I was suppose to do interval training Christmas Day but it was raining and I decided to do them another day and decided that it was a good day to do it the last day this year.
Intervals are not something that I really like but I know it will improve me as a runner and pulse based intervals suits me more than regular intervals and I have started to like them a bit more.
Started with 2K warmup when I tried to be around 132 in pulse
First interval 2K: Got up to 158 and then osciallated between 156 and 158 for a while but then I did not pay attention and saw that I had got up to 160, which is my threshold pulse, and then I was at 161 and had to slow down. Important during the intervals is to not go above your intervals. It was some upwind and was as 153 but felt that I was running towards a wall. I have a tendency to increase the pace when it is more upwind so I just accepted that I was a lower pulse for a while. Then no upwind and I got back to 157.
2 min rest when I jogged and tried to get the pulse down to around 132
Second interval 2K: I did not go above 160 when I was running up the bike path and this interval feels the longest, at the end it seems that it won’t end but finally the beep.
Rest 2 min when I jogged
Now when it is half time I can see the end getting close 🙂
Third interval 2K: I did not go above 160 and it was so interesting, I turn to the right on a road where there is a sign saying ”Slow down” and it actually was beeping just before I got to that sign.
2 min rest when I jogged and felt the upwind.
Last interval 2K: There was upwind again and also side wind when I was at 153, did not force it and when the upwind disappeared I got to 157
Approximately 1K cool down.
Said hi to some other runners.
Still felt tired in my legs after the HIT this week but I got to a good pace during the intervals anyway. It works if I do not have too tired legs.
Distance: 11.78K, time: 1.13.52.7 h, average heart rate: 150, average pace: 6.16 min/k, max pace: 4.04 min/k, cadence; 180, VO2 Max: 27 ml/kg/min
I was not sure in what condition I would be in after yesterday’s HIT exercise.
Tired legs, mostly in back thighs and upper body but had decided that I would run a short run today. Either 5K or approximately 3K.
When I started the run I felt it in my legs. OK pace and decided that approximately 3K would be just fine. I have heard someone saying that it is good after a tough exercise and you have tired legs to either go out for a walk or run a short run the day after, have never done this but gave it a try,
Headlight on when I ran through a dark part that isn’t lit up.
Nice to head for a run and was ok that the pace was a bit slower.
Distance: 2.52K, time: 16.35.5, average heart rate: 139, average pace: 6.33 min/k, max pace: 5.57 min/k, cadence: 172, VO2 Max: 25 ml/kg/min
I have a goal for year 2017 and that is to loose the extra pounds that I have gained during 2016, started with commuting to Älmhult where I have to cut back on my training and some other changes that will need some adjustments next year.
For my running I need to go the gym and have decided that I every other week will do an alternative gym training with high intensity that still gives strength. So far I have tried Functional Moves, BodyPump, Toughest and tonite I decided to test
HIT (HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING)
The setup may vary from class to class, but the basic concept will always be the same. We begin with 5-10 minutes of simple yet dynamic warm-up, followed by a number of exercises performed for a maximum of 20-45 seconds per exercise with ”active rest” between exercises, ending with cool-down and stretch. HIT classes are either 30 or 45 minutes long. We occassionally use kettlebells, steps, weight bars, medicine balls, TRX, etc. The aim of HIT is to increase endurance in strength and conditioning, agility, explosiveness and quickness. A fast-paced workout that is suitable for most people!
I love physical training and consider myself tough and do not give up easily
So I got into the room and saw that some people got one step up board and a kettlebell and thought that it might be a good idea to collect these items.
So HIT started, we started with warmup running around the room, there were even some of the judo exercises we do for warm up 🙂
After that it was 4 set
First set consisted of the following:
Swing with a kettlebell
Squats with kettlebell where you did a squat and then took the kettlebell straight up over your head
Situps on the step up board where you took up your feet from the ground and moved the kettlebell from side to side
Up on the step up board and down low on the other side and back up and then down low on the other side
Biceps on one side
Fast feet up the step up board
Biceps on the other side
Reversed burpee
Did these in a circle and was repeated 3 times
After this set I was breathless but got back on track between the next set
Second set consisted of the following
Normal situp and then took the kettlebell straight up above your head
Squat and then the kettlebell straight up above your head
Jumped with your left leg to the left and then the right foot behind the left and then jumped with your right leg to the right and then the left foot behind the right foot
This was done once
After this set I was also breathless but got back on track between the next set
Third set consisted of the following
5 pushups where you moved your hands to the side on the down level
10 squats with wide legs and back to the middle where you moved your arms with the sqaut so arms to the side when you had wide legs and then into the middel when you got back to the middle
20 mountainclimbers
Repeated these 8 times
This set literally killed me, I was so exhausted afterwards that it was unbelievable
Fourth set consisted of the following
Burpees where you were suppose to jump over the step up board between every burpee but I just did burpees and it was enough for me
Repeated these 8 times
Oh my gosh, it was a long time ago I was THIS TIRED after an exercise
Definately something I will do again
Now I have started to feel ache in my calves, back thighs and am exhausted
And now I am going to hang out myself to be able to get serious about loosing the extra pounds that I have gained so here is the truth at this point
So after two weeks rest after the ultra race in Dec it was time to put on those runners shoes again and head out for a run.
I made a decision after my first ultra race that it is very needed to take a longer rest even if that has consequences but believe that I will stay out of serious injuries so last week it was calves massage, a lot of pain, you realize how tired you are in your legs, but definately worth the massage. I was planning yoga but a good morning time.
Anyway it had not snowed during the night so it won’t be a white Christmas this year and staying in town.
Temperature: 7.5oC (45.5F) so the regular compression tights, red jacket and Christmas hat, no gloves.
Good pace from the beginning, a bit slower at the end. Saying Merry Christmas to the people that I passed, always putting a smile on their faces.
Felt a bit weird running but it has been a while. But now I am starting my action for 2017 and a good running year.
Distance: 5.08K, time: 30.49.9 min, average heart rate: 148, average pace: 6.04 min/k, max pace: 5.57 min/k, cadence: 178, VO2 Max: 27 ml/kg/min
Sunday last week when I checked the trains to Tjörnarp I realized that, due to train rails work, the first bus (was replacing the trains) was going to come to Tjörnarp at 8.07 am and the race would start at 8.30 but then there was a saviour, Maria, who was in the same car as me to Dödens Zon Nov 5th, who would drive and asked if I wanted a ride. And of course I wanted to have a ride.
So I woke up 5 am to eat breakfast, fix the last things and then Maria would pick me up at 7 am and then we were picking up Fredrik, who I ran with at Kullen before Dödens Zon in November.
Friday evening it started to rain and it rained during the night. I really hoped it would stop before the race. The goal to finish with 7h could be a problem but I would do my best.
We got to the school and changed and had a chance to talk to some other runners, Malin showed up, she and I ran on the 6h treadmill battle, and we talked with her.
From the beginning I had compression tights, long sleeve, fleece and windstopper, gloves and hat.
Time to walk to the start where we were going to fetch our GPS tracker (read more about it at Live tracker)
I had heard that around 152 runners would run Tjörnarparen – 50K or 100K
The raining stopped, thank gosh. I do not like to run in the rain for a whole day and get smakintryck wet.
In the beginning it was a bit cloggy and some places and when I tried to get my windstopper off (had problems with my breating) one of my salomon soft flasks fell to the ground so I decided to stop and get off the windstopper, then I got some space, which I like.
When I got to the loop I had caught up with a girl who I passed and noticed that Lars had changed part of the loop, now we didn’t run up in the forest but stayed down on the right side and when I got out from the loop I saw this magnificent view
At around 9K it was very wet but I managed to not get any wet feet and then at 11K I got to the first fuel station where I got a hug from Petra.
Continued my running. When I got to Frostavallen there were some dog walkers and two guys who were fishing.
I also fell flat faced on the ground.
At around 22K is the second fuel station where you can eat cheese and coffee but even if I love cheese I do not date eating it to avoid getting an upset stomach and just passed the fuel station, took a walk and ran and then I turn to the right on a dirt roads with smaller stones, there are some uphill parts where I walked. Started to get tired legs. It was very gooey, slippery and wet part of the route.
When I got on the blue marker and you get down to Dagtorpssjön the blue marker has followed the lake on the right but then last year when it rained most of the Fall they redirected the blue marker (was black earlier) I couldn’t see any yellow stripes and took the route to the right but when I have been running for a while, other runners showed up at the left.
Then I heard a runner behind me who turned out to be Maria (who drove the car), she had been out on a longer detour, she was a head of me, we talked for a while but then I had to start walking again and she continued running.
After a while we turn to the right, walk over a fence and then there is a longer footbridge that might be very slippery, it was just fine this time but another interesting person was in front of me, since last year a guy is running this race barefoot in sandals. I finally got up to him and passed him close to the third fuel station where 3 of the Hektor family was and we talked and I ate salt cucumber for the first time (turned out to be a big mistake later). Here last year I was on my way to throw in the towel but Ola Örnberg lended his knee pad to me but threw in the towel 3K later.
This time I continued and finally got to the toughest hill on this race, Djuralidsbacken, very steep and wet, you have to walk sideways part of the hill and then you have another steep shorter hill close after that but the worst is over.
It got a bit more windier so I put the windstopper back on
15K left. First I had very tired calves and then some pain in the right knee that disappeared and then I got issues with my left knee that forced me to walk from time to time. I could still walk and didn’t have any severe knee pain during my walks. Maria showed up again behind me, had another detour. I got to the fourh fuel station and got a hug from Petra again and Conny another runner was there, I asked him about his running, he ran into knee issues last year and take small small steps getting back running longer and longer.
I found out that 3 runners were behind me.
It was a bit groovy passing the 100K ultra runners who had headed out on their second lap. I cheered them on and they pepped me that it was not so far now from the finish line. I was glad that I didn’t run 100K.
When I had 6K left it started to get a bit darker so I put on my headlight and when I got to the tricket (snårskogen) I walked because it is a more technical part where I didn’t want to fall and injure myself. Realized that the batteries was a bit weak so when it was 3K left, I stopped and changed to new batteries. Put the hat back on, which also got off when I got a bit warm on my head. The headlight is sitting better on over a hat then directly on my head. Great to have better light but walked on the more technical parts. Ran on the dirt roads and walked in the forest parts and then I got to the clear-cut and the finish line is getting closer. Now my left knee was bothering me, I could not run on it and decided to rest so I could run on the last part before the finish line. Then it is only 1.5K left, what a great feeling. Saw the finish long sleeve shirt in front of me, did not vare about the gooey parts anymore, didn’t try to avoid them anymore.
And then I saw the train trek, up the stairs and ran to the finish line and over it. Oh my gosh what a relief.
It was tough this year, worse time than the first year but I am really satisfied I didn’t have to throw in the towel. Got my goodie bag and went to the school to change and then head back to get the good ”fika” before it was time to head home
Here are Maria, me and Malin who had fika together, before Maria and I headed home, Malin was staying to wait for Henrik who was running 100K
Distance: 51.37K, time: 8.13.07.7h, average heart rate: 137, average pace: 9.31 min/k, max pace: 5.51 min/k, cadence: 152, V02 Max: 30 ml/kg/min
The trail shoes were a bit dirty after Dödens Zon in November but after this race they looke like this
Today we were going to see how many pushups we could do in 30s where we took it up a notch and down a notch.
This one is also building your core which I like, builds in instability. You did a pushup and then touches your right hand on your left hand, pushup and then touches your left hand on your right arm and so on and so on.
I have much better core today then I had a couple of years ago so it was not so instable, started to get tough at 9 pushups
