Last night, I participated in a Twitter chat for the first time in a while. I used to love them, but I’m trying this crazy “unplug when you get home from work” thing I’ve heard about.
I picked up Ucan at the NYCM Expo last week. Ben had said he tried it and really liked it because he didn’t experience the same energy crash he had with sugary gels. The way this stuff is formulated, it’s supposed to give you sustained energy without a crash for two hours. After some serious bonking at Marine Corps, I was game to try anything that promised no energy crash. I tried it out on Sunday’s run, but I want to try it some more before giving an opinion on it.
Anyway…FitFluential was hosting a Twitter chat with them last night, and I wanted to learn more, so I hopped in.
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/KellyOlexa/status/265639547860312066″]
I saw my girl Kelly Olexa tweet this, and it got me thinking.
[Insert me typing in front of my window, Sex and the City style?]
For the past four months, I trained for Marine Corps. Most of the time, I was more than happy to be running, but I definitely found myself longing for After The Marathon.
This After The Marathon time would be great.
I’d try CrossFit!
And become addicted to Soul Cycle!
(So, I’d spend all my money on fitness? Hmm…)
Last week, I spent most of my time on Shannon’s couch working from home. I couldn’t motivate myself to work out, but frankly I didn’t care last week. I knew some rest time was good after the marathon, and working out just wasn’t a priority anyway.
This week, though, I would do all those After The Marathon things.
I’d also clean up my diet!
And start doing strength!
I don’t consider myself a super-Type A person, but when Kelly tweeted that last night, I realized how much I really thrive on training plans. That focus on running.
I had no workout plans yesterday…so I didn’t work out. I had nothing planned in the morning, and no looming goals to make me go out and work out.
Not me. I quit the gym. I’m terrible at remembering to cross-train and lift.
I tried FlyBarre this morning with Emily, and it was fun…if by fun, you mean my tight, bulky quads attempting to do tiny little movements. In all seriousness, it was fun to take a class with Emily, and I’m sure I’ll try it again, but I don’t see myself doing it often.
And I do want to try CrossFit, mostly because it sounds fun and Tina may stop being friends with me if I don’t try it. (In all seriousness, I think the group atmosphere will motivate me to actually stick to strength workouts, and I’m turning 30 29 again soon, and I’d like to tighten up.)
But at the end of the day, this makes me happy.
Not this.
Questions: Do you thrive on training plans? Runners, do you have a hard time making yourself do other workouts, too? Â If you did a fall marathon (or still have one coming up), what’s on your After The Marathon List?
Also! There’s a cool story on ABCNews.com about the registry Ashley set up for Jen, who lost everything to that bitch Sandy.
I totally identify with this. My big Autumn race was mid October and I’ve given myself four weeks of ‘fun running’. I too was full of post-big-run ideas which haven’t come to fruition. But I’ve also realized that without a plan, I’m kind of lost. I need something to aim for and to train for. My fun-running month has tied in with visitors so it’s been useful but I’m looking forward to picking a goal again and starting to train for it.
Girl, yes. THIS. I thrive on training plans too, and if I don’t have it written down on a spreadsheet, I’m not going to do it.
I ran my first half marathon last year and then got hurt and had to take an extended break from running. My boyfriend is really into weight lifting, and convinced me to try a more “serious” weight plan then I’d been doing. And I got HOOKED! That was about 8 months ago, and I’m now lifting weights 3 days per week (an hour per session), and lifting pretty heavy and loving it. I still love running, but lifting weights has changed my body in a way running never did.
What made the difference was having a plan for lifting, recording my reps each time, and being accountable because my boyfriend made the workout plan and checked up on me. If having a solid plan for running helped you, maybe the same would help you for lifting!
Good luck, and a huge (late) congrats on your marathon time! I’m still impressed!
@Meg: Oh, I definitely know that it will change my body…I think the reason I’ve had a hard time embracing other exercise once I fell in love with running is because I run now because it’s fun to me. The other exercises aren’t, so it’s harder to motivate myself. I don’t run any more to burn calories or to stay healthy (although it helps with both!), but to stay sane and have an outlet.
I totally agree with you! I have all these aspirations to start something like crossfit or yoga but once I get into training mode for an upcoming race I just can’t get myself to do it…I feel like I am cheating on running or something. I also need a schedule…I make a cute spreadsheet and post it on my fridge for everyone to see.
I too love having a training plan. I’m a person that will stick to a training plan come hell or high water. But if I don’t have a plan, I will stick to that pretty well too. Ha. I seriously need to clean up my eating. It’s pretty bad…and to be marathon training it needs to be a lot better. Why am I putting in all this time taking care of my body and training but not spending the time taking care of what I put into it? Thanks for the reminder.
I love sticking to a training plan.. I outline my workouts for the week and stick to them.
Regarding CrossFit I belong to the CrossFit Fifth Ave box so if you are interested in trying it out let me know! They offer free classes on Saturdays at 10 AM to try it out.
@NYC Fit GIrl: I really do want to try CrossFit–I just haven’t been able to make any intro classes yet.
It’s funny — at first, I hated being on a structured running plan when I was in marathon training mode. I am very much a run when you want, don’t when you don’t want to kind of runner. So to be on a structured plan felt foreign and sometimes I got so stressed, I’d start obsessing about the miles. It took about a month until I settled into a groove and learned to appreciate the training plan and not obsess over it. So now, I actually DO miss training…but am still very much in the ‘After Marathon” mode and loving that. I will say that I hope you find a strength traning ‘thing’ that you love…it’s so important as a runner to incorporate strength!! You know I’m a huge fan of barre work…and I know you’ve tried it before, I say give it another shot — maybe you’ll love it more the next time?? (spoken like a true barre addict huh??)
@Jess: Wait, you like barre? 🙂
It’s funny because I am a hyper Type A personality and I have lists and schedules for days, but when it comes time for training, I dread being told how many miles I have to do. I went crazy stressing about it for days before when I would see a long run on my calendar. Now I have a training plan but I don’t write it out. I keep it in a drawer, check it at the beginning of the week and then don’t look at it again. I know that I don’t want to cheat myself because I’m the one who will be hurting come race day but I just was too stressed before.
You should definitely try CrossFit! I love the workouts, but I just haven’t found the right box for me yet.
This was the year I finally stopped procrastinating and got serious about weight training. Very happy with the changes in my body, etc but…now I absolutely hate running!
@Beckett @ The Birchwood Pie Project: whoa. Tell me about this weight training regimen of yours!
@Theodora: First thing Mon, Wed & Fri@Theodora: It’s pretty simple, first thing Mon, Wed, & Fri is lifting time. I started with a Jari Love DVD, and later switched to Julie @ PB Fingers circuit workouts, which are incredible. The 10 to 6 workout is my all time favorite – http://www.pbfingers.com/2012/07/20/10-to-6-workout/. I’m currently doing Tina’s Best Body Bootcamp – http://www.tinareale.com/best-body-bootcamp/ & love it.
Oh man do I agree with you! I ran my first half marathon in mid-October and I’ve found myself only getting a couple of workouts in a week, mainly because I feel guilty for not doing anything at all. I had so many plans to do more strength training, get in some yoga, and try out new classes. A big fail on all fronts! The training schedule for my race really kept me motivated to fit in the miles every week. I do plan to run another half in the spring but I have some time before I have to through myself into training again. Like you, I want to try CrossFit and think the “community” feel will keep me motivated but the price tag scares me. We’ll see if I (and you) ever get there!
Before I started my NYC Marathon training, I actually started lifting and doing interval workouts and got awesome results. My “After the Marathon” plan was to do more of that to get in shape for vacation. Since there was no marathon, I have been eating Halloween candy as my workouts. Today I am changing that.
I definitely thrive on a training plan, I didn’t know what to do with myself during the two weeks between the Chicago Marathon and starting Tina’s Best Body Bootcamp!
I have discovered about myself (through two years of training for, but not running, the NYC marathon) that I really do so much better with a training plan! I have an awkward spreadsheet. It’s super nerdy. I have planned out for the week my miles, my cross-training, my rest days…it’s super anal. A-type to the extreme. And I LOVE IT. It not only keeps me motivated — oddly — but it also ensures I can fit in my runs and other workouts and still try to have some sort of social life on the side. I’ve tried a lot of different things (Yoga, Bar Method, Conditioning Classes) and they’re all fine…but nothing will ever compare to running for me. I use them all as a means to improve my running at the end of the day.
SIDE NOTE: Let me know if you like the UCan. I also got one and have heard positive things…but have a sensitive stomach and so am VERY nervous to try even the slightest variance in my pre-workout fuel. Would love a full review if you try!
I also have a very sensitive stomach, but it was fine on my stomach when I tried it last week. Will def do a full review once I’ve tried it more!
I have a really hard time doing anything but running! I hate going to the gym… running outside is my happy place! But not in this snow. WHAT is THIS!?
My first comment in forever… Thanks for the mention. Ashley’s story and the registry were amazing and helped my family get on their feet. Thanks to everyone who was so generous with their prayers/thoughts, gifts and mentions. We wouldn’t be in recovery mode without you.