Resting Legs

Phew, I survived my first biomechanics exam – it was eight questions and took about an hour, and only a little tricky getting all those mathematical concepts into words – but I can tell you very explicitly in terms of moment arms and inertia why a diver rotates faster in specific formations

A middle-sized moment of inertia

and in terms of impulse/momentum conservation why gymnasts bend their knees when they land.

Way to increase the time over which the force was distributed!

After all that thinking this morning I decided to have a relaxing afternoon by the pool.  I know this is true around most of the country but dammit it’s hot!  I just have to survive two days of 102 degrees, hopefully some massive thunderstorms and then we get back into the 80s!  Gonna have to pull the gloves out again….

Work hard, play hard

I stuck with my plan of attending a yoga class tonight at LA Fitness.  I’m not used to saving my workouts for so late in the day but I enjoyed it.  It was a challenging class, easily modified for the many levels of people in the studio.  It re-energized me to take the pup for a walk around the block when I got home followed by some games of chase in the hose.

Can’t resist those eyes

Seriously, would you have been able to resist that sad face?!

Now I’m off to do my 5 push-ups for the July Challenge!

 

Happy Birthday America!

Happy 4th of July y’all!  Today is one of my Top 3 Favorite Holidays (third place to Christmas and Thanksgiving) and since I’m not in class it’s a perfect day to go for a longer run in a less traveled place.  So far this summer most of my runs have started at my parent’s house and venture through the neighborhood, along the hilly paved path to the park and onto the straighter, softer trail.  And back.  It’s been a nice path to me for the past 10 weeks but I always love new territory.

This morning Popsicle and I ventured out to the Monon trail to run an 8-miler.  We’re just two and a half weeks away from the Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and although we’re both in half-mary shape, the heat and humidity has us both concerned.

Pre-8-miler – all smiles!

It was a tough run and we were both soaking wet by the end.  In the middle of the miles we encountered a 4.5 mile race being run in Carmel (The Freedom Run).  And by encountered I mean, overtaken on the trail by a pack of speedy, sweaty runners.

Stats:

Location: Monon Trail – 96th Street to 136th Street

Miles: 8.02

Time: 1:14:15

Pace: 9:16

Temps: 77 to start, 82 to finish

4 pushups on the 4th!

After the 8 miles, I sucked it up and completed my July Challenge for the day.  4 pushups for the 4th of July!

Post-Run Fuel

I’m trying really hard to be better at fueling my muscles properly after I work them out so hard (even though it was an “easy” run in terms of pace, the heat makes it extra taxing on my body) and am continually researching ways to do that.  Right now my main focus is to eat within an hour of completing my workout, making sure to include fats, carbs and proteins.  I knew I would want something cold after an hour plus in the heat so I prepared last night (planning ahead?! Shocking I know).

Speckled Nanners

We had some bananas laying around that were in danger of going too brown for my taste so I peeled a few, cut them in half and put them in a Ziploc.  Then I put them in the freezer!  One of my roommates in college taught me this incredible trick.  I don’t know what happens but the banana transforms into a creamy, almost ice cream like dessert.

Almond butter and bananas

This morning when we returned from the run, I sliced the halves in half again (lengthwise this time) and spread some roasted almond butter in between.  I reassembled the bananas to make a nanner sandwich.  They were so delicious!  The bananas were creamy and cold and the almond butter added the familiar nutty and thick taste that I love.

Perfect post-run meal: Skinny Iced Mocha and almond butter and bananas

I then enjoyed my meal on the back porch and added a Grande Iced Skinny Mocha from Starbucks.  So the nutrient breakdown would be (in the simplest form possible) – carbs: banana and syrup in mocha fats: almond butter protein: almond butter (just a bit) and skim milk.

Happy 4th of July!  What do you have planned for the day?

July Challenge on Island Time

Apparently I’m on island time today – so when I said I would announce the winner of yesterday’s giveaway this morning, I really meant “sometime before the sun goes down”.

I had some excellent and creative suggestions for the July challenge.  Thank you to all who participated!  The winner (selected by a random number generator on random.org is Chad!  Congratulations Mr. Baker, your Kelsey Granola will be on its way to you on Thursday (since I’ll be poolside in my Red, White and Blue all day tomorrow).

Granola Giveaway Winner!

Thankfully I didn’t say I would actually do the challenge that the winner suggested – 31 flights is a lot of stairs!  But, I was thinking about combining two of the suggestions – pushups and stairs.  Starting today, July 3, the challenge is to do 3 pushups.  4 on the 4th, 5 on the 5th etc.  That seems more manageable than flights of stairs (especially for a girl who will be running races and traveling – 22 flights after a half-marathon?!).

So here I go – 3 pushups before bed!  Who’s with me?!