Tag: cross training

Monday Motivation 

Monday Motivation 

by TartanJogger ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you haven’t gorged yourself on too much chocolate 😉 I’ve had a lovely weekend. I was fortunate enough to see Adele live in Glasgow on Saturday night and she was even more amazing than I had imagined she’d be. On Sunday we had a great family day at Oran Mor in Glasgow where we had dinner. The food was fab!

I mentioned recently how this year is flying in, and to emphasise that further the 5×50 Challenge is upon us once again! @TheWelshWookie and I have signed up for a fourth year in a row. For those who don’t know about it, the 5×50 challenges you to be fit and active for 50 days in a row: originally the challenge was to walk or run 5k each day for 50 days. Now, there are a few challenges to choose from including the one I’m doing this year- to do a minimum of 30 minutes exercise (the equivalent of a 5k) each day for 50 days. 

This year I’m planning on posting a picture each day on both Instagram and on Snapchat which captures the activity I’m doing that day. Here are the images from days one and two:

    

I’m looking forward to this year’s challenge. I feel ready for it, especially as I don’t have many runs booked. Also, as I’ve really been focussing on cross training to support my running, this version of the challenge is spot on as it really accommodates that.

Here’s something I found on Pinterest during last week, and I’ve saved it to share today with you: 

 So, if you’ve overindulged on the choccies, don’t worry about it. Just enjoy it then get back on track.

 

Monday Motivation 

Monday Motivation 

by TartanJogger ♥ 2 Comments

Is it just me who is finding that this year is simply flying in? It feels like Christmas is only just over, and yet we find ourselves firmly in March already! Wow!

Last week, I had a huge exercise breakthrough. While running is still on the back burner for now, I’ve found that my body is really changing thanks to PiYo. I’m definitely getting stronger, and my flexibility is improving, too. My core has improved, which is helping my balance and my overall fitness. Last week, I improved my plank holds and press ups, which I’ve always found challenging. They’re still tough, but doing them in the hiit style routines of PiYo are definitely reaping results.

Happy, happy!

Here’s how I feel about it all at the moment:  

 
And while that effort isn’t in running at the moment, it is in building a strong foundation, improving my overall conditioning and making sure that I’m in good shape for when I pick my running up again soon. 

Have a great week!

Monday Motivation 

Monday Motivation 

by TartanJogger ♥ 3 Comments

Hello, how are you?

I’m grand: it’s a public holiday here, so I’m at the end of a long weekend. It’s back to work tomorrow, but only for three days until I head off on holiday…. To Toronto! I’m so excited!

This past week has been good, and I enjoyed my classes: Clubbercise, PiYo and Pound. I still haven’t squeezed in a run yet, but I’m not feeling guilty about that. I’ve still been active.

This weekend, we had a brilliant family weekend away in Aberfeldy to celebrate my uncle Jim’s 60th Birthday. What a laugh! We had lots of fun, excellent company, a few drinks and masses of fantastic food. Wow. I have eaten well! What was unusual was being away for a whole weekend with no mobile signal and no WiFi, so we all had to be social with no online time at all- it was great!

A group of us (18 of us, I think) went White Water Rafting on the River Tummel. When we arrived, we found out that we would be ‘closing’ the river, as we’d be the last group down the river in 2015. Ace! While we were waiting to get sorted, @TheWelshWookie spotted a familiar figure: it was none other than Frank, the coach driver who took us to the Great North Run! What a small world, eh? We had a wee chat with him, and he definitely remembered us too 🙂

We had a couple of photos taken:  

   
Then, it was time to head off, down the river. We were divided into four rafts, and on ours there was me, @TheWelshWookie, my sis Angie and my cousins Jane, Lewis and Ciara. We realised pretty quickly that it wasn’t as easy as it looked (or as easy as I had remembered- I last did it 10 years ago)! We had such a laugh, and found ourselves trapped or in trouble at just about every turn! We christened ourselves #TeamBounce, since we had to bounce the boat out of trouble a few times! 😉

Our instructor was loads of fun, and he even threw Ciara in at one point (nothing to do with her non stop talking!), but that was nothing compared to our spectacular tipping out at the final big drop! 

 I ended up under the boat, and it took me a few seconds to even realise what had happened! It was such brilliant, brilliant fun though. If you get the chance, do it.

Tonight was our final Clubbercise session before the October half term, which works out nicely with my forthcoming holiday.  

 Today, we’ve spent the day doing housework and packing: we are now good to go!

I saw this and thought I’d share it. I love it: 

 Have a brilliant week, all!

Monday Motivation 

Monday Motivation 

by TartanJogger ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hello, lovelies! How was your weekend? Mine was ace, the last quiet weekend for me for some time. I filled it with housework, booking activities for our trip to Toronto and packing. I love packing! Crazy, right?

I haven’t run at all this week, but I have kept up my various classes. I had Clubbercise last Monday and then a taster session of PiYo on Wednesday. I found it pretty challenging but great fun and very different for me. It’s a mix of Pilates and yoga blended into routines, so it definitely challenged different muscle groups for me: I had DOMS in my abs and flutes through until Sunday! 😮 I know it will push my strength and flexibility which can only benefit my running.

I then had my weekly Pound class on Thursday, and an amazing SUPercise session in Saturday. The water was beautifully clear with no wind, and we spotted so much wildlife: a bright red jellyfish, huge starfish, a rather inquisitive seal and -eek- an otter! It was brilliant!  

 Tonight, it was great to see more people at Clubbercise. I was able to push myself a lot more than I did last week, so I’m now feeling fab!  

 I’m hoping to get out for a 5K tomorrow night, and test the ole legs 😉 before the PiYo DOMS kick in again on Wednesday. Meanwhile, we’re looking forward to a weekend of fun, family and white water rafting- no rest for us! 

Here’s something I loved when I saw it on someone’s feed this week: 

 I think it is brilliant! 

Have an active week, everyone! 🙂

World Gin Day: Earned

World Gin Day: Earned

by TartanJogger ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Happy World Gin Day! 

I hope you are celebrating along with me?

Well, I reckon I’ve earned a gin tonight. I’ve had another fantastic week of training, and I’m now a the half way point of my 10K training plan for the Carradale Canter. Here’s my training for the week:

As you can see, I’ve stepped up my cross training this week, while maintaining my running in between. Sadly, last Monday was our last Clubbercise class until after the summer holiday. So, Monday will now mean that I’ll be focussing again on my running form at the start of the week.

Thursday I doubled up on the cross training, with my Pound class, and some yoga. Boy, oh, boy – that was tough! I set out to do the NTC Advanced Yoga programme, which is 45 minutes long. Somehow, I had forgotten that I’m stiff and inflexible: most of my moves were ‘aspirational’ at best 😉 But I gave it a go, for the first 20 minutes and then called it quits. I’ll try again this week though, as I’m really keen to reap the benefits of stretching and elongating. Honest!

Today, I’ve done a ‘double bubble’: we had our regular SUPercise session this morning. I think that my basic strokes are improving: I finally mastered the rudder, and could feel that I was moving faster in the water. I managed this by focussing more on my core, and using my legs to really stretch into the stroke- in other words, I spent virtually the whole lesson working on my squats, which I’m hoping will do my running the world of good!

After a quick cuppa, we headed out for a 5.5 mile walk/run and we ended up doing 6.4 miles. Score!

Tomorrow calls for a 3 mile walk, which I’ll get done in the morning, if all goes to plan.

And now, I’m going to pour myself a lovely glass of strawberry gin, which we infused ourselves. It’s a perfect occasion to break it out, I reckon 😉

News Round Up

News Round Up

by TartanJogger ♥ 12 Comments

Hello! How has your week been?

I have a couple of wee bits of news to share with you tonight:

Fever Struck

Have you been affected by the condition ‘world cup fever’? Be careful – it can be serious! 😉

So, tonight we see the kick off of the world cup. As an auntie to seven nephews, I think that football is going to be an important topic of conversation over the next few weeks! To keep us interested, we’ve had a family sweepstake, and my teams are France and Japan! @TheWelshWookie has Germany and Equador. Tonight’s game sees my dad and my brother Joe going head to head.

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Mo Runs

In other news, Mo Farah has announced that he will be running the 5,000 and 10,000 metres at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Hurrah! I’m really looking forward to seeing him run the 10,000m.

Expansion

In my post last week, I’d mentioned that we’d gone to Campbeltown on an errand. We had something to collect. Do you want to know what it is?

It’s………….

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Yip; an exercise bike! So, our home gym is now complete. We have the bike to complement the rowing machine, the treadmill, the free weights, resistance bands, etc. Now that I’ve started my marathon training, I think I have to take my cross training a bit more seriously, and not count a walk to the cafe as cross training! 😉

Yesterday, I did 18K on the bike. My legs were burning, using long neglected muscles, but I feel fine today, fortunately. DOMS might kick in tomorrow, though! My little toe is still pretty sore from the blister and bruising from Sunday, so I’m going to give it a couple more days and give it a test on Saturday’s long run.

So, who’s your pick for the World Cup?

 

 

Thursday’s Training Update

Thursday’s Training Update

by TartanJogger ♥ 25 Comments

Hi everyone! It’s the weekend for me, as I’m off Friday and Monday, soooo it’s vino night tonight!

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I thought I’d give you an update on my Hal Higdon half marathon training. The main headline is: it’s going great!

I think that the plan is really suiting my running style, but it is early days. Last week – week one – was a 3 miler on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, a four mile ‘long’ run on Saturday and cross training on Sunday. This week is similar: a 3 miler on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, a five mile ‘long’ run on Saturday and cross training on Sunday. So far, so good, but it has ten weeks to go.

It feels great at the moment!

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I did my three miles tonight on the treadmill, in my new trainers. All will be revealed soon, in a later post! 😉

Something I’ve been trying to do is to post my training runs on Instagram, so prepare to be bored, if you follow me there.

I’m struggling to figure out how to fit in my five miler this weekend. You see, I’m off on my Hen Weekend, to Alton Towers, and I can’t wait!

Do you think that walking around the theme park, queueing and screaming while riding roller coasters could count as cross training?

Have a fab weekend, everyone!

Another New Addition…

Another New Addition…

by TartanJogger ♥ 20 Comments

My fitness suite spare bedroom is coming along nicely. I’ve told you about the ‘mill, which has been kitted out with the TV on the wall, and the surround sound 😛

Well, there’s a new addition:

photo 2 (1)

Yip! We’re now the proud owners of a rowing machine!

@TheWelshWookie and I have been talking recently about doing more cross training: I definitely don’t do enough. We talked about how a rowing machine would be great for me, as my upper body strength is nil not what it should be, and that a rower would be good for combining some leg work with upper body and cardio. And what happened next? You’re right: someone was selling one locally. It almost fell into our laps!

So, @TheWelshWookie and I collected it last night, and tonight I gave it a test run.

So far, so good! 😀

It sits nicely next to the treadmill, yoga mat, swiss ball, free weights and resistance bands.

Has anyone else accidentally ended up with a home fitness suite? 😉