Friday Freeze

You may be confused at the title of this post because I live in sunny Florida where we are experiencing unseasonably warm conditions.  At 7:30 AM it is currently 68 degrees, rising to a high of 79 today, so what gives?  Well, I have not swum in quite a while due to falling winter temps, and because polar bears and penguins are pool hogs, but in my naivety I thought that the warm outside temps this last week were enough to heat the outdoor unheated pool to tolerable tepid conditions!  Boy, was I wrong! I almost skipped the short mulch lined trail to the pool in anticipation of a delightful languid swim and in regular bathing suit (no wet suit, immersion suit or other diving attire designed for Alaskan seas), and goggles, I dove in!  YOWZA!  Oh my crikey!  I do believe that parts of my body that protrude slightly from the main surface, actually exploded!!!  But being the trooper that I am (so competitive with myself), I completed 16 frigid laps knowing that my medal today would be a dip in the hot tub whose hot breath I could see billowing up into the fresh morning……..

Then I got home and planked.  I had to beat yesterdays number, so I went all the way to 3:05 minutes!  THAT warmed me up, but my hands are still shaking 15 minutes after.

I am of the humble opinion that those of us who find exercise part of our daily regimen have some type of permanent alteration in our brains that affects our ability to reason! 🙂

My Reward 🙂

Thursday Running and Planking

Today was/is a glorious one here in sunny, warm Florida.  I believe my alarm clock was planking when it chirped “hello” at 6:15 and I bounded from my warm nest and into my running shorts.  A quick look at the weather channel app indicated 60 degrees and rising to a high of 77, (although at the time of writing this, it shows 81, feels like 83.  WOW!)  I will take it.  A strappy, sleeveless running tank was selected along with a thin long sleeve to sling around the waist if it got too warm.  Imagine that?  I said “too warm” and it is almost Christmas! 😉 I ran the two miles to the base of the bridge, and then half a mile to the top, where I espied my exercise buddies; the bridge babes, as they were starting their ascent back up the bridge.  We stopped at the top and all got out our smart phones, and took it in turns planking on the wall that ran alongside the bridge.  Oh what funny fun.  Motorists stared as they drove by thinking we were perhaps praying to Mecca, or possibly practicing our Superman take off? We timed ourselves, and I kicked planking butt at 3:00!  Whoop Whoop!  We then took our walk into the residential part of Camachee Cove and Amy and I planked in front of the beautiful boats, and considered hailing down the border patrol guy to see if we could plank on his truck.  We thought better of it and decided Christmas in Customs jail was not desirable!  A final run home took me and my now rubbery legs to 6.5 miles total. Next Thursday is the final day of the challenge and we are supposed to hold it for as long as we can.  Hmm.  Me thinks I want to go for 5 minutes????  I hear the next challenge is a 30 day one of squats!  Oweee!

Me collapsed after 3 minutes 🙂

Hump Day Yoga with apprentice

Ha, Grasshopper.  Did one hour of power yoga with a friend who is brand new to any kind of yoga, and he did really well.  A bit shaky on some of the balance poses, and not so smooth with the chattarangas, but all in all, very well done. 🙂 It was fun to do this workout with someone for a change, and  good to know I can affect people in a positive way by example.  That’s what it’s all about. No good to brow beat someone into a healthy lifestyle, but better if they see how happy and fit you are and want to emulate you.

Tuesday Run

Today I awoke to a thick pea souper of a foggy morn. I donned my shoes and ran into the gloom. It was weird to hear cars before I could see them, and made for an interesting hike. I managed 3 miles without stopping at a not so hot 9:23, and got a friendly wave from two runner dudes who had finished their jaunt and were leaving the scene of their workout after having stopped at a Dunkin’ Donuts! Runners seem to be more friendly than cyclists, just sayin’. I got home and then went into a plank for 2:15 minutes.

Sunday Yoga

After three days of eating “normal” food and a lot of it, I am feeling like a warthog!  It is amazing the effect food has on your system.  I feel lethargic and bloated.  Tomorrow (Monday) is the 2nd of December and I will start afresh at eating healthy again, and hopefully lose nine pounds by the end of the month.  I have so many parties to attend however,  that I am not sure how I am going to do it? Today I did 40 minutes of power yoga and planked for 1:30 minutes straight arm and 1:00 minute straight arm.

Saturday Running

A cold, damp, blustery day greeted me as I ventured out the door to take a run.. A friend accompanied me on bike the two miles to the base of Vilano bridge and while I ran it, he power walked it. The wind was so fierce that I had to hold on to my hat and I was actually blown into the wall a couple of times.  Glad I decided to cycle yesterday (Friday).  There would have been NO WAY to get over the bridge on bike today.  I then ran the two miles home and had to take it at a slower pace as I am training someone who is fairly new to running.  All in all I did a six mile run, and felt great.

Post Turkey Day Biking Blow Off

Phew!  I ate two meals yesterday which is not the norm these days as I have been used to juicing breakfast and lunch, so my stomach was making all kinds of noises in protest by the evening. And despite the chilly lower 60’s temps and 19 mph winds, I set off on a bike ride.  Boy, going over the Vilano Bridge was killer and had to go all the way down to 1st gear just to get me over it, but coming back was a blast with a nice fast wind on my tail. Day seven of the 21 day plank challenge today and it is at 75 seconds, which I blew out of the water yesterday at 135 seconds. Will try to meet or beat that today.

Turkey Day Running

Today I awoke to 35 degree temperatures, so I bundled up in long pants, long sleeved tee shirt, short sleeved tee shirt, gloves and hat and I braved the artic conditions. Did my three miles in 28:02 and rushed home to prepare the duck for thanksgiving day. I decided that this was an opportunity not to be passed and added the yet to be cooked bird of a feather to my planking routine. Day seven of the 21 day plank challenge. You will see said duck roosting on my back, sans feathers and unwittingly about to have his final rest in a 350 degree oven in the picture posted.

Turkey Day Eve Yoga

Today was running around planning a big celebration for tomorrow so I thought I would not be able to squeeze in my exercise, but I did and I am so glad. I started off with Day Six of the 21 Day Plank Challenge and got down and dirty with 1 minute 45 seconds in bent arm position and then 1 minute in straight arm. Phew! I am actually starting to see and feel some definition on my oblique’s! 🙂  Had to run errands but on returning and making a juice, threw myself into an hour of power yoga, and just to shake it up, I did most of it with my eyes closed.  It was weird.  I had to really concentrate on body positioning and was better able to ‘listen’ to my body.  The only positions I could not do ‘blind’ were half moon and warrior three. I am interested to see what my body does after a day of eating three meals instead of the one it has been used to! God help me.  I think I will ignore the scales for a while?

Tuesday Running

I bet you all thought I was lazy today due to my tardy posting? Well, wrong. Although I had a very late night last night (and no, not partying), and did not want to get up and hit the snooze for almost an hour, I did actually surface and took a little three mile jaunt. My time was OK, (not great), at 9:24 and got home just before the rain fell. I could not face another juice today (week five), so opted instead for a strawberry and chocolate protein shake. Mmmm, and I still managed to get out of the house in a somewhat timely fashion.
Today was the OFF day for the planking challenge, but tomorrow it is up to 60 seconds.