With this past weekend's Cross Training, week 3 of my 18 week marathon training concluded.
I like the Cross Training days. It gets me out of the routine of just running and on to something else that challenges me. This week I did a crazy at home workout from a company called Beachbody (they have P90X; Insanity; Focus T-25; etc). This one is called "21 Day Fix" and yesterday's offering was UPPER FIX. I told my wife that I would work out with her on Sunday's as part of my Cross Training, so this is program she is doing. MAN....it kicked my butt. I "feel it" today and boy did it get me out of my "comfort zone!" With my running, I don't get much upper body work in, mostly focusing on my running and some core exercises...for obvious reasons.
I look back over the past 3 years since I started running and all the "firsts" that I encountered that stretched me:
- first 5k
- first 10k
- first Half Marathon
- first Full Marathon
Each one of these had different challenges. Mostly they had to do with the unknowns of "can I really run this far?" "why does my calf hurt?" "am I really this crazy?"
Every time I challenge my comfort zone, I grow. A long time ago, I heard this saying, "live like a rubber band: a rubber band is not at its greatest potential until it's been stretched!"
So as I enter into week 4 of the#tcsnycmarathon training, I want to challenge you to get out and be active. Live the life of the rubberband this week!
Run on!
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Sunday, July 12, 2015
WEEK 2 Training - Roller Coaster!
What a week! We spent some time in Michigan and I took advantage of the new/different surroundings to get my mid-week training miles in.
Although it is July, the weather in Western Michigan was relatively cool. My Week 2 Mid-Week miles consisted of Tues-Wed-Thurs of 3 miles each day. Tuesday was rainy; Wed and Thurs were cool...high 50's...GREAT weather to run...then...
Back in Nebraska, I got out on Saturday to get 7 miles in...in the humidity. I took off around 8 am and struggled after the 3 mile mark. My body reflected it....my time reflected it.
I experienced the "highs" of great weather, good times and the "lows" of hot weather, not so good times. It reminded me of the story in 1 Kings 18 and a great victory that the prophet Elijah was a part of (1 Kings 18:20-46). After this great "victory," Elijah got word that one person, Jezebel, was going to take Elijah out....and Elijah fled for his life. In a short time span, Elijah experienced a "roller coaster" of highs and lows in his life.
So, what's next? Week 3! This is a journey....it's a marathon, not a sprint. Maybe it's better preparation (time to run; fuel; hydration; etc), whatever it is, it is something that is behind me now and can be viewed as a learning experience for the upcoming week.
Hands to the plow and eyes forward! Happy running this week!
Saturday, July 4, 2015
WEEK 1...INTHE BOOKS
Today I ran 6 miles to end my first week of an 18 week training schedule for the NYC Marathon. What amazes me is that 3 years ago, a friend challenged me to run a 5k for a local ministry. At the time, I had never run 3 miles, at one time, and didn't know if I would be able to due to a knee injury I had in 2008 that resulted in surgery to remove 75% of the meniscus in my right knee. I took his challenge, ran the 5k, and ran a 10k a month later. I didn't know if I could run 6 miles, but that 10k started it all....
Since then I have ran hundreds of miles to train for multiple half marathons and 2 full marathons to date. As I conclued this first week of training, I want to encourage everyone that if you really want something, you can do it! Here a good plan:
- Have a desired goal
- Get a plan that YOU control the actions
- START!
There are great FREE running plans you can search for on the internet:
- www.halhigdon.com
- www.runningforbeginners.com
Start off with a "couch to 5k" and get going! A friend of mine once said, "you can have results or you can have excuses...the choice is yours!"
Get out and get your "WEEK 1" in the books!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)