To Infinity and Beyond - Becoming a Better DopeyBadger (Comments Welcome)

No some company called xhibition... double checked it was legit and they had my size lol.

That's my backup if Notre doesn't ship. Only one left at xhibition in my size and Notre's listing for the shorts is gone (although plenty of other things for sale and Notre is legit). Fingers crossed.
 


Those shorts look really useful. Lots of places to hold things. I hope they work out well for you!

Also ... damn those strides paces are amazing. Looks like all the hard work you've been putting in even when you couldn't run has been paying off!
 


Those shorts look really useful. Lots of places to hold things. I hope they work out well for you!

Totally agree. I'm excited to try them out.

Also ... damn those strides paces are amazing. Looks like all the hard work you've been putting in even when you couldn't run has been paying off!

Thanks! I'm kind of stoked since I'm doing this at about 10-12 pounds heavier than the other times I've come close to the 5 min/mile barrier. So if I can keep putting on muscle mass and refine my diet a touch I could be on another precipice for a jump. Just have to stay healthy and continue to put in good training.
 
MARCH MADNESS 2019!

Time for my annual attempt at winning something in all of the free online bracket games! Simple method for me:

-Use 538's power predictor rankings which are in aggregate score of several sources: ELO, BPI, Sagarin Predictor, Ken Pom, Sokol's LRMC ratings, Moore's computer rankings, selection committee's S-curve, and preseason rankings.
-Input data into an excel file.

Screen Shot 2019-03-21 at 11.08.10 AM.png

-Take the difference between two teams PPR to determine the point spread of a basketball game.
-Using a standard deviation of 9.5 points, calculate a normal distribution of possible outcomes.

screen-shot-2017-03-16-at-10-39-45-am-png.225872


-This outputs the % chance that one team would beat another given their PPR.
-Run a simulation (one click on excel) that randomizes the outcomes of all the games based on the % chance one team would beat another.

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-Input the data into an online bracket game (was able to find 67 this year): ESPN, CBS, Fox, Yahoo, Jiffy, NBC Washington, Source Media, Bokampers, USA Today, Local News7, Qlik and Madison.com
-See if I can win anything in a free game.

The system is completely without input from me, but is solely based on the statistical probability of different outcomes. HOWEVER, I can screw up the system by picking and choosing the brackets. Two years ago, South Carolina ended up in my Final Four model and I kept skipping over those simulated brackets because I didn't think it was possible. Thus, I was influencing... So this year, it will simply be click and input. Whatever each bracket says I'll enter. No picking and choosing. I did that last year and came one game away from $1000 off a free entry.

Here's the distribution of brackets vs the 538 probability for verification of a normal distribution (left hand side is my bracket distrib. and the right hand side is 538s calculated values).

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My brackets ended up a little slanted towards Virginia, but that's the way the randomness sorted out I guess. I found the Wofford appearances intriguing. Duke vs Wofford final???

Game on!

Oh btw, Wisconsin only has a 55% probability of beating Oregon tomorrow. Time to flip a coin!
 
84 Days to Go! (Dream On) + Short Power Build - Mid-Vol - Week 5 + A Little More Obsessed - Week 1


3/18/19 - M - Ramp Test (36 min; 41 TSS)
3/19/19 - T - ALMO-D1-Total Body Core + Pierce (75 min; 91 TSS)
3/20/19 - W - ALMO-D2-Legs + 50 min Run @ Easy
3/21/19 - R - ALMO-D3-Cardio Core + Dade+1 (75 min; 96 TSS)
3/22/19 - F - ALMO-D4-AAA + 50 min Run @ Easy (w/ strides)
3/23/19 - Sa - Richardson+3 (90 min; 108 TSS) + ALMO-D5-Booty + 50 min Run @ Easy
3/24/19 - Su - North Pack (120 min; 118 TSS)

Total Run Miles - 17.8 miles
Total Run Time - 2:33 hours
Total Run TSS - 169 TSS

Total Biking Time - 6:36 hours
Total Biking TSS - 454 TSS

Total 80DO Time - 3:43 hours
Total 80DO TSS - 75 TSS

Total Training Time - 13:00 hours
Total TSS - 698 TSS (PR)


Monday

Originally a ramp test was on the schedule from TrainerRoad. But I edited the plan to remove the ramp test after only 4 weeks since the last one (all the others were 6-8 weeks apart). But the last few weeks had gone well enough that I thought another fitness test was warranted. So I decided to go through with it.

As always, it was really tough. But I did well again.

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A 4.8% increase from 4 weeks ago based on raw watts and 5.1% based on w/kg bw. A larger increase than the last few tests, so that new FTP kind of scared me. Would I be able to accept the new training paces?

Tuesday

Time to give A Little More Obsessed a try. It's meant to follow after 80DO as it builds on it. Not necessarily does it have to occur immediately afterwards, but that's what Steph and I decided to do. It's a bit more hodge-podge than the normal 80DO as they change up the rep counts based on the workout day rather than going weeks at a time at the same rep count.

So first ALMO Day up was Total Body Core. It was a 3 x 10 rep count.

Series 1: Static Twisting Lunge Pulse, Lateral Squat Hop Raise, Side V Pulses
Series 2: Front Lunge + Goalpost, 2 Jump Row, V-Up Flutter Kick
Series 3: Chest Press Bicycle, Alt. Lateral Push-up, Roll Up Knee Twist
Series 4: Rotating Angle Lunge Curl, Sumo Squat Curl, Loop X Twist
BONUS: Side Plank Triceps Kickback, Frog Crunches

Definitely a step-up from 80DO.

Then the afternoon bike session. Felt a little stiff going into the workout. Wasn't sure if I should drop the workout down since I did the ramp test the day prior. But I decided to go with it. Pierce is 6x4.5-minute sets of VO2max repeats where you'll ride for 15-25 seconds at 125% FTP and then "float" for 15-30 seconds at 88% FTP. 6 minutes of active recovery separate each set. I made it through the whole workout without adjustments. A semi-big step up in intensity given the FTP jump.

Wednesday

Second day of ALMO with Legs and a 2x15 rep set. Also the new 25 pound dumbbells were delivered!

Series 1: Suitcase Squat to Side Lunge, Alt. Side Squat Knee Raise, Static Lunge Front Heel Raise
Series 2: Narrow to Wide Curtsy, Half Buddah to Single-Leg Hinge, Side Shuffle Squat Jump
Series 3: Side Plank + Inner Leg Lift, Blastoff Hamstring Curl, Squat/Lunge/Curtsy/Reach
BONUS: Surrenders

Kicking it up another notch. These ALMO workouts are no joke.

Then the afternoon run session. An easy run day at 50 min, 8:48 min/mile, and 138 avg. HR. The HR seemed a little higher than I would have guessed based on the effort. It'll be interesting to see how this proceeds because I was barely trying but able to maintain it well.

Thursday

Third day of ALMO with Cardio Core. A series of cardio HIIT moves and then a core move.

I knew the afternoon bike session was going to be a doozy and the next step in the progression. Instead of VO2max intervals with short intermediate breaks, but over a longer duration, this was a shorter total duration but no breaks. Dade +1 is three sets of 3x2.5-minute VO2max repeats at 120% FTP. 4 minutes of recovery fall between Intervals and 6 minutes of easy spinning separate each set. I couldn't make it through this one without an adjustment. The instructions warned me it might happened and it did. I was able to complete 4 of the 9 intervals at pace and then dropped the % FTP just slightly to complete the rest of them from destroying me.

Friday

Fourth day of ALMO with AAA and 3 x 10 reps. I was excited because AAA is usually my favorite and it didn't disappoint.

Series 1: Lunge Press, L Raise, Candlestick, Athletic Hinge Pulse
Series 2: Single-Leg Bridge With 1-Arm Pullover, Hammer Curl, Boat Pose Russian Twist, Quad Ped Donkey Pulse
Series 3: Bridge Chest Press, Lunge Triceps Kickback, Plank Hip Dip, Superman Glute Pulse

I was looking forward to Bridge Chest Press with 25 pound dumbbells. Nailed it. Also nailed 20 pound Hammer Curls. Making great progress.

The afternoon run was another easy + strides. A 50 min run, 8:31 min/mile average, and 140 HR average. The strides were in the 5:40-6:00 min/mile range and more reasonable than last week's explosion. Even decided to do a 0.15 mile uphill sprint just because I could. Maybe I shouldn't, but I did.

Saturday

Triple workout day!

Started off with a 90 min bike. I seem to have several bike workouts with warnings of how hard they are and to not fear dropping the % FTP if needed. Richardson +3 is 6x5-minute race-like efforts beginning with a 30-second surge at 165% FTP and closely followed by 4 minutes of repeats where you're either working at 125% or "floating" at 88% FTP. Each effort is separated by 5 minutes of recovery. This was an intense ride. I made it through 4/6 interval sets without adjustment. But the time the 5th came up I knew I needed to pull back just ever so slightly. So I dropped the intensity to match what the workout would have been had I not done the ramp test on Monday. So still a heavy workload, but just slightly adjusted.

Immediately followed up the bike ride with ALMO Booty at 2 x 15 reps. I won't pull punches. This was the hardest workout of all 80DO workouts. My booty was absolutely burning trying to get through this. Partially attributed to the bike ride immediately proceeding it, but it was tough.

Series 1: Bridge Walk Outs, Donkey Heel Press, Fire Hydrant Press Back
Series 2: Penguin Bridge, Squat Relevé Open, Downdog Leg Lift
Series 3: Squat Rotate Sumo, Lunge To Single-Leg Hinge, Squat Single-Leg Circle
BONUS: Skier Swings, Camel Half Lunge

That Series 1 was SERIOUS torture. Going from DHP to FHPB was pushing me to the brink. But I survived.

Then saved the run for the afternoon. It was another easy run. Tried out my new Nike shorts with the pockets and they were really nice. Super soft and not compression style. The run was 50 min, 8:31 min/mile and HR of 140. Felt really easy even given the fatigue sitting on the legs.

Sunday

The bike ride to end the week was a doozy. North Pack begins with 3x5-minute Tempo intervals between 60-85% FTP that each conclude with a 10-second sprint between 180-200% FTP. The second part of North Pack consists of 59 minutes of Sweet Spot-ish work between 85-95% FTP with short bouts of aerobic Endurance riding at 55-65% FTP separating each interval. I could tell fairly early on this one was going to put me in a hole. So during the 2nd of 4 intervals I dropped the %FTP just ever so slightly. Somewhere between what the workout would have been without the ramp test and what was scheduled. But I just barely pulled it out.

Steph has an eye infection and wasn't going to able to do the ALMO Cardio Flow workout. Since it's my least favorite, I wasn't really interested in doing it. Decided to check the Elevate graph to see how close I was tracking to where I wanted to be right now.

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So the goal was 78.9 and 99.1. And the actual was 78.9 and 99.0. So while a few workouts were adjusted down and I dropped the ALMO Cardio Flow, I was right where I pre-predicted. It meant I could drop the workout and still be right where I wanted to be right now. No reason to push it further because harder things are coming down the pipe-line.

I've also dropped just a tiny bit of weight this week down to 176.0. So I think my body's metabolism is finally responding to the training and I've been trying really hard to clean-up my diet.

Keep dreaming!
 
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I hope your pocket shorts work out. I hated every belt option I tried for marathon training last year. Just hate all the sliding and riding up and movement in general. Once I found tight shorts with lots of big pockets it was life changing. Bonus that the gels got warmed up by my body heat and thus were more liquidey and easy to ingest. Sorry if that's gross to some.
 
I hope your pocket shorts work out. I hated every belt option I tried for marathon training last year. Just hate all the sliding and riding up and movement in general. Once I found tight shorts with lots of big pockets it was life changing. Bonus that the gels got warmed up by my body heat and thus were more liquidey and easy to ingest. Sorry if that's gross to some.

Agreed. Plus wearing a belt and then just carrying a bottle definitely seemed to be causing me some imbalance issues. I haven't tried the shorts yet with anything in them, but so far so good.
 
My shorts arrived last week, but haven’t tried them yet. I got a pair of nikes short tights without the pockets too, and they are much better for long runs!! I usually use shorts with liners, but the short tights are better for the humidity problem... I just hate feeling so exposed! I imagine the pockets will be much better than a belt, because it won’t bounce... I can’t wait to sim my new race kit soon lol!!
 
My shorts arrived last week, but haven’t tried them yet. I got a pair of nikes short tights without the pockets too, and they are much better for long runs!! I usually use shorts with liners, but the short tights are better for the humidity problem... I just hate feeling so exposed! I imagine the pockets will be much better than a belt, because it won’t bounce... I can’t wait to sim my new race kit soon lol!!

I'll be interested to hear how you like them.
 
First run in the shorts went well! You have to be careful with chaffing because the full pockets can cause undesirable re-arrangements lol. However easy fix and dreamy storage solutions! Also, I know you’re a sauconey guy, but you gotta try those HOKA Clifton’s out for a long run. They aren’t my typical cup of tea, but I wanted practice in high cushion for the vaporfly 4%.... and imo they are a perfect LR MLR option, and though they have cushion it’s still responsive and firm enough for up tempo!
 
First run in the shorts went well! You have to be careful with chaffing because the full pockets can cause undesirable re-arrangements lol. However easy fix and dreamy storage solutions!

Similar experience.

Also, I know you’re a sauconey guy, but you gotta try those HOKA Clifton’s out for a long run. They aren’t my typical cup of tea, but I wanted practice in high cushion for the vaporfly 4%.... and imo they are a perfect LR MLR option, and though they have cushion it’s still responsive and firm enough for up tempo!

No Saucony for me at the moment. I'm using Brooks and New Balance because I think the Saucony contributed to my issues. Once I get more comfortable, I may branch out more to try these HOKAs. But I'm going to need something with less squish and little movement upon impact. Because I think that's what partially caused the ankle issues prior.
 
So the Hokas actually have a firm toe and soft heal and they’re rockered. In my experience neither the Mach nor the Clifton 1’s were squishy. In comparison the Triumph ISO’s were much squisher, these would be closer to the Kinvara from a firmness standpoint... Just a lot of bouncy foam to help with the energy return. I still alternate my Merrill’s on easy/shorter runs to build strength in my feet/ankles, but these are great for long runs imo.
 
77 Days to Go! (In Your Eyes) + Short Power Build - Mid-Vol - Week 6 + 80 Day Obsession - Week 1


3/25/19 - M - Volunteer (30 min; 23 TSS)
3/26/19 - T - 80DO-D1-Total Body Core + Ansel Adams+4 (90 min; 123 TSS)
3/27/19 - W - 80DO-D2-Booty + 50 min Run @ Easy
3/28/19 - R - 80DO-D3-Cardio Core + Matthes+1 (75 min; 101 TSS)
3/29/19 - F - 80DO-D4-AAA + 50 min Run @ Easy (w/ strides)
3/30/19 - Sa - Augusta (90 min; 119 TSS) + 80DO-D5-Legs + 50 min Run @ Easy
3/31/19 - Su - Aniakchak (120 min; 131 TSS) + 80DO-D6-Cardio Flow

Total Run Miles - 17.5 miles
Total Run Time - 2:33 hours
Total Run TSS - 164 TSS

Total Biking Time - 6:45 hours
Total Biking TSS - 497 TSS (PR)

Total 80DO Time - 4:56 hours
Total 80DO TSS - 55 TSS

Total Training Time - 14:14 hours (PR)
Total TSS - 716 TSS (PR)


Monday

Simple bike ride to keep the Elevate "form" just in the optimal zone later in the week. Volunteer is 30 minutes of aerobic Endurance riding spent somewhere between 65-75% FTP.

On Saturday, Steph's right eye didn't feel right. She thought maybe an issue with contacts or allergies. By Sunday, there was some swelling around the eye. So she did a virtual doctor visit and was told it was probably a viral infection and thus no antibiotics could help. So they told her to take some Mucinex and other various OTC medications. On Monday, things still didn't seem right and I kept pushing her to go see the doctor. But to no avail. She thought it was probably an eye infection like she had in October.

Tuesday

Woke up and my glute was so incredibly sore. I thought I felt it was sore in the middle of the night, but when I woke up it was brutal. Couldn't figure how it happened since everything was fine on Monday. But it was probably from the Sat/Sun workouts last weekend. Didn't know if I should even do the 80DO, but I went for it.

80DO is back again! Steph wasn't feeling great and so I was on my own. So let's get this thing rolling again with Day 1 of Total Body Core!

So 2 x 15 of the following series, then back to the top:
Shoulders: Squat Rotating Press, Lateral Bear Crawl with RL, Spider Loops with RL
Back: Bent over Row, One Hand Renegade Row with RL, Boat Pose Lat Pull with RL
Chest: Push-up Leg lift with RL, Chest Fly with Leg Lift with RL, Side V Loop Kicks with RL
Biceps: Staggered Stance Bicep Curl, C-Curve Crunch w/ weights at 90d, Side Knee Plank Pull with RL
Triceps: Tricep Kickbacks, Single-Arm Extension Loop, Tricep push up

The bike workout was another brutal one! Ansel Adams +4 consists of 3x11-minute sets of 50/40's where you'll spend 50 seconds at 135% FTP followed by 40 seconds at recovery watts. 8 minutes of recovery fall between each set of intervals and the main set is followed by 25 minutes at 65% FTP. After last week with 3/4 hard workouts having to be adjusted in some way or another, I needed to see a workout completed without any adjustments. And this was what I needed. Not easy, but I survived.

Steph finally decided to call the doctor on the phone and talk to them personally. It was decided she might have a bacterial infection, and thus they prescribed her some antibiotics. So we were hopeful she was finally on the right track.

Wednesday

Booty day.

2x15 of the following series, then back to the top:
Glute Bridge: Glute Bridge, Bridge to Clam, 1st position Bridge
Quad Ped: Straight Leg Lift, Toe Tap across and side, Circles
Side Lying: Toe Tap, Clams, Press Backs
Standing: Standing Hinge, Leg Press Side, Bend Over Press Back
Moving: Squat Side to Side, Duck Walk, Side Lunges

The run workout was nice and easy. Probably pushed a bit too hard. Still easy, but probably on the high side of easy and more like a long run paced run. Six miles in 50 min at an 8:21 min/mile with a HR of 141.

The swelling on Steph's eye looked like it was getting worse. We agreed she had to go see the doctor in person. Because her eye was coming close to almost being completely swollen closed.

Thursday

Cardio Core! A mixture of jump rope moves, HIT moves, and core moves.

Steph had a mid-day visit with the doctor and they were not happy with how it looked. They immediately sent her to the ER because the antibiotics she was on were definitely not going to be enough. You could barely see her eye through the swelling anymore. So she had to get IV antibiotics (had to be poked 4 times including twice with an ultrasound attempts), then a CAT scan, then a specialist appointment with an optometrist. They were worried the infection had spread behind her eye and thus might compromise her vision for the rest of her life. We were so worried during the whole ER experience. The doctors had little tact or poker face during the experience. They looked worried and said some very odd things. Like, "If I saw you walking on the street, I'd turn the other way." I get it, they were trying to be funny. But Steph and I thought it was hilarious how they just couldn't hold back. Steph is very very lucky. She almost waited too long. The infection had just started to go behind her eye, and much longer it would have been no bueno. The ER doctor said the antibiotics given to her earlier were way too light to do anything. So they gave her some super strength stuff. They almost decided to hold her overnight or for a few days of observation, but decided to let her go home. She's thankful that her hesitance and delay didn't cost her her vision. Things are improving, but it was a long 7 hours in the ER.

Got home at 8:30pm, when I'd normally be heading to bed. But I wasn't going to let a day of ER keep me from attempting the workout. If I had to cut it short, so be it. But I was going to see if I could handle it. The cycling workout was a VO2max workout (similar to a Daniels I workout). Matthes +1 is three sets of 3x3-minute VO2max repeats at 115%FTP. 4 minutes of recovery falls between intervals and 5 minutes of easy spinning separates the sets. Just barely.... able to hold on to this workout. So exhausted at the end of it.

As I was heading to bed, I came to the conclusion that an extra hour of sleep outweighed doing the 80DO in the morning. So I set the alarm for 5:30am and headed to bed. But as I laid there, I said, nah, I got this. So I changed the alarm to 4:30am and prepped myself for a short sleep.

Friday

Woke up Friday morning expecting to be tired, but I wasn't that bad off. So off I went for my favorite 80DO workout - AAA.

AA (arms, abs, and booty)

2x15 of the following series, then back to the top:
1 - Upright Row, Bent over Fly, Frog Sliders, Glute Bridge w/Loop
2 - Push-up, Skull Crusher, Weighted ab sit-up, Quad Ped Heel Press
3 - Bent Over Row, Hammer Curl, Knee Tuck, Fire Hydrant

I just like the feeling this workout gives me. And I can handle some higher weights (20lb and 25lb dumbbells) on many of the moves.

Another easy running day. A total of 6 miles, 51 min, 8:35 min/mile pace, and HR of 143 (although cadence lock throws this off). The strides were in the 5:30-6:00 min/mile range. Felt good.

Saturday

Another doozy Saturday workout series.

The cycling workout was Augusta. Augusta is made up of 4x15-minute hard-start intervals. Each begins with a 30-second surge at 150% FTP and then quickly settles in at 95% FTP for the remaining 14 minutes. Each interval is separated by 3 minutes of recovery. So this would be like doing an R sprint to start a 15 min Daniels T run. A 3 min recovery, and then do it again for 4 total intervals. A challenging bike or run workout indeed. I survived, but the cadence was falling in those later intervals. It was hard to hold on, but I was determined to make it through this week without any adjustments.

Finished that up and went right into 80DO Legs. Was this really a good idea???

2x15 within series
1 - Reverse Lunge, Squats, Curtsy Lunge
2 - Sumo Squat, Front Diagonal Lunge, Twisted Bank Angle Lunge
3 - Single-Leg Good Morning, Hip Hinge, Buddha Squats

Mostly used 20/25 pound weights throughout. My legs were screaming at the tail end of this workout.

Then relaxed and took on the day.

Then around 5pm, it was time for the afternoon run. Another easy one where the focus was on the duration and doing it really really easy. It ended up being 5.5 miles in 52 min at a 9:34 min/mile and HR of 128. A truly easy run.

Sunday

Man I was tired and sore when I woke up. My glutes were really stiff. Laid on the ground for a while just trying to get everything to release. Then prepared myself for the end of the week's cycling workout!

Aniakchak begins with 3x5-minute Endurance intervals between 60-70% FTP that each conclude with a 10-second sprint between 180-200% FTP. The second part of Aniakchak consists of almost 70 minutes of Sweet Spot-ish work between 85-92% FTP with short bouts of aerobic Endurance riding at 55-65% FTP separating each interval. This was like doing a HM Tempo/Daniels T workout, but then only dropping to LR pace during the resting intervals instead of going all the way to easy. Another challenge, but I survived. It got tough there at the tail end.

I considered not even doing the 80DO Cardio Flow because it's practically a nothing workout. But then I decided to view it was a stretch out more than anything else. So wrapped up the week with this easy peasy one.

Only one more hard week left in Short Power Build, then recovery week, then the specialty phase. The run bumps up to 60 min each day for the last two weeks of this plan. And then in 1.5 weeks, I try out a mile test to try and get a rough idea where I'm at leading into the start of real run training. Nice to hit over 14 hours and still able to complete the workouts. Feeling sore, but feeling like I can keep this up. That was another stretch of 20 days in a row, so it'll be nice to take the day off completely tomorrow.

Steph's got another eye appointment tomorrow. Sounds like they think it was an infected tear duct. Would explain why her eye has been watering for the last 1.5 years. So she'll have to have a stint placed in her tear duct to help prevent this from happening again (mid-April). But she's very thankful she didn't lose her vision.

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