Posted by Shane on April 13, 2008
The one thing that killed me (and still does on occasion) is remembering to breathe while working out. I’m the type of person that holds my breath when performing push-ups, sit-ups, or whatever exercise I’m doing. One of the biggest lessons I learned from the YRG workout is how to breathe properly for exercise and every day life.
Many people pull their stomach in when asked to take a deep breath, this is the exact opposite of what you need to do. As you pull in air, push your stomach out nice and round; You’ll find you can take a deeper and more filling amount of air. As you exhale, pull your belly-button in towards your spine and empty your lungs as much as you can.
Start practicing by inhaling to a count of 10 and then exhale to a count of 10. Work your way up to counts of 15, 20, and 30. By then you ill have this mastered.
After I got used to the technique I use it in almost every situation, from general relaxation at bed time to running. It especially helped me increase my speed while running as I found myself able to run at a faster pace for a longer distance. Try it yourself and let me know your results!
Posted in Marathon Training, Running, Yoga | Tagged: Deep Breathing, Running, YRG | 1 Comment »
Posted by Shane on April 13, 2008
We’re already to week three and if you were successful in week 2, you’re going to do it again this week!
Your body is getting used to the stress of running and needs a bit of a break. that’s why you’ll not be increasing your distances this week. Concentrate on your running form and breathing, and make sure you stay strong.
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: Off
Saturday: 6 miles
Sunday: Off
47 miles will have been run since you started! And don’t get too comfortable, next week we step it up again.
Posted in Marathon Training, Running, Workout | 1 Comment »
Posted by Shane on April 12, 2008
I have an internet pal by the name of Carl who is trying to hit every Major League Ball Park this year. This Sunday, I’ll be picking him up from the airport and showing him some of the sights around St. Louis and giving hi a nice tour of Busch Stadium III.
Carl sums up the game of baseball quite nicely
Baseball is a game unlike any other. A tradition dating back over 150 years referred to as our national pastime, baseball stands apart from those other sports. A game played with passion and patience, not urgency. A game not restrained by time but played in the moment. If basketball is played by 7 foot giants, football by 300 pound behemoths and hockey by, uh, Canadians, then baseball is played by children. It is the only sport that can so completely strip away the husk of adulthood to reveal our inner child. To lift us off our feet and carry us back 30 years in time to our days on the sandlot.
You can follow Carl’s exploits, (And hopefully whining of a Giants loss April 20th) here
Posted in Awesome, Baseball, Insanity | Tagged: Baseball, deathmarch, MLB tour | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shane on April 4, 2008
And away we go with week 2. Last week we ran a grand total of 15 miles, and if you’re like me, it felt like your legs were going to burst. Well, this week gets better, the days off seem to help more and you’re starting to get your body used to longer distances.
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: Off
Saturday: 6 miles
Sunday: Off
Not much of a change overall, the first three runs are exactly the same as the first week, your long run has been extended by 1 mile. Even though it seems like a large increase you should be able to handle the extra mile without much trouble, just remember to take it easy and don’t feel bad if you need to take a walking break for a couple of minutes.
After this week is completed you will already run 31 miles! On to week 3!
Posted in Marathon Training, Running, Workout | Tagged: half-marathn training, Running | 3 Comments »
