Complimentary Tuesday

This morning I brought my trusty iPod Shuffle with me (loaded up with The Shins) to help get me through my planned 5 mile tempo run. Admitedly, The Shins aren't the most high energy band in the world but I can easily get lost in their lyrics/melodies, which makes the miles fly by. Today's tempo was pretty much a carbon copy of last Thursday's except that I ran my 4th mile a little faster (5:52) and was a little slower on my cooldown mile (total time 34:44). I had a good 35-40 minutes to strength train before needing to head home so I did a lot of upper body stuff: chest press, lat pulldowns, seated rows, decline sit-ups (w/ medicine ball), tricep pulldowns and seated dumbell curls. Some woman who seems to be a regular on the track at 5AM told me that I make her run faster and wishes she wasn't switching gyms next week because she feels she'd become a stronger runner because of me. I thought that was a nice compliment.

Just Fine, Thank You

I'm really working this "up early" thing to a science. For a Monday, I popped out of bed like a spring chicken and was at the gym just after 5AM. My scheduled run was 3 miles so I figured I could do that followed by 20-25 minutes of strength training before my 6AM spin class. Completed the 3 miles in 21:33 and did some light work on my abs, lower back, tri's and bi's. I arrived early to the spin room to get my bike set up. I learned from last week and brought two bottles of water to drink. Today's instructor was awesome! I never went to boot camp but I'd be willing to bet this guy did! His voice was booming and he was spitting orders left and right. He's a good instructor to have on a Monday morning. Before I left I told him that I will look forward to his class each week.

A Good Start...

I woke up this morning at 4:08, let the dogs out, fed them, ate some Cookie Crisps (the breakfast of champions) and watched poker on TV for about 10 minutes before finally getting my workout clothes together and heading to the gym. Four minutes in the car and I found myself waiting alongside the other earlybirds to get into EMH. Once the doors opened, I quickly changed and was on the run by 5:05 doing 800-meter repeats (4x800). I ran my 800's at 5:30-5:40 pace with about 60-seconds rest in between. Following a mile cooldown, I did about 30-minutes of strength training before signing up for tomorrow morning's 5:45 spin class on my way out. It felt great to have accomplished so much before 6:30AM and to have set myself up for more of the same tomorrow. I got home and drank a huge glass of V8 before showering and leaving for work. I was feeling super healthy until I arrived at work and saw that it was Girl Scout cookie delivery day and two boxes of Thin Mints were waiting for me! I was good though and only had a few. I threw the rest in the freezer in hopes that I forget about them or am too lazy to walk to the lunch room to grab them!

Strength Training summary

Abdominal crunches (3x20, 60 lbs)
Lower back hyperextensions, Roman chair (3x20)
Tricep pulldowns, tricep bar (3x14, 70 lbs)
Bicep curls, dumbells (3x20, 20 lbs)
Standing lateral shoulder raise (3x12, 10 lbs)
Butterfly chest press (3x12, 60 lbs)