After struggling through a two mile run a day or two ago I went indoors at the local Y today to get some non-running in. After ten minutes walking on the treadmill I started a rotation between three different weight machines (row, pull down, incline press) in which I used relatively light weights in order to execute 15-20 reps on each machine before moving to the next in a continuous cycle for about 12 minutes. I was wearing my Garmin with chest strap and was able to see the heart rate evidence of the intensity that was going into the workout as I went. Finally, I spent the final 13 minutes on the elliptical machine before doing a five minute cool down walk on the treadmill. Afterward I felt fantastic. Much better than that last two mile run I forced myself through.
The other notable moment of the day was the trip I made to Run For Your Life – University in Charlotte pick up a new pair of running shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12’s. This is the second pair of new running shoes that I’ve purchased in about two weeks. I tried to get this pair a month ago, but, they were on back order and, with my GTS 11’s well past their prime and a nagging left hip, I grew impatient and ordered a pair of Asics Gel Kayano 18’s. I was initially somewhat disappointed in the Asics, but, in the two weeks that I’ve had them, have grown much more comfortable. That being said, I’ve done some reading on running injuries of late and it was suggested that alternating between two different pairs of running shoes could help reduce injuries since the same precise pressure points won’t be affected exactly the same way on each run as they would if I was sticking to just one pair of shoes. In addition, having two pair should extend each pair’s life span. We’ll see.
Tomorrow I’ll hopefully be able to get in a decent two mile run, unlike the last two-miler. It will be the first run of my first week of a training plan that I hope I’ll be able to maintain in order to show up at the starting line of a half-marathon in Athens, GA in October for, injury free and ready to go. It will consist of three runs per week with the third run being the “long run” of the week. The “long run” will build in distance from one week to the next by 10% for three successive weeks before being cut back by 20% and then increasing again for three more weeks by 10% each week. It’s an approach that I know isn’t going to ramp up my mileage too quickly, but, hopefully, will allow my body to adapt gradually to the condition it will need to be in to complete 13-plus miles in the fall.
We’ll see.
Drop It 26.2 