Saturday 011412 Training Plan for 2012

Old man rant of the day … there are a few things folks say that seem to bug me as of late.  Here are a few …

… the word “mature” when folks say “ma-tour.”  Look we don’t say “nature” – essentially the same word as “na-tour.”  When you say “matour” you sound like you are trying to be smart in a completely unnecessary way. 

… in meetings when someone asks another person, “hey Joe, do you have anything add to this topic?”  Joe says “no, I think you stated it fine” and then Joe goes off for five minutes as to how they agree.

… the “yeah-no” answer.  Pick one. 

… (one guy I know will love this one) … Westminister … it is Westminster.  There is no preaching in that.

… there is that entire “to be honest thing … “ thing that folks state before nearly every answer they provide but other folks have already groused about that.

I am sure I do my own.  Mostly I repeat myself a lot.  In other words, I say the same thing over and over again.  And then I repeat it again.  And then I wait and say it again two weeks later.  I will check with my daughter.  I am sure she will have input on my language immatourity.

Apparently Killian’s new coach is Brownie.

 
Anyway …

I have been hesitant to define a training program for myself because I am not completely clear as to what I want to accomplish in 2012.  Pikes seems obvious, given my history there, a free entry and the thought that I still could have that day where I go under 4:30.  But the lure of that is offset with some self questioning as to the likelihood of being able to prepare for that day, and even if I do, if I can make it happen.  Then again, I would get to ogle over the little Spaniard at Pikes.

A 100 like Steamboat has some appeal as that is new territory – both as a new race and that I am still very much new to that distance –, but I honestly question if I’d make the training choices to pull that off the way I would want to (I have already done one while NOT training for it).  There is of course the draw to 5k and 10k stuff as there is potential for working back some speed, getting some masters PRs, and carrying that over into other events but it sort of feels “ho-hum.”  “Ho-hum” as in a Masters PR now at 5k would be a split I would comfortably carry en route to a 10k.  Ego in the mix there for sure.

For what it is worth, I have considered not racing at all and just heading off to Leadville to get some pacing in and checking all that out.

Bit I got to commit to something and so, Pikes Marathon it is (for now)

With that as a backdrop, I could not simply dismiss my friend’s challenge, and after a little back and forth, I landed on the following (been essentially stated here before) … a reverse periodization plan

1.) Focus now on reestablishing some 5k, 10k work, V02 max capacity now, as this
a.) will be fun, 
b.) establishes a speed first, distance later approach, 
c.) will avoid mentally burn out
d.) keep skeletal, connective tissue, etc strong
e.)  is considerate of the fact that I am over 30 weeks out from Pikes
f.)  addresses some turn over, I have lost (as an outcome of focusing on distance accumulation versus a complete picture).
g.)  drop volume … (ugh, I am not good at this)
So in other words, continue the focus on 5k, 10k development.  This means I probably need to pick a few races in that regard. 

2.)  transition from this non specific set of work (5k, 10k) around the middle to the end of March.  Arguably this might be too long in playing in this distance for development at that distance (that is 8-10 weeks from now) but the risk with it is really just
a.) not improving after some time at that distance
b.) injury and
c.) some loss of aerobic fitness. 
Given how I am fairly durable you and my base over the last few years, I don't think these are large risks.

3.)  I'd then say build back up for PPM
a.)  alternating a weekly long run of flat (3 hours) with the other week alternated as uphill/downhill work (with increasing the downhill component to up to 40 minutes)
b.)  weekly session of long hill tempo
NOTE – I can see A and B being combined
c.)  biweekly short flat intervals with the other week alternated as hill (30 minutes of intensity in either case as a guide)
d.) 1x in the gym a week (2x in the gym through June)
e.)  get high (altitude) as much as I can for these workouts
f.)  with everything else being secondary, recovery (hard for me to do) but keeping volume consistent.

4.)  August... taper.

There might be a race in there with a donkey too.

Friday 011312 “Coaching”

Steve Magness breaks up with his girlfriend because she does Crossfit.

Tons of pre OT vids over here.

Earlier this week, I had a series of those moments where within a short period you are hit with some common theme in completely different contexts.  It leaves you wondering if something or some power (if you believe in that) is trying to send you some sort of message.  And earlier this week, I was getting a message about coaching.  As in me acting as a coach.

It first started in talking with a colleague at work about work.  In the middle of the conversation, he paused and took a complete tangent.  He asked “how come you have never taken up coaching runners?”  Then, completely separately, but several hours later and also at work,  it was someone asking me about training for a marathon.  And so there was a conversation with that.  How many weeks until your marathon?  What goals do you have for that?  How much training do you do now?  And then outside of work, in conversing with a friend they turned the tables on me while I was grousing about my performance and training.  They asked if I were to coach them with an assumed focus on PPM, concisely state what I would have them do (this was really a trick question because it was about me defining a plan for myself … a future post).

With a very full time life at this point in my middle age, I don’t see me taking on a running coach role anytime soon.  But I have occasionally given it some thought.   I swayed from thinking I could do it pretty well to realizing I am about as unqualified as many of the internet hack jobs there.  It is not that I don’t have an opinion about how someone should train or a lack of willingness to share that opinion.  I just question if I could provide the right coaching for an athlete to best ensure their effective success.  I see folks who are pretty dang spanking good at this, and frankly, I am not not sure I’d be in the same zip code in terms of the service they provide.  And I am sort of nervous I’d screw someone up pretty good.

Part of this self doubt was made pretty clear to me when my friend turned the tables on me with the “pretend you are coaching me” experiment.  I saw what he was trying to do, and it left me wondering if one has trouble coaching themselves, how the heck are they supposed to coach others?  Yeah, I get that we are often our own worst counsel (and not just in running), but there is something to be said with exemplifying what you are preaching.  The thought experiment that he proposed should set up a trick that disassociates you from your own idiocy.   The classic example is when we see a friend runner who is thrashing day in and day out and just want to go up and say “dude!  Take a rest day!”  That runner knows that they should but gets wrapped up in other demons in their own head.

II ain;t ready to coach, but it might be my retirement gig.  I might be smart enough by then.  If I start working on it now. 

Tomorrow … my thoughts on a training program for myself for 2012.  Short synopsis … reverse periodization.

Oh yeah … in case you were wondering Lake Ivanhoe is not ready for snowshoeing. 

One down, one up

Our family got rid of one medical implement today … (braces)

 

… but brought another on board … (cast)

They don’t see a break in JZ’s arm, but there is still some swelling around the elbow = and so some concern about growth plates - so they decided to immobilize it for two weeks. 

Thursday 011212 “Eye Candy”

Food stuff from Wednesday …averages thus far.

 

Intend to listen to this one with Dave Mackey later today.

Another ultrarunner elite moves to the Boulder area.

I am going to hold off on my coaching and training plan post that I thought I would put up today.  It is not completely done, and instead this next topic has been something I have been mulling over.  In advance, I recognize this might be one of those posts I need to later pull so all of you lawyers out there be sure to save the text to your favorite location to hold against me in the future.

I find the concerns raised in this post to be appropriate.  As a parent, I do think that the advertising images used by American Apparel do cross some line of appropriateness.  I understand the concern how such images would drive the behavior of people, particularly children and in most particular young women, in how they dress, and potentially consider what is important in terms of their self.  That said, I feel my approach and stance against such marketing is to try to be a parent that instills values in my children that strongly encourage character growth and intelligence (and not shopping at such establishments – I’d not actively campaign against them for a variety of reasons, probably the greatest being general laziness). 

I would daresay that I think I have seen the some of the outcomes of this sort of marketing trend in how many of the young women near my daughter’s age dress in this day and age – with the result being me making grumpy old man comments with a tinge of my off color humor like “why didn’t girls dress like that when I was in middle school?” or “I am making a list of clothing I don’t want my daughter to wear but I want my wife to wear – but it probably won’t work out like that.”

However, I see a possible contradiction in my thinking because I don’t see posts like this as largely offensive.  I will openly admit I can see how what I deem as a more playful post on RunColo can lend to a culture to ads like what American Apparel posts.  I just also see a difference in the message.  I think the American Apparel ad says wear our clothes and you will get laid.  I think the RunColo post says bust your ass and you may end up with an attractive body and you might get to participate in an event that determines who goes to represent your country in the highest level of athletic competition.

In any case,  this term “hot” and what it potentially is or is not …

Several years ago, I was at a local track where several elites happened to be training, including several women.  It was a morning workout, but it was summer, and so all the ladies were stripped down to the sports bras and bun huggers.  As one woman came around, leading the pack in a series of 1000s, there was a general muttering of consensus of how strong and beautiful she looked.  And in fact “hot.”

Later that day I was at the grocery in Boulder, and there was clearly a lot of “hotness” in the store.  Young vibrant smiling athletic people.  I did not shop regularly in Boulder and was amused at the difference in the demographic between this store my typical store in Erie (where the population were folks more likely to have college age children rather than being college aged).  But wait, who is that woman who is in the produce area who looks physically ill?  I mean she is so scrawny she looks like someone ought to give her a milkshake.  Of course it is that same woman who was killing the kilos that AM.  Apparently not so hot after all.

Side note … some folks responded to RunColo post with a suggestion that a similar post be put up for the men’s competitors.  I found that amusing.  Do we really need to think about why Ryan Hall is not getting the Jockey ad endorsements that Tim Tebow is getting?  Then again, Ryan Sandes was recently in Playboy.

Wednesday 011112

The most important news of the day is that ice cream and custard is an performance booster in running.  Just ask the king of the mountain.

Mackey was named UROY.  I remain less than convinced this award is something guys like him explicitly strive for, but heck - what do I know.  Maybe if I were more in that game I would look to pursue it to to drive some level of recognition and hence gain some pull with sponsors.  I guess I am happy if they are happy.

In any case, the two guys of the guys that I thought were in the run for it, Dave (who had the same number of first place votes as Wardian) and Nick (who finished fifth) are damn solid hard working nice guys who I love to share a run or a beer with.  Looking at the names on the list, good to see the old man take it. (but then I look at some of the POTY stuff on that page and just shake my head).

I was pursuing Ultrasignup, looking at some upcoming entry lists, and started peeking at some of this ranking business over there.  Here is how I rank over there …

A few thoughts when I look at this:
1.)  Apparently Pikes was my worst race of the year.
2.)  Apparently the Boulder 100 was my best race of the year.
3.)  I rank at 85% as a runner across my so called ultras (La Luz?!), but would probably rank better if I did not do Pikes (I have several sub 80% performances there).
4.)  Looking at the rankings of folks signed up for the Lake Sonoma 50miler, the top ranked folks are some familiar names:

with guys like Mackey, Koerner, etc ranking well over 90%
5.)  I was curious as to how these numbers stood up to an age grading of my more typical road performances.  Here is some of that:
  
and if I look at that compared to my overall PRs (and I have to guess on age on some of these, so I went a bit younger when I had to choose):

What does this all tell me?  Basically, compared to age graded charts, or competitive position charts, my scatter – at first glance is basically the same.  I ain’t a world beater and  I pretty consistently fall into this 75 to 85 percent ranking.  Occasionally I lay a bigger egg, and sometimes I cherry pick a race that I sneak a win or a better result in. 

To get to some of the shorter race performances I have mulled over as of late, I am going to really need to put it together. 
GOAL:
 
Most likely current (based on a workout I recently did with Bob … I am probably a bit ahead of this, but not a ton).

Alternatively, a 17:37 5k calculates to a 57 Vdot, whereas an 18:30 is a 54 and a 15:55 is a 64.

And none of that REALLY matters, does it?  That said, I’d love to hear other people’s take on these numbers – and their own numbers.  Tomorrow, discussion of my training plan for the year, and some thoughts on coaching.

Food stuff from Tuesday … pretty certain the keilbasa, peppers and onion for dinner shoved me super high on the fats and sodium.  I am not worried about that, or even the overall calorie count at this point.  It has changed my behavior a bit though … when I got home and was making dinner, rather than reach for the corn chips to hold me over, I felt compelled to have some baby carrots.  In other words, knowing that I had to record it, had a similar effect to what this blog had on my early recording of it there – it made me do something I might not otherwise be thoughtful enough to do.

 

Tuesday 011012

Goofing off a bit more with the guitar and software that hooks up to the Fender GDEC amp I have.  I installed Amplitube, Ableton Live Liteand – the one I like the most is Fender Fuse.  This software is totally bad arse to me … USB connect the amp, and boom!  Control the pedals, the amp settings, the playback and capture sampling … amazing!

Of course, I just make the same noise over and over again … just through hundred of different amp and pedal settings.

Thinking about picking up a digital drum kit this year.  I have no idea how to play drums.  But that is the point … learn!  At least a little, how to drop a back beat.

This video is brilliant.

More super fast flying down Green.

Output of my first day on caloriecount.

Clearly logging this stuff changes my behavior. My head was starting to tune into numbers and how to tune to those. 

I love these reports from Bandera.  Nick:  55 minutes to the finish if I walked every step of upward facing trail and ran the rest, she told me. That's less than an hour. Should I puke this bloat out of my stomach and start afresh or should I stubbornly keep drinking coke and downing salt caps in the vain hope that my stomach might actually absorb something and stop the horrendous leg cramps. I chose the latter. It continued to be a highly ineffective strategy.  Dylan: I’ve been very determined to avoid bitterness when it comes to getting into certain races.  Going into Bandera I was fully resigned to the fact that, if I ever have the opportunity to race Western States, I’ll have to earn the spot myself.  That’s the most honorable way to do it and hopefully someday I’ll earn my shot.

Apparently the highway going past Lucho’s house is on hold again.

Monday 010912

So, I will look to continue to post my training weekly, but put up items I find of interest, kid stories, other ramblings as I stumble upon them … I thought I’d come up with some clever title instead of my typical date scheme, but I couldn’t figure anything out this morning as to how all of these are related in some cutesy fashion. 

“He reminds me that death is not bias towards the old and the unfit, it can happen to the best of us at any time.”  - Galen

Going for it at the trials this weekend, a guy who made the standard by 2 seconds.

It blows my mind how well this guy runs at Mount Washington, but comparatively how he runs at other distances.  I am saying that in a complimentary way … the dude ran sub 70 on the “big hill” last year, while just stretching to break 5 in the mile (related workouts).  I find that pretty incredible.

Owning burros can create for some interesting challenges and insights.

We have been engaged in a variety of home improvement projects, and this has meant some significant interior painting.  TZ has been at the local hardware store quite a bit, and as she has been painting, she has gone without her wedding band on.  While there recently, a guy said to her, “See you in here quite a bit.  You’re kind of cute.  You up for lunch?  You got a husband?”  She was a bit unnerved by being asked to lunch, but then was a bit irked by the “kind of” in the guy’s pick up line.  This, of course, never happens when I go to the hardware store, or anywhere for that matter.  When she told me this story, I decided I better make lunch. 

JZ has been laid up a bit … he took a big jump off some chair when goofing off with his buds.  He described the landing as seeing his arm bending “the wrong way.”  X rays have not found a break, but we have it in a sling to keep in immobilized.  Yesterday he decided to rest and read.  He read books for in excess of 8 hours.   My head hurts just thinking of that.

KZ has some decisions to make about HS this week. 

I was up early for some running this AM, but couldn’t muster the courage to deal with the 20 something temps when I saw 50s on tap for later.

Gonna try diet monitoring again as the video from Saturday’s workout has me thinking I am looking a bit more than heavy.  So, now a fifth logging tool … (thanks Rob)

I am not making the FA run this weekend or the Quicker Quaker 5k (no need to start this year with a PW in the 5k like I did in 2011) as I will be off camping with my son.  If you are free – you ought to consider the FA event in CoS. 

The second annual Ponderous Posterior Fat Ass will be held this Saturday, January 14, 2012. Start/end is at 321 North 31st Street,
Colorado Springs, 80904. The course will go in the opposite direction as last year, and will include a climb up the Incline instead of Barr Trail. In a nutshell: Red Rock Canyon, Intemann Trail, Incline, Experimental Forest, Longs Ranch Road, Waldo Canyon, Williams Canyon, Rampart Range Road, Gardenof the Gods. Roughly 30 miles. Lots of snow and ice. Shorter versions available, we will have maps at the start. There will be an aid station at the Waldo Canyon parking lot, just past the halfway point. A truck will leave at 8:30AM for Waldo. We
will be providing water and PBR, so if you think you'll need anything else please bring a drop bag and throw it in the truck. Start times will be at 7AM, 8AM, and 9AM. We will have basic refreshments (cheetos) at the finish. Colorado Running Company has donated some beer, but nobody from Team CRUD will be upset if you bring a sixer from your local brewery to share.

Training, week ending 010811

I have decided that, at least for the moment, that I am going to post my training weekly, rather than daily.  My thought here is that this will help me look at a cycle a bit more, versus a single day (more “forest” than “trees.”) in an effort to be more effective in training.  I will still update my log daily.  Of course, if there is something I want to rant about, or a good kid story or something else, I will post that whenever.  Or I might go back to daily if this doesn’t work.

Monday 010212 – AM, 5 miles, dog jog – easy.  AHR 134.
PM – 5 miles easy.  AHR 146.
Felt pretty sluggish on both of these runs.  Really easy on both of these, with pace super slow (9:30s!)

Tuesday 010312 – AM, predawn – 4 miles super easy on the Community Ditch route.  Just trying to get back into the AM habit.  Again, super slow, like 9s.  AHR 136.

Mid day – felt pretty good, and the weather was incredible (high 50s, slight breeze out of the west).  Decided to take advantage and do some turn over work.  Headed over to 107th and did quarters.  These are slightly downhill, and slightly down wind (similar to what I did with Lucho about three weeks ago)– so the times are a bit misleading but I am fine with that:  I was trying to encourage a bit more zip out of the legs in this session.  2 mile warm up and then did a dozen with a full quarter jog back to the start. (80, 77, 76, 73, 75, 75, 74, 74, 74, 73, 73, 72).  10 miles on the session.

 

Happy how this workout went because I feel I got into it (working in after starting at 80), and was working but not straining throughout.  Mentally, I could see myself being a bit irked that I was not where I wanted to be with times, but I can see the slow come back on this front with the on going efforts here (since August).

Did a little gym work at the office as well … incline bench, leg extensions, some shoulder and tri work, myrtle, and some body weight squats.

Wednesday 01042012  AM – predawn, 4 miles on the Community Ditch.  Again, just a “wake and shake.”  Yesterday’s afternoon run further convinced me that concern over pace for these AM pads is not necessary.  Saw a shooting star.  AHR 141 (a little faster today but hardly any … but I did have coffee and a few PB cookies before this run).

PM 7 miles super easy, slow.  I felt some residual fatigue from yesterday.  AHR 139, MHR 148.

Thursday 010512 No AM run today, as I had to run DS to the airport pretty early.  Mid day  was off the charts sinfully beautiful and so I got out for a bit then.  Did the Dirty Bismark loop, 14 miles.  Never felt great, so alot of this – particularly in the muddy parts were a slog.  Even though I was a bit sluggish, the day was too wonderful to pass up.    AHR was 148 but it was all over the place …  but I think it was elevated because I was bit behind on hydration (hence, see above).  My nose was running quite a bit too.  This is a solid loop and will keep this one in mind as a potential staple.

Friday 010612 Slept super hard, which was awesome because I slept like crap the night before. 

Day got away from me with family, work, Pinewood Derby car work.  As a result I did not get out until late.  I realized in the middle of this very easy run, that this run was STUPID.   I did not feel bad (actually felt pretty good, albeit a bit fried from the day) but there was little purpose to this run other than checking the box.  I would have been better to NOT run and instead do 30 – 45 minutes of other work (gym, squats, etc).  I really need to get to point where I can identify this state before hitting the door and then having the discipline to cut the run and do something else that will be more effective.  Jogging 5 miles tonight at 9 minute pace at AHR 136 MHR 148 was probably worthless other than burning 500 calories.  Also – as I intend to go hard tomorrow … even less of a reason to go today.

Saturday 01072012  Met Aaron, Bob, Tim, Rob, Amy, Bryan, Rob over at Davidson Mesa.  Lucho had set up for 15 miles, with 3 of the 3 mile loops in the middle being progression.  I had decided I’d do two of the loops, looking to eek out a bit more in that – rather than face a hedge of just grinding for the longer.  To offset this shortcut, I figured I’d do the back side hill (LOSH) afterwards (knowing that would be tough regardless of the pace or earlier effort.

After the three mile warm up, and some quick changing (chilly, in the 20s), we got to work.  6:34 was conversational for the first.  6:25, but I started to look to work a bit and then pulled a 6:10 to finish the first loop (19:10).  As we started the second loop Lucho came by, and the shortly there afterwards – the rest of the crew just dropped me.  I was pretty much already at what I was going to do – so there was not much I could do other than continue to work.  6:19, 6:16, 6:06 (18:41).  AHR 174, max 179. 

Not great on the times, and I watched the gang progressively pull away from me (and then most go on to a third lap), but it was good work for me:  6 miles at 95% of current max, 37:55, negative split, averaged 6:19 pace … had a loose goal coming in of 19, 18, and I obviously did not hit that … So while I know I did work, I can still “see” the frustration of not being where I think I ought to be … and not seeing a lot of gains come based on the work I am doing.

 

Jogged with Rob over to the back hill, but it was encased in bullet proof ice (no surprise given it is north facing).  I did one of the hills, then one back and then a few more strides over out of the lot … but at this point, those strides were not much faster than what I was running the tempo on.  Warmed down with 3 and the group … where the warm down felt a bit zippy at 7 minute low pace.  So, 14 on the day, all good … challenging stuff for me. 

Rob took this video.  It shows how horrible my form is:  I am clearly wasting way too much energy in motions that are not about moving forward.  I am not even sure where to begin to work on that.  I know it is better when I am slower, but when tired and trying to press – I go to “reading the newspaper” (swing the arms across the body).   There is a small voice in the back of my head that is almost proud that I can even run near six mpm with that crap form.   I feel that I have ingrained so much of this crap into my muscle memory (sort of like Tebow reverting to his longer arc throwing motion when under pressure).  The video also shows the hill I long referred to as LOSH and that I did pretty regularly for years while my work office was in Louisville.  At current, being north facing it is in pretty crappy condition. 

Evening – rec center gym work … incline bench, tri rope push downs, bi curls, weighted squats, hamstring curls, adductor and abductor machines.  Everything was 3 sets, with reps in the 6-12 range.  Almost ready to get more detailed in tracking this stuff.

Sunday 010812 8 miles easy.  Took this one as it came.  Didn’t feel so great, so I cut it short.  Was fairly trashed from yesterday’s workout and gym work – and it was pretty clear at an hour that I was done.  AHR 142, MHR 151, so aerobically not hard but I had no legs.  Did some myrtle when I got home to offset the shorter time.  I considered doing lunges, but I did not even have the legs for that.

Week on whole … not sure what to make of it.  76 miles, 2 decent workouts, 2 runs of 14 miles but the other runs were bordering on walks.  I’d like to think they were recovery …   Still, my biggest week of the year so far.  ;-)

Other stuff … (this might end up being the sort of stuff I post more frequently).

Got word over the last couple of days that popular trail runner Tom Borschel passed away after a battle with ALS.  I did not know Tom, but many I have shared strides with did.  Clearly his passing at age 52 is pretty sobering to this community … goes to show that just cause you are fit, does not put you out of the clutches of the reaper.

Listened to the latest Endurance Planet Lucho/Tawnee podcast this week.  I asked a question about their recommendations for software for training logs.  I think I am now juggling four training software log doohickeys.  First, there is this thing (blog).  Then I use Sportracks.  And I update a Google spreadsheet for the purposes of collecting minutes, miles, elevation.  And now … I have added Training Peaks (free version).  The reason why I have added that is because that is what my company uses to track exercise activity by which I can earn points to get free stuff (and not so trivial stuff … things like laptops, etc).  Figure as long as I am out there, I might as well earn something …

It became pretty clear to me this week that my near decade plus sponsorship with a Boulder running apparel/shoe shop is coming to an end.  I actually have seen this coming for a while so while I am slightly disappointed, I am not surprised.  I used to run Boulder road and track races a lot, and I frequently trained in Boulder (particularly in my early days of running out here in CO).   That started to change in 2005 when I started slide more into the mountain and trail circuit.  Tthese days I almost never run in Boulder unless I am trekking there for a jaunt in the OSMP, or meeting someone for some run.  The store obviously needs athletes that are visible to sell the store, and what I do is probably not conducive to that (when I show up at a run in CoS, that probably does not persuade anyone to head to a store in Boulder).  Additionally, my athletic performances have become much more mediocre in the last few years, and hardly worth a racing team status.  Finally, it is hard for me to commit to a race team right now – as I don’t know what the hell I am doing for races this year.   All that said, I am not surprisingly comfortable at the moment being outside of any sort of sponsorship.  If an opportunity comes up where I am willing to endorse some product in a way that is mutually beneficial to the producer and me, then I can revisit that. In any case, it looks like I will need to shop for some new racing jerseys.  :)

Listened to Scott Douglas interview with Jay Johnson this week.  Very good stuff.

This week a lot of the feeling in regards to racing was that I might not do any this year.  Actually, I really didn’t feel that, it was just a novel idea at the time to sort of motivate me to get my arse in gear and get in shape.

Was tipped off on Saturday to start following this ghost.

Sunday 010112

10 miles, with 16 x 200 in there.  Legs were a bit flat, but I felt good enough to get after it (while yesterday was work, the wind tempered the effort enough that I was not racked today). 

Not sure which of these made me laugh more today … Solarweasel or (cross posting from Rob’s blog because it is too good not too), or Dakota’s latest.

Saturday 123111

9 miles today.  Met Aaron, Bob, Tim, Rob & Laurie, and Amy over at the track for a prescribed work out 4 x 200, 5 x 1000, 4 x 200.  Going in, we all knew the wind would be pretty challenging.

After a short warm-up (about 1.7) we got to work.  I knew the wind was going to play havoc with times, so didn’t even look at the watch as I typically do for the quarter or 800 splits.  These times are pretty dang slow, even for me, but this is a training blog first and foremost:  a place where I record my training.  Not a place where I look to impress anyone … this is what I was today.

38, 40, 39, 38
3:42, 3:58, 3:55, 3:55, 3:53
38, 39, 38, 34

I think we all got out a bit fast on the first one, particularly the first quarter of that first one.  The crew gapped me, but then it seemed the amount they were pulling away slowed a lot more after the first lap.  First, third, and fifth had three straights into the wind, and second and fourth had two.  The 200s were started down wind, but you still caught some of it coming out of the curve on the end.  HR hit a high of 181 in the 200s (oddly) but 179 pretty regularly in the 1000s.

Looks like I started a bit quick, but for what it is worth, the efforts look pretty consistent.  And it appears that after the second one, I got into a bit more of a groove of consistency with these (although about 20 seconds slower per rep than last time).  The itty bitty bumps in the HR data show how rhythm was thrown off whenever you hit that back stretch.  That because a head down pump effort to maintain some sort of consistency with pace.  Of course, on the other side, it was smooth floating.  I kept the kilo interval rests to a minute – so a bit less than last time.

Again, probably not the best workout for me given the conditions, but I was mentally determined to get this done – even with the crap wind.  I guess I should not complain about the 25 mph gusts we were getting down here.  Apparently up in Fairplay there have been some gusts in excess of 100 mph. 

Still lacking a clear idea as to where I will go with training next but my current thinking is that I play in the 5k, 10k space for the next couple of months.  This means:

• I ought to make the weekly workouts focused on this goal!  That would mean sessions like today (or 6 x 800, or 8 x 400 or 4 x mile), and tempo runs (4-10 miles, or progressions like an out and back where pace increases) to advance fitness in that regard.  Those would be key sessions meaning I’d sacrifice other work to assure the best success in those. 
• I need to be religious and disciplined in getting these sessions done with maximum possible results.  This means lead up in the days ahead is focused on that.
• Alternatively, I could do hill work occasionally to substitute in (although a hill interval session would be of better value right now than a 50 minute hill tempo up Flagstaff).  
• Behind these workouts, I think strength training in the gym would be the second most important thing.  I think a goal here would be two days a week at the gym. 
• One diversion I see to all of this is a periodic (say every two or three weeks), I’d look to get in a long run (3 hours).  The goal of this would be to just keep me in touch with some of that longer distance stuff for some of the things I am thinking down the road.
• I don’t list maintenance miles or easy miles in that paragraph above.  I don’t because they are gonna happen anyway, and if I make them a priority, they will overrule the rest of the key elements.

Still ought to commit to an overpriced 5k though to help define all this.

I guess with it being the last day of the year, I am supposed to reflect on what was good, bad, etc (fwiw all the annual stats … over here, averaging 9.94 miles on the day for the year).  I don’t feel a strong inclination however to do that – probably in part because I feel I sort of do that here all the time, and tend to repeat myself anyway (in terms of running here folks).  Really – what is important - I am thankful for what ‘11 was for me in terms of running, and the relationships I built with it.  I hope I can continue to do that in the 0-1-2.  Be it on road or trail or treadmill or mountain or even on the couch with a cold one… live it. 

This guys posts are great but I might need Lucho to help translate it for my pea sized brain.

These photos are good for a laugh.

Don’t count this AMERICAN out for making OUR Olympic Marathon team.  I actually love how boring this video is.

Friday 123011

10 on the home trails.  Easy.
 

Continuing to enjoy the Lucho and Tawnee weekly podcast.  Items that resonated with me the most this week:  you have to do what you enjoy, and the discussion on back to back long runs (or not).

Great post by a guy I think we will see continue to make a big splash on the MUT circuit.

Colorado Runner mag December issue on line.

More stuff to read on the brain, and how V02 max may not matter.

Boulder will close parks, but not open space, overnight.  That said, “at the request of the City Council, the Open Space Board of Trustees has already been looking into closing open space overnight.”

Tomorrow, heading to Monarch for some track work.  This will probably be one where I need to disregard the output times, as there are 30mph winds forecasted.  Drop me a note, comment if you want the deets to join.

Next blog-ultra fad … shutting down your blog.

NY marathon is now 255 bones.  But – hey, they got people lining up to do it, so why not?  I bet they could charge 500 bucks and it would still sell out.

MUT porn of the day.

Typically my car smells like some sort of locker room.  Call it the outcome of housing my post run sweaty clothes on many a summer day.  And me sliding into those car seats post the run.  And since I contain large amounts of offensive gases, well … you get the idea.  The kids bought me for Christmas one of those Glade air freshener things for the car.  Needless to say, my car now smells like some sort of chemical flower bomb went off in it.  The kids are quite happy with the change.  I am still not sure.

Thursday 122911

Blocked by my work VPN, but otherwise subscribed.  I pick Brownie in this contest. 

Back in the flats of Broomstock.  We bolted down last night, and got through while Kenosha Pass was open (it was closed for a bit because of the winds).  After I dropped the family off at the house and unpacked a bit, I headed into the People’s Republic for Rob’s hosting of a viewing of Unbreakable.  The movie was good, but it was better to see a bunch of familiar faces.  Even though we all know how the movie turns out, it is still pretty amazing to see these guys roll out sub 7 minute pace after 90 miles (and recall that Nick C was pushing sub 6 against KJ). 

12 miles.  Decent winds out there.  Easy.  Felt good to start but a bit flat towards the end.

One guy who finds shorter runs to be more effective than longer ones.

Fast 1500 by a 50 year old.

More strength stuff I am kicking around.

Wednesday 122811

Fresh from a day off from yesterday, and eyeballing a track workout on Saturday, I was eager to work today.  Initially I considered doing some uphill repeats here, but at the last minute I felt compelled to do a sustained effort – or more importantly, one that I could not hide in with recoveries.

10 miles, 1310 feet of climbing, all above 10k feet in elevation, in 84 minutes.  Not impressive sounding but I was working, and occasionally, for the first time in a while too, I could taste a bit of iron on the back of the throat.  Miles ranged from 6:36 (4th) to 11:20 (8th).  I could keep the HR up pretty easily on the climbs, but was unable to push the legs enough to keep it on the downs.  Average was 167, high was 177 (not counting the incorrect typical readings in the start), and a low of 149.  Pretty cold, and the wind was blowing up that on some sections, I could feel the dirt hitting my face pretty good when I looked up (it was windy enough mid day that 285 was closed for over 40 miles in the area).

And a true eye chart that I love.

Not a ton of specific purpose to this workout.  Probably a touch too hard to be considered tempo, too far out to be consider appropriate altitude training, too slow for 5k stuff … but it was the first in a bit that I felt like I pushed up here for any significant length.  Like most my runs lately, probably more for my head than anything else.

Out of this found a nice little six mile loop route that I will lean on when pressed in the summer.

A couple of good articles (1, 2) on epigenetics.

Running in the dark back from Mosquito the other night, I was able to quell my concerns about big cats in the woods.  Although reading Joe’s latest did not help.

The last week has been a bit of whirlwind around family activities.  All good.  I have not reflected on, as many are apt to do this time of the year, on the “what went well, what didn’t” top ten list of the year in terms of running (or even what races I want to do).  TZ and I have been yapping quite a bit as to what is on our list for 2012, and it looks to be a pretty big year in the making.  More on that later.

Given the drop in mileage in the last week, I can let go of a breath and not get worked up over the 3650 goal.  I am sitting at 3598 at current for the year, and so I am confident that I am not going to get 52 miles in the next three days.  Mostly confident.  ;)

Tuesday 122711

Skiing all day at Copper.  My hips were screaming for the first few runs then loosened up.  No running today.  Had my excuses lined up:  I’s effing dark and cold and the wind is really blowing out there … and frankly I am trashed from the day.  Did some myrtle, and body weight bearing sort of work (squats, lunges).  Missing a day like this still messes with my head … but getting out to run 12 minute miles at altitude, in the snow, wind and cold … well, it ain’t going do a lot for me really.  I played on the elliptical for like four minutes at the in-laws but I just was not into it.

Monday 122611

Busy with the family up here in Fairplay most the day on the holiday break.  Got out in the later afternoon, and headed over to Mosquito Pass. The road was fairly clear until the bridge at the lower London Mine.  Did a fair amount of shallow post holing from there.  There were a few long slabs of ice where I was able to check my new Microspikes.  I will admit, it is weird coming down the ice and you are not going to fall – but all the history of your brain is screaming “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

Slow going for 8 miles up there.  Really cold and windy.  I had four layers on top, gloves, mitts, 2 layers on the legs, balaclava – and even working was having issue staying warm. Didn’t get started until 4 so I was in the dark in the finish.  The rising stars, and setting moon were epic.  Didn’t quite make it to the pass because it would have put up the alarms with me not getting back by my predetermined time.

Probably not the most effective day physically.  Huge mentally.
Looking north, and east – back down towards the up London Mine.

Sunday 122511

A HS team where the guys average 14:11 for 5k?  Sheesh.  That read has a lot of interesting stuff in it.

Snuck in 6 miles that felt horrible.  No surprise given the lack of sleep last night, ridiculous food and alcohol consumption in the last 24 hours, and the workouts yesterday.

Saturday 122411

I signed this petition.

Rec center treadmill, 6 miles with 6 x half a mile, quarter rest.  Started them at 10.8mph (5:33) and built a tenth of a mile on each (ended up at 5:15 pace).  New “high score” for max HR, 184.  Rest was around 8:30 pace.

The treadmills at the rec center are pretty cool.  There is a digital slider button on the display that you can just tap to get to the desired speed.  So rather than hit some toggle switch to go from 7mph (recovery) some 40 times to get to 11.x mph, you just tap that screen and bam it starts to roll up there.  The digital display of pace over the course of the run allows you to easily see how many intervals you have done as well (as I can sometimes lose count).

TZ was hyper concerned that I was going to freak people out at the rec center … sweat flying or that I blow my nose into a hat or something.  But nobody was offended as far as I could tell.

Did weight work as well, including squats, leg presses, hip work, bench, and some arm stuff.  Did the squats with the bar in front this time.  The workout and the gym workout left me pretty thrashed.

Friday 122311

Given the way Homie has been descending Green, I want to do a video like this – except of him.  Yeah, me and JV screaming, “HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!!  HOMIE JUST TOOK THAT TURN AND DESCENT LIKE HIS BRAIN IS DISCONNECTED FROM HIS BODY!  LOOK AT THAT SNOW FLYING OFF HIS TROUSERS!  GOOD GODDAMN HOMIE STAY ON YOUR FEET!  I AM GONNA HAVE ME A HEART ATTACK!!”

Post script – posted Saturday AM:

I did not get out for a run yesterday.  I was busy with a variety of activities throughout the day and did not really get a window for it until the evening.  When laced them up and headed out to the treadmill in garage in the early evening, I confirmed that the gerbil machine is indeed messed up.  The belt is loose or something, and this causes a skip in it even at low speeds.  I am going have to get in there and see if I can tighten it up or something – otherwise it is done (no sweat, it has served me very well over the years).  I started to bundle up to head out into the snow, but my motivation waned and instead, I … didn’t. 

My heading out for another “recovery” run in the crunch of the now frozen snow and ice seemed to be more of a self imposed act of habit than actually getting something accomplished physically.  The habit of 10 miles or so a day, or the exercising of the mental discipline required to do that,  is important to me – because the lack of habit allows all sorts of excuses otherwise.  So to me, there is a lot of value in getting out (or even in on a mill)  like that. 

And frankly, I measure discipline with a sum of miles on the week, the month and the year.  3650 in 2009, 4100 in 2010 and 3568 through yesterday on 2011 – and clearly an eye on 3650 for this year— a mere 82 more miles, representing a so-called landmark of 10 miles a day.  I lean on these numbers; often convincing myself that they are what is is minimally necessary to meet the inner goals I supposedly have. 

But the crack in the discipline today has been the on going ruminations I have been having about effective training.  I have mused on this topic here multiple time, but for a variety of reasons, those keystrokes haven’t translated into actions that gets me to do things differently in training.   My strength, that is consistency, has become my weakness.  My training is not varied enough in terms of miles from day to day or recovery.  I lean on that consistency to justify other behaviors:  I don’t need to cross train, or hit the gym or even worry about fueling/food.  There is obviously some element of truth to that, but I think I have exhausted it.  If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you always got. 

The chase for miles for the sake of miles was ridiculously clear to me in last Saturday’s kilo session at Monarch.  While I probably ran near what my current fitness is, that workout was compromised by my attempting to catch up on miles a couple of days before.  I missed a run on Wednesday and so I did 23 on Thursday, and then 10 on Friday.  It compromised what I could do on Saturday on the track.  Looking at it, it might appear to be no big deal.  My performance on the track was probably not hugely off what I could do.  And heck it is December and so maybe it does not matter too much – or as much as it might say in May.  But since I exercise this sort of behavior consistently I am consistently  compromising those workouts.  And it is ultimately evidenced in performance.

It is ridiculously obvious to the outside observer.  Lucho even made a point of grinning at me in the second or third interval and asking how those miles felt on my legs – effectively cluing me into his knowledge of my stupidity (side note, I tried to “tag” him back by telling him a time goal he had for some race he was considering was something he would never realize … but he just laughed at me and called me ****er).

So, if there is one New Year’s resolution I am considering,… it is effective training.  Those two words however mean a lot of things.  Ultimately, it means having a GOAL in mind and then defining TRAINING to accomplish that goal.  Otherwise I am only EXERCISING.  And that is fine … it just means PERFORMANCE will be commensurate with that.  

Of course, what that GOAL is part of the issue for me as I want to do it all from a sub 17 5k to a sub 4:30 at PPM to a sub 20 hour 100.  On paper, it is easy to say I can do all those, but when I try to do all those things I am probably doing NONE of those things. 

So looking out the door last night, I wondered what I would accomplish with that run other than checking the box again.  The answer was not much.  So I didn’t go. 

I confess, I fear that because on any given run, you can ask that question:  what is this accomplishing and almost EVERY time if you REALLY think about it, the answer COULD be not much.  And you could talk yourself out of it.  As I did.   So I need to be careful with that slippery slope.   It does not mean not being consistent.  It means don’t be consistent for consistency’s sake.  It means having an objective to a workout.  It means realizing that I am not 25 anymore and doing the things that I need to do as a 42 year old (which is another way of saying that all those rules I think are necessary for everyone else but don’t apply to me – well, wake up because they do apply to me!).   It means it is okay to take a rest day.  It means cross training.  It means being conscious to what the hell I am doing with training and focusing appropriately.  It means that there will be times I have to get out and do that 10 miles in the ice, mud, snow and cold – but in a manner that makes sense versus chasing some contest of annual mileage that nobody cares about (except me).

So … like any New Year’s resolution, or declaration of starting something … it comes down to what happens next.  And then after that.  It gets proven out.  Or not.  Given my track record of stating this sort of thing over and over and over on this blog, I’d bet against me.

Thursday 122211

Justin is looking for a 5k to step up and be the one to host the state championship.

Apparently old fogies take in oxygen just as well, but there are variety of other reasons why we get slower.

AM – up early and over to the rec center.  Pretty good snow out there, so I hit the mill for some turnover work.  Quarter on, quarter off.  Did the quarters at goal 5k pace (5:21 for the first 5, then 5:18 for the next two, and then 5:15 for the last).  I probably could go quicker, but I am trying to be a bit cautious on the mill – as I can tend to over do it there.  6 miles.

The big drop in the middle of the set is where the coffee caught up and I stepped of the mill (but kept the watch/HR going) for a required bio break.  Apparently I hit 182 for a HR in this workout … which is a “new max” for me (while my max was 190 until a few years ago, I have not seen that in a long time, so I am reconsidering that number).  The rec center is pretty darn warm so I was soaked at the end of this, with sweat flying off my hands, etc.  Gets some looks as usual.  Hit the weights afterwards, doing some bench, squats, leg presses, extension and some arm work.  Enough to make me feel pretty gooey.

Most the morning was then spent shoveling the snow, and building this with JZ and some of his neighborhood buds.

   

Evening – very easy four miles in the cold and deep snow.  Listened to this … am I the only one was wincing while listening?

Wednesday 122111

Today’s highlight was catching these eagles at Stearns Lake on a hike with the family.

Other critters on the trail.
 

A atypical sighting of a train on the “spur” rail heading out of Broomstock up into Lafayette.  Yes, I am standing on the crossing.  Yes, I got out of the way.

10 miles easy easy.  Shortest day of the year … I am ready for the march towards longer ones.  And days like this:

Not a guy that gets fired up for a movie, but I confess – since this was a book I read when I was younger than my son, I am interested in this one.  It might be because alot of the scenery is similar to the video above … (apologies in advance for my geek moment)

Anyway, back to bitness … Enjoyed this article by Tony.  It got me for a minute, maybe two thinking about going heavy on the vertical for a bit, but then again – I probably I need to get out of one gear.

Dakota’s writing never fails to be a hoot.

Apparently some are readying for the Olympic Trials marathon by living in a cave underground.  Seriously.  I think this would be right up Lucho’s alley.  Particularly the part about the snake.  I’d embed the vid here but it looks to be a FB vid, and I don’t see a way to get the embed code.  Good stuff.

Stuff from Vigil on the taper (I dig this site).

It might be absolute idiocy for me to even stray into politics in a blog (as I am not anything close to smart there), but this is part of the reason why I don’t get into it too much:  it is a bunch of liars telling lies.

  Decided I was done with snot hanging just above my lip on runs, so I caved on the mo.  3 minutes apart on these shots.

Shocker – your GPS *might* be wrong.  Old guy moment here:  I was installing these buggers on military aircraft over 20 years ago.  The signal available for citizens was purposely jammed (called “selective availability) to be within +/- 100 feet at any point.  And these were BIG units.  The accuracy they have today is rather amazing to me.