Posts Tagged ‘plank test’

In the rush of things last week, I let core work slip by, except for a few push-ups on the Bosu ball early in the week. Working out — besides a few runs — was the last thing on my mind. In the course of a week, though, I almost lost focus. I really didn’t want to do anything tonight. But then I remembered that goal I set at the end of February to get to a 2-minute plank.

I hit that goal tonight and then tacked on another 7 seconds, nearly a minute improvement since my initial test just a little more than 4 weeks ago. It felt great and I’m looking forward to continue working on my core. Now I need to set a non-running goal for April.

* * *

Since this is a “Making the Commitment” post I wanted to mention my weight, which I haven’t mentioned in a while. Two weeks ago I was 186.4; I didn’t weigh myself last week. Since weight loss still isn’t a primary goal, I’m not overly worried about these numbers. I feel good; my core is stronger; and my summer shorts fit just fine after this winter.

If you’re new to my blog, the numbered post refers to which number entry this is since I started my running blog in 2007. It’s been a while since I’ve done one, but it’s also been a while since I haven’t had much to say about one specific thing. Instead, I have a variety things in my mind.

* Last week I wrote about breaking through the comfort zone. Well, today I did something I haven’t done in a really long time — I ran before 7 a.m. I haven’t done that since sometime during the weekend while training for the marathon last year. I haven’t done that on a weekday since a failed attempt sometime last summer. AND I didn’t wear my Garmin. So this morning was truly about getting out of my comfort zone — and I enjoyed every minute of it.

* My hill repeats on grass the other day really had a big impact on my legs. It was quite the wake-up call to do more runs like that. My main goal that day, though, was to run on trails and I intend to do that very soon. It’s been a while and I need that feeling of running through the wilderness a couple of times a month. Plus it’s a good workout for the core and balancing.

* Speaking of core, my plank test this week was 1:50, a 10-second improvement over last week and a 37-second improvement since the initial test at the end of February. I’m fully confident that I will hit my 2-minute goal this month, perhaps a little earlier than I expected.

* After having a marathon goal all of last year, it feels very weird to not have a “big” goal for later this year yet. That being said, I don’t want to look too far beyond April 2 when I run the Monument Avenue 10k. My main goal is to get through that race completely injury free. I plan to push it pretty hard, but only as a springboard for the rest of the year. I’ve written all about that here. My “big” goal may in fact become multiple goals as I am leaning heavily toward getting faster and staying focused on short distances. We’ll see. I’ve been known to change my mind when I haven’t paid for anything.

* Lastly, if you haven’t check out my Relay for Life post, please do. If you have $5 to spare to donate to a great cause and to make me run for that great cause, I’d greatly appreciate it.

I knew last summer that I needed to do something else to compliment my running, but I failed miserably at that. Lesson learned. Let’s move on.

Last week for the first time in a long time, I looked forward to do some of the other things that have slowly crept into my workouts in the past few months. In addition to having a good running week — 16 miles complete with speed work and hills — I had a good “other” week.

All told, I did 60 jumping jacks, 50 squats, 72 crunches, 2:40 of plank and 107 push-ups. It was a nice mix of “regular” exercises and doing some of them on the Bosu ball. My max plank was 1:40, which is just 20 seconds away from my goal for this month.

I know I need to do more and I know I can do more, but this is a drastic improvement from what I’m used to. My change in actually looking forward to it is also a major step in the right direction.

As for my other “commitment” post, I weighed in at 187 last week. With weight loss not being a top goal right now, I’m just looking to stay consistent. I am ready to kick soft drinks to the curb again. Since the marathon I fell off the wagon. It hasn’t been all that bad, but it stops today. No more soft drinks until I feel like I’ve done something good enough to reward myself.

My friend Jeremy started a blog this year — Train to Tri — and has been doing a great job at documenting his training as he heads toward his first triathlon (and, I hope, beyond). It’s very motivating to read his blog for several reasons and I greatly admire his attention to detail with his training.

It makes me realize how I don’t get too detailed with my runs or workouts whether they’re good or bad. I’ve tried before. In the summer of 2008, when I was training for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach, I regularly posted what my workouts were … then I hurt my tail bone that messed up that whole training cycle. I’m not making any promises that I’m going to immediately change things, but I think it’s important that when I post my goals that I write more about what’s happening in that process. I have to hold myself more accountable.

So … yesterday I set that goal of a 2-minute plank for March. Tonight the march toward that goal started. Among other things, I maxed out my plank at 1:25, 12 seconds better than my initial test last week.

I also did this, with two 15-second reps:

(No, that’s not me. Click on the photo for more details on the Bird Dog exercise.) I somehow managed to stay fairly upright and didn’t fall on my face. Thanks to Steena for suggesting this a couple of weeks ago.

For more details on tonight’s workout, visit my Daily Mile entry.

If I could get those few days back when I was sick and add an extra two days to make this a normal-length month, this would have been the best month in a long time. But I can’t get that time back, so I’m left with what I still think is a pretty good February.

Here’s a look:

The pescetarian lifestyle
Getting rid of meat and still eating fish was easy. I’m not sure if I want to continue this lifestyle or not – a good burger or steak every once in a while or some Chick-fil-A every couple of months sounds delicious right now – but I still say this commitment to four weeks of eating differently has changed me.

My eyes are open to eating things like black bean “burgers,” eggplant parmesan and breakfasts without bacon or sausage. While I continued to eat fish, having a tuna sub for lunch filled with spinach and jalapeños felt much more satisfying than, say, a cold cut sub.

While I got filled up during my meals, I haven’t had many bloated feelings (except for when my wife and I pigged out for her birthday). A lot of meat-based meals leave me feeling like that and I don’t miss that feeling.

Weight loss
Thanks in part to eating differently, I’m ending the month at 187 pounds, down from 1.8 at the end of January. I just feel better overall and a little bit of weight loss certainly gives me a boost of confidence. I continue to want to focus on how I feel rather than a particular number, but weekly weigh-ins will continue.

5 miles
The other day I hit my long run goal for the month – 5 miles. And it was a good 5 miles. My overall mileage took a hit with my illness, but I still logged 44 miles, which included a sub-9-minute mile paced run tonight — the first non-race run of that pace since the end of September. Had I not gotten sick, I would have been close to 60 miles. I can’t complain about that.

What’s ahead
As the calendar changes, I have some things in mind. The “#dailymission” on Daily Mile the other day of doing a max plank test was a huge wake-up call to my weak core. I did 1:13.

I could blame being sick sucking the life out of me or that I did it without warming up or I did it without shoes, but I know I can do better than that. No excuses anymore — I have to work to increase that. While I’ve done a lot more core work and cross training in the past couple of months than I probably did all of last year, I’ve got a long way to go.

By the end of March, I want to hit 2 minutes. Plain and simple goal.

When it comes to running, my dancing around on what’s next is over. I signed up tonight for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Martin’s in Richmond on April 2. (This will be the one and only time I mention the name in full.) For those not familiar with this race, the Monument Avenue 10k has expanded registration to 40,000 people this year, making it one of the largest 10ks in the country and putting it in the top 25 races in the country as far as size. It’s also been one of the top “10 greatest places for runners to hit the road.”

I ran this race in 2008 and 2009, both times as a fundraiser. This time I’m just looking at this as a “comeback” race. I’m not looking for a PR – I want something that’s affordable, something to give me confidence and, most of all, something that’s a lot of fun. This race will do all of those things.

On that note, I officially deferred my Shamrock Half Marathon entry to next year. It hurts to miss my most favorite event ever, but it’s also motivating. How so? I know that to avoid a repeat of this I need to get stronger, run smarter, get refocused and so much more. Missing this race will make me a better runner. It just has to.

As for anything else this year, I’m not making any commitments right now. I want to get through March with continued progress and then kick-start April with the 10k.