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Saturday 6/23 140.0 Race Day!
I DID IT! My PR strategy - key in on someone fast and keep them in sight. In my case I checked out finish times from some other local races and realized a woman I know (and who is easy to spot from behind) consistantly runs faster than I do, but within the realm of possibility. I figured out where Sandy was in the starting chute and kept her in sight which meant I ran faster than I would have, but not so fast I would crater. It worked - smashed my previous best by over a minute! Second in my age group with a time of 26:14.
 
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Sunday 6/24 weight 139.8, did the BF% today as I was in a hurry Saturday. 17.5 & 26.9 so 22.2% average

Big work day planned so got in something fun first: 2100 jumps with the speed rope.

After 21 years, we need to move our access road as our existing access is an old Forest Service road but on private property. Someone bought that land and has offered to help us get the non-existant but actual road in shape so he can fence his land. Spent 4 hours moving logs and branches, raking, using the pick axe to dig up rocks and boulders, and tearing out rabbit and sage brush. Made mud taking a bath and collapsed in exhaustion, but there is something very satisfying about hard physical work.
 
Monday 6/25/12 139.0
Shoe Hill Loop today with T. Lovely morning, good run. The middle mile was 8:12. T always does the timing so I was trying to guess how fast it went, my guess was a little over 8, but better than the actual. Got me thinking that it is hard to know how fast one is running based on perception since if one is tired it is hard to determine if the feelings are from being tired and perhaps going slower, or tired because of really pushing and going faster... it's not as if I can tell that the trees or rock obstacles are going by any faster.
 
Saddle Mt Tuesday! Weight 138.6

Lovely morning and the wind was not howling, so skipped the IPod and headphones in favor of nature. Much nicer. Working on increasing the amount of time spent running up the hill vs. powerwalking. Made it to the gate in 34.45, not record time, but respectable, and did run more. I'm trying to keep in mind that I don't have to beat me/beat my last time every time I do something. That approach is just silly and really won't lead to the best results...

Turned and ran down easy, wasn't trying to push, just enjoyed the morning. Sadly, my gorgeous blue western skies are not looking so good between the dust (super dry and windy all over the west) and the smoke from the wildfires burning here and there.

Stats for my reference:
34.45 to gate, 12.53/mile
22.40 down, 8.16/mile
57.25 total, 10.41/mile
 
Wednesday 6/27 weight 139.0

Really good workout this morning even if it was inside.

Leg press 210lbs x 10 x 3
Single leg quad lifts 40lbs x 5 x 3
Ham string 17.5 x 8, 20 x 8 x 2
Calf 240lbs x 8 x 3
Bench 45lbs x 8, 65lbs x 8, 70 x 5 x 3 (just didn't have 75 in me today)
Side pull lunges 60lbs x 8 x 2
Lat pulls 60lbs x 10 x 2 - should go up in weight, but I lose form everytime I do...
Single arm rows with twist 60lbs x 8 x 2
Shoulder press 35 x 8 x 2

Should have done some pullups or pushups, but the urge to do lunges won out - left the IPod in charge and it found a couple of long songs - 13 minutes of lunges: BOSU, forward, back and sideways, about half with 15lb medicine ball.

We are planning to climb this weekend, hope I feel strong Sunday!
 
Thursday 6/28/12 Weight 140.2

So last evening we are out in the garden watering, chatting, and eating some really yummy pungent and hot green onion tops (they have been a bit dry and so are intensely flavorful) and "Coach" T who has been reading Tim Noakes The Lore of Running at bedtime says "What are we doing in the morning?" I say "Shoe Hill Loop sounds good..." (read: not going to kill me) but Coach says "I think it's time for 3 x 3 intervals" OMG!

So we start off this morning jogging through the valley, meaning we are going clockwise which is the hard way. When we get to the middle mile that we usually run, we start the first 3 minute interval. It is gently uphill and fairly rocky and loose in this section, but I survive. We turn and gently jog back. 3 minutes later we turn and run pretty hard as Coach has said that it should feel like an injection of poison or acid after about 50 - 60 seconds so that you are miserable for the next 2 minutes until you stop. What???? Survived, now interval #3 which includes the section with the aroyo and the mama badger. I am fairly convinced that if she comes out and after me I cannot outrun her, luckily she is either sleeping in or has found other game to hunt. By #4 I am scarcely going faster than my "active recovery", and I'm thinking T is trying to kill me for the insurance money, but I rally for #5 telling myself I must "overcome the internal governor" (more Noakes Lore).

I definitely went harder than I would have done on my own.
 
Saturday 6/30/12 140.2, BF% 22.2
Our planned workout got sidetracked by the dump truck delivering 12 yards of gravel - the project to replace our access road continues. Lots of raking, hoeing and shoveling to move the rock. After we moved a 15 foot log from one end of the property to the other, I made dinner, washed dishes, worked in the garden, made mud taking a bath, and then collapsed in front of the "UFC Best of 2011" and watched guys pummel each other...
 
Sunday 7/1/12 140.8
Shoe Hill Loop - T was reading about a new running/training strategy - something along the lines of "Run less/Run faster" - anyway as we set off he did warn me he planned to run the middle mile as fast as he could. I said I would try and keep up - I didn't, but did OK with an 8:05.

Went to town for a load of water, hit the farmer's market (lovely tomatoes!), and came home to paint.
 
Monday 7/2/12 139.8
Volcano Training! Well sort of - we live in a valley surrounded by volcanic cinder cones - Shoe Hill is a large cinder cone. We call the one to the south of our house "The Snow Cone". This morning, I went up the Snow Cone as fast as I could - 360 feet of climb, maybe .2 of a mile in 6:45 - my little heart was pounding! Think terminal steepness for loose cinders tied loosly with some plants and fallen logs - it's about a 30 degree angle. Slid down, went a bit further around the hill to make round 2 longer, and climbed back up. This one took 8 minutes. Did my best to run down, then jogged home.

A little short, but intense and really good.
 
Tuesday 7/3/12 weight 139.0

Saddle Mt day! T's regular training partner for Tuesday is out of town so he came with me to see what's up with my Tuesday morning run. I ran more of the uphill than ever but had to be really focused on making fast transitions to walking as I noticed one time I was going too slowly. If I'm going to walk it had better be fast! Made the top in my best time ever, 34.21. T was there in under 32 (a new mark for me to shoot for!). After a quick pause for breath, we turned to run down and I got to take the lead. I was wearing cushier shoes than usual, the Brooks Cascadias - wow, they felt good and I ran hard.

Stats for my reference:
34.21 to gate (12.44/mi)
21.57 down (7.84/mi)
56.18 round trip (10.21/mi average)
 
7/4 weight 139.6
Road work continues: raking, shoveling rock, moving big and not as big rocks and then filling in the holes... we are about done. Later did a weight workout in the yard. Very pleased to say I managed 5 pullups (not continuous, but still...).

Bench press
45 lbs x 8
65 lbs x 8
70 lbs x 5
75 lbs x 5
80 lbs x 5 (really happy to have done this weight in good form!)
75 lbs x 6

Hanging from the tricky bars:
knees to elbows x 5 (ugh!)
knee lifts
single arm hang - 10 seconds per arm
Jumped to pullup position and then slowly let down, hung for count of 5 at 90 degrees and then lowered
 
7/5/12 140.6 Vacation day and we went hiking/running!
Kachina Peaks loop: 19 miles, 3650 elevation, time was 5:38, about 15 minutes faster than I've ever done this loop before.

We started at 9300 feet and got up to the saddle (11800 ft) in 1:33, so we were off to a good start. I was feeling the elevation when we crossed the 11,400 ft mark and that is when the boulders start - aak!
Quick stop on the saddle to put on arm warmers (we had hiked into the clouds and it was chilly), then up to Agassiz Saddle, the high point at 12,000 ft. Ran down from Agassiz to Doyle Saddle, then mixed running/power walking as the trail is really rough and rock strewn for the next 6 miles - not worth turning an ankle to go a bit faster. Low point on the loop is 8400 ft and the last 6 miles is an up and down trail where we climb that last 1000 feet at least twice.

I noted more than 30 different wildflowers despite the hideously dry spring and early summer - it was lovely up there. By the time we were done my hips, knees and especially my achilles tendons were all complaining. After a shower, short jacuzzi, and a hard earned chocolate chip cookie, I hit the roller hard and then crashed.

Feeling pretty good today, 7/6 but my daily sweat was limited to back exercises and taking the cats for a walk. Weight 141 - was expecting something higher as a result of inflammation and a bit of ankle swelling
 
Had good intentions on Saturday but got caught up in home projects - sanding and scraping a shed in preparation for painting and gardening. Weight 140.4

Sunday 7/8/12 weight 139.8
Fast Shoe Hill Loop - T wanted to establish a fast time for the last leg, overall, went about 2 minutes faster than "normal" for the 3.2 mile loop. Ran the middle mile in 8.05.
Lunges: 60 per leg (forward, back, and hold for 3-5 seconds - each in sets of 20)
One legged squats 2 sets of 8 per leg
Push-ups 3 sets of 8
Pull-ups 5 plus a couple where I jumped into position and then did slooooow lowers
Overhead shoulder press with the 45 lb bar - first time ever so just did 5 - fearful of tweaking something
Toe taps on 24 in box, 3 sets of 20
Breakfast, hauled water (so 50lb farmer carries with water jugs), and more painting prep
 
Monday 7/9/12 weight 139.0
Just wanted to be outside today, so devised a scheme for intervals.

Set my watch for 2 minute repeats and did 2 minutes of speed rope, then 2 minutes of arm and shoulder work with 10 lb dumbbells or a 5 lb medicine ball. Did 10 repeats of each.
 
Tuesday so it was Saddle Mt day! Weight 138.4

T had such a good time last week that he wanted to join me again, we push each other in a good way. In this case, he pushed (or pulled actually given he was ahead and I was trying to keep him in sight) on the way up the hill while I pushed on the way down. Improved our times in both directions. Despite the fact that this was a running workout, even my arms are tired - thus I know it was good!

5.5 miles, 1100 feet elevation gain
Up in 32.32 (record!) so 11.75/mile
Down in 20.27 so 7.37/mile
Total: 52.59 so avg of 9.56/mile First time I've ever had avg of less than 10 min/mile!

For the race on 7/23, one of the prizes is for most improved time. For the first time I am wondering if I might have a shot at this? I would be so pleased.
 
Thursday 7/12/12, weight 139.6
Weights this morning and I am pleased to have increased on several lifts
Warmed up with BOSU and 5kg medicine ball
BOSU lunges for about 5 minutes (1 longish song - Portuguese lyrics - wonder what she was saying?)
Lunges - press and hold, forward, and backward with 5kg medicine ball for 2 songs ~ 9 minutes
Bench press: 45lb x 6, 65 x 6, 70 x 6 x 3 (just didn't feel like I could go to 75 with confidence...)
Leg press: 210lb x 10, 250 x 10, 260 x 10 x 2 (new high weight)
Quad lift, single leg: 40lb x 8, 45 x 6 x 3 (new high weight)
Hamstring: 20.5lb x 8 x 3
Calf raises: 220lb x 10 single leg, then 260lb both legs x 10 x 2
Side lunge/cross chest pull: 50lb x 10 x 2
Triceps: 30lb x 10 x 2
Lat pulls: 60lb x 10, 70lb x 10 (new high weight) (but form was not as good once I increased weight because I used my arms too much, not lats)
Rows with rotation: 60lb x 10, 70lb x 10 (new high weight)
Shoulder press: 35lb x 8 x 2
Military press with 45lb bar x 5
Chest fly: 30lb x 8 x 2
 
Friday, no workout, just good stretching and back exercises
 
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