The other day I mentioned something about my new exercise program to my Son-in-Law, Dany, who is a real fitness buff.
Dany listened patiently as I outlined my plan, and then he asked: "What is your goal, here?" And without thinking, I blurted out: "Next year I'd like to run a marathon, and I'd like to do it in under 5 hours. I don't want to be out there all day!" I was surprised at my own answer, but also pleased.
"Well," said Dany, "the program you've got is going to improve your fitness level, but if you want to improve your speed for a marathon, you need to do some speed training. The elliptical is great exercise for general fitness, but it's not going to help you run any faster. And the long runs you are doing are not going to increase your speed, either."
We discussed doing mid-week interval training on the treadmill, but I fell off of one of those once and now I'm pretty nervous about them. So we finally settled that I would get out my old heart rate monitor, get the battery replaced so it will actually work, and then starting with one day a week, instead of the 20 minute elliptical work-out I would go outdoors and do some running intervals. I would run as fast as I could about 50 yards, then slow to my regular pace until my heartrate went back to normal, then do it again, repeating the cycle 10 times in a row. Once I get into doing this, I'll check back with him to refine the exercise.
So today I gave it my first try. Wow, I haven't run that hard since I was a teenager! I felt like I was going to, ahem, lose my breakfast! (I think I'll have to do this exercise on an empty stomach in the future!!) It was interesting, though. My body really fought the effort, but I got through my 10 mini-sprints. I don't have the heart monitor working yet, so I just played the heartrate part by ear, but I'm proud of myself for making the effort, and for making it through 22 days of my 100. Consistency is always my biggest challenge, so each day that I go out and exercise is another day of victory!
Yours for a happier, healthier life,
The Jogging Grandma
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