Tag Archives: running

Butt, Cardio, Core, Fitness, Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Resistance Bands, Running, Squats, Treadmill, Triceps

Digging Deep for Motivation (1/25 – 1/31)

January 31, 2015 Kim 1 Comment

This week was one of those that I had to dig deep for motivation. Most days I ended up having a good workout once I finally convinced myself to get started!!!

Sunday 1/25 – 45 single leg front and back hops.

Clearly I wobbled around a lot and didn’t always do straight front/back hops but…I did 45 on my right leg and then switched to my left for another set of 45. This move will make your legs burn and get your heart rate up!!!

Monday 1/26 – 45 triceps push-ups on the weight machine bench.

Doing these on the bench made it comparable to having my knees on the ground – the only way I can ever do 45 of this type of push-up!!!

This was a short run day – 5 miles in 40:29 followed by and easy mile.

Tuesday 1/27 – 45 crunches with feet under weight machine bar.

I tend to forget about going back to the original way I learned when doing crunches but this move really does make you work!!

I decided to hop on the treadmill but didn’t know if I wanted to run. I walked 2 miles with a 10% incline. The 3rd mile I lowered the incline and did some weighted arm holds (out to side, straight up…). I finally decided to run for 3 miles (22:00 min) and followed those up with another 1.1 miles of walking. (like I said – digging deep for motivation)

Wednesday 1/28 – 45 standing leg lifts with small ball tucked into leg.

ready (barstool just to help with balance)

Of course, I had to switch sides and do 45 more.

Using the ball really made this a bigger challenge – it forces you to squeeze your glutes/hamstrings when you lift your leg.

I did Turbo Jam – Turbo Sculpt which is a nice mix of toning with some cardio.

Then I decided to run – 8 miles (59:59) followed by 1.25 easy miles.

Thursday 1/29 – 45 second hang from pull-up bar and then 45 jumping pull-up holds. (Hunter did the pictures for me later since by the time someone was here to help with pictures I was far to sore to attempt another rep!!!)

I’m not gonna lie – 2 days later my entire upper torso area HURTS!!!!

I did a workout that I don’t think I’ve ever done before – TaeBo T3 (Total Transformation Training). I just did 2 parts of this – Ignition & Acceleration – for about 45 minutes of work. I will definitely do more of these workouts!!!

Friday 1/30 – 45 straight leg bridges with feet on a stability ball.

Another day of running – 8 miles (63:36) followed by 1.35 miles easy.

Saturday 1/31 – 45 single leg squats on wobble ball.

That side wasn’t horrible but then I had to switch to my right leg. Single leg squats are one of the moves that still hurt my leg.

down (pretty shaky - hands were flailing!) — down (pretty shaky – hands were flailing!)

Single leg squats are always a challenge but doing them on a wobble ball really makes them difficult!!

I did another Turbo Jam DVD – 3T (Totally Tubular Turbo) – this workout uses a resistance band to get some great strength work!!!

I’m hoping that next week is the week I can get back to my normal early morning workouts – that should help my overall motivation!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

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Binging on Movies

January 25, 2015 Kim 75 Comments

We don’t go to the movie theater very often but we do have quite a large DVD collection at home. I’m usually way behind on watching movies because I just don’t take the time.

But….last weekend I had to spend most of my time in a darkish room after I had the Blue Light treatment on my face. Well, it made sense to spend that time watching movies!!!

I thought it would be fun to give a brief review (without giving anything away if you haven’t seen the movie!!) and my personal rating for each movie.

This movie was cute but kind-of corny. Pretty much everything that could go wrong on the night out did. Funny that Trace Adkins (country singer) was in it – I didn’t know he was acting now. Probably not a movie I would watch again but I didn’t hate it.

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This movie was one of those that I only half paid attention to. It sort of bounced around at the beginning and then it was just basically a movie about one person loving the other more.

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I liked this move. It wasn’t exactly what I expected and I like that in a movie!!! This movie is set back in a more laid back time – very different from the fast paced life we have today.

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I wasn’t sure what to expect from Dream Girls. It was made before Jennifer Hudson lost so much weight – weird to see her in the movie compared to how she looks now. The music was good. And, this was another movie from a completely different time. I spent most of this movie working on stuff but I don’t feel like I really missed anything.

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I really enjoyed this movie even though it had some sad points in it. The whole premise of the movie was good. I wish that my favorite couple hadn’t wasted so much time but…..

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This was just a silly comedy. It had some funny parts and some completely ridiculous parts. Chris watched all of this one with me and I think he enjoyed the humor. Not sure I would ever watch this one again.

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I loved this movie!!! There were times that it made me cry and other times that it made me laugh. It fit into my criteria for a feel-good movie!!!

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I was really looking forward to this movie – I thought it would be super funny. There were parts that were very funny and other parts that didn’t really make sense. It was good for a bit of entertainment!!!

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Chris and I watched this movie together. He loved it and I thought it was a complete waste of time!!! The last 30 minutes or so I just wanted the movie to be over and done. Chris watched it 2 more times over the next 2 days (once with Jordan and once with both boys). All 3 of the boys loved it – crazy!!

Really I don’t even know if I would give it 1 star!!!

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This movie I loved!!! I’m always in for a sports themed movie and I really enjoyed the way this one played out. I actually liked it better than Moneyball!!!

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This was a super cute movie. There were parts of it that were completely predictable but it was easy to follow. I enjoyed it and might even watch it again at some point.

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The Vow was another movie that I really liked. The fact that it was based off of a true story made it even better. I don’t know how much was completely factual but I liked the way the movie ended.

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I had read this book so knew what to expect with a lot of the movie. I don’t know if enjoy is the right word for this movie or not but I did like it. Actually, Chris watched the beginning with me and then had to leave so I’m sitting here watching it again with him.

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This was the first movie that I watched during my 45 mile run on Wednesday. It started out slowly but I stuck with it because I really do love movies based on true life especially sports themed ones. By the end of the movie I was glad I had watched it!

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Miracle is one of my all time favorite movies. I have watched it many times but it never gets old!!! This was a perfect choice to watch while I was running!!! My favorite part of the movie is when the team is skating (and skating and skating…) after their first game. When one of the players says, “Mike Eurozone……I play for the United States of America” I think I cry every time! Best line ever!!!

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I finished my run to this movie – what better type of movie to watch than one about one of the all-time great distance runners!!! Always inspirational!!!

I really do like watching movies – not sure why I tend to go ages without watching them and then binge watch!!!

What is one of your favorite movies?

Happy Monday!

Kim

Back, Calves, Core, Fitness, Plank, Recovery, Running, Shoulders, Squats, Treadmill

Heavy Running Week (1/18 – 1/24)

January 24, 2015 Kim 31 Comments

This week I more than doubled my total miles for the month – a mega long run will do that I guess!!

Sunday 1/18 – 45 arm lifts (elbows bent) to side while in elbow plank.

Return to plank –

I counted a right and left lift as one rep – this was HARD!!!

Monday 1/19 – 45 shoulder work – extend arms straight up in front – open them to the sides – lower – repeat. I only used 5 pound DB because my shoulders are weak!!!

Slowly lower the weights back down to complete the move.

This was a running day – 6 miles (47:10) + 2.1 easy miles. I wanted to see how much sweating would burn my face – it wasn’t too bad!!

Tuesday 1/20 – 45 plie – jump to squat – jump back to plie – stay low the entire time.

From plie, jump to get into a squat (point toes forward) –

Obviously I kept the squat fairly wide!!! From the squat – jump back to a plie position. Since you stay low the entire time, your legs will definitely start to feel the burn!!

I did a DVD that I hadn’t done in awhile – Jari Love’s Get Extremely Ripped 1000 Hardcore. This was about 70-75 minutes of hard work. I liked the mix of cardio and weights. Because Jari Love uses high reps for all moves, my heart rate stayed high the entire time!!!

Wednesday 1/21 – 45 miles of running!!!

This took 6 hours, 35 minutes, 18 seconds!! Normally I do this on my actual birthday but this year I figured as long as I did it while I was 45 it would count!

Thursday 1/22 – 45 single leg calf raises.

I thought this would be a nice stretch after Wednesday’s run. Ummm….it was hard to do 45!!! And, of course, I had to switch legs.

Friday 1/23 – 45 heel taps while in a prone position.

lift legs and squeeze (nice photo bomb – Jordan!!)

This is a great move for your lower back since you are working to keep your legs up the entire time!!!

Saturday 1/24 – 45 shin strengtheners.

lay on back - legs up - point toes — lay on back – legs up – point toes

I used to do this move a lot more to help prevent shin splints. You can also turn your toes out to the sides or in. Another option is to vary the speed that you use for this move.

I decided to do an easy workout to try and workout the residual soreness in my quads from the long run so I did – Fat Burning Pilates. I think that is was a good way to get a little movement today!!!

Happy Saturday!!

Kim

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The 45 Mile Run

January 22, 2015 Kim 117 Comments

I started this blog the day I turned 43 to document a year of daily moves/exercises for 43 reps. Now I’m 45 and in my 3rd year of daily reps – still matching my age.

Even before I did the daily moves, I celebrated my birthday by running my age.

I reverse aged!! Just kidding. This was supposed to be 43 but since I was running with a stress fracture in my left hip this was all I could handle.

This one was brutal – I walked the last 16 miles and it took forever!!!!

I didn’t do my 45 miles on my birthday in September because I had just done the Patriot’s Run 5 days earlier and Chris was in Germany so I didn’t have a full day to devote to the run. I had planned to do it during October but I ended up with some weird leg injury that put a damper on my running for awhile.

On Tuesday I decided that it was time to do my run so I told Chris and the boys at dinner that Wednesday would be the day to run.

The first 6-7 miles were brutally long. It was hard to know that I had well over 6 hours of running still.

I finally got into a groove and broke the time into 10 minute increments by changing the speed from 6.5 up to 7.0 and back down (0.1) each minute.

I celebrated every single mile:

1 mile and a fist pump!

45 fist pumps and numbers followed by a

Hunter asked me before I took him to school what I would do when I needed to refill my water bottles (he didn’t want me to cheat!). I didn’t want to pause the treadmill since it resets quickly from pause so I told him that I would just slow the speed way down. Plenty of motivation not to get off since I had a time goal!!!

There were times when I thought about walking but I knew if I started walking I would have a much harder time running again so I just kept running!!!

Around mile 23 I realized that it was a little overwhelming to say 22 to go so I just focused on one mile at a time. This really helped during the last 10 miles – I told myself that anyone can run 1 mile.

3 movies got me almost to the end of my run. I was on the last mile and a half when my 3rd movie ended and I just let the credits roll until I finished.

The time rolled over 3x – total time was 6 hours 35 min and 18 seconds (it took a second to actually hit pause). I think it averaged out to about 8:45 pace. And, even though I know it’s not accurate, the calories rolled over at 6000.

Sweaty and tired but happy!!!

It was a good run – hard but overall I felt good both physically and mentally!!!

Want to join me in running your age?

Happy Thursday!!

Kim

Butt, Core, Fitness, Hamstrings, Lunges, Resistance Bands, Running, Thighs

Back on Track (1/11 – 1/17)

January 17, 2015 Kim 38 Comments

This week has been a much stronger week of workouts! I’m hoping to start getting in a few mega runs soon!!!

Sunday 1/11 – 45 supine rolls, great for your core and also your upper back.

Make sure your elbows are pushing down to the floor

crunch up but keep your elbows pushing into the floor the entire time

I got in a 6 mile run (45:01) at a faster pace than I had been running for awhile followed by an easy mile.

Monday 1/12 – 45 double knee in to a full body extension with arms extended.

Knees in (excuse the blurry photo - hard to get a good mirror picture!!) — Knees in
(excuse the blurry photo – hard to get a good mirror picture!!)

extend legs and arms (both arms are actually supposed to be overhead but that didn't work to take a picture) — extend legs and arms
(both arms are actually supposed to be overhead but that didn’t work to take a picture)

I did a DVD that I don’t do often but it really is a good one – MashUp Conditioning. This DVD has 7 different workouts (called Tempos) that are 15 minutes each. Each segment has strength, HIIT, core. I did Tempos 5,6 and 7.

Tuesday 1/13 – 45 plies with heels up.

I always love the feeling in my inner thighs when I do plies!!!

I ran 10 miles!!! (75:33) I finished off the workout with an easy mile.

Wednesday 1/14 – 45 step-up to knee, step down and lunge back. This move is similar to one that Josie (YumYucky) did – stairless step climbing.

step down and lunge back with the left leg

After I did 45 like that and had shaky legs, I switched the whole pattern for another set!!

Fun move – and my heart rate really got up since it is all lower body work.

I did one of my 10 Minute Solution DVDs – Tone Trouble Zones. This workout uses a band –

the green one for this workout — the green one at the bottom for this workout

and is very effective.

I also walked 2.45 miles with a 10% incline (had some DVRed shows to catch up on!!).

Thursday 1/15 – 45 single leg bridges with one leg crossed over the other and the supporting foot on a stability ball. This move is from Nellie’s (Brooklyn Active Mama) weekly Wednesday workout.

YIKES!! This move was hard!! Probably why my hamstrings are sore today (2 days later!!).

This was another day of running – 8 miles in 59:37 followed by 1.75 easy miles.

Friday 1/16 – 45 side leg abduction with band.

I love moves like this because while it works the hip of the leg lifting, the standing leg also starts shaking!!!

I don’t know if you can tell but while I lifted my leg I also pulled on the band for some extra resistance.

I did Denise Austin’s Personal Training System. This is a full body workout with about 20 minutes of cardio followed by 10 minutes of lower body, 10 minutes upper body, 10 minutes core and 10 minutes of stretching.

Saturday 1/17 – 45 bow lifts.

Pretty sure this is the first time I’ve ever done any of the pictures in our bedroom – I have to stay out of the light today and this room is one of the best choices.

Overall this was a really good week of workouts. I’m still incorporating a lot of the moves from physical therapy into my workouts – just amping them up a little. And, my running speed is starting to pick back up!! Now I think I’m ready to slowly increase my mileage again!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim