Run Forest, Ruuuunnnn

so the 5K on Saturday went as well as I expected.  Managed roughly 10min miles to finish in 33:10.  They started it a little after 9:00am and it was allready too bloody hot to be running.  I took off with a buddy that is in far better running shape than me.  I was running at about 175bpms before I realized it and backed off.  Never could get my HR back under 165.  Heat sux.  Oh well, it was a fun training run.  It's a bit depressing that it takes nothing more than a local 5K in Snyder to let me know how slow I am.
Monday was rushed and boring military press workout.  Got through it, that's about it.
Yesterday I did nothing.
This mornig I did a 1.5 hour run.  I was going for an 1:10, but I bought that Mumford and Sons album and ended up listening to the whole thing twice through.  Great album, by the way.  I've a feeling the heavy squats this evening are going to be pretty unforgiving.  My legs are already screaming at me.

‡P

Did a soul cleansing workout on Wed.
Squats: 405 x 3, 425 x 3, 455 x 3.
Rack pulls: 315 x 8, 405 x 5, 505 x 3
Speed pulls: 225 x 3 x 3

thursday morning I ran a solid five miles in 50 min and then a final 1/4 mile with Megan.  the squats and deads the previous night did not improve my run; however, they didn't really make it worse.  I sure felt em though.  Got up this morning and just did a walk with Meg.  I'm going to run a 5K tomorrow morning here in town.  It's gunna be blazing hot so my expectations aren't real high  Hopefully there will be a good turnout so the chances of me finishing dead last are reduced.  As of Thursday night, I have been completely sober for seven days.  This is a milestone for me.  I know we've agreed on periods of non-drinking in the past, but I've pretty much just lied to everyone about it.  Quitting for me has always been a drastic reduction in my consumption until I can get back to my normal routine.  This go around is much different.  I did not ask God to help me as I've always done in the past.  This time I asked God for a miracle.  No bargains, deals, or promises to meet him half-way.  It turns out he doesn't really need our help to make a miracle work.  Sometimes we simply have to get outta the way. 

Oh, and I haven't shaved since my last drink.  I'm going for the crazy woodsman beard-mohawk combination for the ToughMudder.  Honestly, I think it will be easier to stay sober for the next six weeks than letting my beard and hair grow out that long.

Wordswithfriendssucks

Monday:   AM: Ran 1 Hour   PM: Military press, worked up to a double with 225lbs., did a bunch of pullups
Tuesday:  AM: Ran 1 hour  PM: I ain't doing nothing tonight.

Time

I'm just under seven weeks out to the Tough Mudder.  I really don't have a clue how to train for running so I'm just going to run a bunch.  Any suggestions would be appreciated. I did five miles Saturday morning and another five this morning.  The plan is to get in 20 miles this week.  That should come out to around 4 hours of running for me.  The unknown here is how my squat/deadlift workout will affect my runs for the latter half of the week.  But right now I don't really care.  I'll crawl for an hour if I have to.  I'm gonna drop 20 lbs in the next 6 weeks if I have to live on water and beef jerky to get there.  Obviously, no alcohol till the race.  This has always been the hardest part for me and I don't think this will be an exception, except that I'm going to make it this time.  I've executed a plan that is working miraculously.  I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.  And that would be weird. 

Hmmm...check out this site I found for all your gear needs and happiness.  http://www.departmentofgoods.com/

Oh, and the new headlamp worked magnificently this morning.

Brutal

Not a bad week of it so far.  First week on the new programming.  Monday was bench press.  it consisted of 5 sets of 10 reps with 215lbs followed up with 4 sets of 12 incline db bench with, I think, 65lbs DBs.  Then I supersetted a bunch of dips and pushups until my eyes and ears were bleeding.  It was a nice change of pace, but not real exciting.  However, it put a serious hurtin on my taa-taas.  Wed was ridiculously hot and I got an impromtu invite to drink a few beers after work.  Beers cold.  Gym hot.  I went with the cold.  We made it up yesterday and I was punished.
Squats:
5 x 385
5 x 400
5 x 425

Rack pulls:
315 x 8
405 x 5
455 x 5 x 5

Speed pulls (from the ground)
255 x 3 x 3

It wasn't like I was out of breath and all sweaty kind of tired.  It was like my CNS was so fatigued that it went on holiday the rest of the evening.  I couldn't walk a straight line to save my life.  It was pretty awesome and quite satisfying.  Surprisingly, the heavy squats really didn't affect my ability to pull heavy at all.  In fact, I think it had a positive effect.  I was completely warmed up and loose by the time I started pulling so I was able to jump right in with 315.  Good stuff.  Now on to the Albuquerque road-trip!!

Re-do. again.

so after several months (the last two weeks being the exception) of actively evaluating my progress in the gym I've decided to make some drastic changes to my program and actually map it our for the next 16 weeks.  I will continue doing the 5,3,1 program for squats and military presses.  I'm still making steady strength gains in these two lifts and I figure there is no reason to fix something that doesn't appear to be broken.  My bench and deadlift have been stalled for a couple of years now.  That's due in part to a lack of motivation, but I think that lack of motivation has been due to a lack of progress.  Whatever.  I love the 5,3,1 program in its beautiful simplicity, but I feel like complicating it a bit.  Recently, Andy Bolton posted up a 16 wk deadlift program and Matt Kroc posted a 16 wk bench routine.  I'm gonna gank'em both and toss them into my training salad.  Kroc's bench program looks pretty fun.  He throws in some high rep days that should keep it interesting and painful.  sometimes it can be daunting knowing that every day you go in the gym to lift, the weights are going to be heavier than the last time.  Bolton's deadlift program caught my attention because it has 8 weeks of speed work leading up to the actual heavy pulling from the floor.  I've never worked speed off the floor in a deadlift and I think that could definitely be holding me back.  Often I've missed weights that I know I could lift just because I couldn't get the bar moving.  I'm sticking with three days a week cuz it works, but I'm going to break the four workout rotation so can better structure my running days.  Monday is international bench press day at gyms around the world, so why not?  Monday will be bench day.  Wed I'll squat and deadlift.  Yes, that will blow.  Friday will be military presses.  Wed will be a long session, but I know its also the day that I'm least likely to miss.  So here it is. Let me know what you think.
RP = Rack pull
SP = Speed pull