Snow...ugh...

Just when you think spring is here, there is a snow storm. A big one that doesn't let up at all, not even for 20 minutes for you to get a run in. So that means treadmill running...which I despise. I always feel like I've gone twice as far on the treadmill as it says I have gone. So it is tiring. And monotonous. And sooooo boring. Even with music, it is awful. No matter how I try to take my mind off of it, I can't get out of my head...I swear, the treadmill just sped up on it's own accord....the timer must not be counting time right.... .25 miles?! are you kidding? So goes my thought process. Then it turns into....my left shoe feels too tight...right one is too loose....my hamstrings sure hurt...there's a pain in my side...those dang sit-ups from yesterday are sure making my whole core sore, so I feel every step I take. It is awful work, this treadmill running. I eeked out 30 minutes today, and am too embarrassed to put my mileage.

Gym day

Today I was given 5 moves:

• running man lunges
  
• weighted squats (probably between 80-100lbs...not sure how much was on there)
  
• incline abs
• burpees
• kettlebell swings (20lb weights)

Each move was done for 1 minute, with up to 15 seconds rest in between moves. I did three sets, and a 4th set of just two moves of my choice....squats and abs.

Lazy Days

According to my training schedule, Friday was supposed to be a rest day (or stretch/yoga day). I didn't do any exercise. And, I missed a dear friend's fondue party, because I am so forgetful. (I still feel bad about that.) Anyway, in keeping with the days off, I missed my 3 mile run that I was supposed to do for Saturday. At least on Sunday I got out for a short walk with Ben. It was a beautiful day. Today was gorgeous as well, but I wasn't able to get out until late--after 8pm. I was scheduled to run between 20 and 35 minutes...so I did a "quick" 3 miles. I say "quick" because any time I can do three miles in under 35 minutes, it is fast. I still remain a slow jogger.

Anyway, today was filled with cleaning out little boys' room. It has long been a disaster area, with toys spilling out of the closet, window seat, and out from under their bed...and books strewn from here to there. It is slowly coming along. Next to tackle is the basement....which will be at least a day and a half job. DI here we come....got lots to get rid of. Wish me luck.

Workouts this week:

3/23--3 mile run
3/24--2 mile run
3/25--training:

• 50 push ups
• 60 wall ball (10lb medicine ball)
• 70 over-head presses (10lb weights)
• 80 biceps
• 90 sit ups
• 100 walking lunges

Wedding pictures

This weekend we drove to Seattle to see Joel and Maggie get married. Everything was beautiful--from the ceremony to the weather. We got some great pictures.

After a long drive yesterday, and waking up way too early this morning, the last thing I wanted to do today was go to the gym. But, I did drag myself down there. Here's what I did:

.25 mile run
50 slam ball (with 10 lb. medicine ball)
.25 mile run
25 squat press per arm (12 lb. weights)
.25 mile run
25 bench jump & burpee
.25 mile run
25 tricep push-ups

confessions of an exercise junkie

I'm not really an exercise junkie...I just liked that for a title. In any event, my sister has been bugging me to post on my blog again, and I thought to entertain, and perhaps inspire her, I would post about the training I have been doing for this half marathon that I find myself signed up for...which is approaching quite quickly, I might add.

My training really started a couple years ago, when we decided to join a gym in an attempt to lose the baby weight I had been carrying around for like 8 years. It was a frustrating endeavor that only served to make me upset and didn't budge the pounds significantly. But I kept at it. Two years ago, I started taking it a bit more seriously and decided to run with a friend who was training for the Ogden half marathon. We had worked up to running 6 or so miles at one point, and then she injured her foot, and I fell off the wagon.

Last summer, another good friend and I started a very regular, rigorous exercise program where we were sometimes running 2 times a day. It started to become addicting--not in the sense that I loved doing it when I was doing it, but I started loving how it was making me feel when I wasn't doing it, if that makes sense.

In about October or so, we added in some personal training, and, wow! The first time I went, I thought I was going to die, and then, the next couple days I wished I had died! I can't remember exactly what I did for that 1st workout, but I know it left my thighs so sore, I couldn't walk down stairs properly or sit on the toilet without falling the last couple inches for about a week. About 2 days after that first session, I went downstairs to wake the boys for the morning, and I seriously though "it would be less painful if I just fell down the stairs!"

I eventually recovered...until she had us jump rope, and I thought to myself, "she is determined to humiliate me by making me pee my pants." I stuck with the jumping rope, though, and my friend and I started doing a jump rope challenge, where we would time each other for 1 minute and see how many jumps we could get in. I think my first attempt was about 60, but I moved up and by the end of a couple weeks, I was able to do about 120 jumps per minute.

Pounds started falling off, and more than I ever thought possible. I was amazed, and still am. I was at a point where I just did not think that it was possible for me to lose weight. That no matter what I did, my weight was what it was, and to just learn be happy there and be healthy. I don't mean to brag, or draw attention to myself, but damn! I'm proud of what I'm doing!

So, here is my plan. I am already logging my workouts, for the most part. I am going to start logging them here...kind of resurrect my jog log blog. Every week I go to my trainer 2 days a week for 30 minutes, and with this half marathon looming over my head, I am going to be running at least 3 days a week. I am going to keep track of what I do on here again, and if anyone feels so inspired to start a workout program--jump in with both feet. It is hard work, I hate it when I'm doing it, and I have yet to get to that point when I'm jogging where I think to myself "Man, I LOVE this!!". But, I do LOVE what it is doing for me--gives me more energy, makes me more conscious of what I put in my mouth, and more conscious of the amount of work those things I do put in my mouth take to work off...so I feel like I'm the healthiest I've been in a LONG time. So,do it with me. Give it a try. See if you notice the same effects. Most of the exercises my trainer has me do, you could do at home with a couple of 12-15 lb dumbells and a pull-up bar, and the ones that do require equipment can be modified or those muscles can be worked in other ways. (If anyone does want to attempt this and needs more clarification on any exercise, I'd be happy to post an explanation of each exercise--just post a comment.)

Monday: 1 mile slow run, 2 mile run in 20 min. (*yay* on my time there--that's fast for me.)
Tuesday: training--X2 (repeat each set of 2 moves 2 times)

1. 25 sumo squats with 40 lb weight
   
2. 25 push-ups

1. 25 dead lifts (probably about 55 lbs)
   
2. 25 upright rows (35 lb bar)
   

1. 25 jump squats
2. 25 bicep curls (12 lb weights)
   

1. 20 overhead (alternating) lunges with 10 lb weights
2. 20 obliques (each side)

finished with a quarter mile run.

Wednesday: training again (since we are going to WA this week for a wedding) See how many rounds of this you can do in 20 minutes. I made it through 7 rounds.

• 25 squats
• 25 pull-ups
• 25 sit-up

Thursday (today): 5.5 mile run