When I worked at the Sports Club/LA here in San Francisco, the NBA teams would come to our gym to work out, do their shoot-arounds, and train.  I found it fascinating that the teams would come in to lift weights on game day. Wouldn’t they want to stay fresh and avoid fatigue? Why were they lifting weights on game day?

I never asked any of the trainers, but I suspect that the goal was for players to activate their muscles and also to build strength and endurance to play forty-eight minutes or more of basketball.  Basketball requires a ton of conditioning, and the games are close together, not allowing for much recovery time. I used to see the poor NBA players in the café at the gym with bags of ice taped all over their bodies due to the various aches and pains.

I decided the same theory could apply to running a race. Why not do a 15-minute leg workout before my long run that incorporates balance, strength, and even some plyometrics?  My theory is that it will help me build strength and conditioning in my legs for the race.

This week, I did my first long run for the SF10K.  I had planned to run 6.2 miles, but I ended up running 5.2 miles using a 1-minute and 15-second run and 1-minute walk interval.  I set the timer for 1 hour and 20 minutes and came up 1 mile short.  I am changing my goal time to 1 hour and 30 minutes.  I started off thinking I could run for a longer interval, but by the time I got to 4 miles, I knew I was at the correct interval for this week.

I was surprised at how hard it was for me even to reach five miles, but I haven’t run that far in at least two years, so I’m pretty sure next week will be better.  It’s that first hump to get over and get my mind right to run the 6.2 miles.  I am also fourteen years older than I was

Before starting the run, I ran into three women who asked me to take their picture.  They run together every week and like to take before-and-after photos.  One woman was wearing an SF marathon shirt, and so I asked if anyone was running this year’s race.  The woman in the SF Marathon shirt was running the Full Marathon, another was running the SF Half Marathon, and the other woman just wanted to finish the run for today!  How great is that?! Every woman had her own goal, but they supported one another.  I enjoy how fitness and exercise bring people together.

Those women inspired me to take my photo after my run today, and I look forward to doing it every week.

 

Next week I plan on running the whole 6.2 miles!