BurpeeGirl Workouts

 

When looking for a low impact workout on YouTube, I found BurpeeGirl. After one workout, I liked it so much that I subscribed to her channel and now do one of her workouts at least once a week. Last night, I did a metabolic boost with her. It was the hardest workout I have done in a long time and felt great. I was grunting, sweating, and working hard. As I become more consistent in my workouts, I am hoping to workout with her videos more often and hoping to find more that make me sweat as much as I did last night. I will reach my goal weight this year. I am hoping she helps take me there. 

Yoga Streak Day 2

 

I completed day 2 of my streak. I purposely looked for a workout that was supposed to be for the lower body to try to avoid downward facing dog to give my sore arm a break. Well, this one had a lot of downward facing dog and some supported planks. I enjoyed the flow and will look for more from Jonelle, but my arm is killing me. I am hoping that I am not doing more damage to my arm by doing this streak.

Yoga Streak Day 1

 

Chad and I have decided to try a yoga streak until the end of the year. I have been looking for ways to get back into a regular exercise routine in which I will not hurt my ancle or arm, and he likes exercise streaks. 

Today was the first day. I did an energetic flow with Molly on Apple Fitness+. (I will most likely use this app every day.) I liked this one. I did poses I had not even heard of before and am still not sure I did them correctly. Since I have dealing with a bit of tendonitis in my elbow for a bit, I tried to choose one that worked mostly the lower body. I was successful for the most part. I did have to do downward facing dog a few times which did not feel good on that one arm. Other than that, I liked the slightly faster pace of this flow and learning new things. Hopefully, I can continue to find enjoyable routines. 

Gym Again

Being sidelined has been difficult. I want to go running, but it hurts and makes things worse. I should probably go to the doctor because I keep exacerbating the injury by doing things like walking around in flip flops or walking barefoot on the beach. I do know that when I wear shoes that are more supportive, it seems to help. I am trying to come up with a plan that will help me get back into exercise and get me out of the house that won't make my heel/ ankle hurt.

For now, my plan is to go to the gym. I signed back up for Planet Fitness a few days ago and plan to go today when I get off work. I don't know how long it will last this time. All I know is that I need this right now. 

2.23 Mile Run With Chad

 

I did not plan to go running today. I was going to do some kind of strength work, but Chad wanted me to run “with” him. I honestly don’t like going with other people because I always get left behind feeling like a failure. I’ll do it when he or my daughter ask, though, because I want them to be happy. So, at the end of an overwhelming work day instead of knitting and unwinding, I changed into my running gear and went with Chad. It felt good to get a better time than I have in a while. Tomorrow, maybe I can do the workout I planned for today. 

Running For More Joy - NRC

 

Today, I ran with the Nike Run Club app using a 35 minute guided run called Running for more Joy. It felt good to get out and run. I missed it over the past few weeks but kept coming up with excuses not to go. Of course some of those days it was way too cold to run, but the excuse that I didn’t want to look creepy as the kids at the school in the neighborhood was dumb since I get off work about an hour before they get out. Getting rid of the excuses is the first obstacle I always have to overcome. Once I do, I rarely regret it. 

The guided run I did today was full of reminders of finding joy in life. He talked about the joys of being outside, the joy we felt running as children, and  the joy we can find in running now. As he did so, I did my best to run for 1 minute and walk for one minute. I wasn’t perfect at it, but it felt good. 

I also ran in new shoes. I have been running in trail running shoes for years inadvertently and the trad is wearing on the pair I have been wearing for a while. When I took my son to get shoes, I found these on clearance and was excited because they were exactly what I needed. They are so much lighter than the others. My only problem was the blisters. Next time, I’ll wear bandaids. 

Strength Training 16 Minutes

Today, I dragged the hubby to the gym for some strength training. (He had already worked out but he likes spending time with me.) We started with walking on the treadmill for 10 minutes to warm up. Then, we went to the weights where we did 3 sets of 10 of flies, bench press, and one legged squats holding weights. I used 5 pound dumbbells, and it took about 16 minutes to complete. I would have liked to have done more, but most of the machines were in use. Maybe, I can use them next time. 

“Next Speed Run” - NRC

I ended up skipping the 10 minute run on Saturday. I don’t know why I have a hard time motivating myself to get out on Saturdays. I need to get past that if I am going to train for a marathon. 

Today, I did speed drills. This time there were varying intervals with a higher intensity for lower times. For example, when running for 2 minutes, I ran at a 6/10, but when running 45 seconds, I ran at an 8/10. This was the most fun I have had running in a long time. I may have to do it again sometime. 

35 Minute Long Run -NRC

Today was my first long run as I prepare for my marathon in October. As an added bonus, I was able to use 2 of my Christmas presents, running gloves and bone conduction headphones. I am still working with the starter program on the Nike Run Club app. I have also decided to use what I have learned from Galloway by using the run/walk method. I can feel myself becoming a stronger runner and am liking the coaching advice given as I go. 

My run today was a 35 minute long run with 1 minute run and 30 second walk intervals. For the most part, this run felt great. There was a bit in the middle that the chips and nacho cheese I had with dinner was not agreeing with the exercise, so I walked for about 2 minutes. I also ran down any hills that I could (hills are relative when one lives this far from the mountains). I am happy to say that I didn’t ever feel a pain in my right arm and shoulder like I have been when I run for the past few months. I am hoping that means I’m getting healthier rather than it being a fluke. 

My next run should be a 10 minute run. I only have a few weeks left before I need to choose a new plan. 
 

Gazelle Day

For exercise today, I did 30 minutes on my Gazelle. I was going to do it while watching TV with Chad, but it is Wednesday aka Chad-and-Sean-Dr.Who-Day. That meant I needed to either watch Dr. Who with them or watch something alone in my room. I chose my room, and Chad nicely brought the Gazelle to our room. Thirty minutes was quite easy to get through while I watched Mom on CMT. Tomorrow will be my next run. 

“First” Speed Run - NRC

 

I did my first speed workout in a long time today. Really, it was kind of like what I have been doing with the run/walk intervals. I did it with the “coaching” from the Nike Run Club app. I started with a 5 minute warm up with 1 minute of running and 1 minute of walking 8 times followed by 30 seconds of all out running and a 2 minute cool down. The app really only counts the time during the intervals. 

This run felt good! It was supposed to be done on a track, but I didn’t feel like driving to one. The parking lot at the local elementary school worked just fine. I loved being able to gage how much further I was able to go with each interval. One thing that was discouraging was that in the seventh interval the coach kept talking about how it was the hardest one. It made it feel harder than it should have felt. 

My next run should be a 35 minute long run. 

22 Minute Easy Run -NRC

 

Today, I did a 22 minute easy run through the Nike Run Club app that u have on my phone and watch. This is the app I use to train for the half-marathon I ran with Chad in 2021. I am currently doing a beginner program to help me get going again. After all, I need to be marathon ready by October, and it will be here before I know it. 

My run was good. I knew going in that the focus of this app was to run the allotted time from start to finish not intervals. That made it a bit more challenging, but that’s what I wanted. I am happy to say that I ran 8 minutes nonstop before I had to walk. At this point, I walked for 2 minutes before I started running for 1 minute and walking for 30 seconds for the rest of the run. When I got to 18 minutes 30 seconds, I ran for the next minute and a half thinking that I was only going 20 minutes. Then the trainer chimed in with a 2 minute reminder, and I knew I couldn’t make it without a walk break. I walked for 30 more seconds and ended with a minute and a half running around my cul-de-sac. I was tired when I was done but felt accomplished. This is why I run, to feel that sense of accomplishment. 

Week 3 Day 3

 I know I skipped day 2. Thursday was a crazy day. I take a walk with my friend and our dogs after work on Thursdays. Then, I had to pick up Noel and stop at the store on the way home. We got home just in time for me to have my class Zoom. During that, I had my camera off as I got ready and drove to a work dinner. Finally, the work dinner was 3 hours, and I didn’t get him until about 10. I was exhausted! I didn’t run. 

Today was day 3 of week three on my plan: warmup 3 minutes, run/walk for 2 miles, cooldown 3 minutes. It wasn’t too bad, for the most part. I went up into the neighborhood next to mine, back into my neighborhood, past the elementary school, and home. I realize about half a mile in that I had talked about changing my intervals but wasn’t sure I did. If I had, it still wasn’t quite right. Forty seconds of walking seemed too long, so I changed it while I was walking. I am now running for 35 set and walking for 35 seconds. It feels about right. I may need to extend the run time a bit. I love that I get to listen to my body and decide what works best for me. I know the intervals will continue to change as I train. I can’t imagine speeding up and slowing down this often during a marathon, but I think it will work for the Turkey Trot and ColderBolder. 

4.6 Mile Ride

Today was a cross training day. I planned to go to the gym, but it is such a beautiful day that I decided to take a bike ride instead since I don’t know how many of these day we have left before the weather goes sour. 

It felt so good to be outside in the sunlight! It also felt good to get out of the house by myself with no expectations. The combination was wonderful! I hope we have more nice days so I can do this again. I keep forgetting how nice it feels to ride my bike. 

Week 2 Day 3

 Today was my day for a long run. That doesn’t mean what it did a few years ago, and I’m still trying to accept that. I am starting over, and that is just how it is. 

What did a long run look like for me today? I did my run/walk intervals of 30 seconds running and 45 seconds of walking for 1.5 miles with my 3 minutes of warmup and cooldown. I chose a route today that was mostly uphill for the first half so that I could go downhill as I went home. It was perfect! Just when I felt like it might be getting too hard, I got to do the easier half. I feel like it gave me just enough of a challenge to help me remember why I want to do this so much. I can’t wait to see what my training does for me as I get closer to the Turkey Trot!

Week 2 Day 2ish

 

Today was week 2, day 2 on the schedule, but I didn’t run Tuesday. I went out for ice cream instead. (I know that wasn’t the smartest choice.) I still did what I was slated to do, though. I did a 3 minute warmup and cooldown with 17 minutes of run/walk intervals. For the most part, it felt good. In fact, it felt so good that I think it is time to change my intervals to run a bit longer and walk a bit shorter by 5 seconds. I probably won’t change it until after my long run on Saturday because I want to be able to do the full 1.5 miles. (It is a bit odd that 1.5 miles is a long run for me considering I did a half marathon a few years ago.) 

A Bit Chilly

 Today, I did my first “long run” on this training plan. It was a 3 minute warmup and cool down with a mile run sandwiched between. There was a point where I was questioning why I ever liked running, but that passed. The second half of the run went smoothly. I was actually able to relax into it like I used to. This is why I loved it and why I keep going back to it. 

75 Hard Day 6

Today was a bit easier than yesterday. I slept better last night. I think that helped. My ankle is doing a bit better which made it a bit easier to get my workouts in. My first workout was 45 minutes on the Gazelle while I watched the news. My second workout was a strength routine on the front porch. I did it in the front because I wanted to do step-ups, and we don't have steps in the backyard. It was a bit difficult and I wanted to quit after about 30 minutes and just walk around the block, but I kept going until the 45 minutes were up. (I'll post my front porch workout on my main blog tomorrow.) Drinking a gallon of water was easy today. I had drank all of it by dinner and kept going until a little while after my last workout. The last 30ish minutes of my fasting period went by so slow. I made a smoothie to break the fast, and it felt so good in my stomach! I need to have them more often. I crave them sometimes and tell myself that they are a hassle to make, but they really aren't. I finished "I am Malala" tonight. I will work on finishing the next book starting tomorrow. I am so thankful for this goal. It has shown me that I can make time to sit quietly and read something other than homework. Overall, I would say today was a successful day. Best of all, I do not feel broken. 

75 Hard Day 5

Today was really hard. I feel like I am breaking. I don't know if it is the challenge, the fact that I didn't sleep much last night, or other life circumstances. Of course, it could be a combination. I have to quit my Glow Up challenge which was specific exercises daily, Monday through Friday. My injured ankle has been getting worse as I do the jumping jacks and butt kicks. I also can't really run until it heals a bit. Today, I did some yoga and went for a walk. I don't enjoy yoga very often, but it actually felt good today. I may need to do this video more often. The fasting part was a bit more difficult than it should have been because I took Noel to 7-11 and had to wait to eat my snack for about 3 hours. I made it and was quite proud, but it was hard. I know I need to make better food choices during my eating window. I have the food in the house, so I will make a better effort tomorrow. Hopefully, that will help me feel fuller longer. All I have left to do tonight is my reading. I will read the next 10 pages of "I am Malala." It is an easy read, so it won't take too long. 

75 Hard Day 4

 

Today was a bit more difficult. I struggled with the desire to workout. I had planned to do yoga with the Wii, but the controllers didn’t work. I hopped on the Gazelle instead. Then, I sat and talked to Noel until I made dinner and left for a youth activity. By the time we got home it was almost 8:30, and I still needed to do my workout outside.  With my right achilles hurting, I opted for a walk. The cool breeze felt good, and I don’t regret doing it. It was hard to convince myself to get out and do it, though. 

Tomorrow, I will hook up my dvd player and do some yoga from my videos. If my tendon feels better, I’ll get that run in that my body is craving.