Monday, Jan.10th, 2011
(indoors)
15min warm up
static stretching/dynamic
3 x 30m A skips
3 x 30m B skips
2 x 30m running As
1 x 40m scissor kicks
3 x 30m low Charlie skips
2 x 70m strides
7 x 60m sprints (about 8’ recoveries)
Gym:
Tuesday, Jan. 11th, 2011.
This is pathetic; I feel sleepy every moment of the day, today i felt super tired, I feel like I have no strength and I’m just not “sprinting”
(yesterday was much better)
No, I do not have a virus or any other symptoms.
It’s just that my 300 times are worse every week.
Or I’m lacking the motivation.
I’m actually lacking the right training, because the things I did in Milan that made me feel really good when I came back, form-wise, have gone down the drain here, and I am dragging myself.
My here-teammate told me that I run like I’m chasing butterflies (hopping rather than ‘going’). The coach has been telling me this for years now.
But I have found ways to improve it.
It’s just gotten back to where it used to be, here in Thes/niki, and I know it’s the lack of special things I do that help me with this…
If I’m not making sense, I can’t bother with it now… I’m not re-reading this post, or editing it either… I’m flying tomorrow, I’m super tired, life-wise (SO Many things have happened lately, that I’m psychologically DRAINED). and I’m frankly, disappointed, training-wise, here.
I weigh less, but for the first time, I think this is bad, as I’m lacking strength. Obviously.
2 laps warm up
stretching
3 x A skips
3 x B skips
2 x running A skips
3 x scissor kicks
2 x 60m strides w/trainers
2 x 60m runs w/ spikes
1 x 40m run w/ spikes
3 x 300m (rests: 10’, 12’)
@47, 49, 50. This is so pathetic. No lactic acid whatsoever, this time.
I just don’t know how to run these days.
Travel tomorrow.
While in Milan, I will seriously concentrate on getting my strength/form back, because I have done training, but am lacking the Stef-fundamentals.
I was too busy trying to do what my team was doing, but obviously, their style is not for me. :o
And I’m so very tired… from everything.
I’ll be in Milan for one week now (then again beginning and end of February), and since my second meeting got cancelled, I will see to schedule a trip somewhere in Lombardy that I haven’t been yet.
Look around, wonder, and draw…
10hrs of sleep, daily, are not enough… 
I suspect all those things are related and you just need a chance to relax and chill. I also suspect the weather isn’t helping your mood, you really appear to struggle with the cold and wet. Are you supplementing with Vitamin D?
I’m with John. If you are mentally and emotionally drained then you are also likely to be physically drained. Too much going on, too much travel, too much stress. Maybe too much training. Give yourself a break. 
No Vitamin D exclusively, but I started taking multivitamins again and I’m not sleepy all the time since I arrive to Milan =) So that’s good!
Wednesday, Jan. 12th, 2011
travel day
Thursday, Jan 13th, 2011
30min biking
30min biking (going back from somewhere)
15min warm up jog on grass
dynamic stretching
few drills
abs/glute exercises
home
Friday, Jan 14th, 2011
Perhaps today I should do something more intense :o But I decided I’m taking it easy until Sunday anyway, so…
notes: I’m on the third floor in Milan, versus the second from before, and I like it better up here =) I wish I went higher.
Much much work these past two days !
I need to find a cheap gym to go to, while being in Milan, for next time. Definately.
p.s. John, which hand is the engagement ring on, in Kiwi-land?
Saturday, Jan.15th, 2011
10min warm up
12 x 150m grass tempo
abs/glutes
EMS
note: Inspired by a friend (girl) who decided to go back to practicing boxing seriously (at ~32yrs) and become professional, while still working (as a lawyer).
Stories of ‘differences’, and not ‘what is usually done’, is what I love in life, really.
I’d have thought a multivitamin would be a minimum, what is your iron level like?
Here is some stuff on Vitamin D
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind/
Good call re taking it easy till Sunday. 
Engagement and wedding rings on left ring finger. If you are Greek Orthodox then I’m guessing may have it on the right?
Mmmmm I don’t know !! I have mine on the left, but in Italy I’m told that it’s worn on the right, and also in Greece (?) .
Anyway, details…
Thanks for the info John =) I think my iron level intake is not ideal, as most people’s, and needless to say that all track athletes I know in Greece take iron supplements! When it comes to supplements, I (at this point of my life) see it as a whole chain of things one needs, and if I start, I’ll just end up spending amounds I am not willing to spend on things that could be improved in other ways. If I were a professional, I’d supplement on anything to get the job done, but the way I’m training now, I have so much room for improvement (training/nutrition/rest), that supplementing is not what I find the ideal solution.
(I’m under the unfluence of fragolina tonight. It was a studying-drinking-movie night with my stressed out friend. p.s. I actually felt her heart rate, one hour after her stressful meeting with her adviser, and it was scary. I helped her calm down. Such kind of stress is not needed in life).
I’m stressed about everything together, on the other hand, which makes things a bit less stressful, overall. If you know what I mean… Obsessing on one single thing is never healthy, (while being nervous about it, that is… )
I had decided in the beginning of 2011 to make one drawing/painting/complete sketch every 5 days, and I did very well for the first 3 times, having something to show on the 1st, the 5th and the 10th, but I didn’t complete anything for the 15th, which makes me feel like an underachiever.
:rolleyes: Ok, not quite… But I’m just saying. It would have been nice.
I’ve been given to edit english text written by italians, and I must say that I have never felt such despair trying to understand english sentences, let alone correct them and put them in order… Before this, the toughest thing I had ever read was original english Shakespear, on my first year of american high school, after 9 years of total greek schooling. That was tough.
But this is tougher!!
Not to beat the matter to death… but what bothers me so much in this educational experience of mine here in Italy, is the realization that Italian culture in general is the exact opposite of the Spartan point of view.
While my american teachers and professors taught me to always speak to the point, laconically and beautifully at the same time (when needed), the speeches that I hear and the essays that I read in italian are so loaded with useless phrases and repetitious concepts expressed in 25 different ways in one single paragraph, that honestly… I feel like my i.q. is dropping sometimes because of this.
It’s good to always find reference points in life and not become lost in experiences.
I have good reference points to hang on to, which I am grateful about.
What bothers me, is that I haven’t found a good, brand new reference point for a long time now. Meaning, it’s been a while since I’ve met someone really strange and interesting, to teach me new mysterious things. Such people are rare, and perhaps its better this way. Otherwise, one might go crazy in the end.
I’m flying on Wednesday morning and I wish I went straight to Athens to see my man, but I have some things to do in Thessaloniki, and of course I always love being with my family. But it feels so nice to know that I have a second family in a different city, as everybody loves me so very much there
Concerning training, I can’t say that I feel strong. But I can’t say that I’m feeling un-trained either. I just feel like I’m ‘being steady’, which is not good. (for me) I could feel more like a superhero, but perhaps I’m still struggling with my reference points…
Sunday, Jan. 16th, 2011
random push ups throughout the day
random glue exercises throughout the day
4 sets of 150rebound reps (upper body) > in the end of these, I pulled something ( a tendon??) , and felt an extremely sharp pain in my left shoulder that folded me in half and then I was jumping up and down for 30" because the pain wouldn’t go, but then it backed off. :o) Strange. Then I was completely fine again.
Monday, Jan. 17th, 2011
2 sets of 150 rebound reps (upper body) (no pain whatsoever).
glute exercises
15min warm up
10min dynamic stretching
4 x 40m A skips
3 x 40m B skips
10 x 40m hills (slow walk back recoveries)
4 x 20contacts right-right-left-left (I was going to do more, and then grass sprints, but I had a right shin irritation that requested from me to head home…).
2 x 50m Charlie’s skips
Tuesday, Jan. 18th, 2011
-15min warm up
-long tempo
100+100+100+
100+200++100+100+
100+200++200++100+
100+200+100+100+
100+100+100
Issues with right shin and low back, but I’ll fix myself soon. I know how, this isn’t new
(p.s. I seem to be quite fit doing these, it’s just that I have functional problems these days, with some strange pains in areas mentioned above).
(Wednesday now, been up since 4am, and am now in Thessaloniki, very tired, but doing work nevertheless :o )
Wednesday, Jan. 19th, 2011
15min warm up
quick stretching
2 x 50m uphill strides
4 x 150m hills (slow walk back recoveries).
Shin pain again, where I’ve never had it before, so I must take it a bit easy now.
EMS
Thursday, Jan. 21st, 2001
OFF (shin recovery; issue right in the middle of the right shin, on the top)
Friday, Jan. 22nd, 2001
OFF again.
Saturday, Jan. 23th, 2011
20min warm up
few drills and stretching
11 x 100m hills (walk back recoveries)
3 x 100stairs (all doubles)
note: all fine
Sunday, Jan. 24th, 2011
25min warm up
8 x 100 stairs (all doubles)
note: all fine
Monday, Jan. 24th, 2011
too many things to do and then when it was time to train I was starving, so I ate instead and didn’t train. :o
Tuesday, Jan. 25th, 2011
train trip to Athens (blahhhhh). Humangous headache afterwards.
42min run
stretches and few drills
3 x 8 deadlifts
abs
Wednesday, Jan. 26th, 2011.
20min warm up jog
stretches
3 x 20m A skipos
3 x 20m B skips
2 x 20m running A’s
2 x 50m strides
10 x 30m hills (slow walk back recoveries)
11 x 100m hills (slow walk back recoveries)
Questions: deadlifts? Where? Such long hills? Where? Are you really in Greece these days? 
hahaha hi Nick 
Deadlifts: In Dejan’s house !!! 
Long hills: at the little forest near the university town… it has some good dirt-hills).
S.U.S. (see you soon).
Thursday, Jan. 27th, 2011
20min warm up
16 x 150m tempo (walk 60m recoveries)
(total 2400m)
General gym stuff
deadlifts, chin ups, bisep curls, abs
I’m sick.
(achy body, fever, coughing, runny nose; in that sequence, but now everything happening at the same time).
Friday, January 28th, 2011
Honestly, I don’t remember. But I did something…
Deadlifts and general weights for sure, gym-wise.
Saturday, January 29th, 2011
too much walking, and off
Sunday, January 30st, 2011
too much eating, and off
Monday, January 31st, 2001
too much sickness,and off
Tusday, February 1st, 2011
too much sickness, still,a nd off
Goodness…
(indoors is apparently out of the question)
Wednesday, Feb. 2nd, 2011
Sick (with fever, and coughing)
Thursday, Feb. 3rd, 2011
Sick (first day with no fever, but coughing, hopefully tomorrow I will be much better).
I feel like I have to start ALL over again, training-wise, but whatever. I like doing what I do, so be it.
p.s. going to Milan on Tuesday. Probably staying there for a month. My life is so hectic :rolleyes:
There are two kinds of people: Firstly, there are those who listen to what you have to say and immediately look for a response regarding themselves and their own experience, thinking that such comment is a valid contribution to the world’s problems.
Then there are those who will listen attentively and respond with a wishful comment or constructive critique on what you just said, digging in the matter deeper, showing greater care.
So in essence, the world is divided between the talkers and the listeners. The bad talkers are almost never good listeners. The good listeners can be good talkers as well.
A wish so simple, and so pure: “go with good strength”.
It’s probably something that one would expect to hear before going to a battle field, but it doesn’t always have to be that way…
‘Good strength’, is the kind of wish that makes me smile. I am used to hearing “have a safe trip”, and “have a good return” and “until next time” , etc., but they all imply that I quickly skip through whatever I have to do during my time somewhere, and then safely come back to where my past belongs, to pick up smoothly with my life. But trips are not always restful and planned intervals of a smooth daily routine; sometimes they are unpredictable obligations, from which one strives to inhale all the wisdom one can get. “Good strength”, is the willful desire to use positive power towards all my moments that I will spend to my whatever destination, and I’m happy to have a fresh memory of such a wish inside my heart.
I’m still unsettled, inside… I feel like I’ve been blown by the wind these past few years, here and there… and as unsettling as this may feel, whenever the time comes that I will find myself settled someplace, I think that the realization will be so unbearable and primal, that I will eventually perform something dangerous to comfort myself :o Whatever ‘dangerous’ really means.
There’s a saying “do everyday something that really scares you”. So maybe ‘unsettlements’ are a constructive blessing to life’s experiences after all. Maybe it’s why I am even engaged today !
This is still a training journal… I am still recovering from my illness.
Hope you feel better.
What happened to indoors? From the looks of things your training looked fine… Were you mentally wiped out? You have had quite a year