3-mi run; 10x10sec manual holds

This morning was only 3 miles again (although this time that's because it was all I had time for). I did change it up slightly by using the elliptical instead of the treadmill.

• 8:49
• 8:27
• 8:16

I definitely like trying to increase the pace as I go, but if I could start at 8:00 and increase from there I think I'd be happier.

It felt like it had been forever since I'd gotten to work out with Will, and I was so happy for some gym time with him! He had some things to show me that I'll need to know for the next progression, so his mom and I headed up to Evansville for the day.

10x10 second manual holds; 2 sets

• Russian lunge R: I had done this one once before, but he tried to explain it to me through texting and I wasn't quite sure how to do it right. After every interval, you jump as high as you can and lift your legs as high has you can. So you're trying to get high off the ground and also lift your legs; the higher you lift your legs, the faster they come back to the ground. Then you catch yourself and begin the next interval. When I started getting tired, I tended to lean forward a lot. He had to tell me keep my torso erect. He also said to just keep doing it, even if you don't think you can. Because if you don't think you can, you'll favor those muscles and then not do it even close to correctly. Even if you can't get high off the ground, do it the same way every time.
• Russian lunge L: Same as before, only I leaned forward way more on these (first and second set). The other thing he said was to make sure that my front knee is absolutely straight out from my body; there should be NO angling in. Your body likes to work at 90* angles, and that interior hip angle should be 90* just like everything else. I mentioned that I tend to run on the outsides of my feet (especially as I get tired), and he said that being especially aware of that angle should help combat some of that (so that I'll walk/run on my whole foot, not the outside of it). I definitely ended up with a bruise on my right knee from when I would (not) land some of the jumps. I'm pretty sure I just forgot to turn it on at the bottom, to, which means I was relaxing while in the air. Bad!
  
• Glute ham: reps to arm's length. I said that last time I did this, I felt like I was using only my arms to push me up (when they are in push up position, which I definitely hadn't been in until he made me move); he assured me that as I get stronger, I'll need only limited assistance from my arms (he still needs some, but definitely limited). So I asked him to watch to make sure I was doing it right. He had me pull my stomach in as much as possible and then watched. Every one that he said was "good" or "better" was one that I felt like I was using only my arms. On the others, I was trying to use less of my arms and more of my hamstrings (the purpose of the exercise!).
• Bench press: bar only (which I let go of while putting it back on the rack; he got on me for that one, saying never to let go of it until it's on the rack--he was holding it! The second time, I didn't let go until it was back up). Chest up, bar just below chest. Breathe through nose and abdomen, not chest. Basically it should feel like a push up. When the manual hold is over, there should be no hesitation before pushing up. When coming back down, it's OK to go slowly to make sure you're pulling it into the right position.

Will was full of good advice today. When I was doing the glute ham raise, he noticed that I had a tendency to relax slightly at the top and bottom of each interval. There should be no relaxing; there should be the same amount of work throughout. I'll definitely have to watch that on every exercise. Also, the knee thing on the lunge he said is especially important on the ISOs (5 or 7 minute ones, for example). That's when I can really look at it and make sure it's straight and not angled in.

Also, he said that honey might be a good substitute for gu and dried fruit might be a good substitute for power bars and such. His people down in Arizona recommended that and said that they've heard similar complaints and concerns from other endurance athletes. I know I mentioned that it's hard not to eat the power bars and gus and such while racing because that's all they offer, and it's really hard to carry various other items while you're running. But I could definitely try honey (and maybe a little water) in one of my fuel belt bottles and some baggies with dried fruits in them--that might just require a pocketed jersey. I am so grateful that he wants to help me succeed.

While I was resting between my exercises, Will was doing stuff too. He did 6 6 6 EDI Russian lunge with a 45-lb bar. He held the bar, I held him; then I took the bar at 10 seconds and he did his 6 jumps. I barely got off the ground--his legs were so high! This boy puts me to shame in the gym. Then I gave him the bar back and we repeated. Every single one of his 18 (then another 18 for the other leg) was exactly as high as the previous, and #18 was just the same as #1. Now that I've watched him I know what I have to aim for. After that it was 6 6 6 EDI bench press with 35 lbs on each side. I think he could have pushed me up with the bar.

After we worked out (no shower; ew!), we went to Longhorn for lunch/dinner. Then Will wanted to go home and nap, so Nancy and I went to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Although long (with previews, nearly 3 hours), it was very well done. I won't highly recommend it because of all the sex and relationships outside of the marriage covenant, but it has a great story line (I could easily follow it but never really knew where it would end up) and can be a thinking movie if you're in that mood. Otherwise it could be a good crying movie if you're in that mood; the writers and producers did a great job of developing the characters.

We read a little before Will's game, which was interesting to say the least. The 4th team in his league, the Detroit Dragons team, folded recently and so was unable to come down to play. They pulled together a men's league team, gave them red jerseys, put "D" on the front of their jerseys, and called them "the Dragons" all night. Will's team won, 15-4. He played really well, had 2 assists, was +1, won nearly every face off, and yet was relegated to the third line. He had been on the first line, starting center, and captain, and in the span of a week for no reason other than that his friend who'd gone to play for the Icemen with him wanted to be (and got) traded he got moved way down. Not the most fair situation, but it didn't keep him from skating his best (even if the others on his line couldn't communicate and wouldn't pass back to him). He had a couple great shots on goal, but just couldn't bury. Fortunately he wasn't too distressed after the game. Who knows whether he might be coming home tomorrow and I'll have a workout partner again until he takes off for Arizona...which I forgot to mention as a state where I know someone. Maybe that could be an option.