Why Vary Training Routines?

I thought it was time to talk a little bit about why I have chosen the training schedule that I have. You may have noticed that I do not do the same type of workout every day and, in fact, even my runs vary over the week. I am not running the same distance at the same pace every time I run.

Here's my training schedule in a nutshell -
Monday: Strength and Stretch
Tuesday: Incline/Bridge Run
Wednesday: Cross-train
Thursday: Speed Run and Strength
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Long Slow Run
Sunday: Cross train

Have you wondered why I'm doing this?

Basically, muscles have memory. Our bodies are very adaptable.

If you've ever started an exercise program, you've experienced this first hand. Remember the first day when you decided to do 50 sit-ups? Remember how you pushed your way through that long set and how incredibly sore you were the following day? Say hello to your rectus abdominus muscle!

Now, fast forward to the second week of your sit-up extravaganza. Were you sore after 50 sit-ups? Nope. Not any more. That's because your rectus abdominus muscles have gotten used to your routine. They know what you are going to do and they have gotten stronger and now they are prepared for your sit-ups. Those 50 sit-ups are not a challenge anymore.

Did you then change your sit-up routine and do side crunches next? Well, then say hello to your oblique muscles!

Get the picture?

If you don't change what you do, you are no longer challenging your body. Change can be working a whole new muscle or muscle group or it can be varying the amount of weight, the type of movement performed, or the changing how sets are performed. The options really are endless. Mixing up your workouts is so very important to continuing to improve your performance. Also, if you mix it up, you give your body a break and reduce the chances of injury. Trust me, if I ran every day, I would get injured!

I am trying to become a stronger, faster runner who can run longer distances. Will running 3 miles a day every day get me there? Well, perhaps. It will definitely keep my cardiovascular system purring but it probably won't do anything to make me run faster or longer. However, I will definitely reach those goals if I take one day to run a longer distance, take another day to run faster, and take another day to work on running strong. When I put all this training together at my next race, I should see improvement. Hmm. Stay tuned!

Training:
35 minutes on the dreaded elliptical
Calories burned: approximately 260

Easy enough workout. I just don't like the elliptical. My toes get all tingly after a little while and between that and the different type of effort, I was working hard to keep at it between 25 and 30 minutes. I hung on though, again reminding myself that my workouts feel too easy so I ought to push it! Once I hit 30 minutes, I was very happy to slow down for the last five minutes and get off that horrible machine!

Nutrition:
Calories: 1484 (under)
Carbs: 210g (in range)
Protein: 83g (over)
Fat: 48g (in range)
Sat Fat: 15g (over!)
Sodium: 2,600mg (over)
Cholesterol: 61mg (under)