Back to basics

The highlight of October was doing the CIBC Run for the Cure 5km run and setting a stellar PB!!! I did the event for a few reasons but just decided that week that I would line up near the front and see what I can do at this distance. I hadn't raced a 5km in a couple of years. This event is not chip timed so I hit start as I crossed the starting banner and ran as hard as I could. I was shocked when I realized I was going to finish sub 30. My PB was 36:30 and that day I did 28:45. It was a great day! A day that I felt I had really earned and deserved after my hard work and disappointment this year.

Now I've decided to go back to basics. I have trained high volume for a couple of years and really surprised myself at the amount my body could actually handle but this year I didn't lose a pound, lower my body fat at all and I have suffered lower back/ITB/knee issues for the last two years. So I've decided to back to the beginning and focus on my strength and conditioning. I know I see my best results when I'm accountable to someone so I've hired a personal trainer to work with me, and been given a totally overhauled nutrition program. I know if I can commit to this I'll see some real results. Losing body fat and increasing my strength (core and overall) should make things easier and contribute to better results in whatever sport I choose to do.

We started with measurements to benchmark my starting point:
> R Bicep = 12.5
> L Bicep = 12.25
> R Thigh = 25.5
> L Thigh = 24
> Waist = 35.25
> Hips = 42.5
> Chest = 39.75
>
> Weight = 165.5
>
> Bodyfat = 32.7%

I was happy that she confirmed I am very muscular. My first workout with my personal trainer was great. It was just basic squats, pushups, situps, and an obstacle course that included quick steps in and out of ladder rungs. It was tough and I worked really hard but I felt great afterwards. I didn't feel so great the next couple of days when I could barely walk but I still managed to run 5kms on Wednesday. Then I do a workout at home on Thursdays provided by my personal trainer.

I am really excited about this new approach and am hopeful that this will address my issues and help me get faster and stronger.