Category Archives: Core

Not Every Race Can Be Your Best!!!

October 3, 2013 Kim 58 Comments

Thanks to Nellie (Brooklyn Active Mama) for another great Thursday 44. Today I did arabesque raises (single leg airplanes!).

I started with my left leg as the balancing leg –

From the start position, I hinged forward and lifted my arms to the sides.

I tried to make the moves very slow and not just fall out of the position. (some times weren’t as successful as others!) After completing 44 with my left leg as the supporting leg, I switched sides.

I decided not to use weights for the second set. Even though I just used 5 pound DBs, I knew that if I tried to do 44 more with them, my form would really suffer.

This was a fun move – balance, core, control, hamstrings, butt, lats – all kinds of work being done!!!

Today we did the 100s Bootcamp. The goal is to do 100 reps of 10 different moves – we did 90 today which is an improvement from the 80 we did last time we did this workout!!! I told the ladies – next time we will get 100!!! (time constraint is part of the problem)

OK – so maybe I’m not talking about horses – but, anyone who runs knows – NOT ALL RUNS ARE GREAT!!! And – NOT EVERY RACE WILL BE YOUR BEST RACE!!!

Hunter learned that lesson the hard way on Tuesday. His final cross country meet of the season and he went in with high expectations of himself. Their coach had them doing sprints for 15 minutes before the race (and it was 90 degrees) – not sure why they did so many but….

The gun went off and Hunter took off – he shot straight to the front. He has never tried that strategy and I was worried (with good reason). There was a point a little before the half-way that we could see the runners again and he was still running strong near the front.

I told him to settle in for a couple minutes and then push hard at the end.

I ran down to a spot about 200m from the finish chute so that I could tell him to go for his final kick. When I saw him I could tell that he was done. Usually when I tell him to pick it up and kick in he really increases his speed. Not this time – he had nothing left.

He was so disappointed at the end!!!

I told him that he tried a new strategy and he just needed to work on it – it’s a fine line between going out too fast and hard and being able to finish strong.

He still ran a consistent time for what he has been running this season but not the race he hoped for and he was completely bummed for the night.

It was a good learning experience – I told him that every single runner has races like that and you have to deal with the disappointment and move on.

One of my worst races ever was the Regional track meet my junior year in high school. I was running the 2 mile which I had won in every race all season. I started off in the lead but went out way too hard – in the end I was 3rd (only the top 2 advanced to the State meet). I was crushed because I knew that if I had run a smart race I could have won and qualified for State.

Thankfully, Hunter is 12 and bounces back quickly!!! Now he is looking forward to wrestling, basketball and track – fun stuff ahead!!!

What was your most disappointing experience (racing or otherwise)?

Happy Thursday!!!

Kim

Chest, Core, Fitness

Monday Morning Musings

September 30, 2013 Kim 62 Comments

Today’s 44 was one of those great combo moves that I love!! I did an alternating arm chest press on a bench with my legs at about 45 degrees (to work my core!).

start - need to lower my legs a bit! — start – need to lower my legs a bit!

I counted a right and a left chest press as 1 rep. This was a good move – my abs were dying by the time I reached 44 reps! (15 pound dumbbells)

I decided that today was a good day for some Turbo Jam – Cardio Party 3. Working out with Chalean and her crew is always a great way to start the day – good workout and some fun at the same time!!!

1. I have spent the past 2 days painting – ALL DAY!! One of the apartments above our new venue has been vacant for a week and I needed to get it ready to rent out again.

I know the pictures aren’t great – chalk it up to being tired!!! The walls were very dingy and mismatched before. Now they are all a nice tan color (very rich looking!!) except the bathroom which I painted white because it is so small. I don’t know if you can tell from the before shot but it was 2 shades of green (even the ceiling was painted!).

2. While painting, I showed the apartment 3 times!!! We have a new tenant and I love her!!! She is the sweetest lady (probably helped that she has raised 6 kids) and yesterday when she came back by to sign everything, she hugged me (nasty, sweaty, paint covered and all) when she left!!!

And – our sweet new tenant asked me who did the gardening (there is quite a bit around the entire house!!). I told her that would be me if you counted pulling weeds since that is all I’ve attempted so far and I have a black thumb!!! She asked if she could work in them!!! Ummm….YES!!! Work in them as much as you like! She said she loves gardening!!! (Look, someone offered to help and I didn’t even have to ask – bonus!!)

3. Last week I scrambled around for dinner pretty much every night and I had big plans to do better this week. Epic fail!!!! I didn’t plan a single thing – gonna have to go with a lot of stand-bys this week!!!

4. I wish I were here –

5. The Amazing Race started a new season last night – WooHoo!!!

6. My awesome sister-in-law, Stacy, ran her first half marathon yesterday – 2:02 on a very hilly course! She totally rocks!!!

Rockin' the Runner T!!! — Rockin’ the Runner T!!!

7. As much as I would love to share more of the thoughts pinging around in my head, it’s time for me to get on with my day!!!

What thoughts are bouncing around in your head this morning?

Happy Monday!!

Kim

Core, Fitness

Fixin’ to do Something Really Hard – Help!!!

September 29, 2013 Kim 41 Comments

Today I did a fairly simple 44 – a crunch with my elbows glued to the ground the entire time. Try it – it really changes the way you work your abs!!!

start - elbows on the ground — start – elbows on the ground

crunch up - fists tap thighs (elbows stay pressed into ground) — crunch up – fists tap thighs (elbows stay pressed into ground)

You can see that it is a small crunch but you have to hold tight with your abs!!!

It might seem like I haven’t been working out much but that is because I have been getting activity through other methods. Thursday I spent 7 hours cleaning (an apartment & our venue), setting up for a wedding (moving 140 chairs x2), and ironing (20+ large tablecloths) – that entire time was spent standing and moving and lifting and bending!!!

Yesterday I spent 9 hours painting one of the apartments we have that is now vacant. Squatting, bending, climbing up and down a ladder – it was a workout for sure. I figure these long days of solid activity and standing are good for my overall endurance when it comes to my 50.

I wrote a post in April about asking for help – is it a strength or a weakness? For me, it is one of the hardest things in the world to do.

Paint 9 hours? no problem
Drive across country by myself? easy
Run 50 miles? I think I got it
Ask for help? ummm…….

I don’t like to ask anyone for help – ever!!! Not the boys, not friends, not even Chris! I’m not sure why it is so hard for me to ask – I’m pretty sure it goes back to when I was young!

However, I’m at a point where I have to bite the bullet and ask.

I don’t know how to make the logistics of the 50 mile weekend work without help!!! The race is 100 miles from here (through the Flint Hills in Cassody, KS) and with the drive each way, check in, running…..Chris and I will be gone for pretty much a 24 hour period (with ZERO sleep for either of us).

I had originally planned to leave the boys home but the more I think about it the more stress that causes me (Jordan is only 14 – pretty sure there are some kind of laws about that!!!). They have no desire (or need) to be up all night just because I’m crazy!!!

There aren’t any hotels in the town we will be in because I thought about that option, too.

And, we have a wedding changeover that night – at pretty much the same time I start running! Because we are a small staff – pretty much of 1 – we don’t have anyone else trained to set-up. And, you know I haven’t asked anyone to help!!

So today, I’m going to have to suck it up and ask for help!!! (after I spend many more hours painting and cleaning!!) Or, maybe I will put it off another day – I’m sure if I keep waiting it will get easier, right?!

Happy Sunday!!!

Kim

Cardio, Core, Fitness, Shoulders

If….Then

September 28, 2013 Kim 39 Comments

Today’s 44 was a fun way to turn a plank into a cardio move!!! I did frog jumps in the plank position.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW4AZEACukM’]

I was breathing hard by the time I finished all 44 – always a good sign!!

Remember the old writing prompt from your school days? I remember having to do If…Then statements and I thought it would be a fun way to share some of the things I’ve learned recently!!!

If Jordan sends me a text that after-school sectionals has been cancelled, then it doesn’t automatically mean he needs a ride home. (Learned that the hard!)

If you take 2 Excedrine right before bed-time, then you might spend most of the night awake!! (The good news is, I got lots of reading done and might finally finish the book I’ve been reading for about a month – ever since beach time went away!!!)

If you don’t have any plans for meals during the week, then you might do lots of scrambling in the evenings! (DUH!!)

If you upgrade your iPhone the day the upgrade comes out, then you might have to deal with some of the bugs and other issues that aren’t totally resolved. (Hunter learned this the hard way – he hasn’t had WIFI since he upgraded and apparently lots of people had the same problem!!)

If your neighbors invite you to go with them to a friends home for an Italian night and “concert” under the stars, then you should definitely go and enjoy fun times and Andre Bocelli’s concert!!!

If you buy a birthday card, then it is helpful if you actually put it in the mail!! (Sorry, Dad, card is still on my kitchen island!!)

If you live with 3 boys, then life is going to be full of happy times!!!!

What If…Then statement fits you this week?

Happy Saturday!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Shoulders

Words

September 25, 2013 Kim 77 Comments

The 44 today was one of those moves that seems like it’s going to be fairly easy until you start and then you realize that it is a challenge!!! I did a torso rotation with a dumbbell (12 pounds) on the stability ball.

On the rotation, the goal is to keep your head and shoulder on the ball.

I counted a right and left rotation as 1 rep. This move is great for your core and also your shoulders and upper back!!! 44 reps were more than enough for me to feel this (for the rest of the day!!).

Today I pulled out a DVD that I haven’t done in awhile – one of my TaeBo workouts – Billy’s Bootcamp, Ultimate BootCamp. This workout is 55 minutes long and it works every inch of your body!!! There is plenty of cardio and plenty of toning using these bands –

The nice (if you want to call it that) thing about these bands is you can add a weight in the handles (1 pound in each). Today I used them without weights and that was plenty of resistance for this workout!!! In fact, I struggled with some of the moves to complete all of the reps!!

Colloquialism – what an odd word. But when you think about the definition of the word it is appropriate because a lot of our sayings come across as odd to other people.

Yesterday I was talking to Jordan about his day and he started making fun of a couple of the things that I say all the time so I thought it would be interesting to see if y’all say the same things or what you say that is different.

My top 2 colloquial sayings:

I have said this for as long as I can remember. It is a natural phrase for me and I always forget that most people here in Kansas (and elsewhere) don’t use it.

When I was in grad school I was sitting outside on a bench one day waiting for a friend so we could go running. Another friend walked past – here is how the conversation went:

Him: Hi, Kim. What are you doing?
Me: I’m fixin’ to go for a run.
Him: You mean you’re getting ready to run?
Me: No – I’m already ready (running clothes on, shoes on, stretched). I’m fixin’ to go.

He just sort of looked at me and walked off – weird!!!

My other common saying –

This phrase makes perfect sense to me but apparently not to most people. I get lots of comments when people here me say this.

I spent 5 years working in the office at the boys elementary school after both boys were in school. When we did monthly fire drills, I was the one who stayed in the office and kept the timer, shut the drill down and then called everyone (over the intercom) back to their classes.

The very first fire drill we had I got on the intercom and said – “All y’all can return to your class rooms now.” When the principal (we are actually good friends) came into the office he looked at me, shook his head and said, “Really?!”

It took me a few minutes to figure out what he was talking about. Then he said – “All Y’all?!”

Ummm…..yes!

So, those are 2 of my common sayings that very few people around me (since I’m not in TX anymore!) say or get.

Do you say fixin’ or all y’all?
What are some things you say that earn you weird looks or comments?

Happy Wednesday!!

Kim

Day With KT