I’m going to grow gills. I’m obsessed with swimming!  It’s challenging, it’s fun, it’s tiring…. it’s almost everything running is! :) 

Running Hiatus Workout #4

I hit the gym for some strength moves before diving into the pool.  Although I could have done these at home, I feel like I try so much harder when I’m at the gym!  Here’s my routine:

• 30 second jumping jacks (to warm-up)
• 10 walking push-ups
• 10 plank to push-ups
• 90 bicycle crunches
• 30 second jump rope
• 20 regular push-ups
• 30 old school crunches
• 60 reverse crunches
• 30 seconds of mountain climbing
• 2 30-second side planks – Right
• 2 30-second side planks – Left

WHEW!! It felt like I was doing my own version of the 30 Day Shred !  Jillian Michaels definitely taught me some great, effective moves.  (In case you’re wondering, I bring a piece of paper and a pen to write down the routine as I do it…otherwise, I would never remember anything!). :)  After the strength moves, I hit the pool.  I swam:

• 20 laps in 30 minutes (1,000 meters or 0.62 mile)

I’ve found that swimming is a lot like running in that I don’t start off by saying I’m going to do this HUGE distance.  Instead, I tell myself I just have to swim a little bit.  Once I did 10 laps, I felt like doing 5 more.  And once I did 15 laps, I felt like going all the way to 20.  Reverse psychology works on me every time!

Post-swim snack:

Plus a un-photographed rice cake.  I think I need to hide them from myself! They are sooo yummy. 🙂

And cereal around 5:30 to hold me over to dinner:

And dinner:

I had an Sweet Apple organic chicken sausage on a slice of whole wheat toast. 

Plus ketchup:

These sausages are so good!  We were out of buns, but the toast worked. 🙂

And a side salad:

Annnnnnd I’m out!  I want to get to bed early so badly.  See you in the morning! 

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”  – Albert Einstein