This is what the next two weeks are going to be like.

Totally Stolen Blog-Concepts: Summer Goals

Steven, over at See Teacher Run, is a fount of ideas.  Many of those ideas are bad, or even dangerous.  But some of them are awesome.  So, today, I am stealing a blog-idea from her.

See summers are a complicated emotional endeavor for me.  I spend the whole school year looking forward to the freedom of summer.  Then, when summer arrives, instead of feeling free, I feel overwhelmed.  Not only do I need to do my work-stuff in the summer, albeit part-time and from home, I also have to have fun. 

When you are a teacher, and you get summers "off," it can feel like you have to get all your fun times in those precious 3 months.  It's a lot of pressure.  (I know, I know, this is a 1%-er style problem).

But, Steven's idea, which I believe she copped from another blog, was to create a "summer bucket list."  What are the things you would like to do to make summer feel like it was awesome.

So, here's mine.

Create 3 "signature series" courses for the Distance Learning Department
Feel ready-ish for Fall 2012
RAGBRAI
Ride the hardest Karras Loop in history!
Pull off a Team Beaver supported RAGBRAI
Tour De Pepin
Camping
Eat all my CSA vegetables
Use my summer pay to pay down some debt
Get to 1,000 miles before Brewery 100
Ride my bike
Ride my bike just for fun 
Brewery 100
Gay wedding in California
Stay on top of my summer courses
Eat ice cream
Drink beer 
Hang out on the back deck with the Tiger
Barbeque
Campfire
Hang out with the dog

Work on hosta heaven
Down size my belongings
Feel strong

Farmers market 
Take naps
Be awesome
Spend time with my sister

Just having this list makes me feel better.

And, a little awesomeness update.

Friday was yet another torturous day at Ed's House of Pain.
10 minutes of sandbag get ups
4 full leg blasters
4 mini-leg blasters/10 wipers/10 push ups
800 step ups with weights

I missed the day we did 700, but the day we did 600 I nearly freaked out.  On Friday, instead, I worked on my mental fortitude.  In the end, I did the work out, and came out sweaty but smiling. 4,987 awesomeness points. 

Climbing that imaginary mountain

Tracy is awesome too.  Bonus: check out Jenny from the Block in the background. Awesome.

Academiawesome

Using the old gray muscle?  Awesome.

I have this theory that there are four areas of a life that you have to work on in order to be personally happy.

1. Social.  Good friendships, good family relationships, good romantic relationships, or not.

2. Physical.  Exercise and physical activity, getting outside.

3. Professional.  Liking your job, feeling meaning in your work.

4. Civic.  Giving back.  Volunteering, etc.

If there was a 5. it would be Spiritually happy, I suppose.

Unless you are a great multi-tasker, or you are already pretty balanced, it's hard to work on all of these areas at once.  I find that sometimes I work on my professional, but my physical gets put on the back burner.  For example, when I get stressed with work and I eat La Mie every day. 

Since school got out, I've been working on my social happy and my physical, but I've been neglecting my professional.  As a teacher, it's easy to get into the academic calendar where the work starts heavy, then tapers a bit, then builds, then builds, then freaks out, then ahh...break.  Only to start all over again. 

During the summer, I teach online and I am also working on some projects with our distance learning department, but because they are on the inter-web, and easy to ignore, they've been put on the back burner, a bit.  I sort of just been putzing along professionally. 

I am a guilty creature though.  In the summer, I always feel bad about something.  If I am working, I feel guilty for not riding my bike.  If I am riding my bike, I feel guilty for not working.  (Kelly, Steve, I know, I know, I know what you are thinking right now!  I am working on this issue!)

But, not working on my business has been stressing me a little.  So Monday, after a day long MESH Conference (meet, eat, share, and I can't remember what H stands for) on campus, I came home and did school work, making the conscious choice not to go to VR practice or steak night at the Front Row.  I was a bit bummed for not practicing, or hanging with the ladies, but work needs to be done.

I have to remember that I can't be happy in my other quadrants unless I am also happy, or at least working on my happy, in work.

So, working on my work: 97 awesomeness points.

Doing a kick-ass presentation at the MESH without stressing about it: 187 awesomeness points.

Putting on my fancy pants and looking good at work: 36 awesomeness points. 

Here is some other awesome for you.

Friday's workout

(6/1) Friday: not openly weeping during this workout: 982 awesomeness points.  Seriously, 600 weighted box steps is just a mind f*ck.  My right knee has decided to voice it's complaint by clicking every time I step up any step. 

Just make that one small.  No close ups required.

(6/2) Saturday: Tour De Pepin!  73 miles of glorious Lake Pepin, Minnesota/Wisconsin bike riding.  74 awesomeness points.  Refraigning from subtracting awesomeness points for the scary, scary way I look in those bike shorts?  17 awesomeness points.

(6/4 and 6/5) Really, really wanted to skip Ed's House of Pain.  I've been feeling less than inspired by my workouts, but I didn't!  I made myself go.  I was glad today too because poor Miss Tracy might have been all on her lonesome without my complaining to entertain her while she did a million f*cking lunges.