PT...it's good for you...PT...it's good for me...

Well, I've been changing my running program some due to the heat. I moved to a treadmill at the local college fitness center. I've been trying to push myself with the heavy use of inclines...as in a constant 5-degrees. The end result is an increase in running power over a 2-mile distance. My big hope is it develops my lungs as well (as that seems to be my current weakness). I want to be able to pull off a constant 5-degree hill climb for 3-miles in around 25 minutes. I feel that this will give me a good base (along with longer, easy-paced distance runs...about 8 miles) to do better 5K times (also PFT times).

At the same time, I've been really working with my shoulder muscles. Using the lat. pull-down machine, I'm trying to increase the weight while maintaining 25 repetitions on the first set. The main goal here is to get my pull-ups up to 20 consistantly. I've also been working heavily with dips and the military press to give several of the shoulder muscle groups a good workout. Unfortunately, the fitness center will be closed for 3 weeks next week.

As for evidence that my program is working...well, my wife seems to think there's been some additional muscle building around my shoulders and upper back. In addition, I have been making some progress in increasing weight on machines and free-weights. As for my runs, we have a 5-mile race this weekend. I'll see how I do there.