Guinea Pig Workout Weeks 6 & 7 - by Carrie Adamson

Sometimes life just takes over. I apologize to anyone who has been following me that I haven’t written a summary for a couple weeks. Like so many others I have other commitments and trying to juggle all of them can be tiring. Like others I am tired, get headaches, or just don’t want to get out and go. You have to want it, always remember the feeling that you get when you’re done and want it. Training, not just exercising is almost like a second full time job. I run six days a week, workout with Alan and Corina three times, so that makes for three days of double workouts. Each one is at least an hour. But it is a commitment I made and put priority on to make it at the top of the list. It competes with other things I do in my life, but I am determined to do it all. So here is what has happened in my training the last two weeks. 

My build weeks came back with a vengeance. Like Alan and Corina said after my recovery week my body did feel light, refreshed, stronger. But one day back at full speed in the studio and I was feeling the burn for sure. My second build session started with two legs days and one upper body. Any exercise that used weights had them increased. My second build week was on arms and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to make it through. Along with the weight increases I was pretty beat up from my running workouts and not getting as much sleep as I should from being out. I feel like a struggled a bit on my upper body days and there were times in my head I was telling myself I wanted to be done, not finish my sets. So hearing Alan behind me pushing me on to get through makes the biggest difference. I am getting down to the wire, only four weeks to go until my race, so making sure I get the rest and sleep I need is just as important as my running and weight training. 

I am starting so feel some aches and pains from the training. Alan calls them something different, but with his accent I can’t quite tell what the word is. I think it starts with the letter n? My soft tissue recovery work has been a welcomed treat at the end of my weeks. For the first time two weeks ago I was tag teamed by Alan and Corina during my massage, both working on my legs at the same time. Alan worked on both my legs and let Corina be the mean one and really work out the trouble spots making me grimace for the last half. Last week I was still having some trouble in my hamstring, or what I think is my hamstring and Alan taped it up with Rock Tape. This tape felt like it was a gentle stretch, a massage for the few days I kept the tape on. It is almost like a battle scar. I got asked several times what it was and I got to explain it making it seem like I am a trooper for battling through the pain. A cool feeling to have, knowing I am still able to work out and getting the attention my pains are getting taken care of before they become injuries. Just like sleep and rest, listening to your body for the aches and getting them treated is just as important. 

My life has kept me busy, two full time jobs – the one that pays the bills and training for the Boston Marathon plus spending much needed time with my boyfriend, family and friends. I am happy to do it all and hope that I have the right balance of it all. Back to the grind.