Midday workouts.

I definitely prefer working out in the morning or at lunch. I find it hard to push yourself after you've worked all day.

Lately, I've been doing RPM (spin) classes on Tuesdays at lunch. Today, our instructor was out of town, so I went back to the cardio/strength training class I used to do.

I forgot how HARD it is.

Here is the first part of the workout. Ouch.

We run outside before heading inside to finish up the workout. I make it a point to really push myself, which means I run as fast as I can.

I plan to run a 10k at the end of April. Today's .62 mile run (I'm bringing the Garmin back out) taught me that I need to seriously pick it up if I plan to survive.

When do you prefer to work out???

Don't forget Thanksgiving.

I love Christmas, don’t get me wrong. I’m probably one of its biggest fans.

Little known fact about me: When I was in high school, I used to “borrow” my mom’s Aromatique Smell of Christmas spray and use it as perfume. I love Christmas that much.

I might bring back the "scent" this season.

 But I don’t know that I love the fact that it seems to be a trend for people to already put up their Christmas trees/decorations. What about Thanksgiving? What about your pumpkins and gourds and those things you made in school that you put the vegetables in them? They kind of look like sea shells? Yeah, I can’t think of the name either.

Weekend
It was wonderful! I spent a lot of time with the boy, which is always good. Friday involved dinner at Noodles with a couple friends.

Who had more wine?

A little better.

Saturday morning, we went for a jog together, which is something we should do more. I planned on doing an easy two miles because I was pretty sore from Body Attack and my FIRST spin class! But when Mr. A works out, he’s serious. Somehow the two miles turned into 3.2...He even made me go to the gym to lift weights after our run. I like having him push me to work harder. I wonder if I could talk him into working out with me at 5:30 a.m...probably not considering he refuses to even speak in complete sentences before 8 a.m. I'm guessing being my personal trainer before then is out of the question.

Saturday evening was the last Fayetteville football game of the season. We didnt't really tailgate because it was pretty cold, but I was glad it finally felt like football weather. We did make a couple stops on our way into the game. Some of our friends' friends (got it) completely remodeled an old bus into a tailgating station. It was pretty unbelievable.

I can’t believe football is almost over. It goes by so quickly, but then again everything seems to go by quickly nowadays.

This is the before picture of the bus.



After! The coolest bus. Ever.

Sarah inside the bus.

Not sure why I look scared.

Obviously.

Side of the bus.

We love football!



Mad.And sick.

I found out last week the 10k I planned to do in December isn't happening. Something about the course not being up to standard...blah, blah, blah. The half is still on, and so is the 5k. Obviously, I'm not prepared to do a half in a month. So now I'm stuck with the 5k even though 3.1 miles is about what I normally run anyways...

Whatever.

I'm less mad because I had Greek strawberry yogurt for breakfast, and I have a Nutz Over Chocolate Luna bar to eat later.

Did I mention I'm sick? Yep, I've got a full-blown cold.

Because of this, I'm not getting a FREE flu shot at work today. Maybe next time. I've never had a flu shot. I hear it's easy.

And no, I'm not going to share my thoughts with you about the election results.

What I will say is today is the last day to enter the giveaway! SO DO IT!

Cutting back to a 10k

When I first decided to run the 10k, I felt guilty that I decided not to do the half marathon in December. But now, I’m over that feeling. It’s awesome that I’m running a 10(k). I mean 6.2 miles isn’t a walk in the park. Or even a run in the park.

But the truth is, I have no clue what to expect when running in an actual race, there weren’t any 5k’s I could do before December, and I will feel much more confident about running a half marathon in March after I run the 10k in December.

Is this a good plan? I sure hope so because it’s what I’m doing.

Plus, I’ve heard it’s better to make your first half marathon more of an exciting thing…so doing one where I live doesn’t really fit into that mold. I’m thinking the Rock-N-Roll half marathon in Dallas in March 2011.

Happy training!

And if you're familiar with NWA, here's the course map for the 10k. It finishes in the football stadium.

Half marathon training.

I've started and stopped training more than once. But it's official (well, it's not really because I haven't paid, but I've officially made up my mind). I'm doing the Fayetteville Half Marathon on Sunday, Dec. 12.

I'm writing this today because next week is 12 weeks before the half, and that's the minimum amount of time I hear you need to get ready for one of these things.

I've filled out my planner (again) with my training schedule. The first "official" run on the list is a three mile run Tuesday.

One hard part about running so far (for me) is that I love all the classes I do, and I know I might have to cut back a little while I'm running. But I don't plan to cut them out completely because they make me HAPPY.

I'm terrified of running 13.1 miles. And honestly, I'm not sure I can. And that's EXACTLY why I'm doing it. It's SO easy to stay inside a comfort zone. Any type of comfort zone: exercise, social, career, relationships...Sometimes comfort zones can be good. But it's time for me to get out of this one.

Happy Friday!

Those things that hold the corn on the cob.

via

It’s the little things in life that make me happiest. Last night, it was using the corn on the cob holders I bought over a year ago. Who cares if they were from the $1 bins at Target? I don’t. I took a picture of them with my phone, and my phone is in my car, and it’s 8 million degrees outside, and I’m drinking my coffee, and I just don’t feel like walking the 9.7 million miles from my desk to my car.

But the photo you see gives you an idea of what I’m talking about. Did you use these when you were growing up? I was shocked to find out that the boy never used the things you stick in the end to hold your corn.

We had a million of these and loved to use them. I love that they are shaped like miniature corn.

We actually cooked last night, which is something we rarely do since we don’t live together. We usually either eat on our own, go out to eat, or pick something up. Not the healthiest option, so I love when we cook.

We had turkey sausage, only because it was about expire, asparagus and corn on the cob. I had some sautéed mushrooms. Adam thinks they’re gross. And I cut up a cantaloupe for dessert.

I am so sore from my Tuesday workout. I did Body Flow at lunch yesterday (it’s a combination of yoga, pilates and tai chi), and I debated running after work. However, I don’t want to injure myself.

Half marathon update

I NEED to start running more.

I know I’ve mentioned I plan on running a half marathon. Well, first I was going to do one in Joplin in October. Then the boy said that wasn’t a good choice because it is the same weekend as a football game we like to go to that’s in Dallas. The next option was one in Tulsa in November. Well, I found out recently the new Fayetteville Half Marathon has been moved to December 12. So, this is the one I’m doing. I think doing one in NWA is a good choice for my first big race. I will feel more comfortable since I live here, there won’t be any traveling expenses, and ALL my friends can come support me. I know they’ll be super excited about this. ☺

Training. Training. Training.

In case you don’t know, I’m training for a half marathon. There. I said it. Now I have to do it. It’s Oct. 10. I’ve been training for about three weeks now. Why am I doing this? Well, I was inspired by bloggers like Christin over at Classy, Southern Bride; Sarah over at The Skinny Runner; and Nashville Natasha; all of these girls have completed a half marathon and blogged about. If you haven’t read the Skinny Runner’s blog, do it. She’s so funny, and I love that she blogs about celebrities working out (and she runs. a lot. much further than I ever will).

Oh, and I feel the need for a new hobby. I mean runners have their own magazines. And you can do it anywhere. And I like having something to work toward. I like having something that is ALL mine.

My newfound love: The cool shot on my hair dryer. I’ve never really used this. But now, after I shower at work after a workout, I LOVE it. Seriously. It’s the 81st best thing ever.

Running tips. (Tuesday tips on Wednesday)

• The first time you wear new running shoes, write the date on the tongue of the shoe (in Sharpie). This way, four months later, you will know it’s time to replace your shoes.

• You should replace running shoes every 300 to 400 miles.

• And never take your running shoes off without loosening the laces. If you do this, they’ll last longer (and be better for your feet).

• Don’t leave your shoes in your gym bag. You should store them in a cool, dry place where they can air out properly.

• You CAN wash your running shoes in cool water. And put newspaper in them while drying (not in the dryer).

• For half-marathon (or longer runners): Sprint uphill and downhill: Running hills preps you for the inevitable slopes you'll encounter over 13.1 miles, and the downhill portions teach your brain to execute a faster stride rate -- how frequently your feet hit the ground. In a 2006 study, runners who trained this way improved their speed on flat terrain by up to 3.5 percent.

And the age-old question: How is running on a treadmill different from outdoor runs?

A treadmill "pulls" the ground underneath your feet, and you don't face any wind resistance, both of which make running somewhat easier. Many treadmills are padded, making them a good option if you're carrying a few extra pounds or are injury-prone and want to decrease impact. To better simulate the effort of outdoor running, you can always set your treadmill at a 1-percent incline. (from Runner’s World)

And the myth about how running is bad for your knees:

Contrary to what your mom says, running doesn't wreck your joints. Osteoarthritis (the most common type of arthritis), occurs when joint-cushioning cartilage starts to break down. The biggest osteoarthritis risk factor besides age? Body weight. A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that obese women had nearly four times the risk of knee osteoarthritis than non-obese women; for men, it was five times the risk. Runners are much more likely to be at a normal weight than members of the sedentary population, significantly decreasing their risk of osteoarthritis. (from Women’s Health)