Monday, January 28, 2008

Sunday Long Distance Slow Run

This morning I woke up at 5:00am to head out on my marathon training long run. It was pretty cold out (13 degrees) when I left so I was scrambling to find another pair of long johns to wear after yesterday. I could not find the because they got mixed up with clean and dirty clothes so I left with only my running tights on my legs and I had a workout shirt under my Patagonia Cap 3 shirt, under my running jacket, and finally under my North Face Running jacket (lightweight and provides storage for my mp-3 player and cell phone!).

Grabbed my bacalava and hat this time (need to remember this for my bike rides) and head lamp and headed out. My plan was to run 60 minutes downhill and then have 80 minutes to run back up hill. I figured at 10 min mile pace I could get 12 miles in. I hit the library in town at 60 minutes so I took a gel and some water and turned around. There is almost a 500 vertical foot difference from home to the library and I was working on keeping a good low heart rate so I wanted to go slow up the hill home (maybe even having to walk depending on what my Heart Rate did).

Two weeks ago I almost bonked 1 mile from home so my plan was to take another gel just past Chestnut Ridge Park overpass so I would have enough energy to get home. I hit the bottom of the hill and my Heart Rate just jumped up so fast I decided to walk up the hill. Felt strange walking, but I know it was the best idea! I hit my 2nd gel point and took that in and started running again.

Made it home feeling good. My overall speed was not the greatest, but that is alright - it was about the heart rate.

I will definitely work on getting everything together the night before so I can get out of the house faster for sure! My hydration and gel consumption worked out great. I just need to focus on better stretching, but I am happy with my progress so far.

Next week another 40-50 mile bike ride and 14 mile run on Sunday.

Have a great day!

Saturday Morning Mountain Bike Ride

Today I took off for Springville on the Bianchi. I took Rt-240 down and decided to come back up Rt-391 (which was much more enjoyable!!!). I had a lot of problems with my CamelBak freezing in the mouthpiece area. I had to stop a couple of times on the way to adjust that and my bacalava to keep my forehead from freezing! It was around 15 degrees when I started and thank goodness there was no wind to add to the cold temperature.

I made it down to Springville in about 1 1/2 hours with the stops I had to take and decided to grab some hot chocolate at Dunkin Donuts since on my rides I will be stopping periodically to refuel. Had some fun conversations with a couple of people asking me where I was riding from and telling me to be safe and to have fun. Once I got moving again I was shivering from being cold again. Next time I will not stop that long for sure!

So I headed over to Springville-Boston Road (Rt-391) and headed back home. This was a fun ride. Not any large hills so I could keep my heart rate in a good range for a long time. Then the decision came - How do I go home and by this I mean which hill will I ride up. I live at the top of the hill and no matter what when I leave for a long ride or run I get to head downhill at first, and then the finish is always which hill up.

I was going to ride 50 miles but got a late start and had to clean up for the basketball game that afternoon, so I cut it short. I decided to head up Herman Hill Road. I purposely went slower than I could have to keep my heart rate lower. I crested out on the hill and cruised the remaining relatively flat portion home.

As I got off the bike my left hamstring cramped up! That stunk. I did a lot of stretching and took the bike downstairs to start the clean off process. A lot of road grime was on the bike and my clothes so I cleaned them up and headed off for basketball after my world famous smoothie. Ask me for the recipe someday and I will share it with you! I also polished off a chicken taco before the game for good measure. I earned it!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

First Interval Training for Upcoming Marathon

Well this morning's workout rocked!

I was on the dreadmill (thanks BT member for this term!) at the local establishment and I started off warming up at 6.0 (flat) for 1.5 miles. Next 1/4 mile I would up to 8.0 and drop to 5.0 for a quick recovery and then back up to 6.0 to finish out 1/4 mile. This went on to 3.0 miles when the treadmill stops.

So I restart and hit 6.0 for 1/4 - then bump up to 8.0 again. I do my recovery 1/4 and I decide to skip next 1/4 mile high to save it for the end. So I go flat to 6.5 and start feeling it! I still have not figured out how to feel "it" a lot more often, but that is for another day! I go to 7.0 and picture Rocky in Rocky 5 climbing the mountain in Siberia (Wyoming actually!) and think of Robert DeNiro calling Cuba Gooding jr. Cookie in their Navy Diver movie.

I start yelling at myself silently, calling myself cookie. Telling me to get my a** up that hill. I go to 8.0 and am just feeling it totally. This was the greatest feeling in the world. I am yelling at myself so loudly, yet so silently because I did not want to scare people, that I kick it to 8.5 and go to 5.0 on the incline. I am flying up that hill. Cookie is going to make it to the top of that hill if it kills him. Pushing and pushing I peak it. Drop back down to 5.0 for a recovery. My H/R was 192 but I felt great! So I hit the 3.0 mile mark (I always warm up the first .10 mile so I have to finish at 3.10) and am feeling good again so I jack it up to 9.5 for the final sprint.

Guess what? No one caught me!

What an awesome workout. Took a celebratory light swim in the pool also. I earned it! Now to see how I feel tomorrow. Doing alright so far!

Keep it up Cookie!

Monday, January 21, 2008

1 Mile Swim

YES!!!!!!!!!!!

First time ever I did a 1 mile swim!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just wanted to let everyone know! I am psyched!

My Single Speed Bianchi


Well here is my tool of choice - I love this bike! It was taken in Jim Thorpe, PA over the summer.




Sunday, January 20, 2008

Sunday Long Run

Well today I was going to go outside and add to my crappy weather challenge points - 12 degrees/25mph winds/light snow - would have made for a great score with a 12 mile run, but common sense took over and I headed to the YMCA for a track/treadmill workout.

The place was crazy. I started on the track which I never do in the morning and did 3 miles at 10 min miles. Wrapped that up and hit the treadmill for 3 miles at a little faster pace, but not much. Went back out to the track because we are only allowed 30 minutes on the treadmill and I generally follow rules! Did 3 miles again at 10 min miles and headed to the treadmill -yeah right. Back out to the track. Finished up with a slightly faster pace than 10min miles but not much. Felt great and I could have kept going.

To keep me going I took a gelpack every 3 miles with water and just plain water every mile. Ate a ClifBar at 1hour (1/2) and 1 1/2 hours also. It took a couple of minutes for my blood to adjust but they did the trick!

See you at CrossFit workout tomorrow - Pain is my choice!

Saturday, January 19, 2008

First Post

Well today I woke up and thought to myself - why not start a blog for your training so my friends can see what I am up to and thinking as well.

I went for a single speed mountain bike ride today. It was snowing lightly when I left the house at 8:00am and it was in the low 20's with a 12-15mph wind blowing. Wonderful conditions!!!!

So I went up Cole to Boston-Colden Road and dropped down into Colden. Used the restroom at a local ski rental store and the owner and customer looked at me and asked if I was riding a bike - I said sure am and walked to the facility. I am sure they thought I was crazy! Went back out and continued towards Kissing Bridge Ski Area. The snow never really picked up until I hit KB. I decided to turn around so I pulled over grabbed a bite of my ClifBar (Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk) and gel.

Started back home and it seemed as though the snow was picking up and when I hit Lower East Hill Road I was shocked. I had to take my glasses off because I could not see and there was 2" of snow on the road. I decided to head up the road and told myself if it got bad I would turn around and cruise up to Behm off of RT-240. Needless to say it got worse and I kept going. Had to walk the bike for 1/4 mile towards the upper end of the hill because it was so bad I felt safer (??) walking!

Made it home somehow with snow covering me and my bike! Felt good on the ride and I would just like to thank the couple of people that honked at me and shouted encouragement (I hope) to me to keep going. I felt like a loony out there, but at the end of the day it does not matter how you feel, it only matters what you accomplish!

22.5 miles in 1hr54min-not bad for the single speed in a good old fashion snow storm!

Makes tomorrow's run look so much more enjoyable!!!!