12-7

Stayed up pretty late last night and didn't make it to class this morning!  :P
Hope everyone had fun and ate yummy muffins!  I had a super great time being in this class - I will miss everyone next semester!

12-5

Today's scavenger hunt was okay.  It's fun going to different spots on campus, but sometimes its necessary to stop running and read the paper!
Didn't really feel like much of a workout, and now I'm eating a croissant and a latte.  Not good.

12-3

Today we learned how to racewalk!   That was really interesting.

I think what is most surprising about it is how much work it actually takes.  It looks so silly to the onlooker that they often don't realize how much energy is takes to do it!

I feel like racewalking would be a good way to workout, but I think I feel a little to silly and self-conscious to do it myself.

11-30

I really liked the 35 minute run that we did today.  We had the chance to run at our own pace with partners that we choose.  Also, the freedom to choose our favorite route was really nice.  I think that we don't run through campus enough, so we ran past old dorms!

Looking forward to the last week!!

11-28

Today we did a fun partner relay.  We did 2 extra laps than we did the last time in our relay.  I noticed that even though we did more laps, it was easier to keep my pace the same throughout the run.
I focused on keeping my arms from crossing in front of my body, which I think helped with my form and kept me from unnecessarily using extra energy.

I cannot believe we only have a few more classes!  Craziness!  I'm going to miss everyone, but it sure will be nice to sleep in a little more.... :)

11-26

Today we did a 3.5 mile run!  It went really well, taking into account that everyone just came back from Thanksgiving Break!!  I did run once over break, but nothing long distance (just some sprints and stadiums).

I love chatting with a friend while running - somehow I think that it makes me push myself harder.  I was talking to Mark for the last leg of our run today, and when we ran up to the stairs I felt like I had just completed a really great workout!!  :)

11-19

I think I exercised the most in today's teaching day out of all the other teaching days.  Everyone did cardio!!  

What surprised me the most was how tired I was after Maddie's cardio workout.  I knew how much work jump roping was already, so I wasn't too surprised (even though it was difficult!!)

I hope to design a fitness plan for myself that includes cardio circuits when we do our "final project" at the end of the semester.

I have had a tendency to under estimate the benefits of doing quick, 20 to 30 minute workouts.  I never feel like its worth it to exercise for under 40 minutes. It feels a little illegitimate to me.  

Bonus Post!  I went to Bikram yoga this past weekend with Naz!  We had a great time - it was nice to stretch myself again to my full capacity.  I lost a little flexibility in my legs from being away from Bikram.  Hopefully I'll be able to go more often again.

11-16

I think the funnest part of today's class was learning about relays!
I kind of wish that I'd gotten involved in track in high school now.  The team work involved in relays seems like a lot of fun.

I did do track in middle school, but then we moved and I did color guard at my new school... oh well!

Naz and I are going to Bikram Yoga this weekend!  I've done it before, but it's been a while.  It's gonna kick my butt.

11-14

Today we did some great core workouts with Megan.  Most of them were pretty easy, but I think that I need to work on side planks! :P

The drills that Alyssa taught were pretty fun, but I don't think that I would do them on my own.

The proper running form was very informative - I had actually been googling that very topic this morning!  I need to learn forward more!!

I think that my arm technique lesson worked out well even though it was covered by Megan as well :P

11-12

Today we learned some great stretches from Naz and Marc.  The most exciting part of the day was the scavenger hunt!  I didn't even realize that I was exercising!  I was so happy looking around for stuff that I was just jogging happily along at a pretty rapid pace.

I really like running socially, and I feel like everyone is becoming such good friends in our class.  I've never really been grateful for that type of camaraderie before, mostly because I never really experience in the classroom.  

There's just something about suffering through runs up O-hill that brings people together.... :)

11-7

Yay tape workout!  I beat my tape/distance both times that we did the run today.

I implemented my knowledge of proper arm motion on the 2nd and 3rd runs to increase my speed with minimal effort. :)

Can't wait for the field loops on Friday! :)

11-5

Today we did a distance run by the park!

I felt pretty good taking into account that I have a soar throat now :P  I think that our group has gotten better at keeping up with one another.

I was trying out my arm placement technique that I'm going to teach about next week Wednesday and it does make you go faster more easily!!  Exciting :)

11-2

Yay Ohill run :P
The run was okay, but I ate breakfast this morning (well, more than I usually do) so running up large hills didn't agree with me.  

Also, running downhill is a little painful.  I feel like it place stress on my ribcage, and this is why I got so behind on the run today!  Is it because I tense up to much?

10-31

Today we did one of the original routes from our first days of running class.  It felt so much easier!  It is so neat to sense the progress that I've made, and I don't even need to see a time to tell that I've been improving.

I also noticed that I'm more able to deal with hills.  I don't slow down considerably when I run up them - in fact I push myself harder so I run just as fast as I do on a level plane.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

10-26

Today we did the circle run!! :)

3.3 miles completed.  I think that went pretty well; I felt great (afterwards) but the run itself was pretty tough because of the hills.  I would not like to live on any of the streets we ran by.

Hoping to hit the gym this weekend as well, but for now I'm sleeping!!

10-24

Wooooohooooooo!  For some reason I'm in a great mood today!

We did a 3 mile distance run and it felt super great.  I feel like I should start pushing myself a little harder because I was maintaining a conversation with Naz while we were running....  Not really sure how to make a pace change like that.

I'd like to do a 5k, but it's a bit far away.... :(

10-22

Today we did the mile run!  

It has been sooooo long since I last ran the mile.  It was probably in my high school sophomore year.  I was fearful that my time would be worse than it was back then, but I think (if I remember correctly) that it in range of my better high school performances.  I got 00:08:31!!
I was very happy to get sub-9 minutes. :)

10-17

Out and backs today!  

I didn't do so well at the beginning of these - I think I'm getting a little sick, and with the weather being so cold I get a bit congested. However, by the 3rd round I was fine.  I did hit "bingo" once... it's really difficult to pace yourself without a watch, because you're second guessing yourself when other people are running past you and the instructor is way ahead... Don't really know how I got exactly 3 minutes out and back the second time!

It's so cold, I feel like this:

10-15

Didn't make it to class today - wanted an extra hour of sleep because I have a big day today :P

Hope you guys had a good class without me!

10-12

Today we did a really fun partner relay run!  I would say that this is one of the funnest things that we've done in the this class.  At the same time, it was still a good workout!  It all depends on how much effort you want to put into it yourself.   

I was kind of thinking about the little race strategies that our test was on while we ran.  I'm not really sure which one I would be inclined to do.... probably sit and kick, but that would involve staying with someone...  As long as they're at a similar skill level, it's all good!

Happy weekend!

10-10

Today we did some speed intervals while on a 2.5 mile run!  It went pretty well, especially since I didn't do any running over break :)

I focused on keeping my arms down and pulling them back - I've actually read a magazine article about the importance of not letting your arms cross in front of your body because it can slow you down.  I've also been trying to keep my upper body directly over my lower body so that I don't get stitches. It hasn't happened lately, but I should probably change my running posture anyway.

Wish I could do the 5K this weekend, but I'll be going home again for a friend's barbecue party! Yum :)

It's fall!!!

10-5

Today we did the Ind- errrrrr, "Circle" Run!  Yay!
I actually really enjoyed this workout.  The hills were tough but I just kept going and didn't try to sprint up the whole thing. I made it up all the hills without walking!

The rest of the run was so easy comparatively so I had a great time enjoying the view from the mountain.

HAPPY READING DAYS!!!

10-3

Yay!  Almost reading days!  I'm really looking forward to the "circle run" on Friday - I think it would be best if we did it in two groups because we would take up a lot of room (length-wise) while crossing streets.

Today we did out-and-backs!  I really wish that we could do them on a flat area.  I find it difficult to keep my pace when you have to change intensity while running up and down hills.  I did get "bingo" once, but usually I would overcompensate for the hill and make it up to fast and come into the finish line about 5-10 seconds early.

Almost time to relax this coming weekend... !

10-1

Sorry I forgot to write a post for last Friday!! It slipped my mind :)

Today we did the tape workout, which I thought was great.  I didn't beat my tape the first 2 times, but the last time around I was able to beat it and I think I got up close to where my first tape was.  

I really want to get lighter, I want more energy and to be able to just go booking down the track.  I don't think I'm in a particularly bad place with my fitness at the moment, but I know that I have the potential to be so much better.

For the upcoming Halloween:

9-26

Yay 2.5 miles plus .5 mile warmup equals 3 miles!  I'm not so much impressed by the distance that we've been running as I am with how it has gotten easier for me.  We did a sort of HIIT thing today as a group.  I try to hang back with the slower girls sometimes to give them motivation.  

I would like to do some HIIT on my own.  Whenever I do the elliptical at the gym I do alternating intensities for the last half of the workout...  Hope that's the right idea.  I hope to actually do real HIIT workouts (actually running) when it gets warm again.  I'm too much of a wimp to run outside by myself in the cold. :P

9-24

The most difficult thing about today was the warm up run - I guess it was because it was uphill.  Apart from that, we did out and backs (kind of) on the lawn.

I don't really like out and backs that much...  I feel like I don't get anything done, and if I push myself once the rest of the time I just do worse.  It's difficult to gauge what you can do to push yourself but be consistent at the same time.

Also, it's getting cold, man!!!!!

Pretty soon we'll be able to see our....

... breath!!!

9-21

I wasn't feeling so great today so I didn't go to class.

I hope I can do a race to make up the missed day!

9-18

We did another set of out and backs today.  Meh.  I arrived back on the mark twice.  The other 2 times I was either a few seconds early or a few seconds late.  I wish that we didn't have to run on hills because it makes it difficult to see if your pace is correct.

I liked the leg floor exercises we did today.  My crew team called the one where you lift your leg up while on all fours "fire hydrants" because we think it looks like a dog peeing :P

9-17

Yay today I finally did the full 2.5 mile loop instead of skimping on the end!!!  We clocked in at 00:25:10, which was excellent.  I wasn't sure if I would be able to do it - every time we get to the corner I'm practically gasping for breath.  I made sure to keep my shoulders back and keep breathing, so I avoided getting a stich in my side :)



The warm up .5 miles was 00:05:44.  We can't really track that one accurately to compare because the amount of time we wait for the lights to turn can make a huge difference.  I am pushing myself every day :)

(P.s. made it to the gym on Saturday AND Sunday this past weekend) 

9-14

Today we did the same warm up loop that we did on the first day of class. I actually forgot to bring my stopwatch today, but Jenna said that we collectively beat our initial time of the loop.  In addition, I didn't tire out as quickly as I did the first time, and I kept my pace with more ease.

After the warm up we did "out-and-backs" which was okay-ish.  I probably could have pushed myself more with that.  Other than that, I think today was pretty great!

9-12

Today we did a 2 mile run!  It took my group 00:21:17.  There was a 2.5 mile loop available, but we got super tired at the end.  I probably would have done the extra bit if it had just been me, but the group that did go ahead and do it had a faster pace and I didn't want to run it by myself :P

The warm up .5 miles was pretty consistent with last classes warm up: 00:05:34, which is pretty good because last time we were being pushed by Jenna (I love you, Jenna!!) to not slow down at the end.

I hit the gym yesterday as well.  I did 20 minutes on a bicycle thing and 10 minutes on a stair master, which was pretty difficult even though I was on a relatively low level; I was dripping with sweat!  I also did some core exercises for 15 minutes.

9-10

Bleh today was difficult!! Intervals are so good, but SOOOOO TERRIBLE.
I had a terrible stitch in my side at the end.  Apparently rolling my shoulders back will improve my running posture if I get tired, so I'll try to keep that in mind for next time.  I need to look strong!  Like this wolf:

Our warm up (0.5 miles) took less time than usual (I think).  It was 00:05:26.
The main run was 1.5 miles, and that took 00:15:11.  

9-7

Yay intervals on the lawn!!!!   Our classes had a "dress-rehersal" for streaking the lawn!!!
I'd really like to know the distance that we ran.

My first run was 00:03:04.

Second: 00:03:13.

Third: forgot to time

Fourth: 00:03:30.

Fifth: forgot to time

That was a really tough workout!!!!!!  The things I focused on were not walking an making sure that I did every interval.  I think that intervals are a really effective workout... Maybe I should try some on my own.

9-5

Today our small half mile warm up run was 00:06:12.
That in addition to a 2 mile course totaled 00:31:39.
I felt pretty good, though my group members wanted to stop a little more than I did.  I'm not really sure how to tell them that they should push through and keep going without sounding like I think I'm better than they are :P  I like to stay with a group.

9-3

Today we did about 2 miles through and around campus.  That went pretty well, I clocked about 00:17:49.  I think I could do with pushing myself a bit harder.  

I want to get to the gym on days that I don't have class, but I've got so much stuff to do.  I don't really want to place too many obligations on myself this early in the year.  I am really glad I did this class.  I probably wouldn't have been to the gym more than once if I hadn't!!!

8-31

Today we did our first distance run!!  We went on a mile and a half run that went through the Corner which took me 00:15:50.  I've never really timed my runs previously, but I feel like that was probably consistent with what I have done in the past.

Made a friend who said that she has signed up to do a half marathon in November!!  That's a lot!!  She is at the same level as I am, and I kind of want to join her, but I have reservations about doing such a big race when I probably haven't run more than 5k in one go before...  

I really like running on a course as opposed to on a track or a treadmill.  It's so much more fun!  Lotsa obstacles to navigate...

8-29

First day of Running for Fitness!!  Huzzah!! 

I ran 2 loops around the field with the group.  On the timed lap I ran 00:03:39.  I definitely had my heart rate up and was feeling it on the hill.  However, I didn't let myself slow down once I set my pace.

I definitely have room to improve.  Hoping that this class works out with my Linguistics class right after it... ^_^