Week 26

June 24th- Rest

It’s my last rest day for awhile. I have come to that conclusion in the past few days. I have taken over a week off and tomorrow it is time to get back into a solid routine.

This routine will consist of going to classes Tuesday- Thursday and hitting the gym Monday- Sunday. I am going to deter from my original June calendar and make up a new routine for this week. I want to incorporate longer times at the gym and doing more than one activity.

My goal for Tuesday is as follows: Run at least 2.5 miles, dumbbell arm workout, and end with a quick core workout.

June 25th- Gym Day

Here’s how my Tuesday gym day went: I started off with a 2.5 mile run, did my full arm workout with dumbbells and ended with a 5 minute ab workout. I wanted to do a little bit of everything today at the gym to see how I liked it.

After completing the entire gym routine, I actually wasn’t a huge fan of it. The run was fine, but everything after that seemed a lot harder than normal. I think from now on I will only do these run days if I do a shorter distance run around 1 mile or so. If I do this, I have a feeling I won’t be as tired and skip out on arms and abs.

June 26th- Gym day

Alright, I tried the same thing I did yesterday but ended up focusing more on arms. I actually ended up using most of the arm machines, including doing my dumbbell workout. By the end of doing all the arm machines my arms were shaking and I could tell I wasn’t going to be able to lift anything else.

To help spread out the arm workouts and give them a rest, I ran a couple of laps around the track. I liked putting this in here because it gave me a break from lifting, allowed me to move around, AND I got to get some cardio in!

Towards the end of my gym routine, I also used the stair climber for a bit to help tone my legs. I was on there for about 10 minutes and could feel the burn after about 5. I ended with another 5 minute ab workout. With swimsuit season here, I thought abs should become another main focus of mine while I am at the gym!

June 27th- Rest

Today Alex came back up to Bellingham for the weekend, so I decided to try and spend as much time as I could with him before he goes back home Monday.

June 28th- Gym day

Instead of going to the actual gym, I downloaded a few different workout apps and tried them out. The one I decided to use today included abs, arms, and butt. I was actually really surprised at how hard these workouts are. I did a 5 minute timed session for each and was sweating a lot by the time I was finished.

These apps are something I need to keep in mind when at the gym! They have a lot of good routines and they actually go by pretty fast since you are switching what you are doing every 30 seconds.

June 29th- Rest

Today was another rest day. My abs are actually really sore from my workout yesterday, which is a good thing but it definitely put me in a not-so-motivated mindset.

June 30th- Abs

I used the app again to get a good ab workout in. I did another 5 minute session and could feel the burn. The ab workout is something I want to try and do almost everyday during July.

I am still in need of making a July calendar, but am hoping to get to this tomorrow (as tomorrow is already July 1st!) Where has the time gone?? It feels like June flew by!

Week 25

June 17th- Jet Skiing

Alex and I spent the day at Lake Stevens with Alex’s dad jet skiing. The lake itself was really quiet and there weren’t too many people out there. We were out on the lake for about five hours soaking up the sun and riding around. It was a lot of fun, but we definitely should have put more sun block on… Both of us are pretty burned.

Today was a fun way to kick off my week of summer vacation!

June 18th- 2.66 mile run

Tonight I went for a run through campus. Alex decided to join me and we ended up doing a quick look up to Old Main and back. It was pretty warm out, but we were able to run in the shade most of the time thanks to the tall campus buildings and trees lining the sidewalks.

It always a lot more fun when Alex decides to run with me. I am hoping to get him out again once more this week to run with me. It is times like these were I wish I had a more consistent running buddy. Maybe this upcoming Fall Quarter I will be able to find someone to run with me!

I also did a quick ab section. This is something that is still hit or miss in my routines. I haven’t found a good time to fit this in. Today I decided to do it right when I got home from my run. It made it a lot harder to do planks, since my legs were tired, but I did find myself more motivated to push myself harder. Doing abs after my runs might be my new routine!

June 19th- Rest

This was the day I decided to drive down to Marysville to get my car tested for emissions. Thankfully it passed, but it did suck having to drive an hour down there and back.

Alex and I decided to make a day trip out of it by stopping in Mt. Vernon to grab some lunch. We also hit up the local Hobby Lobby where I was able to find some new watercolor supplies. Everything there was on sale, so there were some super good deals!

The rest of the day was spent watercoloring, watching Netflix, and just hanging out.

June 20th- Yoga session

I wasn’t feeling like running today, so instead I got on my phone and found a free yoga instructor app. I have never used something like this before, but it was nice to get into a peaceful mindset, stretch, and focus on strengthening my core.

I only did a 20 minute session (the free trial timed out). I am hoping to look for either free apps or go on YouTube and try to find some yoga exercises.

To be honest, I have never been a big fan of yoga but I do really enjoy pushing my body and that positive mindset that goes along with it. I think yoga would be a great way to balance my arm workouts and runs. Maybe this summer I will look at incorporating more yoga into my life!

June 21st- Raptor Ridge Hike

Today was beautiful for a hike! For this hike, we decided to take the Lost Lakes Trail head and connect up with the Raptor Ridge Lookout. I won’t go into too much detail about this hike, as I am hoping to write another article on it in my hikes section. The hike was about 5 miles long and was super steep the first mile and a half. The outlook was gorgeous and I can’t wait to post some pictures on here next week!

June 22nd- Rest

WOW! My legs and butt are so sore from that hike yesterday. Alex and I decided to walk part of Lake Padden and the littlest amount of incline could be felt in my legs. I can’t believe how sore I am, it makes me feel so out of shape. Next week I am going to hit it hard at the gym. Next Tuesday is when classes start and I am hoping to hit the gym everyday (Tuesday-Sunday).

June 23rd- Rest

These rest days are starting to catch up to me.. They were feeling really good throughout the week, but I am starting to hit the point where I feel guilty for not working out. I guess this could be a good thing and a strong motivator for next week.

This week has been a good break from a lot of different stressors. I have had the week off from classes, roommates, and other distractions that were not needed. It has felt really good mentally and physically to do the things I want to do on my own time schedule, like the hiking and water coloring. It is a good break to remember what is truly important in life and really focus on the things that matter the most to me.

Week 24

June 10th- Rest/ Study

Today was spent studying for my final that’s tomorrow. It was a long day in the library filled with relearning what I have been taught this quarter in my MIS class.

June 11th- Rest/ Test

It’s test day! Got my test over by 10am and spent the rest of the day relaxing and taking a break from everything having to do with school.

June 12th- Rest

I am not doing too good this week with the whole running and gym thing… being on summer break is taking a tole on me, I am becoming too lazy! I am going to have to start picking it up and get motivated to hit the gym/ run.

June 13th- 2.7 mile run and weight lifting at the gym

I learned my lesson by taking the week off from running. Lake Padden kicked my butt today! Those hills were a lot harder than I remember them being. Note to self: don’t take so many days off in between runs.

This mornings run felt long and hard. I felt very sluggish while running, it felt like I was barely moving. I dislike these kinds of runs. No matter what my pace was, I didn’t feel like I was going fast enough. I haven’t felt this way in a really long time and I think it has to do with not running earlier in the week. So, to make up for being lazy I decided to hit the gym tonight with Alex one last time before he graduates tomorrow.

At the gym I did the stair climber for 5 minutes. My legs were feeling really tired and I decided to move onto an arm workout. I did some assisted pull ups, bicep curls with the dumbbells, and worked some of my back muscles. It felt good lifting weights and easing back into it. I haven’t noticed the cyst on my wrist getting bigger, so I am hoping to continue to ease into these weight lifting workouts.

June 14th- Rest

Today is the day! Alex graduates from WWU. We both spent the morning in interviews for potential jobs/ internships. The afternoon was filled with spending time with Alex’s family and celebrating their last kid graduating from college. Today was a lot of fun and very exciting to see what the future holds for not only me, but Alex and I’s future!

June 15th- Rest

To celebrate Alex’s graduation and Father’s Day, we ended up going to the Brewfest at Marymoor Park in Redmond. We spent the morning with my dad to celebrate an early Father’s Day, then headed down to Marymoor Park to hang out with Alex’s older siblings while drinking beer.

It was super hot out and really dusty. We spent the afternoon drinking and ended the night with a quick dinner at a burger place in Redmond. It was a fun day filled with celebrating Father’s Day and trying a bunch of really good beer.

June 16th- Rest

We spent the night in Seattle and headed up to Everett later in the day to stop in and see Alex’s dad for Father’s Day. We helped them finish their deck then headed back up to Bellingham. I have a week vacation until I start summer classes, so I am hoping to get a hike or two in this upcoming week. We will have to see how the weather holds up…

Week 23

June 3rd- 2.7 Mile Run

Lake Padden Run BABY!! I was able to get out and enjoy the nice weather today by doing a quick loop around Lake Padden.

Today I decided to run the trail the opposite way I normally do. It was interesting to see how new the route felt and how fast it went by because of a new perspective of all the scenery.

This is also the first time I have ran in awhile and I couldn’t believe how freeing it felt. I’m not sure if this was exactly the “runners high” or just because I haven’t run in awhile. Either way, it felt really good to get out and enjoy the fresh air and sun.

I could definitely feel my lungs were unconditioned. This was apparent after my run when I got in the car to leave and my diaphragm felt like it was burning. This is normally the feeling I get when I haven’t run in awhile…. something I need to break the habit of!

GET OUT AND RUN!!!

This is going to be my motto for the week and I am going to stick to it for this whole week and the following week of finals.

June 4th- Rest

Today, again, was filled with group meetings and finishing up group projects. I met with one of my groups for three hours to work on video we need to submit Wednesday night. Before I knew it, it was 5pm and I was headed home to finish up some work for another class. It is that point in the quarter where crunch time starts to take over my entire day. I have been on the go since 9am and the time is starting to catch up with me.

I am the type of person who likes to get things done early, unfortunately a lot of people don’t function this way and it is starting to get to me and stressing me out. Once this week is over I will be home free for a couple weeks before the start of summer quarter hits. I can’t wait to have some time off to refocus and get on a solid running schedule before summer quarter hits.

June 5th- Bike and Run

This morning was a weird mix of a workout. I rolled out of bed and reluctantly headed straight for the gym. I got there feeling tired and not fully awake yet, so I decided to hop on the bike for a bit. I got about 10 minutes in and was feeling board of not moving anywhere and staying stationary. I decided to move to the treadmill and got a little over a mile in. This transition from bike to treadmill felt really weird on my thighs and made my legs supper tired for my run.

It probably wasn’t the best mix of exercises, but I was having a hard time figuring out what I wanted to do at the gym today! I also finally made my June calendar for the month, so I am hoping that will help alleviate some of the uncertainty and lack of motivation to workout.

June 6th- Rest

I decided to take my rest day today instead of Saturday. I got done with my presentation and decided to take the rest of the day off. It was. It was nice to get this break, but I need to make sure I hold myself accountable this weekend and hit the gym!

June 7th- 2.7 mile run

I ran to Fairhaven Park and back this morning. I got out of the apartment around 10:00 am and was surprised at how good it felt to run somewhat early in the day. The cold air felt good as it hit my face and filled my lungs.

When I got back home, I felt refreshed and ready to start my day. This was the best feeling! As it starts to get warmer out, I am hoping to try and get more of these morning runs in. I usually have a hard time getting up in the mornings, but if I get on a good schedule I am hoping it will become a part of my everyday routine.

June 8th- 20 min bike ride and weight lifting

Today was gym day, as I decided to take my rest day on Thursday. As I was biking, I decided I wanted to try and lift weights again to see whether or not that cyst would be affected.

I decided to use 10 pound dumbbells and do my normal bicep workout. It felt really good and I didn’t notice my cyst hurting. I am hoping the cyst doesn’t get bigger and I can continue to tone my arms again.

Overall, today was a good workout day. I felt accomplished picking up the weights again and am looking forward to hopefully integrating dumbbells back into my workouts.

June 9th- Rest

I ended up spending most of the day studying for my final on Tuesday and tying up loose ends in another class. It was a day well spent preparing for Tuesday. I can’t wait to get this test over with and have a week break until summer classes begin!

Week 22

May 27- Rest

Today is Memorial Day, which means BBQ and time with family! I spent the day with Alex and his family chatting, eating, and playing yard games. It was a fun day spent in the sun playing badminton and having a water balloon fight.

Although I didn’t go for a run or bike ride, I definitely was sweating and got my heart rate up from running around in the backyard.

Looking ahead at this week, it is going to be a tough one to get through. I have a bunch of group papers to finish and a final on Thursday. With this being said, I am going to try my best to get out and run most days this week…

May 28- 25min bike ride

I decided to bike today instead of run. I hopped on the bike and did a 2:1 workout. I did 2 minutes on a harder resistance and keeping above 90 RPM’s then a one minute break. This felt like the equivalent of a sprint workout. My thigh muscles were killing me after this workout, but it was totally worth it!

The time seemed to go really fast and I felt like I got a solid workout in. As stated in last weeks posts, I want to try and get more biking in to give my knees a rest.

The goal would be to bike 2-3 time a week to break up running throughout the week. I am hoping to get on a more consistent schedule, but as it gets closer to finals I don’t think that is going to be that easy…

May 29- Rest

The one class I have on Wednesday’s got cancelled! Thankfully this gave me even more time to study for my final tomorrow. I spent all day going over practice problems and getting ready for tomorrow.

By the time I was done studying it was already 10pm and time to relax and take a break from studying. Although I didn’t get to the gym today, I am hoping to get a run in tomorrow and a hike in on Friday! I can’t wait to get this final over with tomorrow and have a little more free time to work on other projects.

May 30- Rest

By the time I realized it, I was done with my test and was ready to unwind for the day. Alex and I are planning on doing a 7-8 mile hike tomorrow. I know this hike will be tougher than the ones we have done so far this spring. I am going to rest today as to not make my legs sore for the hike tomorrow.We should be getting up at 5am to hit the road by 5:30am and head the 2 hours towards the Perry Creek trail head.

May 31- 7 Mile Hike

Today is hike day!! We did end up getting up and hitting the road by 5:30am. It was hard to get up this early, but I was pretty excited to go on a longer hike. The short hikes have been a good workout, however I am excited to do a 4 hour hike and get to go a longer distance than just 2.5 miles.

We did Perry Creek Trail out by Mt. Pilchuck (the long hike we did towards the end of last summer). We were not able to go all the way to the top of the mountain, as the creek was too high, deep, and strong to cross. Instead, we had to stop a mile and half or so short and enjoy the rushing water as we ate our sandwiches in the shade.

I am hoping to post photos and talk more about this hike in the photography section of my blog. I still need to update the last hike we did as well… after finals (June 12th) is when I am hoping to get everything up to date and reported on.

June 1st- Rest

Today my parents decided to come up to Bellingham for the day and spend time with Alex and I. It was great to see them and show them around town.

I did not make it to the gym today, but will do my best to try and go each day next week. Although it is dead week (the week before finals), I shouldn’t be too busy and therefore am aiming to get a run in or bike ride in every day.

June 2nd- Rest

Today was unfortunately spent meeting up with various groups and getting group projects worked on/ finished. In the time not spent with a group, I was busy prepping and writing my papers that are due later next week.

It has been a long weekend filled with homework and family, but I am hoping by getting a lot of this work done this weekend, it will free up some of my time next week!

June

May seemed to go even faster than April or March. Looking back on May, both at my studies and also my running, I can’t believe how busy I have been.

This is no excuse for all the “rest” days I have taken, but this quarter has definitely been way busier than the last one. I have been a part of so many group projects and finally realized how much time these can take up.

Looking back at May, there are a few things I wanted to reflect on. These are things that I am both proud of, and also things I need to work on this upcoming month.

Positive things I accomplish in May:

I started May off with a 3.8 Mile run and found a new route because of it!
I did more biking this month compared to April

Negative things I need to work on:

I took a lot of rest days
Need to keep up my motivation to run

With summer and summer classes right around the corner, I need to make sure I am still getting my running in on a daily basis, or at least doing something to be active. With this being said, I decided to write out a full calendar schedule for June. I hope to follow this calendar and accomplish the goal I have set for each day.

I believe one of the best ways to complete this goal is to make the calendar pictured above and physically cross off everyday after I have completed the activity. This will give me motivation I need to push myself to get the task done. When it is completed, it will give me the feeling is satisfaction; knowing I completed everything on my to do list that day.

I am hoping this calendar will be the push I need to successfully complete my June workout schedule and meet my goals.

With this being said, here are some of my goals for the upcoming month:

Run 4 times a week (one of which will be a long run around 4 miles)
Bike 2 times a week
Abs– I have fallen behind on ab workouts to the point where I have stopped doing then altogether. On the days I bike, I want to also complete 5 minutes of ab exercises to help keep my stomach in shape.
Hydrate with the warmer weather starting, drinking water is going to become very important and make my runs a lot easier. This is a must as summer approaches.

I am hoping to continue the progress I have made over the past 5 months. Lack of motivation will be a key player in this process and it is something I strive to overcome every day this month.

Monthly stats

June was a good month, but there were a few weeks with a lot of rest days. I am hopeful to change this in the next few months.

Week 21

May 20- Rest

Today was another rest day… this seem to be the norm lately. I am having a really hard time making time to go to the gym. Classes are picking up big time and with all these group projects it makes it seem like I have zero free time.

I know I can make time to go for a run, but it is becoming one of those things that is starting to stress me out by not going. It seems to be one of those things I can’t check off the list and that needs to change.

As it starts staying lighter out later, I need to take advantage of this and run in the evenings. I am hoping this will help get me to go on a run and finally be able to check it off the to do list!

May 21- 2.8 mile run

I made it to the gym tonight! I went around 9pm, making sure my dinner was fully settled. It felt really good to run on the treadmill this late and get back to the gym. It has been exactly one week since my last run.

When starting out on the treadmill I could tell my body was tired from the long day, but about a mile in I started to get in the right mindset and push myself a little harder. I was trying to stay under 9 minute mile times and for the most part I was successful in doing this.

It felt good to get back to the gym for a run. I am hoping I can go around 9pm more often, it will all depend on the upcoming workload as we slowly start to approach finals in 3 weeks.

May 22- Rest

Today was a rest day. I was swamped with school work and by the time I got home I just wanted a mental break from it all.

Instead of going for a run, I decided to go out for drinks instead. Probably not the best idea, as I know the couple of beers I drank will need to be run off later.

It was nice getting away from classes though and just enjoying the nice weather!

May 23- 3.05 mile run

Today was a Lake Padden kind of day. I went later in the day around 5pm and it was so warm out! I believe it hit 70 today. I forgot what it felt like to run in direct sunlight in the warmer weather.

I’m going to need to make sure I hydrate after this run! Lake Ladden never seems to get old for me. Every time I run it I find something else that I love about it.

Today the thing I found that I loved about Lake Padden is all the people you pass while running. These are couples, people walking dogs, and other runners. It can sometimes get lonely on a run when there is no one around. The time seems to go so slow because the only thing you are focused on is how close to the fishing line you are.

Having other people smile at you and walk/ run past you makes the trail that much more enjoyable. With summer around the corner, I hope to get over to Lake Padden quite a bit to soak up the sun and get a solid 3 miles in around the lake!

May 24- Rest

I took a rest day today and actually kind of regret it. I spent time doing homework and spending time with the people I love, but I wish I would have made time for the gym.

I need to make a better schedule for summer and stick to it. It seems with running being my main focus for working out, it gets old really fast and I have no motivation to go two days in a row. I still have that cyst on my wrist and have refrained from weight lifting, as I don’t want to make it bigger or have it rupture.

With this being said, I need to start getting creative in my runs. I have only been getting 2.5-3.4 miles on my runs and want it to be around 3-4 miles. I need to take some time and find new routes that will help motivate me to get out and run. This will be my homework for June: Find new trials to run that will help keep me motivated to push past 2.5 miles.

May 25- 30 minute Bike

Today was a biking day, as it was dumping rain all day and I didn’t feel like getting drenched on a run. I hit the gym, hopped on the bike, and rode/sweat for a half hour. It felt good giving my knees a rest from running.

For the last 15 minutes of my bike ride I did a 3:1 workout of 3 minutes on a higher resistance and peddling with a minimum RPM of 90 then 1 minute of “rest” with less resistance and letting the RPM drop below 90.

I really enjoyed this workout. It got my heart rate up and I felt really good afterwards. I am going to have to keep this workout in mind in the future to give my knees a break from running!

May 26- Chanterelle Hike

It seems like it has been awhile since my last hike… but I am glad I was able to get another one in! I think having that three day weekend helped alleviate some of the class work. I am hoping to post about the hike later this week, but here’s a brief overview of what Alex and I accomplished.

Week 20

May 13- Rest

I am still two weeks behind on updating my blog and unfortunately my watch does not update unless it’s either cardio or running. Based on these two categories, I am assuming it was another rest day. As I catch up on the time between now and when I was supposed to write this, I am starting to realize my slacking off. I need to get back on a solid gym schedule this week (5/20).

May 14- 3.1 mile run

According to my watch I went to the gym and completed a 3.1 mile run. My time was 27 minutes. I am glad I was able to push through to finish a 5k, especially as it seems I have not been working out too much these past couple of weeks.

May 15- Rest

My watch does not show any high levels of activity for today, so I am going to assume I did not go out of my way to make it to the gym.

May 16- Rest

My watch does not show any high levels of activity for today, so I am going to assume I did not go out of my way to make it to the gym.

May 17- Rest

My watch does not show any high levels of activity for today, so I am going to assume I did not go out of my way to make it to the gym.

May 18- Odeza concert!

Today was a day filled with day drinking and seeing Death Cab for Cutie and Odeza play at Civic Field in Bellingham, WA. I took over 20,000 steps today and walked an equivalent of 10 miles total. This concert was a lot of fun, but I was so tried after, I literally went home, ate some food, and fell asleep.

May 19- Recovery and homework

Today was my day to hydrate and take it easy. I was so tired from last night I slept in most of the morning, lounged around, and did some homework. Today was definitely a much need recovery day.

Week 19

May 6- Rest

Today was stressful and instead of doing what I told myself I would when I get stressed (i.e. go to the gym) I skipped and continued to stress for my OPS 360 test I have tomorrow.

I ended up studying most of the day in between my classes. I should have made time to go to the gym and run off my stress, but I thought studying was more important. As I look back at my previous months, this seems to be something I continue to struggle with: figuring out when I should run because I am so stressed. Instead I tend to hone in on how stressed I am and often forget that running with make me feel better. Just the idea of going on a run stresses me out even more… How do I get out of this mindset? I need to work on this and really be mindful of it in the next couple of weeks to try and make a habit out of it.

May 7- 2.54 mile run

Today was so beautiful out!! It was mid 60’s and sunny which means time to run outside! I actually ended up convincing Alex to run Lake Padden with me. We took it slower (as he isn’t as much of a runner compared to me). It felt really good to get outside and soak up the sun. I know Alex wasn’t too thrilled about the run, but it felt good to have a running buddy for once.

To treat ourselves, we ended up going to a movie later that night and saw the new Avengers. I am not caught up with the other movies, but overall I thought it was pretty good.

Today felt really good to not only get outside, but also spend time doing something we both wanted to do: I got my run and Alex got his movie.

May 8- 30 minute bike ride

Tonight I opted to bike instead of run. I ordered new running shoes, which were delivered today, but I wanted my first run with them to be outside and not on a treadmill. I can’t wait to try them out tomorrow!

One thing I want to do with these shoes is track how many miles I put on them. This is something we would occasionally do in high school, but I think it would be fun to do again. I have a feeling it might be a good motivational tool to use in the future!

May 9- 2.54 miles

Wow was it warm out today! As I sit out on the deck in the sun to write this, I am starting to sweat which is actually a bummer as I just got out of the shower after my run around Lake Padden.. Might need to take another one later tonight.

I got done with classes around 4 and texted Alex asking if he wanted to go on another run around the lake. To my surprise, he said yes! So him and I headed over to the lake and ran the 2.5 miles. It was fairly warm out when running, but luckily most of Padden is shaded.

As it starts to get warmer out, it is going to be important to start drinking more water and staying hydrated throughout the day. While this is something to keep in mind, I do want to take a second to acknowledge my difference in my workout habits this week compared to the last few. I have been trying to hold myself more accountable to getting out and being active everyday. I am going to try and keep this habit up for the rest of this quarter and into summer as well.

May 10- Rest

Today was gorgeous! Not having classes made today that much better. Alex and I went out to Fairhaven Park for a picnic lunch and some time in the sun. Before we knew it, we had been out there for a little over and hour and were ready to get out of the sun for awhile.

We also went back out later in the evening to stroll around Fairhaven and check out Boulevard Park. There were a lot of people out, but is was really nice to make it back outside for a bit after dinner and walk around. Although I didn’t run today, I still feel like I got a workout in by walking so much and being outdoors. I know I took a break from running today, but it still felt good to get outside, walk around, and enjoy the sun and fresh air.

Tomorrow I am planning on doing a longer run, hopefully around 4 miles or so. This will be good as I have been mainly sticking to 2.54 miles around Lake Padden.

May 11- Rest

It has been awhile since I have updated the portion of my blog and I honestly can’t remember if I went to the gym this day. Because of that, I am going to assume I took another rest day. I need to get better at updating this everyday, but the last couple of weeks have been really busy with classes and a social life.

May 12- Rest

Again, since I did not keep up with updating on a daily basis I can’t remember what I did last week. I am going to try and get better at this.

Week 17

April 22- Rest

This week is already starting off really crazy and I am feeling the stress of classes. Tonight I was on campus until 11pm working with one of my groups on our project that is due on Wednesday. My plan was to hit the gym after meeting with my group, but because we didn’t finish until 11 I wasn’t able to make it (as this is the time when the gym closes…)

I know tomorrow night is going to be a long night as well as we try and finish up our project. I am hoping I will be able to run tomorrow, but know that getting to the gym this week is going to be a struggle.

April 23- 2 mile run

I was able to get a quick two miles in today at the gym. It wasn’t much, but it did feel good and it helped relieve some of the stress I am feeling from classes.

Sometimes getting to the gym or motivating myself to go run seems to be what stops me. Once I am actually running I always am happy I did. To help with this mindset, I started doing this simple task: put on my running clothes, lace up my shoes, and THEN decided whether or not to go on a run.

As I start to do this, I have noticed a change in my attitude to run. This little trick is something I want to continue, especially on the days where I am tired and am trying to talk myself out of going to the gym.

April 24- Full Body Circuit

Today was weight day. I completed my arm and leg workout, ending with a 5 minute stair climbing session. I started using the 12.5 pound dumbbells and I am starting to see the results in my arms. Not only am I getting more toned, but I am also starting to notice the muscle building as well. I am excited to see where I will be by the start of summer!

NOTE: Tonight I noticed a new little bump on my right wrist, near my wrist bone. After doing some research, I think it might be a ganglion cyst from weight lifting… Thankfully mine doesn’t hurt and it is fairly small, but I am worried it may get bigger if I continue to strain my tendon from weight lifting. So, I think I am going to stick to just running for a while and see if it will go away on its own. It looks like it might take a month or two… while this does put me back in my arm workouts, I think it is the best decision as I don’t want this cyst to get bigger and possibly cause more problems in the future.

April 25- 3.3 mile run

Today was another treadmill kind of day. I hoped on, put in my headphones and ran for as long and as fast as I could. In 30 minutes, I almost got in 3.5 miles, with miles times in the 9 minute range.

Now that I am going to be focusing more on running, I want to start cutting down on my mile times. I like the idea of staying around 3- 4.5 miles, as this is the distance that feels the most rewarding when I run them.

April 26- Rest

Today is my rest day and I decided to stick with this and focus on getting all my homework done for weekend. This is the first day I have had completely free this week and I want to take some time for me and relax!

April 27- Hike

Alex and I decided last minute to go and do a short hike (about 3.5 miles round trip). We hiked the Gold Mine Trail out in Sumas. It was pretty sunny out and the perfect temperature for a hike. As the weather gets nicer, I hope to try and get a hike in every weekend or so.

My goal is to post some of the photos from the hike on here sometime this week!

April 28- Rest

Today I toyed with the idea of going for a run, but opted out and chose to rest instead. I spent the day doing some homework and enjoying the sunny weather. I think the nicer weather is what is going to make my gym schedule harder to follow. As it starts to get nicer all I want to do is be outside soaking up the sun. I need to make sure I hold myself accountable and continue to run.

I am excited for what May will bring and the results that will follow in my running routines.