Monday, April 30, 2007

Lift - 20 Minutes/Swim 1/4 Mile

Too busy at work today to ride or walk. Got 20 minutes in the gym after work to do five minutes on the treadmill and then one full body circuit of lifting. Then at the pool I got to swim 1/4 mile very easy.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

10 Mile Bike/3 Mile Run

Just rode 15 laps around the industrial park for a 10 mile ride. I didn't time myself or do a heart rate (although my heart rate was 106 a minute or so after riding).

I'm tired. My butt hurts. My hands are a little numb.

My speeds averaged between 10 and 16 miles an hour, although I did get up to 20 at one point and did slip to 9 near the end.

I only saw two cars the whole time and they gave me wide bearth.

I just need to start racking up the miles.

Next time I ride this circuit I will try to time myself.

***

After work I went to the track and ran three miles. But here's what was interesting. I walked a lap, ran five, walked a lap, ran five, then ran two and walked two. Total of four miles, three miles running. My time for the first three miles, which included two walked laps was 31:50, which is a 10:36 pace, which is way faster than my typical 3 mile training pace. Plus my heart rate was lower -- never more than 150, and I wasn't tired in the least at the end. I plan to further this experiment in a long run later in the week.

Miles/Workouts

I went back and studied my weekly running mileage since I began this quest. Here's how it breaks down:

2, 1, 2.6, 3, 3, 0, 2.5, .75, 0, .25, 1, 3.25, 0, 1, 2, 1.5, 1, 0, 3.5, 6.35, 2, 8, 5.75, 4.5, 4, 8, 4, 8.25.

Total Mileage: 74.2 miles

Longest Run: 4.25 miles

Not a whole heck of a lot, but I have been picking it up lately.

My goal will be at least 3 runs a week with a total of at least 10 miles a week for the next month.

***

Here's how the swimming breaks down:

.71, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, .25, .25, 1, 0, .5, .5, 1, 0, 1.5, 1, .75, .5, .75, .25, 1, 1.25

Total 12.71 miles

Longest Swim 1 mile.

My goal will be 2 miles a week

***

My bike breakdown:

5.8. 8, 6, 12, 0,0,0,10,3,5,12,17,0,0,4,22,8,18,6,4,4,4,0, 8.8, 15, 0

italic = stationary bike

My goal will be three rides a week with increasing mileage each week.

***

My lifting breakdown:

2,2,1,1,1,1,1,2,1,1,1,1,0,1,1,1,0,1,2,0,1,2,0,1,1,2,1

My goal will be 2 a week.

***

And my days worked out a week:

6,4,3,5,2,1,3,3,2,3,3,5,0,4,4,5,2,7,5,3,6,5,5,3,5,6,6

My goal will be six.

2 lift, 2 swim, 3 bike, 3 run, 1-2 walk

Saturday, April 28, 2007

1/4 Mile Swim

Sort of a Rest Day today. After work I was the babysitter and that translated into first bike ride lessons and swimming at the pool. I did 1/4 mile swim after our play time, then went out for pizza.

I was hoping to ride myself after work, but being a seven year old's best friend forever sort of trumps that.

Friday, April 27, 2007

1 Mile Run/Lift/1 Mile Run

Went to gym, ran 1 mile at a 12:00 pace. Heart rate was 138.

Then I did a circuit of 14 exercises, 15 repetitions each, with marginal rest in between ( enough to walk from machine to machine, have a drink maybe and towel off machine).

Crunch Down
Hip Flexor
Ab Twist
Knee Raise
Lower Back Machine
Squat
Bench Press
Lat Pull Down
Curl to Shoulder Press
Upright Row
Dumbell StepUp
Tricept Extension
Leg Curl

Time 21 minutes. Highest HR was 139 during the squat and 137 during Lat Pull Down.

Then I ran another mile at the 12:00 pace. Ending HR was 144.

In both cardio phases I added a walk to total 20 minutes before and after the lift.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Mile Swim/5K Walk

Swam 1 mile in 37 minutes. I may have swum one extra or one less lap and I may have misread the clock by a minute, but I don't think so. I swam it rather easily, although my legs did cramp when I pulled myself out of the pool.

Here's what I think about when I swim:

21, 21, 21, 21, 22, 22,22,22,22,22,23,23,23

I need to learn a better way to keep track of laps. If I start thinking about other stuff, its, 22, 22, 22 or is it 23, 23, 23.

My heart rate was 120 but I didn't remember to take it until I was out of the pool a minute later, so I don't know what it was right when I finished.

***

Here's what I think about when I run:

"Let's it get started, let's get it started...just out of Austin out of San Antone...won't you check on me tonight...I stayed in mississippi...take me down to the paradise city..don't stop, opportunity comes once in a lifetime...gonna fly...

***

Here's what I think about when I ride:

I hope that car doesn't hit me...I hope that dog is on a chain...

***

In the afternoon I went for a three plus mile walk around the reservor. It is marked for a 5k, which I should try to run one day--it is very hilly. Tomorrow I may ride my bike around it a couple times as I need to do more riding.

Possible Race Schedule

I obviously won't do all of these, but may get in a couple:

May 12 (Saturday) - 5K Run - Race in the Park 9:30 A.M Schedule of Events

June 2 (Saturday) - 5k Run - Connecticut Komen Race for the Cure Hartford

June 14 (Thursday) - Sprint Triathlon 1/4 mile swim/12 mile bike/3.2 mile run - Lake Terramugus

June 20 (Wednesday) - 5K Run - West Hartford

June 22 (Friday) - Sprint Triathlon 1/2 mile swim/9 mile bike/3.3 Run- Lake Waramaug Sprint Triathlon

June 28 (Thursday) - Lake Terramugus

July 7 (Sat) - 5K Run - East Hartford

July 11 ( Wednesday) -Sprint Triathlon 1/2 mile swim/10.5 bike/3.1 run - Pat Griskus Sprint Triathlon

July 12 (Thursday) Lake Terramugus

July 26 (Thursday) Lake Terramugus

Friday, August 03, 2007 ::: Litchfield, Connecticut: Sandy Beach Triathlon
Swim ½ mile, Bike 10 miles, Run 3.1 miles

Saturday, August 5 : Sprint Triathlon Swim ½ mile, Bike 12 miles, Run 3.5 miles
Niantic, Connecticut: Niantic Bay Triathlon

August 9 (Thursday) Lake Terramugus

Saturday August 11, 2007 ::: Washington, Connecticut: Nutmeg State Sprint Triathlon and Relay Swim ½ mile, Bike 9.1 miles, Run 3.1 miles

Saturday August 18, 2007 - SBR Triathlon SeriesNY harrison State Park

August 23 (Thursday) Lake Terramugus

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

2 Miles in 20:00 Minutes

Did a quick 20 minute 2 mile on the tread mill this morning with a one percent incline. Heart rate - 157 after a mile, 167 after two. While this is a little worse than a month ago, I was running on no breakfast, but I felt like I could keep going.

Then I went into the city and worked a hard twelve hours. My knee is still bothering me from my misstep at work a week ago, but it only hurts when I go down stairs. I ran pain free and climb stairs and walk pain free, but it hurts when I go down the stairs.

I'm off the next two days.

I hoping to do a big swim workout tomorrow and ride my bike if it isn't raining.

***

I was glad to read a new entry on my brother's blog and see he is making progress and getting ready to get back out there. He posted a great triathlon in New York we may do. I will shortly post a list of possible ones around here for him to consider.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

3 Mile Walk

Very sleepy this morning when I woke up and my left knee felt a little sore as I was going down the stairs, so I decided not to load my bike on the back of the car. Later my knee felt fine and it being a beautiful day, I was regretting not bringing the bike. I did do a three mile walk around the loop here.

Driving into work I was wishing I was on my bike and feeling the air on my face instead of being cooped up in a car. I know before the spring is out I will be riding to work at least one day a week -- despite my fear of traffic.

I wish I didn't have to work until ten. I could really use a swim or a bike ride or a run.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Rest/Inspiration

I'm taking today as a rest day. I was up all night waiting to get my girlfriend and her daughters at the bus station from a trip they took, which had unscheduled delays. I was also tired and stiff from my run yesterday and I got killed at work, including a late call that pretty much shot any chance at a workout. Tomorrow is my 16 hour day. I am going to try to remember to take my bike to work and hopefully get to ride some during the down time. Worst comes to worst I get two rest days in a row.

***

My brother over at TriMe has pneumonia and so hasn't been working out understandably. I talked to him the other night and he sounded sort of depressed. Hopefully the Red Sox sweep of the Yankees has him feeling a little better. I know when I am sick I feel as if I will never be well again. I look forward to reading more of his posts when he rejoins the training routine, although you could argue that rest is as much a part of training -- even resting from sickness -- as working out. I have read of many athletes who got sick and were forced to not train for an extended period, and then when they came back they were completely refreshed and set all kinds of personal records.

Feel better, Brother Jim.

***

I have been reading some inspirational books about running and triathlons.

1. Transformed By Triathlon by Jane Booth is a fortish woman's account of going from a couple times a week swimmer to a triathlete in a year's time, including learning to run and getting on a bike for the first time since childhood -- a path very similar to mine. Well-written and interesting for its training and race details. (I am mailing my copy to my brother today, hopefully).

2. Becoming an Ironman: First Encounters with the Ultimate Endurance Event by Kara Doughlas Thom. This book is great. I bought it at Borders thinking the book was another one I had seen about people's first triathlons, and I almost took it back when I realized it was about Ironman Triathlons, which I have not considered myself interested in, but the book, which I am almost done with, is great reading. Very interesting and inspirational. It has sections on athletes over 50, people who did not finish, handicapped athletes, pros, and people in raced in the early days. Some great anecdotes. I particuarly enjoyed one racer's comments about the early days when there was no time limit or cutoff for the race. He says you know you are having a bad day when you see the paperboy delievering the morning paper that has the race results for the race you are still running in. I gathered from the stories there is a lot of walking in the marathon portion of the race. People also spend much more time in the transition areas than they do in the sprint triathlon transitions ( 20-45 minutes versus about two).

3. The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life: What 35 Years of Running Have Taught Me About Winning, Losing, Happiness, Humility, and the Human Heart by Amby Burfoot. This is a very small, inspirational book about running, great for reading a chapter a night before bed.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

4.25 Mile Run

Beautiful day today. After I got off work, I drove home, changed into my running gear and went down to the high school track. I ran 4.25 miles with an ending heart rate of 157. I was between 154 - 157 most of the way. When I run I think 4 miles is going to be a long way and it is, but the closer you get to it, the easier it is. I am going to try to get to 6 miles slowly and gradually before I start working on speed.

Total Running Time - 48 minutes

Pace 11:30/mile

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Bike/Lift

Went for a nine mile bike ride in Simsbury on the Greenway bike trail along Iron Horse Blvd and the Farmington River. It was very beautiful. The path was flat with a couple bumps that emphasized that men shouldn't be riding bikes.

Simsbury Trail

I rode easy, never more than 15 mph. Mostly 10-12. i did often have to slow for pedestrians.

The problem with biking won't be going the distance, it will going the distance with some speed and getting up hills.

While this ride was pleasant, I need a more challenging ride. I will probably try the West Hartford Resovoir my next time out.

***

Later in the afternoon I went down to the gym and did a short full body lifting routine.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Bike/Run

I ditzed around forever this morning, doing everything I could to delay my bike ride. I truly have a deep seated fear of riding. I finally strapped the bike to the rack and drove down to the high school. I rode around in the parking lot a little just to remember how to use the gears and brakes, and then I took off on a 6 mile ride doing loops through residential neighborhoods with a fair number of small hills. I even got up to 18 miles an hour at one point. It took me awhile to figure out how to pedal going downhill. I learned to lift a little when I was coming to a bump and almost stood up on the pedals, but felt too shaky to press it. I got passed by a couple cars and handled that okay. They gave me wide bearth. I do have a problem turning left as I am not yet confident enough to take my left hand off the bike to signal. Still all in all a successful ride. The only dog that barked at me was in a cage. Ending heart rate was 116. No big deal as I hardly pedaled hard the entire time. Lots of coasting, which I expect is how I will ride in a triathlon at least at first.

I then preceeded to run a mile at the track. It wasn't as hard as the last time after riding. My ending heart rate was 153.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Swim

I swam a half mile tonight after work. Didn't even look at the time. Ending HR - 104.

***

At work today I had two heavy carries. One I was carrying a guy backwards out of a house. I went out onto the front step and then stepped back to go down the next step, only there was noghing to catch my right leg. It turns out the front steps were not the same width as the top landing. My right leg went down the eqivilent of three steps and landed on the ground. My left knee went into a dumbell stepup position. I managed to keep my balance and not drop the patient. My left knee felt a little sore later, but nothing i couldn't walk off.

Later we got called to a riverfront plaza. We had to carry our stretcher and all the gear up about a hundred steep steps, across a plaza and then down maybe fifty steps -- all while being filmed by the news station. I didn't even get short of breath. I felt like an Ironman. And then we had to do it backwards with a patient, albeit a light one on the stretcher, but this time I had three firefighters helping me -- we each took a corner.

It made me feel better about skipping my strength training workout this morning.

***

I am in a little bit of a quandry about what to do tomorrow. I am off and it will be a beautiful day as will Saturday. There is a 5k on Saturday. I wouldn't mind running another race, but I also would like to do a good bike/run workout tomorrow. I think I will probably skip the race and do one on May 12. I am less interested in time right now than I am in keeping my heart rate low while adding distance, as well as getting cracking on learning how to ride the bike.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

2 Mile Run

Cold, windy and overcast. I dressed warmly in my underarmour and sweats, went out and ran some errands. Drove by the high school thinking the track was probably going to be being used by the HS team, and found it was empty -- its vacation week.

I walked a half mile and then ran two, then walked a half.

HR after 1/4 - 132
after 1/2 - 142
after 1 mile - 147
after 1 3/4 - 147
after 2 miles - 151

I was on a 11:00 minute pace.

I just wanted to do a light workout, so I am pleased that I got in a run.

I also subscribed to Runner's World today. I really like that magazine. I wish they had a decent triathlon magazine. Those magazines are geared all at the the pro level.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Rest Day

Still raining. Worked 16 hours today. I am beat down. I'm thinking I will take tomorrow as a rest day, but since I am off, I will probably do something easy like a light bike ride or easy run or swim. See how I feel

Monday, April 16, 2007

Run/Lift

Very tired after work, went to the gym anyway, was upset I left my heart rate monitor and mp3 at home. Ran a 10:00 mile, and then lifted, just doing legs and abs.

At least I made it to the gym.

Its been pouring rain here for a couple days with more for tomoroww so the bike must wait.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Swim

I swam a quarter mile and I was getting really tired so I just stopped. I looked up at the clock. I hate the swimming pool clocks because they are very hard to read as far as minutes. They are never right on the the numbers. I think I swam it in 8.5 minutes (about a 50 second per 50 yard pace). Then I decided to just swim sprints and boy did I feel good swimming those. I was swimming 100 yards in 90 seconds (45 second pace) and then 50s in 40 seconds. I did a total of 1/2 mile. I need to do this more often along with other drills. I also should shoot for a mile total in each of my swims.

***

Legs feel fine from my 4 mile run, but I do have to say my diet stinks after I workout, I am so hungry. Yesterday I had two beers, pizza, popcorn at the movies, chicken, potatoes, a big bowl of ice cream, broccoli, and gummy worms.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

4 Miles/44 Minutes/HR 158

Drove to the track. Determined to run 4 miles at a slow pace. I want to have one long slow run a week where I gradually add mileage.

I started my mp3 player with the first song "Let's Get it Started." I have Rocky and Chariots of Fire at the end, and I'm guessing about an hour's worth of songs, maybe a little more. Today, Eminem sang me across the finish line with "Lose Yourself." I'm going to keep the music in the same order until I run through Chariots of Fire.

I didn't keep rigid times on each mile, but checked my heart rate after each mile.

1 mile - 144
2 mile - 152
3 mile - 154
4 mile - 158

and my time was 44 minutes on the nose. The last mile I ran pretty slow so I think I did 3 miles in a slightly faster pace.

***

In this month's edition of Runner's World, there is article about John Kelley who won the Boston marathon in 1957 as a young man. Here's his training schedule:

He ran 16 miles in the morning five days a week.

On Saturday, he'd run 40 X 440 yards in 75 seconds with a 440 recovery jog.

On Sunday, he'd run a steady 20 miles.

***

I'd like to do one long slow run, and then maybe throw in a workout where I either do hills or some type of speed variation.

I also scoped out the neighborhood around the high school where I plan to ride before doing a run. It looks safe with some hills. Should be great practice for me.

The only problem now is a big storm is coming in and we'll see several days of rain next week.

Friday, April 13, 2007

Bike/Try to Run

Okay. Last night was great at work, I slept through the night other than lightly waking periodically to listen to radio sounds or check the clock. So an okay night's sleep, a great sleep considering I was making double time and a half to press my cheek against the pillow.

Still I went home and slept a couple more hours and still felt a little out of sorts due to my up all night the night before.

I decided my workout would be a bike/run so I gave myself plenty of time and drove to work with my bike on the rack. It was all of a sudden very windy and cold, so I put on a windbreaker over my hoodie and underarmour, and a wool hat under my bike helmet and today I had gloves.

I went around the circle seven times for a total of five miles. I even reached 16 miles an hour on one stretch. Gained some experience on working the gears. At one point my foot came off the pedal and I managed to stay on the bike although it was touch and go. It was as I said cold and windy. And I was getting tired. My butt hurt and my hands hurt from gripping the handle bars. My last lap I was going 9 miles an hour. I pulled into the garage, hopped off the bike, took off my helmet and started running with the goal of doing two laps/1.5 miles. I went about 100 feet and then said what is wrong with my legs. I ended up having to walk run the first lap and then very slowly run the last. My heart rate after biking was 132. My heart rate after the run was 160.

On one hand, I have biked five miles and only have to go seven more to meet the traditional 12 mile distance of the sprint triathlon. But on the other after five I was exhausted and I could hardly run. A real bike is way different from a stationary bike. And I haven't even tackled hills yet.

My plan will be to try to always run at least a mile after each bike ride and to gradually increase the milage. I'd like to have a twenty mile bike done before the first triathlon which is June 14. Maybe I should push the triathlon debut back to July.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

No Workout

I was up all night at work so when I got home I slept until two in the afternoon. Then it was pouring rain outside and cold, so I decided to just not push it. Hopefully tonight will be easier at work. If it were not for the money I would say I was stupid for working these three overnights in a row.

Triathlon is turning out to be a little on the expensive side when you consider pool membership, bike and accessories, heart rate monitor, clothes, race fees, books.

Not that it isn't worth every penny.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Run/Ride!

A few days ago, I wrote about heart rate and training zones, and decided on the following based on my research:

my training zones are as follows:

60-75% = 136-154
75%-85% = 154-166

This works for me.

So while I will continue to investigate this area, I will try to do my training runs in the 139-156 range, resolving to slow or walk whenever my heart rate tops 156. I will try to do this twice a week.

Once a week I can run in the 156-167 range, provided I am off the next day.


So here's what happened today.

I woke up with a resting heart rate of 60.

I went to the track and walked a half mile. My heart rate monitor doesn't kick in until I start sweating (because the hair on my chest interferes with the electrodes in the chest band). Then I ran a mile with a heart rate of 160. So I walked a lap, and then ran another mile with a heart rate of 164, then walked a lap, ran a half mile with a heart rate of 162, walked a lap, and then ran another half mile with a heart rate of 160. I was not running fast. I was doing maybe a 10:30-11:00 min/mile pace. I wasn't particularly exhausted at the end. My legs felt fine.

This heart rate was higher than normal. Maybe wearing the underarmour keeps me hotter and that leads to the higher heart rate. Maybe, but I don't know.

I will try another similar run this week and see what happens.

I am going to buy a book on heart rate monitoring and get into this question as much as I can.

***

At noon I'm going to the bike shop.

***

I now own a bike. I just rode 3.8 miles, and lived to tell about it.

For accessories I got a computer that does MPH and miles, a bike basket with a nifty bag that slides right on it, a mirror, a car bike rack, a lock, a helmet, and a floor pump. I meant to get a water bottle holder, but they forgot to put it on. They told me to ride it for thirty days and then bring it in for a tuneup and that's when I'll get some other stuff like maybe a headlight.

So I drove to work and then did five laps around the circle. Before I had gone 1/4 of the way around, a big truck with one of those long trailers that transport heavy equipment tried to turn in front of me, and the trailer kept getting closer and closer as he angled his turn. I almost went off the road and he finally stopped.

I felt sort of unsteady on the bike, but I got better. I am still figuring out the gears. I don't know what I was in, but I began to recognize how I need to shift when the pedaling gets either too easy or two hard. On one turn I had to stop pedalling and coast to make it. It was a little windy and I didn't have gloves so my hands were getting cold. I was going anyway between 9 and 14 miles an hour. My quads were getting very tired. It is not like riding on a stationary bike. But I did go running earlier so who knows?

I am a long way from being able to ride to work, but I think riding the circle here at work will be easy. I also plan to take my bike down to the high school track. I can ride a route in that neighborhood, which is very residential, and then pull into the track, lock my bike to the fence and then run.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Walk

Today's my sixteen hour work day. I just did a twenty minute 1.5 mile walk around the circle. It got overcast and the wind picked up so I cut it short instead of doing the full three miles I had intended.

***

The countdown to get the bike continues. I stopped at the bike shop today and made an appointment to come back tomorrow at noon. They're going to get a 25" Trek 7200 in for me to try. All they had in today was a 22.5" one. I am psyched.

I also was down at the garage today where my friend the owner was working on my car. I told him about my plan to ride to work and he said he thought I was crazy -- I'd get killed for sure. Maybe I should just drive to work, and then ride around the circle here. Ten times round is 7 miles.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Lift/Swim

Got up at 4:30 this morning, went to the gym and did a quick twenty minute full body weight workout before getting to work at six.

I talked to my friend the gym owner and he congratulated me on the 5K, although I don't think he was very impressed with my time.

I talked to him some about bikes and he thinks I should get the hybrid. He has a hybrid and uses it to ride to work and he also uses it to go mountain biking with his son. I am leaning this way now as well. It will be cheaper, easy to ride, I can use it in all the triathlons -- road and trail, it won't be as slow as a mountain bike, but will still have decent puncture resistant tires.

***

Swam 1/2 mile in 18 minutes after work. Almost was too tired to stop at the pool.

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Thoughts in the Hot Tub

Last night soaking in the hot tub, drinking two Corona Lites, and looking up at the stars, I made some short term goals.

1. Figure out this heart rate training business and put it to use in my running workouts.

2. Learn how to ride a bike

***

Here's my best understanding of the heart rate training. Your body responds best to conditioning when you don't overexert your heart. If you can train your body to run at a low heart rate, you'll be able to run at a lower heart rate, and then have more reserve for when you need to really run hard. Running at your top heart rate doesn't condition you as well, exhausts you and requires more time to recover, as well as depriving you of a post workout high.

So even if you have to walk periodically to keep your heart rate low, you should do that.

Many top runners never train full out -- they save that for the big race.

Here's a good article on finding out your maximum heart rate:

How To Determine Maximum Heart Rate
by Sally Edwards


I Like the Biggest Number Test outlined below:

Biggest Number Test. This is one of those that is simply obvious. Given that you've worn your heart rate monitor a while, especially during hard workouts, your Max HR is the biggest number you have ever seen on your heart rate monitor (the biggest reasonable number, not 300 bpm, say--you don't want to take one that's influenced by interference).

Also the 5K race test

5K Race Test. This can be taken by anyone skiing, running, biking, or snowshoeing. Enter a 5K race, and during the last 1-2 minutes go to a full sprint. Keep checking your heart rate monitor and add 5 beats to the highest number recorded there during this period. The result should be your Max HR (because of muscle fatigue, you can't drive yourself all the way to true Max
HR at this point).


So adapting this to myself, if 179 was the highest heart rate I saw, but I did not do a full sprint at the end, I feel I can add at least 5 beats for now to give me a maximum heart rate of 184.

So then my training ranges would be:

90% = 165
85% = 157
80% = 147
75% = 138
70% = 129
60% = 110

Now there is no way I can run and stay in the 60 to 75% training zone. I would have to be fast walking.

Here is another heart rate training zone calculator, which incorporates something called the Karoven method where your training zone becomes a calculation between your resting heart rate and your maximum heart rate. I'm using 64 as a resting heart rate.

Heart Rate Calculator

If I follow this, then my training zones are as follows:

60-75% = 136-154
75%-85% = 154-166

This works for me.

So while I will continue to investigate this area, I will try to do my training runs in the 139-156 range, resolving to slow or walk whenever my heart rate tops 156. I will try to do this twice a week.

Once a week I can run in the 156-167 range, provided I am off the next day.

I do know that I should recalculate my maximum heart rate every so often.

***

Now the biking. Yesterday after my run I went down to this sports shop in Glastonbury that sponsors a bi-weekly sprint triathlon starting in June. I was hoping to get some triathlon expertise. They didn't have much in a selection of bikes. The guy did let me try a $900 elite hybrid. When I told him I hadn't ridden since the first grade(this deserves a long explanatory entry. I actually had a Schwinn Speedster and rode a bike up through seventh or eighth grade) he was clearly appalled and made me put on a helmet even though I was just going to be riding on the sidewalk in front of the store. I got a course in how to use the brakes, but ended up dragging my sneakers to help stop.

I am very confused on the bike stuff now, as each store I have gone to has recommended something different. I have a few days to research it, but I am leaning back toward a cheap mountain bike followed once I learn to ride the mountain bike with a good road bike.

My potential first race is in nine weeks and that does not seem like a lot of time to be able to get ready. The bike has to become my first priority.

***

I did get some good advice on a wet suit from the guy at the Glastonbury store. He said not to bother right now. The lake water is warm and the race is only 1/4 mile. Maybe if later I am going to be doing a 1/2 mile in the ocean, I might want one, but don't even think about it yet. I think he was thinking there is no way this guy is going to learn to ride a bike well enough to even do one so why waste the money on a wetsuit.

***

Here's my next road race possibilities:

April 21 (Saturday) - 5K Run - Hebron 5K Road Race

May 12 (Saturday) - 5K Run - Race in the Park 9:30 A.M Schedule of Events

And the first possible triathlon:

June 14 (Thursday) - Sprint Triathlon 1/4 mile swim/12 mile bike/3.2 mile run - Lake Terramugus

I may not do the Hebron run because this coming week I will be working forty hours in three days during the day, and then switching and working forty hours in three days during the nights, so my sleep schedule may be too messed up to train properly. If I do run it will be a spur of the moment thing.

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Yo!


So I watched Rocky Balboa last night. My brother who is 40 told me it was great movie that touched him. When I rented the movie I was working the ambulance with a twenty-two year old kid who said the movie was stupid. Well, I liked it. I grew up on Rocky, enjoyed Rocky II, and would just as soon that Stallone didn’t make the other Rockys after that, which I think he probably feels the same about. The first Rocky and this one were good because even if they were sentimental, Stallone is writing what he believes to be true and that comes out. Rocky Balboa is a movie for people who are getting older, who may have seen their better days, but aren’t ready to go gently. He has a line about it isn’t how hard you hit, it's how you get up after getting hit hard. I’m not claiming that I’ve been decked, but I’ve had my days were I have felt beat down. Unlike my brother, I didn’t quite get misty-eyed, but I was moved. (I liked Rocky talking with the single mom, trying to be true to his late Adrian, but also show affection and kindness.) Like my brother I also enjoyed the ending where they show clips of common people running up the stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum. But the significant part for me was in the end when Rocky walks out of the ring not even waiting for the announcement of whether he won or not because for him, it wasn’t about winning or losing the actual fight, it was about getting in the ring and giving it his best – that was the victory – the journey. And the older you get the more you appreciate that – the doing is what counts, not so much the getting there.

But today – I did and I got there, too! Crossed the finish line! Here’s how it went down.

I actually slept pretty well last night, so much so that when my alarm went off, I reset it to sleep another half hour because I was comfortable and in no rush. Once I got up, I had a banana and made myself a protein shake to drink on the ride to the race. I weighed myself – 221.4, put on my heart rate monitor, put on my underarmor tee-shirt, my gray hoodie, a pair of shorts, some sweats, and put a new pair of no-friction running socks that I had bought when I bought my sneakers a couple months back. Before I put the socks on I put on a blister protector on the middle toe of my left foot where I got a blood blister from running with my gel soles upside down. (It is doing fine, I just put the protector on just in case.) I brought along a work turtleneck, my black wool cap and my gloves.

It was about a thirty minute drive to the race area up by Bradley Field. The name of the race is the Bradley International Road race. I’ve been thinking that this race is no sissy 5K because it is an International Road Race, but only when I reached the parking area did it occur to me that the International goes with Bradley International Airport and not with Road Race. When I reached the parking area, the thermometer in my car read 28 degrees. I got out and walked a half mile or so to the registration area where I was given #12 – a good sign, along with my free tee-shirt, which I did not even look at because you have to earn the tee-shirt to wear it. If I don’t finish the race, I can’t wear the shirt, so without looking at it, I walk back to my car, and toss it in the back seat. I sit there running the engine for awhile, but then I feel the urge to use the bathroom, and fearing lengthy lines, get back out in the cold after first putting the turtleneck on over my underarmor.

The bathroom line goes quick and I am now good to go – no fear of what happens sometimes when I am running at the track, getting a slight urge in the middle of my workout.

People are warming up by jogging – some of them are jogging about as fast as I sprint. I resolve to do nothing faster than a walk. I want to conserve my running for when it actually counts. I hear people talking about Boston, half-marathons, the race last week. It seems a pretty serious crowd. I don’t see any women with baby strollers, no walkers either.

I pace about for awhile. Then someone calls my name and I see a woman who used to work with me. She is there with her boyfriend. He’s running the 10k, she’s running the 5K. It’s her second race, but she has been running for many years. The race is a little slow getting going because for some reason there are a couple cars on the road. The race course runs along the north perimeter of the airport. I’ve seen a couple jets take off right over the fence. We're just standing there talking when suddenly the announcer says, ready set, go! I’m about twenty-five yards from the line and have to wait for a bunch of people to go by before I can even step on the road. My friend calls on me to join them, but I just shake my head. I have already told her I expect to be near the rear.

I am surprised by the slow early pace, but then I look ahead and see in fact there are many people who have sprinted out and are quite far ahead. I’m just in the pack. I’m not certain how fast I am going, but I am breathing through my mouth, which isn’t that unusual – that’s how I breath when I run. I don’t think I get enough air through my nose to sustain myself.

The first half mile goes by in no time. I notice a little kid ahead of me, and say to myself that I am going to beat him.



I slowly pick up my pace so I am just about up to him as we near the mile marker.


But then he takes off like a jack rabbit and that’s the last I see of him.

At the mile mark, I glance at my watch. Since the start caught me by surprise, I don’t have an accurate start time. I don’t know how to set the stop watch part of my watch, so I usually just go off the digital clock. But when we started all I saw was the hour and minute numbers -- 8:41, not the second numbers. It's now 8:51. Ten minutes have elapsed, but I don’t know whether it is nine minutes and one second or ten minutes and fifty-nine seconds. I had considered not even looking at my watch. I do want to check my heart rate and it is 164 so I figure I am on a ten minute pace – a little faster that I may be able to sustain.

It is not long before I look up and see the leader sprinting back the other way. The dude is moving. He has a huge lead over the next runner, who is also running at what I might call a sprint pace.

The road starts to go uphill now and for the first time people are starting to pass me. I am still running, but for the first time I have to slow, my steps become shorter. I glance at my heart rate monitor – 179. I haven’t broken 169 before. I guess I know what my maximum heart rate is now. I don’t feel too bad. My legs don’t hurt, I just don’t feel like I can go too fast and sustain it.

I see my friend coming back the other way, and am cheered that I am close to the turn around. I loop around the orange traffic cone and head back. I glance at my watch again and seem to still be on the ten minute pace.

I move up on a girl who is reaching for her inhaler. I pass her when she stops and puts her hands on her knees, before taking a big puff.

The run back seems longer than the race out. The two mile mark seems to take forever to reach – the same with the two and a half. I’m thinking too bad this isn’t a two mile race. A couple people from behind pass me. I don’t want to look back to see no one behind me. So I don’t look back.

I am getting hot. The sun is up now and my underarmor is probably frying me. I take off my gloves and put them in my pocket and then take my cap off for a minute to let some heat off before putting it back on. I do manage to pass one runner. Then asthma girl sprints by me. Then two more runners. Each runner that goes by me I am glancing at their numbers to see if they are from the 10K race. My fear is I will be reaching the finish line at the same time as the 10k front-runners, but they are all 5kers.

When I cross the two and a half mark, I know I will cruise in. It's just a glory run now.

Just as I approach the three mile mark, a woman in her forties rushes past me, she stumbles as she passes, almost falling. I am little annoyed by it because I could sprint too. This is just a move to pass me before the finish line. I remember reading how sprinting at the end of one of these races is uncool, and I can see why. I let her go.

A man stands on the side of the road reading off the runner’s numbers. As I pass him, I hear my name being announced over the speakers. People cheer. I cross the line and slow to a walk. A woman at the end of the chute, tears the bottom part of my number off that has my bar code. I made it. I feel pretty good considering. My heart rate was around 174 when I last checked on the course. Two minutes after the race, it is in the 130’s as I walk around on the grass in the waiting area. I have no pain in my legs. I didn’t have to spit at all while I was on the course – I saw lots of gobs of sputum along the way, but I do cough some, and for a moment think I might puke, but it passes. I grab a bottled water and pound it down.

There are a number of 5kers who finish after me. About four minutes after I finish the first 10K runner crosses. I see my friend and chat with her for a little while as she waits for her boyfriend. Then I get another water, an orange slice and a half a bagel and head back to my car.

I have to say, on the one hand I am pleased I finished the race. No small accomplishment for a non-runner, but it wasn’t that easy, so on the other hand, thinking of the triathlon, running a 5K after a swim and a long bike ride, that seems like it will bit a bit of a challenge. I have some serious work to do -- like learning how to ride a bike.

Now, in the late afternoon, I do feel pooped and a little stiff, but pain-free. I’m going to have some roast pork tonight, at least one cold beer and I may take a dip in the hot tub.

Overall I must say, “Yo! I Rock!”

Race Results

Time of 31:15
10:05/mile Pace.

I'm Still Standing



Well, I made it. I don't have my official time or place finish yet, but I think I came in around 31:00, finishing toward the back of the pack, but definately not last. My only goal besides finishing was to finish ahead of the 10K runners on this down and back course and I managed that. I did pretty well -- I never had to stop or walk -- but I got killed on the hills or inclines as others might call them. My heart rate after a mile was 167. On the hill during the second mile my heart rate was 179. I finished around 174 for a heart rate. I never had to spit on the course, although I did cough quite a bit after I finished. It was 28 degrees when I arrived at the race, but it felt like it was 80 when I finished.

(More detail to follow later today when I write up the entire event).

Just wanted you to know I'm still upright.

Friday, April 06, 2007

Before the Race

Today is another rest day as I prepare for the 5K tomorrow. I am sort of resenting not working out, but I do want tomorrow to go as well as possible.

I drove out to the course and checked it out. Driving in a car 3.1 miles doesn't seem like much. I'm sure I will feel otherwise tomorrow. I've run longer on a track and on a tread mill, but never on a road. It is a fairly flat course that runs along the edge of the airport. I'll be able to see planes landing and taxing as I run. The turnaround and mile marks are pretty well marked.

I am not going to predict any time or set any goal other than finishing. If I set it goal it will be during the race let like no way am I going to let this six year old beat me.

I will wear my heart rate monitor just to make certain I am not about to explode at any point in time.

I went to Borders tonight to read through some running books and came across this tip about never wearing a walkman during a race. I guess it is a faux pa or however you spell it. And I had downloaded the theme music from Chariots of Fire that I was going to have set to play at the 30 minute mark, which would have been proceeded by Rocky's Gonna Fly Now. I guess I need to keep my ears open for when the seventy-year old man shouts, "Hey young fella, make way, make way now, you hear?"

I did rent Rocky Balboa to watch tonight.

I'm going to eat a big dinner of brown rice, shrimp and okra with strawberries and yogurt for dessert. I'll try to get to bed early.

The race is at 8:30, so I should be there by 8:00. It's supposed to be cold with a ten mile wind. I don't know if I will race in my grey sweats or not. Probably.

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Rest

I'm going to take today as a day of rest. I got home from work and have been thinking about swimming, but I worked out hard yesterday and have had a small cold today, plus it is raining. The race is Saturday morning so I am just going to take it easy. When the race is over I'll start a new phase of training.

Today I went to another bike shop while at work and the guy there pretty much convinced me I should get a road bike. He was also the first bike shop guy to say what I need to do is come in and get on a bunch of different bikes and take them for a ride. If i get a road bike, it will mean I can't do the Farmington triathlons, but it will make me better in all the other races, plus easier and quicker to ride to work.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

10:00 mile/Circuit train

Went to the gym. Ran a 10:00 mile with HR of 156, and then did a circuit of weightlifting, going from exercise to exercise without stopping. Squats, bench press, step up, lat pull down, back extension, curl to shoulder press, shoulder row, leg extension, leg curl, ab crunch, tri extension, with top HR of 144 during workout, and then got back on the treadmill ran 1/4 mile, HR was in the 170s, so I slowed down and stopped.

Went to the store, bought a pair of biker pants and an underarmour shirt for the cold, which I will wear on Saturday.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Chips

Good news is I didn't have the beer last night, but the bad news is I just bought some potato chips. I was in the convinience store for about fifteen minutes, picking up the chips, putting them back down. Just when I thought my willpower was winning out, it would wane. I was so hungry and chips were what my body wanted -- even though I had a pork chop and brown rice and strawberries back at the base, I had to have the chips. I just couldn't hold out. I usually win battle of self-wills like that.

Its been busy at work. What I really should do as soon as I digest my pork chop and rice (yes, and chips) is go walk around the block a few times. Its a .7 mile circle. I feel really slugish. I love my job, but with the triathlon training I really wish I could not work at all, and just spend each day preparing, training, eating right, sleeping.

I really think I need more sleep. I'm only getting about six hours a night. I need eight. Gotta work on that.

The weather forecast is taking a turn for the worst. It looks like it is going to be very cold for the race Saturday. Maybe near freezing. I will have to bundle up well. I was hoping to run in t-shirt and shorts. It looks like sweats, several shirts, hoodie, wool hat and gloves.

Tomorrow I am off so maybe I can get in a good workout. I need to lift, do a run and maybe swim.

Hopefully I will report on a walk or some other light activity here at work besides carrying people up and down stairs.

***

Did a two lap walk. Passed on dinner. Ate strawberries. Decided I need to get serious about training, sleep and diet.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Steak and Ice Cream

Brought my gym clothes to work with the plan to go right to the gym after work, but I got a late call and got out an hour and half late, and then had to go pick up the girls and I am tired and beat so instead of working out, I am going to cook a rib eye steak, drink half a beer, and then eat ice cream while watching 24.

Tomorrow is my 16 hour day so the best I can hope for is a long walk at work.

Sunday, April 01, 2007

1/4 mile swim/30 minute Bike

Did a quick swim after work. Did a 1/4 mile. I was trying to time myself, but the big wall clock is so screwy I can never get it right. I either did it in eight or nine minutes. And I either did 18 or 20 laps. I probably did 18 laps in nine minutes or maybe less. I tried to swim fast, but after about six laps I got out of rythmn and had to slow down. I wanted to swim longer, but I had plans to go out to eat. We ended up getting delievery so while waiting I did 30 minutes on the bike. For the first time I used my heart rate monitor on the bike and my heart rate never got above 94. So I guess I need to pedal harder.