Fitness Friday: Challange Accepted!

Most people start some kind of New Year's workout challenge and this year I was no different.  I actually completed 3 challenges, none of which required running because injuries suck donkey balls but that's a different post entirely.  The first challenge was BethBob's #raceshirtaday Instagram challenge.  I gotta say, NAILED IT! I went 31/31 - a perfect score :) I really loved this - wear a different race shirt every day this month.  I only wore a couple to work (like today's Jax Bank Half shirt) because casual dress isn't really supported.  What was really fun was writing a blurb on Instagram when I posted the shirts.  It gave me a chance to relive some of those races and dig out some really old shirts.  I have race reports on most of these races here if you care to read them.

The second challenge was put on by the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.  Squats and Push-ups - what's not to love besides everything?  Nailed this one, too.  I ignored most of the rest days and working out for 15-20 minutes in the morning has become a pretty cool routine.  I made it to the 3 rounds of 50 squats and 30 push-ups (modified).  Another success!  (Shrinking Jeans does a monthly workout calendar every month so if you want to get in on the fun, check back later today or tomorrow when Lissa posts the next calendar.)

Lastly, one of my girlfriends found this plank challenge from Athleta and we've been checking in each day on Facebook with how we've been doing on our planks.  This has also become part of my morning routine and I'm proud to say that while I didn't make it to 5 minutes (honestly, I think this was unrealistic), I can do a solid 3 minute plank now and can stretch it to 4 minutes with a 30 second arm position change.  This has also become part of my morning routine.

Did you participate in any fun workout challenges this month?  How did they go?

Semi-Wordless Wednesday: Pacific Ocean

2 years ago today I met up with these ladies and ran the Inaugural Tinker Bell Half Marathon.




I couldn't leave California without putting my feet in the Pacific Ocean.



I'm wishing for a beach big-time now. We're on our 3rd snow day in a row with no end in sight. If anyone would like to stuff me in a suitcase & send me somewhere warm and beachy, I'd be very appreciative.

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Training Tuesday: oh my aching butt!

55 miles this week and almost all of them on my bike in the basement.  I spent quite a bit of time trying out a new saddle this week and then more time on Saturday (after my 27 mile ride) back at the bike shop getting re-fitted for my bike.  I ended up with another new saddle plus the most expensive bike shorts I've ever purchased.  Hopefully this week's rides will start to be more comfortable.

I've been sick all week and my workouts have suffered.  I've continued to work on my planks, squats and push-ups but the cardio has really sucked.  I'd managed to get up to a 4 minute plank by Saturday, but Sunday I could only do 3 minutes.  The squats and push-ups are progressing.  I think I'm going to keep them going after the month's challenge is over, but with some rest days because my shoulders are absolutely pissed.

Monday 1/20/14 - BIKE 11.11 miles in 45 minutes (14.8 mph).

Tuesday 1/21/14 - Cross training (WALK) 3.61 miles in 1 hour. I tried to throw in some jogging but I couldn't run for even 20 seconds.  This workout sucked balls.

Wednesday 1/22/14 - BIKE 10.7 miles in 45 minutes (14.2 mph).  I wanted to get in at least an hour but I had no energy at all. I couldn't hit any of my cadence goals and I gave up after only 2 tabatas.

Thursday 1/23/14 - sick day.  I did nothing except my morning challenge work.

Friday 1/24/14 - Cross training (ARC) 1.46 miles in 35 minutes. Plus RUN!! I ran 1 whole mile in a very slow 10:54 on the indoor track. My heel felt pretty good but I finished with an achy achilles and feeling like all my running speed has left the building.

Saturday 1/25/14 - BIKE "long run" 27.2 miles in 2 hours (13.6 mph).  So slow but I got it done.  My ass was NOT happy, even with the new seat I'd been using.  Went to the bike shop in the afternoon and I have another seat to try for the next month, plus some other adjustments were made to my bike.

Sunday 1/26/14 - REST. I tried to do my morning challenge work and failed after a 3 minute plank. I didn't do the sides or my squats and push-ups. Spent the day on the couch with my computer.  Actually, not really.  In the afternoon I went out and ran 1/2 a mile around the neighborhood then played in the snow in my yard.

This week I need to add in some more running if I'm feeling healthier and my heel isn't too pissed off.  I have a nighttime 4.4 mile trail race on Saturday and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to run the whole race, but maybe I can run some intervals.  I definitely need to wear gloves and find something to cover my face.  Just being out for 10 minutes on Sunday was freezing.


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Meal Monday: German Soup

It just keeps snowing and snowing and snowing.

When the weather looks like this outside, all I want is a yummy, warm soup.

Today, I give you German Soup!  This recipe came from an authentic German at one of our Lutheran Church potlucks, so you know it's going to be good.

Ingredients:

5 cups chicken broth

1 can (16oz) sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 tsp dried dill

8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 medium potato, cubed

1 medium onion, chopped

3/4 lbs fresh kielbasa, removed from casing and crumbled (I actually use the Hillshire Farm kielbasa and just slice it)

1-2 tbsp vinegar

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and simmer until sausage and vegetables are cooked.  The hardest part of this recipe is chopping all the vegetables.  You can also make this in a crock pot if you have more time.  This recipe serves about 8 people and the leftovers heat up very well.

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3 Things Thursday: track team motivation

My HS junior daughter is a diver & runs track. She has these tags hanging from her swim/track bag & I love that the captains gave these out before each meet.



Here are 3 of my favorites:










That last one. Yah, that. That POS voice has been yelling at me for weeks and really needs to STFU.

What about you? Any other great motivating quotes from your kid's gym bag?

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#WIAW: mug cookies

Allow me to be sick and whiny. When I'm sick and whiny I want really bad for me foods. Might explain why, despite the crazy amount of workouts I'm still trying to get in (hello 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hour bike sessions), I'm the fattest I have been in the past 3 years or so.  It's gross.  I'm gross. But I guess I don't care enough because I'm still eating real food and not going to some shake-based program or cutting all foods that give me some shred of happiness or something like that.

So yes, I made mug cookies the past 2 nights.  Totally horrible for me and I can't even imagine how many calories.  But for a few minutes I felt better and my kids said "thanks mom, these are great".  My boy even wrote down the recipe.  Great example I'm setting, huh?

If you want to make them, here's the recipe:

Mix in a coffee cup:
1 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp bisquick
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp white sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk

Nuke for about 60 seconds and eat right out the the mug with a spoon.  These would probably be amazing with a scoop of vanilla ice cream but thank God I didn't have any ice cream in the house.
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Training Tuesday

I don't have much to say this week.  I ended the week not feeling great and spend most of Sunday in bed or curled up on the couch.  I still don't know when I'm going to try running.  My heel isn't 100%, or even 70% but I'm getting impatient.

 

The cross training continues.  In addition to what is listed below, I've been keeping up with my plank, squat and push-up challenges.  I'm up to a 3 minute plank, 1 min on the sides, then 3 rounds of 25 squats and 17 modified push-ups.

Monday 1/13/14:  ARC Trainer 2.4 miles in 60 minutes.

Tuesday 1/14/14: 30 minutes of stretching and rolling.

Wednesday 1/15/14: BIKE 17.69 in 75 minutes (14.1 mph).  I really struggled with this ride for some reason.  I think I'm just mentally done with being injured.

Thursday 1/16/14: Elliptical 1.5 miles in 15 min.  Then I went to a very humbling, 45 min long group exercise class at the Y that prove how out of shape I am when it comes to weights.

Friday 1/17/14: REST plus a massage.

Saturday 1/18/14: Long "run" BIKE 34.5 miles in 2:30:10 (13.8 mph).  This seemed like an eternity and I'm pretty sure the lady parts still haven't recovered.

Sunday 1/19/14: REST - sick day with about 12 hours of sleep and vegging on the couch, followed by watching my Broncos advance to the Super Bowl :)