by LT MarathonGirl | Jul 31, 2013 | Uncategorized
In January of 2008, when I decided out of the blue, that I wanted to run a marathon, My family didn’t know what to think. I wasn’t even a runner. I had just seen the movie The Bucket List and for some reason thought that this would be cool to add to my list.
I decided that I should run a half marathon first and then go full out. I looked for a schedule online and found this great website marathon guide. Naive to the terminology I thought that a trail run just
meant that you were not running on the road. Ha ha. The joke was on me, but I completed the 13.1 miles of hills and rocks and tree stumps. I only fell twice. My friends and family at the finish line had weird looks on their face. I’m still not sure if it was because they didn’t think that I would finish or because they didn’t expect me to come out all banged up and a little bloody.
Finishing gave me the confidence I needed to go for the full 26.2 miles. I returned to the faithful web to find a training schedule and found Hal Higdon’s page. It’s awesome. My husband was a little curious and decided he would train with me “until the miles got really crazy”. They don’t call it a “runner’s high” for no reason. Not only do you feel great, you become addicted. He couldn’t stop, even when the training miles “got really crazy”. In October 2008 we both ran our first marathon. We weren’t exactly couch to marathon, but we were pretty darn close.
Here’s how it goes. You wait at the starting line feeling a little buzzed. The gun goes off and you are on your euphoric trip. Floating, not running, for miles and miles. Then the buzz wears off and you crash. Why am I doing this? Why did I do this? I am definitely never doing this again! No more runners’ high for me.
Then, in the distance, you see it. The finish line. Out of nowhere comes a burst of energy and again you are floating. Only this time you are floating really fast towards the finish line. The very second you cross it you think I can’t wait to do this again! All of the misery of the crash is somehow erased from your brain (sort of like child birth). And, that’s how you get hooked. Marathons are as addicting as any drug, but only with positive side effects.
Here’s my Month 3 Training Schedule for a fall marathon. You’ll see P90X blended in with my training this year. I may get a little crazy and even through in a little Insanity on a few days. Two more addictions.
by LT MarathonGirl | Jun 2, 2013 | Uncategorized
This month kicks off fall marathon training. I am going full out with a month of total fitness before tapering off cardio and adding miles. I am following my own advice for achieving goals by posting my June calendar.
Step 1 to achieving your goal – put it in writing.
Step 2 to achieving your goal – share it with people who will support you
Link to calendar
Are you running a marathon or a 1/2 marathon this fall? Let me know if your interested in sharing training tips.
by LT MarathonGirl | Feb 13, 2013 | Uncategorized
The path that lead me to Insanity . . . On October 21, 2012 I completed my 5th marathon. I blew away my goal time and shocked myself finishing in 4:03; 19 minutes faster than my previous PB. The self gratification of that feat is indescribable.
Friends had asked me to join them in P90X and held off their start date so that I could join them on November 1st. Over the next 90 days I watched
my body transform into it’s most fit state ever. The muscle tone and firm core, that I could not get from running 50 miles a week, was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
My hubby joined me in P90X and was also ecstatic with his results. He wanted to do it all over again as soon as we finished, but I urged him to try Insanity with me because of the shorter workouts.
Day 1 – fitness test.
Day 2 – Plyometric Cardio Circuit. I felt like this guy after the 10 minute warm up
Day 3 – Cardio Power and Resistance. I almost didn’t die during the warm up.
Day 4 – Cardio Recovery – Who does this many squats during recovery? This is INSANE!
Day 5 – Pure Cardio – This is where the name Insanity comes from. OMG I thought I was in shape.
Day 6 – back to Plyo Cardio – The warm up is getting easier.
Day 7 – REST (not really in my vocabulary)
By day 8 I wasn’t feeling like I was going to die anymore in the warmup and really started to enjoy the workouts. I don’t want to compare P90X to Insanity until I complete the program. Until then here are some basics
P90X vs. Insanity
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P90X
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Insanity
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Fitness Goal
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Tone and build muscle
(ladies, lean muscle not bulk)
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Improve cardio conditioning and lose weight
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Time commitment
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75 minutes +
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40 minutes +
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Program length
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90 days
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60 days
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Workout type
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Muscle confusion
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Interval cardio training
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Equipment
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Pull up bar and weights or resistance bands
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You!
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Instructor
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Tony Horton
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Shaun T.
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Mantra
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“bring it”
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“dig deeper”
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Price
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$119.85
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$119.85
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Includes
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12 workouts
Plus 2 additional workouts
Plus 5 new workouts
Nutrition guide
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10 workouts
Plus bonus Fast and Furious workout
Nutrition guide
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