New shoes I don't need and a random act of kindness.

If you're one of those two or three people that read this blog, you're probably expecting some stupid and facetious garbage about the weight workout I did this morning, accompanied by a really bad workout photo. Well, there won't be any facetious ramblings, but there will be a bad photo:

Mmmm barbell.

Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to what I want to write about: what happened when I bought another pair of running shoes I didn't really need at Dick's Sporting Goods tonight.

Brooks Revels WOOT

I was intrigued by this new-to-me Brooks Revel, it being a neutral shoe and all, and after running at top speed like a complete moron around the back of the store for 5 minutes I decided to pull the trigger and get a pair.  After checking out their so-called clearance section (always too expensive to really be clearance), I made my way to the front of the store to check out before I decided to buy something else I didn't need. 

I got in line behind an older gentleman that was purchasing a variety of sporting-goodsy things.  He looked back and me and I smiled at him and said hello.  He noticed I had a shoe box under my arm, and asked me if I was buying a pair of Brooks.  "Yes," I said, hoping he couldn't read my mind and find out how many pairs of Brooks I already had.

"Here--see if you can use any of these coupons."  He handed me one of those sheets of coupons you get in the mail from Dick's, the ones that are specific to apparel purchases, footwear purchases, etc.  These are the kind I always stick in my purse and then can never find again because my purse is probably a gateway to another dimension where aliens are wondering where the hell all these little squares of paper are coming from.  Anyway, I thanked him, yanked off a coupon that gave you $10 a footwear purchase, and thanked him again for his generosity.  And then he went on his way, and I bought my shoes, feeling better now about justifying the purchase to the hubbs because hey-10 DOLLARS OFF, HUBBS!

So why am I making a big deal about some random person throwing me a coupon?  Well, because I've had some experiences over the past few years with other humans on this planet that haven't made me think very highly of other humans in general. (Except if you're reading this blog - then I think you're the best.  Honest.)  And don't even get me started on what we call a government these days.  As a result of all these experiences and me stupidly watching the news every night, my mantra over the past 6 months has pretty much been "most people are shit." (Excuse my French.) It's been really, really hard for me to see the good in people, and it's been a personal daily struggle.  This little blog where I can be stupid and silly and pretty much my real self has helped, but since I don't blog in front of a computer for a living and have to interact with real humans most of the day it's only a band-aid for my overall bad attitude.

But then this itty bitty little act of kindness comes along and scrubs off a little of that bad attitude.  It's the small acts that do the greatest good; I should know that from all my years of teaching and working with students.  But even a former teacher needs to re-learn some lessons, I guess.

And you know what you should have learned by now?  That when there's too much seriousness going on in the post, it's time for a random picture of one of my animals to lighten the mood:

Did someone call for some cute?

Ahh....that's better.

Bad attitude learnings:

• I didn't mean to get so serious, but hey--sometimes it has to happen.
• And that is one serious picture of me and my barbell.  I miss it so during the week when I just use dumbbells.
• Just like life is too short to wear boring clothing, life is too short not to buy running shoes you don't need.
• Life is also too short to harbor a perpetual bad attitude towards people.  I'm working on it.
• Having cute animals helps me work on that, by the way.

Tomorrow's workout: The training plan says 20 miles, but the weather says "good luck with that because it's going to snow all morning."  Time to find my Yak Trax....

Barbells, coughing, and late nights.

When you spend the night still coughing and coughing and coughing after chugging some of this:

Review: GROSS

And then you get up at 3:45 AM to a dog looking at you like this:

Do you mind, like, not coughing for 5 mins?  Trying to sleep here.

Then you drag your butt downstairs and decide what premix you'll do for your workout:

Just Push Day, please.

And you get all excited because the upper body part of the workout is nothing but BARBELL:

ZOMG BARBELL who left this lying around?

And then your excitement about the workout goes away when you get to the part where Cathe has your feet are on freaking dumbbells and you're doing squats like WHAAAAAAAA:

It was definitely like WHAAAAA

And finally by the end of the day you can't decide if your upper body is sore from the workout or from coughing all night.  But it doesn't really matter when what's worse is that you're stuck at work for a late meeting.

Robitussin-laced learnings:

• "Maximum-strength" my sweet patootie.  I need super-duper-way-more-than-maximum-like-a-whole-lot-more strength, apparently.
• Just because the Push Day workout is only 25 minutes doesn't mean it won't make your arms feel like jello by noon.
• Finding a barbell in my living room is one of my favorite things in the whole wide world.
• Gimme any set of pictures and I'll make you a blog post.  Notice I said "blog post" and not "awesome blog post."

Tomorrow's workout: Tempo! 4 miles! In the cold!  We'll see if my lungs hold up.

Four pictures, four facts, and a barbell: Everybody got time for this post.

Here are the facts:

1) This morning I did Cathe's Lift It, HiiT It: Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders, which involved a barbell for some of the shoulder and tricep exercises.  Those exercises were so good even female cat couldn't stay away from this workout.

Hyooman...weights on barbell puny.  So disappointing.

2) Female cat may be correct about my puniness.  The shoulder press/upright row superset combo (which, as I remind everyone, was done for three sets in a row) was kind of killing me this morning, even with only 30 pounds on the bar.

My shoulders were making the same face.

3) I must have gotten a good burn, though, because I was pretty much ravenous all day.  I would eat something and then 5 minutes later my stomach was all, "Did you feed me?  I can't tell."  However, I did manage to turn down a scrumptious-looking cupcake and avoid buying that huge bag of organic gummi bears at the gas station after work when I went in to try and get a reasonably healthy dessert-like substance, so those were my eating wins for the day.  That and I got to eat my granola bar in my office with my medals to keep me company.

I should get a medal for not buying those gummi bears.

4) Female cat is still unimpressed and looks down on all my workout and eating accomplishments for the day.  I just can't win.

Hyooman.  It never ever be good enough.

So few facts, so much learning:

• Why is it when I do this short posts there's always four?  I have no idea.  It just happens.
• Those gummi bears were organic...doesn't that cancel out the calories?  Or something?
• For those of you that say you can't do workout DVDs because you have no space in your house...did you notice that my barbell will hit the ceiling fan if I'm not careful?  And that I do that with a couch, cat tree, and stacks of really bad B-level DVD movies the hubbs yanks out of the Farm and Fleet bargain bin in the background?  You gotta work with the space you have.
• Female cat talks big for a feline that flees panic-stricken every time I open a can of sparkling water.

Tomorrow's workout: 5 mile tempo run at marathon pace.  I may get to do it outside, even.

Day 4, Week 13: 4 pictures, 4 sentences, 3 race photos, 1 barbell.

Picture #1: I was stupid like I said I would be at the end of yesterday's post and did Cathe's Boot Camp because, well...barbell.

I see you judging my puny weight selection.  Knock it off.

Picture #2: Race photo from Saturday be like SURPRISE I'M RUNNING A HALF MARATHON, Race Photographer!

Picture #3: I'd like it known that in this race photo I am NOT ruining it for the runner in front of me, even though I totally should have because she passed me in the finish chute.

Picture #4: Face translation: I may be at the finish line but *REALLYbadword* I have to run back to my car now.

And these photos have taught us that:

• I can take serious race photos when I've really run 20 miles instead of 13.
• I listened to the same four songs for the entire race, like "I have these four songs...I'm good."
• My race bib-putting-on skills need some work.
• Using my barbell, like remembering being chased by goats, always makes me smile.
• I obviously did not have a ton of time to post today so these four pictures are all you're getting, bucko.

Tomorrow's workout: More running with large dog in the 4 AM dark.

Day 6, Week 12: Yet another post about weight lifting on my running blog.

Everyone has a favorite number.  I have several favorite numbers; let me show you what they are:

These are most of the delicious weights you get to use in Cathe's Total Body Giant Sets, along with my beloved barbell and a sliding disc to make some of the leg exercises that much tougher.  The woman does not play in this video-while the sets aren't that long for each exercise, the weights are pretty challenging.  Lift big or go home, indeed.  Well, you would go home if you weren't already working out in your home.

Anyway, I've learned a lot about my fitness capabilities since doing Cathe's Strong and Sweaty series.  While I've been doing Cathe for quite some time, this series has really done a lot for helping me look like I actually have muscles as well as helping my running and cycling prowess.  Below is a nice list of what this series has done for me because it has been way too long since I overwhelmed everyone with bullet points.

• This series helped me see that I can use all my big girl weights more than I thought I could.  Before this series, those 25s and that 30 pound weight was for back work only; this series has forced me to use those for some of my upper body exercises, which a year ago would have been nothing but crazy talk.  You never know what you can do until you push yourself.
• I now know that heavy weight work can also work your heart rate.  The "sweaty" part of the title is serious-Cathe has put together some exercises in all of the workouts that get your heart rate pumping.  And, as someone who is constantly training for a race, I appreciate the fact that I can sneak cardio in during a weight workout that is also helping me get swole.
• I understand that you can always have more barbell.  While Cathe doesn't use the barbell in all of the workouts in this series, when she does its use isn't gratuitous (meaning it's not just thrown in as a gimmick). The boot camp workout in this series uses the barbell in every single set, which as a barbell lover I greatly appreciate.  
• If I use 20 pound weights on my chest presses instead of 15s I will not die like I previously thought I would before the Strong and Sweaty series.  Evidence that I survived (along with an awesome bonus shot of my armpit) is below.

• Workout supervisors are still easily surprised when caught sleeping on the job.

• Weight workouts don't have to be long and boring in order to be effective.  Cathe used to be a little notorious for longer workouts and in some series she has there are a lot of repeated exercises (Low Impact Series, for example).  I'm glad this series is structured differently--the sets are pretty short but the exercises and weights are obviously chosen for maximum effectiveness.  And because the sets are short and she doesn't repeat exercises that often, the workouts move along pretty quickly without me ever wondering when the heck the set will be over.
• Large dog will never be impressed with my weight workouts.  Ever.

And now for more bullet points in the form of learnings:

• I meant that whole "you never know what you can do until you push yourself" stuff.  That's true for weights, running, your job, life, etc.
• I got a fever, and the only prescription is more barbell.
• You're welcome for that shot of my armpit.  It's a refreshing change from sweaty running pictures in front of creepy children statues, I bet.
• In terms of workout supervisors, I guess I can't expect any better considering they just work for treats and whatever large dog can steal off the counter when we're not looking.

Tomorrow's workout: I have a little half marathon race that I'm turning into a 20 miler.  More about how well that goes later...

Day 4, Week 11: Things that shame...I mean, inspire you to get your workout done.

This morning my workout supervisor demanded I do some Cathe Strong and Sweaty Boot Camp.  Apparently I have displeased him in some way.

Puny hyooman.  Lift this many times repeatedly.

Actually, there's a lot to like about this workout.  This workout is a nice break from lifting heavy, since you only use 8, 10, 12, and 15 lb weights.  You also get to do box jumps and my beloved barbell during every round of exercises, so hey-what's not to love?

Oh right.  There's those pesky push-ups.  Well, no workout is perfect.  I still took it on and took it down this morning.

Don't be all jealous of my headband and sleeping dog.

Speaking of taking it on, sometimes you may need some motivation to get that workout done.  If you read this blog, you know I pretty much have to talk myself into any long run that I do, especially when the weather gets disgusting in any way.  If talking myself into it doesn't work, sometimes I turn to my favorite inspirational running quotes or memes to motivate (or shame, which happens most often) myself into doing my workout.  I thought I would share some of my favorites with everyone; you'll find them below in no particular order.

#1:

The "excuse" part is what gets me.  I'm a no-excuses kind of gal.  This gets me going.


#2: "If you fail to prepare you prepare to fail."

An oldie but a goodie.  It's my way of shaming myself.  For example:  "If you do not do this run you will not hit your goal time and it will be ALL YOUR FAULT because you missed this run."  What can I say, my inner voice is more "mother from hell" than "gentle social worker."

#3: "But what if you nail it?"

This isn't really one you see plastered over some picture of a sunset over a forest.  This is a question I ask myself when I'm a bundle of nerves before a race I'm actually racing for time and I've filled myself full of doubts in the minutes before the gun goes off.  For some reason asking that question puts me into "BRING IT ON LET'S DO IT OR DIE TRYING" mode.

#4: "It's supposed to be hard...it's the hard that makes it great."

This is one that I use before my hated mile repeat sessions or a tempo run that seems like it's a million miles long.  It's also one that reminds me that I'm not going to feel bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in mile 17 of a marathon.  It's going to suck.  And I have to push through the suck.

#5: "So it's cold/hot/rainy/snowy.  It won't be as bad as you think."

It's never as bad as I think it will be.  Except for that time I took off my sweaty glove in 18 mph winds in a polar vortex and almost lost my fingers.


And since the post is over, we go the learnings:

• If a workout has box jumps and barbells, I'm all over it.
• If a workout has push-ups, the whining will commence.  I won't give excuses, but boy will I whine.
• Everyone needs those little phrases to get them to get the workout done; you have to find the ones that work for you.  You regret 100% of the workouts you don't do.
• Polar vortices.  Please....no.

Tomorrow's workout: An easy 4 AM three miler.  Hopefully with large dog accompaniment, if weather allows.

Day 7, Week 10: My favorite race medals

Here's my workout today (Cathe's Total Body Giant Sets) in three pictures:

Yoga balls used for upper body weights.

Barbells, glorious barbells.

And dogs that sleep in your workout area.

Rather than drone on and on about my love of the weight lifting and barbells, I thought I would use this post to show off some of my favorite race medals.  The idea came to me as I was fretting about hitting my time goal at my goal race coming up (BMW Dallas Marathon).  I told myself even if I don't hit my goal time, I still have to finish to collect the race bling.  And then I wondered if the bling was any good.  And then I had the idea for this post.  So, here goes, in no particular order:

Austin Marathon 2017:  Belt buckle medal.  'Nuff said.

Glass City Marathon 2014 (Toledo, OH): Marathon PR set at this race (4:09:50).

Little Rock Marathon 2016: Big ass medal.

Glass City Marathon 2017: Hellloooooo Ohio!

Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon (Springfield, IL): Freaking huge pennies!

Ragnar Double Medal - Saints & Sinners 2014: Got this by running Wasatch Back Ragnar and Las Vegas Ragnar in the same year.  I mean, c'mon--give it up for the cool upside-down design.

Ragnar Adirondacks 2016 Second Place Medal:  I was on an ultra team that won second in the Mixed Ultra category.  Almost First indeed.

BigFoot Olympic Distance Triathlon:  This is not the fanciest medal I own.  But it is the one of which I am most proud because I survived the swim.  I haven't done a triathlon since.

If anyone knows of any other races with cool bling, feel free to share so I can sign up and get some myself.  Because we all really know it's not about completing the distance and feeling that warm fuzzy sense of accomplishment - it's getting the cool medal at the end of the race that matters most.  (Not really.  Well, maybe just a little.)

End of post.  Time for learnings:

• I get a lot of weight training goodness accomplished in my living room.  You gotta use the space you have.
• I am completely used to dogs in the workout area.  If one doesn't wander through I feel as if my workout is incomplete.
• If I'm struggling in a marathon, the bling always pulls me through to the end.

Tomorrow's workout: Another rainy long run.  15 miles at 15 seconds slower that marathon pace.  Here's to hoping that actually happens.

Day 4, Week 9: A post in two pictures

Here's what I wanted to do on my athletic step this morning:

But here's what I did instead.  

Don't make fun of those wimpy barbell weights.

Why? Because I am pretty much a slave to this blog now and didn't want to do a post where I'm all "oh I didn't do my workout because <insert lame excuse here>."  That and, as you all well know by now, I loves me some 5 AM barbell time.

Some quick learnings:

• Who knew all it would take to make me do my workouts every day is a blog where I can pour out my facetiousness all over everyone?
• I swears I lift heavier weight than that on the barbell on the regular.  
• You have to be careful being that close to the ground in my house - whatever is on the floor belongs to the animals, after all.  

Tomorrow's workout:  Easy run with the dog this time I promise.  I also promise a post about why you shouldn't give a crap about what people think of your body.

Day 7, Week 8: Weights, a Wedding, Pizza and Tacos.

I got my Cathe on again this morning with my usual Total Body Giant Sets workout.  I know I teased everyone yesterday with the idea that maybe I might so something different for my Saturday weight workout, but nope--I really wanted to do the barbell routines in this workout.  Sorry if I got anyone's hopes up there.

The cat, as usual, was unimpressed.  The dogs, as usual, were doubting my sanity.  A lot of runner people I know have doubts about weight lifting in general.  But I truly believe (especially after my last training cycle where I suprisingly placed first female in a duathlon) that strength has a place in increasing your overall fitness and in making you a better runner.  Plus, I know it helped a lot in making the "after" photo look like it does in the picture below.

So, in sum: Weight lifting is good for you.  Do it.

Anyway, after all that lifting goodness, I had to get all spruced up for a lovely fall wedding straight out of the pages of Pinterest.

See, I told you--PINTEREST.

You don't have to tell me twice to take a selfie.

What's a wedding selfie without some devil hands?

It was once of the nicest weddings I've ever attended, but we had to leave before the dancing started because the I will not allow the hubbs to dance in public and be a danger to others and because we had to get home and prep for a race tomorrow-a local 10K that is an annual tradition 'round these parts.  It's called the Sycamore Pumpkin Run, and last year the pups and I got into the Halloween spirit and dressed in costumes that captured the essence of spookiness that is Halloween--we were pizza.

The spookiest damn pizza you've ever seen.

This year we are running as another popular food item.  Below is a preview for you; I promise tomorrow there will be so many pictures like this but, like, with me actually racing with the large dog outside that you will want to puke up that very same food item. 

We love learnings:

• I'm blogging tired again.  Please excuse any nonsensical writings.
• Everyone should own a barbell.  Really.
• I just realized that those two photos of me were taken 10 years apart. 
• Barn weddings are my new thing.
• Seriously-tomorrow's post is going to be a taco dog extravaganza.

Tomorrow's workout: Running taco dogs.  And lots of pictures of them.

Day 4, Week 7: Halloween candy. It's freaking everywhere.

This morning I went for a bike ride in the dark.

Just kidding!  I did weights again.  Cathe's Boot Camp was on the strength-training menu this morning, with its HiiT and lower body then compound exercise then upper body rounds o' goodness. And in the middle of the workout I had a photographer come by and do some snaps.

Hubbs was like, "That looks hard.  Let me take a pic." So helpful.

As you can see, I am using my beloved barbell.  In the workout, Cathe uses a 20 lb barbell in every round (and there are 6), so of course it's one of my fave workouts ever and I have to stop myself from doing it all the time so I don't get sick of it.  Note to workout DVD makers: if it includes a barbell, it gets two thumbs up from me every time.  I'm all easy to please workout-wise like that.

Enough about awesome barbell workouts, though--it's time to talk about Halloween candy.  It's freaking everywhere, people.  Including in my office and every single space around it.

The reason I mention the candy is that a) I used to be 220 pounds and b) candy was a large part of those 220 pounds.  The smaller part consisted of entire bags of Doritos.  I am a sugar addict, and no bag of chocolate was safe anywhere near me.  And, of course, this time of year it's like people put little fun-sized bags of dietary crack cocaine around me everywhere.  If candy is in front of me, I will eat. it. all.  It's enough to drive a person crazy.

Even I am afraid of this picture.

So, if you're like me and think all those delicious candies aren't going to eat themselves so you must do it because someone has to stop children from eating all that candy anyway, let me share with you some tips to avoid overdoing it this Halloween season:

1. Don't let the candy anywhere near you.  Shoo people away from you who offer you these tempting morsels.
2. If shooing doesn't work, just scream "MY GOD MAN (or WOMAN) WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME DON'T YOU KNOW I USED TO BE FAT??" 
3. Do not buy Halloween candy to give to others, thinking you won't eat any.  Because it will just end up sitting in your desk drawer and will become lunch every day.  Even if it's candy you don't even like because you will still eat it because CANDY.
4. If you do end up in long-term possession (more than 5 minutes) of Halloween candy, pawn it off on the nearest child or man-child you find.  Or bring it home for your spouse to eat because, you know, don't worry about their health or anything.  Unless they are one of those people that can eat anything and not gain weight; if that's the case, take it home and throw it at them.  And then tell them you love them.
5. Tell people you're allergic to candy and instead would like Starbucks gift cards.  Lots of them.
6. Don't fall for the "Oh, you can just have one piece-it won't hurt you!" line.  If you're like me, one piece leads to me scarfing around 100 pieces into my mouth as fast as I can because my little sugar monkey addiction crawls on my back and makes a nest. 


So there you are--some helpful Halloween candy avoidance tips.  If you follow them, I hope you have family or coworkers left that will still talk to you by the end of the week.

So, kids, what have we learned?

1. Hubbs needs to stop the pics and work out with me.  Seriously.
2. I rock that Tough Mudder headband.  Whatever you may think.
3. Like cowbell, I can't get enough barbell.
4. Please don't scream at people or throw candy at co-workers.  Often.
5. Did you notice how I used numbers and not bullet points?  You're welcome.

Tomorrow's workout:  Some easy running with the large dog to shake more naughty out of him, and a story about the time I finally ran a sub-two half marathon.

Day 5, Week 3: A weight-lfting FAQ

On Wednesdays, which I have nicknamed "Wednesday weight-days," I have decided I will alternate between Cathe's PHA workout and her Boot Camp workout from her Strong and Sweaty series.  Since I did PHA last week, Boot Camp it was this morning.

Now, a lot of people ask me why I weight train if what I train for is running.  I've had cross country coaches, runner friends, speakers at race expos, and complete random strangers (not really) say that I shouldn't be weight training AT ALL because to get good at running you HAVE to JUST run.

Well, I don't believe that.  I especially don't believe it after I trained for a marathon using a training plan that had me do nothing but run and run and run and I totally bit the dust in mile 12 of the race.  And I ended up so freaking sick of running that I almost quit it altogether.   So, why do I incorporate weights into my overall training plan?  To find out, check out this short FAQ I made for you right off the top of my head to help clear that up:


So, why do you weight train?  You're a runner and a cyclist, in case you didn't know that.

I did know that, actually.  But I weight train because variety in training is the spice of fitness (specifically it's the "all spice"), strength translates to speed and better overall fitness.  Also, I weight train because of cycling - to do 25 mile+ rides, you have to have the strength to hold yourself up in the saddle.

On a more aesthetic note, I love to look like I could totally take down any stranger that messes with me in a dark alley after dark.  If I cared to frequent dark alleys after dark, that is.

How do you know what exercises to even do?

I am lazy and always workout to workout DVDs, where someone does my weight-lifting thinking for me.  If you couldn't tell, Cathe is my complete fave and has been for years.

Why Cathe?

Why not?  Have you seen the guns and legs on that woman???

I've tried workout DVDs before and I can never lift as much weight as they do in the videos.  That means I can't do them, right?

Nope.  Just pick a weight that challenges YOU.  It's about YOUR fitness, and there's no use injuring yourself trying to lift heavier weights than you can handle.  Gradually work up to the poundage they're using in the videos.

What if I have workout DVDs but don't really have the proper space to do them in?

Do them in whatever space you have.  You may have to modify some moves or exercises, but that's OK; it's about getting it done and being consistent in working out.  Just as a reminder - I have an 850 square foot house and I lift weights in my living room surrounded by roaming animals, a very low-hanging ceiling fan, cat trees, living room furniture, and the occasional barbell that jumps in my hands.

My face is all "where did this barbell come from???" 

But what if my muscles get YOOGE?  I'm a girl and big muscles are gross.

No they're not, and whilst your muscles may get a bit swole, you won't get that "gross" look that some people try to avoid.  You just don't have the testosterone for it.

OK.  I've sucked it up and done some weight-lifting DVDs and now I feel like a total badass.  How do I deal with that badass feeling?

Well, you have a few options: you could just sit back and enjoy it while it lasts, you could consider becoming a vigilante and a one-person force of fighting for truth and justice, take lots of flexing selfies and flood social media with them all, or you could just lift more weights to keep that feeling coming.



So, in sum, we've learned:

• I still love lifting weights
• Those barbells sure can pop out of nowhere
• Weight workouts can be done at home, even if you have to pick weights at your own level and modify some exercises to fit the space you have
• Yes, she did use words like "yooge" and "swole"
• Strength training improves your overall fitness
• Terie is bad at writing FAQs

Tomorrow's workout:  Tempo tempo tempo!

Day 7, Week 2: Glutes on fire and my barbell love

Confession:  I didn't do my bike ride today.

My busy life got in the way and I just had time for some strength training goodness.  Cathe's Total Body Giant Sets, to be exact.

In this workout, there are six giant sets.  Well, I don't know about giant.  Maybe slightly oversized.  Or a venti, if you will.  Anyway, each set works a different muscle group, according to the description.  But that description is LYING to you. Here's the real deal:

• Sets #1, 3, and 5:  GLUTES ON FIRE with some deadlifts and lots of exercises where you slide on a slidey thing (said slidey thing can be a disc or a rag...but rags don't slide well on my carpet.)
• Set #2: Back, including my ultimate fave dumbbell pullovers.  
• Set #4: Shoulders and chest.  No lateral raises but for cryin' out loud enough with the push-ups, lady
• Set #6: Whoops almost forgot those triceps and biceps-let's do three quick exercises for them to wrap this workout up

Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not knocking the workout.  It's a solid workout, and leaves me feeling worked out, which I think is what a workout is intended to do.  During my last round of half-marathon training, I did this workout every single Saturday and enjoyed it.  I'm just not sure why so much leg work is included other than to get your heart rate up and burn more calories.  And maybe for torture.  I mean, even the cat was shocked at how many leg exercises there were.

As I said, despite the leg abuse I love the workout.  And I love it even more because I get to use my beloved barbell.

Dumbbells are nice, but the barbell makes me feel like a complete badass.  Even if I do only lift no more than 70 pounds with the thing.  I asked for a barbell for Christmas one year, and Santa came through, even if he did get me the cheap one that was at Walmart on clearance the week before he had to shimmy down my chimney.  This cheap one has served me well for a bout 5 years now...maybe because it knows I care.

So barbell today and no bike ride because getting groceries and doing the laundry was way more important.  Tomorrow I have a 20 miler on tap, to be run a minute slower than marathon pace.  Life is going to get in the way again tomorrow, as I have a 5K to run in the morning at my place of work and then a birthday party after that.  The plan right now is to get up super early and get as many miles in before I have to leave for that 5K...I'll let you know if that really happens.