Since I started training in May, I have been terrified (and kind of apprehensive) about training outdoors. I have NOT a clue as to why I had that irrational fear or thinking. I stayed in the gym, training with my PT, doing boot camp, lifting weights and running on the treadmill. When I went on vacation to the Philippines in mid-July and finally got REAL fresh air and didn’t have a chance to get to the gym more than TWICE for 16 days I realized I needed to step it up.
Actually, it was also when I came back and got back in the gym with my trainer that I realized that. Something wasn’t working and something needed to change for me to TRULY be ready for a Spartan race or any other obstacle/mud run. The simplest and FREEST solution lie in the Parcours Trails at the nearby parks. IDIOT! Why didn’t I think of that earlier? The weather is nice. Let’s switch it up!
Now I’m not a runner. Doing a 5k is even a stretch. I hate hate hate running long distance for the sake of running. I think that’s why I am aiming towards OCRs. Run for a bit, conquer and obstacle, run some more up, down and around, obstacles. I’m stronger girl than I am a runner girl. The Parcours Fitness stations were fun and changed it up.
Using my own body weight is what I needed to train (not belittling weightlifting because I LOVE doing that!!). Doing pushups, dips, pullups, squats, etc. My first run on the parcours I torched 700+ calories in 45 minutes between the running, the stations, the burpees and squats we added, etc. I fell in love. For almost four weeks now, I run a parcours at least three times a week and I must say, running in the woods on gravel and dirt is more fun than the treadmill ever will be.
Just a couple of stations below: Step Ups, Body Curls, Pushups on a bench (reppin’ Spartan) and a shot of my friend Cassy running ahead of me on the path!
This is my nemesis. It kills me that I can’t cross the monkey bars but I’m training and I try every time I go to the park. The other day my boyfriend held me and assisted me across. It was still rough but I’m glad he was there to help me. 🙂
Below are some burpees on a bum ankle. Made it hard to kick the feet back but I continued on and did my thirty for that pic! Also me running up the steps and back down the hill and playing on the monkey bars! Neither of those forms were successful! Haha. Working on it.
Here are a couple of the shots that make me feel B.A.!! Although I’m not as far down on the pushup as I’d have liked, this was my second day on the course and it was still very hard for me to do those. And on the right, I found a log to carry around with me which I didn’t think would be so bad because it wasn’t that heavy at all but you know what? It created awkwardness and I had to compensate for the unbalance. It was a good learning tool and I picked him up again the other day because I hid my buddy for future use!Â
This is just silliness. Practicing our balance on a fallen log, my bff and I. We were actually waiting for the pull up bar to be free from a group of people using it. And then me on the body curl station, taking a moment to take in nature … and a breather!
So from log jumps, sit ups, arm walks (which I can’t do!), spring boards, monkey bars, pushups, zig zag runs, balance beams, benches for dips, etc. You can do anything out there. Running up hills on uneven ground makes for good conditioning for the legs. We like to add jumping jacks, burpees, squats to a quick run and if there is ever a station I can’t do, I do pushups!
This week we are going to start utilizing the field beside the course to do bear crawls, crab walks, sprints, etc. Changing up the routine will be fun and beneficial!!
Thanks for the support guys!! Love the love!
K
The Baby Spartan 