Running and laughing

Well, I made it through my workout but it wasn't my best. I psyched myself out of running 4 miles but I completed 3 and inclined walked for 10 minutes at a 3.5 pace/10% incline. It really wasn't a bad workout but I wasn't into it which seems to be the theme of the day. My muscles are screaming at me after yesterday's workout and it's been a while since they were mad at me. Feels pretty good! Love that exhausted muscle feeling!

Tonight I'll be stretching before heading to bed (that means soon! It's after 8:30 already). Last night I woke up with the worst Charlie Horse in my left calf (it's always the left one) so I'm thinking some stretching is in order. God knows it's not that I'm dehydrated since I drink water as if it's in short supply. Off to prevent a repeat from last night. Seriously. It. Was. Hellishly. Painful. 

Last night...

instead of watching TV in bed, it was a repeat of the night before. Reading for a few minutes and then sleeping the night away. But man, I feel off my game this week. I parked at the Metro on the other side of the red line so I could make it to knitting but I talked myself into just coming home. Seriously draggin'. I'm posting this as I'm about to go get ready for bed. Ugh. But tomorrow's Friday and vacation is almost just a week away! Something to look forward to! For now, it's time to change out of these work duds and prepare for tomorrow.

Running and laughing

No workout yesterday. Instead I ate lunch with work friends and a former work buddy. Today I hit the (harder) elliptical for 25 minutes and completed 3.25 miles then I started in on strength:

• Chest press 50 lbs. for 12 reps, 45 lbs. for 12 reps, 40 lbs. for 12 reps
• Row/rear delt 50 lbs. for 10 reps, 45 lbs. for 12 reps, 40 lbs. for 12 reps
• Overhead press 40 lbs. for 10 reps, 30 lbs. for 10 reps
• Push down with V bar 30 lbs. 3 sets of 12
• Pull up with handle 15 lbs. 3 sets of 12
• Standing butterfly 6 lbs. 2 sets of 12
• Tricep overhead press 12 lbs. 2 sets of 12
• Russian twist with 8lb. medicine ball 2 sets of 20
• Single leg lifts 2 sets of 20

That's what I call a pretty darn good workout for 50 minutes! Tomorrow - running?

Last night...

instead of watching TV in bed, it was a perfect night of falling asleep while watching TV in the recliner. I moved myself to bed and fell asleep around 9:30! So exciting (it's the little things people!) and I feel great today. No reading...no TV...just me and a mattress (and a cozy cat).

Last night...

instead of watching TV in bed, I was so comfy in my pajamas watching TV that I slipped into a deep snooze until my Mom called to say she had arrived back to her home in Ohio. It was just about 10 which a good time to call so I was roused from my family room sleep. I ended up in bed then and got a few pages of Such a Pretty Fat read. It was a pretty perfect night for this sleep day girl. Hoping to repeat tonight!

Running and laughing

Over the weekend, I headed out on a two mile run around the neighborhood. Just something to get me going which it did successfully. Afterward, I pulled out the weights and now that it's a couple days later I'm not all too sure what I did. It involved bicep curls and tricep dips and a plank or two.

As for today, it was all about the elliptical. I hopped on it for 23 minutes at level 3 and increasing to level 4 a few times. My goal was to work on legs so I worked on this little plan:

• Seated leg press - 105 lbs. for 12 reps, 100 lbs. for 10 reps, 95 lbs. for 10 reps and 90 lbs. for 10 reps.
• Leg extension - 40 lbs. for 25 reps
• Seated leg curl - 40 lbs. for 20 reps

After the machines I worked on leg lifts, inside thigh lifts (that's can't really be the name, right?) and bridge lifts. I've been neglecting my legs for too long! They feel much more energized now! And they can keep going and going and going and going...

Last night...and last night...and last night...

Wow! Two whole days of not blogging! But I'm back now. I just figured lots of things happened over the weekend and trying to force myself into posting was not something I needed to do. You know, for once. :)

So about last night...I got into bed pretty late (where have I read that one before?). I managed to read a little bit of Such a Pretty Fat and then fell fast asleep. Tonight I'm not planning on doing much except catching up on TV and then comfortably falling into bed before 10. Not a bad plan for a Monday, is it?

Mom was here over the weekend and my pregnant sister is on bedrest. Between those two and other family gatherings I had a really great weekend but needed another day. I'm going to try to make it this week without taking any time off from work. You know, for once. :)

Running and laughing...

Another day, another trip to the gym. And once again, that makes twice this week, I pounded out another 4 miles on the treadmill plus some change. It felt great and my hips are telling me about it right now. As I type I'm icing my knee which I neglected to do on Wednesday. Tomorrow I'd like to get in a little cardio plus some weights. Nothing major...just enough of a workout. 

Last night...

instead of watching TV in bed, I again, got to bed just a little too late and, again, read a little of Such a Pretty Fat before falling asleep. But today is Friday! lt is so good to have you back, Friday. I have truly missed you.

My plans for Saturday were cancelled meaning no golf lessons for me. :(  All is not lost - Mom flew in on Wednesday so she could attend two funerals and I'll attend one of them this evening with her. For my newly opened free day tomorrow, I don't have anything exciting planned except catching up on TV (I <3 Royal Pains...and Necessary Roughness...and Project Runway...and I'm going to try Suits too) cleaning. Mom and I will visit my bedridden sister tomorrow and probably bring her and her family dinner. Oh, there will be time for reading too!  

Running and laughing...

I kept reminding myself that all I needed to do was run for one mile but that my goal was two miles today. It worked! Two miles in less than 19 minutes plus another quarter mile and some change. Taking the pressure off of a run by breaking it down is a brilliant little help. I've used that technique before but time goes by and I forget about it.  After the run I worked on legs and arms using these machines:

• Leg extension 40 lbs. 3 x 15 reps
• Seated leg curl 35 lbs. 3 x 15 reps
• Row/rear delt 40 lbs. 3 x 12 reps
• Seated chest press 35 lbs. 3 x 12 reps

Then I moved onto the floor and finished up with ab work, a few more weights and stretching:

• Bicep curls 8 lbs. 12 reps
• Dumbell upright rows  8 lbs. 12 reps
• 50 Abs/leg flies (my *creative* made-up name)
• Plank 60 seconds

Ahh, nothing like the exhausted feeling of muscles having been worked!

Last night...

instead of watching TV in bed, suprise, surprise, I read some of Such a Pretty Fat. Yep, the same old, same old. Nothing new or exciting here.

I haven't gotten to bed until after 10 each night this week and tonight will not be an exception. I'm going to knitting so I feel I'll probably arrive home close to 9 and there's lunch to be made plus a little winding down. I'd like to be in bed so that I can actually get through a couple of pages of the book without sitting in weird poses and squinting my eyes to stay awake. You wouldn't know that I love being in bed and reading by the way I can procrastinate the heck out of a night. Well, there's always the weekend. And tomorrow is Friday. Oh, thank heavens!

Running and laughing...

My legs feel good today! Crazy as it sounds, I think it's because I switched from my $50.00 Keens to my $5.00 Old Navy flip flops to commute to work. Yesterday my legs felt like wood and I have a hunch it's due to the fact that the Keens are not flexible. My high arches have gotta move! Realistically, this means I'll probably have to look for a new pair of commuting shoes...again. For now, flip flops will be my shoe of choice, podiatrist and all their warnings be dammed!

With some feeling in my legs and a mind cleared of all gobbidy-gook, I hightailed it over to the gym and pounded out 4.25 miles on the treadmill at lunch. It felt great! I'm ready to tackle that again on Friday. Tomorrow is a strength day and I'm planning on doing my regular 20 minutes or so of cardio followed by weights. Tonight, once I finally make it home (after a short list of errands), I'll be ice-ice-icing my knees and giving them some TLC. Keep these babies working!

Last night...

instead of watching TV in bed, I finally got to cozy up to Such a Pretty Fat for a few minutes.

After dinner I knew I shouldn't sit down to the internet because we all know that time flies by but I did. Before I knew it, it was close to 9 and I still wanted to bake banana bread because my lunch is lost without it and, oh yeah, I will be the only naked runner on the treadmill at the gym if I don't get some of my gym clothes in the washer. I don't know what time I headed to bed but I'm guessing it was around 10:30. Yawn.  

Last night...

instead of watching TV in bed, I curled up in bed and spent some time paging through the new Women's Day that arrived in my mailbox. I really wanted to spend some time with my new best friend, Jen Lancaster and Such a Pretty Fat but my body had other plans, mainly to conk out about 5 minutes after tucking myself into my sheets. It was all good - I had read a lot on my extended Metro commute. All thanks to a train running into a person earlier in the day on the red line. It was actually a pretty pleasant commute home, delays and all. Tonight though, it's all about me and Jen (unless another magazine happens to arrive).

Running and laughing

I ran today! My legs are not sore (well, just a little pressure on the inside of the right knee)! I got on the treadmill for 25 minutes and didn't quite do 2.5 miles. It was on to weights:

• Push down with 30 lbs. 15 reps 3 sets 
• Pull up with 20 lbs. 15 reps 3 sets
• Dumbell upright rows 6 lbs. 12 reps 2 times
• Standing chest flies 6 lbs. 12 reps 2 times
• Bicep curls 6 lbs. 12 reps 2 times
• 20 against the wall push ups

This workout felt a little incomplete, like I was just going through the motions. I did do something and some type of workout is better than no workout. There's always tomorrow!

Last night...

instead of watching TV in bed, I started Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster. I'm so excited to read a book again - a paperback, one that I can tote on Metro! I didn't get too far before my eyelids were shutting down (thanks to a little help from some Tylenol PM) but I have it for my commute home. My Metro ride will zoom by tonight! 

Usually I have books lined up, waiting to be read, and I *guess* I do but none of them really looked attractive. I want to read Into Thin Air and I have it but it's a winter read for sure. I mean, snow...mountains...it's surely a cold weather read. I also have The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo but I'm debating whether to read it. I've heard mixed reviews so my mind's already tainted. I would hate to waste my precious reading time on something just so-so. Then again, it might accompany me to the beach (only 18 days to go!).