I Can Do Hard Things

So I've kinda been feeling down about running lately. I thought that I would be so much further along in my running journey. And that makes me sad. I feel like running is such a huge part of my life, but yet I don't have a lot to show for it. Maybe it is time to step up my game, but being available for my family is a HUGE priority for me. Balance.

I spent 2 hours at the gym today and I felt a lot better when I left.

3x

Squats on the Bossu ball with weights

Single leg hamstring lift with weights

Push ups-mix of real and girl push ups

LLL with weights

Dips

Lunge matrix with weights

Sweaty mess

Then 5 miles on the stairmill. I chatted with the lady on the machine next to me. She was running on the stairmill. Holy heck she was fast and strong. I had a huge pool of sweat beneath me. Yuck!

Long stretch and foam rolling session.

I've got the fever, chills and body aches. I feel like my sinus' are going to explode. I stayed in my jammies all day. I figured I couldn't feel any worse, so I went to the gym when my hubby got home from work. But I had to hurry to pick up a daughter up from dance.

I actually felt okay while running. My sinus' started to loosen up. Miles were slow, but at least they were run :)

Oh the joys of winter and Christmas break!

I slept really well last night and feel so much better.  I was even awake at 5:00am and headed off to the gym.  I was pleasantly surprised to see an EMPTY gym.  Maybe that 5 degree weather scared everyone off!!

3 miles on the stair mill

3x

lunge matrix with weights

single leg hamstring lift

push ups on  bench

dips

LLL

Stretch and back to my warm bed! 

I woke up right as my alarm started beeping.  I did a few LLL before I left for the gym.  I got to the gym right a 6:00am as they were opening.  I was one of the three people there!!

I watched Law and Order  until I saw my friend Collette.  We are running the St George Half Marathon together.  It was fun to chat and made the time go by so much faster.  

My ankle felt good, but now (several hours later) it is tired and achy.  

I hurried home, showered and had a massage.  Yep...I'm spoiled.  And I love to trade services!!

Hurried home again, so hubby and son could get to basketball practice.  After they left, I did some more core work.  Lots of crunches, push ups, planks, and bridges.  My body is very sore!

BEST PART OF THE DAY!!!!!!  I've been saving my pennies  to buy a treadmill and a few small pieces of workout equipment.  AND TODAY I got them!  Hooray for the Step Up store and their insanely cheap TM.  I got some free weights (10, 12, 15 and 20lbs), workout mat, bench (it is coming on Friday) and a bosu ball (I need to order it on Amazon). So I just need to get a spin bike and mirrors for the wall.  Hubby even wired for a TV to be up on the wall.  Time to catch up on some shows!!

I'm SO excited to get this workout equipment.  I will still be going to the gym, but on my running days, I would have to get up quite as early.  And if I miss a morning...I can do it at night in the comfort of my own home.  YAHOOOOOO!!!!!!

AND my neighbor sold us his Iphone 5 for $50.  My old phone is SO slow, so I am very excited about my upgrade!

What an excellent day! 

AM:

7 miles on the stair mill.  I started at my regular speed, then the last .25 of every mile, I would bump up the speed 12 units.  At the end of the mile, I would put the speed down 10 units (so 2 higher than my original).  I did this for 7 miles and progressively got faster.

I felt good, not great.  My legs were tired and I was definitely breathing heavy.  I hope to get on the stair mill more to "replace" some of my runs until I can get back to running everyday. 

PM:

Core challenge:

50 crunches

15 push-ups

60 sec plank

30 sec side plank

30 sec side plank

60 sec plank

15 push-ups

60 sec bridges

50 crunches

60 sec plank

2 min bridge

50 crunches

1 mile walk

Tried out my new TM!!!! The handle bar is just a bit further away than the gym's TM. It will take a bit to get use to!

I slept until 6:30am (one and a half hours later than usual!!!!) and worked out at home.  We don't have the TV set up yet, so I watched Netflix on my Ipad, but it was hard to hear over the TM.

3x

lunge matrix with weights

push ups (regular and girly)

dips

LLL

calf raises - regular, toes out, toes in

B6 

4 miles on the TM

I would run .75 miles and bump up the speed 12 mph for the last .25.  Then with the start of the new mile, I would only bump the speed down 10 mph.  That first fast .25, I thought I was going to die.  My legs felt like lead and my breathing was out of control.  They did get easier as I went on, but definitely not a smooth or polished workout.  

This is the my first attempt at speed since my SF.  I guess I have to start somewhere, but today wasn't pretty.

Stretch.  I think I need a new foam roller at home.  Mine is getting quite flat. 

Hoping to get in a core  challenge tonight.

I did wear my Kinvaras today instead of my stability shoes.  Verdict is still out on how everything feels. 

AM: 7 miles on the stairmill. Not quite as fast Monday, but still a good effort. Legs were tired.

PM: I didn't have anytime to do strength training this morning since I spent almost a hour doing cardio. I found an awesome workout on Pinterest (I have such a love/hate relationship with that website!!!!)

3x

Burpees ( I think I did between 7-10 each rep)

20 jumping jacks

Push ups (girly and regular)

3 room lengths of walking lunges with weights (I tried to go in the hallway, but was ambushed by nerf guns!!)

10 side to side lunges

20 dips

10 shoulder press

10 squats with overhead press

10 jump squats

20 mountain climbers

10 reverse lunges

60 sec planks

LLL

So darn sweaty! I didn't wear a visor like I usually do and paid for it with sweat in my eyes!

We finally got the TV hooked up and it is SO much better working out downstairs. I need to think of a new name for my workout area.

I slept in and worked out while preschooler was playing at a friends house.   

1 mile - warm up (6.0mph)

2 miles - tempo run  (started at 6.5 and ended at 8)

1 mile - cool down (varied speed)

I felt like crud.  I am out of shape and these were very hard. Wore neutral shoes.

60 sec plank

30 crunches

40 russian twists

5 lying leg raises

50 bicycle crunches

30 mountain climbers

60 sec plank

B6

20 flutter kicks

10 V-ups

15 oblique cruches

20 russian twists

10 lying leg raises

30 bicycle crunches

20 mountain climbers

60 sec plank

My ankle was VERY sore after this workout.  And this makes me depressed.

Designated rest day.  All this extra lifting/core work has made me utterly exhausted.  I can't believe HOW tired and sore I am.  AND my ankle has been very hurty.  

Hubby gave my lower leg a good, hard massage tonight and it seemed to help a little. 

I was at the gym at 6:00am to get my long run in early.  My son had a basketball game and I needed to be home.  I wore my stability shoes in hopes that it would help my ankle pain.  

I ran my first 4ish miles alone and then Collette arrived.  It made the last 6 miles go by SO fast.  Ohhhh....it was SO nice to run with someone!  We had a great conversation even though it was hard to hear over all the various machines.  

My ankle felt okay during the run, but now is still very achy.  I really concentrated on my step count today.  Since I am running the SG Half next Saturday, I am going to run an easy 3-4 miles on Wednesday and cross-train the rest of the week.  Hopefully, the rest will get rid of the aches.

I decided to put up all my marathon posters, medals and race number in my workout room.  I think I'm going to get some vinyl letter to put my favorite  inspirational quotes up on the wall.  It is almost done! 

Recovery day.

3x 

10 x Squats on Bosu ball with weights

10 x lunge matrix with weights

10 x single leg hamstring lifts

push ups on bench

dips

LLL

30 easy minutes on the bike 

AM #1 

55 minutes on the stair mill.  One stair mill #1, I can do 7 miles in 55 minutes.  But I was on stair mill #2 today and I only did 5.5 miles (same speed).  I think there may be some calibration issues?  Regardless, it was a good sweaty mess.

 AM #2

I got the kids off to school and headed down stairs.

3x

10 burpees (I really REALLY dislike doing these)

20 jumping jacks

15 push ups

walking lunges with weights

10 side to side lunges with weights

10 bridge and scissor crunch

20 dips

10 squats with weights

10 jump squats (I really REALLY dislike these too....I guess I don't like to jump)

60 second planks

LLL

I used my new foam roller....smooth as butter!!!  My ankle feels SO much better than it did at the end of last week.  Hubby has been working out all the kinks and hopefully we are making headway!

I received a new calling at church on Sunday.  I received a phone call from the 1st counselor in the bishopric.  We were going to start our cub committee meeting in a few minutes and he asked if I would come a bit early.  I assumed we would be talking about cub stuff.  

When I got there, he told me he was going to release me from all my callings (cub committee chairman and CTR 5 teacher) and call me to be the 2nd counselor in the YW.  I'm over 18 Beehives.  My world just got ROCKED!!! 

4 easy miles at home.

I found an ab workout on Pinterest, but once I started it, I realized that it was WAY too hard for my current ab condition! So I did a modge/podge of one legged planks, incline planks, sit ups, one lunge matrix and one LLL.

Foam roll and stretch. Then upstairs to feed the troops breakfast. I'm really liking this workout at home business.

On a side note, I've been enjoying lifting way more than I thought I would. I'm so much more sore and tired than I am with running. Goes to show that I need to be lifting if I am that sore. Even though I can't run every day right now, I feel like I'm getting stronger which will hopefully improve my running.

Off to St George!  It is definitely NOT going to be a race of a lifetime, but it is going to be FUN!

I knew going into this race that I was out of shape and fat.  My first 13 miles AND race since my stress fracture (my longest run has been 10 miles).  So my main goal of the weekend was to have fun (even though secretly, I knew I would be disappointed with my time).

I dropped my preschooler off at school and picked up Collette (we went to SG last year together and had a blast!!!) and Kellie (my newest running bud in the neighborhood).  I knew I instantly liked Kellie because she wanted to stop and get a soda before we hit the road.  My kind of gal!!!

We had a wonderful conversation on the way down to SG.  These are such intelligent, interesting, educated, and funny women.  So darn awesome!

We headed to the expo and then to the hotel.  After unloading our stuff, we ate dinner at Brick Oven.  While eating, I started to get a case of the chills and body aches.  I just prayed that I wasn't starting to get sick.  After we ate our fill and laughed until our cheek bones hurt, we headed back to the hotel for some shut eye.  I took some Advil before bed in hopes that it would help my pending cold.

I struggled with my clothing choice for the race.   But finally settled with capri tights, tank and long sleeved shirt - which ended up being perfect.  I found Smooth and Karen and brought Smooth's stuff to my car (I got to bring her home after the race....lucky me!!!).  We walked right up the start and the gun went off.  

I ran with them for the first 6 miles.  It was SO wonderful to catch up on life with those lovely ladies.  I started to loose steam after 6 miles and lost them on a hill.  I took a GU somewhere in there too.

My lack of fitness was starting to shine through.  It bothered me.  Though I can't train any faster after this dumb injury, it was eating at my ego.  I could see Smooth's green hat just ahead of me, but could never catch her.

Around miles 7, I caught up to Collette.  We chatted for a minute, but were both too tired to say more than a few words.  So we just ran.  I left her after a mile.

Mile 12-13 seemed to take forever.  It never seemed to end and my ankle was starting to get tired.  Not to the point where I needed to quit, but just tired.  Finally the bridge came and then the finish line.  I saw my cousin Callie at the finish area and was SO darn proud of her PR!  Yahooo!!!!  I caught up with Rachel...oooo...I miss her! And lots of other FRB's!

I started to get a bit nauseous and just weird.  So I sat down and chatted for awhile.  But then I started to really get cold.  So Collette, Kellie, Smooth and I headed back to the hotel for a HOT shower (I even took a 10 minute cat-nap).

We ate lunch at Cafe Rio in Cedar City.  Again, it was a wonderful conversation on the way home.  I was able to catch up even more with Smooth and realized just how much more I love that woman!

Though I ran my slowest half marathon ever, I was very sad to see the weekend end.  It was just long enough to feel rejuvenated, but short enough that my family didn't suffer.

This morning, I was showing my kids a few running you-tube videos.  Team Hoyt, SGM home page videos, Proctor and Gamble Olympic commercial and a few others.  I'm such a sucker for those kind of inspirational videos.  They always make me cry!

I've been thinking a lot about my running goals and where I want to be. I'm realizing the more I learn about running...the less I know.  I have so much to learn.  I have so far to go. And it is a long, slow road.

As I was watching those Olympians in the weepy videos, I had even more respect for them that I had before.  You can't become GREAT over night.  It takes patience.  Time.  Lots and lots of time.  That is what has made them GREAT.  

I'm not going to hit my goals today or probably this year.  But I'm hoping to be closer than I was.  I still have a long ways to go.

Every night since last Thursday, I've gone to bed with body aches, chills, sweats and a very sore throat.  Last night, I had white spots on my throat and a few cold sores.  My intent was to head to Urgent Care this morning and be checked for strep.  Ughhhh...

But when I woke up this morning (and I slept in too), my sore throat, white spots, and chills were gone (not the cold sores...booo).  I felt so much better!!!  So I decided to skip the doctor and go to the gym.

I am running less miles this week to give my ankle a break.  Not that I am running very many miles any way.  BUT I am trying to be smart and safe.

30 sweaty minutes on the stair mill

3x

10 x squats on the Smith Machine

10 x lunges on Smith Machine

15 x push ups after each squat/lunge set on SM

8 x assisted chin ups

10 x dips

50 x cherry pickers after each set

50 x calf raises

60 second planks

foam roll and stretch

My ankles feels really great!  I'm still going to be safe and take it easy this week, but it gives me great hope.

We made homemade fruit roll ups and fruit snacks tonight.  Mmmmmmm.... 

Workout at home!!!!!

3x

lunge matrix with weights

squats on Bosu ball with weights

chest press on bench

single leg hamstring lift

2x (ran out of time for that last set!!!!) - Abs workout from pinterest (definitely hard, but was able to get through it!!).

10xswiss ball jack knives

15x bench v-ups

 60 sec decline swiss ball planks

10 x swiss ball leg lift

25 russian twists with weights

5x one arm alternating planks 

2 VERY easy and slow miles while watching the Biggest Loser on DVR

stretch and foam roll

Massage....awesomeness!!! 

I was still very tired when I woke up this morning.  BUT I only had to go downstairs to workout.  Sweet!

I came up with my own strength training routine this morning, but I wasn't quite as wiped out as I thought I would be.

LLL

60 sec plank

30 sit ups

5 burpees

40 russian twists

5 lying leg raises

50 bicycle crunches

30 mountain climbers

60 sec plank on ball (arms on ball)

LLL

20 flutter kicks

15 v-ups on bench

15 push ups

20 russian twists

5 burpees

15 oblique crunches

30 mountain climbers

20 russian twists

15 push ups

30 bicycle crunches

LLL

20 bird dogs

40 donkey kicks

60 sec plank on ball (feet on ball) 

It took me about 35 minutes to do all that.

TM workout

1 mile warm up - 6.2 mph

1 min on/1 min off for 1.5 miles (it was actually 1.6 miles because I didn't want to cut the minute short.  I did about 8 sets)

Ons=8.2

Off=6.2

.5 mile cool down

My legs were definitely tired during the run (especially at the beginning).  I struggled mentally too....speedwork messes with my mind. 

stretch and foam roll

Then I had to go clean up a spilled box of rice krispies and put out a major battle over who got to wear the pink skinny jeans.  Somebody lost their pink jeans privileges for a week for saying some VERY unkind words.  GOOD MORNING! 

From coach Jay Johnson

The steps between the first step and the goal Posted on January 25, 2013 by CoachJay

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. - Lao-Tzu

You’ve no doubt heard this. And you’ve probably recited it in your mind on a run or at the gym when you’re just beginning to get in shape. You have a goal in sight and this quote brings you back to the current moment.

But the problem is that many runners forget all of the steps between the first one and the goal. If your goal is to run under two hours for the half marathon then you need to be honest about all of the little steps to get to that goal. …and what I’d rather see you do is to get the goal out of mind completely, but rather focus on the process, not the outcome. Process orientation, not outcome orientation.

You should have goals, but you should take it one step at a time. And you should be honest about the fact that you don’t know how many steps it will take to get there.

Loving that post by Coach Johnson.  LOVE IT!  

Lazy this morning and only ran 3 miles.   

7 miles on the stair mill

3x

squats on the smith machine

15 push ups between each set

assisted pull ups

assisted dips

10 planks curls on ball

quick foam roll 

I had kids up all night with sore throats and body aches.  I think I may be ready for spring to come.  I ended up running at 4:30pm while my big girls were at Activity Days.

38 minutes...so slow but I felt good.

LLL

60 sec plank

B6

30 crunches

5 burpees

40 russian twists with weight

20 lying leg raises

50 bicycle crunches

30 mountain climbers

60 plank on ball (arms on ball)

LLL

20 v-ups on bench

40 russian twists with weight 

15 push ups

40 russian twists 

5 burpees

leg crunches on ball - abs

30 mountain climbers

20 russian twists

15 push ups

30 bicycle crunches

LLL

20 bird dogs

40 donkey kicks

60 plank on ball (legs on ball) 

55 minutes on the stair mill at the gym.  Ughhhh...I was so darn sweaty this morning.

Hoping to get in a strength training workout tonight. 

I already posted this blog post from Coach Jay Johnson, but it has been on my mind a lot this past week.

The steps between the first step and the goal Posted on January 25, 2013 by CoachJay

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. - Lao-Tzu

You’ve no doubt heard this. And you’ve probably recited it in your mind on a run or at the gym when you’re just beginning to get in shape. You have a goal in sight and this quote brings you back to the current moment.

But the problem is that many runners forget all of the steps between the first one and the goal. If your goal is to run under two hours for the half marathon then you need to be honest about all of the little steps to get to that goal. …and what I’d rather see you do is to get the goal out of mind completely, but rather focus on the process, not the outcome. Process orientation, not outcome orientation.

You should have goals, but you should take it one step at a time. And you should be honest about the fact that you don’t know how many steps it will take to get there.

One slow step in the right direction will get you there.....

4 miles on the TM at home in 38 minutes.  I watched the Biggest Loser....nothing like having Jillian Michaels screaming in your head first thing in the morning!!

3x

squats on bosu with weights

overhead press

skull crushers

LLL

B6

plank on ball (90 sec)

ball-plank-abs thing

quick stretch and foam roll

Shoveled my driveway (that is at least a few hundred calories!! 

Thursdays are my "rest day" and usually I do absolutely nothing. But I'm doing my long run tomorrow ( hubby and I are heading to SL for our anniversary and don't want to spend 2 hours in the gym when I could be out playing) and won't have time to lift. Hence tonight's workout in the basement ( and I ate a few whoopie pies and was feeling a bit guilty). It still amazes me how a good sweet session can make me feel so much better!

3x

10 jump squats

10/side side to side lunges

10/side single leg hamstring lift

10 overhead press

10 butterflies

10/side bicep curl

60 sec wall sit with weights

15 ab cruncher with ball

60-90 sec plank on ball

30 donkey kicks ( last 10 were a circle donkey kicks)

LLL

Stretch and foam roll