A date night & the long run that wasn’t

Long time no blog.

It happens.

I have a fun excuse though. It’s a long weekend and it started early!

On Thursday we went to the UTAH football game! It was the first game of the season and our first date night without kids in the last 10 months. We both realize date night needs to happen more often! We had so much fun!

Funny story: Everyone who had tickets to the game received an email with instruction to wear a red or white depending on what section you are sitting in.

Yea…we obviously missed that memo…

On the way their we discussed that they didn’t do a good job of advertising it and we expected that nobody would really do it..

Big surprise, we were wrong.

It was a great game and we ended up with the WIN! Good start to the season! I had a happy husband, not to mention he had just finished taking a BIG important CPA test 1 hour prior to game time.. The Utah game was a great way to celebrate!

The kids LOVE Utah fans just as much as us.

The next morning I headed to work, after coaching I had a 15 mile run to tackle. My friends, Joanna and Tara AKA my sole sisters, joined me. We started around 11 am…. it was 87 degrees. We did a 5 mile loop and by the time we got back to the beginning it was 95 degrees outside and we were just DONE. We did the 5 miles just under 40 minutes. We got a drink and decided that we would call it a day.. I’ll have to get my 15 mile in tomorrow or Monday. NOT a fan of running in the heat…

Right about the time we left the gym, this car accident happened. I hate car accidents. The driver was ok. Just scary! I have been in 2 car accidents.. ugh. My heart dropped when I heard this happen!

Later in the day, I had a friend moving, so I whipped up a quick dinner to bring to her family and Brent and I helped them move for the rest of the night while the kids played. 

This morning I went to GPP for the workout.

Instead of rowing I did an extra run and then had a quick breakfast of some blueberry chocolate cake oats before teaching Body Pump!

Blueberry Chocolate Cake Oats

• 1/3 C. Rolled Oats
• 1/3 C. Egg whites

Microwave for 2 minutes

Add:

• 1/2 Tbs. Cinnamon
• 1 scoop chocolate protein (I used Diesel)
• 1/3 C. Blueberries
• 1 Tbs. Ground Flaxseed
• 1 Tbs. Chia Seeds
• 1 Tbs. Sugar Free Maple Syrup.

After pump, I whipped up a quick shake

Now its time to pack it up and head to Bear Lake to enjoy the LONG weekend!

Have a great day y’all!

PARENTS: How often do you have date nights?

Have you been in a Car Accident?

What was your workout this weekend?

Any plans for the weekend?

Are your workouts hard enough?

 

Fitness has become a trend.

All of a sudden it is the cool thing to put yourself through the most gut wrenching suck fest. Every single day. It is almost as if your workout didn’t leave you on the floor in a puddle of your own stench and sweat it wasn’t hard enough and you need to do another.

Now, this doesn’t go for everyone. This is meant for those that have lost sight what optimal health really is about. This goes to those who care more about what others are doing then their own health.

I’m here to remind everyone that every workout does not need to be excruciating. Not every workout needs to leave you sore. In fact, there is NO benefit to it.

Before you decide the workouts given to you are “not hard enough.” Re-evaluate yourself. Are you PUSHING yourself to the limit on that workout? Is your form drop dead perfect? Could you push yourself harder? Complete the workout faster?

Now, with that said. Not every workout should be a sore-maker. Let me explain why.

There is a great benefit in REST! LET your body recover. I dare you.

If you stack hard workout on top of another, and another, your performance will start to disintegrate. Sure, you will get through the workout, but think how much harder you could of pushed if you went into a workout feeling fresh and ready to go?

I think we say it best at GPP when we say…

Make your workouts SERVE YOU!! Not the other way around. When you start thinking your workouts are to easy, is when you have lost sight of what it is intended to be.

I believe there is benefit in pushing your body faster and lifting heavier during some workouts. Just not EVERY workout. EVERY day. This is when your workout programming is important. Set your week up so you have recovery days between the rough ones. Let your body catch up and fully recover before you hit another hard workout. TAKE A EXTRA REST DAY or maybe even just drop volume of a workout. JUST try it. I guarantee you will feel better, have better performance, and have better results with it.

When you put your body through hard, long workouts it stresses the crap out of it. Your cortisol levels rise, you may find yourself craving more  simple carbs, sugar, etc. Which actually raise your cortisol levels again..After awhile your body shoots into a high stress mode and will start holding on to everything you give it. Healthy or not. You will stop losing weight and may gain! You then may freak out and start working out more and more and trying to eat less and less. Your body has stopped trusting you and is in a starvation state. It will not change.

Your progress will come to a streaking halt at that point.

High intensity exercise is proven to give amazing results and can enhance your general health, and it does, if it is done the right way.

As with any workout program the key is to listen to your body.

You do not have to workout as hard as “so and so” or lift as much, be as fast etc.

I can’t stress YOU VS YOU! enough.

Every body is different. Everyone responds differently to different workouts, different fuel, different recovery. I want you to push yourself, yes…. Kill yourself. NO.

Moral of the story, Pushing yourself into the ground every single workout has no positive effect. Give your body a break sometimes. Get to bed earlier, don’t workout hard every day. Some peoples definition of a “hard” workout varies. One workout on two different people has a different effect. What may put someone on the floor, may seem like a breeze to someone else. I get that. But before you think of adding more reps or weight. Re-evaluate, Slow down and form up.

 

What is a “hard” workout to you?

How often do you workout?

Does your workout serve you? Or do you serve your workout?

Sometimes Running is hard. Run Anyway.

 

Optional title: Grocery shopping is fun.

Today I went to Harmons. I have never been to this grocery store.. it’s a little bit out of my way but it may be my new favorite and I’m glad I took time to go out there today. I have heard its amazing but haven’t had the chance to check it out for myself.

I picked up a few items around that I don’t have at my normal grocery store.

I had just got done with my run and was pretty hungry, I found a perfect foods bar and snacked on it on the way home! It was SO good!

Oh, seeds and nuts. I love you.

Harmons also had these Chia squeeze snacks! I used one on a long run awhile back when I got one in my kona kase and loved it! I can’t wait to give this a go for my long run this weekend!

I also found some Only protein! I first heard of ONLY protein at The Gym in City Creek and loved it.

*Side note: Did you know GPP is at City Creek?!

It has great stats and amazing flavor and it mixes well with water when I’m in a bind and can’t make it home to make a shake post workout!

One day I will learn not to take pics in front of the window. Whateve.

Oh, and for all you locals it was buy one get one free too!!! *Go buy this.

I have been looking for an all natural sugar free maple syrup.. BAM. Got it! I haven’t tried it yet so I’ll give ya an update later!

This just looked good and I think it will make a great pair with my chicken!

I actually put a little on my fish today and veggies and it was a win! I also had a sweet potato while my fish was cooking.. if your wondering.

Running is HARD sometimes.

Go RUN anyway.

Today, I had 9 miles on my training plan. I started dreading it last night after my 2 miler, my foot hurt, my legs were tired, I set my alarm for a early wake up and when it went off.. I pushed snooze 7,832 times.

I didn’t want to do it and said I would do it later.

I am the procrastination queen sometimes. I really had no desire to run, wasn’t sure if I even should because of my foot. I even had friends that wanted to run with me today, that I would of jumped at the chance because I LOVE running with them but I didn’t want to hold anyone back in case I had to stop because of my foot. I told them I was skipping it because my foot was hurting. I continued to talk myself out of it but I knew it would just hang over my head and haunt me till I at least tried. Then at about 11:30AM I decided to just run anyway! If I had to stop I had to stop.

My run ended up going surprisingly well. My foot hurt before, the first 3 miles.. then was fine for the remainder of the run. I did 8.39 miles with a 8:15 pace. It was probably the best run I have had in a long time. Not sure what happened, but I finally fell into the zone.

There is a point during marathon training where I just kind of fall out of running. I feel like it’s a chore and I have to “do this” and have “this pace” and I forget why I even LOVE running in the first place. I always start feeling this way right about the “peak”  of training.

Today, I mentally fought that battle the first few miles of the run. I told myself it was just two 4.5 mile runs. This mentally made it a little easier but at every stoplight that I had to stop at I told myself I could just turn around now, and that “X” amount of miles is good enough for the day. When I finally, headed back at my turn around point I got a new kick in my step. I zoned out and just kept running. No stopping till I got there. My mind finally got into the “running zone”! It felt good.

I felt good. As soon as I got back to the gym and laid on the floor I felt accomplished. As the sweat dripped down my forehead into my eyes and my heart rate began to lower I realized that this is why I love running. I love it for the good days, I love feeling my heart beat in my chest. I love conquering something that seemed impossible for the day. I am grateful that I CAN run. I am grateful for my health and my passion for fitness. So.. maybe I didn’t quite finish 9, but its okay! I went a lot further then I anticipated when my foot hit the pavement at the start of it. Plus, I had a boot camp class later that had some sprints that jumped into and added up to 9 and then some for the day, so I got the time on my feet.

Moral of the story.

Just run anyway.

Why do you Run?

What is your favorite Grocery store?

8 Running Pet Peeves

Happy Monday!

It is always hard to come home from a vacation and get back into the swing of things. I love our routine though. My kids are clockwork when we are home, although this vacation kind of threw them for a loop. Which means they didn’t nap today… But overall it was a good day!

I started the day coaching this workout. Then I tackled it!

Source

The marathon training plan I am following has me doing GPP workouts at 70% volume, but 100% effort. I was feeling the Monday drag today for sure though! I completed the workout in 25:32 with 20 reps of each exercise instead of 25. I did an extra 800m cool down run afterward.

Then later in the day I had a 2 mile run on my marathon training plan. I ran it in 15:24. My plantar fasciitis really hurt during this run and now. It is so weird, one day it is fine and doesn’t effect me at all, then others it kills me. It’s a bi polar injury. Who knows? I spent most of the weekend without shoes, not wearing my brace or compression…. so maybe I wasn’t in recovery mode this weekend..

I’ll be better I promise…

Running Pet Peeves

We all have them. Pet peeves usually are completely up to an individual, what drives one person crazy, another may not even notice. Runners might share a few of these with me though!

1. This can take foreeeeever… Your all ready to go then you realize you still need to “locate satellites.”

Also, under the garmin category—“low battery”

2. Hair on my neck. I have long hair and I can’t stand it on the back of my neck on long runs! It turns into a rats nest mixed with sweat. Ew. I also have to have a BIC band on to hold my hair out of my face!

3. When your running on the treadmill and it has an hour limit and involuntarily gives you a cool down without warning. I’m the person who covers the TM and just tries to get in the zone..(hate TM running). Then it resets all by yourself!

4. The sock slip! I started running in actual running socks a few years ago and haven’t looked back. But when I really slack on laundry then I usually defer to my old sock habit and will experience the sock slip.

You know, when your sock slips under your heel…

Running socks are the way to go!

5. Your running at a great PR pace and BAM. Your shoelace comes untied. I use Lock Laces on my running shoes and love it! Never have a problem anymore!

6. Bubble Gut- Have you ever drank a little to much water or large slurpee (just me?) Before a run and your stomach gut just bounces with every step? Yea, I hate that.

7. Dry lips- When my lips get dry and I get that gross white stuff in the corner of my mouth. I always have to chap up my lips before I go! Natural Ice is my favorite chapstick!

 

8. Running Belt Bounce- I had a belt that I would put my phone in and it would flab around hitting my lower back and butt with every other step! I now have a Nathan’s belt and LOVE it! I do wish my pocket was a tinch bigger though!

What is your running or gym pet peeve??

The weekend I never wanted to end.

This weekend we headed up to our family ranch.

I love this place.

4G is non existent and there is no internet.

Its amazing.

It felt good to unplug for the weekend and spend time with my family. All of my sisters and brothers were there and it was the first time all summer we were all together at the same time.

Tanner lined up all his cars as soon as he walked in the door and didn’t waste anytime showing and telling his uncles all about them.

The next morning we spent most of the time outside, four wheeling, mowing the lawn, horseshoes, playing in the sand, swinging and all that jazz.

Bee loved riding with papa, but he could only go “fast”, according to her standards.. like first gear fast..

My sisters and step mom and I went to visit the local Crossfit gym in Star Valley. The owners are good friends of our family and were pretty cool. It is a small “box” but the coaches I met were both very knowledgeable and knew there stuff.

Saturday was an open gym day, so we went and did the GPP workout with my sisters, funny that the workout we did was called “water breaker.” My sister, Jess is about 30 weeks pregnant! I modified the workout for her and she finished it without any water breaking.

Afterwards I played around and did some power cleans. All their weights were in kilos so I took my best guess on that one.

I have a fit fam! We had a great time at Star Valley Crossfit.

When we got back to the ranch I took the kids out to the “lake” to put our feet in and kick around. I’m sure nobody knows what cold water is until they take a dip in this water. It is the coldest water, ALL the time! They didn’t seem to mind to much.

We danced and sang songs on the dock for awhile and I got the row boat out to take for a spin.

This place is my favorite place on earth. I don’t know if its just the beautiful atmosphere, or the fact that I have so many great childhood memories here. All I know is, I never wanted to leave.

And I think they didn’t either.

Time on the lake, in the dirt and around the fire.

Sadly, our fire was stormed out, and we ended up taking it back inside once we saw lightning and the wind that came out of nowhere!

Overall, it was a great weekend!

Tell me about your weekend?

What was your favorite childhood vacation?

Paddle boardin’

 

Yesterday, my friend aka soul sister Tara and I rented some paddle boards and hit up the lake pond.

I haven’t paddle boarded since I was in hawaii 3 years ago! We had a blast! We didn’t even fall in once. Which is a big deal. Because..

1. My balance and goof-e-ness takes over some times and..

2. That water would probably give me a incurable disease.

We rented the boards from Gear 30 in Ogden. They cost $20 for 24 hours. Steal of deal if you ask me. (Per board).

After boarding I got my hair done! I’m loving the melt, I went and little blonder this time, but still not super drastic and I love it so far!

I got 13.5 miles out of the 17 that is on my schedule done in just under two hours today. I’ll be sure to squeeze in a few more later. BUT..

Now, I’m all packed up and headed out for the weekend.

Internet connection is sketchy round these parts so I’ll try to touch base at some point. No promises.

Its family time.

Have a great weekend y’all!

Baby food is Fuel.

 

This morning I started the day off with a quick and light protein shake before heading out on my run.

The twins woke up suuuuper early today, and Brent had plans to go hiking with his brother so I had to push my run till later..

Once I got done wrestling the twins into the bath, pin them down and make them wear clothes instead of pajamas, feed them each their own personal breakfast and locate two pair of shoes that resembled each other…  we headed out to do our weekly grocery shopping.

I haven’t been able to get these two to smile and or look at the camera at the same time foreeeever. I think I finally figured it out. You just can’t tell them to look at you and say cheeeeeese… You have to say, “Look at my big zit and say booga booga chicken poop.”

Worked wonders.

While at the store I found these hanging out! POWER BAR caught on to my “baby food” for fuel thing.

I knew I was onto something. BUT….

Note: Baby food packets are cheaper.

I started using baby food two years ago for races! My stomach has issues with Gels and all that jazz. I used baby food for one of my training runs and felt great! I was hooked. Baby food is easily digestable and contains carbs, and glucose. Which is perfect to help fuel during long runs and races! That and swedish fish…

I had an 8 mile run on the schedule today. The fact that I didn’t get started till after 11 made it kind of miserable. It was 92 degrees and after this workout yesterday I was a bit tired. But I got it DONE!

Today’s GPP workout included deadlifts. I LOVE dead lifts and was curious of my 5 rep max so I loaded up a bar and took a video of me pulling 235. I worked my way up to 250! But my camera ran out of memory and cut the lifts out and all you see is my butt walking to the bar. oh well. Dumb iphone 5 memory space… {first world problems}

Why my shorts are hiked up all weird. I don’t know, don’t care.. just go with it. Lifting heavy crap is fun.

Came home and whipped up some diced chicken, green beans and onions with a side of raspberries x 100 and ate a sweet potato while the chicken medley was on the skillet.

Spent the afternoon chasing the kiddos down the street on their bikes, taught pump and now to fold a load or 12 of laundry.

Oh. the. joy.

What do you use for fuel during long runs?

Anyone else run today?

What do you eat pre-run?

Silver Lake & Flag Pole Wanna Be’s

 

Sunday was a perfect day.

Maybe cause I started the day with a run.

Sunday’s are usually my rest day and I I also tend to DRAG on Sundays. If I get a little run in I am a little more productive for the rest of the day! Anyone else?

I talked two to of my friends to take a elephant rock fun run. We headed up early morning and the weather was perfect and it was so peaceful at the top.

When I got home, we did the normal breakfast routine once the kids woke up. Breakfast, bath, etc. Pretty much rush to get out the door in time for church.

We ended up being to late for a meeting, due to emotional stress from my two favorite little people. Sooooo we decided to take the kids up to Silver lake for a walk instead. (It happens…)

Silver lake is a perfect little walk for the family. It’s about a mile trail around a lake. The lake is a popular spot to fish and just sit and enjoy the great outdoors.

 

Sunday is pretty much the only day we get this guy to ourselves!

The kids had a blast kicking their feet in the water and feeding the “gucks”as Baylee would say.

 

This is my heaven. I am totally a country girl at heart. Through and through!

It was a great hike! My MIL got the kids a wagon for their birthday and we brought it to break it in. We all had a fun time taking turns steering it around the lake.

These two melt me. They really do LOVE each other and make sure each one is safe and happy. Might be a twin thing. Neither of them will ever smile for the camera anymore though. HA!

 

We even got to see a bull and cow moose!! They came down for a drink and hung out for awhile. It was fun to sit and watch them for a little while.

After the walk we took the kids home and down for a quick nap then we were off to my parents house for the night to celebrate my brother Jamison! He turned 12!

This kid is awesome. His shirt says “train hard, win easy!” I kind of love it. He is a awesome football player, and his season is just starting! I can’t wait to watch this kid play again!

My brother Parker spent some time with Tanner last night playing catch! 

And whatever this game is? The goal of the game is to get the steel ball to balance on that wood stick its connected to. Parker was whipping out all these crazy tricks with it! I’ll get a video next time. It kind of reminded me of a Yo-yo but cooler.

Banana Cream Chess man cake anyone?

Short bread cookies may be my all time favorite! Growing up my Grandpa used to give us “Sandies” and I always looked forward to it.

Afterwards, my sisters and I were convinced we could “flag pole” our pregnant sister.

And so we did.

 

Anyone else’s grandparents give you a certain treat when you go over??