April Stats

RUNNING - 106.8
RACES - Ville 2 Ville, Dogwood Classic
CYCLING - 48.9
ALL ACTIVITIES - 155.7
VOLLEYBALL - 0 (Games YTD 43)
STRENGTH SESSIONS - 3

FOUR 23 - 30 (25.7) Dogwood Classic

Monday 23

I'm considering dropping my gym membership and start strength training at home. I think if I had a Total Gym and a few kettlebells I would be set.

Track Session

LMLS. 1.6 up. 6 x 200m (50.9, 52.4, 49.2, 49.3, 49.0, 48.2). 4 x 30s. Cool down and stretch

Tuesday 24

Morning Flow
Lower body roll out and stretching. I'm feeling pretty good. 

I decided I needed a recovery day. So be it...

Wednesday 25

The Dogwood Classic is only 72 hours away and my body is acting weird. Maybe it is reacting to the track workout Monday. Last night I noticed a little niggle in my left adductor then my left calf cramped while sleeping. This is me not sticking to the plan. 

Today's plan call for 3 miles easy. Let's see what happens. 

Morning Flow

Lower body roll out and hip flexor stretch

Dogwood Course Test Run

LMLS and drills. Easy running of the course. There was a left hamstring niggle after.  

Thursday 26

Morning Flow

Trigger Ball and stretch for my left hammie.

Gym Session
Balance disk
Med ball put
Planks
Hammer ISO-lateral shoulder press #70
Hammer Ground Base Combo pull #90
Hammer Jammer #35
Hammer Ground Base Combo push #90
Nautilus dead lift #90
Stretch hip flexor, hamstrings, and adductors

Friday 27

Pre-Race Shake-Out

 LMLS and drills. 20 minutes with 4 x 30 second strides. Everything felt good. No hamstring issues.

Saturday 28

Race day. I went to bed at 9 and slept great until 2. After 2 it was a lot of tossing and turning. I am sure I slept more than I think I did. Up and getting ready by 5:45.

Dogwood Classic 5k

Results 21:54, Age Group 4, Overall 80

After thoughts and ideas moving forward:

1. stay the course with 4 runs per week
2. strength train 2-3 times per week 
3. ride more 
4. race more 5ks
5. get my head out of the way

I feel ok with my race even though I didn’t hit my goals. I was 7:10 for mile 1, 7:02 for mile 2, and 7:10 for mile 3. I would have needed a 6:45 to get sub-21:30.

Sunday 29

Cherokee Blvd 

It seems the climbs we not quite as hard for me today. 

Monday 30

Gym Session
Warm up
2 circuits of Step ups, Balance disk, Med ball put

Push press #95
Kettle bell swing #30 #40
Nautilus Compound Row #140
Atlantis Squat #180
Bench #115 #135

Hank's Loop

Easy 6 miles. A gentle reminder that the heat is coming.

Stretching before bed

FOUR 16 - 22 (48.5)

Monday 16

Morning Mobility

Foam roll, trigger ball, and Stick for lower body. Hip flexor stretch

It was unseasonably cold and snowing after work. I decided to go My Run Plan's original schedule of today being a rest day.

Tuesday 17

It's 11 o'clock in the a.m. and I'm having my third bout of blurred vision or a migraine aura. The first I experienced on Friday when I got in my car to go pick Justin up for our Ville 2 Ville trip. The second happend Sunday after we got home. I have also been experiencing dizziness upon standing more frequently. 

Quarry > Poplar Creek > Wheat

I put in an hour of XC on the MTB. Wheat trail might be ok for hiking/running but it is not for MTB.

Wednesday 18

Evening Run with KTC

Active warm up. 6 miles out on Third Creek. 8:47 pace. 79 degrees with 25 mph winds. Good stretch

I may have ran a little too fast because my legs were extremely tired a few hours post run. Rolling and hip flexor stretch before bed.

Thursday 19

Morning Flow
Single leg squat, push ups, plank, clams, and single leg bridge. Hip flexor stretch

Haw Ridge Long Loop

Friday 20

Massage therapy for very tired legs.

Loyston Point MTB

This is a great venue. We did the Loyston loop clockwise and anti-clockwise. 

Saturday 21

Longish Run

I went very easy today. 9:30 pace.

Sunday 22

Flow > Hickory > South Loop

Flow was ok but Hickory was awesome. I hope to ride these soon. My legs felt good today. 

FOUR 9 - 15 (33.4) Ville 2 Ville

Monday 9

Morning Mobility

Foam roll and trigger ball for hamstrings, ITB, and hip flexor

Track Session

LMLS. 1 up. Drills and 3 x 100m strides. Workout. Stretch.

1600m 7:26.3 - 1:30 IR (goal 7:35)

800m 3:38.5 - 2:00 IR (goal 3:40)

800m 3:38.7 - 2:00 IR

1600m 7:27.8 - 1:30 IR

Before Bed Mobility

Foam roll, trigger ball, and stick for ITB, quads/hip flexors, and calf

Tuesday 10

Morning Movement

3 circuits of {squats, push ups, plank, upward facing dog, kneeling hip stretch, child's pose, and clams}

Evening MTB Fun

The Race Face platforms and 5 10 shoes made it the single track more fun.

Maybe time running out is a gift. Jason Isbell

Wednesday 11

Morning Mobility

Foam roll and stick for hip flexors/quads, hamstrings, calf. Hip flexor stretch

KTC Run Third Creek

7 miles with an average of 8:40. 

Good stretch before bed

Thursday 12

Rest day

Friday 13

Don't panic, it's friday the 13th. I'm prepping for Ville 2 Ville.

Travel day. We had beer instead of a shakeout run.

Saturday 14

V2V Leg 5

Leg 5 was listed as the easiest of the 12 legs, but it put me in a good deal of hurt. The course had 167 feet of gain and just hair over 5 miles. Race conditions weren't optimal "Feels like 63.0°, 13 mph S wind, 77% humidity". My pace was 7:51. I faded in the last mile "7:45.3, 7:36.6, 7:53.6, 7:51.4, 8:10.6" 9 kills

V2V Leg 11

Leg 11 was listed as the 3rd hardest of the 12 legs and it lived up to the billing. The first 2 miles were uphill. The course had 425 feet of gain and was a legitimate 10k. Race conditions had worsened by Leg 11 "Feels like 79.0°, 7 mph SSW wind, 39% humidity". My pace was 8:37. "8:41.1, 8:41.1, 8:55.2, 8:29.0, 8:38.3, 8:39.0, 8:25.3" 21 kills

Sunday 15

Rest day

FOUR 2 - 8 (35.4)

Monday 2

Today I experienced my first gut symptoms since I went off my gluten free diet. This may be related but I'm hoping not. I will know for sure in July.

Track Session

Warm up: Jog 1.25 mi very easy; drills and strides

Workout: 4 x 200m in (47.9, 49.4, 48.8, 50.3)
IR Jog 200m
Run 2mi, goal 17:34 (16:57.5)
Jog for 1:30
4 x 200m in (51.5, 50.9, 48.9, 49.2)
IR Jog 200m
Cool down: Jog .6 mi very easy

Tuesday 3

Today would be a good day for recovery.
Stretch what's inflexible and strengthen what's already mobile. Wesley Miller

Wednesday 4

Morning Flow

Single leg squats, push ups, plank prone, clams, and hip flexor stretch

Big Oak > Quarry Rd > Gallaher > Boulder

Trail running. Elevation 655. 5.73 miles. 10:44 pace.

Thursday 5

Morning Flow

Squats, shoulder press, shoulder flexion with #10 dumbbells. Plank supine, hollow hold, and side lying hip abduction. Hip flexor stretch.

Threshold - 2 x 2 Miles

This was a tough one. LMLS. 1 up with drills and strides. Set 1 (7:44.9, 7:46.8 = 15:31.7) Set 2 (7:43.1, 7:43.1 = 15:26.2). 1 down and stretch. 

Friday 6

Massage therapy

Quarry Rd > Big Oak > Sinkhole > Boulder > Big Oak > Quarry Rd

Saturday 7

Long Run with Roadkill

I was thinking I'd be running by myself, but a new runner helped me pace through the first 6 miles at sub 9. Miles 7 and 8 were slow, but I finished strong at 8:45.8.

Gym Session
Stoop strengthening
Balance disk
Life Fitness Dual pull down #85
Planks
Hammer ISO-lateral shoulder press #70
Nautilus Deadlift #90
Atlantis squat #270
Paramount hip extension #175
Hammer Kneeling hamstring #30
Paramount hip abduction #70
Nautilus Abdominal #110
FreeMotion cable press #22.5 #25
Stretch hip flexor

Sunday 8

Recovery day

FOUR 1

Sunday 1

LC > CR > ACDC

Trail running for my recovery day.