April 17th- April 23rd

 “Surprise is the greatest gift which life can grant us.” - Boris Pasternak

-- Been one of those weeks full of unplanned things and surprises both personally and workwise.  We did go through a layoff at work this week and thank goodness I was not affected yet.  They are still going to be happening over the few months, so the underlining stress will not be going away anytime soon. 

Monday:  

Took the day completely off per the plan.  Actually was needed, my body is still not near 100% from this stupid cold that is hanging on and the last 3 days actually wiped me out some.  Plus it was fun to watch the Boston Marathon all morning, GREAT JOB DARIAN!!!  I owe him a meal since he beat my time there by about 30secs running a 2:43:xx.

Tuesday:  

 

9 AM: 1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills.

50-40-30-20-10: 18 mins 21 secs 

50-40-30-20-10 reps of:

Double Under

Walking Lunge

Push-up

AbMat Sit-up

2:30 PM:  8.8 miles averaging 7:55 pace.  Easy cruise from the gym on the trails around there since I had to be in the office today, gym is down the street from my work.  Actually a little bit sore from this jog but better than it was over the weekend.  Trying to get back to it.

Went straight from my jog to Happy Hour at Red Garden Brewing with my team from work since Mary is retiring.  No I did not drink even though it would have been on Medtronic.  Stuck to soda water.  But I did break the diet with Sweet Cow ice cream and some cake.

Wednesday:

-NOTE:  No weight check this morning 

9 AM: 1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Running, mobility and drills

10 RFT: 10 mins 1 sec | Rx'd
10 rounds of:
1 Clean & Jerk, 80% 1RM | 145 lbs
5 Burpee Over Bars
Run, 100 m

10:30 AM: 6.2 miles averaging 7:50 pace.  Easy cruise around Louisville right after the gym session. Super chill jog for the most part. Started out super slow and worked into it.

New poster went up at the gym with the first members that are still at the gym as they hit their 10 year anniversary last month.  Think there is 11 of us total.  Of course I am only one running, everyone else as a barbell in their hands.  LOL... At least it was taken when I was doing Murph, my favorite workout, why I am wearing a weight vest.

- Finished book 11 of the year tonight... The Longest Race .  I have read about the Nike shit before but this puts a new spin on it.  

Thursday:    

9 AM:  1 hour at the gym... this was a rough one.... 1 min slower than when I did this workout in 2018, getting old sucks.

Warmup: Running, mobility and drills

27-21-15-9: 20 mins 21 secs | Rx'd 57 secs

27-21-15-9 reps of:

Wall Ball, 20 lbs

Sumo Deadlift High-pull, 75 lbs

Box Jump, 24 in

Push Press, 75 lbs

Row Calories

3:30 PM:  Treadmill: 3 miles averaging 8:20pace.  Windy as hell out and it is a cold wind so hit the treadmill.  Bail about halfway through....  Jumped off to go take a shit and the stomach is off. Also I was feeling like crap so I pulled the plug.  Just low energy and did not want to be there so I left.  This has been another shit week with all the work stress.

Friday:

9:30 AM:  6.4 miles w/ 1300ft of vert averaging 9:25pace.  Easy trail jog from Fowler Trailhead into Eldo State Park and back.  Super chill but felt great today.  Even though it was a chill run today this was one of my faster times on this route according to Strava. Happy about that.

4 PM:  1 hour at the gym followed by a 2min dunk in the ice bath... cold as hell at 38 degrees

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills

Snatch : 1 Rep Max : 120 lbs 

Sets

1 Snatch | 120 lbs

-then-

3 RFT:  5 mins 47 secs 

3 rounds of:

20 Dumbbell Snatches | 35 lbs

20 Toes-to-bars

--  Jumped in the plunge right after the workout tonight, cold as fuck at 38 degrees.  Lasted two and half mins.  

Saturday: 

9 AM:  1 hour at the gym... woke up to about 5 inches of snow and 20 degrees so riding bikes was out of the question today. 

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills

16 RFT: Partner Wods,  28 mins 

16 rounds of:

Partner Wod

3 Wall Walks

9 Dumbbell Front Squats, 40 lbs

12 Assault Bike Calories

*Alternate With Partner - with Jeff

--so my microwave went out last night and since it was all snowy and cold out that would be the project of the day.  Much more involved getting this replaced than I was expecting.  Paula came over to help and yes our relationship survived me cussing and getting frustrated at this.. really changed the look of the kitchen and a much needed upgrade.

Sunday:  

9 AM:  11.6 miles w/ 2500ft of vert in 2:12ish.  Easy cruise up and down Green Mountain in Boulder via Bear Canyon.  Snow covered and icy.  Took my time since I did not bring traction or anything else but a handheld bottle and had a great morning out there.  Ran into Dan, Fred and Bogie all in different groups.  

4 PM: Walk 1 mile in 17 mins.  Watching Venus this afternoon while Paula was gone all day doing her USA Cycling official stuff at a bike race outside of Fort Collins.  Picked her up after my morning jog to hang out with me all day.  Easy afternoon walk before taking her home after dinner time and yes I spoil her.

Total Weekly Numbers

Not quite the week I wanted but much better than last.  As of Sunday this nasty cold I have been struggling with is about gone and for the first time running in the past 2 plus weeks I actually felt good after my run.  I have been wiped and felt like shit a lot of times even bailing on runs in the past few weeks.  One thing that I will be changing is that I will be running in the mornings more and doing Crossfit in the afternoon.  I think doing Crossfit first, especially when I have been struggling with energy due to this sickness had fucked up my jogging.  Time to reverse them and see what happens.

April 10th- April 16th

“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” - Dolly Parton

The last 2 weeks have been nothing but a rain on my parade per se, especially this week.  Hopefully I am finally past this shit and can move forward next week to get back on track and see the rainbow in July in the San Juans.

Monday:  

Woke up in Crown King this morning after the 37 mile run/hike yesterday to get here.  The plan was to hike/run back today to the rental car and fly home this evening but there is no way my feet could take that pounding and make it in time.  Spent all morning trying to get a ride to come this remote town that is about 120 miles from Phoenix to pick us up.  Finally found an independent cab driver that would.  Cost us $300 but it is what it is.  Made the flight home.  First photo below is all we could find for breakfast in Crown King at the general store, not much here.  Good to know for this will be the first crew spot in Cocodona 250 so we need to make sure we bring shit with us that we may want.

Tuesday:  

 

Got home about midnight last night and slept in this morning.  This cold has hit me hard today and I am totally wiped from the past week and half.  Did nothing today except trying to catch up on work from being off yesterday.  Did pop all the blisters on my feet so that was somewhat satisfying. 

Wednesday and Thursday:

-NOTE:  No weight check this morning 

Took another few days off to let the feet heal up a little bit more (bottom of them is all bruised and swollen) but really because mostly this head cold is kicking my ass.  Damn carrier monkeys aka kids, LOL.... Anyways I have barely left the house since I got home on Monday night, only twice just to get some food but that is it.  Have this huge guilt about not running or lifting this week, this was supposed to be the week of getting back to it after being done with skiing but the feet and this cold had other plans.... sigh... and yes, it has been a mentally challenging week for me on all fronts.  I did get this in the mail at a time that I really needed it this week.  Thank you....  I found it in the mail on one of my lowest mental days this week.

Friday:

9:30 AM:  1 hour at the gym... Finally left the house and decided to see how the body feels to move.  Slow and sluggish but good to move.

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills

5x 3 mins RemReps:  154 reps | 28, 30, 32, 31, and 33 | Rx'd

5 rounds, 3 mins each, of:

2 Rope Climbs

15 Dumbbell Bench Press | 45 lbs

1 Rope Climb

max rep Assault Bike Calories | 28, 30, 32, 31, and 33

Rest 3 mins

3 PM: 7.1 miles averaging 8:30pace.  Treadmill- 37 degrees and raining all day so hit the treadmill.  Still blowing snot like crazy but feeling better for the most part.  On the upswing I think finally.

Saturday: 

9 AM:  1 hour at the gym.

Warmup: Run, mobility and drills

AMRAP 20 mins: Partner Wod: 6 rounds + 400 m + 10 Toes-to-bars + 7 Wall Balls 

20:00 AMRAP:

Partner Wod

Relay Run, 400 m

10 Toes-to-bars

20 Wall Balls, 20 lbs

30 Kettlebell Swings, 53 lbs

--with Kory, one person is always running while the other is chipping away at the movement.

10:30 AM: 7 miles averaging 8:15pace.  Easy Costco loop. Struggle of a jog today. Been a week almost since I have tried to run outside. Still hacking like crazy stopping every once in a while to hack up snot. Wondering if it is in my lungs, was a piece of shit the rest of the day.  Supposed to do 18 miles tomorrow but think I will just try for 2 hours and see what the gives me.

Sunday:  

10 AM: 10.2 miles w/ 3100ft of vert in 2:13.  Hit the trails in Boulder starting at NCAR doing a combo of the Mesa Trail and trails on the side of Green Mountain.  Was supposed to do 18 miles today but my body was not having it today.  More walking than normal today and blowing snot everywhere and coughing a lot.  Need this cold to go the fuck away.  Was wiped afterwards as well.

Total Weekly Numbers

Shit week compared what I had planned... that's life... Need to decide if I am going to do the 50K I signed up for next weekend or not.  If I do it will be an easy long supported run and not a race. 

April 3rd- April 9th

 “Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.” - Winston Churchill

Monday:  

Got up at 4am after getting home from Aspen last night at 11pm to head to the airport.  Flew out to Minneapolis to help my mom for the week.  She is getting surgery on Tuesday and wanted someone to help her as she recovers.  No real movement today and tomorrow will be a recovery day as well.  Photos below are my sister's oldest 2 boys, her and my mom... 

Tuesday:  

 

Surgery day for mom... working from the coffee shop across the street while she was in the surgery all morning.  Will be another recovery day for me today.

Wednesday:

-NOTE:  No weight check this morning due to travel.

11 AM:  7.1 miles in 1 hour.  Easy jog on the treadmill at Planet Fitness by mom's.  30 degrees with 30mph winds out there today, no thank you, treadmill it is.  Little swollen today from eating like shit the past 3 days, that shit has to stop today.

4:30 PM:  1 hour at the gym.  Did a drop in class here in MN and took my 15 year old nephew with me.  He seemed to like it!  He is into baseball and football so I should not have been surprised that he did.

Warmup:  BikeErg and drills

5x3 Snatch working on speed under the bar

AMRAP 12 mins: : 7 rounds + 10 Bike Ergs | 185 reps | Rx'd

12:00 AMRAP:

15 Bike Ergs

10 Thrusters, 75 lbs

Thursday:    

10 AM:  7.3 miles averaging 7:50pace.  Easy cruise from Mom's front door. Let Strava map out a run for me and just followed my phone. Made a big loop around town. Not to bad. Little warmer today without the wind that was blowing yesterday.

4:30 PM: 1 hour at the gym

Warmup:  Rowing, Airbike and planks

Mid-Line work

10mins every min on the min

Odd- 30sec handstand against the wall

Even- 30sec hallow body hold

-then-

AMRAP 35 mins: 4 rounds + 1000 m + 30 Push-ups + 1000 m + 12 V-ups 

35:00 AMRAP:

Row, 1000 m

30 Push-ups

Echo Bike, 1000 m

15 V-ups

Friday:

8:30 AM: 1 hour at the gym here in MN before heading to the airport.

Warm-up
3:00 Ski
+
3 sets
12 Tall Kneeling Band Pull Aparts
6 Single arm Ring Rows
30 Second Shoulder Taps

Strength
Strict Pull-Up
5 sets
6 Pull-Up Negatives :04 down
Rest 2:00-2:30 btwn sets

Accessory Work
Incline Chest SupportedDB Row
6-8 tough reps @ 10x2 tempo
Rest 1:30
x3-4

WOD
AMRAP 10
250/200m Ski
10 DB Box Overs
Single DB

Saturday: 

Travel day to AZ... was planning on getting out for an easy 1.5 hour jog before going to the airport but have a nasty cold I got from MN so took a rest day.  I should have at least done something in the garage gym.  Just wiped from the cold and all the travel this week.

Sunday:  37 miles w/ 10,200ft of vert in 14:37...  First 37 miles of Cocodona 250 from Black Canyon Trailhead to Crown King... This section was NO JOKE!!!  Very loose, rocky, and a lot of vert.  The original plan was to go to Crown King then hike back on Monday but my feet got so torn up on the way there that I had to call a $300 cab to come and get us from Crown King...  There was no way my feet would have gotten me the 37 miles back in time to make our flight.  Photos of 2 of the larger blisters below but the bottom of my feet were also blistered.  What an adventure this weekend.  Thanks for the invite Don!

Total Weekly Numbers

Not quite the week I wanted but there was a lot of recovery from the ski race, travel to MN, then back home and off to AZ for a long ass run... Honestly as I am typing this on the following Wed 4/12, I am still wiped and fighting a cold that I picked up in MN.  Just need to let the feet heal and get back to it.  Think I am done skiing for good this year and just need to really start focusing on Hardrock.

March 27th- April 2nd

“Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.” - Alfred A. Montapert

Seemed like a great quote that fit the ski race we did this weekend.  Lots of problems aka bad decisions but we dealt with them and got it done even though it may not have been pretty. 

Monday:  

2 PM:  Walk 2.6 miles in 42mins.  Easy neighborhood walk to get a break from work.  No hard activities today, more tired today than expected from the past 3 days.  Should rebound tomorrow.

3 PM:  Was going to just lift in the garage after the walk but being honest with myself I came to the conclusion of "why".  I am really tired and sore from the past week or so and total recovery would be better for me.  Jumped in the sauna instead for 40 mins.

--- Came across these photos online from the half marathon on Sunday... How do you like my pink shoes? 

Tuesday:  

 

7 AM:  Skimo- 3.9 miles w/ 2000ft of vert in an hour.  2 laps this morning at Eldora. Kept it short with GT this weekend. Was 5 degrees at the start but never felt that cold due to the sun being out.

9:30 AM:  1 hour at the gym.

Warmup:  Rowing, mobility and running drills

FT:  17 mins 50 secs 

Row, 1500 m

150 Double Unders

Run, 1.5 mi

--fun little cardio session!

Wednesday:

-NOTE:  No weight check this morning.  Between a big cheat meal last night and being in taper mode I don't want to know.

9 AM:  1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Rowing, mobility and drills

Push Press : 1 Rep Max : 170 lbs

Sets

1 Push Press | 170 lbs

-then-

AMRAP 10 mins: 11 rounds + 3 Strict Pull-ups | 80 reps 

10:00 AMRAP:

5 Strict Pull-ups

2 Wall Walks

3 PM:  7.7 miles w/ 600ft of vert averaging 7:45pace.  Easy jog from the house into the open space across the street in the Westminster Hills trails.  Feel pretty damn good considering how tired I am today from sleeping badly last night.

--Finished book number 10 of 2023 this evening.... The Strenuous Life about Teddy Roosevelt... This is the second book about Teddy I have read in the last 4 months.  I need to know more.... 

Thursday:

9 AM:  1 hour at the gym

Warmup: Airbike, mobility and drills.

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1: 14 mins 20 secs 

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps of:

Devil Press | 25 lbs

Toes-to-bar

2x Dumbbell Walking Lunge | 25 lbs

Friday:

- Spent most the day driving to Crested Butte picking up my partner Bob in route.   Once we got there we beat the rush of athlete check in that happens on Saturday and got it done.  Now just have to chill until the race start.

Saturday: 

Most of the day was screwing around in CB and just relaxing and trying to rest before the ski race that starts at midnight.  Did find out in the athlete meeting this afternoon that they were able to make the course safe enough so we are going to Aspen tomorrow and not doing the reverse course.  YES!

Sunday:

Midnight:   Skimo- 36.5 miles w/ 9200ft of vert in 15:27.  Grand Traverse Ski ..... what long ass race. Did it with Bob this time and now I remember why it has been 6 years since I first did this race in 2017. It is a damn grind, so fun with great views but a damn grind. So happy to get this done since they moved the cutoffs up around an hour at Star Pass due to the heavy snow conditions on the course. They did that to get us out of the avy areas before the sun weakened the snow. A lot of teams got cut this year and had to return to Crested Butte instead of going to Aspen. We made it through, barely. Much more to share but still processing it all. Good times!

Total Weekly Numbers

Total taper week with a long ass ski race at the end of it.  This next week will be a few days of total recovery, slow reintroduction, then back to full on training by the weekend.