Florida day 4

Training camp really shines your talents. It shows you what you were put on this earth to produce on the track. I work 7 days a week. Although my job is not taxing to me in any manner, I'm sitting for a good portion of 7 hours in a truck. How bad is that? VERY BAD. Probably off of 6-7 hours sleep. I come to practice yawning and tired, slightly un motivated to do the lovely base work of training. Base work is quite integral to your year, it just can be hard when you go straight from work to training. Home to eat, and then take care of the dog. By this time it's 9pm. Then I have to prep for work the next day. Do you see this horrible time reoccurrence?

It's taxing.

I come to camp and it's a light switch. I can sleep. I owe nothing to any one. I am here to produce results for myself only. No one yelling down your throat in the manner of work environments or relationships. The only stress here is the stress of the workouts, which I live for. I cringe at one of the workouts I have to accomplish this week. Yet it excites me so much. I know exactly what that workout will do for me, and how it is going to improve me. I get excited thinking of the pain it will cause me, and how I get to fight through that pain. How I get to drive through the pain. Turn the switch on and focus everything I have to get to that finish line with proper mechanics, setting my time goals. The discipline is on. All day is track, track, and more track. Everything you do here is for your ultimate goal. It's 11 days of quality sharpening. Recharging if you will.  It's amazing how much you can get done when you don't have to work. Every single day has been productive here. A lot gets done. We live like athletes and our down time is filled with recovery, usually with therapy of some sort. The brain is filled with track, there are no other distractions, and the warmth is a gently reminder that you are on one heck of an amazing vacation.

The vacation being TRAINING CAMP. I'd rather be here than Mexico. That's why you and me are different. I want to go to Worlds, and I know what it takes to get there.. and you.. well.. what do you want to do with your life?

It's so hard explaining things to people sometimes. They don't understand why I devote everything to track, and they think I'm insane at the mere mention of me trying to drop 10lbs. People don't get it.  They don't understand why you train. They don't understand why you keep running through injuries.
Why do I run through injuries? I struggle with being able to tell the difference between acceptable pain. I have a high pain tolerance. The only reason I slow down is because I know it is detrimental on me. In grade 11 I had a fractured toe. It hurt. I taped it. I went on to PB in the 1500m S/C with a 4:58. That record still stands, and I was undefeated by 10seconds in every 1500 steeplechase race. The question lies within to what you want to accomplish. Pain is temporary, but glory is forever. That being said, I'm LEARNING to take it easy, especially at this age. I have learned to say "no" and I am learning that injuries mean DAYS OFF.

Track is a lifestyle.

Training camp is a wake up call. It really tells you how much better you'd be if you did't have to work. Unfortunately, such is life that the working man needs to go to work and make money to pay for fantastic therapy and trips to Europe for the 2015 season. I WISH that I could be a full time professional athlete, BUT I know that I will push through it and succeed with what I have. Age is no barrier and I will step up the game to work around my work schedule. I am going to work less now.

OKAY, let's talk about this great day.

Today was big circuit Charlie Francis style on the grass. Went well. I think I went a bit fast, but I'm not sure exactly what "slow" is. Can someone explain to me? We followed that up with an hour in the pool. Ps I dropped 5 lbs.

The protein shake first thing in the morning is fantastic, and I read an article last night about how whey is important in controlling cortisol levels.  Get on that game sir. Tomorrow is a track day. Not sure how bust from today I'll be. I think the others are on the grass, but let's see what we can accomplish.

mmmm I'm excited for some fascial abrasion tonight.

You think i'm sick, I know. ;)

M DAWG

Little pb here and there .. ;)

Things are pretty good for me. I keep my expectations high, and I always set to improve myself. I am never content with the current, and always want progress. Rewards to me are noticeable facts of improvement. Only then am I happy, because I see my labour shining through.

Personal bests and weight loss have to be my top rewards. It's like chocolate to me. Nothing gets me off like a Sexy personal best in a loop or time trial. That means everything is working.

Yesterday we did 2 sets of 3 x 600m hills..
2 min rest. 5 min between sets.. pretty baller times... first 2 were 1 sec slower than 2 weeks ago, so I sought for cut downs.  (Keep in mind every other one is the downhill of that 600m hill)
2:22, 2:13, 2:21.

2:12,  2:17,  2:02

Now, the last set was dh, up, dh... but wow..

Okay, so I had an obstacle in front of me.. Although I blitzed Raquel on 2/3 uphills. That girl had me on 2/3 downhills. She's got the speed, I've got the endurance. The last downhill I picked up increasingly.. The last part is flat 150m so I hauled. She heard me, well, who wouldn't hear a dying horse panting behind you? So she picked up, but I caught her.

Yes, yes 10 seconds is a little bit much for a cut down, but I wanted to win.

That's right.. I wanted to win.

The mantra each and every one of you need to have to becoming better athletes and healthy people.

On that note... Today was the first fun strength training, hurdle hopping, frog squats, lunges galore today. I guarantee sore calves tomorrow...

This calls for a 12pm run at work tomorrow!

Pics - new shoes.. so sexy. My new trainers for track only. Supa light!! Flawless sprinting.  New thermal outfit.. can't hype up how warm those sugar tights are!!! On the track to injury free!!

SMOOCHES.

The Hard Ass - Melissa

Quick post

Mile time trial pouring rain cement around park/track 6:27

2x 1 km loops with 4x60m hill sprints in between. .

3:39 edged out Raquel
3:47 few sec behind her

3x1km loops 5 min rest between
3:45
3:45
3:41
Beat my training partner on all 3 :)

Weight : 155lbs

Abstaining from alcohol until December sometime. Preferably Christmas.
Limiting wheat and dairy, but I suppose I've always done that..

Increasing water intake.

SATURDAY FUN DAY!!

Well crap, this weekend has sure tripped on by way too fast. Not doing as much as I would find pleasing on the social aspect, but enough to wet my fancy.

Nutrition was a bit tough today with all the outings but I think I did very well. Learnt how to cheat properly. We'll work it off tomorrow. Do you know what tomorrow is? Kick some ass day.


Finished my  regular natural BCAA's... Had to buy this today. ICK. I love sucralose just as much as I need a hole in my head. It's not too bad I suppose. No stimulants = excellence.

 

Bought this at Popeye's today. Less fat than real peanut butter. Less protein though :(

I dont know what happened to my awesome long post but it's not here?!! What gives.. well I'll fix it up a little bit I suppose

Mile time trial won and bettered: trails.... 6:27

Felt really good about the time trial.... Pace was set, and I even started going the wrong way, but thankfully near the beginning, and my team mates told me I was going the wrong way, so I had to recover a few seconds. Excited to try it again in the future to see how much I've improved. God I love time trials.

After trails I battered off a decent gym workout. Back and tri's... Did a few shoulder exercises. Med ball abs and some floor abs.

Nutrition was decent today. I went to the whitecaps game and ate some chili, it was the healthiest option. Went for dinner afterwards and had a super awesome kale quinoa tuna salad. 

Also half a bottle of wine, half a cheese cake, and a mocha with almond milk. FUEL FOR TOMORROW'S BEAST DAY RAWWWRRRR

M Out 

It's a start!

Well, here we go. Another adventure of training and fun filled adventures.

After a year of small minor injuries and a big one (both achilles tendinopathy) I've come back with a bang. Stayed off running and hiking for 6 weeks to let the tendinopathy calm down. Wise idea me thinks. I lifted heavy for a few weeks and took 2 weeks off. Started back running 3x a week and weights 2x a week.

Last week was 6 days of gym and 4 days of running. .

Upping gym time is a huge priority, of course adding a bit more cardio too. I want the strength, I know I need it for those 10 hurdles. What a spectacular event I choose eh?

Training is so far going well, easing in to it to make sure no achilles issues.

I've been hammering heel drops and isometric holds. Linear leg press is at 3 sets of 10 with 180 lb plates (380lbs overall) so the strength is coming a long. I've been "okayed" for calf raises, so I've added 50 lbs (145lbs overall)  to that and no problems.

Diet has been tweaked slightly. I've bulked enough, now it's time to put on that muscle and cut some fat.

Diet is 3 meals a day with snacks between that. Essentially every 2 hours.

The stats so far are 5"9 157lbs.

Back to work I go, stay posted for after training review!

M