First bike climb in a week and it was a good one. Season PR by 19 sec, 22:04, hard effort. It was tough because of heat index about 100ºF at the top, 88º and dewpoint of 78º, very humid. Definitely worse at the bottom. Probably heat index over 105ºF.
My HR hit a high max, but overall, wasn't super high. I didn't set out to get a PR, just wanted to work hard. It was.
Max HR - 189
HR over 170 - 14:37
HR over 180 - 4:14
Avg HR - 167
Avg speed - 6.3 mph
Total climb time - 22:04
Hot today at 1pm at the Sewanee track. Temperature of 91º and dewpoint near 80º, heat index of 107º.
After a full warmup, drills, and bands... I hooked up the harness to the 2x45 lb plates. It was hard. I did 3 sets of 2, down and back for 40 yds. Not much but happy to do this strengthening work. Probably best to not do stuff like this more than 2x / week at this point, but i tolerated it well.
Hoka trainers on
stretches, drills, bands, high knee running
6 x 40yd 90lb weight pulls
Despite being totally winded, HR maxed at 173. Legs not yet back to parity, getting there.
142 lbs after workout. Swim tomorrow.
I had my CRP and insulin checked, the last results I've been waiting on. They were good.
Result - hs-CRP: <0.2 mg/L
My previous result was 1.1 a few yrs ago.
Here is what Ulta lab says about the hs-CRP test:
A high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) test may be used by itself, in combination with other cardiac risk markers... a test that evaluates vascular inflammation. The hs-CRP test accurately detects low concentrations of C-reactive protein to help predict a healthy person's risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). High-sensitivity CRP is promoted by some as a test for determining a person's risk level for CVD, heart attacks, and strokes. The current thinking is that hs-CRP can play a role in the evaluation process before a person develops one of these health problems.
Reference range mg/L:
<1.0 - Optimal
1.0-3.0 - Average risk
3.1-10.0 - Higher relative risk
I wonder if this reading is related to diet, stress, training?
The other test was insulin.
Result - 4.1 uIU/ml.Fasting insulin less than 10 uIU/mL is optimal or ideal. Less than 20 uIU/mL is considered good.
So, I think I'm ok for an old guy. About to go try some weight pulls in 100ºF heat index.
I went to the lake today and had it to myself for almost 2 hrs and did a little casual swimming and a few reps of water running.
I wanted to try some weight pulls with the harness on the football field but there is a football camp going on. I went twice, once at 3 and again at 6, both times the field was being used. I took two 45 lb plates from the equipment room at the football field and went down to the soccer field, but that was being used. So, I just went to the weight room.
I was able to use 85lb of kettlebells to add to the 150 lb stack for the glute machine. Did 2 x 40. Also did 2 sets of seated ham curls and hip flexors. Didn't do stairmaster so tomorrow I should be able to do some weight pulls by early afternoon on the field. Could be the hottest day of the year, but maximum heat usually occurs later, about 3-4 pm. Today, heat index peaked about 3 pm at 105ºF and it hit 90º for just the second time this month. Forecast for tomorrow at noon, heat index of 100ºF.
Lush time of year.
Breakfast: cappuccino w/ collagen
Photo: Orange Fringed Orchid, they grow wild around here.
Yesterday went for a failed bike interval workout. Sprinted 2 reps at 27.9 and 28.2 mph, much slower than I had been sprinting, then I saw someone and got into a conversation which interrupted my 2:30 rest, so i did one more and called it a day. Last one was also 28.2 mph.
Since I've had some lower back soreness I started doing hanging ab raises. It seems to help. I also cut and stacked 3 wheel barrows full of wood. Pushing a heavy wheel barrow up a grassy hill makes me think I could try some weight pulls tomorrow on the field. Tomorrow looks like today, isolated storms, hot and humid but not super hot. 80ºs not 90ºs. Tuesday may be the hottest day of the month. It's only hit 90º once this month, which is pretty fair weather for summer. I do like training in the heat, coated in sunscreen.
I was in Murfreesboro for a meeting Friday so I ran the stadium stairs for the time and had some blood work. Have most of the results in.
I got to the stadium, warmed up and stretched, and ran 6 reps, first 3 fast with no rest at the bottom. The heat index was about 107º, no shade, and was coated with sunscreen. I hadn't eaten in 24 hrs due to fasting blood work. The first one up felt great. Joyous. Strong. The feeling of running again with no pain was awesome. It got harder. My HR hit 181 walking down just after the 3rd rep. I knew I wouldn't be doing many of these so I did them hard.
It was a good start to running. Now that I know I can run hills, I need not abuse it or try to do it too often.
Due to fasting, I'm down to race weight, in the 140-142 range.
Blood work
It has only been 7 weeks since my last test for lipids, but I had some other ones: PSA, A1C, CRP, glucose, and Total Testosterone.
Lipids - an improvement but not optimal. Not as good as Dec. Here's a comparison, first number is June 3, second number July 25:
Total Cholesterol: 220 to 205
LDL: 152 to 137
TriG: 174 to 138
LDL/HDL ratio: 4.1 to 3.3
Non HDL Chol: 183 to 164
HDL: 35 to 41
Additional tests:
Glucose: 100
A1C: 5.5
PSA: 1.58
Total testost: 418
I'm still waiting on tests for insulin, and CRP. My first CRP in '21 was decent, 1.1 mg/l. I think inflammation has a lot to do with my sugar intake. It has been down in the past several weeks as I've eliminated raw sugar and am using only allulose/ monkfruit sweetener.
Busy day, bike climb in the heat of the afternoon... and it was hot due to a dewpoint in the mid 70ºs, the heat index was in the mid to probably upper 90ºs, especially at the bottom of the mountain. After that, ran a lot of errands and then swam about a quarter mile leisurely and did a few reps of water running.
The bike climb was hard on the misery and HR index but it broke my string of PRs, 22:59. My third fastest climb up Roark's cove rd. HR higher on this one compared to previous.
Here's the data:
Max HR - 182
HR over 170 - 15:51
HR over 180 - 3:53
Avg HR - 168
Avg speed - 6.0 mph
Total climb time - 22:59
It was Roya's birthday so after the swim, I made dinner and had guests over. I was real hungry but only had a tiny piece of birthday cake since I'm getting blood work tomorrow. I was 141.0 lbs before dinner, close to the lowest this yr.
Felt really tired today, low energy. Just going to do some pullups, pushups, and abs. Tomorrow, having a lipid check and an A1C, so I'm fasting. I expect I'm probably prediabetic. Lower back still bothering me, not severe though. I may try running a few stadium stairs.
Here's our annual birthday month photo at the lake... Roya's 64th, my 65th earlier this month.
Did my usual warmup, bands, drills at the track, but with one new thing. I can accelerate from the line in a 3 or 4 pt stance to high knee running. I logged my HR during this 30 min warmup and it was equivalent to a 'zone 2' workout. Avg HR 111, max 137.
Then bike sprints.
4 x 440m w/ 2:30 rest between - max speeds: 29.3, 29.3, 29.2, 28.3 mph
Max HR 169
143.5 lbs after workout.
Sat I went to the track and just did a warmup, drills, and bands.
Sunday, I did my usual tempo bike sprint workout and set a new PR max.
Bike sprints
4 x 440m w/ 2:30 rest - max speed: 29.6, 29.0, 28.3, 28.2
Edging ever closer to the 30mph barrier. I did this workout fresh, without a track warmup first, so maybe that's why I was faster. Also, tried staying in a lower gear longer, using fast turnover to get up over 26 mph before shifting to the 11T gear. Did every sprint all out, although max HR was only 170.
Getting the itch to try and run hills, maybe I'll try some stadium stairs on Friday at the MTSU stadium. I wonder if I can do weight pulls? Interestingly, I can sprint a few steps from 3 pt stance w/ no pain.
Starting to get to a good weight, daily range from about 142.5 - 145. Since I usually eat late, anytime I can wake up under 144 is good.
2025 USATF Nationals is over. It was about an avg yr for M65, but M60 was very competitive. Without Ron H. in M65, it would be at a very low level, and I don't see anyone in particular coming up next yr. However, you never know when someone might come out, like Jim L. in '23.
There was a story on aging that said people age in spurts in the 40s and 60s. Maybe that's why there is such a big difference between M60 and M65. However, outlier individuals can throw a wrench in that theory on occasion. It is fairly rare to see an M65 champion break 60 in the 400m, but it has been done numerous times. Even more rare to see multiple M65s break 60. In 2022, many time champ, Ben J. got hurt in the prelims and the M65 champion ran a pathetic 65.54. Same yr David C. won the M70 division in 62.17.
Judging by my fall workouts, I may have lost a lot of speed. I recall hard efforts just to get 14 low in the 100m in trainers, and working very hard in spikes to barely break 45 in the 300. But that was early in the training season in Nov. I did run a 100m in 13.3 in trainers end of Nov, which isn't bad. Maybe I can get it back. In '24, barely breaking 60 in the 400m was a disappointment. At M65, it would be a major accomplishment. That would be a nice round goal: break 60 sec at M65. Have to train smart and not enter 14 meets during the season, IF I choose to race again.
Doing something every day.
Wed: Did a good resistance workout with hams and quads - what I really need, plus 16 min on the Stairmaster. Did seated leg curls and leg extensions - light weight, single leg squats, hip flexors, and adductors.
Thurs: I did my usual warmup and bands on the track and I also tried some short hill running on grass, just 4 or 5 steps. Felt fine, then did some high knee running. Felt good. I will likely try to run stadium stairs on Aug 6 when I go to Murfreesboro. Knee felt better than the last time I did this.
Fri: Roark's Cove Rd climb. After the brutal climb I did last time, I wasn't going to try and one up myself this time... but I did. A big season PR - 22:23, 27 sec faster than previous PR and no where near as taxing on the heart, way less than last time, which was ridiculous. Still very hard.
I had read the final climb to La Plagne in stage 19 of the Tour de France (scheduled for Friday 7/25) has a similar grade to that of Roark's Cove Rd., 7.2%, but it goes for 12 miles instead of 2.4. Pros can average 12-15 mph up these grades, compared with my 6.2 mph.
Here's the data:
Max HR - 181
HR over 170 - 13:05
HR over 180 - 1:37
Avg HR - 164
Avg speed - 6.2 mph
Total climb time - 22:23
Strange occurrence on the bike. I had never had a flat tire in the yrs since I bought that bike. I had 3 flats in 2 days. First was because I drove across some grass and gravel. Second was dramatic, I hit the largest pothole on Roark's Cove Rd going down at 25+ mph and it blew both. Stupidly, I don't have a kit but thanks to a crack bike shop in Sewanee, I was back on the rd in 30 min... spent $75 on three new inner tubes and mounting.
USATF Nationals in Huntsville is halfway through. Like my M60 year taken by Covid, my M65 was taken by this injury. I don't like to make 'what if' statements but... if I had been able to train Dec - July, I'm fairly confident I would have done ok at Nationals. The M65 400m National title was won in 62.69. Considering I've never run an outdoor 400m in less than 61.00 in over 100 races, well ...
M60 was won in 57.87. Puts in perspective how fast that '23 race was when I ran 57.59 and only took Bronze ... and also my '21 title in 56.78. Even my '24 indoor SB 58.84 would've taken Silver at this meet in M60. None of these guys are moving up to M65 next yr, they're all age 60-62.
Be curious if any M65 breaks 27 in the 200m. 27.00 was my slowest time in a masters 200m, (last year after running a 100m in brutal 95º AL heat).
Maybe next yr.
Monday at the track, did stretches, standard warmup, bands, drills, abs, pushups etc... I also discovered I can do backward running.
Then I got on the bike and did my standard sprint interval set. I was a bit tired after the track stuff so I couldn't stay on my feet for the last rep.
Bike sprints
4 x 440m w 2:30min rest - top speed: 28.2, 28.3, 28.2, 26.6 mph
143.0 after workout.
Tuesday
I did the type of resistance workout I need to bring my R knee back. 3 sets of leg extension and leg curls, light weight - 35 lbs, and single leg squats w/ 30 lbs x 15 + various other weights, and finishing with a 16 min Stairmaster.
I need to start gently pushing range of flexion and get the ham strength back.
Band work and drills at the track before bike sprints on Friday, then some water running and swimming at the lake on Sat. Weather has been lovely, 80ºs day, 68º at night.
Bike sprints weren't quite as fast as last time. This time I used my Gymboss to precisely time the 2:30 rest interval.
4 x 420m w/ 2:30 rest - max speed: 28.2, 28.4, 28.3, 28.2 mph
Avg HR - 138
It's hard to not do anything with the legs on a day but I need to take some recovery days where I don't do any legs.
Although I've lost only a little weight, I do think I've lost fat. Been between 143 and 145.
The water running was a little more than I usually do.
Water running:
120 strides x 7 w/ 1 min rest
Max HR - 136
Avg HR - 111
I then did my open water swim which is about 170 yds each way. I try to do it without stopping but I often only make it about 70 (R+L=1) strokes before I have to coast on my back. It's about 90 strokes all the way across. Not an aerobic issue, a muscle fatigue issue. My HR stays under 120.
Water is nice, 86º. Roya approves...
Wed night I did 15 min stairmaster hill program and weights.
Today, Thursday, I did the hardest bike climb of Roark's Cove Rd I've probably ever done in terms of HR. I think this is precisely this type of exercise that somewhat risky for the heart. That is why I'm only doing these climbs once a week. Tried to 'one-up' myself... I was pretty determined to get a season PR on this course and I did, but only by 17 sec. 22:50. Started out too fast and I suffered at the end. I think pacing was an issue and I paid for it. It was hot, heat index about 89ºF.
Here's the data:
Max HR - 187HR over 170 - 16:28HR over 180 - 6:05Avg HR - 171Avg speed - 6.0 mphTotal climb time - 22:50
Glad I went to the lake yesterday morning because it rained all afternoon and was quite cool. It was beautiful at the lake, I had it to myself. No rain was predicted for yesterday, guess the NWS is failing.
Did 6 sets of water running, 120 strides (about 75 sec) w/ 1 min rest. It was good. I needed to step back a bit because I felt some knee soreness after my Sunday workout. Also have been feeling some lower back soreness after waking up, that goes away, thanks to the hot tub. Indispensible.
Deep water running
6 x 120 strides (~75 sec) x 6 w/ 1 min rest
core exercices
Today, Wed., plan on going to the lake for some swimming and some bike later today.
If I were healthy, my first meet as an M65 would be about a week away. Too bad. Still not sure I'll return to competition. If I can train like an elite, I will.
My birthday was saddened by the news that a good friend, gold medal winning relay partner in France, masters elite and many time world and national champion sprinter, often world #1 rank, has been diagnosed with an extremely rare debilitating neurological disorder, confirmed by genetic test. He's also 65. He was forced to retire but says he may run again with the time he has left. This is the age where most disease appears or manifests itself. Terrible situation. Also for my brother who has not received any treatment or relief from his neurological disorder.
It was my 65 birthday, when I look around, happy to not look like most 65 yr olds here in TN where the life expectancy for males is 71-73 yrs depend on what source you look up.
Afterward I did my usual interval workout on the bike:
4 x 440m w/ 2:30 rest - top speeds: 28.7, 28.5, 28.7, 28.2
It was the fastest such set I've done. I didn't save anything, went all out every time. Pushed HR to 173.
Warm weather in Sewanee, mid 80ºs with a heat index in low 90ºs. Didn't feel too bad on the 95% shaded Roark's Cove Rd, but I put the sunscreen on anyway.
I do think there is utility of doing these bike climbs once or twice a week for general conditioning and strength. A lot tougher than doing bike sprints.
This was a significant post op PR, about a minute faster than previous, and close to what I do when in shape. Climb time was 23:07. And, my HR didn't stay crazy high for long compared to my June 18th climb. I seemed to be breathing hard without the HR getting real high. I did stand up and sprint to the top of a couple hills for several strides.
Max HR - 183HR over 153 - 18:17HR over 170 - 7:44HR over 180 - 0:53Avg HR - 160Avg speed - 6.0 mphTotal climb time - 23:07
Gorgeous day, sunny and dry for a change. Less humid and low 80º at noon at the lake. Just some light exercise today. After 2 days of bike sprints, today I did upper body, core and band work. Swam across the lake and back then did a short set of water runs.
Lake swim - 2 x 200yds w/ 7 min rest in between
water running - 4 x 120 strides (70-80 sec) w/ 1 min rest
Nothing hard, max HR was 145 on the swim, 160 on the water running, I really pushed the last one. Did feel a little soreness on the knees because I was on my feet last 2 days for several hours working around my house. Also, lower back has been hurting when I wake up, but after coffee, hot tub, and some mobility exercises, feel fine. Will probably return to doing something on the bike tomorrow and/or some lifting.
144.5 after swim. Last week as a non-senior citizen.
Gorgeous, shady, and water is 86º
