Josse and I were on the same wavelength this morning. We both wore orange in hopes that the color would help us to be speeding bullets up the hills.
We had 4 hill repeats to get done (each one about .4 miles long) and you can see exactly where they were according to my heart rate. I stayed under a 6:50 pace for all of the hill repeats and they were tough.
It was SOOOOO nice to have Josse there with me to talk with during the warm-up, cool-down and recoveries. There is also just something amazing about having someone right there with you and knowing that they are hurting just as bad as you are and yet they aren’t quitting… it keeps me from quitting. 9 miles total for the day.
The big problem with hill sprints—> they make my feet kind of angry. My fingers are pointing to the not-so-happy spots… does this happen to anyone else on hills? I’m icing, rolling them with a golf ball and tomorrow is a rest day so they should be a-okay by Saturday.
I don’t make this kind of stuff up—> I sat down to write some emails and Brooke grabbed her laptop and cash register and got to work next to me.
I wanted a Cheesecake Factory sized chicken caesar salad for lunch so that is what I made and then I had 1/2 an avocado after I finished. PS a friend texted me wondering how to get over the “awful texture of avocado.” I told her to send them to me because there is not one thing about avocados that I don’t love.
Don’t forget it is SHARK WEEK!
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My coach sent over these AWESOME strength moves for runners! I have to share them with you because I think you should try them out. I am already sore after doing them this morning!
Brooke always grabs The Stick when I do strength training at home and does her own strength routine.
Routine:
The Runner Touch
Strike a pose in perfect running position with one leg in high knee position. Balancing on the one leg, bend at the hip and touch the toe that’s on the ground with the opposite hand while the leg in the air rotates under and back. Make sure the standing leg remains stable and as straight as possible while enabling you to touch the ground. Be sure to prevent the moving knee from crossing midline while that leg straightens out behind you. Come back up to running position quickly without losing balance, pause for a second or two, and repeat. Switch legs and repeat.
Perform 1-2 sets of 8-10 repetitions each.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-SoCqdR1x8
Hot Salsa
Step into a wide lunge and reach a weighted ball as far out in front of you toward the ground as you can. Keep the back as straight as possible. Shift your weight forward on your front foot. While keeping the ball forward, lift your back leg off the ground and rise up to a perfect running position.
Perform 10 total lunges, 5 on each side.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlxhKbAob54
Runner Pulls
Balance on one leg and grab a pulley system or elastic band in front of you with the opposite hand. Raise the free knee up toward your waist while simultaneously pulling the weight down 90-degrees and rotating toward your opposite leg.
15 times on each side.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77pqj9sMg38
Side Plank Knee to Chest
Begin in a side plank. Let your shins rest on a BOSU ball and balance on the ground using your lower arm. Keeping your body level to the ground, drive your top knee toward your chest while moving your upper arm back in a running motion. If your left elbow is on the ground, your right knee will move forward in a “high knee” position and the right arm will swing behind parallel to the ground. The motion recruits the core, scapular stabilizers and muscles down the leg. Repeat on the opposite side. If you are doing a static hold, work up to 45 seconds each. If knee drive or hip dip knee drive, work up to 12 on each side.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgqJawkwB6Q
Reverse Clamshell
These may feel like they’re the same as the clamshell, but they control the hip in a different way. Whereas the clamshell opens on the front side of the body, this exercise opens on the backside. Lie on one side with your knees bent and your lower legs behind you at a 90-degree angle. While keeping your knees together, lift your top foot away from the bottom foot as high as you can, hold it for a two-count and then bring it back down slowly. The target muscle is the deep internal hip rotators.
Perform 1-2 sets of 15-20 repetitions each.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xnS3iQXIK8
The Clamshell
Lie on your back and bend your knees to 90 degrees, keeping your feet on the ground. Then hold that position and roll onto your side. Keeping your feet together and your femurs slightly in front of the midline of your body, lift the top knee away from the bottom knee using the glutes to drive the action. The upper foot will turn down to “stand” on the other foot and the motion will engage the external hip rotators.
Perform 1-2 sets of 15-20 repetitions each.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Os4uekJwK8
Mountain Climbers
Drop to a plank position with your forearms on a medium-sized stability ball. Keeping your core tight, bring a knee to the ball. Try to keep the ball and torso as steady as possible. Alternate knees to the ball throughout the exercise. The movements integrate every muscle used during a stride.
Perform 20-30 total.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jki_AIxjhVk
The Jane Fonda
Lie on your side and place your bottom hand behind your head. Put your top hand on your upper hip pressing your pelvis forward to make sure it does not rotate back during the exercise. Use your core muscles to stay steady. Keeping the top leg straight, lift it up and then back using your glutes to lift the leg. By keeping the outside of your foot level to the ground, you should feel the fatigue in your gluteus medius.
Perform 1-2 sets of 15-20 repetitions each.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blVmPUbM58A
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What has been the absolute best part about your Thursday? Or what is going to be the best part about your Thursday?
