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

[avondale]

Week of Nov. 11 - 17, 2024
This the second of two weeks off from running. Next week, I'll be starting with some base-building in the long plan to train for the Amasa 25k Trail Race on April 12, 2025.

Monday

• Before breakfast: knee PT exercises
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 50:11
  • distance: 2.79 mi
  • ave pace: 17:59
  • incline: 0%

Tuesday

• 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
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 44:01
  • distance: 2.56 mi
  • ave pace: 17:12
  • incline: 0%

Wednesday

• Before breakfast: knee PT exercises
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 51:03
  • distance: 2.94 mi
  • ave pace: 17:22
  • incline: 0%

Thursday

• Before breakfast:
  • Workout 1
    • 3 x 5 - suitcase squats with 60 lb + 20-lb vest
    • superset
      • 2.5 unassisted chin-ups in this superset
      • 3 x 5 - reverse-grip lat pull-downs with 49-lb bands
      • 3 x 5 - bench presses with 60 lb
    • 3 x 5 - Romanian deadlifts with 60 lb
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 - shoulder presses with 45 lb
      • 3 x 5 - band pull-aparts with 13-lb band
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 50:09
  • distance: 2.98 mi
  • ave pace: 16:50
  • incline: 0%

Friday

• Before breakfast: knee PT exercises
• After work; walk on treadmill
  • time: 43:48
  • distance: 2.54 mi
  • ave pace: 17:15
  • incline: 0%

Saturday

• Before lunch: 2-hr tennis doubles round-robin
• Before dinner:
  • walk on treadmill
    • time: 43:19
    • distance: 2.44 mi
    • ave pace: 17:45
    • incline: 0%
  • knee PT exercises
  • foam rolling and stretching

Sunday before dinner: hike

• time: 1:20:01
• distance: 4.11 mi
• average pace: 19:28
• elevation gain: 192 ft (corrected)
• route: Northwest Branch Trail

Health

The various knee/leg issues are continuing to improve slowly. Whatever the swollen thing is behind my right knee has started to decrease. We'll have to see what happens when I start running again.

 

[avondale]

Week of Nov. 18 - 24, 2024
This week I started running again after two weeks off. I've started a few weeks of base-building, which will lead into my training plan for the Amasa 25k Trail Race on April 12, 2025. Here's my description of my thinking on the training plan: https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201

Monday

• Before breakfast: knee PT exercises
• After work and PT: walk on treadmill
  • time: 43:40
  • distance: 2.41 mi
  • ave pace: 18:07
  • incline: 0%

Tuesday after work:

• 40 min easy
  • T+D 98, no effect, T 56 F
  • time: 40:00
  • distance: 3.13 mi
  • average pace: 12:46 (GAP ave pace 12:37)
  • splits: 12: 49, 12:48, 12:45, 12:23
  • ave HR: 132 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 175 ft (corrected)
  • route: neighborhood loop 1

Wednesday

• Before breakfast: knee PT exercises
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 50:09
  • distance: 2.87 mi
  • ave pace: 17:28
  • incline: 0%

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
• After work:
  • 40 min easy
    • T+D 77, no effect, T 42 F, WC 38 F, windy
    • time: 40:00
    • distance: 3.18 mi
    • average pace: 12:34 (GAP ave pace 12:26)
    • splits: 12:32, 12:29, 12:45, 12:25
    • ave HR: 134 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 211 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1

Friday

• Before breakfast:
  • Knee PT exercises
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• In evening: walk on treadmill
  • time: 42:42
  • distance: 2.19 mi
  • ave pace: 19:30
  • incline: 0%

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • Agility HIIT workout - warm-up + 3 x 8 x (20 sec work + 20 sec rest) + 4 min rest). The exercises were:
    • Fast feet forward/back in ladder
    • Forward/back hop
    • Fast feet in/out in ladder
    • Sprint/backpedal
    • Fast feet forward through ladder
    • Left/right hop
    • Fast feet sideways through ladder
    • Side shuffle
    • comments: This used my agility ladder.
  • Knee PT exercises
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 40 min easy on trail
    • T+D 90, no effect, T 53 F
    • time: 40:01
    • distance: 3.11 mi
    • average pace: 12:52 (GAP ave pace 12:36)
    • splits: 12:54, 12:55, 12:44, 13:29
    • ave HR: 136 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 210 ft (corrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park

Sunday before dinner:

• 50 min easy on trail
  • T+D 90, no effect, T 55 F
  • time: 50:00
  • distance: 3.9 mi
  • average pace: 12:50 (GAP ave pace 12:45)
  • splits: 13:10, 12:45, 12:22, 13:05
  • ave HR: 133 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 218 ft (corrected)
  • route: Northwest Branch Trail

Total training time: 2 h 50 m
Total training distance: 13.32 mi
Total training elevation gain: 814 ft
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)


Health

I had a PT appointment on Monday. Unfortunately the therapist that I've been working with since September has moved to a different organization. (I may follow her there, but not until 2025.) The therapist that took over is ok, I guess. He went back to the more traditional exercises that I was doing in June/July, so a real change in philosophy. I only have one more approved PT visit left this year, so I may just let that go (or go once in December with this guy) and then if I'm still having issues, try to move to the different location with the other therapist. That organization is focused more specifically on sports physical therapy, which seems like a bonus, but it's definitely not as close to my house.

This week, the pain in various things has been about the same. The good news is that even though I started running again, the pain did not get worse. Maybe it's too soon to tell for that? That's why I'm starting off really easy. So I guess we'll see.

 

[avondale]

Week of Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2024
This was the second of a few weeks of base-building, which will lead into my training plan for the Amasa 25k Trail Race on April 12, 2025. I have registered for the race! Here's my description of my thinking on the training plan: https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201

Monday

• Before breakfast:
  • Knee PT exercises
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: power hiking hills on treadmill
  • time: 1:01:26
  • distance: 3.09 mi
  • ave pace: 19:53
  • elevation gain: 1429 ft
    • 5 min: 3.0 mph, 0 - 8% incline
    • 5 min: 15% incline
    • 5 min: 14%
    • 5 min: 13%
    • 5 min: 12%
    • 5 min: 11%
    • 5 min: 3.1 mph, 10%
    • 5 min: 9%
    • 5 min: 8%
    • 5 min: 3.2 mph, 7%
    • 5 min: 6%
    • 5 min: 5%
    • rest of time: 2.5 mph, 0%

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: Workout 2 - cut short for time
  • 3 x 5 each leg - one-leg squats on bench
  • superset
    • 3 x 5 each arm - one-arm rows on bench with 33.75 lb
    • 3 x 5 - push-ups with 20-lb vest
  • superset
    • 3 x 5 each leg - surrender squats
    • 3 x 5 - parallel-bar dips
    • 2 x 5 - supermans with 5-sec hold
• In evening: 2-hr tennis doubles round-robin

Wednesday

• Before lunch:
  • 40 min easy on trail
    • T+D 80, no effect, T 52 F
    • time: 40:00
    • distance: 3.11 mi
    • average pace: 12:52 (GAP ave pace 12:51)
    • splits: 12:57, 12:50, 12:49, 12:53
    • ave HR: 131 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 227 ft (corrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch trail
    • comments: Just 2 min into the run, I rolled my left ankle. Fortunately it turned out to not be too bad.
• In evening: 2-hr tennis doubles round-robin

Thursday before breakfast: walk on treadmill

• time: 1:27:18
• distance: 4.5 mi
• ave pace: 19:24
• incline: 0%
• comments: Got up really early to get my steps in before a long drive to family.

Friday before breakfast:

• Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
  • T+D 52, no effect, T 29 F, WC 19 F
  • time: 40:00
  • distance: 2.83 mi
  • repeat splits: 9:19, 9:19, 9:18, 9:06, 9:25, 9:06, 9:21, 8:24, 8:50, 9:27, 9:21, 8:23, 8:41, 8:58, 8:03, 8:48, 9:24, 9:20, 8:54, 9:17, 9:05
  • elevation gain: 132 ft (corrected)
  • route: Tanglewood development
  • 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.

Saturday before dinner:

• 50 min easy on trail
  • T+D 48, no effect, T 36 F, WC 28 F
  • time: 50:01
  • distance: 3.76 mi
  • average pace: 13:18 (GAP ave pace 12:24)
  • splits: 13:17, 13:50, 13:23, 12:32
  • ave HR: 138 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 492 ft (corrected)
  • route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park
  • comments: This is my first run with "deliberate downhills" where I am trying to keep up a good pace and high cadence on the downhills instead of taking off the throttle and coasting.

Sunday before dinner:

• 60 min LR on trail
  • T+D 62, no effect, T 42 F
  • time: 1:00:01
  • distance: 4.66 mi
  • average pace: 12:52 (GAP ave pace 12:42)
  • splits: 12:46, 12:41, 12:56, 13:14, 12:43
  • ave HR: 139 BPM - with my target range
  • elevation gain: 238 ft (corrected)
  • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park

Total training time: 4 h 10 m
Total training distance: 17.45 mi
Total training elevation gain: 2518 ft
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)


Health

My knee issues have been the same or slightly better. Not so much knee pain - more annoying is stiffness and range of motion. But hopefully things are still moving in a positive direction.

 

[avondale]

Week of Dec. 2 - 8, 2024
This was the third of some weeks of base-building, which will lead into my training plan for the Amasa 25k Trail Race on April 12, 2025. Here's my description of my thinking on the training plan: https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201

Monday

• Before breakfast: knee PT exercises
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 43:54
  • distance: 2.42 mi
  • ave pace: 18:09
  • incline: 0%

Tuesday after work:

• 40 min easy
  • T+D 54, no effect, T 34 F, WC 28 F
  • time: 40:00
  • distance: 3.2 mi
  • average pace: 12:29 (GAP ave pace 12:17)
  • splits: 12:20, 12:30, 12:31, 13:00
  • ave HR: 131 BPM - with my target range
  • elevation gain: 194 ft (corrected)
  • route: neighborhood loop 1

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
  • Knee PT exercises
• After work:
  • Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
    • T+D 57, no effect, T 38 F
    • time: 40:01
    • distance: 2.92 mi
    • repeat splits: 8:31, 9:45, 9:45, 9:26, 8:57, 9:53, 10:01, 7:46, 8:43, 9:10, 9:14, 8:22, 9:34, 9:45, 8:19, 8:48, 9:16, 9:31, 9:02, 9:26, 9:53
    • elevation gain: 191 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.

Thursday

• Before breakfast: knee PT exercises
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 43:36
  • distance: 2.41 mi
  • ave pace: 18:06
  • incline: 0%

Friday

• Before breakfast:
  • Workout 3
    • 3 x 5 each leg - Bulgarian split-squats with 20-lb vest + 5 lb
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 prone lat pulls with 49-lb bands
      • 3 x 5 overhead pull-overs with 32.5 lb
    • 3 x 5 each leg - bench step-ups 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
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 40 min easy
    • T+D 48, no effect, T 33 F, WC 25 F
    • time: 40:00
    • distance: 3.26 mi
    • average pace: 12:17 (GAP ave pace 12:07)
    • splits: 12:13, 12:16, 12:17, 12:36
    • ave HR: 130 BPM - with my target range
    • elevation gain: 201 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • Agility HIIT workout - warm-up + 3 x 8 x (20 sec work + 20 sec rest) + 4 min rest). The exercises were:
    • Fast feet forward/back in ladder
    • Forward/back hop
    • Fast feet in/out in ladder
    • Sprint/backpedal
    • Fast feet forward through ladder
    • Left/right hop
    • Fast feet sideways through ladder
    • Side shuffle
    • comments: This used my agility ladder.
  • Knee PT exercises
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 50 min easy on trail
    • T+D 51, no effect, T 41 F
    • time: 50:17
    • distance: 3.75 mi
    • average pace: 13:24 (GAP ave pace 12:35)
    • splits: 13:25, 13:58, 13:26, 12:35
    • ave HR: 136 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 481 ft (corrected)
    • route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park
    • comments: This is my second run with "deliberate downhills" where I am trying to keep up a good pace and high cadence on the downhills instead of taking off the throttle and coasting. It takes concentration!

Sunday

• Before dinner:
  • 50 min easy on trail
    • T+D 92, no effect, T 62 F
    • time: 50:01
    • distance: 3.89 mi
    • average pace: 12:51 (GAP ave pace 12:45)
    • splits: 13:03, 12:52, 12:33, 12:57
    • ave HR: 135 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 252 ft (corrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail

Total training time: 3 h 40 m
Total training distance: 17.02 mi
Total training elevation gain: 1319 ft
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)


Health

No big changes. My knees might be a bit more sore. Other related issues haven't been a big deal.

 

[avondale]

Week of Dec. 9 - 15, 2024
This was the fourth of some weeks of base-building, which will lead into my training plan for the Amasa 25k Trail Race on April 12, 2025. Here's my description of my thinking on the training plan: https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201 This week was also our last day of classes for the semester (Monday) during which I gave four hours of oral exams and the final exam for my class (Saturday). Busy.

Monday after work:

• 40 min easy
  • T+D 100, no effect, T 51 F
  • time: 40:00
  • distance: 3.2 mi
  • average pace: 12:29 (GAP ave pace 12:18)
  • splits: 12:26, 12:22, 12:38, 12:32
  • ave HR: 133 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 195 ft (corrected)
  • route: neighborhood loop 1

Tuesday after work: power hiking hills on treadmill

• time: 1:02:38
• distance: 3.21 mi
• ave pace: 19:31
• elevation gain: 1497 ft
  • 5 min: 3.0 mph, 2 - 12% incline
  • 5 min: 15% incline
  • 5 min: 14%
  • 5 min: 3.1 mph, 13%
  • 5 min: 12%
  • 5 min: 11%
  • 5 min: 3.2 mph, 10%
  • 5 min: 9%
  • 5 min: 8%
  • 5 min: 3.3 mph, 7%
  • 5 min: 6%
  • 5 min: 5%
  • rest of time: 3.0 - 2.5 mph, 0%

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
  • Knee PT exercises
• In evening: 2-hr tennis doubles round-robin

Thursday after work:

• Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
  • T+D 50, no effect, T 37 F, WC 32 F
  • time: 40:00
  • distance: 2.94 mi
  • repeat splits: 8:58, 9:32, 9:21, 9:02, 9:18, 9:18, 10:00, 8:08, 9:00, 9:29, 7:49, 8:36, 9:27, 9:26, 8:27, 8:58, 9:06, 8:57, 9:03, 9:43, 10:01
  • elevation gain: 198 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.

Friday

• Before breakfast:
  • Workout 1
    • 3 x 5 - suitcase squats with 60 lb + 20-lb vest
    • superset
      • 3 unassisted chin-ups in this superset
      • 3 x 5 - reverse-grip lat pull-downs with 49-lb bands
      • 3 x 5 - bench presses with 60 lb
    • 3 x 5 - Romanian deadlifts with 60 lb
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 - shoulder presses with 45 lb
      • 3 x 5 - band pull-aparts with 13-lb band
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walking on treadmill
  • time: 43:37
  • distance: 2.41 mi
  • ave pace: 18:06
  • incline: 0%

Saturday before dinner:

• 50 min easy on trail
  • T+D 56, no effect, T 39 F
  • time: 50:01
  • distance: 3.83 mi
  • average pace: 13:03 (GAP ave pace 12:13)
  • splits: 13:12, 13:16, 13:19, 12:17
  • ave HR: 138 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 483 ft (corrected)
  • route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park
  • comments: This is my third run with "deliberate downhills" where I am trying to keep up a good pace and high cadence on the downhills instead of taking off the throttle and coasting. It takes concentration!

Sunday

• Before lunch:
  • 60 min LR on trail
    • T+D 65, no effect, T 35 F, WC 31 F
    • time: 1:00:01
    • distance: 4.78 mi
    • average pace: 12:33 (GAP ave pace 12:25)
    • splits: 12:34, 12:38, 12:31, 12:47, 12:11
    • ave HR: 134 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 257 ft (corrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
• Before dinner:
  • Knee PT exercises
  • Foam rolling and stretching

Total training time: 4 h 10 m
Total training distance: 17.96 mi
Total training elevation gain: 2630 ft
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)


Health

On Tuesday morning, I had a PT appointment. I was with yet another different therapist (since my regular therapist left before Thanksgiving). This therapist decided to do a bunch of different exercises, mostly focusing on stabilizer muscles and central nervous system activation. Maybe useful, but not when it's my last visit. So whatever. For 2025, I'm going to try to move to the office my previous therapist went to (different company).

I still have the under-kneecap pain. It's worse soon after running (I do ice), but overall I don't think it's getting worse - the pain lessens with a bit of time for recovery. Most of the other issues are no longer bothering me.

 

[avondale]

Week of Dec. 16 - 22, 2024
This was the fifth and last week of base-building, which will lead into my training plan for the Amasa 25k Trail Race on April 12, 2025. Here's my description of my thinking on the training plan: https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201 I've definitely been getting a little faster but whether that is improving ability or just reflecting the fact that it's gotten colder - I don't know.

This week, my husband and I will be traveling to visit his family for a few days and then my family.

Monday

• 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
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 40 min easy
    • T+D 83, no effect, T 42 F
    • time: 40:01
    • distance: 3.21 mi
    • average pace: 12:27 (GAP ave pace 12:19)
    • splits: 12:27, 12:28, 12:25, 12:37
    • ave HR: 131 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 187 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1

Tuesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Knee PT exercises
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
    • T+D 105, 0.5% effect, T 55 F
    • time: 40:00
    • distance: 2.95 mi
    • repeat splits: 8:33, 9:19, 9:16, 8:59, 8:06, 9:08, 9:45, 8:14, 8:46, 9:13, 8:57, 8:34, 9:12, (;54, 8:22, 8:51, 9:19, 8:54, 8:56, 9:47, 9:29
    • elevation gain: 199 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.

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 33.75 lb
      • 3 x 5 - push-ups with 20-lb vest
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 each leg - surrender squats
      • 3 x 5 - parallel-bar dips
      • 3 x 5 - supermans with 5-sec hold
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• In evening: 2-hr tennis doubles round-robin

Thursday before dinner:

• Knee PT exercises
• Treadmill recovery walking
  • time: 43:06
  • distance: 2.39 mi
  • ave pace: 18:02
  • incline: 0%

Friday before lunch:

• 50min easy on trail
  • T+D 68, no effect, T 37 F, light rain the whole time
  • time: 50:01
  • distance: 3.89 mi
  • average pace: 12:50 (GAP ave pace 12:47)
  • splits: 12:53, 12:51, 12:56, 12:42
  • ave HR: 135 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 270 ft (corrected)
  • route: Northwest Branch Trail
  • comments: This was an unpleasant run in the cold rain. But it did mean the trail was completely empty!

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • Agility HIIT workout - warm-up + 3 x 8 x (20 sec work + 20 sec rest) + 4 min rest). The exercises were:
    • Fast feet forward/back in ladder
    • Forward/back hop
    • Fast feet in/out in ladder
    • Sprint/backpedal
    • Fast feet forward through ladder
    • Left/right hop
    • Fast feet sideways through ladder
    • Side shuffle
    • comments: This used my agility ladder.
  • Knee PT exercises
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 50 min easy on trail
    • T+D 48, no effect, T 33 F, WC 34 F
    • time: 50:00
    • distance: 3.8 mi
    • average pace: 13:10 (GAP ave pace 12:15)
    • splits: 13:12, 13:31, 13:24, 12:25
    • ave HR: 137 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 496 ft (corrected)
    • route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park

Sunday before lunch:

• 50 min easy on trail
  • T+D 40, no effect, T 30 F, WC 20 F
  • time: 50:01
  • distance: 3.94 mi
  • average pace: 12:42 (GAP ave pace 12:34)
  • splits: 12:49, 12:43, 13:03, 12:13
  • ave HR: 134 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 221 ft (corrected)
  • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park

Total training time: 3 h 50 m
Total training distance: 17.79 mi
Total training elevation gain: 1373 ft
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)


Health

Pretty much the same with my knees.

 

[avondale]

Week of Dec. 23 - 29, 2024
I've finished my base-building, and this was the first week of my training plan for the Amasa 25k Trail Race on April 12, 2025. Here's my description of my thinking on the training plan: https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201 I've definitely been getting a little faster but whether that is improving ability or just reflecting the fact that it's gotten colder - I don't know.

This week, we spent the first part of the week visiting my husband's family in Michigan, and then the last two days (and part of next week) are visiting my family in Pennsylvania.

Monday afternoon: walking outside

• time: 30:09
• distance: 1.61 mi
• ave pace: 18:41
• elevation gain: 8 ft (corrected)
• comments: This was entirely to fill out the rest of my 10,000 steps for the day. It was crummy weather: cold, windy, and some sleet.

Tuesday before breakfast:

• 40 min easy
  • T+D 65, no effect, T 34 F, WC 29 F
  • time: 40:01
  • distance: 3.23 mi
  • average pace: 12:24 (GAP ave pace 12:23)
  • splits: 12:41, 12:16, 12:19, 12:14
  • ave HR: 132 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 35 ft (corrected)
  • route: Lake Shore Rd
  • comments: This was supposed to be HIIT intervals, but it was slippery with slush and Ice, so I wore my microspikes and changed to an easy run.

Wednesday before breakfast:

• 40 min tempo intervals - 10 min easy + 4 x (4 min tempo + 1 min walk) + 10 min easy
  • T+D 63, no effect, T 33 F, WC 29 F
  • time: 40:00
  • distance: 3.45 mi
  • interval splits: 10:00, 9:55, 9:56, 9:51
  • elevation gain: 39 ft (corrected)
  • route: Lake Shore Rd

Thursday

• Before breakfast:
  • 50 min easy
    • T+D 70, no effect, T 36 F, WC 31 F
    • time: 50:01
    • distance: 4.09 mi
    • average pace: 12:13 (GAP ave pace 12:13)
    • splits: 12:30, 12:17, 11:47, 12:21, 11:55
    • ave HR: 133 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 38 ft (corrected)
    • route: Lake Shore Rd
• In afternoon: walk outside
  • time: 43:22
  • distance: 2.23 mi
  • average pace: 19:29
  • elevation gain: 7 ft (corrected)

Friday before breakfast:

• 60 min easy
  • T+D 73, no effect, T 38 F, WC 32 F
  • time: 1:00:01
  • distance: 4.94 mi
  • average pace: 12:10 (GAP ave pace 12:10)
  • splits: 12:25, 12:13, 12:02, 12:00, 12:08
  • ave HR: 136 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 43 ft (corrected)
  • route: Lake Shore Rd

Saturday before breakfast: walk on treadmill

• time: 1:27:47
• distance: 4.59 mi
• average pace: 19:07
• incline: 0%
• comments: Got up really early to do this before driving to visit my family.

Sunday before breakfast:

• 70 min LR
  • T+D 96, no effect, T 48 F, rain
  • time: 1:10:01
  • distance: 5.86 mi
  • average pace: 11:57 (GAP ave pace: 11:57)
  • splits: 12:18, 12:12, 11:52, 11:54, 11:39, 11:44
  • ave HR: 134 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 98 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Allegheny River Trail
  • comments: Rained most of the time, with some pouring rain toward the end. At least it was unseasonably warm, but still not pleasant.

Total training time: 4 h 20 m
Total training distance: 21.57 mi
Total training elevation gain: 253 ft - pathetic! LOL
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)


Health

My knees have been about the same. Fortunately they don't seem to be getting worse with more time/distance running. Nor for the fact that I haven't done any foam rolling or stretching this week.

The weird thing this week has been HIVES. When I got up early (!) to run Wednesday morning, my wrist above my Garmin felt painful and itchy, but nothing was visibly wrong. Well, throughout the day, I developed two hives right on the knobby part of my wrist and the back of the hand. Not too itchy - more sensitive. Over the day, they got bigger and redder.

Overnight into Thursday morning, I got three more patches of hives on my lower legs. These were really itchy. The next day, one developed on my forearm, and the next day (Saturday), one developed on my neck. All of them except on my wrist have been itchy.

I started some Benadryl on Thursday - not sure it's done much, but maybe helped with the itching. I have no idea what caused the hives - I've never really had them before, and I didn't do or eat anything differently than last year visiting family. I don't have any allergies that I know of. So weird. Otherwise I feel fine.

I say I've never had hives before, but in retrospect, I think I may have had some a few weeks before. At that time, I got four or five itchy spots behind my right knee and one on my inner thigh. They just appeared before I went to bed and were really itchy. At the time, I thought they were bug bites, but seemed weird since it was cold enough for me to wear running tights and also windy - how would bugs have bitten me? But I didn't get any additional ones after that outbreak, and it took almost a week for them to go away.

For these ones, the first ones on my wrist are starting to diffuse and go away. The next ones are less itchy - they are also starting to go away. But clearly it's going to take about a week for each patch to go away. And hopefully I won't get more! Just so strange.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

The weird thing this week has been HIVES. When I got up early (!) to run Wednesday morning, my wrist above my Garmin felt painful and itchy, but nothing was visibly wrong. Well, throughout the day, I developed two hives right on the knobby part of my wrist and the back of the hand. Not too itchy - more sensitive. Over the day, they got bigger and redder.

Overnight into Thursday morning, I got three more patches of hives on my lower legs. These were really itchy. The next day, one developed on my forearm, and the next day (Saturday), one developed on my neck. All of them except on my wrist have been itchy.

I started some Benadryl on Thursday - not sure it's done much, but maybe helped with the itching. I have no idea what caused the hives - I've never really had them before, and I didn't do or eat anything differently than last year visiting family. I don't have any allergies that I know of. So weird. Otherwise I feel fine.

I say I've never had hives before, but in retrospect, I think I may have had some a few weeks before. At that time, I got four or five itchy spots behind my right knee and one on my inner thigh. They just appeared before I went to bed and were really itchy. At the time, I thought they were bug bites, but seemed weird since it was cold enough for me to wear running tights and also windy - how would bugs have bitten me? But I didn't get any additional ones after that outbreak, and it took almost a week for them to go away.

For these ones, the first ones on my wrist are starting to diffuse and go away. The next ones are less itchy - they are also starting to go away. But clearly it's going to take about a week for each patch to go away. And hopefully I won't get more! Just so strange.

How weird! Just want to ask - are the hives all on one side of your body or just random? Asking because my mom had shingles a few years ago and having a rash/hives on one side is one of the symptoms - hoping that's not it!

 

[GollyGadget]

I get hives when I'm overheated. It's much worse in the winter when the air is dry. Just another fun thing manage. I found the benadryl and Zyrtec creams to be much more useful than a pill at stopping the itch. Hope yours clear up and aren't a recurring theme!

 

[avondale]

How weird! Just want to ask - are the hives all on one side of your body or just random? Asking because my mom had shingles a few years ago and having a rash/hives on one side is one of the symptoms - hoping that's not it!

Just random. I got the shingles vax earlier this year.

 

[avondale]

Week of Dec. 30 - Jan. 5, 2024
I've finished my base-building, and this was the second week of my training plan for the Amasa 25k Trail Race on April 12, 2025. Here's my description of my thinking on the training plan: https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201 I've definitely been getting a little faster but whether that is improving ability or just reflecting the fact that it's gotten colder - I don't know.

This week, we spent the first few days visiting my family in Pennsylvania, where the weather continued to be ...unpleasant... for running.

Monday before breakfast:

• Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
  • T+D 73, no effect, T 37 F, WC 28 F, light rain the whole time
  • time: 40:00
  • distance: 2.94 mi
  • repeat splits: 8:53, 8:41, 9:09, 8:49, 8:54, 8:34, 8:46, 7:56, 8:41, 8:58, 8:39, 8:49, 8:55, 8:02, 8:40, 8:37, 8:47, 9:01, 8:42, 8:51
  • elevation gain: 147 ft (corrected)
  • route: Tanglewood development
  • 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.
  • comments: My repeat splits were a bit faster because this hill is definitely not as steep as the usual hill I run on for these.
  • comments: I did over 10 min of extra walking to make sure I was going to get to my 10,000 steps for the day.

Tuesday before breakfast:

• 50 min easy
  • T+D 66, no effect, T 33 F, WC 27 F
  • time: 50:01
  • distance: 4.33 mi
  • average pace: 11:34 (GAP ave pace: 11:35)
  • splits: 11:58, 9:26, 12:14, 12:18, 12:30
  • ave HR: 135 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 67 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Samuel Justus Trail - this trail is paved
  • comments: I got a good scare on this run! When I was almost a mile into my run, a guy on an e-bike came up behind me and asked if I parked my car at the bridge (yes) and if I knew the trunk and a door were open (NO!!!) He offered to go back and close them, but I asked him to just go back and wait there until I got there. I thought if I needed to make a police report, nothing should be changed. He zipped back and I did one of my fastest miles in a long time to get back.Fortunately only the trunk was open. It looks like when I put my purse in the trunk, the straps fell over the latch. I pushed the button to close the trunk and walked away, not noticing that the trunk didn't close.Fortunately this is a very quiet area and it wasn't left like that for too long. Thank goodness it didn't end up being anything worse.

Wednesday before dinner: walk on treadmill

• time: 1:26:10
• distance: 5.02 mi
• ave pace: 17:10
• incline: 0%
• comments: Back home!

Thursday

• Before lunch:
  • Knee PT exercises
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 30 min easy + 10 min stairs
    • T+D 55, no effect, T 37 F, WC 30 F
    • time: 40:18
    • run distance: 2.47 mi
    • average pace: 12:10
    • splits: 12:20, 12:03, 12:04
    • ave HR: 133 BPM - within my target range
    • route: HS track
    • stair elevation gain: 18 floors x 9 ft = 162 ft
    • route: football bleachers
    • comments: The stairs were easier than I expected. It was 15 stairs up, then I came down and repeated. I think I need to find somewhere that I can to more stairs up before coming down, although with my trail race route, I should practice going down stairs, too. The problem is finding a place that will be reasonably lit at night and has a good area for my warm-up run before the stairs. That's why something like a parking garage hasn't seemed like a good option.
    • comments: I walked up and down these at a deliberate pace. I'm not planning to run stairs because of my general lack of coordination, plus knee issues. But hopefully I can work up to a brisk pace. Since this was the first time, I was a bit conservative.

Friday

• Before breakfast:
  • Core workout
    • 60-sec plank with 20-lb vest
    • 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
  • Balance workout
    • 3 per side - push-up on medicine balls into side plank
    • 3 per side - lean forward and reach on one leg
    • 3 per side - squat and reach
    • 3 per side - standing crunch and under-leg clap
    • 3 per side - opposite side reach
    • 3 per side - 3-position foot tap
    • comments: My last PT session, I was encouraged to work on some balance improvement, which seemed reasonable. I came up with these exercises with some research. Most of them were way too easy, so I'm going to have to revise.
• Before dinner: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:27:31
  • distance: 5.09 mi
  • ave pace: 17:12
  • incline: 0%

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • Agility HIIT workout - warm-up + 3 x 8 x (20 sec work + 20 sec rest) + 4 min rest). The exercises were:
    • Fast feet forward/back in ladder
    • Forward/back hop
    • Fast feet in/out in ladder
    • Sprint/backpedal
    • Fast feet forward through ladder
    • Left/right hop
    • Fast feet sideways through ladder
    • Side shuffle
    • comments: This used my agility ladder.
  • Knee PT exercises
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D 38, no effect, T 30 F, WC 18 F, very windy
    • time: 1:00:00
    • distance: 4.69 mi
    • average pace: 12:47 (GAP ave pace: 11:50)
    • splits: 12:54, 13:08, 12:37, 13:19, 11:38
    • ave HR: 140 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 624 ft (corrected)
    • route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park
    • comments: This was a "deliberate downhill" run where I was trying to pick up the cadence and pace on the downhill sections.
    • comments: This was the fastest that I've run this trail in a long time! Even by disregarding the hills by looking at the GAP average pace, this was fast for me! And it was on a trail surface, not pavement, although this trail isn't very technical.

Sunday before dinner:

• 80 min LR on trail
  • T+D 39, no effect, T 34 F, WC 27 F
  • time: 1:20:00
  • distance: 6.26 mi
  • average pace: 12:46 (GAP ave pace: 12:21)
  • splits: 12:27, 12:10, 13:18, 13:07, 12:48, 12:46
  • ave HR: 139 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 425 ft (corrected)
  • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park

Total training time: 4 h 30 m
Total training distance: 20.69 mi
Total training elevation gain: 1425 ft
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)



Health

Fortunately I got no additional hives to what I described in my last post. As I write this, they are fading and generally no longer itchy, but it's definitely taken a week or more for each patch to go away.

I set up my first appointment with the physical therapist that I liked that I followed to her new organization, but it's not until late January. In the mean time, my knee pain has honestly been improving despite my running volume increasing a bit and the fact that I did no PT, stretching, foam rolling, or massage gun for the ~10 days I was visiting family. I also didn't do any strength training during that time. At the moment, I feel like more of my issues/pain are with range of motion and stiffness. It's still hard for me to squat enough to easily/quickly get down on the floor or up off of the floor or to do large steps up/down, such as might be in hiking. I also still get really stiff, both with inactivity and WITH activity - after I've been running for awhile, my knees are really unhappy with things like squatting or going up/down stairs. So I will hopefully move toward focusing on those issues in the upcoming PT.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

Whew, glad your car was okay!

 

[GollyGadget]

Sounds like your training is going well and I’m glad your car wasn’t broken into as I first suspected.

Do you have any nearby track/stadiums with public access? A lot of public schools will let you use theirs and it can be a good place to find stairs. I used to run the local middle school track for my speedwork. The only reason I stopped is that we moved across the state

 

[avondale]

Sounds like your training is going well and I’m glad your car wasn’t broken into as I first suspected.

Do you have any nearby track/stadiums with public access? A lot of public schools will let you use theirs and it can be a good place to find stairs. I used to run the local middle school track for my speedwork. The only reason I stopped is that we moved across the state

I did this at "HS track" which was my local high school track. I used the football bleachers for the stairs. The problem is that there's only 15 stairs up/down.

 

[avondale]

Week of Jan. 6 - 12, 2024
I've finished my base-building, and this was the third week of my training plan for the Amasa 25k Trail Race on April 12, 2025. Here's my description of my thinking on the training plan: https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201

We got 9 inches of snow Mon/Tue which greatly complicated my running plans for the rest of the week. Usually our snow doesn't stick around very long because we get some warmer days, but it was quite cold all week, so the snow stayed.

Monday

• Before breakfast:
  • Knee PT exercises
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner: power hiking hills on treadmill
  • time: 1:26:14
  • distance: 4.53 mi
  • ave pace: 19:02
  • elevation gain: 1527 ft
    • 5 min: 3.0 mph, 2 - 12% incline
    • 5 min: 15% incline
    • 5 min: 3.1 mph, 14%
    • 5 min: 13%
    • 5 min: 3.2 mph, 12%
    • 5 min: 11%
    • 5 min: 3.3 mph, 10%
    • 5 min: 9%
    • 5 min: 3.4 mph, 8%
    • 5 min: 7%
    • 5 min: 3.5 mph, 6%
    • 5 min: 5%
    • 5 min: 3.6 mph, 4%
    • 5 min: 3%
    • 10 min: 3.0 mph, 0%
    • rest: 2.5 mph

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: core workout
  • 60-sec plank with 20-lb vest
  • 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
• Before dinner:
  • 50 min easy on trail
    • T+D 52, no effect, T 32 F, WC 22 F, very windy
    • time: 50:00
    • distance: 3.91 mi
    • average pace: 12:48 (GAP ave pace: 12:50)
    • splits: 12:51, 13:01, 12:24, 12:36
    • ave HR: 136 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 112 ft (corrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail
    • comments: This trail is paved, but that was irrelevant because except at road crossings, it was completely snow-covered. The snow was reasonably well-packed so it wasn't TOO slow-going, but definitely slower. I wore my microspikes.

Wednesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Workout 1
    • 3 x 5 - suitcase squats with 60 lb + 20-lb vest
    • superset
      • 3 x 1 - unassisted chin-ups
      • 3 x 5 - lat pull-downs with 49-lb bands
      • 3 x 5 - bench presses with 60 lb
    • 3 x 5 - Romanian deadlifts with 60 lb
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 - shoulder presses with 45 lb
      • 3 x 5 - pull-aparts with 13-lb band
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• In evening: 2-hr tennis doubles round-robin

Thursday before dinner:

• 40 min easy
  • T+D 38, no effect, T 27 F, WC 16 F, very windy
  • time: 40:01
  • distance: 3.1 mi
  • average pace: 12:56 (GAP ave pace: 12:46)
  • splits: 13:01, 12:51, 12:51, 13:18
  • ave HR: 130 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 206 ft (corrected)
  • route: neighborhood loop 1
  • comments: I was dreading this run because I knew there would be a lot of sidewalks (about 1/3) in the neighborhood that wouldn't be shoveled, so things would overall be annoying. I wore my microspikes. This was supposed to be a HIIT hill repeat run, but I wasn't going to do that with microspikes on icy patches. On the bright side, it was a beautiful sunset.

Friday

• 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 33.75 lb
      • 3 x 5 - push-ups with 20-lb vest
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 each leg - surrender squats
      • 3 x 5 - parallel-bar dips
      • 3 x 5 - supermans with 5-s hold
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• In evening: 2-hr tennis doubles match - my partner and I lost 6-3, 6-0.

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • Agility HIIT workout - warm-up + 3 x 8 x (20 sec work + 20 sec rest) + 4 min rest). The exercises were:
    • Fast feet forward/back in ladder
    • Forward/back hop
    • Fast feet in/out in ladder
    • Sprint/backpedal
    • Fast feet forward through ladder
    • Left/right hop
    • Fast feet sideways through ladder
    • Side shuffle
    • comments: This used my agility ladder.
  • Knee PT exercises
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 70 min easy on trail
    • T+D 53, no effect, T 35 F, WC 25 F
    • time: 1:10:00
    • distance: 5.26 mi
    • average pace: 13:19 (GAP ave pace: 13:11)
    • splits: 13:11, 13:36, 13:26, 13:14, 13:08, 13:14
    • ave HR: 138 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 413 ft (corrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail
    • comments: This trail was completely snow-covered, which definitely slowed me down. It was mostly pretty well-packed, so I wasn't completely spinning my wheels, but still a slog. It was really beautiful along the creek, though, with all the snow on things (we had gotten 1 - 2 inches more overnight) and the creek was frozen over in some places. I was really feeling this one throughout my legs from the "mushy" surface. I wore my microspikes.

Sunday

• 90 min LR on trail
  • T+D 58, no effect, T 38 F
  • time: 1:30:01
  • distance: 6.55 mi
  • average pace: 13:44 (GAP ave pace: 13:24)
  • splits: 13:22, 13:10, 14:48, 14:42, 13:12, 13:03
  • ave HR: 135 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 434 ft (corrected)
  • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
  • comments: This trail was almost completely snow-covered, which definitely slowed me down again. It was above freezing and it was sunny, so some spots were starting to get soft. A few steep hills around the turn-around points were slush and muddy, which made them slippery and me even slower. Again, it was very pretty. I'll be glad when the snow is gone, though! I wore my microspikes.

Total training time: 5 h 20 m
Total training distance: 23.35 mi
Total training elevation gain: 2692 ft
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)



Health

Nothing too different from previously. Not much change with the knee issues. The hives are gone.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

I was checking the weather in DC this week and feeling grateful I was not there. I'm impressed that you got out there in the aftermath of the snow!