Training log

I wrote a separate post on some memorable runs in the last decade.

For workouts (or lack thereof, since I just finished a more-or-less rest week):
Two days ago: rest
Yesterday: back PT exercises, biceps lifting
Today: yoga

Not so good at resting

I've never been that good at the "rest" or "easy" portion of training cycles.  I swore up and down that this week would be a rest week, with a few days off (check), physical therapy, light yoga, and one or two easy runs.  Absolutely no lifting, especially pull-ups.  So what did I do yesterday, after my physical therapy work?  A core/pull-up/pushup workout.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, it felt great, so it will reinforce my tendency to ignore training plans and do what I feel like.  I ran today and felt light-footed (though not lightheaded).  So I hope I got enough rest, because it's over now.  Today's unplanned resistance workout was only slightly less strenuous: flipping the girls over my head after they got a running start.  For some reason the 30 pounder feels fine but the 40 pounder is a bit of a strain...

Next blogging task: list of top 10 runs ever

2 days ago: yoga 25 minutes

Yesterday: PT back exercises, core workout ("ab ripper X" + 5 knees to elbows + 20x3 leg lifts from dip bar), 10 pushups with side arm raise, 2 x 10 wide pushup, 2 x 10 std pushup, 2 x 10 military pushup; 25 pullups (15 standard, 10 chinups)

Today: Ran 4 miles

Rest week

My body felt beat up after this weekend, which was a beautiful Easter weekend with family.  I feel like I haven't been training as much as I want, but looking back the burpees were relentless and my legs felt like jello.  I quit the burpee war, which is unfortunate since I was really enjoying it, but I need to put the focus on running right now.   The other thing I did this weekend was swing, carry, lift, and otherwise play with four 30-40 pound kids clamoring for more.  So I overdid it in general, and felt it on Monday.  At some point the goal will be to be able to do the burpees and swinging of children without feeling like I overdid it, but I'm clearly not there yet.  Another goal!

This is actually a good week to take it easy, since I am working a lot and wouldn't have been able to work out properly anyways.  So, I'll do some stretching and yoga, and come back strong the following week.

3 days ago: 20 burpees, run 4.5 miles
2 days ago: 21 burpees, run 4 miles
yesterday: rest
today: rest / stretch

low mileage

Looking back on my training so far this winter and spring, I am not quite at the point I'd like to be in terms of weekly mileage.  Some of this is because I took it easy for a few weeks after my neck injury, but mostly I can't quite figure it out.  Having too much fun with "cross-training?".  I think I'll shoot for one extra run per week over the next month or so.  I'm also curious, and perhaps a little nervous, to see how the burpees affect my running performance as they become a more substantial daily activity.

2 days ago: run 4 miles (fartlek), 17 burpees
yesterday: PT back exercises, 18 burpees
today: yoga 45 minutes (intense), 19 burpees

Family, family, family

One of the things I'm blessed with in life is a wonderful family.  That goes without saying for my immediate family (my wife and children), and my own parents, brother, and his family.  But I'm blessed with an incredible, wonderful extended family as well.  My in-laws, in particular (both sets), as well as Jess's sisters and their families, make up part of this group.  There's not a person among them whom I don't genuinely enjoy, so at last count that's 4 (3 living) parent in-laws, 7 siblings, 4 sibling in-laws, and 3 nieces and nephews.  I've spent so much time with them over the last 10 years and more that they feel like home to me as much as any group of people.  We were just in Maine for a weekend, and had an incredible time with John and Phyllis, one of Jess's sets of parents (grandparents to our kids!).   I could hide and say I'm really glad just for the kids' sakes but I'm glad for my own sake too.

My own more distant relations - grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, were a big part of my life as a young child, but primarily because of geography I haven't seen much of them since.  There was a short period of time when Jess and I lived in Colorado that I was beginning to renew some of those relationships, but we moved away and I have mostly lost touch again.  It strikes me as a loss that I wasn't as close to extended family in my own (later) childhood as I now am.

On a totally different note, I am beginning to get pissed off at myself for failing to get up for morning runs. I've been variably good and not so good at this in the past, but this is a new low.  I've got a busy week at work coming up and I'll give myself a break, but after that I've got to suck it up and run early, especially as the weather is warming up.  As I always try to remind myself, I never regret it when I do it.

Notice in the photo to left my outstanding nutrition plan!

3 days ago: yoga 40 minutes, 13 burpees
2 days ago: run 4 miles / 37:14; PT back exercises, 14 burpees, 10 knees-to-elbows
Yesterday: 15 burpees
Today: PT back exercises, 25 pull ups (15 standard, 10 chinups), 20x3 leg lifts (up on dip-bar apparatus, lift legs to 90 degrees with a hold at the top, each rep of 3 is straight/left/right), 16 burpees

Can't avoid philosophy

I thought I was going to write about my workout today, and avoid philosophy, but I don't think I'll be able to do that.  It was a really fun workout, completed after my final physical therapy session, with a mix and match of core and upper body exercises with a few burpees thrown in.  I am slowly buying into the idea of short intense training, and today was a breakthrough as I abandoned the rule that any run shorter than 4 miles is a waste of time.  I ran for about 14 minutes today (warmup + "tabata" + cooldown).  Tabata is a protocol involving 8 repeats of 20 seconds maximal efforts and 10 seconds rest, introduced to me by my sister-in-law last summer.  It works, at least according to what I've read, and it definitely makes it feel like a workout.  The thing that blows my mind is that it twists specificity of training around on its head.  If I am training to run a fast marathon, shouldn't I be running fast and long distances?  This is in fact what I did 5 years ago or so.  But maybe I'm actually training for dynamic power output and high cardiovascular workload, and a fast marathon will be a side effect.  In any case, it's fun to branch out, and we'll see if it pays off in terms of performance.  It's all a question of goals, and fun is not a bad one.

2 days ago: PT/back exercises, 10 burpees
Yesterday: run 4 m, 11 burpees
Today: PT/back exercises; core (100 twist/leg up situps, 1 minute up-down pushup hold in 10 second intervals; boat pose 3x20 sec; 15 hanging knees-to-elbows, 10 side arm pushups); 20 pullups (10 standard, 10 chinups); tabata treadmill run (~7 min pace at 5% grade) with 5 min warmup and 5 minute cooldown; 12 burpees

Ready for bed

Long day but some great moments in there.  I spent much of the day and evening at work but had a nice time at it; at home I felt full of life and energy as I spent spent time with Jess and the kids.

Physically I feel at a bit of a turning point -- my neck has improved, my last physical therapy visit is this week, and I am feeling ready to (slowly) build back up some of the strength I've lost while sidelined.  Back to running when time permits.  I haven't forgotten about the speed training phase coming up.

Yesterday: PT back exercises, pullups (15), core workout (intense), Burpee War Day 8 (8 burpees)
Today: Yoga 35 minutes, Burpee War Day 9 (9 burpees).