Tag Archives: stress

The Balance to My Crazy

For my 44 today I decided to do an Olympic inspired move!!  We were watching the men’s 5000 earlier and so I decided to be a skater, too.  (minus the ice and skates!!!)

I counted a right and left as 1 rep and this move went quickly.  Fun way to get my heart rate up a bit.

I haven’t been talking about my workouts a whole lot lately because it is pretty repetitive – Michelle Bridges and running!!!

Screen Shot 2014-02-08 at 8.37.23 AM

 

Over the past few weeks I’ve mentioned a time or 100 that I’m a bit stressed these days.  And the whole stolen identity didn’t help!!!  

Yesterday morning was one of those times that it all seemed to be spiraling out of control.  It didn’t help that I had been awake most of the night feeling sick so I wasn’t 100% but I also wasn’t sick.  I think it is just stress spiraling out of control!

Screen Shot 2014-02-08 at 8.43.17 AMThankfully, for all of my stress and craziness, I have Chris to keep me grounded.  The things that bug me don’t seem to phase him as much.

He has always said he’s Teflon Turner – 

Screen Shot 2014-02-08 at 8.46.03 AMand that things just slide off him.  It doesn’t mean he doesn’t care – he just knows how to let the little things go and do what needs to be done without going BAT-SHIT CRAZY!!!

I might never be Teflon and things might never slide off me like they do Chris but I’m going to try a little harder to just roll with things!

What about you – are you the Teflon kind or more like me where everything piles up?

Happy Saturday!!!

Kim

 

Early, On Time, Late – Which Are You?

Today I used a stability ball again for my 43 – Stability Ball

I decided to really work my hips because any time I add in more running, my hips need some extra strength work!!  

I started off on one knee while leaning on the ball.  I raised my other leg straight out to the side – 

start
start

Then, I pulled my leg in so that my knee hit the ball and  extended it again for 1 rep.

knee in
knee in

After finishing 43 my hip was feeling a good burn for sure and I still had to switch sides.  The other side was much harder because the first hip was on fire!!!

second leg
second leg
in
in

My 50 mile race is just over 2 months away and in addition to  running to prepare, I need to make sure that my joints (especially my hips) are as strong as possible!!!

For the rest of my workout, I did Turbo Jam – Fat Blaster.  This is an interval based workout and is great for really getting a great workout in a short amount of time (30 minutes).  The funny thing is that because the Turbo Jam DVDs came out in 2007, they just refer to the workout as intervals instead of HIIT which it is.  I can’t remember when everyone started talking about HIIT workouts but they have been around for much longer than the actual name has!!!

“To be early is to be on time,
To be on time is to be late,
To be late is to be left.”

I saw the quote above in the band handbook yesterday when Jordan and I were going through it – I love it!!!

I have always been one of those people who likes to be a few minutes early to events.  When I met Chris, he liked to be WAY early to places.   Between us, we are rarely ever late because we are super anal like that!!!

Chris is one of those people who hardly ever gets stressed or upset but I saw it happen on our recent Florida trip.  The day we were going to Daryl’s retirement ceremony we had to drive across the bay to McDill Air Force Base.  We knew that it was about an hour drive so we planned to leave 1.5 hours before it started.  Well, we left a few minutes late – no big deal since we had a cushion.  Then, 10 minutes into the drive Chris realized he didn’t have his military ID with him – even in his uniform we wouldn’t have been able to get on base without the ID.  We went back to get it and just like that we were down to  1 hour.

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It was a long stressful hour because Chris was freaking  out (for him, not really the same as a freak-out by me!!)  the whole time and mad at himself for being in the situation to begin with.  We ended up getting into the building where the ceremony was taking place about 5 minutes late – BUT…..they hadn’t started!!!  There were some problems at the gate with several people that were trying to get on base for the retirement so they were waiting!!!  Everything worked out and Chris’ stress disappeared!!!Screen shot 2013-08-04 at 9.51.37 AM

 

So, the big lesson for me out of that experience – always build a bigger time cushion so that Chris doesn’t get stressed!!!   to prevent stress and allow for all unforeseen events and mistakes that might occur!!

Does being late cause you stress?  Do you like to get places early or right on time?

And, just for fun, you can see how completely different my boys are!!

Jordan in white Hunter in brights
Jordan in white
Hunter in brights

Happy Sunday!!!

Kim

Struggling

Today’s 43 was a plank with a leg lift using my band for extra resistance!  I wrapped the band around my foot – Band around foot

After I had the band secured, I got into the plank position.

plank
plank

From this position, I lifted and lowered my right leg 43 times.

lift & lower
lift & lower

The sad thing on this move – after I finished 43 with my right leg, I still had another set of 43 with my left leg!Plank with band

Lift
Lift

The band really made this a tough move today!!!  Besides the leg lift, I had to hold plank for quite a while!!

I did another hotel friendly workout this morning – Les Mills Combat – Combat 45.  

combat gloves - make you feel powerful!!!
combat gloves – make you feel powerful!!!

I put on my gloves and kicked and punched and jumped (tried to make sure and land soft so the people in the room below me didn’t complain!!).  It’s been awhile since I did  combat and I enjoyed it as much as ever!!!

Yesterday I mentioned that I had a completely awful run.  I’m not sure why but I know that the problem didn’t have anything to do with my legs!!  It was all about my breathing.  Screen shot 2013-06-25 at 7.38.02 PMI spent the entire run trying to settle into my breathing but it never happened!!  I felt like I was gasping and panting the entire time!!!

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If I had been running outside, I could have chalked it up to the heat/humidity.  However, I was on a treadmill in a climate controlled environment.  

I know that dehydration can make it hard to run and cause breathing problems but I’ve made sure to keep drinking plenty of water even though we are on vacation.  

Screen shot 2013-06-25 at 7.28.57 PMThe boys and I always take the stairs at the hotel (we are on the 3rd floor) because we need all the extra activity we can get!!!  2 different times in the past 3 days I’ve felt like the little man in the above picture.  Really?!!  I shouldn’t have any problems going up a couple flights of stairs.

I’m not sure why I’m having such a hard time this week – all of my workouts have been harder than they should be.  There are several factors that could be causing this – I’m just not sure what it is exactly.

Screen shot 2013-06-25 at 7.55.42 PMOver-training?  Maybe – the past few weeks I’ve pushed myself pretty hard.

Screen shot 2013-06-25 at 7.56.53 PMStress?  Quite possibly.  Even though the boys and I are having a great time, being away from home as a “single” parent is always a little stressful.  Plus the fact that I haven’t talked to Chris since Saturday!

Screen shot 2013-06-25 at 7.58.34 PMFatigue?  Pretty sure this is part of it – lack of quality sleep tends to add up!

Well, tomorrow is another day and I will have another run – hopefully after a  relaxing day and a good night’s sleep  it will be better!!!Screen shot 2013-06-25 at 7.31.27 PM

Do you ever struggle with your breathing while doing what should be an easy run or other simple activity?

Happy Wednesday!!

Kim

Stress – How do you Cope?

For my 43 today, I used a move from Ab Ripper X (one of the P90X programs).  I did the “scissor” move.  Lay on your back with your left leg extended a few inches off the floor and your right leg pointed straight up.

not a very flattering pose
hold

Hold this for a 5-count then smoothly switch leg positions and hold again.

hold
not a very flattering shot!

Like Tony HortonScreen shot 2013-03-06 at 10.32.20 AMsays, “Scissor – get it?”  (he’s a goof but I guess he provides some laughs while kicking your butt!!)

Anyway, I did the scissor move to work my abs (hip flexors, too) as my 43 today.

I just recently ordered (and received) my first pairs of compression socks.  I wore a pair the other day after my run to see if it helped my Achilles.  Today I decided to try them out while I ran.Compression Socks

BTW – if you look really closely at my shirt you can see it is from a race on March 27, 1993!!!  The Azalea Trail Run in Mobile, AL – during my grad school days.  Doesn’t everyone have shirts that are almost 20 years old???

Time to run!Treadmill

I’ve already mentioned (more than once) that I LOVE my treadmill!!!

I did a hard 10 miles  at a 1.5 % incline followed by a much easier 2 miles with steeper incline (maxing at 30%) for a total of 93:00 minutes.

So, I’m not sure how I feel about the compression socks.  I have had them on for about 2.5 hours (including the run) and they completely cut into the top part of my calf.  I don’t think I could go up a size because the heel fit is good and they are almost too long as it is. Anyone else have this problem with compression socks?

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I’m a little lot stressed right now.  I have a huge test tomorrow (ACE Personal Trainer certification) and I don’t feel remotely prepared.  The sad part is, I used to know all of this stuff (and I’ve done this test before – I just let my certification completely lapse so I have to start over). My masters is in Sports Medicine – unfortunately that was almost 20 years ago and I’ve used very little of that information in the past 15+ years.  I spent hours  studying yesterday and will do the same again today but there is so much to learn and remember!!

I try not to get stressed about things but sometimes – WHEW!!!  Last night I didn’t think I would ever fall asleep – I kept thinking and thinking and thinking…  I figured a good hard run would help clear my head (so I can muddle it again in a few minutes!).

How do you cope with stress?

Happy Wednesday!  (I’m off to study!)

Kim