Feeling a Bit Derailed

    Not unexpectedly, Fire Academy is derailing my workout regimen. I try to tell myself that I am usually getting a helluva workout when I am at the station drilling, but I still get a little tweaky at not being able to stick to my workout schedule. Tonight I was going to get back to the pool after taking a week off to nurse a strained pec muscle, but got a text from the lieutenant that he will be at the station if we want to drill tonight. So, guess what? I will be at the station at 19:00h, climbing into turnouts, and playing with fire equipment. Yes, I would rather be at the station than at the pool, it is more fun. But my athlete's conscience is whispering to me that at this rate I will never be ready for my A Race in September.
    I have decided to add some Crossfit Endurance type workouts to my weekly schedule. These are intense workouts, usually about 30 minutes of punishing, quick-paced, back to back exercises incorporating body weight and weights. The idea is to pick two or three exercises, do as many sets without stopping as you can manage in a 7 to 10 minute time. Then move to the next group of exercises, and then the next. No breaks, just fast and furious. This is the idea behind my "Down and Dirty Thirty": 30 minutes of legwork such as lunges, squats, split squats, deadlift, etc, with no breaks between. It is tough to do, and you will feel it the next day or two, trust me. Crossfit Endurance was developed specifically for endurance athletes who are short on time, or are having to be a bit protective of their bodies, or both. I know my knees cannot handle the pounding they would get on long runs, it would be damaging on a long term scale. But I need to train up to being able to run a half-marathon. I am looking for alternatives to prep my body. CFE seems the best alternative at this point to help condition without breaking down my body. As well as a great option for my time crunched life. Too much to do and never enough time to do it. Never. Ever. Enough.