The prompts for July 03 (Week 79) :: Updating, Remembering, Needing, Wearing, Being
Enjoying a vodka lemonade at last weekend’s Arts Festival (in a perfect-length maxi dress that I got from StitchFix!)
Updating:: my shampoo. Random response to this prompt, but I finally consulted a hairdresser for help with my scalp. I get the worst acne β washing my hair every day isn’t helping to get rid of these painful pimples (neither was NOT washing every day). So I was recommended a product to help balance, and, hopefully, help me out with this 30-something problem.
Remembering:: Well, trying not to remember that we were supposed to be in Belize right now. While we ultimately made the correct (adult) decision to cancel the trip, my friends are still there and I’m feeling kinda bummed out about it.
Needing:: some time off, despite our trip cancellation. How convenient that I kept this week off? π I was incredibly lucky to get a job so quickly after relocating, but I still have some unfinished business from moving. Also, can you believe that we’re closing on FOUR MONTHS of living in Iowa?! I still haven’t got my new ID here yet!
Wearing:: SWEATPANTS. After having 90+ days for most of June, this weekend’s temperatures in the 60s feel like winter. I’m not mad β it’s going to be gorgeous fireworks weather. Bonus: last night, I watched FIVE DIFFERENT displays from my bedroom window. Monday is going to be so awesome.
the week:
The last week of the month when you work in the mortgage industry… AMIRITE?! Happy for some of that approved overtime, though this week felt really long.
weekend:
FINALLY, a massage! Man do I miss the monthly splurge. I got a LifeTime Spa gift card for my birthday, which I get to enjoy almost two months later. Sunday morning, LifeTime is having a sunrise yoga poolside, which I’m going to try to make wake up for!
And we made it to the long, holiday weekend! Whatever your plans, I hope there are fireworks. π
seven things, seven days:
1. Ahhhh, my MIL sent me A Million Cats coloring book. It’s so fabulous!
2. I met the kitties’ new sitter this week! It’s a big relief to find someone so great, and one more thing to cross off our move list.
3. I also FINALLY made appointments for both my new doctor and new dentist.
4. MarathonFOTO sent me a holiday coupon for 50% off my photos from the Gasparilla half marathon – I had an AWESOME photo from that race (and it’s my current PR), so I’m really pumped about this!
5. This week, I’ve been getting the STRANGEST (and most annoying) missed calls on my cell phone. Including two missed calls from Egypt. WTH?! No messages, of course.
6. Why we like what we like {via Guardian}
7. Why do we still not know how our periods affect our athletic performance? Crazy. {via Pacific Standard}
Well, my burpees streak came to an end on Tuesday. I laid in bed that night thinking that I could quickly get in 20… but I was mentally and physically exhausted. My new job role has kind of sapped my energy as of late. And then over the weekend, I was playing with the cat on the floor, pushed myself up (think: regular ol’ pushup position) and felt my entire chest pop and tear (I know that I’m being hyperbolic, but definitely something got tweaked something awful). It was on fire for a couple hours afterward, too.
This is some 30-something realness for you: Getting injuries doing something completely unrelated to working out.
In any event, I continued with my overall consistency goal of running three times per week (hooray!). And here are the other weekly goals that I completely failed on (boo!): 108 Sun Salutations for Summer Solstice (I never had time to commit to a 4-hour marathon session yoga mala), take a new class (this was my rain plan for Saturday… and we ended up not getting any rain that day!), ride my bike over the weekend (uh… we opted for Sunday Lazy; except I did run before bed) and keep the burpees streak going (nope).
I’m really disappointed that I didn’t do my sun salutations because I really enjoyed the purpose and ritual that I got from doing them last year (also, OMG last year at this time I was in my marathon training!).
MONDAY: REST (dinner plans after work with boyfriend’s colleagues)
TUESDAY: I took my second golf lesson, which started off almost as terribly as the first. My instructor had to correct a few things with my swing and follow-through, and I was hitting a little better. But then she put a driver in my hand, and I just lost my focus to frustration.
WEDNESDAY: My weekly 15-minute run and hour of hot yoga combo at LifeTime. I didn’t really connect with the flow this week. Meh.
THURSDAY: REST
FRIDAY: The truth is, I wanted to work out in the morning because we had plans to go down to the Arts Festival after work, but… I just haven’t got to a point where I can function that early yet. REST (And some vodka lemonades. And a reminder to not schedule workouts yet for the morning because I won’t wake up.)
SATURDAY: I ran for 20 minutes, did 20 burpees, and then my Strong & Fast workout from Runner’s World that I typically do on Sundays. For this run, I did a little jaunt through Prague via my treadmill. I know that it’s been 10 years since I’ve been there IRL, but holy moly I don’t remember it being so hilly!
Later in the afternoon, we went to the driving range so I could practice what I learned in my lesson this week. Again, I am just overly frustrated and letting it get to me (but I did end with three really good shots with my driver, to end my practice!).
SUNDAY: I wasn’t going to let myself fail on ALL FIVE of my goals, so I ran 2 miles before bed to get my third run in for the week. I thought it would be best to take a day off from suspension training due to my chest tweak.
Goals for this week:
Keeping the consistency going: Run three times!
Take a new class (yes, recycling this one from last week). I’ll be at LifeTime for a massage on Saturday, so it just makes sense to take a class while I’m there.
Do you know that I’ve been running on my treadmill all this time? Well, this week, I’m taking one of my runs outside!
Adding to the above, I’m joining one of the local running groups for a social run!
Plan my vacation workouts! I’m going on a short road trip after the 4th, and I want to schedule my runs while I’m visiting two new cities: Know anyone that likes to run (or a run club) in Omaha or Kansas City?
Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY! Sunday Lately is a weekly linkup hosted by the Blogger Tribe (lead by Angelica, Meghan, Nicole, and Katy). And the rest of us in the Blogger Tribe are sharing our posts today, too. The prompts for June 26 (Week 78):: Creating, Finding, Switching, Forgetting, Craving.
Creating:: an action plan (and riding map) for today’s bike-riding adventures (see: Forgetting).
Finding:: We had a pretty bad thunderstorm roll through last night (at around 2am). I got out of bed because it was so loud and so bright (and we were expected to get 50mph wind gusts), and and I could not find my 17-lb. cat. Like, anywhere. His storm spot is usually on the landings in between floors but he was nowhere (I even checked behind shower curtains in the bathtubs lol). I don’t know how cats can hide in plain sight sometimes.
Switching:: I went to the driving range yesterday to work on some of what I’ve learned in my lessons, and switching between clubs (specifically the 9 and 7 irons) really derailed and frustrated me. It took me a while to “fix” my driver stance and swing, too, but I ended up with three great shots (and then put my clubs away because let’s end on a high). I have my third lesson this week, so I can give her a little more feedback about how things go when I’m on my own. I feel as though my studies in applied psychology will be put to the test in this endeavor.
Forgetting:: Keep forgetting that my car is still downtown. I guess that’s one way to provoke a bike ride on a Sunday afternoon when you’d rather be lazy drinking grapefruit mimosas and wearing pajamas all day.
Craving:: BURGERS. We went out for dinner last week and sadly found Exile was closed on Monday nights. They are my favorite place to get burgers because they have gluten-free buns AND everything they fry is gluten-free friendly. Alas, we ended up at a place that cooks their burgers to a medium-well and just… NO THANK YOU. So, I’ve been craving burgers for a week, and we’re grilling out tonight. I don’t know why we didn’t just add burger night to our downtown adventures for today. Β―\_(γ)_/Β―
the week:
I’m still struggling with getting my sleep schedule back on track. I wish I knew what threw me off my schedule. Hormones? Probably hormones.
I started watching OITNB Season 4. DON’T RUIN ANYTHING I’M ONLY ON EPISODE 9. I’m binge-watching the remainder of the show today though because I keep catching people talking about it and I have to run in the other direction LALALALALALALA.
weekend: The Des Moines Arts Festival is this weekend, and last night the GIN BLOSSOMS performed on the main stage. The VIP upgrade was worth it for the free drinks and snacks, but the placement of that section not at all near the stage was a little lackluster because the sound quality/volume was pretty bad. I was impressed how many people were in downtown Des Moines though! And that you can walk around with an open container of vodka lemonade [pick your poison] throughout the festival area.
If the rain holds off for the weekend, we’ll probably ride our bikes back down on Sunday and eat some food truck brunch.
seven things, seven days:
1. I had my second golf lesson this week, which… OMG I’M SO FRUSTRATED BY IT ALL. (But I’m making contact with the ball more often β my primary “play less embarrassingly” goal.)
2. I don’t understand bars that have these tiny-ass drink glasses, and then give you the shaker with the rest of your alcohol in it. JUST BUY BIGGER GLASSES/STOP BEING SO HIPSTER.
3. I started researching grad programs again this week…
4. Have you ever tried to ignore your cat’s bad behavior so as to not encourage said behavior to continue? Have you ever tried to do it at 4am when he’s destroying all the books on your nightstand and OMG JUST SHUT UP AND LET ME SLEEP? Just me then?
5. An interview with one of my favorite people-who-I-met-online about making successful life changes. {via Women’s Running magazine}
6. Signs you’re burning out (and what to do about it) {via Forbes}
7. NO, you cannot eat “whatever you want” and more common running myths {via Well + Good
So, our official first time in Des Moines was back in mid-Winter, when it was 20-below and our visit was all mostly secret (pending job offers and such). We stayed downtown at the Des Lux Hotel and visited a few of downtown’s restaurants β Centro (great cheese tray for me, but otherwise not a gluten-free friendly menu) and Proof (amazing dinner experience all-around) and looked at a LOT of houses with a Realtor. As much as I wanted to explore and walk around the city, it was impossible due to that wind chill (um, 20 BELOW), so we mostly drove around and/or stayed warm in the hotel (which had a freakin’ fireplace in the room!!!).
We’ve since had our first legit visit to downtown (for non-work visiting purposes) and entertained our first visitors over Memorial Day Weekend. Our plans typically include food and fun, and almost always starts with BRUNCH. This will be the first of a LOT of posts about my new city because it’s awesome here. And you should come visit me. Probably in August for the Iowa State Fair. π
Here’s some of my faves (and a reminder to myself that I DEFINITELY need to get back to Proof)…
Brunch at Americana: We’ve now been twice for their Bombshell Brunch, which includes unlimited Mimosas and Bloody Mary drinks that you can make your own AND two roomfuls of food buffets including the usual breakfast foods, a mashed potato bar, a taco bar, and a waffle bread pudding (!!!) β AND a grilled cheese station at the front bar. Their menu includes a few additional breakfast-themed shots, which are amazing. They also do brunch on both Saturday and Sunday.
Pappajohn Sculpture Park: The place most Instagrammed in all of Des Moines, I’m sure. Public art takes a whole new shape in downtown and even being down there a few times already, I always find something new to take in (and photograph, naturally). Feel free to bring down a lunch or picnic basket and hang out β they encourage enjoying the space!
Downtown Farmers Market: Holy cow, I cannot emphasize how massive this market it; it’s nothing like what I imagined and no open air farmers market compares. And now I understand why thousands of Iowans get out of bed early on Saturday to spend their mornings there. You can sample cheeses and wines, and shop all in-season produce, and even buy flowers, all while listening to live music and gawking at the city’s most adorable dog population. Also, the lines for the food trucks and stands are just INSANE. And just when you think you’ve seen it all, the farmer stands stretch down ANOTHER intersection and side street. It’s overwhelming to think you can do it all in two hours… so give yourself the entire morning.
East Village souvenir shopping:Raygun t-shirts is one of my favorite places to hang out and crack up. Not only do they have all the funny local tees, there are other fun localized postcards, books, magnets β something like a tourist shop for the Midwesterner. They also sell one of my favorite brands of casual clothes, Alternative Apparel.
BONUS: Just down the block is a place dedicated to a certain craft of the state: Iowa Tap Room (there’s even a good selection of ciders, wines, and meads for me) or a Della Viti wine bar (where you can buy a card and select your own samples!).
I’m also starting a Des Moines Bucket List, so if you’re from here or live here, tell me what I should go do!
For the summer, I’d like to:
Bike ride in Madrid to High Trestle Bridge; I’d also like t take a second trip to Jasper Winery
Eat my way around the Iowa State Fair – ALL THE… FRIED THINGS.
The most important thing for me this week was spending a little time on planning out my workouts β and I really enjoyed the process. I made some goals for the week, too… which included some burpees:
Run three times β including going to check out a new run club. No mileage requirements; do one interval/speed workout. β Except for checking out a new run club, I did three runs with one as a speed workout. I still would like to join up with a local run group and start building my community there, especially when it comes time for half marathon training again.
Do my regular Wednesday session of yoga β CHECK!
Two sessions of TRX β I only got Sunday’s in, since my Friday workout plans changed a bit (see below)
BURPEES with every workout β CHECK! In fact, I did them EVERY DAY.
Get through our BIG bike ride on Saturday β We didn’t complete anything NEAR the 78 miles of the course, but we got through our first trail ride in Iowa!
A Tale of 4 WorkoutsMONDAY:
While today was really a REST day, I did my regular hip strengthening movements and 20 BURPEES before bed.
TUESDAY:
I planned for some deadlift reps (4 rounds x 12 reps; I used dumbbells) and a fun EMOM workout. The EMOM workouts, or “every minute on the minute,” workouts were popular in my CrossFit box, and a GREAT way to get in a high-intensity, quick workout. I started with a EMOM warm-up with 4 inch worms / 5 mountain climbers / 6 squats for 5 minutes total. Then I found a fun Odds & Evens EMOM online β in the odd minutes, you do 10 burpees; and in the even minutes, you do 10 overhead squats (again, I used dumbbells).
Cooling down, I stretched out my lower back by rolling backwards over my exercise ball (I think this feels really good after these types of workouts), and then some light yoga pose holds and twists to stretch everything else out.
WEDNESDAY:
My usual Wednesday ritual at LifeTime β run for 15 minutes on the treadmill (with a 5-minute walking warm-up and 2-minute walking cool down), followed by an hour of hot vinyasa flow. It was hotter OUTSIDE than it was inside for hot yoga. That’s intense, Iowa! Also, they switched instructors for Wednesday nights now, but I like the new instructor a lot. I felt really strong in this class (and sweaty) β and she taught us how to set up for side crow, WHICH I WAS ABLE TO DO ON BOTH SIDES! Holy crap, all someone had to do was show me the set-up.
After having my chocolate milk at home (my usual post-workout recovery), I got in another 20 burpees.
THURSDAY:
I intended to join a local social run for Saucony try-on night, but I hadn’t had a good night of sleep for the entire week. My body was too exhausted for a run, so I pushed it to Friday. My legs needed some foam rolling, so I spent about 10 minutes doing that (I know that I should be doing this with more regularity, but baby steps). AND: I did my 20 burpees before bed!
FRIDAY:
I ran for 3.5 miles on the treadmill, running a Pittsburgh street view map that I created on iFit that started at my old house (awwwww). This worked out almost too perfectly: It was my Pittsburgh CrossFit Buddy’s 56th birthday β and on birthdays, we do BURPEES! Maybe I should dub this workout my Pittsburgh WOD?
Afterwards, I stretched out with the resistance band from TheraBand that I received this week. I’ll be using this piece a LOT in my exercise routines!
SATURDAY:
We took off around 9am for the BACooN ride, and cleared almost 20 miles before the boyfriend crapped out from the heat and some numbness in his wrist. I was feeling pretty good β though it was hot. Finishing the full 78 miles definitely would’ve been a challenge, but I feel as though I could of at least made it to Linden (30 miles from the start in Waukee). It will be a fun challenge to see where our biking fitness levels take us in the next year. #goals
I also did 20 burpees before bed (trying to be really quiet because the boyfriend was already asleep, and I just kept cracking myself up; plus, I had a couple ciders that night).
SUNDAY:
Why change a good thing? I basically did the same as last Sunday’s workout: jump rope for warm-up, TRX for arms and shoulders, burpees (though only 20 this time), a speed workout on the treadmill (this time, I ran on The Strip in Las Vegas), my Strong & Fast workout from Runner’s World, and some yoga stretches to close it out. LOVE this workout!
For the speed workout, I did some fun ladder drills: run a minute, walk 30 seconds x 2, run two minutes, walk a minute x 2, run three minutes, walk a minute… you get the picture. I increased the run speed every 30 seconds until I felt like my legs would fly off. lol Overall, I got a great 20-minutes, and about 2 miles.
I definitely spent some time foam rolling my calves at night.
Hey, that’s a total of >> 206 << burpees for the week! Holy crap. Should I keep the streak going? I’m already 7 days in a row!
Goals for the week:
108 Sun Salutations for Summer Solstice (YEP!)
Run 3 times
Take a new class! I have a couple things in mind here. Stay tuned! π
Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY! Sunday Lately is a weekly linkup hosted by the Blogger Tribe (lead by Angelica, Meghan, Nicole, and Katy). And the rest of us in the Blogger Tribe are sharing our posts today, too. The prompts for June 19 (Week 77) for this 30-Something Iowan:: Doing, Appreciating, Designing, Humming, Expecting.
Doing:: I’m finally decorating my workout room! I’ve got my bibs up, my 50 States medal holder and a GIANT corkboard-slash-inspiration board hung… I seriously get so pumped when I walk into this room now. I still need to add another shelf for awards and derby stuff, and maybe include some rods to separate out my medals per race distance, but it’s coming along exactly how I envisioned. Now, to fill out that bib wall…
Appreciating:: A DAY OFF. I’m so glad that I finished much on my to-do list yesterday, so that I can legit chill out and read a book today (which I can totally do while the laundry is getting done).
Designing:: Guys, I changed all my living room furniture around again. And took off the slipcover that didn’t look right. I think that I’m finally understanding why the balance was off in the room, and I (think I) finally have some design direction. I really wish that my custom-ordered blinds would get here already!
Humming:: I was randomly in the mood for some old-school The Prodigy on Friday morning, and I haven’t been disappointed one bit revisiting The Fat of the Land. My heart still belongs to 90s Techno/Electronica.
Expecting:: Well, I was expecting to get a pedicure today and the spa canceled my appointment due to a scheduling conflict. >:-( Really bad first impression of this place.
the week:
So Pittsburgh won a thing. The thing that they won the season just before we moved there… and now, just after we’ve left. I’M SO MAD THAT I MISSED THAT CELEBRATION!
Cleveland’s also on its way to (possibly) win a thing. And, WHY CAN’T WE EVER LIVE IN A CITY WHEN A TEAM WINS A CHAMPIONSHIP?!
weekend:
Tomorrow is BACCoon RIDE TRES β a day full of biking, bacon, and booze!
I’m also super excited about my spa pedicure on Sunday. I haven’t had one since before I was marathon training last year (and my weird toenail from Gasparilla has finally grown out). o_O
seven things, seven days:
1. This article about biphobia and bi-erasure really hit me in the gut this week β my gut churns and my heart hurts for what happened in Orlando:
Bisexual people, pansexual people, polysexual people, any non monosexual people, when you worry that you arenβt gay enough, when your identity is erased, when you feel like you donβt fit anywhere… you are not alone.
2. I found out this week that the Cheese Society is having its annual conference in Des Moines next month. And with it, hosting a FESTIVAL OF CHEESE. We already have plans that night and I could just SCREAM.
3. I did Side Crow at yoga!
4. It’s still 90 degrees here all week.
5. Did you hear the one about a $6 Wal-mart wine winning a top award IN THE WORLD? LOLZ
6. I love Brutalist architecture. *swoon* {via aeon}
7. DELIBERATE PRACTICE: The expert (and one of my psychology idols) on being an expert. {via Business Insider}
If I don’t have a plan, I won’t do what I’m supposed to β and having a plan means so much more than just adding all of my runs to my calendar and signing up for a class on MindBody (and, honestly, this applies the same for my personal life). WHY AM I DOING ANY OF THIS?!
What it means: Drafting a WHOLE workout to include the different warm-up exercises that I’ll be doing and for how long, what the focus of my run is (instead of just going out to accomplish a certain number of miles for the day), and planning out my cool-down and stretching routine.
An interesting thing happened: This process has made me much more attached to my workout and makes me feel TRULY accountable for my routine rather than showing up at the gym and not knowing what to do or plugging in my earbuds and tuning out on a slogging long run. It was a total mind-shift on my health and fitness. It may sound like a “no duh!” thing, but I’ve been exercising without purpose or focus for a while β it was really important to give more meaning to my healthy lifestyle and be more mindful of my decisions to do something and how I budget my time.
One of my goals for 2016 was to run a 2-hour half marathon, which I’ve decided to make happen this October at the IMT Des Moines half. To accomplish this, I will need discipline, speed and power, and a little help from my running community. My training officially starts in late July, so for now I’m focusing on my running base (mostly with consistency), my core, and overall body strength.
And also, just as REST has always been integral to my mental health and prevention of burnout, and given my awful Dam to Dam race last weekend, I took a week off to rest my body and mind. It was important to reflect on what went wrong and WHY. Well, Why #1 is that my training program was practically non-existent. There wasn’t one single week where I ran more than twice, and several weeks where I didn’t run (or workout) at all. Though I was a little surprised on how dehydrated I was on race day, especially with how conscious I am over my water intake and that I didn’t even have a drink the night before!
I sincerely want to follow through on a training program and be all “EFF YEAH, MEL!” Making the practice as important as the completion of the goal is my new purpose.
Anyway… SUNDAY I got my shit together and put together a great workout β and finally used my in-home TRX suspension trainer (and today I remember why I LOVE IT so much, woof!).
Warm-up: Jump rope for 3 minutes
Upper body strength: TRX arms and shoulders video workout, about a 20-minute workout
Cardio: A 15-min interval workout on the treadmill (a little over a mile in total)
Burpees (‘cuz burpees, baby!): 39 total, though I maxed out at 18 straight without stopping
Running strength/power: Strong & Fast Workout 1 from Runners World; 5 movements at 15 reps each/each side (took me around 15 minutes to complete)
Cool Down: Then some light yoga stretching to cool down
Working out at home in my matchy-matchy Fabletics.
It felt like the perfect workout. And it felt REALLY good to plan it out and make it happen.
Goals for this week:
Run three times β including going to check out a new run club. No mileage requirements; do one interval/speed workout.
Do my regular Wednesday session of yoga.
Two sessions of TRX (I’ll likely do a similar workout to Sunday’s).
BURPEES with every workout! (I wonder if I can do them every day? HA!)
Get through our BIG bike ride on Saturday! (EEEK!)
Sunday Lately is a weekly linkup hosted by the Blogger Tribe (lead by Angelica, Meghan, Nicole, and Katy). Catch up and read all of my past Sunday Lately posts and camp out with the Tribe on Facebook!
