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.