Tag: PiYo

Monday Motivation

Monday Motivation

by TartanJogger ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

How has your week been? Have you kept your health and wellbeing goals on track? I’m pleased to say that I have. It’s been an all-round great week.

Monday: my week started well with a busy day at work. I had arranged for a lunchtime trail run with Alison and Morag, and I found myself running late. Instead of cancelling altogether I headed out 10 minutes after them and eventually caught them up by skipping out the loop around Kilmory Loch. My week started off with a rainbow: I also did two classes on Monday night: I’m making progress at Core Conditioning and I felt stronger in the plank moves. I know I still have a ways to go but when I think back to the first class only four weeks ago it’s made a huge difference! After that we had Veraflow, which was a nice way to finish off my busy day. Tuesday: Another double class, which was a shock to the system after the past two Tuesdays being cancelled due to the weather. Sculpt was fab- hard going at times, but I do really enjoy this. Next up was Trigger Point Pilates and my body really needed it!

Wednesday: again, after two weeks off due to the weather, Jog Scotland was back. Our improvers group started with a 10 minute warm up, followed by a 10 minute ‘weave’ run – it was a variation on a line run where we weaved in and out of each other as well as running from back to front. We then had a 10 minute cool down.

Thursday: we had PiYo which really is my favourite class. I was feeling quite tired, though, particularly during the first half of the class but I had a second wind towards the end of class.

Friday: rest. I listened to my body and skipped my planned run as I was feeling pretty tired at the end of the week. Perfect timing since Storm Erik made an appearance!

Saturday: I had a Fèis Committee meeting in the morning, then I headed out for a run in the afternoon. I am determined not to do too much, too soon and so I was aiming to do between 5 and 6 miles. Instead of running around the harbour, I headed out to the West Loch and before I could talk myself out of it I decided to run up the steep hill to Carrick cemetery. And I did it, without stopping! Hurrah! I was feeling really good, probably benefiting from the rest day…. and I ran 10k! That’s my first 10k since June last year so I’m delighted. The skies were beautiful which no doubt helped to keep me distracted!

Sunday: I reckoned I could do with some active recovery after a week of classes and especially after Saturday’s run so we went for an hour’s walk around Tarbert Harbour. Yes, we were caught in a hail shower, but I ended my week of activities the same way it began- with another beautiful rainbow!

This coming week is going to be a bit of a challenge: I have a long day in Glasgow tomorrow, a trip to Mull on Thursday and a weekend away to Edinburgh at the end of the week. I’ll be fitting it what activity I can, when I can.

Here’s your motivation for this week, which reflects the gorgeous sights I’ve been treated to this week:

Monday Motivation 

Monday Motivation 

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I can’t quite believe that I’ve been back to my routine for a week, with my holiday not yet fading. And yes, the post-holiday lurgy has just caught up with me. Boo! I’m hoping that it will lift quickly, so that I can keep my training on track. Last week was OK- looking back I now know that this was working on me, which affected my performance at times.

Monday- I was back at WAR, which had new tracks. They were tough, but since I’d forgotten my sports bra I couldn’t work as hard as I’d like. At least I eased back in gently.

Tuesday- I ran 4 miles, and found it pretty tough. My NRC app was playing up, and I think I probably ran further but the GPS didn’t track correctly. I was glad to get it done.

Wednesday- the Jog Scotland run last week was around Stonefield and Barmore Island. It was great, with beautiful scenery even if it was a reasonably short 1.75 mile run. 

Thursday- I had PiYo and VeraFlow, and I was a little concerned I’d have fallen behind. But I was able to keep up with most of the tracks. It’s definitely my favourite classes, in terms of fitness classes.

Friday- we were back at salsa- yay! We had two new steps to learn, which were very different 😀 Our wee routine is beginning to come along nicely!

Saturday- I ran the Taynish 5k with some of the JogScotland ladies and I loved it! It was a tough out and back route, with the first kilometre a surprising uphill trek. But it was all worth it for the fabulous home baking we had in aid of Macmillan Nurses afterwards! I’ll post a race review, I was very happy with my sub 30 minute run. I was pleased to see my first ever decent race picture too: We then had another amazing afternoon at the Fèis, this time I had a guitar session and my first ever fiddle lesson: I even managed to get a tune (of sorts) out of it! 

Sunday- I had a rest day, but we did marshal at the Inveraray Jail Break once again. I love supporting this race, and I’ve written about how amazing it is before. In the afternoon we visited the Loch Fyne Food Fayre and stuffed ourselves on amazing local produce including venison, hog roast and seafood:

Today I’m skipping class for an early night, and I hope to shift this bug quickly. 

I’ll be back to it asap! 

5×50 Challenge: Week Five Round Up

5×50 Challenge: Week Five Round Up

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5×50 Challenge: Week Four Round Up

5×50 Challenge: Week Four Round Up

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5x50challenge Challenge Week Three Round Up

5x50challenge Challenge Week Three Round Up

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Monday Motivation 

Monday Motivation 

by TartanJogger ♥ 6 Comments

Hello, did you miss me last week, when I was away gallivanting? @TheWelshWookie and I were off visiting the Harry Potter Studios Tour and it was awesome! Here are a couple of snaps: 

    
 If you get the chance to visit, you have to take it- to visit the actual set and to walk through the Great Hall, Diagon Alley and onto the Hogwarts Express was amazing! 

From a fitness point of view, we did lots and lots of walking in London and around about. We also visited Southend and walked the longest pier in the world, which is 1.3 miles long!  

 I’m glad to be back into a routine, though, and we were back at PiYo tonight, starting the next round, which is round 40. I think I’m going to love some of these routines and the 80s music is fantastic! I tried out my new mat tonight, but it isn’t sticky or grippy enough and I couldn’t grip properly, so I ended up swapping it for one of Jacqui’s. Any tips on how to make a mat more ‘sticky’ if you know what I mean? 

  it is pretty, though!

After a break, and with the summer looming, it’s easy to fall away from routine and to not stick to fitness goals. If that rings true for you, I hope this helps; it has helped me this week: 

 Have a great week!

Week One 5×50 Challenge around Up

Week One 5×50 Challenge around Up

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Some photos from my week one activities while taking part in the 2016 5×50 Challenge:    
    
    
   

 

   
 

   

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 

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Well the sun is shining gloriously in Argyll, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that Spring is on its way. I’m not getting my hopes up yet: late February weather can still be fickle, and you can be fooled by the sun into forgetting that there could very well be ice and frost in the morning.

Nevertheless, this sunshine is very welcome, and it does lift my spirits immensely. 

It’s mid term around here, with some schools off for a few days, others for a week, which makes for planning my work confusing- I can never remember which schools are in and which aren’t! At least I have an excuse for my confusion this week 😉

We had a good weekend- Friday night saw @TheWelshWookie going to see the Glasgow Warriors defeat Münster at rugby while I had a lovely swim at Cameron House with my mum and Angie. It was a fantastic start to the weekend. This week I don’t have Clubbercise tonight, which leaves me with an exercise conundrum: what to do? Run! Is my instant thought. I’m staving off the start of a cold: runny nose and glass-like throat is making me rethink that. I’m thinking that I might try out some at- home PiYo courtesy of YouTube, and given the lovely weather I may finish that with a dip in the hot tub, under the cold and star-filled sky and tonight’s full moon.

Now that does sound like the way to kick off a new week. 

 

Monday Motivation 

Monday Motivation 

by TartanJogger ♥ 4 Comments

Hello. Have you had a good week? Mine was good. I’m definitely back into my fitness and overall health improvement groove.

I’ve now had four PiYo classes this year, and I must say that this class is just what I’ve needed. It really fills a huge hole in my routine, giving me the opportunity to really stretch and build strength which can only help my running in the long term.

I’ve tried yoga in the past, but I’ve never found that it works for me- I’ve lacked the discipline and motivation to push myself through, mostly due to my lack of flexibility. With PiYo, the combination of the routines, it’s faster pace and its hiit-style suits me much better. I’m definitely a novice, and that’s both tough and strangely liberating. While I can master some of the more aerobic moves like burpees, I really struggle with some of the balance and tricep/press up moves. I’m finding this a challenge, both mentally and physically, but I’m ok with that. The DOMS are a kind-of reward for my hard work, although they make for a difficult Pound class the following day! 

The mental challenge of finding myself a beginner is something I’m working on- it’s good to admit I don’t know what I’m doing some of the time! 

Jacqui, our instructor, offers great modifications for the moves, and is great at making sure we balance pushing ourselves with being safe.

I’m feeling the benefits of PiYo, but I know that I need to work on it one week at a time, building on my learning each week. 

  
Don’t be afraid- sometimes it’s exactly where we need to be!