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

[avondale]

Week of June 30 - July 6, 2025

This was the ninth week of ~13 weeks of training for a 5k in early August (yes, overkill). This is mostly to keep me running during the summer heat and humidity and I think a focus on speed will be good. In the interest of helping my knees, I'm only planning 4 runs/week during this period with the plan of a long hike on the weekend with my husband (instead of a fifth run).

I think I'm going to do the Sunset Scurry 5k on Friday, Aug. 8. This is an evening race, with the 5k starting at 7pm. It's nearby in Virginia.

This week, I traveled to western PA to visit my mother, my sister, and her family from Friday, July 4 - Monday, July 7.

Monday

• Before breakfast: 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 168, 7.5% effect (!!!), T 91 F, heat index 105 F (!!!)
    • time: 40:00
    • distance: 2.84 mi
    • repeat splits: 8:36, 98:08, 9:47, 9:05, 9:06, 9:13, 10:09, 9:08, 9:16, 9:47, 9:25, 9:39, 9:46, 10:15, 8:53, 9:11, 10:21, 9:43, 9:45, 9:32, 10:10
    • elevation gain: 190 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1
    • comments: This was a drag in the huge T+D, but at least it was short.

Tuesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Unilateral strength workout
    • 4 x 6 each leg = straight-leg reverse lunges with 20-lb vest
    • 4 x 6 each leg - one-leg hamstring curl with 23-lb band
    • 4 x 6 each leg - heel taps from low step with 20-lb vest
    • 4 x 6 each leg - one-leg hip thrusts with 30 lb
    • 4 x 6 each leg - hip airplanes with 20 lb
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:27:48
  • distance: 4.61 mi
  • ave pace: 19:03
  • incline: 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
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • Speed intervals on trail -- 20 min easy + 10 x (1 min fast + 1 min walk) + 20 min easy
    • T+D 155, 5.5% effect, T 87 F
    • time: 1:00:01
    • distance: 4.54 mi
    • speed interval splits: 10:31, 10:01, 10:06, 9:32, 9:42, 8:54, 9:07, 10:06, 9:13, 9:58
    • elevation gain: 240 ft (corrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park

Thursday

• Before breakfast:
  • Workout 1
    • 3 x 5 - suitcase squats with 57.5 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 57.5 lb
    • 3 x 5 - Romanian deadlifts with 57.5 lb
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 - shoulder presses with 42.5 lb
      • 3 x 5 - band pull-aparts with 13-lb band
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walking on treadmill
  • time: 1:27:28
  • distance: 4.72 mi
  • ave pace: 18:32
  • incline: 0%

Friday before breakfast:

• 60 min easy
  • T+D 149, 3% effect, T 77 F
  • time: 1:00:01
  • distance: 4.81 mi
  • average pace: 12:28 (GAP ave pace: 12:28)
  • splits: 12:31, 12:42, 12:23, 12:19, 12:25
  • ave HR: 131 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 159 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Sligo Creek Trail
  • comments: This route was paved, so it was not trail running.
  • comments: My legs just don't have energy to run in the morning. I did this early before I drove to western PA.

Saturday before breakfast:

• 70 min LR
  • T+D 137, 2.5% effect, T 73 F
  • time: 1:10:15
  • distance: 5.7 mi
  • average pace: 12:19 (GAP ave pace 12:21)
  • splits: 12:29, 12:21, 12:08, 12:16, 12:12, 12:36
  • elevation gain: 57 ft (uncorrected)
  • route: Allegheny River Trail
  • comments: This route was paved, so it was not trail running.
  • comments: My legs were heavy again this morning, but they did get going eventually.

Sunday

• After breakfast: hiking the Pipeline, River, Dennison Run, and Ridge Trails in Clear Creek State Forest
  • time: 2:33:32
  • distance: 7.01 mi
  • average pace: 21:54
  • elevation gain: 1001 ft (corrected)
  • comments: The bugs were HORRIBLE around my face, even though I had doused myself in insect repellent. Otherwise, it was a gorgeous hike.
  • 
• After dinner: walk with my mother
  • time: 53:13
  • distance: 0.82 mi
  • comments: Very slow with a lot of breaks, but it was a good distance for her.

Health

Not much to report. My legs and knees seemed a bit too sore this week, but it's probably me getting back into strength training and running after the time off in Paris.

 

[avondale]

Week of July 7 - 13, 2025

This was the tenth week of ~13 weeks of training for a 5k in early August (yes, overkill). This is mostly to keep me running during the summer heat and humidity and I think a focus on speed will be good. In the interest of helping my knees, I'm only planning 4 runs/week during this period with the plan of a long hike on the weekend with my husband (instead of a fifth run).

I think I'm going to do the Sunset Scurry 5k on Friday, Aug. 8. This is an evening race, with the 5k starting at 7pm. It's nearby in Virginia. I haven't registered for it yet...I really feel like I should do SOMETHING to cap off the summer, but the idea of a balls-to-the-wall 5k isn't necessarily hugely appealing. But my training definitely hasn't been suited to much more given the dragging paces caused by the T+D we've been having lately.

And I'm going to whinge about the weather, which I rarely do at length. It has been hot, but more importantly SO HUMID. We had thunderstorms in the forecast for every day this past week, and got them most days, which has been disruptive to my post-work running. They're in my 7-day forecast for every day for the upcoming week. Sigh.

Monday

• In afternoon: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:27:03
  • distance: 4.45 mi
  • ave pace: 19:34
  • incline: 0%
• In evening: 90-min tennis doubles clinic

Tuesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Unilateral strength workout
    • 4 x 6 each leg - straight-leg reverse lunges with 20-lb vest + 6 lb
    • 4 x 6 each leg - one-leg hamstring curl with 23-lb band
    • 4 x 6 each leg - heel taps from low step with 20-lb vest
    • 4 x 6 each leg - one-leg hip thrusts with 30 lb
    • 4 x 6 each leg - hip airplanes with 20 lb
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:27:09
  • distance: 5.01 mi
  • ave pace: 17:24
  • incline: 0%
  • comments: A big line of thunderstorms coming through, so had to stay inside.

Wednesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Upper body strength
    • Superset
      • 3 x 5 - triceps push-ups with 20-lb vest
      • 3 x 5 - dumbbell reverse-grip rows with 25 lb per arm
      • 3 x 5 - dumbbell pull-overs with 30 lb
    • Superset
      • 3 x 5 - front raises with 12 lb per arm
      • 3 x 5 - dumbbell reverse flyes with 15 lb per arm
      • 3 x 5 - deep swimmer's press with 15 lb per arm
  • 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 158, 6% effect, T 84 F
    • time: 40:00
    • distance: 2.87 mi
    • repeat splits: 9:12, 9:17, 9:38, 8:23, 8:58, 9:43, 10:10, 8:26, 8:57, 9:55, 9:00, 8:47, 9:29, 9:45, 8:13, 8:44, 9:22, 9:03, 8:40, 9:19, 9:52
    • elevation gain: 212 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1
    • comments: There was a thunderstorm heading for us, but since this route was close to home, I stuck with it. Lots of thunder. Started raining a few minutes after I got done.

Thursday

• 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:
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D 156, 5.5% effect, T 84 F
    • time: 1:00:05
    • distance: 4.51 mi
    • average pace: 13:19 (GAP ave pace: 13:19)
    • splits: 13:28, 13:29, 13:11, 13:17, 13:02
    • ave HR: 137 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 330 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail
    • comments: This was the trail where a tree down in the June 19 storms had completely destroyed a wooden bridge and made it impassable. I was expecting no change, but I was pleasantly surprised. They had cut out the tree debris and bulldozed away the bridge debris. They cut a dirt ramp down to the stream, where it's pretty small and possible to rock-hop easily. It's a good compromise, given that it seems we won't be getting a new bridge any time soon.

Friday

• Before breakfast:
  • Workout 2
    • 3 x 5 - heels-elevated suitcase squats with 50 lb + 20-lb vest
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 each arm - one-arm rows on bench with 27.5 lb
      • 3 x 5 - wide push-ups with 20-lb vest
    • 3 x 5 each leg - bench step-up-and-overs with 20-lb vest
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 - parallel-bar dips
      • 3 x 5 - supermans with 5-s hold
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • Tempo - 15 min easy + 20 min tempo effort + 15 min easy
    • T+D 161, 6.5% effect, T 89 F
    • time: 50:01
    • distance: 4.33 mi
    • tempo split: 10:31
    • elevation gain: 128 ft (corrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail
    • comments: This route was paved, so it was not a trail run.
    • comments: Given the T+D, I was reasonably happy with this pace since my old marathon pace with DopeyBadger (years ago) was around 10:00.
    • comments: Originally this had a longer warm-up and cool-down to hit 60 mins, but I shaved some time off to get back for an earlier dinner for marital harmony.

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:
  • 80 min LR on trail
    • T+D 167, 7% effect, T 89 F, heat index 100 F (I almost typed 1000 F, but that was just how it felt!)
    • time: 1:19:16
    • distance: 5.94 mi
    • average pace: 13:21 (GAP ave pace: 13:14)
    • splits: 13:46, 13:43, 13:10, 12:52, 12:57, 13:41
    • ave HR: 140 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 300 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
    • comments: Just before I started, I saw a thunderstorm pop up on the radar to the west. I checked on it 20 min in to the run and saw that it was moving toward the trail, so I turned around to head back to the car. By the time I got back, it was a bit closer, but it was moving very slowly, So I ran out-and back another 20 min. By then, there was thunder, but it was still moving very slowly toward us. So I did a bunch of short out-and-backs on the trails (paved and unpaved) around the parking lot to stay close to the car in case it suddenly unleashed. I got the whole run in, but it was annoying as heck. The thunderstorm was VERY slow and didn't actually open up with rain for another 40 min after that.

Sunday after breakfast: hiking

• At end (noonish): T+D 166, 7% effect, T 88 F, heat index 102 F
• time: 2:24:53
• distance: 6.87 mi
• ave pace: 21:06
• elevation gain: 373 ft (corrected)
• route: Kengla and North Branch Trails, Montgomery County
• comments: This was an ok trail - not particularly scenic, but shady and relatively flat. My husband had pulled his calf two days before, so we wanted to go easy on the hills.
• comments: We started early to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms. We didn't get a thunderstorm, but about an hour after we got home, we got one - much earlier in the afternoon than they've been happening. They just won't stop!

Health

Not too much happening. My knees have been ok - sore after activities but recovering quickly. I've been taking it pretty easy. I am debating about trying heating on the knees to help with stiffness and range of motion. I'm thinking about getting some disposable heating pad thingies to wear to test it out before I get something more pricey and long-term.

My lower back has been very stiff lately - I think it was mostly caused by sleeping in a different bed last week while visiting my mother, but it has taken a long time to work out. It has been much better the last few days.

My left glute problem is returning - I should probably get it dry needled again.

So just all the regular things are falling apart.

 

[avondale]

Week of July 14 - 20, 2025

This was the eleventh week of ~13 weeks of training for a 5k in early August (yes, overkill). This is mostly to keep me running during the summer heat and humidity and I think a focus on speed will be good. In the interest of helping my knees, I'm only planning 4 runs/week during this period with the plan of a long hike on the weekend with my husband (instead of a fifth run).

I think I'm going to do the Sunset Scurry 5k on Friday, Aug. 8. This is an evening race, with the 5k starting at 7pm. It's nearby in Virginia. I haven't registered for it yet...I really feel like I should do SOMETHING to cap off the summer, but the idea of a balls-to-the-wall 5k isn't necessarily hugely appealing. But my training definitely hasn't been suited to much more given the dragging paces caused by the T+D we've been having lately.

Monday

• Before breakfast:
  • Unilateral strength workout
    • 4 x 6 each leg - straight-leg reverse lunges with 20-lb vest + 10 lb
    • 4 x 6 each leg - one-leg hamstring curl with 23-lb band
    • 4 x 6 each leg - heel taps from low step with 20-lb vest
    • 4 x 6 each leg - one-leg hip thrusts with 30 lb
    • 4 x 6 each leg - hip airplanes with 20 lb
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After dinner: walk on treadmill
  • time: 44:28
  • distance: 2.16 mi
  • ave pace: 20:35
  • incline: 0%
• In evening: 90-min tennis doubles clinic

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
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • Speed intervals - 15 min easy + 5 x (2 min fast + 2 min walk) + 15 min easy
    • T+D 157, 5.5% effect, T 86 F
    • time: 50:01
    • distance: 4.1 mi
    • repeat splits: 9:45, 9:07, 9:07, 8:43, 8:53
    • elevation gain: 131 ft (corrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail
    • comments: This route was paved, so it was not a trail run.

Wednesday

• Before breakfast:
  • Workout 1
    • 3 x 5 - suitcase squats with 57.5 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 57.5 lb
    • 3 x 5 - Romanian deadlifts with 57.5 lb
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 - shoulder presses with 42.5 lb
      • 3 x 5 - band pull-aparts with 13-lb band
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D 165, 7% effect, T 90 F, heat index 101 F
    • time: 1:00:00
    • distance: 4.45 mi
    • average pace: 13:29 (GAP ave pace: 13:27)
    • splits: 13:24, 13:27, 13:18, 13:41, 13:45
    • ave HR: 139 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 348 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Northwest Branch Trail
    • comments: This is the trail where I commented last week that they had built a dirt ramp down to the stream to be able to rock hop it easily (since the bridge was taken out by a fallen tree). Well, we've had so many bad storms and lots of rain that the dirt ramp was seriously washed away (and large rocks moved!) in just a week. A bigger gap for rock-hopping now. Wonder how much more it's going to wash away, especially given the flooding a few days after this (see my Sunday entry below).

Thursday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:27:46
  • distance: 5.09 mi
  • ave pace: 17:15
  • incline: 0%
  • comments: I decided to put off my run for a day because this day was supposed to have a very high heat index....our weather station at our house gave a heat index of 109 F!!!!! Good decision.

Friday

• Before breakfast:
  • Upper body strength
    • Superset
      • 3 x 5 - triceps push-ups with 20-lb vest
      • 3 x 5 - dumbbell reverse-grip rows with 25 lb per arm
      • 3 x 5 - dumbbell pull-overs with 32.5 lb
    • Superset
      • 3 x 1 - unassisted chin-ups
      • 3 x 5 - front raises with 12 lb per arm
      • 3 x 5 - dumbbell reverse flyes with 15 lb per arm
      • 3 x 5 - deep swimmer's press with 15 lb per arm
  • 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 156, 5.5% effect, T 84 F
    • time: 40:01
    • distance: 2.84 mi
    • repeat splits: 9:09, 9:49, 9:41, 9:31, 8:54, 9:22, 9:55, 8:27, 9:24, 9:48, 9:01, 9:02, 9:19, 10:13, 8:47, 9:29, 9:43, 8:54, 9:17, 9:23, 9:59
    • elevation gain: 199 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1
    • comments: I have been so unenthusiastic about this workout lately - just phoning it in. The T+D just makes it suck.

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 LR on trail
    • T+D 162, 6% effect, T 86 F, heat index 96 F
    • time: 1:29:26
    • distance: 6.54 mi
    • average pace: 13:40 (GAP ave pace: 13:14)
    • splits: 13:46, 13:43, 13:10, 12:52, 12:57, 13:41
    • ave HR: 140 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 400 ft (uncorrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
    • comments: This was a wild ride! Timeline:
      • Start of run (90 min left): No rain anywhere nearby on radar.
      • ~70 min left: no rain nearby on radar.
      • 45 min left (turn-around point): a bit of rain on the radar around where I was. Not much else nearby. Started to sprinkle.
      • ~30 min left: still sprinkling. Hardly anything on the radar where I was, but a small bit of rain developing at where I'm headed to (where my car was parked).
      • ~15 min left: starts to pour rain. Bigger spot of rain on radar.
      • ~10 min left: still pouring absolute torrents. The trail is covered by several inches of water. Fortunately I am heading mostly uphill away from Rock Creek.
      • ~5 min left: I was headed mostly uphill but the last bit of the trail has one more bridge over the creek and I'm hoping it's not underwater - it's pretty high, so no.
      • At my car: Phew! Out of the rain. Saved the activity on Garmin, etc. Debated sitting in my car in the parking lot for awhile to let the rain pass by, but decide I should get home in case things flooded.
      • Driving home (normally < 15 min): get the "flash flood emergency" message on the radio (not a "warning" - an actual "emergency") and it's for right where I'm at - they say 4 inches of rain per hour. The road between the parking lot and the main road (East-West Highway) has a lot of water, but mostly not too bad - still pouring torrents. On the East-West Highway, standing water is starting to build as all the side roads are dumping their water onto this road - I'm going UPHILL and still have probably a foot of water around the car. Fortunately when I got up to the top of the hill, I could turn off and the rest of the roads to my house were not so bad (our house is on the top of a local hill). ~25 minutes to get home.
      • Tons of flooding in the area: https://wtop.com/weather-news/2025/...pattern-brings-more-of-the-same-to-dc-region/ Some photos are of Sligo Creek Trail/Parkway, where I ran on Tuesday. Some photos show the East-West Highway, which I drove home on, although different sections.
      • The Rock Creek flood gauge (where I was running) shows a peak of 8.19 ft above normal at 6:15pm (I finished at about 4:45pm) https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/rckd2 which is actually not too significant in terms of flooding. (Note that this flood gauge will no longer be monitored starting Oct. 1 because of federal funding cuts - who needs to know if the creek is flooding?)
      • The Sligo Creek flood gauge https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/tkpm2 shows 7.5 feet at 6:25pm - and it's a record (past 20 years).

Sunday afternoon: hiking in Little Bennett Regional Park

• T 87 F, T+D 161, 6% effect, heat index 96 F
• time: 3:02:00
• distance: 9.0 mi
• ave pace: 20:14
• elevation gain: 779 ft (corrected)
• route: Kingsley Trail to Purdum Trail to Browning Run Trail to Western Piedmont Trail to Bennett Ridge Trail to Woodcock Hollow Trail to Whitetail Trail to Stoneybrook Trail - big loop
• comments: We went to this park, which is a ways north of where we live, because it was north of where the big rainstorm and flooding happened the night before. In fact, a lot of this trail was quite dry - the irony.

Health

My back has continued to be very stiff. I got some disposable back heating patches to see if heat would help. I put one on as soon as I got up on Tuesday or Wednesday morning (I forget which). It definitely helped! I wore it most of the day - kind of annoying when the weather is so hot to have a heater on your back - and it helped a lot with the stiffness. Since then, it's been much better, and I haven't repeated the heat yet. If I can just do that occasionally, then that's a good solution.

I also got some knee heat patches. They helped with the stiffness some, but really I need to try out heat for when I'm teaching. When I am standing and not walking much in class, my knees get SO stiff. So will the heat help for that? Not sure. I have another set to try when I start teaching again in the fall. The issue is that the disposable patches that are only heat (no "herbs" to absorb) are pretty expensive and obviously the trash is wasteful. There are cheaper heating patches that also have various herbs and whatnot that are supposed to help, but the reviews are pretty sketchy and most people say they smell. I'm looking at cordless electric knee sleeves, but most of them look too bulky to be used under pants. So I guess this is a work in progress.

 

[jmasgat]

Scary flooding situation. Glad you made it home safely.