2011 Training Log–Week 10
Mileage for this week was a little lower (55) than I would have liked, but my 7 day rolling total through Friday was 82 so I have to take it in context. Staying steady on the pushup program, and starting to feel some small gains there. I had a scare with the heel on Monday’s run where I thought I would be shut down again, but I managed to work through it. Feeling great other than my on-going calf and heel issues. Starting to entertain thoughts of jumping in a race soon.
| Monday Run – 10 / 1:25 (8:30) / 147avg Treadmill. This was a challenging run on tired legs from the 31 miler two days ago. I didn’t feel like I was working hard at all cardio-wise, but the legs were having a tough time keeping up. The treadmill is just relentless that way. I tried to keep good form and not thrash around. 46 pushups |
| Tuesday Run – 7.1 / 1:09 /129avg Holy heel injury. That run on the mill last night shredded the crap out of my bad heel. Feels like a two-month old scab has been ripped off. Limping pretty badly today. Still went for a super easy run. One of those days where I just felt like I’d rather run hurt than not run at all. Had lots of time to ponder the question – Is running just an idiotic pursuit in and of itself, or does running just attract idiots. I concluded the latter in my own case… |
| Wednesday Run – 10 / 1:28 / 148avg Back in the saddle somewhat today. Rolled the calf a bunch last night to take the pressure off the back of the heel, and also took 3 ibu at lunch, and 3 more before bed. That combo seems to be most effective for me. This was a VFF run at the boneyard. An urban 2k singletrack loop with lots of small hills and turns. Usually my VFF runs there are very moderate in the 5 mile range and just barely a jog. Today I cruised 10 miles at 8:49 – my longest and fastest run in the VFFs. No doubt about it, my feet are happy in those thngs. The heel was not fantastic, but tolerable – and didn’t get any worse. 52 pushups |
| Thursday Bike – 23.6 / 1:20 / 148avg Well, I guess I have been a runner for too long. I have forgotten what it is like to have a PMEP (Pissing Match of Epic Proportions). A somewhat regular occurrence while training on a bike. At least around here. It’s kind of fun in a way, once in a while. Two complete strangers locked in mortal combat, each trying to crush the other. I was a couple of miles into my ride on a beautiful day, just planning on taking it easy since my legs were pretty tired and I was doing a long run tomorrow. I’m waiting at an intersection, and just as I’m clipping in after the light turned green some dude on a road bike blows through the tiny gap on my right between me and the gutter! Hey, if we’re racing in some office park – great move. But I guess I didn’t really appreciate it while traffic was streaming by on my left and I had nowhere to go. I usually hold a little space to my right while waiting at an intersection, then immediately move that way as I’m clipping in to let the traffic go by. Anyway, I should have blown it off, but I got a little ticked. Next thing I know my knobby tires are screaming on the pavement as I’m doing 28mph to reel him in. Just as I got to within 20 meters or so he looked back, saw me, and surged. It was on. For the next five miles he would look back and see me coming and I could see his legs and back tense up as he applied more effort to the pedals. We were flying through the park, so much for my easy day… I wasn’t using any draft, always maintaining that 20 meters or so – he was trying to tell me that no way is any mountain-bike pavement-riding fool going to catch him, and me saying hey sucker I can ride and you’re running scared now – but no words were exchanged. Our legs were doing all the talking. When we hit the main hill in the park, I went from keeping 5% in reserve to all-out 120% mode. Now it was really on! He saw me coming up on him again and abrubtly took the bailout option on the left about halfway up the hill just as I was about to make my bid for the pass. I gotta say, I was sort of happy to see him do that. I was fully commited, but more than happy to break it off. My quads felt like they each had a blowtorch pointed at them. As I cruised down the long descent on the back side of the hill, I saw him off to the left down below. Riding circles in a parking lot until I passed by, then heading out the other way. Game over. |
| Friday Run – 20.6 / 3:41 / 133avg Did my long run after work on Friday to keep the weekend free. Kids have a basketball tournament tomorrow. Got just what I wanted out of this one. A nice long run on tired legs. I enjoyed some nice trails at sunset doing a 10 mile loop while it was light, then another one after dark. I’m normally pretty well prepared for a given run, but fell victim to dying headlamp batteries this time. Very slow going for the last hour. Heels acted up a bit, but it was tolerable for the most part. |
| Saturday Day off Watched four basketball games, ate out twice, and caught a movie. Good times. |
| Sunday Run – 7 / 1:10 / 133avg Treadmill nice and easy. 53 pushups |
| Total Time – 10:14
Bike – 23.6 / 1:20 Pushups – 151 |
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Pic of the week:
I sent a little message to my wife at the end of Wednesday’s run.
2011 Training Log–Week 9
Solid week. Still some issues with the heels, but everything is getting stronger. Started doing some upper body work, with a pushup routine. Got beat by my 14 year old daughter – that girl is strong!!
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Monday 53 pushups |
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Tuesday 20 / 54:54 (21.9mph) |
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Wednesday 37 pushups |
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Thursday |
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Friday |
| Saturday Run – 31 / 4:48 / 147avg Ahhh. Needed this one. Nice long run. Ran home after the kids basketball game and a movie (Rango, meh). Lots of hills in the first half, mostly flat after that. Heels were a big issue, but everything else felt good. Happy with the fitness at this point all things considered. I can really feel the strength from the bike workouts coming through at the end of a run like this. |
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Sunday |
| Total Time – 10:55
Run – 61.1 / 9:31 Pushups – 131 |
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Pic of the Week
This poor guy looks like he augered in from a considerable height. It also sums up how I felt during the second half of Leadville last year.
2011 Training Log–Week 8
Good rebound week. Only 6 seconds longer than last week, but I’ll take it! Very encouraged by the progress my calf has made, and am hopeful to get back to a normal routine this week. Weather is looking great and I can’t wait to get out on the trails some more.
| Monday Run – 4 / :53 / 106avg Not a very good run. My torn calf muscle was very tight and sore. I had to stop and walk several times. |
| Tuesday Bike – 27.6 / 1:26 / 147avg Did a 20 mile effort on the road bike. It was a good workout, but my legs were still a little tired from Saturday’s ride and didn’t quite have the same pop as last week. I think I need to be in the 23-24mph range to equal the 20.4 average I had on the mountain bike on this course. 20 / 55:07 (21.6mph) / 158avg |
| Wednesday Run – 6.4 / :59 / 134avg Things are progressing. I had to stop 3 times in the first mile to let my calf settle down and loosen up, then got into a good groove and jogged the rest of the run without stopping. Mainly dealing with the leftover spasm at this point, I don’t feel much pain from the actual tear unless I keep pushing after it starts to tighten up on me. |
| Thursday Run – 10 / 1:15 (7:30) / 158avg Wow! Where did that come from?!? I’ve been rolling and ‘stick’-ing my calf every night, but last night started to feel some good progress. I finally got the knotted up area to relax a bit. I could tell a huge difference on the run today. The leg was super sore to touch, but didn’t bother me too much on the run. I was amazed at the improvement in my range of motion. It didn’t feel like my heel was being involuntarily suspended an inch above the ground because my calf was so tight. Felt great to cruise with a normal stride. Hard to believe that just 4 days ago all I could manage was a single mile on the treadmill in 16:30. |
| Friday Run – 5.7 / :47 / 137avg Easy short jog. Mainly to make sure that yesterday’s feelings weren’t a complete fluke. Still a bit sore, but was able to run pretty much normally. |
| Saturday Run – 15 / 2:29 / 138avg Really nice run with Andrew and Eric on a spring-like day. Felt good and was totally happy just to be able to get out and run again. Both heels were really flared up afterwards, though. |
| Sunday Day off. No point in pushing things anymore considering that I’m still recovering. Regroup and get ready for the upcoming week. |
| Total time – 7:54
Bike – 27.6 / 1:26 |
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Pic of the Week
This water was flowing the day before, but a sudden drop in temps overnight caused it to freeze over. I thought it was cool to see all of the leaves frozen in place.
The Scene Begins 