Weekly recap: 13 weeks to Eugene

Monday: Rest

Tuesday:  4 miles + 6x8sec hill sprints + lower body strength training.

did 4.29@10:18 avg

Split	Dist	Pace	HR	% WHR	Cad	YPB
1	1.00	9:52	139	76.2	86	1.284
2	1.00	9:20	149	84.4	87	1.265
3	0.82	9:34	125	64.8	86	1.472
4	0.04	6:59	131	69.7	97	2.107
5	0.05	20:25	132	70.5	52	0.633
6	0.03	6:42	117	58.2	99	2.355
7	0.04	19:46	128	67.2	58	0.657
8	0.02	6:59	113	54.9	94	2.077
9	0.04	18:10	126	65.6	60	0.730
10	0.03	6:31	114	55.7	97	2.807
11	0.05	19:14	129	68.0	59	0.683
12	0.02	7:21	116	57.4	77	2.001
13	0.05	19:54	131	69.7	58	0.636
14	0.03	6:13	118	59.0	97	2.856
15	1.00	10:34	126	65.6	83	1.323
16	0.07	10:58	125	64.8	84	1.317
Summary	4.29	10:18	134	72.1	83	1.277
Summary2	4.29	10:17	126.2

I really love the hill sprints (splits in red)...I was always scared of them before..the few times I tried them I came close to hurting myself because I did too much too soon. 

Jill is a good coach:..she starts me out with small numbers of reps and short ones..and gradually builds up each parameter week by week. This works great and builds new muscle you can feel in the back of your legs in just a month or so. Plus, feeling the wind in your hair is pretty fun.

When I got to the gym after my running I didn't have a printout of the strength routine, I did  single leg squats, 2x10 ...could not do more (yet)..they are tough. Then I did stability ball leg curls...2x15 success!. Last buildup in the summer when Jill threw these at me the first time I could not do them at all. Now I can 8)...I was sore the next day from them...they are tough for me.

Then I did squat jumps (2 legged) was supposed to do one legged. Then I did 1 legged box jumps (was supposed to do box lunges), then clams, then eccentric heel lowerings. The box jumps were really tough, and I only had a very short box ;)

Wednesday: 6 miles @ base. '

did 6.1@9:51m/m avg. I was feeling it in the legs after the sprints and exercises on Tuesday. Did "myrtle" hip routine.  

Thursday: 6 miles, last 10 min at 'moderate pace'. eccentric heel lowerings. Did the 10 min (1.2 miles) at <9:00 pace as the 'moderate pace' stuff. I was pressed for time and so could only run 4.6, not 6 miles.

Split	Dist	Pace	HR	% WHR	Cad	YPB
1	1.00	10:22	116	57.4	86	1.463
2	1.00	10:18	154	88.5	86	1.109
3	1.00	10:24	121	61.5	86	1.399
4	1.00	8:51	134	72.1	90	1.483
5	0.23	8:58	139	76.2	89	1.433
6	0.41	10:29	128	67.2	85	1.318
Summary	4.63	9:58	131	69.7	87	1.346
Summary2	4.64	9:57	132.0

Friday: 6 miles easy. I needed the 'easy'. I ran to the Paly track (2 miles) and did about 100 yds of very gentle barefoot running then did the final 4 miles after that.

..total of 6@10:14m/m avg, 116 HR

Saturday: No running, but upper body weights and bicycles. I did a lot of house project stuff today which involved a lot of moving. Feeling stronger today with the rest...you can really tell.

I bought a couple of 15lb dumbells so I don't always have to use the gym just for upper body stuff.

Sunday: 9 miles with last 20 at moderate pace (and hills if possible), myrtle routine


I really wanted to do my beloved bay trail loop as it's been so long..and so no hills. Instead I did the entire thing targeting 125 bpm. The resultant paces are not too shabby and I felt pretty great the entire time..smooth feeling and good form, 4:2 relaxed breathing  and with a good cadence for that pace.

Split	Dist	Pace	HR	% WHR	Cad	YPB
1	1.00	9:46	113	54.9	87	1.595
2	1.00	9:45	122	62.3	88	1.479
3	1.00	9:15	124	63.9	88	1.533
4	1.00	9:13	123	63.1	88	1.552
5	1.00	9:12	125	64.8	88	1.529
6	1.00	9:27	127	66.4	88	1.466
7	1.00	9:17	129	68.0	88	1.469
8	1.00	9:14	125	64.8	88	1.525
9	1.00	9:21	126	65.6	87	1.493
10	0.50	9:29	125	64.8	87	1.486
Summary	9.50	9:24	124	63.9	88	1.511
Summary2	9.5	9:23	123.9

The birds were out feeding as it was low tide in the morning so it was a happening place. I could hear the muffled bangs of the duck hunters out in their blinds a few miles away down by Moffat field.  I get nervous running the trails down there on weekend mornings 8/

I was supposed to also do some 100ups after my runs this week. FAIL on that. I'll try this coming week.

I should also mention (mostly to my future self that might be trying to remember what I did on this training cycle ;) that I've been dieting the last 2 weeks (since I got back from vacation). I have been well over 170 lbs (173-175) for many months (even during CIM) and added a couple more lbs during my vacation. I would like to get back below 170. (you may remember my post where I found out I'm 18% body fat by getting dunked). 

Back pre-CIM I realized that building up for CIM and doing strength training, sprints, drills, etc, etc, I just could not add dieting to the mix..I would not be able to do the workouts. This time I feel like I'm starting from a better point and I'm also being very modest: get below 170lbs by Eugene. 13 weeks to lose 3-5lbs seems doable.

I never skimp on calories after a run..I eat (within 30 minutes) enough to full pay back the run, especially important if I've done fast running of any kind or strength training. I'm eating a bit more protein and generally cutting back the lunch and dinner just a tad and for sure reducing the empty calories (e.g. alcohol, bread before meals at restaurants, desserts). 

Speaking of strength training nothing burns the cals like having more muscle. I have never felt so ravenous in my life since I got all these muscles. You an just sit in a chair and they still demand food!

So far, so good. I can tell I'm losing fat (using the pinch method)...I think I'll be sub-170 by race day no problem, maybe a couple lbs less even...mastering the BMI will only help running fast and not getting AT. 


Today I weighed in at 173.3
Total 30.5 miles for the week..two 30ish mile weeks. Previous buildup was only low twenties for these weeks(!) 12 weeks to Eugene!