Running and press ups

I don’t know whether it had any effect, but since the fast 60min row last weekend I’ve been feeling a bit lacking in energy this week.

I did a first attempt at this month’s CTC challenge on Wednesday:

6k = 20:44.9 / 1:43.7 / 29

I didn’t aim to go very fast on this first attempt, but it felt a lot harder than it should have done. So I decided to take a break from the erg for a few days, and have just done a couple of 5k treadmill runs instread:

Friday – 5k treadmill = 22:48

Sunday – 5k treadmill = 22:20

Because I don’t run normally in my training I’m trying to ease gradually into some running by making myself only do these fairly short runs initially, and hopefully by breaking into it that way I will be able to integrate a bit of running regularly into my training. I’ll do a few more 5k’s before increasing the distance and doing a bit of outside running. As I have very good CV fitness I can run reasonably fast for a fair distance if I want to, but it then can leave my legs aching for a few days after as the muscles just aren’t used to it. So slow and steady is the way to begin.

Press ups:

I read in a magazine about a programme that can enable you to do 100 press ups straight off after 6 weeks of specific training. I read about this while doing one of the exercise in heat trials at work, and remembered this weekend to look up the website.

http://hundredpushups.com/index.html

I am going to have a go at the training programme. I did the initial test to set the starting point for the programme today and did 20 good form press ups. I could have carried on further but I think my form would have either started to go, or I wouldn’t have gone low enough, so I will take this as my starting point. From the link about this gives me a rank 3 starting point. I had read the programme before and knew that over 20 would mean following the recommendation to begin at week 3, but I still feel I wouldn’t have been using good form any more.

Therefore my three press up sessions for week 1 are:

Session 1: 5 sets / 60sec rest of 10, 12, 7, 7, 9+

Session 2: 5 sets / 90sec rest of 10,12,8,8,12+

Session 3: 5 sets / 120sec rest of 11,15,9,9,12

It looks like a good training method to me, as someone who is a strong advocate of interval training in CV exercise. If I don’t blog about my progress on the “onehundredpushups” plan ask me how I’m going to make sure I complete the full 6 weeks!

Shirley – yes I have considered allowing rowpro entries for the Farnborough 5k comp. The thing that puts me off is that it might stop some people attending the days racing when they can stay at home and row via rowpro instead. I might still consider it though.