Thursday is a rest day this week.

So I decided to take the day off today because of my knee. The odd thing is, is that it is not swollen. It is only painful. Not deathly, but minimally to where I don't want to exert it, or risk further injury. And with a long run on Saturday (12 miles), I want to be prepared and ready for that. I'm going to ice my knee again tonight, and see how it feels in the morning. Hopefully, much better as I only have another day until my long run.

Tuesday/Wednesday Workout

So Tuesday afternoon was spent at the gym. Well.... not the whole afternoon, about an hour. 30 minutes on the bike when I got there, kept the heart rate around 160. Got about 10 miles in on the bike. The bike was then followed up by my arm/leg workout. I like doing legs after the bike because it gives my legs the practice of transitioning to the run. Followed up with arms, that are used to support my body on the bike.

Wednesday started with an after work run with Tim and Nick. We did 6 miles at a slow/comfortable pace. A conversational pace. Our average pace was right around 9:40, and my average HR was 138. Pretty low for a long run, but it was fun. At about mile 3, my knee started to have some issues. It gave out on me 2 or 3 times, and I started to baby it a little. After about 5 minutes, it started to feel much better. After that run, my knee started to bother me again. Walking helped it, but when I would sit, it would start to tense up.

Later tonight was my track workout. My knee was feeling better at that point. As usual, we started with a 2 lap warm-up. This was followed by 6 laps around the trap at a comfortable-hard pace. My group kept it around 9 min/mile. After the 6 laps we took a two minute rest, and it was followed by 6x100m sprints. Each followed by a 2 minute walking rest. My fastest sprint was a 4:21. As usual, it was followed with a 1 lap cool down. Knee was definitely starting to hurt at the end.

I am now sitting on the couch with an icy hot patch on my knee. Made a tuna melt for dinner, and had some accelerade to drink. Overall, a great couple of days.

My training log!

Just in case some of you didn't know, you can find my training log here:

http://train-smarter.com/Calendar.aspx?id=88

This way you can keep tabs on me.

Ok, i'm outta here.

Monday Recovery Run

Last night I went for a short, 4 mile, recovery run. I love running out here in Clackamas, because the terrain is not very nice at all. The hills are a great training tool, and I do enjoy running up hills. It has an incredible training effect and an even better cardio improvement.

My run was about 4.5 miles and my average heart rate was around 168, which is great for a recovery run. To put it into perspective, normally during a race, my heart rate is around 190-195. And that would be pushing it hard. So overall, it was great. The temperature was about 38 degrees and clear. I had my jacket (which is reflective), my reflective vest and headlamp. I was very well lit and visible. My shoes and tights are also a tad reflective, and warm. My feet were really the only thing that was cold, but they eventually warmed up.

I'm gonna say it every time, but I love running again, and it feels good to like to run again. I definitely know that I over trained last year, and I'm working to not do that again. I'm doing more cross training and weights to mix it up a bit.

I plan on hitting the gym this afternoon and hitting the bike. I'll report about that later.

Saturday Long Run, Sunday... Lazy Day

So yesterday was my weekly long run again with GFLF. This week I was scheduled for 10 miles, and I got them in. It was a great course, they had mapped for us. The first 3 miles were through downtown, then out toward Duniway park, and we ran up the terwilliger hill. This was also great practice for the Shamrock Run in early March. We ran 2 miles up the hill, then turned around and enjoyed the way down. Finished through the city, and as always, finished at FitRight NW.

I took the day off today to relax and get ready for my week. Knowing that it is going to be long and strenuous. I plan on getting 4-5 miles in tomorrow morning, then a bike ride on Tuesday and Thursday, with a track run Wednesday, and a brick on friday (bike/run).

I also plan on finishing all the days up with some weights and stretching. Working on my flexibility has also become a priority of mine lately, knowing that it is something that I need to improve on. Flexibility will help with all 3 disciplines, improving my speed and endurance. Weights are also important for the same reason, including my core. Core is your abs, obliques, lower back, and other extrenuous muscles that surround your abdomen. These muscles help improve my form in the 3 disciplines and allows me to increase my endurance and speed.

That is it from me this weekend. I'll update tomorrow and I promise I will try to stay more consistent with my posts.

Wow, It's been a long time....

So, I haven't posted in about a week, almost exactly. Well, it's been a busy week, not only with workouts, but work and my personal life have been quite demanding. Steph and I had another doctors appointment this week, and we got to hear the heartbeat again, and it is slowing, meaning the bean is getting stronger (future triathlete maybe?). We also setup our appointment for the big ultrasound, to check the baby for defects and of course, sex. We are all very excited! At the previous appointment, Steph also had blood tests done to test for diseases and down syndrome and we will find out the results in 3 weeks at the next appointment. It's all very new and exciting for us and we are loving every moment.

Now, onto the point of the blog, exercise. It's been a great week for me, and I'm loving every minute of getting back into my running/exercise routine. My goal race this year is the 70.3 Half Ironman in Lake Stevens Washington. The race is in 29 weeks, as you can tell from my calendar on the right, and I have yet to get any swimming in. I have been following a weight training routine for swimmers, and have been working on my upper body strength and endurance to prepare for my swim training, so it will mostly be spent working on form. My legs have gotten a beating from me running and on the stationary bike. I have been doing some spin classes as well as some riding on my own. Running, haven't run much on the treadmill this year, have done most outside thanks to our fantastic weather out here in the Northwest.

Since my last post, I have done my long run last Saturday at 9 miles and averaging an 8:45 pace. We started at Fit Right NW as normal, and went onto Leif Erickson (sp?) trail for some running. It is a 1.5 run to the trail head, and it is totally uphill the entire way. Not only was it uphill, but still dewey from the morning and a little slippery, with some water/ice mix on the streets. We then went on the trail and it's an uphill trail, running for about 11 miles, but we only did about 4 on the trail, and it was rough. But, of course, coming back was nice, running downhill the entire way back to the store. The run felt great, and my shoes are fantastic. They are the Nike Vomero +3 and the cushioning is superb as well as the fit. I have never been a fan of Nike's until I started wearing these shoes. I will definitely put some miles in these bad boys.

Then Sunday followed with a ride on the stationary bike at the gym, followed by upper body weights to work on my swimming muscles. It feels great to be back on the bike again as well, but I can't wait to get a ride in outside. An option that I have been looking at is buying a bike, and financing it. Most stores offer 12-24 months of no payments and no interest. I figure if I get a bike that is about 1100-1200, that's only 100, or even 50 a month for 24 months, which I can afford. But we will have to see.

Monday was an off day from exercise and work, a day to get laundry done. And to relax obviously.

Wednesday was once again a track workout at Duniway Park. This week we did 6x800m comfortably hard, followed by a 200m rest/walk in between each set. This week, I didn't run as fast, as the group was pacing around a 9 minute mile. I had to back off a little this week. We were very consistent each lap, only differing by a few seconds each time. I'm really liking track workouts as the ground is softer (made of rubber) and it's definitely a great way to work on speed. For me, I use it as a way to work on form. I am working on my stride and foot strike, as I want to become a more efficient runner.

Phew, all caught up. I promise I will be more up to date from now on with my posting, but as you can see, it's been quite busy. Have a great weekend, and I'll be posting on Saturday about my long run.

Thursday After Work Run

Another after work run, felt back in the Hood to Coast days. Went on a run with Nick and Tim, coworkers of mine (senior to me, and Nick is my boss), and it was fun. It's always fun to run with these guys. We have a blast and we usually keep the pace pretty even and not too fast. We did 4.5 miles around the office and averaged about a 8:45 pace, and at one point, I ran for about a mile at sub 7 min/mile to catch up to them, after they left me in the restroom.

Great run overall.

Track workout GFLF 1/14/09

Wednesday was the first track workout for the GFLF program, and wow, I think I really like track workouts. It was really different for me, i'm just used to running along the road, or trail, but the track was a completely different experience.

The workout we did was 3 sets of 600m comfortably hard, followed by 1 minute rest, then a 200m sprint, then a 200m walk, then we would start the next set once our heart rate reached 120. Let's just say that my comfortably hard pace is different then the rest. We'll get to that later.

We started the night with an 800m warmup, my warmup pace was around 8:45, consistent. Then some stretching. We did more drills, like skips, lunges, side step, etc. Then we started the workout. Onto my story, comfortably hard, I started running, comfortably hard, then about halfway through the lap, I look back, and people are a ways behind me. UH OH. I was a pacer, not a racer now. I slowed down, let them catch up and tried to keep them in my sights. Then the 200m sprint, and same thing, but this time, I just went my own pace as they caught up when we were waiting for our heart rates to go back down, and soon, they should be able to keep up.

And now we were waiting for heart rate, mine was down to about 110, when we would be ready to start running again. Then this was followed by 2 more sets. After the sets, an 800m cooldown.

I also wore my new track/racing shoes. They are Asics Gel Speedstars and I LOVE THEM! They felt fantastic on that track. Very Light weight and responsive. I ran back to the car with them to see how they would hold up on cement, and they also did very well. Obviously not as much padding as normal, because they are a racing shoe.

Overall a great workout with GFLF, and I'm looking forward to our long run on Saturday morning, as we explore Leif trail.

Day 1 of Weight Lifting

Today was my first day weight lifting again in a while, and it felt great. I love the feeling of your muscles getting stronger as you feel weaker. I worked on chest and back today. Easily got my heart rate up to about 70% for the lifting. After about 45 minutes of weights, I went down to the treadmill and ran for about 2 miles, or 16 minutes. Heart Rate stuck around 80% for the run. Not too bad after lifting weights. Overall good day at the gym today. Tomorrow it's speedwork at the track with GFLF (Get Fit Live Fit, I'll try to use the acronym from now on).

I'll be checking in tomorrow.

24 Hour Fitness Consult

I had a fitness consultation with a trainer yesterday at 24 hour fitness. He basically took my measurements and did a body fat and muscle imbalance test.

It seems my body fat is at 18%. For an endurance athlete, that's a little high, but for a normal 24 year old, i'm about 7% too high. To be in the excellent category for a 24 year old, I should be at 10.8% body fat. That's crazy. My goal is to be around 13% body fat by summer. This is definetly a realistic goal for me. I plan to also lose 10 pounds of fat by that time, and bulk up a little for race season.

I have another measurement setup to be in 30 days, to check on my progress. Hopefully, i'll be working towards my goal, and there will be a noticeable difference.

GetFitLiveFit First Group Run 1/10

Yesterday was the first group run for the GetFitLiveFit program. It was a great morning for a run too, 40 degrees and brisk, a normal winter morning in Portland. I am the fast pace group leader for the 1/2 marathon group. My recovery pace is set at 8:30.

We left the Fit Right NW store around 8:15, me leading two others that were set to run 8 miles that day at that pace. I came to find out later, they were not part of the program, but just wanted to run with a group. I didn't mind, I was still getting my volunteer credit, and also getting in a long run, preparing for my Half Marathon race in March. I managed to average the group at an 8:45 pace, not bad for my first time.

I'm looking forward to working with the group and helping not only myself achieve a goal. Wednesday will be a speed workout at Duniway track, which I have no experience in. But I am looking forward to learning all about speed workouts.

My old posts from my old blog

Here are all my old posts from my wordpress blog. This will be my new home!

Get Fit Live Fit

January 8, 2009

Now, I’m not the advertising type, and I’m definitely not advertising anything. I am a pace leader for the Get Fit Live Fit program in Portland, which is sponsored by FitRight NW. As a pace leader for the program, it is my responsibility that participants in the program reach their goals and achieve whatever it is they want to achieve. Some are there to set a PR, some are there to get to know the sport of running, and some may be there to lose weight. The one thing I know is that I am there to help them do just that.

I am a pace leader for the Half-Marathon program that will be ending March 25th, and setting up participants for a half marathon the weekend of March 28-29. Which is great for me, as I am doing the ING Georgia Half Marathon that weekend with my Father-In-Law. So Dan, I am going to be extra ready for that race.

The first session starts this Saturday, and it is long run day. Not only am I a half marathon pace leader, but I have the fast group, running a recovery pace of 9:00 min/mile. Which puts our race/fast pace around 7:30 min/mile or a little faster. This will be great for my triathlon training, as I know that I will always be able to get a run in.

We do two runs/workouts a week. Saturday is long run day, and then we do a track workout on Wednesday, working on speed and technique. This is something that I desperately need to add to my training, and I can’t wait to get started.

With all that said, I’m very excited to be participating in this program, and being a mentor/leader for my group of runners.

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I’m signed up and ready to go

January 8, 2009

I’ve signed up for my membership and i’m ready to begin. My workout will start next week, once I have my training plan all figured out, which i have tasked for this weekend.

I’ll keep you all updated on my status, and I will use this blog as a testament of my training.

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I’ve got my membership!

January 2, 2009

So for Christmas this year I asked for a 24 hour gym membership, because in order to work on your swimming, you need a pool. I also plan on getting in strength training, spinning classes, and some minimal running on the treadmill, as I plan to do most of my running outside.

This will be the starting point of my triathlon career, and thanks to my wife and family for their support with this goal of mine.

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On my way to Ironman

January 2, 2009

I will use this site to blog about my experiences training for the ultimate endurance event, the Ironman!