04 January 2010

Treadmill Monday 10 Weeks from Bataan

Duration = 40:08
Distance = 2.40
Calories = 272
Max HR = 136
Avg HR = 128
Running Index = 42
Max Cadence = 95
Avg Cadence = 73

Different warm up than normal, I started with 5 minutes at 3.5 then ramped up to get in the 130-135 range. I briefly jogged at 4.0 mph before I hit my limit and returned to walking in the 3.6-3.8 mph range. Normal cool-down from 3.5 to 2.0 over 4 minutes.

I feel great after finishing this session.

Split Data:
Lap    Time    Lap Time   Max  Avg  Min  Dist  min/mile
1. 0:08:16.7 0:08:16.7 134 116 82 0.494 16:44
2. 0:16:09.1 0:07:52.4 136 132 129 0.497 15:49
3. 0:24:20.9 0:08:11.8 135 132 127 0.501 16:20
4. 0:32:34.6 0:08:13.7 136 133 123 0.503 16:21
5. 0:40:08.0 0:07:33.4 135 128 114 0.403 18:49

03 January 2010

Treadmill Recovery

Duration = 40:08
Distance = 2.54
Calories = 272
Max HR = 136
Avg HR = 128
Running Index = 45
Max Cadence = 103
Avg Cadence = 77

Sunday is usually my long run day, but, because of the race yesterday, I swapped in a 40 minute session from earlier in the week. What I've been doing with the treadmill sessions is start at 4.0 and keep that up until my heart rate hits my 136 bpm limit and drop the speed by .2 mph. I probably should have started with a 3.5 walk and bumped it up until I was in the target range to make this a true recovery.

I hit the limit at 12:10 and dropped to 3.8. I hit the limit again at 23:25, and dropped to 3.7. I stayed there until 36:00. My cool-down on the treadmill is "drop to first .5/.0 speed, then drop .5 each minute to 2.0, then stay at 2.0 until my heart rate is under 120 (minimum of 1 minute)". Today that was 3.5 -> 3.0 -> 2.5 -> 2.0 and I finished at the end of the first 2.0 minute at 111 bpm.

I may need to step the RS800CX to auto-lap at half miles, but I'm currently using manual laps at the mile. Again, I may start setting manual laps at half miles. We'll see next week if I can remember to do that.

Today's data:
Lap   Time  Lap Time Max Avg Min Dist  min/mile 
1. 15:11.8 15:11.8 136 127 104 1.013 15:00
2. 31:16.3 16:04.5 136 131 121 1.027 15:39
3. 40:08.3 08:52.0 133 126 110 0.496 17:46

02 January 2010

2009-10 Reese Winter Race Series 10K #2

Duration = 1:03:03
Distance = 6.71 (total reported by Polar)
Calories = 745
Max HR = 191
Avg HR = 175
Running Index = 45
Max Cadence = 103
Avg Cadence = 96

Today was the second on the winter racing series I'm participating in. Conditions were 10F with a 15 mph wind from the north and sunny, clear, blue, skies.

These are the lap times and heart race data:
Lap   Time    Lap Time  Max Avg Min Dist  min/mile
1. 0:09:47.7 0:09:47.7 173 164 110 1.054 9:17
2. 0:19:48.5 0:10:00.8 177 173 166 1.071 9:21
3. 0:29:56.4 0:10:07.9 184 177 171 1.070 9:28
4. 0:40:53.6 0:10:57.2 180 175 168 1.141 9:36
5. 0:51:19.9 0:10:26.3 179 176 172 1.090 9:30
6. 1:00:54.1 0:09:34.2 189 181 173 1.050 9:06
7. 1:03:02.6 0:02:08.5 191 188 184 0.232 9:24
The laps are marked at the posted mile markers. There was ice on the ground, and I am sure that some of the extra distance is finding a suitable surface. Miles 3 and 6 were mostly into the wind. The final piece involved dodging significant ice which is why I finished slower than the last full mile. There seems be some impact on the foot pod due to the temperature.

I was wearing a different pair of shoes than last month and I feel better. Equipment was Nike Structure 12s, WrightSocks Running, tights, shorts, Under Armor Cold Gear top, tech top, Gortex windbreaker, balaclava, wool cap, and sunglasses. I was also wearing a Polar monitor with foot and GPS sensor. The GPS battery suffered from the cold. I'll have to try a lithium battery for cold running and see if that works better. Since I lost GPS during the run, I can't cross-check the reported the distance against the recorded track.

I am happier with the pacing. I resisted the urge to start too fast. I went out at 7:30/mile last month. I didn't do as well as last month by my watch, but the weather was definitely a factor and I feel I ran a better race. I have no indication of the calf issues I had last month. Slight ITB indications on the right in the second half of the run, but these are much better later in the day. A foam roller is on my buy list.

01 January 2010

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

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]

07 December 2009

Walk at work

Duration = 29:56
Distance = 1.5
Calories = 127 (estimate)

I felt fairly good after the race on Saturday. I didn't have any hint of the ITB on the right that I have a tendency for. Sunday, I had very stiff calves. This is the first time I've had any issue with the calf muscle. The stiffness seems to go away once I start moving. My wife massaged my legs last night. Rather than run this morning, I decided to walk at lunch inside my office building. We have a measured 1/2 mile path. I did this at a very comfortable pace. I only did 1.5 miles as I had to get back to work and had started later than I had planned.

Lap Times:
  1. 10:04
  2. 9:48
  3. 10:04

05 December 2009

2009-10 Reese Winter Race Series 10K #1

Duration = 1:02:33
Distance = 6.36
Calories = 764
Max HR = 190
Avg HR = 178
Running Index = 42
Max Cadence = 125
Avg Cadence = 93

I drove up to Reese, MI for this race. This is the first of a monthly series of races on the first Saturday of each month finishing in March. The course is a flat loop through part of the town run twice for the 10K. The temperature was in the mid-20s and sunny with a few clouds and a wind from the southwest during the race. There was overcast and snow flurries before and after the race. I was planning on running at 9:00/mile for the first half or so, but I quickly determined that this wasn't to be. I, then, hoped to stay under 1 hour, or at least to be under 10:00/mile. At least I made the last of those. I finished 89 of 90 running the 10K in 1:01:15.15 (9:51/mile).

This really shows me that I need to be consistent with my training. I will participate in as many of these races as I can. Repeating the same course will give me great feedback on this phase of my training.

[Posted 7 Dec 2009]

03 December 2009

Gotta keep running

Duration = 50:11
Distance = 3.58
Calories = 410
Max HR = 151
Avg HR = 141
Running Index = 44
Max Cadence = 94
Avg Cadence = 88

Not as good as the last treadmill session at this intensity. I gotta get more consistent if I want to improve.

Standard start of 5 minutes at 4.0 mph. Ramp finished at 4.9 when I topped 145 on the heart rate. I did 8 minutes at 4.9 before I started hitting 150 which is the current limit I want to stay under. I dropped the speed as needed and finished at 4.4. Then the normal cool-down at 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5 and 2.0 for a minute each with a finishing HR of 124.

Saturday will be the first of a series of monthly races that I will use to gage my progress through the winter.