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 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 »
Posted by Shane on March 29, 2008
And hopefully you’re able to run 30 minutes without stopping. Are you ready to get started? This program is designed to get you across the finish line in one piece, you will not break any records with this. I’ve decided to break this down into a weekly segment instead of just throwing the whole thing at you. So let’s get started!
You’ll be running four days a week. I will have a suggested day of the week to run these, but you can mold this to fit your own schedule. Saturday is set as the long run each week.
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: Off
Saturday: 5 miles
Sunday: Off
So your first week will have you running a grand total of 15 miles! Make sure to take it easy on your Thursday run, your body is still getting use to running and you have just pushed yourself probably further than you ever had before.
Good job! Week 2 is next.
Posted in Marathon Training, Running | Tagged: Marathon Training, Running | 4 Comments »
