Pretty in Pink

Me immediately after completing my Leg Day workout: "Ugh, everything hurts! Why does everything hurt?!"
Me the day after Leg Day: "Yep, this is the end. Just leave me here to die."
Me two days after Leg Day: "It's Leg Day again?! Alright, let's do this!"

As you can probably tell, today was the second leg day of the week and I was struggling! Told my friend they felt like they were falling off earlier this week but I've brought it upon myself for not training with better consistency this summer. I'm just looking forward to the time when all this weight training starts paying off and my runs get faster as the weather cools off (it's been in the mid 80s all week)!

Today I broke out one of my favorite color combos: Pink and Grey! Something about them just gives the appearance of girly, but with a little bit of an edge. Sweet as a flower, tough as steel.

Tank: American Eagle
Shorts: Lululemon
Shoes: Nike
Bra: Athletic Essentials
Socks: Thorlo

Blue Belle

Today I  worked out Chest and Triceps! My legs were killing me from the day before so I took it slow on the run but I was happy to feel the burn and know my time spent in the gym is working. This year I plan on getting more consistent weight training to ward off the runners' knee that took me out last September. Fingers crossed!

Top: Lululemon
Shorts: Marika Tek
Shoes: New Balance 890v4
Socks: Thorlo

Purple Peril

Today's workout is all about the legs and abs! I'm definitely already feeling it and I know everything is gonna be sore tomorrow, too! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Shirt: C9 for Target
Tights: Under Armour
Bra: Champion
Socks: Ralph Lauren Sport
Shoes: Nike

Green Machine

Today's workout was all about getting back into the swing of things. For me, that means a little bit of each of my favorites (minus running, that is). And not just my favorite workouts, either, but the workout clothes that I feel best in, too!

Booty Rehab

When I hurt my back I had to stop squatting as heavy as I used to. Knowing I'd never reach a new max was a huge bummer. I decided to take some time off from the weights all together to see if that might heal me up. But I didn't realize how much good those weights had been doing until my runners' knee came back during my training runs and I had to ditch the trail for a stationary bike. That was another low blow to my ego since I used to be able to run no matter what other training I had been doing.

I hadn't worked out like I should have nearly enough during that first bit of summer because of all the set backs and the traveling my family was doing as well as the extra hours I had been working. Then came the "Oh No" moment. The girls and I went up to spend the weekend at the beach and when we came home I was going through all the photos and saw one of me in a swimsuit. It wasn't like I had packed on the pounds or anything like that, but I had lost nearly all of the muscle I had built up over the winter! I hadn't noticed it because, frankly, I don't spend enough time around mirrors and my clothes were still fitting. But that was not my hard earned booty in those photos, it was the butt of someone who doesn't work out!

My Oh-No Moment from July 6th, 2014

The bit of a muffin top wasn't helping matters, either

That was the moment I knew I had to get my rear in gear and back under the weights. Unfortunately I didn't see these photos right away or I would have started right then! I drew up a new schedule that had me running and lifting like crazy and since I didn't have any classes going on during the summer I had more than enough time to spend in the gym.

I'll be posting my workouts each day so feel free to follow along with me! I'll be throwing in outfit inspiration occasionally, as well, because who doesn't like to look cute? Even if they are covered in sweat...



Swimsuit Separates: Target

Abs of Bronze

As everyone finishes up the school year and comes home for the summer I've been seeing more familiar faces around the house lately. Yesterday I went to the gym with two of the guys, both my younger brother and one of his friends. They went off and did their own thing while I did mine. Monday meant legs day for me and chest day for them. But then my brother had to leave and I was on my way out, too, when his buddy challenged me to a game of Ab Tag.

I had never heard of Ab Tag but I'm always down for a challenge. He explained the rules for me. Each person takes turns picking an ab work out until one of the people can't keep going anymore and you have to quit. Sounds great, right? Especially after I had already finished doing my abs for the day. But I didn't want to give up before we even began so I grabbed us a couple of mats and we were ready to go!

We were at it for about an hour when he finally gave in. Which was good because I had to get home to make dinner! After we left the gym I wrote down everything we did since it had turned out to be a great workout!

Running Shoes

For a shoe addict like myself it shouldn't surprise anyone that I have a large collection of running shoes, and lifting shoes, and spikes, and fashion-over-function sneakers, and too-sentimental-to-toss grubby old shoes with hundreds of miles worn in.

That being said, I'm on the hunt for a new pair of go-to running shoes. My current favorites, the Nike FLEX TR, had long been discontinued and have only really got about 75ish miles left in them. I absolutely adore these shoes and wish I had known how much I would love them at the time because I would have bought up as many pairs as I could before they were gone!

So now comes the time I wish I worked for Runner's World and had access to all their different shoes to test out! Sadly, that's not the case. But luckily for me they did just send out their 2014 Summer Shoe Guide in their latest issue. And those results are all available online as well!

I'm someone who cares just as much about what's going under my foot as what it looks like, hence the super stylish white cheetah print pair on my instagram, and most of my running gear does match my Nike FLEX TRs (because running clothes can be just as stylish as the rest of your closet). This time around, however, it was the knowledge that I've got 700 miles between me and my next big race that had me feeling like I would have to sacrifice looks for practicality.

Fortunately, the designers at New Balance understand a woman's desire for both function AND fashion. They've partnered with Heidi Klum for a line that looks as amazing as it performs. And with the excellent reviews from Runner's World I went with the New Balance 890v4 in one of the Heidi Klum designs.

HKNB 890v4 Graphic in White Mint

HKNB 890v4 in Grey with Cosmic Coral

In fact, two of the Heidi Klum designs. I couldn't decide which I liked better so I ordered both! I justified it by saying the store doesn't carry anything smaller than a 6.5 and I didn't know which size I needed but I really just had to see them up close before making the final call. The womens' shoe comes in 17 different colors and narrowing it down to these two was hard enough that I needed to make the final decision in person. I'll let you know what I go with when they arrive next week!