If I have a comp coming up I do the events for that comp.

My gym has everything but tires.

Next comp is...

Viking Press AMRAP 60 seconds
Ukrainian DL AMRAP 60 seconds
Arm over Arm 50ft 60 second time limit
Tire flip AMRAP 60 seconds
Stone run 120lbs-320lbs 20 seconds per stone

I've done a couple of long running races in heavy rain. I finished, felt good, and then when I got back to a mirror I had runner's nipple with blood all over my shirt. I didn't feel it when it was happening, but I sure felt it in the shower afterwards. Youch.

I may be aided by the fact that I didn't get into running until my late 40s, so I'm naturally pretty slow.

One thing I've noticed is that my heart rate gets over 150 any time I run. I can't run slow enough to keep it below that. So I just run at a speed where I feel comfortable.

It's weird to say this, but there's a lot of nuance that you can use to go faster or slower. I find that if I don't pay attention, I slow down my cadence, which is not good. I have to think about keeping my cadence up constantly.

Another thing I've been trying recently is to have more of a forward lean. If you lean forward to where you're about to fall on your face, then it's supposedly easier on your legs to move forward. In other words, you can get a faster pace with less effort (and a lower heart rate, presumably). I've been trying to do it a bit, but you really have to concentrate on doing it or you'll naturally lean back. It doesn't feel very natural, but it does increase one's speed.

The bottom line is that you should just do what feels right.

Nice job! It's a great feeling to finish your first half-marathon.

And yeah, running tights are worth the money, especially if you go out in cold weather.

Just stick with heart rate pacing and it will improve. Like anything else it takes time, you will adapt.

You will also start running faster than you used to at the same lower zone 2 heart rates as you adapt so it becomes easier with time.

Its not something that happens overnight. Anything you do training wise takes about 3 weeks to see the results of the training.

So as crazy as it sounds, if you do a speed workout, you really wont see the benefit of that workout for about 3 weeks.

If you do consistent zone 2 runs, you wont see the benefit for about 3 weeks.

Stick with it.

So I haven't lifted a weight in over a decade. My GF finally got a ****in job so I have more time now! Signed up for a gym membership. Really not planning on lifting much just using the treadmill when it is cold or rainy but I did try to lift some dumbells before my run today and man it was so sad. I did 50 lbs each bench dumbells 12x, then 10x and final set I could barely do 8x looool. I used to complain about gyms that didnt have dumbells above 75 lbs. Times have changed. So sad. Maybe some of it has been the 20-25 mpw but Ive only lost like 8 lbs since Ive been running.

I'm fat again.

Bought a used Peloton yesterday. Going on the inaugural ride in the morning. Time to lose some of this holiday fat.

I'm pleased to say that I'm down 33 pounds this year, and my fat percentage has dropped from 27.7 to 20.7. I've been doing light to moderate weights and running, and in the right lighting I can almost see bicep muscles now.

How fat

Instead of expensive Nip Guards, a great way to protect nipples from chafing against shirts wet with sweat or rain is to use 3M medical tape, like Blenderm. You can get 12 5-yard rolls for the price of 20 pairs of Nip Guards and that tape can protect you for over a thousand runs. You just cut a couple of strips before each run and cover your nips with it, then remove them after the run. I do that before most runs and it takes months to get through a single 5-yard roll.

Can't you get those dumbell nipple piercings that will keep your shirt from rubbing the nips?

I am signed up to do the same three marathons in 2025 that I did in 2024, the Flying Pig (Cincinnati), the Garmin Kansas City Marathon, and the California International Marathon (Sacramento). Sports trivia buffs might notice that those are three cities the NBA Kings franchise has called home. I picked them because the Pig was my first and will always be special for me, KC is my beloved boyhood home and where my brothers still live, and the Sacramento area is where I now call home.

😂
I can’t see myself ever getting a tattoo, let alone a piercing. I am so old-fashioned that I feel surrogate regret for folks when I see theirs.

Me too! Haha not really, but relatively fat to what's normal for me.

Pretty fat, I was in the best shape of my life for several years but I effed it up and quit smoking.

Feels good man

Google feed channeling its inner CP

https://www.sciencealert.com/pooping...on-performance

Can you shit on command?

My pre workout makes me shit 100% of the time.

We good.

Got a walking pad for Christmas it's actually pretty bad ass. Going to come in clutch when we're snowed in the next few days

What is the fastest it goes

Mine goes up to 5mph

Care to link? I am up so damn early I feel like I should do something productive with my time while the house is dark.

I guess the top speed is 4 but whatever I never go above 3.5

https://a.co/d/8R7rXbK

Dang that's a good price! I kind of want one with an incline though.

I’ve instinctively know this all my life.
Before any big event I make sure I poop.

Holy hell Lew, go outside and walk. You live in a great environment for it.

I'd get one if under $100, they ship to me and I could jog 10:00 easy mile pace. Then I would have something to do on this dreary icy day.

It's too dark in the morning and I get scared!!!!

(I can walk early about 7 months of the year).

I bundle up up and walk as long as its not below like 20 degrees but I got this thing for when the weather is shit or I'm exhausted after work. No excuses we moving baby

I used to walk 25 miles a week with 35 lbs on my back and saw little if any aerobic benefit. Try the Rocky 4 thing and do high knees with lumber on your back while the KGB chase you.

It's been great for my mental health and countless studies have shown the health benefits of walking too

3 mile walk every night before bedtime snack. 10 minute walk at moderate pace after each meal. Doesn't matter the weather.

Comp prep is almost done. Going to set a PR with a 320lb atlas stone over 48" bar.

Up a few lbs and BF is down. Ideally I would actually have a bit higher fat% for comp but not happening for this one.

Movement heals. Had two torn muscles in the past few months and only therapy done is several walks per day to get blood flowing.

What's everyone's fitness goals for 2025?

Mine is to qualify for the US Strongman Nationals for 2026. Hopefully that will include a national log press record in my age and weight class.

At 51 years old, I've started running again for some reason after basically deciding I'd never run again. There's something about being able to go knock our a run in 30-45 minutes and clear my head. Current routine:

Mornings in the gym (5:00a)
Monday: Lift
Tuesday: Cycling class
Wednesday: Pilates
Thursday: Lift
Friday: Pilates/Stretch
Saturday: Lift
Sunday: Either day off from gym or stretch/pilates

I've also started adding in either a run after work or a nighttime mountain bike ride with lights at least 2-3 nights a week. I usually try to have a pretty big bike ride on either Saturday or Sunday (or both).

The wife and I have also gone to a heavy protein-dominated diet, and it's been pretty transformational as far as managing my weight. I'm 6'1" and currently bouncing between 200 and 205. I'm about to make some efforts coming out of the holidays to get down to 190-195. Along with the protein, also doing 10mg of creatine daily.

Knock on wood, but I'm feeling and looking fitter than I have in probably 15 years. I do need to get some better running shoes if I'm going to keep that up, as I destroyed my knees/shins/feet trying to PR a 5k last week.

You must be one big mother****er. I can picture you now on ESPN throwing logs around in some lake and growling.

I would like to break 24 min in the 5k. I'm a new runner, still at it less than a year and less than 5 months for knowing what I am doing. I am now in the 40-44 or 40-49 division in most 5k so would be cool to beat some old guys and win my age group someday. Also to stay alive.

Jogging may be the worst thing ever invented.

I do find it hilarious how you can find a pace that feels like you could run forever. Give it 1% more juice and 30 seconds later you feel like you’re dying.

I was hammering 10 minute mile pace for weeks for 30-45 minute runs. My wife was like, "I can't believe you're having no issues from running."

I went out and tried to PR and knocked out a 5k at a 9 minute pace (with some steep descents, which is what I think did it). I've been gimped up for over a week since then. Still managing to run and workout, but I'm definitely not trying to PR anytime soon. Just going to take it nice and easy.

Ain't it crazy? I thought I was a pussy for the longest time. Turns out I just need to jog and learn pacing. Running slow was hard for me to get used to and it caused me so many problems at first. When I run race pace or even a "marathon pace" even though I'm far from actually doing that I have no knee problems or toe problems. Slow it down and my knees would get shredded, big toe would go numb. Turns out just learning about supination vs pronation changed my world.

Runners World actually has a book called "How to make yourself poop and 999 other tips all runners should know", full of useful advice. Here's an article from them on this topic:

https://www.runnersworld.com/health-...yourself-poop/

I run in the morning, often pretty early, so one of the first things I do when I wake up is make a cup of coffee. ;)

ROFL no wonder. I just started drinking coffee this year and shortly after my coffee I always get the urge. Like clock work. Before it seemed more random.

As I've mentioned before I was battling Plantar Fasciitis from late 2019-mid 2023 (One foot then the other). Prior to that I was running 2 miles 4-5 days a week. I'm still not 100% comfortable but I've hit a slow steady mile a few times without stopping. Any time I feel any calf or hammy tightness I stop to stretch. I have zero interest in dealing with that shit again.

Current schedule is
Monday: 5-7 chest exercises then run a mile, it really helps the soreness in my shoulders.
Tuesday- Core, bis and tris
Wed- rest day
thursday-back shoulders then run again
Friday legs and core.
Saturday 13 mile 50 minute stationary bike workout.

I feel like a new man now that I can do legs and jog again without excruciating pain in my heels. Also got some Hokas coming excited to try them. All the PF people recommend them.

My class is Masters 50+ < 220lbs. Not huge numbers. Current national record for my class is 230lbs.

I'm turning 45 this year so my goal is trying to hit the thousand pound club before I'm too old.

"The 1,000-Pound Club is an unofficial weight room title for people who can lift a combined one rep max (1RM) of 1,000 lbs or more in the squat, bench press, and deadlift. These three exercises are considered the "big three" of powerlifting"

Currently I'm at
Bench - 255 (I'm probably capped here with my middle-aged shoulder pain)
Squat - 315
Dead Lift - 405

All you guys who've lifted for ages knows that adding 25 pounds of one rep max weight is a ****ing lot, especially for a middle aged guy. My most likely route will be adding to dead lift but it'll be a long, slow process. If I get hurt, I can't work, and if I don't work I'll have no money and, well, then I'm ****ed.

Deadlifting is such a fun lift. You feel like a bad ass just because you can put so much weight on the bar. Someday I'll get back into lifting, someday.

Exactly. I feel so strong lifting that kind of weight and when the bar starts bending I fell like a total badass. Ronnie Coleman lite, if you will. Well, in my own mind, I do. No one else at the gym even cares lol.

No doubt, you'll be a bar-bending badass again soon!

Take steroids.

Sincerely, all the good-looking fit people.

Pretty happy with where I'm at as being consistent hitting the gym and eating like shit isn't as much of a challenge it used to be. Cut way back on the booze too which has been pretty easy. I think this year I'd like to get more into the micro nutrient side for health benefits

Don't use age as an excuse. I'm days away from 50 and I totaled 1129.8lbs in a powerlifting meet this past fall. That was with missing my last two bench attempts and 3rd deadlift. All while recovering from a torn bicep.

Just started HotWorx this week. Had surgery and was unable to work out for 3 months so I dropped Orange Theory. Gained 7 pounds and lost muscle. Ugh.

We'll see. So far HotWorx is great. Basically shorter workouts under infrared heat so you burn more calories and "detox". We'll see.

I don't worry too much about micros. I just take supplements for that. From food would be best of course but it's not something I have the patience to deal with.

I just make sure I hit my macros and get plenty of sleep.

Cutting back on booze is huge.

Check out Stan Efferdings Vertical Diet.

Good for you. I'm 54 and I'm slowing down. I need a lot more recovery time and I'm not just sore when I'm done, I'm actually hurting. Not saying it's ALL age, but this shit was just more doable at 44. Age is a thing.

No excuses here, friend. Just using my advancing age as extra motivation to get it done before I am physically unable to.

That's a massive amount of weight you put up and a solid amount of mental toughness powering through pain while injured. Good on you.

Expanding the small home gym setup to at least replace entire workout days at the gym, if not the gym membership completely.

And consistency with off days... neighborhood walks, stretch routines, little isolation movements and what not that I can knock out at home instead of at the gym.

18" biceps.


(^jk)

Go in with the mindset that you are pushing weight now so that 10 years from now you will still be in the gym pushing weight.

Strength training is about the only thing you can do to defy the aging process.

You might need to put more rest days in between gym days but no reason, other than getting injured or sick, that you can't still hit the weights.

I hope to do another powerlifting meet this fall. Goal is to get close to a 1300lb total.

Started running on a school track again this summer and worked up to 4 miles pretty comfortably at about a 12/min mile pace a few times a week. But the combination of my knees and weather has me back to walking for awhile, so I'm weighting a backpack at 20 pounds and can get my dog exercise simultaneously. Also do a lot of mountain hiking and snow shoeing.

Walking about 5 miles a day with the pack, and I like being able to go every day. But missing how good running felt.

If you are physically hurting then something is going on. You should not hurt from lifting no matter how old you are.

Any chance you are on TRT and using an AI like anastrozole?

Low E2 can make you feel like absolute crap. It's even hard to walk

Yep, give me high E2 over low anyday. I'm currently not taking any AI and running 450 Test E and 150 Decca a week.

Looking forward to ramping down in a week for 6 weeks until next prep.

LOL! Given that I have no idea what those things are, I'm hoping the answer is no...

No, I think I just need to evolve in how I'm working out. I also believe genetics plays a role in how we perform. Some folks are built better than I am. I'm OK with it, I'm still watching what I eat (though the booze still flows, not as much as it used to) and I'm not a lumper, I'm relatively active. I had built quite a bit of muscle in the 6 years I was doing Orange Theory, but there were times where I overdid it. Not in the workout, but the next day. I had shoulder pain for weeks\months in 2022 from doing front raises. I mean, it seemed fine while working out, but the next day and then weeks\months after, my shoulders were in pain. Not sore...****ing pain.

IMO, I'm just not in my 30's anymore. Haven't been for awhile and it's starting to show is all.

If that's the case you have something mechanically wrong in your shoulders. Age should never equal pain from exercise being an expected response.

Have you seen a physical therapist for your shoulders?

Ran a wind assisted 7:13 mile. Was about 18 mph wind. 80% of the run was with the wind. Haven't ran a mile all out for a couple months. Last time was right around 7:55

I'm sure wind and hills make all the difference although I do feel like I'm improving

LMAO Did you deploy a sail as well?

What kind of program does everyone like to run immediately following a Max Press program? Deload week, then right back in to heavy lifting? Reduce the weight and increase reps for a while?

I've never done it before, but I'd say flip it around and do some kind of intensive back / row type thing to balance the chest and shoulder push strength you just built

Am I more healthy or less healthy now? Back when I was in my 20s I lifted alot and had a big difference in pulse pressure (?). My blood pressure was not high but there was a big difference between my systolic and diastolic number. It would be say 122/60 or some shit. Now that I am middle aged and a runner it is 112/87 so the difference is much smaller.

I just read that a pulse pressure greater than 40 is bad, but when I used to ask doctors about my blood pressure when I was younger a couple times they asked me out of nowhere if I did weight training...and I said I did and they were not concerned after I said that.

I'm not really any help, but find the subject interesting because from all the mentions of it online, deloads seems like one of those topics that's just assumed as required sometimes, but then I listen to Renaissance Periodization who always does a really great job of getting into all the nuances and so forth that makes it far more logical.

And his general point from what I've gathered is basically if you have to question if you need a deload, you probably don't need one... I really upped squat/leg volume at one point and after ~6-8 weeks was kind of wrecked, especially hips and lower back... I KNEW at that point I had pushed myself hard enough that I needed a break, but for the most part I'm not working out at that level all the time to probably ever really need a deload week.

Some people mention doing one every 6-8 weeks and basically act as if you should just do that, but don't really provide the context that your body will sure as hell let you know through systemic fatigue, joints, less progress/shitty workouts, etc. I hadn't ever really chose to take breaks before, but that all made a lot of sense to me.

And I'm probably just preaching to the choir, but just my two cents.

For me it's backwards. My bowels have grown accustomed to my morning treadmill routine it has become the trigger
🤣

I’m not a medical professional but I will say that there’s a lot more that goes into your overall health than a simple blood pressure reading.

According to Google, it does appear that a wide gap in systolic and diastolic readings is not ideal. Doesn’t sound like it’s a cause for concern when you’re a young athlete.

Depends on the goals and the program. How long did you run before deload?

Qualified for the 2025 US Strongman Nationals. Unfortunately won't be able to go this year.

Yeah, you might need a time machine for that.

I'm also officially obese now. 202lbs on the scale the past two days.

Doh! fixed

What are the weight classes? Does that bump you upward into a harder class?

Are you guys as strong as prime Arnold Swartzenegger or Lou Ferrigno?

220lbs would be the next weight class for the comps I am doing.

I will be 58 in two months. I haven't done 1rm in a while, but my most recent lifts are: Squat 345x5, Bench 305x3, Deadlift 425x2