Sunday, May 28, 2023

week of 22 May

 Only 5 runs this week, but got my 25 miles and a new long run of 7.9 (on the route that used to be my every day easy run -- seriously).  This involved some gallowalking, having felt sore from the max HR test and also have been working on my duck foot a bit (which I'm sure will lead to injury...)

  • Mon. Rest.
  • Tue. Max HR test.  Bad idea.  Wanted to do polar protocol - 15' wup, 2' up hill at 20T.  jog down.  Up again at pace building to 3k pace.  jog down and let drop 30-40 bpm.  1-minute pace up last ime.
    • Hill was too steep at the base and wore myself out.  Hit 183 bpm.  But when doing 5x400 a few weeks ago I hit 182 on the last 4 intervals, so I think my max is still higher.
    • I shouldn't be worrying about max HR until I'm at least under 175 pounds, so no more of that.
  • Wed.  4.75 7/3 run walk (13:34/mi)
  • Thu.  Rest.  had to get to work early and getting no sleep.
  • Fri.  burke lake 4.6 7/3 run/walk (12:33/mi)
  • Sa.  7.9-mile 8/2 run/walk (12:53/mi)
  • Su. 3.25 miles @ 12:49/mi.  Almost stopped b/c of right knee but stretched and OK.
Paces and average heart rates were -- 12:01/139 - max HR test day, 13:34/123, 12:33/128, 12:53/129, 12:49/126, 12:56/123.

Totals.  24.98 miles.  5h19'.  3296 calories. average weight (n=3): 195.7.

Tried to make up for stress of getting 25 in 5 days while extending long run by doing run/walk.  I've also been working on my duck foot and want to take it easy.

On the duck foot thing, I've seemed to have made more progress than I thought possible.  Basically, from the plethora of youtube channels I know about from trying to fix my shoulder and neck, I used some of their tips. Basically, I have tibial torsion and I'm trying to strengthen knee internal rotators (even just activate them) and stretch/deactivate the external rotators.  When walking, I'll deliberately try and sense the activation of the muscles that keep my from externally rotating my foot when I pick it up.  Just this attention has made a difference. I'm not actively trying to internally rotate -- just being aware of how those muscles feel.  (Recommend the book The Inner Game of Tennis.)  Try not to do this when I run, but I end up doing it anyway.

So, I'm just trying to burn calories and get my metabolism straight while getting some "functional strength" (think that's the buzzword) to prevent injury and maybe improve my running economy.

Big news is that my weight is finally showing some movement.  Been stuck at 198 even after ramping up miles, but body finally relented a bit this week. Weighed in at 196, 196.6, and 194.4 fri, sat, sun.

Saturday, May 27, 2023

garmin mocking me for no sleep

"You're bottoming out."  I know, but thanks, Garmin.


Resting HR was coming down nicely except for lack of sleep this week.  Down to 47 bpm and then back up.

Watch says my VO2max is 41, which would be 23:35 5k, which I highly doubt I could do.  But also has a 5k prediction of 30:55, which doesn't jibe with the vo2max, but is also, I really hope, way too slow.








Sunday, May 21, 2023

week of 15 May 23

All pretty easy.

Miles 3.27, 4.79, 3.26, 2.11, 6.57 (Burke Lake + out and back), 3.28.  All eas


Date Title Distance Time Avg HR Avg Run Cadence Avg Pace Total Ascent Total Descent Avg Power

5/21/2023 10:56 Fairfax County Running 3.28 0:40:39 132 158 12:25 299 289 310

5/20/2023 7:32 burke lake + out and back 6.57 1:16:11 141 160 11:36 200 197 295

5/19/2023 6:49 Fairfax County Running 2.11 0:24:40 136 158 11:41 164 157 309

5/18/2023 6:54 Fairfax County Running 3.26 0:39:21 136 160 12:05 276 289 321

5/17/2023 6:23 Fairfax County Running 4.79 0:57:18 136 158 11:57 427 436 305

5/16/2023 6:47 Fairfax County Running 3.27 0:38:36 136 159 11:47 285 279 309

Total miles 23.3.  4h36m.  11:53 avg pace

highschool track closed -- alternate middle school gravel track

 


They knew I was coming, so they decided to resurface the HS track for the next 14 weeks.  I guess this middle school one will be what I use (if I use it).  I recalled it wasn't quite 400 meters and they put out cones in the middle of the bends (lane 4) when the kids ran the mile in PE.  Google maps seem to confirm that.  It's 393 on the inside.  400 if I put a virtual cone in "lane 4" of the bends.  Maybe they put the cone in lane 8 to get 440 yds for the mile?

With my now super accurate garmin, I might not even use the track.  Just find a flattish spot (hard around here) and use the watch distances.  Or just not worry about any of it.

Duck foot -- ground contact ratio

My right foot swings ridiculously out to the right when I pick it up.  I also felt like I ran with one leg (my left) and just moved my other one to keep from falling down.  I never really worked on this stuff and think I probably left a lot on the table back then by running lots of miles and not getting my body right.  I did some strength/core stuff at times but think my form was probably all wrong.

I have the garmin running dynamics pod that confirms the horror looking


95th percentile bad is >51.5-49.5.  How's 57-43 for ya?

I notice the it's fairly even on uphills and gets terrible down.  Maybe that's why I've always been so bad on downhills.  In the race the picture is from, you run over a mountain (only one hill!). I passed folks on the uphill.  They blew by me with ease on the down and then I tried to reel them in on the flat, but didn't catch the age group leader.

Note:  why can't garmin let me plot any variable versus any other?

Enough geeking out.  Only one number matters -- 198 pounds.

Burke Lake distance = 4.57 miles

 Just putting this here for posterity, settling a subject of much debate (mostly in my mind).  Years ago a friend (also a PhD engineer) calibrated his bike computer and measured it at 4.57 miles. That should have been the end of it.  My Garmin 310XT would give me 4.49 +/- and the stupid FR 410 would give me like 4.3.  Anyway, I ran it on Saturday with my new 255S in multi-band mode and got 4.56, so I'm going with 4.57.

Also makes my long ago, ill-advised 6-lapper at Burke Lake = 27.42 miles.

Monday, May 15, 2023

week of 8 May

 Nothing fancy this week.  Just mileage and I did the lunge matrix and leg swings most days.  That actually made me sore enough that I thought I should focus on just strength, mobility, and mileage at the beginning.

Miles - off, 3.25, 4.75, 3.25, 4.75, 3.25, 4.75.  Total 24 miles.  4:48:57.  3,333 calories according to Garmin.

Weight is ~198.  Yikes!

BPs.  114/64, 121/72, 129/70, 120/77, 122/73, 129/76.  Higher than I'd like.

RHR.  55, 61, 56, 56, 53, 57.  Pretty much staying in the 50s.

Sunday, May 07, 2023

week of 1 May 23

 Activities

  • Mon. Rest.
  • Tue.  jog to track.  5x400 at 5K(?) with 200 rest.  Wore HRM.  times (max/min HR).  Guessed 8 min/mi pace and was sorta close.
    • intervals 1:57.2, 1:54.5, 1:56.3, 1:51.8, 1:56.1.  HRs at end of each were.  172, 179, 179, 182, 182.
    • Rests were 1:32, 1:43, 1:47, 1:52.
    • Don't think I could have done the interval pace for 5k. Won't sweat it. Just trying to work VO2 max a bit.
  • Wed. Rest
  • Thu. 3.25 easy.  nbhrd loop.
  • Fri.  2.1 easy.  nbrhd.
  • Sat.  5.5 mi "long" run. 62:57 (11:27 min/mi).  1 BL loop + out and back (0.5 each way).  Psoas really sore.  Was planning 6.5.  Lunge matrix and legs swings before.
  • Sun.  3.25 very easy nbhrd.  Was going to do 4+ to get 20 for the week, but decided that's silly.
    • Did some strength mobility stuff.  Still trying to figure out a routine.
Week:  19.2.  3h48m

Kinda glad to see over 180 in the intervals..  I tried to do a max HR a while ago and only hit 177.  In my mid-30s, my max was 200 and resting was around 32.  Hoping I can still hit higher max when in better shape. I used to average 185 for a 10 miler.

Been cognizant of my duck foot and trying to stretch right psoas and straighten foot some.  Getting sore in psoas and inner thigh, which is maybe good(?), but need to watch and go slow.

Seems like a big step up in mileage (13 to 19) but last week was the big step with 2+ hours of mulch shoveling.  Going with the 3 weeks at each step up.

I think the VO2max stuff is helping.  My resting HR has dropped considerable.

124 69 59 May 01 2023 06:43:04 AM -04:00
126 76 55 May 02 2023 06:25:04 AM -04:00
116 74 57 May 03 2023 06:48:04 AM -04:00
123 72 62 May 04 2023 06:23:04 AM -04:00
123 78 50 May 05 2023 06:34:04 AM -04:00
125 75 52 May 06 2023 06:54:04 AM -04:00
114 64 55 May 07 2023 06:22:04 AM -04:00

Plot of HRs since 10 April (after returning from vacation).