New Here (April 2016)

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OregonRunner5
OregonRunner5 Posts: 404 Member
*waves* Hello everyone!

My name is also Paula - but call me Runner 5, unless there is another Runner 5, then maybe call me ...Archie...unless there is another Archie...wait...okay....I'll go on...

I just started lifting weights about 3 weeks ago. I kinda wonder if I do it wrong because I bring my little Darebee cheat sheets and spend an hour (I've advanced from 30 minutes, huzzah!) and meanwhile people come in, give me a sneer sometimes, lift something 3-4 times then march off. Sometimes people do oober difficult leg arm thingie exercises that look super sweet - but they never stay. Everyone leaves and I'm plodding on. Hmmmm. I started wondering - do I need to do something fancier? Are dumbells okay? But I'm new so I think I'll keep on plodding because slow and steady is kinda my style. My noodle arms look better anyway.

I've wanted to do some weights for over a year but the weight section is pretty intimidating. There are big stinky loud guys over there, but I am small and weak and try to hide in the corner.

I also do Yoga but primarily am a runner. I've been trail running lately and have a 15 mile mountain trail run I'm training for.

I'm 25-30lbs over weight, I'm working on it, but I've added a lot of exercise lately and seem to be getting a lot hungrier.

I'm a huge Geek. I'm 41 so I started out with Doctor Who (Tom Baker) and the old Star Trek. On MFP I'm in the Fellowship of Luck (LOTR) and Hufflepuff House.

I'm usually out running in a gaming t-shirt like Assassin's Creed or something while listening to 'Zombies, Run!' Game, a phone app where I get my name, Runner 5.

This is my first year as an artist. I have three art degrees but I always got stuck doing commercial stuff and IT to pay the bills, so finally at age 41 I get to do what I set out to do. It has been a lot of fun.

*CHEERS*

Oh' and feel free to add me as a friend! :)

Replies

  • zumbaforever
    zumbaforever Posts: 6,888 Member
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    I am going to call you Runner! And I agree that slow and steady until you feel comfortable. I like all weights. Free weights, bar, kettles and body weight routines. An artist! Wow could I use your talents here in WY!

    Ignore the sneers. Concentrate more on learning what you are doing. If you are concentrating enough you will never even see them. If there is a weight class join it. I learned lots from one. Then I went out on my own. YouTube has lots of great clips with proper form teaching. And remember, women can lift heavy. At 41 you are in the prime of your life. So learn the form and then lift heavy. B)

    Welcome on board!

    Shelley
  • WranglerMichelle
    WranglerMichelle Posts: 529 Member
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    Welcome, Runner 5! You'll love it here. I'm Michelle, the Lil Sister of the group (I'm 27). And I LOOOOOOOVE lifting. Mostly barbells, but dumbbells are great, too. If you have any questions, I'd be glad to help. I agree with Shelley - go slow and steady until you learn the form, then lift heavy and embarrass the loud stinky guys. :wink: I still love it when guys tell me I can squat more than they can. Feels so good. Ignoring the sneers is the hard part, but hey, you're there to do something good for yourself, so those other people can pound sand. Make faces back at 'em or something and maybe they'll get the message.

    Trail running is the best! Now that the weather here in Ohio has finally gotten comfortable for running, I've been hitting the trails a lot more. Wishing I had an Assassin's Creed shirt to run in. That's awesome.

    Glad to have a fellow geek on board! I'm in Ravenclaw on the HP challenge.

    Anyways. Welcome to our awesome little group. :smile:

  • cpanus
    cpanus Posts: 19,404 Member
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    Welcome Runner 5! Hope you find it fun here. Listen to Shelley and Michelle about the weight lifting they are the best!! And you could just laugh at the sneer-faces because you are in on their joke and the joke is on them!

    I can't run...crap@y knees, but I walk 6 out of 7 days every week. I get on the recumbent bike almost everyday and try to workout 4-5 times a week. Friday is my rest day. I love Fridays. I'm working on a very stubborn 10 pounds. I'm the oldest in the group. Although, Paula really thinks we're the same age.

    Have fun!

    Chris
  • KAR1959
    KAR1959 Posts: 4,262 Member
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    Hi Runner. I'm Kathy, tennis geek, Harry Potter super fan...just got back from Universal in Orlando, and hater of most workouts but hanging in because of these fantastic ladies. I still have a lot of weight to lose but I am down 50 from my highest weight.

    I'm trying to start lifting more. I know it will help me in my journey.

    Welcome and have fun!
    Kathy
  • PaulaKro
    PaulaKro Posts: 5,698 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Hi Paula, I'm gonna call you Paula because it seems amusing. Silliness is one of my life's pleasures. Started with Baker too even though I've got 22 years on you (Chris and I are the same age) but Tennant is my favorite and I adore them all except Davison, 'cuz he was the snot in "All Creatures big and small".

    Also exceedingly geekish, got hooked on fairy tales as a child, Sci Fi as a teenager, and everything else since. Have a huge action figure and comic book collection. Am a Marvel girl, more than DC. XMen / Hulk / Spiderman introduced me to comic book angst (as opposed to DC's heroic escapades) and as a teenager it was so easy to relate.

    Rogue and Storm drink coffee in my dollhouse. Actually, there are several rooms on tables and shelves and thousands of figures, mostly animals, and of those, mostly horses and dinosaurs. Did I mention I like horses? What would Freud say?

    When I was a kid I had imaginary horses (Blacky, Speedy & Bronco) who lived in the clouds and would come down when I called them for a ride (pre-Lyft). I galloped around the neighborhood sidewalks, slapping my thigh, and whinnying just like a Monty Python movie (sans coconuts).

    My Dad grew up on a farm and grandpa used to let us ride horses when we visited, but he was in Idaho and we were in California, so it didn't happen very often.

    Shelley taught me everything I know about dumbbells, and I love them (and my arms love them), but am down to mostly just walking and have to get back on the workout wagon. I learned that one of the easiest ways to learn form was to look it up on YouTube.
    • Chris comes up with great challenges and walks and rides a ton.
    • Kathy is a huge tennis player.
    • Clara has been busy.
    • Shelley and Michelle are seriously scary workout experts - they have kettlebells and dumbbells and barbells and guns and guns and racks and dogs.

    I told Shelley about the "Zombies Run" app but her phone isn't smart enough. Too bad cuz she's into zombies. Or into offing them. Something like that...

    Is there another LOTR challenge going on? We just finished one with Ceratopsy and Mochapygmy. Before that, I was in Ravenclaw (a Kro should be a Raven, don't you think?) but had to drop out of school because of time constraints.

    Looking forward to getting to know you.
    Welcome. :smile:
    Paula
  • WranglerMichelle
    WranglerMichelle Posts: 529 Member
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    I think mochapygmy is brewing up a Two Towers challenge and will let us know when it's ready! I can hardly wait. :smiley:
  • zumbaforever
    zumbaforever Posts: 6,888 Member
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    I love all my geeky friends!

    As far as a new challenge, I just do not like when we are all separated!

    Paula my phone still has a tether! It is a land line! Muahaha. And if I had doll houses they would have miniature fish and loads of flowers!

    Kathy lifting more is great. Helps the posture. Helps rid one of the extra wave. And so much more.

    Shelley
  • cpanus
    cpanus Posts: 19,404 Member
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    I love all my geeky friends!

    As far as a new challenge, I just do not like when we are all separated!

    Shelley

    If we do the new challenge, let's stay together.

    Chris
  • PaulaKro
    PaulaKro Posts: 5,698 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Michelle,

    Cera & Mocha said they're looking forward to a break before doing the next challenge - I think they're planning on three in total - one for each movie.

    Mocha's going to ask for feedback on this one. I'd like more contact -missed you guys lots. My free people got real quiet when the active ones all joined fellowships. Lots of work (I was the leader, aka servant) which wasn't very rewarding with the lack of interaction.

    Because I'm primarily cardio, it didn't feel right to join a team and drag them down by losing strength and flex points each week. It was fun when the Black Riders got to screw with the scores, though. Heeheehee (snicker) ((snort))

    :flowerforyou: Paula

  • zumbaforever
    zumbaforever Posts: 6,888 Member
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    I so agree Paula. But you could do strength and flex. You must be more creative. But it is still in your abilities. It is what you can do that counts!

    Chris and I want to be able to chat with all the groups and see them. :wink: Others felt the same way.

    Shelley