Lost. But almost back in the Saddle

After an Epic period of inactivity (I'm not a complete and utter fitness maniac, far from it), we are talking just over 2 months.  Wait I take that back.  If you ignore the 6 runs (mostly under 6 miles) that I did upon returning from Colombia, its been over 3 months.  I've decided to  stoke the fires and try to get back into some kinda shape.  No not really training for anything.  Just need to get that piece of the Trivial Pursuit pie back into it place.  Balance.  You know.

While I've still not really broken through on the running, I have managed to get into a quasi routine into taking some cardio classes at the fitness center.  Plus I've dusted off, and pumped up the tires on the trainer in the basement.  I've road enough that all my "old" saved Prison Break Episodes are over.   I can't bring myself to ride to kids movies, though I enjoy many of them.   So I borrowed "Lost" Season I.

I've never watched a single episode.  I was also interested, but it seemed like one of those series where if you missed a bunch of it, well, you'd be lost.  So now I've got my video's to watch.  And I'm getting the blood flowing again.  Hopefully enough to get the metabolism up just in time of the Holidays season grazing.  

So I was Lost.  But now I'm found.  Ok ok. that was bad.  How about this.  I'm back in the Saddle again...

I don't miss it. Ok well maybe a little.

During our time in Colombia, we had a chance to head over to "the club" and go swimming. They had a pretty nice lap pool. I think it might have been a 50m length. But after only a few hundred meters I was done. I did swim a few more lengths a bit later. But it was nice. Not like I want to sign up for a half ironman tomorow. But the workout was different. I could tell my cardio fitness level wasn't so hot. Not sure where or how I'd get any lap time in with 4 nuggets running around the house. But it would be nice.

How's the Training

Ha ha ha.. I thought to myself when someone asked me. Training. Hmm. Whats that. Then the follow up question came. Are you "signed up for anything". I thought about it. Yes the Fall Fox Valley Marathon in Mid/Late September. But that a long time from now. I've still go a month or two I can slack off.

Its nice to not have the pressure or stress to make time for a training run. Rather, its much more enjoyable to just "find" time and go out for a fun jog. Of course, i've not done that either. Oops! Better start soon, else those Easter jelly beans are gonna stay in the "gut" for awhile.

Tired in advance..

just thinking about the 21miler coming up sometime this weekend is making me sleepy. Have fun storming the Castle...

These tired legs...

No rain, no snow, nor wind chill temps shall keep a runner from his routes...

Despite two blizzards, impassable bike paths. I've managed to keep up my weekly runs. I had to resort to street running, and some loops (gosh I hate running loops), but I've stuck with it. Each run bring a new challenge. Sometimes is the elements. Sometimes its a heavy load on the mind. Sometimes its the Indian food from the night before (OMG did I just write that?!?)

Only 44 days until the Lakefront 50k. Last week was a cutback week. So now its back to business. I'm not really following a training program, but I do know that I need to get a couple 20+ milers in. So now, besides a tired mind and legs, I need to plot a course for about 17 miles, and find the time to do it, since its no longer possible to get those sorts of distances in on Saturday mornings. At least not in snowy conditions.

Why bother to share this? Since I'm running with a few people in mind, I thought it good to share my madness. Or at least my dedication to it. Peace..

13 on the way to 31

It official. Or maybe I'm just certifiable. For many running a 50k would be nuts. But running two? Who on earth do I think I am? Well on March 26th we'll find out. With only 62 days (notice the nifty countdown timer on the right side) its time to get down to business and log some miles.

So its from 7 to 10 to 13.1 in three weeks.

But tomorrow its not about me. Tomorrow I'm running for Rosemary. A friend working through her 3rd round of chemo.. fighting off an unexplained fever.

Lord accept my steps. My labored breaths. My soon to be cold and probably aching legs. Lord accept this offering and provide relief to Rosemary, Bruce her husband, and their children.

Back in the saddle

I've been saying it for weeks (or maybe months or longer). I've been slackin' BIG TIME since the 50k in October. Except for some treadmill running at work, there has been zippo running miles. Just not motivated to get outside yet, though I'm close..despite the cold.

Inside, I've finally decided to get the bike hooked up to the trainer. Not wanting to take up space in the new basement, or to sweat on the nice floor in there. I've relegated myself to my own personal hobbit hole in the utility room. Not being the tallest fella around, I can just fit sitting up. My head touches the cold air returns from the AC system.

Its not pretty, but its there, and more importantly, I'm using it. So I'm getting my daily dose of exercise now. And the bonus, I'm making quicker progress on Destination Kinshasa (only 7000 more miles to go!).

3 mile tune up

A 4 week layoff during the peak of the long mileage training. Two short weeks to attempt to regain some aerobic and cardio fitness, while also attempting to taper. So after a 7 mile, 10mile, 13mile, 7mile, 15mile, and 3 mile tune up.... That's all she wrote

Now we are really gonna see if I can just "run" a marathon. I suspect there will be plenty of walking. No need to injure anything. So the question is not if, but WHEN will I hit the wall. Mile 18? 20? 22? Maybe earlier...

On Sunday we'll find out, as the Inaugural Fox Valley Marathon kicks off

Great Googly Mooglies!

So wrapped up in other things, that the beginning of the 18 week marathon training schedule came an went. And I'm not talking about just yesterday or the day before. By most account I'm already into week 3. WEEK 3!!!!

Fortunately. Week three is a cut back week, and most training plans have that being in the 6-8 mile range. So I'm good there. But I need to pick a plan pronto as next week will be 9-11 or so.

Giddy up!!

Week 2: New Year,New You!

Its week two of the "New Year, New You!" at the fitness center. I"m wicked bored/tired of counting calories. What a major drag. I get the idea, yes I see what I'm eating or home much some foods add to the diet. I just need to get out and run more, to get back to burning more calories. That said. My "weigh in" last week was unusually high following the family get together (and Teds over eating) at the water park. and the "weigh in" for reasons I'm not yet sure, must be low this week. As there is a 6 pounds difference. That's to much for 1 week. Yeah yeah. Water weight. I get that. but for me..that is typically a 2lbs swing. Maybe I really really over ate last week, and was still "full of it". I'm sure J would shake her head yes....

On another note. It appears as if running in my 4th Chicago Marathon could be in doubt. A close friend is getting married on the 10th of October, so I do not yet have family clearance to run that race. We'll see how that goes, and if I can find an alternative.

Peace

Its FUN again? well maybe just a little..

Just a quick note. Not sure mentioned it here before. But I used to always say running was not something I "loved" to do, but could do. You know the whole exercise thing. I did you to enjoy "getting away" during my runs. To alleviate stress and stuff like that. It dawned on me a few months back. I'm not having "fun" anymore. In fact, running became a chore. Perhaps I even resented trying to squeeze in time for it. I'm sure wicked working hours, and prolonged lack of sleep didn't help. But something unusual (at least for this year) happened on Saturday and today.

It sounds sadistic to say a 22 mile run was fun. But it I can say didn't suck either. And today I did 8x800's (pushing E2 around in the jogger) and I must say I actually enjoyed it.

It might be to late to salvage a good time at this years marathon, being only a couple weeks away and all, but I can be hopeful that maybe I'll enjoy it a bit more than I was anticipating.

Peace

1, 2, 3, 4, who are you looking four..

5, 6, 7, 8, who do we appreciate

20, 15, 22... what??

Ah, nothing like an early night sleep before a TWENTY TWO mile training run. Frankly, I'm thinking, if you any can finish a 22mile training run, whats an extra 4.2 for a full marathon. Well it will be good practice for me. with such little sleep this week, and a less than ideal diet this week, running 22 tomorrow morning should...

well I guess we will find out. So what are YOU doing tomorrow?

Team World Vision Digital Footprint (Its FREE!)

We've gotten notifications from the Team Captains about a program for the upcoming 2009 Chicago Marathon. Bank of America (title sponsor) is creating digital footprints. You can go to this website:

http://footprint.chicagomarathon.com/

It will ask for a name, email, and a password. When the mock-up of the footprint comes up Please be sure to select "Team World Vision" within the "Choose a charity logo" and the "Choose a Charity to Receive $1 from Bank of America"

You too can make a difference, and this is easy (and FREE) way to help our cause.

Peace

Ka-Boom!

The Ka-Boom never came. After a full (quite exhausting) day of car shopping yesterday, the family finally got to the pool party/picnic about 6pm. Only 4 hours late. Mama and Papa needed to relax. Car dealer. Car (snake-oil) salesman. Numerous call to numerous dealers to find cars that just aren't there. E1 and E2 getting on the fritz. It was kinda rough. In the end, we think we've got a car, its at a new dealer, that just opened yesterday, but they aren't registered for cash-for-clunkers yet. So everything (the final sale) is on hold until that comes through. Hopefully in the next couple of days.

So what better way to relieve all that pent up stress and anxiety ? Beside a hot tub, a pool, and fun with friends. how about getting up a 5am to go run 18 miles. WHO'S WITH ME! Anyone? Bueller? Its was moderate when I started, but after sunup, the humidity came out. I must say though, this 18 miles went immensely better than the 14 last week. I did get a mild headache, but I'm trying something now. Pumping myself full of caffeine to keep the blood thinner. Maybe that's helping.. or maybe Its just getting me wired.. I dunno (ok that's a job, I drink enough coffee already that caffeine doesnt really get me wired anymore).

So what did you do with you sunday? Many exciting this to come in the next few days. Stay tuned.

Peace

Things to do while its Hot..

When its Hot and Steamy, Humid and Miserable, Without AC and not much of a breeze. What do you do. What sounds like fun?

How about driving downtown for a 1.5mile swim. Thats refreshing. Except there was a slight breeze and while there were no whitecaps, there were some mild swells which made swimming an undulating experience.

How about running 14 miles in blistering humidity, despite being overcast. The kinda heat and humidity where you can great drenched just walking, much less trying to get in a 14 miles training run.

Perhaps you'd rather enjoy a nice exercise induced migraine that lasted about 15 hours from early stupidity (like swimming and running downtown, without much breakfast, and evidently not enough hydration).

I know. I'm sure its a favorite "Hot and Humid" activity of you all. Going to Home Depot to by 5/8 inch drywall (that's the really heavy stuff) so you can spend the entire day in your hot garage hanging and taping drywall. Of course not before having removed everything from the garage, including de-installing the existing hanging cabinets, only to have your drywall hanging FUN interrupted by an unexpected (at least to me) rain storm, such that all the "garage stuff" started to get soaked.

To be fair, I'm not really complaining. You take the good and the bad. The drywall needed to be done. And hopefully tomorrow I can wash my hands of it once I get the paneling and the cabinet rehung. The poor training runs have left me thinking that all the late "work" nights are having a significant impact on my ability to run longer distances. And plus, that was that kinda soul that shared some of her freezer pops with my friend Dave and I as we were on about mile 13 of the run. Freezer pop while hot on humid. Dang! that was the best freezer pop in the world...

So how did you spend you wicked hot and humid days...

Hi Ho Hi ho.. its off to Church we go...

Spring is officially here, as our family biked to Church for the first time this year. What was fun is that E1 road his "3rd wheel" bike. So E1 was attached to Papa's bike, and E2 was pulled in the Chariot behind Mama's bike.

It was tiring, just ask Mama. But the boys had fun. With our weekly coffee house trip, it added some extra miles onto the ride. So by the time we got home, Mama was really pooped from the 15 mile ride.

What a great way to spend some family time on a Sunday... We hope you all had a great day as well.

Peace

3 days, 4 days, 5 days.. OH MY!

Its a busy world. Jobs. Kids. Household chores. Who's got time for 5 or 4 training days a week? I know it hard for me to get 5 runs in a week. Through in triathlon training, and now you need to add in swimming and biking to the mix. So who really has 6 or 7 days a week. Certainly not me.

I'm working on a shift to the 3 day marathon training programs. That leaves 4 days to get in cross training, swimming, biking, or just plain rest. 3 days a week for marathon training? I like the sound of that. I've updated the links section of the blog, you can find out more here as well.

http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novice3intro.htm

or

http://www.furman.edu/first/fmtp.htm

The last registration is in..

I just registered for the 2009 Aspirus Keweenaw Copperman Triathlon. So the event schedule is now locked and loaded. Should be a fun event year.

I'm looking forward to easing back into the triathlon routine. I've hit the pool three times already (missed this past Sunday however). And I'm on the trainer between 5 and 7 times a week in the basement. While nothing will substitute for taking the bike on the road, at least I'm rebuilding my comfort level to being on the road bike, and being in the aerobar position.

I'll keep you posted on that stuff... and I've got some more news I'm waiting for a few spare moments to post about. Namely something regarding the previous post.

Peace

Determining Zones and Pace

Getting back into triathlons this year, I've started to dig out old training articles to reacquaint myself with some training tip and principals. And with a couple of new triathletes possibly following this blog, I figured I would repost the info as find it.

Basic training for a marathon is getting in your miles. As you progress, you tweak workouts to include more hills, or speedwork, or intervals. Its relatively easy to monitor progress and improvement during that training.

How do you monitor improvement for triathlon training? Well here's an article that describes how to determine your HR zones, and pace for swimming, biking, and running. The technique is about using time trials. Enjoy the article Determining Zones and Pace

Peace

Splash! and Uuugh!

For the first time since the completion of the 2007 Chicago Accenture Triathlon I went to a pool with the intent to train. After more than 1 year away from competing in triathlons, I registered for a few this years. So I felt it was time to get the feet wet, literally.

I spent 1 hour, with some rest breaks, in the pool. Just going through some basic drills that I remembered from years past. It felt good to be back in the pool, but it didn't take long at all to feel the effect of almost 1.5 years away from swimming.

Arms and shoulders are now sore. The lung capacity isn't there. And to top it all off, towards the end of the hour, I actually began to feel nauseous. No had I been swimming in a lake with waves, I might have expected that, but not in a pool. Its a good thing that I talked myself into going, and taking a break from the basement remodel. Clearly I need to start putting in some training time in the pool.

So how was YOUR Saturday?

Peace!