Meryl & Chris Tuesday

Ran around Lake Merritt. Chris: 27:07, Meryl: 27:11. Pretty good for 3.1 miles. Walked around Lakeshore to get food after. Quite a pleasant evening activity.

Will run again tomorrow morning.

Tough Times

Everyone should be sore and tired and sick of running. We leave in a week. We only have a few more training runs left. If we worked hard, we should be drained. That is ok. Now is the time to pay even more attention to stretching, balance and stride. Make sure you feet are in good shape. Shave callouses.

This morning I went to Crossfit at 7 and did 5 rounds of the following:

12 Deadlifts at 165lb
24 walls balls-14lb
12 pushups

5 rounds of that will wake you up.

Weekend

Typical weekend workouts. Friday a 5 mile run, Sat. Crossfit (a challenging 17 minute workout called Fight Gone Bad.-it involved 5 moves(row, wall balls(20lb), Sumo deadlight high pulls(75lbs), box jumps and push press 75 lbs. You do each move for 1 minute and at the end you rest for one minute. It does 3 rounds. You could your total reps. Sunday Mom and I went for a 4.5 mile lake run. I have decided to change next weekends run. Two 4.5 milers is probably more miles than necessary. I now want to do three runs around the small lake with 15-20 minutes rests. This will be more like the relay, will test our recovery and fast two miles will be a challenge.

Meryl and Chris' Friday

Ran around Lake Merritt - 3.1 miles, 28 even. Pretty good pace.

Meryl: 15 miles this week.

Get Ready

In preparation for the trip and run I want everyone to think about what you need for race day. We will get food/drinks once we are there. Everyone should have a small sports bag for their running gear. I recommend the following:

A pair of socks for each leg you run. Do not run in new socks.
Two pairs of shoes if you have them.
A change of shirt for each leg. And, wash the new shirt/shorts MRP gets for you. New clothes that are not washed tend to rub.

Take care of your feet. Trim your toenails. Something might not hurt on mile 1 or 2, but will show up on mile 6 or 7.

Think about food and what works for you. We won't be able to stop for lunch. You need food that gives you good energy, that is easy to digest and won't upset your stomach. This is not the time to try anything new. If you want to use 5 hour energy, Monster, or something like that, make sure you have tried it a couple of times. Same goes for energy gel, etc. I tried some on my last half-marathon during the race and it was a big mistake. Think about small baggies of food that you can eat every 1-2 hours. It should include some protein, which can be a challenge. Jerky is good if your stomach can handle it. Dried fruit and nuts are fine. Even a PB&J sandwich would work. Bananas, oranges, etc. all are good. Coke, fries and a Big Mac not so much.

Wednesday

Another Crossfit day, nothing unusual. I am planning on easy five mile runs today and tomorrow, with a hard run(6 miles) on Sunday. Remember that next Sunday (9/5) we are supposed to do our last hard run-two 4 mile+ lake runs with a little rest in between.

The Shirts Are MADE!!!!

Thanks everyone for getting your size and style to me QUICK!

This is what the front looks like (for Chris and CBH's shirts)


And this is what the back looks like (Erik's as example)

Yay!!!!!

Meryl and Chris' Wednesday

Got back from our run this morning. Was going to run last night, but it was too hot and I didn't want us to die.


Meryl: 2 Pine Top loops (4 miles). First loop: 18:38, final time, 16:50 (I did better on the second loop!)


Chris: ran the first Pine Top loop with me at the same time, then he did a smaller Pine Top loop - 3.5 miles. He cooled down then did a lap around the track.


76 degrees (according to Yahoo). Not too bad. Again, running in the heat isn't TERRIBLE (although this is cooler than Hana will be), but I HATE afterwards when I am hot and tired and I want to "cool off," but can't because it's hot.

Tuesday

Yesterday at Crossfit I completed my first RX workout for men. This is big, for me anyway. Every workout includes certain weights or methods that are considered the most difficult. They are the prescribed(RX) move for the specific workout. Each workout has an RX for men and one for women. Only the best people in the class, and sometimes no one, will do the workout RX. Last week, I did my first complete workout using the RX weights for women. When I first started, I would usually do 60-70% of the RX weight for women and that would be 40% or so of the men's RX. I can now do most of the weight moves at the women's RX number, so I am up to 70-80% of the men's. Yesterday happened to involve a workout with box jumps and medicine ball cleans. The RX for men was 24" box jumps and 20lb. ball. I did it.

Monday

95 degrees, 5 miles.

Meryl's Monday

Chris and I will have to work around his Monday and Wednesday schedule until Hana - he has classes both nights and is gone from the house at 7:15 and doesn't come home till (I think) after 9pm. We may run twice on certain weekend days. We shall see.

Anyway, I just got back from a TERRIBLE run: 4 miles (a little plus because I did 2 laps around the track in between 2 Pine Top laps) - 39:02. YUCKOLA! It wasn't so much the heat (although it was 88 when I started and now apparently 83 - according to Yahoo), but my legs hurt and the air quality SUCKED. My throat hurt as I was running and I was coughing the whole time. Not fun at all :( The only thing that wasn't so great about the heat was when I was done there was no "cooling" off, but during the run it really wasn't too awful.

Another run tomorrow night.

Sunday

Mom convinced me to take Sunday off. No I will start the week with fresh legs.

Friday-Saturday

I may be overdoing it. This is my second week of working out 6 days/week. Yesterday I did a 6 mioe speed work at Drake High. 3 miles, 2 miles, 1 mile-total time 46 minutes. This morning at Crossfit, I had zero gas. We did a 400 meter run carrying a 20lb med ball. The 21-15-9 of thrusters and burpees. I used 50lbs for the thrusters and barely made it. Then, of course, we ended with another 400 m run with the 20lb. ball. I am toast. I will run tomorrow and then get back on a 5 and 2 schedule until we leave.

Meryl and Chris' Saturday

Just got back from a run.

I didn't run too well :( 2 laps around Pine Top (4 miles): 38:35, horrible pace.

Chris ran all around Mills while I was doing my Pine Top run.

Thursday/Friday

I did a quick 4-mile run last night before going to a play. Today Mom is going to Crossfit(this morning) and I will do speed work this afternoon.

Wednesday

Crossfit as usual, but with lots of running and movement.

800 m run
30 walls balls-throwing a 14lb ball 10' up
30 dumb-bell cleans(I used 30lbs in each hand)
400 m run
20 wall balls
20 cleans
100 m run
10
10
It took me about 17 minutes and I was dying. I am really good at wall balls, and I was the best runner in the class. Mom was about 1 and a half minutes behind. I may or may not run today depending upon timing. Friday and Sunday are running days for sure.

Tuesday

Just a normal Crossfit day with lots of overhead squats. I hate them because I can't squat real well with the shoulder flex you need. Anyway, another Corssfit tonight. Legs feel fine. I will run Thursday and Friday.

Meryl and Chris' Wednesday

Quick run because I need to be at work at the A's at 10.

Chris ran around and did different stuff.

I ran Pine Top as hard as I could (legs a bit sore still, but not too bad). 2 miles - 16:55

Great Weekend

Congratulations to everyone for a great 10K run Sunday a.m. Everyone is clearly on track. Work on speed and being able to run 5 miles with no difficulty. Two runs a day(3 miles each) actually works better for what we are going to do. Everyone's last really hard run should be Sunday, Sept. 5. We can discuss what it might be.

Meryl and Chris' Thursday

What a surprise, Meryl had a bad run. I've been doing this for almost a year and I consistently have bad runs. Feel like shit.

Wed.Thursd.

Standard Crossfit workout Wed. night, including deadlifts to determine our 1 rep max. I did 250 lbs. Mom did a 2-hour workout, so she did not try to improve her deadlift PR. Thursday will be a rest day. I intend to run Friday and will probably do a 6 miler at the lakes. The 10K Sunday will be totally flat and the surfaces will be asphalt and hard dirt, with maybe a little sidewalk. The only challenge should be the distance. I would like to see everyone try to go out with a very comfortable pace and then try to speed it up after the half way mark. This race is two of your Hana legs with no rest, but also no hills and no heat.

Meryl and Chris' Wednesday

We ran yesterday very quickly before we left to work on dad and Wendy's house. We didn't want to run very much because we've got the big run on Sunday and because we'd be working on d&w's house all day. I did 2 miles hard (although it was only 17:57, a little disappointing). Chris just ran around the whole time, not on any trail, but up hills, around the track, etc. Will run again this evening.

Tuesday

Of course, Mom and I spent our anniversary at Crossfit last night. Just the usual.

7-Hand Stand push ups(hardly anyone in the gym can do those, so you put you feet on a 20 inch box, hands on the floor, bend torso and lower your head to the floor then push up.

14 knees to elbows- Hands on a pull up bar, body hanging, lift your knees up until they touch your elbows-yea, it is hard.

21 push-jerks(bar at shoulder then bend knees and push bar overhead, then lock knees and elbos) 75 lbs

3 rounds of that.

Meryl and Chris' Monday

We did speed work:

1 mile (trail): 8:28. Jog 1/4 mile

1 mile (trail): 8:08. Jog 1/4 mile

5 hill sprints: 26-31 seconds

2 laps around the track.

Time to take my stinky ass to the shower. Then throw up.

Sunday Speed

We had a great Sunday speed run. I did 5 miles(.25,.50,1.0,.50,.25-twice) My total time was 35 minutes, so about 7:00 minute mile pace. Mom did 2.5 miles at a 7:30 pace-she went too fast, but it shows she can probably run 3 miles at 8:30 pace. Keep moving. Only 30 days, and the last 5-6 will be easy. The Sunday before the race should be the last hard/long day.

CBH Weekend

Friday was a nice 6.5 mile figure 8 around the two lakes. Saturday was the big Fran Challenge at Cross-fit. This is one of Crossfits named challenges for time. It is 21-15-9 of thrusters and pull-ups. So 21 thrusters, 21 pull-ups, etc. Thrusters involve picking the bar up from the ground, putting it on your front shoulders and then squatting, standing and push pressing the bar overhead. Once it is on your shoulders you can do the move without putting the bar back on the ground-unless you run out of steam. Mom broke her PR by 2 minutes. I had never done it. I used 65 lbs-which it ok, but RX for women is 65 and for men 95. I can do 3 at 95, but I could never finish the whole thing. Today-Sunday-us a speed work day.

Meryl & Chris' Last Few Days

We've been bad runners the last few days, however, we have been working out - just in house related ways.

I've been swinging the pick axe in the backyard for an hour or two during the week, trying to break up really hard dirt in the backyard and move it around to even things out.

Yesterday we went to dad and Wendy's new house to rip out a fireplace. We were going to run this morning, but we are very tired and Chris' friends (John and Emily with baby Jane) are coming over sometime later in the morning. As a result we'll run Monday, Wednesday and Thursday (normally we run on 2 week days).

Here was our foe yesterday






and all the bricks we saved (173)

We had a pretty good system down of Chris breaking it all up and me hauling the debris to the truck and the salvaged bricks to the backyard. After hours working on that and then taking the garbage load to the dump, our backs are SORE (well, I think mine more than Chris, DAMN HIM!)

It'll be a mud and tape day in the bathroom today.

Wed.

Normal Crossfit workout with lots of thrusters. That is picking the bar from the floor, putting it on your front shoulders(tucked under our chin) then squatting and then exploding up and throwing it over head. The timing and grip are tough. Friday I plan on doing a longer run, 6-7 miles, with speed work on Sunday.

Meryl and Chris' Wednesday

Just got back from a run.

Chris: 3 miles, 26:14-24 (can't remember if he told me :14 or :24). Pretty fast.

Meryl: 5 miles, 46:25. I was very dissapointed with my run. The 3.5-4.5 mile I sucked the big one. I was hoping to clock in at 9, but that's like 9:17. Damnit.

Tuesday

Exciting news. With the exception of Erik's air from LA, all tickets to Maui have been purschased. The car, the house, everything is ready. Are your legs? Less than 40 days to go.

Yesterday's Crossfit was a bitch. The warm-up was hard enough, including several minutes of jump rope, several 200 meter runs, walking lunges. The the work-out.

9 front squats-I used 75 lbs, Mom did 85lbs(bar bell on your front shoulders, squat so your butt goes below your knees, back up to stand).

9 box jumps(I did a 24" box, Mom a 20#)

9 Kettle Bell Swings(I used 44lbs, Mom did 35lbs-a kettle bell is a round weight with a handle. Hold on with both hands, feet and knees apart. You stand, holding the bell between your legs. You swing it up until your arms and hands are straight up over your head-yes the 44lbs bell is now right over your head-and then arc it back down between your legs)

You do this 9 rounds. Yep 81 of each. It took me over 25 minutes.

Meryl & Chris' Last Few Days

Chris and I have taken a week off of running because of all the crazy Renegade stuff, but we'll both be back to running tomorrow (though I did just get back from a run myself)

Friday: we loaded the car for Renegade. Lots of heavy stuff.

Saturday: unloaded at Renegade and assembled the booth

Sunday: Chris worked on the house while I was at Renegade. I took down the booth and reloaded the car with mom and CBH help.

Monday: I WAS going to go on a run, but after unloading the car all by myself I thought twice. Chris hung wonderboard in the bathrooom.

Tuesday: just got back from a run that was a tad under 3 1/2. Ran it in 28:04 in 79 degree heat. Good practice.

Very tired.

Will go for a run together tomorrow morning.

Friday-Sunday

Tough weekend of workouts. Friday I did speed work at the Drake High Track. 1/4, 1/2, 1 mile, 2 miles, 1 mile, 1/2, 1/4=5.5 miles, plus the 1/2 warm-up. I did the speed part in a little under 42. I am trying to focus on a 7:30/mile pace. Saturday was the usual Crossfit workout and Sunday morning Mom and I ran the 4+ mile lake run. Then a mini-crossfit workout disassembling MRP's sale stand and carrying shit, including the concrete piers, to the car. Monday was a nice rest.