Training Log; 10x10 sec isos

I warmed up on the elliptical, partly to test my HR monitor and partly because I really didn't want to run. Although my receiver might be a little off, I think the transmitter is pretty accurate. Because I didn't feel like just warming up, I did the fitness test. I was supposed to warm up for 3 minutes and then just continue as the machine increased the resistance.

The hardest part was keeping my strides per minute under 160; usually I try to stay around 180. Sometimes I just went faster, just because I could. According to the machine, my VO₂ max was 41 the first time and 45 the second time. This site says that anything about 41 for a female my age is superior, and this site has a great VO₂ max calculator (on which, according to my most recent 10K time, I find that my projected VO₂ max is 42 and my mile time should be 7:06). However, for comparison, Lance Armstrong's VO₂ max is about 85. I think I could study up on that subject a little, since I don't really know much about it. That is also something Will's been trying to get me to work on. Better pull out that email again, too.

Today's ISO workout was 2 or 3 sets of 10x10 seconds with a pop up at the end/beginning (depending on which way you look at it) of each interval. I decided I want to be able to walk tomorrow, so I did 2 sets of everything but the pull ups (more on that below):

• Lunge right--2 sets, no dropping my knee, pulling the whole time through hamstring and hip flexor and popping up and then right back down. Wow. Walking after this one was not fun, and I still had the next leg to do!
• Lunge left--2 sets, dropped my knee on the last 3 intervals of the last set, but still pulled the whole time just like the previous. And I thought walking after the first set was hard.
• Glute ham raise--2 sets; still working on getting this one right and finding something that works really well for this one. I could use a glute-ham stand, but since I don't know what that is, and Will showed me how to do it prone, I'll just stick with that. Pull through the hamstrings and glutes without using back; yep, I can definitely feel this one in my hamstrings, probably even more so than when I do the standing extreme hamstring stretch.
• Wall squats--2 sets, pulling down hard and fast after every interval. I like this one and work really hard on it. Pulling, pulling, pulling! Again, my quads were not happy, but I hope it pays off later.
• Push up--2 sets on my knees, using the push up handles; I managed to push up all the way on every single one. At the last, I think I was using less of my arms and more of my core, but I did it. My arms were not happy and were still sore from Thursday. Yikes.
• Curl--2 sets, 40-lb bar; since I used 30 lb last time, I was really happy with this on. The last 2 intervals were especially hard, but I did them, lengthening through the biceps the whole time, keeping my chest up and shoulders down, wrists curled, and hands off my hips. Yes!
• Scapular pull up--3 sets of 5 with foot on crate. My lats/arms were still feeling this from Thursday. Plus I was having trouble figuring out what I was supposed to do at the intervals: pull up or push down? I guess I'd better ask about this one.
• Crate crunch--2 sets with ball. This is always a good one to end on because I have to work really hard to crunch up and squeeze hard, so I do!

I was supposed to run another hour today, but either I won't do it or I'll add it to another day next week. Now comes a much-needed day of rest.