Guess who is so SO happy today. Particularly happy.
Yes, it is me and do you want to know why...
Yes, it is running related and YES it is fast-pace related.
Let me brake it down.
Some days ago I wrote about my new strength training routine. This new routine is part of a new fitness approach which included cutting down my running. By cutting down I mean not caring about distance.
My running activity is down to a daily 30-minutes-fast-pace walk (Heart rate controlled) on the treadmill and a "longish" run of 45 minutes on the weekends.
I started my new routine on July 27th, a little less than a month ago so that means I've only been able to do two weekend's run plus the one I did this saturday.
On my second week I noticed I had run 7km in 45 minutes which is particularly fast for me and then came this saturday.....
I ran 9.7Km in exactly one hour! and that included a 3-minutes cool down at the end.
IT IS WORKING.
I AM GETTING STRONGER.
I AM HAPPY
SHALANE AND KARA WILL WANT ME AS THEIR TRAINING BUDDY FROM NOW ON.
Whatever it is I am doing it is definitely working and that is why I want you to help me. Maybe someone will be able to give this faster-Ruth phenomenon an explanation.
My week looks something like this:
- Monday: 1 hour of upper body workout + 30 minutes of ab workout + 30 minutes on the treadmill
- Tuesday: 1 hour of lower body workout + 30 minutes of ab workout + 30 minutes on the treadmill
- Wednesday: 1 hour of upper body workout + 30 minutes of ab workout + 30 minutes on the treadmill
- Thursday: 1 hour of lower body workout + 30 minutes of ab workout + 30 minutes on the treadmill
- Friday: Off
- Saturday: 45-minute run. No longer than 45 was the rule. Whenever I hit the halfway mark I have to turn around. Although this run is not meant to be a speed workout I do run faster than my "average" pace.
- Sunday: Off
Even though I may switch the "off" days from one day to another the basic rule is I workout no less than 4 days a week. The weekend run is not my trainer's idea. I may have added that myself. You see I can workout every day of the week, get a good sweat and feel the burn but that won't help me miss running any less.
This saturday I decided to run for one hour. Sixty minutes seemed fair. No distance in mind just a plain one-hour run.
I ran fast, I ran up hills and I stopped only because I had committed to running a certain amount of time.
I ended up with a new PR.
How can not running get me better at running? Have I overlooked strength training? Could it be that I am mentally relaxed? Could it be the fact that I don't "care" about distance right now?
After my run I was not tired or sored. I had a blister though. A trophy blister.
And you know how I rewarded myself? With a yoga class :)
I can't wait for this weekend to come. I will run one hour again and I will come back with the update.
Have you ever had this happen to you? Have you wanted something you never got only to make you not want it and get it?
