Enjoy your workout!

Every day I go into the gym, the person at the desk says that to me.

"Enjoy your workout."

Today was running day. I most definitely did NOT enjoy my workout. In fact, I rarely do. I mean...I enjoy the sense of accomplishment of bettering my time or volume or raising the weight I'm using. I enjoy the knowledge that I pushed myself through a hard set of squats or deads, or pushed myself through a wall on a metcon workout.

But I really don't enjoy it when I'm going through the hell I put myself through. I assure you....If I did, I'd be doing it wrong.

Today's workout:

I did my own spin on the main site WOD.

After a warmup jog, I ran eight 400m sprints separated by one and a half-two minutes of walking at four mph. Man...did that suck!

I haven't done much running since early November, so I have a way to go to get back to where I was. It was a start, anyway.

Runnishment

I had the fun of taking my kids and myself to the dentist this morning. I was scolded for the length of time since my last visit, and for not flossing often enough or well enough. Now she wants me to come back every three months.

I decided to give myself a consequence for a less than stellar appointment. I call it runnishment. Yes. I'm kinda copying funnishment. What can i say. Sue me. Anyway, I need to train myself to run at a faster pace for a longer distance. I used this workout a couple of weeks ago, and liked it. Well...you know what I mean by like it. Not like-like it. Well anyway...I did it again today, and I was smoked...and happy...at the end of the workout.

Warmup jog 6mph 2 minutes

Run 800m @ 8.5 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph
Run 400m @ 10.5 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph
Run 800m @ 9.0 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph
Run 400m @ 11.5 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph
Run 800m @ 9.5 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph
Run 400m @ 12.0 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph
Run 2 minutes 7mph
walk 1 minute 4mph


All runs were done at a 1.0 incline

I was tired and felt a little drained and irritable last evening before dinner. I think the fasting may take a little bit of adjusting to. If 24 hours ends up being too much, I can cut it back 4-6 hours and probably still get teh same benefits anyway.

I know I'm supposed to be taking it easy

but it's only a little running, right?

I thought I'd do a moderate BFL style HIIT run today, but I knew within thirty seconds that wasn't going to do it. Instead, I decided to run some splits on the treadmill. They looked like this:

Warmup jog 6mph 2 minutes

Run 800m @ 8.5 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph
Run 400m @ 10.5 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph
Run 800m @ 9.0 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph
Run 400m @ 11.5 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph
Run 800m @ 9.5 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph
Run 400m @ 12.0 mph
walk 2 minutes @ 4mph

All runs were done at a 1.0 incline

This was a tough workout. The first 800m and 400m were okay. I probably could have gone faster on those. The very last 400m was a killer. I started it, got 40% of the way in and stopped. I rested a minute, started over, and got 80% of the way done when I felt I had to stop. Maybe I could have kept going, but I was having trouble keeping my pace. When your legs slow down on a track, you just slow down. When they slow down on a treadmill, you are fodder for America's Funniest Home Videos, with a potential prize being a trip to the ER. I decided I'd rather skip all that.

I finished up with some V-situps for good measure. I actually thought I'd do a little rowing too after the run. I'm a funny guy sometimes. Anyway, it was one of those days I really needed to fry myself. Mission accomplished.

Why do I always do these after leg days?

With my legs a bit sore from yesterdays workout, I decided to do the CF WOD from a few days ago. The workout was:

Monday 080714

Four rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
50 Squats

I came it at 16:38. I was okay with my time, until I started looking at the times posted on the CF site. Damn, I have some work to do. I wonder if I really push myself as hard as I should when doing these. I think I do, but...could I shave 30 seconds off? Probably. 60 seconds? Hmmm. I don't know. More? I guess that raises the question of whether it's better to work out at an affiliate than on your own. For me, it might depend upon the day and who I'm competing against. Anyway, I'm going to focus more on making sure I am leaving nothing on the table when I'm finished. I've come a long way, but the road stretches out far before me still.

BTW...I did some some 30 second hill sprints after this workout. I want to do those at least once a week.

Cardio day mixed with abs

Today, I decided to repeat a CF workout I did in March. It was:

Four rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
Rest 2 minutes


1:38
1:33
1:28
1:28
Total time 12:07

Ran on a treadmill at a 1.0 incline.

My total time in March was 11:58. To be fair, the gym has new treadmills that take far too long to get up to the speed you set. This easily cost me quite a bit more than the nine seconds I fell short of my previous time. Still, I don't like seeing time go backwards.

I also ran a moderate half mile before and after the 400m runs, and finished off with four sets of situps/bicycles.

Oh... my quads, hammys, and especially glutes are protesting yesterdays workout. I know I did good!

UBWO and then some

RunI did my UBWO today instead of tomorrow. I was very please with my performance, especially considering my body has been flirting with a bit of a cold that caused me to skip my run on Tuesday. I had something left in the tank, so I decided to do the Crossfit WOD. It was:

Four rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
Rest 2 minutes

This is the first time I've done this one, so I wasn't really sure of the pacing. Anyway, my time went like this:

1:40
1:30
1:30
1:18
Total time 11:58

Ran on a treadmill at a 1.0 incline.

This is a workout best done outside. I was nowhere near as wiped out as I should have been. The treadmill kept on displaying a message that it couldn't attain desired speed. No shit, I mumbled to the damned thing. Treadmills are not built for sprints. If I ever do it again on one, I'll crank up the incline and see if I can match my time. I want to feel like I've got nothing left when I'm done, or I'm not satisfied.