Sunday 30 January 2011

Gym (!) and Recovery Run - 30/01/2010

Wrekin Sunset
Today's Exercise (Part 1):
I took my stepson James to the local council gym today and we both did an induction and a good workout session. He wants to lose a bit of weight and tone up, and (obviously) I want to improve my fellrunning.

After we'd done the induction (thank you Andrew - you couldn't have been more helpful), we did about a one hour session, starting off with 10 minutes rowing and finishing with some time on the exercise bike. I between I did a set of fixed weights exercises targeted at leg strength and endurance and also some to strengthen by back muscles which get stretched with all the hunching over computer screens and running uphill. Generally I was doing 3 sets of 20 reps, starting with a load I was just comfortable with and reducing the load by one notch for each set. James did a more general workout with fewer reps but higher loads.

Despite my scepticism, I quite enjoyed it and I'm certainly feeling sore in some places I don't usually. I think probably the main advantage is that I can really isolate particular areas which will help with the running.

Today's Exercise (Part 2):
A very gentle run around the village at sunset: 6.7 miles and about 420' of ascent. I managed a very controlled gentle effort, and did a mile where I was concentrating on a higher cadence and a more forefoot based foot strike, similar to how I run when I'm barefoot.

Streaky Skies just after sunset
Summit of Lilleshall Hill (yet again...)
Weekly Summary
A good week in terms of volume, with some real effort put in on Tuesday night and Thursday and a rewarding long run on Saturday. Totals this week are 31.5 miles and 6,900' of ascent (big increase in the climbing volume this week), and the four week totaliser is at 107.8 miles and 22,190' of climbing.

3 comments:

  1. Sounds a good week! Didn't know you'd entered the world of barefoot!

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  2. Nice work Jim. I like to do upper body in the gym which helps with the kickboxing.
    See you at Cardingmill. With all the training you've been doing of late I think I'll be watching you from a far. Unless you run it barefoot ;-)

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  3. Now there's an excuse in the making. Cow Ridge is a bit rough I think!!! The problem with all the training is that I think the quality may be important as well as the quantity!

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