21 Days of Planks

I decided somewhere along my 21-mile run last week that I should start doing planks to keep up my core strength until race day.   I actually planked a bit during that run while I was waiting for my friend to meet me for the last 4 miles of the run.  But then I forgot yesterday.  So 21-days of planking starts today.  I'm hopeful that I can find some creative planking workouts in the next 3 weeks to keep myself entertained.

Day 1 - 1:30 plank.  Fortress Around Your Heart is a great song but totally sucks to hold a plank to it. 
Day 2 - 1:30 plank with some alligator push-up legs.  Turns out my hips are not so flexible.
Day 3 - 1:30 plank on the cold ass concrete.  That was a mistake. Mi did her planks with me and asked if I thought we looked silly.  No sillier than someone laying on their couch all day doing nothing.
Day 4 - 1:30 plank on the concrete.  Thankfully not cold and way less muddy than the grass.  There was a rock in my shoe.
Day 5 - 1:50 planking, mostly side-middle-side plank repetitions, in the grass outside the gym after a run. 
Day 6 - 1:40 plank.  Planking in socks on a carpet does not work well.  Lesson learned.
Day 7 - 2:00 of side-middle-side (or side to side) planks.  I do them with staggered feet, not stacked, but I've decided it' still legit.
Day 8 - 2:00 plank after a 12-mile run.  I've determined the best outdoor plank position is feet on the concrete and hands in the grass.
Day 9 - 2:00 plank after a quick 1 mile run.  Planks are getting easier to hold.  Also, don't plank after a beer.
Day 10 - 2:00 plank after a quick run at the gym.
Day 11 - 2:00 plank after a seven mile run.  Hands in the dirt!  Getting better at holding a regular plank and holding still.
Day 12 - 2:15 plank after an easy run.  Seriously thought I was going to collapse.  Getting stronger!
Day 13 - 2:15 plank after a quick 1-mile run.  It's an off day.
Day 14 - 2:30 plank in my hallway when I got home from Zumba. It's raining outside.
Day 15 - 2:30 plank after a 10 mile run. Six days left!
Day 16 - 2:45 plank after a quick 1 mile run. (Yes, that's 2:45 of planking.)
Day 17- 2:45 plank after a 5 mile run with Mi.  Four days left!
Day 18 - 3:00 plank.  3 minutes!
Day 19 - 3:00 plank after a 1 mile run. Not long now!
Day 20 - 3:00 of plank after a 1 mile run.  I day left.
Day 21 - 3:00 of plank before I make spaghetti for everyone.  Done!

To do this, I did try to find some interesting plank workouts.  I wound up focusing on time in the plank, and side planks, and just trying to make it longer.  It was quite easy to bang out the 90 second and 2 minute planks.  The 3 minute planks are ridiculous.  If I do this again and go for longer time, I think I'd do it a bit differently, like three sets of a 90 second plank instead of one plank for three minutes.  I didn't expect to be able to hold a plank for 3 minutes when I started this.  Effortless is too strong of a word, but I do believe I can do it, which makes it somewhat easier.

If you want to plank but holding out one plank for minutes at a time isn't for you, try these workouts instead.

• 12 Minute Full Body Plank Workout with nice pictures to demonstrate the moves.
• FitSugar Plank Workout.  It's a slide show.  Took me longer than I'd like to admit to realize that.
• Pumps and Iron Plank Workout.  Planks on the beach must hurt less.  Right?
• 8 Minute Plank Workout.  This is one is probably the next one I'll try.