While summer has not officially started, it is already starting to feel like it is here. My daughter’s last day of half day preschool was last week. To prepare for surviving the long days that face us, I opted to buy a blow up pool for our backyard – well patio. For $29.99, I managed to find the one thing that can keep my daughter’s attention for hours on end. The first thing that she wants to do in the morning is get in the pool. The last thing that she wants to do before bed is get in the pool. I should probably go ahead and get recurring swim diapers shipped to the house. If I take my eyes off her for one second, she will step right into that pool (even with her shoes on). Bless her heart. Our sweet infant observes her play for now, but I have a feeling that we will get our money’s worth with this pool for years to come.
On top of setting up this warm weather find, our neighborhood held a block party over the weekend. These block parties really are a great time for all of the kids to get together while the parents catch up. I typically spend more time chasing my daughter around than talking, but I enjoy seeing all of the kids ride their bikes, scooters and tricycles up and down the street. It is one of the big reasons why we were excited to find a house at the location that we did. This party happened to be my infant’s first block party. All of the activity must have worn her out. She fell asleep very quickly after the party started. We were able to lay down the seats in our Radio Flyer wagon and make a bed for her to sleep in while we rolled her up and down the street. Priceless.
While my oldest daughter spent a large part of the party running around, she did take a few breaks to sit down in her own tailgate chair.
She is loving this warm weather. Not only are we spending time in the faux pool, but we are getting a lot of bike rides in around the block. Helmets on. I love to sing her songs and talk to her while we cruise. If I happen to slow down too much, she lovingly will give me a push on the back to go faster. Always eager for more.
The more that I can wear her out during the day the better. I have learned that if I want to get a workout in on the days that we do not have a sitter, I need to get up early and hit our home gym. I have officially signed up for the Super Spartan Race in Asheville, NC in August. I have mentioned before that this is an eight mile trail race, with obstacles. My husband convinced me that we should sign up for the “elite” heat. The “elite” heat starts first thing in the morning and should have less bottlenecks on obstacles. That said, I have stepped up my training for the event.
Since the race involves a lot of running in between strength exercises, I put together a run/strength circuit Saturday morning to mimic the transition. Learning to recover quickly after an obstacle is key. There is nothing better than running someone down in a race. My workout was approximately 52 minutes. Depending on how fast you run, your time will vary. See workout detail below:
- Run 800 meters – the distance around our block.
- Complete the following circuit sequentially –
- 20 Single Leg Burpees with TRX (10 each leg) – see picture below.
15 Kettlebell Swings- 10 Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift (10 each side)
- 5 Pull Ups – Do as many as you can by yourself before using assistance.
- 20 Kettlebell Plank Rows (10 each side)
- 15 Squat Thrusters
- 10 Step Back Lunges (Each Leg)
- 5 Kettlebell Side Bends
- Repeat Run and Circuit 4 times total.
This workout will come back to haunt you. I started the runs full throttle. By the last round, I was starting to feel fatigued. Pace for each run was 8:00/mile over rolling hills. I have to admit my pull ups have gotten significantly better over the past several weeks. At this point, I can consistently do 2-3 on my own before using assistance. I started at zero. It is amazing what you can do when you commit.
While I ran through this workout, I rocked out to my Sunday 7:30 AM Flywheel playlist. See above. I am so excited to be back on the bike. I am loving my 6:30/7:30 AM double on Sunday mornings. I realize how hard it is to get up in the morning, and I love that people are willing to start their day with me at the studio. A few riders even do the double. Amazing. If you are thinking about doing it, go for it! Two different playlists and two different profiles.
My friends and family know how much I love teaching. That’s probably why they choose to buy trendy bike gear for my kids. My sister recently bought my infant the shirt above while on a trip to Tulsa. Perfect. Ride on. Rock on. Happy Sunday!
Fly.Jen.Duf 