Chase Your Dreams

Leave a comment Posted on Amy's Stuff, December Challenge Image

Day 27: Keep Working It

screen-shot-2016-12-26-at-6-33-10-pm

It works y’all… Results don’t come overnight, but the small steps you take every day will make a difference. Don’t give up…keep working towards your goals!

We are off to Myrtle Beach, SC. for a little RNR (no not a Rock n Roll race…just some rest and relaxation. 🙂 ) So this week, I get to run and work out on the beach YAY!! We’re on the road as you read this so send us positive vibes for safe travels please.

Since we all still have some holiday calories to burn off…how about that 10 minute abs routine again? Do it twice for a killer core workout!

Day 27 exercises:

  • 10 Minute Abs video – see below
  • Bonus: Daily Abs – 3 rounds minimum
  • Plank – one :60 plank of your choice

10 Minute Abs – Our core holds up together when we’re running and keeps us upright and moving forward during long training runs and races. This routine will fire up our core and burn some calories too. I’d love to see 2 rounds since we are familiar with the routine and are late in the month and should be doing as much as we can to be ready for the New Year!

Bonus: Daily Abs – 1 round of this bonus only takes a few minutes so 3 rounds minimum here. Seriously…if you push through it you can be done in less than 10 minutes!

Daily Abs

Plank: One :60 plank of your choice to close out the day!

Speed Work: Don’t neglect your speed work! This week’s workout is below…yes it is the same as the last two weeks. What better way to keep improving then by getting your body used to the workout?!?

Workout: 6x – 8X 1/4 mile repeats

Warm-Up – 5:00 jog followed by your choice of Dynamic Movements (high knees, butt kicks, leg swings, sideways shuffles, skipping, etc)

Work-Out – 6-8 x 1/4 Mile Repeats at a pace that is :30 faster than your race pace.

*2:00 standing or walking rest in between each one.

1/4 Mile is equivalent to 400 meters or one lap of a standard-sized track.  Here’s a few examples of where your interval times would range, depending on your mile time.

  • If you run a 13:00/mile, you should run the quarter-mile repeats in 2:45
  • If you run a 12:00/mile, you should run the quarter-mile repeats in 2:30.
  • If you run a 11:00/mile, you should run the quarter-mile repeats in 2:15.
  • If you run a 10:00/mile, you should run the quarter-mile repeats in 2:00.
  • If you run a 9:00/mile, you should run the quarter-mile repeats in 1:45.
  • If you run a 8:00/mile, you should run the quarter-mile repeats in 1:30.
  • If you run a 7:00/mile, you should run the quarter-mile repeats in 1:15.

Cool-Down – 5:00-10:00 easy jog (you’ve earned it!)

2017 Goals: Keep those goals coming! You can put them in the comments of our daily post or send them to me by PM…I’d rather you not start your own post with your goals since that makes it harder for me to go back and find them…but whatever works just keep them coming!

You can dream all you want…but without the work, dreams are all they will ever be. You have to chase your dreams…you have to put in the work!

So keep working it Crew! Little steps…every single day. Make today GREAT! 🙂

screen-shot-2016-12-26-at-7-05-07-pm

3 Comments Posted on Amy's Stuff, May 2016 Challenge Image

Day 23: Chasing Dreams

7 days to go

Good morning and Happy Monday Crew! Can you believe May is almost over? This month has flown by so fast!

I’m working on getting our June Challenge together this week and would love to hear what you want to work on next month. Suggestions, ideas, specific exercises or areas you’d like to work on are all welcome!

May has been a great month but it’s not over yet…don’t let this week slip away cause we’ve still got work to do! 4 sets may seem a little daunting but it’s time to step it up and push hard! Work hard and keep chasing your dreams. You can do this!

Day 23 exercises: Arm Day

  • Lunge Stance Single Arm Shoulder Press – 4 sets of 10
  • Renegade Rows – 4 sets of 10
  • Arm Raises – Front & Side – 4 sets of 10
  • Plank – 1 minute forearm plank (2X)
  • Side Plank – :30 each side (2X)
  • 45 Push Ups

Bonus: #WakeUpWarmUp Wake up Warm Up

Today’s bonus is a great pre run or pre work out warm up so do this first and get that heart pumping!

Running Drills: We’ve all seen those runners on the track who do those funny looking moves before they run. Why do they do them? To improve running form and efficiency. 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.

This week we are doing Grapevines again…these are fun and will loosen up your hips, legs and glutes before your run.

Grapevines Screen Shot 2016-03-14 at 6.17.10 AM

Why: This drill loosens hip flexors and glutes and increases hip and leg and gluteal mobility while also using lateral strength required to run with good form.

How: Standing upright with your head and torso facing forward, move laterally in one direction by placing your trailing leg in front of the lead leg. Then move the lead leg in that same lateral direction and place the trailing leg in front of the lead leg. Maintain a fluid motion with your arms rotating in the opposite direction from the legs. Do two to four 50-meter reps to the left and right, facing the same direction for each lateral movement.

Speed Work: Lots of our Crew is getting faster and pushing themselves by adding one day of speed work to their routine. It’s not easy but it’s also not as hard as you think. Give it a try and surprise yourself with how strong and capable you are!

Workout: 

  • 1 mile warm up (conversation pace)
  • 4X 400M
  • 4X 200M
  • 1 mile cool down
  • Total of 3.5 miles

400 meters is just shy of a 1/4 mile so if you’re not doing your speed work on a track (which is fine) think 1/4 mile repeats. That will make it easier to use your watch or other GPS device to track yourself. If you are on a track…400M is 1 lap around the track using the inside lane. Stick to that inside lane or you are adding a little distance to each lap.

Pace: Run these faster than 10K pace and closer to what you can do for 5K. This will feel slow early in the workout but will catch up with you.

Example: As of last week my current 5K pace is around 8:40/mile so for these sprints I want to be right around that pace. If you don’t have a recent 5K to use as a marker think about your last race and use it as a guide. Remember that half marathon pace is slower than a 5K so if that is your marker…push yourself and think faster!

Purpose: This workout is ideal for high-end aerobic training and lactate tolerance. It pushes the envelope of the maximum pace you can hold for a 10K. This is a great workout to do with friends. Just be sure you keep focused on hitting the pace that is appropriate for you. That said, don’t be afraid to push each other. You have to challenge yourself to find out what you are capable of, so don’t let the pace drop throughout this workout. Consistency is the key.

Monday is one of those days that makes us cringe…back to real life and back to work. Make this week count and chase your dreams…chase them until you are out of breath….then keep running Core Crew!

Chase dreams