My body

I blogged before, but now I have something else to say.

People who workout, or worry about their weight frequently think about things like "genetics". I know that a really small percentage of people, actually cannot lose weight, for whatever reason, they have metabolic or some other bodily issue, that doesn't allow them to lose fat and gain muscle as easily.

Well there is me. I look nothing like anyone in my family, but I know I am not adopted.

I have really small bones. I have been considered a "twig" most of my life. In grade 9-10 I had a bit of a disorder, and I thought I was really fat. Now in grade 12, I hate the fact that I am a twig. Now, that doesn't mean I want more fat on my body... I don't, I am still trying to lose fat, always. But I just wish my body structure was larger.

In exercise science we learned about different body types mesomorphic, endomorph and ectomorph. 

There, so I don't have to explain it. I am very ectomorph. I am a little bit mesomorph, but mostly ectomorph.

Girls already have a hard time gaining muscle, and being endomorphic, doesn't help at all.

Most bodybuilders (virtually all of them) are mesomorphic.

Typically, endomorphic males take mass gainer to help them gain weight, but not necessarily fat, but that too. If I were to take that, I would probably explode out of my pants, since I am a girl.

I don't want to gain fat. I am trying to gain muscle and lower my body fat %.

I think I should re-establish what I am trying to accomplish with my body now. I don't consider myself a bodybuilder. I doubt I would ever enter any bodybuilding contests. But I do want muscle. I frankly find it attractive, and so I want it. I remember a while back, I posted some pictures of what I want to look like, and now I sort of have a new idea of what I want to look like. Right now I look like the type of person you would see in the Seventeen magazine workouts, they usually have lean muscle and low body fat %.

These abs. I am going to estimate her body fat percent to be like 8-10%. Mine right now is 17.6%. I would never allow my body fat percent to get below 8%-- for a girl that isn't really healthy. But honestly, if I have never mentioned this before: Abs are made in the kitchen, especially for girls. This means eating lean foods and healthy foods. Also, A SHIT load of cardio. Since I am a runner, I burn an insane amount of calories all of the time, so my body fat % will lower, as long as I eat healthy *most* of the time. I doubt I will have abs like this until late 2014, anyways.


Arms like this would be nice. I chose this photo because I can tell that she has a small bone structure (look at her wrists), like me. I don't think this is overly insane, I can tell she has a low body fat % too.




I can't find any good leg pictures. But just imagine it, okay?

My body is really slender. I look like someone who just goes to the gym to do cardio, compared to others. I do have a significant amount of muscle, but again, since I have a small bone structure, it is practically invisible.

I doubt that I will reach my ideal body until the end of 2014.

I don't know. I just think that muscle is attractive. Plus the actual health benefits--- amazing, and the ability to lift things and do housework shit, would be awesome as well.

It'll be hard. 

30KM Goals!

If you didn't know... I am running a 30K on March 24th. Gulp. The most I've run is 25km.

I have a while more to train, I am hoping to hit 30k, sometime next weekend, or during exams. At least by the end of the month.

I'm probably going to be doing 2-3 runs a week. 1 Run will be my SUPER long run (at least 22kms). I am trying to hit 35k, just because I told myself if I run 35km before the end of February, I will sign up for the Toronto marathon.

My other run will probably be 10-15km, just to have a more relaxed run, or to work on my pace. Lately I've been doing either Saturday or Sunday, and then Wednesday is my shorter run.

Let me talk about goals.

I want to finish the 30k in between the times 2:40:00-2:45:59

Well, I could be faster, but I am hoping for around there. At this rate, I think I will be somewhere around 2:50:00-2:53:00.

But I am trying for around 2:40:00.

Other than time goals, I would like to place in the top 2,500 (there are a total of 8,500 runners) and place in the top 10 for my age category (F15-19). Last year there were 38 people in that category.

I think I have my hopes a little high, but that's good, I will train HARD and long for this!

I just won't wreck my legs.

As long as my time is under 3 hours, and I place in the top 50%, I think I will be pretty darn happy.

But these are my goals.

I will achieve them.

The other thing is that when I am actually running a race, adrenaline gets to me. When I was training for my half marathon, I had only ran the 13 miles, once before, and it took me like 2:30 hours. But when I actually RAN IT for real, my time was around 2:01. I was expecting to come in at 2:20. That was an amazing feeling.

I think that cross country has helped my breathing a lot. Breathing is a lot easier now. But my endurance is kinda shotty (obviously if I ran 25km yesterday, it's not) it's just my legs get tired. I was on running rest for a month, but I could walk, so I would speed-walk uphill on treadmills at the gym, at a 20-25% incline. So I didn't lose too much of my endurance. It's just my legs get REALLY tired REALLY fast. It's from the running movement. Although my body can take endurance and breathing heavy for a long period of time, my legs can't take that repetitive movement.

Yesterday during my run, up until 10km, my pace was good, and I felt good. From 10k-18k, my pace slowed about :10-:20 seconds/km, and then from 18k-20k, I was really "hacking it". The last 5 k, my pace had slowed a whole minute from the first 10k. I was running slower than my average time at my half marathon. It was bad. But at least I finished! I ran 25km in 2:33. Which is pretty good, but not as good as I am hoping for. But literally, my legs were in PAIN intense, horrifying, PAIN for the last 5k.

I also misjudged the length of my run by a long shot.

I don't know. All I want to do is run, but I can barely walk right now. Wednesday I might do 18k.

We'll see.

GOALS of 2013

I was trying to change the format of my blog on here, and it wasn't working. I'll try again another day. For now, have fun with this typical format.

GOALS!

I have changed so much from when I first started this blog... from when I first started going to the gym!

I am so much stronger, healthier. I am happy.

Anyways, I'll split my goals into 3 categories: Running, Lifting and Food/Health (gulp...).

Running Goals:
1. Run a marathon! I have run a half, and I am ready to train for the full! I am running a 30k first in (April?). I should probably look up the date. I signed up for it. MARCH 24th. WHAT THE WHAT. Oh god. I need to go run brb. Jk. But seriously, that's intense! PROOF: http://www.eventsonline.ca/events/atbrr/confirm.htm LOOK HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE RUNNING IT!! There's a max of 8,500 people. They have not reached that. Yep. I am going to  be indistinguishable. Largest run ever! Anyways... I want to run a Marathon. Maybe the TO one if I sign up...

2. Not get injured. I injured myself 3 times last year. I need to pace myself in my training, not push myself, and wear proper shoes. AND STRETCH! I will try not to injure myself.

3. This is a conditional one. If there is track and field, I will sign up, and do the 3000m (It's the longest race). 3k. It simple, it's just I have to work on my SPEED. I hate speed work. 5k training for cross country was a b*tch.

Lifting Goals:
1. I want to gain approx 11lbs of muscle to weigh 130lbs. I don't think this is too realistic, but I will definately aim for it. I am going to lift until I die. Jk. Okay but seriously, I want to gain muscle.

2. Move past 180lbs in my reverse leg press. I can barely do 180 as it is, right now. Some leg presses I can do like almost 300lbs, but the one that is on a tilt and you are pushing your legs over your head is a bitch.

3. Bicep curl to reach 25lbs.

4. Tricep pull down to reach 30 lbs.

5. Train my forearms, I always forget to.

Food/Health Goals:
1. Drink at least 750mL of water a day. I don't think this is as much as you are supposed to, but I don't even drink that, somedays.

2. Stretch after I workout, especially on leg day and after running.

3. Drink no more than 2 cups of coffee a day. I've been drinking 3. Coffee and caffeine have pros and cons to them. I hate when people tell me it is so bad for me, it really isn't. I actually drink coffee to caffeine load for running. Although, it also dehydrates you, so I drink more water when I caffeine load.

4. Eat enough. This sounds bad. Somedays I don't eat enough for my lifestyle. I eat pretty much the "bare minimum" on most, average days. I should be eating a lot more, as I have learned in exercise science. I probably get 1200-1800 calories a day. I should be getting like 1800-2500 for my lifestyle. Whoops. Somedays I get more than enough, but that is usually when I have junk food (which doesn't happen too often).

5. Eat more green vegetables.

6. Eat more "holistic like" foods. Things like ginger and green tea, that are good for cleansing your body. I don't get enough of that stuff. It helps my metabolism and stuff.

So yeah. Those are my goals.

I better get going, there is a candle on the other side of my room, and I am almost sure the flame is going to drown in its melted wax... it's been burning for a few hours.

Let's DO THIS!

Yes.

I hope to get to go to OFSSA. To do this, I must be a top 3 individual, or in one of the top 2 teams. Since our Senior girls team always gets dead last... I must be a top 3 individual.

I got 10th at Bay of Quinte, and many of the people ahead of me were in the top 2 teams. So if you remove them... I would be 4th. The person I have to beat ran about 1:30 faster than me.

I think I might be able to shave 1 minute AT LEAST off my time. Then hope the adrenelaine will really kick in.

What one of the coaches.. not even a coach, just one of the gym teachers at my school said "Everyone at Cross Country wants the same thing, everybody has the same mindset and the same goal"

I agree. I can't agree more. But I want this... so bad. I feel like I can do it. I know I can. I can push it at COSSA. BUT WHAT DRIVES ME COMPLETELY NUTS is the way this is run. I have to qualify at cossa.. but if you look at ofssa's times from last year... I would've made 113/245 runners. So even though my time is amazing... I still won't qualify because everyone at cossa is really good.

Brb let me go switch districts.

Anyways, in other news, I am thinking I will do varsity cross country in univeristy. I was looking at the times at universities I want to go to, and yeah, I am going to get on the team. My time is about average of theirs. Maybe a bit higher.

UGH!

Anyways, my personal best is 22:13

I am trying to get it down to 21:00

Let's do this?

Yes.

Anyways, I have to do this by next wednesday. So I am going to all practices, I am going to run on Saturday, rest on Sunday, but I might do 2 runs on Monday and Friday (one in morning one afterschool) just so I can get in the extra practice.

If I don't make ofssa, well I can't really complain... well of course I can.

But nobody in moira in cross country has made ofssa in years...

Also, so far none of us have gotten any awards at any meets.

Kinda sucks.

But oh well. I wish I started this younger, but I am doing it now, and that is all that matters!

Avoidances

I have being avoiding so many things lately.

I knew that once school started, my fitness would begin to deteriorate! I have less time! So I have been working out like... 5 times a week.. for like 1-1.5 hours. I used to do like 2-2.5 hours about 5 times a week. I do have cross country... but that doesn't make up for much lost time... especially strength training.

But I just slowly moved slowly away from being determined to go to the gym... more assignments piled up and tests popped up. I tried going in the morning before school.. which doesn't work too well unless I only do strength training. I don't sweat as much then, so I can get away with not taking a shower, or just not washing my hair. Drying my hair takes too long...

I mean, sure. I'd have time, but I have to sleep.

So basically... I can't make excuses anymore. I might quit my one job. I've been saying this for 2-3 weeks now. I really don't know when I'll quit. If I do anytime soon.

So I guess I should be setting some more goals...

Well. Running first of all. Update! For cross country, I am a senior girl which means I run 5km. Out of our whole cross country team, it is mostly senior girls. I'm the only grade 12, the others are grade 11s.

Anyways, I went to the first invitational and I got 16th out of 61 senior girls! It was AWESOME! Except for the insane amount of hills, horse shit, sand, twigs, rocks and mud. But otherwise it was so fun! I ran 23:36 or something like that.

So my pace averaged 4:41.

I really REALLY want it down to 4:20. Bay of quinte is... in 19 days? If I run 16 of those days... and run 5km each time + do other things like speed training and I can do things like use the treadmill to keep my pace steady.... I might be able to do that. But it is still going to be a struggle... even if I can't get it down by BOQ... if I can get it down for COSSA I can make it to OFSSA! But honestly... its not like that is an unrealistic goal... but very difficult to make it to OFSSA. You must be in the top 3 from COSSA or in the top 2 teams (our team is dead last). I figure that based on COSSA results from last year, if I run a 4:20 pace I can be 5th. But if I run my 4:41 pace I would've been... 17th. GAHH! 3rd place runner last year ran at 4:11.

I'm so mad at myself for not starting running earlier! But thats okay. Maybe I'll do varsity in Uni.

But on the plus side, I am the fastest female runner at my school. :)

Okay other than the 4:20 goal...

I will work on my upper body strength. My arms are actually so weak. I work them out all the time, but something is just not working. I think I need to get more creative with my arm routine. Like going across monkey bars like a zillion times and weird shit like that.

Well. Now that I've got all of that off my chest...

Run run run

Running 5km. The only thing on my mind.

So last Tuesday I ran 5k in 27:40 something like that.
Then I was timed again on Friday and I did it in like 23:30.

If you are a runner, you understand this is a significant improvement. Even though on Tuesday it was extremely hot and Friday was nice and cool... this is still intensely different.

23:30... is an amazing time for a 16 year old girl to do a 5k. I would likely score in the top 20 at meets.... depending, obviously.

But I still want to make it faster. I want to run it in 20:00. Which would make me in the top 5 (likely would at least). That means I need an average of a 4:00/km pace.

Right now my pace is averaging at 4:42, but I run between 4:10-4:53 usually. But I usually am steady at 4:20-4:45. It basically averages out to 4:42.

I want to slash :42 seconds per km off of my time. That is insane. Insane. No. It is not. If I work hard, I might be able to do this. I just might have to throw up a few times (I mean this in the sense that when you work too hard you throw up, not in an anorexic way), pass out a bit, and maybe fall down a couple of times.

But I will do a LOT of training this week. I only can make practice Tuesday, and maybe Friday. I am going to do Monday and Thursday on the Treadmill at Goodlife. I like training on the treadmill because you can set in your pace, and so you know you are steady. I will do that Monday and Thursday. Sunday and Wednesday I will train by myself outside not at practice. Likely I will do some sprints as well. If I can get my 100m sprint down to 13 seconds, I might join track and field for 100m sprints in the Spring. But thats not what I am focusing on.

Right now (without trying too hard) my sprints are about 16 seconds.

But anyways.

I am planning on making OFSSA. Or I hope to.

HOLY FUCK. People made ofssa with times of 23:30! They got like 160th. But. Yeah. Having a time of 20:00 would be nice. I might get like 20th at Ofssa.

But I am not saying I am going. I just really hope I do.

Oh goodness I am now really pumped.

<3

Where am I going with this?

Hi. I still have not blogged about my HALF MARATHON!

AH! I did it! 2:01:42.7? Something like that. The 2:01 part is right. I came 2nd for my age and sex. Which was UNEXPECTED!

Amazing.

Anyways. After I ran it, my mom said "So where are you taking this?" in reference to my running. Of course, I didn't know. Would I try to improve my time/pace? Would I try to work towards a marathon?

I really didn't know.

Now I do.

I joined cross country at school! I am hoping to get to COSSA. I need to attend 16 practices (which should hopefully work out).

But the coach said something about a pace of 4:00min/km is what she would like us to be at, but 5:00min/km is best. For senior girls this is a 5km race. The half marathon is 21km. So that is not the issue.

The issue is my pace. My pace running the half marathon was 5:46min/km. Which is actually not a bad pace... for a half marathon. But I need to make my pace faster and run less.

I used to go for 10-15km runs to train, a couple of times a week. Now I need to go for faster and shorter runs to train.

I don't see it being an issue. I tried a 5km run with a faster pace the other day, and my pace was around 4:35min/km. But of course, I definitely want to bring it down. Just a lot of training.

Time and persistence give you results.

Thats all it takes.

Lesssgooo.