Workout to Go Out

Wednesday was a rest day after 3 days in a row of 3 miles plus (more than I can normally knock out).  I knew I had to run to Columbia for some work stuff on Thursday and had hoped to make it over to the pool.  But the flood study took longer than I had planned and another project came up.  Before I knew it, I had to rush back to Jeff City to get the kids and get through a busy evening.  So I guess Thursday was a rest day too. 

Friday the kids were off school.  My daughter went deer hunting with her dad at his uncle's farm.  My son chilled most of the day with me.  I got a little bit of work done in the morning.  Later we had lunch at our church's soup/pie luncheon and quilt show.  I was on the team that was supposed to be there to take all of the quilts down and fold them back up for pickup.  Only one other person showed up for the "team" so my son helped and some other ladies helped as they were picking up.  We got it all done, but it was a bit of a workout as the quilts are heavy and there was some ladder climbing. 

But not nearly enough of a workout to justify going out to dinner with some girlfriends.  So after I got my son settled in back at home, I decided it was a good time to run to the bank and deposit a couple checks I received this week.  Literally, I walked and ran the 3+ miles (my "Walmart 5k").  It was windy and pretty cool, but I still got my sweat on. 

Headed out with friends for dinner at a local joint.  I had a buffalo chicken wrap and a margarita!  Wish the chicken wouldn't have been fried - kind of sat like a rock in my gut and quickly made me wish I had gotten the cranberry walnut salad. 

The restaurant is called Prison Brews and has a small selection of microbrews with cool names related to the jailhouse theme (they are a block from the old state pen).  Made me wish I liked beer.  The waitresses wear shirts that on the back say "Beer is how God tells us he wants us to be happy".  I thought of some of the blogger folks that are big beer fans when I saw this.  Wish I had taken a pic!

Today is supposed to be warmer (the warmest of the next 10 days) so I am planning to get out on my bike, but the winds are gusty (30 mph - eww).  I had good news on the scale this morning though - finally dipped into the 170s.  That is a nice motivational tool for sure!  Not much otherwise on tap for today. 

Another workout!

OK, first I get 9+ miles in over the last 3 days and then Stacy talks me into another workout tonight.  She came over and we did a DVD I have (Billy Blanks Jr Dance with Me) and got a short sweat session in.  I'm friggin tired!  But it is always better to have said "yes" to a workout in the end.  I'd better see some movement on the scale this week!  Unfortunately, I spaced that it was BL night.  So I will have to watch it online.  No spoilers please!

Downtown Loop = 5k(ish)

Apparently, Stacy didn't get enough of a workout with me because after she left my house she headed over to our friend Alyssa's (at 9 PM!) and suckered her into doing a pilates DVD.  So as we discussed what a workout animal Stacy is on FB, Alyssa messaged me and suggested we go for a lunch walk sometime and mentioned today's nice weather.  So I told her I'd meet her at her office downtown at noon and we'd go.  She has a little over a 3 mile loop she does.  It mapped out on Map My Ride as 3.08 mi along the roads, but I think the sidewalk behind the Capitol definitely adds at least the 0.02 mi to make it a solid 5K. And there were some HILLS that were kicking my butt.  Seriously - 3 walks/runs in 3 days has to be a new record for me!  So maybe if I can con enough friends into being workout buddies, I will get to the point where I can run a 5K this spring (all of it).  That is Alyssa's goal too so maybe we can Couch-2-5K together!

But now it is 1:30 and I'm getting hungry.  Better go dig something out of the fridge to eat.  Then I really need to get some work done.  With a hair appt this morning and then some FB time and my walk, hasn't been a productive day.

Another 5K+ and Toning

Work was a bit insane and I didn't even get to one project that needed to be done today.  So even though I went to Columbia, I didn't get my swim in.  Such is life sometimes.  I'll probably go back up on Thursday so I'll plan on a stop at the pool then.  In a couple more weeks I'll get a Y membership to get through the winter months.  That is here in town with better pool hours.  I was a little sore from my run yesterday so I thought maybe today would be a rest day.  But when my friend Stacy called and asked if I would be up for a workout, I was like "Sure."

So she came over and we went for a brisk walk with a little bit of running.  We went about 3.25 miles.  I enjoy chatting with her so the walking part was nice, but let's just say that Stacy is in WAY better shape than me.  She could talk when I couldn't breathe.  But she did try to push me some without being crazy.  She encouraged me to slow down my breathing, but at times I was gasping for air.  Grr...frustrating because we weren't really going that fast.  How long before these shorter distances aren't so freakin' hard?!  I guess that is one part that is good about working out with someone fitter than you, but I feel bad for her since she isn't getting a great workout because she has to wait for me.  I guess that is why I normally don't go with anyone else.

Then we got back and had some time so we went downstairs and turned on some music and did some stretching and strength work.  We flipped through my notebook of Self magazine Body Bonus cards and did stuff that worked a little of everything.  She suggested a few moves from DVDs she's done too.  Is it weird that ab work seems easier when my legs are screaming?  I'm sure I'll be feeling everything later tonight in bed (note to self, ibuprofen before bed - ouch).  We did about 35 min of that stuff. 

No idea what tomorrow will bring.  I'm thinking rest, but I'm always up for being flexible.  I imagine I'll have to do some stretching no matter what!

Warm Fall Day - 5K+

Yesterday never got as warm as had been predicted.  It was cloudy and windy.  And I just wasn't "feelin it".  So I didn't get much done at all!  I did some core work while I watched Bridesmaids on DVD last night (don't bother if you have it in your queue - waste of 2 hours).  But this morning it was warm and sunny when we got going to mass, but very windy.  Stopped by the store and picked up some things as our fridge was pretty bare.  Made Sante Fe Tortilla Soup for an early lunch (very healthy minus a dallop of sour cream, a sprinkle of shredded cheddar and a handful of crushed tortilla chips on it).  Then I baked some chicken for another meal I want to make this week.  I had thought about making banana bread, but ran out of steam.  Load of laundry run through and off to give my 7 year old a mani-pedi.  And thus the problem with wanting to take advantage of the fact it was 71° today - what to do with said 7 year old.  Husband and son were in the woods all morning (son took a nice doe).  But my prayers were answered when my mother-in-law stopped by about 2 PM.  YAY!!  She would be happy to hang out for an hour.

So I threw on my running clothes and headed out.  I didn't do as long of a warmup walk as I have been doing.  I decided to see if I could push my pace a little.  I still had to walk a lot.  I did my Walmart 5K loop, but added a small hill behind the store that goes up to a dead end turn around and added a brief walk inside the store to get water as I had underestimated the need for that.  Can't they just put a permanent aid station outside the store?  So I did more like 3.25 miles in about 45 min.  Not bad.  Stretched and did a little ab work when I got home.  Need to do some more of that.  In dire need of a shower and still have a ton of work to get done.  Daughter headed over to her cousin's house across the street to play for a bit so I'd better take advantage. 

Just short - 11/11/11

OK, so nerd moment.  I think it is totally cool the way that the 11's lined up today.  So I was trying to squeeze in an 11 mile bike ride to celebrate.  But, as usual, life (and my lack of forethought) got in the way.  This morning I did attend my kids' all school mass for Veteran's Day where my son did a nice introduction talking about the history of the holiday (that the WWI armistice treaty was signed in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month - which further proved to me the coolness of 11's).  Then I busted a move to my friend's office in Columbia so I could get a draft of a survey he wanted me to draw up in CAD and put it on his desk before I left.   Had promised my husband I would be home by 2, so I left as soon as the plotter spit it out and hurried back to Jeff City. 

My husband was laid off this morning (not an all bad thing as the night shifts were getting old).  The good news is that he was now free to head down to the farm with my son to get in some deer hunting (opening day of rifle season is tomorrow).  So I had promised him I'd dig out my son's social security card in order to go buy his deer tag and then help pack up everything so they could leave as soon as school was out.  Before I knew it, 3:30 had come and gone and I still hadn't figured out how to get in my bike ride and the boys were gone.  But it was SO BEAUTIFUL!  Like 62° and sunny (although yes, some wind) beautiful.  So I called up my mother-in-law, but she was already babysitting across town for my sis-in-law.  Thought a bit more and called my friend Tania and she said my daughter could hang out at her house for an hour while I got in a quick ride. 

So I threw on my bike shorts, a t-shirt, light jacket and helmet and blasted off!  We rode our bikes up to Tania's and then I took off for 54 minutes of ME time.  I was burning daylight so I didn't waste time.  Can I just say that I am not happy about the time change?!  I rode out to the interchange, up further on the Algoa hill than I had gone before (sucking wind a bit here) and then around Scholastic before heading back to Tania's to pick up my girl.  I was hopeful that I had gotten in 11 miles.  Oh well - Map My Ride says I fell just short.  But the cool thing?  10.11 miles - close enough for coolness sake?  I think so!

Tons of work to do this weekend.  How come I've totally been twiddling my fingers and all of a sudden four clients want something on Monday!?!  And with my daughter underfoot, I'm not sure how it will all get done.  Maybe she can go hang with grandma on Sunday for a bit which might also allow me to get in a short run (ie. walk/jog).  Hope the weather continues to be nice.  I'm not quite ready to get into the cold and gray days of winter yet.

Special note to all the veterans out there:  God bless you for your service.  I got a couple of tears in my eyes thinking about all veterans while the kids sang in church this morning.  My brother-in-law has been serving in the Navy since June 2002 (save 9 months he was "lent" to the army to go to Afghanistan).  My father-in-law was in the National Guard for 30 years (including a tour in Vietnam).  We are so proud of them! 

Another Walmart 5K + Dancing!

Today I ran through a little bit of mist under a lot of clouds from my house to Walmart (walking inside to get some water and deposit a check at my bank branch) and then back with a little jag up to a friend's house to drop off a check.  Probably slightly over a 5K, but close enough.  Oh, and as usual - calling it a "run" is a bit of a stretch, but I "jogged" as much of it as I could and walked the rest.  Did some stretching and core work when I got home.  Then this evening, my friend Stacy dropped by and we did several songs of Just Dance 2 to work up a sweat.  We also added some core work and stretching.