Tu 22 Aug 17
BBSF SE phase
HIC: Fast 5
Last night I figured out my route on Google maps and plotted out 5 km. Ultimately, my Fast 5 was neither "fast" nor a full 5. I did 4.5 km in 27:05, which is a shade under 10 kph, which is still pretty f'n slow. I admit it felt like a bit of a failure. I'm not sure what I expected but I guess I was hoping for a faster pace and hoping not to crap out before I hit the full 5 km.
I had the word "fast" in my head as I started, so I probably came out too hard, instead of just going faster than my normal, plodding LSS pace. It's possible that I lost my final 500m within the first few minutes of my "hot" start (I use the term very loosely).
B71 Block 1: Operator/Black
Re: B71 Base Building
Th 24 Aug 17
SE: Alpha circuits, BW cluster
3 * 20 of
Pushups
Air Squats
Stair Dips
"Air" Good Mornings
Flutter Kicks
I haven't found my wife's TRX rig yet, so no change to the exercises from Monday. Maybe this weekend I'll go digging around for it.
The circuit felt good. I think I like the BW stuff. It makes me feel a little more lithe and athletic, like I'm using my body the way I'm supposed to. Given that I'm heading into my late 40's, continued mobility is becoming more and more important to me. I'm looking forward to getting better at this stuff.
SE: Alpha circuits, BW cluster
3 * 20 of
Pushups
Air Squats
Stair Dips
"Air" Good Mornings
Flutter Kicks
I haven't found my wife's TRX rig yet, so no change to the exercises from Monday. Maybe this weekend I'll go digging around for it.
The circuit felt good. I think I like the BW stuff. It makes me feel a little more lithe and athletic, like I'm using my body the way I'm supposed to. Given that I'm heading into my late 40's, continued mobility is becoming more and more important to me. I'm looking forward to getting better at this stuff.
Re: B71 Base Building
F 25 Aug 17
HIC: Connaught Range - 5 lengths
The babies didn't want us to sleep last night, so I got up later than usual. This, of course, threw off my morning routine but I still managed to get in the HIC session. I feel like that's a decent little victory there because it would have been very easy to say "fuck it" and not do it at all.
I knew that this would be hard for me and that I wouldn't be ready for the full 10 lengths, so I went for 5 at a pretty conservative pace. No sense blowing my aerobic wad on the first length. Still, doing the burpees and chugging back and forth on the soccer pitch got the heart pounding and the lungs burning. It also confused my dog as to what game we were playing.
I sucked at this but I think it will stay in the rotation. Sucking at it is reason enough to keep it but I think it will have a direct positive impact on my PT test. I could feel my thighs giving me a "what the hell is this" message after the up-down of the burpees into the run and it felt rather similar to when I did my PT test in March (which involves similar motions).
I think I'll work up to 10 lengths and then work on getting the time down.
HIC: Connaught Range - 5 lengths
The babies didn't want us to sleep last night, so I got up later than usual. This, of course, threw off my morning routine but I still managed to get in the HIC session. I feel like that's a decent little victory there because it would have been very easy to say "fuck it" and not do it at all.
I knew that this would be hard for me and that I wouldn't be ready for the full 10 lengths, so I went for 5 at a pretty conservative pace. No sense blowing my aerobic wad on the first length. Still, doing the burpees and chugging back and forth on the soccer pitch got the heart pounding and the lungs burning. It also confused my dog as to what game we were playing.
I sucked at this but I think it will stay in the rotation. Sucking at it is reason enough to keep it but I think it will have a direct positive impact on my PT test. I could feel my thighs giving me a "what the hell is this" message after the up-down of the burpees into the run and it felt rather similar to when I did my PT test in March (which involves similar motions).
I think I'll work up to 10 lengths and then work on getting the time down.
Re: B71 Base Building
Sa 26 Aug 17
E: 30 min LSS run outdoors
About half of the run was on sidewalks, the other half on a gravel path. Then I had to take my dog for a walk, so we walked on a different gravel path for 30 minutes through a different area of the woods - all told, a really good start to the morning.
E: 30 min LSS run outdoors
About half of the run was on sidewalks, the other half on a gravel path. Then I had to take my dog for a walk, so we walked on a different gravel path for 30 minutes through a different area of the woods - all told, a really good start to the morning.
Re: B71 Base Building
M 28 Aug 17
SE: Alpha Circuits - BW(ish) cluster
Push-ups: 25, 25, 25
Goblet Squats w/ 40 lb DB: 20, 25, 25
TRX face pull/reverse row: 25, 25, DNF
40 lb DB swing: 25, 25, DNF
Flutter kicks: 25, 25, DNF
I got greedy and over-confident with my Alpha Circuits - I tried to bump up reps and add a decent amount of weight at the same time. I went from doing 20 air squats to 25 Goblet squats with a 40lb DB and I swapped out my "air" Good Mornings for DB swings (like KB swings but with a DB).
I thought I was being conservative by only jumping from 20 to 25 reps but it turns out I over-estimated my work capacity and adding the weight to the lower body exercises just smoked me. I got through 2 circuits and then in the middle of the third go-round, I started feeling light-headed and sick after the squats, so I ended the session there. Then I laid around and tried to recuperate while I called myself bad names.
I could drop some of the weight but my PT test involves 40 lb sandbags, so I'd like to train with that weight, if I can. If I'm still able to run tomorrow, I think I'll just scale back the A circuits to 20 reps for the next session. If tomorrow's run goes poorly because I shot the wad today, then I'll bump the weight down.
SE: Alpha Circuits - BW(ish) cluster
Push-ups: 25, 25, 25
Goblet Squats w/ 40 lb DB: 20, 25, 25
TRX face pull/reverse row: 25, 25, DNF
40 lb DB swing: 25, 25, DNF
Flutter kicks: 25, 25, DNF
I got greedy and over-confident with my Alpha Circuits - I tried to bump up reps and add a decent amount of weight at the same time. I went from doing 20 air squats to 25 Goblet squats with a 40lb DB and I swapped out my "air" Good Mornings for DB swings (like KB swings but with a DB).
I thought I was being conservative by only jumping from 20 to 25 reps but it turns out I over-estimated my work capacity and adding the weight to the lower body exercises just smoked me. I got through 2 circuits and then in the middle of the third go-round, I started feeling light-headed and sick after the squats, so I ended the session there. Then I laid around and tried to recuperate while I called myself bad names.
I could drop some of the weight but my PT test involves 40 lb sandbags, so I'd like to train with that weight, if I can. If I'm still able to run tomorrow, I think I'll just scale back the A circuits to 20 reps for the next session. If tomorrow's run goes poorly because I shot the wad today, then I'll bump the weight down.
Re: B71 Base Building
Tu 29 Aug 17
HIC: Fast 5
I had a good run today. I finished the whole 5 km in 28:45, which is a little faster than 10 kph and, overall, about where I'd hoped to be. I'll work on consistently nailing the whole 5 km and then whittle the time down.
Today's run was an improvement over last week. I made a point of starting slower, instead of going out hell-bent for leather and having nothing left for the last half (like I did last week). I have to say that yesterday's SE session was a bit of a downer but today's run made me feel a little less old, slow and feeble.
HIC: Fast 5
I had a good run today. I finished the whole 5 km in 28:45, which is a little faster than 10 kph and, overall, about where I'd hoped to be. I'll work on consistently nailing the whole 5 km and then whittle the time down.
Today's run was an improvement over last week. I made a point of starting slower, instead of going out hell-bent for leather and having nothing left for the last half (like I did last week). I have to say that yesterday's SE session was a bit of a downer but today's run made me feel a little less old, slow and feeble.
Re: B71 Base Building
Thu 31 Aug 17
SE: 'A' circuits
3 x 20*
Push-ups
Goblet Squat w/ 40lb DB
TRX reverse row*
DB swing
Lying leg raises
I consciously wrestled my ego to the mat and started again at 20 reps using the weight. Last week, I went too hard, going for 25 reps and I crapped out during the third circuit. It occurred to me that I'd only ever done BW exercises for SE, so I should probably be a little smarter.
Overall, I was pretty happy with how the SE session went. I might have had 25 reps per exercise in me, but it was not a sure thing.
*I only got 18 reps on the third circuit but I think I was a little further from vertical than I was on the previous two sets.
SE: 'A' circuits
3 x 20*
Push-ups
Goblet Squat w/ 40lb DB
TRX reverse row*
DB swing
Lying leg raises
I consciously wrestled my ego to the mat and started again at 20 reps using the weight. Last week, I went too hard, going for 25 reps and I crapped out during the third circuit. It occurred to me that I'd only ever done BW exercises for SE, so I should probably be a little smarter.
Overall, I was pretty happy with how the SE session went. I might have had 25 reps per exercise in me, but it was not a sure thing.
*I only got 18 reps on the third circuit but I think I was a little further from vertical than I was on the previous two sets.
Re: B71 Base Building
F 1 Sep 17
HIC: Connaught ranges (5>1)
Quite a cool morning. I took a light jog to the closest playground and did 5 lengths of the soccer pitch.
Man, I suck at these. I think I ran faster than I did last week but I also took about 30 seconds in between lengths, which I did not do last time.
It's amazing to me how quickly I get wrecked by full-body, from-the-legs-up exercises like burpees and DB swings. It's certainly humbling.
HIC: Connaught ranges (5>1)
Quite a cool morning. I took a light jog to the closest playground and did 5 lengths of the soccer pitch.
Man, I suck at these. I think I ran faster than I did last week but I also took about 30 seconds in between lengths, which I did not do last time.
It's amazing to me how quickly I get wrecked by full-body, from-the-legs-up exercises like burpees and DB swings. It's certainly humbling.
Re: B71 Base Building
Su 3 Sep 17
E: 30 min LSS run
A nice, easy run on sidewalks and gravel path.
I took the same route as I did for my "Fast 5" and I swear that my easy pace is only marginally slower than my uncomfortable, heavy-breathing, heart-pounding "fast" pace. In 30 min, I think I might have run 500-750m less on my LSS run than on my Fast 5 run. That's a little demoralizing, actually.
E: 30 min LSS run
A nice, easy run on sidewalks and gravel path.
I took the same route as I did for my "Fast 5" and I swear that my easy pace is only marginally slower than my uncomfortable, heavy-breathing, heart-pounding "fast" pace. In 30 min, I think I might have run 500-750m less on my LSS run than on my Fast 5 run. That's a little demoralizing, actually.
Re: B71 Base Building
W 6 Sep 17
E: 30 min LSS run
First day of my course - ran on sidewalks and asphalt. My knees didn't appreciate it.
Th 7 Sep 17
SE: Alpha Circuits - hotel room style
I couldn't find a place to hook up my TRX straps but I brought a 40-lb DB with me, so instead of working out in the great outdoors, I stayed in my room and banged out 3 sets of 20.
Pushups
Goblet Squats
1-Arm Bent-Over Row
DB Swing
Leg Lift
F 8 Sep 17
E: 30 min LSS run
Different route, same surfaces. My knees did not thank me. I need to find a trail on this base.
M 11 Sep 17
SE: Alpha Circuits - 3 x 20, 45s/3 min rest intervals
A couple of weeks ago, I shot for 25 reps and it didn't go well. I figured I'd trim down the intra-circuit rest to 45s between exercises. It went better than I thought. It's still tough for me, but I didn't completely gas out or feel light-headed. This might indicate some improvement in SE.
Pushups
Goblet Squats
1-Arm Bent-Over Row
DB Swing
Leg Lift
Tu 12 Sep 17
HIC: "Connaught Ranges" for 6 lengths
Emboldened by my apparent progress with SE, I decided to bump up from 5 lengths to 6 lengths. My "sprint" is not fast (I find I lack explosiveness after the burpees) and I was sucking wind harder than I recall previously but I got through it. I'm not sure if I should go back to 5 lengths and focus on faster sprinting, or if I should not worry about speed and get in more reps.
Th 14 Sep 17
SE: Alpha Circuits 3 x 20
Same routine as Tuesday. Felt pretty decent.
Not having to wake up throughout the night is certainly helping my sleep. I'm finding that I'm good with 7 or 7.5 hours (vice an hour more) and I've been waking up before my alarm.
Mess food is ok but not sufficient. I'm snacking like a fiend.
E: 30 min LSS run
First day of my course - ran on sidewalks and asphalt. My knees didn't appreciate it.
Th 7 Sep 17
SE: Alpha Circuits - hotel room style
I couldn't find a place to hook up my TRX straps but I brought a 40-lb DB with me, so instead of working out in the great outdoors, I stayed in my room and banged out 3 sets of 20.
Pushups
Goblet Squats
1-Arm Bent-Over Row
DB Swing
Leg Lift
F 8 Sep 17
E: 30 min LSS run
Different route, same surfaces. My knees did not thank me. I need to find a trail on this base.
M 11 Sep 17
SE: Alpha Circuits - 3 x 20, 45s/3 min rest intervals
A couple of weeks ago, I shot for 25 reps and it didn't go well. I figured I'd trim down the intra-circuit rest to 45s between exercises. It went better than I thought. It's still tough for me, but I didn't completely gas out or feel light-headed. This might indicate some improvement in SE.
Pushups
Goblet Squats
1-Arm Bent-Over Row
DB Swing
Leg Lift
Tu 12 Sep 17
HIC: "Connaught Ranges" for 6 lengths
Emboldened by my apparent progress with SE, I decided to bump up from 5 lengths to 6 lengths. My "sprint" is not fast (I find I lack explosiveness after the burpees) and I was sucking wind harder than I recall previously but I got through it. I'm not sure if I should go back to 5 lengths and focus on faster sprinting, or if I should not worry about speed and get in more reps.
Th 14 Sep 17
SE: Alpha Circuits 3 x 20
Same routine as Tuesday. Felt pretty decent.
Not having to wake up throughout the night is certainly helping my sleep. I'm finding that I'm good with 7 or 7.5 hours (vice an hour more) and I've been waking up before my alarm.
Mess food is ok but not sufficient. I'm snacking like a fiend.