Running is therapy; lifting is empowering.

I refuse to complete a traditional half marathon training program for this half-marathon that I'm running in November. I guess you could say I'm going with what some might say is running "YOLO" style. I just can't bring myself to doing long, boring runs for the next 12ish weeks. It just isn't gonna happen. I will get bored and my knees will scream at me daily. It will make work miserable as a physical education teacher considering I'll be on my feet moving for at least 80% of my day. I just can't bring myself to doing all these steady state cardio runs and burning through muscle. Yes, I'm not willing to sacrifice my muscle that I've been trying really hard to gain.

So, what am I going to do? I'm gonna follow a typical lifting plan and incorporate HIIT runs with at least one long run a week. I've already tested my endurance last week and I'm able to run almost 8 miles with no problem and only finishing 2 minutes behind my race pace. The half marathon is 13.1 miles on November 16. I'm not worried about traditional training -- at all.

Why the title of this post?
Well, it is the exact reason why I won't give up running for good -- even though my knees would probably prefer it. And it is the reason I won't stop lifting to focus on running. To me, there is no better time to reflect on how I feel and what is going on in my life than heading out the front door with my iPod on my arm and sneakers hitting the pavement one step at a time. It is my therapy. It is my drug. I absolutely refuse to give into today's society where it is pills, pills, and more pills to deal with the stresses of life. Sometimes I get really down, but I don't want anti-depression pills to be my crutch. A lot of the time I get really anxious over the unknown (the future, money, everything), and I refuse to take anti-anxiety pills to help me deal with my issues. WHY? Because I want to feel everything. I want to be human. Also, because I get my mind sorted out when I walk into the gym and put iron in my grip or head out the front door with nothing but pavement to guide my heart. THAT is my pill. That is my drug. And until that stops working for me, I will not be going to get on pills. I dare any of you reading this to start running or lifting for 12 weeks (especially when you're stressing out) and not have it change your life. I love knowing that if I were to ever be faced with a life or death situation I would be able to at least put up a good fight because I'm healthy and strong. Thank you, exercise, for empowering me with those feelings.

Anyway, this week I started the Erin Stern Elite Body 4 week Trainer. So far I like it I think. I joined a challenge on bodybuilding.com that lasts for 6 weeks in order to keep myself motivated. The top female winner has a grand prize of $12,500 and it was free to enter. So I figured I had nothing to lose (except inches and fat) and everything to gain (muscle, money, and/or food).

Today's training was a cardio/abs day. It was an interval day for 30 minutes but she wasn't specific about what intervals you had to do. So I had fun with the treadmill. Fun & treadmill don't usually go hand in hand in the same sentence, but you don't have to be boring when you're at the gym!! This is what today's workout looked like for the cardio portion:

5 minute bike warm up
0-1 minute walk on treadmill speed 4.0
1-11 minutes 30 seconds on 30 seconds off sprints. First 5 minutes speed 10 second 5 minutes speed 10.5
11-25 minutes incline at 5% jog/walk 1 minute walk speed 4.0 1 minute jog race pace (speed 6.0)
25-25:30 minutes return to flat at a walk speed 4.0
25:30-30 minutes jog slightly faster than race pace speed 6.5
30-35 minutes cool down walk at speed of 3.5

I felt really good after this workout! It went quickly because I was changing it up throughout. My lungs were burning and so were my quads. Everything I was looking for in this workout! If you try it have fun!! All you need to get through a workout is a good playlist and a great mindset. :)

I don't go to the gym to look pretty. I get work done!