My next race is the Frozen Zucchini Snowshoe Adventure (5K) on January 30th.

Day 456 | January 17, 2011: yoga

I did the Yoga Works Beginners DVD first thing in the morning. I wish I could start every morning like that!

Day 457 | January 18, 2011: strength + 5 m run

For a few years I have been saving those little exercise cards that come in fitness magazines but have never used them! I decided to finally try one out on Tuesday – Women’s Health‘s 2-in-1 Toners (click here for pdf copy). The workout consists of compound moves for your whole body (four sets of two moves), and all you need is hand weights and an exercise ball. It’s perfect for at home (even though I was doing it at work). My heart rate definitely got up and I felt like it was a good workout! I think I could have upped the weights, but I was still getting used to the workout. Next time!

I did have to use the Bosu for the move below. I have not yet mastered doing a pushup on an exercise ball.

And this move (below) totally kicked my butt!

In each “duo,” I did one set of the first move, one of the second, another of the first, and another of the second.

Duo 1	Deadlift and Bent-Over Row Combo: 1 x 10 @ 5 lb each hand, 1 x10 @ 10 lb ea hand
	Bosu Pike w/Pushup: 2 sets of 10
Duo 2	Thruster: 2 x 10 @ 5 lb ea hand
	Pushup Row w/Core Hold: 2 x 10 @ 5 lb ea hand
Duo 3	Sumo Squat and Curl: 1 x 10 @ 5 lb ea hand, 1 x 10 @ 10 lb ea hand
	Row and Back Extension: 1 x 10 @ 5 lb ea hand, 1 x 10 @ 10 lb ea hand
Duo 4	Step-Up and Single-Arm Press: 1 x 10 @ 5 lb (x2 – both sides), 1 x 10 @ 10 lb (x2 – both sides)
	Dumbbell Press and Core Roll: 2 x 10 @ 5 lb (x2 – both sides)

After the strength workout, I did a bit of stretching.

In the evening, I ran 5 miles on the snow covered sidewalks. I wore my YakTrax, and the run went surprisingly well. The YakTrax really helped! I could tell my legs were working harder since I was running in the snow though!

I forgot to mention last week that I had a dull ache in my left shin on and off during some runs. I felt it during this run, and also rolled my left ankle three times. Not sure if that will help with the shin or not. Probably… not.

Distance: 5.0 | Start Temp: 21° | End Temp: 20° | Time: 53:29 | Avg Pace: 10:41 | 1: 10:45 | 2: 10:35| 3: 10:56 | 4: 10:35 | 5: 10:36

Day 458 | January 19, 2011: rest

Day 459 | January 20, 2011: strength

Steven and I did Level 1 of The 30 Day Shred (I used 2-lb weights). It went pretty well, except for the ab moves. The strength workout I did on Tuesday worked my abs so much that coughing, sneezing and laughing caused me to groan in pain. So, the ab portion of the workout was interesting, to say the least.

Day 460 | January 21, 2011: 5 m run

This run was a bit cold, so I wore a lot of layers, and even covered my face with a balaclava and my ski goggles. The ski goggles worked well until a mile and a half in, when they fogged up. I tried to clear the fog with my spit, but the spit immediately froze. Oops. So I ran the rest of the run with my eyes exposed. My eyelashes froze, but hey, you’ll have that.

The hardest part of this run was actually breathing through the balaclava. Even though I wear it a lot, I usually don’t cover my mouth, but I had to for this run. The air was too cold. I felt constricted breathing through the thing, but breathing in that cold air was worse!

Distance: 5.0 | Start Temp: -5° | End Temp: -4° | Time: 49:25 | Avg Pace: 9:52 | 1: 10:00 | 2: 9:39 | 3: 9:38 | 4: 10:03 | 5: 10:01

Day 461 | January 22, 2011: strength + 9.4 m run

I tried the “Mix & Match” (see here) workout from the January/February issue of Health. All I needed was a set of 5-lb dumbbells and a mat – I like these workouts that you can do at home without fancy equipment!

I struggled the most with the moves involving my core (below). My abs were still really sore from Tuesday. I guess that means I have a lot of work to do!

I definitely went in to Child’s Pose halfway through the Twisting Knee Plank to take a breath. And after just trying the move below, I knew I wasn’t ready for it yet. Maybe next time.

Other than my core aching so much, the workout was really good and got me nice and sweaty!

I did two sets total, hence the “2 x”.

1. Chest Press-Overhead Extension: 2 x 15 @ 5 lb ea hand

2. Curl, Press, Down, and Out: 2 x 15 @ 5 lb ea hand

3. Matrix Lunge: 2 x 10 @ 5 lb (x2 – both sides)

4. Slow Mo Squat: 2 x 10 @ 5 lb ea hand

5. Twisting Knee Plank: 2 x 20

Awhile after my strength workout, I went to meet the Grayslake Running Club for the long weekend run. Originally, the run was supposed to start at 9:00, but the club pushed it back to noon to take advantage of the warmer temps and sun.

That sounds great in theory, but I was hungry during the run. I ate a pita before I left, but it wasn’t enough. Live and learn! I will say, I really enjoyed that Chocolate Outrage GU in the middle of the run!

I started the run by doing 1.4 miles by myself, since the club was only doing 8 and I wanted to make sure I at least got 9 in. After everyone showed up (9 of us total) we ran a hilly out and back course. I felt good in the beginning, but was thirsty and hungry at the end, and slowed down a bit. Still, I don’t think I would have average under 10 minutes miles without the club – I was happy to run with them!

The beginning of the run went down a commercial street, but it was all residential after mile 1.5.

Run stats: I wore the Asics Cumulus 12s. I drank 3 ounces of water and 3.5 ounces of a half water/half Gatorade mix. My bottle caps froze by in the middle of the run and I had to unscrew the top to drink the fluid! I ate a Chocolate Outrage GU at mile 5.5. I had on wool socks, tights, pants, Under Armour ColdGear, my purple Tek Gear jacket, Under Armour Hood, Tek Gear beanie, and gloves.

Distance: 9.4 | Start Temp: 14° | End Temp: 16° | Time: 1:33:08 | Avg Pace: 9:54 | 1: 9:31 | 2: 9:45 | 3: 10:01 | 4: 9:37 | 5: 9:46 | 6: 9:48 | 7: 9:53 | 8: 10:15 | 9: 10:21 | 10: 4:08

Day 462 | January 23, 2011: yoga + cross

In the morning I did 25 minutes of yoga and stretching. Mid-morning, I went out on my first snowshoeing adventure with my new snowshoes! I went on the new trail by our house, eager to check out the progress on the new bridge, and enough of it is done that I could walk over it! I went past it and snowshoed for 4.5 miles total.

I was breaking the trail much of the way and it was hard work! I was feeling a slight ache in my right hip during Saturday’s run, and it definitely came back. I hope the trails are well-broken for next week’s snowshoe 5K – otherwise, I will be walking a lot more of it than planned (the plan now is to mostly walk anyway!).

I really like my new snowshoes. I am happy I got them!

Distance: 4.5 | Start Temp: 10° | End Temp: 17° | Time: 1:47:21 | Avg Pace: 23:52

Week Summary: 19.4 miles

This felt like a busy week. I am happy I got in what I could, exercise-wise! Now I am just hoping the weird shin and hip aches are nothing.