Mountain Climbers

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Day 7: Balance and Reach

Bla Bla BlaNo excuses today Crew…. Go workout!

Today we are tackling the Balance and Reach exercise and I want you to take your time with this and really focus on building your hip strength by mimicking running form.

Balancing on one foot is tough…but this will improve our form and strength!

Day 7 exercises:

  • Balance and Reach – 20X each side (See FB video)
  • Squats – 50X
  • Mountain Climbers – 50X
  • Plank Up and Downs – :30

Bonus: 100 Crunches

Since it’s core month and I am a little sore again from yesterday, let’s push the limits a little and do some extra crunches! Tag your post with #LoveSoreAbs

Thigh Challenge:

  • 15 Fire Hydrants
  • 30 Scissor Kicks
  • 25 Inner Thigh Leg Lifts

Running Drills and Speed Work: This week’s running drill and speed work is below. If you need more info on these check out Monday’s post here with all the info. Remember you are welcome to reach out to me by PM if you need some help finding the right pace for you speed work.

  • Running Drill – Slow Skipping
  • 8X 400M

This Crew shows commitment every single day and that’s what it takes to get results. If you are sitting on the sidelines watching…what are you waiting for? Turn your interest into commitment and get up and get to work! 🙂

interest vs commitment

 

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Days 26 & 27: Good for the Soul

Good for your soulIt’s the weekend again…time to get sweaty, have some fun, and hang with family for Easter.

This holiday gives us time to reflect and be thankful…and hopefully make time to do what’s good for our soul. Whatever that is for you…make it special!

Switch up the days to make it work for you…long run Saturday and Abs Sunday…or Abs Saturday and long run Sunday….or knock out everything on Saturday and take Sunday off!

Day 26: Long Run + 7 Key Stretches for Runners

Day 27: Abs 

  • Mountain Climbers – 80X each side
  • Heel Touches – 60X each side
  • Bicycle Crunches – 60X each side
  • Planks – 1 min (3X)
  • Side Planks – 1 Min (1X each side)
  • One Arm Camel
  • Spinal Stretch on Stability Ball

I know it will be a challenge to get your workout in this weekend but make a plan and find a way to work it done. You’ll be glad you did. 🙂

Lots of crew members are racing this weekend and I wish I could be there to cheer you on! Good luck to Melissa, Catherine, Chris, and Lisa all running Tamoka, and Gladys…who I believe has her crazy trail Ultra this weekend. Have a blast y’all and remember to stretch!

Happy Easter Core Crew! I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! 🙂

Ab stretches:

Spinal Stretch on Stability Ball
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Days 19 & 20: In it for the Long Run

in it for the long runI read an article recently that said runners can substitute strength workouts for their long run and still do well with long distances races…hmmmm….what do you think?

While a regular strength training regimen will absolutely help you get faster and last longer on the road….they alone are not enough to ensure you can go the distance. The only thing that will get you ready for long distances racing…is consistent long distance training runs.

Not everyone obsesses over racing though… What about going long just for the fun of it? For the stress relief, the calorie burn, for the mental toughness… Do you put yourself through the pain just so deep down you can know how good it feels?

No matter what your reason, the long run is good for you. According to Runner’s World, during the long run…

“Capillaries in your muscle fibers increase in number, which enables more energizing oxygen to reach your muscles. Your mitochondria, the aerobic powerhouses of your cells, also grow in number and size, which helps you sustain energy. Your muscles also learn to store more glycogen (carbs), which wards off fatigue over long distances. There are psychological benefits, too: Long runs build mental toughness to help you manage discomfort. They also serve as a dress rehearsal, giving you an opportunity to test gear and fueling options so when race day comes, you know what works best.”

The process is very technical but going through the RRCA Certification course, I learned a lot about how we grow mitochondria during our long runs and why it’s important. It’s fascinating how the long run actually transforms our body. Without these long runs, we are not ready to take on long distance racing.

This weekend, as you tackle those long runs, think about how your body is changing, growing, and transforming into a powerhouse that is ready for whatever you throw at it.

Day 19: Go Long 

  • Long Slow Run – No matter what “long run” means to you…go out and make it count!
  • Planks – :30 (2X)
  • Side Planks – :30 (1X each side)
  • 7 Key Stretches for Runners

Day 20: Abs

  • Mountain Climbers – 60X each side
  • Heel Touches – 40X each side
  • Bicycle Crunches – 40X each side
  • Planks – 1 Min (2X)
  • Side Planks – 1 min each side
  • One Arm Camel
  • Spinal Stretch on Stability Ball

Remember you always have options on the weekend and can switch these days up if you like to go long on Sunday. 🙂 Here is the “how to” videos page and the stretching exercises (besides the 7 Key Stretches for Runners) are below.

Time to build some mitochondria….go out and grow some energy this weekend! 😉

Spinal Stretch on Stability Ball
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Day 5 & 6 – Time On Legs & Abs!

Long slow distanceHey Core Crew… it’s Saturday and we all know what that means! Who’s ready for some LSD??

Long Slow Distance is not a new concept.. as you can tell from the picture…I mean…she’s wearing a cotton tank so we know this was a while ago…

But the basic elements remain…and it goes back to “time on legs”. If you’re training for a 5K…you should work up to running more than 3.1 miles on the weekend, 10K…more than 6.2 miles, Half and full marathon….you should be logging some serious hours on the road!

Low intensity…or slow, conversation paced running…will allow your body to adjust to the training without overworking your body. In fact, 80% of your training runs should be at this pace! That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t add speed, hills, intervals, or other running drills…but if you are in it for the long haul, this pace should be your foundation.

It’s important to work up to a distance you are comfortable with. Don’t go jumping willy nilly into tons of miles. Plan out a schedule that will help you reach your goals in a healthy manageable way to build up your endurance over time. Time on Legs…to do well..you’ve gotta put in the time.

So today is a rest day from strength training…IF you are running today. If you run on Sunday…please use today to knock out Day 6 (Sunday: Abs) and get that long run in tomorrow.

We still have work to do today and don’t skip your stretches!

Day 5:

  • Long run: Conversation Pace – Long run means different things to all of us so whatever level you are at…get out there and log some miles!
  • Plank – :30 (2X)
  • Side Planks – :30 (each side)
  • 7 Key Stretches for Runners – This is so important today! I promise it will feel so good!

Day 6: Sunday – Abs

  • Plank – :30
  • Mountain Climbers (50 each side)
  • Heel Touches (30 each side)
  • Bicycle Crunches (30 each side)
  • Plank – :30
  • Side Planks – :30 (each side)
  • One Arm Camel
  • Spinal Stretch on Stability Ball

I think I neglected to include the how to videos for these ab exercises so I will put the videos below. And if you need a reminder about how to do today’s ab stretches, please click here and scroll to the bottom. Let me know if you have any questions or need some help with modifications.

Remember to do your best and make it a great weekend Challengers! 🙂

Mountain Climbers: Great full body exercise! Keep your hips low and your core tight.

Heel Touches: Perfect for those love handles! Again…keep your core tight and bring your shoulders up off the ground.

Bicycle Crunches: Last ab exercise for the day. Do these strong even if you need a rest as you go. Try to bring your knees up as high as possible and again…keep your core tight! 🙂