Monday, December 31, 2012

Training Plan Week 5 - 12/24 - 12/30

Planned:Tuesday - 3 miles
Wednesday - 4 miles
Thursday - 3 miles
Saturday - 8 mile LSR
Sunday - Cross-training


Actual:

Tuesday - Christmas Day Run in the snow!  3 miles in 36 minutes (estimated only).  I'd never run in the snow and the snow started mid afternoon.  I had been saying that I wanted to run but the snow sealed the deal. I dressed and headed out.  Running out was straight into the snow and wind but coming back was pretty great.  After I got back, ChocolateWife took pictures of me. 
Thursday - 8.2 miles in 1:45 (12:48 pace) plus walking warm up/down.  It was still cold (41) but I realized that my LSR for Saturday would be a challenge to fit into the weekend and this afternoon opened up unexpectedly.  I had no long run stuff so I set  a bottle of water and lip stuff and a few cough drops by the gate and made a few passes.  Mostly this was a 1:30/:45 ratio. 
Friday - 3.05 in 37 minutes (11:58) plus walking warm up/down.  It was still cold out but a good run.  I set my watch and just ran in zone 2 which meant hardly any walking. 
Sunday - 11.05 cycling in 1:03.  We got my bike tuned up as my holiday present and they must have adjusted the seat post because my seat kept slipping and I kept stopping to adjust it.  I need to tighten the bolt but couldn't do it when I got home because my hands were too cold. 

All things considered, I'm rather happy with my week's workouts.  I only missed out on one workout even with snow, cold, family, Christmas, baby girl's birthday, and driving home.  Plus we got the car unloaded, six loads of laundry washed and folded, and some shopping done. 

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Training Plan Week 4 - 12/17 - 12/23

Planned:
Tuesday - 3 miles
Wednesday - 4 miles at race pace
Thursday - 3 miles
Saturday - 7 mile LSR
Sunday - Cross-training


Actual:
Tuesday - 2.8 miles in 35 minute (12:30) plus 1.2 miles walking warm up/down.  Not a good run.  Too many thoughts in my brain, not enough rest, phone call during saying that the refrigerator was not cooling. 
Wednesday - 3.6 miles in 41 minutes (11:16 mm) plus walking warm up/down.  It was >80 degrees, humid, and windy so I'm really happy with this for a race pace run. 
Thursday - too much chaos and not enough healthy food (no refrigerator) so I did not run.
Saturday - 5.5 miles in 1:13 (13:09) plus walking warm up/down.  Should have been longer but all the bad diet and gluten with no access to healthy food really got me.  I got very suddenly sick on the run.  Sick enough that I had to call the family to come get me.  I'm so glad that the refrigerator is working again.
Sunday - 16 miles in 1:20 on the bike. I went to the post office and mailed everything that needed to go out. Then continued.  Nice ride. 

Weight - probably unchanged and I've had very little control over my diet.  Last week the refrigerator was broken. This week we're at the in-laws'.  I'm trying to be pretty hard-core avoiding the gluten but otherwise, it's hard to eat healthy at all.
Fund-raising - my fundraising for Livestrong is going very well.  I got some donations last week (in response to my "hey the end of the tax year is coming"... e-mails).  I'm over $1100 of my $1500 goal. 

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Training Plan Week 3 - 12/10 - 12/16

Planned:Tuesday - 3 miles
Wednesday - 4 miles
Thursday - 3 miles
Saturday - LSR 6 miles
Sunday - Cross train


Actual:
Tuesday - 3.44 in 45 (13:04) plus walking warm up/down.  Surprised at how slow this one was. I felt good while running.  2:00/:45 run/walk up and down some hills and on trails.
Tuesday - Core work for 30 minutes. I did the work after dinner and felt sort of crummy but got it done.
Wednesday - 12.75 miles in 1:00 biking. Schedule was wonky so I came home early and decided to take the chance to bike rather than run. 
Thursday - 4.15 in 50 minutes (12:02) plus walking warm up/down.  Ran a nice 2:00/:45 ratio.
Saturday - Core work for 30 minutes. I got this done before dawn so a good start to the day.
Saturday - Bike 13.66 in 1:06.  A very busy day meant I did my bike ride in the only time available. The ride was just lovely once I managed to avoid being hit by two different vehicles running stop signs at the same intersection.
LSR - Did not.  Sunday was not a good day.  Not good at all. Very upsetting and I'm still having trouble sleeping.  

Notes:
Weight unchanged.
Feelings about weight unchanged.
My fundraising for Livestrong is over $950! 
Four more days of work until I have a week off.
I've biked/run > 1000 miles this year.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Training Plan Week 2 - 12/03 - 12/09

Planned:
Tuesday - 3 miles
Wednesday - 3 miles at race pace
Thursday - 3 miles
Saturday - LSR 5 miles
Sunday - Cross train



Actual:
Tuesday - 3.9 miles in 47 minutes (11:56) plus walking warm up/down on the hills near/through campus.  This one felt really good and was faster than I expected once I got back to work and mapped it.  I ran 2:00/:45 intervals and thought that was a good interval.  I also stopped at traffic lights for 2-3 minutes so pace was even faster really.
Wednesday -  3.61 in 40 minutes (11:07) plus walking warm up/down.  This was supposed to be "race pace" and was even faster than I think of my race pace. First I did 3:00/1:00 intervals then I switched to walking 1:00 per lap on the track.  Distance is approximate but I would feel safe calling it 3.49 to 3.61 which would be between a 11:07 and 11:30 pace.  All still in a good range for me.
Thursday - Pre-dawn core work done pre-dawn.  30 minutes of the pre dawn work but mixed in ball crunches and metronomes.
Thursday - Lovely 11.72 mile bike ride in 1:00.  My intention is that it's ok to put in one bike ride in place of a run 1x a week if I can make it fit with my schedule.
Sunday - LSR 5 miles in 1:05 (13:00).  Very approximate.  I ran on the Trails at Walnut Creek.  I ran a 1:00/1:00 and took it pretty easy.  It should have been run Saturday, Bike Sunday, and core one of those two days.  Instead it was have a migraine Saturday.  Lay in bed. Groan. Moan. Take advil.  I wasn't totally useless, I did laundry, cleaned the kitchen, we got the tree decorated.  It just wasn't possible to do any exercise. 

I got my replacement phone so I'm back to logging my food and trying to lose this weight.  I'm also feeling like this cough it finally moving on. 

What I learned this week (specifically Sunday):  Taking my key off my keyring and sliding it into the back of the armband for my phone so I can run with just that rather than the key fob only is a good plan if I know that my key actually fits and opens the doors.  I don't remember that I've ever tried to use the key to open the car door before (the car is 11 years old).  Either it never fit the car door or the lock is rusted or filled with dirt and grunge.  Either way, I found myself hanging out at the park for an extra 10 minutes while my wife/kids/dogs drove over to unlock my car for me. 

This week - 3 miles Tuesday, 4 Wednesday, 3 Thursday, LSR 6 Saturday, Bike Sunday, and core 2x.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Training Plan Week 1 -- 11/26 - 12/02

Yay!  Week 1 of my Training Plan. 

Planned: 
Tuesday - 3 miles
Wednesday - 3 miles
Thursday - 4 miles
Saturday - 4 mile LSR
Sunday - cross-train
Actual:
Tuesday - 3.29 in 38 minutes (11:28/mm) plus walking warm up/down.  Wow. I pushed myself on this one.  I ran 3:00/1:00 and for me it was faster than race pace and really working. 
Tuesday - 30 minutes core work.  Basically I did the pre-dawn routine with ball crunches mixed in. 
Wednesday - 3.15 in 40 minutes (12:39/mm) plus walking warm up/down.  I went easier than Tuesday with a 2:00/1:00 but really enjoyed the run.  I'm still struggling with a cough so it feels good to run hot and try and cough up the congestion.
Thursday - 3.43 in 45 minutes (13:07/mm) plus walking warm up/down.  I went back to my winter work schedule so I'll run at lunch time 3 days a week.  I love running at the park but probably lost 2-3 minutes waiting to cross streets.  Without street stops, my pace was more like 12:23.  I ran 1:30/:45 ratios and am considering dropping all my walk ratios to :45.  I feel like I'm mostly recovered by then. 
Saturday - Core work.  30 minutes of Pre-dawn runner's program with some ball crunches mixed in. 
Saturday - 4.8 miles in 1:00 (12:30) plus walking warm up/down.  Saturday was probably the worst I've felt as far as my cough and cold went.  But I went running anyway hoping the heat would help and it did as it has for weeks.  I felt very tight in the chest but enjoyed the feeling.  I wore no HRM because I didn't feel a need it on a LSR.  Unfortunately my phone had no music on it and wouldn't hook up any GPS so it was a naked run.  As it turns out the phone has nothing and after a while on the phone with the company I will be getting a replacement next week.  For the time being I'm using my old phone. 
Sunday - No workout but I knew that in advance. My niece had her fund-raiser for her upcoming Bat Mitzvah and I got up, drove to Houston, umpired, and drove home.  Tiring day but no workout.

Drinking enough water and watching what I eat is going well although I'm not sure how much progress I'm seeing weight-wise in just the first week.  More importantly, I'd like for the entire family to completely kick this cold/cough rather than just sharing it eternally.