What does winning a 5K race and a kettlebell workout have in common? They are both hard yet rewarding experiences to be had. I'll start with the kettlebell. I've heard of these "iron balls" in the past but thought they were too dangerous to mess with. But I recently listened to a certified trainer give a talk on the kettlebell and how the benefits through proper use can give great results from a strength and conditioning aspect. I did some youtude perusing and was impressed so I went to Dicks Sporting Goods and bought a 20lb kettlebell. I got home from the store and watched the video that came with the KB and did about 7 sets of the various exercises. I tried to take it slow and make sure I had proper form yet I still managed to put up a sweat and get my heart rate pumping. Two days later DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) set in on my shoulders and ham string muscles. Just what I needed in time for my local 5K race. Not.
The video displays a kettlebell swing. Watch Annie as she swings her way up from 16kg to 32kg. Very impressive.
I will use the DVD's that came with the kettlebell for a 3 month, 2 to 3 workouts per week, to see what kind of results I get.
Back to the race. I chose this local race because it's a few miles down the street from my home. I think it's encouraging to see what the Slavic Village Development is doing to improve the community. The race was the 2nd annual event and I thought it was well organized including a hip band at the finish and pierogies, sausages and bananas for us to enjoy. I checked out last years results to find that the overall winner was in 18:32. I was pumped and knew I could smash that time.
My race prep included a bowl of oatmeal with a squirt of Hammer gel and sips of HEED leading up to the race. I ran an easy 2 mile warm up, did some stretching, and 4 x 100 yard stride outs. I was ready to run.
The bell went off and I immediately took lead and heard someones feet behind me for the first mile. The first mile was in 5:05. That was fast. I was then working hard to maintain an even pace for the rest of the race. No one ever came up behind me to push me even more into oxygen debt. Good thing, because I was spent, winning the overall race.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Backpacking Racoon Creek State Park, PA
Oh, the joys of backpacking! But before I get into explaining how enjoyable backpacking was this past weekend for my family and I at Raccoon Creek State, PA, I have to speak of some of the preparations involved in getting ready for the trip.
Planning begins with laying out a route that 10 year old boys can hike without feeling like a death march. There should be enough miles to hike in 2 days and still have plenty of time to stop, jump in the creeks, or swing on the vines. What "kid food" to buy and to bring that will feed their appetite. Make sure all hiking and camping equipment is in good shape. The kids have boots and a backpack. Make reservations for the camp site in early May. Pack clothes and equipment the night before and the food in the morning. The list goes on but after you survive the 2 hour drive in the car with silly boys punching each other and you set foot on the trail and soak in all the sights and sounds of nature you remember why we came out into the woods.
Before we start to hike the boys find a stream and begin "fishing around" and get their shoes and pants wet. If that's what they want to do to have fun then they are free to be boys and explorer the great outdoors.
We hiked 3 miles in about 2 hours the first day and 5.5 miles in 5 hours the second day. Backpackers typically hike 2 miles per hour which includes a 10 minute rest every 50 minutes but with little hikers there is no set pace. It's not about the hike but the experiences along the way that the boys love to enjoy.
Our campsite had Adirondack Shelters for us to sleep in, rest rooms near by, a well water pump and a bear bag pole. By the pole was a sign explaining how important it is in not "entertaining" the bears with food left in the campsite but to use the pole to string up your food and to get it out of reach from the critters. I had them read the sign so that they can learn some "best camp practices". I think it may have put some scary thoughts in their heads as the sun went down and it was time to go to sleep. We had to speak reassuring words that bears are shy and are not looking to bother us. Besides we cleaned up camp and left no trace of food for bears or critters to find.
We all slept fine.
Yes, there is a lot to get ready for a backpacking trip but where else can boys throw knives, wade in a creek digging up cray fish, swing on vines, and build fires? And that's why we'll be out in the woods again.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Tandem Practice Ride
GOBA is a week long camping and biking adventure in the Ohio area. And my family and I signed up to ride it this year on June 14th, with a group of 11 other riders. I rode GOBA back in 2004 with about 12 other friends and I had a great time. I had hoped to one day do GOBA again and to ride it with my wife and son. But, in order to do the average 50 mile daily ride I had to find a way for them to survive without too much discomfort. First, we had to do something about getting a decent bike for my wife. She would not be able to ride her mountain bike for the trip so we began to shop around for a road bike. We found one at our local bike shop where she was fitted nicely onto a women's specific Cannondale bike. She has taken the bike out for a couple spins around the neighborhood and park and appreciates the comfort factor being so much better compared to the men's mountain bike that she rode with.
The next challenge for me was to borrow a tandem bike from a friend and begin practice riding it with my 10 year son. I had to buy extender cranks for him to reach the pedals. I adjusted the seat all the way down and positioned the handle bars so that he felt comfortable on the bike.
We have been riding the tandem for about 2 weeks now and we are loving it every time we go out. Our longest ride was 2 hours this past Saturday (before Sunday's Cleveland 10K race). We are working on building up to 4 hours of riding up and down hills. We hope to accomplish that by the first weekend in June. This should give us all the confidence we need in order to survive a week long of biking.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Cleveland 10K
This year we had no wrong turns on the 10K course. All went well for my long awaited 10K race. I could complain about pulling a muscle in my chest yesterday when I twisted and turned my body while lifting my tandem bike out of the trunk. But then, if it's not one thing it's another on race day. We still did our family long bike ride of 21 miles. The pain was noticeable every time I would turn my head and torso to look behind. And if I took deep breaths I could feel the pain. I was hoping a good soak in Epsom salt bath and good nights sleep would help ease some pain, which it did.
Race morning was a cool 55 degrees and some light rain at the start. The first mile went by fast and easy with a time of 5:40. I was happy with that time. I then focused on maintaining a steady strong pace while getting hit from winds in all directions. The last mile I ran with Scott S. which helped me to finish strong otherwise, I may have fallen apart with no one to push me.
One of the best things about running this big race is the crowd support along the course. And I would have to give the best cheering award to E and Solar Squirrel from our Running Club. They really put on a great cheering performance. They spotted me way before I even could see them. I could hear them but didn't see where they were until I came closer to them. Thanks gals, your cheering took me through to the next mile.
After the race I ate a banana, Stony Farm yogurt and then put on some warm dry clothes. I made my way to the marathon course and met Brian. We had agreed that I would help bring him in the last 4 miles of his marathon race. I did my best to speak words of encouragement along the way. We had a good time.
Link to 10K Results for a 22nd overall finish.
Race morning was a cool 55 degrees and some light rain at the start. The first mile went by fast and easy with a time of 5:40. I was happy with that time. I then focused on maintaining a steady strong pace while getting hit from winds in all directions. The last mile I ran with Scott S. which helped me to finish strong otherwise, I may have fallen apart with no one to push me.
One of the best things about running this big race is the crowd support along the course. And I would have to give the best cheering award to E and Solar Squirrel from our Running Club. They really put on a great cheering performance. They spotted me way before I even could see them. I could hear them but didn't see where they were until I came closer to them. Thanks gals, your cheering took me through to the next mile.
After the race I ate a banana, Stony Farm yogurt and then put on some warm dry clothes. I made my way to the marathon course and met Brian. We had agreed that I would help bring him in the last 4 miles of his marathon race. I did my best to speak words of encouragement along the way. We had a good time.
Link to 10K Results for a 22nd overall finish.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
The Sunny Side of Training.
My training for the May 18, Cleveland 10K is going well. Last week we visited our daughter in sunny Florida. She recently had a baby girl and we got to spend time with her and her family. During our visit we spent a day at Epcot, went to the beach a couple of times, and hugged and kissed the baby the rest of the time.
I did my runs in the mornings when the temps were in the mid 80's and humidty at 80 percent. A 6 mile mid tempo run in 38:26 (6:24 pace) was bearable but the 8 mile long tempo in 53:19 (6:40 pace) was a cooker. I needed to drink some water after 40 minutes sooo bad. I was tempted to plop myself into one of the many ponds I ran by but after seeing 2 alligators already that morning I realized you don't go swimming in just any pond you see in Florida.
Today's track workout was a good indicator for me to prove the kind of shape I am in for a good 10K race. The main set was 3 X 1 mile (at 5:38 pace) with only 1 minute rest between. And if we have 80+ temps with high humidity on race morning I hope my mind and body remembers the tough run I did in Florida.
I did my runs in the mornings when the temps were in the mid 80's and humidty at 80 percent. A 6 mile mid tempo run in 38:26 (6:24 pace) was bearable but the 8 mile long tempo in 53:19 (6:40 pace) was a cooker. I needed to drink some water after 40 minutes sooo bad. I was tempted to plop myself into one of the many ponds I ran by but after seeing 2 alligators already that morning I realized you don't go swimming in just any pond you see in Florida.
Today's track workout was a good indicator for me to prove the kind of shape I am in for a good 10K race. The main set was 3 X 1 mile (at 5:38 pace) with only 1 minute rest between. And if we have 80+ temps with high humidity on race morning I hope my mind and body remembers the tough run I did in Florida.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Legs at the Hinckley Duathlon
This is a profile graph of the Hinckley Buzzard Duathlon race.The course is a 3 mile loop around Hinckley lake.
As you can see from the graph it is HILLY.
My plan for the race was to run the first 3 miles easy in around 18 minutes, bike the 5 laps averaging 20 miles and then to finish the last 3 miles faster than the first loop.
For the warm up I biked the 3 mile loop at an easy pace. I used my Garmin to get the elevation chart. After the ride I did some light stretching and then ran an easy 1.5 miles.
The race began with a 3 mile run. I felt strong while trying to keep my pace under control.
The bike portion was the same loop but we had to ride it 5 times. I was able to maintain a steady pace but I felt my legs didn't have the strength to push through the hills.
I was in awe as I watched some of the stronger cyclist whoosh by me. Some of the things I noticed was, the aero position they were in, what gear they were in, and the powerful looking cycling legs they had.
What I enjoyed the most during the final run portion, was passing the same guys that I envied. It was my running legs that smoked a few of those sexy cycling legs, that made me think if it is possible, one day I will have both running and cycling legs.
Male results of the Duathlon Race
Monday, April 14, 2008
Comfort, Power and Speed.
I have to say my swim, bike, and run training during this off season is proving to be a success.
One of the most challenging swim drills for me is the freestyle kick without a board. It is done with arms held out front in a streamlined position with fingers overlap and one thumb lightly gripping the opposite hand. You lift your chin above the water to breath without turning your head. When I first did this I was not comfortable holding my hands together because of the sinking feeling and lack of air to breathe. By the end of winter swimming, the fear has gone away and I can hold my hands in a streamline position and kick in a 50 meter pool. It's hard to do 4 sets of 50 meter repeats but I'm enjoying the benefits.
During the winter months I did a "club challenge" on improving power on the bike. I did a 2 x 20 minute functional threshold test about 2 months ago and received all kinds of data to indicate my strength on the bike. For the last 2 months I did many workouts on the bike trainer to help increase my aerobic capacity. After 2 months of hard work I took the same test and my coach was very impressed with the results. I had a 33% increase in average output power on the bike. I surprised myself.
I am in my 8th week training for the Cleveland 10K Run and I have noticed my track and long run times are coming down. The short fast track intervals are the hardest to keep pace but I did manage to pull off 10 x 400 averaging 1:15 and 6 x 800 averaging 2:45 recently.
I guess if you put the comfort gained in the water, power gained on the bike, and speed gained on the run I should have enough confidence to race well this coming summer.
One of the most challenging swim drills for me is the freestyle kick without a board. It is done with arms held out front in a streamlined position with fingers overlap and one thumb lightly gripping the opposite hand. You lift your chin above the water to breath without turning your head. When I first did this I was not comfortable holding my hands together because of the sinking feeling and lack of air to breathe. By the end of winter swimming, the fear has gone away and I can hold my hands in a streamline position and kick in a 50 meter pool. It's hard to do 4 sets of 50 meter repeats but I'm enjoying the benefits.
During the winter months I did a "club challenge" on improving power on the bike. I did a 2 x 20 minute functional threshold test about 2 months ago and received all kinds of data to indicate my strength on the bike. For the last 2 months I did many workouts on the bike trainer to help increase my aerobic capacity. After 2 months of hard work I took the same test and my coach was very impressed with the results. I had a 33% increase in average output power on the bike. I surprised myself.
I am in my 8th week training for the Cleveland 10K Run and I have noticed my track and long run times are coming down. The short fast track intervals are the hardest to keep pace but I did manage to pull off 10 x 400 averaging 1:15 and 6 x 800 averaging 2:45 recently.
I guess if you put the comfort gained in the water, power gained on the bike, and speed gained on the run I should have enough confidence to race well this coming summer.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Queen City Chess Tournament
Nate riding the Queen.
The chess tournament was a blast. It was a big chess party fest. I should have taken pictures of the lobby area where there were chess paraphernalia and food strewn all over the place.
This was a chess tournament for school age kids who were from all over Ohio and Kentucky. My son played 5 games in the 4th grade section and finished with a score of 3 wins and 2 losses. He was a half point away from winning a trophy.
After each game my wife and I would watch Nate as he walked down the hall and we would try to read his expressions and guess whether he won or lost a game. With some kids it was obvious whether they won or lost but with Nate he had a cool calm look about him and we couldn't tell if he won or lost until he came up to us and say, "I won", or "I lost". He'd then go horse around with other kids playing the big floor chess set or at a table with the Indian kids. He commented that, those little Indian kids are fast and good. I was impressed with his attitude of good sportsmanship and having fun.
PapaLouie versus International Master Irina Krush!
While the kids played, the parents were entertained by Master chess players commenting on the top rated games being projected on monitors in the lobby area. Some masters would play 5 minute games with kids or parents. Here I took the challenge to play International Master Irina Krush. I knew I wouldn't even come close to possible pulling off a win but I asked her if she would comment on the game so that I could learn something. After my 5 minute melee she went through the whole game move by move to point out the various alternative moves that I could have done. I was impress she remembered every move and was able to offer suggestions. She did this for anyone who wanted to play a game with her. No wonder she is America's top rated female chess master.
The chess tournament was a blast. It was a big chess party fest. I should have taken pictures of the lobby area where there were chess paraphernalia and food strewn all over the place.
This was a chess tournament for school age kids who were from all over Ohio and Kentucky. My son played 5 games in the 4th grade section and finished with a score of 3 wins and 2 losses. He was a half point away from winning a trophy.
After each game my wife and I would watch Nate as he walked down the hall and we would try to read his expressions and guess whether he won or lost a game. With some kids it was obvious whether they won or lost but with Nate he had a cool calm look about him and we couldn't tell if he won or lost until he came up to us and say, "I won", or "I lost". He'd then go horse around with other kids playing the big floor chess set or at a table with the Indian kids. He commented that, those little Indian kids are fast and good. I was impressed with his attitude of good sportsmanship and having fun.
PapaLouie versus International Master Irina Krush!
While the kids played, the parents were entertained by Master chess players commenting on the top rated games being projected on monitors in the lobby area. Some masters would play 5 minute games with kids or parents. Here I took the challenge to play International Master Irina Krush. I knew I wouldn't even come close to possible pulling off a win but I asked her if she would comment on the game so that I could learn something. After my 5 minute melee she went through the whole game move by move to point out the various alternative moves that I could have done. I was impress she remembered every move and was able to offer suggestions. She did this for anyone who wanted to play a game with her. No wonder she is America's top rated female chess master.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Soccer champs & Chess weekend.
The indoor soccer team that I coach won the minor division championship. We had to win our last game, which was last night, in order to make first place overall. We faced a tough team and after the first half the score was 3-3. During half time I reminded the kids to stay cool, calm and to focus on controlling the ball as much as possible. They played very strong and was able to pull the victory with a 5-3 score. All the parents and kids were cheering and applauding our first place finish. It was an exciting evening.
This weekend we drive down to Cincinnati for my son to play in a scholastic chess tournament, where there should be well over 1,000 kids playing. It should be an exciting time watching all the kids and meeting some of the world grand masters at the event. My son will play 5 games in the 4th grade category. He has to win 3.5 games in order to get a trophy. He feels confident he can pull it off. I'll be biting my nails the whole time.
When I come back on Sunday I'll run 8 miles at a 6:40 pace and do some yoga to round off a fun filled weekend.
This weekend we drive down to Cincinnati for my son to play in a scholastic chess tournament, where there should be well over 1,000 kids playing. It should be an exciting time watching all the kids and meeting some of the world grand masters at the event. My son will play 5 games in the 4th grade category. He has to win 3.5 games in order to get a trophy. He feels confident he can pull it off. I'll be biting my nails the whole time.
When I come back on Sunday I'll run 8 miles at a 6:40 pace and do some yoga to round off a fun filled weekend.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Multi-tasking while Freestyling
I find it amazing how much my mind and body are so active during my freestyle workouts in the pool. The structure of my workout is a Warm up, Build up (Drills), Core (main set), then Warm down. During the workout I am focusing on so many things to help me become a more efficient swimmer.
I am thinking about having proper:
arm catch and high elbows,
having a strong flutter like kick moving from the hips,
breathing bilaterally,
stream line body position so that I am as slippery in the water as possible,
and becoming like a fish with shoulder and hip rotating as one.
Not to mention I'm trying to keep track of the 10 x 100 yard repeats in my head while swimming in a 25 yard pool.
Oh, did I just finish my 6th set or 7th set? I was chatting too long with the guy in the lane next to me and now I lost track. Anyway, I go with 6 and continue focusing on having proper bio-mechanical positioning in the water but then I'm thinking, oh no, I have to go pee...
If you like multi-tasking like I do then you'll find swimming is so much fun.
I am thinking about having proper:
arm catch and high elbows,
having a strong flutter like kick moving from the hips,
breathing bilaterally,
stream line body position so that I am as slippery in the water as possible,
and becoming like a fish with shoulder and hip rotating as one.
Not to mention I'm trying to keep track of the 10 x 100 yard repeats in my head while swimming in a 25 yard pool.
Oh, did I just finish my 6th set or 7th set? I was chatting too long with the guy in the lane next to me and now I lost track. Anyway, I go with 6 and continue focusing on having proper bio-mechanical positioning in the water but then I'm thinking, oh no, I have to go pee...
If you like multi-tasking like I do then you'll find swimming is so much fun.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Windy Track Workout & Cookies.
I was able to run my 4 x 1000 meter repeats on the track this week and on one hand I was happy to be outside on the track rather than on the treadmill but the winds were so strong that I felt I was pushed from all sides and could not maintain my projected pace. I chalked it up as a strength training workout. I kept telling myself, "each 1000 I complete will make me stronger". After completing the windy workout I went home and checked the current weather conditions and sure enough winds were 30 mph and gusting to 40 mph. I'll have to somehow figure out how the winds effect my times.
A friend thought I might want to try this cookie recipe so I whipped up a batch and I couldn't stop eating them.
These are banana cookies that have no eggs, flour, sugar, or salt.
Here is how I made them.
I mashed 3 medium bananas in a bowl and
mixed in 1/3 cup ev-olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts, 2 tablespoons of milled flax seed, and 1/4 cup raisins. I dropped tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet and pressed then down lightly with fork and placed in the oven at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. I made 2 dozen, ate 5 cookies and put the rest a in freezer bag and placed it in the freezer.
I'll be snacking on these things all week.
A friend thought I might want to try this cookie recipe so I whipped up a batch and I couldn't stop eating them.
These are banana cookies that have no eggs, flour, sugar, or salt.
Here is how I made them.
I mashed 3 medium bananas in a bowl and
mixed in 1/3 cup ev-olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts, 2 tablespoons of milled flax seed, and 1/4 cup raisins. I dropped tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet and pressed then down lightly with fork and placed in the oven at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. I made 2 dozen, ate 5 cookies and put the rest a in freezer bag and placed it in the freezer.
I'll be snacking on these things all week.
Friday, March 21, 2008
An athlete.
Iron G in 2015 posted a pop quiz for us runners to answer and I thought I'd put my thoughts down here to share with everyone.
1. How long have you been running or tri-training?
I have been running and road racing from the mile to the marathon for 18 years. This summer will be my 5th year of Triathlon racing.
2. Why did you start running or tri-training?
I started to run after I gained 15 pounds between 19 and 26 years old and I decided I needed an easy exercise program that would get me back to my boxing weight and shape.
I think tri-training is something most of us did as kids, but we didn't call it training, we called it play. We swam, we biked, and we ran around all day. It seemed natural that one day I decided to try a triathlon race and to do it with the intent of having FUN. After 5 years of triathlon training and racing I'm still having fun.
3. What's your most memorable race?
Running the Hope Memorial Mile in 4:29
4. What's your favorite race to run (distance and/or specific event)?
The Cleveland 10K because of the quality of the field and to be part of the excitement among thousands of runners.
5. What's the best advice you have ever received?
Learn to incorporate cross training like, swim, bike, run, lift weights, yoga, pilates, you name it, into your running program.
6. What's the best advice you never followed (that you should have)?
Don't eat before training or racing in the morning.
7. Where do you train?
In the evenings at home in the basement on the treadmill and bike trainer. On the weekends in Garfield Park and Mill Creek Trail and the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park. During lunch time in CSU Pool and running in and around the downtown area
.
8. What are your long-term goals?
Run the marathon under 3 hours (2008 or 2009). Complete a Half Ironman under 5 hours (2009). Bike a century as fast as I can (2008).
9. What's your favorite pre-race meal?
Oatmeal, banana, and green tea
10. What's your favorite post-race, PR or goal-meeting reward?
A hot shower and an afternoon nap in the recliner while reading The Art of Learning
1. How long have you been running or tri-training?
I have been running and road racing from the mile to the marathon for 18 years. This summer will be my 5th year of Triathlon racing.
2. Why did you start running or tri-training?
I started to run after I gained 15 pounds between 19 and 26 years old and I decided I needed an easy exercise program that would get me back to my boxing weight and shape.
I think tri-training is something most of us did as kids, but we didn't call it training, we called it play. We swam, we biked, and we ran around all day. It seemed natural that one day I decided to try a triathlon race and to do it with the intent of having FUN. After 5 years of triathlon training and racing I'm still having fun.
3. What's your most memorable race?
Running the Hope Memorial Mile in 4:29
4. What's your favorite race to run (distance and/or specific event)?
The Cleveland 10K because of the quality of the field and to be part of the excitement among thousands of runners.
5. What's the best advice you have ever received?
Learn to incorporate cross training like, swim, bike, run, lift weights, yoga, pilates, you name it, into your running program.
6. What's the best advice you never followed (that you should have)?
Don't eat before training or racing in the morning.
7. Where do you train?
In the evenings at home in the basement on the treadmill and bike trainer. On the weekends in Garfield Park and Mill Creek Trail and the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park. During lunch time in CSU Pool and running in and around the downtown area
.
8. What are your long-term goals?
Run the marathon under 3 hours (2008 or 2009). Complete a Half Ironman under 5 hours (2009). Bike a century as fast as I can (2008).
9. What's your favorite pre-race meal?
Oatmeal, banana, and green tea
10. What's your favorite post-race, PR or goal-meeting reward?
A hot shower and an afternoon nap in the recliner while reading The Art of Learning
Saturday, March 15, 2008
St. Malachi Race
I went from a 5 mile race to coaching my indoor soccer team Saturday morning. The race was hard but the game was exciting. We played against the first place team and managed to pull off a tie with them. We have 2 more games and if all goes well, we could be 1st place champions in this inaugural fustal season and my first time coaching.
According to my training schedule I needed to run 8 miles at a 6:43 per mile pace but I figured if I ran 2 miles as a warm up before the 5 mile race I would be close enough to the scheduled distance. My thoughts for the race was that I'd run at a 6:00 per mile pace and finish around 30 minutes but then I also had a feeling I'd finish around 29:00.
The course had enough ups and downs to make the run tough. I felt I ran at a good hard effort the whole race but I had a little mental struggle after about 3.5 miles. I had to keep telling myself to push through the pain because the first place women was gaining on me. So many people would yell out, "1st place women". It felt like it was me against her.
I couldn't stay for the awards so I grabbed a banana and a bottle of water and drove to the soccer game. I did slip on my running pants and coaching shirt so that no one could tell I came from a 5 mile race.
First place in 45-49 age group Race results.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Mind games on the treadmill
The anxiety of running fast on the treadmill today was driving me crazy. According to my schedule I needed to run two 1 mile repeats and a 1/2 mile at a 5:38 pace with a 1/2 mile recovery between sets. This type of workout was to be done on the track but with a slushy snow covered track there was no way I would be able to run fast on it. With the crummy conditions I resorted to doing the workout on the treadmill later in the evening. Although, throughout the day I was thinking how was I going to run the fast set of intervals on the treadmill.
The top speed of my treadmill goes from 10 mph (6:00 pace per mile) to 11 mph (5:30 pace per mile)to 12 mph (5:00 pace per mile)and I only needed to run at a 5:38 pace per mile. Do I run at 10 mph with a 3 to 4 percent incline? Do I run at 5:30 mph with no incline? I had to get on the treadmill to find out what I could do.
During the warm up I focused on being relaxed and told myself that I could run at the 5:30 pace, even if I had to hold on the bars or if I puked, I was going to run it. After 20 minutes of easy running I hit the first set of 1 miles at a 5:30 pace with the incline set not at ZERO but at TWO percent. Yes, I went for the gutsy workout. And, I survived two 1 mile repeats and a half mile feeling great because I conquered the mind battle over the treadmill.
This weekend I am looking forward to running a 5 mile race (St. Malachi).
The top speed of my treadmill goes from 10 mph (6:00 pace per mile) to 11 mph (5:30 pace per mile)to 12 mph (5:00 pace per mile)and I only needed to run at a 5:38 pace per mile. Do I run at 10 mph with a 3 to 4 percent incline? Do I run at 5:30 mph with no incline? I had to get on the treadmill to find out what I could do.
During the warm up I focused on being relaxed and told myself that I could run at the 5:30 pace, even if I had to hold on the bars or if I puked, I was going to run it. After 20 minutes of easy running I hit the first set of 1 miles at a 5:30 pace with the incline set not at ZERO but at TWO percent. Yes, I went for the gutsy workout. And, I survived two 1 mile repeats and a half mile feeling great because I conquered the mind battle over the treadmill.
This weekend I am looking forward to running a 5 mile race (St. Malachi).
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Baby and all
Last week we drove to Baltimore to visit my son and his wife to celebrate the birth of our grand daughter, Arianna.
She is a bundle of sweet joy with an inquisitive mind of interest in all her surroundings.
My off-season Core training workouts finally paid off this past weekend. We had record snow fall and I was left to shovel my way out of my drive and then a couple of other neighbor drives. I didn't get sore from all the shoveling but I did get mentally whipped and I didn't have the strength to run my scheduled 7 mile tempo run for today. I was able to take an afternoon nap in the recliner while reading and all I could see when I closed my eyes was me lifting shovel after shovel of heavy snow and yet I wasn't making any progress in clearing a path. How frustrating was that.
I am looking forward to running my 3 key training runs outside rather than on the treadmill. The temperatures are suppose to reach in the high 40's by Thursday and maybe by then the track and trails will be clear of ice and snow. Running on the treadmill has been easy for me to hit my target times but I think running outside will be different. I can't wait to test my progress on the track soon.
She is a bundle of sweet joy with an inquisitive mind of interest in all her surroundings.
My off-season Core training workouts finally paid off this past weekend. We had record snow fall and I was left to shovel my way out of my drive and then a couple of other neighbor drives. I didn't get sore from all the shoveling but I did get mentally whipped and I didn't have the strength to run my scheduled 7 mile tempo run for today. I was able to take an afternoon nap in the recliner while reading and all I could see when I closed my eyes was me lifting shovel after shovel of heavy snow and yet I wasn't making any progress in clearing a path. How frustrating was that.
I am looking forward to running my 3 key training runs outside rather than on the treadmill. The temperatures are suppose to reach in the high 40's by Thursday and maybe by then the track and trails will be clear of ice and snow. Running on the treadmill has been easy for me to hit my target times but I think running outside will be different. I can't wait to test my progress on the track soon.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Week One Day 1
My 12 week training schedule begins this week for the Cleveland 10K in May.
The workout I am using has 3 key workouts. Tuesday is track day where I run intervals of :
400's @ 1:18 pace,
600's @ 1:57 pace,
800's @ 2:41 pace,
1000's @ 3:23 pace,
1200's @ 4:12 pace,
1600's @ 5:38 pace.
Thursday is tempo runs of short (@ 6:13) and mid (@ 6:28) running paces for 3 to 6 miles.
Saturday is long tempo pace @ 6:43 for 6 to 10 miles.
These paces were calculated based on my recent 5K race. Next time I won't race as hard so that my training paces won't be at a blusterous pace. I'm hoping to survive these 12 weeks somehow.
So, on Tuesday, we had a beautiful snow storm blow through the Cleveland area and that left me to move my run onto the treadmill. With over a foot of snow on the track there was no way I could knock out 8 X 400's at a 1:18 pace. My treadmill can reach a max speed of 12 miles an hour (5 minute mile pace) so after a 15 minute warm up I ran 8 x 1:30 @ 12 miles an hour with 1:30 rest between reps. It was a good workout and it didn't beat me up so bad. So far, so good.
OK, and I was tagged by trainingtotri to list 7 weird/random things about me so here are 7 random things I could think of.
1. My perfect Winter snowy day would be me out cross country skiing in the park enjoying a decent workout with beautiful scenery.
2. My perfect sunny Summer lazy day would be me laying down under a big oak tree in the park reading an inspirational novel about swimming, biking, or running for half a day. Then I would get up and go to a park table and play chess with the old timers for the rest of the day.
3. My perfect cool Autumn day is my wife and I backpacking in the mountains enjoying the serenity of a bright and colorful forest.
4. My perfect sunny Spring day is my first day out on a long bike ride along country roads.
5. My perfect rainy day is me in my pajamas sitting around the fireplace drinking green tea and reading.
6. My dream is to go back to Hungary and spend a month there learning about my family history and enjoying the culture.
7. My dream is to live to 100 years old and be active in sports, family, and community.
I'll volunteer to be the last one tagged.
The workout I am using has 3 key workouts. Tuesday is track day where I run intervals of :
400's @ 1:18 pace,
600's @ 1:57 pace,
800's @ 2:41 pace,
1000's @ 3:23 pace,
1200's @ 4:12 pace,
1600's @ 5:38 pace.
Thursday is tempo runs of short (@ 6:13) and mid (@ 6:28) running paces for 3 to 6 miles.
Saturday is long tempo pace @ 6:43 for 6 to 10 miles.
These paces were calculated based on my recent 5K race. Next time I won't race as hard so that my training paces won't be at a blusterous pace. I'm hoping to survive these 12 weeks somehow.
So, on Tuesday, we had a beautiful snow storm blow through the Cleveland area and that left me to move my run onto the treadmill. With over a foot of snow on the track there was no way I could knock out 8 X 400's at a 1:18 pace. My treadmill can reach a max speed of 12 miles an hour (5 minute mile pace) so after a 15 minute warm up I ran 8 x 1:30 @ 12 miles an hour with 1:30 rest between reps. It was a good workout and it didn't beat me up so bad. So far, so good.
OK, and I was tagged by trainingtotri to list 7 weird/random things about me so here are 7 random things I could think of.
1. My perfect Winter snowy day would be me out cross country skiing in the park enjoying a decent workout with beautiful scenery.
2. My perfect sunny Summer lazy day would be me laying down under a big oak tree in the park reading an inspirational novel about swimming, biking, or running for half a day. Then I would get up and go to a park table and play chess with the old timers for the rest of the day.
3. My perfect cool Autumn day is my wife and I backpacking in the mountains enjoying the serenity of a bright and colorful forest.
4. My perfect sunny Spring day is my first day out on a long bike ride along country roads.
5. My perfect rainy day is me in my pajamas sitting around the fireplace drinking green tea and reading.
6. My dream is to go back to Hungary and spend a month there learning about my family history and enjoying the culture.
7. My dream is to live to 100 years old and be active in sports, family, and community.
I'll volunteer to be the last one tagged.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Train like a runner.
It was a cold 19 degrees downtown but we had lots of sunshine. The roads were dry and with the sun shinning I was in a good mood for a race. The undulating course was a challenge for us runners and was not a course for a PR.
My goal for todays 5K race was to run it hard and use the finish time to calculate my training paces for the Cleveland 10K in May. I will use the famous F.I.R.S.T 12 week schedule to train for the race.
Now that I have a 5K race result I can start to train like a runner.
Race results: Chili Bowl Classic 5K
Oh, and I did try the veggie chili after the race. It was spicy with peppers and not bad tasting.
My goal for todays 5K race was to run it hard and use the finish time to calculate my training paces for the Cleveland 10K in May. I will use the famous F.I.R.S.T 12 week schedule to train for the race.
Now that I have a 5K race result I can start to train like a runner.
Race results: Chili Bowl Classic 5K
Oh, and I did try the veggie chili after the race. It was spicy with peppers and not bad tasting.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
A taste of Power.
I had my eyes opened to the effectiveness of training with power on a CompuTrainer last night. A good friend from my triathlon club offered his coaching skills along with his CompuTrainer to put me through a time trial test. The focus of the workout was to montitor power, heart rate and cadence, in two 20 minute intervals. For the 2 sets I needed to ride at a hard effort and yet complete them in +/- 5% of each other.
The results will be compared in 6 weeks with another test. Since I do not have a CompuTrainer or some other power measuring device I will use my heart rate monitor to train with. In early April I will go back to my friends house to do another test on his CompuTrainer and see what results I get.
Dave, thanks for showing me the way to "Power". I think it's exciting stuff and will translate to improving my biking times.
Test 1 Results:
average speed: 18.3 mph
average watts: 147 watts
maximum speed: 19.6 mph
maximum watts: 183 watts
time: 20 minutes
distance: 6.14 miles
average heartrate: 116 bpm
maximum heartrate: 125 bpm
average cadence: 91
maximum cadence 97
Test 2 Results:
average speed: 18.9 mph
average watts: 158 watts
maximum speed: 22.2 mph
maximum watts: 246 watts
time: 20 minutes
distance 6.30 miles
average heartrate: 124
maximum heartrate: 139 bpm
average cadence: 93
maximum cadence: 110
The results will be compared in 6 weeks with another test. Since I do not have a CompuTrainer or some other power measuring device I will use my heart rate monitor to train with. In early April I will go back to my friends house to do another test on his CompuTrainer and see what results I get.
Dave, thanks for showing me the way to "Power". I think it's exciting stuff and will translate to improving my biking times.
Test 1 Results:
average speed: 18.3 mph
average watts: 147 watts
maximum speed: 19.6 mph
maximum watts: 183 watts
time: 20 minutes
distance: 6.14 miles
average heartrate: 116 bpm
maximum heartrate: 125 bpm
average cadence: 91
maximum cadence 97
Test 2 Results:
average speed: 18.9 mph
average watts: 158 watts
maximum speed: 22.2 mph
maximum watts: 246 watts
time: 20 minutes
distance 6.30 miles
average heartrate: 124
maximum heartrate: 139 bpm
average cadence: 93
maximum cadence: 110
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Thoughts on swimming.
For the past 3 months I have been using a program from Swimplan for all my swim workouts. What's nice about this program is that the workouts are personalized based on time trials, how much time you want to swim, intensity level, and what equipment you want to use. What makes it even better is that it's a free service.
Using this program has kept me motivated to swim consistently through the winter months. Before I head to the pool I print out a new program and tape it to my water bottle. I don't know how other people manage their swims, as fas as, how to remember time and sets of lengths but what helps me is to bring the printed workout to the pool so that I can enjoy my swim and not get confused with lap counting or distance.
Having this program has also taken my mind off the frustrations of improving my swim technique. I've given up on trying to be a perfectionist. I'd love to have a swim stroke like some great olympic swimmer. I realize I should just focus on having a good time and enjoy where I'm at in my abilities. And as long as I can get through a swim during a triathlon and have enough energy to power through the rest of the race, I'm happy!
Here is todays workout in detail format from swimplan.com:
Duration
45-60 mins
Distance
2200yd
Pool length
25yd
Warm up
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim (even pace), rest 0:15 / 50yd
Freestyle swim at a steady pace.
Build up
• 8 x 50yd Single Arm with Zoomers (arm out front) 6 x left, 6 x right, 6 x full stroke, rest 0:15 / 50yd
Freestyle using one arm at a time, focusing on shoulder and hip rotation. Complete 6 arm strokes with the left arm then 6 strokes with the right arm, followed by 6 strokes using both arms. The non-stroking arm is held out front in a streamlined position.
Core
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim, leave on 01:10 / 50yd
Freestyle swim, starting every 50yd set on the defined time period. The departure time combines your swimming target time and rest time, so the faster you go the more rest you will have. Conversely, the slower you swim, the less rest time you will have.
• 2 x 100yd Freestyle Pull with a pull buoy, rest 0:20 / 100yd
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim, leave on 01:04 / 50yd
Freestyle swim, starting every 50yd set on the defined time period. The departure time combines your swimming target time and rest time, so the faster you go the more rest you will have. Conversely, the slower you swim, the less rest time you will have.
• 1 x 200yd Freestyle Swim, rest 0:30 / 200yd
Warm down
• 8 x 25yd Easy, rest 0:10 / 25yd
This is the swim without the descriptions and is what I taped to my water bottle:
Warm up
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim (even pace), rest 0:15 / 50yd
Build up
• 8 x 50yd Single Arm with Zoomers (arm out front) 6 x left, 6 x right, 6 x full stroke, rest 0:15 / 50yd
Core
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim, leave on 01:10 / 50yd
• 2 x 100yd Freestyle Pull with a pull buoy, rest 0:20 / 100yd
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim, leave on 01:04 / 50yd
• 1 x 200yd Freestyle Swim, rest 0:30 / 200yd
Warm down
• 8 x 25yd Easy, rest 0:10 / 25yd
Using this program has kept me motivated to swim consistently through the winter months. Before I head to the pool I print out a new program and tape it to my water bottle. I don't know how other people manage their swims, as fas as, how to remember time and sets of lengths but what helps me is to bring the printed workout to the pool so that I can enjoy my swim and not get confused with lap counting or distance.
Having this program has also taken my mind off the frustrations of improving my swim technique. I've given up on trying to be a perfectionist. I'd love to have a swim stroke like some great olympic swimmer. I realize I should just focus on having a good time and enjoy where I'm at in my abilities. And as long as I can get through a swim during a triathlon and have enough energy to power through the rest of the race, I'm happy!
Here is todays workout in detail format from swimplan.com:
Duration
45-60 mins
Distance
2200yd
Pool length
25yd
Warm up
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim (even pace), rest 0:15 / 50yd
Freestyle swim at a steady pace.
Build up
• 8 x 50yd Single Arm with Zoomers (arm out front) 6 x left, 6 x right, 6 x full stroke, rest 0:15 / 50yd
Freestyle using one arm at a time, focusing on shoulder and hip rotation. Complete 6 arm strokes with the left arm then 6 strokes with the right arm, followed by 6 strokes using both arms. The non-stroking arm is held out front in a streamlined position.
Core
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim, leave on 01:10 / 50yd
Freestyle swim, starting every 50yd set on the defined time period. The departure time combines your swimming target time and rest time, so the faster you go the more rest you will have. Conversely, the slower you swim, the less rest time you will have.
• 2 x 100yd Freestyle Pull with a pull buoy, rest 0:20 / 100yd
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim, leave on 01:04 / 50yd
Freestyle swim, starting every 50yd set on the defined time period. The departure time combines your swimming target time and rest time, so the faster you go the more rest you will have. Conversely, the slower you swim, the less rest time you will have.
• 1 x 200yd Freestyle Swim, rest 0:30 / 200yd
Warm down
• 8 x 25yd Easy, rest 0:10 / 25yd
This is the swim without the descriptions and is what I taped to my water bottle:
Warm up
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim (even pace), rest 0:15 / 50yd
Build up
• 8 x 50yd Single Arm with Zoomers (arm out front) 6 x left, 6 x right, 6 x full stroke, rest 0:15 / 50yd
Core
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim, leave on 01:10 / 50yd
• 2 x 100yd Freestyle Pull with a pull buoy, rest 0:20 / 100yd
• 8 x 50yd Freestyle Swim, leave on 01:04 / 50yd
• 1 x 200yd Freestyle Swim, rest 0:30 / 200yd
Warm down
• 8 x 25yd Easy, rest 0:10 / 25yd
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Hill Running.
Today, I ran the same hill workout that I did 2 weeks ago. This time I did not run the recoveries down the hill backwards. It took a good week before my calf muscles were healed from the soreness I got from that workout. Lesson learned from that was not to over do the workout while trying something new. I think backward running is good for strengthening different muscles but next time I'll just run a few backwards for fun and not for a complete serious workout.
Weather conditions was about the same as last time but the temperatures was about 5 degrees colder today. I ran by the south Marginal road, near Lake Erie, where there were some strong winds coming off the lake. It was cold. But, what's important is that my legs felt good and I was able to run the hills a little faster.
A few more hill workouts and I'll be ready to hit the track for some fast intervals at the end of February.
Weather conditions was about the same as last time but the temperatures was about 5 degrees colder today. I ran by the south Marginal road, near Lake Erie, where there were some strong winds coming off the lake. It was cold. But, what's important is that my legs felt good and I was able to run the hills a little faster.
A few more hill workouts and I'll be ready to hit the track for some fast intervals at the end of February.
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