Monday 010912 – I woke up without an alarm pretty early and thought I would head out for some pre dawn full moon jogging. I found myself pretty unmotivated to face the cold, mostly because I was still fairly sore from the weight work over the weekend.
Even in the afternoon, I felt lethargic to start but mentally told myself - screw it, and got to work. Heck it was clear and 50 degrees out. I decided not to care about HR, and just ran, pushing on dead legs, not feeling easy but not running fast or harder. Just harder than I would if I stuck to a HR or feeling easy. Not a good idea every day, but once in a while … 8 miles. AHR, 157, MHR 168, average pace 7:50. Ugh.
Clearly I am paying for doing the gym work that I did in the fashion I did: off a speed workout and with more weight than typical. That said, I’d like to think that sluggishness as a result will work out to be a good thing longer term.
Tuesday 011012 Slept in pretty hard again, so no early morning slogging under the moon. Got out in the afternoon with mild temps (50s) and a breeze blowing out of the west. Elected to do 8 x 600, with an equal jog, over on the same route as the 400s I did last Tuesday. This rest is a bit too long, but I was fine with that as I was going to try to be going faster than desired 5k pace, essentially doing what I did for the 400s but adding on another 200 meters. On the first I stopped the watch at .37 of a mile, established my landmark and then just worked from there. This is something probably a bit more than 600 meters but close enough.
Like last week, my first one was a bit slow (2:02 or 5:37 pace), but I was able to work that down over the set (1:54 or about 5:03 pace on the last two). Work done, work to be done. Got the HR up to 182 on the last one which I think is the highest I have hit for a road workout this year (I hit 185 on a treadmill on Christmas eve). 10 miles.
Wednesday 011112 woke up ridiculously early after a less than effective night of sleep. Pretty decent snow and wind out there so I hit the mill in the afternoon, just keeping it easy (sub 150).
10 treadmill miles. After a very easy first mile (8 and change), I dialed in from a HR perspective and was floating easily at 7:30 to 7:40 pace. The blip in the middle is when I was screwing around with a water bottle.
Thursday 011212 excellent sleep last night but again, no morning miles.
Headed down to the office gym and the two treadmills were in use. I decided to jump some rope, some weight work and some weighted step ups to get after it. I tried to switch from exercise to exercise in a quick enough fashion that I was keeping my HR a bit elevated. The weighted step ups were hard, and I can distinctly see that my right leg is weaker here. Interestingly, my ability to do the single leg jumps is much less on my left leg.
Hit the mill once one opened up and felt a bit unsure from the neck up but decided to get after it a bit and do something anyway. I was on the fence as to whether to go hard or make for another easy day, but after a couple of miles I decided I was well enough to at least try.
4 x 1 mile, 0 percent grade, max HR 182. 5:49, 5;49, 5:45, 5:43. Half mile jog between each, for a total of 10 treadmill miles. Not a spectacular workout but felt solid and working through the sets.
Friday 011312 I was unsure of what I would do today, as I wanted to get a bit of break from yesterday. The winds (25mph) were not putting enticing me to get out. JV put up the call for a mountain jaunt. An afternoon on the trails, trying out my Santa provided Kathoola’s, in the lee of a hill, with a friend I have not run with in a bit was exactly what I needed.
Climbing out of Cragmoor, we needed Kathoola’s immediately. In the lot the wind was blowing pretty good. Once we got up into the trees a bit, the wind cut down some. I was slow in my running but steady through lower stretches. Once we hit the mouth of Fern, we went to the power hike and I was digging my new traction on some of the icier segments.
Above the gap however the wind picked up, and there was a complete mix of conditions – going from wind blown snow that was easy to tread over, to spinning my wheels in deeper snow on the inclines that spikes made no difference on, to post holing thigh deep. The last third of a mile from the gap to the summit was tough with the snow, the exposure to the wind – at least for me. I am not regularly used to that stuff, while JV as a season mountaineer probably saw it as a relatively minor outing. Of course it was – but I heard my thighs grumbling. We hit the summit (my first Bear Baggin of the year, and my first Front Range summit as well) is just a few ticks under a hour, and while the sunset was pretty cool – casting long shadows of the Flatirons out along the plains of the Front Range, we did not stay long.
The jaunt down to the gap was almost equally as challenging as it often represented skiing for me (something I suck at) – that is until I’d end up post holed or on my arse. All in all, while cold and challenging – more than worth it all to get out with Jeff. 5 miles – but with about a 1000 a mile in the first 2.5 miles.
Saturday 011412 – the clan, the whole lot of us, headed up to Tahosa with the Scouts. I considered for a bit doing some running around on the pond up there, or snow shoeing up higher, but the day easily slipped away with sledding, ice fishing and other goofing off. 0 miles. First day of of the year. I contemplate actually scheduling a regular day off, but it seems to work out a bit better for me just have them dealt to me like this.
Sunday 011512 – we got back from Tahosa and the weather was pretty mild. Not sure what I would do (I told TZ “somewhere between 10 and 25” as I headed out), I ended up back at the house after 20. Not zippy, but a bit longer at a steady pace so it was good work. I sort of began to fall apart (thirsty) around 16 (I brought no water or fuel), but kept the run relatively together. AHR was 153, MHR (in the climb up Mount Lac Amora home in the last mile) was 177.
A little bit of everything this week, except maybe overall volume (63 miles, a little less than 9 hours – all singles). Some climbing (Bear), some interval work, a long run, some gym work. If I am to truly adhere to the program I am thinking, this is a pretty good week except
a.) the long run is probably not necessary every week.
b.) another session in the gym would be good / appropriate
c.) sub up one of the interval sessions for tempo work
d.) the Bear climb – could be potentially a bad thing if targeting a race or a workout (but was very good for the head, heart).
But, generally … as long as I keep at a couple of sessions (up to three a week) of getting after it (a long run is such a thing but different), then I am confident on making progress. The key will be to allow those sessions be the focus.
I kept track of the diet during the week, but did nothing to track it over the weekend up at Tahosa (where the diet was probably pretty crappy anyway). I am going to look to keep doing this as it keeps me a bit focused on what I am putting in my mouth a bit more …
Ah, yes … now for a Sunday night of catching up on all the post OT interwebbings.
