Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Fun at the track

Today I went over to the track to do some speedwork, but just didn't have the requisite "oomph" to do the mile repeats which I had planned. I ran two miles and then fizzled out and turned sluglike. Could I rescue this workout from its profound oomphlessness?

Inspired by some ideas which I had read long ago from Coach Neil Cook, I decided to mix it up a bit for several walking laps.

I walked normally around the curves (so as not to tweak my touchy knees), and on the straightaways I did all sorts of 100-yard sets of stuff like:
  • Giant steps
  • Sideways steps (50 yards left. 50 yards right)
  • Grapevine (50 yards left, 50 yards right)
  • Skipping
  • Knee-high marching
  • Butt kicks
  • Wide steps
  • Backwards walking
  • etc.

It ended up being quite a good workout! I woke up several long-forgotten muscles, mostly those lateral ones that don't get a lot of attention in straight-line running and cycling. It certainly elicited some strange stares from the nearby tennis players and construction workers, but I didn't care.

My butt is already incredibly sore, and I hold Neil Cook responsible.

4 comments:

A Wild Celtic Rose said...

Video...

We need VIDEO of this...

Herself, the GeekGirl said...

Yikes. Those sideways things always kick my butt!

UltraMamaC said...

very nice. reminds me I need to get out on the tennis courts with the boys again soon and work on the grapevine and side shuttles. We always have races with those. And yes, it hurts later, but in a good way.

jeanne said...

seriously. PHOTOS! Something!