rest day?

I have trouble taking a rest day.  I decided "rest" meant no running.  So after about an hour of weeding the garden, I did this core work out.  This is harder than I thought it would be!  Visit this website for more printable workouts to shake it up a bit :)

Switching it up

If left to my own devices, I would just run about 5-6 days a week. But I have friends and running buddies who remind me that it is important to switch it up. The half marathon training schedule has two days of strength or cross training. I have a few options. I own some DVD workouts and I have some printed workouts from the group I joined at work (so sad it didn't keep going). But I also have Kathy Smith on Hulu. I just bring my laptop into my workout space, log on and work out. This week I also pulled my bike out and went for two rides. I hope to keep this routine up through the summer, perhaps a new habit?
Would love new ideas or websites to visit.

As I begin my half marathon training, I am trying to add more cross fit workouts.  This week I did Nike Training Club three days in addition to my runs.

spring break

First, let me say, this is not me :)
I am battling allergies so I stayed inside today and did a Nike Training Club workout using an app that I have on my phone.  It was a 30 minute, high intensity work out - Phew!  I have felt the impact of not going to Fit Club at work this last month.  I know I  need to add that strength and cross training back into my schedule and I think this will help me out.

I have also been doing some major purging and sorting and cleaning this week.  I have emptied about 8 bins of fabric and craft items.  I haven't been working very hard on my Move More Eat Well pages so I decided to tackle that this week.  I  printed a bunch of my instagram photos from January and February.  Then I went back and found a few blog posts from each month and printed those.  I am adding a page with text and pictures for each month.  I am not up to the work of Project Life but this will capture a bit more of what is going on in my life this year.

Here is a peek at my January extra pages.

getting back in the saddle

I know it looks huge in this picture but this is one of those little containers of ice cream that are all over the freezer section at my store these day.  A bit pricey but just one serving instead of a huge carton of ice cream taunting me.  And, after 4 weeks of no dairy, meat, and sugar, it seemed like a great way to celebrate.
I have done well with my eating - not as well with my running due to a 11 day period of too much snow, ice, and rain but I am getting back in the saddle.  I ran 3.5 miles yesterday and I am planning on a 6 mile run today. 
I also found this article this morning thanks to Tammy's blog.  It is good to remember why I am doing all this exercise :)

just keep moving

On my fitness pal, it tells me I can burn calories practicing my drums.  I don't see that option on the Daily Mile site but

that is okay.  I was using Daily Mile last spring and forgot about it until today when I was playing around on the Internet (a vacation bonus).  I have added my Cross Fit workout for today.  It is just too drizzly and cold outside to go to the trail for a run but I knew I needed to do some moving.  Our Cross Fit trainer gave us 3 workouts that we could do at home.  I used my jump rope for the cardio portion - that IS  a workout!
I have done pretty well avoiding the holiday sugar but we do have a gluten-free cookie baking session planned for Friday so it is good to get those fitness minutes in while I can.
I also bit the bullet and signed up for a fitness related scrapbooking class at Big Picture.  Now that I am finally on the road to staying fit, I am looking for all the motivation I can find.

cross training

In September, I joined a CrossFit group at work.  They meet 3 times a week and the coach assured me that it would help me become a stronger runner.  Last month, they added another group so I have been able to go more often.  The work outs are hard in a way that running is not.  When I run, it is a steady pace and unless I really kick it up, I work hard but not out of my range.  At FitClub I am sweating and breathing hard and really pushing myself.  Lots of good leg work, enough aerobic work to keep me warm and that muscle work I don't get when I run. 
Yesterday I saw this article and now I am wondering what I can change in our office.  I don't have a sitting job - lots of moving about in my day - but it is always fun to see how I can keep changing it up.
And that thing about cross training helping with my running?  Well yesterday we did a trail run with some good hilly sections and we ran the whole way at a great pace!



I didn't jump the box

In September I joined the FitClub at work.  This is a group who meets up to 3 times a week to do a cross-fit routine.  I had been thinking about improving my running pace and everything I read told me I needed to add some cross training - apparently running 20+ miles per week isn't enough.
I have enjoyed this training for two reasons.
1.  It challenges me.  I would not do squats or lunges or kettle ball on my own - wouldn't know where to start.  And even if I did, I would probably not push myself.
2.  It is like working out together but alone.  The leader puts the warm-up and workout on a white board.  The group begins at the same time but we all work at our own pace.  So it is okay that it takes me longer to do the burpees because they are not waiting on me.  And no one is really counting.  You do what you can do but because you are in a group, you push yourself a bit too.
However - I wimped out yesterday.  One of the stations was the box.  It is about 18" high and you can do a step up OR you can jump.  I really did not think I could do the jump - so I didn't.  Truth be told - I had a bit of trouble doing the step up.  By the 4th round, I wanted to quit.  But now I wonder.  Could I have jumped the box?  I think maybe I could have.  Of course it is never too late.  There is a similar concrete slab at the trail where I will run this afternoon so maybe, just maybe, I will try to jump the box.  And next time it comes up at FitClub, I will push myself to try it again.