Kaysville - 11:00 a.m.
upper 30s, no wind, a little snow on the road
mind/body - relatively good
easy effort
Prescribed workout: 1 hour+ - easy effort
Actual workout: 10 myles - 1.12:43 - 7:16 avg. - easy effort
After two consecutive 2.5+ hour runs I just wanted to get out and spin the legs. I was surprised once again at how good I felt. I contemplated going longer but I know from past experiences that I'll get injured from over-doing it. I'll take tomorrow off while I go skiing at The Bird
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
22 myles - 2.33:40
Utah - 11:00 A.M.
upper 30s, cloudy, slushy roads
mind/body - hesitant/responsive
easy effort
Prescribed workout: 2.30-2.45 - easy effort - back to back long runs
Actual workout: 22 myles - 2.33:40 - easy effort - 6:59 avg. Went South this time along the back roads into Centerville via the Legacy Hwy path.
This run was a confirmation that the mind is the only limitation! I was real hesitant to get out the door - basically told myself not to expect too much and I would turn around if I didn't feel it. To my surprise I hit my first mile in 6:50, which was faster than all the myles yesterday. I kept checking the watch and kept hitting at or below 7 min/mile with minimal effort. I still felt good the last mile with a split of 6:42! My second half split was 1.17:02 which was a little slower than the first but still promising. I ate a total of 4 GU Roctane gels every 45 minutes and could tell when they were wearing off. This is a good sign because it shows my system is accepting this type of energy source and I can only hope it will continue to respond beyond the 10 hour mark. My confidence is growing....
upper 30s, cloudy, slushy roads
mind/body - hesitant/responsive
easy effort
Prescribed workout: 2.30-2.45 - easy effort - back to back long runs
Actual workout: 22 myles - 2.33:40 - easy effort - 6:59 avg. Went South this time along the back roads into Centerville via the Legacy Hwy path.
This run was a confirmation that the mind is the only limitation! I was real hesitant to get out the door - basically told myself not to expect too much and I would turn around if I didn't feel it. To my surprise I hit my first mile in 6:50, which was faster than all the myles yesterday. I kept checking the watch and kept hitting at or below 7 min/mile with minimal effort. I still felt good the last mile with a split of 6:42! My second half split was 1.17:02 which was a little slower than the first but still promising. I ate a total of 4 GU Roctane gels every 45 minutes and could tell when they were wearing off. This is a good sign because it shows my system is accepting this type of energy source and I can only hope it will continue to respond beyond the 10 hour mark. My confidence is growing....
Sunday, December 28, 2008
20 myles - 2.23:10
Utah - 10:30 a.m.
30s, snowy/slushy roads, no wind
mind/body - eager/refreshed
easy effort
Prescribed workout: 1.15-1.30 - easy effort
Actual workout: 20 myles - 2.23 - easy effort - avg. 7:10
Ahhh the fresh smell of farm! Utah is where I grew up and the roads I ran today is where I cut my teeth on running. I trained on these very roads 28 years for my first marathon at the age of 11. It was nice to be back home and remincse a bit. Talk about urban sprawl!! All the old farmers are selling out to developers because their kids don't wanna run the farm, kinda sad. Although with the development they took the old railroad line and turned it into a really nice pathway that extends for about 8 myles.
So I did a little more than I should of today but because of the holidays I have to do my back to back long runs (2.5 hrs) today and tomorrow. I averaged 7:10/mile and I honestly felt really, really comfortable there. I didn't encorporate any walk/run combo because I felt so good. My confidence is growing... We'll see how I feel tomorrow.
I ended the week with 75 myles for a total of 9 hrs 28 minutes
30s, snowy/slushy roads, no wind
mind/body - eager/refreshed
easy effort
Prescribed workout: 1.15-1.30 - easy effort
Actual workout: 20 myles - 2.23 - easy effort - avg. 7:10
Ahhh the fresh smell of farm! Utah is where I grew up and the roads I ran today is where I cut my teeth on running. I trained on these very roads 28 years for my first marathon at the age of 11. It was nice to be back home and remincse a bit. Talk about urban sprawl!! All the old farmers are selling out to developers because their kids don't wanna run the farm, kinda sad. Although with the development they took the old railroad line and turned it into a really nice pathway that extends for about 8 myles.
So I did a little more than I should of today but because of the holidays I have to do my back to back long runs (2.5 hrs) today and tomorrow. I averaged 7:10/mile and I honestly felt really, really comfortable there. I didn't encorporate any walk/run combo because I felt so good. My confidence is growing... We'll see how I feel tomorrow.
I ended the week with 75 myles for a total of 9 hrs 28 minutes
Friday, December 26, 2008
12 myles - 1.22:53
South Platte River Pkwy - Noon
mid 30s, stiff North wind, partly cloudy
mind/body - fearful/eager
Hard effort
Well the workout didn't go as planned but partly due to the wind. In this case, time didn't matter as much as much as knowing my effort.
Prescribed workout: 15 minute warm up/cool down with 30 minutes @ 5:50 LT pace in the middle
Actual workout: 12 myles 1.22:53 avg 6:54: 25 minute warm up - actually felt fast and light on my feet so I was eager but it didn't turn out that way - 30:32 for 5.1 myles for an average of 5:59 (last time 30:02 for 5:53 avg). It was a North wind so I had the wind at my back going out with my first and second myles @ 5:43 and 5:51. Breathing and form were relaxed. I didn't realize how bad the wind was until I turned around so I was forced to lower my head and chop my steps thus my turnover was more rapid. I honestly couldn't get below a 6 minute mile coming back - Cooked in the end! I headed back to the car for a return trip of 27 minutes.
One thing these LT workouts are doing for me is building confidence. I run stronger when running longer and it seems as though I'm cruising at a faster pace. Each week I'm fearful of these LT workouts but I think that's in part due to fear of not seeing progress. Sure they hurt and that's the other part of the fear, no one likes to hurt. In the end though I would rather hurt more now than hurt later in a race - the race is the celebration!
mid 30s, stiff North wind, partly cloudy
mind/body - fearful/eager
Hard effort
Well the workout didn't go as planned but partly due to the wind. In this case, time didn't matter as much as much as knowing my effort.
Prescribed workout: 15 minute warm up/cool down with 30 minutes @ 5:50 LT pace in the middle
Actual workout: 12 myles 1.22:53 avg 6:54: 25 minute warm up - actually felt fast and light on my feet so I was eager but it didn't turn out that way - 30:32 for 5.1 myles for an average of 5:59 (last time 30:02 for 5:53 avg). It was a North wind so I had the wind at my back going out with my first and second myles @ 5:43 and 5:51. Breathing and form were relaxed. I didn't realize how bad the wind was until I turned around so I was forced to lower my head and chop my steps thus my turnover was more rapid. I honestly couldn't get below a 6 minute mile coming back - Cooked in the end! I headed back to the car for a return trip of 27 minutes.
One thing these LT workouts are doing for me is building confidence. I run stronger when running longer and it seems as though I'm cruising at a faster pace. Each week I'm fearful of these LT workouts but I think that's in part due to fear of not seeing progress. Sure they hurt and that's the other part of the fear, no one likes to hurt. In the end though I would rather hurt more now than hurt later in a race - the race is the celebration!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
7 myles - 54:07
Treadmill - 3:30 P.M.
mid 20s outside - hot and steamy in the garage
mind/body - good
Hard effort
I contemplated taking the day off after a long day yesterday but with the upcoming Holidays and travel to Utah I had to get it in today. My body felt relatively good, which means that my fitness is coming around.
Prescribed workout: 30 minutes @ 6:45 pace with 4% incline
Actual workout: 54:07 - 7 myles for an average of 7:43. 15 minute warm-up at 7.5 MPH then bumped it up to 8.5 MPH with 4% incline BUT for only 25 minutes. Cooled down for 20 minutes to make it an even 7 myles.
I didn't make the full 30 minutes because I felt like I was pushing a bit out of my range i.e. lactate started to spill over... 8.5 MPH works out to be a 7:03 average but with a 4% incline the effort is more like 6:24. To hit 6:45 I had to be at 8.9 MPH and I don't think I'm ready for that yet. Here's a good chart to determine effort with added incline.
I find it extremely more difficult to sustain a pace on my TM as opposed to the roads and after doing a google search it looks like I'm not alone. After I get back from Utah I'm going to test my treadmill for accuracy as my TM is a least 9 years old. At any rate - awesome/tough workout!! It'll make those Christmas treats go down with less guilt.
Happy Holidays everyone!
mid 20s outside - hot and steamy in the garage
mind/body - good
Hard effort
I contemplated taking the day off after a long day yesterday but with the upcoming Holidays and travel to Utah I had to get it in today. My body felt relatively good, which means that my fitness is coming around.
Prescribed workout: 30 minutes @ 6:45 pace with 4% incline
Actual workout: 54:07 - 7 myles for an average of 7:43. 15 minute warm-up at 7.5 MPH then bumped it up to 8.5 MPH with 4% incline BUT for only 25 minutes. Cooled down for 20 minutes to make it an even 7 myles.
I didn't make the full 30 minutes because I felt like I was pushing a bit out of my range i.e. lactate started to spill over... 8.5 MPH works out to be a 7:03 average but with a 4% incline the effort is more like 6:24. To hit 6:45 I had to be at 8.9 MPH and I don't think I'm ready for that yet. Here's a good chart to determine effort with added incline.
I find it extremely more difficult to sustain a pace on my TM as opposed to the roads and after doing a google search it looks like I'm not alone. After I get back from Utah I'm going to test my treadmill for accuracy as my TM is a least 9 years old. At any rate - awesome/tough workout!! It'll make those Christmas treats go down with less guilt.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
23 myles - 3.14:16
HR urban trails - Noon
teens, cold wind, mud/ice/snow
mind/body - recovering from cold
easy effort
Felt decent today despite the cold temps and the cold in my nose - Although I think I've finally turned the corner (fingers crossed). With the looming back to back long runs coming up for the next few weeks I decided I would back up my 1.30 run from yesterday with my long run of the week. I basically just left the house not really knowing where I was going only that I needed to get 3 hours in. I ended up hitting everything from dirt roads, icy/muddy trails, upscale neighborhoods, asphalt, and even a little grass on the golf course.
Prescribed workout: 3 hour run @ or around 8:30 pace with the a run/walk combo.
Actual workout: 23 myles 3.14:16 with a 8:26 pace. I skipped the first walk at 28 minutes and then hit everyone after that for a 28/2 ratio. Every time I walked I ate a GU Roctane gel for a total of 6 without any GI upset. I felt great the entire time! I honestly think eating something every 1/2 hour is gonna cure me of my late race blunders. In addition, one of my sponsors Nathan Hydration sent me a new pack to try out - It's called the Blizzard (obviously for cold weather) - worked like a charm!
Gee whiz with all these long runs and regimented training you'd think I was training for a winter flat, sea level 100 mile race.....
teens, cold wind, mud/ice/snow
mind/body - recovering from cold
easy effort
Felt decent today despite the cold temps and the cold in my nose - Although I think I've finally turned the corner (fingers crossed). With the looming back to back long runs coming up for the next few weeks I decided I would back up my 1.30 run from yesterday with my long run of the week. I basically just left the house not really knowing where I was going only that I needed to get 3 hours in. I ended up hitting everything from dirt roads, icy/muddy trails, upscale neighborhoods, asphalt, and even a little grass on the golf course.
Prescribed workout: 3 hour run @ or around 8:30 pace with the a run/walk combo.
Actual workout: 23 myles 3.14:16 with a 8:26 pace. I skipped the first walk at 28 minutes and then hit everyone after that for a 28/2 ratio. Every time I walked I ate a GU Roctane gel for a total of 6 without any GI upset. I felt great the entire time! I honestly think eating something every 1/2 hour is gonna cure me of my late race blunders. In addition, one of my sponsors Nathan Hydration sent me a new pack to try out - It's called the Blizzard (obviously for cold weather) - worked like a charm!
Gee whiz with all these long runs and regimented training you'd think I was training for a winter flat, sea level 100 mile race.....
Monday, December 22, 2008
13 myles - 1.34:03
HR urban trail - Noon
upper 20s, slight North wind, partly cloudy
mind/body - clearing up
easy effort
This truly was an "easy" effort. My methods in the past to measure effort have basically been rudimentary but having a coach has shed some light. Paul told me if it's an easy effort then I should be breathing in during 3 steps and then breathing out for the next 3 - exactly measured 3 steps several times during the run today. Today I also measured my stride rate/length for efficiency - very efficient runners should be hitting around 180/minute. I measured 5 different times - one foot for 30 seconds x 4 = strides/minute. I hit 44, 44, 45, 43, 46 which gives me a stride rate/min of 176-180. I've always considered myself as an efficient runner so this rate comes as no surprise.
Prescribed workout - 1.30 easy effort with 8-10 strides at the end
Actual workout - 13 myles 1.34:03 easy effort for an average of 7:14/mile. This route has a little elevation and the trails were a little mucky with snow/ice/mud so I feel very good about this pace. Afterward I did 6 strides of about 20 seconds each. The cold is slowly making it's way out so all I'm left with now is a sniffling/stuffy nose. I actual felt better running than I did laying around the house this morning.
upper 20s, slight North wind, partly cloudy
mind/body - clearing up
easy effort
This truly was an "easy" effort. My methods in the past to measure effort have basically been rudimentary but having a coach has shed some light. Paul told me if it's an easy effort then I should be breathing in during 3 steps and then breathing out for the next 3 - exactly measured 3 steps several times during the run today. Today I also measured my stride rate/length for efficiency - very efficient runners should be hitting around 180/minute. I measured 5 different times - one foot for 30 seconds x 4 = strides/minute. I hit 44, 44, 45, 43, 46 which gives me a stride rate/min of 176-180. I've always considered myself as an efficient runner so this rate comes as no surprise.
Prescribed workout - 1.30 easy effort with 8-10 strides at the end
Actual workout - 13 myles 1.34:03 easy effort for an average of 7:14/mile. This route has a little elevation and the trails were a little mucky with snow/ice/mud so I feel very good about this pace. Afterward I did 6 strides of about 20 seconds each. The cold is slowly making it's way out so all I'm left with now is a sniffling/stuffy nose. I actual felt better running than I did laying around the house this morning.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
12 myles - 1.33:19
Treadmill - 11:00 a.m.
10 degrees outside, maybe 50 in the garage?
mind/body - still sick
easy effort
Still sick, now with a sore throat. I couldn't go outside because it was told cold being sick. I decided on the treadmill for the simple fact that I didn't know how far I was gonna make it. Turned out OK. It seemed like the longer I was running the better I felt so I'm hoping to run the cold out - only time will tell.
Prescribed workout - Easy effort 1.30 with 8-10 strides afterwards
Actual workout - 12 myles easy effort 1.33:19 for an average of 7:43/mile. For the last mile I bumped it up to 10 MPH for 20 seconds and then back down to 7 MPH for 40 seconds to create about 6 or so strides.
For the week I end with 66 myles and despite the cold feel like I'm pretty fit. Next week I'll hit the mid 70s with a long run of 3 hours and probably a couple of LT workouts.
10 degrees outside, maybe 50 in the garage?
mind/body - still sick
easy effort
Still sick, now with a sore throat. I couldn't go outside because it was told cold being sick. I decided on the treadmill for the simple fact that I didn't know how far I was gonna make it. Turned out OK. It seemed like the longer I was running the better I felt so I'm hoping to run the cold out - only time will tell.
Prescribed workout - Easy effort 1.30 with 8-10 strides afterwards
Actual workout - 12 myles easy effort 1.33:19 for an average of 7:43/mile. For the last mile I bumped it up to 10 MPH for 20 seconds and then back down to 7 MPH for 40 seconds to create about 6 or so strides.
For the week I end with 66 myles and despite the cold feel like I'm pretty fit. Next week I'll hit the mid 70s with a long run of 3 hours and probably a couple of LT workouts.
Friday, December 19, 2008
11 myles - 1.24:27
Daniels Park/Sanctuary Hill - 12:30 p.m.
stiff North wind, upper 30s, a little mucky
mind/body - Miserable!
easy, mixed in with hard effort
I'm sick! Talk about a death march! I had no motivation or energy to do anything so I barley made it through the workout. I guess it's these kinds of runs that make ya tough right? Reminded me too much of when I DNF'd at Wasatch in 06 for feeling the same way.
Prescribed workout: 1.15-1.30 with 8-12 x :30 to :45 seconds up a minimum 15% grade at the end.
Actual workout: 1.24:27 for a total of 11 myles. I did the short work at the midway point and then ran back. I did 8 x :31-:33 seconds with a 14% grade - the bare minimum. I made sure I ran strong - meaning I drove my knees and exaggerated the arm movement.
In the past when I've felt this way (stuffy nose, fever, aches, chills) I have always made myself run because I figure I would run out the cold, but I dunno.... You tell me - would you run or would you skip the work out?
In addition, yesterday I went to the gym because I was starting to feel like crap. I rode the stationary bike for 15 minutes then did upper and lower body as well as core. My routine to start is 2 x 20 reps - light weigh. I wanted to get it in but wanted to start light. Over and out....
stiff North wind, upper 30s, a little mucky
mind/body - Miserable!
easy, mixed in with hard effort
I'm sick! Talk about a death march! I had no motivation or energy to do anything so I barley made it through the workout. I guess it's these kinds of runs that make ya tough right? Reminded me too much of when I DNF'd at Wasatch in 06 for feeling the same way.
Prescribed workout: 1.15-1.30 with 8-12 x :30 to :45 seconds up a minimum 15% grade at the end.
Actual workout: 1.24:27 for a total of 11 myles. I did the short work at the midway point and then ran back. I did 8 x :31-:33 seconds with a 14% grade - the bare minimum. I made sure I ran strong - meaning I drove my knees and exaggerated the arm movement.
In the past when I've felt this way (stuffy nose, fever, aches, chills) I have always made myself run because I figure I would run out the cold, but I dunno.... You tell me - would you run or would you skip the work out?
In addition, yesterday I went to the gym because I was starting to feel like crap. I rode the stationary bike for 15 minutes then did upper and lower body as well as core. My routine to start is 2 x 20 reps - light weigh. I wanted to get it in but wanted to start light. Over and out....
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
12 myles - 1.21:12
South Platte River Pkwy - 2:00 p.m.
30's, icy patches, partly cloudy
mind/body - eager to get it over with
Hard effort
I couldn't stand to think about putting this workout off another day AND since the weather was nice I went for it. It's supposed to get back down to zero over the weekend so I have to get em in when I can, right? When I said ooooofffhhhh yesterday, I really meant it! Just like high school track workouts - dipping into the red and happy to be done.
The prescribed workout was to be a warm-up/down 15-20 each with 30 minutes @ 5:45 pace in the middle. I went out to the South Platte river pkwy because it's a paved path with mile markers every 1/2 mile. This way I'll know exactly what pace I'm running rather than guesstimating. A 25 minute warm up to the start and then out and back 20 seconds beyond the 2.5 mile pole which means I ran about 5.1 myles in 30:02. My first 1/2 was 2:47 so I backed off and settled into an easier pace after the lungs started working. First and last mile splits were 5:53/5:56 respectively for an overall average of 5:53. I was really happy to be done and pretty much tapped. I walked a couple minutes then cooled down just over 26 minutes back to the car.
I now know that 5:45 is a little fast for me at this stage but with a few more LT workouts it should be easier to hit. I think my LT is right around 5:55 right now.
30's, icy patches, partly cloudy
mind/body - eager to get it over with
Hard effort
I couldn't stand to think about putting this workout off another day AND since the weather was nice I went for it. It's supposed to get back down to zero over the weekend so I have to get em in when I can, right? When I said ooooofffhhhh yesterday, I really meant it! Just like high school track workouts - dipping into the red and happy to be done.
The prescribed workout was to be a warm-up/down 15-20 each with 30 minutes @ 5:45 pace in the middle. I went out to the South Platte river pkwy because it's a paved path with mile markers every 1/2 mile. This way I'll know exactly what pace I'm running rather than guesstimating. A 25 minute warm up to the start and then out and back 20 seconds beyond the 2.5 mile pole which means I ran about 5.1 myles in 30:02. My first 1/2 was 2:47 so I backed off and settled into an easier pace after the lungs started working. First and last mile splits were 5:53/5:56 respectively for an overall average of 5:53. I was really happy to be done and pretty much tapped. I walked a couple minutes then cooled down just over 26 minutes back to the car.
I now know that 5:45 is a little fast for me at this stage but with a few more LT workouts it should be easier to hit. I think my LT is right around 5:55 right now.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
10.5 myles - 1.19:43
HR East/West trail - 2:00 p.m.
20 degrees, still frozen, partly cloudy
mind/body - good
easy effort
Give me 20 degrees and I'll take a run outside any day! In fact, after yesterday on the treadmill, give me MINUS 20 and I'll take a run outside! It seems so much harder to sustain a pace on the treadmill, doesn't it? Maybe my TM needs some tuning but that 8:12 pace on the TM seemed a lot harder than my 7:35 pace today in the snow.
Having said that though, the snow was perfect for running in today; not too deep, melted a bit from the sun to make it sticky, and the ground underneath was still frozen. The prescribed run was an easy effort between 1 - 1.15 hours. Went a little over but this run normally takes me around 1.12 so I'm not too worried.
I've got a pretty busy day tomorrow so I might take the day off and then get back at it on Thursday with the 30 minute run at 5:45 pace... oooofffhhh not looking forward to that!
20 degrees, still frozen, partly cloudy
mind/body - good
easy effort
Give me 20 degrees and I'll take a run outside any day! In fact, after yesterday on the treadmill, give me MINUS 20 and I'll take a run outside! It seems so much harder to sustain a pace on the treadmill, doesn't it? Maybe my TM needs some tuning but that 8:12 pace on the TM seemed a lot harder than my 7:35 pace today in the snow.
Having said that though, the snow was perfect for running in today; not too deep, melted a bit from the sun to make it sticky, and the ground underneath was still frozen. The prescribed run was an easy effort between 1 - 1.15 hours. Went a little over but this run normally takes me around 1.12 so I'm not too worried.
I've got a pretty busy day tomorrow so I might take the day off and then get back at it on Thursday with the 30 minute run at 5:45 pace... oooofffhhh not looking forward to that!
Monday, December 15, 2008
20 myles Happy B-day - 2.44:00
Treadmill - noon
3 degrees outside!, everything frozen, warmer in the garage
mind/body - dreading it
easy effort
What a day to remember! First and foremost it's my son Myles first birthday - Happy Birthday son! To commemorate his birthday I hopped on the treadmill to run 2 hours and 44 minutes - the exact time he was born a year ago. I have never run sooo far on the treadmill! 82 laps on the track! A while back I was going to try and run a marathon near his b-day at or under 2.44 but I chickened out so this is what I resorted to - I should have gone for the marathon PR!
The prescribed run was 2.45 easy pace running 8 minute/mile while adding a run/walk combo. I have never walked in a training run on a flat course but I was intrigued to try it. I set the treadmill at 7.5 mph for 28 minutes then took it down to 3.8 mph for 2 minutes and then back up to 7.5 mph and so on... I continued this for entire run. Ended up with a 8:12/mile.
Each time I walked I ate an GU Roctane for a total of 5 gels in 2.44 - I felt good even when I was done! This really was an "ah-ha" moment for me - most of the time I will run the same pace in my training runs which is below LT but above easy pace - I considered it a medium effort. My coach has given me specific weekly plans that are easy or hard - no medium. I like it and have a funny feeling it's gonna take me to another level!
On another note, Squaw Peak posted their lottery results and it looks like I made it in. Meltzer, Belshaw, and Shilling (all previous winners) showed up on the list as well so it will be a fast one! My race schedule is shaping up nicely. So far Way Too Cool, Miwok, and Squaw Peak.
3 degrees outside!, everything frozen, warmer in the garage
mind/body - dreading it
easy effort
What a day to remember! First and foremost it's my son Myles first birthday - Happy Birthday son! To commemorate his birthday I hopped on the treadmill to run 2 hours and 44 minutes - the exact time he was born a year ago. I have never run sooo far on the treadmill! 82 laps on the track! A while back I was going to try and run a marathon near his b-day at or under 2.44 but I chickened out so this is what I resorted to - I should have gone for the marathon PR!The prescribed run was 2.45 easy pace running 8 minute/mile while adding a run/walk combo. I have never walked in a training run on a flat course but I was intrigued to try it. I set the treadmill at 7.5 mph for 28 minutes then took it down to 3.8 mph for 2 minutes and then back up to 7.5 mph and so on... I continued this for entire run. Ended up with a 8:12/mile.
Each time I walked I ate an GU Roctane for a total of 5 gels in 2.44 - I felt good even when I was done! This really was an "ah-ha" moment for me - most of the time I will run the same pace in my training runs which is below LT but above easy pace - I considered it a medium effort. My coach has given me specific weekly plans that are easy or hard - no medium. I like it and have a funny feeling it's gonna take me to another level!On another note, Squaw Peak posted their lottery results and it looks like I made it in. Meltzer, Belshaw, and Shilling (all previous winners) showed up on the list as well so it will be a fast one! My race schedule is shaping up nicely. So far Way Too Cool, Miwok, and Squaw Peak.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Serving Size
I must admit this is a very untimely post since we just finished the day long pig out known as Thanksgiving. It's no secret that American's have healthy appetites but it's probably due to the healthy serving sizes we give ourselves every meal and not even know it. Hopefully some of you find this helpful as we wrap up the eating season and eventually help with good eating habits.
In the two previous posts for the Nutritional Facts label I went over carbohydrate/sugar ratio in which sugar should account for less than 50% of total carbs. Then I followed it up with good fat/bad fat in which 20% of calories should come from fat and of that no more than 20% saturated fat. So far the example label has lived up to a pretty good food coming in with 16% sugars from total carbs. and only 3 grams of saturated fat. But the caveat here is "per serving".
All nutritional facts labels are set up on serving sizes. You'll notice in this label the serving size is 1 cup but there are two (2) servings per container. That basically means if you eat the entire container you have to double all the numbers listed on the Nutritional Facts label. The ratios don't change - meaning that the sugar/carb ratio is still good but your consuming twice as much sugar as you once thought. Now for the entire container instead of a measly 3 grams of sat. fat, you have doubled it and almost reached your limit of 11 grams per day. Having said that, Mac n cheese is still a pretty good food but in very small quantities.
Have you ever spent a day measuring all your food to correspond to the appropriate number of servings per day? Do you know what 4 oz of chicken looks like? How 'bout 1 ounce of cereal? Well it happens to be that 4 oz of chicken gives you one serving of the meat group and 1 ounce of cereal is one serving of bread group. I have spent an entire week measuring my food and to be quite honest I was shocked at how much I was actually eating. Granted I burn a ton of calories running and really shouldn't be skimping but if you're one that wants to lose weight then you better know what and how much you're eating.
I recommend two things if you want to eat healthy and/or lose weight: 1. Take one day out of your life and measure all your food to know what serving sizes look like and 2. Go to this website to find out what the appropriate number of servings for each food group is for you. It really does vary from person to person and is dictated by the different lifestyles we lead.
So in summary of all the Nutritional Facts label look for 3 things: Fat/saturated fat content keeping saturated fat to less than 20% of total fat. Next look at the sugar/carbohydrate ratio and make sure sugars account for less than 50% of all carbohydrates (measured in grams). And last look at the serving size and the amount of servings per container. Obviously there are other things on the label you need to look for, particularly if you have a medical condition, such as sodium for hypertension or fiber for diverticulitis. The main point is know what you're eating.
Thanks for reading
In the two previous posts for the Nutritional Facts label I went over carbohydrate/sugar ratio in which sugar should account for less than 50% of total carbs. Then I followed it up with good fat/bad fat in which 20% of calories should come from fat and of that no more than 20% saturated fat. So far the example label has lived up to a pretty good food coming in with 16% sugars from total carbs. and only 3 grams of saturated fat. But the caveat here is "per serving".
All nutritional facts labels are set up on serving sizes. You'll notice in this label the serving size is 1 cup but there are two (2) servings per container. That basically means if you eat the entire container you have to double all the numbers listed on the Nutritional Facts label. The ratios don't change - meaning that the sugar/carb ratio is still good but your consuming twice as much sugar as you once thought. Now for the entire container instead of a measly 3 grams of sat. fat, you have doubled it and almost reached your limit of 11 grams per day. Having said that, Mac n cheese is still a pretty good food but in very small quantities.
Have you ever spent a day measuring all your food to correspond to the appropriate number of servings per day? Do you know what 4 oz of chicken looks like? How 'bout 1 ounce of cereal? Well it happens to be that 4 oz of chicken gives you one serving of the meat group and 1 ounce of cereal is one serving of bread group. I have spent an entire week measuring my food and to be quite honest I was shocked at how much I was actually eating. Granted I burn a ton of calories running and really shouldn't be skimping but if you're one that wants to lose weight then you better know what and how much you're eating.
I recommend two things if you want to eat healthy and/or lose weight: 1. Take one day out of your life and measure all your food to know what serving sizes look like and 2. Go to this website to find out what the appropriate number of servings for each food group is for you. It really does vary from person to person and is dictated by the different lifestyles we lead.
So in summary of all the Nutritional Facts label look for 3 things: Fat/saturated fat content keeping saturated fat to less than 20% of total fat. Next look at the sugar/carbohydrate ratio and make sure sugars account for less than 50% of all carbohydrates (measured in grams). And last look at the serving size and the amount of servings per container. Obviously there are other things on the label you need to look for, particularly if you have a medical condition, such as sodium for hypertension or fiber for diverticulitis. The main point is know what you're eating.
Thanks for reading
10 K - 50:19
Lone Tree loop - noon
fresh snow, 10 degrees, snowing
mind/body - good/fresh
easy effort
I woke up this morning with the temperature right at 2 degrees - chilly! The good thing is that all the mud is frozen, the bad thing is everything else is frozen - including me. The prescribed run was to be a 30 - 60 minute easy run to finish the week. I finished the recovery week with 43 myles. Now I'll ramp it back up for the next 8 weeks - probably topping out around 90 myles. My race schedule for 2009 is starting to take shape as I officially registered for Way Too Cool 50K on March 14th. I've also got my eye on a couple races for the late winter/early spring but won't register until I'm confident with my training in the next few weeks. I'll keep you posted
Tortilla eating contest - I won with 4.9 torts in 5 minutes (Tim actually had 5 torts in his mouth but puked so I won by default)
fresh snow, 10 degrees, snowing
mind/body - good/fresh
easy effort
I woke up this morning with the temperature right at 2 degrees - chilly! The good thing is that all the mud is frozen, the bad thing is everything else is frozen - including me. The prescribed run was to be a 30 - 60 minute easy run to finish the week. I finished the recovery week with 43 myles. Now I'll ramp it back up for the next 8 weeks - probably topping out around 90 myles. My race schedule for 2009 is starting to take shape as I officially registered for Way Too Cool 50K on March 14th. I've also got my eye on a couple races for the late winter/early spring but won't register until I'm confident with my training in the next few weeks. I'll keep you posted
Tortilla eating contest - I won with 4.9 torts in 5 minutes (Tim actually had 5 torts in his mouth but puked so I won by default)Moral of the story is that headbands make you fast in ev-er-rything!
Friday, December 12, 2008
12.5 myles - 1.32:23
Daniels Park - 2:00 p.m.
mid 40s, partly cloudy, muddy
mind/body - pretty good
easy effort
Gotta admit my hamstrings were a little sore today from the LT workout yesterday. I really didn't want to go running but once I was 20 minutes into it I was happy to be out there. The prescribed run was 1.30 at an easy pace - turned out to be a 7.23 pace which I'm completely comfortable at. Afterward I did a few strides, which basically are an exaggeration of the stride length and arm movement. I'm off skiing tomorrow so I'll get a little cross training in with those long cruiser runs.
mid 40s, partly cloudy, muddy
mind/body - pretty good
easy effort
Gotta admit my hamstrings were a little sore today from the LT workout yesterday. I really didn't want to go running but once I was 20 minutes into it I was happy to be out there. The prescribed run was 1.30 at an easy pace - turned out to be a 7.23 pace which I'm completely comfortable at. Afterward I did a few strides, which basically are an exaggeration of the stride length and arm movement. I'm off skiing tomorrow so I'll get a little cross training in with those long cruiser runs.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Gettin caught up
We're coming up on the end of the year and I've been reminiscing quite a bit about my year in running. In 30 years of running - no question my best year yet. The problem is how am I gonna get better next year? It's human nature to up the ante soooo (wait for it........) I've decided to hire a coach for 2009. I've been training by myself with my own methods for 20 years so it's time to try something new. I've hired the best in the business - former Pearl Izumi-Smith teammate Paul DeWitt. Paul has decided to focus his efforts on coaching rather than racing for (at least) 2009. Paul is the former record holder at Leadville 100 and current record holder at Heartlands 100. In the past I've done decent at 50 miles and below but the 100 mile race has always stymied me and so I think Paul will be perfect for the job. Not to mention he lives relatively close so training runs with him will be easy to come by.
I am 100% committed to the workouts Paul will send me on a weekly basis. Not only will you get to see what kind of training Paul creates for me but you'll get to see the results too. But don't copy them because he has a very extensive questionnaire that is required before hand so the training is tailored to each individuals strengths and weaknesses.
So here are two of my workouts this week so far:
Tues - In the SLC at Liberty Park: 15 minute warm-up, 20 minutes at 5:45 pace, 15 minute warm down. Total around 7 myles 51:06. The 20 minutes at 5:45 pace was just like a 5 K run - not hard enough to go beyond LT but breathing pretty hard and happy to stop.
Thurs - Back in Colorado: 10 myles in 1.13:27 with 8 x 1:30 at 5:15 pace. Whew this was tough! I was into LT - don't know if I was at 5:15 pace but I tried to think about running the mile back in high school. This was pretty much as hard as I could go without actually sprinting. Last 20 seconds of each one hurt me.
So there you have it - pretty much caught up except for one item - Nutritional Facts. I still have one post I want to put out on the Nutritional Facts label. I will have this out no later than Sunday. You'll want to read it because it deals with serving sizes and ties in the two previous posts.
I am 100% committed to the workouts Paul will send me on a weekly basis. Not only will you get to see what kind of training Paul creates for me but you'll get to see the results too. But don't copy them because he has a very extensive questionnaire that is required before hand so the training is tailored to each individuals strengths and weaknesses.
So here are two of my workouts this week so far:
Tues - In the SLC at Liberty Park: 15 minute warm-up, 20 minutes at 5:45 pace, 15 minute warm down. Total around 7 myles 51:06. The 20 minutes at 5:45 pace was just like a 5 K run - not hard enough to go beyond LT but breathing pretty hard and happy to stop.
Thurs - Back in Colorado: 10 myles in 1.13:27 with 8 x 1:30 at 5:15 pace. Whew this was tough! I was into LT - don't know if I was at 5:15 pace but I tried to think about running the mile back in high school. This was pretty much as hard as I could go without actually sprinting. Last 20 seconds of each one hurt me.
So there you have it - pretty much caught up except for one item - Nutritional Facts. I still have one post I want to put out on the Nutritional Facts label. I will have this out no later than Sunday. You'll want to read it because it deals with serving sizes and ties in the two previous posts.
Monday, December 8, 2008
8 myles - 55:05
Grigs out/back - 10:00 a.m.
mid 40s, cloudy, no wind
mind/body - relatively good
easy effort
Had to get a quick run in after a conference call, before the storm, and before I have to get to airport. Pleasant run with an average of 6:53/mile. Didn't push to hard as will be theme all week. I intend to make this week a recovery week and then get back at it. Saw a couple 4 or 5 point bucks hanging out together, kinda cool to see them effortlessly jump a 5 ft fence.
mid 40s, cloudy, no wind
mind/body - relatively good
easy effort
Had to get a quick run in after a conference call, before the storm, and before I have to get to airport. Pleasant run with an average of 6:53/mile. Didn't push to hard as will be theme all week. I intend to make this week a recovery week and then get back at it. Saw a couple 4 or 5 point bucks hanging out together, kinda cool to see them effortlessly jump a 5 ft fence.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
10 K - 43:07
Lone Tree Loop - 12:30 p.m.
mid 60s, clear, a little muddy
mind/body - good
easy effort
Brian Fisher invited me to go run Mt Falcon this morning @ 7 a.m. but I couldn't pull myself outta bed. When Brian called last night for the invite he said "it's gonna be nice and easy".... yeah right! Any time Brian and I get together we seem to push it a bit and in the end it's always a good workout. I wasn't too sure I was up for that after running 5 days and 64 myles this week already. I turned to my 10 K easy route over at Lone Tree just to spin the legs - 17:26 for the 2.7 mile loop/6:27 pace.
I had to make my run quick because America's team is set to do battle with the Steelers today - think back to the late 70s when this was the biggest rivalry in all of sports. How 'bout dem Cowboys!! Gotta go...
mid 60s, clear, a little muddy
mind/body - good
easy effort
Brian Fisher invited me to go run Mt Falcon this morning @ 7 a.m. but I couldn't pull myself outta bed. When Brian called last night for the invite he said "it's gonna be nice and easy".... yeah right! Any time Brian and I get together we seem to push it a bit and in the end it's always a good workout. I wasn't too sure I was up for that after running 5 days and 64 myles this week already. I turned to my 10 K easy route over at Lone Tree just to spin the legs - 17:26 for the 2.7 mile loop/6:27 pace.
I had to make my run quick because America's team is set to do battle with the Steelers today - think back to the late 70s when this was the biggest rivalry in all of sports. How 'bout dem Cowboys!! Gotta go...
Saturday, December 6, 2008
10 myles - 1.11:14
Daniels Park - 11:00 a.m.
mid 50s, a little muddy, clear
mind/body - tired
easy effort
Nothing of significance to report. Legs felt a little tired and really didn't feel like running but it was a nice enough day to get out. So far this week I've logged 64 myles and will probably run 6 tomorrow for a total of 70. This is my 5th week in a row of 60+ myles, I should probably cycle through a down week next week to let the body recover a bit. I don't think I'm gonna make it to 3000 myles for the year because I would have had to log 80 myles for all weeks this month. No sense in beating myself up just to get it, there's always next year...
I'm going to Utah next week for two days on business so I'm hoping my friends in SLC will read this blog and let me know what the trails look like in the SLC foothills. I'm looking either Millcreek (pipeline), Grandeur, City Creek (BST), or Red Butte - any advice?
mid 50s, a little muddy, clear
mind/body - tired
easy effort
Nothing of significance to report. Legs felt a little tired and really didn't feel like running but it was a nice enough day to get out. So far this week I've logged 64 myles and will probably run 6 tomorrow for a total of 70. This is my 5th week in a row of 60+ myles, I should probably cycle through a down week next week to let the body recover a bit. I don't think I'm gonna make it to 3000 myles for the year because I would have had to log 80 myles for all weeks this month. No sense in beating myself up just to get it, there's always next year...
I'm going to Utah next week for two days on business so I'm hoping my friends in SLC will read this blog and let me know what the trails look like in the SLC foothills. I'm looking either Millcreek (pipeline), Grandeur, City Creek (BST), or Red Butte - any advice?
Friday, December 5, 2008
18 myles - 2.04:07
Platte River out/back - 2:00 p.m.
mid 40s, overcast, a little damp, no wind
mind/body - feeling good
medium effort
It was about a month ago when I said I would try a 20 mile test run under 2.10 before Thanksgiving to determine if I was ready for a marathon PR - glad I didn't move forward with that....
Today I ran the course that I trained on for American River - all bike paths. I made a half-hearted effort to see where I was at but it didn't turn out like I hoped. I made the 9 mile turn around in 59:41 (6:37 pace) and felt great but that was all down hill - 1634 ft of downhill. The real test was to come back in the same time - didn't happen. I came back in 1.04:17 (7:08 pace) but really bonked at the end. I realize I was climbing but the effort seemed a little much and didn't have any water or gels. I figure if I want to get in the 2.40 range for a marathon then I should be able to do this course under 2 hours - even with the climbing. And I should be able to make a negative split - end with fast legs.
So I'm not ready for a marathon PR in the 2.40 range but that's O.K. - it's only December. If I can do something like this every two weeks (showing progress) I should be ready sometime in February. That's sets me up for a fast WTC in March - probably break Uli Steidl's record of 3.18.... Phhhhffffttttt - yeah right!
mid 40s, overcast, a little damp, no wind
mind/body - feeling good
medium effort
It was about a month ago when I said I would try a 20 mile test run under 2.10 before Thanksgiving to determine if I was ready for a marathon PR - glad I didn't move forward with that....
Today I ran the course that I trained on for American River - all bike paths. I made a half-hearted effort to see where I was at but it didn't turn out like I hoped. I made the 9 mile turn around in 59:41 (6:37 pace) and felt great but that was all down hill - 1634 ft of downhill. The real test was to come back in the same time - didn't happen. I came back in 1.04:17 (7:08 pace) but really bonked at the end. I realize I was climbing but the effort seemed a little much and didn't have any water or gels. I figure if I want to get in the 2.40 range for a marathon then I should be able to do this course under 2 hours - even with the climbing. And I should be able to make a negative split - end with fast legs.
So I'm not ready for a marathon PR in the 2.40 range but that's O.K. - it's only December. If I can do something like this every two weeks (showing progress) I should be ready sometime in February. That's sets me up for a fast WTC in March - probably break Uli Steidl's record of 3.18.... Phhhhffffttttt - yeah right!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
12 myles - 1.23:59
HR east/west loop - 11:00 a.m.
low 20s, cloudy, South wind
mind/body - better than yesterday
easy effort
OK so maybe I didn't tell you the whole story yesterday why I left my watch home. In all honesty it was nice not to know time and yes not knowing did get me out the door. But what I didn't tell you is that I was feeling a little nauseated all day and really felt a little under the weather so I couldn't bear to look at the watch to see who slow I really was going. You see that dopy looking turtle on the top of my blog - I was much slower than that guy yesterday. So there you have it the full story, nothing but the truth. No stealth training going on here
Today was a totally different story; felt much better and faster. The weather is kind of crazy right now, from 20s to 60s and back to 20s today. Almost all the snow has melted and I thought the mud would be frozen but not so. The East/West trail was a muddy mess so I got back on the road and did a modified loop off the trail.
In other news, tonight I'm participating in a tortilla eating contest against my friend Tim Hola (who has several eating competitions under his belt). Since I'm Mexican and I do have a big mouth I'm counting myself as a 5:2 odds favorite - sorry Tim...
low 20s, cloudy, South wind
mind/body - better than yesterday
easy effort
OK so maybe I didn't tell you the whole story yesterday why I left my watch home. In all honesty it was nice not to know time and yes not knowing did get me out the door. But what I didn't tell you is that I was feeling a little nauseated all day and really felt a little under the weather so I couldn't bear to look at the watch to see who slow I really was going. You see that dopy looking turtle on the top of my blog - I was much slower than that guy yesterday. So there you have it the full story, nothing but the truth. No stealth training going on here
Today was a totally different story; felt much better and faster. The weather is kind of crazy right now, from 20s to 60s and back to 20s today. Almost all the snow has melted and I thought the mud would be frozen but not so. The East/West trail was a muddy mess so I got back on the road and did a modified loop off the trail.
In other news, tonight I'm participating in a tortilla eating contest against my friend Tim Hola (who has several eating competitions under his belt). Since I'm Mexican and I do have a big mouth I'm counting myself as a 5:2 odds favorite - sorry Tim...
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
10 myles - no time
Daniels Park - 3:00 p.m.
66 degrees!, clear, wet road
mind/body - struggled to get out the door
easy effort
No watch. No tunes. No HR monitor. Just me and the road.... and a few cars. Doesn't get any more pure than that ....except for maybe being on the trails. Although couldn't get on the trails today because they were sloppy from all the snow melt. I can't believe two days ago it was in the 20s and snowing, today it was high 60s and clear - welcome to Colorado!
Being a slave to time can be burdensome by giving me a feeling I have to perform each time - as I have posted before. It's nice just to get out and give the legs a spin without the watch hanging over my head. Try it sometime if you haven't already. It works best for those days when you just don't feel like running, like me today.... Old Jedi mind trick to get you out the door. You'd be surprised how far you get.
66 degrees!, clear, wet road
mind/body - struggled to get out the door
easy effort
No watch. No tunes. No HR monitor. Just me and the road.... and a few cars. Doesn't get any more pure than that ....except for maybe being on the trails. Although couldn't get on the trails today because they were sloppy from all the snow melt. I can't believe two days ago it was in the 20s and snowing, today it was high 60s and clear - welcome to Colorado!
Being a slave to time can be burdensome by giving me a feeling I have to perform each time - as I have posted before. It's nice just to get out and give the legs a spin without the watch hanging over my head. Try it sometime if you haven't already. It works best for those days when you just don't feel like running, like me today.... Old Jedi mind trick to get you out the door. You'd be surprised how far you get.
Monday, December 1, 2008
14 myles - 1.40:16
HR urban trails - 10 a.m.
40s, partly cloudy, mucky/messy-snow/mud mix
mind/body - good
medium effort
Boy did I feel good today - fast! Time wasn't great but trudging through snow/slush mix prevented anything faster. The worst part about today was cars driving past with no regard for me on the road - sometimes I wonder what they're thinking.... On the contrary, they're probably wondering what I'm thinking?? No harm, no foul right? Just increases my cat-like abilities by dodging slush balls...
In other news, I signed up for two races today: Miwok 100K on May 2nd and Squaw Peak 50M on June 6th. These races are significant because SP 50 was my first ultra back in 2004 and Miwok was my first DNF back in 2006. Gives me a chance to redeem myself and see how far I've come in a span of 5 years - I have high hopes!
40s, partly cloudy, mucky/messy-snow/mud mix
mind/body - good
medium effort
Boy did I feel good today - fast! Time wasn't great but trudging through snow/slush mix prevented anything faster. The worst part about today was cars driving past with no regard for me on the road - sometimes I wonder what they're thinking.... On the contrary, they're probably wondering what I'm thinking?? No harm, no foul right? Just increases my cat-like abilities by dodging slush balls...
In other news, I signed up for two races today: Miwok 100K on May 2nd and Squaw Peak 50M on June 6th. These races are significant because SP 50 was my first ultra back in 2004 and Miwok was my first DNF back in 2006. Gives me a chance to redeem myself and see how far I've come in a span of 5 years - I have high hopes!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)