Monday December 6, 2010: AM: Gym- lifted for about 30min then did some weighted rowing reps at near max capacity (weight such that I could only pull 6 times before losing form)followed with some balancing and a medicine-ball core routine. Felt OK this morning. Mind was into it.
Tuesday December 7, 2010: PM: 10miles (1:25) Ran with Meredith on the roads over to Pemberton Heights. We did 8.2miles in 1:08 including a climb up Keith Road and some initial shorter climbs. Stomach was jostling on me so I unloaded in the bushes and then continued on. Lost about 5 pounds. Legs felt decent but nothing spectacular. I finished up the session with 10times 30seconds of uphill strides at about 95% effort. It was absolutely pouring rain by this point in the run and I was soaked and cold but just wanted to get these in. Should have probably done 15 but I could not feel my feet and was hungry.
Wednesday December 8, 2010: AM: 7miles (1:00sh) Tempo session on the rat-wheel at 5:30am. Did 1.5miles of W/U then 4miles all at 6:58min/mile pace followed by another 1.5 C/D all at 1%. This was the first time that I have done all 4 miles of tempo at sub-7minute pace for this workout which I was happy about. They felt pretty comfortable which was encouraging. Heart rate was in the range of 162-166 for the 4miles of tempo and actually dropped down progressively for each mile. I finished the workout off with a quick medicine ball routine and easy squats. Quickly showered and off to work. My right leg was a little sore throughout the day however- started to get some weird twitching through my right tibia that had me quickly reminiscent of my stress fracture in the identical area last year. Iced it when I got home. It did not get any worse and seemed to feel better as I rolled out my right calf.
Thursday December 9, 2010: Noon: 5miles (45sh) Ran during my lunch break at work. I was eager to see how my right leg was going to feel after yesterday's scare. It seemed fine, not 100% but nothing to freak out about yet. I ran along the water front which was nice. Miraculously it wasn't raining. I then casually ate my lunch over the rest of my day at work.
PM: 7miles (58min) It progressively cleared up throughout the day which made this run really enjoyable. The moon was out and it was warm. Rocked the short-shorts and simple long sleeve top. Meredith and I headed from our apartment up to the entrance to Lynn Headwaters in a fairly tempoed sub30min then just kinda cruised our way back down the hill but managed a few sections of fartlek's in there as well. Great run despite my right leg still not feeling great. It twitched on me a couple more times near the start of the run then faded only to do it again near the end. Not sure what to make of it.
Friday December 10, 2010: Noon: 6.5miles (55min). Ran during my lunch break again. Had planned to head out early in the am but it was raining and my legs were not feeling great when I woke up. This was a really easy run that felt OK. However, once again, after the run as I had to run around the rest of the day for work, my leg felt worse. Not sure it is enjoying these mid-day runs but had to fit something in today and had no time post-work. Probably will avoid them for next week. Further, I was pretty sweaty at the end of this run and simply just put my work-clothes back on. But I am rustic and grungy like that.
Saturday December 11, 2010: AM: 9.5miles (1:15) Ran with Meredith in the am. This was bizarre run for me and started that way from the get-go. My right calf/tibia felt tight and awkward. I tried to roll with it and it did progressively fade but it was noticeably there for the first half. The route was an out-and-back and for whatever reason on the return things seemed to improve quite dramatically to the point that my right leg was of little concern. Managed a few quicker miles- overall 8:00min/mile pace with decent hills throughout. Iced my leg multiple times the rest of the day- it did not feel any worse. GS routine in the afternoon.
Sunday December 12, 2010: AM: 15miles (2:07) Getting up this morning I was completely unsure as to how I was going to feel and hence what I was going to be able to run. I surely had no expectations and was psychologically prepared to take the day off completely if that is what my right leg was telling me to do. I often fumble with this commitment but today I was ready to listen to my body. With that said, I decided to avoid pavement and stick to mainly trail/groomed gravel path. I also pulled out my old Brooks Launch that must have close to 800miles on them oppose to my racing flats. I also put on my calf-compression for my right calf only. Whatever it was my right leg felt fine from the start and was not a bother for the entirety of the run. There were a few moment were I certainly felt something but nothing that would indicate that I was doing any serious damage. Just the usual aches that come along with this type of run. I ended up running from my apartment up Grand Boulevard to Loutete Park- down to Bridgeman park, looped around there- then headed up to Gazebo via the trail that parallels Lillouette road- Richard Jurgyn- then just basically followed my footsteps home. Because I was completely unsure of how long I was going to run for I had no water or fuel with me and the taps were turned off at Gazebo. Because of this I ended up bumming some off a guy who was just finishing up his run. Needed it badly by this point. But notwithstanding, I was pretty bonky by the end and was relegated to a fairly pathetic grunt up the 500foot climb back up to Loutete park. Despite this I was really pleased with this run given how the last few days had gone. At this point, after chatting with my physio/fascia system guru Leah Davis, we are pretty sure that it is just a case of shin splints coupled with a tight soleus. Lets hope so.
Weekly Mileage: 60miles (9hrs) + 1gym session
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Week in Review: November 29- December 5
Monday November 29, 2010: AM: Felt pretty good this morning and decided to put in a bit of extra time at the gym. Solid session of squats and medicine ball routine. Lots of one-legged stuff, etc. The usual. Added on a quick 20min on the bike to finish out and get some blood flowing through the legs. No running. But as I said my legs felt decent given the 20miler on the roads Sunday.
Tuesday November 30, 2010: PM: 8.5 miles (1:10) + 100m strides * 10: Headed out with Meredith in the PM and did one of our customary loops from our apartment up over to Lynn Valley. One big climb that took a lot out of me. From there, I was simply playing catch-up. It was pouring rain for the first 30minutes; the kind where your shirt is absolutely stuck to your chest at the end. It finally stopped though and coincidentally I started to feel better. I finished off the run with 10times 100meter strides at 95% effort. Felt OK on these. However, I don't like doing them on the pavement but had no choice on this night.
Wednesday December 1, 2010: AM: 7.5miles (1:00) Rat-wheel session. 1.5miles w/u then 4miles of tempo (7:30, 7:30, 6:58, 6:58), 1mile c/d then few squats and basic GS routine post-run. I should have dropped down the first two miles of tempo but my heart-rate was too high this morning and the objective here is not to force things. I know the pace will come if I just stay slightly below the LT point without trying to make it happen. Rushed off to work after this.
Thursday December 2, 2010: PM1: 4miles (33min) Felt like crap. Legs were tight, calfs were sore to the touch and just drained. Naturally then, I followed up this jaunt with another. PM2: 7miles (1:02) Ran with Meredith when she got home from work. Felt much better than two hours earlier and was able to get through the run pain-free. My stomach did turn on me however which put a bit of a damper on things but I suppose this is how it goes sometimes. I did not stay on top of my calories all day.
Friday December 3, 2010: AM: 14miles (2:50). Front steps to Lynn Peak. The Lure.
(Along one of the trails surrounding Buntzen Lake- beautiful morning sun)
Saturday December 4, 2010: AM: 8miles (1:17) Trails at Buntzen Lake with Meredith. Just an easy pleasurable run with Meredith out at the trails around Buntzen Lake in Port Moody. They had some flooding during the summer because of a dam that was out of commission so a lot of the trails were detoured but we still managed a nice out-and-back. Great morning to be on the trails. Sunny but cold. PM: We decided to take advantage of the picturesque day and headed up to Mt Seymour for a little snowshoe-running. It was a perfect afternoon and we were able to take a lot of great photos. Tired and hungry by the end. Not sure how far we went but we were out for 1:45'sh. Perhaps 3-4miles with tons of up hill. I forgot how much I love snowshoe-running. Perhaps I will jump in a local race this year for kicks. It's on the list.
A series of shots from snowshoeing up Mt Seymour:
Sunday December 5, 2010: AM: 14miles (2:02) New Brighton park and trails with Meredith. We got a late start to the morning because of some personal stuff that we were attending to. My legs definitely felt heavy this morning; not sore; but just like there were 5pound weight on each leg. As such, we took it pretty easy and just rolled with it. These trails are nice but surprisingly draining. There is lots of rolling parts and no real section that is "flat". I picked it up a little at the end but other than that decided to take the day easy. I am hoping to get in a couple good workouts this week so decided to just sort of save-up. No food for the run but did take some water this time which was a good idea.
Weekly Miles: 63 (9.5hours) + 1gym session+ 1:45min of snowshoeing
This was a decent week for me but probably not ideal. Mileage was fine but I missed a second tempo/repeat workout on the week and did not manage what I consider to be a long-run. Instead I enjoyed a bit more time on the trails and up high in the mountains. For the psyche this is perfect, but I need to getting back to those types of sessions that are going to be more beneficial for me with my current goal in mind (see link for a good discussion on this and the cost/benefits of ultra-training and marathon training). Anyways, I have remained consistent for the past 5-weeks with all 60+ mile weeks. In November I managed to run 255miles on 38.5hours (this put me over 2500miles on the year) plus continue with the 2times weekly gym sessions. I am certainly seeing the repercussions of these and glad that I have made them part of the routine. However, in saying that, I will likely drop down to one session a week and just do more GS work at home over the next month plus. This is for two reasons: 1. So I have more time to run 2. So I have more energy to run. Simple premise.
Here's to hoping that decent winter weather continues.
Tuesday November 30, 2010: PM: 8.5 miles (1:10) + 100m strides * 10: Headed out with Meredith in the PM and did one of our customary loops from our apartment up over to Lynn Valley. One big climb that took a lot out of me. From there, I was simply playing catch-up. It was pouring rain for the first 30minutes; the kind where your shirt is absolutely stuck to your chest at the end. It finally stopped though and coincidentally I started to feel better. I finished off the run with 10times 100meter strides at 95% effort. Felt OK on these. However, I don't like doing them on the pavement but had no choice on this night.
Wednesday December 1, 2010: AM: 7.5miles (1:00) Rat-wheel session. 1.5miles w/u then 4miles of tempo (7:30, 7:30, 6:58, 6:58), 1mile c/d then few squats and basic GS routine post-run. I should have dropped down the first two miles of tempo but my heart-rate was too high this morning and the objective here is not to force things. I know the pace will come if I just stay slightly below the LT point without trying to make it happen. Rushed off to work after this.
Thursday December 2, 2010: PM1: 4miles (33min) Felt like crap. Legs were tight, calfs were sore to the touch and just drained. Naturally then, I followed up this jaunt with another. PM2: 7miles (1:02) Ran with Meredith when she got home from work. Felt much better than two hours earlier and was able to get through the run pain-free. My stomach did turn on me however which put a bit of a damper on things but I suppose this is how it goes sometimes. I did not stay on top of my calories all day.
Friday December 3, 2010: AM: 14miles (2:50). Front steps to Lynn Peak. The Lure.
(Along one of the trails surrounding Buntzen Lake- beautiful morning sun)
Saturday December 4, 2010: AM: 8miles (1:17) Trails at Buntzen Lake with Meredith. Just an easy pleasurable run with Meredith out at the trails around Buntzen Lake in Port Moody. They had some flooding during the summer because of a dam that was out of commission so a lot of the trails were detoured but we still managed a nice out-and-back. Great morning to be on the trails. Sunny but cold. PM: We decided to take advantage of the picturesque day and headed up to Mt Seymour for a little snowshoe-running. It was a perfect afternoon and we were able to take a lot of great photos. Tired and hungry by the end. Not sure how far we went but we were out for 1:45'sh. Perhaps 3-4miles with tons of up hill. I forgot how much I love snowshoe-running. Perhaps I will jump in a local race this year for kicks. It's on the list.
A series of shots from snowshoeing up Mt Seymour:
Sunday December 5, 2010: AM: 14miles (2:02) New Brighton park and trails with Meredith. We got a late start to the morning because of some personal stuff that we were attending to. My legs definitely felt heavy this morning; not sore; but just like there were 5pound weight on each leg. As such, we took it pretty easy and just rolled with it. These trails are nice but surprisingly draining. There is lots of rolling parts and no real section that is "flat". I picked it up a little at the end but other than that decided to take the day easy. I am hoping to get in a couple good workouts this week so decided to just sort of save-up. No food for the run but did take some water this time which was a good idea.
Weekly Miles: 63 (9.5hours) + 1gym session+ 1:45min of snowshoeing
This was a decent week for me but probably not ideal. Mileage was fine but I missed a second tempo/repeat workout on the week and did not manage what I consider to be a long-run. Instead I enjoyed a bit more time on the trails and up high in the mountains. For the psyche this is perfect, but I need to getting back to those types of sessions that are going to be more beneficial for me with my current goal in mind (see link for a good discussion on this and the cost/benefits of ultra-training and marathon training). Anyways, I have remained consistent for the past 5-weeks with all 60+ mile weeks. In November I managed to run 255miles on 38.5hours (this put me over 2500miles on the year) plus continue with the 2times weekly gym sessions. I am certainly seeing the repercussions of these and glad that I have made them part of the routine. However, in saying that, I will likely drop down to one session a week and just do more GS work at home over the next month plus. This is for two reasons: 1. So I have more time to run 2. So I have more energy to run. Simple premise.
Here's to hoping that decent winter weather continues.
Friday, December 3, 2010
The Lure
Having the day off work, I was left with the opportunity to engage in a more adventurous and spontaneous run today. From a purely specific-training perspective with my upcoming road-marathon in mind, this should have inevitably lead to a longer tempo run of sorts, perhaps a hard set of 800's or the like. But, as I looked out my window, seeing the sun breaking through the clouds and the fresh dosage of snow on the mountains from the previous evenings precipitation I felt that lure. That inevitable pull that the mountains can have over the mind and body of those who have experienced their ways. With that, I headed out my apartment door with today's project visibly in sights: Lynn Peak- glistening in the early morning sun with a low snow-line no more than 1000feet up.
There is something inherently appealing about starting a run from your front doorsteps and seeing your ultimate objective in mind. Knowing that it is just your feet that will power you to that point. In the end, I arrived back at my steps satiated after a solid 14miles/2:50minutes/3000+feet of vertical gain on a beautiful morning.
The run in picture:
Some of the initial trail leading to the base of Lynn Peak- no snow yet
A little icy and frozen through the early sections made the climb a little more challenging
Some accumulation of fresh snow about 1500 feet up the climb
Eventually hit fresh snow- thigh deep at points-made for a brutal climb but great descent
Sun breaking through
Goofing around with the timer feature on the camera- the traction was pretty good for the most part, tactile
I was the only person on the mountain this morning- the only other tracks I saw were bunny- thankfully nothing bigger
The tunnel of snow-laden trees leading me back down the mountain- the snowy descent made things a lot easier as I simply just bounced and slid my way down- much easier than the usual rocky and technical descent Lynn Peak normally presents
There is something inherently appealing about starting a run from your front doorsteps and seeing your ultimate objective in mind. Knowing that it is just your feet that will power you to that point. In the end, I arrived back at my steps satiated after a solid 14miles/2:50minutes/3000+feet of vertical gain on a beautiful morning.
The run in picture:
Some of the initial trail leading to the base of Lynn Peak- no snow yet
A little icy and frozen through the early sections made the climb a little more challenging
Some accumulation of fresh snow about 1500 feet up the climb
Eventually hit fresh snow- thigh deep at points-made for a brutal climb but great descent
Sun breaking through
Goofing around with the timer feature on the camera- the traction was pretty good for the most part, tactile
I was the only person on the mountain this morning- the only other tracks I saw were bunny- thankfully nothing bigger
The tunnel of snow-laden trees leading me back down the mountain- the snowy descent made things a lot easier as I simply just bounced and slid my way down- much easier than the usual rocky and technical descent Lynn Peak normally presents
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Week in Review: November 22- 28
Monday November 22, 2010: Gym session. Boring but necessary. No running. Took the day off as planned. The inclination was there but I resisted.
Tuesday November 23, 2010: 1mile W/U + 8miles (1:10). Out in the PM for what I had hoped to be a good workout. Turned out to be extremely unsatisfying and notably frustrating. I warmed up for a 1+mile then hooked up with Meredith for a steady loop with a couple good climbs. From the get-go my stomach was extremely unsettled- I have dealt with this in the past but just could not shake it tonight. Numerous stops in the bushes but nothing really helped. I was in a heaved-over mess a couple of times and felt terrible. This is probably one of the most frustrating things to deal with because it completely inhibits a workout while at the same time I feel like I have no control over it. Needless to say, I bagged the planned hard hills to finish.
Wednesday November 24, 2010: AM: 6miles (45xx). Hit the rat-wheel this morning at the Y. It was about 10 below to start the morning and I honestly just did not want to bother putting on the layers. Did 1.5mile warm-up on the mill at 8min/mile then dropped it down doing the next 4 in 7:30, 7:30, 7:15, and 6:58 respectively. Felt pretty good. Took a while to find a bit of a tempo. Kept the HR below LT for the entirety of the effort. Wanted to keep going but at this point I was already going to be late for work so had to hustle. PM: Back at the Y for a weight session.
Thursday November 25, 2010: PM: 7miles (1:02). We got about 10-15cm of snow throughout the day. By the time Meredith and I headed out in the PM for a run it had become intermittent bouts of rain. Always nice. Either way, it was an enjoyable snow-run. I wore my Saucony Razors that I normally reserve for snowshoe-running but they were ideal for tonight. It was a tough run in the snow, I am always amazed at the activation of the stabilizing muscles when running in the slush.
Friday November 26, 2010: AM: 6.5miles (50xx). On the mill again early this morning before work. Nasty conditions outside from the rain/snow over the last 24hrs; as a result, I kept it indoors; simply could not be bothered to deal with the weather conditions before having to head to work. Another tempo session: 1.5mile w/u at 8:10's followed up with 4 mile tempo at 7:30, 6:58, 6:58, 6:58. Solid for me. PM: 4miles (32min) Easy on the mill again after work. Finished it off with another quick weight session as I was waiting for Meredith to finish up her workout.
Saturday November 27, 2010: AM: 7.5miles (1:09). Out at Port Moody leading a group run with IMPULSE. Turned out to be just Meredith and I for this run as a few others were heading out a little later. We did the usual Powerline climb. I was dragging my ass this morning and Meredith certainly took me to school. Heartrate was spiking and I could not get it under control. Finally slogged my way to the top, we had also picked up a runner along the way who joined us for the climb. We then parted ways after a quick chat. Meredith and I kept exploring and found another climb up a dirt/gravel path. Once we hit the top we found ourselves above the fog and looking down on a blanketed city. It was a spectacular view on a beautiful morning from up high. The high-rises were just poking their way through the layer of clouds. Loved it. At the top, we tried to work our way West and find some sort of loop back down. We ended up behind some newer property development and inevitably had to hop a fence to get back to where we needed to be heading. A car slowed down to checkout what the hell we were doing. I am sure we looked like a couple hooligans rummaging about with our toques etc. But as soon as they saw the spandex we were no longer deemed a threat. At this point I couldn't help but stare and form a certain degree of animosity towards the developers and how the property has essentially been cut into the mountain slope with a complete disregard for the natural landscape. Higher and higher they reach; massive homes, I am talking three-car garages, etc, perched up on this slope. They are lined up like military soldiers in front of their general, erect and identical. Weird feeling. Anyways, I digress. From there, we basically just worked our way downhill finishing off where we started. Great run and fun to get up high even if we could barely stretch beyond civilization.
Sunday November 28, 2010: AM: 20miles (2:50). I did the first 12 miles with Meredith and then continued on to finish up by myself. We ended up climbing a little more than I would have liked but it was good practice. I was dragging my ass the last few miles but no water and half a cliff bar for nearly three hours of running might have had something to do with that. But... breaking the body down and building it back up...adaption. Overall, a decent long road run for me and good way to finish off the week.
Weekly Mileage: 61+ (9hours)+ 2.5 gym sessions- two tempo runs (although shorter), one hill session, and a long run.
Tuesday November 23, 2010: 1mile W/U + 8miles (1:10). Out in the PM for what I had hoped to be a good workout. Turned out to be extremely unsatisfying and notably frustrating. I warmed up for a 1+mile then hooked up with Meredith for a steady loop with a couple good climbs. From the get-go my stomach was extremely unsettled- I have dealt with this in the past but just could not shake it tonight. Numerous stops in the bushes but nothing really helped. I was in a heaved-over mess a couple of times and felt terrible. This is probably one of the most frustrating things to deal with because it completely inhibits a workout while at the same time I feel like I have no control over it. Needless to say, I bagged the planned hard hills to finish.
Wednesday November 24, 2010: AM: 6miles (45xx). Hit the rat-wheel this morning at the Y. It was about 10 below to start the morning and I honestly just did not want to bother putting on the layers. Did 1.5mile warm-up on the mill at 8min/mile then dropped it down doing the next 4 in 7:30, 7:30, 7:15, and 6:58 respectively. Felt pretty good. Took a while to find a bit of a tempo. Kept the HR below LT for the entirety of the effort. Wanted to keep going but at this point I was already going to be late for work so had to hustle. PM: Back at the Y for a weight session.
Thursday November 25, 2010: PM: 7miles (1:02). We got about 10-15cm of snow throughout the day. By the time Meredith and I headed out in the PM for a run it had become intermittent bouts of rain. Always nice. Either way, it was an enjoyable snow-run. I wore my Saucony Razors that I normally reserve for snowshoe-running but they were ideal for tonight. It was a tough run in the snow, I am always amazed at the activation of the stabilizing muscles when running in the slush.
Friday November 26, 2010: AM: 6.5miles (50xx). On the mill again early this morning before work. Nasty conditions outside from the rain/snow over the last 24hrs; as a result, I kept it indoors; simply could not be bothered to deal with the weather conditions before having to head to work. Another tempo session: 1.5mile w/u at 8:10's followed up with 4 mile tempo at 7:30, 6:58, 6:58, 6:58. Solid for me. PM: 4miles (32min) Easy on the mill again after work. Finished it off with another quick weight session as I was waiting for Meredith to finish up her workout.
Saturday November 27, 2010: AM: 7.5miles (1:09). Out at Port Moody leading a group run with IMPULSE. Turned out to be just Meredith and I for this run as a few others were heading out a little later. We did the usual Powerline climb. I was dragging my ass this morning and Meredith certainly took me to school. Heartrate was spiking and I could not get it under control. Finally slogged my way to the top, we had also picked up a runner along the way who joined us for the climb. We then parted ways after a quick chat. Meredith and I kept exploring and found another climb up a dirt/gravel path. Once we hit the top we found ourselves above the fog and looking down on a blanketed city. It was a spectacular view on a beautiful morning from up high. The high-rises were just poking their way through the layer of clouds. Loved it. At the top, we tried to work our way West and find some sort of loop back down. We ended up behind some newer property development and inevitably had to hop a fence to get back to where we needed to be heading. A car slowed down to checkout what the hell we were doing. I am sure we looked like a couple hooligans rummaging about with our toques etc. But as soon as they saw the spandex we were no longer deemed a threat. At this point I couldn't help but stare and form a certain degree of animosity towards the developers and how the property has essentially been cut into the mountain slope with a complete disregard for the natural landscape. Higher and higher they reach; massive homes, I am talking three-car garages, etc, perched up on this slope. They are lined up like military soldiers in front of their general, erect and identical. Weird feeling. Anyways, I digress. From there, we basically just worked our way downhill finishing off where we started. Great run and fun to get up high even if we could barely stretch beyond civilization.
Sunday November 28, 2010: AM: 20miles (2:50). I did the first 12 miles with Meredith and then continued on to finish up by myself. We ended up climbing a little more than I would have liked but it was good practice. I was dragging my ass the last few miles but no water and half a cliff bar for nearly three hours of running might have had something to do with that. But... breaking the body down and building it back up...adaption. Overall, a decent long road run for me and good way to finish off the week.
Weekly Mileage: 61+ (9hours)+ 2.5 gym sessions- two tempo runs (although shorter), one hill session, and a long run.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Week in Review: November 15-21
Monday November 15, 2010: AM: At the gym early for the usual routine. Felt tired this morning and unmotivated but got things rolling part way through. Had to fight off some of the regulars who were hogging some of the areas/ equipment (ie. all elderly people- apparently the only other demographic willing to get up at 4:00am and get their workout in before the sun has even pondered rising for the morning- great to see this and the commitment on their part to get at it every morning).
Tuesday November 16, 2010: PM: 10+ miles (1:20) Did one mile of warm/up with a dynamic lunge routine. Then did 6.5 miles in 54min with Meredith. Comfortable pace. I then finished the session off with hill repeats. 5 times a section of hill that is just outside my apartment that stretches 0.2miles. Splits for the session were good with perfect positive progression (1:18, 16, 15, 14, 13). Gasping by the top on each repeat and then I would recharge with easy trots to the start. Decent kick in the legs. Pedestal and Medicine ball routine to finish. Good workout that spanned approximately 2hours plus at the end of it all.
Wednesday November 17, 2010: AM: 6.5miles (55min) It was cold and wet this morning. Hard to get out of bed at 4:00am to fit it in but was glad that I did. My legs felt surprisingly good after last nights session. Just cruised around one of my usual loops. Was hungry and a little light headed by the end. But I didn't eat anything before this one so it was to be expected. Unfortunatley, had to pull out the full tights for the first time this year. PM: 5miles (40min) Shitty day at work and had to get outside to let it out. Easy trot around on a beautiful night that was completely juxtaposed to the mornings run. Clear skies and a full moon.
Thursday November 18, 2010: AM: Gym/ Weights- my right knee was a little sore- classic anterior knee pain I suspect. Loosened up alright and never got worse during squats etc. PM: 10+miles (1:20) Tights again. Damn. Winter is here. Cold and misting on this run. Did the first 6.55miles with Meredith in 57min flat with a number of climbs, including a finishing grunt up Keith road. I then did 4times half-mile repeats with standing rests of 20seconds between sets. Lots of saliva/snot flying around tonight. Good session. GS routine to finish. Another 2+ hour workout.
Friday November 19, 2010: PM: 5miles (45min) Super easy run. Shakeout of sorts. Nice night. Ran over to my parents to pick up the car. I then met Meredith at our second home, WholeFoods, for some groceries and grub. Massive mixed salad with tons of grilled veg and marinated tofu. Hit the spot.
(The view from the start of the climb up the powerlines)
Saturday November 20, 2010: AM: 10miles (1:30) Group run with IMPULSE out at Port Moody. I was expecting a better showing this week through email correspondence that I was having with a few people interested in coming out. Unfortunately, we got a couple inches of snow on Friday night which I think may have scared some folks off. Anyways, ran with Aaron, one of the chiropractors from the clinic. I was out there early and ran 4 miles by myself and then he and I ran a great little 6mile loop up the Powerlines. It was an absolutely spectacular morning for a run. The paths were mostly clear of snow but the white stuff had blanketed almost everything else. The sun was creeping out and the mountains looked spectacular. Two good climbs for me this morning. Not what I necessarily wanted with a long one planned for the next day but I was OK with it. Finished up hanging out in the clinic, rolling out and using the medicine balls to do my usual routine. Chocolate milk and cookies for recovery. Excellent.
(The type of slope and terrain typical of the climb)
Sunday November 21, 2010: AM: 14miles (1:48) Headed out to Burnaby Lake with Meredith. We both had not been out there for some time and thought it would be a nice change of scenery and a great way to get in some flatter/ rolling miles on more forgiving terrain. It was just straight up cold this morning (for a West Coast body anyways). No sun and we started off the run with the temps below zero. We did the first 8 miles in a comfortable 1:05. I felt meteocre to shitty for most of these miles. My legs were fine but I just felt like I could not get any sort of rythm to my breathing (cold air perhaps??). Anyways, I attempted to tempo the next 4 miles- I knocked them off in a rough and dragging 28:43- starting off sub 7min/per mile for the first couple then slowly creeping back up. Not a great effort but just did not have much in the system today. 2miles more tacked on. Wanted to go longer today but Meredith was done after 12miles and honestly, I would have mostly been just dragging my ass for whatever I would have added on.
(Pre-Sunday's run out at Burnaby Lake; looking much more bad-ass than I actually felt for the run. You can see the healthy dosage of white-stuff on the ground in the background)
Weekly mileage: 60+ (9hours)/ 2 gym sessions and lots of GS work
Pretty typical week right now and where I want to be about. I will be looking to continue the quality sessions during the week and upp their anti, so to speak, over the next several weeks. This is my third week of "training" and have managed to keep it consistent each week, which is definately a positive. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for the next while as well. I may bump up the mileage a tad but no real concern on this front. Qulaity over quantity as it is. Holding the mileage at 60-70miles seems to leave me with enough energy to continue to get to the gym twice a week for a weights and have some kick for the quality workouts.
Articles for the week:
Just one this week over at Science of Running on the philosophical approach to training and the necessity of balancing our ever-dependence on "science" with practical and feel-based training. Enjoy
Tuesday November 16, 2010: PM: 10+ miles (1:20) Did one mile of warm/up with a dynamic lunge routine. Then did 6.5 miles in 54min with Meredith. Comfortable pace. I then finished the session off with hill repeats. 5 times a section of hill that is just outside my apartment that stretches 0.2miles. Splits for the session were good with perfect positive progression (1:18, 16, 15, 14, 13). Gasping by the top on each repeat and then I would recharge with easy trots to the start. Decent kick in the legs. Pedestal and Medicine ball routine to finish. Good workout that spanned approximately 2hours plus at the end of it all.
Wednesday November 17, 2010: AM: 6.5miles (55min) It was cold and wet this morning. Hard to get out of bed at 4:00am to fit it in but was glad that I did. My legs felt surprisingly good after last nights session. Just cruised around one of my usual loops. Was hungry and a little light headed by the end. But I didn't eat anything before this one so it was to be expected. Unfortunatley, had to pull out the full tights for the first time this year. PM: 5miles (40min) Shitty day at work and had to get outside to let it out. Easy trot around on a beautiful night that was completely juxtaposed to the mornings run. Clear skies and a full moon.
Thursday November 18, 2010: AM: Gym/ Weights- my right knee was a little sore- classic anterior knee pain I suspect. Loosened up alright and never got worse during squats etc. PM: 10+miles (1:20) Tights again. Damn. Winter is here. Cold and misting on this run. Did the first 6.55miles with Meredith in 57min flat with a number of climbs, including a finishing grunt up Keith road. I then did 4times half-mile repeats with standing rests of 20seconds between sets. Lots of saliva/snot flying around tonight. Good session. GS routine to finish. Another 2+ hour workout.
Friday November 19, 2010: PM: 5miles (45min) Super easy run. Shakeout of sorts. Nice night. Ran over to my parents to pick up the car. I then met Meredith at our second home, WholeFoods, for some groceries and grub. Massive mixed salad with tons of grilled veg and marinated tofu. Hit the spot.
(The view from the start of the climb up the powerlines)
Saturday November 20, 2010: AM: 10miles (1:30) Group run with IMPULSE out at Port Moody. I was expecting a better showing this week through email correspondence that I was having with a few people interested in coming out. Unfortunately, we got a couple inches of snow on Friday night which I think may have scared some folks off. Anyways, ran with Aaron, one of the chiropractors from the clinic. I was out there early and ran 4 miles by myself and then he and I ran a great little 6mile loop up the Powerlines. It was an absolutely spectacular morning for a run. The paths were mostly clear of snow but the white stuff had blanketed almost everything else. The sun was creeping out and the mountains looked spectacular. Two good climbs for me this morning. Not what I necessarily wanted with a long one planned for the next day but I was OK with it. Finished up hanging out in the clinic, rolling out and using the medicine balls to do my usual routine. Chocolate milk and cookies for recovery. Excellent.
(The type of slope and terrain typical of the climb)
Sunday November 21, 2010: AM: 14miles (1:48) Headed out to Burnaby Lake with Meredith. We both had not been out there for some time and thought it would be a nice change of scenery and a great way to get in some flatter/ rolling miles on more forgiving terrain. It was just straight up cold this morning (for a West Coast body anyways). No sun and we started off the run with the temps below zero. We did the first 8 miles in a comfortable 1:05. I felt meteocre to shitty for most of these miles. My legs were fine but I just felt like I could not get any sort of rythm to my breathing (cold air perhaps??). Anyways, I attempted to tempo the next 4 miles- I knocked them off in a rough and dragging 28:43- starting off sub 7min/per mile for the first couple then slowly creeping back up. Not a great effort but just did not have much in the system today. 2miles more tacked on. Wanted to go longer today but Meredith was done after 12miles and honestly, I would have mostly been just dragging my ass for whatever I would have added on.
(Pre-Sunday's run out at Burnaby Lake; looking much more bad-ass than I actually felt for the run. You can see the healthy dosage of white-stuff on the ground in the background)
Weekly mileage: 60+ (9hours)/ 2 gym sessions and lots of GS work
Pretty typical week right now and where I want to be about. I will be looking to continue the quality sessions during the week and upp their anti, so to speak, over the next several weeks. This is my third week of "training" and have managed to keep it consistent each week, which is definately a positive. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for the next while as well. I may bump up the mileage a tad but no real concern on this front. Qulaity over quantity as it is. Holding the mileage at 60-70miles seems to leave me with enough energy to continue to get to the gym twice a week for a weights and have some kick for the quality workouts.
Articles for the week:
Just one this week over at Science of Running on the philosophical approach to training and the necessity of balancing our ever-dependence on "science" with practical and feel-based training. Enjoy
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Week in Review: November 8-14
Monday November 8, 2010: No running today. Took the day off as planned. I hit the gym early in the AM before work to fit in my basic weight-lifting/ strengthening routine. Felt good but I was definitely a little sore from Sunday's run and feeling tight through my left hammy and calf. In the afternoon I did my Pedestal and Medicine ball routine. I have been really enjoying the addition of these exercises as I can thrown them in after most of my easy runs and fit them in as I please (which is usually 5-6 times a week). Thank you Jay Johnson and team for these.
Tuesday November 9, 2010: PM: Out in the evening after work for what I was hoping would be a solid workout. Turned out to be pretty disappointing. It was cold, wet, and dark by the time I headed out the door. 3+ miles of warmup as I made my way over to the track. I did 800m tempoes with 400m active rests. I had originally planned on doing 5 but ended up bagging it after just 3 (3:23, 3:20, 3:23) because my right calf was tightening up. I was able to keep my PE and heartrate reasonably low but felt as though I could not find another gear; there was a lapse between what my mind was telling my body to do and what it was willing (trained??) to do. Lots of work to be done. 3+ mile cool down. 7.5 miles total.
Wednesday November 10, 2010: AM: 5.5 miles (46min) Out the door by 4:45am for an easy shakeout/test of the legs. I felt much better then last night which was encouraging. PM: 4.5 miles (40min) Grocery run. Easy. Legs felt better once again. Pedestal and Medicine ball routine post-run.
Thursday November 11,21010: AM: 10.5 miles (1:30) No work today so headed out with Meredith for some easy miles and a few climbs after a leisurely morning. My energy was good today and my right calf was significantly better. Nice run.
(The type of trail surrounding Rice Lake)
Friday November 12, 2010: AM: Off work again today. 12miles (1:30). From my apartment I headed up to Lynn Headwaters, working, but generally just sort of cruising my way up. I was then surprised when I hit the gate in 29:30 (anything under 30 is solid for me) and the fountain in 36:30. Perhaps I was buoyed by the absolutely beautiful morning I was treated to. From there I headed over to Rice Lake for a couple mile repeats. The loop can be made a perfect mile and is constantly rolling with numerous sharp corners; it is a hard repeat for sure. First lap was 7:26 (HRA 156); Second lap 7:24 (HRA 157). My HR indicated to me that these were easy miles but I sure felt like I was working a lot harder. Legs just felt generally heavy by this point in the run. I ran the last miles home with an avg pace of 7:10 (HRA 153), however, these were downhill. Overall, a good run and the type of workout I need to be doing.
(The bridge at the entrance to Lynn Headwaters Regional Park; just after the fountain)
Saturday November 13, 2010: AM: 7+miles (1:06) Out in Port Moody doing a run clinic with IMPULSE. Easy run with lots of vertical. Fun morning exploring new areas. Each week I am amazed at the new trails we are able to find that just keep on climbing throughout the area. Core routine in the afternoon and pedestals after the run.
Sunday November 14, 2010: AM: 17miles (2:11) Another long run on the roads. I started off with Meredith for the first 10 miles. We basically just kept it tame, but honest completing the loop in 1:25. She was calling it quits after this. I quickly grabbed a glass of water and a gel from our apartment and was back at it. The goal was to tempo the next 5 miles. The first mile was uphill and just generally slow (7:47), however, the next 4 miles I found a bit of a second gear and finished them in a satisfactory 26:59 (6:45 avg pace). This was a full 1:43 quicker than I ran the same type of 4-mile tempo as I did last weekend. They were controlled but I was definitely working. 2+ miles of cooldown to finish. Followed this up with the usual Pedestal, Medicine ball and Myrtle routine for another 45+ minutes of work. Overall an encouraging workout and a good way to finish off the week.
Weekly miles: 64 (8+ hours) + lots of ancillary work
On the scale of things this was a decent week. It started off crappy but finished well. At this point I will take what I can get and what my body is willing to give. There is plenty of work to be done but I feel as though I am gaining a level of comfort with the faster miles. Just rolling with it. On a separate note I have included below a series of articles I came across this week via my usual computer time/ bus time on the iphone. Enjoy.
Articles worthy of a read:
http://wpblogs.runningtimes.com/blogs/natejenkins/ (good discussion in the October 25-31 on rest and recovery)
http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=21202&PageNum=1 (another interesting article on rest and recovery. More specifically, how many of the fueling tactics and post-run "recovery" methods that are constantly being touted as beneficial may in actuality hinder the proper process of adaptation that our bodies need to go through to improve. Really enjoyed this article as it reaffirmed many of my beliefs)
http://wpblogs.runningtimes.com/blogs/antonkrupicka/ (68 miles in one effort, solo! Shit, need I say anymore)
http://www.scienceofrunning.com/2010/11/speed-stride-length-x-stride-frequency.html (A good article on stride length and cadence. Interesting results from the study. Worth a read)
Tuesday November 9, 2010: PM: Out in the evening after work for what I was hoping would be a solid workout. Turned out to be pretty disappointing. It was cold, wet, and dark by the time I headed out the door. 3+ miles of warmup as I made my way over to the track. I did 800m tempoes with 400m active rests. I had originally planned on doing 5 but ended up bagging it after just 3 (3:23, 3:20, 3:23) because my right calf was tightening up. I was able to keep my PE and heartrate reasonably low but felt as though I could not find another gear; there was a lapse between what my mind was telling my body to do and what it was willing (trained??) to do. Lots of work to be done. 3+ mile cool down. 7.5 miles total.
Wednesday November 10, 2010: AM: 5.5 miles (46min) Out the door by 4:45am for an easy shakeout/test of the legs. I felt much better then last night which was encouraging. PM: 4.5 miles (40min) Grocery run. Easy. Legs felt better once again. Pedestal and Medicine ball routine post-run.
Thursday November 11,21010: AM: 10.5 miles (1:30) No work today so headed out with Meredith for some easy miles and a few climbs after a leisurely morning. My energy was good today and my right calf was significantly better. Nice run.
(The type of trail surrounding Rice Lake)
Friday November 12, 2010: AM: Off work again today. 12miles (1:30). From my apartment I headed up to Lynn Headwaters, working, but generally just sort of cruising my way up. I was then surprised when I hit the gate in 29:30 (anything under 30 is solid for me) and the fountain in 36:30. Perhaps I was buoyed by the absolutely beautiful morning I was treated to. From there I headed over to Rice Lake for a couple mile repeats. The loop can be made a perfect mile and is constantly rolling with numerous sharp corners; it is a hard repeat for sure. First lap was 7:26 (HRA 156); Second lap 7:24 (HRA 157). My HR indicated to me that these were easy miles but I sure felt like I was working a lot harder. Legs just felt generally heavy by this point in the run. I ran the last miles home with an avg pace of 7:10 (HRA 153), however, these were downhill. Overall, a good run and the type of workout I need to be doing.
(The bridge at the entrance to Lynn Headwaters Regional Park; just after the fountain)
Saturday November 13, 2010: AM: 7+miles (1:06) Out in Port Moody doing a run clinic with IMPULSE. Easy run with lots of vertical. Fun morning exploring new areas. Each week I am amazed at the new trails we are able to find that just keep on climbing throughout the area. Core routine in the afternoon and pedestals after the run.
Sunday November 14, 2010: AM: 17miles (2:11) Another long run on the roads. I started off with Meredith for the first 10 miles. We basically just kept it tame, but honest completing the loop in 1:25. She was calling it quits after this. I quickly grabbed a glass of water and a gel from our apartment and was back at it. The goal was to tempo the next 5 miles. The first mile was uphill and just generally slow (7:47), however, the next 4 miles I found a bit of a second gear and finished them in a satisfactory 26:59 (6:45 avg pace). This was a full 1:43 quicker than I ran the same type of 4-mile tempo as I did last weekend. They were controlled but I was definitely working. 2+ miles of cooldown to finish. Followed this up with the usual Pedestal, Medicine ball and Myrtle routine for another 45+ minutes of work. Overall an encouraging workout and a good way to finish off the week.
Weekly miles: 64 (8+ hours) + lots of ancillary work
On the scale of things this was a decent week. It started off crappy but finished well. At this point I will take what I can get and what my body is willing to give. There is plenty of work to be done but I feel as though I am gaining a level of comfort with the faster miles. Just rolling with it. On a separate note I have included below a series of articles I came across this week via my usual computer time/ bus time on the iphone. Enjoy.
Articles worthy of a read:
http://wpblogs.runningtimes.com/blogs/natejenkins/ (good discussion in the October 25-31 on rest and recovery)
http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=21202&PageNum=1 (another interesting article on rest and recovery. More specifically, how many of the fueling tactics and post-run "recovery" methods that are constantly being touted as beneficial may in actuality hinder the proper process of adaptation that our bodies need to go through to improve. Really enjoyed this article as it reaffirmed many of my beliefs)
http://wpblogs.runningtimes.com/blogs/antonkrupicka/ (68 miles in one effort, solo! Shit, need I say anymore)
http://www.scienceofrunning.com/2010/11/speed-stride-length-x-stride-frequency.html (A good article on stride length and cadence. Interesting results from the study. Worth a read)
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Week in Review: November 1- 7
Monday, November 1, 2010: AM: Gym session; heavy weights at max effort. Usual routine that takes me about an hour to complete at the end of it all. Off to work after. No running today. Scheduled day off.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010: PM: 7.5 miles (1:05) Evening run with Meredith. Generally just took it fairly conservatively the entire time. My stomach was not cooperating the entire run; felt like I had a bowling ball in my stomach that was working its way out the other end (your welcome for the visual). Managed one steady climb over the run where I paced off a biker; love the motivation that bikers often provide. I don't think they like it when a runner is able to pace them. Finished with a serious of squats (single leg and double), weighted lunges, and a quick medicine ball routine (Russian twists, squats, lifts).
Wednesday, November 3, 2010: AM: 9miles (1:10) Up and out the door by 4:45am. Wanted to fit in a solid run before work. Unfortunately, my stomach gave me issues once again on this run. Thankfully, McDonalds was open for the quick pit stop (its only good use I swear!). Energy levels were up and down throughout. Average pace: 7:55
PM: 4.5 miles Casual run to Queensdale market to pick up some groceries for dinner. Wore my beat down MT 100's.
Thursday, November 4, 2010: AM: Gym session. Same as Monday morning. Starting to feel the benefits of these workouts. Power and strength??... not quite, but working my way in that direction. PM: 5.5 miles (50min). Easy with Meredith. Finished with short, intense hill sprints. 4 times 10 seconds on, with 5 second moving-rest; the whole effort progressing up a steep hill. Felt good, gasping by the top. These types of repeats are also beneficial for power and strength- with a running specific focus.
Friday, November 5, 2010: PM: 9miles (1:15). Awesome evening run. Headed out after work. There was an unbelievable rainbow encompassing most of Lynn Valley when I started my run. A light shower was falling but the sun was shining; I just love that. I headed up to Lynn Headwaters and by the time I reached Rice Lake it was dark. I strapped on my head lamp and tempoed a lap around the lake and eventually worked my way down to Twin Bridges, careful not to take an unnecessary tumble. I was certainly running scared the entire time. I was by myself and it was one of the first times I have run in that type of darkness through trails. Forced tempo effort for the last 4 miles as I was just hoping not to see any flickering eyes when I moved my light towards the surrounding bush.
Saturday, November 6, 2010: 7miles (1:04) Easy run with Meredith out at Port Moody on the Shoreline trail. We were doing some promo for IMPULSE in the surrounding community. Enjoyable run on some different terrain and in a unique setting.
Sunday, November 7, 2010: 18miles (2:29) This was my first longer road run in some time. It was an absolutely beautiful morning; could not have asked for anything better in Vancouver for November. The foliage was in full force throughout Stanley Park. I did the first 9.11 miles with Meredith at a fairly conservative pace in 1:19. She then headed over to the Y for a workout and I continued on. I tried to MP tempo the next 4 miles running them in a decent 28:43 (7:10pace). I wasn't working too hard but was certainly getting the juices flowing. It was good training throw these miles square into the middle of a longer run. I then dropped it back down and ran the last 5 miles home in an easy 8:10sh pace. I definitely bonked the last 2 miles; especially heading up Keith road (god I hate that hill sometimes). I decided to take no water with me for the run and only managed to find one fountain along the way. I took one pack of Stingers... clearly not enough. Besides this little glitch I have to say I was overall pleased with the run given I have not run this length on the roads for probably close to a full year. Look forward to many more of these efforts over the impending weeks.
Weekly mileage: 60.57 (9+hours)
Gym Sessions: 2
Tuesday, November 2, 2010: PM: 7.5 miles (1:05) Evening run with Meredith. Generally just took it fairly conservatively the entire time. My stomach was not cooperating the entire run; felt like I had a bowling ball in my stomach that was working its way out the other end (your welcome for the visual). Managed one steady climb over the run where I paced off a biker; love the motivation that bikers often provide. I don't think they like it when a runner is able to pace them. Finished with a serious of squats (single leg and double), weighted lunges, and a quick medicine ball routine (Russian twists, squats, lifts).
Wednesday, November 3, 2010: AM: 9miles (1:10) Up and out the door by 4:45am. Wanted to fit in a solid run before work. Unfortunately, my stomach gave me issues once again on this run. Thankfully, McDonalds was open for the quick pit stop (its only good use I swear!). Energy levels were up and down throughout. Average pace: 7:55
PM: 4.5 miles Casual run to Queensdale market to pick up some groceries for dinner. Wore my beat down MT 100's.
Thursday, November 4, 2010: AM: Gym session. Same as Monday morning. Starting to feel the benefits of these workouts. Power and strength??... not quite, but working my way in that direction. PM: 5.5 miles (50min). Easy with Meredith. Finished with short, intense hill sprints. 4 times 10 seconds on, with 5 second moving-rest; the whole effort progressing up a steep hill. Felt good, gasping by the top. These types of repeats are also beneficial for power and strength- with a running specific focus.
Friday, November 5, 2010: PM: 9miles (1:15). Awesome evening run. Headed out after work. There was an unbelievable rainbow encompassing most of Lynn Valley when I started my run. A light shower was falling but the sun was shining; I just love that. I headed up to Lynn Headwaters and by the time I reached Rice Lake it was dark. I strapped on my head lamp and tempoed a lap around the lake and eventually worked my way down to Twin Bridges, careful not to take an unnecessary tumble. I was certainly running scared the entire time. I was by myself and it was one of the first times I have run in that type of darkness through trails. Forced tempo effort for the last 4 miles as I was just hoping not to see any flickering eyes when I moved my light towards the surrounding bush.
Saturday, November 6, 2010: 7miles (1:04) Easy run with Meredith out at Port Moody on the Shoreline trail. We were doing some promo for IMPULSE in the surrounding community. Enjoyable run on some different terrain and in a unique setting.
Sunday, November 7, 2010: 18miles (2:29) This was my first longer road run in some time. It was an absolutely beautiful morning; could not have asked for anything better in Vancouver for November. The foliage was in full force throughout Stanley Park. I did the first 9.11 miles with Meredith at a fairly conservative pace in 1:19. She then headed over to the Y for a workout and I continued on. I tried to MP tempo the next 4 miles running them in a decent 28:43 (7:10pace). I wasn't working too hard but was certainly getting the juices flowing. It was good training throw these miles square into the middle of a longer run. I then dropped it back down and ran the last 5 miles home in an easy 8:10sh pace. I definitely bonked the last 2 miles; especially heading up Keith road (god I hate that hill sometimes). I decided to take no water with me for the run and only managed to find one fountain along the way. I took one pack of Stingers... clearly not enough. Besides this little glitch I have to say I was overall pleased with the run given I have not run this length on the roads for probably close to a full year. Look forward to many more of these efforts over the impending weeks.
Weekly mileage: 60.57 (9+hours)
Gym Sessions: 2
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)