No equipment workout

Here's a workout you can do anywhere. You don't need anything -- no weights, fancy equipment, nothing. You'll incorporate boot camp, plyometrics, kickboxing, and core in one workout.

5-8 minute warmup, including some lateral movements (side to side), some light jogging, shoulder rolls, etc...

squats for 2-3 minutes, playing with the tempo
2 sets of 10 star jumps (jump up and splay your arms and legs wide in the air, like a cheerleader)
wall sit for 1 minute

2 sets of 10 burpees
2 sets of 10 plie jumps (jump your legs out wide to land in a deep plie)
curtsey lunges for 2-3 minutes

1 minute mountain climber
8 pushups
45 seconds mountain climber
10 pushups
30 seconds mountain climber
12 pushups

jack/jab combo (8 jacks, 8 right jabs, 8 jacks, 8 left jabs, repeat repeat repeat, then work your way down to 4s, then 2s, then alternate 1 jack, 1 jab, then work your way back up to 8s)

squat/side kick combo (take a big step left and squat down, then step the left foot back in and do a right side kick, repeat repeat a million times, then switch sides)

2 sets of 10 squat jumps
jack and tap (jumping jacks, but touch your foot with your opposite hand on each one)
split squat with a twist (get into a lunge position with your right foot forward and your left foot back and go down, twist right, center, back up, repeat 10 times, then switch your legs and twist left)

2 sets of 10 tricep pushups

walking plank (holding a plank, walk yourself with your hands and feet 4 steps to the right, then 4 steps to the left, repeat until you can no longer hold the plank)

2 minutes of bicycle crunches

stretch!!!!

For some reason...

I can't vote on my own stupid poll. What's up with that?

For the record, my answer is Stomach. Definitely. Saddlebags would be a close second. :)

Getting old sucks.

In a weird way...

... these lyrics are really romantic. If you're a weirdo like me, anyway. :)

Take me out tonight
Where there's music and there's people and they're young and alive
Driving in your car, I never never want to go home
Because I haven't got one
Anymore

Take me out tonight
Because I want to see people and I want to see life
Driving in your car
Oh, please don't drop me home
Because it's not my home, it's their home, and I'm welcome no more

And if a double-decker bus crashes into us
To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck kills the both of us
To die by your side, well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine

Take me out tonight
Take me anywhere, I don't care
I don't care, I don't care
And in the darkened underpass
I thought, "Oh god, my chance has come at last"
(But then a strange fear gripped me and I just couldn't ask)

Take me out tonight
Oh, take me anywhere, I don't care
I don't care, I don't care
Driving in your car, I never never want to go home
Because I haven't got one
Oh, I haven't got one

And if a double-decker bus crashes into us
To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck kills the both of us
To die by your side, well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine

Oh, there is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out

~ There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
The Smiths

Race schedule update

I've decided to bag the Tuesday night race on June 24 and the Splash & Dash on July 9. It makes more sense -- mentally and financially -- to skip them, even though they sound like fun.

I need to focus. What are my goals? What will make me happiest, in terms of training, life balance, sense of accomplishment, etc? Time to do some soul-searching. If I'm doing the Philly Marathon, I don't have much time to waste. :)

Thanks to everyone for your supportive comments and input. I really appreciate it!

Doing too much

I'm starting to freak out. My race schedule is ridiculous.

Duathlon on July 4
Splash & Dash on July 9
Lake Placid Mini Tri on July 21
10K on August 2
Northeast Triathlon on August 17
Philadelphia Distance Run on September 21
Delaware Distance Classic on October 5
Philadelphia Marathon on November 23

If I do the marathon, I can't do the Distance Classic 15K. But I *want* to do the Distance Classic because Iron Mike will be honored there and partial proceeds come to the Boys & Girls Clubs. I don't *have* to do the Duathlon on July 4 or the Splash and Dash on July 9. But I want to; they sound fun. Isn't it supposed to be fun? Likewise, I don't have to do the 10K on August 2, but 10K is my favorite race distance, and if I do the Philly Marathon I won't be able to do the Thanksgiving 10K or Brian's Run this year.

Am I just freaking out because I don't want to think about training for a marathon? Am I talking myself right out of doing one? It's been more than 3 years since I did one. I'm remembering how much I hated running during the months of training. And how much pain I was in from miles 20-25. (Once I got to 25, I was fine... mentally, at least!)

Am I just a wimp?

Things that make me happy

- Sunshine
- A good workout
- Playing with our pets
- Laughing about something silly and stupid with IronHubby
- Music
- Unexpected company, but only if my house is clean
- Being nice to a stranger
- Chocolate
- Hosting a party
- Unexpected success
- Hearing from my brother, whether it's a phone call, text, or email
- Spending time with my mom
- Cooking a meal that people enjoy
- Giggling with my dad
- Puppy breath
- A child's laughter
- The support of my amazing family and friends
- Cheering for IronHubby in his races (even though I'm so loud I embarrass him)
- Baking Theia brownies
- Eating Theia brownies :)
- Good tunes on the radio during a long drive
- The beach

Theia, Thy Name is Sandbagger

First, let me preface this by saying I am NOT a sandbagger. I honestly, truly did not believe I could match last year's performance at the Thundergust Duathlon. I promise.

At the beginning of this year, I had four main racing goals.
1. Finish Broad Street standing up.
2. Earn a new 5K PR.
3. Complete an Olympic Distance Triathlon.
4. Run a fall marathon.

I never dreamed the 5K PR would come at the end of a duathlon!

I think Thundergust is my race. It definitely will be added to my annual race calendar. It's well-run, relatively inexpensive, close to home, and the course is beautiful. (The fact that I've had such great success there doesn't hurt either. Let's be honest.)

Look how happy and carefree I was before the race started. No expectations, just out for the fun of it.

So here are yesterday's splits:
Run 1 = 13:40 (6:50 pace) Huh??
T1 = 1:09
Bike = 47:02 (18.6 mph) I think the bike course was a bit short this year. I didn't pay attention during the pre-race meeting, though.
T2 = 1:07
Run 2 = 23:59
TOTAL TIME = 1:26:56

Yes, folks, I broke 24 minutes in a 5K for the first time and got a 10 second PR! Never in my wildest dreams did I expect this result yesterday! Needless to say, I'm ecstatic! I do need to work on my biking, though, or I really will die during the Northeast Tri in August.

Most fun of all was having Heather, Avery, and Lora (with green sign!) there to share the morning. Their cheering pumped me up, and I'm so grateful for their friendship and support! I love you guys!!

This is what racing hard looks like... Heather took this one right after I crossed the finish line.

The start of the 2008 multisport season!

So this Saturday is the big day... my first duathlon of the year! I'm du-ing (ha ha) the Thundergust Duathlon for the second consecutive year. Last year I had a phenomenal race and placed 2nd in my age group (actually 3rd, but the 1st place woman in my age group was also the overall winner, so I got bumped up). For fun, I looked up last year's results.

2 mile run = 14:00 (7:00 pace)
T1 = 1:51
16 mile bike = 46:02 (20.9 mph pace)
T2 = 1:41
5K run = 25:02 (8:05 pace)
OVERALL TIME = 1:28:35

Ummm, yeah. Ain't no freaking way I can match that! And this year I'll have a small cheering section (Heather, Avery, and Lora), so I want to do really well. Aaaaagggghhhh!!!

BOSU intervals

With thanks to turnstep.com posters (especially Anonymous from North Carolina) who sparked my own memory and creativity, here is the HEAT class I taught this week. IronHubby also taught something similar this morning at his gym.

step up or run up onto the BOSU with the right foot leading 32 times
jog with high knees on the floor for 1 minute
step up or run up onto the BOSU with the left foot leading 32 times
alternating lunges onto the BOSU with a body bar across our shoulders
stand on BOSU and do 16 deadlifts with the body bar
still standing on the BOSU, do bent-over rows with the bar 16 times

squat on top of the BOSU 16 times
take the left foot to the floor, keep the right foot on the BOSU, and do 16 more squats
squat on top 16 times
right foot down to the floor, left foot up on the BOSU, 16 more squats
squat on top 16 times
left foot down, right foot on top, pulse 3 times and hop/propel over the BOSU, repeat 16 times
squat on top 16 times
side squats off the BOSU 32 times
squat on top 16 times

flip the BOSU over and hold onto the sides while doing a plank for 30 seconds
mountain climber for 30 seconds
8 pushups
hold the plank
mountain climber for 30 seconds
8 pushups
hold the plank

sumo straddle - straddle the BOSU and stay down low in a deep squat, then jump onto the top without coming out of the squat position, step down down, repeat repeat repeat
football feet 1 minute
quick heels on the BOSU, shuffle right and left, repeat 8x
sumo straddle leading with the opposite foot on the way down
football feet 1 minute
quick heels on the BOSU, shuffle left and right, repeat 8x

kneel on the BOSU and do glute lifts with the right leg
opposite arm and leg balance on the BOSU (right leg, left arm)
kneel on the BOSU and do glute lifts with the left leg
opposite arm and leg balance on the BOSU (left leg, right arm)

hop onto BOSU, opposite knee up, down and tap the BOSU with your hand, repeat 16x
jumping jacks 1 minute
hop onto BOSU with the other leg leading, opposite knee up, down and tap
jumping jacks 1 minute
plie with a body bar across the shoulders, add a side bend (down, bend side, center, up, down, bend other side, center, up)
place the bar across the top of the BOSU and hold onto it for dips - one set of 32

big stretch!

Crazy-a$$ brick workout

In preparation for my first duathlon of 2008 on June 14, I realized earlier this week I needed to practice transitions and decided to incorporate one of my favorite (??) workouts. Last year I used to do this on a Spinning bike and indoor track, but since I no longer teach at that gym I hadn't done this particular crazy routine in a year. Until Monday night, that is.

I did a neighborhood loop of 1.07 miles for the runs and did the bike mileage on the indoor trainer. Run, bike, run, bike, run. I changed my shoes each time, too, to better prepare for race day.

8:41 run (8:07 pace)
:39 transition
15:05 bike
1:04 transition (I paused to let Shaggy in from outside... silly girl didn't want to come in!)
7:55 run (7:24 pace)
:32 transition
15:09 bike
:36 transition
7:51 run (7:21 pace)

YEAH!!! I love that crazy-a$$ workout!!!!!