Super Sore...

I decided to do another OTF night today and I literally feel like as though every muscle in my body is burning. Today's workout wasn't as brutal as yesterday, but it still made my fat cry.

Todays workout was broken down into 3 stations: treadmill, rower, and weight room. You would end up doing two workouts at each station. I obviously started at the treadmill station. I was a little disappointed in the first workout. I like when we do distance workouts because I have a set goal that I need to attain. For the first workout we had to maintain base and then change the incline every couple of minutes. So we did base pace for a minute (7.2), base pace at 4% for a minute (7.2), base pace for a minute (7.2), base pace at 6% for a minute (7.2), base pace for a minute (7.2), base pace at 8% for a minute (7.2), and then base pace for 30 seconds (7.2) followed by 30 seconds of hill sprints (8.0).

My next workout was in the weight room where I had to do continuous reps for 7 minutes of: 12 SBT Pullups, 12 SBT single leg presses, and 12 SBT chest presses. I ended up getting about 3 rounds in.

After my 7 minute block I moved to the rowers. Our 7 minute block consisted of the following continuous reps: Squat Presses (30 pound weight), 30 total running man, 8 walkout planks, 30 total running man.

I was finally back on my treadmill for my second workout, and I was hoping it would be better than the first one. Ugh, it wasn't. We pretty much played with the speed of our treadmills for 7 minutes: 2 minutes at base 1 minute at push, 1 minute at base, 1 minute of push, followed by 1 minute at an all out, and resting with a 1 minute base pace.

For our next 7 minute block in the weight room we had two exercise we had to continuously work on: 15 DB deadlifts (25 pounds) and DB bicep curl presses (12.5 pounds).

Finally for our last rower workout we "mimicked" what the treadmill did but on the rower:2 minutes at base 1 minute at push, 1 minute at base, 1 minute of push, followed by 1 minute at an all out, and resting with a 1 minute base pace. My rower was broken so that sucked lol.

Once the workout was over the instructor had us do core workouts (which is good because my core has been sucking lately): 30 seconds of crunches, 30 seconds of regular situps, 30 seconds of leg raises, 30 seconds of scissor kicks, 30 seconds of planking, 30 seconds of squats, 30 seconds of jump squats, 30 seconds of planking, and finally 30 running man.

So there you have it - the reason for my soreness. On the bright side I bought new running shoes (zoot Ultra Kincaid 3.0) and a running skirt!!! I am so excited about these purchases. I'll let you know how they fit!




Killed by Another OTF Workout

Today I took the 1.5 hour OTF class. It was absolutely brutal. I mean, I figured it would be hard, but I guess you never know how hard it could possibly be until you show up. I know I shouldn't complain; I love that they push me this hard. That's the main reason why I signed up. Take a peek at my workout:

1 Mile Run - (6:27)
30 Calories on the Rower
30 Snatches (20 pound weight)
.5 Mile Run - (3:15)
25 Calories on the Rower
25 Burpees
.25 Mile Run - (1:37)
20 Calories on the Rower
20 Dumbbell thrusters (12.5 pounds)
.125 Mile Run - (45 seconds)
15 Calories on the Rower
15 HR Pikes on the Dolly

10 MB Squat Throws (15 pounds)
10 Pushups
10 SBT Rows
150 meter Squat Row
10 Front Squats (15 pound weights)
10 MB in between the legs
10 Bosu Ball Get up with Dumbbells (12.5 pounds)
.15 mile sprint
Repeat! - I did this block 3 times and it sucked. I started whining and got called out for it.

.125 mile sprint @ 2%
20 Goblet squats (30 pound weight)
.125 mile sprint @ 4%
3 Maneaters (10 pound weight)
.125 mile sprint @ 6%
25 Butterfly sit-ups
.125 mile sprint @ 8%
Burpee jumps

They had another .125 mile sprint @ 10% but I didn't get to it... Overall, this workout was ridiculous.... Tomorrow I have another OTF workout, I'm hoping that I can move :)

Winding Down the Year

I love this time of year. Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year, and I obviously embrace it with open arms. Not only do I wear the goofiest smile on my face weeks before Christmas, but I play dress up and wear red and green the week before. Although I love pretty much everything about Christmas, I definitely don't love the amount of sweets that I'm exposed to - and this is the reason why I pretty much signed up for the half marathon on January 17 (besides the fact that it was $30 bucks on Groupon). I figured a race early on in the new year would make me accountable to myself and prevent me from gaining major weight lol. So the last couple of weeks I've been training hard....

I can't remember everything I've done the last couple of weeks, but I can tell you that I was on hiatus from Orange Theory for a bit. I finally went back to class last week after being MIA for the last two weeks. I have been trying to run more often and at a faster pace.

On Christmas Day I woke up and ran 10 miles. I figured since I had the day off and my husband would sleep in, it would be a perfect time for me to log in some miles. Running on Christmas Day is actually my favorite. Sometimes you can catch some of the younger kids outside with their new presents from Santa having a total blast. It's pretty incredible to watch :) Before I set out to run, I tried turning on my Garmin on and it was completely dead. After trying to hook it up to another computer (it had been charging on one of my laptops), the screen stayed blank and I silently cursed it and figured I would have to buy a new one. Since I had no idea what route I wanted to run, I downloaded the Nike app on my phone to take along with me so I can accurately log 10 miles. How people lived before apps is beyond me lol.

So off I went. I felt great during the entire run; life was perfect at that moment. When I finished the 10 miles I felt great. I managed to keep under an 8:30 min/mile pace. Afterwards I showered and made myself a mushroom omelet with an excessive amount of Haverti cheese lol.

Today I had to drop off my car at the dealership. I typically wait until it's done, but since it was considered a milestone check-up, I figured I would get a run in instead. I had only planned for 6, but opted for 7 instead. It was absolutely humid and hot out, but I still managed to finish my run in under 57 minutes. As long as I got under an hour I was happy. It's definitely hard to keep that type of pace, but between my Ipod and the mantras I silently repeat to myself, I push through it. I also stopped to take some dumb pictures along the way :)


I thought this was awesome. There were so many intact spider webs along the route.
There were so many cyclists out. I guess someone keeps them hydrated! I didn't hit this up but thought it was cool!

When I got back to the dealership my car was ready. I think they thought I was nuts, but what runner isn't? I felt pretty awesome for multi-tasking if I do say so myself. Finally, I had to post one of my newly acquired workout Christmas gifts:

Isn't this shirt awesome???
I should make a brief mention of the workout stuff I got for Christmas: this amazing shirt, Nike sunglasses for running (you can interchange the lenses), running hair ties (which I wore today), a Bosu ball, a dolley (for ab rollouts), a stability ball AND a Runner's Box!!! Overall, it was a win for running stuff. I got a bunch of other gifts that I don't really want to talk about, but just know there are some major perks for being an only child.

Tomorrow I'll be taking the 1.5 hour Orange Theory class with one of my favorite trainers. Wish me luck :) Until then happy trails...

Ten Fun Fact Tuesday - 2

Since my last ten fun fact Tuesday was a success, I decided to do it again!

Before I start, I'll talk about my workout. I used the gym at work and ran a mile for warmup at a 7:15 pace. In the weight room I did 3 sets of: 12 reps of dumbell curls with 17.5 pound weights, 20 reps of a back strengthening exercise, 12 reps of a squat press with 12.5 pound weights. Next I did 3 reps of: 25 crunches on a giant medicine ball and 12 reps of leg press with 100 pounds of weights. Finally I did 3 sets of burpees (10, 8, 6) and 12 reps of walk ups and walk downs while planking. Overall, it was a decent workout and I enjoyed it :)

Ok so now 10 new facts about me:


  1. There's a picture of my mom and I in one of the Hurricane Andrew Special Edition booklets.
  2. I hate guacamole. 
  3. I only like red and orange starbursts.
  4. I have a turtle named meatloaf.
  5. I'm obsessed with penguins.
  6. I used to work at Abercrombie and Fitch.
  7. I cry during pretty much every movie.
  8. I like things that are shiny.
  9. I know how to cast a fishing rod decently well.
  10. I can eat a whole Little Cesar pizza by myself. 
So there you have it folks :)

Tomorrow I get to run!! 

Also, I need to update my blog about a group called Girls on the Run. . There's so much I want to state, but until then.. Happy Trails! 

EAU Palm Beach Half Marathon: Race Overview

It's been two days since the half marathon and I am still feeling a little sore. The race was awesome! I PR'd: 1:49 which is an 8:21 min/mile pace. I had done well my first 8 miles, and then fell apart the last 5. My last split had me going from an 8:04 min/mile pace on mile 9 to an 8:21 min/mile pace at mile 13. Crazy huh? I slowed down significantly. Regardless, I did well and I'm happy with my results. I have one more shot at conquering the half marathon distance, so I'll continue my training.

Venue: The half marathon was held near the Meyer Amphitheater in West Palm Beach. I've raced this venue before during Motivation Man two years ago and thought it was beautiful. At the start line, you have the intercostal on your right which is breathtaking. The sight of all the boats docked and the sunset rising behind them is just incredible. Not only that, but everything is decorated for Christmas which makes the venue that much more beautiful!!The only thing that sucked about this venue is that it's an hour away! The race started at 6:30 which meant I had to wake up at 4:30. It was awful. Grade: B+

Logistics: The race was well set and I didn't have any confusion as I ran the course. The race started on time which is always a major plus in my books, and there were more than enough water stations. The entertainment on the course wasn't amazing, but they did have some bands and DJ booths. Grade: B+

Swag Bag: I was unimpressed with what I got in my bag. I literally got a t-shirt and coupon. I paid almost $100 for that crap? I've paid less and got so much more. Grade: D

Overall, the race was great. I'm not sure if I would do it again because of how far away the venue was located. There are plenty of half marathons in the area that I could always run which would make more sense for me to do.

Here are some pictures of the race:





I did make some rookie mistakes before the race. I ran for the first time with leggings I have never worn when working out. They kept sliding off in the beginning. What can I say? This is probably the worst athletic decision I had ever made before a race. Never again - I learned my lesson...

Thank you all for reading my blog :) Until the next run... happy trails :)

Just Running A Half Marathon Tomorrow

Tomorrow I'm running my first half marathon in almost a year (I think - I'm not really too sure but it's been a pretty long time)..

I feel nervous, anxious, and excited all at the same time. I second guess my training, decisions, and sanity level. I know that I'll finish the thing, but the question is whether or not I'll beat my best time. I still have one more half marathon after this in January, but you always want to do well in any of the races your participate in.

I'm waking up pretty early tomorrow. The race is an hour away and starts at 630 so I gotta leave here by at least 5. I set up tracking on Facebook and my husbands phone, so if anyone needs to track me they can do so either way.

As we speak I'm charging my Garmin and iPod. I laid out my bib and am still deciding what to wear tomorrow. Hey - attire is a big deal.. I guess I better wrap it up now. Wish me luck!!! I'll report how I did tomorrow.

Still Pushed Through It...

I was so tired from the Heat game last night. So today when my workout partner cancelled going to Orange Theory, I almost did the same thing. Since I had a crappy lunch, I bit the bullet and decided to keep my appointment at the gym.

I was unmotivated as I stepped inside of the gym. However, one of the girls I talk to from another class was there, and it so happened that her usual workout partner cancelled as well. Match made in heaven?? I think so :) it was nice getting a chance to talk to her. We actually have a mutual friend in common which makes you realize how small our world truly is...

Our workout tonight consisted of three different rounds in the weight room, on the rower and treadmill. We started off on the rower.

Rower Workouts:
Round 1: 100 meters hard with 100 meters of a slower pace. This fast/slow combo gets your heart rate to jump up, and then allowing it to recover.
Round 2: 12 dolly tucks; 8 ab rollers using the dolly
Round 3: 15 squats with a high row using the rower handle; 10 mountain climber and running mans

Treadmill Workouts:
Round 1: 2 minutes at push pace (8 mph); 1 minute base pace (6 mph); 90 seconds all out (9 mph)
Round 2: 1 minute base; 1 minute push; 1 minute base; 45 second all out; 45second recovery
Round 3: 30 seconds all out; 1 minute recovery at base pace; 30 seconds all out win a 10% incline (7 mph); 2 minute base pace

Weight room Workouts:
Round 1: 10 step downs with the right leg holding dumb bells (15 pounds); 8 bicep curls and press; 10 step downs with the left.eg holding dumb bells; 8 hammer curls with a press.
Round 2: 20 dumbbell swings (20 pounds); 8 push-ups with jacks in between
Round 3: 10 Sbt straps bridge with low rows; 8 lateral raises with front raises (7.5 pounds)

After you completed a round (all of the round 1s) you had to do a minute static squat. At the 30 second mark she had you do either a calf raise or pulses. Once you were done your legs burned because of the lactic acid buildup in your legs. The best way to get rid of the buildup is by literally shaking your legs.

Today's workout was not horrible, but it felt worse because I was tired. I'm still glad I did it, especially since I had chocolate cake for dessert :) tomorrow I'm thinking about using the gym at work to focus on some major core work. My mid section needs some attention lol.. Until then.. Happy trails :)

Ten Fun Facts About Me

Since I feel loopy today from getting no real sleep last night, I wanted to make a fun fact post. Since what I mostly talk about is running, I figured this is a fun way to get to know me. Hence, ten fun fact Tuesday!!! Before I start my fun facts, I would like to start off by saying I ran two miles on my dumb treadmill. I rant about my treadmill because it lies to me about how fast I'm going. Ugh, anyways, here are my ten fun facts:


  1. I have a weird obsession with serial killers. I love reading John Douglas books. 
  2. I'm a huge Taylor Swift fan.
  3. I know how to speak French. I used to be a lot better but lost practice.
  4. My favorite color is pink.
  5. My go to comfort food meal is a grilled cheese sandwich.
  6. I hate my toes and always wear closed toe shoes.
  7. I used to own a white cockatoo when I was younger. 
  8. When I was little I wanted to be a pop star.
  9. My love for running came in high school when I joined cross county and track to condition for soccer. 
  10. Audrey Hepburn is my role model. 
So there you have it folks... Ten fun facts about me :) I'll be taking the day off tomorrow from blogging and working out to celebrate my husbands 30th birthday! How do we celebrate? By watching the heat of course. Happy birthday babe I love you!!! 

Until my next blog post... Happy trails ;) 

Tis The Season!!!

Let me start off by saying I'm sorry again for neglecting my blog :) However, it's the holiday season where we are busy shopping, spending time with family... blah blah blah... So what have I been up to? Well, here is an abridged version:

The last couple of weeks I've been training for my half marathon which is next weekend. I've had my fair share of bad runs and good runs (more bad runs than good runs). I've also been going to Orange Theory and cycling in between. I actually cycled 10 miles on Thanksgiving which was pretty fun.

Since I live close to a park, I decided to make my way to the park and loop around a couple of times. I'm not going to lie I had a blast. I saw families setting up a Thanksgiving feast at the park, people hanging out outdoors because the weather was amazing, and random strangers telling me Happy Thanksgiving. Overall, I would say it was a winning workout for Thanksgiving.

Next came Thanksgiving dinner. We had it at my mother-in-law's house which was cool, but I so loved having Thanksgiving at our house last year. Maybe next year :) I did the typical American thing and overate, but luckily I had a nice run planned for the next day so I didn't feel terrible. After getting on the scale, I'm happy to report that my weight is right where I want it. I'm trying to stay away from the scale during this time of year, but I want to gauge myself while half marathon training. The more weight you have on your body - the more impact you have on your knees.

This past weekend I actually had one of my better runs. I ran 8 miles at around an 8:09 min/mile pace which is around where I want to be for the half marathon. Let's see if I can actually keep this up. That was my last long run until the half marathon. I now begin my taper week. How did I start it? With some OTF today. Tomorrow I'll  have a nice slower jog..... Until my next blog: Happy Trails :)

This Week Sucked...

The last couple of weeks have been stressful at work. Well, and who am I kidding, my personal life has been insane too. After weeks of being on Mach-5, I finally lost my marbles. I'm not proud of it, but I guess it was only just a matter of time. Ugh, I even cried at work, not once, but twice. Lucky for me I got to take my aggressions out on my punching bag.

Enough about my exhilarating personal life, I'll talk about my productive workout week instead. So last weekend I didn't get my long run in because I was super sore. However, I kicked off my workout week with Orange Theory on Monday. Now, I don't remember my entire workout, but I remember it sucked. I can remember that we had three separate rounds: a treadmill round (I remember I ran .80 miles total), a weight room round, and a rower round. At the end of the workout we had to pass a 10 and 15 pound medicine ball around four times while in a squat position. It made my legs burn, but my heart happy lol!

On Tuesday I ran 4 miles. My legs were still really tired from the weekend, but I pushed through it and ended up running the entire distance in about 31:15. I ended up getting to run again on Wednesday night during run club! I decided that I really love Wednesday nights. Run club makes me so happy inside. The total distance that I ended up running that night was 3.7. My headphones weren't working that night, so I actually got to run headphone free which was kinda nice. I got to talk to people I normally wouldn't talk to which is different. Funny part of the night: when I talked to a fellow runner the entire time in Spanish. Apparently no one knew that I spoke Spanish. Hahaha - well now they do.

Thursday was the day I lost my marbles. In my defense a lot of bad crap happened and I felt physically awful. Good news was my boss pretty much picked up on my situation and sent me home to rest. My favorite quote from her was definitely "Can you just go home? You're bringing the whole group down." Even though I was supposed to take the day off from working out, I put on my gloves and beat the crap out of my punching bag. I did everything from punches, to jabs, to uppercuts. It was awesome. Thank goodness I have that contraption.

Lastly, I ran two miles today on the treadmill since it was poopy outside. After the workout I ended up picking up some weights. I managed three rounds of: 20 bicep curls, 10 bent over rows, 20 side weights, and 25 crunches with a weight. Holy crap my arms are sore... Tomorrow I'm back at the gym! Until then, happy trails!!

The Battlefrog Series is No Joke

So this past Saturday I participated in the Battlefrog Series and it was crazy. I signed up for the race at the last minute, and didn't really think about it until I woke up that morning.

So, what is this Battlefrog Series race you may ask? Well, this race was a Navy Seals 5K Obstacle Course. I thought it would be fun even though it was pretty expensive. I looked up the obstacles the night I signed up, and they looked difficult, but not too bad. The night before the race my friend, N, posted a picture of the actual course and obstacles on Facebook, and I almost pooped my pants.

I only thought there were like 7 obstacles. Well, nope. There were over 15 obstacles that looked ridiculously hard. I tried to shove them out of my head and go to bed. The next morning it hit me all at once. Holy crap, I was going to feel a lot of pain.

We get to the race and right off the bat you could see participants going through some of the obstacles. I'll admit I was excited about going through some of the obstacles, but I was still pretty nervous. Once we got to check-in the nerves started and I just wanted to get this thing over with. I had to wait for our wave to start which felt like an eternity. Finally - it was time to start.

To start the race we had to climb over a gate. After climbing over the gate we had to wait a couple of more minutes while our squad leader pumped us up. When the gun finally went off, we got started by jogging. Our first couple of obstacles weren't too bad: a wall ladder, log trunks we had to get over, and getting through a window. Once we cleared these obstacles, we headed towards the beach where we had to get in the water.

Water?? What the hell!?!!?!? I didn't know we would be getting wet, let alone go in the ocean. Maybe it was better that I didn't know. The first obstacle was carrying a heavy ass sandbag in the water like 100 meters. Afterwards we had to go over and under like 10 logs in the ocean. Once we got back on the beach we had to jump some hurdles on the beach (these hurdles were like small walls). We also had to climb slippery rocks and I of course fell and ate it. Everyone kinda gasped when I fell, and for good reason. It hurt like a bitch!!! I have a giant bruise to prove it, which I got almost instantaneously.

Once we got off the beach we encountered some monkey bars (which I successfully cleared), crawled through a tunnel (which I was small enough to bear crawl through), and waded through the water. I think I pretty much giggled the entire time I did these obstacles.

Then we started to get to the hard crap: the inverted ladders, giant walls (which I forgoed 2 of these obstacles and opted for burpees instead).  We did a bunch of other crap in between but I don't remember what the obstacles were called. I just know that it was hard, and it sucked. The inverted ladder was pretty scary, but I managed to go over it. I think it's because I just did it without thinking about it too hard. If I did, I think I would have had a panic attack like the girl next to me when she got to the top.

One of the final obstacles was a giant wall that you had to get over by climbing to the top. Once you finished climbing it, you shot down a slide to a muddy pit of water. Your last obstacle was to army crawl through mud - my favorite of course (it's really not - I hate getting dirty). You wanna know what was awesome? Actually climbing up the giant wall! Ok - I definitely had some help, but I was really close. Once I got to the top, I didn't hesitate. I shot down the slide, because it was super high up and I couldn't think about it. I'm afraid of heights. Like really afraid. I can't believe I did the obstacles I did. I was surprised at myself, and proud. Proud that I tried instead of passing on them.

Overall, the race was awesome. The check-in was disorganized, but everything else was very well organized and laid out. I would definitely want to do this race again, but I would want to train a little more with weights.  Here are some pics of the race:

I look so freaking focused.

Our mini team that conquered the course together!

My rope didn't have knots!!!

I was sooooo dirty....
I was supposed to log my long run this weekend, but of course I felt like death. I cycled for 30 minutes instead and finished up by getting in 10 pushups and 50 crunches. Tomorrow, OTF! Until then - Happy Trails :)

A Disney Weekend..

This past weekend we had a wedding on one of the Disney properties. It was nice to be able to stay near Disney after living in that area for over seven years. Even though we didn't get a chance to go to one of the parks, we managed to have a really good time.

Before heading to Disney, I had to wrap something up at work. Once I finished up at work, my husband came and picked me up and we headed on a merry way. Traffic was horrible, but we still managed to get there in 3.5 hours. Once we got into town I had to drop my husband off at the rehearsal. The rehearsal dinner was at House of Blue and I still had two hours until I had to be there, so I checked into our hotel and got ready. The food was pretty delicious, and I may have gone a little overboard on the Mac and Cheese (but it was totally worth it). I blamed my overeating on the fact that I had to run 11 miles the next morning. They called it an early night which was great, because I was going to wake up early.

The next morning I got up at 7AM for my run. Within the first mile I realized trying to find a path that would get me 11 miles was going to be difficult. First off, the Downtown Disney area was under construction and also there were no sidewalks. So I had to go on the road, in between highway pillars, and on grass and even then I was struggling to make 11 miles. Even though it was challenging, I managed to finish 11 miles. It was slower than my typical pace (I think I finished it in 1:42), I'm just glad I could get the distance in. Best part of my run: Listening to T-Swift on repeat for 1:42.

I do have to say running by Downtown Disney was pretty awesome, especially when one of the workers saw me on my way back and asked me if I was still going. I laughed as I said yes; I still had 1.5 miles left!

Overall, I had a great weekend. It was nice to also get a day off during the week. I did end up resting on Sunday (I wanted to run 2 miles but that didn't work out). However, I did get a 3 mile run in Monday morning. On Tuesday I worked out at Orange Theory where I got in 2.26 miles. I'm running tonight with my run club and will be sure to log in my miles! Oh and I can't forget last week at range Theory where I got in two miles! So far I'm up to: 31.335/100 = 31.33%. Crap! I might have to increase my runs lol

Over 100 Pushups

I did over 100 pushups today. My arms feel like Jello. What sucks even more than being sore is knowing that I'm going to get my butt kicked again tomorrow at Orange Theory. So let me tell you about my workout, and update my running total.

Today in class we had 11 minute blocks. The first block consisted of a: .10 mile sprint with 25 woodchoppers on each side with a 10 pound medicine ball; .15 mile sprint with 20 woodchoppers on each side; .20 mile sprint with 15 woodchoppers on each side; .25 mile sprint with 15 woodchoppers on each side. I finished early so I ran a little extra. Run total - .85 miles.

For the second block, we were in the weight room. We started out by doing 5 tricep dips followed by 5 walking pushups. After that rep we moved on to do 6 tricep dips followed by 5 walking pushups, etc. until we got to 10 tricep dips. Once we hit 10 tricep dips followed by 5 walking pushups, we moved on to upright rows. We followed the same layout as the tricep dips. Meaning we did 5 upright rows followed by 5 walking pushups. I almost got up to 10 upright rows before the trainer called time and we moved back to the treadmill.

The third block was almost an exact replica of my first block. However, the only difference was that instead of doing woodchoppers, we had to do a squat press in between each sprint. Run total - .875 miles.

The last block was almost the same exact workout as the second block. However, instead of tricep dips and upright rows, we did hammer curls and V-ups. Since I finished my V-ups, I actually got in one set of dumbbell arm raises.

My arms are still really sore. My total run mileage was: 1.725 miles. So, my total run is 13.075/100; 13% towards my goal! I'm still going strong :)

Short and Sweet

Today was Orange Theory day. It wasn't too crazy, but I'm bummed I only got 1.35 miles in. It was mostly speed work so I guess that short distance is okay, but still.... I need to get 100 miles in this month and I'm at 11.35/100.

In Orange Theory we had our "cardio" workout which consisted of: 3 rounds of .15 mile at a 3% incline with an all out speed (I kept a speed no lower than 10) ; 15 kettle bell swings (I had a 25 pound kettlebell) ; 10 goblet squats; and, a 200 meter row ( I did 4 of these rounds by accident). Once you were done with your three rounds you had three rounds of: 30 seconds at a 5% incline with an all out speed ( I tried to maintain 10); 8 single arm thrusters; 120 meters of squat rows. The last round then consisted of 45 seconds at a 7% incline with an all out speed (I got tired here so I kept it no lower than 9); *I don't remember the kettlebell workout*; and 150 meters of legless rows. Not too crazy, right?

I didn't get to finish my last workout of the cardio set, but that was okay, I was ready to move on. In the weight room we started off with 8 alternate chest presses (I grabbed 20 pound weights); 8 chest flys sitting on the bench; 10 chest presses on the SBT straps; and, 10 low rows on the SBT straps. We kept repeating this round until he told us to stop. The second workout consisted of 4 minutes of abs. We had to do 8 knee tucks with our legs in the SBT straps; 8 pikes; and, 10 mountain climbers. Can I please tell you that I wanted to die. Ugh. The last workout was (I forgot the first thing we had to do); 10 skullcrushers (I grabbed 10 pound weights for this); 10 muscleups; and, 6 burpees. It was insane and I can feel the burn in my muscles as I type.

I went to the Dolphins game today, so I would like count all that walking around as part of my workout. Sigh, I'm back to the real world tomorrow. I am looking forward to listening to my Taylor Swift CD that I just bought! I'm really digging that new song Blank Space.

Wow that was hard...

Today was the first time I ran 10 miles in a really long time. It pretty much sucked at the time. But, I feel pretty awesome about it now.

After my 10k last weekend I decided to run a half marathon. I found one in December, signed up, and am on my way to finish up my training. Since I'm training again, my plan was to run 10 miles this morning. Now, last week I did 6, and the week before I did 8 so I figured today my 10 mile run would be a bit of a struggle, and I was right. My run started off great. I managed to maintain about an 8:15 mile pace. But, at around 6 miles my legs started to feel tired, and I knew it was going to get worse. At mile 8 my legs felt like logs, but I kept going myself as hard as I could. I still managed to finish at an 8:30 mile pace but holy crap was it hard.

Since I had a hair appt at 10 in Miami, I had to jump in the shower and haul butt to my hair appointment. The woman who was doing my hair was a friend of my mom's and operates a salon out of her house. It was awesome. The lady was Hispanic of course (we are too obviously) and she treated me like family. Her mom was there and so was her daughter and grandaughter. While I was there I felt like I was just hanging out with family friends, and before I knew it my hair was done. I loved it! She did such an awesome job and I'm looking forward to going back. Not only so I could play with her granddaughter but to have someone play with my hair again! It's days like today that make me miss Miami. The lifestyle is just so much different. I miss the people, the connections, and the scenery.  I know I'm not too far away, but still; miami will always be home. I'm sure I'll go back soon.

Ok so what's new? Well, I signed up to try to get 100 miles of running done in November. It was some facebook thing you could do to let people know you're trying to go for it. You could officially sign up and pay 34 bucks for a training plan and a belt buckle. No offense, but belt buckles are just not my thing. Since I did 10 today I only got 90 to go. Even though I run at orange theory,  I don't really pay attention to my distance but I am going to start to. I've got class tomorrow and Monday so well see how much I can get done.

Another pretty cool thing I'm trying to do is get certified as a running coach. Now, there are only two organizations you can get certificates from: RRCA or USAT. USAT is triathlon specific so I'm not super interested in trying to get a certificate from them. Now, I've been trying to get a certificate from RRCA but they haven't been able to get a workshop down here in Florida. I've been on their mailing list for a couple months now waiting for them to make a workshop here in Florida so that I can take the class to get certified. I'll update you all once they actually have a workshop down here.

Other then that, that's about it.. before I go I'll leave you with some fun pictures!

I did it! 10 miles in the books!
Got to wear some of my cold weather gear!
My favorite pair of shoes!  



Nightmare on Plank Street

This was the name of my workout today. Sounds awesome right? NOT! Apparently every OTF had the same workout today, so I had a heads up from my friend N that today was gonna suck. And she was right..

Our workouts only consisted of two major workouts. If you were on the treadmill, you had to do a rotation of: .125 mile sprint, 10 thrusters, 10 single arm snatches, 0.25 mile sprint, 10 thrusters, and 10 single arm snatches - for a 5 minute span. The other workout consisted of a rotation of: 200 meter row, 10 dolly pushup pikes, 10 dolly knee tucks, 400 meter row, 10 dolly pushup pikes, 10 dolly knee tucks - for a 5 minute span.  In between each workout, we had to do planks. We started with a 30 second plank and ended up with a 3 minute plank. I held my planks every time, but my arms couldn't stop shaking.

I was possessed during this workout. I literally powered through each workout and did not stop. Even when we were supposed to rest, I was still working out. I just wanted to go nonstop. I loved the pain I felt and the burning in my muscles. I felt like the workout was over just as soon as it started; it was the weirdest thing ever. Good news is I was able to get through each workout at least twice within my 5 minute rotations.

Overall it was a good workout. It was nice for me to get lost in this workout because today was weird. For some reason, lately I've been thinking about some of my friendships. Specifically, the friendships where I've had to let go. In the past, I've been the one who has let some friendships go. Typically I've let them go because they're either one sided or the person has hurt me so bad that I just couldn't bring myself to continue the friendship. However, I've also had friendships where the person has just cut off communication with me. Even when I reach out, I hear no response. It sucks. It makes you feel rejected and inferior. And I just need to let go. I recently read that true friends will be honest with you, be non-judgmental,  and just always be there for you through thick and thin. You should never "chase" the friendship.

And see that's what I do. I chase my friendships. I feel rejected when others don't want to be friends with me, and quite frankly that's lame. I should focus my energy on my current friendships, and cut my losses. If anything, I should realize that those who don't want to be my friend are missing out, and just continue on with my life. I know it's easier said then done, but I'm going to try. I hope it works, because I'm tired dwelling on this topic. Well enough of this topic. I'm looking forward to run club tomorrow where we have a costume run!! I am super excited :)

It's Starting to Feel Like Fall!!

This weekend I had two races. Although I love racing, it kinda sucks waking up early two days in a row.

My first race for the weekend was a run I had planned with my friend N. She is slowly starting to get back into 5Ks and wanted someone to run the race with. I love being there to support my friends during 5Ks so of course I was more than happy to sign up. Another fun bonus about this 5K was that it was 80s themed so N and I got to buy some fun stuff to dress up.

When I woke up Saturday I was so excited (and super tired lol). The weather was absolutely beautiful and it was actually pretty chilly. I went over to N's house and we headed over to the race. We met up with the group we were running the race with (it was her boyfriend's gym) and took some group pictures before heading out. Before we started the race, we agreed to keep a 2 minute run/1 minute walk interval. Once the race started, we started to follow the 2:1 interval I set up on my Garmin (N's Garmin went haywire and froze up causing it to have a shrilling beep the whole run - yes, it sucked lol).. As we approached the end, I could see she was tired, but she kept going. I don't even know if she realized how proud of her I was.

N had gone through a bunch of knee issues (it's a long story) and is still recovering from it. Her knee started swelling up at the end, but she powered through it. I know she was frustrated with the run,  but she shouldn't be. It's hard to come back from any injury, but especially one like hers. For now, it's all about coming back, but slowly. I think as runners, we want to come back to the exact running level we were in before being injured/taking time off/etc... Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. Instead we need to fight harder, and work harder. I know in time she'll be back to where she was, but it's going to take some tough runs. I'm hoping I can be there for her when she needs me.

Ok, enough sappiness :) Here is one of the pictures from the run:

 
 
Now, Sunday's race was different. I was on a mission: to PR in the 10K. I had only done a couple of 10Ks, and figured I could do pretty well on this race based on my last couple of weeks of training. I had run in this race before, but this time it was double the size it was before. I knew the weather would be pristine, and when I woke up I was right - it was nice, cool, and breezy. I was a little nervous about my body because I've been having pains in my knees and heels this past week. I think because I've upped my mileage recently and continued to train harder with weights, it was my body's way of telling me to slow down.

I got to the race early, and started listening to my music to focus. I ran into my friend P from run club as I walked around the venue to warm up. P and I run about the same pace, so he stuck around with me until the race started. I almost always start in the back for every race because I like to chase everyone once the race starts; it's almost like how horses chase the rabbit when they are racing. P had never started from the back, and after the race he admitted that he liked my strategy.

Once the race started, I shot towards the front. The race had over 1000 people in it and there were some fast runners there who were looking to win prize money. I started fast, but figured I could keep pace. Mile by mile I started closing the gap between myself and the front pack. By the last mile, I had made up a lot of ground, and knew I would at least place in my age group. P had stayed with me pretty much the whole way until mile 4.5, where he dropped back a little. It was nice to have someone to take down racers with me; it kept me motivated.

My goal was under 49 minutes (right under an 8 min/mile). As I looked at my watch I knew I would beat that goal by more than a minute. During the last mile, I pushed it and passed some of the girls who I knew would try to gun for me at the end. As I rounded the corner for the last 0.2 miles, I saw one of the girls coming up right in front of me, and heard another girl grunting to pass me. There was no way in hell I was letting that happen so I turned up the heat and ended up passing her. The crowd went nuts lol; it was pretty epic. When I saw the clock I couldn't believe it. I saw my friend A from run club while I was on the course and since he finished right before I did, I went to say hi. P had come up as we were talking and we all high-fived each other. Once we said our hellos, we went to check out our time.

So official time: 46:31 - 7:30 min/mile pace. Holy crap. I couldn't freaking believe it. Not only did I place first in my age group, I ended up coming in 10th female overall. What?!?!?!! It's a crazy concept to think I ran that fast. It's hard to maintain a pace like that, but I truly believe that you can do anything you set your mind to. What's funny is that I barely looked at my Garmin. I knew that I was pushing as hard as I could, and by looking at the Garmin, I would try to adjust my pace somehow which could have ruined my race. So lesson of the day: let your body guide you to your pace during a race. I'm sore as hell but I figured that would happen, I've napped a lot today to recover.

Race Report: The Flannigans 10K race was awesome from the get-go. My race packet was the best one I have ever gotten - it was full of so many thing I would use, it was unbelievable. The venue was awesome and the time of year makes the temperature perfect! The racers were great; it held everything from the super fast runners to the novice 5K runners. The prizes were awesome! First place in the age groups got cool gear from Newton. I'm actually considering buying my next pair of running shoes from Newton because of it. And, last but not least, it was one of the biggest races in our community. I'm hoping that this race continues to get bigger and bigger. We'll see!

Before I go, I'll leave you with some pictures:

I love my gear! My favorite thing is probably the backpack!!

AHHH!!! I couldn't believe my time!

My friend P and I. He ended up winning first in his age group too!

My awesome swag bag for winning 1st in my age group. I love the socks!

Happy Trails :)

Wedding Weekend Part II

So after reading my last post, I realized I was deliriously tired, and made absolutely no sense in certain parts of my post. Ha! Ok, so as promised - Here are some of my pictures from my weekend run!




So I'm really lame and I thought this flower was so pretty!

One of my running partners and I!

This bridge was packed!!!

Someone once wrote that every time you see a feather it means your guardian angel is nearby.
This picture reminded me of my favorite poem - Footprints.
The day after the wedding we woke up to watch the sunrise :)

This was my 8 mile run time! I was so stoked. Best run I had in a while.
So, overall, the wedding was awesome. Not only did I have the best time, but I got to spend time with some of my best friends. Although I paid for it at the end, it was nice to get away from work and just relax with some of my best girlfriends. The house was absolutely ridiculous, and the view was to die for. I'm hoping to go back there for a beach vacation some time soon.

Of course no wedding is complete without some wedding drama! The drama was quite entertaining: we had a couple who got in a spat and a search party for some important wedding party guests who went missing after getting drunk for hours. It was pretty nuts. Coming home was also a nutty situation. I ended up having to change my connecting flight to Miami and sprinting across the Charlotte Airport. I sprinted so hard my lungs burned. I did have people cheering for me as I raced through the airport with carry on in hand - I felt like I was in a race. Even though I was sweaty and out of breath by the time I got to the gate, it was totally worth it! 

So now that I'm back, I've been working out almost every day. Tuesday - Orange Theory; Wednesday - Run Club; Thursday - Orange Theory. I actually cut OTF short today, because my knee was in pain. My calves feel ripped and my knee could not handle walking lunges. I think since I increased my mileage so much recently, my body is not happy. I got the message and so I'll be off my feet tomorrow. I've got two races this weekend and hope to do well in one of them. The other one is a fun run I'm doing with a friend. We get to run/walk the race in 80s outfits... How fun is that? Until my next post.. Happy Trails :)

An Amazing Wedding Weekend Part I

I want to blog about the actual wedding, but since it's late and I can't put up any pictures because they're all on my phone, I'll write about the workouts I did during my vacation :)

My flight was on Wednesday afternoon, so I decided to squeeze in a workout before I left. I ran about 4 miles, and it was probably one of the worst runs I've had in a while. I didn't have my Garmin, which was probably a good thing. The night before it had rained and you could feel the humidity suffocating you, weighing you down. Regardless, I was glad to get a workout in, even if I was disappointed in it.

On Thursday, I was able to run in some cold weather. Now, stupid me didn't bring any cold weather gear for the weekend, so I practically froze my butt off. I took a slow easy pace, and was able to knock out 4 miles, at around a 9 minute mile pace. I took someone pretty neat pictures of the scenery which I'll post later. Not only did I get to run, but the house that I was staying in had four stories which we constantly walked up and down.

Friday was the day of the wedding. We didn't have any tasks we needed to accomplish, so we got to run  that morning. One of the bridesmaids , well call her N, and myself went out for a 3 mile run. N is training for her first half marathon which is exciting. She loved talking about race stuff with me, and I gave her some minor pointers so she could be fully prepared for her first distance race.

She struggled with the run, and take a good amount of walk breaks. She kept apologizing, but I didn't mind. I love running with other people of all speeds. It gives you a chance to talk to them and pretty much be their personalized cheerleader. Trust me, if I didn't want to run with slower people, I wouldn't offer.

The run was absolutely beautiful and the beach scenery was surreal. Since I kept a steady pace for our run, I got to fully look at the world all around me. The color of the shells in the sand, the waves crashing and breaking, the smell of the ocean water, and the list goes on and on. Halfway through our run i got frustrated and I told her to calm down. I told her I loved this run because of the scenery. Her response back to me was a little shocking, because she didn't even get a chance to enjoy the scenery and focused just on enter run. Doesn't that sound like life? We get so caught up in the moment, that instead of slowing down a bit to enjoy all the things that are beautiful around us, we speed up. Maybe we don't have time, but I find that reason a lame excuse.

Saturday I ran with one of the wedding guests who is a pro athlete. She just wanted a timed out and back run. She did great without me and ended up pulling out an amazing run. Overall we probably ran about 6 miles. Crazy, huh?

I'm super tied, so I'm about to go to bed. I'm hoping tomorrow I will have cleaned up these documents and go from there.

Weddings Galore!!

The last two weeks I've been on wedding duty for some of my closest friends. Tomorrow I'm flying out for one of my best friend's wedding from high school. I am so ridiculously excited to be there for her. It's a smaller wedding - I think about 40 people total, and it will all be done at a beach house they rented. I'm staying at the beach house for the weekend and get to bunk with some of my best friends. Overall, it's a win for the week!

I checked the weather for the week, and it looks like it's cooler in North Carolina. What does that mean? Awesome running weather!! I'm planning on working out tomorrow so I don't have to pack an extra workout out fit since I'm just bringing a carry on. All my years of traveling, I've learned to pack light. I'll be sure to take pictures of my scenic runs :)

So what's new? Well, I decided to run a half marathon. What can I say? I saw it on groupon and signed up for it ;) also, I bought a guitar. Hahaha. Yup, I bought an acoustic guitar. I've been toying with the idea for awhile and decided to make it official tonight. I'm soooooo excited for it, and am ready to start learning how to play when I get back home this weekend. Yesssssss... I'll be sure to document my progress ;)

Now, as far as my workouts, I've been keeping up. On Sunday I started my half marathon training and got in 7 miles. This weekend I'm hoping to get in 8 miles and then I have two races the following weekend (so I can work on speed and taper off a bit). I've also been trying to get into the gym at least twice a week to get in some HIIT tariff.

Well.. I'm exhausted and wanted to wake up early to run a couple of miles... So until my next blog...Happy  trails ;)

Just a Little Six Mile Jog

I've been thinking about doing a 10k in the next month and figured I would go out this morning to try a 6 mile jog. I haven't hit this distance in a couple of months and wanted to keep it nice and simple. The jog itself was amazing, even though I nailed my elbow on a fence post and have a painful bruise to show for it.  During my run I got to sort out a lot of things that have been weighing on my mind, and I also got to plan out my next couple of weeks. Although it was hot I still managed to maintain a 8:32 min/mile pace which is pretty darn good in my opinion.

Even though this week has been pretty stressful and busy with work,  I always find time for my workouts. Working out is important to me, and keeps me sane (well, as sane as I could be). So let's start off by reviewing my week!

On Monday I got my Orange Theory on. It was kind of depressing because my friend, J, couldn't make it. She's my little workout partner and definitely pushes me during my workouts. Regardless, I still managed to get a decent workout in. We had six 7 minute round workouts that were broken up between the treadmill, weight room and rower. On the treadmill we mostly stayed around base pace, which is about a 6.2 speed for me. In the weight room we had to use free weights, the dolly, and the SBT straps. Although I don't remember the workouts for the weight room or rower, I can tell you that I "upped" my free weights to 15/20 pounds. My arms were sore for two days lol.

Tuesday was my off day. It's always nice to sit and do nothing on my "off" days. And for the record, I literally did nothing that night lol.

On Wednesday I got to run with my amazing run club! Of course I started off way too fast, but slowed down when I came up behind two guys who were maintaining a decent pace (I may have been literally right behind them - invading their space lol). I figured that instead of pulling my usual crazy antics and burning myself out, I would hang back until I felt like I could push it all the way until the end. It turns out one of the guys in that pack had the same idea, and halfway into our run, he took off and I tried staying close behind him. That didn't last long and I lost him towards the end. I did manage to finish with a kick and averaged a 7:30 pace for 3.36 miles. I've been struggling with my runs, and I actually felt really good after this run. This makes me excited for next week :)

On Thursday I had Orange Theory again! Although I was bummed because my friend, J, couldn't make this class again, I was excited to find out my favorite instructor was pregnant! She is absolutely adorable and I'm so excited for her!! She still managed to kick my arse with 2 minute rounds between the treadmill, weight room, and rower. On the treamill, our rounds consisted of maintaining base pace (I upped it to 6.5), a push pace (8.0), and walking on a 15% incline. In the weight room, our rounds consisted of stepups with a bicep curl, chest flys, kettlebell swings, dumbell deadlifts, and ground to overhead presses. On the rower, our workouts consisted of free rowing, tricep dips, ab tucks, regular crunches, and squat rows. My heart rate monitor wasn't working during class so I didn't get to monitor my activity level which kinda sucked. However, on the bright side I dominated the crunches workout and got the most crunches out of everyone in a 2 minute period: 81 (yes, I know - I'm competitive - it's part of who I am; I can't help it lol).

On Friday I had another rest day, which worked out since I was heading out for a friend's birthday. I had an absolute blast even though I ate horribly the entire day. Yes, absolutely horrible - I flinched when I got on the scale this morning and all day today I've eaten pretty clean because of it. Some of you might think, "Well what's horrible?" Let me tell you, two frosted donuts, a Caesar Salad crepe from a mall food court and mall candy, a brownie, a chocolate chip cookie, pizza for dinner, and a chocolate dessert. Yup, I know absolutely ridiculous. I occasionally have days like this though (like maybe once or twice a month) and am pretty good at getting back on track. This month has just been horrible because of the birthdays and events we have had.

Now, October is going to be crazy too. I've got a bachelorette party and my best friend's wedding, but I'm going to try my hardest to be good with my workouts and food (Halloween totally doesn't help lol). The first event up will be this weekend with the bachelorette party. I'm super excited for it, but have to figure out how I can get in some workouts in during the weekend.... I'll let you know how that goes.

Another Busy Week!

These last couple of weeks have been absolutely insane. They seem to run together as I try to get by from one day to the next. Even though my life is hectic between church, work, and regular everyday life stuff, I have still managed to get my workouts in.

Last Sunday I got my orange theory on with the only 1.5 hour class they have. It was absolutely insane and it kicked my butt, and I absolutely loved every single second of it. I was sore for two days after that class, but what really sucked, was that I had orange theory again the next day. I wanted to take it easy, but then there was a guy in class who was a total jerk. He had to be shown a lesson. See, you can be an arrogant a-hole during orange theory. You can't cut everyone in line, show off on the treadmill, throw your weights around, and huff loudly during each of your workouts. Because if you do.. You might just need to be schooled by a girl... Sure, I'm competitive. But, he totally had it coming.. And it was funny to watch in the process. I ended up lapping him by a round.. With time to spare lol...

On Tuesday I did absolutely nothing and it was divine. Wednesday I followed my normal ritual of going to run club. Of course I had a blast. We joked and talked before heading out to our run. The run was hard, but I still managed a 7:30ish pace. I'm hoping I can get closer to the 7:00 minute miles soon.

On Thursday I had another orange theory day. It definitely felt easier than usual. Maybe I didn't push myself that hard, but I felt like I could have done more. On Friday I took another day off and on Saturday I got in an easy 5 miles in under 44 minutes. It felt great. Then today: another 5k. It was my last one that I'm signed up for. This course kicked my butt last year and so I was dreading running on it today. I definitely kicked its butt and finished in 23:28. Not too shabby, but not one of my recent  bests. Regardless, I'll take it. Tomorrow I go back to my normal routine of orange theory. I just hope tomorrow is harder than last Thursday's workout.

A Relaxing Weekend

I didn't really have any crazy plans this weekend which was awesome! The only things I really had scheduled to do this weekend was run that 5K I had previously mentioned, go to church, and go to my Orange Theory class.

So let's start with my Saturday. I woke up early to go to the race and pick up one of my friends to take to the race. As I was getting ready for the race, my friend texted me that she wasn't going to be able to make it. All I could think of was, "Crap. I always get lost, I better leave now." So I took my time getting to the race, and I did end up getting lost twice. Yup, twice. Once I parked, I headed over the the start line to check out any cool memorial stuff they might have and wait for my other friend to get there. Here are my pictures :)


My time was 24:51. Nothing too crazy, but it's okay! I died in the heat with a heavy t-shirt and hat. I've got another race next weekend which I'm hoping to do better in. Later on in the day I ended up going to church where I ran into one of the older members of my women's club. Since I ended up going to church on my own since my husband had to study for his next final, we got to keep each other company. It was pretty fun :)

Today I was scheduled for an hour and a half Orange Theory class. I woke up dreading the class. I was pretty tired, but I ended up going anyways. I'm glad I did. Class was brutal and this is what our trainer had in store for us:

Partner workout - 12 rounds total (One person started on the treadmill, the other on the rower)

If you were on the treadmill first, you had to complete 
  • .125 miles at an 11% incline
  • After the treadmill, you had to do 6 Kettle Bell squat presses/each side
  • Next, you had 12 Goblet Squats
Once you finished that workout, you switched with your partner. You had no set goal for the rower, you just had to switch once your partner was finished with their workout.We ended up repeatedly doing this block for a little over 30 minutes. 

After this workout was over you had your choice of starting on the rower or doing jump rope. I chose jump rope. For this block, this is what you had to complete:
  • 300 jump ropes
  • 1 mile run (I got it done in 7:27 - it sucked after doing that whole workout)
  • 50 Kettle bell swings
  • .375 miles at 3% incline
  • 20 pushups
  • .15 miles at 6% incline
Once I get this workout complete I had to move on to the next workout:
  • Burning 60 calories on the rower - we got new rowers which are amazing!!
  • 50 V-ups (it was ridiculously brutal)
  • 40 Wall Balls
  • 30 Clean squat presses
  • 20 bench jumps with a burpee
There was more but I couldn't finish it. I burned over 600 calories in class. I never really burn that many calories because my cardio level is more efficient that most making calorie burning more difficult. However burning that many calories meant that I got to enjoy my deliciously amazing breakfast which was my meal shake (Phood powder (google it because it's amazing) + banana + almond milk), eggs with spinach, and turkey bacon.

My workout sounds crazy, huh? That's why I'm lying in bed right now doing nothing lol.... Tomorrow I have another Orange Theory class, i just hope I can feel my body... 

Another Week of Paradise!!

This week was crazy busy. I was pretty much out and about everyday after work this week. I am an everyday routine kind of girl, so this week really threw me for a loop.

On Monday I had my typical Orange Theory day. When I first got to class, they had a puzzled look on their face because they couldn't figure out why I wasn't in the class. It seemed like they made a mistake. I'm always in that class with my friend J, and she had gotten in, so why wasn't I scheduled too? Her and I are a two pack deal (It's crazy, even though she's older than I am, she is a powerhouse and pushes me during my workouts). So they let me in the class anyway and I am so glad I got in because I needed the workout. We had intervals on the treadmill where we ran .5 miles at 3% incline, .4 miles at 5% incline, .3 miles at 7% incline, .2 miles at 9% incline, and .1 mile at 11% incline with 250 meters of rowing in between each of those sets. I finished that set with four minutes to spare. In the weight room we had a variety of sets which included dolly pullouts, side lunges, bosu ball toe taps, and bicep curls with SBT straps. We had a couple of other exercises but I can't remember all of them. Hey, in my defense it's a lot of stuff to try to remember!

Wednesday was run club night! Of course I look forward to it every week. This week we had our usual group, and I ran 3.63 miles in about 28 minutes. The run was hot and humid, but I love that feeling of pushing through that type of weather and getting all sweaty. I know it's gross, but I really do absolutely love it.

On Thursday I had meetings that night so I decided to wake up early and get a spin in. I spun with a quick cadence for about 30 minutes while I was in the  living room. Overall this was nothing crazy, and honestly, I never really feel like I'm working out when I'm spinning for that short period of time. Regardless, I got a workout in. The rest of the day passed by quickly with work and meetings. My first meeting was for an executive board 5k meeting with a police athletic league. Since I'm trying to put together my own 5k (we have now accepted it'll be in the next 3 years), we figured this would be a good idea for me to do and learn from. My next meeting was with my church group, and I have to admit it was fun.. I'm on a committee chair this year so I have to play nice and be more social..

I took today off just like I took Tuesday off. I've got a 5k in the morning tomorrow and figured I would run hard tomorrow. Now, I'm not going to be crazy, but I'll run at a decent pace. Tomorrow's race is too big for me to try and PR in, and I don't think I'm in shape to PR even if I tried. I was pleasantly surprised at last weeks race where I got a 22:39.

So how do I wind down the week? By making myself a grilled cheese and watching Hunger games while taking selfies with my dog.. Yup.. That's what I totally did tonight while my husband took his final. Lol, I'm so ridiculous. I do want to leave you with my favorite song of the moment: "Animals" by Maroon 5. I think you should check it out :)  but before you do, here are our pictures of tonight.



#NeverForget

Today is one of those days where you just stand still and reflect on one of the greatest tragedies that happened to the United States. Each of us can remember where we were, what we were doing, and how we felt the day terrorists attacked the World Trade Center. It almost seemed as the whole thing was a movie, no one truly believed something like that could ever happen. In a snap of a finger, America's heart had been destroyed. However in the midst of that destruction, ordinary people faced death to save lives. Later on, you would hear stories about how instead of running away, people ran to help, and instead of letting evil triumph, others decided to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. To those of you who are in heave smiling down at us, thank you, and we will never forget what happened that day.

Even though I have a ton to write about regarding my workouts, I'm going to save it until tomorrow... I think today all we should do is focus on what is important.

I love Soccer :)

Granted I am not a crazy hardcore soccer fan, but I do love soccer. In high school I played from 8th grade to 11th grade on the Varsity team and I loved it. I miss running around the field kicking the crap out of soccer balls; I miss my teammates and dressing up in uniform. So, when the Colombia vs Brazil game was scheduled in the area, I figured I would get my parents tickets as a super early Christmas present. Here are some pictures of us before the game.

 
 
 
Getting to the game was insane. The stadium is pretty close to our house and it took us almost 2 hours to get there and park. We raced into the stadium and caught the beginning of the game. I have to admit, I got us some pretty kickbutt seats. Here are some pictures of us at the game.
 



 
 
Although we lost, the game was a blast. I'm glad I got to experience this with my parents. They were so thankful for the tickets and having the opportunity to spend time with me. Even though I had to wake up early for the gym, it was totally worth it.
 
I dragged butt at the gym today, but sometimes we have days like that and it's okay. I worked hard and did the best I could, and that's all I could ask for. Tomorrow I've got a 5K. I'm not too hopeful of my time since I've been in and out of running and my workouts, but we'll see.... Wish me luck!!

 
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