Training Has Begun: INTERVALS!

Technically, training for this year's Avenue of the Giants marathon started yesterday with a weight workout, but today was the first run. Oh what the heck, let's start with the weight workout, since I forgot to post it yesterday.

This time around, I reduced the barbell weight for the squats. Combined with actually working out in the gym for a week, I wasn't near as sore when I was done.

Warmup, 3 sets of 5
Barbell Overhead Squat
Barbell Squat
Good Mornings
Alternating Barbell Lunge
Romanian Deadlift
Barbell Row

Workout
Barbell Bench Press, 3x20x65lbs, 1x15x65lbs, 1x20x55lbs
Seated Cable Rows, 3x20x75lbs
Squats, 3x20x75lbs
Dumbbell Military Press, 3x20x(2x10lbs)

35 minutes, 245 calories burned

So then today, the new training cycle began, in the form of the FIRST marathon training program. It's the same program I used for The Ave last time around. I liked the program last time around, it gave me a chance to work out six days a week, with weights 3 days, running 3 days, and a rest day.

On the roster for today were intervals, 6 x (1 min hard/3 min easy), with a 10-minute warmup and 10-minute cooldown. The goal for each interval was 7:40/mi.





Intervals
1: 7:17/mi
2: 7:08/mi
3: 7:32/mi
4: 7:34/mi
5: 7:40/mi
6: 8:12/mi

Total 4:14 mi in 41 minutes, total average pace 9:41/mi, 436 calories burned.

In the middle of the intervals, I ran by some teenagers getting off the transit bus from school. They started shouting to me, "WOOOOO look at THAAAAAT," making fun of my tights. I almost shouted, "Get off my lawn!" but I left it alone.

Now for the bad news: I'm in pain, in two places. It's the same pains I've had previously. One being inside my left hip joint, the other in my right calf. The joint pain, I've had for a long time, and last year had even visited an orthopedist for. They x-rayed it, but didn't see any problems, and that's when he suggested I take glucosamine. In response I've been taking a glucosamine/chondrotin/MSM supplement. He also said to take Aleve in prescription doses over the long term. It's obvious to me that it's not making a difference.

The other is my right calf. This started being a problem as I started ramping up mileage after the California International Marathon. I've been using The Stick to work out the muscle, and while it seems to help after the fact, it doesn't help while I'm running.

I'm just going to have to wait and see how my calf feels as I go. It's not hurting enough to stop running, and I'm not sure if I want to spend the money for yet another running-related doctor's visit only to find there's nothing wrong.