Crunching Some Numbers

So...if I take a week off running, it adds about 2:oomins to my 4.6kms time. It takes me a week of running (3x4.6kms) to gain a minute back. So for every week off it takes two to recover. Gee, I think I'm done taking weeks off!

On the other hand, my hard/long run is now my easy run and the new hard/long run is... hard...and long!

Still on track to run 10kms in the Yellowknife Marathon on August 15th. Although not as far along as i thought I would be, after a motivating conversation with my brother, I've revised my goals for this run. Will update later as they may change again!

Happy run, run, running!

No Longer On Fail And Loving It!

In my last post I pointed out the fact that my fitness was on fail--well epic fail really--but no longer. I took a step and signed up for a 'Boot Camp'. The simple premises of a boot camp work out is to do really intense workouts in a very small space of time. I had to take it one step further because we all know I always have to be ambitious. I'm in my second week of Kettlebell Boot Camp.

You may ask yourself- "what is a kettlebell?". The long answer - it's a weight that looks like a cannon ball with a handle used to work multiple muscle groups and increase cardio. The short answer-the most amazing piece of fitness equipment EVER. This class is an intense 45 min weight training and cardio session that leaves your exhausted with a huge smile on your face. It's prefect for me because it's 'only 45 mins' but give you a crazy workout. I've been doing it for 2 weeks now and already see positive changes in how I feel. I've even been made to go up to the 30lbs weight where last week I started out at 25lbs and THAT was rough. My instructor Julie is AMAZING. She and her fiancee have had tremendous results with this class so when she tells you to do something you know it's worth it. If you'd like more info check out Julie Mac Fitness (http://juliemacfitness.com)

Goal… To Achieve

Since a nasty ankle injury removed me from the pool back in early  winter of 2002, I’ve not been quite as active on the workout front though the appetite seemed to think different. I was a 185 lbs frame that was swimming 400 Individual Medley just under 4 minutes and 30 seconds, training between 6 and 12k per day in the pool, and likely consuming at least 8,000 calories in the same period. Literally it didn’t matter what I ate, I just burned it away in time for the next slice. As such, my exodus from the pool was met with a weight increase, topping out at a pudgy 220 at my heaviest. Since then my “fitness” goals have been more associated with losing weight than trying to achieve. This time around I’m adding a new page from an old book to help me stay on the fitness band wagon: Achievement.

Setting the Goal of Achievement

It’s simple really instead of saying, “Okay, I’m going to work out until I’m X’lbs”, I’ll be focusing on milestone achievements. So here were my goals prior to last week’s initial test:

Push-Ups: 83 consecutively.

Sit-Ups: 57 in 60 seconds

2.4km Run: 9 minutes

After the initial test it became clear that the sit-ups needed to be adjusted. The push-ups almost seems manageable after the initial test results (45), though adding another 37 is going to hurt a bunch! The run is what’s going to break me – I've not gone under 9 minutes since age 16, and then I only went an 8:40 at what I would have considered one of my peak times for fitness level. But that’s beside the point, here are my goals going forward:

Push-ups: 83 consecutively

Sit-Ups: 65 in 60 seconds

2.4km Run: 9 minutes – or at least 3 minutes ahead of Chappell at the end.

Training to Achieve

So in replace of the calorie counting journal (though I’m keeping a nutrition journal as of this week – something I suggest to all), I’ll be setting weekly goals thanks in part to a training program I’ve started called P90x (the “X” is for Xtremely Cute Basket of Puppies – or more appropriately the X is for this) which will likely destroy me thanks in part to the muscle confusion and sheer core intensity of the program.

So week 1’s goal was to finish week 1 – which I did. Because the program makes you record your workouts (how many reps, weight, etc.) I will be aiming for a modest 25% increase in chin-up and push-up reps, while maintaining my rep count in weighted exercises but increasing the weight by at least 5lbs.

Accountability

One of the things that has always bit me in the end was not having someone there to keep me accountable. When swimming, I had a coach who could tell when I was putting in the effort, logging the weight room time and things like that, but when working out on your own you don’t really have that driving force there. So I’ve set-up a Google Calendar with another friend who will be doing the P90x program with me. We log our workouts each day we’re supposed to, and when one doesn’t the other gets on their case – oh, and this staff challenge and blog thing doesn’t hurt either.

Stay tuned for next week’s update on my P90x-a-thon and I might even take you on a little tour of the “gym”.

 

Mather out.