Baby Steps

Just couldn't stop thinking about the number of days since my last run so went back and forth today regarding whether I should throw in a "test-run" to see how the calf / shin was healing. On the one hand, I was worried about getting on the leg too early and making it worse but, on the other hand, it was too beautiful out there today to avoid the outdoors. I ended up going for two loops around the campus chip trail...figured the least I could do was run on a soft surface. First few steps I was very tentative and felt a light ache but nothing like the pain I felt 11 days ago....was feeling good so I decided to increase the pace a bit on the second loop....still no problems....ache was still there but not getting any worse.....after two loops, I really wanted to keep going but remembered how I got myself into this predicament and killed it....baby steps back...

Run Stats
4 Miles Total
30:14 Total Time
15:30 Loop 1 (7:45/mile pace)
14:44 Loop 2 (7:22/mile pace)
164 HR ave (Z2)

Work was pretty dead today with a lot of people heading out earlier this week to take advantage of spring break with the kiddos.....so took off a bit early myself so I could get in my swim / pool run at the gym. Nice to get the workouts out of the way earlier tonight.

Swim Stats
3000 Yards Total
47:40 Total Time
1 x 3000 Free

Jumped out of the pool and immediately strapped on the Aqua-jogger belt and got back in for a pool run.

Pool Run Stats
30 Minutes
Mix of Intervals to keep it interesting

Even had enough time to hit the grocery store for an ace bandage to keep my calf nice and iced and what?! Ben&Jerrys Twofer?! Not even two for six bucks....the killer two for FIVE deal ....got one old standby and one flavor I haven't tried (Dublin Mudslide)....will have to give it a go.

Tomorrow it looks like it is going to rain buckets if the rain right now is any indication....planning to head out with Steven for a bike ride so it should be a nice WET one.

Hope things are looking a little drier in your neck of the woods!

*Peace*

Lucky #6360

I got my race packet for Boston today.
My bib number is #6360.
My F#%$@ shin splint will not go away
I haven't run in ELEVEN days.
I was expecting to taper but this is ridiculous!
I just need to "enjoy" whatever Boston throws at me and I plan on giving a 100% once that gun goes off at noon. If my leg is at 70%....then I'll be throwing down a 100% of that 70......good times ahead I'm sure!

To put it in running terms.....work has been rolling at a 5K pace.....friggen busy! Juggling several projects....I guess busy is good right? One of the projects involves Nike Cycling so it deals with one of my passions - beats working with widgets right?

Anyone pick up any good tunes lately? Any "Desert Island" discs that you've purchased recently? Stuff that just won't leave your current music rotation?

Burning out my Ipod at work but looping thru the same music.....I get stuff on a regular basis but nothing much in the last couple of weeks. Just got the new Ben Harper album (Both Sides Of The Gun)- really looking forward to listening to that but always have my eyes peeled for any good music......here's a list of albums I've bought in the last couple of months in no particular order....some pretty good stuff mixed in there:

Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
"Thicker Than Water" - Soundtrack
Antony and The Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now
Matisyahu - Youth
Jose Gonzalez - Veneer
Ryan Adams - 29
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say....
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - self titled
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
Amos Lee - self titled

Another Lazy Day....Only got a bike ride in....tomorrow is another day to hit it hard though.

Bike Stats
Tri-bike Trainer
45Minutes

*Peace*

Portland = Ichiban!

It's funny but I'll talk to friends who live in SoCal and after the typical back and forth, yada yada yada...invariably the subject turns to my move up to the Portland area and how I like it up here.....after I mention *again* that I love it up here.....they'll give me the "no, seriously- how is it up there?" "How do you deal with all that rain?"

They need to take a look here.....Portland*, Oregon rocks!

(*Ok, I'm actually in Beaverton but it's only 8-10 miles from Portland so we're cool by association right??)

I'm drawn to the whole Pac Northwest groovy, feel good, positive vibe..it's great....I've always loved it up north....even in California, I loved the time I spent living in Monterey/Pacific Grove.....Surfing in Santa Cruz....aaah good times....not a big fan of the concrete jungles out there....

But on the flip side- i'm sure that there are people who would hate it up here......variety is the spice of life eh....otherwise it would get boring real quick!

Had a monster day at work today which also included a 2 hour lunch getting lost in the maze of one-way traffic in Portland.....that part of Portland I can do without! ;-)

Training Stats
One Large Golden Goose Egg
Zilcho

Hope some of you had a chance to get out today and raise your heart rates a bit!

Almost forgot- my appt. with the PT was great! Cathy diagnosed it as shin splints...so much for my self diagnosis. Much different then the shin splints I have had in the past but she gave it some ultrasound followed by some electro-stim and ice. She also did some range of motion work on my legs and told me that I really need to start incorporating some stretching into my routine (definitely a weak spot for me). One of my problems is very tight hip flexors along with the rest of my stiff legs....definitely need to give the yoga a go go at the gym!

*Peace*

Pool Running - Try It!

Unfortunately my physical therapy appt. was cancelled because the Therapist was out sick. I called the head PT at the gym to see if I could get a phone consult with her and she was nice enough to squeeze me into her busy schedule tomorrow. Don't ever doubt the power of begging and the waterworks (tears)- it works! ;-)

I am hoping she will be dropping some mad science on me so that I can treat this darn soleus issue aggressively for the next 3 weeks. She did mention that pool running is great therapy while you are dealing with this type of injury so I gave it a go today. Both Rob and Shelley commented that they rehab'd injuries with pool running and IMMike also mentioned a vote of confidence from the PT's he works with so definitely feeling a bit better about this alternative training method.

I was pleasantly surprised with the actual workout. It may be due to the novelty factor right now but I actually enjoyed pool running. After warming up, I got my effort level up a bit and just motored in the deep end. It was a bit weird, though, watching people swimming by me in the nearby lanes while I was sweating and not moving forward or in any direction that much.

Pool Running Stats
45 Minutes Total
Easy 5 minute warm-up
40 minutes steady

Post work, I hit the bike for an hour. Since the injury isn't aggravated by cycling, figured I'd just start hitting the bike a bit harder. Push the big cookie people!

Bike Stats
Tri-bike Trainer
1 Hour Total
10 minute warm-up
45 minutes (alternating 3 minute BIG gear intervals with 3 minutes easy)
5 minute cool down

*peace*

Aqua Jogging Anyone?

Hope everyone had a trouble-free Monday. The weather was beeeyootiful for the most part today.....definitely brought back memories of my first summer in Oregon just last year. It didn't last long though as the clouds rolled in by late afternoon with showers in the forecast thru the end of the week....oh well, I'll take what I can get. I am officially run-free now for a week....still got the ache in my soleus muscle so I don't want to push it but I'm starting to worry about my run fitness. While swimming at lunch today I took a quick look at the aquajoggers....the gym is great in that they provide all the necessary swim tools.....fins, pull buoys, paddles, aquajoggers.....never would have given the aquajogger a second thought but I am seriously considering one now....I have never tried one but have heard that they can help maintain run fitness while injured. I have seen one gal that is currently coached by Alberto Salazar using one in the pool awhile back.....wondering if any of you out in the blogosphere have used an aquajogger and, if so, do you think it helped maintain run fitness and help in the transition back to "real running"? Inquiring minds would like to know....

Swim Stats
3000 yards
50 Minutes
1 x 3000

*Peace*

And Baby Makes FIVE!!

So what is the significance of the lil toddler free shoe? Well, I had to run out and get them because of some great news. My friends Matt & Cindy welcomed a beautiful addition to their family yesterday with the birth of his son Cruz Whitaker!! I love that name...Cruuuuuuz, just rolls off the tongue like buttah. I had to work on getting him into the "right" shoe brand early! ;-)
They've got quite the collection of beautiful kids- now all they need is another girl and they'll make it an even 2 & 2- right Matt? Matt!?
Other than that exciting news, I got nuthin. Not much in the training department today...I was cursin myself for not riding long today instead of yesterday....I guess you need to be a Oregon native to call the weather around here....maybe a few drops here and there today but for the most part dry....Steven mentioned that he postponed his ride til Sunday for the chance at better weather but when I checked the forecast on Friday, it looked identical for Sat/Sun!?! Well...at least someone got a nice DRY ride this weekend. Hope you all had a great training weekend...I already know some of you did so keep it rolling and be safe!

Bike Stats
Tri-bike Trainer
1 hour
10 minute warmup
Alternating 5 minute intervals on aero bars w/ 5 minutes easy spinning
5 minute cooldown
125 HR Ave (Z1)

*Peace*

Blogged Inspiration

When I started this blog in January I just assumed it would be a nice tool for me to track my workouts. I never expected to get "hooked" on the whole process and fuel my own workouts by tracking the workouts of everyone out in the blogworld. Often, I find it difficult to try and relate this whole lifestyle to others who don't "get it"...who think I'm nuts for "wasting" a day running 20 miles or cycling for 5 hours......

but that's okay...because you all get it....

I love reading about your workouts...the struggles...the good times and bad...what motivates you....so keep it rolling.......I am inspired...everyday

Although it is hard to hear how well everyone is running right now when I know that I need to back it off a bit....tested my leg for a short bit and the ache is not as pronounced as it was 3-4 days ago so that is good news but I am going to be patient....I will probably need to move my goals down a notch at Boston but that's ok....

Since I couldn't run today, I went for a longer bike ride (I was looking for you Steven- but just read that you cut it short today).......the weather cooperated for the first 3 hours but then the skies opened up with a few minutes of angry hail before it started raining for the last 2 hours of my ride...actually didn't mind the rain at all....just got into a rhythm and moved along....hit some hills today....rode up Bald Peak Mtn and then a loop around Hagg Lake before heading home....overall a nice *wet* training day.

Bike Stats
5:10 Total Time
81 Miles
15.6mph Ave
140 Heart Rate Ave (Z1)

**Every breath is a gift** Don't forget that....be safe out there!

*peace*

Krispy Kremes and Keepin It Rollin.....

When I got to work today I walked straight into a fresh dozen. It was a beautiful thing. My boss brought in the donuts so I had to be polite and eat one or three or four right? I probably hadn't eaten a donut in 5-6 months so I had a cream filled chocolate and a glazed to re-acquaint myself.....after that all hell broke loose and I kept it rollin thru lunch. Instead of getting my daily lunch of chicken breast / brown rice / broccoli, I walked right by that station and told my man to grill me up a philly cheeze with the works plus a mountain of onion rings...

**NICE**

I followed that up with another glazed donut and after my swim......

Swim Stats
3000 Yards Total
56:00 Total Time
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 500 Free

I had some M&M's.......doodes and doodettes can you feel me?! Can you relate?? It's hard fueling through all these workouts right?

Dinner wasn't much better as I ate a whole Garlic Chicken CPK Pizza...If you haven't tried the Cali Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzas, give them a go...pretty tasty for the frozen stuff (the sicilian is my favorite thin crust).

Seriously, today was not a good day nutritionally (understatement right) but I think you need to fall off the wagon every once in awhile....otherwise you'll drive yourself nuts following the straight and narrow.

Ended the day with a trainer ride with the tri-bike:

Bike Stats
45 Minutes Total
Alternating in / out of the aero bars
All Z1 HR but did work to the upper end of Z1 thru the workout

Here's to eating healthfully going forward....tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life. right.

Have a great weekend....with my leg on the mend, I got some coverage for my workouts over the weekend..... Cliff stated that he would hit the hill work for me, Nic is going to cover the long run for me, and Susan said she'd cover the intervals....come Monday, I should be ultra-fit....thanks everyone!;-)

*peace*

REST

I am taking a complete rest day today...is that crazy or what!?! ;-)

This whole issue with my leg has become an obsession in the last couple days...I am the nutty guy walking around and regularly breaking into a 3-4 step jog to "test" the leg ....yep, still feel it.....with some internet searching, I have been able to identify the issue, which is a plus, and the stretches to remedy it...basically what Matt was telling me the other day.....here is a quick link to the problem...scroll down to "Pain in the mid-calf"....welcome to my world.

Decided I need to heed the warnings/suggestions of my fellow bloggers and friends and shut down the running. I'm sure as a Physical Therapist, my friend Matt has seen a ton of over-use injuries and he emailed me the following today....I think he is pretty much on the mark:

DO NOT overdo this muscle. You will have an injury that will last for a LONG time if you aggravate it. Rest at this point is much more important than aerobic fitness. You are already in Boston - take a week lightly and only do a 2 week taper perhaps. Better to do that than have it flare on the hills in Boston and DNF the race. Glad you were able to nail it down and plan to get some treatment. Let me know how it goes.
Matt

Matt- thanks for throwing me some love brother....your input is always appreciated.

Maybe you all can do me a favor the next time you lace-up your kicks- do a few intervals for me!! ;-)

*peace*

Staying Off The Bum Leg

I mentioned my bum leg to a co-worker today...she reminded me that we have a couple physical therapists at our disposal through our gym....I had totally forgotten about that benefit but immediately jumped on getting the next available appointment....my luck that it isn't until next Tuesday so hoping they can either help me then or that the pain / ache will resolve itself before the appointment. The plan is to eliminate running for the next couple days and *fingers crossed, holding a rabbit's foot* my leg will miraculously come back from the dead for a long run this weekend. I did try to work on it today with the stick and I think it made a difference but who knows how much of that is psychological eh....

At lunch I went for a swim....empty pool for 1/2 my workout before I was joined by 3 other swimmers..all women....I didn't realize it was "ladies afternoon swim day" but I'll take it....sure beats looking at some hairy dude in a speedo cruising by in the next lane...

Swim Stats
3000 Yards Total
57:45 Total Time
2 x 500 Free 45 sec rest
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 1500 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills

Post work, did a trainer ride on the tri-bike alternating 3 minute intervals of easy or big gear with a 2 min rest......I miss the running though *sigh*

Bike Stats
1:00 Hour Total Time
10 minute warm-up
3 minute intervals / 2 minute rest
Alternating Easy & Big Gear

*Peace*

Check Transmission Light

I tried running tonight after work but still getting the muscular soreness below the knee in my left leg...very frustrating....after 30 minutes of crappy running I cut the engine. I need to work on this before it gets any worse...good news is that I had a "phone consult" with my friend Matt (thanks bro!)...a PT...he helped me isolate the source of the pain...before tonight it just seemed to radiate around the calf area but I think I've isolated it to some tightness in the muscle that runs along the shin bone......stretching and massage...something I need to make a priority here asap. Enough of my whining...hope everyone's training is going well out in the blogosphere.

Run Stats
Treadmill .5 - 1.0 incline
4.25 miles Total (4 mile run / .25 mile walk cooldown)
31:00 Total Time
.5 mile w/up at 8:00/pace
3.5 miles at 7:30 pace
154HR (Z1)

*Peace*

Easy Monday

Today was beautiful....sunny skies without the typical chill that accompanies it....I walked to the gym sans jacket....only jeans and a tshirt and it felt like SoCal....granted a cooler day in SoCal but I'll take it. I was planning to run in the evening but with the lack of sleep / tired legs, blew it off and figured I would rest tonight. My point being, I probably should have ran during lunch instead of swim....I would have been able to take advantage of the weather because more wet stuff is on the radar for tomorrow....oh well.....I'm sure that sun will start poking out more often going forward.

My swim was nice and easy....just trying to focus a bit more on the kick to get in some recovery for my legs....still got a weird ache going on with my left leg below the knee....hmmm...hopefully it comes around tomorrow.

Swim Stats
3000 Yards Total
53:40
1 x 2000 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 750 Free

*Peace*

Ugly Running

It was a beautiful day today in the Pac Northwest....sunny skies and light winds. After moving around a bit slowly this morning, I found myself finally getting out for a run at about 11:30am.....I guess I have been lurking on too many serious running blogs because I don't know what I was thinking going out for a run after plowing thru a 22 miler yesterday. I need to remember that my legs ain't down for 75-100+ miles a week....and probably need a rest day after a 20 miler.

I barely broke 60 miles this week and that was including the ugly running I had to resort to today. I was the guy that I'm sure you have all seen....you look and say to yourself...whoa, check him out....ouch, he is running stiff.....that does not look good...he's got wooden legs....
ugly running....thank god I only suffered thru 5 miles.

Run Stats
5 Miles Total
41:46 Total Time
8:21 Pace
154HR (Z1)

The good news is that I went for a bike ride after the run and my legs felt good......whatever....I'll take it. I didn't get out till around 2:30pm so my laziness limited my saddle time. Some minor drama on the ride...I think a bee flew into my helmet...whatever it was, it was buzzing around in there and it wasn't happy. I came to a skidding stop, ripped off my helmet....my sunglasses went flying as I batted at my head....I must have looked nuts to the passing cars but I didn't get stung so it all ended well. Second incident was some nutjob in a jacked up 4x4 who decided he need to ride as close to the shoulder as possible while his s%#$ for brains passenger decided to flip the bird to me and the other cyclist about 75 yrds up the road.....I thought I was riding in SoCal again.....Oregon has been great with the majority of the drivers giving cyclists a wide berth around here....unlike SoCal where I've had some pretty "interesting" encounters with some dumbasses that don't seem to realize that they can kill someone with their stooopid jokes....

**deep breath***take me to my happy place***

Ok, where was I? Yes, riding.....other then that excitement, the ride was great. Great weather...my legs felt okay....was able to get in 50 miles before it got dark.

Oh- forgot to mention that the last 4 miles into a headwind at 11mph was a buzzkill. How come you never have tailwinds in the last 4-5 miles!?

Bike Stats
50.12 Miles
2:53:25
17.4 mph Ave
131HR (Z1)

Hope you all had a great (and safe) training weekend!

*Peace*

Laps On Top Of Laps On Top Of Laps

Without any rain falling this morning, I decided to hit the Nike Campus woodchip trail for my long run.....my legs are definitely not 100% with residual soreness from all the running lately. I know the rule about not increasing volume and intensity at the same time but just need to stretch it out over the next couple of weeks. The only bummer about doing a long run on the trail is that it measures about 2.03 miles for each loop which translates into laps on top of laps on top of laps....It beats running inside on the mill though.

Initially had some strange soreness in my left calf...couldn't push off on it due to the soreness and had to compensate by using my right leg alot more on the rolling sections of uphill running. After a couple laps, that flushed out but then it was just a long slooow fade to the end. It didn't help that I had to run by my car every lap....not too bad the first 5/6 times but definitely had a conversation with my inner couch potato asking me to cut it short everytime I passed the car after about 14 miles.....but I am happy to report that I perservered to the end.

Talk to the hand...voices inside my head.......I ain't droppin like a punk!

Overall, happy with the run since my legs were already fatigued from the start. I used my garmin so sorry about all the data- just posting it for reference purposes.

Run Stats
22.25 Miles Total
2:54:17 Total Time
7:52 /Mile Average - Total Run
165 HR Ave Total Run (Z2)

10 x 2.03 mile loop
1. 15:29 7:49 / mile 158HR
2. 15:34 7:33 / mile 164HR
3. 15:38 7:49 / mile 166HR
4. 15:29 7:42 / mile 167HR
5. 15:41 7:44 / mile 165HR
6. 15:44 7:44 / mile 166HR
7. 16:04 7:53 / mile 164HR
8. 16:15 8:05 / mile 164HR
9. 16:10 8:05 / mile 163HR
10. 16:34 8:17 / mile 163HR
11. 16:10 7:59/ mile 165HR

Any sushi lovers out there? I like to reward myself for doing a punishing workout so did some serious damage at the sushi bar, post run....yum.

Decided to do a spin on the bike tonight to try and flush out some of the stiffness from my legs....well, didn't seem to work but at least I got some saddle time in.

Bike Stats
Computrainer - Chris' Winter Spin Course
1 Hour: 5 minute warmup / 55 minute ride (easy)
14 Miles Total
15.2 MPH Ave
129 Watts Ave
95 Cadence
118 HR (Z1)

*peace*

Happy St. Patty's Day!!

Hope everyone is having a great Friday / St. Patty's day!
I am definitely looking forward to this weekend....so many possibilities...what to do. I am hoping that my legs hold up for a long run. I have ran back to back 10's and a 6'er in the last 3 days...not a ton of miles but definitely more then I have been running regularly so hopefully the long stuff this weekend goes well. In other news, I seem to be getting immune to all things dreadful about treadmill running. I don't need to list them because I'm sure everyone has their own laundry list of issues...a lot of anti-treadites out there.

In other news, I have had to run the last 3 days without my crutch....my ipod died on tuesday after battling an ailing battery for the last month

....*moment of silence*.....

Has anyone else had a problem with ipod battery life? My regular ipod has worked fine *knock on wood* but my shuffle has been spotty at best regarding battery life. It is supposed to have 12 hrs of juice but now it basically shuts down after an hour of continuous use....not good when you are going loooong. Thank god I purchased the Best Buy warranty....hopefully can get back to zoning out on my runs with a replacement soon.....I know it's weak but gotta have some good tunes to push the miles.

Did a run / swim combo after work tonite....decided to swim , post-run, since the swim really seems to help in the recovery dept. Figured with a long run on deck for tomorrow, It couldn't hurt.

Run Stats
Treadmill 1.0 incline
6.25 miles (6 mile run / .25 mile walk cooldown)
45:30 Run time + 5 minute cooldown walk
.5 mile @ 8 minute pace (warm-up)
5.5 miles @ 7:30 pace
157 HR ave (Z1)

Swim
1750 Yards Total *easy / recovery*
36:30 Total Time
1 x 500 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 500 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 250 Free

Have a great weekend!

*peace*

This Week Flew By!!

Wow- did this week fly by for everyone out there in blogland too?? I guess that's one of the benefits of being busy...you blink and next thing you know Friday and the weekend is staring us right in the face....nice! Ok...maybe a little premature fridayculation but we are there folks! At least I am close since I am writing this at 11:15pm....where does the time go!?!

Today was a pretty hectic day at work but I did the tuck and roll...crawled out of my dept and hit the gym for a swim. I really need to work on my "sense of urgency" while getting to the gym / changing into workout gear / showering / getting back to office. It always seems to average around 1.5+ hours.....Nike has a pretty liberal workout policy though...if you workout, it is the unwritten rule that you can be gone for around 1.5hours....they do expect you to get your work done and it's not like I'm "working my eight and hitting the gate" so I think it all averages out.....work hard / play hard right!?......it's even better in the summer so can't wait until until the sun starts poking out a little more frequently. My swim was ok...nothing exciting...just got in and plowed through the yardage.

Swim Stats
3000 Yards Total
56:30 Total Time
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 1000 Free
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 500

Hit the gym after work and was surprised at how empty it was....is there some kind of basketball event going on right now?? ok just kidding but the gym was pretty empty....I powered through another semi-long...hard to stay focused.....time is standing still ....can it get any friggen hotter!?!? treadmill session. Ran at a slightly slower pace today....funny how 15 seconds slower per mile can make a such a difference in the effort level.....not that yesterday felt "hard" but today it felt a bit on the easier side....NOT easy....on the easier side....

Run Stats
10.25 Miles Total (10 mile run / .25 mile cooldown walk)
Treadmill (1.5 / 1.0 incline)
1:15:30 Total Time
.5 mile @ 8:00 pace - warmup
9.5 miles @ 7:30 Pace
.25 mile cooldown walk
163 HR Ave Z2 (run average)

*Peace*

Just A Run Today

Keep it moving, nothing to see here.....not much going on in Miguel's life right now besides a very busy work schedule with the occasional free moment to sqeeze in a workout. For some exciting news, check out Steven's blog....he just got a new Scott Plasma....one of the more cutting edge carbon bicycle frames currently on the market from an aero / weight perspective....and pretty darn easy on the eyes to boot.....friggen lucky bastard....time to start saving those pennies myself.

My legs are coming around....glad I took the day off....I was going to swim at lunch but decided against it....I don't want to get burned out on swimming at this early stage....way too soon to be putting in a ton of yardage. I decided to blow off training altogether and hit the Nike Employee Store at lunch.....does shopping count as a workout?? I remember a year ago when I first started at Nike, I would hit the store 3-4 times a week to check out all the new gear but now I've ramped it down to maybe once a week......easy to justify purchasing a ton of gear at employee prices so when I walk out of there empty handed, I consider it a minor victory...I was able to stare down all that product screaming BUY ME!!!! and walk.....doesn't happen too often but today I won.....

Of course I'm not counting the pair of air max 360's I bought for a friend today....just personal purchases....I have willpower.

Right....

After work, I decided to give my legs a spin on the ole dreadmill.....not too bad....definitely had to focus for the last 20 minutes but it's all heat related....once the temp gauge rolls into the red zone, I have a hard time cooling off so HR jumped a bit in the last 30 minutes and all I could think about was getting off that F&#%! mill........mental victory that I pushed it through for the full 10 miles.....set the mill at right around what I figure would be marathon pace on a good day......didn't feel like I was pushing it from an RPE perspective....just the heat....it truly sucks the life out of me.

Run Stats
Treadmill 1.0 incline
1:14:25 Run + 5 minute cool down walk
10.25 miles total (10 mile run / .25 mile cooldown walk)
.5 mile warmup at 8:30 pace
9.5 miles at 7:13 pace
HR 163 ave for 40 minutes (Z2) / 170 ave for 35 minutes (low Z3)

*peace*

No Runny / No Bikey

I hope you all are having a great training week....I will have to live vicariously through your workouts since I am backing it off a bit today. When someone echoes what you are already thinking, might be a good time to ease off the throttle. My left hamstring right above the knee is still a bit sore.....could I run? yes but not going to take the chance of this soreness turning into a full blown injury. I am hoping a day of rest will help the recovery engine go full steam ahead.

I did swim today though....no hairy armpits today to wreck my concentration....just jumped in and swam a straight 3000....first time this year so was happy that my form didn't totally disintegrate by the end! Happy training people!

Swim Stats
48:35 Total Time
1 x 3000 yards Free

*peace*

Sore Hamstrings, Hairy Pits, Rain...Is it Monday??

Well...one of the problems of not following a structured training program is that you can bury yourself real quick.....woke up with a sore left hammy.....probably not a good idea to follow a 22 mile hilly run with a 10 miler the following day. Apparently I don't have that kind of durability in my legs but sometimes you just have to go for it.....I was stuck in a rut in my running until I made an effort to work on the frequency of my running...no change in intensity...pretty much kept it all aerobic and just started running everyday and was able to qualify for Boston back in 04....no marathon pace work, no structured track work besides some Yasso 800's.....now I'm trying to make another push in mileage/intensity to get faster or blow up in the process....hoping I can hang on! This running stuff is tricky...so many training methodologies out there...for every training method out there you can find another to refute it....I guess I just need to find what works for me.

Training went ok today....I hit the pool at lunch to get in some recovery work on my beat up legs. The pool was empty until a gal joined me about 1/2 way through my workout. As I was rolling to breath on one side she took a stroke and I got an eyeful of hairy armpit......I don't have a problem with "HA's"...gotta respect everyone's right to let it go......but her legs were shaved- I don't get it!?! Maybe I am not familiar with the shaving protocol but if you go to the trouble of shaving your legs, wouldn't you give your pits a few swipes too?.....but I digress...other then that, my swim was pretty uneventful.

Swim Stats
1 Hour Total
3000 Yards Total, as follows:
1 x 1000 Free (45 sec rest)
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 1000 Free (45 sec rest)
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 500 Free

Post work, I went back to the gym and hobbled through a tread run. After I warmed up with an 8:30 first mile, I was able to run a 7:30 pace on sore legs....was planning to run for an hour but decided to cut it short after 45 minutes....I wasn't feeling the love tonight.....there's always tomorrow.

Run Stats
46 Minutes (plus 5 min walk cooldown)
6.25 Miles
155 HR ave (Z1)

*Peace*

Late Start

I had a late start to my day....I had planned to get out early for a run and then follow it up with a longer bike ride but didn't get around to lacing up the shoes until around 12:30. I was moving a bit slower after that long run yesterday so it took some time to get going. I kept it on the easier side.....strange but even though I felt like I was running a lot slower on the return trip (had to go UP the rollies on the way back), I pretty much ran even splits so that was good.

Run Stats
1:20:17 Total
10 Miles Total
5 miles out (40:11)
5 miles back (40:06)
152 Ave HR Z1

Life got in the way of my planned bike ride.....had to hit Trader Joes for some vittles....nothing worse then hitting Trader Joes on a Sunday Afternoon though......they are OUT of everything....need to change up my shopping schedule....they were out of ben & jerry's......I'm sure my heart thanks me but not a good thing.

I had to settle for a short trainer ride but the important thing is that I got some saddle time so that's a plus.

Bike Stats
1:15 Total
Trainer Tri-bike
Easy Spin
118 HR ave Z1

*Peace*

Going Long

I decided to run the Leif Erikson Trail in Forest Park....if any of you make it to Portland, you have to make time to run here...it is a beautiful park system right in city. I found the pic on the net- it is from the Erikson trail, between mile markers 8 & 9. This out & back trail has mile markers every 1/4 mile so you know how far you have gone and how far you have to go at any point...it also allows you to monitor your pacing.

I was suprised to see blue skies when I was getting ready to drive out there but dressed for cold temps (wise choice).....a BIG cup of Peet's Major D's coffee and some good tunes (ray lamontagne) for the drive and I was rolling. The layers were a good idea...the temps stayed in the low 40's for the whole run.

The run was great! The trail gets pretty empty once you pass the 6 mile mark, most runners have turned around at that point. The scenery is beautiful out there...very quiet with a nice canopy of trees. I was feeling pretty good and clicking off 8 minute miles...pretty much hitting 2min for each quarter mile while running aerobically....was pretty happy with that since the course is pretty rolling with more up then down on the way out. I was planning to do 20 but was feeling pretty good at the 10 mile marker and pushed it to 11. I'm glad I had gravity on my side for the return trip....thru about mile 17, I was feeling really good....didn't have to push at all....just gliding thru each mile marker...feeling the distance in the legs beyond 17 but at that point the trail was pointing down so ended up negative splitting the run.

I will definitely keep this workout in the back of my mind....sometimes, everything falls into place and it can be a beautiful thing.....it will definitely help me punch the clock during those tough workouts when every step seems forced.....you have to back it up day after day....you never know when everything will fall into place for a great workout.

Hope you all a great training day!

Run Stats
22 Miles Total
2:54:54
11 miles out (1:28:00) 163 HR Ave (Z2)
11 miles back (1:26:54) 159 HR Ave (Z2)

*Peace*

Strange Weather Part Deux

I need to throw a shout out to my boy Ryoji- he left me a voice mail asking why I had a big fat zero in the training log yesterday.....one way that blogging your workouts keeps you honest...no way to hide! Yo RB...Run / Swim today- it's all good right!?

Our weather has been keeping things pretty interesting up here.....At lunch, the sun was poking out of the clouds as I headed to the gym for my run today....I was actually thinking I was going to get a dry run in........I was about 5 minutes into my run when I got caught in a hailstorm...WTF!?!
At least it put a smile on my face and some spring in my step...had to outrun it.....right. Ran at a faster tempo for the 5 mile loop thru the Tualatin Nature Preserve then when I got back to Nike, I eased off a bit and ran about 2.5-3 miles at a lower intensity. All in Z2 though...nice aerobic effort

Run Stats
58 minutes
7.5-8 miles Total
1st 5 miles : 35:48 / 165 HR Ave Z2
2.5 - 3 mile: 21:57 / 160 HR Ave Z2

After work, I was going to pack it in but thoughts of the unplanned rest day yesterday steered me back to the gym to hit the pool. The gym is pretty quiet on Friday nights....half way thru my swim, I had a 12 lap pool all to my lonesome......solid swim...just got in and did my 500's and got outta there....planning a long run tomorrow...keeping my fingers crossed that it isn't snowing!

Swim Stats
3000 yards Total
6 x 500 (45 sec to 1 min rest)
53 Minutes

Have a great weekend!

*peace*

The Big Zero

I knew it was going to be a strange day today when I walked outside to SNOW! Doesn't happen too often around here since we are only at 200ft above sea level. It really started dumping when I got to work...just huge snowflakes....very cool. I had a bag full of layers to tackle any weather condition except maybe snow! ;-) Steven, in gump-like fashion, was correct...you never know what you are gonna get up here....

In the end it didn't matter though....the snow fizzled out along with my chances of getting in a lunch workout...i figured it wasn't an issue since I was just going to hit the pool...still time to run after work....ended up buried at work until 7pm....after being chained to my desk all day, I was done mentally....didn't feel like running at that point...

So....the big fat zero today...as in zero workouts...gotta keep those zeros to a minimum!

I'll call it an unplanned rest day....I had good intentions though....hope that counts for sumthin! I'm still motivated....just a bit burned out tonight.......

where's that TV remote? ;-)

*peace*

Good Run / Good Bike

Steve made a comment on my last post asking why I would run on a treadmill vs. outside...just want to make it clear that I don't have an aversion to running in the rain. I actually don't mind it if I have the proper gear. Getting rained on while training doesn't bother me but I am NOT a fan of training in cold weather without the proper layers. I see a lot of diehard running vets here at Nike leaving the gym on some pretty cold days with only shorts and a short sleeve shirt...they must have grown up here or are running pretty darn fast to get warmed up....I'll do the layers, thank you.

I guess I am typically too optimistic about the weather or my chances of getting out early so I don't pack all the extra gear into work...tights / jackets / gloves, etc.....hmmm, maybe subconsciously I am minimizing my chances of actually having to run outside?? I am going to start making an effort to bring extra gear so that I have no excuses going forward.

I love it up here in Oregon.....I'm a tree-huggin, dirt & nature lovin fool....so I just need to start embracing everything the weather gods throw at me...

Starting Tomorrow.

Today I had another treadmill run....the weather was pretty wild today...the wind was strong....it actually gave me a good workout wrestling an umbrella and trying to keep it from flipping inside out on the walk to the gym at lunch.....exciting times! My run went pretty well...still early but starting to absorb the increase in pace...at least it's getting easier mentally.

Run Stats
Treadmill 1.5% incline
45 minute run / 5 minute walk cooldown
6.5 miles
7:13 / mile pace
165 HR ave Z2

After work, met some friends for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory....I had never been there which they thought was strange but not a big fan of too many chain restaurants out there and wasn't too impressed with my dinner....probably should have skipped the dinner and just tried a piece of their cheesecake but was strong enough to refrain from eating dessert. At least the high calorie dinner motivated me to hit the bike....did intervals on the tri-bike trainer tonight.

Bike Stats
Tri-bike Trainer
1 hour total
10 minute w/up
6 x 5 minute intervals (Z2 HR) w/2 min spin recoveries
1 x 3 minute interval (Z2 HR)
5 minute easy spin

aaaah...feeling good

*peace*

Mill Work

Well....now I remember why I missed so many workouts last year during this period......just entered Q4 in our fiscal year so things are looking pretty darn busy through the end of May....must_not_give_in......must continue to fight the good fight!

Having said that, I worked thru my lunch today....no workouts..*sigh* The missed lunch workout did get me motivated to have a solid evening run though....hit the gym about 6:30pm for another treadmill run...it went ok...not a fan of the mill and time just seems to stand still at times....glad I had the ipod for a distraction as well as one on one races with a couple fellow treaders.....most of them only last for 10-15 minutes at whatever speed I am running plus .1 on the speedo.....not sure why alot of people always choose to add that extra .1 on the speedo...the ones that do it always seem to run at a zero incline as well....I feel like pointing that out sometimes......"Hey, Zero Incliner - You're running downhill!!!!"...not that I was doing any serious incline work myself since I parked it at a 1.5% incline but at least I wasn't running downhill.......pretty silly but any motivation to get through the workout helps.....curious to hear how any of you get through your treadmill runs.....haven't really done any extended runs on the mill but 1:15 felt like an eternity tonight.

Run Stats
Treadmill 1.5% incline
1:20 Total (1:15 run / 5 min walk cooldown)
10 mile run /.25 mile walk
168 HR ave Z2 ceiling
Pace varied from 7:40 to 7:15

Over and out!
*peace*

Is It Monday Already?!

Happy Monday.....always slooow heading out of the gate on a monday...nothing that a huge cup of Java can't fix though.....Hope you all had a good day.....came across this excellent post (No Fear of...) on Nic's blog regarding commitment as it relates to training....hits the nail on the head, literally......this gal has mad skills in posting her thoughts / views.....check it

Even though I had a pretty busy day at work, I made it a point to sneak out to the gym for a workout at lunch...figured now is not the time to be missing workouts and I need "me time" damnit! ;-) Decided on a swim since it would provide a bit of recovery action for the legs...figured I need to try and hit my runs after work so I can run a bit longer. The pool was nice and empty....

Swim Stats
1 hour total
3000 yrds total
2 x 500 Free (45 sec rest)
1 x 250 TI Drills
2 x 500 Free (45 sec rest)
1 x 250 TI Drills
1 x 500 Free

Unshackled myself from my desk at 6pm and headed back to the gym for a run....not a big fan of the treadmill but didn't want to run in the dark while it was raining. Again, ramping up the intensity a bit to put myself in higher Z2.....HR was pegged there until the heat got the better of me and drifted a couple beats into Z3....I have a hard time with overheating on the treadmill...outdoor treadmills on a covered patio would be a nice addition to the gym but I digress......run went ok but I'll need some time to get used to this "faster" (for me) running....probably more of a mental thing because I am not working too hard physically....not gasping for breath or embarrassing myself yet.....I would like to get to a point where this pace feels "easy" ala Steven's engine developed thru purposeful weekly training including a HARD day of speedwork....IMMike has suggested throwing in a couple weeks of intervals as well.....definitely something to think about.....I am just hanging on by the seat of my pants and it is only day two in my push to Boston!

Run Stats
Treadmill
1 hour Total
8 miles
165 HR Ave Z2

Jumped off the treadmill and did a recovery spin on a stationary bike...barely any resistance, just high cadence

Bike Stats
30 minutes total
Easy Spin
122 HR Ave Z1

*peace*

46 DAYS

Switching off sedentary mode back to workout mode today after 2 days off....it's funny but figured the two days off would help my legs recover a bit....they have been feeling "off" lately but no such luck so I figure I'll just train through it......so, 46 days.....hmmm....what is the significance you ask?

"Bwahston" Beantown The Boston Marathon

I can't believe how fast it is coming up here. I spent some time reviewing my training logs from my marathon PR in 04 and noticed one significant difference between that training block and my current training....the lack of mid-week long runs. The frequency is pretty much the same with 5-7 days of running (trying to run everyday);however, I was able to throw in 2 runs of 1:15 / 1:30 during the week with the regular long run on the weekend back in 04. Currently, my weekday runs consist of 45min- 1hr of running which is not good! How can I expect to run a solid marathon on 50'ish miles a week during the higher weeks....now that 3:17 marathon last month makes sense...I didn't have enough miles in my legs
I have been doing a fair bit of research on Arthur Lydiard on the net and his training protocol. The couple take-aways from the research is that I have probably been running a bit too slow during my "aerobic runs" and I need to do several long runs a week (preferably 3 - two runs of 1.5 & one 2+ hr run). Lydiard advocates training aerobically at a pace that falls just under your Anaerobic Threshold. I'm not going to kill myself by trying to ramp it up that much at this point since I haven't followed his program but figure I can at least nudge the average HR up to the ceiling of my Z2 HR according to Friel's charts. Joe Friel has also changed his tune regarding optimal aerobic training pace since he wrote the T-bible- rather then doing all the LSD, he now advocates training aerobically at a pace about 20 beats less then AT (mid-upper Z2). Since my Z2 range is 158-168- I am going to try to get my run HR ave to around 165+ (My run AT is 185). Typically my HR ave has been in the 150-160 range which is Z1 / barely Z2....probably too slow. I have 46 days to absorb as much faster aerobic run volume as I can before Boston. I still plan on swimming (this should help in the recovery dept) and cycling (legs don't fail me!!) so we'll see how I hold up. Here's day one under my belt:

Run Stats
1.5 hours total
12 miles
167 ave HR (high Z2)
7:30 / mile pace

Having said all that.....my A race this year is Ironman Canada....this run focus will do absolutely nothing toward having a good race there....hoping it will help in the durability dept. but a bike focus would definitely be the optimal path.....but it's Boston right!?!?.....got to give it a go......
46 days....Let's Run!!

EZ Bike

Thanks for all the advice on getting in those am workouts......but getting to bed by 8:30-9pm!? Wow, that is serious "eye of the tiger" stuff (how's that for a cheezy 80's song reference)....definitely some hardcore people out there....that is great though- very motivating....everyone out training while I am doing a 1 x 10 set on my alarm snooze button....I will work on getting to bed earlier but I'm sure it'll take time...baby steps right?! 11:45pm as I'm posting now *sigh*

easy bike tonight...

Bike Stats
Tri-bike trainer
45 minutes
125 Ave HR Z1

**Matt- "thanks" for your smart-a$$ comments - don't make me take a trip to Utah and hunt you down! Keep me posted on Cindy brother!

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz- g'nite! ;-)

*peace*

Warmer Weather For A Change....

Typically the weather up here in Oregon is a bit on the chilly side so a few minutes of running is necessary to ward off the freeeeeeze....today was one of those rare days where it felt nice even before I started running.....no jacket...no tights...just a dri-fit T and shorts....nice! Since the weather was cooperating, I decided to run off the Nike campus and head for the Tualatin Hills Nature Park. A loop from the campus through the park is 5 miles.....really nice park right in the middle of Beaverton (see pic). Glad I was able to get out today for a run because there is rain on the forecast for awhile....

Run Stats
5 miles
37:27 time
158 HR low Z2

After work, I hit the pool...forgot that there were swim lessons scheduled this evening so pretty crowded in the pool but was able to get in most of my workout with my own lane....I did have to share a lane for about 500-600 yrds until another lane opened up. I guess I am pretty spoiled by always hitting the pool when it's empty - share a lane!?! Oh, the horror. Jumped in...slammed it out and got out.

Swim Stats
3000 yrds total
2 x 1500 (2 min rest)
51 minutes

Did the TV trainer workout when I got home.....did some intervals in the aerobars while watching American Idol.......easy spin during the commercials and worked some intervals in the aero position while the show was actually on....nice way to get some solid work in on the bike.....still kept it on the easier side overall though....Z1

Bike Stats
45 minutes
TV trainer session - Tri-bike
128 Ave HR Z1

I really need to work on getting up earlier so I can fit in an am workout....as the workouts get longer, doing two workouts in the evening is not going to work ....just not a morning person...never have been.....I need some motivation......how do you all get up for an am workout consistently!?!

*peace*