Friday, April 11, 2008

4-10-08 (45 of 92) Total Immersion

I modified the training at the last minute last night. I was supposed to do a 17/35 SwiB, but as i left work, it looked like it might rain on my. I don't mind running/cycling in the rain, but the morons on the road make is scary. They get way too close when the roads are dry - I don't want to temp them when the roads are wet (it never did rain, but...) . I've been previewing/researching a swim program called Total Immersion, and I elected to start some of the drills for my recovery week swims. When I got to the gym, I watched a few minutes of the video on my Zune (Who'd have thought that my Zune would get co-opted into a training aid - - I'd heard of MLB pitchers getting footage of opposing batters loaded on their Ipods to review during training/while traveling), then I hit the pool.

It was very disorienting. Some of the drills were just simply floating on my back and kicking. But I guess it was to get my used to relaxing while sitting so low in the water. I did about 10 laps working on this form from memory. Then I transitioned to doing the laps rolled on my side - - this was interesting because breathing has always been an issue in my swim workouts, but it suddenly wasn't. Granted, I was only working on form so speed was irrelevant, but I seemed to have more time and feel more relaxed when rolling to the surface for air. Very cool feeling.

I only did the back kicking, side kicking, and some conditioning drills - they were all I could remember the correct form with any confidence, but I'll continue watching and re-watching the vids to learn the remaining drills.

I wound up spending about an hour in the pool drilling, but I didn't feel worn out when I left.


Thursday, April 10, 2008

4-9-08 (44 of 92) Zooooom!!!!

A common measure of a runner is the time it takes to run a mile. That thought has been rattling around in the back of my head for a while (since a co-worker asked me, and I didn't have a simple answer). I answered the question tonight.

I was scheduled for a 17 minute run (recovery week). I decided that I'd set my gps for a 7 minute mile, and then do the remaining 10 minutes pretty slowly to cool down. The 7 minute mile has always been an out-there target for me... never been able to do it, even in high school. I think my best mile time in high school was 8 minutes (maybe a little less).

Give some perspective here: a 7 minute mile is about a 21 minute 5K race.

In my longer targeted training 5K's I've been able to hold a 7:30 mile for 3 miles, with some work (and the help of the gps). I set the GPS for 7 minutes per mile, and took off. It was HARD, and I pushed HARDER - very feral: grunting and lunging and screaming. It was a good thing I was alone. It was all to the greater good - I finished the mile in 6:22. A full 38 seconds ahead of pace. I took a short rest, and resumed the last 11 minutes of my run at a MUCH slower pace.

That is, without a doubt, the fastest I have ever run a distance. In my mind, this cinches it: I'm a better runner at 34 than I was at 17. Pretty cool.

4-8-08 ( 43 of 92) SwiB workout

Okay, I feel better now. My HORRIBLE workout experience last Thursday had me a little worried (from a psychological point of view). It really bothered me that I couldn't finish a swim workout, and I've tried not to think about it too much, but it keeps creeping into my brain.

Success always makes me feel better.

I completed the workout today with some degree of confidence. I'm also trying to incorporate some elements of the TI swimming program into my workouts. I'm kind of at an impasse on the swimming subject (probably just need to get my head out of the way). I want to learn the TI method (have been doing some reading and watched the video - will re-watch), but I don't want to screw myself up before the race. I know that trying to learn a new method my really play havoc with my training and established technique (such as it is). However, I don't feel that he way I'm swimming is sufficient for the long term goals. It would be great if I could get some one-on-one direction, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Anyway - enough of the over-thinking. I swam for 17 minutes, and tried to go slowly to conserve my wind. I intentionally didn't count laps, because I think it makes my inadvertently force myself to speed up if I'm not finishing twice as many laps as the minutes on the clock.

After the swim, I hit the bike and pedaled for 35 minutes and covered a little over 8 miles.

*** Interesting note: I commented several weeks ago about how I thought the stationary bike gave a less-than-honest reading on distance ( I call them vanity miles). I've prety much confirmed this: on the stationary, I cover about 9 miles or more in a half hour, but on the road, I only cover about 8. Hopefully the new bike will add some speed by shedding a lot of weight.

4-7-08 (42 of 92) Run w/ Steph

We took a longer run today. I was to run for 29 minutes, but felt like I wanted to go a little longer to unwind, and Steph said she was game for a longer run. We took it pretty slowly and did about 5.25 miles in 52:57. It was nice to do a little longer run, but with the warmer weather, the bugs are out. I think we both swallowed a few.

We may have to adjust our route a little since Steph reported that they're doing work on the dam - -we may just need to start from the other end of the park, or do our runs in Valley on the Rails2Trails.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

4-5-08 (41 of 92) - RACE DAY!!!!

I scrubbed the Tri-training today because of the race. I wanted to make sure that Steph had a great 1st race (which didn't include my scheduling issues at the gym).

We got up late Sat morning (the race didn't start until 2pm, so we slept in a little - -- or tried to sleep in). At one point Steph was hovering over me in the bed saying "5 hours!". To say she was excited would be like saying it took a little math to get to the moon. She was electrified - alternating giddy, then terrified, they somber, then "everyone off the rollercoaster, time for the next group of riders", let's do it all over again.

We went to Subway for a late breakfast/early lunch. And got to the venue about 1pm. It had rained off and on all night and all morning. We were wondering if the race would be canceled if the weather got dangerous. Since the temp was unpredictible, I had brought us some clothing options (long sleeves, workout pants, short sleeves, extra socks). The rain continued to swell and subside once we got there.

We went to the registration table to get our numbers, and Steph was tickled to hear some of the high-school kids in attendance grumble that "there's no way I'm going to run 3 miles". We got our numbers and shirts, and she was just too thrilled to finally get a number pinned on her shirt. I had her crumple it up before putting it on, so she wouldn't feel like she was running with a pizza box on her chest.

Shortly thereafter, my mother and aunt showed up and we all sat in the car and watched the rain come and go - wondering how cold and wet we'd be by the end of the race. As the start time neared, we went on a short jog to warm up our legs, and make our way to the start line. Soon runners were congregating around us under the pavillion in front of the school. We were chatted up by a female runner (never got her name) that was running both the 5K and the 10.5K. I kind of got the impression that she was going to be one of the lead group (more on that later), and was a little worried that she may have made Steph a little more nervous - but Steph was in full-on "let's go" mode.

We lined up on "the crack" (yes the starting line was a crack in the asphalt), and Steph and I stayed about 3 rows deep and on the edge so we wouldn't get steamrolled at the start - - turned out to be a non-issue since everyone spread out so quickly at the start.

I was pacing us with the GPS, which I'd set for Steph's goal of 27:00. She'd told me that if she got a head of pace like she'd tended to do in practice to just let her go and not pull her pace back down. If she hit the wall, she'd just deal with it. We needed to be running about an 8:40/mile pace for her to meet her goal....then they started the race.

No race strategy lasts much past the starter's gun. When they said 'GO!', Steph was paying attention, and she rocketed off the line. We almost instanly fell into a clear running area and had plenty of room to run without being crowded.

The dirt road at the first part of the course was not in too bad shape, but it did make for a messy start. Then we hit the hill at the end of the dirt road. I didn't remember it being there last year, but obviously it was. We trudged on up the muddy hill and before long we were on the blacktop again and best of all: it wasn't raining.

When we hit the 1st mile split, we were WAY ahead of pace (about 7:50 for the first mile!), but I let her run her pace. Shortly after the 1st mile, we were passed by a runner, and I think that was the only person to pass us.

When we got to mile 2, we'd slowed down a good bit (8:30/mile), but we were still ahead of the overall pace. By the time we got to about 2 3/4 miles Steph was laboring, but she didn't quit. The last mile was 9:07.

When we got in sight of the clock, it was reading 26:10 - - she'd done it. When she saw the time, she picked up pace and we crossed the tape @ 26:25 (as evidenced from some pictures).

Overall it was a great race.

Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12191083@N02/sets/72157604470893007/show/

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4-4-08 (40 of 92) Another Wash

Today was another wash workout - but it wasn't all to failure. Steph and I had planned on just doing a short, easy 2 mile run to work the kinks out of our legs before the Beulah 5K race on Sat. We ended up spending the evening with some family from out of town, and just resting and trying to eat smart. Subway is a runner's friend :)

We got in bed late, but the race is an afternoon race, so no big deal.

4-3-08 (39 of 92) - Failed workout

I was scheduled to do a 23/46 SwiB workout, but something just wasn't right. I think it was mental, but I've not got it figured out yet - - just odd.

I went to the pool and it was mostly deserted: no swim team, few rec swimmers. I grabbed an open lane and took some time to get used to the water. I was still hammered pretty hard from the hills workout on Tuesday (April Fool's day...and I turned out to be the fool). My legs felt like lead - no kick , and my hips hurt from the hills. After I'd practiced some flip turns and stretched a little, I began my timed swim, trying hard to go slowly and watch my form and breathing. It all fell apart almost immediately. I felt tired and sore, but worst of all, I felt un-motivated. I couldn't think my way out of it. I guess I had something on my mind and my head just got in the way of everything else. I took several breaks and tried to will myself into a workout mindset, but nothing worked. I eventually decided I wasn't accomplishing anything, so I got out, and took some rest time in the hot tub before changing and going home. I didn't even attempt the bike ride. Between the bad mental state, and the surprise temperature drop, I didn't think I'd accomplish much on the road either.


Failed workouts suck.