I Can Do Hard Things

I can talk today...Hooray!!!  I was able to get my run in while I traded babysitting with a neighbor.  My lungs were on fire for the first bit of the run...probably due to all the congestion. Cold and windy....loved it!

fire hydrants 3 x15 sec holds (getting stronger in each of the 3 holds, but still have a long way to go!!)

60/45/60/45 plank holds x 3

push ups x 3

streching

foam rolling

2 house of lunges

3.9 mile run - 37:28 minutes...so so so slow

2 houses of lunges

Ran the preschool route.  I'm feeling so much better today.  Hooray!

Slow start (I always start so slow), but after a few miles I was able to pick up the speed.

Total Time:  44:53

1st half - 24:15

2nd half - 20:38 (hubby still has my Garmin :(  )

Designated rest day.  Hubby is finally home and my kids are out of control with excitement to see him.  

AP: 9:04

47:58

Hubby and I are in Moab for our annual Slick Rock ride.  We came down with two other couples.  I got up before our ride to get a run in.  My 2.5 mile run out was the longest, slowest, windiest run EVER!  I felt like I was running in place.  My legs felt heavy, I was breathing heavy and I felt like crap.

Then I turned around to head back and realized I was running up a long gradual hill.  Another reason, I was so slow.  But now I was running down the hill and had a tail wind. Finally, I was able to pick up speed. 

My right quad has been bugging me.  Same with my PF.  Something to keep an eye on.  Stupid!

The weather was absolutely gorgeous to ride the beautiful trail this morning.  I only had one minor crash (unlike the dude who broke his color bone).  The other gals and I didn't ride the entire trail like the guys.  We came back to eat, shower, take a nap and get pedicures (way better than riding for 6 hours).

Hope I can get a run in before the snow storm blows in tomorrow.

26:37

AP: 8:50

Thankfully, there was no snow, but it was the yuckiest road to run on.  SO SO SO boring.  The heel of  my foot feels like there are knives shooting through it.  I think I am done with running.  Blech....so many stupid injuries.

I've been taping my PF and wearing my $300 orthotics and it is feeling better.  I had some ART done on it today.  Also on my quad muscles...ouch!

No running...foot still too sore.

3x10:

squats

sits

front planks with ball on feet....roll ball under and make a pike

aductors

abductors

calf raises

assisted dips and pull ups

3 miles on the stair climber (26:21)

3x:

60/60/60 planks

10 push ups

15 situps/swimmers

foam roller

fire hydrants

lots of stretching

Foot/PF is feeling a lot better.   Sartorius muscle...on the inner side of my left thigh (I think that is the muscle I've done something to) is still very sore and sensitive. From my internet research, I maybe irritated when I do all my walking lunges. I tried to do some really hard and deep massage on it last night.  The verdict is still out on whether I've irritated it more or it helped. 

I feel like I'm am walking injury bucket.  SOMETHING is always off.  WHAT in the heck am I doing wrong.  SO frustrating.

30 min yoga

30  minute yoga

2 mile TM run

3x

10 stand on one leg holding a bar...bending to the ground (hamstring lift)

10 sumo squats

10 - 30 sec sits holding 5lb weight in the air

60/45/45 planks

10 sit ups

foam rolling

1 mile run

lots and lots and lots of stretching

My satorius muscle (inner thigh) was practically pain free after my week off.  But the moment I stepped on the TM, it started to hurt again.  I'm feeling frustrated and impatient.  I'm just not sure what to do.  Blech.....

PM - 20 minutes of yoga

I decided I'm an emotional basket-case when it comes to running (or lack of running).  It is the only thing in my life that I get really grumpy over (when I can't run). 

But I've been doing a lot of yoga over the past 3-4 days.  THAT is the ticket!  I can't believe how inflexible I am.  No wonder I am getting injured all the time (I'm sure there are other reasons too)....my muscles are so stiff.  

I really felt much better today and for that I am GRATEFUL!  

3x

10 squats with the Smith machine

10 sits with the Smith machine

20 sit ups

10 leg presses

10 assisted pull ups and dips

3 miles on the stair climber (it is NEVER open, so I grabbed the chance while it was available).  SUCH a sweaty mess. 

Lots of stretching

1 hour power nap before the kids got up for school

Started to do some lunges (maybe got 2-3 in) and my inner thigh started to SCREAM.  So I quickly stopped.

3x:

10 calf raises

10 on each leg - step ups on the workout bench with 15lb weight

10 on each leg - hamstring one legged lift

45/45 side planks

20 plank on workout bench - bring each leg in

4 miles - up 12 down 10

ran .75 - sprinted .25 (upped the speed 12 units..then down 10 units for the next .75)

I started at 6.0 mph...went up to 7.2, then down to 6.2...went up to 7.4...then down to 6.4...went up to 7.8/8.0

That was a hard running workout for me.  Guess I'm out of shape.

Thigh is sore.  15-20 minutes of stretching.  I did some massage on it when I got home.  Stupid.  But at least I got to run.

3.5 miles on the stair climber...because it was open.  That is a treat!  SO SO SO sweaty.

3x

10 squats on the Smith machine

10 sits on the the Smith machine

10 on each leg - one legged bridge

10 abductors

10 adductors

foam rolling and stretching

I felt very good on the stair climber.  My breathing was controlled and I didn't feel like I was going to die.  EXCEPT for my stupid inner thigh.

I got to the gym early to make sure I could get a stair climber.  Hooray...I was able to get one.  The stair climber doesn't seem to irritate my thigh as much as running.  But I feel like I am getting a good cardio workout (personally, I think it is just as hard as running) and I am still getting impact on the legs.

My 5 miles on the stair climber were hard today versus yesterday's "it felt great" workout.  My breathing was labored  and the miles seemed to drag by.  I was sweating so much that I was starting to get embarrassed.  GROSS!!!!

I wanted to try some burpees today....HOLY HARDNESS!!!  I could only do 7 for each set.  I was probably doing them wrong and looked like a total dork.

3x

7 burpess

45/45 side planks

10 butterfly arms

10 bench press

20 tri dips on workout bench

15 minutes of stretching and foam rolling

1 hour nap...awesome

My son has been bugging me for months about running the turkey trot.  I told him we had to wait and see what the weather was going to be like (last year it was 8 degrees).  We signed him up last week for the 1/2 mile race.  I took him to the HS track today and we ran 2 laps.  I told him to go slow for the first lap and then to turn on the rockets for the 2nd.  He did great!  It is amazing to watch your child do a sport you REALLY love.  I let him use my ipod...he said it made him run faster!

3 miles on the TM (SLOW)...thigh has been feeling TONS better, but the TM definitely irritates it.  Hmmm....interesting.

3x

10 - hamstring one legged lifts

10 - sumo squats

60 sec wall sits

60/60/60 planks (my first time doing 60 sec for the side planks...milestone)

10 girly push ups

foam rolling

stretching

Darn kids woke up early so I couldn't get my before school power nap.  Then they started fighting in my bed because they were "SO HUNGRY".  Grrrrr.....

3 miles on the stair climber - thigh felt awesome.  No tightness or pain

2.55 miles on the TM - thigh definitely tightened up and there was slight pain.  But this pain (not the tightness...it stayed) went away  after the first .5 mile. I started at 6.2 and finished at 8.0.  Breathing was very controlled and I could have definitely gone longer.

I really wanted to run longer, but I also knew I HAD to stretch.  So less miles - more stretch.

When I start doing my higher miles, it is going to be tricky to lift and do miles.  I may have to start to get up in the 4:00am hour.  But any get up time in the 4:XX is a hard mental barrier for me. 

15 minutes of stretching.  Maybe tonight I can get in some planks, push up, sit ups, wall sits or yoga.  OR I could sit on the couch and be lazy with hubby.  It will be a hard toss up :)

I went to the gym later than usual as hubby is home the rest of the week.  Sleeping in is heavenly!

3x

10 squats on Smith machine

10 sits on Smith machine

(about vomited as I watched the couple on the Smith machine make out...come on...at 6:30am AT THE GYM...yuck)

20 sit ups

10 push ups

10 abductor machine

10 aductor machine

10 calf raises

60/60/60 planks (these are in the same category as squats...I HATE them)

10 fire hydrants

3 miles on the TM - 12 up and 10 down.  Started at 6.2 for .75 miles, up to 7.4 for .25, down to 6.4 for .75 miles, up to 7.6 for .75 miles, up to 7.8/8.0 for last .25.  Doing that makes the time go by so much faster.

Foam rolling (IT band was really tight)

stretching

Just in case anyone is interested, I am having a booth at the Christmas Gift and Craft Show at the Spanish Fork Fair Grounds THIS Friday and Saturday (hours 10am-8pm). I will have a booth full of little girls' clothes, purses, blankets and did I mention CLOTHES! Hope to see you there! (And it is free to get in)

Time:  34:23 (per Garmin)

AP: 8:40

My "plan" this year for the Turkey Trot was to run with my hubby, sister-in-law and brother in law.  I just wanted to have fun and not race it.  This type of mentality going into a race is AWESOME!

Mile 1:  9:12   Nice and easy start (even though I was breathing hard)

Mile 2:  8:53  Still having fun rocking out to some old school Guns and Roses!

Mile 3:  8:39  Wish there was a water stop! (No offense to Sojourner's Races....but they are cheaply put together and old school).

Mile 4:  7:37  Decided to kick it into the finish. I got into puke mode...glad it was only for the last mile.

My son has been bugging me for weeks about running the turkey trot.  We talked a lot about not going out to fast - then kick it at the end.  

Carter took off in a fast sprint trying to keep up with the first boys.  I knew we were in trouble from the start (especially racing Sasha's son!!!).  After the turnaround, I saw him start to walk and cry.  I started to walk up toward him (knowing that he had totally burned out) - I told him he needed to jog/run to the finish and not to quit. I have this internal conflict of pushing my son too hard and teaching him that we don't quit when things are hard.  It is a fine line.

I ate two donuts on the way home...I totally negated the race!

37:34

A quick easy jog before I headed off to the boutique.  Lots of stretching!

26:33 - up 12mph, down 10mph for every last .25 of each mile (it was usually more than 12 that I went up)

3x

10 abductor machine

10 aductor machine

10 seated leg press

 60/60/60 planks

15 pushups

lying down ball crunches - hamstring work

My thigh is feeling so much better.  Hooray for weights and good stretching!

36:13 - running low on time and really tried to push at the end.  Crazy enough, I felt really great and had controlled breathing.

3x

10- squats

10 - sits

10 leg press

20 sit ups

Stretching

Thigh was a bit tight when I started running (but definitely not like before), but felt normal after a few minutes.

After getting up at 4:54am yesterday morning and NOT getting my morning power nap in, I was in bed and lights out by 9:40pm.  I was starting to feel sick (sore throat, aches), but I always do when I don't get enough sleep.  

I was proud of myself that I got up this morning (after being a zombie yesterday).  But with a good nights rest and a morning power nap, I am feeling better about life.

3 miles on the stair climber

3x

60 sec wall sits

10 sliding wall sits with weights (obviously, I don't know the official name)!

10 x one legged lift with bar - working the hamstrings

Lots of stretching.  When doing the butterfly stretch today, I noticed I could bring my feet in a lot more and get my legs closer to the ground.  I never would have thought.....