two running steps…

It’s hard to believe that it is five years today.

Last night I met up with CG back at the park we trained at last week. TL couldn’t make it along but I decided to go anyway as it’s better to train with someone when doing this stuff. We did the same circuit for 6 laps and knocked off a minute per lap. I felt a whole lot stronger this time around – part of it was knowing what was coming and part of it was that I had eaten a lot better during the day.

Afterwards CG invited me back for a BBQ dinner. A great feed and good chat with CG and his partner. Slept well last night and have pulled up just fine.

I’ll be getting a bike ride in this afternoon and hopefully again tomorrow too.

This weeks mini group session was done on the other side of town – Kingsville. It was just the three of us again. One of the girls has just returned from a trip overseas where she became ill. The doctor has told her that she can’t exercise for the next six weeks. She is going to miss out doing Tough Mudder

The guys had done this circuit a couple of weeks ago but wanted to add an extra lap or two. It was a 1.25km round trip where we stopped four times to do a set of exercises.

Exercise one: Walking around a playground border (planks on their sides forming edging)
Exercise two: Push ups – 20 sets
Exercise three: Pull ups – 20 sets. This is my weakest so I did 10 assisted
Exercise four: Body dips

We did the circuit 10 times and dropping each rep count by 1. So it was 12km, 10 balance walks, 155 pushups, 155 pullups (55 for me), 155 dips. Time was 1hr 37mins. The guys were happy with that time saying that it was a few minutes faster than the previous time. I was happy with that time because it was over I was sluggish at the end – body was just feeling like led and it was a good 4-5 km before I got my breathing in order. That I attribute to the mix of upper body exercises during the running. I can run solid and not have an issue breathing.

It is tough getting fit again.

I have a PT session booked in for Friday and then I’m training the other guys this Saturday morning.

Ok, so it’s been two weeks since my last entry. What have I been up to? Well not a great deal until today – my lower back seized up and had me on the floor for a few days and completely out of action. It wasn’t a disc like it’s been in the past but it had a similar debilitating result. Having dealt with it in the past I knew to spend time lying on stomach (semi-mobile employment makes that possible) and a couple of visits for dry needling and massage.

Today was a planned training session. An hour of resistance and strength work in the studio. I was in a bad head state before it but I didn’t want to miss out on another session. It was good, manageable and a workout. Then a co-member of our tough mudder team meet us at the studio for a run and outdoor session. We ran down to the beach, along the path to the outdoor gym. This was a 3.2km run. It was sunny and surprisingly hot.

At the outdoor gym we a did a few circuits. Monkey bars, balance poles, push ups, dips, donkey hops, wheelbarrow walking (incline). The guys did burpees too but I wasn’t going to push it with my back.

On the run back it started to pour down with rain so we were drenched – it was great fun

On the way back we stopped quite regularly for 10 pushups each time. I was knackered! When we reached the end of the path TL and I walked back to the studio with just a couple of short block jogs. C on the other hand jogged each block and did yet another 10 push ups at each intersection. This is a residential area so every 3 – 4 houses he was doing push ups. There is crazy and then there is CrAzY.

All up training was just under 2.5 hours long. I’m going to feel this session for a couple of days.

Training for Tough Mudder is coming along very well. I’m now comfortable with constant feeling of my body having been abused.

The weather here in Melbourne has been weird, much more tropical in that it’s sunny and humid or cloud covered and still humid. I did a reasonable 12km run on Monday afternoon after a quick home based work out with a kettle bell. Tuesday morning was a quick 5k’r after a client cancelled – bless her.

Tuesday night I had asked a friend to meet me at the park where the tough mudder group trained on the previous Saturday as there was one part of the training – the “fun” part that he wasn’t able to complete on the day. I suggested we tackle it together on our own during the week.

In the park there’s a golfing cage call the ‘Birdie Cage’ where you can tee off all you like. Each ball is hit into the same cage that you stand in so there’s no risk to anyone else. The task was to scale one side of it, go across the top, and come down the other side. The case if made only of piping and cycle fencing. I had no doubt that RVD would be able to do it but I did see on Saturday that there was a mental hurdle to beat first.

Needless to say he did it! He focused, drew on some inner anger and scaled it. Bring on TM!

I have also recently canceled my gym membership. I hadn’t been going because I didn’t like the environment of the local gyms I had access to; I have all the equipment I need to be able to train; and am considering trying the craziness that is cross-fit (stay tuned).

Today I’m recovering from an extra couple of sessions. I did a normal workout on Friday afternoon with a focus on upper body. As I have been running a bit more lately I was happy to give the legs a bit of a rest but still train with a focus.

That evening I was still itching to train so headed out for a run. I know the distance between home and the fellas work is 5km so decided to run there and then get a lift home. It was still pretty warm out and the roads are mostly up and down. Anyone reading this will already know that I’m not much of a fan of hills – but I am going to bust that mental block one hill at a time

That finished off what I though was going to be training for that week. On Saturday I trained the Tough Mudder crew. It was an awesome session. I’m so impressed with just how committed they are to giving their all to each exercise. Later that morning my mate sent me a message and asked me if I wanted to train with him at the gym when he finished work – not one to pass up the opportunity (external motivation is brilliant for me) I went along.

At first it was going to be a quick 30 minute blast but at the end of the 30 minutes he wanted to keep going. I reluctantly (took some head games with myself) continued on and loved it! The session ended up being:

10 to 1 – 24Kg kettle bell swings
10 to 1 – Table top rows (TRX)

10 to 1 – 12kg kettle bell swings
10 to 1 – Push ups (vibra-plate)

2 to 20 – Incline push ups
2 to 20 – Kettle bell deep squat to upright row

Each pair above were down with no rest and took around 15 minutes each ~ 45 minute total. At first I was apprehensive about training with him as he can be a bit of a machine and competitive but I’ll admit it did spur me on.

Afterwards we stopped at the local beach for a quick dip and swim in the bay. I’m trying to get myself into the water a little more often too. After learning to swim last year I’d like to build up to regular lap swimming.

So .. just what have I been up to? Well not blogging, obviously.

I am still training private clients 4 days a week. Every morning and two evenings. I have such a good set of clients – that makes all the difference to me. Training people that want to train and that have goals makes my job even more enjoyable.

The banner above is the current goal for myself and a couple of sets of friends. Check out toughmudder.com.au for the insanity.

I am in a team entry with a good friend, and trainer, and a few of his mates. I’ve been back running and training regularly since November last year and once again am kicking myself for letting life get in the way. As a plus though I have another set of good friends that are in another team and each week on Saturday morning I get to put them through their paces for an hour. Group training is very different to one on one and I am really enjoying it again.

All the guys (and girl) in this team are fitter then they’re giving themselves credit for. That doesn’t stop me taxing their bodies each week.

I’ve decided to return to blogging more regularly. After reading back on this site and looking at the achievements I can easily say that blogging, for me, was a great motivator. All things in my life have been very cyclic in nature and as this month marks the 5th anniversary and this sites title is from her Two Running Steps I am ready for the next round

Ok so I’ve been a bad blogger, again.

Training’s back on schedule at the gym. Outdoors, although bloody cold and wet, had a little look in this morning. I had a suspected stress fracture in the lead up to Run for the kids this year. As a result I opted out. I’m a little (read as quite a bit) disappointed that I didn’t take part – it also means that Melbourne later this year is unlikely. Either way it’s good to be back to a training routine.

PT clients are all doing fantastic too! It’s just a good feeling to be training people that actually want to train and that have some broad *and* specific goals. I have a good set of clients and I’m training only in the mornings. Yes, I’m still very much a morning person

— n , pl -ta , -tums
1. physics ~ the product of a body’s mass and its velocity
2. the impetus of a body resulting from its motion
3. driving power or strength

After a great holiday in the USA and four weeks away from any kind of standard routine I’m very pleased to say that the training regime is well under way.

Once advantage to spending two of the four weeks in NYC is that we walked a lot … a lot. Now I don’t feel like driving as much at home. My bike is getting more use and I’m happy to walk to places too.

The weather is amazing today – sun shining

To give the motivation a little boost I’ve done some group classes at the gym. This morning was an early pump class with Jase. Mornings aren’t his thing but he enjoyed it.

I know for sure that over the next couple of days we’re both going to be feeling muscles we haven’t used in a long time.

On the PT side of things, one of my clients has registered for the BRW Triathlon. She has a good base fitness level and is really committed to this event. I am really looking forward to helping her prepare for it.