Day 325: One Heck Of A Week of Working OUT!

Yo Mammoths!

Well it has been an exciting week of physical fitness here at Herd Central. Me and the Mommoth have been taking advantage of the beautiful weather we have been having here to get in some runs. The Mommoth is getting ready for a Triathlon this Summer so she is working really, really hard. Tilly, the Baby Mammoth, is working hard at crawling and soon will be up and waddling around in no time. The main Mammoth has been really busy with work, product testing, and running in 5ks that were built for Gazelles who are also into bondage and S&M roleplay stuff! I am of course speaking of the Terrapin and One More Mile 5k plus One Mile run that I did last Saturday.

Now Mammoths I had gone into the race with some serious high hopes of doing really, really well. I had eaten clean all week, put in great efforts at WoW Boot Camp, and done the general good things a runner does to prepare for a 5k. It was at this moment that I should have known that I was DOOMED!!! So since the race did not start until 3 pm I decided that I would use that time to have a yard sale. You got that right Mammoths. Large man, selling and lifting things, all day in the hot sun. I was hydrating but definitely not enough. But since I believe that my tusk is bigger than anyone elses I just decide to keep on. At 2:30 I finally get in the car to get to the race. The Baby Mammoth was just not cooperating with us and so we were running late. By the time I got to the registration table it was almost time for the race. As I start heading to the start line with the Mommoth I notice just how hilly it is. It was also at the moment that I should have known that I was DOOMED!!! We get to the start point and head to the back to get out of the Gazelles way and hunker myself down for a nice heart rate run. Michael has me working in the low zones still to build up my endurance and cardio vascular system. Now my top rate for Level 1 is 111, top for Level 2 is 129. Michael wants me to keep my HR at around the top of Level 1 and in the low part of Level 2. Before we even start running I am at 130 from the hill climb. It was again at this moment that I should have known that I was DOOMED!!! We get the race instructions and then we are off to do a 1 mile lap around the brewery. I find a nice pace and I find a nice person who is keeping my same pace. We get through the first mile in not to shabby shape. My heart rate is 137 at this time and I see Michael. I tell him what my heart rate is and he says its because it is late in the day, so just run your race, stay relaxed, and keep good form. All great advice so I do what I am told. I am feeling really good about myself, my pace is on target, I am thinking this could be a PR moment. That was until I hit the Mountain Range of Death. After the nice lap around the brewery we were all lulled into this false sense of flatness that quickly evaporated all hope when I started up the first hill. HR spikes to 148, it is now close to 90 degrees outside, and there is only one water station that I am about to pass. I am DOOMED!!! After I successfully navigate that hill I find myself staring at two more hills that are considerably more steep than the last one I just barely conquered and to top it all off I see that there are switch back trails we have to run up and then back down. AWESOME!!! I some how survive all of that and head out thinking that I am near the finish. I see the three mile sign and say, "F@$K YES!!!" when it dawns on me that I have the PLUS ONE MILE left. Do you remember in Ghost Busters when they trap that first ghost and he swirls down into the trap. That is exactly how I felt when I remembered that I had one mile left. By this time I had hooked up with a really solid group of Mammoths who were trucking along and we were all encouraging one another. My time for the event was 1 hour 8 minutes which is a huge improvement for me and I am very pleased with this. The Mommoth walked with our friend and newest Herd Member Meredith who triumphed through her first 5k. Massive props to Meredith!

Sunday was my day of rest so I chose to go easy with a light walk to keep the blood flowing in my legs. I also did another recovery walk on Monday which was a good thing because I could feel the soreness and tightness beginning in my legs. Tuesday's Boot Camp was brutal for me. I was still very fatigued from Saturday and we did sprints outside. MAMMOTHS DON'T SPRINT! We lumber around looking all Bad Ass, speed is something we are not designed for but if you want a great work out incorporate some speed work into your routines. You see quick benefits (no pun intended) right away in your stride, foot turn over, and over all pace. I have noticed that I am a little quicker already! (I am coming for you Lee!)

Wednesday was a HR run again keeping it in the low Zone 2 and high Zone 1. I was able to complete the three miles by keeping my HR in the zones. The best part of the run was how I felt afterward. I felt incredible. Like I could keep going and going and going. Michael says that this is an important part of the training, that we learn to listen to our bodies, and our bodies start getting used to the movement and time involved in the movement. Mammoths it is important for us to remember that our goals are different from Gazelles. Gazelles want to win the race. As Mammoths are goal is to finish the race and get a little better each time. It is important that we get our bodies conditioned to be out on the course for a good long time. My goal is to complete the full marathon in around 5 hours. 5 hours of constant movement is a lot for a body to handle so by doing these slow, methodical trainings I am getting my body prepared for the full. This training reminds me of the tortoise and the hare story. So I am showing Tortoise Intensity while doing this training.

Thursday's Boot Camp was another Up Tempo session. We ran 2.5 miles (some folks like Alonzo, David, and Elliot ran double that) with a mixture of weights and sprints intermingled in. It was one of the toughest workouts I have had at WoW and it felt great being able to keep up with the guys. I still think back to this time last year when I could not get on the ground to do any type of exercise, to now where I can do it all. I may be slow but I am doing the work!

Now Mammoths this is a lot of running that I did this week. However, this week Michael gave the Old Mammoth here a giant curve ball. After my WoW Boot Camp I had an hour of bicycle riding I had to do. So it was off to the Omni to get on the stationary bike and put in some miles. Mammoths I always thought that stationary bike was kind of wussy thing to do. I would see people get on there and not even break a sweat or worse yet they would get on there and gossip. So when Michael laid this on me I was not at all thrilled. But being the Mammoth I knew that this was something I was going to have to do. I got on the bike and I have loved it! My first Tuesday ride I put in 22 miles, and Thursdays ride was 21.5! I use the hill program at a level 10 so I am pushing it hard. Again this cross training Mammoths is building up my cardio vascular strength and will make me a better conditioned runner.

Well Mammoths I have given you a bunch of information about my runs. Tomorrow being a rest day I will answer Mammoth Mail, talk about the Fit Bit and Run Keeper alliance, and discuss a cool new website that I am alpha testing and that I think you will like. Especially if you have a fitness or weight goal in mind. So Mammoths I hope to see you out on the range, stick close to a good watering hole, and as always be mindful of what you are grazing on.