Progress is being made on the Mountain Bike

Progress is being made on the Mountain Bike 

The trail running I am doing is helping also pay off on the mountain bike trail. Well, I am able to keep my heart rate up. Getting comfortable being uncomfortable. 

I am gauging my progress on my timed laps on the mountain bike course. For my running, I am trying to keep my mile pace around the 12 minute mark, but with the hills and terrain it is a little difficult. 

Also using my Stryd running power meter to gauge myself. 

My weight/resistance band workouts are also paying off. My legs and upper body are feeling the strongest they have in a long time. 

In a few weeks I will give a full report on a sweet device, that uses resistance type bands to give a full body home workout. So hang tight and check back. 

 

Relive 'Afternoon Ride'

More training focused and feeling good

Getting comfortable being uncomfortable, it's all good

If you monitor my social media at Twitter or Instagram (@timhakr), I guess it makes it official. I signed up for the 14 mile Xterra trail run at San Tan Regional park this November. 

I have been training for this over the past few months getting my lungs and legs in shape. Officially signing up for it makes me accountable for my training now. 

This past weekend I was able to get my longest (LSD- long steady distance) run in so far. It was a little cooler than normal due to the monsoon storm the night before. The storm also made it muggy.  I was able to get the 6.25 miles in.  

Standing water cutting off access to some trails, due to the monsoon storms 

This is normally a smoother incline, yet water has cut a big divot in it. 

I turned around the next day and did a cross training workout of mountain bike riding of 16.42 miles. The monsoon rains this year have really affected the trails out here. The mountain bike trail/hiking trails in Usery Regional park were either washed out or the rains and winds have changed them a lot. A few trails were not accessible due to standing water. 

This week started adding a little bit of strength training into the mix and other drills. 

I have a few mental goals I am aiming for and I will touch on those in future posts, so follow along. 

Figured it out, kind of, still looking to get new shoes

So last week I was brought down by a blister on my right heel. The rest of the week, I focused on other training without running. Wearing flip-flops as much as possible. 

The blister is healing well. I was able to get a short but very effective training run in on Saturday morning. Focusing on power and speed, getting my heart rate up in Zone 4.  The muggy weather made it tough, but the workout was just what I needed. 

In the process the night before, putting out my shoes, I noticed the laces were broken on my right shoe. This is what was causing the slipping/rubbing on the right heel causing the blister. 

I swapped shoes, to an other pair I often run in, and no slipping. I guess I could have replaced just the laces, but there wasn't time, so I opted just to run in the other shoes. It worked out perfect. 

Broken laces that caused the rubbing and the blister to begin with

The shoes I have been since running in. I am looking into getting a new pair of shoes not just or the training but the race in November.