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.

May

I can’t believe how fast April went! As I look back at what I did this month, here are some highlights I wanted to point out:

Longest run: 3.6 miles
Increased the weight on dumbbells to 12.5 pounds on each side

With progress comes things I still need to work on: I took WAY too many rest days this month… about 2 or 3 a week. This is too many and I need to hold myself more accountable to my workouts. It is always hard to fall into a solid routine at the start of the quarter, but now that we are about a month in getting to the gym should start to become easier.

As I focus solely on running, due to that ganglion cyst on my wrist.. bummer 😦 I want to make sure I continue to increase my millage. By the end of April I want to be running around 4.5 miles consistently; meaning at least two times a week.

As it starts to get nicer out, I will be able to run outside and push myself to find new routes and easily get in a four mile run.

Another goal I have for this month is to hike a lot. I am hoping at least once every two weeks if not more. Many of these hikes will have to be local, as Mt. Baker is still too snowy.

I can’t wait to see what results May will bring me, especially as we start nearing swimsuit season!!

Monthly stats

May seemed to be full of rest days, especially during weeks 18-20. The majority of these weeks were rest days. But I did finish the month out strong on week 21 with a steady week of workouts. I’m hopeful this will NOT be the case for June!

Week 16

April 15- 3.17 miles

Treadmill running is starting to get old. I feel myself not pushing as hard and not motivated to even get on the thing!

So, today I decided to try a 2-1 workout. This means 2 minutes uphill at a faster pace and 1 minute recovery. At first this seemed easy, but about a mile in it started to get increasingly harder. I followed the 2:1 workout until I hit mile 2, where I ran flat at a faster pace until I hit 3.1 miles.

It feels good being able to switch up my runs like this. It makes them go a little faster and the uphill is a great way to train instead of always running flat.

I am longing for the sunny and dry weather to be able to get out and explore Bellingham!

April 16- Full Body Circuit

By 4pm the gym is packed and trying to maneuver around all the other people working out starts to become a chore. I was able to get a couple reps in on the dumbbells, using the 12.5 pound weights. These seem way heavier than the 10 pound ones I am used to… but the burn felt really good.

It is an important reminder to not get stuck in the same routine on the same weights. I need to make sure I am increasing how heavy the weights are when my workouts start to get easier. I have the form down, so now it is time to put in work and see how much progress I can make this month!

April 17- 2.72 mile run

Guess what?!?!? It was sunny out today! Meaning I was finally able to get a solid run in outside. I decided to take a new route through Fairhaven, cut over to Fairhaven Park, and run the trails through the park back to my apartment.

I still need to take time and figure out where all the trails lead, as I somehow ended up straying from the trail and ran through residential neighborhoods instead… It felt really refreshing getting outside and breathing in the fresh air.

My lefts were still a bit sore from my run on Monday, so I tried not to push it too hard on the hills during this run.

I couldn’t believe how refreshed and happy I felt after completing this run. It put me in a positive mindset and I was able to focus and get a lot of homework done.

April 18- Full body workout

I was feeling very sluggish today at the gym. Classes are starting to pick up in pace, and group projects are beginning to take up a lot of time. I completed my workout, but it didn’t feel as rewarding as it used to.

I need to figure out a way to have fun at the gym, so it doesn’t start to become a chore. I think I may need to start switching up my routine and see if that will help. I’ve been doing the same workout for almost 3 months now and I think it is starting to get a little old… this weekend I will do some research and find some new things to add to my routine.

April 19- Rest

I had to meet with a few groups today, which seemed to drag on. By the time I was finished with everything it was close to 4 and I was not wanting to go to the gym.

It seems like the days I don’t have classes are the busiest days out of the week. These are the days where I meet with groups, get ahead on my homework, and I often forget to take a break long enough to do something I want to do.

I need to make sure I have a healthy balance of stress and stress relief on these days!

April 20- Rest

Today is my moms birthday and also the funeral of Alex’s grandpa. We spent the whole day down in Renton and Seattle celebrating two very different things with both sides of our families.

It was really good to see so many people. Before we knew it, it was already 10pm and time to head back up to Bellingham. The went super fast, but it was also very tiring. I honestly done know the last time I was that social for so long!

April 21- Easter

Happy Easter! Today I spent the day catching up on homework, meeting with a group, and hitting the gym in the afternoon.

Again, today I felt very sluggish at the gym. I went through and finished most of my routine, but there was no urge to push myself harder.

I really need to come up with a new routine that will help keep my motivated to push myself harder.

Week 14

April 1- Rest

Happy April Fool’s! Today is Monday and the day before spring quarter starts. I decided to not go to the gym until tomorrow, as Alex has to buy the gym pass and it won’t activate until tomorrow. Today was spent reading through syllabi, getting notebooks ready, and trying to memorize by schedule.

Hoping this quarter goes as smooth as the last one did. I am also looking forward to the warmer and sunnier weather towards the end of this month and into May.

April 2- Run 3.1

The first day of classes went well, so I decided to hit the gym on my way home. I got done with classes around 4 and was done at the gym around 4:40. Usually I don’t like going around this time, as this seems to be the peak time where everyone is at the gym, but when I am only using the treadmill, it really isn’t that bad.

This run was definitely a little harder than I remember, since it has been over a week and a half since I last ran or worked out at all. This feeling is always bitter-sweet. I hate how much harder workouts become after taking time off, but when the workout is over the sore muscles is a nice reminder why I should be trying to workout every day.

I have a feeling this week will more of a challenge to go to the gym everyday as I have a whole new schedule to work around. By the end of this week, I should have a better idea of what my weeks will look like and be able to put together a gym schedule for this quarter.

April 3- Rest

After class today, I felt overwhelmed by all the information given out in classes. I decided to not go to the gym, but instead focus my time on organizing my planner and figuring out what is due when.

I still need to make a schedule for April. Hopefully I can get around to this sometime this upcoming weekend.

April 4- Full body circuit

After classes ended at 4, I hit the gym to do my arms and legs workout. I took it a little easier today since it has been so long since using weights. I used the 10 pound dumbbells and the stair climber. It felt good using these muscles again.

It feels good starting to get back into a good routine after taking so much time off over spring break. It makes me start to wonder what summer will be like, I am thinking I might need to get a gym membership somewhere around my house to do my weight workouts!

April 5- Rest

It’s Friday and that means no classes! Welcome to four day weeks and three day weekends!! Today I spent the day sleeping in, doing some homework, and then headed down to Seattle to spend the evening and weekend with my family. My grandma had a heart attack earlier last week and this weekend we are going to go visit her in Wenatchee.

April 6- Day trip to Wenatchee

The drive over to Wenatchee seemed to take forever, we ended up hitting some snow at the top of Stevens Pass which got the nerves pumping and after that it was dumping rain the rest of the way. We got to Wenatchee around 12, just in time to join my grandma for lunch. The afternoon was spent socializing and eventually time for dinner.

My family ended up going out to a local pub in downtown Wenatchee called Saddle Rock Pub and Brewery. The food there was SOOOO good! I would definitely recommend their pizza, salads, starters, and of course their beer. I also really liked this sign they had on one of their walls:

We got home from Wenatchee around 9:30pm. After the long day, we were all fairly tired and worn out from the 6 hours of being on the road. It was good to see my grandma, and I am glad she is doing okay after being in the hospital.

April 7- Back up to Bham

Back up to Bellingham I go. I feel like I have done so much driving lately. Between our trip to Spokane and the back and fourth from Wenatchee and Bellingham I am exhausted from driving! It will be good to be back in Bellingham where everything is accessible by bus or walking.

I used to day as a personal day. I got back up to Bellingham, did some homework, and just relaxed for the day. I am going to make sure I get on a consistent schedule this upcoming week and try to get around to making an overall schedule for April this week.

April

March was not too successful with the whole gym workout thing. As sit here and browse through my March weekly reports, two weeks of March were spent trying to recover from the flu and before I knew it, March was over and spring break was here. I only worked out about a week or two in March, but I am hoping to change that this month. With that being said, I need to work on a few things:

This month, I want to make sure I apply myself when I go to the gym. I need to make sure I continue to work hard every time I go to the gym and get the most out of the workouts I do.
Another thing I want to work on this month is staying motivated and making sure I make it to the gym 6 days out of the week. While this might seem like overkill, going to the gym acts as a stress reliever and this is something that will come in handy as classes start to pick up and midterms draw closer.

Here is my plan for the month:

Monday– Long run (at least 3.1 miles)
Tuesday– Full body circuit
Wednesday– Run
Thursday– Full body circuit
Friday– Rest
Saturday– Run/ bike
Sunday– Full body circuit

I am excited to see what this month will bring and the results that will follow!

Monthly stats

April looks like it was consistent across the board. There was a good mix of gym, run, and rest days, meaning I’m starting to find a good schedule to these workouts in each week. I wonder if the warmer weather has anything to do with this…

Week 4

January 21- Run 4 miles

One of the worst feelings is not meeting your goal for the day. Unfortunately, that was me. I planned to hit 4 miles on the treadmill and ended up only hitting 3.2 miles. I got this really bad cramp in my lung around mile 2. Usually I can dig them out or work through the pain, but this one was different. It was too high up to dig out and every breath I took I was in so much pain. I tried to brush it off for another mile or so, but eventually had to stop because it was so hard to breathe. I have never had a cramp like that.

Although the run I wanted didn’t pan out, I was still able to hit 3 miles and know I could have pushed through another mile if the circumstances were different. Can’t wait to hit the treadmill again Wednesday to meet that 4 mile goal!

January 22- Full body circuit

Tonight was a great night to go to the gym. I got to see a friend from my chem and bio classes whom I haven’t seen since last spring quarter. It was great catching up and before I knew it, I had been at the gym for about an hour and still hadn’t started my workout!

I powered through a quick arms and legs workout and finished up with abs at home. It was great catching up, but I noticed how much it changed my motivation to complete a full workout. I only finished one and a half sets, half of the amount I normally do. On the days I lack motivation, these are the ones where I need to make sure I stick with my routine and push through the mental mind block.

I came across this quote on Pinterest and I really liked how it resonated with me. I hope it influences you as well.

“A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action becomes reality.”

This, to me, is what my calendar and dedication to try to hit the gym everyday is all about. I can’t wait to see what my reality will look like within the next six months are so!

January 23- Run

Wow! Today was PACKED. I got out of classes around 2pm, had to meet with a friend to study finance, and then had a meeting for a club (MISA- management information system association) from 6-7:30. Needless to say, I have been on the go since 8 this morning.

After getting back from the club meeting, I made a quick dinner and then dedicated myself to studying for a marketing quiz I have tomorrow.

So, I guess long story short, above are a bunch of excuses I listed off as reasons why my run didn’t happen today. I’m hoping to get a mile or two in tomorrow before doing my full body circuit routine. Hopefully this will help fill in the gap of not being able to make it to the gym today.

January 24- Full body circuit

This workout felt so good! I took a lot of time to complete my circuit. Usually when I come to the gym I feel like I’m on a time crunch. I try to rush though my arms and legs workouts. Maybe this is the runner part of my brain? Trying to push through and get done as quick as I can knowing this mental push will pay off in the end.

Instead I took more than enough time, allowing myself to not only enjoy my workout, but also feel successful that I was using the correct form. I am going to continue to try this trend of taking my time and making sure that I do block out enough time in my schedule to carry this out!

After doing this workout for about a month, it feels good to take time and reflect on what is working and things I need to change to help me get in the best workout I can. I am excited to redo February’s calendar and add these things in as reminders.

January 25- Bike

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Immediately it seemed like nothing was going to go my way. To change this mindset I knew I had to hit the gym to get my mind off all the negative things.

The hardest part about getting to the gym was finding the motivation to hop on the treadmill to run at least 3 miles. So, instead I decided I would get my cardio in a different way! As I sit here typing this blog post, I am also currently biking in the gym and jamming out to some reggae music! I don’t think life could get much better, I’m currently doing three of the things I enjoy the most!

After talking yesterday on here about changing up my workout for February, I am going to include a bike day instead of long distance running. I have currently been biking for 18 minutes and it feels great. I can feel my thighs burning and heart rate up, but the stress on my knees is totally gone! Yes, I know that is the whole point of biking, but I can’t believe how good it feels.

I can’t wait to include biking into my weekly routine! I have my work cut out for me in trying to revamp my entire week workout, but I also know this will pay off in the end both mentally and physically!

January 26- Full body circuit

I decided to increase the weight I use on the dumbbells, increasing to 10 pounds on each side. I could defiantly feel the burn after two sets! Although three sets are harder to get through, it feels way better than the 7.5 pounds I am used too.

This must be a good sign, I’m starting to get stronger and needing to increase the weight more often! Can’t wait to see how long it will take before I need to up the weight again to 12 pounds.

January 27- Rest

Always feels good to have a day to rest and reflect on the week. Can’t wait to modify my February schedule and catch up on other posts!

Week 3

January 14- 3.5 mile Run

After class this morning, my boyfriend and I went to the gym in between our classes. While he biked, I ran 3.5 miles. After two days of hitting 3.5 miles, it is starting to feel like I need more of a challenge… So, on Wednesday my goal is to run 3.75 miles and see how I’m feeling. I’m hoping I will be able to push through an extra 0.25 of a mile and hit 4 miles on Wednesday. I will for sure try to hit 4 miles on Friday and hope to be around there on Wednesday as well!

January 15- Full body circuit

I am so glad I decided to go to the gym last minute tonight! It was 8:30 and I had gotten carried away on practicing for the VITA advanced test. Passing this test allows me to volunteer to help others with filing their taxes. Before I knew it, it was way past 7 (the time I had planned to go to the gym). I debated whether or not it was worth still going… I talked myself into it and I’m so glad I did!

There were a few of my friends who also happened to be at the gym late tonight. It was so much fun learning their workouts and talking as we did our own things as well. I got to learn a really fun and intense ab workout. One I will try and incorporate into my full body circuit.

January 16- 4 mile run

I can’t believe how much I missed running outside!! After getting over the mental block of “do I really want to run today? I am pretty busy…” I got all my running stuff on and started running toward Fairhaven’s Boulevard Park.

This run was BEAUTIFUL. The sun was getting lower in the sky, almost ready to set, creating a soft pink and baby blue sky. It was amazing to be running right next to the water and seeing all the vibrant colors and hearing the waves of the water crash around me. I wanted to take a photo to post on here, but also didn’t want to run out of daylight and therefore opted not to stop on my run.

This run was exactly 4 miles with many hills to get over. It took me about 36 minutes to complete this route. I was amazed at how much ground one can cover in 4 miles. I’m so used to running in one spot on the treadmill that I forgot how freeing running outside can really be! I can’t wait for nicer and warmer weather to be running outside more often! I am starting to find some fun spots around Bellingham to run to and can’t wait to find more this spring.

January 17- Full body circuit

I had one class today from 8am to 10am. I hit the gym right after class and it put me in a better mood for the rest of the day! Today I realized how much I like going to the gym and completing more workouts in the morning. It makes me feel productive and motivated for the rest of my day.

After getting home from the gym, I sat down to work on homework and was shocked at how much more focused I was. It made getting through my work more enjoyable and I felt like I was retaining the information way better than I would have without going to the gym.

This schedule of going to the gym in the mornings is something I am hoping to keep up on Thursdays and Fridays as these are the only two days that this works with my schedule. As for the other days, the afternoon will have to suffice!

January 18- 2 mile run

Today I took it easy on my run. I ran 2 miles and it was a good break from running the 3.5 to 4 miles I had been doing this week. I woke up feeling under the weather and was worried about pushing myself too hard and getting more sick.

I am glad I went to the gym, and it felt good to take a little breather on the treadmill and only go the two miles. I can’t wait to get back up to 3.5 or 4 miles next week though!

January 19- Full Body Circuit

This workout didn’t feel as satisfying as it normally does. I felt off doing the dumbbells and leg machines. I think it might be time for a rest day. Thankfully, that day is tomorrow!

Today was one of those days where it felt like I was just going through the motions to get my workout done. This feeling sucked! There wasn’t any passion or heart in what I was doing. It felt like it was just one of those things I needed to finish to check it off the to do list. I’m hoping after my Sunday rest day, I will get back into the right mindset of why I go to the gym.

January 20- Rest day

This day was much needed. It was nice to give my muscles and body a rest from the other six days I worked out this week. I have to admit, it did feel weird not putting on my gym clothes, lacing up my shoes, and heading to the gym. Instead, I got to relax, catching up on some Netflix shows, and finishing up the majority of my homework. My boyfriend and I also got out and drove up to Birch Bay. I’m hoping to take some time this upcoming week to post some of these photos to the photography part of my blog. As classes start to pick up, I’ve noticed it has become a lot harder to write on here each day. I’ve slacked off a bit and have been writing these posts a couple days after the fact. Next week, I will try to stay on top of it and write one each night after going to the gym.

Week 2

January 7- Run 3.5 miles

Today was a day where I needed a run. There was some unnecessary drama between a friend and I that put me in a funk. I don’t like drama and try to stay away from it as best as I can, but this time it wasn’t something I could look past.

Without getting into to much detail, after our hour long talk I felt emotionally drained and down. After getting back to my boyfriends apartment and spending some time with him and his roommates I made the decision to run Lake Padden. I can’t begin to tell you how good this run felt. I had good mile times (about 8 minutes and 30 second miles) and I was in the right mindset to push myself as hard as I could.

It felt so rewarding when finishing the lake out of breath and legs tired beneath me. It was at the moment when a feeling of gratitude rushed through me. I was thankful for the sun shining, my friend and I sitting down to talk, and that classes will be starting up again tomorrow.

Running helps give me a more positive outlook on my day and it is something that I need to remember as classes begin tomorrow. I’m a little nervous to hit the gym tomorrow with all the other college kids trying to fulfill their New Years resolutions, but I am hopeful that this week I will be able to obtain my workout goal.

January 8- Full body circuit

Today was the first day of classes and it went by so fast! It was great seeing and catching up with friends I have not seen since winter break, and others since last spring quarter. It also felt great being on a schedule and a routine again with a specific time to go to the gym, it makes my life so much easier and is so rewarding to make it one of the last things to do on campus.

I decided to hit the gym late tonight, around 7pm after dinner had settled in my stomach. My boyfriend and I both went to the gym, while he biked, I fulfilled all of my circuit. It felt great to lift the dumbbells again and focus on strengthening my leg muscles.

It’s amazing how much better I feel after hitting the gym. It puts me in a motivated mood. This is something I’m going to have to keep in mind as classes start to pick up and begin to get harder.

January 9- Run 3.5 miles

Today’s run was tough to get through. I was going to run outside after my classes, but realized I left my running shoes at my boyfriends apartment who had class from 2pm-6pm. What a bummer! I was pumped to run outside, but had to change my plan up a bit.My boyfriend and I decided to hit the gym around 7pm. I ran 3.1 miles on the treadmill.

As I continue to increase my mileage, I think I might have been a little too optimistic about how many miles to increase every week. I still want to increase my distance to 4 miles by the end of the month, but I think it is going to take a little longer to build up to that. Today’s run was a little challenging, but I’m hoping to increase it to 3.5 miles on Friday!

January 10- Full body circuit

I got done with classes at 10 this morning and decided to hit the gym on my way back home. There weren’t too many people in there, making my routine go by fast because all the machines I needed were open!

I’m hoping to stick to this time for the gym on Thursday’s and Friday’s to make sure get the best workout in that I can. I feel like I’m starting to get used to the 5 pound dumbbells as the arm workouts aren’t seeming too hard anymore… my goal was to increase the weight at the end of each month, but I’m thinking it might need to happen sooner!

January 11- Run 4 miles

Last night I ended up going to the Greta Van Fleet concert with my dad in Seattle. When classes were over I drove home from Bellingham, my dad and I went out for sushi, and then headed over the the Paramount Theater to wait in line until the doors opened. My dad LOVES live music and luckily I do too, so on occasion either my brother of I get to accompany him. The show was great, if you haven’t heard of Greta Van Fleet I would totally recommend checking them out- especially if you listen to rock or like Led Zeppelin.

With this being said, the show got done around 10:45pm and we were at home and in bed by 11:40pm. Unfortunately, I have an 8am class on Friday’s so I only got about four and a half hours of sleep before having to head back to Bellingham. Running on four and a half hours of sleep sucked, after class I took a two hour nap but still feel exhausted. With this being said, I am deciding to switch up my calendar routine… I honestly never thought there would be so many changes or interruptions in my workout plan! Good thing I haven’t started working on February’s calendar yet.

Here is my new plan for this weekend:

FRIDAY– Rest

SATURDAY– Run 3.5 miles either outside or on the treadmill

SUNDAY– full body circuit

Hopefully this will keep me on track for this weekend and next week!

January 12- Run 3.5 miles

I successfully took enough time out of my day to head to the gym and run 3.5 miles on the treadmill. It felt really good! I was able to finish in 33 minutes, a lot faster than I thought it would take me!

Overall, this run felt really good. I hit 3.5 miles and wanted to keep going. I’m excited to finally hit 4 miles… hopefully within the next week or so! Holding myself to running longer distances has been a mental block that I am excited to overcome as I gradually run longer distances each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

January 13- Full body circuit

This workout was a nice break from reading textbooks and preparing for the week ahead. It gave me a time to clear my head and focus on my body and building muscle.

I completed my legs, arms, and core workouts. I increased the dumbbell weight from 5 pounds to 7.5 pounds. This was more of a challenge, but I was able to complete the full workout. Hopefully I am not too sore tomorrow for my 3.5 mile run!

It finally feels like I am getting into a routine and it feels amazing! It makes working out everyday a lot easier and something I look forward to. I can’t wait for next week to see the progress I can make in both mileage and weight training.

New Winter Gym Routine

As it starts getting colder out, I’ve had to move my running routes from outside around town to the treadmill indoors.

Now as we move more and more into winter I dread going to the gym. I love running, but I’m not a big fan of running on the treadmill. I always feel like I’m not going anywhere, I miss the fresh air in my lungs, and worst of all my motivation to run long distances goes right out the window. Anything long than 2.5 miles seems to take way too long!

So, what have I done to fix this negative mindset about running indoors? I started using the different legs and arms machines that the gym offers. They were a little intimidating at first, especially not really knowing how and what they worked, but after awhile I got the hang of them. And man was I sore the next day! After doing this full body circuit-type of workout a few times I realized I want to switch up my gym routine and focus on getting a fully body workout as well as increasing my millage on the treadmill. So, with that being said, I am going to also switch my new years resolution (and start on it early). I still want to increase my running millage, but I am going to incorporate “rest days” where I focus on upper body and core exercises. I have been working on a monthly work out calendar as a way to track my progress. This is still in the makings, but I can’t wait to share it with those who are interested. I hope to finish it within the next two weeks and keep you updated on what I’m doing at the gym and record on here how I’m feeling about the workouts I’ve laid out for myself as a way to track exactly what I am doing.

In doing this, I feel it will keep me motivated to not only go to the gym, but also report on it and keep those of you who are interested in following my gym journey up to date. I can’t wait to finish my plans and eventually see the goals I made for myself become a reality. To end this post, I want to leave you with a quote that helps keep me motivated and helps me attain the goals I have made for myself. The words are simple, but I think the message behind them is very powerful. It reminds me why it is important to keep going and push through the pain and the negative mindsets. I hope you will find wisdom in this as well…

“We are what we repeatedly do” – Aristotle