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

GollyGadget · Mar 16, 2025

Great job on your stairs!

avondale · Mar 17, 2025

GollyGadget said:
Great job on your stairs!

Thanks!

avondale · Mar 23, 2025

Week of Mar. 17 - 23, 2025

I've finished my base-building, and this was the thirteenth 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.disboard s.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201 This week was my spring break, and so I went to visit my mother and family Tuesday - Friday. This was also the week with my peak long run: 3.5 hours. I start to taper after this.

Monday before dinner: walk on treadmill

time: 1:27:45
distance: 4.82 mi
ave pace: 18:12
incline: 0%

Tuesday before breakfast:

60 min tempo intervals on trail -- 14 min easy + 4 x (7 min tempo effort + 1 min walk) + 14 min easy
- T+D 61, no effect, T 41 F, windy
- time: 1:00:00
- distance: 4.89 mi
- repeat splits: 11:26, 11:43, 11:04, 10:38
- elevation gain: 405 ft (corrected)
- route: Northwest Branch Trail

Wednesday

Before breakfast:
- 60 min easy
  - T+D 67, no effect, T 38 F
  - time: 1:00:00
  - distance: 5.09 mi
  - average pace: 11:48 (GAP ave pace: 11:47)
  - splits: 11:58, 11:57, 11:46, 11:43, 11:36, 11:36
  - ave HR: 136 BPM - within my target range
  - elevation gain: 93 ft (uncorrected)
  - route: Allegheny River Trail
  - comments: This route is paved.
In afternoon: 0.5-mi walk with my mother. She's doing very well after her hip replacement in early February!

Thursday

Before breakfast:
- Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
  - T+D 96, no effect, T 53 F, some rain
  - time: 40:01
  - distance: 2.82 mi
  - repeat splits: 8:26, 8:37, 9:05, 8:57, 8:57, 8:37, 8:56, 7:59, 8:24, 8:58, 8:26, 8:59, 8:57, 9:13, 8:20, 9:06, 8:49, 8:43, 8:53, 8:59, 9:10
  - elevation gain: 152 ft (corrected)
  - route: Tanglewood development
- Additional 1.1 mi of walking for steps

Friday before dinner: walk outside

time: 1:28:45
distance: 4.62 mi
ave pace: 19:13
elevation gain: 156 ft (corrected)

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.
- Foam rolling and stretching
Before dinner:
- 90 min easy on trail
  - T+D 92, no effect, T 65 F. Very windy!
  - time: 1:30:00
  - distance: 6.77 mi
  - average pace: 13:18 (GAP ave pace: 12:31)
  - splits: 13:14, 13:37, 13:22, 13:23, 13:16, 13:38, 12:24
  - ave HR: 137 BPM - within my target range
  - elevation gain: 877 ft (corrected)
  - route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek NP

Sunday before dinner:

210 min LR on trail
- T+D 74, no effect, T 54 F
- time: 3:30:01
- distance: 15.34 mi
- average pace: 13:42 (GAP ave pace 13:18)
- splits: 13:48, 12:59, 12:55, 13:17, 12:34, 14:12, 14:26, 13:48, 14:50, 14:14, 13:17, 13:41, 13:47, 13:40, 14:03, 13:20
- ave HR: 135 BPM - within my target range
- elevation gain: 1246 ft (corrected)
- route: Seneca Greenway Trail
- comments: I took 1.5 L water + Nuun and 1 L water. I drank most of the water + Nuun and about half of the water. I ate three Honey Stinger waffles and one sleeve of Clif Bloks.

Total training time: 7 h 40 m
Total training distance: 34.91 mi
Total training elevation gain: 2773 ft
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)

Health

Nothing much happening. My mother's house is one story, so when I visit there, I have fewer stairs in daily activity, and that does make my knees happier.

avondale · Mar 30, 2025

Week of Mar. 24 - 30, 2025

This was the fourteenth 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.disboard s.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201 This was the first week of my taper.

Monday

Before breakfast:
- Knee PT exercises
- Foam rolling and stretching
After work: walk on treadmill
- time: 1:27:14
- distance: 4.25 mi
- ave pace: 20:32
- incline: 0%

Tuesday

Before breakfast:
- Strength endurance workout
  - 2 x 15 each leg - reverse lunges
  - 2 x 15 each leg - Romanian single-leg deadlifts with kickstand and 10 lb
  - 2 x 15 each leg - single-leg hip thrusts with 10 lb
  - 2 x 15 - heels-elevated squats with 10 lb
  - 2 x 15 each leg - hip airplanes
  - comments: This is a routine suggested by my physical therapist.
- Stretching
After work: power hiking hills on treadmill
- time: 1:12:07
- distance: 3.82 mi
- elevation gain 2191 ft
- 5 min: 3.0 mph, 2 - 10% incline
- 10 min: 15%
- 10 min: 3.1 mph, 14%
- 10 min: 3.2 mph, 13%
- 10 min: 3.3 mph, 12%
- 10 min: 3.4 mph, 11%
- 10 min: 3.5 mph, 10%
- 5 min: 3.6 mph, 9%
- rest: 2.5 mph, 0%

Wednesday

Before breakfast:
- Core workout
  - 90-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
- Stretching
After work:
- 50 min easy on trail
  - T+D 68, no effect, T 51 F. Breezy.
  - time: 50:00
  - distance: 3.93 mi
  - average pace: 12:42 (GAP ave pace: 12:39)
  - splits: 12:49, 12:43, 12:32, 12:45
  - ave HR: 134 BPM - within my target range
  - elevation gain: 282 ft (corrected)
  - route: Northwest Branch Trail

Thursday

Before breakfast:
- Workout 3
  - 3 x 5 each leg - one-leg hip thrusts with 20 lb
  - superset
    - 3 x 5 - prone lat pulls with 49-lb bands
    - 3 x 5 - overhead pull-overs with 33.75 lb
  - 3 x 5 each leg - bench step-up-and-overs 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
- Stretching
After work:
- Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
  - T+D 77, no effect, T 58 F
  - time: 40:00
  - distance: 2.9 mi
  - repeat splits: 9:02, 9:22, 9:23, 8:38, 8:58, 9:24, 9:24, 8:05, 8:58, 9:13, 9:10, 8:57, 9:35, 9:36, 8:45, 9:02, 9:26, 8:51, 8:46, 9:14, 9:46
  - elevation gain: 198 ft (corrected)
  - route: neighborhood loop 1

Friday

Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
After dinner: walk on treadmill
- time: 43:59
- distance: 2.45 mi
- ave pace: 17:57
- incline: 0%

Saturday before dinner:

70 min easy on trail
- T+D 129, 2% effect, T 81 F
- time: 1:10:01
- distance: 5.27 mi
- average pace: 13:17 (GAP ave pace: 12:18)
- splits: 12:56, 14:09, 13:04, 12:25, 13:10, 11:59, 13:34, 11:42
- ave HR: 140 BPM - within my target range
- elevation gain: 702 ft (corrected)
- route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek NP
- comments: This T+D was quite a bit higher than anything we've had lately! Yuck.

Sunday before dinner:

150 min LR on trail
- T+D 131, 2.5% effect, T 79 F. Breezy.
- time: 2:30:00
- distance: 11.1 mi
- average pace: 13:31 (GAP ave pace: 13:14)
- splits: 14:01, 12:59, 12:31, 13:33, 12:50, 13:00, 13:21, 13:52, 13:33, 14:47, 13:25, 21:43
- ave HR: 141 BPM - within my target range
- elevation gain: 828 ft (corrected)
- route: Seneca Greenway Trail
- comments: I took 1.5 L of water + Nuun and 0.5 L of water and drank most of it. I ate one Honey Stinger waffle and one sleeve of Clif Boks.
- comments: This is the highest T+D that I've run in since last fall, and I felt it for sure. My HR was definitely higher than I wanted, so I took it extra easy. Not the time to really wear myself out.
- comments: I stopped on a bridge crossing a stream where I usually look for frogs and turtles. I startled a water moccasin down on the stream bank, and it hissed and shook its tail at me. We got got a start, but we were safely separated. I guess snakes are awake for the season!

Total training time: 6 h 20 m
Total training distance: 27.02 mi
Total training elevation gain: 4201 ft
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)

Health

Not much change. Still knee pain - not too bad. More after runs, then better. My lower quads have been very sore - not sure if it's the quad or maybe a tendon connection.

avondale · Apr 6, 2025

Week of Mar. 31 - Apr. 6, 2025

This was the fifteenth 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.disboard s.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201 This was the second week of my taper.

Work: Starting last weekend, my students have observing using telescopes in Utah and Australia. They are supposed to know how to use them, but I make sure they get started properly. That means up online with them at 7am (Australia) and 11:30pm (Utah), which means not a lot of sleep in between. But we can't observe around full Moon because the sky is too bright - I literally chose this race because April 12 is full Moon. So during this week leading up to the race, I'm hopefully going to be able to get more sleep!

Pet of the Month: our cat, Kali, was chosen to be featured as Pet of the Month by our pet-sitting service - sitapet.com. Check out her cute photo and bio! This is a great gimmick by them because I've been advertising it all week.

Race prep: The link above has my original thinking and planning for this race. But more thinking on it:

The first mile is flat with a shorter uphill. At least I won't have to start out walking.
There's about 2 miles of uphill at ~9% grade. This is where my power hiking will come in.
The next ~1 mile is flat or downhill, so yay.
At about 4.3 miles, there is the huge descent of about 250 ft in a couple tenths of a mile. This is where the stair training comes in.
The next ~4 miles are flatish with some gradual downhill and uphill.
Just before 9 miles, we go back up that huge descent, but now it's uphill - this is really why I did the stair training.
The next ~1 mile has a pretty impressive uphill - more power hiking.
The remaining portions are mostly downhill and some flat - some of the downhill is pretty steep (~7% grade), which is why I did the deliberate downhill running. Hopefully I can do this with a pretty good pace, but it will partly depend on how technical the terrain is.

Unfortunately right now, the forecast is for very unseasonably warm weather. Of course. It seems like 90% of my races are lucky this way. However, the race is in the morning and since it's in the desert, the humidity should be low throughout, so hopefully the T+D won't be that bad. I got a running Sun hat with "neck drapes" to try to keep down the radiant heat.

Also, the altitude of Moab is 4000 - 5000 ft, so there will be less oxygen. I've been taking extra iron supplements and a vitamin E supplement, which some research shows can be helpful for this - since I can't go out a month ahead of time and get acclimated.

With a flatter 25k, I think I could do it in around 3.5 hours. But given the elevation gain, altitude, and temperature, I'm hoping to finish in 4 hours.

Monday after work: walk on treadmill

time: 1:00:38
distance: 3.21 mi
ave pace: 18:53
incline: 0%

Tuesday

Before breakfast:
- Core workout
  - 90-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
After work:
- 40 min easy
  - T+D 86, no effect, T 56 F
  - time: 40:00
  - distance: 3.3 mi
  - average pace: 12:07 (GAP ave pace: 12:07)
  - splits: 12:13, 12:12, 11:55, 12:11
  - ave HR: 131 BPM - within my target range
  - elevation gain: 95 ft (corrected)
  - route: Sligo Creek Trail
  - comments: This route is paved, so I don't consider it trail running.

Wednesday after work:

40 min easy on trail
- T+D 92, no effect, T 57 F
- time: 40:00
- distance: 3.13 mi
- average pace: 12:46 (GAP ave pace: 12:39)
- splits: 12:59, 12:39, 12:39, 12:54
- ave HR: 132 BPM - within my target range
- elevation gain: 200 ft (corrected)
- route: Northwest Branch Trail
- comments: After the run was complete, I did four 20-sec uphill strides.

Thursday

Before breakfast: strength endurance workout
- 2 x 15 each leg - reverse lunges
- 2 x 15 each leg - Romanian single-leg deadlifts with kickstand and 10 lb
- 2 x 15 each leg - single-leg hip thrusts with 10 lb
- 2 x 15 - heels-elevated squats with 10 lb
- 2 x 15 each leg - hip airplanes
After work:
- 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: 2.93 mi
  - repeat splits: 9:23, 9:52, 9:21, 9:14, 9:10, 8:55, 9:37, 8:49, 8:57, 8:52, 8:25, 8:56, 9:06, 9:23, 8:24, 9:15, 9:08, 8:52, 8:50, 9:11, 9:32
  - elevation gain: 193 ft (corrected)
  - route: neighborhood loop 1

Friday after work: walk outside

time: 1:00:17
distance: 2.88 mi
ave pace: 20:54
elevation gain: 221 ft (corrected)

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.
- Foam rolling and stretching
Before dinner:
- 60 min easy on trail
  - T+D 138, 3% effect, T 74 F
  - time: 1:00:00
  - distance: 4.51 mi
  - average pace: 13:18 (GAP ave pace: 12:25)
  - splits: 13:15, 13:39, 12:53, 14:03, 12:03
  - ave HR: 138 BPM - within my target range
  - elevation gain: 595 ft (corrected)
  - route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek NP
  - comments: It was really disgustingly humid and unpleasant. On the verge of rain all day, but no rain during my run.

Sunday before dinner:

100 min LR on trail
- T+D 108, 0.5% effect, T 57 F
- time: 1:40:01
- distance: 7.34 mi
- average pace: 13:38 (GAP ave pace: 13:16)
- splits: 12:54, 12:48, 13:46, 16:18, 14:10, 13:01, 12:48, 12:36
- ave HR: 131 BPM - within my target range
- elevation gain: 488 ft (corrected)
- route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
- comments: I took 1.5 L of water + Nuun and drank about 3/4 of it. I ate one Honey Stinger waffle.

Total training time: 4 h 40 m
Total training distance: 21.21 mi
Total training elevation gain: 1571 ft
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)

Health

I think my knee pain has been decreasing a bit. Now when I start running, it starts hurting more and that's like "wow", but it's not actually worse. Hopefully when I have a couple weeks off after the race, that will really help.

WillRunForPizza · Apr 7, 2025

The pet of the month thing is fun! Your cat is beautiful.

Hope you have a great race!

GollyGadget · Apr 7, 2025

woo hoo! You made it to race week! I'm excited to hear how it goes.

The Expert · Apr 7, 2025

Awww hiii Kali!! <3 Good luck on the race!

RuntheMouse · Apr 7, 2025

Hope you crush your race!

col1 · Apr 7, 2025

avondale said:
Week of Mar. 31 - Apr. 6, 2025

This was the fifteenth 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.disboard s.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201 This was the second week of my taper.

Work: Starting last weekend, my students have observing using telescopes in Utah and Australia. They are supposed to know how to use them, but I make sure they get started properly. That means up online with them at 7am (Australia) and 11:30pm (Utah), which means not a lot of sleep in between. But we can't observe around full Moon because the sky is too bright - I literally chose this race because April 12 is full Moon. So during this week leading up to the race, I'm hopefully going to be able to get more sleep!

Pet of the Month: our cat, Kali, was chosen to be featured as Pet of the Month by our pet-sitting service - sitapet.com. Check out her cute photo and bio! This is a great gimmick by them because I've been advertising it all week.

Race prep: The link above has my original thinking and planning for this race. But more thinking on it:

The first mile is flat with a shorter uphill. At least I won't have to start out walking.

There's about 2 miles of uphill at ~9% grade. This is where my power hiking will come in.

The next ~1 mile is flat or downhill, so yay.

At about 4.3 miles, there is the huge descent of about 250 ft in a couple tenths of a mile. This is where the stair training comes in.

The next ~4 miles are flatish with some gradual downhill and uphill.

Just before 9 miles, we go back up that huge descent, but now it's uphill - this is really why I did the stair training.

The next ~1 mile has a pretty impressive uphill - more power hiking.

The remaining portions are mostly downhill and some flat - some of the downhill is pretty steep (~7% grade), which is why I did the deliberate downhill running. Hopefully I can do this with a pretty good pace, but it will partly depend on how technical the terrain is.

Unfortunately right now, the forecast is for very unseasonably warm weather. Of course. It seems like 90% of my races are lucky this way. However, the race is in the morning and since it's in the desert, the humidity should be low throughout, so hopefully the T+D won't be that bad. I got a running Sun hat with "neck drapes" to try to keep down the radiant heat.

Also, the altitude of Moab is 4000 - 5000 ft, so there will be less oxygen. I've been taking extra iron supplements and a vitamin E supplement, which some research shows can be helpful for this - since I can't go out a month ahead of time and get acclimated.

With a flatter 25k, I think I could do it in around 3.5 hours. But given the elevation gain, altitude, and temperature, I'm hoping to finish in 4 hours.

Monday after work: walk on treadmill

time: 1:00:38

distance: 3.21 mi

ave pace: 18:53

incline: 0%

Tuesday

Before breakfast:

Core workout

90-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

After work:

40 min easy

T+D 86, no effect, T 56 F

time: 40:00

distance: 3.3 mi

average pace: 12:07 (GAP ave pace: 12:07)

splits: 12:13, 12:12, 11:55, 12:11

ave HR: 131 BPM - within my target range

elevation gain: 95 ft (corrected)

route: Sligo Creek Trail

comments: This route is paved, so I don't consider it trail running.

Wednesday after work:

40 min easy on trail

T+D 92, no effect, T 57 F

time: 40:00

distance: 3.13 mi

average pace: 12:46 (GAP ave pace: 12:39)

splits: 12:59, 12:39, 12:39, 12:54

ave HR: 132 BPM - within my target range

elevation gain: 200 ft (corrected)

route: Northwest Branch Trail

comments: After the run was complete, I did four 20-sec uphill strides.

Thursday

Before breakfast: strength endurance workout

2 x 15 each leg - reverse lunges

2 x 15 each leg - Romanian single-leg deadlifts with kickstand and 10 lb

2 x 15 each leg - single-leg hip thrusts with 10 lb

2 x 15 - heels-elevated squats with 10 lb

2 x 15 each leg - hip airplanes

After work:

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: 2.93 mi

repeat splits: 9:23, 9:52, 9:21, 9:14, 9:10, 8:55, 9:37, 8:49, 8:57, 8:52, 8:25, 8:56, 9:06, 9:23, 8:24, 9:15, 9:08, 8:52, 8:50, 9:11, 9:32

elevation gain: 193 ft (corrected)

route: neighborhood loop 1

Friday after work: walk outside

time: 1:00:17

distance: 2.88 mi

ave pace: 20:54

elevation gain: 221 ft (corrected)

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.

Foam rolling and stretching

Before dinner:

60 min easy on trail

T+D 138, 3% effect, T 74 F

time: 1:00:00

distance: 4.51 mi

average pace: 13:18 (GAP ave pace: 12:25)

splits: 13:15, 13:39, 12:53, 14:03, 12:03

ave HR: 138 BPM - within my target range

elevation gain: 595 ft (corrected)

route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek NP

comments: It was really disgustingly humid and unpleasant. On the verge of rain all day, but no rain during my run.

Sunday before dinner:

100 min LR on trail

T+D 108, 0.5% effect, T 57 F

time: 1:40:01

distance: 7.34 mi

average pace: 13:38 (GAP ave pace: 13:16)

splits: 12:54, 12:48, 13:46, 16:18, 14:10, 13:01, 12:48, 12:36

ave HR: 131 BPM - within my target range

elevation gain: 488 ft (corrected)

route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park

comments: I took 1.5 L of water + Nuun and drank about 3/4 of it. I ate one Honey Stinger waffle.

Total training time: 4 h 40 m
Total training distance: 21.21 mi
Total training elevation gain: 1571 ft
(Not counting activities outside of my training plan.)

Health

I think my knee pain has been decreasing a bit. Now when I start running, it starts hurting more and that's like "wow", but it's not actually worse. Hopefully when I have a couple weeks off after the race, that will really help.

Good luck for your race

nancipants · Apr 7, 2025

Good luck on the race!

jmasgat · Apr 7, 2025

I love that you picked a race based on the lunar cycle. Good luck!

avondale · Apr 7, 2025

WillRunForPizza said:
The pet of the month thing is fun! Your cat is beautiful.

Hope you have a great race!

She's been using "pet of the month" to good effect with her begging, even if she doesn't really know about it. Thanks!

GollyGadget said:
woo hoo! You made it to race week! I'm excited to hear how it goes.

Thank you!

The Expert said:
Awww hiii Kali!! <3 Good luck on the race!

Thanks!

RuntheMouse said:
Hope you crush your race!

Thank you!

col1 said:
Good luck for your race

Thanks!

nancipants said:
Good luck on the race!

Thank you!

jmasgat said:
I love that you picked a race based on the lunar cycle. Good luck!

To be clear, not at all based on astrology. Based on when I couldn't be observing. Don't want anyone to get the wrong idea.

Thanks!

garneska · Apr 7, 2025

Love the pic of Kali and so cute. Good luck with your race. My PT has told me it is time to start hiking again. I have not done any hiking since the knee debacle. The good thing is the closest state park to me is where i did my trail running since it was not the AT. I prefer hiking the AT in north GA but for starting out going with the state park. Has some elevation but not compared to the AT.

jmasgat · Apr 7, 2025

avondale said:
To be clear, not at all based on astrology. Based on when I couldn't be observing

Oh I totally got that. It was inspired!

avondale · Apr 8, 2025

garneska said:
Love the pic of Kali and so cute. Good luck with your race. My PT has told me it is time to start hiking again. I have not done any hiking since the knee debacle. The good thing is the closest state park to me is where i did my trail running since it was not the AT. I prefer hiking the AT in north GA but for starting out going with the state park. Has some elevation but not compared to the AT.

Thanks for the luck! After the race, I'm going to scale back on the running a bit and try to do more hiking to try to help with the knees. I can start PT again mid-May.

avondale · Apr 11, 2025

Week of Apr. 7 - 11, 2025

This was the sixteenth 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.disboard s.com/threads/a...c-2018-comments-welcome.3725621/post-65828201 It's race week! This entry has everything this week up to the day before the race.

The name of the game this week was to get extra sleep. The observing in the previous week didn't let me get much sleep, but with full Moon, observing was on a break, so I got to bed early most nights this week and was able to sleep a little late on a couple of days.

Monday after work: walk on treadmill

time: 43:43
distance: 2.43 mi
ave pace: 17:59
incline: 0%

Tuesday after work:

Hill repeat HIIT -- 13min easy + 3 x [7 x (20sec sprint uphill + 20sec walk downhill) + 4min walk downhill]
- T+D 64, no effect, T 46 F
- time: 40:00
- distance: 2.93 mi
- repeat splits: 8:23, 8:34, 8:35, 8:18, 8:45, 9:23, 9:22, 7:42, 8:32, 9:03, 8:27, 8:48, 9:17, 9:11, 8:04, 9:24, 9:07, 8:40, 8:57, 9:29, 9:40
- elevation gain: 210 ft (corrected)
- route: neighborhood loop 1

Wednesday

Before breakfast:
- Core workout
  - 90-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
- Foam rolling and stretching
After work:
- 40 min easy
  - T+D 76, no effect, T 51 F; breezy
  - time: 40:01
  - distance: 3.37 mi
  - average pace: 11:53 (GAP ave pace: 11:47)
  - splits: 11:53, 11:46, 11:47, 12:30
  - ave HR: 131 BPM - within my target range
  - elevation gain: 239 ft (corrected)
  - route: neighborhood loop 1

Thursday

Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
After work: walk on treadmill
- time: 43:25
- distance: 2.33 mi
- ave pace: 18:38
- incline: 0%

Friday - go to Moab, UT!

My flight was scheduled to leave Baltimore at 7:15am, so I woke up at 4:15am - to find that I got a message at about 2am telling me the flight was going to be an hour delayed! Boo for the delay and boo for me not being able to sleep longer!

I had three Honors thesis drafts to read on the flight: excellent, medium, and sketchy. At least they are only drafts. Fortunately, we made up some time on the flight and only landed 30 minutes late. I flew into Salt Lake City and then had an almost 4-hour drive to Moab (this time of year, not many flights into Moab). Unfortunately Avis was very backed up to get my rental car, and then two of the tires were really low, so I had to get them to fill them. Grrr.

The drive from SLC to Moab was pretty spectacular, as I expected. The mountains around SLC are gorgeous, and then you transition down into the red rock features of Moab. (I have driven from Las Vegas up to Moab before - also spectacular - but not from SLC to Moab.) Got to my hotel in Moab a little before 4pm and got checked in. I quickly changed because I wanted to head out to the trailhead for the race to see what the set up is in daylight (the 7am race start is 15 min after sunrise) and to hike a bit on the trail for the race.

Fortunately the race start is only 15 - 20 minutes from my hotel (Moab is small) and was easy to find.

Hike

time: 49:40
distance: 1.95 mi
ave pace: 25:28
elevation gain: 250 ft (corrected)

My impressions: this race is going to be hard! Some of the trail was pretty straightforward singletrack with some rocks, but a lot of it was very technical, with lots and lots of jumbled rocks and "giant steps" of rocks. I was on only a mile of the 15-mile course, but yeah, it's going to be hard. With a flat and non-technical 25k, I would think 3.5 hours would be a reasonable goal. I think I'm going to be lucky if I get it done in 4 hours. I practiced for the inclines and declines, but I didn't have the same kind of surface to train on.

Unfortunately right now Moab is experiencing unseasonably hot weather. Today during my hike, it was 86 F....but the dewpoint was only 21 F. Given that I will be done before noon, it shouldn't get that hot and so the T+D shouldn't be too bad. I have my hat with drapes to help with radiant heat, so we'll see. The forecast says race start in mid-50s F and getting up to 80 F by noon.

While I was on the trail, I encountered a runner who is doing the race who is also from out of town and was trying out the trail. He agreed it was also pretty technical, but given his age and relative speed, I think "pretty technical" for each of us probably has different meanings! When I got back to the trailhead, the port-a-potty guy had arrived to drop off potties for the race tomorrow morning - it was kind of funny to leave the empty parking lot with no potties and come back and there were lots of potties in the making! I considered christening one, but since he was still there, that seemed kind of rude. LOL

After the race, I'm planning to drive through Arches National Park and then I have to head back to SLC for the night - my flight home is 6:15am on Sunday. Hopefully I'll write about the race tomorrow night, but if not I will on Sunday.

jmasgat · Apr 12, 2025

Sending good vibes your way for a great race! (And yikes, that's a tight schedule)

The Expert · Apr 12, 2025

avondale said:
The drive from SLC to Moab was pretty spectacular, as I expected.

I've driven SLC to Kanab about a thousand times and it never gets old. Makes me miss living in Utah! If you need any recommendations for dinner on Saturday night, hit me up.

If you love Mexican food, grab the counter or a reservation at Red Iguana (or Red Iguana 2 - same owners, same menu, just larger space and a lovely patio). They are both walkable from the light rail line that also goes out to the airport, if you're staying out there. I've planned layovers just to have enough time to eat there. Or, I don't know if @Professor_Cookie 's sandwich shop is open for dinner, but I think it's easily accessible from the train too (or walkable in downtown).

Have a great race!

Professor_Cookie · Apr 13, 2025

The Expert said:
I've driven SLC to Kanab about a thousand times and it never gets old. Makes me miss living in Utah! If you need any recommendations for dinner on Saturday night, hit me up.

If you love Mexican food, grab the counter or a reservation at Red Iguana (or Red Iguana 2 - same owners, same menu, just larger space and a lovely patio). They are both walkable from the light rail line that also goes out to the airport, if you're staying out there. I've planned layovers just to have enough time to eat there. Or, I don't know if @Professor_Cookie 's sandwich shop is open for dinner, but I think it's easily accessible from the train too (or walkable in downtown).

Have a great race!

Unfortunately we are not open at night yet!

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

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