I have nothing particularly interesting to say about this workout. It was very early in the morning and I worked out.
eliptical = 10 minutes on Fat Burning
JC Bands Lunges with rows, Blue Bands - 12 each side.
Wall sit w/20 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 90 seconds
shoulder press = 90 seconds
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 15lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25
Friday, July 28, 2006
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
7/26/2006 Running
I was torn as to what to do this morning. Every other Wednesday is a tough one, because I work Tuesday night until midnight and then am due back in at 9 am. It makes for a slow, agonizing morning. I really wanted to get to the gym, but decided to run instead. I just couldn't get myself to drive a half hour to workout when I could just walk out the door and run. It all worked out for the best. It was a beautiful sunny morning, and the run got the blood pumping and woke me up.
I ran 6 miles starting with a loop through Meghan's Run and then down to 222 and back up 132 hill. I was able to complete 6 miles in 50:45. I felt good about tackling the 132 hill today after letting it beat me the other day. I paced it out and my heartrate never reached over 179 bpm. I'm not sure what that means, but I didn't peak out, and was able to maintain steady breathing.
Here are some more stats from my hrm:
Avg. HR: 155
Peak HR: 179
Min HR: 67
Total Cal: 822
I also tried out the recover function on the monitor. I did a 2 minute recover, and it started at 160 bpm and ended at 118 bpm. I'm not sure what this means just yet, but I had intended on bringing the manual with me to read up and forgot. I'll have to find out more about this.
I ran 6 miles starting with a loop through Meghan's Run and then down to 222 and back up 132 hill. I was able to complete 6 miles in 50:45. I felt good about tackling the 132 hill today after letting it beat me the other day. I paced it out and my heartrate never reached over 179 bpm. I'm not sure what that means, but I didn't peak out, and was able to maintain steady breathing.
Here are some more stats from my hrm:
Avg. HR: 155
Peak HR: 179
Min HR: 67
Total Cal: 822
I also tried out the recover function on the monitor. I did a 2 minute recover, and it started at 160 bpm and ended at 118 bpm. I'm not sure what this means just yet, but I had intended on bringing the manual with me to read up and forgot. I'll have to find out more about this.
Monday, July 24, 2006
7/23 - 7/24/2006 Backpack Trail Run & Bicycling
7/23/2006 East Fork Backpack Trail Run
Close to 5 miles of running through the woods up and down hills jumping logs and running through creek beds trying not to go face first into the dirt because of a stump or a root. I aaaalmost made it without biting it, almost. This is one of the toughest races I have attempted. Since this is the second time I ran it I thought I would be prepared, but nothing can prepare you for the disorienting feeling of running through the woods. There are no mile markers, and nothing to really mark your distance just tree, tree, tree... and a narrow trail to try and pass people on. It's actually fun, really.
I don't know what the exact mileage for the race was, as the course was changed by the park service. They figured that it was close to 5 miles, so that is what the pace and other figures were based on. The official time for my race was 45:27. I am pretty happy with the result considering it was a very tough course with lots of hills and lots of obstacles. As I referenced earlier I did take a dive. Luckily it wasn't a bad one, but it was a full on Pete Rose dive on to the trail. The most unfortunate part of it was that I had my sunglasses in my hand and crushed them in the fall. Bummer.
7/24/2006 Bicycling
It was an incredible day for a ride and I made the most of it. I decided to try to crank out some miles today by trying a new route out to ride. It was a nice long route that took me out 132 to Bethel and back around 133 through Williamsburg to 50 to Owensville and back to Batavia. The only thing that marred the ride was in the last mile two spokes unexpectedly snapped for no apparent reason. Other than that bit of unfortunate luck it felt great to get out and ride just for the sake of riding. It was perfection.
Odo: 793.4 miles
Dist: 43.59 miles
Time: 2:35.03
Avg: 16.8 mph
Max: 40.5 mph
Close to 5 miles of running through the woods up and down hills jumping logs and running through creek beds trying not to go face first into the dirt because of a stump or a root. I aaaalmost made it without biting it, almost. This is one of the toughest races I have attempted. Since this is the second time I ran it I thought I would be prepared, but nothing can prepare you for the disorienting feeling of running through the woods. There are no mile markers, and nothing to really mark your distance just tree, tree, tree... and a narrow trail to try and pass people on. It's actually fun, really.
I don't know what the exact mileage for the race was, as the course was changed by the park service. They figured that it was close to 5 miles, so that is what the pace and other figures were based on. The official time for my race was 45:27. I am pretty happy with the result considering it was a very tough course with lots of hills and lots of obstacles. As I referenced earlier I did take a dive. Luckily it wasn't a bad one, but it was a full on Pete Rose dive on to the trail. The most unfortunate part of it was that I had my sunglasses in my hand and crushed them in the fall. Bummer.
7/24/2006 Bicycling
It was an incredible day for a ride and I made the most of it. I decided to try to crank out some miles today by trying a new route out to ride. It was a nice long route that took me out 132 to Bethel and back around 133 through Williamsburg to 50 to Owensville and back to Batavia. The only thing that marred the ride was in the last mile two spokes unexpectedly snapped for no apparent reason. Other than that bit of unfortunate luck it felt great to get out and ride just for the sake of riding. It was perfection.
Odo: 793.4 miles
Dist: 43.59 miles
Time: 2:35.03
Avg: 16.8 mph
Max: 40.5 mph
Thursday, July 20, 2006
7/19 - 7/20/2006 Running & Commuting
7/19/2006 Running
I haven't been running as much over the last month or so as I was earlier in the summer, and when I do run it is usually with Rick on 3 to 3 1/2 mile runs. I need to get my mileage up to prepare for the upcoming races. I was able to do that the other day by knocking out a 6 mile run in approximately 53 minutes. It was a pretty good run, although I did get stopped by the 132 hill. I made it about halfway up before I had to stop. I walked it out for about 25 yards and then finished up the run strong.
7/20/2006 Commuting
The first half of the ride was smooth as usual. It was a warm morning, mid 70's, so it didn't take long before I was pouring sweat. I took the route through Milford again. It has turned out to be a nice route, especially in the morning with enough range of terrain to keep it interesting and challenging. It was a pretty uneventful ride.
Odo: 724.4 miles
Dist: 25.49 miles
Time: 1:35:38
Avg: 16.0 mph
Max: 29.2 mph
The ride home was a different story altogether. The first half of the ride was pretty smooth. Coming down into Fairfax though I started to feel some weariness in my legs and more problematic a severe pain in my ass as some chafing started. By the time I reached Rt. 50 and Rt. 222 I was extremely tired and my ass ached. So the ride home was a test of endurance and pain threshold. It was also a lesson. I need to pack a bottle of gatorade or something for an energy pick up in the afternoon. The ride was miserable.
Total Stats:
Odo: 749.8 miles
Dist: 50.86 miles
Time: 3:16:40
Avg: 15.4 mph
Max: 29.2 mph
I haven't been running as much over the last month or so as I was earlier in the summer, and when I do run it is usually with Rick on 3 to 3 1/2 mile runs. I need to get my mileage up to prepare for the upcoming races. I was able to do that the other day by knocking out a 6 mile run in approximately 53 minutes. It was a pretty good run, although I did get stopped by the 132 hill. I made it about halfway up before I had to stop. I walked it out for about 25 yards and then finished up the run strong.
7/20/2006 Commuting
The first half of the ride was smooth as usual. It was a warm morning, mid 70's, so it didn't take long before I was pouring sweat. I took the route through Milford again. It has turned out to be a nice route, especially in the morning with enough range of terrain to keep it interesting and challenging. It was a pretty uneventful ride.
Odo: 724.4 miles
Dist: 25.49 miles
Time: 1:35:38
Avg: 16.0 mph
Max: 29.2 mph
The ride home was a different story altogether. The first half of the ride was pretty smooth. Coming down into Fairfax though I started to feel some weariness in my legs and more problematic a severe pain in my ass as some chafing started. By the time I reached Rt. 50 and Rt. 222 I was extremely tired and my ass ached. So the ride home was a test of endurance and pain threshold. It was also a lesson. I need to pack a bottle of gatorade or something for an energy pick up in the afternoon. The ride was miserable.
Total Stats:
Odo: 749.8 miles
Dist: 50.86 miles
Time: 3:16:40
Avg: 15.4 mph
Max: 29.2 mph
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
7/17/2006 Strength Training
It was about 95 degrees today, so I decided to avoid the heat and hit the gym. Here ya go.
eliptical = 20 minutes on Fat Burning
JC Bands Lunges with rows, Blue Bands - 12 each side.
Wall sit w/20 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 1 minute 30 seconds
shoulder press = 1 minute 30 seconds
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 15lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25
eliptical = 20 minutes on Fat Burning
JC Bands Lunges with rows, Blue Bands - 12 each side.
Wall sit w/20 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 1 minute 30 seconds
shoulder press = 1 minute 30 seconds
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 15lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25
Friday, July 14, 2006
7/12 -7/14/2006 Running & Bicycling
7/12/2006 Running
Rick and I did some running on Wednesday evening. I do most of my running and racing in the morning, so whenever I run in the evening it feels....different. Rick is starting to get into the running a bit. He hasn't complained about his legs hurting as much the last couple of runs, which means he is feeling better, or he is just learning to cope with the pain. The trials and tribulations of a runner, why wouldn't everybody want to run? or why would anybody is probably a better question. Anyway, his times are getting better as well. He says he wants to be able to run our 3 mile run in 21 minutes which is a bit of a stretch at this point. He's at just over 25 minutes, so it will take a while to get down that low. Hell, I would like to be able to run a 21 minute 3 mile just in training runs. I think I convinced him to set a little more reasonable goals for now and just concentrate on gradually getting faster and farther to get ready for the Little Miami instead of getting hung up on our dinky 3 mile training run. We ran the usual, and I did 3.5 miles in approx 30 minutes. I think I've convinced him to do the backpack run with me too, so that will be fun!
7/14/2006
I'm to lazy to write something new, so here is a re-print from what I wrote in the sparkpeople message board.
I'm back on the commuting trail today. I took a different route today which allowed me to spend some time off the road and on our local bike trail. It was a very nice ride, but I tell you what it was already hot at 6:30 am. I may be looking at a tough ride home. Weather's calling for 88 degrees and 75% humidity. Wish me luck!
I got really lucky on the commute home. It was storming in various parts of the city as I was leaving work, but I managed to miss the rain. As a bonus the rain cooled things down a bit. Since it was so nice I too my time and added a few miles. I'm gonna shoot for 2 commuting days next week.
The stats:
Odo: 698.9 miles
Dist: 51.19 miles
Time: 3:13:26
Avg: 15.8 mph
Max: 32.8 mph
Rick and I did some running on Wednesday evening. I do most of my running and racing in the morning, so whenever I run in the evening it feels....different. Rick is starting to get into the running a bit. He hasn't complained about his legs hurting as much the last couple of runs, which means he is feeling better, or he is just learning to cope with the pain. The trials and tribulations of a runner, why wouldn't everybody want to run? or why would anybody is probably a better question. Anyway, his times are getting better as well. He says he wants to be able to run our 3 mile run in 21 minutes which is a bit of a stretch at this point. He's at just over 25 minutes, so it will take a while to get down that low. Hell, I would like to be able to run a 21 minute 3 mile just in training runs. I think I convinced him to set a little more reasonable goals for now and just concentrate on gradually getting faster and farther to get ready for the Little Miami instead of getting hung up on our dinky 3 mile training run. We ran the usual, and I did 3.5 miles in approx 30 minutes. I think I've convinced him to do the backpack run with me too, so that will be fun!
7/14/2006
I'm to lazy to write something new, so here is a re-print from what I wrote in the sparkpeople message board.
I'm back on the commuting trail today. I took a different route today which allowed me to spend some time off the road and on our local bike trail. It was a very nice ride, but I tell you what it was already hot at 6:30 am. I may be looking at a tough ride home. Weather's calling for 88 degrees and 75% humidity. Wish me luck!
I got really lucky on the commute home. It was storming in various parts of the city as I was leaving work, but I managed to miss the rain. As a bonus the rain cooled things down a bit. Since it was so nice I too my time and added a few miles. I'm gonna shoot for 2 commuting days next week.
The stats:
Odo: 698.9 miles
Dist: 51.19 miles
Time: 3:13:26
Avg: 15.8 mph
Max: 32.8 mph
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
7/11/2006 Strength Training
I've always approached weight lifting and strength training in the past as a process of building muscle. I would always work toward adding more weight in some endless quest to get stronger. What I'm coming to learn is that what I'm doing now is different. Strength training has become more of a way to keep the muscles strong to improve performance in running, bicycling and the like. It is a way to keep my knees and back strong so I don't get injured. This realization adds a new perspective to my workouts and has allowed me to relax a bit more in the gym and just concentrate on good form rather than trying to add more weight.
eliptical = 15 minutes on Fat Burning
JC Bands Lunges with rows, Blue Bands - 12 each side.
Wall sit w/20 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 90 seconds
shoulder press = 90 seconds
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 15lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25
eliptical = 15 minutes on Fat Burning
JC Bands Lunges with rows, Blue Bands - 12 each side.
Wall sit w/20 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 90 seconds
shoulder press = 90 seconds
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 15lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25
Sunday, July 09, 2006
7/09/2006 Caesar Creek Duathlon
Let me begin by saying that I was very, very close to ditching this race. I worked the night before, and didn't get home until close to midnight and had to get up the morning of the race shortly before 6 a.m. I also didn't sleep very well, so the morning of the race I seriously contemplated shutting off the alarm and going back to sleep. I'm really glad that I didn't. Because of the contemplation though, I got a late start and cut it pretty close getting to the race site.
I showed up to Caeser Creek State Park to a packed parking lot with people scrambling around to pick up packets and get prepped for the 8 am start. After a long wait in line to pick up my numbers and timing chip I had just enough time to set my bike up in the transition area and get to the starting line with less than 2 minutes to spare. That left no time for warm up and very little for stretching. Aside from the being physically unprepared it left me feeling a little bit unprepared mentally. I was already getting a bit of a defeatist whisper in the back of my mind. I tried to push it down and concentrate on relaxing and having a good race. My goal was to beat my previous time on this course of 1:34:30 and maybe even breaking 1:30:00. Most of all, I wanted to relax and have a good time, because these times mean jack in the scheme of things, but I want to enjoy these races otherwise there is no reason to be there. I set up my stopwatch/heart rate monitor and let it fly.
I'm not going to analyze this race to death right now. I am very, very happy with the results. Despite the rushed start, and some doubts early on in the race I was able to meet my goals and almost....aaaaaalmost beat the 1:30:00 time. The secret to the race seemed to be something I've been striving for which is to (and this sounds kind of dumb) run smarter, not faster. Here are the official results:
Age Group: 3rd Overall: 27th
1st 5K: 24:11.16 Pace: 7:48 Transition: 01:23 Bicycle: 39:07.07 Pace: 19.0 mph
Transition 2: 01:09 2nd 5K: 24:42.51 Pace: 7:58
Total Time: 1:30:33
I am very happy with the times I posted for the two 5K runs. One of the things I wanted to do was to run a complete race. Often times I come out fast and then fade on the second 5K. I was able to hold back just a bit on that first 5K to save something for the bicycle and the second 5K. I am very happy with the improvement in the bicycle time over the last race. In April I pedaled the 20K course in 41:55 at a pace of 17.7 mph. You can see from the stats above there was a great improvement on virtually the same course. I think the mileage I'm putting on commuting is really helping to improve my cadence and ability to handle the larger gears to push up to faster speeds.
Here are some more stats from my bicycle computer:
Odo: 647.7 miles
Dist: 12.93 miles
Time: 41:07
Avg: 18.9 mph
Max: 31.4 mph
and a whole mess of data from my new toy. I'm not sure how I'm going to put this information to use just yet. It is interesting though to see how my new heart rate monitor can keep all this for me. Maybe after I gather some more information I'll be able to analyze it and get some help in improving training.
Heart Rate in zone: 01:16:00 (Zone 5 169-188)
Avg. Heart Rate: 173 bpm
Peak Heart Rate: 186 bpm
Min. Heart Rate: 93 bpm
Total Calories burned: 1757
I showed up to Caeser Creek State Park to a packed parking lot with people scrambling around to pick up packets and get prepped for the 8 am start. After a long wait in line to pick up my numbers and timing chip I had just enough time to set my bike up in the transition area and get to the starting line with less than 2 minutes to spare. That left no time for warm up and very little for stretching. Aside from the being physically unprepared it left me feeling a little bit unprepared mentally. I was already getting a bit of a defeatist whisper in the back of my mind. I tried to push it down and concentrate on relaxing and having a good race. My goal was to beat my previous time on this course of 1:34:30 and maybe even breaking 1:30:00. Most of all, I wanted to relax and have a good time, because these times mean jack in the scheme of things, but I want to enjoy these races otherwise there is no reason to be there. I set up my stopwatch/heart rate monitor and let it fly.
I'm not going to analyze this race to death right now. I am very, very happy with the results. Despite the rushed start, and some doubts early on in the race I was able to meet my goals and almost....aaaaaalmost beat the 1:30:00 time. The secret to the race seemed to be something I've been striving for which is to (and this sounds kind of dumb) run smarter, not faster. Here are the official results:
Age Group: 3rd Overall: 27th
1st 5K: 24:11.16 Pace: 7:48 Transition: 01:23 Bicycle: 39:07.07 Pace: 19.0 mph
Transition 2: 01:09 2nd 5K: 24:42.51 Pace: 7:58
Total Time: 1:30:33
I am very happy with the times I posted for the two 5K runs. One of the things I wanted to do was to run a complete race. Often times I come out fast and then fade on the second 5K. I was able to hold back just a bit on that first 5K to save something for the bicycle and the second 5K. I am very happy with the improvement in the bicycle time over the last race. In April I pedaled the 20K course in 41:55 at a pace of 17.7 mph. You can see from the stats above there was a great improvement on virtually the same course. I think the mileage I'm putting on commuting is really helping to improve my cadence and ability to handle the larger gears to push up to faster speeds.
Here are some more stats from my bicycle computer:
Odo: 647.7 miles
Dist: 12.93 miles
Time: 41:07
Avg: 18.9 mph
Max: 31.4 mph
and a whole mess of data from my new toy. I'm not sure how I'm going to put this information to use just yet. It is interesting though to see how my new heart rate monitor can keep all this for me. Maybe after I gather some more information I'll be able to analyze it and get some help in improving training.
Heart Rate in zone: 01:16:00 (Zone 5 169-188)
Avg. Heart Rate: 173 bpm
Peak Heart Rate: 186 bpm
Min. Heart Rate: 93 bpm
Total Calories burned: 1757
| Split | Time | Avg. HR |
|---|---|---|
| 1st 5K mile 1 | 00:07:06 | 171 |
| mile 2 | 00:08:34 | 178 |
| mile 3.1 | 00:07:23 | 182 |
| Transition??? | 00:01:05 | 182 |
| 22K Bicycle | 41:18:17 | 170 |
| 2nd 5K mile 1 | 00:07:27 | 172 |
| mile 2 | 00:09:10 | 174 |
| mile 3.1 | 00:07:36 | 178 |
The improvement in this race really lifted my hopes for the rest of the year, and raised the possibility of signing up for the series next year. It would be fun to approach the races as a season, and give a real focus to my training over the winter and next spring. Something to think about...
Saturday, July 08, 2006
7/07/2006 Commuting by Bike
I finally got back on my bike again after a couple of flat tires and our trip for a commute! Thankfully this one went smooth. I was nervous on the morning commute, because I fully expected the tire to blow, so everytime I hit a bump I checked it. It turned out to be a great ride on a nice cool morning. The average when I reached the hospital was actually 17 mph. It dropped to 16.3 after I got to the hospital and cruised around the hospital to kill a little time and add a couple miles.
Odo: 616.6 miles
Dist: 24.03 miles
Time: 1:28:00
Avg: 16.3 mph
Max: 46.3 mph
The ride home was a little tougher. Well, actually I didn't go home. We decided to go to the movies and dinner, so I rode to Milford. I'm actually glad I didn't have to ride home, because I avoided the 32 hill which is always a killer. I was feeling a bit stiff from sitting all day, and the added weight of the backpack was causing some pain in my lower back.
It was a good ride though. It would be a nice alternate route to come home. It's only a couple miles longer, and I would get to avoid the brutal hill.
Odo: 633.5 miles
Dist: 40.92 miles
Time: 2:34:28
Avg: 15.9 mph
Max: 46.3 mph
Odo: 616.6 miles
Dist: 24.03 miles
Time: 1:28:00
Avg: 16.3 mph
Max: 46.3 mph
The ride home was a little tougher. Well, actually I didn't go home. We decided to go to the movies and dinner, so I rode to Milford. I'm actually glad I didn't have to ride home, because I avoided the 32 hill which is always a killer. I was feeling a bit stiff from sitting all day, and the added weight of the backpack was causing some pain in my lower back.
It was a good ride though. It would be a nice alternate route to come home. It's only a couple miles longer, and I would get to avoid the brutal hill.
Odo: 633.5 miles
Dist: 40.92 miles
Time: 2:34:28
Avg: 15.9 mph
Max: 46.3 mph
7/06/2006 Strength Training
It's been entirely too long since I've done any strength training. I've decided I need to re-commit to my training program so I'll be ready for the Little Miami Triathlon in October. I've been doing a lot of bicycing and running, which is good. I've let the upper body work slide though, so I need to get back into that and working core and back. I'm also having some back pain issues while riding. Usually when I hit 20-25 miles on the bike my back starts to ache. If it's fatigue the workouts should help strengthen the muscles.
eliptical = 15 minutes on Fat Burning
JC Bands Lunges with rows, Blue Bands - 12 each side.
Wall sit w/20 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 1minute
shoulder press = 1 minute
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 15lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25
eliptical = 15 minutes on Fat Burning
JC Bands Lunges with rows, Blue Bands - 12 each side.
Wall sit w/20 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 1minute
shoulder press = 1 minute
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 15lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25
Friday, July 07, 2006
6/30 - 7/03/2006 Running & Running in Muskegon
6/30/2006 Running
Friday morning I decided to get in one last run with Rick before leaving for Michigan. It was hard telling whether I was going to get around to doing anything during the trip. We ran the usual 3 mile course together in about 24 minutes. I finished up the last 1/2 mile for a good 3.5 miles in about 30 minutes.
7/2/2006 Running in Muskegon
I woke up before everyone else Sunday morning. After spending 10 hours on the road on Saturday a run was definitely in order. The house we stayed in was in a nice little subdivision with lots of roads and to run on. I can't say precisely how far I ran, but I ran for 45 minutes at a steady pace, so I'm guessing it was about 5 miles in 45 minutes.
7/3/2006 Running with Eli
Monday morning I took Eli, the border collie, with me on my morning run. He is such a cool dog that stayed right next to me the whole time. Our dog Gracie could learn a thing or two about walking on a leash from him. Gracie yanks and pulls so much that it's just no fun to run with her. Anyway we ran for about 35 minutes for about 3 miles. We had to make a few stops along the way.
Friday morning I decided to get in one last run with Rick before leaving for Michigan. It was hard telling whether I was going to get around to doing anything during the trip. We ran the usual 3 mile course together in about 24 minutes. I finished up the last 1/2 mile for a good 3.5 miles in about 30 minutes.
7/2/2006 Running in Muskegon
I woke up before everyone else Sunday morning. After spending 10 hours on the road on Saturday a run was definitely in order. The house we stayed in was in a nice little subdivision with lots of roads and to run on. I can't say precisely how far I ran, but I ran for 45 minutes at a steady pace, so I'm guessing it was about 5 miles in 45 minutes.
7/3/2006 Running with Eli
Monday morning I took Eli, the border collie, with me on my morning run. He is such a cool dog that stayed right next to me the whole time. Our dog Gracie could learn a thing or two about walking on a leash from him. Gracie yanks and pulls so much that it's just no fun to run with her. Anyway we ran for about 35 minutes for about 3 miles. We had to make a few stops along the way.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
6/26/2006 Ditched Run
I don't have a whole lot to say about this run. I got up early to run, and usually once I get out on the road I wake up and feel pretty good. On Monday it didn't quite work out that way. For some reason I felt nauseous the whole time I was running. After about 2 miles I just stopped and walked the remaining half mile or so home. Once I was walking I felt a little better and decided to give it another shot. It just wasn't meant to be I guess. Oh well, not for lack of trying. I ran/walked 2 1/2 miles in 30 minutes.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
6/24/2006 Bicycling
I had a nice ride this morning from our house to Milford (about 13 miles one way)to try out the new section of the bike path (a rails to trails project). It was packed with walkers, rollerbladers, and families on bicycles. It was nice new black top, so it was worth the minor inconvenience to have a nice shady smooth 10 miles.
The mystery of the blown tire was solved this morning. The tire was clearly punctured. It looked to be a nail or tack, as it was clean hole punched right through the tube. I also found my computer was down this morning. Either water got in the casing, or the battery just happened to go dead after that ride. I only knew my mileage because I've ridden that route several times before, and the mileage was marked once I hit the bike path. I rode a total of 36 miles in about 2 1/2 hours.
The mystery of the blown tire was solved this morning. The tire was clearly punctured. It looked to be a nail or tack, as it was clean hole punched right through the tube. I also found my computer was down this morning. Either water got in the casing, or the battery just happened to go dead after that ride. I only knew my mileage because I've ridden that route several times before, and the mileage was marked once I hit the bike path. I rode a total of 36 miles in about 2 1/2 hours.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
6/22/2006 Running & Commuting
This was my first training run in almost 2 weeks. I got out with Rick early and we did the usual 30 minutes 3.3 minutes. My running felt nice and smooth with no pain. I kicked it up a bit in the last mile and dropped Rick pretty quickly. What can I say? I was feeling good and my legs took over.
The first half of my commute was a nice ride. I used the same trip that I used the first commute day and it seems to be working out pretty well. I did feel some back pain during the last 4-5 miles of the commute. I'm beginning to wonder if it's my positioning on the bike. I'll have to ask Jason about that the next time I go in to have my bike tuned. Other than that is was a smooth ride. The trip home will be tougher today. We're looking at 90+ degree heat and heavy traffic. Good times.
Odo: 513.4 miles
Dist: 21.92 miles
Time: 1:23:20
Avg: 15.7 mph
Max: 46.1 mph
The trip home was quite an adventure. Heavy thunderstorms moved in during the afternoon, but I decided to try to push through anyway. It wasn't too bad really. I got dumped on a couple times, which was actually okay considering the alternative, had it not rained, would have been 95 degree heat. The first time was in Mt. Lookout, where I got pelted with a heavy hard rain. By the time I reached the Beechmont Levy it was completely dry as I had moved out of that storm front. I ran into another one going into Eastgate and once again got pelted with a heavy rain that eased up to a light rain.
It was looking like everything was going to be fine until I blew a tire five miles from home in a down pour. Luckily I was close to some restaurants where I was able to take cover and call for a ride home. I was too wet and exhausted to look at the cause when I got home. My father-in-law thought it might have been the temp differential between the heated up tire and the cold rain. I'll have to check that out.
Total Stats for commute:
Odo: 529.4 miles
Dist: 37.93 miles
Time: 2:25:33
Avg: 15.6 mph
Max: 46.1 mph
The first half of my commute was a nice ride. I used the same trip that I used the first commute day and it seems to be working out pretty well. I did feel some back pain during the last 4-5 miles of the commute. I'm beginning to wonder if it's my positioning on the bike. I'll have to ask Jason about that the next time I go in to have my bike tuned. Other than that is was a smooth ride. The trip home will be tougher today. We're looking at 90+ degree heat and heavy traffic. Good times.
Odo: 513.4 miles
Dist: 21.92 miles
Time: 1:23:20
Avg: 15.7 mph
Max: 46.1 mph
The trip home was quite an adventure. Heavy thunderstorms moved in during the afternoon, but I decided to try to push through anyway. It wasn't too bad really. I got dumped on a couple times, which was actually okay considering the alternative, had it not rained, would have been 95 degree heat. The first time was in Mt. Lookout, where I got pelted with a heavy hard rain. By the time I reached the Beechmont Levy it was completely dry as I had moved out of that storm front. I ran into another one going into Eastgate and once again got pelted with a heavy rain that eased up to a light rain.
It was looking like everything was going to be fine until I blew a tire five miles from home in a down pour. Luckily I was close to some restaurants where I was able to take cover and call for a ride home. I was too wet and exhausted to look at the cause when I got home. My father-in-law thought it might have been the temp differential between the heated up tire and the cold rain. I'll have to check that out.
Total Stats for commute:
Odo: 529.4 miles
Dist: 37.93 miles
Time: 2:25:33
Avg: 15.6 mph
Max: 46.1 mph
Monday, June 19, 2006
6/18/2006 5 For Father's 5K Race
I felt a bit of disappointment over this race for the first time this year. In retrospect, I shouldn't have been too disappointed under the circumstances of the race, and quite frankly I ran a good race. I was able to run a solid race with a kick at the end. Unfortunately I was tired and sore from the previous day, so I didn't run at 100%, and I made a tactical error during my run.
The day prior to the race we spent the day at the river boating, tubing, and riding jet skis. That night we camped out, so the morning of the race I woke up sore and with very little rest. Sounds like a lot of boo hooing and whining, but just wanted to set it down, so when I look at this after the next race I will be confirmed, or look at this and know it had nothing to do with the race. As for the race itself, I screwed up. I didn't have my watch to keep track of my splits during the race which was a bit annoying. I ran a very solid 6:36 first mile. As we went through the 2 mile marker I fell into pace with a runner that seemed to be keeping a similar pace. During that 2nd mile he fell off, and in turn I did to a 7:22 mile. Realizing the slow down during the 3rd mile I picked up that pace and dropped him. Unfortunately I didn't pick it up enough. I finished up the last of the race with a 7:48 finish. This is a race where I wish I had one of those computers that keep pace and distance, so I knew early on when I started to fall off.
Official Results:
Age group: 3/7 Overall: 23/70 Time: 21:46
The most irritating part about the thing was that I finished up just 33 seconds behind the second place finisher in my age group, and I really think if I would have caught the drop in pace earlier I could have corrected it and caught the runner. The thing is, I had no idea who I was running against so didn't know he was even there. In the grand scheme of things, it was a good run.
The day prior to the race we spent the day at the river boating, tubing, and riding jet skis. That night we camped out, so the morning of the race I woke up sore and with very little rest. Sounds like a lot of boo hooing and whining, but just wanted to set it down, so when I look at this after the next race I will be confirmed, or look at this and know it had nothing to do with the race. As for the race itself, I screwed up. I didn't have my watch to keep track of my splits during the race which was a bit annoying. I ran a very solid 6:36 first mile. As we went through the 2 mile marker I fell into pace with a runner that seemed to be keeping a similar pace. During that 2nd mile he fell off, and in turn I did to a 7:22 mile. Realizing the slow down during the 3rd mile I picked up that pace and dropped him. Unfortunately I didn't pick it up enough. I finished up the last of the race with a 7:48 finish. This is a race where I wish I had one of those computers that keep pace and distance, so I knew early on when I started to fall off.
Official Results:
Age group: 3/7 Overall: 23/70 Time: 21:46
The most irritating part about the thing was that I finished up just 33 seconds behind the second place finisher in my age group, and I really think if I would have caught the drop in pace earlier I could have corrected it and caught the runner. The thing is, I had no idea who I was running against so didn't know he was even there. In the grand scheme of things, it was a good run.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
6/15/2006 Bicycling - 1st Successful Commute
It was the first day of what will hopefully be my weekly commute to work by bicycle. It was a great experience and I definitely look forward to doing it again. The first set of stats were for the commute to work in the morning. The second set is for the full trip. The ride in the morning was really nice in the cool air of the early morning.
Odo: 468.5 miles
Dist: 23.06 miles
Time: 1:23:15
Avg: 16.6 mph
Max: 46.6 mph
The trip home turned out to be the tougher of the two legs of the trip. It was hotter, the traffic was more aggressive and irritable. It made for a more difficult ride, but not bad. The hill coming up Rt 32 out of Newtown is also a much steeper hill than the one out of Batavia.
Odo: 491.4 miles
Dist: 46.01 miles
Time: 2:49:54
Avg: 16.2 mph
Max: 46.6 mph
Odo: 468.5 miles
Dist: 23.06 miles
Time: 1:23:15
Avg: 16.6 mph
Max: 46.6 mph
The trip home turned out to be the tougher of the two legs of the trip. It was hotter, the traffic was more aggressive and irritable. It made for a more difficult ride, but not bad. The hill coming up Rt 32 out of Newtown is also a much steeper hill than the one out of Batavia.
Odo: 491.4 miles
Dist: 46.01 miles
Time: 2:49:54
Avg: 16.2 mph
Max: 46.6 mph
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
6/13/2006 Bicycling: A Failed attempt at Commuting
I made my first attempt at commuting on my bike this morning. I got about 3 1/2 miles down the road, actually up the road as in up a big hill, when I realized I forgot something important I needed for work, doh! I had to turn around and go home, and after that there was no way I would've made in time.
The attempt was a good lesson though. I realized the extra weight from my bag is going to be more of a challenge than I thought, especially at the beginning where I'm faced with a mile long hill to climb on Rt. 32. So, even though the ride was only 7 miles I got in two very challenging hills. Due to road construction I had to come up Filager hill instead of going up 132 hill to Filager. Filager hill is grueling on its own, but with an extra 10 lbs. on my back it was extra, extra, extra, super hard. There was an interesting benefit that may come of the commuting though. I found it much easier to stay in my seat to climb rather than jumping up out of the seat. Lifting an extra 10 lbs. will keep me firmly planted which will make me work on my weakest point, the dreaded seated climb. Another realization: it is still very, very dark at 5 am. I thought I would have at least the beginnings of sunrise, but that doesn' happen until closer to 6 am. I rigged up a head lamp that I use for camping on the front of my bike, but it was essentially useless.
Odo: 445.4 miles
Dist: 7.06 miles
Time: 29:27
Avg: 14.4 mph
Max: 37.1 mph
The failed attempt didn't bother me to much; any time I can spend on my bike is time well spent. I'll give it another go on Thursday when I can leave at 6 am in the light.
The attempt was a good lesson though. I realized the extra weight from my bag is going to be more of a challenge than I thought, especially at the beginning where I'm faced with a mile long hill to climb on Rt. 32. So, even though the ride was only 7 miles I got in two very challenging hills. Due to road construction I had to come up Filager hill instead of going up 132 hill to Filager. Filager hill is grueling on its own, but with an extra 10 lbs. on my back it was extra, extra, extra, super hard. There was an interesting benefit that may come of the commuting though. I found it much easier to stay in my seat to climb rather than jumping up out of the seat. Lifting an extra 10 lbs. will keep me firmly planted which will make me work on my weakest point, the dreaded seated climb. Another realization: it is still very, very dark at 5 am. I thought I would have at least the beginnings of sunrise, but that doesn' happen until closer to 6 am. I rigged up a head lamp that I use for camping on the front of my bike, but it was essentially useless.
Odo: 445.4 miles
Dist: 7.06 miles
Time: 29:27
Avg: 14.4 mph
Max: 37.1 mph
The failed attempt didn't bother me to much; any time I can spend on my bike is time well spent. I'll give it another go on Thursday when I can leave at 6 am in the light.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
6/09 - 6/11/2006 Running & Bicycling
6/09/2006 Running
I wasn't really planning on doing any running this week. My knee was bothering me a bit during and after last Sunday's race so I thought I would take a week off the running and let it heal a bit. I really wanted to put in more bicycling time, but after I had to take it to the shop I realized that wasn't going to happen either. So we roll up on Friday evening, and I'm faced with an evening to myself. So what do I do? I let Rick talk me into going running with him! Doh! Ahhh, I probably would have wasted the few hours I had playing on the computer anyway, so it was nice to get outside. We ran 3+ miles in 30 minutes. I say 3+ because I'm not sure how far exactly; I ran to meet him and then we took off together.
It was a good run and much needed. My legs were really sore from Thursday's strength training session, more sore than they have been in a long time for some reason. I think it was because I did it early in the morning and then sat on my ass at work all day. The lack of blood flow to the muscles probably made them ache all the more. Just a guess. Anyway, it was a good run that helped ease the soreness.
6/11/2006 Bicycling - Cincinnati Cycle Club River Rendezvous.
After I got my bike back on Friday evening I was faced with a day of pouring rain. So, there was no riding on Saturday. I was beginning to think there would be no ride today either, because I woke up to more down pours. I decided to pack up and drive on down in hopes of catching a break in the rain. Lucky enough, we did! It spit and sputtered every once in a while, but for the most part it stayed dry. We spent 2 hours and 45 minutes riding the mapped out roads aroung Northern Kentucky. It was a great time. Here is a quick breakdown:
Odo: 438.2 miles
Distance: 42.59 miles
Time: 2:41:36
Avg: 15.8 mph
I was riding with 3 other people of varying ability. One guy was a machine and could easily outride us all. He would ride on up a few miles, slow down to let us catch up or turn around and ride back to bring someone up. He's a tough rider. The two ladies were slightly below my level. Well, one was pretty close to me, but I frequently outpaced her during the ride, so I would say a little below. It left me in an interesting position. Often I found myself fighting to keep up with super stud, or slowing down to let the other two riders. It made for an interesting ride. Actually, just getting out and riding in a group was very enjoyable regardless of how fast or slow we were riding. Having someone to talk to made the miles fly by.
I didn't feel any real discomfort until we hit about the 35 mile mark. At that point I started to feel the typical discomfort and back pain that I get sometimes on the bike after a while. It was concerning me for a while, but I'm beginning to think that it's just fatigue and as I work more core muscles and get stronger it will be less of an issue.
This ride has sparked an interes in taking part in more group rides. It was a lot of fun, and with the right group it could be very productive.
I wasn't really planning on doing any running this week. My knee was bothering me a bit during and after last Sunday's race so I thought I would take a week off the running and let it heal a bit. I really wanted to put in more bicycling time, but after I had to take it to the shop I realized that wasn't going to happen either. So we roll up on Friday evening, and I'm faced with an evening to myself. So what do I do? I let Rick talk me into going running with him! Doh! Ahhh, I probably would have wasted the few hours I had playing on the computer anyway, so it was nice to get outside. We ran 3+ miles in 30 minutes. I say 3+ because I'm not sure how far exactly; I ran to meet him and then we took off together.
It was a good run and much needed. My legs were really sore from Thursday's strength training session, more sore than they have been in a long time for some reason. I think it was because I did it early in the morning and then sat on my ass at work all day. The lack of blood flow to the muscles probably made them ache all the more. Just a guess. Anyway, it was a good run that helped ease the soreness.
6/11/2006 Bicycling - Cincinnati Cycle Club River Rendezvous.
After I got my bike back on Friday evening I was faced with a day of pouring rain. So, there was no riding on Saturday. I was beginning to think there would be no ride today either, because I woke up to more down pours. I decided to pack up and drive on down in hopes of catching a break in the rain. Lucky enough, we did! It spit and sputtered every once in a while, but for the most part it stayed dry. We spent 2 hours and 45 minutes riding the mapped out roads aroung Northern Kentucky. It was a great time. Here is a quick breakdown:
Odo: 438.2 miles
Distance: 42.59 miles
Time: 2:41:36
Avg: 15.8 mph
I was riding with 3 other people of varying ability. One guy was a machine and could easily outride us all. He would ride on up a few miles, slow down to let us catch up or turn around and ride back to bring someone up. He's a tough rider. The two ladies were slightly below my level. Well, one was pretty close to me, but I frequently outpaced her during the ride, so I would say a little below. It left me in an interesting position. Often I found myself fighting to keep up with super stud, or slowing down to let the other two riders. It made for an interesting ride. Actually, just getting out and riding in a group was very enjoyable regardless of how fast or slow we were riding. Having someone to talk to made the miles fly by.
I didn't feel any real discomfort until we hit about the 35 mile mark. At that point I started to feel the typical discomfort and back pain that I get sometimes on the bike after a while. It was concerning me for a while, but I'm beginning to think that it's just fatigue and as I work more core muscles and get stronger it will be less of an issue.
This ride has sparked an interes in taking part in more group rides. It was a lot of fun, and with the right group it could be very productive.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
6/06 - 6/08/2006 Bicycling & Strength Training
6/06/2006 Bicycling
I decided to try to commute to work at least once a week, maybe twice if all goes well. The question was, how long would it take me to do it, and which route to take. I could take the back roads which would take longer (not necessarily a bad thing), or I could take a more direct route which would be quicker, yet have more traffic. As it turned out the more direct route is going to be the one. While it does have more traffic it will still be safer. There is a good 5-6 foot area to ride on off the side of the right lane. In the heaviest traffic areas I won't have to be on the road at all. It should work out nicely.
I rode approximately 30 miles in 1 hour 50 minutes. I don't have the details from the ride with me, so I'll come back and edit those in later. It is going to be a good commute of about 25 miles with a good sized hills to climb, including a monster mile long hill at the beginning, and flat runs. I'll be good and awake by the time I get to work, and will allow me to put on some good mileage this year.
6/08/2006 Strength Training
I had to take my bicycle into the shop to have some loose spokes adjusted, so I was unable to start my commuting this morning. In leu of that I decided to hit the gym for some strength training. I didn't have time to do the eliptical work, but I did some stretching after I was done. It felt good.
JC Bands Lunges with rows, Blue Bands - 12 each side.
Wall sit w/20 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 90 seconds
shoulder press = 90 seconds
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 15lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25
Stretching = 10 minutes
I decided to try to commute to work at least once a week, maybe twice if all goes well. The question was, how long would it take me to do it, and which route to take. I could take the back roads which would take longer (not necessarily a bad thing), or I could take a more direct route which would be quicker, yet have more traffic. As it turned out the more direct route is going to be the one. While it does have more traffic it will still be safer. There is a good 5-6 foot area to ride on off the side of the right lane. In the heaviest traffic areas I won't have to be on the road at all. It should work out nicely.
I rode approximately 30 miles in 1 hour 50 minutes. I don't have the details from the ride with me, so I'll come back and edit those in later. It is going to be a good commute of about 25 miles with a good sized hills to climb, including a monster mile long hill at the beginning, and flat runs. I'll be good and awake by the time I get to work, and will allow me to put on some good mileage this year.
6/08/2006 Strength Training
I had to take my bicycle into the shop to have some loose spokes adjusted, so I was unable to start my commuting this morning. In leu of that I decided to hit the gym for some strength training. I didn't have time to do the eliptical work, but I did some stretching after I was done. It felt good.
JC Bands Lunges with rows, Blue Bands - 12 each side.
Wall sit w/20 lb. wts.
bicep curls = 90 seconds
shoulder press = 90 seconds
walking lunges = width of court/back doing lat raises with 15lb. wts
hip adductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
hip abductor=2 sets/12 reps 90 lbs.
lower leg raise w/overhead 8lb (abs) 2x25
Stretching = 10 minutes
Monday, June 05, 2006
6/04/2006 Reds Run For Home 5K
I look at Sunday's race with mixed emotions. I am at once happy with my performance, frustrated with the course, and disappointed in my final mile dropoff. Had this been a full 5K the race the time would have been a personal best for me. I ran the race at 20:07 according to my stopwatch. Come to find out after the race though that the course was short. At least that was the word that was floating around the runners after the race. The question is, how short was the course? Judging by my splits I can take a guess:
mile 1: 6:30
mile 2: 5:54
mile 3: 7:05
mile .1: :38
Total : 20:07
I think the 2nd mile was short by probably 30 seconds. I will probably never know for sure. Regardless of this little snafu, it was a good race and even with the added 30 seconds or even a minute I exceeded my goal of 22 minutes. I just need to keep working and pounding away at the minutes. I am still seeing a significant drop in the third mile of my run. If I can (I should say when, not if) get to the point of running 3 solid sub 7 minute miles by the end of the year that would be awesome.
Official Results:
-Overall Place: 103 -Division: M3034 -Division Place: 11 -Sex Place: 91 -Time: 20:10 -Pace: 6:31
I guess my timing was off by 3 seconds, oh well. The race was also a big eye opener as far as the competition. While I may be able to compete in the smaller races, when it comes to these high profile races there is some serious competition out there. I will continue to work toward my own goals. To end on a positive note, I must say that I was happy with my pace setting. I was able to run my own race and not get sucked into pushing to hard at the beginning of the race. I set my own pace and stuck to it. Pat on the back to me.
mile 1: 6:30
mile 2: 5:54
mile 3: 7:05
mile .1: :38
Total : 20:07
I think the 2nd mile was short by probably 30 seconds. I will probably never know for sure. Regardless of this little snafu, it was a good race and even with the added 30 seconds or even a minute I exceeded my goal of 22 minutes. I just need to keep working and pounding away at the minutes. I am still seeing a significant drop in the third mile of my run. If I can (I should say when, not if) get to the point of running 3 solid sub 7 minute miles by the end of the year that would be awesome.
Official Results:
-Overall Place: 103 -Division: M3034 -Division Place: 11 -Sex Place: 91 -Time: 20:10 -Pace: 6:31
I guess my timing was off by 3 seconds, oh well. The race was also a big eye opener as far as the competition. While I may be able to compete in the smaller races, when it comes to these high profile races there is some serious competition out there. I will continue to work toward my own goals. To end on a positive note, I must say that I was happy with my pace setting. I was able to run my own race and not get sucked into pushing to hard at the beginning of the race. I set my own pace and stuck to it. Pat on the back to me.
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