Jogger Stroller 101

B.O.B. Stroller (I got the navy one!)

I'm admittedly new to the whole jogger stroller game, but even after just one run, there is so much I have learned!

1. Check Your Tire Pressure: there is a BIG difference between running with full wheels, 

and running with fairly flat ones! It's like cruising on smooth cement verses trudging through mud!

2. Fixed Wheel vs Swivel Wheel: I never understood the appeal of a fixed wheel when

a swivel is so much easier to maneuver. People said it shakes, and it really does!

Nothing terrible, but if you can fix that front wheel, it leads to a smoother ride!

I do love my swivel for everyday use though!

3. Wind Resistance: Wow, running against the wind with a stroller is the equivalent of running 

up a steep hill to me! Bless those with double strollers! I can't imagine the kiddos liking it

very much either, but your legs will definitely get a workout!

4. If you are in the market for a jogger, shop around. I asked MANY friends, MANY times which
strollers they prefer. The top two were B.O.B. and Chariot. There are a few major
differences between the two, but what it came down to is what your lifestyle is.
The fans of Chariot also ride their bikes a lot, and you can attach this to the bike, or use it
as a stroller. The B.O.B. is just a stroller. Both are expensive (in my book!) but are
quality. B.O.B. has stellar costumer service also, which I think is a huge plus.

Random post, I know, but there you go!
Enjoy!

Post Race Updates

I've realized that I haven't been very good and posting how these events I've been training

for or signing up for have been going! This weekend I finished my 3rd event for the season

and am loving it! Now I just need to figure out what's next on my list! 

Color Run Lubbock 2013
The crowds were nuts at The Color Run and even in my time in Houston,
I've never seen such massive chaos!
After an hour waiting to start the run . . . we finally go moving! The girls I went
with quickly flew past me (they are quick ones!) and in the end I think I ran it in under
40 minutes, which I thought was pretty good since I stopped for pictures and made sure I
got sufficiently painted at each color station! And yes, I did sweat rainbows!

Walk for Autism  Amarillo 2013
We (Jon and I) signed up for The Walk for Autistm for Team Chandler--a super stellar kid that we go to church with! It was not what we expected!
The walk was crazy short, but the event was really fun and super kid friendly!
Our little monkeys had a blast and it was for a great cause!

Warrior Dash Albuquerque 2013
This weekend was our (Jon and mine) Warrior Dash! It was a LOT different from last
year . . . meaning . . . we were fairly clean at the finish! They held it at the Balloon Park where
the famous Balloon Races are held every year, and it was really the most beautiful grass area
I had seen in years! Not really the place you expect this event! We started off a bit off
site where there was a lot of gravel and dirt and hills, and Jon proved that he will always be
tougher than me! I was DYING! I'm blaming the altitude, so don't tell me otherwise!
The actual obstacles were really fun! Some higher than we expected!
All in all, we ran it in about 45 minutes, which I thought was pretty good, since I
really forced Jon to walk with me at parts! He's caught the bug for these type of races
now, so I'm excited what next race we could sign up for!

Any other great races coming up this summer? I am planning on The Color Run Amarillo
in June, and maybe in Idaho in July! You would think I was a runner!

I did ENJOY!

Warrior Training: Day 10

Soundtrack and Packing!

(WD 2012)

So I came upon a fantastic list of things you need to make sure you have an enjoyable Warrior Dash!

Check out the list here!

The Breakdown: 

1-tight clothes/shoes (think mud/water drudging and how they will hold up!)

2-work gloves for the ropes (would be nice but not necessary)

3-change of clothes (they do provide a new shirt in the swag!)

4-towel to dry off

5-flip flops for post race

6-first aid kit for the minor scrapes 

7-plastic grocery bag for dirty clothes

8-cash and i.d.

9-old sheets/towels to protect your car seats

10-good attitude!

I will add a #11

11-GREAT MUSIC!

Which leads to part II of this post! Playlist!
You know I love me a playlist!
Here's my Warrior Training Day Mix! 
(I would totally put it on a cassette if I could!)

So Warriors, good luck tomorrow if you are joining us in Albuquerque!
And as always . . .
Enjoy!

Warrior Training: Day 9

Run It Like You Won It!

(This is how we wash off post race!)

Today is your last real day of training (because it's good to take a break the day before an event)!

My suggestion: Run It!

Run at least 3 to 4 miles. 

Change your pace, add hills, add sprints, add pushups or burpees!

Stretch really well after and drink lots of water!

You've created a stellar machine of a body and will rock the event!

Here is my favorite playlist to run to! 

It's one of my spin mixes, and I'm sure I've posted it before, but there you go!

Warrior Training: Day 8

Take it to the Water!

(I googled this picture, but it gives you an idea of potential water obstacles!)

Did you know some of the obstacles are water related? We are talking trudging through a river, crawling through mucky water, or running across floating catamarans. 

So how does one prepare for these?!

BY GETTING WET!

Most of these drills will work best if you have access to a shallower pool. 

If it's deeper than 4-4.5feet, a kick board might be your best bet!

Here are some drills to do in the pool to push your body and get you ready!

Warmup: Jog the length of the pool (5 min)

Sprint length of pool, jog back (10 times)

Noodle Jumps (lets do 100!)

Push Ups (go until your arms feel like they will fall off)

Sprint length of pool (10 times)

Cooldown: Jog length of pool (5 min)

Noodle Jumps-you jump over and back for 1 rep!

Pushups-Just like you are getting out of the pool. It burns after a bit!

Bonus: Water is easy on the joints and you will be fighting resistance in every move

so kind of getting more bang for your buck. Plus: No one cares what you look like in your

swimsuit, so jump on in and burn some calories!

Enjoy!

Warrior Training: Day 7

Hard CORE

It's a fact: if you have a rocking core, you just look like a WARRIOR! 

Here's a nice little exercise to get you there!

BASIC CRUNCH (upper abs)

KICK UPS (lower abs)

OBLIQUE CRUNCH (obliques)

PLANK (whole enchilada)

SUPERMANS (lower back)

1 minute per move--with the oblique crunches do 30 sec per side.

Repeat 3 times!

Total Time: 15 minutes

Basic Crunch: didn't realize it was the muscle picture!

Kick Ups: from here, kick your feet towards the ceiling using your lower abs and return to start.

Oblique Crunch: make it easier by only lifting the top leg.

Plank: Can be done on elbows, hands, knees, or feet. 

Superman Variations: A) legs only, B) upper body only, C) both together or flutter.

ENJOY!

Warrior Training: Day 6

My mini-Warriors!

"Fun" Hill Run

This routine will basically be for gymers-not so much outside running 

(based on the fact that at least here, we have no hills!).

Pick your pace-you know you best, but don't be afraid to push yourself!

Warm Up--5 min

Jog--5 min

Jog--Incline 5--2 min

Jog--Incline 10--2 min

Jog--Incline 5--2 min

Jog--5 min (back to flat)

Sprint--1min

Jog--1 min

Sprint--Incline 5--1 min

Jog--Incline 5--1 min

Sprint--1 min (back at flat)

Jog--1 min

Jog--Incline 5--5 minutes

Run--5 min (back at flat)

Cooldown--5 min

Total Time: 42 minutes

Warrior Training: Day 5

I love Pinterest and I LOVE this workout!

(totally made my class do this this morning!)
Couple of notes: This took us longer than I expected. It probably would be about an hour
to complete start to finish, but since we do warmups and stretching, I had to cut
out most of Round Three to fit in my hour time slot. Also, if you have no idea what something is,
do something else. I realized NOW that instead of doing split squats (one leg on chair) I had
my class do dynamic lunges (like cross country)! Oh well!

Pin Here.

Original Website Here.

The Do Anywhere, Total Body Workout! 

(Definitely Warrior worthy!)

This is how I look in my head! In actuality, I look like a hot mess!

Round One:

Cardio Circuit: 

• 1A. Jumping Jacks — 100 reps.
• 1B. Mountain Climbers – 40 reps.
• 1C. High Knees – 40 reps.
• 1D. Squat Jumps – 20 reps.

REST 1 MINUTE

Core Circuit

• 2A. Ab Plank — 60 seconds.
• 2B. Towel Ab Knee Tucks – 20 reps. (like abs roll ins with a ball)
• 2C. Bicycle Crunches – 45 seconds.
• 2D. Decline Ab Plank – 30 seconds. Place feet on a chair.

REST 1 MINUTE

Spiderman Pushup

Upper Body Circuit

• 3A. Spiderman Pushups — 16 reps. (8 per side) Replace with regular push ups if too difficult.
• 3B. Chair Dips – 20 reps.
• 3C. Decline Chair Pushups – 15 reps.
• 3D. Lying Superman – 20 reps.
• 3E. Chair Dips — 15 reps.

REST 1 MINUTE

Lower Body Circuit: 

• 4A. Bulgarian Split Squats – 15 reps per leg. Use a chair.
• 4B. Burpees – 10 reps.
• 4C. Wall Sits – 45 seconds.
• 4D. Single Leg Bridge – 10 reps per leg.

REST 2 MINUTES

 Round Two:

Cardio Circuit 2: 

• 5A. Jumping Jacks — 75 reps.
• 5B. Mountain Climbers — 50 reps.
• 5c. High Knees — 50 reps.
• 5D. Squat Jumps — 20 reps.

REST 1 MINUTE

Ab V-Ups

Core Circuit 2:

• 6A. Leg Lifts  – 20 reps.
• 6B. Side Planks — 45 seconds per side.
• 6C. Ab V-Ups – 25 reps.
• 6D. Mason Twists – 30 seconds.
• 6E. Ab Pulse Ups – 10 reps. 

REST 1 MINUTE

Upper Body Circuit 2:

• 7A. Pushups — 20 reps.
• 7B. Chair Dips — 20 reps.
• 7C. Decline Chair Pushups — 20 reps.
• 7D. Lying Superman – 20 reps.
• 7E. Chair Dips — 15 reps.

REST 1 MINUTE

Lower Body Circuit 2: 

• 8A. Bulgarian Split Squats — 15 reps per leg. Use a chair.
• 8B. Burpees — 10 reps.
• 8C. Wall Sits — 45 seconds.
• 8D. Single Leg Bridge — 10 reps per leg.

REST 2 MINUTES

Round Three:

Cardio Circuit 3: 

• 9A. Jumping Jacks — 50 reps.
• 9B. Mountain Climbers — 60 reps.
• 9c. High Knees — 50 reps.
• 9D. Squat Jumps — 30 reps.

REST 1 MINUTE

Flutter Kicks: I'm diggin' his mustache!

Core Circuit 3:

• 10A. Flutter Kicks — 45 seconds.
• 10B. Oblique Ab Crunches  – 15 reps per side.
• 10C. Ab Plank — 60 seconds.
• 10D. Wood Chopper Crunch  – 12 reps per side. (we did them with a medicine ball here)

REST 1 MINUTE

Upper Body Circuit 3:

• 11A. Spiderman Pushups — 15 reps. Replace with regular push ups if these are too difficult.
• 11B. Chair Dips — 20 reps.
• 11C. Decline Chair Pushups —15 Replace with regular push ups if these are too difficult.
• 11D. Lying Hyperextensions — 20 reps.
• 11E. Chair Dips — 15. 

REST 1 MINUTE

Lower Body Circuit 3:

• 12A. Burpees — 10 reps.
• 12B. Wall Sits — 60 seconds
• 12C. Single Leg Bridge — 10 reps per leg.
• 12D. Bulgarian Split Squats – 10 per leg. Use a chair.

DONE

ENJOY!

Warrior Training: Day 4

Lower Body Love!
Three Rounds of the Below Moves:

Step Ups: Alternate legs and go for 20 on each leg.

Deadlifts: 20 reps

Squats: 20 reps

Side Lunges: 20 each side

Dynamic Lunges: (aka jumping lunges) 20 each side

Warrior Training: Day 3

(Kids are too cool for school! They were the BEST cheerleaders!)

Day Three: Run It!

 Run 3.1 Miles

(Choose a time and try to beat it! For me, that's making it in under 35 minutes! I know, I'm a speed demon!)

Enjoy!

Warrior Training: Day 2

(My good friend Tiffany and I post race . . . so Warriorfied! WD 2012)

Day Two: Upper Body Goodness!

(grab some light weights!)

Round One

1 min: Overhead Press

1 min: Bicep Curls

1 min: Tricep Kickbacks

1 min: Reverse Flyes

1 min: Chest Press or Pushups

-Jump Rope 100x-

Round Two

2 min: Overhead Press

2 min: Bicep Curls

2 min: Tricep Kickbacks

2 min: Reverse Flyes

2 min: Chest Press or Pushups

-Jump Rope 100x-

Round Three

1 min: Overhead Press

1 min: Bicep Curls

1 min: Tricep Kickbacks

1 min: Reverse Flyes

1 min: Chest Press or Pushups

Enjoy!!!

Warrior Training: Day 1

I'm realizing that the Warrior Dash my hubby and I signed up for is coming up in TWO weeks!

Mercy! Where has the time gone?! We signed up for this thing before the New Year! 

So as a result, I'm kind of feeling the pressure to train for this sucker!

As a result, the next to weeks posts will be Warrior Training! 

Basically everything you would need to do, to train for a Warrior Dash!

(You can say it: I'm awesome! WD 2012)

Day One: Run and Some

Run: .5 miles

20 Burpees

Run: .5 miles

20 Pushups

Run: .5 miles

20 Squat Jumps

Run: .5 miles

20 Tuck Jumps*

Run: .5 miles

20 Jumping Jacks

Run: .5 miles

ENJOY!

*Tuck Jumps

Music Week: Dance

For my last post of Music Week, I'm giving you songs that make me want to dance.

 It's basically the music I love but am slightly embarrassed that I love (cue Britney Spears!).  

Maybe I've just worked at a gym too long, but I love me some music that makes me wanna move!

(curse you addictive Zumba classes!)

So here you go! 

DANCE!

ENJOY!

Music Week: Spin

Spinning is my original workout passion and yet, I drew a blank looking for some songs this

week! Yikes! I obviously need to hit more classes (that are NOT my own!).

Here's a little taste of music to push you on your bike!

ENJOY!!!

Music Week: Brutal

Today's mix is music I like when I'm doing a bootcamp style workout. 

Something to get me pushing myself.

Brutal: Here you go.

ENJOY!

Music Week: Run

I hate running, but still REALLY would love to love it. Turmoil over this!

What generally keeps me moving is music!

The music doesn't necessarily have to have a stellar beat, but it has to make me feel something!

Whether that feeling is a flashback of trying--and failing--to walk myself into labor (Thunder by Boys Like Girls), or a college flashback of driving back and forth from Rexburg to Provo, singing at the top of my lungs (Respect by Pink). Or maybe it's a song that makes me giggle because of a student in my class that REALLY would like to kidnap Adam Levine (Payphone by Maroon 5).

Now my RUN! mix may make some sense!

EnJoy!

Music Week: Lifting

This week I decided that I want to find music. I'm always looking for new stuff and try to find

stuff that inspires me to either lift more, run faster, spin heavier, or push myself harder.

Today's Music: Lifting

ENJOY!

Pyramid Planks

Alright, last pyramid for the week! Today we are doing Plank Jacks (where from plank position you jumping jack your legs out and in) and Mountain Man (both right and left leg come up for 1 rep).

This one is honestly not bad, so don't be afraid to repeat!

9 Plank Jacks - 1 Mountain Man

8 Plank Jacks - 2 Mountain Mans (or Mountain Men?!)

7 Plank Jacks - 3 Mountain Mans

6 Plank Jacks - 4 Mountain Mans

5 Plank Jacks - 5 Mountain Mans

4 Plank Jacks - 6 Mountain Mans

3 Plank Jacks -7 Mountain Mans

2 Plank Jacks -8 Mountain Mans

1 Plank Jack -9 Mountain Mans

Enjoy!

Pyramid Ball Toss/Squat

Today's Pyramid involves medicine ball wall throws and regular or plie squats (I'm honestly never picky!). If you are doing the toss, make sure the wall you are throwing it up on is solid! Otherwise, you can do what this lovely pictured fellow is doing and just do a shoulder press. You can use a basketball if a medicine ball is not available, otherwise, I like a 6lb-10lb medicine ball.

Here we go:

9 Ball Tosses - 1 Squat

8 Ball Tosses -2 Squats

7 Ball Tosses - 3 Squats

6 Ball Tosses - 4 Squats

5 Ball Tosses -5 Squats

4 Ball Tosses -6 Squats

3 Ball Tosses - 7 Squats

2 Ball Tosses - 8 Squats

1 Ball Toss - 9 Squats

Enjoy!

Pyramid Abs

For todays workout, you can either use a TRX Suspension Trainer (LOVE) or a basic

workout ball (also love)!  We are going to be doing BALL ROLL INS or TRX CRUNCH, and PUSHUPS!

Ball Roll Ins--Pushup will be done from A.

TRX Crunch and Pushup

 The Workout:

9 Crunch/Roll ins : 1 Pushup

8 Crunch/Roll ins : 2 Pushups

                              7 Crunch/Roll ins : 3 Pushups
                              6 Crunch/Roll ins : 4 Pushups
                              5 Crunch/Roll ins : 5 Pushups
                              4 Crunch/Roll ins : 6 Pushups
                              3 Crunch/Roll ins : 7 Pushups
                              2 Crunch/Roll ins : 8 Pushups
                               1 Crunch/Roll in : 9 Pushups

                                                ENJOY!

Running Like in High School (except I was the lazy girl in track!)

(and Yes, I realize I look ridiculous in this photo!)

In honor of my latest run and my next race coming up, here is a little run training. 

 Reliving your high school track days is the probably the best way to geterdone!

Total Mileage: ~3 miles

1600 meter warmup

600 meter run

200 meter jog

200 meter run

200 meter jog

200 meter run

600 meter run

200 meter job

800 meter cool down jog: 

barefooted, backward along short end and forward long end of football field

ENJOY!

Pyramid: Pushup/Shoulder Press

Here's a fun challenge to work your chest and shoulders!

 It's a PUSHUP/SHOULDER PRESS PYRAMID!!!

How it works:

(and I should just mention right off the bat, that I do the pushups on my knees, and from kneeling position, do the shoulder press).

1 Pushup/ 1 Shoulder Press

2 Pushups/ 2 Shoulder Presses

3 Pushups/ 3 Shoulder Presses

4 Pushups/ 4 Shoulder Presses

5 Pushups/ 5 Shoulder Presses

6 Pushups/ 6 Shoulder Presses

7 Pushups/ 7 Shoulder Presses

8 Pushups/ 8 Shoulder Presses

9 Pushups/ 9 Shoulder Presses

8 Pushups/ 8 Shoulder Presses

7 Pushups/ 7 Shoulder Presses

6 Pushups/ 6 Shoulder Presses

5 Pushups/ 5 Shoulder Presses

4 Pushups/ 4 Shoulder Presses

3 Pushups/ 3 Shoulder Presses

2 Pushups/ 2 Shoulder Presses

1 Pushup/ 1 Shoulder Press

Fun, right?!

Option 2:

1 Pushup/ 9 Shoulder Presses

2 Pushups/ 8 Shoulder Presses

3 Pushups/ 7 Shoulder Presses

4 Pushups/ 6 Shoulder Presses

5 Pushups/ 5 Shoulder Presses

6 Pushups/ 6 Shoulder Presses

7 Pushups/ 3 Shoulder Presses

8 Pushups/ 2 Shoulder Presses

9 Pushups/ 1 Shoulder Press

ENJOY!