Consistency

As i slowly heal around my ankles, i'm also settling into a decent workout routine.  i've been tweaking and juggling and reinventing and i find myself on a bit of a roll.

For example

A few current streaks: 8 Thursdays in a row with a swim. 10 weeks ago i started my official rehab with 20 minutes of running and walking.  i've hit my "long" run every weekend and am up to 11 miles, all running now. 6 Tuesdays in a row with a run.  (Middle of the week runs have been hard to come by in years past.)  7 weeks in a row with decent (indoor) biking to movies.

P90Excuses

i thoroughly enjoyed P90X while it lasted, but i just could not find the proper time nor the energy to get it done every day.  3 weeks ago i bid it farewell (perhaps until next off-season) in favor of a renewed effort in the weight room.  The plan was to get on the stair mill, jump right into a quick set of weights, and chase it with just the P90X Ab Ripper X routine.  i hoped to do this 3 time per week.  i've nailed it all three weeks.  The stair mill workouts are currently all intervals (fast-slow-fast-slow...) at level 15/20 for either 45 or 60 minutes, except when i supplement or substitute some actual work in the stairwells with the Gallup Stair Climbing Team who are preparing for the Trek Up the Tower.

Brrrrring It On

A number of the aforementioned runs have been in the midst of blizzards, freezing fog, and temperatures well below zero F.  Whatever.  i'm slow now anyway, so while i'd love to see the sun again soon, i'm in no hurry for any of this to melt.  If dry trails tempt me to accelerate, i'd only be disappointed or hurt.  So, for now, i hope my consistency remains as hot as it is cold outside.

Wake Up, Feet

Training for this Spring's Half Ironman started this week and while i am pleased at the thought of regular workouts, i wish my Achilles was completely healed (pun intended; final notice).  It's hard to be 110% excited about raising my fitness to its required heights when walk/running is the best i can do at the moment.  That said, i sure am glad for walk/running right now.  i started a week or two ago and it very much beats nothing at all.  (Started with 20 minutes of repeating 1 minute walk, 2 minutes run.  Now up to 40 with the ratio at 1:3.)

P90X efforts have picked up slightly, swims have remained consistent, and i have a number of spins-while-watching-a-movie under my belt (last three: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Schindler's List, Star Trek 2009), though i wish they happened more often. 

So, hoping my feet can slowly but surely pull themselves out of their unwanted hibernation.  From the cold wind now blowing outside, it seems like poor timing, but wake they must.

42 years

42 years.  2 times 21.  Half of 84.  However you look at it, that is now my current age.  i've been running  "competitively" for 30 of those years.  It all makes for something to reflect on as the morning sun drifts in to the pool during the morning swim.

Injury Update

i am cautiously optimistic that my Achilles is healing.  i can feel less pain as i walk around throughout the day.  The last two days were hard because i had to be strong and miss a couple group runs at work on gorgeous days.  It would just not serve me well in the long run to come back on this too early.  i was hoping that would be now, but it may be a couple more weeks before i test it on the roads.  It'll probably be snowing by that time.

Meanwhile

i am getting in the pool a decent amount and have had a few rides on the bike, though i need to step up the indoor trainer time.  i also fell off of my P90X habit, as i am struggling to find a good time to do that. Also, the DVD started burning a P90X logo into my TV, so i might have use a different monitor or just start hitting the weights instead.  i really enjoyed it while i was doing it, though.  We'll see...

Anyway, hoping this year brings a little more racing than last year.  i know it'll be fun, whatever it is.

IM Soft

It may come as no surprise that every winter since at least 2004 i have gained weight during the cold months. i can't simply blame that on Thanksgiving dinner, but general bad eating habits compounded by a decrease in volume and intensity of exercise. Or something like that.

Whatever the reason, i really need to reverse that trend this winter if i am to have a shot at being at a proper race weight come Spring. Not only would that be a reflection on how much i'd have accomplished in the weight room, on the bike trainer, in the indoor pool, and elsewhere, but an 8-15 lb. decrease would lighten the load on my foot injuries as well, something i think would be very beneficial.

Of course, this won't be easy. i am quite hungry even as i type this. And i still need to fuel my body. Hopefully i can do it smartly.

3 blocks

Yesterday went out with Jodi to see how things would go on a run. Made it 3 blocks. At least i have a starting point. Probably going to stick with taking the entire month off from running to heal.

Big Sur Trail Half Marathon

A trail race was probably not the best place for my Achilles, but we were signed up and had free tickets to California, so off we went to the Big Sur Trail Half Marathon. The course started near California Highway 1, following Old Coast Road, a dirt farm road that was the original route from Monterey to Big Sur (before construction of Hwy. 1).

The Half Marathon had 2,880 feet of climbing and descending so off we went, mostly awake after a peaceful night's sleep in our yurts at Treebones Resort. The first 2.5 miles included a beautiful redwood grove as we climbed 800 feet to the first aid station. Jodi was in the middle of a cold so she let me run a mile or so on my own during this stretch. i gulped down some water and then served my fellow runners as Jodi caught up. We ran together as we dipped down into a coastal forest and the soothing sounds of the Big Sur River, oak and bay forests lining our path. At 4.5, Jodi smartly opted for a run/walk session as the trail headed up another 1,000 feet along the bluffs high above the Pacific Ocean, where we occasionally stopped to view the Big Sur coastline. i made the climb to the turnaround on my own, but once i reached the top it didn't take Jodi long to catch up. The heat was becoming a factor now, so we took some extra rest in the shade of a van while re-hydrating.

Heading back down the roller coaster was more difficult for me and exposed my two injuries below my ankles. Still, Jodi and i stuck together the entire last 6.55 miles. We finished hand in hand in 2:56:44. We hobbled back to the starting area to pick up our T-shirts, walked and stretched a bit, and headed back to Treebones. We were quite sore (especially our quads) for almost 4 days, but it was worth it.

That's All, Folks

Could only make 3 of my final 20 mile run this morning. Left Achilles the culprit. Chicago is out. Feel like i wasted a year of training. Trying to find a way to put a positive spin on it, but having trouble.

Rode Bread and Butter this afternoon. Mike rocked it.

Best part of the day was cheering for a record number of Gallup runners in this morning's Corporate Cup 10K. Awesome job, everyone.