So much for running.

My boyfriend came the day after my last post and let's just say that I went on another vacation from running. I did some short post-work runs and kept up with my gym workouts, but it wasn't until August 13th that Chris finally met with me about a new strength training regimine that I could do alongside my marathon training.

I will start by saying that I understand why he chose the routine he did. But I will also say that no routine is a good one if you're not going to actually do it. And that's the problem. I've been having signficant trouble with the core/upper body exercises. He has me doing Polloff presses and chops, but the cables just scrape against my arm so that I get distracted and hurt my arms. It's just a really annoying and untenable exercise. I think my angles are correct, but I just can't get it down so that its a comfortable movement. So I'm just saying screw it. Do what I can, but stick to the upper body work I'd been doing before. Most of the free weights and barbells require significant core stability, which I think is fine for the moment. They aren't necessarily function movements, but at least the muscles are getting some work in at this point, and anything that supports my core right now is helpful.

Now this is my official routine, give or take the details, since I don't have it in front of me:

• Weighted squat jumps on bench (5 x 4, 10lb dumbbells)
• Weighted lunge jumps, power-driven, stop between jumps (5 x 4, 5 lb dumbbells)
• Quad-focused leg press (90 sec x 4, ~90-100lb to each fatigue per set)
• Weighted plie squats (15 x 3, 25lb plate held to chest)
• 10-15 min, steep incline 9 min/mile run on treadmill (hill running)
• Cable Bicep Curl/Tricep Pushdown (12 x 3)
• Cable Pull-Push simultaneous (10 x 3 both arms)
• Kneeling Pulloff Pull-to-Press (12 x 3 per arm)
• Kneeling Angled Chop (12 x 3 per arm)
• Back Extentions with 10lb weight to chest (12 x 3)

After an Extended Leave

It's been over a month since I updated, but two months since I've really being running anything worth mentioning. I've kept between 15-25 miles per week and that's it. I was intending to start training again at the start of July, but it never happened. Now it's August and I'm feeling the pressure to be race ready for the end of the month. The CHaD half is August 29th, so I need to be in competitive half shape within a month.

To test my endurance, I went out for a 12 miler this weekend. At least I think its 12 miles. I need to double check that. I ended up running it in 2 hrs and 14 minutes, which isn't saying much. That's longer than my usual half time, so...I'm slow. I know. It's also summer, hot and muggy. So I might be making excuses, however, I also know that it could be hot and muggy for the race AND have awful hills. I remember those three hills of death last year. I think the rain is what got me through, but I doubt it'll downpour like that again. So this means stamina and conditioning!

Given the hills that I'll be facing, I have actually been running Broadway/Winter Hill a lot lately. There you get the double whammy of direct sun + pavement AND a 5 degree incline or so. Beautiful. I'm thinking about locating some bleachers as well to do bleacher runs. Prepping for hills is just brutal, although I'm hoping that my strength training will really kick in here. Lately I've been really trying to push myself into sprints at the end. I always debate this: If I still have the energy to sprint the last 400m, then how many more miles do I have in me at the regular pace? Am I holding out on myself? Or is it pure adrenaline that's driving me to the finish?

Still no soreness after the run on Saturday morning. I'm the anti-sore, free from all DOMS. What I was left with was far more annoying: chafing. My chest looks all cut up and the crease where my legs meet my torso is all slices up with chafing lines. Which was awesome when I went to get a bikini wax yesterday.

This time around Chris, the trainer that I'd set up with my lifting routine with, is putting together a training schedule to incorporate my running/drills with the lifting. Hopefully that will be done today or tomorrow so I can get going with that. Until then, I suppose I'll just set up some stuff for myself this week. Try to keep on task while my boyfriend (the anti-runner/exerciser) is in town. I hate to spend time away from him while there is only so much time we can spend together around my work, but I can't give up on my personal goals. I know that. I just wish that he would be willing to spend those hours with me as well - you know, give a short jog a chance. Every time he has an excuse though - no shoes, no shorts, no socks. This time I'm thinking about doing something "outdoorsy" that looks like fun, but really involves exercise like rock-climbing or "walking" somewhere. I dunno, we'll see. If we get up to Maine, I'd love to run on the beaches!

I'm trying to be all clean-eating also. We'll see what the creatine/beta-alanine combo ends up doing for me and how it impacts my running. Short-twitch/long-twitch - as long as they twitch into a better performance overall.