Week Summary

Mon - AM: 60 min Iller creek. 30 min strength and stretch. 

PM - 60 min upper body strength and tempo 

Tues - AM: 105 min Iller creek 5 min stretch

Rough morning...I may be pushing a little too much considering I raced on Saturday. Stomach issues and creaky legs. 

Wed - AM: needed but unwanted rest

PM: 30 min lower body strength, 30 min bouldering 

3 x 12 squats @ 135 (first time doing weighted squats for a very long time)

3 x 12 hip abduction

3 x 12 hip adduction

3 x 12 dorsiflexion 

Thurs- AM: 90 min ill creek trailhead to trailhead

This run made me question why the heck any runner would ever do weighted squats. After my race on Saturday I realized a few things:

1- I need to run on runnable terrain more often. I love to climb and descend but I don't often run on "flat" surface. 

2. I am still prone to injury hence more lower body strengthening is required. 

3. I am very much human. 

PM: 30 min bouldering, 30 min upper body strength

3 x 12 cable chest press @ 205 

3 x 12 one arm pull ups on assisted machine (40 lb assist)

3 x 8 negatives (pull ups with emphasis on eccentric phase)

3 x 12 military press @ 100

Fri- AM: more needed rest. I am anxious to be fresh again so I can really train hard. 

Sat- AM: 100 min. Iller creek

Sun- AM: 90 min. hike in iller creek

Good week, ready to hit it hard next week! It took a little while to feel fully recovered from last weeks marathon but I am there.

Last few weeks review...

The last few weeks have seemed like a whirlwind. Obviously juggling my various daily activities was probably more like procrastinating my important yet not urgent tasks. A lot of my school work piled up and I had to set aside my "two a days" and my bouldering breaks at Eastern's climbing wall and hunker down. Luckily I was still consistent in my morning training and it worked rather nicely into a taper for my race this weekend.

I ran the Sunflower Marathon in the Methow Valley on saturday and it was a beautiful course with awesome trail and very minimal gravel road stretch. As usual I got a little caught up in the mix as the gun went off but I felt like I was holding back more than usual. I had let several of the other marathoners go ahead thinking I would see them again on the back half of the course. At around the 10 mile mark I felt the affects of not having trained on long very runnable terrain (as was the terrain up to this point). My IT band (that I thought was healed and strengthened sufficiently) was screaming at me and I had to turn it down a notch. The temps soared (90º F +) and I found myself reaching for my empty water bottle more than once. At one point I actually threw myself into a creek and started slurping the bacteria infested waters like a mangy dog. That lasted until my hamstring started cramping so I got back into my slowed rhythm. Passing through the last aid I downed a ton of sports drink and fueled up with some Gu and worked my way up the final climb. I succumbed to yet another temptation as I passed a cattle watering troff and submerged my upper half while fighting the urge to take a drink. That helped me to cool down and get to the end of the final climb with just enough energy to bomb the last hill, pass a bunch of people (some marathoners and a few relay runners) and finish strong and in the top ten of a huge field. 

Looking back now I can't complain much because I did just run a marathon and finish relatively competitively. Today I feel great and got a really nice training run in this morning which tells me that I probably left way too much on the table... but that's ok. I am not willing to tear an IT band to win a race. Furthermore, running is about embracing my natural surroundings, and celebrating health. It's not about winning races or not getting 'chicked' (which did happen this weekend). This is is something I hope to be able to do for a very long time to come (and I don't mean getting 'chicked').  Now that the rush is through I can go back to my thick of thin things routine and maybe even back to my two a days  and bouldering sessions.  Next up: West Coast Trail in July!

Week summary 4/22-4/29

Mon: AM -lazy rest (unnecessary)

PM - 30 min bouldering

Tues: AM - 90 min Iller creek

PM - 30 min bouldering

Second day in a row forgetting my running clothes. Looks like this might be a light week.

Wed: AM - Iller creek

Thursday - Sunday

My family and I went to Midway, Utah for my little brothers graduation. We stayed in a condo right up against the wasatch Mtn range. I had several 2-3 hour jaunts with lots of vertical gain. I missed the vegetation but loved the steep climbs. (See pics)

Week total: didn't keep track.

Week summary 4/15-4/22

Mon: AM - 1:30 trail head to trail head on Iller creek trails. 5 min stretch

Saw my moose friend. I suspect he missed me.

PM - 60 min stationary bike and strength

3 x 15 pec fly ab extension combo on iron horse
3 x 15 back extension plated row combo

That's efficiency.

20 min boulder

Tues: AM - 80 min Iller creek trails. 20 min strength

3 x 25 dips
3 x 25 reverse rows
3 x 15 hip abduction/adduction

PM - 30 min intervals

Wed: AM - 60 min on the road again. (Its been awhile...)

PM - 30 min boulder 40 min core

Thurs: AM - 80 min Iller creek

PM - 30 min tempo (avg. 5:36 pace)

Fri: AM - 85 min new Iller creek trail (straight up!! Awesome) super muddy conditions but very fun.

Sat: AM - 2:15 min on Iller creek.

Sun: rest

Week total: 12.7 hours

Not bad for 6 days. I seem to be adapting well to the increase in volume. I suspect that if I were running this volume on a road while measuring distance I would be around 90-100.

Week summary 4/8 to 4/14

Weekly goal: 13 hrs, no sleeping in. Last week I slept in one day and my Saturday run was an hour shorter than usual so I fell short of my goal.

Mon: AM - 60 min on Iller creek trail 25 min strength/flexibility (yeah that's right...stretching)

3 x 50 push ups
3 x 12 hamstring curls on swing
3 x :30 lower back bridge

One time through a full body stretch routine in Real Simple magazine. This is just odd, 1. me stretching 2. following fitness tips out of real simple mag. I will be the first to admit that I am probably the least flexible person in the world. Studies have shown mixed results concerning stretching (static vs. dynamic vs. nothing at all) so I have just not done it period. I am going I start mixing it in and see how I feel. If anything it may help me to not feel so old and creaky.

PM - 45 min hill workout

5 mph for 30 min @ 15% incline (156 bpm)
Followed by intervals (4 mph for 4 min, 10 mph for 1 min) x 3 @ 15% incline (15 min total)

Day totals: 1:45 running, 25 min strength/flexibility= 2:10

Tues: AM - 90 min tower to tower Iller creek trails 15 min strength

3 x 15 hip abduction with band
3 x 15 hip adduction with band
3 x 15 dorsiflexion with band

PM - 20 min bouldering

Day totals: 1:30 running, 15 min strength, 20 min bouldering = 2:05

Wed: AM - 60 min dishman mica trail link to Iller creek - moving quickly 30 min strength/stretch.

3 x 25 dips
3 x 15 reverse rows (biceps/deltoids)
3 x 15 ab roll outs
3 x 12 single leg squats (each leg)

Day totals: 60 min running 30 min strength= 1:30

Thurs: AM - 100 min Iller creek over and back

PM - 30 min bouldering 30 min barefoot run moderate pace

Day totals: 2:10 min running 30 min bouldering = 2:40

Fri: AM - 60 min Iller creek 25 min strength/stretch

3 x 50 push ups
3 x 15 hamstring curls on ball
3 x 10 handstand push-ups
3 x :60 scissor kicks

Sat: nada

Sun: nada

Week total: do the math.

Took the weekend off to recover from a nasty throat something or other.

Week summary 4/1 - 4/8

Mon: AM - 90 min on Iller Creek trails
20 min strength

3 x 50 push-ups
3 x 12 balance lunges with 2-10lb barbells
3 x 15 ab extensions

PM - 60 min tempo (5:45-6:00 per mile +\-)

Warm weather in Spokane is clearing my beloved trail system which is making for some killer morning runs! This afternoon I just felt slow.

Tues: AM- nothing but sleep. Good for body and soul.

PM- 60 min hike with Junster on back. Walked up 1000' ran down.

Wed: AM- 90 min on Iller creek trails
20 min strength

3 x 15 hip abduction w/band (per leg)
3 x 15 hip adduction w/band (per leg)
3 x 20 dorsiflexion w/band
3 x :60 scissor kicks (abs)

Ran a different trail that I hadn't run in awhile and loved it. I'll be on that one more often.

Thurs: AM - 90 min on Iller creek trails
20 min strength

I did my first over and back on Iller creek which isn't a big deal except it was virtually snow free which is glorious. I also ran 1/3 of the route in relative daylight even having started at 5:00. To top it off, i had a non threatening encounter with bullwinkle which makes me think we are becoming friends. Bring on spring running! And cheers to my new moose friend.

3 x 25 dips
3 x 15 side lunges
3 x 12 handstand push ups
3 x 15 funky abs things on Mia's swing.

Fri: AM - 70 min road/trail at moderate pace 15 min strength

3 x 15 lying hip abduction
3 x 15 supine leg raises

PM - 30 min bouldering
If anyone is wondering why I count this as training, try continuous bouldering for 30 min and that will answer your question.

Sat: AM - 60 min on the bluff

Sun: AM 120 min Iller creek link up

Rain+snow+mud+navigation errors+lots of steep climbing= one killer run

Week total:12.41 hours

I could have done better but overall it was a good week.

What kind of runner am I?

I'll often read articles or blog posts about the speedsters vs. the purist trail ultra runners (Max King or Sage Canaday vs. Anton Krupicka or Joe Grant as examples). All of this classifying makes me think that I, as an ultra runner, need to be one or the other (identity crisis?).

A "Speedster" usually comes from a successful marathon career ready to increase distance. Track workouts are enjoyable to them, they savor the taste of lactic acid, use speedometers, monitor mileage, and even wear watches!

The "Beardies" don't do any of those things. They track vertical miles and sometimes time spent training. They feel the rocks and foliage with their finger tips and write deep blog posts about the pine needles on the trail. Every run is a carb depletion run because heaven forbid a minimalist carries the appropriate calories for a 6-7 hr. jaunt in the mountains.

I am a blended runner. I like to know how fast (or slow) I am running, I sometimes run on the road, I even do certain workouts on a treadmill oh..and get this I am now doing strength training. That doesn't mean that I can't relish in drinking sketchy unpurified non glacier stream water, or stop and marvel over fresh bear scat or even poke at it with a stick to see what it had been eating (grateful it wasn't me). I don't wear a watch in fact I don't wear much at all. I have been known to run through the woods scantily dressed hollering like moguli the man cub. I soak up beautiful views like the romantic I'm not even if my Garmin (that I never wear) doesn't auto pause.

Who am I as a runner? Not sure. Maybe I am a unique hybrid and that is why I suck at racing. In nature hybrids are usually inferior to the "pure" species (racing tips are very welcomed!). Or perhaps there are lots of runners like me. Guys who enjoy all aspects of running. I believe in utilizing my mortal tabernacle to the fullest, on a treadmill, track, road, trail, no-trail, mountain bike, or precipice. I think what is important is that there is one thing that brings us together at the starting line, a love for human locomotion.