I flew to Georgia over the weekend. Airline travel did not agree with my right knee. I took the weekend off hoping it would get better, but was still a problem after the flight home and shoveling the driveway. Today is a rest day, but I will take tomorrow off as well to see if I can let the knee mend itself. In the meantime, I am taking a low dose of ibuprofen which seems to be helping.
I am looking into strength training for the muscles that support the knee and will start back into the training with a slow run tomorrow, if I feel better, or Wednesday. I am also going to drop the speed work before the race on 1 February. Finally, the goal for the race is now a solid finish.
12 January 2009
08 January 2009
Week 1 Thursday - Tempo Run
Duration = 35:12
Distance = 3.33
Calories = 332
Max HR = 177
Avg HR = 162
Running Index = 41
Max Cadence = 94
Avg Cadence = 91
I postponed yesterdays run to today as I wasn't feeling well. Also, earlier in the day, I still had some discomfort around my right knee and left ankle that were gone by evening, but bear watching. I will also need to be alert for my reaction to whey protein as that was the significant new thing I ate yesterday. (From memory, I may need to be a bit more detailed in a personal log made at the time as Hal Higdon recommends.) As a precaution, I am dropping the Monday runs and making that a rest day with only strength and stretching exercises.
I did the Tempo somewhat in accordance to Hal Higdon's description. I warmed-up with 8 minutes of my normal "easy" pace (11:30). I then slowly increased the speed to my tempo target pace (9:20) over 11 minutes. I maintained the tempo pace for 4 minutes, then slowed back to the "easy" pace over the next 7 minutes. I completed the last 5 minutes of the 35 called for in the plan at this "easy" pace. Review of the session data show the heart rate peaked at 90% of Heart Rate Reserve which is right in line with the target for a tempo run.
I may have to figure out a way to rig a fan for when I am on the treadmill as I think the heat I was developing may have made this feel harder than the effort would normally have deserved. Also, I need to remember to bring water and at least keep my mouth and throat from getting dry as this also increased the discomfort.
Another change I am making is to replace the cross-training on Saturday with runs adapted from the half marathon plan. I will do cross-training when the opportunity presents itself, but I have a run sequence to use to improve my conditioning. If I start having issues, I will change this back to cross-training.
As I write this, I am comfortably fatigued, there are no sharp pains or any discomforts concerning me.
Distance = 3.33
Calories = 332
Max HR = 177
Avg HR = 162
Running Index = 41
Max Cadence = 94
Avg Cadence = 91
I postponed yesterdays run to today as I wasn't feeling well. Also, earlier in the day, I still had some discomfort around my right knee and left ankle that were gone by evening, but bear watching. I will also need to be alert for my reaction to whey protein as that was the significant new thing I ate yesterday. (From memory, I may need to be a bit more detailed in a personal log made at the time as Hal Higdon recommends.) As a precaution, I am dropping the Monday runs and making that a rest day with only strength and stretching exercises.
I did the Tempo somewhat in accordance to Hal Higdon's description. I warmed-up with 8 minutes of my normal "easy" pace (11:30). I then slowly increased the speed to my tempo target pace (9:20) over 11 minutes. I maintained the tempo pace for 4 minutes, then slowed back to the "easy" pace over the next 7 minutes. I completed the last 5 minutes of the 35 called for in the plan at this "easy" pace. Review of the session data show the heart rate peaked at 90% of Heart Rate Reserve which is right in line with the target for a tempo run.
I may have to figure out a way to rig a fan for when I am on the treadmill as I think the heat I was developing may have made this feel harder than the effort would normally have deserved. Also, I need to remember to bring water and at least keep my mouth and throat from getting dry as this also increased the discomfort.
Another change I am making is to replace the cross-training on Saturday with runs adapted from the half marathon plan. I will do cross-training when the opportunity presents itself, but I have a run sequence to use to improve my conditioning. If I start having issues, I will change this back to cross-training.
As I write this, I am comfortably fatigued, there are no sharp pains or any discomforts concerning me.
06 January 2009
Week 1 Tuesday - 3-mile Run
Duration = 34:48
Distance = 3.07
Calories = 290
Max HR = 162
Avg HR = 151
Running Index = 42
Max Cadence = 95
Avg Cadence = 92
A fairly good day. Stability variance on the belt speed seems to have given me a slightly faster session than yesterday. In spite of that, my peak heart rate was less (if barely) than it was yesterday. I noted instances of discomfort involving my left ankle and in both knees. Nothing sharp or particularly worrisome, but something to keep an eye on.
No reading today as I was solo this evening, so I focused on cadence, breathing, and running form.
Distance = 3.07
Calories = 290
Max HR = 162
Avg HR = 151
Running Index = 42
Max Cadence = 95
Avg Cadence = 92
A fairly good day. Stability variance on the belt speed seems to have given me a slightly faster session than yesterday. In spite of that, my peak heart rate was less (if barely) than it was yesterday. I noted instances of discomfort involving my left ankle and in both knees. Nothing sharp or particularly worrisome, but something to keep an eye on.
No reading today as I was solo this evening, so I focused on cadence, breathing, and running form.
05 January 2009
Week 1 Monday - 3-mile Run
Duration = 34:52
Distance = 3.06
Calories = 292
Max HR = 164
Avg HR = 151
Running Index = 42
Max Cadence = 95
Avg Cadence = 93
This was a good day. Heart rate was lower than yesterday for the same speed all the way to the end of the run. This is right in the target for an "easy" run and it felt easier. Only other item of note is that (with my and my wife's sessions on the treadmill) we finished the book we were reading. Tomorrow, we start another Honor Harrington.
Distance = 3.06
Calories = 292
Max HR = 164
Avg HR = 151
Running Index = 42
Max Cadence = 95
Avg Cadence = 93
This was a good day. Heart rate was lower than yesterday for the same speed all the way to the end of the run. This is right in the target for an "easy" run and it felt easier. Only other item of note is that (with my and my wife's sessions on the treadmill) we finished the book we were reading. Tomorrow, we start another Honor Harrington.
04 January 2009
Setting up for the next cycle
Duration = 40:23
Distance = 3.55
Calories = 372
Max HR = 173
Avg HR = 158
Running Index = 40
Max Cadence = 94
Avg Cadence = 91
Freezing rain and fog didn't sound to appealing, so I did today's run on the treadmill. I started at 5.0 mph for about 7 minutes, then increased to my target speed of 5.2. I maintained this for the rest of the 40 minutes. I then did a cool-down for about 10 minutes. One (significant) benefit of using the treadmill is being read to by my wife while I'm running. Today was from Marque and Reprisal by Elizabeth Moon.
As previously mentioned, I will be only recording the "quality" part of the session with the HRM. This should remove a bit of the noise I have in the data I'm tracking. I still haven't calibrated the stride sensor. I will do this the next time I'm on a measured course. This will be no later than the planned race on 1 February.
Today's session is the last based on the Level 1 - Red Intermediate Plan. Starting tomorrow, I will be following Hal Higdon's 10K Training: Intermediate Program modified into a 14 week plan. I will follow the weeks through Week 6 (including the 5K race at the end of Week 4), then I will start over at Week 1 and follow the plan through my planned 10K in April. The hardest part of this plan is figuring out what to do for the 60 minutes of cross-training each Saturday. I will do a time trial at the end of week 4 then second time I get to it in mid-March.
Distance = 3.55
Calories = 372
Max HR = 173
Avg HR = 158
Running Index = 40
Max Cadence = 94
Avg Cadence = 91
Freezing rain and fog didn't sound to appealing, so I did today's run on the treadmill. I started at 5.0 mph for about 7 minutes, then increased to my target speed of 5.2. I maintained this for the rest of the 40 minutes. I then did a cool-down for about 10 minutes. One (significant) benefit of using the treadmill is being read to by my wife while I'm running. Today was from Marque and Reprisal by Elizabeth Moon.
As previously mentioned, I will be only recording the "quality" part of the session with the HRM. This should remove a bit of the noise I have in the data I'm tracking. I still haven't calibrated the stride sensor. I will do this the next time I'm on a measured course. This will be no later than the planned race on 1 February.
Today's session is the last based on the Level 1 - Red Intermediate Plan. Starting tomorrow, I will be following Hal Higdon's 10K Training: Intermediate Program modified into a 14 week plan. I will follow the weeks through Week 6 (including the 5K race at the end of Week 4), then I will start over at Week 1 and follow the plan through my planned 10K in April. The hardest part of this plan is figuring out what to do for the 60 minutes of cross-training each Saturday. I will do a time trial at the end of week 4 then second time I get to it in mid-March.
02 January 2009
If you're sick, don't push it.
Duration = 45:04
Distance = 3.41
Calories = 402
Max HR = 183
Avg HR = 155
Running Index = 37
Max Cadence = 101
Avg Cadence = 82
I was planning on a time trial run of 1 mile during this session. I even got started at the target pace I'd set. A bit more than a quarter way into the trial, I didn't like the way I felt and dropped back to "easy" pace and ran out the rest of the session there. I then did an extended cool-down.
I've been fighting a cold since my trip to Oklahoma and I feel this may have impacted the profile run I did earlier this week. Mechanically, I feel good and I will be very happy when this cold is licked.
The cool-down I have added to my treadmill training is throwing off the heart rate and cadence averages. It is also leading to an under-reporting of the Running Index for these short sessions. Going forward, I will try stopping the HRM when I get to the extended cool-down.
I was targeting an 8:00 mile run to set the VDOT using to determine my training paces to a higher value than the standard rate would predict. Instead, I will adhere to the increase of 1 in VDOT expected about every four weeks due to the normal rate of adaptation. I will train at a VDOT of 34 between now and my first 5K race on 1 February. I expect to use a VDOT of 35 to set my pace for that race and we'll see if there is anything left at the end.
Distance = 3.41
Calories = 402
Max HR = 183
Avg HR = 155
Running Index = 37
Max Cadence = 101
Avg Cadence = 82
I was planning on a time trial run of 1 mile during this session. I even got started at the target pace I'd set. A bit more than a quarter way into the trial, I didn't like the way I felt and dropped back to "easy" pace and ran out the rest of the session there. I then did an extended cool-down.
I've been fighting a cold since my trip to Oklahoma and I feel this may have impacted the profile run I did earlier this week. Mechanically, I feel good and I will be very happy when this cold is licked.
The cool-down I have added to my treadmill training is throwing off the heart rate and cadence averages. It is also leading to an under-reporting of the Running Index for these short sessions. Going forward, I will try stopping the HRM when I get to the extended cool-down.
I was targeting an 8:00 mile run to set the VDOT using to determine my training paces to a higher value than the standard rate would predict. Instead, I will adhere to the increase of 1 in VDOT expected about every four weeks due to the normal rate of adaptation. I will train at a VDOT of 34 between now and my first 5K race on 1 February. I expect to use a VDOT of 35 to set my pace for that race and we'll see if there is anything left at the end.
01 January 2009
Fitness Goals for 2009
These expand and complement the goals enumerated in my 15 December Goals Update.
[Edited 2009-04-11 to note 10K completion]
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.
- 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 2009-04-11 to note 10K completion]
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