Fitness Update

I haven't written about fitness in a while and I do have some readers who follow this blog mainly for that reason. So, today I thought I'd give a little fitness update!

I don't have any races scheduled until late May, when I'm hoping to do the Ulm Buffalo Jump 10K on May 17.  I have still been running, however! My mileage isn't very high right now and I'm only getting in about three days a week, especially since we've been doing more skiing this winter, and travelling. But, when I do get a run in, it has been going well. Yesterday I did 4.6 on our gravel road and it went better than expected, especially since I haven't done anything that long in quite a while. If you're curious about my racing intentions for this year, you can read my post titled Tentative 2015 Race Schedule. 

I am also continuing to work in strength training a few times a week and yoga a few times a week, in addition to planks almost daily. I can REALLY see a difference in my running since I've dedicated myself to additional core work. I'm a complete believer in the plank.

We have ramped up our participation in winter sports this year a bit. Jeff and I have gone skiing five days (six for Jeff) this winter and loved it each and every time! We are both having a ton of fun exploring this winter snowsport hobby and are improving our skills each time we ski. You can read some of my ski posts below:

Getting ready to head down the mountain at Whitefish!
Photo courtesy of Skyler Pester. 

Glacier New Year-- Nordic Skiing in and around Glacier Park.
Snow Fun -- Snowshoeing and Nordic Skiing at our own home!!!
More from Glacier-- Alpine skiing at Whitefish, Nordic skiing at Essex.
Downhill Skiing Like a Local-- Alpine skiing at Showdown and Bridger Bowl.
Red Lodge Weekend-- Alpine skiing with our friends from North Dakota.

So far this winter, Days on Downhill Skis = 5, Days on Nordic Skis = 4, Days on Snowshoes = only 1.

Caught in the action of Nordic skiing at Essex!
Photos courtesy of Skyler Pester.

Something else that's new this year for me is a weekly workout group I have joined with some friends. It was started by my beautiful friend Adria probably about six weeks ago. The idea was to give one another some accountability and social incentive to exercise. We're getting in better shape, but also having a blast together, laughing and joking around the whole time. Since there are no actual gyms within many, many miles of where we live, Adria had to get a little creative. We are meeting in the gymnasium of one of the old school buildings in our small town. The school is no longer in use, thanks to school consolidations, but the gym is still used occasionally as a sort of community hall for weddings and events. For us, it is being used as an actual gym to workout once a week! Adria devised five different stations, with two exercises at each station. Each station focuses on a different part of the body-- core, arms, more arms, legs/cardo, legs. We rotate between the stations and jog two laps around the gym between each one, while rockin' out to 80s music on Pandora! It takes us about 40 minutes to get through the whole workout. It's really a blast and a good workout, too!

Lastly, again this year, Jeff and I are participating in Shape Up Montana.  SUM runs for three months, February -April. This is our third year on a team. We are with his parents, his sister and her husband, my friend Adria, one of her friends from her hometown, and another local friend named Sarah. With this being the third year, we really knew what to expect from the program and how we can maximize our success. Basically, each person on a team earns points for the activity they do. As a team, we are actually competing against other teams from all over the state, based on how many points per person our team scores. The competition aspect does create a bit more motivation, but for me, my goals are thus:

- Score more points each week than in the previous week.
- Score more total points this year than I did last year (Last year I scored 492 points).
- Continue to motivate our team as a Team Captain.
- Have fun and find new ways to be active and healthy!

SUM also has weekly does weekly challenges that are either activity based or focused on healthy eating. If a person completes the challenge, they earn a bonus 10 points for that week and are entered into a drawing for prizes. Last week our challenge was to get together with some teammates for a healthy potluck. I did the challenge, and guess what.... I won a prize!

In my third year doing SUM I finally won a prize! ha!

So, that's the skinny on what I'm doing to stay in shape as 2015 begins to unfurl! As my 10K race in May gets closer, I'll make a specific training plan probably when it gets to be about 8 weeks out.

What all do you have planned to be active in 2015?

More Glacier Fun!

We have been so lucky this winter to have already spent two weekends of fun-filled snowy adventure in the Glacier area! Our first trip, if you recall, was around New Years Eve with my family, which you can re-read HERE. Our second trip was just this past weekend and it was a blast!

Jeff's parents have a timeshare in West Glacier at Glacier Wilderness Resort. This is either the third or fourth winter I have been there, but they've had the timeshare in the family for many, many years, so it has been a family tradition for a long time. Each year, Tom and Carol have decided on different friends and family members to share their cabin with. The past two years, we have even rented an additional unit so more of us could share in the fun and keep the tradition alive. This year, Jeff and I rented another unit at a steal of a price and shared the weekend with our friends Skyler and Deitra. Tom and Carol shared their unit with their friends Lynn and Dan, and Rick and Glenda (who are Skyler's parents). We had a great time skiing, laughing, sharing meals and playing games with the whole group.

Typically, when we drive to the cabin, the whole group of us that are heading over from the HiLine carpool and caravan our way down Highway 2. We stop in Shelby for lunch, then in Cut Bank for groceries. The Grown-Ups, as we call them, typically then stop at a little dive bar called The Snow Slip, about a half-hour from the final destination. Over the years, The Snow Slip has become something of a legend among our little group. For the first time this year, Jeff and I pulled in with the caravan to check it out.

Exterior of the Snow Slip.
No, the Mustang was not part of our caravan!

While we were staying at the cabin this year, we spent the first day skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort--me, Jeff, Skyler, and Deitra. This was the second time Jeff and I had skied there. The weather was in the upper 20's to right around freezing, depending on where a person was on the mountain, so, pretty warm, and the snow was great. It was sunny in the morning but clouded over a bit around lunch time.

Clockwise from top left: Silhouettes of the four of us riding the lift, view from the Summit House, downhill skis on the rack, Jeff and Deitra, Snowghosts and flags at the Summit, me and Jeff.

We skied as a group the whole morning, then Jeff and I skied together just the two of us for the afternoon. I was completely blown away by how much better he has become at skiing! Now, it is I who has to try to catch up to him! Something just clicked for him and he totally rocked it on the mountain on Saturday! We had so much fun skiing the back side of the mountain and challenging ourselves on increasingly difficult terrain as the afternoon went on.

Here are a few photos Jeff took from the summit:

Some "snowghosts" and pretty awesome skyline in the background!

Looking toward town of Whitefish and Whitefish Lake.

Looking toward Glacier National Park. Beautiful!

The next day, we went with the whole gang to Izaak Walton Inn for some Nordic skiing. I started the morning feeling pretty wary of my cross country ski abilities, as usual. I have a hard time getting past my own mental block that Nordic skiing is drastically different from downhill. It isn't. The balance and fundamentals are pretty similar, really. And you're going slower (or at least I am!) so if and when one does fall, it won't be nearly as painful or embarrassing! I watched Jeff's mom and her friends navigating the ups and downs of the trail, unsteady at times, but laughing all the way and told myself that if they can do it, so can I. I'm half their age, and I'm a badass, so what am I waiting for? I remembered a few pieces of advice I'm sure Jeff and Tom have given me umpteen times in the past, and went for it on the next downhill section... and it was fine! In fact, I did great! By the end of the day, I found myself wanting more downhill sections of course when in prior Nordic ski sessions, I would dread the downhills. Definite progress!

 Sorry for the blurry images in some of the squares above... Bleh.

Essex and Izaak Walton were so wonderful, as always. We have such a great time each and every time we go there. The skiing is great, the restaurant and food is really good, the ambiance of the historic hotel is perfect. Everything about this place is awesome. I love it every time we go there, winter or summer. If you're ever in Montana, it's worth a stop. :)

All in all the weekend was a great mix of super-fun winter outdoor activities, spending time with friends and family, relaxation, and personal and athletic development. Jeff and I both progressed mightily in our respective weaker skiing events, so now we're both pretty near each other's level in each. All in all, a successful and fun weekend playing in the mountains! I never knew how much I loved snow until I moved to the West! :)

Check back tomorrow for Thankful Thursday!