Thursday, November 11, 2010

Time for Reflective Tape!

Today was a short day.  I wasn't able to get to the gym until mid-afternoon.  I decided I should avoid any calf workouts to see if it helped my after workout run and that ended up turning into "if I'm going to run after, then I can skip the 4th power set, right?"  haha  Either way though, I wasn't home and ready to run until just after 5 o'clock and if you haven't noticed, it's already dark by then.  It's CRAZY!!!  So I officially decided I need reflective tape or a reflective vest; while my bright white legs should still suffice as a "hey, don't hit me" signal, I'd prefer to alert oncoming traffic a bit more efficiently when I run at "dark" (I can't even call it 'night' 'cause it's still too early).

On another note, I heard from a two time Ironman today that he suggests Gale Bernhardt's 13 Weeks to a 13 Hour Ironman training guide.  He used it for his first Ironman race and got a 12:40, which is good for a first time racer.  I'm skeptical of how well this will train you for a full Ironman race, but it was suggested to me by someone who succeeded with it, so it must have some validity.  From my previous reading, I've found most people train for roughly 6-9 months for a full Ironman.  Either way, I can certainly see how the normal person (non-professional athlete who balances training with kids, a job, a significant other, and other responsibilities) would gravitate towards a training schedule that says you only need to put in just over 3 months of pure Ironman training.  I'm getting a big smile on my face just thinking about the day I officially start my full Ironman training.  =D

Today's Workout:
1.  Warm up: Elliptical; 1 mile forward, 0.2 mile backwards, 0.2 mile forward, 0.1 mile backwards (heart rate up to ~160)
2.  Recline Bench Press (10/10/6 reps with 130 lb)
3.  Seated Bicep Curl (10/10/6 reps with 55/50/50 lb)
4.  Push-Ups (20 reps)
...Repeat #2-4 for a total of three sets

5.  Squats (10 reps with 90,100,110,120,130 lb)
6.  Push-Ups (20,15,15,10,10 reps)
...Repeat #5 & 6 for a total of 5 sets

7.  Oblique Lift (10 reps with 25 lb [back] & 30 lb [side])
8.  Reclined Sit-Ups (10 reps)
9.  Russian Twists (20 reps with 20 lb) 
...Repeat #7-9 for a total of 3 sets
10.  1.4 mile run


I pressed myself with the push-ups today.  I enjoy how difficult such a simple exercise can be after doing weight lifting.  I managed to do 130 push-ups in total.  I used the reclined sit up bench today in an attempt to increase the difficulty level for my abs, but I have to focus on not straining my neck too much.

Ciao!

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