Just Keep Running!

***Before starting any workout please read the disclaimer! It can be found by clicking here! Thank you!***

I have never been a runner, its just not something that I have every been particularly fond of. I know a lot of people find it exhilarating and therapeutic, like my mother who runs several miles daily (Go Mom!) but I got bored with it fairly quickly. That is until two things happened; 1. I became a mom, and 2. I started to run competitively. After the birth of Sophia, I didn't feel comfortable with leaving her with strangers at the gym so I needed a cardio workout I could do with her, cue the running. So I got a jogging stroller and hit the trails, literally! At this point I still wasn't too fond of running but doing it with the baby helped. Then I signed up for a 5k.

Now I may be just a tad bit competitive, so this was perfect. The adrenaline, the atmosphere, the chase were all things that I had been looking for with running. 5k's just make running fun for me, plus I can do it with the girls. There are so many different types of 5k's that you can do for so many wonderful causes and charities. So here is a challenge for you.

Sign up for a 5k. You can find a list of 5k's (or even longer races if your an experienced runner) taking place near you here! I like to go on Living Social or Groupon for discounted tickets. You can find a race for practically anything you like to do so sign up today! If you are pregnant and your a runner you can continue running well into your pregnancy as long as you feel comfortable with it. I ran shorter and shorted distances until I was about 35-36 weeks pregnant with Harper (my second child) I could not and did not do that while pregnant with Sophia (my first). Each pregnancy is different so listen to your body and do what feels right for you! If you feel fine running, run. If you don't, then don't! Just listen to your body and your instincts you know you better than anyone else! If you were not a runner before becoming pregnant, now is probably not the time to start but do not let that detour you from signing up for 5k's! They are still a lot of fun and you will be in good company. There are always plenty of walkers for every race, so Sign Up!

Pause for you to look up a race and register...... are you signed up yet? Okay ill wait here until you do..... signed up now? If yes, continue reading! If your answer is no, what's stopping you? You can do this! Need more motivation? Shoot me an email and we will train together, now sign up!

Signed up? Great! Now lets get to training. A 5k is 3.1 miles (yes, that .1 makes a difference! lol)

Monday- Run
Tues- Run
Wed- Cross train
Thurs- Rest! (yes this is critical- you do not want to injure yourself!)
Friday- Run
Sat- Run
Sun- Rest! (yes this is critical- you do not want to injure yourself!)

Week 1- You are going to run 1 mile every designated run day. If you can not run 1 mile you are going to run as far as you can leading up to a mile. If you can only run for 2 minutes, that is a great start! You run for 2 minutes and start walking-Do Not Stop! Just take a short break while you walk, long enough for you to catch your breath and start running again. Continue this until you complete 1 mile. The next run day shoot for running for 2 1/2 minutes straight. Continue adding 30 seconds on to each run length. On cross-train days you can lift weights, swim, ride a bike, pick another workout from this blog, really whatever you like to do.

Week 2- You are going to run 1.5 miles on Monday and Tuesday. If you can not run 1.5 miles without stopping repeat the training steps above. Cross-train on wed. Friday and Saturday you are going to run 1.75 miles.

Week 3- Monday and Tuesday you will run 2 miles, again repeating the training steps above if you can not run without stopping. Wednesday you will cross-train. Friday and Saturday you are going to run 2.25 miles

Week 4- Monday and Tuesday you will run 2.5 miles, again repeating the training steps above if you can not run without stopping. Cross train on Wednesday. Friday and Saturday you are going to run 2.75 miles.

Week 5- Will be slightly different because we are leading up to a race on Saturday. Monday you will run 3 miles. Cross-train on Tuesday. Rest on Wednesday. Thursday you will run 3 miles. Rest on Friday. Saturday you are ready for a 5k (3.1 miles).

You do not have to finish the race first, you don't even need to run the whole way if your not there yet but taking the steps to get there is a victory in and of itself! You can do this, you are worth getting fit for, and yes it may be difficult but the results are worth it!

Good Luck!
    -Brittany

 

Shamrock Run in Savannah GA 2013. We decorated Sophia's stroller for the costume contest (I was 20 something week pregnant)

Shamrock Run 2013- We ran with a group of Stroller Strides ladies :)

Celebration Run in Savannah GA at Savannah State University 2013- A group of Stroller Strides Ladies. I was about 34 weeks pregnant

The Color Run Clearwater FL 2014- My whole family got in on the action!

We got good and dirty- Also made great time!

 

 

Share your race pictures in the comments below! Have a question/comment/concern feel free to email us at trulyfit.fishhawk@gmail.com or leave us a comment below. Don't forget to Like us on Facebook!

 

 

"What you get by reaching your destination is not nearly as important as what you will become by reaching your destination." - Zig Ziglar 

 

Total Body Chair Workout

***Before starting any workout please read the disclaimer! It can be found by clicking here! Thank you!***

This workout is designed to give you a total body workout using nothing but a chair and some running shoes and can be completed in under 1 hour (about 43minutes) There is a little upper body, lower body, core, and cardio in this workout. This is a great workout for both pregnant (can be done at any stage of pregnancy) and not pregnant women. This should be challenging but not painful, if you are experiencing any pain please discontinue the exercise. I also recommend putting the chair against a wall to stabilize it, safety first!

You will start with a 5 min run/walk, getting as much distance as you can in that amount of time, take a quick break(there will be 20 second rest times)  and then do the circuit 2x's through( each exercise lasting 30 seconds). This will be followed by another 5min run/walk, circuit 2x's through, followed by a final 5 min run/walk. I encourage you to get as many reps in for each exercise as possible and challenge yourself to do more each time through. Good luck!

• 5 min run/walk
• 20 second break
• Chair Squats - Squat down like you are going to sit in the chair without actually sitting down, hover over the chair for a quick second and come back to standing position. repeat as many times as possible in 30 seconds. *remember to keep your stomach sucked in- think of your belly button kissing your spine. Your knees should never go over your toes!*

 

• 20 second rest
• Chair dips- With the chair against a wall for stability, put your hands on the end of the chair with your feet straight out. Slowly bend your arms and lower yourself down and back up again. Complete as many of these as possible in 30 seconds. 

• 20 second rest
• Chair push-ups- With the chair against a wall for support and facing the chair put your hands on the seat of the chair. Slowly lower yourself forward into a push-up position and back up again. Complete as many of these as possible in 30 seconds.  

• 20 second rest
• Alternating step-ups - With the chair against the wall for support (you can also do these from the side and hold on the back of the chair for more stability) step-up on the chair with your Right foot followed by your left. Step down and then alternate the next step with each foot. Complete as many as you can in 30 seconds. 

• 20 second rest
• Seated flutter kicks- Sit on the end of the chair and put your hands on the back of the chair for stability. Lift both of your legs in the air and kick your legs up and down about 5 inches. (If this is too challenging for pregnant women you can start with your feet on the ground and kick one leg up at a time). Complete as many as possible in 30 seconds. 

• 20 second rest
• Open/Close leg cross- Sit on the end of the chair and put your hands on the back of the chair for stability. Lift both of your legs and open them as wide as you can. Swing your legs back to the center crossing them in the middle. Complete as many of these as possible in 30 seconds (If this is too challenging for pregnant women complete the modified seated flutter kicks from above). 

• 20 second rest
• Right side leg kicks- With the chair against a wall for support hold onto the back of the chair for more stability. Gently swing your right leg out as high as you can and back down again. Complete as many of these as possible in 30 seconds. 

• 20 second rest
• Left side leg kicks- With the chair against a wall for support hold onto the back of the chair for more stability. Gently swing your left leg out as high as you can and back down again. Complete as many of these as possible in 30 seconds. 

• 20 Second rest
• Complete the circuit a second time through
• 20 second rest
• 5 min run/walk
• 20 second rest
• Complete the circuit 2x's through
• 20 second rest
• 5 min run/walk

 

 

Don't forget to drink plenty of water during this exercise! This can also be shortened for time purposes but completing the circuit 1 time through instead of 2. You can also extend your cardio time by running/walking for longer amounts of time or if running is too difficult you can do any cardio of your choice (swim, bike, elliptical, etc.)

 

-Brittany

 

 

Take a sweaty selfie and post it in the comments below! Have a question/comment/concern? Shoot us an email at trulyfit.fishhawk@gmail.com or leave us a comment below. Be sure to Like us on Facebook!

 

 

"Failure is not falling down, but refusing to get up"- Chinese proverb