Thursday 22 October 2009

Feel the fear and try not to panic

Two weeks back I had a terrible workout where we were training in the weight room and it was really humid.  I was working really hard (cardio and weights) when I literally felt like I couldn't breathe.  For the first time ever I had to stop the training and go outside to calm down.....kind of like a panic attack (although I've never had one before, so I am guessing).  I've never had anything like that before.  A week later I was doing another cardio session and it was like my body remembered and I had to pause again.  It really freaked me out.  My head knows/knew that there was plenty of oxygen but my mind body connection was going haywire.  Cos I'm not proud (well actually because I am proud and hated feeling like I wasn't able to control my mind/body) I asked a couple of people at work who workout a lot if they had any strategies. Two good pieces of advice - ignore anything that freaks you out and a breathing exercise. Combining these two strategies while Case putting me through a workout tonight (that included the freaky burpee exercises)  I willed myself not to think about panicking (well I don't know if that's what actually happened but that's what I was aiming for) and focused on the breathing exercise.  I can't say I was entirely comfortable but I didn't panic and feel my confidence returning.  Long may I never experience that feeling again!

Thursday 15 October 2009

Groan

Hideously hard workout on Tuesday has left me with very strained thigh muscles.....so strained that I couldn't work my legs out at all Wednesday and cancelled my training for Thursday.  It's annoying and makes me feel grumpy and out of sorts.  Want to go running, want to go running, want to go running...can't, grumpy.

Wednesday 7 October 2009

A lesson in recovery

So feeling both the agony and the ecstasy!  Ran the 6 miles in record time Friday, did 3.5 miles on the beach Saturday then 45mins on Stairmaster Sunday with 3.8 miles (in record time) Monday. Tuesday back to Case - did my fastest mile on the treadmill at 8:44mins...then proceeded to quietly collapse during the training as we worked on my legs.  Yikes, really felt the fatigue set in. Even Case commented that was the first time he'd seen me that fatigued, so today (Wednesday) is a rest day....  My legs felt so tired I could hardly drag myself around the office.  On the upside (always an upside), I am getting to experience first hand the importance of rest days!

Friday 2 October 2009