November Running

Yep- you read it right- it is almost middle of December and I'm just now getting to posting about my fitness for November.  I totally have Xmas Brain so I'm likely forgetting something I wanted to write in this post 

My total mileage for November- 40 mi.  My year to date miles 733 mi.

I ran 11 times in the month of November.
I did weights 7 days.
I swam 2 and spun 2. 

So lower mileage, but pretty active overall.  I always seem to struggle to find that "balance" in a lot of things in life, and why should running/fitness be any different?  I want to keep up the mileage and yet also do all the other cross training and I just can't seem to put that package together. 

I started a new Jamie Eason's LiveFit 12 week trainer.  However, I'm not sticking directly to it, because as the weeks increase  your days of lifting increase and I want to stay running, swimming and spinning.  So I have been through the first 3 weeks and after December will return to week 4 (maybe).  No I didn't completely fall off the weight training band wagon for December, instead I'm doing my own 30 day challenge in December- 1 mile or more running daily and 30 Day Challenge
 (below is the excerpt from their facebook page).  On Wednesday I run 2 or more miles due to my own challenge of 1 mile/day during Dec and their Wed "move a mile challenge".  I've really liked it and it is doable!  I don't do all 100 push ups at the same time.  I spread them out during the day and I also do "women" push ups, because regular ones and me aren't compatible yet (aka not strong enough to do several multiple ones).  Here is the Facebook page title: 30 Day Total Body Challenge--2013 Round Up!!

 

Welcome to the 30-Day Challenge Series Full Body Challenge!

It's a round up of all the fitness challenges we've done in 2013! Stay tuned for a detailed post with links to all the challenges for refreshers on what each of these moves are and see below for the quick reference cheat sheet for how this will all go down.

Sunday Push-Up Challenge...
--100 Push-Ups anywhere, anyway, as many sets as you need.

Monday Abs Challenge
--20 Crunches, 20 Bicycle Crunches, 20 Scissor Kicks, 20 Leg Raise, 20 Hip Extensions

Tuesday Lunge Challenge
--30 Forward Lunges (15 each leg), 40 Side Lunges (20 each leg ) 30 Reverse Lunges (15 each leg)

Wednesday Move a Mile Challenge
--Run, Walk, Crawl, Bike, Skate, Ski. Just move a mile forward.

Thursday Arms Challenge
--50 Triceps Push-ups, 50 Triceps Dips

Friday Plank Challenge
--Hold Regular and Each Side Plank for as long as you can (Levels 1-4)

Saturday: Repeat, Rest, or Test
--Repeat: Your Favorite! Rest: If you need it! Test: Do them ALL for time

 

My favorite run of November was the FoodRun 5K.  My son and I ran it together.  He did Awesome!  It was a beautiful Saturday morning in November.  All proceeds went to the Food bank in our town- win/win run in my book.

 

I'm not running too long these days- my longest run in November was just under 6 miles.  This always gets me down a little, because I feel like if I was a "real runner" I'd still be putting in a "long run" (8 or more) on the weekends, but at the same time it feels good to have a little break, but yet still be running. 

 

I'm looking forward to winter break time to read up on Triathlons and figure out what races I'm going to do next year.  Hope you are staying active despite the change in temps, if you are a Midwesterner.  Happy Holidays and Happy Running, Crunching, Lunging, Push-Upping, Swimming, Spinning,  Tricepping, and Planking (yeah I know some of these aren't really words- but they are for chattynatty).