Category Archives: Running

BOSU, Butt, Core, Fitness, Hamstrings, Push-Ups, Resistance Bands, Running

The Legs Feed the Wolf (3/1 – 3/7)

March 7, 2015 Kim 16 Comments

Miracle might be one of my all-time favorite movies!! When the head coach has the team skating lots of suicide type drills he tells the players, “The legs feed the wolf.” When it came time for the big games (Olympics), they were better conditioned than any other team on the ice!!!

So, I tell myself the same thing when I’m running high mileage and also when I back off a little to rest my legs for a couple weeks!!! This week I had much lower mileage but I did a number of workouts and exercises to strengthen my legs, especially my hips.

Sunday 3/1 – 45 standing crunches – lift one leg straight out and bring hands to foot while holding a medicine ball – crunch on the forward bend.

I like that this move works your core and also your hip flexors!

I ran 8 miles in 59:58 followed by 0.6 easy miles.

Monday 3/2 – 45 push-ups while kneeling on a stability ball (shins rest on the ball and your butt stays down on your heels).

These look a bit awkward but it was a really good move. You can tell that it was hard for me to keep my butt on my heels during the down part – need to work on that!

I did Cathe – Turbo Barre. Talk about a workout for your hips and legs – this one is great!!!

Tuesday 3/3 – 45 side leg abduction while in a semi-squat.

Partial squat with left leg - right leg ready to lift — Partial squat with left leg – right leg ready to lift

stay low and lift right leg - squeeze butt — stay low and lift right leg – squeeze butt

There is a bit of balance involved with this move too!!

lift the leg while staing low — lift the leg while staying low

Running day – 10 miles in 75:44 followed by 1 easy mile.

Wednesday 3/4 – 45 single leg step-up on BOSU then circle opposite leg back-front-back before stepping down.

step up with left leg and start with right leg pushing back

From the above position, sweep the right leg back so that it is behind you and then step off the BOSU.

I did all 45 reps stepping up with my left leg and then switched and did another set.

step on with left right leg, left leg squeezes back

sweep leg to front, then back behind you before stepping off.

The hardest part of this move was staying balanced while sweeping your leg around!!!

I did TaeBo Amped – Rockin’ Buns. There isn’t a lot of cardio involved in this workout but it is great for strengthening your hips, legs and even your core.

Thursday 3/5 – 45 BOSU superman lifts. Nellie (Brooklyn Active Mama) featured this move as one of her Wednesday Workouts.

Place a band under your BOSU with enough slack that you can lift it but still have a challenge. I decided to add an extra challenge and stay in a partial squat while completing my arm lifts.

After about 25 reps I had to give myself a little more band to work with because this was hard!!!

This was another running day – 8 miles in 60:20 followed by 1.05 miles easy.

Friday 3/6 – 45 quad/knee raises while pushing foot down with bar.

lift knee up and push down on the bar at the same time

By pushing the bar down it makes the resistance so much harder than just lifting your body weight.

This day was the closest to a rest day that I took this week. I did Caribbean Workout – Core Pilates for an hour.

Saturday 3/7 – 45 “first position” monkey squats. (I had to google what the position was called!!!)

stand in first position (heels touching - toes turned out) and touch toes — stand in first position (heels touching – toes turned out) and touch toes

go down into a squat while holding on to your toes

By holding your toes for the entire move this feels different than just doing normal squats!!! Turning my toes out made the move different from a standard monkey squat.

And, I did one more run for the week.
6 miles – 45:17 followed by 1.75 easy miles.

I think overall it was a good workout week even cutting back on my running.
32 miles of hard running
4.4 easy miles

Happy Saturday!!

Kim

Butt, Calves, Fitness, Running, Squats, Triceps

February: All About the Run (2/22 – 2/28)

February 28, 2015 Kim 26 Comments

February was a month of running!! I ran 18 out of 28 days (a lot for me) for a total of 207 hard miles and 19.9 easy miles – my highest month in a long time.

Sunday 2/22 – 45 squat with kettle bell pull.

I did a 10K virtual race – The Race for Paws that Kristina (Kristina’s Blog About Running & Life) organized to help support PAWS Chicago which is a no kill animal shelter.

6.2 miles – 43:06 followed by an easy mile. (I really wanted to push the pace harder but know that I can’t while I’m running so many miles right now.)

Monday 2/23 – 45 lateral raises with a “milk pour” (flip hands palms up then back down).

From here, you flip your hands back over (palms down) and then lower to complete one rep.

I did something I hate doing and ran a distance that wasn’t “round” – 8.8 miles (70:09) followed by 1.2 easy miles. I did the 0.8 to keep my overall mileage even after the 10K on Sunday.

Tuesday 2/24 – 45 arrowheads (for butt).

See, you sort of make an arrowhead shape in the air with your leg movements! And, of course, I had to switch and work my left side!!

Probably not the best exercise for the day since it made my butt a little sore right before my long run but….

31 miles in 4:06.58 – I pushed myself on this run because I wanted to maintain a good pace for the entire distance!! I only did 0.2 miles to cool down.

Wednesday 2/25 – 45 calf stretch on wobble balls.

I thought about doing an easy run but my hips were a bit achy so I decided it was better to rest.

Thursday 2/26 – 45 laps around the ballroom at the venue.

I had to clean for a Friday event and I wasn’t super motivated about cleaning so I stalled and walked 45 laps first!!!

Friday 2/27 – 45 chair squats.

Chair squats are always hard for me – something about keeping my legs so close together while I squat!

I didn’t plan to take a 3rd day off but sometimes that’s just the way things work out.

Saturday 2/28 – 45 tricep dips with hands on wobble balls.

down - don't rest butt on floor — down – don’t rest butt on floor

We actually took these pictures one morning before I took Hunter to school but I didn’t do the move until this morning.

And, I finished the week with a run.
5 miles – 39:39 + 1 easy mile.

I’m happy that I had another week over 50 miles.
51 hard miles
3.4 easy miles

This week presented some challenges but thankfully I got in my runs and kept my daily moves going!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Biceps, Fitness, Push-Ups, Resistance Bands, Running, Triceps

Daily Doubles (2/15 – 2/21)

February 21, 2015 Kim 30 Comments

This week was all about running double digit miles every day and I’m happy to say that I did it and still feel good!!!

Sunday 2/15 – 45 bent over wide row with resistance band.

11 miles 87:00 + 1 easy mile

Monday 2/16 – 45 bicep curl with resistance band while in boat pose.

I liked the core challenge while working my biceps!!!

10 miles 79:08 + 1 easy mile

Tuesday 2/17 – 45 bicycle with band (handles on feet).

I counted a right-left as 1 rep.

11 miles 87:26 + 0.75 easy miles

Wednesday 2/18 – 45 push-ups with hands on yoga blocks.

I could tell that I haven’t been doing push-ups very often lately. In a month I will be back to doing lots more strength work!!!

10 miles 78:48 + 0.35 miles easy

Thursday 2/19 – 45 double tricep kickbacks with resistance band.

I had a hard time keeping my elbows up while doing this move.

11 miles 85:45 + 0.9 easy miles

Friday 2/20 – 45 full sit-up keeping arms extended and holding a small ball –

all the way up - reach ball to toes — all the way up – reach ball to toes

Holding the ball helped me keep my arms extended the entire time.

10 miles 78:43 + 1.25 easy miles

Saturday 2/21 – 45 inner thigh squeezes with ring.

I used this ring — Are you surprised I have one of these? I sort-of am!!!

I did these standing – just squeeze and release

And, it was finally a day off!!!

All of my 45s were either upper body or core because my legs were getting enough of a beating with the running!

6 days of consecutive double digit runs!!
63 miles hard + 5.25 easy miles for a total of 68 miles this week!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Hamstrings, Lunges, Quad, Running, Squats

20 miles x 2 (2/8 – 2/14)

February 14, 2015 Kim 32 Comments

This week I got in 2 long runs!!! Next week I have more big running plans so I’m trying to be smart with all of the running!!

Sunday 2/8 – 45 standing side leg pulses.

The hardest part of this move was trying to stay balanced while I moved my leg up and down!!! And, of course, I had to do the other leg.

Rest day (besides going to the grocery store, doing laundry, sweeping piles of sand out of the garage, washing my truck….).

Monday 2/9 – 45 arm pulses – keep arms bent at 90.

This was another small move but very effective – I felt it in my shoulders, upper back and biceps!

I did Jillian Michaels Hard Body Level 2 – it was hard!!!
I also did a 5 mile run (40:12) followed by an easy half mile.

Tuesday 2/10 – 45 squat with dumbbell set-down and pick-up.

squat - leave dumbbells on ground — squat – leave dumbbells on ground

squat - pick dumbbells back up — squat – pick dumbbells back up

I liked this move – to complete 45 reps I actually did 90 squats!!!

This was the first 20 mile run of the week. It wasn’t bad at all!!! (2:33.56) I tacked on an easy cool-down mile for a total of 21.

Wednesday 2/11 – 45 back/hamstring stretches.

Not gonna lie – this was a really nice 45!!!

I did a fun workout that was fairly low impact – Turbo Jam, Cardio Party 3.

Thursday 2/12 – 45 glute bridge with march (toes up). This move I got from Nellie’s (Brooklyn Active Mama) Weekly Wednesday Workout.

See why it’s called a “march”? I tried to make sure that I was keeping my hips up the entire time – this was a challenge!!

And, I did my 2nd 20 mile run of the week. Funny thing is the time was almost the same (2:33.50) – just 6 seconds faster than Tuesday! I ended up doing 1.5 miles as a cool-down this time for 21.5 total.

Friday 2/13 – 45 side lunge skaters – staying low the entire time.

The goal on this move is to stay low and work your quads the entire time. (a right-left lunge = 1 rep) And, I stood in the sunbeam – because it was warm!!!

I did a workout I hadn’t done in awhile – Denise Austin – Get Fit Fast. One thing I really like about Denise Austin’s workouts is she features “real” looking people – people who look like me with hips and not a 6-pack!!!

Saturday 2/14 – 45 dead bugs while on wobble ball with shoulders slightly off ground.

I liked this move but actually felt it much more in my hip flexors than in my core. (right-left drop = 1 rep)

Today was my final run of the week – 5 miles in 39:21 followed by an easy cool down mile.

I’m happy that I met my running goal for the week – 50 miles hard and 4 easy miles to get over the 50 mile mark for the week. The next 2 weeks I’m hoping to get my mileage a little higher and then I will ease up some.

Happy Saturday!! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Hamstrings, Plank, Running

Stability Balls and Running (2/1 – 2/7)

February 7, 2015 Kim 32 Comments

This was a good week of workouts! And, I’m happy that all of my morning workouts were back at 5:00am again!!!

Sunday 2/1 – 45 seated quad lifts with a dumbbell between my feet.

I got in a nice run – 8 miles in 59:21 followed by 2.5 easy miles.

Monday 2/2 – 45 reverse curls with a stability ball under my legs.

ready - just holding the ball in place is HARD!!! — ready – just holding the ball in place is HARD!!!

My workout started with Jillian Michaels Hard Body Level 1. I thought about doing Level 2 also but knew that I would end up just going through the motions. Instead I did Kathy Smiths Tummy Trimmers – Standing Abs.

Tuesday 2/3 – 45 front-back sweep with foot while staying in a semi-squat.

I counted a front-back-front as 1 full rep. And, of course, after my left quad was on fire I had to switch and work my other leg!!!

After my quads were nice and shaky, I hopped on the treadmill for the first part of my run!
11 miles in 87:33 followed by 0.5 miles easy

I had to get off to take Hunter to school. After I got back home I hopped back on the treadmill and ran some more.
6 miles in 47:39 followed by 2.5 easy miles.

A decent running day of 17 good miles and 3 easy!!!

Wednesday 2/4 – 45 stability ball plank front-back rolls. This move is one that I saw in the cool video that Gigi (GiGi Eats Celebrities) showed the other day with her interview at Drench Fitness.

I’m not sure that my form was super because this move was hard!!

You can’t really tell that the ball moved much but trust me – you can feel this move!!!

I did a workout that is sort of fun while still focusing on toning – Skinny Bitch Fitness. Jordan walked through right at the end and saw the name of the DVD – he was not impressed!!!

Thursday 2/5 – 45 hamstring curls using the stability ball. This move came from the same video interview (see Wednesday) that GiGi did.

use your hamstrings to roll the ball toward you

Since I workout at home, I’m always looking for new hamstring moves – this was a great one!!!

I did another run. 11 miles – 82:14 followed by 0.75 easy miles.

Friday 2/6 – 45 full sit-up to toe touch.

I never rested my shoulders on the floor during my reps. The toe touch part was a nice stretch. I don’t do full sit-ups often anymore but I liked this version!

I decided that even though I needed a “rest” day I still wanted to workout some so I did Core Fusion Body Sculpt. This is a great body workout that is mostly body weight (you use light weights in the upper body portion) – it is about working the muscle to exhaustion!!

Saturday 2/7 – 45 soccer kicks.