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 :)
 
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