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TP Log III: Dave's Lasertag Training and Hiking Trail Pics TP Log III: Dave's Lasertag Training and Hiking Trail Pics

02-28-2015 , 01:59 PM
2/27 session

Squat: 12x155, 8x190, 3x5x235

Squats made the knee a little uncomfortable at first, but honestly after the first set, it actually seemed to loosen up a bit. Maybe what I need is some ROM exercises for my knees before I run.

Bench: 2x5x135, 3x5x165

Meant to do a few more weight exercises, but I got to the gym late and still needed my cardio session, which was 60 min on the elliptical hill climber. Much less uncomfortable for the knee, but not as much of a sweat worked up either. Still, I am hoping to get in a few serious hikes with Spring in the air, so exercises that emphasize duration and upper leg work probably more desirable over running. The running is mostly just for lasertag-related training, so maybe I can keep that to once or twice a week, on days where I'm not dead tired already.
TP Log III: Dave's Lasertag Training and Hiking Trail Pics Quote
03-03-2015 , 02:47 AM
3/1 session

Deadlift: 5x185, 5x225, 5x275
DB seated press: 10x30s, 2x10x35s
Seated row: 3x10x115
Seated alternating rows: 2x10x100

Treadmill with uphill walking for 45 min. while I watched the Rockets/Cavs game.

Tonight was Monday lasertag practice. I honestly cannot remember the last night I played so atrociously. I'm absurdly pissed at myself. Don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight, it's bothering me so bad. I knew exactly what I was doing wrong and couldn't will myself to fix it. Ugh. Don't know if it's too much training, inadequate food on Mondays, or just crappy food (I didn't eat terribly today, had chicken breast and veggies for lunch).
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03-07-2015 , 01:14 PM
3/6

Has it really been 5 days since I was in the gym? Ugh. I did Thurday lasertag practice and some push-ups and pull-ups on off nights, but that's it. I need to get disciplined again, but it's been a tough week. Muscles were sore, work seemed to take a lot out of me, and I hit frustration in my writing process. Overall I felt really depressed Thursday night.

But enough of the self-pity. Friday I rode my bike about 17 miles, and then hit the gym for some more resistance training, because I still had the energy.

Bench: 10x135, 3x5x165, 8x135
Lat Pulldown: 3x10x135
Seated Row: 3x10x120
Alternating Row/Pull: 3x8x100
DB Curls: 2x5x30
Hip Adductors: 3x10x175
Hip Abductors: 3x10x165

Shooting for a hike today. I want to get back into running, but that bone bruise on my knee gets aggravated so easily. If it doesn't heal soon, I might need to have a doctor check it.

Weigh-in 3/7: 156.8 (not bad, considering I haven't been trying very hard to shed weight, and I'm not unsatisfied with the re-comp... just hate having anything resembling a gut).
TP Log III: Dave's Lasertag Training and Hiking Trail Pics Quote
03-07-2015 , 09:33 PM
Short hike today (3/7) up at the so-called "Black Hole of Calcutta Falls" (so named, near as I can tell, because it is shaded at all times of the day).


My new FB cover photo... this was an awesome view... it's a shame that the water is so low due to the CA drought, though. 80 degrees out there... sorry, East Coasters!


The falls weren't exactly staggering... again, thanks drought.


Fun view of an old railroad bridge from 1912 though!
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03-08-2015 , 04:44 PM
3/8 lift all teh weights

Squat: 12x155, 8x185, 3x5x235
DB seated press: 10x40, 2x5x45, 7x45
Deadlift: 5x185, 5x225, 3x275
Could not maintain the grip strength for the last two after the initial lift took a lot out of me. First time I've done squat and DL the same day in awhile.
Push-ups: 2x35
Pull-down: 5x70, 10x60

Resting cardio today, as last week I felt sluggish at lasers on Monday night. What I really ought to do is be doing more cardio and legs on most days, as that's what I will really need... but you know, vanity...



Found out on Thursday that our facility will probably be closing at the end of April until possibly October, meaning there will potentially be about 10 weeks between our last practice and the comp... oy (the best case scenario is we squeeze a few practices in at the end of June/start of July). But at least I will be shape with so many free days to work out. Ideally, I will get to the site a few days early to get my body back in the motions.
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03-12-2015 , 12:45 AM
3/9 lasertag was good. I set a new record high score for our site in a warm-up game, and our first official A Team vs B Team practice went about as well as I could imagine. We (A) won both games handily, and after weeks of playing 6v8 with a subpar 6th player on our team, it felt like huge ankle weights were taken off. Not going to get overconfident, obviously, but it's a good start... especially since we will only have like 7 more practices before we're forced to take a 10 week hiatus. Will have to hit the gym double-hard in the meantime.

3/11 gym stuff
DB lunges: 2x20x55
Incline Bench: 2x10x115, 8x125, 6x135, 3x145 (couldn't get the 4th rep)
33 min alternating run walk with decent length on run sections (between 6.5 and 7.5 speed). Not bad for like 2 weeks off, and my knees are feeling better. Shins are another story...
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03-13-2015 , 07:41 PM
3/12 lasers practice was small and low-key. Not a lot of competition, but it's just as well because I was really tired and sore.

3/13
Push-ups: 3x35 (ideally to be followed with a 4th and 5th set this evening)
~19 miles on the bike, decent ride.

Planning a hike up on Mt. Diablo next Saturday, which I'm looking forward to and should provide opportunities for a real cardio test and some nice pictures.
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03-15-2015 , 02:35 PM
Scenes from the drought in California: the hike yesterday was at the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge on a warm March day that reached upwards of 85 degrees (yes, imagine that, East Coasters). The park is a preserve of the "wetlands" of the river that supplies the water for most of agriculture in this State. So we are presented with scenes like this:


...that don't exactly fill one with confidence.


I could have walked across the length of the whole river without difficulty.

Still, it was a nice day with some verdant scenery.




The downside is, with the recent heatwave and all the sun exposure Friday and Saturday, I roasted my pale skin in the sun. Not feeling great today, but I'm still going to aim for a resistance session at the gym in a little bit. We'll see how deadlifts feel when I inevitably scuff my sunburnt legs with the bar.
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03-15-2015 , 06:49 PM
3/15: several PRs set today for 5RM sets.

Squat: 12x160, 8x190, 2x5x240, 4x240 (thought I felt something move badly in my quad on the last set, so did not attempt the 5th)
Bench: 2x10x140, 3x5x170
Deadlift: 5x185, 5x225, 5x275
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03-18-2015 , 11:26 PM
Crappy turnout for Monday night lasers, not a real "practice" to speak of, but at least got a few games in. Frustrating for me that I can't seem to get the better of one of other guys (who is on my Nationals team) when we go head to head at Heavy. Part of it is me having a weaker team, but I'll face guys just as tough in Colorado, and I need to have a formula worked out, and not be afraid of the matchup.

Tuesday rest (OK, I guess there were 3x40 push-ups)

3/18 session
Alternating cable rows: 2x10x100, 10x110
DB seated Press: 10x35s, 2x5x45s, 0x50s, 2x45s
So... on that one, I went to go get heavier DBs and some guy poached my seat. He was cool moving off for one more set, but I felt rushed and did not get adequate rest before the last attempt, so fail.

DB Curls: 2x8x30s

Such bro work...

Cardio: 2.3 miles, 6.6 speed, with some walking before and after. All I can say is, holy crap, proper stretching and NSAIDs make such a huge difference. Definitely taking an Aleve or Excedrin before every run from now on.
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03-22-2015 , 12:55 AM
No Thursday practice and a major snag in our team organization... ugh, I am worried half my team just blew up unless I manage to fix some things on Monday. That put me in such a foul mood that I skipped the gym altogether on Friday when I had to go to my boss' retirement party, which I showed up for way overdressed and did barely anything. But of a FML/#whitepeopleproblems the last few days. Hiking tomorrow to hopefully clear my head after I missed my buddy's gig tonight.

3/21
Squat: 12x165, 8x195, 3x5x240
Incline Bench: 10x115, 8x125, 6x135, 4x145, 10x115

Didn't run tonight as I want to conserve my knees/shins for a 6.5 mile hike with significant elevation change tomorrow.
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03-27-2015 , 01:39 AM
3/22 Hike: Mt. Diablo

Mt. Diablo is the highest point in the eastern part of San Francisco Bay, and at nearly 4000', it is one of the larger of the coastal range mountains (which pale in comparison with the Sierra Nevada to the east, but also mean no altitude sickness when climbing). The plan was to get there at 10 am, but delays forced us to get there about noon, which was just as well, as the mountain was still shrouded in cloud.



Within 30 minutes or so, however, we started getting some of the great views of the East Bay and the Sacramento Valley.



The path we took rambled around some of the main ridges of the mountain and gave us a chance to circumnavigate the summit in order to overlook the various lesser peaks.



By mid-afternoon we reached the largest ascent of the mountain, a climb of a little over a thousand feet from the northern ridge to the summit. Here you can see the "saddle" of Prospector's Gap between the North Peak (left) and the summit.



It was a steep climb, but worth it. The views of the green rolling hills to the south were a nice sight to take in.



One of my favorite shots of the day captured the late afternoon clouds and sun casting long shadows over the ridge.



By the time we headed back to the car, the weather had started to turn again, and we got down the mountain just as a minor bout of rain began.

TP Log III: Dave's Lasertag Training and Hiking Trail Pics Quote
03-27-2015 , 01:42 AM
3/23 lasertag practice went fairly well, but we still have some work to do regarding the final details of our team, as suddenly 1/3 of our team could be potentially MIA.

3/25 gym session

Deadlift: 5x185, 2x5x225, 2x3x285... I could not get to 5 reps on the heaviest set not because of failing leg strength, but failing grip strength. I might need to look into chalk or something else to improve my grip. Also, I must have tweaked my back a little bit, because my lower back muscles are VERY sore today. The other exercises probably weren't a big help in this regard.

Bench: 8x145 (wrist issue), 3x5x170, 10x145

2.5 mile run at 6.7 speed with two minor stops to dry face and hydrate. The impact might have aggravated my back muscles, though.
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03-29-2015 , 12:46 AM
3/27
60 minutes elliptical hill-climber

3/28
Push-Ups: 25, 20, 20, 22, 32, 35
Pull/Chin-Ups: 4x10
3.6 mile walk, nice and easy

Tomorrow hoping for squats and a run, but I'm still having some back soreness and left knee pain. Getting old sure is fun...
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03-29-2015 , 05:45 PM
3/29
DB shoulder raises: 10,12,16x10s
Squat: 15x160, 5x5x225

2.5 mile run at 6.7... regrettably a lot of stops for extra tight calves. I bought new insoles that will hopefully alleviate some of the strain.

I think I am going to try and get on a more traditional 5x5 model for strength training for a little while to make sure my form is good, and to get away from some of the bro exercises I've been supplementing with. Given that I am going to try and drop 5-10 pounds in the run-up to Nationals (May through end of July), I'm probably going to hit a wall in terms of gains around then anyway as I up my cardio doses.
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03-31-2015 , 01:59 AM
3/30

Press: 3x5x75, 3x5x80
Barbell Row: 5x95, 5x105, 5x5x115

Pretty average night of lasertag. No scrimmages, but I played some decent casual games. Getting hard to tell where to make adjustments in the less intense games though.
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03-31-2015 , 09:10 AM
How much elevation gain on that Mount Diablo hike? (i.e. - what elevation does the trailhead start at?) And how many miles from trailhead to summit?

Nice pics!
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03-31-2015 , 03:36 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jbrochu
How much elevation gain on that Mount Diablo hike? (i.e. - what elevation does the trailhead start at?) And how many miles from trailhead to summit?

Nice pics!
Summit is about 4000', I think the trailhead started around 2500. The initial reading was supposed to be 6.5 miles roundtrip, but I think we took a wrong turn and it ended up more like 8.
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03-31-2015 , 06:03 PM
From your pics, and considering how close it is to the ocean, I was wondering if it was something like a 3000 foot elevation gain, which would be an ass kicker of a training hike so close to San Fran. (Not that it doesn't still look like a great hike!)
TP Log III: Dave's Lasertag Training and Hiking Trail Pics Quote
03-31-2015 , 11:31 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jbrochu
From your pics, and considering how close it is to the ocean, I was wondering if it was something like a 3000 foot elevation gain, which would be an ass kicker of a training hike so close to San Fran. (Not that it doesn't still look like a great hike!)
You have to drive up the mountain a ways to get to that particular trailhead. If you take the summit trail from Danville, it's probably like a 3500' foot climb. There are an absolute ton of trails in the area of virtually every degree of difficulty. On the way up, I saw a fair number of bikers taking the mountain road up, presumably toward the summit. I can only assume their body mass is composed of about 80% quadriceps.
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04-02-2015 , 02:29 AM
4/1

Bench: 5x135, 5x5x170
Squat: 5x135, 5x185, 5x5x230
Barbell Row: 5x95, 5x5x120

Only have one month until the (hopefully short) lasertag hiatus, so I need to make sure I am getting the absolute most out of every game and pushing myself to the limit whenever possible.
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04-04-2015 , 05:42 AM
4/2 played some mess-around lasertag, but still got the heart going. Rest for muscles.

4/3
Chin-Ups: 3x11
Deadlift: 5x185, 5x225, 5x275 (grip strength seemed to feel more solid)
OHP: 5x65, 5x5x85
DB Curls: 3x8x30s

~23 miles on the bike, was VERY tired afterward due to DL'ing earlier. Did not do squats because (a) was planning to bike later and needed quad strength, and (b) I have an ugly raw patch on my back from bar friction, so squatting is out at least until Sunday. Still managed to get in a little extra lasertag tonight, because I have nothing else to do while my partner is out of town.
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04-07-2015 , 02:09 AM
4/5
Squat: 5x155, 5x185, 5x5x235
Bench: 5x145, 5x4x175 (really could not manage a 5th rep on any set... well maybe I could have, but didn't want to risk failing or pulling something)
Barbell Row: 5x95, 5x5x125

Tonight was lasertag practice. Pretty good overall. Not a huge night statistically, but we handled business in the scrimmages and I was doing a lot of the "dirty work" on the defensive end. Closest example I can think of is a center in basketball who puts up like 6 points, but cleans up the glass and sets good picks.

Found out I only have 11 days left on my temp contract though, and I'm not likely to get an adjunct position at the current college for Fall, so that's a little disheartening. I hope I can make it to interview rounds for the full time positions, but I'm not feeling great about it right now. I will be back on for my current job next year, but it could be a rough summer if I don't work for most of May.
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04-09-2015 , 12:43 AM
4/7
Rest day, but did 11 chin-ups and 10 pull-ups.

4/8
OHP: 5x65, 5x5x90 (struggled on very last rep, but got it)
Deadlift: 5x185, 5x235, 5x285

Walked a half-mile incline and then ran a mile to warm up, and after the lifts (weight room was crazy busy when I got there), did another set of two 6 minute run intervals (6.2/7.0/8.0), finished with a walk to watch the end of the Mavs/Suns game.
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04-09-2015 , 04:37 PM
4/9
With my reduced hours, I had the day off an every intention of riding my bike. However, like 3 miles in, this proved to be too much and my quads were not giving me anywhere near as much power as I needed. Apparently that rest day after lifting gets more important as you get older. Who knew? So I turned around, called it a day at like 6.5 miles, and now I'm going to recharge my protein stores and rest up for some lasertag tonight, especially if I want to be prepared to squat tomorrow.
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