So I have gotten in 3 workouts the last 4 days.  After my long run on Monday my foot started to hurt…I figured it would go away and went out to do a 6 mile run Tuesday but only was able to finish 4 miles.  It was a good pace for me so it felt good except my foot was still killing me.  I decided to take Wednesday off.  Yesterday I decided to do more interval training.  I went out for a 2 mile run at a good pace and then ran a 800/400/100/100 sprints.  I wanted to get the 800 meters done in 3:44 and finished a lot quicker then expected at 3:27.  I then ran the 400 right at 2:00 which is what I was shooting for.  A couple 100 yds at 90% maxed out and I was beat.  But my foot was still killing me.

So I decided today to get a 9 mile bike ride in and skip the running.  I may take a few days off and see how it feels.  I am going away for a week and brining my bike so if I can’t run I will get some long bike rides in.  Need to start swimming again…that is my weakest leg.

Been a tough week for me as far as working out goes.  On the road and just haven’t had a chance to get in a  workout at night and in the morning have not been able to get out of bed.  So, I basically forced myself to get up and workout this morning and I am glad I did.

The treadmills at the hotel are decent and it was dark when I got up, so I just ran inside.  It’s only been three days since my last run, but it still took a bit to get warmed up.  I did a 3.25 mile jog at a comfortable pace followed by .25 mile intervals.  For the interval work I did .25 miles at 6:30-6:50 mile pace and then would rest for .25 miles.  Towards the end, I shortened up the rest so that I could get in an extra interval.  I ended up doing two miles total of intervals, with 1.25 of it at the picked up pace.  All and all a good workout.

On another note, in regards to the FFB’s comment the other day that his 6-mile run was like a rest day and a waste of his time…..I think he’s now officially out of control!  That’s why he’s our leader.

Had a 6am flight this morning so chances of a workout today are slim…up at 3:40am, so I can’t wait for bed.  I did the lawn and other yard work yesterday in the heat, which back in the day I would have counted as a workout.  Given how hot I was, it probably would have been the smart approach.  Anyway, I called it a 1.5 hour warm up and then ran 2 miles at a picked up pace from my longer jogs ( came in at 8:25/mi).  Was happy with that and just glad I was able to get a workout in both Saturday and Sunday.  Going to get something in tomorrow morning, as well.  Depending on the area around my hotel , probably either a jog outside or on the treadmill.

Interval Training – Today is the start of the P90X MASS rest week. My focus this week will shift from building muscle to losing fat. This weeks schedule…

Day 1 – Interval Training
Day 2 – Core Synergistics
Day 3 –  Interval Training
Day 4 – Interval Training
Day 5 – Core Synergistics
Day 6 – Interval Training

The beauty of interval training is that you can incorporate it into most fitness activities whether it’s running, biking, swimming, etc… Ultimately, the goal is to increase / decrease your pace throughout your workout. My plan is to continue doing what I am doing which has been sprinting. Sprinting may be one of the best activities for burning fat and I do not mind doing them so no need to change it up. I may also double up on a  couple of the days with a  4 mile steady pace jog. Since I have started P90X MASS, I have not been doing much cardio as too much can hinder muscle growth. Seeing that there will not be any resistance training this week, my plan is to step it up a notch on cardio…then cut back again after this week is over. 

For more information on interval training, click here…

This morning’s workout – Started with a mile warm-up while increasing/decreasing my pace a bit. I then performed fifteen 40 yard sprints. I would sprint 40 yards, jog back, sprint 40 yards, jog back, etc… I continued this until I completed fifteen of them. My goal is to increase the number of sprints I run to twenty by the end of the week.

Answer: Interval Training / Sprinting

Interval Training is a type of physical training that involves burst of high intensity activity followed by low intensity activity. An example of this type of training could be running on a treadmill at a slow pace for three minutes and then increasing your pace for one minute…followed by decreasing it for another three minutes, then increasing it again for one minute. Another example would be sprinting. You could sprint 50 yards, jog or walk back to your starting point and sprint another 50 yards.

Interval training is considered one of the most effective methods of reducing fat. This type of training not only burns more calories than low intensity training but it also can be done in a shorter amount of time. It also stimulates your metabolism well after the workout is complete. Running has always been considered a great exercise to help shed unwanted fat. One drawback with running is your metabolism only speeds up during and maybe a short period after your run is complete. Interval Training / Sprinting on the other hand will boost your metabolism for hours and hours after your workout is complete, turning your body into a fat burning machine throughout the day!

The below plan is just one example of interval training, you should be able to use this technique with any fitness activity. (more…)