I <3 RUNNING

It’s the first day of 2011 so I thought I better start my goal of consistent blogging (even though I have negative time to tonight)!

I really have enjoyed this Christmas break. I have been able to run whenever, which isn’t the best, but it worked this time. I got to run with my dad several times over the break and once with my brother. I have also got to go on ‘out’ runs with my mom picking me up wherever I finish. And last but not least I got to run the last run of the year with my friends, which was super fun! The break has been great.

Goals for RUNNING

1)      Set specific weekly and monthly goals especially when I graduate so I continue improving and getting quicker.

2)      Record me running a few times so I can work on my form.

3)      RUN BECAUSE I LOVE IT!!!!

4)      Blog every time I run

        Enjoy the last of my high school career and look forward to new goals and new roads (that will be a hard goal)! =(

My alarm went off real early this morning (6:30), school officially started again. . . well kind of the rest of it starts next week.But this also means we are back running as a group. It was hard to go running with anybody over the break because I worked all day everyday and nobody wanted to go running in the COLD evening or early morning so. .  . It was good to catch up on stories and  man I'm going to miss this group of girls. We ran firestation backwards. We had to make a potty stop and we had two girls biff it and well just about nobody ran or ran very little over the break so there were a lot of 'slow downs'. The run took awhile but it was the best ever!!!

The freezing cold weather is getting REALLY annoying about now. It was sweet why it last but I hate my fingers always feeling like they are going to fall off or thinking about having to wear a coat why I run and then not being able to warm up after I'm done running. I would just like some warm weather to run in, please! Other than freezing our fannies off it was a pretty decent run with all the girls. They are not motivated yet to go our pace yet almost like I'm not motivated to run fast with the boys yet so it was all good just having a good conversations and running with a lot of people. Completely enjoyed my time out. Oh and don't try and hop a fence with pokies on it, your shorts will get caught and you will get stabbed and the outcome . . . . just never again. 

Can I say I saved the girls today? We almost had 5 fast but after begging we got 4 fast, as long as we seriously did the workout. I'm really glad it was four because any longer and well it really would not have worked. Four today was perfect just enough to be something we all could handle yet far enough it really worked us.  We choose to go out toward Star  Bucks because there were less lights and we were actually able to run through all of them. The pace was steady and quick the whole time. We all commented after the run that our coach would have been proud of the pace we had and that it was nice to stretch out the legs and go a bit quicker. 

I knew I worked after school today so I got up this morning and went running with my dad. My legs were a bit sore from yesterdays quicker run, which is pathetic. I really need to start lifting and picking up the pace a bit more than what we have been doing. Me and my dad this morning ran out toward Artic Circle but we went passed because my dad was hill crazy this morning. The pace was quick too. I really like running with him because he pushes himself and looks for more than what we had planned. Going the extra mile explains him perfectly. 

I was a complete wimp this morning and couldn't get out of bed I was so tired. I worked all day but after I finished working my dad was waiting to go running with me. I'm glad that he is there to push me so I don't slip and miss days. I ate some dinner quickly because I had not eaten all day and then we set off on our old Artic Circle loop and then some. I was really excited to run it because it has been awhile but after awhile I remember all the  long steady uphills owch. It also brought back a lot of memories which is nice. I never want to forget those times. I already feel bad inside because I miss them. It's funny what a run can bring back. 

One of the memories me and my dad talked about was when we went and ran a Sunrise Tire hill. I was a few grades off from being able to run with the high school team but I had heard they ran the Sun Rise Tire hill. As soon as I heard that I hauled my dad with me to run that hill. So we ran our loop with the additional hill. We started and I was so nervous but happy, mid way through the hill and I wanted to walk. My dad wouldn't let me walk and about to the top of the hill I wanted to cry but I made it all the way up, he never gave up on me. I ran home just so excited to tell my mom our accomplishment. One of the xc kids was at our house as I explained how we ran the hill only to find out that they ran it 6+ times. Then I truly wanted to cry but I was still proud of myself.

Anyways it was a great run tonight! 

I did not see this workout coming today, 5 mile tempo with the boys pushing us. This was the first 5 miler I have hit in awhile so I was nervous about the distance and pace. We started out ahead of the boys which was nice so we could ease into it and then we began to pick it up as they caught us. It was tough but honestly it was not too bad. I got a little worried at about 3.75 miles into it when my stomach was turning but a quarter mile fighting that and I was good to go again. Really the workout was tough but not horrible. 

CROSSFIT - My brother did this for awhile before the wrestling season and he and my dad really liked the results. So my dad suggested I try it and see if it will help toughen me up for the track season. Today was my first day and the goal is to go 4-5 times a week. That place really gives you a run for your money. We warmed up and then had 15 minutes of GO GO GO hard no stop lifting. owch. Afterward one of the trainers there was talking to us and suggested I look at the cross fit endurance web site too. Interesting stuff and I think I will go for it!

Oh goodness, I have butchered the first month of blogging for the year!

I  have felt pretty sick all day BUT the workout ended up being pretty dang good. We started on the warm up to the hill but I had to use the bathroom so I took a pit stop at the Boulevard. It took forever to find the bathroom in that place, I realized  I would be running my workout alone. I got the 200,400 and 800 done then everybody else was finished. Our varsity boys however are really kind and helped me push myself on the last 200 and 400. They didn't have to and they just did it because they are the best! Overall I felt really strong running the old man hills and I felt like I pushed myself really well.** Guessing on the mileage. . . I will have to check!

Cross Fit

Warm up: 400 meter run, foam roller, 10x pistol: one legged squats, 10x chest presses (through a bar from your chest to over your head)

W.O.D

18-15-12-9 reps for time:

Chest to Bar Pullups

Burpees (touch 6″ above reach)

I really pushed myself tonight. After the first set though I was shaking but kept going and pushing hard. Can I say I have like next to none upper body strength!