2011 Training Log

June 3

Rest and recovery my arse, I was in a van following my friend as he cycled the length of the United Kingdom (874 miles) non-stop, and I ended up having to be a support rider for the night stages and the last bit, 170 miles in all. Got the worst quad doms of my life and it took me two days before I could get up or down stairs unassisted. He did it by the way, took 78.5 hours and raised loads for a children’s charity, f**king impressive mental strength.

Bench Press
5 x 75kg
5 x 85kg
4 x 97.5kg

DB Rows
3 x 8 x 45kg

Not bad, my triceps were tired from the cycle and I was expecting two reps at 97.5kg.

June 4

KB Swings
2 x 15 x 18.5kg

Back Squat (can’t climb stairs but I’ll be damned if I can’t squat)
5 x 110kg
5 x 120kg
4 x 130kg

Ab Circuit, 3 x 3 mins

Good session. I’m sick of my doms so wanted to give my legs something they’re used to recovering from, was cautious on the final set of squats and didn’t force a 5th rep. Not too optimistic about my return to track but I’ve pencilled in monday afternoon for the 5 x 200m session.

June 6

3 x 200, 2 x 200m – 28.1, 27.4, 26.3 26.1, 25.7

Legs were not their most coordinated to begin with and I over-estimated how fast I was running the first two reps. The last rep felt almost like a sprint so I think another week is needed before i’m back to full fitness.

June 7

Deadlift
3 x 103.5kg
3 x 118.5kg
7 x 133.5kg

Bird Dogs
2 x 20

Ab Circuit, 3 x 3 mins

Solid deadlift given my time off and cycling stuff, needed around 25 minutes to get off the floor after the final set though.

June 8

Bench Press
5 x 75kg
5 x 85kg
3 x 97.5kg
1 x 105kg

DB Rows
3 x 8 x 45kg

June 9

SLRDL
2 x 5 x 128.5kg

Ab Bridges, 3 x 3 mins

June 11

KB Swings
2 x 15 x 18.5kg

Back Squat
5 x 110kg
5 x 120kg
4 x 135kg

Ab Circuit, 3 x 3 mins

Did acceleration runs today and my right quad was aching quite a bit so I didn’t attempt a 5th rep. I’m still a few days from being back to normal, can’t wait to get back into my routine.

June 13

Track Work
3 x 200, 2 x 200m – 25.1, 26.0, 26.2 25.6, 26.7

After last week I didn’t want to run a slow first rep so I hit the bend and held strong to the line. Was not expecting 25.1!! My endurance held up so well, on another day I could easily have run 27’s for the rest of them after a time like that. I hit the 4th rep with the intention of scraping a 26 low on the last rep but my technique went and I shuffled through the line.

Next target is all sub 26 which I could’ve done today with a bit of consistency.

June 14

Deadlift
5 x 111kg
3 x 126kg
5 x 141kg

Bird Dogs
2 x 20

Weighted Ab Circuit

Didn’t push it, they were five very comfortable reps and my lower back was nice and straight.

June 15

A1 Alternate Bench Press
3 x 12 x 36kg

A2 Explosive Pushups
3 x 8

Dumbbell Rows
3 x 8 x 45kg

July 2

KB Swings
2 x 15 x 18.5kg

Power Cleans
1 x 81kg
1 x 86kg
1 x 88.5kg
1 x 91kg
1 x 93.5kg
1 x 96kg

Couldn’t get to the track today as it shut early so did power cleans.

July 4

Track Work
80, 100, 120m falling. 9.36, 11.47, 13.86

Bench Press
8 x 75kg
5 x 85kg
3 x 90kg
3 x 1 x 102.5kg
5 x 87.5kg

Third run was really tense and a mess. Power matrix in bench.

July 6

Track Work
250m (90 secs) 150m 33.4, 19.9 total 53.3 secs
300m (90 secs) 100m 39.6, 12.9 total 52.5 secs

Pacing was hard and I could’ve hit 52 flat as I intended to do. This replaces my 5x200m session and recovery will be cut followed by distance and then intensity upped.

July 7

Deadlift
3 x 108.5kg
3 x 123.5kg
7 x 138.5kg

Bird Dogs
2 x 20

Weighted Ab circuit, 295 reps & bridges

July 8

Alternate DB Bench
2 x 16 x 36kg
1 x 12 x 36kg

Explosive Pushups
3 x 8

DB Rows
3 x 8 x 45kg

Race on the 13th so not many weights before then

July 11

3 x 200m, 2 x 200m all in around 27 flat.

July 12

SL Calf Raises
1 x 12 x 10kg
1 x 12 x 20kg

Plantar Flexor Res. Band pull
2 x 12

I was at a biomechanics lecture the day before and direct calf work came up and these were discussed – I had a race the next day but wanted to see what they were like.

July 13

100m – 12.04 (-2.4)

Quite a strong headwind. Had the best first 40m of my life and was over a metre ahead and thought it was wrapped up but I hadn’t done a top speed session in a while and it showed when I was a little short of the pace and I ended up getting pipped by a few hundredths.

200m – 24.28 (-0.8)

This was almost 10pm at night as there were loads of 1500m races that dragged on. Again my acceleration was excellent and other than easing up a little at about 80m I ran how I wanted to, with good form on the straight but again a little lacking in top speed.

Times are meh but the last races have been a really nice tailwind so can’t make a direct comparison.

July 14

Deadlift
5 x 116kg
3 x 131kg
1 x 146kg PB
1 x 156kg PB

Hyper Extensions
2 x 20

SL Calf Raises
3 x 12 x 21kg

Plantar Flexor Res. Band pull
2 x 12

Weighted Ab circuit, 295 reps & bridges

This was my last bit of deadlit for the summer and I wanted a quick test of my 1RM. My back started rounding when I tried 161kg so I stopped, but 156kg is pretty good considering I weigh about 69kg at the moment.

Aug 1

Track Work
200m, 150m falling. 23.50 PB, 17.28

DAMN! I nailed that 200m, got a really smooth bend and worked on rhythmical arm drive in the last 50m without fading at all. Almost a pb in the 150m and there wasn’t even a tailwind.

A1 Weighted Dips
1 x 12 x 15kg
1 x 12 x 17.5kg
1 x 12 x 20kg

A2 Explosive Pushups
3 x 8

DB Rows
3 x 8 x 41kg

Ab Circuit, 2 x 4 mins

Aug 3

Track Work
Blocks 2×20, 2×30, 2x40m
2 x 2 x Flying 25m

Glute-Ham Raises
3 x 8

A1 Squat to Stand
2 x 6

A2 Full Squats
8 x 71kg
6 x 78.5kg
5 x 81kg
4 x 83.5kg

Ab Bridges, 9 mins

Aug 5

Track Work
Blocks 2 x 30, 2 x 40m
80, 100, 120m falling. 9.20 PB, 11.48, 13.71.

Did NOT expect that in the first run, I mean if felt good but not pb shape. only 0.04 off my 100m training pb so that backed up the form.

Muscle Ups
7, 4

Dips
20, 20

Aug 6

KB Swings
2 x 15 x 16.5kg

Full Squats
8 x 73.5kg
5 x 83.5kg
4 x 86kg
4 x 88.5kg

Drop Jumps
3 x 5

Weighted Ab Circuit, 310 reps & 3 mins bridges

Aug 8

Track Work
3 x 200, 2 x 200m – 26.1, 26.3, 27.7 26.0, 27.1

Always like doing these two days before my races. The runs were submax but rather than doing them relaxed I had to actively slow on the straight on two of the reps to stop me hitting my normal target times (before a race I try to do these runs in 27 flat). Finishing with a warm down then some long static stretching tonight, quick soft tissue work tomorrow morning then rest up for race day.

Aug 10

Race Day

I felt about 7/10 today, perhaps doing a little too much deep tissue massage the night before but in all honesty I have one eye on the race at the end of the month and whatever I do today I hope to improve on by then.

100m – 11.70 SB +1.7

Very nice wind which I feel I didn’t take advantage of. My start was way too tense and I powered it to 25m before relaxing and finishing nicely. It’s a season’s best and the 2nd fastest electronic time i’ve run.

200m – 23.83 PB +2.1

Slightly illegal wind and a mere hundredth off my pb. My only problem with that run from start to finish was perhaps my reaction time and block clearance, other than that I was really pleased with my finishing strength. I’m finishing so well that I might think about putting more into the bend and seeing if I can hold on at the end.

I ran 11.4 and 23.5 in training and this backs up my general calculation of +0.3 secs to get what i’d run in a race. At the start of the season I wrote down target times of 11.2 and 23.0 for training so if I can get nearer to those in the next few weeks it would give me a lot of confidence for the final race of the season.

Aug 11

A1 Weighted Dips
12 x 20kg
12 x 21.25kg
12 x 22.5kg

A2 Explosive Pushups
3 x 8

DB Rows
3 x 8 x 41kg

Aug 12

KB Swings
2 x 15 x 16.5kg

Full Squats
8 x 76kg
5 x 86kg
4 x 91kg
4 x 96kg

Drop Jumps
3 x 5

Bird Dogs
2 x 20

Weighted Ab Circuit, 310 reps, 3 mins bridges

Aug 14

Track Work

200m, 150m falling. 23.57, 17.11 PB

So pleased to repeat a similar time in the 200m and then to go and take a tenth of a second off my 150m training pb. I set out harder in the 200 and could feel myself fading with 50m to go, and I prefer being strong at the end so i’ll stick with my conservative bend running.

A1 Weighted Dips
3 x 12 x 22.5kg

A2 Explosive Pushups
3 x 8

DB Rows
3 x 8 x 41kg

Ab Circuit, 6 mins