Friday - The drive to pick up my son at Miami University 4 hours away was painful, I can't believe I drove the same distance , did 3 races (Flying Pig 10K, 5k and Marathon) and drove back. It has something to do with my husband's car seat, not the first time this has happened - butt is allergic to luxury car, an hour into the drive my left butt muscle was shooting pain down my leg, so glad to get out of the car and stretch things out, same problem on the way back, thankfully we stopped for gas and dinner. This is really going to suck when we do the 9 hours to Chicago via Cincinnati for my niece's graduation. Workout Pretty Fierce Lean Out (PFLO)Lower Body Strength + Upper Body Strength +36 mins of Spinerval Ultra Conditioning Core, this was  a great combo. PFLO continue to kick my butt.

Saturday - Still have some butt pain but legs are fine, got in 8+ miles with Shelby on the trail, pain was no better or worse, went for my scheduled massage and she was able to get some of the kinks out.

Sunday - Thankfully I did not sign up for the Cleveland Marathon, it was hot and humid (100%), before going for a graduation ceremony I was able to get in PFLO Anaerobic capacity workout (yep lack of oxygen alright)+core +yoga hybrid, I don't think I will ever do more than the 28mins routine, another hard one. I think if you survive the rotation, you will be in great shape, she goes through it without huffing and puffing, she is a machine, quite humbling.

Monday - I convince myself to run outside in the morning, it was humid and I was miserable but I got in a 5k before coming in, came back in and did Cathe Push/Pull

Today - Since I am running Akron with Shelby, I decided that I need to do Brain Training For Runners (BTFR) marathon plan so we run at least 20 miles, I think she will have a panic attack if we stop at 16 using Hanson even though she knows it works for me. So today was hill repeats and I pulled out Sufferfest: The Machine; I have my paces for running a 1:58 HM this is Shelby's other goal, to run an under 2hr HM, we are running biggest loser 6/7;/15 not enough time I think, last HM was 2:10 for me, Shelby has not done one this year, next HM is 8/15 should be doable but we will need to pick up speed and endurance.
Sufferfest: The Machine - 5 hill repeats by #4, I was dying, why would they think this was a good time to do a 5k pace on a 8% incline, each repeat was about 3 mins, the incline and speed changes, tend to go up not down. Use Drop 2 Sizes Phase 1 RAMP to warmup before sufferfest, then did Drop 2 Sizes Phase 1 Countdown Metabolic workout after + PFLO yoga.

Still struggling with chest congestion from my allergies, just does not seem to be going away, I hope I can keep up with my training, enjoy how my body is feeling but not sure what is going on with the butt muscle currently both actually hurt even to touch, good thing I use a standing desk at work.

Ordered Strong Stride and Cardio Strength from Groupon, good deal $9.99+tax+s&h brings total to $15.01, 6% cash back from ebates.

Today was a GOOD day.
Woke up at 5am who does that on a weekend haven't been able to do this all week, put in a load of laundry, spoke to James, dealt with woke, read, then went to the basement and did D2S P3 RAMP + Complex metabolic workout using a 16kg kettlebell then onto the treadmill for 2 easy miles.

Consume a egg sandwich, honey waffle and coffee then it was off to Everett Covered bridge for hill repeats, this was so much harder with the 3 inches of snow on the trail, I was so proud of myself no walking just slow steady pace up and down, I was only half a mile behind what I did 2 weeks ago, so not bad. Garmin is missing 1 hill loop, accidentally turn it off when glove was removed.

Tomorrow hoping for 10-16miles but will cut it short if I have any problem with my right ankle, which is currently not very happy, problem with snow covered trail you don't see the roots/branches on the ground so the ankle get quite a bit of a workout.

My Kelly Coffey Meyer DVD came in the mail today, looking forward to doing them, will probably, start then next month in a rotation with Cathe.

Saturday, Shelby and I got to our run destination and decided going out for a run was going to be worthless, it was raining but since the temp was only 29, it was slick everywhere, we could get the run in but it will be us going for quantity and not quality, not worth it to me to do that.

So came back home and did Runerval 1.0 hanging with Coach Troy and The Clydesdale, I find it interesting that Coach calls this an easy workout, did most of the workout at the 10k pace and even for the final challenge instead of holding at base pace did 5k pace instead. Before the Runerval workout did, D2S P2 RAMP and Timed metabolic workout .

Then it was time to make a quick stop at my sister's place for her birthday party before heading to downtown Cleveland for an event at the Westin and an overnight stay.

Sunday, went looking for the Westin Fitness Lounge, I know they have been upgrading and emphasizing the important of exercise and sleep and great Fitness Lounges, well had to say this did not disappoint, probably the best hotel gym I have seen and I was like a kid in a candy store playing with all the toys and then when I found out I didn't have to check out till 3pm went back down after breakfast and nap for more fun.

Jacobs ladder is one of my favorite equipment and not found in too may places so extremely excited when I saw it and nobody was using it, oh I was in fitness heaven.

Didn't make it out of bed early enough today to get a decent workout in but salvage the morning by pulling out Drop 2 Sizes P1 Timed Metabolic workout but instead of doing a 30/30 ratio did 40/20 instead to kick this up. This is a nice sweat fest due to the limited rest and if you really push will get a great workout/

3 rounds, like I said 40sec of work, 20 secs of rest
Body weight Squat
Burpees
Back lunges with a twist
Plank with touches
Kettlebell Swing 16kg

After work, with nothing short of pure madness, Shelby and I went for a run, temps were 23degrees but with the nasty wind felt more  like 11 and dip close to 0 by the time we were done. I was actually quite warm in what I had on, put another pants (old navy active) over the sugoi tight and they work just fine. We did enough hill repeats to get to 4 miles and call it a day. Oh this is going to be a long winter, what exactly happen to fall.

Very cold today, with the wind chill we were down to -3, just too early in the season for this, I cancel our Tuesday after work run, training for a 5k and running in that kind of conditions just don't go together, especially since my 5k is in Florida.

First workout today was Drop 2 Sizes P2 RAMP and Timed Metabolic, a quick challenging working 40 secs of work and 20 secs rest, 5 exercise 3 rounds

Kettlebell Swing -16kg
Side Lunges -10#
Dumbbell Row - 15#
Back Lunges with shoulder press - 12kg
Thoracic Stretch

Then back again to Coach Troy and Runerval 7.0 workout C, did so much better today on this workout

warm with 3 - 30secs @ 7mph striders
4x30secs@9mph/2% incline with recovery @ 90secs @4-4.5mph/2%
4x1mins@8mph/2% incline with recovery @ 1min @ 3mph/2%
2x30sec@10mph/3% incline with recovery @ 30secs @ 3mph/3% 
Cool down

After work since there was no run did Exhale Cardio Sculpt Week 2 Day 1, this is such a good DVD that has lots of well rounded routine.

Ahh more snow over night and it was still snowing when I got out of bed and all the way to work.

Workout for today, even thou all I wanted to do was curl up in bed and stay there.

D2S P2 RAMP + Complex Metabolic, this was a great 23mins routine, the workout for the complex was nice and I was able to use 15# dumbbells

8 reps each - 3 rounds
Reverse Lunges
Romanian Deadlift
High Pull
Squat to Push Press

Then off to get torture by Coach Troy, I know this workout will make me stronger but boy are they kicking my butt, today was Runerval 2.0 Treadmill Tempo.

I kept the workout pace at 7mph and varied the incline as instructed by coach just not there to increase out of this pace unless I start at a lower base pace, at which point I will feel like am wasting my time.

Tomorrow is suppose to be very cold, may break the record of 10 degrees, look like it is going to be an interesting winter, 2 snow storm and record cold and this is only November.

Placing for the trip to Paris for the marathon has serious started, now that I have Thanksgiving and Christmas out of the way. Plan is to fly to London to see my brothers, take train from London to Paris, take train from Paris to Nice after the marathon then fly back home from Nice, using mainly points to book hotel and flight.

We keep our fingers cross for Berlin

Sometimes the darkness is overwhelming but running helps.......


Got in 8 miles with Mandy and Shelby on the Egbert trail today, it was so beautiful getting the first snow trail run it, need to switch out of the Puma just didn't work in the snow, I could feel the cold in my right foot. Shelby took a hard fall really hope she will be okay, will know better tomorrow.

Afterwards add on D2S P3 Complex Metabolic use the 16kg KB except for the push press, form wasn't great so drop down to the 12kg for those, then finish off with exhale wk1 day 1 this routine pack quite a bit of a heavy punch.

I guess thanksgiving is fast approaching and so is the 5k, not sure I can pull off 25mins but will try my best, this short distance just suck the joy out of running.

Amaze at all the Christmas stuff in the stores and just about everyone I went to today was playing Christmas song.

After falling into a nice peaceful sleep @9:30pm I was awaken at 12:15am with a text from my youngest to a question I asked earliest in the day. Now wide awake I found it impossible to go back to sleep and after tossing and turning for 3 hours eventually fell asleep, which translate to no long workout today.

Got in D2S P3 Complex metabolic, love that I was able to go heavy on this one and needed all the 90secs recovery, 3 rounds, 8 reps, right side then left side dead lift, clean, offset front squat and then push press. Started out with the 12kg for 2 rounds then 16kg for the last round, was a struggle but it felt right.

Was going to do another high intensity interval DVD that I got from the library but it was so dated and slow that I toss it out and moved on to the next. I decided to do Exhale Cardio Sculpt Wk1 Day 2 which was energy flow + thigh tone and stretch. The thigh work was ballet inspired and great, thighs were on fire.

Couple of rounds with the GOTR at the Twinsburg fitness track since it was only 36F outside, they are about as ready as they are going to be for the 5k, but body Sunday is going to be cold.

Friday:
If I known I was going to volunteer to watch my sister's 4 kids I will have gotten a run in but not a shabby routine none the less. Started off with Cathe All out low impact hiit the full workout plus burnout chest and core #1. I haven't listed very heavy in a while and my chest I have to say are still sore 3 days later. To finish things off then did W365 Fluid, this was my first time doing this and it was a great workout although quite challenging since you flow from one pose to the other hence the fluid part.

Saturday:
No workout, the kids were brought over earlier than expected but it was no big deal since my last rest day was 10/19 felt I was due for one and entertaining a 4yr old was enough exercise.

Sunday:
While the baby was still asleep and in my husband's care I got in D2S P3 Timed Metabolic workout before making breakfast for the rest of the clan. After the kids left, took a much needed nap but woke up in time to join the BGR Fun group for their Sunday run, always a pleasure and a treat to run with this awesome ladies.



What am currently reading: Relentless by Tim S. Grover enjoying it so far, love his no nonsense straight forward approach to training, looking forward to harnessing  my dark side into raw controlled power.