Running Fashion Don'ts

Lets take a break from the run analysis and what not (which by the way I surpassed 100 miles for 2013 today!) and I want to talk about something that we think about at times, but usually don't... Running fashion.  Now these are not rules, they're just my opinions, but some of them are somewhat obvious...

Color Coordination-

All athletes seem to love to mix and match colors (especially if at least one is a neon) just as much as we like to coordinate them.  Still, this does not mean that you should go overboard on the color combinations.

As it has been almost a week I cannot remember the exact details, but I did see a cringe worthy color combination at the Princess Half marathon.  If I am able to spot an outfit that stands out for all the wrong reasons at an event like any of the runDisney events, I just hope the person is trying to stand out and really doesn't wear that normally.  The worst part was there really wasn't anything resembling a costume to the ensemble.  It was normal running gear... In just all the wrong colors.

On the flip side, don't wear all of one color unless it's for a race and that's your uniform.  If you're casually running in all than one color, it looks funny a lot of the time.  I think all black might be the only exception, but thats not completely safe, especially for running at night.

You really can't go wrong in some great running tights, capris, or shorts and a tech shirt or tank top.  Plus that looks is classic... and it's classic for a reason!

Everyday Costumes-

We all have fun dressing up at times.  Heck, I finally decided to wear a costume for the Tower of Terror 10 Miler last year and while it was extremely hot (thank you October in Florida...), it was a lot of fun.

Luckily I can say that I have nor have I ever seen anyone wearing a costume in normal everyday running.  That's a good thing people...

Water Backpacks-

I'm guessing everyone is aware of these little beauties.  I think they're absolutely great... if you're a hiker, mountain biker... um... I'm sure there's another sport that benefits from them without looking dorky.  I've seen this in triathlons with cyclist wearing these backpacks and I've seen my first runner wearing one as well!

For cyclist... just learn to reach down and grab your water bottle like a real cyclist.  Have you ever seen anyone in the Tour de France or Ironman wearing one?  No!  There's a reason.

For runners... you have a lot of other options other than wearing one of these backpacks.  Carrying a water bottle, the great belts from companies like iFitness that have water bottle carriers, if you're doing laps, just leave a bottle somewhere on your route, or if there are parks or anything on our running route, I'm sure there are water fountains then.  See, lots of other options!

I still couldn't imagine doing a long run with one of these things.  It has to become uncomfortable after a while and the back sweat... I gringe thinking about it.


So those are my current fashion don'ts.  Hopefully I won't have to add anymore, but with people constantly inventing different things and certain creative individuals always wanting to stand out... who knows what we might see next!

Good Run Leads To A Good Day

Ok, so this rule doesn't always work, but it does quite often.  Whenever I have a good run, I tend to have a good day.  I get things done, I feel good about myself, and I just have general good outlook on the day.

Today was no different.  I had a pretty good run this morning and so far I've had a great day.   I ran just over 7 miles, and even though my calves were tight most of the time, it still felt pretty good.  Then I got some good stretching in and the shower felt wonderful (which they almost always do after running).  Then I got out and attacked the day. I got my car washed (well, enough that it's not embarrassing anymore), checked up on my house, and had a pretty good brunch.  The great thing is, I got everything done before noon!

Luckily, I'm getting my mornings back to work out starting this week so not only will I be able to work out on a more regular basis, but I see good days ahead.

Now that I've gotten everything I needed to get done, done... I guess I have time to relax and read.  It's pretty warm here in Florida so I'm thinking I might go read by the pool.  Yes I know it's January, but I'm not going to pass up good weather!

What I Feel Like When I Run...

So one of my friends posted this on her facebook page and I think I would have to agree:

Then again, running, like most sports, is mostly mental.  As long as you think you look like a pro, that's all that matters.  Who cares what you look like as long as you're getting out there and running.

Balancing Work and Working Out

I don't know about you guys, but work is tiring.  I have a job that's very active and by the time I get off, I'm usually ready to collapse, eat, and then go to bed.  Yet I still have to figure out a time to workout.

I have been doing 15-30 minute workouts consisting of different hand weight exercises and calisthenics.  I usually give myself about 30 minutes to get home and decompress before convincing myself to get off the couch or bed and start working out (usually the hardest part).  I've been pretty good about doing something each night, although it's been really, really hard.

The one thing I figured out in the last few months is that I have to take advantage of my weekends.  That's when I'm able to get my long runs in because I don't have to worry about being late to work or being sore then.  I also usually able to get my brick workouts in then as well.  Plus, when I do all of my hard workouts on the weekend, then I have plenty of time to recover and rest in the afternoon.  For me, that usually means a good breakfast or brunch after I clean up and a nap at some point in the afternoon.

So pretty much, I've learned that to balance my professional and athletic aspects of life, I work on strength and maintenance during the week and then get the hard and long workouts in on the weekends...

Food Really Is Important...

... Ok, it's not like I didn't know that to begin with, but it's more of like I had a pretty nice reminder this morning.

Yesterday I was stupid enough not to take any food with me to work and I really didn't get anything to eat that night since it was a late shift.  I think I had like 1/2 a tv dinner and a 100 calorie bag of chocolate caramel snacks from Skinny Cow to be honest.

Well, this morning I got up and went for a run.  It wasn't long, just 3.5 miles, but I was not feeling good at all.  I took more breaks than usual and I was slower.  Yes, part of it was because I hadn't been running in a while since I had twisted my ankle, but I think another major cause was the fact I hadn't eaten and I was weak over all.

Luckily, nothing serious happened, but it was enough to remind me not to be that stupid again.  Even if I have to go through McDonalds or some other drive through, I need to eat something.  Even tonight, I'm working almost to midnight, I'm making sure to bring food with me.  Yes, it will probably be some sort of sandwich so not really dinner type food, but it will be something.

Happy New Years Eve everyone!  Have fun tonight, but be safe!

Busy Busy Bee

So I've been a busy bee over this last week. I finished up a 10 day work week and then to celebrate my first day off I got in a 5.5 mile run, walked the last .5 of a mile, completed a circuit, and did a lot of stretching.

While my week was busy and spent mostly at work, I was able to get at least 20 minutes of circuit work in.  A few days I got in a short run, maybe a few miles on the stationary bike, and stretching.  I've continued to stretch for at least 20 min every day and my calves are doing pretty well.

It also helps that I have a pretty active job.  I'm standing and walking most of the day.  A few days a week I help one of the other teams out where I'm lifting heavy objects for a while so I even get some unconventional weight lifting in.  The fact that I don't have an office job has helped me stay active on weeks where I work a lot.

I've also added another 5k run to my plan.  Next week I'll be doing a Reindeer Run with some of my friends.  Then the week after the Reindeer Run I have the Jingle Bell Run, so this should be a fun few weeks.  After those weeks it's time to start celebrating the holidays!

Weekly Report 11/5

The good news... I was able to run more than last week, even with a harder schedule!  The bad news... I wasn't feeling the best while I was running, but I didn't feel my worst either so I'm not quite sure if it really is bad news.

One thing that really struck me this week, well actually this morning was diet.  I know I've talked about it before and I've said I'm "calorie aware", but I've fallen off of that and while I haven't been letting myself completely go, I haven't been strict with what I should and shouldn't be eating.

One of the biggest things I realized is that I really do need to drink more water.  It would help 3 things.  First my diet since water has no calories.  Second my running because it should cut down some of the dehydration cramps I've been having lately.  Third my budgets because I don't really have that much money since I recently bought a house with the help of my parents.

It's amazing how small things can help so many things.  I know it's going to be hard because I really like having the fizzy carbonation, but I will start to resist!

On good news, I have started stretching more (thanks to the motivations from HBBC) and my calves are feeling a lot better during my runs.  My knee hurt a bit today but I'm blaming the heels I was walking around in most of the week.  Luckily I'm back to wearing tennis shoes again next week for work (I'm back in my normal office and area).

HBBC Weekly Report:
Monday- 2 mile run +1 mile walk + 20 minutes stretching = 4 points
Thursday- 1 mile run + 1 mile walk + 20 minutes stretching = 3 points
Saturday- 3.5 mile run + 20 minutes stretching = 4 points

Total points= 11 points

Back To Strength Training

I was able to get out and run yesterday.  I was originally planning on running on the treadmill, but I could not get into the gym.  I went pretty early and for some reason the code I had would not work... It frustrated me to no end, but I eventually went back to my apartment, dumped my extra keys, and took off running on the streets.

It ended up being a really nice day to run.  Check out the awesome sunrise:

So I got a 30 min run in, which is the base for Jeff Galloway training plan.  It went relatively well.  My ankles are starting to act up, but hopefully that'll pass soon enough.  The good news is that the pain was isolated to the run and didn't stay with me the rest of the day.

So today was a running rest day, but I eventually got out of bed and popped in one of my Jillian Michael's DVDs.  May I say how sorry I am for not keeping up with those?  I even went back a week from where I had left off and it still hurt more than I thought!  It was definitely a good workout though and I'm sorry I've fallen off for more reasons than just the lack of fitness.  Luckily, today made me realize how much I needed to work on so that's helping my determination...

Tomorrow's another run day, but considering it's my day off I might try and hit the gym (when the normal doors are open) and get some weight/machine work done.  Plus, I really need to keep up with the calorie burning considering it is getting close to Halloween and candy is all around.  Plus, it is National Dessert Day so I just have to celebrate that...

Arm Workout

I've been on a break since the Disneyland Half Marathon and I'm gearing up to start increasing my mileage again.  I'm still hitting just about 2 miles at a time, but that's been good since my ankle and shins have decided they want to act up... again.  I have to admit, I don't ever think I'll never not be injured or fighting something.

Still, I am getting mentally prepared to get back in endurance training.  It is definitely going to be my focus now because it was seriously lacking for the Disneyland Half.  Plus the humidity is finally dropping off and the daily temperatures are calming down.  That means I'll be able to run outside again!  I was going to today, but it's an important day at work for me and yesterday my ankle had me limping around in the afternoon so I decided to take it easy.

If you remember when I started this journey I said I was going to do pull ups everyday because I recognized that as one of my weaknesses.  Then I stopped... Well, I just discovered the pull up and dips machine in the gym.  It uses weights to help you back up and so I've been playing with that to find the right amount of help.  I can tell you one thing... my shoulders are sore!  I spent about 10-15 minutes today in the gym just focusing on my arms and they are definitely tired and will be sore tomorrow.  Still, I had fun discovering the new machines to help out with my arm workouts.  That's still one of my biggest trouble zones and an area I'll probably always continue to work on.

So a run tomorrow followed by a night at Magic Kingdom park for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party... what a great start to the holidays and to the weekend!

Good News Follows Bad

I did as I said I would and got out and ran 3 miles this morning!  I then proceeded to walk for about 10 minutes.  I'm getting back on track...  I am now 8 miles behind on my Nike+ goal.  I have 5 days to complete 15 miles... Let's see if this can happen... I have also been smart about my food choices today to get my diet back on track as well.

In other good news.  Darden Restaurants, the company that owns Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Red Lobster, and other chain restaurants; has pledged to First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Campaign and will be reducing the calories and sodium by 20% in the next 10 years.  

Darden has also added more healthier options to the kid's menu.  Now, when I first heard about this change, I was listening to the radio and the hosts were talking about it.  They also mentioned that if children want fries with their dish, then they need to have an adult order it for them.  Now, I didn't see this mentioned in the article I read about the announcement, but I personally think it's a good idea.\

To read an article about the announcement you can visit NPR's report here.

Now, this is great news for me because while I'm not a big fan of Red Lobster and have never been to Bahama Breeze or Longhorn Steakhouse, I absolutely love Olive Garden.  Hopefully the change doesn't make a decline in the quality, but I doubt it will.  These big chains are good about keeping the quality up even facing these types of change.  Plus, they have 10 years to figure it out... I'm sure they'll get it right in that time.

I've Been Bad...

So, this week was just busy.  It's the easiest way to explain the week really.

I combined 2 weekends to take 4 days off for the Disneyland Half, so I ended up working for 2 weeks, or 10 days.  Today was day 10, which is great because that means I get tomorrow off.  However, the 10 days have worn me down and I've just had no energy to run.  Just this afternoon, I collapsed onto my bed after work and took a 2 hour nap.

Due to this extra time off, I'm way behind on my Nike+ goal.  I'm almost 10 miles back.  Tomorrow I'll be running about 3 miles, it depends on how I'm feeling.  Saturday could be the same.  It's one of the sad things about the Nike+ is that it doesn't log biking or weights.  I've done both of those in the last week, but they didn't count!

For most of the week, I've been good about what I've been eating, but I unwravelled a bit yesterday and today.  Especially today.  Luckily, tomorrow is my day to get back on track... I'll run, eat right, and just feel better with where I'm at.

I think that was the worst part of this whole week.  I knew I was falling behind on my goal and I knew my calories weren't as good as they should have been.  That ate at my conscience and I've had it bugging me over the last few days.  I guess that's still the competitive athlete in me.  When I swam competitively I never missed a practice unless something with school came up or I was really really sick.  Now, it seems like one little thing can throw me off.

So like I said... tomorrow will get me back on track.  I'll get up and run, take my roommate to the airport, and relax for the rest of the day.  I'll recenter myself and just regain some of that control I've lost.  Maybe I'll do a little meditation while I stretch?  Who knows...

Back Running

While running would have been nice yesterday, I'm in the middle of a marathon work week and so I went home and took a mini-nap. Thus my workout consisted of me walking around Disney's Hollywood Studios for a few hours and getting my heart rate up on Rock'n'Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror.

So this morning turned out to be perfect for my workout. I set my alarm a bit early and was able to get down to the gym for a nice little run.

I wasn't sore, but my IT band was tight and I definitely felt that for a bit. It looks like I might be doing some rolling once I get home from work. Other than that my run felt pretty good. I then did a few arm-focused weight exercises.

Yes, that does mean I faced the dreaded treadmill again, but I chose one I knew (or hoped) was working and things went well. I was still bored and I cannot wait for the humidity to disappear so I can run outside again. It's already starting to get better...

I was running in my new Asics Cummulus' and they felt pretty good. There weren't any shin splint worries or anything like that so maybe in the next few weeks I'll break them in and get out on a 5 miler... So, right now the reviews are positive on the new shoes!

Race Recap

So it's been two days now since the Disneyland Half and it's about time I start looking ahead to the 2012 Princess Half Marathon.  So, to put the race behind me it's time to recap all that happened.

The first mile was spent trying to get around people.  The first few miles of the Disneyland Half is spent weaving through the parks so it bottlenecks a lot and you tend to get stuck behind walkers and slower people.  Which brings up my first issue... those people who somehow get into the higher corrals and are walking within the first .5 mile!  The starting line was still visible and I was passing walkers.

For those of you who believe that moving up corrals doesn't hurt anyone... it really is annoying and it can be dangerous if runners can't get by or aren't expecting you to stop.  So, if you are in a higher corral and are planning to walk early, go to the back of the corral so those who are serious about the running part can get by.

Once we were in the parks I took pictures with Phineas and Ferb, Dug and Russel from UP, Rapunzel and Snow White, and then Belle and Cinderella.  There were other characters out, like Darth Vader who had the longest line, Tigger, and Sleeping Beauty and the fairies.  Sleeping Beauty was actually on the Carousel which was pretty neat.  They also had some floats out from the parade, but without any character so that was kind of iffy.  If you're going to bring a float out, at least have the character with it...  They had the trains out again which was a cool and that was my last picture before hitting Anaheim.

The course looped through more of Disneyland than it did last year considering California Adventure (DCA) is still under construction.  I liked the fact you saw a lot more of the park, but again, there's a lot of bottlenecking through the parks.  Maybe next year when DCA is open again they can have more of the race inside the parks?  What do you think runDisney?

 Between miles 4 and 8, it was pretty boring.  Let's face it Anaheim isn't the prettiest of cities.  There was a bit of snaking up and down streets to get the miles up before heading to Angel's Stadium.  I hit my first and biggest wall just before mile 5.  I didn't feel good and fatigue was just tearing apart my legs.  I walked a bit to get over the nerves making me feel like I was going throw up, but then once I calmed down and got some water and powerade I was feeling better.  I was still feeling a bit sluggish though.

Around mile 7 the soundtrack from Illuminations, the nightly EPCOT show, came on.  That music helped push me through the next mile and and once I hit mile 8 I was feeling a lot better.  It also helped that mile 8 is like the turning back to home point for me.  I know it's over half way, but there's so much more after that marker and it just pushes you that much harder.

First was the Honda center, although they didn't any hockey players of the Duck from the Anaheim Ducks out.  After that we ran on the Santa Ana trail.  That's a pretty narrow area so again, it's important to make sure you're out of the way when walking and just make sure there's no one who can run into you or for you to run into.  There was a nasty little hill coming up from the trail, which I did walk, but after that it wasn't too bad.

Almost immediately after the trail we were at Angel's stadium.  The Boy Scouts were out again cheering everyone on and trying to get high fives from the runners.  I was more than happy to run on the side and slap there hands... Then we turned into the tunnel, and ran onto the field, just like the teams.  They were getting the field ready for a game, but we were still able to run around home base (see picture below).  They had the jumbo-tron on again and it's always fun to see yourself on a massive tv.

After Angel stadium it was almost a straight shot back to the parks.  You hit Mile 10 in the stadium's parking lot, and then Mile 11 out on the streets.  Mile 12 was right when you hit the parks.  Now, but this time my ankles were on fire, my calves were tired, but still my quads were good.  The last mile weaved through the service roads behind DCA and then through the hotels.  

Finally, between Downtown Disney and Disneyland Hotel, the finish loomed over everyone.  Mickey and the rest of the Fab 5 were at either side of the finish cheering everyone on.  It felt amazing to finish... I had finished another half.

Getting the Disneyland and Coast to Coast medals was the best feeling ever.  As soon as I have a picture with all of my medals on, I will be posting it!  I wore them around most of the day, even though they were smacking each other the whole time and being annoying.  They were heavy, but I was proud to bear that weight of those medals to show off what I had done.

If you've been reading this blog then you know how bad my training has been since my move.  The fact that I survived and my quads didn't hurt nearly as much as either of the last halves is a testament to how important strength training is to a training plan.  However, I was running about a 11 minute mile so the endurance training would have helped to get that time down.  

I know the things I need to work on before the next half and the things I need to just keep doing.  I need to get my endurance up again and my strength training needs to stay strong.  Other than that... less than 6 months to Princess!

Some tips for those who might be running the 2012 Disneyland Half or even the 2012 Tinkerbell (if it's the same or a similar course).

• Get to your corral early because there are a lot of a people, not a lot of room, and you'll just get a better position.  Then again, please be mindful of your speed (walking vs running) when you decide where to go in the corral.
• Enjoy running through the parks.  Take pictures with the characters you want.  They are only in the first part of the race since the rest is in Anaheim.
• Spread out and focus on your own pace while running through the city.  You have pretty much the whole street, so use it!
• Enjoy everyone cheering you on.  There are a lot of bands, cheerleaders, and dance groups out there for YOUR entertainment.
• And most of all... HAVE FUN!

So there it is, my recap.  For those who haven't thought about doing a Disney race, I would HIGHLY suggest it.  Personally, I plan on looking forward to Princess next year, then maybe Disneyland again and Food and Wine?  I might possibly be looking to do all runDisney events in the next 5 years or so...

Run Hard Party Harder

I'm done.  It took me 2 hours and 36 minutes, but I'm done... Now, I'm sitting here in comfy jeans and my new "I Did It!" t-shirt.  My legs are sore, my back is sore, I'm just sore in general.  Overall... Disneyland was another fun and successful race.

Initial thoughts-

• My ankles hurt the most, my calves and knee would switch, but were tolerable.  Both spots were expected to be painful so that's not surprising.
• My quads weren't nearly as tight as I was expecting.  Actually, they aren't tight period (In my opinion at least).  I guess I should thank Jillian Michaels for those quad workouts... I'm stronger than expected.
• Weren't as many cheerleaders and bands, but still the course was fun.  
• My medals are heavy, but AWESOME!  Yes, I did bring my Princess 1/2 Marathon medal and so I will be wearing three around with me today.  It's my neck's workout for the day because anyone who's done a runDisney race will know how heavy and well done the medals are.
• Volunteers were amazing.  They deserve a round of applause as well.

Alright, well now it's time to refuel, aka go get breakfast.  Eggs, breakfast potatoes, and fruit, or cinnamon bun french toast?  Decisions decisions...

Tonight I'm getting together with friends from high school and college and tomorrow I'm heading back to Florida.  A more detailed race report will come tomorrow or the next day (along with pictures), and product reviews will come after that...

2011 Disneyland Half Marathon Done.  Next stop... 2012 Princess Half Marathon!

Mini-Brick Workout

By definition, a brick workout is when you have a workout in one event or sport and then you follow it with a base workout in another event.  Brick workouts are popular with triathletes because it lets you practice 2 legs of a triathlon in one workout.  When I was on the college tri team, we would normally have brick workouts 2-3 times a week depending on where we were in the season.

What does this have to do with my half marathon training?  Especially since I'm only a week and 2 days out from my race?

Well, I had a mini-brick workout this morning.  I started with a 2.2 mile run on the treadmill (in my back up running shoes since I'm trying to keep my good shoes as alive as possible for the half).  After my run I let my heart calm down by focusing on my arms with some weights.  After that routine I got on one of the stationary bikes and spent another 20 minute bike workout to complete my overall workout.

Sure, when I was doing brick workouts for triathlons they were longer and more intense, hence the reason I called it a mini-brick.  It was still a good workout though and a bit fun considering I wasn't just on the treadmill staring at the TV or out the window. 

I will admit I was hoping for an outside run in the rain.  It's one of the things I'm missing from California.  I miss waking up to a foggy/misty morning and running in the fog.  The closest I'll get is running in one of the afternoon storms, but those usually happen while I'm at work.  We were supposed to have some morning storms because of the hurricane, but it looked like they came last night and there might be another storm moving in now... too bad.  I'll get my run in the rain eventually...

Good Runner

Yesterday I was a bad runner, skipping my run to relax and go to a park.  I felt bad for it, but today... today I made up for my laziness.

I woke up and actually got out of bed in order to go on a run before work.  I got down a few minutes later than I wanted, but still... I went running this morning!

And the good runner status didn't even end there.  After I work I got back and did an abs and arm circuit.  My legs were still pretty sore from my last circuit and run this morning so I just focused on my arms and abs.  I did the Jillian Michaels "No More Trouble Zones" and skipped a lot of the squats and what not, but it did have a lot of weights for the arms and abs so it went well.  I could definitely feel my arms and abs working.  I'm going to be sore tomorrow... but I'll be happy and proud of myself with each step of soreness.

2 weeks from today... I would have finished the Disneyland Half Marathon and I will be hanging out with friends at home!

Victory!

I've done it again!

That's right... I've reached another goal with Nike+.  This time it was to run 15 times in 5 weeks, so 3 times a week.  I was originally ahead of schedule by a few days, but then with dive training at work and other things going on I fell behind.  Still... my 5 weeks was actually up tomorrow so I am a day ahead.

I know I just posted a few days ago on while running in the morning is the best, but I actually ran this final run this AFTERNOON.  That's right, you read it correctly.  I ran in the afternoon.  I was so close to not running, but then I said I had to so I got up, and went down.  Luckily there weren't too many people in the gym and a treadmill was open.  With no excuse I was able to get a 2 miler in.  I'm still on the fence on if I'll run tomorrow morning or not... I have an extra 1/2 hour before I have to leave for work (I'm going in later to stay later...).  Hm... what to do?  What to do???

Whether or not I run tomorrow, I have another question to ponder.  What should my next goal be?  Another frequency goal?  Or maybe a distance goal?  Decisions Decisions...  Any ideas?

Bad Day? Or Out of Shape?

I wanted to run yesterday, but I took the day off.  I guess I'd say its because I'm still getting used to working all the time and running around the aquarium.  However, I did dive yesterday so I guess that could be considered working out?  I did do abs the day before though.

I did get over to the gym and ran for about 40 minutes this morning.  It was about 3.5 miles and I did add in walking intervals towards the end.  I just wasn't feeling so good towards the end.  I don't know if it was the heat and humidity, dehydration (although I've been drinking more here than I did before I moved), fatigue from working and playing in the parks, or something else.

The biggest reason I hate having bad days is because I start doubting whether or not I can do this or I know how bad it's going to hurt when I do it.  It's those kind of thoughts that I know can tear me down and they usually do keep me from doing the full distance I want to do.

Now, just because I've had a bad day doesn't mean I'm throwing away my registration and quitting the race.  I'm definitely not one of those people.  I'll push through whatever pain attacks during the race.  I also know for every bad workout there's an average workout and a completely awesome workout.  I'm just waiting for those to happen.

I also believe that part of the problem is that I am working and I am trying to workout around my work schedule.  I'm a morning person and I love running by myself with as few people around as possible.  Unfortunately, that makes it hard for me to workout in the afternoon because the gym in my complex is usually full or pretty busy and I just feel like collapsing after work, especially after diving.  I know I have to get over crashing after work, but I have a feeling that could take some time...

Luckily, running isn't my only source of working out.  Tomorrow will be another 30 Day Shred and possibly a yoga workout (although I doubt I'll do the yoga).  I'll also be doing it after work because tomorrow is an early day at work (it's also a long day so we'll see if I have the energy).

Moving- A Workout of its Own

Currently, I'm looking out the window as the clouds roll by and the occasional person walks out to their car.  I have officially moved in and started my internship with Disney.  Due to all of the excitement in the last few days, the last time I ran was Wednesday and was only about 2 miles.

Remember- I'm from the west coast and I am completely not used to humidity.  I was originally planning to do more, but the humidity had me stopping at 2.  The biggest thing I noticed was at the my breaths were so heavy... I don't know if I'm getting out of shape, it was me warming up, or if it was the humidity.  I guess I'll have to run again soon to either get back in shape or get used to running in humidity.

However, I have not been completely lazy these last few days.  The last few days offered their own workout.  It's called lugging my luggage, few things that were packed in the car, and groceries up to my 3rd floor apartment.  In the 2 days I've lived here, I have felt those stairs at least once each day.  I've made so many trips up and down those stairs that I'm resting for the rest of the day.

I do plan on getting a run in soon... however I do have early mornings until Tuesday it looks like.  I guess my running won't be so regular anymore, but that's part of having a professional life- working around work schedules.  My manager says a lot of people run during their lunch break so I might have to suck it up and run in the heat and humidity (and follow it up with guzzling down a ton of water).  Hopefully I'll figure out a routine so my training doesn't take such a hit.

So it's not really a secret that I'm a fan of Jillian Michael's training videos.  Well, guess what I found today?  They have packaged weights, yoga mats, and whatever else she uses together.  I picked up the one with a yoga mat and 3 pound weights which apparently goes with 30 Day Shred.  It's just so convenient and it was under $20 at Walmart!

Tomorrow will be a lot of walking, but I've started to feel that itch to get some sort of workout down.  I was thinking about going to the gym today, but unfortunately finishing the move in process (somewhat) has gotten in the way.  So tomorrow... I will do a workout... I promise!

Remember how I said I was watching the cloud outside?  Ya... it's raining now.  The 3:00 showers are here...