Importance of Cross Training

Good morning!  

It has been cross training city around here this week!  Jess has a lot going on with work this week and since we are in Michigan solo I don't have the opportunity to get out for a run.  I cannot express enough how grateful I am for my treadmill at home.  It might be on the sadder side of the treadmill scale but it gets the job done!  I won't be able to run again until Friday but I am totally OK with that because I am using the time to catch up with my good friend Chalene.  

When I first started running I never saw the need for lifting weights or doing anything extra.  I just wanted to go out there and run come home and be done.  While running did help me lose those the last few pounds, it was my strength training that actually changed my body.  A friend of Katie's had just completed 60 days of Chalean and her transformation was just amazing.  I wanted to see results like that and so I took the plunge and ordered the program.  I've talked about my results here and I have recently restarted another 90 days.  I want to see more changes and with spring and summer right around the corner and I want to be ready.  

Strength training is vital to becoming a stronger and healthier runner.  Building core muscles and strengthening your legs and back are going to help you avoid an injury.  I cross train at least 3 times a week and an ideal week will include 4 cross training sessions of some sort.  My newest obsession are Barre workouts, that class works muscles I never even knew I had!  I love to be sore after a great strength training session, I know I am super weird.  I can feel the difference in my stamina when I run as I get stronger and I feel like I can hold myself up better with the longer mileage.  Another reason cross training has become more and more of something I enjoy is because I can do it anywhere.  Sometimes I can't always get out for a run because I honestly just don't have any way to do it.  My husband has a demanding job, he has to travel quite a bit and I am the main care taker of our kids.  With that comes some finagling in my organization.  While nothing can ever replace the feeling I get from running I am glad I can at least do something when I am home bound with the girls.  Plus as the girls get older they have actually started to do the videos with me and get a kick out of all of the funny moves.  

I have been saying it since the beginning of the year, but honestly I just don't want to hear excuses.  I especially don't want to hear them from myself.  Don't make up a bunch of excuses as to why you can't strength train or don't have time or whatever.  Make time, if you want something bad enough and you are done with the current state of your body then do something about it.  Nobody but you can make the changes and you have to start somewhere.  Muscle is going to change the way you look and I don't know anybody who doesn't look good with some muscle on their body.  With that being said its time for me to do my Burn 2 before we head to Jungle Java!  Sounds like an interesting place...I hope the java is good!          

What is your favorite way to strength train?  

How many times a week do you schedule your strength training? 

Endorphins Make You Happy

Hi! 

I am in the 2nd week of my 2nd time around of Chalean and today I did Burn 2 and Ab Burner for good measure.  I didn't make it the gym this morning, felt like a total fail but I wasn't going to bail on the workout.  Today was a run rest day so I let myself sleep pass 6 which  meant my workout didn't help till this afternoon.  I figured why bother changing out of this beauty, just add my trusty Uggs and call it a day. 

Yes Lucy finds her way into every self portrait and yes that mirror needs a serious date with some windex.  

I always wake up in a bum mood when I don't wake up to run but doing my Chalean this afternoon helped perk me up!  This didn't hurt either, it has almonds so it is healthy.  That wasn't a question but a statement.  

These also were delivered today 

How sweet are those roses?!  They were delivered today in a box, I've never gotten flowers in a box before!     The girls were so excited and I am getting a good upper body workout since they want to smell them every time they walk by.  Valentines has become pretty special to Jess and I since it was the day we got the keys to our house 7 years ago and he proposed a year later.  I love my flowers and they are pink which is my favorite color ever. ever ever.  

This post took me all day to write and it is already bedtime for me, goodnight!

Do you celebrate Valentine's Day?  

-I love it, any day where I can express how much I love my husband, my kids and my friends is a good day

How many days a week you normally run?

Does getting your workout down in the morning put you in a better mood for the rest of the day?

-100% yes for me 

Playlist Favorites

Good morning!  

I did a tempo run this morning and...wait for it...I think I liked it.  It was a 2 mile warm up and cool down with the 2 mile tempo in the middle, nothing fancy but it did the trick.  All of terms are new to me, when I trained for my half and full marathons last year it was mainly just endurance.  2013 is about working towards some goals and today was the first run towards that.  

I started with music but ended up back with Parenthood, anyone else watch Parenthood?  I found it last year and wondered why I haven't been watching since the beginning, so good!  It got me to thinking about what motivates me during a run and how it is different when I am on a treadmill versus an outside run.

Treadmill Run 

- I prefer to watch something, it takes my mind off of the fact that I am just running in place.  I can't read while I am running but have thought about downloading some audio books.    

Outdoor Run

- It honestly depends on what type of run I am heading out for.  If it is my Saturday group run I just leave my headphones at home, there is so much to take in and so many people to chat with there is no need for anything else.

  

- When I am running around town getting in miles or clearing my head I'll listen to a podcast.  My favorite podcasts are Marathon Training Academy, Runner's Academy & Another Mother Runner.  

- I also do a lot of my runs with nothing, no music, no podcast just me and the neighborhood.  I remember when I first started running I was heading out for a 5 mile run and by the time I was almost out of my neighborhood I remembered I had left my headphones at home.  At first I panicked thinking I couldn't run without music but found that half way through I was actually enjoying this run more than others.  It is nice to just be centered entirely on what you are doing, since then I started doing more than half of my runs with no headphones.  You should try it sometime if you don't practice it already.  I save my music for the last part of a long run if I really need it.  During the marathon I plugged in my music at mile 18 till around 23 and it helped me through those tough miles.  I really like country music, it is hands down my favorite kind of music but I also listen to a lot of other pop music while I am running.

My Current Playlist Favorites 

1. Coldplay - Paradise 

2. Bruno Mars - Locked Out Of Heaven (my current power song) 

3. Florida Georgia Line - Cruise           

4. Will. i. am. - Scream & Shout 

5.  Britney Spears - I Wanna Go 

6. Little Big Town - Tornado
7. Little Big Town - Pontoon
8. Nitty Gritty Dirty Band - Fish'n in the Dark
9. Miranda Lambert - Fastest Girl in Town (Always makes me think of Katie!)
10. Carly Rae Jepsen - It's Always A Good Time  

Do you listen to music while you run?  

Treadmill running, most either hate it or love it, where do you stand?  
- I am learning to really appreciate the treadmill, I think it is going to really help me with my tempo runs and speed work.  Plus its nice to have a bathroom and water fountain close!  

Any audio books you would recommend for me?  

Abs with my Brother in Law

Good morning!  I got up this morning after my alarm failed and hurried up and got out there before the heat really got going.  When I got home it was already warming up but I really wanted to make sure I got my 30 day challenge done so I asked my BIL if he wanted to do it too and he did!  He wasn't a fan of the crunchy frog...but either am I.  Jess took a video, its pretty funny, but I decided not to post it because I'd like him to do it with me again and public humiliation probably wouldn't help my case.

We are in Montana to celebrate the 4th of July with our family, we love to spend the 4th in Montana with everyone.  Like I said yesterday we took a different way to get here and went through the Tetons and Yellowstone.  On Sunday we went to Jenny Lake and took the boat across the lake and went on a hike to the top of Inspiration Point with Sarah and my sister in law.

We didn't mean to hike to the top, we missed the sign for Hidden Falls and got separated from Jess and Katherine...oops.  Sarah was a rock star and hiked all the way up on her own with me just holding her hand, I was so impressed!

Sarah and I at the top of Inspiration Point overlooking Jenny Lake.

Even though we didn't mean to hike all the way up to the top it was a fun experience with Sarah and Amy.  

Today after my run and abs of steel workout with Jerady (BIL) we all got ready so we could stock up on groceries for the next couple of days, yum yum overeating here I come!  Holding my own against the carnivores in Montana is no easy feat!  Luckily for them they can persuade me into lots of ice cream with little to no effort.

On the way home from Powell to pick up our supplies we took a detour to see if we could find a geocache hidden off of one of the dirt roads.  We didn't have much luck looking for the two geocaches in the Teton National Forest, but this time was a success!  After lots of searching and a whole bunch of determination from Jess he was able to FINALLY locate the geocache!

No joke, this one was in the middle of no where land.

It was cool to introduce geocaching to our nephew Jonny.

I think Jonny thought it was pretty cool there was actually stuff inside!

So besides saving my pug from some coyotes tonight, that was the adventure for my day!  There is never a dull moment out in the country!  

What do you all have planned for the 4th of July holiday?  

We've been spending it in Montana for quite a few years, it's one of the best places to be on America's birthday.