Newsflash! If you get up earlier, you have more time in the morning (did you know that?) Ha ha… this week I tried getting up earlier and as a result was able to fit in an extra workout. Overall my week went much better because of it. I’m joining Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Rundown. Here’s how it all went down!
Monday
Did not get up earlier. Day off as usual!
Tuesday
Ran 3 miles, then since I had extra time, did my Runner’s Touch exercises and pullups.
Wednesday
Again, ran 3 miles. With my new earlier wake-ups it’s dark when I start my run but light when I finish. Again, since I had more time I did lower body weights- squats and deadlifts.
Thursday
Lately, Thursday has been a day where I do lower body weights. BUT, since I got them all done on Tuesday and Wednesday I was able to add a day of cardio- which was my old friend, the bike. I use the word “friend” but really… I hate it. I put my road bike on the trainer and ride indoors, and it’s so. boring. I know- wouldn’t it be more fun to ride outside? Yes, if it weren’t dark and there were no cars. I just don’t feel safe out there, so I ride inside. I listen to podcasts while I run, but I’ve discovered the bike is only bearable with music. I made a new playlist just for the occasion, and it really wasn’t too bad UNTIL… a few minutes before I was going to be done, I felt the bike lurch slightly to one side. What in the world?… this was alarming, because I’m clipped into the pedals so I’m not sure if I could get my foot out quickly if the bike suddenly tipped over. But I was very close to the end, so I kept going. Luckily nothing else happened, but when I was taking my bike off the trainer afterwards I heard a little *ping*, looked down and saw a small piece of the trainer lying on the floor. WHAT. I knew it! This thing is dangerous, even inside!!! 40 harrowing minutes on the bike, followed by Gauntlet Plank Workout.
Friday
Another 3 mile run. Getting out earlier meant I was treated to views of the “wolf” moon during my run. Afterwards decided to match my age in pushups, so I did 34 of them. Just kidding- it was 54. Not in a row of course- I divided it into sets.
Saturday
Buckled down for lower body weights, plus pullups. The usual Saturday routine.
Sunday!
Yay! I love Sundays! Today I did a 5 mile run! Not a long run, but longer than I’ve done in quite a while. Going farther meant I could do one of my favorite routes around a lake.
During this run I listened to The Strength Running Podcast with Jay Dicharry. The topic was Four Skills Needed for Pain-Free Running, and the four skills are postural control, rotational stability, hip dominance, and individual skeletal alignment. It was SO GOOD. I have to go back and listen to it again so I can do some of the tests and exercises he talks about. He did give a couple cues you can think about while you run, such as making sure your elbows are swinging back behind your body (not moving in front of your torso) and also, imagine that on your left knee there’s a blue flashlight, and on your right knee there’s a yellow flashlight. You want both knees facing forward while you run- you don’t want the lights to cross and make a green light. Lots of stuff to work on!
Overall it was such a good week, and my foot didn’t hurt once while running. Getting out of bed in the morning is still… challenging… but overall things are improving.
HAPPY RUNNING EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!
34 Responses
I love Jay Dicharry’s books! I’ll need to listen to this podcast. He has so much great info to share. Great job this week!
I have both of his books as well but haven’t looked at them in a while- I’m going to dig them out. Yes, he’s got lots of great information.
Ha you definitely have more time if you get up earlier! LOL. Yes riding outside is way more fun. Have you tried doing the Peloton bike rides for some entertainment? Nice job on that longer run! Thanks for linking up and have a great week
I haven’t tried the Peloton rides, but everyone seems to love them so maybe I should!
Sounds like a good podcast recommendation. That wolf moon is awesome!
Alligators?? no thank you! 🙂
Totally agree that the days are such much longer with an early morning run!
Ha, we live close to the everglades so it’s always possible that there could be an alligator in any body of water (including your swimming pool) but it actually rarely happens.
Awesome job on all of your workouts this week! I’m usually a morning workout person so I agree that the days seems way longer when you knock out a workout first thing in the morning.
That podcast sounds super interesting – I’ll have to check it out!
i hope you like it. Strength Running has a lot of great podcast guests, and the host (Jason Fitzgerald) is fun.
Yikes on the indoor biking snafu. LOL on the deathtrap caption, but I guess something really broke? It is SUPPOSED to be safer insider! I try to get up at 5-ish so I have time for a nice workout and leisurely breakfast before I need to start work at 8-ish.
5:00 seems to be the magic hour! It feels good to have that start to the day before work.
I’ve had a few run-ins with my bike trainer too, lol! Do you have a noxgear vest? I finally bought one and it really makes me visible. As long as the drivers are watching the road, that is…
Okay, many people are telling me they’ve had problems with trainers! Of course there’s a small possibility that the one I got was really cheap. Sooo…
I don’t have a reflective vest- guess I should get one.
I hear you! Before the pandemic I had to get my workouts done by 7 but the longer that I’ve been WFH it feels like I’m getting later and later in starting. Recently I’ve have earlier meetings a few days a week so I’m working on getting up earlier but it’s very much a work in progress. If I’m running outside I start by sunrise, so I’m counting on carrying that through to the summer (in theory we’re going back to the office in July) so hopefully I can stay in the early morning groove.
That’s kind of what happened to me- somehow during the pandemic my wake-up time got later and later. Shifting it earlier is good, and in the summer it will be absolutely necessary to start running early to beat the heat.
Good for you for getting up and out early. It makes all the difference and I loathe when I oversleep because they hour from 5-6 is MY TIME.
It’ll be easier when it’s lighter in the morning. Yikes on the bike trainer. So glad that sucker didn’t tip over.
I’m going to check out that podcast. I see lots of runners with knees out of alignment like that.
Yeah, this time of year is the hardest to get up early. But like you said, it’s so worth it!
I had not heard about the elbows swinging back like that (I’m going to try to remember that!). Yes, getting up earlier adds a good couple of hours to my day LOL, but I’m a natural early-riser so the struggle isn’t too real for me (and I’m grateful). I’d considered getting a trainer for my bike, but first decided to try the hubby’s stationary bike. I’d heard scary stories about trainers, so I was really glad the stationary bike worked well for me. When I was recovering from my stress fracture (from mid-August through late October), I got up early and went for daily bike rides in the o’dark hours…for me, it was every bit as wonderful as those early morning runs. Traffic was at the minimum (if any), so it was a nice, tranquil time.
The way he explained it, if your elbows go to far in front of your body it encourages your foot to land too far in front of your body as well, which means you’re overstriding. If the elbows stay back, your foot will land more under your body. And it’s an easy thing to think about during a run.
Your bike setup now is obviously ideal! I’m starting to agree- trainers are not so great.
Yes! I did know that! It’s why I’m always up so early! All the extra time!
We have lots of those alligator warning signs here. Once, we watched the gator in my front pond actually kill and eat a duck! Not a great day!
Be careful on that bike! That sounds terrifying.
Aack! That’s a horrifying alligator story! I think I may skip the bike for the next little while
Thanks for the podcast recommendation.
I think I may get up earlier if I had your weather and your views.
Congrats on your long run.
Very true- its easy to get up early when it’s warm. I grew up near Chicago and I remember those awful, cold mornings! Very hard to get out of bed.
Sunrises are my candy so it’s easier to get up for them then when it’s overcast in winter here.
Congrats on a solid week
Thanks Cari! Hope your week is going well.
OMG that alligator sign! I like to get up early to run too. I enjoy it more in the Summer. I don’t mind it too much in the Winter as long as there isn’t snow and ice.
Yeah, I know we have it easy here- I don’t know if I would be getting up extra early on a snowy, cold day!
I love the extra time I have when I can get up and get my workouts done early!
I want to check out that podcast – thanks for the recommendation!
You had a great week – glad your foot is feeling better!
Thanks Michelle- looks like we’re both on the mend!
Yay for no foot pain while running! Now to just get it to feel better when you first get up in the morning…
What great visuals those are about the blue and yellow lights. Things like that make it so much easier to check form. It sounds like a great podcast.
It was great- I thought about getting my elbows farther back on my run this morning and I felt like it really helped!
My running form is a great fascination for me. When I take running pictures I can see my weak points – my high shoulders, my awkward arm swing. I had a more challenging time this week at track because my physical therapist was there and I felt like she was watching me as I went around the track. I was on high alert and trying to do it all right! SIGH. It’s tough for me to do all the right things!
Yes I agree, and the interesting thing about seeing your running form in photos is that what you think you’re doing is never the same as what you’re actually doing! Probably good for us to analyze videos of ourselves every once in a while.
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