Saturday, February 14, 2015

Winter Running with P90X3 - 3rd and Final Month

I'm a little late in posting this since some family matters came up but this was my final month of  P90X3.  I was really excited to see what I was able to do this month.  As I have done in the past I continued to push myself extra hard this last month.  I added reps and I increased the weight I lifted.  Tony, I brought it!!

The final month brings back some of the workouts from the first month -- Total Synergistic and The Challenge.  We still see month 2 workouts like MMX and we even see Pilates X. The new workout this month is Decelerator!

Total Synergistics is a total body workout but with an emphasis on the core with every more you do.  It is a strength training routine that sometimes uses dumbbells.  The moves are challenging but that is what you want when you workout, right?!

The Challenge is so....challenging.  Really, you pick a number for pushups and a number for pull-ups and you try to hit that number each time you do a variation of a push up/pull up.  Seriously, it is all push ups and pull ups!  Its crazy but I love it.  I have to use the pull up assist to do any more than 3 pull ups but I know it helps be develop strength.  It is a great tool that gives you an adjustable amount of lift so you can work your way up to more unassisted pull ups!

My monthly mileage was lower than the month before.  I ended December with 90 miles which is pretty good for me in a month I wasn't training for anything.  This month I concentrated mostly on P90X3 and going out 3 times a week to run, weather permitting, and keeping my long runs to about 6-7 miles.  February starts my training for my Ultra Relay for the Cape Cod Ragnar and I want a fresh start.

So overall,  I think completing P90X3, meaning doing ALL of the workouts AND running, is very doable.  I don't think it is smart to do it while training and doing high mileage.  If you are training, just incorporate the workouts into your cross training schedule.  Another observation I have is that rest days are important. I am sure to do this schedule again next winter but I will do better about doubling up on the workouts on days I am not running so that I can be better about having rest days just be dynamix and not feeling like I need to make up a workout.


Virtual Half Marathon

Block 3

Week 1

Monday:Decelerator
Tuesday: 4 mile run
Wednesday: 1 mile on the treadmill, the Challenge (it's back!) and Agility
Thursday: 13.1 mile run baby!  That's how I start the new year!!
Friday: REST. Total Rest. I needed it!
Saturday: 6 mile run, Yoga and Triometrics.  It was a tough day.
Sunday: Total Synergistics and Dynamix

Week 2

This block mixes things up so you are not doing the same workouts each week and you get more variety.

Let me preface this week by saying the temperature was as low as -5 F and never was much higher than 8 F.  No run outside expect Monday.

Monday: 5 mile run
Tuesday: rest day - I felt like I was coming down with something so I opted for rest. Again, I needed it!
Wednesday: Decelerator and MMX
Thursday: Triometrics -- I love this workout!
Friday: Pilates - It's growing on me
Saturday: Eccentric Lower
Sunday: 3 miles on the treadmill and Dynamix

Week 3

It was another really, and I mean  REALLY cold week so not much running outside.  Plus I had to travel to Texas

Monday: 1 mile on the treadmill and Decelerator
Tuesday: 1 mile on the treadmill and Agility X
Wednesday: 1 mile on the treadmill and the Challenge -- I pushed extra hard because it was my birthday!
Thursday: 2.2 miles on the treadmill and Yoga X3 in the hotel room
Friday: 4.69 miles outside in Texas!!
Saturday: 1 mile on the treadmill and Triometrics
Sunday: 1.5 miles on the treadmill, Dynamix and ab work

So this week I missed Total Synergistics.  With traveling I just couldn't fit it in.  Yes, I could have done it on Sunday but I really felt like I needed a rest day.  The run on the mill was not fast and it was a good warm up and Dynamix is a stretch routine mostly.  I've given my all through this journey so its ok if I left 1 workout on the table.


Week 4 is not a transition week!  It is a full week of tough workouts before Victory Week!!

Monday: 7.11 miles outside.  It was icy but we found some dry roads. I also did Decelerator since I had the day off.
Tuesday: MMX
Wednesday: Upper Eccentric and ab work
Thursday: 5 mile run outside
Friday: 1 mile on the treadmill, Triometric and Yoga.  Pilates was scheduled this week but my back was crying for yoga.  I also did some ab work.
Saturday: 8 mile run in the snow and Lower Eccentric.  This was a hard day.  But I did not want to do Lower Eccentric on Sunday and not have a rest day.  Rest is very important for so many reasons.  Your muscles repair during rest and that means growth.  You'll likely get injured if you don't rest and you will burn out and get bored without rest.
Sunday: Dynamix



Victory week -- the final days!

Ok, I must say by now I am tired so I am thankful for victory week!  I did not run at all this week. 

Monday: Isometrix
Tuesday: Accelerator
Wednesday: Pilates X
Thursday: Yoga X
Friday: Dynamix
Saturday: Dynamix



So what were my results?

I was mainly going for strength and muscle, which I believe I achieved.  I am able to do more unassisted pull ups and I was able to increase the amount of weight I lifted.  However, I did lose 3 pounds and an inch off my waist.  I call that success.