Stay the Course - Boring Be Damned

Tonight's strength workout is the same as it's been for the last 10 workouts:

Deadlift:

• 10 x bar
• 5 x 135lbs
• 5 x heavy
• 5 x less than heavy

Shoulder Press:

• 10 x bar
• 5 x 75 lbs
• 5 x heavy
• 5 x less than heavy

GHD situps with a 15 lb slam ball on the neck

GHD back extensions with a 15 lb slam ball to the chest.

Why the monotony?  Get  the book "Easy Strength" if you really want to know.  But long story short: it works.

Of course, the definition of success is up to you, but here's the deal:

• I'm deadlifting twice a week without pain
• I'm shoulder pressing twice a week and making progress.
• My core(back and abdominals are stronger than ever.
• I can run and continue to add 10% mileage per week for the last 5 weeks and I am NOT INJURED.

As for running, my goal is still the same:  get a sub-10 on the American River 50 miler.  Then.  Finish a 100 miler in the fall.

So far my sights are set on the Kodiak 100.  Granted, it's an extremely tough course and I will be trashed by the end, but I know I can train for it.  Keeping the joints and tendons strong via garage training will be crucial to finishing this thing.  Running the longer weekends will be part and parcel.  Back to backs, carb-fasted, hills, you name it, the strength training I am doing now (PTP-based) is not too heavy to recover from, yet heavy enough to elicit tissue change over time that will contribute to the overall success that will be 2015.  Yeah I said it.  2015 is going to be awesome.

An Oddly Balanced Weekend

Lift Run Lift

Fantastic training this weekend - starting off with Friday’s attempt at CrossFit 14.2, (which I discovered I am terrible at chest to bar pull-ups), to a 14 mile run on Saturday with absolutely zero chaffing, to Strong Sunday where I was able to do a 225lb front squat for a double, a 150lb shoulder press, and a 150lb sandbag carry for 100 yards.  None of it is record breaking, but the combination of it all is what I find fun

It’s being able to do this kind of training that tells me the approach to balancing endurance and strength is working.  I’m not there yet, but it’s good

The key to getting this if you have kids is waking up early.

Controlling Chaffing

This may not seem like a big deal, but let me tell you, over 20 years of training I’ve never had chaffing like I had 2 weeks ago.  Running the same course but with an older pair of lycra shorts, I burned through the layer between my legs like it was match paper.  Not knowing how bad it was, I kept running toward the 7 mile turnaround which was only a mile away.  Didn’t seem like it was going to be bad.

Reached the turnaround no problem, but then needed to use the restroom, that’s when I made the grisly discovery that my inner thigh was producing its own oozing mess of lubricant as that first layer of skin had been rubbed off.  The area around the wound was numb and swollen and I knew I needed to get it some first aid attention immediately.  Three and a half miles away from home, I figured I should be able to do it.  I scrubbed it with soapy water in the park bathroom, then headed out.

Shower time is terrible for chaffing.  It’s that wound sting that is simply incredible.  Then… later in the week, the gauze I put on the wound got fused.  Thinking “it’s just like a band-aid, just rip it off” I ripped off the gauze, not realizing I was tearing more skin off the wound.  Restart the healing process.

Finally, a week later, I am back to normal.

Here’s what I would have done differently:

• ·         Body Glide
• ·         Better Short (2 layers, one lycra/skin tight)
• ·         Stay hydrated and balance electrolytes
• ·         Body Glide
• ·         Possibly more Body Glide

PTP

As for lifting this last week I started up a program I haven’t used in quite a while.  It’s PTP, otherwise known as Power to the People.  A very low volume lifting protocol that I can use while my running miles go up.  Deadlifs and Shoulder Presses!