Running still sucks

so running still stuck, and after having some weeks off, and trying to get back into it I feel like not only have I lost all the progress I had made before I broke my finger but I have gone backwards.

my new running partner olivia and her egg

This is a very depressing feeling, and somewhat debilitating, I mean where is the progress, technically speaking it should be easier for me to get back to where i was not harder. My education tells me that my body should still have some muscle memory from my training before, and even tho i have not run for 6 weeks and will definitely not be at the same level I was before injury, i should at least not find it as hard as I am finding it to actually physical run.
But reality is somewhat different.
I'm heavy and every step is hard work, its painful and I am not 'feeling it in any way'.

So what do I do?, well today we change direction and start a new path. for those of you who dont know I have signed up for the fjäll räven classic this year
www.fjallraven.com
this is a 110km trek through the kings rail at the top of Sweden, I have signed up to do this with my cousin, and am hoping to complete the trek in less than 3 days.

and what does this mean for your running program I hear you ask?
well here is my new plan.
because its not just about running its also about

• using my body, 
• feeling good, 
• creating some head space, 
• working towards a goal,
• teaching y kids that exercise is important

and all those kinds of things, I have had to sit down and re think my program.

so to work around all those things that are taking me away from my training i have sat down and written a program that should work into my life instead of being a burden and making my life work around my training program,

essentially what I want to be getting in is, 

3 walks  - minimum 10 km

2 runs - minimum 1/2 hour - will probably be mostly taking the dog out for her exercise

3 rides - because riding my bike is not only a healthy and environmentally friendly way to get to and from the studio, our of all the cardio options I have cycling is by far my favourite.

so there it is people

oh and don't forget, 

squeaky and olivia in the snow

1 core w/o

and 1 functional fitness w/o

and there you have it

my training program for the next 10 weeks,

lets see how it goes.

speaking for core w/o's my training tip for this week will be on 

'what is my core and why must I turn it on?'

my diary says it time to go for a walk, so Ill collect the dog and head out.

thanks for reading

getting the right trainer

this week I came to a decision that it was high time I started putting up training tips on the blog instead of just using it as an outlet for my rants about the ups and downs of becoming a runner (running sucks this week BTW).
and life has provided me with my first tip topic.
the very next day I received this photo from Sofi.

the headline translates to 'my PT gave me an eating disorder'.
and the article reads that this woman decided to get into shape and went to a gym hired a PT, who gave her a training program and recommended a strict calorie controlled diet with a cheat day once a week.
this is a fairly common training philosophy, and it works for some people.
However, when this woman told her trainer that she would binge so much that she would purge afterwards, it would seem that he would just laugh it off, and she was left feeling unhappy and often in tears.
As a trainer I hate reading articles like this one, or hearing stories like this, so I though I would write up my tips for getting the right trainer and program. It's important to have the right advice from the beginning.
Lets say you want to climb mountains, and I told you the best way to train for that is to swim.
you'd be asking questions right? I know I would.

So here it is

• interview your trainer

• at good to go with our fitness programs my policy is first session is free 
• if you are trying one of our group sessions, first session is free
• if you are wanting PT, we sit down and have an interview
• it is important that you and your trainer are on the same page, do they understand your goals?
• are they the right trainer for you? this may take a few sessions to work out, but if the relationship is not working end it, it's your money your body, your life.
• a good trainer will should always offer to meet with you first free of charge to talk about your goals and whether or not you can work together to achieve them.

• do your own research

• by research I mean understand what your goals are and research your trainers philosophies, if the recommendations they are giving you are not the best for your goal, then you are not going to achieve your goal. in saying this also understand that this is what your trainer does this for a living, so they are probably going to know more about it than you (at least I hope so).
• as a trainer I like to keep updated on all the latest things in the industry not just because if something new is out there that I can use in the studio to make training more fun and effective but also because if I have done my home work and you ask me about something that I don't believe works then I need to have a knowledgeable and valid response, not just laugh things off or dismiss them.

• make sure your trainer is qualified!!!

• this is a big one, it is no good handing your money over to some guy or girl at the gym who knows lots, that's all well and good, but there is more to being a PT than just having trained for years and knowing stuff.
• a PT has an obligation to make sure you are safe at all times whilst training
• among other things a qualified PT will have studied first aid, and contraindications and injuries, anatomy and physiology, nutrition and the list goes on.

• don't be afraid to end the relationship.

• this is also a really big one. As a trainer I have had to end relationships with clients, and it is always hard, but my view is that same of clients as of trainers if the relationship is not working, move on, training should always be fun, hard and goal oriented but fun. if you're not having fun this is a pretty good indicator that the relationship is not working.

so there it is friends.

just make sure your trainer knows what they are doing.

and have fun

J