Early afternoon
Pullups 8, 11, 8, 8, 11
Squats 5 X 3
Load: 195, 235, 235, 235, 235
Clean and Jerk 4 X 3
Load: 120, 140, 160, 160
Incline Situps 4 X 15
Uphill treadmill walk 1 mile @ 10% grade
17:22
Workout comments: Again feeling very tired and sluggish. Aspirations of a metcon quickly disintegrated.
Body: My left shoulder has been feeling twinging recently and I can't figure out why. I didn't do much shoulder work last week and don't remember hurting it during basketball or anywhere else. It's not a painful thing, just a weird sensation. The pullups were not a struggle to complete with this issue.
My knee has been feeling much better in the morning, which I think is a pretty good sign. Usually my injuries are pretty stiff in the morning. I'm convinced that this one pair of dress shoes I own has been contributing to both knee and ankle aggravation. Each time I wear them, both injuries tend to flare up. I got rid of them today.
Sleep: About 8 hours.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Basketball
Early afternoon
About 2 hours of basketball tonight. The game was a loss, but we still played pretty well considering we only had 5 players. I guess that means more cardio for everyone. I can't figure out why, but it seems like I'm much more tired and exhausted during these games than I was during the open gym nights. I would play pretty consistently for 2 hours as opposed to 40 minutes and the gym was definitely bigger in the other league.
It's got to be that the floor in this league's gym is never buffed and VERY slippery. Who knows?
About 2 hours of basketball tonight. The game was a loss, but we still played pretty well considering we only had 5 players. I guess that means more cardio for everyone. I can't figure out why, but it seems like I'm much more tired and exhausted during these games than I was during the open gym nights. I would play pretty consistently for 2 hours as opposed to 40 minutes and the gym was definitely bigger in the other league.
It's got to be that the floor in this league's gym is never buffed and VERY slippery. Who knows?
Friday, January 28, 2011
Trail/Snow Run
It was the first run after tweaking my knee a few weeks ago and today seemed as good a day as any to get out there and test out the healing progress. I bumped into Chris and Paul in the locker room at lunch and was goaded into joining them on an infamous 5K run. It never ends up being 5K, but I was partial to that knowledge before walking out the door. I wasn't really prepared for an outside run (bringing only shorts and a tshirt), but Paul had an extra long-sleeve shirt that I borrowed and there were some extra gloves in my bag. Extra gloves?...
I thought at least that we would stick primarily to the roads, considering it there is a fresh layer of approximately 12-16 inches of heavy, wet snow on the ground, but of course I was misinformed. We spent about a half mile on the road before venturing into the un-plowed silent serenity of the quarry. I tucked in behind Paul and shortly it became a game of matching his footsteps in the deep snow in order to keep my effort level sub-maximal. This was futile, and soon I felt myself red-lining just to keep the slow pace they were setting. The snow brought down a few trees along the way and the hundreds of vines, bushes, and shrubbery that is usually thin enough to squeeze through was now almost impassable. I say almost because in order to pass through, we often had to resort to crawling on all fours. The woods were dense enough so that even if Chris and Paul stretched their lead out to more than 20 feet, I couldn't keep a line of sight on them. Eventually I had to follow the sound of their sarcasm and make sure I was following the right set of footprints.
Needless to say, I quickly lost their trail, although thankfully I have been down this way several times and knew how to make my way back. Chris had some "meeting" to make at 1PM, so his final 1.5 miles turned into a tempo run. I opted for the recovery style pace and the 5 minute tardiness that went along with it.
It was actually one of the best runs I've had in a while. The snow was heavy enough to still be clinging to the bare tree branches, even after almost 48 hours since the snow initially fell. There were also plenty of deer tracks along the way, some of which seemed to start up various hills and then U-turn right back down. Hill-arious.
Let's optimistically call it 4.5 miles in 55 minutes.
I thought at least that we would stick primarily to the roads, considering it there is a fresh layer of approximately 12-16 inches of heavy, wet snow on the ground, but of course I was misinformed. We spent about a half mile on the road before venturing into the un-plowed silent serenity of the quarry. I tucked in behind Paul and shortly it became a game of matching his footsteps in the deep snow in order to keep my effort level sub-maximal. This was futile, and soon I felt myself red-lining just to keep the slow pace they were setting. The snow brought down a few trees along the way and the hundreds of vines, bushes, and shrubbery that is usually thin enough to squeeze through was now almost impassable. I say almost because in order to pass through, we often had to resort to crawling on all fours. The woods were dense enough so that even if Chris and Paul stretched their lead out to more than 20 feet, I couldn't keep a line of sight on them. Eventually I had to follow the sound of their sarcasm and make sure I was following the right set of footprints.
Needless to say, I quickly lost their trail, although thankfully I have been down this way several times and knew how to make my way back. Chris had some "meeting" to make at 1PM, so his final 1.5 miles turned into a tempo run. I opted for the recovery style pace and the 5 minute tardiness that went along with it.
It was actually one of the best runs I've had in a while. The snow was heavy enough to still be clinging to the bare tree branches, even after almost 48 hours since the snow initially fell. There were also plenty of deer tracks along the way, some of which seemed to start up various hills and then U-turn right back down. Hill-arious.
Let's optimistically call it 4.5 miles in 55 minutes.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Strength
Early afternoon
Pullups 7, 10, 7, 7, 11 (max)
Front Squat 8 X 2
135, 145, 155, 175, 175, 195, 195, 205
Deadlift 4 X 3
225, 275, 275, 275
Calf Raises 4 X 10
Situps 4 X 25
Bench Press 3, 3, 5, 5
Load: 185#
Weighted Reverse Lunges
70, 90, 90, 100
Workout comments: Front squats felt pretty good. I can definitely start thinking about going heavier. The pullups felt pretty good as well. I think using a thin bar is making all the difference. I'm hoping after this cycle is done I can hit at least 16 consecutive pullups.
Nutrition: Pretty good. Protein in the morning and post-workout.
Sleep: About 8.5 hours
Pullups 7, 10, 7, 7, 11 (max)
Front Squat 8 X 2
135, 145, 155, 175, 175, 195, 195, 205
Deadlift 4 X 3
225, 275, 275, 275
Calf Raises 4 X 10
Situps 4 X 25
Bench Press 3, 3, 5, 5
Load: 185#
Weighted Reverse Lunges
70, 90, 90, 100
Workout comments: Front squats felt pretty good. I can definitely start thinking about going heavier. The pullups felt pretty good as well. I think using a thin bar is making all the difference. I'm hoping after this cycle is done I can hit at least 16 consecutive pullups.
Nutrition: Pretty good. Protein in the morning and post-workout.
Sleep: About 8.5 hours
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Yoga, Spinervals
Late afternoon
I recently got the P90X DVDs, but haven't really gotten around to use them. You need a little bit more than the "bare essentials" they boast one TV. Namely, a pullup bar, multiple dumbbell weights, and a yoga mat from what I've seen so far. I attempted the yoga routine that was demonstrated yesterday. A few surprising things I've learned:
Spinervals 1.0
I could tell about 10 minutes in that my body needed a rest. I made it through all the workout sets with the exception of the very last one, where I simply had to stop. I just couldn't keep my legs spinning. I pedaled easy for about 10 minutes and stopped it there.
About 38 minutes with an average HR of 140 BPM. That seems to be where my HR settles for all of these workouts. Odd.
I recently got the P90X DVDs, but haven't really gotten around to use them. You need a little bit more than the "bare essentials" they boast one TV. Namely, a pullup bar, multiple dumbbell weights, and a yoga mat from what I've seen so far. I attempted the yoga routine that was demonstrated yesterday. A few surprising things I've learned:
- Yoga is a strenuous exercise that raises your body temperature.
- Don't perform yoga exercises when your joints are feeling sore in any way.
- Get a yoga mat, because carpeting just doesn't cut it.
Spinervals 1.0
I could tell about 10 minutes in that my body needed a rest. I made it through all the workout sets with the exception of the very last one, where I simply had to stop. I just couldn't keep my legs spinning. I pedaled easy for about 10 minutes and stopped it there.
About 38 minutes with an average HR of 140 BPM. That seems to be where my HR settles for all of these workouts. Odd.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Pushups, Metcon, Basketball
Early afternoon
Max Pushups: 35
Metcon: 4 Rounds, 6 Stations
1 minute, no rest between stations. 1 minute rest between rounds.
KB Swings 45#
Front Squat 45#
Renegade Row 20#
Step Ups 24in
Half Moons 20#
Double Unders
Couldn't keep track of all the reps, but I was fairly consistent throughout. Surprisingly, the toughest part was the half moons. These really took a lot out of me.
Late evening
About 1 hour of basketball. Both of our teams had a lot of subs for this game, but it didn't mean there was a whole lot of rest. We still play pretty inconsistently, but it was a win nonetheless. They had one player who could shoot from pretty much anywhere on the floor, and did so almost without resistance. If it wasn't for Shawn and his 4-5 three-pointers, I think we would definitely would have racked up an L for this game.
Max Pushups: 35
Metcon: 4 Rounds, 6 Stations
1 minute, no rest between stations. 1 minute rest between rounds.
KB Swings 45#
Front Squat 45#
Renegade Row 20#
Step Ups 24in
Half Moons 20#
Double Unders
Couldn't keep track of all the reps, but I was fairly consistent throughout. Surprisingly, the toughest part was the half moons. These really took a lot out of me.
Late evening
About 1 hour of basketball. Both of our teams had a lot of subs for this game, but it didn't mean there was a whole lot of rest. We still play pretty inconsistently, but it was a win nonetheless. They had one player who could shoot from pretty much anywhere on the floor, and did so almost without resistance. If it wasn't for Shawn and his 4-5 three-pointers, I think we would definitely would have racked up an L for this game.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Strength, Tabatta Bike
Early afternoon
Pullups 7, 10, 6, 6, 10
Squat 5 X 3
Load: 195, 215, 225, 235, 245
Clean and Jerk 8 X 2
Load: 120, 130, 140, 140, 150, 150, 160, 170
Weighted Reverse Lunge 3 X 10
Load: 80, 90, 100
Dumbbell Press 3 X 5
Load: 55, 55, 65
5 minute WU and CD
Tabatta Bike
Workout comments: Cleans felt pretty good today. Starting with lower weight and gradually working up to heavier weights builds confidence in form. Squats felt tough but not overly strenuous. I'm keeping with a lighter lifting regiment at least for another week to make sure my knee is OK.
Body: Some soreness in my knee, otherwise all OK.
Sleep: About 7.5 hours.
Pullups 7, 10, 6, 6, 10
Squat 5 X 3
Load: 195, 215, 225, 235, 245
Clean and Jerk 8 X 2
Load: 120, 130, 140, 140, 150, 150, 160, 170
Weighted Reverse Lunge 3 X 10
Load: 80, 90, 100
Dumbbell Press 3 X 5
Load: 55, 55, 65
5 minute WU and CD
Tabatta Bike
Workout comments: Cleans felt pretty good today. Starting with lower weight and gradually working up to heavier weights builds confidence in form. Squats felt tough but not overly strenuous. I'm keeping with a lighter lifting regiment at least for another week to make sure my knee is OK.
Body: Some soreness in my knee, otherwise all OK.
Sleep: About 7.5 hours.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Metcon
Early morning
For time:
100 DUs
100 Squats
100 Pushups
100 Situps
10:12
Then: 30 second intervals of running, med ball twists, KB swings
Workout comments: Made it through 70 consecutive double unders before I realized that the workout could be sectioned off however you felt necessary. I pushed through all the double unders and then did 5 rounds of 20 reps of the remaining exercises. I could have made it easily through the squats and situps, but I knew the pushups would give me trouble.
For time:
100 DUs
100 Squats
100 Pushups
100 Situps
10:12
Then: 30 second intervals of running, med ball twists, KB swings
Workout comments: Made it through 70 consecutive double unders before I realized that the workout could be sectioned off however you felt necessary. I pushed through all the double unders and then did 5 rounds of 20 reps of the remaining exercises. I could have made it easily through the squats and situps, but I knew the pushups would give me trouble.
Site Challenge
Early Morning
For Time:
100 DUs
100 Squats
100 Pushups
100 Situps
10:11
Comments: It wasn't until I was finished the double unders that I realized you could break up the workout into smaller sections to help you get through everything faster. Better that I found out the hard way, because I set a PR in consecutive double unders at 70. My forearms really started burning towards the end. The rest of the workout was broken up into 5 sets of 20 reps of each exercise.
Nutrition: Nothing but a glass of water and coffee in the morning.
Body: No real soreness anywhere.
Sleep: About 6 hours.
For Time:
100 DUs
100 Squats
100 Pushups
100 Situps
10:11
Comments: It wasn't until I was finished the double unders that I realized you could break up the workout into smaller sections to help you get through everything faster. Better that I found out the hard way, because I set a PR in consecutive double unders at 70. My forearms really started burning towards the end. The rest of the workout was broken up into 5 sets of 20 reps of each exercise.
Nutrition: Nothing but a glass of water and coffee in the morning.
Body: No real soreness anywhere.
Sleep: About 6 hours.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Rest day
Tabatta Bike
(22 minutes total pedaling time)
Max HSPU: 10
Comments: Just no energy to work out today. Labeled it as a rest day. Intended on doing some more HSPUs, some jump rope practice, and some other metcon work, but it just wasn't happening.
Body: Light soreness in my legs, but everything else felt fine. Protein intake from yesterday seemed to be adequate.
Nutrition: Protein shake in the morning and around dinner time. Nutrition very good otherwise.
(22 minutes total pedaling time)
Max HSPU: 10
Comments: Just no energy to work out today. Labeled it as a rest day. Intended on doing some more HSPUs, some jump rope practice, and some other metcon work, but it just wasn't happening.
Body: Light soreness in my legs, but everything else felt fine. Protein intake from yesterday seemed to be adequate.
Nutrition: Protein shake in the morning and around dinner time. Nutrition very good otherwise.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Strength
Early afternoon
Clean and Jerk 5 X 3
Load: 140, 140, 160, 160, 170
Squats 10 X 2
Load: 165
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 10 X 5
Load: 120
*On the minute
Skills
2 X 10 Reverse Lunges
2 X 20 Calf Raises
Workout comments: Failed the 5th rep of the 9th set of incline dumbbell presses. They started getting to me towards the end. The last set of cleans turned into power cleans. I realize these might be harder than normal cleans, but they feel more comfortable than catching the bar so close to the ground.
I tried running a few miles on the treadmill. I made it half a mile before stopping. No serious pain, but it felt a little odd and I thought it best to stop. Maybe the fact that I was running on the treadmill had a little to do with it.
Body: Chest a little sore today. It has been almost a month since I worked a bench press. Some grogginess upon waking this morning.
Sleep: About 8.5 hours. Started using melatonin supplements for better quality sleep. Seems to work well at helping me dose off, but I still seem to be waking sporadically throughout the night and having trouble waking in the morning. I will try adding protein shakes before bed and see if this helps alleviate some of the muscular soreness.
Nutrition: Whey protein, fish oil, multi-vitamin in the morning, whey protein post-workout. Another whey protein shake just before bed. Combined with steak for dinner, this added up to about 180g protein throughout the day. I've read various articles claiming 0.7-1g per pound of body weight is a good amount depending on physical activity. After today, I realized how hard it is to get the required amount of protein. This is most likely the reason for my chronic soreness each morning.
Clean and Jerk 5 X 3
Load: 140, 140, 160, 160, 170
Squats 10 X 2
Load: 165
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 10 X 5
Load: 120
*On the minute
Skills
2 X 10 Reverse Lunges
2 X 20 Calf Raises
Workout comments: Failed the 5th rep of the 9th set of incline dumbbell presses. They started getting to me towards the end. The last set of cleans turned into power cleans. I realize these might be harder than normal cleans, but they feel more comfortable than catching the bar so close to the ground.
I tried running a few miles on the treadmill. I made it half a mile before stopping. No serious pain, but it felt a little odd and I thought it best to stop. Maybe the fact that I was running on the treadmill had a little to do with it.
Body: Chest a little sore today. It has been almost a month since I worked a bench press. Some grogginess upon waking this morning.
Sleep: About 8.5 hours. Started using melatonin supplements for better quality sleep. Seems to work well at helping me dose off, but I still seem to be waking sporadically throughout the night and having trouble waking in the morning. I will try adding protein shakes before bed and see if this helps alleviate some of the muscular soreness.
Nutrition: Whey protein, fish oil, multi-vitamin in the morning, whey protein post-workout. Another whey protein shake just before bed. Combined with steak for dinner, this added up to about 180g protein throughout the day. I've read various articles claiming 0.7-1g per pound of body weight is a good amount depending on physical activity. After today, I realized how hard it is to get the required amount of protein. This is most likely the reason for my chronic soreness each morning.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Light Weights, Basketball
Early afternoon
Pullups
6, 9, 6, 6, 9
Bench Press 5, 3, 5, 5, 5
Load: 205, 205, 175, 175, 175
Thrusters 4 X 7
Load: 120
Situps 4 X 20
Late Evening
Basketball
Our work team took on the Sweetness, a team from McNeil who apparently knows how to recruit people over 6' 3". We only trailed by a few points for the majority of the game and lost only by 6 points, but the deficit seemed much greater than that. We need more structure on offense.
Workout comments: The soreness in my knee all but disappeared in the late afternoon today and I decided to play in the game. I had minimal soreness afterwards so it wasn't a bad decision. Registration opened today for the North Face Endurance Challenge at Bear Mountain, NY. I signed up for the 50K last year, but had to drop out because of the ankle injury. The race is only open to 350 participants, but it doesn't seem to be selling out fast. It's only a week or two after the Tough Mudder, which might serve as a great practice race. Broad Street is mingled in there as well. It would be a hard month of racing.
Pullups
6, 9, 6, 6, 9
Bench Press 5, 3, 5, 5, 5
Load: 205, 205, 175, 175, 175
Thrusters 4 X 7
Load: 120
Situps 4 X 20
Late Evening
Basketball
Our work team took on the Sweetness, a team from McNeil who apparently knows how to recruit people over 6' 3". We only trailed by a few points for the majority of the game and lost only by 6 points, but the deficit seemed much greater than that. We need more structure on offense.
Workout comments: The soreness in my knee all but disappeared in the late afternoon today and I decided to play in the game. I had minimal soreness afterwards so it wasn't a bad decision. Registration opened today for the North Face Endurance Challenge at Bear Mountain, NY. I signed up for the 50K last year, but had to drop out because of the ankle injury. The race is only open to 350 participants, but it doesn't seem to be selling out fast. It's only a week or two after the Tough Mudder, which might serve as a great practice race. Broad Street is mingled in there as well. It would be a hard month of racing.
Monday, January 17, 2011
CTS Cycling for Fitness
I was looking for a recovery workout, but I should have researched this before giving it a shot. It was definitely a lot tougher than the name implied. The generic format of the workout was as follows:
- Brief warmup followed by several high intensity, low RPM efforts (55-60)
- 2 X 7 minute tempo efforts with various steady state and surging efforts
- 5 minute tempo effort with 12 second sprints at the top of every minute
- 3, 2, and 1 minute high intensity efforts
- Average HR: 141 BPM for 62 minutes
The name of this workout did not convey the intensity level it contained. The variability of intensity levels throughout the longer tempo pieces kept things interesting and they were over before I knew it. Most of these intervals were focused on increasing one's ability to generate power throughout the pedal stroke. My HR was hovering around 160 BPM during the majority of the intervals, rising to match the surge intensities that were instructed. I bought this indoor training close to 5 years ago, and can honestly say I have gotten more use out of it over the past few weeks than I have since I bought it. Having these video workouts is such a convenience.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Basketball
Late afternoon
First basketball game with my brothers Brian and Jay, Jim M, Eddie S, and Chris S. We have more players but some decided not to show up...others had other obligations. I don't know if the extra manpower would have helped, but it might have given others a chance to rest more.
A disappointing loss and a knee injury on top of that. It was OK to play on after several minutes of rest and stretching, but there is still some slight soreness to it.
First basketball game with my brothers Brian and Jay, Jim M, Eddie S, and Chris S. We have more players but some decided not to show up...others had other obligations. I don't know if the extra manpower would have helped, but it might have given others a chance to rest more.
A disappointing loss and a knee injury on top of that. It was OK to play on after several minutes of rest and stretching, but there is still some slight soreness to it.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Long Run
Early afternoon
After several hours of general lethargy, I headed over to Valley Green Inn to start my long run. It snowed again this week and the trails on the southern/eastern end of the park were a little less blazed than last week. There were some sections where I was up to my calves in snow. My goal for these long runs has been to gradually increase time of running, and let my energy levels dictate my pace and overall distance. I added some heavier leg exercises yesterday to try and simulate the later stages of a longer endurance race and I could definitely feel the fatigue setting in earlier than last week.
Pre-run: A slice of cold pizza and water. Under armour compression shorts, long pants, long-sleeve technical top, Asics Nimbus, and Yak Trax.
I started from Valley Green and headed southeast, all the way down to Ridge Ave before turning around and heading back on the eastern side of the creek. I passed Valley Green to add a few more miles and ran back as far as Rex Ave before finishing up on Forbidden Dr. I had the intention of running for 150 minutes. I brought along the chia/lemon/honey drink and took in half at 60 minutes and the other half at 100 minutes. I can't say I noticed any increase in energy levels resulting from this. However, my overall soreness in my quads and hip flexors is not what it was during the first few weeks of running long. Next week I'll try to take in more nutrients and fluids during the run. It might be time to bring in the hydration pack.
139 minutes of running. My GPS read 13.67 miles, but I could tell it was recording some funky trail patterns. I'm hoping it was slightly farther than this.
Post-run: Whey protein drink and ice bath. Light stretching.
After several hours of general lethargy, I headed over to Valley Green Inn to start my long run. It snowed again this week and the trails on the southern/eastern end of the park were a little less blazed than last week. There were some sections where I was up to my calves in snow. My goal for these long runs has been to gradually increase time of running, and let my energy levels dictate my pace and overall distance. I added some heavier leg exercises yesterday to try and simulate the later stages of a longer endurance race and I could definitely feel the fatigue setting in earlier than last week.
Pre-run: A slice of cold pizza and water. Under armour compression shorts, long pants, long-sleeve technical top, Asics Nimbus, and Yak Trax.
I started from Valley Green and headed southeast, all the way down to Ridge Ave before turning around and heading back on the eastern side of the creek. I passed Valley Green to add a few more miles and ran back as far as Rex Ave before finishing up on Forbidden Dr. I had the intention of running for 150 minutes. I brought along the chia/lemon/honey drink and took in half at 60 minutes and the other half at 100 minutes. I can't say I noticed any increase in energy levels resulting from this. However, my overall soreness in my quads and hip flexors is not what it was during the first few weeks of running long. Next week I'll try to take in more nutrients and fluids during the run. It might be time to bring in the hydration pack.
139 minutes of running. My GPS read 13.67 miles, but I could tell it was recording some funky trail patterns. I'm hoping it was slightly farther than this.
Post-run: Whey protein drink and ice bath. Light stretching.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Strength, Short Metcon
Early afternoon
Pullups 6, 8, 6, 6, 10
Deadlift 5 X 3
Load: 210, 260, 260, 280, 300
Power Clean and Jerk 5 X 3
Load: 140, 160, 160, 160, 160
Incline Weighted Situps 5 X 10
Load: 25
Back Squats 5 X 2 X 235
On the minute
Metcon
3 Rounds for Time:
20 DUs
20 Jumping Lunges
20 Box Jumps 18in
Round 1: 1:28
Round 2: 1:58
Round 3: 1:53
Total: 5:19
Workout comments: I felt extremely sluggish this morning, a combination of a restless night's sleep combined with soreness in upper and lower body. This should not be the case, since all I did yesterday was a light run with short sprinting sets. I'm going to try some supplements over the next few weeks to see if this can alleviate the soreness and aid recovery time. Being sore all the time takes away from the feeling of fitness you're supposed to get from exercise.
Pullups 6, 8, 6, 6, 10
Deadlift 5 X 3
Load: 210, 260, 260, 280, 300
Power Clean and Jerk 5 X 3
Load: 140, 160, 160, 160, 160
Incline Weighted Situps 5 X 10
Load: 25
Back Squats 5 X 2 X 235
On the minute
Metcon
3 Rounds for Time:
20 DUs
20 Jumping Lunges
20 Box Jumps 18in
Round 1: 1:28
Round 2: 1:58
Round 3: 1:53
Total: 5:19
Workout comments: I felt extremely sluggish this morning, a combination of a restless night's sleep combined with soreness in upper and lower body. This should not be the case, since all I did yesterday was a light run with short sprinting sets. I'm going to try some supplements over the next few weeks to see if this can alleviate the soreness and aid recovery time. Being sore all the time takes away from the feeling of fitness you're supposed to get from exercise.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Tabatta Sprint, Run
Late afternoon
A short run outside in the freezing cold just in time to catch the last few minutes of sunlight. I was intending on some Tabatta intervals down on the SRT, but was disappointed to see that it hasn't been plowed yet. Usually someone takes care of this in the couple of days following a big storm. The path is a heavily traveled route by bikers, runners, and commuters. The first few were done on packed snow, and the rest done on Washington Ave, which runs parallel to the path.
Covered about 0.67 miles. Walking only during the rest period.
Passed the new Whitemarsh Training Center, a boathouse in Conshohocken that caters to both novices and elites alike. Rowing is becoming a more popular sport for both competitive athletes and exercise enthusiasts alike. The fee is yearly, but they claim to offer various activities during the winter months when it's too cold to be on the river. Saint Joe's actually spent a year on the upper Schuylkill while our new boathouse was being built. There's not many landmarks throughout the course, but tons riverside homes and plenty of wooded areas. Depends on your tastes I guess. Brigid and I have been considering joining this club, but we'll see what happens.
About 4.6 miles in 42 minutes.
A short run outside in the freezing cold just in time to catch the last few minutes of sunlight. I was intending on some Tabatta intervals down on the SRT, but was disappointed to see that it hasn't been plowed yet. Usually someone takes care of this in the couple of days following a big storm. The path is a heavily traveled route by bikers, runners, and commuters. The first few were done on packed snow, and the rest done on Washington Ave, which runs parallel to the path.
Covered about 0.67 miles. Walking only during the rest period.
Passed the new Whitemarsh Training Center, a boathouse in Conshohocken that caters to both novices and elites alike. Rowing is becoming a more popular sport for both competitive athletes and exercise enthusiasts alike. The fee is yearly, but they claim to offer various activities during the winter months when it's too cold to be on the river. Saint Joe's actually spent a year on the upper Schuylkill while our new boathouse was being built. There's not many landmarks throughout the course, but tons riverside homes and plenty of wooded areas. Depends on your tastes I guess. Brigid and I have been considering joining this club, but we'll see what happens.
About 4.6 miles in 42 minutes.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
CTS-Criterium
An alternative to Spinervals, Carmichael Training Systems, is another series that facilitates indoor cycling programs in DVD format. Personally, I find Spinervals to be much more novice-friendly, as the trainer (Coach Troy) specifically lays out the intensity level and gear and cog you should be pedaling in. The scenery changes with every workout, he is a much more colorful host, and the workout intervals are much more varied. The CTS host is a pretty vanilla guy, doesn't seem like he could motivate anyone, and the bland indoor warehouse they train in is pretty mundane. They do show period clips of pro races throughout the longer intervals, which I think is something both series should do much more of. No one wants to look at other individuals suffering endlessly inside. Why not overlay a trainer's voice onto some helmet footage of a great ride or race? Seems like it would go over well with the weekend warrior like myself.
However, I'm guessing that they CTS training curriculum is geared (no pun intended) much more towards the competitive athlete, maybe Class A or B. The workout intervals are longer and more consistent, and the power output is based on your own perception of intensity. In other words, use whatever gear you can to achieve max power output at 90RPM. Granted, I've only tried two of these workouts, but I can see this being the trend.
The workout for today was CTS-Criterium, which prepares you for a longer, time-trial style workout. The workout was
7 X 2 minutes with 1 minute rest between
Consistent 100% effort
3 X 2 minutes with 2 minutes rest between
30 seconds SS (95%), 30 seconds surge (100%)
5 X 1 minute with 30 seconds rest
Consistent 100% effort
Workout comments: My average heart rate was approx. 141 BPM during the 62 minute session. Considering there was about 10 minutes of warmup, 5 minutes cooldown, and 5 minutes between each workout set, I would say this is pretty high for a cycling workout.
However, I'm guessing that they CTS training curriculum is geared (no pun intended) much more towards the competitive athlete, maybe Class A or B. The workout intervals are longer and more consistent, and the power output is based on your own perception of intensity. In other words, use whatever gear you can to achieve max power output at 90RPM. Granted, I've only tried two of these workouts, but I can see this being the trend.
The workout for today was CTS-Criterium, which prepares you for a longer, time-trial style workout. The workout was
7 X 2 minutes with 1 minute rest between
Consistent 100% effort
3 X 2 minutes with 2 minutes rest between
30 seconds SS (95%), 30 seconds surge (100%)
5 X 1 minute with 30 seconds rest
Consistent 100% effort
Workout comments: My average heart rate was approx. 141 BPM during the 62 minute session. Considering there was about 10 minutes of warmup, 5 minutes cooldown, and 5 minutes between each workout set, I would say this is pretty high for a cycling workout.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Strength, Metcon
Afternoon
Strength
Max Pullup Test: 12
Squats 5 x 5
Load: 215
Cleans 5 x 3
Loads: 120, 140, 140, 140, 140
Metcon
3 Rounds for Time
20 DUs
30 Walking Lunges
25 Burpees
20 KB swings 44#
15 Push Press 35# DBs
10 Pushups
20 Box Jumps
Round 1: 6:37
Round 2: 8:43
Round 3: 8:58
Total: 24:18
Workout comments: I'm going to attempt a pullup program laid out by 50pullups.com. A few months ago I tried the Military Pull Program and it helped significantly with the number of strict pullups I could do. I believe in the course of 10 days I progressed from 8-10 max pullups to 15 pullups. I'm still average around 10-12 pullups over multiple sets, but I thought this seemed like a nice long term program that could easily fit into a normal workout schedule. I'm also going to be incorporating much more running into my schedule as the Spring rolls around, and with the numerous parks around my neighborhood, incorporating this into my routine shouldn't be too hard.
Strength
Max Pullup Test: 12
Squats 5 x 5
Load: 215
Cleans 5 x 3
Loads: 120, 140, 140, 140, 140
Metcon
3 Rounds for Time
20 DUs
30 Walking Lunges
25 Burpees
20 KB swings 44#
15 Push Press 35# DBs
10 Pushups
20 Box Jumps
Round 1: 6:37
Round 2: 8:43
Round 3: 8:58
Total: 24:18
Workout comments: I'm going to attempt a pullup program laid out by 50pullups.com. A few months ago I tried the Military Pull Program and it helped significantly with the number of strict pullups I could do. I believe in the course of 10 days I progressed from 8-10 max pullups to 15 pullups. I'm still average around 10-12 pullups over multiple sets, but I thought this seemed like a nice long term program that could easily fit into a normal workout schedule. I'm also going to be incorporating much more running into my schedule as the Spring rolls around, and with the numerous parks around my neighborhood, incorporating this into my routine shouldn't be too hard.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Long Run
Early afternoon
After another failed attempt at morning running, I opted for the books and chores instead. This is probably the best formula, as I know I would not get these things done post run.
I started and ended in the Wissahickon. Hard to keep track of the pace, since I'm not really sure of the distances the various trails are listed at. I started at Bells Mill Rd. and headed out onto the western side of the trail first. I stuck mostly to the high trails, dipping down towards the creek when necessary. One trail doesn't offer another way down, a mistake I've made a few times but can never seem to remember. I had a pair of YakTrax with me. They were nothing more than a pair of rubber soles designed to fit snuggly around your sneaker, but they had several screws/nuts fastened to the bottom. Minimum discomfort and maximum function. Several times I had to cross small streams where each rock was covered in ice. These gizmos did the job excellent. Much of the trails were packed snow, which had also melted and re-frozen, forming small ice patches throughout the run. But I honestly didn't notice them and kept my momentum going despite all the potential pitfalls.
Last week was my first attempt at what should become a weekly long run and I definitely felt the effects of it during and immediately after. It was a differently story today. Granted, my pace was probably much slower than last week with the varying terrain, steep climbs, and packed snow, but my hip flexors, quads, and ankle didn't feel nearly as sore throughout the run. I stopped only a few times to snap some pictures with my phone, and to move out the way of some ballsy mountain bikers. Other than that, it was a comfortable effort that didn't take a turn for the worse as I was expecting it would.
It really is picturesque in the winter. The temperature wasn't bad and it almost makes me glad that was don't have 90+ degree weather right now with saturating humidity.
Unknown distance in 123 minutes.
After another failed attempt at morning running, I opted for the books and chores instead. This is probably the best formula, as I know I would not get these things done post run.
I started and ended in the Wissahickon. Hard to keep track of the pace, since I'm not really sure of the distances the various trails are listed at. I started at Bells Mill Rd. and headed out onto the western side of the trail first. I stuck mostly to the high trails, dipping down towards the creek when necessary. One trail doesn't offer another way down, a mistake I've made a few times but can never seem to remember. I had a pair of YakTrax with me. They were nothing more than a pair of rubber soles designed to fit snuggly around your sneaker, but they had several screws/nuts fastened to the bottom. Minimum discomfort and maximum function. Several times I had to cross small streams where each rock was covered in ice. These gizmos did the job excellent. Much of the trails were packed snow, which had also melted and re-frozen, forming small ice patches throughout the run. But I honestly didn't notice them and kept my momentum going despite all the potential pitfalls.
Last week was my first attempt at what should become a weekly long run and I definitely felt the effects of it during and immediately after. It was a differently story today. Granted, my pace was probably much slower than last week with the varying terrain, steep climbs, and packed snow, but my hip flexors, quads, and ankle didn't feel nearly as sore throughout the run. I stopped only a few times to snap some pictures with my phone, and to move out the way of some ballsy mountain bikers. Other than that, it was a comfortable effort that didn't take a turn for the worse as I was expecting it would.
It really is picturesque in the winter. The temperature wasn't bad and it almost makes me glad that was don't have 90+ degree weather right now with saturating humidity.
Unknown distance in 123 minutes.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Spinervals 2.0 Workout 24
This version is broken down into 3 separate ~40 minute workouts. Workout 2 consisted of some moderate tempo sessions, then several 100% effort 10 second intervals, with 50 seconds of rest. This was followed by several 40 second 100% intervals (last 10 seconds standing).
These workouts have made indoor training almost bearable. I can't imagine training in front of a TV or listening to music. These videos really have helped me work on training both muscles and nerve synapses for faster, more efficient pedaling.
Average heart rate was about 142 BPM for 40 minutes, with a max of about 175.
Testimonial over.
These workouts have made indoor training almost bearable. I can't imagine training in front of a TV or listening to music. These videos really have helped me work on training both muscles and nerve synapses for faster, more efficient pedaling.
Average heart rate was about 142 BPM for 40 minutes, with a max of about 175.
Testimonial over.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Spinervals 24.0 HILLacious
This workout was a bit longer than the others, coming in at just over an hour. I elevated my front wheel to simulate hill climbs and there is stayed for the entire workout. As far as I can remember, it went something like this:
2 X 8 minute steady efforts (AT effort)
Big chain ring, 15 on the back
4 X 3 minute rolling hill simulations
Big chain ring, but switching rear cogs every 5 seconds up and down
4 X 30 sec seated, 10 seconds standing (100% effort)
Big chain ring, 12 on the back
Workout comments: I definitely feel like I'm getting a lot of benefit out of these workouts. My cadence seems to be matching what the trainer is calling (my cadence meter battery is dead) and the effort level is close to what it should be, but my heart rate simply doesn't match what he is seeing on some of the athletes on the video. Granted, the video yesterday was being shot on a rooftop where the heat index was over 100 degrees, and I'm in my basement in the dead of winter with a fan blowing on me... Still, I seem to be on the ball mechanically and effort-wise, but my heart rate has been varying. I'll have to see if it gets better or worse as I get farther into the program.
2 X 8 minute steady efforts (AT effort)
Big chain ring, 15 on the back
4 X 3 minute rolling hill simulations
Big chain ring, but switching rear cogs every 5 seconds up and down
4 X 30 sec seated, 10 seconds standing (100% effort)
Big chain ring, 12 on the back
Workout comments: I definitely feel like I'm getting a lot of benefit out of these workouts. My cadence seems to be matching what the trainer is calling (my cadence meter battery is dead) and the effort level is close to what it should be, but my heart rate simply doesn't match what he is seeing on some of the athletes on the video. Granted, the video yesterday was being shot on a rooftop where the heat index was over 100 degrees, and I'm in my basement in the dead of winter with a fan blowing on me... Still, I seem to be on the ball mechanically and effort-wise, but my heart rate has been varying. I'll have to see if it gets better or worse as I get farther into the program.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Running, Another Double Metcon
Early afternoon
5 Rounds for Time
10 Straddling Depth Jumps
10 Burpees10 Situps
3 Rounds for Time
20 SDHP (45#)
10 Shoulder Press (45#)Workout comments: I'm starting to feel some real soreness in my glutes the past few days. I also attempted some pullups today and while I still had over 10 on the first round, I could tell that there was no way I was going to sustain that 4 times. I guess the 2-3 weeks I took off from lifting weights is starting to catch up to me. After the long run this weekend I'll try to incorporate it back into the schedule, with more emphasis on cleans, jerks, and possibly snatches, since my shoulder has been feeling awesome lately. Other than a long run once per week, my running is going to have to mainly take the form of bi-weekly basketball games. I don't think I'm going to have any time with two classes per week.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Double Metcon, Basketball
Early afternoon
Metcon
Ladder
10, 9...1 Hang Clean (100#)
1, 2, 10 Burpees
10:11
AMRAP in 15 minutes
5 Push Press (100#)
10 Push Ups
15 Situps
11 full rounds + 28 reps
Late evening
About 2 hours of basketball. Manayunk league starts up next week, which coincides with the league that JNJ sponsors. See if I can keep myself injury free until the summer.
Metcon
Ladder
10, 9...1 Hang Clean (100#)
1, 2, 10 Burpees
10:11
AMRAP in 15 minutes
5 Push Press (100#)
10 Push Ups
15 Situps
11 full rounds + 28 reps
Late evening
About 2 hours of basketball. Manayunk league starts up next week, which coincides with the league that JNJ sponsors. See if I can keep myself injury free until the summer.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Spinervals
Early evening
Spinervals Fitness 2 workout
Several super spinning sets and a main set consisting of a 30, 60, 90, 120, 90, 60, 30s ladder with changing gears on each interval.
Average heart rate was about 130 for the entire 50 minutes. A bit more rest here than in other workouts, but still a tough one.
I need to start creating an archive of the exact list of workouts, since I can't find them online. There's also no real way to gauge any progress here, since speed can't be recorded, only HR and cadence.
Spinervals Fitness 2 workout
Several super spinning sets and a main set consisting of a 30, 60, 90, 120, 90, 60, 30s ladder with changing gears on each interval.
Average heart rate was about 130 for the entire 50 minutes. A bit more rest here than in other workouts, but still a tough one.
I need to start creating an archive of the exact list of workouts, since I can't find them online. There's also no real way to gauge any progress here, since speed can't be recorded, only HR and cadence.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Short run
Just a short run down to the SRT and back. Since moving to the other side of Conshohocken a few months ago, I'm surprised by how much distance is added onto this run. What used to be a prelude now makes up the bulk of a normal run.
About 3.5 miles in 32 minutes.
About 3.5 miles in 32 minutes.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Spinervals 9.0
Didn't exactly have enough time to finish this entire workout (2 hours), but got through at least 60 minutes. It included several 1 minute 100% efforts, and tempo ladder that started at 5 minutes and ended with a 1 minute all out effort, with 1 minute rest periods. These workouts are tougher than they feel, as indicated by my heart rate. I averaged about 150 for the whole hour, and that's including the rest periods sprinkled throughout.
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