Strickland5 and the Quest for Magic Half-Marathon

[Strickland5]

After all the dust settles, the prizes won, injuries recovered  ... suddenly a new challenge appears!

What managed to elude Strickland5 before marathon training (aka all of winter 2012 and most of 2013) shall not elude him again ... the ever illusive the sub-two hour half-marathon.

 

 

MAIN QUEST : Sub-two hour Half Marathon (d'uh)

I'm signed up for the Rock 'n Roll Savannah Half in November where I hope to preform the feat of amazing!
But we're a ways from November so time to get back into running shape!

 

Mini Quests

1. Return of the Saturday Run! With my knee mended its time to get my running shoes on and get to work. 
   
   
   Quest - Complete four Saturday runs of over three miles with pacing of 9m30s (or faster)
    
2. Time to shift from TRX training which I was doing while my knee healed and go back to boot camp where I will hopefully build back my speed
   
   Quest - Go to boot camp 2 times per week! 
    
3. To keep from burning out I need an alternate cardio activity during this period ... enter Rainbow my CAD3
   
   Quest - Take my bike out for 2 rides rather than doing long runs.
    

Life Quest

My wife and I are hoping to sell our house in the fall... to do so we need to get the place cleaned up and sorted 

Quest - Implement at least three things to help get the house ready for sail. It could be yard clean up, repair work or what not.

 

 

Shall we begin?

[KillerGriller]

Welcome back, and good luck on the Sub 2!

[Strickland5]

Thanks KG! I'm going to need all the luck I can get

[KillerGriller]

luck favours the prepared

[Shukar]

Sub-2, I place I too hope to see someday soon. Good luck!

[18ck]

Yeah! I remember reading your PRs in other races and you definitely have the potential to do this. It's going to be a cracking 6 weeks.

[Kailer]

Wow, great goals!

 

Isn't @Kat on the Run also working on a Rock 'n Roll race?

[Kat on the Run]

Isn't @Kat on the Run also working on a Rock 'n Roll race?

 

That I am, in September.  Looking forward to seeing your progress, Strickland! Boot camp looks intense/fun

[Strickland5]

Day 1

Went to boot camp this morning and got picked for the faster group (they split us into two groups) which meant being in the back of the group as I've not really run nor sprinted as hard as we do at boot in a while. 

 

But I survived and will keep kicking butt as I hit TRX tomorrow thru Thursday.

[Strickland5]

Day 2

Today was TRX and it was killer

 

We did 5 minute circuits

 

First you did 15 of an arm/chest exercise which changed every 5 minutes - Circuit 1 was bicep curls, 2 tricep extensions, 3 chest presses, and finally bicep clutches

 

Next was the following series which didn't change each time

10 front squats

10 sprinter starts per leg

20 hamstring runners

20 mountain climbers

5 atomic push ups
 

then start we over with the 15 arm/chest exercise.

 

Between circuits we did 1 minute core rounds

2 suspended oblique crunch per side

1 suspended crunch

1 pike

 

rough workout ... the goal was to do 3 circuits in 5 minutes ... which I TOTALLY failed at, but it was good to get the work out in.

[Kailer]

Wow, these sound like killer workouts. That's the path to success though, yes?

[Strickland5]

Wow, these sound like killer workouts. That's the path to success though, yes?

Actually ... that was just one work out

 

Day 3

TRX again (seems my boot camp/TRX schedule isn't lining up with these 6-week challenge)

 

Today was total body work out entitled "TRX from the Ground Up" where we did 3 nine minute rounds each round had 9 exercises - 3 leg, 3 arm/chest/back, and 3 core

[elsfaire]

Wow - those are great goals, and you seem to be off to a strong start!

Welcome back to the challenges.

[Strickland5]

Wow - those are great goals, and you seem to be off to a strong start!

Welcome back to the challenges.

 

Thanks ... be a while.

 

Definitely hoping to kick some butt at this challenge ... still a LONG way to go until Savannah though

[The Borg Queen]

Hey, nice goals. Half marathons are fun! And also, cute bike!

I read a book recently called Smart Marathon Training, which had half and full marathon training plans based on the assumption that you don't ever have to run more than 35 miles a week if you're subbing in regular biking and strength work. If you're interested in that kind of thing, might be worth a read through.

[Strickland5]

I read a book recently called Smart Marathon Training, which had half and full marathon training plans based on the assumption that you don't ever have to run more than 35 miles a week if you're subbing in regular biking and strength work. If you're interested in that kind of thing, might be worth a read through.

We used the FIRST method for Chicago last year - which requires only 3 runs a week

 

Day 4

Another day of TRX - today was arms, back, chest and core ... ugh I'm tired

[KillerGriller]

When's your next rest day?

[Strickland5]

What's a rest day?

Tomorrow is my rest day with just a 3 mile walk around my neighborhood.

[elsfaire]

Very intense workouts. Wow!

[Strickland5]

Very intense workouts. Wow!

We have bring a friend days if you'd like to come out and play @elsfaire

 

 

 

Day 5

"rest day" - did a 3.2 mile walk around the neighborhood this morning to keep myself from going nuts. 

 

Yesterday my wife and I finally got our Marathon tattoo. Pictures later!

[elsfaire]

We have bring a friend days if you'd like to come out and play @elsfaire

!

I think I have a lot of work to do before I could live through your workouts, lol. Gives me a goal, I suppose.

At this rate, the half marathon will be cake for you.

[Kailer]

Marathon tattoo? I'm interested!

[Strickland5]

So I'm a _little behind here ... 

 

Week 1 Day 6

Half-marathon training kick off day! Given the choice between 4 mile and 3 mile routes I picked the 3 miler.

 

I managed to complete it in 25m25s which is good for a 8m28s pace ... so I was thrilled.

 

Week 1 Day 7

Rest day part deux ... did do a 3 mile walk around the neighborhood with the wife which was nice.

 

Week 2 Day 1

Boot camp! Today we did our mile test. I managed to complete it in 7m58s ... considering my PR for this route is 7m36s I was happy with the 7m58s time. We then went on to do hill sprints and core work ... ^yay

 

Oh and marathon tattoo goodness. Left one is my wife's and the right one is mine

 

The Mickey at the top is for our first marathon which was in Disney and the flag at the bottom is the City of Chicago Flag for our second marathon - which was obviously in Chicago

[Strickland5]

Week 2 Day 2

It was a TRX day with Duck Duck Goose being the workout.

 

Its a fun workout which starts with everyone, save one person, doing an arm exercise, said lone soul sprints around a given distance (for us its the pavilion where we do TRX) and when they get back they start doing the exercise and the next person goes. This continues until everyone has sprinted at which time we do an ab exercise for a minute then start it all over again with a new arm exercise.

 

Now ... coffee!

[Strickland5]

Week 2 Day 3

Another day of TRX ... this one was titled BAB or Balance, Abs, Butt ... so lots of single leg suspensions and core goodness

 

I'm feeling pretty busted currently - might be cause I didn't sleep well last night.

 

Currently wishing I was enjoying a beer ... sort of like this