Hey Core Crew….welcome to Day 2! 
You’ve heard me talk about warm ups and cool downs before..but most of us still don’t do it. I’m guilty too… we might get in a warm up but then we give every free moment we’ve got to our run and strength workout so when we’re done there’s no time left for a cool down.
But cool downs are an important part of letting our body recover so today I would like to suggest a running assignment that will force us to slow down…and help our community at the same time.
Who’s up for a Trash Run?
Before you leave for your run today (or whenever your next run is) grab a small bag and stuff it in your top or shorts for later. Start your run with a slow warm up…5 min or 1/2 mile…then go into your workout. When you are 1/2 mile from home…start your cool down.
During your cool down…walk…and pick up pieces of trash along your route!
Get in a great workout with a proper cool down and make a difference in your community at the same time! Take a photo of your trash stash and post it when you’re done with your strength workout. Let’s see who’s area is the dirtiest and who will take the time to cool down…and make a difference!
If you’re not running…maybe your injured or haven’t caught the run bug yet…you can still get out and do a trash run… just walk instead of running. Being active is what it’s all about anyways…get up…get moving…and walk your way to a fitter life…and a cleaner community. 🙂
Trash running isn’t a new concept…and here I was thinking I had some bright idea… there’s even a website with vocabulary for this emerging “sport”.
Here’s some fun terms runners can relate too:
- GU-dar: a trash runner’s internal beacon for finding GU packets. Having a great GU-dar is essential to being a great trash runner. It takes some time to naturally spot those shiny little packets and tabs, but once you develop a strong GU-dar, GU packets beware.
- Rubber Necking: missing trash due to taking in the scenery, watching other trash runners, or simply not paying attention. A drafting, rubber-necker is a recipe for disaster.
- Trashlek: much like its “cleaner” cousin the Fartlek, the Trashlek is a great aerobic training technique. It involves a light jog to a piece of trash and then a hard-paced sprint to put the trash in the appropriate receptacle. A moving retrofitted trash collecting jog stroller or stationary trashcan does the trick. This is a great substitute for boring and less environmentally beneficial track workouts.
- Dumpster Break: a bathroom break while trash running. No explanation needed.
- Trashole: formerly known as a litterbug, a trashole is someone who throws his or her trash on the ground for the rest of us to see and ultimately pick-up.
- Butt Stroll: when you intend to go for a vigorous trash run, but find yourself in a stroll due to an over abundance of littered cigarette butts!
It seems that most “trash runners” stop to pick up trash while they’re running…but I want you to force yourself to cool down so let’s wait till after we’re done with our run and avoid costly injuries. Please don’t stop mid stride to reach down and pick up some trash. Hamstring, back, and knee injuries while trash running are out of the question. 🙂
When you get done with your run jump right in to today’s strength exercises.
Day 2 exercises: Ab Day
- Plank – :30
- Russian Twists – 40 each side
- Burpees – 10
- Bridge – :30 (2X)
- Plank – :30
- Side Plank – :30 each side
- One Arm Camel stretch – :30 each side
- Spinal stretch on stability ball – :30
No injuries!! Make sure you are doing these exercises correctly by watching the “how to” videos. Then take the time to do the ab stretches. As we go higher in reps and time…these stretches will feel wonderful so get used to doing them now. Below are “how to” videos for each stretch.
One Arm Camel: This is a yoga pose that is going to stretch out our ab muscles. Great way to keep our tummy muscles ready to go again in a few days.
https://youtu.be/kYkjhS1_cVQ
Spinal Stretch on Stability Ball: Great stretch for our abs and spine and feels wonderful! If you don’t have a stability ball…you might want to invest in one sometime soon. You can get them at Marshall’s or TJ Maxx for under $20 and there are tons of ways we can use them to get stronger and stretch.
I hope everyone has fun with today’s workouts and smiles all the way through! Let’s get it done and make it a great day! 🙂
We have choices to make everyday…little choices, big choices, some don’t matter much and others carry lots of weight. This one is big…not because it has major consequences, because finishing strong will give you a HUGE sense of accomplishment!
Everything on here should be familiar except maybe the Vertical Leg Crunches….but it’s simple. Legs go straight up and you reach up to your toes.
Warmer weather is already here for some…and others are still getting snow…but either way…summer is coming faster that we know!
A strong core will compliment everything you do. It will improve your technique, give you added strength and stamina…push you over those hills and carry you across the finish line. Bottom line..runners need a strong core!
how to do them correctly.
Strong to the Core 