Filed under: Captain's Log
Weight: 260# I am not sure but I think this is my lowest weight thus far during this blog. I forgot to weigh myself before my run but I did weigh 260.5 # at the end of my run. Historically, I always gain back my weight once I eat and hydrate. I must not have hydrated enough and I know I did not eat enough in that I totally missed lunch and had, what I would call, a smaller Sunday dinner.
In any case, I highly doubt that my new set point is 260. I am sure that I will be gaining as the week moves on but it is nice to see some of the 3200 burned calories stayed off my but, at least for one day.
Sleep: Last night was another sleep reduced night. I had trouble going to sleep at 10:00. This along is very unusual. Normally, I slide in bed. Lay on my stomach and before you can say “Good night and I love you”, I am asleep. You can be watching TV, reading a book with the light on or practicing the Macarena and I would still be falling asleep. Not last night.
Finally, after I laying awake for sometime, although I bet I slept for a short while, I got up at 11:00 and went into the second bedroom so as not to bother Bing.Once there I felt like I could not go to sleep again, even though I know I had a dream for a while. At 3:00 am, I got up, had a small glass of milk and went back to my normal bed. Luckily for me, sleep followed but the question must again be asked, why no sleep?
This time I can’t blame a caffeinated soda? Nor did I feel hungry. One would think I would be exhausted. I did nap for around 45 minutes earlier in the day but my naps have seldom impacted my sleeps later in the day.
What are your thoughts?
Filed under: Captain's Log
Weight: 267 Today was an interesting day. I believe I feel like Nostradamus in that I can see the future by watching the past. Yesterday, I had yucky drainage from my Sinusitis. It wasn’t even really that yucky, it was just annoying. It wasn’t really that annoying, it was just bothersome. It wasn’t really that bothersome, I just did not want it to get worse and move into my chest so I did nothing. I especially did not run my 8 miles as scheduled.
What I did do was EAT. I had an entire bag meal (Microwave dinner for two!) I also had a full microwave bag of veggies. After dinner, I topped off my tank by sharing a bag of chex mix with Bing. Sharing is kind of misnomer. I ate 95% and she ate 5%.
Plus, I did not work out in any manner, unless getting mad at Coach on Survivor is considered Cardio.
Does it surprise you that I gained weight? It doesn’t surprise me.
As for the future, I have to be very careful when I am done training for the marathon and burning 20,000 calories a month that I don’t eat us out of house and home or actually eat the house or home. Would it be possible to balloon to pre running days? Could be.
I have been so pleased with my health over the winter. I had only one slight cold and I beat that without any casualties (i.e. lost running days) but now that winter is over (Pitchers and Catchers reported to spring training, didn’t they?) , it has to be too late to get a cold. I have run 250 miles this year and haven’t lost a day of running.
Last night, I was laying in bed trying to go to sleep and I could tell I had drainage. It was just bad enough that I couldn’t go to sleep and I was keeping Bing up at the same time. Immediately I feared a cold in that my colds usually go to my chest. I have always read that you can run in if your cold is in your head but not if it is in your chest.
I moved to our second bedroom and somehow fell asleep but when I woke up, I could feel my chest was heavier and now I have a case of the “Ah Hums”. I will take Zycam and Sudafed and drink lost of water and see what happens.
Losing training days to a cold after all this preparation would be like the Cubs losing the world series because their bats were lost in transit to the game. Oh wait. That could happen. Losing the bats in transit, I mean. The Cubs going to the World Series is pure fantasy though.
Later that Day: After seeing the Doctor today, I was diagnosed with a Sinus infection. I do not have any restrictions on my running but I will take off Thursday and Friday and prepare myself for my long runs on Saturday and Sunday. I can only hope that I caught the cold in time that it wont impact my long term training program.
Filed under: Captain's Log
“The distance race is a struggle that results in self-discovery. It is an adventure involving the limits of the self.” Paul Weiss What each runner gets out of endurance running/racing is a personal matter. I like to run, run, run. Maybe it’s listening to the music. Maybe it’s talking to the other runners. Maybe it’s just people watching or a combination of all these and more. All I know is that I would rather run long and slow than fast and short.
“I don’t believe in restricting calories, I believe in burning them.” Chanamalla Samagond Indian National Champion in 800 and 1500 M. I sure don’t mind burning the calories. I just wish that I could show more results to the calories I burn.
“Running should be a lifelong activity. Approach it patiently and intelligently, and it will reward you for a long, long time.” Michael Sargent This is a great suggestion. I feel that, with the help of Bing, each of these parts are important. Running can be a lifelong activity. There are no rules to who can run and who can’t run. There are no salary minimum’s or maximums. You don’t have to be good or fast or handsome or rich. You just have to want to run.
In addition, the quote suggests one to be patient and intelligent. With Bing’s support, we have trained for over 18 months preparing for this years runs and races. In addition, we have read magazines and books. We worked with trainers and other support groups. In all, we think we have benefited from the patience and knowledge in that we have not been hurt. Well, nothing we couldn’t handle and nothing that put us on the DL for any lengthy period of time. Weiss
Filed under: Captain's Log
On Friday night, Bing and I drove 90 minutes to visit with some of my classmates from my 1976 High School graduating class. I had not seen most of these people in 34 years. We did not get home until 10:00 and to sleep until after 11:00. That is very unusual for she and I. We are not late nighters.
This morning, we woke up and, man, where we tired. Just felt drained. Neither of us felt like running but I wanted to at least try to get my 7 miles in as the marathon training program calls for.
I had very low expectations as I started my indoor run. IN addition, after about 6 minutes, my heart rate monitor ran out of batteries so I was on my own. Although I love my heart rate monitor, it is not as critical as it used to be during my training runs. I pretty much know when I am running in the 120′s, 130′s and 140′s. I doubt I will ever run without the monitor but it’s not as critical as it used to be.
To make a long story short, I ended up running 7.05 I-Pod measured miles in 1:16:01 and a 10:47 pace. I had to take a potty break around 4 miles which may have helped but todays pace was my second fastest 7 mile run ever. To be fair, it was almost 30 seconds slower than my fastest but when you consider how sluggish I felt, I was very pleased with my performance. Lastly, the I-Pod calculated my calories burned at 1404.
It just goes to show you that one of my favorite sayings continues to be true. “Showing Up Is Half the Battle”. I could have taken today off but instead I gave it my best effort and ended up with some level of success. Sweet.
Filed under: Captain's Log
Weight: 264.5 (-9#)
“Ido recommend running as a cure-all. It’s the magic ingredient and an important physical release. It has helped me look and feel better. “ Dr. Drew Pinsky, Addiction Specialist and TV Host
Today was a little disappointing in that I gained two pounds over last Friday. Now I don’t think we should even discuss the 10″ Italian Sub I ate for lunch yesterday, the whole while I am thinking to myself and jokingly telling my customer “I should not be eating this. why am I eating this.”
I may not be losing the weight I had hoped for when I started this blog but, MAN, do I feel good. A fellow runner, in much better shape than I am, that runs at our indoor track always asks me how I am feeling in that I have logged so many miles and lately, I am pleased as punch to tell him I am feeling very good. I still have a few issues with my left leg but half as much as I used to.
Today is another day of rest then a low mile recovery weekend followed by 17 and 18 mile long run Sundays. “I can do it!”
Marathon Training: Today was a simple 5 mile run, one that I had become quite efficient at lately bu ttoay wa snot lately. I ran at a slow 11:30 I-Pod pace and never felt good. The best thing I can say about today was that it was over.
Pre-Race Jitters: I ran my first race in September of 2008 after running customer Bob advised me that anyone who can run for 30 minutes (which I had been able to accomplish by August, 2008) could run a 5K. I had not run a race since the mid ’80′s but for some reason, the idea intrigued me. To make the concept of racing an even better feeling, Bob offered to race with me.
That was a pivotal period in Bing and my life in that Bob brought his wife Jill who was training in a Walk-to-run program as a beginning runner and even though we told her we did not have time to run in that we golfed every weekend, she suggested Bing take up the sport so she doesn’t become a runners widow.
You might ask, “Bob, what is the point of today’s blog?” and other than I like to meander in my writings, I wanted to bring up that 1) Races are fun and 2) Racing with friends or experienced runners can be a game changer. If you are a seasoned race runner, offer to take a Newbie to their first race. If you are a newbie, by all means, find a local race to run and an experienced runner to go with you.
There is much an experienced runner can tell you, such as
- How to put on a Bib # properly. (Yes, you do need those safety pins they gave you in your goody bag.
- Where to start. (“Wow, isn’t this great up in the front!” )
- Hydrate
- How to walk if you run out of gas. (Warn the person that is using you for drafting or you might become closer than you alrady are.)
- and so much more.
I thought you might like this note from Runners World on how to handle Pre-Race Jitters. I think the most important part is to get them in the first place by signing up for that race!.
How Can I Be Less Nervous on Race Day?
<!– Posted by Demian Faunt at 02/08/2010 9:12 PM–>
I just did my first half-marathon after months of careful training. I’ve been averaging about 25 miles per week, doing long runs, maintenance, and lots of tempos. While I’m fairly confident in my own running, something happens to me the minute I get on the course. I can feel entirely prepared and excited beforehand, but as soon as I get going, it freaks me out! In the half-marathon I started out slow and steady, and around 5 miles got very, very nervous. I ended up walking quite a bit, which hasn’t happened before. I finished in 2:10, but I know I could have done better. Shorter races have been tough, too. I don’t know why I feel so scared when it’s actually underway. Is the answer to this more racing? Are some people less cut out for running races versus just running? – Virginia
Virginia, most of a runner’s training focuses on physical aspects like conditioning, fitness, mileage, heart rate, etc. With so much attention on the physical aspects, we tend to neglect psychological preparation. Race anxiety is a common phenomenon for most runners. Some get anxious leading up to an event; but once the race begins, they feel better and are able to race well. The anticipation produces more anxiety than the actual event. Other runners experience anxiety during the race and sometimes feel that it interferes with their performance and results, so you are definitely not alone.Researchers tell us that experiencing some race anxiety is good. The right amount of anxiety produces a heightened sense of arousal and prepares the body for maximum effort. On the other hand, too much anxiety creates too much arousal and has a negative impact on performance. The goal is to find a balance and this is where sports psychologists come in. They are trained to help athletes cope with situations specific to sports. Consulting with a sports psychologist may provide you with insights that will help you control the level of anxiety you experience. In the meantime, here are a few suggestions that may help.Our emotional response to outside stimuli like the race reflects what we believe about ourselves. If we harbor any doubts about ourselves—or our training—race anxiety can result in negative feelings that can set us up for failure.It may be helpful to examine what you are saying to yourself before, during, and after the race. How do you talk to yourself when you feel anxious; is it positive or negative? What are you thinking or saying to yourself when you walk instead of run during the race?Strengthening our self-concept re-programs our belief system. By improving what we believe about ourselves, we increase our ability to experience success. A strong self-concept helps control negative thoughts and emotions. The goal is to replace negative thinking or self-talk and replace it with positive thinking and self-talk. Many athletes use a phrase or a word that helps them create positive thinking. This phrase becomes your race mantra. Say this mantra to yourself anytime you find yourself slipping into a negative mode.Another way to stay positive is to focus on the present. Stay “in the moment”; don’t let your thoughts drift to other subjects like what else you have to do that day. Stay present by focusing on your breathing, how you feel, the mile markers, the scenery, your time goal, your pace, etc. Pick a target, like the back of a runner in front of you and focus on catching him. Pass him, focus on the next runner just ahead of you, and so on.Other techniques athletes often employ to stay positive and focused are visualization, simulation, and distraction. Visualization is mentally rehearsing race day from beginning to end. Picture yourself as calm and focused in every aspect of the event from the warm-up to the cool-down. Simulation involves creating or mimicking the event. Run or drive the course ahead of time, if possible. Note landmarks along the way to focus on during the race. Create a pre-race routine for yourself and stick to it. Everything you do on race day should feel comfortable, like an old habit. Distractions before the race can help keep your thoughts positive. Listening to music or a book on tape keeps your mind busy and deters negative thoughts. And remember, even elite athletes struggle with these same issues.
Keep training and keep racing. Racing gives your training a focus and a purpose other than general fitness. Races are a celebration of our training, a chance to test our fitness. If you enjoy your training, you can learn to enjoy your racing, too. Best wishes,
Susan Paul, MS
I don’t know about you but I always wonder if I can do better when I run but now that I run longer, I don’t want to find out the hard way that I made a mistake and have to crawl the last mile of a training run or race. I have been wondering if I have built up my stamina enough that I could run a half marathon without walking.
If you remember last year, to prepare for the marathon, I was working on running at a slower heart rate and walking if I hit a certain BPM hoping to improve my late miles stamina and speed. Since I will have very few chances in the next few months to test my shorter endurance run endurance, (Let’s stop for a second and think about this statement. I am talking about my next 11 mile training run as a shorter training run. It wasn’t to long ago that I NEVER ran over 10 miles unless it was for one of my nine half marathons. Now I am considering 11 miles to be a shorter endurance run. Not bad for an old fat guy. How times have changed. Now back to our regularly scheduled blog.) I am thinking of running my 11 mile Sunday run without taking walk breaks every mile.
I am not stupid enough to think that just because I have been able to run first 5, then 6 and then 7 miles at a nice brisk pace that I can run that same pace for 11 miles but I would like to see if I can run the entire 11 miles without walk breaks. Let’s hope for good weather (Again, let’s take a step back and review the definition of “Good” weather. I probably ran in sub-freezing weather on three occasions; Frosty 5, Illinois Half Marathon and Schaumburg Half Marathon, but I never had a practice run in sub freezing in my life and now running in the twenties is SOP. WOW. How times have changed.) so that I can test out my endurance endurance. After this weekend, I will need to get back to focusing on the marathon again so this is the time to give it a try.
Filed under: Captain's Log
Today is a day of rest from my long run. I will do the normal resistance training but little else. The highlight of my day is that I was not sore or in pain when I woke up. In fact, as I type this blog in the morning, nothing really hurts. Not my left leg, not my plantar faciitis, not my back or my shoulders. OK, maybel I am slightly stiff but after logging the miles over the last week or so, I am very pleased how my body has reacted. Sweet!
Today was the second longest run I have ever ran in my life. I ran a 16.24 mile I-Pod run indoors in December and today’s I-Pod results where 16.08 Miles. Not bad for a 264 pound, 52-year-old man.
My Garmin results where equally pleasing to me. Today was a little warmer than most of this year with a temperature in the low low 30′s and a wind chill in the high 20′s. I ran 15 miles in 3:05:00 at a 12:20 pace with a 130 BPM heart rate. This is actually better than my marathon plan and since you are supposed to run your long run slower than your marathon pace, I feel good about my effort. I don’t plan to run my first marathon much faster in that the downside risk of running faster is not worth the upside gain. The downside is pain (Possibly alot of pain) and the upside is improved time but I really don’t worry about my time so there is really little need to run faster until I get past mile 22 or so. I will stick with my 12:30 per mile pace and walking after every mile and hope to be able to walk away from the finish line instead of crawling.
Back to today’s run. I was not sure how my left leg was going to perform today after yesterdays successful 7 miles so I walked longer than usual during my warm up and I am glad I did. I had little of the previous weeks start-up pain. In fact, I had very little pain all day. My worst discomfort was being a little cold for one leg of the two-mile route as I ran into the wind. Quick Side note: When I got home and took off by running gear, the sweat had so penetrated all my outer layer that Bing could only find the bottom of my pants legs that weren’t soaked through and through. Of course, that’s what wicking clothes are supposed to do. Thus, I feel that the over $300.00 in winter running clothes I run in each week have been a good investment thus far.
Again, back to todays run. I Gu’d before I ran and at miles 4, 8 and 12. Even though I did not have much to eat today, I never felt really hungry. I had my normal cereal breakfast and took off for my run a few hours later. It just goes to verify that what you eat before the run has little impact on your performance. I would like to thank running customer/buddy Bob in that he was the one that got me to Gu before my run. Normally, I only Gu’d during but he always Gu’d before and he is one of my running hero’s.
My calories burned today were 2883 Garmin and over 3100 I-Pod. I weighed myself before I ran and after and even though I drank a ton of water after my finish, I still lost 4 pounds from the run. Side Note: I must say that, once I read that chocolate milk is a good recovery drink, I never finish a long run (5 or more miles) without my chocolate milk. Now I look forward to finishing for more than just the fact that I finished. Now I get to treat myself to chocolate milk. MMMM
Back to the run. My biggest concern today was hoping that my back would not start to hurt. I believe my resistance training has helped strengthen my back but you never know for sure. It did seem sore toward the beginning of the run but each time I thought about the pain, I straightened up and the back never was an issue.
Today’s run was a perfect example of why Bing and I have “Dress Rehearsal’s” before our races. Not a dress rehearsal like a dry run of the course, we do that too just so we know what we are getting into before we run our races. I mean a dress rehearsal in that we actually ”Dress” like we expect to in the race, including putting on our bib, and then taking the clothes off and placing them in a pile opposite of how we will put them on. Today, even though I have run outside 4 or 5 times, I forgot to put on my Zensah calf compression sleeves on before I ran. Once Bing realized I had forgotten them, she drove over to my run and offered to help put them on for me.
The Zensah sleeves are supposed to improve blood flow out of the legs but I just did not want to take off my double knotted shoes and my running gloves, roll up my wind breaker pants and under armour tights and try to put on the compression sleeves. I sat for a second in Bing’s car and decided that today will be a test to see how I will do without them. I am not sure what the results are but I really appreciate Bing’s effort to try to help me. She is always looking out for my good and I appreciate it.
Also, todays run was another example of what I miss when I run. Normally I am focused on the street in front of me looking up only every now and then as I scan the landscape for cars. After Bing was driving away from me, she notices three deer run across the street in front of her car. Again, I missed them, just as I did last fall when a big Buck was running along side me in the state park. I guess I am just to focused on my run to enjoy mother nature.
Well, back to todays run. Today’s performance for 15 miles of a 12:20 pace at a 130 BPM heart rate is even more pleasing when compared with last weeks 14 miles at 12:30 pace and 132 BPM. I can only guess that my training is paying off. Lastly, I am gain pleased that I had enough gas in the tank in the later miles. My three best times where mile 10:26 at mile 15, 11:25 at mile 13 and 12:00 at mile 11.
The marathon training affords me a week of rest (sort of) and then consecutive weeks at 17 and 18 miles. Territories I have never reached but ones I feel I am prepared for. I better be if I am going to run 26.2 miles in 10 weeks.
Year -To-Date review: With a week to go in February, I have run over 221 I-Pod miles in 36 work outs at an 11:16 average pace and burned over 44,000 calories. Not bad, even if all the results are 5 – 10% inflated. Still better than sitting on the couch.
