Cross training with the world's toughest trainer

Let's be honest - Jillian Michaels is a bad ass trainer. Her tough love motivation totally works for me, and I dig it. The more she pushes the harder I work out. Here's the kicker - as much as I love doing Jillian's 30 Day Shred workout DVD, I find that when I'm running a lot, I don't cross train. Jillian and I need to get reacquainted.



I read Runner's World. I know intellectually the importance of cross training. With a recurring IT band injury I've been told repeatedly by my sports medicine doctor that it's important to strength my glutes and my core. Trust me - I get it. Once I start training, however, and I'm running a ton of miles, I let cross training slip. It goes out the window and I think to myself, "Look, I'm running. Isn't that enough?"

No, it's not. I know that, my doctor and physical therapist know that, and Runner's World knows it. I ignore it every single time I'm training until my IT band is screaming in pain even when I'm not running. Who else can I turn to before I start training this time but the one and only Jillian?

I'm a sporadic Biggest Loser watcher. I've watched some seasons, but once I found out Jillian was gone, I knew I wouldn't watch again. It doesn't take a fitness expert to know that Anna Kournikova is no Jillian Michaels. If anyone can keep me continually cross training, it's Jillian.

I've been doing workout videos since I was a young teenager. The 30 day shred is unequivocally the most difficult one I've done. (I've heard how hard P90X is, but I don't have that kind of time when training). Each workout is 20 minutes - and it's not easy.  When I finish my arms feel like jello and my legs are in pain. It's awesome. It's the perfect cross training to fit into my running routine. Plus it'll help me have sexy arms.

This time when I'm training for the marathon it will be different. This time I will add in cross training regularly. Maybe I'll throw in some yoga, but I promise to keep going back to Jillian. My favorite line of her DVD is "You're always told to just take the stairs. That's a false message of lethargy." See THAT is the kind of kick me in the tail motivation I need.


I had to take time off from ab workouts because of my surgery, so I did the workout yesterday for the first time in a few months.  Holy soreness - today my shoulders and quads are super sore. It feels incredible. My goal for the Green Bay Marathon is to remain uninjured.  I think Jillian and I can handle this one.

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