Category Archives: jogging

I see why it's called the dreadmill.

The outside run I did last week made me realize that I miss running! Streets and sidewalks are too icy and snow packed to do much outside (not to mention the cold!).
So tonight I went to my parents’ house and ran on their treadmill. I was okay for about 15 minutes, then it just seemed so boring!

How do people just run on treadmills only? Even with a TV on it was boring. I guess I am just used to actually going somewhere while running, and not being like a mouse on a wheel.

So this week I am doing a scary thing – taking a week off of strength training. The books I read suggest doing this every few months to prevent over training. This week I decided to rest those muscles. How ironic when most people are just joining gyms and working out and I take a week off LOL!

Still doing cardio, though. Going to New Orleans on Friday, and my sister and I are actually packing clothes to run in. I can’t believe it! I would never have dreamed of going running on a vacation before. Gotta burn off those beignets somehow.

Jogging!

The weather was so gorgeous today. Upper 40s and the sun peeking out occasionally from clouds. We were supposed to get rain, but it never showed. So – I decided to go out for a run. I haven’t run in a couple weeks since the Girls on the Run. We don’t own a treadmill, so weather is the deciding factor in outdoor jogging! I have to say, some people need to SHOVEL!! There is absolutely no excuse to shovel your driveway and not the sidewalk. It’s the law around here. So, I was ducking in and out of the road at times (side streets).
As I was running, I realized that I do enjoy it! And I missed it. I got pretty sweaty, too, with just a long sleeve t-shirt on. Felt great.

I had a Larabar the other day, and was quite taken with it. The ingredients looked super easy, just dates and cashews. Seems pretty easy to duplicate. We picked up some dates at the store today, and I measured out some dates and cashews – then some protein powder (you all know how I love my protein!). I thought the mixture would be too dry with the protein powder, so I added water. I won’t do that next time, as it made the ‘batter’ too sticky. The flavor was very good. I need to tweak the recipe a bit this week before I post it. So many options for this as well. Thinking it might become my new nightly snack! John said we can call them Loribars 😀

In a groove.

I somehow got myself into a groove! Yay! I have been eating really well pretty much since Friday. Good thing because the scale was pretty scary Friday morning for the “Hot for the Holidays” challenge. Maybe I was one of the few to actually step on the scale that day, I don’t know, but it wasn’t pretty.

Anyway – I don’t even care (that much) if I am peeking back into the 140s tomorrow at official weigh in, because I have the mojo now. Gotta keep it going!

Went for a jog today, since it was 42 degrees – practically balmy LOL! It really felt great! I felt so awesome when I was done. Can you tell I am totally pumped right now???

Tried another new veggie dish tonight. Got the recipe from Green Lite bites – Zucchini pancakes. They were pretty good, I have to say. Easy, too. I bet they would be good with grated squash, maybe that will be my next veggie :D.

Monday's Workout

Cardio: 3 mile jog

Strength: Changing it up a bit this week. Biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, chest

Standing bicep curls: 3 x 20 10 pounds
Concentration curls: 3 x 15 15 pounds
Triceps kickback: 3 x 20 10 pounds
Lying triceps extension *: 3 x 15 25 pounds
Front raise: 3 x 20 5 pounds
Upright row: 3 x 15 10 pounds
Incline bench press *: 3 x 15 35 pounds
Lying chest fly: 3 x 20 10 pounds
One arm seated row *: 3 x 20 40 pounds
Functional lower back extension *: 3 x 15 40 pounds
This workout kicked my butt. My arms were shaking for a while.

(* = Bowflex)

Pushing it this week.

I decided that I was going to work ultra hard this week, and not take a ‘vacation’ type of week from exercise or eating.

So today I changed up the strength training, as I don’t want to do a heavy lower body workout on Wednesday, the day before my race.
Doing 4 sessions this week:
Today: Biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, chest.
Tomorrow: Hammies, glutes, quads, calves, abs.

Then do today’s workout on Wednesday, and the the other on Friday.

I ate clean today, on the lower end of calories (1300). I also jogged today. It was about 34 when I went out, but there was no wind – which makes all the difference in the world. I don’t know how fast I will be on Thursday, I really seem to run slower in the cold. You would think I would run faster to finish faster, but alas, that is not the case. Weather might be a bit clearer for Thursday, and not the rain/snow mix – yay!

When we went shopping the other day, I found the perfect candy for me. Eggnog candy corn! My 2 favorite flavors all rolled into one. I did ask to have that in my stocking this year. I just have to try it, but not til Christmas morning!

Good run, and ate too much.

Well, Saturday was planned to be a high calorie day. Good thing. Let’s just say PMS, cookies and ice cream and leave it at that.
Today is a new day!

So, maybe that was some sort of self-sabotage to keep me out of the 130s, or something else. I don’t know. I do know that I was not full at *all* during the day. Even after the ice cream after dinner, I was not full. That was the PMS part, I think. Anyhoo – what’s done is done.

Today we went out for what seems to be the new Sunday activity – the 5K! John is working on jogging, so we go to the track and he goes around doing a walk/jog for 3 miles. I just jog the whole time and see how far I get, which pretty much always turns out to be 4 miles, as it was today. I don’t do any speed work or intervals. Just steady jogging. HRM says I burned 450 calories! I’ll take it!

I voted and had a crappy run.

Well – voting is done. Make sure you get out and vote. I don’t care who you vote for, but the privilege of voting is something to never, ever take for granted.

Lucky for me, my voting place is the high school down the street where I do my runs. So, I dressed in my workout clothes and voted. I know this is a small town, but there was only 1 (yes, one) voting booth. Luckily there were only about 5 people in front of me, and we only had about 6 things to vote on. So, it only took about 15 minutes or so.

After voting, I went out back to the track and started jogging. It did not feel good right off the bat. My calves were tight and I just felt tired. I could not get a pace faster than an 11 minute mile and I really had to slog and bargain with myself to finish 3 miles. I was actually looking forward to the run earlier, but I guess my body had other ideas. I don’t know as it might be a delayed response from donating blood on Saturday, could be low iron levels. But, it’s done and now I can do a rare night of vegeing in front of the tube!

Legs are sore.

I don’t really like to run on my lower body strength days, but that is what happened yesterday. And I feel it today! Ouchies! Hope they fully recover by race day on Saturday morning.

DH is going to do the race with me. He actually bought a pair of sweats to he can do more workouts, now that it is colder. I knew my ‘gentle encouragement’ would get him to join me LOL! It will be awhile before he can run a whole 5K, but I should take advantage of that now, since his stride is much longer than mine. Once he is up to speed, I probably won’t be able to keep up!

Ate the last of my cranberry/oat/pumpkin bars from down below. I am going to have to make more of them – they were very tasty!

Had a really good food day today.

Weigh in day!

I fairly well survived my stress bingeing this weekend. Only showed a 0.4 pound gain, and I consider myself very lucky at that.

I also think the strength training has really helped keep my metabolism working at a higher level. Whatever the reason, thank you!

Wuss girl decided to quit being a baby and went out for a run today. It was 41 degrees, really windy and kind of spitting a bit of rain – but I needed to get this in. I did a hill/interval combo run, different than anything I have done before. I did part of my regular hill run, which ends up near the highschool after about a mile, then I veered onto the track and did 2 miles with intervals. I also had done a lower body strength training workout today, so my legs feel stiff tonight!

Chloe update (for those that want to hear!): I think she is turning a corner. She actually meowed (quite loudly) today when I brought in her wet food (aka kitty crack). She has better control over her back leg, it looks more like a limp now instead of her just dragging it. So, I don’t know how much she will recover – but I am so grateful that she seems to be progressing.

Outside jogging is winding down.

I think I am a bit of a wuss runner. I don’t have a treadmill, so I have to run outside. I started in April, so haven’t really hit any super cold spells yet. Only got poured on once.
It’s been getting very cold around here. Yesterday it was 28 degrees when I woke up, and we had a hard freeze. Not interested in jogging! DH and I were supposed to go out today, but it rained all day and was 45 degrees. I just did an exercise DVD inside.

I have found that leaves are slippery. Especially in this cold, damp weather. That’s a little alarming to skid around. Pretty, though.

So, looks like only 1 more run this week before my next race on Saturday.
It’s tempting to think about a treadmill, but the $$ and space deter me. Guess it’s time to change up the exercise routine!

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