I'd like to come in under 39 minutes on the 10K race (eventually I would like to go sub-38).
For the half-marathon, I would like to hit 1:25 to 1:27. 1:25 is 6:31 pace -- I believe I can get there, but pace management during the race will probably be really crucial (i.e. not going out of the gate too fast).
For the marathon -- eventually I would like to run one under 3 hours. Just see a "2" for that first number. For this one in December, 3:00-3:05 sounds like a decent goal. 3:05 is 7:04 pace and would be a big drop from the 7:32 pace I ran the last one. On the other hand, I sustained a 7:15'ish pace through about 18 miles in that marathon and then slowed down when the course headed up and over Red Mountain back into downtown Birmingham. The Huntsville course is supposed to be comparatively easy.
Marathons are weird, though. You never know what's going to happen. I had a hamstring cramp-up at around 21 miles in the last one. If I hadn't been able to get that to release, it probably would have added 30 minutes or more to my finishing time (if I had finished!).
Cool, best of luck in achieving these goals, we are all watching. Seems like it has been a while since the last time you ran sub 6:30 pace for a good distance. Are you still using the McMillan plan? I know what you mean about marathons though. In my one and only, the wall around mile 23 added over an hour to my time.
The last time was my 10K in early September -- 6:22 pace. I have never approached race paces in my training runs near my home due to the terrain (plus the race "boost")-- seems to be approx. a 30-45 sec. adjustment depending on the course. I definitely have to work on pushing the pace on some lengthier runs if I want to hold 6:30 for a 1/2-M.
I never really started following the McMillan Plan, aside from using the calculator to see what I should be targeting for training paces. I can't seem to get myself motivated to follow a pre-packaged training plan plus keep up weight training.
I'm planning to head downstairs and try that Deadlift/Handstand Pushup CrossFit routine. This should be interesting. I practiced doing handstand pushups in my bedroom when I got home from work and kicked a small dent in the wall. Let's just say that I am NOT a natural at anything remotely resembling gymnastics.
First time on handstand pushups, and I had to do them with my feet hooked over a safety bar on my power rack. I felt like I was close to vertical, but not completely, so I'll have to work on these. It's hard to shake that feeling that you're about to smash your face into the concrete!
I felt like I was doing okay on the depth with the handstand pushups. I wasn't bumping my head on the floor, but not too bad. Some reps better than others. After the first 3 or 4 sets, I couldn't get 5 without stopping and re-starting.
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THURS. OCT. 6, 2005
AM CrossFit Workout:
For time 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, and 5 rep rounds of:
Virtual shoveling
Push-ups
With an Olympic bar holding only one plate (men use 45 pound plate, women use 25 pound plate), touch the plate on one side of the barrier then the other for one “rep”. Barrier is 24”.
TOTAL TIME: 22:36
SPLITS: 7:25 , 12:06, 16:05, 19:15, 21:34, 22:36
I mistakenly thought that the shoveling exercise wouldn't be all that bad and was dreading the pushups more. I started with a 50# plate (I have a standard bar) in the first set, but I dropped back to 45# for the rest of the sets and was thankful for those few pounds. I did much better after the first set -- I seemed to get my virtual shoveling rhythm down. Awkward in the first set. Pushups were hard, but I think I'm getting better at them. This was a tough workout for me - my upper body was shaking for a long time afterward, and I still feel it over 2 hours later.
I'm planning to go to the track this afternoon, since my calf seems to be happy.
That Virtual Shoveling was a Real Pain. Today is the first day that my back has felt normal. Not a low back pain, more middle back soreness. I think we're finding that a lot of these Cross Fit workouts are harder than they appear.
Nice job on the last couple of day's workouts Dave. Your doing better than I on the handstand pushups. Dammit, I've gotta get those wired, everyone is kicking my butt [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Thanks, Kuri. I was cheating on the handstand pushups, though, with my feet hooked over a safety bar on my power rack. I tried practicing against a wall after the workout was over and could do ONE before I collapsed on the floor! Doing a real handstand sounds like a good longterm goal for me and would be a major accomplishment, because my natural tendency is toward being a klutz.
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THURS. OCT. 6, 2005:
PM TRACK INTERVALS:
Warmup - 800 meters - 3:56
3 x 1200 meters:
4:31 [recovery lap - 2:45]
4:41 [recovery lap - 3:35]
4:47 [recovery lap - 4:46]
3 x 800 meters:
3:01 [recovery lap - 3:28]
3:06 [recovery lap - 3:37]
3:06 [recovery lap - 3:52]
Felt like a good intense workout, but my times sucked across the board. Especially considering that in my Tuesday run, I ran the 5th mile split in 6:00, and that was after tackling hills. I wasn't even at that pace on the first 1200 during this workout. [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]
This is my third workout doing this 1200-800-400 format, and my second consecutive workout where my times have been slower. Maybe this format is not working well for me. OTOH - I also skipped a week between each of those track workouts because of calf problems, so if I resume doing this once per week, I may get back in line. I'm wondering whether I am holding back on pace in the 1200's, thinking about how I need to reserve for the 800's, then doing the same in the 800's thinking about the 400's?? Or maybe I was tired from crappy sleep. Maybe it was the 45 deadlifts the night before this run. Or maybe I just sucked yesterday!
Kuri, good idea!! But I don't think that was it. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
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FRI. OCT. 7, 2005:
PM RUN (Mostly in the dark -- Booooooo!!!!) -- EASIER PACE RUN
DISTANCE: 6.2 miles
TIME: 46:47
AVE. PACE: 7:33
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SAT. OCT. 8, 2005:
I set up a planned workout (tempo intervals) on my Forerunner. Very nice! Why did it take me so long to do this?!?! This was much better for me than a Fartlek interval run where it's easy to talk youself out of keeping a faster-paced interval going. There's something that keeps you going until you hear that watch beep!
TOTAL DISTANCE: 6.55 miles
TIME: 44:39
AVE. PACE: 6:49
INTERVALS (DISTANCE AND AVE. PACE)
1. 0.8 mi. - 7:28 pace
2. 1.0 mi. - 6:09 pace
3. 0.5 mi. - 7:15 pace
4. 1.0 mi. - 6:34 pace
5. 0.5 mi. - 7:31 pace
6. 1.0 mi. - 6:17 pace
7. 0.5 mi. - 8:42 pace (major uphill)
8. 1.25 mi. - 6:21 pace
Felt much better about this workout than Thurs. evening's track workout. If I keep suckin' at the track, I may just do my interval work on the road, since I seem to run better versus going around in circles.
I didn't get my total time. Screwed up with my watch and hit stop instead of lap for the 36 rep round of pullups and dips. I also forgot to time the set of 15 thrusters, but they went smoothly.
45 rep round pullups/dips -- 12:23
12 rep round of Thrusters (including rest) - 1:50 -- did this as a set of 9 and a set of 3
36 rep round of pullups/dips - no time... felt like about three years.
9 rep round of Thrusters (including rest) - 1:14 -- did all 9 without stopping
27 rep round of pullups/dips -- 13:07
Well this should give me a benchmark for major improvement, because this was a slow and painful process! I actually had more problems with the dips than the pullups. Not too far into the third round, I was having to do my dips as singles. Except at the beginning of the first round, I mostly did mini-sets of 5 or 4 pullups then dips. And those mini-sets were split into 3/2 or 2/2. Some mini-sets went down to 3 reps before switching. My whole upper body feels like jello. I don't think I've ever sweat that much from a weight routine, either. Even my shoes were soaked.
Good job Dave, nice run and workout today. Gotta love the Forerunner. 108 pull-ups and dips is a lot, espically with thrusters giving an extra shot to your triceps. I bet you will feel it tomorrow too.
You are really doing a lot of work with all of the running, lifting, and Crossfit you are doing.
Another long one with plenty of long inclines. I felt like I bounced back pretty well from the hard runs I did Thurs evening and Sat morning. Much better than last week's long run. Nevertheless, I crashed on the last of the big inclines (~ mile 14.5) and wound up doing some walking mixed in with running to finish. I also seemed to be close to bonking near the end of the run. I was getting kind of loopy. I only brought 16 ounces of Gatorade with me -- probably should have brought more. I thought that pint of Ben and Jerry's I downed yesterday would have topped off my glycogen reserves.
I'm not sure whether I should re-structure my runs so I have a rest day ahead of my Sunday long runs or just not worry about it and assume that I am still getting a good training effect running with some leg fatigue.
I'd go for the rest day - I almost always need a legs rest day before a long run. Even if you have all the glycogen you need, your legs need to repair some.
Thanks, Kuri. The Crossfit routine was the hard part!
KM, if I can work out my schedule to avoid trashing my legs on Saturdays, that probably would be best. It's hard to squeeze everything in, and Saturdays are convenient for working out. Of course, I might get more things done around the house on Saturday....
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TUES. OCT. 11, 2005:
AM RUN
DISTANCE: 6.3 miles
TIME: 45:32
AVE. PACE: 7:13
My legs were very fatigued yesterday, so I wasn't sure what this morning would be like. I didn't want to scale back completely to an EZ-paced run. Pretty decent intensity when I went up the mountain -- Forerunner said my pace on the split containing most of the incline was 8:05.
The Forerunner insists that this course is around 6.45 miles, but I have always used 6.3 and will probably continue to use that distance for comparison to previous runs and paces on the course.
Very foggy this morning and about 60 degrees. It was like running on the West Coast!
DISTANCE: 12.0 miles
TIME: 1:31:06
AVE. PACE: 7:36
I'm trying to work in a second "almost long" run on Wednesday mornings, except my intention is to run it at a faster pace than my Sunday runs. This one was okay - still plenty of leg fatigue, which I really noticed on the long inclines... not so much on more level terrain or the merciful downhills. I'd like to push these runs back into the 7:10's or include some faster-paced intervals.
I planned to do a CrossFit routine last night, but I was pretty wiped out by the time I got home from work and my daughter's soccer practice. I don't think I'll be doing one tonight either. I must be at least 200 pullups behind by now.
I. MILITARY PRESS (STANDING): 8x100; 5x120; 5x120; 3x120 -- a little better than the last time I did these, but I still feel weaker on these than in the recent past, which is irritating.
II. FULL SQUATS: 6x220; 6x270; 6x270; 6x270 -- these continue to go well, although those final reps from way down there can be tough to push up. Confidence continues to go up on these.
III. DB BENCH PRESS: 8x50ea.; 5 x 77.5ea.; 4 x 77.5ea.; 4 x 77.5ea. Need to work on my range of motion with these. The 75 - 80 range seems to be my plateau with DB Bench.
IV. BB ROWS: 8x120; 7x170; 6x170; 7x170
V. OVERHEAD SQUATS: 6x100; 6x100; 6x100 -- good depth. Failing on keeping the bar overhead. I really like doing these, even if the pounds are not up there.
NO PULLUPS!!!!!! Well, not really true... I tried a few L-Pullups, since I am planning to do the recent CrossFit routine that includes those. Also, I did a few pullups with my 6 year-old daughter. This girl can bang out some pullups! She even did a couple of L-pullups. I think she could put a lot of us to shame in some of these CrossFit routines! She was really proud of the fact that she can do pullups and Mommy can't - haha (Mommy gets REALLY close, though, on an underhand chin-up).
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FRI. OCT. 14, 2005:
AM Track Intervals--
6 x 800 meters:
2:53
2:53
2:52
2:53
2:55
2:55
Total distance with warm-up jog and recovery laps -- 5.0 miles
This was better than my last 2 or 3 track workouts. I still have not matched my 6x800's on 8-31-2005, although I noted on the log that I had two rest days prior to that workout -- so I'll hold on to that excuse! I actually expected to be a little slower since I just did squats less than 12 hours earlier. I planned to do 8 instead of 6, but I woke up too late this morning. No one else at the track --- very nice!
Thanks, KM. I probably will stick with an 800 program at the track and just do longer intervals on the road. I'd just like to beat that one 2:45 I got on 8-31-2005. Maybe I had extra coffee that day.
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FRI. 10.14.2005 PM CrossFit Workout
20 minutes -- as many sets of 10 L-Pullups and 20 Squats as possible
-- squats were unweighted
---L-pullups are hard! I did 10 for the first two sets, but I had to break those into mini-sets, even for the first one... I think 6 + 4. After the first two, I reduced to 5 L-pullups per set to keep some momentum since my mini-sets were getting mini-er and mini-er.
Total time was 20:48. I only did 14 sets during that time. Lots of room for improvement. My legs resisted the squats at first, but the soreness wore off fairly quickly.
I didn't make up any L-pullups after the workout. I figured EIGHTY was enough for one day. Massive numbers of pullups are starting to seem normal. Actually, I think I probably have improved on them as far as stamina since starting these CF routines.
I wasn't sure how this would go, since I just ran 800's yesterday. But I was happy with the results -- especially the first two 1 mile intervals. Probably a little too fast on those, because it slowed me down for the rest of the run compared with last week. I really had to slow it down on the rest interval #7, which is almost entirely uphill, to slow my breathing down (not easy on an uphill).
My total time this week on the tempo segments was 26:16, for an ave. pace of 6:11.
Last week: 26:55 for ave. pace of 6:20.
Next week I'll probably try to do this run again and shave a little distance off the recovery intervals.
I'm impressed your daughter can do L-pull-ups! How old is she? Does she do any gymnastics? I could never do those as a child! (much less now!) I didn't pick that WOD because of those and couldn't think of a substitute quickly.
great workout...you make me want to get to running again. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I haven't been enjoying it lately.
Hey Cappy, she is 6 years old. She started gymnastics last year. At the end of last year, her instructor wanted them to try pull-ups with him assisting by holding them up to the bar. She told him she wanted to try it by herself and banged out ten!!
This is definitely the time of year to get back into running. Cooler temps and especially the lower humidity!
Perfect running weather here today. It's hard to believe that two weeks ago, I had to stop at a gas station and guzzle water in the bathroom like I had been crawling through a desert for days, and today I didn't even drink anything until I got home.
Started out a little slow -- my legs were really stiff and pretty sore from the past few days. But I loosened up fairly well, and by ~5.5 miles I had an average pace around 7:15. Then came all of my big inclines, including the dreaded Nemesis Satanic Hill. I handled them all today pretty well.
My marathon is now 8 weeks away. Next week or the week after, I will likely try to do a max training run (or close to max) -- around 20 miles. Then another one of those 3-4 weeks out.
This was the only morning this week when I will have enough time to do an intermediate distance run. Since it was only two days after my long run on Sunday, I didn't want to push it out to 12 or 13, although I think I could have continued. My legs had recovered fairly well since Sunday. I kept my pace closer to 7:00 for much of the run, but I routed it so that I had a 2.3 mile stretch of continuous uphill, and I was over 8:00 pace for most of that. A few dogs made sure to keep my pace up, and the highlight of the run was being hee-haw'd at by an obnoxious donkey. That and feeling downright COLD when I ran down to the base of the mountain. The air is really dry, and we are having strong temperature inversions here right now with cold air settling into the valleys. It easily felt 10 degrees colder in the lower elevations this morning. Brrrrr! I am definitely NOT ready for even our wimpy version of Winter, but it is certainly nice not to have the obnoxious Summer heat and humidity to deal with.
I'm feeling unusually injury-free right now. Waiting for the other shoe to drop! I'm hoping this is a sign that I have adapted to the increased mileage I have been doing. Knees feel decent, achilles tendonitis is subsiding, nothing major going on with my calves. Now to keep this going for two more months until the Huntsville Marathon. I probably will not adjust my mileage upward any further aside from weekly variation with the long run and mostly work on improving pacing.
I'm hoping I have enough energy tonight for a CrossFit routine, but I woke up at 3:30AM and couldn't get back to sleep, so probably doubtful.
Re: See BamaDave Run (and Lift)
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