Hubby was out of town last week, therefore I had to get really creative with my work-outs.  Basically, I took advantage of some YMCA guest passes.  It’s a win-win because Little Lion Man can play with other kids in the child care while I work out.

My friend, Jenny of Metamorfit, invited me to try her friend, Monika’s CSI class.  The name alone had me intrigued.  I wondered if we were going to work-out to some LL Cool J, but much to my disappointment, I learned that CSI means (Cardio Strength Intervals).

When I participate in classes like this, I realize just how weak I really am.  For about an hour, we rotated through strength training stations.  We did squats, lunges, lifted kettlebells lifts with squats, bicep curls, crunches planks, and whipped heavy, long combat ropes.

Attempting to do planks, push ups and crunches on large fitness balls made me feel like something out of I Love Lucy.  I was looked Lucille Ball fighting with the chocolate conveyor belt.

And just when I thought I was going to die, we did it all again.  Yep, we rotated TWICE through these strength training stations.  My arms were killing me the next day (in good way)!  I loved the class and want to go back for more!

Since my arms were so sore, I postponed my pushups challenge Day 1 by one day.  I did my first set on Saturday and then my second set on Monday.  I also received some feedback that my pushups in my initial test were not proper good form pushups because my chest didn’t touch the floor.  Whatever.  I can do a ridiculous number of alternate pushups on my knees, but I wanted to challenge myself.  So, I will continue with alternating sets of good form pushups on my toes and alternate girlies pushups on my knees.  For my final test vlog to demonstrate progress at the end of the challenge, I’ll do as many good form pushups on my toes as I can until I collapse, rest a day and then do as many alternate pushups on my knees.  I want to show good faith, good form and great progress!

Speaking of good form, I tried another new fitness class today which is a much as about good form as the technique.  My friends and I visited Pure Barre, which uses a ballet barre to target the arms, abs and tush.

As much ab exercises as I do, this class killed me because we were working targeting trouble areas with completely different exercises and a localized focus.  In fact, a lot of the Pure Barre exercises reminded me of the old Jane Fonda exercises from the 80s.  Remind the tush lifts?  We did about a gazillion of those today.

I found this YouTube to better demonstrates how the class raises the barre on fitness. There are Pure Barre studios all over the country, so check the site to find one near you.

My allergies were killing me this weekend and I came down with a horrible head cold, so I over slept and missed my Saturday run.  Oh well.

Still feeling crappy, I didn’t run on Sunday either and since I had a Mom Squad taping, I didn’t run on Monday either.  For this week’s Mom Squad, we talked about the Yahoo CEO who called “all-hands on deck” with her employees.  You can watch that WTSP Channel 10 Mom Squad segment here.

Now, gather ’round to hear a cautionary tale about the importance of surrounding yourself with friends who don’t sabotage you like mine do. Let my story be a lesson to you. To protect the guilty parties, I have changed their names.

On this chilly, frosty Florida morning, my darling friend, “Marisa” didn’t want to run.  She wanted to stay inside her toasty warm car instead of running laps.  Tried as hard as I could, I simply could not convince her to run in the cold with me.  Then in a clever and crafty way, she manipulated poor “Laribel” into skipping sprints with some Starbucks.  It was mutiny, I tell you!  They sabotaged my speedwork!  My laps were bamboozled by a steamy, frothy hot vanilla latte!

When “Marisa” returned us to the scene of the crime, I felt guilty for guzzling down a latte and missing my sprints.  Wanting to PR for my half marathon this Saturday, I eagerly wanted to run some sprints to prepare for the race. So, I guilted convinced “Laribel” to run them with me.   Since we were pressed for time, we only did a quarter mile warm-up, 4 quarter mile laps and a quarter mile cool down.  Nothing fancy, but it took the guilt away.

0.25 mile warm-up
Time 2:12
Ave Pace 8:51

Lap 1
Time 1:54
Ave Pace 7:37

Lap 2 – 0.25
Time 1:52
Ave Pace 7:30

Lap 3 – 0.25
Time 1:49
Ave Pace 7:17

Lap 4 – 0.25
Time 1:54
Ave Pace 7:37

0.25 cool down
Time 2:15
Ave Pace 9:01

I am just thankful to have some speedwork to report to my readers and for not listening to the advice of my bad influence friends to “make up some stats”!  I am also really grateful for not shitting myself in the middle of the track, since I didn’t know how my body would handle coffee before running.

And thank goodness for good influence fitness friends, like Kat, Jenny and Chrissy!

Do you drink coffee before running?  Do your friends encourage or sabotage your work-outs?

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