Getting Ready For Quadathlon: Day 152

Evolution Two – week ten

Friday, July 31, 2009

Hello Folks,

I am two days away from my quadathlon and I wanted to do a video log of my experience with fulfilling my first goal of competing in a multi-sport event. I will be video recording my next couple of days as I head to Hudson, NY starting tomorrow.

I am actually headed to a small town south of Henry H. to stay in a Youth Hostel for the night before driving up to Hudson. The accommodations in Hudson are really expensive and since I am on a budget I thought I would find something a little more affordable. I will have my own private room. It is an hour south of Hudson, so I will be getting up pretty early to make it to registration. I am supposed to register around 7am.

I am looking forward to finishing my first goal, but also a little worried about my back. I have been taking pretty good care of it, though. I stretch and use trauma oil and arnica to help it to heal. I will let you know how it goes on Sunday. Well, I better get some sleep...so here is my video and pics for today....hope you enjoy. See you tomorrow!

Exercise: Interval (run 30 min.)

Menu: Protein and Veggies

Until next time…

Think, Believe, Act, Achieve

Dakota
Today’s Mantra: Give it time, but never give up!

Day Of Rest: Day 151

Evolution Two – week ten

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Hello Folks,

I am really stiff today because of all of the construction I did this past week, which took a toll on my back. I am taking a day of rest from working out and I also had a massage as well. The massage was really needed and totally untweeked a few things. I spent the morning putting together my 80 day time lapse transformation video for youtube.

I have been looking at female bodybuilding sights to get some ideas about how they do it and also to get inspired. I have always been interested in bodybuilding. I actually watched an old video from a long time ago with Arnold S. in it. You know who, the politician. I am mostly excited about the prospect of seeing my abdominal muscles one day...hopefully by my birthday. I don’t think I have ever seen them in this lifetime. The first time I ever did weight training was in high school. My track coach, who was very successful with his students, was a big advocate for weight training to win.

I can’t say I learned a whole lot about how to weight train from school. Most of what I learned was by trial and error and then through reading books about it. I do find it to be one of the most meditative activities...I love the amount of focus it requires to perform a set.

Anyway, today marks the beginning of a new phase...since I ended my 150 day evolution. I am ready to begin to change up my program even more. The quadathlon is this weekend, which will mark the first goal of my exercise program. I am hoping my body will be ok for the event, since my back is still not doing well. I know it is not a good idea to compete when you aren’t a hundred percent ready, but I am not giving up on it, unless I am really bad on the day.

To mark day 151 I am posting before and after pics. I still have many more months until my birthday and hope to see my abs by then. SO ......



Exercise: None

Menu: Protein and veggies

Until next time…

Think, Believe, Act, Achieve

Dakota

Today’s Mantra: Rest the mind and the rest will follow.

Overthinking Can Be Exercise: Day 150

Evolution Two – week ten

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Hello Folks,

I have been thinking about why it feels so important to me to get and stay in shape, especially now. The first thing I come up with has to do with how I feel about myself. The funny thing is I believe that we are spiritual beings first and that the body is more of an extension of the spirit. If I believe the spirit is number one, then why address the body first? The only thing I can come up with is that when I take care of my body it somehow magically cultivates my spirit.

What is spirit? The compassionate expression of energy that fully creates something in the universe for the good of the whole. The spirit is unconditional....it is energy...it is light and it has the compassion of the universe.

Shaping my body reminds me of a sculptor with a slab of rock who sees the figure inside the stone or like a dirty mirror that is cleaned. When I don’t feel good about myself it manifests like a dark cloud around my body...I can literally feel the cloud.

The funny thing about health and fitness is that to be successful and long term at it, it requires paying attention to my habits. That kind of attention can keep me very present in the moment, which is the goal of meditation practice...and for some new agers “the secret” to enlightenment.

What is enlightenment? I think it is lightening energy. When energy is dense it is like a heavy weight on the shoulders, not literally but metaphorically. I have discovered for my self that when I take care of my body I feel spiritually lighter. Though my thoughts are more dense and can add weight to my spirit (a good reason to clear the mind), when I feel good, I have more capacity to let go of old habits or be kinder to folks.

I am thinking this, mainly because when I am not taking care of myself all of that breaks down and I find myself being much more quick to blame others for the problems in my life. I think the act of taking control of my health has really helped me to begin to find myself below the surface. I don’t think fitness and health is the only gateway to cultivating the spirit....it just works for me. This is not to say that I don’t have bad days and times where I am unkind or unconscious....it just means I am a work in progress like everyone else.

Exercise: Interval (bike 45 min.)

Menu: Raw food experiment

Until next time…

Think, Believe, Act, Achieve

Dakota

Today’s Mantra: I may be densifying myself by overphilosophizing

Back Attack: Day 149

Evolution Two – week ten

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Hello Folks,

My back is really bothering me today. I am worried about how it will effect me for the quadathlon. I decided to give it a few days rest before the big day and hopefully get a massage this week before the big day. I am really tired, so I don’t have much more to say today. Its funny how I hurt myself not exercising but rather doing physical labor. I think I am more carefull with my body when I exercise. Can you see my pained look?



Exercise: Interval (run 345min)

Menu: free

Until next time…

Think, Believe, Act, Achieve

Dakota

Today’s Mantra: Take care of your foundation, your core and the rest will follow.

Spiritual Cultivation: Day 148

Evolution Two – week ten

Monday, July 27, 2009

Hello Folks,
I had another hard day of construction work. This time I held up board and hammered it into the ceiling; I don’t recommend this for folks with neck problems. I am getting closer to my quadathlon. I, hopefully, will be recording the event. Once again I am pretty tired so I am going to keep this short. I took my pics of me in my bathing suit that I will be wearing for the quadathlon. I am actually pretty excited about the event even though right now I am feeling pretty tired from a week of hard labor, hopefully my body will recover enough for the event.

Exercise: Free

Menu: Protein and veggies

Until next time…

Think, Believe, Act, Achieve

Dakota

Today’s Mantra: Spiritual cultivation is a daily activity.

Tired And Sore And Sleepy: Day 147

Evolution Two – week nine

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Hello Folks,

Today was yet another day of construction workout. I have a basement apartment I am trying to make livable so that I can rent it out for extra income. I am really excited about the prospect of having a little extra income, but, man, this kind of work is really hard on the body. I have the funniest looking bruises all over my legs and arms; not to mention cuts and splinters. I also have very sore arms and neck; which I suspect has to do with holding up drywall to ceilings and trying to screw them into the beams or maybe it is hammering and removing nails, I don’t know. I do know that I have a lot of respect for the people that do this kind of work every day, it is brutal.

When I see guys using jackhammers I can’t imagine that is good for the body or the ears. My hands are so sore right now I am having trouble typing. I think I will be taking some more Arnica Montana tonight. I will be sleeping like a baby tonight! I decided to only do cardio today and let the construction workout be my resistance training.

I have exactly 7 days until the quadathlon....should be interesting.

Exercise: Interval (bike 45 min.), Construction Workout

Menu: protein and veggies

Until next time…

Think, Believe, Act, Achieve

Dakota

Today’s Mantra: For a true master, sitting on a throne is no different than sitting on dirt.
~Deng Ming-Dao

Work Hard And Play Hard: Day 146

Evolution Two – week nine

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Hello Folks,

This whole weekend I am doing my construction project, so I am pretty sore right now. I am also finding my appetite to be really high. It reminds me of when I was a kid and I used to go swimming all day and I was perpetually hungry. It feels good to be working this hard. I have been taking Arnica Montana at night to help with my soreness. I am pretty beat, so I am going to make this another short blog.

Exercise: Interval (bike 45 min.), Construction work

Menu: Protein and Veggies

Until next time…

Think, Believe, Act, Achieve

Dakota

Today’s Mantra: Work hard, play hard....better yet make work and play the same thing and then it won't be hard at all.