Week 3: Milestone Races

Week 3 of Marathon Training

Along the way it sure is nice to have small races in between – less daunting that way I guess.  This week I have a 4 miler! And a 10K in our near future. ^_^

Day 1: Stretch and Strengthen.

Day 2: Weight Training + 3.5 mile run. I did weights at lunch, then running after work. Was brutal today for some reason.

Day 3: Weight Training + 4 mile run. 

Day 4: Cross training light. Elliptical 50 minutes

Day 5: REST for tomorrow, we race!

Day 6: 4.2 M Reindeer Romp with my friend Sarah Jane! Our husbands were waiting right at the finish line shouting and arm-flailing to cheer us on! They are awesome.

4.2 miles done!

Day 7: Weight Training + stretching.

» December Sweaty Betties Push-Up Challenge!

This one is just fun. If you don’t usually do pushups then this is a fun way to get yourself up there. Sometimes it’s really just a mental game, so doing this challenge takes the brain out of the equation:

This is the Push-Up Challenge:

You will do 1 push-up on Dec. 1st..

2 Push-ups on Dec. 2nd..

and so on, until you do 31 consecutive push-ups by the end of the month.

**PS If you are a guy(or gal) who really wants to be cool, you can double the push-ups (2 a day– by the end you’ll do 62)**

via » December Sweaty Betties Push-Up Challenge!.

Who’s in?! 😀

Separating the Dreamers from the Goal Reachers

Week 2

Run when you don’t want to, run when you do want to and reach your goal!

Day 1: Stretch and Strengthen. This is a great day for yoga, but I’m saving every where I can – Christmas is around the corner! So I opted to do my stretching at home.

Day 2: Weight Training + RUN. Great Tri workout at lunch with the hot husband @lukekeith! Rain, Cold, and a case of the sweat pants: After work I debated whether to run outdoors or hit the shredmill and finally decided to drive home to run the neighborhood. As I drove home I saw how misty it was and could tell I had symptoms of the excuses. The onset of the excuses made me slap my face and remind myself I already committed to running outdoors tonight and if I skipped now then I would most likely not be able to complete half marathon training. I ran! It was cold and the air was misty, but by mile 2 it started RAINING. By the time I was done with my run it was pouring and I was drenched. But, oh sweet molly, I felt a sense of pride.

Day 3: Weight Training + cross

Day 4: Run. 3 miler woot! gettin’ ‘er done!

Day 5: Rest. Thanksgiving – yes I timed this week so that I could rest ^_^

Day 6: Weight Training. Back and shoulders

Day 7: Long run. <<did not get this one in due to picking up my parents from the airport and visiting and then the day ended…it happens

 

Week 3 has already begun as I am finally posting this – hope everyone is reaching their winter goals!! I’m cheering you on!! Get it done!

Rain, Cold, and a Case of the Sweatpants

The gym and my house are in 2 opposite directions from work, so after work I had to decide whether to run outdoors or hit the gym shredmill (because this Texas girl is whining about how cold it is outside!).  After some serious deliberation I decided to drive home to run the neighborhood, after all, I AM doing a winter half marathon so I might as well start getting used to the cold. As I drove home, I saw how misty it was and could tell I had symptoms of excuse-itis. The onset of the excuses made me slap my face and remind myself I already committed to running outdoors tonight and if I skipped now then I would most likely not have the will power to complete half marathon training. I ran! It was cold and the air was misty, but by mile 2 it started RAINING. By the time I was done with my run it was pouring and I was drenched. But, oh sweet molly, I felt a sense of pride.

This winter, see yourself push further, train when you don’t want to, fight the urge to curl-in-a-ball-drinking-hot-cocoa-wearing-sweatpants – and then I want to hear your 2011 Sweatpants success story! Are you fighting the urge to get comfy and still training? (cuz gosh…I could use some tips on how to stay convinced that cold is my friend) 😛

 

Let the training begin!

Week 1 – Kick started!

Day 1: Mental preparedness. I spent this day stretching and plotting my running schedule.  If you don’t have a plan or a routine of when exactly you will run, you probably won’t. Planning is key!

Day 2: I ran 2.25 EZ miles and it felt pretty good. I wasn’t winded and my muscles were feeling good. My joints however, we’re feeling the ache.  I stretched good and am drinking more water. Hopefully my joints will remember the running and get stronger soon.

Day 3: Weight training. Did a back/shoulder workout at lunch – bumped my lat pull downs to 105 and still cranking out 10-12 reps for 5 sets! Woot! I plan to continue weight training until the running starts needing my dedicated energy supply.

Day 4: 3 mile jog. I decided it was better to keep my pace low for now as my body adjusts, so I did this 3 miler as a jog pace instead of my race speed or faster. As a result, I ran out of time because I had a fundraiser to attend, so I only finished 2.5. Felt solid though, so I am so excited about this week’s long run!!

Day 5: Weight training. Normally I would have this day be an Active Recovery Day with a very light cardio to keep my legs moving but allow them to rest. Since tomorrow will be my first long run I want to give my legs and back a little more rest and opt for an arm+upperbody workout.  My tailbone is still giving me grief from running this week….ugh… I’m going to be a very decrepit old lady.

Day 6: Long run. WHAT? It didn’t happen! Between the cold weather change AND my awesome cousins coming in town for the weekend I just never made it out there.  I realize, though, that my half marathon is in JANUARY so that means I better get myself used to the cold pronto! Or else I am going to be MISERABLE.  I need to slowly ween myself from the shredmill and out on to the pavement.

I’m ready for week 2!!

Training for My Second 1st Half Marathon

A couple years ago I was training for my first half marathon and 3 weeks before the race I broke my tailbone while snowboarding.  Yes, yes, why was I snowboarding 3 weeks before a race…well, because snowboarding is awesome. =P

So today marks week 1 of prepping for my SECOND 1st half marathon ^_^

I am using Hal Higdon’s training schedule for the Novice. This is what I used last time and I made incredible progress, felt strong the entire 3 months. His schedules have been the best I have tried thus far.

For science purposes, I am going to try keeping my diet protein+veggies mostly, with minimal carbs.  Then when my mileage starts getting up and I start leaning out (prob starting at week 5) I will then add carbs an hour or 2 before my runs.  My goal here is to do the best I can to maintain muscle while training for the half.  With this much cardio it will be next to impossible to BUILD, but maintain I think I can do.

Training will ultimately be 5 days cardio (3 run days, 2 cross training) and 5 weight lifting days hitting every muscle group twice except for legs. I will only train legs once a week outside of cardio.

Here we go!

How to get fat in just 3 weeks!

Why wait? Get your winter-ready body now! Follow these easy steps and gain the belly and thigh fat that you’ve always wanted! Ready, set, go!

1. Add calories to your beverages any chance you get (try sugar and/or creamer in your coffee, or get a fruit smoothie from a local vendor to help pack on the calories when its not even meal time!)
2. Drink as little water as possible (so that all the sodium you are eating will retain tons of water weight)
3. Eat nibbles of small snacks or treats. Small snacks are great cuz you think you’re being diet-friendly, but you’re actually packing it on! (subconsciously snacking is best, like when watching a movie, because then you dont know how much you’re eating, yeah!)
4. Write down on a notepad if and when you do workout, that way you can look back at the end of the week and say “I worked out so I can eat whatever I want!”

• BONUS: Skip meals if you can that way you will be SUPER hungry at dinner time and probably eat your face off
• BONUS: Make frequent trips to your pantry so you can make a constant mental inventory of what is available to you

Lean and Mean

When you’re dieting really hard it effects the chemistry in your body. With heavy dieting it is VERY common to have mood swings.

I’d like to know – do you roll with the mood roller coaster or do you do something to combat it? Do you have tips, tricks, or chants?

September Makeover: Day 30

The final day approached! My scale died sometime between Day 1 and Day 30 ugh!! No update on weight, BUT…the September Makeover, was not so much to make a change on the physical, but rather a change in the day to day mentality. I now have a groove, a nutrition plan and purpose! No more skipping gym cuz I’m tired. 🙂

The September challenge was a success! I am on fire for October and kicked it off with some awesome hiking in the mountains of Colorado

Happy October and happy fall fitness challenges everyone! Who’s ready?!

Hiking with my sis and her pup, Bowzer

After 3 hours of hiking we finally found the waterfalls!

September Makeover: Day 27

Wow this September challenge is coming to a fast close! This challenge was to help me get back into gear and refocus.  The makeover was to help me find my groove, get organized and get it done.  I can really tell that this challenge (though not over yet) has been a success. Groove found.

Today I was able to hit the gym at lunch even though I was feeling sick, tired, and stressed at work. I felt great after my workout even though I still felt sick. But it did give me the extra energy I needed to finish the day strong.

Hope everyone’s challenges are going well!! Shout out to @jersalicious and Nikki who are doing their own challenges! 🙂

I am already revved to crack down with a new challenge! Hmm…I have 3 days to figure that out.

Keep livin life people!

 

Snack Shack:

• Rice cake with protein powder and PB.  Sounds weird, but the PB covers up the dry powdery taste of the protein. Give it a try! Or better yet, give it a twist and let me know how you made it better!
• Tuna packet and 2 cups of baby carrots – easy breezy for the quick and easy