Boot camp
If you want to know what it's like to be human pogo stick, try a boot camp fitness class.
It will test your ability to bounce, and it's fun in a "shoot-your-own- forehead-with-staples" kind of way.
By now, if you've read my blog often enough, you already know that I'm just that kind of person who would like that sort of thing.
Marathoners and endurance athletes usually are. Go figure.
Seriously, though, my training has felt stale lately, even before Charleston. A part of me has been craving something to shake it up. My solution last Friday was 5:30 a.m. boot camp class.
My goal for the next several weeks is to try something new and blog about it.
I had seen these boot camp classes before, for example, when I take "Jane" to swimming practice and I've wanted to try one. I usually have Tarzan with me so I can't.
Right now I'm training for the Canyonland Half Marathon in Moab (Mar. 17). I already have a good base built, which frees up a little of my time to do some exploring.
Woohoo!!!
Friday's boot camp class consisted of a combo of drills — core and plyometric work, sandwiched in between running intervals, things such as jumping rope, push-ups, sit-ups, planks, burpees, frog jumps, step-ups, lungs, squats, side stepping and grapevines, hopping off and on a bosu ball with one foot.
Essentially we ran for about a quarter mile, then attacked a set of drills: 30 seconds of plank, 30 seconds of push-ups, 30 seconds of sit-ups. Then we repeated each of them for 60 seconds, and then did a final round for 90 seconds, followed by another quarter mile of sprinting.
That was an example of the one of the easier drills.
There was one drill where we combined burpees, squats, and side-stepping using an elastic band underneath us. By the time we got to the 90-second portion I looked like my automatic garage door opener breaking down — no spring left in me.
The day after the class I was more sore in my glutes, hammies and triceps than after my recent marathon. I didn't think that was possible. It seemed like I used every last leg muscle in me to cross the finish line in Charleston but apparently I didn't. This class found stuff I wasn't using yet.
I plan on going back. (Thank you, sir, can I have some more?)
I'm exploring these adventures in conjunction with my "running streak." To clarify I'm not running mega-mileage every day during my streak. Four days a week I'm keeping my mileage higher. On the other three days I'm running a minimum of a couple of miles a day. Those are the days I plan to try these new things.
I'm not sure what I will pick next week — maybe "yoga for athletes" or "muscle conditioning" class?
It depends on the offerings at my gym and what I can find.
Whatever it is, I'll let you know how it goes.
Fasten your seat belts.
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Aging is inevitable, but growing old is a choice. Lace up your shoes, and let's go!
Mileage yesterday: 8; Mileage for 2012 thus far: 109.
What a awesome post Danica. Sounds like a tremendous workout!!
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