Training Talk

I was so excited to get back to training and working out after the flumagedon that hit our house last week!  Even though I was still feeling the effects with some pretty low energy and some labored breathing, it was still great to get back into the routine!  I also completed the second week of the #SweatPink #NoExcuses Challenge and am having such a blast doing each day's challenge and being part of such a supportive group!

Squatting it out!

Here's how this past week played out...trying to take this "off" time and focus on strength!

Monday: Gym time...5 miles followed by shoulders, biceps, and back
Tuesday:  Ate some hills for lunch....one thing about the Cape is that every race is marketed as flat but I have yet to find a flat route!!  Today's lunch run brought 3 miles with hill repeats...During ZOOMA Cape Cod this year (come run in 2015 with me and use code NANCY15 :-)) the hills were what killed my time so hills for lunch it is!

Wednesday: Back to the gym for 5 more miles and a focus on legs...yeah had trouble walking after this one!!
Thursday: Lunch run...decided to try my hand at a progressive run...NAILED IT!!

Can't wait to dish about some new gear I'm trying out too later this week thanks to a partnership with Sports Authority!
Friday: You guessed it....back to the gym for my 5 and triceps/chest!...my triceps still haven't recovered from this one!  Guess I need to address the chicken wings!
Saturday: The weather was horrible outside with snow and rain mix so I was a bad New Englander and bagged my outdoor workout.  I hit the treadmill and did one of Blonde Ponytail's kick ass workouts....check her workouts out they are no joke!!!

30 minutes later I was drenched in sweat!!!
Sunday:  Longish run day!  I headed out to find that I should have waited a little longer for the roads to melt a bit!  Black ice ALL over my neighborhood but with some fancy footwork I was able to get to the main roads and start hitting my strides!  8 miles down!

34 miles for the week and I'm feeling good!  This week I'm focused more on weights and building that muscle!  Also I'm going to throw this out there and see if anyone can help!  I've been trying for months to get someone to help me fit my foods into my macros...I have the numbers but I just can't get it!  I had an awesome experience with Laura's detox and I'm ready to get it together!  I have found it really hard to get anyone to help me though!  I have contacted several people and even had a coach lined up that just doesn't get back to me!!  Anyone?

I'm also working on continuing to get in my stretching and yoga!  I have my mantra, which I think is perfect, from GaiamTV and have been chipping away at my 21-day challenge!

Have you talked the quiz yet?  What's your mantra?

How did your week go?  Are you part of the blizzard right now?  Here on Cape Cod we know how to do wind like nothing I have ever seen!  We have about 16" of snow but the wind is WHIPPING!!!  60-75mph gusts but thankfully still power!

Workout Wednesday

Since I'm a horrible blogger and I missed not only my very favorite Motivation Monday but also Training Tuesday, I had to throw in some alliteration to start this week of on a proper foot!  Last week was a blur of flu symptoms sprinkled all over the Fancy Nancy house...starting with our 6 year-old...to me...to my husband...to our youngest!  Needless to say I resisted the urge to try and "sweat it out" and really just allowed my body to rest.  It made me feel old...that coupled with an actual birthday...really put the nail in the coffin!  I woke up on Monday determined to not only age gracefully but also get my sweat on!!  This is bringing me to my topic for this week. 

Many of my friends have been asking me as they face down their resolutions (I told them to word them as I will instead of I want to...commit!), how I find time to work out with two littles and a full time job outside the house.  For me it is a scheduled event...like a meeting at work.  I put in on the schedule and barring any illness it gets done!  After giving them the simple reply of "I wake up at 4am" and receiving the usual eye rolls and no ways, I decided to see how non-morning people could get creative and still get fit!  Here are just a few suggestions I have found can work if you are pinched for time...and daycare!

Lunch runs...Now yes this does require a little planning the night before and can vary depending on how much time you have for lunch.  I have 25 minutes and have been squeezing in a 5k in that time.  I wear my base layer under my work clothes so I'm like Superman changing!  When I get back to my classroom, it's Showerpill to the rescue and then I'm back teaching.  It has really be fun doing these runs and they get me out in the sunshine which is clutch in the winter!

Workout at home (before or after the action at home)...I do have a treadmill at home but even if you don't there are many, many resources you can tap into for workouts at home.  Pinterest is loaded with workouts for all ability types.  You could also purchase many, many DVDs that have workouts just waiting to kick your butt!  Also GaiamTV has awesome workouts ready for you to do!  Just take the quiz to find your profile and they will just email the workouts right to you so that you can complete the 21-Day Challenge!  How easy is that?

Involve the kids...I am always looking for ways, especially now that it is winter and freezing, to build in activity during the day so that the girls are moving those little bodies.  We hike, dance around the house, and play games that get us moving.  This past weekend we headed down to see my family and we joined up at the pool.  The girls played with their cousins and I snuck in some laps...which by the way are far harder than anyone makes them look!  Yikes!  I reached the wall and thought...My goodness now I have to go back? 

The point is to get them involved in exercise and it becomes a win win for everyone! 

What advice would you give someone that is looking to squeeze fitness into their busy schedule?

Let's Talk Training Tuesday

I went back over last year and noticed that I had started doing a weekly log of what my training looked like over the week.  It was good for me to see since an injury had kept me from running the race I was training for in March.  I decided to start this up again this year since I am trying to take a slightly different approach to my training this year.  I am taking the beginning of this year and having a little fun with my running (much more relaxed about my total mileage each day) and am making sure I fit in strength and yoga/stretching in order to build strength and stay injury free!

Running....Although I had an idea mileage wise where I wanted to be by the end of the week, I was all over the place with how my daily runs went.  I am also taking part in the Marathon Sports Winter Warrior Challenge (Run at least a mile outside each day in January) so there were days when I ran twice because of this.
Monday:  I was at the gym early for some treadmill miles (5) and then when the hubby got home I ran 2 miles in our neighborhood.  I discovered something about me....I am NOT a fan of running in the dark alone.  My hubby reminded me that no attackers would be dumb enough to be out in this cold!!

 Tuesday:  Knowing that I didn't want to be running in the dark again, I packed a bag and spent my lunch (we get only 25 minutes) running around my school.  This was a cold week and even though the winds were whipping, I was warm in the sun! (3.1 miles)

Wednesday:  Another early morning gym sesh and more treadmill miles (5)!  I ventured out again at lunch for 2.8 more miles!
Thursday:  Today was slated to be freezing...like cancel school freezing in some parts of Massachusetts...but a winter warrior I am so I bundled WAY up and headed out!  3 miles later at 0 degrees, I was certainly feeling pretty badass!!
Friday:  Yup back to the gym...are you seeing a pattern here!  5 mill miles and then more lunch time miles (3).
Saturday:  I woke up, understandably, with a very tired body.  Hubby was away so I ran a quick mile up and down my street.  I was more than happy to rest the day away and watch a Pats win!!
Sunday:  I was on Facebook Saturday night when I saw a fellow Cape runner/blogger Stacey was hosting a trail run Sunday morning just a few miles away from me!  Perfect!  I decided that my goal was 10 miles for the day so I headed out early to run to the place where I thought we were meeting up!  I'm fairly new (3 years) to our area so I have a tendency to get lost!  Thanks to my GPS I found them and had a great time exploring the woods!  By the time I reached my door it was 11 miles total for the day!!  WIN!  Poor Stacey and Denise got lost in the woods though...sorry ladies!!
Total miles for the week: 40.9 YIKES!

Strength...I want to start being more consistent with my weight training but I am in a little bit of a holding pattern waiting to hear back on a few things so this week I conquered the kettlebells and free weights.
Monday:  Kettlebell circuit (25 min)
Wednesday:  Free weights with super sets (30 min)
Friday:  Kettlebell circuit (25min)

Yoga/Stretching...While I found myself stretching and foam rolling some sore and tried legs, I was bad at keeping up with my GaiamTV Challenge.  I'm thinking that this coming week I am going to start again!  It is simple to complete.  First you take the quiz...

Then a plan is emailed to you so that it is simple to have your 21-Day Commit to you Challenge right there for you! 

How did your week go?  I'm recommitting to me and starting my 21-Day Challenge today!  What about you?

Goals For a New Year

There is something shiny and new about the beginning of a new year.  The slate is wiped clean and we have the chance to make this year what we want!  Add to that fact that my birthday is looming very near, it makes for a great time to look ahead at how I want 2015 and this next year of my life to look like!  Monday was all about the mantra...setting something down for when the training gets tough...and in order to BetterYourBest for me means laying down some goals in running and life.

Running...

Last year I had so many amazing experiences with running...meeting so many new people...establishing connections in the community...pushing my limits.  This year I am working on finding a balance with running...striving for my goals but still keep that joy and excitement that running brings me.  Hard and fast goals...

Run 1500 miles

Break 1:50 half marathon

Gain speed in the later miles
Run injury free

In order to work on that balance and speed, I have goals that will hopefully keep me injury free and strong for each time I lace up my Sauconys!

Do yoga more often in the week (My GaiamTV CommitToYou Challenge is helping this!)

Strength train 3 or more times a week....Building some guns over here!

Lose 20lbs by ZOOMA Cape Cod (I need a time limit on this one!)

Life...

This year has flown by at a more rapid speed than I am at all comfortable with.  I know some of this is a product of getting older and watching my girls grow up right in front of me.  Some of this is also because our schedules are filled with more than they should be.  My goals for life are an attempt at making life matter...slowing it down and realizing that these days that are whizzing by are MY LIFE....not just a practice!

Have 20 min each morning for devotions (get back on that journal wagon!)

Spend more unstructured time just enjoying my family

PUT DOWN THE PHONE

Stop procrastinating....connect with friends and family instead of putting it off for tomorrow!

What are some of your goals in 2015?