I Can Do Hard Things

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