A Gym Delimma

Friday I got my gear together, and took a break from a very busy, hectic day to go to the gym. A little upper-body strength training is good for the harried soul.
But when I got to the gym there was a cryptic sign saying that it was closed, and to "call on Tuesday for more information." I've come to find out that the county closed it after there was a lien put against the property. I don't know if the gym is going to re-open, or if I need to find a new place. There are a few gyms in the area, but none as cheap and convenient as my old gym. I don't have much time for a lot of exploring options, either.

Weekend Update

Saturday I did a 16-mile run. There were times were it I was struggling, but I kept my meditations (breath, form, shoulders relaxed...) and pushed through. I was thinking too that it would make for a great marathon mountain bike course. I'll look into that more in Spring.
Sunday I played volleyball, and once again we were short-handed. I have to admit that my ultra-competitive side came out. This is an unpleasant aspect of my personality: I get very agressive and obnoxious. I do play better though, until it wears off, and then I play worse.
Last night was a 2-mile recovery run, and today I'll be doing upper-body strength training.

Cross Training

It's been a difficult week to fit in everything I wanted to do. But I was able to get in some upper-body strength training on Monday. Tuesday I did "Ilg Abs," (Coach, if you haven't trademarked that term yet, maybe you should) which is the first 17 minutes of the HP Prop Yoga DVD. That was not as tough as I remember it being, but yesterday my abs were feeling well-trained.

Wednesday I did a six-mile run, with the first and last mile being easy, and the middle four being sub-8-minute pace. I felt really strong, and had I not eased up in the last mile I would have been near a PR for a 10K.

Yesterday I had an extensive massage and energy sessions with Christine. My shoulders needed a ton of work, and I now I am working to remain mindful of how I am holding my shoulders: are they back, or am I letting them round in?

Last night Sue and I went to the monthly meeting for Central Penn Racing. What I've come to see is that the group is going to be what we make of it. There isn't much leadership at the top, but that's OK. Sue and I plan on doing the things we want to do, and if others want to join us, that's great. I am excited about putting some energy into this, to see what we can get out of it.

Tomorrow I am doing a 16-mile run, so today will be nothing more than light stretching.

Hard Running

This weekend marked the first of my Murderous Marathon Training runs. Saturday I did 14 miles in the woods behind Tussey Mountain. It was a glorious fall day, although a little crisp and cool for my taste. While this was a pretty tough course (3 miles up, 4 miles down, 4 miles up, 3 miles down), I am at a place now with my running that no matter the distance or the steepness, I know I can finish it. The only questios are how long it will take and how much will it hurt.

I also did the Knights of Columbus 5K yesterday with Sue and Joseph. Although they were both disappointed with their performance, I applaud them both for not quitting. They both did great!

My right ankle has been a little bit sore since yesterday morning, so I'm going to hold off on running until Wednesday. I'll do upper-body strength training today, but I'll leave off the ones that involve jumping (hang cleans, etc.).

Focus on Running

As the marathon approaches, I'll be spending a lot more time running. And the Knights of Columbus 5K is this weekend, so I've been training with Sue and Joseph, and I really think that they are ready.

I do need to get in some more strength training: I did lower-body on Tuesday, and I will try to do upper body today. And yoga, I need some yoga!

A Great Day in the Woods

Saturday I took part in the Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK 50-Mile Relay. I ran two legs for the 12-leg relay, for a total of 10.4 miles. (You can read more details here.) I toughed out the big hill on Leg 4, and crushed the anchor leg (#12). I was tired when I got home, but I felt great the next day.

Sunday I mowed the lawn, and then played volleyball. There were only four of us against six, so that was a lot of running (we managed to win 1 of 3). Then this morning Sue and I did some yoga, and we'll probably run this evening: the Knights 5K is this Sunday.

Also, I was inspired by my teammates to put together some group runs, so I am discussing and planning with NVRC and CPR to make it happen.

Went for a Run

Last night, I went running with Sue and Joseph. We did a 5k course around campus, and they did great: they walked for about 3 minutes, right around the 2-mile mark, but ran the rest of it. I think they are ready for KofC. After they finished, I ran a second lap of the course on my own, because I need to get in some extra miles.
I am just about to go do some upper-body strength training. Time to get huge!

Weekend Off

Sue and I went to scenic Pittsburgh last weekend. We didn't really do too much in terms of exercise, and actually we did a lot of sitting, talking, and eating fatty foods. But an occasional break is OK, as long as it's the exception and not the rule.

So back at it this week, starting with a three-mile run with Joseph on Monday. Yesterday I did the lower-body strength training. And while I was definitely seeing spots after the 3rd set of knee-tuck jumps, overall I did not feel as well-trained afterwards as I would have liked. You know what that means: time to take up the weights!

Tonight Sue, Joseph, and I are going running. They will do three miles, but I need to do about twice that. Then tomorrow I will do upper body strength. Saturday I'm on a relay team for the Tussey Mountainback 50-miler. I get to do the always-challenging Leg 4, and then the relatively easy Leg 12. That's 10.6 miles total, at a hard pace. Should be good to build some endurance!