New Interval Run

I've had a 10k interval program on my iPod for some time now, but felt it was too easy to use. With my knee pain, I decided to give it a shot, thinking it would be I nice way to get some miles in and not aggravate the knee too much.

Well, I was wrong about the program being easy. The on and off plan looked simple on paper, but was not. I will most likely use the program more now. It made me run longer and harder even with the brief period of walking. I drank a bit too much water on one walk interval, and along with dinner, I almost choked up a bit of dinner. Not cool in the Y!

My guess for tonight was about 5 miles and I ran for about an hour. My knee was good the 1st 30 minutes, but started to get sore near the end. Actually, I stopped running with one more interval left, so I still have some work to do to complete the system.

I also put in some weight training. 

Next Goal: 12k in oct

Current Status: Ready for some Football!

Upcoming: Commute Day?

Inconsistent

Since my last post, I have not been on my best. Training and schedules have been hard to mesh. I've had the start of school, a little boy's birthday, and neighborhood junk to deal with. I did absolutely no training over the weekend, and started back up at the start of this week. 

On Monday, I rode my bike to school (4.4 miles) and then got stuck by the rain. Luckily, wife could make it to my rescue. I made a trip to the Y at night for a brisk 5k run. I planned to train at 85% percent max, and could not do it. I felt horrible running, and backed off and walked for a bit several times. My left knee was very sore. I'm not sure what I did to it, but I could feel a fair amount of pressure running. I hope the poor run was due to the break in training, and that I will get the knee better faster.

Tonight, I skipped a ride to work in the rain! Made it to the Y for a spin class and swim. Spin class was so-so. The left knee was still painful. I worked through the class though. I had plenty of endurance, but the knee made it hard to fight through the heavy work. I got in a swim. A highlight of my recent training. I swam 100, 200, 500, 200, 100. Nothing to report unusual, but  have started working some medley swim in the last 100 for a cool down and a change. I swam some backstroke and breaststoke today.

Next Goal: 12k in Oct

Current Status: Bad Left Knee

Upcoming: All depends on the knee

Start of School

School started back up, and I made it to the Y after day back to teaching. I was worn out from the day, but getting in the class really recharged me. It was a tough class with lots of slow leg burning stuff. Not much to say about the class itself. After the class, I swam in the pool for 900m and had a blast. Swimming is quickly becoming a perfect way to loosen up and unwind from the day. I swam with little effort and really enjoyed just cruising. 

Next Goal: 12k in Oct.

Current Status: Sore legs and knees from standing all day. 

Upcoming: Medium run

Off and On Work

Getting adjusted to working and training has not been as easy as I'd hoped. Since my last post, I have only been able to commute one time. I took the entire weekend off with children's parties and the museum's celebration, so my workouts have been spotty.

I did manage a nice 5 mile run on Monday night and a nice 1,000m swim tonight. The run felt great, and I did it on the Ol' home course around the lake in my neighborhood. I ran around a 10 minute pace the whole time and worked hard the last 1/2 mile to feel how the legs would do at the end of long run.

The swim tonight was lots of fun. I felt awesome after a long day and night getting ready for school opening. The swim thing is getting to be a favorite way to workout when I' a tad worn out. After the swim a guy talked to me about swimming, and actually asked how I learned to swim so smoothly. Huh!! Me!! I was not sure what he meant. I never think of myself as the smooth swimmer. He must have confused me with someone else.

If I had not forgotten to bring my sneakers, I would have even ridden on a trainer some tonight. Oh well, I will catch up some tomorrow I hope.

Next Goal: 12k in Oct

Current Status: Wishing I had brought shoes

Upcoming: weights and spinning

Commute Accomplished

Today, I followed through on a promise from last school year by commuting to and from work. It's only about 4 1/2 miles there, and 9 miles round trip, but still I save a few drops of precious gas. I will try to continue this as much as possible. I will be looking into getting some saddle bags and winter gear if this keeps up.

This morning the ride in was quite cold. I could not believe it, but as I cut through the back of Wood Creek Farms to avoid traffic, I got chilly. I changed at work and started a day of in-service for the new school year. I'm actually excited about getting back to work. 

After the static day of one big long meeting, I was prepped to get out and hit the road. It was kinda like that scene in Fight Club, where the guy sits in his cubicle all day and thinks about the beatings he will take. I was ready to get of the school by the end of the day. I rode to the Y, which was about 10 miles from my school, and swam about 1,000m. I swam 100, 200, 500, 200, 100 today. Another tri guy was swimming next to me, and I tried to keep up with his pace when possible. I have no idea if he was even pushing it, but I had a hard time keeping up. I have absolutely no knick! An area to work on.

I rode home after the swim by warm of Lake Carolina and Summit again. The hills still slow me down a good bit, but when I pushed on the flats I topped around 22 - 24 mph. Great way to start a new school year. I was in a super mood when I got home, and did not even mind the neighborhood association meeting I had to attend tonight!

Stats:

Distance: 20.81 miles

Time: 1:15:58

Avg. Speed: 16.44 mph

Max Speed: 35.66

Next Goal: 12k in oct

Current Status: Ready to go again

Upcoming: Commute & maybe a late night run

Medium Run with some weights

Went to the Y in all the rain today. I thought about waking up early to run this morning and ride this afternoon with a group, but plans changed.

At the Y, I did a medium pace run for about 30 minutes. I pushed around a 9 minute pace with about 4 minutes at 8 1/2 minute pace and 4 minutes at 8 minute pace. The 8 minute pace was tough, and when I finished the run, I noticed my right hamstring was really tight and sore. I may have pushed too hard, but felt good while running. 

I also got in a little work with weights. Not much since I ended up leaving to go to the Gamecocks scrimmage tonight. Amy and I took the Boys to see the Cocks play. Joey absolutely loved it. He spent a lot of time demonstrating for us how the players were smashing. Pow! Pow! Bobby was tired, since he did not nap, and was his chatty self, asking questions about every little detail of the event. Why do they have those orange things, Daddy. Why did he not catch the ball, Daddy? And on and on...

Stats:

Run Distance: 3.5 miles

Time: ~ 30 minutes

Avg HR: 145 bpm

Max HR: 159 bpm

Cals: 437

Next Goal: 12k in Oct

Current Status: Sore right hamstring and left toe

Upcoming: Commute to work, maybe swim and finish weights

Adjusting for School

School starts back for me this week, so I must get back to the real world of training with a full time job. I will not be able to just workout whenever I like anymore. As I get back into a work schedule, I will be getting my training routine back to normal as well. I hope to keep up the conditioning even though I will have less time. 

Today was an evening spin class followed with a swim. Amy joined me, too. I think she is getting into the spin classes like I have. Spin class was harder than usual tonight. Lots of climbing and sprint work. Lots of it, and it was harder than usual. On one climb that seemed to last forever, my legs bound up, and I had to back down and sit for a sec. It's been awhile since I have had to quit on a section in class. 

After the spin class, I hit the pool. I swam 50, 100, 200, 200, 100, 50. Not a load of swimming, but I want to keep sharp in the pool, and any work is a bonus. The swim was typical except Amy and the Boys joined me. It was fun as Joey cheered me on swimming my laps. "Go Daddy!!," he would yell every time I touched by where he was floating near my lane. Bobby, by the way, has been working on swimming "Like the Olympics!," he claims. It's hilarious to see him breast stroking as he copies Phelps. Currently, he more flash than speed. 

Swimming after a workout is such a great way to cool down. I really have been tight since sprinting on Saturday, and swimming loosened me up a great deal. I took an extra day from training on Monday, because of the soreness from the Saturday run at the track. My quads were like tight ropes straight down the center, and my right (outside turning) calf was cramped at the bottom. Walking was not fun at all.

Stats:

Spin Time: 49:05

Zone Time: 44:47

Avg HR: 140 bpm

Max HR: 158 bpm 

Swim: 700m (BTW Phelps swam 8300m total yesterday!! He also collected a few medal, too.)

Next Goal: 12k in oct

Current Status: Disgusted by Hardees' commercials

Upcoming: Run and weights or group ride

Sprint Work

Today's goal: Sprinting

Amy and I hit the track at Spring Valley High School around 11 am in hopes of working on getting faster. It's an experiment based on what I've read about running.

We started with a mile warm up. I did a 9:30 mile pace and Amy was at a 10 min pace. I followed with a plan of 4 400 meter sprints and to finish with another mile. I ran the first three 400s at a 1:30 pace, but the last 400 was too much for me. I hit the wall, and stopped after only 200 m. Amy did not run 400s but was doing 200s and I was using her to pace me. The last 400, she was ahead of me on her 200 and I tried catching up, and lost it. 

The sprint work was not fun. I enjoy jogging, but now realize that I hate sprinting. It was all hard work. I did not finish with a mile at the end. The track was hot. Choosing to run in the middle of the day was not the best idea.

Hopefully, doing this a few more time will help me in the longer runs, so I can reach my goals in the 5k.

Next Goal: 12k in October

Current Status: Sore left big toe again! Left shoulder is also strained.

Upcoming: Rest

Medium Road Ride & Family Ride

I cancelled plans for the group ride tonight, and rode solo around Northeast Columbia. I headed from my house out to Kershaw County and back by way of Lake Carolina and Summit.

Again, I feel like all I did was climb hills all day. I do not recall much of any straight aways other than a few sections. It was just hill after hill after hill. My quads were loaded up, and I could feel plenty of lactic acid building up. The only real straight section I recall was the commuter lane around Sandhills Shopping Center. I hit 20 plus out one way, and 18 mph the other. 

So, my average speed is not that great, but I did have some power when I wanted it. If nothing else, I've had some nice hill work the past two days. The overall ride was pretty lame, nothing spectacular to report. 

I came home, showered and then decided to ride up to the Sandhills to watch a band and eat dinner. So, one more ride. This time, Amy and I rode with the boys in the trailer and took some back roads by way of the Clemson Extension Agency. Again, I had one very big hill to top, and with the boys in tow, my knees started to feel the work over the course of the day. I took it very slow up and back, but had a great time tonight. The band was great. Dinner was good (Service was slooow), and we had some Italian Ices and rode home in the setting sun. Pretty nice night.

Stats:

Miles: 23.59 miles (Plus more from the dinner trip!)

Time:1:27:11

Avg. Speed: 16.23 mph

Max Speed: 32.73

Next Goal: 12k in October

Current Status: Sore Knees & Tight Quads

Upcoming: Weights and Sprint Work

Bike to Y for Swim

With a break in the heat (kinda) I decided to ride up to the Y and back with a break for a nice swim at the pool. Heading up was about 4.5 miles from my house, and once I got to the Y, I showered the sweat off and hit the pool. I swam a ladder of 50, 100, 200, 200, 100, 50. It was a nice pace, and I am starting find a nice form in the pool again after such a long layoff. I did not time anything, but after another week or so I will swim a 1,000m with time to see if I'm faster in the pool than in June and July.

I rode home a different way cutting through Lake Carolina and Summit. I never knew there was a cut through until recently, so I wanted to see what is was like heading home that way. It was much longer and hillier, and it hurt my average speed. I was not as fast on the bike as I was back in June. I have not been on the road as much lately, and I think It showed. I want my average speed over 18 mph, and would like to be able to hit 20 mph as average for a 15 mile ride.

Stats:

Swim: 700m

Bike 14.31 miles

Time: 54:01

Avg Speed: 15.90 mph

Max Speed: 31.20 mph

Next Goal: 12k in October

Current Status: Wheezy (I have had to use the inhaler. August Air Quality SUCKS!) 

Upcoming: Big Easy Ride at Lake Carolina

New Ground in Running

Today, I ended up running on the treadmill at the Y. With the heat, I just don't have the nerve to try much outdoors in the middle of the day. Also, I did not want to run late at night either. I have decided to focus on getting ready for a 12k in October. This will be the longest race yet for me, and I decided to see how I would do on a hour long run today.

I started out slow with 11 minute and 10 1/2 minute mile pace to see how my body was doing. I did not feel great at the start. I was not motivated and seemed to have trouble getting going. But, by the 30 minute mark, my legs loosened up and I pushed a 10 minute mile pace. I find it weird, but it was like my body took 30 minutes to warm up! At this point, I cruised the rest of the way through the run until the last 10 minutes. I love running in the zone. I felt like no one else was in the Y. Actually, I was! Literally, everyone had left the health and fitness area. Strange.

On a side note, I discover the treadmills at the Y cut your run off at the 50 minute mark. I guess this is so people like me don't hog them. Anyways, I hit the reset but and finished my last 10 minutes. This was hard, since my legs had stopped! And, they seemed to like it that way. Well, I forced the to go one more 10 minute mile. 

The run felt great. I feel like I have been running pain free for a month now, and I am ready to push to a new level. I have no shin pain, and my knees are good. My feet were a bit sore, but that's not a big deal. I just rest a day and then they are good to go. I will try out some speed work on a track next time out for a run. I have not seen myself progress much lately, so I want to investigate with running sprints and see if I can lower my mile pace over the next month or so.

This was the longest and furthest I have ever run. I made it over 5.75 miles in the hour run, and I could have pushed harder. I only ran at about 75 percent.

Stats:

Time: 1 hour

Distance: 5.75 miles

Avg HR 144 bpm

Max HR: 153 bpm

Cals: 761

Next Goal: 12K in October

Current Status: Best day of the week

Upcoming: swim and bike

Swimming Beats Anything in This Heat

I am still not sure why, but I continue to not feel great. I planned to bike and swim, but forgot I had a neighborhood National Night Out Thing tonight, so I only swam today. I put in about 1000 meters of solid work, and felt fairly good. Much better than yesterday, anyways. I did not time it, or wear a HR band, so I have no real stats. Going Ol' School still has its charm. My arms, shoulders and chest are a bit sore a tight tonight. That's to be expected after not swimming for so long.

Also, tonight a group from the neighborhood got out and walked for the National Night Out. It was very hot, and we debated not going. I felt that we had to do it. I ended up carry my oldest, Bobby, the whole dang way, so now I'm counting the walk as some cardio for the day.

Next Goal: 12 K in October

Current Status: Sore Upper Body

Upcoming: Undecided :( 

Worst Workout Ever!

Felt horrible all day. I was lazy getting up, and did nothing at all today. By the time I got to the Y I had a headache and just felt bad all over. I did some weight training to try and get things going, and felt worse. I rode a trainer for 30 minutes to see if that would clear my head and get me going, and I still felt awful. My knees hurt, and I barely got my HR up to 130. I was very slow and had no motivation. After the bike I almost gave up a 20 minute run I had planned to throw in, but forced myself to do it. I did manage to get through the run at a 9 1/2 minute pace, so that wasn't completely worthless.

In all, this was by far the least enjoyable training I have done to date. I'm not sure if it was the sloth-like morning I had, or if I'm still feeling the heat from the 5k on Saturday. Hopefully things will get better tomorrow. 

Stats:

Bike Distance: 8 miles (Ouch!!)

Run Distance: 2.3 miles

Bike Time: 30 minutes

Run Time: 20 minutes

Avg HR: 132 bpm

Max HR: 151 bpm

Cals: 563

Next Goal: 12k or 5k under 26

Current Status: Beat by the Heat

Upcoming: Swim and Bike

Hot August Night Race Results

The official results have not been posted yet, so I will have to update more later, but I can report that I did not run under 26 minutes. Yet, I did make it in under 27 minutes, which is a new personal record.

Update: Official Results

Time: 26:55

Pace: 8:40

Overall: 191/395

Men: 148/232

Age Group: 14/30 

The race was hot, and I know that I faded the last mile. I tried to kick the last 1/2 mile and get in under 26 minutes, but I just did not have it in me. I know I ran all out. My heart rate was over 170 the last 2 miles of the race, which is red line for me! I ran a total of 27 seconds in my training zone, according to settings of my watch, and the rest was over the line.

The first mile I paced with an older guy that had a stride like mine. Actually, he pulled me out of the comfort zone and I ran the first mile in about 8 minutes. This got my hopes up. But, the second mile was hillier, and I know I slowed down to about a 9 minute mile pace. The old guy I was using as a pace setter took off, and I lost some focus. Some folks zipped by me at this point, which made me wonder why the heck they were behind me in the first place. If you can sprint by someone in the second mile in a 5k then you should not be behind them in the first place. I noticed some runners pulling up and walking at this point. My personal favorite was passing about 3 kids from the Ridge View HIgh School Cross Country Team that sprinted away with the leaders of the race. I never saw them again, and I hope they were okay, but they really planned on winning the race and paid the big price for it!

The third mile came and I noticed  I needed another 8 minute mile to make my goal. I pushed as hard as I could, and passed some guys I had been behind the 2nd mile. I even caught the original old guy that lead me out the first mile. He hit the wall and barely seemed to be moving. The last mile seemed to stretch forever, and when I made the home stretch I had top gear in place and was hoping to hold on till the last meter in absolute sprint. I noticed the time above the finish line click past 26 minutes and I was still a ways away. I lost motivation and dropped back. I was sucking wind anyways, and would not have been able to sprint to the end unless I knew it meant making my goal. I ended up with a time like 26:40 or 50 something. 

This was still and improvement, so I'm not really bummed at all, especially given the somewhat hilly course and high temp. I plan to focus with sprinting more, so I can develop a kick that pushes me into the 7 or 8 minute mile group. Some of the runners seemed to have a gear I just do not have. I had fun and it was nice running through Shandon. Lots of folks lined the road and cheered people on. People had sprinklers aimed at the street, and it was a unique atmosphere to have people around the whole race site. My parents and Amy came to race. My mom, as always, screamed for me. She does not care how many people are ahead of me, and I must admit I like hearing her.

Here are some pics courtesy of my sweet wife, Amy:

 

Running the last stretch head down is a bad sign! My heart rate was about 180 here.

Getting passed by some guy, who ran like Forrest Gump, I swear! He about collapsed at the finish line and was 2 seconds ahead. Yeah for him! I must say I have much better form even if I was slower.

Cooling off after the race. My shoe was off so I could turn my chip in!

Stats:

Unofficial Time: 26:40

Avg HR: 170

Max HR: 182

Cals: 471

Next Goal: Run a 12k or a 5k under 26

Current Status: Whipped

Upcoming: Road Ride?? 

Hot Harbison Ride

I was planning to ride early, but laziness held back, and I did not make it to the trails until later this afternoon around 1pm. I was in a hurry to get back home so I was only going to get one loop of the midlands trail in before having to get back towards northeast. Luckily, too, it was so hot I could not have ridden much more without completely burning up, and with a race tomorrow that is probably not a good idea.

I rode the loop okay. Not as fast as I want, but I have not ridden in the heat much, and its been over a week since I rode Harbison. I felt good on some of the technical sections, but the hills killed me today. I even had to walk the last several yards of the big midlands mountail climb by the bluffs. 

My heart rate was high the whole ride, and I was breathing very hard on the tough parts even though I was not trying to push hard today. Most likely due to the heat. I was amazed how much the temperature bothered me. Heading home, I saw another biker getting ready to head out (The only other car in the lot!), and told him good luck with the heat. His reply was, "It's no big deal. You just have to get used to it." 

I have no idea how you get used to 100+ heat. I think he's full of BS.

Stats:

Distance: 9.2 miles

Time: 56:52 

Avg. Speed: 9.71 mph

Max Speed: 19.18 mph

Avg HR: 150 bpm

Max HR: 167 bpm

Next Goal: Hot August Night 5k under 26 minutes

Current Status: HOT

Upcoming: Race Day