A Brutally Honest Initial Review: Iron Strength Workout for Runners

I hate working out. There. I said it. 

Considering my enjoyment of running, yoga, dancing, swimming, rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, walking, martial arts, flying trapeze, and probably cycling (though I haven't been on a bike since college), I realize this statement sounds rather ironic. The truth is, though, contrary to what others may view as a workout, I do not consider any of these activities "working out." To me, they are fun activities that miraculously happen to double as exercise and keep me in shape.

When I think of working out, I'm cringing at the thought of high intensity interval training, any exercise routine involving squats, push-ups, and dumbbells, or straight-up weight lifting. Or Cross Fit, which my husband does. I'm like.. uh, no thanks... pass me another donut... when people ask if I'm going to become a Cross Fit junkie as well.

This is me, covering my face and hanging my head in shame as I admit this awful truth. I added an obnoxious filter to make it appear more sinister. It doesn't at all have the effect I was going for. Oh well.

Does this photo make my nose look big?

With this confession out in the open, I also have to admit something else: I know that I need to include working out into my weekly activities if I want to become a stronger runner and decrease my chances of injury. My physical therapist friend has told me this. My Hood to Coast captain, who is a running and triathlon coach, told me this. Half the articles I read in Runner's World and through other running resources tell me this. In fact, I have known this since well before I ever began running. So why haven't I been doing it? Come on. I've already admitted to jumping off a 30-foot-tall platform and swinging through the air, letting go, and allowing a complete stranger to catch me whilst hanging from his knees on a trapeze bar. One has to be just a little bit stupid to do that kind of thing willingly. 'Nuff said.

A very recent change in my professional life has resulted in my ability to work from home most of the time, and with this change, I have an added bonus of nearly two extra hours in my day that I previously spent cursing other drivers from behind the wheel of my car. While I have been spending some of this time going to daytime yoga classes, visiting with my neighbor friend, or preparing an extra-good dinner, I also decided that it is time to add some dreaded working out to my weekly schedule.

Today, I attempted my first pathetic workout.

The stuff that makes a grown woman weep.

Let me rephrase: the workout wasn't pathetic. I was kind of pathetic.

I have seen The Iron Strength Workout for Runners advertised in Runner's World and through social media sources regularly since becoming a runner. I've watched the demo videos posted, read reviews, and finally, I decided to just suck it up and buy the DVD. It arrived yesterday, so I gave the full 50-minute workout a shot this morning.

The workout is broken up into different sections including a warm up (this isn't part of the actual workout?), five "supersets" (just kill me already), burpees (ugh), planks (tears), and stretching (thank God... need more of this STAT). The man who developed and leads the workout is both a doctor and hardcore distance runner/Ironman with good sense of humor. Along with him are two equally amazing runner/athletic types who do the workout while the doc explains the moves and has one model performing modified versions of the exercises. The best part? The young lady on the DVD is a total badass and breaks a sweat comparable to a simple glisten while performing the entire workout like it's nothing. Meanwhile, the Boston-Marathon-qualifying male looks like he's moments away from putting in his notice about 30 minutes into the torture. Despite the fact that he's obviously dying, he is a great sport about it all. I must admit that it was good to see such an accomplished runner have difficulty with the workout as I struggled through it - a bit of refreshing reality you do not normally see on a fitness video.

I'm just going to admit this immediately so that my limitations are out there for the world to know: I sucked at this workout and basically had a near-death experience 20 minutes in. There's nothing quite like an intense workout to show me just how out of shape I really am despite my best efforts.

I had to pause the video several times to catch my breath, gave up doing full sets of reps about halfway through, and I barely made it through half of the burpees. I thought about giving up several times, but I stuck with it to the end out of morbid curiosity and a desire to work off the Halloween candy calories I may or may not have stolen from my daughters' stashes (shhh don't tell).

So here's a list of the things I learned while doing this workout:

1. Surprisingly, I struggled the most with the leg exercises. I'm a runner and a dancer... how is this possible?
2. Also surprising... the only portion of the workout I was able to keep up with was the arm weights/upper body strengthening part. What on earth? A result of yoga, maybe?
3. My core is in pretty good shape. Hooray! Having two kids didn't destroy my abs!
4. I have the worst heart rate ever when doing any kind of HIIT exercises. Not surprising, but it sucks to discover that a change in activity still messes with my tachycardia. 
5. Jumping Jacks make me need to pee. Yup, my bladder is still shot from birthing to giant humans. Must do more Kegals. 
6. I hate burpees. Period. 
7. I need to keep doing this.

Along with the full workout, I received a second DVD with three 20-minute workouts. I'm going to attempt one of those later this week sometime. And then I am going to suck it up and do the whole 50-minute version again next week.

If you don't hear from me again, it's because I died attempting round two.