2011 Year in Review, Resolutions for 2012

I looked back in my blog to see my goals from 2011. Here they are:

1) Run 1,000 miles
This one is a fail, my garmin only logged 581 miles. I probably have 650 miles adding in the treadmill runs I did last winter. Considering I quit running in June, I will count this one as a success because I would have smashed that goal had I not been pregnant.
2) Run my first 5k (it is so weird to think I have never raced one) AND my first sub nine minute pace at it.
This I did do! I actually ran two 5ks in 2011, Seattle's Valentine's Day Dash and the Seahawks 5k. I didn't achieve a sub nine minute pace. Thanks to Hailey being on board there was an unfortunate incident in the tunnel of love that cost me the extra four seconds I needed to make that goal.
3) Run my first full marathon (shooting for Portland in October)
Didn't happen. I was busy waddling down the Sammamish River trail during the Portland Marathon
4) Just be happy and stay healthy with what ever I accomplish
How can this not be true when I popped out a beautiful little baby? :) That I would say is an accomplishment.

I do not really do resolutions, so we'll call these goals for 2012:

1) Run a half marathon - I don't think a full is going to be achievable until Hailey is a little older. I'll settle for a half this year.
2) Run 1200 miles - That is a 100 miles a month, so about 25 miles a week. Right now I am doing about nine, so I am not on pace. I still think I can do it though. Those peak training weeks can make up for it.
3) Lose the baby weight - Currently that is another 9 pounds. I have a weigh in on Friday. I don't think I have made any progress since my last one. If anything I am just gaining back the muscle I lost.

2012 is going to be an awesome year. Good luck to everyone out there.

More lifting work outs

I am enjoying my lifting work outs right now, so I thought I would share what I did at the gym today (on top of my 30 minutes on the elliptical).

Weighted lunges - I grabbed two five pound weights (light kettlebells work well too) and let them hang from my sides. (Do 20 lunges on each leg, or walk down a long hallway and back)

Step ups or hops - This is really good to do in between exercises to keep your heart rate up. I did hops onto StairMaster with two lifts underneath it before I got pregnant. Now the only place I hop is into bed, so I step up and down. (Do for one minute)

Push Ups - Use the StairMaster again so you are on an incline and do 20 push ups.

Hamstring Curl Machine - Do 20 each leg on a low weight. I did 20 pounds.

Chest Press - Lie on a bench and keep your legs up in the air to work those abs, even being pregnant I can still feel them. (20 times)

Kettlebell Obliques - Pick up a pretty heavy kettlebell in one arm (I used 20 pounds. A weight will work, but I find kettlebells to be more effective) and work those obliques (the muscles on your sides, you know where love handles grow). Let the weight drag your shoulder down and use your oblique on the opposite side to bring your shoulder back up. (20 each side)

Back at the Gym

During the Summer months and when I am training for a race, I do not go to the actual gym a lot. It is much easier for me to run outside and lift from home. Now that I have not been running, I have been using my gym membership more. I have to say it feels really good to be back. The air conditioning will start feeling better and better if it ever starts getting warmer outside. I like having more options with exercises too. Here's a few I did on Thursday. I got these from my favorite trainer, Kellie.

Airplanes - This one I can't really describe. It's a combination of a balance exercise and rows. You stand on one leg and then pull your arm and leg in at the same time. (2 sets of 12 on each side)

Monster Walks - Requires a resistance band, which I don't have at home. You place the band around your ankles and try to take large steps forward. It looks and feels like walking like a monster. If you don't feel like a zombie you are doing it wrong. (walk about 50 yards)

Wall sits with bicep curl on the exercise ball - Put the exercise ball on the wall and put your back up against it. Get down into a sitting position, doing a bicep curl at the same time and come back up. (3 sets of 20)

There is one side effect of me being at the actual gym more. I think our cat Corona missing helping me with my work outs. I got this picture of her trying pass for one of my weights. Too cute.