2017 Loony Challenge - 15 Weeks to Go

Step Back Week
Weekly Goal Miles: 25
Long Run Miles: 5-6

Sunday
Planned: 1-6 Miles Run at MAF, Sunday Kettlebell Workout
Actual: 1 mile run, so far above MAF it wasn't funny.  Walked 3.3 miles with a friend.  Skipped weights because that's how great I felt.

Monday
Planned: 1-6 Miles Run at MAF
Actual: 5.2 miles at MAF.  Slow and painful process that it was.  I actually do feel better than yesterday.

Tuesday
Planned: 1-6 Miles Run at MAF, Lift Weights
Actual: 4.4 treadmill miles.  Avg HR for 50 minutes of work was 141.  I really wanted to be outside but it was raining just a little too hard and a little too unpredictably.  Tuesday weight lifting program done.

Wednesday
Planned: 1 Mile Run, Maybe Zumba?
Actual: 1.2 miles run in the morning.  Evening Zumba to celebrate my birthday.

Thursday
Planned: 1-6 Miles Run at MAF, Lift Weights
Actual: 1.25 miles on the treadmill, without my Garmin.  3.65 "miles" on the elliptical.  Thursday weight lifting done.  It was another rainy day, so I wasn't feeling a run outside.  And I was still tired from Zumba last night.  So the elliptical seemed the best way to get the cardio but keep the heart rate down.

Friday
Planned: 1 Mile Run
Actual: 4.06 miles run, and I did not poop my pants.  But it was that kind of day.  Actually, other than that, it was a great run.

Saturday
Planned: 1-6 Miles Run at MAF
Actual:  1.2 miles at 4am.  I switched Friday and Saturday workouts here.

2017 Loony Challenge: The Plan

I am registered again for the Loony Challenge, often referenced by me as "the loony bin".   I did Loony in 2014 and loved it so much that I repeated in 2015.   In 2016, I tried the Summit Challenge which was a fine idea but turned out not to be my thing.  So for 2017, I'm back to Loony.

We're about 15 weeks out right now, so I'm preparing my training calendar.  I'm keeping a similar plan to Flying Pig 2017 training, but not exactly the same. 

• TRX/Kettlebell classes have been cancelled permanently at the gym.  Replaced with my own homebrew Kettlebell workout.
• Tempo runs and speed workout is also out.  Replaced with: all my runs are supposedly going to be at MAF, at least until the last 4-6 weeks of training.
• MAF Runs - oh lord, that's it's own topic and has definitely been an up and down process.

In general, here's my plans for training, including my weight lifting workouts

Building weeks (3 in a row)
Sunday: 6-10 Miles at MAF, Sunday Kettlebell Workout
Monday: 6-10 Miles at MAF
Tuesday: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Lift Weights
Wednesday: 1 Mile Run, maybe Zumba?
Thursday: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Lift Weights
Friday: 1 Mile Run
Saturday: 4-6 Miles at MAF, Maybe Zumba?

Step Back Week (one week, after 3 building weeks)
Weekly Goal Miles: 25, Long Run Miles: no more than 6
Sunday:1-6 Miles Run at MAF, Sunday Kettlebell Workout
Monday: 1-6 Miles Run at MAF, Lift Weights
Tuesday: 1-6 Miles Run at MAF
Wednesday: 1 Mile Run, Maybe Zumba?
Thursday: 1-6 Miles Run at MAF, Lift Weights
Friday: 1 Mile Run
Saturday: 1-6 Miles Run at MAF


Weight Lifting Workouts:

Sunday Kettlebell Workout
All 5 sets of 5 reps
High Windmills
Suitcase Lunges
Triple Crush
Single Leg Deadlift
High Pulls

Tuesday
All: 2 sets warm up weight, 3 sets working weight.  5 reps each.
Heavy Squats
Barbell Rows
Dumbbell Bench Press
Abs?

Thursday
Assisted Pull Ups (I can’t wait until I can do a real one) 3 sets of 6
Dynamic Squats 2 sets warm up weight, 3 sets working weight.  5 reps each.
Overhead Press 2 sets warm up weight, 3 sets working weight.  5 reps each.
Dead Lift 1 set warm up weight, 1 set working weight, 5 reps each

Survey Results

Thanks to HRG for the survey questions. 

1. If you could have one meal that was in your kitchen and waiting for you to eat each day after your run, what would it be?
Fizzy water, bacon, eggs, and potatoes.  If I wasn't doing whole30 it would be bacon, eggs, and fresh bread.  Fizzy water is non negotiable.

2. Would you rather have to eat 6 donuts or a large burrito in the middle of your next long run?
Donuts, for sure.  I feel like somewhere I ate donuts on a run one time, but I can't recall where now. 

3. If I handed you a $100 gift card to a running website (that has EVERYTHING running related)…  WHAT WOULD YOU SPEND THE $100 on (details are appreciated)?
I can never have too many pairs of pants.  Pants must have draw strings, none of this "wide yoga waistband" shit.  Backup options are shoes. Or socks.  Or anything  reflective.  Basically it would be gone and then I'd be spending my own money. 

4. Fill in the blank:  If it is ________________ outside, I will not run outside.  Would you then either choose to run on the treadmill or not at all?
Thunder/lighting/hail or ice.  Obviously I'd run inside on the track because a streak is a streak.

5. If you could go on a run with any famous person or famous athlete… WHO would it be?
An athlete that's not a runner, so I wouldn't be constantly comparing myself to them.  For runners it would be Meb.  He could run laps around me. Larisa Dannis or Pam Smith would be cool.  They could run laps around me while teaching me about trail running.

6. If you could go back in time and choose any race that you have done in the past and have that same experience all over again, which one would it be?
My first half marathon, because it was one of the only races with a 12:00/mile pacer.  And it turned out to be a fantastic race. 

7. If your best friend decided to become a runner today and you could give her one piece of advice, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?!
Slow down!  Seriously.  Just, however fast you think you should be, slow down.  Enjoy how your body feels, enjoy how strong you get, enjoy being outside, and don't worry about speed. 


8. What is one weird/different thing you do during your runs?
Have I mentioned the run streak?  Run at least a mile.  If I have intervals, etc, the warm up has to involve at least one mile of running so I'm legit.

9. What is your usual race/hard run reward afterwards? A food/drink/other?
My strong favorite is a bacon and egg hamburger with fries and a beer.  And whiskey.  No whiskey while I'm training.

10. What has been the biggest change in your running from when you very first started until now?
Since I took my current job (2014) I've found running trails all over the state.  Running after work has become and adventure and I love it.  I love all the things I get to see and do because of running.
A close second is the running streak, which has really kept me strong and moving even in the off season, and allowed me to explore some wonderful places.

MAF - week 3

 
I'm trying something new with pictures/graphs.  This is for me as much as anyone else.

Sunday: I thought this run felt great.  I was really disappointed with the pace when I saw it.  Sigh.

Monday: My first MAF test was sort of a success and sort of a fail.  I used the wrong program on my watch, but it was sort of the right program and it worked.  I hope I get faster because training at this pace really blows.

Tuesday: I'm even slower in the afternoon.  Sigh.

Wednesday: This run was going in the right direction.  A bit faster, a bit faster recovery after the hills.

Thursday:  I knew this was going to be a good run before I even started.  I headed out from the downtown gym because I wanted to see this with my own eyes before it's taken down.  From the vantage points on my running route, it doesn't look like art.  It straight up looks like a gallows.   WTF.

Friday: 1 mile run, nice and easy.

Saturday: This was a slower run, but I was actually really happy with it.  I know, that doesn't sound right.  It was 74* at 6am, so my plan was to really keep my heart rate on the lower side.  I didn't have a heart rate alarm on the hill by the golf course, nor the second hill between Hiawatha and Nokomis.  I did have an alarm on the 3rd hill (up to 48th) but I'd planned for that.  All in all, it was a solid run.