Ramped up week

So I had a long and crazy week and want to share, so that one day I can look back and remember, be inspired, and maybe to inspire you who are reading my little blog. This week has been one that i started to shake off the cob webs that grew in winter. And to remember that even if you do not get to do the intensity, or frequency that you want to for some time, all is not lost, just hop back on that routine, and start over. Try and compete with the person you were yesterday, which is way easier said than done. Now there is also something to be said when competing with friends, and pushing each other to do better, just remember, do not beat yourself up over others being better, trust me their will always be somebody better. 

So after carry the fallen last week (insert link here) I worked the next day, an 8 hour shift on my feet. Luckily I was not bad (or so u thought) monday I returned to my normal group training night. Tuesday a rest/rehab day. Wednesday was the day of our awesome, that i want to repeat all the time. I woke up on hardly any sleep, and ran at 530 and 630 group runs at harvard stadium with November project. That was another eye opener, my body reminded me that i had not run those stairs in a few months. It felt way harder than it used to, and felt way slower than i have and could do. The best part was how heavy my entire lower body got on lap 2, 3/4 of the way into it, my quads, glutes and it band got so heavy, filled with all the lactic acid, so i fast walked the last bit, and ran on the last up of the stairs. Promptly feeling drained at the top, and also happy of what I achieved, and of course grinning from ear to ear. 

I got a pr that day 26 min even, which considering i have only been two times before is not that hard, and also easier because of the snow we only ran 3/4 of the stairs up and down. The bottom 1/4 was covered in snow still, and a bunch of black ice in some points.

If you have never heard of them november project is an awesome group of runners that meet every monday, Wednesday, and friday. Monday is a workout that changes each week and the location is given out a few days before. Wednesday is stairs at harvard stadium. And Friday is hill repeats in brookline.

Then work for a few hours, weights and 2 miles at the gym on a bike. Finished up with a great run at the boston marathon sports team rwb run, I dis about 5.5 miles. Hey I am doing ragnar in under 2 months. And I need to get that hurc hoist at spartan races this year, they are supposed to be heavier. I only have a few weeks before the nj beast after all! 

I finished it up with a spartan workout tour at reebok hq, man do i envey everybody that gets to work there. That campus is absolutely amazing. All the gear they get to test, and the gyms, outside they have spartan obstacles (when not covered in snow look awesome) basketball courts, weight room, crossfit, showers, running tracks, and so much more (including a great cafeteria) man I think I started in the wrong company! So on saturday, Andi Hardy really knows her stuff! That was an intense workout! If was my third workout tour i think they started them last year. They are promos for the races, you get a shirt, great 2 hour workout, cool bracelets, and discount codes for races. And they also help people realize that anybody can do an ocr, ANYBODY!!!  

She ran us through warm ups, explaining her 5 basic exercises that will get you prepped for a race: squats, push ups, pull ups, lunges, and burpees (of course).   We did animal movements : bear, crab, alligator, and ape. A whole bunch of running in place to keep up heart rate, and jacks. Planks when "breaking" and finishing up with hit (kinda of like amrap rounds). 4 min rounds with partners, each doing a workout for 4 sets. We would do something like one person does push ups the other does jumping jacks. Another was lunges and mountain climbers. I forget the other set, and naturally finished up with 4 min of burpees. I was happy because i got 74 in 4 min!! Last year when i started getting serious in training for ocrs, and joined the new england spahtens, i did 68 in 5 min, and that was at the start of the workout. It was also wen spartan started the 30 days workout, and we were doing burpees, so i was doing good at them. But now, so happy i did that, and trust me when i say my quads were shaking from early on when we were doing squats, i did good, but burned out and could barley hold my planks, or lunges. The doms i get will be interesting, especially when you consider i have another hard workout on monday. 

The mantra i have been adopting in the spring is this: the weather is getting better and so will I. 

I hope if you have read this all the way through, that it helps inspire you that you too can shake off the cob webs from winter, and get rid of this winter blues. Get outside, get active, ignore this snow we have had the last few days, it wont stick anyway! The weather is good enough to be active outside and absorb some sun!

Until next time

Keep training

Stephen