Warrior Workout!

Feeling like a warrior lately? I have been. I’ve actually had to take it easy the past couple of weeks due to ITB (knee) problems and it’s really messed with me mentally. When preparing for a marathon, a lot of mental work is involved with the physical training – being able to push through small aches & pains, figuring out the correct amount of proteins & carbs for fueling purposes and having the self confidence to simply complete the darn thing.

Taking time off from such rigorous training has caused me great angst and anxiety. My self-confidence has dropped, my crankiness has overwhelmed me (and those around me, I assume) and I am itchy (to run).

The past couple of days, I’ve been able to hit the road with my favorite pacer (aka spousal unit) and have gotten some good interval sets in on the treadmill. I’m not feeling 100% yet but it has nothing to do with the knees. It has to do with mental work – I fatigued on the way up the 1 ½ mile incline on a simple, late night 3 miler and was overwhelmed that I had lost so much of my mental game.

But today I feel as if the TDO (tiny dangerous one) is back! My warrior mentality is back today and so I thought I’d post a good ole Warrior Workout for you!

This workout is set for every other day – it is definitely not an every day program.

Run 2 miles/day/goal of 8:40 pace

Pushups: 4 sets of 15

Situps: 4 sets of 20

Pullups: 3 sets of 3 (can be assisted)

Burpees: 25

Mountain Climbers: 25

Weighted Mason Twists: 50 (use at least a 10 lb)

Suitcase Abs: 25

Heels to the Heaven: 25

Bicycles: 50

Lunges: 10 (with handweights – 10 lbs)

Yep, that’s it. A nice Warrior Workout! Your gonna freak once I start preparing for our Tough Mudders and Warrior Dashes and Spartan Death Races! Wait till you see those workouts!

Good luck, have a great week!

Running with Campers

This picture has nothing to do with running - except that I was running to get away from the shaving cream war at camp.

Shaving cream wars are just one of the crazy things we do at camp.  That's right, camp season is here and we are on week 2.  I've been getting up early and running each morning anywhere from 2.25 miles to 3.25 miles, coming back for staff meeting, then heading out again with campers for another 2 miles.  It's been great - the same 5 men have been running with me as well.  One of them is doing the San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon with us in November and it's been some bonding fun for both of us.

Our first run of the week (monday) we had 30 campers (boys and girls), the next day we had about 18 (again, a mix) and today, it was me and all MEN!  We had about 15 boys show up - some that have been running with us since Monday and some newbies.  At the end of our runs, I get to share some great pearl of wisdom that God has dropped on my lap during one of my runs.  The men usually have something to add, the we pray and a great sense of joy fills my heart. Needless to say, I think  it's been cool.

I love watching kids learn to embrace something they didn't think they could and to cross the finish line with a sense of accomplishment.  I love when they realize that it is because of God that they are able to do what they set out to do.  I thought today that if I wasn't running camps and chasing God, that I'd love to be coaching kids on how to run.  And while I've had a great time running with the campers, and even laying some small base runs down in the morning, I miss my most favorite running partner of all.

As much as i love camp, I simply cannot wait to get home.  I know that I have runs, swimming and cycling waiting for me (all within a 48 hour turnaround) and another camp to prepare for.  But I get to do those things with my bestest.  Who are you running with these days?  I ask only because I know for many of us, when we have good, reliable running partners, we tend to push ourselves harder, and stay more accountable to our training schedules.

Challenge for me this week: balance through camp season - both for family and for training.  Challenge for you this week:
Run 2 miles
5 minute planks
25 burpees
25 tricep dips
25 mountain climbers
2 mile run
finish with 25 push ups
25 lunges (advanced move - add some weights)
25 Ab Snails (don't know what that is?  Google it, you'll be enthralled)

Good luck!

Tuesday Challenge, May 10, 2011

Totally excited about Tuesday’s Challenge this week – not because of the Challenge but because of the couple of days leading up to Tuesday!  I love it when clients and friends share their health makeover success stories with me.  It gives me such encouragement and makes me feel like a proud “mama” – sometimes, I think I may actually be more excited about their achievements then they are.

Last night I received a text from a dear friend who I’ve been coaching via text for a couple of weeks now – his nutrition and workout where just not helping him achieve the results he needed and since he lives a couple of hours away, I’ve been coaching him via text.  Long story short, he texted me his latest success (15 lbs in 2 weeks)!  But more importantly, he shared that his weight struggle has been a 10 year long process and he was now figuring it out – that’s the excitement part for me.  Once we figure it out, it makes sense and we are able to make a complete lifestyle change instead of living a diet regimen. 

It’s a  mental switch that has to go off for us  in order to truly understand how our bodies respond to physical exercise and food and which foods make it respond a certain way and which exercise brings us the kind of results we want.  It also made me excited because I have been on my own journey of the same kind and I think it helps us when those of us who have similar struggles share the ups and downs of the journey.  That’s how we learn and that’s how we find support. 

So this Tuesday Challenge is dedicated to my friend (I have more then one, however,  this one is his).  I can’t take complete credit for it as it was spotlighted on this morning’s post of Active.com.  This challenge is perfect for those of you without access to a gym.  You will perform the following circuit between 1 mile runs.  And no, you don’t need a track.  My spousal unit and I have often been seen doing these exercises on the sidewalk at our one mile run spot. 

Tuesday Challenge

Run 1 mile – then do 1 circuit.  You will complete this four times (resulting in four miles ran).  Perform these exercises as a circuit. Walk one minute only after completing all four, before starting your next mile run.

1. Jumping jacks (60 seconds)

2. Spider-man pushups (until failure)

As you lower your body, swing your right leg out to touch your right knee to your right elbow. Reverse the movement and push up. Alternate sides.

3. Reverse lunge (15 reps per leg)

Stand tall, hands behind your ears. Step back with one leg, and lower your body until your front knee is bent 90 degrees. Pause. Push up quickly. Do all reps, then switch legs.

4. Squat thrust (8 reps)

Squat, put your hands on the floor, and kick your legs into pushup position. Quickly reverse the move. Repeat.

5. Burpees – (15 reps)

Tuesday Challenge

Short & Simple 

(words best used to describe this post and this workout!)

Challenge - find an empty parking lot (there's a challenge in itself for ya') and a row of of parking "slots". Sort of like this one:

Once you find your lot, you'll be working on running the rows.  You'll run up the length of the row, and then on the way back down the row, you'll run in and out of the parking curbs: 

Another part of this challenge is the plyo curbs.  You'll need a curb similar to the one below (you don't have to have one that's marked for fire) and you'll jump up on it, and then off and that will equal one plyo jump: 

Now that you are familar with the basics of this challenge, here's the entire Tuesday Challenge (remember, I said it was short & sweet). 

Challenge:  

parking rows x 5

burpees x 25

parking rows x 10

jumping jacks x 25

parking rows x 15

plyo jumps (jump on the curb and off) x 15

parking rows x 5

don't forget to add those Xtreme Ab Rippers from a couple of weeks ago - you should be able to hold your plank for 2 minutes!!

Hope you enjoy it.  Later this week, I'm going to post some notes from the latest Jillian Michaels podcast I listened to today.  It's all about transdermal and how the products we put on our bodies and in our hair, actually can affect our weight and estrogen levels!  Stay tuned!