The weekend & Monday

Saturday, there was a workout at Lake Hefner, but I didn't make it. It was just too tempting to sleep in. However, I did do my homework. I ran 20 minutes around the neighborhood around 5:30 p.m. It was still in the 90s, but I did this on purpose. I really wanted to sweat...and sweat I did! When I got home, I did my the usual core routine and stretched for 1o minutes. I don't think I've ever told you what the "usual" core routine is:

• 30 sit ups
• 30 crunches
• 30 right elbow-to-left knee situps
• 30 left elbow-to-right knee situps
• 30 toe touches (with feet high in the air)
• 30 "rockers" side to side touching alternating heels
• 30 leg lifts

I think that's it. Anyway, these are still challenging after 14 days of Boot Camp, but have gotten somewhat easier with repetition. AND...it's MUCH easier to do this at Boot Camp with everyone participating than to do it at home all alone!

Saturday night I had my CHEAT meal of the week - sushi & ice cream...yum! Sunday night I did another suggested workout which was 100 squats and 50 sit ups. My legs and arms were really burning after that...and I did the above-mentioned core exercises too!

Today was a really rainy day here in OKC. The morning Boot Camp was cancelled because the rain was coming down pretty hard, but it had cleared up by the afternoon and was bright and shiny. There were several people there tonight who usually go in the morning, so it was a nice change to have a larger group. I'm not sure of the name of tonight's workout, but I really enjoyed it.

We started with a moving warm up of squats, toy soldiers, high knees, butt kicks...etc. Then stretched. Then...RUNNING! We ran in 4 minute increments and held rubber bands as we ran. After 4 minutes, we would re-group and do a strength exercise. We alternated like this up and down the north side of Lake Hefner until we had done 6 sets of runs and 5 strength exercises with the bands, which were:

• "Fire Hydrants" - down on all fours with band just above knees, then pull right leg up like a dog at a fire hydrant...repeat x10...switch to the left for 10...back to the right...back to the left...yada yada yada. It went on forever!!! My hips were burning
• Squats - but not just standing there. With our bands around our ankles, we squated and jumped, squated and pushed our legs to the sides, squated and kicked our legs to the front...etc...etc
• Walking squats - kind of like a SLOW shuffle...50 steps to the right...50 steps to the left
• Push ups - lots and lots of push ups...moving push ups :)
• Ab bridges - feet flat, knees together, weight on heels & neck with butt in the air...then with band around the ankles, right leg up with crunches, repeat that with the left leg up, pelvic thrusts...and just holding the bridge position the whole time.

All in all, I felt really good tonight. The weather was nice, a little humid from all of the rain, but in the 70s, so it was tolerable. It was sunny...and I'm pasty white, so I'll probably look like a lobster tomorrow...oh well :) It was worth it! More rain in the forecast for the week...yay

OH!!! I almost forgot to mention. One person in the class wore her watch that measures the distance of the run...we ran close to 3 miles tonight! It went by pretty fast by breaking it up with some other exercises!