what remains?

Life is a continuous process, sometimes building up, sometimes striping away; intentionally or not.

Either way, in the end, what remains?

You.

The plan: for a snowy day, we are hitting it hard! Warm up then sprints! Eight 1 minute reps, 1 minute recovery in between.

Then 4 sets of heavy deadlifts (8 reps per set)

Then 3 rounds of the following abs circuit:

• 10 x leg lifts
• 10 seconds holding the bowl shape
• 10 seconds holding the bowl and fluttering the legs
• 10 medicine ball sit ups

Getting hot in here! Be safe and enjoy the snow

ace

Nothing can top that!…

The plan: get hot, limber up, 8 x 1 minute sprints, 1 minute recovery between reps. Top tip, put on something loud with a decent beat, you’ll be flying!

Then 3 rounds of the following tricep circuit:

• 15 x tricep dip
• 15 x tricep over head plate extensions
• 15 x dumbbell kick backs (each arm)

Then 3 rounds of the following shoulder circuit:

• 15 x lat raises
• 15 x military press
• 15 x plate raises

now, if someone could help me with my jumper…

echoes

The plan: warm up, of course, then 8 x 1 minute sprints. I am always suspicious of workouts that you can summaries in less than 10 words. Often they are the most brutal!

Be well and enjoy!

marathon?

Now, it has been a while since I have done any serious running. In all honesty, I think I have only run 5-6 times in the last 6 months. It wasn’t always like that. I used to run maybe 2 or 3 times a week. On the weekend I went for a short 8km run and boy did I feel it! I only have myself to blame, it’s not like I am out everyday clocking up the miles, but it is stunning how much of my running fitness I have lost.

What I need right now is to mix things up a bit. Throw some chili into the pot of life and spice things up. I need to get off my butt, and rev up my motor. I need… a marathon!

I have completed 2 marathons, the first one was the 3 Forts marathon (I think 2006, memory is not what it once was). This was not easy, what with the cheeky extra mile tagged on the end and about 3450 feet of ascent. Not a flat one. Took me 5hrs 30ish mins. Felt a long time, was a long time!

The last one was Dublin 2008, with a time of 4hrs 25ish mins. No record there, but was an amazing weekend and a fantastic event.  Not gonna lie, I didn’t really train seriously for it. In fact I was lucky to scrape through with that time and no injuries.

So, I think there is another marathon in this old girl yet. This time I think I should have an aim. I don’t know, maybe sub 4hrs or something. That means I will have to sort out my training, which I am sure will be good for me! I am aiming for one in October, 5 months seems reasonable. The one I have in mind is the Beachy Head Marathon, but I am open to suggestions!

Anyone…?

 

night run

Tonight I will go for a night run by the river.

No intervals, or speed training. Just a run to unwind. The only aim for this run, is to be as silent as possible. Even if I am slow, to make as little sound as possible. Stealth like.

Running at night soothes me.

Amber lights and shadows relax my eyes.

The streets are quite, sounds muffled by the dark.

Cool air on hot skin.

Just you, your beat, your breath.

 

 

i feel the need, the need for…

… a sit down and a slug of water!

If anyone has read my previous blogs (hi!) you will remember me saying I wanted to put more running in my training.

Big words, but today I put my money where my mouth is and accepted an invitation to do some quality interval training with a colleague at work.

He set the session, so for once I can blame my dishevelled state on someone else.

It was a total killer, a show stopper, a jelly leg wobbler! This is how it went (after a warm up):

Total time: 24 minutes (not long? long enough!) . Repeat a total of 4 times. Equipment used: a treadmill

3 minutes quality:

• 1 minute at a good fast pace. Quite a bit faster than comfortable
• 30 seconds pick up the pace. Still not giving everything
• 30 seconds as fast as is sustainable over the time. Pretty much everything, but not so you are about to pass out
• 30 seconds back to the previous speed (which actually feels nice after the last)
• 30 seconds at the starting pace

3 minutes jogging recovery

Technically speeds should be set based on maximum heart rate. Since I don’t know mine, and the calculation used to estimate it is clearly off by at least 10bpm, I did it all based on perceived effort, which has apparently been shown to be pretty accurate!

Fantastic workout. Must appeal to the masochistic side of me.