4/26-4/28/2006 A Flurry of Activity

4/26/2006 Running and Bicycling

My buddy Rick has decided to possibly give the Little Miami Triathlon another try this fall. We did the race together 2 years ago, and he had a good time, but he really disliked the running portion of the race. In order to get going again he asked me to do some running with him. I'm happy to do it, because it will motivate me to get my butt out of bed in the morning. So he's starting off at a low distance, easy pace and we'll build up from there. We ran together for the first 2 miles on the usual route along Filigar and Meghan's Run and then from there I went on and ran another 3.3 miles around the 222 loop. I'm trying to get used to some hill running. I must say that the hill wasn't as bad this time. I didn't feel completely wiped out at the top of the hill and was able to finish at a good pace. I didn't time it, but the 5.3 mile run took about 55 minutes.

I also decided to do some bicycling. I dropped my car off for some repairs in Amelia and hopped on the bike for a brisk ride home. I felt so good that I turned it into a 30 mile ride out to Greenbriar. It was a very nice, sunny ride.

Odo: 236.9 mi
Dist: 30.33 mi
Time: 2:01:05
Avg: 15.0 mph
Max: 37.6 mph

4/27/2006 Spinning

I finally got back to the spinning class last night. I just realized that it has been almost 2 months since last attending the class, but it has just been so nice outside that I've spent class time outside running a bicycling. It felt good to get back though. It was a 45 minute Strength Class, which is just what I needed. I've been talking about pushing bigger gears and this was the perfect class to get into that groove. I also had a nice little moment when I realized that I was able to get out of my head. What I mean by this is that when I'm spinning, bicycling or running I'll get uncomfortable or in pain and I'll get stuck in my head with the pain and not be able to shake it off. It is hard to explain, but it is demoralizing and makes for a very long workout. Anyway, I was able to pull out of the rut and give the class a strong finish.

4/28/2006 Running

It was the second day of running with Rick. He ran the 2 miles again. This time he was able to finish up the 2 miles with a short sprint to the end. If we can get out a couple times a week. He should be ready in October for the race. I went on to run 3.3 miles in a little over 30 minutes. I didn't time the run again, but that's fine. It was good to get out and do some running after a tough spinning class. I was able to loosen up and relax.

8 days until the Flying Pig Relay!!

4/21-4/23/2006 Bicycling & Race Day!

4/21/2006 Bicycling Leisurely Style

I wanted to get out and do something on Friday to loosen up after spending 9 hours in the car, and 4 hours hanging around the hospital in Cleveland on Thursday. Getting out and cruising around on the bike seemed the perfect solution. It also gave me an opportunity to explore downtown Batavia again after so many years away. Most days I don't go through town at all; it is pretty much jump on the highway to work and back. Even when I do my rides I usually go around the town or the other direction toward Milford. Actually riding around in town was a nice change of pace and brought back some nice childhood memories. I rode for approximately one hour and 10 miles.

4/23/2006 Race Day! Caesar Creek Duathlon

The Stats:
1st 5K Run= 24:37.80 pace= 7:56
Transition= 1:30
20K Bike=41:55.79
Transition= 1:01
2nd 5K Run= 25:26.22 pace= 8:12
Total Time= 1:34:30.81

It was an incredible day for the race. It was absolutely beautiful and sunny on Sunday with the perfect temp for a race, about 65 F at the beginning of the race. I didn't feel really nervous at the beginning of the race, because I didn't have much in the way of expectations for the race. I was excited to be out there though, and was also happy to see Lisa, my Spinning instructor and workout guru at the race. It is always nice to see a friendly face at the course, and I've had a lot of luck with that this year.

The first 5K I was a little nervous, because I was afraid I would push it too hard early and blow up during the last 5K, or worse during the bike portion. I would have been left with nothing but pain during the last run. I completely underestimated myself though, as usual, and could have pushed it a little harder. The breakdown from my stop watch was: mile 1= 7:11 mile 2= 9:26 mile 3= 7:16. There was something screwy going on with the second mile. It was a lot longer than mile 1 or mile 3. I can understand a 30 second drop in time between miles, or even a minute if I'm feeling bad, but there is no reason that it should have taken me a full 2 1/2 minutes longer. I had the same issue with the last 5K, so clearly something was not right with the measurement. They may have shorted the other two miles. I'll probably never know.

The 20K bike broke down like this according to my bike computer: dist: 12.82 mi, time: 41:54, Avg: 18.3 mph, max: 29.6 mph. I was very happy with the ride. It was not an easy ride by any means. There were a fair amount of hills on the course, and it was also fairly windy. It was pretty much a trouble free ride, although I did lose a few minutes when I threw my chain off the front sprocket on a fairly steep uphill climb. I'm gonna have to look into that, because it happens to often. I don't know if it is a problem with the way I am shifting, or if the front derailleur needs to be adjusted. Either way it was a little annoying to get stopped on the side of hill, and have to try to get the momentum going again. I am also gonna have to start pushing some bigger gears, because I felt like I was cruising at a good pace, but I still got passed more than I would have liked. I did some passing too, but still you just don't want to get passed in a race. In the final analysis of the ride, I must say that I am very happy with the outcome. The fact that I maintained an 18.3 mph average on a hilly windy course is very impressive, especially this early in the year. It gives me a lot of confidence for the upcoming races.

The second 5K was the real test of the preparation for the race and my overall fitness level. I must say that I am very happy with the result: mile 1= 7:05 mile 2= 10:25, mile 3= 7:38 mile, .1 miles to the finish= 0:51. You can clearly see the huge discrepency between mile 1 and mile 2 once again. I'm thinking the overall distance was right, but the mile markers weren't placed correctly. When I got off the bike I was fully expecting the brick effect on my calves. I was really getting ready for some pain, but it never came. Well, it came, but not like that. I was definitely a little stiff coming off the bike, but not so much that I couldn't maintain a good pace, as is clearly shown by the time breakdown.

Hitting that second mile off the bike was the only time in the race that I wondered what the hell I was doing out there. It is not unusual for me to have this thought somewhere in the middle or late in a race. That is the moment when I decide whether to coast to the end or have a strong finish. I decided to finish strong, and damn it felt good. I look at the results, and it's easy to overanalyze and think that if I would have pushed a littler harder here or ran a little faster there I could have finished a few places higher, but in the end I am really happy with my performance. I'm really excited about the Flying Pig in 2 weeks!

4/19/2006 Running

I must have been possessed this morning! I wanted to get up and run this morning, but for some reason I got into the racing zone. I'm not sure why, but it felt gooood. :) I ran 3.6 miles at a racing pace. The goal was to finish it under 30 minutes. I just missed it. I ran 3.6 miles in 30 minutes and 7 seconds. I was initially dissappointed, but as I was thinking about it I realized that it was a pretty good time under the circumstances and, like I said, it felt gooood. The circumstances were that I rolled out of bed grabbed a drink of water, and ran. Not exactly optimal preparation for a race. I also pigged out last night on roast, potatoes and carrots shortly before falling asleep. It made me feel a little sluggish and bloated when I woke up. (damn I'm getting old) On top of that I ran a tough course with a lot of hills in the first 2.6 miles and flat the last mile. With all that I convinced myself that it was a good run. Plus, I sprinted the last 100 yards or so, because I wanted under that 30 minute mark so bad! If I can sprint at the end of a 3+ mile run that is a very, very good sign that the fitness level is looking good.

4/17/2006 Strength Training & Intervals

Strength Training

eliptical = 15 minutes on Fat Burning
JC BandsLunges with rows, 12 each side.
Wall sit w/15 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 1 minute
shoulder press = 1 minute
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 12lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 85 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 85 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25

Running - Intervals

I haven't done any running intervals in a while and I had some time left over after strength training, so I decided it was time to hit the indoor track at the Healthplex. Each lap on the track is 1/6 of the mile, hence...well whatever. I ran 1 lap slow, 2 laps fast, 1 lap slow, 2 laps fast. I did two sets of these totalling 2 miles for about 20 minutes. I wasn't sure how my body would react to these, since I haven't done them in a while. The good news is, they felt pretty good. At the end of the second set I could have definitely gone on two do one more if I would have had time.

I had a nice little bonus today! As I was getting ready to leave I walked by a chair massage setup. You better believe I was going to take advantage of that! A little 5 minute massage always improves a day.

4/15/2006 Bicycling

It was an absolutely perfect day to get out on the bike. The weather was perfect, with no wind, one for the record books. I was able to get out pretty early this morning, so I decided to put on some real miles today. Here are the stats:

Odo: 181.8 miles
Dist: 41.90 mles
Time: 2:40:30
Avg: 15.8 mph
Max: 34.6 mph

I rode out 222 to Milford. It is about 11.5 miles to the bike trail. I rode 8.5 miles up the trail to Loveland and back. It is mostly flat to rolling hills the entire way. There wasn't a major hill until I got back to our road and decided to ride the .33 mile monster. Before I hit the final hill my average was 16.6 mph if that says anything about the steepness of the hill, probably not, but I'm telling you it is steeeeeep! I'm looking forward to the possibility of doing that race next weekend. Here's hoping....

4/12-4/13/2006 Strength Training & Running

4/12 Strength Training

eliptical = 15 minutes on Fat Burning
JC BandsLunges with rows, 12 each side.
Wall sit w/15 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 1 minute
shoulder press = 1 minute
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 12lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 80 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 80 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25

4/13 Running

It was a beautiful, sunny and warm day yesterday, so it was a good opportunity to get outside and run instead of spinning in a dark room. Actually it was on the verge of being hot out. It was about 78 degrees and a bit humid; definitely the warmest day yet this year. I decided to hit the Lunken Park trail again. I ran one loop which took 45:12. I wasn't entirely sure of the distance, so I asked and was told that it was 6 miles. I doubt that it's 6 miles. I would say that it's closer to 5 1/2 miles. I'll have to check it the next time I have my bike over there.

The course is a test of your will because it is soooo boring. It is almost completely flat with the exception of one hill, and most of the path is surrounded by trees. This is nice because of the oxygen that trees and plants give off, but it also obstructs any sort of view. It seems to make it very hard for me to judge the distance on the long straight aways also, which is a bit unsettling for some reason.

4/10/2006 Bicycling

After a week off due to a nasty stomach virus it felt good to get back out today on the bicycle. I did my usual route out Rt132, Rt222, Elklick Rd., Green Briar Rd., Summit Rd., Old 32, Herold Rd., 276, back to Rt132 in a nutshell. The first half of the ride is very hilly and the second half of the ride is very flat, and the bonus is there is very little traffic. It continues to be my favorite route around Batavia right now. I'm hoping I can get out one more time this week if it isn't raining.

Odo. 139.9 mi
Dist. 17.61 mi
Time 1.08.50
Avg. 15.3 mph
Max. 36.9 mph

I have set a goal for the month of April to reach over 300 miles on the odometer. Good luck to me!

4/03/2006 Brick Training

Today was my first day of brick training. If there is anybody reading this probably not, that doesn't know what brick training is; it is getting the legs ready for that painful transition from pedalling the bicycle to running. Brick training: your legs feel like they're made of bricks. It's fun stuff.

Dist: 19.24 mi
Time: 1:18:23
Avg: 14.7 mph
Max: 34.2 mph

The ride was very windy. I followed this up with a 1 mile run.

4/02/2006 Running

I had a nice run today outside. I decided to hit the Batavia loop, which is approx. 5 miles long. I need to get in plenty of hill training to get ready for the Flyin Pig and the Triathlon. If I'm lucky I'll get the flat section of the course for the relay, but I'm not going to count on it. If it comes down to it I'll volunteer for it simply because I was the last person to join the team and I don't have to pay for it. woo hoo! So, I'll pay in sweat and pain, fair 'nuff. So there it is I did a little less than 5 miles at 43:42. I can't remember the exact distance, but it doesn't matter at this point. The next race is a 5k so it is more than enough preparation for that.

3/30/2006 Bicycling

I decided to forgo spinning class for some actual bicycling yesterday. It was an awesome 70 degrees and sunny outside. How could I possibly pass that up? I went after work, so I decided to hit a bike trail, and to save time it had to be Lunken Airport trail. It was a bit crowded as I thought it would be, but it was well worth the minor inconvenience.

Distance: 20.43 miles
Time: 1:17:22
Avg: 15.8 mph
Max: 21.2 mph

It is a very flat 5 mile loop. There is only one short, steep hill on the loop. I was riding the loop so that I went up this hill on each lap. The rest of the loop is almost entirely flat. I was able to maintain a speed between 18 mp and 20 mph. The lower average is due to slowing down to pass walkers and runners on the narrow path and that hill. It was a great ride and a beautiful day.

3/29/2006 Strength Training & Assessment

eliptical = 10 minutes on Fat Burning
JC BandsLunges with rows, 12 each side.
Wall sit w/15 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 1 minute
shoulder press = 1 minute
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 12lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 80 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 80 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25

That is, of course, the strength training information from today's workout. I want to take a moment to assess where I am and where I am going in training and workouts. I think it is really important to do this now, because I've reached a point where I am getting a little bored or maybe frustrated because I'm not seeing any big results. I'm hoping my performance at the race last weekend will help me turn that tide and keep moving forward. I have a change in racing schedules, as I'll have to dump the duathlon for April, but I'll be picking up the Flying Pig Marathon Relay in May.

Let's take a look at how far I've come first. I was looking at the last two races of last year. I ran the Mercy Metric 10k at 52:59 and the Thanksgiving Day Race 10k at 50:15. I took the first 5 miles of the Heart Mini and the last 1.3 miles and came up with a time of 51:44. This may a bit of an unfair comparison, but I think it definitely shows an improvement. Added on to the difference in mileage I would say that the Heart Mini course was more difficult in terms of hills than either the Thanksgiving Day race or the Mercy Metric race. Add on to that the fact that it is only March is a real bonus. If I can stay on track I should see a nice improvement in those two races later this year.

My short term goals are to keep working toward the Little Miami Triathlon and now the Flying Pig Marathon Relay. I want to shift to more outdoor workouts now that the weather is getting nicer. I will concentrate more on bicycling and running with 2 strength training sessions per week. I would also like to find at least one 5k to do in April and a cycling event in the spring. I will also have to do some brick training sessions and kayaking to prepare for the Triathlon.

My longer term goal is to not get frustrated in times like these. I want to keep working out and exercising despite set backs to maintain a fitness level over a longer period of time.

3/26/2006 Heart Mini-Marathon 15K

It is now one day past the Heart Mini-Marathon, and holy crap am I sore! It was a tough race, very hilly with one monster of a climb up Torrence Ave. that was to mile 6 hence the drop in time to 9:11 for that mile. I must say though I am thrilled with the results. I can't believe I maintained a pace around 8:30 miles for the entire race. I have, once again, underestimated my own abilities. I thought for sure I would hit mile 6 and just bonk. I was fully expecting to be crawling the last mile. To my surprise, I felt reasonably strong the last couple of miles. Don't get me wrong it hurt. The legs started to get stiff and achy and maintaining pace was more of a challenge, but the thrill of the end of the race really kept me moving.

I saw a number of friends at the race. This is always a pleasent surprise, since I have been going to these races for years and hardly see anyone I know. I also got an invite to participate in the Flying Pig Marathon Relay, which is awesome. I love that race and am thrilled to take part. Here is a quick break down of the race and total. I will put some more thoughts down on the race later. I just wanted to get my initial thoughts down for now.

• 1: 8:19
• 2: 8:12
• 3: 7:56
• 4: 7:46
• 5: 8:19
• 6: 9:11
• 7: 8:30
• 8: 8:36
• 9.3: 11:12
• Total : 1:18:07

3/20/2006 Running

As I'm prepping for the Heart Mini-Marathon I've increased the running mileage to 6 miles for Monday's run and made it really, really hard. That's how I role. I ran the usual course on our road for the first 2 1/2 miles. It was a hilly 2 1/2 but nothing major. I then decided to run the 3 mile course that I ran when we first moved to our street. It is a quarter mile down a very steep grade hill then on to a fairly flat stretch of road for about 1 1/2 miles. It then turns and goes up a steep hill that is close to 1/2 mile long. It then finishes on a 1/2 mile flat run. With a little extension it is a very challenging 6 miles in 56:02. As of this moment I have 3 days and 17 minutes until the race. I'll probably do one more run this week on Thursday or Friday and stay rested until Sunday. After the race I need to assess where I am in training and get focussed for upcoming duathlons.

3/15/2006 Strength Training & Bicycling

A busy Wednesday of working out. I found myself with some time and an awesome day, so I took full advantage. After dropping my daughter off at school I had some time before a meeting I had to attend. It was enough time to squeeze in a strength training session. After the meeting it was so nice outside that I could not possibly turn down the opportunity to get out and ride my bicycle. Here are some of the details:

eliptical = 15 minutes on Fat Burning
JC BandsLunges with rows, 12 each side.
Wall sit w/15 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 1 minute
shoulder press = 1 minute
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 12lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 75 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 75 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25

I added the 12lb. wts. to the lunges to get in a little more work on the upper body. I must like pain, because that was hard. I also forgot my weight on hip adductor/abductor and did 75 instead of the usual 85 lbs. It was probably for the best though, because with the added bike ride I think I got plenty of a workout.

Ride details:

Distance: 30.25 mi
Time: 1 hr 53 minutes
Avg: 16 mph
Max: 32.3 mph

It was a great ride. I rode from our house to Milford by Rt. 222 and Rt. 50 through Old Milford to the Bike Trail. It was such a great day that I decided to go up the Trail a few miles to make the round trip a nice 30 miles. I came to a realization as I was riding on the trail, and that is kind of boring. Don't get me wrong, the trail is great. I'll definitely be using it more this spring and summer, but I actually prefer riding on the road. Despite all the crazies out there and the threat of death road riding is more fun, then again, maybe I'm a freak and it is because of the crazies.

3/13/2006 Strength Training

Here is a quick entry for today's workout. There is nothing particularly new today. It poured down rain the last couple of days, so no new cycling or any outdoor activities. say la veee...kidding of course.

10 minute eliptical to warm up and fat burning
composite leg press 110 lbs 2x12
seated row 70 lbs 2x12
chest press 70 lbs 2x12
shoulder press 65 2x11
front pull down 60 2x11
alternating dumbell curls 20 2x12
cable tricep pulldown 60 2x12
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25

3/06-3/10/2006 Catching Up

I have been slacking on my fitness blog for the last week. It is pretty representative of how I've been feeling about my work outs the last couple of weeks. I feel like I've been in a bit of a rut in my workouts, which actually reflects how I have felt about my life. Hmmm...I guess you could say it's blog immitating life? That's pretty lame. Anyway, I feel like things turned a corner today. I'm starting to get pumped for the Heart Mini-Marathon, and the other events that are coming up over the next couple of months. I might be suffering from a touch of the SAD to so with the improving weather things are looking better everyday.

So let's get caught up:

3/06/2006 Strength Training

15 minute eliptical to warm up and fat burning
composite leg press 110 lbs 2x12
seated row 70 lbs 2x12
chest press 70 lbs 2x12
shoulder press 65 2x10
front pull down 60 2x10
alternating dumbell curls 20 2x12
cable tricep pulldown 60 2x11
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25

3/09/2006 Strength Training, Core Class, Spinning

JC BandsLunges with rows, 12 each side.
Wall sit w/15 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 1 minute
shoulder press = 1 minute
walking lunges = width of b-ball court and back
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 85 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 85 lbs.
triple threat = 2 sets/12 ea.

30 minute Core Class was paaaainful. It had been a couple of week since I took the last class and I was paying for it! The work on the Bosu Ball continues to be the most painful and difficult. I am also starting to see some results from all the pain, so yeaaaaaah! This was followed up by a 50 minute interval spinning class. I wasn't quite there mentally last night, which can make for a tough class. I toughed it out though and felt happy with completing the class, even though I may not have put forth 100%.

3/10/2006

I've been pushing up my running miles per workout in preparation for the Heart Mini and today I got a nice little ego (?) boost from a good run. I was able to put in a 6 mile run in 53:17 which I feel is exceptionally good. Last year I ran a 10K and a 5 mile run each coming in just over 50 minutes. So, running that time in a training session in February gives me high hopes for the year to come. So, as long as I'm talking runs I should set a goal for the Heart Mini. It's a 15K which is about 9 miles, so I should be able to do it in under 2 hours definitely. I'm not sure if I want to set that as my goal, or challenge myself a little more. I'll have to give it some thought.

3/02/2006 Spinning

Endurance Spinning. Uuuuuuuuuuugh...It was a tough class tonight. After taken the week off I am finding it hard to get back into the work routine. I was feeling stiff on the bike last night and in the last 5 minutes of the class I had a cramp in my right calf that is still aching today. Wow, I haven't had one of those in a long time.

I skipped core class, because I just didn' t make it on time and I didn't feel like rushing. I spent an extra 15 minutes on the spinning bike before class began. With the 45 minute class I ended up with a solid 60 minutes of spinning.

Here's hoping for some warm weather tomorrow. I would love to get out for a nice long ride.

2/27-3/01/2006 Running & Bicycling

2/27/2006 Running

After almost a week break for a short roadtrip and a rest I got back to running on Monday. The run didn't really go that well. I felt sluggish and tired, so knowing that I was short on time I cut the run a little short. The ran took about 30 minutes and I put in 2.3 miles. It didn't amount to a great run, but it's all good. These days will happen I just can't let it bring me down.

3/01/2006 Bicycling

Woo Hoo! The stars have aligned and the temperature rose high enough that I could get out on my bike. After a disappointing ride I took the bike back to the shop for some adjustments. I got it back the other day, and was pleasantly surprised with the bill, or lack of bill I should say. Reser knows how to take care of his customers. Anyway, I got out today for a ride. I went the same route as I've been using lately. The stats are as follows:

Distance: 18.9 mi.
Time: 1.13.49
Avg: 15.3 mph

The ride was not perfect. I felt a little stiff for most of the ride and out of breath. It was probably a mixture of cold and lack of food. I was a little hungry, because I skipped breakfast in order to get out the door and to the dentist on time. The front derailleur is acting up a bit as well. The gearing still isn't quite right, but I managed. I might have to get a little repair lesson. I've got some time before the first race of the season to get this straightened away.

2/21/2006 Strength Training, Running

A quick post of yesterday's workout:

eliptical = 15 minutes on Fat Burning
JC BandsLunges with rows, 12 each side.
Wall sit w/15 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 1 minute
shoulder press = 1 minute
walking lunges = width of b-ball court and back
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 85 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 85 lbs.
triple threat = 2 sets/ 12 ea.

I decided to follow this up with a little running torture. I'm not saying that running is torture, but running intervals is a low grade torture session. I ran on the indoor track at the gym, and each lap of the track is 1/6 of a mile. I alternated running 2 laps at a jog and 2 laps at a fast pace, just below a sprint. I ran for a total of 3 miles.

2/20/2006 Running

I was reading back over my previous posts and realized that I have only run 4 times (including today) in February. Hmmm, that is only, on average, once every 5 days. I guess that is why I'm keeping this blog, to catch training issues like that. The new goal is to pick up the running to twice a week. A longer day of running, and a shorter speed training day. It is one of my less least favorite training activities, so it will always be a challenge.

Today's run was fantastic! A little Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on the iPod, the sun shining and a nice smooth road. What more can you ask for? A little warmth maybe? Ahhh I shouldn't be a whiner, but it was a little cold. It was probably mid 30's, but hey it was sunny!! On to the details. It was a 5.6 mile run, which is just how the route worked out. Meghan's Run side of the run is hilly, 2.6 miles. The Filager side of the run is flat, 3 miles. So it was a 5.6 mile run at 55 minutes.