Great run- Day 24 and Icepacolypse 2011

Short update- had a great 30 minute run today- 10:30mm pace avg and felt pretty good. It was 26 degrees but felt a lot colder- so I ran with it (pun intended)

Day 24 completed.

Now- they are predicting the great Icepacolypse of 2011 over tonight and tomorrow- so in the event I lose power, I may not be able to update for a couple of days- but will keep on chugging (might have to to keep warm anyway!

Completed! Day 23

I had to really pull this one out. I mean I did NOT want to do it.
But I put on a video from OnDemand that was a very slow paced walking workout with Jane Fonda (a current day, not 80s version) - it got me moving and the blood flowing and it was 20 minutes long. So when that was done, I turned on a 10 minute video of a standing ab workout to get the full 30 in.
That's pretty much all I have to say about that. :)

Keeping it honest

It is 7:20pm. I have not done my 30 minutes yet- and I have 0 desire to do so. I am SO sore from the gym yesterday that nothing is sounding remotely ok....however, I am not going to give up- so I'm writing here to say I haven't done it yet- but I WILL do it tonight. I'll report back later tonight or in the morning- but I will get the activity in.

Day 22- Exhausted!

I'm not exhausted from 22 days of activity- just today's activity itself!
First up: running club, mini training!

Pace-wise, it was a little slower than I thought it felt like (that is, if Nike+ was accurate). I did double check it with mapmyrun.com and it seems to be pretty accurate for distance today.
I think that towards the end- I had returned sooner than expected and ran a couple back and forths in one area- so I think the turn arounds (each dip at the end of the graph) calculated as a much slower pace which threw off the overall pace. Still- it's just fine with me :) Today was one of those days I was absolutely loving running - that's one of things I love about running club, that common bond and support.

After I was done, I had to rush home and change clothes to head right out to the gym for my session with the trainer. Like I have said before, I love my trainer- but enough with the squats already!!! The thing is, I know they work but yeouch!! Kettlebells, weights, tiptoe squats. Then ab work and pull ups (assisted, of course!) My body is sore- but it is that good sore that tells you that you really worked and pushed it and are making real improvements.

Day 22- in and done!

3x7=21

3 weeks, 7 days a week= 21 days. That is how many days in a row I have made a conscious effort of at least 30 minutes of intentional movement.

Cha-Cha answered a question- and most of you have probably heard before - that it takes 21 days to change a habit. I already had a steady habit of a fitness routine but I had it "burned in my brain" (one of my fav lines from When Harry Met Sally) that I had to have at least a day or 2 of rest. And that rest day(s) became an excuse. If I had a rough day, or poor weather or the wind was blowing wrong- it became a way to write the day off "just because". Now- I still have those "Maybe I should take the day off" thoughts- but I now don't let it be an excuse. 1) I KNOW I will always feel better when I'm done - I have NEVER regretted a workout that I DID complete; only regret for those I didn't. 2) By feeling like I have to be accountable- not just to myself, but to any readers of the blog and to the universe in general - I'm very much more likely to make sure it happens.

We had our weekly weigh in at work today (Biggest Loser contest- I am not in it to win it- just keeping myself honest and it's cheaper than weekly WI at WW)- I was down 1.6# this past week. While I had a total plateau and then slight gain during holidays- I'm now back below that weight and total weight loss is at 66.4# since Nov '09. I will definitely take that!

Days 19 and 20

No worries! I didn't take a day off- just didn't get a chance to blog it last night.
Yesterday- I had a fantastic run. 30 minutes, 2.93 miles- and a 10:17 avg pace. I was so irritated though, when my Nike+ (here we go again) synced with iTunes but didn't upload the data to the Nike+ site...it is like it doesn't exist. I can still see it in iTunes- but it doesn't show up otherwise....so frustrating! It was one of my best runs ever.

Today- my youngest daugher was sick- so I had to leave work early- but thankfully, my husband had some overlap with his schedule- so I was able to hit the gym first and get in a nice strength routine in with some core work and a few 30 second forearm planks - and then off for about 10 minutes of spinning- just to get the heart rate up some.

20 days down....

Mind over matter- Day 18

I have a Twitter account - @That_girl_lola - and one of my friends over there- Anda at Leaving Fatville was talking about a #plankathon being put on by YumYucky.com - well, I got curious. People are posting videos of themself doing Planks (in various positions) and challenging to see how long they can hold it for. I was going to be brave and say I could go for 5 minutse- but then someone up and did 6 minutes....

I'm super competitive even when I don't have to be- so I jokingly said I would be going for 10 minutes...well, the internets being what they are- - - people trying to get me to do it...I said I'd try...a 10 minute plank with a fitness ball for assistance.

I did it! So excited!

I also had worked out earlier in the day- I did 20 minutes on the spin bike and 20+ mins of strenght training-focus on the back.

If you don't watch the whole video- that's cool, I have to post it though ...a matter of pride.

Day 17- and a question

Today was a run of the mill 30 minute easy run. Felt good. And for good measure, devil doggy showed up on my last quarter-lap to chase me. Good times. Day 17- 100 Day Challenge, complete.

So- on to the question...and maybe sort of a roll call. I have 18 "followers" on my blog- but I don't know who actually reads regularly other than certain folks who comment often (I'm lookin' at you CBeth and EternalLizdom! :) ) - I'd like to know a few things:

1- are you reading? if so- please comment and just say Hi so I know you're here
2- would there be something I could add/do/discuss that would engage some of you more?

I know that this blog is pretty much an exercise log for myself and sometimes I go a little deeper- but I'd like to know! I also don't expect for this to be a "business" for my blog or like a chat room either (and I'm NOT fishing for compliments or anything)- I just want to know if/when something I say or do resonates with you and even, what you disagree with and think I could do better. I'm open for that.

Something a little different: day 16

Today was a very busy day from start to finish and there were many things that needed to be done- mostly involving cleaning around the house. I knew I was not going to get to the gym and didn't think it was likely I would get in a video much later because of everything we had to do during the day (just knew my energy would be nil). So- I made an activity out of it. We were re-arranging our bedroom and I had a lot of prep cleaning to do and small item moving- so I turned on the music and danced around while I did it. It actually took longer than 30 minutes, wasn't extremely intense but intentional activity for 30 minutes+ - so it is done :)

Mini Training begins; Day 15

Today, I woke up at 6am and had a small breakfast before heading out for the first official training run for the Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon in May. It was a great run- we were only out there for 30 minutes but it felt wonderful. It is amazing how proper clothing for super cold temps can make all the difference.

After the run, I came home and changed clothes so that I could go to my training session- I worked with my trainer for about 40 minutes on core and squats and kettlebells and some arms; it was a great workout and I think I scorched some calories.

I tried out a new pair of socks: Under Armour snowboarding socks - absolutely loved them! They kept my legs warm in 5 degress (-8 wind chill) and had great support and extra padding. I'll definitely get some more of these socks. (not a paid opinion or review- I just liked the socks! :) )

2 full weeks- 14 days; calling it a day.

So I am going to admit that maybe I'm skirting the edge of cheating on this one- I only got in about 23 minutes today- but I had a choice- skip completely or take what I could get. I took what I could get and got 23 minutes before I HAD to leave to get my kids for the day. I'm justifying it by the fact that tomorrow I've got running club/training at 8am for 30 minutes and then my session with my trainer for an hour at 10:30- I'll more than make up for the 7 minutes today and I still got my intentional activity in, and I think THAT is the bigger goal/point.

I chose spinning for the 23 minutes because I knew I could work up a good sweat and great calorie burn even in that short time.

TGIF!!

Lucky 13 - Clean, Pristine snow

Meet *Ninja Runner* :)
This is me- just after my run. It is a HORRIBLE picture of me- but then again- I just ran almost 3 miles in 3.5 inches of fresh snow LOL. My friend, Liz, at Eternal Lizdom - calls this my ninja hat- so I did this for her.

The next one is more beautiful- it was almost completely untouched. They had plowed much earlier in the day- and then snow covered it all again. I wore my YakTrax and it was perfect. I had an amazing pace of a 10:21 avg per mile- covered 2.91 miles in just over 30 min and it felt great. The funny thing is, I realized while putting on my YakTrax today that the previous 2 times I used them, I put them on backwards.

This is the cemetery where I run- it is great because no traffic and nice, varied paths with some (but not too tough) hills. When it is clear- there are some "off road" areas that are grass paths with larger hills I can train on.

Was nice to get a strong, quick run in today. I start my formal training program on Saturday for the Half Marathon that I'm doing in May. I'm feeling good going into the start.

Day 13- complete!

A Dozen Days of Fitness

I actually think I really like working out every single day. I'm sure eventually when this challenge is over- I will take a day off here and there- but this is good.

Today was a strength training day and I did a good 40 minutes of upper body training (focus on chest and shoulders) with a little lower body balancing as well as some core work. Then I hit the spin bike for 20 minutes. Total time was an hour or maybe an hour and 5 min- roughly. Nice workout and good sweat.

Short update today- but got it in.
Day 12- complete!

Day 11- the one where Fido the killer strikes again!

You may remember that I had my first run in with a dog last week. I went back to run today (first run since Friday!) and I had probably put my first mile in when I heard a faint yappy barking behind the music in my ears. There he/she was trotting after me and barking all the way. This pup really thinks he/she can take me. But I threw snow...and that was that :) Kept a good distance after that.

My Nike+ crapped out again- I believe this time it was because I stomped towards/at the dog a few times and may have messed it up- but who knows...even with the bad data- my last 2 runs have not uploaded properly. If anyone has any suggestions on this- please- let a girl know!

I ran for 30 minutes- and aside from the dog interruption- I kept a nice even pace all along- I'm guessing about an 11:15mm - but not sure. Just going by what I felt.

Either way- 30 minutes in, Day 11 done.

This was one of those days that I really didn't think I'd make it- so many ways to quit. It was coldish, rainy and dreary. Had to pick up at the pharmacy- so I didn't want to go to the gym and then backtrack all sweaty to the pharmacy....so- pharmacy first and off to the cemetery. I talked myself IN to it by reminding myself I had run in much colder, much more dreary conditions and I had to beat the demon. So I did.

It's really nice to know *I* own the demons now and tell them what to do; rather than the other way around.

10 in a row!

I'm absolutely positive I've never exercised for 10 days in a row before...a new, great milestone.
It wasn't anything spectacular- honestly, my quads were STILL sore from kettlebell squats on Saturday. I decided to just go for a slow walk (3.0) on the treadmill and work in elevation. This treadmill goes up in elevation to by levels up to 12. I'm not sure what the % grade is- but but I did 2 minutes at each level working my way up- and then did 1 minute at each level as I worked my way back down. I started with about 5 minutes at the beginning at 0 and then about 6 at the end at 0. I got a great sweat and was glad I got moving.
Tomorrow I'll get a run in and I'm looking foward to it.

Day 10 complete- 100 Day Challenge

The things you do for fitness- Day 9

Today was one of those days where I really wondered if I would be able to get the workout in- or if I even wanted to. I won't lie, I really considered taking the day off. It was a very long day- my Dad was in town all day starting from meeting him for breakfast and then back at our house all day- including a big steak dinner (he lives out West and misses midwestern beef- so we indulged). He left around 6pm and I just really didn't know if I had it in me.

But I know- I KNOW- I never regret a workout- so I decided that the challenge of 100 Days is simply to do 30 minutes of intentional activity. Doesn't have to be intense or crazy- just move. So- I figured I'd pick out a fun fitness video from on demand and just move along with it.

I started with 11 minutes of Yoga. I've never really done yoga before and I know it can be difficult. The hardest part is trying to follow along while your head is facing down and you need to see the instructor. Fitness Entrepreneurs: You should build a yoga studio where the floor is glass and we can see you from above- that would be awesome. Anyway- after 11 minutes, I decided this wasn't "easy" enough for me today- and that I'd have to do it again another day. So I looked through the videos again and saw something called "Cardioke". Yes...it is exactly what it sounds like- cardio aerobics while singing. It was kind of fun, but also kind of ridiculous. It did exactly what I was looking for- get me moving- but it isn't something I would do often. It was "hosted" by Billy Banks, Jr. Yes- that Billy Blanks, well- his son. This was definitely no Tae Bo.

Day 9- done. And I'm very happy about that. (truth be told, my legs are still KILLING me from the kettlebell workout yesterday- I'd like to never see squats again).

Day 9- feeling strong!

Today- I had a session with my trainer- I did 20 minutes of steady cardio before we started and then 45 minutes of hard strength training full of kettlebells and squats. We did a pre-workout update to my measurements and I'm excited to report the changes.
I was initially measured on 8/3 and started working with my trainer on 8/10. So- essentially- we are talking about 5 months of work with the trainer.
I've lost:
2.5" in my chest
4.5" in my waist (belly button)
4.25" in my hips
2.5" on each arm
2.5" on each thigh
1.5 on each calf
Total inches lost= 24.25"

Considering that the holiday season was a part of this- I'm very pleased with the results so far. I've lost 1% in total body fat and building lean muscle while also still losing weight (albeit slowly as of late)

Some of the change may be very slow- but I'm still very committed to seeing it through to my goals. I'm hoping to hit those goals within this year- but it may take longer. I'm ok with that.

Day 8- in the year of the dog

This has been a week of firsts- first 7 days (make it 8 now) of in-a-row intentional activity and I used my YakTrax for the first time and then, today, I was chased by the meanest, most vicious dog (Click at your own visual risk).
I'll give you a moment to recover from the pure terror that dog surely put to you, like me.
***
Better now? ;-)

I've never really encountered an animal on a run- saw some deer in a far off field while in Utah for the Ragnar Relay last June- but nothing where I was being chased. Barked at....

Had my Nike+ data loaded correctly (seriously, Nike- can we get this right please?)- I would share the graph -because it was a great run- but I had to stop and stomp back towards the dog to try to make it retreat. Ugh.

Anyway- so 30 minute run, complete - good pace of 11:19 avg and 2.66 miles done. Nice way to end the work week.

Week 1, COMPLETE!

Today, I completed 7 days in a row of 30 minutes of intentional activity. Not all of it was super intense- but most was at my typical intensity.

Today was a very nice core workout and then strength training focusing on my chest and shoulders. Then I got on the spin bike for 20 minutes - where I do 5 minute cycles of 1 min easy/fast pedal, 2 minutes of increased tension and then 2 minutes standing pedal at the increased tension.

With a peak at the scale this week- I think I'm down about 2 lbs- but official weigh in is tomorrow morning- so we will see.

On another note- our 2011 team is officially registered for the June Madison to Chicago Ragnar Relay. Team Run DMC (Destination Madison to Chicago), reporting for duty!

Day 7 - #100DayChallenge - Done!

100 Day Challenge- Day 6; a new adventure in snow running

I had a fun run today- and although my Nike+ didn't calculate the pace/distance correctly, I still think it was fine. Typically when I run for about 30 minutes, I hit anywhere from 2.6 to 2.8 miles in that time. I think that the additional equipment on my feet may have interfered with the Nike timing chip because the chart looks funky and says I only did 2.4 miles. I know that isn't right because my pace felt pretty good and I didn't take any walk breaks. Anyway. . .minutia.

I was so excited because when I got to the cemetery where I run- the paths looked like this:

Snow covered and small patches of iced over snow pack. SOOOOOO, that meant I got to use my brand new YakTrax!!
They are easy to put on (which is not how it would seem when you take them out of the box):

Even more important - they WORK! I run several loops around the outer paths of the cemetery and liked seeing the distinct track in the snow as I came back around. Only one area where the snow had broken up a bit cause my foot to slip ever so slightly. Otherwise, I felt solid on my feet- comfortable and unhindered. I bought these on my own and am not being paid for my opinion in any way- I just think it's nice when a product does what it says it will.
It was 25 degrees, 13 with the brisk wind chill - but with my YakTrax and my Under Armour, I was warm and able to get a nice run in. The downside? I have no excuses NOT to run when it is cold anymore. :) (kidding...I blocked out those excuses awhile ago)

#100DayChallenge Day 6- DONE!

Day 5- weights and pushing it

Today I got almost a full hour workout in and it felt great. I did about 35 minutes of abs and strength training before I did 15 minutes of cardio just to round it out before I picked up my kids for the day.
I focused my strength training on my tri's, bi's and shoulders with some back exercises to balance it out.

I've had a real "hate" relationship with my arms for quite a long time now. No one to blame but myself- I let myself (and them) go- but I love seeing the changes and being able to see the muscles now. This coming summer might be the first time I'm willing to wear sleeveless shirts without serious problem.

I think I love the 100 Day challenge - it is keeping me very focused.

Day 4- Wish they could all be like this

I had a great run today!
I felt so energetic. It was very cold- actual temp was about 30, not sure the wind child, but it was breezy to say the least. I ran for 30 minutes- got in 2.68 miles and felt super.

Tomorrow's plan is for 30+ min of strength training and some cardio- but hoping I'm not thwarted by the snow storm coming in. But I'll get 30 min in one way or another.
#100DayChallenge - it's on.

Day 3- 100 Day challenge

To keep myself honest (and to also keep me blogging more regularly)- I am going to try to post daily what my 30 min (minimum) of activity was for the 100 Day Challenge. On some days- I may not have much to say- so it really may just be a quick post of what I did that day.

While doing some furniture shopping today, I also picked up a pair of YakTrax for my shoes to help me run better on snow/icy conditions- I'm hoping to test them out this week as we are supposed to get some snow.

It was a pretty busy day and I was really hoping to get a more intense workout in- but as the day wore on and so many of our plans swallowed up the hours, I finally settled on doing another On Demand workout at home so that I could quickly get it in and spend max time with my family before the week's craziness begins.

#100DayChallenge - 3 days down.

(as a side note to myself- any day that I do not work out- if sick, or if really truly can't fit it in schedule- will be tacked on to the end; but preference is to do 100 days in a row)

Starting on a high note

Back from the dead!

Well- no, not really. I just haven't taken the time to blog a lot lately. I've been kind of frustrated with another plateau I'm now dealing with. I'm still pushing through- but it's irritating.

The good news, though, is that I made it through the holidays (perhaps the first time) without gaining any significant weight. Between Dec 10 and Jan 7- I gained 2.2 lbs (I could put a lot of caveats on this too- but I won't). Considering I ate any/all holiday meals, treats (etc) that I wanted- I think I'll call that success.

I don't have the focus to really map out all of the last couple of weeks- but the highlights?

• The week between Christmas and New Years, I worked out 6 days in a row; ran 2 5ks that week.
• In the first week of the New Year, I've done a couple of things:
• Been frustrated with the scale not moving
• Began to focus back on cleaning up my eating. Need more whole foods, and recheck portions
• Finally went to doctor about foot pain- plantar fasciatis, small heel spur - very treatable without any surgery and I can run during the healing process so no downtime.
• Couldn't make my training appt today due to the gym daycare being closed (again!); so I came home and did a Fitness Bootcamp (Enviga) from our On Demand

I needed to kind of turn things up a little, when - Sara (@SeeSaraRun on Twitter) asked me if I was doing the #100DayChallenge

100 Day Challenge

John "The Penguin" Bingham has started a 100 Day Challenge beginning Jan 1, 2011. (If you're not sure who John Bingham is, check him out here)

 

This challenge asks that you dedicate 30 minutes everyday for exercise for 100 days. It doesn't have to be hardcore, it can be walking around your neighborhood, just move consistently and intentionally for 30 minutes everyday. The 30 minutes don't even have to all be together- 10 min here, 10 there, etc.

*****************

I didn't hear about the challenge until after it had started, so I began on Friday with a 2.5 mile run in the snow. It was fresh snow- and my footprints were the first tracks. It was awesome.

 

Today- (as mentioned above) was day 2 and I was thwarted when I got to the gym and the daycare was not open again. But thankfully, it was naptime for my youngest- so I came home and put her down, got my 4 yr old busy- and turned on the video and got to work. I'm talking jumping jacks, tire sprints, squat thrusts and so much more. It was tough, but I got a great sweat going and felt really good after.

 

Here's to the next 98 days!