This session, we've invited a Boston blogger, Elizabeth from On Tap for Today, to attend Ultimate Bootcamp as a way to change up her routine and help increase her running speed. Elizabeth will be blogging about her Ultimate Bootcamp experience, and we'll be posting her entries here as well. Check out her blog and follow along!
I probably shouldn’t admit this, but prior to Wednesday’s workout, I thought the Dorchester Heights monument was, um… in Dorchester. It’s visible from the highway and I spot it nearly every night on my way home, but didn’t realize it was just a few blocks from our condo. Even more embarrassing is the fact that I’ve both run by and attended meetings in the school buildings on the G Street side of the park on multiple occasions and was still oblivious. So Thomas Park and Dorchester Heights are the same place, you say? Yikes. Incidentally, there’s a great band from Southie called Thomas Park.
By the end of this four week session, I will have
Ultimate Bootcamp to thank for an improved sense of geography.
Hopefully. The last two workouts of this week were my favorites, so far. We’re lucky to have access to so many great locations in Southie: the Harborwalk, the track and field at Saunders Stadium, Carson Beach and those beastly hills leading up the Heights, to name a few. After a warm-up run and a set of mountain climbers in the sand, Kim brought us over to Covington Street, which runs parallel to G Street (my arch nemesis while training for
my first marathon) and is divided by East 8th. There is a set of stairs at the top of the street, which leads to Thomas Park. Once we got to the base of the hill, we were off and running.
Wednesday’s workout included:
- 5 sets up sprints up the lower half of the hill (slow run to the bottom)
- Walking lunges up the lower half
- Reverse walking lunges up the upper half
- Running up the upper half of the hill and the stairs
- Running up the full hill and stairs
- Calf raises on the curb
- Mountain climbers (standard, knees to outside elbows, knees to opposite shoulder)
- Sit-ups
Those reverse lunges up the hill? Nearly impossible. It’s a miracle I stayed upright.
Kim made such great use of the hill, stairs, monument and park. With all kinds of paths and stairways, we covered quite a bit of ground. My
fitbit (which I programmed with my new favorite mantra -
nerd alert!- above) read 4.6 miles by the time I made it back to the car. The view from the top of the Heights was spectacular, and made it a bit easier to squeeze out those last few sit-ups. The early morning dog party happening on the lawn beside us helped too. The forecast for rain on Thursday had me a bit scared, but fortunately it turned out to be quite nice both days. To continue of our exploration of the neighborhood, Jeanine took our group out to the
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library along the Harborwalk.
It is well worth a visit there, especially if you love history and politics, like me… or if you’re looking to enjoy a view of the Old Harbor. We had plenty of time to enjoy the view on Thursday along the Harborwalk, as we made our way from the
McCormack Bathhouse to the JFK Library. We stopped every 100 yards or so for push ups, squat thrusts and forward squat jumps before partnering up for some stairs and push-up drills at the library.
Thursday’s workout included:
- Warm-up run
- Jumping jacks
- Squat thrusts
- Push ups (singles, singles with a resistance band, and the brutal down for three counts, up for one variation)
- Walking lunges
- Stairs
- Indian sprints
We covered varied terrain, including boardwalk, sidewalk, sand, grass and a dirt hill towards the end of the route. While this is much harder (and requires better concentration) than running on a treadmill, it’s great for balance and core work. Plus, it keeps things interesting. Jeanine estimated that the route is 3 miles total– it would make a great out-and-back run, especially on a nice day. We looked like total badass ninjas, as my partner put it, wearing our resistance bands tied around our waist while running. I would have never thought to bring a set of bands on a run, but it makes perfect sense if you’re looking to get a full body workout in. I barely noticed they were there. And yes, we did look totally badass.
Full monty disclosure: I am attending this session of Ultimate Bootcamp at no cost. I am not being compensated for writing about participating, and per usual, you can trust me to be open and honest about the experience.
Elizabeth writes at On Tap for Today, a Boston-based lifestyle blog featuring inspiration for fun, healthy and full living. She is a non-profit executive, a two-time marathoner, and an avid Boston sports fan. You can follow Elizabeth's adventures at Ultimate Bootcamp on her blog, or on Twitter.
