Rob Murphy

Week starting Oct 30, 2011

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Location:

Salt Lake City,

Member Since:

Feb 11, 2010

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

I had some success in high school and college. Winner 1985 Rod Dixon Run 

Had a fair amount of success as a Masters runner for most of my 40s. 

Short-Term Running Goals:

Have fun with running, explore more trails, stay healthy.

Long-Term Running Goals:

Keep running and racing consistently for as long as I can. Find what is sustainable for me over the long run.

Personal:

I teach AP European History and other courses at Alta High School. I coached the track and cross country teams at Alta for 16 years.

Married, two kids - Abby and Andy

My Twitter  @murphy_rob

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Miles:This week: 11.50 Month: 121.75 Year: 375.97
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
37.500.000.000.0037.50
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
7.250.000.000.007.25

Just a nice run on a beautiful Fall afternoon. 

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
7.250.000.000.007.25

Was going to run over lunch today but decided to go to In-N-Out Burger instead. Double Double, large fries, strawberry milk shake.

 PM: After school and before the halloween festivities begin, I managed to squeeze in a nice trail run in the gully with Tyler and Kramer - my two boys who are headed down to Mesa in 3 weeks to run NXN.

Nice run, 70 degrees, ran shirtless for probably the last time. Slushy rain/snow mix tomorrow.

 

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
2.000.000.000.002.00

Some easy treadmill running to warm-up and cool-down plus weights.

Lifted hard. I have discovered that I'm getting old. I have been consistent enough in my workouts over the past three years so that I can notice subtle differences. I'm not saying that I won't ever be able to establish another post-40 PR, just that it's going to be harder and I'm going to have to pick my races well and do a better job balancing training and racing.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

Total inactivity today.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.750.000.000.006.75

6.75 on the treadmill at 8.3 mph.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Two easy miles on the treadmill with some hard strength training in between over my lunch "hour".

I have some thoughts on weight training and strength training that I want to throw out there. Particularly as it relates to the Masters runner.

I never did any strength training when I was in college or in my 20s or 30s. About 3 years ago, I added weights and a lot of body weight strength training to my training. I did this as an experiment at first, but I continued it because I loved the way it made me feel. For example, I haven't had a back ache in about 3 years. In my 30s (I'm 47 now), I had chronic back pain and I generally chalked it up to aging. Funny!

As far as running goes, I reasoned that a loss of muscle mass and the corresponding loss of speed and power was a big contributor to slower times after 40. If we loose about a half % of muscle mass/year after 35 and close to 1% annually by about 55, can't weight training counteract that? At least for a while?

 So I would generally say that weight training is more important to the Masters runner than it is for youngsters. I remember way back in 1980 when I was in 9th grade, reading an interview in Runner's World with fitness pioneer Jack LaLane. I remember him saying that he admired the achievements of marathon runners like Bill Rogers, but he wouldn't concede that they were fit. "What if we could add 20% to Bill Rogers overall strength from head to toe without adding significant weight?". His reasoning was that Rogers would be a much better runner.

I also believe that strength training helps my aging body stand up to the rigors of hard training better and builds bone density which makes it much less likely that I will suffer through things like stress fractures. I personally have a hard time training above 70 or 80 MPW consistently because my body just gets that general beat-up feeling. I think strength training helps me avoid that.

It's also great for those of us with excess flab. Weight training gives a superior metabolic burst to running.

I'm conscious of the idea that any excess weight/bulk can be detrimental. However, the older you get, the less likelihood there is of that and lots of mileage makes it unlikely for any of us.

Anyway, I'd appreciate any thoughts about anyone's attitude towards strength training.

More running this afternoon - not sure how much more. My daughter has started running and wants to do the Beat the New Year 5k. So I'm running with her some. Fun. 

 

PM: 100 floors on the stair master and 6 miles on the treadmill 

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.250.000.000.006.25

Beautiful run around Sugarhouse Park after about 5 inches of snow. I think the view from the West side of the lake towards Mt. Olympus after a fresh snow is one of the best postcard views in Salt Lake City. I remember being awed by the beauty of this state when I moved here in 2002. Now I sometimes need to remind myself to be awed. It's worth it though.

I'm really starting to feel good after my weeks of reduced mileage. I'm going to keep in the 40 mpw range for the next couple weeks though. I want to feel completely recharged - mentally and physically.

My mighty Furman Paladins defeated #3 ranked Appalachian State today. This continues their trend this year of beating the good teams on their schedule and loosing to the crappy ones. Florida Gators next week. We'll see how tiny little Furman matches up. 

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
37.500.000.000.0037.50
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
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