Tag Archives: treadmill

Monday Morning Blues

For my 43 today, I took a move that works your butt and by using my BOSU like this

upside down for a twist
upside down for a twist

turned into a true challenge!!!  Trying to stay balanced really amped up the difficulty level!

I did a “hydrant” kick. Start on all 4s:

balance....steady
balance….steady

Push one leg straight up with a 90 degree bend in your knee.

lift & flex
lift & flex

From this lovely position, move your leg across your other leg and touch the knee to the floor.

reach over & lower!
reach over & lower!

Return to 90, drop the knee straight down and repeat until you reach desired # of reps – 43 for me.  Of course, I can’t walk around unbalanced (any more than I already am!) so I did a second set of 43 with my other leg.  My butt was burning and my core got a great work-out!!!

Today was another day of  Les Mills Combat – Combat 30.  Since it was a short work-out (30 minutes) I decided to do more today.  So I ran!!!

For some reason after I dropped both boys off at school this morning, I was in a bit of a funk.  Not sure why – we had a great weekend, enjoyed the game with friends last night (and I didn’t care about the outcome) – just a bit blue…Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 10.24.10 AM

So, I did what any blue frog would do – RUN!!!

I decided to really push myself and see how far I could run in 43:00 minutes.  I set the incline to 1.5%, started at an 8:00 minute pace (7.5)  and increased  0.1 every 45 seconds.  Outcome:  43:00 minutes = 7.3 miles!!!  (sub 6:00 pace overall).

I think I outran my funk!!!  (or I’m just too tired to know any different!!)

Now, since I put off grocery shopping and other errand running over the weekend, I’m fixing to head to the dreaded Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 10.28.53 AM

Good times for sure!!!

Happy Monday  (hope you aren’t fighting off the blues, too)!!!

Kim

4th day of February = 4x 1 minute wall sits – DONE!!!

Wednesday – Take 2

Another day, another 43!!!  Today I used a stability ball and did leg circles.  Don’t be fooled into thinking this was a fluff move – it was NOT!!!

Leg CirclesI did 43 front circles and then 43 back circles with the same leg.  My hip was dying!!!!   After a quick stretch, I switched sides and repeated 2 sets of 43.

don't let the smile fool you - this hurt!
don’t let the smile fool you – this hurt!

I sort-of played around with my foot position and found that when I flexed my foot it really increased the burn in my hip/thigh – WooHoo!!!

After the 43 today I had to spend about 3 minutes stretching out my hips before I could move on to my work-out!  Running day!!!!  (Treadmill because it was 5:30am, dark, cold and snowy!)

I did 9 miles in 58:50 at a 1.5% incline.  Then I did 2 more miles at an easy pace to cool down.  The running is feeling good – my hip feels pretty good.  My left achilles is very sore but I have had problems with it for years and starting back into hard running again I sort of except it to hurt.  Lots of stretching!!!

Monday it was 75 degrees and sunny and gorgeous.  Today it is 20 something, dreary and looks like thisSnowSnowCrazy how different the weather can be in such a short amount of time!!!

I guess I was a day ahead of myself yesterday morning when I wrote my blog – I ended with “Happy Wednesday!”  Oops – I don’t know why I felt the need to skip Tuesday – usually a pretty good day – oh, well. Today will be a do-over Wednesday!!!

I know that we aren’t the healthiest eaters around – we do pretty good but we also like pasta, lots of meat, bread, probably don’t always get enough veggies.  But fruit…..I like to have it daily:

Screen shot 2013-01-30 at 8.27.25 AM

 

OK – that might be a tad extreme since I actually still eat (meat and carbs!!!) but it made me laugh!!!

Happy Wednesday!

Kim

 

Warm or Cold?

Today I decided to come up with another circuit-type 43.  This one was great because it had some toning combined with cardio moves to target the same areas – BONUS!!!

I did the following circuit:Screen shot 2013-01-24 at 10.53.08 AM

I liked it a lot – got my heart rate way up and took about 15  minutes to do all 43 reps. (I didn’t set my timer.)

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-K_ByqVuJg’]

Today is a true example of what a total dork I am – I could tell that my arms were off during the ski run.  Who cares???  Just make big movements with your arms to get your heart pumping – the goofier the better!!!

After my 43 I ran.  I truly planned to run outside this morning but the temp on my car said 11  when I took Hunter to school.   Ummmm….no way – please don’t make me go out there!!  Treadmill – here I come!!!

I did 10 miles at a fairly steady pace with a 1.5 % incline.   Time – 72:49 (only let the last 2 miles drop under 7:00)

I actually felt really good running today.  I tried out some new shoes that I got last week on my Dick’s shopping adventure – the Brooks PureFlow 2.

check out the cool color!
check out the cool color!

I like them OK – not sure I like them as much as my Mizunos!   I do love the color though!!!

Warm or Cold – so many choices!

  • Left-over pizza – I like it either way
  • Apple crisp – Warm!!!
  • Wine – Cold!!
  • Baths – HOT
  • Weather – the warmer the better!!!

I know that there are many people who like weather like this:Screen shot 2013-01-24 at 11.07.38 AMBut my happy spot looks more like this:Screen shot 2013-01-24 at 11.10.36 AM

What about you – Warm or Cold??

Happy Thursday!

Screen shot 2013-01-22 at 2.47.12 PMKim

By the way, the answers to yesterday’s trivia challenge:

  1. the Beattles
  2. in the bones
  3. a mile

 

Unlimited Potential

Today for the  43 I used my BOSU again!!!

BOSU
BOSU

Today I used it for cardio, balance and toning all at the same time!!!  I started by standing behind the dome, jumped onto it and squatted, jumped off the sides (straddle) into a squat, jumped back on and squatted then stepped off the back for 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFsT5a6WHyk’]

The demo is painful (I could not get my balance!!).  I found during my actual 43 that if I kept my center of gravity lower (basically stayed in a partial squat) during the jumps, it was easier to stay balanced and do the squats.  I enjoyed this 43!!!

I also did Les Mills Combat – Power HIIT.  I’m not gonna lie – that work-out seems harder every time I do it!!!  Maybe because I know all the exercises and can really push hard the entire 30 minutes.  It has things like power press x 20 (which is actually 60 squats with shoulder presses) and I used 15 pound dumbbells for those today!!  Burpees with push-ups and up into 2 tuck jumps x about a million!  Fun stuff!!!

I wanted to really push myself (I think a couple of lazy days helped me kick my tiny illness and now I’m ready to go hard again!!!) so I decided to hop on my treadmill after the HIIT.  (15 degrees outside is way too cold for me to attempt an outdoor run!!!)

4 miles at 1.5 % incline   25:19    (+ an easy 2 total time 48:45)

  1. 7:48
  2. 6:32
  3. 5:46
  4. 5:13

It was hard but it felt good to push like that after my pathetic attempt outside the other day.  Hopefully it will warm up and I will get back out on the road again this week!!!

Last night on the Biggest Loser, the contestants ran a 5K.  Because I am a complete geek – I actually clapped for each of them as they crossed the finish line!!!  I love it when they (or anyone for that matter) really dig deep and push themselves to do something they thought was completely impossible!!!

Screen shot 2013-01-22 at 10.32.03 AM

I think we all have unlimited potential – we just have to dig deep to find it and then push ourselves to reach it!!!

This guy has the right idea:Screen shot 2013-01-21 at 5.44.41 PM

Yesterday was a big day for Hunter!!!

Hunter before braces - nice pic!
Hunter before braces – nice pic!
Hunter after braces
Hunter after braces

This morning he told me he is already ready to have them off.  Ummm…..soon (like 1.5-2 years!!!).  I think they make him look even older than he really is.

Happy Tuesday!!!

Kim

 

Lessons Learned on my Run Around the Lake

Today for my 43 I did a power move!  Super fun (and hard)!  This past week, Cranky Fitness and Fitknitchick both had posts about the benefits of power moves.  I love power moves but probably don’t do them as often as I should.

So, today I used my 14″ step to do box jumps.  I jumped up onto the step and then

14" double step (the Transfirmer)
14″ double step (the Transfirmer)

stepped off.  I did all 43 quickly so I could get my heart rate up (soaring!!).

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhgwmIgWnSU’]

I’m really trying to be smart as I start running again.  I decided that as much as I love my treadmill and running on it, I have a tendency to run too hard on it.Treadmill

I think the reason I never get bored on it is because I constantly play little games with the time and speed.  When I try and just set an easy pace to run – I get BORED.  The other day I decided that much as I hate running outside in the cold, I would try it.

Good news?  I got to go shopping for some winter running gear!!!Screen shot 2013-01-18 at 7.32.28 AM

Had a very successful trip!  Plus, I got an armband for my iPhone 5 so I could have some music!!!  All set!  This morning after my 43 and downing about 32oz of water I headed out.  A quick stretch:

stretching my calves/achillesAgain with the pissed-off look (blame it on the sun in my eyes!)
stretching my calves/achilles
Again with the pissed-off look (blame it on the sun in my eyes!)
here I go...
here I go…

And I’m off.  The route I like around the lake (which I haven’t run since summer – thanks hip!) is just over 5.5 miles.  I started my watch because I’m anal and even when I’m not planning to run hard I have to know my time!  Here are a few of the things I learned today:

  1. HILLS SUCK!!!  (my 1.5 incline is not the same as the hills around the lake!)
  2. My breathing is off (and loud!)
  3. It is hard to sing while running – plus I probably looked and sounded like a complete dork (Oh, well – normal!)
  4. The sand on the streets (from the last snow) is slippery!!!
  5. The sand when going downhill is dangerous!!!  (thankfully no falls – would have been very unhappy to get a rip in my new gear!!!)
  6. I walked 2x for a total of 7 minutes and I’m going to be fine with that today!
  7. I’m an idiot and was running sub-8 minute pace (explains the breathing and walking bit) – I’m supposed to be taking it easy!!!
  8. If I hadn’t stopped and walked when I did the first time, I would have missed this:
    Amazing!
    Amazing!

    This isn’t actually a picture I took (far too much trouble to get my phone out of the band) but a lady backing out of her driveway stopped and pointed out a bald eagle sitting on the lake!  It was so very awesome!  I wish it would have flown so I could see the wing-span but neat to see it sitting, too!

  9. My little gloves are perfect for the constant running of my nose caused by the cold.
  10. The sweat from running makes you really cold when you finish the run and walk an easy cool-down.
  11. I’m going to continue to run outside (even in the winter) but unlike some of the true die-hard winter runners it has to be at least 32 for me!  (I’m a wimp and totally OK with that!!!)
  12. Over-all I enjoyed my run around the lake this morning (even though I still love my treadmill!!!).

Happy Saturday!!!

Kim