hearing ghosts

Alex says that he can hear Jeff's ghost when we train on a Thursday.  Well, Helen and I could definitely hear him this evening.

We took our gear down to the carpark at the end of the street.  I did rope work work while Helen ran the length of the carpark with the weighted tyre 10 times. Then we swapped and did farmer walks down to the milk bar and back to the car park which is over 500m. We were pretty broken by then so finished with a little more rope work.

Rope work x 4
double up and down x 50
single up and down x 50
side to side x 50

tyre runs x 10

farmer walk
2 x 16kg kb milk bar and back
2 x 20kg kb milk bar and back (had to stop and rest a few times)

rope work single rope
up and down x 50
single up and down 50 each hand forward
side to side x 50

HR shot up and I drank 1/2 of my water on the first set of rope shenanigans.  My legs hurt more than I remembered on the tyre runs and then everything else gave out on the farmer walks. 

I like having Jeff hang around in our heads.

Like a loon

Fri 29/7

Tired out, rest.  Early to bed

Sat 30/7

Most beautiful sunrise I've seen in a long time.  Bright, bright orange which faded to apricot and purple.  It was so stunning that after giving Fi a massive fright we stopped and watched it for a while.

I didn't have it today, my legs are sore from Thursday, and I had a massive stitch which just wouldn't go away.  I ran one lap of Princes Park and then walked 1/2 then ran again.   I was ok at a slower pace but just felt off.

I'm so tired from a super busy week at work that I think I've got not much left over to give to training right now.

Sleep will do me good.

Crazy days

I couldn't get out of bed this morning.  Work has been nuts and I'm exhausted so I slept.

PM
Training in the backyard

skip 10mins

three times through
3 phase pause squat
20 single leg box jump to squat
 5 16kg x 2 kb step ups
step up to lunge x 5

sandbag bastards
3 x 5

20kg kb renegade row
3 x 5

Pool tired

Bec took Jen and I through a session at Melb High today.  It was hard, I was very tired out.  We did much more hypoxic work than we have been at Fitzroy and that always makes me incredibly tired.

4 x 33min warm up, getting faster each time
high knees 15 secs, no rest x 8
hypoxic dive for weighted ball repeat for 10 mins
soccer ball hot potato 15 secs on, run to rope x 10 mins
more hypoxic dives, swim back

I'm been very tired all day, it's been a bit of a chocolate and carb disaster.

Is this fast?

AM

Not sure how it happened but I put my fast legs on this morning.  Fi and I did a blistering lap of the Tan this morning at 4 05min/k pace.  We started out at a fairly usual pace and then gradually turned it up, we were chatting then we got a little quiet.  Then Fi asked 'is this fast', um yeah, it is!  It felt great!  So good, to push and get a response from my legs, it was definitely my lungs that gave out this morning rather than my body which is a promising sign.

We then kicked up Anderson St and held fast for the first rep, then my legs started to hurt.  I pushed out another 3 but couldn't match the pace of the first.

My legs got incredibly sore during the day, it felt so good to hurt.

PM

16kg Kbell

20 Round body passes each way x 2

10 snatch es
10 lunge es
10 push ups
9 snatch es
9 lunges es
9 push ups
8 snatch es
8 lunge es
8 pushup
all the way down to 1

20 OA swings
1 min push up prone brace
20 cleans es
1 min push up prone brace
10 jerks es
1 minute push up prone brace
30 single leg deadlifts
1 minute push up prone brace

Brisbane return

Up and back to Brisbane for a meeting today.

Not very enviro friendly.

rest

Cadel FTW!!!!!

OMG - TT at the Tour was unbelievable!  Cadel Evans, champion, giving it everything, hurtbox, power, never give up, attitude.  I don't have the words to describe how I felt watching that stage and I can only imagine the emotion of finally achieving a goal you've focussed your every moment to for over 10 years.

I'll be using that ride for motivation for years to come. 

AM
Run 6.5km

PM Backyard at my place

15 deck squats x 3
Skip 3 mins x 3

3 x
3 phase pause squat x 5
20 one leg explosive step up to squat

2 x 16kg kb step up
5 each leg
2 x 20kg kb step up
5 each leg x 2

20 kg KB Bulgarian split lunge
5 each leg x 3

24 kg renegade row
3 x 5

We sipped champagne and watched the highlights of the TT to end.

Xmas in July

Roast turkey, roast pork, two types of stuffing, beans, snow peas, brussel sprouts, carrots, parsnip, potato, plum pudding and trifle.

Yum!

Boulevard

I took my road bike up to the Boulevard for a spin this morning.  I quickly realised that my knee and my glutes are still pretty sore from CX on Sunday.  I won't have time to train the next couple of days so that will give me time to recover.

Sleep!!

Yay!

I got my first full night's sleep in a week and a half.  Feel much better now.

Sleep!

I haven't been sleeping well for the last week so it was a very weary version of myself that got out of bed this morning for a speed session at the Tan.

I haven't done a serious speed workout for some time so not surprisingly, it hurt.  The only time I felt like I could run fast was when a rat ran across the path in front of me and I wanted to get away.

It was a nice morning, mild and I could hear birds. 

5 repeats of the loop opposite the Arts Centre (400m or so)
4x100m repeats

Total dist 5.5kms

tired legs

Goodness, CX takes it out of your legs.  It was hard work in the pool this morning.  I piked on the underwater work as it would have made me far too tired for my all day meeting today.

50m sprint
50m straight legs
high knees 20 secs 5 secs rest x 6
high knees 20 secs no rest x 6
tabata spints 50m
soccer ball tread water passes 10 mins
resistance run to rope x 8

Crazy cross

Round 2 of Dirty Deeds CX was held at Jackson Reserve at Coburg today.  CX is a killer, so hard, that half hour of racing feels like a 3 hr sprint running session to me.

The course today was longer than last time, the climbs were off camber and longer than Darebin and the whole lot was incredibly muddy and slippery.

My gearing was way too hard.  I was spinning or grinding the whole way around, even on the flat.

My lower back and knee started to hurt from the effort of grinding but they seem to be alright now.

I love CX, it's tough, but it is so much fun.  The people are lovely and I'm making some great new friends.

let them eat cake

AM

Brrrrr.  It was a very chilly 2 degrees when I left home this morning.  I dug out my NYC 5 boroughs gloves to keep my hands from hurting and I was very glad to have them on.

It was Fi's first kind of, almost, serious run back this morning and we intended to do 10kms together.  I hadn't quite intended to do them so fast but we had some stuff to talk about and we tend to get faster when we do.

We held 5 15 for most of the run, with a bit of sub 5 thrown in for good measure.

Although chilly, it was a beautiful morning.  The birds were chirping in the pitch black, the grounds were white with frost and the sunrise was a gorgeous hot pink.  The bare trees looked fantastic against the sky across Princes Park and I was very happy to be alive and out in it. 

Fi detoured at the end to come view my new bike and then we all went to breakfast for Susie's birthday breakfast with cake.

Tax time

I met with my new accountant today who will hopefully work out lots of good things for me.

6.5km round trip walk there and back

New bike smiles

I took my road bike out for the first time today.  The weather wasn't great, but although the ground was wet the air was dry when I rolled out the front door.

I took the time to do a couple of back and forths up and down my street to get used to the road pedals and shoes and then headed off to meet Steve and Gavin at 6.30.

At 6.40am I got a call from Gavin to say he'd slept in but was on his way, but still no Steve.  Then a silent SS rolled next to me and I saw it was Jim. 'Oh, hello, are you riding with us today?'  'Maybe'.  Eeek.

Let me set some context.  Jim makes the other competitive people I know look soft, he smashes every session and goes hard every time.  Training with him scares me even though he's lovely, good fun and great company.

Just after 7am, and Steve let me know he taken a wrong turn but was on his way.  Gavin showed up, so Jim, Gav and I decided to roll the Boulevard and wait for Steve to catch us.

I was dropped on the second hill.  But, OMG, my bike.....so light!  Gears!  Quiet! Lovely!

Jim and Gavin took off and I kept a pretty good pace.  I was getting a bit more comfortable with the gears, but still standing up to get up the hills rather than gearing down.   Jim and Gavin set me straight on that front and encouraged me to keep spinning and sitting rather than stand up.

I attempted Yarra St, but pulled hard on the bars expecting my heavy bike and gave myself a fright when I pulled myself across the road so I headed back down.

It was raining by now and the roads were really slippery.  We kept going for a bit longer, but when Steve got a flat we decided to call it quits when he'd fixed it and went to 3 Bags for porridge.

Nice ride, nice guys. Nice way to start the morning.

A directive?

I went for a run this morning instead of tomorrow as I'll be riding with Steve and Gavin.  I was a little weary in the body and mind but waking up to The Clash followed by Dolly Parton was a great start to the day.  Gotta love RRR.

Dist 6.5km

I've organised to meet Steve and Gavin early tomorrow for long loop around the hills of the Northern suburbs.  In a txt I noted to Steve that I thought the two of them will tear my legs off - he replied that he'll take that as a directive.

It's going to hurt....can't wait.

Welcome back legs

AM

I decided it was time to test my legs on some hills.  It wasn't pretty and it hurt, but I got through everything ok.  I was pretty tired today at work, but I have to remind myself, it won't be as hard as this morning again.

3 at the monument
2 backwards at the monument
5 at the grass pinch climb at the top of the Bowl
2 from the water trough up around to the chairs
1 Anderson St
Jog back to car

Lunch - walk in and back from the city

PM  Jeff's at the gym

16kg kbell
20 round body pass ew

Girevoy style session - 2 mins rest between each of
3 mins each side snatch
2 mins each side snatch
1 min each side snatch
2 mins each side jerk
1 min each side jerk
3 mins each side LCCJ
2 mins each side LCCJ
1 min each side LCCJ

Well!  It's been a long time between drinks for Girevoy and I've got a very attractive case of arm pump going on.  My grip gave out very early, I couldn't lock out my right elbow and I could feel it all the way down my triceps, obliques and hip flexors.  Tomorrow will be interesting.

My form, though slow was consistent.  No where near my old pace but I held 12 min each side for each of the snatch minutes, 7 for the jerks and 5 for the LCCJ. 

I'm a little scared that I'll be riding the Burbs loop with Steve on Thursday.  I think he's going to smash me.

Bike joy

My glutes haven't been this sore for a while.  Must have been the box jumps.

In other news......I picked up my new road bike today!   I'm so excited, it's a shame I have such a busy week at work and I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to ride it.  I can't wait to get out there.

A new kind of Sunday

The kettlebell crew has decided that even though Jeff's shed is closed for business we'll keep on training ourselves and keep the gang together.

Tonight I was hosting and I'm pretty happy with how it went.  With a big crew we might be a bit crowded but with only Gavin, Helen and I we had plenty of room.

Deck Squats 20 x 2
3 x
Three phase pause squat x 5
One leg explosive box jumps to squat x 20 (ouch,haven't used those muscles for a while :) )

Bulgarian split squat 16kg each hand
5 x 5

Rope Shenanigan merry go round (run end to end means no rest)

50 up and down x 5 each
50 jump lunge x 5 each
50 side to side x 5 each
50 overs x 5 each

Run 1km
Stretch

Beach Rd goodness

AM

I parked at the usual Albert Park starting place all alone and headed down to Beach Rd.  My legs were pretty sore from Jeff's Thursday farewell gift so I was happy to just cruise. 

I really like running along Beach Rd most of the time, so many pretty colours and hot legs to look at as they whiz by.  I ran out for 5km and then turned around to come home.  Oh, where was the turnaround you ask?  Why, right outside Cafe Racer.

I noticed I was speeding up as I ran back into the headwind so I decided to turn up the pace a little.  Then I decided to turn up the pace alot.

I was cruising at 5 30 kms for most of the run, then I went to 5 and finished off with 4 20's.   It felt awkward but still good fun.  I love pushing it and feeling my legs respond, gives me faith that I should keep at it.

10km

I'm a bit sad

time to HTFU.

The last one

Last Thursday session with Jeff.  This has been my absolute favourite hour of the week for so many years, I have dozens of happy memories of hanging out in the shed with Neil, Justin, Alex, Gavin and Helen or even the old timers Jason, John, Jim and Steve.  These people have taught me so much about being an athlete and going until you can't give any more. 

They've taught me how to train and how to live so you get the most out of each day.We've laughed together, sweated together and spewed together.

One in a million, that's what Thursdays at the shed were. 

length of hall
high knees
quad stretch
hip to cradle
dragon lunge
board jump
jump lunge
spider walk
bear crawl
backwards lunge
for 20 min

10kg tyre tube
15 round body pass ew x 5
50 squat to clean
50 squat to back of neck
circuit of hell x 30
circuit of hell x 30
circuit of hell x 40
tyre push x 10

Do you know, this is the first week I've been able to do the tyre push and I'm not really sad to say I hope I never do it again.

Twitchy eye

means need more sleep.

The time is right

AM

It was a nice morning for a run around the Tan this morning, my legs and achilles are sore from my epic walk on Sunday but I thought it was as good a time as any to test them out.  I ran up Anderson St once, it felt ok, there was no speed but it felt ok.  Then I did 2 x 400m repeats, they didn't feel so great, I had no form and was landing really heavy.  I took off for another km cruise and then finished up with one more 400m.  It felt a little better but not fantastic.

ARVO

I picked out my road bike last week and today I picked out some shoes.  My foot doesn't fit in the women's specialized range so I've gone with the men's (expert?) with the carbon sole.  The colour isn't my favourite but Mrs Barb will like them.

PM

Jeff's at the gym

Marc's first night back after a few weeks off and Jeff was always going to make it a good one.  All rest in prone push up hold to begin with then some added movement for interest added in.

16kg KBell
40 1A swings each hand
rest - caterpillar (foot to opposite hand under body)
40 cleans each hand
rest - knee to elbow 20es
30 cleans each hand
plank hands to elbows 40
40 lunges
rest - knee to elbow 20 es
30 lunges
rest - caterpillar 40
20 lunges
rest knee to elbow
cleans 30 es
rest - caterpillar
20 cleans es
rest - plank elbows to hands 15
10 cleans es
plank 1 minute

Fi's Marathon

I've been up at the Gold Coast for the weekend to be support crew for Fi during her first marathon.  I knew it was going to be hard to watch her and not run myself but I had no clue as to how difficult it was going to be.

I need to think about the race a little more before I post a complete update.  I will say....

It was not Fi's day
the marathon is all about learning how you cope when thing's go wrong
never try something on race day you haven't tried in training
Fi is tough
it's hard to watch a friend hurting
42 km is a long way and it really only starts at 30km
Fi is tough
Fi is tough
Fi is tough
This won't be her last one

It was the last Jeff Sunday session and it sounds like it was a beauty.  Lots of old friends were there having fun and hurting.
Thanks for teaching me how to hang in Jeff and keep going no matter what.  That's a good lesson to have learnt.

Dinner with old friends

rest