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By kilax, January 31, 2016 3:28 pm

Highlight of the Week: Having fun running hills / a fantastic long run / teaching fitness boxing.

Monday | January 25, 2016: 8 m run + teaching strength class
Loc: Gages Lake/Gurnee, Temp: 28°/28°, Time: 1:12:48, Pace: 9:06 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, but sleepy
Strength: two dumbbells and cardio, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Tuesday | January 26, 2016: 14 m ride
Indoor Ride Time: 58:43, Pace: 14.3 mph avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: too hot
Wednesday | January 27, 2016: 11 m run (incl. 5 hill repeats) + 15 mins strength
Loc: Heather Ridge, Temp: 24°/22°, Time:1:37:18, Pace: 8:51 avg, Difficulty: easy then harder, Felt: good
Thursday | January 28, 2016: 6.3 m run (incl. 4×800, 6×1:00)
Loc: Gages Lake, Temp: 37°/38°, Time: 53:01, Pace: 8:25 avg, Difficulty: medium/hard, Felt: held back by the wind
Friday | January 29, 2016: teaching strength class + 5.3 m run
Strength: Two dummbells and core, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: good, like we were working hard
Loc: Gages Lake, Temp: 27°/27°, Time: 46:14, Pace: 8:43, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, but too full!
Saturday | January 30, 2016: 6.3 m ride (w/Steven) + 15.6 m run
Indoor Ride Time: 25:14, Pace: 15.0 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: Around Grayslake, Temp: 43°/41°, Time: 2:15:42, Pace: 8:42 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: fantastic!
Sunday | January 31, 2016: 3.8 m run + teaching fitness boxing
Loc: hood, Temp: 36°/34°, Time: 32:05, Pace: 8:27 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Strength: boxing and body weight movements, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great

Notes:

• My class was hyper and chatty Monday night and it pumped me up! Sometimes people are having a Monday (understandable!), so it was nice to see everyone in a good mood!
• 5K course PR training this week:
  • Wednesday: 5 1-mile hill repeats
  • Thursday: 4×800, 6×1:00. GAH, all but the last 800 were in to the wind. Good training in case the race is windy (it often is).

• To take the photo from Friday’s run I walked up a hill that I thought was covered in snow, but the freeze/thaw cycle had turned it into a sheet of ice! I took one step down when I got to the top and fell right on my butt. Ha! My leg got the brunt of it (scratched in the photo below) but it was fine the next day. And I don’t regret taking the photo – the reflection of the sun was so cool off the snow/ice!

• My long run this weekend was randomly fast for  me – it was a bit under marathon pace! I had to wait to cross several streets, and stopped to get water twice, so it’s not exactly a true test of pace (since the overall time was higher than moving time) but, it is encouraging! I was planning on going after my half marathon PR sometime this spring, so I seem to be on track for that!
• Teaching fitness boxing really pumps me up (broken record)! I am happy I was able to teach a class this weekend (since we weren’t moving like we thought we’d be… maybe next week?!).
• Monthly recap time! The first month of the year was stellar! In January I ran 230 miles and cycled 98 miles. I taught 8 strength classes, 4 fitness boxing classes, and 1 indoor cycling class. I rode my bike 10 times outside of class, and also did 6 strength sessions at home. My coldest outdoor run was -1°F and my warmest was 43°F.

Link to Training Week 327

Comments (8)

By kilax, January 30, 2016 9:50 am

Our old townhome had some amazing sunrises:

The rental has some amazing sunsets:

I wonder what we’ll be able to see from the new home? It’s heavily surrounded by trees (yay) and that doesn’t make for much of a vista! I know I’ll find one to run to!

Comments (34)

By kilax, January 29, 2016 6:34 am

I had my first mammogram, guys! And it didn’t hurt at all! But I did black out a bit…

Two weeks ago, I found a small lump between my right breast and armpit. I wasn’t too alarmed about it, but I took it seriously.

I asked my snister to feel it up the next day and she agreed that I should have my doctor check it out. So I did. I saw my doc last Friday and she was pretty sure it was a cyst, but recommended getting an ultrasound and maybe a mammogram to confirm.

I’ll leave out the (details of the?) part of the story where the receptionist looked at my health care card last week and told me she’d never seen it before and made me panic. And how much trouble it was to make sure the place doing the tests was in network. Sigh. I hope it isn’t always this difficult to use our new health insurance. And I can’t wait to see the bill… anyway…

I had the mammogram and ultrasound yesterday afternoon. The lady doing the mammograms was so nice! And it didn’t hurt at all! But it was really warm in the room, and by the time we got to the second to last one, she asked if I was feeling okay – I must have looked flushed. I told her yes, that I was fine to finish, but as we were setting up for the last one, I started to black out. I couldn’t see, but she helped me get out of the plates (ha!) and lead me to the chair. I was looking all over for it with my arms and couldn’t find it! Freaky!

She was really helpful and sat me down and opened a window to let cold air in, and got me a cold cloth for my head. I got my vision back quickly but then my ears felt like they were plugged with cotton balls and I couldn’t hear well for a bit. What. The. Heck. It was so odd! But like I told her, if I was going to black out someplace, I’d want it to be a hospital. Ha.

When it happened, I felt dizzy like I do when I take WAY too hot of a bath. But that doesn’t cause me to lose sight, then hearing. Odd.

After sitting and drinking a cup of cold water, I felt well enough to finish, so we did, then I sat in the waiting room for awhile, and the lady who did my mammograms checked up on me to make sure I was okay – she was such a sweetie.

Then someone else got me ready for the ultrasound (where I oddly felt cold, after being so hot!), and the doctor did it and showed me that it’s just a lymph node. Lymph nodes are usually higher up in the armpit, but it’s totally fine that this one’s hanging out there, and I only need to have them check up on it if it gets bigger. Cool. It also might just be inflamed and go away.

It may seem odd that I did all this to get it checked out but I found the lump the same day a family member had a double mastectomy. So… yeah. Gotta take care of yo’self!

Comments (27)

By kilax, January 28, 2016 6:23 am

• Steven freaked me the eff out on Monday! He called me and let me know he couldn’t find Data. And that there had been people working on the rental house. And he hadn’t seen Data since they left. Gah. Steven was looking for Data outside when he called me. Then he went back in the house and thankfully found Data under our bed – a CO detector was being tested while the workers were there and scared Data so much he hid under the bed for a long time. Gah. I was freaking out until Steven found him!

A photo Steven had sent me of Data from that morning

• Yesterday wasn’t a great day for Data at the rental, either, with the new owners and their kid visiting. I can’t wait until we’re settled in at the forever home and Data doesn’t have to deal with that stuff. Unfortunately though, there will be construction at the forever home for awhile… I hope it doesn’t bug Data too much. He’s done well with construction at the townhome – he just hates it when the smoke detectors go off.
• I am not the best version of myself right meow and I don’t like it. I am the highly stressed version of myself. Work is completely nuts, the house stuff is all effed up, I have some health thing to check out, and yeah… GET IT TOGETHER, Kim. Thanks to my friends/family for letting me vent to them so you guys don’t have to hear the details! (this bullet is actually replacing three that were listing the house details, ha! basically, we definitely aren’t closing tomorrow and still don’t know when we are – maybe next week?!)
• I’m certain I have complained about this before, but what is with people who don’t have their work phone number listed on the signature on their work email (or don’t have a signature at all)? You don’t want to be called? Me either, but a lot of times, you gotta call someone, and that would be such an easy place to find your phone number. Ugh.
• Another (no chip) nail came off Sunday night, but the other eight are going mostly strong, ha! I’ve been painting the missing nails with my own polish (seen on the right below). I can’t stand to have one nail not painted or chipped so I am happy these haven’t peeled off when I’ve been away from home and can’t fix it!

Thank gawd I take pictures of EVERYTHING to share with my snis so I have this sort of thing documented to share. Ha ha. 

Link to Random Thoughts Thursday 83

Comments (20)

By kilax, January 27, 2016 8:25 am

Cooking’s not for me. I don’t get any enjoyment out of it, and when I do cook, I feel frustrated that I scarf down the thing I made in a fraction of the time it took to make it (I’m such a fast eater – I need to work harder on slowing down). I clean up messes as I cook, but feel agitated when I sit down to eat because there are still multiple pots and pans that will have to be cleaned after eating. Ha ha. Then there’s the fact that I munch on food as I cook, and am not as hungry as I should be when I do eat. Sigh. Issues.

Luckily, Steven enjoys cooking, and I’m a good sous chef (and mediocre dish washer). So there ya go.

But the kitchen is not entirely lost on me! I do enjoy baking. I get much more enjoyment out of baking for someone else, than cooking for them. What’s up with that? Is it that I have a sweet tooth, and most of the things I bake are sweets (okay, ALL of them)? Or is it that when I bake for someone, it’s a treat, and I look forward to that person enjoying it as so, rather than some random meal (not that meals can’t be a treat, too). Eh, who knows.

I made cookies for my brother-in-law (for his birthday) last night and it was a much needed stress relief! Then I made dinner. Blah. Ha ha ha.

Comments (17)

By kilax, January 26, 2016 6:49 am

I’m in training at work this week and we have some group activities (joy). During our afternoon activity yesterday, someone in my group (politely) told me I talk too fast. Then everyone else chimed in that they agree.

Huh.

I told them, “that’s funny – in the last training class I took, my group also told me I talk too fast.”

Oops.

So am I talking fast in these groups so I’ll be heard? Or do I talk fast all the time?!

^^^Not how I feel AT ALL, but it made me laugh!!!

The funny thing is, Steven and I were listening to a book on tape (well, MP3, ha) and at first, I struggled to keep up with listening when we played it at 1.25x speed. So, I can’t listen to fast talkers well (but really CANNOT deal with slow talkers – it’s a huge pet peeve of mine)… but apparently am one?

Eh, at least they didn’t tell me I talk too much. I will never forget the time that an unwanted acquaintance told me that… confirming again, that I didn’t care for them, and that they didn’t for me. But I have to thank them for reinforcing a belief of mine – if you show your true self to someone and they are unkind, don’t bother with them. I’d rather have relationships where I don’t have to be guarded (I have a few of those as is, and I don’t care for it).

Comments (15)

By kilax, January 25, 2016 4:03 am

The RABGRAI route announcement party was on Saturday night! And the course has gone to the southern part of Iowa, as many thought it would:

RAGBRAI is the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. It’s a seven day bike ride from the western to eastern side of Iowa. The course changes each year – in 2014 it ended in the town my maternal grandma lives in, and in 2015, the course went through the town my paternal grandma lives. Both of these courses went through northern/central Iowa, hence why many thought the course would go to the southern side this year.

You can sign up for the entire week of RAGBRAI, or get day passes, as we have in the past. In 2014, my dad and I rode the last day – Saturday. Last year, we rode the days before and after the overnight town that my paternal grandma lives in – Dad and I rode Wednesday, and Dad, Will (Christina’s husband) and Julie (Will’s sister) and I rode Thursday.

This year, I am really hoping we can ride the last day, Saturday. The tricky part is getting to the start, and getting home from the finish. The start is an hour and forty minute drive from where my parents live. If someone was kind enough to drive us there in the early morning (leaving at 6:00 am), we could start the ride around 8:00 am. Then if they followed us on course, and met us in Muscatine, we could all drive to my parent’s cabin in Guttenberg, after, which is just over a two hour drive… totally doable… if someone wants to follow us in a car (as they have in the past). Ha!

Or, I told my dad we could just ride our bikes there, ride the course, then ride back home. Ha. Ha ha ha.

RAGBRAI ends the day before my birthday this year, so maybe I’ll pull the “but it’s my BIRTHDAY” card to get everyone on board. Nah, I think they’ll want to do it, despite the hassle. It’s a total blast to ride RABGBRAI!

Comments (13)

By kilax, January 24, 2016 6:53 pm

Highlight of the Week: A kick arse tempo run / teaching two full weekend classes at the studio.

Monday | January 18, 2016: 8 m run (incl. 7×4 laps (457m)) + 7 m ride (w/Steven) + teaching strength class
Loc: Lindenhurst Park District Indoor Track, Time: 1:07:49, Pace: 8:29 avg, Difficulty: mostly easy, Felt: good
Indoor Ride Time: 26:18, Pace: 16.0 mpg avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, tired legs
Strength: medicine balls, Difficulty: easy, Felt: great
Tuesday | January 19, 2016: rest
Wednesday | January 20, 2016: 10 m run (hills)
Loc: hood, Temp: 14°/14°, Time: 1:33:54, Pace: 9:23 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, careful on the fresh snow
Thursday | January 21, 2016: 10 m ride + 20 mins strength + 7 m run (5 m progressive tempo)
Indoor Ride Time: 39:38, Pace: 15.1 mph avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: good
Loc: around Gages Lake, Temp: 26°/23°, Time: 8:17, Pace: 58:03 avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: fantastic!
Friday | January 22, 2016: teaching strength class + 8.2 m run
Strength: Two Dumbbells and some cardio burst, Difficulty:medium/hard, Felt: good but a bit spent
Loc: hood, Temp: 23°/23°, Time: 1:14:45, Pace: 9:07, Difficulty: medium, Felt: SPENT
Saturday | January 23, 2016: 3.3 m run + teaching cycling class + teaching fitness boxing
Loc: hood, Temp: 24°/25°, Time: 29:29, Pace: 8:56 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good, needed to shake out the legs
Indoor Cycling Time: 55:06, Pace: 17.4 mph avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: good, pumped
Strength: boxing and body weight movements, Difficulty: medium, Felt: great
Sunday | January 24, 2016: 14 m run + 8.7 m ride (w/Steven)
Loc: around town, Temp: 26°/27°, Time: 2:08:48, Pace: 9:12 avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: good but tired
Indoor Bike Time: 34:50, Pace: 15.0 mph avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: happy Steven was biking

Notes:

• 5K course PR training this week:
  • Monday: 7×4 laps on the indoor track
  • Wednesday: hills
  • Thursday: I was going to do an even split tempo on Friday, but I needed a stress relief sesh on Thursday and I ended up with a nice 5 mile progressive (negative) split tempo that felt fantastic. I’ll take it!
  • I liked having my focused runs done early in the week so I could do some junk miles (my fave, ha) for my last few runs of the week.
  • I’ll have a limited schedule next week so I am not sure if I’ll get in these three workouts each week, but I’ll definitely do my speedwork.
• My Friday strength class this week was challenging! It was a simple two dumbbell workout but I put combos together that were challenging – heavy weights then cardio to jack up your heart rate, and core stuff too. FUN! I was so spent on the run after class though – the entire thing felt like the last few miles of a marathon, ha! (and I had to roll out of bed the next morning)
• When I was putting together my playlist for fitness boxing, I looked at an old Destiny’s Child album and was reminded how much I LOVED this song back in the day (and still do love!):

• I was on such a high after teaching cycling and fitness boxing on Saturday! I had full classes, and everyone was working hard and pushing themselves – it was such a great vibe! My next weekend class isn’t until February 14th – I reserved the next two weekends off for our potential house move. When I find out when we close, I may have to add a class on the weekend we aren’t moving – I’ll miss not teaching for that long!
• One of the reasons I love teaching fitness boxing is because it’s fun for me to develop new punching/kicking combos for the students to do. However, I think I need to be more diligent about keeping a majority of the basic, simpler moves in each class so they’re easy to follow and people can focus on their strength rather than trying to remember a combo.
• My brother-in-law gave me a Kohl’s gift card for Christmas and I used it to get this schweet Star Wars workout top! I first saw it in the store, with BB-8 on the front, which I loved, but that one was the wrong size. When I ordered this top, it didn’t show BB-8 in the pictures at all, so I am happy he made it to the back!

Link to Training Week 326

Comments (13)

By kilax, January 23, 2016 7:05 am

(I mean, beyond the house itself, the location, the privacy, and so on…)

Is picking out new appliances!

Some people seemed surprised we left our appliances at our townhome. We liked the appliances we had there, but we were excited to pick out new ones – which we completed last night!

We spent a few nights this week looking at display models to make sure we liked what we found online. The hardest thing to find to look at was the fridge – most of the fridges in stores have a freezer bottom and french door top. We want a freezer bottom and single door top, which we finally got to see last night. Now we can place our order after we close! Yay! Shiz is getting real!

We’re only getting one dishwasher and one fridge – I’m just showing them opened and closed in the image. The kitchen appliances are KitchenAid, the hood is Broan, and the washer and dryer are LG (I must have never posted about it, but we had to buy a new clothes washer in early March last year and got this LG model (in white) and really liked it!). 

It doesn’t show up in the image above, but all the KitchenAid appliances have knurled handles with red caps on the end. Fance!

Not on our list of appliances to buy? A microwave. We never had one at our townhome. Our rental has one and I’ve been using it, but I’m not in love with it. However, Christina gave me this schweet neck wrap that you can heat up in the microwave*, which I am in love with, so maybe I need a microwave just for that. Ha!

Late night picture I text to my snis!

Still left to pick out (but not an appliance) is a bathtub. The home has two bathrooms, and one is only a half bath so we’re having a bathtub/shower added to it. Yay! Having a bath is essential for me – that’s the only way I can really warm up after some of my cold runs (a steaming hot shower and hot cup of tea don’t seem to cut it!).

*Or cool in the fridge, which I haven’t tried yet

Comments (27)

By kilax, January 22, 2016 4:31 am

Last year I wanted to focus on doing more strength training at home and not just rely on getting it in 2-3 times a week teaching class.

That was a bit of a fail.

I did 18 strength workouts at home last year. Compared to teaching 117 classes. Better than nothing, for sure, but I didn’t put in the effort I could have.

But! I can already tell this year will be different!

Something about having a designated space in the basement, where all the weights are set up together, near the bikes, makes me more likely to use them. I get off the bike (or home from a run), and head right over to the weights. And I enjoy it.

We had this weight rack and bench in our bedroom at our townhome, but it felt inconvenient to use, and we definitely didn’t have this much space. I am getting stoked about setting our equipment up in the basement at the new house! We have a decent size unfinished basement to use (this is just part of it):

And I am also stoked to show you guys more house pictures when we close (maybe in a week?!).

Anyway. I think this is a case of setting myself up for success. I didn’t last year, but I’m going to this year!