More Trail Running

I've been itching to start my longer runs and get some training in before the half marathon at the end of March. I also wanted to give the new compression pants a try. So Saturday I put on the CW-X pants (which were great) and I hit the actual gravel trail in Valley Forge. My siatic or Piriformis syndrome felt okay. It just felt tight, but no pain. I ran about 6 and 1/4 in about an hour. My app on my phone crapped out after 15 minutes, so I don't know my times or splits. Every time it's under 30 degrees it seems to stop working. I felt pretty good for not really running in the past couple weeks.

Monday, I woke up and felt a little sore. My siatic still felt tight. Still no pain, but not feeling that great. I think I'm going to take 3-4 weeks off from running, and try to get fully healed up. At least I'd have 5-6 weeks to train for the race. So frustrating, but I'd rather feel closer to 100% healthy on my runs. So back to the elliptical. Monday I did get a workout in, Crossfit inspired:

5 minute jump rope (oddly my leg feels not even a twinge in that motion)

As many rounds as you can do in 20 minutes:

5 assisted pull-ups

10 curls/hammers

10 burpees

7 rounds in 19:15.

6-7 minutes of ab work.

Stretch

Playlist: Zero 7

Today: Elliptical city sister! 45 minutes and did a little over 5.25 miles. 

Flying By

Damn this week flew by! Almost the weekend! Which is great. I might try to see "Birdman" or "American Sniper" tomorrow night. LOVE the Oscar season!

Anyways...diet and workouts. I started using the Lose It! ap on my phone this week. It always worked pretty well for me. I'm trying to drop 10 pounds by the end of March. 15 pounds would be awesome, but my goal is 10. Hell 5-7 and I'd be happy. I'm not cheating either. I'll record those 2-3 vodka drinks. It all adds up the same. I'd love to go into the big race weighing in a 145.

Also, I've been doing some research on compression pants/shorts. I hope to have 3 different brands to review by sometime next week. I'm hoping the compression will help me with my glutes/hamstrings injury during runs. I've noticed online, there really isn't too many "true" compression reviews. Kinda frustrating. The few I read, helped. Also read a decent review in "Mud & Obstacle" magazine on the pants. I did get my best information from my local running shop, All Kinds of Fast, on the most recommended compression pants. LOVE that store! And hope to pick up a pair of pants on Saturday morning. That company's rep is supposed to be there as well. Report for the future.

Workouts!

Monday: Tabata

Tabata - 20 second work followed by 10 seconds rest for 8 intervals.

1)Row: 11, 11, 10, 10, 9, 8, 9, 8
1 minute rest
2)Dips: 17, 17, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 13.
1 minute rest
3)Pull-ups (asst): 5, 2, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 3
1 minute rest
4)Push-up:  12, 10, 8, 7, 7, 6, 7, 7
1 minute rest
5)Sit-up: 10, 11,11, 12, 12, 12, 11, 11.

Tuesday: 40 minutes elliptical.

Wednesday: Legs

How many rounds in 20 minutes?

10 squats
10 walking lunges
10 stability ball hamstring lifts
10 calf squats
5 burpees

7 rounds done in 20:49.
Followed by 6 minutes ab work.

Snowy Run in the Park

After smashing, flossing, stretching, and not running since December 20th, I decided to see where my glutes/hamstring was at last Friday afternoon. I decided to run in the snow at Valley Forge Park. I thought the one trail I picked would have been clear because of a lot of direct sunlight. I was wrong. It was fine though. There was only about a 1/2 of an inch of powdery snow on the pavement. I started with a 2-3 minute walk and then stretched. Then it was off for a run in the snow. I ran slow, at a 9:45 minute pace, in fear of slipping and to see how my leg felt. The leg was okay. I still could feel the tightness, but it felt a hell of a lot better than before. It was pretty damn cool running in the snow. The trees and grass snow covered and a blue sky. It was real beautiful out. It was a bit cold, but I'm okay at 35 degrees and no wind. I passed two other runners and a couple walkers. I ran 3.5 miles in a little over 34 minutes. I stretched out and didn't feel any pain. So it went well. I'm giving myself the week off from running to try to heal up some more. Happy I got one in though. I really want to get some miles in for training for the half marathon. But I want to do it the right way. 

Balls and Floss

No this isn't a rated X post. It's a mobility post! Sorry pervs! Anyways, I've been using a variation of different mobility balls to smash my glutes and hamstrings. I've been feeling better, but I'm not 100% yet. Here's some of the different tools I've been using (excluding the foam roller), all which are great.

The first ball I used was a large dimple ball that Zim bought from Rouge Fitness over a year ago or so. It's 3.8 inches in diameter and made of solid hard plastic with dimples. It's great for your quads and calfs. It also works good for the upper back and shoulders. Not so great for the neck though. Too big. It's been working good for my glutes, but seems a little too large to really sink into some of the muscles. It's sold at $8, which is reasonable.

I got a two pack of the Gaiam yoga balls from Target. One is round and the size of a baseball made of hard rubber. The other is about the same size with plastic stumpy spikes. They both can be put into the freezer or put in hot water if you need something iced or heated. Kinda neat. I've only used the baseball sized one and I have it in the freezer. It works pretty well. It's good on hard to reach muscles, especially the ribs. Just wish it was a little softer. But hell, I always have it cold. A good deal for $14.99.

My favorite is Rogue's WOD Supernova ball. It's just right with a diameter of 3.15 inches. There is a larger one, I went with the smaller one. It's sturdy but softer than the rest of the balls I've used. It has some grooves on it to really work into the knots and hotspots. It's working wonders on my glutes and everything else. Even the neck. The only drawback is the price, $34.99, but I'm more than happy with it. 

All these guys work good along with some foam rolling. My favorite is the Supernova ball hands down. It works great with the hard to get places and the larger muscle groups.

Flossing! Something that I've only heard about in the last year or so. Rogue makes a Voodoo Floss band that is supposed to aid in muscle recovery. The band looks like one of those resistance bands that they sell at any sporting good store. The Voodoo band is thinner, longer, and made for compression. You're supposed to wrap the band towards your heart over your sore muscle or hotspot and compress the area until it feels like pins and needles or see a discoloration, then unwrap. This is the flossing. Yes, it sounds sketchy, but the science makes sense. The new blood that rushes to the muscle after unwrapping is supposed to have more oxygen which aids in recovery. I've been doing it for my hamstring, but knowing there's a major artery there, I'm weary to get to the point of pins and needles. I have a friend who would use it for their tennis elbow, and swears by it. It runs around $25.

So balls and flossing. They've been some of my adventures lately.

Work Out of the Day

I grabbed this off the CrossFit site from January 2nd.

Do as many round as you can for 20 minutes.

5 minute warm-up

5 asst pull-ups

10 push-ups

10 squats

Cool down and stretch.

Playlist: Blacklisted

I also used a foam roller and massage ball for about 20 minutes in the morning while Victor was playing in his exercer-saucer. Felt wonderful!! 

Happy New Year!!!

2014 treated me pretty damn well. I'm hoping for more of the same in 2015. I spent my New Years Eve drinking some vodka and watching some stand-up comedy. I managed to stay up till a little past midnight and then fell asleep till 7am. Zim treated me to a morning to sleep in a bit. It was NICE! 

New Years Day I decided to see how busy my gym was to get in 40 minutes on the elliptical. It surprisingly was pretty dead. Thought everyone and their mothers would be there. I was happy.  I got my 40 minutes in and headed home. 

On another note:

I started reading Dr. Kelly Starrett's book Ready to Run. It's marketed as the new running bible. It's pretty interesting. It's more less attempting to keep you injury free, correct your form, and raise your mobility. There a bunch of crossfit type stretches and excerises that are interesting. I'm not totally on the crossfit boat, but I think a lot of it is useful and also can kick your ass. Other stuff I'm not so into, like it's cultish nature and the lack of running in it. But I'm just going on what I hear. I'm about halfway through and it's been helpful. One thing I've neglected for years is flexibility/mobility. This book is really going to help me with that. Definately worth a read or a look so far.

Here's the rest of the week thus far:

Friday: Legs

Warm-up

1) Lunges a)12/18lbs b)12/18 c)12/21

2)calls: a)20/60lb b)20/70 c)20/80 (with dumbells)

3)wall squats: a)30 sec b)45 sec c)1 min

4)hamstrings: a)12 b)12 (took it easy coz of the sciatic)

5)weighted squats: a)10/45lb b)10/55 c)10/60

6)plank: 2:15 minutes

5-10 minutes ab work

Cool down

Saturday: cardio

45 minutes on the elliptical. I do interval sprints after 5 minutes. 15 seconds normal, 15 sprint, 15 normal, 15 sprint. I add seconds to my sprints after the 30th minutes. The last minute I sprint the whole time. The a 3-5 minute cool down.

Sunday:

Rest day. Stretched out for 10-15 minutes.

Monday: upper body 

Warm-up

1)lawnmowers: a)10/20lb b)10/25 c)10/30 d)10/35

2)barbell bench press: a)8/50 b)6/60 c)6/65 d)6/70

3)dips: a)20 b)20 c)20

4)dumbell bench press: a)12/18 b)12/18 c)12/18

5)curls: a)10/18 b)12/18 c)12/18

5-10 minutes ab work

Cool down