End of Spring Update

This year, I have cross trained, cross trained, and cross trained some more. I have done weights, an at home Combat program, yoga, cardio classes, and now a leg/ butt specific program.

Have I ran? A little bit. I still try to get a couple runs in a week. I'm not specifically training for a race, nut I'm training to make my legs stronger. After my knee issues, I wanted to focus on getting stronger so I can run without a brace of some sort again. I want to run faster and better without feeling like an old lady.

Have I seen progress? Yes. On my runs, I often have to hold back because I'm afraid my of reinjury. Most of all, my average pace is 10mm, which used to be my fastest ever. I often see 9:15-9:30 paces on my Polar tracking.

I've even done another 5k recently, mainly on trails. My finish time was the same as my last 5k in 2012.

The best result: awesome looking legs that are stronger than before.

Have you ever focused on strengthening instead of just running? What were your results?

Weekly Check In: December 17

Wow, what a week! I was accepted into the Mamavation Sistahood, my Les Mills Combat DVD program came in and I turned in my notice at my "desk job" to pursue my career in the fitness industry full time! Here's my weekly workout check in:

Here is what I did last week:

Monday: Venus, Week 2, Day 1 and teach YogaStretch class
Tuesday: Les Mills Combat Kick and walk group
Wednesday: Venus, Week 2, Day 2, Les Mills Combat Core Attack and Inner Warrior Stretch & Strength
Thursday: Walk Group
Friday: Les Mills Combat Ultimate Warrior Workout
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: 5.35 mile run and Les Mills Combat Upper Body Blow Out

This is my plan for this 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. 

 I'm really excited to see how this cardio and strength program is going to affect my running. I had already decided to only run 3 days a week to see how it helps my knee, but my run was so awesome Sunday, I can't wait to see how the results of Combat really amp up my endurance.

What does your week look like? Do you have a heavy fitness schedule or are you taking it easy during the holidays?

Running the Hard One

Today I ran the hardest run I've ever probably run thus far. Harder than fighting varying temps in Texas, harder than running injured, harder than that first run when I started running. Today was my tribute run for my step brother, J.J. Savage. It's been two years since he was killed in Iraq, and I felt that a longer run in the midst of my own personal roller coaster would be the only appropriate way to honor him today. I had planned out a 5 mile run for today on a new extended route bringing me into unfamiliar territory of both environment and endurance.

I started out just fine; glad of my decision to run today. My mind cleared as always and about mile 2, the emotions took over. I fought tears for a tenth of a mile and then crumbled, literally, on the side of the road. The feelings of loss and sadness for our family overtook me to a point to where I could not take yet another step. After wiping tears away and sitting in the sun, the wind whispered to me..."Get up. Get up and run."

And I did. I got up, took one step and another. I realized that with every step I ran, I embodied our family surviving, moving on despite the loss, despite the sadness. In a sense, this run was not just a tribute to him, his service, his courage. It was also a run to our family and every single person who knew and loved him that keep living life, just as he would want.