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.