Sponsors
SiobhanMcCarthy.ca
Taking Workout Breaks and Getting Motivated!
Taking Workout Breaks and Getting Motivated!
On the weekend, it was the Victoria Day long weekend in Canada. AKA, the kickoff to summer! I spent my days going to see the Toronto Football Club (TFC):
And running into other cheerleaders at the Toronto Blue Jays game:
I'm not going to lie, it felt great to put my crazy workout schedule in the backseat and just hang out with friends, relax, say yes to every invite, and gorge on every kind of pasta under the sun. I still went to open gyms at cheer, ran (a little-- well I did a 10K- recap soon!) and worked out my kinks at the driving range. I'm still not an elite pro and everyone there knew it but Rory McIlroy better watch out because by the end of the summer, I just might be a champ!
Sometimes a good break is what you need to get you prepared for your goals ahead.
What are your summer workout goals?
There is a post to come on them ;)
Do you need to take breaks to get you motivated again?
Yes! Especially when I work out 365 days in a year, it's important for me to take time off. It's not always "off" but it is usually more of scaling back on my intense workout schedule.
Yes! Especially when I work out 365 days in a year, it's important for me to take time off. It's not always "off" but it is usually more of scaling back on my intense workout schedule.
Color Me Rad Winners!
Color Me Rad Winners
Sorry for the late response on the winners of the Color Me Rad winners! I've finally arrived at The Cheerleading Worlds and now I'm soaking in the rays by the poolside.
It has been really nice to arrive so early so that I can relax before all the competitors arrive. And of course, I could go grocery shopping so that I can fuel up on things other than french fries and quesadillas. I was also able to go on a 5 miler run around Disney this morning.
I'm using a tablet that I'm not really use to so I'm having a hard time adding pictures to this post. You can add me to instagram and you can follow my adventure The Cheerleading Worlds there! My username is: siobhan__mccarthy
I also don't have screenshots of the winners of the contest so I will send the following winners e-mails with the exception-mail address you provided!
The winners are:
Anita and Amanda!
Happy Wednesday friends!
I'm off to apply some more sunscreen!
Siobhan xo
Color Me Rad BIB GIVEAWAY!
Color Me Rad BIB GIVEAWAY!
When Wyatt from Color Me Rad told me that this run was coming to Toronto, I was BEYOND excited!
And then when he told me that I could have a bib and giveaway 2 bibs on my blog-- I was PUMPED!
You might think I'm crazy for wanting to have people throw paint at me while I run a 5K, but don't worry! It's just a non-toxic, non-rash-inducing, Kroger branded, colour corn-starch. No paint involved!
Here's how it works-- first, show up in white. Then be prepared to run 5K while you get blasted with blue, green, pink, purple, and yellow dyes throughout the course! And when you cross that finish line, be ready to look like a package of skittles just melted all over you.
If you aren't sold on this run yet, brace yourself for this video. I'm pretty positive that I am going to have the time of my life!
Want to WIN a bib to this almost sold out event and run this amazing course with me in TORONTO?
All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me why you want to run Color Me Rad! (Bonus points if you visit their Facebook page and tell them you want to run with me!)
This contents closes on Monday April 22nd, 2013 at 6:00am EDT.
The 2 winners will also be drawn and announced on Monday April 22nd, 2013!
Good luck friends!!
Disclaimer: Color Me Rad provided me with a free race entry and a positive post was not guaranteed. All opinions are my own.
Boston Strong
Boston Strong
Before Monday, when the gun time clock hit 4:09, I saw the Boston Marathon as something that I wanted to be apart of. I wanted the jacket, the elite title of saying that I was a Boston Finisher, and all the pride and glory that goes along with being a Boston Qualifier. Now, my heart is just heavy when I hear "The Boston Marathon..." My heart is heavy for everyone involved. The spectators, volunteers, the EMS, doctors, nurses, police officers, the runners and their families. Not only was the running community affected by this tragedy, the world was.
I'm still in shock. I can't believe that people could be so heartless and try to bring the human race down. I've said it before and I will always say it, runners are the most supportive people I have ever met. As soon as disaster hit, it wasn't every man for himself. Finishers ran back over to save those who were literally knocked down by the explosions. Runners were donating blood immediately after the event. Runners who weren't even at the event, like myself, were finding out how they could help right then and there. Wearing the Boston blue the next day to work, sporting their marathon shirts on runs, and running either 2.62 miles or 26.2 minutes.
Runners warm my heart and soles.
I'm so glad that everyone who I know that was either running Boston or cheering the runners on, are safe. My heart breaks for those who were not as lucky.
This weekend at the London Marathon, all of the runners are vowing to run with their hands over their hearts as a tribute to Boston.
The world is full of amazing people. I will definitely be sending some love to Boston during my next race at the Sporting Life 10K!
Boston Strong,
Harry's Spring Run-Off Race Recap!
Harry's Spring Run-Off Race Recap
One of my favourite races to run is Harry's Spring Run-Off in High Park in Toronto. It's full of hills, it's pretty, the atmosphere is amazing and it has a pretty small turnout compared to marathons.
This year, my whole fan ran it:
My sister and I ran the 8K and my mum and dad ran the 5K.
I wasn't shooting for a PR that day. I thought my PR for this race was a 44 minute 8K and thought, "I think that is doable to beat." It turns out my PR for this race is a 41:02. Yea, I was aiming to beat it because that is my competitive nature, but I was going to be happy if I beat it or not.
I woke up in the morning to this weather:
You know me, anything under zero degrees and I am not running outside. This race would be my second outdoor run of the season because of the cold. Yes, I'm a wimp.
I was running a fast but comfortable pace the entire run. I was letting myself fall "naturally" down the hills as if I was 5, and I would give the uphills all I had while being smart with how much energy I was using. I was actually on target to beating my PR. Then, I got to the last 400m which normally you would see as the homestretch and I would be sprinting. These 400m were all uphill. And not just uphill-- it looked like a cliff. I saw the gun time clock and it read 40:00 I knew I had just over 1 minute to run this massive hill. I gave it all I had but I was going to be fine with not making it a PR because I just killed that race and left everything I had.
As soon as I caught my breath, grabbed some water and my medal, I was dying to figure out my official time. I won't hold you with anymore suspense- it was 41:48.
45 seconds off my PR! I was pumped. This means my feet tendons are finally ready to get speedy again! With my Sporting Life 10K race coming up, I think I'm ready to PR it. My PR for the 10K is 48:36. I'm ready to crush it.
My dad on the other hand, did amazing at the 5K race. Last year, he ran his first race ever at this event and came in third place in his age category!
This year, he ran his second race ever at Harry's Spring Run-Off and came in second place in his age category with a time of 26:01!
This race makes me SO happy and it really is my favourite way to kick off the race season! My sister and mum also had a great run and we all could not stop smiling after this race!
I just want to run more races! Right now.
What is your favourite race to kick off the running season?
What's your favourite distance?
I love half marathons. They are just the perfect length where I feel SO good when I cross the finish line! This is also the farthest I have ever ran so I don't have an opinion on anything higher!
I'm Going to the Cheerleading WORLDS!
My time has been focused on training to get a bid to The Cheerleading WORLDS. The competition was fierce. There were 26 teams going for 15 bids to WORLDS. As a team, we had to train long and hard to be the best. So my energy was focused on the gym and that is why you haven't heard from me on my blog lately. Although, my instagram was blowing up.
We got to the competition and were driven for that bid. We knew we had to work as a team if we wanted to place in the top 15. We directed all our energy together.
We went to the floor and gave it everything we had.
We killed our routine but to get a bid to WORLDS, you had to be perfect and with only 58% of the teams getting a bid, we were nervous. Sitting at the awards ceremony and waiting for your name to be called is the most nerve wrecking thing. Tears flowed when we heard, "PCT Cobras Zodiac" got a bid. Worlds 2013, we're ready for you!
Here is our latest video montage of all our performances so far this season:
With WORLDS only 23 days away, my training will remain the same but I can promise more fitness posts along the way!
Happy Wednesday!
Protein Pancakes: Coconut, Apple, and Blueberries!
Protein Pancakes: Coconut, Apple, and Blueberries!
Pancake Tuesday is one of my favourite days! My breakfast recipes that are filled protein are usually just waffles but last night, I switched it up and created a delicious whey protein filled pancake. I really needed all the protein I could get since I woke up Monday feeling incredibly sick and last night I was going to tumble for the first time in over month because of my concussion.
I made this one with coconut, an apple, and blueberries and I'm so happy that it actually turned out and wasn't a first protein pancake fail!
Makes 3 Pancakes.
Ingredients:
1 Peeled, Cored, and Diced Apple
1/4 cup of Shredded Coconut
1/4 cup of Blueberries
1/4 cup of Vanilla Whey Protein
1/4 Cup of Sifted Whole Wheat Flour
3 Egg Whites
Real Maple Syrup
Margarine
Directions:
1) Put all the ingredients in a mixer.
2) Put your skillet on the oven and melt margarine.
3) Pour the batter onto a skillet to make a small circle.
4) Once the batter starts to form bubbles, flip the pancake over and cook until the other side is golden brown.
5) Repeat until all of your batter is gone.
Serve and enjoy your pancakes with real maple syrup!
Finally, Tempo Run! (& Blizzard Nemo)
Finally, Tempo Run! (& Blizzard Nemo)
Which made today a nice arm workout day as I shovelled the driveway for an hour and a half. Lucky for me, I was at the office when the first shift of shovelling took place. I was one of the only crazy people who tried to go to the gym today and saw this sign on the front door:
It was probably better that it happened this way since I had a freakin' amazing tempo run yesterday! It was actually the first tempo run I have done in a long because of my concussion. It. felt. SO. Good. I wanted to go faster and had to contain my excitement to speed up.
I feel like if I went to the gym tonight, I would be in danger of having concussion symptoms come back which I really can't afford to have with the cheerleading provincials coming up in March. It's bad enough that I'm not performing at our gym wide cheer expo on Sunday because I'm still not ready to be thrown in the air. It has been almost a month of recovery. And it sucks to watch your team practice for three hours straight and you just have to watch and pick up the new choreography. For 3 freakin' weeks. Brutal.
But everyday I'm getting stronger and by next week I will be *knocks on wood* back in cheer action!
What are your fitness plans for the weekend?
Have you ever had a concussion? How long did it take you to heal?
Keeping It Slow But Logging More Miles!
Keeping It Slow But Logging More Miles!
My concussion symptoms seem to be staying away longer and longer and I've managed to run a total of 8.4 miles this month! Which sadly, is more than double of last months total miles and this number makes me happy.
The problem with waiting for a concussion to disappear is that it's hard to tell if I'm getting headaches from the barometric pressure or if it's because of my concussion. I haven't been dizzy or nauseous but these headaches just won't stay away for 7 days in a row.
I've been monitoring myself on the treadmill and elevating my heart rate and dropping it down, and repeating and I'm sooo happy that I don't get any symptoms while working out.
Yesterday I tested cheerleading. Nothing crazy. I just did drills for tumbling so I didn't actually invert. I started getting a little woozy and had to take it extremely slow and I only lasted for half an hour of drills and conditioning before I moved on to my WOD:
Honestly, I didn't think I could loose muscle so fast. I had to hold a wall sit for two minutes and after one minute, I could feel the burn and struggled through the last minute. Pre-concussion, this workout would be incredibly easy for me.
All I can do is take one day at a time and hope that I wake up tomorrow as speedy and strong as I was before my brain was shaken. Slow and steady wins the race, right?
Drop Dead Healthy by A.J. Jacobs (Book Review)
Drop Dead Healthy by A.J. Jacobs (Book Review)
DROP DEAD HEALTHY by A.J. Jacobs
A.J. Jacobs is Esquire magazine's editor-at-large and a bestselling author. When he was diagnosed with pneumonia his wife said to him, "I don't want to be a widow in my 40's... you have to shape up!" And from that day, Jacobs started to pursue a healthy lifestyle. He knew he had to be around for his young children and he wanted to feel good from head to toe. So, he looked at how to make everything in his body healthy. Jacobs' goes on a quest to have the perfect diet, get more balls, have more sex, hurt less, be smarter, lower his stress level, run right, and how to not get killed in an accident.
The problem with health these days is that people only look at the new health research oppose to reading about the 200 other studies that have been done in the past. As a society, we are too quick to embrace new theories. "Latest study syndrome" has led people to believe that the juice fast is a great way to get healthy. The fact is, there is very little evidence that the juice fast actually works.
Whereas "chewdaism" has proven that if you chew your food slowly, you will get more nutrients from your food and you will become thinner because it takes you longer to eat. Also, fidgeting is a good thing because you are burning more energy by every movement that you make. Which brings Jacob to his next quest: to get his blood pumping.
So, Jacobs hit the treadmill. Or, as a lot of people like to call it, "the dreadmill". At first, Jacobs loathed it but then by the time he got to his study on his butt (aka badonk-a-donk or junk in his trunk), he learnt that sitting at a desk all day is actually one of the worst things you can do. Sitting puts you at risk for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, colon and ovarian cancer. By this point, Jacobs was with Michelle Obama: chairs are our enemy.
Jacobs started writing this book while walking on his treadmill and managed to do over 1,100 miles. This has become the latest trend in offices but not all work places like to look at treadmills so I wouldn't expect it happening in very many. The good news is, even if you get up every hour and walk around, you are helping your health.
Getting a treadmill as a work station seems extreme and might make you look like a complete fitness psycho to the average person. But a real problem that health crazed people can encounter is "orthorexia." You are always worried about how healthy a superfood actually is for you and you won't go out for dinner with your friends because you won't eat anything on the menu. This is a serious condition that can make your stress level so high that it is actually bad for your health. The solution?
Balance.
Seriously, meditating about eating a blueberry and taking five hours to eat one does not sound fun or satisfying to me. People actually do this-- it's all in chapter two.
The reality is, people can get deadly illnesses even though they have the healthiest lifestyle. You can't control everything in life. We can control 50% of health by making good choices and eating healthy but the other 50% that we can't control is genetics and getting into accidents.
Look at Jim Fixx, he was an avid runner who was out on his routine 10 miler run and suffered a fatal heart attack and died at the age of 52. There are some things you just can't control.
Jacobs is all about balance in this book. He tests out the extremes because the benefits of having a healthily lifestyle can increase the longevity of your life, raise your IQ level, give you more energy throughout the day, and most importantly, you must live for now.
While living for now, Jacobs conquered a tri-freakin'-athlon:
Now that this experiment is over, Jacobs continues to live a healthy lifestyle. Although, his kids think that his next book should be about eating nothing but junk food which would be amazing. Until the sugar coma kicked in.
Drop Dead Healthy was an amazing read and I would highly recommend it to all my health and non-health addict friends.
Have you ever tried an extreme health kick?
Do you only read new health research or do you look back at old studies?
Disclaimer: I was provided with this product from Simon & Schuster at no cost to me and they were not guaranteed a positive review. All opinions are my own.