July Stats

RUNNING - 62.4
RACES - Independence Day 5k, Almost Crazy 3k, Totally Crazy 8k
CYCLING - 151.1
ALL ACTIVITIES - 213.5
STRENGTH SESSIONS - 7

SEVEN 30 - 31

Monday 30

Housekeeping: side plank 2x20s, bridge, clams, and myofascial release for feet, calves, and hamstrings 

I didn't make great diet choices this weekend and had some GI distress as a result. Heard an interesting comment on Eat Race Win about athlete’s bodies getting use to burning x number of calories/day and what can happen on recovery days or days with less caloric expenditure. Basically they have symptoms like I had this weekend. I’m not saying that’s what I was dealing with, just saying it was interesting.

Balter Run

Light warm up. 3 miles very easy. 

Tuesday 31

The last day of July. Where has summer gone?

Housekeeping: lower body stretch, Turkish Get Up practice, push ups, side planks

A Little Single Track, A Little Gravel

Left work at 11:30 and got a ride in. It was a good effort and lots of fun. 

SEVEN 23 - 29 (71.4)

Monday 23

Housekeeping: Myofascial release for calf and hamstrings, side plank 2 x 20s

Evening Ride

20 miles on Cherokee Blvd. and no one passed me. It's the little things. Average speed 15.6

Tuesday 24

Housekeeping: side plank 2 x 20s. Myofascial release for calves, hamstrings, and feet

Evening Run

Warm up: squats, lateral lunges, LS, and drills

5 miles easy with 4 x 100m strides

Stretch

Wednesday 25

Housekeeping: side plank 2 x 20s, bridge, and clams. Myofascial release for calves, hamstrings, and feet

Riding with the Killer Bz

25 miles, average 16.1 mph. My legs are tired. Beer and taco after.

Thursday 26

I didn't go to bed early enough and I woke up at 3:30. I did go back to sleep and didn't wake up until after 7. It was too late for me to do my morning housekeeping.

Gym Session
Warm up: side plank 2x20s, push ups
Kettle bell: deadlift #70 3x5, swings #35 3x5, squats #35 3x5, clean #25 3x5, snatch #25 3x5, push press #25 #30 3x5, halos #15 #20 3x10 (I need some practice on Turkish get ups)
Stretch: calf, hamstring, and hip flexor

Friday 27

Loyston Point and Mill Creek Loops

Lots of fun was had today. We did the Loyston Loop almost 15 minutes faster than las time.

Saturday 28

It's the second night in a row I didn't sleep great. 

Long Run

I got through it, although I never felt good. It started with a little right foot discomfort and a bloated gut. The pace got better in the second half and felt a bit better. 65% of my time is zone 2.

Gym Session
Warm up: side plank 2x20s, hip and ankle mobility
Strength: deadlift #75 #95 3x5, push press #75 3x4, low row #75 3x8
Stretch/myofascial release : calf and hamstring

Sunday 29

I slept great, but still feeling below average. 

SEVEN 16 - 22 (35.2)

Monday 16

Gym Session
Warm up: squats, hip and ankle mobility, bridge, clams, hollow hold, plank, push ups, Australian pull ups, lunges
Strength: Press #65 3x8, squats #115 #135 #155 3x5, pull downs #100 3x6, decline press #135 3x4
Stretch: calf, hamstring, and hip flexor

Hot tub

Tuesday 17

Haw Ridge West Side

West Shore > Lake Road > Twister > Lake Road > Middle Road > Low Gap > Saddle > Soccer

4 miles of wet fun! 390 feet of gain.

I had a visual aura this evening. I'm not sure if it was the beginning of a migraine or I was in calorie deficit. I was starving and didn't get dinner ready until 7.

Wednesday 18

More sleep issues. I went to bed early and woke up at 11:30 burning up. I was so hot. It surprises me I didn't have an anxiety attack. After about 15 minutes I cooled down and went back to sleep. I woke up again at 3:30, but went back to sleep.

Housekeeping: side plank

Gym Session
Warm up: side plank 2x20s
Kettle bell: deadlift #70 3x5, swings #30 3x7, squats #30 3x5, snatch #20 #25 3x5, clean #30 1x5, Turkish get up #20 #15 2x2, push press #20 3x8, halos #15 #20 3x10 (I need some practice on cleans and Turkish get ups)
Stretch: calf, hamstring, and hip flexor

MTB North Boundary

Some fun in the DIRT! Then dinner and beers at the Crafter's Brew.

Thursday 19

Housekeeping: side plank 30s

Assault On Rogers Group East

15 miles with an attempt on a Rogers East Group Segment PR. By AG my 8:00 is number 2 on the list. Not too shabby.

Friday 20

Housekeeping: side plank 30s

Haw Ridge East Side

Hot and sweaty trail fun.

Saturday 21

Storms pushed the Roadkill run back an hour and the weather was awesome.

6 Miler with Roadkill

Some enjoy the pace injection we bring.

Gym Session
Warm up: squats, hip and ankle mobility, bridge, clams, hollow hold, side plank, push ups, Australian pull ups, lunges
Strength: deadlift #75 3x7, press #75 3x4, low row #70 3x8, bench press #115 3x5, Free Motion step up #20 2x10
Stretch: calf, hamstring, and hip flexor

Sunday 22

I had good intentions today, complete my housekeeping exercises, go for a road ride, all I managed was a soak in the hot tub. Let's call it a recovery day. 

SEVEN 9 - 15 (35.7) Totally Crazy 3k and 8k

Monday 9

Pre-run: Squats, lunge, plank, and push ups. Ankle eversion, bridge, and clams.

Road Speed Session

1.25 up with 4 x 100m strides. 2 sets of 300m {1:10.1, 1:09.4, 1:08.3, 1:10.9, 1:08.2, 1:09.0} with 100m IR. 1.5 down.

Tuesday 10

Travel from Myrtle Beach

Wednesday 11

I didn't sleep good last night, but I think I got enough rest. 

Lunch Run

Warm up: Squats, lunges, plank, push ups, bridges, clams, and leg swings

4 miles easy: Easy was pretty fast today. Average pace was 8:16. I ran in my Rides with no inserts. I had no issues with the run

Gym Session: Kettle bell squat to press, kettle bell overhead lunge, bent row, push ups, planks (2 circuits each)

Thursday 12

I feel like I'm getting sick. It's not cold season so what the fuck!

Lunch Run

Warm up: Hip and ankle ROM, squats, lunges, push ups, lateral shuffle, leg swings, and drills

3 miles easy: 8:11 average pace. Feeling pretty sharp. I'm shutting down after Saturday. I hope I'm able to race the 3k. I may bail on the 8k.

Friday 13

I'm not feeling quite as bad today, but I am sleepy.
Massage therapy: Focused on tight left achilles.

Knoxville City Cruisin

Saturday 14

I'm still not feeling good. 

Totally Crazy (Long Courses and Bad Timing)

Warm up: LM, squats, lunges. 10 minutes jog and strides 

Almost Crazy 3k: I was afraid this race would not be done correctly and unfortunately I was right. I wanting to break 13 for the first time. Mile one was 6:45.7. I was tired but hoped I could hang on. I lost some confidence running down Center Street. I not sure why this happens. I made a hard push for the finish but missed my goal by 2 or 3 seconds. The last mile was 6:56 pace making my race average 6:51.
The course was at least 100m long which would have would have saved me at least 20 seconds. A 6:51 pace for 3k would be a 12:46, I would have been very satisfied with that. The official times were BS too, mine was 10:41. So, if the course would have been measured correctly the times would have been junk.
I guess 29 years leads to complacency. 

Totally Crazy 8k: The 8k was long too. I liked back to 2015 and it was long then. Maybe they've never measured it correctly. An 8k should never be over 5 miles.
All in all, despite feeling pretty crappy I put out a couple of good efforts. Let the recovery begin.

Sunday 15

Recovery day. 

SEVEN 2 - 8 (52.9) Independence Day 5k

Monday 2

Pre-run: Squats, lunge, plank, and push ups. Ankle eversion, bridge, and clams.

Easy 3 Miles

Test run wearing the Fastwitch. No issues. Found a shaded area to run which went much better than Saturday's long run. I hope I'm race ready.

Tuesday 3

Pre-run: Squats, lunges, plank, and push ups. 

Shake Out

2 miles with 4 x 20s strides. Today felt good. I'm as ready as I can be.

Wednesday 4

Pre-race: Ankle eversion, bridge, and clams. Squats, lunges, and single leg DL. Up 10 minutes and strides

Independence Day 5k

Race report: I finished 2nd n my age group and 18th overall. My splits were 6:51.9, 6:55.6 and 7:06.2 for a 21:32. This is the fastest 5k I have run since turning 50.  

Shoe review: The Saucony Fastwitch 8 is the maybe the best Fastwitch ever. It's light, cushioned, and responsive. The only issue I could mention is the tongue, which can fold while putting the shoe on.

Thursday 5

Rest day

Friday 6

Ocean Blvd Cycling

Saturday 7

Pre-run: Squats, lunge, plank, and push ups. Ankle eversion, bridge, and clams.

Not So Long Run

Sunday 8

North Myrtle Cycling Loop

SEVEN 1 (35.1)

Sunday 1

Cross training only day.

Gym Session
Warm up: ankle eversion, bridge, and clams.
3 circuits of: goblet squat #25 reps 8, lunge #15 reps 5, push ups reps 10, plank 30s, rows #25 reps 10, and single leg DL reps 5.