Reading is bad for you. Well, for me, at least.

My training schedule calls for 2 days of cross-training every week--on Sunday and Monday.  Technically the plan gives me the option of running easy on Sundays, but I haven't taken advantage of it.

Until today.

I know what you're thinking: "Hey, idiot, today is MONDAY.  Get a calendar and use it."

I am aware that it is Monday.  I am also aware of the fact that sometimes I read things about running that are meant for people who warm up at my half marathon pace (8:30) and then try them out and/or add them into my current training.  And then I get injured.

So what did I read this time?  I read about this thing called "embedded circuit training."  From what I read, you are supposed to run about 2 miles on one of your easy days, then do a circuit of strength exercises with 30 seconds of aerobic activity in-between.  Then you are to run 2 more miles.

This is supposed to give you some serious PR-age and make you faster.  So I thought to myself, "Hey--I can run those two miles on either end of this on my treadmill, then do one of my circuit DVDs.  Do that once a week on Monday, and then I'll be SUPERFAST; I'll break the freaking laws of physics."

Yeah.  Well.

I did run those 2 miles first on the treadmill (by the way, "Monsters Inside Me" is great treadmill TV).  My legs were tired.  I mean, TIRED.  You'd think I ran 18 miles two days ago or something.  Anyway, since these 2 miles were supposed to be run slowly, I didn't even go above the 4.5 mph mark.  After the first 3/4 of a mile, my legs were feeling pretty good.  My left IT band was whining a little and my left hamstring was "ahem-ing" me every now and then, but I felt all good and warmed up for my circuits.

I did some total body circuits, seeming to forget that yesterday I did Cathe's Supercuts workout again (it is becoming a regular Sunday workout; DEEE-licious!), which involves a lot of squatting and other leg maneuvers.  During the lower-body portion of the DVD today, I could feel that I may have slightly overdone it.  Just to not push it any more than I already had, I nixed the idea of running another two miles afterwards, and just went shopping instead to walk off whatever damage I may have done.

Unfortunately, I'm really feeling that run now.  My mistake, in hindsight that is painfully 20/20, was that I need to give my legs a freaking day off during these two cross-training days.  I keep forgetting that I am a rank amateur at this whole "running a marathon" thing, and I need to take it easy for my first one so I can run a second.  And maybe even a third.  Thus, I am hoping to get to bed early so sleep can restore my legs for my speed session on the treadmill tomorrow.  (I wanted to run it outside, but Mother Nature has foiled me again with her making-rain-turn-into-snow trick.)

There were, however, two bright notes this weekend:

#1. I bought my first tube of Body Glide.  After my last 18-miler, unmentionables were chafing that made doing other unmentionable things very painful.  I am disturbed that it says "Do not use on deep puncture wounds, animal bites, serious burns."

Mainly I am disturbed because those warnings are usually there because some idiot like me actually tried to do these things.


#2. I cranked out 15 bicep curls on each arm using my 20-pound dumbbell.  Before this time, I was cranking them out with my 15s; for some reason today I decided to throw caution (and quite possibly my left shoulder joint) to the wind and try them with some 20s.  When I was done I grunted in a distinctly man-like fashion.  I felt like this lady looks:

 photo credit: meehanf via photopin cc

I would have pitied the fool that messed with me while I was out shopping this evening.  But no one did.  Unfortunately.  Hopefully I can channel my bicep curl triumph tomorrow morning when hitting the treadmill for some 1200m repeats.