Category Archives: Core

Positive Patty Triumphs over Debbie Downer!!!

September 5, 2013 Kim 56 Comments

Today’s 43 was a fun plank challenge!! I did alternating bicep curls while in plank.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKDikUNBtb8′]

I kept thinking that I would take a quick stretch break at some point but I made it through all 43 (with each arm!) before I had to stop – I should have timed it so I would know how long my plank was!

Today for Garage Boot Camp, we did 100s Boot Camp (10 exercise x 10 reps each) – we completed 8 rounds today (plus warm-up and cool-down) which is 80 of each exercise!!

I needed a sign like that all day yesterday!!! After my dismal run, things pretty much went downhill for the better part of the day!

Those faces pretty much represented my day – notice how there are very few smiles!!!

BUT – today is a new day and is gone!!! She is not my favorite person to “live” with so I was not sad to kick her to the curb.

Today is all about

I think that this is a much better choice and will make for a far nice day for me and those around me.

Thank all of y’all who were so encouraging and gave me some great ideas to use to push myself on my upcoming run!!!

And, I can’t even tell you how many wonderful, positive, perfectly timed blog posts I read yesterday that seemed written just for me (I know they weren’t but they were helpful when I needed it!!).

Happy Thursday – I hope your day is full of Positive Pattys and no Debbie Downers!!!!

Kim

Cardio, Core, Fitness, Running, Treadmill

Self-Doubt

September 4, 2013 Kim 84 Comments

Today’s 43 was a fairly simple one!!! I just did a twisting knee repeater with a band on my arms so that they had a little resistance!

This was a quick move – cardio based and good for the core!!! And, of course, a double!!!

It’s nice to have quick simple moves for my 43 every once in awhile!!!

Today I did a trial run for my upcoming 44 miles!!! It did not go well!!!!

I’m not sure what the problem was. I’m hoping to run about 10 minute miles for the whole run (44 miles). Today I started around 9:13 pace and played around between that pace and 10:00. Nothing felt good. Nothing was easy. WHAT?!

In the end, I only ran 6 miles and walked 1.5 for a total of 7.5 miles which is about 1/6 of the distance that I will be running in less than 2 weeks.

I’m not feeling very confident about my ability to run (or even finish) all 44 miles. And, the 44 is supposed to be my final training effort for my 50 mile race in October!

I’m going to spend a lot of time the next few days trying to prepare myself mentally. I know that I have done the physical training and put in the time and effort, now it is just a matter of making sure that I don’t psyche myself out!!!

I’ve always said that these super long runs are as much mental as physical and I think that right now I need to focus on making sure that I’m prepared to push past the self-doubt and negative voices in my head!!!

I’m going to keep telling myself that – “I got this!”

What do you do when you start to doubt yourself?

Happy Wednesday!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Hamstrings, Shoulders

Labor Day

September 2, 2013 Kim 26 Comments

The 43 for today was a sit-up but it was also a great move for my shoulders and a nice hamstring stretch!!!

I did a 1-arm weighted sit-up. Start with left leg bent and right leg extended, weight in right arm overhead –

Sit-up making a half-circle with right arm (from floor to right foot) –

Slowly lower down and repeat x 43. Then, of course, you have to switch sides and repeat the whole process!!!

I love moves that target a specific area but also work bonus areas!!! BTW – I did this move with a 5 pound dumbbell and that was plenty for me!!

I pulled out a DVD that I haven’t done in awhile – Gaiam Cross Training for Fitness. This is a fun workout with 5 – 15 minutes sections: Cardio Kickbox, Strength & Flexibility, Lower Body Balance, Core Power & Flow, Relax & Restore. I did the first 4 (I know I should take the time for the Relax & Restore but I’ve got other things to do!!). The hour went very quickly and I loved the intensity of each of the segments. I feel like I got a great whole body workout with this DVD!

Observed on the first Monday in September, Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894.

I find it very ironic that people have to work on Labor Day – a holiday that was created to honor the laborers. I realize that there is never a day when everyone can be off but just in my lifetime things have changed a great deal! When I was a kid, holidays and Sundays meant that there was no shopping (not even at the grocery store!!) and very few (if any) restaurants were open.

When I was growing up, Labor Day meant that school started the next day!!!

Now, my boys have been in school for 3 weeks already!!!

One of my favorite things to do from 6:00pm on the Sunday before Labor Day till about 6:00pm on Labor Day was to watch as much of the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon as possible.

I remember being amazed that Jerry Lewis could stay up the entire time!!! Watching him decline over the years was sad for me.

One thing that really hasn’t changed much – Labor Day has always been a big day for family & friends to get together and have a cook-out!!

And, growing up we didn’t enjoy time at the lake or the pool (my mom thinks swimsuits in mixed company are inappropriate – oops, I guess I’m inappropriate a lot these day!!!), but now Labor Day always includes some time at the swim beach and on the boat!!

I hope that even if you have to work today you are able to celebrate with friends/family and enjoy the day!!

Happy Monday!! Happy Labor Day!

Kim

BOSU, Core, Fitness, Push-Ups

September Is Going to be EPIC!!!

September 1, 2013 Kim 32 Comments

Today I started with a plan for my 43 and ended up having to do an extremely modified version!!! I used my BOSU & stability ball for some hard-core push-ups!!

I put my legs on the stability ball and my hands on the upside down BOSU to do push-ups. Not easy because the BOSU wobbles when it is upside down and the stability ball wants to roll every where – good for the core though because you have to work so hard just to maintain your balance.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdmA00gKnfg’]

My original plan was to put just my feet on the stability ball and roll the ball in close so that the push-up was more of a pike position – Um…..that move needs some serious work!!!

I did one of my favorite workouts – Turbo Fire!!! Today I did Fire 45 – 45 minutes of nonstop cardio that is super fun because Chalean keeps the energy high and the music going!

September – so many fun and exciting things coming up this month!!

1. Friday night high school football games – Jordan is in marching band and has his first game in just a few days!!

2. Cross country meets – Hunter is running middle school cross country. The meets are on Saturday mornings, Tuesday afternoons, a Wednesday meet (it varies). He has 6-8 meets in the next month!!!

3. Texas Longhorn football!!! College football is back and I’m hoping that the Longhorns have a better season than they have the past few years.

supporting the Horns even when dressed for church!

They are off to a good start with a 56-7 win last night!!! Hook ’em Horns!!!

4. This is the first month of our new business! This month we have several weddings/receptions booked and I’m going to work on some of my plans to add in more events at our venue!!!

5. In 2 short weeks (just 14 more days!) I will have accomplished 2 huge goals:
365 consecutive daily 43s
365 days with a daily blog post

6. And – IT’S MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!!! 2 weeks from tomorrow I will start in with a new goal and a new challenge – Daily 44s starting with my birthday run – 44 miles!!!!

What is going to be epic in your September?

Happy Sunday & Happy September!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness

Sleep-In Saturday

August 31, 2013 Kim 28 Comments

Today’s 43 was actually really fun! It involved my stability ball – I put my upper back on the ball with my feet on the floor (sort of a reverse table top), clasped my hands together and started with them overhead, then I did a slow twist to the right, to the left and back to the center for 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ2Z_aWJpB0′]

Even though the main target in this move is your core (especially obliques), you will start to feel it in your butt & hamstrings because of holding yourself up!!

When the boys were younger, every Friday night when we tucked them in we would remind them – “Tomorrow is Sleep-in Saturday!!” I’m not sure it really ever worked for them but at least they knew that we (Chris & I) weren’t going to get up as early as we normally do.

Last night when I fell into bed, I was so excited to remind myself that it was sleep-in Saturday.

And that (see above) is pretty much how things went!!! I guess I sort-of slept in since I woke up at 6:25 (instead of my normal 5:00) but I was really hoping for closer to 8:00!!!

Oh well, up and getting stuff done for the day – always a good thing!!! Chris & Hunter left at 7:30 for a gun safety class so they didn’t really sleep-in either.