Endurance Check in January 2020~Run Swim Bike Hike

[Vantreesta]

New month, new goals, newcomers welcome!

INTRO: This check-in celebrates the art of staying in motion. Some of us are training for marathons, some for 5Ks and others for triathlons. Some of us are just training for life or trying to keep up with life.

We talk a lot about running, but we are also cyclists, occasional swimmers, hikers, past and future triathletes and any other long distance sport you can think of. We struggle with fitting in all the workouts, what we "should" be doing to overcoming injuries and life's challenges. We learn from one another and trade training tips, links to cute workout clothes and, of course, recommendations for good workouts.

January questions:
1. Do you set resolutions for the new year?
2. Any goal races this year?
3. How did you spend New Year's Eve?

[Vantreesta]

Happy New Year! Sorry to be mostly missing the last few weeks. I spent most of the week before Christmas baking then that wknd was with my in-laws. I flew out on the 23rd to visit my family for a week and came home the 30th. No activity from Christmas Eve till NY Eve as there was lots of great visiting and of course eating! Sadly I've gained 5 lbs and really need to buckle down by eating less and working out harder! In 4 days I loom knitted 16 baby hats and for myself I learned how to loom knit a scarf. You can tell it was my first but it still looks pretty good overall.

NYE I just basically spent lazing around with Cyric, who was so glad to have me back home. I did run to Walmart and Target. When hubby got home we watched the previous Star Wars again in preparation for going to see the new one, then we started watching an old favorite series again, Farscape. This is the show that gave me D'Argo and Chianna's names and it's hard to believe it's 20 years old! NY Day hubby watched movies (sometimes through the cracks in his eyelids since he was up till midnight two nights in a row) while I worked on my goals, plans and spreadsheets for the new year (I totally geek out with this). I had the time slot on the NY VF marathon that was my 10 AM so after Cyric and I walked 2 mi I did day 1 of Cassey Ho's 2020 Challenge and of Lauren's 7 day swing challenge from last year before doing one of my favorite yoga practices, UY Gentle. Total for dog walks was around 4 1/2 mi.

Yesterday we walked 4 miles in the morning and to be honest, I didn't feel much like working out after that but i did do day 2 of the Cassey and Lauren challenges, Lee Holden's Qi Gong 30-Day Challenge day 2 (I did day 1 back in Nov), and Rodney's AM Yoga for Your Week twists.Total walks for the day were not quite 6 mi. I took down the Christmas stuff inside the house and finally unpacked.

This morning first thing I brought in the Christmas lights from outside so I got a late start. We only walked 2 mi and then I finally convinced myself to go run. I only went 1.64 miles doing 3:1 intervals but my Garmin was almost dead and I figured it wasn't a bad idea to start small after not running for 2 months. Did day 3 of each of the challenges and Rodney's AM YFYW hip openers.

It's been pretty warm here lately, in the 30s, and hubby said it rained the wknd I was gone so the first couple days of the week were icy but now we don't have much snow. Supposed to get 1-4" today. I really want to snowshoe!

[Vantreesta]

January questions:
1. Do you set resolutions for the new year? Yes, I have for many years, although I just call them goals instead of resolutions.
2. Any goal races this year? Mostly I just want to do more races than last year.
3. How did you spend New Year's Eve? Hubby and I watched Star Wars The Last Jedi again and then started watching Farscape again from the beginning.

[AlisonH]

Hi Vantreesta and whoever else is still around here!

I've been sick since New Year's Eve day, so I haven't worked out yet this year. Today's the first day I don't feel horrible, so I am going to attempt an easy ride on the spin bike. I've had a cold/sore throat/feel totally run down thing, but I haven't really been able to rest to recover.


January questions:
1. Do you set resolutions for the new year? Not really. I did set a few goals though.
2. Any goal races this year? Not sure yet.
3. How did you spend New Year's Eve? Was sick so I went to bed at 8:30.

[Vantreesta]

Alison, good to see you! I'm sorry you're not feeling well. It's hard when you can't take time to rest. Hope you're feeling better soon!

We went to see Star Wars on Saturday after we got groceries. I loved it. Yesterday I packed up all the Christmas stuff, now we just have the Tetris game of getting all the tubs back in the closet. It's funny that it will be put away before the Halloween tubs!

[Pratima]

I'm here! I was off work from 12/24 until today, so not online much. I've been trying to write this post all day and been totally busy with silly book updates.

Vantreesta, were you here in AZ the week of Christmas? You should have told me! Although I was working the first couple of days and out of town the rest, so I guess we probably couldn't have gotten together. It's funny, you say 30 is warm. When we were up north, that's about what the high was the first couple days and in the 20s the last day. But we were dressed appropriately so it felt OK. Here, it's currently 35 in the morning and between 50 and 70 for the high. We don't know how to dress and are always too hot or too cold!

Hi Alison! Sorry to hear you've been sick. Did you have some time off? Do anything fun? I'm too lazy to go read the December thread!

Other than 3 days off when we went up north, I've stuck with my 3x/week bootcamp, two runs, one spin schedule.

I did a 9K trail race Saturday. I've done it twice before, with lots of training, and this year I was one minute slower than my best time. I felt good! I guess all the weight training a Burn is helping.

I'm signed up for a few races but DD has gymnastics competitions some of those days. We don't get the exact schedule until relatively close to it so I'm still not sure what I can actually do. We're signed up for the ShePower 5K and she really wants to do it, but maybe have gymnastics that day. If so, we'll do the virtual option but I realize it's not the same. Fingers crossed!

Hi to anyone who might be lurking!

[Vantreesta]

Monday I started race training with wk3 day1 pf the 10k trainer app. 5 minute warmup walk, two rounds of jog 90 sec, walk 90 sec, jog 3 min, walk 3 min then 5 minute cooldown walk for a total of 2.24 mi. Real feel was 20. My vest kept my torso comfortable but my arms were kind of cold so I pulled out a winter tech shirt for my next run. If that doesn't cut it I'll wear one of my jackets. After my run I did the 10 minute hips fix from Jill Miller's YTU Lower Body series, day 4 of Lee Holden's Qi Gong 30-Day Challenge, floor toning and floor stretch from Essentrics and YFR post-run practice. My hip felt better that night than it did after the shorter run on Friday so I don't know if it was the YTU and Essentrics or if it just was going to feel better anyway. It didn't hurt at all while I was in AZ so as weird as it sounds, I'm glad it has hurt again since I got home since I have the appt for it!

Monday I got the Christmas tubs put away and some general housework. Yesterday I had to run to Walmart and knew I wouldn't go if I waited so I did it right after our 4-mile walk and then never ended up working out. Not happy about that. I did look through the rest of the misc tubs and only have the one of books left to deal with. Hoping to get through that today and then hubby can put all that away for me.

Pratima, yes, I was in AZ. I figured maybe we can get together the next time I'm out. I would love to see you but for that week I just wanted to be with my mom and rest of my family. I also flew so I would have had to borrow a car. I'll let you know when I'm out again. Nice job on the trail race!

Waves to Alison and anyone else out there! Miss you ladies!

[Vantreesta]

Yesterday I tore the shrinkwrap off Kathy Smith Rejuvenation Total Firm & Fit Kit (smthg like that) and did the upper and lower body segments. Then I did Slim & Limber. I was having a blah day so didn't do everything I had planned.

I saw my doctor today about my hip and low back pain. She ordered Xrays and PT. The Xrays showed mild degeneration in both hips and SI joints. PT starts Monday. I didn't get anything done today. When I got home I had a bad headache so I took a nap. Back at it tmrw.

[Vantreesta]

Got my run in this morning. Wind was 7 mph making the real feel 11. I was dressed just about right so it wasn't bad. Same time/distance as Monday for wk3 day2. Did Jill's hips quick fix again, the total body workout from the same Kathy Smith Rejuvenation DVD as Wed and then YFR. I cleaned this afternoon.

[Pratima]

I got sick and fell off the exercise wagon for a week. Finally got back to it yesterday!

Vantreesta, I cannot imagine running in 7 degrees! Although I have to say that when we went up north, I dressed properly and wasn't cold. Here, we tend to underdress because it always warms up later and end up cold.

Does the doctor want to do an MRI or anything? Mine always say they see mild arthritis, age-related stuff on xrays. The MRI I had was what found all the weird stuff in my hip/hamstring. A local friend of mine was having back pain for ages. She went to a couple of doctors who did xrays and kept telling her she was basically exaggerating. Finally had an MRI and they found a bulging disc and tear! And then she saw a spine doctor who also found an issue in her hip. So, sometimes more exams help!

DD and I are doing ShePower 5K on Sunday 1/26. She really wants to do it under 30 minutes and I think she can. I don't know if I can, especially after being sick. I did find an MRTT friend who said she'll run with her, which is good. I'll do my best to stick with her!

I've had this horrible cough/sinus thing for a week. I started taking some steroids left over from June 3 days ago and they seem to have helped. Went to Burn yesterday and today. Kind of wanted to take spin or run today also but am trying to be smart and build back up slowly.

Last Sunday was DD's first gymnastics competition. It was an hour drive each way, started late, we didn't know when we could get in, etc. Overall it was still fun though and she did pretty well. We don't have one this weekend but I have mentally prepared for busy days when she does have them. That's next Saturday!

Waves to Alison and anyone else who might be lurking!