Today was a rest day for my training schedule. I met with a trainer at the gym to basically figure out what I should be doing for strength training there. I haven't been anywhere other than the cardio area and stretching room. Nice to refresh myself with the rest of the gym!
I ended up doing a quick ab workout. I wanted to keep it light today with the 10K tomorrow. Tonight is New Years Eve.. but low key. I really want to do well in the 10K and I need my rest. Out partying all night wouldn't work well for that!
I checked out my online fitness journal today, where I log everything I do. GREAT way to go back and see my history. Even with all my slacking the last 2 weeks with Christmas and with the snow storm, I still managed over 40 miles in December. And that was without training for Boston! I'm proud of that! 12 months ago I NEVER would have thought I could run over 40 miles in a month! That's NUTS!
I went shopping today to use up Kohl's cash and some gift certificates. I still spent a lot of money but I got great deals and I really did need a lot. I got running pants, sports bras, regular bras, fleece mid layer pull-overs ($7.50 EACH at Target! I got 4!), Vests with matching headband ear warmer things (got 3 at Kolh's for $13 each!), exercise tank tops with built in bras, and shoes of course. It was a GREAT shopping trip.
One funny thing happened today. I knew I had lost weight, and more specifically, I lost size. I'm stronger than I was before. When I was 22 years old, I weighed less than this by a few pounds. But I was bigger then in size. That's when I got my old Express bootcut jeans, size 9 short. Those are too big now. WAY too big now. I mean, if I wear them, people tell me I need to get rid of them. (those jeans were my goal! I wanted to fit back into my favorite pair of jeans that looked great on me when I was 22!) I still can't part with them, even if they look stupid on me.
SO back to shopping today. My arms hurt with the HUGE pile of clothes I carried around. I'm still struggling to figure out my size. Depends on the brand and where I'm shopping. Marshall's, I'm generally a size 6 petite in pants. So I was just grabbing a few things here and there. I knew that some of the small tops I have do have some room in them, so I grabbed a couple of X smalls too.
The exercise tops are Fila. I got 2 of them, both X Small, and 2 of Fila's X small sports bras too. Some of the tops I brought in were smalls, they were too big. Then in the petite section, I grabbed another stack to try on. NOTHING fit. 6 pants, the waist was too big. Then the CUTEST cord skirt. 6 petite. Yup, too big! When did this happen?
At Target where I got the deal on the Champion fleece pull overs (with a little 1/2 zipper and thumb slits too!) I took off the hoodie I had on and tried them on over my tank top. The small was WAY too big. I got 4 X smalls.
I hadn't realized that my size changed this much until today. I know people keep saying, "Julie, you are so tiny. You have no waist!" And I knew I had a small waist but I still wouldn't say I'm tiny. I just never realized my upper body really was tiny. I have no upper body! I'm wearing a freakin size X SMALL! When did that happen?
Anyway... not sure yet what my resolutions will be. I always name my year too and haven't figured that one out yet either. Still think it is so funny that 2010 was my year of fitness. I have never been this fit in my entire life! Guess this whole naming the year thing works! :)
Hapy New Year. Here is to an amazing 2011!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
One more day
Starting to get back into a good routine. Last night I went to the gym and got in 4 miles on the treadmill. I did a LOT of stretching when I was done to help with the calf cramps which I ended up with after running last night.
I stopped at the store on my way home, bought some bananas and some Magnesium supplements. That helps with Potassium absorption, so I'm hoping that between that and eating a banana or 2 a day I'll stop with the cramps.
Tonight I met some friends at the pool for my cross training and got in another mile. Took a little while and a couple of breaks, but I can feel myself getting stronger with swimming after each time I go.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow as well. It is supposed to be my rest day, but it is really the only day that it will fit into my schedule. I'm meeting with a trainer at the gym so I can start getting in some strength training that I have been skipping out on. I just need a little bit of direction to get me started so I can obtain the goals I want. I'm really looking forward to it!
But I don't want to push it too much when I'm working out. Saturday, for New Year's Day, I am running in a 10K Road Race in Salisbury. I want to be ready for that, and not really sore from working out on Friday. Plus, with New Year's Eve, I'm planning on taking it easy. I want to be really rested for the race!
I'm VERY excited that one of my friends might be running with me. A few weeks ago we did a 5 mile run together at a really good pace. It can be nice to have company on a race. This is either a 5K or 10K and everyone else in the group I am going with are ALL doing the 5K. SO I'm pretty happy that Carrie said she might be doing the 10K too.
The race has an optional Polar Bear Plunge I was on the fence about. I had a GREAT idea for it... which I need to keep posting on Facbook tomorrow a couple of times and again Saturday morning. My post which included the link to the donatation page was:
Saturday I'm running a 10K in Salisbury. I'm still on the fence with the Polar Bear Plunge after the race! Want me plunge? Want me to post pictures of it? If I can raise $500 between now and when I finish the 10K, I WILL DO IT! :) Plus, donate $75 or more and you are entered to win the prizes still being collected! Each $75 donation gets you another entry... working on Red Sox tickets, gift certificates and many more great prize options!
Hmm... we'll see if I get any donations from that! :) Nice interesting way to get the fund raising started! Too bad I didn't come up with that earlier!
I stopped at the store on my way home, bought some bananas and some Magnesium supplements. That helps with Potassium absorption, so I'm hoping that between that and eating a banana or 2 a day I'll stop with the cramps.
Tonight I met some friends at the pool for my cross training and got in another mile. Took a little while and a couple of breaks, but I can feel myself getting stronger with swimming after each time I go.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow as well. It is supposed to be my rest day, but it is really the only day that it will fit into my schedule. I'm meeting with a trainer at the gym so I can start getting in some strength training that I have been skipping out on. I just need a little bit of direction to get me started so I can obtain the goals I want. I'm really looking forward to it!
But I don't want to push it too much when I'm working out. Saturday, for New Year's Day, I am running in a 10K Road Race in Salisbury. I want to be ready for that, and not really sore from working out on Friday. Plus, with New Year's Eve, I'm planning on taking it easy. I want to be really rested for the race!
I'm VERY excited that one of my friends might be running with me. A few weeks ago we did a 5 mile run together at a really good pace. It can be nice to have company on a race. This is either a 5K or 10K and everyone else in the group I am going with are ALL doing the 5K. SO I'm pretty happy that Carrie said she might be doing the 10K too.
The race has an optional Polar Bear Plunge I was on the fence about. I had a GREAT idea for it... which I need to keep posting on Facbook tomorrow a couple of times and again Saturday morning. My post which included the link to the donatation page was:
Saturday I'm running a 10K in Salisbury. I'm still on the fence with the Polar Bear Plunge after the race! Want me plunge? Want me to post pictures of it? If I can raise $500 between now and when I finish the 10K, I WILL DO IT! :) Plus, donate $75 or more and you are entered to win the prizes still being collected! Each $75 donation gets you another entry... working on Red Sox tickets, gift certificates and many more great prize options!
Hmm... we'll see if I get any donations from that! :) Nice interesting way to get the fund raising started! Too bad I didn't come up with that earlier!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Back on track
I'm VERY tired so this is going to be quick.... I jumped back on the wagon tonight. I went to the gym and got in 3 miles on the treadmill before heading to the pool to meet Jen. I ended up swimming 3/4 mile at the pool.
Feel good, but mentally tired at this point. Looking forward to running tomorrow night again, and I feel good about it.
The weather for Saturday is looking great for the New Years 10K. Still up in the air if I am doing the polar bear plunge. Might be a last minute decision.
Hope to finally sleep well tonight, but COLD right now.
Feel good, but mentally tired at this point. Looking forward to running tomorrow night again, and I feel good about it.
The weather for Saturday is looking great for the New Years 10K. Still up in the air if I am doing the polar bear plunge. Might be a last minute decision.
Hope to finally sleep well tonight, but COLD right now.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Snow hits
Tomorrow I am going to get back on track. I ended up extending my break and didn't get in a long run at all over Christmas. The weather was HORRIBLE last night... the Blizzard.
Tomorrow I'll be at the gym right from work, then the pool as well. And I'll hit my schedule full force.
Just to share some pics of the storm. A tree in our yard had a huge branch (branch isn't even the right word for it!) come off and take out the neighbors deck and landed on their cars. Holy Snow!!!
The tree snapped off!
What was the neighbor's deck. (is that their chair hanging off on the right side?)
The neighbor's cars under the snow and the tree!
Tomorrow I'll be at the gym right from work, then the pool as well. And I'll hit my schedule full force.
Just to share some pics of the storm. A tree in our yard had a huge branch (branch isn't even the right word for it!) come off and take out the neighbors deck and landed on their cars. Holy Snow!!!
The tree snapped off!
What was the neighbor's deck. (is that their chair hanging off on the right side?)
The neighbor's cars under the snow and the tree!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
A few days off
Thursday night I went swimming and felt my calf pop. It was still sore Friday and Saturday. With Christmas on Saturday, I decided to take a couple of days off and let my calf muscles heal up a bit. I didn't want to make anything worse and injure myself more seriously.
Today I slept in.. and I slept in until 11am! WOW! Nice to relax and be lazy on a Sunday. Miss that. I was going to go to the gym early then be home by 1 for the Pats game. Didn't make it. And it has been snowing with flurries all morning and hasn't stopped.
At this point, I am not leaving my house today. So no running for me. I have tomorrow off from work and nothing planned anymore (was going to do Christmas with a friend who is an hour away, but with the blizzard overnight, I'm not driving up anymore). Tomorrow I will be hitting the gym afternoon, when the roads are clear to get in a long run.
I miss running outside. I'm already sick of the snow. Enough already! I want to get back outside for my runs. I don't love running at the gym and the motivation is harder to get there. But, if I want to do this, I need to run!
Today I slept in.. and I slept in until 11am! WOW! Nice to relax and be lazy on a Sunday. Miss that. I was going to go to the gym early then be home by 1 for the Pats game. Didn't make it. And it has been snowing with flurries all morning and hasn't stopped.
At this point, I am not leaving my house today. So no running for me. I have tomorrow off from work and nothing planned anymore (was going to do Christmas with a friend who is an hour away, but with the blizzard overnight, I'm not driving up anymore). Tomorrow I will be hitting the gym afternoon, when the roads are clear to get in a long run.
I miss running outside. I'm already sick of the snow. Enough already! I want to get back outside for my runs. I don't love running at the gym and the motivation is harder to get there. But, if I want to do this, I need to run!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Back in the pool
Today was a fun work day with our company luncheon. I ate like I haven't in a while! App's including amazing onion rings, a cup of soup, my salad (which I didn't eat much of), dessert and 2 glasses of wine. By the time I got home around 5, I was exhausted! I set the alarm on my phone and ended up taking a 45 minute nap.
But I got up, made it to the pool to meet Jen and got in a mile of swimming again for my cross training. Felt good and I know I'm getting stronger with it. Sometimes it just seems to be hard to get going in the beginning. I have to rest often, then after 20 or laps, I'm good and I just go! I love that!
Unfortunately, tonight it was my OTHER calf! SHOOTING pain in my right one. I thought my calf muscle split in two. I almost started crying in the pool! I kicked my legs up and out over the edge to use the edge to sort of massage my calfs. It helped a little.
Stubborn me, I had to finish up the stupid mile! By the end, I was only swimming using my core and my arms, letting my legs drag behind me. It helped a bit.
After leaving the pool, hit MANY stored and finished up almost the rest of my Christmas shopping. Can't believe how much I got in under 2 hours! :)
So right now, with my calfs DYING, my training schedule is mess and I'm not exactly sure what to do. Originally and generally with the training I'm following, Friday's are rest days and Saturdays are longer run days. This Saturday was supposed to be 6 miles.
Because the chance of me actually running on Christmas day is less than slim to none, I was going to swap the two days. With snow still on the ground and roads slick, I was going to hit the gym tomorrow to run for 6 miles, then count Christmas as my rest day. Now my calfs are in knots, even as I am laying here across my sofa, I can feel them both... BIG lumpy knots, NOT FUN!
Sort of that Charlie horse knot you can get when you stretch too hard first thing in the morning and you basically just feel it snap and want to scream out in pain. Yeah, that is EXACTLY what happened in the pool tonight. And after you do that, even when you are not moving, you can still feel the dull ache inside the muscle. Yup, feeling it in BOTH legs right now. (I almost bought a foam roller tonight when I was shopping to see if it could work out my calf muscles if I rolled my legs over it. Maybe I should have!)
So with this pain, and my schedule already a mess, I am thinking of changing it around again. I really don't like messing with it, but if I'm hurt, I have to stop and recognize that. I think I might take my normal Friday rest day, then add in a Christmas rest day too. And on SUNDAY, I can hit the gym and get in my 6 mile run. Not sure how that will leave me on Monday since I should be doing either 3.5 or 4, I can't remember. Hmm.... Maybe I'll do 2 on Monday to do something and make it a light day, then Tuesday do 3 before hitting the pool and be back on my normal schedule on Wednesday.
I don't know. I'm all messed up now. But I do know that I need to be aware and listen to my body when I'm hurt. I have LOTS of training to do over the next 4 months and injuries can happen. If I don't listen to them right away, then they could get worse, and that would be worse than me being worried about rearranging a week of my training schedule.
Lots to think about. :)
Merry Christmas!
But I got up, made it to the pool to meet Jen and got in a mile of swimming again for my cross training. Felt good and I know I'm getting stronger with it. Sometimes it just seems to be hard to get going in the beginning. I have to rest often, then after 20 or laps, I'm good and I just go! I love that!
Unfortunately, tonight it was my OTHER calf! SHOOTING pain in my right one. I thought my calf muscle split in two. I almost started crying in the pool! I kicked my legs up and out over the edge to use the edge to sort of massage my calfs. It helped a little.
Stubborn me, I had to finish up the stupid mile! By the end, I was only swimming using my core and my arms, letting my legs drag behind me. It helped a bit.
After leaving the pool, hit MANY stored and finished up almost the rest of my Christmas shopping. Can't believe how much I got in under 2 hours! :)
So right now, with my calfs DYING, my training schedule is mess and I'm not exactly sure what to do. Originally and generally with the training I'm following, Friday's are rest days and Saturdays are longer run days. This Saturday was supposed to be 6 miles.
Because the chance of me actually running on Christmas day is less than slim to none, I was going to swap the two days. With snow still on the ground and roads slick, I was going to hit the gym tomorrow to run for 6 miles, then count Christmas as my rest day. Now my calfs are in knots, even as I am laying here across my sofa, I can feel them both... BIG lumpy knots, NOT FUN!
Sort of that Charlie horse knot you can get when you stretch too hard first thing in the morning and you basically just feel it snap and want to scream out in pain. Yeah, that is EXACTLY what happened in the pool tonight. And after you do that, even when you are not moving, you can still feel the dull ache inside the muscle. Yup, feeling it in BOTH legs right now. (I almost bought a foam roller tonight when I was shopping to see if it could work out my calf muscles if I rolled my legs over it. Maybe I should have!)
So with this pain, and my schedule already a mess, I am thinking of changing it around again. I really don't like messing with it, but if I'm hurt, I have to stop and recognize that. I think I might take my normal Friday rest day, then add in a Christmas rest day too. And on SUNDAY, I can hit the gym and get in my 6 mile run. Not sure how that will leave me on Monday since I should be doing either 3.5 or 4, I can't remember. Hmm.... Maybe I'll do 2 on Monday to do something and make it a light day, then Tuesday do 3 before hitting the pool and be back on my normal schedule on Wednesday.
I don't know. I'm all messed up now. But I do know that I need to be aware and listen to my body when I'm hurt. I have LOTS of training to do over the next 4 months and injuries can happen. If I don't listen to them right away, then they could get worse, and that would be worse than me being worried about rearranging a week of my training schedule.
Lots to think about. :)
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Got the entry form in the mail today!
YAY! Got my entry form in. Of course Christmas is in 3 days and sadly I have barely done any shopping yet (I will be one of those fools out on Christmas Eve this year. :( Shot me now!) so I will wait until AFTER Christmas to mail it in.
This is NUTS!
Set up the donation page today and put the link here on this blog. Now I can order the business cards with the links too. YAY! This is all coming together. As long as my calf starts feeling a little bit better.
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