The F Word

That is the headline that caught my eye on MyYogaOnline today.  The F Word.

FUN!  It made me stop and realize that the F word is what I've been missing in my workouts!!

I remember when running was FUN.

Bootcamp drills were FUN.

Core work was FUN.

Yoga was FUN.

Cycling was FUN.

Walking the beast - I mean, dog - was FUN.

What happened?  Have I been too exhausted from having a newborn / baby?  Do I save the FUN for rollerblading with the kids, chasing them on bikes, and crafting?  

This is how I have decided to re-motivate myself to enjoy running again!  Put the FUN back in my RUN.  I am desperately longing to get back out there and start logging more miles.  I am trying to squeeze it in between baby nap times, homeschooling, and kids' activities.  If I could simply get excited to get out there and do it!!!!!  So FUN here I come!  

No more dragging my feet out the door when the temperature is optimal that day.  No more saving it for the weekends.  No more choosing my route based on the fewest uphill climbs and the turn-around points to shorten it if I feel like it!!!!!

FUN!  Sprints, speedwork, hill repeats, maybe even competing with random people through Map My Run.  I have downloaded Broadway tunes from SMASH my absolute favorite show on TV, and other broadway musicals.

I have officially signed up for 2 FUN races:

The Glo Run - Washington, DC - April 2013

Run or Dye - Washington, DC - June 2013

The Glo Run is a nighttime 5K. You run wearing glow-in-the-dark gear through lasers and strobes, DJs pump the tunes, etc.

Run or Dye is an untimed 5K with 3 different routes.  You are sprayed with washable dyes at the end of each course.

What's your idea of FUN on a RUN?

Dirty Ovens

I think I will post this sign on my front door...kind of like a "enter at your own risk AND don't judge me" warning.

Challenge Week 2 - Denim

Whew!  This week's challenge I can handle!!!  Denim!  Well, its sort of easy.  I will still have 2 hurdles this week: 1) I homeschool and work at home and, therefore, spend a lot of time in sweats and workout clothes, 2) I still can't fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans after having my 3rd child 3 months ago (NONE of them).  So its time to get a bit creative.  At the very least I'm going to head upstairs, grab an old pair of jeans, and create a denim flower pin to wear all week as a fall-back.  I might even attempt making a denim collar and embellishing it with rhinestones (in my dreams).

I hope it turns out looking something like this!

What will YOU do for the WEAR DENIM ALL WEEK challenge?????
I will post photos later!

Fun Challenges for 2013

A dear friend, Amy who I met through seeMOMMYrun, recently reminded me that I typically sent out personal challenges each new year. My friends and I sometimes nail each challenge and other times we get a few weeks into it and drop it. There is never any pressure because these are supposed to stretch our creativity, strength or hearts - NOT stress us out. Some years it might be a physical challenge such as increasing run mileage or including yoga three times weekly. Other years it is a creative challenge such 30 Days of Art using new techniques we've never tried. Or even an online sewing course. So this year I decided to give us a couple of options. 

First, is a style/fashion challenge put together by an awesome blogger mom in Australia, Fox in Flats! She has style challenges throughout the year to help moms get their sexy back. We are taking her DAREcember list of 31 Challenges and doing them in order BUT one weekly for the entire week (which is how her original challenges were done - weekly). You can make up your own meaning for each weekly word - or dig through her blog for details on how she set up the dare last year. 

Second, we are going to take a WEEKLY PHOTO by using this PHOTO-A-DAY CHALLENGE from Fatmumslim in Australia. She gives you a word or a few words and you simply take a photo of it! Easy, right?!? 

 

Everything starts JANUARY 1ST. Please let us know if you take one of the challenges and post comments, progress or photos here. We will try to make blog posts each week or day with our progress. 

And just let me say that my latest self-challenge was a 21-Day Gratitude Journal. I'm on Day 8 and its been 2 months since I began!!! Oopsie! I'm not giving up though!!

Another Second Trimester Workout

At 24 weeks pregnant I am starting to feel the effects. Is it because this is #3? Is it because I am over 40? Who knows! But I am one tired pregnant mama.

At any rate, I am doing my best to keep up with workouts. I had my official "last run" of this pregnancy this past weekend. Yep. Too many potty breaks. As I'm "running" along and getting stressed about whether or not I could squat in a neighbors bushes, I realize I should just chill out and retire the running shoes for a bit. Is it really worth the poison ivy I got on the booty?

However, I am still maintaining a decent routine in the home gym. Here is a fun workout I've been doing once or twice weekly.

10 min. warmup on the elliptical or treadmill.

20 reps of each:

mini jump squats
forward lunge (fingertips on a nearby bench for balance)
elevated push-ups (hands on a bench or chair, etc.)
Side Lunges
Upright Rows using dumbbells or bands
Wide Leg Squats
Tri Dips
Rows with dumbbells or cables or bands

Repeat 2 or 3 times