A New Year and a New Start

I've allowed this to fall fallow and my training has suffered as well. With the new year, I will make a renewed effort to keep this up and to train consistently.

Finishing up 2009:

• I do walk occasionally at work. I will likely do more of this in the new year, but I will also likely not report it with its own entry.
• On the 15th of December, I started seriously training again. I am now in my third week of this.
• With my final weigh-in, I am 6 pounds lighter than at the start of 2009.

Goals for 2010:

Not So Crazy Goals

• Stay healthy (without this, nothing else matters)
• Lose 15 lbs (155 lbs)
• Finish 1st Marathon
  (Completed, 2010 Mar 21, 11:58:38)
• PR 5K (27:39)
• PR 10K (55:25)
• PR Half (2:32:52)
  (Completed, 2010 Jun 6, 2:28:48)

Crazy Goals

• Lose 25 lbs (145 lbs)
  
• Sub 4-hour Marathon
• Sub 2-hour Half
• Sub 50-minute 10K
• Sub 25-minute 5K

Really Crazy Goals [I don't expect to get these in 2010, but they are out there for direction]

• Qualify for the Boston Marathon (sub 3-1/2 hour marathon)
• Sub 40-minute 10K
• Sub 20-minute 5K

Races currently in the plan:

• Reese Winter Race Series 10K (Jan)
• Reese Winter Race Series 10K (Mar)
• Bataan Memorial Death March (Mar)
• Trail Half Marathon (Apr)
• Bolder Boulder 10K (May)
• Dexter to Ann Arbor Run Half Marathon (Jun)
• City to Surf Half Marathon (Aug)
• USAF Marathon (Sep)

I am currently using low HR, slow speed, training. My next major event is the Bataan Memorial Death March where I am entered as Military Heavy. This works out to a full marathon in military utility uniform, complete with combat boots, and wearing a 50-pound pack, 35-pounds of payload plus water and the pack itself. As I plan to march, not run, this event, the slow pace of the current training is quite event specific.

Today is a rest day and I run a 10K tomorrow morning.

That's it for now.

[Edited 2010-03-28 to add tags, add goal weights, and note marathon completion]
[Edited 2010-06-08 to note half marathon PR]

End of Week 2 Progress Tests

I was much improved on sit-ups with 21. While just good enough to advance to Week 3, I was able to do all on them in one minute with no pauses. This improves my confidence of adequate performance on the crunches in the USAF Fitness Assessment. I will be following the low column for Weeks 3 & 4.

There was slight improvement on push-ups with 23. This is good enough to advance to Week 3. I will be following the middle column for Weeks 3 & 4.

This morning was also a milestone in my weight loss plan. At 165, I have now lost 15 pounds from my start. This is as low as I've been since May 2003.

Fitness Goals for 2009

These expand and complement the goals enumerated in my 15 December Goals Update.

• Run a 5K (Done 1 February 2009, Super 5K, Novi, MI, 40:40.56)
• Run a 10K (Done 11 April 2009, Tax Trot Long Form (10K), Flushing, MI, 1:05:05)
• Max the USAF Fit-to-Fight Assessment for the Run, Push-ups (repeat), and Crunches.
• Achieve my target Body Composition of around 20% Body Fat.
• Maintain stable weight once above target achieved.

Plan for accomplishment:

• Continue with Base Building plan while losing weight.
• Do regular strength exercises to improve push-ups and crunches
• Do additional strength exerices/cross training to balance muscle groups
• Pay attention to my diet
• Once weight goal is met, target a race and follow a specific plan to maximize performance in that race.

[Edited 2009-02-01 to note 5K completion]
[Edited 2009-04-11 to note 10K completion]

Making great strides

Duration = 50:03
Distance = 4.06
Calories = 485
Max HR = 181
Avg HR = 157
Running Index = 39
Max Cadence = 111
Avg Cadence = 87

I came up with a protocol for strides on the treadmill. I'd do them as 30 second intervals. I picked 8.0 mph (7:30/mile) for the speed as it is a single button on the control panel. My E-pace is currently 5.0 (12:00). This is a slight increase in pace for this week. The plan calls for 6 strides with a 1 minute rest at E-pace between them. I did the first five with little difficulty. The treadmill takes a bit of time to build up (and slow down) which works well with the intent of strides. I wasn't sure about the last stride and decided to drop it and finish the time at E-pace. I then did a 10 minute cool-down from 4.5 to 4.0 and 3.5 for a minute each and 3.0 for two minutes. I then dropped the speed to 2.5 for 5 minutes. 30 minutes at E-pace ended at 82% of heart rate reserve (HRR). Peak for the strides was 93% HRR and the end of the 5.0 after the 5 strides was 85% HRR. The end of the cool-down was at 55% HRR.

While I didn't do all the strides, I'm still happy with this session. I looked at a previous session that was shorter, slower, and had fewer bursts to a lower speed. That session developed at higher heart rate and peaked at the highest heart rate I've yet seen (which I'm currently using as my 100%, or HRmax). This shows definite improvement. I'm going to stay with the slight increase in pacing.

Today, I hit a milestone in my weight loss effort. My weight this morning was 170. This is the first time I've seen this weight since September 2003. This is 9 pounds since I started this effort last month. Short term, I need to get through the holidays without going crazy, but the extra calorie burn form the training helps. I'm keeping a eye on things to make sure I don't lose at too fast a rate as that way lies injury.

Goals update and current plan

Now that I've passed the USAF Fitness Assessment, I can review my fitness goals. My first goals post is a good starting point (and changes are marked relative to that post). I want to give myself some breathing room on the assessment, so I'm adding the following goals: Run 1.5 miles in 12:00 (this will give me three more points) and complete 30 crunches in 1 minute (improving my current weakest segment). I've replaced the 1.5 miles in 10:30 short term goal with the two long term goals of maxing out the run.

Short Term Goals

• Run 1.5 miles in 10:30 (7:00/mile)
• Run 1.5 miles in 12:00 (8:00/mile)
• Complete a 5K run (Done, 1 FEB 2009)
  
• Complete a 10K run (Done, 11 APR 2009)
• Complete 30 crunches in 1 minute
• Body fat percentage < 25%

Long Term Goals

• 6 miles in 42:00 (43:24 for a 10K; 7:00/mile)
• Max the 1.5 mile run for my age group, currently 10:24
• Max the 1.5 mile run for any male, 9:36
• Body fat percentage < 20%
• Complete a marathon

Current Plan

Over the next four months, I will be completing the Red Intermediate Plan from Daniels' Running Formula (2nd Ed.). I will continue to run 6 days a week and include 5K to 10K races as opportunities allow. I will workout with sets of push-ups and crunches on three "easy" days during the week. I will also continue my diet which should achieve my current target (155 lbs.) at the end of April 2009.

[Edited 2009-02-01 to noted 5K completed]

[Edited 2009-04-11 to noted 10K completed]

Fit-to-Fight, December 2008

Duration = 13:36
Distance = 1.5
Calories = 169
Max HR = 190
Avg HR = 177
Running Index = 38
Max Cadence = 100
Avg Cadence = 91

This month, the assessment was Saturday afternoon. The conditions were good. We were indoors and the run was on a short track.

This month, I had the same waist measurement as last month, 35 inches (22.5 points). I did 24 crunches (7.1 points) and 40 push-ups (10 points, maximum available). Going into the run, I needed 35.4 points or 14:24 for the 1.5 miles to pass. This track is real short (9 laps to the mile), but the surface is great. I was shooting for a 9:00/mile, or 1:00/lap of this track. This would give me a nice cushion against the 14:24 I needed. I had a good start and ran a very consistent pace. Part way through the run, I noted I was ahead of my target (my laps were less than 1:00). I let up just a touch (later review showed my heart rate dropping from 180 to 176) as I didn't want to burn out short of the 1.5 and I was currently running faster than I have ever run for that distance. Once I got closer to the finish and still felt good, I started to pick up the pace a touch and ran the last lap in a nice kick. (The only problem I had was the corners were sharp enough that I had to lean well inside to make them at speed.) Final time was 13:36 (37.5 points). I passed the assessment with 77.1 points.

Next Steps

My waist measurement and the crunches are the weakest parts of my assessment. I've lost 5 pounds already and plan to continue the pound/week rate for the next few months. Now that I have met the standard, I can back off a bit on the intensity and replace that with strength training (including crunches). I intend to increase my score. I expect that the waist will eventually respond to the weight loss. I intend to continue training on running. I just plan to increase the intensity at a slower rate (closer to once every four weeks). I also plan to start a longer range running program starting with building a proper base. I'm looking at entering my first 5K race. The plan I've been following is modeled on training for that race, so I should be ready for that distance though not necessarily at the speed I used here.

[posted 2130, 14 December 2008]
[Edited 1300, 15 December 2008 to fix font]

Last Easy Session before assessment

Duration = 30:00
Distance = 1.80
Calories = 169
Max HR = 137
Avg HR = 116
Running Index = 44
Max Cadence = 83
Avg Cadence = 70

This was an easy session. I made a bit shorter than normal. I'm almost to the point where the easy sessions have me running more than walking.

This weekend (I expect Saturday), I have my next assessment for Fit-to-Fight. As it stands, I expect it to be quite close as to my passing. I know I've taken at least 1:30 off the last time. I hope that I have most of the next 1:30 that I need if nothing else changes. I know I've done everything I could do to advance my performance on the run.

I also hope that I have made other advances; but, as I've focused on the run, I don't expect much else. I am losing a pound a week, so I will have lost 5 pounds since the last assessment. I hope I get some credit there in lost inches, but that will depend on the measurement. I hope I don't run into any problems with the push-ups or the crunches. I've done a little with them, but there is more that could be done.

On Sunday, I will know whether I passed and what areas need the more work regardless. I will add the push-ups and the crunches as a regular part of strength training in the new plan.

Well, that was supposed to be a Lactate Threshold Test

Duration = 30:05
Distance = 1.94
Calories = 261
Max HR = 189
Avg HR = 145
Running Index = 29
Max Cadence = 82
Avg Cadence = 69

The intent of this session was to determine my Lactate Threshold (LT). This is the point where lactic acid builds up in the muscles because the body cannot remove it faster than it is being created. This is actually a characteristic of capillary and cellular development in the muscles. This is actually separate from the Anaerobic Threshold which is the limit determined by your ability to provide oxygen to the muscles. I have more data, but I'm not quite sure what it is telling me.

I started with a good stretch and a longish warm-up. I started at 3.0 mph for 4 minutes. I then increased the speed to 3.5 and then to 4.0 for 4 minutes each. At 12:00 into the session, I increased the incline to 3%. I started the protocol at 14:00. I ran the first 90 seconds at 4.0. At each 90 second interval, I increased to 4.3, 4.6, 5.0, 5.3, and 5.6. I had intended to do a final interval at 6.0, but I pulled the cord out of the treadmill control box and it stopped. I decided to call it done and started a longish cool-down. I started the cool-down at 3.0 mph and finished it at 2.0.

The heart-rate chart for this session is almost a straight line from start to peak. I will have to repeat this test at some point to see where the top really is, and to look for improvement due to the training I will be doing. I did determine a new HRmax of 189. I will be adjusting my training zones to account for this.

I have until 14 December to get to a race pace of 9:30/mile. This assumes I also can improve my number of crunches and push-ups for the USAF Fit-to-Fight assessment. This is quite aggressive, but I will monitor the training effect to ensure I'm not over training. I will be adding interval training on Tuesday and Thursday. I will be targeting the "race" pace of 9:30/mile. This is currently faster than I have run recently, so I will be ramping up to that speed.

Most of my running has been in the evening not too long before I go to bed. This has had the effect of lowering my blood sugar. The effect seems to be that I burn fat at night instead of create it. I am losing weight at a respectable rate. I'm drinking plenty of water and eating a variety of food. I am watching my snacks. I've determined my base metabolism to be around 2200 kcal/day. I'm trying not to eat more than 1700-2000 kcal/day. I was expecting to lose about a pound a week, maybe a bit less. I'm currently dropping at twice that and I can't find all of that difference in the additional exercise. I hope this continues (though I don't expect it) as long as it doesn't interfere with my other development.

I will try this test again and a different test protocol at some time after the first of the year.