Today marked the end of the first of three weeks that I will be participating in the Lorna JaneMove Nourish Believe Blogger Challenge. It was created to keep people motivated beyond January when new year goals tend to start to fade away.
This week was all about MOVING the body and although I wasn't lacing up my running shoes as much as I'd like, I did move my body everyday!
Monday - This was the first day of the challenge and although I didn't run, I shared a previous post-run pic to show my favorite way to sweat.
Tuesday - After taking an extra rest day from running, I tried the YogaWorks Ultimate Post Run sequence to change up my stretching routine and discovered a great IT band stretch. There's a lot of work to do on that one!
Wednesday - Planked with Lorna Jane as a pre-run warmup and realized that it had been a long time since I last did some other than at SurfSet class.
Thursday - Decided to run through my plank routine again with my workout buddy. He is my buddy, but also the only one home at the time!
Friday - For Fave Friday I shared my 5 favorite squat moves and completed 25 of each.
I read a great post last week by Coco over at Running With Perseverance about being FitFluential at work. It made me realize that I am very lucky to work in a school where being active is encouraged and praised.
Many of my colleagues are runners and it is not uncommon for our principal to give a shout out to someone who has completed a race or send a good luck wishes to those racing over the weekend. We've also come together to celebrate National Running Day.
This year during Professional Development Days, my principal has tried to add planned fitness activities that the faculty can opt to do during the day. One time he took a group on a (muddy) hike, and another time there was some brush chopping. One day there will be a group run...I can feel it.
Mixing in physical activity doesn't have to be a planned group effort. You can find ways to increase your activity while at work without worrying about looking silly.
Is your employer FitFluential? How do you stay active while at work?
Today is also National Wear Red Day sponsored by the American Heart Association to raise awareness of the fight against heart disease in women. Join the movement by wearing the color of our hearts today and check out all the wear red selfies!
After taking my treadmill for a spin this morning, I will be baking up some quinoa for lunch.
This recipe started as Quinoa Pizza Bites (see original post here). Although I love the recipe, I don't always feel like filling all the mini muffin tins, so I decided to just bake the mix in one big pan. This saves time, but it is just as delicious.
It required about 10 more minutes of baking, but then it was time to cut and serve. It goes great with my favorite Cincinnati pizza sauce!
Are you snowed in today? What are you having for lunch?
In three weeks I will be running half marathon #11, which is going to feel awesome after a DNS at ZOOMA Cape Cod and my crazy finish of the BAA Half. This week I did all of my runs solo. I don't mind running alone, but I definitely prefer to have a partner. On the bright side, running on my own has helped me to focus on my running, especially paying attention to my effort.
Monday - After school I went for a sports massage. My left IT band is still tight and causing some pain along my left hip. Jeanie really knows how to get in there and work the muscles.
Tuesday - We had good 15 degree weather so I did my regular 4 mile loop. mrC and the dog played leap frog and Booney even got in a .25 mile sprint.
Wednesday - I joined the FitFluential#FFBURPEES Challenge to do 1000 burpees by February 28. After a little math, I calculated that if I do 35 burpees everyday, I will hit the goal before the deadline. I'm combining this with the #30DayRagnarChallenge. 35/1000
Thursday - It was nearly a heatwave around here with 26 degree temperatures after school, so I was able to do another 4 miler, out & back this time. Then I completed 35 driveway burpees. 70/1000
Friday - While making some blueberry protein bars I used my wait time to do 35 more burpees and some daily stretching. 105/1000
Saturday - We spent the morning at the beach watching my stepdaughter take her first Penguin Plunge as part of a fundraiser for the Special Olympics. Before heading out to my Ragnar Team dinner meeting I squeezed in another 35 burpees which also met the Under Armour February #SweatADay daily challenge. 140/1000
Sunday - I finally enjoyed a weather cooperative long run. This was my first solo 10 miler. Although I was uneasy about going out alone, it turned out ok. I struggled up our notoriously BIG hill, alternating between running and walking the 130' gain over a half mile, but it worked. After some bonding time with my compression gear, I did 35 single leg burpees. 175/1000
Here's a great warmup exercise video from Runner's World:
Do you like to work out on your own, with a partner, or in a group?
This year I will be running The Ragnar Cape Cod Relay as a member of Team Too Vicious & Delicious. We were supposed to run Reach The Beach Massachusetts, but RTB merged with Ragnar and well, there you go!
Today I want to introduce you to our inspirational team captain Katherine.
Katherine and I at BAA Half Marathon Oct. 2013
I first met Katherine when I ran RTB NH in 2011 with Team One Track Minded.
Since then we've kept in touch, often running the same events both in NH and MA.
About Katherine: She is fitness certified – AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America), SPINNING®, Les Mills Body Pump - and is an instructor at a local health club. She was first ACE (American Council on Exercise) certified at 17 years old and has been working in the fitness industry ever since… even charging faculty at her college $1/ aerobics class while attending Mt Holyoke. She's a wife to a runner husband and mom to 4 adorable kiddos. And she has been putting her knowledge and experience to work on us! In November and December she created weekly challenges to motivate the team. She even gave out awards!
Katherine has been organizing not one, but two teams for the Ragnar Cape Cod Relay: Team Vicious & Delicious (which ran RTB MA in 2012) and the brand new Team Too Vicious & Delicious! All together, she is managing 22 runners from NH, MA, NY, CT, and MD, planning our legs, ordering our team shirts, setting up the team dinner, and trying to keep us motivated! Who inspires you?
