Cycling, Fitness and Other Things
Running
Today’s Run JWMS
01297 days
Today, I planned to run down the street and back to Starbucks, but Teri was joining me and she has some soreness below her left knee, so she wanted to run at Joe Walker Middle School, because the track is rubberized. To be honest, I did not want to run there. I do not like going in circles when I am by myself. I do not mind if someone runs next to me, but Teri and I run at different paces, so I know I would be by myself.
I started out slow and sore. My knees were talking to me, I felt the entire time it was not going to be a fast pace. Overall, I did run a 9:36 pace, 10 seconds off from yesterday, but the last lap is where I try to run all out, today it was a disappointment at 2:02, I always try to get it under two minutes. The entire time was the same conversation, about stopping and quitting. I did not quit, boy, but I wanted too.
The weather was muggy, but cool. We finished and I was sore in the knees and shins. We drove home and I stopped at Starbucks to get my iced coffee. I walked home and took the dog on a three mile walk in the heat. My hip and left knee really started to talk to me on the walk, but they will quiet down after I get some rest. Today we are having a family party, so it will slow fitness day which will be very pleasant.
Saturday’s Run
01299 days
This morning, Teri did not get out of bed, so I ran by myself. We all stayed up late with Hannah rewatching the movie Napoleon Dynamite.
I set out to give my best time, it is a goal to ran faster. Since I ran three miles on Thursday, I felt that I had not completely recovered. My knees were sore, but I still ran. Overall, I have to say it was my best time to date. It was a 9.26 pace for the two miles, running at 6.3 mph. My last runs were, 9:40, 9:53, 10:27 and 10:10.
This mornings podrunner pick was at 168 PBM.
Again, my reward is going to Starbucks and getting an iced coffee.
My heart rate seems seemed to climb early but leveled out, the graph looks better then last weeks.
2008 A.V. Summer Cross-Country Series
01300 days
What does the 2008 A.V. Summer Cross-Country Series and me have in common? Hum. As you can guess, I want to be a runner, so I decided tonight to run with the big dogs. I went to Pelona Park in Palmdale and met up with the 150 or so runners.
The High Desert Runners club is again sponsoring its annual summer series of all-comers cross-country meets for Antelope Valley area runners. This year’s series will run for seven weeks on Thursday evenings beginning June 26 through July 31, with the final meet either on Thursday Aug. 7 or the morning of Saturday, Aug. 9. Meets feature a 3-mile race and a 1-mile non-competitive fun run.
I just returned to running on July 3rd after about two months off, due to my stupid calf being torn. Since this time, I have run about five times and each two miles or less. I was going run the three miler!
So, with all this youth before me, I ran. I felt a little scared and but I was ready. The pack took off and I turned on my GPS and put in my headphones and listened to Podrunner at 164 beats per minute. The course is all hills, you start on the soccer field and head on to the dirt path. The first mile, a gent shouted out a time of 9:42, hey I like that. The half way point was up this great big hill. This hill was a walk, it hurt. This entire run was designed to hurt this middle-aged man. The second mile I heard 21:09 after coming off that hill, that was ok. I finished at 31:45 and came in at 111 place.
It was great to see so many friends that were there. First was the Water’s. Thomas was to run and his mom Sandra watched. I love these folks. I saw the Mullins, all of them. April, Dan, John and James. Dan and the boys run the one miler. John and James also ran the 3 miler. I spent the entire time running behind James. I wanted so badly, to finish before him, but youth prevailed. I saw the Parsons, those girls can run.
I finished with only walking the big hill. I felt accomplished and overall felt pretty good. Next week, I plan to do it again, but I plan to beat my time!
Here is a map of the pain.
Swim, Walk and Run
01303 days
Today’s activities, I lifted weights and felt really good, but made myself so tired, I could hardly lift my arms at my desk. I went home had dinner and went swimming at 8:30pm. I saw and swam with Marissa Alonsagay from work. She just started coming. She was reserving a lane as well as I was, when this big guy from the opposite side, just sorta jump into her lane, that made it easy she would swim in my lane. I swam hard as I could for a two laps. The first lap is somewhat easy, but I get tired, and the second lap is not in very good form. I am trying to swim as hard as I can and increase my distance. I did a couple of all out in two laps, then settled into 10 laps of breast stroke. My arms were so tired (from weight lifting), and I finished up swimming some more all out one laps. I got out before Marissa, and went to the showers.
When I got home, I knew I wanted to walk my dog, (that is good for 6,000 steps). My wife Teri joined me and when we got to 15th street and Avenue H, I suggested running to 20th Street West. That would be 1/2 mile, (we ran the day before for two miles). We started running and I stopped at H and 20th, but Teri kept going. What! I started to run after her. She ran all the way home, that is 1-1/2 miles total. I managed to run it as well, since I could not let my wife beat me. I had no plans on running this day.
She mentioned how good it was to run that distance and at that time (it was about 10:30pm), she normally gets more tired when we run in the morning, but she stated she had plenty of energy, she had dinner prior, and when we run in the mornings, she does not eat prior to running.
Overall, it was a very tiring day.
This Morning Run
01305 days
This morning, Teri and I got out around 7:00 am to run. I still running two miles, but want to increase my speed, then return to more distance. This is the first day running with my new iphone (ya me!), and it worked great. I listen to podcast called podrunner, today’s pick is a mix of 154 beats per minute. This helps pace me for the entire run.
The pace was 9:40 at 6.2 mph. My last runs were: 9:53, 10:27 and 10:10 (first time since injured). My reward is going to Starbucks and getting an iced coffee. Today I talked to the Frevert’s, Marilyn, Maryann, and Marcy. (Did not see Mitch). Marcy has a full ride to the Master’s college in Cross County. She is running six miles a day, while the family cycles next to her. Go Marcy! I am very proud of her and this family!
My heart rate seems a bit high (my max is 181). It shows that I need more fitness to bring it down.
Tonight’s Run
01309 days
After riding to work and back home, today, I needed to run (why, I do not know). Teri and I met Tracy there. Also was the High Desert Runners, including Zac Patten and his mom, Tania. Teri and Tania ran together, while Tracy and I ran together. Zac ran with the runner’s group. Tracy did an intense workout at the gym, and was beat, so I need to take advantage of that!
I wanted to run 2.0 miles, but since it was still over 100 degrees, we agreed to run 1.0 and then walk 1/2 mile. After the resting walk, we ran 1/2 mile to finish. The last 1/2 mile was to be a faster pace. This run was hard. I was glad that was over.
I am now eating dinner and vegging on the couch…
Today’s Run
01312 days
This is the third day of running in a row. I was a bit nervous to run three days in a row after being laid off due to injury. My calf is sore today, but I do not sense it is being hurt.
I got out after stretching at 8:00 am, yes I slept in. I went to bed at 11:30pm, so I have no excuse except being lazy. I ran the same path as the last two days. I was running those two miles in 19:51 at a 9:53 pace. That is best pace of all three days, to me it felt slower, but I liked it.
After the run, again to Starbucks for a tall Iced Coffee and a blueberry muffin.
Second Day of Running
01313 days
I wanted to run a few days in a row. In my mind I want to work myself up to running about six days a week, Monday through Friday running short distances and before work, followed by Saturday with a longer run. Right now, I am using small distances just not to get so beat up. I am only running a slow two miles. However, I am running on the curb, because I can get out of the house quickly, without having to drive somewhere.
Today was day two of running. It was much harder than day one, because I got out at 9:00am and the temperature was 80-85. Second, my calf started to talk to me. I backed off the pace (10:27, compared to 10:10 from yesterday). To me, the pace is good for a “return to run” status. At times, I want to “kick” it up, but I have to tell myself that I need to work in to it.
Also, the reward at the end of the run was Starbuck’s. Today, it was a tall (Starbuck talk for small), Iced-Coffee.
Back From Injury!
11314 days
In my mind I set July 1st as the day I could return to running. I tore my right calf muscle playing softball on May 22nd. I thought I was healing well and re-injured it when in Las Vegas on the treadmill. At work my fitness partner, Tracy gave me an article that convicted me. Summed up, to lose belly fat (the thing I hate the most about my body) is to have calorie deficit by doing activities that include intensity X duration X frequency. I was convicted, I do my steps each day an average of about 16,000 but, I like to eat and drink. I was convicted, because I do not have much intensity or duration or frequency. I hang my head in shame. So, to offset this I set in my mind to increase my activities for this month. I am working on a list of things that I would like to do. I have two goals to run a 5K on August 2nd and enter a Splash and Dash or it is a 1/4 mile swim followed by a 5K. i am not sure of the date of the event. My pastor and his wife are doing it, so I thought I would like do it as well.
This morning, I got up, stretched, drink a small cup of juice and ran from the house to the light pole at Avenue H, and returned, by stopping at Starbucks as a reward. A new Starbucks had just opened yesterday by our house. Overall the running was 1.94 miles. This is the first run since my injury. I started to get a side stitch, but pressed on. Average speed of a 10:10 pace. Not bad for two months off.
I returned to the house to change into my cycling clothes and rode almost 22 miles. I wanted to get out before the heat came up. My leg felt like it had small cramp, but did not hurt. I managed to ride at average speed of 17.2 miles per hour.
Overall I was not disappointed so far in the day. Here are some results from motionbased.
Garmin Foot Pod
01315 days
I had a birthday last week. I turned 49, Yippee. One of the best gifts that I received for my birthday was from Tracy (my fitness partner) it was a Garmin Foot Pod. I have a Garmin Forerunner 305 which I use to track my activities. The 305 is GPS based, but sometimes is not able to see the satellites, so the Foot Pod will allow me to train indoors and still track my distance, pace and calories burned. The wireless Foot Pod attaches to my running shoe (threads through the laces) and transmits my distance and pace to the Forerunner.
