It doesn’t involve going outside in the rain, it can be done in the confines of the front room and you can watch TV while you do it – so why oh why do I find it so difficult to do my core strength exercises? It’s supposed to make your running form better and therefore improve performance and reduce the amount of injuries you pick up. All plus points, but it’s very boring and feels too much like actual exercise for me to enjoy it.

I have three exercises that I try to do and, for the purposes of Janathon, have committed to doing every day of January that I don’t run. I know that they’re good for me but, like stretching, I would rather run 10 miles than spend a few minutes doing them. Below is what I do when I talk about doing ‘core strength’. There are much better sources of core strength exercises on the web and I wouldn’t advise you copy me. (Note: I’m not as thin as I look in these pictures, but I do go a similar shade in the face while performing these moves.)
Start by laying on your stomach – a good way to trick yourself into this one. Support the upper body with the elbows directly under the shoulders and forearms flat on the ground. Keep the body in a straight line from shoulders to heels and hold for 30 seconds. When I’ve been particularly slack I sometimes do a harder version of this that involves taking one foor off the ground.

Kind of like the above but on your side – so you can watch TV while you do it instead of staring at the carpet and realising you should vacume more often. Prop yourself up on one forearm so your elbow is directly under your shoulder. Lift your hips off the floor and form a straight line from your shoulder to your ankle. Hold for 30 seconds then swap sides.

I finish with this one because, compared to the other two, it’s a bit of a treat. Lay on your back (see it’s already much better) and with your feet together bring your knees up towards your chest. I try to do about 30 of these while watching TV.

Janathon Day 17
Other than feeling pleased with myself about my 10-miler yesterday, I’ll be doing the exercises above while watching The Biggest Loser tonight.