Tuesday Morning

Lifted back this morning and then did a speed workout on the treadmill. three sets of 3minute as 9.5 mph, with 3 minutes of 8.0 mph before each set. It looks like it is pretty close to a half mile set at the 6:18 pace. I just did some calculations and the overall shake down looks like this:
2.63 miles, 18:00 minutes, 6:51 pace. I know the average doesn't mean much but it boosts my confidence to know that I can run that fast if I need to, even if I need to slow up at times. Makes me want to push a little faster during my normal runs.

Tonight I plan to swim, if the pool isn't closed like it was on Thursday last.

A Week Later

This week I was effectively nursing injuries so my runs have been much slower then normal.

Tuesday’s run was very slow (26:20, 8:47 pace) so I stretch out my distance to 3 miles then Thursday I pushed a bit more on the speed (22:00, 8:00 pace) and did 2.75 miles. My right groin muscle is probably at 90% as of this morning’s leg workout, and my left knee is pretty close to 100% for running. Though it still didn’t like it when I tried leg curls this morning. I forgot to wear my heart monitor on Tuesday, but Thursday I had an AHR of 163 bpm. That’s much lower then my normal 175 bpm as I’d expect from the slower pace, but it’s also more in my theoretical target range.

My weight is up this week about 3½ pounds. Last week, after not putting on weight for a few weeks, I relaxed my eating habits a bit more; and sure enough I picked up pounds quickly. I was also up to 18% body fat so I’m trying to be just a bit more careful this week.

My lifting is going good. I’m officially half done with my 12 week cycle. I mixed up my lifts this week and got really sore in a good way.

Hang in there guys. Sorry to hear about all the illness.

Missed Two Days In A Row

Almost . . .

Tuesday, for Valentines Day, I got up at 4:30 in the morning to take Ben down for ear tub surgery. I just couldn’t bring myself to get up any earlier to run. The procedure went great and afterwards I came to work until 8:00 pm so by the time I got home I listened to how I felt and wrote off one day. As a matter of fact when the alarm went off at 5:30 am Wednesday morning I wrote off my leg workout as well. I tried to justify going into work late after sleeping in an extra hour, but just couldn’t.

Wednesday night when I got home we got the kids to bed, and then I went over to the church for a bit. On my drive home I was thinking about how doing my leg lift I’d skipped that morning would kill my run on Thursday, but I just couldn’t miss two days in a row. So I didn’t something I never do. I started a workout at 9:30 at night. It went fast. Kristi was helping me get through everything quickly by setting up my weights.

Then Thursday I jumped out of bed and on to the treadmill for my 2.75 miles in 21:29. Not my best time, but it was my best time at that distance in a month. Friday we did our upper body workout. Tomorrow I’m going to play football w/ the Elder’s quorum and call it my run. That will finish out week five of my 12 week lifting routine, and week 26 of my getting back into shape routine. Wow it’s been a whole half year. Tomorrow I’ll see if it helps my football game at all. Please no injuries. . .

Weekend warrior

jason, I think you are focusing too much on numbers and not enough on that feeling you have when you are standing at the train station. I am doing the exact same thing so perhaps it is a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, but when I look at you I see a highly successful, highly motivated, and incredibly fit father of two, with like three or four careers. Disney, investor, and church, plus family if you want to go there. Not only that but you look fantastic and young for your age. Anyway, if we keep it up life is only bound to get better and we will stay healthier and live longer, happier. Even if I weigh 15 pounds more than I used to, or can't bench press as much as I want to. As for winning my age bracket, not a chance, I think a large portion of the top ten all came from my age bracket, usually the most competitive at longer distance events. I am not trying to win, just complete it and have fun. No matter what I do it will be a personal best.

So, Saturday I ran 9 miles in 63:20, 7:02 pace, 160 ahr, 170 mhr. I felt great and my heart rate ranges were great. only a 10 beat swing from average to max. Max was at the end when I was pushing a 9.5 mph pace, 170 is not bad.

Today, I lifted chest, had an okay workout, and then biked 8.6 miles in 25 minutes. Around a 20.5 mph pace. Not bad for a Monday. Weight still holding at 182-184 without clothes and bf 23-24%. Whatever. I feel good and like you Jason, I enjoy the feeling of being done with my workout while most people are just rolling out of bed. No coffee necessary. Mike, I will try to call you tonight, it just depends on whether Christy and I do Valentine's day tonight or tomorrow night. I want to do it tonight so that I can still swim tomorrow, but that is just me being selfish, if Christy wants to do it tomorrow night then I will skip swimming. Your break and my break coincide so you shouldn't have any classes to go to. Briefly, Christy leaves this Thursday to drive down to Georgia for a friends wedding in which Jonas/Christy is the ring bearer. Supposed to be Jonas but he is two and my prediction is that he will freak when he sees everybody watching him;Christy will end up carring him screaming down the aisle. After my finals are over, a week from this Friday, I will fly down to Georgia and drive the family back home on Monday night. I need to talk to Christy but I was thinking we would just come out for the weekend, maybe leave Friday morning and then Monday morning from your place. Something like that. We will talk in the next couple of days.

Tuesday thru Thursday

Hey boys. I sure miss you guys and enjoy this blog site; it kind of makes me feel connected in some small way. Mike, you can still make comments even if you haven't worked out and they don't have to be related to working out either. Anyway, on with the show.

Tuesday, lifted back, ran stairs. I warmed up with a mile or so of slow running on the treadmill, around an 8:30 pace, then did 10 sprints up the stairs, back down the other side, etc. Then I did 5 sets each of jumping up the stairs with the left leg, right leg, and both legs. I then warmed down on the bike for a little bit and did some stretching.

Wednesday. Tired and sore as you can imagine, but my pecs felt decent so I did shoulders and had a great workout (for shoulders, so the great is relative). My legs were toast so I think I tried running for a mile and ended up walking for about 25 minutes after that. Every now and then you just need some time off. I read this articel recently that basically said you have to be flexible enough in your training to take a break when your body needs to and run longer when your body wants to go. For instance, I was going to run long yesterday, but just couldn't do it, and I am grateful for it today. You know, you don't get stronger while you are working out: it is during recovery time that you increase muscle strength and VO2max. If you never give your body the proper chance to recover you won't improve as quickly, if at all. So back to the grateful today part.

Thursday. I felt really good this morning so I focused on abdominals and lower back and then ran 5k. I finished in 21:41, which is 16 seconds faster than my time from last week. Let's see here, something like a 7:00 pace, holy crap, I did it! It is actually just under a 7 minute mile. I want to finish the 5k in under 20 minutes. A ways to go but I am improving each week. I just did the numbers; I don't know if I will be able to do it that fast, especially after a swim and a bike. That would be a 6:26 pace, which I can barely do for a mile. Anyway, on with the story. This evening I went to the pool and swam more than a 1000 yards, not all at the same time mind you but still, I didn't drown. I warmed up for a bit and then did 4 sets of 50 yards freestyle, 3 sets of 100 yards freestyle, and several more sets of 50 yards using just my arms and then just my legs. I warmed down with 50 yards on my back and 50 yards modified breast stroke. Really it could be called a froggy stroke. Whatever. I feel great and warm and tired and ecstatic all at the same time. Tomorrow I will sign up for the tri, I am pretty sure I can do it. Talk to you both soon I hope. Mike, congradulation again on your exciting news, Christy and I both think it is a girl. For what it's worth. Any chance we might come and visit you for a few days at the end of Feb?

Running with a magazine

On Saturday I ran on the treadmill with a runner's world magazine. I had to step to the side a few times to turn sticky pages but other than that it was a total success. Ended up running 6.25 miles in 44:09, 7:04 pace. My heart rate was fine at 157 ahr, 182 mhr. I felt real strong and could have run another couple of miles but they closed the gym on me.

This morniong I lifted chest and ran a mile/biked 4 miles. Really light workout today, tomorrow I am going to hit it hard so I wanted to rest a bit more today. Jason, I read an ad for the new Garmin wrist unit, it looks awesome and I covet!

The last week has been hectic

All of the extra time I had went to studying for three huge exams, I still made time for working out I just didn't have time to sit down and type a posting. Sorry for the disappearing act.

Monday the 30th. Lifted chest and stomach in the gym. ran 3 miles, 21:07, 165 ahr, 183 mhr.

Tuesday the 31st. ran mile for time, 6:21 (on the treadmill). I started out way too fast, backed off around .25 miles, then picked it up again around .75 miles. Need to work on my pace a little bit. Anyway, I then lifted back in the weight room, then rode the stationary bike for 7.6 miles, 20:00 minutes, 22.8 mph.

Wednesday the 1st. I ran 4 miles, 28:40 minutes, 7:10 pace, 163 ahr, 180 mhr. Didn't lift weights today, too sore in the chest from monday's workout. I maxed out, one rep at 225 pounds on the decline bench press (2 plates per side).

Thursday the 2nd. Did a duathlon today (biked then ran). I haven't started swimming yet, because I forgot that I would be studying all night this entire week. How do you forget that? Anyway, I wanted to check myself to see where I stood, having never really attempted anything like tis before, so I biked then ran. 45:00 minutes on the bike, 16.20 miles, 21.6 pmh. Ran 2.5 miles, 17:37 minutes (outside, with a good hill), 7:03 pace, 163 ahr, 181 mhr. Not quite the full 5k distance but it was not an issue of being tired it was an issue of route management. I don't have a route planned yet for a 5k, but the running club has a bunch of different length runs measured out and the closest I could find was 2.5 miles. Felt great adn could easily have run longer. Keep in mind that I didn't swim first, but also keep in mind I had 2.5 hours of sleep the night before this.

Friday the 3rd. Lifted legs lightly, just did hamstrings curls, quad extensions, then one set of squats at a low weight, and one set each of abductor, adductor, and groin muscles. This took maybe 20 minutes tops. Then I ran really relaxed and it felt great, I wanted to not work my legs too hard today because of yesterday. 3.85 miles, 30:00 minutes, 7:47 pace. I thought you would like that Jason. Just to piss you off even more, my ahr was below 150. I maxed at like 170 cause I ran a half mile in the middle somewhere at sub 7 pace. Anyway, long posting, gotta go study. Peace out.

Not much

So I did finally get out to run yesterday. I did 4 miles total. 3.125 of it were done to try to see what I could do in a 5K, the other mile or so was just a warm-up/cool-down. 7:20 mile at the fast pace, 11 for the slow. My legs are still sore the next night. Big deadline on Monday, maybe I'll get out and run again on Tuesday.