You have been measured and you have been found wanting

Not wanting to add insult to injury I did not do a hard bike session on the trainer.  Instead I opted for a bout with the TRX.  I have still been throwing in a session or two on the TRX.  I think that it will help me in the future.  I have devised a ‘runners workout’ with the suspension trainer that I will share with you in a future post.  Needless to say, just like with my abs – I found many weaknesses in my legs, especially my hamstrings.  Going forward I can’t help but think this will help with injury prevention.

Anyway, prior to the TRX workout I decided to warm up just a little bit with a job in the early morning.  I only ran for a minute.  The leg felt okay – not great but okay.

However, when I tried to do a quick stride I felt the fire.  I backed off immediately and stuff to the strength training.

At the gym at lunch I rode the fancy elliptical again but this time for just a few minutes.  Instead I once again hit the weights and did some chest and back strength training.  I always fall back into the weight run when I rest the legs.  While I want to be better, faster, stronger in the swim / bike / run I also want to keep some lean mass.  I know that as we age we will lose lean muscle mass – but the more you have going in the more you get to keep.

On a side note, we have an eighth of a mile indoor track at the Payne Center here on campus.  I’m not on it often, there are just too many turns.  However, the few times that I have ran on the track the times seemed fast.  In fact, a couple of weeks ago it was very cold and rainy and I actually did a number of my Yasso’s out on the track – nuts I know.  But I was able to hit my marks.  I cut the corners NASCAR style and drifted wide at each turn.  But it was too easy.  Some have speculated that it is because of the completely level surface or the complete lack of wind or the arctic like temperatures on the track.  I needed to know.

We also measured the circumference

of the Coliseum (the basketball stadium)

I borrowed a distance measuring wheel from my good friend Charles and measured each lane.  Sure enough, the track is short.  The only way to get an eighth of a mile is to hug the outside turn; the walking lane.  Where I run it is about 15 feet short and cutting the corners makes it even less.  I have done the math, so for all of you Payne Center runners and walkers, from the third lane you need 33 laps to make 4 miles.

I knew that track was too easy.  I knew it was short.