Training Update – New

As many of us go through our training lives (lives in training ), we update and try different things along the way, some that work, some that get left behind.  It’s been interesting and satisfying to see how my own regime has changed, and hopefully for the better.

For the longest time until earlier this year, I only did running for training.  And for a long time it was sporadic at best.  Running on treadmills and running on the streets.  That was pretty much the variety with an occasional trail run.  For the mountain training, I did strap on a heavy pack and boots, and crank up the treadmill and incline, but that was just a temporary thing leading up to the climb and never about 1-2 mph.

What’s been really exciting this year has been the ability to mix runs in with weight or strength training.  While this sounds pretty pedestrian to most people, it took so many years to get to this point.  It means that if I use weights one day, I can take that day off of running and vice versa.  I’ve been fortunate to do a lot more trail races and runs with friends – and these are very satisfying.

Now I have one more tool to try.

This won’t sound like a revelation to anyone but me – because it will sound obvious, but … I was talking to Jennifer and she was telling me about some of her own intense interval running on treadmill, pushing the incline up to 7% and going fast (7mph/8.30 m/m) – during the length of a kick-ass, upbeat song.

So yesterday, I tried to do the following:

1. Run for 5 minutes just to warm up.

2. Stretch for 5 minutes (what a novel concept!)

3. Run 1.5 miles at (up to) 7% and (up to) 7mph).  (Play select songs loud!)

4. Stretch some more.

5. Do weights.

What was amazing to note was how quick my heartrate got up.  It was at 150bbm in only 3-4 minutes of 7&7.  I could really feel my heart and lungs at full throttle – the so called V02Max.  What was really fun, is when you put the treadmill at 0% it feels like you’re running DownHill. Yay.

So now I know that if I can continue these routines, along with long runs and weights and stationary biking, it could really help to get to that Boston time.

Oh – and the REALLY BORING facts: since July 21st (return from Denali), 112 workouts and runs, total 425 miles run – a remote chance to get to 500 by year end.  And lots of smiles and laughs along the way!

It still sounds obvious and somewhat boring to write about it, but sometimes the simplest revelations are the best – kind of like in “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell.

Or at least get up the hills faster and better

Now the big opportunity: selecting the perfect uphill running songs!  And learning how to stretch more and better!  (Must be a metaphor for stretching yourself!)