Monday, September 24, 2012

Workouts 09/17 - 09/23


I had a good workout week but missed a few workouts for assorted reasons.

Monday - Should have been a special strength training session set up for running but I donated blood platelets instead (a double).  I hate missing a workout but definitely feel that donating platelets is more important. 

Tuesday - 3.2 in 40 minutes (12:30) plus walking warm up/down.  Zone 2. I started at 3:00/1:00 but dropped to 2:00/1:00 because I felt a little run down from the donation. 

Wednesday - Birthday, birthday, birthday! No working out: lunch out, dinner out, cookie for my birthday.  Lovely loveliness but skipped a strength session.

Thursday - Bike ride of 11 miles in 1:00.  Just lovely.  When I got back, I took the kids out to start their Marathon Kids sessions for the year with a 1/3 run around the block. 

Friday - Total Body Workout.  This was Wednesday's workout that I finally did on Friday.

Saturday - Bike ride of 15.5 miles in 1:15  Just lovely and wonderful. 

Sunday - 7.00 in 1:30 approximately. I had to guess at distance because I ran a trail run at Walnut Creek.  My GPS didn't pick up very well but it was so fun. 20 minutes in zone 2 followed by 3 in zone 3 throughout. 




Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Labyrinth Blanket



I finished another (my 4th) labyrinth blanket this weekend.  A good friend asked me if I would make one so she can give it to a friend's son (the friend had a baby so it will be a big brother blanket).  My friend is knitting the baby blanket.  I said sure and she bought the yarn. I didn't think that the variegated yarn would come out well on the solid background but I gave it a try and it looks great.  She was very happy with it and I hope the big brother will be as well. 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Workouts 9/10 - 9/16


I had good workouts last week and others that were non-existent.  Literally.  Emotionally it was a very hard week.  The fact that September 11th and my mother's Yartzeit occur within a day of each other means that I experience the grief of the entire country and then my own personal grief and it can really pull me down.  I used to think that missing my mother would get easier and perhaps on a daily basis it does but for big things/events/dates, it doesn't seem any easier at all.

Hmmm. I just realized the days on the image above are off by a day for Monday and Tuesday. Perhaps I entered them wrong on dailymile but I don't think so.

Monday - Arms & Shoulder workout.  A very good workout in the evening.  I'm feeling stronger with each workout.
Tuesday - 3.8 miles in 44 minutes (11:34) plus walking warm up/down.  I was thinking a lot about the 9/11 attacks and the first responders during this run.  Ran a 3:00/1:00 and felt really good and smooth. 
Wednesday - Friday - Stomach bug 1, ChocolateMe 0.  No workouts. I stayed home from work Wednesday and went on Thursday and Friday still feeling crummy.
Saturday - 12.7 mile bike ride in 1:03.  Very lovely day. I rode over through the park and to the end of town or very nearly so. Then back. 
Sunday - 7.5 miles in 1:30 (12:00) plus walking warm up/down.  Temperature was 65 with steady rain. I wore a hat and long sleeve tech shirt and was comfortable and enjoyed the run. It was 20 minutes zone 2 (run at 2:00/1:00) and then 3 minute zone 3 surges (all 3:00 running harder).  The pace was pretty good for me for a run that long.  I did some good stretching in the evening and am feeling just a little tightness today. 

I mentioned last week being excited because I can now use Nike+ on my new phone.  I've now gone on 3 runs with the phone and all three have stopped recording right around 30 minutes/2+ miles.  I need to send a note to technical support but if this doesn't improve, I will bag Nike+ and just measure mileage on RunKeeper/record on dailymile. 

Monday, September 10, 2012

Workouts 09/03 - 09/09

I'm not sure whether it was a ... what do you call it? Step-back week? Recovery week? Easy week? last week or just cardio only.  I definitely liked it.  I know that I need to do strength and core work but neither are fun to me.  Just not fun.  Wednesday was actually the first scheduled day off since I started training with this coach.  (I took it on Tuesday).  I've missed some workouts but not had scheduled days off. 


Monday - 3.65 - 45 minutes (12:19) plus walking warm up and down. Was supposed to be biking but I went out to the garage and remembered that the cage for one of my pedals was half off and I didn't have the screws to reattach it. Since it was getting warmer every moment, I changed into running clothes and headed out to run in the low 80s with high humidity.  Blech. 

Wednesday - 3.57 - 45 minutes (12:36) plus walking warm up and down.  74 degrees with 92% humidity which is hard to breathe.  Ran 2:00/1:00 and felt faster than the stats show. 

Friday- ?? - 1:00 - Per coach this was a "naked" run meaning no technology.  No GPS, Nike+, HRM. Just run an hour.  The first half hour was mentally hard but then I got into it. 

Saturday - 1:30 bike ride.  I estimated the distance at 18 miles but it could have been anywhere from 15-19.  I had a really enjoyable ride. I'm supposed to maintain steady cadence for these but have a hard time doing that on undulating terrain and with stop signs, lights, dogs, etc.  My heart rate doesn't get as high as I feel like my legs are working hard. I'm not sure what that means.  I rode through Pflugerville a bit, then through the park and out Pecan and found this park that I never knew about (it turns out it's new).  It has paved trails through trees for maybe 1-2 miles. The strangest thing is that all the pedestrian/bike paths yield to the cars rather than vice versa. 

Sunday - 7 miles - 1:30 (12:51) plus walking warm up/down.  Per coach I ran a 2:00/1:00.  Might have been a lower HRM than it should have been.  My legs felt tired (no doubt due to the previous two days). 



Other notes:
My new phone came on Friday late.  We actually stayed at the house all day because we thought UPS would make us sign for them and didn't want to miss the phones. They came about 6:30 and didn't require signature.  My case came on Saturday which is good since I'm such a clutz.  Awesomely, my new phone will run the Nike+ running app so I ran with my phone on Sunday rather than my IPod and the foot clip.  I'm sure it's more accurate for distance although I guess the clip would come in handy if I ran on a treadmill. 

Our other question was whether we could listen to music from ITunes on our phones.  I found an app called Double Twist. It requires install on the PC and the phone but seems relatively easy to use.  It converted our ITunes music (or part of it) and then you can hook up the phone and select playlists.  There seem to be some issues with my not understanding keeping things up to date or something but I'm cautiously optimistic that it will do what it needs to do.  I ordered a arm band for ChocolateWife and I to share to go run with our phones and use them for music. 







Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Workouts 08/27 - 09/02

I was on vacation all last week.  Ten days off with no need to set an alarm. That is huge for me.  Huge.

Monday - Arms & Shoulders with a bit of core routine.

Tuesday - 4.1 miles in 45 (10:58) plus walking warm up/down.  I ran a 2/1 per the coach's instruction to work on increasing my run/walk/run ratios.  Mostly zone 2 with a bit of zone 3. 

Wednesday - Chest & Back routine.  I notice that Daily mile sometimes shows the non cardio workouts on the graph and sometimes does not.  Maybe if I don't mark the time?

Thursday - 2.61 in 30 (11:29) plus walking warm up/down.  I was trying for negative splits running zone 2 in the first 15 and zone 3 in the next 15.  My HRM was totally dead so I ran by perceived exertion.  First 15 minutes was 12:00 mm and last 15 minutes was 11:02. 

Friday - Leg workout.  Basically lots of lunges and squats. 

Saturday - Diane's core workout.  I did the 30 minutes but felt very blah. Did not sleep well.  After lunch with friends we stopped at Target and ChocolateWife bought me a balance ball that is the right size!  That should help my core work. 

Sunday - 6.8 in 1:30 (13:14) plus warm up/down.  Mostly zone 2 with a push at the end.  This felt quite hot and hard and slow and the time shows. 


Week - I only missed one workout and that was a 35 minute stretching routine on Saturday.  I enjoyed all the work and this week is a sort of cardio only step back week.  It is the first time I've had any scheduled days off since I began the coaching. 

Weather - It is hot out.  I am not dealing well with it.  I think it is harder for me than in years past.  Partly that may be that due to the new puppies I am running more in the evenings than I have in the past.  And partly last year at this time I was doing long runs for my upcoming HM so I was setting an alarm for 4:30 or 5:00. This year I am heading out to run at 7:00 or 8:00 and it is slightly hotter.  I've considered joining a gym but I don't want to spend the money or have to go somewhere to workout.  One thing I love about running is the option to just walk out the door to run.  I guess in a few weeks, it will cool down and be easier.  My times seem slow and sluggish but I wonder if I am gaining speed and will see better times when the weather gets more reasonable. 



Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Workouts 08/20 - 08/26

Yes. I did workout the week before last. I just never posted my summary here.  So I'll try to catch up with two weekly summaries today and tomorrow.


Tuesday - I did the Total Body Workout from Coach Jeff.  I skipped part of the core work because my stomach was bothering me (I actually stayed home sick it was bothering me badly enough). 

Thursday - Did Pre-dawn runner's core workout for 30 minutes.  It is so good and challenging.

Friday - 3.65 miles in 45 minutes (12:19) plus walking warm up down. It was 92 when I started and 87 when I finished.  Zone 2.

Saturday - Total Body Workout from Coach Jeff.  Should have been Friday but I didn't want to do it Friday.

Sunday - 6.35 in 1:30 (14:10) including lots of walking.  This should have been 20 minutes in zone 2, then 3 in zone 3, for 1:30 but I went out when it was too hot and couldn't handle it.  I ended up doing about 45 minutes running and the rest walking miserably.  It was about 95-97.  Too much. Too hot.