Why I ran: Honor Flight Inc.

I think I mentioned in some earlier posts how I wanted to raise money for a non-profit organization. I chose Honor Flight Inc. I wanted to raise $500, which is the average cost of sending a veteran to Washington, D.C. Though I have reached my goal, I have no problem with exceeding it. Please help if you can!

Please visit my fundraising page for more information: http://www.firstgiving.com/meredithruns

Thanks to everyone who supported this great organization!

13.1 Atlanta Marathon

On Sunday morning, I raced my second half-marathon for Honor Flight, Inc. I chose to run the 13.1 Atlanta Marathon.

I wouldn't really say I trained for this half, as I took about a week to recover from my first half-marathon. Then it rained (and rained and rained) in Atlanta, and I was on vacation in D.C. Needless to say, I was lucky enough to get a run in during these past couple weeks. But the week before, I did try to buckle down.

I was quite nervous for this half. I knew I wouldn't have my brother, who was my pacer for the first race. I worried that on my own, I wouldn't be able to maintain my 10 minute mile. And I really wanted to because I was so close to it for the Asheville race. My brother told me since this race woudn't be as hilly, I should really be able to beat my time. I kept the same goal as before (2:10).

I should also say that my friend Kathryn is awesome! She came to the race with me, which means meeting me at my apartment at 5:45 so we could get to the race really early! And she took photos and kept my bag of warm clothes for me. Thanks Kathryn!

Race report
So I'm pretty happy with my race. Ultimatly, I'm thankful that I am able to run and am happy to just finish. But I really really wanted to break 2:10. My official time is 2:11:02 but this is where it gets sketchy. There were so many people at the start trying to get through a narrow gate (the entrance to Oglethorpe University) that we were all at stand-still even after crossing the official start line. So unfortunately, there's really no way to know my exact time. It wouldn't be a huge deal aside from the fact my goal was so close to that time. I did wear a wristwatch with a timer, but I didn't stop it during the stand-still in time. (I stopped it, but only after I realized we really weren't moving yet). I'm pretty sure I did not stand there for a minute, so I still didn't make my goal.

When I think about it, I guess I could have pushed harder. But my fear was going out too hard and not being able to finish strong. I stayed at just under 10-minute miles (I'm talking 9:58 here) for the entire race until Mile 11. I just got tired. But not nearly as tired as Asheville. I really felt like I struggled during those last 3 miles of Asheville. Totally not so this time. I pushed myself at the end, but I didn't feel like I was slowing down (though I guess I did in the last 2 miles). One thing I did do, though, was kick it too soon at the end. I could see the gate where we'd entered and assumed it was the finish line. Well, it was, but we first had to run past it and take a U-turn back... while going up a hill. That's correct. The finish was uphill. So I know where the time came from.

I'm happy the weather was a perfectly cool temperature. I also thought the Lay's Potato Chips we got at the finish were the best potato chips I've ever eaten. My face tends to always be covered in salt at the end of long runs, so salty chips were the perfect way to replace that lost sodium! Maybe I should start training with Gatorade?

So I'm done with half-marathons for a while, but not with running. I'm happy I can do the distance, but I really want to get faster. It's time for me to find a training plan and work on my speed. I know I can do it because sprinting was my favorite part of soccer!

Waiting my turn at the post-race massage table.

P90X Photo Results: Part 2

My results:

I don't think you can see much of a difference, but I do really feel stronger. I have more endurance for my long runs (probably due to core strengthening). I do think you can see the results in my back the most, which is pretty cool. I'm happy that I did the program.

Click the photos to enlarge.

 

P90X Photo Results: Part 1

Michael's Results

Click on the photos to enlarge.

Race photos

Race photos have been posted! I wish I knew when in the course these were taken.

The day after my first half

Knees.

My knees were sore yesterday, and they're still sore today. I'm not surprised and it's not debilitating pain or anything, but I do wonder how long they're going to be sore. I started feeling them around mile 9 or so during the race... maybe a little sooner, maybe a little later. It's hard to remember. But my knees are always the first part of my body to hurt, so at least they're predictable!

This afternoon (back at our house), my parents and I went on a brisk walk around the lake with our dog. It felt good to do some fast walking. I know it's good to recover by moderate activity, so check that off the list for today!

 Note: Since P90X is over, I will no longer be labeling these post by day. But I will still write about it (especially the results) so stay tuned!

Day 90: Half-Marathon (and last day of P90X)

Today I ran my first half-marathon!

I ran every step of the 13.1 miles (my brother wouldn't have let me walk knowing I can run). I am so thankful that he helped set my (10 minute mile) pace. My goal was to finish in 2:10, but we actually crossed the line at 2:13:34 and 2:13:35 (with me following him).

I am really happy with this finish because let me tell you: Asheville is hilly! Correction: Asheville is mountainous. We literally ran up a mountain for about 2 miles (around miles 8-10 I believe) at a steady incline. That was definitely the most challenging part of the course! (Aside from the 45 degree -if not steeper- incline at the end of the last mile... can we say close to tears? Thanks so much to the woman who cheered me on right there. She really helped me feel like I could do it when I needed it most).

My brother kept me motivated and engaged the whole race. Every time we started a new mile, we dedicated that mile to someone (our list included: all three grandfathers in honor of Honor Flight, Michael Jordan, the characters of the television show Rugrats, President Obama, Amelia Earheart, Jimmy V, Tyler Hansbrough, a famous runner I can't remember (help bro?) and our parents).

Neither of us ran with an iPod, but we did have two songs in our heads.
1) Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
2) It's Time for the Perculator (I've just searched for the best YouTube video of this song/dance and think this version is best. Even though it's blurry, you can hear the music and see the dance well.)

My mom is awesome and had pieces of pumpkin bread with raisins in it waiting us after we crossed the finish line. I devoured that bread. It never even had a chance. I would've eaten my brother's too if my mom hadn't hidden it from me (he didn't want it at the time).

After the race, we headed back to the hotel for showers. Then we went back downtown for some delicious eats (Asheville is known for being a foodie town). We had sushi and pad thai for lunch. Then more walking and hanging out with my aunt and cousin. We made it back to the room around 6 for naptime. My dad woke us at 7:30 so we could make it to our dinner reservation on time!

More chowing down at dinner. I have never been more ravenous.

Day 89: Rest/Walk

It's the day before my first half-marathon. I'm nervous and excited! I flew home this morning so I can drive to Asheville with my family. My mom and I walked our dog for about 10 minutes before we left so that was a big chunk of my exercise today.

We had dinner on the road, and I was a bit nervous about making a good pre-run meal choice. I opted to skip an appetizer and had a chicken & shrimp with rice & beans dish. My parents go to this chain in North Carolina (called Tripps) only for this one ice cream pie dessert. So of course I helped devour it!

Once we made it to Asheville, we quickly got to bed for our 7:30 a.m. race time.

Day 88: Run

Another yoga or core synergistics day. I ran four miles at a speed faster than my half-marathon pace (I think).

Day 87: Rest

I think today was yoga or core synergistics. But I took a rest day as part of my "week before the half-marathon plan."

Day 86: Run

Officially, it's core synergistis today. Because my first half-marathon is this Saturday, I am more focused on running! So per my brother's instructions, I ran 5 miles this morning. It was fun because I listened to the Across the Universe soundtrack... I almost got through the whole thing too (after skipping the slower songs). Love The Beatles!

Day 85: Yoga

So tonight my friend is gone and I have some time to workout. I did spend the day out in the park, walking around in the sun (also got burned, eek). But I called up Mike and he told me today is supposed to be yoga. So I gave it a go... got through the intense part... then just added my own stretching... I'm so tired of doing what Tony tells me. It felt good enough to count for me!

Day 84: Out on the lake

Again, I have no clue what the official workout is today... but with my busy Labor Day weekend schedule, it doesn't matter much. We spent the day out on my friend's boat... that meant some swimming! We even did some races... let's call it intervals!

Day 83: ??

So Mike is out of town and I'm having a girls' weekend with some great friends! I have no idea what was supposed to be on the schedule today. I would guess kenpo? But my schedule is packed! We spent the day at the Decatur Book Festival walking around for hours! So it wasn't high intensity, but it was surely exercise.

Day 82: Legs & Back

Woot! Today is the LAST day in the weight room. I am so happy to have come this far. And what a way to end: my favorite of the weight exercises. I felt really good about my legs. I wasn't able to pull out as many pull-ups as I would have hoped. Mike and I really thought I could do a couple on my own (without the support of the chair) by the end of this. Apparently not. But I can really notice the strength in my back. So progress is progress!

Jef Mallett and 'Frazz'

So I just remembered this great comic about a fartlek that I e-mailed my brother as soon as I found it. I wanted to share it here too for a laugh!

click to enlarge

I hope you enjoy! Frazz is one of my absolute favorite comic strips.

Day 81: Yoga

Oops. I didn't do yoga today. Since last Thursday's morning run was so so nice, I decided to do it again. It was drizzling outside, but it felt great. I attempted my first fartlek, but I think I went too hard because I burned out pretty quickly. But I felt like I needed to do some speed work, so I'm still happy with the decision. A good 40 minute run gave me a little confidence boost that I can be strong for my half marathon next Saturday.

In all fairness, I thought I would do yoga tonight. But I didn't get home until late, so I didn't have dinner until past 8:00, and then the first college football game was on (USC vs. N.C. State) and by the time that game was over, it was past 10. I'll make up for it somehow. It was still fun to watch football instead.

Day 80: Back & Biceps

Another day of giving it my all. It's funny, being the last day and all, I decided to up my weight on practically every exercise (from 10 lbs. to 12 lbs). I know it's not a big increase, but the point is, I could do it just as easily. (I mean, it was a challenge, but I wasn't regretting doing more weight). It makes me wonder if I could have upped my weight sooner. As I continue these workouts past this program, I'll be sure to keep this in mind.

Day 79: Plyometrics

I am so unmotivated when it comes to plyometrics. When I started, it was hard, but I didn't know what was coming. Then I was pretty excited when I got better. Now I am definitely better, but I just don't want to do it anymore. But I gave it my all, since this was the last one! My legs will either love/hate me in the morning.

Day 78: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps

This is the last week in the weight room! I went as hard as I could, knowing this is the last time I will have to watch and do this workout. I felt good, but all the push-ups got to me. I ended up doing a little less than the week before. But I really couldn't have done any more. I think I did more normal kinds of push-ups than my knees (which I normally do), so I think I got tired sooner. Abs were good too.

Day 77: Rest & Stretch

It was a good day for a rest day: rainy. I wanted to run, but the rain deterred me. Plus, I'm exhausted. X stretch tonight was just the ticket. Aaaah.

Day 76: Kenpo

I did not want to do kenpo this morning! I started around noon, but I was already tired from walking to the farmer's market and back (such a long walk, I know ha). But I did it and felt energized after. Then I went to the pool for a quick swim! And mostly just lying around... so the pool part doesn't really count.

Day 75: Legs & Back

Second to last legs and back! I am so familiar with this workout since we do it the whole time. But I like it, as I have said before. I'm glad I turned in early last night so I could be better rested for this morning. The gym was popular downstairs, which was a little annoying since it's mostly empty whenever we're down there, so we had to wait our turns for the pull-up bars. But it "worked out" okay!

Day 74: Yoga

Mike and I gave yoga a try this morning... and 10 minutes in, we realized it wasn't going to happen this morning. We were both really really stiff and sore. I opted to go for a run instead. I am so glad I did! It had rained last night, so it was crisp. I also decided to switch up my running route to get in more hills practice for the half next month. This brought me through the Botanical Garden this morning. It was so nice. I didn't actually go inside the garden since you have to pay and it also probably wasn't open yet, but it was cool to be next to it.

Tonight was our second yoga attempt. We didn't start until 9:30 or so, and I was so tired (and not in the mood to do yoga until 11). So I did about 45 minutes worth, then called it a night. I'm happy with that decision. The run counts for the remaining 45 minutes I didn't do.

Day 73: Shoulders & Arms

The same goes for this post as Monday's. It's the last time we do this exercise in the P90x program. I gave it my all. I was definitely sore. I expect to be sore all week really. Abs were not as bad as I thought they would be considering how tired I am.

Day 72: Plyometrics

Second to last plyometrics. I wasn't feeling great again during this workout. I tend to feel dizzy. I'm not sure if it's because it's early in the morning or hot or what. So I did what I could. Still a tough workout.

Day 71: Chest & Back

I am never doing chest and back again. Because it's the last time in the program! Man, Mike and I went all out in this workout knowing we won't be doing the exercises again. I destroyed the push-ups. The pull-ups are still a challenge, but I know my back is stronger. Ab ripper was great, too, as it always in on Mondays (when you aren't so tired from the week yet).

Day 70: Rest

I took rest seriously today. I felt like I should run in prep of the half marathon coming up in about three weeks, but I am just tuckered out.

Day 69: Kenpo X

I got a good nine hours of sleep last night, so I was ready for a late morning Kenpo. I don't think I could have gotten through it without that rest!

Day 68: Legs & Back

I always feel like I've worked out the most after legs and back. Nothing special to report about it. Abs was hard, but I think that's because I worked out so much. I was tired!

Today was a true two-a-day. I got home from work and wasn't too hungry yet, so I decided to go for a run. The weather wasn't too bad for it. I was going to shoot for 9 miles, but I think I do more like 6-7. It was hot. Now I am tired.

Day 67: Yoga

Before yoga this morning, I wanted to get in a quick run. I did 15 minutes @8:30 and @9 pace. That was literally the only time I had so I'd be able to fit in the hour and a half of yoga! (Last time I told myself I'd do yoga at night, I didn't, so this was the next best thing). It was kind of nice running right before yoga, even if just for a bit.

Day 66: Back & Biceps

Ab ripper success! Today I got through the entire series without stopping. According to Tony, "If you stuck with us, that's 349 core exercises." I was inspired by finally seeing a bit of... ab?... right below my ribs. So it's past the typical abs and getting more serious. I am psyched. I am in love with that little ab below my ribs. Now I know I can do them all, so I should expect myself to do them all every time!

Day 65: Plyometrics

I was so beat during this workout this morning. It may be because I had only the tiniest bit of cereal. I didn't get up early enough to have more... wanted to keep it small so I wouldn't get sick, but I was weak. It did make me push harder, though, and I pulled through!

Day 64: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps

A new week means switching back to the second series of workouts. This workout felt like it took forever this morning, but it was a pretty good one.

Day 63: Rest day

So I should have done X stretch today, but I totally forgot. I had planned on doing it. As for running, I needed an actual rest from the real stuff.

Day 62: Kenpo X

A good afternoon workout. It's really not as hard as it used to be. It's some good cardio, though.

Day 61: Legs & Back

Legs and back morning. I love this workout (well, the legs part). Nothing really to report except I felt stronger. Ab Ripper was really tough again.

Day 60: Yoga (not) but a run

So this morning I had a good feeling about the weather. It's been so hot in the mornings, but I made a good call. It was gorgeously overcast and breezy. I ran for an hour and only stopped because I had to go get ready for work! It was a fun run, especially after the first 4.5 miles. Those were part of my course. The second part was just aimless running through the park. I kept having to change my path because they were setting up for Saturday's Paul McCartney concert. I considered this run a reconnaissance mission!

I was going to do yoga tonight, but would have had to use my iPod... not fun for an hour and a half. Oh well. My run was a good one, so I feel okay about it.

Day 59: Shoulders & Arms

Wow, I haven't done this workout in weeks! It's fun to go back and see the old routine. It's also fun when you can up your weights on almost everything! The exercises involving triceps are the ones I can't really up my weight. I tried, but I just lose all form, but I don't think it's the biggest deal in the world to stay on my lighter weights. I'll just do more reps!

Ab ripper was a pain - again. But in a good way! I still can do way more exercises and reps than ever before. I keep pushing myself the most here because the core is where I want to improve the most (and see the results!).

Day 58: Plyometrics

This morning's workout was tough (in a good way), but I think it's because I was pushing myself harder than ever. I feel like the rest week prepared me to work it this week. Exercises where I had before been unable to do (the jumping on one foot for thirty seconds... I always stopped around 15) was a breeze today. I found I could also jump the 180 degrees without feeling dizzy (hooray).

Day 57: Chest & Back

This is the beginning of Week 9. We go back now to the workouts we did during the first third of the program.

I was ready to go this morning and worked really hard. I'm pretty proud considering this is my least favorite routine (I just don't like push-ups or pull-ups. Don't think I ever will. The end.) But I definitely have grown in strength and that made me push even harder.

Ab Ripper was so hard today. Mike and I were both having a tough time (only because we were pushing ourselves to do more reps with better form than ever). So today was a great success!

We also took our third set of photos this morning. I can't wait to compare them all side-by-side. I think we'll see improvements for sure.

Day 56: X Stretch

I drove back from Charlotte today, so I was pretty stiff. Though it was late and I was tired, I did X Stretch. And it was so so nice. It's back to hard work tomorrow!

Day 55: Yoga

We tried to pack in this yoga between getting lunch with my cousin in Charlotte and going to an Avett Brothers concert (which is why we were in Charlotte). So we only did the first half of the DVD, which is the more intense part... so we felt good about it.

Day 54: Core Synergistics

I forgot we do this workout twice on rest week. It's harder to do the second day since you remember everything that's involved! Even though I was more intimidated this time around, I performed better on most of the workouts (especially toward the end). Go endurance!

Day 53: X Stretch

I need to remember how great X Stretch feels. It's so easy to skip on rest days because you're like "Eh, why stretch for an hour when I can do nothing today?" But since it was the middle of the week and not Sunday per usual, Mike and I decided to go for it. And it was so so so nice. I should be doing this a couple of times a week... not every other week! It really loosens you up and feels so good. This is my note to myself: DO YOUR X STRETCH!

I also did my morning run... speed work. I haven't done any in a while (since the woman took & threw away my water bottle from the track) so to be more serious about my half marathon, I need to buckle down (more about that in a related post next). But being down on the track was nice.

Day 52: Kenpo

Maybe I didn't drink enough water last night, but I was really dizzy this morning during Kenpo. I kept having to take breaks and sip on water. It was awful. I really like working hard during thiw workout, but I just couldn't make it happen 100%. It's still challenging, but I know if I'd felt good, I could have done more.

Day 51: Core Synergistics

I'd almost forgotten what this workout was. I think of it as a standing Ab Ripper. The movements are slow and intentional. Everything is engaged. I really like it. I wish it was more than once every couple weeks.

Day 50: Yoga X

This week is rest week. I would be excited, but I now know that rest week isn't resting at all. So I was up for 6:30 a.m. yoga! Had to have enough time to walk to the bank before work and pay rent. It was nice to watch the sun rise from our floor to ceiling windows while doing some sun salutations. But I'm really tired still and I haven't even gone to work yet. It's going to be a long day...

Day 49: Rest (and Run)

So I planned on running a trail this morning with Big Peach Running Company. I bought some trail running shoes on Steep & Cheap and have been dying to try them out. So I found this group run... I got all my things ready the night before so I could get up and out the door in time to meet the group by 8 a.m. It was just not meant to be. I slowly made my way out of bed at 7:10. Got out the door with half a bagel smeared with peanut butter. While I was driving down the parking deck, the bagel slid off the plate and got all over my CamelBack (I brought it in case I wanted to explore some trails after the run... it was just going to be 4 miles). So I had to stop and try to get it off. While doing it, I must have squeezed the water tube cause water got all in my car seat (and therefore all over my shorts). I hate wet butt. I blazed forward down the parking deck and when I got outside, it was raining. Granted, it was a bit of a drizzle. But I now only had 2o minutes to get to the trail and it's probably a 3o minute drive. I didn't want to drive out there to have missed it. So I drove back up and went back to bed... and I'd already downed the bagel. Uggh.

I did make it out for my run hours later. Barely went for a half hour. It was soooo humid! Just miserable. So I went to the pool instead. Since the weather was still rainy, I had the pool all to myself. It was really nice to do some laps!

Day 48: Kenpo X

I like these Saturday afternoon workouts because I can just hit the pool after. Nothing too special about today except the routine has gotten easier.

Day 47: Legs & Back

Legs this morning went well. I added some weights to lunges (when I before did them without... just to build up my knees, which tend to hurt). Ab ripper was a challenge, but I got through whole sets that I haven't been able to finish without a break before.

Day 46: Yoga

Up for a very humid run this morning. It rained promptly after. Still nice to get out there, even if just for a quick half hour.

Yoga tonight... the idea of an hour and a half of yoga always hangs over my head. I tried to put it off as long as possible, but wanted to be done before midnight! And of course, I enjoyed it while I did it. My arms felt so strong... those vinyasas were a breeze. This must be progress!

Day 45: Back & Biceps

This morning, we ran into another p90x person in the gym. He told us he's started over the program... not sure how long he had gone before he started over. Oh well. We're almost two thirds of the way through. No stopping now!

We have talked about how we need to work harder to eat better. With going out of town and people's birthdays at work, I have been eating cookies, cupcakes and chocolate like woah. I need to reign it back in... I am a sugar monster. Once that stuff gets in my veins, I want more. So I have to resist! (But it's so good).

Abs were not good this morning, though I tried.

Day 44: Plyometrics

Another tough morning. I just can't wake up! But I warmed up and got into it soon enough. Still a challenge, especially on the squats/jumps. Don't want to hurt my knees. But I don't, I control them pretty well.

Day 43: Back, Shoulders, Triceps

I really stumbled out of bed this morning for this one. Working out was the last thing I wanted to do, but I figured I should get it over with. It took me forever to wake up.

Day 42: Rest Day

Mike and I toyed with the idea of doing Kenpo today since we didn't yesterday. But we drove back from Asheville and had a lot of stuff to do and were just tired. So we took the rest day. Ready for this next week.

I did manage to sign up officially for the Asheville Citizen-Times half marathon while downtown this morning for Bele Chere. This will be my first half marathon. I am very excited. It's on September 12th. I plan on raising money for a charity, so stay tuned!

Day 41: A very hilly run

There was a half marathon training run in Asheville this morning. Seven miles of hills! To prepare you for 13.1 miles of hills.

Surprisingly enough, I loved it. About a dozen people showed up at 8 a.m. this morning in a park (I no longer remember the name... Grove Park?). And I was in the middle of the pack. I felt pretty good about that. Even with all the hills, I kept a consistent pace (little less than 10 minute miles). I loved the run. I saw parts of Asheville I have never seen (more residential as opposed to the downtown scene, which I do also love).

The chocolate I'm getting from the Chocolate Fetish is going to taste so good today after this run! I kid you not: they are the best chocolatiers you will find in the southeast.

(Kenpo was supposed to be today... the run took its place for me).

Day 40: Legs & Back

I have really grown to enjoy the legs workout. We did this in the morning since we're off to Asheville after work for a Bruce Hornsby concert at the Biltmore. It's so torturous to do Ab Ripper in the morning when you're starving.

Day 39: Yoga

Mike and I were doing yoga this morning (as he is back now) and he decided he wanted to do it tonight instead. So while I continued, he went to the kitchen to start prep work for our meal tonight (making a yellow squash soup with roasted red peppers to use up the fresh produce we have from Charlotte)... and he took off a chunk of his finger with a very sharp blade. One where you slide your veggie over the blade and it cuts for you. The pad of his finger went along with it. We are curious to see how his fingerprint is effected by this.

Needless to say, I tried to continue through the yoga, but ended up doing a sort of half effort.

Day 38: Back & Biceps

I did this workout in the morning (it's been a lot of mornings lately) because we have tickets for the Club America vs. A.C. Milan this evening. They're touring the U.S. for their pre-season. The game is in the Georgia Dome (haven't been there yet), so I'm really excited!

As always, I really dislike the pull-ups, but I've found a way to make them work for me. No more hanging and pulsing. I position the chair in such a way where I use it for support but my arms do most of the work. Tough!

Ab Ripper felt pretty good... working on that six pack! I hope!

Day 37: Plyometrics

Nothing like the smell of plyometrics in the morning! Another solo workout. I pushed myself really hard with this and feel like I got a lot out of it.

This evening, I made myself some Zucchini and Ginger Muffins. I had to walk to Trader Joe's for the ingredients because Mike took the car keys with him to the beach. That's the second (or third?) time I have been stranded. Anyway, I've made these once before in New York. They are so good. I use them as early morning snacks, when I need some quick carbs and sugar for my runs.

*Note: The actual recipe calls them cupcakes. I don't make the icing and I substitute out some of the olive oil for applesauce and the sugar for agave nectar. Let me know if you are interested in my version of the recipe and I'll be happy to write more about it. But I think I make them a lot healthier.

Day 36: Back, Shoulders, Triceps

Morning run: check.

Mike is still out of town. Thought it's fun to have a workout buddy, I find I enjoy working out by myself, too... less competition or something.

I liked this series tonight, though. It's funny, this girl in the building was in the gym at the same time with her friend. He was working out pretty seriously, but she was just there to support/hang out... but she was using my weight! Once she saw I was actually doing something serious (instead of hanging out in the gym in a bathing suit and flip-flops... ??) she let me have the weights. Yay.

And Ab Ripper. Check.

Day 35: Rest

I started doing X Stretch, but it's already so late and I really want to just read in bed. Maybe I'll stretch tomorrow after my morning run. It's optional anyways.

Day 34: Kenpo X

Another workout where I felt really strong! I attribute my ability to really work hard the whole time to the double espresso shot I had this morning. My parents are visiting for the weekend, so they hit the pool while I punched and kicked. I would love to always have this amount of energy for my workouts. I could have kept going all day long.

Day 33: Legs & Back

I really put my all into this workout. Though it took me a little time to wake up (as always), I was happy to do this this morning (plans to see the Braves game tonight)! My legs worked it hard and I really tried to do the pull-ups using a chair this time. I think that's better than just hanging, which is what I was doing. Ab Ripper X was rough, though. It wore me out!

Day 32: Hello morning run! And yoga

I haven't gotten a run in in almost two weeks! I've just had so much to do in the evenings that I've had to do P90X in the mornings.

I ran my longer morning route, and I think had a better sense of my pace. My legs were pretty heavy from plyometrics, but I still felt pretty strong the whole time.

Tonight was some late-night yoga! I did it solo, as Mike had done it this morning. I really enjoyed doing it in the dark with the lights from the other buildings shining through our big window. But my arms were pretty exhausted tonight.

Day 31: Back & Biceps

Early morning workout. New exercises. More pull-ups, which are my least favorite. But I liked the free weights. I felt pretty strong for Ab Ripper X.

Day 30: Plyometrics

Early morning Plyo. Took me almost half of the workout to wake up, but I sweated my way through it. Mike says he could feel a difference after our "rest week," but I don't think I felt too different... maybe? Hard to tell.

Day 29: Back, Shoulders, Triceps

Week Five!

We have a new program with back, shoulders and triceps. I worked out this evening by myself because Mike went early (I needed more sleep)!!

I liked the workout except it was interrupted halfway by a fire drill in our building. I know they're important, but the timing couldn't have been worse.

So with a huge break in the middle of my workout, I finally finished up and got through Ab Ripper X. At least I look forward to Ab Ripper now. I can't do them all, but I have "graduated" from supporting myself with my hands to being able to put them up in the air... except for the reverse bicycles. I was worn out already by then.

Oh, I almost forgot. We also took photos today to track our progress. I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but we took photos the first day before starting the workouts. I haven't looked to compare mine yet, but I definitely noticed a difference in Mike's.

Day 28: Rest Day

Perfect timing for this rest day! I am so tired from having a great time in Charlotte for our friends' wedding! It was beautiful!

And we had a lot of fun staying with Mike's family, too. I drove back today with pouring rain once we were almost home, so I really needed to just chill out.

Day 27: Yoga

Yoga was fun this morning because we brought the DVD with us to Charlotte. Mike's cousin likes yoga, so she did it with us... along with Mike's aunt, uncles and grandfather watching! The workout felt really intense today!

Day 26: Core Synergistics

This morning, I did core synergistics solo. Mike got up even earlier and chose to do it downstairs in the weight room. Since I don't need much weight, I opted to stay up here and used cider vinegar bottles for weights! They did the job, though. Just a little bit of tension added a lot to this workout.

Day 24:

Day 23: Core Synergistics

This morning I discovered how disgusting our floor is. It was the first time we did core synergistics, which works out everything using your core as your base. It involved a lot of rolling around on our hardwood floor. I am now covered in grime. It's pretty gross. But the workout was okay.

Day 22: Yoga

This week is a rest week, which doesn't mean much as far as actual resting goes. Mike and I did some late night yoga because it took me about twice as long to make dinner as I'd thought. I made a tomato basil pie, but I hadn't left the pie crust out to defrost... so I we had to wait 45 minutes before I could even start baking! I was just a little too full than I would have liked for an hour and a half of yoga.

I noticed a huge difference tonight. I did all but one of the vinyasas, which is a huge improvement. My arms are so much stronger. I also just felt better in my poses for longer, which I'm attributing to improved endurance.

Day 21: "Rest" Day

I somehow managed to get out of bed at the beach for a long run. I left about an hour and a half later than I'd planned, so it was pretty hot and humid. But that Under Armour shirt got me through! So did my GU and the free ice ice ice cold water some gentlemen outside of a church gave me as I ran by on my second lap of the loop. I think I kept up a pretty consistent pace. I can guess I did at least 8 miles but no more than 9 miles, as my time was 90 minutes (for a 10 minute mile pace, which is what I was shooting for).

After our eight hour drive home in the rain, Mike and I opted to skip X Stretch tonight.

Day 20: Kenpo

Happy Fourth of July! Mike and I did our workout somewhat early this morning so we could continue to enjoy the beach without having to stress out at night about fitting it in.

I had maybe 10 percent of my normal energy for this. It was a pretty poor workout for me. I barely tried. I think the sun and heat just drained me of all energy.

Day 19: Legs & Back

Mike and I arrived at the beach last night for our Fourth of July holiday. I was up this morning for a nice 4-miler that goes across two bridges. It was hot, but my Under Armour shone again (I recently bought two more colors of that same shirt at Dick's).

We fit in our legs and back workout around 9 p.m. tonight. It was tough to get through because I was pretty tired. But we kept on schedule and then enjoyed a yummy dinner of fresh shrimp!

Day 18: Yoga

Tired this morning. My heart wasn't really in yoga the whole time. Again, I got bored during the last half. Still a strong workout, though, so I can't complain there.

Day 17: Shoulders & Arms

Up and out for some speedwork (200 repeats) at the track. Another hot day, but I felt good.

Shoulders and arms went well tonight. Mike and I ran into another couple at our gym who are doing P90X too. They are on Day 40 or so. It was fun to see other people doing this program, though they admitted to only following the program about every other day. 

Abs felt pretty good, too, tonight. I skipped the protein recovery drink since I'd had one this morning after my workout. I hope I'm not too sore tomorrow.

Day 16: Plyometrics

I felt pretty ready this morning for plyometrics. Last week it was a joke. I could barely lift my feet off the ground. Today though I either harnessed more energy or had more energy. I'm not sure why or which, but I'll take it!

Day 15: Chest & Back

Finally I got up for a Monday morning run! It felt good, too, but I was extremely slow. I was just crawling along Piedmont Park. When I hit the track at the end to do one lap, I was on track for an eleven minute mile (I range between 9 and 10 depending on how far I'm going). I didn't let it throw me off though because I still felt good and literally couldn't have picked up the pace.

I decided to follow through tonight with chest and back. Since this P90X has been taking up so much of my time, I wasn't sure if I was going to stay with it. But curiosity keeps getting the best of me, so I stuck it out. Though my reps went down on several of the push-up exercises, I was working as hard as I could. Mike says the reps are supposed to go down this week since we're tired and then they shoot up again after a rest week. So we shall see.

Most improved award goes to me in Ab Ripper X. It was tough, but I was strong through the exercises and felt good instead of hopeless. Progress!

Day 14: X Stretch

I did my stretching in the late afternoon while the pizza dough we were making in the bread maker was kneading and rising. It was perfect timing because although I do enjoy the stretches, stretching for an hour seems like such a looooong time. But I felt all the better for it and was a bit more flexible.

Day 13: Kenpo

Kenpo tonight exhausted me again. I actually felt stronger the first time I did it (which was only last week, wow). I just didn't have the bounce I had before. I felt like I was walking through the movement. My arms and legs were just heavy and tired. I got through the whole routine and still felt like it was a decent workout. I think being up so early on a Saturday to do it (7:30 a.m) may have had something to do with it.

Day 12: Legs & Back

This morning I was up for my speedwork at the track. Unfortunately, when I got to the high school track I use, I found it to be under construction... for the entire summer. So I just kept running. At least I was out there.

I was running on empty during this workout. If we work out at night, Mike and I always eat dinner first. However, he really wanted to get to Whole Foods to pick up some things first for the weekend, so we worked out right when we got home. I've never seen such a better example on why you need fuel to workout. I just had zero energy. Even though I actually like this workout (or at least remembered liking it), I struggled. I was borderline ready to just give up. I'm glad I didn't, but man, I'll never workout without eating first.

Day 11: Yoga

Morning yoga felt pretty good. Mike and I were talking about how it's a bit boring though. Lots of Warrior 1s and Warrior 2s. I like my warriors, but I don't need to do a half hour of them (the DVD is a total of 1 hour, 32 minutes). I have come to terms with the routine, though, because the P90X Fitness Expert, Tony Horton, has designed a program that focuses on specific muscles or whatever. That doesn't always make for crazy diversity. But I still do like the Yoga X program. It's definitely tough (I love taking my vinyasas, but I just can't keep up with him). Maybe a couple weeks from now.

Day 10: Shoulders & Arms

Somehow I got myself out of bed for my morning run. I'm not sure why I got up at 6:30 only to finally leave for the run at 7:30, but I suppose that doesn't matter too much now. I felt pretty strong on this run, considering I'd done such intense jumping yesterday morning. My quads in particular felt powerful. (One thing I'm learning from getting more into shape is body parts. I can identify my hamstrings, triceps, etc., now way better than I ever could before).

I also have to say that I LOVE my new Under Armour shirt. It definitely kept me cool this morning (it's "HeatGear" specifically, which is supposed to help in the heat). I think I may have to go back to Dick's and pick up another one or two (they have 22 colors)!

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Tonight was hard. I was unmotivated because I really wanted to attend this free movie showing. Just because it seemed like a fun summer thing, and I do like Clive Owen & Julia Roberts. But no, being somewhere at 9 p.m. interferes with P90X. Curses! But the exercises went well... I kept toying with my weights today. Sometimes I think I was going a little too heavy and my wrists started to hurt so I had to cut back. I also didn't do Ab Ripper as well as I did on Monday. I have no idea why...

Day 9: Plyometrics

Morning workout again... this was some intense jumping. A lot of these exercises involve jumping and kicking up your knees, but when I wasn't able to raise my knees, I just jumped. It was still hard. I try to pay special attention to the lunges because I'm always concerned about injuring my knees. That's the last thing I'd want to do. But if I remember correctly, all this jumping made me feel so spunky the next day, so we shall see.

Day 8: Chest & Back

My arms are jelly and for a while there I thought I was going to throw up... not sure if that has something to do with the Ab Ripper I just did or the tilapia cake (crab cake... but with tilapia) I had for dinner.

Anywho, I just had my recovery drink and am starting to feel a little better. I sure gave this workout my all. It was hard to get motivated since this is probably my least favorite workout in the set. The pull-ups just frustrate me. Today I decided to use a chair and stay standing on it but keep as little weight as possible on my feet and put as much as I could in my arms. It was still hard as heck doing that. I definitely improved on everything this week.

Like I said, I felt a little sick during Ab Ripper. But I still feel a little sick now, so I don't know what's causing it. But I tried really hard and where I used to have to support myself on my forearms, I now can just use my hands. I'll take that as a nice improvement.

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And this morning was a running fail. I set my alarm for 6 a.m. but didn't get out of bed until 8 a.m. Not a chance for running. I feel if my body needed to rest that much, I should let it.

Day 7: X Stretch

Day seven is labeled a rest day. You have the option of resting for real, or you can do the stretching. Mike did the stretching in the early afternoon, and I did it a couple of hours later. It was similar to the yoga workout's poses. Man, did I feel good though. It first loosens up your neck, then back and hamstrings. Very nice. I'm still really sore, but feel a lot better.

I'd really wanted to run this morning, but didn't get up in time. It was so hot throughout the day that I didn't even try (I did hit the pool for a couple of laps, but it's strange to swim when it's crowded like a pool party). Maybe tomorrow.

Day 6: Kenpo X

There's nothing like starting your Saturday morning with some fast-paced Kenpo when you're already sore. Thank goodness I'd taken kickboxing classes at UNC because it going right into jabs, crosses, hooks and uppercuts (and different combinations of these moves) with no explanation. There's no starting slow to get the form down: you either have to know already or watch the video first and then start it over to do it. I'm surprised how easily I remembered the moves.

But I loved this workout! I was concerned my knees and hips would pop and feel uncomfortable like they did during kickboxing (though I did it once a week with friends all freshman year, I had to give it up sophomore year because of the discomfort in my joints). But no! I felt pretty good. I found I'm much weaker on my left side than my right when it comes to the kicks (specifically: back kick). I'll have to work on getting that side stronger. I have a strange suspicion it has something to do with strengthening my core...

Day 5: Legs & Back

This morning I was up for some speed work on the track. I tried to go about a half-hour earlier than usual, but it still got really hot in the middle of my workout. My laps were strong, though, and I hit my goal on the nose every time. I love the track because before you know it, you've run three miles.

Because Mike had secret plans for our weekend dinners, we went to Whole Foods before our workout. I picked up some vanilla soy protein powder because it was on sale. They also had a chocolate flavor, but it had only 14 grams of protein per serving as opposed to the 24 grams in the vanilla. I have no idea why the protein amounts were different.

So back home, we warmed up and hit the gym for legs and back. I felt really good about the leg part of this series. It was lots of intense squats, but squats are something I've been incorporating into my workouts for years, so even the one-legged wall squats felt challenging but doable.

The back ones were still a lot of pull-ups, so I couldn't do too much here... I did manage more hanging with some pulses. Mike helped support me on one of the pull-ups, and that definitely helped. I still couldn't do more than one!

Tonight was another set of Ab Ripper. I finally gave it a solid try and was impressed by what I was able to do once I decided to go for it. It was still hard, and I certainly couldn't complete all of the sets, but at least I gave it 110%. No more wimping out on this core workout for me.

It was pretty late when we finished up, so I decided to mix my protein powder with water. I actually liked this concoction. It had the faintest taste of my vanilla soy milk (as I figured it would being vanilla soy powder) but because of the water, it had a thin consistency. I look forward to enjoying it in more substantial smoothies!

Day 4: Yoga

Mike and I opted to do the yoga DVD this morning. We didn't realize it was an hour and a half long! Which is almost a reason why I would want to do it in the morning. I love having my workouts done since I get home so late. Anyways, I really enjoyed this yoga program. It's a good thing I'm familiar with yoga, though (I took classes twice a week at my gym in New York for about 8 months) because the poses aren't explained very well. At least I am able to help Mike because form is really important in yoga (as it is in everything). I'll definitely look forward to Thursdays for this yoga DVD! I'd been looking for a good one, and this is it.

Day 3: Shoulders & Arms

I went on my morning run even though I was scared my legs would kill after those plyometrics. Instead, I felt really spunky on my run. My muscles felt bouncy and loose but strong. It was nice except for the heat. It's almost too hot to run in Atlanta at 8 a.m.

P90X was after dinner tonight. I wasn't sure what to expect since the last time we actually hit the gym, I was unable to really do half the stuff. I opted to play it safe with my weights, mostly picking 5 pounds since I was unfamiliar with these workouts. I have a worksheet for recording my weights and reps, so when it was too easy at 5 lbs., I made a note of it and switched up to 10 lbs. the next time.

Another round of Ab Ripper tonight. It's hard to come back up after you feel done to do 20 minutes of ab work. I still wasn't really feeling it (mostly a mental thing, thinking how I don't mind doing core work, but I would really prefer to do other types of core work than the ones in this program). But I gave it a go (kind of) and did better than the first time. But if it felt too hard, I was quick to give up.

Day 2: Plyometrics

Because Mike and I play trivia with friends on Tuesday nights, we did this workout in the morning before work. I didn't know what to expect from the plyometrics DVD at all. I did know that it would require a lot of energy, so I tried to perk up without my coffee (I get it in the office because we have one of those personal cup brewers... love it).

Plyometrics was hard, but fun. It was lots of jumping around the living room. I hope the people who live below us were already awake because it was lots of landing in sneakers on a hardwood floor.

Day 1: Chest & Back

I came home today from a weekend in St. Louis visiting my brother. Over the weekend, we ran about 3-4 miles on Saturday and about 10 miles on Sunday. It was great, but I was a little tired.

So of course today is the day my boyfriend Mike reminded me we start our P90X routine. P90X is an intense workout program designed to get you ripped in (can you guess?) 90 days. Last week I'd played around with one of the cardio DVDs just to see the style of the videos. I was very impressed and felt really worked out! So I figured this Monday was good as any other Monday (and the sooner we start, the sooner we finish).

Tonight after dinner, Mike and I got ready to go downstairs and hit the gym in our condo for some chest & back. Right off the bat, I was not thrilled about this first day lineup. It was a combination of pull-ups and push-ups, which are two things I can never do well. There are twelve exercises that you go through twice. I won't bore you with the different variations, but my arms felt like jelly at the end. And I wasn't even able to do the pull-ups (not that I expected to... I mainly just hung there are long as I could).

After our cool down, it was back upstairs to do Ab Ripper. It wasn't just crunches. It was total core work. One of the reasons I'm doing this program is to strengthen my core. My chiropractor told me during my last visit that since your core is the biggest muscle in your body, it make sense that you should work it out the most. (Then you work out your next biggest muscles a little less and so on). Well, this workout was so difficult. It didn't help that my heart wasn't in it. I was tired and frustrated from working out already for an hour with the back and chest, but feeling like I hadn't accomplished anything. So I did some of the stuff, but I could have pushed harder.

Mike let me try his whey protein powder mix for a recovery shake. The flavor is banana cream, and it was disgusting. I may have to look into other tastier options. Normally after a long run, I crave chocolate soy milk. Since I'm going to be running and lifting now, I think I need to pack something with a little more protein.

What's this about two-a-days?

In celebration of taking running seriously for about a year now, I am planning on racing in a half-marathon (or two... I can tell once I get that first medal, I'm not going to want to stop).

Around the same time I decided to do this, my boyfriend discovered this workout program called P90X. It's a 90-day commitment to a toned body.

Because I'm not willing to stop my running routine (it's gone from something I loathed in high school to something I love now), I figured I have to step it up and do two-a-days.

Note: I won't actually be working out every day twice a day, but it'll happen a couple of times a week, which is a lot for me!

Stick around if you're interested in the P90X process because that's what I'll be covering mainly in this blog. We start next week.