January 19th- January 25th

"Sometimes opportunities float right past your nose.  Work hard, apply yourself, and be ready.  When an opportunity comes you can grab it." - Julie Andrews

Monday:

-- Day off work today for MLK day which of course created a lack of motivation for me.  Dragging my ass around the house all morning trying to get going waiting for it to warmup outside.

11 AM:  10.3 miles w/ 850ft of vert averaging 7:30pace.  Easy cruise on the Dirty Biz trails from the Coalton Trailhead. Headed west up the hill then cut over into Rocky Flats up that hill with a new trail (don't know the name of it yet). I knew this route would not be muddy from snow last night since it was all crushed gravel. Actually also love all the runnable hills as well on this route and close to home. Took me a bit to get moving today but a good run overall.

2 PM:  Walk 2 miles around the hood with Venus then went straight over to At VASA since I don't have a cable system at home to do these lifts.

Warmup: Rowing and mobility

Pullups
35 reps broken up as needed

Seated Cable Rows
10@ 110lbs
10@ 110lbs
10@ 110lbs

3 Rounds
10 Ezbar cable straight arm pulldowns @ 42.5lbs
10 Ezbar reverse grip cable straight arm pulldowns @ 42.5lbs

3 Rounds
10 weighted back extends @ 25lbs
10 back extends
10 weighted situps @ 25lbs

3 rounds
10 DB bicep curls @ 20lbs- each arm
10 DB cross body curls @ 20lbs - each arm
10 DB Hammer Curls @ 20lbs- each arm

Tuesday:  

Good reminder, need to slow down my easy paces I think..  To quote the great Frank Shorter from Michael Sandrock’s Running With The Legends, “I’ve always had a simple view of training for distance running: two hard interval sessions a week and one long run—20 miles or two hours, whichever comes first. Every other run is aerobic, and you do as much of that for volume as you can handle. Do this for two or three years, and you’ll get good.” (Also from Shorter, when you’re running with other people, “You go as slow as the slowest person you’re running with. If someone doesn’t like that, they should find another group.”).

--  After finding the quote above I skipped my run today... could not make it out and ended up taking a total day off today.  First one in about 5-6 weeks since right after CIM.  Of course it made feel super guilty and somewhat depressed in the evening at home.  Probably needed it anyways, I have been somewhat run down lately with all the stress in my life right now.  Just have to make it through this week at work to the end of Q3 and things will be better for a few months before shit hits the fan again at the end of Q4 in April.

Mood last night....

Wednesday:

2 PM:  13.4 miles averaging 6:30pace.  Workout Wednesday!! Took me a bit to get out of the office so this turned into a mid-afternoon effort at Davidson Mesa again. I really don't like running in the afternoons but at least the weather was perfect, 50 and sunny.

20 min warm up

3 sets of 5/3/2 min fast/90 sec easy between each and 3 min jog between sets.

20 min cool down

Killer workout, the first set was rough but then settled into the paces easily right under 6min pace. Honestly did not think I had a workout in me this week, just shows how weak the mind can be at times.

--  Got this in the mail today from CIM that I ran last month.  Super surprised!  Was not expecting anything at all.  Also got a postcard from Don as well.  It was a big mail day!  

Thursday:  

  -NOTE:  Weight check in:  173.2 lbs @ 9.2% bodyfat.  Been a bit since I’ve been on the scale, maybe over 2-3 months if not longer…. Gotta a little work to do but better than I was expecting. I was thinking and feeling like I was over 180.  I like to try and stay around 170 so we are right there, just would like that bodyfat on my scale to read under 9% though.

6 AM:  48min Garage gym session

Warmup: Skierg, Crossover, and Mobility

30min AMRAP- 30sec work/ 30sec rest
30sec Skierg
30sec DB Burpee to Deadlift w/ 50lbs each hand
30sec Pushup w/ 2 Mountain Climbers
30sec Alt DB Snatches w/ 35lbs
30sec Butterfly Situps

2:30 PM: 12.25 miles w/ 500ft of vert averaging 7:25pace.  Easy jog from work during the warmest part of the day. Waited to run in the sun and plus work would not allow me to get away this morning due to meetings anyways. Last warmer day for a bit, supposed to be a cold snap starting tomorrow through the weekend.  Pace was good today but legs felt dead today, no pop which is fine right now...

Friday:

7 AM:  48min Garage Gym Session

Warmup: Skierg, Crossover, and mobility

4 rounds
10 DB Incline Press @ 40lbs
10 Bench Dips

4 rounds
12 DB Flies @ 22.5lbs
12 Hand Release Push-ups

4 rounds
10 Ez-bar narrow chess press @ 57lbs
10 Ez-bar Skull Crusher @ 47lbs

3x15 GHD Situps

2 PM:  10.1 miles averaging 7:35pace.  Bailed to the treadmill this afternoon due having some stomach issues and needed to be close to a bathroom, stopped multiple times to run to the bathroom during this run, not sure why today, never figured it out but got the damn run done.

-- These showed up today thanks to the Boulder Track Club.  They are sponsored by ASICS so they hooked me up with their high end carbon shoe to use in the next marathon in May.  Holy shit are they light!!! 4.95oz for size 11, mind is blown...... 

Saturday: 

8 AM:  15.5 miles w/ 1700ft of vert averaging 7:45pace on the treadmill again.  Yeah, 5 degrees with wind as a no go for me this morning. Mostly due to the wind chill. Did throw in a bunch of incline miles on the treadmill this morning to get some hill work in as well. Man I hate the treadmill for the most part but people watching at VASA is always fun and helps the time go by. Still don't understand all the makeup on the girls and all the shitty cologne on a lot of the guys. Guess I am turning into that grumpy old man. HA!

Sunday:  

8 AM: 15.2 miles w/ 1600ft of vert averaging 7:45pace.  Joined the Boulder Track Club this morning running from North Boulder Park up Chapman and back. Little bit more mellow than usual due to the cold (6 degrees at the start) and the snow packed/icy  roads, bike paths, ect... Of course came back faster than going out but overall kept it somewhat chill with the exception of the climb up Chapman, that spiked the HR some which is expected. Great morning out there!!

Total Weekly Numbers

Another solid week even with taking Tuesday completely off which of course I felt super guilty about.  This will be the 5th week in a row of being right around 80 miles on the week.  Did also skip some weight room time as well, need to be better about that but it has been hard to get it done after getting home from work or after my late afternoon jogs.  I have been going to work early so I can get off early to run in the sun which makes lifting before work hard as well.  Ready for March and some more mild morning temps.