On the 12th August 2012 I will be joining 6 friends to tackle the Spartan Race in Harrogate.
If you haven’t heard of Spartan, it involves a 5k obstacle course race with over 15 obstacles to navigate and challenge us. It is designed to test resilience, strength, stamina, quick decision making and the ability to laugh in the face of adversity!
From the videos potential obstacles I have seen include: fire jumping, scrambling over walls, diving through mud pools, rope climbing, dragging boulders up hills among many other scary looking things! I couldn’t watch all the way to the end – I was a little scared!
To train for the challenge we are all stepping up our exercise regimes. I am a keen cyclist and walk a lot every day so am fairly active and fit. To make sure I am ready for the challenge I have started to run, skip and lift weights. The running is a challenge for me but something I am starting to get in to. The whole team has decided to challenge each other with 1200 skips per day in under 12 minutes. First attempt I managed 1200 in 25 minutes… Two weeks in and I am now between 11 – 12 minutes. Not bad going for two weeks training! My calf muscles have grown – my skinny jeans are a little tight across the calves at the moment! Weights are going well so far too. I am seeing some keen definition in my biceps and shoulders now. I will not be super strong or amazingly fast by the time of the event but will definitely have more strength and stamina with the training that I am doing.
I have needed to change my eating habits a little with all the extra training that I am undertaking. I eat very healthily and eat little and often already. I have increased the amount of food generally that I eat and have started to increase slightly the level of carbohydrates I have to give me extra energy throughout the day. I have also upped my water levels to ensure I am fully hydrated before and after the training.
So far, I am really enjoying the training and feel great. Without the motivation from the other ladies, I would not have trained every day. Thank you to you all for spurring me on and encouraging each other to keep it up. I have noticed that the more people talking about it and encouraging each other, the more likely I am to train properly. Does that inspire you to train or get more active?
Why not join us in the skipping challenge? 1200 skips in under 12 minutes is the goal. Start off slowly and build up to the 1200 skips. Make sure you stretch properly too or you will have very stiff legs the next day!
If you are going to join us, let me know! Let’s encourage and motivate each other to get fit and active.
We are aiming to raise money for a local youth organisation, Youth Routes, from the challenge.
Youth Routes is a not for profit organisation that really needs local help and fundraising so they can do great things with the young people.
“Youth Routes is an organisation that helps young people to achieve and learn outside of their academic environment. We focus on business skills, voluntary work, music performance, personal development, life skills and much more! We help young people to understand what they are great at so they can believe in themselves and excel.”
If you would like to sponsor us or make a donation to Youth Routes, there will be a Giving site set up shortly. Drop me a line or hang on for the site to be posted. I will keep you posted on all things Spartan!
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Hello fellow Spartan!
Keep up the skips – got to admit I have lapsed a little over the past week but looking to get back into it tomorrow…..
I need a challenge for the upper body building – any suggestions?
Janet
Hellooooo there!
Get back on it! It will feel great when you do.
Upper body – leave me with that thought. I will post asap.
Gina
Ok, I have had a little think. If you havent done any upper body before, you need to work up nice and slowly.
Start with things you have in the house; no need to buy weights at the moment. Start with a tin of beans or something like that.
Try bicep curls; keep your arms by your side and elbows tucked into your body. Let your arm drop down and then lift back up to touch your shoulder. Do this 10 times x 3 lots. You can build this number as it becomes easier.
Also try lifting above your head; so from shoulder straight up above you.
Another good one is to sit on a small table or chair near to the ground. Sit on the edge and hold onto the edge of the chair/table. Then take all your weight onto your arms and dip down and back up. Again 10 times x 3 lots.
When these become fairly easy, you can up the weight you are using too. Hope this gives you some ideas to start with.