Tuesday, July 27th…….So after a very tough but rewarding Monday evening TFK tempo run, I am sent off on my own to do a level of cross training on Tuesday. The form of cross training that I would most prefer to indulge in is swimming. I was born & raised on the water, so when I am in the water I feel like I am in my element. Unfortunately, there are no Olympic size swimming pools here in Manhattan which I have access to. So I find solace in the fact that my company has a gym available to me whenever I get the urge to work out.
At around 3pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, I grab my gym clothes and head upstairs. As I listen to a blend of Clapton, AC/DC, Rush, Fuel, Muse, Dave Matthews, John Denver (kidding – just thought I’d try to slip one by you), Luadcris and Shinedown, I go through my motions. My routine includes a mixture of dumbbells, machines and floor work (just a really cool way of saying that I lay on the floor to do my abs workout). My routine consists of exercises to condition the neck, shoulders, back, chest, and arms. To top off my routine, I perform abdominal exercises for approximately 15 minutes. By the end of workout I’ve broken a pretty decent sweat.
From the various books I’ve read about training for any distance event, proper cross training appears to be pretty important. Think about it: a turtle like me – a guy that’s definitely built for comfort, not speed and that has a goal of finishing the marathon in November in 4:45 – will be running consistently for 285 minutes. That’s 285 minutes of swinging my arms forward and back to maintain momentum. That’s 285 minutes of focusing on my running form to maximize the amount of oxygen that I take into my lungs. That’s 285 minutes of stress on my upper body in addition to my legs. Running on my own and with TFK all week ensures that my legs are ready to go and that I have the necessary level of endurance to handle the challenge. Cross training days like these ensure that my upper body can handle what I’m going to throw at it.
It’s less than 100 days until Marathon Sunday, November 7th 2010. My Superbowl. That also means that I am just 3 weeks away from my first true test of the year: running at altitude in Edmonton, followed 5 weeks later with the Hartford Marathon. These two runs will be a great barometer for me leading up to the Big Day.
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“Tough times don’t last but tough people do.” – A.C. Green