Monday: Started the week with an easy 8k to loosen up followed by a 45 min Indiana Core Workout. From there it was time for some 400s. Unfortunately the football team was having practice at the track - my goodness the punter on this team was awesome, just pounding the ball and had some sweet backspin on it - so the workout looked like it was going to be on the road behind the track. However, after the first couple repeats I could tell that this wasn't going to work with too many cars and a slight curve in the road which meant that I would not be able to see the oncoming cars well in advance. So I stopped the workout which was going to be 20X400 with 200m rest in between and dropping a hammer interval every 4th repeat (so 5 overall), and headed over to one of the baseball diamonds. Chose the one where just prior to HR fence there was a red clay warning track because I figured I would be able to go fast on it versus the other diamonds which were completely grass. So after measuring out the diamond around to mark off my 200m split restarted the workout back at number 1 (even though already did 2). Turned out the two 30-40 meter grass sections between first base and the warning track and then from the warning track to third base made it tougher workout then it should've been since running fast on the grass took alot of energy. Still completed the goal of the workout averaging 74 seconds for the 15 tempo 400s (so 3:05 per kilometer pace) and then 69 seconds for the 5 hammer intervals (so 2:52 per kilometer pace). Overall I was pleased with the hammer intervals, and once again focused on each interval, but I believe that had the workout been on the rubber track it could've been about 3 seconds faster per interval. Nonetheless the legs felt snappy, and turnover was nice and quick. Been really working on two things for the last while, one is getting better, the other still needs work. One, been working on keeping shorter levers as my legs push back which has been working well to speed up the cadence. The other is after watching some videos of me running on the track and watching them frame by frame I realized the my left leg is badly overstriding, and been doing so since atleast STWM 2013 after looking at that video as well frame by frame. I've always been aware than my left thigh is probably a good inch and a half larger in circumference than my right, so there is a muscle imbalance there for sure, but is that the cause or the result of the overstride - probably a good 2-3 inches longer stride then my right based on going back to the clay and looking at the difference between the right to left and then left to right footprints. Still after trying to fix this for a few weeks, the problem is still there. What is the result, maybe nothing, but also remember back in end of nov/dec I had a bad stress fracture in my left tibia, that yes from time to time will still experience some discomfort. Obviously I should fix this, but obviously since I've been doing it for so long it is kind of turned into my natural motion now, and I'm not entirely sure how to solve it.
But anyways after that workout went out for an easy 10k on a nearby trail.
Tuesday: In the morning headed out to the diamond again to do another hour long core workout and form drills. From there off to Gamble Oak Trail nearby for an easy pace 24k with 2000ft vertical (a few big climbs). From there back to do a big stretch, then watch episode nine of game of thrones season 4 - not much happened there, and then a smooth 6.5k around town, and to the grocery store. On that note, here has been my normal diet for the last 4 weeks:
Breakfast: Okay pretty simple start to the day, really just packing as many carbohydrates into my morning meal as possible for the long day.
-Big bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats w/ almonds with a sliced banana on top to get that potassium to prevent cramping.
-2 Slices of Whole Grain Flaxseed toast (for some Omega-3 to lessen any inflammation) with bunches of peanut butter spread on top for some protein, and some good unsaturated fat - plus my favorite food item in the world.
- 2-3 cups of Dark Roast Coffee depending on how much water I put in
During Runs: 2-3 Gels depending on the distance and water - historically I'm pretty bad at properly hydrating during runs, usually I have to consciously remind myself to drink before it's too late. So what I started doing to get myself to drink more is just put my gels into the water so I'm basically forced to drink.
Post-Run: GU Recovery Brew - loaded with glutamine for non-essential amino acid synthesis (transamination reactions), a little protein (8g) + antioxidants to prevent free radical damage, and lastly bunches of simple and complex carbohydrates to replenish the stores.
Pre-Lunch Snack: Clif Bar
Lunch: - Whole Grain Buckwheat Pancakes (usually just two massive ones), with muscle milk protein thrown in (it also has bunches of vitamins and minerals), and another banana.
- Another 2-3 cups of Dark Roast Coffee
Mid-day Snack: A bunch of red grapes for some resveratrol, and an orange with a 28mg Iron Supplement to promote erythryopoesis (RBC production). The orange is eaten immediately after the iron supplement since vitamin C promotes iron absorption.
Pre Dinner Snack: Another Clif Bar
Dinner: The main usually millet and legumes to make a complete proteins with bunches of veggies. On the side a salad with an oil based dressing to have some fat so that I could absorb the at soluble vitamins in the spinach/kale, and if especially hungry a big bowl of low sodium butternut squash soup.
Snack: Two slices of toast with peanut butters, and a big bowl of muesli - which has dried cranberries, oats, barley, and 5 other grains, sunflower seeds, and more.
Side Notes: Throughout the day drinking as much water as possible to stay hydrated - so whenever I'm sitting there is a glass of water there. Also having my bottle on the bedside table to take a drink whenever I wake up during the night.
Wednesday (Tempo Day): Off to the diamond for an hour worth of core and drills. Back in and off to Jeremy Ranch Rd for another 12k tempo. Started with 4k warmup, and a little dynamic stretching and then off. As said in the title of the post - was just hammering, same effort level but way faster than last week - feels like the blood is getting nice and syrupy filled with RBCs. There is no better feeling that lacing up the flats, taking the top off, wearing my split shorts, and hearing the countdown on my garmin watch for the start of the tempo. Starting at 3:18 per km pace and was able to lock into the pace within about 300 meters. When I felt that rhythm (by the way it just took me 4 attempts to spell rhythm correctly - Damn that's a tough word) set in that quickly I knew this would be a good one. Hit 3k in 9:58, 5k in 16:30, slowed a bit by a steep 200m long hill at 7.5k and hit 10k in 33:30 but bounced back and cruised into 12k in 40 minutes. 3:20/km pace at altitude, nice, I was thrilled. Plus based on the HR data I know I could go even harder averaging around 173 throughout, peaking at 192 on one big hill near the end. I was so happy with the tempo, the 10k cooldown back to the bus flew by. Right now off for a quick 20-30 minute run just to stretch out my legs.
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