Sunday Fitness Survey

Happy Sunday! I know this post is coming at you late, but because I didn't have to spend my Sunday grading papers, planning for the upcoming week, or prepping food, I spent it doing some Christmas shopping in the Village, and lounging on my couch finishing book number three of the week. This is the first time I've opened my computer since recording grades on Friday morning, so I'm feeling pretty good. But it is Sunday, and I did make a promise to keep up with my weekly survey post, and I'm going to stick to that promise. Especially since I fully intended to do a Things I'm Loving Friday post, and then opted for the two-hour post-first semester nap. What can I say?

All grades are DONE!

1. What’s your favorite type of exercise?

Running. With the training plan I’m on, that’s really the only exercise I have time to do. And it has always been my favorite type of exercise, but I’m hoping to squeeze in a couple of Body Pump classes and leisurely neighborhood bike rides over this two-week holiday break.

2. What’s your biggest personal exercise pet peeve?

I’m going to go ahead and copy what the person before me wrote and say when my ponytail comes loose. I used to wear my hair in a bun when I did any type of exercise because I hated the feeling of my sweaty hair touching my neck. But lately I’ll get maybe half a mile into a run and I’m having to stop and fix my hair because it has come loose. I have since fixed the problem by quickly pulling my hair back into a French braid, but there is no time for hair to be an obstacle.

 

Almost always with a headband

3. What’s your biggest gym pet peeve?

People who use the equipment so blatantly incorrectly. And I most definitely don’t know how to use every piece of equipment in the gym, but I am pretty good about observing other people and/or looking things up so that I don’t embarrass and/or injure myself. I think this incorrect use is most common when two people are working out together, and the conversation is more important than the workout. Which is fine. But there’s likely a coffee shop in the area.

4. How many days a week do you workout?

I run five days a week. I guess I theoretically could do something those other two days, but I walk my dog multiple times a day, and I typically use those two days to see friends or catch up on any grading on which I may have fallen behind. Besides, after a tough speed or tempo run, my body craves a bit of a break.

5. What’s one exercise you love to hate?

Burpees and jumping lunges. I haven’t done either of those exercises in forever, but man, they absolutely kill me. But in the best way.

6. What is one form of exercise you wish you loved but don’t?

Yoga. I know it would benefit me to get into a good stretching regimen, but one, I can’t ever seem to get the breathing down, and two, I am always so self-conscious about how absolutely inflexible I am. Which is probably a pride thing. But I think the fact that I’m so bad at yoga actually adds stress as opposed to relieving it. Plus, I like to sweat when I workout.

7. Do you prefer to workout alone, with a friend, or in a group?

When it comes to running, alone. I can’t carry on a conversation when I run, and I use my runs as my (much-needed) “me” time. That being said, I L O V E group exercise classes. I still miss my high school gym and Felipe’s killer classes. Felipe had me doing exercises that I most definitely wouldn’t do on my own. Same with Body Pump. I love the idea of weight training, but doing it in a group that is led by someone who has a routine down pat makes it so much more enjoyable.

8. Do you match your workout clothing to your shoes?

… No. Though I do love buying athletic shoes.

9. What’s your biggest fitness triumph?

Man, before I started this running training program that I’m currently on, I would have definitely said completing the Chevron Houston Marathon. But I think being able to stick to this training plan and be able to physically track the progress I have made. When I first started, at the end of July, I would shudder at the thought of an 8:00 min/mile pace. Now I’m frustrated when I run a mile above an 8:00 min/mile pace. And I still have my not-so-great days, but it’s moreso what I’ve accomplished mentally. I’ve proved to myself that physically, I can do it. So when I’m told to run four miles at a sub-7:15 min/mile pace, I know that I can do it. And as not exciting as this may sound, running a 7:02 min/mile pace at the Bellaire 5K in November was a huge bump to my confidence.

10. What’s one of your fitness goals this year?

Because the year is almost over, I’m going to go with my first big goal of 2017, and that is running the Aramco Houston Half Marathon in under 1:45. Does putting it in writing make it real?

2015 Goals

And with that, I’m off to open up another book and call it an early night. I’m hoping to get all of my Christmas shopping and card-writing DONE before Wednesday, so here’s to making the beginning of this week a productive one. Have a great one!