Ok, so my life is not that dramatic (and let’s hope it stays that way, ok?), but that’s how they feel like today.
Remember when I talked about the New Rules of Lifting for Women book? Despite missing barbells, I figured I’ll try my best to do the exercises with dumbbells instead.
Using a 20lb dumbbell in each hand for squats was not that bad. Using 25lb in each for step ups, was a tad more challenging. So of course I was a bit sore during the last couple of days. But then yesterday it was time to do “workout B” of the phase 1 of the book (you alternate A and B for the first 16 workouts).
So I had never done a deadlift in my life, and after looking for youtube videos of how to do it with dumbbells, I figured I was ready for it.
OMG THOSE THINGS ARE HARD. 20lbs in each hand doesn’t seem like much, but I didn’t realize just how much my quads would be used to lift up those stupid weights.
Then lunges with weights – that quickly went out the window and it became lunges with body weight. I’m not bad at walking lunges, but turns out lunges where you go back to your starting position are a lot harder to do, specially when your quads are already sore.
So yes, this morning even reaching the toilet seat to pee was a challenge (TMI?).
It’s no wonder the book explicitly tells you NOT to do the program when training for an endurance event. Imagine if I had to run a 20 miler with these DOMS legs? Non-running related DOMS legs? (Which is a lot harder to do!)
Then it got me thinking and I wonder if other people go through the same thing…
During marathon training, I was ALWAYS sore. Not “I can’t walk” sore, but sore nonetheless. It was like my legs were constantly making me aware that they were there. My calves were always tight. Sure, compression socks helped (a LOT), but it never solved the problem. I just got used to living with sore legs. (And to be honest I kind of miss it.)
Am I the only one, or does everyone get constant sore legs during marathon training?
And since it seems like I’m reminiscing a lot about DC nowadays, can I mention how much I miss this trail? (Anything similar to it near Manila or is that wishful thinking?)
I have found that if I do enough yoga, I can get the calf soreness to go away, but that’s the only way. I too have constant soreness when doing 8+ mile runs. Even when I’m only doing 1 long run a week, and then maybe one 3-mile run.
Good to know! Hopefully I’ll get back to long distance running soon, and then it’s another reason for me to stick with yoga (for real) this time. I guess it makes sense since yoga makes you stretch a lot more than what you end up doing on your own.
Yep, my legs are in a constant state of sore during heavy marathon training too.
Good to know it’s not just me. It’s not horribly sore, but definitely *there* all the time.
What freaks me out is thinking that by carrying around 20 extra pounds (ahem, or so), I’m basically doing that to myself all the time. Ugh.
I was thinking the same thing during my run today. I was like “it feels so tough because it is as if I’m running with a 20lb dumbbell strapped around me”
My legs used to be sore during training, but have been a lot better (not sore at all) since working with a trainer.
A lot of blogs I read are trying that book. It must be really good!
It is good! It’s kicking my ass though!
i am awful at doing weights, i rarely do it. but i’m usually training for one race or another, right now a marathon and yoga is my saving grace for tight/sore legs. i swear if i didn’t go to yoga i would always be sore as well. hope your legs feel better soon!
Yoga does help out a lot! I never seem to be very consistent at it though, which is a problem