But also, it was just a strong day. And, as I say in my blog signature, you just have to be ready to grab it when Grace lays in down in front of you, and I was. Also, I made sure to get on the floor A LOT yesterday as well and get fully opened up and my back and lats really appreciated that as well. The up and down dogs are foundational and I made sure to give them their due and my calves, hamstrings ( and knee) appreciated it as well as my back.
But even still the first five laps were slow 8:38s and I didn't think it was going to be a great ruck, but I still felt loose, which is key; I just thought I was going to stay slow the whole time.
But lap six went 10 seconds faster as did the next two laps then even faster as I dropped another ten seconds into 8:10 range and had a real PR of 7:59 for my last lap ( 12)! Finished in 1 hour 50 minutes or so including 12 sets of squats as well on each lap.
Went back to varying the width each set too and that felt good. But it was being fully hydrated and stretched that seemed to make the biggest difference. As I like to say the only thing harder than figuring it out is remembering to do it!
As I was walking in the much cooler morning I realized that ruck walking and general conditioning in general are SO key to basic body hardening. As former Delta operator Ed Burgarin said "it's hard to be hard" ( interview here) and that's so true. And it's so important. Especially as we age. It's tougher to stay in shape as we get older and we need MORE work, not less.
But we can't expect to eat soft food and be hard, or do soft workouts and be hard or to be too easy on ourselves and be hard. It just doesn't happen that way and the great thing is, it's true for everybody. Completely democratic. If you have a hard body after age 23 or so you are earning it- everyday.
Because if you slack off- it goes right away- fast.
I'm so blessed now that I have a new knee and I can really take the conditioning to the next level what gift.
And, as always, it's the basics that get us there, basic training, basic eating, basic maintenance work.The frills are fun but they are the icing on the cake, not the main meal.
Going to switch tomorrows push workout to pushups and see how that goes. I'd love to be able to do total workloads of 100 reps per workout. That would be a great base
datsit
neverquit.
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4 comments:
This is your best post in a long time. I agree 100% with everything in it. I just had the discussion last night about our 'pill society.' Nobody wants to work hard anymore. They want a pill.
Mark, I agree with Morgan's comments. Outstanding post and I greatly enjoyed it. I am about to turn 37. I am in the best shape and overall health of my life and feel blessed. It has not come without significant work however, trials and tribulations. I work with mostly young college graduates and look their age and can physically run circles around them, so to speak. But that is not why I train. I do it because it gives me the confidence to know I can accomplish great things in life and that I am setting an example of health for my two young children. We learn by example Mark, and you are an outstanding role model in your own right. Keep going.
chris thanks so much for the kind words and for commenting. It's much appreciated.
it's so important for us to walk our talk, even more so if we have kids. they learn much more by watching us than my listening to us, let me tell you, and you never know when what you've done is going to "sink in".
I train because I hate feeling weak and that's my natural state. I've never been a naturally strong guy so I HAVE to keep physically and mentally strong with consistent training or it's a fast ride downhill.
there is no standing still, one is either going forwards or backwards and now, as I approach the last part of this time here I want to be as strong and fit as possible.
growing old certainly ain't for sissies or weaklings.
thanks Morgan I was more inspired than I've been in a long time. don't know why but I'll take it :)
mostly this blog anymore is just a record of my workouts. it used to be much more 'thoughtful' and philosophical but it's all I can do these days just to get the workouts recorded.:)
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