I’m linking up with Amanda again at Running With Spoons for another week of “Thursdays are for Thinking Out Loud”.
1. I did my first ever “Hill Repeat” workout this morning. I have been running for however many years and have done many different types of workouts, but never this. I don’t know if I did it right (is there a “right” way to do it? I guess just as long as its hard enough to be beneficial…) but I am glad that I tried it.
I found a few different hills and ran up and down them for 25 minutes in the middle of my run. My legs felt like jello at the end so I guess that’s a good sign.
2. I have been thinking a lot about two posts I read yesterday. The first was by Miss Zippy…about doing core work correctly rather than reinforcing bad patterns. It’s difficult to know if I am doing my exercises correctly. I haven’t been to PT in like 2 years, and tiny changes in form can really accumulate over that time. Also, I worry because I know I have muscle imbalances and and worry that I am creating bad form patterns gradually. I don’t really know the answer to this, because I’m not about to start going to PT again right now. I am already paying for a chiropractor and the amount I spend on co pays each year has become ridiculous.
The other post that was thought-provoking was over at Paleo Running Momma. She wrote about living a healthy lifestyle because we genuinely enjoy it, not because we want to look a certain way. I think it can be difficult to convince others that this is possible until they experience it for themselves. As we talked about in the comments, many people start exercising and eating better to lose weight at first, but some of us learn that it is about more than weight loss and begin to live that way because it is what makes us feel good.
3. The temperature dropped about 20 degrees since yesterday. It was in the 50s on my run and I was able to wear a long sleeved t-shirt. While this is much better running weather than 85 degrees and humid, its kind of depressing that today is so chilly and rainy. I wasn’t ready for 90 and humid, but I am also over the chilly rainy weather! I guess we just can’t win huh?
4. This one is really random, but as I was showering this morning I realized I am still using (and buying) color protection shampoo and conditioner. I haven’t colored my hair since before I got married (November 2012) so chances are any highlights I had are pretty much gone. I should probably break that habit and buy cheaper stuff.
4. I still have this picture on my fridge which I ripped out of magazine as I was training for my first marathon. I still look at it frequently and I don’t think I plan to take it down.
Thanks Amanda for hosting another Thinking Out Loud link up!
Do you do hill repeats? (Am I doing them right?)
What are your thoughts on either of the posts I shared?
What is something you keep on your fridge?
Thanks for linking 🙂 I’ve never done official hill repeats but I do hill runs once a week that are either heavy on hills in the beginning or scattered throughout. I live in a hilly area so it works out. I’ve been thinking about doing repeats to strengthen my legs though.
I still have my boston confirmation of acceptance on my fridge and it’s not coming down anytime soon 🙂
It sounds like you do well getting hills into your runs pretty regularly! There aren’t many hills here so I need to make a point to run them otherwise I just choose routes that are flat:)
I can be so bad with paying attention to my form sometimes. I’ve been trying to make more of an effort lately, and I’ll do okay for a little while before my mind starts to wander and I get kind of slack. Ugh. So much to think about — I need to write myself sticky notes everywhere or something.
It can be so hard to pay attention to form! Even when I try, I still question if I’m doing it right. I wish someone would follow me around with a video camera so I could see how I run…actually that would be terrible and very embarrassing:)
I’m going to say this on every post you write from now until I move back to Baltimore (whenever that is). I miss running around downtown. I’m not big on doing different types of workouts like speed, track, hills, etc. because I prefer to just run for fun, but hills do make you stronger! I don’t think it’s possible to do them wrong- as long as you’re dead at the end, you’re doing it right 🙂
Well don’t worry I’m sure I will continue to post pictures of Baltimore!
Sometimes I like doing workouts to change things up, but relaxed, care-free runs are also great!
Your weather is like ours here. Either too hot or too cold/windy. No middle ground! Haha I gotta find some place with beautiful weather all year round (and not have earthquakes!) and pack my bags to head there!
Yes let me know if you find that perfect place:)
Thanks so much for the shout out! I hope I didn’t worry you too much on the form topic–I’ve got a great book review up tomorrow on a book that can really help people determine where they might be lacking and how to fix that–you’ll have to check it out!
Balt. is full of great hills for hill training. I personally don’t feel like you need to be too specific with hill training. Any type is worthwhile!
I’m looking forward to reading your review! (I’m a little behind on reading blog posts from the weekend). I think your post was a helpful reminder to at least be aware of possible flaws in form- like if you keep getting the same injuries it may be something to consider. I think that when I am doing core work “correctly” I can feel it where I am supposed to feel it, so hopefully that means I am getting the benefits of the exercise!
I actually have to seek out decent hills around the inner harbor. The ones I have found are not too long so I need to do a bunch of repeats to get the benefits. I think that as long as it feels hard it is probably worthwhile:)
If your legs were jello, you did it right 😉
That’s what I figured!:)
I would say that is a perfect hill for repeats. I always do repeats in intervals (up for 2 minutes, down, up for 4 minutes, down, up for 8 minutes, down, repeat). Another challenge is to try and beat your previous time up (which is really hard because the more you run, the more you fatigue). I keep one fortune cookie fortune on my fridge until it comes true – then I replace. 🙂 I wouldn’t take down a great reminder of my first marathon either!
Wow you have hills long enough to run for 8 minutes up it?!I guess the hills here aren’t very long because the longest I have been able to run up them is like 2 minutes. Trying to beat your previous time sounds like a great challenge!
The fortune is a great thing to keep on your fridge!
Our weather has not been so great either. I thought outdoor runs were supposed to get better in the spring, but it’s been cold and rainy. Also, I love that magazine page on your fridge. That quote is a great piece of advice to live by.
I know, I’m just hoping we can enjoy some nice spring weather before it gets REALLY hot:)
I love hill repeats! (Well, love to hate) usually I just make sure I find a hill that I can run up for between 1-3 minutes at a pretty decent grade and do 5-8 of those after a normal shorter run. Or if I’m doing a straight hills day, I do typically 3-5 minute repeats and aim for more of them. If you started regretting the choice to do a hill workout after the first couple hills, I’m sure you nailed the workout 😉
Those are two great options to include hills in a run! The hills I have found are not that long, so it only takes me like 90-120 seconds to run up them. I guess I will just have to make sure I do enough repeats to get a good workout in!
I LOVE hills! 🙂 In our area we have some great hills, and I try to do a big hill challenge weekly, and have gotten much better as a result. Legs jello – definitely a good thing! 🙂
I love Michele’s blog and her common sense approach to diet and eating – I love her tag line that she’s really into running and Paleo but is not ‘That girl’, and it is true. She isn’t a zealot, but instead an informed person doing what is right for her body, and making it all work for her family! Which is what eating is supposed to be about, right?
We have a non-magnetic fridge … so we use our pantry door. On there we have the most recent report cards from the boys, and also our (way too full) family calendar.
Based on your pictures it looks like the hills you run are no joke! I definitely think it will help me as a runner to start incorporating them more.
You’re right about Michele’s blog. I think I was hesitant to read much about Paleo before because I didn’t like the idea of having to follow a strict way of eating. But she has helped me to open up to the idea of incorporating some of the concepts (probably slowly) and shown that it can be practical, too!
I’ve done hills a few times with my running club. I am guessing that since you felt the burn, you did it right! I am heading over to check those posts out. I worry that I am doing core exercises wrong, too sometimes.
Hills can certainly hurt but it seems like they will only help to become a stronger runner!
Core work can be tricky. It’s difficult to know if you’re doing it “right”! I try to think about where I should feel it, and as long as I feel it there I figure I’m ok.