Belgian middle distance runner in the USA

Week 07 - Don`t you think it`s time for a change?

2012-02-15T08:38:00.003-05:00

After Tuesday`s workout, the next rest cycle of my summer preparation started. With 4 anaerobic capacity trainings in 9 days, the previous training cycle ended quite intense. The body is reacting pretty good on this type of workout. As already mentioned, the trainers of the High Performance Running Team already know this via the tests of our in-house scientist (Dr. Jan Olbrecht). On Monday

Week 06 - Hilly week

2012-02-12T21:06:00.000-05:00

The trainers of the High Performance Running Team planned 3 hill repeat workout sessions this week. As the week progressed, the recovery came back to the level that I had before my 'mandatory' yearly winter cold. As such, the body recovered quite well from the hard hill repeat on Monday in the course of Tuesday (travel day this week) and Wednesday. On Thursday the second hill repeat was

Week 05 - Bad cold affects workout execution

2012-02-08T18:16:00.000-05:00

The Sunday following the indoor mile test, my throat was sore and my nose was stuffed. The rest of the week I was suffering from a bad cold (otitis). As it was my first cold in a long long time, I`m absolutely not complaining at all. In order to prevent to make it worse, the workouts in Detroit were executed on the treadmill. I don`t like running on any machine, however sometimes it makes more

Week 04 - Pictures Mile race

2012-02-04T13:09:00.002-05:00

The pictures of the mile race of last weekend are posted below. The form changes as the lactic acid accumulated in my blood. We don`t have a picture of the final lap (267m). Lap 1 - slow start in 3rd place Lap 2 - picking up the pace from behind Lap 3 - closing the gap with the leading guys Lap 4 - stepping on the gas, in front of the group Lap 5 - lactic acid all over the

Week 04 - First "race" test on endurance training

2012-02-01T10:40:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, a first test was planned. At the indoor meeting of ETSU, I ran the invite mile as an unattached runner. Beforehand, I knew that I would crash. The only question was: “How far can I make it before the lactic acid kicks in” It was my first race since we left Belgium mid-August. My trainers of the High Performance Running Team wanted to know how far the base training would

Week 03 - When the going gets tough the ...

2012-01-22T19:49:00.001-05:00

... tough get going. It`s a pretty lame quote, but it makes sense to a lot of dedicated and passionate athletes. In many (most) cases we aren`t professionally dedicated to our sport. So once in a while, I reach out to this lame quote. This was quite a hectic week. I`m in full delivery mode on the project at my client site in Detroit. This means I`m working 40+ hours in a 4 day timespan. If

Week 03 - Workout schedule

2012-01-20T10:15:00.001-05:00

Some of the visitors of this running blog might have noticed the weekly volume that I`m mentioning. Some of them might wonder why this was increased in such a significant way. Looking on all parameters and results of the series of tests, the team around me believes that my physiologic system reacts heavily on shorter (and faster) stimulations. The lactate testing by Dr. Jan Olbrecht (the High

Week 02 - Picking up the faster paces

2012-01-15T14:24:00.002-05:00

We`re picking up the faster paces since this week. The workouts that are planned in Detroit are still on the slower side. My recovery runs are executed around 4`20/K (sub 7`00 on a mile). The easy - but longer - runs have a pace around 4`00/K (6`24/mile). On Tuesday, I had my first alactic anaerobic system training since a very long time. The feeling was still OK during the training. On

Week 02 - Recovery during travel

2012-01-09T22:28:00.001-05:00

, a photo by woutvandegaer on Flickr. Proper recovery is important for every athlete. Due to the fact that I run more than 100K per week on average, recovery is an important factor in my weekly planning. In order to get the maximum recovery, I wear the PRO socks of Herzog Medical (a High Performance Running Team sponsor) during my travel days. The flights between Charlotte and Detroit take

Week 1 - Active recovery at the end of training cycle #5

2012-01-08T16:15:00.001-05:00

During the week that my parents came over to the USA, trainers Tim and Dirk of the High Performance Running Team planned a week of active recovery. It was my fifth (5th) training cycle since we started our summer preparation begin September. As my parents wanted to get a glance of the American way of living, we visited a couple of interesting towns and cities in North and South Carolina. In

Week 1 - Morning runs with my dad

2012-01-07T23:00:00.001-05:00

Week 1 - morning runs with my dad, a photo by woutvandegaer on Flickr. Via Flickr: As mentioned earlier, my mum and dad visited North Carolina and Charlotte this week. It has been a long while since my dad and I went for a run together. This week we could see the sun rise during 2 recovery runs in the morning. A very special moment and feeling! Chatting about norms and values in life while

Brooks Ghost 4 after ~1,000K mileage

2012-01-07T22:46:00.001-05:00

Brooks Ghost 4 after ~1,000K mileage, a photo by woutvandegaer on Flickr. Via Flickr: My old pair of Brooks Ghost 4 hit a nice mileage of ~1,000K. Luckily I'm a forefoot striker. Can you notice the difference with one of my brand new pairs? Golden tip if you do multiple workouts on one day: alternate your running shoe pairs to keep them in optimal condition. The shock absorption material needs

Preview Week 01 - Belgian visitors in North Carolina

2011-12-31T17:10:00.000-05:00

In the upcoming week, we will host our Belgian visitors in our apartment in Charlotte. My mum and dad fly over to spend a week in the Carolinas. We expect them later this evening for a blast of a NYE dinner. Tim and Dirk were aware of this and put together a week of relative rest after the higher mileage in the past 4-5 weeks. The plan holds 11 training sessions totaling 93K. There should be

Running blog update - up to the next level

2011-12-31T16:04:00.000-05:00

First of all my best wishes to you - the reader of this blog - for the new year 2012! I hope you will be able to stretch yourself and chase your dreams. Since my last race in Belgium, there was not a single update from my side on my old running blog. My friends and family that are connected via Facebook and/or Twitter had regular mini-updates on my workout schedule/progress. As you might know