Ready To Go Gym Bag

February 27, 2015 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 18 Comments

As someone who likes to work out regularly, I always try to have my running gear (clothing, sneakers, Garmin) or winter gear (skis, snowshoes, jacket, pants, toques etc) ready to go. It makes getting to the actual activity just a little easier. I would even go as far as saying that I use that as a motivator.

I’ve been known to take out my running clothing after I get dressed in the morning so that I can work out at night. I’ve also been known to put on my running clothing while the girls are getting on the pj’s because then I have no excuses but the dishes once they go to bed 😉

More recently, I’ve had my gym bag packed and ready to go. Not that I get to the gym very often but I just leave it packed. When I visit my family, I try to hit up GoodLife Fitness while I’m in Halifax. I like the atmosphere there and enjoy the occasional gym workout – especially this winter.

Some key pieces for my gym bag are:

Running Sneakers
Workout Clothing (shorts or capris, tank top or t-shirt, sports bra, socks)
Lock
Head Phones (IPod, Tablet or to use the gym’s TV service while doing cardio)
After Workout Clothing (underwear, socks, shirt, pants)
Shower stuff (don’t forget a towel)
Empty water bottle

I’ve been known to forget a few key essentials: underwear…yes, I’ve gone commando at work once. I forgot a towel before. I’ve even forgot my sports bra and decided not to run on my lunch break because of it.

Starting in the spring and through to the fall (the snow will melt, the snow will melt), I will start leaving my running gear in my car. Don’t worry, it will be clean gear as no one wants to sit in a car with stinky running clothing 😉 It will be great to have my running gear in case I want to go for a last minute run at lunch or for a work meeting. Yes, I’ve gone for a “running meeting” before – they are the best!

My little gym bag sits in my bedroom just waiting for me to grab it and go. Since I do a lot of treadmill running at home these days due to injury and crazy snow/icy road conditions, I don’t get to use my gym bag all that often.

Don’t worry gym bag ….your coming out to play this weekend 🙂

Do you have a gym bag packed and ready to go?

What are some of your MUST haves in your gym bag?

Do you keep all your “active” gear together?

Moving Forward with my Hamstring Injury

February 26, 2015 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 10 Comments

I wanted to title this “A Quicky for Ya” but I’m pretty sure that would 1 – turn heads and 2 – brings some people to my blog looking for something else 😉

It’s been a pretty good week here – only 2 small storms I believe. Oh, sorry, this is not a weather blog…I forgot. They were minor storms – nothing to write about….other then the snow was finally “snow-man worthy”.

Do you want to build a Snow Man?

As for my hamstring recovery, its moving in the right direction 🙂 I’ve had some really good runs and some days that just my leg just needs to rest.

Wed 18th: Massage day 🙂 This is becoming key to my recovery!

Thurs 19th: Planned on skiing with Lilly and Sai after our Dentist appointment but my body had other plans. As I put Hilary in the car that morning, I pulled my back on the left side. All I did was pick her up and put her in her car seat and WHAM-O instant pain. SO disappointed we did get on the hill.

Fri 20th – I don’t know what I did but I’m pretty sure it was nothing because my back was still pretty painful. Not even sure I did my PT exercises this day – whoops!

Sat 21st: Ran 5k on the treadmill – it was GREAT!

Sun 22nd: Rest day / PT exercises

Mon 23rd: Ran 5k – Had a really GREAT run with my RUNDER thighs!

Tues 24th: Rest day/PT exercises

Wed 25th: Had another fantastic 5k run on the treadmill and was finally able to increase my speed during the last kilometer.

I like to wear lots of colours 🙂

Where am I? Well, I’m definitely making progress which is great. I’ve learned a lot during this injury and the biggest thing is that patience is not my strength…oh wait, I knew that a long time ago.

Seriously though, the biggest thing is that recovery is not a race and it takes time to heal. All my goals I have for this year are 100% on the back burner but they are never not in sight.

I am getting there.

Happy Hump Day!

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from an injury?

Does patience come easy to you?

Thunder Thighs v.s. Runder Thighs

February 23, 2015February 24, 2015 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 23 Comments

Yesterday, I wasn’t having the best day. It was my first day back to work after being off for a week’s stay-cation. Those first days back are usually flooded with emails, phone messages and trying to keep up at meetings. By 4 pm yesterday, I was mentally done – checked out. So my plan was to run last night……

It’s been a few days since my last confession….oh I mean, since my last run. I ran Saturday and it was a terrible 4k on the treadmill. My hamstring just wasn’t digging it until I foam rolled afterwards. Sunday, I did my PT exercises and that was it as my hamstring was sore . By Monday, my thunder thighs just wanted to run as did my head.

My lovely lady leg (Before)

YOU know, that GOOD, long distance run I’ve been craving for months now. I didn’t get that one in but I got another 5 k in the books. My legs felt fantastic. Tired. Exhausted. Perfect.

Mission accomplished!

Okay, let’s get down to it. Thunder Thighs vs. Runder Thighs.

I always hated my thighs. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever like them.

I’ve taken them for granted. All those soccer games, skiing, hiking, the weight of two pregnancies and all those kilometers run. And I still didn’t like them. No, wait….I didn’t like the look of them.

They have been small, BIG and slimmer over the years, yet I’ve really taken them for granted all because of the way I think they look: not good.

Straight up – RUNder thighs (After)

Well, today, after 6-7 weeks in physiotherapy I had a fantastic run. I needed that run and I ran in my short – shorts. I took a before photo {1st photo above} and then a second one after – happy, strong thighs. Well really, these are my RUNDER thighs. They get me through my kilometers, through my day and I am stronger because of them.

I no longer hate my thighs….

PS – Sometimes I can’t believe I share this stuff on my blog only because some friends, family and coworkers read it. This isn’t a conversation I would have with just anyone face to face…….so consider yourself lucky 😉

Did you ever dislike a part of your body that has been so good to you?

Short shorts or long shorts?

What do you do after a mentally draining day?