I simply CANNOT believe it has been over 3 months since I have updated this thing! That is just crazy to me as I was pretty good about doing this when I first started writing this thing.
There have been some changes since I last wrote here. Tristan and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary in New Orleans and had an extremely amazing time doing some amazing things. I kind of freaked out because they thought we were going to see some hurricane action, not talking about the drink here folks, but all we say from it was rain. During the holiday season, I tried doing a mile a day running streak but the flu had different plans for me. I actually got the flu for the first time since I was a teenager and it sucked. At that doctors appointment, I was tested for asthma and found out I actually have asthma. I suspected this once it got cold out because I would come home from a run all wheezy like so I'm super glad to have an inhaler for this now.
Since getting the inhaler, I haven't ran nearly as much as I would like although that has been more of a weather thing than anything else. This morning for instance it was 17 degrees when I woke up and that cold air just hurts my lungs so I can't really run. Shelly and I have started doing a 20 minute walk since the GPS on my phone didn't really work in the concrete slab that is our building so we can't say we just walk a mile. I am pretty sure it is a little over a mile but since I can't really figure that out without pulling out the building schematics we just do the 20 minutes before kickboxing.
One of the biggest things to have happened since the last time I wrote was that I did a 5k in under 35 minutes. I'm still having a hard time processing this fact. That day was a perfect day for running though. It was about 55 degrees outside, bright and sunny, and I did a different route that was so flat compared to my normal route. The pups and I just wanted to keep going and it was awesome. Since that day, I haven't been able to match that speed because of some shin pain but I have no doubt I will be close to that again soon.
So here are my goals for fitness in 2014:
Run between 500-750 miles this year. I gave myself a range because I have pledged to do at least 500 in a virtual run that is to get people from all over the world to pledge miles to be able to say that as a group we ran to Venus. I know that is corny but I thought it was a cool idea. My ultimate goal is 750 which is a little over the distance from Memphis to the Canadian border.
Train for and run my first Half-Marathon. I want this to be done at Shelby Farms Park in October. This summer I will probably be changing my runs on Saturdays to runs in the park and that makes me uber excited about it.
Do 4 kickboxing classes every week. This will be my 3rd week of doing at least 4 classes a week and I can already tell a big difference.
Add more fruits and vegetables to the diet. In order to do this, I started making smoothies in the morning as my breakfast during the work week and trying to add more veggies to our suppers since we have leftovers for lunch every day. I'm still working on adding more veggies to dinner but this is a growing process lol
Thanks for reading my rambles.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
2 Month Update
I can't believe it has been nearly 2 months since I updated this! I guess there was legitimate concern with the whole work/exercise/life balance thing.
Since August, my whole training regimen has really shifted. I'm really focusing on getting better and stronger with the kickboxing classes. There are some days that I feel so accomplished and proud that I can hold a plank for a solid minute and then the next class I am barely able to hold one for 30 seconds. Some of that has to do with the different exercises we are doing in class and the different muscles that we will focus on but it can still be bothersome. However, I can see those changes in my body nearly every day when I look in the mirror. My arms are becoming more muscular and defined, my stomach is getting flatter and I can feel the muscles underneath forming, and my legs are becoming rockstars. I've also lost nearly 20 pounds since starting kickboxing and this week, it will be time to see how many inches have come off.
I've been continually working out for the past 3 months and my whole life attitude has changed. Going to class has become so habitual that I don't even think about it anymore but there are still things that aren't functioning as perfectly as I wish they would be by now. This week I hit my 2 month mark with Memphis Fitness Kickboxing and I love it but my shins and calf muscles still get all cramped and hurt. This isn't nearly as bad as it used to be but it is still discouraging when it happens. The instructors have also added a lot of new exercises to the routines so I know that a portion of it is muscles being worked like they haven't before.
My running game comes and goes. I was able to run a mile in less than 15 minutes for the Cooper-Young 4 miler in September and was extremely proud of myself because I was able to meet that goal. Since then I haven't been running nearly as much. This week I amped it up and was almost able to do a 13 minute mile (which isn't the best in the world but it is awesome for me) but the dogs had different plans lol.
I'm going on vacation to NOLA tomorrow. Tristan asked if the diet was also going on vacation while we are down there and it really got me thinking how I was going to handle being in a city with such great food while maintaining the progress that I've made. Then I remembered our honeymoon. We probably averaged about 12 miles a day walking around the city and both of us lost nearly 10 pounds that week. So as long as I don't go overboard with the beignets, I should be good.
Thanks for reading this really long update that probably seemed a little scattered today.
Since August, my whole training regimen has really shifted. I'm really focusing on getting better and stronger with the kickboxing classes. There are some days that I feel so accomplished and proud that I can hold a plank for a solid minute and then the next class I am barely able to hold one for 30 seconds. Some of that has to do with the different exercises we are doing in class and the different muscles that we will focus on but it can still be bothersome. However, I can see those changes in my body nearly every day when I look in the mirror. My arms are becoming more muscular and defined, my stomach is getting flatter and I can feel the muscles underneath forming, and my legs are becoming rockstars. I've also lost nearly 20 pounds since starting kickboxing and this week, it will be time to see how many inches have come off.
I've been continually working out for the past 3 months and my whole life attitude has changed. Going to class has become so habitual that I don't even think about it anymore but there are still things that aren't functioning as perfectly as I wish they would be by now. This week I hit my 2 month mark with Memphis Fitness Kickboxing and I love it but my shins and calf muscles still get all cramped and hurt. This isn't nearly as bad as it used to be but it is still discouraging when it happens. The instructors have also added a lot of new exercises to the routines so I know that a portion of it is muscles being worked like they haven't before.
My running game comes and goes. I was able to run a mile in less than 15 minutes for the Cooper-Young 4 miler in September and was extremely proud of myself because I was able to meet that goal. Since then I haven't been running nearly as much. This week I amped it up and was almost able to do a 13 minute mile (which isn't the best in the world but it is awesome for me) but the dogs had different plans lol.
I'm going on vacation to NOLA tomorrow. Tristan asked if the diet was also going on vacation while we are down there and it really got me thinking how I was going to handle being in a city with such great food while maintaining the progress that I've made. Then I remembered our honeymoon. We probably averaged about 12 miles a day walking around the city and both of us lost nearly 10 pounds that week. So as long as I don't go overboard with the beignets, I should be good.
Thanks for reading this really long update that probably seemed a little scattered today.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Feeling Strong
For the past two weeks, I took a kickboxing class that I loved. I loved the teacher, loved the studio, and loved bringing people there to test it out. I was super excited about joining but didn't know how it would work with my late work schedule during the school year.
After the urging of a friend for a closer place, yesterday I tried a new place. It is closer to work, closer to home, has about the same hours, and offered a special for signing up that day. Although, I did not like the new place as much, I went with them because of the money situation. Both places have a $99 enrollment fee which pretty much pays for your gloves and wraps and then for 12 months it is $59 a month, unlimited classes. With Memphis Fitness Kickboxing, the $99 enrollment fee was waived if you signed up that day so I did. I now have hot pink boxing gloves and purple hand wraps. I went with the pink ones so I would know which ones are mine when I go. The workout out at Memphis Kickboxing was a lot more intense than with Urban Fitness which I truly did not think was at all possible.
I am really enjoying all this new activity in my life. The only exercise that I have truly ever enjoyed was yoga, which can be extremely intense but is nothing like running nor kickboxing. I think the kickboxing is really going to help start shredding the weight and make me stronger. I feel invincible after the classes, every muscle burns and I feel like I am slowly dying during the class but afterwards I can't believe I was able to do everything I just did. I think this will really help with the endurance aspect of running, especially with that 4 miler coming up in just over a month.
Right now my biggest concern is balancing all of this exercise out with my normal life. This morning I hoped to get up about 30 minutes early to get in a run but ended up sleeping 30 extra minutes instead, oops! I guess I will have to work on that! Yesterday, I did a lazy mile before the kickboxing class and don't know if that was a good thing or bad. Poor Shelly told me she hated me at one point during the kickboxing class but I know exactly how she felt!
In running news, I have gotten new shoes which are spectacular and have officially signed up for the Cooper Young 4 miler in September. Yay!
Monday, July 29, 2013
Changing It Up
So this past week, I really changed up the routine a little bit. I did some running but because of rain and pain did not get in the miles that I was hoping to do. I did go to a kickboxing class for the first time at Urban Fitness Kickboxing in Bartlett TN and I also did a Yoga class for runner's at Fleet Feet Sports here in Memphis. Kickboxing was a totally surreal event for me. I made it through the class without dying although there were some instances that I didn't think that was going to happen. I don't know if I have ever sweated that much in my entire life. But after burning nearly 1100 calories, I am going back this week to give it another go.
I am going to take the running easy this week until I am able to get some new shoes. Luckily, the awesome yoga teacher from YogaFest was able to give me some pointers on how to help handle some of the calf pain I've been having. I am going to test that out today and see how it helps with the issue. Yesterday was one of my running rest days and I haven't been able to do more than 2 miles in a run since the 5k. Hopefully with the new added stretches and the new shoes, I can start doing 3 in a go which is what I would love to be at my August 13th. If I am at that level by then, I am going to start doing 4 milers to help prepare for the Cooper Young 4 miler on September 13th.
The upcoming races I am planning on doing are:
Cooper Young 4 miler on September 13th
LuvMud September 28th
Color Run October 26th
Memphis Grizzles House 5k December 7th
I am going to take the running easy this week until I am able to get some new shoes. Luckily, the awesome yoga teacher from YogaFest was able to give me some pointers on how to help handle some of the calf pain I've been having. I am going to test that out today and see how it helps with the issue. Yesterday was one of my running rest days and I haven't been able to do more than 2 miles in a run since the 5k. Hopefully with the new added stretches and the new shoes, I can start doing 3 in a go which is what I would love to be at my August 13th. If I am at that level by then, I am going to start doing 4 milers to help prepare for the Cooper Young 4 miler on September 13th.
The upcoming races I am planning on doing are:
Cooper Young 4 miler on September 13th
LuvMud September 28th
Color Run October 26th
Memphis Grizzles House 5k December 7th
Monday, July 22, 2013
First 5k Ever DONE!
And wow was it hard!!! I've been working out since June 24th somewhat regularly and since July 8th nearly every day. My most consistent work outs have been the Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown dvd and running/walking/jogging.
I've had some runner injuries over the past two weeks that I really worried about in preparing last week for the 5k. I had several just 1 milers that I had to push myself through because of the pain in my calf muscles, peroneal muscles, and my ankles. Most of this pain was concentrated in my left leg. After going back to my old New Balance 990 and wrapping my ankles most of this pain was nearly gone by race day. The first half mile of the 5k was brutal. Shelly didn't think she was going to finish, I thought I may have sprained my right ankle, and I realized trying to run with Susan was a little out of my range. Susan and I were hoping that we would be able to run together the entire time when I drunkenly registered for the race. After last week's hiccups, I warned her I didn't think I would be able to do much running and I was right. I let Susan take off and run the way she wanted to and the way I was just not able to yet. Shelly was able to catch up to me and our first mile was complete in 16:47 and hearing that and knowing it was the best time that we had done together meant a lot to both of us. It revamped us and we soon forgot that we had legs.
With less than a mile left to go, we were greeted by Tristan and according to the Nike+ app our speeds soared. It was just the happy pick me up that we needed to make it the last little bit. It was an awesome feeling finishing the race.
After everything was done, I was sure I was going to go home and just pass out. However, I truly experienced the runner's high that everyone is always talking about and it was nice. Instead of sleeping, we were able to go thrift store shopping, take in a Red Birds game with some friends, and watch Evil Dead with a good buddy of ours.
On race day according to the Nike+ app, here are our stats:
3.63 miles
Total Time: 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 24 seconds
Average pace was 17:43/mile
Fastest Pace: 10:58/mile
Slowest: 38:57 (this is when we stopped to do some stretches because everything hurt)
5k time: 54:14 (this is the first even for the app that I had ran)
533 calories burned
The next race is September 13th and it is a 4 miler. I'm hoping that all of these numbers are lower, well except for calories burned.
I've had some runner injuries over the past two weeks that I really worried about in preparing last week for the 5k. I had several just 1 milers that I had to push myself through because of the pain in my calf muscles, peroneal muscles, and my ankles. Most of this pain was concentrated in my left leg. After going back to my old New Balance 990 and wrapping my ankles most of this pain was nearly gone by race day. The first half mile of the 5k was brutal. Shelly didn't think she was going to finish, I thought I may have sprained my right ankle, and I realized trying to run with Susan was a little out of my range. Susan and I were hoping that we would be able to run together the entire time when I drunkenly registered for the race. After last week's hiccups, I warned her I didn't think I would be able to do much running and I was right. I let Susan take off and run the way she wanted to and the way I was just not able to yet. Shelly was able to catch up to me and our first mile was complete in 16:47 and hearing that and knowing it was the best time that we had done together meant a lot to both of us. It revamped us and we soon forgot that we had legs.
With less than a mile left to go, we were greeted by Tristan and according to the Nike+ app our speeds soared. It was just the happy pick me up that we needed to make it the last little bit. It was an awesome feeling finishing the race.
After everything was done, I was sure I was going to go home and just pass out. However, I truly experienced the runner's high that everyone is always talking about and it was nice. Instead of sleeping, we were able to go thrift store shopping, take in a Red Birds game with some friends, and watch Evil Dead with a good buddy of ours.
On race day according to the Nike+ app, here are our stats:
3.63 miles
Total Time: 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 24 seconds
Average pace was 17:43/mile
Fastest Pace: 10:58/mile
Slowest: 38:57 (this is when we stopped to do some stretches because everything hurt)
5k time: 54:14 (this is the first even for the app that I had ran)
533 calories burned
The next race is September 13th and it is a 4 miler. I'm hoping that all of these numbers are lower, well except for calories burned.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Tomorrow is the Day
Tomorrow will be the first 5k that I will do this year. I'm highly nervous about this process. I've worked out every single day this week. It has been a mixture of running/walking and Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown. I'm still having some leg pain which makes me very anxious about actually doing it tomorrow. Shelly has decided to do it with Susan and I. I know that Susan is expecting to do a mix of running and walking but I really don't know how much running I will feasibly be able to do. I am still healing from that twisted ankle and that has my shin splints acting up something fierce.
I have not had the sever pain in my lower calf since the run on Tuesday so the stretches are helping out a lot. My black Nikes are being retired after today. I did my work mile in them and could feel the pain starting to creep up on my right leg. Wrapping the ankle really helped and I think my New Balances will be the best thing to do the race tomorrow. I keep going in between being super excited and this dread that I am going to hurt something major. Here's hoping that it all works out ok and nothing goes pop on race day.
I'm still not showing any good movement on the scale which has been kind of down in the dumps this week. However, I feel a big difference in some of my clothes which is what all the experts say to look at. I haven't done measurements this week like I was hoping to because of scheduling and not really wanting to do it lol. I might just save the measurement tracking until I hit the working out a month spot. For right now, here are some pictures to help me see that there has been some loss.
The bottom picture is actually a screenshot from my instagram from the first day I worked out. The other was taken today. I'm not smiling in either one mainly because I wanted to make sure my face kind of looked the same in both pictures. So there's a bit of a difference but I'm working up toward a bigger one.
I have not had the sever pain in my lower calf since the run on Tuesday so the stretches are helping out a lot. My black Nikes are being retired after today. I did my work mile in them and could feel the pain starting to creep up on my right leg. Wrapping the ankle really helped and I think my New Balances will be the best thing to do the race tomorrow. I keep going in between being super excited and this dread that I am going to hurt something major. Here's hoping that it all works out ok and nothing goes pop on race day.
I'm still not showing any good movement on the scale which has been kind of down in the dumps this week. However, I feel a big difference in some of my clothes which is what all the experts say to look at. I haven't done measurements this week like I was hoping to because of scheduling and not really wanting to do it lol. I might just save the measurement tracking until I hit the working out a month spot. For right now, here are some pictures to help me see that there has been some loss.
The bottom picture is actually a screenshot from my instagram from the first day I worked out. The other was taken today. I'm not smiling in either one mainly because I wanted to make sure my face kind of looked the same in both pictures. So there's a bit of a difference but I'm working up toward a bigger one.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Gearing up for a 5k
Since my last updated, I've twisted my ankle and was volunteered by my husband to run a 5k with one of my really good friends (Susan). After much pleading on her part, I decided to go for it so that she wouldn't be alone. I'm only half way through my training for a 5k so I'm a bit nervous about actually doing one. The only goal I am really giving myself is to finish the race and hopefully not be last.
Last week, my major achievements were how many times I actually worked out. I walked/jogged/ran 7 times through the Nike+ app but I also added some jumping jacks to the routine a few days and also added in Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown. Yesterday I did a mile with Shelly and my second run of the day was rained out so I did Yoga Meltdown instead. That dvd is no joke. I've done yoga many times in all kinds of ways but this is the best and hardest at home yoga dvd to date. There are some moves that I just have not gotten down yet but can already tell an improvement from Day 1 to Day 2. Today, Susan and I have a work out date to put in a 5k. Although, I've had some days where I've ran over 3 miles, I haven't done 3 miles all at the same time and I definitely want to get a couple of those in before Saturday.
Wish me luck!
Last week, my major achievements were how many times I actually worked out. I walked/jogged/ran 7 times through the Nike+ app but I also added some jumping jacks to the routine a few days and also added in Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown. Yesterday I did a mile with Shelly and my second run of the day was rained out so I did Yoga Meltdown instead. That dvd is no joke. I've done yoga many times in all kinds of ways but this is the best and hardest at home yoga dvd to date. There are some moves that I just have not gotten down yet but can already tell an improvement from Day 1 to Day 2. Today, Susan and I have a work out date to put in a 5k. Although, I've had some days where I've ran over 3 miles, I haven't done 3 miles all at the same time and I definitely want to get a couple of those in before Saturday.
Wish me luck!
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