July in Review

My July review is a bit late as we left for vacation on the second day of August and I just didn't have time to post.  The training for the month came to an end on July 30 with a 5 mile run and 1/2 mile cool down walk.


July 2014 Stats
66.39-- running miles
6.39- walking miles
5-- biking miles
0-- elliptical miles
0-- kettlebell workouts
0-- stair workouts
0-- fitness app workout
0-- upper body weight fitness workouts
0-- leg weight fitness workouts
0- monthly fitness challenge workout
0-- Assorted cross training exercises workouts
77.78-- total miles

Current 2014 Stats
553.97-- running miles
29.19-- walking miles
27.51-- biking miles
4.1-- elliptical miles
8-- kettlebell workouts
6-- stair workouts
1-- fitness app workout
1-- Assorted cross training exercises workout
3-- upper body weight fitness workouts
1-- leg weight fitness workouts
2 1/3-- monthly fitness challenge workout
614.77-- total miles

2014 Mission check-in

Mission #1: Make an effort to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Action Plan: Always have fruits and vegetables cleaned, cut up, and ready for consumption.
Action Plan: Choose healthier options when snacking.
Mission #1 wasn't too bad for July.  I definitely ate lots of fruits and veggies but I still made poor snack choices from time to time.  What can I say, I'm human!

Mission #2: Accept and embrace that my best is good enough.
Action Plan: Stop comparing myself to others and compare myself to the person I was yesterday.
Action Plan: Define my own success and measure it by what I am able to do.
Mission #2 is right where I want it.  I don't get frustrated when I have to slow down when running with a group anymore.  I just do what's best for me.  My best is good enough!



Mission #3: Run 1400 miles in 2014.
Action Plan: Run.
Action Plan: Run some more.
Mission #3 is moving very slowly.  I'm okay with that though.  66.39 miles run in June (846.03 miles to go).
Mission #4: Run happy.
Action Plan: Run training runs and races with friends as often as I can.
Action Plan: Listen to my heart and not the beeps on my Garmin.
Action Plan: Be thankful that I have been blessed with a healthy body that allows me to run.
Mission #4 is golden! I am still loving the run and enjoying time spent with friends.





Kerstetter 5K with Lorain County Blue.  1st place in the 40-44 age group!


Mission #5: Do other workouts in addition to running.
Action Plan: Find workouts I enjoy and actually do them.
Action Plan: Participate in some monthly fitness challenges.
Mission #5 went, umm, well it didn't really go much at all.  I walked 6.39 miles and biked 5 miles.  I think I need to get serious about this again!!


July was an okay month.  Working out seems to have gotten harder ever since I turned 40.  It's crazy!  I went back to work today so I need to create some kind of schedule to get my rear back in gear that will work with my kids' schedules and my work schedule.  Looks like it's back to early morning workouts!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Crazy weather leads to limited workouts

It is no secret that Mother Nature needs some Prozac.  The weather here in Ohio has been ridiculously snowy and cold the entire month of January.  This of course translates into less workouts and more time spent indoors trying to stay warm.  Needless to say, I have seen a lot of zeros on my dailymile training profile.

Not so sure why he looks so happy.  Yeah, zero...we get it

Now I will say that the kids and I and some friends went to visit our friends in Chicago for a long weekend so that also contributed to my zeros.  Since one of my missions is to run happy and stress free, I refused to let myself feel bad for not doing one single workout while we were there.  It was about spending time we our good friends and catching up with everyone.

The good news is that I have managed to get some workouts in this month.  There has been a bit of running as well as a little bit of cross training going on in my world.

I did my first kettlebell/treadmill walk workout about two weeks ago and I really enjoyed it.  The best part was I got a fantastic deal on my kettlebells at the local Aldi.

Best. Deal. Ever

Tuesday of last week I did manage to get a hill repeat workout done on the trusty old basement treadmill and followed it up on Wednesday with a kettlebell/stair workout.  Man was that workout both hard and awesome all at the same time.  I definitely worked up one heck of a sweat in those 31 minutes.  I never realized how handy the 15 stairs in my house are!

Not my steps but very similar to the 15 in my house

Of course we must fast forward to today when Mother Nature again forgot to take her meds and I wake up to this love sight on my phone.

Brrrrr!!

Seriously??  Come on now!  Obviously I was anticipating cold weather because both my school and my kids school closed today but I certainly wasn't expecting to see that!!  I had planned to run seven miles today with four 1 mile repeats included and I knew after seeing this that this workout would have to occur on the treadmill.  I quickly checked out the TV guide to see what was going to be on today.  The Bucket List at 11:00 AM.  Okay, I think I can tolerate the treadmill and not have the urge to rip my eyes out if I run while this movie is showing.  Overall it was a great workout.  I feel short on the last mile repeat as I was listening to my body and didn't want to make any stupid decisions  that would result in injury.  Afterall, it goes back to my mission of running happy.  If I can't run because I am injured then I certainly can't run happy! 

Very thankful for my Vision Fitness Treadmill when it's crazy cold out

Here's hoping that Mother Nature gets her meds figured out very soon.  I want to be back outside taking in all the beautiful scenery on a run instead of staring into the face of my flat screen TV in the basement.  There are only so many shows I can watch!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!

Columbus Marathon Training...1/3 Complete

Yesterday's 12 mile run in the "rainforest" with Deb and Missi concluded the sixth week of my Columbus Marathon Training which also translates into being 1/3 of the way done with my eighteen week training cycle! 

Here's a breakdown of my progress so far:

Running miles
696.90 scheduled miles
204.40 miles completed
89 schedule running workouts
30 scheduled running workouts completed

Cycling/Strength Training
I have completed 62.8 cycling/spinning miles
I have completed several strength training workouts

Over the next twelve weeks I will run 492.50 miles during the course of 59 running workouts.  There will also be more cycling and strength training taking place.  The first six weeks have gone very well.  Here's hoping the next twelve will be more of the same!!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and you inspire me!!