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By kilax, December 13, 2009 1:12 pm

Day 50 | December 7, 2009: Stretch and Strengthen

If I can get through Level 1 of The 30 Day Shred at 3:45 am… that must be a sign I am ready for Level 2, right?!

Day 51 | December 8, 2009: 4 m run + strength

Strength at the office gym… I think I need to figure out something to work my triceps. Any triceps workout suggestions?

Seated Row: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Lateral Raise: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb
90 Degree Chest: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 40 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Lat Pulldowns: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb
Leg Press: 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 80 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Leg Curl: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb
Lunges: 10 each side with 5 lb weight each hand
Crunches: 15
Bicycle Crunches: 16
Woodchop: 10 each side at 30 lb
Drinking Bird: 10 each leg at 15 lb

Damn you, winter snow storm. I was looking forward to running outside with Steven. No way that is happening in the slippery snow during a snow storm!

Steven and I both ran 4 miles on the treadmill (with one window open). I set it to 6.0 mph, but it feels so much harder than running that pace outside. This chart says that if you run at 6.0 mph at a 1% incline, it is more similar to running a 9:52 mile. Do you think that chart is correct? Do you find running on the treadmill easier or more difficult? I think the treadmills at office gym are easy, but I struggle at home!

Distance: 4.0 | Time: 44:11 | 1: 10:11 | 2: 10:00 | 3: 10:00 | 4: 10:00

Day 52 | December 9, 2009: cross

Steven and I did Level 1 of The 30 Day Shred together. It was his first time doing it, so there was quite a bit of giggling from me in the beginning. It’s just funny to have two people doing jumping jacks in tandem in our living room! Plus, you have Data running around our feet, chasing a little ball while we are trying to do the moves. Steven actually felt like it was a good workout, so I hope we can do it together again!

Day 53 | December 10, 2009: cross + strength

I was a bit pressed for time during lunch, so I fit in an abbreviated version of my strength workout:

Seated Row: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Lateral Raise: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb
90 Degree Chest: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 40 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Lat Pulldowns: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Leg Press: 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 80 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Leg Curl: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb

My train home Thursday evening was stopped on the tracks for more than 45 minutes (due to a pedestrian accident ahead of us). Instead of being pissed off, I was grateful to have my baby computer to keep me entertained, decided to move my run to Friday (Steven got 4 miles in before I got home), and just walk 2 miles on the treadmill in the evening.

Distance: 2.0 | Time: 29:50 | 1: 14:55 | 2: 14:55

Day 54 | December 11, 2009: 3.5 m run + cross

I got pissed off on Friday.

I woke up at 4:00 so I could be to work by 6:30 – giving me a full hour and a half to stretch, warm-up, run, cool down, and take a shower and prep before work at 8:00.

My train was stopped on the tracks just past my stop for 40 minutes. I was so pissed. I could feel my blood boiling. When we finally got to the city, I speed-walked to my office (warm-up), ripped off my gym pants (thank heavens I was already dressed in my gym clothes) and tried to fit those 4 miles in. I got in 3.5. I was feeling great, but had to go poo since 2.9 and it hurt.

I hate when my schedule is out of my control like this. JUST. HATE. IT. I know it’s no one’s fault, but I get so frustrated. I worked very hard to calm down and think I did a good job. I still treated myself to a bonus lunchtime workout to de-stress though!

Side Note: The office treadmill is a piece of cake compared to ours at home!

Distance: 3.5 | Time: 34:02 | 1: 10:00 | 2: 9:40 | 3: 9:41 | 4: 4:41
Bike Time: 31:00 | Distance: 5.60 (Set on “Random Hills”)

Day 55 | December 12, 2009: cross

Another day of The 30 Day Shred, Level 1. It’s getting pretty easy – time to move on, Kim.

Steven and I also walked 1 mile and ran for 1.5. We intended to run further but Steven had a sudden splitting headache and felt like he was going to throw up, so we quickly walked home. No big deal!

Distance: 1.5 | Time: 14:29 | 1: 9:57 | 2: 4:32 + .5 mile warm-up and .5 mile cool-down

Day 56 | December 13, 2009: 6 m run + strength

I finally tried Level 2 of The 30 Day Shred. Whoa! I got through it, but definitely had to pause a few times to make sure I was doing it correctly. I did the “easier” versions of the Jumping Plank and the Plank Jacks. I thought the Walk-Out Pushups were a great move, even though it killed my wrists. Oh Jillian, you continue to surprise me with your torturous innovative workouts.

A few hours after The Shred I headed outside for an enjoyable 35° run – no joke, it’s the perfect temperature for me! (Steven decided to run on the treadmill).

Data ran outside to be in this picture.

I was hoping I would find clear sidewalks throughout the neighborhood, but I didn’t. There was definitely a bit of slippery snow running, so I did the last half of my run in the neighborhood park (it’s on asphalt), which was clear. I was kind of bored running without Steven, so I jammed to some tunes (one headphone only, of course)! I definitely played “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z and Alicia Keys more than once. What song are you jamming out to when exercising these days?

Distance: 6.0 | Time: 58:08 | 1: 9:43 | 2: 9:47 | 3: 9:57 | 4: 9:40 | 5: 9:40 | 6: 9:18

Week Summary: 18.00 miles

I enjoyed having a flexible schedule this week (except for Friday’s late train). I made a draft schedule, but modified it as I went along. It was fun to go with the flow and do what I felt like fitting in. I still set goals for each day, but was easier on myself about meeting them.

My legs have been feeling pretty tight for the past two weeks. It may be time to try and fit some yoga in.

This is a LONG post with only one photo… so here are some random ones for your entertainment!

Data wrapped up in a blue towel.

Our Christmas Tree downstairs. Note the huge Nativity.

Huge Willow Tree Nativity. Mom, I am still missing a few pieces!

The Star Wars Christmas Tree upstairs. Note the awesome Star Wars ornaments!

My fave ornament/the coolest shuttle in the entire trilogy – the Shuttle Tydirium.

And Leia is looking pretty hot in the slave girl outfit.

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By kilax, November 17, 2009 5:03 am

Q: How do you prepare for a visit from Grandma?

A: By cleaning like a mad woman, of course!

Come on, it’s not every day you get to:

• iron your place settings
• discover shiny surfaces right there in your own home!
• feel the tactile pleasure of cleaning each and every window blind
• relive memories as you clean tiny little mementos on your knickknack shelf
• vacuum every side of every cushion and pillow on the couch – I’ve confirmed – we do indeed, have a gray cat
• scrub out Data’s litter box by hand – ha, not! gotcha

Truth be told, Steven and I are very neat and tidy (he is more than me, for all of those women who think men can’t be organized*), and we would be doing this type of deep cleaning for any holiday visitor, not just my grandma. It’s just so time consuming!

Do you do a deep clean before each guest arrives? Or do you leave your place “as is”?

We always clean quite a bit for guests, but extra for the holidays.

At least we got to do some fun things, like put up the holiday decorations and listen to music while we were cleaning.

Data loves the fake tree, but we’ve asked him to admire it from a distance. It has valuable Star Wars ornaments on it after all!

Data! I see you there!

You better be a good boy Data, or Santa won’t come!

Side Note: Don’t forget to enter my Homemade Holiday Sweets Giveaway!

I just found out yesterday that I won my first giveaway, EVER! Marcia, from Running Off at the Mouth is sending me a copy of The Runner’s Cookbook, a book I have had my eye on for a year! Thanks Marcia! Check out her blog if you’re looking for a new runner blogging friend!

*Or cook. He’s a wonderful chef. I’m blessed.

Comments (20)

By kilax, September 30, 2009 7:32 am

Data has decided to honor me by sleeping with me the last 4 or 5 nights.

What this really means is that I wake up a few times in the middle of the night because I want to roll over, but I don’t, because he is sleeping so peacefully between my legs/next to me/on my feet. And I would never dream of interrupting his slumber (in the middle of the night)! I mean, he wouldn’t do that to me!

Oh, wait. He does. Every time I try to sleep in past 5:30 a.m.

Data sleeping between my legs. It’s kind of hard to tell, but I am under the covers! Like my cat blanket? HA!

The things we do for our pets. Does anyone else have this half-conscious, “I shouldn’t interrupt the sleeping pet” mentality in the middle of the night?

Ha. On a somewhat related note, Steven and I watched The Cat from Outer Space Monday night on DVD. If you like cats and cheesy old movies (released in 1978*), you have to watch this. I was laughing out loud for much of it, just because it was so ridiculous. It’s definitely going on my holiday wishlist.

*For some reason, I expect movies that were released after Star Wars (1977) to have similar quality graphics (The Cat from Outer Space, The Last Starfighter, Robocop)… they don’t. And why would they? I guess that just shows how ahead of his time (crazy) Lucas was.

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By kilax, March 13, 2009 5:31 am

Would you rather see a movie in the theater on opening weekend when there are big crowds, or wait and go after it’s been out awhile and the theater is more empty? Or, would you rather wait for it to release on DVD and watch it in your home?

I get really excited about some movies, and feel like I have to see them the weekend they come out – The Dark Knight, Iron Man, the Star Wars movies, and last weekend, Watchmen. It’s kind of fun to sit in the crowded theater, with a bunch of people, watching a movie. There is a different vibe then when the theater is empty.

Steven and I saw Taken a few weeks after it came out. We saw it on a Friday night. BIG MISTAKE. I think every mom in our neighborhood was dropping off 4 or 5 teenagers at the theater. Ugh, they were everywhere. The actual theater we sat in was fairly empty, but two teenage girls texted and gossiped throughout the entire duration of the previews. I don’t know who was more pissed off, me or the guy in front of me, who looked like he was going to get up a few times to go smack them. I warned Steven I might do the same.

Oops. That story was kind of unrelated. Anyway, I really enjoy the “full house” theater for some movies, but not all. And if I go opening weekend, I have to get there early to get the seat I want*. When we went to see The Dark Knight we had to sit in front… HUGE bummer.

*And I have to see the trailers! That is one of my favorite parts of seeing a movie – adding new movies to my “to see” list.

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By kilax, April 26, 2008 8:54 am

Have you ever seen a cooler USB Flash Drive? I think not.

Yesterday I picked up an issue of Star Wars Insider to read on the train ride home. I actually used to subscribe to this magazine, when I was in high school, but haven’t since.

So I’m reading this article “100 Best Things About Star Wars… Ever!” and when I get to the end of it, the next page is an advertisement from titan magazines for Heroes magazine, Star Trek magazine, Smallville magazine, Lost magazine… you get the idea.

I’m thinking, “What a bunch of worthless magazines! Who would want to read that?!”

As I sit on the train. With a copy of the Star Wars Insider.

Hmm. Time for a reality check, Kim.

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By kilax, December 16, 2007 6:05 am

It’s happened.

I’ve become so accustomed to traveling to Chicago each day that I have lost appreciation for the beauty of the city.

I noticed this last week when I left my office during the day to deliver a proposal to a client. I wandered through the Federal Plaza (you know, the one with this big orange thing?) on my way. Federal Plaza is a large open space in the Loop, next to a small (one-story) post office and the large 45-story Mies van der Rohe Federal Building. This spatial relationship creates an incredibly powerful void in the cityscape there – when you are walking in the plaza and look up, you have this wonderful feeling of being surrounded by tall, beautiful buildings.

It’s sad that I work one block away from the plaza and rarely see it, and experience that excitement of being in such a “big” city! I rarely leave a two-block radius around my office, except to walk to the train station.

But why I am talking about this on a Sunday? Because Steven and I are going to the city today to do something fun. We will leisurely ride the train down to the city; I will have time to meander without worrying about getting to work on time. We will enjoy of the beauty of being downtown.

And… we are finally finally seeing Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination at the Museum of Science and Industry. I am so excited about seeing the Star Wars models, I couldn’t slept through the night. It was such a hassle to buy these tickets, I hope it turns out to be as much fun as I imagine it will (regardless of the annoying crowds that are always in museums, dawdling at each exhibit).