Hump Day

Can you believe I had another great day at the FRidge? It's true! I had had some weird dreams just before waking up about falling off of Stair Mistriss (from yesterday), and so I was a little nervous about the hike. Today was our second time to do the Stop Sign hike. It's almost better to not know anything about the hike before we begin, because I really was not looking forward to Stop Sign again so soon after I had just done it. And then hopping out of the van and starting up the long path. . .  Well, I just put one foot in front of the other and away we went. 

Trista (left) and I have become good hiking buddies. 

Today I focused on truckin' up that hill and giving it my best effort. I only stopped twice to catch my breath a little, unlike Friday when I stopped pretty often. I'm happy to report that today I reached that stop sign (remember? 4.3 miles up and an 800 ft elevation change) in 1:32 today. (That's nearly 15 minutes off of Friday's time of 1:45! In less than a week!!) I am very happy with that number.

Trista, Tina and I walked most of the way together. When we turned onto the road for that final ascent, we split up a little. We said we would wait for each other at the top so that we could all get our picture together. It was great to share this little victory with them. The other woman is Dora, and she walked with us for quite a way, too. She reached the stop sign first, and then she went further down the road to the overlook before coming back down.

Trista, Me, Tina and Dora. At THE Stop Sign

Another great thing about today's hike is that on the way back down I made it 3/4 of the way back to the beginning before time ran out. So, around 7 miles total (give or take)? Another small victory!

When we got back for breakfast I was feeling very worn out and hungry.

This was like thick oatmeal. Pretty tasty. I would've been happy with more craisins! :)

Isn't that sweet?! I wasn't sure about this beet soup, but it was pretty good!

I added some tomatoes to this, and it was great!

This was yummy! It had very tender, deliciously seasoned chicken strips hidden under the lettuce. Very yummy!

I was so looking forward to the Mango Sorbet. And they put Banana Sorbet in front of me. 

I did eat it, and it was tasty. . . but my tastebuds were all set for Mango. 

After breakfast this morning I had an Open Gym on my schedule. What that means (if I haven't already explained it) is that we have free choice workout/activity. Today I decided I wanted to try the Street Striders they are always advertising on The Biggest Loser (remember? The love-child of an elliptical and a bicycle).

This is as I'm heading back from my trip around the parking lot.

Let me tell you, this thing got my heart rate going very quickly. Since I am not fond of the elliptical (and I don't have a good rhythm when using it) using this Strider was quite awkward. You have to use arms and legs, like on an elliptical machine, and then lean to one side or the other in order to steer the thing. One time around the parking lot was all I could handle. At least I experimented a bit with it, and it was fun! (Just not for a long workout. I'd rather be on a bike!) For the remainder of my Open Gym I walked on the treadmill.

After Open Gym I had Stretch, which is always welcome after the Hike (next to a pool class, that is).

I was still feeling a little wiped after lunch, so for my second Open Gym I hemmed and hawed about what to do. One of the instructors was offering a Spin Class, but I just couldn't handle another strong leg workout when I knew I had Mountain and Kickboxing later. So, I opted to do some Yoga by myself in the Aerobics room (no other classes were in there at that time). It was just what I needed! I was ready for Mountain when the time came, as well as the rest of my classes. And before I knew it, Wednesday was done! Well, the exercise portion, anyway.

Tonight I treated myself to another Hot Stone Massage, and it was even better than the last time! The stones were a little bit hotter, but they cooled off quickly. She also put little hot stones in between my toes! It was actually quite relaxing. I could totally get used to having a massage once (or twice!) a week.

I'm on the downhill side of my stay. I miss my family and friends, and I am looking forward to going home. But it is bittersweet, because I am feeling so much stronger than when I first arrived, and I want to keep up the momentum when I get home. The food is so delicious and healthy, I worry if I can keep it up at home, as well. After all, I'm not just feeding myself, but Aidan and Patsy have to eat it, too!

I came here expecting some major weight loss, and I know that I've lost some weight. It is nothing like the results from The Biggest Loser, though. So, for my test-out they will weigh me and take my measurements again. I will post the results when I get them. (I am curious to see what I am starting to feel!)

Thanks again for all of you support!

Goodnight