Sweat-y Workout

All of last week, all I wanted to do was workout. I wanted to get my sweat on. But, I couldn't because I was  so sick. Every time I took a deep breath, I hacked up a lung for 10 minutes. So, I took it easy and got a lot of things done around the house. yesterday, as it got closer for me to leave for the gym, I didn't want to go. Working out gives me a boost, a boost I haven't had in over a week. I needed to go, so I made myself. And, boy an I glad I did!

On Saturday, I was finally able to meet my friend for our run date. I was able to convince her to do my crazy leg workout with me afterwards. We completed our 5k around the park and then walked to a (mostly) quiet place in the park to work our legs. Let's just say, I'm still sore and my ripped class didn't help make my legs feel better last night. 

Since it was crazy windy here yesterday, I took my outdoor 5k to the treadmill. I don't mind the treadmill, I would just rather be outside. If there is any weather that I don't like, I will go inside (unless I'm training for a race in that weather). 

After the 5k, I was able to sneak in some legs weights (which did make my legs feel happy) before the hour long ripped class. I love this class. This is what my workout did to me. I did take it a little easy because, I  still have this stupid cough, so I can't push too hard without coughing like a crazy person. It looks like I got kissed by the sweat fairy (never mind the horrible picture of me)!!

Tonight, yoga is going to feel so good! I can't wait to stretch for an hour! My legs so need it!!

What area do you need to workout the most? I need the upper leg/booty area the most!

Booty Workout

I took off all of last week. I wanted to heal completely, my half marathon, before I started working out again. I'm glad I did. I got a lot of things around the house taken care of and caught up on a lot of things, too. I was nice to have that extra 1-2 hours a night. I did realize that I wasn't in such a great mood, as I normally am. 

Jason was out all day with some friends, on Saturday. So, I decided to take advantage of the quiet time and great weather (70s with a lot of sun, yes, you can hate me). I did a 90 minute booty/back thigh workout. I never, ever workout those areas, so this was the first time. 

These were my tools: a chair, mat and a medicine ball (6 lbs). I did use a wall, too (but I think everyone has at least one of those). 

This workout was a doozy. I will be adding it to my Saturday (after my run date) routine. Sunday morning, I was in a world of stiffness!! I haven't been that sore in so long!! I always sit in the kneeling position, and I couldn't!

Sunday was St. Patty's day!! I always try to make something out of the ordinary for at least one meal. So, I did some research and found bangers and mash. Little did I realize (until I started cooking), it's just sausage, and mashed potatoes with an onion gravy. I used this recipe, but I added a little milk to the potatoes and some flour to the gravy. The gravy was just way too watery, so I thickened it up just a tad, but it helped. Our beer was too dark to try to make it green. Oh well (really, I was just too lazy).

Dessert was green sugar cookies. Most normal people would make green four leaf clovers. But, after I made the dough and poured out my huge collection of cookie cutters, I realized it didn't come with a four leaf clover cutter. It has a football helmet and a hand and a foot, but not a four leaf clover. What crazy person put this thing together? I guess that's why it was on sale. Oh well. They were still yummy, no matter what shape they were in (I made stars, circles and butterflies).

Yesterday was another nice day in NorCal. I went for a very short and easy 2 1/2 mile run around my local park. It felt so good after not running for a week and after my killer workout on Saturday. It was just what I needed to stretch out before my ripped class. I love this class!! My instructor is pregnant and I will miss her dearly while she is out. I have a few months until that is here, though. 

I''m still a little sore. But, tonight, I have leg weight on the schedule followed by a very much needed yoga class. I can't wait to get stretched out!!

Did you do anything for St. Patty's Day? What is your favorite gym class? Do you take a yoga class? If so, what kind? My yoga class is your ordinary yoga class. 

Some Muscles & All Things Must come to an End

Last night, I didn't want to get to the gym. But I made myself (mostly because Jason was going to make dinner and I really didn't want to). No matter the reason, I'm glad I went. I joyfully completed a 5k and hopped right into my ripped class. It's been too long since I've gone to this class. I loved every 65 minutes (she went over by 15 minutes). It was a huge sweat session and big smiles all around the room. I feel really weak right now, but I know it will pay off in the future. Can I say "hello sexy summer arms"?

 

While the shower was warming up (because it's very important for me to destinktify right when I get home), I took off my running shoes. I will have to lay to rest one of my favorite pairs of socks. They were so great to me during the summer, winter, spring and fall. I guess all great things must come to an end. 

The funny thing, don't tell anyone...I will probably keep these in my running rotation until my big purple tow comes poking out. I'll just be sure not to wear them to yoga (where I do most of the class in socks because it's so cold). 

How do you work your arms (free weights, classes, machines, etc)? Do you wear holey socks when no one see them (I can't be the only one)?

Happy Legs with a Side of String Cheese

My "go-to" snack, while at work, I've been going crazy over pears and string cheese. The thing about pears is that the more bruised and beat up they are, the juicier and more flavorful they are. Love them!

Last night, my ripped class kicked my butt. Exactly what I needed before Thanksgiving. I think she pushed us more because the holiday where you eat as much as possible is around the corner. I'm so glad!

I'm really feeling it right now. Can't wait until this afternoon (enter sarcasm). My legs haven't been this happy since my last long run, last week. 

I have my long run tomorrow. I need to kick out 6 1/2 miles before Thanksgiving and tomorrow is my only day to do so. 

How are you prepping for the holiday? How many miles are you running per week, right now?

You Know It's Love...

You know it's love when your husband tries to help out around the house. One of the things he does for you (while you're gone) is clean you hand held. I had never cleaned it (I've had it over two years) and he got all the gross hand marks around the pocket area and the chapstick goobers off the top. 

I'm a lucky girl! It's so clean now!

Tonight, I get to go to ripped class (I haven't been to that class in a couple of weeks). I've been mia all over the place. It's been such a crazy week at work and even crazier at home. I am a graphic designer and I design a lot of soccer team's logos for their banners, shirts, etc. And, right now, it's the beginning of youth soccer season. I love every minute of it, but man I can't wait to get back to "normal"!

Now, things have calmed down, so I should be able to workout more and blog more. 

I've missed the gym so much (and, of course, you guys)!!!

How does your loved ones show their love for you (it could be you mom, son, girlfriend, cousin, anyone)?

1...2...3...GO!!

Wow!! I have really been MIA. I have many good reasons. I haven't been working out. I took an entire week off! I was too busy to find time to work it in my schedule. Since I'm not in training, I didn't want to stress about finding time to go to the gym, if I don't have the time. Here's what I've been doing instead:

Eating really, really big burritos from a place that we found (in walking distance) from our new house. 

We spent a night in a nice hotel/casino. We rarely ever stay in anything this nice, so it was pretty exciting! Here a some pictures from our room:

I loved the bathroom. There was even a deep tub with a separate shower (this is how we're going to remodel our bathroom). 

My best friend (since high school) is getting married soon and I'm the maid of honor. I tried throwing her a shower and bachelorette party, but all she wanted was a nice massage and a drinking party back at my house. So, I made that happen.

The next morning, Jason made me some awesome eggs (with tomatoes from our garden). It may look gross, but they hit the spot. 

I also hit up the Dollar Tree store and bought some cheap things to make some crafts. I turned ordinary clear glass candle holders, into something nicer.

I also made a candle holder out of sand. It's more fragile than your average holder, but it's a cute holder for outdoors.

Last night was my first night back to the gym and my muscles are already hating me (yoga will feel great tonight). I ran 4 miles on the tm and then headed over to my ripped class. I haven't been to ripped in such a long time (I've been trying out different classes), that it was so much fun. She always gets us relaxed and loose, then we end up dancing and fist pumping and hopping around by the end of the class. Some of the moves, I think "I can't believe this is part of the class, it's so much fun!".  About every 10 minutes, the instructor would count "1...2...3...GO!! You're not going fast enough!! Move your feet and let's GO!!!!!". I don't usually like yelling, but she does it just perfect and it doesn't piss me off. 

When I got home, I was starving (I know I will be even worse today), luckily, Jason was willing to fix dinner for me while I put my things away. He knows that I get extremely mad and unhappy when I'm really hungry.

Don't you hate it, when you take some time off of working out, then you hit it hard, your body is just so hungry all the time. I'm not use to it, but I'm glad I have food with me at work. 

And, finally, I've been eating somewhat healthy (talapia and green beans with fresh tomatoes)...

My birthday is Friday and Jason is having my gifts shipped to my work. At least this year, he's letting me open them up when I get them (un-like least year, I had to bring them home, so he could wrap them). 

When is your birthday? Doing (or did) anything special? Does yelling from your instructor help motivate you during a work out?

I'm Told I Love Push Ups

Last night, it was time to head back to the gym. I haven't been in too long of a time. I'm so happy to be back there. I feel like I have so much in common with all these people working towards the same goal. 

I worked the stairs for about 20 minutes at level 10. Crazy sore now, btw. After that, it was time to work the legs. In my ripped class, we usually don't do too much with legs, so I wanted to make sure I got them worked up nicely. 

Little did I know, we would be mostly working our legs. They weren't too happy about that! I think we probably did about 100 squats, 125 push ups (diamond), 50 jumping jacks and so much more!

When I announced on Twitter that I was going to get "ripped", I had someone asked what the routine was. Ripped stands for Resistance, Interval, Power, Plyometrics, Endurance, and Diet (at home). It's s a great class!

Usually a class consists of warm up, running in place, weights, jumping jacks, fighting (not real people) and cool downs (so much more between all this, too). If we have time, we try to work the abs for a little bit. If you go to a gym and they have this class, take it!! I've had a different instructor than normal (a sub) and he wasn't good. As always, it depends on the instructor, but mine is perfect for me!

Every time we would be in a block of push ups (diamond this time), she would remind us that we love push ups. I don't think we were aware of that. It wasn't even the good kind of push ups:

When I got home, I automatically dropped my gym bag in the kitchen and went outside. We have our garden out back and I always check the progress on our tomatoes. We finally have some cherry tomatoes that I was able to pick. We have so many flowers = lots of tomatoes to come!

The perfect way to end a great, hot summer day is with a cool mojito that Jason made for me after my tough workout! It was well worth it!

Besides water, do you have a drink of choice ("adult" beverage)? I'm a girl, I have to say I like strawberry or watermelon margaritas the best (during the summer). 

Homicide at the Gym...DOA

After work yesterday, I headed over to the gym, for my Monday night run and ripped class. I started out the night with 5 miles of sprints. I did pretty well and kept the pace up. I'm pretty proud of myself! Then, little did I know, there was going to be a homicide at the gym...my muscles were pronounced DOA. So many weights and squats and lunges, my entire body is completely dead in my ripped class.

I may be smiling, but I'm completely numb to the (good) pain that is my body. This made for an interesting 4 mile run this morning. It was a lot more than difficult, but it got done. I logged the miles. They weren't bad miles, but the weren't great miles. They were miles. I like to run like this to teach my body to run on fatigue. It's a good lesson. It's not like my body will be feeling great my entire 13.1 miles (in less than 2 weeks).

What songs are getting you through your last long runs of this training cycle? I'm loving anything by Sublime and System of a Down right now