Countdown to 30: 16 Days to Go

4/1: 157.0
4/2: 155.0
4/3: 155.2
4/4: 154.6
4/5: 154.8
4/6: 154.2
4/7: 153.2
4/8: 154.8
4/9: 152.6
4/10: 151.2
4/11: 153.2
4/12: 152.2
4/13: 152.2
4/14: 152.4
4/15: 153.2
4/16: 152.2
4/17: 152.0
4/18: 151.8
4/19: 152.0
4/20: 152.0

Yup, holding steady. At this point I have to acknowledge that if my body just stays at 152, then I really can't argue with it. I'm eating well, eating an appropriate amount, training hard and am not willing to lose muscle just to hit a number on a scale. That said, I've still got two weeks to go, so I'm just going to stick to my rhythm here and see where it takes me.

AM Workout was a 60 minute spin class. I enjoy this class very much. The instructor is great. I was somewhat irritated my the chatty kathy's in the back row who talked all through a 15 minute progressive hill. Um, ladies? If you can talk that much, you are not working hard enough. I am usually able to tune out a lot of distraction when I'm working out but today I was a bit more distractable. Still, great class.

PM Workout just kind of didn't happen for me. It was 3 x 5 back squats, so looking at a heavy squat. I thought 185 was totally within reach. 195 was by 1-rep max on the CF Total, so 10 pounds down from that seemed reasonable for a 3-rep max. What can I say, I just didn't have it.

I worked up to 175 without too much problem, loaded up to 185 and failed on rep 2. Tried again, failed. Took the weight back to 175, did 2 more sets at 175. Moved up to 180 for my final set. Failed (loudly!) on rep 3. Kevin front squatted the weight back up for me and made it look like he was setting a baguette on the counter (he is totally, freakishly strong). Reset and failed again, this time on rep 2. Called it a day.

Looking back, 165 is my highest 5-rep thus far on squats, so I don't know why I'm so disappointed with 175 for 3. I just didn't feel strong today. It was like yesterday with the deadlifts: something was just off. The bar didn't feel exactly right, my set-up didn't feel easy. Kevin said I was too far over, that I need to stay more upright. I'm sure he's right...like I said, it just felt a touch off.

So, to do penance for my failed squat set, I took Bella to the track with every intention of running 4 .25-mile intervals: forward, backward, forward, backward. I did a warm up lap with Bella (who is, by the way, one hell of a good runner) then she played while I set off to do my workout.

As I came around the final straightaway and toward the bend that designated lap 2, I saw Bella grab my water bottle and take off down the track. I'm not sure she knew I was almost already back to the starting spot, because when I caught up to her and asked her what she was doing she said, "I was bringing you your water bottle." like she was going to race after me and catch me to hand me my bottle. Such as sweetheart!

I decided right then and there that I had done quite enough working out. I had no energy to finish my sets, I didn't want to be running anyway, and I just felt done. So I took my super cool kid home for dinner and bedtime. :)

Sorry cyberspace, this might be a bit delicate for you, but I'm thinking my monthly cycle might have something to do with my feeling a bit awkward on the heavy lifting the past two days and having really no motivation to push through the malaise today. I started my period today and though I am not normally too affected by my cycle I haven't really tracked how it might affect my athletic performance. Any girls out there notice that they have less motivation/pep/strength for their workouts when they start their periods?

In any event, it's probably a sign that an easy day is in order, which is convenient because tomorrow is my 8 year anniversary and I don't plan on logging a lot of gym time!