Week 22: Day 6

cardio:

• karate = 2 hours
• first (beginners) class = 12pm to 1pm
• second (intermediate) class = 1pm to 2pm

First Saturday of the year/month, and we got lots of new students in the beginners class. Yay for new year's resolutions for some people!

Week 22: Day 5

cardio:

• trail/road run (@ 7:30am) = 3.61 miles, time = 39:37

strength training:

• yoga (@ 9:30am) = 1 hour

Oh my god, I'm so mad right now. My sister recently adopted a dog...she wanted a dog for the sake of having a dog...because the dog was cute. While the dog is/was not aggressive towards people, she had a destructive personality to begin with. My sister took the dog to obedience training, but that didn't fix the destructive behavior. I'm not trained to run with dogs and the dog is not trained to run with people for exercise or any reason except for short distances to chase after toys and small animals that she can never catch. My sister dropped her dog off to visit my dog who is low energy and only destroys her dog toys (not things like furniture, shoes, etc). I think this is just her excuse for not taking care of the dog everyday herself and/or taking full responsibility of her dog. I've been boycotting on caring for this dog.

I went to yoga class this morning after running. My shoes were fine when I left for yoga, but found the inside of one destrpyed when I came back. I just got these shoes last week and only put 13 miles on the shoes. I don't want to get a new pair of shoes to replace a new pair of shoes. My only choice is to get inserts to cover the inside because the hard shoe material is now exposed on the heel part and I don't want blisters or other skin problems with the hard material rubbing against my heel. My sister owes me now.

Week 22: Day 3

cardio:

• hilly trail run (@ 7:15am) = 1.13 miles, time = 13:47
• warm up/cooldown = 1.1 miles
• hip hop dance class (@ 8:30pm) = 1 hour

strength training:

• lower body strength training (@ 8:15am)
• squats on bosu ball = 2 sets x 15 reps x 30lbs (one dumbell)
• squats on one leg = 2 sets x 15 reps x 40lbs (two 20lb dumbells)
• wall sits = 2 sets x 1 min hold
• hip aBductors (weight machine) = 2 sets x 12 reps x 180lbs
• hip aDductors (weight machine) = 2 sets x 15 reps x 180lbs
• calf extensions (weight machine) = 2 sets x 15 reps x 140lbs
• leg (w/2 legs) extensions (weight machine) = 1 set x 15 reps x 60lbs
• leg (w/1 leg) extensions (weight machine) = 1 set x 15 reps x 30lbs
• prone leg curls (weight machine) = 2 sets x 12 reps x 55lbs
• leg presses (weight machine) = 2 sets x 15 reps x 345lbs

I decided to go to the gym and continue with the hip hop class instead of going to karate training. The dance class is only once a week and I still get to go to class on Mondays and Saturdays. Besides, I needed to change up my work out program anyway so that I don't get bored. I have no rhythm and it's hard not to keep my karate background out of a dance class too.

Week 22: Day 2

cardio:

• bike ride to gym/home = 1.5 miles

strength training:

• upper body strength (@ 8am)
• chair dips = 2 sets x 15 reps
• elevated "regular" push ups = 1set x 10 reps
• bicep curls on bosu ball (platform side up) = 2 sets x 15 reps x 15lbs (two 15lb dumbells)
• alternating front and side arm raises = 2 sets x 15 reps x 10lbs (two 10lb dumbells)
• wrist curls = 2 sets x 15 reps x 17.5lbs (one dumbell)
• elevated "wide" push ups = 1 set x 10 reps
• elevated "triangle" push ups = 1 set x 10 reps
• tricep kickbacks = 2 sets x 15 reps x 10lbs (two 10lb dumbells)
• shoulder presses = 2 sets x 15 reps x 10lbs (two 10lb dumbells)
• bent over rows = 2 sets x 15 reps x 10lbs (two 10lb dumbells)
• seated rows (weight machine) = 2 sets x 15 reps x 143lbs
• chest presses (weight machine) = 2 sets x 15 reps x 70lbs
• pilates (@ 9:30am) = 1 hour

I decided to make "riding a bike" my new year's resolution. To be more specific, I decided to ride once a week, specifically on Tuesdays. I have been going to the gym for a year and a half and while I only live 1.5 miles from it, I have never rode the bike to the gym until today. While three miles round trip was piece of cake, there were a few small hills on the way that felt so tough to me. These hills seemed so easy to run/walk on, but for someone like me who never rode a bike for exercise or even as a means of transportation, any little hill was very noticeable and my quads definitely got a work out from riding a bike. Eventually, I will ride the bike to the gym three times a week, but that will be for February when the sunrise is earlier than 7am. In the meantime, once a week is enough and I need to get in "cycling" shape before I can ride a few more times a week.

My legs were slightly sore this morning from the lower body strength work out yesterday, but feel ok now because of the bike ride. I kinda stopped doing strength training altogether for two weeks. My upper body will be sore tomorrow too because I haven't done much for that part of the body either.

Week 22: Day 1

strength training:

• lower body + abs/back (@ 7am)
• jump rope ("warm up") = 15 minutes, 5 sets of 3 minute jumping + 1 minute rest in between
• stairmasters = 10 minutes
• squats on bosu ball = 2 sets x 15 reps x 30lbs (one dumbell)
• supermans = 2 sets x 20 reps x 5 sec holds
• meet in the middles = 2 sets x 20 reps
• one leg squats = 2 sets x 15 reps x 40lbs (two 40lb dumbells)
• toe reach (w/feet up) = 2 sets x 20 reps
• jack knives = 2 sets x 20 reps
• wall sits = 2 sets x 1 min holds
• side bends = 2 sets x 20 reps x 20lbs (one dumbell)
• hack squats (weight machine) = 2 sets x 15 reps x 200lbs
• hip aBductors (weight machine) = 2 sets x 15 reps x 180lbs
• hip aDductors (weight machine) = 2 sets x 15 reps x 180lbs
• calf extensions (weight machine) = 2 sets x 15 reps x 140lbs
• back extensions (weight machine) = 2 sets x 15 reps x 105lbs
• prone leg curls (weight machine) = 2 sets x 12 reps x 55lbs
• hanging leg raises = 2 sets x 20 reps
• leg presses (weight machine)(w/2 legs) = 1 set x 15 reps x 340lbs
• leg presses (weight machine)(w/1 leg) = 1 set x 15 reps x 190lbs

cardio:

• karate = 1 hour

Rainy mornings make me sleepy and not want to work out. I need to stay on track with this training if I want to do ok with the 10K race next month.

Karate training is back from winter vacation, but where was everyone else? Still on vacation? We didn't have a second class because we didn't have enough students show up.

Week 21: Day 7

cardio:

• trail run (@ 8:20am) = 3.2 miles, time 34:01, pace @ 10:38

It's hard to find motivation and go out for a run when it's cloudy outside. I was actually worried that it was going to rain this morning because that was what I heard on the weather forecast a few days ago and I didn't want to run in the rain, but I was glad to find that it was just cloudy and still dry outside. The sun did try to peak through the clouds too. In fact, it started to drizzle/rain a bit after I came home from the run and walked the dogs!

So now that I'm done with running until Wednesday morning, it can rain now.

Week 21: Day 6

cardio:

• hilly trail run = 1.13 miles, time = 13:46

Happy new year!

First day of the new year and what did I do to start the new year? Go for a morning run, of course! First work out of the year! Gotta start the new year "strong" and healthy, don'tcha think?? I decided that today would be the first day of official 10K race training! To help me along and keep me motivated for my training, I have some new "gear" to train in like a new pair of running shoes and a new technical shirt! I definitely started the new year on the "right foot" (excuse the pun, haha)!

Anyway, the run was on a trail with challenging hills. I haven't ran on challening hills in over a year, so I'm pretty out of shape for that kind of run/terrain. I know that I should train on challenging hills because the 10K race course that I'm running next month has a challenging beginning with what seems like a 2-mile, neverending uphill "battle". As long as I work on hill running during my training, I will do just fine during the race. On top of that, it was pretty chilly/cold (around 45 or so degrees?) when I went out for a run. As much as I love running in cold mornings, I'm not used to it anymore. I just love to run in cold mornings (and am more motivated to run if the sun is out), so I will get used to it in time.

Happy New Year!