Holmdel Park Trail

C and I headed off to Holmdel Park this am---or should I say early afternoon. Ideally, I would run right after my am coffee; waiting for a teenager to get out of bed on a Sunday morning is tortuous.

I really wanted to run 6 today, but we only made it to 3.45. We took the trails through the woods and the hill really killed me. I could have kept going using the 3:1 run/walk but C was done. The trails through the woods are awesome.  This is a tough cross country course--HILLS.

Here we are at the end---SWEATY!

We have been loving our post recovery GREEN MONSTER drink--Protein Powder (Biochem), Soy or Almond Milk, Greek Yogurt, Fruit (usually 2 bananas), and Amazing Grass Super Green Food---YUUUM!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/46673636

Ignition

I am on Day 67 of P90X and I have been BRINGING IT.  Yesterday was a rest day---but I was dying to try an INSANITY video.  I am planning on jumping into the 60 day Insanity program after P90X, but I really wanted to see what the workouts were like.  Oh my--- I thought I sweated with P90---well the videos live up to their name--the workout was INSANE.  I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest.  The warm up was KILLER.  The intervals are intense and are devised to keep increasing your heart rate with each level.  The rest periods were too short for me--my heart rate was still pounding away by the time the next interval started--I had to hit "pause" a couple of times until I could bring my HR down. 

I think the Insanity workouts are just what I need to take off the extra weight.  I can not wait to get started.  In the meantime, I still have a couple of weeks left of P90X and working under the premise that muscle helps burn fat, I want to complete P90X before moving on. 

I ran 3 miles on my own today--a first time in a long time that I have run without C.  I felt strong.  I started off running 3:1 run:walk ratio and ended up running without a walk break for last .8 mile--and oddly enough the first mile was still my fastest---go figure, Jeff Galloway may be onto something.

C and I signed up for Asbury Park Race for Hunger 10K---I better start training.

Today's song, Ignition, R Kelly

Ok, I need to kick it up a notch

I feel great---but alas, no weight loss and I am still wearing my larger size 6s---what is up?  I am not giving up---I am still working for that 10-15 lb loss of extra weight I am carrying around--I am still working for ab definition--but I wish I could catch a break.  I have tried all different exercises to jump start any weight loss with no success.  I have 30 days left on P90X--I am counting on those being my lucky days.  I plan on increasing the running come September when the kids return to school and C and I will start Beachbody Insanity once P90X is completed.

Our run yesterday was hard for me--C had tons of energy, while I struggled to keep moving.  I am determined to do this---here it goes, my positive reaffirmation:

I will lose weight, 10-15 lbs.

I will fit into all of my clothes.

I will strive to be strong

I will work towards running a marathon

I will continue to work hard and BRING IT!



http://connect.garmin.com/activity/45632727

Day 57 P90X cardio

Today was our 57th day of P90X and although I have not lost ANY weight--I feel great and I still have over 30 days to go (C by the way looks great and is VERY proud of his emerging 6 pack).  Today was a cardio day for us and C and I decided to get a run in.  We had not run since last Sat and the weather today was PERFECT--79 degrees, overcast, and looking like it was on the verge of a summer rain shower.

We headed over to Cross Farms Park--our goal was 5 miles.  Our plan is to run a 1/2 marathon together in late Winter early Spring, to train using J. Galloway's run/walk method, and to get AT LEAST 2-3 runs a week--with a long run on weekend.  

C started off the run in the wrong frame of mind--"I am so tired, I don't think I can do it...." and he couldn't--it just wasn't his day.  Even though we ended up with more walk breaks than planned we finished 5 miles--1 hour.  C felt bad, he knew he held me back---I had to explain, that I have had those days too and there will be times when I will hold him back--but he also recognized that I pushed him too---that is what partners are for.

We are loving P90X and have ordered INSANITY----we are hooked.  When school starts back up, I know it will be easier for me to get the runs in (not to mention work appointments)---but for C we will have to wait to see how it fits into his schedule (with school work, travel soccer, refereeing, and cross country---wow, he will be getting plenty of workouts, no worries).

We were able to check out the old cemetery at Cross Farms today--oldest grave we could read was 1701--was it an old family plot or community plot?  Who preserves the land?  WHAT IS THE STORY??? we want to know

We saw this hole on our last run on this trail---we are dying to know what made/lives in it---well maybe dying is not the best choice of words:)

Here is C's favorite spot on the trail--we have to stop each time we pass it---there was a cool breeze off the water today--felt great!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/44652344

We Found a Treasure!

C and I had our long run planned for today--at least 5 miles was our goal.  We have been waking up early all week and decided to sleep into today.  I slept until 8 (VERY late for me) and he did not wake up until 10---ahhh, to be young.  Needless to say we got a slow start and ended up getting to Manasquan Reservoir at the heat of the day--thankfully the trail is pretty shady.

I love running at the Reservoir, but I had not been there in awhile.  One of the last times I was there with the running group, training for the 1/2---Nikki and I found Alvin in a tree, click HERE to read about it.

Today, in the same tree-----WE FOUND A TREASURE!

This is a magical tree--who ever is leaving these fun things in the tree----THANK YOU! C thought it was a riot.  No one else noticed the treasure---we were meant to find it (and of course we left it there for the next person to discover)--we will have to think of our own tree treasure to bring next time.

After that C wanted to stop and take a ZILLION photos.  Here is one of a FUNKY caterpillar we found.

We ended up walking more than I like--but we had a great day.  6 miles (run/walk)--.5 mile cool down.  Then we were off buying our Stream Machines for tomorrows white water rafting trip.  I have a feeling I am going to be really wet and really cold tomorrow:)

I had to remind C we would be back for more runs--but he could not resist taking the following shots.

I Love Running with my SON!

I took Conor to run the new trail I found the last weekend.  I had been waiting to take him; between soccer camps, lax camps, work, errands--yesterday was our first chance to go.  It was HOT and HUMID, but I knew the trail was shaded and I hoped we would have a nice breeze off the lake.

It was a great run.  Conor had some trouble with the heat and tripped a dozen times on the tree roots.  He was not watching the trail--he was watching everything else.  It was so neat running with him--he noticed so much more of our surroundings than I did (hence the tripping).  I loved exploring with him and can not wait to find a new trail.

We stuck with the 3:1 run/walk ratio---ended up with a slower run than I hoped for but did I mention the humidity.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/43285538

New Trail---LOVE IT!

Today was my 46 day of P90X and it was a cardio day---I decided I would do a run instead and my goal was at least 45 minutes (ended up running about an hour).  I headed out sans music.  Since I am working on Jeff Galloway's run/walk training program, I needed to hear the minute increments on my Garmin (little did I know I would miss hearing the alarm on my watch due to the cicadas).  I decided to head over to Thompson Park (my local fav)--instead of pounding the pavement in my neighborhood.

Thompson has a great 1 mile horse trail around the rugby field.  The path is perfect packed dirt, covered with overhanging vegetation and you never feel like you are on a loop (I cannot stand running around in circles).  The trail feels like "home" to me.  I love every angle and it is a great place to run from all the extra "stuff" in your life.  I always start off going left---the wider path and the trees are picturesque and I can see why this path is a local favorite for horse enthusiasts.Sorry for the blurry picture below---I promise I was not moving this time--sometimes my blackberry takes great shots and sometimes I get these blurry images---but you can get the picture---Isn't it beautiful.

So I kept with the run/walk ratio of 3:1 and tried to keep it slow--but I ran faster than I did the other day and was able to keep a pace of 10:22 and 10:38 on the first 2 miles.  After warming up, I decided to take the trail near the path--I thought this trail was short and just extended a little bit off the pathway--BOY, was I wrong.

This trail was the BEST EVER!  It was about 1.5 miles and was absolutely gorgeous--I felt like I had made an awesome discovery and was kinda pissed to see a few other people along the way (but not many--I really felt like I was out there alone).  The trail snakes around the lake.

In many spots the path gets very narrow and seems to be just an edge above the water line.  I ran through the trees and the wind picked up--a storm was on its way.  There was enough tree covering to protect me if it started to rain.  The wind felt delicious and I was having fun.

Jumping and weaving over the tree roots was invigorating and I really felt like I could keep running. 

Time flew by and I was worried about pushing too fast too soon---so I headed back.  By the time I hit the rugby field I had clocked 5 miles exactly (57 minutes)---walked for 1/2 mile to cool down.  Just as I got to my car---torrential downpour.  What a great run.  I headed off to the grocery store to pick out a Birthday cake for my birthday boy--Ronan who turned 11 today.  Hopefully we will be able to sneak in pool time in between the rain, since family is heading over to help him celebrate--I think I will nix the BBQ and just order pizza---he'll like that better anyway.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/42694543