The workout plan

It's been almost three weeks since I finished my thru-hike and the numbness in my toes is just about gone. I am no longer waking up with swollen metatarsals. I am back to wearing my pre-hike shoe size.

Time to start running again!

I went for my first post hike run yesterday (only three miles) and while the balls of my feet were a little tender this morning, the sensitivity disappeared within an hour of waking. I passed the test. Time to start  a training plan.

When I did my self assessment of my current level of fitness, a few things stood out:

1) my endurance level is off the charts! Something about hiking for 10 plus hours a day for over 5 months. That should do it.

2) My speed is kaput. Chalk it up to that law of specificity. Walking really slowly conditions you to walk really slowly. And while I've never been fast, I've never been this slow, either.

3) I am ridiculously inflexible. I had some grandiose idea that I would do yoga every day after hiking. I underestimated the amount of time it would take to set up camp, wash up, change, get water, cook dinner and eat. Yoga? Just didn't happen. I gotta make it happen now.

4) My balance and coordination are pretty darn good. Thanks to all those roots and rocks.

5) My explosive power...what is explosive power?

6) My weight is still low, but going up quickly. My appetite is still pretty big and I haven't done anything to control my eating as of yet.

For the next month, I have some pretty great workouts planned. I'm not focused on endurance, though I still want to do one LSD workout per week, be it running, biking, or hiking. The rest of the cardio workouts are either interval or tempo workouts.

As for strength, I do have a couple traditional weight workouts per week, but since I'm still in love with being outside and not ready to go back inside a gym yet, I'm doing some boot-camp style workouts in the great outdoors for strength, coordination, and power.

Plus, stretching every day and yoga two to three times per week.

I don't have any swim workouts planned yet, as I haven't joined a gym yet and with the exception of the past few days (which have been gloriously and unseasonably warm) its getting a bit cold to swim outdoors.

Wish me luck!