March Recap

Better late than never...

March goals
Start that blasted push-up challenge - no more putting it off!! Tick
Run 3 x weekly Almost tick!
Would love to do 50 miles in March, I think that's possible.. Tick

March totals
Push-ups 172
Miles - 59.4

April goals
Continue doing the push-up program
Run 3 x weekly
At least maintain March mileage, would love to increase it a bit.. lets say 65!
Beat last years time in the Good Friday Hill Race, the very first race I ever ran. Race recap. That means running 7.3 miles of steep hilly trails in under 1.20... I think that's possible.. I hope that's possible anyway! I ran 7 flat miles in under 1 hour today so I think I should be able to shave some time off that, depends how my legs cope I guess!

And off topic... I just wanted to say thanks for all the comments on my last post, you guys think I'm way speedier than I feel so I'm well chuffed! Thanks for the huge vote of confidence!

Halloween Part Two and October Review

We started off our day yesterday with a lovely long walk with Roxie, we covered around 6 miles. Sadly my camera ran out of battery so I don't have many pictures to share but I have a few!

Doesn't it look wintery..

I love this one, it looks as if she is looking up at Mike adoringly!

We let her off lead for a bit when there were no other dogs.. she was running around like a maniac!

On to the farmers field.. This is Mike shouting get back here and Roxie thinking uh-oh I've done something naughty...

This is when the camera ran out.. You can just see a horse coming over to us for some apples. I felt really sorry for the horse and gave it a whole bag full 'cause it looked really poorly looked after, it's mane was all thin and knotted and it's coat didn't look like it had been groomed for ages.. plus it loved the apples!

We had a really nice walk, I'm glad Roxie can manage long walks now and seems to really enjoy them. She loves seeing the horses and would probably lick them if we let her get close enough. I'm a bit nervous to let her get too close in case she gets trampled or bitten though...

When we got home from the walk we had a nice relaxing morning, for me again it was catching up on blogs! Then we went for Sunday lunch at his mum's house and I came home feeling like I might pop. We watched horror movies all night and I had planned to share some movie snacks with you guys but I didn't make any as I was too full all night! We only got two trick or treaters all night! I now have lots of spare chocolate.. I think I might take some to work, one of the residents absolutely loves chocolate so I might give some to him!

I knew I'd had a bad month training wise so I've decided to go back to my first post and look at my goals at the beginning of the year again and see how far I've come with them and make a plan from them. I seem to let work get in the way too much and get tired and un-motivated really easily. I need to find a way to work around that as people have to work. I need to work but I need/want to keep my fitness up. I hope October was just a tough month and that I can bring it back!

Here's what I did in October anyway..
99 push-ups
10 chin-ups
18.4 miles - I think my lowest all year

So - here are my goals as written last January. My comments today are in purple.
New Years Goals
Running/conditioning
Complete half marathon (current 4 miles) As of today I have completed a half marathon and my longest ever run is 13.8 miles.
One mile in >7.30 (current 7.55) This one I'm really proud of, my current fastest mile is 6.43 which I did this month... at least I did something in October!
Two miles in >15.30 minutes (current 16.23) Done in 15.24 back in March, I wonder if I could beat that again now?
Three miles in >24.30 minutes (current 25.25) 3 miles done in 24.04, 5k in 24.51, that's pretty recent, done in September.
Four miles in >35 minutes (current 37.50) 32.48 done in September too.

So, overall my running goals for the year are looking good. Even if October was a bad month. As I said in my last post I think I need a bit of a break from as fast as I can running... Shame I just spotted a 10 mile race I want to do in January... I'm in two minds over it... We'll see how training goes! I really want to break 1.30 for 10 miles, I've come close but never got under it yet! There is one in Feb too but I'm not sure if I can get a lift to it... That might be a more realistic one to go for..

Strength
Hold a plank for 3.30 minutes (current 2.30) 3.53 - acheived in May.
3 pull-ups in a row (current 0) Never managed to do 1 from dead hang - can I do it?? I don't know!
5 chin-ups in a row (current 1) Can do it but not from dead hang, only from a 90 degree angle which is not really a true chin-up. I'm going to push for this by the end of the year.
30 push-ups in a row (current 10) I did get up to 30 but I'm not sure I could do that now. I'm going to test it and have my goal to get back up there before the end of the year.

My strength goals need a bit of work.. I need to start doing little bursts of push-ups and pull-ups randomly through the day again, that would help a lot.

Boxing
Improve hooks and uppercuts – practice in sparring My hooks are getting better, they look good on the bag but I'm still not very good at landing them.. Definately need more work but at least now we're back at a club I can focus on them more in sparring.
Improve stance so weight is spread more evenly I feel like I've got a much better stance now.
Angle off – don't stand square Getting better but still needs some work!
Win my first fight! I might not have had my first fight by the end of the year but if I do, I'm hoping to get this goal!!

New Years Resolutions
Do core workouts twice a week I've not done them twice a week but I think I've usually done once a week and some weeks twice... I was better at this earlier in the year. When we stopped going to the boxing gym after all the drama back in March I lost a lot of motivation with this but I have good reason to want a strong core again!!
Neck exercises once a week Again, I stopped doing these back in March, I hate them so much and there didn't seem any point when we weren't boxing. I need to start again though.. I don't want to hit the canvas!
Wrist curls once a week Same as other boxing ones.
Isometric punches once a week Same as other boxing ones.
Boxing three times a week This one probably won't be possible with my shift work as sometimes I will be working too many late shifts but where possible I will stick to this one.
Running three times a week (distance, sprints and intervals) I've pretty much stuck to this one, bar injury or illness and bar last month when I don't really know what happened..
Follow pull-up/chin-up plan This kind of dropped off when we stopped boxing too.. Until I've looked at it all now I didn't really realise how much stopping boxing affected my motivation to train in a varied way, I only cared about running when I wasn't boxing which made missing my half marathon time goal all the more painful. But I will be back to reach it next year (I hope!).

So, that's where I am compared to where I was in January. I'm hoping I can really up the strength work and accomplish those chin-up and pull-up goals and just refocus a bit more.

I should be going boxing tonight and if not I'll be off for a run.. I'm also trying to muster up the courage to check my max push-ups and chin-ups but I'm scared the result will be poor!! I'll report back tomorrow haha

Hope everyone's having a great day!

September Review

Can you believe it's October tomorrow? This year is going fast. We moved into our current house last October.. In some ways it feels like no time at all since we moved into this house and did it up, in others it feels like we've been here forever. It was a total mess when we got it! So incredibly dirty and the walls had about 7+ layers of wallpaper on! It took us two long weeks of starting work at 6/7am working through the day until 6 then going boxing on the night.. I can't believe we worked as hard as we did, I don't know if we could do it now!! If we knew the amount of work it would be to get it in a liveable state we may not have rented it haha!

Anyway, back on topic! I decided at the beginning of the month that I needed some more focussed goals and I think it's worked really well as I've been pretty much keepin up with stuff whilst being at work. Goal is in bold,1 September recap in purple and October goals in green!

Run 3 times per week according to the Run Less Run Faster Plan - 1 run missed during September.. I'll take that! I'm keeping this goal for October!
Run 60 miles - My shortened run yesterday left me a bit short for September but 2.8 miles off target isn't too bad, I ran 57.2. I've just noticed the most miles I've run in one month is just over 61 when I was training for my half so I'm really happy to be close to that distance again. Going to shoot for 62 next month if I don't race and 50 if I do - factoring in a taper as I want to get a good time!
Do 120 push-ups over the month -120 done, October goal 150.
Do 25 chin-ups over the month - 25 done, October goal 35.
Do 1 core workout a week - 1 core workout missed for the month.. Since I only had to do one a week that's a bit rubbish! October goal is to actually get one a week in!
Do 1 gymnastics workout a week - Done and dusted! October goal is to stick to one a week and to try doing handstands twice a week... Eeeep!
Cook more from scratch - Done. I will definately be keeping this aim for October. Also adding in the aim to try buying a larger variety of fruit and veg and not get stuck in a rut.

How do you keep motivated? Does writing down goals help you feel more focussed or do you like to just go on what you're feeling and work with that? I'm definately a list lover so writing down the goals really helps me!

Monthly Recap

I haven't included much of a recap this month as I didn't really have anything new to put this month.. Apart from my 9 miler on Monday I haven't beaten any old times as I haven't been testing any.. All goals are set to the 10k at the moment, where I hope to beat my own 10k time. It's an unoficial time as I haven't raced a 10k before but it will be tough to beat cause it was one of those runs where I could not have given another ounce of effort!

Monthly Totals - August
Miles 48
Push-ups - 80
Chin-ups - 10
Pull-ups - 0
Wrist curls -0
Core work - 1
Gymnastics - 5

I'm still a bit frustrated with myself.. My totals aren't where I want them to be, except for the running.. Quite impressed with that considering I took almost a full week off to let my legs recover and then another week off when I got poorly.. Can't help illness but I don't feel like I get as much done as I used to... I only have myself to blame for that...

So, to try and regain some motivation I've set out some specific September goals, which I might review week by week to keep on track. I think I'm struggling with motivation not having a fight coming up. I really miss being at a boxing gym. I hope we can get to one that works money wise and travel wise soon because it was such a big part of my training and I've been a bit lost without it.

September Goals
Run 3 times per week according to the Run Less Run Faster Plan
Run 60 miles
Do 120 push-ups over the month
Do 25 chin-ups over the month
Do 1 core workout a week
Do 1 gymnastics workout a week
Sugar-less September - Eat less sugar in September, I don't eat loads but I've been slacking a bit in the cooking department which has probably added sugar to my diet. Making more of my own meals and desserts would definately be a good idea and this could be the kick up the bum I need to do it!

Weekly Totals, Monthly Recap and Roxie

Thanks for all the get well messages, I think they've been working cause I'm feeling much better! I thought I'd put my weekly totals up anyway cause I got a bit of work in before I was took down by the dreaded lurgy as my dad would say..

Weekly Totals
Miles - 7
Push-ups - 50
Chin-ups - 0
Pull-ups - 0
Neck exercises - 0
Isometric punches -0
Wrist curls -0
Core work - 0
Gymnastics - 1

I'm hoping to be back running tomorrow as although I'm still on antibiotics I think I'm ok to train again :-)

July Recap
Running
Complete half marathon (current 4 miles) Half marathon: done!
One mile in >7.30 (current 7.55) was 6.52 - New goal>6.30 if possible before the end of the year! Not tested this month.
Two miles in >15.30 minutes (current 16.23) 15.24 - new goal >15 not tested this month
5k in > 25.00 (current 25.08) not tested this month.
Four miles in >35 minutes (current 35.47) 34.49 during a 6 mile run! New goal > 34.30.
Five miles in > 43.00 (43.40)
10k in > 52.30 (current 52.56)

Monthly Totals - July
Miles 36
Push-ups - 169
Chin-ups - 7
Pull-ups - 0
Neck exercises - 0
Isometric punches -0
Wrist curls -0
Core work - 3
Gymnastics - 6

Now all my numbers are out of the way here's some Roxie pictures... We took her to the park yesterday and she loved running around. There's quite a few so this is the end if you don't want to look at them!





Her ear popped up for a second, it might have been the wind but she looked so cute we managed to get a picture :-)

Bathtime!

Let me out...!

May Recap and a Tough Boxing Workout!

Well, unfortunately my trainers did not dry in time to go for a run yesterday :-( I got a good workout in nonetheless! I did 6 x 2.5 minute bag rounds, interval style again but I stayed on the bag all the time because Mike was doing a different workout. It was so much tougher doing the whole workout on the bag, I looked a total mess, sweat was flying off me haha! I was really gassed by the end of each round, I recovered well in the minutes rest thankfully! I was still itching to run all day, I'm not sure where my energy was coming from, maybe it would have dissappeared if I'd got out there...

Mike and I did some gymnastics before tea as my trainers were still wet then! My handstands are still awful! But the other moves are coming along nicely, can see some small improvements already!

Anyway, I just realised I didn't do my May recap, it might be a bit sparse because I've been slacking on writing down my weekly totals/embarrassed how low they were! But anyway, here goes!

Monthly Totals and May Recap
New Years Goals
Running/conditioning
Complete half marathon (current 4 miles) As of end of May longest run/jog is up to 12 miles!
One mile in >7.30 (current 7.55) was 7.16 - New goal to get it under 7 minutes I did it! 6.52!!! Lets see if >6.30 is possible before the end of the year!!
Two miles in >15.30 minutes (current 16.23) 15.24 - new goal >15 not tested this month
Three miles in >24.30 minutes (current 25.25) 24.21 during 5k time trial - not re-tested
Four miles in >35 minutes (current 35.47) 34.49 during a 6 mile run!

Strength

Hold a plank for 3.30 minutes (current 2.30) 3.53.. hope I can get to 4 minutes next time!

3 pull-ups in a row (current 0) Not tested
5 chin-ups in a row (current 1) As of end of January 4 but from 90 degree not dead hang, from dead hang can do 1. Not tested this month.
30 push-ups in a row (current 10) Can now do 30! - new goal, 50! Not tested this month.

Boxing
Improve hooks and uppercuts – practice in sparring
Improve stance so weight is spread more evenly
Angle off – don't stand square
Win my first fight!
The new gym opens officially in a few weeks so my main boxing training will resume after the half, which is this month!!! I'm really excited to go back, it will fit in around work fairly well too, especially if I just get on the bus and go, once I'm there I will be ok, it's just getting home shattered and not wanting to work out that's been getting me, I'm hoping this will help!

New Years Resolutions
Do core workouts twice a week Not happened I've done some but not twice a week.
Neck exercises once a week Lets not go there!
Wrist curls once a week Same...
Isometric punches once a week Same!
Boxing three times a week Not back there that often but hopefully will be soon!
Running three times a week (distance, sprints and intervals) I've mostly done this at least twice a week, running has been my priority as the half is getting so close!
Follow pull-up/chin-up plan Still not been sticking to this one :-(

Monthly Totals - May
Miles -61.45

Only kept track of mileage, which is a shame... I should start doing my weekly totals again, it kept me on track! On a positive note I have managed to increase my mileage. I'm glad I've focussed on my running for the time being because hopefully it will pay off when it comes to my half marathon! Hopefully I've been doing just enough of all the other stuff to keep my base where it was and continue to improve once I've either gone down to my lower hours at work or got used to the high hours. I'm at the place 10 hours a day five days a week at the moment.. Ouch! Even more ouch considering I only get paid for 7.5 of those once you take off my dinner hour and the fact I don't get paid for the opening up or closing of the shop. When I go down to my usual hours there will only be one day a week like that which will likely become my rest day! Even though the money is helpful, I hope I go down to my contracted hours soon, I hate working so much haha!

Hope everyone has had a good day, I'm off to watch a documentary on social workers and then Glee! Hurrah!

Hmmm... Just caught the weather forecast for tomorrow... heavy rain and thunder, annoying! I hope it's just rain, I don't mind running in the rain, not keen on thunder and lightening though!

Monthly Recap April...

...and a few other bits 'n' bobs!

On Thursday I ran 4 miles, Mike came with me after work and we did 1 fast, 1 slow, 1 fast 1 slow, it was fun! Even though it was pouring rain and we got absolutely drenched! While we were out running we bumped into a few members from a running club. They invited us to go running with them some time. Their club house is not too far from where we live so I expect we'll go down and train with them sometime in the near future. The men we bumped into were faster than me, they overtook us, but I looked at the race results on their website and there are a few women around my speed, and even some slower than me! Running clubs always seemed like a really scary place to go.. I went once with the uni running club and felt I slowed them down so much because I just couldn't keep up. I feel a bit more confident with my running now. I've trained a lot more now, when I went out with the uni running club I'd only ever run on a treadmill for 30ish minutes at a time and was not at all ready for keeping up with some speedy road runners!

Stats! 4 miles in 36.32
Mile 1 - 8.13
Mile 2 - 10.29
Mile 3 - 8.14
Mile 4 - 9.22


Weekly Totals
Miles -17.5
Push-ups - 35
Chin-ups - 8
Pull-ups - 2
Neck exercises -
Isometric punches - 0
Wrist curls - 1
Core work - 0


Monthly Totals and April Recap
New Years Goals
Running/conditioning
Complete half marathon (current 4 miles) As of end of March longest run/jog is up to 10 miles yay for double digits!
One mile in >7.30 (current 7.55) 7.16 - New goal to get it under 7 minutes - not tested this month
Two miles in >15.30 minutes (current 16.23) 15.24 - new goal >15 not tested this month
Three miles in >24.30 minutes (current 25.25) 24.21 during 5k time trial
Four miles in >35 minutes (current 35.47) Not tested

Strength

Hold a plank for 3.30 minutes (current 2.30) 3.33

3 pull-ups in a row (current 0) Not tested as not been working on pull ups this month, must remember them next month!
5 chin-ups in a row (current 1) As of end of January 4 but from 90 degree not dead hang, from dead hang can do 1.
30 push-ups in a row (current 10) Can now do 30! - new goal, 50! Not tested this month.

Boxing
Improve hooks and uppercuts – practice in sparring
Improve stance so weight is spread more evenly
Angle off – don't stand square
Win my first fight!
The boxing goals are getting better! I'm glad we've got a gym to go to now so I can get in more sparring and hopefully get my medical done as soon as the coach thinks I'm ready, he seemed more cautious than my last coach and was suggesting waiting til next season (September) to start boxing so all my skills are good for a beginner - that's kind of dissappointing because I want to get started but kind of good because he won't put me in before I'm ready, which I suspect my old coach would have done. It's just good to be back at a gym so I'll listen to what he says and fight when he thinks I am ready too. The last thing I want to do is go in there underprepared, lose, and regret it!

New Years Resolutions
Do core workouts twice a week Done except for last week, :-( did not manage to stick to my own core challenge... lame!! I'm blaming the tiredness from work but really I should have managed to push it out.
Neck exercises once a week Bad!! Only did two weeks.
Wrist curls once a week Same...
Isometric punches once a week Don't even go there!
Boxing three times a week Not back there that often but hopefully will be soon!
Running three times a week (distance, sprints and intervals) Getting there, I feel like I'm making good improvements running!
Follow pull-up/chin-up plan Again, it's something which I've not done enough of since I started work.. I feel really bad about how my training has suffered the past two weeks I've just not had the same motivation I normally have. I hope I find it again soon!!!

Monthly Totals - March
Miles -53.9
Push-ups - 303 (16 weighted)
Chin-ups - 35
Pull-ups - 22
Neck exercises - 2
Isometric punches - 0
Wrist curls - 2
Core work - 6

I know why my totals are down but I'm still feeling a bit annoyed at myself! I hope I find a better balance this month. Everything about the job is stressing me out at the moment. Especially the fact that they're trying to change the pay agreed, it's a job but it's not something I want to be my career, I didn't spend 5 years at university to help manage a shop, I want to do something to do with my degree so if they're going to screw me over I don't know if it's worth staying... Bahhhhh I'm sorry I feel like I do nothing but moan about the situation at the moment.

I haven't included my new mile times from today since technically they are from May since somehow May has sprung upon us out of nowhere! Won't be long until the half marathon in June EEEEEEK!! Scary but exciting!!

Core Challenge Updates
Remember the core challenge ends today!! Can you all let me know if you did your two a week and before and after plank times! I'm going to do a post with the results and the competition winner. Not that I was going to enter myself, but I disqualified myself by missing some core last week :-( I hope you all did better than me! I did manage to increase my plank time a little though didn't quite hit my target but I was SO close!!

Monthly Recap - March

New Years Goals
Running/conditioning
Complete half marathon (current 4 miles) As of end of March longest run/jog still 8 miles but I've competed in my first race!
One mile in >7.30 (current 7.55) from 7.28 to 7.16 - New goal to get it under 7 minutes
Two miles in >15.30 minutes (current 16.23) 15.24 - new goal >15
Three miles in >24.30 minutes (current 25.25) 24.33 - so close!!
Four miles in >35 minutes (current 35.47) Not tested

Strength

Hold a plank for 3.30 minutes (current 2.30) 2.47

3 pull-ups in a row (current 0) Not tested as not been working on pull ups this month, must remember them next month!
5 chin-ups in a row (current 1) As of end of January 4 but from 90 degree not dead hang, from dead hang can do 1.
30 push-ups in a row (current 10) Can now do 30! - new goal, 50!

Boxing
Improve hooks and uppercuts – practice in sparring
Improve stance so weight is spread more evenly
Angle off – don't stand square
Win my first fight!
The boxing goals have not been going too well since the upset at the gym and consequent lack of gym.. I'm hoping to get to a new gym soon but Mike's not too keen so we're keeping it up at home together. I miss the gym, it's not the same at home but it's something we started together and do together so I won't go to a new gym without him, hopefully he will want to start again soon!

New Years Resolutions
Do core workouts twice a week Done at least one a week some weeks have not managed two.
Neck exercises once a week Done except for one week.
Wrist curls once a week Done except for one week.
Isometric punches once a week Done except for one week.
Boxing three times a week See above!
Running three times a week (distance, sprints and intervals) Getting there!
Follow pull-up/chin-up plan Done the chin-ups, pull-ups need work

Monthly Totals - March
Miles -56.05
Push-ups - 325 (25 weighted)
Chin-ups -16 (25 on assisted machine) (5 weighted)
Pull-ups - 8 (45 on assisted machine) (14 bar hangs)
Neck exercises - 5
Isometric punches - 2
Wrist curls - 4
Core work - 6

I haven't included my new plank time from yesterday since technically that's an April acheivement since I'm a bit late posting this! My strength work needs the most work, I've really slipped on my push-ups and chin-ups.

January Recap

So this is what I wrote as my new years goals just before January I'll update my progress next to them in purple so I can see how I'm progressing.

New Years Goals
Running/conditioning
Complete half marathon (current 4 miles) As of end of January longest run/jog 8 miles
One mile in >7.30 (current 7.55) Not tested
Two miles in >15.30 minutes (current 16.23) Not tested
Three miles in >24.30 minutes (current 25.25) Not tested
Four miles in >35 minutes (current 37.50) Currently 35.47

Strength
Hold a plank for 3.30 minutes (current 2.30) No change
3 pull-ups in a row (current 0) No change
5 chin-ups in a row (current 1) As of end of January 4 but from 90 degree not dead hang
30 push-ups in a row (current 10) As of end of January 23!

Boxing
Improve hooks and uppercuts – practice in sparring Have been attempting this one not landing much yet though!
Improve stance so weight is spread more evenly Again have been trying this but there is still room for improvement..
Angle off – don't stand square Same as above...
Win my first fight! Not fought yet!

New Years Resolutions
Do core workouts twice a week Done except for whilst poorly
Neck exercises once a week Done except for whilst poorly
Wrist curls once a week Done except for whilst poorly
Isometric punches once a week Done except for whilst poorly
Boxing three times a week Done except for whilst poorly
Running three times a week (distance, sprints and intervals) Not done as started program for aerobic base building, twice a week, will run three times a week in February but will be following 10 mile training plan. (this is the plan but I'm having to modify it to allow for sensible increases in milage)
Follow pull-up/chin-up plan Done except for whilst poorly - followed my own plan not one from a website or book

Monthly Totals - January
Miles - 47.1
Push-ups - 597
Chin-ups - 60
Pull-ups - 10 (partial reps)