Long/Tempo Run and Swim

Yesterday I went out before Noah's Flood hit Connecticut - for a 2x3 mile tempo run. I really like this workout, but it does take a lot out of me. I did the first 2 miles at a 9:00 min/mile pace, then ran hard for 22 minutes. I think I covered well over 3 miles - probably a 7:20 pace. Then I took it easy for 10 minutes before running hard again for 22 minutes. I finished it off with an easy 2 miles back home - 1 hour 29 minutes total - over 11 miles.

Today I did another 1400 in the pool. The main workout was pretty easy: 1x250 build; 1x200 build; 1x100 build; 400 easy. I liked the 400 easy. Tonight I may do that workout dvd that kicked my butt last week - hopefully I can hold up through it.

Change of Plans

I think I'm going to bag the 1/2 in May - or at least the training plan. I'll still try and do a solid long run, and keep to the plan - but I don't think I'm going to be able to do the 15-16 milers that I'd need to do. The swimming takes a bit of time (x2/week) - so I want to keep the long runs on Sunday - and keep them in the 8-12 mile range. I missed the 20x200 scheduled today, again due to time constraints, and did instead a 5 miler around work. I just realize that to focus on swimming and general fitness - it's a little easier to not go balls-out on 1/2 training. I still think I can do some fun racing: twilight trail run; niantic bay 10K; cannonball run and maybe the 1/2 if i'm "feeling it" - we'll see. Anyway - today's run felt pretty strong. I realized at mile 2 that we were over a 8 min/mile pace and picked it up for a solid finish - probably around 7:45s for the last 3 miles.

More Swimming and my Own Lentil Soup "Cleanse"

So I flipped my schedule around to do the swim workout today. I'll probably take Friday off and do the track work tomorrow [20x200s]. The swim felt good, but difficult. The main workout was: 5x50 fast; 300 steady; and 5x50 fast. The "fasts" felt hard - I managed most in under 55 seconds and a few close to 50. The 300 felt pretty easy.

Last night I did the "firm" workout with my wife, hoping to get some good weight training in. It was difficult - but felt mostly like a leg workout than anything. In fact, sore legs is partially what lead me to do the swim today (that, and strong winds outside - I hate running in the wind). Nevertheless - I'll try and stick to the Tuesday "firm" workouts - unless I start doing the team hill workouts - but I may not do those this year.

In diet news - I'm still hovering in the 157-160 range. I made this curry/lentil soup - ugh. and people pay good money for these "cleanse" diets - just make curry/lentil soup!

Long Run and Swim.

It's good to be a Shriner.

So yesterday was the Mystic St.Patrick's Day parade - lots of fun with the family and friends. Before that I did the grocery shopping and after that I cooked dinner - end result: not much energy for a long run. I ended up going out at 7:30 pm - the plan was a 15 miler - but I ended up doing somewhere in the 10.5 - 11 mile range. The total time was 1:34 - good for a ~8:40 pace. I felt very strong for most of the run. The weather was perfect and I regained my energy as soon as I stepped out the door. My right achilles tendon was sore on and off the whole run which was a little worrisome - but the groins felt great the whole way which is great. I wish I could've done the full 15 - but that'd be another 30 minutes+ of running. I'm starting to question if I have the time to put in for the 1/2 marathon, maybe I'll look around for a 10K or 10-miler. With the swimming I've been doing (2x/week) - I'm just not logging that many miles running.

For instance, today I bagged a run at lunch and did the swim instead. The main part of the workout was: 1x200 slow; 2x200 build and 1x200 fast. Pretty easy except for that last part. I managed the 1x200 in under 4 minutes - which is really good for me. Total swim mileage was 1450 yards - good for ~5.3 in my equiv. mile converter. The rest of the week should be pretty easy.

LesterTown Hills

I went out today with Larry and DaveB to do the always brutal LesterTown run - which takes us up the river and through some difficult stretches of uphill running. Total time was 53:30 for the 6.5 mile distance - good for an 8:14 pace. I'm pretty happy with that considering how much the hills slow you down during those stretches.

Wednesday I ran to the UCAP pool, did a workout that totalled 1000 yards (4x(200 steady/50 breast)) and then ran back. Round trip running was 3.1, while the swim eq.miles were ~3.6. A pretty weak week in the pool. Next week I'll start again on my 2x/week swims - and try to get the Sunday long run in...

Tough 8-Miler

I went out today for a very tough 8-miler with Larry from work. Larry's been running like a crazy man. My plan was to take it pretty slow - but we probably did 7:40-7:50 min/miles. I didn't have my watch - so I'll just have to trust my 'effort-based' pacing. We've had crazy weather - very windy every night - but the run today wasn't too bad - and we even had a nice misting rain on/off. Overall - a pretty good run.

Thank you Peter Graves.

Week 3 Done.

So I managed some nice workouts this week. After my long run Sunday, I did a solid swim workout on Monday. The main workout was a progression of 1x100 [25 fast;75 EZ], then 2x100 [25 EZ; 25 fast; 50 EZ], and so on totaling 1000 (+ warmup and cooldow). I liked the workout - it was interesting and relatively easy to keep track of. I then took Tuesday off and then did off-track 3x1 mile intervals on Wednesday. I've lost my watch again so I'm not certain how fast I did them - but they certainly felt difficult. The worst part was that my groin felt real sore - I really had to stretch it after each interval. Will this ever go away? More swimming on Friday - 2x200 Steady; 2x100 fast; 2x200 steady; 2x100 fast. The 'fasts' felt real hard. Almost a mile in the pool all told.

This weekend we're getting lashed with some serious wind-driven rain. I bagged my first run of the year - the O'Niantic 5k - mainly due to my groin - although I'm sure the weather kept the total number of runners pretty low. I probably would've had a good chance at an age-group place had I went (assuming the groin didn't snap after 1 mile).

Next week - I think I'm going to do 2 runs from work and maybe one swim - then resume the 2xweek swimming plan after that. I need a bit of a break from the pool. Besides - I probably can't go very long tomorrow with this rain storm and wind blowing around. It really is nasty out there.

I think this week has me a little down. Or, at least the groin does. I'll have to re-think my racing schedule a little. Hopefully it'll be ok for the Providence 1/2 and TwTr-Run. Then I can take the remainder of the summer and do another triathlon - before setting my sites on a fall 1/2 - 1oK combo.

Weekly totals: 18 miles running over 2 hours and 5 minutes; over 11 x-training 'miles' in the pool in over an hour and a half. As well as 50 minutes of 4x8 strength training + 1 yoga session.

Great Sunday Long Run

Spring Fever BABY!!! Had a great long run yesterday. I went from my new house, down to rt.215 towards (and past) Noank; over to GLP; through Mummford's Cove; over to Bluff Point; out to rt.1 and then back. I felt strong the whole way. I did have to stretch a tight groin after 10 and then 25 minutes - but it never cramped up. I don't have another run longer than 8 miles now until 2 weeks when I'll need to pile on 15. That starts a 4 week stretch which is the main training in this abbreviated (10 week plan - sheet2).

Providence 1/2 Course

The Providence half-marathon course has been published. It looks ok, although considering how long I've been running - I'm surprised I can't figure out the elevation map. I know what it says - I just don't have a good comparison - so I'm not certain as to how difficult it'll be compared to my past races.

Four Mile Tempo Run

Today I took Dave B on a four mile (4.15) tempo run. We headed down to the river road at an easy pace then did 4.15 miles - encompassing the Avery loop, the Jupiter loop and the Sneakers Mile. Dave B held up great considering he hasn't been out much. I think we did about 7:15-7:20 miles which is pretty good. The remaining tempo runs are either longer (6 and 8 milers - but slower) or intervals (usually mile ints). In fact, I'll be starting the intervals next week: 3x1600s - I'll probably try them "off track" at lunch next week. In all - it felt good to get a good, non-sick, reasonably fast run.

Difficult Swim

I did my final of two swims today. It was the hardest workout in the pool yet:

• Warmup: 200 EZ; 2x50 kick
• Workout: 2x50 fast; 100 steady [breadth every 6]
• Workout: 4x50 fast; 200 steady [breadth every 5]
• Workout: 6x50 fast; 300 steady [breadth every 4]
• Cooldown: 100 breast

The 100 steady [breadth every 6] and the 200 steady [breadth every 5] were much harder than I thought going in. In fact - I had to catch my breadth a few times during the 200. Oddly, the fast 50s - which I usually dread - were the relatively easy part of the workout. The 300 steady [breadth every 4] was a good way to finish off - it felt relatively easy but was still a good swim. I also noticed my 'fast' 50 times are slowly going down - around 52-54 seconds for most of them today. And the steady times were just over a minute for most. The total workout is the most I've swam yet since getting back: 1600 total - 53 minutes.

Week 2 1/2 Plan

I started my second week the same way as the 1st week - missing my Sunday run (family/sick) - and having to squeeze in some long workouts at work. I managed a swim day Monday - my longest (1500) but still in 45 minutes. Yesterday I was suppose to do 10 miles - but I only managed 8.2 (slow: 1:15) due to work constraints (and I forgot running socks - had to run in my dress socks). I'm glad I made it out - and will definately try to get out Sunday for a planned 12 miler. Today is another pool day - then Friday is a 4 mile tempo run which I'm dreading. I'm just now starting to feel better and hope that run doesn't make me sick again.

Other good news - the calorie counting is finally starting to work - the last 2 days I've woken up at 159 lbs - down a solid 5-6 lbs from December (and most of last year). Hopefully this - along with the strength training and yoga - will bring me some faster times.