Run and Lift Lower Body

Even though I'm not working full time, I'm thrilled when Friday rolls around. It's still cause for celebration when I make it to the weekend, especially after a week like this one. My stress level has been through the roof lately, and I need to take some time to relax.

The week itself was actually a mix of stressful stuff and fun stuff, but since I've been a total downer lately about my stress I'll focus on the fun. Wednesday night I headed up to my friend Heidi's house for a little girls' night and sleepover. We mostly just chatted about pregnancy (she's five and a half weeks ahead of me, due end of April), but it was really fun to just relax. We took a long walk together in the morning before she headed to work and I headed home.

Circa 2012

Last night I met up with Fay, who is getting married this July, and a mutual friend of ours, Jen, for Fay's wedding tasting! Fay's fiance David couldn't make it, so I lucked out and got to join in the fun. We tasted salads, entrees, and desserts, and I was so impressed with the service and the quality of the food. I'm already super excited for the wedding in July!

We will most likely be slightly less bundled up at the wedding. 

Luckily, to keep the fun going, we have a busy weekend planned! My parents are arriving tonight (after a walk-through of their brand new house!), and we'll all just have an easy dinner at home. It'll be the first time seeing them since the baby started kicking, so hopefully our little one will let his or her grandparents feel some kicks! The weather in LA is supposed to be gorgeous this weekend, so I hope we can find an easy hike tomorrow morning and something simple for lunch. Terry and I have been dying to take my dad to The Apple Pan, one of LA's oldest and most famous restaurants. It's counter-seating only, and the waiters seem like they've been working there since the place opened in the 40s. Grumpy old men serving burgers? What could be better?

Sunday is the LA Marathon! (Anyone running?) On the news this morning, our local weather guy mentioned that it should be perfect for running, but I disagree. It'll be almost 70 degrees by 9 am! I think the runners will be miserably hot by the end, but I guess it's better than the crazy downpour during the marathon two years ago.

Interestingly, the Marathon route runs right near our apartment. We are trying to strategize (<--Blogger doesn't think that's a word, but it is) how to get together with my parents again that morning. Hopefully we can do breakfast and maybe something else before they head back home.

I also wanted to share a workout I created for Terry this week. I did a modified version (walking instead of running, all bodyweight instead of dumbbells), but Terry said he thought it was fantastic. Enjoy!

 

Some notes:

Always warm up first! For this workout, I recommend walking and/or jogging for 5-10 minutes (gearing up to a moderate intensity), plus 5-10 reps of each exercises without weights. Here are some other warm up tips.

Choose challenging weights. If you've settled into a routine of always selecting the same weights, gauge how you're feeling at the end of the first set. If you don't feel much (or any) fatigue by the last rep, consider bumping your weights up just a bit for the next set. The only way to improve is to challenge yourself. And NO, you won't get bulky from lifting heavier! 

Rest as needed. Running half a mile as fast as possible should leave you feeling out of breath, but be sure to recover (slow to a walk) before moving to your weights. Between each exercise, feel free to take a breather so that you don't perform the exercises with poor form.

Any fun plans this weekend? What are your favorite ways to relax after a tough week?