See BamaDave Run (and Lift)

[BamaDave]

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!).

[Buk]

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.

[BamaDave]

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.

[BamaDave]

WED. 10/5/05

CrossFit workout -

9 rounds for time:

Deadlifts 225# -- 5 reps

Handstand Pushups - 5 reps

Total Time: 15:00

Splits:

1:00, 2:03, 3:11, 4:54, 6:42, 8:38; 10:38; 12:42; 15:00

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!

[kmwest]

How far down did you go on the handstand pushups?

[BamaDave]

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.

[Bill2380]

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.

[kuri]

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]

15:00 is a good time on that.

[BamaDave]

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]

3 x 400 meters:

1:23 [recovery 200m - 2:23]
1:23 [recovery 200m - 2:08]
1:23

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]

If it were me I'd say it was the 45 DLs!

[BamaDave]

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.

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SAT. OCT. 8 2005
PM CROSSFIT WORKOUT -- Thruster/Pullup-Dip Workout from Hell

For time:

15/12/9 DB Thrusters (45# each) Sets

alternated with

45/36/27 Pullups and Dips

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.

[Buk]

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.

[Bill2380]

That's a HELL of a workout all right. It does show that you're capable of doing much more than you think just by perservering. Way to go.

[BamaDave]

Thanks, guys. Uh, yeah, I am SORE!!!

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SUN. OCT. 9, 2005:

AM LONG RUN

DISTANCE: 16.6 miles

TIME: 2:18:32

AVE. PACE: 8:21

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.

[kmwest]

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.

[kuri]

Great job Dave. I can't believe you ran and then got through that Crossfit routine the same day!

[BamaDave]

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!

[BamaDave]

WED. OCT. 12, 2005:

AM RUN

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.