See BamaDave Run (and Lift)

[kuri]

Nice job on that last Xfit workout Dave.

It seems your getting stronger with the upper body exercises.

4 mins. for 45 towel pullups is very good. Those are HARD! Rope climbs are easier in my opinion.

Keep it up!

[BamaDave]

Thanks, Kuri. I think my towel pullups were kind of sloppy, though. I'd like to try this one again fairly soon -- it was a good one.

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THU. 11.24.2005
AM RUN
1.0 mile TEMPO SEGMENTS/REST to 120 BPM

TOTAL DISTANCE: 8.6 miles
TOTAL TIME: 1:02:49

This was a 1-mile tempo segment workout on big hills... a prelude to what I hope to do between marathons to ramp up my finishing time for Birmingham. Rest intervals were walking until my HR dropped to 120.

LAP# --- DISTANCE --- TIME

1 ---- 1.0 mile warmup ---- 7:38
2 ---- 1.0 mile tempo ---- 6:50
3 ---- 0.12 miles rest---- 1:59
4 ---- 1.0 mile tempo ---- 6:28
5 ---- 0.11 miles rest ---- 1:47
6 ---- 1.0 mile tempo ----- 6:34
7 ---- 0.09 miles rest ---- 1:22
8 ---- 1.0 mile tempo ---- 5:35
9 ---- 0.09 miles rest ---- 1:26
10 ---- 1.0 mile tempo ---- 7:24
11 ---- 0.1 miles rest ---- 1:45
12 ---- 1.0 mile tempo ---- 6:19
13 ---- 0.08 miles rest ---- 1:08
14 ---- 1.0 mile tempo ---- 5:59
15 ---- 0.06 mile jog to finish --- 0:28

ELEVATION AND HEART RATE VERSUS DISTANCE GRAPH:



This was a pretty tough workout... The first tempo mile was obnoxious, with about 200 feet net gain in elevation. 2nd one was mixed, down then up. The 3rd was mostly up, so I was happy with that time. The 4th one was mostly down (obviously) - had to really crank it to keep the heart rate and breathing up. The 5th tempo segment (step 10) was another really rude one... with the last 0.3 miles or so on a tough, steep grade. I actually thought my time would be worse. That's going to be a good one to work for a sub-7:00 lap time on. The last two tempo segments were net downhills with some uphills mixed in just to make the legs hurt.

Gotta go work out with weights, then off to work briefly, and finally over to my parents' house in Atlanta for Thanksgiving Part II. The Forerunner will definitely come in handy over there, since I'll be able to wander through the neighborhoods and still have a good idea of the distance of my runs.

[BamaDave]

FRI. 11.25.2005
AM WORKOUT

I. BB MILITARY PRESS: 6x120; 2x120; 3x120 - I seem to have a weakness (no pain) in my right shoulder. I guess I should do DB Presses for awhile to see if that corrects it.

II. BB SQUATS: 5x220; 5x260; 6x275; 5x285

III. BENCH PRESS: 5x150; 5x175; 3x175 (F-4); 4x175 --- sucked!!

IV. ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS: 5x220; 5x230; 5x240

V. SINGLE-ARM DB BENT OVER ROWS: 7x100ea.; 7x100ea.; 7x100ea.

VI. HANGING LEG RAISES WITH TWISTS (Left-Center-Right): 15 (5 ea. pos); 12 (4 ea. pos)

Still having some problems with strength on military presses. Also, my BB bench press seems to have declined somewhat. Maybe I need to focus more on the big lifts to retain strength during this marathon training period and do fewer CrossFit routines (although I like doing them!).

[Buk]

Nice tempo workout Dave. Having an average of only about 1:30 recovery makes it even more impressive. Did you notice how your recoveries got shorer throughout the workout? I thought your last Crossfit workout deserved a double thumbs up!

Here is the situation I see you in. Your sport is distance running. Crossfit is a great GPP program for broad development of the 10 traits of fitness. To accel at your chosen sport, you MUST incorporate sport specific training. So normally an athlete will develop a strong base and a [++ chosen sport qualities]. Two problems for you: distance running training entails a lot of volume, distance running is counter productive to gaining strength. So Crossfit and distance training have a balance and [++ distance efforts] and [- strength]. The amount of volume required for running makes additional strength(secondary sport) work very difficult.

A couple of options:

1. Change sports
2. Stop caring about strength
3. Drop Crossfit. Run and lift
4. Reduce run training. Tailor Crossfit workouts to a running specilization

I don't really suggest option a or b. Option c is a possibility, but I think the option d might be the best choice. A Crossfit workout is going to be your best option for developing mutliple fitness qualities within a workout, use it. You just have to be more selective about your Crossfit workouts, if it isn't going to tax you aerobically, don't do it. "Angie" as written is a no-no; do "Cindy" instead, she keeps you moving. There are plenty of Crossfit workouts that are multiple rounds of running and stuff. They are your friends, maybe even double or tripple the running distances. "Kelly" should become one of your best friends. For couplets(ex. 21-18-15... squat/back extension), make sure the load is light enough that there are zero, or at most, very few breaks. Do Crossfit tempo runs. Instead of walking for a minute and a half; rest 30 seconds then do 50 push-ups, situps, or back extensions then rest another 30 and start the next tempo. If you loop by your house, every 2nd or 3rd break could be box jumps, push presses, pull-up, etc.

Keep your weight workouts very simple and intense. Also make sure that they are at least once every 5 days. Move the "extras"(ab work, pushups, etc.) to post run or post Crossfit. Your complaint of lost strength isn't so much do to the Crossfit, but to the absence of your weighted workouts. You can't let something like "Angie" take the place of a weighted workout, remember you don't like her anyway. Something like the front squat/sit-up workout may feel like a heavy workout, but you can only let it replace a weights workout if you precede or follow it with your normal upper body work.

I know this is exactly opposite of what you are planning on doing in preparation for the Birmingham marathon, but I wanted to offer the suggestion. I think only experimentation and careful evaluation of your log will show you what is optimal, but I think your progress since this spring has been pretty impressive. It is damn hard to evaluate your log with all those hills you run, a cooldown should not be faster than a tempo!

[BamaDave]

Thanks, Coach! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Interestingly, I have always skipped over the CF routines that include running, because I am already running so much anyway. I hadn't even thought of converting tempo interval runs into CF routines. I'm not sure how much experimenting I'll do until after Mercedes - I have tunnel vision now focused on the two marathons. I do plan to increase the weighted workouts immediately, though. I hadn't really considered how a workout like the Front Squat/GHD Sit-Up one was using valuable time and energy on sit-ups instead of something more critical.

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SAT. 11.25.2005
AM RUN
DISTANCE: 6.0 miles
TIME: 45:00
AVE. PACE: 7:30


SUN 11.26.2005
AM LONG RUN
DISTANCE: 12.0 miles
TIME: 1:26:04
AVE. PACE: 7:20

Both of these runs were near my parents' home in Marietta, Georgia. Interestingly, they are positioned on a ridge very similar to the one I live on over here in Bama, so the terrain is very familiar! Friday I apparently had a mild stomach bug, which left me pretty wiped out after the workout. I wasn't 100% on Saturday (and sore as hell upper bodywise!) but ran anyway - even though it felt like I was struggling on hills. The Sunday run was better, and the longer course included some flatter to rolling stretches that were nice to run on... overall a comfortable run. About 30 seconds per mile slower than my anticipated marathon pace, which given the hilly terrain meant I was running at higher intensity than generally recommended two weeks out from a race, but it felt comfortable, and I feel fine today... so I think it was a reasonable tapering long run.

[BamaDave]

TUES. 11.29.2005
PM WORKOUT

I. DEADLIFTS: 6x220; 6x260; 6x270; 6x265; 6x275

II. PULLUPS: BWx5; +25 x5; +25 x5; +25 x5; +25 x4

III. POWER CLEANS: 6x120; 3x140 (F-4); 1x150 (F-2); 2x145 (F-3); 2x150

IV. SINGLE ARM DB ROWS: 6x100ea. ; 5x100ea.; 5x100ea.; 6x100ea.

V. GAGNE'S CYCLONES: +30#DB -- 10; 10

VI. BICYCLES: +20# ankle wts: 45 ea. side

Best deadlifts in awhile. Power Cleans that far into the workout don't work out all that well for me - probably should have done them before the DL's, but I was more interested in "testing" current DL strength.

[gobbla]

haven't said it in a while...you're freaking amazing!!

I'm hoping to start hitting the weights again come springtime, but the sheer volume AND intensity of your combined workouts are un-godly. Wether you're a runner or a weight lifter your workouts are really impressive. Considering you're both...beyond my comprehension! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

When I grow up I wanna be like you.

[BamaDave]

Just stop that, big boy, why you're gonna make me blush!

(Your monthly check for accolade services rendered is in the mail. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] )

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WED. 11.30.2005
AM RUN

DISTANCE: 6.3 miles
TIME: 43:56
AVE. PACE: 6:58

Comfortable pace run up to our "summit" and back. I finally hit a sub-7 finish on this route without going to a high intensity, so that was cool. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] This is the route that the Forerunner measures as 6.45, every single time. But I re-measured with my car and came out exactly at 6.3 again. So go figure. I'll stick with the 6.3. Moderate pacing, but still over the intensity I'll need for the marathon pace... so I think it's a good trainer. I'm definitely in taper down mode this week. Of course, next week will be much more dramatically tapered. My wife has this lingering sinus/chest thing going on, and she better NOT give that to me over the next few days!

[ODB]

Reading your log makes me feel like a "girly-man"! [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

[BamaDave]

LOL, ODB!!! Listen to me now, hear me last week. Do your Deadlifts. Run fast. Don't be a girlyman!!

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THU. 12.1.2005
PM WORKOUT

I. BB BENCH PRESS: 7x140; 6x175; 5x175; 4x175

II. BB SQUATS: 6x220; 6x275; 6x285; 6x280; 4x290 (F-5)

III. DB SHOULDER PRESS: 5x50ea.; 4x50ea.; 3x50ea.; 4x50ea.

IV. DIPS: 6x +25; 6x +25; 5x +25

V. OVERHEAD SQUATS: 1x110; 3x100; 2x100

VI. HANGING LEG RAISES w/TWISTS (L-C-R): +20# ankle wts.... 27 reps (9 at each position)

I felt like my squat depth was good -- I'll know later today if my glutes get really sore! Definitely good depth on the 5th rep at 290, because I couldn't push all the way back out.

My right shoulder is freaking me out - failing at least one rep earlier than the left. I've had pain in that shoulder in the past, but none now. Hopefully I can correct the imbalance fairly quickly.

I seemed to have no strength left for Overhead Squats. My wife gave me her cold, although fortunately I have a mild version so far... I did bail on my run this morning (mild cold, 29 degrees outside, nahhhhhhhhhh!) but hopefully will be able to run on Saturday. Better to have a cold this week than next week!

[twinsavsvikingsfan]

Dave, you're log is amazing. You are doing exactly what I want to do. I've begun training for a 25k in May yet still want to keep lifting. I'm finishing up ABBH II in a couple weeks and will have to decide what kind of weight program to do along with running.

"Hmmmmmmm.... I actually want to run the Pike's Peak Marathon sometime - I think that one would really be the ultimate challenge and experience."

I lived in Colorado Springs for a few years and actually ran/climbed/hiked Pikes Peak (up and down- 26 round trip) twice. It was an incredible feeling. I didn't do the run all at once. When I got to the summit I rested for and hour or so and had a donut (they make them special up there) and then ran back down. Talk about killing the knees on the descent!! My best time was 4:30 combined up and down. (not counting the break)

[BamaDave]

Hey twins, I have been running regularly for over three years and have done several pre-planned programs, including several of Ian King's (Super Strength, Limping, etc.), Homegrown Muscle, and Book of Muscle. Since August, I increased my running to 5 days per week and would not be able to stick with one of the programs with that many days of running. It depends on how many days of running and weights per week you want to do. To train for a 25K, you can get away with 3 days per week of running if you make the most of your three days. 4 days would probably be preferable for building up your endurance base... it just depends on how you want to balance things out. I actually only ran 3-4 days per week when training for my first marathon. kmwest just ran a marathon on 3-4 days per week training while following S2B.

4:30 sounds like an incredible time to go up and back down Pike's Peak, even with the rest. I'm not sure how people who live in that area ever get any work done - I would want to be in the mountains all the time.

[BamaDave]

SAT. 12.3.2005
AM RUN

DISTANCE: 7.6 miles
TIME: 52:55
AVE. PACE: 6:58/mile

Still recovering from the cold - but it's been a mild one, thankfully. I planned to run some tempo segments, but decided against it. I'll probably run a few today, although I'm not going to get too carried away with 6 days to go until the marathon. Not running almost every day has felt very strange over the past week!

[Marykaa]

Bama.. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] just a note to say I love to read your log and do so regularly, even if I don't comment.

Keep up the good work, and hope that cold is history real soon.

[BamaDave]

Thanks, Mary! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I enjoy reading yours also... no worries on comments... I don't get around to commenting as much as I would like on the logs!

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SUN 12.04.2005
PM CROSSFIT ROUTINE 051130 (MODIFIED)

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:

45 Single-Under Jump Rope
15 Burpees
15 Box Jumps (Jump onto Bench)
15 Towel Pullups

- Finished 5 rounds in 20:51. I was at the end of the Box Jumps in the 5th round at 19:37.

Lap/Split Times:

1. 3:33/3:33
2. 4:06/7:39
3. 4:17/11:57
4. 4:24/16:21
5. 4:30/20:51

I haven't jumped rope in eons -- I didn't even have a jump rope and couldn't imagine that my daughters' jump ropes would be long enough. Luckily, I found some rope in the basement and tied some knots on the ends for handles. I tried double unders, and could do a few irregular ones, but didn't feel coordinated enough to include them in the workout. So I subbed in 45 singles for each round. Jumping rope is killer - I need to do that way more often! This was by far my strongest part of the workout.

Burpees - pretty good, but felt slow at times, and I didn't get through any sets unbroken. Don't feel "smooth" most of the time.

Box Jumps - First round was the least coordinated and sloppy. Better for rounds 2-5. I still don't do these as smoothly as I would like and lose time here.

Towel Pullups - pretty good overall. I had to use some leg push/jump in later reps to keep momentum but made sure I had myself under control for the pull up over the bar.

Hard workout - I was about to puke - but I really like this type of CF routine.

I didn't get to run today due to thunderstorms and will try to sub in my Sunday run on Monday AM... although I'll probably shorten it somewhat.

[BamaDave]

MON. 12.05.2005
AM RUN

DISTANCE: 7.76 miles
TIME: 56:22
AVE. PACE: 7:16/mile

Felt like a slug in the first couple of miles. I made a moderately hard push up the mountain in the 4th mile and, after that, I felt a little more normal. Cranked it some during the last 2.5 miles as well. My legs were more fatigued than I expected from Sunday evening's CrossFit routine. Especially my calves, which are pretty sore from all the jumping. That has to clear up by Saturday for sure!

[Buk]

Be wary of the box jumps! It seems like they are usually paired with push presses, but jumprope and box jumps can be a nice one-two for the calves. Did you step down from the bench and jump up, or hop down and spring back up? Either way, I am sure it will be cleared up for this weekend!

That is an impressive showing on that Crossfit workout though. 75 burpees, box jumps, and towel pull-ups, along with a few minutes of jump rope is a lot of work for 20 minutes. I have gotten to the point that I always remember to drag a trashcan over to where I am going to crossfit, before I start.

Do you enjoy or dread the low volume week leading up to the marathon?