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?
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?
posted by John J Cherry at 7:53 PM
2 Comments:
Couldn’t agree more about listening to your body and the need for rest. Some times I get really good at the argument for rest at 5:30 in the morning, but then I get out of bed anyway. Actually it’s been interesting how quickly I’ve converted back over to the up before 6:00 am schedule. I love being up before everyone else. It honestly feels like I’m getting a jump on everyone else. When I get to the train station after being up for a couple of hours I look around at people sucking down coffee trying to wake up. And there I stand nourished, hydrated, and exercised. It’s a good feeling.
I’m relying on those feelings these days because my numbers aren’t making me too happy. I’m so stuck at 176 pounds and 17.5% it’s driving me crazy! Don’t get me wrong these were great numbers when I first saw them right before Christmas, but some change would be nice by now. I’d actually like to be gaining weight provided that 17.5% doesn’t get too bad. I’ve been more hungry lately so I’ve been eating more while sticking to high quality calories, but every other day after my run, my numbers are within a very narrow range. Last Thursday I got up to 178, but yesterday I was right back at 176; frustrating.
When I’m being vain and standing in front of a mirror with a good pump I think I’m making progress, but that’s too subjective. My workouts are going good and I’m making progress in how much I’m lifting, but I don’t feel like it’s having the impact I was hoping for. My run is stagnant at best as well. I started off yesterday’s run a bit slower still as I try and manage my heart rate down a bit. Ran my 2.75 miles in 21:48 or just barely under a 8:00 minute pace. My average heart rate was still 173 bpm with a max at 197 bpm.
Don’t mean to complain too much. And I’m very happy to see you’re doing great. You did 3.1 miles faster then I did 2.75 miles. It’s going to be great when you win your age bracket at this triathlon. Keep up the good work.
So once again another week has passed and I didn't get any exercise in at all. I took stuff with me to run today but then my stomach was hurting and I just didn't feel up to it, so I didn't run today either. I did leave my stuff on campus though so that I can do a run Monday or Tuesday of next week though, or possibly tomorrow, but I somehow doubt that will happen. Anyway, on a non-fitness note, John we definitely want you to come out and visit us whenever you can. I have my winter break the week of February 25th, so if that is when you come I won't even have classes to go to. Give us a call and let's chat about plans for late February and this summer as well.
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