Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Run-Lift-Run-Repeat



All right so here we have it. Tuesday. I was feeling okay yesterday and then for no reason whatsoever yesterday afternoon I got a case of what I guess could be called anxiety really, and I felt anxious and nervous for no good reason at all. I had impending doom and gloom all over the place and for the life of me nothing was really wrong and I couldn’t understand why it was happening. I guess that is the problem with anxiety. Sometimes it just hits for no damned good reason at all. But it sucked. And I was not thrilled about it. It made me all anxious and nervous for shit.  Boo.  But I pushed thru that feeling and went to the gym anyway.

So while at the gym I ended up not getting in a warm up before the start of class but it didn’t really matter because almost instantly we were off and running. Literally. Class was cardio something but I pretty much call it cardio HITT because it is always a burst of terrible exercises that pretty much are designed to suck all the fun out of exercise. HA HA.  The plan looked like this:

5 rounds
First round = 25 reps, Round 2 = 20 reps, Round 3 = 15 reps, Round 4=10 reps Round 5 = 5 Reps (total of 75 reps of each of these exercises after you are done!)

Exercises:
Sprints (yes that many sprints!)
Weighted burpies to overhead shoulder press
Walking Planks (while in a plank position go up and down on your elbows, BRUTAL)
Jumping Squats
Medicine Ball Rolling Push Ups (Roll a medicine ball from side to side while doing one arm on ground/one arm on the medicine ball push-ups, these are extra tough with the medicine ball!)
Kettlebell Jump Squat to upright rows (do a squat with the kettlebell and then pull it up to a row!)

These rounds were actually insane. Running sprints outside in the sun was brutal.  My heart rate was entirely jacked the entire freaking time.  I was exhausted. I was dripping sweat all over the floor. And of course I had to keep up with Amanda because I am simply not allowed not too.  So push, push, push.  After class Amanda wanted me to do some heavy chest presses with her because she wanted a spot, etc.  I needed to run too so I compromised and as soon as class was over I settled on a 2 mile run.  BUT I called this good because it turns out during all those freaking sprints, I had my Garmin on and I ran over a mile.  Like 1.5 miles it says.  So I was like, eh, 2 mile run on the treadmill combined with the 1 mile of sprints and I’m going to call it the 3 I was supposed to do.  I really did run those sprints so I’m not lying.

I knocked out the 2 mile run and met Amanda for HEAVY dumbbell chest presses. We used 45 pound weights in each hand.  So yes, 90 pounds total. Let me tell you that is HEAVY, and a lot of weight. Just picking up the 45 pound dumbbell in one hand had me a little terrified.  Dumbbells are harder to use than a barbell because you have to get more of an angle with the dumbbells.  Nonetheless, she spotted me, thank God.  We did 4 sets of 15 of these.  I  am not going to lie on the last set my arms totally gave out and I dropped them things after like 8 or 9 of them.  I was done.  I couldn’t lift anymore and that is when I decided my overall efforts for the night were good enough.


Especially since I knew I was getting up this AM to run.  Because I am crazy. Because while waking up is awful, running 6.5 miles in the morning is blissful.  After I’m done of course!  Oh, I got some cute little new shorts in the mail. I have sincerely avoided booty shorts my whole life because of thigh jiggle. I am still not going to wear them out in public because moving in them produces that thigh jiggle that is really bad on me. But maybe someday.  Baby steps. I ordered them. I wore them last night. I didn’t hate myself in them.  Actually I was impressed by how good things looked all things considering.  And then I flexed while wearing them of course and this was the result.



Sometimes the muscles just look better and shit last night they were popping so I went with it.  All good.  So back again to this morning, I had to wake myself up yet again for my 6.5 mile run.  It was a little harder this week to wake up. I didn’t want to.  I slept an extra 15-20 minutes but whatever. I got up.  I didn’t have as much time to wake up before I ran but again, whatever.  I got dressed.  I found my earphones and run belt and I took off.

The first mile sucked. As they always do.  It was hard. Then it got better for a little while. Then it got hard again.  Pretty much the way it goes. I really mostly just wanted it to be done.  It was nice and lovely to run and all but at some point I was just ready to be done. They aren’t all perfect blissful runs.  Not that I expect them to be. But it wasn’t awful either.  My pace was fine, I ran a couple under 10 minutes and then I hit the rest right around 10 minute mile pace. We stopped at mile 3.5 around a park for a water break so that added a few minutes.  Around mile 4 the giant blister that is presently residing on the bottom of my foot really flared up. For the last 2.5 miles with every step I kept thinking about that stupid blister.  Oops.  That happens. I came home and put Neosporin on it and a band aid and am really hoping by Saturday it is long gone. Cause you know I’m running another half on Saturday.


So yes, I managed my run this morning. Exactly what I was supposed to do. 6.5 miles on the dot. It does feel like running faster is easier. I am still giving it my maximum effort to the point where I don’t want to do more really but that effort seems to be slightly faster. So I guess that’s improvement.   I feel better now for having done the run. As I always do.  As you should.  Now this frees up my evening for weight training. 30 minute ab/core class, not my favorite class of them all but I do it anyway. And then I will work out a strength training plan of some sort as this is my night where I can lift things.  I got this.

Have I mentioned how relieved I actually feel not having any more personal training sessions because honestly it’s been hard trying to fit them all.  This way I can work out my own plans and get the stuff done I need.  Tonight will be strength workout. Tomorrow is a 3 mile run and then 45 minute strength training class.  Thursday is a 30 minute boot camp class that is going to be brutal I’m sure and then I will/should probably do something else, at least another half hour. That is the plan for this week.  So all is good. Just keep plugging along.

I still feel really good about myself and my body and how things are shaping up.  I feel like I am getting leaner and more tight in areas. Yes, I still and will forever have a lot of loose areas and skin etc, but things are really just going well.  I feel overall happy and positive.  I will take it.  Now it’s time to get back to work and for the love of God not eat everything and anything. I did pack myself an extra snack on the plan today because clearly I knew I was going to be extra hungry.  Not only did I wake up early, but I already burned 654 calories today. 

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