WOD: Back to Run, Back to Reality
A little Soul to Soul throwback for you!
I got a face full of bully tongue after workouts today.
I am back to running today with a hot 2.5 miler in 24 minutes.
I ran when it was 78-80 degrees and although I love this hot-as-heck, clothes sticking to your skin temperature, it’s still not something I’m used to when I run.
I was a hit at pacing too: 9:24 for the first mile and 9:47 for the second mile. Quite a disparity, no? ;D
Considering that after the Marine Corps Marathon, I was crying about my knee and couldn’t run for a month, I’m ELATED to be running any distance exactly one week and two days from the Fargo Marathon.
Even though I know it’s only been a week, I didn’t feel super strong during my run and I’m looking forward to that buzz.
My second workout was another Hot Power Fusion yoga class and it felt great because the room feels extra hot with the temperature outside.
I’m going to class every day this week - my greatest hope is that yoga keeps protecting me from being sidelined from an injury as I jump back into marathon training.
I’m experiencing some tension in my left hip and I’m trying to work on fixing this imbalance by holding poses for longer on that side - I feel like a total beginner in my classes again! :)
WOD: Marathon Monday
My dental surgeon’s wife is a marathoner who has run the Boston Marathon fifteen times. So I’m obsessed with her. :D
She gave me three pieces of advice that I’m really paying attention to this time around for the Detroit Marathon:
1) Let other people pass you. “Don’t keep up with them because everyone going faster than me at the beginning, I was passing at the end.” She wasn’t referring to the elites in the photo above. :)
2) Learn to love hills. Hill Training will make all the difference. Find a hill and build up to running it 40 times.
3) Work your upper body, core, and back hard. Your upper body carries your lower body during a run.
In an effort to make # 3 on the list come true, I had an extra-long evening workout session which included a hot yoga class and lifting weights with John.
So first, I completed a Hot Power Fusion yoga class and it was refreshing getting back into my yoga routine!
John then had me do the following workout:
Chest and Abs Routine
Standard Push-Ups
Wide Front Pull-Ups
Military Push-Ups
Reverse Grip Chin-Ups
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Wide Fly Push-Ups
Closed Grip Overhand Pull-Ups
Decline Push-Ups
Back Rows
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Diamond Push-Ups
Back Row Style 2
Dive Bomber Push-Ups
Back Flys
There’s a special place in Dante’s Inferno where they make you do this workout - and I was SORE SORE SORE.
I did most of the push-ups girl-style, used baby weights, and can’t do a real pull-up yet.
I consider myself a fit runner but there’s always a new challenge out there and this was it! John really encouraged me through this workout because I was a total baby doing it. :D
I asked John to take a picture of my post-workout exhausted face and this is what he shot.
He’s mature. ;D
Everyday I’m Tapering
We are still a month away from the Farmer’s Markets opening and I’m getting impatient. We go through a few of these boxes everyday so I’m counting down the days.
My lunch this afternoon was something new - Nancy’s Cottage Cheese with fresh blueberries!
One of the best foods we ate on our trip to Russia last year, was tvarog - it has the texture of Greek yogurt (even thicker than Fage) with the bite of fresh cottage cheese.
I still can’t find cottage cheese as good in the States - everything is so salty and the consistency is off!
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{It might look like I’m resting, but this is what I call active sleeping.}
Today’s Workouts
Tapering before a marathon is always stressful for me - I need to run enough to maintain fitness but not do too much so that my legs are actually fresh come the Fargo Marathon. :D
On Monday, I went to a 60 minute C2 hot yoga class.
On Tuesday, I went to a 60 minute C2 hot yoga class and ran 3.5 miles in 35 minutes.
On Wednesday, I completed a 60 minute Hot Power Fusion Yoga class.
And today, I ran 5 miles in 49:19 and completed Rodney Yee’s Yoga for Strength routine - about 40 minutes in total!
I’m using my compression gear a lot more and trying to make sure I use the foam roller like it’s a job. Only one more week till the marathon!
I’m also cutting back on the C2 yoga classes moving forward and am running the miles a bit slower - I have to keep reminding myself I’ve done as much as I can and my body needs to rest to absorb the training.
Off to go take a hot bubble bath! Hope everyone is having a relaxing night! )
Stay a While, Crocodile
Here’s a little knowledge on this terrifying Tuesday: the first known crocodiles were 27 feet long and may have been able to swallow people whole.
That’s five of me, standing on top of each other, heading towards you. Menacingly. Nigel would not have survived.
Actually, crocodiles and Nigel have much in common: short splayed legs, a round, chubtacular belly, powerful jaws, and a propensity to lay around with that “derp” expression.
Not quite sure why he’s such an evolutionary fail… :D
After hot yoga last night I was famished - apparently countless bowls of soup weren’t enough.
So I did what I do best - cut up a small pineapple and ate it with my hands.
I woke up not hungry for breakfast so I used the time to pack a delicious lunch - a baby spinach salad dressed with miso-wasabi dressing, miniature red and orange bell peppers and roasted Brussels sprouts on the side.
I also ate an Ezekiel English muffin with a Chipotle “grain meat” sausage - love this sammie!
The Chipotle vegan sausages is primarily made from my favorite veggie: eggplant!
Today’s Workout:
My first workout of the day was a 3.5 mile run easy run in 34 minutes.
My second workout was a 60 minute C2 hot yoga class with my favorite teacher.
My run felt good except for a lot of pain in my triceps when I was pumping my arms.
In yesterday’s and today’s C2 hot yoga class, I finally had a breakthrough in side crane pose but it definitely left me sore!
I think this will be the year of crow/crane poses. Although I can hold regular crane/crow for a long time, I am working on full crane - getting those knees to the top of my triceps. There’s always a new challenge everyday. :)
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
Not quite…bring on the blistering heat of summer please!
Breakfast started with half an Ezekiel English muffin with raspberry preserves. English muffins seem overrated but the ones by Ezekiel have a very nice and nutty texture.
I paired my muffin with a Chobani blueberry Greek yogurt and a cup of coffee.
My morning snack tableau looks to be Nigel’s very first Twilight cover.
Somehow the choice isn’t as dramatic when it’s between a vampire and an English Bulldog since that’s not really a choice - BULLDOGS 4EVA! :)
I also ate a tablespoon of raw honey for a sore throat - can’t get sick now!
Lunch was a veggie sub from Potbelly’s, a cute little sandwich chain that started in Chicago.
Stuffed with mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, oregano, and mustard - they dig out the bread for you and you can always ask for a freshly made one! :)
Nothing ever tastes as good as homemade to me so I hate when I’m out of groceries.
Dinner was endless bowls of veggie soup and hot chocolate - seriously, I can put away a lot of soup! :)
Today’s Workout is going to happen in twenty minutes - a C2 hot yoga class.
Hope everyone had a brilliant start to their week. :)
Beastie Pup, Beastie Run
{No Sleep till Brooklyn + RIP Adam Yauch}
This Friday had LAZY written all over it. When I left the house in the morning, Nigel had plunked down after breakfast.
Hours later, I found him right where I left him.
I came home, downed some coffee, and went to finish my workouts so I could have an awesome Friday night out.
WOD:
C1.5 Hot Yoga - it felt so good taking the beginner level classes. It beats up my body less and it lets me see how far I’ve come which is always confidence building.
It’s also surprising to see people watching me in class for cues. I think a lot of my yogi readers can identify with this - once you have the routines memorized you can move through it easily. It’s always funny and flattering. :)
3.1 miler (5K) in 27:12 minutes. A lot of intervals, a lot of hustling. Much better than yesterday’s run since the heat was gone today! I hate cold weather but love the runs - sigh, there’s always a compromise! :D
First lap: 8:16, Second lap: 9:10; Third lap: 8:45; .1 lap: 59 seconds.
Hope everyone has a lazy and/or fun Friday night!
Runnings and Doings the Yoga
There are beautiful thunderstorms and rain outside and I love running in a storm. Feeling the raindrops on your body when you run is so freeing.
I especially love those moments when you come in after a wet run you get that immediate chill followed by a hot shower.
And yes, I love cuddling with Nigel after an evening run and yes, he is not excited about it. I get pretty jealous that he’s so excited when John comes in from his runs but he just keeps napping when he sees me.
LOVE MEEEEEEE!!!!!
Nigel is super mopey and sitting in a corner with his favorite toy because John is out of town visiting family and Nigel Bear can’t wrap his mind around this. It would be heartbreaking if it weren’t adorable!
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WOD
Today’s run was an easy 3.1 miles (5K) in 29:50. I couldn’t have run it faster if I wanted to because oddly, the heat is getting to me. And it’s not even that hot - just 82 in the rain!
I know it seems silly but I rarely warmed up before I ran. I might walk around a bit and do a bit of yoga but I would just get to the line and run.
After the Marine Corps Marathon, I thought, “What am I doing?” I’m practically using the first two miles of every race to warm up and feel more limber and that is a waste - so I got smart and make myself do a warm-up jog now for almost a quarter mile.
I don’t count it towards my daily total but it’s been remarkable how much better my legs feel!
{Why would anyone want to shoot them?}
My second workout was a C2 hot yoga class - we did a lot of “Shoot the Ducks.” I hate the name but love the challenge of the pose - I am no where near getting it but it looks so awesome!
After my run and hot yoga class I was ravenous and enjoyed this delicious combination: toast with berry preserve and fresh rosemary leaves!
I saw an old Gourmet magazine which had sweet jams with unlikely spices in it and I wanted to give it a try. VERDICT? Delicious! It’s an unexpected flavor for me and I love it!
My review of the Rodney Yee yoga DVD for at-home practice inspired a personal challenge posed by Yee: Can I hold Downward Dog for five minutes on my forearms and palms? Let see if I can by the end of the month?!
I have been concentrating on just downward dog on my arms and the longest I’ve gotten to 2:35 - it’s intense and my arms were shaking. :)
Hope everyone had an awesome Thursday!
Creating an at Home Yoga Practice with Yoga Videos
Tuesday night’s workout was a 45 minute yoga video called “Yoga for Strength.”
I get messages about how yoga classes are not affordable for some of my readers and I am sensitive to that plight.
Whether you are a beginner or an advanced student, creating an at home yoga practice is the alternative - but there are some challenges.
{Yoga at home poses many challenges. Such as Nigel Bear in savasana.}
You need to find a space free of distraction. In my graduate student studio, I put all my furniture against a wall so I could take up the middle with a mat. In downward dog pose, if I saw a dust bunny through my legs, I had to will myself to stay in one spot and not run to clean it.
I usually dusted it because I felt gross if I didn’t. Monkey mind! :)
{Then there’s Nigel Bear in up dog - mat hog!}
You need to start “memorizing” routines and poses and you will need to decide how to self-correct while you practice.
It’s easy to focus on the esoteric stuff like “what do you need from your practice today?” But a good at home yoga practice is like a good run, I just get up and go.
The easiest and best way for me to create an at home yoga practice are videos.
There are great yoga books for purchase but I prefer voice cues so I can concentrate on my flow.
Videos can help fight boredom, help deepen your practice, and help you see the poses - without a high cost. You can get them on Instant video on Amazon and Netflix or sign them out from your library before you buy.
{This isn’t a yawn - it’s mighty lion pose!}
John came up with the idea that I review a yoga video a few times a month to help people find alternatives outside of a class.
I love this opportunity to broaden my practice and I truly believe if you can’t drop $100 or more a month on a yoga membership, you can get a great yoga workout through a video.
{Yoga for strength? Nigel Bear is down for that!}
First up, is Rodney Yee’s Yoga for Strength which is an hour long in length.
MY REVIEW:
Rodney Yee is one of my favorite yogis because of his SICK muscular body. The man has sculpted his physique lifting this body weight and his fifteen videos are renowned and make him an in-demand teacher.
This video isn’t a fast flow - it challenges you to hold postures for a lot longer than you would in a class even in the aerobic portion. For a yoga class junkie like myself, this video rounds out my practice because it forces me to hold postures - not just the ones from a yin class - for an incredibly long time.
Yee works on standing poses for balance: triangle, side angle, half moon, forward bend, tree, warrior 1, forward bend with feet apart, and warrior 3. Floor postures include boat, pendulum, and crane pose.
There’s a sequence for building strength for headstand, scorpion, and a myriad other inversions.
When was the last time you self downward dog for two to five minutes? Shoulder stand for three minutes? Even a triangle pose for longer than 30-60 seconds? The longer you hold, the stronger you get!
And downward dog for five minutes is HARD. I made it to 2:30 and had to plank out to give my body a break.
I wouldn’t recommend using this video everyday because a faster flow is better for that and I would definitely not recommend doing this video close to bed time because you will find yourself wide awake. :)
Yee is talented when it comes to breaking down the poses and giving you subtle adjustments and he is great at demonstrating the use of props. I appreciated the use of towels as ropes, blankets, and pillows because if you are concerned about saving money, you shouldn’t feel pressure to run out and buy a strap and block.
There are poses that I can hold forever like pidgeon and some that I can only do for less than a minute, like tree. Yee’s video is challenging and you might not be able to do what he describes - but very quickly your confidence and ability will grow.
As Rodney Yee reminds us “The most important pieces of equipment you need for doing yoga are your body and your mind.”
Money should not be an impediment to health and yoga videos are a great way to bring the mat home!
Workouts + Monday Miscellany
I think my Nigel Bear is perfect. Well, that would be a roll of shredded toilet paper.
Nigel loves the cardboard tube and he has figured out he can get to them all by himself. :)
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We had a full weekend - it started with waking up at 5 am so we catch our Friday flight for a Friday wedding - yes, young ones, my generation thinks Friday weddings are acceptable.
We came back Saturday after the wedding brunch and took Nigel for a long drive and decided we really wanted to see Five Year Engagement and it was a hilarious date night movie.
After my own pratfall at a lovely wedding, I appreciated the physical comedy. :D
I got some messages about the dress I wore:
a) this is what it looked like from the front - yeah, it was really windy! :D
b) For a previous message sender, the scar on my arm is from cooking for the first time in our new house. I hadn’t gotten used to the dimensions of a much larger oven and when sliding out a pan of roasted veggies, I pressed the edge of a pan heated to 450 degrees to my bicep. It felt not awesome.
c) This is what the back looked like without the wind.
I honestly couldn’t love a dress more and I am so happy others felt the same.
When I came home from my own long run on Sunday, this is what I found. John ran 21 miles in total and he and Nigel were recovering with ice packs.
You might think that I spoil Nigel the most but this man walked into a natural foods pet store and walked out with three treats on Nigel’s morning walk.
And after his kick-ass 21 miles, it was Nigel who got all the cuddles.
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Running Bunny Weekly Report 4/23-4/29
I had an intense training week - I took four C2 hot yoga classes and increasing the load of advanced classes has been the most effective way to take my practice to the next level.
{Unknown Source, please message me if you know}
In Sunday’s hot yoga class, I was able to stand easily in Bird of Paradise pose. I am still working on extending my leg and looking in the other direction at the same time but I will add this advanced pose to my practice!
John is a bit concerned that I am pushing myself too much but I always believe that hot yoga cures everything. :)
I ran a total of 17.86 miles this week - a 4.5 miler, a 3.11 miler (in 25 minutes!) and a ten miler on Sunday.
It’s been tough ramping down the mileage - I’ll only be running ten milers as my long runs until the race because I want my legs 100% refreshed. With less than three weeks until the Fargo Marathon, I am jumping out of my skin with excitement!
WOD + WOW: 5K P.B. & Our African Adventure Begins!
Today was a intervals day and I ran a 3.3 miles in 26:35 minutes!
My 3.11 mile time (5K) was 24:56!!
I want to thank the Academy, G-d, John, and my mom.
Not really, I want to thank carbs. Pure, unadulterated carbs.
It was tough and this is what I looked like after. :) In race conditions, I am hoping this will translate to a 27-28 minute 5K soon!
With a little over three weeks until the Fargo Marathon, I’m in my taper phase where I bring down my mileage and focus on speedwork and my hot yoga classes.
My second workout today is 90 minutes of yoga at home using Tara Stiles’ book!
I hate to admit it, but I don’t love the Wednesday teachers and I find it distracting to my practice - I know I should overlook mannerisms or teaching style but it becomes so closely intertwined with your concentration that it’s tough to do!
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Today was also awesome for another reason: we booked our trip to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and bought our plane tickets!
Our trip is going to involve a trek up and down the mountain and a two-day African Safari! This is one of my biggest dreams and I am so excited just imagining seeing the lions, zebras, and elephants walking about in their natural surroundings.
We tried to take a family portrait after we bought the tickets but Smooshface McGee was hogging the spotlight as usual.
Sadly, no English bullies up Mt. Kili. :)
