CoreCommit and Move Nourish Believe Challenge Recap: Week One

Two weeks ago I signed up for the CoreCommit Challenge with Erica from Sweet Life.  I am having a blast! Never, in my entire existence, have I been this consistent with core workouts.  And the crazy thing is, I am noticing great results!  

Last Sunday, I went for a "slow" five-mile run.  I've been awful with my mileage lately, I am not even close to successfully completing with Winter 100 Challenge... which I also signed up for!  Anyway, my calves were a bit tight, and I walked a little bit, but for the most part I felt great.  In fact, I got back to the house and felt like I could have ran another mile or two... I was so excited.  Then.... wait for it....  I checked my time... 50:something!  My "slow run" was 10 minute miles!  I about did a jig in the cul-de-sac.  My fastest 5k ever was 10 minute miles.  I can't chalk it up to mileage, so I am definitely chalking it up to these core workouts. 

That and self defense class kicking my butt twice a week... :)

So, because two other challenges and a class aren't enough, I also signed up for the Move Nourish Believe Challenge with Lorna Jane and Fit Approach.  We just finished Week One, and I am feeling great!  Here's the recap...

Week One: Move

2/3: Sweat-it-out! -Show us your favorite way to sweat! 

My favorite way to sweat is running.  Hands down.  You can't beat a run.  Even better, a run in the rain... then, no matter how much you sweat, no one can really tell what is sweat and what is water.  I know lots of folks don't get very excited about running in the rain, but I grew up in the Pacific Northwest.  I don't own an umbrella, and I have been known to dance in rainstorms... so, there you have it.  

2/4: Change it up! - Sweat a new way! 

This week we were supposed to pick a workout from Move Nourish Believe and post a post-sweat session selfie.  I was secretly hoping that there would be a Self-Defense class on the website as a choice... but I didn't find one.  I was being lazy anyway, but it all worked out.  We had to cancel class that night anyway because the instructors had to work overtime (my hubs is one of them, so I have an "in"). So I chose SQUATS!!! I never do squats.  Since I had to do 100 sit-ups for my other challenge, I just randomly decided to do 100 squats.  Holy ouch!  My butt was feeling it the next day.  

2/5: Let's get planking! - Plank for at least five minutes today! You can split the planks up.

I am SO. GLAD.  I cannot imagine doing a five minute plank.  One minute - not too bad.  Five?  Death.  At least, it would be this month. Next month, I might be busting out five minute planks every day. 

This day, I did three one-minute planks and four thirty-second planks.  If I did my math right... well, I know I did because I used the stop watch on my phone.  When I'm planking, I count way faster than an actual second, so when I think it has been a minute, it has only been half a minute.  Stopwatches are crucial.   

2/6: Buddy up! - Workout with a friend today!

Jason was my work out buddy.  He teaches the Self Defense class, and that night we had to practice the "push-push-punch" move with him in a torso protector.  I'm not trying to complain, but I think he picked on me a little and pushed back a lot harder.  Oh well!  I got a good workout!  

Then we got home and did core workouts together.  I finished the CoreCommit moves for the day, and he made it to Level One Gladiator.  He asked me to do a set of up-down-planks, and I did them, but I decided I had no interest in being a gladiator.  



2/7: Fave Friday! - Show us your five fitness favorites! Exercises, people, whatever gets you moving and motivated!

My top exercise is running... so everything I picked tied in with that...  My top motivator is my hubby. Jason is the one who makes me run when I'm supposed to and don't want to.  He runs with me and takes shifts on days we run at a different pace.  

Next, I picked runs with family. I love running with my kids.  It's amazing to me that my son is old enough to keep up, and he wants to run with me!  I'm soaking that up while it lasts.  ;)  I also added a picture of my sister-in-law and my daughter in our homemade running tutus for St. Patty's last year.  The kids have a blast going to races with us, and I would rather slow down and run with them on those days than work on a PR.  Plus, I loved that race because my brother was home from Afghanistan, and we all got to run together that day.

For the last three things, I picked "stuff".  You know... the running things you feel like you can't live without?  Even though, I knew absolutely nothing when I first started running and seemed to survive.

Anyway - injinji toe socks are the bomb.  I'm cheap, so I usually get them on sale on Amazon, but I am up to three pairs and wanting more.  I used to run in Vibram FiveFingers all the time, but now I wear them even with regular shoes.  Great blister protection.  

Pink gear of any kind rocks... I love being a Sweat Pink ambassador, so I use that as an excuse to get more pink running stuff.   The latest and best pink thing I own is the Level Flipbelt.  Everyone should have one!  

Vivobarefoot shoes.  I'm sold.  I have three pairs and will buy more for sure.  Although, I'm not faithful... I have many, many other brands.  When I first started running, I just bought shoes based on how they looked.  Now I buy for feel, only buy minimal, and I have multiple brands that I wear on rotation.  Isn't it crazy how things change?  




That's how my week went!

I'm looking forward to our second week!  

NOURISH!!



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