I've been following a new running and lifting program over the past couple weeks, and it's been a bit daunting. I was feeling better and better about my fitness, but the sheer volume of some of the anaerobic sprint workouts is ... well, I can't talk about it yet, I'm still too traumatized. I'll just say that one of the sprint workouts lasts four and a half hours. (As one of my rugby teammates put it, "I've never been so sore for so many consecutive days before." Agreed.)
The workout below, which I did the other night, does not last four hours -- or anywhere close -- and is positively delightful in comparison.
On a track, do the following:
8x100m, 100m walk recovery after each
7x150m, 100m walk recovery after each
6x200m, 100m walk recovery after each
IT HELPED THAT my significant other, a cheery sort who says things like "Raisins are nature's candy," taught me to count to 10 in Italian during the recovery periods. It also helped that it was pitch black outside.
Once I determined there were no hurdles in my path, I started tuning into my body more than I tend to during daylight hours. I experienced the biomechanics of my gait in a way I haven't before; probably in part because I'm usually quite literally looking ahead to the next steps.
A number of coaches have told me I don't get enough hip extension when pushing off my back leg (for more on running gait, click here) -- in other words, I put in a lot of work up front and don't follow through before I'm moving on to the next thing -- but on this night, my hips loosened their chokehold on my legs and each stride felt complete. I felt like I was gliding.
Turns out I'm not the only one saying lights out on my workout. The 2006 Runner's World article "Run to the Dark Side" explores a subculture of runners who prefer to do it in the dark. And there may even be some science to back them up.
"... [S]ome athletes may benefit from evening workouts, [according to] recent research among a group of swimmers whose performance peaked between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. Although the responsible mechanism isn't yet understood ... there are several potential contributing factors.Which means it's possible I didn't just feel faster -- I might have actually been faster. Too bad we don't play many night games.
One is body temperature, which tends to be higher later in the day and has been linked to increased strength and reaction time. Another is the release of two hormones important for energy metabolism, cortisol and thyroptopin, which are at their highest levels in the evening."
When is your favorite time of day to work out and why? Have you ever worked out in the dark?
[photo by Eric Setiawan]
This is very interesting,....although I would prob need a head lamp
Agreed this is interesting. I'm looking into it a bit more.
I prefer to workout in the late afternoon and evening, I don't feel so sluggish, but then again I am not a morning person.
As for working out in the dark, I've done it once and it was a lot of fun. It was also raining which made the workout seem intimidating, we were doing hand over hand pulling, sled sprinting and other such crazy things.
My favorite night activity was a little midnight 7s...barefoot
OK, first off - a 4.5 hour workout is just plain crazy! I guess I'm calling you insane!! (not really...)
I prefer aerobic exercise in the early morning (in fact, recently that has meant I DO get the benefit of darkness - but not the benefit of late in the day training). It is different doing it (ignore the reference here...) in the dark. I do seem more attuned to my body (probably because it's hard to really see anything with my eyes... For strength workouts, night is "usually" when I do them - just because it fits my schedule better.
For me its mornings, second option is lunch time because lifetime fitness is literally a five minute jog from my office. I have found over the years (I am going to be 30 shortly and I am dreading it) that I have phased out evening workouts, bar rugby training, and group rides.
For me it is the crowds at the gym, the thought of being in a room full bicep curing, "bodybuilders" and the fact that I get up at 5am and by 6:30pm I am on cruise control, go home, walk dog, make dinner, clean up, watch tube, pass out.
Jen, any articles on the big 30? Aren't you there already?
I have always loved running in the dark although I could never explain it. I think you are on to something! But 4 hours of sprinting??? I would barf. Literally.
I've found that I feel like I perform better in the evenings. But that may be just me getting used to be most active in the evenings, having practice and conditioning from 6-8 every night for 4 years. In high school I used to run at 6am and as far as I can remember, I found that I learned to like working out in the morning as well. Who knows. I'm weird.
But I do know that "The world would be chaos and darkness without ice cream." (I don't know who said that.) So I guess the choice is, have ice cream and run during the day, or don't have ice cream and run in the dark. I think I choose the first one.
Hey Jen ... I've been checking in here regularly again for a few days, you're on my favorites now. :)
But I'm curious about the benefits to a 4.5 hour sprint workout. It is an endurance thing? You may need to discuss this further in a post.
And is is beneficial to devote 4.5 hours to a workout in your work-life-athletics balance? This is a good discussion. If you only do it every once in a while, I'd say yes. Like how runners will add a long run on the weekends to their daily shorter run schedule.
Good stuff.
Angie,
That's the glory of the darkness -- how good (or not) your depth perception is doesn't matter. I would think you would celebrate that. ;)
Pamela,
Now THAT workout sounds fun. Let me know what else you find out about nighttime workouts.
Greg,
By "barefoot" do you mean "naked"? Because I've done that, too! In college ... ummmm, never mind.
Lance,
I think those who work out super in the morning are insane! OK, not really, but I can't ever seem to fully adjust to early workouts.
As for the long workouts, I should have clarified -- the workout was *supposed* to last 4.5 hours, but my version did not. Hence, why I'm feeling a little worried about my fitness level.
Kathy/Sausage (sorry, can't just call you Kathy),
Lunchtime workouts sound fantastic. I always take too long to shower afterwards to make it feasible, but I envy those who make it work.
As for age, yep, 3-0 came and went, and was surprisingly enjoyable. A friend once said something that has held true for me, too ... she said the middle of decades are always tougher for her than the ends, because when you're in the middle, you're no longer in your "early" anything, and you have to come to grips with where you're at. Right now, I feel like I'm at the beginning of something, and I'm excited about the possibilities that are shaping up for me, so it's hard to stress about the actual number. If the number is important to you, though, perhaps use it as an excuse to to some major housekeeping, ridding yourself of the stuff that doesn't work for you anymore. Here's something to look forward to: No one will believe you're 30, which is lovely to hear.
Charlotte,
I wish we could work out together sometime! (As for the four-hour workout, see my comment to Lance. It did NOT happen that way for me.)
Kim,
Words to live by. I like when you get philosophical.
Jes,
Welcome back! I love seeing comments from you!
As for the benefits of excessively long sprint workouts, I agree, there seems to be a point of diminishing returns, doesn't there? To be fair, the program designer said the goal is to do a hundred 100's and a hundred 200's, but to call it off when you started seeing a drastic drop-off in your times, and to shoot for more next time.
I think I will investigate the benefits of super-long-lasting sprint workouts further -- good idea.
I rarely work out in the evening anymore, except when I can get to my weekly track meets, which I love love love love love (possibly because we sometimes hit Pepitos after?). It also may be the company (during the winter we switch to a monthly "Women's Adventure Night" when we try different athletic stunts like speed skating or hip hop). But wait, this is about running at night. Does running so early in the morning that it's still dark, count? That's when I typically run and I love it. I'm definitely a morning person and have my most energy then. I love watching the sun come up. Sometimes by noon I forget that I've worked out, as if when it's dark it's like it never really happened...
Jen, If I meant naked I would have posted under the name...Zulu Warrior
I used to be an early morning work out type, mostly because if I got my work out done then I didn't have to think about it again that day and there are less things to distract me from working out early. Unfortunately since I work at the ass crack of dawn I would have to get to the gym at 3-330 am to get in a workout before work, and that is just not going to happen. I am now a staunch practicer of the "right after work" work out. I am off at 130 and I can take all my work stress to the gym and let it all out. After 6pm I am usually in various stages of unconsciousness since I get up so early. I have really never been a nighttime workout fan anyway.
I rarely work out in the dark, which makes it more difficult to squeeze in workouts after work once winter/fall hits. I also rarely do track workouts. But you've inspired me to change both of those. I usually start spending less time outside and more time in the gym (which I hate) come November. My goal this year is to keep on keepin' on through the winter! (Plus, I'll save money on a gym membership) Let's see how far I get this year...
I love my lunch time kettlebell training. Fortunately I work in a job where I can come back a little late and still sweaty and no one minds. Which is good, because the days where I can train at noon are so much better than the rest.