A bit of change later this week because I have cataract surgery on Thursday and will have to avoid any exertion for about ten days; therefore, I have to cancel this Saturday’s Hill Repeats.
Congrats Gerald for completing “ The Beast” at the Spartan Championships held at Palisades (formerly called Squaw Valley). Consists of 13 miles over rocky terrain with 30 obstacle and exercise stations; miss one station you do 30 burpees on the spot!
9/28/21 TEMPOworkout for this week: After the warm-up mile or so get in 3 x 8′ tempo pick-up at 10K effort level followed by (3′ easy running between each rep).
9/29/21 STRENGTH TRAININGfor this week.
9/30/21. SPEED-WORKon the track. If you missed running your Max VO2 1.5 mile test last Thursday, get it in this week. Then refer to the chart in last week’s posting to see how your time translates to your oxygen uptake. For this week do THREE rounds of:
800 (200 easy
400 (200)
2 x 200 (200)
that is an 800-400-2 x 200 repeated for three rounds ; all with 200 recovery.
Cataract surgery: I am having cataract surgery done on 9/30/21 and will have to avoid any activity, lifting – or even chores for a number of days. Doctor says no Sat. October 2nd workout either; a good solid week of no exerting to avoid eye pressure which could affect healing.
Just posted the conversion from 1.5 mile Cooper Test to Max VO2 uptake below. You’ll now have an idea what your oxygen uptake number is for future use. Runners Bill Rodgers (in the 80+ range), Frank Shorter (72 ml of O2), Prefontaine (85), Greta Waitz (70+) along with a good number of cross country skiers (a bit more demanding because of additional arm use with that sport).
Saturday HR 9/25/21: So far joining in are TJ, Jill, Robert, AJ, Denise, Lisa, Chris,
Just back from a satisfying week break at Tahoe with Sandy and Sister Marion Irvine, 92 and known as the “Flying Nun” based on her many running records and being the oldest woman to make it into the Olympic Marathon Trials held back in May of 1984. She gets in 1-2 1/2 hours of walking per day with Sandy; we picked a different location each day near Lake Tahoe. I got in some daily cycling in that beautiful setting along with recovery and much reading. After the Saturday winds and some light rain, Sunday became clear of all clouds by 11 am and the day turned out crystal clear. Once the system passed through temperatures dropped during the evening; Fall has arrived!
This weekend Gerald will be tackling “The Beast” Spartan Race Championships held at Palisades (formerly Squaw Valley) ski resort area. It is a tough one covering 13 miles of steep, rocky terrain with 4800 feet of elevation gain, 30 exercise stations along the way which feature upper body demands, obstacles and all-out effort – at altitude! Every exercise station you don’t complete successfully; you have to do 30 burpees! That can really add up over the 4:30 – 5:30 hours it takes to complete the course. I miss cheering him on by a week, but we wish him all the best!
9/21/21 TUESDAY. TEMPOrun, i.e., acclimating to race pace with controlled threshold runs. After the warm-up: 15′ at comfortably stressed effort; close to 10K race pace followed by 5′ easy run; then another 7′ tempo/ 3′ easy pace. Then finish the run at moderate pace.
9/22/21 WEDNESDAY. STRENGTHworkout. tba. The Wed group will meet 8:15 – 9:15 am at Warren’s for a Circuit training session
9/23/22 THURSDAY. Running a field test of 1.5 miles ( 6 laps) to determine Max VO2 based on the work done by the “Father of Aerobics”, Dr. Ken Cooper of the Cooper Institute in Dallas. He’s one of the first fitness researchers to help quantify dosage for cardiovascular exercise. He came up with the field test after putting thousands of people of varying ages through a max test on the treadmill; he took that data and came up with the 1.5 mile field test – much easier and cheaper than a lab test!….remember your time for the 6 laps; I’ll update later.
You’ll go to your local track site, do your warm-up run, a few drills, 30 meter pick-ups and 2 x 100 (100). Then run your 6 laps and note the time. I’ll have a chart to post so you can translate your time to MaxVO2. It is number that measures liters of oxygen you can process per minute. When factoring in bodyweight the number is measured in ml of oxygen per kilogram bodyweight. The number varies with age, sex and declines with age. Quality running such as hill training, tempo runs, and speed-work help slow the decline.
It’s interesting to note that after years of emphasizing cardiovascular exercises, primarily running; he’s placed a solid emphasis to include resistance training. He’s noted, as many of of us in the fitness industry, that from age 30 on we all lose lean body mass ( LBM) or muscle tissue.
I can tell you that with each decade you lose LBM more rapidly! But, you can slow the decline and even gain muscle weight with resistance exercise. I encourage gradually increasing weight or other resistance training over endurance exercise. You can retain cardiovascular fitness with fairly modest amount of running, cycling, rowing and other exercise choices, but keep the resistance workouts throughout the later years! Research has shown that people in their 80’s, and 90’s can gain muscles weight – very encouraging! A good number of our over 50 group members are experiencing strength and muscle weight gains by only lifting twice per week!
9/25/21 SATURDAY. HILL REPEATS/XT/LOADED CARRIES/SPRINTS. 8 am. At Golden Gate Seminary College off Seminary Drive in Strawberry area. Drive up the entry road and park in LOT C. Arrive prior to 8 am to get in a short warm-up run if doing hill repeats; some people come to focus on the weight training and loaded carries.
those joining in: Robert, TJ, Lisa, Chris, Denise, Jill, AJ,
Sandy and I received last minute go-ahead to take Sister Marion to the nun’s vacation house near Tahoe City. We leave Tuesday 9/14 and come back Monday 9/20; a rare opportunity to be in Tahoe! That means changes for the Wednesday and Saturday workouts.
View from the nun’s vacation house looking to southerly direction. Very still out, but hazy but no smoke!
Wednesday: I’ll have to see if Warren can lead a 6-station workout for two rounds or workout with your own group. I’ll work on writing up the Circuit. Warren has clients 7-8, and 9:15-10 am so not sure if he’s ready to take on another session. Checking on it.
Saturday HR/XT: There will be no workout at the Golden Gate Seminary College location this Saturday.
A) I suggest those who are running the Dipsea Race on November 7th do a practice Dipsea run on Saturday. You can run an out/back workout from Mill Valley start to top of Dynamite, Rain Forest , or Cardiac and back to save driving time, get in more up and downhill work.
B) Or do a RRGrade course run if you are not in the Dipsea event. Gives you an uphill Tempo run that builds fitness and can’t get hurt on.
9/14/21 TUESDAY. TEMPO run workout. After the warm-up mile or so, get in two repeats:
2 x 12′ of tempo / 5′ easy run between each 12′ bout.
9/15/21 WEDNESDAY. STRENGTH TRAINING.
9/16/21 THURSDAY. SPEED-WORK on track. Get in the warm-up 1.5 miles, 6 x30 meter pick-ups, some drills such as skips, butt kicks, fast stepping. Then it’s:
Three rounds of( 600 (200), 400 (on 2:30 or 3′), 200 (200)); then 2 x 150 (50), 4 x 100 (100). for you finish with “fast feet” practice.
9/18/21 SATURDAY..…Hill Repeats are cancelled because we are out of town. Run Dipsea or RRGrade as substitute.
NOTICE: I have no cell phone for 48 hours as we switch carriers (a real pain) due to ATT screw-up. So you can email for now…I’ll see a group of you on Saturday morning for the workout at Seminary.
Hope your Monday was a success; it’s nice to have that extra day off! We found it quite remarkable to see Stinson Beach parking 95% full by 10 am on Sunday! Absolutely packed with families, dogs and sun tents. I haven’t seen it filled so early in a long time. We were wonderfully surprised by a pod of dolphins feeding quite close to shore as we walked the beach.
WEDNESDAY strength training sessions will be one workout from 8:15-9:15 am, not two, starting this week
9/7/21 TUESDAY. TEMPO day. After the warm-up run you’ll get in three sets of tempo pick-ups:
12′ tempo (4′ easy) – 8′ tempo (3′) – 6′ (3′)
9/8/21 WEDNESDAY. STRENGTH TRAININGday at Warren’s “Madison Av Gym”. We decided to stay with one workout session 8:15-9:15 am (Warren has a 7-8 am group and 9:30 client after we are finished). We’ll do 30-35″ exercise at each station; 25″ to move to next station.
Group 5 x 10 Swings after warm-up.
Deficit KB Sumo Dl
Thoracic Reach Through
X15 Swings
Inverted Row
PVC or weighted bar O’HeadSquats
Wipers
X15 Swings
R/L Presses
X 5 Goblet Pause Squats
X 15 Swings
KB Rack Carry
9/9/21 THURSDAY. SPEED-WORKon a track in your area. After the warm-up mile or so, some drills, 6 x 30 meter quick cadence short sprints ( controlled speed), 2 x 150 (50). Then:
Five rounds of: (400 (then on 2:30 or 3′) run 200 (200)). Run the 400’s at 5K GP and 200’s at under 5K pace.
9/11/21 SATURDAY. HILL REPEATS/XT/LOADED CARRIES/SPRINTS. 8 AM at Golden Gate Seminary College off Seminary Drive in Mill Valley. You will go up the entry road and park in LOT C where I will also have the exercise stations set up. $15/session so we cover the space rental. Arrive early to get in your warm-up run.
Friday afternoon: Saturday Hill Repeats are a go. We have attending thus far: Tom, Elizabeth, Shirley, Denise, Robert, Paula, TJ, and new person, Janet. Probably a few more will come depending on their holiday weekend plans.
Update regarding WEDNESDAY workouts: After the two sessions today we’ve decided to go back to holding one workout session from 8:15-9:15 AM. Warren said that Wednesdays are in great demand for client workouts and we can handle 12 people in the workout. There will be Warren’s clients working out 7-8 and 9:30-10:15 with him.
September is here and Dipsea, half and full marathons, charity bike rides, TCRS races and the high school XC season has begun. Head coach, Warren Lanier, coach Tom O’Reilly and myself are working with over 30 young people this season which is fun to see. Young and old are eager to get out and enter a variety of events.
8/31/21 TUESDAY. TEMPO.After warm-up run, some short pick-ups get in:
10′ tempo (4′ easy) – 8′ tempo ( 3′ easy) – 6′ (3′ easy) then finish the total run time.
9/1/21 WEDNESDAY. STRENGTH / CIRCUIT TRAINING. 8 am and 9 am workouts at Warren’s “Madison Ave Gym” at 148 Madison Av ( take second left at Washington Ave off N. San Pedro Rd). The workout space and surrounding area has been totally redone. This Wednesday we will begin with an 8 and 9 am session; we’ll be adjusting our numbers to maintain spacing, safety, and outdoor use of space.
So far coming to 8 AM session: TJ, Lillie, Shirley, Judi, and Alyce?
So far coming to 9 AM session: Michelle, Lisa, Chris, Gayle S, Kevin, Pam, Deb H? , Alexandra
I will be updating during next two days.
9/2/21 THURSDAY. SPEED-WORK/ TRACK. A 1000 meter breakdown. After the warm-up mile or so, 6 x 30 meter quick cadence runs; 2 x 100 (100):
1000 (200) @ 10K pace – 600 (200) at 5K pace — 400 (200) –6 x 200 (200) at sub 5k pace.
9/4/21 SATURDAY. HILL REPEATS/XT/SPRINTS/LOADED CARRIES. 8 am start at Seminary College. remember, drive up the entry road and park in Lot C. Arrive earlier to get in your warm-up run prior to the 8 am start.
Coming so far for the workout: Shirley, Tom, Elizabeth, Denise, Robert, Paula, and new person Janet.
The Double Dipsea is scheduled for this Saturday, August 25th and is guaranteed to stress your quads and calves. You’ll have to check their site to see if one can still enter or it’s all done by pre-registration. I’ll be holding Hill Repeats/XT/Loaded Carries/ Sprints on the same day as a number of you are training for the November 7th Dipsea Race; or for solid general fitness.
Results: Two of our workout group tackled the Double Dipsea on a HOT day: Judi, Tom ran it while AJ had to pass on it as he came down with a fever just before the race. I was told it was quite a test with all the heat; especially on that Hogsback stretch. Congrats to Judi for taking third in the W60+ division! ( She did about a 40 mile bike ride the day before). Tom was 13th in the 60+ division.
8/24/21 TEMPO. Run it on the dirt roads or roads. Purpose here is to acclimate your body and fitness to race pace in measured doses by running “comfortably stressed” pick-ups. For the fast runners that is 15K race pace; for most of us it’s at 10K pace.
2 x 12 minutes (4′ easy run between the two sets).
8/25/21 WEDNESDAY. STRENGTH TRAINING.You’ll get in your Halos, a few Goblet Squats, strap shoulder dislocates; then X 15 R/L one-arm DGB ( or a light kettlebell) Kettlebell Swings. You will be able to better emphasize the Hip Hinge movement, hip snap with the DGB which you apply to regular kettlebell swings.
TWO ROUNDS of:
X 10 Swings Rnd 1: X 15 Mtn Climbers, Rnd 2: X 6 R/L Lunge Torso Rotations
X 10 Swings X 5 DBL KB Cleans and Front Squat
X 10 Swings 40″ Weighted Plank
X 10 Swings X 5 R/L KB Presses
X 5 heavier Swing:
X 7 Deficit KB Sumo Deadlifts
X 5 heavier Swing:
X 6 R/L light DB Side Plank “Sweep & Reach”
A short workout alternative or for your second day in the week: Four Rounds of:
(X 15 Swings,
X 3 Goblet Squats (for depth, pointing butt down to “6 O’clock, and
X 4 R/L KB Presses)
8/26/21 THURSDAY. SPEED-WORK. Preferably on a track. After the mile or so warm-up, some drills such as Skips, butt kicks and 30 meter quick cadence stride-outs, you’ll do FOUR ROUNDS of:
2 x 100 (100), 600 (200) at 5K GP, 400 (then on 2:30 or 3′ go into next interval ) , 200 (200) at mile pace.
8/28/21 SATURDAY. HILL REPEATS/XT/LOADED CARRIES/Sprints and Trap Bar Deadlifts. 8 am in Lot C of Golden Gate Seminary College, off Seminary Drive. You will drive up the entry road and park in Lot “C” designated entirely for our use.
LMK if you will be joining in. Chris, Lisa, Kevin, Shirley, Robert, Elizabeth are in.
Good luck to Judi and Tom on the Double Dipsea. Thank goodness for early start.
“Lizard Pose” is same as doing the “foot to next-to-hand placement” we did last week. Once foot is placed next to hand, dip the trailhead leg down to stretch front of thigh and hip flexors
Thursday , 8/19/21: Update again: We will have our regular SATURDAY HR/XT workout; I will be attending a memorial for Jim Kambur on Sunday; not Saturday! I’ll be expanding the workout a bit to keep you on track for building Dipsea strength. One tip many of you will want to improve on is the quality/speed of the Sprint and Short hill repeats; the longe intervals to be done at 5K race effort.
I mentioned before that we came back early from vacation and visiting family due to severe smoke conditions in the Pacific Northwest – all very concerning! The additional shocker was driving by Shasta Reservoir and other reservoirs: over 90% down. Now we get back to the group workouts after you’ve been diligently training on your own.
We are still in hot weather conditions so I suggest training during the morning hours. It’s time to kick training into the next gear if you are pointing to the Dipsea race. We’ll be scheduling in course practice during September; meanwhile keep on track with building overall strength, more hill repeats to maximize leg speed and strength and improve the RRGrade time for fitness and uphill running ability.
8/17/21 TUESDAY. TEMPO workout. After the warm-up mile you’ll run three tempo pieces ascending in time: 6′ tempo (3′ easy) – 8′ (4′) – 10′ (5′).
8/18/21 WEDNESDAY. STRENGTH workout for this week. You’ll do TWO ROUNDS , go through the five exercises; then repeat the sequence. You’ll finish with Loaded Carries and Trap Bar deadlifts. First get in some Halos, Goblet Squats and hip raises.
Warm-up swings: x 15 DGB ( or lifht KB) R/L One – Arm Swings. I add these DGB Swings because with the shorter handle it is easier to learn the hip hinge movement, hip snap and explosiveness.
TWO ROUNDS of:
X 10 Swings – Rnd 1: X6 R/L Lunge Torso Rotations ( emphasize rotating the torso
Rnd 2: KB “Figure 8’s , x5 each direction
X 10 Swings – X 6 Deficit Sumo Deadlifts
X 10 Swings – X 5 R/L KB Presses
X 10 Swings – 1′ Weighted Plank
X 10 Swings – X5 DBL KB Cleans and Front Squats…Repeat Sequence; then get in the Loaded Carries and Trap Bar deadlifts.
Tip: If you are tight on time; simply complete one round of the workout and finish with some Loaded Carries or Trap Bar deadlift.
8/19/21 THURSDAY. SPEED-WORK day. After the warm-up mile, 6 x high skips, 6 x 30 meters, 2 x 100 (100); you’ll be tackling into repeat 400’s to test your fitness.
12 x 400 (on 1:30 if racing sub 6′ pace); on 2:30 (7-8 pace) – on 3′ (for slower than 8 pace).
8/21/21. SATURDAY. HR/XT/LOADED CARRIES/SPRINTS/ TRAP BAR deadlifts. 8 AM start. Golden Gate Seminary College, off Seminary Drive. Drive up entry road to Lot C and park there; then do the warm-up run. The fee is $15/session because we have to rent Lot C in order to hold the workouts there.
LMK if you will be attending (we’ll hold another session on Sat. 8/28/21. ) Shirley, Chris, Tom, Elizabeth, Robert, are on.
Just a quick note regarding this Saturday: we will have the HR at Seminary College off Seminary Drive this week on 8/14/21.
We did return from our vacation two weeks early from upper Oregon; never got to Idaho and Montana due to very widespread smoky conditions. Very sad and scary to see the smoke spread from Seaside, CA to south of Redding – with high numbers air quality. We’ll have to ride the Trail de Couer d’Alene in Idaho and the Sun Road in Montana next year.
8/14/21 SATURDAY. HR/XT/LOADED CARRIES/ SPRINTS and kettlebell training. 8 AM. GG Seminary College off Seminary Drive. You will drive up the entry road and park in Lot C. You’ll do your warm-up from there and come back to Lot C to where I have the exercise stations.
I’ll be updating any number of times during the day and evening while preparing for our road trip to Sunriver followed by a visit to our daughter’s family in Montana. There has been much stressing over whether family members should come or not because of the new COVIC variant: not an easy decision for any of us.
7/27/21 TUESDAY. TEMPO workout. After the usual solid warm-up mile and a few 10″ second pick-ups; you’ll do 2 x 12′ tempos with a 5′ easy run between the two sets.
7/28/21 WEDNESDAY. STRENGTH TRAINING.
7/29/21 THURSDAY. SPEED-WORK/TRACK. After your warm-up run, 6 x 30 meter pick-ups, then :
2 x 100 (100) stride-outs; 4 x 200 (200) at 2M race pace; 1 x 600 (200) at 5K GP; 6 x 400 (on 2:30 or 3′) at faster than 5K GP.
Last Saturday we moved our workout stations at the Seminary College to Level “C” parking lot which is one row above where I used to park the van with all the equipment. That’s a Fire Lane so no vehicles can park there!. . We now officially rent the space from the college for our use on Saturdays. They want our participants to park in Lot C (face your car into the hill) and I’ll set up the mats on the west side closest to edge of the lot. It’s a wider space in this lot for the workout stations and sprints. The Long Sprint is a bit longer, but will only make you fitter.
I’ve covered the liability insurance, but to cover our rental space and permission to use the grounds; we’ll have to charge a $15 fee per session. This Saturday will be our last workout; we pause the sessions during August. It is a good site for our Hill Repeats and exercise stations: a variety of hills, space for sprints, parking and we don’t bother residents in the surrounding area.
7/20/21 TUESDAY TEMPO . After your warm-up mile or so you’ll get in :
10′ tempo (4′ easy running) – 8′ T (3′) – 6′ (2′) – 4′ (2′).
7/21/21. WEDNESDAY. STRENGTH TRAINING.Warm-up with DB/KB or grip plate Halos; hip raises, a few goblet squats and shoulder dislocates:
X 12 Swings – KB Figure 8’s through the legs ( works torso, core) and X6 Lunge Torso Rotations
X 12 Swings – X8 Split Squat pass Through ( hold split squat position; sink through into deep squat; as you come up- pass the kb from left to right and right to left)
X 12 Swings – X5 L/R KB Presses
X 12 Swings – X7 KB Deficit Sumo Deadlfts
X12 Swings – X6 R/L Side Plank Sweep & Reach ( use a light DB)
X 12 Swings – X8 R/L DB/KB 1-Arm Row (take a forward stance, leaning hand on a chair or box as do your heavy rows with the other hand)
X12 Swings – X5 DBL KB Front Squats
X12 Swings – 1′ Weighted Plank
X 16 Swings….finish.
7/23/21 THURSDAY. SPEED-WORK.At a track is best. After the warm-up mile, 6 x 30 meter quick leg turnover controlled sprints; get in 7
2 x 150 (50) stride-outs, 2 x 200 (200), 5 x 600 (200) run at 5K goal pace ( GP). Eventually we’ll have you run a strong set of 6 x 800 to prepare you for 5K, 10K and half marathon runs.
7/25/21. SATURDAY. HR/XT/SPRINTS/ LOADED CARRIES/ TRAP BAR DEADLIFTS.8 am. Seminary College, Lot C; park there about 20 minutes before we start at 8 am; run a mile of figure 8’s through the parking lots.
