Too many Jets games

I've been quite motivated these past weeks.  All the good training came to a halt with the Jets home stand, I had tickets to 3 games in this past week.  Most of my days off were a result of a crazy work schedule, Jets hockey or total exhaustion.

Monday
Warm-up + several sets of front squat & cleans + Cool-down

Tuesday
Off

Wednesday
35 Minute Easy Run

Thursday
10 Minute Easy + 6 x 10 second sprints + 50 pushups + 100 feet of lunges + 90 second all-out sprint + 10 Minute Easy Run
Short on time!  I was in a crunch to get to Jets Game.

Friday
35 Minute Easy Run + 7 minutes of Burpees
Performing 7 minutes of burpees might appear a bit unorthodox.  To my surprise this was the first event of the CrossFit Open.  I won't get into details with this workout because I don't want to spoil Mike Warkentin's e-newsletter post.

Saturday
Off
I had a few beers at the 1:00pm Jets Game.  The rest of my day was a write off.

Sunday
85 Minute Easy Run
Ran with Bradley, Jeremy and Brian.  Pace became difficult over the final 5-10 minutes.  Snow made footing difficult.

Track Spikes

I'm posting this weeks training log early because I will be heading to the Jets Game tomorrow, and most likely won't have anytime tomorrow as I plan to start the pre-game early in the afternoon!  I had a great week of training.  On Tuesday I headed to the track with spikes in hand. Boy was that a mistake!  My calfs are still sore. It was funny I have not wore spikes in about 5 years.  A few of the younger runners commented on my retro spikes.

Monday
30 minute easy run + 30 minutes of weights + 10 minute easy run

Tuesday
pm1: 10 minute easy run + 6 x 10 seconds + 2 x 400m @ 70 seconds (1min rest) + 4 x 200m @ 31 seconds (1min rest) + 10 minute easy
pm2: CrossFit warmup + 25 cleans + 30 pushups + 1000m row + 25 dips + 5 minute jog

Wednesday
35 minute easy run

Thursday
pm1: 55 minute easy run
pm2: 20 minute easy run + 6 x 10 seconds + 5 x 100 meters fast + 13 minute easy run

Friday
35 minute easy run + Crossfit warmup + 30min of cleans and front squats

Saturday
am: 50 minute easy run
pm: TBD, but most likely easy run on the treadmill

Sunday
TBD, but most likely CrossFit workout

The Streak Continues

I have a bit of a streak going as this is over two weeks without skipping a day of running!  For the bulk of the week I just couldn't get away from the clinic.  Most of my runs were completed after 8pm.  Luckily I've been able to talk Lisa into going for some runs after work.



Monday
35 Minute Easy Run with Lisa

Tuesday
35 Minute Easy Run with Lisa

Wednesday
20 Minute Easy Run + 30 Minutes of Upper Body Weights + 10 Minute Easy Run

Thursday
35 Minute Easy Run with Lisa

Friday
35 Minute Easy Run with Lisa

Saturday
10 minute easy run + 6 x 10 seconds fast (1 minute jog rest) + 3 rounds of 20 pushups + 20 dips + 30 feet of lunges (30lb) + 60 second fast (6.8mph/12%) + 5 minute jog/walk rest + 2 rounds of 10 box jumps + 60 seconds fast (7.2mph/12%) + 3 minute jog/walk rest + 60 seconds fast (7.6mph/12%) + 90 feet of frog hops + 10 minute easy run
Best workout to date.  I will slowly introduce more running into these types of workouts.

Sunday
am: 87 Minute Steady Run
I met with Bradley, Brian and Jeremy for the first time in many weeks!  The last 10 minutes were difficult but I felt like I did a good job toughing this one out.


pm: 35 Minute Easy Run

I Ran Every Single Day

Had a another consistent week of training.  I'm still unable to find enough time or motivation to run much further than 30 minutes at a time.  I managed to complete two difficult sessions at CrossFit 204.

This week was a good week for taking care of my body.  I had a 1hr massage appointment as well as two chiropractic appointments.  It always astounds me at how few treatments most athletes receive.  I'm not sure the exact reasoning whether it be not knowing the benefits, limited finances, disconnect between coaches and practitioners...?  I just think most athletes are wasting there time training hard if they don't recover well.  I suppose I was lucky I had a coaches and trained with teammates that forced you to do the little thing (chiro, massage, sleep, diet and so on).   I will stop before I go on a rant!

Monday
35 minute easy run with Lisa

Tuesday
CrossFit - Warm-up + 30 reps of clean & press + Cool-down.  
This is a signature CrossFit workout called "Grace".  The standard is suppose to be done with a 135lb, I think I completed the workout with 85lb in a time of 2min04.

Wednesday
am: 35 minute easy run
pm: 35 minute easy run with Lisa

Thursday
CrossFit - 25 minute easy run + Warm-up + 15 minutes of 10 dips + 20 pushups + 100 single skips + Cool-down

Friday
28 minute easy run

Saturday
30 minute easy run

Sunday
35 minute progression run

Mike B.

Old Training Logs

This past week I was doing some cleaning when I came across training logs from 1998 to 2008.  My first thought was immediately throw these binders out!  But I could not resist looking at past training blocks.  I've always considered myself good at not hyper focusing on poor performances or for that matter great performances.  As a result I forgot about some of these training session that now look very impressive on paper.  Above is a sample week of training from a few years back when I was living in Colorado Springs

Even though this week was good one in term of consistency I really need to train more!

Monday

20 minute easy run + 25 minute of upper body weights + 10 minute easy run

Tuesday

25 minute easy run + 8 x 10 seconds fast (walk back rest) + 1 x 400m + 2 x 200m + 1 x 400m + 15 minute easy run

-400 & 200m run were done @ 31-35sec per 200m

Wednesday

35 minute easy run

Thursday

30 minute easy run

Friday

30 minute easy run

Saturday

Off - after watching FrostFit Games I was to tired to do a run.

Sunday

20 minute easy run + CrossFit warmup + 1200m row + 30 reps of floor press (115 pounds) + 20 minute easy run

Speed Before Endurance

Since posting my training I've been receiving a lot of advice from armchair coaches.  Why so much speed?  You should lay off the strength exercises?  Why don't you work on your aerobic base?

I've been training with the focus on speed my entire career that I'm really not interested in experimenting with other systems of periodization.  For myself my weakness has always been my lack of speed, so I spend a lot of time early in a training build up focusing on improving speed.  My approach is very systematic.  In order for me to have an opportunity to break 2hr30min in June I know I have to be capable of running a 400m in under 60 seconds.  I will not adjust my training until I reach this standard in a time trial.  Once this is accomplished I will shift my focus to running under 4:08 for a 1500m.  Once this is accomplished I will shift my focus to running a 5000m in under 15:20.  I think you get the idea.  Without this basic speed I have no chance in running faster at the longer distances.  I employ this approach with any athlete I coach that lacks speed.  It's basic mathematics.  It's amazing how many endurance athletes think they will improve if they simply focus on improving there endurance.  Most endurance athletes are comfortable training at aerobic intensities, but have them increase the intensity and you'll see a lot happen especially mechanically (this is a topic in itself).  Though I perhaps spend a lot of time building speed I don't think I neglect the aerobic component - isn't that what a warm up & cool down are for?

Monday
35 minutes easy with Lisa

Tuesday
10 minute easy run + 24 x 10 seconds fast (lots of rest between sprints)

Wednesday
30 minutes of rehabilitation exercises

Thursday
25 minute easy run + 1600m at 5:50 minute mile pace + 15 minute easy run

Friday
15 minute easy run + 25 minutes of upper body weights + 10 minute easy run

Saturday
30 minute hill progression run

Sunday
25 minute easy run

Massage Athletica: Still Motivated

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