Thursday, December 1, 2011

No training plan!

Usually when I'm training, the idea of what will happen when the race arrives and the plan ends terrifies me. In the past year, I've dealt with this by signing up for another race immediately, so I could just roll right into another training plan. I swore that the Stone Mill 50 Miler would be the end of this long string, and I would actually give myself some time off after the race. Knowing I have the Myrtle Beach Marathon in February and I'll be training for that by Christmas gives me "permission" to fool around until then, because I know I have something on the horizon. 


I'm a weirdo, so when I'm operating with no training plan, I plan out my workouts for the week and usually even write them down or put them in my google calendar. I'm imagining my non-running friends and family reading this and wondering what the hell is wrong with me, but I know my fellow runners understand.


Now that the race is behind me, it's time to get back to my roots and have running be a workout I do, not THE workout I do. Monday I had big plans to go to Body Pump and start the week off strong with a scary weight training workout, the total opposite of running.


Total fail. I ran 7.2 miles at a 9:10 pace. Or in other words, did the exact same thing I've been doing all along. In my defense, it was over 60 degrees out, and I didn't expect to get in many post - Thanksgiving runs in shorts and a t-shirt. Once again, probably something that sounds crazy to non - runners but has runners nodding their heads in agreement, that, well, obviously, its 60 degrees in November, so running outside was the only choice. 


The rest of the week I fulfilled my previous set out goals and even had to do two Daily Mile entries each day because I did two different types of workouts. 


Tuesday I went to a class called "Cardio Blast". At the YMCA, you really never know what you're going to get going in to a class that they invented, so I wasn't sure if it would be a joke or nearly destroy me. It was the latter. I've never been to a boot camp, but from what I understand, this was similar. The class alternated one minute of strength with one minute of cardio, and after 2.5 minutes I thought I was going to have to either leave or be hospitalized. First of all, my arms were massively confused about why they were being asked to take part in the workout, as opposed to their usual plan of gently pumping by my sides while my legs did all the work. Second of all, when you consistently run at a similar pace, your heart rate is generally the same, and I think mine is probably in the low 150s on most of my runs. It was over 170 for almost the entire class, so that was a shock to my system. I was super ambitious and tried to go to Spin after, but it was full, so I just read a magazine for 30 minutes on the elliptical.


Wednesday I really shocked myself and got out of bed at 5:30 to go swimming.This is nearly impossible for me because I hate swimming at the YMCA, and it's hard enough to wake up at that time to run, which I love. Counting the laps in the super chlorinated pool is boring. Also I'm bad at it. I did 1000 meters in 31 minutes, which I'm pretty sure is the equivalent of a 47 minute mile. But if I really want to do a Half Ironman in the spring, I better get on board with it, because I'm sure as hell not doing any open water swims while training in March. After swimming I continued with my magazine for 20 minutes on the elliptical. 


This morning I did a super easy 4 miles, except they weren't super easy because just washing my calves in the shower hurts them, and I'm walking only slightly better than after the 50 miler. Then I further tortured myself with Jillian Michaels No More Trouble Zones, which is a strength training DVD that you do all sorts of crazy moves with weights. 


So, essentially, someone is going to have to carry me during this Saturday's Hot Chocolate 15K, or I'll have to crawl. Just get me to the chocolate. 

13 comments:

  1. I'm so proud of your cross training. I wish I had a job so I could justify joining a gym. But then Faith would just get sick from the other kids in the kiddie room, so then I'd never go. That sounds fun.

    I'm pretty sure you'll still beat me on Saturday, sore calves or not. :)

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  2. Aha! A blog post about chocolate (sort of)!

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  3. Dude you're racing. I'm going to play Jillian Michaels the whole time if I have to.

    I really want to go to bodypump now, but I know I won't.

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  4. You are definitely rocking the cross-training! I'm still trying to understand the concept of running not being the focus of your workout week. Between training plans I write out my workouts for the week, too.

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  5. HALF IRONMAN IN THE SPRING???? Tri Charleston on 4/21. DO IT.

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  6. You are awesome! That soreness means you are doing something right and getting stronger! I will look for you guys this weekend. I will be in the cheerleading section :-( Ha

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  7. I wish I were better about writing out my workouts for the week, I tend to just sort of wing it.

    Great job with the cross training. And good luck with the 15k

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  8. Well i still believe you are super human, so I'm sure you will do just fine at the 15k! :)

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  9. Nice job on all the cross training. I always plan to add it in, and then don't. Now an injury is forcing me to, and I kind of....like it? It's actually growing on me to not do the same. damn. workout. every. day.

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  10. Umm - move to Lubbock and motivate me? Please? Thanks.

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  11. Wow, what a week of cross training! Way to go! I want to do a tri soon so I guess I'll have to figure out the swimming part too. Me & deep water are not friends but I will try!

    Good luck with the race! Totally jealous that you're doing a race with chocolate at the end!

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  12. Awesome job crossing training! So much better than I am able to make myself do.

    and I already mentioned how jealous I am of your 15k party plans. Enjoy it!

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  13. I have no idea what to do with myself now that I can't run. I somehow have less time in my day. I miss my training plan.

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Thanks for commenting! Comments make me probably more happy than they should.