Biceps, Fitness, Running, Shoulders, Treadmill, Triceps

Back to Work!!! (5/18-5/24)

May 24, 2014 Kim 30 Comments

This week has been all about getting back into a solid workout groove. For the past couple of months I sort of let my weight training and cross training take a back seat to running. Even though I plan to keep logging lots of miles, I need to add in the other work again!!!

Sunday 5/18 – 44 shoulder burners!! This move was a front raise, flip arms over and do a bicep curl with arms out in front (and up), shoulder press, then reverse each step for 1 rep – oh, and I stood on my wobble balls just to increase the FUN!!!

flip arms over - palms up — flip arms over – palms up

Not gonna lie – my shoulders were dying by the time I finished all 44 of these!!!! (and I only used 5 pound dumbbells)

I did a DVD that I haven’t done in a long time – Jackie Warner X-Treme Crunch Free Abs. This is just over 30 minutes of serious ab/core work. The first half is all done standing and the 2nd half is on the ground. About midnight Sunday night I could really feel all of those moves!!!

I also did a treadmill run. Lately I haven’t even tried to push my pace much and I’m still going to focus on running more miles at an easy pace but every once in awhile I need to pick it up.

5 miles – 35:27 + 1 easy mile to cool down (all at 1.5% incline)

Monday 5/19 – 44 step-ups with a bicep curl.

Push off foot on step to lift up and curl at the same time.

After I did 44 on this side I had to switch sides – a total of 88 bicep curls!!! (the main reason I stuck with 8 pound dumbbells!)

ready (not sure what I'm doing with the weights!) — ready (not sure what I’m doing with the weights!)

The nice thing about this move was that it got my heart rate up besides working my biceps, butt and quads!!!

I did one of my favorite workouts – Les Mills Combat – Extreme Cardio Fighter. 60 minutes of kicking and punching at a fairly high intensity!!! Love it!

Tuesday 5/20 – 44 fall backs with medicine ball.

This move was HARD!!! It is great for your core and also for your quads.

The rest of the workout was 10 Minute Solutions – Hot Body Boot Camp. Not gonna lie, of the 5 10 minute sections my favorite this time was the stretching!!! I think I was dragging a little!!!

Wednesday 5/21 – 44 waving triceps while standing on wobble balls.

Trying to stay balanced on the wobble balls and keeping my arms extended the entire time turned this into a great challenge!!! (8 pound dumbbells)

This was a running day – 10 miles in 78:43 plus 1.2 easy miles.

Thursday 5/22 – 44 pull-overs while on a stability ball. This move was from Nellie (Brooklyn Active Mama) and her weekly Wednesday workout.

I’m not sure I dropped my arms as far as you are supposed to but I was trying to keep my form good and not bend my arms – lots of muscles involved here!!! (1 12 pound dumbbell)

I wanted to do something a little easier so I did The Biggest Loser – Weight Loss Yoga. Ummm….there was very little easy about the workout. Bob Harper knows his stuff and after 50 minutes of yoga I felt like I had worked out for sure!!!

Friday 5/23 – 44 triceps kickbacks while in chair.

I know that I should have been lower in “chair” but my quads were burning!!! (8 pound dumbbells)

It was another run day and I decided to make it a bit of a harder pace because lately I feel like I’ve been running slower most of the time.

8 miles (1.5% incline) in 53:27 + 2.4 easy miles. I try not to run hard too often anymore (I used to do it every single run – part of why I was injured more than not) but it was nice to push the pace. (6:41 average)

Saturday 5/24 – 44 leg lifts with a medicine ball between my lower legs.

Yikes – that move was hard!!! The medicine ball I used was 8 pounds and I told Chris that the hardest part was the ball hurt my ankle bones!!! Even with the whining, I still did another set of 44!!!

Hunter and I are supposed to be out running right now – his final long run but it is raining and I’m not a diehard!!! I have zero desire to be soaking wet for over an hour and a half!! We will run later or even in the next day or two – we have some flexibility since he is going to run quite a bit this week before scaling back for the final week before his race!

This week wasn’t a high mileage week for me but it felt good to get in a few runs again. I’m ready to focus on a new goal and plan to keep my miles up while getting in more strength work again!!!

Happy Saturday!!

Kim

Uncategorized

School’s Out for the Summer!!

May 22, 2014 Kim 75 Comments

It’s officially summer break here!!!

I’m thankful that the boys actually like and enjoy school but we are all definitely ready for summer vacation!!

This summer we don’t have any big trips planned (hello new business!!!) but we will probably do some little trips and we will enjoy the time to just be less structured!!!

There will be plenty of swimming –

Lots of boat rides –

Plenty of happy hours on the deck with friends –

Time to just relax and hang out with the boys –

Look how little those boys are!!

Summer is my favorite – it makes me happy in every way no matter what we do!!! And even though Jordan always corrects me and tells me that summer doesn’t officially start until June 21, I say it starts as soon as school is over for the year!!!

Time to get my toes in the water!!!!

When does summer start for you?
Is there a certain event that “kicks it off?”

Happy Friday!!

Kim

Fitness, Running

You Know You’re a Runner When________________

May 21, 2014 Kim 99 Comments

I can’t even tell you how very happy I am that both of my boys are so into running these days!!!

Just in the past week, both boys have experienced some “runner” firsts!!

Jordan gets off the bus every day after school (his last few days as a bus rider since next year he will be driving!!!) and runs in the house just long enough to through his backpack down before he takes off running. His whole goal is to pass the bus. (I’m pretty sure there is a girl involved but he says “no” so….)

Anyway, he has been running every day. On the weekends he likes to sleep till noon or so (don’t get me started on my thoughts there!!!) and then about mid afternoon go for a run.

The other day he was complaining about his toe hurting and I looked at it –

skip the long toenail (he has issues!!!) - check out the black! — skip the long toenail (he has issues!!!) – check out the black!

I told him that he was going to lose that toenail!! He sort of freaked and then asked why?

I explained that it is common and happens to all runners (except in almost 30 years of running I’ve never lost one – hmmm…….maybe I’m not really a runner!).

And, Hunter, who is training for his first half marathon in just over 2 weeks had a first on Saturday.

The picture was actually from 2 weeks ago but I don’t always take pictures after we run.

Anyway, Saturday, we had a long run on tap and decided to run to the high school instead of doing our normal 2 mile loop over and over. I had my new water belt (1 water bottle for me and 1 bottle full of Powerade for Hunter) so we were set.

We got to the high school (the furthest point from home – over 5 miles out) and Hunter said, “I have to go to the bathroom.”

I was praying he meant he had to pee – NOPE!!! He was experiencing his first case of runners GI distress.

So, we walked for a bit and tried to come up with a solution. (FYI – I didn’t even have my phone in my belt cause I’m stupid!!!)

After a mile we were close to a friend’s (actually more of an acquaintance) house and I told Hunter that we could detour and see if she was home so he could use the restroom. She was. He did. All good!!!

We finished our run afterwards and ended up with a total of 11 miles for the morning (his record!!).

So, how would you finish the sentence “You know you’re a runner when……..”

Happy Wednesday!

Kim

Uncategorized

The Truth about Blogging

May 19, 2014 Kim 146 Comments

Sometimes people find out I have a blog (actually 2 but one is for my business and isn’t as much fun:) and they kind of give me a look that says – whatever!!!

I don’t blog for money – GOOD THING!!!!

I don’t blog for stats!

What I didn’t know when I started blogging was that I would “meet” some of the most incredible people that I’ve ever known. At this point, I can’t imagine not spending part of every week (sometimes every day) with these amazing people.

Really, it isn’t just the blogs, it is the people behind the blogs that makes my heart happy!!

I have learned that this little space on the internet where I share random stuff, my fitness life and running career, family overload and various personal information is an outlet and a place where I can be 100% me for better or worse!!! There are lots of great days and then some days that are just OK. Every once in awhile there is a day that completely sucks.

On those down days I have seen so much support from many friends who I haven’t met in person (YET) but they still take the time to reach out in numerous ways. (I’m not going to list specific people here because there are so many – I need an entire post to thank everyone!!!)

There are people who think that you can’t be friends with someone that you only know online but I 100% disagree!

I don’t have the words to begin to describe what my online friends mean. I said something to Chris and he even said, “They are great friends.” Plain and simple and exactly right!!!!

Hopefully I will be able to meet more and more of these incredible ladies (and a couple of guys) but even just continuing to know them this way is incredible!!!

For some reason this has been really hard for me to try and get my thoughts and feelings down in a way that makes sense. The bottom line is I appreciate, respect and love my blogging friends!!!

Happy Monday!!!

Kim

When you started blogging, did you know that you would end up with so many wonderful friends?

Core, Fitness, Recovery

Recovery Week (5/11 – 5/17)

May 17, 2014 Kim 50 Comments

This week has been all about recovering and resting. I have continued my daily 44s though!!!

Sunday 5/11 – 44 standing leg swings.

I actually did this move in my normal clothes since it is just a nice easy stretch!!! And, of course, if I do something with my right leg then my left leg has to follow along!

This was a great way to stretch out my achy hip flexors!

Monday 5/12 – 44 hip circles.

This move might look sort of goofy but it really was a nice hamstring/low back stretch and release!! And, I did 44 each direction.

Since I had to get up at 4:00 am on Monday to go clean and set-up our venue for a day (actually week) of meetings, I did this move early and then did a few more on Tuesday morning when Hunter could record me.

Tuesday 5/13 – 44 leg abduction with butt on foam roller.

Another great stretch for hips!!!

Wednesday 5/14 – 44 windmills – I went old school with this move!!!

I think that sometimes we forget how great these stretching moves really are – at least I do. I don’t always take the time to do them but this week they have been awesome!!!

I thought about doing a little easy run today but decided to give it another day or two – between my hips and my mouth (root canal on Tuesday) it was easy to continue the week of relaxing.

Thursday 5/15 – 44 froggy squat with extension. This move I took from the gorgeous Lindsay @ Cotter Crunch – she always has some fantastic moves, workouts, gluten free tips and inspiration.

up - the nice part! — up – the nice part!

Still resting but it was another day full of cleaning the venue – mopping and everything!!!

Friday 5/16 – 44 tuck and roll to work the abs.

About halfway through all 44 I was really feeling this – in my core and my hip flexors!!!

Saturday 5/17 – 44 side plank with leg raise.

Not gonna lie – after a week off this move was a challenge!!! And, you know I couldn’t stop after the first set of 44!

I’ve found that it helps if you look like a bright candy cane when you work out – strips are always good!!!

Actually, Hunter and I are fixing to get in his long run for the week. I hope it goes OK. This will be my first run (or any type of workout) in a week – record number of days off because I knew it was necessary. I think we are running for about an hour and 40 minutes so it should be fun!!!

Yesterday when I was reading blogs, my sweet friend Biz @ My Bizzy Kitchen had the nicest shout-out to me and sent lots of readers my way. Her words brought me to tears.

And, I have to thank Carly @ Fine Fit Day and so many of my bloggy friends for the overwhelming words of kindness that I woke up to this morning. The tweets, FB shares….all of it completely humbled me and left me without many words other than,

THANK YOU!! I feel honored to call each of you FRIEND!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Day With KT

Monthly Archives: May 2014

Back to Work!!! (5/18-5/24)

School’s Out for the Summer!!

You Know You’re a Runner When________________

The Truth about Blogging

Recovery Week (5/11 – 5/17)

Fitness – Food – Fun