Training for American Ninja Warrior - Day 13

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Hey hey!

So.... I went for my usual hilly run on Friday... but did not get to my hill sprints... I was beat. I actually ended up taking Saturday and Sunday off training to recover. I like to think I'm getting better to listening to my body. I wasn't just sore, I felt depleted, and it's really taken a good two days to get back to normal...

... but of course, being a ninjery ninja, I hit the ground running!

As my @exhaust post from earlier stated, I did my 3.8km run in 27 minutes and 33 seconds, which I was happy with. Still some walking, and some frost-avoiding, and some mountains-photo-taking, but running really is as much a mental game as a physical game. I have to keep remembering that... and talk myself into running strongly.

Smashed my hill sprints!
And by 'smashed' obviously I meant that I did them without passing out. I'm still not able to sprint for the full 30 seconds up hill... but I really am recovering faster, and am able to put more gusto into each one. The 4th and 5th ones are still pretty hard... but not impossible or impassoutable.

I've definitely hit the ol 80/20 though... I improved each session at the start... and now the improvements are really small... but they're there, and that's enough to keep me excited.

For the first time ever I combined my running day with my leg day. I won't lie... my legs are dead now. They might actually fall off.

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I did 3 sets of 10 (each leg) box steps... and then my hamstrings started cramping up.
I managed to do some calf raises before I pretty much had to leave due to hammies. I had really wanted to throw some box jumps in there too... but I know I would have cramped in the air each time. So... I dunno if this was a successful experiment or not.

On the upside, I'll have a full day to rest my legs before I put them through it all again. That's something.

Over my recovery weekend, I did do some gardening, and all my ab exercises. I'm still really impressed with this program. Totally it was looking after the lower back, which was so incredibly awesome since yesterday's exercises just completely killed my lower back and hips. This was an amazing follow up.

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My diet over the weekend wasn't great.
I think when I'm physically and emotionally exhausted like that... dietary willpower goes right out the window. I didn't stay keto, I didn't stay intermittently fasty, I didn't stay healthy... I did that winter thing where I ate all the carbs.... but, given that little rest, I'm back on track and will be looking to be way stronger next weekend. I literally can't eat badly during the week because I'm trapped in a forest with only the healthy food that I bought. It's great.

I was super slack with my stretching over the weekend though, and I felt that absence in my elbow a couple of times today... an important lesson that consistency really is the only way. As my new friend @svemirac would say 'stretch, stretch, stretch'!

So, that's what I'm off to do now.

I hope everyone had or is having a great day!

Images created by amazing Steemians Skyleap and Ryivhnn