Friday, May 29, 2009

Ouch!

I ran my furthest distance today since the big 25k. I felt like crap! I pretty much struggled to run 5 miles on the treadmill and then busted out one sorry mile on the track; which is 13 times around! I should have stayed home. I should have just gone on a walk with the kids. I think I am worn out from all the crazy Turbo Kick this week. I can't make 3 classes next week. That's probably a good thing! This post is quite whiny tonight. I should go to bed. I need my rest as I am teaching Power Spin at 7:45am. What was I thinking?!?!
Goodnight!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Thursday

I thought I posted in here yesterday....guess not!
Well I took an unplanned day off yesterday so maybe that's why I forgot to post. Some family obligations came up. I was a bit stressed about not getting my workout it. I already know things come up now and again, but I really thought I was going to be able to able to get it in. Oh well, no sweat! I still taught a class so I was a bit active with that.
On to today. I did 2 pull ups ( twice!!) Woohoo! Matt was at the gym for basketball and he basically made me go to the pull up bar and try. I ma glad he did! I was praying I could at least do 1 all by myself and I did 2. He says I will be dong 5 in a row in no time. Hmmm, not sure about that! I also got the rest of my weight training in.
Before weights I did Turbo Kick. I made it 3 times this week and it really did not get any easier! At the height of class I actually got a bit sick to my stomach for a few seconds so I know I was really pushing myself to my limit. It' s so different instructing a class and not being able to go there. What a difference!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

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Better late than never!

OK so my plans were to get back on track on Monday, but there is no rule that says you can't start plans on Tuesday's right???
I had great intentions, but I think my allergies won. Might not make sense, but I under ate yesterday. This can be just as unhealthy as overeating. I was just very run down and did not have much of an appetite for most of the day. So today is the day! So Monday was a scratch...today is a do over!

Today I ventured back to the gym for Turbo Kick again! I was a few minutes late and was banished to the back of the room where I had trouble seeing the instructor. Luckily the routine was somewhat familiar to me as I did it Sunday so I was able to follow things a lot better than if it was my first time. My back was/is still sore by the way from Sunday's class. Sweet!
After that I did my weight training. Today it was 5 sets of 6 reps for most of the exercises. Heavy weights day. It was great. I stretched afterwards and called it a day. Well I almost called it a day. I taught a cardio kickboxing class later on at 4pm. I used some "borrowed" material from the Turbo Kick class . I changed a few things to make it my own though. I think they enjoyed it. I am really working on my memorization skills too. I did pretty well I think.
I won't be posting my eats all the time, but just to get a general idea; here is was I ate today.
~ Oat bran, cottage cheese and strawberries
~ protein shake, plain almond milk and fiber bar
~ carrots, 0% Greek yogurt, few tbs of vanilla yogurt, strawberries and pineapple
~lean turkey, brown rice and asparagus
I will eat one more time and probably have a sugar free Popsicle while I watch my DVR of the Bachelorette!
I also had almost a gallon of water as well. I need to get used to drinking this much. I know I am missing some more green veggies, but I am very satisfied with how I ate today.

FIT TIP:
THE BENEFITS OF A FOOD LOG
Makes you more conscious of when and what you consume on a daily basis. It's easy to account for the big stuff - that piece of cheese cake, or that big turkey dinner. But it's often the little things that get you, like...
The cream and sugar in your daily coffee.
The butter on your morning bagel.
The handful of peanuts you mindlessly grabbed while sitting in front of the T.V..
Allows you to gain an understanding of just how much food you need to consume to reach your weight loss goals.

If you keep track of your weight or waist measurement along with your food intake, you'll soon notice whether your weight/waist size is trending up, down or staying the same. If you keep an accurate food log, you can make small adjustments to your caloric intake to help you achieve your goals.
Allows you to accurately calculate how many calories you eat. When you combine your food log with a nutrition software, you can quickly and easily find out how many calories you consume...on a meal-to-meal, day-to-day basis. Doing this is perhaps the quickest way to reach your weight loss goals.
Reveals patterns in your eating habits.

Do you eat more at night than during the day? Do you eat when more or less when stressed? Do most of your calories come from carbohydrates? From protein? Or from fat? Are you eating at regular intervals throughout the day or do you eat fewer but bigger meals? Keeping a food log can help you answer these questions. Just being more conscious about what you eat, when you eat, why you eat and how much you eat can make all the difference in the world.
Keeps you focused on your goal. What you focus on becomes your reality. If you are focused on eating balanced, healthy meals you will tend to eat that way more often than not.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Great workout, insane instructor and on the wagon once again....

I had an awesome workout today! I love it when it all just seems so right!
The kids and I made it to the gym in the late afternoon. I started with weight training. 3 sets of 6 reps for most of the exercises. The weight room was practically empty so I did not have to weight for anything. It took me about 45 minutes to get it all done today. Not too bad. After that I went to the Turbo Kick class. Because it's the holiday weekend there was less than 20 people in class. The room is usually at capacity ( 50 something). As an instructor I love a packed class, but as a participant 20 is better than 50 any day. I was n the front row today too. I ain't scared! It was such a great class. I think I need to have this instructor as my mentor! She is an insane ball of energy. Very motivating. I was a punching fool today. We threw a lot of elbows too and my upper back is already sore! She is so good. Her cuing is excellent. I am still a Turbo Kick newbie. I have not even attempted to teach a full fledged TK class yet. I am kind of scared! I hope to make it to her class at least once more this week if not 2. She keeps the same routine all week long so I will seem like an expert by weeks end! ( hopefully).
Well I better post this entry so I can start back on my wagon tomorrow. There are menus to be planned and food to prep!! Let's do this!

Saturday long cardio session

I had a much needed long cardio session today. I started with a nice paced 2.65 mile run on the treadmill. I threw in a few hills and kept the pace between 6.3-7.5 for the duration. I actually wanted to go longer, but the Power Spin class was going to start.
It was an awesome class today. 1 hour of endurance riding. It was basically a climb the whole time ( after the warm up). We transitioned from a seated climb to a standing and had some nice little surges throughout. OUCH! It was a really good great format, I might have to borrow it for my own class soon!

Friday, May 22, 2009

Friday!

I had a set plan this morning to get the kids ready and be at the gym by 9am sharp! This is not usually a problem as both kids are up by 7:30am--USUALLY. Today Amara woke up at her usual time, but was very grumpy and told he right away that she wanted to go back to sleep because she was still tired. I was ready to throw in the workout towel and call the gym daycare and cancel our spots. Amara decided ( 5 minutes later) that she could not fall back to sleep ( yay!). I got her ready and noticed it was already after 8am and Miles had not made a peep. I don't mess around with my children's sleep. It's very rare that I wake them up even if it means missing out on an event. I might be anal about that, but I know they need their rest. I was fine with getting to the gym later, but it would just be busier. Miles decides to stir around 9:15am and in a hurry we were only about 5 minutes late ( and I filled up the car with gas on the way) .
So on to the workout. I got my 3rd session on weight training in today. I am on a roll with lifiting again! It was only 1 set of 12 reps for most of the exercises. That was fine with me. I was able to go heavy and only had to do it for one set. It was super fast!
I planned on running a few miles on the treadmill since it's been a while. I was not feeling that, so I did some 1/4 mile "sprints" instead for almost 3.5 miles. It was kind of fun actually. My sprints were from 7.5-8.3 mph and the rest was a walk and I did that just until I was fully recovered. I then moved to the step machine ( which I hate), but endured it for 15 whole minutes of increasing speed every minute. Ugh. I was glad when that was over! I should probably do it more often just to change up my cardio routine. That's all folks.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Day off...again!

I had a day off again today. I am fine with it. Really I am. I thought that I might get up extra early and head to the gym, but that feeling passed quickly as I slept in past 7am! I had to work part of the morning and then between Miles' nap and Amara's pre school graduation and dinner and bedtime etc. there was not much time for me to run. And it's hot out! It's only 80 degrees or something mild like that, but I am still getting used to it. I love to run in the warm weather though--just not yet.
I will get to the gym in the morning for cardio and weight training. Off to watch So you Think You Can Dance!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Why am I soooo tired????

I have been plain exhausted for 2 days in a row. Not much has changed form my routine. I still stay up too late watching TV and playing on the computer. I had 10 chair massage clients on Tuesday, but I find it odd that I would be this exhausted from that little extra bit or being on my feet. It kind of stinks!
I taught one class today at noon. I even made it to the gym later in the day despite my tiredness. I somehow had a pretty good weight training session as well as 35 minutes of moderate to hard cardio. My weight training consisted of lunges, push ups, pullovers, dead lifts and lateral raises. 2 sets of12 for most of the sets. I think it went well. I am wanting to hit it pretty hard with the weights again since I am not planning ( so far) on doing too much long distance running for the rest of the year. I would like to drop some fat and get a tad leaner all over so I know what I need to do. Mostly work in the kitchen!
I tell my clients and friends that their weight loss success will take place (80%) in the kitchen! It's true. Lift all you want, crunch away on those abs and cardio till you drop--you might find some success with these practices, but once you dial in your eating you will find the most success and reach your goals faster! I need to take my own advice already and clean up my act. Nothing crazy. Nothing extreme. No "real" dieting. I hate that word with a passion!! I need to get back to my healthy eating lifestyle. My household has fallen off the wagon for the past 6 weeks or so. So it's time to get back on that wagon!! I plan on chronicling my progress. Not in every post from here on out, but from time to time to keep me accountable. I should add that I don't plan on going all out with this until Monday. So typical! Haha!!
So I think I answered my own question ( TITLE of post) and I did not even plan it that way--I swear. My problem is I have not been eating correctly lately or drinking nearly enough water and my body is acting out!! Sorry body, I will do my best from here on out to take care of you!

Monday, May 18, 2009

If found....... please return to ME!


I thought I might pass out today in Spin class. Well that might be a bit over dramatic, but still. I lost my water bottle( My fancy Sigg one. It lasted a year which is good for me!) and forgot my wallet so I was out of luck in class today. It's a good thing the big industrial fan was not in the studio too. It was soooo HOT. Today's class was full of some hard hills. A few sprints. With some fast paced drills as well. What was I thinking?!!? This was the longest 40 minute class in the history of Spin I bet. I was thrilled when it was finally over! I mean I love a good workout and a good sweat, but I was very dehydrated.

Most of the class enjoyed the ride today. I had a few yelps and claps at the end. At least somebody had a good time! Lesson learned: BRING WATER!!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Day off...

I took a much wanted day off today. I had a very busy day today so I did not have time to fit structured exercise in. I could have I suppose, but I was not feeling it after 9pm tonight.
I did get a good 2 hour walk at the zoo though so that should count for something right?!?
I am still uncertain of what my next "Mission" will be. I talked it over with Matt last night and we will talk about it again probably at the end of next month. There are also talks of us running a 5k together in early June! I will make a runner out of him yet!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Saturday

Today is my birthday!! I am the big 3-2. I don't think that is old at all, but when I tell people my age they kind of act sympathetic! I think that's funny.

While programming my info on the treadmill this morning I found it funny to have to input 32 as my age. I have to get used to that.

So onto my workout. I did something new today. New for me anyway. I did a program on the treadmill called random. It should have been called escalating hills because that's exactly what it was! I set it for 45 minutes and stopped after 30 minutes. I was bored. I was challenged as well, but mainly bored! I ran at a 5.8 speed while going up 6% incline at times. It was OK, but I have been running outdoors for a few months now and found it hard to go much longer on the treadmill. After that I hopped on the bike and did some random intervals with varying work and recovery time. It was hard. I loved it!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Friday!

I am still taking it rather easy this week. I did make it to the gym this morning for training. It called for 3x20 of most of the exercises! Ugh. I am not into that high rep stuff!! But I know it's good to change it up so I followed the program.
After weight training I did some quick cardio. 15 minutes of hill intervals on the Cross-trainer and 15 minutes of resistance intervals on the elliptical.
Quick stretch and that's all she wrote.
I might even run tomorrow....we'll see though!

2 Giveaways at Fit N' Fun and then some

My buddy Bertie has an awesome giveaway that you have to see!
A healthy cook book full of tasty recipes and a core training ball is up for grabs on her blog.
Head on over now and try to win!




http://bertie411.blogspot.com/2009/05/double-friday-fitness-giveaway.html

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Thursday!

I too it very easy today. Much needed still. I feel I am still recovering from the race.
I did Turbo Kick in my living this afternoon. I am still practicing so I know I don't go all out as I am trying to retain the routine!!
I hope to hit the gym pretty hard tomorrow morning.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Wednesday Recap and Next Mission.....

I had a pretty tame day at the gym this morning. I thought today might be my day off, but my husband was nice enough to go to work rather late so I could get to the gym before teaching my noon class. Thanks man!
It was all cardio today. 20 minutes on the elliptical and step-mill. I did intervals on both machines.
I taught Totally Toned at noon and that was about it today!
I am trying to figure out what my next Mission will be. I hate the transition! I am happy for taking it easy this week and am ok with not having a goal/plans either; but I know myself and this will get really old really fast! I need structure to stay on top of my game.
I do have a 10k in June, but I don't think of that as a Mission. I already have my base training down and can be ready to do a 10k by then for sure. But it's after that that I will be a fish out of water unless I make some decisions here pretty quickly. I have 3 things in mind and number 3 almost did not make the list, but who has a Top 2 List of anything?!?!
1. Figure Show in Oct.
2. Duathlons throughout this summer and fall
3. Marathon in Oct.

Pros and Cons
1. The cost, but it is local so that's a plus.
2. I don't have a bike! And a new/used bike is expensive.
3. I don't feel like training for one! I don't like to run ( very long distances) all year long. But friends are doing it and I like the group thing.

So there ya have it folks...........I have lots to figure out in the coming weeks!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Skullcandy Ink'd Earphones Review ONLY


My headphones went dead about a week ago. I know that many of you workout to music and can understand the devastation I felt while I was halfway into my cardio session and my music just stopped. I was so annoyed! I had been working out with these headphones and the left ear was broken. So it was bound to happen at any minute anyway.

I finally remembered to look at some earphones while I was at Target and I came across a pair that were on sale ( bonus). Skullcandy Ink'd earphones. They retail at $19.99 and were on sale for $14.99 if I remember correctly. I found a pair that matched closets to my MP3 player.

I used them the next day at the gym and am happy to say that I love them. As soon as the music came through I knew I had made a wise purchase. The ear buds are soft and flexible and don't go that far down in the ear, but still stay secure. The music came out so clearly and with such great sound quality too. And I feel a bit bad ass with my skulls on my ears too! I have heard mixed reviews on skullcandy, but I can say that my headphones are in the top 3 of any that I have ever owned and I have owned a lot! To find out about these headphones or any other products skullcandy has to offer: skullcandy

Tuesday

Today I woke up almost pain free! Finally! It was a long night for me. My neighbor went into labor around 1am and I was on duty to stay at her house with her 2 other children. It was my pleasure! Congrats to Chrissy and Jake. I can't wait to meet Addison!

I willed myself to get to the gym even though I was sleep walking. I made it in time for Turbo Kick and I even stood in the 2nd row instead of the very back. It was a very intense and fun class today as usual. I then headed to the Big Boy weight room and did my thing. At 10:30am there was only 1 other person using the weight room. Good! More room for me. I was in and out of there in a flash. I did about 8 different exercises with only 2 sets of 10. Short and sweet.

I taught Calorie Killer at 4:15pm today. I did a series of kicking and punching drills followed by a segment of weights. I think it went over pretty well. I hope so anyway.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Monday...

Ok, so I am still majorly sore from Saturday!
Majorly might be a little dramatic, but I am still hurtin'. Mainly my quads and my right IT band....it's super sore.
Too bad because I had to teach 2 classes today. Spinning was not too bad. I think I lost myself in the music and forgot about the pain for 45 minutes. Totally Toned was a different story. After leading the short cardio warm up I was basically just demonstrating the exercises for the class today! I did a few reps and then observed. They understood though--I hope!
I think tomorrow should be better. It better be anyway.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Mission Accomplished!

I am a bit late getting in here to update how Saturday went.
I did not sleep so well, but that was to be expected. The morning started with me watching the news to hear what the ever changing forecast was to be. Low 50's, possible thunderstorms and crazy wind!!
I was not too concerned with the rain and temps as I was with the wind. Unless it was to be at my back the whole race!
There was approximately 4573 participants in the 25k this year-1984 of them being women! It was a very crowded start. The rain started to fall about 3 minutes before the pistol blasted. I was just happy that the wind was pretty tame.
My group of friends and I started together and pretty much stayed together until mile 9 0r 10. I fell behind. I think I normally hit the wall at mile 8, but I stayed strong until mile 11 or so. I know that my pace slowed down just a tad, but I did not want to try to push myself too soon either.
The new course was quite challenging to say the least. The added rolling hills really started to take it's toll on me--more so mentally then physically I think. I am not sure how many extra hills were on this route, but I would say 5 would be a fair guess, possibly closer to 9! It was all good though, this is what I trained for.
By mile 12 I knew I would be close to finishing the 15.5 miles in under 2 hours, but I also knew I had to pick up the pace already.
I started picking up my pace, finding people to pass and felt amazingly strong. During the last .5 miles I was flying. I even passed my group of friends that pulled away from me a few miles back! When I crossed the finish line my stop watch read 2:00:32. I was so happy!! My best time was 2:04. I also knew that my stop watch might not be accurate and that there was still hope that I had done better. I didn't. My official chip time was 2:00:37. I missed it by 38 seconds! I could have sat there and thought about all the could have, should have and would haves to make myself feel better, but I didn't. I was slightly annoyed- only for about a minute. I had to think about all the positive things. I was 15th in my age group of 370 women! I was 912 out of 4573 people! How cool is that?!?! I am a part of an awesome running club that pushed me beyond my limits in preparation for this race. I ran a 6:15 mile. I have made new friends. I was so happy that I really did do my best and gave it all I had. I was able to see a lot of team members and friends cross the finish line and offer lots of hugs and high fives.
My husband and 2 sister in laws participated in the 5k this year with my encouragement. I am so proud of them! After the race friends and I went to the beer tent to toast our race and I was pleasantly surprised that a chilled and frothy beer in the cold and pouring rain was actually refreshing!
Later that night my family and friends got together to celebrate the race and my birthday ( a week early). Even though I did not make my goal, I can truly say that this mission of mine was accomplished.
I need a new mission.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Thursday -speed session

Today was the last day of running before the race. 4 easy miles is what was done. It was a perfect evening for a run too. Good people and great conversation in 40 minutes time. We mostly talked race strategy. What we were eating after the race and out new anxiety over the changed race course.
I think I am over the re routing of the race. There is nothing I can do to change this fact. I still have my goal of doing this 25k in under 2 hours. Now I just have to get used to the fact that there are thunderstorms and/or heavy rain and wind on tap!! SWEET.
Wish me luck!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Monday~ Today I taught 2 classes and then went for an easy 4 mile run and was able to lift weights afterwards. I have not been consistent with weights lately so this was good.
Tuesday~ Today I taught 1 class. That's all I did today. Trying to be smart about my training since the race is in a few days. We just found out that the race course got re routed due to flooding. This is not good news. The new route is on a lovely hilly road!! I had anxiety as soon as I found out. I am tyring to get over it though since it can't be changed. We trained on this hilly road and it was HARD. I will still keep my goal of finishing in under 2 hours though. I won't let the new course be an excuse!
Wednesday~ I made it to the gym for 40 minutes of cardio ( recumbent bike and elliptical intervals) and some weight lifting. Lots of push ups today! I am taking it easy on my lower body as well.

FIT TIP:
How to control anxiety
The five breath technique
This anxiety control exercise can be performed while you are standing up, lying down or sitting upright. It is ideally used just before competition, or whenever you feel particularly tense. You should inhale slowly, deeply and evenly through your nose, and exhale gently through your mouth as though flickering, but not extinguishing, the flame of a candle:
Take a deep breath and allow your face and neck to relax as you breathe out
Take a second deep breath and allow your shoulders and arms to relax as you breathe out
Take a third deep breath and allow your chest, stomach and back to relax as you breathe out
Take a fourth deep breath and allow your legs and feet to relax as you breathe out
Take a fifth deep breath and allow your whole body to relax as you breathe out
Continue to breathe deeply for as long as you need to, and each time you breathe out say the word 'relax' in your mind's ear .

Monday, May 4, 2009

Saturday Long Run

Today was the last long run before the race! A whopping 8 miler!! It felt so good to be done with the run which took about an hour or so. So different from the 2 hours I have been used to running for the past few months. The weather was great. Nice and cool; but not too cool. My hands were cold, but not frozen! Right now we are just hoping that the rain holds off as there are some flooded areas of the course that need to dry up....if they don't then the race course will have to be changed! The final decision will be made today.
So everything I have been working for will be here in a matter of days. I told myself I won't beat myself up if I don't reach my goal ( to run the 25k in under 2 hours if you have not been paying attention!). I might be a tad disappointed, but hey I never get too mad about anything. I do plan on having a celebratory beer in the beer tent afterwards!! A lot of races I have done have the beer tent available with a free beer for all the runners. It just never sounded good to me! But I will see what all the fuss is about this year and have my free beer! It will also be the kick-off drink to my birthday celebration. A week early, but I will have family in town so that should be fun.
Sunday~ OFF!

FIT TIPS:
Fueling your body If you want to keep your energy up, now is NOT the time to cut back on feeding your body those delicious carbohydrates. Be sure to stay within the guidelines of at least 45-65% of total calories consumed in a form of carbohydrates.
Hydrate the night before the race: drink 4-6 ounces of water each hour.
Race Morning: drink 4-6 ounces of water after you wake up
Before the race: drink 4-6 ounces of water a half hour before the race. During the race: depending on your speed, usually drink every 15 to 20 minutes. Also include sports drinks that contain some type of sodium concentration and electrolytes to help prevent hypernatremic or hyponatremic. After the race: drink 6-8 ounces of water or sports drink. Continue to drink about 6 ounces of water each hour for 4 hours. Day after the race: continue to drink 4-6 ounces of liquids each hour.
Enjoy the race You’ve just spent months planning and training for the race, and today is the day. For first-time marathoners or half-marathoners, your goal should be to complete the race and not to finish by a certain time. Just enjoy the race by waving to all the spectators, having fun with the different bands, and enjoying your first-time experience. For more experienced runners trying for a Personal Record: If you find yourself running a slower time then don’t fret. Your body is trying to tell you something (maybe you over trained). If you keep trying to push yourself, you may cause injury to your body and not finish the race. So if you’re off your time, accept it, and decide to just enjoy a slower race.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday....

Wednesday~Today almost turned out to be a day off! I had a few obstacles that did not allow me to get to the gym today. I actually practiced Turbo Kick after the kids went to sleep. I did not go all out, but I did get some activity in for the day!
Thursday~ I made it to the gym with both kids in tow this morning. I did an easy 30 minutes on the elliptical and read a magazine. I also did a quick circuit ( 3x10) that consisted of push ups, lateral raises, alternating lunges, biceps curls and shoulder presses. Short, sweet but effective.
I had run club later on. Tonight after the 2 mile warm up we were told to run 1 mile as fast as we could. There were 2 heats: Heat 1 was for those that thought they could do the 1 mile in under 7 minutes and Heat 2 was for those under 7 minutes. I ran in heat 1, but was really not sure why! I stayed with a girl that planned on pacing us. Good thing..I still don't know how to pace myself all that well. We ran the mile on a track making the mile 4 laps around.
When it was all said and done I ran my mile in about 6:17!! Woohoo! I felt like crap at the end of my KICK, but I guess that is a good indicator that I did my best. We finished with a 2 mile cool down. Afterwards Mary and I talked to the coach and he gave us some very helpful hints on how to approach the race in terms of running at our goal pace. I hope I can do it!! 8 more days! EEEK!
Friday~ I made it to the gym again this morning. I went in not really knowing what I was going to do. I remembered reading a workout in Men's Health that I wanted to try. It was a jump rope pyramid. After my 5 minute elliptical warm up I got started! 25 jumps followed by a 30 second rest. 50 jumps, rest.....75 jumps etc. going up to 200 jumps and then you go back down. 175 jumps-rest. 150 jumps-rest etc. back down to 25. It was different for me and the article promised this would torch tons of calories and whittle my middle!
After that I hopped don the step-mill for some more intervals for 10 minutes followed by 5 minutes of increasing speed. I ended with a treadmill incline walk for 10 minutes.

FIT TIP:
Combining carbs and caffeine provides a bigger performance boost than having either one of them alone, a study shows. Carbs provide extra energy; adding caffeine, a stimulant, makes it easier to up your intensity. Stock up on energy gels containing 25 to 50 milligrams of caffeine.