Post No-Race Blues

Yesterday was a major race day, not only here in DFW with the Cowtown, but the Disney Princess Half was yesterday as well as many other races like the New Orleans Rock 'n' Roll. My Facebook newsfeed has been full of expo pics, meet ups, pre-during, and after race pics since Friday, and my heart breaks. I should be racing again. I know the face that I am currently not racing is my decision, but that pang is still there as I see a majority of the people I know racing and loving it.

I haven't talked much about it, but as you can tell from my almost regular weekly posts, I'm only running an average of 10 miles per week. I decided I would use the winter to focus on strengthening in order to run better. My knee is doing better all the time, but I still have the fear of pushing it too far.

I've been using the new Combat program from Beachbody since January 2 to get overall body strength. My arms, back, and core are getting a major difference, but my hips are getting stronger too, which makes a huge difference in my running and the pressure on my knee. I'm glad it's working. The 60 day program ends next week, so we'll see how amping up my runs go in a a couple of weeks.

Have you ever taken some time off running to build strength or specific conditioning? What did you decided to do, and how did you handle the "racer's jealousy"?

Mamavation Monday: December 31

Christmas and everyone home on break really has thrown me off on everything.

Here's my workouts for last week:

Monday: No workout. Not having class really threw off my schedule.

Tuesday: Christmas. Yea … nada.

Wednesday: Les Mills Combat 45 Power Kata

Thursday: Observed (which means taking) a Silver Sneakers MSROM class. I'm a sub for this class and will be teaching it at another rec center soon.

Friday: Combat 60 Extreme Warrior Fighter

Saturday: Nada … I have no idea why.

Sunday: I was supposed to run with my buddy but then got distracted by baking and purging the kitchen after she needed to reschedule.

Here's the plan for this week (I've got it scheduled on my calendar so I refuse to skip workouts):

Monday: Les Mills Combat Kick Start 30 and teach Silver Sneakers Yoga Stretch class (DONE!)

Tuesday: 3-5 mile run

Wednesday: Start date of my Warrior Combat Challenge Group. Les Mills Combat Kick Start 30

Thursday: Combat HIIT: Power and Inner Warrior (Stretch)

Friday: Combat 30 and Core Attack. Then, teach YogaStretch.

Saturday: Combat HIIT: Plyo and Inner Warrior

Sunday: Run day and Combat 45 Power Kata

I'm sure there will be more running involved. I'm at a crux with my running and really trying to focus on strength and endurance right now. I'm purposely not scheduling runs so I avoid overuse injuries and boredom. I really think my Combat Challenge group will accomplish everything I'm looking to do right now and running will come back to me soon.

Weekly Check In: December 26

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday! I know I did! We even got snow!!! Snow seems to make our Christmases even more magical because we don't get it very often here in Texas.

This is what I had planned for last week:

Monday, Les Mill Combat 30 LIVE and teach Yoga Stretch class
Tuesday:Les Mills Combat HIIT: Power and Inner Warrior and walk group in the evening
Wednesday: Les Mills Combat 30 and Core Attack. 
Thursday: Les Mills Combat HIIT: Plyo and Inner Warrior, then my evening Walk Group
Friday: Les Mills Combat 45
Saturday: Les Mills Combat Warrior 2 (or Lower Body Lean Out)
Sunday: Minimum of a 5 mile run. 



This is how my week turned out:

Monday, Les Mill Combat 30 LIVE and teach Yoga Stretch class
Tuesday:Les Mills Combat HIIT: Power and Inner Warrior
Wednesday: Les Mills Combat 30 .
Thursday: Les Mills Combat HIIT: Shock Plyo and Inner Warrior, then my evening Walk Group
Friday: Nada
Saturday: My family over for Christmas so I ended up cooking, hosting, and cleaning.
Sunday:Exhausted from not usually hosting a holiday meal. Another Rest Day.
Monday: Christmas Eve (no workout)
Tuesday: Christmas (no workout)

Here's what the rest of my Christmas week looks like:

Wednesday: Les Mills Combat 45 (CHECK!)
Thursday: Combat 60 Extreme Warrior Fighter
Friday: Combat Warrior 2 & Inner Warrior workouts
Saturday: Not too sure, but I'm sure a core workout will be involved.
Sunday: 5 mile run minimum.

How is your week shaping up? Are you still with family or traveling?

Weekly Plan & Mamavation Pledge

I'm thinking some weekly check in posts will help keep me consistent in my personal maintenance.

Here is what I planned to do last week:

Monday: Venus, Week 1, Day 1 & teach YogaStretch class
Tuesday: Short a.m. run, Ab Ripper 2, and walk group
Wednesday: Venus, Week 1, Day 2, foam roll in the evening before teaching my oldest how to make cupcakes.
Thursday: Short a.m. run, Ab Ripper 2
Friday: Venus, Week 1, Day 3
Saturday: Ab Ripper 2
Sunday: 5 mile run

Here's what I actually did:

Monday, Venus: W1, D1 & teach Yoga Stretch class
Tuesday: 2 mile a.m. run & walk group in the evening
Wednesday: Venus: W1, D2
Thursday: P.m. Walk Group
Friday: Venus: W1, D3
Saturday: Nada
Sunday: 4.82 mile run in 95% humidity...yuck.

This is my plan for this week:
Monday: Venus, Week 2, Day 1 & teach YogaStretch class ---->check! + foam rolling
Tuesday: Cardio something, Ab Ripper 2, and walk group
Wednesday: Venus, Week 2, Day 2. My Les Mills Combat program is scheduled to be here this day, so we'll see what else I do!
Thursday: Cardio something, Ab Ripper 2
Friday: Venus, Week 3, Day 3
Saturday: Ab Ripper 2 & P90X2 Yoga
Sunday: 5 mile minimum run. It's supposed to be around my favorite running temps, so it might be up to 7!

Mamavation Pledge

I'm try to get into the Mamavation Sistahood. I always want to inspire others to get healthier through nutrition and fitness, and if the Sistahood allows me the opportunity to inspire one person to make better choices in their own life, then I'd be one happy woman! Plus, I LOVE to meet new people. Some of my closest peeps are bloggers, FB-ers, tweeters, you name it...my virtual posse, so to speak. I believe in surrounding myself with people who think like me, so I think the Sistahood is a great community to have the chance to do that. If I'm allowed in, you'll see my weekly check in posts turn into Mamavation Monday posts, but they'll be the same thing basically. 

How are you doing this week? Reaching for some goals, challenging yourself? Share them!