Greg on the Run

This morning I did the Lowcountry Splash, a 2.4 mile open water swim in the Cooper River/Charleston Harbor. Writing this in the afternoon, I’m still pretty wiped out. This is the distance of the swim in the Ironman Triathlons. I can’t imagine going on to ride over 100 miles on a bike and then running a marathon.

The World’s Fastest Man didn’t even show up for this one. Someone told me that he can’t swim or bike.  My time was 61 minutes. The swim was great fun – I had friends on the bridge that were watching for me to swim under. Amazing how big the bridge is when you’re a swimmer in the water.

This is the course:

About 10 of us gathered. Ran a mile. I showed the group Turkish get-ups and an ab exercise using the Swiss ball. Allan led us in a Body Bar routine for about 25 minutes. Jim led us in stretching at the end.

Boy, I can feel those squats and lunges today! Wow.

A group of about 10 showed up to work out together. After a mile warm up, we did ab exercises for the next 30-35 minutes. Kem and I led – going back and forth. I expected people to complain and nobody ever did. Finished with a 1/2 mile run and some stretching.

Karen and I got on the arc trainers for an hour this evening. Hse said that was the first time she had stayed on one that long. I feel like I’ve been cheated if I’m on there for 30 minutes. It’s been awhile though and I may regret it in the morning.

No Boot Camp this week but today Steve, Karen, Allan, and I worked out together. We also had a weigh-in. It was my worst week ever for weight. I really need to dial in the nutrition again.

 We started out by running one mile. Then we lunged the straight, jogged the curve, sumo squat the straight, jog the curve, Frankensteint he straight, jog the curve. Then the others bear crawled the straight while I lunged. My shoulder has been bothering me so I didn’t think it would have been my best mve. We then hopped on the ikes for 15 minutes and did intervals. Then a round of abs with Bonnie.

 My glutes hurt.

Four of us – Steve, Karen, Allan, and me – worked out together this morning. We also had Baby and Jez with us. Jezzy led the way in the mile run with Karen with the rest of us working to catch up. We then went over to the tennis courts and began a slosh pipe workout. It’s amazing how much you need to engage your core muscles when working with the pipes. Ended with an ab routine and then went to find breakfast. Park Circle Coffee was closed. All of that work and they took the weekend off …

I really like Boot Camp, especially the camraderie. Today we self-selected into 10 teams. Our team was mostly very evenly matched in terms of ability. Sgt McKee named 10 leaders, with varying degrees of ability, who were all leaders in the class. The leaders who were clearly some of the fastest in the class, had the largest groups. It’s not surprising to me  that people either were right in the where they needed to be or they chose leaders who were faster and who motivate them. It’s funny that at the beginning of Boot Camp, some people will try to hide and won’t come out of their comfort zones. For some, it takes just one fitly spoken word to get someone to extend themselves – for others, it takes 10 weeks of continual encouragement for the Marines and other participants.

We started out running four laps and then did 5 workout stations. Four more laps, then the other five stations, and then four more laps. The team carried a sandbag the whole time. I don’t think the stations were any easier but I do believe this might have been the first time the entire group finished the entire exercise.