TGIF...and winter weather already..

Another week has flown by and I've been absent from posting on my blog.  Oh well.  I'm sure I haven't been missed by too many.  I've been reading all of your blogs and living vicariously through your adventures and workouts. 

I've still been slacking on the whole working out/running stuff....  I don't know why, I've just been going through quite the slump and really hope I can fight my way out of it soon.  I did get out for a run today with my Sissy.  We met after school and did some zigging and zagging on the roads behind her house.  It is an easy run with lots of houses and trees to block the wind.  It was just enough to get my legs stretched out and ready for another 5k race jog tomorrow.  My baby sis and SIL are running the race too...we've contemplated running in snuggies and snow boots since we are getting some winter weather in OCTOBER! 

The crazy weatherman is forecasting 4-8 inches of the white stuff starting tonight and throughout tomorrow.  I even heard him say "heavy at times."  Ugh!  I didn't even get to enjoy fall.  Here we are skipping right on into winter.  

Oh well. I will survive the weather, but I'm not sure I'll survive the race based on the fuel I fed myself tonight.  I'm a hunter's widow again so just ME to feed and I settled on pizza, cheese filled pretzel bites, glass of green tea and now a glass of blackberry wine.  I should probably have skipped that last part.  Wait....I should have skipped all of it and had a healthy non-processed meal.  Oh well.  Live and Learn right?

I think today's motto is "Oh Well!" 

QOTD:  What have you "oh well-ed" lately?

March Madness 5k Race Recap

Today was the first 5k road race in our area for the season.  This is usually a Friday night race but for the last two years, they've switched it to Saturday morning.  Yesterday we would have run in gorgeous 70 degree weather, today we ran in 42 degrees and wind, lots of wind.  Regardless of the temps and warm weather it was still a good race.

This course isn't my favorite.  Most of it is on a stretch of bike path that drives me crazy because it is long and flat and seems to go forever.  The first quarter of a mile was into the wind and you spend that whole time tripping over little kids.  This race is to raise money for their soccer organization so it is understandable that they are excited and want to be up front - but still causes many of us frustrations as we get into our grove.  When we turned off of the bike path and onto a side road the wind was at our backs.  I got warmed up quick, ended up shedding my fleece and got my rhythm.  When we were about to turn back onto the bike path I was thinking how quick the first 2 miles went and that it was the best I had felt on that course in a long time.  THEN - the wind hit and I was running like I was in mud.   The last mile or so was straight into the wind again and it was slow going. 

The turnout for the race wasn't the best.  Many of the usual racers weren't there so my company along that last mile was just two young socceer players.  I wasn't too far behind a young girl in front of me, but couldn't push enough to get her.  She finished in 24:03 and I finished in 24:10, SIL- SB finished in 24:17 I think, right behind me.    We ended up being 1, 2 and 3.  This is about the third time in my  6 years of racing that I've finshed in the top 2 or 3.   The rest of my family (dad, sister, sister, and both BIL's) also ran the race.  Oh and the neice she rode in her Bob with her Grandbob pushing her the whole way.

So overall, not to shabby for the start of the racing season considering I haven't been training that hard.  I don't really pick it up and get into running and training until May/June when school starts to wind down.  June is when I usually really pick it up since my schedule is free and I can get in as many and as long of runs as I want with gorgeous weather to boot.    Ah....June....can't wait!

Final Week of Fitness Challenge

It has been six weeks since we started the Fitness Challenge.  I can't believe how fast six weeks go.  I have increased my points each week and have already started to notice a difference in my body.  I am planning on keeping it going so that I can continue to improve my core and upper body. 

Since it was the last week I spent extra time this weekend focused on my workouts.  My workouts during the week were minimal.  The Fitness Challenge is between three teams in our school district and currently my team is in second place by just 13 points.  Hopefully everyone on the team put in some extra time this week and we can zip into first place.  If we win, the charity organization we are playing for will receive a donation.  Here's the breakdown of my week:

Monday - 2 points               40 min walk and stretch
Tuesday - 2.5 points            20 min walk, 30 min JM Ripped
Wednesday - 2.5 points       35 min 3.7 mile run, 15 min walk
Thursday - 2.5 points           20 min walk, 35 min JM Ripped
Friday - 3 points                   35 min 3.3 mile run, 25 min JM Yoga
Saturday - 9 points               120 min walk/hike and another 60 min walk
Sunday - 9.5 points               40 min yard work and walk, 60 min spin class and 90 min Yoga class

Total for the week is 31 points!!!  Woo-hoo!!!  I finally made it to the Y for the spin and Yoga class.  Spin is crazy - but it felt really good and I don't hurt yet but I am sure that is to come.  Yoga was good and more meditative that I am use to. (I was struggling with Thinking instead of Feeling - I couldn't shut off my brain -until we did the balance poses but right after that I was back to thinking.  Too much going on in my head)  I think I like the Power Yoga better.  I like doing the yoga poses' but like the way the Jillian Michaels makes it more aerobic and has you do the poses' in reps.

This week I plan on moving on to Level 2 of Six Pack Abs, two more workouts at Level 1 of Ripped and going to try to get some Pilates back in the workout list oh and runs.....yep need to do those too.  The first race of the season is this Saturday.  Hoping to get a run in tomorrow, Wednesday, and an easy one on Friday.  That should get me ready.