I’M JOINING WENDY AND HOLLY THIS WEEK FOR THE WEEKLY WRAP! JOIN IN WITH YOUR FITNESS RELATED POST TO GET AND RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM OTHER SUPER COOL AND FABULOUS BLOGGERS.
I’m finally coming up for air and late with catching up. I know we’re already almost HALFWAY through February now, what the heck??? January is fully in the books! Did you have a good month?
I have mixed feelings about the start of the year but I have to say that I’m generally happy with how things are going.
January felt like I was already slacking a bit but I am satisfied with the numbers now that I’ve really looked at them:
Running 69KM
RPM – 6 x
BodyPump – 4 x
Pilates – 2x (official start 30/1)
Kettlebells – 3 x (@ home)
I’m still struggling a bit with the timing of everything but I’ll figure it out eventually. Pilates is always on the Wednesday now, so no more RPM that night. Also I won’t be running with Runiversity anymore on Tuesdays – only Fridays now – but I can run with Vincent’s group on Tuesday so that’s what I’ll likely end up doing. Since I’m training now for a bit more speed and less distance I’m ok with running less. In fact running less is working out quite well for intervals and short distances and I’m enjoying it. I have nothing on the calendar past mid-March leading up to my surgery and I’m just going to keep it like that for now. I can only really fill up my calendar again from June onwards, so it’s likely there won’t be a ton of races this year. BodyPump and Kettlebells will happen more in Feb – that’s the plan anyway, to be more consistent.
I still haven’t managed to get up early in the morning for a workout! I also have to food prep and that’s kind of a challenge too; WHEN do I have time for all this? I already have taken a break from massage and yet I still don’t have time. How do you find time for everything?
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This year I have some goals to change a few personal habits. I’ve mentioned them a few times now since the year started and I think by this point the main ones that I’m really striving for daily are:
- Zero junk at work: this is valid for all of the cookies, cakes, candy and other treats that are brought in almost daily in my department. IF I really want/need something, I have to go and procure it somewhere. I’ve done this twice by going downstairs to the brasserie, and one time when I was out running an errand at lunch. I started this on December 12th. While I only work 4 days a week I still find it the most important to finally break out of the pattern of eating something simply because it’s there and I’m bored or stressed.
- Taking the stairs at home. Ron mentioned before the New Year that this was a resolution for him. I felt he had a good point. We live 4 flights up in an apartment building and always took the lift upstairs. Seems silly that two fit people take the lift when we could walk up the stairs. Some days I hate this resolution! BUT we started on the 2nd of January (we were still in Berlin on the 1st) and no matter what (groceries, sports bags, just had a hard workout, etc) we have been taking the stairs at home. Early in January one day I was talking to a neighbour and running friend of mine – she lives on the 6th floor – and because we were talking I went in the lift with her. Later that day I purposely went out and did two sets of 4 flights of stairs to make up for that lift usage. So I still count this as a streak.
- To attempt to get better sleep I also started leaving my phone out of the bedroom at night. I have an old-fashioned alarm clock and therefore have no excuse to have the phone next to the bed. I started this sometime in January but don’t remember exactly when, therefore I set it as a “daily habit” on the 1st of Feb.
- Less screen time in general – as much as I love spending time on my blog and keeping up with others, I just need to step back sometimes. There are only 24 hours in a day and most days I’m up and at ‘em from anywhere between 5:30 – 6:30am until 9:00- 10:00pm. I just don’t always have the time to be online. I dropped out of a few engagement groups on Instagram because it’s just WAY too much for me (plus I start the comparison game and I just can’t have that for my mental health) and I fear that my link-up days may be numbered again (I usually go to 90% if not 100% of all the link up blogs and when I get only a handful of responses on my blog it kind of irritates me). When I’m feeling stressed by social media it’s definitely time to pull back.
As you know I have a few other things I’d love to accomplish daily but, for example, I’m finding 10K steps per day not necessarily top priority if I’m averaging it daily per week. I’m not going to get steps in when I’m going to RPM for example, but I know I’ve worked hard, so I don’t worry about the number so much. Perhaps it will gain importance after surgery.
Fitness Week 5
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Runiversity, intervals 7.4KM
Wednesday – Pilates
Thursday – BodyPump
Friday – Runiversity, intervals 7.5KM
Saturday – RPM
Sunday – First Race of the Year! 8km of Apeldoorn Midwinter Marathon.
I ran the 8KM of the Apeldoorn Midwinter Marathon 2 years ago (I ran the 25KM in 2016, the 8KM in 2017, and the 10-mile last year) with a time of 49:32. My trainer had my race in TP as 50 minutes but secretly I wanted to beat my last time. I thought *maybe* I could hit 48:00 but that’s exactly 6:00 per kilometer. So I wasn’t sure. Anyway, I felt good, the weather was perfect (as opposed to Saturday’s ice-rain-snow) and I just thought, the heck, I’m just going to run today and forget about times. So when we started, I just pressed start on my watch, put my sleeve over it and ran by feel. I could tell it was going a little bit fast but my breathing was fine and I just went with it. I passed a LOT of runners. I ran up the hill. I flew down the hill. I just kept pressing on. At the last kilometer I kicked it up another notch, I still felt like I could keep running! And then I crossed the finish at 47:45. That’s 5:58 per kilometer. I don’t run under 6:00 per kilometer! Or maybe I do. I have to stop saying that because I’ve been running faster now for a little while!
Fitness Week 6
Monday – RPM with Vincent
Tuesday – RPM & BodyPump with Ron
Wednesday – Pilates
Thursday – BodyPump with Vincent
Friday – Runiversity Training – Intervals 6.8KM
Saturday – REST
Sunday – 10KM race “Groet uit Schoorl” near Alkmaar (North-Holland)
Week 6 was not too exciting during the week. Pretty much work, fitness and sleep. On Friday I had my regular day off; I slept in a bit (I was so exhausted – in fact I almost cancelled BodyPump with Vincent and then remembered that even if I am tired, I will never regret a workout), watched some Netflix in the morning and then did a whole bunch of household chores in the afternoon (laundry, anyone?). Because I knew I had a race on Sunday, I absolutely needed Saturday as a rest day, especially with what my trainer wanted me to do during the race.
As I mentioned on Instagram/ Facebook, Groet uit Schoorl was my very first 10KM race in 2011. My trainer had a ridiculous assignment for me, to run this 10KM already as my PR and I accepted the challenge. Most important to me was to TRY. To at least give it 100%. I knew if I gave it 100% I would at least come in under one hour. And I DID! It was not my PR but it’s a course PB. The assignment was actually to “warm up” in the first KM around 6:12 and from then to run “hard” a KM and “less hard” a KM until the end (the last KM being “hard”). It’s hard to describe exactly how he wanted me to run it since it was going by heart rate. My HR was all over the place though from about 6KM onwards so my “less hard” KM’s were slower. Next time around I hope to just run a steady pace. I’d love to do around 5:45 per kilometer steady. I may enlist my husband to pace me for that.
Weigh-in Wednesday
In January I lost 700 gr which is around 1.5 lbs. I’m happy with this. Slowly chipping away. I do struggle on the weekends. During the week it’s not so hard, really.
Losing weight is a priority but once again I’m just so burnt out on daily logging. I also decided to weigh in again at the end of Feb (from the end of Jan) as the pressure I put on myself doesn’t feel very good. I may stop WW for a short time and then re-join later.
Races this year (updated):
3 Feb: 8KM “8 van Apeldoorn” – Apeldoorn Midwinter marathon 47:45 (PR)
10 Feb: 10KM “Groet uit Schoorl” – 59:36 (course PB)
3 March: 10KM “Achtkastelenloop” Vorden
10 March: 10KM City-Pier-City, Den Haag *still need to sign up
17 March 5KM “Stevensloop” Nijmegen *still need to sign up
New! 24 Aug: Helsinki Half Marathon
13 Oct: Chicago Marathon
Seriously Considering: Secret Destination in Europe*
*Can you guess where I might be interested in running sometime after Chicago and before the end of the year? I have it now completely on my radar, just investigating the cost of flight, airbnb, etc for the trip. I’ll give you a hint – I’ve been to this country in Europe but not the city.
I know it’s a lot to catch up on, but hopefully you’ve made it through the update (and if you really read everything you deserve a gold star).
Questions:
Do you feel satisfied with how the year is going so far?
Have you run your first race already?
Do you have a strategy for work/fitness/sleep/social media / personal offline life and keeping up with everything?
Do you put your phone out of the bedroom at night?
Where do you think I am considering to do another marathon (there is no Half option) sometime between Chicago (October) and the end of the year?
I can’t even begin to guess the secret destination but I’m just getting jealous thinking of it ?
come on Alinda! Try! I’ll give you a hint; it’s not your home country!
Limiting my screen time is something I should definitely work on as well. I feel like I’m attached to technology 24/7 between my job and social media.
I absolutely love that race photo of you!
yeah it’s getting out of hand the amount of time I’m online. In fact, it’s now 10PM so I pretty much have to shut down now!
and thanks! but which one? haha!
Limiting screen time is so hard for me and my hubs. We try to turn off the phones about 30 min before bed but my hubs does not always cooperate
Ron was constantly on my to switch the phone off when we went to bed. Now I leave it in the living room and he’s still on the dang phone in the bed!!
I feel you on the social media overload. It’s part of why I don’t want to be an ambassador that much. There’s just too much. Very very much.
I don’t stress screen time too much, it’s something that’s (generally) enjoyable, but I do disconnect frequently from the ones requiring a response. As a result I’m forever playing catchup
Great race photo!
I had three races so far, fourth this weekend. Then don’t have anything on the books after March until fall
i just feel i’m on too much. blogs. facebook. messages. whatsapp. instagram. engagement groups. linkups. sometimes I just need a break!
which race photo? :)
do you think you’ll add stuff as the months go on or really nothing until fall? I hope I can do the midsummer runs again this year but I’ll have to see how recovery goes on my foot.
oh I thought the embedded IG one was a race, no?
I’ll probably add some June ones. Waiting on a conference and a wedding to land so I can plan for them
I think you’ve got a great plan for work/fitness/sleep/social media. It’s hard to avoid the constant onslaught of food at work–I just don’t indulge. It gets easier. One of my families gave me chocolates for Valentines Day, but I put them on the community table and voila! they were gone. I don’t weigh myself often but I am feeling the weight gain of menopause and it’s really tough!
the menopause thing is really putting the kibosh on my body. especially my tummy. I’m going to have a dexa scan done (thanks to you and Marcia) to see if I’m ok on the inside so I can stop all this bloody focus on something I may not be able to do much about.
What a great two weeks for you – and you did so well in those races! Those paces, under 6 min/km is just awesome! Plus I love your Stairs Challenge. I deliberately park quite far from the shops so I have a longer distance to walk. The kids are usually quite annoyed with me but I also reasoned like you, if I am fit then I need to get fitness incorporated in all aspects of life, not just when I’m out on a run.
thank you! believe me the pace is still surprising me! i’m celebrating it as long as it lasts!
I totally agree with the parking further away. the hubs is usually the one parking as close as possible! and he’s the boston qualifier, runs a marathon in 3:10 runner!!
Great habits – I love the stairs one. I’m finding I’m more active generally since I did RED January, and feel I need to get out of the house every day, which is great. And well done on those races and brilliant photos!
Do you feel satisfied with how the year is going so far? – yes, I am lower on mileage than this time last year but I was training for a spring not an early summer marathon
Have you run your first race already? – no, but I’ve only got two booked for the year so that’s not surprising
Do you have a strategy for work/fitness/sleep/social media / personal offline life and keeping up with everything? – check blogs and comments on my blog first thing then work hard all day and have weekends off work. Hm.
Do you put your phone out of the bedroom at night? – no but I should start doing that again
Where do you think I am considering to do another marathon (there is no Half option) sometime between Chicago (October) and the end of the year? – no idea. Estonia?
thanks Liz :)
I’ve not been to Estonia, but it’s on my list. I’m considering a marathon in a country I’ve been to several times but not this particular city.
I don’t generally keep my phone in the bedroom – but recently my kids have had school canceled and the text messages go out at 5:30am. Most days I am up working out at 5:30, but this morning I did not. So I left my phone by my bed, and made sure to catch the message. Then went right back to sleep until 7:00am. That was pretty awesome! I do have all notifications silenced from 10:30 pm until 5:30 am too, just to make sure I don’t get bothered!
I really like the goals/habits you set for yourself. I’m awful at cutting back on my screen time – I so need to work on this.
Congrats on your first two races of the year! You know I love that photo of you from the 8K. Those were some very speedy KMs you were throwing down!
I’m with you on the whole being over logging food. Losing weight is a priority for me this year, but I’m about to make myself mad trying to log everything.
Cheers to running faster! Props to you for avoiding all the treats at work. That’s tough for me. Can’t wait to hear about your Dexascan. It was a fascinating experience.
Sounds like you’re on fire! Congrats on 2 speedy races.
I turn my phone off at night, unless Mr. Judy is traveling. It’s really hard to balance everything— do your best & don’t beat yourself up!
I’m with you on the comments. I get frustrated for the same reason. Of course, the past couple of weeks have been so busy for me that I’m slow at getting to reading other blogs. Please don’t be mad at me! I’m trying to catch up!!
I love your commitment to the stairs. It really is those small things that can add up! I took the stairs at work all the time and my office was on the 5th floor. Part of that was because the elevators were so old and always broke and I’m claustrophobic and the thought of being stuck in there really freaks me out but the other part was just for health. (sorry, that was an insanely long sentence). The other part was part health and it was much cooler in the stairwell. lol
I like the idea of putting the phone out of the bedroom at night but I’m afraid my kids would call with some emergency about my grandkids or someone will call with an emergency about my husband and I’d never hear the phone ring. I have “do not disturb” set up and have “priority callers” who can break through the silence. What I really need to do is just put the phone down and leave it alone at night.