Where did September go?

I feel like it slipped through my fingers a little bit. In two days we are in October. Poof! September is gone!

046:09:47:02 till the Half-Marathon!

123:09:46:39 till the Full Marathon!

Excited and Freaking out all at once! SIGH!

Yesterday, I was excited about running but knew I needed to stick to the plan and get my cross training in.

The session of went like this:

Used: 8 Pound Weights

Skipped the starters and went straight for the meat!

Exercise
Push-Ups W3:L3:D1
Sit-Ups W3:L3:D1
Squats W3:L3:D1
Tricep Push Down
Hammer Curls
Shoulder Press
Dips
Bicep Curls
Chest Flys
Dead Lift Squats
Side Leg Lifts
Bent Knee Crunch
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Leg Lifts
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Bicycle Crunch
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Calf Raise Squats

It could just be my imagination but I am starting to see shadows and highlights where I hadn't seen them before. Legs and Arms are starting to look pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Still a way to go but progress is very motivating. Something to consider though is I may need to start working on an alternate cross training session to alternate so I do hit a plateau.

Looking forward to today's run.

I have a 4 Miler on Deck.

Have a great day!

Weekending

Yesterday, on my co-worker run, I decided to test out the Jeff Galloway Run/Walk System. I had planed a 3 mile Easy Run so I figured what did I have to loose?

According to the chart, I should be Running 3 minutes and Walking 1 minute.

My first mile wasn't half bad (considering I was walking for 3 or so minutes of it). I followed the 3:1 ratio and did still managed to stay in the elevens range (if you recall yesterday: I ran the whole way and got about the same time :\ go figure!)

11:44.2

My second mile was less impressive. I tired to get smart and tried a 2:2 ratio, and then a 2:1 ratio ... which I don't think worked as well.

12:43.6

Then, I hit the hill. I ran it a bit slow but IT FELT AWESOME!

I forgot how much I like running hills ... they make you feel all tough and hard core :)

I was feeling good BUT then I passed my co-worker and she wanted me to walk with her for a bit. I looked at my watch and had 1 minute of walking ... OH BOY! What did I do that for!?! ... I never got started again.

17:13.8
07:35.8

DOH!

Afterwards, I made a new running buddy and am hoping for a Buddy run soon!

On Deck For This Weekend:

• Cross training this evening: A little P90x, challenges and all over workout!
  
• A 4m Tempo Run for Saturday
• A 7m Run on Sunday
  

I may switch Saturday and Sunday around and do my 7m run followed by an easy 4m. I read somewhere that after a long(ish) run you should do a shorter run the next day to loosen up the mus-ckles!

We'll see!

Happy Weekend!

The Workout Won

Yesterday, I had scheduled a cross training day and I felt the conviction that I should stick to it.

Once I got home I had to put together my Cansolidator Pantry from ShelfReliance.com I only put together 3/4 of it being that my pantry is uber tiny but already noticed the difference. My pantry is now uber organized and I can start a little Hurrican Prep Storage you know, "In Case of the Flies" (that's "por si las moscas" which means "just in case" directly translated which always gives me a chuckle!)

Then I was off to my workout.

I modeled my cross training workout after P90x (I call mine E90 ... no X yet ... heheh). I took some of the great leg exercises I learned in P90, added my hundred push ups/two hundred situps/two hundred squats Challenges, tossed in some core and a bundle of Thunder-Thigh Busters and removed pull-ups (just for now). I've modified it several times in exercise order and added and removed exercises until getting a good fitness recipe :)

Yesterday's went like this:

Used: 8 Pound Weights

Starter for Set 1: Chair Lunges 25/25
Starter for Set 2: Wall Squats 90 sec/10 sec int
Starter for Set 3: One Legged Wall Squats 60 sec/10 sec int
Starter for Set 4: Jump Rope 2 min
Starter for Set 5: Chair Salutations 2 x 30 sec

Exercise
Push-Ups W3:L3:D1
Sit-Ups W3:L3:D1
Squats W3:L3:D1
Tricep Push Down
Hammer Curls
Shoulder Press
Dips
Bicep Curls
Chest Flys
Dead Lift Squats
Side Leg Lifts
Bent Knee Crunch
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Leg Lifts
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Bicycle Crunch
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Calf Raise Squats

I hadn't planned for it but after Set 2 I went for my ZYM Electrolyte Drink Tabs.


By the middle of Set 5 I was done for. I got light headed and had to sit down so I went for my Silk Light Chocolate Soymilk (which I use as a recovery drink) with a tablespoon of Chocolate PB2 which I like to call my Reece's Peanut Butter Cup Shake cause it tastes just like a Peanut Butter Cup :)

I did two more exercises and called it a night. I ended up skipping the gray-ed out exercises. Ultimately, My biggest priority is to finish my Challenge sets at the very least and that was done.

I didn't stretch out afterward but I'm only mildly sore today.

I suspect my "light headed-ness" could be that I need to eat a little something more before I get my strength training started.

On Deck for this evening:
A four mile run with my co-worker

No extraneous hopes for this one being that I haven't run in 6 days. My intentions today are just to get out there and have some fun.

Happy Tuesday!

Workout didn't go as planned

Ok, so my work out didn't go as I planned.

IT WAS BETTER!

Even considering that I was having weird electric back spasms through the beginning and end of it ... but not the middle ... weird, huh!

So I started with P90x Legs & Back Warm -ups followed by the Chair Lunges and Calf Raise Squats then I started with my own routine:

Exercise
Push-Ups W3:L3:D1
Sit-Ups W3:L3:D1
Squats W3:L3:D1
Tricep Push Down
Hammer Curls
Shoulder Press
Dips
Bicep Curls
Chest Flys
Dead Lift Squats
Side Leg Lifts
Bent Knee Crunch
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Leg Lifts
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Bicycle Crunch
Under-The-Leg-Lift
Calf Raise Squats

In between I did Wall-Squats, One Legged Wall Squats, Sneaky lunge and chair salutations with the video but mostly it was the challenges causing the beads of sweat to run down my arms and legs. I also followed the video's cool-down which is short and sweet.

Next go around I will also be adding tricep curls, chest flys and leg lifts for my lower abs.

All in all it took just over an hour.

I am definitely a lot more excited about doing strength training and still very much looking forward to my 7 miler this weekend.

Oh-Oh Spagetti-o!

Ok, I know I'm not supposed to... but I have set a mental goal for my first half-marathon.

Of course I want to finish. But also, I want to finish it in about 2:45:00 (ok, I want to finish in less than 2:59:54 which is what someone I know did it in!)

It's a modest goal. Not impossible.

I did the 7 mile bridge last April and averaged 12 minute miles the whole way (with a lot less training under my belt) and also on my PDR which is an 8 mile run, also in April.

The difference is that in my head 13.1 miles is not insurmountable.

Neither is 26.2.

Does that mean I will eventually be a candidate for a ULTRA? I don't know (we never know where life will take us) and I'm actually gearing myself more to Triathlons (being that I had never learned to ride a bike or swim until the recent past and beating those is a big deal to me!).

But Madonna's Morocco Ultra sounds inciting and the Rim2Rim2Rim sounds like fun and even the Great Wall Marathon sounds like the cat's pajamas but when I think about doing them the money seems like more of a barrier than the distance.

Is it just that since I've never run more than 8 miles I don't know what it will really require of me? Ignorance is bliss and all that?

The reality is, I don't know where this ride will take me but it's awfully fun to dream. And I am finally starting to worry less about my weight and even forgetting to weigh myself some mornings (EGAD! That would have been INCONCEIVABLE to me in the past!)

Today's Runner's Quote Sums it all up best I think:

People begin running for any number of motives, but we stick to it for one basic reason-to find out who we really are.
~ George Sheehan, M.D.

On deck for this evening: Today is a Rest (from running) day so I will be doing P90x as well as my challenge sets with the addition of:

• Triceps Push Downs (Michele Obama rocks these for her great arms)
  
• Hammer Curls (These too!)
  
• Bent Knee Crunches (I want to one day show my mid drift)
  
• Bicycle Crunch (These are highly recommended for runners)
  
• Under-the-leg lifts (for those thunder thighs)
• Arm Running (recommend for runners) :: 60 second sets
  
• Ankle Balances (supposed to help prevent running injury) :: 30 seconds each leg
  
• Calf Raises (Also recommended for runners)
  

And for tomorrow, I have a 7 Miler which I am actually excited about! Go Figure!

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

Rain Check

I just ran 5.25 Miles.

It was the run I was supposed to do yesterday but it was called on the count of rain. When I woke up this morning I wasn't optimistic considering it was raining much harder than yesterday.

But thankfully the clouds parted and I saw my opening.

I wasn't sure if I would do 3 miles, 5 miles or go all the way to 7 miles (which is what I have scheduled for tomorrow) but I threw on my camelbak with about 18oz of water and a ZYM Electrolyte Drink tablet, grabbed my ipod and headed out the door.

Thankfully it was dry enough to run but there were still some wet and slippery patches as I got further into Coral Gables and I started to run on the grass and even on the side of the road in some parts.

I also tested out a new way of running the old route since I was running on the road and had a little more freedom.

The run went smashingly well.

Good energy. No hydration issues. My foot did start to tingle a little at the end of mile 1 and mile 2 but I was able to fend it off with a quick short stretch and keep on going.

As I neared the end of my 4th mile it started to sprinkle which I took as a sign to head home which is just over a mile. Running in the rain was kinda nice. I felt a surge of motivation and finished up the run in good form. Although I don't think I would start a run in the rain it was definitely a nice end to one.

RUN STATS:
Pre-run snack: Publix Sunburst Granola (as I was making my Granola bars ;)
Run Hydration: 18oz of Water in Camelbak with Zym Hydration Tab

Splits:

Mile 1 10:43.0
Mile 2 10:26.1
Mile 3 11:55.0
Mile 4 10:55.4
Mile 5 10:36.3
.25 M 02:44.0

So happy I got out there!

Now off to dinner and JAMMING with friends!

Friday Follies

I wasn't stoked to head out on my 5 mile run but I was looking forward to crossing it off my list. But as luck would have it, as I walked out the front door of my office building, it started to rain.

Not allowing myself to be completely defeated, I dusted off the P90x Back and Legs DVD and brought out my 100 Push-Up/200 Sit-Up/200 Squat Challenge notebook and got to work.

Challenges	Push-Ups	Sit-Ups	Squats
Set 1	11	17	15
Set 2	15	22	20
Set 3	9	14	13
Set 4	9	14	13
Set 5	15	22	22
Extra	10

At least I got my heart going:





Have a great day!