No Importa al Tejón de Miel

Amongst EVERYTHING going on this weekend, I had to do laundry. I wrapped up my bed sheets, threw them in a bucket and added some soap and water…the soak method; every slacker PCV’s washing choice (aside from paying someone else to do their laundry).

I let them soak in cold, soapy water for about 2 hours, and when taking everything out to rinse and hang to dry, my soaking wet iPod dropped out of the bucket.

I cannot tell you how many R-rated words came spilling out of my mouth. I was livid, stressed and clearly had my mind on so many other things. After the rice soaking method for a few days, it was declared dead this morning at 5:05am.

LUCKILY, I have a friend going back to the states to visit her family in July and she’s happy to have one shipped to her and she’ll bring it back to me. I’ve only got to wait till the 20th of July for it.

Whew…I think I can, I think I can.

Till then, it’s back to the ol’ compact disc method for Zumba classes and DVDs for ab work. I kinda gave up on Crunch Fu after Week 6, Day 1 and still wasn’t feeling any progress. I feel I get more work from Abs 10/Cardio Abs anyway.

Ahhh….life.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to make this a thing.

Pípe woke me up at 2:45 for about a half hour and then again at 5 for the rest of the day. You get a lot done on a Sunday when you’re up at the crack of dawn!

She slept on the floor in my room (she isn’t a fan of the crate, yet), and she whined to let me know she wanted me to let her out of my bedroom to go out to potty. We only made it to my living room, but the nice thing about tile floors is that the mess mops up so easy! And she’s already learning to poop outside; we’re still working on the #1 situation :)

I worked out today!

• HIIT 20
• 155 Squats
• Wk 6, Day 1 of Crunch Fu

It was a little challenge to workout with her around…I tried to do it while she was sleeping, and by the time I was done with my last set of crunches, I was attacked by puppy kisses and snuggles.

I may be low on sleep but I’m high on puppy love and that’s fine by me :)

You’d think being put up in Managua for a week, there’d be internet available…nope. I’m so happy to finally be back in Jalapa.

I ran this morning, for the first time in over a month, to see how my body feels and to see if I’m able to run my race next week.

endofstory: nope. I started off great, clocking in my first mile at 11:04 and the second at 10:42…then it just went downhill. My foot, my knee, my lack of water, my parasite meds kicking in. After the turnaround point, I mostly walked. I’m very disappointed in this. 

In other news, after the MRI, it was shown that I DON’T have a synovial cyst, but won’t have the chance to see the orthopedist until the end of the month. Oy. 

I hate to take a break from running, but I think for my foot’s sake it’s necessary. I’m going to keep on with INSANITY, TurboFIRE and Zumba, for sure, but waking up and running first thing in the morning…there’s not really much like that feeling.

Le sigh. This was a post.

What a way to end my island vacation an start a week long training in Managua. Ugh.

Still haven’t run this month…making me nervous for my event in 12 days.

Where’s my raw garlic?

Good Morning from Ometepe! We took a 3k bike ride out to the bottom of Maderas volcano yesterday, hiked 3k up to the beautiful San Ramón waterfall, and did the 6k trip back, with ALLTHESWEAT thanks to the heat and humidity. It’s been a great trip so far, and we still have 2 days left! :)

• Workout 5-6x a week/run at least once a week (365 challenge)
  Didn’t run ONCE. Fail. I kept up with workouts the best I could, but I don’t think it was this often.
• Restart Crunch Fu
  Yup! I have yet to start Week 6, but I will get on that on Monday
• Madelynn’s Squat Challenge
  The last set I did was 140 reps, I will get back on that as soon as I can!
  
• Smart food choices, eat only when hungry
  Keeping it right. ALWAYS with room to improve
• Drink 2-3 liters of water/day
  For once…this was a fail. I DID travel a lot this month, so I try to keep my bladder in control, but the days I didn’t, I wasn’t on it as much as I could have been.

JUNE GOALS

• Workout at least 15-20 days
• FINISH my race
• Continue Crunch Fu
• Continue/Finish Squat Challenge
• Smart food choices, eat only when hungry
• 2-3 liters of water/day

ISLA is gone and I had a wonderful time translating with the brigade this year. During their time here, I watched:

• 8 stoves prepped to be built
• 6 veterans receive new prosthetic feet
• 2 c-sections
• 1 natural birth

Lest to say, it’s going to be a hot minute before I get pregnant…I’m not in ANY rush whatsoever, ESPECIALLY after watching all of that. The students told me that the Nica doctors are at the same level of professionalism and skills as doctors back in the states. I was very happy to hear that!

In workout news: 

• Today, I completed 135 squats, though according to the schedule, I should have completed 145. Only a few days behind, but that’s ok. I’m still doing it!
• I walked a LOT with the brigade…and got fed a LOT of food. I was in a constant state of FULL the past couple of days. I got some workouts in, but not as much as I’d like (HIIT 15 (first workout after a week), Max Cardio Conditioning, HIIT 25, REST, Fire 60 today)
• I have successfully completed Stage 5 of Crunch Fu. I start Stage 6 tomorrow
• My water intake has been sub-par. I’m not too excited about that, and with long travel days coming up (read: 8 hour bus/ferry trip to get to the island on Thursday), I can’t properly hydrate as I’d like
• Less than 3 weeks till my half marathon and I haven’t run in over 3 weeks. Oy

That’s the news from Nicaland. Off to Ometepe! :)

Good News

• I go back to the north tomorrow (Jalapa on Friday)

Bad News

• After waiting about 48 hours for MRI results, the PC office has to contact DC to “approve” my cortisone shot in my foot because it’s an “invasive procedure”. This can take up to 1 month…meaning I have to continue every day proceedings with this cyst until word comes back; good thing I’ve accustomed myself to the pain over the past 2 months
• This parasite is doing WORK on my body. I am worn out and I’ve only taken pill 1 out of 6

this has been a post.

• Stomach parasite: confirmed
  
  I’m starting the intense Tinidazole treatment to kill the damn thing tomorrow morning. 2 pills a day for 3 days. Nausea (more than I have now) and (more) bloating to ensue.
  
  
• FINALLY saw the orthopedist. Diagnosis: synovial cyst 
  
  How did this happen? Doc said it could have been a “traumatic” accident. Hmm…remember when I fell a couple of times? I think that was traumatic enough.
  
  MRI tomorrow afternoon and cortisone injection on Friday afternoon.
  
  

MEANING…I have to stay in Managua until at least Saturday morning. FML. Yeah, it’s nice for a day or two, but being stuck here and having appointments spread out over days at a time is going to be a drag…especially on my bank account (luckily we get paid this week!). I am ESPECIALLY bummed because I was so excited to be with the brigade the rest of the week and get a free ride back up to Jalapa tomorrow. Boo. At least I get a couple of days with them next week.

I HOPE to get a workout in this week…but I’ve taken this medicine before and it wipes me out. I’m still squatting (110 today!) and crunching and walking, but quien sabe? (“who knows”)

In other news: here’s me after going thru the mud pit at the end of the obstacle course at my camp.