10/24 - 10/30

Monday was a typical training day with everything being done at Plate City. I shuffled 2.02 miles on the treadmill and did a push weight workout as well as 2:00 on the skierg. 

Tuesday I made it to the pool and moved my swimming up to a whopping 200 yards. Yeah, I am being careful following the old adage: Better sorry than safe. In the afternoon, I shuffled 3.08 miles, did a pull workout, and hit the skierg for 2:15.

I was back in the pool Wednesday morning and this time I hit it for 300 yards. The afternoon saw me do the Wellness Wednesday run and home for a total of 5.44 miles. Then I hit the legs at the City. 

When I got home from work Thursday, I went to bed and stayed there until Penny and I went to the GLT play. Fatigue. Somehow I had gotten tired.

Friday, however, I drove to Carroll County, to New Hope Baptist Church where I parked and proceeded to run up and down the half-mile hill there and some other road. I amassed 10.81 miles of roadwork.

Saturday, I saved my workout at the City for the Florida/Georgia game. It was worth the wait. I did full body hittine the arms (push and pull) and legs. On the lower body, I concentrated on the trapbar deadlift and hit a new PR of 285 pounds. Top that, Randy Beets!

You already know what I did Sunday. And I did it well. For the week, I

swam 868 meters,

lifted weights three times,

skiergged 4:15 minutes, and

ran 24.16 miles

The swimming has been down for a while now. But, a wise man once told me, "All you can do is all you can do." I might could have done more, but I am trying to be wise about my training. This summer, I have some big swimming events on the calendar. Between now and then, I have a marathon and a 50-mile race planned. Oh, I haven't told you about that? Praise the Lord and stay tuned.

Saturday

Yeah, I slept in. Then I began to face the day with cats, hot coffee, and some light blogging. I wrote about my Friday adventure which only wetted my appetite for some more hill running. Now I am thinking of doing some 10+ milers in the hills like I used to do instead of just running up and down a single hill. In the past, I parked at Hodge Ski Lodge and had a number of routes to run. I am thinking now of parking at Centerville Church, which will afford me a bathroom. I can run some of my old routes but from a different starting and stopping place.

Saturday, I went to Plate City around mid-afternoon, when the Georgia/Florida game came on. The rain poured, and I thought how blessed I am to now have a roof over my head so I can keep working out despite the weather. There was a time, two and a half years ago, when I did not have that.

I did it all: run, push, pull, and some legs. On the treadmill, I totalled 2.81 miles as I usually do, warming up and doing short runs between sets. I had a good time, worked my body thoroughly, and enjoyed the ball game. Pee Wee was also happy. Thank you, Jesus.

Friday Fun Day

What did I do for Friday Fun Day? I'll give you three guesses.

   Did I buy weights? No, but there might or might not have been an attempt.

   Did I take a nap? Yes, but that was not the main event.

   Did I take a run, maybe in an unusual place? Bingo. Let me tell you about it.

Over the past few weeks, I have been traveling and doing some serious (for me) uphill shuffling. First, I went to Little Mountain and ran up it not once but two times. Then last week, I traveled to the Big Black River boat ramp on Highway 407. The summit of the hill climbing out of the Big Black Bottom is 1.25 miles from its base if you go south. I ran that one three times.

This week, I went to Carroll County, out Humphrey Highway to New Hope Baptist Church where I parked. The hill there is not nearly as long or steep as Little Mountain of the Big Black River hill, but it is a solid one half mile and the steepness is just enough to make you work hard but allow for some push. 

New Hope Church sits at the
summit of my latest hill run.

I started the run with an easy shuffle to the bottom, headed back towards town, then across it and over the next hill. That took me past the old Dave's Store, closed now for decades, but still holding some fond memories for me. When I was eight years old, Dad bought me a Yoo Hoo Chocolate drink there. 

By the time I got back to the base of the hill, I had 1.34 miles done, and I was warmed and ready to run. I pushed up the half mile the first time at an 11:46 per mile average pace. It's been a few years since I have done this hill. I think I used to break 10:00 on it.

I shuffled down, trying to recover, and ran up again. This time, my average was 11:14. On the third climb, I did 11:36, and the fourth was a painful 11:53. I knew then I would never get back up under 12:00 that day unless I drove it. 

The cemetery at New Hope

I took a little detour through the New Hope Cemetery before stopping at the truck for an Endurolyte, a Gu, and some Gatorade. Then I left shuffling towards a gravel road I used to run often when I wore a younger man's running shoes. I knew of a tough hill on it that I thought would be good to run up. I didn't plan to push the pace on it, just make it to the top, and that's what I did. 

While in that area, I stopped at the Shady Grove M. B. Church, hoping to find a bathroom. Did they have an outdoor toilet, maybe a real restroom that could be accessed from the outside, or maybe an unlocked door? I needed to sit down, if you know what I mean.

 

The summit of the gravel hill. See that
building in the background? That's the
Shady Grove Church.

Believe it or not, I not only found an unlocked door, I found one that was open. It frightened me a little bit, because I wondered if an intruder was in there. I peeped in, and seeing no one, I eased in. There was a counter, and I tipped up towards it and warily looked over to see if someone was sleeping on the floor. I found no one. I also found no bathroom. To make it all even better, there was no ingress to the rest of the church. I did, however, find some napkins, and I took a few with me thinking they might come in handy.

That's pretty right there; I don't
care who you are.

I left the church forlorn and stepping gently. I watched my Garmin and aimed to get far enough away that the run back to the truck would give me the distance I wanted. As I shuffled along, I was hit again and again by waves of nostalgia as I thought back to when I used to regulary run these roads but at a much faster pace than now. 

I made my turn and headed back to the truck. When I got there, I had shuffled 10.81 miles and had climbed 587 feet. Not bad for an old man, says I. 

I Needed the Rest

I got up Thursday morning and met Tyler at the pool. Oh, you noticed we haven't been doing much together lately? There are a few reasons for that. First, unlike me, he has a real job, and he's been travelling a lot of late. Plus he has a young wife and a child on the way. You get the point. Or you should.

I told him ahead of time that I couldn't do much. On the docket for me was 400 yards done by 50s. And that is what I did except at the end, I added 2 X 25. So I swam a whopping 450 yards. But notice the trajectory: it's coming up. The left shoulder is fine. The right one is better. Praise God.

He came by Plate City after the swim just to check out the changes. He had not been there since Crazy Man Quadrathon so a lot had changed. He was impressed, or at least he said he was.

At work, I was glad it was Friday. Fatigue had caught up with me and was pressing my head down. After my tour of duty I went home, ran an errand, then went home again. I had planned to go to the City and run and lift. Once I climbed into the bed, however, I could not extricate myself. I needed the rest so I took it. Thank you, Jesus. 

Wednesday

Wednesday is always an exciting day for me. It's like Thursday only better. Not better than Thursday now, but better than Thursday used to be. On the four-day schedule, Wednesday is now my Thursday which is now my Friday. Yes, I like coming to work. I also like getting off work, being free to play. Thus, Wednesday has taken on a new flavor. 

Wait, haven't you guys been on the four-day for years now? 

Yeah, and it never gets old. Thank you, Jesus.

I got up and went to the pool. Remember Tuesday I swam 200 yards. I upped that to 300 Wednesday morning, and I did them by 50s. The left shoulder is well. The right one is still just a little off. Probably I could do more, but I had rather be sorry than safe so I am rebuilding very slowly. I really don't need anymore injuries.

After work, I did the Wellness Wednesday run. Katie was out due to some student obligations, but Vicki met me at the Crystal and we did an interval run. First, I walked 1.24 miles over. Then I ran 3.0 on the trail with some .2s at a faster clip thrown in. Then I shuffled home 2.44 home and around for a total of 5.44 for the day.

At Plate City, it was leg day. Squats, leg extensions, and the hip abductor/adductor machine as well as a few calf raises made for a full but fun workout. While I lifted, Deadliest Catch played on the TV. The weather was cool, just enough to need sleeves. Pee Wee was happy and barking at squirrels. I took in the neighboring trees with my eys. My legs got thrashed. That's a good thing.

So Wednesday gave me three, three workouts. The swim was not much, but I am 2.4 miles ahead of last week on the road. Also, I have lifted every day this week. Consequently, if I can keep this going, I am headed for a solid block of training. Thank you, Jesus.

Three Attempts

Tuesday morning, I got up and went to the pool. I did not have a good swim, however, due to JSS (Janky Shoulder Syndrome) in both shoulders. The left one was a bit better, but the right one, although it wasn't painful, didn't feel right so I stopped after only 200 yards. Is that even a swim? you ask. Well, I am writing it down in my journal. I figured better sorry than safe. I have had enough trouble that I figured it's time to stop hurting myself. It's time to start rebuilding, to get ready for the Senior Olympics, the State Games, and the big DFM fundraiser in 2023.

After work I went out for roadwork and shuffled 3.08 miles. Then at Plate City, I did a pull workout that included speed bag play and 2:15 on the Skierg. Oh, and some battle ropes were thrown on there too. In fact, it was a circuit of Swim Pull, speed bag, Skierg, speed bag, and battle ropes. So why the double on the speed bag. It was active recovery. Between the bouts of the higher intensity stuff, I recovered some on the bag while the muscles still had to work a bit. Sould be good for endurance.

So that was an attempt at three workouts. Thank God for that.

Alabama Rustic Camper