Training Log Archive: Bags

20 min light warm up of easy stretching, a little floor core stuff, leg bands. No arm drills of any kind and not all leg and core drills done either.

1.5M 19:00 1st half 12:20 pace
3.0M 15:35 2nd half 10:23 pace

A little rusty. We all struggled. Cloudy, breezy, cooler than forecast and just not as nice as predicted. Our expectations were raised so it made what is okay weather for this time of year seem worse for that reason.

This was one of those, 'Is my watch broke?' days. The Rincon's felt like some of those spring board, probably should be illegal, shoes and I felt some power and smoothness I have not had too much experience with in a long time.

45 min warm up. No weighs and push ups, but once again I did a lot more reps with the arm bands and my arms feel good right now. Wore arm sleeves on both arms. Leg lifts/foam roller; lite stretching, leg and arm bands, floor core including 40 SU's, standing leg drills (guess drills sounds better than 'stuff'). Most of the drills I did more reps.

The sun disappeared about noon yesterday so back to grey and gloomy the way it was for about a month straight it seemed. Ironically during the snow and freezing cold there was a lot of bright sun shine.

1st loop 2.75M 28:20 10:18 pace
2nd loop. 2.75M 24:38 8:57 pace.

Right from the first mile I was moving quicker, smoother and easier. At 4 miles I was at 39:58 so I ran the last 1.5 miles in 13 minutes which is 8:40 pace. The YMCA 2.75 trail loop has combination of some flat, some slight hills and several moderately steep hills, especially for Edmond. I've run faster on the OC Trail but this loop is much much hiller...OC is relatively flat although any rise when your pushing seems like a mountain.

Checking a back up paper log for OC and Y Trails only I see I've run more workouts in the 9:40 pace range than I realized, but most if not all of those were on the OC Trail.

40 minute warm up. No PU or free weights. Arm feeling better. Wearing arm sleeve. My left arm was lame off/on in the past. I've really worked my way up in the push up realm from 1 to a lot more than one. Foam roller, (including leg lifts with no weights), standing leg drills; floor core including 40 SU; leg and arm bands...more reps with the arm bands to off set a little not doing the other arm drills...plus arm bands are good therapy/recovery for sore arms/shoulders anyway.

More wind the first half...cool going into it. I ran my 7 mile hilly loop again, but I rerouted first part so that there was actually another hill added to it. A little slower at first but about 2.5 I began to feel better. At first weak and no power at all...but it warmed up...it was sunny and I mostly had the wind helping the second half except for last half mile.

1st half/3.5M 39:47 (11:22 pace)
2nd half/3.5M 32:56 (last mile 9:10....9:25 pace second half.)

Hair appointment today at 9 so no time for more than 10 min warm up of standing leg stuff, leg bands and lite stretching. Very tired and sore all over. Right arm kinda lame. I'm going to rest it as far weights and push ups...I guess all the long slow running is hitting me now that I'm shifting back to normal pace...slow starts with 'blazing' finish.

I have to say when I'm running below 10 min pace it takes effort. To run 9:45 I'm having to move along. At 9:30 pace I have the pedal to the metal. I'm like the Starship Enterprise when Captain Kirk would tell Scotty to go to warp 10 and Scotty in his Irish brogue would reply, "Captain I cannooot guarantee she's not gonna come apart." I can't even do a written accent much let a vocal one.

Anyway at 9:30 pace rivets are popping, steam is hissing and I'm hallucinating from the lack of oxygen.

1st half 2.5M 28:07 11:15 pace
2nd half 2.5M 23:10 9:16 pace

Breeze favorable or at my back second half. Last mile 9:02. **** I ran exactly the same time as Monday.**** (I seem to do this a few weeks a year where I run exactly the same time for either the same distance or the same route).

At 1.5M I was hoping for 54:00 or slightly faster. Even at 2M still did not think I would go below 53:00.

Afternoon: 30 minutes. Floor core again, 20 more SU, foam roller, standing leg stuff, lite stretching, leg and arm bands. A few jumping jacks.
Washed and wiped car down (used bucket not hose...don't want to unwrap the faucet yet) so lots of arm work there. Resting from PU and weights...did extra arm band stuff.

The hills tested me today. Ran hard enough to be about 10 min pace on flatter course...hurrying to get back as heater motor should be installed today. 10 min warm up of lite stretching, standing leg stuff, 30 PU 15/15 full/knee; leg bands.

1st half 3.5M 39:14 11:13 pace
2nd half 3.5M 34:44 9:55 pace (It felt faster and the effort was all out but may have lost a little speed during the cold and snow spell running so many miles at 12:30 to 14 min plus pace).

By the end was a tad bit warm...one hat too many and at least one t-shirt too many. No real wind at all.

Heater repaired!

Evening: 30 min post workout drills. No weights. Right arm is sore...maybe the snow shoveling? I took heavy shovel a few days ago and tried to knock a little of the worse ice dam area and seems that overhead work triggered some tendonitis. It was nothing big but using geezer muscles in unfamiliar way I guess. Iced a little and that helped a lot. Foam roller, floor core with 30 SU; leg lifts with and without ankle weights; standing leg stuff, lite stretching; arm and leg bands.

50 min warm up. Everything. Foam roller. 60 PU 2 x 15/15 full/knee. Leg and knee bands. Free weights for arms/shoulders. Floor core including 40 SU's. Standing leg drills and lite stretching.

Could have run in shorts, but elected to wear my light running pants (not tights). Into breeze much more first half. Not killer but enough to get your attention and have to push into it. Felt really awkward first quarter mile or so as so much slow running with so many layers of clothing on. Was not sure what to expect. Last mile was 9:11 so good leg turn over for first time in about 10 or more days.

First half 2.5M 27:47 11:07 pace...more wind going out
2nd half 2.5M 23:30 9:24 pace...more wind at back coming home

65 today. Forecasts past few days had ranged from mid 40's to low 50's...I do not mind when the weatherman makes a mistake like this. It was -12 at the coldest last week so 77 degree difference between the high and the low in one week. Okieland weather! Now they are predicting in the mid-70's tomorrow...that would be a nearly 90 degree difference if they are right. But down to mid-40's by Thursday. Roller coaster.

Very strong wind at the beginning. It was 39 degrees. I dressed for the WChill. First sidewalk still had too many patches of melted snow to chance running on in dark so ran on street. Turned into wind at 1/2M and it was a killer. Same mile that killed me last week but direction was the opposite. Dodged cars for 2/3's of mile and turned into neighborhood...I was running impossibly slow at that point and felt no power at all.

Goals were at 8 to 10 but by 1.25 I was afraid I might only end up running 5. Rest of way after first 1.2 I had good traction and did not have to dodge traffic and mostly ran E/W so wind was not that bad and it let up. About halfway the sun was up and it was warm. I really was overdressed at that point but I really could not run fast today no matter what...legs dead so carrying the extra weight was okay today.

There was a 1 mile E/W mile that I ran back and forth on for just over 5 miles that was on south edge of neighborhood. At 8 miles I went back into the neighborhood having edged my goal back up to 10 miles then I decided to go for 12 (had to just to get pace average below 13!). I know this is slow but as tired as I was and overdressed I ran last 4 miles close to 11 min pace.

12 milers are giving me that extra power so I'll take the pace today. This is one of the longest runs time wise I've done in 35 years. Probably top 5 if not top 3. Of course I would love to run an hour less for same distance.