One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than 50 preaching it. (Knute Rocken)
Tapping a high voltage wire, Jim?? Dang!
4 miles in some slightly stormy weather, wind-wise. The rain that was suppose to be here today still hasn't materialized, so that allowed The Hub and I to get some yard work done after my doc appt this morning. He's now snoozing on the couch, and I gotta get some transcription done.
Leslie Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain -------------
Trail Runner Nation
Sally McCrae-Choose Strong
Bare Performance
4 miles this morning with hill work, followed by an hour of core/strength training. I've decided I need to be doing the C/ST 3x a week, so for now it'll be Tues, Thurs, and Sun. The third day will probably stay in play until I begin B2B's again, which brings me to a question for your ST buffs. It's my understanding you're not suppose to do ST 2 days in a row to allow the body to recover. Yes? No? Old Wives Tail? I'm not getting the results I want from two days a week, but once I start up the B2B's again, I don't see myself doing strength training on either Sat or Sun after (or before) my LRs.
Just little ole me around this week . . . .
Rest day for me, so I came into work early. LOTS to do before I'm on vacation next week. It's a stay-cation since we can't afford to go do anything. So while Shorty's working, I'm sure I'll be working at home trying to get transcription done, but at least I won't be at my full-time job.
Queen of 3rd Place
Leslie - sounds like you had a magical run toward the end of last week, cool. Re: ST days, as an ex-ST buff (serious enough to do 5 - 6 days a week in the gym), my understanding is that you CAN do back-to-back ST but ONLY if you are working different muscle groups (for example, upper body on day one, lower body the next day). The recovery in between lifting bouts is when the muscle repair happens. If you're not getting the results you want, you need to shake up your routine (change the exercises, increase weight, change around reps/sets, decrease rest time between sets, do your sets as a circuit, try super-sets or giant sets, try ladders, try negatives...). What results do you want?
Jim - "tapped" a high-voltage wire??? Like with a body part??? Sounds scary!! Nice work on the mileage.
Took the long weekend off and just did stuff around the house and some early Christmas shopping. Starting again this week with some easy doubles. Got in a weight & core workout, I think I have a good routine that is a good workout but not something to be dreaded, and that works in the Physical Therapy exercises.
The racing schedule for the local series looked like this for 2012 and should be very similar:
Jan 1 5K 20 points
Feb 18 5K 10 points
Mar 3 10K 30 points
Mar 17 4 mi 30 points
Mar 24 13.1 mi 20 points
Apr 14 10K 10 points
Apr22 2 mi 10 points
Apr 28 5 mi 30 points
May 12 5 mi 30 points
Jun 3 10K 20 points
Jun 9 1 mi 20 points
Jun 17 6 mi 30 points
Summer break from racing
Sep 22 10K 20 points
Oct 6 5K 10 points
Oct 20 5K 10 points
There are 5 races at each points level. You add your points from your best three races at each level. I did this in 2011 and got a runner-up, but it's a 10-year age range and some darn 41-year old kept beating me! At 50, now I'm a "Senior" (ouch), so I don't have to contend with her. There are a couple of fast ladies in the 50+ group but with some hard work I think I can go up against them. You can see there are 12 races in the first 6 months, so that's going to be tough! I've been told that the key is staying healthy, this year's winner told me she's pretty thrashed from the series and plans to not race next year (we'll see...).
Ex runner
Boy, that's a lot of racing, Arla, but you can do it! I find it hard to believe your 50. You certainly don't look or act like it. Very nice, indeed.
Re the ST - What are ladders and negatives? My biggest problem right now with ST is that I let it go while I was training for Mt. Hood, and it's been hard for me to get back into it. I have a laundry list of exercises that I break down into more manageable lists then switch up about every 6 weeks. In my workout room, I have a Bowflex, a TRX, sets of free weights - 5, 8, 10, 15, and 20 lbs. - a BOSU, and stability ball. My goal is to simply tone up what I have and strengthen my core more. (I'd love to get rid of my poochy belly, but that may be a pipe dream.)
Today I concentrated on lower body and core using the BOSU and stability ball. Tomorrow I will do upper body and work on core with the TRX.
I think core/strength training are going to be vital to staying healthy and accomplishing my goals over the next two years.
That being said, it was 6 miles this a.m. with 6 strides at the end and an hour of C/ST.
I'm in a bit if a negative space today mentally. Not sure why, but am trying to pull out of it. This doesn't happen to me often, and it's mostly aimed at the folks I work with, which is ridiculous because (1) they're wonderful ladies and we're like family and (2) they haven't done anything, it's just me. I'm looking forward to having next week off. I haven't had an extended time off since our vacation in February. I need to recharge.
Leslie - Ladders would be something like 15 - 20 reps with a very light weight, 12 - 15 reps with a moderate weight, 8 - 10 reps with as heavy as you can manage, then back to 15 reps with the moderate weight and 20 reps with the light weight. No/minimal rest between each set.
Negatives are generally done on your last set. Let's say you do a light weight, then a moderate weight, and then on your last set a weight where you can't do more than 6 or 8 reps. After the last rep that you can do, you have a partner lift the weight and then you lower it slowly.
Both ladders and negatives are ways to add intensity and get out of workout ruts...but they are hard!
No doubt weightlifting is hugely important. I have a runner friend who was stuck in a rut with his weight loss efforts, he added weightlifting and was able to get rid of most of that last pesky 10 lbs.
I'm becoming a big believer in burpees, because I'm inherently lazy and you get a lot done in a short amount of time. And lunges. Oh, how I love/hate those!
Double today, 4 mi to work, 6 taking the long way home, and resistance training!
I'm becoming a big believer in burpees, because I'm inherently lazy and you get a lot done in a short amount of time.
Ugh! I hate burpees! But I do know they are very beneficial. I don't mind lunges, but I don't have the space for walking lunges, so it's just the single leg with weights.
Thanks for the info are the ladders and negatives. I'm going to print that out and put it with the rest of my workout cheat sheets.
When I do my strength training, I never sit and rest. For instance, I'll do a set of lunges for both the right leg and left leg, then do a set of core exercises then back to lunges, then core again. My goal is to keep the cardio up, as well. Right now I'm doing two sets of each, but I know I need to move it up to three sets.
One of the best things I got out of doing The Firm workouts years ago was a 2-piece step - one section is 6 inches high, the other is 12 inches high. I can do quite a few different leg workouts using the separate pieces or together.
The TRX is good because, with variations on footing, you can get a really good core workout at the same time you're doing your upper or lower body workouts.
I don't really need to lose weight, but I do need to get back to where I'm holding steady at 140 instead of fluctuating up to 145 or so. Mostly its toning and strengthening - especially strengthening - what I have.
If you want to get stronger you need more resistance (weight). In order to move more weight, you will need to take longer rests between sets and have some sets with relatively low reps. Simple as that. There is a tradeoff between how few reps/high weight you do and potential for injury. If you go down to maybe 6 - 8 reps on your final sets, where you can just barely do the last rep or two with good form or, better yet, you experience temporary muscle failure, you will gain a lot of strength with little risk of injury. You will also sculpt your body. Back when I was lifting heavy (20 years ago, egads), I was quite strong (I could squat over 200 lbs, for example), but I didn't get bulky (maxed out at around 134 lbs), and I looked pretty good, too! Never could get a six-pack, darn it. You have so much weightlifting experience, I think you could experiment with working to failure. Be aware that tough, working-to-failure workouts usually are followed by napping.
Pleasant 6er on the way home, and a couple set of burpees and...done...
So like this morning, I tried what I think was ladders. For example - bringing weights up into a curl then pushing up overhead in one fluid, steady movement. Standing on the BOSU, I did 15 reps using the 8 lb. weights, then moved into 12 reps with 10 lbs, then to 12 (I think) using 8 lb. By the time I got to the last one of the 8, my arms were definitely pooped. (All that = a set) After doing a set, I did a core set, then went back and did another set of the weights, then back to the core.I also did a set of side lifts (standing on BOSU) where your arms are at a 90 degree angle in front of your body, then you’re lifting your elbows to shoulder height (make sense?). Did 10 lbs x 15, 15 lbs x 12, 10 lbs x 12 (again, the arms were pooped). Core workout, then another set of arms.Lat workout (flexed over at waist, trying to balance on one leg) - 15 lbs x 15, 20 lbs x 12, 15 lbs x 10. Core workout then another set of arms. By the time I got to the 2nd set of 15 x 10, I was struggling to pull the weight up, so definitely went to muscle fatigue.These aren’t the only upper body workouts I did, but they’re the only ladder workouts. Does this sound like what I should be doing?6-pack abs? Would be nice, but ain’t gonna happen. I’ve given my eating habits a serious review, and bottom line - I eat too many carbs and not enough fruits and veggies, and am not drinking enough water.
Oh - also 4 EZ miles on pooped legs. Tomorrow's trail run should be interesting as I plan to attack Headwaters with more vigor than I have been, i.e., quit being a frigging weenie and run up those hills. . . . . at least it sounds good right now . . .
Hey all, just wanted to stop in and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! Glad to see you guys/gals still out there mixing up the running and life. LOL, a quick scan of the current thread and I see all about burpees, ladders and six pack abs. Oh, and there is some running...lots of it for Arla it seems. I'm sore just looking at that schedule. No slacking for you!
Still running for life here. Sitting at 11 races of various kinds for the year, including my very first trail race. Leslie you are so right about that stuff, one of the best outdoor/running experiences of my life! It was the Palo Duro 20K...perfect weather (at least for us 20Kers) and beautiful setting. Thankfully I came out with ankles intact and 6th/24 in my AG. I'm sure all the hard core trail runners were doing the 50K or 50miler, but I was quite happy with my one loop. Training for Marathon #2 at the moment...Cowtown. Trying to hang on to the pfitz 55/18 plan . Not sure I'm up to the intensity, but hope to get the miles in.
Miss catching up with you guys, but seems life has been moving faster than I can keep up these days.
CAROL!!!!!! I've been thinking about you and hoping things are going well in your life. Your first trail run - yea!! They're a blast, aren't they? Good luck with your marathon training. You better come back and tell us all about the race.
You've been missed. Don't be a stranger.
Today it was 10 trail miles out at Headwaters. I could definitely feel the extra ST training, but I'm very pleased with how the run went. I worked the hills harder than I have been, and ran up sections I normally would have walked. It threatened rain all morning and started drizzling when I was about a mile from the car. When I got done, I walked around for about 5 minutes to cool down, took all my crap off and got in the car, and about 5 minutes later, the skies opened up and it dumped for about 3+ hours. Talk about lucky!
So there's a section of the Elk River Trail up towards the top of the climb that always turns into a muddy, snotty, slippery, shoe-sucking mess. Lots of waist-high ferns, alder trees - it's a fun section to try and navigate. Seriously, it's fun! I hadn't been all the way to the top in almost a year and was looking forward to sliding through there. . . . . . . . . . They've totally groomed! Tore out the ferns, took out the trees, and groomed it with crushed rock. It looks like a freaking park. It sucks!! I understand it was probably done for erosion control purposes, but it still sucks. Completely changed the whole atmosphere of a big section of the trail. I popped around a corner, not knowing what had been done, and WHAM! It looks completely out of place and was total jolt to the senses. Literally stopped me in my tracks as my brain tried to register what I was seeing. Bummer. Total bummer. . . . . . . but I still had a great run.
flatland mountaineer
Busy week last, got in a couple good runs early week then on the road for business a few days. Unfortunately after we got home I tried that rapid weight loss diet also know as norovirus or the "intestinal flu" and the wheels have come off my running for the last 3 days. I might try a short one today.
Carol great to hear from you. Congrats on completeing a hardy race schedule. Good luck at Cowtown. Are you still doing the tri's. Stop in more often if you get the chance.
Joe did you end up running Philly? Get your power back up?
Leslie have a good staycation and you can send any rain you don't want on east out our way. Good for you working the weights. and core. So far I have yet to make it to my basement weight room of mostly apparatus I fabbed out of scrap metal. Sounds like your trail was starting to get more use if they had to rock it.
Cindy Moab looks pretty sweet even though I am more of a true mountain person. The exposure from the pics looks tolerable from my office chair, maybe not so much in person. So many fall and spring races correspond with our busiest times, we were done with harvest by the time Bluffs came around but peak training weeks along with peak harvest weeks just wasn't going to happen in this profession, this year anyway. Had we not pushed hard the 2 day windstorm would have taken half our crop. There are people still trying to rake up the fallen ears with hay rakes after running a combine and cornhead through it then coming back a second time with combine and bean pickup. The cost of which is taking half of what they salvage and they are only getting half or so of what is on the ground.
Arla good discussion on the weight training. Are you still doing any of the Hruska stuff from Lori's video? They fine tune the stuff they give you at the appointments and I have a ton of stuff from them prescribed for my situation. I was feeling so much better when doing it, but life got in the way, I will get back to it. It is fun being the youngster in your age group again. Around here some of the forty year olds are overall winners and always top 5 in the local races. Also some pretty fast 50 and older folks too.
OM hope the storm recovery is coming along for you.
Hiyas to Ev, Stumpy any others.
Funny thing on the power line, Our local utility had upgraded our service to the farm at no cost and buried a new service line coming in. Unfortunately they hadn't gotten around to removing the old line and had disconnected the power at the pole(transformer at the pole to take it down to 480) in the yard instead of the main service line at the road and I knew it was still hot, I had called the utility the week before reminding them it was still there. Not that line hadn't been there for like forever but I thought I was clear but when unfolding the steel boom on my sprayer , the end section unfolds like say your arm doing a tricep curl,I hit the bottom wire a ground and flipped it into the top "HOT" wire like 12 thousand volts which killed the power in my neighborhood. I am extremely lucky to be alive. My cousin was killed towing a portable irrigation system when it came in contact with a similar line.
MTA, just got a rather weak 4 miler in but yesterday the hardest thing I did was sip gatorade and hope it stayed down. :-)
The whole world said I shoulda used red but it looked good to Charlene in John Deere Green!!
Support Ethanol, drink the best, burn the rest.
Run for fun? What the hell kind of recreation is that? quote from Back to the Fut III
Trails are hard!
Wow--you run a very high powered farm!! 12KV is very scary--I get nervous at anything over 480V. it would be scary enough at regular voltage. you were definitely lucky that you didn't end up being the ground. I would imagine many prayers and thanks given to whatever higher power you believe in. besides, you have a lot of work to get done and that's NOT the way to get out of it.
On a much more mundane level, I did 6.1 miles (oops, just missed my 10K) in two lake looops. Nice and frosty at 28° at the start and 34 at the end. managed to do the second loop with negative splits, at least partially due to a young lady and her dogs that served as rabbits to chase for the lat cocuple of miles.
I know Arla and Leslie have had a nie chat this week, but it's about weight training and a huge lists of races that make me tired just thinking about, so i need to go rest.
Hi Carol--glad your'e still running and enjoying the trail race.
Need a fast half for late fall. Then I need to actually train for it.
Stumpy -
Jim - Your electricity incident just sends shivers up my spine. Obviously, we all are so happy you're okay. Regarding the intestinal flu - ugh! Don't push the running, just get well.
Rest day for me with a wonderful morning at church. Then The Hub made a dee-licious! baked pasta dish for lunch (absolutely not low cal). Got a little bit of transcription done, and now I'm gonna sit back for the rest of the evening. I'm hoping to spend tomorrow get a large piece of the transcription done so I can truly take the rest of the week off for vacation.