On Sunday the 13th of November I decided I needed to repeat Week 7 of the 10k Runner app as I had only done Days 1 and 2 and I struggled through them. I started with Week 7 Day 1:
- Warmup x 5 min
- Run x 20 min
- Cool down x 5 min
I couldn’t do it. I ran for 10 minutes, walked for 2 minutes, ran for 3 minutes, walked for 2 minutes and then ran until I got to 3 km. It was a real struggle – I was unmotivated and just not in the mood.
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 a short glutes circuit, just one set:
- Fire hydrants, forward x 10
- Fire hydrants, back x 10
- Fire hydrants, side x 10
- Repeat on the other side
I then did a harder circuit:
- Squats x 10
- Squat pulses x 10
- Romanian deadlifts x 10 (20-lb weights)
- Walking lunges x 2 lengths of the gym
- Rest and repeat
My right knee was feeling fine but I could feel my left knee starting to twinge when I was doing the walking lunges – so I only did two sets of the exercises.
I then did an abs circuit:
- Hanging knee raises x 10
- Prisoner bends x 20, alternating 10 on each side
- Butterfly situps x 15 (10-lb weight)
I had some water and did the next group of exercises:
- Overhead pullover x 12 (10-lb weights)
- Incline upright row x 12 (15-lb weights)
- Incline lateral raise x 12 (resistance band)
- Rest x 30 s and repeat two more times
I did the same abs circuit as before, had some more water and then moved on to the next group of exercises:
- Fly x 12 (10-lb weights)
- Pushups x 12
- Overhead tricep extension x 12 (10-lb weight)
- Rest x 30 s and repeat two more times
I did the same abs circuit again and finished off with some stretches.
On Tuesday I went to the gym intending to run for 20 minutes but again, I couldn’t do it. I got to 10 minutes and walked/ran the rest of the way until I got to 3 km.
I had another session with Pete on Wednesday morning. I began with some stretches and 400 m on the cross-trainer. After a quick sip of water, I began the first Tabata circuit:
- Kettlebell swings x 20 s
- Rest x 10 s
- Ladder – side steps x 20 s
- Rest x 10 s
- Repeat for 4 minutes
I then did an abs circuit:
- Reverse wood chopper on one knee x 10 on each side (10-lb weight)
- Scissors x 20
- Mountain climbers x 20
- Toe touches x 20
I had a short break and some water and did the next group of exercises:
- Combined deadlift/press x 10 (10-lb weights)
- Bent over row x 10 (15-lb weights)
- Bar pushups x 10
- Ladder – salsa steps x 2 lengths of the ladder
I did five sets of that group of exercises, no stops. In the first set, I did 10 reps; in the second set, I did 7 reps; in the third set, I did 5 reps; and in the fourth and fifth sets, I did 3 reps.
After some more water I did another set of the same abs exercises. I then did 4 minutes of Tabata on the cross-trainer (20 s sprinting, 10 s easy, repeating for 4 minutes).
Then came another set of the same abs exercises and finally there was some stretching to finish off the session.
I went to the gym on Thursday morning, very reluctantly. I had no intention of running and ended up walking for 3 km instead.
I didn’t work out again in the week.
Distance covered? 9 km.
Low point of the week? Not being able to run and not being very motivated either.
High point of the week? I made it to the gym rather than staying in bed, which would have been much more pleasurable!
Weight loss? Meh.
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Notes by Nectar 