Two months ago, I made a commitment to complete my first triathlon, the Y Freedom Triathlon, on July 1st. Who would've ever thought that through training for it, I would absolutely fall in love with training for triathlons. I've been a runner for a while, but to add biking and swimming to my training, that definitely forced me to step things up a few notches. Although this is only a sprint length triathlon, I still want to do well and I know that my training I've done up until now is going to benefit me greatly. One person I'd like to give a shout out to is one of my former classmates from college, Katie Breland, for being such a HUGE inspiration for me. This past October, Katie was in a severe vehicle accident where she was ejected from the car and the car had landed on top of her, along with the car's motor sitting on her back, and suffered from spinal injuries and several burns. She's always been an outgoing, active person who has a positive attitude and always gives God the glory for the progression she's made since her accident. Recently, Katie posted this status on Facebook and it's stuck with me throughout my training since then and I want to share it with you:
"I've
been trying lately to not focus on what i dont have and more on what i
do have..exercise is part of me though and its hard to make the desire
go away...Running for me is not just a daily achievement, it's a
discipline that has nothing to do with speed or social status.. it's
about the sweat on your face and the blisters on your feet, it's about
the slow and painful process of being the best you
can be. It's about waking up every morning while the rest of the world
is still dreaming of being what you are, it's about being on a lonely
road but running like a champion, even if there's no one to cheer you
on. Running is not just a word or action. It's an escape from the world
that sometimes swallows us up.....I can't wait for the day. It's coming,
and I'm believing."
My goal is to have this attitude each day as I train. While a lot of people are still winding down for the day, I'm already in bed asleep. While most people are still sleeping, I'm in the gym or hitting the pavement training. It's all about dedication and reaping the benefits of it. I love exercising. It seems as natural to me as it does breathing. Tomorrow I'm going to go out there and give it everything I've got because that's what helps define a champion- medal or no medal, trophy or no trophy. Determining to achieve a goal, dedicating yourself to that goal, and accomplishing that goal- possible even exceeding it, that right there is a champion in my books.
I'm baaaaaacckkk!!! After a week long hiatus, I figured I was overdue for an entry. I just got back from visiting my family in Mississippi for the past week and I have been extremely busy spending time with them. However, just because I was on vacation, that didn't mean my training was also. Last week I officially started my training with my triathlon coach. His workouts are definitely pushing me with intense interval biking and running but intervals are an excellent way to help improve your speed and stamina. I've mainly been doing biking and running the past week. The two highlights of my week were when I had the opportunity to go running with my sister and go biking twice with my dad. I cherish the moments I have to exercise with them because I don't get to do it often. My dad received new tires for his road bike while I was home so he put them on the bike and then we went out to ride bikes together. It had been several years since he had ridden his road bike and he was tickled to death with how smooth the ride was on it. I can't tell you how much it thrilled me to see my dad get so excited about riding his bike again. He loved it so much that we decided to take one last ride yesterday morning before I flew back to Houston. We went up to the Longleaf Trace in Hattiesburg. The Trace is a 41 mile paved trail that follows an abandoned railroad line. It's so quiet and peaceful while riding out there and I must say, yesterday's ride was one of the best I've had yet.
The Longleaf Trace
Well, my first of many big days is only a few days away. My first triathlon is this Sunday morning and I am getting so excited! It's a sprint length tri (300m swim, 11 mile bike ride, 3 mile run.) It's at moments like this I say to myself, "This is why I do what I do. This is why I get up while most people are still sleeping so I can get my training on and bust my bottom so I can be the best that I can be out there on race day." All of the sweat, tears, pain, and dry heaves become especially worth it on days like this coming Sunday. I could use all of the encouragement and motivation I can get when I head out Sunday morning :) I'm nervous, yet excited all at the same time. The thrill, nervousness, and excitement is why I absolutely LOVE trying new things and stepping out of my comfort zone. I love the saying, "If your dreams don't scare you then they aren't big enough." Remember, YOU are your only limitation. Discover your dreams, set a goal to make those dreams happen, and work your you-know-what off to achieve those goals!!!
I'd like to say CONGRATULATIONS to my partner in crime, Ashley, for being selected to be in next year's Chevron Houston Marathon!!! Whoop! Whoop! You're totally going to rock that marathon!!
I'm doing my first triathlon Sunday and Ashley's been selected for the Chevron Houston Marathon...we're adding more bricks to our building of Rome!!
So...we kinda went on vacay this past week. Okay, well, Meaghan went on vacay to the Motherland (that's Mississippi for those that don't know). I've just been running around Houston like a madman. Although I didn't deviate from my routines, I didn't think of any creative workouts to share. That'll change this week, and I've also got some exciting news to share. :)
When the Houston Marathon Committee introduced the lottery system in 2010, dedicated runners were ready to draw blood. People hated knowing that their spot may go to someone who might not take it all the way to race day. I gotta say I was a little discouraged, too. In the end, the new order made sense. If you saw how registration sold out in like, less than 24 hours for the 2010 event...
Anyway, I waited until the last possible minute to register this year--2 hours before the window closed. I tried not to get my hopes up in case I didn't get a coveted spot, but...
I woke up to an e-mail saying I got in for the 2013 Chevron Houston Marathon. And just for the record, here's the bold print you guys have to hold me to:
I WILL RUN 8:52 PACE FOR 26.2 MILES.
Whew. Now that I've said that, keep up with my training!
In other news, Meaghan will be participating in Y Freedom Tri this Sunday, July 1. I've done this event myself and it's perfect for a first time triathlete. Meaghan has put a lot into this, so of course I'll be there with her, getting as many shots as I can. I never get to be the cheerleader for another athlete, so I'm looking forward to taking it all in. If you're friends with her on Facebook, please send her some positive vibes this week!
I have a guinea pig to use my workouts on this week, so come back for the updates!
--Ash
I leave you with one of my favorite plays, "Sofi Needs a Ladder", by Deadmau5
With today being Father's Day, I wanted to take a different approach to the usual blog and not write about MY training, but rather how my dad has taught me growing up what it means to be dedicated with my training.
Me with my dad- college graduation 2006
Me with my dad while vacationing in Florida when I was about eight years old
My dad started his running with a friend and a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors. For as long as I can remember, my dad always got up at 5:30am to go running every morning. I used to think he was crazy for getting up that early because I had trouble trying to get up at 6:30am just to get ready for school. All of my life, I have always been involved in some type of sport. It started with t-ball and gymnastics around the age of four and as I got into the junior high age, I became involved in cheerleading and soccer. Every t-ball game, every gymnastics meet, every football or basketball game I had to cheer at, and every high school and college soccer game- my dad was there supporting me with what I enjoyed doing. I remember very clearly when I decided that I was going to play soccer on a scholarship at our local community college, my dad got me into running to help get me into shape to play. That was probably the first time in my life I'd ever actually ran just to run without having a ball at my feet to dribble down the field. After finishing soccer in college, I'd go back and forth with the whole running scene but I could never quite get into it completely. I think the greatest distance I ever ran was a 5k and I remember even struggling with that.
A daddy and his daughters- Nov 2011
Around March 2011, I began to face some stressful times in my life and I didn't know what to do to help me cope with what I was going through. I turned to running. I was asked if I wanted to join some others in the Blue Bell 5k run that April so I immediately set that goal. From then on, running has been a passion that's grown with me. I hate it, but I love it. Each time I participate in a race, the first person I want to call when it's finished is my dad. Any time I need running advice or tips, I can always count on him. For those of you who don't know, I am training for multiple triathlons right now with the end goal of completing my first half iron distance triathlon. I've been told by some that I can't do it and they underestimate my dedication and ability to accomplish these things. Not once have I heard my dad tell me I can't do it. I know he believes in me and knows that I can accomplish any goal that I set my mind to. My dad has always been a great Christian example to me and has done an outstanding job with my mom in helping to raise me and my sister. I haven't shared with my dad how much his dedication to waking up every morning to go running has inspired me. I didn't realize it at the time how much discipline and motivation it took to get up each morning on the hottest days and on the coldest days to get up and pound the pavement. That took a lot of dedication from him and I'm thankful that I was able to see that in him. Neither of us knew that simple act would inspire me years later down the road.
My dad is a great person and I always look up to him. People tell me all the time that my dad is a great man and I couldn't agree more. Growing up, we didn't always have a perfect relationship, but through it all he has always been there for me and has loved me unconditionally no matter what I said or did. He is my hero and my inspiration. I will always be grateful that Heavenly Father blessed me with such a loving dad in my life who has been a great example to me.
I love you, dad, and I hope you have a wonderful Father's Day.
Father's Day is coming, so of course my father has been on my mind this week. He means a lot of things to a lot of people, and I'm no different.He's been my employer, my cheerleader, my voice of logic (even though I still never listen to him), and the man who's told me "don't mess with bullcrap guys". When it comes to fitness, however, he was actually the first person to direct me toward its involvement in my life.
I, like most women, have had some insecure moments. My teens were the worst because puberty didn't bless me too well. In a community with stick figure chicks, I was the girl with a little more thigh, a bit more of a tummy, and low self esteem to boot. My dad would often make comments about working out, but I took to them negatively, as if he were picking on me like the kids in school did. At some point he stopped talking.
...Instead of talking, he started dragging me to the YMCA at 5AM to lift.
I won't lie. I hated it. I would rather have been asleep until 6:30. But with those mornings, he planted seeds that would shape my life. Over the years I started paying more attention to my overall fitness. I played volleyball, rollerbladed, meticulously cut out sugar, and by the time I was 19 (with the help of a drill sargeant, cross-country runner who loved to hit the gym), I was lifting on a regular basis.
Dad started what would become an integral part of who I am. But the coolest thing he did? It happened just before my first half marathon in 2008. Everyone in my family was majorly supportive of what I was doing. My godmother and godsister made me a basket with carb-friendly goodies, my marathoning uncle (who deserves his own post) gave me his running watch. And one night while visiting my folks, my Dad gave me a pair of red Nike Triax shoes. Dad's always been pretty nonchalant about gifts, and the way he handed me that box was like he handed me a piece of paper. I'm sure he didn't realize that getting new kicks is like Christmas morning. It was the last thing I got before that Sunday, and probably the most prized gift he ever gave me. To me, that was the first moment I felt like a bonafide runner.
I will always love my Dad. He was the first man to tell me I look pretty without make-up. He was the first man to tell me guys need to earn me. He is the person who yells at me when I fall short of my potential and the first to praise me when I live up to it. And as you can tell, he was the first person who made me believe that I can do just about anything I put my mind to...including running a marathon.
So today my usual trainer was unable to make it to the gym today. Instead, I trained with a former bootcamp instructor who's, um, let's just say a REALLY nice looking latino...definitely some great eye candy ;) He's really into CrossFit and participates in several CrossFit competitions so of course we had to do a CrossFit workout. I've done some exercises that are done with CrossFit, but I had never done a whole CrossFit workout before. And let me tell you, this ain't for the weak or unmotivated. You've got to bring your A-game and turn on your beast mode.
We did what is called the "300 Workout." It's called this because some of the actors in the movie '300' used this workout to give them those bodies us ladies, who have seen the movie, will never forget. One person made this statement about the workout, " "It's a brutal workout, starting out strong and slowing down, finishing at a crawl." Boy, they weren't lying.
Every two minutes his timer would go off and I'd have to do five burpees and then pick up where I left off. Therefore, you'd want to push yourself to go faster and try to do less burpees. Easier said than done. Lol.
Choice of music for this workout: Disturbed Pandora station. Excellent choice.
So here's the workout:
Warmup:
*20 pushups- after each push up, you walk your feet in towards your hands till you can't go any further, walk your hands out and do your next pushup
*20 squats
*20 lunges
*20 split lunges
*crawling forward, backward, and sideways while faces up keeping your arms slightly bent to engage triceps more
*10 squats with 20lb bar behind neck
*50 yard sprint with 25lb sack behind neck
Yes, this was just the warmup. Lol.
Workout:
*Pullups - 25 reps
*Dumbbell Deadlift with 25lb kettleball each hand- 25 reps
*Pushups - 25 reps
*Inverted crunch- while lying on edge of stretching table, reach all the way back and down until hands touch ground then come back up-15 reps
*Run one lap around block
*Body-Weight Squat Jumps onto 3ft box - 25 reps
*V-Ups - 25 reps
*Run one lap around block
*Dumbbell Push Press with 15lb kettleball- 15 reps each hand
*Pullups - 25 reps
*Inverted crunch- while lying on edge of stretching table, reach all the way back and down until hands touch ground then come back up-15 reps
And let's not forget I'm having to do five burpees every two minutes. Eventually, the burpees became something I was looking forward to. The great thing about this workout is that you can change up the weights and reps to fit your fitness level. It's a great workout and I am extremely exhausted from it. I'm halfway done with training for the week. Thank. Goodness.
Have a great night everyone and happy training to you all!! :)
As promised, I've posted a couple of my favorite workouts. The first I did today, and the other I like to perform as a simple but effective workout when I'm not pounding pavement. Enjoy!
Chest/Back Workout--4 Sets/8 Reps Each Warm-Up:
*Light stretching, 10 mins of cardio Set 1
*Dumbbell Pull-over w/ Stability Ball
*Chest Press w/ Stabilitiy Ball (Dumbbell)
Both of these moves deserve their own video. Take a look to see how to execute them.
Set 2
*Reverse Flye w/Stability Ball (Dumbbell)
*Flat Bench Press (Dumbbells or bar)
Set 3
*Bent-Over Row (curl bar or Smith Machine)
*Decline Press (Dumbbells or bar)
Set 4
*Cable Squat Row
*Push-ups (Military or w/ bent knees)
Cool-Down
*10 mins of stretching
The key for this workout is to use speed. You can go as light or as heavy on weights as you want to, but do not rest for more than a minute between each set. I suggest cycling through the workout at least twice. I did my workout today with heavy weights, so two cycles was just fine. As always, I recommend starting off light weight to use proper form, then build your weight from there.
Leg Workout On days that I'm not running, this is a good workout to build muscle and sculpt your lower body. Because it's a bit varied, I would use a treadmill or track.
Warm-Up
*Eight to 15 mins of walking
Set 1
*Run for five minutes on moderate to high speed
*Perform 20 squats; hold hands out straight in front for balance, or use dumbbells or a medicine ball for an advanced move
Set 2
*Run for five minutes on moderate to high speed
*Perform 30 mountain climbers (video below)
Cycle through these sets at least 3 times, giving you about a 30 minute workout. This may seem easy, but I assure you, it's not at first! You will feel the burn in your chest and your legs for sure, but it hurts so good.
Alright. I do believe that's it for me today. If anyone has questions about these workouts, please feel free to respond in the comment section. Happy Training!
My dad, who has been a runner and cyclist for as long as I can remember, has always preached to me the infamous quote, "Hills are speed work in disguise." It wasn't until I became more serious about running, and wanted to improve my pace, that I became a true believer in that statement.
My original plan for my training this morning was to run hills and stairs at the reservoir but after realizing that it probably wasn't the safest place for a girl to go by herself while it was still dark outside, I decided to do my training at home. So, I improvised.
*5 minute warmup on treadmill with a brisk walk, almost to the point of running. During the warmup I focus on increasing my hip flexion and step length to engage my hip flexors and hamstring more in order to help warm them up. *Hamstring stretches- you can do whatever HS stretches you choose but I always do at least three of each stretch and hold for at least 20 seconds. Since I tore one of my hamstrings before, I don't play around when it comes to sprints. I always, always, always do lots of HS stretches after a light warmup and prior to running sprints. *Incline sprints- I ran 200 meter sprints x 6 on the treadmill at incline level 8 (Levels range 1-12) Personally, I hate trying to do incline sprints on a treadmill, but I don't have any hills surrounding where I live. Otherwise, I would have definitely been running hills outside instead. *High knee stair climbs- 2 flight of stairs x 10 focusing on bringing knees up towards chest and swinging arms for momentum. If you live in an apartment complex, running stairs is one of the easiest things you have access to. I use the stairs at my building and run all the way up to the top floor and run back down. I count that as one and do ten total. *Cool down: light jog for about five minutes
Due to work issues, I was pressed for time with my training today but another good exercise to add is jump squats going up the stairs. That gets the butt, thighs, and hamstrings definitely working! I have my weekly session with my trainer tomorrow evening so luckily I get to sleep in a little later tomorrow morning and that makes me one happy person :)
I hope everyone is doing well with their training this week and remember, you only regret the workouts you don't do.
First off, my back hurts. My legs hurt. My chest hurts.
...And I couldn't be happier.
Today was the first day I combined a marathon workout with a Spartan Race workout. I rolled out of bed at 4:45 and started with a quick 3 mile run at race pace, or as fast as I could run without keeling over. My top sustained pace was 7:43. Granted, I can't hold a pace like that for long at the moment, but I'm slowly working on making a 6 mile run with that type of speed. I finished the run feeling great. That changed in an hour.
Rather than type the entire WOD for Spartan Race, just click here.
I made it to the gym hyped up to try this one, and I wasn't disappointed. It wasn't easy to follow in a crowded gym where everyone's looking at you run from one place to the next, but I think I made it look good. :) The 60/20 work/rest keeps your heart rate up and challenges all muscle groups, giving you an intense routine. If you do it right, you'll feel it. I indeed did it right--I was holding back vomit. Yeah, that's a gross picture, but I'll take hitting it hard than not hitting it!
Tomorrow, I'll post one of my own weight sessions. I'm excited to share my brand of fitness with people. Be sure to come back! 'Til next time!
--Ash
Song of the day: "Amazing", Aerosmith
(First band I fell in love with and works every time!)
Ohh emm geee I am so exhausted. Mondays are hard for me to wake up early to get ready for work, let along get up EVEN EARLIER to train. So, when my alarm went off at 4:30am, the first words in my head weren't very nice. I hit the snooze button a few times and then finally rolled out of bed. My body is still feeling like it's in recovery from my Saturday run so I try not to do a lot of running on Mondays and I don't try to push out a extremely hard workout either. Here was my WOD:
*5 minute warmup on elliptical with mod resistance
*Assisted pull ups- 3 sets: 15 reps, 10 reps, 10 reps (Using the bar that is a couple of feet off the ground, sit under it (you're almost laying horizontal at this point) and grab
with overhand grip just slightly wider than shoulder width. Straighten your back, hips, and extend your legs out completely and begin with arms straight, pulling yourself to the
bar so that your chest touches the bar.)
*Squats with bar- 3x15 reps with 75#
*Single leg squats with bar with opposite leg extending back, balancing on weight bench - 3x15 reps with 60#
*Push ups with legs elevated on exercise ball (to engage core/trunk): 3x15 reps
*Chest Press: 3x15 reps with 65#
*High knees jumping on/off weight bench 3x1 minute each
*Seated trunk rotation with legs elevated: 3x20 reps while holding 10lb medicine ball
*Reverse crunches: 3x20 reps
*Timed Run: 1 mile- first half with 8:20 pace, second half 8:06 pace
I have come to this conclusion: if training and working full-time doing physical therapy doesn't kill me, it's sure as heck going to make me stronger. I see more and more everyday why some people consider training a full time job. Even though you may only train for an hour or two, you're still burning more energy than some do their whole work day. I have had to adjust my diet by adding more whole grain carbs to my diet so I don't crash at work because I'm constantly working out with patients and exercising with them as well. I also require A LOT more sleep and some people joke around with me because I go to bed so early. Yeah, this means I may not be able to do everything I'm invited to during the week. I knew going into this that I'd have to make sacrifices and I was willing to do that. However, you still need to make time for yourself. Go have fun with your friends. Eat the cupcake. Give yourself a day where you can sleep late. Do these things and you can be dedicated and not lose your sanity :) If you haven't done your training for today, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? Get it done!
Since I'm sure Mondays are one of the hardest days for some to get motivated to go to the gym, I thought I'd leave you with one of my absolute favorite motivational videos. Each time I watch it, I feel like I can conquer anything. Oh, and Ash, I'm sure you'll love it since it uses scenes from Spartan races!! Enjoy!!!
My Facebook status this morning said I was sweatin' like Patrick Ewing after the fourth quarter. Totally not kidding.
Anyway, I love the movie Top Gun like most 80's babies and can recite the entire it verbatim. So while going through my workout, I kept hearing Maverick and Goose. What was said workout? It was this:
WOD for 6.11.12
Warm up with jog or jump rope session 10 burpees 10 push ups 20 lunges 1/4 mile to 1 mile run interval(repeat 3-10 times) Cool down with a good stretch
Obstacle races are based on intensity and execution, so trying to do 10 sets of these seems easy--until you start running! In all, it took me about 40 mins to do. I recommend this routine for anyone who wants a quick exercise. I will warn ya though: you'll feel wasted after it's over.
Enjoy, and happy Monday!
--Ash Song of the day: "How I Could Just Kill A Man", Rage Against the Machine
Another week of training has concluded *sigh of relief* and I am so happy to have tomorrow to rest up and do it all over again. This morning I ran 8.5 miles at Terry Hershey Park and it wasn't easy (thanks to our lovely Texas heat and humidity) but I managed. As I was running this morning, I started asking myself, "Why do some people absolutely hate running?" I mean, yeah, I can see where it can get boring, especially if you're running on a treadmill, but if you're getting your run on outside and you find yourself getting bored, find ways to make it more interesting. For instance, I saw multiple rabbits out on my run this morning and that made my mind drift off and reflect on all of the beautiful creatures our Heavenly Father has made. Instead of focusing on the nasty humidity, focus on beauty of your surroundings. I know this can be hard but just try :) I also like to take some time to focus on my foot strike to make sure I'm landing correctly and not too hard. Another good thing to do is focus on a breathing pattern that works for you so that you are able to get more out of your run. I always like the saying, "Running is cheaper than therapy." Ain't that the truth!! If you've got a lot on your plate and you're running, just imagine as you run, all of your worries and troubles are just floating right off of you. Running has helped me get through some hard times in my life. Some people turn to alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, or some other harmful substance when they're under a lot of stress. Instead, why not try something that not only helps relieve some of that stress, but can also gear you towards a healthier you?! I love to run. Granted, when the alarm goes off when it's time for a morning run, I'm cursing the sport in my head. Lol..but I know once I start my asphalt therapy, I will be in my little zone where it's just me, the pavement, and whatever is on my mind at that moment. I run because I can. I run because I love it. I run because cupcakes, cheesecake, and chocolate exists. I run because it helps me to become the champion I want to be an will become. I'm going to leave you with a few of my favorite running quotes. Enjoy!!!
**I'd like to congratulate my awesome sister who killed the Blueberry 5K Race in Poplarville this morning!! Way to go, Lindsay!!
People who know me well find that I'm emotional. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve at times and I don't fall short of expressing my feelings, thoughts, or convictions. It's the reason why in the middle of an eight mile run this morning (my first long run in five months), I realized I had a few things to say. So here--while I still have the clarity--is why I really felt the need to document my training, and why I asked Meaghan to do it with me.
1. I'm clawing my way back. At the beginning of the year, I had registered for half marathons in January, February, and March. The goal was to clock an 8 min mile by the March half, and work toward running a 7:30 pace in a marathon in 2013. Unfortunately, instead of getting my glory on, January and February were the loneliest months I've had in a while. I ran the half in January and got a PR (personal record). It was the hardest race I've done when I've run events longer than 13 miles. I pushed. But I also under-trained and paid for it with an inflamed tendon that ensured I would not be running my other two events. I was crushed more than I let on to anyone. My family didn't know. My boyfriend didn't know and probably wouldn't have empathized much. The person I was most upset with was myself. I had lost three good months because I didn't condition better. Worst of all, I knew I had to start all over again.
And here I am, starting all over.
It's one thing to train for goals you've never reached, but it's nearly excruciating when you're training for events you have done before--and better. Right now, it's hard not to get frustrated with my training because I know I can run a 3 miler in 25 minutes. Doing an 8 miler in 1 hour and 32 mins feels like I'm a tortoise who's chasing her shell. This is HARD. But the old saying "anything that's hard is worth working for" is par the course. I ain't scared.
2. Meaghan. Meag started asking me about running a little over a year ago. I don't recall how far she was running at the time, but at the encouragement of running a half marathon, I got the same answer most people give me: "I can barely run 3 miles, let alone 13!" Yeah, whatevs Meaghan. She's now training for a tri.
The reason why endurance athletes love what they do is because they go through a few phases:
Phase A--"I'm not sure if I can do this."
Phase B--"I think I can do this."
Phase C--"I did this. ...Holy cow, I did this!"
Phase D--"I did this! Now what else can I do?!"
Meaghan has come a long, long way from where she was with not more than hard work and dedication. She's currently in Phase D, and I'm having a blast watching her discover what I have about myself and knew of her. She's my silent competition. She's my motivator. She can do this. We all can if we really want it.
3. The word "train" means more than preparing for an event. A few years back, I knew I wanted to be a personal trainer. That became an even bigger aspiration once I got involved with the non-profit Marathon Kids. I'm studying for my certification now. I hope to work with pre-teens and teenagers someday, especially girls. With that type of goal, you've got to get used to being in the spotlight. Which brings me to ...
4. I'm a bit of an exhibitionist. My dad told me that a few years ago, partly because I've spent time on stage as an actor since I was about 4. I don't mind sharing this part of my life with the world.
5. The Lord gave me legs. Lol. In all seriousness, I've always felt that God gives you certain talents. There are a lot of things that I'm good at I've found, but none have touched me more than running. Until the Lord says "Ok Ash, you need to focus on something else," I'll keep doing what I'm doing.
6. My heart is in this. My mom was poking fun at me a few days ago while I was cooking a fantastic meal. In between savoring her food she said, "When you put your heart into something, it comes out so well!" My mom knows me, and she's right. I live for what I'm passionate about. I put my heart into what matters to me, be it personal, professional, spiritual, or recreational. This matters. And if you wanna know me, well, you've got to know where my heart is.
My contribution to this blog will be a little light for a bit, because I'm not doing anything that I haven't done before in the running department. As for my obstacle race training, you can count on me posting the crazy things that I have to do for that. Seriously, if you've never done one of those things, try it. If you have an want a big challenge, train for what I'm doing in December.
Thanks for supporting what we do, readers. 'Til next tine!
Yesterday and today I woke up early and did 5am workouts due to my evening schedule. I am not the most pleasant person at that time of the day, and I may be thinking the whole time how much I'd rather be sleeping in my comfy bed, but I get in the gym and get things done. Yesterday I did a short brick workout: 15 min bike with mod intensity and 15 min run with a pace of at least 8:30-->Repeat again. Today was my "light" workout and I mainly focused on core strengthening. When I say core, I focus on my bum, hip flexors, lumbar area, and abdominals. I try to make Fridays a little lighter because Saturdays are my long cardio workouts.
My main highlight of this week happened earlier this afternoon. I met with a triathlon coach to start training with to help me prepare more for triathlons. He seemed pretty cool and after all was said and done, we decided to hold off on me doing the half iron distance triathlon in November. I won't lie, I was really disappointed when that decision was made, but I know it's for the better. Instead, we're going to focus on improving my swim technique and speed, (swimming is my weakest of all three) incorporate some open water swim training, and get my time and endurance better on the bike and running so that when I do participate in my first half iron, I'm gonna kick some major tail. And who knows, I may even get picked to be sponsored by then and I would actually be getting paid to do these races!! Until then, I'm going to start a six day training program and also get signed up for more sprint and olympic triathlons so that when it comes time for the half iron, I will be more than ready. When I am going to do a half iron is still questionable. The trainer said I may do two or three triathlons and just kill them and we decide I am ready for the half iron in November, but we're going to hold off on committing to that. They say good things come to those who wait...I say good things come to those who work their butts off training. I have to remind myself of the title our blog here...Rome wasn't built in a day and this situation is a perfect example of that. Champions aren't made over night. They're made over days, weeks, months of giving everything you got no matter how tough things are and no matter how much pain you may be experiencing. When they're knocked down, they get back up..stronger and a better person for not giving up and staying dedicated. Dedication=patience.
Since the beginning of January, I've been working out with a personal trainer once or twice weekly. I absolutely love training with him because he has seen me from the start and believes in me. He never doubts my athletic ability and always pushes me to go further...whether that be to push out five more reps, run a little faster, or increase weights for an exercise, he always pushes me. With his help, I have learned to set goals and then do whatever it takes to exceed them. We have a comical love/hate relationship. It's not uncommon to hear us yelling at each other in the gym the whole time I'm training. It's just how we roll :) He comes up with some crazy stuff for me to do sometimes for our training but it's all about stepping out of the comfort zone!! I'm not ashamed to admit he's pushed me so hard I've cried. But it's all about how you react when you get knocked down and everytime I feel like I can't go any further, I come back and not only meet my goal, but I try to push it even a little further. When those around me say I can't, he's there to help encourage me to tell them haters to just "WATCH ME!" His motto is "Building a Champion" and that's exactly what is happening. He's building a champion and helping me to build Rome.
Today I had a workout session with him and we did a lot of strength training. It went a lil' somethin' like this:
* 8 minute warmup on elliptical machine on level 10 (levels range 1-15)
* Chest Press: 20 reps with 35# bar, 5 reps x 2 sets with 85#, 8 reps with 85#
* Forward lunges with high knee: 36 reps with 15# kettleball each hand, 36 reps x 2 sets with 25# kettleball with bigger handle in each hand
* Diamond push ups with hands on top of medicine ball with feet apart: 8 reps x 3 sets
* Squats with arms curling up to shoulder press: 15 reps with 12# each hand, 12 reps x 3 sets with 15# each hand
* Butterfly chest press: 12 reps x 3 with 7# each UE, 10 reps with 7# each UE
* Alternating stepping onto weight bench with high knee and shoulder press at same time 4 sets x 12 reps with 12# each hand
* Leg press: 20 reps with 70#, 20 reps with 100#, 15 reps x 2 sets 130#
What a great workout!! I don't think I left anything out but if I did, that's okay...you get the idea of what went on today.
Today is also National Running Day. If you're not a serious runner but would like to get into it, what better day to start than on National Running Day!! For me, sometimes it's not about the distance or pace I'm running at, but just a moment in time where it's just me and the pavement having a stress/anger management therapy session. It's an excellent way to get rid of anxiety, anger, and/or stress you may be facing in your life. Although I didn't do any running on this special day, I plan on making up for it tomorrow. Happy training to everyone!!!! :) :)
I really didn't want to get up this morning. After walking uphill for 45 minutes with 20 lb weights, doing squats, lunges, push-ups, then completing swim sprints yesterday, my body was fried. When my alarm sounded at 4:45, I hit the snooze button about 7 times. Eventually though, I realized daylight was gonna start approaching and the thought of skipping my training was enough to roll me out of bed--literally.
Today's Spartan Workout wasn't too intense compared to my other ones, and the breakdown is like this:
Warm Up: Be sure to loosen up with 10 minutes of jumping rope and even a short run
Run 2-5 miles
then:
100 push ups
100 crunches
Do each exercise as: 2 x 50, 4 x 25, or 10 x 10.
Cool down with a jog and then stretch
Getting back to my 8 min pace per mile is the goal I have set for both the Spartan Race and Austin Marathon. It's been really disheartening to feel like I'm not running my best, especially when I know I can run a lot faster. So, finally, after months of trying to build myself back up, I finally broke into a sustained pace of 8:57 this morning.
8:57, man!
People comment all the time that running is a boring sport, and from an outsider's view, I agree. We run to get nowhere, mostly. Except that we don't. We run, well, I run because this is the only sport where your biggest enemy and strongest competitor, and best asset is yourself. At the end of the day, I'm the only one responsible for making my goals happen. And today, that feeling of knowing all those doggone lunges, squats, and hills helped me get back on track is worth going out and doing it again in the morning.
This evening's two hour training session seemed like it took for-ev-er!!! I started out with a brick workout. No, I didn't toss around a bunch of bricks or build a tower made of bricks. What is a brick workout? Simply stated, "bricks" refer to training with two disciplines in the same workout without interruption in between. The most common one is the bike/run, which is what I did this evening. Bricks are pretty common for triathlons and duathlons. Most people would agree that the hardest transition in a triathlon is the bike --> run. Mainly this is because of muscle confusion. You use your leg muscles differently when you ride a bike compared to running so when you immediately stop one and go into the other your muscles get "confused" in the beginning. It usually takes my legs about 5-7 minutes to fully transition into the run. This evening I did a 15 mile bike ride and transitioned into a 4 mile run. Thankfully, my legs felt great during my run and I didn't have any problems with the transition. Afterwards, I did a little swim training mostly consisting of freestyle with focus on my bilateral breathing and sighting. I also practiced swimming freestyle using one arm. That really helps with strengthening, overall swimming endurance, and also helps with learning to swim straight. Needless to say, I'm exhausted now!!!
My ending thoughts for today: There will be days when you feel like you want to cut your workout short because you may feel tired and have lost your steam...don't do that!! Don't sell yourself short...and that includes with working out. Block the negative thoughts out and just push through the rest of your workout. I promise you will walk away feeling better than if you had stopped your workout sooner than you had originally planned. Happy training everyone!! :)
So most people that know me know that I love to exercise. One thing that motivates me is having a goal to work towards. After I completed a 10K race back in April, I decided I wanted to push myself towards a harder goal. Ashley told me about a sprint triathlon (300m swim, 11 mile bike ride, 3 mile run) that was happening in July. I immediately became interested and decided at that moment I was going to complete my first triathlon July 1st, but having already achieved that distance with my training, I've already decided on a bigger goal for myself and that is to complete my first half iron distance triathlon (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, half marathon distance run) on November 4th. Some may think, "Oh it's not THAT hard." Well, I'm here to say, triathlons- even training for one- is not for the weak or weary. It takes dedication inside and outside the gym. I train six days a week and have a standing Saturday morning date with the pavement to go running, cycling, or both. Ibuprofen and ice packs are my newest BFFs. I am in bed probably before most people that are twice, maybe even triple my age. However, at the end of the day, I just close my eyes and imagine that moment I cross the finish line in November and it makes all the sacrifices seem so small. I'm excited to share this journey with you as I work towards this goal. I leave you with this short video that I watch frequently to help get me motivated to do my triathlon training. Enjoy :)
You've heard the old saying "Rome wasn't built in a day,", right? Well, an endurance athlete is much like that same breathtaking city. Building an endurance athlete takes time, effort, and patience. It takes perseverance. It takes a blind eye to negativity. It takes a love of accomplishment. Most of all, it takes a belief that you can do it, even when the voice inside your head suggests otherwise.
We're not professionals. We're not experts. But we love what we do and want to share it. We're excited to write about our journeys and hope you enjoy reading about how we're building our Rome--Southern style!
