Thoughts:
Thank you all for your positive comments on my workout goals for 2011.
I’m a bit behind on reading your blogs, try to catch up this weekend. Work has been crazy this past week and will be next week, always the same at the end of the year. I have to work 2.5 more days and have to do a lot before my vacation starts. On Wednesday at 12.30 pm we have a Christmas lunch at work and after that my vacation starts and I don’t have to work till Monday January 3rd. Really looking forward to that.
I still haven’t figured out our Christmas dinner. On Christmas day we will be at my Mom’s house and I offered to make dessert. Boxing day we are at home and I have to come up for a dinner for just the two of us. Have to sit down tomorrow and decide what we are going to eat.
This week I received a surprise package in the mail. Julie from Julie’s Running Blog sent it to me and I was touched and surprised when I opened it. She send me a few gifts including a Runners calendar for 2011, some perfume samples, Minnesota Moose Poop and some cleaning hand gels. Julie, again thank you so much, this was so sweet of you.
Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge
December 11-December 17:
Running (1 Point per mile): 9
Walking (1 Point per mile): 1
Weight lifting, Pilates, yoga, stretching or abs (1 Point per 20 minutes): 3
1 Point per day where you reach a minimum of 7 servings of fruits and veggies: -
Total this week: 13 Points.
Exercise:
Tuesday I went to my Pilates class. Due to circumstances I didn’t go for almost a month and I really missed it. It was a great class, we worked on abs and back.
Wednesday I was home a bit earlier than normal, it was cold, hardly wind and the sun was still shining a bit and I decided to run outside. Had to do a temporun of 35 minutes. I kept a pace that felt good and did 3 times of 4 minutes at a faster speed. It was so good to run outside on a weekday. My calf was hurting a bit during the run but my foamroller arrived in the mail that day. I used it immediately and it really works! Thank you all who recommended this to me.
Victory run!
Yesterday we got our share of snow again. The whole country was a mess, major traffic jams, trains weren’t going, people got stuck on the highway for a long time. Where I live it wasn’t as bad as at the coast line but we had a bit of snow.
So when I woke up this morning, knowing I had 11K / 6.8 miles on my schedule I was thinking what to do. I could go to the gym and do it on the treadmill or I could try and run outside. From the possibilities the last one sounded the best. I dressed up and off I went. I choose a route of which I knew it would be cleaner than my usuals routes. This meant I had to run 5.5K on it and then back for 5.5K. Usually I run in a loop because I don’t like seeing the same thing twice but today this was the best option.
It was cold, I was slow (slowest run in 3 months) because I had to carefully watch where I ran, first part I had a bit of wind in my front, my water was almost frozen when I got home but I did it. By the way no calf issues today: I love my foamroller.
11K (6.8 miles), -4C / 24 degrees, snowy/icy roads: I DID IT !
And I’m damn proud of myself for trying and finishing.
Here’s a photo of the road I ran on.
I don’t know if I’d be as brave as you to run on that snowy road. Good for you for doing it.
Hi Fran,
Wow, look at the snow clinging to those trees! It looks like a pretty run. I have not been running as much as I should and feel like this has been one of my slowest running months for sure. I have got to get back into the swing of things….running vacation is over after Christmas:)
Yay, your package arrived! Parisienne is one of my favorites and my daughter wears Ed Hardy. We were trucking around Macy’s picking up as many samples as they had for you. A girl needs options:)
I hope that you have a fantastic weekend Fran!
Fran the key to success is the willingness to strive for what you want. You want a half marathon this year, you want weight loss this year, you want to be happy, you want to be proud. This just proves your willingness to do what ever it takes to change your life and follow your dreams.
.
I am so very proud of you Fran. I mean after all it’s just a little snow, I don’t see the big deal….which translates into = I’m glad I’m not the only insane person on this planet
So proud of you girlfriend!
xoxo
Syl
Brave you running in snow pack!
That’s pretty cold, too!
wow – you ARE brave! Good for you – you did it! You have every right to be proud of yourself. Enjoy your Sunday knowing you got your run done and out of the way. Awesome!
WOW your roads look like mine!!:) Great Job!!
What a nice package to recieve- Blog friends are great!
I decided today that I need to own a foam roller too! My legs, especially my calves, are so sore from my stair workout on Thursday. I would love to roll them. It’s on my list now.
We got snow here too but not very much. Only about 2 inches.
That’s awesome that you went out in the snow to run. Glad you didn’t fall! Looks like it was a pretty run since the snow was so fresh.
Congrats on your last run in snow at -4C (instead of doing it on the treadmill).
Is it the same cake as we see in Germany during Christmas time? “Stollen”, that’s its name.
The most important thing is that you enjoyed that training.
You are going to make a Christmas cake: I don’t mind some of that cake
Happy Christmas holiday, Fran!
Today was my first Yak Trak run. It was 22 which I am guessing is comparable. It wasn’t too bad! Good job! Love the surprise package. How nice.
Wow! I’m very impressed! And I guess I really can’t come up with excuses why I can’t work out anymore if you ran today!!!
What a run! I’m super proud of you.
I KNOW why your run was slow, Fran..brrrr! It looks drear to boot!
I laughed when you asked about my ipod shuffle because I clip it to the bun on top of my head but last week, I had to unclip it to change the volume and I dropped it into the pool for two seconds. Amazingly, it still works. Merry Christmas to me!
Keep running but stay warm!
HI there!
I was just chatting to my cousin (who lives in Den Haag) and she was showing me photographs of all the snow – the area where she lives looks absolutely magical right now! It’s incredible. Wish I was there! I was missing Holland so much this morning I made poffertjies for breakfast.
I am really impressed at you snow runners – I think I would be flat on my a$$ the first time I took a step in that! It shows real dedication to running when you get out in that weather, my friend!
And I’m so glad to hear the foam roller is helping you.
Hope you aren’t too busy this weekend – woohoo for the upcoming time off of work!
Wow, nice run in the snow! It might be a bit difficult, but will help with the endurance. Thanks for the feedback on the foamroller. I have been thinking about getting one for a long time now, so this is good to know. Hope you had a good weekend!
The snow looks like a lot of fun but that misty cloudy weather, nah! I like our summers in December and over Christmas.
Good work on the exercising and such a nice package you’ve received. Enjoy.
GREAT JOB!!! It is so hard to run on roads like that. Two weeks ago we got a dusting and I went out and did a bit over 5. The slowest run ever, I swear. But I was more concerned with not falling than running fast!
Do you have Yak Trax there or a way to get them? They are great to have for winter running,especially if you are going to be running on roads like that often!
Fran! I lost your blog for awhile – I’m not sure what happened with my reader. I’m glad to see your doing well. Good luck with your 2011 goals!
I wussed out this weekend. Walking was nearly impossible with all the ice, running just didn’t sound like a good idea! Way to go on getting out there in it yourself!!!!
YAY Fran. So proud of you getting out for that run. Sure some nice snow pics (this post and your more recent one). Congrats on the weight loss too!
Congrats on your run! I am so proud of you for going out there and battling the snow! You inspire me! I probably would have called it off.