Monday, March 8th:

Some days I go back and forth on how I want to handle Monday mornings.  Sometimes I’m very get-up-and-go while other times I would like some extra sleep.  Today sort of fell in between the two.  I wanted to sleep in but once I woke up this morning, I wanted to be up and get things moving.

I did two levels of shred (level 2 and 3) and that was it, no extra weight sessions for me this morning.  My legs were tired!  Although after my 10 miles yesterday they were not as tired as I assumed they would be.  I was still able to get through the shred with no issues.  However going up and down steps right now I can tell they are a bit fatigued.  Will have to see how that pans out for my run tomorrow.

We’ve been having sun the last few days here and it’s been wonderful!  The outdoor hose has thawed enough that…

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Guys I have been so slacking in the recording work-outs department!  I need to write the summary right after I workout and sometimes I don’t get a chance to.  Either I’m working on something else or I’m in the kitchen developing recipes.

Rest assured I am working out everyday! I typically update my twitter account right after I workout so you can always follow that as well.

Some martial arts classes were missed this week because Scott was sick for a few days.  He’s better now thank goodness!

I will tell you about my long run today because it was amazing and frustratingly challenging all at the same time!

I got to bed early Saturday night, 10:30pm, which is my goal for the night before a long run.  Friday night I was in bed before 10pm. Why yes, I am a party animal.  Anyway, despite getting to bed early, I was so tired when I got up this morning.  I felt like…

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Monday, 22nd:

Meh.  I didn’t sleep all that well and when I actually got up I was still very tired.  Like my body was tired and I took that as a sign that I needed to rest it.  I did exactly that and let it “rest” all day long.  I worked on a lot of blog things, office things, and things around the house.  I was productive all day long and that felt awesome!  I love being productive!

Tuesday, 23rd:

Got my butt up and was out the door by 7am for a six mile run.  It was only slightly cool out but it was snow-raining which was sort of crappy.  I have no idea what the deal was today but cars did not want to move out of the way.  *grumble*  Most of them barely scooted over and they were so close to me I could have easily reached out and touched the door.  This was when only…

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Monday, February 8th:

I thought about running this morning since I didn’t get much of a long run in on Sunday but decided to stick with the routine and do Shred + Gina’s Winter Shape-Up.  I did two levels of Shred and for the record I always do level 2 and 3.  I actually find level 3 the easiest of the levels, perhaps because it’s more body mechanics than it is weights.  A lot of the strength moves are utilizing just your own body weight as opposed to hand weights.  I find level 1 to be the hardest because it’s a lot of shoulder weight moves that are really difficult for me to do.  Perhaps I should add that back into rotation?

I am currently taking suggestions for exercise DVDs! I like the Shred but I definitely need something else in there to mix things up.  I like Jillian (although find her diet and new pill line completely offensive) for workouts.  I…

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It’s a short log since I’m just starting. But my goal is to have a weekly training log.  Not sure how many are going to be interested in my weekly exercise but I like having a log someplace that I can refer to.

Friday, February 5th, 2010:

Fridays are normally my rest day but I was going to work out since I didn’t do anything on Monday.  We still had no heat on Monday and I didn’t want to workout causing me to have to shower because that would have been chilly!

However Thursday was a pretty big exercise day for me.  I ran 6 miles and conditioning class at Muay Thai was rough last week.  I needed a rest so I just went with it.  Because the weather turned and we started getting hit with the dreaded winter storm, I literally just bummed around the house.  I had to cancel plans with two friends (sorry guys!) but it…

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It’s Part III of Winter Running Tips, yo!  If you missed Part I and Part II, click on the links and get caught up!

Part III’s tips are brought to you by me!  I know you’re terribly excited so let’s get down to business.

If you’re like me, then you like running outside.  And if you’re really like me, then running outside is your only option.  I don’t have access to a treadmill.  I do not own one and since I currently train in two martial arts, joining a gym or purchasing a treadmill is not in my budget.  Since I really like running and running outside is my only option, this means that I have to run in the winter.

That’s right! No slacking just because it’s winter time!

In the cold, in the snow, and in the ice, I run in it all.  To be honest, I don’t mind the cold, even the cold cold, like single digits. …

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Winter Running Tips Part II!  Brought to you by badass Kim from Ilax Studio!   Her and her hubs kick-it outside even in the winter and they face some harsh conditions where they live.  I asked her to provide some tips and her list is pretty kick ass!  I’ve put in italics ones I particularly like and want to discuss further.

Kim Says:

• Dress in layers so you can shed if necessary
• Wear wicking material – you are still going to sweat
• Ski socks work really well for keeping toes AND legs warm
• You may need to wear sunglasses because of reflective snow
• Don’t forget the sunscreen! The sun is more powerful when reflecting off of snow than water – it’s still gonna burn you.
• Don’t leave your gels/water out where they can freeze.
• Make sure to shake your arms out (and wiggle those finders) every 5-10 minutes
• Bring Kleenex for blowing…

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Recently I came across an article via Twitter (oh Twitter, I love thee) which was a link to a post on one women’s view on running skirts.  The article was very anti-running skirt.  She considers them a fashion statement and that one is only wearing them to look good.

“My issue is with what the skirt symbolizes. I think that emphasizing fashion and “cuteness” puts an unnecessary focus on outward appearance rather than performance. I’m not saying that we should all be running around in drab, shapeless gear, but I don’t see the need to make a fashion statement on the roads.”

When I first read this article I sort of nodded my head in agreement because I understood what she was getting at.  In fact, this mentality is what kept me from trying out a running skirt myself.  My view was, I’m working out and training, I have no desire to put on a skirt and look “cute” for…

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Winter of 2008 was my first year of winter running.  I knew immediately that I had to get some YakTrax in order to survive it.  It was not even a question but more of a fact.  In order for me to continue running through the winter, I needed the proper gear.  Enter in YakTrax.  I had been searching for some for some time because when it snows they tend to sell out quickly.  I have average foot size, so the size I need for my shoes tends to be the first to run out in stores.  Running stores carry them but in limited quantity and sporting goods places also carry them.  Naturally, you can purchase them online as well.  I happened to come across a pair at the Eddie Bauer Warehouse store and snatched those suckers up right quick.  I haven’t looked back since.

For those that don’t know,…

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I went back and forth wondering if I should do a post reviewing the past year because my inital thought was that not much happened around here.  Once I started thinking more about the year I soon realized, “Holy shit, a ton of stuff happened!”

2009 was a really big year for me in terms of health, running, and personal growth.  I know a lot of folks have been talking about how 2009 was crappy and everyone is glad to see it go.  Well my 2009 wasn’t crappy so this isn’t going to be a downer post at all.  Let’s check out what all I did!

In January, I ran my first race ever and it was horrible.   I realized that I love racing but will not be doing that particular race again.

February was my man’s birthday…

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