Running In The Heat

Good morning y'all!!

It's only Tuesday and I'm already so tired! I just cannot seem to get going this morning.

The heat is definitely on here in Oklahoma where we usually go from one extreme to the other. The past 2 summers have been the hottest on record and I think we might be setting up for another hot one this year.

Pathways ran 3 miles last night. It was 92 degrees but felt like 98 with the heat index. They all did very well!! We cut our route just a little bit short but they were all AWESOME!!

Then I came home and did Insanity Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs. I'm feeling real discouraged with it because I'm not seeing any results yet. :-(

I thought I would share a few of the running in the heat tips that I shared with my runners yesterday.

A few things that will help you with running in the heat:

 

1: Wear light, moisture wicking clothing. Remember, less is more and no cotton! Frog togs are nice!

2: HYDRATE!! Drink plenty of water, Nuun, or the electrolyte replacement of your choice.

3: Wear sunscreen, a hat/visor and/or sunglasses.

4:  Don't eat anything heavy for lunch because you will probably be regretting that choice mid-run. And remember to eat a light snack pre-run for more energy. I really like the honey stinger waffles with a little fruit pre-run.

5: Be aware of the signs of heat exhaustion and other heat related illness/injury.

6: Adjust your schedule. Run in the morning or later in the evening to beat the extreme heat.

7: Carry water with you or plan your route where you will have frequent water stops.

8: Find some shade to run in. Don't be afraid to take walk breaks. Adjust your pace or intervals as needed to adjust to the heat.

 

Remember, heat can affect your performance 10-20% and that it takes about 2 weeks to acclimate to the heat. Running in the heat may not be ideal but it can be done.

 

Well, that's all I've got for now. I've got a job interview this morning, then I have to high-tail it to work where I have a family meeting with a less than pleasant family member this morning. Please Lord, put your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth because I am a little afraid about what I might say to that individual!

 

Be extraordinary today!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Things Are Heating Up

Good morning folks!!

What a fabulous weekend!!  I enjoyed my time off SO MUCH!!
I think that it is absolutely necessary to do that periodically to recharge the batteries!! 

Friday, I had a massage. It's been a while since I've had one and it was glorious!!  Truly the best money I've spent in a while!!  Then I got some retail therapy. It was

Saturday morning, we got our run in then had breakfast with friends followed by some more retail therapy.  After we got home, we loaded up the boat and headed out to Keystone Lake. Although its only about 20 miles from us, we don't go there often because the water is usually very dirty. It is much worse right now with all the rain we've had recently. The water is red and muddy looking. We needed to do some work to the boat trailer and had to get the boat off of it, so it was a necessary evil. It didn't take hubs long to change out the bunk board, so we decided to take a little cruise around the lake. It was a nice, relaxing way to spend the evening. Afterward, we stopped at the local Mexican restaurant. The food is subpar, but the margaritas are fabulous!  My friend Brandi joined us and helped me bat cleanup on the margarita as it is the size of a fishbowl!!

Yesterday, I relaxed and did laundry while hubs mowed the yard. We sat on the porch enjoying the beautiful evening while we grilled steaks for dinner. I didn't really do much in the way of meal prep this week. I bought some deli turkey and a rotisserie chicken at the store for lunches. Its going to be hot this week. When the weather heats up, I tend to eat more veggies than anything else. I like to keep meals simple in the summer.

This is supposed to be the hottest week of the year, so far. I'm running with Pathways after work tonight. I'm not entirely sure that I'm ready for running in the heat yet, but we'll get 'er done!!  I love my new insulated Nathan hydration bottle from Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa so I should be well hydrated for my run! 

That's all I've got for now. Y'all have a magnificent Monday!!  Be fabulous today!!

5 for Friday



TGIF folks!

Happy National Doughnut Day!!

I'm linking up with Darci @ The Good Life for her 5 on Friday link-up because I think it would be fun way to meet some new bloggers. Make a list of 5 things that you did/like/wanna do/are on your mind/make you happy. Next, grab the code from her button and include it in your post to link back to her page, then go back to her page HERE and link up at the bottom.

1. I needed a mental break from work, so I took a couple of vacation days. Yesterday, I got my hurs did! And today, I'm having a massage and am getting in some much needed retail therapy!!

2. I'm still on the Insanity wagon!!  Woohoo! I'm gonna get a flat stomach or die trying!!  Plus, Shaun T is pretty easy on the eyes.....even if I want to kick his ass 90% of the time!

3. I applied for a transfer to a hospital 16 miles from my home. I love my job and my co-workers, doctors, etc but the thought of not driving 45 miles one way to work is pretty damned appealing to me!

4. Although I've been busting my ass working out, my diet still sucks! I wish I didn't like cookies, cake and chocolate so much!!

5. And, I now have a Keek account thanks to Holly ! I haven't keeked yet, but give me some time, I'm sure I will.....lol!

Y'all have a fabulous Friday/weekend!  I'm out!

You Might Need a Vacation

Good morning folks!!  It sure felt good to sleep late this morning!

Today, I'm doing something that I rarely do.....I'm taking a vacation day!! Well, 2 actually!!
I love my job as a nurse and a case manager. Usually, it is very rewarding but there are times when it can be very stressful. Why is it so difficult to do the right thing sometimes??  I'm usually pretty calm, cool and collected but there are occasions when I can't keep it all together. That's where I was earlier this week. I told my boss I needed a couple of days off because I was going to have a meltdown and she graciously gave me today and tomorrow. :-) I'm going to take some time to pamper me!!  I'm getting my hair done, having a sports massage, and am looking forward to some retail therapy!! 

Most of us strive to stay healthy physically by eating right and working out. But often we neglect our mental well being. Americans get fewer days off than most other countries. Many of us have an aversion to using our vacation time. We just feel too guilty about taking days off. We think our workplace will shut down if we’re not there to pull our weight. Others get a similar vibe (either real or perceived) from their managers or co-workers. Personally, this is true for me and I like to have a bunch of PTO hours in the bank "in case of emergency" because you never know what will happen.

The truth is, this isn't very healthy! It's really pretty irrational. Our mental well being is just as important as our physical health yet we often neglect it. And if you think that others won't notice that you're starting to get burned out, just see how many co-workers or friends ask "are you ok" or comment that "you look tired"  Signs that you might need a vacation include:

Irritability

Fatigue

Insomnia

Inability to concentrate

Memory loss

Eye strain (from staring at a computer screen for a long stretch)

Dark circles under your eyes from lack of sleep

If neglected, too much stress or overwork without time off can lead to more serious health problems in the future. While it’s admirable to plow through the mountain of work on your desk day in and day out, if you have any of the above symptoms, you have to ask yourself if risking your health for the sake of your job is really worth it. So, finish up your current projects, tell the boss you'll be unavailable for a few days, and ignore the work phone, email, etc. Do something for you for a change! Chances are your work performance and those who’ve been putting up with your grumpy moods will thank you.

Yesterday was National Running Day. Its awesome when your boss sends you emails reminding you to go run!! I ran with my Pathways group after work last night. I'm so proud of them!!  They did 3.2 miles in 43 minutes! It was warm and pretty humid and we ran a couple of pretty good hills but they all did an amazing job. They're a fun group to work with and the run was just what I needed to pull me out of my funk! Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa was hosting a group fun run for National Running Day. Those are always fun events! I love my running store!!

Well, that's really all I've got for now. I hope that you all have a fabulous day!!  Be awesome today!!

 

How did you celebrate National Running Day?

 

Do you use your vacation time??  What do you enjoy doing on PTO days??

Workout Wednesday

Good morning, folks!!

Thanks for the love yesterday!!  Its been a rough week, but things are looking up.....today is my Friday!!

I'm still plugging away at Insanity. I think I can tell a difference with my endurance or I'm just pushing myself harder....I'm not really sure which. :-)

If you're not ready to make the commitment to a workout program, like Insanity, there are plenty of exercises that you can do to stay in shape. I'm a big fan of body weighted exercises. You don't have to go to an expensive gym or invest in expensive equipment. Bodyweight exercises are generally quite safe for any exerciser and can be modified to meet any age or fitness level.  What I've designed for you today is a ladder workout.

LADDER WORKOUT:  A workout/training session that consists of performing one or more exercises with an ascending or descending rep range each set (see also PYRAMID}.

You can easily modify this by substituting or adding additional exercises such as burpees or mountain climbers and/or adding additional reps. You can do whatever works best for you, just do something!  Move, be active and sweat a little every day!! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

 

 

Truth

"There is some place where your specialties can shine. Somewhere that difference can be expressed. It's up to you to find it, and you can." ~~ David Viscott

Even the most positive people need a little motivation sometimes. That's where I am right now, in a funk and needing a little sunshine, so I'm going to try to bring my own today!!  :-)

I hope that you all have a terrific day!!

Stronger 5k race recap

Good morning, folks!

Wow! That weekend just flew by!!

Friday night brought yet another round of severe storms and tornadoes to our area. At one point, while I was busy doing my Insanity workout, apparently we were in a tornado warning and should have been seeking shelter. I didn't know anything about the tornado warning until I finished my workout when I noticed that I had multiple texts checking on our well being. Fortunately, we only experienced heavy rains. Personally I'm thankful for the rain. We've been in a extreme drought for so long that we were in grave danger of losing our water supply lake. Earlier this year, we only had about 4 ft of water in it!

Saturday morning, I got up early and drove to Broken Arrow, Ok to meet my friends to run the Stronger 5k. I was not planning to run this past Saturday morning, then I heard about this run organized by The Assembly church in Broken Arrow. 100% of the proceeds from the run are going to donated to Convoy of Hope for disaster relief from the recent Oklahoma tornadoes. It was a cool, drizzly morning. The course was nice, relatively flat through residential neighborhoods. All in all, it was a perfect running morning. My legs were tight and tired from the Insanity workouts that I've been doing but I tried to push through. I didn't break the 30 minute mark yet, but I did PR with an 31:39 and was 4th in my age group.

Afterward, I came home and did a Pure Cardio Insanity workout.

Then I got ready for my "date" with hubs. What that really meant is we went out to eat then we went shopping. We did a bit of "sight seeing" on the way home which was nice.

Yesterday was spent doing chores and meal planning prep for the week.

Last night, we had grilled angus burgers (no bun for me) with roasted red skinned potatoes and steamed squash.

Monday: BBQ chicken, sweet potatoes, green beans
Tuesday: Turkey sandwiches
Wednesday: Quinoa with turkey smoked sausage
Thursday: Rosemary chicken and roasted potatoes
Friday: leftovers

Fitness plans for the week include:

Run w/ Pathways tonight
Tuesday: Cardio Power and resistance
Wednesday: Pure Cardio; run w/ Pathways
Thursday: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Friday: Cardio Recovery
Saturday: Cardio Power and resistance; run w/ Pathways

Do you meal prep on the weekends? What are you having for meals this week?

What are your fitness/workout plans for this week?