read more posts by
Heather
It is hard to believe it is September. Summer flew by, but then again, March seems like it was 20 years ago. This has been the longest year, yet I have not accomplished as much as possible during this extraordinary time. It has been a strange time. I have often felt we are living a bad dream, and I keep hoping to wake up from it. I will go out on a limb and say, at times, I was downright depressed. I spent too much time watching Netflix, playing on my phone, or anything else BUT focusing on my goals.
This summer, I set small goals because that is who I am. I am a goal setter, type A personality that needs to have something to focus on at all times. I did not want big, audacious goals. I wanted goals that I knew I could reach and still feel productive. In June, I shared my goals (see below), and now it is time to see how I did and reset for the last four months of the year.
Blog
Continue to grow my social media accounts, new course work 2-3 times a week, including SEO content and eight new blog posts.- My social media accounts grew by 1%. I completed eight blog posts but did not touch my course work. The course work is #1 priority for the fall.
Time Management
Implement a new weekday schedule. I am going to start time blocking. Time blocking is a type of time management that has you divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to accomplishing a specific task.–I did this initially, but work was super crazy this summer, and it let it bleed into other things. I started blocking my time again this week, and so far, so good.
Personal
- Finish my 2019 scrapbooks.- This will be a heavy lift, but I am determined!– I have no idea why I put this on my list. I have so much to scrapbook for 2019; it was just not reasonable. I would have had to do this and nothing else! I did complete July and August 2019, so that is something.
- Read six books.- I read seven!
- Explore 6-10 state parks in Massachusetts.-We explored four.
- Get back to date night.– Yes, we did this twice.
- Spend more time outside.- I was outside A LOT. It has been great.
Health & Fitness
- Build off the 7lbs loss and lose another 10lbs.– We won’t talk about this one. I need to duct tape my mouth shut.
- Minimum of 10,000 steps a day.- DONE
- Consistently strength train.-DONE
- Continue training for fall races.-DONE
Overall, I did okay. As I mentioned, I kept it relatively simple. With all the chaos around us, I could not concentrate enough on the bigger things. However, six months later, it is clear life is not going back to normal anytime soon. I need to see past it and use this extra time at home to my advantage. I need to stop wasting time and focus on what I want. There are things I am not happy with, like my weight gain, and now is the time to make a plan and stick with it. When I started this blog last year, I knew I wanted it to be much more than a hobby. It was to become a second stream of income, a side hustle. Now is the time to start acting like it and put the work in.
September-December Goals
Blog
- Complete all course work.
- Land three sponsored posts.
- Write 20 blog posts.
- Earn my first comped trip.
- Grow my social media platforms by 5%.
- Revamp my newsletter and grow my list by 10%.
Time Management
- Each week plan my week and block my time from 7-5 each weekday.
- Use my planner to its fullest. LIVE BY IT.
Health & Fitness
- Duct tape my mouth shut. – Ha!
- Go back to tracking my food. Stay within my caloric budget.
- Continue with my running and strength training.
- Lose 25lbs by 12/31/20.
- Get a minimum of 6.5 hours of sleep a night.
Personal/Household
- Finish my reading challenge for 2020. I have 18 books to go.
- Finish my 2019 scrapbooks.
- Continue exploring state parks.
- Go away for a weekend at least once a month.
- Tackle a room a month and spent 10 mins each day getting rid of any clutter until it is gone.
- Finish the basement makeover.
It may seem like a bit much for the next four months, but if I manage my time well and put in the work, I can do great things, and so can you! Dust off those planners and get to work. Don’t remember 2020 as the year we would like to erase from our minds, but as the year you put the foot on the gas and went after your goals. I can’t wait to hear how you did!
As we all know, 2020 has been a mess. There are cancellations galore, ranging from birthday parties, graduations, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and more. Up until recently, in some parts of our country, we could not eat inside a restaurant. This past spring, my son graduated high school, and it was nothing like we have imagined. This fall, his campus is not opening, and he will be attending classes from home. It is all a cluster! It has been stressful, and I have needed an outlet. That outlet is running.
Running is what has gotten me through the hard times. There is nothing more satisfying than completing a training plan and celebrating with a race. A race, hmmm… there certainly has not been a lot of those in the past six months.
Like most other things in my life in 2020, road races have been canceled. My race weekends in Disney World were canceled, as have two local 10ks, three local half marathons, and a half marathon in Vancouver, BC. I know I am not the only one. A lot of my friends are runners and are experiencing the same disappointment. So what do we do now? Call it a day, sit on the couch, and eat cookies? NO! We are runners. We figure it out. Here are four suggestions to get us through these challenging times.
Rediscover your Love of Running
Training is hard. Always training for a race is even more challenging. There is no downtime, and it is day after day of speedwork, drills, hill repeats, intervals, and the long run. Sometimes the love of running disappears in the midst of it all. However, with no races on the horizon, you can take a day, a week, or even a month to run just because you want to and not because you have to check off a box in a training plan. To me, this has been the best part. I am running more now because I love it, and it makes me feel good. These days it is more of I want to run than I have to run.
Do Something that will Improve your Running
Often when I am deep into a training program, other forms of exercise fall by the wayside. I skip out on my strength training. Yoga?? What is that? This is the perfect time to incorporate these things into your routine. Instead of an hour-long run, run 30 mins and then complete 30 mins of strength training. I promise, once you see the benefits of strength training, you will never exclude it from your training plan again.
Try Something New
Perhaps with all the cancellations, the motivation to run is not there. That is okay. Take this opportunity to try something new. I started shadow boxing and loved it.
Challenge Yourself
The race is the reward for a long training cycle. Without that, many people might not see the point in continuing with their training. Instead of throwing that training plan out the window, why not continue and see what goals you can crush despite not having the reward at the end.
Remember, though it may seem like it, this is not forever. Eventually, the virus will pass, and races will resume once again. Until then, eat healthily, move 30 mins a day, stay hydrated, and get plenty of sleep.
Do you travel a lot? We travel quite a bit, more so over the last few years. When I started to travel a bit more frequently, I noticed I would come home and begin to feel like crap. I mean, who has time for that? I have a job and other responsibilities. Over the years, I have tried different things, but these are the tips that have worked for me.
- About a week before I travel, I start adding Nuun Immunity and Hydration tablets to my water. I use one a day.
- Stay hydrated throughout your trip. I carry a water bottle with me everywhere. I either pre-order water to be delivered to the room or make sure to hit up a convenient store and stock up.
- Try to eat as healthy as I can. This is not to say I don’t splurge, but I try to keep at least two of my meals healthy and treat myself once day, rather than all day long.
- Keep up with my exercise routine. For us, runners, traveling to a new place to run is a highlight of the trip. I may not get to it every day, but I aim to exercise several times while on vacation. It makes me feel better and lets me justify some of the treats I may be experiencing.
- Get some sleep! This is the one I have the most challenging time with, but it is so important. If we keep up with our sleep, we will feel so much better upon returning to real life.
I hope this tips help. I am sure there many others out there and I would love to hear yours. Drop me a line in the comments and share what works best for you.
The summer of state parks continues with our visit to Halibut Point State Park. Located on Cape Ann in the town of Rockport, MA, it was once the Babson Farm Granite Quarry. The granite was quarried at the beginning of the 20th century and used to build thousands of buildings, warehouses, bridges, street monuments, and tunnels. Unfortunately, in 1929, operations ended with the collapse of the Cape Ann granite industry. In 1934, The Trustees of the Reservations acquired a piece of land next to the quarry. Here the Halibut Point Reservation was created. Then, in 1981, the state purchased 56 acres of land, resulting in Halibut State Park’s creation. Together, they make up this beautiful area.
Before heading out, be sure to download a trail map. You can find in here.
As I may have mentioned in my previous post, we were in the midst of a heatwave here in Massachusetts. We have had many days of 90 degrees and 100% humidity. On this particular day, we thought we might get some relief by being next to the ocean. Not so much!
Our visit started with a hike around the granite quarry. The walk is a self-guided tour. We downloaded a brochure that explains each of the nine markers set around the quarry.
The quarry is no longer in use and filled with natural spring water. When it was still an active quarry, the workmen would have to keep the water out by hand with buckets. Can you imagine? Today, it is filled with spring water and about 60 feet at its deepest point. There is no swimming in the quarry. It is for your viewing pleasure only.
As you can see from the photo, the blocks of granite are coming up from the water. Some birds are sitting on them. Granite was brought up from the bottom of the quarry using what is called derricks. Derricks are an arrangement of blocks, tackles, and pullies. You can see how it was done below.
The single-round hole is called a dog hole. It’s used to hold tips of the giant hooks called dogs. Cables and chains suspended these from the derricks.
Long iron staples were used to keep the derrick in place. Over thousands of years, water seeping in the granite would cause minerals to oxidize or rust. Hence, this granite got its color.
Marker 5 is a small body of water that sits next to the quarry. I have to admit, we missed it. I took a picture of the marker but not the water. Anyways, it is called an In Motion. That is a term meaning small quarry. It was here that the granite was made into pavers.
Marker 6 demonstrates how granite was split at the quarry. In the early days, it was split by making holes with a flat chisel and then driving flat wedges down into the holes. Later on, the process was much improved. According to the guide, “new chisels with shallow V-shaped cutting edges were struck with a hit-turn-hit-turn motion. This technique made circular holes into which half-round shims like the ones still in this stone were inserted. A tapered wedge was driven between them, splitting the stone. Even with this improved technology, nearly 75% of the large blocks split crookedly and had to be relegated to the grout pile.” Wow, that seems like a lot of wasted granite!
Marker 7 is the grout pile. The grout pile makes up the lookout point of Halibut Point State Park. It is a pile of granite of pieces dumped here over many years.
The point of marker 8 is to demonstrate the diameter size of the holes. When the quarrymen started using steam power drills, it became possible to cut deeper holes and quarry larger pieces of stone.
Granite bollards were set onshore or on wharves to secure the lines of the ships. Initially cut by hand, these pieces of granite were quite impressive in person.
After touring the quarry, we hiked down to the shoreline, which is part of Halibut Point Reservation. Here you can climb the rocks, play in tide pools, see marine life, and more. I love sitting there and listening to the crash of the waves.
On our way back to the car, we stopped to admire a few of the granite structures that scattered along the park.
Until next time Rockport. We will defintely be back.
Last month, we spent two weeks on Cape Cod for our big summer vacation. As much as we love the beach, there is so much more to do and see on the Cape. My youngest son and I decided to take advantage of the time and explore some things off the beaten path. Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is one of them.
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is part of the Massachusetts Audubon Society. The Massachusetts Audubon Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving nature in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It protects 36,500 acres of land throughout the state, saves birds and other wildlife, and makes nature accessible through its wildlife sanctuaries and 20 nature centers. During school vacation and in the summer, the society has camps for kids. The Audubon Society has all sorts of programs, from bird watching, art, and photography, guided tours, and with the onset of the virus, it is providing quite a few virtual programs as well. It is not something we have taken advantage of before, but plan on doing more in the months ahead.
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is an easy drive, straight down Route 6 on the Cape. The trails are open Tuesday-Saturday 7:30 am-7:30 pm. There is a fee to park; however, due to the visitor’s center being closed, there was no one to collect the payment. Wellfleet Bay overlooks the beautiful Wellfleet Harbor. There are numerous trails to explore that lead to a salt marsh, a sandy barrier beach, and woodlands. There is also a nature center with exhibits and an aquarium. Unfortunately, the nature center was closed. Though that was okay, we were there to explore the outdoors. With 1,183 acres and 5 miles of trails, there is a lot to explore.
There are six trails to explore. A map of each one can be downloaded to your phone.
- Bay View Trail- this is a woodland trail that provides plenty of shade.
- The Boardwalk- it crosses the salt marsh over to the beach.
- Goose Pond Trail- this trail is excellent for birdwatching.
- Silver Spring Trail- this trail borders a fresh pond.
- Try Island Trail- another woodland trail with views Cape Cod Bay.
- All Persons Pathway and Sensory Trail- includes an audio tour that that can be downloaded.
Since it was our first time and quite hot out, Nicholas and I chose the Bay View Trail. Little did we know it is the longest trail. Perhaps I should have read up on it more before going!
The Bayview Trail winds through the pine woodlands. It took us by a salt marsh, a pond, and then some sandplain grasslands. My son has recently taken up birdwatching. He enjoyed seeing and hearing all the different birds and trying to guess which was which. My favorite views were of the salt marsh. It was beautiful.
We were at the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge the day before and while Nicholas enjoyed it, he preferred Wellfleet. We are already planning to come down in the fall and explore more of the trails when it is not so hot and muggy.
What about you? Have you explored anything off the beaten path recently?
Chatham is a seaside town located on Cape Cod, MA. Once you cross over the Cape Cod Canal, it is about a 45-minute drive.
Chatham is one of the more upscale towns on the Cape. It has historically been known as a fishing community. In the summertime, the population soars to 30,000, but in the winter, most homes are empty. Are you looking to buy a second home in Chatham? The average price of a home is 1.3 million dollars.
As I mentioned, Chatham is located on the elbow part of the Cape. The town includes two narrow strips of land, which serve as a barrier between the Atlantic and the mainland. There are several islands, including Monomoy, a 7.25-mile-long island south of the corner of the town, home to the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge.
With six major saltwater beaches, Chatham is a great place to come for the day or take a week-long vacation. There are many cottages or houses to rent in the summer. If you want to pamper yourself, the Chatham Bars Inn is a beautiful place to stay. It is known as the Cape’s Premier Resort and Spa. Rooms start at over $1,000 a night in the summer, so be prepared to pay for such luxury. You have your choice of staying in the main inn, a cottage, or a spa suite. There is a beach, pool, cabanas, and plenty of dining. It offers activities such as boating and tennis. Oh, and don’t forget the spa. For more information, click over to their website.
We did not stay at the inn or even in Chatham. My family and I rented a couple of houses in nearby Dennis Port. However, we took a few day trips to explore.
Seal Watching
Our vacation started with a boat ride to see Chatham’s most famous residents, seals! I recommend Monomoy Island Excursions out of Harwich Port, MA. The tour lasts about 1.5 hours, and it takes you through Wychmere Harbor in Harwich Port, down to Stage Harbor in Chatham and through narrow channels. The final destination is Monomoy Island, a barrier island off the coast of Chatham. Here we found the seals swimming and sunning themselves. A naturalist narrates each tour. This was our second time going on a seal watch, and we were not disappointed.
As we approached Chatham, we learned the history of the area.
Stage Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1880 and one of the youngest lighthouses on the Cape. It was built at the entrance of Stage Harbor to assist the Chatham Lighthouse light the way for sailors as this area is known for being one of the foggiest on the east coast. Fifty-three years later, the lighthouse was decommissioned and is now a private home. Though I don’t think I would want to stay in it any time soon. To this day, it has no running water or electricity. One must use an outhouse if nature calls.
As can see, if you are lucky enough to have a boat, you can head out to the sandbars and spend your beach day there. However, please do not swim with the seals. They may look cute and cuddly, but they are not. Plus, you never know what is lurking behind them. The Cape has seen an increase in shark activity in recent years due to our large seal population. If you happen to be swimming with the seals, the seals will use you as a human shield and push you toward the sharks!
Chatham’s Fishing Pier
Not in the mood for a boat ride? Head down to the fishing pier and see what the catch of the day was (literally) and check out all the seals there.
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge
My youngest son has taken up birdwatching. We have a couple of bird feeders in our yard that attract all sorts of birds. He was excited to see what we may find down the Cape.
The Monomoy Wildlife Refuge was established in 1944 to provide habitat for migratory birds. The Refuge Headquarters is located on a 40-acre unit on Morris Island and consists of a visitor center, beach, and trail system. It was sweltering and humid on the day we went, but we managed to walk one of the trails. The visitor’s center was closed due to the virus, but we downloaded a map from the website and set off. Next time we plan on staying longer and walking out to the Monomoy Lighthouse.
It is a beautiful and peaceful place to spend an afternoon.
Chatham Lighthouse
The Chatham Lighthouse is an American icon. Pre-COVID the lighthouse was open a few hours each week in the summer for visitors. Unfortunately, I was only able to grab a photo. It is one of 16 lighthouses remaining on the Cape. Cape Cod shore is rugged and has not made it easy for ships to come in. It is has been said that over 3500 vessels have been wrecked along the Cape’s coast. The lighthouse has a fascinating history, and I encourage you to read more here. Oh, and a fun fact, it is now home to the US Coast Guard.
In addition to what we did, there are plenty of restaurants and shops to visit in Chatham. Whether you are here for a day or a week, you will find something for everyone.
Last October, Rüdesheim am Rhein was one of six stops we made during our Rhine River cruise. Rüdesheim is located in Germany, along the banks of the Rhine. It is a German wine-making town in the Rhine Gorge. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in this region. We had about 6 hours to explore this charming German town. Here are seven things to do in Rüdesheim.
Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet
Our first stop of the day was to Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet. Honestly, we were not sure what to expect, and I was afraid I would be bored. Not so! It is a beautiful and unique place. Here you enjoy one of the most extensive collections of self-playing instruments in the world. What is a mechanical or self-playing instrument? I am glad you asked! The instruments work like computers. On their website is an excellent description of how these instruments work.
“You have a data store and an attachment that can implement stored information in a targeted manner. It is of secondary importance whether only a single sound, a signal, or a sequence of sounds is made to sound. Although the term “data storage” in the heyday of self-playing musical instruments – from the 17th century to the 30s of the 20th century – was unknown, even the oldest data storage system, the bribed roller, works according to the same yes/no principle as the modern PC. Pen in the reel means clay, no pen in the reel means no sound.”
Our guide was fantastic and quirky. She loved her job, and it showed. For 45 mins, she took us from room to room and demonstrated various instruments.
Fun Fact- In the last photo, our guide was holding up a music box. These are called singing bird vending machines. It is rumored that Walt was inspired by these little boxes, and the Enchanted Tiki Room was born.
Drosselgasse
Drosselgasse is the main street that runs through the old town. It is lined with historical buildings, shops, restaurants, bars, bakeries, and more. At approximately a mile long, some of the city’s best entertainment can be found here. One can experience and immerse themselves into the German Rhine culture by enjoying regional dishes and wine.
Cable Car
Rüdesheim’s Cable Car transports guests all the way to the Germania monument. Though the weather was not great, we could not pass up a ride on the cable car. I had heard the views of the Rhine, and the vineyards are beautiful. We were not disappointed.
The views were worth the ride.
Niederwald Monument
We exited the cable car at the top of the hill and went to see the Neiderwald Monument. However, it was so foggy, and we could not see it unless we were right in front of it. None of my photos came out, so the one above will have to do. On a clear day, you can see miles around and take in the Rhine Gorge’s beauty.
The monument was built in 1977-1983 to mark the re-establishment of the German Empire after the Franco-Prussian War. The central figure is the Germania holding the imperial crown in her raised right hand and the imperial sword in her left hand.
Walking Wine Tour
Take a walk through these vineyards. Learn how the grapes are picked and about the winemaking process. Of course, enjoy samples of delicious wine!
Eat Baumstriezel
Otherwise known as chimney cakes, these yummy treats are made from enriched yeast dough cut into long strips and wrapped around a thick spit. The cake is sprinkled with sugar and baked over an open fire or in small electric ovens.
Drink a Rüdesheimer Kaffee
Brandy and sugar cubes are added to a cup. The brandy is flambeed and stirred for a minute until the sugar dissolves. Coffee is added, followed by a topping of whipped cream sweetened with vanilla sugar.
We could easily spend a few days in this charming town. I look forward to going back someday.
This past February, the family and I went on a four day Disney Cruise to the Bahamas and then spent three nights at Walt Disney World so I could run the Princess Races. We took this opportunity to visit the newest Disney resort and restaurant.
Disney’s Riviera Resort opened on December 16, 2019. It is located between Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Caribbean Beach Resort is right next door and is served by the Disney Skyliner gondola system. It is a Disney Vacation Club Resort with a French and Italian Riviera theme. It is gorgeous. I had plans to stay there in April, but a little old virus ruined that. We plan to head down in October so that I will be doing a full review of the resort at that time. Today I want to talk about Topolino’s Terrace, Disney’s newest restaurant located at the top of the Riviera Resort.
Topolino’s Terrace- Flavors of the Riviera serves both breakfast and dinner. Breakfast is a character meal with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy. Dinner is a bit more upscale. It is a signature dining experience with an Italian and French flair. With the terrace right outside, it is a beautiful place to dine and then watch the fireworks. I have reservations in November for dinner. Right now though, I want to discuss breakfast.
Most character meals we attend for the atmosphere and character meet and greets. The food is okay, and some places are better than others. However, breakfast at Topolino’s was delicious! By far, it was one of the best meals we have had on property in a while. And the characters were adorable!
I forgot to take a photo of the menu, but you can see it here at the Disney Food Blog. To start, we had French Press coffee, chocolate milk, juice, and I had one of their signature cocktails to celebrate my first race of the weekend.
I had a floral mimosa made with elderflower. It was delicious. While everyone was looking at the menu, an assortment of pastries was delivered to the table.
There were seasonal danish, croissants, chocolate chip muffins, Epi-bread, honey butter, jam, and chocolate hazelnut spread. Everything was yummy, and with two growing boys, we polished off two of these.
The menu has nine entrees, ranging from a fruit platter, eggs, quiche, smoked salmon, steak, and more. Of course, for the kids or the picky adults, there are always pancakes or Mickey waffles.
I had a Sour Cream Waffle. It had Roasted Apple, Chantilly, Orange-Maple Syrup, and served with choice of Smoked Bacon, Ham, Sausage, or Plant-based Sausage. It was delicious.
Bill had eggs and bacon. The boys had pancakes.
As we were eating, the characters made their way around to the tables. The characters are dressed as artists from the Riviera.
The service, the character interactions, and the food were excellent. If you are looking for more gourmet breakfast, Topolino’s Terrace is the place. Just beware, you will pay the price. Breakfast is $42.00 per adult and $27.00 per child (ages 2-9).
Oh, and before I forget, check out the view from the terrace! I am looking forward to having drinks here on my next trip.
Wasn’t it just May? Where did June go? It came and went so fast; I did not have a chance to post about my goals or do my monthly check-in. Many of you have commented that you find these helpful and motivating, so I apologize for not posting.
I am going to do something a bit different this month. Instead of individual goals for July and August, I will combine the two and set my goals for summer. These two months go by so fast, and it makes sense to combine them.
Below is what I committed to in May and how I did.
Blog
I will build on what I did or did no do in April. Moving forward, I think four blog posts a month will be the norm. I will chip away at my courses and will try to do ONE session of SEO a month. I am not letting go of this goal; I am trying to make it attainable.- My approach worked. By breaking down the SEO goal even further, I was able to stay on track.
Personal
- I will build off my 2.5lb weight loss and aim for 2-5lbs this month.-I am down 7lbs!
- Continue to move my body 30 mins a day.-DONE
- All my summer races were canceled, but I plan to run them virtually.-3 virtual races were done and more to come.
- Research vacation options for summer to replace our canceled Canadian Rockies trip.-Two new vacations planned.
Household
- Purge Nicholas’s room.-Done
- Begin the basement (scrapbook room) project.-NOPE
- Clean out my garden boxes and start my veggie garden.-DONE
Wow, not bad! I would say May was a huge success! Except for the scrapbook room, I did everything I set out to accomplish. I think the scrapbook room project will wait until the winter months. With the beautiful weather here, I plan to be outside as much as possible.
Goals for July & August
Blog
Continue to grow my social media accounts, new course work 2-3 times a week, including SEO content and 8 new blog posts.
Time Management
Implement a new weekday schedule. I am going to start time blocking. Time blocking is a type of time management that has you divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to accomplishing a specific task.
Personal
- Finish my 2019 scrapbooks.- This will be a heavy lift, but I am determined!
- Read 6 books.
- Explore 6-10 state parks in Massachusetts.
- Get back to date night.
- Spend more time outside.
Health & Fitness
- Build off the 7lbs loss and lose another 10lbs.
- Minimum of 10,000 steps a day.
- Consistently strength train.
- Continue training for fall races.
I am keeping it simple. I want to enjoy the summer and will hold off on the bigger household projects until the colder weather.
How about you? What are your summer goals?
I am a runner. Running is what I love to do. However, running alone can not get me to my goals. Running alone, for me, leads to injury. All runners need to incorporate cross-training and strength training. It makes us stronger and helps prevent injuries.
So then, why the heck was I not doing it? Time, laziness, boredom, or possibly all three? When COVID-19 hit back in March, and we were told to work from home and to shelter in place, I thought I would have all the time in the world. Well, I did, and I decided to prioritize other things. Well, no more!
For me to be a stronger runner and overall in better shape, I needed to do something other than running. A few friends of mine had been working out to a boxing program, and it looked pretty fun. After 100 days of working from home, wearing a mask when out, graduations, and travel plans canceled, it would feel good to punch something.
The program is six weeks long. Joel (the trainer) leads you through 3 days of boxing training and two days of strength-building workouts with weights for a total of 5 days a week. There are no bags or people to hit; it is shadowboxing.
The boxing workouts with conditioning drills are broken up into ten rounds, 3 minutes each, and progress over the six weeks. The two days of weightlifting workouts include one day of the upper body and lower bodywork.
I am finishing up week two tomorrow, and I am sore! I can already feel the difference in my shorts. I can feel my core getting stronger, as is my running. The most important thing, it keeps me engaged, and I do not dread the workouts. I actually found something, besides running, that I like.
If you are interested in 10 Rounds, you can access on Beachbody on Demand. Beachbody on Demand (BOD) is a streaming service that provides hundreds of workouts to help people achieve their health and fitness goals. BOD can be streamed on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Members can also stream BOD through a TV using Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Chromecast, or via the Beachbody On Demand app for iOS and Android. Apple Watch users can stream their workouts on their iPhone or iPad, and Apple Watch will project real-time heart rate and caloric burn on those screens. Take a peek.
10 Rounds for the knockout win!
