Toe Socks to Cinder Blocks

For this week's blog post I want to do a two-part post. One for today, to tell you about my awesome obstacle race experience, some things I ate this week, and catch up on what I did last week (since fun and sun with my handsome gentleman mixed with scholarly endeavors sort of took my Sunday). Then tomorrow I'll do a quick post to let you in on my Chalean Extreme progress. I do my last workout of the first phase. Want to take some pics and measurements and see how this has worked out for me! Even if I have no body changes, I'm super strong, and that's all that matters!

So last weekend? Last Sunday I got myself up and proverbially gnawed my nails until it had reached the proper temperature to go out and try my first 7 mile run. I did write a little last weekend, so here's me, quoting myself:

I've been really low on cash recently. Which is a problem because as my runs get longer, I'm finding that I need more stuff. I splurged with some Amazon points and bought myself a new pair of running socks to try. I still have that problem with my left toes where I get crazy blistering. These, though, completely cured it. Done. Figured it out. Now I just need to get more of them! Toe socks... who thought? Used to have these in high school just because I liked crazy socks. These are super thin and super comfortable. Worked great in my running shoes, which by the way, I'm in love with these running shoes. I have to wear Nike because I have crazy narrow feet that only a sweatshop worker knows how to properly equip... these I found on the clearance rack and it's funny because the reviews on them scared me! People were getting shin splints with them. But they work great for me. I still don't know what a shin splint is... and I've been running for over a year now!

Another thing I want to buy is a water belt thing... I have been putting if off because I think they look terribly ridiculous, but there are times that I think a little hydration could improve my runs.

Like this morning.

I ran with 8 oz of water and a bag full of gummi bears in my left hand. Phone in the right hand. I was ready to try for a 7 mile run when I went to bed last night.

And I tried to pace myself. I'm terrible at that. So I turned my phone over in my hand so I couldn't just glance down and see it. I decided that I'd finish when I finished and just wanted to enjoy the sun and the movement. I felt amazing. It was about 46 degrees out when I started, ran in shorts and a long sleeve tech tee and was plenty warm from the start, since the blue, cloudless sky provided enough warmth...

I managed those 7 miles like it was nothing... I finished in an hour and 12 minutes and was so pleased with myself.

I caught up on Chalean Extreme, obviously, since tomorrow is the last workout in the Burn Phase. I ate fairly well this week, but my impending period caused some crazy sugar cravings that I gave into! I ran 3.5 miles during lunch on Wednesday because I was going down to Lowell, Mass that night to see the Jillian Michaels show. 

 I did learn a few things but it bums me a little that I could have definitely gone without the VIP Experience portion. It was essentially a time where people with an unlimited list of excuses could ask Jillian to bless their list of excuses as to why they couldn't work out or eat right. There was also the girl who asked if masturbation was good for your heart... in front of her mother... and I say girl because if she was over 17 I'd be surprised. Just silly. I'm not a prude but I had my head in my hands. But I digress...

I had some interesting food choices this past week. I've really been taking advantage of strawberries being in season, though Jillian taught me organic for strawberries is best because of the thin skin, they're able to absorb more pesticides that other fruits... but I made a tasty strawberry protein shake using:

Juice of 5 strawberries (yea, I used my juicer! Bam!)

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

1 frozen banana, sliced

6 oz unsweetened almond milk

Blend that bad boy up and stick a straw in it. That's it! It was so good... tasted just like a strawberry milkshake!

I made another strawberry protein shake with some spinach juice included... this green shake was made up of the following:

Juice of 5 strawberries and some spinach

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

Slash of almond milk

Ice (because spinach juice is not cold)

I just stirred this one together.  Nom.

One more food... and more strawberries (I didn't want them to go bad...).  This time I used a serving of the Fiber One Chocolate Cereal, a cup of almond milk and some strawberries.  Very low calorie tastes-like-chocolate-covered-strawberries cereal treat!

So... about that obstacle race...

I'm SO FREAKING PROUD of myself for what I did today!!!  This race was a 5k with 18 obstacles.  While running I jumped over hurdles, went under hurdles, carried a cinder block, crossed a shallow stream on wet rocks, climbed over walls (lots, lots of walls), waded through two bodies of water, climbed 2 A-frames, did a zig-zag uphill/downhill maze with hurdles, pulled a car tire behind me on a rope, bounded over a stack of hay bails (handsome gentleman enjoyed that one for some reason haha), climbed a structure and slid down the other side, ran through tires uphill, bounded over those gigantic spools, crawled under spider webbing...  I only took one mulligan.  I can't do monkey bars.  I went to the second one and couldn't hold on.  I had gloves.  

Before the race!

After the race!  Can't tell how wet I am!

My handsome gentleman came with me and there's just something about the way he hugs me and tells me he's proud of me that makes me all warm inside.  Warm feelings too were gotten from myself when I was running and literally bounding over some of these obstacles that I FINALLY had the upper body strength to make things happen.  It's all the pushups.  I came in 40th in my wave... waves were 75 people, if everyone showed up.  I remember a time when I could not have heaved a cinder block up on my shoulder and boogied with it.  Barely.

In celebration, ran a couple errands this afternoon which included going to Target for a legitimate bikini.  A real one.  Not a tankini... but a real belly-showing bikini.  I'm pale as all get out and I'm still got my stretch marks, but I don't care.  I'm small enough... and with some color I think it'll work out great.  I can't wait until it's warm enough up here to spend my Saturday afternoons at the beach...  

My shoulders are already sun-kissed from today... and bruised... and my knees are bruised and the backs of my legs scratched up from the bark on some of the hurdles.

socks... hanging up to dry...

Tomorrow, right after my last workout... I'll report on Chalean Extreme results.  Hopefully the macaroni and cheese I enjoyed this evening will not skew any results ;)

To be continued...