Burst into Summer – July 27

What a week it’s been! I finished out last Friday with bootcamp and it kicked my butt, but I loved it. Saturday morning I got up and ran one mile uphill to the start of a trail and ran about 3 miles on the trail. It was hard. There was definitely more hiking than running in parts. I had an increase in elevation of 860ish feet and an average per mile rate of 15+ m/m. But it was hard and I’m happy with it. Sunday was a rest day.

Monday since The Sisterhood *ahem* didn’t post the week 6 bootcamp workout, I downloaded the Tough Mudder workout – which is essentially bootcamp x5. It was *hard*. It consisted of 1:1 of bursts for 30 minutes. I did it for 20. And then 16 different strength moves that are to be done for one full minute each – as many as you can in one minute. I put on my timer on my phone and did then all in just under 19 minutes. My glutes are *sore*. Yesterday I took a day off and didn’t run because Bari came to visit and I got to pick her up at the airport!

On the mini challenge I drank no soda. Though I usually don’t but of course because it was a forbidden fruit this week, I was craving a Coke. I held out. I was strong.

I think I’m doing really well. I feel stronger in my arms and legs. My core is getting tighter. I love what bootcamp has done for me.

Thanks Christy for getting it all put together for is. You pretty much rawk…but we all already knew that.

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Burst into Summer – July 20

So here we are a week later. Am I a week stronger? A week closer to reaching my goals? I’m trying. I will admit to getting my NTC workouts in. Last Thursday I thought I was getting sick so I was barely dragging through the day. And yesterday’s NTC workout didn’t happen mainly because the day was busy and I just couldn’t fit it in after my pathetic treadmill run.

The good news? I ran outside on Sunday. I ran 6 miles. I ran 6 miles with a pace of 9:30 m/m. I was quite happy with this. Granted the getting up at 5:30 to do it pretty much guaranteed that I was exhausted by 8 o’clock Sunday night. I have wanted to get back to the trail running group, but they ran Sunday…during church time. This Saturday I won’t make it because the 8yo will be doing a kids triathlon while the 10yo is at gymnastics. I can’t expect T to be in two places at once while I run around, literally. So I think I’m going to get up early and hit the mountains down the road from us and see how far I get in an hour or so.

I kicked ass on this week’s mini challenge. I got sleep. Lots of it and I liked it a lot.

Bootcamp has been going well. I’ve been working hard an letting it kick my ass. I pretty much love it. I’m looking forward to today’s. Im also back to my foam roller. My ankle (and therefore my calf) that was bugging me earlier this year has been threatening to act up and I won’t let it win. Also my right IT band has been very tight. So the pain of the foam roller is back in rotation.

Im *finally* going to the chiropractor tomorrow. I have needed it since before #insaneroadtrip and I finally am going. I’m sure it’s going to hurt.

So that’s my week. How was yours?

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Burst into Summer – July 13

Yay! I think I’ve redeemed myself from last week.  I will admit to the first few days were a hard transition of being back home.  I should have been sinking into relaxation mode but I had some post-insaneroadtrip letdown.  Sorta like the day after Christmas but worse.  :)  The kids had a few issues as well.  And right now one is getting over being sick and another is in the middle of said illness.  Nothing major just some random low-grade fevers.  Thirty-three days on the road will do that to you!

Anyway, on to my checkin.  After doing bootcamp on Wednesday with Tiffany, I knew I had to get another day of week 3 in on Friday, so I did.  I felt better after doing it despite how much I was sweating at the end.  I was also very thankful to get back to my treadmill.  There was comfort in knowing it was just out there in my garage and I could hop on whenever I wanted to and not have to worry about the girls.  I was originally hoping to get outside on Saturday morning for a run, but I forgot T had drill, so that scrubbed those plans.  I was also contemplating doing bootcamp on Sunday but then my mood was sorta crappy and the 5yo broke out with the fever, so I didn’t get it done.

Now for the positive.  Monday I did bootcamp.  I got my running and bursts done on the treadmill and then did the strength.  Can I get an “AMEN” for how much harder it was to add those extra 10 reps in? I was stick-a-fork-in-me-I’m-done done afterwards.  I had triceps fail doing the triceps extensions.  It was good.  I haven’t done bootcamp yet today, but that’s on my to-do list for after I’m done with this post.  I also got my abs and shoulders worked yesterday using Nike Training Club.  That was hard and I was a heap of exhaustion after I was done with the shoulder ripper.

I laid (layed?) out a plan last week for what I wanted to accomplish in prep for Tough Mudder.

It was:

NTC on Tuesday and Thursday, bootcamp on MWF, and runs on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. 

But in looking at that and seeing how the running for bootcamp really exhausts my legs.  I think I’m going to drop my Thursday runs since I will basically be doing speedwork for bootcamp.  So Tuesday will be a short mileage day and Saturday will be a longer run either around town or hopefully with the trail running group.

Back to the mini-challenges.  I had fast food once last week.  It was on the last day of insaneroadtrip and we ate at McDonald’s.  But since we’ve been home I’ve been good.  We rarely eat out anyway and if it is, it’s even more rare for it to be fast food.

I’m pretty sure I’m going to kick this week’s mini-challenge’s ass.  I like sleep.  I need sleep.  I’m back to taking my drugs regularly and we have nowhere to be first thing in the morning, so eight hours is easy to accomplish.

I hope everyone out there had a good week.  If you didn’t, I hope you know why and have committed to having a good week this week.

 

Tough Mudder Update

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted directly about Tough Mudder. Mainly because of the insaneroadtrip I was just on. Even though in the last couple of weeks my training has been almost nonexistent, I am back on the training wagon and gungho about it!

My goal in the next couple weeks is to build up my arms so I can do palms-out pullups. I need those muscles to develop so I can make it across some of the monkey bars!! Right now I can do one. For a girl who has never had much upper body strength, I’m making progress. But I’m still a long way from reaching my goal of halfway across the monkey bar obstacle.

I’ve been doing bootcamp ala The Sisterhood. That has done wonders for my strength and cardio. In the next 2 weeks I’m going to give the workout prescribed by Tough Mudder themselves a try. And see how badly I hurt the next day! I’m sure I will have found new muscles.

Now that I’m home and have 100% control over my food intake, I’m going to work on getting back into my training frame of mind…which means rare junk, lots of good quality carbs and protein and eating my salads and veggies. It also means staying on top of my hydration. I just ordered some more Nuun in my favorite of their new flavors, fruit punch. On my long runs and after all my runs, I drink at least 20 ounces of nuun-ed water. And then since it’s summer and hot, I will probably drink another before bedtime. My biggest fear is hitting a wall and becoming dehydrated.

I am also going to attempt to do my long runs every Saturday with the local trail running group. I figure I’ve got to get used to running on dirt and up hills and not die. I’d *really* like to get a pair of New Balance Minimus Trail shoes. I tried on a pair Christy had when I was in Texas and really liked how they felt. A nice fit and a thicker sole than my VFFs, which I still love, but since I want to try something that I don’t necessarily need a sock with. I’m looking at the bare minimum with enough gumption to get me through TM.

Tough Mudder is going to kick my butt. I’m going to remember a phrase on one of my BondiBands to help get me through.

Pain is inevitable. Misery is optional.

I think Tough Mudder encompasses that idea.

 

Burst Into Summer Checkin #3

Oh Sisterhood how I feel I’ve failed you. *hangs head in shame* The only exercise I have done since last Thursday was a 3-mile run with Bari. I had thoughts of getting NTC done or pushups, but I didn’t get anything done. But today? Today I’m at Tiffany’s and we are going to do bootcamp together. I’m looking forward to being home tomorrow so I can get back into my routine.

My plan is NTC on Tuesday and Thursday, bootcamp on MWF and runs on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Tough Mudder is only 10 weeks away. I have lots of conditioning and running to do between now and then. So I need to get on the ball.

So that’s where I’m at. Next week’s checkin will be better.

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