1/28/2016

Noon:  3 mile dreadmill run, 4.8 mph.

I am wondering if the treadmill itself is a problem.  I found on Saturday that despite or perhaps because of the challenge of distance, temperature, and intensity, I was engaged and interested.  Running 3-4 miles on a treadmill is a real drudgery sometimes.

I'm wondering if it would be better to go back to my dread-mill intervals then continue trying to force skull numbing distance out of it.  With two-a-days I still would be getting 5-6 miles.  And I wouldn't be fighting boredom so much.

1/27/2016

AM: 3.4 mile walk with the backpack.

Noon: 3 mile dreadmill run 4.8 mph.

1/26/2016

AM: 3.2 miles with the 45lb backpack.

I'm afraid all we can fit in for today.  I have a work obligation during the noon hour.

Weekend Update

Saturday's workout was a cool success.  The temperature was in the single digits -- brisk.  We, the Spouse and I, set out and agreed to walk uphill and to run level and downhill.  We didn't negotiate on the distance and I had something in mind.  All said and done we covered 9.5 miles.  It went great and we really surprised ourselves.  Moreover, we were not sore on Sunday.

Teh Spouse went out on her new snowshoes Sunday.

Monday, 1/25/2016, we hit the 3.2 mile walk, I to make up of missing Sunday.

1/21/2016

AM: 3.4 miles, with the backpack.  Felt great

Noon: 2.6 miles, on the dreadmill, blood-sugar way off.  I'm thinking after Wednesday's workout that I have to eat right before I workout.

This gives me 17.5 miles for the weekday workouts.  Friday, 1/22 is a rest day.  If all I get on the weekend is 12.5 I'm OK with it.  Reality has set in and I'm understanding that I'm trying to increase mileage too fast.  Minor reset for next week, try for 18 during the week and 12 on the weekend.  This is all good, I knew I had more in the tank then the starting point of 2-3 miles but, without pushing it I couldn't tell how much more.  So, I'm aiming for 3, 30 mile weeks and then I'll try to move up again after that.  Once I get to the mid-thirties I'll hold for 8 weeks try to build habit, and mental toughness.  The discipline of silencing the inner voices is an equal part of endurance.

1/20/2016

Noon:  4 miles on the Dreadmill, 4.7 mph.

Very tired after yesterday, I went to bed early and ducked out on a morning walk.  This run felt fine, at worst I was a little bored but started feeling stronger by the end.

I'll try for 7 tomorrow to salvage the week at 18.5.  We should be able to get 14 on the weekend without too much trouble and the weather looks easy, hopefully those plans will stick.  That will give me 32ish for the week. 

Weekend Update and 1/19/2016 workouts

Saturday, was a snowstorm.  So of course, we walked 7.5 miles in it.  Not a fan of road walks in those conditions.  I was able to run 2 and change of the distance.

Sunday, went to Mt. Titcomb and x-country skied, probably, did 3 miles.  I only fell once.  I was surprised at the type of quad soreness that resulted -- deeper and centered on the femur.

I spent some time yakking about training plans with the first-born.  Some of the concepts that I am coming too:

• 8 weeks of foundation building (mileage at 35 per week)
• subsequent increases 10% and hold for 3 weeks, (this to try to avoid stress injury) a variation on this might be jump 10%, fall back the next week 10-15%, then build back, 5% for 2,3 weeks to settle at the new high.
• long distances back-to-back on the weekend workouts, the long day nearly equals the total weekday distance

So, for example: rest, 7, 7, 7, rest, 10, 5

or, once the mileage starts to build: rest, 7,10,7, rest, 20, 10.

So I'm hybridizing two sets of beginner long distance training plans to come up with this, model.

Hal Higdon novice Marathon plan

and, Ultramarathon Training Schedule Generator set on the 18 week, 50k plan. Obviously, I'm not doing either plan, but a version that builds up-to and incorporates concepts from both.

 

Right now, I am focused on distance, and consistency.  Later, I might worry about speed, and distance, but for now, this is a start.  I also want to get off the road in the future and onto trails but for now this will do.  I am missing swimming and resistance training but again for now this is still interesting.  I am also really enjoying the challenge of carrying the backpack that necessarily impacts speed -- I simply will not be running some of the distance.  I also don't want to miss out on skiing or snowshoeing -- accordingly some of the distances might be less then planned to accommodate the seasonal activity.

I am making good headway on the weight loss goals.  A pound a week steadily since the end of November though I took a little break with the holidays both in activity and paying close attention to what I ate.  In truth I want this loss to be sustainable so slow and steady is important to me.  I have held at 205ish for years and I really don't want to play the yo-yo game.  I am hopeful that slow and steady and a mileage plan might allow me to reset that "normal" but at a lower point.  I have seen too many folks, yo-yo and end up at heavier weights.

Monday, rest day, I forced myself to rest.  Though in the future I can see this being a place for a swim or a resistance training session.

1/19/2016

AM: Walked 3.4 miles with the 45lb backpack.  Teh Spouse had to be to work early, so we walked together only a quarter of the distance.  It was weird, good, and lonely to finish the walk by myself. I used to do a lot of stuff all-by-me-onsie, but less so in the last few years.  I am going to have to get comfortable with myself again if I aim to do any long distances.

Noon: 4.1, dreadmill miles, 4.7 mph.  I hit a low blood sugar at 2.5 miles, and had to force myself to think about unicorns and rainbows, but by mile 3 I was ok again.  Surprised that the lungs and heart barely noticed the event, mostly legs and blood sugar.  Weight-loss always kicks intensity in the nuts.

1/14/2016

AM

3.4 miles with 45lb backpack.  I think it is time to up the weight.

NOON

Played with the workout group.  Basically, a medi-ball medley brought to us by SJ.

1/13/2016

AM Workout

Shoveled snow

PM

4 miles on the dreadmill, 4.5mph.  Had a really nice visit with PM chatted the whole time.

Catching up post

So, last week did, M,W,F two-a-days, carried the 45lb backpack those mornings.  Then in the gym for 2 miles dreadmill, and some weights.  Saturday, walked 7.3 miles with the backpack.  Sunday 3 miles unweighted.  Monday, 1/11/2016, 3.4 miles with the backpack.  I'm thinking it is time to increase the weight.

1/12/2016

I rejoined the workout group, crew.  It was good to see folks.

Warmup was a bunch of 20 second/10 second cycles, all sorts of movements.

Workout, was run 5 minutes, 3 exercises continuously for 5 minutes, run 4, 3 exercises for 4, and so on.  The exercises were, v-ups, push ups, and supermans.  Worked pretty well I think.

1/6/2016

AM workout

3.6 miles, 45lb backpack

Noon workout

1 mile dreadmill, 4.7 mph

6 rounds
12 standing cable crunches, 150lbs
4 cleans, 89lbs
12 standing cable crunches, 150lbs
4 push up burpees to a jumping pull up

1 mile dreadmill, 4.0 mph

3, 75ft farmers walk, 45, 50, 55lb dumbells 

Holidays and New Years

So, lost steam a bit over the break, though the break was long and delicious and really refreshing.

Basically, back on track for more training and more weight loss.  It would be good to drop 20lbs.  With walks in the morning with the Spouse I'm able to get two-a-days in pretty regularly.

Sunday, 1/3/2016

4 mile hike in the highlands, 1000 feet of elevation.  Probably should have had snowshoes but we made it work.

Monday, 1/4/2016

3.1 miles with the 45lb backpack, in the morning

1 mile dreadmill, 4.7mph

6 rounds
4 cleans, 89lbs
12 standing cable crunches, 150lbs
4 push up burpees jumping pull up
12 standing cable crunches, 150lbs

3 rounds
cable flys, 60lbs, 12 reps
inverted bosu ball air squats, 8 reps
step ups, 4 per side

1 mile dreadmill, 4.7mph