Still no running. I mostly have a very mild sore throat, but my daughter's been coughing, so I'm trying to be extra cautious and keep the little invaders out of my lungs. I haven't run-commuted since Monday, and haven't gone for a regular run since Sunday. Stinks. Feels like months. But perhaps the time off is good thing, after 5-6 weeks of pushing the mileage and distances. I'm a little afraid of contracting an underuse injury next time I run though.
So anyways,
Thursday afternoon
Top ST.
I worked around my gimpy left shoulder again, cutting out the lateral and front shoulder raises and a few other things, like upright rows, that might've put too much pressure on the joint. I did everything else though, on the theory that increasing the blood flow to the area will speed up the healing. 'Active recovery' I think they call it. And it seems to have worked. Today the shoulder feels close to normal, gimpless.
So I'm already through my weekly st routine, but want to hold off another day or two before running again. What to do today? More deadlifts and squats! Maybe even get around to doing some plyometric stuff.
5 miles, cold, 4 bf. 1 shod, the last half hard. I haven't ran hard in 17 years. I like it.
BareLee, ah! I understand pump now thanks to your definition. However, by it, I don't do "good pump". I run because I like to. I lift because I ought to.
Nothing like going all out. Ideally, I do some sprints once a week at the end of a run, and work in tempo pace in the middle of one of my runs, but it doesn't always work out that way.
Let's face it, weights can be pretty boring. Running is always fun. But if you give strength training some time, after a while you'll start to get 'the pump' consistently, and that's a great feeling. Plus there are so many benefits: good posture, good bone density, fewer minor injuries, boosting your immune system and blood production, higher metabolism, improved cognition, greater confidence and mood, and so on. The problem is that strength-training still tends to be associated with bodybuilding and zerobodyfat maniacs, but it's really for everyone, and the only way to age somewhat gracefully. My own approach is pretty leisurely.
Yes squats! Forgot to list them. I have finally got down the pistol squat which I like to do, those are great.
Handstand push-ups are another great body-weight exercise, equivalent to military presses with weights. There's some cool things you can do with suspension straps too. I still think weights are the way to go for building strength, but body weight stuff is pretty cool and I like the elegant simplicity, kind of like barefoot running--no real gear required.
1.95 miles yesterday. I had been feeling great and niggle free and got myself too far out when the niggle in my left shin showed up in dramatic fashion. I stopped immediately and worked on the trigger point and got it worked out enough to walk the 2 miles home. I seem to have the right leg all good now, just got to get the left one in sync now. If it isn't one thing it's another it seems. Oh well, I guess that's the way things go for me.
More and more, I think there's such a thing as underuse injuries. Since I've begun doing my little daily run commutes, I seem to recover faster from my long runs, and don't stiffen up as much. You might consider trying to run a mile on your off-days, as I think both you and Dutchie have suggested in the past. I don't know if the micro runs really contribute to running fitness, but they do seem to help maintain skeletal-muscular conditioning in the limbs and joints.
methinks you grew up in a different sort of household than I did. I will appeal to other "big brothers."
I think Mike was raised in a different sort of household than most of us!
