Back to Basics

I'm more or less functioning without pain now, and so I've been assessing my upcoming training and looking back on past cycles.

I have kept one Excel spreadsheet for many, many years where I collect my training plans for races in different tabs. The evolution of these tabs is enlightening.

My training for my very first half marathon is located in the oldest tab. The cells are color coded to depict running days, cross training days, and rest days. Running days have the mileage number - no pace data, no indication of tempo/interval/recovery/base, zippo. The cross training days show "CT" - I don't know if that day was a cardio cross train (elliptical, bike) or a strength cross train (biceps, triceps, back, shoulders, chest, lower body). I didn't get hurt during the training for this race, and I remember enjoying each workout.

Over the years, that format changed. The first huge jump was made when I started documenting specific cross training. I think that was beneficial; now I'd know when I last did upper body versus lower body to even out my gains. Nobody wants to skip leg day...

Then started the running specifics. I think this is a two-way street. On the one hand, I think it's very important to remember when you do hard workouts and when you do easy workouts. Easy, easy, easy doesn't challenge you, but hard, hard, hard can injure you. The other hand will be discussed further down...

I added the same kind of components to my strength training cells. In addition to "biceps, triceps," I also recorded the number of reps and number of sets for each type of exercise.

In short, my Excel tabs have gone from containing cells that could hold at most 4 characters to containing cells that have novels written in them.

I think this kind of detail can be extremely beneficial if used for good and not evil. Unfortunately, I am a creature of comparison, and if there is past numerical data available, you can bet your ass I'll be reviewing obsessing over it. 

Why was last month's 7 mile base run faster than today's? I did 4 sets of 15 reps of bicep curls yesterday, but I did 5 sets of 17 last week! What gives!?

As my Excel chronicles increased in size, my appreciation of my physical ability diminished. 

And that's why I'm going back to basics. The comparison has officially driven me crazy; I'm going to keep some record of what I've been doing but nothing that can give me the means to harass and negatively critique myself. I think the KISS principle applies to me and my Excel sheet - keep it simple, stupid. 

What kind of detail do you keep for your running? 

Tried it - now what?

I'm relatively new to the actual blogging scene, so I'm not exactly sure how "link ups" work. Do I need permission? Do I just link something in my post to someone else's blog?

Well, I wanted to do a "Tried it Tuesday," (heyyy, Jamie and wonderful creator Sara), and so yeah, I guess I'm linking up...

From last Tuesday night to yesterday Monday morning, I was vacationing with my family. I told you all here about my views on working out while with family, and how I try to get something in, but I'm a lot more lenient with it. So one day, instead of doing my usual 1-2 hour workout in the morning, I decided to try something that I've read a lot about but have never actually tried - splitting it up into segments throughout the day.

I've done two-a-day runs before, but I'm not really talking about that. I'm talking short(er) bursts of energy to sum to a long exercise routine.

There are multiple online sources that discuss the possible benefits of this (like here and here). Let's be honest, I'll always prefer long, grueling distance runs, but in the spirit of trying new things, I experimented.

8:20am - 8:40am 20 Minute No Equipment Workout (printable)

This gave me a great wake up routine! I exchanged the "Frogger" exercise for mountain climbers (because I'm less coordinated and because I wanted to). I also forgot the push up part of the "Push Up and Rotate." Oops. I definitely worked up a sweat... but that might be due to the fact that I was exercising in my grandmother's attic. It's not the most AC-ed area of the house. Morning heart rate up.

The shag carpet helped soak up my drippings perfectly.

11:00am - 11:20am 20 Minute No Run Cardio Workout (printable)

Okay, this one was more difficult. Probably because I had just returned from a very humid, hazy walk with my mom. And because I was hungry. The "Invisible Jump Rope" threw me for a loop (HAHA, I'M FUNNY), and I felt a little awkward... yes, it was already awkward jumping around in my grandmother's attic alone to the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack, but the additional imagined (or lack of real) jump rope made it more so. Also Bunny Hops will kick your ass. Again, nice heart rate rampage.

So far, I felt as if I had put in some quality exercise time in the AM, and these two sessions kept me entertained and energized throughout the morning.

Fast forward through lunch, some day drinking, and a nap...

Basically me, but not as cute.

2:30pm - 2:45pm 15 Minute Bodyweight Workout (video)

Okay, I'll admit I did not like this one as a workout. There's only a bit of warm up, then like 2 seconds of exercise, then a stretching cool down - but this post isn't supposed to be a review on the quality of these workouts (which it's turning into), but rather my feeling for working out in spurts all day. This DEFINITELY gave me needed energy for the afternoon. I mean, I felt totally rejuvenated after drinking and sleeping, like those two activities didn't even happen. Warning: when thrusting your legs out willy-nilly to the side, make sure there aren't fragile candle holders around you... ahem.

4:00pm - 4:10pm 10 Minute Butt Workout (video)

I'll be honest, I did this one so soon after the last one because I really wanted to finally shower. I should have done this one earlier in the day because it's pretty good.

Concluding thoughts: I probably won't be doing this again unless I absolutely have to. I am all for fitting in different sessions of exercise if you can't get it all in at once, but you know what? I can. I have that luxury, so I'll take it. While the time may add to a usual workout (for me - everyone is different), and the intensity was there, I never got that mental satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment from any particular one. The post-inebriated nap workout DID do wonders for waking/sobering me up though! And I love being active throughout the day. Also, this was the perfect day to do it - we were at my grandma's, and she has a nice backyard and pool. It was an overcast day, so I didn't mind popping away for a bit to do these workouts. Had it been sunny and beautiful, I probably would have resented it.

So there we have it. I tried it, and now it's Tuesday, so I'm telling you about it.

Two for the Price of One

I had two topics in mind that I wanted to discuss this week, and both have enough weight to them that they could be their own blog posts... but I got antsy, so here's a BOGO deal from me. You're welcome.

First up - vacations and exercise.

Like many of you, I'm traveling for the 4th of July holiday. I'll be hanging out with my family (parents, grandma, cousins, aunts, etc.) for about a week, starting tonight. While I'm basically already on an extended vacation until graduate school begins in August, I'm still excited for a week of tanning, relaxing, drinking, swimming, and being with family in a new location.

However...

You can feel the "but..." creeping up behind you...

This means no accessible gym. No machines. No weights. And all around more difficultly in fitting in exercise.

There was once a time in my life where this would be a SERIOUS problem. While it still causes me discomfort and a little anxiety, I'm much better about going with the lack-of-routine flow. I know I can fit in makeshift circuits when I don't have equipment (like the one here), but sometimes I'm left feeling like I sort of half-assed my workout.

It's so much more important to spend time with your loved ones than obsessing about your fitness. Trust me, I've returned from vacations in a cloud of regret, wishing I had spent thirty minutes laughing and playing cards with my aunts rather than huffing and puffing about "feeling lazy." 

Maybe this is extreme, but think about it - when you die, do you want your tombstone to read "Great Daughter" or "Great Legs?"

Next up - relationship with God.

As I've briefly mentioned, I have a Bible that's sectioned to take you through it in two years. I just finished.

Throughout the whole thing, my daily reading reminded me about His love for us. It reminded me to pray, to always think about Him, to thank Him, and to consider what really matters. I had this thought that as soon as I finished, I'd be struck with such knowledge, such Biblical wisdom, that I would do what was right more often than not, pray hourly, and show my love to others on a much greater scale.

Yeah, not quite.

Actually, the opposite has happened. As soon as I closed Revelation, it's like I closed my relationship with God. My daily reading was my meditation, my habit-former, and in its absence, I've forgotten all that I've learned. Horrible, but honest.

Don't worry, guys - I plan on starting a new devotion program in order to keep up this relationship. I could tell that I was so much happier when I was talking with Him constantly and when I was loving others the way He loves me. I hate that I've forgotten, but I'm grateful that He's reminded me.

How do you deal with traveling and exercising?
For those of you who are religious, do you ever push God aside?

Being the Middle Man - er - Workout

We live in a world that oftentimes works in black or white.

The answer is yes or no; situations are good or bad.

As a mathematics undergraduate, I loved definitive answers. You knew whether you were right or wrong. Huzzah binary choices!

Ahh, but life isn't this simple.

On the blogosphere, we console each other with "oh, not every run will be a good one..." and congratulate each other with "awesome workout!"

What about when your exercise for the day is neither good nor bad but sort of both? What about when it falls in the middle?

How do you react when your workout is mehh?

I struggle with this from time to time - it wasn't a good workout, but you can't consider it as one of the "bad" ones because it really wasn't crappy. Does that make sense? Sometimes I think that I might as well mark it off as a rest day, but then I consider the fact that it wasn't rest, and believing (or pretending) that it was and nixing a REAL rest day could lead to injury. Then I think I should do more to make it "worthwhile," but that could also lead to an injury from doing too much when your body doesn't want to. Over-analyzing, eh?

Yesterday, my legs were uber sore from mad ellipticalling and squats. I knew I wanted an easier day, preferably upper body, so I did a little makeshift arm circuit workout at home. I didn't have time to go to the gym due to other plans (hello Swedish massage and baseball game!), so it had to be quick.

Side note: That was the best massage I've ever received. Not only did he help work out my kinky hip, but he put a warm eye mask on me that smelled like oatmeal. You all know how much I love oatmeal.

Unfortunately, I ended my workout feeling as if I hadn't done anything at all. I was a little discouraged; I didn't have any endorphin high, and my arms weren't sore.

If only this could be my excuse.

Later, I stumbled upon this BuzzFeed post that quotes:

"Glorifying pain leads to more injuries, inconsistent results, and a very limited understanding of what it really means to harness the body’s power.

Learning how to balance high-intensity workouts with moderate and low-intensity workouts is a crucial skill for creating a balanced, sustainable program.

—Jonathan Angelilli"

I know low-intensity is an important aspect of training. I know that... but what about the mental satisfaction that was lacking from this workout?

My dad has a favorite saying: "It is what it is."

Accept it, learn from it, mark it in your "DO NOT DO" exercise list, and move on.

Easier said than done.

How do you deal with mediocre workouts?

All Kinds of Crunchy

Crunch [kruhnch]:

1. verb. to crush with the teeth; chew with a crushing noise
2. noun. one of the most common abdominal exercises

1. Used in a sentence: MK loves to crunch almonds.

From my Instagram.

Typically, I'd choose the Sriracha as my favorite flavor, but I honestly think all four of these are really, really good! The Honey Chipotle are a bit more subtle than you'd expect but still excellent. The Wasabi have the most flavor dusting, so if you choose those, be prepared with napkins. At least they don't leave your fingers orange like Cheetos... ;)

Pre-wrapped wrap: spinach, cottage cheese, Wasabi almonds, curry powder.

2. Used in a sentence: MK still wants abs, but she has read that crunches aren't the best way of getting there.

Conventional wisdom says that crunches bend your spine incorrectly, yadda, yadda, yadda. With all of my recent hip problems that are starting to go away, I really want to err on the side of caution with anything I do.

I found this 30 day ab challenge, but I'm making some modifications. I'm replacing the sit ups and crunches with side planks and keeping the leg lifts and regular planks. Sunday began the challenge with a 2:00 minute plank, 1:00 right side plank, 1:00 left side plank, and 20 leg lifts. I also found this site listing alternatives for sit ups and crunches!

Ultimate goal, amirite? I'll let you know how this goes...

Can I play too?

Typically, bloggers' weekly workout recaps give me slight major jealousy. If you are one of the, like, eight people that read this blog, you know why - my current injured state leaves my life void of running, so seeing your casual ten miler brings about self pity.

However, I've been keeping active in any way possible that doesn't aggravate my injury (big lesson learned the hard way... injuries don't heal unless you let them heal). And I want to join in on the documentation of exercise! Maybe this will be helpful in the future for someone who needs ideas on what to do (or not to do) during recovery.

Sunday 05/31
Attempted run. I say attempted because this was the run that made me realize I need to continue physical therapy. I walked/ran (let me tell you, these slow walk/run intervals are humbling when your stupid, earthly, egotistical mind wants to show the world you're a marathoner) for 28 minutes while dragging my right leg behind me. I cried the rest of the day as my workout. Crying burns calories, right?

Monday 06/01
PT homework and 45 minutes on the stair-climber. My PT homework can be found here. I have a love/hate relationship with most machines at the gym (except the treadmill). If I get into a groove, I love it, and I did on this day. I like to find songs where I can step to the beat on the climber, and country music usually hits the correct pace to leave me drenched in sweat 10 minutes in. I also pretend I'm climbing some unknown mountain. Usually at the end of a workout, I'll whip a flag out of my pocket and claim the stair-climber as my own.

Tuesday 06/02
I went to my NEW therapy on this day (yes, I was lucky to get an appointment within two days), so I wanted to keep it semi-light. I did this yoga video at home afterwards. My leg was still sore from Sunday's downfall.

Wednesday 06/03
I went to the gym before another PT appointment and did hip work, PT homework, and then I biked for an hour. Since my hips are the issue, I think strengthening them is going to help a ton. Hip adductor and abductor machines, while extremely awkward, give me that great leg burn (the good kind) and surprisingly don't hurt! In fact, they made it feel a little bit - dare I say it? - better. When it comes to the stationary bike, I keep things interesting by adjusting the resistance constantly. Wednesday, I picked an "easy," "medium," "hard," and "extra credit" level of resistance, and went up the ladder every five minutes. Once I got to "extra credit," I started over at "easy." Then I went to PT, and he had me run 1.3 miles after stretching me and pushing me and popping me and casting a spell on me, and I had significantly less pain... we'll see where it goes from here...

Thursday 06/04
I went rollerblading. While listening to the Chess musical soundtrack. Can we all agree I'm the coolest kid ever?

BuzzFeed

Friday 06/05
Friday I did one of my favorite arm workouts ever; I call it "Rock Arms" - not because my arms resemble rocks in any way, shape, or form, but because I always listen to classic rock while doing this workout. Grab your handy dandy timer and some lighter (but don't be a baby about it) dumbbells and:

1:30 minutes - hammer curls
0:30 rest
1:30 minutes - tricep kickbacks
0:30 rest
1:30 minutes - shoulder presses
0:30 rest
1:30 minutes - bicep curls
0:30 rest
1:30 minutes - side arm raises
0:30 rest

Repeat twice more for a total of 30 minutes.

I also did more hips and homework.

Saturday 06/06
Active rest - yoga at a local studio with a side of almost headstand and a dash of tanning in the backyard with some of Milwaukee's finest.

My one true love. Sorry, Joe.

Sunday 06/07
Hips, 45 minutes on the stair-climber, and 25 minutes on the bike. Country music and varying resistances were used as aforementioned.

Also, I now spend about 10 to 20 minutes foam rolling and stretching after my workouts.

Alrighty, guys...

Monday 06/08
I went to PT. Things have been getting better, but they aren't perfect. He pulled and poked some more and then said, "Go run a 5K. Come back in an hour." So I did... and there was pain, but not like before. I would not have done this if my PT did not give the okay. Fingers crossed, prayers prayed...

What do you like to do when your #1 workout/exercise routine is out of the question?

10 Signs of the Hipster Gym Rat

You've heard of the "bro" - the muscle tanked, Friday-night-pre-drinking-weight-lifter grunting in the corner.

And then there's the "beauty queen" - music blaring, full face of makeup, going as fast as she possibly can, shaking the elliptical.

Well, rarely do you see the elusive "hipster gym rat." But if you ever did, here are some things you might encounter...

1. Gym selfies are taken with Polaroid cameras.
2. You have your iPod, they have their record players.
3. They curl with their biceps and handlebar mustaches.
4. They were planking before it was cool.
5. Their water bottles contain PBR.
6. Sets and reps are tracked on a typewriter.
7. Hipster gym rats run on the treadmill ironically.
8. They never work the leg press; skinny jeans won't allow for the movement.
9. Nor do they do push ups; their thick rimmed glasses always fall forward.
10. Don't ask where they got their running shoes - it's a pretty obscure store, you've probably never heard of it.

If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does a hipster buy the album?

The "Good Thing My Dad Drove" Workout + Mild Displeasure

Yesterday I went up to visit my advisor at the school I'll be attending in the fall to PICK OUT MY CLASSES a;ldkfj;lkdasjflkjl. I'm just a little excited for August.

Good thing my dad drove, considering I still couldn't lift my arms from the workout I did on Saturday:

5 sets of tricep overhead extensions with dumbbells
5 sets of chest presses with dumbbells
5 sets of tricep dips
5 sets of stability ball push ups
5 sets of tricep cable push downs
5 sets of reps on the hip abductor
5 sets of reps on the hip adductor
2 x 1:00 minute Russian twists with a medicine ball

OH, AND NOT TO MENTION ALL MY PT "HOMEWORK:"

Clam shells
Resistance band walking
Planks on planks on planks
Donkey kicks
One legged clock squats - which are the coolest, shakiest things ever, and you can see a demo below!

Here's the section you can choose to skip if you'd like. I just need to rant.

I'm mad. MAD. PISSED. ANGRY. UPSET. And then I'm sad.

I have to continue physical therapy. I tried running over the weekend, just a little over two miles split with walking, and my right hip protested hard.

So yeah, I'm mad, and this is my blog, so here's my pity party.

A little humor from theBERRY before hashing it out.

I have struggled for months now to heal and get back to running. My original injury is virtually gone, but this stupid other side reared its ugly head. I feel like I am never going to even be able to run two miles without pain let alone Boston in 2016. It hurts to walk sometimes. I can't elliptical. Biking makes it tight. I thought I was out of this dark, running-less tunnel in early May until my other leg decided to become dead weight. I see no exit; I see no relief.

It makes me want to cry constantly. I have flashbacks to days when I'd crank out 13 miles before most of my friends were awake. I miss the feeling of empowerment. I miss the mind games played during hours on pavement. It also makes me want to never open my laptop... seeing all of the bloggers out there posting about their happy runs and training schedules and race excitement. Misery loves company, and none of you are my allies.

theBERRY

I have been praying constantly. I've also been yelling and cursing at God, asking Him why He's doing this to me. (Real mature, yeah). I can't STAND that He's not working on MY schedule.

I'm also humbled big time. And maybe that was the point of this whole thing... but then it's like, "Okay, got it now, HEAL ME, PLEASE."

Am I selfish? Yes. But am I honest? Yes.

I just miss running a lot.

Giphy

Addiction or Nah?

As a budding sports psychologist, I know the importance of exercise on relationships. I know that exercise can make you feel better about yourself, thus leading to being happier to be around and boosting social interaction. I know that group fitness classes and running groups are great ways to meet people and increase your friend circle.

Giphy

But what happens when exercise starts to become more important than those relationships?

What happens when you choose a run over a happy hour?
What happens when you miss the beginning of a friend's birthday party because you were at the gym?

What happens when a healthy goal takes precedence, takes dominance, and then takes your life?

It's a slippery slope, and I've teetered on it occasionally.

For example, I've said no to going to brunch because I would honestly prefer to go on a long run over sitting for hours drinking booze on a Sunday morning.

Giphy

However, I have also said no to going out on a Friday night because I didn't get my workout in earlier, and I felt obligated and guilty.

More Giphy

One was decided on preference and happiness, and the other was decided on a feeling of duty and shame.

I think it's very important to take the time to determine your motives. If you're starting to dread your workouts, or you're finishing them feeling angry and beat (in a not-beat-because-I-worked-my-ass-off-good-way-but-rather-beat-because-my-body-is-internally-rebelling-way), then assess your regime. I'm not a doctor (yet ;) ), but if skipping workouts or even the thought of skipping workouts is making you uneasy, irritable, and/or anxious, take a step back. Sit out for a little bit. Bench yourself from the game. Or even go talk to someone.

If you take a long break, you will lose some fitness. NOT ALL - but that's just basic body mechanics. That used to freak me out. Two weeks off of running, and my VO2 max decreases by 7%!? Yeah, I used to be really concerned about that, honestly, until I realized that it meant nothing to me. 

1. I'm not a "highly trained athlete," I'm a recreational runner.
2. I don't even know my (then) current VO2 max, so clearly I'm not going to know A) if it decreases any or B) if that decrease is 7%.
3. I'm already stressed about Garmin miles and paces, why add more numbers to be obsessed about?

Think about yoga. You begin softly, you warm up the body, you strengthen the body, and then at the end, you rest. The rest is built into the exercise. 

This blog post went from exercise addiction to the importance of rest... but I guess they're related?

Do you struggle with wanting to and having to workout sometimes?

Rage Against the [Cardio] Machine: a 30 minute work out for you! No equipment!

When I can't don't have a run planned but want to do cardio, I'm not always feeling up for a machine. I like to create my own little routines, so...

30 MINUTE CARDIO/LOWER BODY WORKOUT.

1:00 minute JUMPING JACKS (get jaaaacked)

1:00 minute MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS (ford every stream)

1:00 minute SUMO SQUATS (without the diaper)

1:00 minute RUSSIAN TWISTS - no dumbbell (da! da! da!)

1:00 minute PLANK (you know you love me)

1:00 minute WIDE LEG PULSES (get them calves n’ thighs)

1:00 minute HIGH KNEE JUMPS (skip to my loo, my darlin’)

1:00 minute JUMPING JACKS (yes, again)

1:00 minute FLUTTER KICKS (float like a butterfly, sting like a… sore abdomen?)

1:00 minute TOE SHUFFLES (you’ll need a decent sports bra here)

REPEAT TWICE MORE FOR A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES.

To make sure you understood what I meant by all of these, or at least had the resources to go find out, I Googled the more unique names.

I give you, Google search toe shuffles:

Thanks, Skechers!

But what I really mean by "toe shuffles" is to stand like you're in a sumo squat but on your toes. Then quicklyquicklyquickly tip toe/bounce/"shuffle," if you will, on your toes... kind of like what the basketball coach does here at 0:24 seconds, but on your toes and super fast... like pumpy and vibrate-y... okay, you know what? Do whatever you want during this minute. Screw it.

Wide leg pulses are in the same stance - sumo squat on your toes - and, well, you basically just sumo squat on your toes, but don't go down as deep. Hence, pulse.

Want to take it up a notch? Do these exercises for 2 minutes! Don't want the whole extra notch but some adjustment? Do these exercises for 1 minute and 42 seconds!

Do you ever make your own workout routines?
Anybody hate interval sessions?