Monday, February 7, 2011
Rest Day
My calves were extremely sore and tender today, no doubt from the running/strides in Vibrams and the long run yesterday with my footing constantly slipping out. I was going to stick to upper body work today but thought rest was more appropriate. I have class tonight anyway.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Super Bowl RunDay
Late morning
After a three-week hiatus due to a bruised knee injury, I eased back into the long weekend trail run with about 90 minutes of Wissahickon traversing. Of course I walked out the door without Brigid's YakTrax and immediately felt the difference after 100 yards of downhill running. The good news is that the weather is finally starting to change around here (knock on wood) and we have been lucky enough to get several consecutive days of mild weather. Keep in mind that mild weather these days is anything over 32F.
The going was slow, but interesting. The downhill portions had me feeling like a downhill skier, slaloming past boulders shrubs. Contrastingly, I felt like an ice climber on the uphill portions, having to dig my feet in the unpacked snow as if I were sporting crampons on Mt Everest. Even the flat portions had enough of a slope so that my footing was never secure. Despite my slow pace, my effort level was high and I would liken it to running on the beach above the tide. Every so often I got a chance to look up at the quiet park and realized how many trees had fallen under the weight of the heavy, wet snow we've been having. There weren't too many people out today, either. Whether this was because of the snow or the Super Bowl or both I don't know, but I did see a few mountain bikers out and it still made me chuckle. I've seen a bunch of them the past few weeks and I always admired the love of the sport that makes someone tackle new terrain and new conditions. But then it dawned on me that I've never actually seen them riding. They are always walking their bikes. Uphill, downhill, it doesn't matter. I guess I have to try it first.
I started from Bells Mill Rd and took Forbidden Drive down to Rex Ave before turning up into the Western side of the creek. I had no music today and wasn't sure what to expect. You become dependent on the distraction, especially when you're running alone, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for the deafening clamor of my own thoughts. But I soon found a rhythm and time seemed to pass faster than usual. I found myself taking notice of the park even more than usual. First, because the scenery demanded it and I found myself more open to absorb my surroundings. Second, because the trails were not as blazed as usual and I found myself dredging my memory for signs of familiarity. It's ironic that I often escape to the park to avoid the monotony of suburban running, while the Wissahickon, especially at this time of year, offers very little in the way of characteristic distinction. Sure there are landmarks, fields, access roads, and familiar creeks, but these make up only 10-20 percent of the park. The rest is a barrage of predictability.
But maybe that's the point. Maybe that sense of certainty allows us to let our guard down, to tune ourselves into what's all around. Who would have thought that simply turning off my music would help open my eyes? The next step is to leave the watch behind.
After a three-week hiatus due to a bruised knee injury, I eased back into the long weekend trail run with about 90 minutes of Wissahickon traversing. Of course I walked out the door without Brigid's YakTrax and immediately felt the difference after 100 yards of downhill running. The good news is that the weather is finally starting to change around here (knock on wood) and we have been lucky enough to get several consecutive days of mild weather. Keep in mind that mild weather these days is anything over 32F.
The going was slow, but interesting. The downhill portions had me feeling like a downhill skier, slaloming past boulders shrubs. Contrastingly, I felt like an ice climber on the uphill portions, having to dig my feet in the unpacked snow as if I were sporting crampons on Mt Everest. Even the flat portions had enough of a slope so that my footing was never secure. Despite my slow pace, my effort level was high and I would liken it to running on the beach above the tide. Every so often I got a chance to look up at the quiet park and realized how many trees had fallen under the weight of the heavy, wet snow we've been having. There weren't too many people out today, either. Whether this was because of the snow or the Super Bowl or both I don't know, but I did see a few mountain bikers out and it still made me chuckle. I've seen a bunch of them the past few weeks and I always admired the love of the sport that makes someone tackle new terrain and new conditions. But then it dawned on me that I've never actually seen them riding. They are always walking their bikes. Uphill, downhill, it doesn't matter. I guess I have to try it first.
I started from Bells Mill Rd and took Forbidden Drive down to Rex Ave before turning up into the Western side of the creek. I had no music today and wasn't sure what to expect. You become dependent on the distraction, especially when you're running alone, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for the deafening clamor of my own thoughts. But I soon found a rhythm and time seemed to pass faster than usual. I found myself taking notice of the park even more than usual. First, because the scenery demanded it and I found myself more open to absorb my surroundings. Second, because the trails were not as blazed as usual and I found myself dredging my memory for signs of familiarity. It's ironic that I often escape to the park to avoid the monotony of suburban running, while the Wissahickon, especially at this time of year, offers very little in the way of characteristic distinction. Sure there are landmarks, fields, access roads, and familiar creeks, but these make up only 10-20 percent of the park. The rest is a barrage of predictability.
But maybe that's the point. Maybe that sense of certainty allows us to let our guard down, to tune ourselves into what's all around. Who would have thought that simply turning off my music would help open my eyes? The next step is to leave the watch behind.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Short Run
Afternoon
After several hours of homework, it was time for a short run around Conshohocken. Being a short run, I opted to wear the Vibrams. It was about 35 degrees outside and I quickly wished I had worn some socks underneath. At the beginning of the run, I had planned on testing my max pullups on a bar in Sutcliffe Park, but after 3 I knew I wasn't going to hit anywhere near the 16 I was hoping for. The bar here was freezing cold, slippery, and much wider than what I have been practicing on. Then there was the little factor that my back was feeling very tired and sore for some reason, maybe due to the clean and front squats that piled up during the previous few days. I figured I was test again after a few days of rest without weights and see what happens.
The run was about 4.2 miles along this route. I added in some strides along the 1.5 mile flat that runs adjacent to the SRT. The trail has been covered with ice/snow/slush for weeks now, but the road next to it is in pretty good condition and very little traffic uses it, since it dead ends about 3/4 of the way down. I do get a good reminder of rowing in college, since this is the road where our temporary boat house was during my sophomore year. Some colleges and high schools still take advantage of the upper Schuylkill and as I ran past I noticed several boats still covered in snow. Before SJU received much of the funding during my time there, there were several boats that would probably have fallen in the category of "not worth the time to haul inside". Namely, the Rashford and the Teti. Ironically, these boats were once the trophies of the SJU fleet, but time and innovation converted them into the tanks of the river.
I wanted to build up several month of Tabatta intervals and strides using the Vibrams since they are relatively short and should serve to strengthen lesser used muscle groups. Historically, they have demolished my calves, but I attribute this not to the imperfect design of the shoe, but rather the imperfect design of my stride. I followed the strides with a cruise interval up North Lane starting at Hector Street. From the bottom to the top is about 0.29 miles, but the grade is pretty significant and I'll have to look that up later. I finished up with an easy jog home.
3 Strides
North Lane: 2:16
Total: 4.2 miles in 38 minutes.
After several hours of homework, it was time for a short run around Conshohocken. Being a short run, I opted to wear the Vibrams. It was about 35 degrees outside and I quickly wished I had worn some socks underneath. At the beginning of the run, I had planned on testing my max pullups on a bar in Sutcliffe Park, but after 3 I knew I wasn't going to hit anywhere near the 16 I was hoping for. The bar here was freezing cold, slippery, and much wider than what I have been practicing on. Then there was the little factor that my back was feeling very tired and sore for some reason, maybe due to the clean and front squats that piled up during the previous few days. I figured I was test again after a few days of rest without weights and see what happens.
The run was about 4.2 miles along this route. I added in some strides along the 1.5 mile flat that runs adjacent to the SRT. The trail has been covered with ice/snow/slush for weeks now, but the road next to it is in pretty good condition and very little traffic uses it, since it dead ends about 3/4 of the way down. I do get a good reminder of rowing in college, since this is the road where our temporary boat house was during my sophomore year. Some colleges and high schools still take advantage of the upper Schuylkill and as I ran past I noticed several boats still covered in snow. Before SJU received much of the funding during my time there, there were several boats that would probably have fallen in the category of "not worth the time to haul inside". Namely, the Rashford and the Teti. Ironically, these boats were once the trophies of the SJU fleet, but time and innovation converted them into the tanks of the river.
I wanted to build up several month of Tabatta intervals and strides using the Vibrams since they are relatively short and should serve to strengthen lesser used muscle groups. Historically, they have demolished my calves, but I attribute this not to the imperfect design of the shoe, but rather the imperfect design of my stride. I followed the strides with a cruise interval up North Lane starting at Hector Street. From the bottom to the top is about 0.29 miles, but the grade is pretty significant and I'll have to look that up later. I finished up with an easy jog home.
3 Strides
North Lane: 2:16
Total: 4.2 miles in 38 minutes.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Strength, Short Run
Early afternoon
Front Squat 5 X 3
Load: 175, 185, 195, 195, 205
Situps 5 X 20
Bench Press 5554
Load: 185, 185, 195, 195
Barbell Single Leg Split Squat 4 X 5
Load: 65, 85, 85, 85
2 Mile Run
First mile at a 3% incline, rest flat.
Workout comments: Had intended to do more strength exercises but I ran out of time. I was sweating profusely during the incline portion of the run, but the perceived effort level was not that high. Front squats felt good. I have been noticing some soreness/tightness in my left inner thigh for a while now and it was very apparent during the single leg split squat. I tried stretch afterwards and haven't noticed anything since.
Front Squat 5 X 3
Load: 175, 185, 195, 195, 205
Situps 5 X 20
Bench Press 5554
Load: 185, 185, 195, 195
Barbell Single Leg Split Squat 4 X 5
Load: 65, 85, 85, 85
2 Mile Run
First mile at a 3% incline, rest flat.
Workout comments: Had intended to do more strength exercises but I ran out of time. I was sweating profusely during the incline portion of the run, but the perceived effort level was not that high. Front squats felt good. I have been noticing some soreness/tightness in my left inner thigh for a while now and it was very apparent during the single leg split squat. I tried stretch afterwards and haven't noticed anything since.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Clean, Run
Early afternoon
Cleans 10 X 2 on the minute
Load: 120
After the cleans it was out the door with the lunchtime Centocor Running Club for a 5.2 mile look that included portions of the Chester Valley Trail. This trail is another addition to the trail network in the Greater Philadelphia Area. It's a paved trail that extends much longer than the average 1-2 miles most local trails span, although this loop only takes advantage of about a 1/2 mile or so. Most of our paths were covered with either ice or snow, so the going was pretty slow for the majority of the run. In fact, the footing was so precarious that I had to walk or opted to run through the 8 inches of snow that covered the side of the trails. Not much fun when you consider the multi freeze/thaw cycles we've had created a layer of ice on top of the snow, which tore the hell out of my shins.
Once of the trail, there was no respite as the following half mile proceeded up Tech Drive. The first time I encountered this hill was one of my first 5Ks. Coincidentally, I was in the peak of training for the Iron Man and registered my fasted 5K time ever. I wish I would have know what I could have done with a flat course. Regardless, the hill was much more foreboding than I remembered and the effort level conveyed my loss in fitness. The huffing and puffing up the hill probably looked more like a steam engine struggling up the Rocky Mountains while mercilessly dragging tons of cargo. At least that's how I felt.
I think it was about 5.2 miles in about 48 minutes.
Cleans 10 X 2 on the minute
Load: 120
After the cleans it was out the door with the lunchtime Centocor Running Club for a 5.2 mile look that included portions of the Chester Valley Trail. This trail is another addition to the trail network in the Greater Philadelphia Area. It's a paved trail that extends much longer than the average 1-2 miles most local trails span, although this loop only takes advantage of about a 1/2 mile or so. Most of our paths were covered with either ice or snow, so the going was pretty slow for the majority of the run. In fact, the footing was so precarious that I had to walk or opted to run through the 8 inches of snow that covered the side of the trails. Not much fun when you consider the multi freeze/thaw cycles we've had created a layer of ice on top of the snow, which tore the hell out of my shins.
Once of the trail, there was no respite as the following half mile proceeded up Tech Drive. The first time I encountered this hill was one of my first 5Ks. Coincidentally, I was in the peak of training for the Iron Man and registered my fasted 5K time ever. I wish I would have know what I could have done with a flat course. Regardless, the hill was much more foreboding than I remembered and the effort level conveyed my loss in fitness. The huffing and puffing up the hill probably looked more like a steam engine struggling up the Rocky Mountains while mercilessly dragging tons of cargo. At least that's how I felt.
I think it was about 5.2 miles in about 48 minutes.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Strength
Pullups 9, 11, 9, 9, 11
Bench Press 55333
Load: 195
*Last three sets were similar to a box squat. I let the bar rest momentarily on the safety rack before beginning the push. Definitely harder to do this way.
Deadlift 4 X 3
Load: 210, 270, 285, 300
Weighted Step Ups 4 X 20
Load: 45
Incline Situps 4 X 15
Workout comments: Deadlift felt great. Pullups and bench did not. And I don't think it was because of the supersets. They felt sluggish from the beginning. At least I hit all required reps on the pullups, although the last rep of the last set was a little gray. I was intending to do a few miles of running on a constant incline, but time got the best of me and I had to bail. Several night classes per week are starting to take effect and I haven't even had any exams yet.
Sleep: About 8 hours
Body: No soreness to speak of this morning, although I was expecting something from the intervals yesterday.
Bench Press 55333
Load: 195
*Last three sets were similar to a box squat. I let the bar rest momentarily on the safety rack before beginning the push. Definitely harder to do this way.
Deadlift 4 X 3
Load: 210, 270, 285, 300
Weighted Step Ups 4 X 20
Load: 45
Incline Situps 4 X 15
Workout comments: Deadlift felt great. Pullups and bench did not. And I don't think it was because of the supersets. They felt sluggish from the beginning. At least I hit all required reps on the pullups, although the last rep of the last set was a little gray. I was intending to do a few miles of running on a constant incline, but time got the best of me and I had to bail. Several night classes per week are starting to take effect and I haven't even had any exams yet.
Sleep: About 8 hours
Body: No soreness to speak of this morning, although I was expecting something from the intervals yesterday.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Running Intervals
Early afternoon
I think my knee has finally healed to the point where I can begin running normally again. I figure I can't possible fit in daily runs and still maintain a schedule of basketball and classes, so I'm going to have to increase the quality of these workouts considerably. I think the format I'm going to follow is pretty loose, but still allows for some good quality workouts:
Tuesday/Wednesday: Interval workout with at least 3 miles of high intensity miles
Thursday/Friday: Tempo session lasting approximately 20-40 minutes
Saturday/Sunday: Long slow run with increasing speed towards the tail end of the run
I'm optimistic that I can fit in at least another recovery run on the weekend or throughout the week. This, mixed with at least two basketball games per week should do the trick increasing my endurance AND speed.
Today's workout was an interval-based workout from Crossfit Endurance and went as follows:
1 mile warmup at an easy 9:00 pace and then immediately into
4:00 at 6:30 (3:00 rest)
2:00 at 6:00 (0:30 rest)
1:00 at 5:30 (3:00 rest)
2:00 at 6:00 (0:30 rest)
4:00 at 6:30 (Done)
Another half mile of jogging/walking to cool down. Call it a day.
Since this was my first workout back I didn't really know what I would expect from my body. I thought 6:30 was pushing it but it felt better than expected. Even the faster intervals seemed within reach and I wasn't gasping for air after each one. The true test would be the final interval and I nailed it. However, one of the down sides about training on a treadmill is that fact that you can get lulled into a particular pace, especially if it's too easy. I would like to think that I would run more off a natural feel if I was outside and probably would have clocked much faster times, but it's just much to icy and there is too much snow on the roads for that.
About 4.5 miles total.
I think my knee has finally healed to the point where I can begin running normally again. I figure I can't possible fit in daily runs and still maintain a schedule of basketball and classes, so I'm going to have to increase the quality of these workouts considerably. I think the format I'm going to follow is pretty loose, but still allows for some good quality workouts:
Tuesday/Wednesday: Interval workout with at least 3 miles of high intensity miles
Thursday/Friday: Tempo session lasting approximately 20-40 minutes
Saturday/Sunday: Long slow run with increasing speed towards the tail end of the run
I'm optimistic that I can fit in at least another recovery run on the weekend or throughout the week. This, mixed with at least two basketball games per week should do the trick increasing my endurance AND speed.
Today's workout was an interval-based workout from Crossfit Endurance and went as follows:
1 mile warmup at an easy 9:00 pace and then immediately into
4:00 at 6:30 (3:00 rest)
2:00 at 6:00 (0:30 rest)
1:00 at 5:30 (3:00 rest)
2:00 at 6:00 (0:30 rest)
4:00 at 6:30 (Done)
Another half mile of jogging/walking to cool down. Call it a day.
Since this was my first workout back I didn't really know what I would expect from my body. I thought 6:30 was pushing it but it felt better than expected. Even the faster intervals seemed within reach and I wasn't gasping for air after each one. The true test would be the final interval and I nailed it. However, one of the down sides about training on a treadmill is that fact that you can get lulled into a particular pace, especially if it's too easy. I would like to think that I would run more off a natural feel if I was outside and probably would have clocked much faster times, but it's just much to icy and there is too much snow on the roads for that.
About 4.5 miles total.
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