All posts by Kim

I am a 44 year old wife, mom and athlete. I started running in high school and have loved it ever since. As I got older, I had to stop running every day so I added in weight training and all sorts of fun work-outs like Insanity, P90X and Turbo Fire. I'm a certified personal trainer and I love all aspects of fitness.

Core, Fitness, Plank, Quad

Keeping Cool

July 17, 2013 Kim 35 Comments

Today’s 43 was a knee lift to a pivot lunge. I like moves like this that are good strengthening moves but also really challenge my balance!

To do the move: lift your right knee – pivot to the back corner – lunge – push off of the lunging foot – pivot back to front – tap toe and repeat (x 43). And, then because no one wants to be lopsided – switch and do the same on with the left leg.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNOvH9owfaY’]

You can pretty much do whatever you want to with your arms – you can see that mine just sort of flail around trying to help me keep my balance!

6 am Boot Camp was the ABC workout again – even though we just did this last week, most of my group was on vacation and missed it so I brought it back today!!! Plus, I like this one!!! It was sort-of rough just because the humidity is out of control so breathing was hard for everyone.

I also did my 2nd round of Taylor’s challenge!! I didn’t collapse onto the floor during it or even after but I wanted to! The whole workout only takes about 30 minutes but it is intense and AWESOME!!!

I’m sure that my next line won’t make me popular but I’m cool with that – I LOVE THE HEAT OF SUMMER!!! I’m one of those people that ~~might~~ complains a ~~little~~ lot during the winter about the cold. And if it snows and ices – don’t get me started!!! But during the summer, I’m completely in my element and happy!!!

However, not everyone shares my point of view!! The boys and I spend lots of time at the swim beach and different pools. This summer they have also spent a lot of time outside playing basketball. During the afternoons they have to sort-of limit how long at a time they can be outside.

Unless…….

there is water involved!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCNHIak4aSs’]

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDmjgDSwLs8′]

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbJ1RjY95q8′]

We are classy for sure!!! But the main thing is – 3 hours of basketball, running around and the dry grass got some water without anyone suffering heat stroke!!

I sat in the shade and read blogs, took pictures and enjoyed being outside even though I was sweating because there was zero breeze – a perfect afternoon in our world!!!

Happy Wednesday!!!

Kim

Biceps, Fitness, Shoulders, Thighs

Are You a Good Sport?

July 16, 2013 Kim 63 Comments

Today’s 43 was my favorite kind because it was a combo move!!! I did a bicep curl to a shoulder press while staying in a plie position.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng54QgexHDs’]

I love to incorporate lots of muscle groups into one exercise!!! I used 10 pound dumbbells and that was plenty by the time I reached 43.

I decided to pull out one of my 10 Minute Solution DVDs – Ultimate Boot Camp. I did all 5 sections for a great total body workout!!

Yesterday afternoon the boys and I played Monopoly. I love to play board games and the boys have grown up playing games – now that they are older I’m the one asking them to play usually!! (Hunter asked to play yesterday!!!) Jordan ended up dominating the game and Hunter was the first one out – he started getting more and more cranky when he realized that he was fixing to be bankrupt!

From the time the boys were really young (like 3), we have played games. Countless games of
and I was really happy when we moved on to other more exciting games and activities!!

But, from the very beginning – I played the game to win, not to let them win. Chris always said that was mean but I disagree. When we played (even at that young age) – the winner had to say “good game” to everyone else and the loser(s) had to be a good sport.

I felt like it was important for my boys to learn early on that competition is part of life and a good thing but being a good sport is also very important.

I’m not gonna lie – this has been a really hard thing for me to teach because I’m ~~sort-of~~ over the top competitive. That whole saying Yep – that’s me!!!

However, I try really hard to be a good sport and show my boys how to be a good sport.

At the same time, I think that competition is good for us and I have always competed at whatever I do. From early on when I took the boys to play Putt-Putt Golf, we kept score. One day Hunter said – “we like to play with Dad, he doesn’t keep score.” What?! What’s the point? How do you know who the winner is?!

When Jordan was a 1st grader he came home from school one day and said –
If you had fun you won.

I about fell over!! Where did you learn that? It was posted in the gym at school. Oh!!! I don’t necessarily say that myself but I’m trying to at least think it on occasion!!!

So, clearly, as I try to help my boys learn to be good sports, I’m also working on making sure that I’m a good sport!

Are you super competitive? Does that make it hard for you to be a good sport?

Happy Tuesday!!

Kim

Butt, Cardio, Core, Fitness, Shoulders

Is it about the Journey or the end Destination?

July 15, 2013 Kim 38 Comments

Today’s 43 was the move that I used for G in my ABC Boot Camp – Groaners!!! I think that this move is really called a thruster but I changed the name to make it work for my letters (and there was a bit of groaning involved!!).

Start in plank – jump feet in to hands out wide – jump back to plank.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRU37_50b0c’]

I think the jumping involved in this 43 helped work out some of the residual soreness from my long run the other day!!

Today was 6 am Boot Camp and it was pretty tough!!! We did 3 mini pyramids (I had 4 planned but I didn’t want to go over the 45 minutes!!). Even though I made it up, I’m sort-of dreading repeating it tomorrow at the beach – well, not really but I know that I will be feeling it!!

I’m also participating in a fitness challenge with Taylor @ Lifting Revolution. I don’t do many challenges but I like the way this one is structured – 6 weeks, 6 different workouts (1 per week to be done 3x), a couple of new recipes – it fits in perfectly with the way I like to work out!! Today was the first day and this week’s workout is challenging!! It only took about 30 minutes or so to complete the whole thing but it was intense. I still have 2 more times to repeat it this week – can’t wait!!!

So, what do you think – journey or destination? I think that it varies at different points in life. I know that if you look at all of the inspirational quotes they all say the same thing –

However, I think that there are some times that the destination is the best part!!! Especially when the journey involves thisfor this amount of time and miles!!!But the destination is so worth it when it iswhich means lots of time enjoying my favorite happy place!!

I’m not gonna lie – I am not the most fun person to travel with!! I just want to get there!!! Stops are short, infrequent and only when necessary!!! I’m not one of those people that likes to detour and check out all the sites on the way. I’ve tried to be more like that when traveling and all it does is make me grit my teeth – I just want to keep trucking along until we are at the final destination!!!

Now, there are lots of other areas of life that I’m all about the journey!I think my fitness journey is kind of like the above quote – it’s a journey that will never end because I want to continue to try and improve my fitness level every single day!!

The same could be said about my role as both a wife and a mother – it’s about enjoying the journey!!I like the above quote – because I think that in many areas it is true – the journey is the destination and it should be enjoyed and treasured at every little stop. It’s not about rushing through to get to the end but stopping frequently along the way!!! (as long as we aren’t talking about a mega long car trip!!!)

What do you think – journey or destination?
Long car trips – stop and sight see or just get there?

Happy Monday!

Kim

Biceps, Core, Fitness

Happiness Is…

July 14, 2013 Kim 24 Comments

Today’s 43 was a bicep curl while in a V-sit. (I know that I’ve had a few 43s in a row that work my abs/core but that is because I’m resting my legs!!!)

I tried to hold my entire body still except my arms from the elbow down. Because of the core work involved here – I only used 8 pound dumbbells – I was afraid if I went heavier that I would start swinging my arms and end up hurting something like my back!!

I liked this move since I got some upper body work, core work and even my hip flexors got a little work while I held my legs up.

And, as hard as it is for me to take days off from working out, I’m giving myself another day off today. I know that after running 31 miles on Friday my body needs it!! Of course, I have Jordan who keeps saying – it would have been more impressive if you had done Insanity on the day you ran 5 hours! Today he is giving me grief for not doing Insanity or “at least do some Tae-Bo!” Silly boy!!!

When I was in 2nd grade, we had a big music production at my school and I actually had a solo (crazy since I can’t really sing!). I was Snoopy and sang the song Happiness Is. There is one section of the song that I have always remembered:

Happiness is morning and evening,
Daytime and nighttime, too.
For happiness is anyone and anything at all
That’s loved by you!

So much truth to those last 2 lines – happiness can be anything!!!

Family

Locations

Hawaii - this was several years ago — Hawaii – this was several years ago

Having friends over – for dinner, drinks or just to sit and visit!! No pictures – I try not to put pictures of people on here unless I have asked if they mind (which I always forget to do!!).

Shoes – I know it’s materialistic but I LOVE shoes!! All types of shoes!! And shoes in a well organized closet = pure happiness!!!

One day Chris said my closet looked like a shoe store – NICE!!!

Books and Reading – I’ve mentioned my cookbook obsession before, but I also love to read. Having a Nook makes me HAPPY!! So many books all in one little spot!!!

Wine – I love a glass of wine or other cocktail!!!

Music – music and happiness are a perfect pair!!

Reality TV – pure entertainment!!!

Running and working out!!!

There are so many things that make me happy – some big and some little – but like the song says – happiness is anyone and anything at all that’s loved by you!!!

What makes you happy?

Happy Sunday!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Running, Treadmill

A Successful 5 Hour Run – Getting Ready for 50 Miles!!!

July 13, 2013 Kim 27 Comments

Today’s 43 was fairly simple – BECAUSE THERE ISN’T A SINGLE PART OF MY BODY THAT ISN’T SORE!!!

I did V-situps on a bench!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kincmq0mXBw’]

This was about all I could manage today but I’m happy that I still got in a daily 43!!

And -REST DAY!!!

Yesterday was my 300th day of consecutive 43s and blogging so I did a 300 minute (5 hour) run to celebrate!!!

These long runs have a dual purpose – they are a nice way to mark some of the big days in my journey this year but they are also training runs for my 50-mile race in October!!!

right after I finished - sweaty mess!! — right after I finished – sweaty mess!!

Day 250, I didn’t have a successful run – partly because I was a bit over ambitious with my goal! For yesterday’s 300 minute run, I went into it with no other goal than to complete the time. I didn’t set any type of mile goal and I told myself in advance that walking was perfectly acceptable!!!

I started off with the treadmill set at 6.5mph (9:13 pace) and left it there for the first 3 hours. The last 2 hours I still kept that pace for my running portions but I started alternating run/walks. I figure that I need to get my legs used to going back and forth between running and walking because I know that 50 miles on trails, roads, fields will require some walking!!

Overall, I was happy with my 300 minutes yesterday – 31 miles total – and…..I achieved my goal!!!

I looked like this pretty much immediately after!

Funny that my sports bra looks like a completely different color – sweat!!! Jordan said – “you better get up you’re going to be sore.” I don’t think he realized I was way past that point – the soreness was already there!!Can you see my blister? I had this by the end of the 2nd hour!!!

What is the longest time/distance you have done on a treadmill, or just in general?

My longest consecutive treadmill run was 42 miles (when I turned 42) in about 7.5 hours. Hopefully after September 16, that will become 44 miles!!! My longest run over 2 days – 60 miles.

Happy Saturday!!

Kim

Day With KT