Total Hours: 96 hours
Running Distance: 390km
Swimming Distance: 135 km
21 hours of Strength Training
A few Sufferfest Workouts on the Bike
Calories Burned: 52,000 (equivalent to 15 lbs of energy used) - or in terms other may understand based on the time of the year very roughly 24 entire 9 inch apple pies
It really was the best, and one of the toughest blocks of training I've done in my life. Definitely the most amount of time spent training that I've ever done. It really made me wonder and dream about becoming a professional athlete because I could see myself doing that day in day out. Maybe some of that was because I hadn't been able to train like that in a while with my injury, but mostly although I enjoy physiotherapy and can see myself one day treating the world's best athletes, I don't think I will ever enjoy anything more than feeling I get when I'm outside grinding through the miles, or in the pool pushing myself harder and harder, or in the gym doing pushup after pushup.
Since the break training has actually still been going very well despite a heavy workload from school. I do feel quite run down and exhausted by the end of most days, well maybe sometimes right in the middle of them, but I have been able to get some real solid training in, especially when it comes to running. On Monday, I was out with some team members battling through the bitter wind for a long fartlek style workout. Tuesday was more of a easier 75 minute run, and then Wednesday I hammered my best workout in what seems like an eternity. I was supposed to do a split tempo run for roughly 25 minutes, since the rest of the team was doing a workout inclined to a 1000 or 1500 meter runner and I'm not just yet able to rip off that pace. However, since I would be doing the workout on my own anyways, I just didn't see the point of doing a split tempo run. Monday's workout was already a fartlek type workout doing a timed pyramid of sorts ranging from 6 minute to 2 minute intervals and back up, and that was done at tempo pace for me. I didn't see how doing such a similar workout a couple days after would benefit me in any way, and really felt that the only way I was going to be ready to get back to doing some of the quicker workouts, like the one the rest of the team was doing, was to do a quicker type of workout. So I delved deep into my training logs, and thought about for a good amount of time the night before about what I wanted to do. What I came up with was:
It really was the best, and one of the toughest blocks of training I've done in my life. Definitely the most amount of time spent training that I've ever done. It really made me wonder and dream about becoming a professional athlete because I could see myself doing that day in day out. Maybe some of that was because I hadn't been able to train like that in a while with my injury, but mostly although I enjoy physiotherapy and can see myself one day treating the world's best athletes, I don't think I will ever enjoy anything more than feeling I get when I'm outside grinding through the miles, or in the pool pushing myself harder and harder, or in the gym doing pushup after pushup.
Since the break training has actually still been going very well despite a heavy workload from school. I do feel quite run down and exhausted by the end of most days, well maybe sometimes right in the middle of them, but I have been able to get some real solid training in, especially when it comes to running. On Monday, I was out with some team members battling through the bitter wind for a long fartlek style workout. Tuesday was more of a easier 75 minute run, and then Wednesday I hammered my best workout in what seems like an eternity. I was supposed to do a split tempo run for roughly 25 minutes, since the rest of the team was doing a workout inclined to a 1000 or 1500 meter runner and I'm not just yet able to rip off that pace. However, since I would be doing the workout on my own anyways, I just didn't see the point of doing a split tempo run. Monday's workout was already a fartlek type workout doing a timed pyramid of sorts ranging from 6 minute to 2 minute intervals and back up, and that was done at tempo pace for me. I didn't see how doing such a similar workout a couple days after would benefit me in any way, and really felt that the only way I was going to be ready to get back to doing some of the quicker workouts, like the one the rest of the team was doing, was to do a quicker type of workout. So I delved deep into my training logs, and thought about for a good amount of time the night before about what I wanted to do. What I came up with was:
- 2X1000m at roughly 10k pace
- 2X200m (here is the speed component) at 3000m pace
- 2X1000 again at 10k pace,
- 2X200m again at 3k pace
- 1X1000m at 10k pace
- 1X200m at 3k pace
The 1000s had 90s rest in-between each and the 200s had a good amount of rest at a 1 min, but then transition from the 2X200 back to the 1000s had only 1 min. Overall the workout went better than expected and it was a huge confidence boost and big step towards my debut on the track in 3ish short weeks. Initially, when I woke up and saw lots of snow on the ground my pace prediction seemed like a huge stretch. I decided to run over to Bayfront Park, which is roughly 5k from my house - which made the workout overall 20k, since it is always cleared. It actually made for just a gorgeous view to have during a workout to see the sunlight over the bay (the path is literally maybe 6ft from the water or ice in this case). Only problem was that despite the paved path which is pretty wide (maybe 12 ft) being cleared of the deep snow, there was a thin layer left on top which made for some slippy conditions. Despite having my feet slip back on every stride I was able to really grind hard (the heart got up to 190 thanks to the conditions) and was able to hit 3:15 for the 1000s and 34 sec avg for the 200s which works out to 2:50 per km.
Friday's and the weekends runs and swims went equally well, especially my run on Sunday. I really felt my stride was finally starting to really open up and I could let loose for a few stretches on the back half of that run. Then came today - Monday. After a bright and early start to the day, ran over to the pool for the 7:30 swim, and swam that fastest I ever have for 100m repeats. Ran, back grab my running stuff, and warmup ran over to the coach's house for the Monday Road Workout. I won't delve too much into the details because you never know who is listening. I will say the 15 repeats were all done at 3:10/km or under on the slippy road surface. Luckily and thankfully, it wasn't as bad as it could've been as the coach amazingly shovelled a path through the snow around the entire block for people to run on. So after that workout and then some core, I'm feeling great, tired, but great. Just finished a few hours of research for my various courses, and off to "class" to discuss a few case studies in a bit.
I also came up today with a great New Year's Resolution while I was running back from the pool, that I'm thoroughly excited to try and commit to. I don't think that anyone on the planet can say what they eat is healthier than me, specifically in terms of the content of their food. I pack in plenty of protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals into my diet, and maximize their absorption by combining various nutrients with other specific foods. However, the timing of my dietary intake really needs some improvement. Everyday, I eat breakfast (banana, protein granola, 0% Greek Yogurt, and coffee/esspresso) then train for 4 hours, and then eat a huge meal (a healthy one but a huge one - muscle milk, cliff bar, coffee, bagel w/ peanut and banana slices on top). My problem is not really the size of the meal, because after all that is not only serving as my lunch but also my post-workout/run/swim meal. Instead the problem is the fact that after eating this major meal, I'm still hungry. I need to restrain myself from immediately eating afterwards because I know at that moment I don't need it. So I wait until late afternoon where I'll have another Cliff Bar, then later dinner, and then after I'm done all my work and am ready to sit down to watch something before bedtime, another meal acting as a dessert/treat/having to catch up on my calories for the day because I'm usually behind by that point. So the resolution is that I want to start fuelling during my workout much better, and that includes gels, and more water. I used to have gels quite often in the past during very long runs, but lately I haven't really used any because I never really felt I needed to. I basically got so accustomed to running on empty throughout workouts and training in general that I have never actually felt hungry or thirsty for that matter during a session. So this resolution is not meant to help quench hunger or thirst that I've had during exercise, instead it is meant to help stop the feeling of eating a huge meal post run and not being full at all, because essentially my body at that point has gone so long without food (usually 6-7 hours between my breakfast and my post-workout meal) that it is just packing it calorie after calorie without any effect. I'm still going to have that post-run meal, because I need it after all that training, but now I hope that after that meal I feel satisfied. Also by adding a few hundred calories during the workout sessions, I will reduce the nightime treat meal accordingly by a few hundred calories to stop me from having this massive meal right before bedtime.
To finish this post, my mindset throughout this particular training block is pretty simple, "just do your best." I'm not aiming to win any of these track races given my strength lies in the longer distances. Despite feeling incredibly nervous at times for these races since it is uncharted territory for me, I'm really trying to look at these upcoming track meets as an opportunity to improve as a runner. The way I figure it is the fast I run the 3000, the faster I can run a 5k, the faster I run a 5k the faster I can run a 10k, the faster I run a 10k the faster I can run a half-marathon, and the faster I can run a half marathon the faster I can run a marathon. In addition to building some speed, I hope that some of the anxiety eases as my hip continues to improve by the workout and by the week, and that I can actually maybe have some fun doing something that after next season I will never in my life have another opportunity to run indoor track. Until next time, happy training.
Friday's and the weekends runs and swims went equally well, especially my run on Sunday. I really felt my stride was finally starting to really open up and I could let loose for a few stretches on the back half of that run. Then came today - Monday. After a bright and early start to the day, ran over to the pool for the 7:30 swim, and swam that fastest I ever have for 100m repeats. Ran, back grab my running stuff, and warmup ran over to the coach's house for the Monday Road Workout. I won't delve too much into the details because you never know who is listening. I will say the 15 repeats were all done at 3:10/km or under on the slippy road surface. Luckily and thankfully, it wasn't as bad as it could've been as the coach amazingly shovelled a path through the snow around the entire block for people to run on. So after that workout and then some core, I'm feeling great, tired, but great. Just finished a few hours of research for my various courses, and off to "class" to discuss a few case studies in a bit.
I also came up today with a great New Year's Resolution while I was running back from the pool, that I'm thoroughly excited to try and commit to. I don't think that anyone on the planet can say what they eat is healthier than me, specifically in terms of the content of their food. I pack in plenty of protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals into my diet, and maximize their absorption by combining various nutrients with other specific foods. However, the timing of my dietary intake really needs some improvement. Everyday, I eat breakfast (banana, protein granola, 0% Greek Yogurt, and coffee/esspresso) then train for 4 hours, and then eat a huge meal (a healthy one but a huge one - muscle milk, cliff bar, coffee, bagel w/ peanut and banana slices on top). My problem is not really the size of the meal, because after all that is not only serving as my lunch but also my post-workout/run/swim meal. Instead the problem is the fact that after eating this major meal, I'm still hungry. I need to restrain myself from immediately eating afterwards because I know at that moment I don't need it. So I wait until late afternoon where I'll have another Cliff Bar, then later dinner, and then after I'm done all my work and am ready to sit down to watch something before bedtime, another meal acting as a dessert/treat/having to catch up on my calories for the day because I'm usually behind by that point. So the resolution is that I want to start fuelling during my workout much better, and that includes gels, and more water. I used to have gels quite often in the past during very long runs, but lately I haven't really used any because I never really felt I needed to. I basically got so accustomed to running on empty throughout workouts and training in general that I have never actually felt hungry or thirsty for that matter during a session. So this resolution is not meant to help quench hunger or thirst that I've had during exercise, instead it is meant to help stop the feeling of eating a huge meal post run and not being full at all, because essentially my body at that point has gone so long without food (usually 6-7 hours between my breakfast and my post-workout meal) that it is just packing it calorie after calorie without any effect. I'm still going to have that post-run meal, because I need it after all that training, but now I hope that after that meal I feel satisfied. Also by adding a few hundred calories during the workout sessions, I will reduce the nightime treat meal accordingly by a few hundred calories to stop me from having this massive meal right before bedtime.
To finish this post, my mindset throughout this particular training block is pretty simple, "just do your best." I'm not aiming to win any of these track races given my strength lies in the longer distances. Despite feeling incredibly nervous at times for these races since it is uncharted territory for me, I'm really trying to look at these upcoming track meets as an opportunity to improve as a runner. The way I figure it is the fast I run the 3000, the faster I can run a 5k, the faster I run a 5k the faster I can run a 10k, the faster I run a 10k the faster I can run a half-marathon, and the faster I can run a half marathon the faster I can run a marathon. In addition to building some speed, I hope that some of the anxiety eases as my hip continues to improve by the workout and by the week, and that I can actually maybe have some fun doing something that after next season I will never in my life have another opportunity to run indoor track. Until next time, happy training.
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