When I grow up, I want to be an Alicorn

Training Training Logs
1624

Thursday 2/6
Tempo Intervals

5:00 easy jog and plyos
3 x 8:00 @ 9/mi
3 x 20s hill sprints
5:00 easy jog

I’m going to be increasing the intensity/adding more speed work now that I have a few months of base building under my belt.
Legs felt pretty good today, kept pace well.

I didn’t track food yesterday. I may not today either. It was making me itch at first, but now I am feeling pretty good about it.
Ate a couple of snacks yesterday, and didn’t feel like I needed anything after dinner -
6oz Ribeye, 3/4 large sweet potato and a pile of cauliflower. I bought a Ninja Air fryer and I am loving air fried steaks and potatoes. Eating like a king this week. Salmon patties on the docket tonight.
Didn’t finish breakfast today either, I think my eyes over estimated how much oatmeal I wanted.

8 Likes
1625

Friday 2/7
JN Hypertrophy W5D3

Bulgarian Split Squats
12 x 90 (immediately realized that was a terrible idea)
12, 12 x 45

Seated DB Shoulder Press
3 x 10 x 30

DB Chest Supported Row
3 x 30 x 12

OH Tri Ext
3 x 12 x 35

Conditioning:
10 Minute AMRAP
10 Thrusters
15 Sumo Squats
25 KBS
25yd OH Carry
Made 3 Rounds in 10:31

Great day, kept moving throughout. Realized halfway through the split squats I had only been using one DB, not both at 45. That first round sucked… but I made it. Not well enough to continue with that weight, felt it more in my knees than my quads, and my poor knees get hammered enough.

5 Likes
1626

Saturday 2/8
Long Run

10.8 miles, 2:01

Tried some new fueling during this run. Went with fruit snacks. Had a lighter snack before too. That combo was not enough, started feeling tired about mile 7. Then I was shot the rest of the day. Need more breakfast and fruit snacks next time.

Sunday 2/9
JN Hypertrophy W6D1

Leverage Squat
3 x 8 x 190+machine

Bench
10, 9 x 115, 10 x 105

SA Lat Pull
12, 12, 12 x 55

Hip Thrust
8 x 170, 8, 8 x 195

Pec Deck
15, 15 x 50, 15 x 40

Reverse Pec Deck
3 x 15 x 40

Cable Lat Raise
3 x 15 x 7

Felt good, better than I thought I would after under fueling the day before. Did this before coffee too, fueled by protein, sourdough, french toast, eggs and turkey bacon.
Making sure to add weight to the squats every week, when I am getting all the reps. I feel like I am going to get crushed, sounds like the place to be while gaining.

Monday weigh-in
141, -2.6lbs

Finally ditched that couple extra pounds I was holding on too.
No macros to share because I haven’t tracked since Tuesday. Feeling better about that everyday.

Bought another new pair of pants yesterday. Some joggers from my favorite brand that I have been wearing for years. One of the ladies that was helping me with a fitting room was wearing the pants and suggested I try them. She said, “you would look great in these, I am in a small, but you should definitely try an x-small.”
So I did. They fit great. I did a 360 and hubby told me we had to get them.
Also tried on a couple other pairs, I am 4 or a 6, depending on the style… so good to see that is holding true in a brand I have been wearing an 8 in since 2016.

8 Likes
1627

Excellent scale AND non-scale victories this week!

These are way too much fun. Great for meal prep too.

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1628

Are the Ninja Air Fryers the ones where you can see the food cooking? Because i want one of those. We have a garden variety air fryer and it’s just less fun somehow.

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1629

Thank you! I am feeling less stressed already, and the scale is reflecting that. Which, is a side bonus, not the win.

I have been air frying everything this weekend. All things must be crispy now.

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1630

They have a few different ones. Ninja has a toaster oven style I almost purchased, that has a glass door. Plus the air fry mode of course. So yes, they make an option for watching the food get crispy! It would actually be handy for some things, like bacon. I almost charred turkey bacon the other morning. That goes from floppy to burned real quick.

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1631

I’ve burnt a lot of bacon from not watching it closely enough.

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1632

I assumed this was more from being British.

3 Likes
1633

Absolutely not, burning food gives it too much flavour. We like it insipid and undercooked.

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1634

I LOVE this SO MUCH!!!

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1635

I think that every time I do them .

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1636

From the country that brought us the crispiest bacon on the planet :rofl:

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1637

They are soul crushing. Really more of a mental workout than quad.

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1638

I find as the dumbells get heavier both grip and just lung capacity is an issue for me by the time I get to the end of the second leg. I am usually making weird goose impressions immediately after a set as I try to breath.

3 Likes
1639

Every bit of this post is exciting! I agree, lots of victory here.

What a happy log to read.

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1640

Tuesday 2/11
Interval Run

5:00 easy + drills
14x
1:00 hard run up hill (~90% effort)
1:00 recovery jog down
10:00 easy run

This phase of the plan is kicking up the volume by adding intensity during the week, but fewer miles to the long run.
Should help with speed too. I need that, I don’t want to only be good at running 11:00/miles.
14 hill repeats though, goooodness. By 10 they were probably looking really slow and ragged. The intervals my watch clocked stayed pretty consistent on the distance covered and pace though, happy about that.

Edit: Non-Lifting life stuff:
Sold the Jeep. It was three wonderful years with her, and so many adventures. It wasn’t strapping us financially, but it still got old to have a car payment higher than our rent.
The last year we didn’t use her nearly as much with my flight student load, and we saw what we wanted to see. Put 60,000 miles on in 3 years, and she wasn’t used for commuting. Trips and occasional grocery getting only.
It was hard to watch someone else drive away in her. I get emotionally attached to vehicles. I name all of my cars, etc.
Replaced her with a cheap, old, Honda. So good to have two paid off cars again. It’s been a while.

Journal time and job stuff:
Hubby and I were trying for the better part of a year to get flight jobs with a tour company. Visited in person four times, emailing regularly, etc. The hiring/Ops manager said he would give us a yes or no in Dec. Then is was January. Then it was February. Still no word. No replies to emails. I have never done that much schmoozing to get a job, and it seems we have been ghosted anyway.
So much of our lives were on hold for that job. Want to get a new apartment? Nope, we would have to move for that job. Selling the Jeep so we can afford the huge paycut? For that job. Hubby getting his commercial airplane license? Yup, for that job.
You hear that things that are worth it are difficult. Aviation feels like running into an out-stretched fist most days.
All that job would have given us was 7 months of seasonal work, no job after Thanksgiving. Making half what we make now, with a weird schedule. Working out in the heat or cold.
Jobs get better in aviation with flight hours, but I would be starting over. I am seriously wondering why I want to fly professionally at this point. Take a huge paycut for worse working conditions, terrible schedules, and constant travel.
Working up to the “dream job” would be 5+years out. Even it is 2 weeks on, with 12-14 hour days and 2 weeks off rotation.
I have a bad taste in my mouth for flying right now. One of the reasons I haven’t taken on a new flight student, I would be doing them a diservice. Aviation is a cruel mistress sometimes.

5 Likes
1641

Yes and no. You have to consider the overall cost on your mental and emotional health to reach the “dream spot” and decide if it’s worth it. Are you going to hate your life for 5 years to reach that dream? If so, is that worth it? If your answer is yes, then go for it. Remember though that nothing in life is guaranteed - including your life.

Not to discourage you at all, I think your dream is awesome and by all means work toward it - but maybe there’s a less drastic and painful way to get there, even if it takes a little longer?

Listen to your gut but follow your heart, they both may be tugging in opposite directions, but there is likely a compromise somewhere in the middle. :heart:

2 Likes
1642

Did you mean don’t go for it if I will hate it for five years? I may be reading that all wrong.

I always take this into consideration. My brother unexpectedly departed this reality at age 36. Losing him has made me look at what I want from life and ask this: If I were go at 36, what would I want to have experienced by then? Is the sacrifice worth it?
I’m not so sure taking a big step back in a career is worth the five years. Right now, I have the schedule, money, paid time off and benefits that allows me to focus on hobbies and experience outside of work.
Vs. a break neck pursuit of aviation? I destroy all of that.

There is a slower, better way. As expensive as it is to pay to fly. It is cheaper to pay for my flight hours to skip to a better job, than it is to take a pay cut over the next few years.
That allows me to fly when, where and how I want. With my hubby. If that eventually leads to enough hours to get a good flight job, fantastic. If not, it’s more time in the air, with my favorite human, seeing things and traveling in a way most people never have the privilege of experiencing.

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1643

Um, that was just another case of my brain moving faster than my fingers… I’m a much better talker than I am a typer. lol. This is what it should have said (edited now):
“Are you going to hate your life for 5 years to reach that dream? If so, is that worth it? If your answer is yes, then go for it.”

Are you going to hate your life for 5 years to reach that dream? If so, is that worth it? If your answer is yes, then go for it.

It really sounds like you’ve made your decision, at least for now. You can always reassess and go the other direction if an opportunity presents itself. When it’s time, the decision will be easy and until then don’t force it and just keep living your best life!

2 Likes