The Final Week! Zooma Holiday Challenge

I did it. Six weeks of commitment. Five days a week of movement; two days a week of self-care. I'm so impressed with myself for sticking to this, and I've gotta say, I'm seeing results. This challenge has given me a routine to focus on during this weird era of isolation/working from home. Now that the challenge is over, I have another on the horizon to jump into. Even if I didn't, I don't think I'd just quit. I feel like having weekly goals has been a good lifestyle change for me, and I intend to keep it up.

By the way, there's still time to sign up and join me for the Run Love Challenge! Also, registration for next year's Zooma Run Club is open. There's a free option if you're looking for sisterhood and support rather than swag. 

Let's get into last week's breakdown. Spoilers: this was a week where all my hard work paid off!

Movement 1: I started the week strong with a four mile hill run at the Arboretum. This was a milestone run; usually I have to pause and take a rest and a puff a quarter mile in, because of the hills, but not this time! I ran the entire loop once before I paused for a break, and then completed it a second time. I;m really proud of my progress!

Movement 2: Temperatures in the low 40s couldn't stop me from getting in a near-perfect run. I did a flat 3-miler and felt strong and steady the entire run. I checked my splits (which I never do these days) and was pleasantly surprised to see them so even. It's like this week, things just clicked and I found my groove.

Movement 3: I completed a Peloton arm workout and a core routine I put together myself. I really need to consider doing arms and core more than once a week if I want the results to pay off.

Movement 4: On Christmas Eve, Matt and I spent the night at Scott and Robby's. I did a 30 minute ride on the Peloton that evening. I totally understand the cult-like devotion to Peloton because the coaches are so encouraging and fun, distracting when they need to be, and super diverse. 

I really think using the bike once or twice a week has rounded out my fitness in a way I was missing, improving my running. I guess cross-training is a thing for a reason.

Movement 5: On Christmas morning, the four of us ran a 5k at Greenlake. This was actually Robby's idea, and I gave him the option to back out but he insisted.

Holiday Challenge, complete!

This 5k was my fastest run in Seattle. I felt totally in the zone and incredibly happy with my performance, which wasn't low-effort by any means, but wasn't race-effort, either. I was proud of Scott and Robby for completing it, given that they haven't run in literal years; Matt of course blasted past all of us.

Self-Care 1: Besides my usual nail day, I also bit the bullet and made a phone call I'd been putting off. Sometimes self-care means adulting. 

I had to call our new doctor's office and get us in the system so I can get our records transferred; the call ended up being easy and painless, of course. Staying on top of your health is self-care!

Self-Care 2: Christmas, of course! We spent two nights with Scott and Robby, playing games, making sushi, watching Wonder Woman 1984, and generally just enjoying a low-stress holiday together.

Matt and Scott prepped our post-5k brunch.

Homemade sushi for dinner!

Homemade lemon pie for dessert, of course.

Everyone wore their most festive pajamas.

We got a family pic by the Christmas plant. plant.

Believe it or not, I kicked serious butt at Smash Brothers. It was a Christmas miracle!

This challenge may officially be over, but if it has taught me anything it's that I really benefit from the mindfulness that comes from meeting weekly goals. I'm going to take a break from updating my weekly progress on the blog, but I'll be sticking with the routine for my own sake.

ABK

Zooma Holiday Challenge, Week 5

Week five of the Zooma Holiday Challenge has come to a close, and I feel good. Surprisingly strong and balanced. In the past, challenges have burnt me out, but this time I feel like it's actually laying a foundation for long-term commitment without the stress that usually accompanies it.

This week included the majority of Chanukah. I always feel like taking the time to celebrate counts as self-care, and I spent week five feeling deeply fulfilled and content.

Movement 1: I started the week with a bang, completing a three mile run, an arm workout (Peloton), and a core workout (Coach Marcia). I had finished week four feeling so motivated that it carried right into week five.

I think I'm starting to see some real physical results from my dedication, and seeing results motivates me to do more.

Movement 2: Matt and I took an evening walk (a little less than two miles) to get some fresh air and stretch our legs.

Movement 3: I completed a 30-minute Peloton ride. This was my first ride in my new spin shoes and it was fantastic! Being clipped in REALLY makes a huge difference; I was able to come out of the saddle with proper form and push for a faster cadence. I'm so glad I got a pair of shoes for myself!

They're functional and pretty!

Movement 4: I attempted a four mile hill run, but it turned into 3.3 mediocre miles. My legs were too sore after the Peloton to really dig deep for this run, so I called it early.

One reason I've always avoided cross-training is because I worry it will affect my running. This does seem to be the case if I'm not careful about how I plan my runs. I need to be more intentional about planning for hills, flat runs, and the bike.

Movement 5: My legs really needed a rest. I completed two Peloton app workouts — arms and abs. The arm workouts have really proven to be effective; I'm always sore for days after.

I didn't love this ab routine. It's the first Peloton workout I've done that I gave a thumbs-down.

Self-Care 1: I splurged on Black Friday and bought myself some new makeup, so this week I broke out my stash — which I haven't used since March — and did a full face. I listened to music and just pampered myself. It was fun to experiment with my new eyeshadow pallet, and I had forgotten what I look like in mascara!

We took our evening walk after this, and I've made a mental note to buy some waterproof mascara. The cold wind did a number on my eyes!

Self-Care 2: As usual, I repainted my nails.

But also, I finally set up a time to Zoom with some friends back home! It was so fun to see their faces and chat in real time. I have decided I need to be better about actually choosing a day/time to call, not just saying, "Oh hey, we should Zoom sometime..." That's something I'm going to work on.

Week six is the final week of this challenge, but because I signed up for the full Winter Warrior package, I have the Love Run challenge coming up! No rest for me!

ABK

Zooma Holiday Challenge, Week 4

Week four is in the books! Let's jump right into the recap, shall we?

Is anyone curious what my magnets say?

Movement 1: To start this week, I completed a Peloton arm workout and Coach Marcia's ab workout for runners. The arm workout stayed with me the rest of the week, and the ab workout reminded me that I have been neglecting my core. 

I was pleased to build in some strength workouts this week because I tend to skip them in favor of running.

Movement 2: Despite feeling less than excited about it, I did an easy three miles around Greenlake. Of course, once I was done I felt great. That's always how it goes. It was chillier this week, so getting myself out of sweatpants and into running clothes was a feat in and of itself.

The cold weather and flat route made for a speedy run! I am definitely seeing my paces improve, even on hills.

Movement 3: I took a field trip to use the Peloton and completed a 30 minute ride with way more climbs than I was ready for! I ordered myself a gently-used pair of cycling shoes and they should get here in a few days; I'm looking forward to being able to come out of the saddle correctly.

Movement 4: I planned to run four hilly miles, but Matt was planning to hang out at a new-to-me park, so I joined him. It was by far the coldest run I've done here (41°) but not the coldest I've ever done (39° in Cleveland). I felt pretty good physically but spent the entire run worried I'd lost the path and uncertain about how I'd find my way back to my car.

I got to wear my new hat a friend made me. It's designed so I can pull my ponytail through the back!

The views were gorgeous, winding down through tree-filled valleys and up to beachside cliffs that overlook the Sound, and I'm looking forward to trying this one again when I'm in a better mindset. The trail was definitely hilly and steep in places, so I felt like I got a good workout in.

Movement 5: I finished the week much how I began it, with arms and abs. This time I kept it simple and just completed two Peloton workouts.

Self-Care 1: As usual, I'm doing my nails weekly to give myself 30 minutes of focused quiet time. I actually did them twice this week.

Self-Care 2: On Friday night, Matt and I went to Scott and Robby's to make a latke dinner. I really loved being able to share my traditions with them and feeding people is definitely my love-language, so I was beyond happy.

We've been home to light the candles for Chanukah every night this week. This year I've been trying to get back to my roots a bit, and observing this holiday that celebrates resilience and chutzpah feels a lot like self-care. 

Surprisingly, instead of feeling burnt out at the end of week four, I feel weirdly balanced. I don't feel stressed about getting my "movement" done and I like choosing which days I'll move and what exactly I'll do. I feel like I've gotten into a good, sustainable rhythm; I'm looking forward to continuing!

ABK

Zooma Holiday Challenge, Week 1

Zooma gear is 50% today and tomorrow (Nov. 24)! Use code BLACKFRIDAY at checkout!

A few weeks ago, I signed up for the Zooma Winter Warrior package, which includes the Holiday Challenge and the Love Run Challenge. I hemmed and hawed about it because I tend to give up on challenges, but Matt convinced me it would be a great way to stay motivated and active during the coldest parts of winter, when I'm the least likely to want to workout. The social aspect in the Facebook group is nice, too, especially as lockdowns go into effect again.

The Holiday Challenge began last Monday. The 7-week challenge is to complete 4-5 days of movement a week and 1-2 days of rest, relaxation, or self-care. 

I'm pretty pleased with how my first week went. Despite having a couple setbacks early in the week, I refused to let myself down. I decided to be flexible in how I counted my activities and self-care. The point of this challenge is to take care of your body and mind through the holidays, not to beat yourself up!

Nov. 16: Rain kept me indoors, but I didn't want to do nothing on the first day of the challenge! I took some moves from two Blogilates reels (here and here) and added some planks and core-focused exercises as well.

My quads, hammies, and butt really hated me for this.

By the end of my second round, I was so sweaty and already sore. I haven't done squats since I did the Chloe Ting challenge over the summer and my quads let me know it!

Nov. 17: I was shuffling around like a grandma after a bad fall, but still managed a nice run at the UW Arboretum. This route is a nice two miles; the first mile is very uphill and challenging. 

3.4 hilly miles!

I planned to do the loop twice but decided I was too sore to conquer the hilly parts twice, so I took a shortcut and ran about about 1.5 loops instead.

Nov. 18: This was much-needed rest day! Matt and I drove to Bellingham to meet one of his paddling friends (masks on!) and check out their fire station.

Nov. 19: Although I planned to run, this became an unintentional rest day because Matt and I had some household stuff to get done. I used the downtime to paint my nails for the first time in months, and I think that counts as self-care!

I forgot how much I love painting my nails. I just get in the zone and feel so focused and relaxed. I'll definitely be doing it more often.

Nov. 20: My DOMs from Monday and Tuesday had finally subsided, so I tackled the Arboretum again. This time I successfully completed the loop twice, even though I nearly cut it short again. I've finally gotten into the habit of carrying my inhaler with me on my run, and that made things a bit easier.

Nov. 21: Matt, Scott, Robby and I hiked the Boulder Garden Loop, which is a two-mile trail not too far from us. We wanted to find a place that wouldn't be too crowded and this fit the bill.

Our goal was to go on a shorter hike because you don't want to get caught in the dark as sunset gets earlier and earlier, but the steep grades definitely made this a workout.

It felt like being in a jungle!

We indulged in some Shake Shack afterward and watched The Greatest Showman at Scott and Robby's, so this day doubled as an activity and self-care day. I like that this challenge isn't split into days so much as instances, so you can double up if you want to. Most of the time my runs double as self-care anyway!

Nov. 22: I was sore all over again (I'm beginning to think I'm getting old or something) so I did some easy stretches to account for my movement.

So, week one, done! It wasn't perfect but I felt a lot more tuned in to how I was spending my time and how I was feeling. It was a good week to get calibrated and take inventory. I hope as the weeks go on, this routine starts to feel more natural and easy, because I can definitely feel the mental benefits of participating in this challenge already.

ABK