Training, Training, Training...

Just been training, sleeping, eating and then training some more. I did do a few interviews in the last few days so as soon as they are posted I will let you guys know. I will also be flying into LA on the 28th to do HDnets's "Inside MMA" TV Show, so I should have more info on that soon.

Koscheck and Bob leave tomorrow for Chicago. The bad news is that I won't have Bob the remainder of the week to put me through his grueling torture routine. The good news, however, is that I won't have Bob the remainder of the week to put me through his grueling torture routine! It's kind of like doing sprints with Javier Mendez(AKA Trainer)... It's one of the hardest things ever because he loves running me into the ground, BUT I always ask him to run me. It’s a sick thing, this fighter mentality... The harder it is, the more you want and think you need it.

Speaking of sprints, let me tell you how fun doing sprints with Javier is.... I arrive at the track early to warm up and get loose by jogging. I am usually quite scared during this jog because I know in a few short minutes I will be expected to have the running capacity of a damn cheetah. Pretty much on cue after a mile jog, Javier arrives to the track. He always has that same evil smirk on his face and asks me "How do you feel today?". This is a strange question because I am always tired due to the morning’s workout, but the answer doesn't matter to him. I use to think that if I was exhausted and worn out already before running, and told him, that I would have an easier run. That’s just not the case. He doesn't care. He is going to push me to my max every time. So I usually answer "I'm cherry" and we get started. So usually he has me start by running 2 880's. That’s 880 yards, or 2 laps on the quarter mile track. I know, right? Half a mile sprints are crazy huh? That’s what I thought too. Apparently not to him... So I have to run those in 2:30-2:45 each. That’s a little over a 5 minute/mile pace for half a mile. After that, he'll have me do 6-8 440's(that’s one lap). It all depends on how much I am gasping for air and cussing him. He has me do those in 1:15 or less. The downside is the break, he barely gives me one. In the first few days of sprints I might get close to a minute in between. After we continue regularly, the rest time drops. By fight time I am usually on 30 seconds or less. Sometimes, after 4 or 5 440's he will say something like... "If you run the next one in under 1:05, we will stop now". Of course I get excited at the possibility of running my last sprint of the day and wheeze around the loop and usually always fall in the 1:08-1:10 area. One time though, I had the eye of the tiger and whizzed a 1:02. He couldn't believe it and wondered if he started the timer right, meanwhile I was having a heart attack while laying flat on my back on the turf.

After the run Javier walks a few laps with me and we talk about gym stuff. I'll have to admit that post-sprints feel amazing! Nothing better than getting those over with! These sprints also improve my recovery a lot. I notice it when sparring. I will be tired after the round and by the time the 1 min break is over, I am ready to go again.

If you’re wondering why I usually run alone, as described above, it's because I don't wake up in morning. I can never go to sleep until 2am and since my first session doesn't start until noon, I sleep in till 11am. Some of the team, like Thomson, gets up at like 5am. Apparently, they are the guys who wake the roosters up. So Josh and others will run early, take a break, then come into noon training. Koscheck will sometimes run right after training. Like, literally. We will be unwrapping our hands and Kos will run by in fight shorts/shoes and head straight out the door. No one really knows where he goes... probably because we just continue to unwrap our hands and get dressed. Fitch ninja runs. That’s when you don't run at all but have the cardio capacity of someone who does. He does do cardio at 24 hour fitness like we all do though. Sprints are only done maybe 2 days a week, but we do cardio routines on the elliptical and treadmill almost every night. It all depends on if we did Bob's workout that day or not. I will also swim a couple times a week but that story is more boring than this one, so I'll spare you!

Ok so there you have it, our running routine. Hope you wanted it to begin with because if not, you wasted a lot of your precious life away reading to this point for nothing.

And for those of you who know me really well.... yes I am also playing online poker while typing this.... Losing too! I'm going to bed!