Today was the 4.4ish mile Pickle run at Ridley Creek State park. The weather was beautiful and I had a great run. I was aiming to run this race in 40 min and 20 seconds and actually finished at 36 min and 14 sec. I pushed it really hard and the results were great. Afterward I felt excellent and could tell I was in good shape. The last 1.4ish Miles was on the trails and this is what separated the men from the boys. No one passed me during the whole race and I past 2 people on the trail portion of the race. Overall it was a great day and I am looking forward to the future.
I completed the Tough Mudder event on April 9, 2011. I recently signed up for the April 2012 event and decided to document my training this time around to help competitors prepare better for these type of events.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday January 24, 2012
Burning the fat is today’s concept. Since I ran for distance yesterday, it’s healthy to stay off the legs and let them rest. Today's workout is mainly Biceps, triceps, and abs.
Barbell Curls 4 Sets of 6-8
Skull Crushers (triceps press with bar) 4 Sets of 6-8
Incline Dumbbell Curls 4 Sets of 6-8
Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown 4 Sets of 6-8
Preacher Curls 4 Sets of 6-8
Triceps kick back 4 Sets of 6-8
Abs Sets
Decline crunches 2 Sets of 1 Minute each
Leg raises while lying on the bench 2 Sets of 1 Minute each
Bicycle Kicks 2 Sets of 1 Minute each
Meal 1:
Coffee and protein bar
Meal 2:
Chicken and Broccoli
Meal 3:
Post workout Protein shake
Meal 4:
Chicken and Salmon
Meal 5:
Pre Bed Casin Protein Shake
Barbell Curls 4 Sets of 6-8
Skull Crushers (triceps press with bar) 4 Sets of 6-8
Incline Dumbbell Curls 4 Sets of 6-8
Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown 4 Sets of 6-8
Preacher Curls 4 Sets of 6-8
Triceps kick back 4 Sets of 6-8
Abs Sets
Decline crunches 2 Sets of 1 Minute each
Leg raises while lying on the bench 2 Sets of 1 Minute each
Bicycle Kicks 2 Sets of 1 Minute each
Meal 1:
Coffee and protein bar
Meal 2:
Chicken and Broccoli
Meal 3:
Post workout Protein shake
Meal 4:
Chicken and Salmon
Meal 5:
Pre Bed Casin Protein Shake
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Monday January 23, 2012
Monday seems like it is turning out to be my long running day. Since, I completed 5 miles last Monday, I figured I would push myself and go for 6 miles this week. I completed 6 miles on the treadmill at a pace of 8:57 min/mile. I felt really good breathing and my muscles seemed relaxed. The Pickle trail run that was supposed to be Saturday the 21st was postponed to the 28th due to snow. Naturally, after this 6 mile run today, I am excited to see what I can do at the pickle run. I will push it to the limit since this is more of a training exercise for me than an actual race.
Meal 1:
Coffee
Coffee
Meal 2:
8 oz Grilled Chicken and Broccoli
Meal 3:
8 oz Grilled Chicken and Broccoli
Meal 3:
Post workout protein shake
Meal 4:
16oz Grilled Chicken
Meal 4:
16oz Grilled Chicken
Friday January 20, 2012
Today I had my stress test. The doctor told me that no one ever reached stage 5 before which is 15 minutes at an 18% incline on the treadmill. I am thinking probably their average patient age is 60 but who knows. The stages, as well as the incline, went up every 3 min. It was tough but I completed it and everything was fine until I rested for 20min after and my heart rate wouldn't drop below 110. They told me usually an athlete’s heart rate drops quickly when they rest. Since I have an ultrasound scheduled for Feb. 1st, they are going to wait to see what that tells us.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Wednesday January 18, 2012
My brother finally got off the couch today and came with me to the gym. Today we built the upper body and here is the workout:
2 Mile run as warm-up
Warmup: Pushups: 2 sets of 15 reps
Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Cable Crossover: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Dips: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Overhead Tricep Extension (Rope): 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Decline Crunch: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Ab Roller: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Meal 3:
Chicken and broccoli
Meal 4:
Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Post Workout Protein Shake
Meal 6:
8 oz Grilled Chicken
Meal 7:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Tuesday January 17, 2012
Today I went to the Cardiologist to check my heart and make sure everything is working properly. As a precaution he wants me to schedule a stress test (treadmill test) and an Ultrasound (Check the size of my heart). These will be coming up within the next few weeks.
Meal 1:
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
Almond Butter Sandwich on wheat bread
Meal 3:
8 oz Grilled Chicken and Broccoli
Doctor Visit
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
Almond Butter Sandwich on wheat bread
Meal 3:
8 oz Grilled Chicken and Broccoli
Doctor Visit
Meal 4:
8oz Grilled Chicken
Meal 5: 8oz Grilled Chicken
Almond Butter Sandwich on wheat bread
Monday January 16, 2012
With the pickle run coming up this Saturday, I decided not to go hard this week but I still need to continue to workout. I completed 5 miles at a reasonable 9 min/mile pace today. I did a few sit-ups afterward but today was mainly focused on the cardio and distance of my running. I enjoyed running the 5 miles and I felt like I could have ran more because immediately after my run, I was still able to hold a conversation without being completely out of breath. Overall today was a success.
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
High in Protein Yogurt
Meal 3:
8 oz Grilled Chicken
Meal 4:
Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Post Workout Protein Shake
Meal 6:
8oz Grilled Chicken
Friday, January 13, 2012
Thursday January 12, 2012
Today was my day to get some High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Cardio in. My goal is to get my heart rate up, keep the body moving, and burn that fat. I was wearing my vibram 5 finger shoes during this whole training as well. Last year I wore the Vibrams during the whole event. They are a whole new workout for your legs and take some time to get used to. Your calf muscles have to adjust because, with these shoes, it is a constant pounding on the calves. Start out slow and build your way up.
Run Half Mile (In Vibrams)
50 Pushups
50 Pull-ups (Assisted Machine)
1 Minute Jump Rope
20 Pushups
30 Crunches
1 minute rest
1 Minute Jump Rope
20 Pushups
30 Crunches
Superset
30 Sit-ups on the Back Extension Machine
10 Back Extensions
I never realized how tough jump roping was but I was definitely tired after 1 min. The last superset was not planned but I saw the Back extension machine and couldn’t resist.
Meal 1:
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
High in Protein Yogurt
Meal 3:
Chicken
Meal 4:
Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Post Workout Protein Shake
Meal 6:
Chicken and Salmon
Meal 7:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
Run Half Mile (In Vibrams)
50 Pushups
50 Pull-ups (Assisted Machine)
1 Minute Jump Rope
20 Pushups
30 Crunches
1 minute rest
1 Minute Jump Rope
20 Pushups
30 Crunches
Superset
30 Sit-ups on the Back Extension Machine
10 Back Extensions
I never realized how tough jump roping was but I was definitely tired after 1 min. The last superset was not planned but I saw the Back extension machine and couldn’t resist.
Meal 1:
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
High in Protein Yogurt
Meal 3:
Chicken
Meal 4:
Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Post Workout Protein Shake
Meal 6:
Chicken and Salmon
Meal 7:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
Wednesday January 11, 2012
LEGS
Run 2 Miles
Complete the following circuit:
Warm up: Jump Squats: 2 Sets of 15 Reps
Dumbbell Lunges: 3 Sets of 8-12 Reps
Dumbbell Step Ups: 3 Sets of 8-12 Reps
Stiff Legged Barbell Deadlift: 3 Sets of 8-12
Seated Leg Curl: 3 Sets of 8-12 Reps
Leg Extension: 3 Sets of 8-12 Reps
Standing Calf Raise: 3 Sets of 8-12 Reps
I am going to start Carb Cycling my meals. Carb Cycling is when you lower the amount of Starchy Carb intake for 3 days to a week and then go back to your normal carb intake. This will trick the body and hopefully speed up the metabolism to burn more fat. Carbs are used as energy or fuel for the body if you will. The more carbs you intake the more fuel you have to burn but if you lower the fuel intake then the metabolism will be tricked into burning the stored fat as energy. Therefore, you will lose weight and look more toned. I have heard plenty about this and as you can see, I have researched this so I am hoping it works.
Meal 1: Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2: High in Protein Yogurt
Meal 3: Chicken and Tilapia
Meal 4: Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5: Post Workout Protein Shake
Meal 6: Pasta
Run 2 Miles
Complete the following circuit:
Warm up: Jump Squats: 2 Sets of 15 Reps
Dumbbell Lunges: 3 Sets of 8-12 Reps
Dumbbell Step Ups: 3 Sets of 8-12 Reps
Stiff Legged Barbell Deadlift: 3 Sets of 8-12
Seated Leg Curl: 3 Sets of 8-12 Reps
Leg Extension: 3 Sets of 8-12 Reps
Standing Calf Raise: 3 Sets of 8-12 Reps
I am going to start Carb Cycling my meals. Carb Cycling is when you lower the amount of Starchy Carb intake for 3 days to a week and then go back to your normal carb intake. This will trick the body and hopefully speed up the metabolism to burn more fat. Carbs are used as energy or fuel for the body if you will. The more carbs you intake the more fuel you have to burn but if you lower the fuel intake then the metabolism will be tricked into burning the stored fat as energy. Therefore, you will lose weight and look more toned. I have heard plenty about this and as you can see, I have researched this so I am hoping it works.
Meal 1: Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2: High in Protein Yogurt
Meal 3: Chicken and Tilapia
Meal 4: Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5: Post Workout Protein Shake
Meal 6: Pasta
Meal 7: Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Tuesday January 10, 2012
With the Pickle run 10 days away, I need to focus on my cardio and trail running. This weekend will be an important weekend to run the trails. Even though I mentioned that I will be focusing on cardio I still think it is also important to continue to get stronger. I need to keep lifting so that I can continue to push forward. Needless to say this week I will be spending along time in the gym for both cardio and weights.
Run 1 Mile
Warm-up: Pushups 2 Sets of 20
Upright Barbell Row 3 Sets of 10-12
Barbell Bench Press 3 Sets of 10 - 12
Lying Triceps Press 3 Sets of 10 - 12
Bent over Barbell Curl 3 Sets of 10 - 12
One Arm Dumbbell Row 3 Sets of 10 - 12
Straight Arm Pull Down 3 Sets of 10 - 12
Superset
Crunches (on the back extension machine)
Back Extensions
Meal 1:
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
Almond Butter Sandwich on 1 slice of wheat bread
Meal 3:
Chicken and Brown Rice
Meal 4:
Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Post Workout Protein Shake
Meal 6:
Chicken and Broccoli
Meal 7:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
Run 1 Mile
Warm-up: Pushups 2 Sets of 20
Upright Barbell Row 3 Sets of 10-12
Barbell Bench Press 3 Sets of 10 - 12
Lying Triceps Press 3 Sets of 10 - 12
Bent over Barbell Curl 3 Sets of 10 - 12
One Arm Dumbbell Row 3 Sets of 10 - 12
Straight Arm Pull Down 3 Sets of 10 - 12
Superset
Crunches (on the back extension machine)
Back Extensions
Meal 1:
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
Almond Butter Sandwich on 1 slice of wheat bread
Meal 3:
Chicken and Brown Rice
Meal 4:
Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Post Workout Protein Shake
Meal 6:
Chicken and Broccoli
Meal 7:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
Friday January 6, 2012
Cardio and Big Guns
Run 3 Miles
Then do 3 Sets of the Following Biceps Circuit:
6 Dumbbell Curls Each Arm (12 total)
Increase weight by 5lbs
4 Dumbbell Curls Each Arm (8 total)
Increase weight by 5 lbs
2 Dumbbell Curls Each Arm (4 total)
Decrease weight by 5lbs
4 Dumbbell Curls Each Arm (8 total)
Decrease weight by 5lbs
6 Dumbbell Curls Each Arm (12 total)
Ab Wheel 1 Set of 10
Back Extension 1 Set of 20
Knee Ups 1 Set of 15
Crunches 1 Set of 30
I learned this workout in highschool and I like the pyramid style. If done right, this workout burns the biceps.
Meal 1:
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
Almond Butter Sandwich on 1 slice of wheat bread
Meal 3:
Chicken and Brown Rice
Meal 4:
Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Post Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 6:
Chicken and Broccoli
Meal 7:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
Run 3 Miles
Then do 3 Sets of the Following Biceps Circuit:
6 Dumbbell Curls Each Arm (12 total)
Increase weight by 5lbs
4 Dumbbell Curls Each Arm (8 total)
Increase weight by 5 lbs
2 Dumbbell Curls Each Arm (4 total)
Decrease weight by 5lbs
4 Dumbbell Curls Each Arm (8 total)
Decrease weight by 5lbs
6 Dumbbell Curls Each Arm (12 total)
Ab Wheel 1 Set of 10
Back Extension 1 Set of 20
Knee Ups 1 Set of 15
Crunches 1 Set of 30
I learned this workout in highschool and I like the pyramid style. If done right, this workout burns the biceps.
Meal 1:
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
Almond Butter Sandwich on 1 slice of wheat bread
Meal 3:
Chicken and Brown Rice
Meal 4:
Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Post Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 6:
Chicken and Broccoli
Meal 7:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
Friday, January 6, 2012
Thursday January 5, 2012
Today back to the weights, I wrote down some exercises that I thought would work every muscle group. Getting stronger and staying positive without quitting.
Jog a Mile
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 Sets of 8-12
Decline Barbell Bench Press: 3 Sets of 8-12
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 Sets of 8-12
Dips 3 Sets of 8-12
Leg Extension: 3 Sets of 8-12
Leg Curl: 3 Sets of 8-12
Superset
Lunges with Weight: 3 Sets of 8-12
Standing Calf Raises: 3 Sets of 8-12
Ab Knee Ups: 3 Sets of 15
This workout was mainly focused on the chest but I also got some leg and ab work in there too. I pushed the limit on some of the exercises which felt great and I felt the burn probably because I maintained tempo consistency throughout the workout.
Meal 1:
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Meal 3:
Chicken and Brown Rice
Meal 4:
Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Post Workout Protein Shake
Meal 6:
Chicken and Broccoli
Meal 7:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
Jog a Mile
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 Sets of 8-12
Decline Barbell Bench Press: 3 Sets of 8-12
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 Sets of 8-12
Dips 3 Sets of 8-12
Leg Extension: 3 Sets of 8-12
Leg Curl: 3 Sets of 8-12
Superset
Lunges with Weight: 3 Sets of 8-12
Standing Calf Raises: 3 Sets of 8-12
Ab Knee Ups: 3 Sets of 15
This workout was mainly focused on the chest but I also got some leg and ab work in there too. I pushed the limit on some of the exercises which felt great and I felt the burn probably because I maintained tempo consistency throughout the workout.
Meal 1:
Coffee and Egg Whites
Meal 2:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Meal 3:
Chicken and Brown Rice
Meal 4:
Pre Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Post Workout Protein Shake
Meal 6:
Chicken and Broccoli
Meal 7:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Wednesday January 4, 2012
Today, I went to the doctor to get a checkup and make sure everything is running correctly for the Tough Mudder. He said I am healthy but due to family history of sudden death (my 18 yr old cousin in 2008) the doctor wants me to see a cardiologist to check my heart. I am not expecting anything wrong but I will make the appointment to make sure.
I signed up for another race called the Pickle run. The pickle run will be a good warm-up/training run for the Tough Mudder. This run is located at Ridley Creek State Park where my entire trail running takes place so I am familiar with the area. The pickle run is on January 21st and the distance is about 4.4ish miles. They claim it is "4.4ish" because on a trail run you can almost never get an accurate reading for the distance. I am sure it will be freezing cold and possibly snow on the ground so I am looking forward to this run as a measuring stick to see where I am at for my Tough Mudder training this year.
I signed up for another race called the Pickle run. The pickle run will be a good warm-up/training run for the Tough Mudder. This run is located at Ridley Creek State Park where my entire trail running takes place so I am familiar with the area. The pickle run is on January 21st and the distance is about 4.4ish miles. They claim it is "4.4ish" because on a trail run you can almost never get an accurate reading for the distance. I am sure it will be freezing cold and possibly snow on the ground so I am looking forward to this run as a measuring stick to see where I am at for my Tough Mudder training this year.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Tuesday January 3, 2012
Well I am finally back from the holiday break. I didn't work out as planned due to the holiday laziness. My last recorded workout was December 20th and for having 13 days off, I felt surprisingly good during today’s Hi-Intensity Workout.
Ran 3 miles on the treadmill
10 Pullups ; 10 Pushups
9 Pullups ; 9 Pushups
8 Pullups ; 8 Pushups
7 Pullups ; 7 Pushups
6 Pullups ; 6 Pushups
5 Pullups ; 5 Pushups
4 Pullups ; 4 Pushups
3 Pullups ; 3 Pushups
2 Pullups ; 2 Pushups
1 Pullup ; 1 Pushup
2 Pullups ; 2 Pushups
3 Pullups ; 3 Pushups
4 Pullups ; 4 Pushups
5 Pullups ; 5 Pushups
6 Pullups ; 6 Pushups
7 Pullups ; 7 Pushups
8 Pullups ; 8 Pushups
9 Pullups ; 9 Pushups
10 Pullups ; 10 Pushups
50 Ab Wheels
Jog a half mile to cool off
This workout was intense and I was exhausted the rest of the night. I have 4 months until the Tough Mudder 2012 and I am going hard for the next 4 months, no holding back. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow to get my annual checkup and make sure I am healthy enough to complete this event and any other races I plan to join this summer.
Meal 1:
Coffee and 2 protein bars
Meal 2:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Meal 3:
Chicken and Spinach
Meal 4:
Post Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Chicken and Brown Rice
Meal 6:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
Ran 3 miles on the treadmill
10 Pullups ; 10 Pushups
9 Pullups ; 9 Pushups
8 Pullups ; 8 Pushups
7 Pullups ; 7 Pushups
6 Pullups ; 6 Pushups
5 Pullups ; 5 Pushups
4 Pullups ; 4 Pushups
3 Pullups ; 3 Pushups
2 Pullups ; 2 Pushups
1 Pullup ; 1 Pushup
2 Pullups ; 2 Pushups
3 Pullups ; 3 Pushups
4 Pullups ; 4 Pushups
5 Pullups ; 5 Pushups
6 Pullups ; 6 Pushups
7 Pullups ; 7 Pushups
8 Pullups ; 8 Pushups
9 Pullups ; 9 Pushups
10 Pullups ; 10 Pushups
50 Ab Wheels
Jog a half mile to cool off
This workout was intense and I was exhausted the rest of the night. I have 4 months until the Tough Mudder 2012 and I am going hard for the next 4 months, no holding back. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow to get my annual checkup and make sure I am healthy enough to complete this event and any other races I plan to join this summer.
Meal 1:
Coffee and 2 protein bars
Meal 2:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Meal 3:
Chicken and Spinach
Meal 4:
Post Workout Whey Protein Shake
Meal 5:
Chicken and Brown Rice
Meal 6:
Almond Butter Sandwich on Wheat Bread
Pre-Bed Casein Protein Shake
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