Training update and a review

Hey Ya'll! Sorry I've been absent lately..my time has been taken up by my newer (updated) blog Teach.Run.Love. Anyways onto the training recap...

2 weeks ago was a flop..kinda just did Zumba and Kinect fitness games.

Last week was more productive I feel:
Monday: Arms and shoulders work out with a Self magazine pull out.
Tuesday: Zumba
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 5x400 Interval run that ended up being 3 miles total with a warm up and cool down
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 6 miles with friend Heather.
Sunday: rest

I need to do more on those rest days...maybe light walking, a kinect work out or something!

Onto the review: Gu gels and Power Bar energy gel blasts

First off, Gu gels. Heather and I tried out several before the Women's half this past September. We tried them on our last long run of 11 miles. We each had a different flavor and shared them. She had the chocolate outrage and I had vanilla bean.

The chocolate was much better than the Vanilla, in my opinion. The Chocolate Outrage tasted like chocolate syrup. The vanilla had a weird consistency. When taking these, I had to have a swig of water immediately. The Women's Half were providing gu at the 8 mile marker. On their site, they listed the Gu flavors they were going to be passing out and I was excited that the Chocolate Outrage was going to be handed out. Unfortunately, they were wrong and I took the vanilla anyways. I didn't even finish it because my hand held water bottle was empty and there wasn't a water stop close by. I will be trying some different flavors this time around but will probably be taking my own Gu gel in my iftiness belt for future half marathons that I do to make sure I have a flavor I like.

I've also tried Power bar Energy Gel Chews.

I've tried the Strawberry Banana and the Raspberry. I like the Raspberry better, but they are both good! They give you a little boost and between Heather and I, we took the whole pack, which is about 12 or so chews. They remind me of gushers fruit chews for grown ups!

Week 2 of New Training!

Last week was so crazy because of the snow. Which means lots of treadmill runs=ok for the first few miles..then totally boring!

Sunday Jan 9th-I did an hour Zumba class with my friend Amy! We had a blast!
Monday- Snow day and did 45 minutes of Kinect games (dance central and your shape fitness evolved-arms and shoulders) for Cross training.
Tuesday- Snow day and I played kinect games again..didn't want to trek it down to the fitness room of our townhouse neighborhood.
Wednesday- Snow day- suppose to be a rest day but I needed to do my 4x400 Interval training, so I went down to the workout room and ran all the the times I needed to! I was so tired afterwards but it was such a great workout!
Thursday- was suppose to do 3 miles but did 45 minutes of Your Shape Fitness Evolved cardio kickboxing, nice and easy routine, some gym games, and zen (don't like the zen...so silly)
Friday-Rest day...went back to school and then babysat for the cutest little boy again! Love playing with an almost 18 month old!
Saturday- Friend Heather came down to our house and we went to the Saturn Plant trail to do our 6 miles...we did one lap and much of it was still covered with ice, so we came back here to the treadmills....they were terrible!! I think one of them isn't calibrated or just really old, so they were awful and we decided to only do 2 miles on them and then we finished 3 miles outside in my neighborhood. It was a terrible run.



Stayed tuned for some upcoming reviews on some products that I own and love and book reviews!

Week 1 of new training

I started out fresh this week on my half-marathon training plan.
Monday- 35minutes cross training with The Biggest Loser Kinect game. It was a wonderful workout. Made me sweat a lot and it was fun!
Tuesday- Ran outside around our neighborhood for a 30 minute tempo run which ended up being more of a run/walk. I ended up going a little less than 2 miles.
Wednesday- REST (aka report card night where I watched 3 movies and did report cards for my sweet little first graders, I had to give them report cards Thursday)
Thursday- 45 minute spin class at the Longview Rec center! I LOVED IT! I am definitely going to get back into spin class. The only downfall to the class that night was the music was up a little too loud and I couldn't hear the instructor very well and since we spin in a dark room with a black light on, it was kind of hard to see her too. Next time should be better!
Friday- Rest. We hung out with friends and played games.
Saturday- Heather and I went to Concord Road park trails and did 5 miles in 1 hour and 24 minutes in 28 degree weather and snowing. It was really really cold but I'm glad we accomplished it. Next time, we will be treadmilling it if it is snowing and that cold! :)
Sunday- not sure yet, probably do some cross training with one of my kinect games. All depends on when we get home from church/afternoon plans and such.

It was a great week so far and I hope to do a review soon!

Welcoming a new year!

Hello, 2011! You are going to be the best year yet!

I want to first start off by sharing some fitness goals and personal goals!

Fitness goals:
1. Lose 15-20 pounds and tone up/ eat healthier.
2. Complete 4 races this year (2 of which being half marathons)
3. Cross and strength train along with my half marathon training plan.
4. Be able to run more of my walk/run method!

Personal goals:
1. Be the best Christian , wife, and teacher I can be (staying positive, daily devotionals, devotions with Derek daily, getting more involved with our church)
2.Read more books this year. 7 minimum.
3. Keep saving money into our emergency fund and house fund.
4.Cook more healthier home cooked meals.
5. Blog more on this blog and my picture/life in general blog.


Here's to you, 2011! Let the games begin!