This was a really good week training wise and weather wise. I have two mid distanct runs each week and I worked those pretty hard. My weekend run was a bit shorter (compared to last week) at 20 miles, and I changed the days of the week that I did particular workouts but made sure all hard workouts were followed by easy or off. As well I got in a number of days at the gym on weights, one speed workout at the pool and a solid interval session on the indoor trainer. My body feels great, recovering well, a little tight in my left piriformis, but that's my only complaint. MONDAY- I had about 2 hours between clients this morning so got in a workout in my basement gym. Spent 45 minutes on legs and shouders. Legs were power and stability and shoulders were mostly strength exercises. Start with light shoulder internal and external rotation, then KB swings superset with box jump, Shouder PNF, Single leg squat with 10# bi curls, Arnold shoulder press super set with Bosu Transverse lunge, shoulder flexion super set with shoulder extension. Followed up with about 5 minutes of abs. Then did 30 minutes of mat yoga work and meditation. Good way to start my day. Went to bed a bit late but slept really well. For my morning just had 4 oz of cleanse for life for the first 3 hours of the day.
After my morning clients and the weight sesion I had a quick pick me up drink. I mixed 1 scoop of chocolate isalean shake with hot water and a little almond milk and a spot of peppermint extract for a hot chocolate drink before my run (only about 90 calories). Easy run today, 6 miles over the Brooklyn Bridge and back. Temps are about 22 degress but felt much warmer and had to take off a layer. Almost no wind today and it's pleasantly sunny. Enjoyed the easy run. Took the hills up at moderate effort, and down hill a little faster than normal. If this were a flat run would have aimed for 9mm, never know how an easy run is going to actually turn out when going over the bridge so I just focus on my breathing and keep my HR fairly low. Average pace wasw 9:09 and HR 157. Felt light and easy. Nice to not wear a lot of clothing or carry water.
TUESDAY at John street after clients I got in a farily intense back and chest workout. Did 2 back exercises followed by 1 chest. All were 3 sets, reps 8-12. Chest work was lighter than back. Think I did 9 exercises total. It's raining in the city, but snowing in Brooklyn, so i'm heading home for my run after clients.
It was nice fluffy snow. I had eaten about 2 hours previous and feel energised and ready to go. Warmed up 2 miles to Prospect Park and took the park loop clockwise. I'm feeling really strong today. Normally a 13 mile run would be at 9:20 pace but I worked it a little harder, and focused in on my breathing and watched my HR to average around 160. I stopped at 6.5 miles, stop for bathroom and a gel and took a little video on my ipod of the beautiful winter scenery. Changed directions and kept the same pace no problem. Snow isn't sticking much so surface was totally fine. Over the 10 miles of the main set I ran 8:54 pace at av HR 161. I worked the hills farily hard getting to 170bpm or about 90% max HR.
Wait, I'm not done for the day yet. I still have a swim this evening. I Had a great swim at Roosevelt Pool with the Tritons. Again swam with 2 other guys who pushed me quite a bit. Had 20 minutes of warm up and drills and about 10 minutes of cool down including a little work on flip turns. The main set was 45 minutes. Did 5x100, 5x150, 5x50, All sets included a combination of moderate/hard/easy 25-50 yard portions. Interesting way to test strength and was difficult to keep form by the end. Last 50 was moderate 25/hard 25. The last 50 I was starting to loose it. Worked on full follow through and high elbow for much of the workout. Kept all sets at between 24 and 25 strokes per length. Did my 50's in 50s! Quite happy with that considering this time last year I was swimming 50's in 60 seconds, even in the beginning of a workout. Did 2500 yards or so total. Day is over and I feel good!
WEDNESDAY-Extremely boring easy run. The slushy snow from yeasterday froze overnight and much of the sidewalk and street is very slippery. Glad I'm not doing a tempo run today. Just wandered around Brooklyn searching for surfaces that were not slippery. Pace was very slow 9:50mm pace HR 150.
THURSDAY- today is feeling like a great day for my intervals and MP workout. Had a farily large breakfast ate 1.5 hours before my run. I was in the city so get to run intervals up Hudson River park instead of the track which is a nice change. The temperature is great, about 35 degrees but a heavy wind at least 10mph as I'm running north from battery park up the west side. Started with 2 mile warm up and then did 4x100 with 100m walk. Goal was 27 sec and I completed them in 23-29 sec (Last time did 23-26sec). Immediately followed by 4x200 with 200 jog. Goal was 54 sec and I completed them in 47-55 sec at 172 av hr, last time was 50-52 sec. So far soo god, especially considering i'm running into the wind. Walked a bit, had a gel then jogged for half mile. Next 6 miles will be at MP 7:56 or better. The first 2 miles were still against the wind and was able to maintain a great pace. Every 2 miles I would walk briefly to drink a little then pick up the pace again. Planning on haveing to do this on race day, so want to keep monitor going and push myself to pick my pace up again immediately following a break. The last 4 miles felt just as hard as the first 2 yet I had the advantage of the wind at my back. Was really happy with results of the 6 miles in that I kept the average pace at 7:48 (faster than my goal) and HR was same as last weeks 5 mile MP at 176 Av HR. Jogged the rest of the run to complete 12 miles total.
After my run I had a quick shower and half an Isalen bar then hit the gym floor for a quick 35 minute workout. Did legs and shoulders in supersets, giving plenty of time to rest between. Had I not just finished a really tough run I would have done straight sets. Did BB squats and lateral raises, BB deadlift and military press with rotation, S/L extensions (a little light) and cable shoulder extension. Reps were between 8 and 12 for 3 sets. Feeling a little pain on the inside of my left knee. Felt it during the cool down of my run too. Will keep an eye on that. Had a half a bar after the workout and then went home for a big lunch. I stretched immediately following the run, but will also do yoga later today.
FRIDAY- Today is a day off running. In the morning I did some light weights. Don't feel any training stress from yesterday's hard run or leg weights so that's a good sign. Work only back and chest today. Weight was light, intensity moderate and rest periods very short. Only trained for 30 minutes and finished with 10 minutes of core work and about 20 minutes of yoga.
SATURDAY- Woke up a bit tired and maybe should have had one less drink last night. Had an Isalean chocolate shake with a whole banana in it, got dressed, did some light stretching and set out for a 20 mile flat run. Ran over the Brooklyn Bridge up the Hudson River park path for 10 miles and then return. Started with easy 1 mile jog. The sun is out, the temps are nice (maybe high 30"s) but it's windy. Running up the west side had a stiff wind, about 20mph, but at least its not cold and the ground is dry. Goal is to run slow an steady, take short breaks for gels, pick up the pace briefly after the break and enjoy the run with a goal of 9:30 pace. Even though I wsas running into the wind it wasn't too bothersome, but was a bit slow, 9:38 pace with 154 av hr. The run was pretty boring but I had a lot of business ideas to sort out in my mind, so made good use of the three hours for that. Turned around at 10 mile mark and then was able to pick up the pace quite a bit on the way back. The second half of the run was a 9:09 pace and same av HR of 154, so about 30sec faster per minute than when running against the wind. I liked my timing on the gels today. had first at 4mile, then 8, 12 (bathroom stop here) and 15. Took the last couple of miles a little harder starting with the hill going up the brooklyn bridge. Ran into a crowd of Health care reform protestors. I dont' understand why they like to walk across the Brooklyn bridge. There's not much of an audience, most everyone else on the bridge are tourists, half of which are foreign tourists. Why don't they walk around city hall, or times square, or somethwere more visible, and most improtantly somewhere other than where I'm trying to run. Finished the last 1/2 mile at MP and it felt really good. Took the last mile real easy for my cool down.
SUNDAY- Today is indoor bike trainer day. Feel strangely good today aside from feeling a bit bloated and fat. Guess thats what and extra dose of nutrient dense caliroes after a long run will do for you. Thought since I felt tired yesterday after my long run I would not feel up to a decent workout on the bike today. Am doing an hour session of intervals at fairly heavy resistance; call it a strength interval session. I warmed up for 15 minutes then did 4 sets of 6 minutes at a cadence and effort just below race (sub threshold- HR goal 153-162) followed by 4 minutes recovery. Was feeling so good that I didn't take the recovery very easy. Each recovery was a fast cadence, farily low resistance but HR averages were 155bpm and cabence in the mid to upper 80s. During the work intervals Ave HR around 158 and cadence 72. Pleased that I didn't need a full recovery between sets. Was a beautiful day outside, perfect for an easy run but glad I got this strength workout in.
Totals: 13 hrs 20 minutes of training. 56.6 miles running; 1:15 min swimming; 2:25min weight training; 1:00 indoor trainer.