Who has the best blog friends in all of the blogosphere? I do! I do! I cannot express enough how much I enjoy and appreciate the connections we build here. You all have provided some rocking discussion in my last two posts – “Barbie: Yes or No” and my post on developing a blog’s readership – and I love reading it all. So, thanks!!

I think my lack of workout motivation earlier in the week ended up being a blessing in disguise. I have had two superfantastic workouts in a row now.

Yesterday, I finally got myself to spin class again. Since I had run on Tuesday afternoon, I didn’t want to run again so soon on Wednesday morning. I decided to go to spin instead and it was a fabulous decision!

I think I have been too caught up in trying to work my schedule to attend spin when one of my all-time favorite instructors teaches. That always left me with the option of going Monday night when my motivation drops drastically or on Tuesday mornings when it’s not the best time with Braedon’s napping schedule. Then, I gave in to a different instructor yesterday morning and ended up loving her!

She had just the right attitude I look for – upbeat and supportive, but still knows how to push and motivate the fire out of you. Plus, she chose really great and challenging tracks. I have a feeling I will be running Tuesday afternoons and taking spin class Wednesday mornings more often now. I actually loved the set-up. Yay!

Then, today. Oh, today! This morning I hit up the gym to get my run on before having to head in to my co-hosting duties. (Did you catch that I joined the Dr. Fitness & The Fat Guy radio show for the day? Recap coming later!)

You know my typical relationship with the treadmill. We can act genial with each other but it takes a lot of effort. He’s a “frenemy” to the max. We don’t get along like he and Makenzie.

Mr. Treadmill decided to play nice today, though. I opted for an interval-style workout and loved every sweaty minute of it. It made the time fly and gave me a fun new challenge.

Whew. That will get you where it hurts…but I promise you will feel so good once you finish. I could start singing a different tune about Mr. Treadmill if he continues to treat me this well!

• What is the last GREAT workout you had?
• Don’t forget that the Champion Giveaway ends tonight! Last call to enter!

Greetings my granola loving friends. You sure all want to nab yourself that Love Grown Foods prize pack in my giveaway this morning! And thank you for the birthday wishes!! You all sure know how to make a gal feel the love.

You know what I find funny? When you’re a little girl, birthday time means getting to be a princess for the day…

And then you grow up and want to annihilate your body with challenging workouts to celebrate your birthday. What? Just me? Oh well.

I briefly mentioned hitting up spin class last night. I think I was still in shock when I wrote that because I didn’t tell you just how awesome the class was. Let me tell you. It. Was. Awesome! Thanks to a busy schedule, it has been almost a month since I have made it to spin. How did that happen?! I had withdrawals and didn’t want to enter my birthday without in my life another day.

I look like I did a swimming workout and not a cycling workout! Something about spin classes really challenges me. I have taken them for over 7 years (wow!) but still want to lay down and die after almost every class. After a month off? It wasn’t too pretty, but it sure felt good. Even with my legs burning and my heart about to beat out of my chest. The class coupled a lot of speed work with increasing resistance on the bike. I didn’t know whether to slap or kiss my instructor with every turn.

To add more pain fun to the experience, I did a little weight lifting action at the gym this morning. I broke my usual circuit down into a bunch of supersets. Here are the deets…

It looks like a lot but it went by quickly with going between each superset back to back. I would do a squat then dumbbell row, squat then dumbbell row, squat then dumbbell row to get three sets of each and then move immediately into the pull-ups with lat pulldown and so on. I may look a little crazy jumping from move to move, but it works for me. In. Out. On with that little thing called life.

I have a feeling I will feel sore by the end of the day. Not a bad thing. It is my birthday after all…so I can hopefully score a free massage from the husband.  

• What workout never gets easier no matter how long you do it?
• What is one way you love to celebrate your birthday?