Running – Page 2

Half-Marathon #7, it’s happening!

May 5, 2015 by Hillary 10 Comments

Hey there! I hope your week is off to a good start. Is anyone else dreaming of fresh guacamole and homemade tortilla chips? This is definitely my plan this evening. Flaky Fish Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa and homemade nachos are favorites, too – happy Cinco de Mayo!

Fun news: I signed up for my 7th half-marathon! I ran Half-Marathon #6 in February of 2012 – over 3 years ago! That knee injury of mine got in the way of long distance running for a while, but I am ready to give 13.1 a go again. (Call me crazy, but I was actually considering doing the full marathon). Oh, yes – the race. I’m running the inaugural Humboldt Bay Marathon on Sunday, August 9.

Training | Half-Marathon #7

I will officially start training in three weeks on Memorial Day. I used Runner’s World Smart Coach tool (the free version) to design a training plan. I entered my current race time as my PR from Half #6. With little long distance running the past couple of years, I realize a PR (or even coming close to 1 hour 36 minutes) in August is a long shot.

The training plan has me running at a fairly quick pace (including weekly speed and tempo runs) in relation to the time I entered. I could have adjusted my race time for a slower training pace, but why not be ambitious? I’ll use the plan as a rough guide. I actually wanted a plan that included only three days of running per week, so I will most likely skip a run here and there when my body needs it. Rest and cross-training are my tickets to happy and healthy half training.

Check out my Running Page to see how I trained for previous half-marathons, including tips, training plans & more!

Workouts | Week of April 27

I’ve been loving hilly walking on the treadmill (enjoying it while I can before training begins). I try to go to Strong Pump (weight lifting class similar to Body Pump) on Fridays and Sundays when I’m in town. Two yoga classes was the win of the week for me.

Monday – 35 minute hilly treadmill walk + 10 minute Stair Master

(3x)

10 bicep curls @ 10lb.
10 high pulls @ 10lb.
10 front raises 10lb.
10 renegade row @ 10lb.
10 knee push-ups

Tuesday – 60 minute yoga class + 30ish minute outdoor run/walk

Wednesday – 20 minute hilly treadmill walk + 10 minute Stair Master

(3x)

10 wood choppers @ 20lb. (ea. side)
10 globlet squats @ 20lb.
5 man makers @ 10lbs.
10 deadlifts @ 50lb.
5 single arm snatches @ 25lb. (ea. side)

(3x)

10 stab. ball tucks
10 stab. ball v-ups
10 stab. ball crunches

Thursday – 60 minute yoga class + 45+ minute walk (semi Rest Day)

Friday – 35 minute treadmill (20 min. run intervals + 15 min. walk) + Strong Pump Class

Saturday – approx. 4 mile park run

Sunday – 45 minute hilly treadmill walk + Strong Pump class

Are you training for any races?

Have you used Smart Coach?

Keepin’ It Fresh | Weekly Workouts

April 27, 2015 by Hillary 6 Comments

Hi friends – I hope you had a relaxing weekend and positive start to the new week.

I slept a ton this weekend; it was glorious! I also got my first awful sunburn of the season. Sunburns are one of my pet peeves, so I was completely furious at myself. I am religious about SPF, but Sunday afternoon when P and I hit up the track for a workout, I skipped my shoulders. Blame taken and I am paying for it. I tried a new trick of soaking a cold wash cloth with apple cider vinegar and then slathering the burn with coconut oil; I’m hoping the outcome isn’t two-year tan lines as I have suffered before.

Rant over. Last week’s workouts weren’t too shabby: 3 gym workouts + 2 outdoor workouts.

Workouts | Week of April 20

Notes:

1. Monday’s 25 toes-to-bar made my chest SO sore! I was still sore by Wednesday, but did 20 more.

2. I did A LOT of lunges this week: 100 weighted @ 40lbs. left my left glute ridiculously sore and Sunday’s 500 bodyweight walking lunges were just nutty.

3. Incline treadmill workouts are legit.

4. One of the highlights of this week’s workouts was picking up a pair of New Balance Fresh Foam Zante running shoes for a Facebook & Twitter campaign.

Monday – 30-minute Run – Walk Treadmill Workout + 15 minute Stair Master + (5x) 5 toes to bar/5 push-ups

Tuesday – Rest

Wednesday – 20 minute incline treadmill walk + 20 minute Stair Master + Smith Machine squats (incl. single leg)

(4x)

5 toes to bar
5 push-ups

(3x)

10 side bend @ 20lb. (ea. side)
10 bicep curls @ 20lb.
10 snatches @ 20lb.
5 stability ball push-ups

(2x)

10 wood choppers @ 20lb. (ea. side)
10 chest press @ 40lb.

Thursday – 600 jump ropes + 30 sets of stairs

(3x)

5 man makers @ 10lb.
10 KB squats @ 25lb.
15 KB swings @ 25lb.
20 v-ups @ 10lb.

Friday – 35 minute very hilly treadmill walk

(5x)

20 walking lunges @ 40lb.
10 med ball uneven push-ups
10 med ball russian twists @ 12lb.
10 med ball jump squats @ 12lb.

Saturday – Rest

Sunday – track workout w/ P including the following… and a terrible sunburn!

4 x 100m walking lunges (~500 lunges total!)
(5x) 10 tire box jumps / 5 decline push-ups
running! #duh

Have you worn New Balance sneakers?

Do you have any unique sunburn remedies?

30-minute Run – Walk Treadmill Workout

April 20, 2015 by Hillary Leave a Comment

Hey friends! I hope your week is off to a great start. I couldn’t wait until Workout Wednesday to share this new treadmill workout with y’all. Gym life is going well. I love the feeling of being so fatigued at the end of an evening workout that I crash into bed and sleep like a rock. The best feeling, right?

Some days I don’t feel like running monotonously on the treadmill. Hello, boring. What I love about treadmills is the ability to mix things up with speed and intensity/incline. I tend to leave my steady-state runs for the beautiful outdoors. I have done a couple versions of the workout I am sharing with you today. Between the increasing running speeds and brisk walking, this 30-minute routine is an effective way to get your heart rate up in a short amount of time.

To add intensity, increase the incline of the treadmill during the walking intervals.

Check out the Workouts Page for more treadmill workouts, including 6 HIIT Treadmill Workouts.

Workouts | Week of April 13

Monday – Rest

Tuesday – 20 minute Stair Master + 20 minute treadmill walk

(3x)

10 squats @ 40lb.
10 deadlifts @ 40lb.
10 jump squats
20 jump lunges

(3x)

5 stability ball push-ups + cross ab tucks
10 med ball wood choppers (ea. side)

30 cable crunches

Wednesday – 60 minute/6.30 mile treadmill (40 min run/20 min walk)

(3x)

10 sidebends (ea. side) @ 20lb.
20 med ball Russian twists
5 stability ball push-ups

Thursday – Rest (allergies wiped me out!)

Friday – 15 minute Stair Master + Dirty 30 (below)+ 60 minute yoga class + 25-ish minute walk with Dad

squats @ 40lb.
chest press @ 40lb.
deadlifts @ 40lb.
snatch @ 20lb.
cable crunches @ 30lb.
jump lunges @ 20lb.
jump squats @ 10lb.
push-up + side plank/row @ 10lb.
stability ball tucks

Saturday – Rest

Sunday – 30 minute treadmill (15 run/15 walk) + 60 minute Strong Pump class

What’s your treadmill workout “style”?

Do you have any favorite treadmill workouts?

Workouts & The Weekend

April 13, 2015 by Hillary 6 Comments

I am sorer than sore… and it feels painfully good. My workouts the past month have been somewhat lackluster – lots of walking and rest days (though both deserving of their time and place) – which sort of explains why I haven’t shared a Weekly Workouts post in 4 weeks.

This past week, however, I got a surge of motivation (I think it’s the new gym!). I had 7 solid consecutive workouts – 4 gym workouts + 3 outdoor runs. It felt SO good.

Today is another story though – my body is completely fatigued. My inner thighs scream with each step and squat I take, and my core feels like it’s squeezed inside a corset.

And now for the weekend… things that made me happier than happy:

Saturday FM with P

This beautiful + huge $5 bouquet from the FM

Strawberries that taste like candy – so sweet!

Almond milk Chico Chai latte (not a mocha as it deceptively appears)

Banana oatmeal with FM strawberries + leftover dessert dukkah (in my new bowls!)

P ♥

Workouts | Week of April 6

Monday – 50 minute treadmill (30 min. walk/20 min. run, alternate every 10 min.)

(3x)

5 manmakers @ 12lb.
10 sumo squat + high pull @ 25lb.
10 single-db lunges @ 25lb. each leg

(3x)

10 chest press @ 40lb.
10 glute bridges @ 20lb.

50 twisting stability ball tucks

50 jumping jacks

Tuesday – 5.5 mile park run @ 8:15 pace

Wednesday –

15 minute interval treadmill run [5 x 1 minute each @ 7.0/7.5/8.0 mph] + 5 minute walk + 15 minute Stair Master

(3x)

10 bosu squats @ 20lb.
10 single arm snatches @ 20lb.
5 bosu burpees

(3x)

20 russian twists (this version) @ 15lb.
10 stability ball tucks

50 hanging leg raises + random push-ups

Thursday – park run (~3-4 miles)

Friday – 50 minute Strong Pump class + 10 minute Stair Master + 10+ minute neighborhood run

Saturday – 5.75 mile trail run/walk

Sunday – 2 hours at the gym with P + 30 minute park walk

P graciously “trained” me at my new gym, showing me new equipment to use like cables.

The workout included 45lb. barbell cleans, 40lb. bulgarian split squats, ab exercises using the cables, squats galore, and more!

backsquats: 10 reps @ 45lb./10 @ 55lb./10 @ 65lb./10 @ 75lb./10 @ 85lb./2 x 5 @ 95lb.

Happy things from your weekend?

Weekly Workouts | March 9 – April 5

April 5, 2015 by Hillary Leave a Comment

Workouts | Week of March 9

Monday – 25 minute run + 10 minute walk + 10 sets of stairs + 25lb. Squat/Squat Drop Pyramid (90 reps each)

Tuesday – Rest (Love Your Body with Yoga + walk)

Wednesday – Love Your Bod WOD (with 10 & 15lb. dumbbells) + 5 x 20 kettlebell swings (25lb.) + this 5-minute intense bodyweight workout (2x) + this 5-minute leg workout

Thursday – 20 minute run + 20 sets of stairs + 20 squat drops + Dumbbell Superset Workout (10/15lb.)

Friday – 5 minute workout (2x) + 5 minute fat-blasting circuit (2x) + Lean Machine Medicine Ball Workout (3 sets; used dumbbell) + 60 minute yoga class

Saturday – 45+ minute walk/Rest

Sunday – 60 minute park run

Workouts | Week of March 16

Monday – Rest

Tuesday – 35 minute run + 15 sets of stairs + (5x) 10 box jumps/10 jump lunges + 20 minute HIIT Workout

Wednesday – 4 mile run park run + 20-minute run (with Roommate) + 15 sets of stairs

Thursday – 10-Minute Superset Workout (2x) + Butt Burner Cardio Workout (6 rounds) + 30 reps each (using 15lb. dumbbells): glute bridges / deadlifts / squats / russian twists / leg raises

Friday – Fired Up Squat Workout (added weight to bodyweight squats) + 5-Minute One-Dumbbell Workout + 60 minute yoga class

Saturday – Rest

Sunday – 35+ minute run/walk + (6x) 10 front squats / 20 front loaded lunges / 5 thrusters / 5 squat drops (all with 35lb. sandbag, except for the squat drops)

Workouts | March 23

Monday – 40 minute walk/Rest

Tuesday – 20 minute run + 30 sets of stairs + Dorm Room Dumbbell Workout (15lb.)

Wednesday – 25 minute walk/Rest

Thursday – 20 minute run + 15 minute walk + 15 sets of stairs + this 10-minute video

Friday – 60 minute yoga class/Rest

Saturday – Rest

Sunday – 30 minute run + 20 minute walk + 15 sets of stairs + Arms & Abs Superset Workout (no kettlebell swings)

Workouts | March 30

Monday – Dumbbell Chipper Workout (using 10lb.) + 8 x 25 KB swings + 50 bicycles

Tuesday – 20 minute interval/hill treadmill run + 10 minute treadmill walk + 15 minute Stair Master + (5x) 10 lunges @ 50lb + 5 atomic push-ups

Wednesday – 30 minute interval/hill treadmill (15 minute each run/walk) + 5 minute Stair Master

(3x)

10 bosu squats @ 15lb.
10 bosu jump squats
10 bosu burpees

(3x)

10 squats @ 40lb.
10 single leg deadlifts @ 40lb.
10 jump squats

Thursday – Rest

Friday – 30 minute interval treadmill (20 minute run/10 minute walk) + 12/10/8/6/4/2 reps: lunges @ 40lb. / woodchoppers @ 20lb. / push-up + rotate @ 10lb.

Saturday – Rest

Sunday – Rest

Weekending by the Bay

March 9, 2015 by Hillary 2 Comments

This past weekend, P and I made our way over to the Bay Area on Saturday. We shopped in Pleasanton, enjoyed lunchtime cocktails and light eats in Jack London Square (Oakland), waited in the 30+ minute line for infamous Ici ice cream, and then ended the evening enjoying an extra large basket of chips and guac al fresco.

It truly does not feel like winter, or even early spring, in California. Please don’t hate, New Englanders, for complaining about blue skies and 75+ degree weather, but I am not quite ready to be running in shorts and a tank.

Afternoon Drinks at Plank

Arugula Salad at Lungomare

Summer Kitchen, Berkeley – next time!

We finally waited in the long (30+ minute wait) line for a single scoop cone.

Workouts haven’t been too notable of late, but here there are in all their restful honesty. Hoping for less rest and more movement for the remainder of March.

Workouts | Week of February 23

Monday – Rest

Tuesday – September Sizzler Pyramid Workout

Wednesday – 45ish minute walk/Rest

Thursday – Rest

Friday – 60 minute yoga class/Rest

Saturday –

4 mile run
20 sets of stairs

(4x):

20 sandbag walking lunges
20 sandbag back squats
20 kettlebell swings
10 sandbag rows
10 sandbag thrusters

Sunday – 6 mile run

Workouts | Week of March 2

Monday – One-Dumbbell Workout (3x) + Butt Burner Cardio Blast (15 min. AMRAP – 7 rounds)

Tuesday – Rest

Wednesday – 60 minute Cycle + Strength class / 5 minute treadmill run / 5 minute StairMaster / 4 minute tabata (35lb. kettlebell swings)

Thursday – 20 minute run + 20 sets of stairs + Dirty 30 Dumbbell Workout + 50 kettlebell swings (25lb.)

Friday – Rest

Saturday – Rest

Sunday – 25 minute run + 2 mile walk + (5x) 12 jump lunges / 12 ab knee tucks / 12 jump squats / 6 squat drops

Workouts | Week of March 9

Monday – 25 minute run + 10 minute walk + 10 sets of stairs + 25lb. Squat/Squat Drop Pyramid (90 reps each)

Are you enjoying Daylight Savings?

Any Spring fitness aspirations?

When Exercise Isn’t #1

February 23, 2015 by Hillary 1 Comment

Hi friends – happy Monday!

I hope your week is looking busy and bright. It seems to be shapin’ up for me that way anyway.

Last week, as you may know, I was in North Carolina [see: Icy Asheville Adventures]. You may recall that I hinted at a few guidelines I planned to follow when I wrote about my approach to healthy traveling; this included wearing my pedometer (walking lots!) and attending 1 to 2 yoga classes. Neither of these happened frankly. I packed my pedometer, yet chose not to wear it at all during my trip. Yoga was cancelled due to icy streets and unsafe driving conditions.

You can see I made it to the hotel gym a few times – and I did get in an adequate amount of walking around the beautiful brewery – but intense exercise was not at the top of the priority list last week. While of course there were some meals and snacks that may not have been my number one choice (including consuming gluten here and there) – that’s travelling for you… that is life. I thought I might be harder on myself for not HIIT-ing the gym hard or sticking to a strict gluten-free “diet.” You know what… I wasn’t. For the most part, I felt comfortable in my jeans regardless of a couple sedentary travel days.

What I am trying to get at is, if travel is not an everyday thing for you, do your best to enjoy the purpose of why you are traveling – what you are there for. Sure, it’s a different story if you travel 24 weeks out of the year; but, if it’s 5 to 6 days away from home – as was my case – your exercise regime will forgive you for taking a time out.

source

Workouts | Week of February 16

Monday – Rest

Tuesday –

AM: 20 minute treadmill (walk/run) + (4x) 8 atomic push-ups / 10 jump squats @ 8lb. / 12 lunges @ 30lb.
PM: 30 minute treadmill (walk/run) + Dirty 30 Dumbbell Workout

Wednesday – 45 minute treadmill walk

Thursday – 40 minute treadmill walk + (4x) 10 squats @ 30lb. / push-ups / deadlifts at 50lb. / 20 jump lunges

Friday – Rest (Travel)

Saturday – ~25 minute run

Sunday – 5.5 mile park run + 1 hour hike

Running Intuitively {Weekly Workouts}

February 16, 2015 by Hillary 15 Comments

Good morning, y’all!

If you have the day off today for President’s Day, I hope you’re enjoying an extended weekend.

I’m writing to you from frigid Asheville, North Carolina. Holy brrrr! I think today’s forecast is “wintery mix.” Wish me luck, as last week was sunny, blue skies, and 75F in California.

I talked to y’all about intuitive exercise (and how sometimes it doesn’t feel good). Well, this past week, I was intuitively all about the running. I am enjoying the fact that the days are getting longer, too, so I can squeeze in a quick run after work if I don’t dilly dally.

Workouts | Week of February 9

Monday – 20ish minute run + 20 sets of stairs + 10-minute “CrossFit” workout

Tuesday – Arms & Abs Workout (itty bitty “workout”)

Wednesday – WREC workout!

24 minutes treadmill
12 minutes stairmaster
(4x) run 1 lap / 12 kettlebell swings (30-35lb.) / 12 atomic push-ups / 12 elevated lunges each side (30lb.)
run 4 laps

Thursday – 30 minute run + Dirty 30 Dumbbell Workout

Friday – 60 minute yoga class + 20 minute run/20 minute walk (calf/IT band – ouch!)

Saturday – 5.25 mile run + (3x) 10 step-ups / 10 jump squats / 20 walking lunges

Sunday – Rest (Travel to NC)

Did you have a favorite workout last week?

Have you been to Asheville, NC? Recommendations?

Now, it’s time to put my approach on healthy travel into action (exercise wise)…

Catch y’all later!

When Intuitive Exercise Doesn’t Feel Good

February 8, 2015 by Hillary 16 Comments

I’ve got not one, not two, but three weeks of workouts for you.

I like to maintain a workout dairy for my own personal accountability, but I hope these posts provide you with inspiration for your own exercise regime, too.

Since injuring my knee (over two years ago), I would classify my style of fitness as “intuitive exercise.” Most of the time, this feels good – as I listen to my body’s request for rest, and level of intensity for each workout. For example, some days I do not want to do any plyometic/high-impact/jumping movements, so I will opt for a basic yet challenging workout. Other days, I crave all the cardio – a run, then a hike, and then a few thousand additional steps running errands.

There are occasions when intuitive exercise does not feel as great. These are usually the days when I don’t feel ascomfortable in my own skin, and I ask myself why I haven’t signed up for a gym membership yet. My thoughts tell me that if I worked out at a gym, I would kick things up a notch with increased interval training and a variety of classes to mix up my routine. Intensity and variety are the golden ticket to a fit physique, right? Or should I just be satisfied with my home workout efforts. Oh, rainy day Sunday thoughts…

Workouts | Week of January 19

Monday – Arms & Abs Superset Workout + 30 KB swings

Tuesday – 60-minute yoga class/Rest

Wednesday – 20-minute Tabata Kettlebell Workout (25lb.) + 5 x 12 burpees

Thursday – Rest

Friday – Dumbbell Chipper Workout + 5-minute Total Body Workout (2x)

Saturday – 5 mile run + this kettlebell workout (2x)

Sunday – 3 mile run + 20 step-ups / 20 lunges / 10 jump squats (3x) + 10 sets of stairs + 3.25 mile hike

Workouts | Week of January 26

Monday – Rest

Tuesday – 60-minute yoga class / Dumbbell Superset Workout (15lb. dumbbells) with 20 KB swings (25lb.) + 10 burpees between each set / Winter Shape-Up Workout #2 (video version)

Wednesday – 60 min. Spin + Strength class at the WREC + 10 min. step machine

Thursday – Rest

Friday – 30 min. walk/Rest

Saturday – 3 mile hike/Rest

Sunday – 4 mile run

Workouts | Week of February 2

Monday – Rest

Tuesday – 400 Reps for Time Workout (+ 40 weighted step-ups) + 20 sets of stairs + 3 sets of 10 reps: chest press / bicep curls / front raises / rows

14,600+ step daily total

Wednesday – 20-minute Tabata Kettlebell Workout + 5 x 12 spinal roll-ups + 5-minute leg workout

Thursday – Dumbbell Superset Workout (10/15lb.) + this workout (2x)

Friday – 60-minute yoga class/Rest

Saturday – 3.25 mile run + 15 sets of stairs

Sunday – No Equipment Plyo Workout + Dirty 30 Dumbbell Workout

Do you exercise intuitively? If not, what type of training plan do you use?

When do you feel your best – exercising intuitively or following a schedule?

Is is possible to exercise intuitively while following a training plan? I think so!

My 1st Marathon [Relay]

January 19, 2015 by Hillary 8 Comments

Yesterday I ran my first marathon… relay. It was a lot of fun! Despite the constant rain all morning, my two girlfriends and I enjoyed ourselves out on the course — running from the Shasta Dam and finishing on the Sundial Bridge at The Redding Marathon.

I ran the final leg, from mile 19 to mile 26.2. My section of the course was relatively flat – making a loop around part of the Sacramento River – but the baby rolling hills definitely got me. I should have known, considering I hardly trained for this event.

I started off a bit too fast, I suppose, since my splits crawled up from a 7:20 pace to an 8-minute per mile pace. I hadn’t planned to race this event, anyway, since my training efforts were measly; my longest training run was a flat, slow 9 miles. I finished the 7.2 miles under one hour, with an average 7:59 pace. I ran without any music. A pathetic excuse it is, but I am guessing some tunes would have shaved a few seconds off my pace.

Our total marathon time was 3:41:23 [8:27 average] — not too shabby for our first “marathon”!

Workouts | Week of January 12

Monday – Rest

Tuesday – 60 min. gentle yoga class + Dumbbell Superset Workout (4 sets each, 10-15lb.) + 5 x 60 sec. plank

Wednesday – WREC play date:

1 mile indoor track run
Lovely Legs Lunge Workout (only 5 rounds with 15lb. dumbbells)
(3x) 10 sumo squats @ 35lb. / 10 windmills (each side) @ 15lb. / 10 swings @ 35lb.
12 minutes treadmill intervals (1.5 miles)
6 minutes step machine
30 ab chair crunches / 20 assisted pull-ups / 10 squats @ 40lb.

Thursday – Rest

Friday – 30 min. Full Body Burner + 10 min. Cardio + Strength Workout

Saturday – easy 3 mile run

Sunday – Redding Marathon Relay [7.2 miles // 7:59 avg. pace]

Have you ever ran a race/marathon in the rain?

Do you listen to music while racing?

Training | Half-Marathon #7

Workouts | Week of April 27

Are you training for any races?

Have you used Smart Coach?

Workouts | Week of April 20

Have you worn New Balance sneakers?

Do you have any unique sunburn remedies?

Workouts | Week of April 13

What’s your treadmill workout “style”?

Do you have any favorite treadmill workouts?

Workouts | Week of April 6

Happy things from your weekend?

Workouts | Week of March 9

Workouts | Week of March 16

Workouts | March 23

Workouts | March 30

Workouts | Week of February 23

Workouts | Week of March 2

Workouts | Week of March 9

Are you enjoying Daylight Savings?

Any Spring fitness aspirations?

Workouts | Week of February 16

Workouts | Week of February 9

Did you have a favorite workout last week?

Have you been to Asheville, NC? Recommendations?

Workouts | Week of January 19

Workouts | Week of January 26

Workouts | Week of February 2

Do you exercise intuitively? If not, what type of training plan do you use?

When do you feel your best – exercising intuitively or following a schedule?

Is is possible to exercise intuitively while following a training plan? I think so!

Workouts | Week of January 12

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