Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Disappointing Week

Disappointing in both that I've somewhat fallen off the wagon, and, I was not selected for the NYC Half Marathon. I have several options though, which I must now weigh, for the Half:

Option 1: Wait until Jan 15, in which NYRR may hold a secondary drawing and see if I get in.
  Option 1a: If I dont get in again, then run for Charity (losing 1 month of fundraising time!)
  Option 1b: If I dont get in again, sign up for the World Vision Half 13.1 on Apr 2
Option 2: Withdraw from the secondary drawing, and just run the NYC Half for Charity (maintaining the extra month to fund raise).
Option 3: Withdraw from the secondary drawing and just sign up for the World Vision Half on April 2.

Decisions.....decisions.....

I'm not really sure what happened, but since the last post, I had volleyball that night, and have not done much of anything since, except for a 5 mile run at about a 10:20 pace on friday. So since 12/13, until today, 12/21- ONE RUN! Severely lacking motivation to workout. Its like a switch got shut off, no drive, no desire. To make things worse, my nutrition, though already not the greatest overall, has been even worse the past few days! I'm now debating if I should just wait until after Christmas, then start back up with 2 weeks of Phase 2, a recovery week and then jump into Phase 3. Or, if I should try to start now. Either way, I'm going for a run tonight, to try to jump start things again. I think I may shoot for 6 miles. Regardless of which Half marathon I end up doing, I figure I'll need to start ramping up the training very soon anyway, since they are only 2 weeks apart. Lets hope I can finish off P90X in the process.

Here's to hoping I have a better trainig week.....

Monday, December 13, 2010

Phase 2, Week 2: Complete!

Another solid training week in the books. All with the exception of Wed (12/8), where I fell asleep at 8pm, and didnt wake up until the next morning! I guess my body was craving a rest day after 9 consecutive days of working out/activity. Unfortunately, that was plyo day, and since I didnt want to revise my schedule, I commited the sin of skipping it. Sad, but true.

So the night of the last update (12/7), I did C/S/T, and I was able to do FOUR plyo push ups! Felt pretty good. That workout is still hard as heck. I skipped ARX that night. 12/9, after my nearly 12 hours of sleep, was Back & Biceps. I tried to use the 30s as much as I could, and ended up doing a lot of them assisted, which I preferred, over using the bands. Pull ups are still improving. I was able to do 6 unassisted consecutively, and then pounded out 2 more after a mid-set break, then another 2 for a total of 10 unassisted. Of course that didnt continue through the whole workout....

Friday was my first run with the Mizuno Creation 11. So instead of doing the usual 5 miles, I did a 5k, but tried to beat my previous time (according to my Nike+ which was 31:24). I was able to finish 5k in 29:40! Which translates to about a 9:30 pace, which! Is actually my first sub 10 min-mile for any run that I've done! So its either I'm getting better (thank you P90X) or, its the shoes. haha....lets just say its a little bit of both. But the Mizunos feel really good. Provide the support I've long been lacking, though touted as a cushioning shoe, its not quite as soft as the LunarGlides. Best of all, post-run, I had no aching or soreness in my ankles or feet. Good sign, good sign indeed.

Did Yoga X on saturday, was not able to do all of the Warrior 3 sequence as I was able to last week. Not really sure what happened. Had to briefly put the other foot down on each side.  I discovered it may be a bit easier if I lean a little further forward. In either case, its still much better than I have been doing.  L/B last night, amped this workout wiht the dumbbells. Used both 30s for calf raises and most of the squat moves. Also used it on the dead lift squats, even though Tony says not to. I just feel its a bit easy without, and instead of doing 20, I prefer to lower the reps and add the DB to it. I'm starting to feel it already today. Hope it wont affect vball later!

So, thats about it. May throw in a rest day tomorrow, and then restart another phase 2 week. Still debating if I'll extend it an extra week like I did Phase 1. I probably will.  Wed is the NYC Half lottery. Waiting in anticipation......

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Full Phase 2 Week

It's been a very good past week, in which I've completed an entire Phase 2 week! With some extras sprinkled in. So, since last update (had done C/S/T and ARX on mon, vball on tue):

Completed Plyo on 12/1, it went pretty well, bonus round and all. Legs felt strong and the ankle didnt bother me much. Been actively trying to go deeper and jump higher to boost the intensity, like I need that! Thursday (12/2) was Back & Biceps, followed by ARX (which I did, AGAIN). I'm starting to see some decent progress on pull ups, which is very encouraging. I could only use the 30's on bicep work for maybe the first couple of moves, then had to resort to the bands. And I must add ARX was harder this time than compared to last time. Probably had to do with the fact that I was still a bit sore.


Friday, as a replacement for Kempo, I did another 5 mile run (in the cold! and dark!) in Central Park. Time was a bit slower than my previous few 5 milers, but was happy with my pace given the conditions. I was also still a little sore from Plyo, which was done 2 days prior. I should also mention I did a few "strides", which from what I read, is interspersing some sprints, so every half mile I threw in a 30 second sprint.  I went to get my gait analyzed at a running store afterwards. Had me walk, then jog on a treadmill. He determined that I'm a very mild pronator. I'm a bit skeptical of his assessment though. I'm almost pretty sure I land on the outside of my feet, which wouldnt make me a pronator at all. But oh well, I already have my next pair of running shoes ready to go!

*edit* - ok, I guess I had this whole "pronation" thing misunderstood. I'm a mild pronator, meaning I'm probably normal. Further, pronation, apparently, is more about how you roll from foot strike to toe-off, and not where you land. Glad I cleared that up for myself...haha

Saturday, after a long day of laundry, I still did Yoga. It's getting better and I can now do all the push ups again. BIG NEWS: I was able to do the ENTIRE Warrior 3/Half Moon sequence!! In fact, I felt like I wasn't even struggling on the right side! I was in utter shock! Big pat on back for me! haha....And Sunday, I was about to complete skip legs & back, as it was a tiring weekend and my legs were sore from running and yoga from the 2 days previous. But thanks to my wonderful wife, who is piecing together the workouts herself now, provided the encouragement and motivation for me to pound out L&B, along with ARX! Pretty decent workout, my left knee is still problematic. Though there are days where it feels FANTASTIC, yet others, like I'm a 90 year old man.


Yesterday was Vball, same ol' same ol'. So that wraps up the last week, havent had a rest day yet, and dont think I will. Tonight I'm flips back to C/S/T. Will get back to do my Plyo push ups again soon. 'Till next time!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Phase 2 and ARX, finally

Well, it seems like forever (and if you think about it, it has) since I've been into Phase 2 of the X.  In fact, I think the last time I did a "Phase 2 Week" was probably June 2009, before the wedding. Since then I've yet to make it out of Phase I. So here I am, thought it deserved its own update!

Chest, Shoulders, Triceips. How I've missed you! (Yea, right!). Just as I remembered, a seriously Tricep intensive workout, as Chest and Shoulder moves will require some tricep as well. Needless to say, my tri's burned out quickly and frequently. Though I felt I did alright, for a workout that I haven't done in about 15 months. My numbers weren't great, and I did take a couple extra breaks in order to let my tri's recover a little, esepecially before the One-armed push ups and Plyo/Clap push ups. Some of you may remember a video I posted (which is still there actually) of me doing the plyo push ups, in which I believe I got up to 7.  Sad to admit that I could only do about 4 clap push ups. Will soon work my way back up. One interesting note was how I felt at the end. Though my triceps were on FIRE, overall, my energy level was still pretty high, and didnt find myself too tired at all. I dare to say that I probably could have gone for a brisk run afterwards!

And I finally decided to do Ab Ripper X in this round. I hadn't touched it yet since starting round 3. I started with 15 reps of each move (except those that required moves in twos, which I did 16). I was thrilled that I was able to get through it decently, at 15 reps. Will up it to 16 next time, and so forth. Glad to see that running has kept my core in decent shape. The soreness for both abs and C/S/T arent too bad. I'd classify it as moderate and tolerable. I mean its definitely there, but I've felt much, MUCH worse.

Had vball last night, so will tackle plyo once again tonight. Hopefully that will go as "well" as it has. My right ankle is still a little tweaky, so I may have to back off the intensity a bit. Thur should be Back and Biceps, Fri: I think I'm planning a run, Saturday: Yoga and Sunday: Legs & Back. We'll see how well I do.

PS. all my "gear" is starting to arrive. All the Nike gear is in, just waiting on my Mizuno's and the New Balance running vest. Uber excited....haha. 

PPS!! The lottery for the NYC Half will take place on Dec. 15th. Will be sure to update once I hear back on that!

Friday, November 26, 2010

Thanksgiving Recap

Yesterday was the Garden City Turkey Trot and it was a great way to justify the overeating that would ensue that night...haha. Anyway, it was a cold morning (38 deg at start time), but I'll take that over an 80 deg, 80% humidity day! Actually finished almost a minute slower than the NYRR5, with a time of 52:49 which translates into a 10:34 pace. But according to Nike+, my split times werent too bad. The first mile was what killed my average, due to the slow start, which took over 11 min. I was around 10:10 miles for the remainder, and actually pulled out a sub 10min final mile. This run didnt feel as good as the NYRR5 though and was also super crowded at the start, reminicent of the Cow Harbor run.  Also didnt help that it was an unfamiliar course, so I wasn't sure when I could or couldnt push a little. In the end, it was nice to have another run under my belt, and a free t-shirt. Its why I do all these runs right? for the free stuff!

The schedule has been a little off since the last post, and it was supposed to be a recovery week, which is slowly turning into a recovery 2 weeks..  VBall in fact didnt happen that day, and I ended up NOT doing  yoga as I wanted to.  Friday was another off day, and Saturday I did a run at the Cross Island path. Did a few repeats in an attempt to improve my pace. Did 3 x 800m then 3x 400m, at around an 8-8:30min pace, since my race paces have been around 10:15-30 as of late. I did pretty well with them, considering the state I was in (had just stuffed myself with dim sum 1.5 hrs prior....talk about a stitch...), but I was pretty winded.

Monday was vball again, and Tue I did Core again. Tried to not spin myself silly by "spotting" my spins. That did help the headache situation a bit. The workout otherwise went well, though I felt like I was a bit more winded than the previous time. I should note I worked out THEN had dinner. I usually do it the other way around.

On a gear note, I've pulled the trigger on a new pair of running shoes: the Mizuno Wave Creation 11. Of everything I read, its geared to heavier runners (of which I am), and admittedly, the LunarGlides were just the WRONG shoe for me. The LunarGlides were for overpronators (to which I am not) and is more of a stability shoe- which turns out to be the kind of shoe I needed to AVOID. May explain all the calf issues I had in the beginning. I did find them to be more soft and spongy than I prefer. So the Creation 11 is supposed to be a neutral-cushioned shoe, with minimal mechanics correction. Also supposed to be very "springy" and cushiony too, which is what makes it ideal for heavier runners. AND, I did try these on in a store this time (but ordered online).  Can you believe I'm over 300 miles on the LunarGlides? Crazy. Will probably run in them a little while longer (as I adjust to the Creations), and then keep them for one last hurrah at Warrior Dash, then officially retire them (aka- throw them in the trash!....ok fine, recycle). 

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

2010 Garden City Turkey Trot

Tomorrow's course! (its supposed to be 5 miles, but the course on their website is a little confusing, so it came out to a little more than 5, so i'm sure i mapped it slightly wrong!)

Will have a recap of the past week, along with the race, tomorrow.

**edit** corrected the map so its closer to 5 miles now.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Back in the Groove

I completed the planned 5 miles last Friday, as mentioned in my last post. Did well, 10:10 pace, and did it in about 51 min! To think, that's what I could have done for the NYRR 5 had it not been for my rookie mistake. The following 3 days (Sat, Sun, Mon) went well too, doing: Shoulders & Arms, Yoga and Legs & Back.

Nothing spectacular with S/A, as usual. I need to buy some 20 lb dumbbells. Trying to juggle either a 30 lb, or trying to hold two 10 lbs in one hand is getting a bit annoying.  Really worked the biceps, because they were actually sore the next couple of days. 

Yoga went well, did it all the way through (except the ohms) again. The warrior 3 sequence is still KILLER. I will one day be able to do the entire thing without putting my leg down.

Legs & Back, what can I say. Was done on Mon, and as of this post (Thur), my glutes and inner thighs are STILL SORE. Calves arent very sore this time, unlike the last time I did it. My left knee is still problematic. Some days are better than others, but I may need to consider seeing an orthopedist.

Took the next day (tue) off, and then I kicked off "Recovery" week last night with Core Synergistics. And you know what, it wasn't as bad as I remember it being. I'm thinking its probably because my conditioning has never been this good by the time I get to this workout. In fact, of all the times I've done this workout (which admittedly, has not been very much), I don't ever remember having much left in the tank for the "bonus" round. But I went into it with plenty of gas left in the tank. It felt good and was actually a little surprised that it was over so "soon".  One thing remains though, I still get a SPLITTING headache halfway through. I took a couple extra 45-60 second breaks to prevent it from getting too bad. I had thought the culprit were the banana rolls, superman/banana and bow to boat, but now I'm not so sure. I think its the Lunge and Reach, because you're constantly, "spinning". I noticed my head hurt a lot after that move. Will check it when I do it again, which I think should be Saturday.

Was supposed to be Volleyball tonight, but due to a lack of players, its not happening. So, I think I'm doing Yoga. I've also just signed up for the Garden City Turkey Trot! 5 mile race on Turkey day!

Ok, that became lengthy. Til next time!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Since 10/29??

Somehow, I let almost 2.5 weeks go without a recap. Maybe because I've allowed 8 rest days in the last 2 weeks. *hangs head in shame...

anyways, since 10/29 (which fittingly became a rest day, was going to do yoga...) the schedule has been a bit spotty, P90X-wise, but I did throw in a few runs. Did a 2.75 run (intervals), 6 miles in central park (a race simulation) and the actual race (the NYRR5) itself last friday. Finished in just under 52 min, which is a personal best at this distance. I must admit that I made the most rookie-est of rookie mistakes- FORGETTING TO DOUBLE KNOT MY LACES!!! Costly. I debated with myself for about a minute whether or not I should even bother to stop and tie them, or just let them be. My shoe didnt feel like it was coming loose anyway. But I thought better of it and stopped to tie them. Lost probably around 30 seconds, which at this kind of distance, makes a difference!! Ugh, lesson learned. Anyway, it was a cold and dreary day, but at start time, the sun did come out and the rain stopped, so only the ground was wet. Overall, good and fun race, and got to experience (if only slightly) the excitement of the NYC Marathon. Will soon get to a 10 min/mile pace soon, I hope.

The only other training I got in were 2 Chest & Back days, which seems to be the workout I've been most consistent with. Which is okay, because its the areas I need most improvement in, push-ups and pull ups. Volleyball was the only other "training" day I had. Like I said, its been a spotty 2 weeks.

So, since this really is week 4, and what should be recovery week, I'm actually doing an extra Phase 1 week to sort of make up for it.  So with C/B last night, I'll do another run tonight (instead of plyo- with my track record for the last couple weeks, I feel its safer to just do a run after work, than risk going home and getting lazy!!). Shooting for 5 miles, which I think I can soon call my "base" mileage. Then Shoulders & Arms, Yoga, Legs & Back on Sat, Sun, and Mon respectively.  Then on Tue, jump into recovery week.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

NYRR5

Here's tomorrow's course:

Friday, October 29, 2010

Quick Recap

Been updating more frequently with scheduling updates, but havent really given recaps, so, here goes. Since the last real recap, its been going pretty well. Currently wrapping up Week 2. Some high- (or low) lights:

I'm struggling more with pull ups than I thought I would. Didnt see much improvement this past C/B session, which really is the third time, since I did a Week 0. Legs & Back went well, first time I've done it this round. But I was REALLY sore for about 3 days. Mostly in  the glutes and calves (since I did the calf raises on the stairs). Thighs were a bit sore, but nothing crazy, which was expected after months of running. Did plyo this past wed, and it seemed tougher than the previous time, probably because it was a humid day. Was still able to complete it without extra breaks, and keeping up pretty decently with "the kids". Nothing spectacular with Shoulders and Arms last night, only highlight is that the biceps are feeling stronger (and the reps/weight show it). Still need to expand my weights....

So I'm keeping up with my plan so far, will hopefully knock out Yoga tonight. I may do a run tomorrow instead of Legs & Back, but I really dont want to skip it. But I know if I do L&B on tomorrow, I would be able to run for a couple days after. Maybe I'll run on Sat. then L&B on Sun, but I want a rest day.....hmmmm....

'Till next time!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Week 2 Progress

Day 1: Volleyball, check.
Day 2: Chest/Back, check!
Day 3: Plyo X, check!
Day 4: Shoulders/Arms, check!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Rest Day

So I didnt do Plyo yesterday, mainly because my calves and glutes were still EXtremely sore from Legs & Back on friday. I didnt want to risk that, and then have volleyball tonight. I wanted to go for a bike ride, but didnt think my glutes would be up for that either. So I just made it a rest day. So this week's plan looks like:

Day 1 (Monday)Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day7
VolleyballChest & BackPlyo or RunShoulders & ArmsYoga Legs & BackPlyo or Run*
*(whichever wasn't done earlier in the week)

And just another note: Will be doing a 5-mile race on Friday, Nov. 7!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Progress

10/21 Legs & Back: DONE!
10/22 Shoulders& Arms: Complete!
10/23 Yoga X: COMPLETE!
10/24 Plyo? We'll see....

Friday, October 22, 2010

The Plan

This is more a reminder for myself of how I'm going to handle the coming days...as of the previous update, I had volleyball that night. Last night (thur) I did Legs & Back (a more thorough recap later). The plan, as of now is:

Tonight (Fri): Shoulders & arms
Saturday: Yoga
Sunday: Plyo
Monday: Volleyball
Tue: Chest & Back

This will put 2 days in between plyo days (instead of 1, which would be....dangerous, not that 2 is all tha much better....haha). At least if I go with whats scheduled. I may do another 5 mile run on Wed instead, weather permitting.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Obstacles...

So last Wed., I actually got up early in the morning again, to pound out Shoulders and Arms, only to feel, somewhat "not right". I felt it was probably better to not do the workout and crawled back into bed (contrary to popular belief, I actually REALLY wanted to do the workout and was kinda bummed!). So, turned out my hunch was correct, and I ended up having a stomach bug.  Fortunately for me, it was only about a 24 hour thing, but it did sideline me from working out for three days in total.

Therefore, on Saturday, to sort of make up for the missed days, I did the first half of Yoga X (which should have been done on Thur), and then jumped into Shoulders & Arms. All I had were my 30 lb dumbbells, which were ok for about the first few moves, and had to modify from there. Also had a pair of 10 pounders, which I used for lateral raise type moves. Took another rest day on Sunday (seriously, was going to go for a ride, but was darn tired,  dang it!). But since this supposed first week didnt go very well, I decided to call it 'Week 0', and dive in the next day as my REAL week 1.

I already have to modify my schedule a bit. But was able to get C&B in on Monday (some moves slightly better, others, no as much, I suspect Saturday's Shoulders and Arms having to do something with it). Yesterday, I did a 5 mile run in CP, averaging about a 10:15 min-mile, which to date, is my best pace for that distance, EVER. I'm still wondering how people do like, 7 min-min miles. Crazy.

So today should have been Shoulders & Arms again, but I have volleyball. So, in the next 4 days (Thur-Sun), I need to somehow squeeze in: S&A, Yoga, Legs & Back, and Plyo; keeping in mind it'll be C&B again on Monday. As you can see, its quite leg intensive- so this will be a bit of challenge in how to put it all together.

'Till next time.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Still On Track (Sort of...)

I'm not to sure how my recaps ended up on a Tues, but I guess I'll keep that going until it changes again. So I had volleyball last tuesday, worked up quite a sweat. Took Wed and Thur off (was significantly sore from Yoga!). On Friday, I went out to CP and ran 5 miles.  Being that its been about 2 weeks since I last ran (Cow Harbor 10k), it was a pretty good run. After using the first couple miles as a warm up, I actively tried to push the pace a little bit, to be just outside of my comfort zone, with my average pace being 10:30 for the entire run. Broken down into mile splits (which Nike+ now has), after my warm up mileage, I was actually closer to a 10 min-mile, which is much faster than I had been running.  So all in all, was very happy with that run.

Had every intention to bike at least one day over the 3 day weekend, but it was nixed by trips to Ikea! haha...so though I did not take the bike out on saturday, I did remain active. How you ask? By putting together Ikea furniture! Ok, a bit of a stretch, but it beats sitting around doing nothing.

"Day 1: Chest and Back (~50 min)
One word describes this work out, INTENSE. workout essentially alternates chest (push-ups) and back (pull-ups). and on top of that, after you're done with that, you tackle Ab Ripper X, which is 339 reps of various ab exercises. the key to chest and back? PACE YOURSELF. you think you're all manly and do as many reps as you can in the beginning, when you repeat the set, forget it, i was down to 3 reps because i ran out of gas."

As I'm trying to restart the X, I thought it'd be fun to revisit my first post, from 2 years ago, when I first started P90X.  I quoted it above. I thought I was more descriptive, but I was not. And that last part about being down to 3 reps, yea, that was ON MY KNEES. So Monday I did in fact jump into Chest & Back. and man, its every bit as tough as it was on that day over 2 years ago. I tried to take it easy, but even so, I was pretty spent, ALMOST thought about not doing Round 2, but was determined to. I did have to skip Dive Bombers cuz quite frankly, I couldnt even do 1 at that point. Hoping next week will be better.

and FINALLY, another pat on the back as I, WOKE UP EARLY TO DO PLYO THIS MORNING!! Go t up at 6am, washed up, changed, downed a protein drink, and got started around 6:20.  Overall, it went well, I was able to keep up and not add any extra breaks (thank you half marathon), and my legs did get a good workout. Jump knee tuck and Rock Star hops are still the 2 most exhausting moves, ever. But as of right now, as I write this post, my legs feel fine, and I'm not even really sore from the workout.  In fact, I'm tempted to even say it doesnt feel like I actually DID plyo this morning. Perhaps I dreamt that I did...haha. But no, I KNOW I did =).

Ok, hoping the rest of the week goes as smoothly as the last couple of days, and hoping that I continue to get up to workout in the morning. Thanks for reading, 'til next time!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

A Quick Update

It has been about ten days since the Cow Harbor Run, and everything is still going as planned. Asides from volleyball the the tuesday after the race, I pretty much took the rest of the week off. As further proof of my lack of cross training when I was training for the Half, I was moderately sore after volleyball. And honestly, I dont find volleyball that demanding!

Saturday (one week removed from the race) I took the bike out and did 12 miles. I did take a mini break in the middle, so the first 6.3 miles took me about 29 min, then another 6.3 miles took me 27 minutes. This included some congestion due to walkers and/or cars, and not really busting it all out. So I'm thinking I should be able to do the bike portion (of the Sprint Triathlon) in around 40-45 min. Now that I'm thinking about it, if I can do each leg of the Tri in 40 min, and with a finishing time of about 2 hours, I'd be pretty darn happy with that!

Finally, I did Yoga X last night, and well, it left me pretty exhausted. I actually did the whole thing (sans the "ohmms" at the end). I was completely wiped out at one point, and actually had to pause for some hydration. I was able to do all the push-ups that are thrown in. Definitely lost a good amount of flexibility in my legs, especially the muscles which are in high demand when running (like the hip flexors).

Have volleyball again tonight, then hoping to hit up Yoga X again, maybe thur or friday. Take the bike out again during the weekend, then its X time.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

The Great Cow Harbor 10k

Today was the Great Cow Harbor 10k Run! Warm, slightly humid day, but I was able to greatly improve my time from my last 10k from 1:20:37; 13 min-mile pace- to 1:09:19; 11:10 min-mile pace.  And that could have been somewhat better, had it not been so crowded at the start. Was at a walking pace probably for the first quarter mile. Overall, it was a good run, pretty scenic, and homey. The route took you through residential streets, and people were on the front doors and front yards cheering you on. Its very encouraging seeing people do that. I'm satisfied with my finish, but will continue to strive for a better pace.

So everything is going as planned so far. Took a week off after the Half, and did 2 runs this week leading up to the Cow Harbor. First run, did about 3 miles, with 4 half-mile repeats at tempo pace (roughly 9 min-mile for me).  Good overall training run, and will hopefully try to keep that pace for now (tho not sure how often I'll go out, since, if all goes well, P90X will start soon).  Next run was for 3.5 miles in Central Park. Was simply trying to hit negative splits on that run, starting out at about an 11 min-mile pace. Was able to do that, and achieved a 10:26 min-mile overall for the entire run. Felt pretty good about that.

Ok, so, still aiming for Oct. 11 to start round 3. In the meantime, I'm hoping to Yoga it up a little, bike, and relax. Until next time...

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Chicago Half Marathon Recap and Lessons Learned

Chicago Half Marathon 


I did it! I actually did it! Part of me is still trying to settle with the fact that I completed a half-marathon. Crazy. As expected, my official finish time was 2:38:15, which equates to just about a 12 min-mile.  The day started with getting up at 4:45am, getting ready, and boarding the shuttle to the race at 5:30am. It waited until almost 6am before it left, and with the traffic due to the street closures for the race, we didnt arrive until 6:45am, 15 min before the race. Due to their port-a-potty shortage and my need to use the facilities before I run, the gun actually went off as I was still standing in line for the bathroom. In fact, I didnt join the slow march to the start line until 7:10ish, crossing the start line a little more than 15 minutes after.

It was a beautiful day, 60 degrees, low humidity. We really couldnt have asked for better conditions. I started out really well, taking the first 2 miles easy to warm up. After that, I picked it up a little bit, and was really trying to achieve negative splits, at least for the next couple miles. Made it to mile 5 without a water break.  Was good until about mile 7, and thats where I started to struggle. Got through mile 8 and 9, slowly, then went into a stretch where I was alternating walking and running in 1 or 2 min intervals. Got to the mile 12 marker, and told myself to finish strong. Started running, but could barely make it another quarter mile, before having to walk again. Got to the 'half-mile to go' marker, and sucked it up, and ran to the end. What an experience. All the months of training, all for this one moment. The thrill of crossing that finish line and saying, "I did it".

Lessons Learned
As I look back at my training and all, theres a few things that I really do regret or wish I did, to which I'm certain would have allowed me to have a better finishing time.
  1.  Lack of training structure- Since I had signed up for the race so far in advance, somewhere in the back of my head, I kept telling myself that I had plenty of time to train.  This caused me to never get into any kind of flow or structure in my training runs. I would just head out for a run, and say to myself, "oh, I think I'll run this amount today".  
  2.  Focusing all my effort in mileage-  I concerned myself too much with just increasing mileage.  Little did I cross-train, nor increase the intensity of my runs. This is what caused me to go from a 10:30 pace in April, to a mid 11 pace later on, even though I had been steadily running about 15 miles per week up to that point. 
  3. Lack of intensity- This kind of goes with the previous point, but not being diligent with tempo, interval and hill training really, really hurt me. I did it once in a while, but nowhere near as regularly as I should have.
What's to come
So, there you have it.  I've completed my first Half-marathon. It was a great experience, and was going to decide, based on this experience, if I'm going to do it again. Verdict? HECK to the YES! Haha....in fact, I've placed my name into the lottery for the NYC Half in March! Here's to hoping I get selected! And now that I've purchased a bike, I'm giving the DC Triathlon (sprint distance) in June some heavy consideration.

So here's the plan for the coming weeks: taking the rest of the week off to recover, do 2 training runs before the Cow Harbor 10k on the 25th, take another 2 week break (light training/biking, if I do anything at all), then shooting for Oct 11 for the start of: Round 3, P90X. Yeah, baby. 'Til next time....

Thursday, September 9, 2010

One Last Hurrah

Well, we are 2 days away from the big race.  Everything is set, and even the weather is looking promising.  The only thing left is to get through all 13.1 miles.  Major development since last update? I bought a bike! A bicycle that is, so- may the triathlon training commence.

I did complete the planned 10 miles (10.5 to be exact...) mentioned in the previous update, in just around 2 hours.  Again, that realistically puts me at 2:30 to complete the half.  It was a pretty good run, with stops at the 5 mile mark, 7.5, and roughly the 9 mile marks.  And as previously concluded, its not my conditioning that will hold me back, especially if the forecast is correct (as of now, lower 60s, low humidity at race time).  It is my lower extremeties and how they will hold up.  At the end of the 10 miles, my ankles and feet were in some serious pain, to think, theres another 3 to go!! Fun.

Tonight will be either a quick once or twice around the southern loop, and that will be all she wrote.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Recap: Maine Edition and the Home Stretch

Wow, we're down to single digit days until the half. Cue the anxiety!

Its been 2 weeks since the last update, and I've done only three *gasp!* runs! BUT! (there is a but), I did rack up about 60 miles worth of bike riding! So it's not as bad as it seems.

So I was in Bar Harbor, ME from 8/21-8/28, and only got one run in, on the first full day there. A moderately hilly 5 miles, which entered Acadia National Park. The hills were challenging, and once I got into the more level portion of my route, I was able to challenge myself by doing extended intervals. The temperature was in the lower 60s, but since it was gloomy and on the verge of rain, meant 100% humidity. Overall, it was an "okay" run.

For the next 3 days, as mentioned earlier, we did a lot of biking, to the tune of over 50 miles. The first day was the biggest challenge. Riding up Cadillac Mountain. From the house, it was just over 6 miles, and a 1500 ft. climb to the top, with the bulk of the climb coming in the final 3 miles, taking just under 2 hours. A far cry from the estimated "30 minutes" which the guy at the bike shop advised. Honestly, it was an amazing accomplishment, and had it not been for the running, I think I would have passed out.

Fresh off the 1500 ft climb, I did about 15 miles the next day, with moderate hills. A very scenic ride through Acadia National Park, down to Jordan Pond. Nothing too challenging, at least when compared to the previous day's feat.

The third and final bike day was a doozy, totalling 30+ miles on a rainy cold day. Thing was, it only ended up being 30+ miles due to a couple wrong turns! On some pretty hilly terrain to boot. Rode from Bar Harbor down to Sand Beach, then Thunder Hole, which was about 9 miles. Then the return trip would have taken us back through Jordan Pond, repeating the previous day's return. One swift wrong turn, then another, tacked on a bunch of needless HILLY miles. But hey, in the end, it was a GREAT workout.

Took the next 4 days off to recover (though I should mention that I did kayak one of those days), and did a 5 mile run, in 90+ degree weather. Though hot, humidity was down. First half of the run went great, then deteriorated quickly as the heat caught up with me. Last night's run, though a touch cooler (89 degrees?), the humidity was up, so was cut short after one lap around the southern
loop.

So its been an interesting past 2 weeks, and should be even more interesting next 10 days. The plan is to hit 10 miles tomorrow, and will cap the training there. Two shorter runs for the upcoming week before the race, and then it's showtime. Man oh man, here we go. Hope to have an update before then.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Running Recap (8/13 - 8/19)

Looks like its just about crunch time, 3 weeks left until the Half!

It was a pretty decent week, which included two 8 mile runs. One short 1.7 mile (which was shortened by heavy downpouring rain, yes, got drenched!), and an early morning 3 miler (this morning!). Both 8 milers came on relatively cooler and very low humidity days, which made them possible to begin with. What I realized from those two runs is that, given similar weather conditions, its not my conditioning and/or lungs that will prevent me from finishing (or at least finishing with a respectable time), its my legs. Anytime I surpass the 6 or 7 mile mark, everything starts to ache. From the balls of my feet, ankles, knees, and the newest one, my right hip flexor. This is what I get for not being as diligent with yoga as I had planned. But I completed both 8 milers in about 1:30, so that realistically puts me in the 2:30 range to complete the Half. Not what I wanted, but hey, as I have said before, I'm just looking to finish (in one piece!) at this point!

I cannot believe I actually peeled myself out of bed to run this morning. Got up around 6:15am, washed up, got dressed, and started around 6:30. All the experts recommend that you run in the morning, but man, it was tough. Even though the weather seems nice now, the humidity was around 75% this morning, which is trouble for me, despite the cooler temp.

So now its off to Maine for the week. No plans on slowing down the training though! Hopefully I'll get a long run in there somewhere. We'll be doing  a bit of biking, so at the very least, I know I'll stay active through the week.

Here is the route from this morning, courtesy of MapMyRun.com

Friday, August 13, 2010

Running Recap (8/6 through 8/12)

I ended the last post saying I may be ambitious and do 7 miles. Well, I didnt, I did 7.5! Hah! We've been having some great weather, and that day in particular, felt really good. So I did the full 6 in central park, and when I got back down to 59th, I decided to do a bonus lap on the southern loop. But right as I got to the 7.5 mile mark, my legs were completely exhausted.  I could not take another step, even if i wanted to.  And to my surprise, my lungs were actually ok. If my legs would have cooperated, completing the southern loop at the end would not have been a problem.  I'm still at a snail's pace, hovering around an 11 min-mile for the longer distances. But hey, at this point, I'm just looking to finish this half-marathon. Which, by the way, is in exactly a month from yesterday!!

Sunday 8/8 turned out to be a nice day, so went for a quick 3 miles at the Cross Island path. That turned out to be harder than I had anticipated, given the conditions. But I got the run in, and thats all that mattered. The next day, 8/9, I had planned to do just another 3 miler (twice around the southern loop, central park), since it was near 90 degrees and humidity was moderate. But as I head out, it seemed cooler and less humid than was forcasted. I still set out for my 2x around, but as I'm finishing up the 2nd lap, it felt SO good, that I did an extra 3rd lap, for a total of 5.2 for the day.  And really, I felt like I could have kept on going! Great run for the day.

And then theres Wed 8/11, I'm not even sure what my plan was, but it was a complete off-day. My legs felt the slight burn in the beginning, which is completely normal as I warm up. But, as I'm approaching the end of the first lap, the burn was still there, and I found it hard to breathe. It was warm and humid, and the sweat was dripping off my arms! So, I completed the loop and called it a day. There was really no point in furthering that run.

So, tomorrow (8/14) is looking to be a really nice temperate, low humidity day...so again, going ambitious. The plan is 8.  We'll see how that goes....'till next time!

Friday, August 6, 2010

Running Recap (last 2 weeks)

The weather has become more bearable as of late, so have somewhat been on track. Though still not going out as frequently as I like, the sessions are getting better. Since last update, I've only had 3 runs, of 5, 6 and 6 miles each, with no breaks in the second 6 mile day.  The second one was also run 4 min faster than the previous one, which I'm sure the lack of breaks had something to do with. Nothing really of significance to note....

Mixed in there was an all day softball tournament, which left me pretty sore (surprisingly) the following day or two. 

On my last run, I tested out the iMapMyRun app on the iPhone, and I really like it. It'll map your route as you run (using the phone's GPS), and record information such as time, pace, speed and your mile splits; it can also give live updates via twitter or facebook, which for a geek like me, I find to be a really nice touch. The splits is what was sorely missing from Nike+ (if it does tells have that information, someone please enlighten me!). I feel like thats such a basic yet important stat, and have a hard time believing that its missing from Nike+. iMapMyRun then syncs to your account on mapmyrun.com, and logs all your information. The site even shows the elevation of your route. I've only used it once so far, but I really like the app.  I'm still using Nike+, so it was a bit tricky starting both apps on the phone before starting my run.

Was planning on doing another 6 miles tonight, but as the weather is looking to be really good this evening,  I may be a little ambitious and up that to 7. We'll see.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Heat & Humidity!

Its been a month since my last post, and thankfully, the whole "no posts = no training" does not hold true this time! Though training has slowed in the past month for 2 reasons: 1) i was on vacation for 9 days and 2) it has been ridiculously hot and humid here in the NYC. Lets see how much I can recap.

First things first, I've reached the "GREEN" level on My Nike+ ! Meaning I've exceeded 155 miles run, this year alone! Thats probably more than I've run in my entire life up to the beginning of this year.

So I left off my recaps on a really good note, logging my longest run (7 miles!). Its been a bit downhill since then, no pun intended.  In my week before vacation, I did 2 runs, for 5 miles each. First one was a tempo run, and for the second, I had fully intended to do another long run (7 miles), but the heat/humidity was too much to bear, and I had to cut it off after struggling through 5.2 miles. Then, it was off to Aruba!  The resort actually had organized runs at 7am on a couple days, which I REALLY wanted to join. But of course, its in the AM, and well, quite frankly, I WAS ON VACATION. Though I missed those runs, I was able to make it to the gym (at about 10pm) one night. Did some lifting (half of P90X Chest & Back, actually), then hopped on the treadmill. Did about 3 miles, and it appears the workout preceding it had wiped me out a bit, as I was pretty maxed out at 3 miles.

So, upon returning (2 days later actually), was the Dash & Splash 10k in Central Park. How'd I do? Lets just say that it probably was not the best idea to sign up for a race thats 2 days after you were just on vacation for about 9 days.  We'll chalk it up to that, being extremely humid, and the fact that I probably wasn't properly nourished and hydrated for the race. I had to start walking around the 3 mile mark, and in fact, probably walked more than I ran in the final 2 miles.  I've never been so disappointed, ever! (ok, maybe I have, but just to give you an idea of my disappointment with my finish). I wont even get into my numbers, lets just leave it at, they were abysmal.

So since that race, it has been pretty hot and humid, so my performance and running has suffered significantly. Did a couple tempo runs, but had to keep most short, and as I saw during the 10k, could not really make it past mile 3. Finally, yesterday, we had our first low humidity day in a long while, and I was able to go out and do the 5.2 miles in Central Park, sans any breaks. What a wonder that did to boost my confidence again. OK! So thats my "brief" recap of the past month. Hope to be back to my weekly updates next week. 'Till next time...

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Running Recap, week of 6/14

So I decided I'd try a run, a day after I did Plyo X. Simply put, my legs were having NONE of it. Dragged myself around the southern loop in Central Park once, and called it a day.  The muscles in my legs were just WAY too sore. In fact, they were sore until at least Thursday.

Wednesday was the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge (3.5 miles).  Finished in 39:30, which quite frankly, I was very disappointed with, considering the amount of running I had been putting in, and knowing that I've done longer distances at  faster times. I suppose I'll chalk it up to still being sore from Plyo, and the simple fact that it was really, really crowded.

Reached yet another milestone on my third run of the week (on Friday); 7.2 miles, longest run to date.  Completed it in about 80 minutes, but I did stop once (planned), for about 2-3 minutes.  I realized that stopping is a really bad idea for me, unless I absolutely need to.  What happens is, though I didnt stop completely, I walked for those 2-3 minutes; but, I guess my body goes into this "shutdown" mode, where it thinks we're done. When I tried to pick it back up, it was mighty difficult, for the first few minutes, at least.  It's as if I had to re-do the warmup.

Another good three-run week in the books! 'til next time...

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Ouch!

Ok, the DOMS has fully set in from Sunday night's Plyo session. For those of you who have started or tried P90X and done Plyo X; you should be familiar with the pain. Its been a while, and though I have been running, it has in no way primed the legs for the beating that is Plyo. Ouch. Ouch indeed.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Running Recap 6/7 - 6/13, 100 miles, Plyo X...

An overall good training week. And since, for me, it was a huge personal milestone, its worth repeating...

I have now ran over 100 miles for the year!!

Go me! In any case, since I made last week a recovery/taper week, I started the week off with a long run. 6.4 miles in Central Park- going in the reverse direction (clock wise). This direction seemed to be a touch easier, as the uphill wasn't quite as long as it is going the opposite way. Improved my average mins/mile, compared to the last long run.

On 6/10, I had intended on doing 4 miles. It started to drizzle as I started the run, and didnt think much of it, and thought as long as it stayed like that I would be fine. Well, it DIDNT stay like that. It started coming down in buckets at one point, so had to cut the run short to just once around the southern loop for 1.74 miles. And just as luck would have it, it cleared up as soon as I left the park. So to make up for the rain shortened run, I went back on the following day, 6/11, for a 4 mile run at the CIP path.  Made it a quasi-tempo run, where I averaged a 10:20 min/mile. The first mile I was able to do in under 10.

And as a bonus....I did Plyo X yesterday (6/13)! The first time in a very long while. And I'm happy to report, I was able to get through the WHOLE thing, bonus round included- WITHOUT ANY BREAKS. So it appears my condition is improving. Good stuff.

Coming up: This week will be the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge. It will fill in good for one of my runs for the week. 'Til next time!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Running Recap 5/31 and 100 miles!!

So I decided to make it a taper/recovery week, only doing 1 run for 4 miles. On Monday (Memorial Day) 5/31, I did play some softball and volleyball, which was good and served as a bit of cross training. I was more sore than I expected to be.  On Wed, I did 4 miles in Central Park on a new route: entering at 59th, I went west/north along the west side, crossed over at 72nd towards the east side, then went north on the east side up to 90th. Turned around and reversed course.

Right calf and hammy were sore for the next day or 2, which is what ultimately led to just taking the next few days off. The heat wave didnt help it either.

After my run yesterday (which will be in the next recap), I broke 100 miles for the year! Thought I'd take a moment and celebrate the milestone =)

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Running Recap: Week of 5/24

Third straight week of consistent running. I may be onto something here....

So here's the result of what was previously planned:

5/26 (Wed): Hills, Central Park, twice around southern loop, 3.5 miles.
5/28 (Fri): Long run (5, maybe 6 miles)
5/30 (Sun): Tempo

I had to alter my Wed. run simply because it was a 90+ degree day. It was hard to breathe, let along run. Scrapped the hills and just tried to go twice around the southern loop. Barely made that and had to walk near the 3 mile mark. Note to self: DO NOT RUN IN 90+ DEGREE WEATHER!

Friday's long run was a good one, for the full 6 mile outer loop in central park. Coolish day, in the upper 60s. The small 1 mile-ish section at the northern most part of the course had a humongo hill, which I went up at a snail's pace. Fortunately, humongo hills are usually coupled with fairly equal downhills, this one is actually named "the great hill". Which allowed me to coast down, for a short while at least. Completed the 6 in roughly 66 min; avg a 10:55 min/mile (according to Nike+).


Got my lazy butt out on Sunday afternoon (a big feat in itself!); to do my tempo runs at the Cross Island path. Jogged from home to the park (appx 1 mile) as my warm up. Entered the path and did half-mile tempo runs. Maintained roughly a 9 min/mile, but was pretty winded by the end of the half mile. Did that twice. Then on the way back, from the path back to 35th Ave., is about a .3 mile uphill. So I did another tempo run going up the hill.


Its looking good for now, need to plan a taper week soon. Legs are beginning to fatigue a little.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Running Recap: Week of 5/17

Well, seems I'm on track, for now.

Started the week with hills again, as in my previous post, but added an additional rep to make 5.  Thurs 5/20 was my "long" run of 5.2 miles. It seemed harder this time around than last, my guess would be due to the warmer temps. I did finish about 30 seconds quicker than last week, which may not seem like much, but I'm happy with any achievement at this point, no matter how small.

On Saturday 5/22, was my tempo run.

The plan for this coming week:

5/26 (Wed): Hills, Central Park
5/28 (Fri): Long run (5, maybe 6 miles)
5/30 (Sun): Tempo

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Inconsistent

How do I always manage to let a month go by without an update? Better yet, how do I let almost a month go by without running?! 

Since the Run as One, I've only gotten a few runs in.  There always seems to be something.  It was my calves (BOTH of them) for about 2 weeks after the race.  A couple runs in that last week for April. And then I came down with some kind of stomach virus the first week of May.  Another 2 runs later,  here we are.  Definitely disappointed in where my training is, I had thought, and wanted to be, much further at this point than I am right now.

This week, so far (May 10)
Logged about 3.5 miles on Monday (5/10), which consisted a little of hill training. Entered Central Park at 59th street, and did an easy jog up to the Boathouse near 72nd as a warm-up.  From there, for those familiar, is a nice hill. So I ran up the hill, at about 75%, up to the traffic light, which was just over .1 mile. Turned around and jogged back down. Repeated this for a total of 4 times.  Then came back down and finished the remainder of the southern loop, from 72nd. 

Did 5.2 miles yesterday (5/12), my longest mileage to date. Entering at 59th, headed north along the east side, making a left (heading west) at 104th street, then back south along West Drive, all the way back down to 59th. It was a damp, cool day, which was good for me. Completed it in just over 56 minutes, without stopping. Good news is that my calves seem fine, so hopefully, those issues are behind me. 

Will look to go back out on Sunday. 

Thursday, April 15, 2010

KFC Double Down

Alright, so there's been quite some hub-bub about KFC's new Double Down sandwich. Basically, its 2 pieces of white meat chicken filets, 2 strips of bacon, cheese, and "Colonel's Sauce".  In essence, using the chicken filets as the bun. You also have the choice of having your chicken fried or grilled.  Now, I've seen and/or heard many that are saying how "gross" it is, and how "unhealthy" it must be.  So I just couldnt help myself to do a little comparison, and the results may or may not shock you. If any of these people who are crying bloody murder regarding the Double Down have ever had a Whopper or Big Mac, guess what?  The Double Down actually is "healthier" than either one.  I mean, its all fast food, so NONE are actually good FOR you, but in this case of "lesser of 2 (well, 4) evils", the Double Down (w/grilled chicken) would actually be your best choice.

Here's the nutritional info to help break it down for you:

















http://www.wendys.com/food/pdf/us/nutrition.pdf
http://www.bk.com/cms/en/us/cms_out/digital_assets/files/pages/NationalNutritionals.pdf
http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/nutritionfacts.pdf
http://www.kfc.com/nutrition/pdf/kfc_nutrition.pdf

Choose wisely people....

Monday, April 12, 2010

Running Recap 4/5 and JP Morgan's Run as One

Finished the week off with 3 runs, one of which was the JP Morgan Run as One (4mi).  As stated in the previous post, started the week off with a 4.8 mile run along the Cross Island Path.  On Wed., did 4 miles in Central Park, twice (and a little) around the southern (small) loop.  This by far was the hardest run, which I'm pretty sure the 90 degree day contributed.  Struggled big time to just complete the typical twice around, let along do the extra 1/2 mile to complete 4 miles.

JP Morgan's Run As One



A crisp 52 deg. F and 47% humidity at 9AM made for favorable running conditions for this race. Completing the run in 42:10, which was just over a 10:30 min-mile (see above). Not GREAT by any stretch of the imagination, but a good place to start. Remember, this was my first [real] race, EVER! But the most encouraging part of the day was making it through all 4 miles without really struggling at all. Legs felt strong, and was never really out of breath. Kept the heart rate under 180 as well.  Slowed down once for a quick H2O break, and that was it.  Did a nice sprint to the finish, and it was in the books!  Sadly, my left calf is now in pain, AGAIN. It seems to be playing a little ping-pong, in terms of pain. I guess I should be thankful that its never both calves at the same time. Hoping this one wont sideline me for another 9 days. Would like to continue ramping up my training.

Until next time...

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Running Recap: Weeks of 3/22 and 3/29

In my previous post I mentioned being slowed by strained calves, which ultimately kept me off the road for 9 days.  So for the week of 3/22, I was only able to get 1 run in at the end of the week, which was a quick 1.6 miles, at the Cross Island Path (Crocheron Park to Northern Blvd). It was pretty chilly that morning.

I've done well recently, having gone out three times in the last 6 days, which included one which was my longest run yet! 2, 3, and 4.8 miles were my distances. Nike+ is still a little wonky, and not sure was calibrated correctly, but I believe I'm still in the ballpark of a 10 min-mile. A little quicker on the shorter run, slower on the long run.  My McDavid calf protector sleeves came in yesterday, so they'll be put to the test as I'm looking to get in another 4 tonight, before my "big" race (4 miles) on Sunday!  This will be my first "real" race (other than the JP Morgan Corp. Challenge, which I dont consider real), so, wish me luck!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Recap: Weeks of 3/8 and 3/15

Was only able to get in 2 runs each week, each of 3.5 miles, except for the first run on 3/8, which was only 1.75miles. Steadily trying to improve my pace each time out. I tried a "tempo" run and it completely wiped me out for the rest of the night. I got home, dug deep to make and eat dinner, took a shower and went to bed, haha. But it felt good to actually be able to sustain that through the 3.5 miles.

I've been hampered by strained calves, which is why I've been limited to 4 runs in the last 2 weeks. First it was my left calf, that healed and is ok now. But last Tuesday I felt a pull in my right calf.  It felt good enough Thursday to go out, so I did, but I apparently reaggrevated it.  So as of today (has been almost 5 days), and its still bothering me. I might just take the rest of the this week off and try to get out on Saturday this week (since its going to be sunny, not as warm though...). Been on a steady diet of ibuprofen and protein, hoping to hasten the healing process.

Oh, and I'm signed up for a 4-mile race on April 11th in Central Park.

This past saturday (3/20) I finally got a quick workout in. Its been a little while, but I wanted to work my way back in. Did pretty much a full body circuit, consisting of:

Squat to shoulder press
Pull up
Push up
Single leg Romanian Dead lift

Did 3 rounds, with a 2 minute rest in between rounds. Felt pretty good, legs were pretty sore the next day, as was my back. Chest wasnt very sore, neither were my triceps. Hoping to repeat the circuit again tonight.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Running Recap Week of 3/1 and a Horrible Reminder....

Spring is (almost) in the air and with that, came my first 4-run week. Ran on Mon, Tue, Thur and Sat., with distances: 2, 3.5, 3.5, and 3 miles; for a grand total of roughly 12 miles! Very productive week, with the Saturday run feeling very easy and energetic. I also split the Saturday run into 1.5 splits (CIP Path- Crocheron Park to Ft. Totten), doing an easy pace for the first 1.5, then intervals for the second 1.5.  Pace is still in the mid to high 10 min/mile- so definite room for improvement there. Weather is looking good (and warmer) this week, so hoping to match last week's outting.

So a couple weekends ago, we made a trip to PetCo to pick up some dog food for little Oreo. We were orignally going to pick up two 5-lb bags, but figured we'd save some money by just buying the big 20 pounder.  We didnt use a cart, because we didnt think we needed it.  I ended up just picking up the 20 lb bag and carrying it around. This is when I got a really really stark reminder of what it felt like to weigh 230+ pounds. As we walked around a little more, which could not have been more than 5 min, with an addition 20 lbs in hand, my knees and hips started to ache. I was getting fatigued. Just to think- at my current 205-210, with the added 20lbs, put me right back to where i was. That was a very scary thought. Never again, will I let myself go like that. Never.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Nike LunarGlide+

These arrived yesterday. The Nike LunarGlide+. Have not tested them out yet, nor will i have a chance to soon. I'd like to wait until most of the puddles dry up before i take them out for a test run. I do plan on using these as my race day shoe. A more thorough review once i've had a chance to try then out.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Yoga X

Completed most of Yoga X last night. I stopped just before the Yoga Belly 7 Series.

It was hard last night as my upper body was still sore from both previous workouts still. I tried doing the push ups in between, but really couldn't hack it. The rest of it was ok, went as expected from not doing it in so long.

The plan was to run tonight. We'll see if the snow melts. If not, I'll look to either Plyo, Intervals X+, or possibly Kempo Cardio X+.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Shoulders & Arms

Success. Still one of the easier (note: EASIER, not EASY, by any means) workouts of the bunch. My plan was to actually only do half of the workout, but I ended up doing the whole thing. Go me! But i did not do the bonus round. Not feeling the soreness too much yet, but I'm sure that will change soon. Meant to do Ab Ripper X afterwards, but I forgot.

Notes from the workout: I replaced the upright row with In-n-Out Shoulder Flies, as the upright rows are really killer on my right shoulder. I used 30 lbs for most of the bicep work, and grabbed the 10 lbs (30 and 10 are all i own) and worked till failure when i didnt hit 8 reps, with the 30s.

So today should be Yoga X. Still debating whether to do all or half of it. The plan was to do it in the morning, BUT! right, i failed to wake up, AGAIN! and i still need to find a day or 2 to get a run in. just too cold.

I'm holding off on numbering the days/weeks and calling this the start of round 3, because, i fear it may fizzle out like the last 2 tries.

Monday, February 1, 2010

A Good Start to a New Month

So, the plan is PlyoX tomorrow, and maybe Intervals X Plus on Sunday.

We'll see how I end up.

Lets just say, I ended up very well! Okay, let me back off a little bit and just say it went well. I really wanted to continue my half-marathon training, but that was virtually impossible with the sub-zero wind chills. I mean, I'm one that can take the cold reasonably well, but even I have my limits! I really wanted to hit some resistance training and cardio, though, so my solution? I did half of Chest & Back followed up with 25-30 min of Plyo X. I wanted to take it light on C&B, since its been a while. So I capped the push ups at 10 reps, and pull ups at 8 (doing what I could unassisted, and finishing up with the chair). And let me tell you, even doing that, was HARD! By the time I got to the dive-bombers, I was spent. And to imagine, I only did one round. Plyo went ok- though was disappointed with my perfomance. Thought it would be a touch better from my *four runs...wishful thinking I suppose. Perhaps I was spent from just doing C&B.

So, I woke up Sunday morning, motivated, and tackled Intervals X Plus. I actually did pretty well with this. It wasnt as hard as I last remembered it. Was able to do all the moves, except 2, which were the push up moves. I was incredibly sore from the day before, so there was no way I could do those. So they were pretty much extra 60 sec breaks, and I didnt take any more than that, which I was proud of. So to revisit the question of which is harder, Plyo or Intervals X? Hands down, PLYO X.

One thing I tried this weekend, which I read was good to do, was I did all my workouts with no sneakers. It was interesting. My ankles did get sore, since my ankles are all kinds of messed up, but I think I did alright. I find shoes get in the way sometimes, so I enjoyed it. It'll even help with stability, so may help out my ankles in the long run. I'm working out on carpet so impact wasn't much of an issue.

So I'm still incredibly sore today, but its such a nice feeling. Was going to pound out Shoulders & Arms this morning, but once again, failed at waking up. So, I should get it done tonight, which watching the Bachelor....haha. Dont ask.

'Till next time, BRING IT!

Friday, January 29, 2010

End of Jan Update!

It has been four weeks since I've started eating cleanly, and eating less in general, and its paid off pretty well, see for yourself:

1/4- 211.8 lbs @ 22.5% fat (47.7 lbs of fat)
1/29- 204.2 lbs @ 21% fat (42.9 lbs of fat)
Net: 7.6 net weight loss, (4.77 lbs of fat-loss, roughly 10%).

As you can see, about 40% of my weight loss was lean body mass as well, and that could be a result of restricting too many calories. Recent daily calorie requirement calculations has me around 2660 calories perday, if i am lightly active (working out 1-3 times a week). I have been averging about 1500 calories/day on the weekdays, and higher on the weekends, of course.

I have also been out running four times in the past 2 weeks, in an attempt to start my half-marathon training. Distances so far: 1.6, 1.6, 3, and 2 miles. Not the greatest, but its a start! I also did Ab Ripper X on Tuesday, and I'm still a tiny bit sore today, 3 days later. Had planned on doing a run yesterday, and one tomorrow, but the weather is not cooperating. So, the plan is PlyoX tomorrow, and maybe Intervals X Plus on Sunday.

We'll see how I end up.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Half Marathon, Diet, and more...

2.5 months since I last posted? NOT GOOD. And as I mentioned in a previous post, no posts = no working out! Sadly enough, that holds up. The only activity I've had in the past 2.5 months has been volleyball, and that was only once per week. I should mention, though, the nice bike ride I did in San Fran. Biked from Pier 39, over the Golden Gate Bridge, and into Sausalito. And if anyone knows anything about SF, it is not flat! Made for a good challenge and even better workout. The ride out and back was about 16 miles, essentially working off all the fatty, unhealthy foods I had been consuming during the vacation. Good thing.

In other news, I've signed up for the Chicago Half Marathon. Yes, half. I'm not quite up for the full 26.2 miles just yet. Its set for September 12, 2010. A few coworkers will be doing it also, which will make for some nice friendly competition. Definitely in a hole since I'm not much of a runner. Good thing I'll have 9 months to train.

Since the new year, we (the wife and I) have been trying to eat healthy. Meaning lean proteins, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Very little fats/oils, and processed foods. Eating a lot of turkey and chicken breasts, cooked on the Foreman Grill, and chowing down on salads and a fat-burning vegetable soup (created by researchers at Sacred Heart University, I believe, years ago). Who knows if the soup works, but its a tasty way to get heaping portions of vegetables. For now, I'm totalling about 1500 cals/day.

So, has it been working you ask? Take a look at the stats, keeping in mind, this is purely just shaking up the diet. No working out or marathon training, YET.

1/04: 211lbs @ 22.5% fat
1/11: 209.2 lbs @ 21% fat

AND, just for kicks (since you're only supposed to weigh yourself once a week), this morning, i was 206 @ 21.5% fat. Not bad for 1.5 weeks. Until next time....(hopefully sooner than 2.5 months).