New Year.

Happy 2010...
I never had a problem with 2009, but hell whatever. Hello 2010-Welcome. And starting things off on the right foot-nope, not about to list all of the resolutions for everyone to read. Sorry to disappointment but I'm not making any resolutions-guess maybe because I pretty much failed at all the ones I made last year...in fact there is a red plastic penguin bank with about 42 bucks in it somewhere, gosh I hope I took it when I moved. Whoops....
So yea when I stay starting off on the right foot I guess I mean literally my right foot, then left-RUNNING!!! Yes blah blah blah I'm still running but now I got a new pair of kicks! I'm so excited, I was weary about them at first, until I just got off the treadmill-LOVE THEM!!  I had really good luck with my Nike REAX for about 2 maybe 3 months now, or so I thought. One of Mark's gifts for Christmas was New Balance gift cards so on New Year's Eve we shot up to Lincoln Park and had a great visit to the New Balance store. Right away they watched me walk, fitted me and BAM-Mamma's got a new pair of shoes!  Correct width, size and NEW supports (wow, sounds like I'm 80 and just bought orthopedic shoes) but yeah apparently I overpronate in my left foot which is most likely the reason to my now almost two week old pain of my left quadricep. So oh gosh if these shoes and supports stop my pain I will be FOREVER grateful.  This isn't the first time I've experienced the pain, it is however the first time I've pushed through it plus did something about it. I play tough girl a lot-hopefully I've learned my lesson. :-) 
Long story short-I love them and gosh I sure do hope they learn to love me (uhhh what's not to love?-duh). But I've realized in life regardless of what it is from relationships to shoes if you take care of something and treat it right it lasts longer. 
 So now I'm about to sound like an actual real runner in-4..3..2..1-
-I'm only gonna wear these shoes when I run.
-Tie/untie them when I put them on/take off
-Track my miles and once I hit 350-400 miles-replace them, end of story. 

Now take at look at these pretty puppies that get to snuggle up with my feet EVERY DAY...gosh they are almost as lucky as Mark!!  ;-)

PS-this caught my eye How-To Trainings...hmm mayyyyyybe.

Hey Runners....

Which is better.... 

• A-Running a steady pace (6.0) for 31/32 minutes...

• B-Running at a 6.7 for only 20/21 minutes..

• C-Start at 5.8 and every 6mins increase -.02 (6.0/6.2/6.4/etc.) for 35 mins...

I ultimately just want to continue with my running streak, not training (NO Mick, not gonna do it) or anything just kind of curious to what gives you the best kind of workout, results, etc. 

Any ideas? Tips? I'm not in a "running rut" or anything (yet) so just trying to be proactive. 

Thanks kids!

Running right into 2010

So a while back I had a GREAT convo with a bestie of mine (eww did I just use bestie??-UGH I almost hate that as much as LOL), anyways it was the idea to run EVERY SINGLE DAY.  Easy for some, not for me. UNTIL NOW!!! 

I have run EVERY FLIPPING DAY since November 15th.

...might I add the morning of the 15th I SLOWLY ran up 103 floors.  

SO wow...every day, me-running. I'm pretty impressed with myself...I am by all means not a runner. I have hips,big feet and well (duh) a big chest....all these combined make me kinda suck at running.

So as of today (haven't run yet)  I've ran at least 2.5 miles continuously each and every day...I've maxed out at 4.2 miles-only once-I thought I had died....

I thought these "tweets" where sorta inspirational and kind of why I continue to run EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!.... 

JJ Lane

scottdotcom

mrrobduncan  

BASE727

Ok, well off to go running.....;-)

Next up!

The other day I was talking with a friend of mine that sorta lead me to this "challenge" and I figured I'd share (of course I did)...so it starts:

He was all like: "Hey, how'd the climb go?"

And I was all like: "ugh, horrible-I failed"

So he was all like: "What?? You didn't finish?"

And I was all like "No that's not it, I did, but a minute slower than last-boo"

blah blah blah.....

I know I know-ON.TO.THE.POINT-

Him: "You should do a marathon..."

(HA-funny guy)

Me: "HA HA HA....funny, not a chance. "

Him: "Well what do you have planned next?"

Me: "Hmmm good question, nothing"

Him: "MARATHON"

Me: "Not a chance"

Soooooo I started to think what COULD I do next??!! I'm definitely good with stairs for a while and there is no way in hell I'd every do a marathon-which leads to no triathlons, or half marathons so don't even bothering suggesting it.
Then the lightbulb went off!! I'll just run EVERYDAY till TBOX (did ya buy your tix yet!?). Not every other day-EVERY DAY....no big deal to some but for me-the NON-runner this is huge...yeah I manage to get to the gym at least 5 times a week but now I'm "upping the anty" 7 days a week...till December 12th. I started Sunday, went yesterday and today...so only 23 more days to go!! So far so good-and hell if I can keep this up maybe I'll run all the till 2010....probably not but I aim high (twss)!

PS-thanks for the idea Mr. Micheal Fontaine I owe ya one! :-)

Jillian Michaels

Oh how I hate her. Her and her 30 day Shred. I did it for the first time yesterday. FOR ONE DAY. 20 MINUTES. Oh holy heaven, I'm sore. F U Jillian. Actually I love it and her. :) I highly suggest it. The best thing about it is I can sneak it in before Mark gets home so he won't see how cool I really am while I sweat and grunt in front of our flat screen-Suuuuucker.

Tonight (hopefully)-3 mile run and Shred day two!

climbing!

It's that time again.  Yep that time when Jen does something crazy. Time to climb the Sears Tower!!  (and no I won't refer to it as Willis so SEARS) 

Crazy I know but last year I did it in 26:22 mins (602 out of 1953), then I climbed the Hancock a few months later (133rd out of 739) in 9:05 mins (half climb) so now I'm back to the full climb-103 floors and 2,109 glorious steps-Woo hoo! 

The best part of the climb is that I've recruited a few of my spin members to join in so we named the team respectfully the "5am-ers", even better you can absolutely 100%, I'd love you forever JOIN US!!!  Please oh please!!  I promise to wait for you (at the top)! 

Too lazy huh?!?! -Well you're in luck-just donate and I'll pick up the slack! :)

lantrolove

Wish me luck!!!! 

Row.

Found this awesome new "cardio workout"....rowing. Damn, it's nothing short of awesomeness. I rowed for 32 mins on Monday (out rowed a certain someone too)....I even went back for more Tuesday only lasted 14 mins....why?? Blisters....booo I have to go get uber cool workout gloves to continue this new phenomenon. But either way if your gym has rowing machines do give them a try, you will be impressed plus you can work your back, torso, arms and legs all while actually sitting! ;)

Check out tips and how-to's HERE!

And look they snapped a pic of me in action......

Critical Mass

Ever heard of it?!  I heard about this awesome event a few weeks ago from Suzanne and got super pissed that I completely forgot about it yesterday...ugh but it was cold and rainy so I'm not sure how up I would have been for it anyways. But next month I am SO THERE-well I really hope to be. 

I am looking for a few buddies too so let me know if your interested!  Any bikers out there? 

Find out about this cool event HERE and on their Wikipedia page.  

Mark your calendars: September 25th! 

Cause you care.

Sooo I joined Xsport Fitness this week, and LOVE IT! Never thought I would go "corporate" as I call these types of gyms, but stranger things have happened. This is also the first time I have purchased a membership to any type of gym, the perks of teaching Spin is the free membership, so I now belong to 4 gyms, all for 39 bucks a month! :) So anyways I'm quite happy with my new purchase, afterall this place is right down the block from Mark's current place, within the area we are looking to buy come later this year AND it's open 24/7!! Sweet jesus! Sad to say I know there will be many a nights were I'd rather go workout then go out so now I can!!!!
Speaking of those nights, tonight will be one of those. As some of you know (many probably not), Battlestar Galactica is airing for the last time ever this evening for 2 HOURS! Oh holy hell, never seen the show, don't want to and don't plan to. So Mark and the boys will be watching that (along with many a basketball games) and you better believe I'll be living it up and sweating it off with my new love affair, Mr. Xsport. So if you haven't heard from me in a while check State and 8th. Later kids, and smile it's the first day of spring, hmmm I should go buy some tulips.

'bout time

So I told myself March 1st I would get back into running...and well it's March 16th and I've been twice. Fail. I can climb 104 flights of stairs, spin for hours, 48 push ups, but running I flat out suck at. But I'm to the point where I don't want to suck anymore at it. I have the mother day's 5k in May so might as well get a move on. I read this real simple (for Nike) advertisement this morning in a magazine and well yeah I really think it was code for "Jen get off your ass", job well done Nike. So here goes it really applies to anything you put off or need motivation for. Mine is for running....

"If you think you'll have more time (to run) tomorrow, remember you said that yesterday"

What's yours for......