I’ve gotten a few questions about P90X so I thought I’d write a post about my experience with it. =)

About the System
I’m sure many of you have seen the P90X commercials. But in case you haven’t, I’ve included the commercial below for your viewing pleasure ;)

This video is part 1 of 3. You can watch part 2 and part 3, if you’re interested.

So, you can see that P90X is touted as an extreme workout and nutritional system that will get you ripped in 3 months. The system is based on the idea that muscle confusion (i.e. doing lots of different types of exercises) will reap the fastest benefit and results. You work out 6 days a week and every day you do a different workout (Plyometrics, Cardio X, Core Synergistics, Kenpo, Yoga, and various weight routines).

The whole system is broken up into 3 phases.

• “Adaptive” phase - It lasts 4 weeks (3 weeks of hardcore workouts, 1 week of recovery) and is considered the fat shredding phase. During this phase, your diet consists mainly of protein and very, VERY little carbs.
• “Mastery” phase – It also lasts 4 weeks. During this phase, your carb and protein intake are pretty much even, and you start doing different workouts than the ones you did in phase 1.
• “Recovery” phase – It lasts for 5 weeks. Your workouts are a combination of phase 1 and phase 2 workouts, and your carb intake is around 60% of your diet.

What you need to know before you start

Know your current fitness
P90X is mostly for people who already have a fairly decent physical fitness base. They have Fit Test that you can take to see if you’ll be able to handle the workouts because they are pretty rigorous. For the Fit Test, you’ll have to do a series of pull ups, jumps, push-ups, squats, and biceps curls, and you’ll need to meet a certain number of them to be considered “fit” enough to do the system.

Equipment
You don’t really need a lot of equipment to do P90X, which is one of my favorite things about the system. At the very least, you’ll need resistance bands or a set of dumbbells. You’ll also need a yoga mat for the floor exercises. A heart rate monitor will also come in handy but it’s not completely necessary. You’ll also need a pull-up bar. Although, if you’re like me and you’re just starting to build up upper body strength and can’t really do a pull-up yet, it’s not necessary. You can get away with using the resistance bands with a door attachment (they’ll show you how to do it in the videos).

How it’ll impact your running
These workouts are no joke. They are really rigorous and they will beat the living daylights out of you. During my first week, my whole body was so sore that it was difficult to get out of bed in the mornings, or even to sit down like a normal person. Most of my friends who have done P90X have had similar experiences. If you want to complete P90X, you’ll have to commit to double workouts on some days: P90X + running. Because I use the FIRST method, I’m able to get away with doing only two double days. When I’m doing doubles, I usually do one workout in the morning and one in the evening.

My Experiences
I started P90X around the end of June last year. I managed to make it through phase 1 and half of phase 2 before I got sick and then I never was able to get back on it. I didn’t see any crazy results (i.e. I didn’t magically sprout a six pack), BUT I did feel a lot stronger and more fit. I started running more than I was walking. Before P90X, my run:walk interval was 5min:1min. During P90X, it was 1mile:1min. I was also running a lot faster, and my heart rate was lower during my fast paced runs. I found that my upper body and my core were strong enough to help me keep my form, even when I was tired at the end of a long run. I felt really solid during my runs.. almost invincible. The best part was, my ITBS problems went away because I was strengthening all the muscles that don’t get worked out when you run.

Overall, I think P90X is a great program. But as with all things, to see the results you see in the commercial, you really need to be dedicated to the workouts AND the nutritional side of the program. But I think if you can’t do the whole program as it is, you can still reap some great benefits by using some of the workouts as supplements to your current training schedule.

If you’d like to read more about my experiences with P90X, you can check out my posts under the P90X tag. And of course, if you have any questions, feel free to comment or email me at sheryl [at] runninginpigtails [d0t] com =)

I was going to post about this sooner but I just ended what is probably one of the most craptastic weeks of all time. Not a great start for the new year, lemme tell you that. But, I’m trying my best to gather myself up and keep a positive outlook.

So, on to better and more exciting news!

I’ve finally finished my training plans for the big races this year! To recap, I’ll be attempting 3 halfs, 1 marathon, a handful of 5ks, and one 10k. I want to spend the first half of this year re-building my base, getting my legs strong again, strengthening my core, and building upper body strength. In other words, I want to get stronger ;) The second half of the year will be more focused on marathon training, gearing up for CIM.

I broke up the year into 4 training cycles ranging from 11-15 weeks. I think I do better when training cycles are nice and short =) As always, all training schedules are based on the FIRST method, which involves 3 days of running and 3 different types of runs (speed, tempo, long). This schedule is tried and true (by me) and the different runs keep me engaged. Here are the basic specs of each cycle:

Cycle 1

• Length: 15 weeks
• Longest Run:13 miles
• Total Distance: 190 miles
• Peak Week: 21 miles
• Goal Race: Avenue of the Giants Half Marathon
• Cross-Training: 1 full cycle of P90X

Cycle 2

• Length: 12 weeks
• Longest Run: 15 miles
• Total Distance: 175 miles
• Peak Week: 23 miles
• Goal Race: San Francisco Half Marathon
• Cross-Training: 1 full cycle of P90X

Cycle 3

• Length: 13 weeks
• Longest Run: 16 miles
• Total Distance: 223 miles
• Peak Week: 28 miles
• Goal Race: Rock n Roll LA Half Marathon
• Cross-Training: 1 full cycle of P90X

Cycle 4

• Length: 11 weeks long
• Longest Run: 20 miles
• Total Distance: 288 miles
• Peak Week: 35 miles
• Goal Race: California International Marathon
• Cross-Training: 1 full cycle of P90X

Total Mileage: 875 miles (if I hit all my runs)

I plan to either bike, swim, or do some slow running after hard running efforts for recovery, if my body feels up to. Otherwise, I won’t push it. I think that this training schedule is a pretty gradual build up and that I’m not asking too much from my body because I’m starting slow.  My goal will be to hit a 12:30min pace for the marathon, which I think is a pretty reasonable goal for me.

Training starts this week! =O

Before I sign off, I want to send out good running thoughts over to Melissa who’ll be doing the RnR Arizona half tomorrow. Send her some love!

Last week I set out for what was suppose to be a 4 miler, but it ended up being just short of a 2 miler because of really bad stomach pains that kicked in at the end of mile 1. I felt so nauseous that I thought I was going to puke my guts out right on the sidewalk. Sexy! Gladly I made it home in tact, but it took a while for me to feel ok again. That night I did P90X shoulders & arms to compensate for my failed run.

Split 1: 12:46
Split 2: 12:19  (.73)
Total Time: 25:06
Total Distance: 1.73 miles
Calories Burned: 193

Then today, I finally decided that enough is enough.  I needed to get my ass into gear, especially because I’d just eaten a whole butt load of white cheddar Cheez-its =X

It was a brisk 52 degrees when I stepped out at around 3:30 today. I wore my Nike cold weather running pants, which I L-O-V-E, and my long sleeve Surf City race shirt. And that’s it.

Big mistake!

The sun set shortly after I started my run, and OMG I was freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezing. My body, overall, felt ok, but my hands and my face were sooooooooooooooooooooooo cold.

Split 1: 12:12
Split 2: 14:38
Split 3: 14:20
Split 4: 12:58
Split 5: 3:15 (.26)

Total Time: 57:25
Total Distance: 4.26
Calories Burned: 438
Average HR: 163

This run was great but it was all kinds of weird. My goal was to get 3 miles done nice and easy, with easy meaning in Zone 3 (50-60% MHR) and with intervals. I thought that it’d be pretty easy but my HR was skyrocketing like crazy even though I was running only 13min/mi. My perceived effort also didn’t match. I felt like I was only putting in about a 6 on a scale from 1 to 10, but my HR said my perceived effort should have been at like an 8 or 9.

Does cold weather make your HR go all a wire?

I dunno. I spent the first 2.5 miles trying to go slow enough to keep my HR in the 150s, but then I was getting so freakin’ cold that I decided to just chuck it out the window and run as fast as I wanted as long as I felt ok. I was still feeling really good when I reached the 3 mile mark so I decided to add on an extra mile. I ended up running the last 1.5 mile because it was so damn cold and running was the only way I could keep my body warm. My HR was off the charts going into the 170s. WTH?? I can’t possibly be THAT out of shape, can I??

Anyway, I plan on doing another 3 miler tomorrow, but I’ll definitely be dressing a lot more warmly! And I’ll be sleeping with my HR tonight so that I can wake up and see what my resting HR is. I wonder if it’s gone up? More on this tomorrow!

Oh, and here are some pics of suburbia. Remember how I said I lived next to nothingness? Here’s the proof =)

The first image was taken from SportsTrack. All the pauses are me taking pictures or waiting to cross the street. The rest of the pics were all taken on the route I regularly run on. Today, there was literally no one on those paths and I don’t blame them. It was hella freakin’ cold. This park is usually filled with families and people walking their dogs. It was completely deserted today.

I just finished reading Aron’s CIM race report (she BQ’d!!! Visit her blog and leave her some love :). It left me feeling awestruck and inspired, and it got me thinking about my race goals for 2010. Don’t worry, I don’t have any silly ideas about a BQ. That’s definitely not in my cards next year or even in the next couple of years. But I hope that there will be a BQ for me someday, even if it’s 5 years down the road.

My major goal for 2010 is to redeem myself after a dismal training cycle and sad marathon debut at San Diego. I really owe it to myself to do this right!

Except…. I haven’t, so far.

With the cold weather and the short days, it’s been really hard for me to find the motivation to get out there and log the miles. I’m now supposed to be in my third week of marathon training and have done pretty much nothing. ::sigh::

This is the second time I’ve bonked at winter training and it’s making me wonder if I’m just not made to train during the winter. Maybe I should refocus to do a summer marathon instead. Maybe I should revisit San Diego. I still have enough time to rock that one out. The only thing is that I’ve already mentally committed to the LA Marathon. I think the race route looks awesome, and Raciel, my metal spatula wielding coach, has already committed to it, too.

I really want to do it. I’m just having a hard time finding the motivation to train for it. Each night, I read a flurry of your guys’ blog posts and it leaves me feeling SO inspired to get my ass going, but that seems to disappear overnight.

So, I’m putting my goals out there for everyone to see, and if you ever see me slacking off (and I’m sure this will happen) feel free to leave me a little comment here to kick my ass into gear :)

My 2010 Goals
1. run a sub 5:30 marathon (current PR 6:39:43, boooo)
2. run a sub 2:30 half marathon (current PR 2:39:07)
3. run a sub 1:05 10k (no current PR)
4. run a sub 30:00 5k (current PR 32:35)
5. lose 15-20lbs and maintain the weight loss
6. take swim lessons and learn proper swimming technique
7. start training for a sprint triathlon
8. complete 1 full cycle of P90X

I think my new PR goals are all within reach. They’re definitely not fast goals =) but they’re goals I can reach with some dedicated training. I think that I’ll be able to break my marathon goal, no problem. Even if I train only marginally better than I did this year, I’m sure I’ll be running it faster than 6:39:43. Man, that time is just embarrassing! My second most important goal is to break a 2:30 half marathon, which has been my goal since the LB 2008 half marathon. I’m 3 half marathons in since I set that goal and I still haven’t been able to break it! Hopefully, it’s in the cards for me in 2010… although I’ll be honest, I’ll need an easier route to do it on than the SF half marathon route – that beast is killer!

Anyway, if you’re suffering from winter training blues like me, I’m sure you’re looking for inspiration wherever you can find it. I’ll try to post up inspiring stories and clips when I find them :) Today, I found inspiration in a clip from an episode of the Biggest Loser (their Where Are They Now? ep). I double dog dare you to watch it and NOT feel inspired! It’s only 7 mins long, and well worth your time so give it a watch!

My favorite quote from the clip:

“I look back over that race, and it changed me. It made me realize that it’s not about how much you weigh, and it’s not about what you done in your past. It’s about what you’re doing. Our bodies, they’re amazing. I shouldn’t have been able to do what I did that day, but my body kept going. There’s something about pushing yourself beyond your limits that people need to do once in their life. They need to take a chance one time to see what they really can do. And once you do it, you’re never the same.”

This quote really hits home with me. Not that I’ve done anything crazy extreme like an Ironman triathlon. The SD marathon is by far the longest race I’ve done and it certainly was tough, but the hardest race I’ve run was the Surf City half marathon in 2008, my first half.  You can read more about that race in my new About the Girl page.

My Clif’s Notes version: I went into this race out of shape and under-trained, not knowing what my body would need to do to complete a half marathon. During the race, I was injured, I was in a lot of pain, I was running/walking in cold wind and rain for almost 4 hours, and I was completely alone. It took ever ounce of will power I had to keep myself from quitting and to keep believing that I could finish. Crossing that finish line changed everything for me. It changed the way I looked at myself and what I was capable of doing, and it was the memory of Surf City that kept me going during the SD marathon.

What keeps you guys going during the rough spots? :)

I’ve been talking about getting back into training for a while now.. and so far I’ve only succeeded in eating more than I burn and thus making my ass just THAT much bigger. Totally does not help with my whole marathon redemption plan. A complete FAIL on my part.

I don’t know what it was before that kept me off the roads and that kept me from doing my P90X workouts. Maybe part of it was the weather. Maybe it was the traveling. Or maybe it was that I was just being a complete lazy ass. Whatever it is that was blocking my mojo… it’s gone and my mojo is BACK.

My feet are tingling again. After nearly 6 weeks of a sloth-like existence, my body is finally ready to get back on the roads. It’s itching to be put back into use. It’s telling me that I’ve gained some early holiday pounds and I need to put that in check, PRONTO.

I’ve set my mind on definitely doing the LA Marathon. Raciel has already signed up. All I’ve got to do now is scrounge up enough to pay that exorbitant registration fee and I’ll be all set!

So, I unveil to you all, my glorious marathon training plan! I’ll be doing the P90X lean program and I’ll be starting it during my second week of marathon training. I’ve jumbled around the workouts so that I’m resting the day of my long runs and not doing any crazy workouts before or after the long runs.

Here’s what my weekly schedule looks like:

Monday: Cardio X
Tuesday: Speedwork, Pilates
Wednesday: Jillian Michaels cardio workout, Strength (Shoulders & Arms/Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps/Chest & Back), Ab Ripper X
Thursday: Tempo run, Strength (Legs & Back/Back and Biceps/Shoulders & Arms), Ab Ripper X
Friday: Kenpo X
Saturday: Core Synergistics
Sunday: Long run

As usual, I’ve based the running portion of the training schedule on the FIRST method (aka the Less is More plan). It’s done well for me these past two years, I didn’t want to deviate from it.

So, I’m now entering “git ‘er done” mode. My first long run will be a 6 miler next Sunday, so to prep for that, I’ll be going out for a 3-4 miler tomorrow morning just to ease back into things, nice and easy. Can’t wait to get out there again!