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.

More posts come summer!

I never thought I'd become so busy/distracted/lazy that I wouldn't update my blog. 2 years ago when I started this, it was apart of my schedule! Come summer when I'm not doing lessons, IEPs, etc, expect more daily posts!

After Bodypump from Saturday (finally getting back into having this in my routine together after some busy weekends), my legs were pretty sore yesterday and were much enjoyed resting by the pool.

I decided to do a glute/leg workout ending with abs today. I started out with 20 minutes on the bike then did a circuit focusing on legs:

 

My shins are currently sore and I'm wondering if I need new gym shoes. They are a year old......hmmm.

I did switch up with instead of lunges with front kick to calf raises with weights.

One of my current favorite ab workouts. I like how it is a good mixture of various exercises.

 

So I have 13 more school days to go until summer. I do hope I can get on my computer and remember to post some workouts during those days, because I promise, I have had some killer workouts!

ParktoPark Half recap

Happy Saturday!

 

What a beautiful day out and here a week ago, my mom and I were running the Park to Park Half in rain, sleet and 40 degree temps!

 

This was a new race experience for me in that 1) my mom and I were doing it together and 2) all the half marathons I've done before have been a big races with thousands of runners, big race names (Disney! Tiffany necklace!), etc. and this one was a small town race along the country side and mountain views with 600 runners. But I only had a few things in mind for this race...PR or break 2 hours, stay injury free (*talking to you IT band*) and enjoy a race with my mom.

(if you look under the tent and see two girls in peach and blue in white hats...that's us)

 

 

My mom and I had planned to run together as far as we could, but I had a feeling my mom would be in front of me (and they proved to be true after mile 3). We started out fast, much faster than we both expected and I knew I wouldn't be able to maintain that fast of a pace the whole time, but figured I'd maintain it as long as I could!

 

Then at mile 3, my wireless headphones died. So I had 10 miles to go with no music running. Ugh. 10 miles of hearing yourself breathe (and other) was not enjoyable.

 

Minus hearing myself breathe (which is annoying), the chilly damp weather, and some allergies, I was feeling great and maintaining a 8:30 pace...wow!! I could see my mom the whole race, always some distance ahead of me. I knew at the 10k part I was right on track to break 2 hours, but didn't want to get my hopes up yet because I still had 7 miles to go....

 

Mile 9....started to rain/sleet (found out after the race, it was sleet)

 

Mile 10...knew I was going to PR and break 2 hours (!!!!), my pace had slowed a bit (I was having trouble breathing...thanks allergies and pesticide amongst farms), but my body was feeling strong! 3 miles to go!

 

And those 3 miles seem to take forever! I'm not sure if it was because I was ready to be done and get my medal, it had gotten colder, or the course was just sorta boring at that point. OH and how could I forget...the hills! That's when the hills hit! HILLs. One right after another. That was the first half where my butt was sore and I blame it on the hills.

 

Finally, the end came into sight (of course, going up a hill) and I made the turn into the park where the finish line was....1:56! Yes!!! 8 minute PR and I have finally broken 2 hours!

 

And my mom won her age group!!!!! She's a badass ;)

 

Overall my feelings towards this race were 'eh'...I think if I had had music the whole time (I definitely wanted it at points ) and if the weather had been nicer, I may have enjoyed it more. Oh, and the roadkill. Yeah, I don't really enjoy seeing or moving around a dead beaver/raccoon/squirrel/unknown animal.

The things I did enjoy about the race...very well organized, very friendly, nice medals and a hat upon finish (*see girl behind me in picture above wearing them), fun race shirt (coral!) and other nice amenities (shuttles to cars, non porta potties at finish, Panera and tents from rain).