10-11-15 Hitting The Trail

I finally hit the trail today for the first time since The Headlands 100.  I took the 50k training group I'm leading out to the trail.  Our goal was to run about 20 miles.

I took the Saucony Nomad trail shoes out for the second time.  This time I was able to see how they really handled on some single track trails.  I was very pleased with how they responded on the trail.  The shoes lack a rock plate, so I don't know if I would take them on anything too rocky, but for some nice single track trails they worked pretty good.

I was able to get in 23.5 miles on the trail today. I really needed to get in some miles since the Fresno marathon is only 3 weeks away.  I haven't gotten in very many high mileage runs in lately, so I really needed to get in a long run today.

I'm hoping I can get a few 20 mile runs in this week, but I'll have to see what happens.  I have a lot going on in my head right now, so some long runs might mentally do some good... or it might be my own slow self destruction... I'll just have to see what happens.

Until next time...

KEEP RUNNING!!!!

10-10-15 Repeats

Easy workout today... I guess.

I woke up and didn't really feel like running.  The only thing that got me out there was the fact that I had to meet the training group I'm leading at the track for their Saturday morning workout.

I decided I would go out and just coach everyone. Then when I got to the track I figured that I'd run and see how I felt.

We were doing 800 meter repeats today.  I decided to do an 800 meter warm up and then see how I felt.  After my warm up lap I decided to do 4 x 800 meter repeats with the group.  My personal goal was to run each 800 meter in 3 mins and rest for 2 mins between sets.  I successfully accomplished my goal, but didn't feel excessively good at the end of my repeats.

I definitely need to start doing more track work again.  I use to do 12 x 800 meter repeats, today I thought that doing 4 was going to kill me.

I'm really looking forward to our workout tomorrow morning on the trail.  I hope I can get 18ish miles in before I have to be at work.

I didn't do any weights, pushups, or anything like that today because I wanted to let my body rest a little.  I feel pretty good right now and hope I'll be well rested enough to run hard tomorrow.

Until next time...

KEEP RUNNING!!!!

10-09-15 The Nomad

I started today off pretty strong.  I got to the gym at 5:30am to teach my strength and cardio class.  We worked out for an hour and then I headed home to get the kids up and ready for school.

After I dropped them off I jumped rope for a half hour... then I finally got a chance to go running. I feel like I haven't had a chance to run in days.

Yesterday I was given a pair of Saucony Nomad trail shoes from our rep Curtis.  The shoe feels really good, and for a trail shoe felt really good on the road.  I've been looking for a good trail/road shoe for a long time and I think I've found it.  This shoe is easily going to become one of my favorite shoes.

It felt nice to get a short run in.  I was only able to get in 4.4 miles, I wanted to get in at least 10 miles but I was running out of time.  I had to be at work at noon and I started my run way too late.  I also didn't want to run too hard because I have a speed workout on the track scheduled for tomorrow morning.

I took it a little easy today.  I've  been feeling a little tired and worn-out lately.  I think I need to listen to my body and give it a little more rest than normal.  Hopefully tomorrow morning it will feel well rested and I'll run fast on the track.

Until next time...

KEEP RUNNING!!!

10-08-15 Cutting It Short

My workout didn't go 100 % as planned today. 

I was able to get in my weight lifting routine  early in the morning before teaching a class at the gym.

I got home from the gym and was feeling pretty tired. After I took Brandon and Ashley to school I went home and took a short one hour nap.

My plan was to spend 30 mins on my bike trainer, 30 mins jumping rope, and 30 mins running.  Everything was going to plan, but after I got done jumping rope I got a call from work asking me if I could come in early, so I decided I would cut my workout short and go in.

Unfortunately I was also suppose to train some Jiu Jitsu with Bernard as well and had to cancel.

I didn't get all my workouts in today, but I think I kind of needed a rest anyway.

Tomorrow I plan on running a few miles before I go to work.  I'm honestly feeling like I've been neglecting my running lately, and with the Fresno marathon coming up soon, that's not a good thing. I'm pacing the 4 hour group and I need to make sure I don't fall short of hitting my designated time.

When I got to work today our Saucony rep showed up with a new pair of Saucony Nomad trail shoes for me to test out.  I'm pretty excited to take them for a run tomorrow. I wore the shoes for a little bit at work today and they fit really nice.  I'm looking forward to hopefully running a few miles in them tomorrow.

Until next time...

KEEP RUNNING!!!!

10-07-15 ups and downs

Today started well.  I was pretty sore from last night's jiu jitsu training session, but not sore enough to not workout.

I got to the gym a little early and did my normal H.I.I.T. workout that I do on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (jump squats, high knee jumps, regular squats, and mountain climbers).  After that I did 45 mins of cardio and weights with the guys in the morning class I teach in the morning at Redlion Jiu Jitsu. 

After class I headed home to get my kids up and ready for school.  I had enough time after getting my kids up and moving to knock out my sets of pushups (78, 32, 26, 20, & 18). After I got home from dropping the kids off at school I jumped rope for 30 mins before I headed off to work.

On Wednesday evenings I've been working out with my buddy Bernard. We work on our Jiu Jitsu game for about 30 mins and then run a couple miles. 

Jiu Jitsu is always filled with peaks and valleys... ups and downs.  For the last few weeks Bernard and I have been working really hard and enjoying a very nice ride up and fine tuning our games.  The peak moments in training are awesome!!!  Everything seems to make sense, and the moves seem effortless... but then there are the low points... the valley.

Right now I feel like I've entered the valley.  Nothing is flowing,  I'm trying to force chokes and arm locks that just aren't there.  I'm in survival mode half the time I'm sparing, and my flow is off.  My only hope is that I can get my shit together before the U.S. Open at the end of the month.

When Bernard and I were sparing tonight I felt like I was just receiving an ass beating for 30 mins straight.  I couldn't do anything, I had no fight in me, and that killer instinct just wasn't there.

My hope right now is that I won't stay in the valley for too long, and that I'll make my way up to the peak again.

I have a one hour training session with Bernard tomorrow afternoon before I go to work.  He's going to help pick apart what I need to change up, what I need to improve on, and hopefully help me get my shit together.

Life is full of peaks and valleys... ups and downs... highs and lows...

The important thing is how you deal with the good parts, and how you deal with the bad parts.  I'm lucky enough to have an awesome Jiu Jitsu coach, and an awesome team that I train with.

If you want to excel in anything in life you have to have a good team to back you.  I have an awesome support team for Jiu Jitsu, running, and life.

...that's all I got for tonight.  I gotta get up in a few hours and get tomorrow started.

Until next time...

KEEP RUNNING!!!!

10-06-15 "Getting My Ass Kicked"

Today started pretty solid. I got back into my weight routine, jumped rope for 30 mins, and then headed off to Fleet Feet Sports to sell some shoes.

Tonight I went to jiu jitsu class and knew it was going to be hard workout. Tuesday nights are typically "cardio night" so the workout is a little harder than normal, and with the U.S. Open coming up the harder than normal workout was harder than normal.

To be honest I was happy that I didn't throw up in class.  Everyone was rolling pretty hard tonight to get ready for the tournament.  It's funny how you do a 6 min round with a friend, practically try to kill each other, and then shake hands afterwards... then you find another buddy, and try to choke and arm lock each other for another 6 mins.

I haven't had the time to train as much as I would like. I'm lucky if I get to go to class once a week.  Luckily I have a few buddies that I make time to practice with outside of class, but it's sometimes hard to keep up with guys 15 years younger than me and that are training 5 times a week.

Today was one of those "survival mode" types of days.  I felt like I was getting an ass kicking to 90 mins straight.  The important thing is to take it as a learning experience.  It's good to get a humbling ass kicking from time to time.  I feel like I'm going to have more focused training sessions now, fill the holes in my game, and hopefully become a better jiu jitsu player because of it.

It's those hard training sessions that make me want to train harder.  I can't wait to get back on the mat and do it all over again.

Until next time...

KEEP RUNNING!!!!

10-05-15 today's workout

I thought it might be interesting to post my daily workouts that will lead up to the Jiu Jitsu U.S. Open... so here we go.

Today I started with a high intensity interval training (h.i.i.t.) workout.
45 sec jump squats 15 sec rest
45 sec high knee jumps 15 sec rest
45 sec squats 15 sec rest
45 sec mountain climbers 15 sec rest
3 sets

After that I did 5 sets of with a 4 min rest between pushups.
78, 32, 26, 20, 18

After I dropped my kids off at school I managed to get in one hour on my bike trainer and log 25 miles, and I finished that off with 30 mins of jumping rope.