Home Workout Series #3
Thursday, January 4, 2018
January 04, 2018
I realize that I have been totally slacking on getting these out to all of you. This time of year can just really get away from you will all the planning, present buying, wrapping and not to mention the wasted time trying to find the perfect gift on Amazon so that it can be shipped in 2 days for free and last minute. Who's with me on that one? haha So this will be a new workout for the NEW YEAR!
This workout is ALL about the BOOTY & SHOULDERS! Everybody wants a cute tush and nice arms, right? Well get ready for both to be on FIYA! Hope you had great Christmas & New Year and enjoyed time with family!
* You will want to have 8-20lb dumbbells to get the most out of this workout. For the all exercises, go as heavy as possible while keeping good form. Less reps when using heavier weight :)
This workout is ALL about the BOOTY & SHOULDERS! Everybody wants a cute tush and nice arms, right? Well get ready for both to be on FIYA! Hope you had great Christmas & New Year and enjoyed time with family!
Home workout #3
SL Deadlift to Reverse Lunge, 10-15/side
Tall Kneeling DB Shoulder Press, 10-15
Side Plank Knee to Elbow, 45-60 seconds/side
Lateral Lunge, 10-15/side
Crouching Tiger Push Ups, As Many As Possible(AMAP)
Crab Taps, 20-25/side
Repeat 3-5 times
Tall Kneeling DB Shoulder Press, 10-15
Side Plank Knee to Elbow, 45-60 seconds/side
Lateral Lunge, 10-15/side
Crouching Tiger Push Ups, As Many As Possible(AMAP)
Crab Taps, 20-25/side
Repeat 3-5 times
* You will want to have 8-20lb dumbbells to get the most out of this workout. For the all exercises, go as heavy as possible while keeping good form. Less reps when using heavier weight :)
~Samantha, Blissfully Fit Mama
Brazos Bend 50 Miler Recap
Thursday, January 4, 2018
January 04, 2018
With every race that I have done this year, I have walked away with new insight & focus for the next race. This Brazos Bend 100 was no different. This race is deemed the "fastest course in Texas". It is flat and non-technical, yet it wasn't until I hit the trail that frosty morning that realized I would actually be running a full 50 miles. Like other races I had done, stopping to power hike a little didn't seem to make sense, although I realized after I was about half way into the second loop that I would need to start planning out a few walk breaks. The 50 miler was a 3 loop course and it went as follows:
Loop 1
The air was crisp and there was frost on the ground and steam rising off the water. The atmosphere and energy was awesome. You could feel how ready everyone was to get out there and see how fast they could run this course. I placed myself close to the front of the line and was ready & nervous to get it started. My goal was to run a sub-9 hours race and I knew it was going to be a challenge to get.
We started at exactly 7AM and off we went on the trail. I feel like I settled into an easy pace from the get go. I wasn't pushing too hard but I was moving. The first few miles went fast. I looked down at my Garmin and was keeping an 8:10 to 8:30ish per mile pace. A bit faster that I usually started but felt good. There was a small stretch of water and thick mud but I was able to navigate around it without getting wet. There had been rain leading up to the day of the race so the mud was still pretty thick on the 1st loop. Around mile 5ish I could feel my stomach beginning to bubble. I had gone to the bathroom just before the start just like I always do but today my stomach wasn't too happy. At the Altra aid station I was able to used the bathroom after waiting about 5 minutes but was back on the course and feeling much better. Unfortunately, we ended up running an extra mile on the first loop....17.8 miles completed.
Loop 2
As I came in to where my crew was, I decided to do a quick sock change since I could feel lots of small rocks in my shoes. Learning lesson #1: wear gators. It was a quick change, I grabbed my fueling items and I was back out on the course. I could feel myself beginning to slow a little around mile 22 or so. I had to make one more bathroom stop before my GI tract finally settled. Once it did I was good to go in that department for the remainder of the race.
About half way through the second loop, I realized that I hadn't been replacing electrolytes. I reached into my pack and my salt tabs were nowhere to be found. I remembered measuring them out earlier that morning. Thankfully at the next aid station they had Hammer Nutrition Endurolytes (which I have used before) so a popped a few in my mouth and grabbed a few for later. Good to go.
My pace had slowed drastically from what I started at but I was okay with that. I was still moving forward and making good time. I stopped at my bag to get a few things but was ready to get done so I got back out on the trail as fast as I could. Almost 34 miles completed.
Loop 3
Woot woot! I was so happy to be on the final loop. My body was yelling at me to stop by now and my stride was tightening up. My hips were cramping a little and so I knew that I was going to need to take some extra walk breaks on this loop and listen to what my body was telling me. I decided that for every mile I ran, I would walk for 1-2 minutes. This seemed to work well and I felt like my body was getting the small breaks that it needed but I also felt like I was going to miss my sub 9 hour goal. I decided that I would try to make it two miles before I stopped to walk. Each mile seemed to inch by. I was beginning to focus on my watch and that is never a good idea. Thankfully I was mixed into a small group that was staying together. We were not talking but basically switching places on the course. When I would stop for a walk break one or two would pass me. When I started running again, I would pass them. This went on until we got to about mile 42 and then I decided to nix the next couple of walk breaks and just move forward as fast as I could. This went well until I reached my final stop at the Altra aid station. A girl that I swore would not beat me, showed up just behind me and took off just before me. I felt a little defeated. How could I let this happen? I know I shouldn't have let it get to me but she had beat me earlier in the year and I didn't want it to happen again.
I continued on and kept making forward progress while keeping her in sight. She was moving at a steady pace. It took me a mile or two to refocus, look at my watch and realize how close I was going to be to my goal and decided to focus on that. I almost started crying but decided I needed to channel my husband for a final pep talk. "Get it done. You got this." And off I went. No more walks breaks. I had two-ish miles left and I dug deep for everything I had left to get to the finish line and make my goal a reality. I felt my legs loosen a little and my speed picked up. I passed her with a mile to go and focused on the finish line. With about a quarter mile left I was running past spectators who were cheering me on, adding fuel to the fire. I finished strong and came into the finish line at 8:55:26 and a 5th place female finish. Rob, the race director, congratulated me by name with a high-five. Goal met!
All in all this was a great race to finish the year with. It challenged me in ways that I hadn't anticipated, yet allowed me to go after bigger goals. This didn't mark the end of a season, it just opened the door for bigger races. Up next is the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler in Huntsville, TX. So the training continues!! Be sure to check out my social media for updates on my training and what I am doing.
Train Hard. Recover Often. Nourish Your Body.
Samantha, Blissfully Fit Mama
Photo credit: Trail Racing Over Texas, Let's Wander Photography
