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Weekly Training Blog 3: EMOM Pull Ups and minus running

Ok, I’m going to need a better title for this blog than ‘weekly training blog’! If there are any suggestions, please put them in the comments section below.

The running goals took a big setback. My own fault. I left it too late to change the runners and my calves have suffered again because of it. The Achilles has been bothering me on my left side, which I assume was from overcompensation with the issues on my right calf in last week’s run. So feel like I struggled with momentum this past week and the training intensity dipped. But we made up for it on Saturday.

Monday, January 17th

Back into the pool in the am for another swimming lesson. Today’s main drill was holding the paddleboard, alternating arms and, on the third stroke, taking a big gulp of water in. Well, that’s what I ended up doing anyway! If I can get the breathing down, swimming one length before my birthday in March is possible. But for that to happen, I need to stop sinking as I’m swimming. Pretty hard to breathe underwater! But there’s Friday to get my practice in before the next session.

Maybe it was the 20-minute sauna after or staying up late Sunday night for the 49ers game, but the legs were feeling very tired on the AirDyne bike that afternoon. The heart rate was higher than usual with less effort. After 30 mins, I was done. Upper body workout to finish the training day.

Tuesday, January 18th

With how I felt after the Monday session (even took my first bath with Epson salts since the 2018 marathon), I mostly stretched today for 20 minutes or so.

Wednesday, January 19th

Full Body workout to incorporate yesterday’s missed lower body session. The achilles was killing me on the sled so that part of the workout was out. Felt ok on goblet squats and split squats, however. Starting to get worried about the 5k PB with the injuries but hoping it will heal soon. Got a new pair of Hoka runners, finally!

Thursday, January 20th

Still cautious on Deadlifts. And, despite hitting over 100kg just after Christmas, haven’t been close to that since. To compensate, I’ve been doing deadlifts straight into heavy kettlebell swings. Also using the mind bands a lot for more glute engagement that I hope will help with the running.

And then, after feeling shitty for skipping the last 15 minutes on the bike on Monday’s session, I followed up with my first full hour on the bike. Felt good to get the hour in but, man, was it long. It also meant that the lower body session planned was not on the cards that day!

Friday, January 21st

What a complete clustermuck (oh, there’s a stronger word I want to use here) of a training day!

Progress pictures had me in a good mood seeing the training looking like it’s paying off in the mirror anyway:


After getting the truck serviced, it was off to the pool which I thought I had timed perfectly for the beginners swimming lane to be open. Nope. Where I expected no one to be was instead with 8-10 mothers walking in a big circle, singing and swinging their babies. Other lanes that I tried to use got busier and, with the depth further down the pool being too great right now, it was 20 minutes of the sauna after. At least I would get my tempo session in on the bike.

Couldn’t get going on the bike before the evening sessions started, so mire stretching over the lower body, particularly the calves.

Saturday, January 22nd

The early morning cycle didn’t happen as I was caught on time with a scheduled meeting after work. As was my pull up routine due to laziness and bad timing on my part. Calf felt twingy when I tried to push on ahead in the run club so was happy to keep it slow at the back. A long but productive day meant I had energy at the end of the day, around 5 pm and knew I had all the time in the world to get a gym session in now. Besides, with the country opened up again, no distractions, right?

So it was off to the gym where had a f*ck it moment for my pull up routine. I had been slowly increasing my pull up reps for an EMOM (every minute on the minute). Had started the year with 3 reps for 10 minutes but, with how the training had gone over the week, decided it was a Challenge day. 100 reps. 5 reps a minute, 20 minutes. The reps weren’t exactly perfect but delighted to get them done and edge closer to the 15 strict reps in a row goal.

I followed that up with the tempos on the bike with the Rocky music continuing to blare in the empty gym.

Early night sleep, Saturday. Followed a very early wake-up call… 1:10am, to watch my 49ers again make a dramatic comeback victory! Seriously, look at what it does to my stress levels:

Now one win away from the Superbowl! Sunday afternoon as I type this, looking like a training session may not happen but, if it does, it’ll be included in next week’s ‘weekly training blog’

Sean Coffey