Burpees are over....so I started a new challenge

Well I survived 100 burpees, done in less than a day. In fact all in less than an hour. So, did I sit around eating chocolate? That would be a big NO! Instead I embarked on two more challenges. Call me crazy.

First of all, my friend Karen, who less than three months ago had her first baby (by C-section) then ran a 2:10 half marathon five weeks later, challenged me to this. GAME ON!

Then I when I was Facebook snooping on a friend's profile I came across this. And since I cannot run from a challenge I decided to do both. I don't think that I had my reading glasses on because I did not see that there are 40 pushups in the challenge. 40! Let's see how that goes....

So, who is in?

Day 26 of the Burpee and Plank Challenge

Today, being the 26th day of the challenge we are looking at 80 burpees and a rest day in the plank challenge. I am asked, does the plank need to be all on the forearms? Does it need to be continuous? It can be whatever you want it to be. The challenge is your, challenge, not mine. Just make sure that you have great form and are having fun!

Here is an interesting definition of a burpee.

Challenges

Well it is day 21 of the Burpees and Plank Challenge. How is it going? Today I did 65 burpees and 2.5 minutes of plank. Mentally I had to break the burpees into 20 burpee sets, then I would take a drink of water, do another set. Then I hit the ground and set my phone timer for 2.5 minutes and I started on the plank challenge. Did I successfully complete 2.5 minutes off my knees? No. I did not want to sacrifice my form and start to use my back, so I went to level to 1. How is it going for you?

How is your challenge going?

I have a Plank Challenge and a Burpee Challenge going on. Working up to a 5 minute Plank in 30 days and 100 Burpees in 30 days. My shoulder is killing me. I was attempting the push up version of the burpee but my shoulder started to hurt, so I have had to revert to regular burpees. And well, day 14 into the plank challenge has holding the plank for 1.5 minutes. I am finding that I am needing to distract myself with facebook or watching a movie on my phone to pass the time. How are you doing?

Day 8 of the challenges!

How are your Plank and Burpees Challenges going? Day eight means: 30 Burpees and 45 second hold for the plank. How is your form? Is your low back starting to hurt from the planks? It shouldn't. Tuck your pelvis in and pull your core (aka belly button) in (aka SUCK IT IN!). Now let's talk about burpees. I will admit that I looked up how to do a proper one. I had done one (or maybe more) in boot camp (at the gym, not the army), but I wanted to make sure that I was going to do it correctly. The website that I found said to start standing, squat down, jump back (into a plank style position), then jump your feet forward (back into the squat position) then jump up to the position that you started in. OK, I figured that I could this. Then, people starting to ask me: "Are you jumping up high enough so you clap your hands over your head and your feet clear the ground?" "Are you doing a pushup right after you jump your feet back?". That was a big NO! So, since I am a bit competitive I re did the first few days on Day four and now I am doing a 'real burpee' or to my hard core Crossfit neighbour, a 'crossfit burpee'. Does it matter? Absolutely not. This is your challenge. Have fun with it, but keep at it. Don't quit-challenge yourself. Hence the name Plank Challenge and Burpee Challenge.

30 day Plank Challenge Starts Tomorrow!

I have issued a 30 day Plank Challenge. Are you asking yourself what is a plank? Plain and simple, an alignment of your body so you are much flat (like a plank of wood) as you can be. There are several different varieties (bent elbow, high plank, side plank, kneeling side plank, incline plank, twisting bent elbow plank, just to name a few). I have issued an bent elbow plank. You can do this off your knees or on your knees (you aren't really on your knees, but that is another conversation).
So, who is in?

Running Shoes

I love to wear out my running shoes. I don't have tennis shoes or cross trainers. I have Running Shoes. And I have more than one pair, more than two pairs, more than three pairs, more than four pairs. Well let's just say that I have a lot of running shoes. (I am not even talking about my backup pairs). I have a pair for treadmill running only, then road running, then trail running. You would think that these shoes would never wear out, you would be wrong. In fact, since I keep stats, I have a general idea when the shoe is starting to break down. I can feel that the shoes has less, give. My knees start hurting, just a bit. As soon as I switch out my shoes, I immediately notice a difference. I  drop them off to my favorite running store which recycles the shoes. Shoes are important. My shoes are not on the expensive side but they are good shoes (I wear Adidas).

Worn out Running Shoes

Still sick...which means still not exercising....

I am officially on week three of this "summer cold". Am I happy about it? BIG NO! I have been on antibiotics which was a joke. I have been on a variety of different cough medicines-and still no change. So, I have started myself on Oil of Oregano. Have you ever tried it? If so, you probably just smirked there reading that, if not. Well I can tell you that the first three seconds of the oil being under your tongue you are thinking to yourself, this is not that bad and then.....BANG! The overwhelming sense of disgust hits you. But I stuck through since someone told me that it was a natural antibiotic and at this point I am willing to try anything. I have also put myself on a healthy dosage of Vitamin C and Zinc. This summer cold is rather ridiculous..... I have not exercised for so long that I am afraid that I will have forgotten how to run!

Being Sick

I hate being sick. I used to love it as a child, miss a few days of school, lay on the coach and watch TV, eat chicken soup-the good life. But as an adult, not so much. I hate laying around, and I hate not exercising. I mean I really hate it. Last week and into this week I have been battling a cough. Kick me in the bladder coughing. I could not even do yoga last Tuesday, so I sat in the back and coughed/talked my way through it. On Thursday, I was a bit better, so I was able to do 3/4 of the class while coughing/teaching. On Saturday, during my 60 minute cycling class I was unable to cycle and teach so I walked around and yet instructions. Lame and boring. So on Sunday I forced myself to get on the treadmill and walk/run 3 miles all while nearly coughing up a lung. Then I got on my road bike on my trainer and rode 30 minutes. Did I feel better? Yep! Was my coughing better, ah no...But since I missed it so much I did it again on Tuesday and today. Is my coughing better? Not yet...but I sure love the sweat! Moments like this make me realize that I should never take my health for granted, and when I start to feel better I will start taking my vitamins again and pray that the sickness fairy stays away!

Buckley to Orting Half Marathon

Last weekend I ran in the beautiful B&O half marathon. It began in Buckley and though was mostly run on paved trails, 1.4 miles was run on dirt trails. Dirt trails=mud, prickly bushes, roots and across four gorgeous bridges. The group that I was running with missed the sharp left hand turn coming off the fourth bridge and kept running. Coming to a dead end caused us to think quickly, bush whack it and found the trail. Not sure how much extra I had run caused me to mentally think that the finish line was much closer than it really was

. Overall I ran nearly .4 miles extra. I had set a goal to try to run under 2 hours, which unfortunately did not happen. Still an Ok time. I placed 36 overall, which sounds great. But to be truthful only 110 runners ran this race. I have my sights set on two more half marathons in the next coming weeks and hope to run under 2 hours.

Life gets in the way......of blogging!

Well how long has it been? A day, a week or a month? Nope-several months! Not since I exercised (I do that everyday) but since I blogged about it. I had promised that I would be better, and well I feel off that wagon. Completely unacceptable.  But in life there are only so many hours in the day. This past year my life has taken a 180 degree turn. Along with my husband, I purchased our chiropractic clinic. Now, you may have a business degree, I don't. So, I have taken lots of webinars, seminars, and tutorials, read lots of books. I am still getting the hang of this thing, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Through this all, I have kept running, doing yoga and teaching cycling. Last week I ran a half marathon. Great weather, but got lost, but what is an extra .4 miles when you are running 13.1 miles. Oh yeah .4 miles. which caused me to go over my running goal. Next time. How has it been with you? Keep strong. I will get this thing blogging thing down.....

Rainer to Ruston 2013

Yesterday I was fortunate to be apart of an amazing team who ran from the base of Mt. Rainer to Ruston Way. The weather was perfect and the running was challenging, exciting and exhausting. I know that I have worked hard when I immediately fall asleep at night.
How I spend my Saturday....

Just not enough time...

I have certainly not fallen off the exercise wagon, in fact I have probably exercised more in the last several months, I just have not blogged about it. I purchased a new business which has consumed my time, and spending time with my three kids, teaching my classes and trying to fit in my own exercise. But in light of the happenings of yesterday, I have decided that I need to talk more, motivate more, give more.  As I wrote on my FB page yesterday: "As a runner my heart goes out to the families, friends and runners at Boston. Running Boston is a goal of many and a reality of just a few. As a person, my thoughts and prayers go out to all who will be affected directly and non directly and a mommy of three kids who love to run I will squeeze them extra hard tonight."

From the little that I have watched on the news, those injured or killed were not elite athletes and were mostly people, friends and family who came out to watch the experience of Boston. At the finish line of any race (literal and figurative) it is a time of joy, excitement and often complete exhaustion. Crossing the finish line is sometimes just as exciting for those participating as for those watching.

I will try to be more committed to spread the love, of exercise, existence and hope.

2012/2013 goals

On December 31, 2011 I sat down and added all of my running monthly totals. My final number was 1,021.25 miles that I had run for the 2011 year.  Each year, I set out to run 1,000 miles. This can be done on the road or on a treadmill. Since setting the goal I have always attained it. So, on December 31, 2011 I set the same goal for 2012. 1,000 miles is attainable when I broke it down to a monthly average of 88 miles per month. January and February I like to run more than that to have some miles in the bank, so to say. This December I suspected that I was under my goal, significantly. I had a few set backs, sickness, purchasing a new business, teaching more cycling, excuses, excuses. But at the end of the year, I ran only 931.4 miles. 68.6 miles under my goal. I was disappointment in myself. What had I done wrong? I believe that I never lost the passion or love of exercising, because nearly each and everyday I still did something.  I just didn't make it to the treadmill. Have I given up? NOPE! This year my goal is NOT to run 1,000 miles, but just one more mile than I ran last year 932.4 miles. I hope to be more dedicated to the blog to help keep me more accoutable. I want to be a roll model for my children and I want to be stronger for myself.
What are you goals this year? What strategies do you have in place to help you be successful?