July 4th, 2012


90-120 minute hike, unloaded.  No music, no cell phone, completely unplugged.

Went up Mt. Tabor again, this time wandering around the trails and trying to stay off the beaten path.  This was actually really nice, exploring all the shady parts of the mountain; a little awkward when I stumbled upon a couple that were getting...amorous.  I managed to stay quiet, however, and keep moving.  Lots of time spent moving through the forest, listening to birds and leaves and such...very relaxing.  These Z1 efforts didn't make much sense to me until I started really doing them - the mental and physical recovery aspect is huge: there's the physiological aspect of the slow, constant movement that acts as low-stress aerobic capacity work and also does a lot to help blood and fluid move through the body as it recovers and repairs, but more importantly the mental effect in simply being "away."  A fixed amount of time in which your brain isn't given anything specific to focus on - no tv, no cell phones, no electronic media.  It doesn't necessarily mean that you have to keep your mind blank for two hours, rather just that you're letting your mind go wherever it wants...no pressure to focus or process anything in particular.  It seems like it'll only become more and more important as all the facebooks, twitters, etc, get further and further ingrained in our lives....

Found my way to the top of the mountain again and made a beeline back down.  Lots of thinking about past, current, future, etc....don't know if I actually came up with anything new, but still felt like I made some mental progress.  Mostly just thought about this project over the next few months along with that even bigger one at the end of the year...

What I'm wearing:  New Balance Minimums.  All the CF'ers know these shoes, and I love 'em.  Pretty much just wear them like slippers.

What I'm reading: Sadly, just finished APC Sugar Shack.  Also came to the realization that all the "models" in the book actually just work at the restaurant.  Sheeeeesh.  Appledore Cookbook is next (published in 1878!), and will be followed by either Supertraining or Exercise Physiology (though I can't remember the last time I opened a textbook, and I'm not sure if I'm really ready to do it again.

Wander for time

July 5th, 2012


Humped it over to CF Portland.  Didn't make it there till 2pm (their next class was at 3:30pm), so I had to keep it short:

Pre WO: 1 short black (coffee) + 10mg Beta-Alanine
Hang Clean from blocks (knee) 1RM: 122kg
Back Squat 3x3 (20X1): 130kg

122 was the most I've received since February of this year, and it felt pretty good.  118 was by far much cleaner (122 was a little foward), but didn't have too much of a struggle on the recovery so I don't think it was too bad - just that balance between urgency to pull the bar and urgency to get under...I was more concerned with getting under than getting high by the 122.  In any case 3kg under my all time best clean and I didn't feel too crushed coming out of the hole, so that 142kg FS 1RM I made a month ago might have been for real after all.  Really truly, I think doing the Neera cleanse has helped a lot, as my hip mobility (and comfort in the bottom of the front squat) has improved tremendously since getting back from OZ, especially since my physical activity during that time had pretty much no chance of any positive effect.  In any case, hopefully I'll be able to hit some nice numbers (still waiting on 300) in the next few months before it all come crashing down...

Squats felt good.  Not as heavy as they could or should be, but the focus was more on speed and intent out of the hole rather than the actual load lifted.  Definitely made the reps more challenging when I was really "going" for them, so I'll be interested to see if I can yield a good training effect simply through "intent" of reps rather than the absolute load lifted.

Today did also really remind me of the fact that I tend towards the "speed" end of the Speed-Strength continuum.  Not sure exactly how far towards speed (to be honest most likely only as far as speed-strength), but in any case I'm pretty sure that absolute strength is where I need to be looking if I want to make gains.  Not where I want to live, but I should probably try to spend some time there in any case.

Gym is ours today, so hopefully much more lifting soon.

What I'm riding:  1970s era Peugeot road bike.  Pretty little frame in great shape.  Drive train is a little rusty, but otherwise she's giving my legs all the work they can handle.  I figure I'll be able to get all of my aerobic capacity work (probably Map 7-3) through the bike and only have to worry about strength and some alactic work in the gym.  Also gives me an excuse to not feel like I have to live in ketosis either (eat your white rice!)