lots and lots of ping pong with my sister, and MB abs.
Sunday, Jan. 8th, 2012
Last full day in Thessaloniki
Training with sister (as most have been)
20min warm up
Hills:
10 x 90m hills, quick walk back recoveries
1 x 450m fast relaxed
Monday, Jan. 9th, 2012
Travel to Milan today !!! For the first time in a long time doing this trip (towards Milan, and not the other way around), I arrived without a serious headache.
I am appreciating the wonderful sunny weather.
On another note, Thessaloniki had a 5.30am earthquake that my sister felt (because I was leaving, I am guessing the reason for the natural destruction)…
Melancholy feeling because my parents are so so nice, when they want to express it… And I’ll miss my bestest friend sister-L, and the new sister-mommy and the little niece
My mission here now is to deliver the final draft of the thesis until Jan.31st, and then wait until my final presentation on the end of March. Meanwhile, I image there will be some work with my new ‘external researcher’ job with the EU, and of course, TRAINING. I think I can enjoy training more now. But I am not settled, inside… It’s the end of something, and the beginning of something totally unknown, my income is experiencing a sudden decline (because my scholarship ended in December), and I need to figure things out… I know sometimes it’s just good to chill and enjoy some ‘light months’ of not trying desperately to astonish everyone around, but the idea is making me anxious, and needing to do something ‘extra’. …
I know I have a problem !!
I love Sicilian people… my taxi driver was Sicilian today, and I loved him before he even told me where he was from…
Training:
35min run (with 2 short breaks because my back has been tight for this whole vacation in Thessaloniki… I think my body is asking for the gym-work, which I will re-start tomorrow).
4 x strides (grass)
Tomorrow Sicilian-training reunion at the track.
But I still feel melancholic… Aah darn.
p.s. throughout all these years, I’ve always had my best personal-notebook-journal entries inside of an airport…
8 x 150m w/fast walk back recoveries, ranging @ 21.7 - 22.6 secs. Nice sunny winter weather…
Today we discussed indoors. Perhaps I’ll run a qualifying meeting on Feb. 12th, and then nationals Feb. 23. (There’s also a meeting Feb. 4th, but too much travelling if I also do that… we’ll see…)
Your reading skills are still high
It’s too long till April/May… I need to do something sports-adrenaline-active… Hence the indoor thought.
I heard that this year they will take place at the ‘nicer’ stadium that is banked and ‘bouncier’… (the “Stadium of Peace and Friendship”)… I hope it’s true !I like that place.
Not a bad thought at all, I agree! Have a break from training only, why not? It will only be for a couple of weeks, so… And yes, you are right about the races at this stadium!
Good ! Now I only need the ‘courage’ and enthusiasm to go…
On another note… I’m so glad I brought home-made Christmas cookies by my mom … I feel more at peace with them. -_-
Wednesday, Jan 11th, 2012
morning session: (motivated by Sicilian teammate)
30min easy run
15min drill session
evening session:
35min easy run
10 x 100m grass tempo (so effortless…)
abs during the day
Thursday, Jan. 12th, 2012
(15min biking)
15min warm up, stretch, drills, strides
3 x 300m, 1 x 200m (rests: 4min, 5min, 6min) (oh my God, I can’t believe I just finished all the cookies…)
The goal of this session was 4 x 300 under 50" , with 4min rests
first: 46" (felt soo nice and I wasn’t even tired… but I think it destroyed the session later on)
second: 49 (ahhh… what a difference)
third: high 49 (hamstring lactic attack)
fourth had to become a 200, @ 31"
oh well …
I felt bad for my teammate (I don’t know why I connect so well with this guy’s feelings, we’ve discussed that he’s the male version of me, in an extrovert version - I’d be the introvert).
His session was like mine, but a 600, 400, 600, 400, and he gave up on the third rep. The Sicilian coach was annoyed, and I was listening to him scold my friend (who was trying to justify himself) for about 15’ …
Sigh …
1hr gym work
(15min biking)
Drawing…
Downloading Iron Man …
I should really be editing my thesis …
I feel a bit sad for love-life issues … (no discussions here!)
I’m craving liver for tomorrow …
My glutes have been sore all day, for no apparent reason … (I think)
I have an upset stomach …
I miss home …
Particularly my sister.
Yes yes I read Nick. But on another note… we’re having second thoughts about getting ready for indoors… It’s TOOOOO cold now. And perhaps it’s better to just train through the winter. If I enter, my coach here wants me to do well rather than just ‘train through rounds’.
I’ll discuss it more tomorrow with him.
Maybe I can ‘run through’ the 8km x-country race in the beginning of March =PPPPP (for “fun”).
Friday, Jan. 13th, 2012
aahhh… I don’t remember… It was an easy run day again I think.
Saturday, Jan. 14th, 2012
(15min biking)
40min easy run
Nice night out… although freezing.
(15min biking)
Sunday, Jan. 15th, 2012
20min run + 10min hard run
Yikeess… too many long runs… Today, if anything, I’m doing an extensive drill day on grass. (Tomorrow track)
Only until this summer, at the most.
I’ve had a great experience using this system nevertheless (since September), with 0 injuries (which is huge for me)… and it all comes down (from my point of view) to having a great time in training, respecting and loving your coach and teammates, and having people around who truly believe in you and want you to do well. (This was/is so hard to find in Greece).
With all that being said, I’m considering staying an extra month (mid May, versus mid April), just to train more with them until closer to outdoor competitions in Greece. We’ll see …
Monday, Jan. 16th
15min warm up, stretching (dynamic)
40min drill session (on grass)
abdominals
hip exercises (also with rubber band)
(slight low-low back pain is back these days, but the above exercises take it away)
((note: the first indoor race that I had planned to race on Feb.12th has been cancelled… with only Feb. 4th and then nationals remaining, I became more sure about not running indoors and just training training training through =) )))
5th night of nightmares and interrupted sleep… (I’ve been suggested to have some alcohol before going to bed tonight, in hope of relaxing my mind a bit… Goodness…). I woke up at 2am, also with an aching lower back, so I started doing sideway shuffles with rubber band resistance in my room to feel better (I did).
I went back to sleep at 4.30am, and woke up at 8.30. This sucks really …
(15min biking)
(training in -3degrees today !!!)
35min warm up, stretch, drill, stride (+spikes)
interval training:
(all continuous for total of 2km:)
200m (200m jog rest), 100m (200m jog rest), 200m (200m jog rest), 100m (200m jog rest), 200m (200m jog rest), 100m (200m jog rest), 200m (200m jog rest).
(200s from 33.2 to 34.09, 100s all in the 15s, 200m jog rests from 1:20 to 1:27)
Largeeeee-gym member =))))) For 4 months. Yes, I am officially extending my Italian stay till mid May. Finish up last pieces of phd, train train train, come up with something great to draw (series of paintings), work on my E.U. part time project, and I decided to try out an architectural competition with money-prizes. =)
Now I just need to inform my parents about my delayed return … oh boy.
(10min biking)
(10min biking)
(10min biking)
So today… Sicilian training at the gym :
40min gym work (arms)
40min treadmill (progressive) (up to 14km/hr). Thank goodness, because it was soooo cold outside.
40min stretching, abs and lumbar.
(10min biking)
Thursday, Jan. 19th
(15min biking)
(colddd again, around 1 or 2 degrees, brrrrrrr…)
15min warm up, stretch
plyometric session (on stairs)
3 x (5 x ~20 double leg hops up the stairs) , walk down recoveries between reps, 3-4’ between sets
6min break
1 x 400m pretty relaxed at low 66"
(15min biking)
(15min biking)
(20min biking)
(20min biking) I know I know… too muchhh biking. … (I hate public transportation and I do love my bike!!! )
some shopping therapy
Friday, Jan. 20th, 2012
(15min biking)
(10min biking)
Sicilian gym training:
10min bike warm up (as if I’m not biking enough… )
40min gym work (leg curls, leg presses, squat jumps and pull ups)
30min treadmill progressive (up to 13.3 km/hr, with one interval of 40"@18km/hr in the end)
p.s. quote for the day, by my dear godfather:
“Experience makes you stronger and develops your character. and never let your knowledge sadden you either. I am sure you understand what I mean.”
1.5 hour active swimming recovery and spa (sauna, Turkish bath and hydro-massage) > fantasticcccc… (I have these amenities for the next 4 months =) )
(p.s. my Sicilian teammate is an insanely intense swimmer… goodness)
