Cross Training

Alright alright so we all know it is important to cross train.  Blah blah blah.  Knowing this information I would do some things other then run.  I occasionally would swim, shovel the drive (it is winter here you know), 30 day shred, bike etc.  The key word here was occasionally.  I kinda told myself that if I did these things periodical along with the running I would be good.  Not to long ago a friend in my online running group posted a comment about how she had been doing her cross training every week for the last 5 weeks and she has noticed a difference.  She was feeling strong and her running was improving.   hhhhmmm

As everyone who would listen to me knows my treadmill is a no go until I can get a new one.  Which means I have been hitting the gym.  Ok let me be honest it sucks waking up at 5am every single morning, I mean really sucks!   That said while I have to drive 20 min to get to my gym I figured I better make the most of it.  So I started lifting weights as well.   Last Friday I discovered that the gym has a total body workout class on Mon. and Wed. mornings.  After reading that post in my running moms group and seeing that there was a class that was on my non running days I thought ok it is time for the cross training thing to begin for real... not just occasionally. 

This was my first week and I got my ass kicked on Monday.  I knew the workout was tough while I was doing it and I was glad it was hard.  I felt like I was accomplishing something.  Then night hit and I had some muscle pain.  When morning came and I went to get out of bed to go run... omg I was in pain.  I could hardly get down my stairs.  My ass and legs were feeling it big time!  In fact I can say with 100% certainty that, that was the most pain I have ever been in after a workout.   I somehow made it to the gym to run.  It was not a good run though.  I needed to take a walk break at just 3 min. in and unfortunately it did not get much better.  Run 3 min walk 1 min, run 3.5 min walk a 1 min. you get the point.  The measly two miles felt like 5 miles it was just dragging on.  It sucked!   That said I was so glad that I went and I felt a sense of accomplishment throughout the whole day.

Last night I was still sore and actually took Motrin to ease the pain.  I then was debating on whether or not to go this morning.  Maybe I should ease into this cross training thing a little more.  Take it slow, one a week was more then I was doing last week and I could always add the Wed. class once the Monday class gets a little easier.  I did not sleep well all night still thinking about what I should do... to go or not to go.  Then the alarm went off and I was sure I was going to just roll over and sleep some more but after about 5 min of laying in bed I had to pee.  Of course once I got out of bed to pee I just got dressed popped some Motrin and off I went.  Apparently I am more dedicated to this working out thing then I give myself credit for.  The Motrin worked.  It was a good workout and of course I am completely happy that I went. 

It blows my mind how someone who runs 3/4 times a week can be so out of shape.  How can that be?  lol  Apparently I needed this cross training more then I ever dreamed.  This is only week one but I hope that 5 weeks from now I can post a comment similar to the one my friend posted in our running moms group.  (thanks for inspiring me Jill)

Hard to say goodbye



Ok so I will be honest, I am worried.  It does not pain me to tell you this, I will gladly admit that I am not some super warrior who is brave enough to endure the element's of winter.   I have run outside only once in the last 3 months.  This is the first winter I have encountered as a runner and I am not a fan!  I discovered on my 5k turkey trot in Nov. that running outside when it is cold is just something I have NO interest in doing.  Then add in the snow and well... I give you permission to call me chicken shit!  So fortunately for me I own a treadmill!  I am so lucky! Wait, sadly what I mean to say is, I was so lucky.



My Treadmill is all but dead!  This fine piece of American made machinery is old and although I do not know exactly how old the treadmill is I do know it is from the 1980's.  30 years of use...amazing!   This treadmill's belt had an issue with getting lose and moving. An issue that I am sure happens with many of treadmills but I have to tell you it never happened on ours until my husband ran on it once.  I always kinda thought he ran funny (or at least looked funny running) and this just proved it.  Of course you can tighten it and we often did but lately it seems as though it does not matter how much you tighten it just keeps moving.  Well the other day it moved so far over that the belt caught on something and started ripping.  My wonderful husband tried as he has in the past to tighten the belt and it just did not work.  Truth be told when you are walking and the belt moves it is easy just to walk it back into place but I have not mastered this while running.  During yesterdays short 1 mile run I had to slow to a walk several times just to try and walk the belt back into place.  I could not imagine having to do this if I were going to run several miles.

This old fella had been given to me by a friend of mines parents who were moving out of state and lets face it a treadmill, as heavy as it is, is not an easy thing to move.  So they gave it to me and I can not express how grateful I am that they did that.  This old fellow was there under my feet the day I took the plunge into the running world.  In fact I was so comfortable on it that I was afraid to run outside even though it was summer.  It got me to my first 5k and all the way up to running over 5 miles.  It had been there for me on the coldest and wettest of days and it even was there for my little boy when he started running last month.  Oh the good times we have had!  (sigh)  Although my husband said he is going to try once again to bring the old fellow back to life I am trying to not keep my hopes up to high for I know the end is near.

So here it is middle of winter with weather below 0 and I am faced with three different options...
1. Pout while sitting on my couch and reading about others running while feeling sorry for myself
 2. pout and put on my winter running gear and get my butt outside... oh wait I do not own winter running gear.   Pout while spending money on new outdoor running gear and then get my butt outside and run.
3. Pout while waking up at 5am so that I can hit the gym before my husband has to leave the house for work.
Seems to me that option one would be a little pathetic so that will not work for me.  Option two is no good because as you already know I am chicken shit.  I am sorry I know this like option one sounds pathetic but ice and I are not friends and it is covering my streets and sidewalks as we speak so.... no I will not surrender to outdoor running I just will not. (at least until ALL the ice is gone)  All that leaves is option three.  5am wake ups with a 20 min drive to the gym.  My days of staying up late, sleeping in and running during nap time are over.  Wish me luck peeps!





GOOD BYE OLD FRIEND WE WILL MISS YOU!