avondale training journal, starting Dec. 2018 (comments welcome)

[garneska]

I am also a weak glute runner. My knee has been bothering me for a while. Since i have not been running been focusing on strength training (which i hate but need to do). My nemesis exercise was the dreaded single leg bridges. Before i did strength training i was lucky i could do 5 reps on each leg. I am now much stronger, and can do 10 reps for 3 sets on each leg. I am hoping it helps. I see my PT on Monday and i am hoping to get the go ahead for light running.

Unfortunately at our age it is likely you have some degenerative tears in your meniscus as well. I managed mine with PT and I am not having surgery on them.

 

[avondale]

I am also a weak glute runner. My knee has been bothering me for a while. Since i have not been running been focusing on strength training (which i hate but need to do). My nemesis exercise was the dreaded single leg bridges. Before i did strength training i was lucky i could do 5 reps on each leg. I am now much stronger, and can do 10 reps for 3 sets on each leg. I am hoping it helps. I see my PT on Monday and i am hoping to get the go ahead for light running.

Unfortunately at our age it is likely you have some degenerative tears in your meniscus as well. I managed mine with PT and I am not having surgery on them.

The thing is, I can do tons of bridges and one-legged bridges, and with weights! Before my knee issues, I was squatting almost 100 lbs. I do quite a bit of strength work. I don't dislike it - I just prioritize other things. I think my form must be compensating somewhere. We'll see.

 

[garneska]

If you are squatting that you are much stronger. Still could be degenerative tears, which you can get through, or some other weakness. I tend to find I can never get balance.

 

[avondale]

Week of May 27 - June 2, 2024

My current plan is to do a trail 5k on July 27. I have a two-week break in June when my husband and I go to Hawaii for hiking. I returned from visiting my family on Tuesday.

Monday before breakfast:

• 70 min LR
  • T+D 133, 2% effect, T 67 F; got it in between two lines of thunderstorms
  • time: 1:10:00
  • distance: 6.27 mi
  • average pace: 11:10 (GAP ave pace 11:14)
  • splits: 11:31, 11:06, 11:08, 11:10, 11:03, 11:04, 10:56
  • ave HR: 133 BPM - below my target range
  • elevation gain: 54 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Allegheny River Trail
  • comments: This trail is paved.
  • comments: My Garmin Epix has been reading my HR rather low compared to what I perceive my effort to be lately. My effort felt correct for LR intensity, but the HR was quite low.
  • comments: I had pushed this run back a day because of my hard workouts on Saturday.

Tuesday

• Before dinner: walking on treadmill
  • time: 44:08
  • distance: 2.4 mi
  • ave pace: 18:23
  • incline: 4%
• After dinner: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I won 6-4, 6-3! I was not originally scheduled to play in this match, but was emergency subbing.

Wednesday

• Before breakfast: Workout 2
  • 3 x 5 each leg - one-leg squats on bench
  • superset
    • 3 x 5 each arm - one-arm rows on bench with 30 lb
    • 3 x 5 push-ups with 20-lb vest
  • 3 x 5 assisted glute-ham raises
  • superset
    • 3 x 5 parallel-bar dips
    • 3 x 5 supermans with 5-s hold
• After work:
  • 50 min easy on trail
    • T+D 119, 1% effect, T 61 F
    • time: 50:00
    • distance: 3.85 mi
    • average pace: 13:00 (GAP ave pace 12:45)
    • splits: 12:55, 13:07, 13:25, 12:27
    • ave HR: 133 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 236 ft (corrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
    • comments: After the run was complete, I did four uphill 20-sec strides.
    • comments: It stopped raining just before my run, so it was very humid and muddy yet again.

Thursday

• Before breakfast: core workout
  • 60-sec plank
  • 20 starfish
  • 20 dead bugs
  • 20 bird dogs
  • 20 each side flutter kicks
  • 20 bicycle crunches with hold
  • 5 10-sec hollow-body holds
  • 2 30-sec side planks
  • 20 double leg lift/lowers
• In evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I won 6-0, 6-3! Another match that I subbed in for.

Friday

• Before breakfast: Workout 3
  • 3 x 5 sumo squats with 50 lb + 20-lb vest
  • superset
    • 3 x 5 suspended rows with 20-lb vest + 5 lb
    • 3 x 5 dumbbell pull-overs with 30 lb
  • 3 x 5 each leg - step-ups on to bench with 20-lb vest
  • superset
    • 3 x 5 front raises with 12-lb each arm
    • 3 x 5 reverse flyes with 12-lb each arm
• Before dinner: Power workout
  • Warm-up
    • 4 min jump rope
    • 50 jumping jacks
    • 20 high knees
    • 20 butt kicks
  • Lower body power: 3 rounds of
    • 20 forward bounds
    • 20 high skips
    • 20 (each side) fast feet forward/back
    • 20 (each side) fast feet in/out
  • Sprints
    • 6x length of tennis court
    • 6x width of tennis court
  • Upper body power: 3 rounds of, using 8-lb bouncy medicine ball
    • 8 overhead throws at wall
    • 8 (each side) side-arm throws at wall
    • 8 overhead slams
    • 8 squat jumps with upward set throw
    • 8 plyo push-ups

Saturday

• After breakfast: our tennis doubles match on May 23 got stopped in the middle because of rain. We finished the match at this time. My partner and I won 6-3, 6-3!
• Before dinner:
  • Tempo intervals on trail -- 10 min easy + 4 x (6 min tempo + 1 min walk) + 10 min easy
    • T+D 129, 2% effect, T 83 F; unusually not humid!
    • time: 48:00
    • distance: 4.18 mi
    • tempo splits: 10:19, 10:19, 9:58, 9:51
    • elevation gain: 296 ft (corrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail
    • comments: Very happy with these splits!

Sunday before dinner:

• 80 min LR on trail
  • T+D 140, 3% effect, T 80 F
  • time: 1:20:00
  • distance: 6.0 mi
  • average pace: 13:20 (GAP ave pace 12:40)
  • splits: 13:17, 13:49, 13:30, 13:18, 12:57, 13:09
  • ave HR: 137 BPM - below my target range
  • elevation gain: 813 ft (corrected)
  • route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park
  • comments: It was so nice to have another trail run that wasn't muddy!

Health

I had my second PT appointment for my knee on Friday. This was the first appointment where I did any exercises (first was diagnostic). First, she had me walk and run on a treadmill again to get a second opinion from another physical therapist about whether my left hip was dropping some - the second therapist agreed. I'll be making a podiatrist appointment for after my Hawaii trip. They also said that I heel-strike more on my right leg while I hit more mid-foot on my left leg, and the difference in style could also potentially be an issue. Of course, I am not sure how much I believe my gait pattern on a treadmill, because I feel like I run unnaturally on a treadmill - I hate it, and rarely, rarely do it.

Then she did some mobility of the kneecaps - this seemed like basically moving the kneecap around gently; she did say the left kneecap seemed more restricted than the right. She also scraped my quads, which hurt like hell.

Then lots of exercises. These are basically what I had been doing before, although I hadn't generally been doing all of these at once. This is list is to the best of my memory. Each exercise was 20 reps per leg with a 5-sec hold. Each exercise was either banded or had a 2-lb weight on each leg.

• fire hydrants
• donkey kicks
• clamshells
• side leg lifts
• single-leg lifts in bridge position
• single-leg lifts laying on my stomach
• balance on one leg - 3 x 30 sec per leg (no weight)
• balance on one leg while standing on mushy pad - 3 x 30 sec per leg (no weight)

I think that was it, but 20 reps with a 5-sec hold for most exercises takes a LONG TIME. Surprisingly, she did not give me exercises to do at home yet. I hope that when she does, she narrows them down a bit because this current list would take nearly an hour.

I have two PT appointments in the first week of June, then I'll be away in Hawaii for two weeks.

 

[garneska]

that is a long list of exercises. My PT gives me 3 to take home. Maybe 4 and she knows i will only do three per day usually. I do rotate some of i get sick of something. Like clams instead of side leg lifts or dead bugs instead of bird dogs.

on a positive note i did hop today at therapy and she has cleared me to start running and by that it is a 1 minute run 2 minute walk interval and i am to start with 8 intervals and can do no more than 10 intervals. I start tomorrow and can't wait.

 

[avondale]

that is a long list of exercises. My PT gives me 3 to take home. Maybe 4 and she knows i will only do three per day usually. I do rotate some of i get sick of something. Like clams instead of side leg lifts or dead bugs instead of bird dogs.

on a positive note i did hop today at therapy and she has cleared me to start running and by that it is a 1 minute run 2 minute walk interval and i am to start with 8 intervals and can do no more than 10 intervals. I start tomorrow and can't wait.

To be clear, I did all of those at the PT session. So far, she hasn't given me any homework yet.

 

[garneska]

Am sure homework is coming

 

[avondale]

Week of June 3 - 7, 2024

My current plan is to do a trail 5k on July 27. I am writing this on Saturday, June 8, as I am on the plane to Hawaii for about two weeks! This is a re-cap of this week before I left.

I'll hopefully post about the hikes and some photos intermittently, but I'm not sure how often. If not on the trip, then when I get back.

Monday

• Before breakfast: Workout 1
  • 3 x 5 suitcase squats with 55 lb + 20-lb vest
  • superset
    • 3 x 5 lateral pull-downs with 42-lb bands
    • 3 x 5 bench presses with 55 lb
  • 3 x 5 Romanian deadlifts with 55 lb
  • superset
    • 3 x 5 shoulder presses with 35 lb
    • 3 x 5 band pull-aparts with 13-lb bands
• In evening:
  • Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
    • T+D 143, 3.5% effect, T 79 F
    • time: 40:00
    • distance: 2.95 mi
    • repeat splits: 8:44, 9:12, 9:01, 8:22, 8:23, 9:24, 9:33, 7:47, 8:18, 8:54, 8:28, 8:47, 9:19, 9:39, 7:56, 8:35, 8:49, 8:36, 8:22, 9:40, 9:33
    • elevation gain: 206 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1
    • comments: I take these splits with a huge grain of salt! I think they were too short for the GPS to necessarily track well. The point was to be going all-out. I was sprinting uphill, then turning and walking downhill for about 15 sec before using the last 5 sec of walking to get turned around uphill again. It takes me 7 intervals to get to the top of the hill, and so that's when I have the 4-min walk back down to the bottom.

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• In evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 6-4, 6-3.

Wednesday

• Before breakfast: core workout
  • 60-sec plank
  • 20 starfish
  • 20 dead bugs
  • 20 bird dogs
  • 20 each side flutter kicks
  • 20 bicycle crunches with hold
  • 5 10-sec hollow-body holds
  • 2 30-sec side planks
  • 20 double leg lift/lowers
• In evening:
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D 147, 4% effect, T 74 F - had to turn around early because the next line of thunderstorms came in sooner than forecast!
    • time: 45:39
    • distance: 3.49 mi
    • average pace: 13:05 (GAP ave pace 13:04)
    • splits: 13:08, 12:32, 13:21, 13:34
    • ave HR: 137 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 210 ft (corrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail

Thursday after work: walking on treadmill

• time: 1:26:59
• distance: 4.88 mi
• ave pace: 17:50
• incline: 4%
• comments: More thunderstorms, so I couldn't run.

Friday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D 135, 2.5% effect, T 84 F
    • time: 1:00:00
    • distance: 4.72 mi
    • average pace: 12:43 (GAP ave pace 12:32)
    • splits: 12:42, 12:36, 12:43, 13:06, 12:23
    • ave HR: 135 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 259 ft (corrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park

Health

I had physical therapy appointments on Monday and Wednesday. No diagnostics; first a warm-up on the treadmill, then lots of exercises, then the PT mobilizes my kneecap, and finally some TENS on the quads.

The exercises were like previous, with my notes about changes. She moved me to a harder band for the banded exercises and continued the 2-lb weight for weighted exercises. Still 20 reps per leg with 5-sec hold.

• fire hydrants
• donkey kicks
• clamshells
• I forgot to list this one last time: glute bridge with band just above knees and feet on bosu ball (like a see-saw)
• side leg lifts
• single-leg lifts in bridge position
• single-leg lifts laying on my stomach
• added: hamstring curls while laying on my stomach
• balance on one leg - 3 x 30 sec per leg (no weight) - we discontinued this because she didn't think it was helpful (i.e., hard enough)
• balance on one leg while standing on mushy pad - 3 x 30 sec per leg (no weight)
• added: balance on one leg while standing on mushy pad - 60 sec per leg, while using the other leg to reach out and tap on three different cones on her command - this was really hard! Did this 2x per leg
• added: monster walk: band around ankles and do the wide monster walk slowly back and forth across the room 4x
• added: lateral walk: band just above knees and squat slightly and walk back and forth across the room 4x

This whole thing takes about 90 minutes. No homework yet! She knows I won't be back for over two weeks. I can't complain because I wasn't looking forward to trying to do PT exercises while on vacation. I do think the PT is helping already - the knee pain is less. We'll see how that holds up after two weeks of mountain hiking!

 

[WillRunForPizza]

Have an amazing time in Hawaii!

 

[avondale]

Hawaii Trip - June 8 - 23

Day 1: travel - had a 2-hour layover at LAX, so we walked over 2 miles in the airport so I could get my steps in. It's a big airport!

Day 2: O'ahu

• USS Arizona Memorial: we visited first thing in the morning.
  
• Hiking 'Aihualama Trail to Nu'uanu Overlook
  • time: 3:14:44
  • distance: 5.34 mi
  • ave pace: 36:27
  • elevation gain: 1949 ft (corrected)
  • comments: We went past Manoa Falls.
  • comments: This was a very different sort of trail, with tons of roots that were very high to step and climb over. The trail surface was mostly packed dirt and with the bit of moisture around, parts were really slippery.
• Hiking: Koko Botanical Garden
  • time: 55:23
  • distance: 1.89 mi
  • ave pace: 29:17
  • elevation gain: 248 ft (corrected)
  • comments: This was disappointing. The plants were not well-labeled and the garden didn't seem to be well-tended. It was also very hot and I may have been cranky. The photos below show a Hawaiian plumeria tree and a baobab tree from Africa.
• Walking on the beach - we stayed on Waikiki Beach, which was kind of silly because I don't like the beach and this is all we did with it on our stay.

 

[avondale]

Hawaii Trip - June 8 - 23

Day 3: O'ahu

Hiking: Ka'ena Point South Trail

• time: 2:46:52
• distance: 6.63 mi
• ave pace: 25:09
• elevation gain: 433 ft (corrected)
• comments: This trail goes out to the very western tip of the island of O'ahu. There is a state park there with numerous nesting Laysan albatrosses.
• comments: The rocky shoreline was gorgeous. Lots of big breaking waves against the rock. When we got to the park at the end, we happen to pass a couple - the woman runs up to ask if we'll take their photo because he just proposed to her! From what we could tell, she said yes.

 

[avondale]

Hawaii Trip - June 8 - 23

Day 4: Kaua'i

Hiking: Kukui Trail to Waimea Canyon

• time: 3:51:14
• distance: 5.1 mi
• ave pace: 45:23
• elevation gain: 2530 ft (corrected)
• comments: This was a really tough hike. The downhill in the first half was steep enough with enough "steps" down with rocks and ledges that you had to work pretty hard on the way down. And then uphill of course was very hard! The trail surface was packed dirt - thank goodness it was dry because the trail would have been one long mud chute in the rain. You could see how most of the trail was pretty much a run-off path for rain.
• comments: This is a hike that I've wanted to done for years. I've seen photos of Waimea Canyon, and it was amazing as it seemed like it would be. The views were mostly on the way down, because when you get close to the bottom of the canyon, it is tree-filled, so you can't see much from there.
• comments: The photos that show long strips of red dirt - those strips of red dirt are the trail. I happened to take those photos looking uphill. Did I mention it was also very hot? And until you got down close to the river there was pretty much no shade.

 

[col1]

Hawaii Trip - June 8 - 23

Day 4: Kaua'i

Hiking: Kukui Trail to Waimea Canyon

• time: 3:51:14
• distance: 5.1 mi
• ave pace: 45:23
• elevation gain: 2530 ft (corrected)
• comments: This was a really tough hike. The downhill in the first half was steep enough with enough "steps" down with rocks and ledges that you had to work pretty hard on the way down. And then uphill of course was very hard! The trail surface was packed dirt - thank goodness it was dry because the trail would have been one long mud chute in the rain. You could see how most of the trail was pretty much a run-off path for rain.
• comments: This is a hike that I've wanted to done for years. I've seen photos of Waimea Canyon, and it was amazing as it seemed like it would be. The views were mostly on the way down, because when you get close to the bottom of the canyon, it is tree-filled, so you can't see much from there.
• comments: The photos that show long strips of red dirt - those strips of red dirt are the trail. I happened to take those photos looking uphill. Did I mention it was also very hot? And until you got down close to the river there was pretty much no shade.View attachment 867656View attachment 867657View attachment 867658View attachment 867659View attachment 867660View attachment 867661View attachment 867662View attachment 867663View attachment 867664View attachment 867665

Wow looks amazing

 

[jmasgat]

Was that a nene? A word that will perpetually appear in crossword puzzles. The hikes look beautiful.

 

[superchime]

Gorgeous photos! That first hike, with all the roots, looks treacherous. I'd faceplant in minutes.

 

[avondale]

Was that a nene? A word that will perpetually appear in crossword puzzles. The hikes look beautiful.

Laysan albatross

 

[avondale]

Hawaii Trip - June 8 - 23

Day 5: Kaua'i

Hiking: Canyon Trail - Black Pipe Trail Loop

• time: 2:15:10
• distance: 4.12 mi
• ave pace: 32:47
• elevation gain: 1045 ft (corrected)
• comments: The first part of this hike, especially the spur onto the Cliff Trail, had amazing views into Waimea Canyon, but farther up-canyon than we were yesterday. Later there was a spur to a nice little cascade, Waipo'o Falls.
• comments: We got lucky with the weather. It rained most of the hour+ driving to the trailhead, and we wouldn't have done parts of this hike in the rain because it would've been way too slippery, but we just got some mist during the hike. Part of the trail was a dirt fire road, part was the same packed dirt/water run-off surface, and part was legit hard-dirt trail like you would see back east.
• comments: Chickens have run wild throughout Hawaii.
• comments: Who are these people who wander a half-mile into a trail and ask us "How far does this go?" or "where does this go to?" Can we have a little preparation for your own safety, people?

 

[avondale]

Hawaii Trip - June 8 - 23

Day 6: Maui

Hiking: Halemau'u Trail to Ho'lua Cabin

• time: 4:13:33
• distance: 7.81 mi
• ave pace: 32:28
• elevation gain: 2682 ft (corrected)
• comments: This hike started off at about 8000 ft elevation and then dropped over 1000 ft down to the floor of Haleakala volcanic crater (not active). This was an amazing hike! We started off above the clouds (photo below). There was a notch in the crater wall that let clouds drift in, which was mesmerizing. The dark gray stuff on the crater floor is solidified lava with a thin coating of vegetation. My selfie has just piles of volcanic rock behind me.
• comments: So many switchbacks! But the trail was rocky/packed dirt and not as steep as previously with Waimea Canyon, so it really wasn't too hard.
• comments: Ho'lua Cabin was a convenient turn-around point with a pit toilet. There were a couple nenes there (Hawaiian geese - see photo). Being at elevation made the hike much cooler than the others we've done so far.
• comments: Unfortunately right at the end of the hike, my husband started feeling GI problems - we're guessing some food poisoning - ironically probably from a burger because we are not adventurous fish/shellfish eaters. I'm not sure what we'll be doing next until he's feeling better.

 

[avondale]

Hawaii Trip - June 8 - 23

Day 7: Maui

I forgot to mention that we joined up with my husband's family when we got to Maui, and we'll be with them for the rest of the trip. This is not really my favorite idea because they all have very different ideas of what they like to do on vacation, but fortunately, they are pretty good with folks splitting off to do their own things.

My husband unfortunately spent the second half of yesterday in the bathroom with food poisoning. We had had charter-boat snorkeling planned for this morning with some of the family, but DH didn't feel like it was a good idea to go on a boat when he was still spending so much time in the bathroom, so we skipped it. I'm not a big beach/water person, so not too big a deal for me.

We were planning to spend the second half of the day driving the road to Hana with a few stops for short hikes to break things up. After a slow start, it seemed like my husband was feeling up for that. But what did I forget? To take some dramamine, because I get car-sick on really windy roads with lots of starts and stops. Sigh. So we got about halfway, which was where one of our planned hike was. Then because I was feeling very sketchy about keeping things in my stomach, we turned around. The road was really interesting, so it was too bad: very narrow and twisty, with lots of one-lane bridges.

So today was a bit of a fiasco, but it was bound to happen with such a big trip.

Walk during our drive: Ka'enae Arboretum

• time: 23:51
• distance: 0.87 mi
• ave pace: 27:19
• comments: eucalyptus trees, torch ginger, screw pines, giant spider lily

Nearby was Ka'enae Point, which was beautiful with the waves breaking on all the rocks.


When we got back to our villa, we took a walk along the beach area.

• time: 55:30
• distance: 2.36 mi
• ave pace: 23:29

 

[avondale]

Hawaii Trip - June 8 - 23

Day 8: Maui going to Big Island

We had originally planned to do a morning hike before our flight to the Big Island. But I hadn't realized that with the way roads can be funny in Hawaii, You Can't Get There From Here: it was more than a 2-hour drive to the trailhead because of how you had to take road in the most circuitous way imaginable - probably to get around those darn mountains. Also, my husband was still feeling iffy from his food poisoning, so maybe it was for the best. I did a run instead.

• 40 min easy
  • T+D 142, 3.5% effect, T 76 F - at the end of the run at 7:30am
  • time: 40:02
  • distance: 3.14 mi
  • average pace: 12:46 (GAP ave pace 12:47)
  • splits: 12:53, 12:38, 12:42, 13:13
  • ave HR: 124 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 183 ft (corrected)
  • route: paved path along the Wailea shoreline
  • comments: My legs just felt dead for this. But my VO2max went up, LOL!

Day 9: Big Island of Hawai'i

It takes a long time to get much of anywhere on the Big Island. This day we did two hikes over toward the Hilo area and visited the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center. (My husband and I always visit science centers when we travel, for obvious reasons. Unfortunately this one was underwhelming despite being associated with the University of Hawai'i Hilo and Mauna Kea Observatories.)

First hike: 'Akaka Falls

• time: 24:55
• distance: 0.74 mi
• ave pace: 33:42
• elevation gain: 342 ft (corrected)
• comments: The falls are over 400 ft high! Very impressive. The area was very pretty.

Second hike of the day in the next post.