Still toiling away. Still trying to find my groove.
Strength: Until I got really sick about a week ago, doing pretty well. Current strength cycle 1RM numbers based on my lifts in the Wendler 5/3/1 program are:
Back Squat: 310 lbs
Bench Press: 215 lbs
Deadlift: 355 lbs
Military Press: 155 lbs
However, based on previous workouts, my calculated 1RM are around here:
Back Squat: 330 lbs
Bench Press: 230 lbs
Deadlift: 375 lbs
Military Press: 160 lbs
Looking back, I'm a freaking long way from where I once was strength-wise and with this program, I can do it forever due to simplicity and always get some kind of gain.
Cycling: Minimum miles per day is about 7 miles. More of a challenge on the return trip having to contend with riding uphill to the bus station for about 1.5 miles. Some days I had to ride more due to my car going tits-up for various reasons (bad starter/alternator/battery, car accident, etc). Blame it on the evil 100 mile commute I had to do for over a year at my previous company. Anyway, back to the bike, my ass isn't as sore as it was when I started riding again and my legs are not getting nearly as knackered. Although I need to suck it up a bit more and learn to run on tired legs from cycling and try and gut it out when I have a strength session and my legs are still feeling the effects of the bike.
Running: This is truly the suck. I missed out on the Mt Si ultra due to the car issues. My mileage has tanked hard between getting sick and getting tired from riding my bike. However, when I did run, I was faster. One of my 5k-ish loops I finished in about 33 minutes, which is faster than I've done in some time. I am gaining speed and there is some endurance left. However, I know that this Saturday's Redmond Watershed 12-hour run is going to really make me suffer for missing out on those miles. But I'll use this race to my advantage and make my body remember what ultrarunning is all about.
Showing posts with label endurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label endurance. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Friday, September 11, 2009
6 down (almost), 50 to go...
With my last strength session for this week done, I figured it's time to put up what I've done so far on here.
I'm halfway through the strength cycle using the Stronglifts 5x5 program and a sandbag instead of a barbell (although I had to use a barbell when I was at home on 09/07 & 09/09 since the sandbag is at the office).
So far, so good. Typically, I use to lift no more than 15-20 lbs dumbbells in my past strength training routines. I wouldn't be able to lift anything heavier and I was doing isolating work. My numbers so far using sandbags and the 5x5 method:
Squat: 130 lbs (Bear Hug, Zercher, and Back Squat)
Bench Press, Military Press, and Power Clean: 80 lbs
Deadlift: 170 lbs
I have to admit though that the days that I used the barbell at home when I was on vacation was easier compared to the sandbag, probably due to the distribution of weight being so different.
Running wise, my volume is relatively low (practically 10+ miles per week for the first 4 weeks, past week was 16 miles) as well as the intensity for some of them. Although my runs for the first three weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays were CFE-based Stamina Runs and Intervals. I've been able to run on most days, with only one unplanned rest day, one rehab day (ankle seemed really twitchy and needed some TLC, massage, & Trigger Point Therapy @ home), and one 10 miler that went haywire and ended up being a 7.5 mile distance in futility. Thankfully, this is a strength-focused period and the running endurance that I'm rebuilding in the process is just gravy. Although I have to say, my ground speed is improving compared to what I was moving at before (sub-11 minute miles for tempo runs, sub-8 minute miles for speedwork, sub-13 minute miles for easy and long runs currently)...but I still have a very long road ahead of me if I want to recapture my easy/long pace of 9 minute miles, my tempo pace at 7:30's, and my speedwork at 6:00's.
As I said in my past post, I gained some weight yet my physique has changed to look more muscular and dense. Although muscular is good, the extra weight isn't and I need to work better at getting lighter. And getting lighter will require more nutritional scrutiny on my part. However, every single person that I've read up on that has been on Starting Strength and StrongLifts has gained mass. Comes with the territory I guess.
Six weeks down after tomorrow's 12 miler. Six weeks to go to finish off the cycle and 50 weeks till the next Cascade Crest 100. Onward!
I'm halfway through the strength cycle using the Stronglifts 5x5 program and a sandbag instead of a barbell (although I had to use a barbell when I was at home on 09/07 & 09/09 since the sandbag is at the office).
So far, so good. Typically, I use to lift no more than 15-20 lbs dumbbells in my past strength training routines. I wouldn't be able to lift anything heavier and I was doing isolating work. My numbers so far using sandbags and the 5x5 method:
Squat: 130 lbs (Bear Hug, Zercher, and Back Squat)
Bench Press, Military Press, and Power Clean: 80 lbs
Deadlift: 170 lbs
I have to admit though that the days that I used the barbell at home when I was on vacation was easier compared to the sandbag, probably due to the distribution of weight being so different.
Running wise, my volume is relatively low (practically 10+ miles per week for the first 4 weeks, past week was 16 miles) as well as the intensity for some of them. Although my runs for the first three weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays were CFE-based Stamina Runs and Intervals. I've been able to run on most days, with only one unplanned rest day, one rehab day (ankle seemed really twitchy and needed some TLC, massage, & Trigger Point Therapy @ home), and one 10 miler that went haywire and ended up being a 7.5 mile distance in futility. Thankfully, this is a strength-focused period and the running endurance that I'm rebuilding in the process is just gravy. Although I have to say, my ground speed is improving compared to what I was moving at before (sub-11 minute miles for tempo runs, sub-8 minute miles for speedwork, sub-13 minute miles for easy and long runs currently)...but I still have a very long road ahead of me if I want to recapture my easy/long pace of 9 minute miles, my tempo pace at 7:30's, and my speedwork at 6:00's.
As I said in my past post, I gained some weight yet my physique has changed to look more muscular and dense. Although muscular is good, the extra weight isn't and I need to work better at getting lighter. And getting lighter will require more nutritional scrutiny on my part. However, every single person that I've read up on that has been on Starting Strength and StrongLifts has gained mass. Comes with the territory I guess.
Six weeks down after tomorrow's 12 miler. Six weeks to go to finish off the cycle and 50 weeks till the next Cascade Crest 100. Onward!
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