Plans for the rest of December

Monday 19th December 

Couch to 5K Week 4, Run 3

Tuesday 20th December

Body Balance (booked)

Wednesday 21st December 

Couch to 5K Week 5, Run 1

Body Pump (booked)

Thursday 22nd December

Rest

Friday 23th December

Couch to 5K Week 5, Run 2

Possibly circuits (booked)

Out to the theatre

Saturday 24th December - Christmas Eve

Body Pump (place needed)

BodY Balance (place needed)

Sunday 25th December - Christmas Day

No classes 

Monday 26th December - Boxing Day

No classes 

Couch to 5K Week 5, Run 3

Tuesday 27th December 

Normal body balance cancelled

Body Pump and Body Balance - morning - would need to book

Wednesday 28th December

Couch to 5K Week 6, Run 1

Normal Body Pump cancelled

Possibly Aerotone - booked

Thursday 29th December 

Not clear what classs are on yet

Friday 30th December 

Couch to 5K Week 6, Run 2

Not clear what classs are on yet

Saturday 31st December - New Year's Eve

Not clear what classs are on yet

Love the weekends

Originally planned to watch the school play football so I cancelled Saturday's classes. So when the match was cancelled on Friday morning, I spent yesterday morning waiting for cancellations which I managed to get. Both classes were fully booked as usual.

Body Pump

Nearly got through the whole routine but it is those lunges again. I miss out a couple to shake my legs out. Usual weights so no improvements.

Using 2 x 2.5kg (purple) for warm up and chest and back exercises; 2 x 1.25kg (pink) for triceps and biceps; if I use any weights for squats it is 1 x 2.5kg and nothing for the lunges. 

Body Balance

Worst part: Tai Chi introduction 

Best part: Swan 

Improvement: managed to do Sun Salutation better at the end, plank not on knees and extended arms in the Cobra

Managed to be a little quicker getting into the Dancer position. 

Circuits

Same routine as last week, which is a nice class.

The weights put out are too heavy for me so I get smaller ones and carry them around 🤣. I use 2 x 1.5kg (third smallest).

1st station

Side lunge, reach up

Curtsey, bicep curl

Front cross lunge; shoulder press

2nd station

Side raise

Front raise

Rear deltoids

3rd station

Plank - weight reach through 

Plank - arm row

Plank to bear 

(On knees)

4th station

Press ups

Chest press

Tricep press up with side plank (knees)

5th station

Wide squats (no weight) 

Clean & press

Triple deadrow

Tried slow burpees, my one to my sister's two! 

That was cold..

The days are ticking down...

Managed to get out early this morning. Slippery in places so was careful. Fingers would not warm up even with gloves on. Pleased to be back out there and felt okay. 

Snow = an interruption

MONDAY

Was not expecting to wake up to this view on Monday morning. I couldn't go running as the paths obviously not gritted. I was tempted but was told not too in case I fell and have to take longer time off for running. I brought my gym stuff to work with the intention of using the dreaded treadmill at the gym. However, when I went to find my headphones as people were too loud on the train for me to study, I realised that I had brought my laptop mouse instead of my headphone case! So I didn't go as I need music and also Jo Whiley talking me through couch to 5K.

TUESDAY

Brought my gym stuff to work again along with my Yoga mat so my left knee and lower back was aching a little. Decided to go on the treadmill before Body Balance however due to the train strike, I only had 19 mins instead of the time needed so I did:

5 mins warm up

3 mins run

90 secs walk

5 mins run

2 mins walk

1 min run

1.5 mins cool down

Then went to Body Balance where my body ached but my pilates socks stayed on.  Favourite part is the recovery stretch: Modified Pigeon.  The more than advanced move onto King Pigeon and Mermaid. However I cannot bend my back leg without getting cramp in my hamstrings and I do not have the flexibility to grab hold of my foot behind my head.  So I do the 

Likewise it takes me ages to do the Dancer pose. It takes me so long to grab the inside of my foot whilst my leg has kick back into a bend that the move is nearly finished. I also have trouble with the standing quad/hip flexor stretch for the same reason. 

WEDNESDAY

Snuck in a an extra Body Pump at 7.00pm, with the lovely Vicki, and my sister Tanya of course. Kept to my usual weights but couldn't manage with the lunges with 4 pulses (no weights) and the press up and side plank rotation.

May try and keep that up so Body Pump, Wednesdays and Saturdays (or Sundays); Body Balance, Tuesdays and Saturdays and Running, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (until I have to do great distances on Sundays). 

THURSDAY

The pavements are still bad at home. I'm hoping it is a little better tomorrow as I really want to go running outside.

Circuits Sunday

It was so cold this morning, foggy and frosty. People started the warm up with gloves and jackets still on.  My sister tried to get me to do Body Pump again this morning but I didn't want to risk not being able to run tomorrow. I am already worried about snow and ice affecting my running routine. 

Next week my plan is:

Monday - Couch to 5K Week 4, Run 2

Tuesday - Body Balance

Wednesday - Couch to 5K Week 4, Run 3

Body Pump

Thursday - Rest

Friday - Couch to 5K Week 4, Run 3 

Break for the Christmas Holidays

Saturday - Rest as watching the school football team

Sunday - Body Pump and Circuits

The classes depend on me being able to get there with the various strikes being held at the moment. 

Brought a book on sale yesterday at the Works, when I was looking for aa book on running. Really interesting. Although Vicki is good ensuring out technique is good, as a visual leaner (cannot always see myseld in the mirror at the gym) it might help me understand it better.

I have just ordered the running and yoga versions as well.

Body Pump and Body Balance

Body Pump

I managed to get a space in Body Pump this morning as I was refreshing the page from 7am before the 8am cancellation cut off time. 

Triceps instead of Biceps this week. Had to stop a couple of times on the lunges, 5 sets of 4 pulse lunges x 3 kill me! Worse part for me though Chest and Triceps Press Ups, even on knees.

Body Balance

Tried my new pilates socks. I think this is the third type I have tried. The others have slipped off during Sun Salutation but these stayed on. Didn't feel 100% comfortable though as the left sock was moving around. The lady in front of me wears full socks with individual toes so I may have a look for them.

Zumba

Zumba is on straight after Body Balance but the lovely instructor wasn't there. I don't think she has returned from holiday. It is an instructor the others like but I don't, too aerobics rather Zumba for my liking. As I gave up Zumba for running, I'm pleased that I'm not missing sessions with my favourite Zumba instructor. 

Night out

Out with my sister tonight and it is the gym's Christmas Meal. That shows how well my anxiety tablets are working as I'm looking forward to it. 

Week 4, Run 1 done

Rest day yesterday. 

So cold this morning on my 10th run. Running gloves stayed on for the whole time. Got so hot though that my glasses steamed up by the end!

Started week 4 today. 

5 min warm up walk

Run 3 mins

Walk 90 secs

Run 5 mins

Walk 2.5 mins

Run 3 mins

While I was walking the 90secs, I was thinking that wasn't too bad and then Jo Whiley says another 5 mins run! 

The app is different from their print out so instead of running a total of 13 mins, I run 16. So I need to check the print out so I'm more prepared.

Started to drink the lovely chocolate recovery drinks agan, seems to be making a difference.  Healthy eating is going well. Lots of fruit instead of chocolate and wraps or pasta instead of egg and bacon sandwiches. Just the chocolate in my Lindor advent calendar 🤣

The red line is the incline on the way back.