Marathon encouragement from 20x200meter

20 intervals.
TWENTY INTERVALS.
Reading it makes me BOOMM (bored out of my mind).

But I did it and dangit I did it well!
I was supposed to hit between 44-47, 44 has been difficult on my previous weeks intervals for even 8 intervals, so I was nervous.
I don't like running around tracks, plus I think it is more beneficial in the long run to go run on the street because it is closer to what the actual marathon will be, (constant changing of elevation, turns etc), so it pushes me more.  So I set off on my favorite 5.5 mile loop, after a mile warm up I began the intervals.  What is fun about doing intervals on the street is you have to plan around stoplights, so sometimes I get very little rest between intervals because I want to knock out another one before that one light I know takes days to change.  So intervals on the street could be seen as a form of a fartlek.

Started out well, hitting a lot of 44-45.  Then all the sudden I got to #13 and my little legs in my favorite  Inspire II Crops just took off!  I was hitting 40-41-42 for the remaining 7 and it felt just blissful!  I felt like a gazelle for reals, instead of feeling like I was dragging through mud like I have felt since starting this training!
Finally my legs clicked into place and are ready for the next several months of re-training and re-learning how to run!
Feeling like myself again, nothing better!

Female Runner's Injury Prevention Strength Plan

	Week 1-2 2day/week	Week 3-4 2day/week	Week 5-6 2day/wk	Week 6-8 2day/week	Week 8-10 2day/week
Exercise	Reps	Reps	Reps	Reps	Reps
Walking lunge	15 (  )	20 (  )	20 (  )	25 (  )	25 (  ) ____lb
Front plank	15sec	25sec	25sec	35sec	35sec
Pelvic drop	15 (  )	20 (  )	20 (  )	25 (  )	25 (  )
Clam Shells	15 (  )	20 (  )	20 (  )	25 (  )	25 (  ) color band: ______
Side-lying hip abduction	15 (  )	20 (  )	20 (  )	25 (  )	25(  ) color band: ______
Chair squat	15 (  )	20 (  )	20 (  )	25 (  )	25 (  ) Bosu: yes/no
	2 sets (   )	2 sets (   )	3 sets (   )	3 sets (   )	3 sets (   )

Once I started doing strength routines my running improved drastically: both my speed and my avoidance of injury.

-As a runner we all must accept the fact that we are going to get injured.

-As women we are cursed from day 1: the Q-angle....

-A Q-angle greater than 20 degrees plays a role in injury risk as well (Prentice, 2009).  The Q-angle is the angle between the line drawn from the center of the kneecap to the anterior superior iliac spine on the pelvis and the line drawn from the center of the kneecap to the tibial tuberosity.  The Q-angle develops as a female matures, and the greater the angle the higher at risk for injury a female is.  Precautions to prevent some of the common injuries in females can be taken.  The top areas for injury in young females are seen in the knee and hip. 

-This program is designed to strengthen hip external rotators and hip abductors to prevent It-band and knee injuries.

Start at 2 Sets: 2 times/week.

After 2 weeks increase reps by 5-6, after 4 weeks add a 3^rd set.

1. Walking lunge: 15 each leg.

Progression: Hold a medicine ball.

2. Front plank: 15seconds.

Progression: Lift one leg off the ground at a time for balance.

3. Chair squat: 15 repetitions.

Progression: Squat on a bosu ball.

4. Side lying hip abduction: 15 each side.

Progression: Wrap a resistance band around feet.

5. Single leg v-up: 15 repetitions each side.

Progression: Hold a medicine ball.

5. Clam shells: 15 repetitions each side.

Progression: Wrap a resistance band just above knees.

6. Pelvic Drop: 15 repetitions each side.

Progression: Add an ankle weight to the foot that is dropping.

Today a man told me he eats 1,000kcals a day....#someonehelpthisman'sbloodsugar

(For the record, all the important facts are from Williams, M.H. (2010). Nutrition for heath, fitness, and sport (9^th ed.). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies) Thanks Westmont!

Seriously though.
He works out 5x a week, on 1,000kcals, he is an average sized guy too.

Here is a tip, figure out how many kcals you need daily based upon your daily activity level.  I like the Harris-Benedict Equation, here is an example FOR WOMEN from my final grad project...

FOR MEN BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in years )


Activity Factor Explanation:

•    Sedentary (little or no exercise): 1.2
•    Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): 1.375
•    Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): 1.55
•    Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): 1.725
•    Extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training): 1.9

Treadmill pyramid + legs

Cardio: Treadmill Pyramid (adjust speed to YOUR ability, these speeds are running, if you need to walk take it down 2-3 levels)

30 sec: incline-7 speed-5 [this is a comfortably hard pace]
15 sec: incline-5 speed-6 [this is closer to a "sprint"]
recovery:  1-2 minutes easy incline-0
45 sec: incline-7 speed-5
30 sec: incline-5 speed-6
recovery: 1-2 minutes easy incline-0
1 min: incline-7 speed-5
45 sec: incline-5 speed:6
recovery: 1-2 minutes easy incline-0
45 sec: incline-7 speed-5
30 sec: incline-5 speed-6
recovery: 1-2 minutes easy incline-0
30 sec: incline-7 speed-5
15 sec: incline-5 speed-6
recovery: 2minute easy jog

3x
10 (each leg) walking lunges hold med ball on right hip.
30 sec plank
10 leg extension machine
20 inch-worm push-ups
10 leg curl machine
30 sec plank

Deck of Cards: Abs&Legs

I love the Deck of Cards workout to do for bootcamps, it is so fun in a group, painful but hilarious when you get several of the same suits in a row, and goodness when you get face cards, it is brutal.

Each suit has a different assigned exercise, and you do the number of reps for whatever number is on the card. Face cards call for 60 seconds of the assigned exercise.
Work your way through the deck and see how long it takes! Fun to do with a partner, maybe someday boyfriend will join me...

HEARTS: leg lifts or body saw

DIAMONDS: Coffins or crunches

SPADES: dolphins

CLUBS:  goblet squats

JACKS: 60 sec jump jacks

QUEENS: 60 sec high knees

KINGS: 60 sec Seated side punch

ACES: 60 sec mountain climbers

JOKERS: 60 sec lunges

Chest-Back-Triceps Circuits

**Pictured is my absolute FAVORITE tank from LuLu, their Scoop Neck Tank, it is so comfortable, does not rub in any of the wrong places, just fits the contours of your back perfectly. I have ran a few half-marathons in mine and wear them to boot camp a lot.

10 reps each, 2x each arm circuit then 1min cardio-arm exercise
------

2x
lying chest press
reverse grip dead lift row (back, biceps)
lying triceps extension (triceps, abs)

1min plank walker
1min rest

2x
pullover curl (back, chest, abs)
hammer curl (biceps)
shoulder press in lunge (triceps, shoulders)

1min weighted t-kicks
1min rest

2x
man maker p.u. (w/ or w/o wweight) (chest)
in & out bicep curl
triceps push back

1min golf swings
1min rest
2x
shoe shine
hammer curl
upright rows (tricep)

1min shadowboxing