Some of you have probably seen me on twitter talking about running smarter, training smarter. It’s become my mantra lately — mostly because the last thing I want to do right now is end up with an injury that would sideline me from running, from keeping up with my endurance and preventing me from chasing runner’s high after runner’s high.
But the other reason I’ve been talking about running and training smarter? Because I want to both care for my body in the months leading into full marathon training *and* make the most of my workouts.
Quality vs. quantity.
No more was this true than in Sunday’s barre n9ne intensive class I took with my sis and Steph. It’s a 90-minute workshop style class where Tanya takes students through five of the signature barre n9ne moves and hammers home the exact right form for each move and explains *why* form matters so much.
The “why” is pretty easy: Work smarter.
She’s right — and her focus on that today totally hit home for me because it’s totally been on my mind…how can I continue to work and train smarter?
…to continue to evolve barre n9ne into a workout that never fails me, that doesn’t cause plateaus, that continues to refine me?
…to continue to run smarter, running harder when my body tells me “GO!” and train smarter when my body tells me “NO!” Truly listening to body cues.
…to put my all into my workouts, but not necessarily in a “balls out” kind of way, but in a focused, smarter way.
Work smarter, train smarter, run smarter.
This has quickly become my new mantra for the rest of 2011 and all of 2012 (aka: the year of 26.2).
In the meantime, I’ll be over here on my wobbly legs from yesterday’s intensive, that sh*t burns when your form and your focus is spot-on. Holy hell am I in for it in class this week. Burn baby, burn. 😉
EatDrinkBreatheSweat 
This mantra is fantastic. it’s about being more efficient in your training to warrant better results. Behind this 100%. Listening is key and I know I don’t do it enough.
Great post and so glad you still have ample amount of energy!
I think we can all focus more on listening when our bodies talk to us. I think we often spend *more* time trying to ignore what our bodies are telling us — call it the stubborn nature lurking in all of us- than actually listening and responding to it appropriately. It’s hard to listen, I’m the first to admit that!!
So true..I love the mantra. It’s not about quantity…it’s about quality. I learned that the hard way…knees are sensitive things. We must be kind to our bodies!!!
Ohhh yes, knees! I do *not* like when they talk back to me but I’ve learned from previous experience that ignoring the knees is never a good idea. I’d rather be sidelined for a week or two letting my knees heal than grinding myself into the ground and finding myself sidelined for months recovering from a real injury. Not worth it!!
This is an awesome mantra! I would say it’s been mine for the past year and half since getting hurt! It’s no fun being injured…why put yourself through that? Better to be smart about it! Great advice Jess! Happy Halloween!
Exactly – why do that to our bodies? I do think that being injured in the past was the only way for me to truly learn to listen. Sadly, I needed to get injured to realize the error of my ways. Now it’s much easier to listen vs. risking another injury.
I loved that message too, sis. It was awesome. and wow, when you really focus and don’t let yourself check out AT ALL (so bad to do that anyway, but it happens sometimes!), that sh*t does burn! like whoa!! My legs are still on fire. I heart b9!
Kind of unreal the difference I’m feeling in my body today by truly focusing on form and the quality of my moves in class vs. the quantity of moves in class. I can’t wait to put it all into action tonight! Holy legs are gonna be talking to me tomorrow (more than they already are today)!!
Woohoo! You’re a very smart lady! Quality over quantity is great, I’m enjoying it right now too, but I’m ready to get back into a bit more quantity.
I can’t wait to come take a b9 class with you gals! Sounds so awesome!
And the year of 26.2 – I get excited every time you talk about it! 😀
Wicked smahhhht, right?? 😉
WHEN can you come up to take a class?? The studio just expanded so the classes won’t be so hard to get into. Let’s discuss, shall we?
I know…I hope I’m not blabbing about 26.2 too much already…it’s honestly all I can think about!! I practically want to start training now, even though I know it’s way too soon for that. 😉
I love that 2012 is the year of 26.2!!!
And training smarter..running smarter…will help you SO much in marathon training!
I love it too…kinda has a nice ring to it, no? 😉
Love this plan. Sometimes I think it’s easy to forget quality over quantity. It can be easy to get caught up in doing more more more, especially when it’s something you love.
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