What Does a Runner Look Like?

August 6, 2013 Kim 51 Comments

Today’s 43 was a throw-back to my track career!!! I did 43 200 meter sprint repeats (@ 6mph) with a 200 meter recovery jog (@ 9:13mph) between each. Not gonna lie – this was hard but reminded me how much I loved track workouts!!!

I started with an easy warm-up of 0.5 miles. The 43 counting the recover jogs was 10.75 miles. I did an easy 0.75 mile cool down to finish for a total of 12:00 miles in 92:50.

My legs are tired but in the best way!!!

What does a runner look like?

Have you ever tried to explain what you think a runner looks like? Truthfully, there have been a couple of times that I have said something about a recent run to someone that I don’t know well and they kind of do the sly “once-over” thing like they are trying to decide if I’m really a runner.

Those little glances sort-of make me stop and think – do I look like a runner when I’m just walking through the grocery store (on the rare occasion when I have on “real” clothes)?

Can you look at a group of people and single one person out as a runner?

I think it is hard to look at a picture like the one above and pick out 1 or 2 as runners! In the picture above we all have on jeans (which we would never wear to run!!!) so is there a give-away? I don’t think there is!!

Do you have to look like the people below to be a runner?

I don’t think so!! Very few people are ever going to fall into the elite runner category but we are still runners!!!

Every single person in the picture above is a runner – because they are RUNNING!!!

Even the little cuties above are runners!!!

So, what does a runner look like? Anyone who laces up a pair of running shoes, puts on their favorite running attire and hits the pavement (or treadmill!) putting one foot in front of the other over and over again is a RUNNER!!!

all runners - different paces & different distances but all runner — all runners – different paces & different distances but all runner

I could list 100s of runners just from all the blogs I read!! Some run marathons, some run 5Ks, some don’t race, some run with their kids, some run every day, some run once a week, some are super speedy, some run a mile at a time, some run hours at a time but all are RUNNERS!!!

Some of the runners I know are as young as 4 some are much older, some are male, some are female, some are short, some are tall – there is no set formula or description of a RUNNER!

The quote above is NOT one I like – because what is a runner’s body? I will never look like one of the Olympic runners but I’m still a RUNNER because I run!!!

If you run, you are a RUNNER!! It doesn’t matter what you look like because all RUNNERS have a great gift in their body!!!

Happy Tuesday and Happy Running!!!

Kim

Fitness, Thighs

Based on a True Story

August 5, 2013 Kim 51 Comments

Today’s 43 was a new to me move and one that I don’t think I will repeat. It is supposed to work your inner thighs but mostly it was just kind of weird and awkward!!

Start on all 4s with your right leg between your left hand and left knee –

From the start position, lift your right leg (it’s a really small lift!) and lower it (x43).

And, of course, I had to switch sides and do the whole thing again!!

It is hard to tell in the pictures how high the lift is – it is only about 2 inches. Amazing how very heavy your leg can feel when you do an awkward lift like this!!

I decided that I haven’t been getting enough weight work in lately so I’m going to start Chalean Extreme back up!! Today I did Burn Circuit 1 – lots of lunges, oblique work and lat work!! I have a feeling that I will be a little sore tomorrow – not a problem since my chest is still sore from the commando push-ups I did last week!!

And, since it’s Monday, we started a new workout of the week with Taylor’s challenge. This week’s workout is a Tabata one (love it!!) – 4 different Tabatas plus a finale of 2 minutes worth of planks!

My favorite movies are the ones based on a true story (usually about a sports team or sports hero)!

Over the weekend we finally watched 42 – The Jackie Robinson Story. I loved it!! There were so many great lines in the movie. One of my favorite lines was when PeeWee said, “Maybe tomorrow we’ll all wear #42, that way they can’t tell us apart.” Sadly, it took awhile for some of Jackie’s teammates to come around and accept him but there were some truly great moments in the story when they did!

Another one of my all time favorite movies is Miracle! We have probably watched that movie 20 times (or more!).

I love the part in the movie where the team has to take the ice right after a game (because they weren’t focused during the game!) and start skating and skating and skating…. My favorite line is when Eruzione says –

“Mike Eruzione! Winthrop, Massachusetts! I play for the United States of America!”

Classic line!!! And, I sometimes remind myself when I’m logging lots of miles on my treadmill, “the legs feed the wolf!”

Another family favorite is Remember the Titans. I think that we watch at least part of it every time it comes on TV (which is probably at least once every couple of weeks!). There are so many great quotes and scenes from this movie but I think my favorite is the relationship that developed between Julius and Gary.When Gary is in the hospital and tells the nurse that Julius is his brother (can’t you see the family resemblance?) – I always get goose bumps!

And the team warm-up is awesome!!

Rudy is another movie that just makes you feel good! A story showing the ultimate success of a true underdog with an amazing attitude!!I could go on and on with movies based on true stories that I love. I find them so inspiring and I like movies that we can watch and enjoy as a family!!!

* 8 Seconds
* Prefontaine
* October Sky (not sports but an incredible story!)
* A League of Their Own – “There’s no crying in baseball!”
* Radio
* Friday Night Lights (my old stomping grounds during my high school years!!)
* Cinderella Man
* Glory Road
* The Blind Side
* Secretariat
* Soul Surfer

Do you like movies based on a true story? What is your favorite?

Happy Monday!!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Thighs

Early, On Time, Late – Which Are You?

August 4, 2013 Kim 35 Comments

Today I used a stability ball again for my 43 –

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 –

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

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!!!

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.

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!!!

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

Biceps, Butt, Core, Fitness, Quad, Shoulders

Jordan

August 3, 2013 Kim 31 Comments

Today for my 43 I did a move that worked my entire body!! I used my stability ball and a pair of 12 pound dumbbells and did a squat with a bicep curl to a shoulder press. Here are the steps:

From the starting position, the right leg will squat while the left leg pushes the ball out to the side.

Stand while pulling left leg back in to body – curl weights and press overhead.

By adding the side leg movement, I was able to get my heart rate up while working on my balance (always good for the core!).

Of course, I couldn’t let my left leg be left out!!!

2 sets of 43 – my shoulders were on fire by the time I finished all those presses!!!

Today was the 3rd and final day of the “Stronger by the Minute” workout this week. I’m enjoying this little 6 week challenge series with Taylor because the idea of repeating the same workout 3 times in a week and trying to improve each time is right up my alley!! I love the self-competition!!!

From the first time completing this week’s workout until today, I improved each time on all 3 circuits – 2 of the circuits I was able to improve by over a full round!!!

The third circuit consists of 4 different burpees (all HARD), with 5 reps of each – as many rounds as possible in 6 minutes. 6 minutes doesn’t seem like much until you spend the entire 6 minutes doing burpees!!!! Today I did 56 burpees in that time!!!

Most of the time when you see Jordan, you see his great smile!!!

My firstborn is fixing to be in high school (and he can drive!) and I could not be more proud of him!!! He is a young man who truly cares about everyone around him!!

Things like school talent shows cause him stress because he feels bad for the kids who perform that really aren’t that good. While his buddies or other kids in the audience are snickering he totally empathizes with the person on stage!! He is the same way when we watch any of the singing/talent shows at home – instead of laughing, he feels bad for them!

He goes out of his way to make sure that everyone around him is happy or content. If there are limited chairs somewhere, he is usually the first to offer his chair. When his friends are trying to decide what to do he is content to let them decide – he is agreeable to just about anything.

Even though he isn’t the guy trying to have his way all the time, he is very much his own person. If you know Jordan personally (or have read my blog for awhile) you know that Jordan wears all white every day!! His standard “uniform” consists of white Nike shorts and white Nike T-shirt (plus white Nikes). I just restocked (in a bigger size) his white wardrobe for next year – took numerous stores and some driving but well worth the time!!! I love the fact that he is unique and content to be different!!!

This summer, Jordan has pretty much taken over cleaning up after every meal. Not because we told him he has to – he just likes it!!! Pretty amazing!

I know that I’m a little biased but I think that Jordan is an incredible young man!! It is truly one of the biggest joys of my life to watch him grow up. I know these next 4 years are going to fly by and I intend to treasure every minute that I can with my sweet boy!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Quad, Squats

Real Life vs Vacation Life

August 2, 2013 Kim

I’m being featured over at Jennifer’s blog Wine to Weightlifting today!!! She has a really great blog and does Friday spotlights – check it out if you get a chance!!

Today for my 43 I did squats with my barbell (20 pounds). Instead of just doing a standard squat, I stayed in the squat position the entire time –

From the squat position, I alternated lifting my right leg and holding it up –

I put my right leg down (staying in a squat position still) and lifted my left leg and held it:

I counted a right leg up and left leg up as one rep – my quads were burning (and I was breathing HARD) by the time I finished all 43.

And, today I did something I rarely do – I repeated yesterday’s workout. I’m trying to get in all 3 rounds of Taylor’s weekly challenge after a late start this week. It was HARD today because I’m so sore from yesterday. Pretty sure the combat push-ups are what did it, or maybe the million burpees, or……

Anyway, even being sore, I was able to get more reps in all 3 circuits today. I hope I can increase again when I do the 3rd round tomorrow!

Yesterday was our first day home in almost 2 weeks and it was non-stop!!! Chris had to work – big drill weekend to get ready for.

I got both boys enrolled for the new school year. It is funny here – we have to enroll on-line and then you go up to the school and go through lines to take care of the rest of it. I now officially have a 7th grader and a freshman!!!