Training Tuesday - 5 lb gorilla

Week of May 20-26, 2013:

Current Weight: 156.0 (Up 2.8 lbs since last week)

Total Lost to date (since September 2011): 64.8 lbs

And so the plateau or yo-yo or whatever phrase you want to use continues.  I am currently in the building phase for Rainier training though.  I cannot let frustration with the scale sabotage the training.  

Major changes from last weeks workouts:  Increased weight on Tuesday's strength training.  Both Tuesday and Thursday are now total body with heavier weights on Tuesday.  Increased pack weight on Sunday's hike.  It is astonishing how much difference a measly 5 lbs makes in a workout.  It took me almost a mile to adjust to the pack's weight.  I had indention marks in my shoulders from the increased weight when I finished the hike.  AND, I was very, very, very glad to be finished with the hike.  Maybe it really WAS a 5 lb gorilla...and I'm going to be working up to a heavier pack???  

Fun stuff from last week:  I volunteered at a race, the Field of Heroes 5K on Sunday morning before my hike.  Avery came out to check out all the flags and cheer on mommy as I manned the registration table and post-race refreshment tables.

Source

Here is how the week played out...

Monday: 5 mile recovery run, 10 min/mile avg

Tuesday: 1 hour strength training, 52 min hike with ~32 lb pack

Wednesday: 6 mile run, 9:35 min/mile avg

Thursday: 1 hour strength training, 6 mile tempoish run, 9:05 min/mile avg

Friday:  REST DAY

Saturday: 13.1 mile run, 9:31 min/mile avg

Sunday: 2 hour hike at High banks, 38.4 lb pack, no breaks.

Wild life sighting on the MandyLynne Impromptu Half Marathon Saturday

Bullets of things to improve from last year's Humble Pie Post

• Lose X lbs.  I will define that number once I have my Bod Pod Assessment done.  To date, I have lost ~10 lbs since last year's attempt.
• Train with a heavier pack (Up to 50 lbs).  I am building up to this.  However, my heaviest pack last time was 37 lbs.  This weekend I trained with 38.4 lbs.
• Start pack training earlier.  I went through my old training updates.  My first official training WALK was 2.2 miles with 16 lbs on Feb. 19th.  My first pack training this time was just after Goofy on Feb 3rd with a 22.5 lb pack on snow and ice.  This may not seem like a lot early, but this year my climb is almost 2 months later in the year, so it is significantly earlier.
• Longer sessions without a break.  Work to 2 hours consistently.  Done.  This past weekend, no breaks, no nutrition, no water until the end of the 2 hour session.
• No Rest Step.  Done.
• Interval training.  I was doing interval training during Pig training that was running specific.  I will add a different form of interval training this week.
• Asthma evaluation.  Done.  Upgraded my inhaler.  I have already noticed a difference.
• Tougher, more specific strength training.  In process.

Any additional suggestions from those of you who have followed my training and my failed attempt last year?

I called to make an appointment for my Bod Pod Assessment and VO2 max testing and hopefully will have that scheduled soon.

Ironically, after last weeks post regarding no races on my schedule until October, I got suckered into a couple of 5Ks.  I'll be racing the Jake Strong 5K this weekend benefiting the children's hospital with my trainer (for free), and I will be running the Dash for Donation 5K in July as part of Team Superman with a lot of my friends.

Anyone race this past weekend? 

Anyone try any new workouts lately?  Or update old ones?