Weekend update

My run went better on Saturday. It was cold - about 20 - and it took me the first half of the 9+ mile run just to feel warmed up. But I got that good feeling I've been missing on a beautiful morning. I know the cold scares many people off of running but I think if the fair-weather runners gave it a chance they would see how great it is to generate one's own heat on a freezing day!

I also managed a 135 bench on Sunday. It could be more even (left arm lags) but I got it, and did so pretty confidently. I wasn't feeling all that chipper walking into the gym either so it was a surprise. We are thinking that the time off last week probably contributed.

Lighten the legs and unburden the soul

I don't know if it's the winter weather or the stress of life that has piled up but I am searching for something I have temporarily lost...that freedom, that joy of running. It's noticeably absent from a treadmill in a gym and lacking on the perfectly lined and symmetrical track. It's present in abundance on unplanned runs that respond to the body, not the watch. It's there when the sun comes up over the crest of a hill. It lightens the legs and unburdens the soul. I remember it. I long for it.

The Song of the Ungirt Runners (1922?)

We swing ungirded hips,
And lightened are our eyes,
The rain is on our lips,
We do not run for prize.
We know not whom we trust
Nor whitherward we fare,
But we run because we must
Through the great wide air.

The waters of the seas
Are troubled as by storm.
The tempest strips the trees
And does not leave them warm.
Does the tearing tempest pause?
Do the tree-tops ask it why?
So we run without a cause
'Neath the big bare sky.

The rain is on our lips,
We do not run for prize.
But the storm the water whips
And the wave howls to the skies.
The winds arise and strike it
And scatter it like sand,
And we run because we like it
Through the broad bright land.

Charles Hamilton Sorley
(from http://www.runningtimes.com/Print.aspx?articleID=6664)

Random January 2010 updates

This is my current cycling setup...yes, in the bedroom. (It made sense at the time.) I never would have imagined what a good workout you could get on a stationary trainer, using just the gears to change resistance. I'm getting a bit spoiled by technology. I load the workout onto a Garmin, strap on a heart rate monitor, put my computer on the dresser, load a movie from Netflix, put on headphones, grab a towel, fill the water bottle...and OFF I go.

The cycle workouts I'm given really appeal to me. They are usually about hitting certain cadences or heart rate zones and aside from a stretch of 10-15 minutes to warmup, I'm usually not doing anyone one thing for more than five minutes. It becomes a game to see how close to a prescribed cadence I can stay, how high I can get my heart rate, or how quickly I can recover. Getting that instantaneous feedback from the Garmin Edge really motivates me.

So I'm logging miles, but going NOWHERE! The only evidence of the journey is a red face and nice puddle of sweat on the yoga mat below. The aero bars are new and I LOVE them, very comfy, and they sure beat trying to go aero using the brake hoods.

Looking at this picture, I'm wondering if the seat can come up some and the handlebars can come down some?

Today I found out that my bodyfat has dropped a couple of percent since the last time it was measured (late summer, I think) but my weight is pretty much at the top of my good range. Time to tighten up the discipline in the nutrition department. It'll help when school starts again and breakfast is automatic and all my meals up until dinner are packed so there's no deviating. My trainer is incredibly disciplined, probably more so than anyone I have ever known ever. When I need the accountability he's willing to step in and help, but I know what I need to do and just need to commit and do it.

The training program stayed pretty rigorous and fun through the holidays, so my cardio level has been good. I've been doing short-distance speed workouts on the track and my time on 220s is improving. The last speed workout was on the high school track because VT's was still covered in snow. It turned out to be pretty fun because a contingent of the BHS track team was out there which probably helped me push a little bit harder. I'm not seeing that speed translate yet into road runs. It may be the cold weather, I'm not sure, but I've been feeling kind of sloggy out there. I know spring will give my runs a much needed pick-me-up. For now, I still see every run as money in the bank and a key component to stress management. I just do my best and have faith that in the long run the effort is paying off.

One fun running change-up was that I did my longest run (15+ mi) since Richmond on New Year's Day at 5:30 am with friends Michaela and Shannon. We chatted the whole time, kept a conservative 9'ish pace, and ran down the middle of deserted roads around town. It was a lot of fun! Shannon is a 2:50 marathoner who is training for three 100-mile races this year. He is just a machine when he runs, I really don't know how he does what he does, but it's inspiring to watch. And Michaela is seasoned, solid, and confident. She teaches many of the group fitness classes and is in outrageous good shape.

I've been nursing a minor shoulder issue for a couple of weeks. When anything is wrong I find it very distracting. I've had this sort of thing before and shoulder stuff seems to be notorious for taking their time to clear.

I'm taking a few down days this week (does learning to snowboard count?) and heading to Pittsburgh, then more training fun for winter races. Then in 4-5 months the triathlons will start and I'll be ready. I'm also ready for these temperatures in the teens and low 20's to moderate.

2010 Goals??

Gosh, it's that time again already, to think about goals for 2010. Last year was easier in some ways because there were still some firsts to focus on - complete a first triathlon and a first marathon - and of course to improve upon previous race times. Goals should be measurable and assessable. And yes, this is a lofty set of goals for which preparations are sometimes conflicting (e.g. powerlifting and endurance sports). So goals for next year...just brainstorming and I'll come back to clean this up:

1. 135 lb bench press (with pause, competition legal)
2. complete another marathon and improve on my time
3. sub 21:00 5K
4. be competitive in the Virginia Triathlon Series - mostly sprints but finishing up with an Olympic distance race. The area with the greatest potential for improvement is swimming - technique (over-rotation issue), endurance, and confidence. Of course I'd like to improve the whole package of cycling, running, and transitions too, but I'm not sure how to really translate that into measurable goals.
   

Those are such competition-specific goals, though. Other things that come to mind:

1. Get more consistent with good daily nutrition (I tend to slip post-race for a while).
2. Develop a consistent strategy for long run fueling and hydration and stick to it.
3. Strengthen lower legs which tend to be a weak link.
4. Pay attention to injuries and address them early on.
   
5. Practice replacing bike tubes and learn how to adjust shifter cables.
6. Get better sleep.
7. Minimize daily stress, shed things, take on less, just say no!

Another thing we have started is one-armed pushups. It would be fun to be able to do those!!

Christmas- Athletic style

Some of Robert's colleagues were discussing spousal Christmas presents. I don't know what the other wives will be receiving under their trees, but Robert said he was the only one who got a wetsuit for his spouse! (Due to the return policy, I *had* to try it on right away!) Tis the season for last year's triathlon wetsuits to go on major clearance to make room for the 2010 models.