Treats, Run & Fire Weekly Wrap Up

November has been an extremely busy month and it’s only the 6th! We are still having some summer like temperatures but fall feels like it’s trying to roll in. The pretty leaves are all gone and the warm temps just don’t feel right.

Last week wasn’t the best week of workouts as I was on the road a lot with work. That will be the theme until mid December sadly. I need to be creative in getting in my runs and any other workouts.

Last week’s workouts:

  • Monday: Rest Day.
  • Tuesday: Halloween – lots of walking.
  • Wednesday: Melissa Bender Quick Core workout.
  • Thursday: 5k with Carmacks.
  • Friday: Rest Day.
  • Saturday: 3k run with Carmacks before 7am.
  • Sunday: Leisurely 6k bike ride + Soccer Game.

Halloween: Social Butterfly, Super women and Old Lady Lilly!

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Confession – I’m eating way too many Halloween treats. Anyone else? I am however enjoying my runs with Carmacks. He is doing awesome running with me or should I say I’m doing a good job of running with him. I ran’t run fast enough for him right now but some days he has me pushing my pace way more then I want to be and that’s okay. My husband had him out yesterday for another 5k so he’s starting to rack up the mileage. I want to try and do a longer run with him and see how he does but it’s still a little too warm for him to go longer then 5k – at least, that’s how I feel.

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(TMI coming up). I’ve gotta figure out how do my long runs with him and managed water for both of us as well as poop bags which aren’t fun to run with. There aren’t too many garbage bins around to drop the bags off and I’m not going to leave a bag of dog poop behind. I have lots to learn about running long distances with him as when I ran with our other dog Maclean, we kept it to 5k.

This week I also tried a Melissa Bender core workout I recently saw online. Not easy but so effective. I worked this past weekend but it was fun work. I graphically recorded an AGM for a female leadership group around sport, recreation and physical activity. You can check it out on Instagram. It was a long day driving and standing but I took advantage of my new Tiux socks to keep my legs happy. [Tiux promo code: ANNASTIUX for 20% off at Tiux]

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We got out for one last bike ride as a family. I keep saying “last ride” but each week we managed to get out again. However, this week required gloves and the girls faces were cold but they still loved it.

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We ended off the weekend with a bonfire dinner for the girls. It went over pretty good until Hilary had a meltdown over her spider hot dog – apparently she really hates hot dogs! At least the fire was fun! The time change took a little toll on Hilary as she was up before the birds and cranky by 5pm…fire burning time. Oh well, sometimes as parents we learn things last minute – you know….good Ah – ha! moments!

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I didn’t get to watch the NYC Marathon but WOW, just WOW. I’m loving all the hype of Shalene’s win. No, I’m not American but it’s awesome watching a women win and break a record for her country. I’m linking up today with the Weekly Wrap hosted by HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin. 

https://hohoruns.blogspot.ca/

How was your weekend?

Did you take in the NYC marathon? 

Did the time change affect your family?

 

 

 

 

Accountability & Weekly Workouts

A week or so ago I joined a group online that was going to keep me accountable to strength training. You know, you state what you plan to do for the week, do it and share it on the Facebook group page.

Well, all is dandy and I was trekking along and when it came time for my specific strength training session – Iron Strength – I totally bailed out. On top of that, I haven’t check in with the group since then because I totally bailed on that workout. Bad group member here!!!

All is well though as I got back on track the next few days after that missed workout. Some days you just can’t do it all. I have those days once a week or every two weeks. You become burnt out, exhausted from dealing with your day that working out at night just is too much. I know, I know, I can workout first thing in the morning or at lunch time but that doesn’t always work out for me either. It’s a challenging balance.

Last week’s workouts:

  • Monday: Ran 5k with Carmacks.
  • Tuesday: Missed my Iron Strength workout – whoops!
  • Wednesday: Soccer Game + 3k running.
  • Thursday: Planned to do Yoga but we got home really late.
  • Friday: Walked Carmacks for 3k.
  • Saturday: Ran 8k with Krystol.
  • Sunday: 6k Leisurely Cycling & 2 walks with Carmacks (2k)

Monday night I ran with Carmacks while both girls were at Girl Guides. Carmacks is our retired sled dog and boy can he run! Tuesday I was just exhausted from my day and bailed on my workout last minute and went to be early.

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Wednesday was super warm here and I had a soccer game at 8pm; we won 4-2. When I got home I went for a little 3k run since I was already sweaty, I figured why not. My legs were heavy from all that sprinting but it was a good run.

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Thursday and Friday didn’t allow for much of anything as I was on the road both days. As Friday night approached, I wrote my running buddy Krystol and we decided to go for a run Saturday morning together. She hadn’t run in three weeks and I really needed some motivation to get out the door.

We planned to run between 7 and 10k and managed 8k together before calling it a day. We also may have agreed to start training for the hypo half in January. Guess we should get on a training plan.

Sunday was spent walking the dog twice, cleaning the house (vacuum/mopping), book store purchase, mowing the lawn and a fun bike ride. My girls and I walked Carmacks at 8:30am with jackets, hats and mittens while at 3pm we were in shorts and a t-shirt riding our bikes for just under an hour. Crazy weather we are having in Nova Scotia! Picture_20171030_143621066[1]

Though I skipped a workout or two, it was still an active week so I can’t complain! Now just to be more engaged in the accountability group to keep me going.

Have you ever trained for a race you aren’t going to register for until last minute? Due to weather conditions like snow/ice?

How was your week/weekend?

Anyone committed to an accountability group or monthly challenge in November?

https://hohoruns.blogspot.ca/

I’m joining the Weekly Wrap hosted by HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin

 

Weekly Workouts; Run, Soccer, Cycle.

Happy Monday!

I’m feeling like November is just too close for comfort! With basically a full week away, it’s going to be here before we know it. Which means, wrapping up October with some runfessions later this week and Halloween fun for all this week I’m sure!

Weekly Workouts:

  • Sunday: Iron Strength Workout / Bike Ride / Walking Carmacks *ankle roll*
  • Monday: Restorative Yoga
  • Tuesday: Rest Day (was on the road for work all day)
  • Wednesday: Short 3k run with Carmacks before the kids were up.
  • Thursday: Soccer Game (we lost 3-1 but it was a great game).
  • Friday: Rest Day.
  • Saturday: Rest Day / Girls had their first basketball session and then I had to work. But it was fun work hosting a gender equity workshop for women interested in becoming board members (in sport & recreation). Though it was a super long day with my girls + working (they came too), it was a good day.

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  • Sunday: AM: Cleaning/washing and more cleaning. PM: Leisurely bike ride. I had the best bike ride with my girls. It was about 45 minutes in length but we stopped to say hi to a friend, then to play at a playground and in the woods, then back on the bike for some more fun before heading home.

Also, this is what biking with your kids looks like, granted this was an empty parking lot:

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Running:

I feel like running has totally taken a back seat lately. I have very little interest in running before work but will do a short run with our dog. I enjoy going for a runch but really have to plan those ones out. I’m exhausted once I finally get the girls to bed at night and just not feeling like doing anything but dishes, making lunches, folding laundry – just kidding. I have a treadmill so it’s not like I have an excuse when my husband is working.

I’m sure running will creep back into my life more but it is what it is! I want to run a “Jingle Bell Run” early December and maybe even thinking about a winter half. A winter half in Nova Scotia can mean running on ice, snow or clear roads, it’s really hit or miss.

Though I might not be running, I am really loving getting out on my bike with my girls. Usually, they just bike up and down on our quiet road but last weekend I decided to bike with them. Yesterday we decided to bike to a friends house and the adventure just continued from there. No, I wasn’t going at my normal pace but it was so much more enjoyable to go at a slower pace WITH my kids.

My ankle is healing but not 100%. I wore a brace at my soccer game (and running) last week which helped. I was actually planning on weaning myself off the brace from last year’s ankle injury (inside of ankle not outside like now). Anyway, looks like I’ll be wearing it for a few more games until my recent ankle roll is 100%.

Have you ever run a winter half marathon?

Are you even thinking about Christmas themed races yet? (too soon). 

How was your week?

I’m joining back into the Weekly Wrap hosted by HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin.

https://hohoruns.blogspot.ca/

Amazing Run, Water Problems & Weekly Recap

Well, you know there is a saying out there …you don’t know what you’ll miss until you don’t have it? Or something like that. Well, on the weekend we lost our water – no water for a family of four!!!

Fun times were not had by all. Well, maybe for my girls. We are on a well, which we had the pump replaced 3 years and 1 day ago, when we lost our water. I had a bit of a freak out as I couldn’t find our warranty on the *new* pump that we invested so much in.. ha ha ha. It was 10:30pm Saturday night and you can’t sleep when shit hits the fan in your house…or when water stops dripping from the taps. I was so upset.

We spent Sunday running (literally) over to our amazing neighbour’s house to use her bathroom and filled up some jugs/bought some water. We figured rather then calling a plumber on the weekend, hello $$$$$, we’d call Monday morning. I’ll keep this short – problem fixed by lunch time today (still awaiting the bill, but it’s all good); a wire in our well had deteriorated along with an electrical box inside the house.

I was never so happy to see water coming from my taps and being able to flush the toilets! Having said that….I had a fantastic run Sunday night!

Weekly Workout Recap:

  • Monday: Bowling with the family.
  • Tuesday: Yoga class – felt so great!

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  • Wednesday: Cycling for 40 minutes on my bike trainer – really loving this.
  • Thursday: Nothing.
  • Friday: Soccer game, we won. Thought I was going to lose my lungs!

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  • Saturday: Nothing. We watched Hidden Figures – such a great movie!
  • Sunday: 7k treadmill run.

Oh this run was so great. Honestly, I didn’t even know if I’d get to shower after but I didn’t care. (Luckily, I did shower at my neighbours though). I jumped on the treadmill after an epic bath time for the girls at our neighbours that included ice cream! Yeah, the girls get spoiled by her 🙂

Sweaty selfie with my blank white board (no upcoming races).

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I decided to catch up on a TV show while I ran. This run was just what I needed. I ran at a comfortable pace then kept increasing it over time. I hardly looked at my distance and just ran by how I was feeling.

IT.JUST.FELT.SO.GOOD!

Honestly, I wanted to keep running (so did my legs) but knew it was getting late and I didn’t want to lose my window of shower opportunity at my neighbours house. It was a great way to end a bit of a shitty weekend. Bonus of the weekend – my husband wasn’t working so we all got to hang out AND, we got to see our niece, Ava. (Oh and of course, my brother and SIL). And since it’s after 9 PM on Monday, I’m just going to go ahead, hit publish and let you enjoy this blog post at your leisure 😉

Ever lose water for a few days? Luxury camping or pain in the butt?

Do you have a neighbour that would let you use their bathroom all day long?

When’s the last time you had an amazing run?

Today, I’m joining super late, the Weekly Wrap hosted by HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin.

http://hohoruns.blogspot.com