I'm A Speedo Girl, Through & Through

This morning was quite the interesting morning. I arrived at the gym intent on getting in a swim workout (since we know its been a long while since Ive been in the pool), I pull into a parking space, turn around to grab my bags and lo and behold,  no swim bag.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME- I'm thinking.  This is just flipping typical.  So I think "well, I packed clothes for tonight's workout for the Show Me Your Guns Challenge , I'll just do that this morning instead".  Problem-  in my clothing bag, I forgot to pack unders, socks AND shoes.

So-  I'm without a towel, goggles, swim cap, kick board, fins, paddles, shampoo, conditioner and soap.  And, I also have a Shirt and Pants but no shoes, no unders, and no socks.  Thankfully,  Lifetime sells swim caps and goggles (never mind the fact that they charge you the "we've got you over the barrel" price of thirty five bucks for the two...).  Typically, I use Speedo Vanquisher Goggles (in hot pink)  and a Speedo Silicone Swimming cap   (also in hot pink)...  I love my Vanquisher Goggles.  Love them.  Seriously, if Speedo ever announced that they were discontinuing the Vanquisher line, I'd cry.  I'd probably go into a mini-depression.  Because seriously, no other goggle works better than that one.

Now, everyone has their own particular tastes for goggles, so you may be saying "Millie you're nuts-  I like (-insert favorite brand here-), but Ive been swimming since I was a kid and I am definitely a Speedo gal through and through.  My gym carries TYR products.  *heavy sigh*  so needless to say it was a frustrating swimming experience.  I am not a fan of TYR goggles, in the slightest (sorry TYR-  but your goggles just don't cut it.  The adjustment straps don't stay, they fog constantly, they don't fit correctly, and if you push off too hard from the wall, they flip up from the cheekbone [as a result of an improper fit in the eye socket].

So, what lesson can you glen from this?  A.  Always check to make sure you have all your bags before leaving your house (lol).  Keep a backup pair of goggles and swim cap in your car, purse, or something else you always carry with you.  (and, when getting a spare-  use the same ones you typically do, otherwise it will be detrimental to your workout.) Be brand loyal.  Once you find something you love...stick with it.

Also-  when picking a gym, take note of the proximity to a big box store that you can grab stuff at in a pinch.  Seriously, Super Target should have a parade in my honor-  I'm there so frequently.  Even Marilyn (the early morning checker-  and yes, we're on a first name basis (case-in-point)  said to me this morning "So, you swam this morning huh?"  lol.

Its nice to be back in the pool though, I sure missed my old friend.  :)  -  but-side note... Lifetime still has yet to warm the damn water up.  They turned the heat up on the pool deck- but godforbid we raise the heat in the pool.  

They should seriously ask a swimmer what happens when they have to take heating up the pool into their own hands... and, I'll leave it at that :)

Motivation Monday- Sarah

My first 5K was on February 27, 2011. Before running the race, I honestly thought that it would be my first and only 5k. But something happened to me…I got HIGH from RUNNING. Me…high from running!

I almost immediately signed up for my second 5K. The social worker in me loves participating in anything that benefits a population I am passionate about. So, when I found the Special Olympics Broadway Bridge Run (in Kansas City), I gave them my money and started training. Since this was only my second 5K, I didn’t expect to be able to run the whole thing yet. My fiancé also signed up for this run with me. We work out together. We definitely are keeping each other motivated.

Again, I didn’t follow any specific training program. I start out by running for as long as I can. I then take a 2 minute “walk break” and then run for 2 minutes, walk for 2 minutes, rinse and repeat. It seems to work for me, but I’d definitely encourage a structured plan. Part of my problem is that I’m a part-time grad school, have a full-time job, am planning my June wedding and planning a move half-way across the country in July. I’m a busy girl. I have a lot of structure in my life. So running…gets done as I see it. I tried to work out 4 days a week, but often it was only 3 days a week.

April 10th was race day! I was pumped. A little nervous, as I had set a goal for myself to beat my time at my first 5K. The first 5K I participated in, I finished in 43 minutes. I didn’t think that was a bad time, considering I was still about 50 pounds overweight and didn’t train a whole lot. I was a little over 10 pounds lighter for the run on April 10th and had been training. I was hoping to finish the race under 40 and I *almost* made that. I finished the race in 40:40.

My most recent race this past weekend on April 30th was my biggest success yet. I finished in 35:38. This was a FIVE minute improvement from just a few weeks ago. I also won first place in my age group, which was an even bigger shock for me. My fiance, who has also been training, improved his time by 12 minutes. Needless to say, we are both pretty proud of ourselves.

So far, I am only signed up for one more 5K this year on May 22nd. I want to sign up for more. I am planning a move to New Jersey this summer, so I hope that once my new husband and I Have settled, I can sign up for at least one more. I do have goals for these races, of course. And I do hope that I can fit more of a structured training program. These races will probably be my last two this year, as I have so much coming up in the next few months. But I do plan to still work out and get these last 40 pounds off of my body. If you need help with your “diet”, I highly recommend Weight Watchers. I have lost 21 pounds since January. It’s teaching me healthy living and for the first time in a long time, I feel healthy. And I look healthy.

A Word From Brutus About Show Me Your Guns!

Hi all. This is “Brutus.”  Millie asked me to give tips and strategies to help you get the most out of the Fitblogger workout. The article providing the workout gives a lot of sound advice and I commend them for encouraging you to incorporate weight training into your weight loss program. I would however like to give some suggestions on ways to utilize the workout prescription outlined in the article.

First you should know that the basic format of the workout is that of a body building routine. The reason why this is because of what the repetition count suggests.  Sets with repetition counts ranging from 8-12 at 70-85% of the maximum amount of weight you can lift will encourage the body to make the working muscles bigger. If that (read: gaining muscle mass or body building) is not your goal, you may want to modify these numbers.

For a fitness /weight loss regimen, you’re going to want to do a high number of reps at an above medium weight intensity. Use a weight that allows you to perform 15 to 20 reps (with difficulty). It’s all a matter of trial and error- if you can’t do five reps, it’s too heavy for your goal. Drop down the weight and try again. After you’ve completed your exercises you will need time to recover before beginning the next set. A good method to how gage how long you should recover is by determining your RPE (rate of perceived exertion).  Your RPE is measured on a scale of one to ten, one being not tired at all, ten being exhausted wait until you’re at a RPE of 6 before you start your next set. Remember, you should not be able to easily do more than 20 reps per exercise per circuit.

 So now that you’ve figured out at what intensity you’re going to work at, you now need to figure out what to do. Below are links demonstrating how to do certain exercises from the FitBlogger workout.  What we want is to work as many muscles as possible continuously in order to maximize what weight training and cardio can do for the body. A perfect example of this would be circuit training. This training method is when you do multiple exercises back to back. When those exercises are finished, that would be one set. A good way to implement this would be to pick six out of the ten exercises listed between upper/lower body A and B. Then grab your necessary weights and dumbbells, run through the 6 exercises you’ve chosen, then rest until your RPE reaches six.  Perform each exercise back to back doing at least 15 to 20 repetitions per exercise. In the beginning, especially if you've never exercised before; take it easy. Perform no more than 2 to 4 sets. Also remember to get good rest between sets.

Hope these tips help. Look forward to more helpful tips in the future. Good luck and have fun.

Bench Press
Lat Pulldown
Barbell Bent Over Row
Military Press
Lateral Raise
Concentration Curls
Tricep Kickbacks
EZ Bar Curl
Bench Dips
Push Up

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends #CleverHaiti

Heart of Haiti Available At Macys

When I was asked “Who Has Helped You” in your journey… I couldn’t just pick one person.  However, an image came into my head of a picture that my dad took the day I completed my first Triathlon.  In this picture, the people who are my greatest support surround me, and have all helped me in many different ways. 

Meredith, my triathlon inspiration, sanity finder, editor, story idea sounding board and all around tirelessly supportive friend. (She’s in the other orange shirt, we did the race together). 

My friend Jenny is the world’s most tireless cheerleader(the one holding the green pompoms).  Sunshine on my dark days, there to hold me up and believe I was capable of much more than I ever thought possible.  She is the friend that was planning her cheer leading supplies for race day, the second I announced I was thinking about racing. 

My friends Kandi, Elizabeth and Whitney:  Who checked in with me constantly to make sure I was staying on track with my training- and of course my family.  But help isn’t just about showing up on race day. 

Lindsey, whom I’ve known the shortest amount of time, is tirelessly my cheerleader, accountability partner, and advice giver.

There are people whom I know only by Twitter Handles or Blog Names, who provided support, accountability, an ear or helpful advice- and I couldn’t have done it without them either.  

So finding a singular woman who has helped me is proving difficult.  Just as I’m sure that if you had to think of one singular person who has helped you, it might be hard to make a definitive decision on just one. 

With Mother’s Day coming up, what better time to show those women who have helped you, how much you appreciate them.   I have the ability to extend a  special offer to you, thanks to the Clever Collective and Macy’s Heart of Haiti.

If you purchase from the Heart of Haiti collection May 3^rd through May 8^th, and use Promo Code CLEVERGIRLS you will receive an additional 15% your purchase, while also helping local artisans in Haiti get back on their feet.  - To view the Shop for a Better World / Heart Of Haiti collection in its entirety (including just added items for Spring), visit:http://bit.ly/gaalFP

 I was selected for this very special “CleverHaiti” opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity. All opinions are my own. 

The Thing That Sucks About Chicago In the Spring

From LondonerryNews.Com

Sometimes,  I wish I lived somewhere less temperate.  Where the weather was dependable & stable.  First March came in like a lamb, and I thought "this is awesome!"  I can get back on the training band wagon, get my bike out, ride my little heart out & start to run.  Then-  Mother Nature got confused and decided March would go OUT like a Lion instead of coming in like one.  Cold.  Snow.  Sleet.  Snow again.  Sleety Snow.  Sleety Rain.  Rain.  More Rain.  Rain Again.  Cold.  More rain.  Now-  April showers have only brought-  my inability to swim in the mornings (lightning means Millie can't be in the lap pool)  and delayed/shortened or cancelled workouts in the evenings.

Brutus still kicks the snot out of me on Saturdays, and actually as I sit here typing this, my arms are still crying from this past Saturday's beat down.  Which-  funny sidenote-  Brutus had me doing weightlifting on Saturday to prepare me for my upcoming "Show Me Your Guns" challenge.  By the end of the workout, I already knew I was in the weeds.  My arms were so tired it was an effort just to scratch my nose.  By Saturday night (which happened to be Easter Vigil-  also know as the Marathon Mass-  which my choir sings at)  I felt a pain in my arms that I can not even describe.    When Brutus and I started our workout on Saturday, I had completely forgotten that I'm a bell ringer.  As in, I ring bells-  at mass.  I can't even put into an accurate statement the excrutiatingly painful experience that was.  Note to self-  don't work on arms and shoulders, when ringing bells later in the day.

Its now Tuesday night- and my arms are STILL hurting.  Still!  Im hoping to get back to the gym tomorrow.  I woke up this morning again to thunder and lightning so I didn't even bother attempting to drive to the gym.

That is the other problem with having 2 people who work full time and attend school  (and I know I talk about this a lot and I'm really not complaining...)  but between work schedules and school schedules, and trying to be sure that someone is home to let the dogs out, feed them etc before leaving again-  trying to squeeze "gym time" in is SO FLIPPING HARD.  At least when it's not raining- I can come home, let the dogs out hang out with them for a bit then grab my bike and just ride around the neighborhood or slap on my shoes and go for a walk/run (and sometimes even take a dog with me)  but-  when the weather is crap and we're both grasping at straws as the curtain start to close on the term-  finding a spare second just to think- let alone workout-  has become near impossible.

I just wish the damn weather would start cooperating.  Thankfully-  May 2nd is almost here.  May 2nd-  it's the lighthouse I'm anchoring my sanity to.   May 2nd....  almost here....  then, I'm free... at least for a little while.  I can regain my sanity.  Get back into a routine again.  Breathe.  Relax.  Let me brain unwind.  Less than a week-  I can make it.

And, of course, I'm still holding out hope that one of these days I'll wake up to the sounds of birds chirping instead of my sump pump pushing out rain water, and the low rumbling of thunder.

Monday Motivation (Two-fer Tuesday Edition) - Karen

With all the technical difficulties I had, and the lateness of delivery my blogs last night-  I had to move Karen over to Tuesday. :)  Sorry Karen!!    Karen is a friend I have met through the Blogosphere.  She has a blog Losing To Win  .  I read about her training for her first 5K and asked her if she would be a guest blogger- and she graciously accepted.  In her own words, here is her journey

Hello.  I’m Karen and I write about losing weight, working out and redefining my body image and myself at Losing to Win.  I’ve always enjoyed exercising but strayed a bit for a while I struggled with binge eating disorder.  I pretty much stopped exercising for about 2 years while I worked through the binge cycles and the corresponding therapy to treat myself.  It was not an easy time, but I’m happy to say I’m coming out the other side now and am working out again, losing weight and feeling like I understand why I was bingeing and how to not continue that self-destructive pattern of eating and behaviors.

Since I didn’t work out for so long, when I started again, I felt like I was starting anew.  I decided to just try everything and not be held back by fears.  So I went after the thing I had always been most afraid of – running.  I didn’t really think I’d ever be able to run a minute, never mind a mile.  I was afraid I couldn’t breathe right, I was afraid I’d hurt my hips or my back.  I was afraid I’d be slow.  I was afraid I’d never be considered a “real runner” (whatever that is).   

I did some research since I had no idea where to start and found that the Couch to 5K program is incredibly popular and seems to be easy to follow.  So many bloggers, twitterers and friends have used that program to literally go from the couch to running a 5K, so I decided it was time to try it.  The first week, you’re running 60 second intervals, so it starts off light.  But that first week, running a 60 second interval was challenging for me.  I had to push myself to do it.  But it got easier the next week and then I was running 90 second intervals….I was increasing my running ability seconds at a time.   The program has you running three days a week and each workout takes about 30 minutes to complete.  It builds you up slowly and steadily.  I focused on one training run at a time and within weeks I was running for 20 minutes at a time!  That’s 1.5 to 2 miles depending on your pace! 

I had some days where I struggled with the idea of whether or not I was a runner.  I remember one particular workout where I was running on the treadmill at the gym and I was surrounded by about 6 other runners.  They were all going faster than me, I perceived them all to be fitter than me, and I defined each of them as a “real runner” and me as someone that didn’t belong in their crowd.  I was about to give up and jump off the treadmill and go home….until I realized that I was also running.  I was running alongside these people and how did that make me any less or any different?  Perhaps to the person behind me in the gym, they saw ME as a runner too.

I think we tell ourselves all kinds of things to prevent us from doing what we want or need to do.  It’s being able to recognize those voices and quiet or calm them that allows us to break through barriers and move forward in our journeys.  I decided to run a 5K when I knew it was time to do something else that scared me.  By signing up for the 5K, I was declaring that I am indeed a runner.  And I was going to run alongside a bunch of other “real runners”.  I decided not to focus on my time at all, but just focus on finishing.  I had a secret goal of not finishing last, but even if I did, at least I’d be finishing! 

The morning of the race I was so nervous.  I had these silly fears that I’d forget how to run, that all my training would be out the window.  But of course once the race started and I had my music on and my sneakers tight, I knew what to do.  Put one foot in front of the other and breathe steadily.  I had to stop and walk sometimes on the run.  And that’s OK.  Because I was listening to my body.  When I could run, I ran.  When I needed a break, I walked.  Most importantly, I allowed myself to be a runner that day.  And crossing that finish line (at 39 minutes and 20 seconds) was about the biggest gift I could have given myself!

Just like I thought I’d never go a week or a month or even a day without a binge, I also never thought I’d be able to run a 5K.  The things we tell ourselves are powerful….and we have to believe in ourselves to allow us to move forward and reach goals!  If I can do it, you surely can too!

If you want to follow Karen's journey... you can find her at  Losing To Win 

Have you recently completed a race or are you in the process of training for one?  I'd love to have you share your journey!  Email me at Millie [at] See Millie Tri [dot] com

I Want YOU to SHOW ME YOUR GUNS!

Photo provided by Qoop.com

Look at me getting all Challenge-y and stuff.

I belong to a cooperative called Fitblogger .  I've been a guest blogger  on the site,  but recently I read this article Weight Training Workouts  and thought "Why is it that we as women are so intimated by weight training machines?"  We will take classes,  jump on the elliptical, arc trainer, spin bike or treadmill, but how many women actually visit the weight lifting section of the gym?

According to Brutus (and the article)  if you want to lose weight, you need to be doing more than logging the gerbil miles.  You need to be building lean muscle to help burn off the fat.  Which got me thinking-  what better way to introduce people to the benefits of weight lifting than with a CHALLENGE!

:cue the trumpets: 

Provided by Vector Graphics

Introducing my FIRST EVER-  Challenge!

I'm calling it :  SHOW ME YOUR GUNS  


My friend Rita at Fitblogger is going to be the completely non-biased judge for this little challenge we're going to have.


So-  here is the task- should you choose to accept it.

SHOW ME YOUR GUNS:

Starts:  May 1st
Ends:  July 24th
Midpoint Checkin :  June 12th

Length-  12 weeks

Open To:  Whomever wants to participate.  Men can too!!

What it entails:

• Fill out the Sign Up Sheet
• Follow the Fitblogger 12 Week Lifting Challenge  (more details on this and ways to modify it later)
• Submit Before & After Pictures  (Front & Side Views -  PLEASE wear a shirt that is somewhat tight to the body so we can best see the changes)  
• The Unbiased Judge will determine who has shown the most improvement over the 12 weeks and will be awarded an awesome prize pack!

Prizes include:

• A Custom Designed "Show Me Your Guns" Challenge Winner Tank
• Custom Designed Bragging Badge for your Blog or Facebook Profile
• 1 Year Subscription to Women's Health Magazine
• A Fitblogger Gym Bag

So-  do YOU have what it takes?  Submit your ticket to the GUN SHOW-  here

 Participating in the challenge is for entertainment purposes only.  Anyone who participates should consult with a physician or their chosen professionals to insure that they are proceeding in the safest possible fashion.  The 12 Week Weight Lifting Challenge is not intended to treat, diagnose, or provide advice to anyone looking to lose weight, and by participating in the challenge you acknowledge you are doing so at your own risk.