What do you do on days you don’t want to work out? If you’re part of the Core Crew…you work out anyway!

Especially on Mondays! Monday is the day we set the tone for the week…and we all know you never miss a Monday workout!

For all our new Core Crew members…welcome welcome welcome!! We are so happy you’ve decided to join our Crew and can’t wait to watch you get stronger, faster, and healthier!

Find your inspiration, think about your goals, and let’s get to work.

Day 2 exercises: Click here for “How To” Videos

• Lunge Stance Single Arm Shoulder Press – 2 sets of 10 (please watch how to video)
• Renegade Rows – 2 sets of 10 (both sides)
• Arm Raises – front and side – 2 sets of 10
• Planks – 1 min (2X)
• 15 Push ups
• Arm Stretches – see below

Bonus: #SlenderSexyArms

Alison Stewart did this one yesterday on her day 2 (she’s in New Zealand and she’s a good 12 hours ahead of us) and it’s one of my favorites so let’s do it again with her. I use my small 2 lb weights for this bonus. The jumping jacks are hard with weight so o them slowly or don’t jump and just work your arms in the jumping jack movement. I would rather you go slow and do each move carefully and really feel the burn instead of rushing through it.

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Running Drills: Some of you are doing these (thank you Jennifer Moro-Ortiz! 🙂 ) and some of you aren’t. Do these drills after an easy 5-10 min warm up as dynamic stretching or they can be completed after a run to reinstate the notion of running with good form while fatigued. Running drills can dramatically improve your running form and economy (or the ability to run fast efficiently) and increase your stride cadence and racing speed.

Each of the drills highlights one or more aspects of good running form and accentuates them through repetitive motion, which trains the body to become comfortable with that movement so it can be inserted into your typical running mechanics. We will start the list over this week and reintroduce each one to you.

Butt Kicks 

Why: Butt kicks engage the hamstrings and accentuate the recovery portion of the running gait and improve leg turnover cadence.

How: Run in place with your thighs more or less locked in a neutral position and try to kick yourself in the glute with your heel on each stride. Focus on keeping the rest of your body still and simply flicking your lower leg backward. If you’re not making contact, you need to improve your dynamic range of motion. Do two or four reps of 15 kicks with each leg.

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Speed Work: Staying with the IIP format (Introduce, Improve, Perfect) we are doing those 200 meter sprints again this week. Here’s why we do it…and how to do them.

“I’m running my first half or full marathon, so I’m focused only on building distance.”

According to Runner’s World, this statement is

“the bane of many first-time marathoners: Near the end of a long run (or the actual race), they run out of fuel and their form falls apart. Fast repeats teach your body what it feels like to have a light, quick turnover—a biomechanical efficiency applicable to any speed or distance, says St. Pierre. Quick repeats also strengthen seldom-used “fast-twitch” muscles so they can be called upon when your other muscles are trashed at the end of a long race, he adds. And the workouts improve running economy, teaching the heart to pump more blood per minute and deliver oxygen to the muscles more efficiently, so that slow runs feel easier.”

Whether you’re training for a 5K or a Marathon….runners who add speed work to their routine will benefit from faster times and increased endurance!

200 meter sprints (.12 miles or half way around a track). If you can’t get to a track…just use your GPS watch to calculate the .12 mile distance. It doesn’t have to be exact…but keep it close.

• Start with six to 10 200-meter repeats at a one-mile to 5-K pace (or an 8 or 9 on an exertion scale of 1 to 10), with a 200-meter jog in between.
• 200-meter intervals should be run at 12% faster than your 5K pace.

To do this workout it would be helpful to know your current 5K time. If you haven’t ran a 5K recently…use the exertion scale…on a scale from 1-10…you should be running at an 8-9. This means you should be pretty much giving it all you’ve got for about 1 minute (maybe a little more or a little less depending on your speed.

The beauty of this workout is that it’s over very quick! Your lungs may be on fire afterward, but you’ll live. 😉 If you are not sure how fast you should be running these sprints…please reach out to me. I will help you figure it out.

Did you make a note of your times from this workout last week? If so…it should be a little easier this week and you should be able to match those time. If not…write it down and let’s see how we can progress over the next few weeks.

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Don’t forget about our May Food Challenge…Eat Less Sugar! Remember to skip the sweets and desserts. Small changes equal big results and this small change can make a huge difference!

When it’s all said and done…remember to stretch Crew! I know it’s hard to find time to stretch…but you will benefit greatly from these stretches. I harp on these because most runners start stretching AFTER they get injured….and I want to help you avoid those injuries and stay on the road. Love them and they will love you back! Here’s our 7 Key Stretches for Runners.

I have not forgotten about our April “Top Challenger” and will be diving into our numbers today. If you are new…posting allows me to track who’s getting it done….and who’s not. I have a program I use that gives me details about our group…so post away and remember to include that day’s number. Ex: “Day 2 done” or whatever you want to write. Posting also allows us to cheer you on and support you!

Lots to do this week….remember the speed work can be done any day that is good for you. If you do your long runs on the weekend, save the speed work for Tuesday or Wednesday which will give your legs time to recover after your long run…and before you next long run. If you go long during the week…speed it up on the weekend. Whatever works best for your schedule.

Make it a fantastic Monday Core Crew! 🙂

Arm Stretches: Your arms should be sore and a little shaky…stretch them out while your muscles are soft and pliable.