Keeping Up With The Running

Today was one of those days where I was counting down the hours after lunch until it was time to leave. It wasn't because it was a bad day at work. I was chomping at the bit to get to the gym. Knowing the end of the year is almost here has me excited. I'm pushing towards the most consecutive weeks of working out, probably since high school.

WARM-UP

I tried incorporating a different approach to my warm-up. I decided to focus on my form and control my breathing. It's something I like to do every now and then to help remind my body of how it's supposed to run. Anybody can run, but it takes practice to keep your body in control while you do it.

The warm-up felt really good. The now typical sweat-fest was starting. I can't wait for spring when I'm able to start running outside again. A breeze of any kind would be welcomed on the treadmill.

MAIN WORKOUT

The goal of today's main workout was to run 3 miles, but have negative splits. No real time goal. I wanted to switch things up and make the run interesting. I didn't keep track of the speed I had set. I know each mile I increased the speed by a couple settings. The entire run was done with the 1.0 incline set. I think having at least a 1.0 incline will always be a staple of every run.

The run felt good. I know it was one of the fastest 3 mile runs I have done in awhile. At this point I felt like I walked through a sprinkler. I really need to find a way to keep sweat out of my eyes. I have worn a hat during my runs, but the hat traps the heat and I end up sweating even more.

COOL DOWN

I got back on the treadmill to get my cool down going. I have this part down to a science. The cool down mile didn't feel like it took very long. At the beginning, my legs felt a bit tired from surviving the main workout. As the cool down went on, my legs felt a bit better. During the entire run, even though my legs were a bit tired, I kept an eye on my form and breathing.

Funny. My cool down time was exactly the same as my warm-up time. It's not something I planned on happening. It is nice to see consistency with my times. Consistency always pays off in the long run.

STRETCHING

I did my usual stretch routine. I'm still able to see the benefits of keeping at it. I'm able to stretch a bit farther, and keep my body under control when transitioning to each stretch. I know keeping up with the stretching to help stay injury free, and keep things flowing around my knee.

WEIGHTS

Today was legs day. I'm feeling pretty confident with my leg routine. It hits all the major leg muscles once and it doesn't take that long to do. I hit the weights for my legs more so to strengthen them, not trying to build bulk. I don't need bulk. I need strength in my legs to help keep me moving forward.

LAST MILE POWER SONG

Today's LMPS was Let's Go Crazy by Prince. Some may think it's a cheezy song. The beat is really good and fast paced. And let's be honest. When running, we all feel a bit 'crazy' sometimes.