10,000 push up challenge

February 1st marked the beginning of my participation in the 10,000 push up challenge. It's 100 push ups over 100 days. It can be broken up any way we want. All at once, or spread out through out the day. I am really hoping at the end of this I can do a real push up. That's right, I am still doing girly push ups on my knees.

One of my friends is a professional trainer. She invited me to the contest. I have already been trying to work on my push ups because after nine months of crossfit you'd think I could do a real push up, but it is just not happening. Plus if we do push ups in our daily work out, I can count them in my total for the day :) .

I'm already looking forward for the 100 days to be over and we're only three days in. Friday was the first day. My arms felt like they were going to fall off after doing 100 push ups and the snatch set we did in crossfit. Saturday, my arms were still tired from Friday. Today my arms were still tired from Saturday. I know I can make it though. This first couple weeks will be the toughest (I keep telling myself). Luckily my husband is doing it with me too, which always helps. I do get annoyed when he does extra, he wrote a little plus 30 on the check off sheet we have on the first day. Way to be an overachiever.

My strategy changes by what's going on during the day. If I work I break them up through out the day. Ten here, ten there. I don't want to have to bust out 100 push ups before bed. On my days off I have been cramming them in all at once. Mostly due to time constraints. My daughter doesn't help. She tries to climb underneath us as we are doing them, forcing us to hold a plank in the middle of a set. She's probably doing this on purpose knowing both my husband and I need to work on our ab strength.

So far so good. Only 97 more days to go.

Finally Finished 30 Day Shred

It only took me about five months, but I finally finished 30DS. I wouldn't say I am the best example of how the program is supposed to be done (okay maybe the worst example). I did it once, maybe twice a week. I had experienced multiple illnesses causing me to put things on pause. The rest of the week I ran three to five miles to round out my five work outs a week. I have also lost pretty much no weight. Okay, maybe a pound. I think you'll see more results in my after pictures below. I lost my before pictures. I'm so sad. I suppose the after ones speak for  themselves. Considering I had a baby six months ago my abs look pretty good.

Since I lost my old before pictures we'll use these ones for my before Crossfit pictures, which I am going to start in mid May. Now that I am in better shape I did find 30DS was getting too easy for me. I think it is a great starting point to recovering from injury or getting back into things after being gone for a while like I was. I might do a level three work out again in the future. Now it is time for me to move onto something new though.

Winter Workout Blues

This year was my first true race season, therefore I am having my first true racing off season. The next race I will probably do is in February (Valentines Greenlake 5k, if you want to check it out). I am trying to keep my mileage up to make training easier later on, but I am lacking motivation with these dark Pacific northwest days. Running on the treadmill just isn't fun either. My longest run since September has been nine miles. I have been pretty good about at least getting in six milers on the week end.

I am starting to get in my speed work again. I had stopped two weeks before my half marathon and just did not pick it up again until October. I am also getting in more weight training. Since my miles are down I have more time to do at least some strength training.

Here is what I have done this week and what I have planned:

Monday - off
Tuesday - Ski conditioning with my favorite trainer Kelli
Wednesday - 3.5 miles on the treadmill, doing half mile sprints and half mile recovery
Thursday - 1 hour weight training with Kelli
Friday - Either a short 3 miler or an 8 mile run
Saturday - Do what ever I didn't do Friday
Sunday - Rest and Seahawks game

I am pretty tired from the last three days work outs. I might just take Friday off and do my short run Sunday morning before we leave for the game. At least that way I will be doing something to burn off energy before I sit for three hours.