Week of July 25 - 31
MONDAY - Rest
TUESDAY - Yoga class, 20 minutes of strength training (legs, biceps, triceps)
WEDNESDAY - Zumba class
THURSDAY - Yoga class
FRIDAY - 10 minutes stationary cycling, 45 minutes strength training (full-body)
SATURDAY - Run 6 miles
SUNDAY - Rest
Week of August 1 - 7
MONDAY - Run 3 miles on treadmill, 25 minutes of strength work (upper body, abs/lower back)
TUESDAY - 15 minutes lower body strength work, yoga class
WEDNESDAY - Zumba class, Mobility 101 class
THURSDAY - Run 3 miles on treadmill, Strength Max class (abs, back, chest, biceps, squats, quads)
FRIDAY - Yoga class
SATURDAY - BTN Big 10K (full recap to come)
SUNDAY - Rest
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| From the BTN Big 10K post-race tailgate party |
Here are a few things I'd share with you right now if we were catching up over coffee (or your choice of beverage):
Workout notes:
- In an attempt to mix up the routine, I tried the Mobility 101 and Strength Max classes last week (both are new offerings starting in August). Both were very helpful.
- Mobility 101 covers dynamic stretching/strengthening methods to overcome physical imbalances. There, I learned that I have a much wider range of lateral motion on my right leg than my left leg. Yikes!!!
- In Strength Max, I started learning some weight-lifting methods that focus more strongly on contracting the muscles being worked, rather than physically moving the weights. I enjoyed this a lot because it feels like it generates more bang for the buck. Normally I sweat only moderately when I'm lifting, but this day I put my towel to excellent use!
- Remember how I said here that I was thinking about adding another half marathon to my race calendar in the fall? Yeah, that idea quickly got squashed over the weekend. When I was running the BTN Big 10K, I realized I'm not ready to jump back into racing again. Houston, we still have recovery work to do.
Everything else:
- In all the Olympic coverage, Rio's backdrop and landscapes look stunningly, jaw-droppingly gorgeous. It is absolutely true that the Olympics are a way to showcase the host cities to the world. I know the TV cameras focus on the best highlights, but I have had Brazil on my to-visit list for a long time. Now I want to go even more.
- I've been mesmerized by the women's Olympic beach volleyball. Kerri Walsh Jennings is a force of nature! I want to be more like her.
- Due to an ever-present supply of bananas ripening faster than I can eat them, my kitchen has been a veritable factory of banana muffins and banana bread. This has been my go-to muffin recipe (minus the oatmeal-sugar topping). Last night I tried this recipe with good results.
- My best friend Vanitha will be working in Alaska from mid-August through mid-November! I'm trying to see if I can work out a time to go visit her there. I've only been to Alaska once by way of a cruise, so it would be fun to do a land-based trip.
- The day before yesterday, Adam and I caught The Peanuts Movie on TV. I haven't watched any of the Charlie Brown movies in at least 15 years, and I had forgotten how delightful they are. Snoopy and Woodstock are the cutest, most adorable characters, ever!
I think I would enjoy the Mobility 101 class ( or it least in my mind I would, I don't know if my body would..lol).
ReplyDeleteLike you I always think big about signing up for another long distance race and then I find myself struggling to run 4 miles and that thought quickly fades!
Ahhh, you know it! Mentally, I know the Mobility exercises are good for me, but physically they are quite challenging, indeed!
DeleteOh yes - mentally, I still very much like the IDEA of running marathons, but then my body doesn't hesitate to tell me whose boss, LOL. The mind and body definitely do go in different directions with these long distance races!!!
We love banana muffins over here! I am just trying to get back into my longer runs too for a fall race and it's never easy. Thanks for joining for coffee today sorry you missed the actual link up hope we see you next time
ReplyDeleteThe heat and humidity is the only part of summertime that I dislike! It's the only reason for me to be excited for summer to end. Hopefully I'll be able to catch the actual link-up next time. I'd love if the link-up stayed open a little longer - sometimes it's tough to publish over the weekend!!! =D
DeleteI was watching Kerry Walsh Jennings play over the weekend, she is amazing!! We were also watching the men's gymnastics team, they are UNREAL!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you are still feeling a bit burned out! it sucks! I hope you had a great race on Saturday!
Ahhhh, I didn't get to see any of the men's gymnastics, they really are unreal! Their biceps are the size of my thighs!!!
DeleteThanks so much, Ana! The race went well but again I am glad it is over. =)
Thank you, Karen! Yes, what a difference it makes to have an instructor there to tell you what to do. If I'm left to my own devices, I will usually stop much more quickly. =) Oooh, you just reminded me of the exercise bands I have at home that I used to use for physical therapy. I should start using them again, too.
ReplyDeleteI hope your feet behave themselves soon! Fingers crossed on the Alaska trip, the timeframe is a little difficult but we'll see if it can happen. YES on the Peanuts from a simpler time - they remind me of my childhood. =)
I'm so intrigued by the strength class! I want to hear more about it. We need to get together again soon.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I totally thought about you on Saturday morning because Live Grit was doing their DIY Tri and the cyclists just had to give up on trying to ride south because of you guys :-) I was down at Ohio Street beach and had to run 5 miles so I ran north to avoid the race (even though I always prefer running south).
It's funny - I currently have very little desire to train for a half marathon but I have no problem signing up for a sprint triathlon (which only takes me slightly less time to complete than a half marathon). Something about doing the three shorter distances, even if they're in a row, and doing three different sports makes it less daunting. Weird, right?
We definitely need to get together again soon! Would love to share more details on the strength techniques, I would be curious to hear your thoughts.
DeleteLOL - yes, the BTN race clogged up the LFT big time between DuSable Harbor and the museum campus. I always feel bad for the bikers who are trying to work their way through the hordes of runners at those times. Heck, even as a runner I get frustrated with the crowds - can only imagine the frustration on a bike.
I can completely understand being less daunted by a sprint tri versus a half marathon. For me, the worst part of a half is the monotonous factor and knowing that you have to do the same thing for 2 hours. Usually around an hour in, I start thinking, I have to keep running for still another HOUR-plus??? Being able to break up the activity into different sports would make a huge difference both mentally and physically!
I was just looking at the pile of ripening bananas on my kitchen counter! I need to do something, stat!
ReplyDeleteYour comment on recovery summed up how I'm feeling right now. I need more time to just chill. But I'm not patient about it all...
I swear my bananas overripen within 2 days! They are ripening machines!!!
DeleteRecovery is really hard from the patience perspective. I totally understand!!! And for me, there's always the fear of losing my fitness after taking too much time off!!! You too?
I have the same problems with my bananas, but I have no desire to turn on the oven until maybe October. I found a crock-pot recipe for banana bread, but I haven't tried it yet.
ReplyDeleteI hear you, I grit my teeth a little each time I have to turn on the oven when we've also got the air conditioning on. Argh!!! Please share the slow-cooker banana bread recipe and results once you've had a chance to try it out!
DeleteFreeze your bananas! (Peel first). If you google dole whip recipes you'll find a great way to use bananas, pineapple and coconut milk to make a sweet summer treat that's much healthier than ice cream.
ReplyDeleteOoooh, I do freeze my overripe bananas but I never thought to peel them first. That would be helpful in avoiding the skins turning black in the freezer, which looks awful. Pineapples, bananas, and coconut sound like the perfect summer combo to me. Is the Dole Whip recipe the same one as the famous Disney dessert?!?!?!?
DeleteYou got it!
DeleteThanks again for sending me those recipes - they look fabulous!!!
DeleteI hope you get to go to AK, and not when there isn't much daylight (SO GO SOON!).
ReplyDeleteThanks Kim! Unfortunately, the best time for me to go would be in late October! It wouldn't be, but it'd be better than nothing, right?
DeleteAhhh, I didn't even know Charles Schultz had a museum! The next time I'm fortunate enough to visit Sonoma County, I definitely want to go check it out. Thanks for the tip! I love the Christmas special, too. I'm going to start paying attention for all the Charlie Brown holiday broadcasts so I can rewatch them. =)
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on falling in love with Rio from watching the olympics! I watched way more of the bike races than I should have just so I could see the views ha
ReplyDeleteOMG - I did the same thing! Normally I would have gotten bored watching so much coverage of such a lengthy race, but I was thoroughly enjoying seeing all the ocean and mountain views!!!
DeleteOh, that mobility class sounds great. Even in normal yoga classes I notice differences from side to side. I'd love to have an extra reason to go to Alaska - it looks so gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh - YES on feeling differences from side to side in yoga class. I especially feel it in pigeon pose! My left hips are much tighter than my right!
DeleteI can't blame you for deciding against a half marathon. A trip to Alaska sounds fantastic. I've been wanting to make both banana bread and banana pudding (the kind you bake and eat it while it's warm -- YUM). But my kids are eating the bananas! My sister and I loved Peanuts when we were kids. I haven't seen the latest movie. Thanks for linking, Emily!
ReplyDeleteOMG - banana pudding is one of my all time FAVORITE desserts! I haven't had it in such a long time and now I am craving it!!! I may need to whip out a few recipes to satisfy the craving now this weekend. =) The Peanuts are such a classic - I absolutely love Snoopy and Woodstock! Thanks again as always for cohosting the link-up with Tricia!!!
DeleteI've been obsessed with watching the swimming competitions. I cannot wait to see the running portion.
ReplyDeleteAs for the bananas, what I've done is to peel, put in a plastic sandwich bag, and freeze them. Then I add them to a smoothie.
The swimmers are amazing! I'd love to see an average person competing next to the Olympians just so we could get a true sense of how fast they really are. I think Michael Phelps is part fish. =)
DeleteGood call on adding the frozen peeled bananas to a smoothie! I'll have to try that, too!
I would love to see Phelps and Ledecky swim!
DeleteHow cool would it be to see them swim in person!?!?!?!?
DeleteGreat job on knocking out two linkups in one post! I really should get better about this! How are you getting in all your strength training and running? I'm finding out I'm either doing one or the other. I love strength and have upped it since I'm running fewer longer runs. I still don't consider my 1mile runstreak as really running. If I focus on ST then I push myself and get sore. Alaska sounds amazing I hope you can get back there!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tricia! It's cool that there are so many linkups to choose from every week, it helps a lot when I'm struggling to figure out what to write about. Honestly, right now I'm more into the strength training than the running. I'm doing the running semi-grudgingly, just because it's the most effective cardio workout you can get. I hear you on the runstreak, I did one between Thanksgiving and New Year's one year and it didn't feel like true running training. But it was cool to see the miles add up in my training log! Thanks to you and Tricia for cohosting the linkup, as always!
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