November Stats

RUNNING - 73.2
RACES - Savannah RnR Marathon and Turkey Trot
CYCLING - 107.4
ALL ACTIVITIES - 182.6
VOLLEYBALL - 0-2 (Games YTD 151)
STRENGTH SESSIONS - 6

ELEVEN 27 - 30

Monday 27

It's hard to believe we're in the last week of November. It seems like no time has passed since I was anxiously awaiting spring temps. Time flies when you're having fun. I must be having fun. 

I've been trying to incorporate planks, clams, mobility, step ups, and other prehab/rehab exercises into my daily routine. I'm hoping this will lead to a healthier 2018. Moving forward I plan to only run 3-4 days per week and cross train 2-3 times per week with cycling.

Track Session

LMLS. 8x110, 8x155, and 2x200. I stopped at 2 on the 200s because of tightness in my right hamstring. Overall this was a decent workout. I also added in a couple sets of set ups. Stretching and mobility work when I got home. 

Tuesday 28

Gym session -

1. Free Motion Calf #100 3x15
2. Single leg squats 3x6
3. Push up 3x12
4. TRX pull up 3x8
5. Ankle and hip ROM
6. Eccentric calf on leg press #50 10 caused right calf/hamstring discomfort
7. Kettlebell swing #25 3x8
8. Crunches 10, 15, 15
9. Hip extension #145 3x8

RPM with Laura

Wednesday 29

I overslept this morning and didn't have time to prehab. I may have identified the eccentric calf on leg press as a possible culprit in my right right/hamstring pain. I'm eliminating that exercise from my gym days.

Easy Marina Run

LMLS. Easy strides. 2 miles easy. Easy strides. Stretch.

Yoga with Heather

Thursday 30

172.4 Yep, I'm trying to bring it down again. I'm picking the hardest time of the year to start cleaning up the diet.

Yoga flow and stretching for 15 minutes

Gym session -

1. Front plank
2. Reverse plank
3. Free Motion Calf #100 3x15
4. Free Motion Steps #25 #30 3x8
5. Back extension #80 3x10
6. An machine 3x10
7. Shoulder press #75 3x6
8. Pull ups 3x4
9. Ankle and hip ROM
10. Epic Chest #80 10, 15, 13
11. Epic Lat #80 3x10

ELEVEN 20 - 26 (51.5) Turkey Trot

Monday 20

Lunch Run

Plank, LMLS, and ankle and hip ROM. I started out feeling really good and decided to hold sub 8:20 as long as I could. This was an easy effort. I'm loving the cooler temps. Stretch.  

Gym session -

1. Free Motion Calf #80 3x15
2. Eccentric calf on leg press #90 2x8 (this was very challenging)
3. Push up 3x12
4. Australian pull up 3x8
5. Shoulder press #65 3x7
6. Pull ups 4, 3, 4
7. Single leg squats 3x6
8. Reverse plank 3x20s
9. Ankle and hip ROM

Tuesday 21

RPM with Julie

Wednesday 22

My original today was to lift at lunch then Pints and Poses. Didn't happen! I left work at 1:30 and went to Double Dogs for beers and to watch the end of the UT v. Purdue basketball game. 

The day was so nice I decided to go for a ride. 

Evening Greenway Ride

Thursday 23 Thanksgiving

Annual Turkey Trot

I was second in my age group and 131 overall. My time was 22:47. I don't think I ran as hard as I could, but it was avery good effort. I have some right calf, hamstring, or popliteus issues. This is new. 

Ready, Set, Go, Let's Eat!

Friday 24

Today is Planksgiving!

Opt Outside

Lots of right hip pain, which is probably coming from the new calf issue. WTF!

Lots of rehab, foam rolling and stretching.

Saturday 25

Gym session - 

1. Free Motion Calf #80 3x15
2. Eccentric calf on leg press #50 3x8 (still challenging)
3. Squat with one arm overhead press #20 3x6
4. Shoulder press #65 3x6
5. Push up 3x10
6. Australian pull up 3x8
7. Single leg squats 3x6
8. Single leg deadlift 3x5
9. Ab Coaster 3x8
10. Hyperextension 3x10

Sunday 26

RPM with Laura

ELEVEN 13 - 19 (53.5)

Monday 13

Night Run at Haw Ridge

K-Trail, night running is fun even by yourself. I only fell once. 

Tuesday 14

RPM

This was my second class in 6 days. I can't say I was working harder, but my sweat level was high. Justin spun with me tonight.

Wednesday 15

Gym Session - 

25 minutes: 

3 circuits of push-ups, planks, pull-ups, single leg squats, and single leg calf. 

3 sets of calf press

3 circuits of Free Motion chest, lats, shoulder, step-ups.

2 sets of clams, hip abduction, and single leg bridge.

Thursday 16

Evening Run

LMLS. 4 miles around 8:45 pace. Stretch.

Friday 17

Urban Wilderness

I took a couple breaks to fuel and enjoy the day, this is why I run. 

Evening Ride

Packing on the miles. It's hard this time of year, but today was a great day. 

Saturday 18

Cruising Around the Secret City Half

This was a lot of fun, riding, taking pics, and cheering for the runners. 

Sunday 19

I spent a lot of the day binging on The Punisher. I did get out for a walk in the woods. This is great for the soul!

ELEVEN 6 - 12 (32)

Monday 6

Return trip from Savannah

Tuesday 7

Today is the first time since Saturday that my legs were not sore ascending or descending stairs. I'm undecided on when I'll run again though. 

Wednesday 8

Gym session -
Planks 20s, push-ups 10, hollow hold 20s, single leg squats 5, kettle bell squats with press #20 8,  Australian pull-ups 8 - 3 set each

Yoga with Heather

Thursday 9

RPM with Julie

My goal for this workout was to take it relatively easy while getting some movement in. Mission accomplished. My quads seem to be good to go, no soreness what so ever.

Friday 10

I planned to ride today but it was too cold.

Saturday 11

Morning Run

My first run since Savannah. I was good for about 4 miles then my right foot started hurting soon followed tightness in my right achilles. 

Gym session - 

Calf press (single leg) #70 3x15

2 circuits each of (push-ups, planks, hollow hold, pull-ups, squat/dumbbell press)

3 circuits each of (Free Motion chest, pull down, shoulder press, step up)

Standing single leg calf 2x6

Sunday 12

Lunch Ride

1 hour 14.2 miles

Volleyball Pandemonium - As usual we got outplayed by by our opponent and lost 0-2. (Games YTD 150) 

ELEVEN 1 - 5 (30.3) Savannah RnR Marathon

Wednesday 1

Good news, I found my rec specks. Bad news, we got a heat warning notification from the marathon today. 

Greenway Quarters x 6

1:49.2, 1:46.1, 1:44.9, 1:45.0, 1:42.1, 1:43.7 

I felt pretty good but had some issues. Today it's my right side, foot, hip, and lower back.

Thursday 2

After 4 months of rehab and marathon training the journey is finally nearing it’s pinnacle. I can’t say I’m as trained as I would like to be, but I don’t think I could have done much more. I felt limited the entire training cycle my Achilles and knee issues and consider just getting to the start line a significant accomplishment. Recently I added a new issue to my issues list, migraines or something causing vision aura.
I have great respect for anyone who does marathon training alone. If Justin wasn’t in this with me I don’t think I would have made it.
So, the final journey begins. We leave Justin’s home late morning. The trip to Savannah was uneventful until we got to Spartanburg. It was 1:00 or 1:30 and we were all hungry. It was decided that we would find something downtown. Almost immediately after getting off the interstate I started getting the vision aura. It was a challenge to see, but we made it. After lunch at Deli and Doughnuts. Lunch and a couple Advil I was over the aura. I was drained and Pat had to drive us for a ways while I tried to nap.
We arrived at the hotel on Montgomery Street in the Historical section of Savannah around 6:30. After settling in to our room we went walking and had a nice dinner at the Savannah Seafood Shack. I had the low-country boil which was a little heavy in sausages but I enjoyed it. After dinner we walked some more but we were tired and decided to go to bed early.

Friday 3

This morning we had breakfast in the hotel where we meet a couple from Canada who are in town for the Rock N Roll Half and 5k. Meeting new people/runners is one of the best things about these races.
It’s a short walk to the river front where we take a ferry to the Convention Center for packet pickup. I would rate this expo 3.5 of 5. I didn’t find anything to purchase other than a few Honey Stingers for pre-race fuel and a pair of CEP socks. We ate lunch at the Cotton Exchange. I had the boneless pork chops with slaw and sweet potato fries.
We were trying to carb, which seems difficult for someone with celiacs. I wanted pasta for dinner but couldn’t fins a gluten free Italian restaurant and I got their rice noodles. It wasn’t bad, but I could have done better.
In bed early for a 5 a.m. wakeup call.

Saturday 4

Savannah RnR Marathon

3:59:42

13 Age Group 

259 Overall
15 weeks of training in the hot an humid weather of east Tennessee hopefully has us ready for today’s race. Up at 5:00 and eating breakfast of PBJ and oat meal.
They moved the race up 10 minutes due do projected high temps.
I felt great early and I managed a 3:50 pace for 20 miles, slowing a bit in miles 19 and 20. After 20 my quads broke down. I limped in with a time of 3:59. I was 13 in my age group. Overall, I was very proud of my effort.
Justin didn’t didn’t have a great race, everything that could go wrong pretty much went wrong for him. His right foot blistered early and then his left hamstring cramped up. He was very disappointed but even with all that went wrong he still finished in 4:40. Very impressive!
Fitz and Tantrums were awesome.
We limped back to the hotel to clean up, then we ubered to the river front for dinner at Huey’s. Cajun cuisine.
We met a guy said he was a friend of John Bingham of the Penguin Chronicles. His words of wisdom were “it’s a marathon.” I wish I would had gotten his name. He was a Heavy Metal recipient for running 15 (or 13) RnR half marathons. GOALS!

Sunday 5

My quads are possibly as sore as they have ever been. Going from sitting or lying to standing is a major issue. Curbs and stairs were a major undertaking.
Woke in a hot sweat and had a minor panic attack.