fitness Archives - Just J.Faye

PCT Training Weeks 5 & 6

February 11, 2019 by Jenna

A summary of my PCT training weeks 5 & 6.

PCT TRAINING GOALS

Michael and I will be starting the Pacific Crest Trail on April 18. We are just over 2 months away – woohoo! You can read more about our PCT goals here.

I know it’s not quite feasible to train my body to hike 25 miles per day. In fact, a lot of people say that your PCT training is basically the first month of the hike; however, I want to start the trail as prepared as possible in order to minimize risk of injury.

My minimum goals for each week are:

Hike x1
Run x2
Stairmill x2
Strength training workout x2
Yoga x1 or at least a lot of stretching

Running trumps the stairmill and hiking trumps both the stairmill and running. If I get in an extra hike, but only do one session on the stairmill I’ll consider it a win.

PCT Training Week 5

January 27: Mount Galbraith hike with my friend Anna and her pug, Louie, followed by brunch at Abejas (where Michael works) – Woohoo!
January 28: 15-mile bike + this 30-minute leg workout (I did the full workout, plus one more round of all the exercises) + abs + stretching
January 29: 30-minute stairmill + 9-mile bike
January 30: Cycle class at High Ride Cycle with my friends Alana and Anna – you can get your first three classes for $15 total!
January 31: 3-mile run + barre cardio + a sunset Mount Galbraith hike with Michael
February 1: Yoga at Feral Mountain Co (there is a donation-based class every Friday at 7:00am!) + 4-mile walk Waterton Canyon with Lindsey
February 2: 8-mile hike in White Ranch Open Space Park

Between the cycle classes, yoga, and hikes/walk with friends it was a very social week of exercise!

Fun side note: Michael and I recorded a podcast with Backpacker Radio on Saturday. The episode comes out on Valentine’s Day!

PCT Training Week 6

February 3: Cycle class at High Ride Cycle
February 4: 13-mile hike in Centennial Cone Park with Michael
February 5: Cycle class at High Ride Cycle
February 6: 30-minute stairmill + 6-mile bike + this upper body workout
February 7: 30-minute stairmill + 3.1-mile run
February 8: 3.1-mile run + this pyramid workout + stretching
February 9: Ski day at Vail with my friends Katie and Christy

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I ran on the treadmill and *gasp* enjoyed it. I don’t know how or why, but I did. I think watching episodes of Schnitt’s Creek helped keep me entertained.

Summary

Week 5

3 hikes, 1 run, 1 stairmill, 2 strength training, 1 yoga, 3 bike, 1 walk

What a week – 3 awesome hikes and I even went to a yoga class! I hope to have more weeks like this going forward.

Week 6

1 hike, 2 runs, 2 stairmill, 3 strength training, 0 yoga, 3 bike

No yoga this week. I know how important yoga is and understand the positive effects it has on both my body and mind, but for some reason it is quite difficult to get myself to do it.

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Seven Sanitas Summit Challenge

April 24, 2018 by Jenna

On March 31 Michael and I hiked to the top Mount Sanitas for my first time in 2018. On the way down he gave me the Seven Sanitas Summit Challenge: hike Mount Sanitas six more times before April 14.

Challenge accepted.

Why the challenge?

At the end of March Michael and I decided to plan a trip for some backpacking in Utah for mid-April. We found backcountry permits for the Lathrop Trail in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands. The Lathrop Trail starts at the top of a mesa and extends down to the Colorado River and then back up to the mesa. The 21-mile out and back is flat to gradual aside from a 1.5-mile stretch that is quite steep with about 1200 feet of elevation gain/loss.

Since my heart still isn’t at 100%, we decided to test out my abilities on Mount Sanitas, a trail in Boulder with a 1250-foot gain over 1.3 miles and is similar to what we would encounter on Lathrop Trail. I used to hike Mount Sanitas allllll the time – before work, after work, weekends, you name it. It definitely is a butt-kicker and is one of those trails that you love to hate.

Knowing that I could get to the top just fine, Michael then extended this challenge to me. By doing Mount Sanitas 6 more times we would both gain more confidence in my abilities and wouldn’t be quite as nervous that anything negative would happen while backpacking.

This link has some more information on the trail itself.

Quick side note on my heart health

Before I continue I’ll give a quick update on my heart. Since the yurt-defibrillator-shock fiasco things have been going really well! With the new medication that I’m on I haven’t had any arrhythmias that needed my ICD to kick in with therapy. This is huge! I went from receiving 1-5 therapies daily (caused by VT) during the first two weeks of January to receiving NONE mid-January through now.

After getting shocked I had a hard time getting back to exercising. It’s not that I didn’t want to, it’s that I was scared to. I was scared that I would receive therapy again or, worse, get shocked.

I took it easy and tried to go for daily walks or hit the gym for some leisurely biking or ellipticaling (<- don’t think that’s a word). I continued to get stronger and more confident, especially since I hadn’t had any episodes with the new medication. Each week I tried to push it just a little bit more.

And that brings us to today!

Let the challenge up Sanitas begin

March 31 was my first time hiking Mount Sanitas this year. I started out very slow and only slightly scared with my only goal being to get to the top safely. I tend to do best when I settle into an all-day easy pace so that I don’t have to stop for breaks. One step at a time, slow and steady progress.

And guess what?! I did it! And then I did it 6 more times! I hiked it through a range of weather – hot and sunny, foggy and snowy, chilly and windy – sometimes by myself, sometimes with Michael.

Here are my times for hiking to the summit (does not include the hike down):

March 31 – 45:30
April 1 – 44:36
April 3 – 41:16
April 5 – 38:53
April 8 – 50:13 (took an alternate route up which was .6 miles longer)
April 10 – 39:45
April 12 – 38:53

You can see that I was able to shave off about 6.5 minutes from my first hike to my last. It may not sound like much, but the trail is only 1.3 miles long, so I’ll take it. Back in the day I could run/hike to the top in around 30 minutes – lots of room for improvement!

Not only did I get faster, but I got stronger and more confident in myself. I was able to feel that rush of endorphins that I hadn’t felt for so long. It’s such a good feeling!

Challenge fever

I had forgotten what it’s like to pursue a goal – a clear, concrete goal with a deadline. Up until 2017 I had trained for either a half marathon or a full marathon at least once a year for 7 years. It was a lot of time and a lot of work, but so satisfying. Without working towards anything specific (because my general “get back into shape” wasn’t super inspiring) I felt a little lost.

The Seven Sanitas Summit Challenge left me feeling driven and motivated, excited to tackle anything that came my way. I know Michael has a few more challenges for me coming up. I can’t wait to smash them. I’m lucky to have a partner that encourages and inspires me.

And here are some extra pictures, because I took a lot during my 7 times up and down.

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North Table Mountain Park Hike

April 13, 2016 by Jenna

A few friends and I hiked North Table Mountain Park on Saturday, so I thought I’d share a little recap.

Who knows, maybe one day you’ll find yourself in Colorado looking for a little hiking adventure?! If so, call me up and I’ll join you 🙂

April is still pretty early in the hiking season. It seems like it is still winter in the mountains – they are covered in snow and full of skiers; however, it is definitely spring in the foothills! The hikes in these areas may not be as intense, but it’s a great way to get some warm up hikes in before attempting to conquer a 14-er. Which I hope to do soon.

North Table Mountain Park met our criteria of being moderately difficult, ranging 5-10 miles long, not covered in snow, dog friendly, and not too far from Denver. So, to North Table Mountain we went!

Our crew consisted of 5 people and 1 dog – just enough space to all fit in my roommate’s Ford Escape. We left Denver at around 10:00 and it was only about a 30 minute drive to get to the trailhead in Golden. There were a surprising amount of people at the start and the parking lots were full, so we had to park along highway 93. Slightly frightening, but it worked out just fine.

North and South Table Mountain offer a few different routes that vary in distance from 2.5 miles to 8ish miles. We choose the longer one, which was advertised on AllTrails.com as 7.6 miles. At the end of the hike my GPS showed 8.8 miles, but then when I checked it later the distance was recalibrated down to 8.0 miles. Still not bad overall!

This was our route:

As you can see we started the hike with a nice steep incline (going counter-clockwise around the loop), then had a gradual decline, and finished off the last few miles with some rolling hills. We took some scenic picture breaks, water breaks, and sunscreen breaks over the course of the hike. Overall it was a little over 900 feet in elevation gain. Since North Table Mountain Park is basically right in Golden, we weren’t fully enveloped in “nature”. You’ll see power lines and houses in our pictures, but there were still some great views of the mountains and a pretty little view of downtown Denver. No one was complaining.

Would you?

Judging by the amount of cars and people that we initially saw, I was expecting the trail to be pretty crowded. However, the specific trail that we took wasn’t too bad. We came across a few hikers, a few runners, and a good number of mountain bikers. At times the trail was pretty narrow, so we would have to stop and move to the side to let others pass (or vice versa). Everyone seemed to have good trail etiquette, but it’s always a good reminder to be conscious of the other people around you.

The weather was perfect at 65 degrees and sunny with a slight breeze. We still needed snacks and plenty of water. Also, sunscreen. I missed a few spots and got burnt. I’m not used to the intense sun yet and my pale skin was all “wtf is happening here?!” If it was any warmer it probably would have been too hot, so I would not recommend doing this hike in the prime summer months. There is no shade. It’d be brutal! But you could do it if you like that sort of thing.

The hike wasn’t too strenuous, but it was still a good workout. I could feel it in my glutes the next day (side note: “Good for the glutes.” Is my mantra while hiking up hills. I find it to be very motivating.) By the end we were all ready to be done. I may have some “only one more mile!” about three times and prematurely got people’s hopes up, but a little extra walking didn’t hurt. We all survived.

We rewarded ourselves with beers at the Buffalo Rose in Golden for all the effort we put in that morning. Beer after hiking is pretty much the best thing, especially when you’re with such a great crew.

Overall, I enjoyed hiking the North Table Mountain Park trail. I feel I would do it again and would be completely comfortable going by myself. Maybe even to take a stab at trail running? I won’t get ahead of myself.

But if every weekend of my life going forward involves the mountains, beer, sunshine, and great people I will be a happy, happy (and grateful!) lady.

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10-10-10 Upper Body Workout

January 12, 2016 by Jenna

Upper body workout time!

This workout features 10 upper body exercises, 2 for each muscle group: chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. Each exercise will be done back-to-back for 10 reps and the whole thing will be repeated 10 times.

It’s a woozy.

But really it’s not that bad. Since it is only 10 reps of each exercise it moves fast and shouldn’t wear out your muscles too quickly. Until, you know, you are 5 rounds in and everything is burning, but that’s why we do this – burning muscles to build them.

Here’s what we’ll do:

The only equipment you need is a set of dumbbells, so you can easily do this workout at home or at the gym. Understand that you can probably lift heavier weight with your chest and biceps than you can with your shoulders. If you only have access to one set of dumbbells some of these exercises will be harder than others. If you do this at the gym, you may want to grab a couple of different sets in varying weights.

This workout was actually modeled after the 10-10-10 Lower Body Workout that I posted last April. I pulled it out of the archives last week and did it after a 4 mile run. I only went through it 5 times and MAN I was beat. My legs were more sore after that workout than it typically is after a heavy leg day in the gym. I was surprised, pleasantly surprised. Needless to say, I’m definitely doing it again… maybe even later today.

And just in case you need them, the exercise cues:

Push Ups: Begin in push-up (plank) position. Keeping your body in a straight line with your core engaged, slowly lower your body while bending your elbows to 90 degrees. Push your body back up to starting position.
Dumbbell Rows: Standing with a dumbbell in each hand, bend over slightly, making sure you have proper posture, and place your hands directly below your shoulders. Raise the dumbbells up to your sides until they reach your ribs. Lower back down until arm is fully extended.
Shoulder Press: Hold dumbbells at shoulder level with palms facing forward. Press dumbbells overhead until arms are fully extended. Lower arms back to starting position. This can be done sitting or standing.
Bicep Curls: Hold dumbbells shoulder width apart with arms at sides, palms facing forward. Raise dumbbells, keeping upper arms stationary, until they reach shoulder level. Lower back to starting position.
Triceps Bench Dips: Sit on a bench with your legs straight out in front of you, your heels on the ground, and your hands gripping the edge of the bench on each side of your body. Straighten your arms and lift your body off the bench (starting position). Lower yourself in front of the bench until your elbows reach a 90-degree angle. Raise yourself back up to starting position.
Chest Press: Lie on the floor (or a bench) with a dumbbell in each hand, elbows directly out to the side in line with your shoulders, and hands in the air above your elbows (starting position). While contracting your chest, press the dumbbells up until they are fully extended. Lower back to starting position.
Reverse Flies: Standing with a dumbbell in each hand, bend over so that your back is parallel to the floor, hands directly below your shoulders. Raise dumbbells up and out to your sides until the dumbbells are in line with your shoulders. Lower back down.
Front Shoulder Raises: Hold dumbbells in front with palms facing front of thigh. Raise both arms forward until hands reach approximately eye level. Lower arms back to starting position.
Hammer Curls: Hold dumbbells with arms at your sides, palms facing in. Raise dumbbells, while keeping upper arms stationary and palms facing each other, until they are at shoulder level. Lower dumbbells to starting position.
Triceps Extensions: Stand holding a dumbbell with both hands. Raise dumbbell to be directly above your head (starting position). Keeping your elbows still and either side of your temples, slowly lower your forearms and flex your elbows until the dumbbell is at the back of your head. Raise dumbbell back to starting position.

I hope you try out this workout and enjoy it! Let me know if you have any questions or feedback.

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The Fit 5: Back

June 9, 2015 by Jenna

It’s time for another Fit 5 post! This time we’re going to focus on our back muscles.

Many exercises are forward moving and front facing, so it can be easy to forget about the back. We shouldn’t – for every push there should be a pull.

And for every The Fit 5 post there should be some facts.

I definitely needed to triple check the spelling on some of those muscles. The Transversospinalis muscles rarely come up in my writing or everyday conversations – surprising? But it’s always great to know these things. You never know when it could pop up in trivia.

Basically, the back is made up of a few larger muscles and a lot of little ones. All of these are important, so we should pay attention to them, treat them with respect, and make them stronger.

Here are some exercises that will help with that!

These are just a few to get you started. I love a good row or pulldown, but after incorporating a lot more yoga into my life the last few months, I’ve noticed the benefits of doing isometric holds – like the Superman. They are always a little bit more difficult than you think they’ll be, but are extremely beneficial.

I recommend incorporating at least one back exercise into your strength training routine. That’s totally doable, right?!

Check out the other Fit 5 posts for some good exercises you can pair these with: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps, Chest, and Balance Training.

With The Fit 5 Back thrown into the mix we almost hit all the major muscle groups! Woo Hoo. Stay tuned for more.

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10-10-10 Lower Body Workout

April 14, 2015 by Jenna

How much are you loving this springy, sunshiney weather over the last few days?! I’m obsessed with being outside right now and hit two spring milestones this week: first run in shorts and first time sitting out on my balcony. Amazing.

Speaking of shorts… I put together a lower body workout. Let’s get some super strong and toned legs!

We are going to do 10 lower body exercises for 10 reps each and we’re going to do that 10 times; hence the “10-10-10”.

Let’s do the math. 10 reps x 10 sets = 100 reps per exercise. 100 reps x 10 exercises = 1000 reps total. Ummm… yeah, that is a lot of reps!

It’s going to be hard. Your legs are going to burn and they are going to hate you.

BUT THEN they will love you. Over time you’re legs are going to get stronger and more toned and there is absolutely nothing bad about that.

Here’s what we’re going to do:

It looks fun, doesn’t it?

Throughout this workout it’ll be imperative to keep proper form. On the squats and lunges, watch your knees. Make sure that stay in line with your ankles and make sure they do not extend past your toes. I realize that by the time you’ve already complete 50 squats you’re going to be tired, but improper form risks injury and nobody has time for that.

Summertime is reserved for running around in shorts, hanging out on the lake, and sitting out on patios. So focus on your form.

After doing this lower body workout a couple of times you may want to start progressing a few of the exercises. Feel free to hold weights for extra resistance during the squats, donkey kicks, lunges, calf raises, and glute bridges. It’ll mean more burning, but it’ll also mean more muscle. #worthit

Feel free to shoot out any questions in the comments! Happy squatting!

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