Category Archives: Running

Calves, Fitness, Running, Stairs, Treadmill

Pure Joy

February 19, 2013 Kim 5 Comments

Today’s 43 worked a muscle group that I rarely spend much time on – my calves. I guess I just assume that running and plyo work is enough for them. (Weird, cause I use to always add in calf work.)

Anyway – I did calf raises on my bottom step (on a separate note – I really need to vacuum the stairs!). I held 15 pound dumbbells for added weight and tried to work all angles of my calves. I did a set of 43 just straight up and down:

I really tried to focus on holding not just the drop portion but the raised portion of each rep.

up - this is the real work! — up – this is the real work!

Then I turned my toes out for a set of 43.

A third set of 43 with my toes in.

Then I thought I might as well go ahead and really work my calves to fatigue by doing each leg by separately. (For these, I held one 15 pound dumbbell in the hand on the same side as the leg I was working.)

43 on the left leg.

Final 43 on the right leg.

Yikes!! I really should start doing these more often. I think it would help my problem Achilles a lot!! The hold at the top of each rep is where the true burn comes in!!

Today was a Les Mills Combat day – HIIT Power. 30 minutes of high intensity strength and plyo moves. There was a brief moment during the last segment where I questioned why I was putting myself through such ~~torture~~ ~~pain~~ an intense work-out. Then I remembered – I LOVE IT!!!!

Since the work-out was short, I decided to get in some extra cardio – Hello, treadmill!!!

Today was maybe the best run I’ve had since sometime last summer. Not because of the speed or distance – it just felt so great!! I felt like I was running simply because I LOVE it.

Such a great feeling!! I ran 6 miles (41:38) and then did and easy 1.5 to finish an hour of running. I don’t know what was different today but I will take it – Pure, 100% joy from the run!!!This babies expression sums it up beautifully!!!

Happy Tuesday – I hope your day has a great deal of true joy!!!

Kim

Fitness, Lunges, Running, Treadmill, Triceps

A Big Dose of Fun Friday – just the thing to cure the February Funk!!!

February 16, 2013 Kim 3 Comments

I don’t know what I was thinking when I picked my 43 today!! I dug out my Tae-Bo bands:

Sometimes I forget about these but they are really cool. You can see the loops that slip over your feet and they have 1 pound weights that you can take out if you only want to use the resistance from the band itself.

For my 43 I left the weights in! I did a triceps extension in a static lunge (why I thought I should hold a lunge while I did 43 of these I don’t know – cause you know I also had to do 16 wall-sits today at 1 minute each!!!

bend arm - elbow still! — bend arm – elbow still!

I know this seems like an easy 43 but the resistance tubing is no joke!!! And, 43 reps (or even 10) is something you will definitely feel!

You know I can’t be unbalanced, so I switched sides and did another set of 43.

For the rest of my work-out today, I decided to run. This week I have done a long run and a short easy run so today I decided to do a hard run. I kept the treadmill at 1.5% incline and did 6 miles in 30:50 + 2 cool down miles.

It felt good to get in a hard-paced run but I am really trying to keep my focus on just putting in the miles. I think that between now and mid-October (50 mile race) I will spend more time working on nice easy runs and even some long runs that have a run-walk pattern to get my body used to that. I’m also focusing on making my legs as strong as possible (wall-sits, static lunges…..)

Yesterday was truly a

Hunter and I met a friend of his, Zach, and his mom, Renee (who is a friend of mine) at one of my all time favorite places –

We ended up hanging out for 3.5 hours – catching up on each other’s lives while the boys entertained each other!! At one point we moved into the cafe and ate lunch (they have great sandwiches). Fun times for sure!

Yesterday evening, Chris and I went out with friends. We met up with 7 other couples for dinner at a Mexican food place which means – Margaritas!!!Then we all headed to the theater to watch Identity Thief. I haven’t laughed that much at a movie in a long, long time!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO12W35DpsQ’]

After the movie we talked about going somewhere for a drink but figured every place would be too loud for conversation so we just invited everyone over to our house for awhile!! So much fun to just hang out and talk!! (no pictures – just fun)

It was a great day and the perfect cure for

What movies have made you laugh loud and long lately? Do you laugh uncontrollably at movies?

Can’t wait to see what today has in store!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Fitness, Running, Shoulders, Squats, Treadmill

So Many Kinds of Love

February 14, 2013 Kim 6 Comments

Today started early (although not as early as I had planned since I could not sleep last night!!!) because I’m off to the school to help do inventory in the library!!

Of course, I still did my daily 43!!! Jordan helped out yesterday afternoon and let me take a couple of pictures of him.

I did an Iron Squat! Start by holding a medicine ball in both hands (I used a 9 pound ball).

Squat down until your elbows touch your knees (or quads!).

squat - touch elbows to knees - butt back! — squat – touch elbows to knees – butt back!

Stand, squeeze your butt as you do, and push the ball overhead.

squeeze butt to stand & push ball overhead

Repeat! 43 for me.

After finishing that I was going to do HIIT Power but I wasn’t really feeling it so I did something I’m horrible about doing – I ran – nice and easy!!! I just ran for a total of 33 minutes and really tried to relax and enjoy it instead of feel the need to push hard. (I have learned a lot by reading so many running blogs – feeling the need to run hard all the time is probably why I can’t run every day – DUH!!!)

I’m sure that this will sound bad but I’m really not a huge fan of Valentine’s Day! For starters – I only have 1 true Valentine. My boys don’t have any but they always have school parties!!! I just think it’s a funny holiday – I guess the whole point is to remember to show love.

I started thinking about all the different kinds of

There is the love of material things. I’m always saying I loveor

But those are just shoes!!!

There is the love of places:

and we all know I love

I also love pretty sunrises (or sunsets):

(It was a little cloudy earlier but you can see some of the colors showing through!)

The love of food:

(Chris left these for me this morning cause he knows every once in a while nothing else will do!!!)

Then, there is the love we have for people! I love my grandparents for so many reasons!This was several years ago. (My Poppa is 98 now!! And, my Mema died 2 years ago.)

I love my boys with every fiber in me!!!

(This was last summer in Texas – silly boys!)

And then, I have my one true love – Chris, my Valentine!!!!(I really need more pictures of him on here!!!)

Happy Valentine’s Thursday!

Kim

BOSU, Fitness, Push-Ups, Running, Treadmill

150th Day = 150 Minutes of Running!!!

February 12, 2013 Kim 8 Comments

Today I decided to use my BOSU again for the 43. This time, I combined it with my stability ball to have double the ~~torture~~ benefit!!!The set-up was a bit tricky – legs on stability ball and support yourself with your arms on the BOSU. I had a hard time extending my legs all the way (without rolling off!!) so I kept a slight bend in them. If Once you manage to get in position, then the true fun begins – push-ups!!!! 43 hard push-ups!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E95OU0xrfQI’]

I know that it looks like these would be easy since my legs are bent – almost like doing push-ups on your knees, right? NOT the case!! This was hard!!! But…gotta push myself if I’m ever going to get those one-arm push-ups done. 2nd push-up move this week!!!

Today is my 150th day of 43s and blogging so I wanted to do something to celebrate!!

My idea of celebrating? Running for 150 minutes!

I kept the incline at 1.0% and the pace between 7.5mph and 8.0mph. (average speed ended up being 7.73mph or 7.47, I think)

Between the glare and the sweat marks it’s a little hard to see but the total distance was 19.41 miles. My timer rolls over at 100 (that’s why it looks like only 50 minutes).

A lot of y’all look so cute when you run (and after!). I just look like a nasty mess!

After 150 min - nice! — After 150 min – nice!

So, now I’m off to soak my tired legs so they will be up for whatever tomorrow might bring!

Happy Tuesday!

Kim

Oh, yeah – 12th day of February = 12x 1 minute wall sits – DONE!!!

Cardio, Fitness, Running, Treadmill

Kale Recipes, Anyone???

February 7, 2013 Kim 14 Comments

Today’s 43 was all about cardio. I did a right shuffle (4 shuffles) – touched my right hand to my right foot then reversed direction for 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMCtlTJIl7s’]

Thanks, Hunter, for doing this demo (even without shoes!) – wish the lighting had been better. (I’m pretty sure that is due to user error!!!)

It was fun to do a simple, cardio based 43 for a change.

After the 43, I tried the Plank Ab-Burner that the Fitnessista posted yesterday. If you haven’t been over to her site and checked it out you should – your core will thank you (later!!!). It is only a 4-minute routine (good thing, too!) but it will challenge you the entire time!!!

For the rest of my workout on this rainy day in Kansas,

I hopped on my treadmill and did some incline work. I kept the speed down (6.5 miles in 60:30) but the incline at 10% for mile 1, 12% mile 2, 15% mile 3, then 12% for miles 4-6. YIKES!!! I think I need to get in more hills!!!

Enough work-out talk!!! Onto food – namely Kale. Last night, for the first time ever, I made some kale. This is the final product (after we had all taken a serving because I forget to get a picture before):

I’m not sure if it will make a return appearance at our table or not. I think I need more ideas for making it (or just to perfect the one I tried).

I keep reading about kale and all the benefits from it so I bought some and thought I would try to make kale chips. First off, I have no idea what it means to massage the kale!!! I washed it really well and tore it into bite size pieces. I tried to dry it but I’m pretty sure I didn’t do that very well.

Then I spread (more like piled) it on a large stone baking sheet, sprinkled (more like poured) some olive oil on it and sprinkled with season salt. I think this is where I really messed up – it looked like such a huge amount that I probably put way too much oil and salt.

Who knew that it would cook down to almost nothing? (not me for sure!!!) It didn’t get as crispy as I thought it would (I’m guessing the oil & not drying it enough had something to do with that).

The verdict: Hunter said it was a bit strong (I think he meant too salty!!!), Jordan said it was OK, and Chris didn’t really comment (which means not his favorite but he doesn’t like to say negative things about my cooking – he’s super smart!!!). I liked it fine but I think I need help if I’m going to try it again!

I googled some of the benefits of kale and found out the number 1 benefit is it can keep you looking attractive!!!! Another benefit is anti-aging!