When I started running in 1998 with my high school track team, my focus was the 1500m and 3000m events. In truth, I have never been a great runner, but I have always been a good runner. Running epitomized my definition of fitness: fast = fit; a simple equation. The advice I heeded regarding running was also simple. I would become an even better runner as I ran more and more.
In 2008, I decided to start running farther and registered for my first half marathon. I spent weeks doing on-line research focusing on the best ways to train for a half marathon. All the top running websites said, more or less, the same thing. One should run five to six days a week. Of those days, one should be spent completing a long, slow run, another day should have the runner doing hill repeats (their version of strength training), and finally, the others days should have the runner completely 5kms at a reasonably fast pace. This made sense to me and this is what I did. As a result, I successfully ran my first half-marathon and so I decided to use this program for my next 6 half-marathons. My times fluctuated, but I finally managed to reach my goal of a sub-2 hour half. So what if I ran it in 1:59.0? It was still under sub-2 hour half and that’s what counts.
I learned that the downfall of this program was that you had to put in a lot of miles and time over a 16 weeks – 491 kms to be exact. This creates a lot of wear and tear on the body. I was plagued with shin splints and sciatic pain, and would often spend the 2 days after a long run hobbling around. I figured no pain, no gain, so kept at it. Unfortunately, I seemed to have stalled at that 2 hour time. I was no longer making progress and if anything, my times were slowing down.
Enter CrossFit. After toying around with the idea of joining for over a year, I finally gave it a go, but simply as a means to get stronger so that I could possibly run faster. Nine months after joining CrossFit, I ran a half and still didn’t PR my previous best time. Man, was I frustrated.
At this point, I talked to Kevin about wanting to PR at my next event. We talked about it A LOT. He recommended that I do a series of high intensity intervals and suggested that putting in the miles wasn’t going help me reach my goal of sub 1:55. I thought he was crazy, but what did I have to lose? I figured I was only 31 years old and if I wasn’t successful, I would have many of other opportunities to train the “right way” later. So, I took the plunge.
On Kevin’s training program, I ended up running less than 200 kms in preparation for this year’s Legs for Literacy. I saw improvements in my running almost immediately. I still did the occasional long run to monitor my progress and was able to run comfortably at a significantly faster pace than I had in the past. As a result of illness and injury, I had to take 2 weeks off on two separate occasions prior to the event. Because of this and my fear that my race time would be compromised, I was extremely nervous the week before the race sensing I had not done the training required to finish the race let alone meet my time goal.
On October 27, I ran my best race to date. Not only did I exceed my goal of a sub – 1:55 half, but my time was 1:48. I PR’d my best time by 11 minutes and finished 16th of about 200 in my division. Even better than that is the fact that I didn’t have any sciatic pain or shin splints the entire time I trained. I also felt recovered within hours. I am officially a convert and have a Running Room training guide to give away if anybody is interested.
Today is a double strength day. Work your two (or one) strengths of your choice.
Cashout – Try a rope climb
If you have extra time, work on a “goat” (something you suck at).
Great story Terri-Lynn! What an accomplishment! 🙂
Great story! Congrats!!
Was hoping the weather would start later…don’t want to risk taking Lydia on the roads this morning. Please cancel my 10am.
Mob
Group wu
Strength snatch 5 rep
75,85,95,105,115(f),115 matched my theoretical 5rep max. Had a 1 rep max of 135
Clean and jerk ladder 10 min amrap
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected] times up
Jeremy you called it my heavy weight stamina is not there yet. Going to be interesting next month.
Congrats to everyone on there pr’s today
Few stretches…
GHD Situps 10-15-25
GHD Hip Ext. 10-15-25
Back Squat
5-3-3-2-1
225-275-335-385-405
Push Press
5-3-2-2-1
185-195-215-225-235
Great read Terri-Lynn. If I ever can get my right knee fixed, I would love to train for a half marathon with you some day using the high intensity interval training recommended by Kevin.
Strength: OHS from rack
sets of 3:35-55-65-75
sets of 2: 85-95
sets of 1: 105-110-115-120(PR)
Strength: Back Squat
sets of 3: 85-95-105-115
sets of 2: 125-135-155-165
sets of 1: 175-185-195(PR) -200 ( fail)
Thanks so much for the spots and the encouragement Lora, Joey and Mario!
Fun class. Thanks for coaching Mario.
You have that 200# back squat next time…for sure!
Nice job on the OHS’s too!
Nice PR’s Corinna!
Quick mobility
Barbell warmup
Strength #1: Backsquat (find 1RM)
95(10)-155(5)-185(3)-205(2)-225-245-255#
Woohoo! 10# PR
It was fun sharing a bar with you Joey. Thanks!
Strength #2: OHS
65(5)-85(5)-95(5)-105(3)-115(2)-125
Snatched all except for 125# which I cleaned then pressed from behind neck
Matched previous PR
Climed the rope 🙂
Thanks Coach Mario!
I am in awe of your numbers and not to mention your spot on technique. Good job today!
Nice OHS Lora – I remember seeing you struggle with much lighter weights when you first started. Nice work, 125# is awesome
HA! Yes…I struggled to OHS a dowel (to a box) when I started. I will try from rack next time, as getting the weight from G2OH was the toughest part for me today….yay for progress! 😀
Thanks for sharing your story Terri-Lynn. Congratulations on a whopping 1/2 marathon PR! Extra bonus that it was achieved without shin splints and sciatic pain.
Mobility
WUx1
WOD: Double Strength Day
Back Squats:
65-75-85-95 x5
105-115-125-135 x3
145(PR)-150(PR) x1
Squat Cleans:
65×5
75-85 x3
95-105-115-120(PR) x1
Cashout: 2x Rope Climbs
Congrats on your back squat PR! I knew you could do it!!
And what’s that? A squat clean PR too?
You are getting so strong! Look out Mario! 😀
Thankx Lora! 🙂
WOW Steph your strength has increased SO fast lately!
CongratsTerri Lynn and thanks for sharing your story. Nice work to all the Sunday folks. It was fun getting to see Corinna and Lora get those impressive PRs.
Great story Terri- Lynn.
Great story, Terri-Lynn! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing your story Terri Lynn!!!
Congrats terri-lynn amazing progress 🙂
Wux1+Mob
OH Squats
65×5-75×5-85×5-95×5-115×5-125×2-135×3-145×1-155×2-165×2-170×1-185×1
Spent whole class on OH squats