Spring training!

[StraightForward]

Who's ready to up their game now that spring is here?

I was doing great in January and February, but have slacked off the last few weeks. Running the Robie Creek half marathon on 4/16, so I need to kick some butt for the next couple weeks.

Current fitness goals are pretty simple:

Run 3x/week (today is long run day)
Strength 2x/week

Incorporate balance exercises and metcon (rowing, kettlebell swings or treadmill intervals) with the strength at least 1x/week

Ideally, ride 2x and yoga 1x, but that's pushing it

Will check in next weekend!

[Chisamba]

i would like to start getting back in shape for a few 5K s, i walk them, but its till a good goal, thanks for the reminder

[StraightForward]

Glad to have you on board, Chisamba!

Went to the gym tonight and hit the kettlebells pretty hard; even did deck rolls, which are the worst. Working on strength at the low range of my squat so I can achieve a pistol squat this year. Still have a ways to go on that. Did Bosu Ball work for the first time in about three weeks and could really tell that I've lost ground. Need to bring mine up from the basement and stand on it while watching TV. Tomorrow is running in the wind. Whether I like it or not.

Pistol squat (not me):

[StraightForward]

Pretty good week! Got my 13 mile run done this morning. I'm about as ready as I'm going to get for that half marathon. Will try to get out and do some hill repeats this week. I did kind of wimp out on my strength workout on Wednesday. Just did some light kettlebell and Bosu Ball work and called it a day. Shoveled a yard of landscaping gravel yesterday, so maybe that makes up for it? Got my scheduled runs in, and rode for the first time in a few weeks last night.

Hope some others will join in.

[StraightForward]

Today was the half marathon (Race to Robie Creek, a fun local tradition in its 39th year).

Was feeling pretty good and tackled the brutal hills better than expected (despite not doing any hill repeat workouts ). Finished up in 2:19:50 and have been feeling good and puttering around the house and garden all evening with just a little blister on one toe to show for it. With more consistent training, I would have been gunning for closer to 2:10, but I'm happy with my time, all considered.

Now for a week mostly off, and then whatever I can manage between a hotel gym and a kettlebell the next week while I'm on travel. Will try to get back to a schedule after that (and the pistol squats!).

[Flight]

Well done StraightForward! That's a great effort.

I am shamefully not exercising. I know I have to, but once I've stopped I just cannot get back into it. So, I do sneak in and read for motivation but I'm such a slacker.

[StraightForward]

It is hard, once you get out of the routine.

And being an active rider and working full time, it's easy for dedicated fitness to fall off the table. Over the past year I've been experimenting more with what my minimum effective dose is for exercise. The good news is, it doesn't take much time to improve strength and balance for riding through a few strategic exercises. The bad news is, if I don't pile on enough cardio, I need to watch what goes in my mouth more closely.

[StraightForward]

Well, I have been kind of MIA. I took a full week off after the HM, and then the following week I was traveling for work, and only got a teeny, tiny bit of exercise. Once I got home, I felt like garbage for a few days until I realized that I needed to get back on allergy pills. Got a couple decent days, in, then had to go out of town again, but did get a couple workouts in with access to a running trail and better hotel gym.

Now I'm thankfully home for the next several weeks, and will be pushing a little harder to drop some body fat and get my strength and aerobic capacity up to snuff. Planning to start working out first thing in the morning to make sure it's getting done. Otherwise, I invent a 100 other things that I Must Do after work instead of hitting the gym.

[StraightForward]

Getting back at it a little more consistently. Hit the gym last night for speed intervals on the treadmill and lower body strength work, then hit the road this morning for a run that turned into a walk as it rapidly got too warm for my dog, despite our water breaks. I've been concentrating on strength at the very bottom end of the range of motion in squat, and I think I should be able to hit that pistol squat by the end of summer if I keep at it. It's requiring little more flexibility that I currently have, and dropping ~10 pounds will make it easier, too.

[Tuddy]

I got back on the gym wagon too.

I have been lifting 4-5 days a week with some cardio thrown in there. Those pistol squats are hard. I have been using the smith machine at the gym to stabilize myself so that I can get some depth to them.

I have been cleaning up my diet and have been feeling a lot better. As a former bikini competitor who is now 35 pounds heavier than she was when she hit the stage, well, I would like to lose a few of those pounds (10?) and rearrange the rest.

[Wicky]

I do 45 minutes of Pilates and 45 minutes of physical therapy, designed for my neck and back and asymmetries, three times a week. Then I ride two horses four times a week. Then I feel that I need a nap, but I have to go to work. Oh well!

[StraightForward]

Hey, glad to have some company!

Tuddy, former bikini competitor, that is hardcore!

Finally got my arse up early enough to go for a run before work this morning. My dog is 10 this year and he's starting to have trouble keeping up, so I think I need to start doing a short loop and dropping him back at the house so I can finish my run without slowing down for him so much. Got in a pretty good workout in my basement gym last night. Still prepping for the pistol squats by doing a controlled step up/down off the side of the coffee table (or the 24" box when at the gym). It's that strength in the very lowest part of the squat that is holding me back, but I'll get there.

Today my dad comes to visit for five days, then I have to travel for work, and beer drinking is pretty much compulsory, so the next two weeks will be a shit show, I'm afraid. Weight just isn't shifting and I'd really like to drop a few before my vacation next month.

[Wicky]

Be careful of the deep squats. They can really damage the knee, resulting in patella femoral syndrome

[Dresseur]

I've been on and off with fitness. I'm lucky in that I'm naturally thin, but I need to start concentrating a bit more on it. It's just so. hard. Last year I tried to train for a 1/2 marathon. Due to my old track injuries, I had a really hard time staying in a steady routine because I kept re-aggravating the bursitis in my hip. I was woefully undertrained, and the course was extremely hilly. I still managed a 2:19 and some change, but my coach was cheerleading me the whole time. She does Ironman's and marathons on a regular basis.

In any case, after that, I really fell off the wagon. I'm trying to slowly get back into it again, but my knees
So, I do the Ballet Beautiful workouts and try to run at least 3 times a week, 3ish miles to start.

I just find that as someone who has always been active, and who has always been thin - having to suddenly force myself to work out is very, very difficult.

[Flight]

I've been doing yoga for like 2 weeks straight now. Some kind of record for me.

I'm astounded at how stiff and unfit I've become. I think it's just old age now, you take it for granted your body being able to do 'stuff' when you're younger and now I'm struggling with what I can eat (getting fat) and making my body bend. It sucks!

I'm always very impressed with anyone who can run a half marathon/marathon etc. I did run for a while there and quite liked it, but just couldn't stick to it.

[StraightForward]

Resurrecting this thread... so I was just getting back in the groove of running, moving the weight needle in the right direction back in August when Pickle launched me into the dirt and I sprained my ankle pretty badly. Each time I tried to get back to running, it would feel OK during the workout, then puff up afterwards. Decided to stay away from running for awhile and have been doing the dreaded elliptical instead to avoid impact. In the last week or two I've been able to re-introduce actual weight lifting through most of my previous range of motion. Slow process, but it seems to be working. I did do a 3 mile jog in fresh snow last week and the ankle felt pretty good afterwards. Now everything's ice sheets and clumps, so I don't dare break out of a walk outdoors.

I'm heading to DC soon for eight weeks, so I'll be focusing on working out 5x a week and dialing in my diet since I'll have a clean kitchen and empty evenings and weekends. Hopefully get back to running towards the second half of this trip and be in fighting form by the time I get home in March.

[Flight]

I'm determined to to lose 10kg this year. I'm about to smash though 1kg of prawns as it's NYE, but I'll start tomorrow
Straightforward, keep us posted on your running, it might help me stay motivated.