Adarq.org

07-08-25

SubT 15% incline walking [57:33 total]

2 x Pogos + 2 x [3 x 4' one-leg calf isometrics]

Notes

Bit of an odd session, just sort of did 3 blocks of gradually increasing pace around ~11 mins each, so basically the usual HR effort achieved in a slightly different way. Max HR 173, 16 mins above 166, 28 above 157, etc.

Tried out some calf isos. Throwback to 2008 era training.

05-08-25

Jog to gym + w/u on treadmill
Treadmill @ 1.5%
13' @ 4:26 [159 Avg, 167 Max]
3' @ 12:00
10' @ 4:24 [164/172]
2' @ 12:00
4' @ 4:21 [164/173]
2' @ 12:00
4' @ 4:19 [164/174]
c/d

Pogo Hops 3 x 14
Behind-the-back Cable Curl 5 x Drop
OH Cable Extension 5 x Drop
Machine Dip 3 x Drop
Calves press 3 x Drop

Jog home (so ~58 minutes total cardio)

Notes

Huh, steeper incline, slightly faster, and basically same HR as Saturday. Probably largely explained by inter-treadmill variation, but nice regardless. Maybe calf training + plyos helping too. Excited for next time I get out for a Parkrun, between conditions and fitness I am hoping I get near that old 19:16 PB (which still makes no sense to me; I did _so much less training_ over a much shorter period and yet...)

I first started running at the gym to avoid the heat, but I 100% get way sweatier training indoors than I would going outside. The amount pouring off me in the second half of these sessions is bonkers. Probably I have adapted to this mild 'heat' training by increasing sweat rate. Part of why I don't mind max hr getting to the low-mid 170s here. Probably also better hydration/fueling making a difference here too.

me, too.

- run 2:33:00, 26.02 km
T+DI 130, a little warmer than yesterday but dryer. warm in the sun and not much breeze but overall pretty nice out. kept it chill and also kept a running clock for a couple of "aid stations" - one where i took a bathroom break and one where i just changed over water bottles from back to front of pack. lost about 5 minutes between those two stops, not too bad.

ETA: ran an easy-pace marathon over the past two days: total of 42.4 km in 4:04:08. total distance this week 76.54 km, total time on feet 7:40, both clear lifetime PRs.

baller. that was a huge weekend of training.

have been having faint whispers of plantar fasciitis when i first wake up in the morning, for the past few days or maybe as long as a week. need to stretch calves and be more vigilant about activating glute medius as a pre-running warm up.

i think i mentioned it in my own log at some point, but for glute-med this is 100% the best exercise i have ever done for those:

also, re calves, do you have access to a calf machine or a leg press? b/c doing low-rep straight leg calf stuff where you hold the stretched position for 3+ seconds is (a) great for running-specific strength and (b) the best way to stretch your calves b/c you're gonna get way deeper than you can with bodyweight alone

- run 1:31:08, 16.23 km
T+DI 138, praise holy jeebus. it's down into great running weather yet but so much nicer than it's been. HR averaged 130 and pace was a solid 10-20s quicker per km than recent runs. nice to be able to run an easy 10 miles and feel like nothing's happened.

also, my destination today was notable. recently, my parents had a bench installed in a park near their house, dedicated to my brother's memory. it's off by itself, facing the creek and away from passersby on the trail, as he would have liked to sit. there's a plaque on the back rest. it's very beautiful and i sat on it for a few minutes about halfway through the run. won't be the last time i do that. i miss him.

that's really beautiful, man. i'm really glad you have that and that it can be part of your own outdoors life

02-08-25

Cardio
Warmup abt 20 mins
2 x (11' on / 2' off) @ 4:26 [163/166 Avg, 169/172 max, 31 RR]
3 x (3' on / 1' off) @ 4:17 [168/169/169 Avg, 173/174/175 max, 34 RR]
30 min cooldown (done as incline walking)
1:24:25 total

Lifting
Pogo Hops 4 x 15
Leg Curl 4 x Drop
Leg Ext 3 x Drop
OL Leg Press 2 sets (59 x 7, 6)
Calf Press 4 sets (134 x 7, 6, 5, 4)
(Ab/ad)ductor 2 sets each
Machine Bench 3 x Drop
Wide Neutral Cable Row 3 x Drop
Preacher 4 x Myo
Lateral 5 x Myo

Notes

two pluses of treadmill: (1) easy to bring a lot of water without the hassle of a vest; (2) easy to bring a change of shoes. Warmed up in Cliftons, changed to ZF6s for the workout portion. Felt foot a little bit towards end of second 11' rep, so changed back to Hokas for the 3' reps. Not too surprised by this – the 'fast' shoes do still feel a lot more aggressive on my foot, so need to work back to using them. Probably used them too much pre-injury (i.e. no need to use them for the long run); the feeling I get from them is that while they reduce knee/hip load, they shift some of that to the foot/ankle/calf complex? Well just got to keep strengthening all of that.

Took in about 50g of carbs during this session. Made a huge difference in the energy levels available for the lifting. Hence doing some upper at the end.

Single-leg leg press felt good/'productive'.

note to self: pre-workout oats sit heavy

31-07-25

Jog to gym + w/u on treadmill
Treadmill @ 1%
15' @ 4:30 [160 Avg, 167 Max]
3' @ 12:00
10' @ 4:28 [164/171]
2' @ 12:00
3' @ 4:20 [160/170]
1' @ 12:00
3' @ 4:20 [163/172]
c/d + 1 set of calf press

Notes

Declaring us officially over the injury. Think I may genuinely prefer treadmill for workouts. Treadmill or track over more 'interesting' routes. Easy running probably more variable. Tbh I think this is mostly a sign that morning running routes are boring. Which they are, but I don't have that many options if I want to start and finish at my front door.

Quote from: Joe on July 30, 2025, 03:39:43 pm

confession: real reason i've stuck to treadmill is b/c i started watching a show last week and i only really get time to do that on the treadmill and i want to finish it...

lol, i respect it. what's the show?

Attack on Titan. Not watched an anime since my teens, but a colleague insisted I try AoT and I'm totally hooked. It's pretty goofball but hits nostalgia points for some of my old fav shows (Fullmetal Alchemist, Evangelion)

29-07-25

Jog to gym
Treadmill @ 1% incline
5 mins @ 6:40
3 x (8' @ 4:28 / 2' @ 12:00) + 7' @ 4:28 [HR Avg: 153, 158, 163, 165; HR Max: 163, 166, 170, 173]
cool/down
3 sets calf press
jog home

Notes

Perfectly calibrated pace that time.

27-05-25

Cardio

Jog to gym [longer route than usual to test out foot outside, 10 mins no issues]
Treadmill
55:30 @ 6:40 pace, 1% incline [131 HR]
30:00 @ 12:00 pace, 12% incline [132 HR]

Lifting

Pulldown 4 x Drop
Chest Press 4 x Drop
Pec-Dec 2 x Drop
Lateral Raise 5 x Myo-Drop
Bayesian Curl 4 x Drop
OH Cable Ext 4 x Drop
Machine OHP 4 x Drop

Notes

Literally 0 foot, ankle or lower-leg pain during this workout. Same mild soreness in lower-leg area first thing upon waking, but not felt it at all since. And this is on a day where I expect it to be bad (i.e. 24 hours after (a) lots of hard running, (b) plyos, (c) calf work in the gym and (d) generally leg vulnerability from having lifted the day before). Not calling it 100% yet, but entering the "don't need to think about it every session" period now. Still, played it sensible and switched to walking after an hour just in case. Tried lower incline faster walking since my calves were a bit sore. Enjoyed it just as much – little less pressure on the hip flexors which can get pretty worked getting the knees high enough for each step at 15%.

HR a little higher than effort indicated. Air-con still down in the gym and I had too big a breakfast too close to this session. Hate when I make that mistake.

Realised I trend towards doing a lot more pushing that pulling volume. Am okay with that since I think (a) my back is just way more developed (viz. being close to OAC, chinning substantially more than I dip, etc) and (b) my back require less volume (lats are sore every session even with just one exercise hitting it with a big drop set).

Think I am going to into some sort of intra-workout nutrition/carb-based fueling. Electrolytes defo helping, esp with how sweaty I get running indoors without a breeze etc, but for these long ones when I lift after, can feel the need for carbs biting me. That and on weekdays when I exercise first thing, the walking on my commute just feels unduly brutal (especially stairs etc) since my shake has not digested yet.