It's on birthday girl!

I was just catching up on Jill's blog and liked the sound of her most recent workout, courtesy of the cool peeps at Peak Performance. On the occasion of her birthday she performed The Half Marathon Circuit ass-kicker yesterday (quite impressively!) and challenged others to try it out as well. Being the multi-sport, multi-discipline running junkie (or ADD sufferer, you decide) I am, the challenge sounded right up my alley. Check it:

Warm up with about 10 minutes of light jogging, followed by some systematic stretching routines and dynamic-mobility exercises. Next, run (4 to 6) x 100 meters at close to top speed, with short recoveries, and then perform the following activities in order. Move quickly from exercise to exercise, but don't perform the exercises themselves overly quickly (don't sacrifice good form just to get them done in a hurry). The idea is to carry out each activity methodically and efficiently - and then almost immediately start on the next exertion.

1) Run one mile at your goal half-marathon velocity.

2) Complete 20 squat thrusts with jumps (burpees).

3) Do 70 ab crunches.

4) Perform 40 walking lunges.

5) Carry out 70 low-back extensions. Lay on the floor, arms at your side, and raise your torso and head off the ground to about a 45 degree angle. You can also use the Roman Chair if doing this at the gym.

6) Do 20 push-ups.

7) Complete 15 one-leg squats with your right leg and then 15 more with your left

8) Run one mile at goal half-marathon velocity.

9) Carry out 30 bench dips.

10) Complete 15 high-bench step-ups with each leg.

11) Jump 100 times in place, getting your propulsive force from your ankles, not your knees, and carrying out the last 30 jumps at an especially quick tempo (for all 100 jumps, don't try for great height - your feet should only come off the ground a few inches; what you're really looking for is quick reaction with the ground, i.e., minimized ground-contact times).

12) Carry out 30 cross-body leg swings with each leg. To do these, lean slightly forward with your hands on a wall (or other support) and your full body weight on your left leg. Then, swing your right leg to the left in front of your body, pointing your toes upward as your foot reaches its farthest point of motion. After this, swing your right leg back to the right as far as comfortably possible, again pointing your toes up as your foot reaches it final point of movement. Repeat this overall motion 30 times before performing 30 reps with your left leg.

13) Run one mile at goal half-marathon velocity

14) Repeat steps 2-13 one more time (for two circuits in all), and then cool down with two miles of light jogging.

This workout includes five miles of running at goal half-marathon velocity, 400 to 600 meters of running at close to top speed, and an array of highly challenging strengthening activities. The circuits enhance fatigue resistance, coordination, whole-body strength, running economy, and lactate threshold, and they also enable you to 'fall into your half-marathon pace', i.e., run at half-marathon speed almost automatically - and no matter how tired you feel. The latter is not a bad asset to possess in the late stages of a half-marathon race.

....

Having run last night's 9.15 miles at a very even and comfortable 9:04/mi pace and without going too berserker with my regular 1512 yd workout at the pool this morning, I'll plan to give this bad boy a shot tonight. The way I see it, my biggest obstacle will be keeping the printed out directions dry during the running portions.

I = a sweater


eh, nope




more like it!