So....

...not consistent with this log.  Oh well.  I planned to take time off starting the week of Christmas.  I ended up starting my time off a little early while we were in California.  I ran once in Vallejo- beautiful!  But, couldn't bring myself to run while we were in Sonora, since it was raining pretty much non-stop.  I know I'm from Seattle, but I just couldn't do it.

The week after Christmas, I did start exercising, but not running.  3 days of ChaLEAN weight circuits, Burn Intervals, a Turbo Jam workout (bonus on one of my ChaLEAN DVDs), and some Pilates for abs.  I started up running again after New Years'.  (I got the idea from a runner's world article about how to take time off and come back from it.  I planned it all out on the calendar I got from the 'special' RS meeting I got to go to (instead of Sunbeams) called Miracle on the Polar Express.  THAT was an interesting meeting; I would have rather been with my Sunbeams. I felt a little bad about using this calendar, full of VT quotes, for my exercise planning, but the other option was to throw it out.

Since Scott surprised me with a deadline for planning the Caribbean cruise we've been talking about for over a year, my short term goals shifted a little.  1) Keep decent mileage.  2) Maintain/increase lean muscle.  3)  Do as much cardio as I can fit in my schedule, to burn as much body fat as possible.  Ideally all around my middle- Turns out I can be pretty vain : /

For 2 weeks I did 3 days of weights, Burn Intervals, 2 Ab workouts, a little spinning, and 3-4 days of running (14 miles both weeks).  I used spinning to replace my run on the snow day we had.  (I'm not truly a Colorado runner yet, I guess.)  Half way through the second week, I decided two things:

1. I really don't like ab workouts.  I haven't been consistent on these in the past, and it is probably my weakest area.
2. I was getting really tight.  It was probably originating in my hamstrings, but I could feel it all the way up my back too.
3. I may not be able to spin as much as I was hoping.  But, I'm hoping if I back off a bit on the length of my spins, I'll get used to the saddle??

(I also read in Runner's World that 'they' recommend 2 resistance training sessions per week.  That may have been a minimum, but I'm going with it for now.)  So, I decided instead of alternating ab workouts between AbRipperX, Windsor Pilates Ab Sculpting, And Chalene's Extreme Abs, I would just use pilates for my Abs workouts (still 2 times per week).  And I decided to trade one of my weights circuits for a yoga and/or pilates workout.  I think I'll still be able to strengthen my core (wouldn't mind slimming it down a bit too ;) and I'll be able to work on my flexibility too.

Here's the schedule for this week:
MON: 4 miles, Burn Circuit 3
TUES: cardio (not running), abs (pilates)
WED: 5 miles, Push Circuit 1
THURS: Burn Intervals, soak in the bathtub (yes I actually wrote it down on my exercise calendar)
FRI: 6 miles, Abs
SAT: yoga/pilates (haven't decided which one yet), spin 20-30 minutes (depending how my bum feels)