Mr. Marathon: I thought I Was In Shape

I started my running regime back in November/December 2010.  Since then I have run nine 5k’s, three 10k’s, one 8k, two 15k’s, two 10 miles, four half marathons, and one Full Marathon.  Some of these I even placed or won my age group.  So I must really be in shape right?   Well, after reaching my goal of running a Full Marathon in February of 2013 let’s just say I got a little complacent.  I have not been running as far and sleeping in a few more mornings then I should.  I am also experiencing the dreaded post marathon weight creep.  I knew it was time to shake things up a bit.  I got back into doing some cross training, more weights at the gym and spinning classes.  I was not exactly getting the results I wanted.  A few weeks ago I decided to take this class at my local gym.  The name sounded pretty innocent.  They call it “Sports Conditioning”.   I was still resting on the fact I was a Full Marathoner now and surely I will be able to keep up in this class.  Boy was I wrong.  The first class I took consisted of the following: 

2 Laps around the track

20 triceps push-ups (on the half ball)

20 lunges with medicine ball (jumping at the end of each lunge)  10 each leg

2 times up and down the stairs.

20 regular push-ups (on the half ball)

20 V ups (lie on your back, lift your legs and arms up to make a V)

You had to do this as many times as you could.  I got through three.  The goal was five. Every week this instructor dreams up new exercises like this.  On top of that he has one of those photographic memories.  All he has to do is ask your name once and he knows it every time he sees you.  This allows him to call your name out when he sees you doing something good and in my case when he sees you “slacking”.  Let me say it is a fun filled hour each week.   

What I have learned from this experience so far is that even though I love to run, it is only one aspect of an exercise program.  I have always known that cross training was important.  When I was training for the full marathon I ran more than I cross trained strictly due to lack of time.  I am not a fast runner and when you are using a training program that says you have to run 40 miles in a week there is not much time to do anything else, especially when you work a full time job and have a family.   The moral of the story today is cross training is very important if you want to continuously improve as a runner and help lessen injuries.  And, especially if you want to keep up in your local “Sports Conditioning” class!