Tag Archives: running

BOSU, Butt, Calves, Cardio, Core, Fitness, Lunges, Quad, Running

Increasing the Daily Reps (9/14 – 9/20)

September 20, 2014 Kim 32 Comments

This week saw in a change in daily moves from 44 to 45. What’s one more rep of anything?!

Sunday 9/14 – 44 heel raises while doing a wall sit and holding up a 20 pound kettle bell.

Not gonna lie – my quads were burning by the time I finished these!!

Monday 9/15 – 44 super burpee (had to have something big for my last Daily 44.)

To do the move: jump back into plank – push-up – jump legs in and right – jump back to plank – jump legs in and left – jump back to plank – jump feet in to hands – jump back to plank – plank jack – jump up to standing – do 8 fast feet. Hooray – 1 rep is done!!!

10 of these would have been OK but 44 was tough!!!

And I’m finally back to normal workouts!!! I started a new program – PIYO – Align the Fundamentals. Not sure how much I’m going to like it but I will give it a try!!!

Tuesday 9/16 – 45 minutes of running (to see how far I could get).

I did 7.43 miles in 45 minutes (7:23, 6:17, 5:51, 5:34, 5:39, 5:54, 5:50 and 6:01 to finish the 8th mile)

I haven’t run hard like this in awhile so I paid the price for this run for the rest of the week – stairs were rough until yesterday and my shins were very tight!!!

Wednesday 9/17 – 45 crunches while on a BOSU with a stability ball between the ankles.

You can see in the pictures that I had to keep my hands on the side of the BOSU – I didn’t hold the entire time but I sure did have to hold a lot for balance!!!

I also did 2 more of the PIYO workouts – Define Lower Body and Define Upper Body.

Thursday 9/18 – 45 plie with hands touching the floor – spring up onto toes and reach hands up.

up onto toes - reach hands up — up onto toes – reach hands up

This was another day of PIYO – Sweat. I looked ahead at the way the program is laid out and it just repeats the same workouts from this week over and over for a few weeks – not sure that I will do this program as it is written!!!

Friday 9/19 – 45 curtsey lunge with hop to opposite leg and another curtsey lunge – stay low the entire time. (right-left = 1 rep)

Then I did one of my favorite workouts – Turbo Fire!!! I did Fire 55EZ (not to be confused with easy!!). Fun way to start the day.

Saturday 9/20 – 45 mountain climbers in low plank.

I let Hunter do the demo since he is the one who told me about this lovely move!!! It was hard but I liked it!!!

So, this wasn’t a super hard week of workouts but it was nice to be back in the routine!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Uncategorized

Knowing When to Say When

September 14, 2014 Kim 99 Comments

Sometimes there is a fine line between being stubborn and knowing when a goal or dream isn’t going to be a reality.

Many of you know that I have started a 50 mile race 2 different times and 2 different times I ended up not finishing.
(October 2013, May 2014)

This past week I tried a different approach to running a 50 mile race. I entered a timed race with the goal of running 50 miles in the time. (9 hours 11 minutes)

I loved the idea behind the race – it was all about remembering and honoring those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

I started this race full of big plans – 50 miles was definitely part of the plan!!!

The first 13-14 miles were great!! I think I came through the half marathon right around 1:46 or 1:47 and I felt good.

Ummm….I don’t think that was a good pace for running 9+ hours but it felt good. My legs were ready to run (I guess resting does that) and my breathing was great. I felt good running – smooth and easy the way running should be.

Around mile 14 I stopped for a minute to eat some grapes and let Chris use the stick to try and work a cramp out of my right hip. That ended up being a bad plan because it was only 55 degrees and cloudy (very cold in my world!!!) and stopping gave my muscles a chance to realize how cold it was.

When I started back up there was a lot of running/walking going on. I still did OK through about mile 20 and then it went way downhill.

I took advantage of the free mini massages they were offering during mile 21 and didn’t know if I was going to be able to start running again.Thankfully Hunter did a couple slow laps with me (he skipped school to come be part of my crew with Chris and I loved having both of them there!!).

I made it through mile 25 but I was miserable. My hips did not want to keep turning over, my feet were cramping (I tried peanuts for salt but….), I was freezing and getting crankier by the minute!!!

Chris finally dragged my ass out of the tent we had and made me finish a couple more laps so that at least I finished marathon distance.

Chris asked me if I wanted to keep going and get to 30 (and then 40 and then….). All I wanted was to find a hot tub and get in it so that I could be warm.

I know Chris just wanted to make sure that I didn’t regret my decision (he’s been through this a couple times, too!!).

Here’s what I told him – my head says “YOU CAN RUN 50 MILES.” But my body say “NO!!!!”

Cardio-wise I don’t have any problems running and running and running. My joints and bones and muscles are a completely different story.

And, the biggest thing – I have attempted 50 miles in a race 3 times and not once have I loved the experience. In fact, it is usually the opposite – I hate it with almost every fiber of my being!!!

So, I don’t know that I will ever run a true 50 mile race and I’m completely OK with that. I just want to run and love it. I don’t like having to take over a week off to rest my legs before or after a race.

I just want to run when I want to for however long I feel like going and enjoy it!!!

That being said, I will do the race again next year but I will just sign up for the marathon. I loved the set-up, the support and the reason behind this race and will definitely go back and run again!!!

I think Kenny Rogers summed it up –
“You’ve got to know when to hold ’em
Know when to fold ’em
Know when to walk away
Know when to run…”

Have you ever had a dream/goal that you ultimately realized wasn’t going to happen and let it go? Were you OK with your decision?

A huge thanks to all y’all who tweeted, face booked and sent happy thoughts in other ways. Big shout out to Kristina (Blog about Running) for the hourly tweets of motivation all day Thursday!!!

Happy Monday!!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Foam Roller, Push-Ups, Resistance Bands, Running

Resting and Running (9/7-9/13)

September 13, 2014 Kim 42 Comments

This week was mostly about 44s and resting!!

Sunday 9/7 –44 cross body obliques (standing) – knee to elbow.

I tried to stay balanced on one leg the entire time I was doing this move – sort of a challenge!! And, I had to do the other side!

I like moves like this – and I love that Jordan is doing homework in the background without a shirt!!!

I did an easy 4 mile run just to shake my legs out a bit!!!

Monday 9/8 – 44 crunches while laying on the foam roller.

This move was sort of nice on the down part as a stretch!!!

Tuesday 9/9 – 44 chest fly in crunch position with a band. This move is one I adapted from Stuft Mama.

Basically I just opened my arms to the side and then up in front while holding my core tight the entire time!!

Wednesday 9/10 – 44 side lying scissors with legs.

I counted a right leg on top and right leg back as 1 rep. This move really worked my hips because I kept my legs off the ground the entire time.

And, of course, I had to flip over and get the other side!!

Thursday 9/11 – 44 wide push-ups with fingers pointing out.

And, I ran a race – The Patriot’s Run.

I didn’t get my goal (50 miles) but I run over a marathon and then called it a day (thoughts on the race on Monday!).

Friday 9/12 – 44 seated leg extensions.

This 44 almost didn’t happen. Chris and I had to go to Wichita to get stuff for his uniform at the BX and then I sort of forgot. Better to get it done at 10:00 pm than never!!!

Saturday 9/13 – 44 3 part stretch.

I did this early this morning before we left for Hunter’s very cold cross country meet which is why I have on about 3 layers of clothes!! The stretch was just what I needed after running Thursday and spending over 4 hours in the car on Friday.

Happy Saturday!!! (cold here – I hope this isn’t a sign of the coming winter weather!!)

Kim

Uncategorized

30 Years Ago I Started Running and just Never Stopped!!

September 1, 2014 Kim 93 Comments

30 years ago this week I made one of the best choices of my life – I decided to run track my sophomore year of high school. I signed up for the entire year of athletics and thought I would just hang out or something in the fall since I had plans to be a quarter miler.

My coach suggested that I try cross country. Even though I had no idea what that meant, I decided to go ahead and try it.

The first day we had to run to a nearby park, loop it and run back to the school – about 1 mile. I had to walk 3 times!!!

pretty much the male version of how I looked after that first mile

It was hard but I stuck with it and ended up loving everything about cross country!

And track was even more fun!!!

I went on to run in college on a scholarship.

I road raced my way through grad school and found another love!!! The atmosphere at road races was so much fun!

The past 10-15 years have been less about racing and more about running just because I love it!

The longest time I’ve gone without running in the past 30 years was almost 6 months. In November of 2001 I was near the end of training for a marathon and ended up with a stress fracture in my left hip. My orthopedic surgeon actually threatened me with a hip replacement. Thankfully I healed but it was almost 6 months of no running (actually only minimal walking) – it was brutal for everyone involved!!!

My current goal is to complete 50 miles (or more:) in a race!!!

I’m hoping to keep running for at least 30 more years!!!

If you run, how long have you been running?
Do you have any hobbies that you have done for over half your life?

Happy Tuesday!!

Kim

Biceps, BOSU, Butt, Core, Fitness, Push-Ups, Running

Tired Running Legs (8/24 – 8/30)

August 30, 2014 Kim 32 Comments

This week was all about really pushing my legs past the point of being tired and then running just a little bit more and I’m happy to say I achieved that by Friday’s run!!!

Sunday 8/24 – 44 reverse frogs while on a stability ball. (Hopefully the pictures help explain the move.)

start facedown on ball with hands on ground, heels together

lift legs up (squeeze butt) keeping heels together

Don’t mind the fact that I look crooked in the picture above – it’s hard staying on the ball!!

slowly lower toes to the ground to finish the first rep

This move was sort of fun – I liked the slow moving holds and squeezes!! I’m not really a fan of how large my backside looks in the pictures though – oops!!

Monday 8/25 – 44 bicep curls while standing on upside down BOSU (10 pound DBs)

The act of staying balanced on the BOSU made these curls much harder than a standard curl – super fun!!

Run – 12 miles in 91:40 followed by 0.4 easy miles

Tuesday 8/26 – 44 plank with feet on upside down BOSU – alternate toe taps to the sides (right/left tap = 1 rep).

Not sure why it looks like my arms are bowed or too close in – hmmm…..

Run 10 miles – 82:35 followed by 0.8 miles

After taking Hunter to school I changed into dry clothes (I sweat a LOT when I run) and ran some more!

Run 10 miles – 86:38 followed by 2 easy miles

Wednesday 8/27 – 44 alternating side bends while standing on an upside down BOSU (12 pound DBs).

I liked this move – I love the little crunch in my obliques while doing side bends and the fact that I had the extra balance challenge was a bonus!!

Run 10 miles – 77:12 followed 1.05 miles nice and easy!!

Thursday 8/28 – 44 push-ups with toes on upside down BOSU.

You can see how hard it is to stay balanced on the BOSU – it tips back a lot!!

Not gonna lie – these were hard!!! I don’t think I’ve been doing enough push-ups lately!!!

Run – 8 miles in 57:45 + 0.5 miles (I was pressed for time so I thought I would do a harder run since I’ve been logging lots of slower miles).

Friday 8/29 – 44 body extended to V-sit on upside down BOSU.

I wobbled a lot on these!! And, this was one of those moves that I felt in my core and also in my hip flexors!!

Run – 10 miles in 79:47 followed by 3 easy miles.

This was my final long run before my upcoming race. My goal this week was to run enough that my legs were fatigued but still able to turn-over pretty well. I’m happy with how the week went!!

Saturday 8/30 – 44 calf stretches on upside down BOSU. This move felt good after all of the running!!

I had fun this week doing moves on my BOSU in a more nontraditional way!!!

So in 5 days (Monday – Friday), I ran 60 miles at a good pace + 7.75 easy miles. (my easy miles are always a mix of slow running that ends with walking)

The next week and a half will still have plenty of daily 44s but the workouts will be fairly light and I’m not planning to do any long or hard runs.

Happy Saturday!!

Kim

Day With KT