Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts

Saturday, 12 August 2017

Long time no see

.. Training thoughts ..



Quite some time since I’ve updated this little blog of mine. Pretty much 2 years ago, when I just had enrolled to the Gothenburg half marathon, which took place bit over a year ago. I finished the race within 2 hours and 30 min and was so happy at the finish line that almost cried. Actually enjoyed the whole run so much that smiled my way through it, especially when I passed the 15 km mark as there I realised that I was going faster than I expected. I’ve never been a fast runner, so passing 15 km within one hour and 45 minutes was a huge achievement to me.

Although have to say that since then I haven’t found much of a joy from running, nor much of motivation to run. I still do run every now and then, as I get guilty feeling if I have more than two rest days in a week. So if I don’t have any kind of sport planned for some day, then I put my running shoes on and go for a run. Usually a short one, around 4 – 5 km.

My normal training schedule consists usually 1 – 3 times of bootcamp (Antwerp bootcamp), which is basically fun torture, and really good training. After a bootcamp you usually feel happy and amazed that you got through the session without dying. Have to say without the instructor’s humour and ability to push you, you would not be able to do so well in the training, and probably would not be a returning customer.

Then I also try to get my butt to the gym once or twice per week to do LesMills lessons such as BodyPump and BodyCombat. When in Finland then I also do BodyBalance and BodyAttack. Those lessons are very good, and you know what you get there, unless the instructor haven’t bothered to learn the lesson properly. In one of my preivous gyms, let’s call it “SportsFans”. In SportsFans there were a BodyPump instructor who followed the LesMills video on his PC while giving the class! Also in that class so many people where doing the moves incorrectly, and this lazy instructor didn’t correct any of them. Then I felt like I should go and help my fellow gym members that they won’t hurt themselves, but the Finn in me couldn’t allow me to bother them. Well you can understand that I didn’t visit that gym very often, but bought then a BodyPump set at home.

I’m very happy with my current gym, but as I moved to the city centre couple months ago, for some reason I just cant get myself to go there anymore as it’s bit outside of the centre. Around 12 min on bike though, but it feels so far. Actually have cancelled the membership but it wont end until beginning of November, and I am looking for some other gym nearby to replace it. Have to say I am very happy with the current gym, iFitness Berchem, especially since the instructors are happy to use English in the lessons if I ask them. But I still would like to go somewhere that is closer to home.

Been thinking of joining a gym nearby BUT it does not have LesMills lessons, although seems to be quite popular. Another thought is a cross fit gym really close by. Haven’t made up my mind at all.. Could also think of pilates or a yoga studio.

In addition have given thought to start biking to work once or twice per week, just need to get my biked maintained, before I start biking around 45 km per day!

 

… Now I feel like going for a run.. and it is one of my allowed rest days today ;)

Sunday, 11 October 2015

Road to Göteborgsvarvet - part I

I really don't know what made me pay 650 SEK (70€) to torture myself next spring, maybe the love that i feel for Sweden and the excitement that i get from the fact that I can run! So it'll be very special for me to be part of that huge event and hopefully i will be able to cross the finish line as well.  I think it's actually the biggest half marathon event in the world, hmm need to double check that..

I started running about 5 years ago when i was still living in Brussels; i was over the moon when I noticed that i am able to run! And about six months later i enrolled to my first running event; a ten km ladies run in Helsinki, which i finished in abt 1h 20 min, if i recall correctly. That particular run is not timed so no record to look back.Since then i haven't stopped running, or in my case you actually should say jogging, but running sounds so much cooler.

Now as part of my training, i have decided to challenge myself not to have any "rest-days" from training for 365 days. Have to point out that it doesn't matter if one day's training is just a set of sit-ups or burbees, as long as i do something. When i am in Belgium i bike to work every weekday, which means around 80 min of biking per day; in addition some days I add an excercise class or gym training on top of that. While in Finland it is more difficult as on top of my working days i sit in a car for two hours commuting, so quite often i end up just going for a short jog, but all excercise is good excercise IMO.


(Just to clarify i work around 1 - 1.5 weeks per month in Finland, otherwise i live in Belgium.)




Below my start of the "challenge 365":
29/10 Tuesday: biking 2x13k
30/9 Wednesday: biking 2x13k
1/10 Thursday: jogging 4km
2/10 Friday: 6 x 426 step stairs
3/10 Saturday: hot yin yoga
4/10 Sunday: 8k trail running
5/10 Monday: 5k jogging  (1k real running)
6/10 Tuesday: 4.5k jogging
7/10 Wednesday: quick home training: 30 situps, 20 burbees, 30 squads, 30 lunges (each leg) & 1min plank
8/10 Thursday: 30 situps  (one could call this a rest day ;) )
9/10 Friday: biking 13 +14 k
10/10 Saturday: jogging 8k
11/10 Sunday: ubound (a tramboline group lesson -> a killer)


So 13/365 completed!!