I have this workout buddy – Laura. Since running the LA Marathon back in March of this year, she’s been feeling pretty crappy. Kinda fatigued and weak and just generally crappy. She used to get through our workouts with toughness, stick right with me on all our runs, and usually kicked my ass on anything uphill. For the last few months she’s been struggling.
Enough was enough. She visited a doctor and found out she’s anemic. Laura’s been on supplements for a week or so and it looks like the girl I once knew is back. Big time. It’s amazing what a little iron can do for you! Once you get those little oxygen transporters up to speed, your muscles get all happy and ready to do.
We started this morning’s workout with 16 minutes of strength training taking exercise ideas from the current set of WOWs. We had four pairs of activities – one upper body exercise, one core. We did 30 second switches between the two activities for 4 minutes for each of the four pairs. We used some of my favorite toys for the upper body stuff: Bodyweight Rows with TRX Bands, Medicine Ball Overhead Throw and Catch, Resistance Band Swimmers, and Kettlebell Swings. Then it was a Bosu Ball and mats for the core work. Laura went through all the activities looking like she was working but not beat. That should have been my first clue that the old Laura was about to make her full return.
It was time to run. We only had 32 minutes left in the workout so we ran out from my house for 16 minutes then turned around and headed back. The first half was mostly downhill, making the return . . . yep, you guessed it . . . mostly uphill and harder than the first part. Over the last few months, I would usually lose Laura after the first 5 minutes or so and finish way ahead of her. Not so today.
I heard the pitter patter of her feet right behind me. She was sticking with me today, step for step. I was running at faster than my normal pace too. I figured if we only had 32 minutes, I was going to get the most out of it and push myself a bit. I picked up the pace as we ran trying to put some space between she and I. Laura was right on my heels. 10 minutes in, still there. I even tore off my shirt and wore it like a cape to ignite my super-powers. Or maybe I did it to cool myself off from the hard work I was doing.
At the turn around point, she was still right there, on my ass. As we began our return trip she was just about breathing down my neck. I actually thought she’d drop off somewhere around this point, since it was getting harder with the gradual incline. But no, she just got closer. I think I was the one slowing down (even with my “cape” flying in the wind and my way cool tie dye sports bra making me feel strong).
I invited her to pass me if she wanted to. When she turned me down, I decided I’d better work even harder. Having her on right on my back, hearing her footsteps so close, made me want to dig deeper and try to get going. Finally we hit the big hill that leads back to my house. This is where I knew for sure the old Laura was back.
As soon as the climb start, there she went. That’s the runner I knew. This girl loves the hills. She blew right past me not slowing down a bit. I worked but couldn’t catch or keep up with her. She finished a good 10 seconds ahead of me. As I “sprinted” the last few yards, that girl was looking strong and happy. She was so glad to feel energetic and back to her normal fit self.
A great run for her – back to her usual fit, strong, hill-conquering self. And a great run for me. I ran 3.8 miles in just 1 second over 33 minutes. That means I was running 8 minute 36 second miles. That’s pretty stinking fast for this girl. All because I was being pushed by Laura.
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