This was a good week, workout wise. I’ve been in a bit of a wintery rut and decided to kick that to the curb by starting to focus on one of my favorite races, the Shamrock Shuffle 8K! This brought the realization that I was NOT ready to run fast and I needed to start reintroducing some speedier run sessions so that I don’t hurt myself in the Shuffle!
As a result I started a fresh training cycle via the Run Less Run Faster app on my iPhone. This forced both a speed workout AND a tempo session this week that I was dreading but then actually enjoyed. While the initial speed session didn’t go perfectly, I feel as if the tempo session was decent. No perfect, but good. Which means that my pace isn’t that far off, I just need to get used to spinning these long legs a “little” faster!
I also managed two StairMaster sessions, which I am dubbing as “hill work”. Since I’m running on the treadmill, and since its super hard for me, I just zone out with a 1% incline. All the time. No hills. No fun iFit live workouts thru some mysterious mountainous areas. Nope, just flat running with a teeny-tiny incline of 1%. I’m hoping the StairMaster workouts will give me a tiny bit of strength for whatever hills I might encounter in Little Rock.
I also was able to brave the snow and our drifted roads to hit both 5am CrossFit sessions this week. #WINNING
CrossFit Day 52
Push Press – 5×3 – 73#s
Tabatas – Perform 8 sets of the particular exercise before moving to the next station. Each set is timed and you do as many reps as possible in the allotted time. The time frame for Tabatas is 20 seconds “on” for the movement, 10 seconds rest = 1 set. Repeat x8, then rotate to the next station.
- Kettlebell Swings – 26#
- Hand Release Push-Ups – Super hard. My arms are weak even though I want them to be strong!
- Sit-Ups
- Rowing
- Ball Slams – 20# – Whoa, my pencil arms were tried by this time. Tough but I got it done!!
CrossFit Day 53
Front Squats – 5×3 – 73#
WOD – 5 Rounds
- 10 Kettlebell Squats – 35# – HEAVY!!
- 10 Ab-Mat Sit-Ups
- 10 Burpees – Whew, I think we all know how I feel about Burpees. I hope they eventually get easier, just a tad easier! This all goes back to my pencil arms being weak too.
Then we finished off the day with 2 minutes worth of planks. I had to do 5 different sets to get the full 2 minutes: 40 seconds, then 20 seconds x 4.
DONE!
I’ll be pounding miles on the treadmill this weekend! I hope you have a plan to get in your workouts too! It’s so much easier when I have a plan and stick to it.
** Making It Happen, Even During the Snowiest Winter EVER ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **
TooTallFritz 
Awesome TTF…keep at it…you got a good feel how you respond to training…so go with that gut-feeling…strive to do the workouts as they are laid out…but as in my last post prior…don’t be afraid to alter them to better fit your needs. You need the training stress/effect with that speedwork…but not necessarily flying off the end or hanging on to the siderails of the treadmill to do it. Hope you really took me seriously and adapt those aggressive speed intervals by starting them slower and progressing up to the target speed. The average comes out less than the plan goal…but you will get the physiological effect you need to get faster for that Shamrock. I will donate my time to be your coach for Shamrock…if you think you need or want the help to run that time goal. Don’t get to caught up in Zapotek’s quote…often misused…and that response is probably more attributable to query about Lydiard’s Long-Slow-Distance theory. Lydiard knew you had to run faster than all that LSD running…just doesn’t get credit for it. Zapotek…on the other hand…figured out you had to do fast running stressors or intervals to run both mid and long distance faster. It’s that Hungarian/E-Europe fellow that really clued into interval training that increased speed at all race distances. Drawing a blank at this point…but I know he was out there in California scene oh-so long ago…maybe Los Angeles Track Club or Striders or something similar pushing/coaching the likes of a lot runners that hoped to be the best. I could dig that info up if I go back to that book I have by Jacqueline Hansen.
Great workout week – and while I love my tempo runs and seed work, sometimes I long for a nice, slow long run too!
I’m glad your tempo run went better than the speed session. It’s funny how just one workout can really get you questioning your fitness. It sounds like you’re on the right track to a solid Shamrock Shuffle. Good luck with your workouts this weekend!
Between travelling and being sick this week…my workouts have not happened
I am still so impressed with all of you crossfit peeps, I just can’t do it. Ok more I don’t want to, but think it’s awesome!! Way to get it done despite the weather!
I have a tough time with the Stairmaster, too! Keep up the hard work!