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?)
