Mental Workout

I've been so slammed with meetings, computer work, and more meetings today the workout is a no go.  Guess I got a mental workout day!

Got the Run Done at Wash Park

Today I had to squeeze in a run in between work and haircut.  I actually love the squeeze factor on runs because it pushes me a little more.  I did a 3 mile run at Wash Park - one of my favorite parks in Denver.  They were doing construction on the trail so I felt like I'd gone back to my high school days of cross country running.

I so needed that run today since I was literally on the run all day!

Tuesday A No Go

Tuesday was a no go on workout for me.  Got tied up with a project in the afternoon that wore me out mentally that I was too pooped to move!

Swan On A Mat

Monday was Pilates and Kinesis with Erin at Pura Vida Club and boy did she push me hard!  So hard that I barely got through my mountain climbers series.  We did a lot of shoulder work, which is good for me since I have issues with my right one.  What I love about my Pilates/Kinesis combo is that it is a full body workout that I get pushed to the max in.  We ended the session with a great series of stretches for the legs.

With all of the shoulder and upper body work Erin had me do a move called swan on the mat.  It's a to strengthen your back.  We did it using a foam roller.

Walk in the Park

Sunday morning was beautiful in San Antonio.  So my friend Christy and I hit the Salado Creek Greenway and got in 4 miles.  Usually we run it but this time we were both really tired from running so hard for days that we just power walked.   It was really nice to chat and walk.  Always great to workout with friends!

Couldn't Pay Me To Workout Day

Saturday I hit shear exhaustion so I didn't workout.  I was so tired that I was in bed at 9pm on a Saturday and slept off and on for 9 hours.  When I start loosing my voice and I'm so exhausted I can't sleep it's time to call it.  It was one of those days that I wouldn't have worked out even if you paid me too!

Butt By Bell!

While in San Antonio I got a chance to workout with my long time trainer Gregg Bell.  I knew I was in for a hard workout when it began with a warm up run then immediately into assisted pull ups (stepping up on a bench, doing pull up with a leg kick back and then down).  From there it was mega arm and back work then abs and glutes.

In my session we did several great moves including the kettle ball squat and what's called the butt blaster.  The key to the kettle ball squat is to keep a flat back (don't arch) and don't swing the ball, use your abs.  The butt blaster is just a plain ole killer for your booty!

Travel Day Thursday

Thursday was a travel day for me so wasn't able to get a workout in with a packed work and and travel schedule.

Side Over With Rotation

I'm a little behind on blogs and trying to catch up.  Wednesday I did my Kinesis and Pilates session with Erin at Pura Vida Club.  One of the exercises we did was side over with rotation.  You do it on a ball.

It's a great exercise for the core and a good stability and balance exercise.  Focus on form and do these slow.  It's one of the exercises that Erin has me focusing on stretching my head out going for length from toe to head instead of just up or down.  If you do that you'll feel the difference and extra benefit in the move!  One other tip - place the ball closer to your hips instead of shoulders.

Take Off Tuesday

Still feeling puny and overloaded with work stuff so something had to give.  Unfortunately it was the workout.  But when you're tired and not feeling so great, rest is the best thing!

Stroll in the Gardens

On Monday I wasn't feeling so great - really feeling run down so scaled back the workout but wanted to do an easy workout.  So I met a friend and strolled through the Denver Botanical Gardens for the first time.  It was a gorgeous afternoon so we took advantage of a great day.

It was so fun getting lost in the gardens and wandering through the conservatory.   One of my favorite spots was in the conservatory.  In the pond there are ring neck teal ducks from Argentina and koi fish.

We spent about an hour just strolling through the gardens in the sunshine.

Do Nothing Sunday

With traveling back to Denver and immediately going to to family baby shower, I had a do nothing Sunday.  By the time I got home and got a few things done the workout time was gone.  But a rest day after a long run is a good thing!

Sweaty Saturday Run Through The Park

Saturday I got a chance to get out for a nice long run on a humid, cloudy morning in San Antonio.  Got the run done before the welcomed rain moved in.  I headed out from Huebner Road start point of the Salado Creek Greenbelt.  Close to the mile marker the creek was backed up so there was some swampy flooding on the path, and I headed on a trail instead of path to continue on.  After 2.6 miles I headed into the the Phil Hardberger Park to get some extra distance.  Loved running on the dirt trails and in the shade in the park.  By the time I got back to my start point it was at least 6 miles if not closer to 6.5 miles.  Great sweaty Saturday morning run!

Push Those Push Ups

Friday I got to workout with my longtime trainer in San Antonio, Gregg Bell.  It was a jam packed session of strength moves focusing especially on abs and chest.  That means push ups at some point in one of those sessions!  Instead of just doing military style push ups, Gregg through in some new variations.  When you hit the floor tighten your abs to help you back up.  These are tough.

Hoping I can make it back to San Antonio for his obstacle challenge on November 12th that will include plyometrics, running, spinning, and an obstacle course.   Looking forward to my workout with Gregg Friday when I'm back in SA to emcee another gala!

Travel Thursday

It's a travel Thursday and jammed schedule for me.  So it's a no workout day.

Walking Wash Park

With the cloudy, cool, with sprinkles weather Wednesday I headed over for a great power walk at Wash Park.  It's one of my favorites.  Didn't have a lot of time for a workout but loved getting it done with temperatures in mid 50s and a few sprinkles.  Got the workout done before the real rain moved in!

Got The Run Done

During a busy Tuesday I managed to squeeze in a quick run on the bike path.  Just a couple of miles in a 30 minute easy run.  So I got the run done!

Sliding Into the Side Splits

Monday means Pilates and Kinesis normally for me.  In my session with Erin at Pura Vida Club we hit it all from arms to abs to legs.  Like most women I'd love to slim down the thighs so we focused on inner thighs for several exercises today including the slide splits on the reformer.

They are tough and you definitely want someone there to spot you.  It takes a lot of focus to get through this intense movement.  They're hard!  I can only do six on each side and struggle on the second side.

Post Breakfast Stroll

Sunday morning was another beautiful morning in Estes Park so after a wonderful breakfast at Notchtop Bakery & Cafe I headed up Prospect Mountain with some friends for a nice walk to check out beautiful homes and great views before getting in the car and heading back to Denver.

It was such a great way to end a wonderful weekend in Estes Park for Scots Fest.

Taking The Lake Estes Trail

On Saturday morning I got up early with plans to run.  My hamstrings were still super sore from Pilates and Kinesis and then hiking up to Gem Lake Friday so I decided power walking would be a better option.  It was a chilly morning so the elk were out.  In fact I got charged my a bull shortly into my workout!  Yes I did a sprint away.

Lake Estes was gorgeous with the steam coming off the lake in the sunshine.  I thoroughly enjoyed the 3.75 miles trail.

A Gem Of A Lake

On Friday I headed up to Estes Park.  After a great late lunch at Nepal's Cafe, I headed out on a late afternoon hike to Gem Lake.  It's a easy to moderate hike with pretty good incline including numerous wooded and stone steps on the trail.

Once we got to Gem Lake we were the only ones there.  The 1.8 million year old granite has been formed by wind and chemical erosion.  It's an unusual lake surrounded by interested trees with roots exposed.

Round trip it was 3.4 miles.  It started cooling off quickly as the sun was going down over the mountains so we did a quick jaunt down the the trail.

There are some great views along the way!

Triple Lunge Threat

I had an awesome Kinesis and Pilates session with Erin at Pura Vida today.  You know it's a good session when your trainer says "Yeah, you are going to be sore tomorrow."  We did a lot of leg work with lunges and squats in Kinesis then that spilled over into Pilates.  No worries arms and core weren't left out but it was definitely a legs day.

One of the series we did is triple lunges to the side, back and curtsy.  These are killers!

Blame it on the Weather

Wednesday was a blame it on the weather day.  Worked late, had so much computer work to do, and just plain ole tired that I didn't get a workout done.  Those days happen!

Major Abs in Pilates

Did a lot of core/ab work in my hour Pilates session with Erin today.  I'm going to be sore tomorrow!  Love doing full body movements that engage multiple muscles with primary focus on the abs.  Looking forward to Kinesis and Pilates session on Thursday!

Easy Hike On Lily Pad Trail

It was a beautiful chilly Labor Day morning with temperatures around 31 degrees in Keystone.  After it warmed up a little, my cousin Susan and I took our dogs to hike Lily Pad Trail in Silverthorne before heading back to Denver.  It's a great trail for kids and dogs.  It's easy with plenty of forest cover for most of the hike.  There are three small ponds, each getting bigger than the last.  The Lower Lily Pad Lake has a ton of lily pads and the Upper Lily Pad lake is bigger with a great view of Buffalo Mountain.  It's 3.2 miles round trip.

Nice Jog on the Rio Grande Trail

It was a chilly Sunday morning in Aspen.  I headed out on the Rio Grande Trail with temperatures in the upper 30s.  After my mega hike day, I just wanted an easy out and back to get in a couple of miles.  So off I went on the trail, through the John Denver Sanctuary, and along the trail then back.  Got in about 3-3.5 miles before heading off the Main Street Bakery to warm up with coffee and an oatmeal raisin scone post-workout treat.

Mega Hike Day In Aspen

Saturday was a mega hike day in Aspen for me.  I did two hikes.  The first one was the Ute Trail.  It's dubbed nature's stairmaster.  It's a short and steep trail with an elevation gain of 1,165 feet.  It's .9 miles each way.  It's a tight trail of switchbacks and steep inclines.  But the view from Ute Rock is worth it!

My second hike of the day was the Hunter Creek Trail to an abandoned settlement.  Several structures are still standing including the saloon, outhouse, what looks like a barn or lodging building, and a house.  One house has collapsed.  It's a great trail that has some good climbs through rocks in the beginning then the train widens out to a more dirt and small rock trail then eventually to the Hunter Valley meadow.  Round trip it was about 5-6 miles.

Travel Day

Friday was a travel day.  After driving to Aspen I did get in about 2 miles of casual walking around town.

Power Pilates & Work Those Hammies

Thursday was power pilates for me in my session with Erin at Pura Vida Club.  We did jump board series, which is a series of pushing off a board on reformer with different feet positioning and leg movements.  It really gets your heart rate up quickly.  We also did some new moves for me like one called the snake - guess that means I'm getting stronger!  Since I hike, walk, and run a lot we also did some moves for hamstrings.  I call this move the hammies killer!  It's a good one.  As Erin says, if you don't have gliders you can easily use hand towels on a hard wood floor to do move.  Do the move to fatigue....it won't take long!