Phoebe: Me, I'm more free. You know, I run like I did when I was a kid because that's the only way it's fun. You know? I mean, didn't you ever run so fast you thought your legs were gonna fall off, you know, like when you were running towards the swings or running away from Satan?

The neighbors dog.

I am a firm believer that having a running partner or workout partner is a must at times. It's one of the best ways to see progress.


You want to see a push in your effort?  Grab a friend and take them with you! 
Running Erwin park in McKinney is HARD.  I would probably give up after 2 miles every time if Philip was not running ahead of me.  He is my pacesetter and he is what has caused my progress out there on that dang bike trail.  Having a pacesetter makes you push harder - if they get too far ahead of you, you will pick up speed and you might not even be aware you are doing it.  When they disappear around a bend you will push to keep them in your line of sight.  No one wants to fall behind or be out done by another person.  We are competitive to our core - it is in our nature, some more than others.  By having a running partner and a pacesetter I have improved my speed, distance and my stride.  Philip keeps asking me if I want to be out front setting the pace, and for now I do not.  I want to get better at what I am doing first and watching him in front of me makes me strive for a better run.  Being the pacesetter has it's benefits for performance, I am sure.  Having soemone behind you trying to  keep up with you has got to be motivating.  But for now I am content being the caboose.
The same thing goes for the gym.  Having someone like Philip there with me makes me lift heavier.  I will push and grunt and make horrible faces!  We try harder when someone is watching us.  We push harder when we see what they can do.  We will try to mimic that strength.  We may cut corners, give in to bad form or cheat on sets when by ourselves.  But when someone is watching, especially someone you look up to or respect, you do not dare!  Because if you do, they will surely have something to say about it.  When I do my ZCUT and someone is there watching me, you can bet your ars I am doing every rep full out the best I can.  No one likes to look weak or inept!


Moral of the story:  grab a buddy and go workout!
Happy Sunday and a Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!

Chandler: "She's insane; the woman is insane. It's before work, it's after work, it's during work. She's got me doing butt clenches at my desk. And now, they won't bring me my mail anymore."

 

While running 5 miles, one has plenty of time to think.  These are the truths about running, working out, Erwin Park, etc. that I have discovered on my road (long road) to fitness:

 

1.  My mind gives up way before my body does.  My mind has been my biggest hurdle on this quest to complete that dang trail called Erwin Park.  I can feel it as soon as we turn onto that back road.  I start getting nervous about not running well, not meeting the goal I have set in my mind, having to stop early due to some ailment or needing to go to the bathroom (this has happened several times), falling behind Philip, struggling to the point where I give up.  Erwin Park is an extremely hard course that is meant for mountain biking.  So many hills, winding trail, horribly long inclines and rough terrain.  I have come to realize that I will have good and bad days out there - some days I will finish strong and some I will stop because, well, I jsut have to!  But, if I focus my mind on just powering through for as long as I can then generally I come out on top.  Worked out well today so I think I will try to hang on to this frame of mind.

 



 

2.  It will get easier, but it needs to always feel difficult.  Otherwise, what is the point.  I have to remember that there should ALWAYS be sections of my workout where I huff and puff and want to stop.  I should always reach a point where I think my legs might fall off - in fact, this should happen several times during a workout.  Whether it be Erwin or ZCUT or just a run around Town Lake, I need to be pushing it to that point.  I need that intensity to keep moving forward towards my goals, and so do you.  I think ZCUT has been the regimen that has helped teach me this.  HIIT is literally high intensity interval training - this means periods of pure torture.  The more you do it, the more you begin to enjoy the torture and appreciate it for what it gives you: progress.

 

 

3.  Music is not always necessary or good for working out.  It may sound silly, but I think music was one of the things holding me back in my running.  Philip was the first to suggest that I stop listening to music whilst running.  Unless you can plan out the tempos in your music to go with the differnt intensities of your run, the music you listen to could very well hinder your efforts.  When I would listen to music it would effect my breathing.  Fast music I would breath faster, slower music I would breath slower.  My breathing would sync up with the music I was hearing, which did not always match the breathing I needed for that leg of my run or workout.  Once I got rid of the music, my breathing improved as did my running.  When I purchased my ZCUT DVDs I read the reviews.  Many people had complained that there was not music in the workouts.  I find this funny becuase I actually enjoy these intense workouts without the music.  I am able to focus on what I am doing and pushing myself for max reps and intensity.

 

4.  I will probably always have lulls in my drive to workout.  Life happens.  It gets in the way of the things we want to do or need to do.  But, I think I have learned that each time I fall of course I always come back.  The more progress I make, the less time it takes for me to get back on course.