So I signed up for my first 24 Hour foot race and detailed my high level training plan and my nutrition plan.

So now I will detail my training from Week 9

It’s kind of funny.. last recap I said that it would be the shortest yet.. and yet I came up with 7 bullet points that I wanted to discuss.. so when I write that this recap will be the shortest yet it really will. The reason being that I have still be unable to run or racewalk. My right foot simply is not ready yet. It is better and I got it worked on again by my chiropractor last week, but definitley not ready yet. The easiest way to tell is I can’t really lever up on it. That being written.. this morning it was significantly better attempting to lever up than it has been since the injury but definitely not right yet.

So I have fewer things that I learned or just wanted to discuss from last week:

• I continue to get stronger in the gym and my legs and lower back are getting stronger suprisingly quickly. I am happy about this and do still think that it will help me on race day. My hips and glutes (especially my left) were seriously sore this morning after my strongest trap bar deadlift session yet yesterday) and it sort of felt like that deep broken down soreness that I have gotten in the later depths of the ultras that I have done (especially the 12 Hour) so I have to believe that by continuing to strengthen these muscles that don’t get strengthened well while running (but get used and beat up in the later miles of an ultra) that I will break down slower come race day.
• I am finally going to come up with a plan of attack for my forearms/grip/bending. I will begin to implement it this week and will of course write about it. I believe I have a relatively unique, time efficient (getting it in time wise has been my biggest issue) and productive approach. I am going to Home Depot shortly to get an item that I will be using!
• I have been thinking a bit about getting in cross training endurance work while I am unable to run (and have definitely done that in the past when I was hurt and training for something… I will never forget doing 3.5 hours on an elliptical.. will never forget because it was miserable) but well… just really don’t feel like doing it. I still might though. I have to do something that doesn’t involve levering of my foot at all and there aren’t many machines that don’t. Some of the ellipticals allow you to work while keeping your foot perfectly flat and I might (emphasis on might) do that once or twice this week. I don’t know.. I just really don’t enjoy them and don’t know how much of a difference it will ultimately make. If I thought I would be out another 4 – 6 weeks than I probably for sure would, but there is a decent expectation that I only have about a week before I can run. I may do some slower and higher volume stair climbing this week. We will see.
• I have already decided (and it was an easy decision) that as long as I am injury free on race day I will definitely be going and doing it! Even if I get hurt again and maybe only get 6 solid weeks of running in before the race (definitely not my plan by any means!) I will go. What is the difference. I mean I am not not training because I am lazy.. I’m not training because I can’t currently.. so who cares? That really is how I feel about it. I’m not worrying about it. When I get to the line, I will do my best. That is all I planned on doing anyway. I mean… this is going to be one AWESOME event that I don’t plan to miss for anything (unless I am seriously injured).. there are going to be some world class runners there and it will be a blast no matter how it turns out! Of course.. as soon as I am able I plan on training fiercely for this thing. Make no mistake about that.

So now I will detail my training from Week 9.

So onto last week:

Sunday the 8th: I did it! I climbed 110 floors to honor our fallen firefighters on 9-11 and I detailed it here It was such a wonderful experience.

Tuesday the 10th: 6 sets on the Cybex Squat Leg Press ending with 540X12 then 630X5 (which is a serious jump up from the last time that I worked on this machine 5 weeks before when I did 360X15)

5 sets for Abs/Obliques

18 sets for Chest

12 sets for Traps (with first time being able to load the entire Hammer Strength Shrug machine with 45’s… did 540X5)

Thursday the 12th: Glutes – Still no front lunges because of plantar issue so Side Lunges ending with 90X15 (heaviest yet), and the Glute Push ending with 170X10 (heaviest yet)

12 sets for Delts (got in really late otherwise would have done more but did throw up an 85X1 on the one arm standing overhead DB press)

4 sets of “21’s” using the EZ Curl Fixed Bar for Biceps (low volume but my Biceps felt pretty well worked)

Sunday the 14th: Trap Bar Deadlifts ending with 370X3 then 390X4.. Was happy about this as it was again a pretty serious jump since the last time I did them. One thing I remembered is that with deadlifts once you hit your heaviest set… it is really hard to just drop 20 – 30 lbs and do a few more sets… my back was fried. Build up slowly to your heaviest set and be satisfied or maybe do 1 – 2 really light sets after.

5 sets for Abs/Obliques

24 sets for Lats (slowly getting stronger at the Pullups)

14 sets for Triceps (only using the rope attachment and the pulley.. doing rope french presses and then rope pushdowns.. was a nice change.. tons of blood moved in)

That is about it for last week’s training.

Best of luck in your training,

Chris