Wintery Week

Snow, snow, and more snow! I think it is safe to say that we have entered the winter season!
Oscar was determined to roll over his giant snow ball. Eventually he asked me to help. This kid LOVES the snow!
Poppy decided to taste the white fluffy stuff...she told me she was eating ice cream.
I love having a small but fun hill in our back yard!
After shoveling the driveway Oscar and Poppy discovered they could slide down it with just their snow pants on.

This week we have shoveled the driveway 4 times. It is currently snowing outside (pretty, big blustery flakes) and so I anticipate that we again, will be shoveling tonight or in the morning.

It has been a really pretty start to the Month of December. Although I don't particularly care for being cold, I do enjoy some of the winter specific activities.
Yesterday we took the kids ice skating. Oscar wasn't very good but he kept at it, by the end he was able to stand up and shuffle a bit. Poppy was more excited about having skates on her feet, rather than actually "skating" on them. After a few rounds on the rink she decided she was done. This definitely brings back some de ja vu to when Oscar was a two year old.

Lastly, we began our Christmas Nativity Advent calendar that was so generously given to us by our good friends the Lord's, when we lived in Riverton. Already today, Oscar was asking me if we could move Mary and Joseph one more step. I assured him that we would tonight, after we read the little dialog that goes along with each day.
Now the next thing to do to get ready for Christmas is to remove the moldy squishy pumpkins from the front porch...Oh, and I suppose we will need to get a tree (too bad this year we don't have one in our yard that needs to go).

Saturday Spin

Each month on the first Saturday I teach the 8:15am Spin class. I really like teaching this class because I get a new mix of people who I normally don't see on the other days that I teach. Typically they are pretty hard core and I can work them really hard and they love it!
Today was no exception. I did a new workout that was inspired from a few that I have see around mixed together. It went a bit like this...

5min Warm up
1min seated flat 80% (get HR up to sustainable level and goal is to maintain)

8min set Choose ONE postion (standing or seated) and we will maintain postion for 8 minutes.
Every other minute has one 30 second pick-up (increase cadence or resistance to bump HR up to 85%) decrease back to sustained level 80%HR.

2 minute recovery
Repeat 8 min segment in a different position. (each person should be able to see a marked difference in their ability to maintain HR and feel in control)
2min Recovery
Then to test what they have felt I do a track cycle. Split the class into three groups .
Group 1 begins sprinting, group 2 climbing, group 3 in recovery. Groups rotate every 30 sec for first 3 track cycles (group 2 goes to sprinting, 1 to recovery, and 3 goes to climbing.)
When group 1 gets into the sprinting position for the 4th time we increase the intervals to 1 minute each. Repeat cycle for 4 more rotations.

Recovery and cool down

It was a fun workout and afterward I had students who said they really had to pace themselves on the 8 minute cycles and that when we did the track workout they were better capable to find their aerobic max.

On other news I just ordered my continuing ed home studies...I'm looking forward to reviewing some new material and getting some fresh ideas. However, I am always a bit disgusted with the whole re-certification money process...I can't believe how much it costs to keep current. I recently spent about $300 on recertification and home study materials...luckily it is only every two years!

PT Visit

Today I also had a PT visit for the afore mentioned pelvic/hip troubles. She asked if I was feeling any better. Quite truthfully I told her that I was not, and that it actually seems a bit worse.
The good news was that my alignment was looking good.
The bad, was that I have a lot of soft tissue issues going on. I have bumpy hip/back muscles that keep getting all bunched up.
She had me do some very unpleasant stretching that actually felt liked it helped some when we were finished. She did a lot of rubbing and adjusting, and tonight I'm a bit sore, but hopeful that it will be leading to a quick recovery!
In the mean time she gave me the go-ahead to do some walking with short strides on the treadmill with an incline (thanks to Shane my PT adviser on the good suggestion). I'm also assigned to do a bunch of ab work...maybe the positive of this situation could be some wash-board abs! I won't hold my breath, but it would be a nice consolation prize!!!

Cardio Crazy

Today while teaching my Spinning class I discovered just what it is that my body craves every day it isn't allowed to run! Cardio...yes, this is what makes me a happier person! I taught a nice workout today that went a bit like this:

5 min warm up

1:30 Standing climb HR80%
30 sec Seated climb decreased resistance HR75%
2:00 Standing climb HR80%
1:00 Seated flat HR maintains 80% (increase cadence to maintain HR)
1:00 Standing flat HR 80%
1:00 Seated Flat HR 80%
1:00 Standing Flat HR 80%
3:00 Seated Flat HR 75% (decreased tension)

5 min cool down
Repeat 4 times as a loop.

Class was really good and I made a new playlist for it but, I think I will do a few revisions of the play list. I've been trying to broaden my typical stuff and found some free stuff by another instructor. Overall it was a good mix but probably not my favorite!
We will Rock you, Queen
Revolution, Beatles
Starry Eye Surprise, Oakenfold
U2 Medley, mix by another web spin instructor DJ PD(this will be cut, it was a bit weird and my class gave me funny looks)
Harrowdown Hill, another mix by DJ PD
Tu es Foutu, Another mix my DJ PD (kinda weird but I liked it)
Holding out for a hero, Bonnie Tyler (footloose)
Don't Stop, Brazillian girls (another mix by DJ PD)
Maneater, Nelly Furtado ( One of my current favorites)
Manic Monday, Relient K (a Punky version)
With My own two hands, Jack Johnson

Peer Pressure...the good kind!

Lately Oscar has been coming up with really funny things...For example he no longer likes his name "Oscar" and would rather go by the name of "Austin"(his favorite friend).
This same friend, who dose happen to be a pretty good kid, does have some quirks...for one he doesn't like girls. Therefore, Oscar no longer likes his girl friends in Austin's presence. Together they also become this very voluminous bunch of superheros when ever they are together. I find myself constantly saying "tone it down boys". Overall they always play very well together. Even though Austin is about 2 years older than O'.
This afternoon I have been watching Austin, and he happened to be staying for dinner. Oscar who recently has become the dinner boycott champion, decided that he would eat his dinner, and that since Austin LOVES carrots, Oscar wanted extra carrots on his stir-fry too.
This is the kind of peer-pressure I can handle!

Other notes of interest...

Jen posted a very kind birthday tribute to me...Thanks Jen, it was just what a girl who hasn't been running needed to hear! This year my birthday has been great...it has been an all month long celebration (I guess if Thanksgiving can count). I really feel blessed to have sooooooo many great friends and family who really care about me. I'm very blessed!

Secondly, I have created a new blog...not incredibly exciting, but if you wanna check it out it is Spin and Run. I will basically post all of my exercise stuff (or lack there of) on there...(that will mean less spandex pictures on this blog).

Confessions of an addict...

(Could I possibly have ran 2 marathons this summer???? Where have those lovely long-mileage days gone??? Will I ever be able to run again????)
I have not ran in over two weeks! My endorfin-dependent brain cells are screaming out that they need more stimulus! Two weeks ago yesterday, I finally saw a PT about some nagging groin/hip pain that I have had for quite some time.
The very nice PT said "I have some good news and some bad...the good is that I think we can get you better...the bad, is that you cannot run for a while."
The "while" is what's killing me! Not that I particularity feel like I could lace up my shoes and go for a nice long run (maybe with enough ibuprofen or some other pain killers that I have left over from childbirth) but enough that would fill this hole that is quite empty.
I'm attempting to fill it with my continued spinning classes (that only happen twice a week) and the rest of the time I am basically doing the PT and walking with a bit of pilates. Certainly not my pre-injury mileage.
I have thus created this new blog, in an effort to re-visit all of my old exciting runs while trying to hold myself off until recovery.
I will also post ideas and profiles for spinning classes...and pretty much anything exercise related.
Any thoughts, encouragement, feedback or other great ideas will always be greatly appreciated! There is one thing that is for certain, I am a much better person/mommy when I am exercising and it is taking quite a bit of effort to keep at bay the ornery/grumpy girl that comes with a seditary existence.