Watch Your Step

A tiny little fluffy bird killed this guy in my front yard and was eating him. Yummy. 

Beginner Workout

Warm Up

• 200 Swim
• 100 Kick
• 100 Pull

Workout

• 4x25 Kick :45
• 4x50 Kick 1:30
• 4x75 Kick 2:15

• 4x25 Pull :40
• 4x50 Pull 1:20
• 4x75 Pull 2:00

• 4x25 Swim :35
• 4x50 Swim 1:10
• 4x75 Swim 1:45

Warm Down

• 200

Total: 2,400 yards

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember this is only an opinion. If you attempt to follow it you are doing so at your own risk and should have prior approval from your physician!

Stranger Than Fiction

Our Blaise

One evening my husband Sacha, who was my boyfriend at the time, came home from work and told me about a little boy named Blaise he'd met that day. Both Sacha and I really liked the name and started talking about what we'd want to name our baby if we ever decided to have one together.

After several years passed we found ourselves married, pregnant and again discussing baby names. I remembered Blaise and reminded Sacha how much we loved the name and suggested it would be a good option for either a boy or a girl. He agreed but proposed we keep it in mind and continue our search just in case we came across something we liked better.

For weeks this was a point of contention for us as I had already pretty much made up my mind but since I didn't want to fight over something that was supposed to be fun, one evening I gave in and brought home a half dozen or so baby name books to Sacha. He was very happy and thanked me for understanding his point of view. Then jokingly he picked up one of the books and said to me, "I'm going to close my eyes, flip open this book, point to a name and whatever it is we'll name the baby that."

He did as he had explained and when he opened his eyes I saw the expression on his face change from playful to astonished.

"It's Blaise!", he said.

"What's Blaise?", I replied.

"I landed on Blaise!", he exclaimed.

As I leaned in to look, without moving his finger from where it had landed he thrust the book in my face and nearly shouted, "SERIOUSLY LOOK! I LANDED ON BLAISE!"

We both stared speechless at the book and then at eachother for about half a minute before we began discussing our amazement and the statistical probability of the scenario that had just unfolded before us.

After an hour or so the shock lessened and Sacha, realizing he had been fighting something he shouldn't, closed the book and put it away.

He hasn't touched any of the books I bought him since.

Cogburn's Ark

Yesterday Sacha, Blaise and I made a quick trip out to the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch. Their grounds actually house quite a variety of animals: donkeys, deer, goats and lorikeets but the ostriches were definitely the stars of the show.

Hungry Bird

Food for the animals was provided as part of the entry fee and feeding them definitely made for an incredibly entertaining hour. The deer with their little wet noses and velvet tongues were the most gentle of the animals while the ostriches were by far the roughest. None of the animals were really interested in biting the hand that fed them but a gentle accidental nip did happen from time.

Really, Really, Really Ridiculously Cute

Thievery was a problem on the ranch as most of the animals, given the slightest chance, would steal the cup of food right from my hands. Blaise and I of course punished them severely for their greediness with more food and petting.

Unfortunately we did pass on the moster truck tour of Picacho Peak that the ranch offers but next time that'll be first on our list.  

Amanda Fact

I swam butterfly until I was 12 years old.

Time Out

Few Words Much Said

"Success is sweet: the sweeter if long delayed and attained through manifold struggles and defeats." -A. Branson Alcott

Advanced Workout

Warm Up

• 600 swim
• 400 kick
• 200 pull

Workout

• 2x25 underwater (no breath) :30
• 100 I.M. 1:30
• 4x25 underwater (no breath) :35
• 100 I.M. 1:30
• 6x25 underwater (no breath) :40
• 100 I.M. 1:30
• 8x25 underwater (no breath) :45
• 100 I.M. 1:30
• 6x25 underwater (no breath) :40
• 100 I.M. 1:30
• 4x25 underwater (no breath) :35
• 100 I.M. 1:30
• 2x25 underwater (no breath) :30

• 200 easy

• 10x200 pull free (descend 1-3, 4 easy, 5 fast, repeat) 2:30

• 10x100 kick (descend 1-3, 4 easy, 5 fast, repeat) 1:45

Warm Down

• 400 easy

Total: 6,200 yards

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember this is only an opinion. If you attempt to follow it you are doing so at your own risk and should have prior approval from your physician!

PB & H

This is one of my favorite snacks before a long workout or between workouts if I'm exercising more than once in the day.

-1 Eggo Nutri-Grain Blueberry Waffle

-1 heaping Tbsp. of Skippy Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

- drizzle of honey 

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember this is only an opinion. When making any changes to your diet you are doing so at your own risk and should have prior approval from your physician! 

Dry Workout

Before you jump in the pool:

3x:

• 20 crunches
• 5 push-ups
• 3 pull-ups
• 30 sec. elbow bridge

4x:

• 10 squat jumps
• 10 walking lunges

3x:

• 8 burpees
• 30 sec. elbow bridge

3x:

• 15 v sit-ups
• 15 right side crunches
• 15 left side crunches

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember this is only an opinion. If you attempt to follow it you are doing so at your own risk and should have prior approval from your physician!

Footloose

As I was pulling a sled around the gym today my shoes decided they'd had enough abuse and left my feet. I promptly gave them a good scolding and just in case they had any more ideas about where they'd rather be, my trainer taped them to my ankles.

I guess it's time for some new kicks that won't quit when the going gets tough. 

Fan Foto

My first Fan Foto comes from Lance Holter of Fort Collins, CO. This awesome shot is of his son Jack Holter swimming breaststroke for FAST at the 2010 IMX meet in Phoenix.

Both of you keep up the great work and happy belated 13th birthday Jack!