Wednesday, June 4, 2014

WWU - Blogger Meet Up!

I got to meet and run with blogger Anne on Saturday - she was coming to my town and not only wanted to run, but also go to breakfast at Blue Baker afterward.  What can I say, the legend of Blue Baker reaches far and wide...and quite deservingly, I might add.  Amy and I took her on a mini tour of one of our regular routes - it was interesting to hear Anne's observations on what we take for granted (running in the street, not seeing a lot of other runners around), but the most surprising one to me was her noting that we could see the sun rise - she lives in downtown Chicago, and the sunrise there is obscured by the tall buildings.  After our run, we posed for a picture by Amy's husband's new car (which she was finally allowed to drive...this picture ended up on Facebook with her husband tagged, lol):
Trying to show swagger through our sweat.  We ran nearly four miles in 94% humidity - whew!

We also had to get a picture at Blue Baker:
What a fun visit - I'm so glad Anne reached out and we got to meet!

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Planet Fitness finally came to our town, so Jeff and I joined.  We did their 30-minute circuit on our first visit - they have a room with machines and steps, where you work on a red light, green light system and alternate each machine with a step workout.  I liked the idea of this because I'm not a huge gym person, but following the plan meant that I'd get a decent workout in without having to think/plan it out, and without the (self-imposed) guilt that I should be doing more.

With the exception of the first machine - the leg press, which has always been my favorite - I went really light on the weights, because I knew that I'd be using different muscles than I do with running, and I didn't want to be too sore.  We did the circuit and had fun - we were the only people in that room at the time, so there was much joking going on, plus we were figuring out how everything worked.  We also went to the stretching room, where Jeff worked on his back while I did a couple of planks.  The next morning, guess what hurt?  My legs.  Calves, especially.  You'd think I don't use them for running with the way they felt!

Who would be my worst enemy?  Me, that's who...did I do anything the day after that first workout to ease my muscle soreness?  Of course not.  In my very weak defense, I was supposed to meet Jenny for our run/walk session, but the weather was not cooperating (in the form of strong thunderstorms).  What's that you say?  Planet Fitness has treadmills?  Not an option - don't you know, if it's rainy, one must hibernate??  Like I said, my own worst enemy.

The grand scheme is to hit Planet Fitness a few times a week, just to add in a little cross-training.  This falls into the "doing it because it's good for me" thing - too many running injuries have made me accept the fact that I need to strengthen my body in ways other than just moving in a forward direction.  

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Today is National Running Day.  Julia and I are celebrating it by going for a run, and then going to Starbucks.  This is the same Starbucks that we visited a lot last summer, only now it has been revamped and there's a covered patio to hang out in.  I guess we were there so often that management took pity on us and made it nicer...I'm sure that's the only reason, right?  Anyway, Julia is officially free for the summer, so today also begins our summer of fun workouts, woohoo!

17 comments:

  1. So it's National Running Day and I did not run because it was raining here this morning and I didn't want to go on the TM. I did my step aerobics video instead. Ironic.

    Next time you go to Planet Fitness, check out the Arc Trainer. If I have to go on a machine for cardio, that's one that I really like. It's better than an elliptical and if you use one of the programs so that the intensity changes up, not quite as boring as slogging it out on a TM!

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    1. BOO to that rain!

      I'll look at the Arc Trainer. Sounds interesting, thanks for the tip! :)

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  2. It was so fun to finally meet you and hang out with y'all on Saturday! I tried running again Sunday morning in Houston but the humidity was just too much - I don't know how you do it on a regular basis!

    I actually can see the sunrise here in Chicago, since the lake is to the east (it just involves a 2 mile run there, but it's gorgeous), but sunsets not so much.

    Happy National Running day! We're due for thunderstorms, so I'm not sure I'll be able to celebrate.

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    1. Yeah, that humidity is a pain...I wonder how much better of a runner I'd be if I didn't always have to run in it.

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  3. Wow! That humidity!
    I wish we had a Blue Baker here.

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    1. MMMMMM, Blue Baker. Probably good you don't have one? LOL!

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  4. You know how much I love seeing you do some lifting :D Yay!!!

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  5. HAPPY NATIONAL RUNNING DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  6. Love the meet up! Your Planet Fitness is like our Cardinal Fitness - only costs $10 a month, but the one I joined moved two towns over and was no longer convenience - poo!

    Too bad Texas is such a huge state Shelley! Some day we'll meet!

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    1. Yeah, maybe next time you get to Austin we can meet up - that's only about 90 minutes from here.

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  7. it's so cool that you got to meet up with Anne - I thought of you this morning as I was checking Facebook, Mike Rowe (formerly of Dirty Jobs) posted a photo of himself in front of "Disaster City" where you ran a week or two ago... small world !!

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  8. Interesting! You joined a GYM?? Go you! Where'd they open the Planet Fitness at?

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    1. LOL! They opened two - one in Bryan near the HS and one in the former Lacks building. It's really nice!

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  9. I'm jealous of Anne :) It was just yesterday evening when I was talking about you, Lori and our friend M. who all have birthdays in the same week and that I've sent you all a birthday card that R. said: when are you going to Texas to meet her :) You know, I might start saving money for that after I bought a new car.

    Cool that you joined the gym, that stoplight system was used in my latest gym too for a circuit of machines. I never used it because when I did a gym workout I used free weights.
    You will definitely benefit from this at your runs.

    Lucky me it was "national" running day yesterday and I don't have to feel guilty that I turned around in my bed yesterday morning one more time instead of going for a run :)

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  10. I did national runnning day with the second grade types :-0
    they are my running speed for sure.

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