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Hill Repeats and Mexican Eats

Today at the gym I had my pick of the treadmills...two glorious rows EMPTY. It was incredible and I decided to mix it up and not get on my "favorite" treadmill. Maybe online I seem crazy ditzy insane friendly, but while I'm running? Least sociable person ever. I purposely pick the treadmill that has an empty space next to it so there's less chance of someone coming up to me and chatting. Breathing is hard enough when I'm running, but talking too? Fuh-get-about-it. 
Since I branched out and picked a new treadmill, I took advantage of one of it's snazzy features--the decline. I turned the whole thing into a hill workout that looked a little something like this:
(I kept the pace pretty constant between 6.2-6.3 the whole time)


Miles 1-2: warm up, 1% incline
Miles 2.00-2.25: 3.5% incline
Miles 2.25-2.5: 1% decline
Mile 2.5-2.75: 3.5% incline
Mile 2.75-3.0: 1% decline
Miles 3.0-3.25: 3.5% incline
Miles 3.25-3.5: 1% decline
Miles 3.5-3.75: 3.5% incline
Miles 3.75-4.00 1% decline
Miles 4.0-4.25: 4% incline
Miles 4.25-4.5: 1% decline
Miles 4.5-4.75: 4% incline
Miles 4.75-5.0: 1% decline


I thought that by adding the downhill parts it would make it easier, but this wore me out! My quads are more sore from this than a normal hill workout. Awesome.

I'm not sure if you are aware, but Cinco de Mayo is exactly one week away. Clearly this means I needed to go out for Mexican tonight. I ordered shrimp enchiladas that were delish:


Chips and salsa came free with the meal--had a few but we moved them to the side to make room for the main course:

Ran into Walgreens to grab hubs something to quell his post-dinner sweet tooth. He is a cruel man (ok, just kidding, he's the bestest) and got an ice-cream sandwich and a bag of Mega-sized chewy Nerds. They were on sale for 22 cents. No, I'm not kidding. I've never even heard of them but I KNOW we will become best friends. I will devour them at 6am on Sunday when I'm back to sugar. I had to get something too, so I got sugar-free gum. I feel like such a loser. 


Thursday night are my favorite at-home nights because hubs and I like to watch Community and The Office. So sad it's Steve Carell's last night on the show, but it's a long episode so yay!

Do you like hill workouts?
I like when they're over, let's put it that way. They're a necessary evil for me. I don't get the rush I get from speedwork, and it's tough for me. I'll keep at it!


Fave Mexican food?
Chips and salsa is probably not acceptable so I'll go with enchiladas. My mom makes great ones--authentic, not to so much, but delicious!



Comments

  1. my favourite mexican food... sangria, well that would probably count as a drink ;) chips and salsa and guac iss amazzzing!

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  2. WOW, what a workout!! And dinner looked maaaahhhvalous! Although I've never heard of giant chewy nerds either, I probably would have bought them at 22cents as well! ...how was your mint chocolate chip sugarfree gum? I tried the strawberry shortcake one and I had to spit it out...ick!

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  3. I most def judge a mexi place by their chips and salsa. Yum!

    I love a big salad with fajita chicken. Minus the cheese, sour cream and guac.

    Yummmmmmm!!!!!!!

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  4. I cannot resist the free chips and salsa that come with your meal at mexican restaurants. There is ALWAYS a second basket needed when I am out to eat. It is delicious. And I guess a bonus is I usually have left overs from my entree, so it all works out hehe :)

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  5. I did not know that some treadmills could be set to a decline. That is pretty neat-o!

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  6. Almost all my runs are full of hills, because my neighborhood has tons, there is a montrous hill that goes up one street and goes down another and I always try to incorporate into my run, just to have that extra push!
    Mexican food...love it! If it wasn't for acid reflux I would eat it all the time!

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  7. I'm with you- I'm at the gym to workout, not socialize. Jealous of the decline- if I ever buy one I'm going to try to get one that does that.

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  8. Cinco de mayo is awesome! It's also my birthday!

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  9. Firstly I'm jealous that your gym has treadmills that have a decline option. Secondly the only thing I like about hills is the feeling you get when you hit the top and your quads are burning. Thirdly, I don't want to be on a treadmill next to anyone either. I think its nice that people chat with you though. Sometimes I feel like people get on next to me and feel like it is a race, which I think is super annoying!

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  10. i used to LOVE hill workouts back in the day when my feet loved me too...haha. now i am struggling to get back into shape on the hills. blah. I still love them though because I think they are a crazy good workout.

    your TM sounds amazing...I didnt even know decline was an option??

    fave mexican food is fajitas!!

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  11. Hill workouts.... ummm... on my feet I am kind of ok, but put me on my bike and I would rather fall down and cry!!

    Mexican food... Chilli con carne. So boring... but I am lactose intolerant, and all the good stuff is just not the same without sour cream!!
    Oh, maybe Fajitas. Is that spelled right???

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  12. Oh, that food looks DELICIOUS! I can't wait till I am back in the states and I can go eat Mexican. :)
    Haha, I am the same way when I run. I usually take one of the end treadmills so that there is only one treadmill next to me. lol

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  13. Great work on the hill repeats! Haha, how funny! I'm the same way while running, though.

    Hmm, I don't even what my favorite Mexican food is!

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  14. Totally with you - love hill workouts when they are over! Of course, every run in my neighborhood feels like a hill workout - rolling hills everywhere you go. I always want to order something different at Mexican restaurants but I ALWAYS get fajitas - they are too good to stray from! Chips and salsa are a huge part of the meal though. So are margaritas and sangria.

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  15. Nice hill work...makes me tired just thinking about it. Every year we celebrate Cinco de Mayo too, my daughter is full Mexican so...any excuse for Mexican food I'll take it. This year's going to stink though because of my Medifast diet. I guess I could do veggies and a protein but what I really want is chips and salsa...and beans!

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  16. Looove hill workouts. And it bugs the crap out of me when people try to talk to me while I'm working out. Really?!

    Tamales! I'm freaking crazy about tamales!

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  17. I have never really done a "hill" workout. I usually run outside so the routes I take are rolling hills. However, I wanted to get in a good hill workout last sunday and drove to a local mountain and ran up the access road. It was amazing. I love getting the "wow she is crazy and running up a mountain" stare down. It only made me want to go further and faster! Nice job with the treadmill workout. I wish my gym had cool treadmills like that!!!

    LOVE LOVE LOVE mexican food. The spicier the better. I am in love with quesadillas, and fajitas. Love tacos and burritos, and basically anything. Yummy. Now I am hungry. Thanks a lot!

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  18. YUM! I love Mexican! It is my ultimate favourite and I usually opt for burritos loaded with 13 pounds of guacamole.

    And I hate doing hill workouts but love the way I feel afterwards. I'm happy when I'm in pain and can barely walk. It's pretty awesome that the treadmills at your gym have a decline feature. I have never come across one of those and I've been on a lot of treadmills!

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  19. I love running hills.
    When I first started running I did it with the incline at like 5% (I just had no idea)
    I love chips and salsa
    I could live off of chips and salsa
    I could drink salsa.... ohhhhhhhh sooooooo gooooooooooooooooood!

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  20. We had Mexican last night too. It's one of my favorites!!!

    I am with you on being non-social while running at the gym...or if I'm outside and it's super hot. I'll go to a certain place hoping no one will run next to me and then I get angry because the loud stomper, or the person who smells (whether perfume or BO, no scents are appreciated near me while running) comes to use the treadmill next to me.

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  21. I looooooove hill workouts. They are the best!! I love to feel the burn!

    Mexican food is pretty much crack to me, especially damn chips they bring out! Good job not gorging on them like I usually do!

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  22. Yummy Mexican food! Its my fav....however since moving I haven't found a good mexican food place. Great job on your hill workout. I hate hill workouts or hill repeats, but living in the mountains you don't really have a choice. I do believe that the best running hill workout is on the treadmill though.

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  23. 22 cents for nerds? Unreal!!

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  24. Decline on the TM is my favorite!
    I also love Mexican-but only because it gives me an excuse to drink Margarita's!

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  25. mmmmm I LOVE MEXICAN!! If you ever come down to the ATL, we should meet up for some! (;

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  26. enchiladas are my fave too! especially enchiladas verde.

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  27. whoa, killer hills! love it. Definitely need a mexican fix after that!

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