---------------Week 4, Cycle 2---------------
14.10.26-11.01
Sunday
AM
Running
3.5 mi, 35F, no windchill, Franklin-Marshall Bridge loop. Feet felt a little numb, slept in a bit, so got to see the sunrise for a change.
Monday
AM
Running
3.5 mi, 47F, no windchill, Franklin-Marshall Bridge loop. Legs felt a little stiff and the calves tight, so I took a couple of walking breaks. Knees seem to be holding up well though, with the daily running, so I'm pleased. Slept in again, so got to see another sunrise and the awakening world of work. Lots of cyclist commuters with their bright lights at that hour.
Tuesday
AM
Running
3.5 mi, 44F, 37F wc, Franklin-Marshall Bridge loop.
PM:
Lifting
Cable Row: 2 x 10 x 150
Deadlift: 5 x 130/220/220
1-DB Row 5 x 90/90/110/110
OH Press: 5 x 90/110/110/110
1-DB OH Press: 3 x 40, 5 x 30
2-DB OH Press: 5 x 30
2-DB Bench Press: 5 x 30/50/50
Squat: 5 x 40/90/90
Neut. Pulldown: 2 x 5 x 170
Emphasized the Overhead Press a bit, 3 x 5 x 110 probably represents some kind of PR. Really enjoying pushing the OH Press now. I'm feeling more confident on the form and balance. I did my first full ROM (breaking parallel) squats since the strain almost three weeks ago. Knee clicked once or twice, but otherwise felt fine. The clicking is actually a good form cue--when I get the stance width, toe angle, and knees aligned just right, the click goes away. Added another plate increment to the deadlifts, felt good to prime the back this way again. Did some rolling and stretching 'fillers' before and in between the sets, seems to help. I did light 2-DB Bench Presses mostly for the ROM, and paused at the bottom with the dumbbells just touching my shoulders and torso. Added ten more pounds to the pulldowns. When I get up to 200 I might try chinups again.
Wednesday
AM
Running
3.5 mi, 37F, 23F wc, Franklin-Marshall Bridge loop. Toes got a little numb, but the runs are starting to feel a bit easier--no walking. Listened to music with my new Miikey MiiSport headphones. Great sound.
PM
Lifting
Cable Row: 10 x 100/150/150
Sweeping Deadlift (Green Band): 5 x 130/220/270/270
Bench Press 5 x 2 x 220
Supine Pulldown: 2 x 180, 3 x 170, 5 x 160
Neut. Pulldown: 2 x 5 x 150
Squat: 5 x 40/90/90/130/130
OH Press: 2 x 5 x 90
2-DB Row: 3 x 5 x 60
Tried Sweeping Deadlifts for the first time, as a way to get in a little more lat stimulation while I continue to build back up to my deadlift RMs. I liked it. Added another plate, so I'm close to my old 5RM already. May try triples next time.
Added another weight increment to my squats too. My right knee tolerated it fine, but there's still some tightness in the surrounding muscles, so I'll continue to take it slow.
Thursday
AM
Running
3.5 mi, 38F, 31F wc, Franklin-Marshall Bridge loop.
Friday
AM
Running
3.5 mi, 28F, 12F wc, Franklin-Marshall Bridge loop. Feet got fairly numb, but all was tolerable. The worst was on the bridges, where the wind blew fiercely at times. I'm glad I'm fit enough now to run continuously because walking would've been hard today with the windchill at 12F. I knew a few weeks ago that time was running out to get back into running shape, but looks like I made it.
PM
Lifting
Cable Row: 2 x 10 x 150
Deadlift: 2 x 5 x 270
Back Squat: 5 x 40/90/130/130/130
OH Press: 5 x 40/90, 2 x 120, 1 x 120, 2 x 3 x 115, 1 x 5 x 115
Bench Press 2 x 4 x 200
Cable Row: 5 x 190/200
N. Pulldown: 2 x 5 x 150
Deadlift felt good but heavy. I've probably lost some conditioning during this layoff and rehab. On the last set of the Squats I think I came close to a full ROM, so that's coming along. When I can consistently get a good depth, I'll start adding weight again, but right now 130 feels about right while the knee is still a little stiff. The last two workouts I've widened my stance a bit, and this feels good. The clicking or stiffness in the right knee has been a good form cue, so another blessing in disguise with respect to the DL strain, in addition to motivating me to finally do the daily 5K when I stopped deadlifts and squats while waiting for the strain to lessen.
OH Press was funny, I got stronger as I went on, and just a five-pound reduction allowed me to go from one rep to five. So finally got to use the 2.5-pound Oly plates I bought a month ago. Bench felt a little heavy, didn't attempt the last rep of both sets. Tried Cable Rows heavy, felt like a nice alternative to the 1-DB Rows.
Saturday
AM
Running
3.5 mi, 23F, 19F wc, Franklin-Marshall Bridge loop.