A Breakthrough Perhaps?

So I'm in the middle of this training period and I'm just kind of rolling along, but not really training anything. In lieu of getting in my longer runs, I've been working on Crossfit trying to improve my overall strength and work on some core conditioning. Well yesterday, I had to go into the Bay Area to meet with some folks at work. I brought my workout clothes with me so I could get in a workout at lunch. Since it’s hotter than hell right now and I can’t breathe outside with all the smoke in the air, I decided to see what kind of workout I could get on the treadmill. My plan was to warmup for about 12-15 minutes and then do some 800s followed by 2:00 minute recovery jog/ez runs. After that I would ease it down for a few minutes and then crank up some 1-minute hill climbs (at 15%) and then run “downhill” for a 3-minute recovery. Turned out to be the best workout I’ve had in a long time – and no knee pain whatsoever! Here’s how it went:

• 14 minute warmup ranging from 9:00/mi to 8:00/mi pace and then...
• (4) 800’s @ 6:35/mi followed by 2:00 minutes recovery @ 8:30/mi and then...
• 3-4 minutes @ 8:30/mi and then...
• (4) 1-minute hill climbs @ 15% @ 8:30/mi followed by 3:00 minutes @ 8:00/mi and then...
• After the last hill and recovery, did the last ¾ mile @ 6:35/mi. (sweat was dumping).
• Totals => 7.5 miles in 60 minutes (added .25 in cooldown)

I was excited to see a Concept 2 rower in the room so I did that for 5 minutes afterwards. Whew.

Monday’s workout:

Did one of the Crossfit workouts from the Crossfit Games:

• 30 reps of 155-lb Squat clean-and-jerks for time – didn’t bring my watch, but it was around 15 minutes – a blaster of a workout.

(If you want some inspiration, check out this video of a 14-year old (103-lb) Kallista Pappas cranking out the same workout from the CF Games (100-lb for the ladies). She is competing against the adults. If this doesn’t inspire you and make you want to tear up at the same time, then God help you.)

Sunday: Off

Saturday: Golf (walking 18) + 4 miles with the dog at night

Friday: Ran a 10k from my house to the in-laws at hot/smokey time (time: 48:14)

Overall, my health feels pretty good. I think yesterday was the first day my knee didn’t hurt when I went over 6 miles on a run. I’m still not really sure if I’ll be able to run Skyline or not. I’ll shoot for a nice 6-8 miler tomorrow (early AM) and then try to crank up the miles this weekend. I actually got a tennis ball out this morning so I could start rolling around on it to break up the trigger points in my legs and try to get rid of the ITBS for good (for now).

On a side note (and another reason why I love working at home), the train (ACE) coming back from the Bay Area to Stockton yesterday had to stop on the track before Pleasanton because the track up ahead had buckled due to the heat. Are you kidding me? This is the 2^nd time I’ve been on the train in the last two weeks and it’s the 2^nd time I’ve been delayed in the exact same spot. This time, we had to sit there for 3 hours!! If the AC wasn’t working, I probably would’ve jumped off and ran home (give or take 40 miles). Sheesh. That stunk because I didn't get to spend time with my boys when I got home last night.

Have a great rest of the week!