Spartan Shape-Up, Day (hmm... I'll have to come back to this? 225? 226?):
Hello from the High Seas, BlogLand!
I did promise one post from the ship, so here it is... I apologize in advance for the brevity - It's .75 a minute for this bad boy... HOWEVER, I did want to share that I was still getting my Spartan on, while sailing around in the sunshine!
So, there were a few travel days in there, and Bourbon Street kicked my ass pretty hard, but I was determined to at least get some exercise in, once I got in a routine ON the ship.
Friday:
Well, I was tired, and I wasn't feeling it... but it was time to Spartan the eff up, and go check out the running track that this ship (Carnival Elation), promises to have. I kept going up and up and up the stairs, to find the running track on the very front top of the ship. (Pictures when I have a real internet connection!). It was 75-80 degrees, sunny and windy as hell. Sounds like a perfect day for a run, right? LOL.
I was all geared up, there was no turning back now... (incidentally, I did bring my favorite Inov8's with me, to keep me in line and ready to run (no excuses!), but I will admit I put them in my carry on and gaurded them with my life! LOL). Checking out the weird squishy, sort of bouncy track, I figured out that 11 laps would equal one mile. ELEVEN. That's a lot of laps, BlogLand. Off I went.
I should state at this point that I am pretty sure that I was ragingly dehydrated (Hellooooo Bourbon Street), still and kind of tired, so this was no where NEAR any sort of stellar run... But, I figure it was an accomplishment to just get out there and get going.
Around and around... and enjoying the AMAZING ocean views. It is really something else to be able to run in the middle of the ocean. If you ever have the opportunity, don't hesitate. It has been very refreshing and wonderful to have that kind of view, to put your running back into a good place in my mind... I'm sure many of you Northeasterners can sympathize... It's pretty rough to suffer through a winter of running under grey skies, sub 30 degree temperatures and 50 layers of clothes. It's hard to stay in love with it.
As I trotted around the track on the cruise ship, I found that I actually enjoyed it. Sometimes, you just need some damn sun.
That said, there is a whole new element to running on the top deck of a cruise ship. WIND. HOLY CRAP. When it blows, it is like running while trying to push a brick wall. NOT so easily done. Like seriously, you're going around at your usual clip... then suddenly, it's like your whole body is trying to run through a very solid wall. I think this seriously added extra difficulty to my workout, when half of every lap was like I was pushing a weighed sled.
Having said that... dehydrated and feeling like ass, I only made it 22 laps - 2 miles. BUT, I DID two miles, while on vacation. Waha. Pushing the wind.
And then, as I waited for my friend to get out of the shower, in our room, I busted out 30 push ups for good measure.
I was finding, incidentally, from eating off schedule and eating weird things while traveling (a lot more carbs that I typically eat) I was really just feeling UGH. So, starting yesterday, after that body wake up call of my run, I instituted new measures. I have been concertedly drinking a hell of a lot more water (umbrella drinks are NOT water, contrary to whatever the waitstaff tells you...), and I've been trying to eat more in line with my usual schedule - eating every couple of hours, and trying to stick more to proteins and veg with the occaisional carb. Needless to say, I am feeling infinitely better today:
Saturday!
I was pretty disappointed with yesterday's run, so I decided that I needed to push it a little harder today. Although, again, I really didn't want to get out there. We were docked in Cozumel, Mexico and the temps were quite warm, and the running deck was full sun. HOWEVER. I remembered that I have some goals, and just because I'm not home, doesn't mean I can't continue to chase them.
Back up to the deck I went.
Three miles was today's goal. (Mentally, it's pretty hard to go longer than that up there, between the sun, the crazy wind, and the fact that you're running in small circles.)
However, it is always interesting... as you're doing tiny laps, there is a mini-golf course in the middle of it, so a couple of the band members were playing mini-golf while I was lapping around them. There's an experience you can't have on every cruise.
After two miles of sweaty-tastic running, in the full mexican sun, I started bargaining with myself... okay, I'll just run one more lap, and then I'll stop.... or I'll walk a little bit.... but I didn't want to have to blog today and tell you all that I only made it a sad two miles, when on a regular basis at home, I run 4 or 5.
I kept going. (Thanks for that motivation, BlogLand!)
I'm happy to report that today's wind-pushing run (SERIOUSLY. It is really hard. I feel like that increased the difficulty of my run by like 10.) was THREE whole miles. 33 laps... plus a couple walking to "cool down"... And then, because I'm on a mission - 30 more pushups, before the shower.
Now, I know you're saying, Aja? Uhm, those aren't much in the way of WODs. However, I should say that I've been constantly walking a cruise ship, dancing at continuous back to back concerts and not sleeping ALL that much. I'm considering the fact that I even did ANYthing at all a huge victory. Old Me would've still been under the covers snoozin', while Me of today was finishing a banana and heading up to the jogging track - all before 9am.
I'm feeling pretty accomplished, BlogLand. Some WOD, is better than no WOD at all.
So, alright, I am watching my minutes (and money!) tick away, so I'll leave you all with that for now... but here's the lesson of the day... NOTHING needs to stop you from chasing your goals. NOTHING. Just because you're on vacation, doesn't mean you have to eat crap. Just because you're not at home, doesn't mean you can't bring your sneakers and get a run in. Just because you're not at your home track, doesn't mean you can't find a way to move your body.
Get your Spartan on today, BlogLand! (... and I'll see you in a few days with a full picture-full recap!)
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