Digging Deep 900: 9/14

I am halfway through my 10 week Half Marathon Program, and I have maintained a pretty even level of enthusiasm for both my runs and my cross training.  I've been doing more cross training than might seem necessary for most people.  But, following a summer that saw me spend more days in the Doctors office than the gym.  I need to hit the cross training hard.  Wednesday, I was having a bad mental day when it came to the gym.  I was physically pretty tired, but mentally, I had no energy for the gym.  I just wanted to lay on the floor and whine about how tired I felt.  However, I force myself to attempt a 900.  the first Round was gad awful and had me regretting my stubbornness with each rep.  After the first round, I though about calling it a day. 

But as I sat on my mat sweating, I began to think about all the times that I had given up on a workout like this and how I had always regretted it later.  So I picked that thought of didn't make me puke and did them.  25 crunches later, I looked at my list saw 50 Push ups and said to myself, "FUCK NO!"  "How about 10?"  So after 10 pushups I said to my self "How about 20 dips?"  The reply came quickly, "Fine! But still, FUCK YOU!"  After the dips, I thought, ok, what about 10 more push ups?  The response, "Fine, But you're a Dick!"  And so I went on like this, digging deep and cussing myself until I had completed the second round of 300 reps.  By the end I was happy that I had pushed myself to go father than my mind wanted to go.  I couldn't push forward into the third round, but on this day I had done enough. 

The 900

5 laps
20 dips
50 Push ups
25 Bicycles
25 Side Lateral Crunches (each side)
50 Supermans
15 Russian Twists 6lb Ball
10 Pull ups (assisted)
50 Arm Extensions
25 Flutter Kicks
25 Standard Crunches

12 Days of Christmas: 9/12

After the Great 8 on Sunday, I wanted to run . . . mentally.  Physically . . . I was happy for a cross training day.  I could have run, but it just wouldn't have been wise in the slightest.  I went back to the 12 Days rather than attempting a 900.  Training for the Half Marathon has put a much needed goal out there for me to focus upon.  I have even gotten to the point where my cross training days are somewhat enjoyable.  Granted cross training, for the runner, has the same effect that a doses of methadone does for a heroin addict. It can stabilize patients by mitigating opioid withdrawal syndrome but it can't get you high . . . at least not in the same way!

12 Days

1. 30 Second Planks
2. Lap around the indoor track (1/15 of a mile)
3. Fire Hydrants
4. Bird Dogs
5. Push ups
6. Bicycles
7. Dips
8. Side oblique crunches (each side)
9. Russian Twists (with 6lb weighted ball) 
10. Hammer Curls 12lbs weight
11. Flutter Kicks
12. Triceps Curl 12lbs weight

Randon Thoughts or Regret and a Workout: 9/2

July.  I can't get past the utter wretchedness of the month.  The thought of it makes me boil with anger, but I am getting back to a point where I have a degree of confidence in my workouts.  And, honestly, July's illness did one very important thing by showing me just how much running means to me.  How essential it is to my existence.  The entire time I was ill, my mind was fixated on getting better so that I could run.  Even now as I am dealing with this post flu asthma, all I can dream and hope for is finally getting back to the point where I can run normally.  It took me so long to realize how much I love running and to get  mentally strong enough to embrace it -- I don't want to waste a single day.

 It is sad to think of the time that I spent day dreaming of running.  It is even worse to think of the years that I neglected my body.  And, I can't help but to wonder where I would be today if I had only had the courage to start running when I was younger.  I am sure that had I started running at an earlier age it would have made my a more confident and disciplined man.  Granted, I understand that discovering running and the peace of mind and utter joy it brings me now is also having a profound effect upon me and an important transformation.  Regrets are a powerful force in our lives and most often people allow them to weigh them down, but I honestly refuse to allow that to happen to me.  I have my regrets and think of them often, but I look at my regrets as fuel for action and change.  I hate myself for not having taken to running earlier.  I can remember watching runners with an awe and wishing that I could run like they did, but always thinking I was to fat and slow.  But that regret isn't going to cripple me.  That regret is going to be what forces me to get up at 4:30am take to hits off of an inhaler, eat some toast and an orange, drink a cup of coffee, and hit the road.  Regrets are my fuel, not my anchor.

Workout -- 12 days of Christmas

1. Lap around the indoor track (1/15 of a mile)
2. Step up (each leg)
3. Bird Dogs
4. Russian Twits (with 6lb weighted ball) 
5. Push ups
6. Bicycles
7. Dips
8. Prisoner Squats (with an elbow to knee leg raise on each side)
9. Side oblique crunches (each side)
10. Crossover Crunch (each side)
11. Fire Hydrants
12. Lunges w/ 12lb weighted ball (each leg)

This is one of my favorite songs to listen to while running.  I just puts me in a very peaceful frame of mind and forces is me to realize the power of seemingly insignificant choices. 

The 900: Cross Training -- 8/29

The goal of this workout is simple: pain . . . lots of pain.  Pick several exercises (most of which should cause you tons of dread) then assign rep totals to each exercise until you total the 300 total reps.  The try to complete three rounds of 300 in 45 minutes.  You should FAIL to reach 900 the first few times you attempt this workout, or you have not selected a hard enough group of exercises.

My 300 rep breakdown:

5 laps on track
20 push up
10 Chin ups (assisted)
10 Russian twists with 6 lbs weighted ball
25 Dips
40 side lateral crunches (20 each side)
10 Bird dogs
10 fire hydrants
50 arm extensions
50 lunges w/ 10lbs weight (each leg)
50 standard crunches
10 step ups each leg
10 prisoner squat w/steps

I did two round of this in just over 45 minutes.  Then I went home and thought about crying.


Oh By the way, this is the song that has been stuck in my head for three days.  Enjoy.

Ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ １２ ｄａｙｓ: 8/24

1. Lap around the indoor track (1/15 of a mile)
2. Step up (each leg) 
3. Dips
4. Push ups
5. Bicycles
6. Prisoner Squats (with an elbow to knee leg raise on each side)
7. Side oblique crunches (each side)
8. Lunges w/ 15lb weighted ball (each leg)
9. Standard Crunch
10. Crossover Crunch (each side)
11. Standard Crunch 
12. Bird Dogs

I did another 12 days of Christmas workout.  I could feel a big improvement can tell that I have actually missed crosstraining.  It is hard to imagine, but it is true.  Perhapes slogging through classes that were boring just took the joy out of my workout.  Who knows?  But, I have enjoyed these last few workouts.

Enjoy some Scorpions in honor of this weekends weather:

 

Cross Training To the Rescue: 8/22

1. Lap around the indoor track (1/15 of a mile)
2. Step up (each leg)
3. Fire Hydrant (each leg with a leg extension)
4. Dips
5. Push ups
6. Bicycles
7. Prisoner Squats (with an elbow to knee leg raise on each side)
8. Side oblique crunches (each side)
9. Standard Crunch
10. Crossover Crunch (each side)
11. Lunges w/ 15lb weighted ball (each leg)
12. Bird Dogs

After a weekend of so so runs, a good day of cross training was just what I needed to clear my head.  No much to say, so enjoy so Dio:

Dio - Rainbow In The Dark

Return to Cross Training: 12 Days of Christmas -- 8/19

To say that I've gotten soft after six nearly two months of little to no cross training is a massive understatement.  To make matters worse, the state of my cross training was not that great prior to my illness, so the slide that has taken place was all to predictable.  I really don't mind cross training, but I had become too dependent on workout classes to provide me my cross training.  These classes were often boring, frustrating and time consuming, which provided me with plenty of ways to justify my own slacker ways.  Now that I am training for the half marathon, I have decided to hold myself accountable for my cross Training and will depend upon workout classes to provide my with my workout.  I have selected of few of my favorite workouts from the classes that I really enjoyed and will be doing them on my own in order to get in my cross training.  I started planning the workouts in advance and have them planned out for the next three weeks.  I will do my best to make sure that they are varied and intense enough to produce the type of result that I need.  I did the first of these workouts last Friday:

1. Lap around the indoor track (1/15 of a mile)
2. Step up (each leg)
3. Dips
4. Bird Dogs
5. Push ups
6. Bicycles
7. Prisoner Squats (with an elbow to knee leg raise on each side)
8. Lunges w/ 15lb weighted ball (each leg)
9. Side oblique crunches (each side)
10. Standard Crunch
11. Crossover Crunch (each side)
12. Fire Hydrant (each leg with a leg extension)

This workout was really good and got me really sweaty.  I also rode my bike to and from the gym as a warm up and cool down for this workout.  The lunges left me painfully sore for the next two days.  I can't remember the last time I had done them in a workout and the were certainly needed.

12 days of Christmas, The Fires of Hell, Relapse, and Hope: 7/27-7/31

Wednesday morning began well with another run to the gym and 12 Days of Christmas workout.

1. Lap around the indoor track (1/15 of a mile)
2. Step up (each leg)
3. Fire Hydrant (each leg with a leg extension)
4. Dips
5. Push ups
6. Bicycles
7. Prisoner Squats (with an elbow to knee leg raise on each side)
8. Russian Twists w/ 6lb weighted ball
9. Side oblique crunches (each side)
10. Standard Crunch
11. Crossover Crunch (each side)
12. Bird Dogs

 I still had some of the tightness in my chest that had lingered from my bout with the flu, but I felt that progress was being made overall.  However, as the day went on, my voice began to get hoarse and around noon my student worker asked me if I was feeling well.  I wasn't.  I took some Dayquil that I had in the office, my voice was getting rough and sinuses were beginning to clog up.  That night I took some NiQuil and headed to bed early.  However, we had to run the AC all night because the Fires Of Hell have engulfed Raleigh this summer: According the the Daily Beast Raleigh is the third hottest city in America this summer.  When, I woke my throat was worse and my sinuses were a total mess.  I was feeling bad and should have stayed home from work, but having missed so much time earlier with the flu, I chose to go to work.  I made it through the day but progressively got worse.  My whole left side of my face was stuffed up.  I continued with the over the counters and made plans to take Friday off, which was a very good thing because Thursday night was wretched.

With my sinuses clogged, I was forced to breathe in through my mouth, which caused my cough to return with a vengeance.  The night was pure hell and even though I didn't tell Hiroko, I contemplated going to the ER because the pain in my ribs from coughing was so bad.  After three hours of coughing, I was at last able to go to sleep.  Friday morning, I went to the doctor, who after running several respiratory tests prescribed a steroid inhaler, another round of antibiotics (10 days this time), told me to go back to taking the codeine cough medicine I had been taking with my first flu bout, and sent me for some chest x-rays, which were negative. 
Currently, I am still waiting for my sinuses to completely clear, my breathing is improved but still not anywhere near normal, but the best thing is that my coughing has gone away.  However, the most disconcerting thing is the soreness in my ribs and back.  I am not really sure what to make of it and I know that there several reasons why it could be so prevalent, most of which are nothing to be concerned about, but with the way things have gone over the last six weeks . . . . ?????????

Honestly, I am trying to be hopeful that these new medications will have me sorted out and back on the road to recovery, but there is part of me that is more than a little worried that something might really be amiss.  It has been a long times since, I have been this sick foe such an extended period of time, which has me more than a little unnerved.  However, whenever I start to feel sorry for myself and feel like throwing myself a pity party I think about the way Red handled the ordeal with her stress fracture and it has steeled my resolve not to wallow in self pity. At least not yet anyway! ;)

Tuesday 12 Days of Christmas -- 7/26

I haven't been working out as hard as I would like, and I wanted to get back into a good workout groove, so I decided to feel a little festive and bring back the 12 Days of Christmas Workout.  I ran the 1.6 miles to the gym as a warm up and then went right into the 12 days . . . total sweat fest!  Day 8 was the worst one . . . honestly thought I might rupture my some internal organ!  Ugh! 

1. Lap around the indoor track (1/15 of a mile)
2. Burpees
3. Fire Hydrant (each leg with a leg extension)
4. Dips
5. Push ups
6. Bicycles
7. Prisoner Squats (with an elbow to knee leg raise on each side)
8. Russian Twists w/ 6lb weighted ball
9. Side oblique crunches  (each side)
10. Standard Crunch
11. Crossover Crunch (each side)
12. Bird Dogs

I was able to get through this, but it did cause some coughing and shortness of breath, but I held up well overall.  I plan on doing more of these workouts because I really gotten bored with the class selection at the Y, and I would rather do my own workouts than go through a boring class.  Or worse a class that is poorly run and makes you wonder if you are risking injury.  Luckily there are only two instructors at the Y that I question, and I avoid their classes like the plague.  I am hoping to get in a good run this weekend, but for now, I am just happy to have done a workout that I feel was kind of tough.

Post Harry Potter Dreadmill Run --7/24

Sunday, I watched  the afternoon matinee of Harry Potter  VII part 2 and was pretty disappointed.  Overall, the movies have been disappointing to me because I just love the richness and depth of the books.  Most of the films have seemed like highlight reels to me.  It isn't that I hated the movie or thought that it was bad, it is just that there isn't really anyway for the films to adequately represent the books.  

 

After the film I went to the gym and ran for 20 mins. on the dreadmill before I started to feel my chest constricting.  I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to cast the Anapneo spell with no success. 

Anapneo

Pronunciation: /əˈnæpniː.oʊ/ ə-nap-nee-oh

Description: Clears the target's airway, if blocked.

Seen/mentioned: Shown in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Horace Slughorn casts this spell on Marcus Belby when the latter begins to choke.^[HBP Ch.7]

Suggested etymology: The Greek word anapneo which means "to draw breath or to revive".^[

Mad Season -- Sat: 7/23

I wouldn't say that this is at all how I thought my July would be going because I was having a hell of a June before the wheels came off.  I am attempting to get back into the flow of working out, but I have not been as successful as I would like.  Part of this is to do with my own mental funk as well as the atrocious weather we have been having: several days of 100+ degree heat, the rest in the high 90's, and humidity that make you think you're living in hell's humidor.


On Saturday, I went to the gym and was able to run 2.4 miles on the dreadmill before my lungs began to constrict.  However, there was a sign of progress in my legs, which felt good for the first time since I got the flu.  I think that in general my strength is returning.  I have gotten rather soft and I am still feeling the tightness in my lungs.  That's to be expected considering my lingering cough is still . . . well . . . lingering.  Overall, I refuse to complain at this point because it just isn't worth it.  I am making progress and if going through this now will allow me to avoid the flu for the next eight or nine months, then I am willing to make the best of this situation.  I plan to sit down and make out a very detailed training schedule in the next few days.  I am actually looking forward to it.  I have turned into a huge runerd! 

More Maintenance: 7/19

Tuesday, I went to the gym and did more maintenance work.  But had a bit less success.  The heat has just gone nuts here like it has in most of the country and by the time I got the gym my lungs were just unable to take on the dreadmill.  Instead, I did more abs, legs work, and stretching.  I felt better afterward, but decided to take Wednesday off.  I planned on going to the gym on Thursday, but I wasn't feeling up to it by the end of work.  Still I figured that the best way to get myself focused on running again was to make plans for when I can run again.  So, I picked out and registered for two races: an 8k at the end of August and a 10k at the beginning of October.  Just putting these on my calendar helped my frame of mind because it allowed my to focus on what it will be like to run and again and stop thinking about how I am currently not running.

 

Monday Maintenance: 7/18

I am still not up to snuff, but in an attempt to get back on track I went to the gym on Monday to do some maintenance work with my legs, which have been getting tight over the last few weeks.  I rode my bike to work and to the gym after work and could still feel my chest constricting.  I tried to run on the dread mill but could only get in a mile after the two mile bike ride.  I then did some abs and some exercises to strengthen my legs and hips.  I tried not to leave the gym discouraged, but the timing of this illness has coincided with some personal disappointments, so it has been a bit of a tough patch.  However, I am hopeful that things are getting better.

 

Wednesday Lifting & a song from Sunday's Run: Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On

Wednesday, I lifted upper body, and it was pretty boring, but I got through it.  I want to share this song that I heard right before my run today (Sunday).  It samples a Modest Mouse song, so I have no idea if Lupe Fiasco's other songs are this good or not, but I really like this one, and it was a good song to have in my head as I began my run.  I really like the message of the songs as well.  Not enough positive hip-hip out there, so it is was good to hear this song get some play on the radio.  I also really enjoyed the video, so I hope you'll enjoy it as well.

Lifting Legs & "Run for Your Life" Trailer: 5/17

Tuesday, I lifted legs and did abs.  After taking some Naproxin and applying some muscle creme to my foot and toe, the little piggy that stayed home began to feel much improved.

I find talking about lifting weights wearyingly dull, more than actually lifting them, which I am no real fan of either.  But I will say that since I have begun lifting weights my legs have felt considerably more sturdy.  The video above is the trailer for Run For Your Life which is documentary about the life of Fred Lebow, the late director of the NYC Marathon.  Lebow and the NYC Marathon are the duel subjects of the film because the development of the race and Lebow are so intertwined that they are inseparable.  I saw Run For Your Life on Netflix a while back when the offered it via their streaming service (it is no longer offered in that manner, but can still be watched via DVD through netflix).  The film did a wonderful job of depicting the early days and development of the The NYC Marathon and Lebow's role in the running boom of the 70's and 80's.  It had me hooked from the moment I started watching it.

One of My Favorite Songs of My Youth

riday, I lifted upperbody, which is too boring to write about.  So I give you this kick ass live version of one of the greated songs of my youth! I told Hiroko that when I run my first Marathon that she must meet me at the last mile and have Jukebox Hero playing for me!

What Were You Thinking: Lifting & Running -- May 7th

Recently, I read an article that said that running after lifting weights is a more effective way to lose weight than running prior to lifting.  The basic idea being that weights will cause your body to burn off sugar rather rapidly, which would then cause your body to get energy from fat for a longer period of time while you ran.  If one were to run first, you would still be burning off sugar by the time you began lifting weights, and lifting does not keep your heart rate elevated long enough to burn off fat the way running does.  This sounds alright to me -- and, hey, who am I to question science? I am the guy who just slacked off most of last week because he was tired from driving -- I need a the help I can get!  At least that was how I was feeling on Saturday when I decided that I need to make up for some of the workouts that I missed (Yeah, I know, this make up for lost workouts state of mind is never a good idea). 

Ignoring anything close to a logical thought, I decided to go straight to the the gym after dropping Hiroko off for work, lift weights, then drive the 10 mins it take to get to Umstead and go right into my Saturday run.  Now, one does not need to be a Mensa member to figure out where this is going. 



I feel your look, dude.


The lifting went fine.  I did upper body and had no issues other than I didn't bring a water bottle, so I was drinking much less water than normal.  Regardless, I left the gym as soon as I finished my last rep and went straight to Umstead.  I ran the first 2 miles on a hiking trail, and was feeling alright. not good, not great, but alright. the next mile six was on one of the Multi-purpose trails, and it just sucked.  But was manageable.  However, things went off the trails when I decided to take a hiking trail that I have never been on before rather than continue on the multi-purpose trail because it was coming to a place that I hate to run.  Bad.  Bad idea.  I spent the next two miles regretting this decision as Umstead kick the snot out me.  Misery followed.  Cursing spewed.  Tears were fought off.  And, fake tough guy looks were given out to anyone who passed.  By the time I reached my car, I had to force myself to do a minimum amount of stretching before  driving home.  Once I got home, I cleaned up, put on some compression sock a lay on the floor with my cat, Basil, just looked at me with eyes that screamed "you FUCKING idiot!" 

Thanks, guy. 


All total I did 5.57 miles in well over an hour.  muh.

Wednesday 5/4: Lifting Legs -- Zombie Style

True Confessions of Greg:  I love Zombie Films!  Even before the recent revival of Zombie movies, I loved them!  My first Zombie movie was Night of the Comet (1984), one of the best B movies flicks of the 1980's.  Next was the classic Night of the Living Dead, which was set in Western Pennsylvania near where I grew up.  I remember how the story seem to strike home with me even more because I recognized the names of all the towns mentioned in the film, and I remember staying up till 3am to see 1990 remake during a free preview of HBO, while I was in high school.  If push came to shove and I had to name my all time favorite Zombie movie, I would go with Zack Snyder's remake of Dawn of the Dead.

So what does this have to do with running and working out you ask?  Well, last week I felt like one of the living dead!  On Wednesday, I went to the gym determined to lift legs.  I waited until after work to go because the mornings were indescribably horrific. By the end of the day, I felt alright enough to go or just too dumb to go home a rest (perhaps a bit of both).  I did make it to the gym around 6pm and did manage to lift legs, but I was CRUSHED!  That night I went to bed at 9:30pm and slept straight through until 7am, which I never do!  When I got up, I told Hiroko that I would be taking a sick day on Friday because despite the sleep, it was going to take everything I had to make it through Thursday.  I really can't remember every being that worn down without some form of illness playing a part in it.  But, Last week the only thing bothering me were my allergies.  Thursday and Friday were total rest days for my Zombified self.

Wait . . . Weights . . . Don't Tell Me! (4/21/11)

I hate weights and lifting.  There I said it.  It's true!  I have never been one of those guys, who was obsessed by how much I could or couldn't bench press.  However, since I am half-giant in appearance, people who do care about such things always seem to think that I too share their obsession.  When I was younger, I think that 37% of all conversations I had either started off with one of two questions: did you play football in High School or how much can you bench?  The answers never really seemed to register in the mind of the person correctly.  When I would say, that I played chess instead of football and hated weights, people seemed to think that either I had misunderstood the question or answered in some foreign tongue they had no hope of decyphering.  Oh well . . . I still hate lifting, but I know that I need to add it into my workout, so here it goes.

I ran to the gym on Thursday morning: 1.64 in 16:17.27 9.55 pace.  Then began a lifting workout that I did last summer when I was injured.

Lifting:

--Chest--
Dumbbell Bench Press:
12 reps @ 25lbs
10 reps @ 20lbs
8 reps @ 15lbs
6 reps @ 10lbs
12 reps @ 25lbs

Dumbbell Incline Press: 12 reps @ 25 lbs

--Back--

One Armed Dumbbell Rows:
12 Reps @ 25 lbs
10 reps @ 20lbs

8 reps @ 15lbs
6 reps @ 10lbs
12 reps @ 25lbs

Pull Ups (assisted)

3 reps @ level 20 assistance  . . . DNF . . . Haha . . . pathetic!  I used to be able to do much much better at this.
--Shoulders--

Seated Dumbbell Press:

12 reps @ 25lb
10 reps @ 20lbs
8 reps @ 15lbs
6 reps @ 10lbs
12 reps @ 25lbs

Upright Cable Rows:
12 Reps @ 50lbs

--Biceps--

Barbell Curls:

12 reps @ 50lbs
10 reps @ 40lbs
8 reps @ 30
6 reps @ 20lbs
12 reps @ 50lbs

Alternating Dumbbell Curls:
12 reps @ 25lbs

--Triceps--
Lying Tricep Presses

12 reps @ 25lb

10 reps @ 20lbs
8 reps @ 15lbs
6 reps @ 10lbs
12 reps @ 25lbs

Dips 12 reps

This workout didn't suck as much as I had thought it would, but I was sore for several days afterwards.  I took it easy the first day, but I'll need to make it more difficult next time I do it.

afterward I ran home: 1.63 in 16:08.77 for another 9:55 pace.

Post Race Rigamortis Run: 4/10

After the Cary Road Race on Saturday, my legs hated me.  My Hamstrings wanted to go on strike, but I was having none of that talk.  I forced myself (and Hiroko) to go to the gym because taking a day off  would just allow the soreness to take root.  We drove over to the gym and from there I ran most of the course that we will run for the Second Empire Classic 5k on Sunday.  I know the course really well, and run it as part of my morning workouts at the gym, but I just wanted to see how it felt since I have been running more hills over the last few weeks.  The course was really flat, but I didn't try for any kind of speed because my legs felt like rigamortis was about to set in.  I did 2.70 in 25:34.87 for a 9:27 pace.

The first mile was a painful 9:57.71 because my hamstrings were on fire!  Mile 2 was better and took 9:09.07, but I was still not having any joy in the slightest.  The last.70 took  6:28.09 for a 9:10 pace, and I wanted it to end at this point.  Seriously, I was over this whole running thing by the time I returned to the Y. 

After returning, I joined Hiroko for some light exercises, which mainly focused on abs and back.  Then I foam rollered the hell out of my legs and stretched.  Honestly, I am glad I went, but at the time I cursed myself for doing it.