No Running–Week 6: I CAN RUN!!!

Longest six weeks ever.

Not really, but almost. I just can’t believe I went 6 loooong weeks without running! Thank goodness that’s over with–well, technically after my appointment today (Monday). You better believe I’m lacing up tonight! (Slowly, of course)

Anyway, I hadn’t recapped my last two weeks mainly because I’ve kept myself quite busy 😀

Week 5:
Monday-Core video
Tuesday-25 min bike, 60 sec plank (side ones too!)
Wednesday-25 min elliptical, 20 min bike, 60 sec plank
Thursday-7 miles on the bike, 60 sec plank
Friday-Arms video, 60 sec plank
Sat/Sun-60 sec plank

Week 6:
Monday-Core video, 30 min elliptical, 60 sec plank
Tuesday– 60 min w/ personal trainer
Wednesday-55 min spin class, glutes, 60 sec plank
Thursday-45 min swim, arms, 60 sec plank
Friday-45 min elliptical, 60 sec plank
Sat/Sun– 60 sec plank

Whew! I’ve definitely been using my newfound SAHM status to get to the gym. Luckily, my kids have adapted well to their “gym school” 😀

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After I get the all clear, it’ll be all about slowly getting back into running shape. I’ve done my best to keep my cardio up and cross train so that the transition isn’t impossible. I’d like to be 13.1 ready for Phoenix 1/2 Marathon, which is over a month away. I’m not expecting PR miracles there, but I’d still like to do relatively well.

So happy to be back on track. Thank you guys so much for sticking with me on my running hiatus! Quite a few people have told me that I’ve done well getting my workout on despite not being able to run and the truth is, I just love working out. I love sweating. I love hearing my heart beat fast. I love the feeling of fatigue from a hard workout. It’s one of those things you either ‘get’ or you don’t. I love that you guys do ❤

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–Tips for getting back into the running game?

–How was your running experience after an injury?

Hello. It’s Me.

Hi 2016 and blogging world!!! I feel like I’ve been off the blogging radar when really, it’s been a week since I posted…right? A week? Lemme check…

Anyway, I’ve also haven’t been able to catch up on reading others and/or commenting–the holidays are so time consuming!

I hope everyone has been doing well. We’re in a new year and everyone has recapped their 2015 and discussed their 2016 goals and well, I’m not sure I have a whole lot to say about either just yet, lol!

2015 was a tough year for me running wise. I had my first DNF and zero PRs or AG placements. I started the year with a half marathon where I was less than 15 seconds from a PR, had two half marathons where I was less than 2 minutes from sub 2 hours, one marathon where I was again, seconds from a PR. Yeah, it was that kinda year. Don’t really have much else to say about that, lol!

HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR: Running for charity

Looking back at last year, 2015 wasn’t about me at all. It was all about these two guys.

brother, husband

brother, husband

My brother had an absolutely amazing 2015 losing more that 75 pounds and finishing two half marathons and snagging a sub 2 hour one at that! There is no way that I won’t think of 2015 and not think about him and everything he accomplished. It means way more than anything I could’ve done.

My husband is on a rampage. He was never a long distance runner but has grown to love a sport I’ve loved for a long time. I’m so happy we can now share this amazing part of our lives. He completed his first full marathon in Chicago in October and improved his half marathon time so much this year, finishing with a 1:36:31 last month. He’s currently training for Phoenix full in February and I can’t wait to cheer him on ❤

I won’t look back at 2015 and be sad. Not one bit.

2016 is exciting. I have so much unknown as I don’t have a lot of races planned. I think this is good. With that lies so much promise. It’s nice to not have any idea of what to expect. The only thing we have planned is crossing the Grand Canyon (R2R2R) in May.

I’m home now, and I think that will help with my running–not having the stress of work and just being able to focus on family. I know that will be something positive for 2016 in many ways.

Like I said, I haven’t really thought about the future so I don’t have any “goals”. I think maybe this year I’ll just take it day by day and not put so many expectations on events/races/things.

That sounds like a pretty good goal actually 🙂

–2015 highlight?

–What are you looking forward to in 2016?

–Do you have any goals/resolutions?

No Running–Week 4 Recap

Okay, this is no running business is starting to get hard….

I miss running. BUT, instead of being a negative Nancy, I got my butt in the gym last week to get my workout on in other ways.

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#igotthis

Monday was my first day of vacation (aka: no work and kids still in school) and I did some Christmas shopping, got in some good walking, and wondered why I didn’t wear a pedometer or something.

I met one of my running buddies at the gym Tuesday morning for my first official attempt at swimming . We were there for a good hour and I learned how to put on a water cap and goggles, swim without plugging my nose with my hand, and the 1-2-3 breathe method. I felt like a rockstar when I finished because I felt like I accomplished so much–and I had!

I abhor wearing bathing suits so getting in one is something huge for me; I went in knowing absolutely nothing about swimming and managed to freestyle swim without looking completely ridiculous; opening my eyes underwater and swimming without plugging my nose were things I just never did. It took a while for me to get used to trusting the goggles and practice not breathing/swallowing in water but after a while, I managed to somewhat get it down. I was SO thankful for my patient friend T–I would never have attempted the feat on my own.

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Wednesday I met up with the same friend at the gym. Technically I was supposed to wait for my check-up on Monday for bike clearance but I’m pretty confident I’ll get it so I went with her to spin promising myself I would take it easy–especially whenever I had to stand on the bike.

And I was completely fine. Still no pain and I def took it easy–so much so, I felt like the instructor was pointing me out when she yelled, “If you’re not dying then you’re not riding hard enough!” I wanted to tell her I was new (and injured), lol!

Sssh! My first time spinning!

Sssh! My first time spinning!

I was back in the pool Thursday and I felt like the honeymoon was over. I had left Tuesday feeling good about how I’d done with my swimming attempts but that morning, I felt like I had regressed. I wasn’t breathing correctly, my butt/hips were sinking, and my strokes were all over the place. We practiced a few things to help correct them and then jumped in the hot tub to recover. I was pooped!

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It was Christmas Eve and my kids left Santa cookies and carrots for his reindeer. My little guy wanted to eat Santa’s cookies sooooo bad.

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Pleeeeease Mommy!!??

Fridays are my usual rest days and I did just that. It was a nice relaxed Christmas and we hung out in our jammies all day. It was perfect.

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My Christmas present to Mom ❤ #adeletickets

And I did do a one minute plank before bed too 😀

My husband ran his 16 miler Saturday morning like the machine that he is–he’ll be running Phoenix Marathon–and I hung out with the kids all morning. I did a short arm/upper body workout before bed and called it a day. I’ve been looking at some good, short routines I could do at home to work my upper body. Any recs?

Sunday I was back at the pool. My friend T, and two other buddies joined me and we worked on a few things to help with my breathing and strokes. After a few tries, I felt improvement and that made me feel better. Swimming is hard. I like hard, but I also like feeling like I’m at least progressing and not wasting people’s time. My friends are amazing and would never feel that way, but you guys know what I mean.

My first check-up is Monday, today, and I’m nervous. I never felt any pain so it’s hard for me to gauge if my injury has been improving. I’m just hoping whatever he sees on the x-rays shows things are going the way they should. I want to run!

I’ll update on Instagram 🙂 Hope you all have a great week!!!

–How was your Christmas? (If you celebrate)

–Do you think swimming is hard? What tips can you offer me?