Week 16 - slow down for Christmas!

I'm tireeeeed.... Just trying to keep my eyes open! There's a good reason for this: I've just eaten my first Christmas meal, our company offered us the buffet. There's carols in my head and my eyelids weight a ton. I want to crawl under this desk and sleep there until tomorrow. I don't want coffee, I don't want to cheer up, I want to have a nap!

We went ice skating yesterday. It felt weird! Well first of all it wasn't like "I can skate with quads, I can definitely skate with ice skates too". Nope. I stepped on the ice with my skates and immediately lost balance and almost fell. The point of gravity is totally different when ice skating. We had a free skate session, I practiced turning, a little jumping, cross overs and just skating. It was fun! But we had even more fun at our on skates practice where we again had our new fresh meat with us, the new girls are great! So nice to have more people at practice :).

It turned out my gym is closing already on Sunday (I was prepared for a afternoon spent in there) and it seems I am to take it real easy for some days. Don't really care! At the moment I can only think of sleeping. Of course there is our last practice of the year in the evening and I don't know what to think of it! I'm gonna miss it a lot. I will also rest and do other stuff like hopefully get back on the pole again.

Monday
Bodypump 60

Tuesday
PRD off skate practice: ice skating 45
PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours (LAST ONE OF THIS YEAR!!)

Thursday
day off!

Friday
run 30
RVP 30

Saturday
day off

Sunday
some of these
RVP at home
bench press
biceps
triceps
lower & upper back
pole dancing

Week 15 review

Last week was wrapped up with a great Sunday practice. I have missed two practices during the last two weeks and other practices have been cancelled, so I had a two week break from skating. I was afraid it would slow me down... but no! It was so great yesterday, I loved every second and could have kept on for couple hours more. And despite my sick leaves and all my attendance is still 80,5%. Maybe this Christmas holiday is also coming at a right time, two more effective practices tomorrow and on Wednesday and then almost three weeks without our practice. I'm going to miss it badly, but it will be for the good for sure. I'm convinced now to have a brake from this blog too so I don't create pressure for myself.

I'm quite happy with last weeks workouts, I'm so happy to be OK again! I really kicked that flus ass!

Monday
sick :(

Tuesday
sick :(

Wednesday
day off

Thursday
Bodypump 30

Friday
Run 30

Saturday
day off

Sunday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Hopes up!

Feeling as bright as it would be the beginning of spring! Well it isn't, but yesterday I felt quite good and decided to go and take a chance on bodypump express. I promised to take it easy and stop immediately if it would feel bad... but it didn't! The ½ hour workout was just what I needed after the fever and having this flu. It was just the right amount of exercise, you should have seen my smile doing those squats. I also realized that despite all my complaints of not having the time or fit to do as much as I would like to I still do quite a lot. I skate, run, do yoga, workout in bodypump and other muscle toning classes and dance too. I even remember to do little exercises during the day, since sitting the whole 8 hour in the office is bad , I stretch my hands and other muscles too. I don't need to worry about skipping a week, really. Phew.

Today I wanted to do another test exercise, this time more aerobic one. After workday I went to the gym to run and for the first 10 minutes my breathing was hard because of my blocked nose but after that it was awesome. I got high on exercise. I'm officially turned out to be a sports junkie. Some of my friends have maybe noticed this earlier than I have, I've been receiving such comments lately and maybe haven't thought of them earlier. Why is it that we are often so blind to our own habits, skills, faults and looks? I for myself regret not saying the truth to my friends, who are awesome, beautiful and keep me up when I'm about to fall. None of them would be my friends if they wouldn't be the perfect match for me, and they are! I love meeting new people but I don't make friends easy, even though I'd love to be able. I need something to bond me with my friends, something deeper we share. Luckily those girls in our team are the best: crazy enough, relaxed, fun, a great bunch to skate with.

It's Friday and I'm making Karelian hot pot with mashed potatoes and carrots. Our cats are sleeping, I'm home alone and radio is playing night club hits. After I finish this I'll dance in the kitchen till I'm bored and grab a book so I can disappear under a blanket.

We made it yesterday!

Week 15 - nothing to report

We drove to our practice hall yesterday and found around 50 cars parked in the yard and streets near it. Suspicious... And so it seemed there was some Christmas related party going on that someone had forgotten to inform us about. Well, no skating yesterday either! All the carbohydrates I ate were of no use. Some of us decided to have nice warm drinks and at least the time was well spent in good discussions. All the rest is also useful to me although I feel I need some good exercise. My doctor said that if I usually exercise a lot it could actually help me loosen up some phlegm (what a nice thing to tell you all about). I feel slimy and filled with germs. I wash my hands constantly and am really sorry every time I cough or sneeze. Also I'm red in the face, especially around my nose. They suggested I could be our offices Saint Lucy and have a crown of candles since it's the Saint Lucy's day but I nominate myself as our offices Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. He's way cuter too.

Lovely!

Nope, not me

I'm not even going to plan this week. I have no idea how is this flu going to evolve and there's definitely NO hard workout for me this week. Blah blah blah, why has this autumn been so full of setbacks, really? At least it's Christmas time so I've got plenty of other stuff to do. Like gingerbread houses today! I've never made ones before but I've got the best people to help me.

Sneeze! (And week 14 review)

I'm feeling better, almost normal. Just some sneezing. Don't wan't to overwhelm myself this week, well last week was quite lousy too, maybe that's the reason I became sick. I feel bad not being able to do serious workouts. And for not skating yesterday, I wanted to be sure I'm OK for it. I shouldn't feel bad but I do. Maybe it's more annoying me 'cause I've got good motivation going on and would love to put it into use! I hope it'll stay with me over the holidays, just next week and we have a Christmas break. Sad! Not a single skating hour last week, already missed one this week and only 4 times before the break. Skate! But yay, next week our ex figure-skater is taking us to the ice. It's gonna be fun! And maybe it will help me go ice skating on the break. OR then I won't think about roller derby AT ALL the whole break. I will shut this blog for the time and be free of all expectations. Sounds alluring! Then I can say bye bye for this autumn full of setbacks and start fresh again. Ah, new year!

Last week... Whoohooo, well at least I did something! Well done me!

Monday
run 30

Tuesday
day off

Wednesday
Yoga 60
Bodypump 60

Thursday
RVP at home
walk 30

Friday
indoor cycling 35
RVP
run 30

Saturday
day off
(triple header in Kallio)

Sunday
day off
(mini triple header in Pasila)

My cat with PRD bag

Weekend full of RD

A triple header yesterday took 5 hours and these three mini bouts today took four hours. So no wonder I got a fever! Darn, really, why did I get sick in the middle of my mini vacation? This really ruins my mood! I've had such an amazing time during this weekend. There was great bouts yesterday that Kallio (B & A -teams) played against Gothenburg Roller Derby A and Crime City Rollers B. The last bout was something quite different we've seen in Finland so far: the first Nordic men's roller derby bout! The Sons Of Peaches (FIN) vs The Peaches (SWE/DEN) was a bout played by our referees and you could really see it too. Quite different when they show their own penalties, jump over each other, don't actually "fall small" and hit like hell. It was also the final of the three so the audience was a bit drunk already and cheering mixed with laughter. It was entertaining and they had some cool tricks and sets too.

I would have had time to go to the gym since we got to Porvoo earlier but now I have to lie my fever away.

Friday that feels like Sunday

I've been doing everything I love these couple of days. On Wednesday I went to the gym, yoga and bodypump were both awesome classes. There was a surprise too that I didn't remember, there was a new bodypump program! It was so different from the old one, almost every song had a new technique. Some actually felt easier first, but yesterday proved me wrong. I was having sore muscles and new kind of soreness too, I really loved it. Can't wait to get again on the class next week!

After those workouts I made gingerbread dough, enjoyed the scent it brought to our kitchen, loved out cats every once in a while and drank beer. You should really try out mixing gingerbread dough with beer, now that I think of it... I need to mix them now! Afterwards I left to a friends place to hang out. Then we ended up to Soho and some of our team members found a trophy they had been playing for in the summer, when I was on a honeymoon. There was only one option so we took it to good use and drank a delicious (deceptive) cocktail from it.

Such a cool gingerbread house our friend made for us

I was able to host our traditional Independence Day glogg party yesterday anyway but skipped my workouts. Holidays, I said, what the heck. We had our first guest at one o'clock and last one left something to nine. A success! So many friends, laughs, tiredness and just plain happiness. Couldn't have been better. It wasn't even the end of it since after nine we left to Askola for some time with kittens. Little super cute furry kittens! They were all around our feet, slept on my belly and ran around. We warmed the sauna up and I  rested on benches thinking how happy I was at 12 pm, having spent the day with my dearest friends and now enjoying the moment with my dearest man.

These are the kittens!!

We went for a walk in Askola and then took leave to Porvoo. I bought us flights to Tenerife (!!!), we are going to spent a week in there with one of the dearest friends I've got. Her mom actually lives there and I've been then once already, but that place is great and her mom is the best, you just get hooked on to it! Oh January, you bring warmth and joy. All these good things are overwhelming me today and that's so cool too. Let me on the loose!

I also went to the gym today, did warmup, 30 minutes indoor cycle and RVP. My thighs were still sore from the new bodypump so I thought cycling would be better than running. I was right, it opened up those muscles. RVP was also great after a pause but I still had quite tight feeling in my buttocks, I wonder if they are ever to ease. Anyway, great workout, great feeling!

FIVE DAYS OFF

HAPPY WHOOP YEA HEHAHEHA! I'll leave for some yoga and bodypump now. Then I'll hit our local S-Market for some cider, food and raisins! And... Tonight I'm making gingerbread dough, oh this is such a happy day!

Delicious hot chocolate from Paahtimo

Week 14 - Shortys short week

I have no idea how this week is going to turn out! There's some open plans which I'd like to keep that way, it's my mini vacation and I only want to do what I feel like doing. So here's only my certainties marked.

Yesterday I had a meeting with our lovely charity leos, so I skipped bodypump and yoga, which have been my favorites on Monday for some time. I was actually quite proud of myself actually going to the gym for a run after the meeting. The day had been tiring, dark and cold. Yet the weather was calm and nice, but I just wanted to hide under a blanket. Instead I dug energy (from delicious coconut balls Musta Hurma made us for the meeting) and went to have a run. At home I also tried a short rep of pecs with 17 kilos. The bar we have at home itself weights 7 kilos and there was two 5 kg discs. I did twenty and felt it, maybe a couple more and I'd be hurting today.

Monday
run 30

Tuesday
day off

Wednesday
Yoga 60
Bodypump 60

Thursday
RVP at home
walk 30

Friday
RVP
run 30

Saturday
day off
(triple header in Kallio)

Sunday
day off
(mini triple header in Pasila)

Little bunnies in Porvoo old town

Week 13 - review

Snow is here! No more cycling for me, I found my feet walking. Today it was a nice walk, the weather was clear and -12 degrees didn't hurt because wind didn't blow me away. I don't hate winter today.

So there was some hassle last week with my workouts... I didn't make it to skating practice on Tuesday and skipped RVP on Saturday. I had a great jog though, 40 minutes run 10 km/h. I've not run that speed in a long time, I've been somehow stuck on endurance runs with lower heart rate. Now I was giving it all inspired by the bodycombat class on Tuesday. One jog like that every once in a while, like twice a month, would be good for improving. Lower heart rate exercises are important so you stay in good condition and your body gets rest and has time to recover, but every once in a while it would be good to have some killer workouts. Maybe that's why I had a pretty hard time yesterday doing the 4 hours skating practice, I've already had two killer workouts this week. I've been wondering how our coach has been able to do it for many weeks now on Sundays, crazy!


Monday
Bodypump 60
Yoga 60

Tuesday
PRD off skate practice: bodycombat 60
PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Thursday
day off

Friday
day off

Saturday
running 40
RVP 30

Sunday
PRD FTP on skate practice 2 hours
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Porvoo old town on Saturday night

Coconutty

Good morning folks!

I just ate a huge breakfast: banana-strawberry coconut flake milkshake, homemade bread roll with ham, cheese and egg and of course loads of coffee. I'm already feeling the coffee kickin' in. So today I was planning on running for 30 minutes and then going to RVP (thighs, abs and buttocks) but I'm gonna have to skip RVP. In a couple of hours I'll be babysitting my little bro, we he's turning two in a week, so actually he's no baby anymore :). After that I'll see if I manage to do some RVP at home, maybe with that off skate program I planned earlier in the autumn.

Some people hate coconut but I love it! I like it raw, with chocolate, as flakes mixed to smoothies, coconut cream in a soup... Mmm I need some chicken soup with coconut cream!

I survived, it's Friday!

First thing I did after getting home:

Selected some stickers for my helmet. Now there's my number and my name, yeah!

What's up guys?

I see you! I see people from Finland, USA and Sweden, someone from Peru, Belgium, Mexico, Germany, Malta, GB, even France and Spain. Some have probably got lost in the internet and I'm quite certain of persons Miss Peru, Miss Belgium and Mr Mexico (loads of love to you guys). And of course at least one Finnish dude who happens to be my very best husband. But you Finns! Here you are! What's up anonymous friends? How do you do? Are you enjoying this day? Do you play roller derby and rock at it? Share some love with me, just for once? You can even throw an idea or two for me to figure out, if you'd like to. Or a smile, grin, middle finger, hint how to relax. Everything goes, even whispering.

Here's my new friend Mouse, he has a friend too (on my other hand)

Hush please

It's been renovation at the factory all day. It's a okay BUT that freaking diamond drill gets on my nerves. IIIIÄÄÄÄÖÖRQQIIIIRRIIIIIIÄÄÄÄQQI! That's how it sounds like.

So, there are something I did yesterday and some I didn't. Ha haa, someone forgot that her bike is at work. I got a ride home from mom and did not realize to ask for a ride to the practice and only woke to that fact when I got downstairs and started looking for it. My first thought was it has been stolen, the second that it might be an invisible batmobile and the third was the fact it is waiting for me at work. All rides from the center had already left, I was running a little late too. Phew. Where's my brain at, didn't I just write about skating like hell this week? When I got back upstairs I also noticed I didn't have my mouthguard with me. Had to have a laugh and then I finally did something I've been disgusted to do, cleaned my bearings and wheels. Hair and dust emerged with an oily touch. Note: do not wipe your dirty hands on your trousers, it will not wash off.

Dirt from one skate

We had an off skate practice earlier at the gym: bodycombat! I always remember it's fun and effective but every time it's even better than I remember. Too bad they have it only once a week just before our off skate sessions. My shoulder blades are aching from it and I was sweating so much I slipped my hand when doing push-ups!

Week 13 - skate skate skate!

I just realized there will be no skating for me next week, week 14. That is so depressing! We're heading to Helsinki on Tuesday to celebrate a dear friends birthday, so no off & on skates for me. Then on Wednesday we have no practice space in Tolkkinen and on Sunday PRD is going to Pasila and I'm gonna be a non skating official for the first time. So time for some long jogs next week? Hopefully it won't snow before it, running on a treadmill is OK but quite boring after 40 minutes. Now some people will hate me for sure, everyone is hoping to have snow soon, yeah I know: it will bring light and joy, Christmas feeling an what else. But it just completely stops me from cycling to work which sucks, I save a lot minutes by cycling.

This week I don't think I'm able to go bodypump express, which has really done some speed up in improving. I've done two weeks with one normal bodypump (60 minutes) and short (30 minutes) and yesterdays class was awesome, it has to got something to do with that twice a week workout. A couple of weeks I've been really out of breathe, tired and shaking after last reps but yesterday there was pain but no noisy breathing or much grimace either! So really too bad I'm not able to attend another class this week to try out some new weights... And next week I'm only able to go on Wednesday, 'cause we have a meeting on Monday. I don't know why I'm waffling about next week! What! Let's take this week first:

Monday
Bodypump 60
Yoga 60

Tuesday
PRD off skate practice: bodycombat 60
PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Thursday
day off

Friday
day off

Saturday
running 30
RVP 30

Sunday
PRD FTP on skate practice 2 hours
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Have you done any sleeping lately?

Yeah. To take my own words back again, just letting you all know I can relax too. Or can I? Yes I can. I'm gonna show it to you next week! I CAN MANAGE WITHOUT SKATING FOR ONE WEEK! I can! And I can relax! Yes! And I will quietly transfer my serious workouts to bodypump next week and try some outrageous weights... Ain't that relaxing? Just kidding! I will relax, I promise. And sleep. I will also go to work only on Mon-Wed and will only post short reviews about this week, plan a little week 14 and post pictures of me relaxing, unless I don't feel like it, isn't relaxing something like you only do what you want, living the moment? Well that's quite much what I do anyway. So why am I trying so much? See, now I'm TRYING to relax really badly. Planning on relaxing. I am hopeless people. Thank you and I'm sorry.

Week 12 review

It's a new week, eeek! I'm running a little slow as always on Monday, so it's fine to take a review of last week. My attendance percentage is 82,85%, nice to be back in over 80%. It felt weird to skate only 2 hours yesterday after I went to FTP and our own practice on week 11. My feelings yesterday at practice were otherwise weird too: we had a work Christmas party on Saturday and I took it really easy, just drank a little wine with the dinner. There was a little twist at the party... Only a week and a half before to actual party there was suddenly a group searching for bands from all over the factories and departments. So I went along with my mom and one other colleague to be ZZ Top! It was a competition between these six bands performing at the party, well unfortunately we didn't win, but had so much fun anyway. We went to the venue already at noon to have lunch and for make-up. After dressing up and some manly make-up this is what become of me:

Quite a new look

We three looked great, my mom had similar beard and clothing as I did, but she's only about 164 cm tall, so we were quite a couple walking together. The third member, our drummer had a similar costume but without a beard and a hat. Instead he had a nice blonde wig to play with. We were the first band to perform and as ZZ Top has quite minimalist stage performance we kept it quite simple too, just relaxed. Some of the other bands were there to really win, AC/DC and KISS were really hard to compete with!

Maybe that party or my private after party with my teammate Musta Hurma made me tired, since quite many asked at the locker room if I had just woken up or if I slept ill. There was no drinking involved, but we had so interesting and amusing topics to talk about that suddenly the clock was 4 am. Now I wish I could sleep five days in a row and wake up to weekend.

Last week went well, just as planned. Only a little longer jog on Friday. After having a couple weeks break from running it was tough for the first 15 minutes and then it got easier, I could have been running for more too. It would be great to run twice a week to keep up the ability, in case I will get excited about some running event next year. It should get easier at some point when my body fully gets used to skating. I still warm-up to skating really slowly and some of my muscles just don't yet understand what's going on. On my way there, it took quite a while to become a runner, so it's probably gonna take some time to become a skater too. I'm actually not improving as fast it might sometimes feel or look, I just wish I am and am confident about getting there, as every beginner should too. It helps motivating yourself and even a small progress is progress!

Last week my friends:

Monday
Bodypump 60
Yoga 60

Tuesday
PRD off skate practice: climbing/jogging 60
PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Thursday
Day off

Friday
Running 40
Bodypump exp 30

Saturday
Day off

Sunday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

A bearded kiss to you all!

Weeeeeeeee!kend

My excited weekend mode is on! I'll hit the gym for a short run before a short bodypump. This just might be the perfect moment to finally upgrade weights on squats. It's a short class, only 30 minutes, so even if I would feel like dying I wont have to bear 50 more minutes. And this shorter class does not include one feet squats so the pain comes only once.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Taking it easy

The darker this autumn turns and the closer to winter we get the more tired I feel. Healthy food does not inspire me anymore, I want more hot hearty food. In spring, summer and autumn I crave for salads, quark, fruits and all light foods. When I become more tired and it gets colder it's like I naturally start gathering something to keep me warm. I gain a couple of kilos during winter and then loose them when spring arrives. Fine by me! But there is one thing that I need to remember: still have the daily fruits and vegetables to keep me on track.

Some souvenirs from yesterdays practice

Wednesday practices are tough, usually I've been working out from Sunday to Wednesday. Today it's time to have a day off and enjoy it. Sometimes enjoying a day off is hard, it feels like I'd rather enjoy some serious workout. But it's not worth it, I will once again repeat that I don't want to end up injured again, that sucked. You can never talk too much about resting, that will build our bodies stronger too. REST PEOPLE! We are soon arriving to the darkest time of the year.

Shaman & Vincent

The darkest time of the year is only a month away (shortest day 21.12.2012) and we need to stack up some energy to prepare for Christmas. All that work to relax a couple of days. It's totally worth it and I love surprising with thoughtful presents, even though it has never been my strong point. It's time to cuddle in bed with your pets and light up a candle every chance you get. I'm planning on taking a candle to work so I can enjoy it during black mornings.

Week 12 - waddup bodypump?

Let's talk about bodypump! Let's encourage me to go nearer the maximum pain level! Yeah, you can help me! (This is me convincing myself I'm up for some real improvements.)

I've always thought bodypump is just muscle toning, that's all. Quite famous description is somewhat "it shapes your body" as it does too, but not in the same way that workout at the gym would. It shapes gently and will not give the maximum size to your muscles: that's why it's usually recommended to women. Only workout at the gym will pump up the size, bodypump improves muscle endurance: the sets you do per muscle are much longer than you'd do with higher weights at the gym. Of course depending on your starting point it can increase size to some point, but shaping is more what it is.

Good endurance is important for RD especially considering our thighs (oh really!) and that you can workout in bodypump classes. However, the explosive power I've been looking for might lurk at the gym, in those higher weights. I'm really near to need some personal assisting in this, I feel my own knowledge combined with internet is not enough. Too much endurance workout on my lower body muscles, thighs and buttocks mainly, have resulted in injuries, so I need to give something up. I might not be able to do this all by myself.

Anyway, I was not going to roll around the fact I need help and advice, but to tell about falling in love with bodypump once again. The first time ever I went to bodypump was in August 2011. I got some free coupons to LadyLine and on that specific evening it was the only class I had time to go. So I went without having no idea what's it all about... and started with 1 kg a head on the bar. Really, 1 kg! Now it makes me laugh. Seeing all those ladies putting up huge weights made me want to improve too. Also it was somehow really fun with all the energetic music and fast tempo. That was when I decided to be a member too.

At times I feel I ain't going anywhere, I can't lift weights or I have to skip classes because injuries. Finally I've got every angle covered: my injuries are healed and my motivation is up again. Also I've finally got time to attend also the express class, 30 minutes. So maybe I'll be getting those weights up again soon!

Here's somewhat I've thought for this week:


Monday
Bodypump 60
Yoga 60

Tuesday
PRD off skate practice: climbing/jogging 60
PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Thursday
Day off

Friday
Running 30
Bodypump exp 30

Saturday
Day off

Sunday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Week 11 review

My uppermost feeling at the moment is happiness! Porvoo Roller Derby came to my life somewhere in March, only a couple weeks after some of my friends and other people who had caught the RD-flu set up PRD. For a while I listened that never ending derby-talk my friends went through, wondered what they're up to, even got some encouragement to join this phenomenon. Now all those awesome "other people" are my friends as well, make me laugh and relax, as well as try harder. This league has given me something I've never had: a team. Teamwork!



We had a league Christmas gala on Friday and it was such a great party, so much fun all around, great speeches, singing, hugging, piling up on the floor, just enjoying the freedom to talk all the derby in the world, freeing ourselves to come even closer to each other. So much fun indeed! I was part of our lovely party organizing group and we had prepared titles for everyone from suggestions we got from teammates. I myself got the title seen in picture above: Year 2012 famösa cookies!

I have a surprise for you! Last weeks workouts were awesome, I'm really pleased:

Monday
BODYPUMP 60

Tuesday
PRD off skates practice: improvised contact exercise and/or power yoga 60
PRD on skates practice 60

Wednesday
yoga 60
PRD off skate practice: feedback sessions & bout watching 2 hours

Thursday
running 30
BODYPUMP exp 30
korsetti (core exercise) 30
cross trainer 20
bodybalance 60

Friday
RVP 30

Saturday
stretching 30

Sunday
on skate practices FTP 2 hours
on skate practices 2 hours

Even though I couldn't make it to RVP on Friday and was too hung-over to go stretching, I'm happy! On Thursday I was about to run in between classes at LadyLine, but couldn't: both treadmills were taken. And on Friday I was quite busy organizing some surprises for the evening and trying to create a party look. Putting on make-up and doing my hair has never been something I like particularly. Here's a picture of two eager party organizers who weren't supposed to drink at all... And did the opposite and had a great time!

Coach Kewtrikaze and me

On Saturday I went to eat some leftover marshmallows to Katris&Aliisas place and quite soon after that we left to see the double header in Helsinki. KRR, Kallio Rolling Rainbows really kicked some ass: both b-team and a-team won. We ate bread rolls, drank coffee and were restless, tired and happy. Oh joys!

KRR A team vs Harbor Girls Hamburg

Balance loves RD

Yesterday's workout was so awesome! Too bad I've had some setbacks today and I still feel bloated like a balloon despite really trying. Maybe, just maybe, I'm once again trying too hard.

I went to bodypump 30, korsetti (core muscles workout), took it easy on a cross trainer for 20 minutes and then attended bodybalance 60 class. Like one of my teammates said, it would be awesome to be unemployed for a month and just focus on workouts. I was also inspired to do this workout marathon because of my other teammate, so imagine how motivating our league is, really, the most awesome people in Porvoo! My muscles are not even close to the soreness after Mondays bodypump (yes I finally stopped writing it with upper case, points!) and of course partly it's due to shorter class. Still I had the same weights in squats and did those really precisely. This also gave me some confidence again: even though I didn't feel as powerful as I have felt earlier I found out I still have abs after many weeks not participating any class. 

Skating is awesome for deep muscles, which brings me to bodybalance. The last time I attended a bodybalance class was sometime in the spring and I remember to have struggled with balancing, like I struggled in balance positions in yoga too. Well there's no struggling anymore! Even though it was the first time after more than ½ a year I managed to do everything, even the balancing parts. Not perfectly of course, but managed. And it was after 2 hours of exercise. The class also has reviving touch which did me good. I learned again new exercises for opening my hips. Skating has really taken my balance to a whole new level, like my buttocks too! One thought has been on my mind for a while now and Friday is the best day to announce it: I love running, but skating shapes the best booties!

Feel good & fruity food

I ain't surprising anyone writing about healthy food after a goodie marathon. I am pleased that my work offers free fruits every day till 5th December. I've tried to keep a rough food diary for a couple of weeks mainly to see if I can reach some of the basic nutrition instructions. I'm happy to notice there's at least one fruit a day and greens almost every day. That is pretty much covered, I will only take it to the next level and take two fruits a day and greens (some raw salad / tomatoes / cucumber / carrot / capsicum / etc.) every day. I also take vitamins and calcium as food supplement every morning, magnesium only when I workout really hard. The other basic thing about nutrition that I keep in mind is protein. Only two things on my mind and still I'm lacking on both. On veggies side it's pretty OK now, I just need to bring a little more in. But protein is on a low level. Some days I've taken care of it really well: chicken, protein milkshake, cheese. Some days meals have barely any protein in them: only a little yogurt and cheese which both have low protein level.

I kinda hate talking about nutrition and especially protein: it makes me feel all manly or fitness life style -stuff. But there's a reason why people suddenly start talking about those things. It's a fact our bodies as well as our muscles need protein. Also I wrote about my stomach pains(go there!) earlier in the autumn and that's another reason for trying to keep it healthy. To be honest I'm such a loser in that point of view. Many days I reward myself with pie, ice cream, liquorice, chocolate. I just try not to eat too much of it, I could never totally give my treats up. Once a day a little doesn't hurt if you exercise enough, but too much for many days in a row makes me hurt. I'm there once again! And trying to save myself with fruits and protein.

Task of the week: get my protein level up, have at least two fruits a day and salad every day. How hard can it be?

Todays lunch: avocado pasta, capsicum, carrot and a pear

Week 11 - tone up time!

Week 11 seems like a hopeful return to a more active week, hello practices and workouts!

Monday
BODYPUMP 60

Tuesday
PRD off skates practice: improvised contact exercise and/or power yoga 60
PRD on skates practice 60

Wednesday
yoga 60
PRD off skate practice: feedback sessions & bout watching 2 hours

Thursday
running 30
korsetti (core exercise) 30

Friday
RVP 30

Saturday
stretching 30

Sunday
on skate practices 2 hours

That's somewhat my schedule of the week but I'm pretty sure something will change. I feel energetic and overenthusiastic so either I exhaust myself down right in the beginning of this week or come through as a winner with even more workouts. Krhm, I bet ya'll know which one I'm aiming for! I also feel bloated after many days of delicacies: unit party on Friday included so much food and wine, pyjamas party on Saturday was a firework of sugar, on Sunday a Father's Day buffet and leftovers from Saturday and finally yesterday late Father's Day dinner at my dads, mmm liquorice and ice cream. Combine 4 days of eating nice and rich with BODYPUMP and you'll end up even more bloated. Even running on Sunday did not dave me from this. Today I need aerobic exercise for sure.

Now that I mentioned BODYPUMP I can tell you how much I hurt. Really, two weeks I missed out the class and yesterday I started where I left. Hello pecs, nice to feel you! Hello thighs and buttocks and every single muscle that worked yesterday, I think every one of them are on lactic acid. I need to shake it off before practice today and tomorrows reviving exercise (yoga). I'm still trying to figure out if the off skate lesson is enough or if I should do bodycombat or a slow reviving run. It's a beautiful weather and dry too, so I might tilt over running even though the sun is setting as I write.

Week 10 review

The worst is over if I dare say. This week is already so much easier, I've actually got time, hours, workouts to do! Today I'll rush to BODYPUMP after two weeks break and then head to my fathers afterwards, we are having a late fathers day tonight. I'm already excited about spending some relaxed time at my dads after returning to BODYPUMP. Getting back to class is always painful, that is why I really shouldn't have breaks. Sometimes you just have to, I'm so glad to have my buttocks quite alright after ~6 weeks of pain. Really, I need to start upgrading my workouts a little slower than I did earlier in the autumn.

Let's go to last weeks review. + 5 minutes running on Monday (accidentally, I almost ran late from the meeting), otherwise just as planned. Week 10:

Monday

Running 45

Tuesday

PRD off skate practice: hip exercise ~45

PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday

PRD on skate practice 2 hours

PRD goes Seurahovi PARTYYYY

Thursday

day off

Friday

day off

Saturday

day off

Sunday

running 45

Running yesterday was so awesome, it was dark, wet and after eating at a buffet I was full of energy. I did a longer run than on Monday in a same time, I could feel my feet flying and I was even hungry for more afterwards. It must be the three day offs that loaded me with energy. Of course a run did not fully cover the on skate practice I missed because of the diamond anniversary. It was so nice to see all his relatives the first time after our wedding, everyone on the same table eating and talking, it was really relaxing too. His grandparents are so wit and cute at the same time, I really enjoy their company.

Practice attitude

We had endurance practice yesterday and since I had to skip practice on Sunday this was the first touch at the track after the game on Friday. I was thrilled! This time we did couple of endurance drills and my favourite was mixing skating and muscle toning, we did abs, back, squats and push-ups. It really got my pulse rate up because before that we had done drills about 30 minutes so we just got warmed-up. After warming up I have quite often a rush of energy and power, it's like your feet wake up to conquer the track. Those are the best feelings to have at the practice. Yesterday it was so strong, somehow it took me back to those moment at the game again (yes, game talk is not gonna be over yet!) when you're jamming and skating the track as fast as you can and finally starting to get out of breath after three to four passes. You're just thinking to yourself: I'm just starting, I never want to quit. You take deeper breathes and don't care if you feel like stopping, the more you try, the more powerful you'll feel despite the tiring breathe. That's a winning attitude, right? Not giving up when you feel like you should. Always push a little more.

Well maybe I got carried away: I need to remind myself to have low pulse rate workouts too. Together those will do some goody good for my muscles.

I love getting out of breath! I want to smile and breathe hard!

"Yes" just came out of my mouth

I am so fed up with these busy weeks I can't stand it. I don't have enough time to do proper workouts, my abs scream for some, my buttocks could already take RVP and I have to skip BODYPUMP 'cause I hurt my hand in screammage. This sucks, every day of this week is taken for something, well yes skating practices too, but I miss muscle toning and free Saturday mornings to spend at the gym.

It was either the first or second jam I skated as a jammer when I fell from a check. My arm hit the floor (falling small, huh?) and somehow got in between my body and the floor. All this in a couple of seconds and I only noticed my hand wobbling and hurting like hell and then finally realized my shoulder was partially dislocated. YIKES! Well couldn't stop there but kept on skating and somehow unconsciously hammered my arm back where it belong. Quite freaky feeling to have your arm somewhere it doesn't belong, my first thought was to immediately get it back, it was too weird to have it that way. I'm still not sure what happened, I bet if it had been really dislocated I should have needed a doctor, but since I got it back and could move it around and play, it was nothing too serious. Still it keeps me from doing triceps, biceps and pecs.

This weeks excuses are plenty, hooray...

• So yesterday I had to skip both BODYPUMP and yoga, one for the arm issue and another for we had a Leo Club meeting that overlapped yoga class. I was brave and went running in the rain just before our meeting, sorry for being all sweaty and for having a hair like a wet dog. 
• I'll have a long day on Wednesday so I do not dare to do other workouts than our practices. I'll go to Seurahovi to host the party straight from our practice, again sweaty and lovely, till 2 am. 
• Then on Thursday we have a charity work, the two of us lovely leos are putting up a cafeteria at the music training centre, I'm going straight from work and staying till 8 pm and probably too tired after the party on Wednesday to do anything after that. 
• Wait there's more! Waking up earlier than normal on Friday to get to work at 7 am. Then we'll leave for Tampere and stay there till Saturday 11 am. 
• I'll be home around 2 pm and at 4 pm we're having a PRD chirstmas party team meeting... And then after two hours we're relaxing together with PRD teammates at our place in our pyjamas, doing absolutely nothing. That, my dear ones, is what I'm desperately waiting forward to! 
• Yet again on the next day, Sunday, we are heading to celebrate my hubbys grandparents diamond anniversary, 60 years together is definitely something to cheer for.

As said in Finnish: kootut selitykset! Joo, that was pretty much this week! Loads of funfunfun and a little less workouts. Don't be surprised if this is the last post I'm doing this week.

So here's the pathetic amount I might be able to go through this week, just wait for the better times folks!

Monday
Running 40

Tuesday
PRD off skate practice: hip exercise ~45
PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours
PRD goes Seurahovi PARTYYYY

Thursday
day off

Friday
day off

Saturday
day off

Sunday
running 45

Week 10 - pretending to be all cool after the greatest start in games

Whoah dawg that was awesome! The Rolling dead WON by 221-126, but all in all everyone of us rocked that track. The excitement before the game was almost unbearable and at the warm-up everyone seemed quite shy and silent before we took a breathe and rolled together trying out whips, jumping, rolling low with sticky wheels. Something really clicked with our team somewhere in the first period, we played together like we've always known each other, talked tactics with our line-up before getting on the track, smiled together. Without a doubt the best feeling was to be a lead jammer in power jam and keep on going something like 7 times through the pack, smiling wide and loving your teammates. The next best thing was to cheer and hug everyone after the second period was off and to get to hug our own PRD teammates in the opposing team. I also fell down in the middle of the track while I skated outside the pack jamming, just stumbled with my own feet, I just had to laugh while getting up, it was something I had been waiting to happen to me.

I headed to the game as a blocker but ended up jamming most of my playing time. I don't know if it was the official sized track or the pressure of the first game, but my mind and feet really adjusted to the real sized track and I loved it.

Thanks Rose, Pia Vanhalakka from Lahti Roller Derby, for the photos, I've had such a joy to get back to Fridays feelings through them!

It seems after I lowered my expectations I managed to achieve my goal for the workouts last week. It was a quiet week on purpose and so will this week be: again working during the weekend. Here's my last weeks workouts:
Monday
Running 40
Yoga 60

Tuesday
PRD off skates practice 60 (pick a rule discussion)
PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Thursday
stretching 30

Friday
SCREAMmage! scrimmage

Saturday
day off

Sunday
day off

GAME DAY!

DO YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT'S UP TONIGHT? 

BESIDES CAPS LOCK?

This is game day! First mixed scrimmage ever, well first scrimmage whatsoever, that is how my excitement shows too. I feel bats flying in my stomach, unicorns cheering and poking around. Plate flying after lunch, me trying to save it with bad juggling, overwhelmed-crazy-person -smile changes to fear and cry from time to time. Bad spelling and incapability to write anything that makes sense.

Keep your fingers crossed for the Rolling Dead and Shorty H #42!

Dreams are made of sugar

I'm a fan of everything sweet. A good bite of something sugary before practices keeps me happy on the track, sometimes and lately quite often it has been apple pie and today I enjoyed this lovely marshmallow for dessert at work. We had plenty of goodies at work today, bun at the morning coffee, dark chocolate and marshmallow at lunch, pralines and sweet surprises from Saint Petersburg at the afternoon coffee and I had time for one Brunberg's kiss too. Sweet surprise of course implies that I have no idea what those sweet little baked but bagged small treats filled with toffee are actually called.

Brunberg's kiss

What's the treat that keeps you going?

Week 9 - game on!

What an exciting week! My first mixed scrimmage on Friday makes me feel nervous and more beginner than ever. I seriously hope to be in the best possible shape and state of mind to really give it all, I want to feel exhausted and happy - no matter if our team wins or not. It's gonna be quite a challenge to team up with a bunch of strangers in ½ hour but there is something that unifies us: the game. Of course I saw some of the girls earlier in Hamina but it was only a quick shout out about who's in what team. There has also been some discussion in Facebook but that hardly personalizes anyone, I can only say it seems we have a bunch of great dudettes there :).

Sadly I won't be able participate on our practice on Sunday 'cause I'm spending Saturday and Sunday in Turku for work. We're attending a fair so there's gonna be a lot of standing and talking to people. I hope that's gonna be a lot fun too, I just don't really like missing out on Sundays practices this much. It's only the second during this time but it seems I might have to skip again on Father's Day, 11th November.

Monday
Running 40
Yoga 60

Tuesday
PRD off skates practice 60 (pick a rule discussion)
PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Thursday
stretching 30

Friday
SCREAMmage! scrimmage

Saturday
day off

Sunday
day off

Yesterday I skipped BODYPUMP, I had to stay late at work and I'm a little worried about my lower back and buttocks AGAIN. I feel the muscles attach to each other again, stretching is painful and no matter how much I stretch it does not ease off. This is something I will have to work as long as I skate, it's not just temporary trouble. I stretch the most painful part 2-3 times a day for 10 deep breathes and then again 3 deep breathes on both sides and I just have to keep doing it.

Yesterday in yoga class I also opened my hips which don't open nearly as much as they should. One should be able to open your legs fully to the sides keeping your hips facing forward while opening your legs. It feels like there's a part that is made of steel that keeps me from improving this movement, it keeps my legs from opening more from one certain point. I haven't succeeded to get my legs more open the whole time I've been practicing this. Well after the yoga lesson while others had a moment of meditation in silence and eyes closed I lied on my back and lifted my feet up facing the ceiling and a little by little opened them more. I felt again the part that feels like the end of the movement, steel, but took a deep breathe and tried to keep going. It hurt and I heard a little snap from the right side but then the pain eased and I really opened more than I have the whole time I've been doing hip exercises! I did not want to get up from my position. The actual exit from the position was hellish again, I felt the same snap again when my legs reached the steel part again and had to clamber quite awkwardly away from the position. This achievement was possible thanks to the yoga class and the hot room it is held in. I would never have the courage to do it in a cold room like the ones we have at home.

Zonked out...

Tired and lazy: vixen like my skates! 

I'm unwilling to do almost anything and it's eating me up. First I'm gonna show my disappointments from last week, missing both runs and one agility work out. It was too busy and I just didn't find the energy for it when I had those little gaps between the busy hours. I know it's okay but still it makes me feel good-for-nothing! I can't make it up this week 'cause I have to take it easy for the screammage on Friday but hey: at least I go well with the team name: The Rolling Dead. I'm almost as active as a dead person! Yes, lashing yourself over minor setbacks is fun. It's also a fact that these busy weeks are not over yet, I have work on next weekend and the one after that and then on 16th it's time for a Christmas gala for PRD. So this is my time to improve scheduling around busy times, remember to aim high to achieve the best but also settle for less without a feeling of guilt. 

Monday
BODYPUMP 60

Tuesday
agility 15
PRD off skate practice 60 (nso lecture)
PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Thursday
running 30

Friday
indoor cycling 30
DAY OFF

Saturday
running 30
agility 15

Sunday
PRD off skate practice 2 hours 45 

We baked and made food ready for the charter party on Saturday. It was the start-up party for our Leo Club Porvoo / Pomega and from now on we are to do charity work. The whole event nevertheless was really awesome to put up - I believe everyone learned a thing or two about organizing an event. For myself I have quite little experience: only basics we learned at school, something from putting up a wedding and from other smaller events. It took an entire Friday evening and Saturday from noon to get everything ready by 5.30 pm, including ourselves with cocktail dresses and a touch of Halloween. The party was a great success and we all felt proud of making it all happen, it really showed we have it in us to do some great stuff together. Now it's the time to figure out what that stuff is going to be. 

Friday blabbers

It's time to make a deal with the upcoming winter because we just had our first snow. I like snow and dry winter days, but there are definitely certain aspects I don't really care for - well probably most Finns don't. Slush, everything colder than -15 degrees, darkness. Those are the things I loathe. From last winter I remember -9 degrees was my limit for going for a run. Every degree colder made my lungs hurt and of course it also depends on the ground. There are two things to think about: it's easy to run in slush but you wet your feet and it takes more energy, so you have to run slower which is depressing. The another thing is ice. Running on pavement turns to hell and you don't have so many route choices anymore, for a while little forest paths are your only choice. Still I enjoy more running outside than on a treadmill but since I'm not training for a marathon anymore I think I can quite easily do running on a treadmill without greater pains. I am so lucky to live above my gym, just waiting when they'll give me a key to the staircase door.

Yesterday I skipped jogging but planned a trip to Poland instead. I had small pains in my right knee in the morning so I decided not to exercise but to plan my moms 60th birthday that she wants to spend in Poland. We found a wonderful small place with many cool apartment lodgings: Sopot. It's by the sea and in between two bigger cities Gdansk and Gdynia. Sopot is a town of only 40 000 people so it's about the same population than Porvoo. Gdansk and Gdynia on the ohter hand are bigger cities: Gdansk 460 276 and Gdynia 247 324. Those three towns are situated right next to each other and in a map it also looks like there isn't much of a empty space between the suburbs. There is a national park called Tricity Landscape Park in Sopot that looks beautiful and would be nice to visit that too.

I'm really short on time once again and haven't been able to do any body treatment like stretching so I've just tried to do some whenever I've had some time. I stretch my buttocks on coffee breaks with the easy non-suspicious move: lifting the other ankle on top of the others knee and turning the upper legs knee open and then stretching forward with my upper body. I can feel it quite well again event though I already thought I'm done with my buttocks. I do that 2-3 times a day, 30 seconds at a time. Somewhat at noon I do a small 7 minutes exercise to improve mobility of hands, shoulders, core and some wake-up calls for feet too.

Today I want to leave early for a jog but I haven't decided if I want to run outdoors or indoors, I'll have to check the weather in the afternoon. Then it's all about baking for the rest of the evening and preparing ourselves for our Leo Club charter party tomorrow! I still have a speech to work on... And probably I'll just improvise even though I'd have something ready for tomorrow.

Today: SNOW

SHOES

Look at the amount of sports shoes I have! Shoes shoes shoeeeees!

Indoor cycling, indoor running, BODYPUMP, outdoor running, barefoot running, skate shoes, quad skates

Well of course as a woman I also have plenty of other shoes too... And yes, I need them all! To mention: I also love sports equipment. I have a pole, a longboard, a skateboard, stretching rubber band and an yoga mat. Actually I've kept it really small considering how much stuff I would love to do.

Week 8 and I can work out with agility skills again and probably try some RVP too. I also might change Thursday to a day off instead of Friday, but we'll see about that. I have a super busy weekend once again so I just have to live it by the moment. Also I have to think about the scrimmage next week: this is not the time to work out to the limits. Now it's all about practicing the most important stuff and letting your body rest too, so I'm best prepared to give it my all next week in the game.

Monday
BODYPUMP 60

Tuesday
agility 15
PRD off skate practice 60 (nso lecture)
PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Thursday
running 30

Friday
DAY OFF

Saturday
running 30
agility 15

Sunday
PRD off skate practice 2 hours

Week 8 - activating again

A long weekend requires a slow start for updating this week, don't you think? That does not mean I was lazy yesterday - I only had a day off and did more fun without the computer. Last week was like a healing touch for my muscles because I ended up doing nothing on Thursday either: I had a busy day and felt like taking it easy. You've maybe noticed that quite often I change my plans and just take it easy for a while. Listening to your body is important and that also gives me power to do more on some other days. Well as you can see that did not happen last week! I really took it easy.

Monday
hip exercise 15
running in intervals 30
yoga 60

Tuesday
hip exercise 15
PRD off skate practice 60 (fixing&cleaning skates)
PRD on skate practice 60

Wednesday
massage 30
hip exercise 15
PRD on skate practice 2 hours

Thursday
BODYPUMP exp 30
running 30

Friday
hip exercise 15
agility 15

Saturday
DAY OFF

Sunday
DAY OFF

Taking it easy