home stretch. Post your numbers...last week coming up! I hope that this little challenge has saved a few of us a couple of holiday pounds!

Report Points for Monday-Sunday!

Run o the mill

Another treadmill workout was conceived out of winter treadmill blues boredom today. I did this workout but added hills to it. This was nice because those first few miles are so slow that I get a bit antsy to get going. Today I warmed up with a slow .25 mile, then hiked the mill up to .6 grade and stuck to the workout increasing every half mile by .50. I decreased the incline everytime I increased my speed. Lots of button pushing is entertaining and helps those miles to slide by. By the time I'd reached my fastest pace, 5 solid miles has blown by. Thanks to One Republic and Beyonce as well. Okay, Fanny Lu too.

Training Log

Yesterday I did a new workout on the treadmill. Hills. I don't know too many people who get excited about running hills, but it really makes for a different and challenging workout...and something to break up the monotony of the 'mill.

I jogged for a 1/2 mile to get warmed up then cranked that puppy all the way up...to a 15 I believe! It was steep. I ran at a decent pace for .25 and then quickly back down to a jog on zero incline. After about .25 miles of rest, I cranked it all the way back up again. Another rest followed by a 7% incline at a faster pace x2 and rest. Then I inclined in the middle at 10% and ran at a decent pace again. I finished up with another 15% incline going as fast as I could for .20. DONE! What a work out! The whole run took me 4 miles.

Here's how it looks drawn out nicely.

Warm up
15% incline at run pace x 2
7% incline at faster pace x 2
10% incline at decent pace x 2
15% incline at run pace
Cool Down

I know you're not going to like the idea, but give it a try. It makes running flat again sooo easy and makes you a stronger runner in the end.