A Fun Lunch Run with a Twist

Happy Friday! This weekend is going to be a nice break after so much travel the past few months. Since the weather is supposed to be sunny and unseasonably warm, a few of us are heading to the Saleve for a hike during the day tomorrow. The rest of the weekend includes some baking, curling up with my book and catching up on a few of my favorite television shows. There are certain shows that Bo and I watch together but when he’s out of town, I tend to watch my guilty pleasures, aka the shows he doesn’t like.

  • Scandal
  • Nashville
  • Revenge

But, before I can focus anymore on the weekend,  I have to share today’s workout with you all! It was a tough one but so much fun! As many of you all know, Renaud is my most athletic friend. Always up for an adventure, when he invited me to join he and a few other co-workers for their lunchtime workout, a run with a twist.  I gladly accepted!  I love getting out of the office during lunch to enjoy some fresh air and clear my mind before starting the second part of the day. I realize just how lucky I am to have this opportunity and therefore feel the need to take full advantage of it as often as possible!

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The workout was described to me as a mix of running and strength. Since I’m trying to get back into my running groove and am always trying to find new ways to squeeze in strength training, it sounded perfect! In fact, it reminded me a lot of the running boot camp workouts Anne features on her blog.

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We ran, or I should say I followed behind as quickly as possible, just under 2 miles to a large park and sports area, Les Evaux. This park is HUGE and has sports fields, ropes courses, playgrounds galore, and running trails! Today we spent time on the “yellow trail” which is not only a nice, wooded path, but it also features workout stations where you can do everything from pull-ups to dips!

We continued our workout with one loop of the path that was a mile in distance, following the yellow arrows. Renaud pointed out each of our workout stations, giving me directions and tips as we ran past them.

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After the first loop, our second loop included stopping at each station and doing the exercise 3x as a group. The guys motivated me to push just a bit harder or do one more rep. I don’t have pictures of each station but these are the ones I remember: hanging ring leg lifts, parallel bar dips, balance beam, push-up station, dip station, incline pull-up station, agility drill station, jump station,  and step up station.

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After completing each of the stations, we would run to the next station until we finished the loop again. By this point, we’d been working out for an hour and all I wanted was a bus to pass by, ready to give me a lift back to the office. Nope, unfortunately, we had another 2 mile run back to the office!

This running boot camp was such an efficient workout, combining a 5.5 mile run with lots of strength work. The loop with the strength exercises was challenging but provided a welcome change versus another mile of running. We did our best to sprint between the stations, though, after a few of them, such as the step ups, running wasn’t exactly easy. Many of the exercises  were ones that I have never done before nor would even think about incorporating into my training, such as the balance and agility work! Even though I was in the back of the group, I hope to join the guys again next week. Practice makes perfect, right?

If you could do only one strength exercise, what would it be? Mine would probably be dips push-ups!

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11 Comments

  1. Kerry HK November 21, 2014 / 7:49 pm

    I’m the same way with my guilty pleasure shows! I use my time on the treadmill usually to catch up on those. Nashville is definitely a favorite. I’m also a sucker for a hot vampire, so Vampire Diaries is in current rotation as well. I think my favorite strength exercise would be a traditional squat. I feel like they specifically help my running muscles and unlike the dreaded lunge I like squats!

  2. Nicole November 21, 2014 / 8:31 pm

    That sounds AWESOME. And even more amazing that you knocked out that great workout mid-day. What is your work shower situation??

    • Ash Bear November 21, 2014 / 8:44 pm

      I shower in our office gym locker room. There are 5 showers so usually there isn’t a line. Today I hopped in the shower, rinsed off, used TONS of dry shampoo and threw my hair in a high bun!

      • Nicole November 21, 2014 / 11:08 pm

        That’s an ideal work situation. Love it.

  3. Nicole November 21, 2014 / 8:31 pm

    Also, to answer your question: Tricep dips, all the way.

  4. Aleks November 21, 2014 / 8:34 pm

    Yay for a warm weekend! Zurich is supposed to be 15C, glorious!

    My boyfriend is gone for the weekend so I have a similar agenda of catching up on shows (he doesn’t follow any). Will be lots of Homeland!

    That looks like a great lunch workout! I managed to squeeze in a 7k loop before work today for once, so proud ;).

    • Ash Bear November 21, 2014 / 8:43 pm

      Great job Aleks! Love the pre-work runs 🙂

  5. Aleks November 21, 2014 / 8:35 pm

    Oh and the exercise would be squats!

  6. Rena K November 22, 2014 / 9:19 pm

    Switzerland looks so nice! I live in NYC as well and it is freeeeeezing over here! My fave strength exercise has got to be single leg deadlifts — love the burn!

  7. Kristine November 24, 2014 / 7:26 pm

    Do planks count? I LOVE planks.

    And we are the SAME person. whenever I have the apt to myself I do a marathon of all my shows… namely the 3 you mentioned. Ahhh Scandal!

    • ashleyd November 25, 2014 / 7:59 am

      Oh yes, love me some planks too!

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