not ready yet

Thought I might be ready to do a track workout yesterday but no.  During a warmup, my foot felt pretty achy so I did the warm up on the track, then went to the hill on Roark's Cove Rd to run a few.

Hoka Clifton 3 trainers on 

400m warmup stretches, drills 

4 x 100m hill sprints 19.5- 20.5

weights 

I could have run more but wanted to stop and preserve myself for a real workout maybe by Friday.  I usually run these 100m hills at about 18, so these were slower.   I went to the rec center afterward for a 1 set workout.

Today Tues, I've done some abs and pullups, I'll swim in the afternoon, and go to the weight room and bike afterward.  It's a sports camp.

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Masters Nationals

I was happy to see Getulio win the M55 400m (54.85) and smash a WR in the 400mH (57.72).  He told me he was injured and not in shape.  LOL.... right.  Happy to see David win the 200m in a World Lead 24.37.   Both these guys ran faster than my M55 PRs. (55.17 / 24.48)

Sorry to see Ben go down in the M60 400m.  He was pretty bummed when we texted.  What a difference in age groups!  The M60 400 was won in 59, only one person under a minute; and Val won the 200 in 26.60 (despite seeding himself at 23.5).

New lease on summer

I was scheduled to have hand surgery on Friday and I backed out at literally the last minute, I made the decision during the drive to the hospital.  My hand symptoms weren't bad enough to warrant surgery so I opted for some cortisone shots.  The hand feels ok and will likely improve in the coming days.  I was prepared to put away my boat, bike, and motorcycles for the month and possibly the summer.  I had read wide ranging personal accounts of the surgery from 'recovery in a few weeks' to 'never the same again.'   So, I'm fine and it has been a reminder to never take for granted what I have.  Saturday I expected to be in pain recovering, but instead, I was at the lake swimming, doing pushups, and enjoying life.  I swam a lot, about 3/4 mile. 

There will come a time when I can't do a pullup, when I can't run, when I can't use my boat, when I can't play guitar, when I can't bike, and possibly even when I can't walk...   to those who blow off such opportunities to do these things out of laziness when they can, it is sad and you will regret it... someday.  This was a lesson for me. 

So, I've been getting fairly 'buff' in my upper body, doing a lot more upper body work this week and yesterday.   Eating a bit more.   Saturday, I did not intend to run although I really wanted to.  The rec center was open late but was buzzing with activity with a major youth swim meet.  So I went to the track and did a warm up, some drills and 5 x 50m high knee fast turnover sprints on turf.  Then I went to the weight room and did upper body, and glutes.  I was the only person there as the place was really open later than scheduled.

I live a pretty solitary life as my close friends and family are far away, but it's a like living in a sports camp.  I can swim, bike, lift, and run as much as I am able on turf, hills or track.   Frankly, I have little else to do, except occasional musical practicing and recording.  I do hope to get my boat out again week after next, since my truck is in the shop (again). 

It's really difficult to restrain myself from trying to run too often at this point.  I really should not run any more than every 4th or 5th day or so.  Next time I may just run hills instead of track, tomorrow at the earliest. 

It's not been too hot here past few days, just low 80ºs but the water temperature at the lake is about 88º at the surface.  It's like a paradise there, rarely see people except for weekends but on Sat., no one was there from 12:30 - 2:30pm.   I go right to the lakeshore on my motorcycle instead of having to hike the half mile to get there from the road.  I swim the quarter mile across the lake to a beautiful rock beach with colorful wild flowers, it's pristine and warm.  I imagine the fishing is great.  Paradise. 

Just a few

On the track again tonight.  Felt ok although my stride still feels a bit clunky and asymmetric.   I did a similar brief workout as I did on Sunday.  Slightly more.

Hoka Clifton 3 trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

100m - 15. 6 

200m - 32 

100m - 14.4

Running my first 200m in a long time.  Was a bit spooked about trying the 200m because it was this exact distance on this same track I felt that 'snap' in my knee that took me out for this season.  So I ran it easy and it was fine. 

My workouts are going to be similar to this for a while and I may start running some hill sprints.  Probably be at least a week before I'm back on the track because of a hand surgery tomorrow, which will affect my upper body lifting and resistance work for quite a while. 

In a month, I may start putting tempo intervals together with limited rest.  Then the real training will begin. 

First track workout in 8 months

Well, it wasn't a real workout, but I did sprint for the first time, about 85%. 

It was great being on the track again.  Not going to push it, maybe once a week for the next month.  Knee isn't 100% but it's getting there.  It was a steamy humid evening in Sewanee, not hot, about 74º with a thunderstorms all around.  I kept it real brief as a big storm was approaching.

Clifton 3 trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 100m - 15.48, 14.82, 14.42

Well, it's a start.  I can sprint, albeit, slowly.  I expect to be back out Thurs as I am having a hand surgery Friday that will put me out of biking and much upper body lifting for weeks.  Hopefully, I'll be back on the track shortly after.  Expect to do some hill running next time.  Hill running is actually safe as it is short stride. 

I'm not as light as I'd like to be ... still around 146-147 lbs yesterday, 145 today.   It's fruit and melon season, been eating more but well.

 

First runs

After a strong early mid June of diet and vigorous biking, I've gotten a tad soft after a week in FL with my parents and an unusual chest cold on this July 4th.  Last night I did the obligatory Stairmaster and a few machines, and my weight is OK, 143.8 lbs after workout last night, but I feel soft and not in shape.

While in FL, I did some of my first hill runs.  On Thurs and Sunday I did 3x150 hill runs and it felt OK.  On Tues I did 8 stadium stair runs and it felt ok but not great.  Very out of shape compared to last year when I ran 30 of these.  The next morning I felt a little weak, also due to the cold and travel.

My original plan was to get really thin, then start building muscle.  I did lose weight but 145-146 avg is not 'really thin' and my training has consisted of some cardio plus one set maintenance lifting of a few machines.  No real gains can be made with one set workouts, 2-3 times a week, so I'm just maintaining a moderate level of fitness, not really pushing it.

I can tell with my first runs, running hills and stairs 3 times in 6 days, that I should not be running more than once every 4-6 days or so at this point, and only hills and stairs, nothing fast or full stride. It's been 6 months today and I can still feel a small amount of pain when I really torque the knee to maximum flex and do single leg squats, but just minor.  I believe that the body needs time to adapt to running after so many months off. 

There is no rush!  I don't anticipate any serious interval workouts on the track for at least 6-8 weeks.  I really want to be viable to race a year from now at M60 and in the following indoor season which is a LONG ways away.  The USATF Indoor Championships will be at the Armory in NYC! on March 19, 2021... that is more than 20 months away, and the World Masters Indoor Championship WMACi Edmonton will be one of the latest ever contested... April 6-12, 2021.  That is where I hope to be 100% and back to world class at M60... 21 months away.  If that goes well, I may do Nationals again in 2021.  But all of this is so far away, I have no idea what will happen or where I'll be.  It's just good to have goals.

Hill climb on bike, run testing on track

After slacking a bit on Sunday, I went out and climbed Roarke's Cove Rd. yesterday on the bike, a 28 min 900' climb of 2.8 miles.  My bike needs some adjustment, not getting into the highest and lowest gears.  I stopped on the steepest part of the hill and did a 100m run up to see wha it felt like.  It was fine.   I then went to the track and did my usual warmup and added some single leg squats.  I tried a bit of running.  Running on the turf with high knees and good form, it feels good.  So, I did 3 x 50m high knee running.  I tried a 50m run with normal stride but it felt clunky.

I can tell my first running will be hills and not full stride.  Maybe some stadium stair when I get back to Murfreesboro on July 2.   I can see that it'll be a while before any speed work but it's nice to return to the track and to the hills for some running, even though it's just a little.   No need to rush anything.  I am trying to increase my flexion but when I flex my knee to the max, it really makes some noise. 

My weight was up a bit but body fat still OK.  When I get down to this weight it's not hard to maintain.  I ate a lot of chocolate yesterday and was 147 lbs after dinner, but today will be a light day and I'll be back to 143ish by tomorrow.  Woke up at 144.7 lbs, which is usually at least a lb heavier than after my workout.  I think I'll swim and do stairmaster, abs, and weights today.  Traveling to FL to see my parents tomorrow so I anticipate a break in my workouts for the next week with no bike.

hill climbing on the bike then time off

Last week I took the boat up the river to Chattanooga and through the beautiful TN River Gorge.  On Friday morning I awoke to a gorgeous and unseasonably cool sunny morning, in the 50ºs and decided that it was the day to do the Raccoon mountain climb on my bike.

 It is a 12+ mile round trip and the hill is a relentless 1400' climb that goes on for about 5 miles.  I waited til early afternoon to start, which was a mistake because it got quite warm by the time I started, but still only low 80ºs but feeling hot in the sun.  Normally I would try to make this without stopping but I did stop a few times on the way up.   The vistor's center was cool and the views tremendous.  It was hard, I never thought I'd do it again... but I did, about 18 hrs later.

That night I met my HS friend Bill and he said he was in, he wanted to do the climb.  Bill is an endurance runner and he said he'd be bringing Dianna, his friend who is a top triathlete, about 10 yrs younger than us.

They showed up next morning at 6:30ish AM and I met them in the parking lot. They both had nice road bikes, Dianna's was a super light carbon bike.  I was on my much heavier entry level mountain bike.  After the first two miles, they were gone ... ahead of me and out of sight, Dianna leading the way.   This encouraged me not to stop so I kept going, pushing all the way to the top.  It seemed easier than last time, but certainly not 'easy'.    They were not at the visitors center so I took a loop of the lake before I finally found them, we took a few photos at the top.  

Bill and I made it down quickly and we were rewarded with a real close sighting of a bob cat crossing the road during our rapid descent, probably about 40+ mph. 

During this trip, I suspended my diet, and ate pasta once, some other carbs and developed a real fondness for Whole Foods brand chocolate almond butter cups.  

Aside from one ab session and a set of pull ups (16), I didn't exercise for most of 3 days after my return and my slacking on my diet caused me to backslide a little, still hovering around 145 lbs but getting a tad soft, so today, I need to do a hard bike and get to the gym.  

I've put aside this week to refocus on music as I've been learning some new pieces on the Baroque lute, which has been great fun and challenging.  

I hope to do more boating this season.  The boat ran great but when I got back to my truck, the starter was failing but I managed to get it to start one final time to get me home.  Also, the boat has a new modern  vacu-flush head that I installed, and the new exhaust manifold I installed is working well. 

This photo was from the top of the mountain and to give you an idea of scale, that tiny white dot at the left side of the parking lot is my boat.

As far as my other toys, my 2 Kawasaki dual sport Sherpa motorcycles are going to be very costly to repair, so I've been riding this street legal Suzuki DR 100 mini bike around.  It's 32 yrs old and amazing it still runs well.  With my truck in the shop, it is my only motorized vehicle.   I took it to the lake for a swim the other day.  Still relatively cool for almost summer in the south.  On and off showers and only in the 70ºs today and tomorrow.  

Love these long days.  Love this time of year.  A good life for sure.