back to basics...

the world masters kind of brought my season to a close and while it didn't go as planned (came down with chicken pox midway through) i decided to end the speed phase of my training and get back to re-building my base endurance. this time of year i usually just play around with my training but after some thought i have decided that in order to take my athletic ability to the next level i need to start my preparation a little earlier this time around.

my goals going into next year are all centred on the ultra-distance with maybe a quick marathon or two thrown in and a couple of epic journey runs to please the adventurer within.

my base building recipe:

endurance

• build mileage over the next few weeks to around 160-200+ km per week
• maintain mileage for the next 12 weeks
• include double runs on at least 4 days per week
• run 2 medium long runs and a run of 4-5 hours each week
• maintain a hill/short repeat session, one longer interval session (6-10 minutes) and some threshold work on the trails each week
• include a monthly mountain or trail race

flexibility & strength

• perform at least 3 yoga sessions each week
• start doing 2 strength sessions each week focusing on building leg and core strength
• add in some cross-training and start riding my bike to help build leg strength and hill climbing ability

nutrition

• continue to focus on optimal recovery nutrition (waiting for a recent book purchase to help)
• focus on ensuring that i hydrate sufficiently during the upcoming summer months

barefoot

• start running in my vibram fivefingers on my recovery runs

i'm starting out with a good fitness base and after a week off from running due to sickness my body is feeling ready to get back into it.

think i'll start with a 3 hour trail run before work in the morning... 

tuesday 3 march

Training:

noon) 46 min easy w/ surges (about 10k)

While I planned on running 3 x 3k at lunch it ended up not fitting into my schedule. I had forgotten about a mandatory work function that I have to attend over the next two days which will make finding the time to train somewhat difficult. During my second run this afternoon I'll give the session a go if I'm feeling up to it.

Diet:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs (3) w/ spinach in olive oil
Snack: carrots (2), walnuts & sunflower seeds
Post-run: small yoghurt, peaches (2), banana - note: kept carbs to 1g/kg of bodyweight (~70g)
Lunch: sardines, carrots, cherry tomatoes
Dinner: Meat w/ steamed veggies

sunday to monday 1-2 March

Training:

Sunday - Long run 36km in 2:40 - Blaxland to Hawkesbury Heights LO out 'n' back

Felt terrible during the start of the run and I wasn't thinking that I was going to make it through but about 10 minutes in everything fell into place and the running got easy. I started feeling good and the pace picked up. Hit the turn around right on 1:20 and came back in the same time. Groin started feeling a little niggly at the turn around but was no trouble after. Have to keep an eye on it. Smoothie and ice bath helped with the recovery.

Monday - 1 hour easy w/ 4.5km @ marathon pace + 6 x The Sanctuary Drive Hills

Legs felt loose and relaxed but my left Achilles was a little sore before warming up. Parked the car at the River Road carpark. Ran easy for about 5 minutes then decided to pick it up to marathon pace running along the eastern river bank. Crossed over the river, headed for the hills and then ran six fast repeats up the notorious road (rise between 12 and 15 percent). Legs felt good during the repeats (averaging 3:30-3:40 pace) and the cardio was worked before heading back along the river for the cooldown.

Diet:

Breakfast: oats cooked in rice milk w/ 3 eggs and maple syrup (last carb meal)
Snack: peaches, walnuts
Lunch: sardines w/ chilies, avocado, cherry tomatoes, carrots + 4 fish oil capsules (immediately post-run)
Snack: carrots, walnuts
Dinner: porterhouse steak w/ fried peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes

Rest day?

After running about 400 miles in the last month and finishing up another hard running workout yesterday I am contemplating taking a day off. Off as in no running whatsoever. It is a hard thing to do as a running obsessed individual. Even knowing that taking a day off to allow my body to rest and repair itself will undoubtedly help me run faster and/or harder in the long term I struggle with the thought of not having a run today. Perhaps I'll just go out for an easy 45 minutes tonight after work.

Diet:

After reading the Paleo Diet for Athletes I have made a few changes but nothing too drastic. Just a few compromises in the primal diet to ensure that I restore my glycogen levels and aid recovery between sessions.

Today's diet:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, mushrooms + black coffee
Snack: carrots, sunflower seeds
Lunch: garden salad w/ chicken
Snack: apple + green tea
Dinner: fish and veggies

Stats:

Weight: 167 lb - weighed myself for the first time in months
Legs: 4/10 - Achilles tight and sore
Sleep: 6hr - poor

Training update:

Last four weeks have averaged 90-110 miles per week with 2-3 quality sessions per week. Struggled for a few weeks with the higher mileage but have started feeling better during the last two weeks. The diet has helped with the recovery but I still need to focus on some other areas of recovery including hydration, ice baths, compression clothing, stretching etc.

A down week?

Last week was another hot week of training. Every day saw temperatures exceeding 35C. It made training much tougher...

DIET

I've gone back to eating a more primal diet with the inclusion of protein and fat at every meal and it has made an immediate improvement to my ability to recover between sessions. During the transition period while adjusting to the changes in my diet I'm finding my endurance and energy are lagging behind. Previous experience ensures me that it will only last a week or two before I see an improvement in my running.

Recent additions to diet: eggs, nuts (almonds and walnuts), lean and not-so-lean meat.

I've finally read the Paleo Diet for Athletes which I purchased over Christmas and will modify my primal diet to ensure that my glycogen levels are replenished between workouts to ensure a fast recovery. I do believe that working out in a semi-depleted glycogen state over a period of time can have significant performance gains in the short and long term but I will have to go over my old training and diet notes to work things out.

TRAINING

Another good mileage week but after a few bigger weeks it feels like a recovery week.

Monday:
AM) 6 mi Easy run - to work
Felt a bit during the morning's run to work.

PM) 7 mi Moderate run - work to home
Any run that starts out when the temp is hovering around 40C is always going to be hard. Throw in a 2 mile climb towards the end and you can see where things can go wrong. Actually legs felt stronger on climb.

Tuesday:
Three runs today -
AM) 8.8 miles - Easy run
Ran to work but took a longer route.

Noon) 5 miles w/ strides

PM) 7 miles
Another tough run home as it was hot again.

Wednesday:
N) 5 miles - Easy run
Planned an easy run during my lunch break with the ambitions of running a longer 13 mile run after work with some friends but ended up bailing out because of the heat.

Thursday:
AM) 6.2 mile Easy run

PM) 12 miles w/ intervals (7 x 4min w/ 2-3min easy)
Hit the trails with a friend. Ran the first four intervals running uphill before turning around and running the last three downhill back to the start. Felt stronger and averaged a good pace.

Friday:
AM) 4.4 mile Recovery run
Just an easy run around the shortest home loop.

Saturday:
AM) 22 mile Long run (2:50)
Started out running easy for the first hour before adding in some sections at marathon pace. After two hours of running the heat and humidity finally kicked in which hurt making the climb back home.

Sunday:
AM) 7 mile Fartlek run
Felt good on this run and decided to try and run with a little more intensity and see if I could add some life back into my legs. Felt good to be running fast again.

Total running: 90.4 miles

Training

I've noticed people having been stopping it to check things out so I thought I had better get back to this blog thing. So here we go...

Diet-
Diet has been very good over the last few months. I have been eating mainly raw uncooked food and have even enjoyed the very primal activity of foraging for my food while on a long run in the urban fringe. Carrying a pack enables you to fill it with all sorts of goodies.

Weight is hoverying around 166lbs and with an important race only 6-7 weeks away I hope that I can get my weight around 155lbs by then. I'm confident that I'll get there. Race fit and ready!

Training-

Monday:
AM) Trail run - 12 miles (1:40)
After a steep drop down to the river the trail climbs for a steady 5 miles before swinging back onto the road for the return journey. Feeling tired.

Tuesday:
AM) Easy run - 15.8 miles (2:02) - 145HR
Good run in the rain. Legs starting feeling fatigued over the last 20 minutes. Need to work on that...

PM) Easy run - 7.5 miles (1:00)
Easy run home. Hot!

Wednesday:
AM) Easy run - 6 miles (0:42)
An easy run to work before the day gets hot although very humid. Legs felt a little fatigued from yesterday's run but about 20mins in they started feeling better. Finished up running the last 15mins around marathon pace.

PM) Will be the run home via the long way ~12 miles
The plan is to run hard for the first 6 miles before the start of the hills and then push myself on the climbs to work the legs. Already 33deg Celsius and rising... better start drinking water now!

Thursday:
AM) Recovery Run - 3 miles (0:22)

PM) Workout: 5 x 6mins hard w/ 4min easy - total 11 miles (1:40)
Ran the workout on the trails. The first three intervals were run uphill and the last two were run downhill back to the start. Tough session but one I need to repeat weekly if I'm going to run well at next month's race.

Friday:
AM) Easy run - 11.9 miles (1:31)
Met Simon early to run a few quarters at the track (cracked a fast one in 66 seconds) and followed up with 8 x 100m striders before heading off to run to work.

PM) Easy run - 6.2 miles (0:54)
Death march home. Another hot day left me baked on the exposed hill.

Saturday:
AM) Easy run - 4 miles (no time)

Sunday:
AM) Long 19.4 miles (2:30)
Ran down to the National Park to spend some time on the trails. Felt tired during the first hour, good in the second hour and then things went downhill quickly from there (although the course went uphill).

Total running: 108.8 miles