April 21st - April 27th

"Life is so much more rewarding if you strive for something, rather than take what's is given to you on a plate."  -Amy Winehouse

-- This quote really speaks to me.  I am not a natural at this endurance shit like everyone thinks I am.  Took years of hard work and a lot of miles over the years to get to where I am at which honestly is not that much more than a little above average when you are talking about endurance athletes in the Boulder area.  I am just focusing on trying to maintain this as long as possible as I age going into my 5th decade.  Which leads me to this quote, " The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age." - Lucille Ball.  Just need to learn how to eat slowly..... 

Monday:   

9:30 AM:  5.2 miles averaging 7:45pace.  Easy loops of the open space by the house just as a shakeout. Was going to take the day off but hard to do when you have been watching the Boston Marathon all morning... make me really ponder a trip back next year.

--Congrats to Don on his first Boston finish!  

3 PM: 38mins in the garage gym

Warmup: Rowing, Crossover and mobility

EMOM for 20mins
15 Russian KB Swings @ 55
20 Push-ups
10 Goblet Squats @ 35
10 Barbell Rows @ 105
30sec Farmers Carries w/ 50 in each hand

- 20mins in the hot tub right after lifting.  Then cruised up to Boulder for a PT appointment on my ankle that has been bothering me since last Wed.  Got some Posterior Tibialis Tendonitis going on in the tendon down by inside of the ankle bone.  Will be doing a bunch of dry needling and white laser therapy on it to get it to calm down over the next few weeks.  Told it is okay to keep running since it does not hurt once I am warmed up and as long as the swelling or pain does not get worse after my runs.  Fingers crossed....  This was most likely caused by how tight my right calf was after that 100 three weeks ago, will also need to try and keep my right calf as loose as possible.

Tuesday:  

7 AM:  52mins in the garage gym

Warmup: Rowing, Crossover, and mobility

Pullups
35 total broken up as needed.

Bentover Barbell Rows
3X10 @105

3 Rounds
10 Band Pulldowns
10 DB Pullovers @ 45

3 Rounds
10 Weighted GHD Hip extend @ 10
10 GHD Hip extend
10 GHD Situps

3 Rounds
10 DB Bicep Curls @22.5
20 DB Cross body curls @22.5
10 DB Hammer Curls @ 22.5

3x1 min planks w/ 30sec recoveries.

-- few mins on the Mobo Board on each leg

2 PM:  11 miles w/ 2200ft of vert averaging 8:10pace. Done on the Flagstaff road in Boulder. Workout was 4 x [8 min uphill progression at SubTH/Tempo (RPE 6-8) w/ 2 min AeT float (RPE 4-5)]; AeT finish. Easy cool down last few min at RPE 2-3... All I can say is 8 mins is a long damn time to push hard uphill. That one was super tough. Even did the recoveries slowly jogging or walking uphill, cooldown was coming back down to the car. Super happy how this one panned out.

Wednesday:

7 AM:   8 miles averaging 7:15pace.  Couple of easy loops of Davidson Mesa and Harper Lake. Legs were shot when I started and the first mile was slowwww but loosened up nicely. Kept HR around 130 most of the of run. Fitness is coming along but legs are a little beat up.

-- Got some exciting news on a new shoe made just for me for Western States from Speedland.  Can't share any photos or details on it yet due to it being a prototype but should have my hands on them by Friday.  More to come once they give me the OK to share information about them.  

Also the custom Death March Running Company shirt they are doing for my Western States is pretty awesome as well.  I will share that prob next week or two.  In the meantime if interested let me know your size and I will get one for you, you won't regret it.

20 mins in the hot tub this afternoon, trying to do some sort of heat every other day.

Thursday:  

7 AM:  52mins in the garage gym

Warmup: Rowing, Crossover, and mobility

DB Shoulder Press
3x10 @ 40

3 Rounds
10 DB Laterial Raise @ 25
10 DB Front Raise @ 15

3 Rounds
30sec Plate Upright Rows @ 25
30sec Plate Steering Wheel @ 10

3 Rounds
20 Single leg V-Ups
20 Bicycles
20 Russian Twist @ 25
20 Plank Knees to Elbows

3 Rounds
10/10 Single leg split squat
10 DB seated good mornings

3 Rounds
10/10 single leg RDL @ 25
10 Jefferson Curls @ 45

2 PM: 10.6 miles w/ 2200ft of vert averaging 9:35pace.  Cruise up Bear Canyon until I saw over 2k vert on the watch then headed down. Still about 0.75 miles short of the summit of Green. Thought about going all the way up but needed to get back to work. Solid run today.

Friday:

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  Forgot both yesterday and today.

7 AM:  46min in the garage gym

Warmup: Rowing, Crossover, Mobility

5 Rounds
1 min Ball Slams @ 40
1 min Sumo Deadlift High Pulls @ 75
1 min Box Jumps
1 min Push Press @ 75
1 min Rowing
1 min rest

11 AM:  6.2 miles averaging 7:30pace.  Easy cruise on bike paths in Boulder from my PT office. Thought it would be best to run before getting laser treatment on the ankle verses running afterwards. So ran from there ending 5mins before my appointment. Of course it was raining out but at least it was not to cold out.

Saturday: 

7:30 AM:  11.5 miles w/ 2600ft of vert averaging 10min pace.  Easy cruise from Bear Canyon trailhead to the top of Green and back in the new prototype shoes. Rained last night so all the rocks were wet.  The traction was not the best for wet rock but that should not be an issue at Western States so otherwise they are good so far.

Noon: 6.8 miles averaging 14min pace. Rocky Mountain Orienteering Club meet at Chatfield with Paula. My first meet ever. Just followed Paula trying to learn what I can. We were doing well until checkpoint 11 were we could not find it and spent over a half hour looking for it, well we were on the wrong trail. Good learning experience. Good times and plan on doing more of these as time allows.

Sunday:  

8 AM:  19miles w/ 600ft averaging 7min pace.  Run with the Boulder Track Club on the Boulder Creek Path. 14 miles with them and the rest solo to get my mileage up. All sub 7min pace when with them and slower solo of course. Good mix of hills and faster running this weekend. I really think this combo of both is what will be needed to do well at Western States.

Total Weekly Numbers

Solid week this week.  Wanted to run more in the evenings but cut that to try and keep the ankle swelling down and let it heal some.  Trying to find that balance between still gaining fitness but letting it heal.  The weird part is that it is mostly cosmetic, there really is no pain anymore like last weekend.  Just really tight when I get out of bed as it warms up for the day but that is it.  Anyways more of a recovery week this coming week as we are heading to Fruita on Thursday so Paula can do the 18 Hours of Fruita Mountain Bike race this weekend.  More adventures in store!  If interested there is a short video Paula did of my ankles as we were leaving Costco after my long run on Sunday at the bottom.  Yes it looks bad but there is no pain or anything, so weird.  Can you guess which ankle I am referring too?