Running Thoughts

What a great cardio!  We had decided to do our strength test tomorrow and cardio today, so when we took Kaegan to the ski hill for his skiing day (he skiied all by himself with no help at all), Sara and I went cross country.  We went this morning and rented the cross country skis and then had fun trying them out this afternoon.  We are both a wonderful tired.  

Last workout of this Blitz.... done! Now, we rest for 2 days (cardio tomorrow) and do our post strength test on Friday evening.  2 days off, then next round begins on Monday.  We are thinking of the 8 week follow-up to the blitz. It's just good to change things up a bit so our muscles don't get into a "rut."  The 8 week follow-up is still a muscle building program, but the rep schedule is different, throwing in some super and triple sets.  We've still been sticking with the water, too, so that's good! Saturday, we are making queso and stuffed jalepenos....mmmmmm.  We are looking forward to that!

Today was a sunny-sensational day and I so wanted to run outside, but it is B's birthday, so I let him choose not to go with me.  I couldn't leave him, so I ran on my elliptical machine.  It was good, but not sunny with crisp, cool air.  Tomorrow is the last official workout of this 4 week blitz...legs.  Then, strength test on Friday with cardio in between.  So, maybe, just maybe I'll get my cool, sunny run in a couple of days! Someone asked how long until spring for us.  Mountain weather is truly unpredictable.  Did you see Man From Snowy River?  So, it's hard to say.  The snow will start to melt toward the end of March or beginning of April.  Then, I will complain of mud for a couple of weeks, so remind me that it's only a couple of weeks and I will get to run again outside. This evening is one of the prettiest sunsets I've ever seen.  Pale pink with snow between here and there.  I love that the days are getting longer again!  I hope you have a pretty evening ...

My post yesterday drifted into cyberspace, so here it goes again! Yesterday was my baby's birthday party.  His actual birthday is today.  He's 9 years old, tall and lean with wonderful blonde hair and clear blue eyes.  He loves God and his family, GI Joes, Star Wars, Legos, and Harry Potter.  He cheers for his brother and lives for his sister and brings beauty and joy into our family.  Here is a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my big little boy! My song for Braeden has always been John Lennon's "Beautiful, Darling Boy."  He is.   Sara and I worked biceps (sore), back (sore, sore), and abs yesterday.  Today is an off day, so cardio is on the day's list of events.  

We lifted yesterday, but I didn't manage a post until now.  I benched pressed 65 pounds.  I was excited because at first I thought it was 85.  Nope, I miscounted.  One day, it will be 85!  We worked chest, shoulders, and triceps.  Good workout. We got 6-8 more inches of snow last night and now the sun is shining!  I love it!  I know you think I'm crazy, but the snow here is dry and insulating and reflects the sun so that it actually warms up when it snows.  Unlike snow I've ever experienced anywhere else.  Even when I went to Alaska, the snow was cooooooold and the air was windy and bit right through you.  Here, it can be 30 degrees out, but it feels pleasant.  I can't explain it so you'll just have to come.  ;)

Can you believe my back is sore from wii boxing?  What a great game!  We took today off because Sara was super sore and I had to paint the new closet....our house is still a construction site, but it's getting there!  We are 3 workouts away from the end of this blitz.  We will do today's workout tomorrow and tomorrow's the next day, etc. until our strength test on Friday or is it Saturday?   when you get time, read about K's skiing day.  www.kaegansjourney.blogspot.com

Today was skiing day for Kaegan as the ski hill opened just for one little boy.  He was amazing and I was in tears.  It was such a beautiful thing for the town to do.  Now, they plan to continue every Friday until the snow is gone.  He skiied up and down for 2 full hours, turning and slowing himself down.  We plotted out a treasure map of "candy cane mountain" (that's what we called the ski hill today) where he had to follow a path to collect candycanes along the way to the bottom....anyway, he did it so well!!  I am proud of him and I plan to write the entire story and post a video to our homeschool blog soon.  I'll let you know when that happens. As for my cardio today, Sara and I boxed on the wii.  It was super fun and I plan to do it again!  It got cut short, so it could have been a better workout, but next time will be better.  I was boxing and then on the elliptical, then boxing.  It's a good workout if not interrupted or cut short.  Sara's brilliant ide...

Just have to say that we are amazing!  We had 8 sets of squats.  The last one of 8 reps, we did 161 pounds which is 1 pound more than our strength test at the beginning of this blitz.  We have gotten stronger!  Yipppeeeeee! It snowed all day today and was beautiful.  I hope it snows tomorrow too and is warm like today so I can run in it.  That is such a fun kind of run!  Sunny but snowy...mmmm. I may not get to run tomorrow though because we are going to the ski hill in the afternoon.  They are opening it just for Kaegan so that he can learn without a crowd around.  This is a great place to live and breathe.  

Today was an "off" day.  And I was definitely "off."  Didn't feel great and didn't do my cardio.  There is supposed to be a full moon tonight and an eclipse, but we can't see anything because of the clouds...I hope some of you have better luck!

back, biceps, abs today... 2 kids feeling icky.  Sara wasn't feeling her best.  I've had a headache.  We managed our workout anyway.   Here are some highlights: I "rowed" 70 pounds. Narrow grip lat pull-downs...fatigued at 70 pounds as well. Bicep curls...fatigued at 20 pounds. This is the last full week in this Blitz.  We have tomorrow "off."  I hope it's pretty for running outside, but if we don't get a little more snow, our shoe spikes might not be enough for the ice that's out there...  Thursday is legs day.  Friday is "off" for cardio again.  Sat and Sun will be upper body days.  Monday...off/cardio.  Tuesday is legs day again.  2 days off/cardio.  And then strength test next Friday!  We should qualify for the guinness book of world records or something by then.   Our plan from there is to go on to the 8 week follow up plan.  We've really liked the increase in strength with this way of lifting, and I've enjoyed seeing progr...

Good, challenging workout in my workout room.  I am so excited that I can bench press 35 pound dumbells now!!!  I can't believe it!   Sara won't probably manage to post today because she is beautifying herself for a hot date, so I will just say that she did much more than she thought she could in her workout!  (And the date is very exciting, too...he's pretty great)

Today was ice skating and legs/calves.  Both were good.  I'm no ice skater, but I can squat 154 pounds, 2 sets, 8 reps each after 4 tiring sets from 134 pounds to 144 pounds.

Today was a scheduled "rest" day when I normally do cardio.  But we knew that we were going to a sledding party tonight and saved our energy for that.  We go every February.  Our little friend has this sledding party for his birthday every year.  It's always at night with cans of flame all along the path.  It's a long uphill climb and then an amazing ride down.  Good exercise and a wild ride!  Some intense fun!  We are exhausted and going to bed!  Hope your exercise was as good as ours!

Happy V Day, Everyone!  Go here to make your own Valentine ! Update... Valentine's workout was back, biceps, and abs.  I went up on weight on all of them.  My suggestion for sara's question about abs is triple-sets or super-sets. We'll haffta check into those... the library has a great book called "sculpting her body perfect."

Chest, shoulders, triceps day.  Worked hard.  Had fun.  Good night.

Today was a scheduled "off" day, so we all went to the armory (now a gym) to jump rope.  It was the first time in a looooong time I've gotten to jump my rope!  I don't know why I didn't think of the armory before.  The kids jumped rope too and ran and kicked a soccer ball around.  We had a good time!

The silly video is complete and posted on Sara's blog... www.mymodbodblog.blogspot.com Lower body was good and tiring.  I tried to do the same leg press weight increments that Sara did last time, but that was completely funny.  I couldn't do it and lifted myself up into the air trying...hard to explain, but very funny.  She's a super human.   We decided to go up on weights for squats next time, so that's exciting.

Sara skied for the first time today.  She did a spectacular job! We had a great time, and may get to go back tomorrow!  We still have our back, biceps, and abs workout coming up today.  Legs tomorrow!   Workout complete....ouch!

pics from today....workout later!  That's me waving from on high. We also went sledding...so, so fun! **update** we opted to do today's workout tomorrow which is scheduled as an "off" day for cardio.  We pretty much got our cardio in today when we went sledding!

2 workouts today.  I ran hiits on the elliptical because Braeden wanted me to watch a movie with him.  I'm not very good at sitting for movies....  And we did our chest, shoulders, triceps workout at the gym.  It was good and I'm tired.  I'm excited to look forward to a bagel and latte for breakfast tomorrow!  The rest of the day will be on target.  We are going to the hot air balloon festival and if it isn't windy, we'll take a ride.  Pictures forth-coming!  Hoping to sled too!  I LOVE sledding!

We chose to rest today and had a free meal for dinner.  We are planning not to have a full free day, just choosing free meals from time to time.  The plan is to have 3 free meals per week.  We have already gone up in weights in everything in these past 2 weeks of our 4 week blitz.  Tomorrow is chest, shoulders, triceps day!

Today's post is about Sara.   Sara is special to our family for lots of reasons, but the way we got to know her was through hiring her to help with working with our son with autism and also to spend time with our other two kids.  So, she dove into the unknown and has learned many chaotic things from our family as we have completely enjoyed her presence.  She left for college, we moved out of state....  Never did we lose touch, and now she has moved in with us for an undetermined (forever???) amount of time because she graduated from college and is the kind of person who wants to do something with herself that makes a difference in the lives of others.  She is making a difference, once again, in my son's (and our whole family's) life (lives). But...that isn't what I want to say about Sara in this post.  That just gives you a small overview of who she is and why she is here working out with me.  (It's because I make her.  Hahaha!)  What I want to tell you in this pos...

Here is a silly comic book page that Sara and I made today.  I hope you can click on it and see it bigger.  The baby is a cute little friend of ours. We had an incredible run today.  We ran sprints along the river.  The snow was deeper today, not as packed, so the hiits were harder.  The day was colder, too, so I'd have to call today's cardio "exhilarating."  

Yesterday blended with Today as far as workouts...We shortened both workouts and fit in chest, shoulders, triceps, abs, biceps and back...whew!  My fingers got a workout just typing it. Over the top on water.  Clean eats.  Success!!!

superbowl was exciting, huh?  Even though it's the only game of the season I pay even the least attention to.  Still, the guys in the white beat the guys in dark suits, so that's like good over evil, right?  We didn't do our workout yesterday.  We are planning to do a modified version today of yesterday's plus today's workouts, so all is not lost.  I ate way too freely, but that's ok.  I didn't get all my water in yesterday...oh no!  But some time off is a good thing.  And now, I am back to eating my usual way with water, water, water, and a good, hard workout later in the day!  Check back!

I'm over my goal of 14 8-oz glasses of water today!  Today is February first, so I began my Valentine water challenge.   Today was also legs/calves day.  We went to the gym and did our workout in the cold.  The heater was being used in another part of the building, so we had no heat.  It didn't take long to warm up though!   Tomorrow, Hubby and I may take a little over night trip with Sara as baby-sitter.  If so, then I'll probably take the day as free.  It's a free workout day anyway which I was planning to use as cardio.  I may do cardio at the hotel, actually, but take the food part free which I hadn't planned to do.  Sounds fun, huh?  We will actually spend most of the time at home depot as we are trying to recover from our broken pipe still.....very romantic!