I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel! January 25th honestly can’t come fast enough. As much as I’ve enjoyed training for this race (well, 95% of the time), I’m ready for a new challenge. One that involves a little bit of cardio and lots of strength training.
While this week wasn’t a total bust, I definitely didn’t get a lot of mileage in thanks to my cold. However, I did manage to complete my long run this week! 11 miles done and done! AND I ran each and every mile!
With that, here’s what week 11 looked like:
Monday: 2 mile walk
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 3.5 mile run
Thursday: Full Body Strength Circuit + 2 mile run
Friday: 4.5 mile run
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 11 mile run
This week’s long run was a beast, but I did everything in my power to ensure that it actually happened. For one, I ran at 6 pm instead of 8 am. I also made sure to eat a substantial lunch and drink a lot of water throughout the day.
Only one more long run to go…eek!
Fitness Buddy App + A Full Body Strength Circuit
Vishnu recently introduced me to Fitness Buddy, an app that houses tons of workouts with step-by-step instructions, animations, etc. I haven’t tapped into the app’s full potential yet, but I love what I’ve seen so far.
The built-in workouts are my favorite feature, and I can’t wait to use this app to shape my strength routine after the half. I tested one of the workouts on Thursday and wanted to share it because I think most people would benefit from a little Fitness Buddy in their life!
*Full disclosure: I am not a personal trainer. Please adapt this routine to your current fitness level and/or consult with a professional before attempting.
A few notes:
- I used 10 pounds weights to complete 10 reps of each exercise for a total of 3 sets. If you are new to strength training, I recommend starting with 3-5 pound weights and increasing slowly.
- Complete all eight exercises back-to-back with no rest. However, be sure to rest for 1-3 minutes between sets.
- *For the body weight plank, I did a 30 second plank followed by 10 seconds of rest followed by 30 more seconds of planking.
- To challenge yourself further, follow this routine with 20-30 minutes of cardio (running, elliptical, Stairmaster, etc.)
An example of each move:
- Dumbbell Fly
- Dumbbell Squat and Calf Raise
- Dumbbell Shrug (no calf raise)
- Dumbbell Arnold Shoulder Press
- Dumbbell Bent Over Row
- Dumbbell Bicep Curls
- Dumbbell Tricep Extensions
- Body Weight Plank
What’s your favorite way to exercise? Please share any strength training apps/tools/resources you use!
And in case you’re interested, here are links to my weekly recaps:
Week 1 Half Marathon Training
Week 2 Half Marathon Training
Week 3 Half Marathon Training
Week 4 Half Marathon Training
Week 5 Half Marathon Training
Week 6 Half Marathon Training
Week 7 Half Marathon Training
Week 8 Half Marathon Training
Week 9 & 10 Half Marathon Training