Juneathon: Day 16, 17 & 18

Day 16:
Well, I guess I've fallen off the bandwagon for a couple of days.  The 16th was a rest day in both the ab challenge and my training program, but I did manage to walk a few miles with a friend so I still got in my exercise.   It was nothing too exciting. 

Day 17:
Yesterday was a cross-train day so I got out on the bike for 11 miles.  I'm using my Mom's hybrid bike, but when I come back from vacation in July I will get road bike shoes and start using my sister's road bike.  I'm told I'll go a lot faster because the bike is lighter and you gain momentum from pedaling because you're clipped in so as you go up you're also propelling the bike forward.  I'm looking forward to starting that when I get back.

Day 18:

Today I had to do a 2 mile tempo run with a warmup and cool down so I did 3.5 miles today.  It was awful!  I hated every single step.  I couldn't get to my tempo pace and it was so humid I was dripping sweat.  I also ate very little for breakfast and was hungry by mile 2.  I really hope that one day soon I will be able to get out of my head and each mile will float by, but for now every single step feels like so much work.  I just want it to be easy.  I hope that as I continue to focus on consistency it will be easier.  I guess I just have to be patient.  Ugh...I want it to be easy now!

Juneathon: Day 10

Today was my final day of work and now I get to enjoy my summer break!!  I'm so excited and have a lot of fun things planned.  But, I also have a few things I need to get done, like work on my dissertation and train for some marathons.  I began the 3rd week of my training and was supposed to do 15-20 minutes of cross training.  I ended up getting on the bike for an hour and riding 12 miles.  I really enjoy being on the bike.  It feels great and although there are tough moments on hills and you do get a little tired, it's not nearly as hard as running is, at least for me.

After I got back from my bike ride I did the ab challenge.  Today was 50 sit-ups, 50 crunches, 30 leg raises and a 38 second plank.  It's certainly getting harder and I'm definitely starting to feel it more that the reps are increasing.

Even though I've missed a couple workouts, I've done something for my health every day this month with the exception of yesterday.  I'm pretty proud of myself :)

Juneathon: Day 5

Today I met with my running buddy Eileen for a little cross training.  My marathon training plan has 2 days a week of cross training.  For now, I'm choosing to bike because my sister is lending me her super nice road bike.  I was supposed to bike twice last week, but I totally wussed out.  I hadn't been on a bike in so long and I was intimidated by it.  Thankfully, Eileen is a good runner and biker so we met up to get it done.  I rode 1.5 miles to her house and then we hoped on the W&OD trail for 10 miles and I rode back home for a total of 12 miles.  The weather was beautiful and the ride was perfect.  I have a new love!  It certainly felt a lot easier than running.  Our path was pretty much flat and was a nice way to ease into biking.  I'm looking forward to the next ride.  I have a feeling that this could become another obsession!  On the ride I started talking to Eileen about doing bike races too...but that will have to wait until at least next year. For now, I'll stick with short cross train rides.

After I got home from the ride I cooked the creamy avocado pasta I was so excited to try yesterday.  I didn't have any fresh basil so I had to substitute it with dried basil.  I also had the worst avocados ever that were totally hard and not ripe.  I also don't have a food processor, which usually isn't a problem because my Vitamix does the trick, but the avocados were so hard that it just didn't cut it.  I have to say tonight it was a failed attempt.  I ate it and it was okay, but not quite what I was hoping for.  I'm not about to count it out just yet.  I have 2 more avocados and will try it again when they are ready.

Finally, I had to get my ab work in for the ab challenge.  Today was 30 sit-ups, 12 crunches, 12 leg raises and a 20 second plank.  The sit-ups weren't as hard today.  I think I finally figured out the rhythm!  The last day of the challenge ends with 125 sit-ups.  Right now that seems impossible.