strength Archives - What Would Betty Do?

Training: Building a Plan

Written on July 22, 2013 by Alisa.

Balancing Cardio and Strength Let’s say, hypothetically, that you didn’t have any races on the calendar, yet you wanted to get back into a training routine as if you did. And let’s say that you wanted this non-race-related training to involve both running and cycling for cardio, as well as a good measure of strength […] Read More

On the First Day of the Last Year of My 30s

Written on June 21, 2012 by Alisa.

I’m 39 today, which strikes me as odd. This is the last year of my 30s. That’s bizarre, right? I mean, there are still days where I don’t feel like I know anything more than I knew at 19. But the best news is that I’m just one year away from moving up one age […] Read More

Training: Tales of a Weak-Ass Runner

Written on June 3, 2012 by Alisa.

It’s been about a month that I’ve been trying to cope with my angry IT band through a variety of techniques, including guided stretching, intense massage, acupuncture and just plain wishing that it would go away. Everything offered some degree of relief for anywhere from an hour to half a day, but nothing was actually […] Read More

Change: Building Strength

Written on February 6, 2012 by Alisa.

I had a chat with a friend that went something like this: Her: That post about the gait analysis was hilarious. I could just imagine you trying to hide under your chair as they showed the video. I couldn’t stop laughing. Me: Uh, thanks? Her: No, really. I like that you really talked about how […] Read More

Change: Moving in Slow Motion

Written on January 30, 2012 by Alisa.

Last Wednesday night, I went to the UCSF RunSafe clinic. You might remember that I did the other part of the clinic, the VO2 max and lactate threshold training, back in December. I wanted to complete the program and learn how to run without injury. At the clinic, there are four runners and four analysis […] Read More

Training: Completing the Circuits

Written on January 29, 2012 by Alisa.

Ever since the end of Team in Training season, I’ve been suffering from a lack of purpose in my workouts. Sure, I’ve been doing things, but the level of effort has been purely half-assed and lacking a plan. This past week I finally started circuit training with a new trainer. Her sessions are intense and […] Read More

Understanding Form

Written on June 22, 2011 by Alisa.

Whenever I see race photos, I’m always struck by the same thing: my feet never appear to leave the ground. Evidently I manage to shuffle my way through every race. It’s really a miracle that I haven’t tripped over my own two feet yet! In the See Jane Run 5K, I struggled with my form. […] Read More

Training: Making the Most of Limited Time

Written on January 23, 2011 by Alisa.

Monday was a preschool holiday. Tuesday was going to be booked with meetings from start to finish. Two days off? Nope. I split the difference and hit the gym on Monday night. The Plan Monday: Gym Tuesday: Off Wednesday: Pilates Thursday: Gym Friday: Run and gym Saturday: Much too much yard work Sunday: Much-needed rest […] Read More

Training: Fear and… Fear

Written on January 16, 2011 by Alisa.

I’m cleared to run, but haven’t done much. Sure, I use the weather as an excuse, but the truth is that I’m more than a little bit afraid of the possibility of pain. I’ve had enough of that already, thanks. The Plan Monday: Run Gym Tuesday: Gym Wednesday: Pilates Thursday: Gym Friday: Rest Day Saturday: […] Read More

Training: New Year, New Plan

Written on January 9, 2011 by Alisa.

After three months of waiting, I was finally cleared to run again on January 1. Of course, the closest thing I did to running that day was dragging my suitcases through the airport. But I did establish a training plan with the goal of running my first 5K of the year in March, possibly at […] Read More