Happy Birthday....

to my new Brother-in-law!
I hope my sister spoils you today:)

Enjoy!
ELH

Crafts

I made another face plate post card cover!

This is for the light in our bedroom. It makes me smile when I see it :)

Now I just need to figure out something for that wall. It looks kind of sad.

Any suggestions?

ELH

Happy Birthday....

to an amazing, wonderfully supportive, running friend!

Her husband and I shared a cube in grad school and it wasn't really until we all moved to the DC area that I became real friends with her.

I hope she has an amazing day!

xoxox
ELH

Decorating update

I am slowly filling in missing wall art for our house. I recently bought 2 state name prints from B & A Prints on etsy. One from each of our home states!

I want to frame them with black frames and 2" mats. I am going to look at Ikea and TJMaxx Homegoods, but I might end up using my favorite framing company - American Frame. I used them to frame our diplomas and assorted prints we have gotten on vacations.

Side note - Did you watch Trading Spaces? I used to love that show and watched in religiously. One of the designers mentioned that every room needs a touch of black. I never really understood that, until recently. I have been framing our new artwork in black and it looks great. It really grounds the room and makes the artwork pop! What color frames do you like?

The question is now placement. I am thinking either in the hallway with our pictures of Notre Dame and La Sagrada Familia or
in the empty corner in our bedroom.

What do you think?

Speaking of the bedroom - I am still on a hunt for something for the prison windows.

Notice the new red blanket? My mom crocheted it for us. I love it!!

During Christmas, I found this beautiful frosted glass star and I think it looks great in this window.

I do want to get rid of the suction cup mounting hook and hang it directly from the window, but after fixing all the walls, I am hesitant to put new holes in the wall before I am 100% sure I like the placement.
I want to find another star for the far side window and move the dream catcher into the middle window.
I haven't found anything locally, so I went back to etsy. I found L.A. Glass and love all of the stars. I am thinking about asking if they can make me a 1D clear iridescent star like this -

What do you think?
What would you do with prison windows?

Enjoy!
ELH

Weekly workout review

Mon, Jan 16^th – Run day!

15min easy warm-up – 1mile @9:10, 0.66miles@8:54

5 x {3min @8min pace – 0.37miles @8:11, 0.37miles @8:11, 0.37miles @8:02, 0.38miles @7:55,

0.39miles @8:01

3min easy}

10 min easy warm-down – 1mile @8:58, 0.12miles @8:44

Total - 5.36miles in 55:02

This was the first run (in awhile) that I felt great and really enjoyed running!

I did do my back exercises/stretching and 2-week-ab routine later in the evening.

Tues, Jan 17^th – Monday night I put our Christmas tree away and tweaked my back. Oh the pain! Work was awful. I tried to stay at my desk most of the day with my heating pad. I had a Physical Therapy appointment in the afternoon and it was wonderful. I was there for 2hrs and the therapist worked out the knots, showed me new exercises, and ended the appointment with electrical stimulation and heating pads. Heaven! When I got home, I did some more back exercises/stretching and 2-week-ab routine.

Wed, Jan 18^th – Nike Cross Training Shakedown (30min)

1min light jog

2min straight leg kicks

1min slide and glide

1min walking lunges

2min recover

2min wood chop with 10lb weight

2min mountain climber

30sec tuck jumps

1min push away balance

1min walk out push up to swivel

1min ski jumps with 10lb weight

1min froggers

1min recover

2min plank row to rotation

1min alternating step back lunges

30sec high knee runs in place

1min 2feet lateral hops in place

2min broad jumps

1min bicycles

1min shoulder press

1min bunny hops

2min pretzel stretch

2min lower back stretch

1min standing hamstring stretch

Followed by my back exercises/stretching and 2-week-ab routine. This is my favorite iphone app!

Thurs, Jan 19^th – This was supposed to be my 2^nd run of the week, but my back was hurting again. I am back to taking the pain and muscle relaxer meds in the evening. It helps, but PT helps the most. I can definitely notice a change.

Molly and I did go for a 2.10mile walk in the morning and in the evening I did my back exercises/stretching, 2-week-ab routine, and arms with my 10lb weights.

Fri, Jan 20^th – Physical Therapy day! My therapist “massaged”/worked out the knots in my back and tightness in my legs. It hurt, but felt much better after. In the evening I did more back exercises/stretching and the 2-week-ab routine.

Sat, Jan 21^st – Supposed to be the long run day, but I woke up to thunderstorms and back pain. I don’t mind running in the rain, but lightning is another thing! So, I went back to sleep with the heating pad and planned on doing the Nike Cross Training workout later. After waking up the 2^nd time the rain had stopped, so I took Molly for a 1.52 mile walk warm-up, followed by the 45min Transformer workout.

2min light jog

1min back pedal

1min slide and glide

1 min straight leg kicks

1min recover

3 x {1min ski jumps with 10lb weight

1min squat jumps

1min plank walks – did this on my knees

1min jump rope – I hate jump rope, so I just jumped in place

1min recover during the 2^nd and 3^rd time through the circuit

2min alternating step back lunges

1min kick downs

1min modified tricep push ups

1min recover}

2min alternating step back lunges

1min mountain climbers

1min hip lifts

2min standing hamstring stretch

1min lying quad stretch

It was hard and I was tired after. My legs were sore later in the night!

I did do my back exercises/stretching and 2-week-ab routine in the evening.

Sun, Jan 22^nd – Long run day! My plan was the same 10mile loop as last week with less walking breaks (took 7 last week). My body had other plans. As you probably read, I have been having back pain all week and this morning was no different. I decided to push through it – 8 weeks until the ½ marathon! My legs were sore and I had little energy, so I turned towards home around mile 5, making it a 7.5mile loop. I am happy that I did it. I am going to keep training as I can and not worry about how long it takes me to finish the ½ marathon in March. Finishing the race is the biggest thing, since it is a “Do the 2” event – double medal! One for the ½ marathon and a second one that says 26.2 since I did the sister race back in October! Love it!

Splits –

Mile 1 – 9:25

Mile 2 – 9:01

0.75miles @9:07

2:24min walk break

0.38miles @8:49

1:37min walk break – was over heating and my legs were killing me

1mile @9:11

0.44miles @9:26

2min walk break

1mile @9:18

1mile @9:04

0.62miles @9:05

Total - 7.5miles in 1hr 12min!

I did a cool down 1.08 mile walk with Molly.

I plan on doing my back exercises/stretching and 2-week-ab routine in the evening.

Enjoy!

ELH

My back

I finally had my MRI on my back (insurance snafu back in Dec, pushed it to January!), followed by my follow up with the back Dr.

MRI report -
Mild to moderate right convex scoliosis (14deg bend!) of the lumbar spine with apex at approximately L2. Partial disc desiccation at L4-L5 and L5-S1 and to a minimal degree at T12-L1 and L1-L2. Lost of disc height is mild to moderate at L4-L5 and mild at T12-L1 and L1-L2 (possible indication of arthritis!)
No abnormal paraspinal soft tissue mass (no cancer!!)

Impressions -
1. Right convex curvature of lumbar spine (how was this missed when I was growing up?!)
2. Mild multilevel degenerative changes, most prominent at L4-L5 and L5-S1. No high-grade spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis.

Last May, my mom had lumbar surgery for a similar problem, but she had pretty much lost all the disc height due to arthritis. My dad has had rheumatoid arthritis since he was in high school, so finding out that my back is falling apart isn't that surprising. Awful, but not surprising.

The back Dr. recommended physical therapy (PT), annual check-ups to monitor the scoliosis (anything over 20deg is bad news), and return visits if the pain worsens. I like the PT idea, but I really don't want to be in pain and have to go back.
I work for a MD, PhD, so I had him look at my results and he recommended visiting my primary care physician and getting on a preventative treatment plan. Sounds great! He recommended a Dr in the clinic he visits that really focuses on preventative medicine. I have an appointment at the end of February!
On a side note - it is a one-stop-shop, so I can get my annual done then too! Sweet!!

Last Friday was my first visit with the PT.
After looking at my back, he said some of my problem is my posture. I am not using my lower abdominals, so my shoulders hunch forward and puts added pressure on my lower back. I am working on better posture and engaging my lower abs. He also "massaged" my right lower back and buttock, trying to work out the tightness that is causing some numbness down the back side of my right leg. It was painful! He also gave me some exercises to build up my obliques and buttock muscles. Basically, the lower part of my core is very weak! I am a little disappointed in my body, but happy that I am on a path to make things better. I don't want to have to deal with regular back pain or have surgery!

My next PT appointment is on Tuesday. I am looking forward to it:)
Enjoy!
ELH

Weekly workout in review

Monday, Jan 9^th – ½ marathon training! The plan was 45min easy run, then 8 pick-ups (30sec hard, 30sec easy). It turned into 4mile easy run and 8 PU.

Splits –

1mile @8:48

1mile @ 8:43

0.26miles @ 9:30 - Hilly!

1:16min walk break (0.07miles)

1mile @8:49

0.68miles @8:51

1:54 min walk break before starting the Pus.

#1 – 0.08miles @ 6:53

#2 – 0.08miles @ 6:14

#3 – 0.07miles @ 6:50

#4 – 0.07miles @ 7:36

#5 – 0.07miles @ 7:07

#6 – 0.07miles @ 7:11

#7 – 0.07miles @ 6:59

#8 – 0.07miles @ 7:09

After, I did a cool down walk with Molly – 0.51miles, my back exercises, and arms with 10lb weights.

Tuesday, Jan 10^th – off day! I had my follow up appointment with the back Dr. Nothing major – good, but some indications that things could get worse, so I have been sent to physical therapy (PT). I plan on writing a post just about my back.

Wednesday, Jan 11^th – 1mile walk with Molly in 19:52 – slow! It was supposed to be a run day, but it was raining in the morning and I wasn’t motivated in the afternoon. I just ended up doing a bunch of floor exercise – abs, back, arms, buns of steal, and stretching!

I did find a 2-week-ab routine on pinterest and thought I would try it.

Everyday for 2 weeks -

25 crunches

25 crunches laying on your left side

25 left knee touches

25 crunches with feet flat on the floor

25 crunches laying on your left side

25 right knee touches

25 crunches with legs flat on the floor

25sec plank hold

25 lower abs raises

I am keeping track of how often I do it, so hopefully I will make the 2 weeks!

Thursday, Jan 12^th – 1mile walk with Molly in 19:53 – we need to pick up the pace! Again the weather was crappy, so I didn’t run. Instead I did a Nike Training workout from the Nike Training Club iphone app. I picked “Get Lean” -> Advanced -> 30min Heartthrob. The app is free, so you should definitely check it out. It was hard and fun!

The workout required a medicine ball and 8lb dumbbells. I only have 10lb dumbbells, so I just improvised with one weight when it asked for a med ball.

The workout –

1min light log

1min high knee runs

1min recover

1min alternative medicine ball push-ups

1min plank walks – I HATE these!

1min plank row to burpee – I am awful with plank rows with any weights!

2min squat jumps

1min side lunge with rotation

2min leg deadlift reverse fly – need to get lighter weights for this!

1min broad jumps – I am terrible at this. I can’t jump!

1min plank row to rotation

30sec high knee runs

30sec modified burpee

30sec high knee runs

30sec modified burpee

1min Russian twist

1min alternating forward lunge with arm curl

2min ski jump to cross back lunge

30sec mountain climbers

2min squat jumps

30sec froggers

30sec mountain climbers

30sec froggers

1min walk out push up to swivel

1min crazy Ivans

2min standing hamstring stretch

2min pretzel stretch

1min lower back stretch

After, I did do the 2-week-ab routine.

Friday, Jan 13^th – 1^st day of Physical therapy for my back. I’ll get into the details in a future post.

I did do the 2-week-ab routine.

Saturday, Jan 14^th – 10 mile long run! Lets just say it wasn’t pretty, but I did it. My motivation has been lacking, it was cold – 25F!, I am still dealing with some congestion, and my legs felt like dead weights. But, like I said, I did it. Instead of stopping my watch, I just hit lap, so the splits are a little weird.

Splits –

1mile @ 9:04

0.74miles @ 8:58

1:21min walk break

0.2miles @9:18

0.79miles @9:03

1:47min walk break

1mile @ 8:51

0.13miles @9:12

2:14min walk break

0.68miles @ 9:00

1:29min walk break

0.95miles @9:00

0.53miles @ 9:06

1:25min walk break

1mile @ 8:53

0.56miles @9:11

1:44min walk break

0.62miles @9:01

1:04min walk break

1mile @ 9:10

0.25miles @8:50

10.01miles in 1hr 36min.

My training plan, has me scheduled for 13miles next weekend. Maybe a better idea is repeat the 10mile run and try to eliminate the 7 walk breaks!

I did cool down walk with Molly – 0.52miles.

Later in the day, I did my recommended PT back exercises and the 2-week-ab routine.

Sunday, Jan 15^th – off/rest day. I did do my PT back exercises and the 2-week-ab routine.

Enjoy!

ELH