After you do the same exercises over and over, you create muscle memory, which can be good and bad. Good because you become more efficient but bad because you’re no longer making big fitness gains. I feel like the same thing happens with my emotional memory during the holiday season. I repeat a cycle of missing my mom, who absolutely loved Christmas, of getting overwhelmed by my kids constant “add this to my Christmas list” and fitting in all my training around parties, family time and the weather.
This last week, I decided to create new muscle and mind memories and remember just who the hell I am.
WEEK OF DECEMBER 5, 2016
RUNNING
I’m back bitches! The pep is back in my step and my legs feel like mine again. It took a lot of love and some patience but, this last week of running, my legs remembered the bad ass they belong too.
Monday: Fartlek run | 6.31 miles | 7:52 average pace
Wednesday: Speed work | 5 miles with 4 x 100 meters @5:13 before Barre class
Friday: Tempo run with 4 x 5 minutes @6:40 – 5:53 before swim
Saturday: 1 hour long run | 9 miles
Total = 26.31
CYCLING
I’m back to basement dwelling on the trainer but I’m absolutely loving it! How is this possible? Because my legs and lungs feel great and I’ve been listening to Elite Minds by Dr. Stan Beecham while I ride. I wrote about how he taught me “better is the enemy of best” and listening to his mental strength wisdom while I’m training has an amazing effect on my ability to absorb his lessons. I don’t know why it’s taken me this long but I will be listening to motivational books while I ride from now on.
Tuesday: Strength 1/2 min intervals with low cadence | 15.8 miles
Thursday: Base build aerobic 10 min intervals | 17.7 miles
Total = 33.5 miles
SWIMMING
Things are looking up in the water as well. I had one really tough workout, one recovery workout and zero shoulder pain. I’ll call that a win.
Tuesday: 4 x 50s and 100s for speed on 45 seconds and 1:45 respectively | 2100 yards
Friday: Recovery swim after run | 1200 yards
Total = 3300 yards
GEAR
You all probably know by now that getting monthly boxes full of stuff you love in your mailbox is a thing. You can get a box filled with almost anything you’re passionate about – jewelry, clothing, pets, food – shipped to your house on a monthly basis for a nominal fee. In fact, one of my very first ambassadorships was for TheRunnerBox, which was obviously filled with goodies for runners. I loved it and loved representing them.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago when a company called StrideBox reached out to me asking if they could use one of my workouts as part of their December box. Well hell yes you can!
They even sent me a complimentary one:
And then I found out I have some awesome runner friends like Paria and Sarah who already get StrideBox and were super excited to see me repping the workout. Naturally.
I also know the adorable blogger who shared the recipe for Gingerbread Protein Bites – Lauren at Breathe Deeply and Smile. Well, who knew? Apparently everyone but me.
FUEL
As you know, I have been cooking up a storm. Seriously, I have and mostly it sucks but the end product is pretty great and, having ready to eat meals most days of the week is fantastic. However, in my never ending quest to simplify, it was Tina to the rescue!
One of her 17 gifts for runners, included a subscription to Daily Harvest Soups and Smoothies.
Who can say no to that face?
I just received my first shipment and my freezer is overloaded! I ordered them because you simply add a liquid, heat or blend and eat. Seems easy and delicious. I’ll report back.
Update: Run Fast, Eat Slow cookbook: I have made nothing because there are ingredients like “almond meal” and “grated Zucchini” so obviously I don’t have time for that right now!
THINGS I LOVE
The shopping day my dad, brother and I take every year.
When my mom was at her sickest, the last Christmas she celebrated in 1992, she could barely get out of bed. She told my dad to take my brother and I shopping so we wouldn’t be upset, and she probably needed my dad to buy a ton of last minute presents since in 1992, there was no Amazon. Oh how that woman suffered on every level! But, I digress…
Since that first year, the three of us pick a day in December and go shopping together. We have done it though college, though marriages and kids and everything else and it is one of my most favorite days of the year. Obviously it’s less about the shopping and more about being together, just the three of us, talking about my mom, eating and drinking and remembering a time when it was just us.
This is one memory I want to keep forever. Thanks mom.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
Anyone who takes their health and family for granted. See above.
READING
Obviously I’m listening to Elite Minds and I’m still making my way though Megyn Kelly’s book Settle for More so, I have an incredible gift guide instead:
KUHL Women’s Holiday Gift Guide | KUHL.com
Please, please, please give someone you love very much the Flight Jacket ($169) for Christmas. It is the best ever.
YOUTUBE
If you have not yet heard of this comedian, Sebastian Maniscalo, you are in for a treat. My brother introduced me to him and he’s seriously the funniest guy I have heard since Chris Rock’s Bring the Pain:
#ArentYouEmbarassed
Yes, I am.
[Tweet “The Rundown is making new #memories with #gear, #fuel, #funny and more!”]
RANDOM EXCHANGE OF THE WEEK
The following conversation happened at my local (and I mean local) post office when I went to get stamps for my holiday cards…
Me: I need holiday stamps.
Mailman: Oh ok! We have all of these but are out of the candles. *proceeds to show me four different kinds of religious stamps with Jesus or camels walking through the desert on them.*
Me: So, we’re going all religious this year?
Mailman; Well, that’s the reason for the season, right? gigantic goofy grin
Me: If that were true, you wouldn’t be out of the candle stamps, would you?
Mailman: *stands there, blinking*
I took the ones with the camels walking though the desert following the north star on them.
oh that photo of you and your dad and your brother.
and the story.
your mom is SMILING SO WIDE…and I never say or think stuff like that.
ever.
<3
and me?
yoga?
IM SO GLAD TO BE ABLE TO SHOUT IM BACK BITCHES!!! as well.
Thank you so much for saying that Carla. It is appreciated more then you know!
And YEAH to kicking yoga’s butt!!!! < - - so not a "yogi" thing to say but I know I can say it to YOU 🙂
Hehehehe…dying laughing over your post office conversation. I second what Carla says – love the tradition you have with your dad and brother. And I second that everyone needs a KUHL Flight Jacket in their lives. It increases happiness in life and love by 1000%. True story. 🙂 And I’m glad you are BACK! But I didn’t think you were gone at all.
Oh trust me – it was gone!…but at least it was short lived 🙂
Thanks so much Angela and I’m sure you have had similar weird experiences at your local post office… *sigh*
hahahahahahahahhahaah omg the candle stamps. I. DIE. Best way to start off the morning, seriously. That just made my day.
And if you are going to go shopping–that is the best reason I’ve ever heard of for it. <3 <3
Oh I’m so glad!!! I hope you’re smiling all day because of both of those things 🙂 Thanks so much!!!
That exhange is hilarious but true. It sounds like you are having a good week coming back. That’s awesome and I’m looking forward to hearing plans for 2017.
I mean, seriously.
Thanks so much Hollie and I cannot wait to hear about how you didn’t actually catch fire while running a 1:23 half marathon – WOWZA!!!!
Okay! The Daily Harvest subscription is awesome-especially when my 15 year old, picky daughter, says she loves several, including the mint cacao one! Hoping to try out the soups in a few weeks! Allie, I love how you weave your family’s stories/history into your posts. Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a great week!
That is too funny because my husband literally just had the mint cacao for lunch and loved it. I had a pomegranate/blueberry one the other day and it was so much better than I even thought it would be. I’m SOLD!
Thanks for saying that about my personal stories. That’s why I include them but good to know you enjoy reading it 🙂
I didn’t know you were struggling with running! But hey, glad your muscles remembered who’s the boss.
Love the story about the stamps! LOL! Those postal employees are a different breed…
OMG my runs were getting to be such a struggle. I know you know that feeling of just losing the “pep” in your step. But, it’s BACK!!
And OMG postal employees are a little strange to say the least but they are locked up in the mailroom all day, dealing with the public. 🙂
I share your post-office related frustration. It seems that literally the only time of year I ever have to go to the post office is in December, and it’s never to mail Christmas presents (I order all those on Amazon, obviously). That place is a special kind of hell this time of year.
I love the story about shopping with your dad and brother! What a sweet tradition.
I’ve had to go to the post office twice now and I seriously will do everything in my power to never go again. #theworst
Thanks Danielle!
I just LOVE the photo of you, your dad and your brother! So much love!! So happy you got your running legs back! My 7 year olds christmas list is astronomical. I don’t even think I had that much on MY list as a kid! Thank goodness the 4 year old is still oblivious to asking for specific things….that will all end next year!!
Aw thanks so much Nellie!! xoxoxo
And, both of my boys lists are out of control. I told them Christmas is now CLOSED! No more additions to the list.
I do love stride box …. you get to see all these products that are out there that you don’t know about. I love your holiday shopping tradition with your dad and brother…. And… my husband and I have seen Sebastian perform in person in LA… and every once in a while we make someone watch him on you-tube… he’s the best!
So jealous you got to see Sebastian in person…here was near here this weekend but we couldn’t make it happen.
Thanks again for the shout out on Instagram for my StrideBox workout. You know you are the best!! xoxoxo
Yay for having your speedy legs back! I knew that couldn’t stay away for too long. I’m really curious about the Daily Harvest soups… definitely report back!
Thanks Laura!! Best feeling ever.
And, I think I mis-ordered because all I have are smoothies. But, I can tell you they are delicious!!! Next month I will make sure to add the soups…and report back.
I really really love that you, your dad and brother have that tradition together. Holidays are always hard and tricky but knowing that the three of you can spend the day together like that is really great. So glad that your running legs are back too! Now can you find mine for me? I tried Daily Harvest a while back and loved that all I had to do was add the liquid. It made life infinity easier!
It really is my favorite day and definitely makes the whole holiday season more manageable. Luckily my mom had that vision so many years ago!
And YES to Daily Harvest and the ease of eating. OMG so far, so good!
Oh my word I love your tradition with your Dad!! Holidays are such an amazing time but they can also be a time when you miss those ones you love the most! Hugs!! You certainly sound like you are back though to your badass ways!!! Rock on lady!!
Thanks so much Nancy!! Yes, they are but that’s why this tradition means so much to all of us.
Good luck with your pregnancy and making it through the holidays in one piece with those adorable girls of yours!! xoxo
I love your indoor bike trainer workouts! They are very motivating since I’ll be teaching classes with very similar segments. I love functional and objective based teaching formats and workouts. Seeing a workout that says stuff like 15 min in zone 2 at 90-100rpm x 2 makes me happy. I’m a cyclist gosh darn it! Even though I haven’t ridden outside in a while I’m still a fan of functional training. As a spin instructor I’ve had to teach a lot of different formats but traditional cycling format is my favorite. Bring it on!! I may not be racing any time soon but I sure as heck love training athletes. I know how to push people and get in the pain cave. Party in the cave wahoo!
You are back to kicking ass! Truly my hero. I am just getting my mojo back. It’s been hard post NYC. Love the pic of you and your dad and your brother. I am sure that you absolutely cherish your time with them. Loved reading this as always and your fantastic sense of humor.
Thanks so much Sandra!! It’s definitely a tough recovery after a long, hard marathon like NYC. I’m happy to see you out there skiing with the littles 🙂
I totally get it with the emotional memory. There are certain times for year where I can’t pull out of my “funk” because it’s so closely associated with my dad. It sounds like you mom was an incredible woman!
YOU are one incredible woman too. I just snorted reading that mailman exchange. You rock so hard.
Thanks so much Laura!!! I just hope we can meet up and rock out together some day…preferably in San Diego 🙂
What a cool tradition with your dad and brother!! Love that so much! Your mom is smiling down and so proud of you three! I have never gotten a Stridebox before, very cool about your workout inside!! I’ve never listened to a book on tape, or a podcase *GASP*, I know….i’m intrigued about listening to something motivational, I may have to give that a try in the new year!