Snowboarding and my first 5 miler

Grand Geneva ski Resort

4/10 but only because of the terrain park - which i used!  Or it would be a 1/10.

I was getting bored after 2 hours of the slopes. I almost decided to quit but it seemed like too much of a waste, 2 hours on the snow and an hour drive there and back.  But it really isn't much of a hill to keep the interest up. The steeper more challenging parts of the hill were too short and i couldn't link more then two turns, which isn't enough time for me to get a groove going. I fell a couple of times as i was getting the feel again but really i found it all too easy, and boring.  You see, repeating: 1 minute to descend, then 2 minutes to go up, one minute down, 2 minutes up etc.  2 hours can seem like a long time.  That is when i started thinking of the jump.

Then as i start to hook up my bindings at the top of the run i notice that i don't have a strap, the major one, that goes across the top of the foot.  So i had to go down the hill with no attachment. I had no control on my frontside and nearly fell.  But thankfully, even with no strap, i managed to descend the hill with out falling. You see, that is how easy it is!  Unbelievably i found the strap, screw and nut all just sitting right under the chair lift about 50 yards up the hill.  Thank goodness it was a quiet day on the hill.

I would turn the sound off, or lower it, the wind isn't fun to listen to, and i haven't worked out how to get rid of it.

So it was either go home or try the jump.  I had big balls that day and refused to waste the $20 on just 2 hours on the slopes - slopes being the perfect word. Certainly not a mountain!  See the movie i put together below. The hill really is nothing to talk about.  The second jump attenpt is on film.  The boys in the film were so sweet.  They were doing the same jump and always waited for me, egging me on, cheering. It was cool they hung out with me.  The 4 jumps took me about another 1.5 hours, with hanging out with the boys and watching them, so felt good leaving then.  And i got what i was looking for, an addrenalin rush.  And realised that is what i love about snowboarding, when you just have an awesome run, where you feel like your advancing.  I was not getting such a thing from the slopes.  But that jump - hell yeah, that WAS FUN FUN FUN!!!

Tuesday was my 5 miler.  I think that DM route planner - which is a google app, is not accurate.  I mapped it out and it said 4.92 miles but i ran it in 48 minutes so it can't be right - i most certainly didn't run a 9.45 pace.  I can't wait to get my Garmin.  The run was nice, i drove to the lake front and ran up and down Lincoln Memorial Drive.  There were only a few others out there.  I guess everyone else is wimpy in the winter, as in the summer it would have been busy, even in the week. i speed up for the last bit, and was really happy with the run till i saw that i probably didn't run 5 miles that i really wanted to.

Yesterday i did 40 minutes of strength training.  I used a magazine workout with weights, my ball and a lot of sweat.  I hurt today - the good pain :)  

What, I'm leaving the country? When....?

Just hit me i'm leaving in 4 weeks. Yup 4 weeks, that's not long.  In fact i would go as far as saying that's pretty fucking close.  Like breathing down your neck close, and its not fresh minty breath either.  Its the you've known for a long time but now its hit you in the face, old cigarettes and coffee breath.  I have lived here 6 years, almost to the day. I arrived on March 22nd 2004 in Milwaukee WI and in 27 days i will be gone, forever.  At least from Milwaukee forever, but most likely the states as a whole.

Well then...

Tuesday i went snowboarding. I have movie's and pictures but can't find the cable for my camera. I bought the usb adapter today online, so when it arrives i will post them.  I tried a jump - that's a good video. Its a damn fine 3.5 hour gluteus workout, all that crouching,  i'm still sore today.

Wednesday i ran 4.4 miles - my longest yet, in 49.25.  It felt good to run for so long, i didn't walk once.  There were mild hills both up and down. Looking forward to doing some speed work, i've not been following my schedule per say and have missed two sessions.

And today i cycled 12 miles in and hour (with a 20 minute break at my old work place).  Which hurt my ass of course, but in that good pain kinda way.  I used to do 15 miles in an hour - where did that go?

runnin' on empty

after my usual sunday three cups of coffee, i headed out for todays twenty minutes.  it didn't ocur to me before shutting the door on the way out to check the weather, and it was spitting just a bit.  but i don't mind light drizzle so it didn't stop me.  i was rocking it ninja again, so didn't even notice it.  the run was a little harder today, a few minutes in i realised i had, in fact forgotten to eat breakfast.  most days i wake up hungry, and eat with in 30 minutes of getting up.  but some weekend days i just don't, not sure why, i'm still always hungry i just don't get round to it. and today was one of those days. i was up at 7.45 and was out running at 10.30...*belly grumble*

...but anyway, i didn't have fuel and i hope that that was the reason it feel harder today.  so i didn't enjoy it quite as much but it still felt good coz i was out there doing it.  i even took off my ninja disguise at one point, for it was so warm.  it was a balmy 43f /6c, the  snow was melting, which although sounds good has its con's.  namely that its a mess to run in, there were half block patches of path under water.  but i do hope it continues to melt. not having to avoid ice when running in the dark would be a big bonus.

i love my under armour so much i took a trip to the outlet mall in kenosha which has an under armour store.  i got a pair of running tights, two tops and some jogga bottoms/sweatpants.  they were my luxury item, i don't have a full length pair but never go in store and think to buy them.  but they were right there and really nice.  i actually put them on when i got home, they were calling my name.

i was allowed that little splurge because i decided that its too much money to go to colorado snowboarding before we leave.  as sad as it makes me.  but i have a plan that will allow us to go in the next three to four years and i'm content with that.  i have presidents day off work so i'm thinking of going somewhere local for the day.  i have to get at least one more adrenalin filled day, if not two, before i go. i won't ever be as close to a hill as i am here.

snowboarding

i spent the day researching our snowboarding trip (yeah, work was super slow).  hubby says he wants to board for only 2 days but i think i have to do 3 or its not worth the whole expensive trip.  but i have to be fitter to get 3 days worth.  i don't want to spend the $80 on that days pass and not really get good use out of it.

also today, i got on the scale to a nice little 155.5lbs.  that made me feel better, until i was checking out the back of my hair and noticed that i have significant back fat.  it wasn't cos i was twisted, just coz i'm currently a tad fat.  i don't have an unrealistic view of my body. i know exactly how fat and thin i am. i feel good in most clothes but like crap naked.  this doesn't help me exercise to loose weight, as i'm mostly in clothes and not feeling that bad about how i look. and at 5'7" 155lbs isn't really bad. but i could easily loose 15lbs and still be healthy.

so i'm gonna get my wii fit out tonight and do some snowboarding on there. i think i have it, if not skiing i think.  and the hula hoop game is rather addictive and exactly what i need to train my abs for boarding. so this is day one of snowboard training.