long run Monday

I had a long run scheduled today with Val. At this point, my long runs are two miles longer than hers so my preferred method is to get to the Bog early and run them first so that we can finish together. I am less in need of a partner at the beginning than at the end of a run, natch. (I had 7 on the menu for today).

But. Insert cliché about making plans here. Bubs had an accident last night. He peed. He actually woke himself up before any part of his bed got wet, but it still required some minor clean-up and much back-to-bed coaxing. He woke me up at 2:30 and it took over an hour to get him back to sleep. The little goober is taking a poorly timed nap in my bed at the moment.

The panic mode icing on the lack of sleep cake was that my alarm didn’t go off. The goal was to get up at 5, walk and feed my parents’ dogs & be at the Bog at 7 to run my two miles really slowly/mentally wake up/maybe even eat something.

Hubs woke me up at 7 in that too-urgent voice insisting that I was going to be late if I didn’t get out of bed. Right. This. Instant. As exciting as an adrenaline rush is, this is actually not my preferred method for starting my day. Or doing anything, actually.

So I made a mad dash to the store for some shot bloks, since there was no time for any real breakfast before the run and let Valerie know I was going to be late. We ran, we talked. Good times. The Bog is smelling really… boggy lately.

I feel the beginnings of a blister on my baby toe. I am not prone to blisters and (surprisingly) don’t really like how this feels.

I’m all sorts of off today: I actually took a nap. And I am debating if I want to eat dinner or go to bed.

All my self-pity aside, it was a nice run on a beautiful day with great company.

Sunday, funday

I had a run on my schedule for yesterday and I just couldn’t get to it. It left me feeling grouchy and out of sorts so I am absolutely done rearranging my schedule like that.

Bubs had a second private swim lesson today. He still won’t put his face in the water, but I’m not worried about it. My first swim lesson was spent on the side of the pool, convinced I was going to drown. I didn’t put my face in the water until my third lesson and went on to swim competitively until high school. All in good time.

Hubs stayed at the pool and I ran around the neighborhood. It wasn’t a great experience. Inconsiderate pedestrians, passive aggressive people and oblivious drivers. A giant PFFFFFFFFFFFFT at all of them.

Then I got to spend the next hour and a half swimming and playing with Hubs, Bubs and our nephew. I had a blast! Then I oh so sweetly stomped my little foot and demanded that we make it work for me to go swimming once a week in the morning. It will most likely be Tuesdays, but we’ll see once school starts up again. And like the amazing man he is, Hubs readily agreed. He even wants me to help him work on his own swimming technique.

Yesterday and today I was SORE from the Hard CORE Club work out. You know, the it hurts to sneeze, cough, turn, touch. I did my W1D2 set today & I already feel stronger. I might not be able to lift my arms up tomorrow. Hi, there deltoids, pecs, and biceps and triceps. Long time no use! I’m thinking the push ups and shoulder taps are going to really work me over. According to Hubs, with each consecutive shoulder tap, my rear went higher in the air. I confess, the last one or two might have looked more like I was getting into downward facing dog than a push up position. But it’s a process! I have no doubt that I will get there.

I’m off to watch Sherlock Holmes with Hubs before bed. I’ve got a running date with Val in the morning (she’s doing 5 and I’m doing 7).

all’s well that ends well

Yesterday was not a very fun day around here. Bubs was sick, which is so tough to watch as a parent. I wasn’t sure if I would have the energy at the end of the day to get in my run and core workout.

I honestly debated pushing back my run and core work until today. Until I remembered that is the mentality that leads to skipping all runs and my depressed self becoming one with the couch while watching telenovelas and using potato chips to shovel ice cream into my gaping jaw. (Disclaimer: I’ve never really done that. Nor would I. Ice cream would totally ruin the joy that is potato chips.)

I started slowly, by just getting into my running clothes. That didn’t leave me feeling completely exhausted which I took as a good sign. So I headed out the door, reminding myself to take it slow because I was already exhausted and not feeling 100% myself.

I did 4 miles out and back in 40 minutes. The out part was 22 minutes, including a fixing-the-pigtails hair malfunction (impossible to fix while running with a water bottle). The back was in 18 minutes. The second two miles felt so good! I’m really looking forward to doing a speed session on Wednesday. Yes, I said that and yes, I meant it. Don’t forget that I’m a reformed softball player, so my athletic training was to move as quickly as you can over a very short distance. Half of the running battle for me has been to redefine “short” and “long” distance. Well, “half” in the Yogi Berra sense of the word (“Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical”).

Anyway, my run felt great, although I had three separate incidences along the lines of the gentleman in the black Acura, so now I’m entertaining thoughts about carrying pepper spray.

I also did my Hard CORE Club workout for the first time. I felt really strong at the beginning, but I am no push-upper, so once I got to that point things definitely got hard. The routine is:

• 30 crunches
• 25 bicycle kicks (each side)
• 30 second supine bridge
• 30 second leg lift
• 25 ankle grabbers (each side)
• 25 diamond in the sky
• 30 second hip lift
• 45 second plank
• 30 second lower back stretch
• 20 push ups
• 20 shoulder taps (each side)
• 15 reps Superman
• 30 seconds side bridge (each side)

I had to break the leg lift into two parts, but other than that I was fine until the push ups. By ‘fine’ I mean that I was doing them. I was certainly feeling them while I did it, but it was neither extraordinarily difficult nor too easy. Then there were the push ups. I have what might be the world’s weakest upper arms (note to self: there IS a reason for this). I did the first 10 pretty well. Hubs said I have good push up form (in a moderately surprised tone). The only problem? I can’t go all the way down. I’m looking forward to seeing this improve. I did the last 10, but Hubs commented that I must be tired because my form was deteriorating. Thanks, Hon. Shoulder taps are new territory for me. All I can say is that perhaps they would be easier if I did them before the push ups? Side planks were fine, but not fun.

I’m feeling really inspired with my exercise at this point which I’m loving!

Coming soon: reviews of my new running skirt & water bottle.

Don’t forget to enter my second giveaway. Keep it for yourself or give it to a friend!

late day

Bubs woke up with some sort of tummy bug so today has been all sorts of wrong. Also, it is important, when combining different training plans, to remember which one you are actually following. The 4.5 I thought I was doing yesterday is actually 4 today, plus the Hard CORE Club work out.

I’m going to have to take it slow. I really don’t want was Bubs has, even though it’s hard to avoid catching something once it has already invaded the house. So the plan for the rest of the day is an early/light dinner, extremely early bedtime for Bubs, a run, a core workout and an equally early bedtime for myself.

Is 3 hours a realistic time frame for all that? Dunno. But I’m going to try my hardest to make it so.