Jillian Michael – Black and Tabby Runs

Janathon Day 28. The End is Nigh

The End Is Nigh by PrinceRaMMYz on deviantART

Day 28 of Janathon – the end is nigh! It’s also Day 8 of the 30 day Shred DVD. I expect you’re as fed up reading about this DVD as I am of doing it. At least it’s a good, quick workout so this morning I gritted my teeth and stuck with it for another day. I’m planning my run for Friday, the last day of Janathon, and I also decided I should try level 3 of the DVD before then as well. Not much else happening this morning, there’s not a lot you can say when the highlight of your morning (so far!) is finding that the old cat *didn’t* wee on the new mat last night. Yay!

Janathon Day 27. Not hardcore.

I’ve realised the big problem with the 30 Day Shred DVD is that it just doesn’t feel ‘hardcore’ enough. Yes I’ve been struggling through my ‘plank jacks’ and ‘walk out push ups’, and grimacing my way through ‘high knees’ and ‘skater jumps’, but it’s all done in my warm living room, in front of the telly (despite what my Garmin thinks).

I was painting the utility room this morning, as the rain and then hail came down. I looked out of the window and thought about running in that weather. Now that’s hardcore, and that’s what I’m missing.

So as a treat for completing Janathon, on 31st January I’m going out for a run. Come rain or shine (but let’s be honest, it’s likely to be rain) I plan to be out there, smiling, earning hardcore points. Now that’s more like it!

Janathon Day 23. Balls and the art of Zen Running

Balls.

Tennis balls, of course. After being advised by the very lovely Lucy Lemon to try sitting on a tennis ball (in place of a foam roller) to find the sore bits in my backside and massage them out, I finally found a tennis ball in the garage and proceeded to try it. I can report that I managed to find the sore bit, and amused the young tabby cat greatly by rolling around on said ball whilst wincing.

I then tackled my 6th day of the ’30 day Shred’ DVD, my 3rd day on level 2. This is still proving challenging, so I thought I’d wear my Heart Rate monitor to see if my heart rate was going up any where near my maximum. It didn’t (which sadly means I guess I should be working harder at the DVD – gulp), and my Garmin calculated I’d burnt off 154 calories (which doesn’t sound very much).

What was amusing was that my Garmin had automatically locked onto GPS satelites and had been ‘tracking’ me as I did my exercise. Considering I never moved from in front of the telly, it calculated I managed to run 1.73 miles.

This was obviously a very Zen workout – ‘In order to run, you must stand still’.

Janathon Day 21. Sponsored by Heinz Tomato Soup

Today’s workout should have been sponsored by Heinz cream of tomato soup, as two tins of it became my dumbells. Yes, it was another day of my 30 Day Shred DVD. Day 4 of 30. Over the previous 3 days, apart from making strange noises when walking and when washing my hands, I thought I’d coped pretty well with the exercises. Time to up the ante, I thought so I moved up to Level 2.

Level 2 still has 20 minutes of non-stop exercises split up into 3 circuits of Strength, Cardio and Abs, it’s just that the exercises are harder on this level. So if level 1 included a plank, level 2 has a ‘jumping jack plank’. Yes, honestly, combining 2 of the most evil exercises known to mankind. I can hardly bear to think about what horrors level 3 holds …

Janathon day 20. On discovering I have Calf Muscles

After discovering my armpit muscles yesterday, today I discovered I have calf muscles. I was made aware of their existance by a loud shouting as I crawled out of bed this morning. “OW!” they said, “OW OW OW OW OWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!”

Now as a runner I would have thought I’d have quite nice calf muscles, thank you very much. I’ve done plenty of running so they should be good and strong, yes? Yes?? Apparently not. The exercises in this DVD really seem to be working on them (I think it’s the ‘butt kicks’ that’s doing it). Looking on the positive side if it builds up my calf muscles, hopefully that will stop me having any more shin splint problems when I *do* get out for a run again. Result!

I’m also hoping that the DVD works as quickly (and miraculously) as I hope, because I’ve got a posh ‘do’ to go to on Friday night and at the moment I’m not sure I’ll fit into my dress….

Janathon Day 19. Finding those Important Armpit Muscles

It’s not often that a January Sunday morning sees me up and dressed in just a sports bra and short-shorts holding 2 tins of baked beans, but today was that day. It was time for day 2 of my ’30 Day Shred’ DVD.

Same as yesterday, it only took 20 minutes but by the end I was sweating like a sweaty thing. It’s hard work but as well as building my fitness up I’m also learning lots of Americanisms. I knew what my ‘tooshie’ was, but I never knew where my ‘pooch’ was. Anyone care to hazard a guess???

The use of cans of beans (instead of dumbells) for some of the exercises has had a strange effect. I learnt I have some muscles that seem to be situated just above my armpits. I discovered these when I was vigorously washing my hands -ow! Hand washing muscles – I don’t remember learning about those in Biology!

Janathon Day 18. Shredding

Over a fortnight with no running. I can still feel the Christmas wobbly bits because I’ve not done enough exercise to send them packing. Time to try something new, I thought. Several ladies on the “Run Mummy Run’ Facebook page had been recommending Jillian Michael’s 30 day Shred DVD as a good workout, so when I spotted it at the checkout in the Co-Op I took it as a sign, and bought it.

Twenty minutes, every day for 30 days and I’ll be sorted, apparently.
One RMR lady had commented that doing this workout had certainly made her sweat. I can confirm, this is definitely a sweaty workout. So much so that I needed to jump in the shower afterwards, then decided I may as well pop my pyjamas on. It was only then I realised it was only half past seven. I certainly know how to party on a Saturday night!