Adarq.org

i rediscovered/remembered ross enamait the other day. saw an article by john davis about strength training for running and that basically recommends circuit training, and it brought rossboxing right to mind. his blog is still up, so i was looking through the archives. got me itching to find a truck tire and buy a sledgehammer, lol.

this is one place where i disagree with most of what running people recommend re training. i jsut don't get any of the common arguments for circuit training as the main modality for strength. feel like if you're lifting for running purposes, your goals are (a) do a thing that helps the most with running and (b) accumulate the least fatigue. circuits seem bad on both counts! less rest, more metabolic, less strength focused, etc., all seem bad. i feel like the only lifting that makes sense is lower volume, high intensity power and/or strength work. like 2 sets (per week!) of 2-4 reps across relevant things

29-03-26

Run -- 17.13k, 1:42:30

Notes

74.2k, second longest weird ever. Biggest streak of 4 weeks (69.6, 69.7, 72.3, 74.2) that I've had. Last time I hit 75, I had only run 35, 50, and 63k the preceding weeks (with the half being in 50k week), and that's when my foot started really getting in the way of stuff. Think I've managed int a lot more sensibly this time around, so hoping we can keep building. In the spirit of that, made sure this run was < 10% longer than last week's long run (https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/59/17/1203).

48 fitness, but -10 form again (last week was -11) so will see how this coming week goes recovery wise. Made sure to bring carbs in my drink for the long run today, so hopefully that helps with recovery.

Third longest run (behind the half and a long run with SubT in it that I did last May), and longest 'easy' run by distance, tied-second-longest by time on feet (literally to the second, lmao, crazy coincidence). Next week should probably be PR for both (I.e > 1:47 and 17.61k). Exciting.

28-03-26

Run
- w/u
- 10 x (3' on / 1' off) [4:04 average]
- c/d

13.5k, 1:09:29

Lift
- RDL, Pistol Squat, Speed Skater Lunge, OL Calf
- Chins, Dips, Flyes, Curls, Laterals

Notes

Solid workout. Was wind-free for first 5 reps then got a brutal cross-wind for the second 5. Finally went to check the wind-effect chart in Sirpoc's book. 20km/h winds today, which he has as turning a 4:00 pace into 4:10. Seems about right. [eta: gusts up to 50 km/h, lol]

1 set of everything except calves, chins and laterals. Bringing in speed-skaters to get some lateral strength in, always feel like glute abductors/glute mede need more tlc

7 weeks + 1 day until the Hackney Half. Think I'm pretty much exactly on plan or a touch ahead. Should hit mid 380s for load again this week, despite it being sort of a 'down week' (one shorter easy run + dropped a SubT rep on Thurs), so if I go into next week feeling a bit refreshed, then an fully on-plan week should put me around 400 CTL, which was originally the target the heaviest week of training. Considering having a big week or two end of April where I maybe do some durability workouts (i.e. Saturday becomes 60 mins easy finishing with a SubT, then Sunday is just a normal long run?). I'll study Sirpoc's marathon block a bit and decide whether it's worth it.

26-03-26

Run
- w/u
- 4 x (6' on / 1'30" off) [4:20 avg]
- c/d

10.47k, 57:52

Notes

two reps ~4:08, two reps ~4:30. half with wind, half into the wind. Wind is just brutal here lately I'm so tired of it. Was feeling a bit tired so dropped the last rep and did a longer cooldown for a similar total volume.

24-03-26

Run
- w/u
- 3 x (10' on / 1'30" off) [4:25 avg]
- c/d

10.92k, 56:59

Lift - one set each of various upper body things

Notes

Legs heavy, unsurprisingly.

Windy af today. Was like 4:15 with the wind and 4:30 into it.

Picked up Bakken's book on Norwegian training, too. He suggests that the 10' reps are both (a) the most important and (b) the hardest threshold suggestions, and so suggests doing them on Thurs rather than Tuesday, especially if, like the weekend warrior that I am, you do a weekend-weighted training schedule. Interesting! My tuesday sessions are certainly usually the lowest quality so maybe I'll make that swap.

These fitness books, esp the self-published ones, would really benefit from indexing.

23-03-26

Run -- 7.93k, 51:21

Notes

Closing in on all-time high 'fitness' score per icu, another week or two.

21-03-26

Run
- w/u: 5k, 29:07
- Parkrun 5k: 19:30 [3:52, 3:42, 3:50, 4:04, 4:00]
- c/d: 4.75k, 29:38

so, 14.75k total.

Notes

Old age  -- still confused about how I hit 19:16 or whatever it was all those years ago, maybe that course was just short lol.

Solid enough. Course was 60% on grass and despite no real rain, it was a little bit slick and slippery. Carrying fatigue from 30 mins SubT on Thursday, and just wore 'normal' rather than 'fast' shoes. So about on par for what I'd expect fitness wise atm (i.e. in perfect conditions, rested, carboned up, etc ~19 flat seems reasonable).

Still think my mentality just not quite there. First 3k did not feel too rough. That 4th k I let the suck get to me and it took too long to dig myself out of that headspace.

Feels like it should have ben possible to hold ~3:50 pace. I had a massive kick and close the last 150m at 3:00 flat pace, suggesting there was aquite a lot left in the tank. Back in 2017, I did do a lot more faster-paced training, so maybe I am just one of those people who benefits from a bit more sharpening. That said, I felt great in my half back in October, so this training is grat for that (and I am obviously getting fitter here! This is a much slower course than where I ran 19:4x a few months ago, for instance).

Anyway, felt good! And nice to get a fair few mils in given the way this week started.

ETA: RDL 140 x 5, OL Calf Raise +42.5kg x 4...turns out I'm a lot stronger 8 hours vs 5 mins after a run. Also did some curls, laterals, and glute airplanes

19-03-26

Run
- w/u
- 5 x (6' on / 1'30" off) [4:04 avg]
- c/d

11.8k, 59:53

Bunch of upper body lifting

Notes

Nice. Yeah think I've just been under-recovered rather than over-trained. Combo of stress, mild cold, bad sleep, etc. Booked a couple days off, and other circmstanced aligned such that some of that stress has been alleviated, and, hey presto, A+ session with lots of spare energy.

Planning to hit a parkrun this Saturday.