Just Do It.

Today’s workout was Awesome.

Why?

Because.

I set a goal and I met it.

I told myself that no matter what — I was going to get to a certain number.

No excuses.

Recently, I’ve been feeling more lethargic during class and falling well below the level I know I can meet.

The burrito I ate before class didn’t help (stupid).

Neither did the lack of sleep last night (stupid).

But.  There’s always an excuse to pedal at a lower rpm.

A few things did help.

Friends. Music. Mental game.

I’ve found that the key to cycling consistently every week is getting your friends involved (evil plan).  I’ve introduced spinning to a number of friends who now go every week.  Knowing they’re reserving bikes pushes me.

The playlist was perfect (Careless Whisper by Seether is new favorite).

I put everything out of my mind.  For 45 minutes.  Nothing was going on in my life besides Enrique Iglesias (that’s right).

I sang along. I cheered out loud.  I passed my goal.

I was pumped.

Awesome.

For the Love of Role-Modeling

This past week, a younger co-worker asked to shadow me at work;

I was offered the opportunity to coach a group of figure skaters ages 6-8;

I was assigned a prospective candidate to interview for my college.

My plate was pretty full and little sleep was had (nothing new)…

But I threw myself into each experience.

And in the process remembered how much I adore mentoring, coaching and passing on wisdom (used loosely here).

Each separate event had me deep in preparation.  I outlined appropriate questions to ask an ambitious high schooler, considered work tasks most interesting and even went on the United States Skating Association website to look up basic skills I may have forgotten (I admit it).

The result was worth the effort.

Offering work advice left me feeling humbled.

Speaking to a high school student determined to surpass insurmountable life obstacles was inspiring.

And helping to mold a new generation of athletic character in the form of 6 and 7 year olds…

Was just plain Awesome.

Weights, Stability Balls and Yoga Mats

Yesterday my aunt invited (dragged) me to her weekly workout class with her friends.

I had just fallen asleep to have the nap of all naps when I heard sirens, disco music and stomping (ok a touch dramatic). Suffice it to say I was awakened by (one of) my overly energetic family members.

I struggled to open my eyes and did consider sleeping under my bed as part of a rousing game of hide-and-go-seek but decided to ignore the intense sleep deprivation of the last 11.5 months (it’s been a busy year), get myself together and see what my aunt and her buddies have been up to all this time.

My expectations were low.

Yes, my aunt raves about this instructor and how great she is. Yes, I was doubtful that an exercise routine designed for a group of 50-somethings would get my heart pumping.

We arrived at a nearby synagogue where a group of 15 friends (an extended Ya-Ya sisterhood if you will) have been gathering for the better part of 4 years.

I immediately met the instructor and the other ladies. My first impression noted how great the instructor looked. I found out later she was about 20 years older than I thought.

I should’ve assumed that anyone who looked better than 85% of my age group and was about 40 years older knew what she was doing.

But I didn’t.

She had us moving non-stop for an hour. We kicked, salsa-ed, planked, lifted and curled our way through a version of Jane Fonda’s best with weights.

Nevertheless, my over-confident self increased the difficulty when possible (even when it was a struggle to keep up) by grabbing heavier weights than everyone else and taking no breaks.

I paid for it.

My abs hurt. My arms hurt. My hip flexors hurt.

The last 24 hours have consisted of soreness, restricted movement, admiration and reflection on maintaining an active lifestyle throughout one’s life.

Thank you to my aunt and this truly amazing instructor for an Awesome workout.

Strobe Lights Enhance Exercise Part Two

My very first post shared the exhilarating experience of intense cycling complete with DJ, strobe lights and dance.

Today’s Awesome was connected to finding an equally stimulating workout in the Windy City.

Answer: Flywheel.

Similar establishment to Soul Cycle, Flywheel has you cycling your heart out and listening to club music while the instructor barks excitement and links working out with achieving your dreams (ok sometimes I get into it).

What makes flywheel different?

A bit of a competitive edge.

Cyclists’ names are posted on a monitor at the front so you can see what number you are in the heap.

What a smart twist on the “traditional” spin class.  If there was ever a reason to work out harder, cycle faster and push yourself, Flywheel is getting close to perfecting the workout motivator for the overly competitive.

The over-achiever in me was exhilarated.

I pushed myself to keep those “power” numbers high.  I used the “heavy bar” during the weights portion.  I let David Guetta fill me with inspiration (love that stuff).

As class came to an end, I was pumped and ready to tackle further furniture assembly projects…

Awesome!!

Axles, Loops and Salchows

Today I went back to the rink.

Although it might seem like I skate every day, given the fact that I’ve mentioned it about 63782 times since starting this blog, I actually haven’t laced up my skates in over two years.

I was introduced to figure skating at the age of 4. A family effort – if you will – was mobilized back in the Soviet Union (so they tell me) to let me try this popular Russian sport.

Skates were procured. Sessions for toddlers were found. Transportation was arranged.

On that fateful day, grandpa laced up my skates…and introduced me to my life-long passion.

Skating is one of my earliest memories. I skated when we were newly immigrated and money was tight. I competed through elementary school, middle school and high school. I skated through college. I skated through good times and bad.

Now my recent move back to the Midwest has reignited my desire to lace up my skates once more.

One train and one bus got me there.

I was overwhelmed and excited coming up to the rink. I was an ocean away from where I started and 300 miles away from where I skated most of my life. Yet my surroundings were familiar. It even smelled the same.

I warmed up a bit, laced up my skates, got onto the ice with other skaters at “my” level and picked up on what I suspect I knew all along…

Figure skating is hard.

I wish I could say it’s like riding a bike. But it’s not (unless relearning means toppling over a couple of times on a flat tire).

I was a bit shaky at first and spent half the session doing backwards and forwards crossovers but by the end of the session I was feeling more confident. I tried a couple spins and even threw in a couple (easy) jumps.

Most of all, I just loved being out there again. It was different but it felt the same.

Looking forward to training session number 2.

Awesome.

Russian Thanksgiving: An Exercise in Over-Eating and Food Hopping

I am accustomed to wading through crowds, airports and screaming children to make it home for the family – oriented holiday of the year.

This year was no different.  I was home for thanksgiving.  However, having moved to Chicago (from NYC) a few weeks ago – my heart sang when the typical airplane ride home was replaced with a friend picking me up and delivering me to my hometown in Michigan a few hours later.

The rest of the weekend was business as usual.

Of course I say weekend because a Russian family’s thanksgiving couldn’t possibly consist of one evening or of one household.

Instead, we prefer to see how many times we can prepare an entire feast and how many other homes can provide the feast for us.

My arrival on Wednesday prompted the setting of a celebratory feast.  A visit to the grandparents called for a banquet.  A check in with family friends was the perfect opportunity for a ceremonial spread.

By the time today rolled around, I had eaten more than I had in the past month and was really starting to crave bare vegetables.

For those of you from the Ukrainian/Russian/Jewish/Immigrant variety, you’ll probably relate to the following:

• Roasted chicken instead of the traditional turkey
• Spanakopita (the always beloved Greek addition to thanksgiving)
• Herring, sardines, lox, cheese, salami and prosciutto (favorites the pilgrims overlooked)
• One too many toasts about being thankful (for a reason to toast)
• Turkey (or chicken) for breakfast
• Family members discussing your figure while simultaneously scoffing at how “little” you’re eating
• And of course (my favorite)… using what’s left of Vodka as gravy (see picture above)

We watched our family’s favorite movie (Other People’s Money) for the 187^th time (and recited lines together).  Sis and I told stories under the covers with flashlight (modern times: flashlight app) and engaged in cartwheel competitions that dad judged (I still got it!).  Days were culminated with family swim hour after our hearty meals (not advisable).

Aside from the fact that comments such as “you should eat more” started to have negative effects on my aggression meter (I can’t fit anymore!), I’d say it was a perfect thanksgiving.

Awesome.

Fundraising, Walks and the Brooklyn Bridge

On Day 42 of Awesome I found myself waking up at 7am on a Sunday to participate in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s (JDRF) walk to cure diabetes (http://www.jdrf.org/).

This annual event raises money for research aimed at curing type 1 diabetes.

I was there to support a friend, participate in a great cause and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Uncharacteristically hyper for a Sunday morning, having devoured two packages of cream cheese (and bagel?) and armed with a great group of participants, I was ready to walk across this national historic landmark.

The Brooklyn Bridge does not disappoint.

The views are spectacular.  The rush of cars under your feet is exciting.  The sheer size of the cables is awe-inspiring.

Walkers were pointing to the sights.  Kids were kneeling to see cars pass by underneath our feet.  Participants were getting to know each other.

About 40 minutes later, we were in Brooklyn, waving JDRF fingers (like a baseball game) and feeling a bit hungry (heckling non-walkers works up an appetite).

After a delicious brunch in Dumbo, Brooklyn, we made our way back across the bridge.

Turns out the views in the other direction are even better.

Awesome.

Put Your Glove Where (HIS) Mouth Is

On Day 33, I pushed the comfort zone.

Craving a new thrill and cross-training activity, I immediately got excited (and scared) when a co-worker suggested we take a boxing lesson at Trinity Boxing Club in downtown NYC.

To all the various types of workouts my figure skating career took me, somehow I was never lead into a punching match  or better yet, an enclosed space in which one learned to punch others (realistically this aggression extractor would have been useful).

After work we headed over to get acquainted with Trinity.  This no-nonsense establishment brings Fight Club to mind and does not bring peace of mind to those of us who don’t box for a living.

We met our instructor, informed him of workout goals (break at least a bit of sweat) and got a good chuckle.

What followed over the next hour was one of the best workouts of my life.

We warmed up by jump roping for way too long (its not like riding a bike!).  We did sit ups into boxing jabs.  We learned various fight formations.  We beat up punching bags.  We learned how to move, block, and punch by sparring with our instructor.  We did not stop moving for an hour and were pushed to our limit.

It was empowering.

To aid in the inspiration, the gym was surrounded by various quotes that hung down from the ceiling.

The following is a short list of my favorite ones:

• You can become a winner only if you are willing to walk over the edge   – Damon Runyon

• Success in life comes not from holding a good hand, but in playing a poor hand well  – Denis Waitley

• Being on the tightrope is living.  Everything else is waiting  – Karl Wallenda

Awesome.

Running Towards Awesome

Day 17.  Time to recenter after my travels and engage in my new found hobby: running.

The thought that I would run races and enjoy this form of exercise never crossed my mind before last year.  In fact, growing up I would dream up any excuse possible to get out of any running requirements set by my coaches.

So here I am years later finding myself signing up for races and looking forward to my run after work.  A  year ago I had to summon every ounce of mental strength during a 3.5 mile race (you can do it, you can do it, you can do it, you can do it…).  This year?  I’m summoning strength to run a half marathon and going on 4 mile jogs as a wind down from work.

How did I get here?

I started off slow.  On the treadmill.  I ran every couple days and started with 2 miles, then 3, then 4, then 5… I learned how to pace myself, control my heart rate, take a mental break and stay in tune with any discomforts or injuries that might come up.  Then one day I felt great during my run and ended up running 7 miles.  More than I’ve ever run before.

I started thinking about doing longer distance races and got the push I needed when my friend asked if I would run a half marathon with her.  The training took time and I found myself more mentally preparing than expected, but crossing that finish line was pretty amazing.

Currently, you can find me on the west side highway running along the Hudson River a couple times a week.  I love being out there with the other runners and I love taking in the view.

Its become an AWESOME part of my week.

Watermelons, Grocery Stores and Hamburgers

On Day 16 I found myself working out of Atlanta. For a girl raised in Michigan, open fields, the “boonies” and long stretches of interstate remind me of my childhood and the reasons I still call the mid-west “home.”  Truthfully, I haven’t lived in MI full time since I was 18 and yet flying home every 8 weeks to see my family and roll around the backyard with my dogs is only natural…

So here I am in Atlanta, down south, with accents and all… and I found a bit of home.

The highlights for me:

– Picking up a watermelon from a farmer by the side of the road. I was stuck on this all day.  I had to have one!! Tasted amazing!! Just can’t get that pure quality of fruit in NYC (in my humble opinion)

– Shopping at Kroger! I used to love grocery shopping with my mom after school/figure skating (it’s the little things!). We’d discuss the day and I would “skate” in the isles (and get in trouble)

– Grilling outside!  I stayed with a friend on my first night in Atlanta and her husband (and amateur chef if you will) brought out the big green egg* (a giant green egg shaped grill that looks like a flower pot) to make homemade Cuban burgers (read: beef with cold cuts on top and smoked gouda with pickle) mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Add the watermelon for desert, three types of beer, a giant Weimaraner (just like home) and great company and I was basically in summer HOTlanta heaven.  Awesome.

http://www.biggreenegg.com/