You know when someone makes a suggestion to you and you think it’s valid and take it onboard and make changes? Well, today I am paying the price for it…big time. I’ve been strutting around doing my “Cliff Young Shuffle” because MGirl suggested that I should be doing “500 squats a day Mum”…but maybe I should start with “50 in the morning and 50 at night” until I build it up. I’ve been told, repeatedly (by people who know) that the terrain of the Death Race will absolutely, without question, thrash and shred my quads! Stripping sinew and muscle from them with every ascent and descent, until they are a quivering blob of unresponsive flesh! Such a good image and probably not so sinister! So vivid an image though that I’ve decided to up the ante and work on them more NOW…at least that way there is more muscle to strip away!!
Seriously though, I fully expect them to take a pounding, and I plan on them surviving. So torture now is a must. Yesterday when I did my weights session in the carport (which I’m quite enjoying) I decided it was time to quad-up (so to speak). I found the perfect element of torture…a broom handle…and squatted away. I did both lunges and standard squats (legs shoulder width apart). It is quite amazing how much these hurt, and how heavy your own body weight becomes after a few short reps. I did 3 x 15 of each type and I thought at first it would be easy enough. I was wrong and what is even more amazing is how much more they hurt today! When I woke this morning for my run they weren’t feeling too badly, but post run was a different story…and the more I sit at work the stiffer they become. I hope they feel better tomorrow, because I’m using the gym again and, of course, squatting. I really would like to get to 50 a day AM and PM – I think it’s a good goal to have. And if I manage it, then I’ll do some more.
This morning’s run wasn’t any easier…I’m imagining it will take a few weeks before anything starts to feel a little less like torture! I figure as long as I am able to read the program, I can train…even if it is slower than I’d like. It’s been ok following it so far, but I’ve skimped on the bike and swim sessions last week, and didn’t bike yesterday and there is only a remote chance of swimming tomorrow. I just need to get into the routine I guess…and I’ve put the weights in there on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the moment. I’m thinking of not swimming as I had so many problems with my ears when I used to swim 10+kms a week while doing triathlons that I don’t really want my head to fill up with water again, though it is a good easy recovery session. Cycling is good; I definitely have to make myself include that.
So, easily distracted aren’t I, the run this morning. I have a really busy weekend lined up and I know I will be unlikely to run (if I do it’s a bonus) so I am making my runs this week a little longer so I get more mileage up over lesser runs. Monday was 5.5km, this morning I went 7.2km in a time of 43+minutes. Tortoise pace at a 6min/km. At least I am going and I am feeling positive in will start to pick up speed in a couple of weeks. I will miss the hills this weekend but perhaps I can be organised enough on Friday morning to get up there mega-early and run before work.
Cboy started at a new school this morning. If the Education Department wouldn’t remove the kid that beat him up, he and I decided it was better to move him. I hope this turns into a positive experience for him; fingers crossed. MGirl is busy finalising her uni enrolment and she is really excited! I can’t believe I am the mum of a university student!
I reckon it's your ITB that you need to worry about.
ReplyDeleteYes, probably correct. I am doing leg exercises on the gym to strengthen my legs laterally for all the twisting terrain.
ReplyDelete