Spa Day

Once again it is hazy, hot, and humid. In other words, a typical July day in New England. I wanted to go to the beach, but it isn’t very sunny either. So I opted for a few water games at home.
Before I get to that I should say that I went to the gym to run 4 miles. I did the interval training that I posted yesterday. It was a decent workout again today too. And then I did about 10 minutes of stretching:

Lotus and Dio

When I got home it was time for these two monkeys to get a bath. We started with a good brushing with the Furminator, which is the best tool if you have double-coated pets. After I brushed a shopping bag-full of fur off of them, it was bath time.

While we waited for Bobby to come home and help me – there’s no way I can bathe these two monsters by myself – I put all their toys in a bin filled with water.

Dio loving the brush

Lotus enduring the bath

 

They are nice and clean now, cooled off from the heat of the day, and waiting for their beds to get out of the laundry. And I’m ready for a spa day of my own…

What a Difference a Week Makes

If last week had me questioning what the hell I am doing training for a half marathon, then this week was just the boost my confidence needed to keep me moving forward. Here’s how the workouts went down (via http://www.halfmarathons.net. I jumped in on week 6):

Monday – Rest. (along with a pouty pity party)
Tuesday – 5 mile run through the neighborhood. The weather was hazy and hot with 75% humidity. This run was slooow, slower than usual. I took lots of walk breaks so I didn’t die while I was out there. I was soaked by the time I got home.
Wednesday – I made up a strength routine that involved balance and improving strength on both sides of my body. I didn’t write it down though, so from memory I did 15 reps of: bird dogs, planks (30 seconds), mountain climbers, deadlifts, bridges with leg lifts…basically lots of ab and leg work on the floor because it was too effing hot to be outside.

Thursday – 4 miles on the treadmill at the gym with this workout:

via popsugar.com

It was a great boredom buster and I sweated buckets, so I’ll definitely use this one again. Maybe tomorrow…

Friday – Rest with some strength but I just wasn’t feeling it. It was a very rainy and cool Independence Day, and we went to my in-laws’. I got some much needed baby nephew snuggle-time, and really tried to moderate the booze-facing because I knew I had my long run scheduled for the next morning.

Saturday – 6 mile run. It was a gorgeous day, with tons of wind and no humidity at all. Perfect for my long run. And I made a few new friends:

These chickens – there were probably 30 or so of them altogether – followed me everywhere I went. I thought they were going to get on the bike trail with me to do my run, so I had to enlist someone’s help to divert their attention away from me. It was very funny, but so strange at the same time. Like, who did they think I was? Mama Chicken? The Pied Piper? The Chicken Whisperer?

Sunday – 2 mile walk with the pups.

So, this means I am back on track with my training. My setback from last week was just a hiccup. I’m good. I’m motivated.

As for next week, well, I’m back to work teaching summer school. Honestly, I’m looking forward to getting back. The two weeks off has been wonderful and I love vacation, but I am glad to have the structure back in my schedule. And I’m looking forward to seeing my students again, of course.

Since I am starting to get into longer runs (more than 1 hour), I can’t ignore my nutrition any longer. I bought some Vega Protein Powder for smoothies after my runs. And I’m going to start counting my macros I swear. Soon. Meanwhile it is still summer vacation and I have oyster shooters and burgers on the grill waiting for me.

Enjoy the week, peeps…

 

 

 

 

Race Day Recap and Photo Challenge Wrap Up

Day 28 (My Gym) #shrinkingjeans

Day 29 (Virtual Race)

I couldn’t have asked for a better day, weather-wise. It was sunny and warm, with a nice cool breeze. A perfect summer day for a 10K. Except that I didn’t run 6 miles. I had been taking it easy all week in preparation for my 6.3 mile run this Sunday. And in my infinite wisdom I thought it would be a good idea to do a little kettle bell workout on Saturday. Annnnd that’s when I hurt my back. Strained muscle, nothing serious, but had me hobbled all day Saturday and definitely not in race-ready shape on Sunday. Despite this setback, I started out on my route, fully intending to do the 6, but my back had different plans. I suffered through the 3 miles then had to walk the 1.3 miles back to my car. Utterly defeated. Technically it could have been considered a Did Not Finish, but since it was a virtual 5K, 10K, or 1 mile fun run, I gave myself a 5K finish. Am I disappointed? Unfortunately yes. Is that cheating? I hope not – well cheating myself, I guess.

Ten weeks spent on that training. Ten weeks I (mostly) followed the training plan. Ten weeks of highs and lows and commitment and enjoyment and pain and fun. All thrown out the window because I did not finish the 10K.

My confidence is gone. I’m starting to think I cannot do the half marathon in October. I don’t even know if I want to anymore. Maybe I can defer my payment on the race to another race, maybe another 10K?

As Bobby, my wise and wonderful husband, would tell me, “this is a first world problem”. And he’d be right, of course. This isn’t necessary to my survival. This is a hobby, something I do for “fun”. I do this because this is how I want to spend some of my time. [Side note – other first world problems: venting on your blog, photo challenges, and kettle bell injuries]. I shouldn’t give up. I’ve had a setback, but I made a commitment and I ought to keep it.

So, no more pity party. Back in the big girl panties… I am starting a new training plan this week, and this week’s runs include two 5-milers and a 6-miler. Here’s my second chance I guess. Can I do it? Probably… Yes… I don’t know!!

OK…time to get a grip. I’ve got 15 weeks until the half. Plenty of time. Take a breath – the race isn’t this weekend. I honestly thought I was being smart, planning a 10k early in the summer to jump-start my marathon training. And it was a good idea. I’m there. I can do it, just because I didn’t yesterday doesn’t mean I couldn’t tomorrow. I can. And I will. Shake off the bad run and keep moving forward. Regroup and make a new plan.

 

Moving on to the last photo of the month! It’s supposed to be a Before/After of me, but since I never took a “before” photo, I had to come up with something else.

Day 30 (Before)

Day 30 (After)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When all else fails, a snap or two of my D-Man always makes me feel better. He was the cutest puppy. Look at that beautiful puppy face. We thought he was so sweet and calm. Little did we know that he was all tuckered out when we met him. He’s 4 now and just as sweet, with a devilish side to him that I am both infuriated and amused by (most of the time).

I guess it’s time to get over my first world problems and make a new playlist, choke down a few ibuprofen, hug my puppy dog, and get my butt back out there. If anyone out there has any advice for me I’d love to hear it.

 

Playing Catch Up

So many things left undone. My last day of school was June 19th and I am just now starting to feel like I am on vacation (sort of). I have neglected many things in the mad dash to the finish line of the school year: my house cleaning, laundry, the photo challenge, and generally organizing/getting my sh*t together.

So, while I was certainly taking lots of photos, they didn’t make it to the page. Without further ado here are the photos from where I left off:

Day 10 (Water bottle) #shrinkingjeans

Day 11 – Tracker (#shrinkingjeans)

Days 12 and 15 (In My Bag and Workout Gear) #shrinkingjeans

 

Day 13 (Smoothie) #shrinkingjeans

Day 14 (Meal Plan) #shrinkingjeans

Day 16 (How I Feel) #shrinkingjeans

Day 17 – Biceps. Please. We will not go there.

Day 18 (Playlist) #shrinkingjeans

Day 19 (Throwback) #shrinkingjeans

Day 20 (Guilty Pleasure) #shrinkingjeans

Day 21 (On My Feet) #shrinkingjeans

Day 22 (Sunshine) #shrinkingjeans

Day 23 – Triceps. Fugeddaboutit

 

Day 24 (Steps) #shrinkingjeans

Day 25 (Sweaty Hair) #shrinkingjeans

Day 26 (Every Day) #shrinkingjeans

 

 

June Photo Challenge – Day 5

Today’s theme is “My View”, and I could have taken this photo any number of places: my counseling office where I meet with students, the waiting room at the dentist’s office – where I wiled away 2 and a half hours of my life that I will never get back – but my student did follow through on something he was deathly afraid of, so…there’s that. But honestly I wanted to take a photo of my happy place. The place I look forward to coming to at the end of every exhausting school day.

Day 5 (My View) #shrinkingjeans.net

This is my back yard and my elder dog, Lotus. She’s probably rolling in something dead, but doesn’t she look cute?? My dogs crack me up on a daily basis. I love to sit and watch them play. Except for today when I could only sit outside for all the time it took to snap this photo because the effing mosquitoes were biting my fingers. I kid you not. My fingers. It’s absolutely ridic.

And I would also like to give a shout-out to my Gram who’s 98 today. Happy Birthday Gram! You’re the cat’s pajamas!!

And now I’m off to slather myself in calamine lotion because I’m oh-so-itchy…

June Photo Challenge – Day 3

The topic today is “New Challenge”. Hmmm… so many possibilities! Which one to choose?? My first thought naturally went to running, but I quickly ruled that out because: a) that’s not new, and b) I’m not going to take another picture of my calendar or training program, and c) I’ve got more going on than that.

Such as: kicking sugar out of my diet, cleaning my closets (yikes! The bags. The shoes! All that I can’t bear to part with is now spilling into and all over my office), getting rid of those bastard carpenter bees that are eating my house (I will get you, emmeneffers. Mark my words…), or how about not dying of EEE due to the 5 billion plus mosquitoes in my yard?

I could go on, but Couch Potato is looking for some attention, so I’m gonna make this short and sweet. If anyone out there knows how to help me with a rascally puppydog who gets into all sorts of non-edibles that he should definitely not get into, then let me know.

This is what I came home to today. Dio seems to be getting ready for Christmas a tad early. I also could have posted the photos of half-eaten mail, the stack of photos that “disappeared” but he left the bag as evidence, or the shredded dollar bill (we call him “fiftycent” now).

New Challenges (Day 3)

He’s on the naughty list for sure this year.

But the truth is, he’ll eat the coal too.

Snow Day!

Happiness.

I am a girl who loves a snow day. Today’s plan includes: playing in the snow with the dogs (again), shoveling (good cardio), sitting by the fire, drinking something to keep me warm and toasty, a little Wii dance off, boot camp on my yoga mat, and relaxing in the hot tub watching the snow fall. Not a bad way to spend a Wednesday.