Finally feel ready for R4K! (sort of)

Katie and I went for a long run this evening. Dan told me that if I can do 12km then I will definitely be fine for 15km. So tonight we ran 12km, or thereabouts.

I am now the proud owner of a piece of string that is 11km long (not actually 11km - just in accordance with the Melways). I made it myself!

I used it to find us a route to run that would make up 12km. Wanted to avoid major roads, thus avoiding the hecklers and honkers - they always do it so suddenly that it makes me jump which is embarrassing. I found a nice little route running beside a little river that I didn't even know existed until now! The route started at a park on Eley Rd, and took us across Station St and then diagonally towards Warrigal Rd, crossing Burwood Hwy, Highbury Rd and High Street Rd in the process. Turned around at Warrigal and came back.

The run was quite easy, probably because Katie and I had a great time chatting about all sorts of things along the way.

We stretched well afterward, but I still the legs might be sore tomorrow, which means I'm going to be killed during tomorrow's Running Group because we're doing sprint work.

Well, tonight it the last night of Daylight Saving. Looking forward to the extra hour's sleep! And also looking forward to the coming week... even though I will miss the daylight during the evening hours, at least it won't still look like midnight at 6:30-7:00am!

Another Gym Session

Final weights session for the week. I've managed three this week, 30-45 min in total each. Now just gotta get that to be four 30min sessions.

Today's session focussed on triceps, biceps, abs. I know I've mentioned before that I have weak biceps. That still applies. But I'm doing the EZ-bar curls with 2.5kg on (15.5kg total including bar) and can't even do 3 sets of 6 reps so maybe that'll encourage my motor neurons to develop and my biceps to grow a little. Heh heh... can you tell I've been learning stuff?

It was kinda cool to actually be able to see my arm muscles working. I have to admit - and I know most guys don't find buff girls attractive, but to have arms and shoulders like Michelle Bridges (the female trainer on The Biggest Loser) would be really cool.

Maybe when I've been in the industry for 25 years and working out as long as her I will.

Weights Session

Today's session was good. Even though I am aiming for four 30min weights sessions per week, I guess that requires a gradual change from the old habit of two 60min sessions weekly. A 60min session stills feels like more of a session and less of a rush... however I am planning ahead.

An ideal workout week to me would look like morning runs, then work, then a weights session after work, stopping by the gym on the way home. I feel like I could manage 4 visits for 30min each, because 30mins seems less daunting and potentially tiring than 1hr at the gym after a long day at work.

I can't really be bothered writing down my weights lifted, sets and reps anymore. I'll just note down any noticeable improvements or increases in weight. Besides, I am actually writhing this post 2 days after the session so I can't remember all the details anymore.

Focus today was on legs (squats, 45 degree leg press), lats, and shoulders. Also a fair bit of ab work. Have upped weight on squats to 40kg (60kg in total including bar) which I seem to be handling fine.

Usual Route

James came with me this morning. Did the usual route - forwards. About 5.5km in total.

I don't feel ready for Run for the Kids

I've been so tired lately - feel like I'm always trying to catch up on my sleep. Probably doesn't help that most nights I am either returning home after class which ends around 9:30-10pm, which means most mornings I hit my alarm clock and sleep in instead of getting up for a run.

This Sunday marks the end of daylight saving, so there will be even less incentive as 6:00am gets darker and darker by the day as we approach winter.

*sigh* I miss the long daylights of summer already.

I had planned to go for a run this morning before work, and a weights session at the gym after work on my way home. Did neither. Didn't study either. Right now it's past 11pm and I'm still awake. Okay I'm going to bed - got another long day tomorrow... work all day followed by class after work til 10pm. I will try to get up for a run in the morning but not sure how that's going to go.

I don't feel at all ready for Run for the Kids at this point. Less than two weeks to go, and next week I'm supposed to be taking it easy to let the legs be as fresh as possible on 1 April, which means I only really have a week left to train hard.

Weights Session before work

I started work a little later today - 10am. So it gave me time to head into the gym for a quick 30min session.

Upper body:

• BB bench press - 35kg - 12, 11, 9. My reps are up, I'm pretty happy about that. If I have another good session next time, I think I'll be able to up my weight without a spotter.
• DB incline bench close - 2x10kg - 3x10. Think I need to up my weight here for sure, try 12.5kg next time
• EZ bar bicep curls - 15.5kg - 3x6. These are really hard. My biceps are so weak!
• Didn't have time to do DB bicep curls. Ran out of time, didn't want to be late for work.

Abs:

• SB curls, feet against wall - 3x16
• Incline sit ups - 3x10
• SB leg raises - 1x10 - no time to do the other two sets
  

Aerobics Class - HiLo

For those who are wondering, yes I rocked up to church almost 1 hour late so that I could attend this class.

This particular class is taught by a woman who only teaches the Sunday morning classes at my gym. She is not just an aerobics instructor, she also teaches aerobics instructor courses (i.e. she is an aerobics instructor instructor!).

I wanted to check out one of her classes before signing up for an instructor course with her. Unfortunately she was not there, and won't be for the next week or two so I'll have to head back to that class in 2-3 week's time. However I stayed for the class anyway seeing as I was already there.

It was a good class - my fitness level has increased dramatically since I started running... I don't even get out of breath anymore in an aerobics class even when I go as hard as I can. Which is great - it means one day when I am teaching classes I'll be able to go hard and still call out instructions without being out of breath.

Run

Went for a brief run, distance wasn't too far, however I included some sprint work into my run, 10 laps of a short stretch of grass in a park.