How I started running (for reals!) Path to the MCM2014.

Most of you know I was in the Marines. The first thing you do in the Marines is run. Run. Run. And more running. Its what we do. We do it together. All the time. And we sing cadence. Together. Many Marines end up being fantastic runners and enjoy every minute. And there are the others that drag themselves to PT (physical training aka running) each time tolerating it at best. I was the latter.. Until now.

Running was boring. Dumb. Waste of time. Bleh. Something I was required to do with everyone else. Until now. Today I realized that I enjoy it. I can't wait to do it again. I plan ahead about it and it's because I follow a program. 

I started with a Coach to 5k program this summer and my schedule didn't allow me to finish. It was fun but then I got an iPhone and my old program I was using was not meshing with it so I found another and another. I finally settled on the PEAR program (www.Pearsports.com) And I'm NOT endorsed by this company, I just love it for me!

I follow Jenny Hadfield (@jenny on twitter) and her programs. I started with zero to running and it starts with 30 second run with 2 min walks and adds run time (10 weeks @ 3x a week) each week. The last two runs were 10min run/1 min walk (3 intervals). The final run was 30 min straight. NO walking intervals. It was a bit of a challenge. It was good. I passed the final! YAH! YES! Phase I complete!

Friday I started Zero to 5k (w/ Jenny) which is six weeks with three runs a week. They are 30 min straight with 5 min warm up and 5 min cool down. Today I did my second one and I did FANTASTIC!

If you want to start running or restart running a running program/app is a great way to get started! 

Ciao

USMCdaffy 

Running Training. EVEN ON VACATION!

So I've completed week 9 of my program! So I literally have TWO runs left and I will be officially done with this program or as I like to refer to it as… Phase I. Then it will on to Phase II (5k training). Which should be complete before I hit the beach on vacation in February. For my birthday. Where I will continue training EVEN on vacation. I have a specific time frame that cannot be changed. So I think I'll be on Phase III training while in the Dominican Republic.

Phase III I thought was going to be 10k training. However my friend Stacy is doing the Chocolate 15k on March 14, 2014. So I'm now deciding should I do the 10k or 15k training. They actually are almost the same amount of training time frame. Right now I'm undecided but I'll be able to decide once Im finished with 5k training. Its only a three mile difference between 10k and 15k. Im leaning towards 15k and I'm considering doing the Chocolate 15k because its close to the end of my training.

Make it happen for you. Go out and run.

Ciao

USMCdaffy

Runner.

Im no longer calling myself a fake runner. Im officially in training for my marathon. Ive added Ab Challenge on run days and I'm doing cross training/wieghts on alternate days with Yoga on Sundays. And my lone rest day is Saturday.

I've committed myself to this goal. It feels good to make a goal that is totally different and something I have never done…. I do love a good challenge.  It's really scary and my stomach actually hurts every time I go on the MCM website. I can do it because I want to do it and I'm doing it for MYSELF.

And…. I keep getting the same message.

Ciao!

USMCDaffy

Vegas! Marine Corps Marathon....

Vegas. Every year my USMC friends meet in Vegas for the USMC birthday. We usually stay only 3 days but this year we decided to do 4 days. I did only skip one day of training. I missed yoga on Sunday. On Monday I did get up in the morning and started my training again. It was the second run session of week 6 in my program. I ran a mile today at the hotel and I'll finish up week 6 tomorrow.

My food and drink was another story. I definitely felt the bad food choices from the week during my run. I didn't drink enough water. I'm glad to be returning home. I will be changing out my food to focus on training for a marathon. Not just any marathon..... The Marine Corps Marathon, the ultimate marathon to me. I just need to do it once. It's a bucket list goal and I have my two girl friends who were also Marines. So we would love to have more female Marines join us! Let me know by private message on Facebook or Twitter if anyone is interested!

Our reward for finishing the marathon. A shirt, a MCM medal, and to be able to say we did it!!! 

This was this year's medal.... 

It's the people's marathon!! 

Ciao

USMCdaffy

Running….

Today I started up again with my running program.  I took 2 weeks off and it was good to get back on the treadmill. I was able to jump right back in and start with week 5 again. I only did one session of that week so I started it over. Felt really good! My right calf was a bit tight again and I did my yoga yesterday so Im thinking I need more stretching which I totally ignore most of the time.

So I was thinking…. What about this?

Can I do it? 26.2 miles is a long long way… And I have NO experience in ANYTHING remotely close… But its a year away. Lofty goal for someone who considers herself a fake runner… Something to think about…

Ciao
USMCdaffy

November 1st. Updates….

Vacation. California. Fun in the sun. I did one workout. And I ate very well in the morning with fresh fruit and yogurt. Then….. I kind of went wild. Cupcakes. They are my weakness, my kryptonite. I thought I gained some weight but I got home and I was the SAME! So since Ive been back home I've been having Shakeology for breakfast. And I tried out the pumpkin pie Shakeology recipe. Its delicious!! Vanilla is amazing. Makes everything taste like cake. I prefer Shakeology for my protein shakes but you can substitute any vanilla protein.

 November 1st. Today. I wanted to try out these new workouts from youtube video but I don't have all the equipment needed. So I did a round of Les Mills Combat. It was the 60 min Live one. It was really fun and I enjoyed it. 

Blogging

I have been neglecting my blog. For a long time. After my meltdown and later my epiphany, Ive decided to concentrate on my blog. I have a private journal that I write in but I think that writing my blog might help someone else having the same problems or thoughts. Im not alone in my battle for fitness. I lose motivation all the time. I just never say anything. Its time to say something.

Ciao
USMCdaffy

Meltdown.

Today I had a meltdown today. A fitfam meltdown. A workout meltdown. I wanted to give up. I did give up. I actually decided to stop my workouts today. And forever. I didnt want to run. I didn’t want to push play. No weights. No Chalene. No Shaun T. No more Tony. I was officially giving up. I was tired of being tired. Tired of being sore. Tired of being on this STUPID plateau. A plateau I thought I had broken. I was working so hard and focusing on getting all those workouts in every day. It was becoming an obsession. It was an obsession. My Tumblr (CoachUSMCdaffy) is FULL of fitness pics, food, ANYTHING with fitness and I would go on there and look at so many pics. For hours..... I had to be at a certain weight. By a certain time.

Well that time is next week and Im not where I want to be with my fitness/weight. So I melted down. I sent my friend GR a cryptic message. He gave me his best pep talk. He’s got good ones. Not too pushy by not allowing to wallow in my pity party. And oh, the pity party was going hard core this afternoon. 

And I realized something. All that time invested into working out.... The running, the T25, the weights, challenges, etc. Everything I was cramming into my day. I forgot the MOST important thing. I was NOT having fun. The most important thing for me and my workouts was that I enjoyed them. It’s the key element. If you aren’t having fun than you wont take the time to do your workouts, well in my case the fun was the most enjoyable part. 

So today. I did a fun workout. I did Les Mills Combat. I got my workout clothes on, my Nike Shox, and my Fitbit and enjoyed myself. 

Ciao

USMCdaffy

Soul Mate Workout.

Do you have a soul mate workout? Its a term Chalene Johnson has used for years. She is the creator of TurboJam, TurboFire, Chalene Extreme & MORE. She is AMAZING! It is the key to making exercise part of your life and not dreading every single minute is finding YOUR soul mate workout. I was fortunate to find two soul mate workouts. And I love doing them EVERY SINGLE DAY. Pushes me to challenge myself and do better, be faster, work harder.

 I've loved TurboFire for a long time and it is my soul mate workout. I always have fun when I do the program and its my go to workout program. Then I discovered Les Mills Combat program! LOVE IT! I love it almost as much as TurboFire! Im on week six of the program and it just keeps getting better! After I finish Les Mills Combat I'm going to do another round of TurboFire! In week 4 of LMC I actually did Fire30 on my Thursday rest day. Made me want to do it all over again (round 4?) I might just do the the hybrid of Chalene Extreme and TurboFire! Ive never done that before.

Keep going. Keep trying. As they say in Les Mills Combat... STAY IN THE FIGHT!

Ciao
USMCdaffy

P90X and into... LesMillsCombat

Ok folks. I got all the way to Day55 of P90X. Although the P90X program is AMAZING! Its not for me. I love Tony Horton & what he does but this is NOT my soulmate workout.

Which is a very good point. A workout is really how you get in shape or stay healthy. The key is to find something you enjoy. Its could be boxing, or martial arts, or running, spinning, yoga to name a few. You will enjoy your workout more & put more effort into it IF you love it. P90X is a GREAT program and it WORKS. You've seen the infomercials with the results & the customers! You probably know at least one person who has done P90X! All said & done I just wasn't into it. I might go back and finish it someday.

But.. My NEW workout is AMAZING! FUN! INTENSE! Its Les Mills Combat. Love.IT! Its martials arts & boxing all rolled into one. Most DVDs are under an hour. And it really really really works your core! And your back, your legs, your arms.... Its got great music! Its only 60 day program. I just enjoy the whole thing! Which is what I was missing with P90X. Joy. TurboFire is still my soulmate workout & I still love ChaLEAN Extreme but Im really having fun with Dan & Rach from LES MILLS COMBAT

Interested? Chk my site www.beachbodycoach.com/usmcdaffy


Ciao
USMCdaffy