“The Ultimate Ab Workout For Runners”

Now isn’t that a catchy title? That’s the title of one of the articles & accompanying ab program found at the Runner’s World website. Like many sporty kids out there I need to remember to change up my ab programme fairly frequently if I want to keep my muscles guessing (and thus, working harder). Ideally, you’re to change your programme every 4 to 6 weeks. I may not be disciplined enough to mark the weeks on my agenda, but I can usually tell when it’s time to make things more difficult – because things start feeling too easy!

I tried this ab routine, which is used by Team Running USA (according to the article, anyway). There was nothing radically new or mind-blowing for me, your usual planks, Turkish get-up, etc., but I think that it was the comprehensiveness of the spread of exercises and the number of sets that got me. I think that ab work sometimes gets a bit sandwiched in between other exercises for me, and I often treat it more like something I have to do, not that I need to do. Don’t get me wrong: I have a snazzy little belly here and I really like working my abs, but the idea of dedicating a longish workout to them has always seemed a bit strange to me because they are already getting a decent workout with the other sports I do. I believe I’ve had more of a philosophy of reinforcement than building up. That’s where this workout is different- it really seems to be doing both, but has a lot of exercises and sets, so it is not a quickie ab workout. I was unable to perform the last two exercises because I do my ab work in my tiny apartment, not in a gym, and even with the exclusion of those two exercises it took me 25 minutes. Now granted, it was the first time I did it so I was a bit fiddly with things and it may take less time next time, though, if I build up the sets and reps, etc., it may take longer.

In other news I got my blood results back today, though I don’t understand them much, really. According to the “norms” column next to my numbers, my lymphocytes are too low, my total cholesterol is too low, and my C-Reactive Protein is too high- whatever that is. I haven’t had a fainting spell since last Thursday, but I am still pretty tired, so just easing back into the training.

The Half-Mary That Never Was…Overtraining?

I think I saw the signs coming from afar, but chose rather to ignore them…

It started with strange sort of ’spells’ where my heart would beat a bit funny, I felt tired, like I needed to lie down…then the last week before my mini-taper started to feel really, really tough. Keeping a sceptical eye on my heart-rate monitor I saw my HRMaxs were going up ever-so-slightly, I was becomming a bit crabby… the athlete’s worst enemy outside of the injury- overtraining!

The week before my half-marathon I began having all-out dizzy spells where I had to get on the floor fast because I was going to faint (this first happened at a Blonde Redhead concert in Paris, luckily we were just behind the sound board and it was in a bit of a pit so I could sit on the edge and not have to leave…). The spells became more and more frequent, and I started having constant stomach pain and feeling like I was going to be sick.

Not fun.

So, despite all the desire in the world, and the hard work, too, I opted out of last Sunday’s half. Actually, my visiting mom sort of talked me out of it, or maybe better yet gave me permission to opt out. I felt horrible, like I didn’t even feel like I could run. I was chilled and had goose flesh and was tired.

The good news is I went for my first run today in a week. Felt great, just a baby run mind you, only 5.5mi, but I figured since I haven’t had a spell since Thursday I could try. My stomach is sill jacked, but it didn’t keep me from running.

I had some blood work done and I’ll get those results back tomorrow evening, so at least I’ll know if it’s anemia. Could also be electrolytes (I have been having these very abnormal cravings for salt).

Hoping to ease back into training this week…

Pool Training! Or trying new things will keep you humble.

I have been spending so much time training that the training blog has been left by to languish, alone on the blogosphere…

No, seriously, I have been doing a lot of running (at least a lot for me, 40-45mi per week), but the real reason is my mum’s visit which has me spending more quality time with her (which is a good thing since I only see her once a year), and less quality time with my computer (which will still be here when she leaves).

As I’d previously mentioned, my first metatarsal joint has been really giving me grief, and so needed to try to have my insoles updated & get insoles for my regular shoes (in hopes that this will help) and it just so happens that my Podiatrist is the president of an athletic club here in town. While we were talking about my foot issue he of course began asking me normal questions like what my activities are and how many miles-per-week I run, etc. and he got so excited and insisted that I come to the pool to try things out.

My first try was a rude wake-up call. I know how to swim, like technically. I even saved the toddler-nephew of a dear friend of mine once when I noticed him sitting on the bottom of the deep end of the pool. But, I sort of forgot that I’m a wee bit freaked out about swimming with my head under water. Ok, not really, it’s more like I don’t like swimming with my head under the water once I start getting my heart rate up and get a little winded. Scared I can’t breathe and breathe in water, and well, I don’t have gills, so I just shouldn’t do that.

Despite my breathing issues, my first pool session went really well and I managed to swim a half a mile (with rests between lengths, obviously). Today was my second pool session, and I totally admit to wondering if I was going to go back…but I totally did and am very proud of myself. I feel like I am starting to “get it” as far as the rhythm goes, but recognize that my technique is pretty much non-existant. It’ll come.

Due to my schedule I can only go to pool sessions on Saturdays, so it’s hard to make any real progress with only one training session per week, but it’s better than nothing!

I also have a new training log – the one I was using was ok, but just had too many hiccups. I need to figure out how to get the new one up here on the blog to share.