Congrats Bama! That sounds like a great race. It's great to place, isn't it? I imagine we'll be reading more of your stories about that!
Those long incline hills are much tougher than they look, and if you beat some of your other split times given the terrain and conditions, that's pretty darn good!!
great run! 6:46 pace man, oh man. You can't tell me it doesn't give you a warm and fuzzy beating 170 out of 190 people [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] . It's not a compitition, it's for you...but you still kicked ass! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Do you have a hard time going in between distances for races? Pacing and so forth?
Thanks, all!! Yeah, it is cool to place!! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Hopefully it wasn't a once in a lifetime thing!
Gobbla, this was the first race where I felt like I kind of blew it early on by going out too fast. Other races I felt pretty good about my pacing. I had a reasonable idea of what I should shoot for based on my 10K and 20K races. A GPS would definitely help me, because my pace perception is completely different in a race versus when running alone. Right now I have to wait for the 1-mile split and adjust my pacing from there. That's so 20th Century!
**Same as last week. Trying to concentrate on form and a better squeeze at the top of the lift. I did do better, but I may actually back off a little bit next week on the pounds for better form.
** These went well - focusing on depth and form. I should be able to increase again next week. Waiting for the soreness to set in. Front squats seem to trash my legs the most, which probably means they are the most beneficial!
AB Sets:
1. Curlup/Legs in Air/ Weighted: +50 40 reps
2. Russian Twist/Feet Anchored +30 15 reps each side
3. Swiss Ball Alternating Leg Lifts/Lying - 5 second holds -- 13 each leg
3/15/05 Morning Run:
6.2 miles. Time was 45:38. Ave. pace= 7:22. Final 1 mile was 6:37. Final 1.8 miles (following one mile uphill) was 11:45. Fairly good run. I didn't do any pace work except for speeding up in the final portion of the run. I tried to keep my pace up on the long uphill stretch. I aggravated my calf again during the race and was trying to avoid doing anything further to it. My left Achilles tendon is also bugging me following the run. And I am starting to notice some discomfort at times in my left knee. I think all of this is telling me it may be time (AGAIN!) for new shoes. My current shoes are only 3-months old, but I imagine I have logged 350-400 miles on them.
It's going to be challenging to combine the weights and decent running workouts this week. I should do deadlifts tomorrow night, followed by a morning run again on Thursday (usually tough after deads). At least the days are getting longer, and soon I will be able to do some runs in the evenings instead of the mornings after weight training. I'm taking my family down to New Orleans on Saturday, so if I am going to get everything in, I will need to double up running and weight training one day this week. I usually lose my motivation for that after working all day!
I wound up doing a morning weight workout today after our senile dachshund woke me up yet again just before 5AM. This was bench press and deadlift day -- I was kind of hoping to get an extra 12 hours of recovery before doing deads tonight, but what the heck. Cut back on some warmup sets since time was limited.
BENCH PRESS (bar to lower chest) AFTER 1 WARMUP SET:
6x170
5x175
3x180
10x140
Little or no progress versus last week. I went lighter on the first two sets and heavier on the third. Maybe some progress compared with last time, but not much! Still status quo on Bench.
DEADLIFTS AFTER 2 WARMUP SETS:
6x275
5x285
2x295 -- 30 sec pause, then 1x295
6x230 (supposed to be 10-15)
Deadlifts went well again. I couldn't get the 4x295 on the third set. I lost my grip after 2, and then had lost it mentally to punch out any more. Not sure I had the strength to do 4x295 anyway, because the extra one rep at 295 I did was shaky on the upward movement. I lost my grip on the backoff set - I'm trying to break my glove dependence for deadlifts and am going with bare hands on anything below 250. I also tried the hook grip for that last set -- YOWCH!! I need to toughen up!
AB STUFF:
Hanging Leg Raises +20(ankle weights) - 14 reps
Weighted Curlups +50 DB -- 25 reps
Weighted side raises/ Swiss Ball -- +50 db -- 12 each side
I'll probably head down to my friends' Italian restaurant for a not-as-healthy lunch. YUM! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
I went running this morning after a terrible night's sleep. I had trouble falling to sleep, and then our senile dog woke me up at 3:50AM. Ailing and decrepit or not, he is back in the doghouse (literally!). I didn't really get any sound sleep after that. Up at 5:10AM to eat and go running. 7.2 mile run. Time 54:50. Ave pace = 7:37. Nothing notable about the run - I was tired and didn't do any speed/pace work at all. Basically just a calorie burner! Felt kind of useless overall.
I'm becoming more convinced that my metabolism goes through seasonal changes. I am suddenly starting to drop weight, even though I haven't adjusted my diet. Most days I eat 3,000-3,500 calories. Although my daily weight fluctuates as much as 5 pounds, I have trended down overall about 3 pounds since the marathon. Could be due to increased intensity in my running, but I noticed I seem to require less calories starting in late Fall when the days get really short. I'll probably just keep going with the flow on the weight and see what happens. I think I can drop back as far as 167 or 168 without feeling too scrawny. LOL.
I am driving my wife and girls down to New Orleans to visit my wife's family this weekend. Trips to N.O. usually mean an eatathon. However, my brother-in-law is boiling crawfish on Saturday, and boiled crawfish is a safe indulgence. LOL. Sunday, no doubt, I'll have to grab a fried oyster po-boy before I head back home - now that's something I can't pass up no matter how bad it is for me!
Another run at dawn today. This was my 6.0 mile down the mountain and back up. I didn't think I had much oomph when I started, but I personal bested on this course. 40:53 overall (ave pace = 6:49). I did the first 3 miles in 19:04 (6:21) and the second 3 miles, with the very long uphill stretch, in 21:49 (7:16). Both of those splits were PBs on that run. I also am pretty sure that's the fastest run I have done in my training area. Made up for yesterday!
My plans are to also do weights tonight - gotta get that workout end before the weekend trip. I'm sure I'll have to kick myself down the stairs tonight to do it, because energy will be lacking by then.
I bought new Powerstep inserts for my running shoes yesterday - hoping to extend the life of my shoes for at least another month. I've only had them for 3 months. 4 pair of shoes per year would be very expensive, but I may need to do it. I must be close to 400 miles in these shoes by now. The inserts definitely helped. Yesterday I had calf, achilles tendon, and knee pain. After this morning's run -- everything seems fine. The inserts are kind of expensive at $30, but the extra cushion has been great for me. I used to have plantar fasciitis problems, presumably due to fairly high arches, and that has essentially disappeared since adding these inserts. Also, I live in a rural area, and some roads are paved with a lower grade asphalt that has a lot of rocks in it. Not exactly a low impact surface.
Weight this morning was 174.0. I have definitely dropped back a few pounds - I can see it and feel it in my waistband.
Got the Friday night workout in -- actually went well. I wasn't tired despite the early AM run Friday morning.
Not including warmup sets:
I. Alternated Sets:
-- PULLUPS: +30x6 ; +35x5 ; +40x4
--SEATED BB MILITARY PRESS TO FRONT: 115x6; 117.5x5; 120x4
*Got that last set in @120 this time!
II. Alternating sets:
--EZ BAR BICEP CURLS: 6x107; 4x107; 8x92
--CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESSES: 6x150; 6x150; 10x130
** Kept my grip closer in with the CG Bench Presses. I bet I use too much triceps in my regular bench presses, because my CG Bench Press #'s seem too close to regular bench presses. Bench Presses are an exercise where I could use some help from a trainer.
AB STUFF:
I. Hanging Leg Raises (+20 ankle wts) - 15 reps
II. BB Rollouts: 30 reps
III. Russian Twists/ Feet anchored +30 DB -- 17 ea. side
IV. Full V- Sits +20 ankle wts +20DB in hands -- 21 reps
SAT - 3/19/05 --- traveling, rest day. Pigged out on crawfish down in Loozyanna!
SUN - 3/20/05 -- I did a 7.2 mile run in New Orleans. Time was 49:34. Pace=6:53. It's flat down there!!! Temps. were nice - kind of breezy. Humid, of course, but not bad for New Orleans. The run was in a busy suburban area, so lots of traffic dodging, getting off on the side of the road and running in wet grass at times, etc. It makes me appreciate running in the much more rural area where I live -- definitely easier to keep the momentum and a steady pace. But running in a completely flat location was a nice changeup.
I ate a lot of bad stuff yesterday (got my fried oyster sandwich!), but packed some good stuff for the return trip. Of course, to cap the day off, I had some of my kids' Resse's PB Cup ice cream when I got home. That stuff is like crack!
**Kept weights at same poundages to work on form. Did better than last week with keeping torso more stable. Also was able to add a couple of reps to final set.
** Squat workout went very well. I was right where I needed to be pound-wise for the 6-5-4 scheme. Nice struggle on the final reps. Couldn't walk for a few seconds after the last set. Butt should be nice and sore within 24 hours.
AB Sets:
1. Curlup/Legs in Air/ Weighted: +50 42 reps
2. Russian Twist/Feet Anchored +30 18 reps each side
3. Swiss Ball Alternating Leg Lifts/Lying - 5 second holds -- 20 each leg
This was my last workout for the first 3 week half-phase of Phase 4-BOM Intmdt. Now the exercises change-up again for the final three weeks of the program. Squats and Deads are back on the same day. UGH! I really enjoyed the workouts in this part of Phase 4.
I'm planning to run in the morning before work. I bought new shoes today -- the inserts alone were not preventing knee irritation, so I decided to get new shoes as well. I bought a pair of Asics DS Trainer X's. More expensive, but wow - they feel great! Why didn't I try these on before? Nice and light and fit well. Not nearly as clunky as the Stability Shoes (Asics GT-2090) I have been using the last three months. I don't think I really need a stability shoe... I have assumed for years that I needed something to prevent over-pronation, but I believe I was basing that on performance of cheaper shoes from years ago. Actually, buying Stability shoes may have caused me problems. I have high arches and probably don't over-pronate at all. Can't wait to break these in!!
Thanks, nbjjku! Yeah, I love squats and that sore feeling. But I also dread them. LOL. Talk about a love/hate relationship.
Good run this morning in the new shoes. In fact, I have never had such a good first run experience in a new pair of shoes. I'm even more convinced that I was using incorrect shoes previously. Mainly because I feel like I am suppinating a little bit in these new ones, and I bet using the stability shoes caused that by training my gait too far toward suppination.
I did a 7.7 mile run. Time was 54:59 (7:08). A couple of split times for this run... 4.5 mile split time was 33:42 (7:29 pace to that point -- that section included the longest uphill stretches)... 6.2 mile split was 45:36 (7:21 ave pace -- ran 7:07 average between 4.5 and 6.2, which I am pleased with because it included another long climb). I ran the last 1.5 miles in 9:23 (6:15 pace). Overall, a good run - I'm happy. Still some knee irritation this morning, but reduced compared with recent runs. It will no doubt take some time to get over that.
Thanks, Rev. "What an athlete" is certainly not an expression I ever expected anyone to say about me, unless the word "pathetic" was situated before "athlete."
Started the last half-phase of the intermediate program.
ALTERNATING SETS:
1. Bench Press
10x90
8x110
6x120
4x180
4x185
10x150
13x130
4x185 is good for me on Bench. I'll try more weight next week. I'm close to where I was after Phase 9 of HGM last Summer, and I had done some bulking.
2. Bicep Curls - Close Grip/Curl Bar
10x32
8x42
6x57
4x92
4x97
10x77
15x67
FAST AB CIRCUIT (no rest between sets)
Full V-Sits - 25 reps
Leg Raises - 25 reps
Russian Twists +20# - 5 reps each side (yikes!)
Curlups w/Twist Hands 4-head/ Elbows Out- 12
Side Raises - Hands 4-Head/Elbows In - 20 each side
The Ab circuit was pretty tough after the first two sets.
I like the technique of doing heavy sets followed by lighter backoff sets. I'm going to keep doing that when I start doin' my own thang in a few weeks.
3/24/05 - MORNING RUN
8.0 miles -- Time = 56:44 (Ave Pace = 7:06). I worked on keeping my pace up for a 1.05 mile mostly uphill segment (300 ft. elevation change) and did that in 8:07. I was happy with that - when I do long runs and include that segment, it often takes me as long as 9:00. I also did a pace ramp-up for the final mile and ran it in 6:06.
I irritated my right calf yet again. I guess that may just be a chronic annoyance I will have to live with. Still some right knee irritation. It doesn't seem to be getting any worse and is somewhat better overall. I don't have any problems running through it - it's minor - but I just hope it doesn't develop into anything worse.
AESTHETICS - I still sense that I am losing weight based on clothes' fit. Still an okay weight for me, though. If I drop back into the 160's, I'll have to make some diet adjustments.
Nice lifts...EIGHT MILE RUN? You are clearly not a sane man are you? I'll be rooting for you when you compete in this years Iron Man. Keep up the great progress.
Eight miles ain't nothing... this is a marathoner's log, man. I'm a half-marathoner and an eight-mile run at Bama's pace is relaxing for me. He probably counts an eight-miler as a long interval [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] .
Hey, thanks! No, I'm not sane, at least my knee didn't think so last night. Actually not that bad... I'm hopefully being paranoid over it possibly getting worse.
I can't decide whether to take today as an off day. I'm supposed to do squats and deadlifts (BOM 4B workout), and I just did squats on Monday. I could double up and do the workout and run tomorrow. I'm planning a shorter run with some speed intervals tomorrow.
I did take 3/25/05 as an off day. I must have needed it, because I zonked out on the couch around 7:30pm, and mostly slept until about 5:45AM this morning.
This morning, 3/26/05 -- Did a 5.45 mile run that included "haul ass" intervals. The last 2.1 miles of the course was brutal hill-wise, so most intervals were in the first 3-1/3 miles. In the last 2.1, I did work on a faster pace on one uphill stretch and also had one additional relatively level stretch for a good fast interval. Total time for the run was 41:01. Ave. pace = 7:32. Ave. pace doesn't tell me much on this type of run, since I was all over the place pace-wise from practically sprinting to walking.
It was almost HOT this morning, too. Temps. in the low 80's already at 10:30AM. That's unusual for the Appalachian part of Alabama in March. Wed. morning it was near 40 degrees for my run, and now nearing Summer temps!
My knee feels great - no after-run discomfort, unlike Wed. Happy about that! My right calf is bothering me, though -- tight and some pain when I first get up and walk.
Squats and Deads are tonight. And I'm planning a long run for tomorrow. So it's an iron man weekend fer sure. I need an iron man weekend, because I just downed 1/4 of a half-gallon container of Blue Bunny Reese's PB Cup ice cream! Just wanted to make sure my glycogen levels stay as high as possible! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
I may not get that long run in tomorrow if the weather forecasts hold up. We're supposed to have lots of wicked weather, hail, tornadoes, etc. tonight and again tomorrow.
This was a tough workout, with squats and deads now back on the same day.
1. BB SQUAT/LOW BAR (went deep):
150x8
180x6
220x4
270x4
275x4
2. BB Squat/Explosive (20*):
160x8
160x8
3. BB Squat/Jump (10*):
120x7 (need to go a little lighter - supposed to be 8-10 rep set; my legs were trashed by this point!)
4. DEADLIFTS:
180x6
220x4
285x4
295x4
I was happy to get the 295x4 while doing deads after squats.
5. CLEAN PULL (10*):
120x6
140x6
Haven't done these in a long time. These weights felt light, even though the book suggested using 1/3rd of deadlift weight. Maybe I need to be even more explosive?
6. HIGH PULL: (10*):
120x3
120x5
Too heavy --supposed to be one set of 8. I need to work on these.
7. AB CIRCUIT (no rest between sets):
*Knee-Up +20#ankles (303): 18
* Curlup/Hands Opposite Elbows (303): 30
* Lateral Leg Lowering +20#ankles: 5 ea. side - yowch, these were hard as hell with those ankle weights on!
*Side Raises on Swiss Ball +20#DB (303)- 10 ea. side
*Pushup Hold/lift Leg and Opposite Arm/5 sec. holds - 8 ea. side
Very pleased overall with the workout, especially considering that I ran earlier in the day.
-------SUNDAY, 3/27/05 -----------
15.1 mile long run. This went well up through about the 11 mile point, but my legs were stiff from Saturday's workouts, and the very steep terrain from about miles 6-9 really took a toll on me. Plus it was warm and very muggy - not acclimated to that yet, and I dehydrated. I need to find a way to bring fluids with me on these long runs during warm to hot weather, since my neighbors don't seem likely to set up fluid stations on the routes and hand me gatorade! So basically the run crashed from ~11 miles to the end. From about 11.5 to 13 miles there was another series of nasty inclines up the ridge I live on, and I had no stamina in my legs for the steeper ones. I wound up taking several walk breaks to finish the run.
OVERALL TIME: 2:03:01
AVE. PACE = 8:09/mile (surprised me, considering walk breaks!)
SPLITS (bear with me, I really am logging stuff here for my records!):
3.75 miles - 27:27 (7:19 pace to this point)
5.45 miles - 39:33 (7:15)
6.4 miles (top of long incline) - 47:24 (7:24)
8.7 miles - 1:06:30 (7:39)
11.35 miles - 1:27:48 (7:44) **crash point**
12.4 miles - 1:39:04 (7:59)
14.1 miles - 1:55:18 (8:13)
15.1 miles - 2:03:01 (8:09 final ave. pace)
NOTE TO SELF - Do not do an Ian King Squat and Deadlift workout the night before a long run!!
Ok, I may seem like a giant idiot here, but I have a question: How are you able to calculate your interval splits? Do you have a GPS timer similar to Capp's that allows you to keep track of segments of your run as well as the total time? Or do you have to memorize all of your splits?
Originally posted by nbjjku:
[qb] Ok, I may seem like a giant idiot here, but I have a question: How are you able to calculate your interval splits? Do you have a GPS timer similar to Capp's that allows you to keep track of segments of your run as well as the total time? Or do you have to memorize all of your splits? [/qb]
I have the course mapped out and know the mileage points at various locations. I keep track of the split times on my stopwatch. I don't have a GPS (yet!).
5x115 (supposed to be higher wt. that first set, but had to back off)
9x105
14x90
3. AB CIRCUIT ROUTINE:
Hanging Leg Raises: +20: 15
BB Rollouts: 20
Swiss Ball Side Raises +30: 13 each side
Russian Twists/Feet Anchored +50: 5 each side (50# DB too much to handle)
Weighted Curlups/Legs Straight Up +50: 30
My legs were very sore yesterday, and I was generally pretty tired from doing so much over the weekend. Nevertheless, I decided to go forward with the workout and it went fairly well overall. Shoulder presses are always a frustration. I didn't sleep well last night at all, maybe 5 hours max. My legs were not ready for a Tues. morning run, so I will probably do my next weight workout unless I am just too exhausted by this evening. I am planning a Wed. morning run.
** I was hoping for better than 2x190 on the second work set. Bench press is always a challenge. Maybe next time!
2. EZ-BAR BICEP CURLS (Close Grip):
10x37
8x47
6x57
4x94.5
4x97
10x79.5
14x72
AB CIRCUIT - No rest between sets:
Full V-Sits - 30 reps
Leg Raises - 30 reps
Russian Twists +20# - 6 reps each side
Curlups w/Twist Hands 4-head/ Elbows Out- 14
Side Raises - Hands 4-Head/Elbows In - 25 each side
-------------------
3-30-05 -- MORNING RUN -- 6.1 miles
I had a great run this morning - tried to keep my pace up. Overall time was 40:06 for an average pace of 6:34/mile. This actually beat my 10K race pace from September 2004, so it's a personal best for this distance whether racing or training.
This course is a great trainer for my upcoming 15K in April. Mile 1 is fairly level for around here - some hills and the overall elevation change is an incline. I should be able to do that first mile faster, which tells me I could likely benefit from running a warmup 1/2 mile or mile before a race. Mile 2 is 1/3 mostly downhill, then 1/3 uphill, followed by 1/3 slight downhill grade. Mile 3 is entirely downhill, which explains the 5:52 split.
Mile 4 is entirely uphill and is a killer (it's the reverse of Mile 3 - elevation increase of 200-250 feet). So I was very pleased with the 7:29 split. Mile 5 is the reverse of Mile 2 - so mostly uphill except with one much appreciated downhill segment. The last 1.05 miles is the reverse of the first - rolling terrain. I ramped it up for the final 1/4 mile for a decent finish.
This run made up for my collapse on Sunday during the long run. It's a challenging run, but fun. I have a plan for an additional segment to add that would include some shorter inclines with steeper grade and would make the total distance almost exactly a 15K. That would be a perfect training course for my race, so I'll give that a try at some point.
Seeking some advice on Running and Lifting. There's a local race towards the end of July, The Bix 7 (as in 7 hilly miles...there is no such a thing as flat ground on this one!), that I'm thinking about participating in, but I don't want to lose my gains in strength by adding in a bunch of running. How does this work and what would you suggest on the weights for something like that? Again I'm still thinking about it, but thought I'd start seeking out some advice (really need to get training here shortly if I want to do it). I'm sure I could do the run without a bunch of training, I did last year (69 minutes), but I would like to go in prepared a bit more (actually want to beat someone in the office who beat me last year...starting position is really important in this race!).
Seeking some advice on Running and Lifting. There's a local race towards the end of July, The Bix 7 (as in 7 hilly miles...there is no such a thing as flat ground on this one!), that I'm thinking about participating in, but I don't want to lose my gains in strength by adding in a bunch of running. How does this work and what would you suggest on the weights for something like that? Again I'm still thinking about it, but thought I'd start seeking out some advice (really need to get training here shortly if I want to do it). I'm sure I could do the run without a bunch of training, I did last year (69 minutes), but I would like to go in prepared a bit more (actually want to beat someone in the office who beat me last year...starting position is really important in this race!).
Thanks for your time.
Chris D. [/qb]
Hey Chris -- I have been able to preserve my strength simply by keeping up the weight training along with the running. I have been doing pre-planned programs for about the last 18 months (Homegrown Muscle and Book of Muscle), so that has probably helped me avoid temptation to slack off or go easy on the weights. For the past few months, I have been running 4 times per week and doing 3 weight training sessions per week, and that has worked well for me overall. I also keep the diet clean for the most part and consume alot of calories to make sure I am fueled for 30 miles or per week of running plus the weight training.
I believe the problem for most people is that if you do a lot of running, it will be very difficult to bulk up with new muscle and make substantial strength gains. But I haven't really LOST strength overall. Some minor rollbacks in some exercises like bench press since getting more serious about racing, marathoning, etc. But nothing notable.
I would make sure that your running sessions are good quality - don't just rack up a bunch of junk miles that won't do much to help you improve. Living in hillbilly land, and experiencing the tremendous benefits personally, I highly recommend training on hilly terrain if possible. I have never really gone running more than 4 days per week - so I believe challenging terrain can help make up for not being a 6-7 day per week running diehard.
I planned to run again early this morning, but those plans were ruined by severe thunderstorms and torrential rainfall! I brought running clothes to work with me and will be running after-work, urban style (which I hate - dodging traffic, etc.)
I met my wife for lunch - we ate at a Thai restaurant. I was, as usual, very good with the entree and an appetizer - both lean chicken-based with vegetables and lots of spices. But this place also makes killer desserts. So I had one of their hot brownie sundaes. Incredible!! I swear the brownie is nothing but a gooey mix of chocolate, butter, and sugar. Plus GOOD vanilla ice cream and real whipped cream all over the top (and chocolate sauce). I'm on the verge of a diabetic coma now that I have consumed more sugar than I usually do in a week! My glycogen stores should be well-stocked for my run!
My in-town run yesterday was 6.4 miles. My time was 49:23, which included several traffic light stops, walking around enormous puddles on flooded sidewalks, etc. The first 2.5 miles was the pits with the traffic, old broken sidewalks, etc. It's impossible to keep any momentum or pace. Parts of the run were enjoyable, though, since I ran up Red Mountain and had a nice stretch along the top with overlooks of the city. Nevertheless, I'll definitely stick with my country road runs as much as possible!!
Tonight it's the squat and deadlift workout again. Should be a killer!
Re: See BamaDave Run (and Lift)
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