Notes by Nectar

On Sunday the 23rd of October I began the week with Week 6 Day 1 of the 10k Runner app:

• Warmup x 5 min
• Run x 10 min
• Walk x 5 min
• Run x 10 min
• Cool down x 5 min

The first 10-minute run wasn’t too bad but I struggled in the second run. I struggled but didn’t stop. I need to sort out my breathing – everything else seems to be going OK. Anyway, I managed to do it!

I had a session with Pete on Monday morning. I began with a warmup which consisted of:

• Mobilisation exercises
• Walkouts, pushups, squats, airplanes, lunges, etc.
• Cross-trainer x 400 m

As usual, Monday was my weights session and I began with something Pete called ‘the gauntlet’ using 10-lb weights throughout:

• Tricep pullovers x 10
• Abdominal toe touches x 10
• Glute bridges x 10
• Alternating chest press x 20
• Bent over row x 10
• Combined bicep curl/shoulder press x 10
• Squats x 10
• Romanian deadlift x 10
• Rest x 30 s
• Repeat

After two rounds of that, I had some water and moved on to the next group of exercises:

• Chest press x 12 (5 bars)
• Tricep extension x 12 (3 bars)
• Rest x 40 s and repeat two more times

I had some water and did the next group of exercises:

• Lateral pulldown x 12 (7 bars)
• Bicep curls x 12 (10-lb weights)
• Rest x 40 s and repeat two more times

I had some more water and moved on to the next group of exercises:

• Front squats x 12 (15-lb weights)
• Romanian deadlifts x 12 (20-lb weights)
• Rest x 40 s and repeat two more times

I did some stretches after that and was done for the day!

On Tuesday my shoulders and triceps were a bit sore and I was exhausted after sleeping badly for two nights in a row. If my brother hadn’t said he wanted to go to the gym, I’d have skipped it altogether. I got to the gym to find someone using my favourite treadmill so I started on the second one for Week 6 Day 2 of the 10k Runner app. It was supposed to go like this:

• Warmup x 5 min
• Run x 10 min
• Walk x 3 min
• Run x 10 min
• Cool down x 5 min

I couldn’t do it. I start the first 10-minute run and after just 4 minutes I had to slow down and walk. I walked for a couple of minutes and ran again and kept alternating until I got to 2.5 km. It took me about 22 minutes. I did some abs exercises while I was waiting for my brother to finish on the cross-trainer. Later that day, Pete texted me to ask how I was feeling and how my run went. I told him I barely managed to get to 2.5 km and just couldn’t run. He told me that he’d take 2.5 km on the treadmill over sitting on the sofa any day! I suppose he has a point  🙂

I had another session with Pete on Wednesday morning. I began with a warmup that consisted of stretches and lunges and walkouts and squats and airplanes and so on… While I was warming up, Pete told me I was going to do a BBG workout, each group of exercises consisting of 7-minute chunks. The first group consisted of:

• Low row x 12 (resistance bands)
• Plank/shoulder tap x 20
• Cross fly x 12 (resistance bands)
• Tricep extensions x 12 (10-lb weight)

There were no breaks in the 7 minutes and I had to go back to the beginning each time I finished the circuit. I had a break and some water and did 7 minutes of the second group of exercises:

• Bench step-ups x 10 on each side
• Combined squat/side kick x 5 on each side, alternating
• Pushups x 10
• Situps x 10

I had some more water and a break. The third chunk of 7 minutes consisted of:

• Tricep dips x 12
• Bicep curls x 12 (10-lb weights)
• Lateral pulldown x 12
• Crossover situp x 8 on each side

There was one more group of exercises so I did 7 minutes of the following:

• Combined squat/press x 12 (3-kg weights)
• Side bends x 10 on each side (15-lb weight)
• Bent over row x 12 (10-lb weights)
• Arms/leg V-sit x 8 on each side

That was more than enough for me! I was done. I did some stretches and went home.

I went back to the gym on Thursday and managed to do Week 6 Day 2 of the 10k Runner app:

• Warmup x 5 min
• Run x 10 min
• Walk x 3 min
• Run x 10 min
• Cool down x 5 min

Yes, I did it!

I didn’t work out again over the weekend.

Distance covered? 9.29 km.

Low point of the week? As my brother and his family were still visiting, we ate out every night. I also had a brunch on Friday which turned into drinks which turned into dinner!

High point of the week? I made it to the gym five times again!

Weight loss? None at all.

Read more updates here.