Arms and a fun running survey

So I missed Bodypump on Saturday ( sad face) because I was sleeping in from the (amazing!) Legwarmers concert after getting in late and then ended up doing a leg workout later that day so today's workout was focused on arms!

I also was pretty excited to use my new lifting gloves I got yesterday. Take a wild guess on what color they were ;)

One of the bloggers I follow, The Hungry Runner Girl, posted this fun running survey a few days ago and I thought it'd be a fun thing to fill out:)

 

1.  Would you rather run along a beach path or on a mountain trail? a beach path
2.  If you could choose the flavor of gatorade at your next race’s aid stations, what would it be? always lemon-lime
3.  If I gave you a $100 gift card to a running store, what would be the first thing that you would purchase with it? At the moment, new shoes! And if I had any money left over, anything that caught my eye
4.  Do you prefer to follow a training plan or wake up and decide then how far and how fast you want to run? When training for a race, I absolutely follow a training plan. When I'm not training for a race, I just wake up and decide how far I'm going when I'm running.
5.  Would you rather start your run with the uphill and end on the downhill or start your run with the downhill and end with the uphill? Start with the uphill
6.  When you can’t run, what type of cross-training do you choose to do? elliptical
7.  What is your preference—>  Out and back, point to point or loop runs? Loops
8.  If you could recommend ANY running related item to a new runner, it would be a—> a GPS watch. No matter how far or fast you are going, it's a nice way to keep track of your runs.
9.  Do you ever see any wild animals while out on your runs? HA! Story of my life. Deer (common occurrence in Crozet), bunnies, geese (who decided to chase me), bees (in my hair), horses (though they weren't really wild because they were at a farm, but I still ran by them)
10.  Ever gotten lost while out on a run? Nope
11.  If you could have one meal waiting and ready for you each time you got home from a run for the next 30 days… what would that meal be? Hmmm....when I was training lately, it is always breakfast food because I run in the morning and usually have something small before hand to tie me over.
12.  Capris or shorts… what do you run in most often? Shorts
13.  At what mile (or how many minutes) into your run does your body start to feel like it is warming up and ready to go? Around 2 miles...course depending on the distance. The first mile is never enjoyable haha.
14.  What do you do with your key when you run? Tie it in my shoelace
15.  If you could relive any race that you have done in the past, which one what it be? Disney Princess Half!!
16.  What type of run is your least favorite type of run? When you can sense ahead of time that you just aren't going to have a good run or you're just exhausted.
17.  What has been your biggest motivation lately to get out the door to get your run on? Wanting to wear new running shorts (seriously, they are so comfortable). Plus getting the body back into running mood to start training for another half soon.
18.  When you go for a run, do you leave right from your front door or do you drive somewhere to start? Living up in NOVA, I just go out the front door but in Crozet, I would have to drive somewhere.
19.  When running in daylight—>  are sunglasses a must or an annoyance? I honestly can't remember the last time I wore my sunglasses....
20.  When you get tired, what keeps you from quitting?  "That I've done a marathon with a hurt IT band and a little run is nothing compared to that" or the usual...well, I'm ____ distance from home/car, walking will just take longer haha.

Fantastic Friday!

Happy Friday ya'll!!

 

I am super excited for tonight because I am going to see (and dance...and singalong) to The Legwarmers Concert, an 80s tribute band. Although I'm not an 80s child, I love 80s music!

Today's workout was a mixture of things. I was at the gym at a time where the pre-work rush was gone and no classes were going on yet so the gym was pretty dead and the aerobic room was available, aka my favorite gym time!

20 minutes on the elliptical before doing a Peanut Butter Finger's Weekend Circuit:

 

 

Finished up with some abs:

10 jackknife situps

20 Russian twists with dumbbells

10 weighted sit ups

30 crunches

20 oblique crunches

:45 plank

20 hip twists in plank

25 Russian twists with dumbbells

30 vertical leg crunches

10 weighted sit ups

Wednesday Workout

Today was my first official day of summer, I checked out of my room yesterday. A full day of nothing planned?!?! I had hoped to go to the pool after the gym and lay out and read, but of course, after days of intense heat and sun, today is overcast. Of course!

My workout though, was not ugh.  I wanted to use the aerobic room so hoped on the bike for 15 minutes while a class finished up in there. I started out with an arm workout that left my shoulders screaming at the end...followed by a quick Tight Tummy workout...and then I decided to end to a quick glute workout.  All 3 workouts are posted below!

Lots of sweating today!

By the end of today, I probably looked and smelled like I had already been to the gym. This morning was field day at my school and although I wasn't participating in the activities like the kids were, I still worked up a little sweat standing out in the sun and moving around with my kids.....and then I got to the gym and sweated more!

 

15 minutes on the stairmaster (which always gets me sweating the most!) and then did a Body Burning Workout:

 I eliminated the standing one leg toe-touch crunch (still trying to get the understanding of this) and the snow boarder jumps.

 

With my Summer Break now 2 days away, I have created a Summer Fitness Bucket/To Do List  that I hope to accomplish:

1) Take advantage of different classes at my gym during the day

2) Get in a swimming workout at least once a week (the pool I will be doing swim lessons at doesn't have a lap lane so I may have to find other options)

3) Start my September half marathon training

4) Do a fun 5k with friends (Color Run, Twilight Run, etc)

5) Increase or maintain my current run time

6) Actually get back to updating this blog more! ;)

Legs for Days and another Half

Oh this girl is ready for summer and sun.....yes, I am contacting Olaf. But seriously, so ready to summer time. This teacher is ready for a break!

 

I did an arms and ab circuit Tuesday, but have been fighting this cough and forgot to post. And then forgot again when I was home sick yesterday. It was a good one and I will have to post it soon!

 

Today though, I was back to focus on legs and I am feeling it now! I started out with 20 minutes on the Stairmaster (where I had the pleasure of being next to a guy who I don't think had showered in a few days. Lovely).

 

Disregard the title of this workout. I am in no way trying to drop a pants size haha.

 

I held a dumbbell for all but the high knees and wall sits (what I replaced butt kickers with).

If you're wondering what a split squat is, here is a video of it. I had to look it up myself.

Split Squat

 

I finished out with an ab workout (while my stomach was rumbling for dinner) of

40 crunches

5 weighted sit ups

20 scissors

30 bicycles

:25 sec plank

:20 sec side plank each side

30 Russian twists

20 vertical leg crunches

15 jackknife situps

:40 sec plank

 

And for now. I will continue to finish fighting off this cough (that now only shows its presence at night. Seriously?!) and get excited for a girls weekend with my best friends! :)

 

Oh and in racing news....

 

Signed up for the Richmond Half in November. One of my good friends is doing her first half with them so I'm excited to do a race with her (and be there for her first half) as well as I have heard great things about this race! And according to the logo, it's the friendliest! ;)

 

Summer Legs

With bathing suit and shorts and skirt season upon us, it is time to get these legs ready for summer! With my IT band issue,  I do a lot of glute exercises which helps strengthen my IT band and then running always keeps my legs pretty solid. Even so, do other leg exercises can also help strengthen them and keep them strong.

 

I started out moving around various machines (leg press, leg curl, glute kickback, etc) doing 3 sets of 15 reps.

I then finished out with this leg circuit:

 

Wrapped up with a quick ab circuit of:

30 Russian Twists

10 sit upts

:30 plank

20 vertical leg crunches

:20 plank

10 jackknife sit ups

40 oblique crunches

:15 side plank (each side)

30 crunches

:40 plank

 

Now to sit back and enjoy a glass of wine and remind myself I have 9 days of school left.