work it out

What makes a good workout? 

I just can't seem to get the formula right. At least, not recently.

Sometimes running comes so easily and when you're done you're ready for the weights that lie ahead.

Other times running is laborious. You suck wind, never hitting the right stride or breath.

That's been my week.

For a few weeks I was calling Monday "6-mile Monday" because for whatever reason I could easily run for a full hour at a good pace. {if I could have gone longer I wouldn't know, that's when the treadmill says no more, please.} I credit those Mondays to cooler weather and my body's desire to compensate for an unhealthful weekend. Whatever it was, they are no longer.

Last week when I got to 15 minutes I had a choice to make: finish my laborious run or stop and actually be able to do the weights portion of my routine without feeling completely ill {and therefore stopping early}. Knowing David was still not up for the gym {from his teeth. still having pain}, I could do run part two afterward if I was up for it (and by that point I usually was).

This week has been off. I've been going, just not getting through. So, not a complete loss, but nevertheless frustrating.

But the "success" of the workout is almost entirely determined by the run.

So what makes the difference?

I've heard yogurt is a great pre-gym snack - but that's more for weight loss and physical results, not so much improved performance.

I keep myself hydrated, so that factor shouldn't have an effect. By the time I'm going to the gym in the morning I've had at least two 20 oz bottles of water.

During the winter I would drink a mug of green tea with honey and lemon. Singers drink tea with lemon and honey to help their throats. It may have been placebo, but it always seemed to work in the winter - going out into the chilliness and all. When the weather started warming up the tea seemed silly - no need to protect before I left the house.

I've tried it again in my lulls, to see if it would give me a boost. The results: inconsistent. Sometimes I feel good, sometimes I don't. Certainly not 60 minutes good. That tells me the tea neither hurts nor helps.

Now, the weather could also be a factor. Granted, I run inside at a gym, but walking from heat into the blasting A/C is a significant switch from cold or cool outside into a comfortable inside. I'm definitely sweating a lot more {differential between skin temp and ambient temp}.

Obviously working out is a huge mental game. If you go in thinking it will be awful, it will be. So in my search for a great workout, I've tried the positive thinking route. "You feel good. You're energized. Tummy feels good. This workout will be good." {"tummy feels good?" you might ask. my tummy is notoriously fickle. I feel nauseous or more generally rumbly and upset at most times.} The positive thinking doesn't consistently do the trick either!

Energy through food? Caffeine? I typically go to the gym within a couple of hours of breakfast {and, therefore, coffee}. My belly should be sated. The coffee, on the other hand, unpredictable effect. Sometimes I have just enough buzz to give me a boost. Sometimes I'm so jittery I don't how I even walked to the gym (no quantity increase, just sensitive days}. Sometimes I'm awake in my head but my body has no energy to be found.

Music? I have songs that make for fantastic runs. Music can certainly make or break my run - I am a serious tempo runner {blame it on dance, I have to hit the right rhythm with the music}. I have plenty of options for all my usual paces so you'd think even on an off day I could find a song to boost me onward...sometimes. Not always.

So what do you do? What is the secret to a great run (and proceeding workout)?