07-30-20 03:16 PM - Post#900871    

I don't know why I like this simple workout so much but I do. After rehabbing from my biannual back injury (not a serious injury), I started back on training for this. I also started running every day with the goal of running 100 days in a row. Made it to day 65 when I injured my back and had to take a week off. Now I am at day 33.

To train for the kettlebell mile, I started with a light kettlebell because of the back. I managed a mile in 8:25 with a 25lb bell. Then I moved to a 45lb bell and worked my way to 9:15. Threw caution to the wind and tried the 24kg bell (53lbs) and managed 9:45 for the mile! My goal was to someday go under 10. I made it. I think I can go 9:30 if my grip holds out. It's super hot and humid out and I am not using gloves or chalk. Training has been basically running every day, with mon, wed and friday runs consisting of the kettlebell mile as fast as I can. Also, basic, simple, strength training on mon, wed, friday.

Back to training now and managed 8:15 with the 24lb bell yesterday. Feel like I can go faster.

Observations...this is primarily a cardio challenge with the lighter bell and a muscular fatigue challenge with the heavier bell (grip strength, maintaining rigid core etc.).

I'm not sure I would recommend training for it the way I have been doing it but it works for me.

Another observation. All training is supportive. The kettlebell mile helps my strength training and running and vice versa.

www.mikeprevost.com "The quality of movement, I think, trumps load...unless it is a contest about load." Dan John

07-30-20 03:19 PM - Post#900872    

Mi Capitan!

Mark it Zero.

07-30-20 08:28 PM - Post#900880    

I remember trying to explain something like this to some Navy guys I know. What they heard was:

Run 10k with the 32K bell.

Not what I meant. They told me it was harder than they thought.

A compliment.

Daniel John Just handing down what I was handed down... Make a Difference. Live. Love. Laugh. Balance work, rest, play and pray (enjoy beauty and solitude) Sleep soundly. Drink Water. Eat veggies and protein. Walk. Wear your seat belt. Don’t smoke. Floss your teeth. Put weights overhead. Pick weights off the floor. Carry weights. Reread great books. Say thank you

Kettlebell Mile Revisited
07-30-20 09:24 PM - Post#900882    

Why, though?

• mprevost Said:

It's not clear how you get from this data to that conclusion. You injured yourself running without load, so your solution is to... add load?

Athletic Club East Strength in numbers

Edited by Kyle Aaron on 07-31-20 01:29 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

07-31-20 12:20 AM - Post#900884    

I trail run 3 days a week
I take a large metal jug but it is less than 10 pounds.
I usually drop it off and run loops.
So I never carry it more than half a mile.
25 pounds seems crazy.
Do you carry it hanging at your side?

07-31-20 10:05 AM - Post#900904    

You're a beast, Mike.

Be strong. Be in shape. Be a man among men, regardless of your age or circumstances.

Re: Kettlebell Mile Revisited
07-31-20 10:16 AM - Post#900907    

• Kyle Aaron Said:

Agreed, absolutely makes ZERO sense to me.

I like running 3-5 miles but 100 days in a row? No recovery? That's a recipe for an injury even if it's only 1 mile.

Congratulations on reaching your goal. You are a beast, I'll give you that.

07-31-20 01:16 PM - Post#900916    

I like the concept of the KB mile if walking; I've always like long-distance carries, with a mile being about the outer limit of what I consider a reasonable, effective effort.

I don't see any reason to do it running, but maybe I just need to harden up.

Kettlebell Mile Revisited
07-31-20 02:48 PM - Post#900919    

I'm not recommending this for anyone else. This is a personal experiment. It's low risk for me but it may not be for you. For me these are light load and low run volumes.I've run consistently for 40 years. By the way, 7:23 for 1 mile of 26lb kettlebell
.

www.mikeprevost.com "The quality of movement, I think, trumps load...unless it is a contest about load." Dan John

Edited by mprevost on 07-31-20 04:54 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

07-31-20 03:49 PM - Post#900923    

• mprevost Said:

Awesome experiment. I did the kettlebell walking mile with a 16kg bell recently and it was a fun experiment though it took me about 3 times as long as you did it with the 24kg. I've just resumed running after a two decade hiatus and if it goes well may try a running kettlebell mile with a light bell.

"Coyote is always waiting, and Coyote is always hungry."

Re: Kettlebell Mile Revisited
07-31-20 03:55 PM - Post#900924    

• BChase Said:

Mike doesn't say how he hurt his back so maybe it was something other than the running? Perhaps he can clarify.

If you leave our ego behind and do easy runs, 100 days straight should be doable. Easy runs (about 50% VO2max) are a recovery activity.

"Coyote is always waiting, and Coyote is always hungry."

Re: Kettlebell Mile Revisited
07-31-20 04:58 PM - Post#900925    

• Kyle Aaron Said:

 

Re: Kettlebell Mile Revisited
07-31-20 05:10 PM - Post#900927    

• BChase Said:

Ron Hill managed a 52-year streak! You can absolutely get used to running daily. I mean, people walk daily for 80 years without a break.

07-31-20 08:10 PM - Post#900930    

I ran close to 400 days in a row in the 80’’s
But none of them with a kettle bell

08-05-20 03:29 PM - Post#901056    

Managed 7:54 with a 35lb kettlebell for a mile today. Plus, day 40 of running every day. Have not self destructed yet, Ha ha.

www.mikeprevost.com "The quality of movement, I think, trumps load...unless it is a contest about load." Dan John

Kettlebell Mile Revisited
08-06-20 10:20 AM - Post#901091    

Did my workout today at the local high school track with a 55 lb. bell. When I was finished, or when my wife asked me if we were done, I said, "Let's warm down by walking a lap." Grabbed the bell and did a suitcase carry for 1/4 mile. Felt good, no way I could do a mile right now walking without putting it down. Could probably do 2 laps, but the last 110 yard would be a miserable experience.


Edited by BChase on 08-06-20 10:20 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

08-06-20 12:39 PM - Post#901108    

• mprevost Said:

I can see surviving this if the runs were all really easy. How would you describe the intensity of these runs?

"Coyote is always waiting, and Coyote is always hungry."

08-06-20 04:51 PM - Post#901113    

• Steve Rogers Said:

Hard as hell! Seriously, almost lost my breakfast on the last effort. The hardest are the lightest (26lb) and heaviest (54lb) weights. The lightest load is a real cardiovascular, max heart rate kind of effort. The heaviest is lower heart rate but hard on the core, grip, traps etc.

So far I have survived 3 weeks of doing this 3 times per week. Not sure I want to push it beyond 6 weeks but we will see.

www.mikeprevost.com "The quality of movement, I think, trumps load...unless it is a contest about load." Dan John

Re: Kettlebell Mile Revisited
08-06-20 05:13 PM - Post#901114    

Attached is the relationship between load and time so far. If I draw a line to zero pounds load, I get about a 5 minute mile. No way. The relationship is definitely not linear below 25lbs. I would speculate that I could manage a 6 minute mile right now, approximately.

www.mikeprevost.com "The quality of movement, I think, trumps load...unless it is a contest about load." Dan John

Re: Kettlebell Mile Revisited
08-06-20 05:45 PM - Post#901118    

Extrapolating your curve visually it looks like it would be a 6:30 or 6:40 mile to me. Three days a week "hard as hell" does allow some time for recovery. The curve doesn't look linear to me so I envisioned a + e^x.

"Coyote is always waiting, and Coyote is always hungry."

Edited by Steve Rogers on 08-06-20 05:48 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

Re: Kettlebell Mile Revisited
08-07-20 04:47 PM - Post#901160    

• Steve Rogers Said:

I think it intercepted zero pounds at under 6 minute mile actually. Not doable by me right now for sure.

Recovery seems fine because the workouts are short, less than 10 minutes. So far, so good.

www.mikeprevost.com "The quality of movement, I think, trumps load...unless it is a contest about load." Dan John

Re: Kettlebell Mile Revisited
08-21-20 12:59 PM - Post#901639    

This is embarrassing, especially at my age. Though the track is marked as 1/4 mile and at least 3 gym employees assured me that it was measured at 1/4 mile, it is not. It is 1/5 mile. Measured it myself today with my 100 foot tape measure. All of my kettlebell times need to be adjusted upward by 5/4. That puts my 24kg time closer to 12:30ish. Oh well. At least my goal is still in tact.

www.mikeprevost.com "The quality of movement, I think, trumps load...unless it is a contest about load." Dan John

08-21-20 01:36 PM - Post#901640    

Hardly your fault, Mike, nothing to be embarrassed about. Times are still impressive.

Thanks to everyone who makes this forum so useful and such a good place to be.

Kettlebell Mile Revisited
08-02-21 01:09 PM - Post#912315    

What are your times currently?

Today was my first attempt.

EDIT

A mile is 1,6km, not 1,2km.




Edited by SinisterAlex on 08-02-21 01:13 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

Re: Kettlebell Mile Revisited
08-04-21 04:50 PM - Post#912373    

Went the 1.6km today






Edited by SinisterAlex on 08-04-21 04:52 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.