Sit Ups

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Day 12: Motivation Dust

Screen Shot 2016-08-11 at 8.15.14 PM

Lacking motivation today? Need some fairy dust to give you energy and get you moving in the right direction?

I wish I was a magical creature and had a mythical motivation dust to help you through your workout and your day. Truth is…you don’t need magic to find your motivation. You’re part of the Core Crew and you have all the motivation you need right inside you!

Intrinsic motivation is part of who you are….all you need to do is reach down deep and bring it out.

You’re magical fairy dust comes from four factors: enjoyment, control, interest, and confidence.

Enjoy what you’re doing, have control over your environment, be interested in the activity, and know you can be successful. These four factors are your magical fairy dust.

What does this mean for our Friday? Find the fun in your workout, take control and pick the exercise that interests you most, then remember that you are strong and powerful and can get through anything you put your mind too.

So today’s workouts are the Standing ab and Daily ab routines. Our calendar says to do each one twice….but today you have the choice. Pick which workout you like better and rock it out! You can do today’s plank or choose any plank that we’ve done this month. Make it fun and make it yours. Feel the burn in your abs and find the confidence that is already deep down inside you.

Day 12 exercises: Your choice – 4 sets of abs

  • Standing Abs
  • Daily Abs
  • Plank Challenge Day 12 – Low Side Plank with Hip Dips (:45 3x) or choose a plank that you like and knock it out.

Plank Challenge Day 10 – Low Side Plank with Hip Dip:

https://youtu.be/EPTmkFnTmaY

Bonus: Ab & Squat Challenge Day 12

  • 45 Sit Ups
  • 60 Crunches
  • 70 Squats

No extras on Friday but you can always do another set of abs! Or take time to stretch out those legs and get lots of rest because it’s almost time to go long!

Our 7 Key Stretches for Runners or Yoga for Runners are both great ways to get lose and limber for the weekend!

I’m not the fitness fairy….but I do believe in you. Now get up and get moving Crew! 🙂

no magic potions

 

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Day 11: Arm Day Got Me Like…

Arm day got me likeHow do you feel about arm day?

Do you look forward to it? Or does arm day got you like UGH…

Do you dread it? Think it’s a waste of time? If you tend to skip arm day…why? What’s your reason?

Working out our upper body is about more than just looking good. Having toned arms and shoulders is a bonus, but did you know there are real health benefits to having upper body strength?

Check out some of the top reasons for building and maintaining a strong upper body:

Injury and Aging: Celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels shared that, “If your upper body strength deteriorates as you age, you are more prone to injuries, disease and a diminished quality of life.” We naturally tend to lose muscle as we age. This is called sarcopenia and begins as early as your 20s. You can lose up to 40 percent of your muscle mass by the time you reach your 60s.

By continuing to work on upper body strength we can combat some of this muscle loss, avoid injuries, and ensure we are able to perform everyday activities such as reaching, pulling, pushing and lifting. Having a strong upper body also improves your flexibility, mobility and range of motion….all things super important to runners who want to run for life.

Posture and Form: With the amount of time we spend hunched over phones, computers, desks and behind the wheel of our cars, most of us suffer from some imbalances relating to our posture. Consistent strength training can help us overcome these imbalances.

As distance runners, we can especially benefit from a strong upper body because our shoulders tend to slump and hunch as we get fatigued. Drooped posture will ultimately slow us down and could result in pain and injury.

Trim down and boost your metabolism: Having trouble trimming down? In addition to high intensity exercise, strength training is an excellent way to get rid of that stubborn, excess body fat, because working your muscles is the key to firing up your metabolism.

Our muscles follow the “use it or lose it” principle. This means that more muscle mass you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate and the more calories you burn throughout the day…even when you’re not working out. Strength training causes you to continue burning more calories for up to 72 hours after the exercise is over through a phenomenon called after-burn. Burn calories AFTER working out? Sign me up! 🙂

What more motivation do you need? Let’s get to work!

Day 10 exercises: 2 sets of 10

****Click here for how to videos****

  • Front and Side Arm Raises
  • Incline Push Ups
  • Rolling Forearm Side Plank
  • Tricep Dip with Leg Lifted
  • Plank Challenge Day 10 – Plank Jacks (:45 3X)

Day 11 Plank Challenge – Plank Jacks: You know how to do these! They are fun, a great full body workout, and will get that heart pumping. Give it your all!

Bonus: Ab & Squat Challenge – Day 11: Numbers are going up! Break it into sets and add it to your daily rounds to make it easier to get it done. 

  • 40 Sit Ups (2 sets of 20)
  • 50 Crunches (2 sets of 25)
  • 65 Squats (2 sets of 30 + 5 at the end)

Extra Credit: #OneMoreRound! Throw in another round of our Day 11 exercises and feel the burn in those arms! Come on….it’ll only take a few minutes!

Speed Work: Did you do your speed work this week? Don’t care about getting faster? That’s cool…there’s absolutely nothing wrong with your pace….no matter what your pace is.

But did you know that speed work also helps you go longer too? Yep. Speed work improves your running economy. Shorter, faster repeats train your body to burn less fuel while going further. It’s like getting better gas mileage for your legs.

Jeff Gaudette, a two time Division-I All-American in Cross Country at Brown University, says that inattention to speed development, “impairs your ability to generate explosive muscle power, which results in the decline of running efficiency and economy and, eventually, form starts to break down. This loss of speed is even more pronounced with age, as studies show speed is the first of your abilities to deteriorate as you get older.”

Yes, it’s uncomfortable. Yes, it hurts. Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable.

Running is hard. Running faster is even harder.

Bart Yasso, marathon winner and five time Ironman said, “The only way to advance in our sport is to go to the uncomfortable zone. Embrace the pain, and you will be rewarded at the finish line.”

“Advancing” means different things to all of us. Whatever it means to you…embrace that goal. Push through the pain…because the pain won’t last…but quitting will.

Invincible runner

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Day 10: Total Body Blast

Werkout of the Day

Ready for a hard and fast total body blast?

It’s Wednesday…middle of the week, and time to get to werk!

Day 10 exercises: 2 sets of 10

****Click here for how to videos****

  • Superman
  • Single Arm Reverse Lunge & Press
  • Single Arm Deadlift to Hop
  • Mountain Climbers with Towel or Furniture Movers
  • Plank Challenge Day 10 – Low Plank with Hip Dips (:45 3X)

Day 10 Plank – Low Plank with Hip Dips: We’ve done this one before but if you are familiar, or need a reminder, check out this video to see how it’s done.

Bonus: Ab & Squat Challenge Day 10 

  • 10 Sit Ups
  • 10 Crunches
  • 25 Squats

Extra Credit: Total Body Blast – This extra credit is meant to be hard and fast. You can do this pretty quickly so no “I don’t have time” excuses! 😉

Total Body Blast

Speed Work: Today is a great day for speed! Click here and scroll to the bottom to find this week’s speed work.

I’m heading to the track this morning with the PRS Running Club. I’ve been wanting to join them for a while now and I am excited! Can’t wait to share with y’all how it goes.

No fear Crew! Time to get to WERK! 🙂

 

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Day 8: Exercise Makes You Happy!

Exercise makes me happyHey Crew, it’s Monday and we all know the saying…never miss a Monday!

We know exercise is good for us. It keeps our weight in check, makes us stronger, and keeps us feeling youthful.

But did you know that exercise can also make you a happier person? It’s true!

When you work out and stay active on a regular basis, it’s not just a coincidence that you feel less stressed out, less anxious, and generally happier.

Here are 6 reasons why exercising makes us happy:

1. It releases happy chemicals into your brain. Dopamine, a chemical that plays a role in happiness, is a neurotransmitter in the brain that’s necessary for feelings of pleasure and happiness. The best way to increase your brain’s dopamine production? Exercise. So run, lift, jump, play…and get happy.

2. It makes you less stressed out. Working out eases stress by helping you sweat out the day’s worries and regular exercise helps you become less stressed out in the long term as well. Raising your heart rate and triggering a burst of hormonal changes is a low level form of stress. When you subject yourself to the stress of exercise enough, your body will start to get better at handling the rest of life’s stressors. Less stress equals a happier, healthier life. 🙂

3. It energizes you. You no doubt have days when you just feel too tired to exercise. But no matter how exhausted you are from daily life, do your best to muster up all the willpower you have and work out. More likely than not, you’ll feel more energized after your workout than you did before it. And more energy equals greater happiness.

4. It boosts your confidence. When you don’t feel good about how you look, it’s easy to have low self-esteem. When you start to exercise and see your body transform, that can quickly change. Exercise will help you like how you look and make you feel stronger, more independent, and more confident. There’s nothing like a boost in confidence to increase overall happiness.

5. It eases anxiety. If you suffer from anxiety, exercise may be a simple cure. Recent studies on the effects of exercise show that in people suffering from anxiety, the immediate mood boost from exercise is followed by longer-term relief, similar to that offered by meditation and talk therapy. Next time you’re feeling anxious, try a hard workout. You’ll feel happier for days on end!

6. It fights insomnia. Regular exercise has been shown to improve sleeping problems of insomniacs and people with sleeping disorders. Regular exercise significantly improve your sleep quality and give you that pep that makes you want to get out of bed in the morning and DO things. That equals greater happiness, every time!

What are you waiting for? Get up, exercise, and be happy!  You’ll feel more confident, energized, and calm. You’ll be a healthier and happier person for life!

Day 8 exercises: 2 sets of 10

  • Jumping Jacks (50 2X)
  • Walking Push Ups
  • Forearm Plank Jacks
  • Inchworm with Shoulder Taps
  • Plank Challenge Day 8 – Nail the Basics (:45 3X)

Nail the basics: This plank includes several moves. See the list below and move through each step for :45. Repeat three times.

  1. Start in a forearm plank.
  2. Do two knee taps, one with each knee.
  3. Transition to a high plank.
  4. Tap each hand to its opposite shoulder.
  5. Return to forearm plank.

Here’s a quick video to show you the steps.

Bonus: Ab & Squat Challenge Day 8

  • 30 Sit Ups
  • 40 Crunches
  • 60 Squats

Extra Credit: Recovery Run (slow, easy, and short) – If you went long this weekend, it’s a good idea to go out and get it a short, slow and easy recovery run. Short means SHORT! 30-40 minutes tops. Easy means do not push pace. Don’t even worry about your time. Just shake our your legs and get them ready for the week.

Speed Work: We have several new Crew members this month so we are going back to the basics are starting with some 200M repeats (or .12 miles) for our speed work. Check it out and reach out to me with any questions.

If you have done these before you should have a benchmark for how fast you should be running. Take a look and see what you did before and match or beat those times. If you’re new to speed work, just go out and run at a relaxed sprint pace. Don’t push as hard as you can. You should be able to breathe but it won’t be easy.

  • 6 x 200M (90 recovery between sets) 
  1. Warm up – 1/2 mile to 1 mile SLOW (conversation pace)
  2. Drills – high knees, butt kicks, skipping, grapevines (3 sets of 15-20)
  3. Sprints with recovery (:90 between sets)
  4. Cool down – 1/2 mile to 1 mile SLOW (conversation pace)

This is a fast workout and you will only run 2-3 miles TOPS. Your lungs may be on fire…but the cool down will help and you will recover quickly.

Your speed work can be done any day of the week but make sure you give yourself 2-3 days before and after your long run to recover. This is a hard workout and your muscles need time to rebuild!

impossible until doneFinal thought on speed work. Don’t worry! Ask a few people in our group like who have been doing the speed work consistently (Jennifer Moro-Ortiz or Amiee Cords are great examples) about how they feel when they are done, about how they got past the anxiety over the speed, and how much their times have improved. Once you do it and it’s over… you feel fabulous and strong

That’s all for now Crew. Go out and have a fantastic, active Monday! 🙂

 

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Day 5: Pressure Makes Diamonds

no pressure no diamondYour FAITH must be bigger than your fear.

Your DETERMINATION must be stronger than your excuses.

You must apply consistent pressure to form a diamond.

No pressure…No Diamond.

It takes hard work to get results and those toned, tight abs you want…won’t happen without the same consistent pressure that forms diamonds.

Is your faith in yourself bigger than your fear of pain and soreness? Is your determination stronger than your excuses? Are you willing to apply enough pressure to form diamonds?

Day 5 exercises: 2 rounds of each workout

  • Daily Abs – 2 rounds
  • Standing Abs – 2 rounds

Bonus: Ab & Squat Challenge Day 5

  • 5 Sit Ups
  • 10 Crunches
  • 20 Squats

Extra Credit: Atomic Crunch & Runner’s Crunch

Thank you Traci Hart Caldwell for suggesting these great ab moves! Who’s for a little competition today? We’re going to do 1 as many reps of each of these exercises as possible for 1 minute each. Atomic Crunch for 1 minute then the Runner’s Crunch for 1 minute. Let us know how many you were able to do and let’s see who added the most pressure to their diamond today!

Atomic Crunch: Watch this video to see how to do the Atomic Crunch

Runner’s Crunch: Here we go with one more exercise for 1 minute. Watch this video and see how it’s done then get to work! How many can you do….while keeping that tight controlled form?

If you’re feeling the pressure…you’re doing it right!  Let’s make some diamonds Crew! 🙂

Diamonds shine brighter with pressure

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Day 4: Be in the Running

Be in the RunningSuccessful runners don’t just have impressive quads and glutes. They have muscular arms and shoulders that help them maintain speed throughout their races.

A strong arm swing helps to counterbalance the lower body and to propel the body forward while contributing to overall good form.

Being “in the running” doesn’t mean you’re looking to win a race, or set a new PR, or even racing at all. Maybe you’re just looking to lose weight, reach a milage goal, or just to get toner, leaner, and stronger. Being “in the running” just means your are working towards whatever goal you’ve set for yourself.

So how can you ensure you’re in the running…and covering that middle ground that is the first step towards reaching your goals? Strong arms. Today’s exercises are fun, challenging, and doable. Take each new exercise one step at a time. Build the arm strength that will carry you through the tough times and get you closer to your goals.

Day 4 exercises: 2 rounds of 10

****Click here for how to videos****

  • Front and Side Arm Raises
  • Incline Push Ups
  • Rolling Forearm Side Plank (10X per side = 1 round)
  • Tricep Dip with Leg Lifted
  • Plank Challenge Day 4 – Plank Jacks (:45 3X)

Plank Challenge: Plank Jacks are fun! Don’t overthink it. Get in your plank position and hold your core tight then jump your feet in and out for :45. Repeat 3X. Watch how to do it below.

Bonus: Ab & Squat Challenge Day 4

  • 10 Sit Ups
  • 25 Crunches
  • 40 Squats

Extra Credit: Weight Free Arms Weight free arms

Want a little more arm action? Work through this weight free arm set. I like that it includes some arm stretches and circles. Good way to stretch them out after a tough workout.

Fun day ahead Crew. We are runners. Don’t mess with us!

Get up, get moving, work those arms, and make it a great day! 🙂

Dont mess with me I'm a runner

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Day 3: Today’s Reality vs. Tomorrow’s Potential

Screen Shot 2016-08-02 at 3.05.57 PM“You have to put in the time. You have to put in the miles. It doesn’t matter how fast or how slow you run now. You might not be as fast as So and So…but you have to learn to separate today’s reality from tomorrow’s potential.”

This quote is from a book I borrowed from Amiee Glatfelter-Cords called The Lola Papers, about a girl in training to race a marathon. She’s ran one before, but now she wants to do better.

This part stood out to me because even though our goals may seem far off, they are attainable. Our dreams scare us because they hold in their hands two options: failure and success. Are you willing to take a chance? It’s not a question….it’s a dare.

Dream big then go out and put in the work to make it happen because those goals that–if we pursue them with all we’re worth–are attainable.

Lola’s coach’s advice, learning to separate today’s reality from tomorrow’s potential, holds true with each and every one of us. You have the potential to reach your goals, but to do good work tomorrow…you have to do good work today.

Maybe you’re not as fast as So and So right now. Maybe one day you will be…maybe not. Only time will tell, but in the meantime…you have some middle ground to conquer!

Day 3 exercises: Full Body – 2 rounds of 10

****Click here for how to videos****

  • Superman
  • Single Arm Reverse Lunge & Press
  • Single Arm Deadlift to Hop (no weight)
  • Mountain Climbers with Towel
  • High Plank – :45 (3X)

Plank Challenge Day 3: High Plank – The High Plank is just what it sounds. A plank in a high position with arms and body straight. This will test your arms, core, glutes, and leg strength. Hold on for :45 or as long as you can, take a break, the do it again. Three times total.

https://youtu.be/_XknsBv1ZY8

Bonus: Ab & Squat Challenge Day 3 

  • 5 Sit Ups
  • 20 Crunches
  • 35 Squats

Feel the Burn WorkoutExtra Credit: #FeelTheBurn

Wednesday is a great day to do a little more and cover some of that middle ground! Take a few extra minutes and tackle this #FeelTheBurn workout and tag your post to let us know you’re doing good work today to prepare for good work tomorrow!

Ready to tackle that middle ground? Let’s get to work and make this hump day count!

 

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Day 2: Officially Crazy!

Screen Shot 2016-08-01 at 9.58.48 PMAre you one of those people who used to think people who loved running were crazy? I know I am!

My mom has been running for as long as I can remember. She ran the New York Marathon in ’88 or ’89…or maybe both…and I used to think she was seriously nuts!

Long hours on the road training all by herself. No headphones to listen to music. No nutrition advice or food of any kind on the course and certainly no fancy running gear. No GPS to tell her how far she’d gone. No running group to hold her accountable…and this was a long time before social media, where we can meet like minded people who share our passions, and where we can be our crazy running obsessed selves!

What does this mean? We have it easy! We have comfortable shoes, tons of nutrition options, fancy watches that tell us how far we’ve gone, how fast our heart is beating and how many tenths we need to get that daily goal, and headphones that don’t even have cords! We have friends that keep us accountable for those long early morning runs and we can share our craziness with others who get it!

I know I am have turned into one of those crazy people. I love to run!

I love to run solo. I love to run with friends. I love to race. I love to train. I love to talk about running. And since you’re here…you must love it too! 🙂

So what do us crazy people who love to run need more than anything? Strong legs!

Running gives us strong legs…but running by itself isn’t enough. Getting stronger and faster takes strength work and running drills! Yep…to have those sexy runner legs we all want…we have to do more. So let’s get to work!

We’ve done a lot of leg work lately so this month we are dialing it back a bit and focusing on our inner thighs and good form. For those who want to do a little more…the bonus ab & squat challenge is the perfect compliment. It’s enough to make us sore…but not so much where we lose count of how many sit ups, crunches, and squats we’ve done.

Day 2 exercises: Please watch the how to videos for the new exercises!

****Click here for how to videos****

  • Frogger – 2 rounds of 20 For strong inner thighs!
  • Butt Kicks – 2 rounds of 50
  • High Knees – 2 rounds of 50
  • Side-Lying Leg Lifts – 2 rounds of 15
  • Single Leg Directional Hops – 2 rounds of 15 (per leg)
  • 30 Plank Challenge – Forearm Side Plank (see below) – :45 (3X each side)

Day 2 Plank Challenge: Today’s plank is the forearm side plank and this is an old but a goody! If you are new to planks, please watch this how to video and make modifications where you need to. As you see lots of us holding these planks for a while…remember that we’ve been doing them for months…and months…and you will get there. Take your time, learn the proper form, and work your way up to those longer times.

Bonus: Ab & Squat Challenge – Day 2

  • 20 Sit Ups
  • 15 Crunches
  • 30 Squats

 

Hmmmm…I feel like I’m missing something, but yesterday was a long day of traveling so my mind is a little fried. We are down in Orlando this week for a last summer vacation before school starts, and as usual…Mom and I are up early to run!

Are you running today?

What’s on your schedule? What are you doing to get you closer to your goals? To get you ready for your fall races? Thinking about skipping it today?

Think again Crew…it’s time to run! 🙂

Time to run

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Day 1: Start Strong Finish Stronger!

Start Strong Finish StrongerHere we go Crew! A brand new start to a fabulous new month!

Time to shake off last’s months regrets and start the month with a bang!

We’ve got a bunch of new exercises and plenty of running to do to get ready for the upcoming fall and winter races. Start by telling us what your goals are and how we can help you reach them. What races are on your schedule? Do you want me to watch for you? Do you want us to come give you a swift kick in the behind?

Do you want us to leave you alone and let you flounder? HA! Don’t go there cause you know that won’t happen. 😉

The first of the month is a great time for some new “before” pics. Save them for your eyes only or share them with the group. Either way they will help you see how far you come…or how little you improve from being lazy…

Remember whether you think you can succeed, or think you can’t, is up to you…either way you will be right! It’s time to step it up so let’s think positivity and give it all we’ve got!

We’re starting off with 2 rounds of 10 this week except for the jumping jacks which is 2 rounds of 50. Watch the how to videos and get familiar with these exercises because as we progress through the month it will get harder.

Day 1 exercises: Arms – 2 rounds of 10 

****Click here for how to videos****

  • Jumping Jacks (50 2X)
  • Walking Push Ups
  • Forearm Plank Jacks
  • Inchworm with Shoulder Taps
  • Regular Forearm Plank – :45 (3X)

Lots of planks today which of course are also great for our core. Each day we will be doing a different plank. If you’re new to the group and new to planks please do a regular forearm plank until you are ready to move on to more advanced moves. The forearm plank is an awesome full body exercise that will strengthen your arms, back, legs, and core….and we do them every single day so learn to love them! 😉

Watch as Scott Herman (one of my favorites) shows us how to do a regular forearm plank.

Bonus: Ab & Squat Challenge – Day 1 30 Day Ab & Squat Challenge

This will be 1 of our bonus workouts this month…don’t worry I will add more…but this is VERY doable. It won’t take long so I hope to see everyone jumping in on this!

  • 10 Sit Ups
  • 10 Crunches
  • 10 Squats

Easy peasy right? You got this!

Since it’s day 1 and we have plenty of time…I’m going to wait to add this week’s speed work. Don’t worry…we’ll get to it. Plan ahead for when you will make it happen though because they only way to get faster….is to run fast!

The only other thing I’d love to see lots of today is miles! The first day of the month is a great day to log some miles and start the month off strong. If you didn’t sign up for the Racery, Castle to Wales Race, there is still time. Here is the link and there is a free option if you don’t care about the medal. This course is 113.2 miles through you through lush national parks, quaint villages, bustling port towns, and of course–castles!

If 113.2 miles is a little much for you, there are lots of other Racery options for you to jump in on. Or….I could start one for our team? If there’s enough interest I will get one going today!

Who’s ready for the best month yet?!?

Are you prepared to give it your very best? Are you ready to get closer to your dreams?

Keep going! Don’t quit till you have nothing left! I know it hurts…I know your tired…give me more! Give it your best!

One day at a time. You CAN do this! Do Not Quit! Go out and kill it Crew! 🙂