I'm still trying to figure out the best plan for myself and running. You'd think by this late in the game that I would have figured out what was working and what wasn't, but I think I've finally figured out that four runs a week isn't ideal for me. Even though I skipped running in the cold dark rain yesterday morning I did bring stuff to go to the gym after work. Except I ended up having to work late, so I skipped the gym too.
I tried to make up a little bit this morning by doing 8 miles instead of the scheduled 5. I actually had a great run this morning. I ran to the Park, ran north to the Harlem Hill and did two repeats on the hill (from 102nd Street Transverse to the Adam Clayton Powell entrance to the Park). That meant that miles 2.80-5.20 were all up and down hill. Which looked pretty familiar. I'm thinking that I need to do this run again with some more hill repeats than I did today as preparation for the marathon.
While I was running today, I was noticing a lot of groups or pairs of people running together. I was thinking about how I almost always run alone. Even at the Terrier runs that I go to, I tend to run alone. I was trying to figure out how I feel about that. I never feel lonely while running, but I think that sometimes if I had someone else to push me more than I'd push myself it could be nice.
Truthfully, I don't even really know who I would run with even if I was dying to have a running buddy. Everyone I know that runs is oodles faster than I am (especially with this slower running I've been doing while marathon training). I think I decided this morning that I'm pretty okay with running by myself. That's how all the races are, so I guess it's good to train how you're going to race.
I had another Gu today (vanilla bean flavor again) while running. I had it about 52 minutes into my run while running downhill. I noticed that it definitely slowed me down to eat and run at the same time, but I was able to do both without stopping to walk. I did then stop at a drinking fountain shortly after I was done to wash it all down. I also noticed that if you're trying to get the end of the Gu packet you should not stick the whole thing in your mouth in an effort to get the last of it out. Turns out that makes me a bit gaggy.
I'm pleasantly surprised to report that this Gu trial went over well. I forgot to buy them before my last long run on Saturday, so this was only my second attempt. I didn't have any stomach issues, so that's another win. I don't necessarily think that I needed the Gu today, but I am glad to keep trying them out before attempting it with a long run. I'll be interested to see how it goes on my long run this weekend.
Running
Time: 1:23:27
Distance: 8.00 miles
Pace: 10:25/mile
Showing posts with label Harlem Hill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harlem Hill. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Not The Usual Way
I thought my proverb on today's tea bag was especially fitting for me. In case you can't read it, it says, "He who would leap high must take a long run". I'd also like to point out that the thing in the background is my coffee cup, that really only ever sees tea. Don't ask what those color swatches are. This is the most ridiculous coffee cup, but it's a really good size, and it was free, which is why I continue to use it!
.JPG)
I was supposed to get up and go running this morning like usual, but I just didn't feel like it. Instead, I was thinking about last night when I was walking home from work and how I thought that it just seemed like a great night for running and that maybe I should go tonight instead of this morning. Which was really just a great way to rationalize sleeping in for a bit longer.
However, I was able to leave work at a decent time and came home, changed clothes and headed out for a run. Today I was supposed to be doing 7 miles. I've typically been running from home to the Park around the big loop and back again. That is a really good plan when it's early in the morning and there is no one on the sidewalk. That is a bad plan when it's 6:30 and the sidewalk is packed.
So, I decided not to make myself crazy from the get-go and I walked to the Park. I started running as soon as I got there. I decided to go against traffic and run north first, up the West Side of the Park. I always have a mental block about running this way, because somehow I always psych myself out about the backside of Harlem Hill (near Lasker Pool) and it being too steep or something. I was bound and determined not to let that happen today.
I wasn't in a big rush or anything, so I was just plodding along like usual. It was totally different to be out there at night instead of the morning and have the sun going down instead of coming up. When I got to the backside of the Harlem Hill, I kept repeating the same song lyric over and over again, basically telling myself that I couldn't give up. And you know what? I never stopped running!
After that, I just felt invincible. I ran the rest of the way downtown. I happened to see Coach Spencer while I was running. As soon as I saw him, I noticed that I became more conscious of my running form. After we passed, I kept telling myself to "run like Spencer was watching." It actually works!
When I passed the 72nd Street transverse, I was glad that I was almost done. I decided to see what I could do and see if I could pick up the pace a bit. I started running faster right around the time where the turn is and 6th Avenue sort-of comes into the Park (just above 65th Street). I hadn't looked at my watch at all, but I decided that I'd look at it then. I was at 1:00:30 and had gone 5.61 miles (10:47 pace).
I didn't know my mileage at the time, but I started running as fast as I possibly could that I thought was sustainable. Every time I passed a hash mark on the ground for speed work, I kept telling myself that I had 200 fewer meters to go and could I possibly go any faster? Turns out that I ran the last .69 miles in 6:11 (or 8:57 pace), which made me feel fantastic!
I finished running with a huge smile on my face and made a bee line to get myself some dinner. But I had a great run. I haven't been running at night in a long time and maybe that was the difference today. I made it up Harlem Hill with no complaints. I never took one walking/drinking break. I finished running faster than when I started. All in all, pretty happy with that!
Time: 1:06:41
Distance: 6.30 miles
Pace: 10:35/mile
.JPG)
I was supposed to get up and go running this morning like usual, but I just didn't feel like it. Instead, I was thinking about last night when I was walking home from work and how I thought that it just seemed like a great night for running and that maybe I should go tonight instead of this morning. Which was really just a great way to rationalize sleeping in for a bit longer.
However, I was able to leave work at a decent time and came home, changed clothes and headed out for a run. Today I was supposed to be doing 7 miles. I've typically been running from home to the Park around the big loop and back again. That is a really good plan when it's early in the morning and there is no one on the sidewalk. That is a bad plan when it's 6:30 and the sidewalk is packed.
So, I decided not to make myself crazy from the get-go and I walked to the Park. I started running as soon as I got there. I decided to go against traffic and run north first, up the West Side of the Park. I always have a mental block about running this way, because somehow I always psych myself out about the backside of Harlem Hill (near Lasker Pool) and it being too steep or something. I was bound and determined not to let that happen today.
I wasn't in a big rush or anything, so I was just plodding along like usual. It was totally different to be out there at night instead of the morning and have the sun going down instead of coming up. When I got to the backside of the Harlem Hill, I kept repeating the same song lyric over and over again, basically telling myself that I couldn't give up. And you know what? I never stopped running!
After that, I just felt invincible. I ran the rest of the way downtown. I happened to see Coach Spencer while I was running. As soon as I saw him, I noticed that I became more conscious of my running form. After we passed, I kept telling myself to "run like Spencer was watching." It actually works!
When I passed the 72nd Street transverse, I was glad that I was almost done. I decided to see what I could do and see if I could pick up the pace a bit. I started running faster right around the time where the turn is and 6th Avenue sort-of comes into the Park (just above 65th Street). I hadn't looked at my watch at all, but I decided that I'd look at it then. I was at 1:00:30 and had gone 5.61 miles (10:47 pace).
I didn't know my mileage at the time, but I started running as fast as I possibly could that I thought was sustainable. Every time I passed a hash mark on the ground for speed work, I kept telling myself that I had 200 fewer meters to go and could I possibly go any faster? Turns out that I ran the last .69 miles in 6:11 (or 8:57 pace), which made me feel fantastic!
I finished running with a huge smile on my face and made a bee line to get myself some dinner. But I had a great run. I haven't been running at night in a long time and maybe that was the difference today. I made it up Harlem Hill with no complaints. I never took one walking/drinking break. I finished running faster than when I started. All in all, pretty happy with that!
Time: 1:06:41
Distance: 6.30 miles
Pace: 10:35/mile
Monday, July 12, 2010
Let's Go For A Run
I had been thinking and thinking about the fact that I really wanted to run part of the NYC Triathlon course (essentially miles 1-4), which gets you from transition to the top of the Harlem Hill on the East Side. I know that if I can make it that far in the race, I should be good to go.
Drew really wanted to go for a run after work today, so he humored me in my quest to try out the route. Even though I've done it lots of times on my own, I've never run from the West Side Highway and 72nd Street, which changes everything!
We walked to 72nd Street and into Riverside Park. From there, we scoped out the transition area and then we were off. The first uphill is going to suck. It sucked today. It'll suck when I'm on rubbery legs off the bike. You should not have to run uphill immediately. That should be outlawed!
We actually got really lucky with the stoplights on 72nd Street (which obviously won't be a factor on race day), but we made all the lights going into the Park, so we didn't have to stop, which was really nice. I see now, looking at the map, that we made a mistake in the route, so we added in a little bit of extra mileage by not heading North right away on that driveway. Oh well. I guess that'll make the miles go by that much faster on Sunday!
I tried to keep track of the miles by hitting the lap button on my old watch (not a HR monitor) and this is what I came up with:
Mile 1: 10:45
Mile 2: 11:41
Mile 3: 12:43
Mile 4: 8:54
I know that Mile 3 was long and believe me, it felt like it at the time, too! Running up the first half of Harlem Hill was okay. Running down was better. And then I don't know what happens to me. I think the anticipation of that long uphill just gets to me. I made it up the second side of the hill (by Lasker Pool) and then I was just done. I wanted to be done running. So, we walked for a few seconds, ran for another minute or so and then that was that.
I had completed my goal and I was on a mission to get myself some Gatorade. That was all I wanted. Except all the vendors in the Park had packed up for the night and gone home. Don't they know that's not allowed? After walking for a while, Drew said that he was starving, so we decided to run the last mile back to the bottom of the Park to get ourselves some dinner.
We went to Whole Foods for dinner and spent a ridiculous amount of money on food. They don't sell Gatorade, but they do sell Vitamin Water (on sale 5 for $5) and I sucked down two of them faster than you can imagine! Totally worth it.
I will say that I was a little concerned that I was so slow today, but I'm trying to remember that this race on Sunday is supposed to be fun!
Running #1
Time: 44:03
Distance: 4.00 miles
Pace: 11:02/mile
Running #2
Time: 11:09
Distance: 1.00 miles
Pace: 11:09/mile
Drew really wanted to go for a run after work today, so he humored me in my quest to try out the route. Even though I've done it lots of times on my own, I've never run from the West Side Highway and 72nd Street, which changes everything! We walked to 72nd Street and into Riverside Park. From there, we scoped out the transition area and then we were off. The first uphill is going to suck. It sucked today. It'll suck when I'm on rubbery legs off the bike. You should not have to run uphill immediately. That should be outlawed!
We actually got really lucky with the stoplights on 72nd Street (which obviously won't be a factor on race day), but we made all the lights going into the Park, so we didn't have to stop, which was really nice. I see now, looking at the map, that we made a mistake in the route, so we added in a little bit of extra mileage by not heading North right away on that driveway. Oh well. I guess that'll make the miles go by that much faster on Sunday!
I tried to keep track of the miles by hitting the lap button on my old watch (not a HR monitor) and this is what I came up with:
Mile 1: 10:45
Mile 2: 11:41
Mile 3: 12:43
Mile 4: 8:54
I know that Mile 3 was long and believe me, it felt like it at the time, too! Running up the first half of Harlem Hill was okay. Running down was better. And then I don't know what happens to me. I think the anticipation of that long uphill just gets to me. I made it up the second side of the hill (by Lasker Pool) and then I was just done. I wanted to be done running. So, we walked for a few seconds, ran for another minute or so and then that was that.
I had completed my goal and I was on a mission to get myself some Gatorade. That was all I wanted. Except all the vendors in the Park had packed up for the night and gone home. Don't they know that's not allowed? After walking for a while, Drew said that he was starving, so we decided to run the last mile back to the bottom of the Park to get ourselves some dinner.
We went to Whole Foods for dinner and spent a ridiculous amount of money on food. They don't sell Gatorade, but they do sell Vitamin Water (on sale 5 for $5) and I sucked down two of them faster than you can imagine! Totally worth it.
I will say that I was a little concerned that I was so slow today, but I'm trying to remember that this race on Sunday is supposed to be fun!
Running #1
Time: 44:03
Distance: 4.00 miles
Pace: 11:02/mile
Running #2
Time: 11:09
Distance: 1.00 miles
Pace: 11:09/mile
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Cycling Is Hungry Work
Yesterday I really had every intention on going out for a ride. But then I didn't want to wake up. Which was okay, because I could go after work. Except I ended up having to stay late at work. So, the bike ride didn't happen. Oh well. I realize that maybe I should be taking this triathlon that I have in, um, 18 days, more seriously, but I've come to the realization that I'm doing this for fun. Get it people? No super secret time goals. Nothing. Just fun.
I've especially decided to embrace the fun aspect of doing the NYC triathlon this year since it looks like they'll be going to a lottery next year and that's no fun at all. If this is my one shot for a while, I might as well enjoy myself!
With that in mind, I know that I still need to keep up the workouts so that I can finish with a smile on my face. We'll be away for the long weekend in Wisconsin, so I won't be able to bike or swim there, so I figure I should get in some decent rides before we leave. This morning I headed out for some loops in the Park.
Again, I didn't want to kill my legs all in one go, so I figured I'd just do one loop and then try to keep it consistent from there. I think I finished the first loop in just under 24 minutes and then tried to not have that increase. Nothing too notable about the ride this morning. I think I had my shoes too tight because after doing the second loop, both of my feet felt like they were non-existent from being numb, so I stopped quickly and loosened the straps on my shoes and headed off for the third loop. So much better! I'm going to have to remember this on race day as I'm sure I have the tendency to over, rather than under, tighten.
My feet weren't the only thing on my mind this morning, though. Even though I ate about 200 calories before I left for my ride, I was starving about 40 minutes into it. Why is it that biking makes me so hungry? Is it because while I'm running my stomach is bouncing around a lot more and I don't notice if I'm hungry? Whatever it is, I was ready to gnaw my arm off by the time I got home today. As luck would have it, Drew was home from his workout earlier than usual and was in the midst of making breakfast when I walked in the door!
I ended up doing three loops this morning, which felt really good. I'm hoping to do the same tomorrow morning before we head off for the weekend. I'm pretty happy that I've consistently been at 15 MPH or over the last few rides. I understand this is a small victory for a lot of people, but it's nice to see that I'm slowly gaining ground on the bike. I had hoped that I would have spent a lot more time on the bike this year by now, but I figure that after NYC is over, I can just do whatever I want and get in some really good long rides and not have to worry about anything!
Biking
Time: 1:13:26
Distance: 18.45 miles (20.30 miles total)
Pace: 15.07 MPH
Calories: 596
Maximum HR: 171 (81%)
Average HR: 154 (73%)
I've especially decided to embrace the fun aspect of doing the NYC triathlon this year since it looks like they'll be going to a lottery next year and that's no fun at all. If this is my one shot for a while, I might as well enjoy myself!
With that in mind, I know that I still need to keep up the workouts so that I can finish with a smile on my face. We'll be away for the long weekend in Wisconsin, so I won't be able to bike or swim there, so I figure I should get in some decent rides before we leave. This morning I headed out for some loops in the Park.
Again, I didn't want to kill my legs all in one go, so I figured I'd just do one loop and then try to keep it consistent from there. I think I finished the first loop in just under 24 minutes and then tried to not have that increase. Nothing too notable about the ride this morning. I think I had my shoes too tight because after doing the second loop, both of my feet felt like they were non-existent from being numb, so I stopped quickly and loosened the straps on my shoes and headed off for the third loop. So much better! I'm going to have to remember this on race day as I'm sure I have the tendency to over, rather than under, tighten.
My feet weren't the only thing on my mind this morning, though. Even though I ate about 200 calories before I left for my ride, I was starving about 40 minutes into it. Why is it that biking makes me so hungry? Is it because while I'm running my stomach is bouncing around a lot more and I don't notice if I'm hungry? Whatever it is, I was ready to gnaw my arm off by the time I got home today. As luck would have it, Drew was home from his workout earlier than usual and was in the midst of making breakfast when I walked in the door!
I ended up doing three loops this morning, which felt really good. I'm hoping to do the same tomorrow morning before we head off for the weekend. I'm pretty happy that I've consistently been at 15 MPH or over the last few rides. I understand this is a small victory for a lot of people, but it's nice to see that I'm slowly gaining ground on the bike. I had hoped that I would have spent a lot more time on the bike this year by now, but I figure that after NYC is over, I can just do whatever I want and get in some really good long rides and not have to worry about anything!
Biking
Time: 1:13:26
Distance: 18.45 miles (20.30 miles total)
Pace: 15.07 MPH
Calories: 596
Maximum HR: 171 (81%)
Average HR: 154 (73%)
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
It's Just Like Riding A Bike
So, today was the big day! Last night I finally got around to putting my pedals back on my bike and pumping up the tires. I never did take my bike to Toga to have them give it a tune-up. I definitely still need to do this, though. It'll just have to wait a week, which isn't the end of the world.
This morning I ate, got dressed and headed out to see how the elbow would hold up on the bike. I got on the bike and nervously rode to the Park. So far, so good. As soon as I got into the Park, a squirrel ran in front of me and as I was braking, I was thinking to myself that I might get into another crash in less than 10 minutes of riding and then I might never get onto a bike again. Except the squirrel changed his mind and instead of continuing to run toward my bike tire, he turned around and ran back to where he came from. Whew.
I knew that I didn't want to be crazy and ridiculous, so I figured I'd do one loop and see how I felt. After doing that first loop, I felt great! I actually thought I had finished pretty fast, which was a good feeling. I figured that I might as well just keep on going at that point. I decided not to do the Harlem Hill a second time (wimpy, I know). Although those rollers coming down the West Side have never been my friend and they weren't today either.
All throughout the ride, I kept feeling my left elbow and moving it to make sure it was doing okay. Of course, my right elbow (the not broken one), in true fashion, decided to start hurting. This isn't anything new on the bike. I actually think that I might have figured out the problem today since I was paying so much attention to both of my elbows. I think I'm locking my right elbow on the bike and then when I go to move it (to get a drink, for instance) it's really stiff and tight. I don't have any solutions for this right now, so if someone else does, speak up!
So, I was trying to figure out what I think about these triathlons I've got coming up. New York still seems like a possibility to me. Doing double today's ride seems like it's doable. It's Timberman that I just can't say for certain. Doing five times today's ride seems like a whole other beast ... one that I'm not sure I can tackle in 9 weeks. Not to mention tacking a half-marathon on at the end!
I'll be away this weekend, so I'll lose a couple of days biking there, but I'm hoping that the weather will cooperate and let me get some longer rides in next week and weekend. No matter what, I'm so happy that today's ride was good. Even better than good, really! Today was my fastest ride in a long time ... maybe ever? Which isn't saying a whole lot about my cycling skills as a whole, but it's still enough to make me happy!
Biking
Time: 46:01
Distance: 11.73 miles in the Park (13.76 total)
Pace: 15.29 MPH
Calories: 372
Maximum HR: 171 (81%)
Average HR: 154 (73%)
This morning I ate, got dressed and headed out to see how the elbow would hold up on the bike. I got on the bike and nervously rode to the Park. So far, so good. As soon as I got into the Park, a squirrel ran in front of me and as I was braking, I was thinking to myself that I might get into another crash in less than 10 minutes of riding and then I might never get onto a bike again. Except the squirrel changed his mind and instead of continuing to run toward my bike tire, he turned around and ran back to where he came from. Whew.
I knew that I didn't want to be crazy and ridiculous, so I figured I'd do one loop and see how I felt. After doing that first loop, I felt great! I actually thought I had finished pretty fast, which was a good feeling. I figured that I might as well just keep on going at that point. I decided not to do the Harlem Hill a second time (wimpy, I know). Although those rollers coming down the West Side have never been my friend and they weren't today either.
All throughout the ride, I kept feeling my left elbow and moving it to make sure it was doing okay. Of course, my right elbow (the not broken one), in true fashion, decided to start hurting. This isn't anything new on the bike. I actually think that I might have figured out the problem today since I was paying so much attention to both of my elbows. I think I'm locking my right elbow on the bike and then when I go to move it (to get a drink, for instance) it's really stiff and tight. I don't have any solutions for this right now, so if someone else does, speak up!
So, I was trying to figure out what I think about these triathlons I've got coming up. New York still seems like a possibility to me. Doing double today's ride seems like it's doable. It's Timberman that I just can't say for certain. Doing five times today's ride seems like a whole other beast ... one that I'm not sure I can tackle in 9 weeks. Not to mention tacking a half-marathon on at the end!
I'll be away this weekend, so I'll lose a couple of days biking there, but I'm hoping that the weather will cooperate and let me get some longer rides in next week and weekend. No matter what, I'm so happy that today's ride was good. Even better than good, really! Today was my fastest ride in a long time ... maybe ever? Which isn't saying a whole lot about my cycling skills as a whole, but it's still enough to make me happy!
Biking
Time: 46:01
Distance: 11.73 miles in the Park (13.76 total)
Pace: 15.29 MPH
Calories: 372
Maximum HR: 171 (81%)
Average HR: 154 (73%)
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Are You Dropping Him Off At Daycare?
Friday morning I woke up feeling like a ton of bricks had been dropped on my arm. Instead, what happened is that I slept on my arm. I'd just like to say here that I haven't been sleeping all that great since I broke my arm. I'm a left side sleeper and when you can't sleep on your chosen side, it leads to a lot of tossing and turning in the night. Thursday night I decided to test the waters and see what would happen. The answer? Nothing good.
So, even though I woke up bright and early on Friday, I decided to forgo the walking and lounge around on the couch before work instead. I'm sure that was the right decision since it pretty much felt like I had just broken my arm and I actually had to stop a couple of times on the way to work and just breathe through it since even walking was so painful. Definitely the right decision not to go out power walking on Friday!
This morning, however, was a different story. My arm went back to "normal" and only hurts when I straighten it completely or lean on it. Drew was going to go to the Park class that his trainer, Billy, leads on Saturdays. I decided that I'd walk him to class and then go for a walk myself. We started walking and Drew quickly realized that he couldn't keep up with me!
Even though his legs are a little bit longer than mine, he said that it was really hard for him to walk that fast and he started jogging along side of me. I guess my walking is a better workout than I give it credit for sometimes. Anyway, I went to Drew to the meeting place for the class and waited for a few minutes for Billy to arrive. I wanted to know the best place to meet Drew after the class. One of the guys commented that it was sort-of like I was dropping Drew off at daycare while I went and did my own thing.
And after arranging to meet Drew where I'd left him, I went off on my walk. I knew I had about an hour to get my walk in, so I headed north to tackle the Harlem Hill. And tackle it I did. It actually felt easier walking than it does riding my bike. I'd say that it was because I was walking a lot slower than I normally ride my bike up the hill, but I'm actually not sure that was 100% true.
As I was heading back down the west side, I happened to pass another guy who was walking along. As I passed him, he said something to the effect that I had crushed him. I told him that he should start swinging his arms and pick up the pace! He told me that I had inspired him and he was going to try to stay with me. I told him that I had a broken arm, so he didn't have any excuse not to keep pace with me! He laughed and actually, he definitely did stay about two steps behind me for at least a mile.
Then I turned onto 72nd Street to head back up the east side. As I was walking along 72nd Street, all of these people wearing Bobby Police helmets and shirts were running along the transverse. And they just kept coming and coming. It felt like there were about 200 of them, although maybe it was more like 100. It was just so silly to see them. At first I thought they were wearing costumes, but it turns out that they were real British Police officers!
I then headed back to the meeting spot to wait for Drew. I walked around a bit and tried to find them, but I didn't have any success. I ended up waiting about 15 minutes for the group to come back. Drew and I were both really hungry and sweaty, so we stopped to get a Froz-Fruit on the way home. While we ate our Popsicles, we wandered home the long way and then Drew made us a delicious breakfast of eggs and toast!
The amazing thing is that I was really walking fast on my walk by myself today. I'm guessing that Drew wouldn't have been able to keep up with me just walking if he had tagged along with me. I really tried to keep my heart rate up as high as possible and make it the best workout that I possibly could. And, seriously, I never ran. I think I could tryout for the Olympic race-walk team!
Walk There
Time: 26:49
Distance: 2.20 miles
Pace: 12:11/mile
Calories: 262
Maximum HR: 186
Average HR: 156
Walk Upper Loop
Time: 59:55
Distance: 5.00 miles
Pace: 11:58/mile
Calories: 718
Maximum HR: 188
Average HR: 175
So, even though I woke up bright and early on Friday, I decided to forgo the walking and lounge around on the couch before work instead. I'm sure that was the right decision since it pretty much felt like I had just broken my arm and I actually had to stop a couple of times on the way to work and just breathe through it since even walking was so painful. Definitely the right decision not to go out power walking on Friday!
This morning, however, was a different story. My arm went back to "normal" and only hurts when I straighten it completely or lean on it. Drew was going to go to the Park class that his trainer, Billy, leads on Saturdays. I decided that I'd walk him to class and then go for a walk myself. We started walking and Drew quickly realized that he couldn't keep up with me!
Even though his legs are a little bit longer than mine, he said that it was really hard for him to walk that fast and he started jogging along side of me. I guess my walking is a better workout than I give it credit for sometimes. Anyway, I went to Drew to the meeting place for the class and waited for a few minutes for Billy to arrive. I wanted to know the best place to meet Drew after the class. One of the guys commented that it was sort-of like I was dropping Drew off at daycare while I went and did my own thing.
And after arranging to meet Drew where I'd left him, I went off on my walk. I knew I had about an hour to get my walk in, so I headed north to tackle the Harlem Hill. And tackle it I did. It actually felt easier walking than it does riding my bike. I'd say that it was because I was walking a lot slower than I normally ride my bike up the hill, but I'm actually not sure that was 100% true.
As I was heading back down the west side, I happened to pass another guy who was walking along. As I passed him, he said something to the effect that I had crushed him. I told him that he should start swinging his arms and pick up the pace! He told me that I had inspired him and he was going to try to stay with me. I told him that I had a broken arm, so he didn't have any excuse not to keep pace with me! He laughed and actually, he definitely did stay about two steps behind me for at least a mile.
Then I turned onto 72nd Street to head back up the east side. As I was walking along 72nd Street, all of these people wearing Bobby Police helmets and shirts were running along the transverse. And they just kept coming and coming. It felt like there were about 200 of them, although maybe it was more like 100. It was just so silly to see them. At first I thought they were wearing costumes, but it turns out that they were real British Police officers!
I then headed back to the meeting spot to wait for Drew. I walked around a bit and tried to find them, but I didn't have any success. I ended up waiting about 15 minutes for the group to come back. Drew and I were both really hungry and sweaty, so we stopped to get a Froz-Fruit on the way home. While we ate our Popsicles, we wandered home the long way and then Drew made us a delicious breakfast of eggs and toast!
The amazing thing is that I was really walking fast on my walk by myself today. I'm guessing that Drew wouldn't have been able to keep up with me just walking if he had tagged along with me. I really tried to keep my heart rate up as high as possible and make it the best workout that I possibly could. And, seriously, I never ran. I think I could tryout for the Olympic race-walk team!
Walk There
Time: 26:49
Distance: 2.20 miles
Pace: 12:11/mile
Calories: 262
Maximum HR: 186
Average HR: 156
Walk Upper Loop
Time: 59:55
Distance: 5.00 miles
Pace: 11:58/mile
Calories: 718
Maximum HR: 188
Average HR: 175
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Another Day In The Saddle
I can't believe I'm already done with one week of Half-Ironman training. Only 19 more weeks until the race! Here is the workout schedule for Week 2 (click to enlarge):
Of course, since on today's schedule it says run and swim, I started out with a bike ride. I gotta tell you, my rear end is getting better after all this biking, but it's still not super excited to sit down when I first get on my bike. I figure if I just keep making myself get on the bike, I'll hopefully just get used to it over time.
When I checked the weather, my telephone said that it was 52. I'm still not sure I've figured out dressing for the bike quite yet, so I wore tights, shorts and two long-sleeved shirts. I think I would have been okay if the weather had actually been 52, but instead it was 60 and super sunny and I was getting pretty hot after only biking for about 10 minutes. I stopped and took off one of my shirts and tied it around my waist. After that I felt just about perfect. I probably could have done without the tights, but getting them off was too much of a production, so I suffered through it.
There was a race in Central Park today, but I didn't think it would interfere too much with what I had planned. I rode to the Park, and then did Harlem Hill repeats. I rode the Hill 4 times and then headed for home. I know that these shorter rides might not seem like a lot and really, they're probably not in the scheme of things, but I figure that any time that I can just get my butt in the saddle and ride isn't a waste of time. All of these little things add up and while I know I still need to work on longer rides and longer runs, I think I am pretty much on par with some of the other workouts for this week in terms of bike riding.
Biking
Time: 59:25
Distance: 11.75 Miles
Pace: 11.87 MPH
Calories: 446
Maximum HR: 165
Average HR: 142
Of course, since on today's schedule it says run and swim, I started out with a bike ride. I gotta tell you, my rear end is getting better after all this biking, but it's still not super excited to sit down when I first get on my bike. I figure if I just keep making myself get on the bike, I'll hopefully just get used to it over time.
When I checked the weather, my telephone said that it was 52. I'm still not sure I've figured out dressing for the bike quite yet, so I wore tights, shorts and two long-sleeved shirts. I think I would have been okay if the weather had actually been 52, but instead it was 60 and super sunny and I was getting pretty hot after only biking for about 10 minutes. I stopped and took off one of my shirts and tied it around my waist. After that I felt just about perfect. I probably could have done without the tights, but getting them off was too much of a production, so I suffered through it.
There was a race in Central Park today, but I didn't think it would interfere too much with what I had planned. I rode to the Park, and then did Harlem Hill repeats. I rode the Hill 4 times and then headed for home. I know that these shorter rides might not seem like a lot and really, they're probably not in the scheme of things, but I figure that any time that I can just get my butt in the saddle and ride isn't a waste of time. All of these little things add up and while I know I still need to work on longer rides and longer runs, I think I am pretty much on par with some of the other workouts for this week in terms of bike riding.
Biking
Time: 59:25
Distance: 11.75 Miles
Pace: 11.87 MPH
Calories: 446
Maximum HR: 165
Average HR: 142
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Shorts On The Bike
I could go on and on about why I didn't get up this morning and go biking, but instead I'll say I thought it was too cold and I didn't get up. End of story. Plus, I knew it'd warm up as the day went on and I was really more keen on biking in warmer weather. So, after work today, that's what I did. I donned my bike shorts (not tri shorts), a long-sleeved shirt and a short-sleeved shirt and headed off to the Park. And that's it! I didn't wear tights ... just shorts! Whoo hoo for warmer weather. (Don't worry, I'm realistic and know that this is just temporary, but I'm going to take full advantage while I can). I think it was just under 70 when I left the apartment.
When I got to the Park, it was crammed with cars and pedestrians. I continually remind myself that this is why I should get up early and go, but obviously sometimes that's just not enough. I realized pretty quickly that the idea of hanging out in the lower part of the Park just wasn't on the agenda for the day. But that's okay because I need the hill practice and doing repeats on the Harlem Hill was probably exactly what I needed.
So, I think I did the Hill 5 times. Not a ton of practice, but enough. I stayed in the middle ring (in the front) the whole time and tried to keep it in the middle of the front ring instead of switching all the way to the easiest side. I wanted to convince myself to do the Hill in the big ring, but I just got back to biking and since I want to have a big biking weekend, I figured that I shouldn't blow out my legs quite yet.
In all today, I didn't get a lot of riding in since I wanted to get home before it started to get dark. I realize that it's funny that I don't mind riding in the dark in the morning, but that's because I'll see about five cars total. Riding in the dark at rush hour is a totally different story. Really not my cup of tea. Even if the weather won't be getting that much better as time goes on at least the days will be getting longer!
I'm not quite sure what my plan for tomorrow is. I do know that after work I want to go pick up my race number for Saturday's 10K that I'm running. I also would like to take advantage of the good weather this weekend and go on a bike ride to New Jersey to tackle some of the hills there. I guess I'll see how it goes! Real half-Ironman training starts next week! Then I'll be better at knowing what to do and when to do it.
Biking
Time: 51:39
Distance: 11.70 miles
Pace: 13.59 MPH
Calories: 448
Maximum HR: 169
Average HR: 146
Total Distance Biking: 13.16 miles
When I got to the Park, it was crammed with cars and pedestrians. I continually remind myself that this is why I should get up early and go, but obviously sometimes that's just not enough. I realized pretty quickly that the idea of hanging out in the lower part of the Park just wasn't on the agenda for the day. But that's okay because I need the hill practice and doing repeats on the Harlem Hill was probably exactly what I needed.
So, I think I did the Hill 5 times. Not a ton of practice, but enough. I stayed in the middle ring (in the front) the whole time and tried to keep it in the middle of the front ring instead of switching all the way to the easiest side. I wanted to convince myself to do the Hill in the big ring, but I just got back to biking and since I want to have a big biking weekend, I figured that I shouldn't blow out my legs quite yet.
In all today, I didn't get a lot of riding in since I wanted to get home before it started to get dark. I realize that it's funny that I don't mind riding in the dark in the morning, but that's because I'll see about five cars total. Riding in the dark at rush hour is a totally different story. Really not my cup of tea. Even if the weather won't be getting that much better as time goes on at least the days will be getting longer!
I'm not quite sure what my plan for tomorrow is. I do know that after work I want to go pick up my race number for Saturday's 10K that I'm running. I also would like to take advantage of the good weather this weekend and go on a bike ride to New Jersey to tackle some of the hills there. I guess I'll see how it goes! Real half-Ironman training starts next week! Then I'll be better at knowing what to do and when to do it.
Biking
Time: 51:39
Distance: 11.70 miles
Pace: 13.59 MPH
Calories: 448
Maximum HR: 169
Average HR: 146
Total Distance Biking: 13.16 miles
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Test Drive
I ended up taking yesterday off. I figured that was my free pass at a day off and I should cash in on it. I think it ended up being the right decision. My legs were still pretty tired yesterday after the half-marathon and they feel back to normal today. I was supposed to get up early this morning and go for a test drive on my bike.
However, I just couldn't do it. Drew often leaves for the gym and says, "Don't forget to wake up!" It's not that I forget exactly, it's usually that once it gets later in the morning, I don't see the point of getting up since I then won't be able to squeeze in the workout that I want to do. The truth is that I love to press snooze and I do it really well. It's my #1 talent. I'm going to have to put my alarm on the other side of the room, I think, so that I can ensure I am ready for Alcatraz!
Since I didn't get up this morning, I hurried home after work in order to sneak a bike ride in before the sun went down. I wasn't sure if I should ride in the Park or the Westside Bike Path, but I figured that I should get in every single hill that I can, so I opted for the Park. The weather was about 58 degrees when I left the apartment. I had no idea what to wear, but I guessed and wore tights, tri shorts, and two long-sleeved shirts. It ended up being just about perfect! I'm guessing that I could have worn less, but it was pretty windy out there and I was never hot.
The biking was fairly uneventful, which seems like a fantastic thing to report! My biggest accomplishment was the fact that both times I went up the Harlem Hill I stayed in the middle ring instead of switching to my granny gear. That seems like a good indication that I haven't lost too much bike fitness over the past few months. The other thing that seemed like a good indicator is that it pretty much took me the exact same amount of time that it was taking last fall to get around the loop. I wonder if all that running kept my legs strong?
Pretty much the only thing that wasn't perfect was that even though my legs felt fine, my rear end was another story. I think it'll only take a little while to get used to sitting in the saddle again, but I have to say that today wasn't 100% comfortable, which I definitely expected. Maybe I should have worn my bike shorts instead of tri shorts. Except that I like to keep my bike shorts for those horrid bikes at the gym and I think I'll just wear tri shorts to get myself used to it. I'll be spending a lot of time in the saddle from now on, so I might have to invest in another pair of shorts!
Biking
Total Time: 1:06:23
Total Distance: 13.53 miles
Total Pace: 12.23 MPH (average)
Park Biking Time: 50:00
Park Biking Distance: 12.10 miles
Park Biking Pace: 14.52 MPH (average)
Calories: 493
Maximum HR: 171
Average HR: 154
Maximum Speed: 22.5
However, I just couldn't do it. Drew often leaves for the gym and says, "Don't forget to wake up!" It's not that I forget exactly, it's usually that once it gets later in the morning, I don't see the point of getting up since I then won't be able to squeeze in the workout that I want to do. The truth is that I love to press snooze and I do it really well. It's my #1 talent. I'm going to have to put my alarm on the other side of the room, I think, so that I can ensure I am ready for Alcatraz!
Since I didn't get up this morning, I hurried home after work in order to sneak a bike ride in before the sun went down. I wasn't sure if I should ride in the Park or the Westside Bike Path, but I figured that I should get in every single hill that I can, so I opted for the Park. The weather was about 58 degrees when I left the apartment. I had no idea what to wear, but I guessed and wore tights, tri shorts, and two long-sleeved shirts. It ended up being just about perfect! I'm guessing that I could have worn less, but it was pretty windy out there and I was never hot.
The biking was fairly uneventful, which seems like a fantastic thing to report! My biggest accomplishment was the fact that both times I went up the Harlem Hill I stayed in the middle ring instead of switching to my granny gear. That seems like a good indication that I haven't lost too much bike fitness over the past few months. The other thing that seemed like a good indicator is that it pretty much took me the exact same amount of time that it was taking last fall to get around the loop. I wonder if all that running kept my legs strong?
Pretty much the only thing that wasn't perfect was that even though my legs felt fine, my rear end was another story. I think it'll only take a little while to get used to sitting in the saddle again, but I have to say that today wasn't 100% comfortable, which I definitely expected. Maybe I should have worn my bike shorts instead of tri shorts. Except that I like to keep my bike shorts for those horrid bikes at the gym and I think I'll just wear tri shorts to get myself used to it. I'll be spending a lot of time in the saddle from now on, so I might have to invest in another pair of shorts!
Biking
Total Time: 1:06:23
Total Distance: 13.53 miles
Total Pace: 12.23 MPH (average)
Park Biking Time: 50:00
Park Biking Distance: 12.10 miles
Park Biking Pace: 14.52 MPH (average)
Calories: 493
Maximum HR: 171
Average HR: 154
Maximum Speed: 22.5
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Not Cheating Myself
This morning I woke up to another 28 degree day. I didn't want to take any chances on being cold, so I bundled up in the following: running tights, shorts, short-sleeved shirt, long-sleeved shirt, 2 more long-sleeved shirts, gloves and hat. Yes, I know it might have been overkill, but I would always rather take something off than be cold.
I was running a little late to meet the Terriers this morning, but I still made it in time to do most of the drill workout before heading off to the main workout. Technically, today's workout should have been 3 miles / 3 x [2:00, 2:30] AI / 2 miles, but because of my mixed-up workout schedule, I was hoping to get in at least 7 miles today.
Before I get into the details of today's workout, I need to pause and say that I'm starting to get a bit nervous about nutrition on the day of the race and in my longer runs in general. I know that most runners eat bananas before they go running and have Gu/gels during their runs, but neither of those sit in my stomach well. I should definitely not have either of those things, especially while running. After some Google research on the subject, I have discovered that several people recommend trying Fig Newtons or PB&J. Drew was kind enough to buy me some regular Fig Newtons and mini Strawberry Newtons to try out while running. So, this morning, I had half of a Clif Bar and some water before I left the apartment and I packed along three mini Strawberry Newtons in a baggie in my pocket.
So, we did the drills and then we headed off to the 102nd Street Transverse to get the rest our our workout. Along the way, we were supposed to incorporate 6 pick-ups into our run. Coach Spencer said that we only had to do the pick-ups from one light post to the next, so that's exactly what I did, six times. I will admit that I picked easy spots to do them (all on flat stretches), but I think that's okay, especially with what the rest of the workout would entail.
I knew that it would involve running up and down the Harlem Hill. I just wasn't sure how much time was involved in this workout. It is also quite a hike there and back, so I was pretty sure that I'd have no problem getting my 7 miles for the day in. Once we got to 102nd Street, we found out that we were supposed to run up and down the hill for 30-40 minutes (or as long as we could before heading for home).
I ended up running the hill three times (from 102nd Street to Adam Clayton Powell Drive and back again) in my allotted time. So, I'm not the slowest person on our triathlon team. I'm the second slowest person on the team. On my first loop up & down the hill, I was running ahead of the slowest person. Then, when I went to turn around to go back for the second loop, she was suddenly ahead of me. I know that what happened was that she just didn't run as far as me, which maybe she had her reasons for, but in that moment, I felt annoyed that I'd "look" like the slower person, even though I was going the full distance.
I also realized after thinking about it for a while (because, let's face it, there isn't a lot of other stuff to think about while running up and down hills), that while I might have thought that she cheated a little bit, I wasn't going to cheat myself by cutting corners, even if I did look slow. Even if I did get lapped by the fastest guys on the team. I'd still do the workout that we were told to do. Sure, I might not have covered the most distance, but I could be proud of myself, and that's really what this is all about.
After doing the three hill loops, I took a minute or so break and walked and ate two of my mini Strawberry Newtons. Verdict - they're dry, but they didn't give me gas or cramps or make me want to run directly to the bathroom, so they're presently a big winner for those things! Also, I may not have had water with me today, but I generally have something with me at the gym and there will definitely be water at the race, so it's definitely worth trying these out again.
After walking for a minute or so, I went back to running home slowly. I was definitely feeling a bit cold and hungry at this point, so I really took my time and I even walked up the remaining hills home (I'm lazy, what can I say?). However, even with my slow pace on the run back home, my overall pace today was 9:58/mile, which I still think is fantastic. Especially since I ran 9 miles today! New record! And totally pushes me over my goal for today and makes up for yesterday's miss by a mile.
It is pretty incredible to see how I keep breaking the length of my longest run as this process goes forward, which I definitely really am enjoying. Also, the clothes today were perfect. I was a really good temperature while running and wasn't cold, which was a nice change from last week. I even got a really hot shower when I got home. However, right after that, I think it all just hit me because then I had to get back in bed because I was shivering and freezing cold. This has happened before where I just can't warm up all the way, but lounging about under piles of covers definitely helps cure that.
Tomorrow is a rest day (after 4 days of running) and I'll be picking back up on Thursday. I still might try to stick with the 4 on Thursday, 8 on Friday plan, but that might prove to be over ambitious for Friday morning, so I might do a couple more on Thursday instead. We'll see.
Running - Home to Park
Time: 12:58
Distance: 1.30 miles
Pace: 9:58/mile
Calories: 147
Maximum HR: 177
Average HR: 165
Running - 72nd to 102nd Street
Time: 18:58
Distance: 1.95 miles
Pace: 9:43/mile
Calories: 240
Maximum HR: 185
Average HR: 174
Running - Harlem Hill (x3)
Time: 34:35
Distance: 3.60 miles
Pace: 9:36/mile
Calories: 440
Maximum HR: 186
Average HR: 174
Running - 100th Street to Home
Time: 23:15
Distance: 2.15 miles
Pace: 10:48/mile
Calories: 265
Maximum HR: 177
Average HR: 165
I was running a little late to meet the Terriers this morning, but I still made it in time to do most of the drill workout before heading off to the main workout. Technically, today's workout should have been 3 miles / 3 x [2:00, 2:30] AI / 2 miles, but because of my mixed-up workout schedule, I was hoping to get in at least 7 miles today.
Before I get into the details of today's workout, I need to pause and say that I'm starting to get a bit nervous about nutrition on the day of the race and in my longer runs in general. I know that most runners eat bananas before they go running and have Gu/gels during their runs, but neither of those sit in my stomach well. I should definitely not have either of those things, especially while running. After some Google research on the subject, I have discovered that several people recommend trying Fig Newtons or PB&J. Drew was kind enough to buy me some regular Fig Newtons and mini Strawberry Newtons to try out while running. So, this morning, I had half of a Clif Bar and some water before I left the apartment and I packed along three mini Strawberry Newtons in a baggie in my pocket.
So, we did the drills and then we headed off to the 102nd Street Transverse to get the rest our our workout. Along the way, we were supposed to incorporate 6 pick-ups into our run. Coach Spencer said that we only had to do the pick-ups from one light post to the next, so that's exactly what I did, six times. I will admit that I picked easy spots to do them (all on flat stretches), but I think that's okay, especially with what the rest of the workout would entail.
I knew that it would involve running up and down the Harlem Hill. I just wasn't sure how much time was involved in this workout. It is also quite a hike there and back, so I was pretty sure that I'd have no problem getting my 7 miles for the day in. Once we got to 102nd Street, we found out that we were supposed to run up and down the hill for 30-40 minutes (or as long as we could before heading for home).
I ended up running the hill three times (from 102nd Street to Adam Clayton Powell Drive and back again) in my allotted time. So, I'm not the slowest person on our triathlon team. I'm the second slowest person on the team. On my first loop up & down the hill, I was running ahead of the slowest person. Then, when I went to turn around to go back for the second loop, she was suddenly ahead of me. I know that what happened was that she just didn't run as far as me, which maybe she had her reasons for, but in that moment, I felt annoyed that I'd "look" like the slower person, even though I was going the full distance.
I also realized after thinking about it for a while (because, let's face it, there isn't a lot of other stuff to think about while running up and down hills), that while I might have thought that she cheated a little bit, I wasn't going to cheat myself by cutting corners, even if I did look slow. Even if I did get lapped by the fastest guys on the team. I'd still do the workout that we were told to do. Sure, I might not have covered the most distance, but I could be proud of myself, and that's really what this is all about.
After doing the three hill loops, I took a minute or so break and walked and ate two of my mini Strawberry Newtons. Verdict - they're dry, but they didn't give me gas or cramps or make me want to run directly to the bathroom, so they're presently a big winner for those things! Also, I may not have had water with me today, but I generally have something with me at the gym and there will definitely be water at the race, so it's definitely worth trying these out again.
After walking for a minute or so, I went back to running home slowly. I was definitely feeling a bit cold and hungry at this point, so I really took my time and I even walked up the remaining hills home (I'm lazy, what can I say?). However, even with my slow pace on the run back home, my overall pace today was 9:58/mile, which I still think is fantastic. Especially since I ran 9 miles today! New record! And totally pushes me over my goal for today and makes up for yesterday's miss by a mile.
It is pretty incredible to see how I keep breaking the length of my longest run as this process goes forward, which I definitely really am enjoying. Also, the clothes today were perfect. I was a really good temperature while running and wasn't cold, which was a nice change from last week. I even got a really hot shower when I got home. However, right after that, I think it all just hit me because then I had to get back in bed because I was shivering and freezing cold. This has happened before where I just can't warm up all the way, but lounging about under piles of covers definitely helps cure that.
Tomorrow is a rest day (after 4 days of running) and I'll be picking back up on Thursday. I still might try to stick with the 4 on Thursday, 8 on Friday plan, but that might prove to be over ambitious for Friday morning, so I might do a couple more on Thursday instead. We'll see.
Running - Home to Park
Time: 12:58
Distance: 1.30 miles
Pace: 9:58/mile
Calories: 147
Maximum HR: 177
Average HR: 165
Running - 72nd to 102nd Street
Time: 18:58
Distance: 1.95 miles
Pace: 9:43/mile
Calories: 240
Maximum HR: 185
Average HR: 174
Running - Harlem Hill (x3)
Time: 34:35
Distance: 3.60 miles
Pace: 9:36/mile
Calories: 440
Maximum HR: 186
Average HR: 174
Running - 100th Street to Home
Time: 23:15
Distance: 2.15 miles
Pace: 10:48/mile
Calories: 265
Maximum HR: 177
Average HR: 165
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
