31 Dec
Run: 10.5 mi
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Run--Downtown Washington DC was beautiful this morning. I thought President Ford's procession through the city was today, so I hopped on the Metro early, ran throughout DC, and then realized it isn't until Tuesday. (President Bush actually gave government workers the day off for observance.) Lots of runners were enjoying the National Mall this morning; we had the whole place to ourselves. Afterward I went to the Smithsonian Sackler Gallery for a ridiculously amazing exhibit. Knowing Hebrew really came in handy!
GYGO New Years Tri--After I returned home I went to the gym to get my swim on, but it was closed! I guess my transitions for this "tri" are going to be ridiculously slow!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Run
30 Dec
Run: 6.4 mi
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Run--Ah, a nice run through the streets of Bethesda! It was beee-u-tiful this afternoon! Other than some really bad heartburn (not sure what caused that), it was a good run. The drinking fountain was still on, which makes me wonder which other ones are still on. Winter marathon training is always so ridiculously hard for me.
Run: 6.4 mi
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Run--Ah, a nice run through the streets of Bethesda! It was beee-u-tiful this afternoon! Other than some really bad heartburn (not sure what caused that), it was a good run. The drinking fountain was still on, which makes me wonder which other ones are still on. Winter marathon training is always so ridiculously hard for me.
Music--(for blogger friend Ann who leaves nice comments!) On short runs or gym workouts I usually listen to fun stuff (Ace of Base, Barenaked Ladies, soundtrack to Spamalot, Franz Ferdinand, dance/house music, Manhattan Transfer). I teach a Jewish music class, so I have lots of that stuff too that I really like (LeeVees, Eric Komar, Robbi Sherwin, Moshav, Ashira, Hadag Nachash). Before a race, to pump myself up I listen to some specific songs: V'ahavta by Eric Komar, Four Brothers by Manhattan Transfer, Beautiful Life by Ace of Base, Ushti Baba by Golem. When I'm running 26.2 miles, I want my brain to be full of songs I love so I can just go through them in my head so I don't think about the pain and suffering. I don't think about splits, eating, or anything. Just the songs. It's much more fun that way!
More Vacation Recap-- Fun times with the family, THE HEAD (we had fun with that graduation head for the entire vacation), dogsitting a golden retriever puppy.
Ok, I'm SOOOO not ready for children!!!
Puppy! Now that's more like it!
Steph, "the Graduate" (AKA Grandma), and my sis
Puppy torture!!! Ha ha!
Ah, family photo at Saguaro Ranch Park (my childhood playplace)
"The Graduate" (AKA "The HEAD" AKA Grandma) and the women
Bike
29 Dec
Bike: 15 mi (1 hr)
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Bike--I finally bought a bike trainer! (Used lots of coupons) It didn't take long to set up, fortunately, and I really had a lot of fun. I warmed up for 5 min then did 5 min hard/big chainring then 5 min spin in the small chainring. It kicked my butt! I watched the DVD Contact. What a fantastic movie.
More Vacation Recap--Trip to Tucson to see Colin, Nutcracker ballet, family dinner at Carrabba's, gift exchange with the family.
Bike: 15 mi (1 hr)
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Bike--I finally bought a bike trainer! (Used lots of coupons) It didn't take long to set up, fortunately, and I really had a lot of fun. I warmed up for 5 min then did 5 min hard/big chainring then 5 min spin in the small chainring. It kicked my butt! I watched the DVD Contact. What a fantastic movie.
More Vacation Recap--Trip to Tucson to see Colin, Nutcracker ballet, family dinner at Carrabba's, gift exchange with the family.
Colin and Steph in Tucson (he's so tall... and buff!)
King Chicks at the Nutcracker in Phoenix
King girls polished off a piece chocolate cake at Carrabba's
Our grandma and my little sister (in a Mexican mumu)
Steph and my younger sister (ASU GRAD!!!)
Gifts from grandma to our cousin, Steph, and my middle sister
Friday, December 29, 2006
Rest
28 Dec
Rest
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Rest--Lots of flying through the air from Phoenix back to good ol' DC.
Vacation Recap--My sister and I did a pretty good job of trying to balance running/fitness with the total chaos that is our family. Chaos in the most literal sense. Climbing at Camelback Mountain, my sister's graduation from Arizona State University, Kings of the Road 30K Relay.
Rest
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Rest--Lots of flying through the air from Phoenix back to good ol' DC.
Vacation Recap--My sister and I did a pretty good job of trying to balance running/fitness with the total chaos that is our family. Chaos in the most literal sense. Climbing at Camelback Mountain, my sister's graduation from Arizona State University, Kings of the Road 30K Relay.
Steph having fun on Camelback Mtn
"Hanging Out!" 
Arizona State Grad!!!
Wow, that's scary... That head keeps coming back
Relay Race
Kings of the Road!
Rest
27 Dec
Rest
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Rest--This was a classic example of having good intentions and not seizing the opportunity when it presented itself. We frittered the morning away, then we had to all of a sudden visit a million relatives all over the city. I am fighting this morning-runner thing tooth and nail! I love my 3:00 afternoon run. It's now time to love the early morning endorphins!
Rest
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Rest--This was a classic example of having good intentions and not seizing the opportunity when it presented itself. We frittered the morning away, then we had to all of a sudden visit a million relatives all over the city. I am fighting this morning-runner thing tooth and nail! I love my 3:00 afternoon run. It's now time to love the early morning endorphins!
Run
26 Dec
Run: 11 mi
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Run--My sister and I ran 11 miles around Phoenix. I am obsessed with saguaro cacti. We both needed this run as a confidence booster for the 1/2 marathon in two weeks. The weather was beautiful, and I felt pretty good.
Run: 11 mi
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Run--My sister and I ran 11 miles around Phoenix. I am obsessed with saguaro cacti. We both needed this run as a confidence booster for the 1/2 marathon in two weeks. The weather was beautiful, and I felt pretty good.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Rest
25 Dec
Rest
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Rest--Since the rest of the world was taking a break, it seemed appropriate for us to take one too! We spent the day at my uncle's house playing dominos and eating pumpkin cheesecake. Much fun.
Race(?)--I just received an e-mail about an underground marathon on 31 Dec in Bethesda. It sounds intriguing... It might be worth checking out.
Rest
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Rest--Since the rest of the world was taking a break, it seemed appropriate for us to take one too! We spent the day at my uncle's house playing dominos and eating pumpkin cheesecake. Much fun.
Race(?)--I just received an e-mail about an underground marathon on 31 Dec in Bethesda. It sounds intriguing... It might be worth checking out.
Run
24 Dec
Run: 7 mi
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Run--I ran with my sister throughout Glendale. We're both running the Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon in Phoenix next month, my sister's first half! I think we averaged about 10:00/mi, which is on par for her pace. It's going to be a very fun race.
Run: 7 mi
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Run--I ran with my sister throughout Glendale. We're both running the Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon in Phoenix next month, my sister's first half! I think we averaged about 10:00/mi, which is on par for her pace. It's going to be a very fun race.
Rest
23 Dec
Rest
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Rest--Family Day turned into Individual Day for some reason. I don't drive on Shabbat, but it doesn't matter at all to my family. I rode around with my sister all over the city while she did her running around. It's fun to just hang out sometimes. A good, and very different, Shabbat.
Rest
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Rest--Family Day turned into Individual Day for some reason. I don't drive on Shabbat, but it doesn't matter at all to my family. I rode around with my sister all over the city while she did her running around. It's fun to just hang out sometimes. A good, and very different, Shabbat.
Run, Strength, Core
22 Dec
Run: 4 mi
Strength: pull-ups, dips, lots-o-lats
Core: 8 min
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Run--My sister and I went to her gym in Phoenix. It was pretty nice, especially compared to the navy base where I normally work out! They even have a year-round outdoor pool, tons of courts, and lots of aerobic machines. The free weights were everywhere too! My lats were sore!!!
Run: 4 mi
Strength: pull-ups, dips, lots-o-lats
Core: 8 min
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Run--My sister and I went to her gym in Phoenix. It was pretty nice, especially compared to the navy base where I normally work out! They even have a year-round outdoor pool, tons of courts, and lots of aerobic machines. The free weights were everywhere too! My lats were sore!!!
Rest
21 Dec
Rest
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Rest--I can't remember what I did this day, but I remember not feeling too well. Oh well, I'm sure I had fun!
Rest
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Rest--I can't remember what I did this day, but I remember not feeling too well. Oh well, I'm sure I had fun!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Run
20 Dec
Run: 30 min
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Run--Mom and I went for a run in the morning. I am NOT a morning runner! Brrr, it was cold (40's). The rest of the morning/afternoon was filled with piano playing and thesis data reduction. This evening we took my grandma out for her birthday to a Mexican restaurant, a good time had by all. It was a good chance for me to practice my Japanese and enjoy the company.
Goals--I have been thinking a LOT about what I want to do in 2007, and I think I have it figured out. Unfortunately I left my race schedule over in MD, so that might have to wait a bit more. My body is still broken (left foot and right calf), so the time off isn't really hurting me too much. I'm anxious to start the crazy running again though. I LOVE being outside in the sun.
Run: 30 min
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Run--Mom and I went for a run in the morning. I am NOT a morning runner! Brrr, it was cold (40's). The rest of the morning/afternoon was filled with piano playing and thesis data reduction. This evening we took my grandma out for her birthday to a Mexican restaurant, a good time had by all. It was a good chance for me to practice my Japanese and enjoy the company.
Goals--I have been thinking a LOT about what I want to do in 2007, and I think I have it figured out. Unfortunately I left my race schedule over in MD, so that might have to wait a bit more. My body is still broken (left foot and right calf), so the time off isn't really hurting me too much. I'm anxious to start the crazy running again though. I LOVE being outside in the sun.
Rest
19 Dec
Rest
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Rest--Maybe I'm taking too many days off, but I just don't care. We went to ASU to see what life was like for my sister there. That is a HUGE campus! Then there was much babysitting and dogsitting.
Rest
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Rest--Maybe I'm taking too many days off, but I just don't care. We went to ASU to see what life was like for my sister there. That is a HUGE campus! Then there was much babysitting and dogsitting.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Rest
18 Dec
Rest
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Rest--The fam and I drove down to Tucson so I could meet up with guy I really like (also graduated from USAFA). Then they continued south and had a great time at Nogales, Mexico while I stayed in Tucson. I'm surprised they weren't arrested. We had a great time too. Unfortunately I had to go back to Phoenix so he could pack for his trip to Singapore tomorrow. I'm hoping he can come to DC for a visit sometime. He's a triathlete also!
Rest
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Rest--The fam and I drove down to Tucson so I could meet up with guy I really like (also graduated from USAFA). Then they continued south and had a great time at Nogales, Mexico while I stayed in Tucson. I'm surprised they weren't arrested. We had a great time too. Unfortunately I had to go back to Phoenix so he could pack for his trip to Singapore tomorrow. I'm hoping he can come to DC for a visit sometime. He's a triathlete also!
Run
17 Dec
Run: AZ Road Racers Desert Classic 30K Relay
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Run--It was so cold in AZ!!! (And I'm a South Dakota native!) We're slow, what can I say?! But we had a good time, and were absolutely crushed by just about every team. It didn't help that we each ate about 3500+ calories the night before at my sister's graduation party! Man, my grandma can cook!
KINGS OF THE ROAD 2:44:36
Dad M-44 0:29:14
Sister F-23 1:00:31
Steph F-24 0:47:59
Mom F-44 0:26:30
It was an out and back for each person, and a 5K, 10K, 10K, 5K. The 5K people turned around and headed back toward the start at 1.55 mi and my sister and I turned around at the 5K mark for our 10K distance. It was uphill and with a huge headwind, but after the turnaround, we just flew down! I think my mom negative splitted her 5K by 3-4 min, that's how bad it was! Wow, my 10K time was only 4 seconds slower that my 10K PR! How slow! Something to work on... Who knows what the rest of the vacation is going to look like Hopefully I can just stay hydrated and do something now and then. I'm enjoying this time off!
Run: AZ Road Racers Desert Classic 30K Relay
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Run--It was so cold in AZ!!! (And I'm a South Dakota native!) We're slow, what can I say?! But we had a good time, and were absolutely crushed by just about every team. It didn't help that we each ate about 3500+ calories the night before at my sister's graduation party! Man, my grandma can cook!
KINGS OF THE ROAD 2:44:36
Dad M-44 0:29:14
Sister F-23 1:00:31
Steph F-24 0:47:59
Mom F-44 0:26:30
It was an out and back for each person, and a 5K, 10K, 10K, 5K. The 5K people turned around and headed back toward the start at 1.55 mi and my sister and I turned around at the 5K mark for our 10K distance. It was uphill and with a huge headwind, but after the turnaround, we just flew down! I think my mom negative splitted her 5K by 3-4 min, that's how bad it was! Wow, my 10K time was only 4 seconds slower that my 10K PR! How slow! Something to work on... Who knows what the rest of the vacation is going to look like Hopefully I can just stay hydrated and do something now and then. I'm enjoying this time off!
Rest
16 Dec
Rest
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Rest--MY SISTER GRADUATED FROM ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY!!!
Rest
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Rest--MY SISTER GRADUATED FROM ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY!!!
X-Train
15 Dec
X-Train: 5+ hrs rock climbing
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X-train--My sister and I drove to Camelback Mtn in Phoenix to do some kick-butt climbing out there. Those pull-ups that I have been working on really help tremendously! It was SUPER fun. I will have to post some pictures of that after I return to MD.
X-Train: 5+ hrs rock climbing
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X-train--My sister and I drove to Camelback Mtn in Phoenix to do some kick-butt climbing out there. Those pull-ups that I have been working on really help tremendously! It was SUPER fun. I will have to post some pictures of that after I return to MD.
Rest
14 Dec
Rest
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Rest--Post office (with 10 packages!), biked to class, lesson with rabbi, stopped at a store, went to the airport, landed in Phoenix. Busy day!
Rest
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Rest--Post office (with 10 packages!), biked to class, lesson with rabbi, stopped at a store, went to the airport, landed in Phoenix. Busy day!
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Swim
13 Dec
Swim: 3000 yd
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Swim--The swim was Pathetic. Yes, with a capital P. Even making into the pool today was a good thing. I have negative energy right now.
Energy--The energy I have in any given day is dependent on two factors: what I CAN control and what I CANNOT control. What I CAN control: fluid intake, sleep, foods, how I use my time/limiting distractions. What I CANNOT control: weather (esp. cloudy weather), hormones, 10000 lbs of health physics problems every other day. I have been focusing on the things I cannot control rather than the things I can. It's time to flip it around. Now! All of my greatest role models have a boatload of discipline in many aspects of their lives. It's time for me to learn something from them.
Swim: 3000 yd
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Swim--The swim was Pathetic. Yes, with a capital P. Even making into the pool today was a good thing. I have negative energy right now.
Energy--The energy I have in any given day is dependent on two factors: what I CAN control and what I CANNOT control. What I CAN control: fluid intake, sleep, foods, how I use my time/limiting distractions. What I CANNOT control: weather (esp. cloudy weather), hormones, 10000 lbs of health physics problems every other day. I have been focusing on the things I cannot control rather than the things I can. It's time to flip it around. Now! All of my greatest role models have a boatload of discipline in many aspects of their lives. It's time for me to learn something from them.
Rest
12 Dec
Rest
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Rest--And then grad school surprises you by becoming even harder! :-) I am READY for this vacation!
Rest
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Rest--And then grad school surprises you by becoming even harder! :-) I am READY for this vacation!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Run, Bike, Stretching, Core
10 Dec
Run: Jingle Bell Jog 8K
Bike: 26 min (7.5 mi)
Stretching: 10 min
Core: 20 min
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Run--The Jingle Bell Jog is a fun time had by all. My only goals were to finish and enjoy running again. I took it REALLY easy at the beginning, just catching up with some runners I recognized from the JFK 50 Miler. Then I just started picking it up along the way. Final time was about 38:54 for the 8K, which isn't too bad for slacking off.
Goals--I still don't have my long-term goals yet, but that doesn't stop me from having weekly ones! My weekly goals (Mon-Sun) included:
-8000 yd swimming
-Strength 3x
-5 hrs of cardio (whatever I wanted to do, not including swimming)
-Lots of tiny thesis and rabbinical school application goals
And I accomplished all of them! I don't do well on one of those schedules which dictates what one must do every single day. This summer I experimented with a training plan based on weekly miles (swim-bike-run), distributed throughout the week however I wanted to do it.
Run: Jingle Bell Jog 8K
Bike: 26 min (7.5 mi)
Stretching: 10 min
Core: 20 min
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Run--The Jingle Bell Jog is a fun time had by all. My only goals were to finish and enjoy running again. I took it REALLY easy at the beginning, just catching up with some runners I recognized from the JFK 50 Miler. Then I just started picking it up along the way. Final time was about 38:54 for the 8K, which isn't too bad for slacking off.
Goals--I still don't have my long-term goals yet, but that doesn't stop me from having weekly ones! My weekly goals (Mon-Sun) included:
-8000 yd swimming
-Strength 3x
-5 hrs of cardio (whatever I wanted to do, not including swimming)
-Lots of tiny thesis and rabbinical school application goals
And I accomplished all of them! I don't do well on one of those schedules which dictates what one must do every single day. This summer I experimented with a training plan based on weekly miles (swim-bike-run), distributed throughout the week however I wanted to do it.
Steph and Adam post-race
One more for good measure
Bike
9 Dec
Bike: 27 min (7.6 mi)
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Bike--I studied at the 'gogue during a lot of Shabbat, and when I came home I studied some more. After sunset, I headed on over to the gym. I only had ~30 min to do something, but 30 min is more than zero! I ate enough latkes and cookie dough for an entire year that evening with some friends.
Bike: 27 min (7.6 mi)
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Bike--I studied at the 'gogue during a lot of Shabbat, and when I came home I studied some more. After sunset, I headed on over to the gym. I only had ~30 min to do something, but 30 min is more than zero! I ate enough latkes and cookie dough for an entire year that evening with some friends.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Bike, Strength
8 Dec
Bike: 60 min
Strength: 50 min
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Bike--Cabin John Trail was calling my name, so I listened and followed. It was pretty chilly (~33 degrees F), but fun nonetheless. My skills have developed tremendously over the past year. Bring on the roots and rocks, biggest you got! Mountain biking is so ridiculously fun.
Strength--Ab/adductors, quads, calf (left only), lots of hip muscles, bicep, tricep, lats. I did some really long, tough negatives and pull-ups too.
Stress--The stress has gone down considerably. Some issues are still present obviously, but I called the functional manager for the health physicists in the Air Force, and he was incredibly helpful. I probably won't know where I am moving until March or so, but that's ok. One of my huge faults is my ability to "roll with the punches." I've been a military brat all my life, and now I'm active duty, so it's surprising I haven't learned this earlier! I crave focus, tenacity, and predictability, but flexibility is also a great character trait to develop and possess. I am also going to Israel in March, which I am SUPER STOKED about! Time to start a great weekend.
Bike: 60 min
Strength: 50 min
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Bike--Cabin John Trail was calling my name, so I listened and followed. It was pretty chilly (~33 degrees F), but fun nonetheless. My skills have developed tremendously over the past year. Bring on the roots and rocks, biggest you got! Mountain biking is so ridiculously fun.
Strength--Ab/adductors, quads, calf (left only), lots of hip muscles, bicep, tricep, lats. I did some really long, tough negatives and pull-ups too.
Stress--The stress has gone down considerably. Some issues are still present obviously, but I called the functional manager for the health physicists in the Air Force, and he was incredibly helpful. I probably won't know where I am moving until March or so, but that's ok. One of my huge faults is my ability to "roll with the punches." I've been a military brat all my life, and now I'm active duty, so it's surprising I haven't learned this earlier! I crave focus, tenacity, and predictability, but flexibility is also a great character trait to develop and possess. I am also going to Israel in March, which I am SUPER STOKED about! Time to start a great weekend.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Swim, X-Train, Stretching
7 Dec
Swim: 5700 yd
X-Train: 10 min rowing
Stretching: 25 min
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Swim--This was the furthest I have ever swam at one time in my entire life. I had to do the workout early since I had a meeting at the same time as practice. The set was incredibly difficult, and I only swam freestyle for about 800 of it. It was just a LOT of everything.
Stretching--Wow, my body likes stretching! The arms LOVE it! My leg even feels better, which is a HUGE plus from how it had been feeling over the past few weeks.
Stress--It's pretty high right now. I thought I was moving to San Antonio in May, but turns out that's not the case. I have no idea when my program is finished, I have no idea where I'm going or when, I have no idea what the Air Force is going to make me do with this degree -OR- how much say I have in the process. Hopefully my functional manager will be in his office tomorrow. A fall marathon, or any triathlons for that matter, are probably a no-go until 2008 at the earliest. I am VERY bummed right now. This news arrived today.
Swim: 5700 yd
X-Train: 10 min rowing
Stretching: 25 min
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Swim--This was the furthest I have ever swam at one time in my entire life. I had to do the workout early since I had a meeting at the same time as practice. The set was incredibly difficult, and I only swam freestyle for about 800 of it. It was just a LOT of everything.
Stretching--Wow, my body likes stretching! The arms LOVE it! My leg even feels better, which is a HUGE plus from how it had been feeling over the past few weeks.
Stress--It's pretty high right now. I thought I was moving to San Antonio in May, but turns out that's not the case. I have no idea when my program is finished, I have no idea where I'm going or when, I have no idea what the Air Force is going to make me do with this degree -OR- how much say I have in the process. Hopefully my functional manager will be in his office tomorrow. A fall marathon, or any triathlons for that matter, are probably a no-go until 2008 at the earliest. I am VERY bummed right now. This news arrived today.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
X-Train, Run, Strength
6 Dec
X-Train: 30 min elliptical, 10 min rowing
Run: 2.4 mi (20 min)
Strength: 40 min
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X-Train--My training is going to be a cornucopia of x-training for the next few weeks. People in the gym must think I have a short attention span. I just want to see how much I can cram in an hour.
Run--First run since the 50 miler. This was just to see if I remembered HOW to run. A few of my friends and I are going to run the Jingle Bell 8K this weekend for fun. The goal is just to finish!
Strength--Lots of legs, shoulders, back. The gym closed before I could finish.
Projects--I am swamped with my winter time projects: masters degree in physics, rabbinical school preparation, military stuff, youth group, Hebrew school teaching, finishing up some books I am reading, and preparing for my trip to AZ next week. Needless to say the post about my upcoming goals is going to be delayed just for a bit until I can slow life down.
X-Train: 30 min elliptical, 10 min rowing
Run: 2.4 mi (20 min)
Strength: 40 min
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X-Train--My training is going to be a cornucopia of x-training for the next few weeks. People in the gym must think I have a short attention span. I just want to see how much I can cram in an hour.
Run--First run since the 50 miler. This was just to see if I remembered HOW to run. A few of my friends and I are going to run the Jingle Bell 8K this weekend for fun. The goal is just to finish!
Strength--Lots of legs, shoulders, back. The gym closed before I could finish.
Projects--I am swamped with my winter time projects: masters degree in physics, rabbinical school preparation, military stuff, youth group, Hebrew school teaching, finishing up some books I am reading, and preparing for my trip to AZ next week. Needless to say the post about my upcoming goals is going to be delayed just for a bit until I can slow life down.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Swim
5 Dec
Swim: 3500 yd
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Swim--I only had an hour to crank out a set. My coach was there though, which was SUPER helpful. Usually he just yells at me to keep my feet together, but today he was really surprised at the progress I have made by swimming on my own. I swam most of this with fins, but all the fly still made me pretty tired. Just need to keep at it!!! I can feel the abs, back, and shoulders strengthening every time I go into the water.
The Set
600 SKPS
8x100 (50 dr/50 sw, odd fly, even back)
50 EZ
5x(4x50) fly, br, fly, back, fly
50 EZ
500 free pull
5x100 kick (odd fly, even fr)
Swim: 3500 yd
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Swim--I only had an hour to crank out a set. My coach was there though, which was SUPER helpful. Usually he just yells at me to keep my feet together, but today he was really surprised at the progress I have made by swimming on my own. I swam most of this with fins, but all the fly still made me pretty tired. Just need to keep at it!!! I can feel the abs, back, and shoulders strengthening every time I go into the water.
The Set
600 SKPS
8x100 (50 dr/50 sw, odd fly, even back)
50 EZ
5x(4x50) fly, br, fly, back, fly
50 EZ
500 free pull
5x100 kick (odd fly, even fr)
Monday, December 04, 2006
November in Review
Swim: 28000 yd (15.9 mi)
Bike: 80.0 mi
Run: 81.3 mi
Strength/Core: 4
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Swim--This distance was about average. I had a week or two with zero swimming due to recovery from a looooong race, but I made it up the following weeks with some good recovery distance. December distance will be lower (vacation!), but hopefully my focus on fly and aerobic sets in November will help me accomplish my goal of finishing the 200 fly in a winter meet.
Bike--Most of the bike miles were from my daily commute, which is my favorite part of the day. I went on a few leisurely rides with some friends through DC which were a lot of fun. In January I am going to buy a bike trainer and go nuts riding LUCKY all winter and most of spring. The latest discovery was Cabin John Trail in Bethesda, which is a very nice beginner mountain bike trail. It was so fun!!! My mountain bike SPOOKY might be seeing some more miles in the winter months also. I LOVE that bike.
Run--Holy moly, I haven't run in almost 3 weeks straight! Of the 81+ miles in November, 50 of those were in ONE race. Running is going on the backburner right now until I'm 100% healed (right leg still being completely stupid). I'm also storing up motivation and mental excitement in my non-running weeks in order to avoid burnout from the crazy training plan I crafted a few weeks ago for the next season.
Strength/Core--I didn't lift weights at all in November, but I did do a few core workouts. This number was also lower because of post-50-miler recovery. My main goal is to increase this number for December (I will be creative while on my vacation, trust me).
Bike: 80.0 mi
Run: 81.3 mi
Strength/Core: 4
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Swim--This distance was about average. I had a week or two with zero swimming due to recovery from a looooong race, but I made it up the following weeks with some good recovery distance. December distance will be lower (vacation!), but hopefully my focus on fly and aerobic sets in November will help me accomplish my goal of finishing the 200 fly in a winter meet.
Bike--Most of the bike miles were from my daily commute, which is my favorite part of the day. I went on a few leisurely rides with some friends through DC which were a lot of fun. In January I am going to buy a bike trainer and go nuts riding LUCKY all winter and most of spring. The latest discovery was Cabin John Trail in Bethesda, which is a very nice beginner mountain bike trail. It was so fun!!! My mountain bike SPOOKY might be seeing some more miles in the winter months also. I LOVE that bike.
Run--Holy moly, I haven't run in almost 3 weeks straight! Of the 81+ miles in November, 50 of those were in ONE race. Running is going on the backburner right now until I'm 100% healed (right leg still being completely stupid). I'm also storing up motivation and mental excitement in my non-running weeks in order to avoid burnout from the crazy training plan I crafted a few weeks ago for the next season.
Strength/Core--I didn't lift weights at all in November, but I did do a few core workouts. This number was also lower because of post-50-miler recovery. My main goal is to increase this number for December (I will be creative while on my vacation, trust me).
X-Train, Strength
4 Dec
X-Train: 45 min elliptical, 30 min gym bike, 10 min rowing
Strength: 45 min
Core: 10 min
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X-train--My mp3 player has a new playlist, loaded with (totally random) motivational songs! The time flew by in the gym. My energy today was really low, and going to the gym helped tremendously!
Strength--For now I am doing lower weight, very slow reps, and about 10-12. I worked biceps, lats, triceps, quads, hip flexors, and chest. Lifting weights is so enjoyable, and I'm stoked to be able to focus on lifting more often. I'm only up to 3 consecutive pull-ups now. Man, it would be nice to get back to 8 pretty soon. Just have to keep working on it.
X-Train: 45 min elliptical, 30 min gym bike, 10 min rowing
Strength: 45 min
Core: 10 min
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X-train--My mp3 player has a new playlist, loaded with (totally random) motivational songs! The time flew by in the gym. My energy today was really low, and going to the gym helped tremendously!
Strength--For now I am doing lower weight, very slow reps, and about 10-12. I worked biceps, lats, triceps, quads, hip flexors, and chest. Lifting weights is so enjoyable, and I'm stoked to be able to focus on lifting more often. I'm only up to 3 consecutive pull-ups now. Man, it would be nice to get back to 8 pretty soon. Just have to keep working on it.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Core
3 Dec
Core: 10 min
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Core--It's not a lot, but 10 minutes is better than zero minutes. I spent the morning doing lots of homework problems and studying lots of text. In the afternoon I attended a conference in DC on special needs. My favorite age group to work with is the senior citizen group, and I work with teenagers a lot, so this conference was right down my alley. I learned so much, and I really want to give back to the community. A wonderful motivator.
Core: 10 min
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Core--It's not a lot, but 10 minutes is better than zero minutes. I spent the morning doing lots of homework problems and studying lots of text. In the afternoon I attended a conference in DC on special needs. My favorite age group to work with is the senior citizen group, and I work with teenagers a lot, so this conference was right down my alley. I learned so much, and I really want to give back to the community. A wonderful motivator.
Rest
1-2 Dec
Rest
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Rest--Swimming kicked my booty on Thursday! I'm still taking it really easy before I start ramping it up again for Boston training. This upcoming weekend will be the first run after the 50 miler (although I did run back from shul yesterday and to the metro today--in a skirt!). I also made a HUGE breakthrough in my thesis research on Friday.
Rest
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Rest--Swimming kicked my booty on Thursday! I'm still taking it really easy before I start ramping it up again for Boston training. This upcoming weekend will be the first run after the 50 miler (although I did run back from shul yesterday and to the metro today--in a skirt!). I also made a HUGE breakthrough in my thesis research on Friday.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Bike, Swim, Stretching
30 Nov
Bike: 60 min
Swim: 5500 yd
Stretching: 10 min
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Bike--I went mtn biking out at Cabin John Regional Park in Bethesda today. The trails are rated beginner. I had a GREAT time out there! The weather was perfect too. It's a great place to work on basic mtn biking skills. I LOVE my mountain bike!!!!
Swim--I moved up to the fastest lane on my masters team today. And I got it handed to me. Big time. Wow, I am going to be sore tomorrow. I can't remember the whole set, but there was a LOT of fly and a LOT of 200 IM. My abs are shredded from all the fly kicking. I hope I can hang with them from now on. They were very nice!
Lessons--I listed to Simply Stu's podcast yesterday (while doing radon homework), and I really enjoyed it. Stu's coach, and the coach of RaceAthlete, spoke about the focus and purpose of the off-season, which was really informative. I don't have the funds to hire a coach, but I have read quite a bit on periodization. It was reassuring to hear that his thoughts on how to train in the off-season are very similar to mine. And Desiree Ficker is AMAZING! I met her at the IronGirl Triathlon last August, and she is just an amazing person. To hear her account of her Kona race was incredible. The best part of the interview was when she talked about her friends yelling "Drop the bomb!!" That rocks!!! The podcast was chock full of triathlon (and life) lessons--patience, consistency, discipline (in training, recovery, and nutrition), pushing aside the pain, mental strength, and positive attitude. Those pros are amazing.
Bike: 60 min
Swim: 5500 yd
Stretching: 10 min
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Bike--I went mtn biking out at Cabin John Regional Park in Bethesda today. The trails are rated beginner. I had a GREAT time out there! The weather was perfect too. It's a great place to work on basic mtn biking skills. I LOVE my mountain bike!!!!
Swim--I moved up to the fastest lane on my masters team today. And I got it handed to me. Big time. Wow, I am going to be sore tomorrow. I can't remember the whole set, but there was a LOT of fly and a LOT of 200 IM. My abs are shredded from all the fly kicking. I hope I can hang with them from now on. They were very nice!
Lessons--I listed to Simply Stu's podcast yesterday (while doing radon homework), and I really enjoyed it. Stu's coach, and the coach of RaceAthlete, spoke about the focus and purpose of the off-season, which was really informative. I don't have the funds to hire a coach, but I have read quite a bit on periodization. It was reassuring to hear that his thoughts on how to train in the off-season are very similar to mine. And Desiree Ficker is AMAZING! I met her at the IronGirl Triathlon last August, and she is just an amazing person. To hear her account of her Kona race was incredible. The best part of the interview was when she talked about her friends yelling "Drop the bomb!!" That rocks!!! The podcast was chock full of triathlon (and life) lessons--patience, consistency, discipline (in training, recovery, and nutrition), pushing aside the pain, mental strength, and positive attitude. Those pros are amazing.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Swim
29 Nov
Swim: 4500 yd
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Swim--HUGE MILESTONE! I broke 200,000 yd for the year! The purpose of the set was aerobic and to work on freestyle skills.
The Set
400 SKPS
4x100 IM (nailed them all on 1:45)
12x100 free (50 dr/50 sw)
50EZ
5x200 free pull
50 EZ
12x100 kick (odd fly, even free w/ fins)
200IM
Reflection--As I rode my bike to the pool, I was thinking about how excited I was to jump in swim a good set. I almost take for granted now how I can just jump in and even come up with a good set on the fly (pun intended).
Who I was:
Ran indoor track in high school for purely social reasons
4:41 first marathon as a sophomore in college
Cut from college cross country team (I was the only one!)
Earned D's in water survival and swimming at USAFA
For a month I couldn't figure out how to work the shifters on my road bike
I really thought triathletes were nuts and I could NEVER EVER finish one
Deathly afraid of group rides
Zero pull-ups
Terribly intimidated and unfocused
What I have become:
Started swimming a year and a half ago
Competed in several swim meets and open water swims
Elected swim team captain, supports the team
Placed in my AG in 3 of 4 tri's in my very first season this past summer
3:27 marathon PR, 3:33 this season
Finished Boston 3 times, negative split 3 marathons
Can do 8 pull-ups, push-ups until my arms fall off
Completed a 50 mile race in 9:49!!!
Stronger and more dedicated than I have ever been before
Lifetime athlete
Motivation--I think the source is the title of my blog. We're only given one body, but sometimes we're fortunate enough to have second (third, fourth, or more) chances to try to take one more step further, faster. I feel more and more alive with every swim-bike-run I finish. I also achieved each of my goals in my profile, which really fueled my desire this year. The new goals for 2007 will push the envelope. Those goals will still have to wait until the end of the month. It's a great day to be a triathlete.
Goals for the 2006 Season
1) requalify for the Boston Marathon at Marine Corps Marathon 2006
2) finish my first 50-mile race
3) enjoy my first triathlon season in summer 2006
Swim: 4500 yd
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Swim--HUGE MILESTONE! I broke 200,000 yd for the year! The purpose of the set was aerobic and to work on freestyle skills.
The Set
400 SKPS
4x100 IM (nailed them all on 1:45)
12x100 free (50 dr/50 sw)
50EZ
5x200 free pull
50 EZ
12x100 kick (odd fly, even free w/ fins)
200IM
Reflection--As I rode my bike to the pool, I was thinking about how excited I was to jump in swim a good set. I almost take for granted now how I can just jump in and even come up with a good set on the fly (pun intended).
Who I was:
Ran indoor track in high school for purely social reasons
4:41 first marathon as a sophomore in college
Cut from college cross country team (I was the only one!)
Earned D's in water survival and swimming at USAFA
For a month I couldn't figure out how to work the shifters on my road bike
I really thought triathletes were nuts and I could NEVER EVER finish one
Deathly afraid of group rides
Zero pull-ups
Terribly intimidated and unfocused
What I have become:
Started swimming a year and a half ago
Competed in several swim meets and open water swims
Elected swim team captain, supports the team
Placed in my AG in 3 of 4 tri's in my very first season this past summer
3:27 marathon PR, 3:33 this season
Finished Boston 3 times, negative split 3 marathons
Can do 8 pull-ups, push-ups until my arms fall off
Completed a 50 mile race in 9:49!!!
Stronger and more dedicated than I have ever been before
Lifetime athlete
Motivation--I think the source is the title of my blog. We're only given one body, but sometimes we're fortunate enough to have second (third, fourth, or more) chances to try to take one more step further, faster. I feel more and more alive with every swim-bike-run I finish. I also achieved each of my goals in my profile, which really fueled my desire this year. The new goals for 2007 will push the envelope. Those goals will still have to wait until the end of the month. It's a great day to be a triathlete.
Goals for the 2006 Season
1) requalify for the Boston Marathon at Marine Corps Marathon 2006
2) finish my first 50-mile race
3) enjoy my first triathlon season in summer 2006
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Swim
28 Nov
Swim: 3000 yd
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Swim--I actually cut the set short due to a not-so-good feeling in my right shoulder (stupid golf!). Nonetheless, I worked pretty hard, so it's all good. The times for the 3x100 free were very slow (see below), and I stopped timing after that. Don't worry, I'll be back to my old, spunky self in a few more days! This recovery process is taking a bit more time than I anticipated, that's all.
The Set
400 SKPS
4x100 IM (1:49, 1:51, 1:50, 1:51)
4x100 fly (50 drill/50 swim, 1:39, 1:42, 1:46, 1:43)
3x100 free (pain started here, 1:42, 1:48, 1:49)
12x100 kick w/fins (even fly, odd free)
100 free pull
200 back w/fins
PS--I'm a huge dork. I could have just kicked another 310 yards for an even 200,000 yd for the year-to-date. Looks like I have a project for tomorrow. Yippie!
Swim: 3000 yd
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Swim--I actually cut the set short due to a not-so-good feeling in my right shoulder (stupid golf!). Nonetheless, I worked pretty hard, so it's all good. The times for the 3x100 free were very slow (see below), and I stopped timing after that. Don't worry, I'll be back to my old, spunky self in a few more days! This recovery process is taking a bit more time than I anticipated, that's all.
The Set
400 SKPS
4x100 IM (1:49, 1:51, 1:50, 1:51)
4x100 fly (50 drill/50 swim, 1:39, 1:42, 1:46, 1:43)
3x100 free (pain started here, 1:42, 1:48, 1:49)
12x100 kick w/fins (even fly, odd free)
100 free pull
200 back w/fins
PS--I'm a huge dork. I could have just kicked another 310 yards for an even 200,000 yd for the year-to-date. Looks like I have a project for tomorrow. Yippie!
Monday, November 27, 2006
Core, Stretching
27 Nov
Core: 17 min
Stretching: 10 min
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Core--These exercises do the trick during a study break while watching a movie! It seems like my core is the only body part that actually works right now!
Nutrition--I have been logging my meals ahead of time in the USDA Food Pyramid website to track my nutrients and caloric intake. There are many food tracking websites out there, and this one is my favorite. You can even input pretty specific types of exercise as well.
Stretching--It feels like my body is falling apart, even after so many days off! Maybe this is exactly what it needs. My mind is anxious to run, but this body is still in the healing process (from something). Stretching really does help everything feel a lot better.
Motivation--I'm excited to start up some harder marathon/triathlon base training again, which is a really good sign. I am putting off nailing down my training plan, my goals, and my upcoming race season for just a few more weeks. It's just as important to rest the mind and push this stuff away for a while to play as it is to give my body a break. 2007 is going to be exciting!
Core: 17 min
Stretching: 10 min
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Core--These exercises do the trick during a study break while watching a movie! It seems like my core is the only body part that actually works right now!
Nutrition--I have been logging my meals ahead of time in the USDA Food Pyramid website to track my nutrients and caloric intake. There are many food tracking websites out there, and this one is my favorite. You can even input pretty specific types of exercise as well.
Stretching--It feels like my body is falling apart, even after so many days off! Maybe this is exactly what it needs. My mind is anxious to run, but this body is still in the healing process (from something). Stretching really does help everything feel a lot better.
Motivation--I'm excited to start up some harder marathon/triathlon base training again, which is a really good sign. I am putting off nailing down my training plan, my goals, and my upcoming race season for just a few more weeks. It's just as important to rest the mind and push this stuff away for a while to play as it is to give my body a break. 2007 is going to be exciting!
Rest
25-26 Nov
Rest
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Rest--On Saturday we did a lot of walking around on the beaches. At night we played goofy golf (or "goofy glof," as my youngest sister calls it). On Sunday my dad and I went out to the driving ranges before heading out to the airport. My arms are sore!! I'm a wimp, what can I say.
Rest
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Rest--On Saturday we did a lot of walking around on the beaches. At night we played goofy golf (or "goofy glof," as my youngest sister calls it). On Sunday my dad and I went out to the driving ranges before heading out to the airport. My arms are sore!! I'm a wimp, what can I say.
Watch out Tiger Woods!
Two holes-in-one, but mom still crushed me!
X-Train, Bike
24 Nov
X-Train: 30 min elliptical, 8 mi bike
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X-train--I kept waking up several hours before everyone, so I just decided to do a little bit on the elliptical machine. The arch on my left foot hurts like a biznatch!!! If it's this bad later this week, I will probably make an appointment at the podiatrist.
X-Train: 30 min elliptical, 8 mi bike
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X-train--I kept waking up several hours before everyone, so I just decided to do a little bit on the elliptical machine. The arch on my left foot hurts like a biznatch!!! If it's this bad later this week, I will probably make an appointment at the podiatrist.
Rest
21-23 Nov
Rest
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Rest--I flew to Florida to visit my parents and my youngest sister. My middle sister (AKA younger-older sister) flew out from Phoenix, and it was a crazy mini reunion. This was the BEST vacation I have ever had! It was the first time my sister and I had visited my parents since they moved. Ya... white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, dolphins about 10 minutes away!!! It was GREAT!!!
We stuffed ourselves completely silly too.
Rest
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Rest--I flew to Florida to visit my parents and my youngest sister. My middle sister (AKA younger-older sister) flew out from Phoenix, and it was a crazy mini reunion. This was the BEST vacation I have ever had! It was the first time my sister and I had visited my parents since they moved. Ya... white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, dolphins about 10 minutes away!!! It was GREAT!!!
We stuffed ourselves completely silly too.
My parents' backyard!!!
I swear, I'm not related to these people
Slumber party!!
The girls in Seaside
A "normal" family photo on the beach
Monday, November 20, 2006
Rest
20 Nov
Rest
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Rest--Another rest day, but I DID ride my bike to the hospital this morning! Now THAT'S progress! And, yes, I was in the granny gear the entire time. It's hard being a physicist after having your brain scrambled by a 50 mile race. Trust me on that one.
Rest
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Rest--Another rest day, but I DID ride my bike to the hospital this morning! Now THAT'S progress! And, yes, I was in the granny gear the entire time. It's hard being a physicist after having your brain scrambled by a 50 mile race. Trust me on that one.
Rest
19 Nov
Rest
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Rest--I'm not running for a month! Oh man, I sure hope eating is a sport. Enjoy the race report of my FIRST ultramarathon.
Rest
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Rest--I'm not running for a month! Oh man, I sure hope eating is a sport. Enjoy the race report of my FIRST ultramarathon.
MCRRC (80+ runners!) at the Start
These shoes and socks are GLORIOUS!!!
Steph at 27.1, Heaven!
Who ran 50 miles?! WE DID!!!
Steph and E-Speed, STOKED to be ultramarathoners!!!!
Run
18 Nov
JFK 50 Miler
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JFK 50 Miler Race Report
AKA "My First (and Last?) Ultra Marathon"
AKA “Putting Total Trust into Total Strangers”
AKA "What are we DOING here?!"
AKA “Welcome to the Dark Side… We Have Cookies”
AKA “I am NEVER doing this again! Maybe… Heck, I’ll be here next year.”
AKA “50 Miles is One Far @$$ Race”
“Before I realized what I was about to do”—There was nothing to report about pre-race really. I spent the night at a total stranger’s house, I’m on a team where I don’t know or couldn’t recognize anyone, I dropped my mid-race bag off at a total stranger’s house (who I didn’t even meet until mile 27.1), and I was about 90 miles away from where I left my car the day prior. I didn’t eat my normal pre-race breakfast (salmon, baked potato, challah, and OJ) and I didn’t eat my normal pre-race dinner (Ben & Jerry’s with sushi). A recipe for success, to be certain. Luckily all of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club (MCRRC) runners had black shirts that said “Welcome to the Dark Side” on the back so we could recognize each other. Before I knew it, we were lined up behind some sort of start line facing a huge asphalt hill. If there ever was an appropriate time to pee my pants, that would have been it. Then the gun (buzzer, horn, whatever it was) went off! I was ready to peel out of there with my record-breaking 14:00/miles. Goals are good.
Lessons Learned—Figure out how often to eat/drink BEFORE the race starts, don’t even think about the fact you’re about to run 50 miles all at once, racing a marathon (even Goal B) is too soon to run a 50 miler afterward. Oh, maybe it’s a good idea to at least meet the people you’ll be spending the night with and leaving your stuff with beforehand.
“Panicking Before the Appalachian Trail”—A bunch of us ran the Appalachian Trail (AT) a few weeks prior, so we knew how much this part was going to suck. On a scale of suckitude of 1 to 10, our practice run on the AT was an 11. I had never felt bones splintering before. As we were rocketing up this asphalt hill road (by rocketing I mean we made snails look like they were going mach 3), I just started to panic more and more as I reflected upon the training run two weeks ago. But it was also a nice chance to talk to some folks and follow some experienced MCRRC ultra runners.
Lessons Learned—Running the AT beforehand was the smartest thing I have ever done in my life. That part of the race demands respect, and I bow down before thee with humility. I also wore exactly the right clothes for the weather (low 40’s to mid 50’s, cloudy). I also set my watch timer to beep at me every 20 minutes so I would remember to drink. After every 2-3 beeps I would eat some gels or a snack. I also ate something at every aid station.
“Let the Bone Crunching Begin!”—We finally reached the AT… and it was NICE! My biggest fear in this race was that the leaves (the horrible, loud, dry, ugly death leaves) were covering all of the rocks (whose only purpose was to crush my body and soul). But most of the leaves were gone or smashed down! Oh man, was I ever singing my halleluyas! Literally. For 14 miles of trail I was singing this. Good thing I learned lots of Halleluya songs in Hebrew school. I walked a lot of the trail with a guy from southern PA who was running with Team in Training and a guy named Blake in which the JFK 50 Miler was his first race EVER. Ouch! Partway through the AT we walked/ran up a very hilly stretch of road. Halfway down the AT we ran through an aid station through a grassy field, and man, I totally felt like a rock star. I actually ran through it twice since I felt so cool. I survived the AT without even a scratch, thank the high heavens. And, dare I say, it was fun!
Lessons Learned—I had forgotten how much fun it is to run on trails. I miss snowshoeing. And I think I converted some people to snowshoeing out on the trail, which ROCKS!
“Crossing Over to the Dark Side Part I”—Most people I talked to after the race didn’t feel any type of low point or hit the wall, etc. I entered the 7 level of hell at mile 16, right after we crossed over to the C&O Canal towpath. I wanted to jump off a bridge, but I couldn’t find one. I wanted to trip on a rock and just roll down the towpath for a while so I wouldn’t have to use my legs, but no big rocks could be found. I wanted a strong man with highly defined muscles and a PhD in astrophysics to whisk me away so we could go elope… oh wait, the 50 miler. Anyway, my body was hating life, and it was only mile 16! I was in some trouble. My lower legs were hating on me, it was so freaking quiet out there, and I needed some external stimulus. There just wasn’t anything out there. I just focused on making it to the next aid station and trying to find more MCRRC runners to pathetically latch myself onto.
Lesson Learned—Next time I will take a long break at the aid station at the beginning of the towpath. I also know that we run west and not east along the Potomac (that was an unpleasant surprise!). It would have been nice—no, necessary—to run that part with someone. Misery makes company or so they say. I should also have made a list of “35 Things to Think About,” one item for each mile to keep my mind occupied.
“From Death March to Looong Delusional State”—I remember the exact moment I felt 10000000000000 times better. A porta-potty was positioned on the left side of the towpath at around mile 20ish. I could see its angelic rays of light radiating from all its glory. The pot of gold (figuratively) at the end of a rainbow. The powerball jackpot. Christmas morning (well, being Jewish, I can only imagine this). This is where I knew Goal A would be achieved. This was my first religious experience out on the trail. I wonder if the Talmud says anything about that. Moving right along. At around mile 22ish I found some MCRRC runners who didn’t mind my incessant talking! Score! This group became the Pied Piper for MCRRC runners throughout the day, and I was their first rat. Their plan, headed by a 3x JFK finisher, was to walk for one minute at every mile marker and then run to the next one. Genius, I tell ya! The only time I looked at my watch during the race was at the halfway point.
Lessons Learned—I saw the most awesome gaiters everywhere! I really want to buy a pair of those. I wonder if they’re waterproof for snowshoeing too… Leaves, sticks and crap kept getting into my shoes and socks. Setting goals before the race is key. Walking breaks are good, stretching breaks are bad. Potato chips and salty pretzel nuggets work great! My fanny pack/water bottle holder didn’t bother me one bit.
“Don is My HERO”—I left my mid-race bag at “Don’s” house with some snacks, socks, and my purple Asics! YESSSSS!!! There he was at the MCRRC Illegal Substance Table at mile 27.1 with my bag! And I had an opportunity to meet him. Putting those shoes on felt like a feet transplant, my body flooding with happiness (still in the delusional state). And the MCRRCs were off again.
Lessons Learned—Fresh shoes and socks (with pre-sprinkled foot powder) is the best feeling ever. Also, challah is my favorite food in the world. This rest station may have been better than the finish line for me.
“More Pied Piper Action”—For a while we were running in a group of 12 or so, having a great time! I don’t remember anyone’s names (well, we had 4 Daves, so I can remember that. Oh, and my buddy Angelo), but I know all about their feelings on potty training pets, Turkey Day plans, marathon history, and why the F they were all doing this race. This segment (miles 27-39) actually went by very quickly, and everyone felt and looked fantastic!
Lessons Learned—Oh man, I think my happiness from rest station 27.1 carried me through these miles! The time went by very quickly when everyone started remembering why they were out there in the first place. None of our reasons were even close to being rational at this point.
“Enter Dark Side Part II”—At mile 39 the gnome village which usually lives happily in my GI system (they're known for rebelling) all at once staged a huge offensive on my left arch! I have never felt anything like this before. I could have sworn my foot totally broke in half and that the only thing keeping it together was my magical purple Asics lightly coated with foot powder. Those gnomes were armed with medieval maces, battle axes, flamethrowers, rabid dogs, killer squid, you name it. Oh, it was awful! I had no idea what was going on down there, but I decided that if I stop running now, it was all over. I wanted to be done running SO BADLY that nothing was going to stop me. I wanted to take my shoe off more than I wanted that finishing medal! This was my second religious experience. I knew I could finish, but more importantly, I was so thankful that I had developed the mental and physical strength to actually push the pain aside and finish upright. My Goal A could be achieved! I would finish in one piece under 12 hours and have a religious experience!
Lessons Learned—Motivation is motivation, I suppose.
“Hauling Buns to the Finish Line”—I thank my lucky stars every minute not only for the smashed leaves on the AT, but for having run Riley's Rumble 1/2 Marathon this past summer. The last 8 miles of the race I ran alone (since I wanted to finish so badly!), and the atmosphere of this part of the race was identical to that half marathon. I was SO excited to be out on a real road! I ran the entire 8 miles.
Lessons Learned—100 mile week saved me, long runs the day after tempo runs saved me, hilly half marathon training saved me, saving tons of energy with the MCRRC Pied Pipers saved me, paying attention to nutrition and hydration saved me, changing shoes saved me, and I had FUN!!!
“I RAN 50 MILES!!!!”—I still can’t believe that I actually achieved my Goal A for this race. It didn’t really occur to me that I could break 10 hours until I was about a block away from the finish line. I had NO clue how to run an ultra (still don’t), and to break 10 hours was the applesauce with my latkes. Oh man, I was SO surprised! As I was running up that hill toward the finish, people were cheering so loudly, and I actually saw E-Speed cheering for me at the finish too! I hadn’t seen her all day, and she had an absolutely fantastic race also! (I wonder if she went bowling afterward…) It was completely awesome watching people finish this race! What a trip!!!
Lessons Learned—I did take my time on that last mile, just to try to soak in as many emotions, feelings, sights, sounds, tastes as I possibly good. I also remembered my own reasons for being there, and how wonderful the feeling was. It was simply amazing.
“Big MCRRC Family”—I love the MCRRC team. All of them. The person who was supposed to drive me back to my car didn’t finish the race, and she actually went back to her house an hour and a half away. I was stuck there! I started to panic. But I just found some MCRRC shirts and our team captain, and within a few minutes, a bunch of people offered to give me a lift. Whew! It was so nice! I did lose my 27.1 mile bag somewhere, and I hope I get that back. It still has some challah left in there.
Lessons Learned—I need to find a tri club or a running club no matter where I move! If there isn’t a club, I’ll start one. There is no way in heck I would EVER do one of these again without having the teamwork and camaraderie that only a team can provide.
“24 Yr Old Woman in 100 Yr Old Body”—Everything was/is stiff and sore. I broke ALL recovery rules! I could definitely write a book on what NOT to do after long races recovery-wise. But I did make it to IKEA on Sunday night, which heals all wounds. I actually rode my bike (albeit very slowly) to the hospital this morning. Now that’s progress! The foot is still quite painful, but it’s nothing a butcher knife can’t take care of.
Lessons Learned—I’ll write about recovery later. It’s time to drink another beer and eat another bowl of Ben & Jerry’s.
“Would You Do It Again?!”—Not having children of my own (only a 7 yr old sister and a 23 yr old sister), I can only speculate. But someone once told me that running long distances (marathon +) is like childbirth. You have to forget about the pain of the first one before you even think about trying again. Can I get an amen?? I DID have fun, but man, I am messed up! But it’s not something (a lot of) turkey and pie can’t fix. If YOU decide to do a 50 miler, make sure you talk to me first!
Splits for last 7 miles (I forgot the first one of the 8 road miles, 9:06 avg pace)
8:41
9:29
8:17 (+1:31 for 9:48, fizzy Pepsi was a BAD idea)
18:10
8:46
8:51
First Half--5:45
Second Half--4:04
Total Time--9:49:37 (11:47 pace)
JFK 50 Miler
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JFK 50 Miler Race Report
AKA "My First (and Last?) Ultra Marathon"
AKA “Putting Total Trust into Total Strangers”
AKA "What are we DOING here?!"
AKA “Welcome to the Dark Side… We Have Cookies”
AKA “I am NEVER doing this again! Maybe… Heck, I’ll be here next year.”
AKA “50 Miles is One Far @$$ Race”
“Before I realized what I was about to do”—There was nothing to report about pre-race really. I spent the night at a total stranger’s house, I’m on a team where I don’t know or couldn’t recognize anyone, I dropped my mid-race bag off at a total stranger’s house (who I didn’t even meet until mile 27.1), and I was about 90 miles away from where I left my car the day prior. I didn’t eat my normal pre-race breakfast (salmon, baked potato, challah, and OJ) and I didn’t eat my normal pre-race dinner (Ben & Jerry’s with sushi). A recipe for success, to be certain. Luckily all of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club (MCRRC) runners had black shirts that said “Welcome to the Dark Side” on the back so we could recognize each other. Before I knew it, we were lined up behind some sort of start line facing a huge asphalt hill. If there ever was an appropriate time to pee my pants, that would have been it. Then the gun (buzzer, horn, whatever it was) went off! I was ready to peel out of there with my record-breaking 14:00/miles. Goals are good.
Lessons Learned—Figure out how often to eat/drink BEFORE the race starts, don’t even think about the fact you’re about to run 50 miles all at once, racing a marathon (even Goal B) is too soon to run a 50 miler afterward. Oh, maybe it’s a good idea to at least meet the people you’ll be spending the night with and leaving your stuff with beforehand.
“Panicking Before the Appalachian Trail”—A bunch of us ran the Appalachian Trail (AT) a few weeks prior, so we knew how much this part was going to suck. On a scale of suckitude of 1 to 10, our practice run on the AT was an 11. I had never felt bones splintering before. As we were rocketing up this asphalt hill road (by rocketing I mean we made snails look like they were going mach 3), I just started to panic more and more as I reflected upon the training run two weeks ago. But it was also a nice chance to talk to some folks and follow some experienced MCRRC ultra runners.
Lessons Learned—Running the AT beforehand was the smartest thing I have ever done in my life. That part of the race demands respect, and I bow down before thee with humility. I also wore exactly the right clothes for the weather (low 40’s to mid 50’s, cloudy). I also set my watch timer to beep at me every 20 minutes so I would remember to drink. After every 2-3 beeps I would eat some gels or a snack. I also ate something at every aid station.
“Let the Bone Crunching Begin!”—We finally reached the AT… and it was NICE! My biggest fear in this race was that the leaves (the horrible, loud, dry, ugly death leaves) were covering all of the rocks (whose only purpose was to crush my body and soul). But most of the leaves were gone or smashed down! Oh man, was I ever singing my halleluyas! Literally. For 14 miles of trail I was singing this. Good thing I learned lots of Halleluya songs in Hebrew school. I walked a lot of the trail with a guy from southern PA who was running with Team in Training and a guy named Blake in which the JFK 50 Miler was his first race EVER. Ouch! Partway through the AT we walked/ran up a very hilly stretch of road. Halfway down the AT we ran through an aid station through a grassy field, and man, I totally felt like a rock star. I actually ran through it twice since I felt so cool. I survived the AT without even a scratch, thank the high heavens. And, dare I say, it was fun!
Lessons Learned—I had forgotten how much fun it is to run on trails. I miss snowshoeing. And I think I converted some people to snowshoeing out on the trail, which ROCKS!
“Crossing Over to the Dark Side Part I”—Most people I talked to after the race didn’t feel any type of low point or hit the wall, etc. I entered the 7 level of hell at mile 16, right after we crossed over to the C&O Canal towpath. I wanted to jump off a bridge, but I couldn’t find one. I wanted to trip on a rock and just roll down the towpath for a while so I wouldn’t have to use my legs, but no big rocks could be found. I wanted a strong man with highly defined muscles and a PhD in astrophysics to whisk me away so we could go elope… oh wait, the 50 miler. Anyway, my body was hating life, and it was only mile 16! I was in some trouble. My lower legs were hating on me, it was so freaking quiet out there, and I needed some external stimulus. There just wasn’t anything out there. I just focused on making it to the next aid station and trying to find more MCRRC runners to pathetically latch myself onto.
Lesson Learned—Next time I will take a long break at the aid station at the beginning of the towpath. I also know that we run west and not east along the Potomac (that was an unpleasant surprise!). It would have been nice—no, necessary—to run that part with someone. Misery makes company or so they say. I should also have made a list of “35 Things to Think About,” one item for each mile to keep my mind occupied.
“From Death March to Looong Delusional State”—I remember the exact moment I felt 10000000000000 times better. A porta-potty was positioned on the left side of the towpath at around mile 20ish. I could see its angelic rays of light radiating from all its glory. The pot of gold (figuratively) at the end of a rainbow. The powerball jackpot. Christmas morning (well, being Jewish, I can only imagine this). This is where I knew Goal A would be achieved. This was my first religious experience out on the trail. I wonder if the Talmud says anything about that. Moving right along. At around mile 22ish I found some MCRRC runners who didn’t mind my incessant talking! Score! This group became the Pied Piper for MCRRC runners throughout the day, and I was their first rat. Their plan, headed by a 3x JFK finisher, was to walk for one minute at every mile marker and then run to the next one. Genius, I tell ya! The only time I looked at my watch during the race was at the halfway point.
Lessons Learned—I saw the most awesome gaiters everywhere! I really want to buy a pair of those. I wonder if they’re waterproof for snowshoeing too… Leaves, sticks and crap kept getting into my shoes and socks. Setting goals before the race is key. Walking breaks are good, stretching breaks are bad. Potato chips and salty pretzel nuggets work great! My fanny pack/water bottle holder didn’t bother me one bit.
“Don is My HERO”—I left my mid-race bag at “Don’s” house with some snacks, socks, and my purple Asics! YESSSSS!!! There he was at the MCRRC Illegal Substance Table at mile 27.1 with my bag! And I had an opportunity to meet him. Putting those shoes on felt like a feet transplant, my body flooding with happiness (still in the delusional state). And the MCRRCs were off again.
Lessons Learned—Fresh shoes and socks (with pre-sprinkled foot powder) is the best feeling ever. Also, challah is my favorite food in the world. This rest station may have been better than the finish line for me.
“More Pied Piper Action”—For a while we were running in a group of 12 or so, having a great time! I don’t remember anyone’s names (well, we had 4 Daves, so I can remember that. Oh, and my buddy Angelo), but I know all about their feelings on potty training pets, Turkey Day plans, marathon history, and why the F they were all doing this race. This segment (miles 27-39) actually went by very quickly, and everyone felt and looked fantastic!
Lessons Learned—Oh man, I think my happiness from rest station 27.1 carried me through these miles! The time went by very quickly when everyone started remembering why they were out there in the first place. None of our reasons were even close to being rational at this point.
“Enter Dark Side Part II”—At mile 39 the gnome village which usually lives happily in my GI system (they're known for rebelling) all at once staged a huge offensive on my left arch! I have never felt anything like this before. I could have sworn my foot totally broke in half and that the only thing keeping it together was my magical purple Asics lightly coated with foot powder. Those gnomes were armed with medieval maces, battle axes, flamethrowers, rabid dogs, killer squid, you name it. Oh, it was awful! I had no idea what was going on down there, but I decided that if I stop running now, it was all over. I wanted to be done running SO BADLY that nothing was going to stop me. I wanted to take my shoe off more than I wanted that finishing medal! This was my second religious experience. I knew I could finish, but more importantly, I was so thankful that I had developed the mental and physical strength to actually push the pain aside and finish upright. My Goal A could be achieved! I would finish in one piece under 12 hours and have a religious experience!
Lessons Learned—Motivation is motivation, I suppose.
“Hauling Buns to the Finish Line”—I thank my lucky stars every minute not only for the smashed leaves on the AT, but for having run Riley's Rumble 1/2 Marathon this past summer. The last 8 miles of the race I ran alone (since I wanted to finish so badly!), and the atmosphere of this part of the race was identical to that half marathon. I was SO excited to be out on a real road! I ran the entire 8 miles.
Lessons Learned—100 mile week saved me, long runs the day after tempo runs saved me, hilly half marathon training saved me, saving tons of energy with the MCRRC Pied Pipers saved me, paying attention to nutrition and hydration saved me, changing shoes saved me, and I had FUN!!!
“I RAN 50 MILES!!!!”—I still can’t believe that I actually achieved my Goal A for this race. It didn’t really occur to me that I could break 10 hours until I was about a block away from the finish line. I had NO clue how to run an ultra (still don’t), and to break 10 hours was the applesauce with my latkes. Oh man, I was SO surprised! As I was running up that hill toward the finish, people were cheering so loudly, and I actually saw E-Speed cheering for me at the finish too! I hadn’t seen her all day, and she had an absolutely fantastic race also! (I wonder if she went bowling afterward…) It was completely awesome watching people finish this race! What a trip!!!
Lessons Learned—I did take my time on that last mile, just to try to soak in as many emotions, feelings, sights, sounds, tastes as I possibly good. I also remembered my own reasons for being there, and how wonderful the feeling was. It was simply amazing.
“Big MCRRC Family”—I love the MCRRC team. All of them. The person who was supposed to drive me back to my car didn’t finish the race, and she actually went back to her house an hour and a half away. I was stuck there! I started to panic. But I just found some MCRRC shirts and our team captain, and within a few minutes, a bunch of people offered to give me a lift. Whew! It was so nice! I did lose my 27.1 mile bag somewhere, and I hope I get that back. It still has some challah left in there.
Lessons Learned—I need to find a tri club or a running club no matter where I move! If there isn’t a club, I’ll start one. There is no way in heck I would EVER do one of these again without having the teamwork and camaraderie that only a team can provide.
“24 Yr Old Woman in 100 Yr Old Body”—Everything was/is stiff and sore. I broke ALL recovery rules! I could definitely write a book on what NOT to do after long races recovery-wise. But I did make it to IKEA on Sunday night, which heals all wounds. I actually rode my bike (albeit very slowly) to the hospital this morning. Now that’s progress! The foot is still quite painful, but it’s nothing a butcher knife can’t take care of.
Lessons Learned—I’ll write about recovery later. It’s time to drink another beer and eat another bowl of Ben & Jerry’s.
“Would You Do It Again?!”—Not having children of my own (only a 7 yr old sister and a 23 yr old sister), I can only speculate. But someone once told me that running long distances (marathon +) is like childbirth. You have to forget about the pain of the first one before you even think about trying again. Can I get an amen?? I DID have fun, but man, I am messed up! But it’s not something (a lot of) turkey and pie can’t fix. If YOU decide to do a 50 miler, make sure you talk to me first!
Splits for last 7 miles (I forgot the first one of the 8 road miles, 9:06 avg pace)
8:41
9:29
8:17 (+1:31 for 9:48, fizzy Pepsi was a BAD idea)
18:10
8:46
8:51
First Half--5:45
Second Half--4:04
Total Time--9:49:37 (11:47 pace)
Friday, November 17, 2006
Rest
17 Nov
Rest
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Rest--I should write "rest" since today is anything but a rest day! I didn't have time to do nearly the amount that I wanted/needed to do today, but that's how life goes sometimes. In a few minutes it'll be time to head toward packet pick-up and my overnight stay near the start line. Deep breaths, deep breaths!!! See you on the other side...
Rest
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Rest--I should write "rest" since today is anything but a rest day! I didn't have time to do nearly the amount that I wanted/needed to do today, but that's how life goes sometimes. In a few minutes it'll be time to head toward packet pick-up and my overnight stay near the start line. Deep breaths, deep breaths!!! See you on the other side...
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Swim
16 Nov
Swim: 3800 yd
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Swim--Yay for masters swimming! It's always interesting when our coach allows us to work on a particular stroke in a set. All the backstrokers came today, while I was the only fly girl (hahahaha!). Most of the sets were anaerobic, which was a nice switch. I had an opportunity to practice that 200 fly today!
JFK 50 Miler--It hasn't set in yet that I'm running this silly race. It's almost midnight, I'm not even CLOSE to being ready to hop into bed, this place is a mess, and tomorrow is going to be NUTS! A very awesome runner is looking to run a sub-10:00, and she definitely can and will! For me, Saturday is just going to be an awesome time with 2000 of my best friends (if we don't know each other now, I'm sure we're going to be really friendly after 10+ hours on this course). I'd rather finish in one piece and get ready to start my experimental training project for Boston rather than totally thrash myself and hate life. Plus I'm on a negative split kick anyway!
Shabbat--Yes, the race is on Shabbat. But I will have challah and the whole nine yards. I'm not sure if this is what God had in mind, but I think I can make it work. My project for tomorrow will be trying to tie running into a d'var Torah for Chayei Sarah (well, not the part at the very beginning where Sarah dies...!). This will be a memorable Shabbat for sure!
Swim: 3800 yd
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Swim--Yay for masters swimming! It's always interesting when our coach allows us to work on a particular stroke in a set. All the backstrokers came today, while I was the only fly girl (hahahaha!). Most of the sets were anaerobic, which was a nice switch. I had an opportunity to practice that 200 fly today!
JFK 50 Miler--It hasn't set in yet that I'm running this silly race. It's almost midnight, I'm not even CLOSE to being ready to hop into bed, this place is a mess, and tomorrow is going to be NUTS! A very awesome runner is looking to run a sub-10:00, and she definitely can and will! For me, Saturday is just going to be an awesome time with 2000 of my best friends (if we don't know each other now, I'm sure we're going to be really friendly after 10+ hours on this course). I'd rather finish in one piece and get ready to start my experimental training project for Boston rather than totally thrash myself and hate life. Plus I'm on a negative split kick anyway!
Shabbat--Yes, the race is on Shabbat. But I will have challah and the whole nine yards. I'm not sure if this is what God had in mind, but I think I can make it work. My project for tomorrow will be trying to tie running into a d'var Torah for Chayei Sarah (well, not the part at the very beginning where Sarah dies...!). This will be a memorable Shabbat for sure!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Rest
15 Nov
Rest
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Rest--Holy moly, another rest day! The next few days will be filled with some stretching, relaxing, and whatnot.
Race Calendar--Sometimes the military lifestyle drives me NUTS! I love moving around and having crazy experiences, but a little bit of stability is nice too. Nonetheless, in spite of the uncertainty of the next few months (training, location, deployment, etc), I am 90% done with my training plan. I haven't nailed down the exact races, but I'm looking for 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon and Oly tri PR's. Given some of the times and workouts I ran this past season, all of those are within reach. If everything falls into place and the planets are in alignment, a marathon PR, perhaps even a sub-3:20, might be within reach in a late fall marathon (San Antonio Marathon maybe). I'll elaborate more later with specific goals and the big picture training ideas. Time to recover/taper for now though!
Rest
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Rest--Holy moly, another rest day! The next few days will be filled with some stretching, relaxing, and whatnot.
Race Calendar--Sometimes the military lifestyle drives me NUTS! I love moving around and having crazy experiences, but a little bit of stability is nice too. Nonetheless, in spite of the uncertainty of the next few months (training, location, deployment, etc), I am 90% done with my training plan. I haven't nailed down the exact races, but I'm looking for 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon and Oly tri PR's. Given some of the times and workouts I ran this past season, all of those are within reach. If everything falls into place and the planets are in alignment, a marathon PR, perhaps even a sub-3:20, might be within reach in a late fall marathon (San Antonio Marathon maybe). I'll elaborate more later with specific goals and the big picture training ideas. Time to recover/taper for now though!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Run, Core
14 Nov
Run: 6.4 mi
Core: 13:30 min
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Run--Today was beautiful, and I thought it would be a good idea to run in the Brooks today, since we're going to become best friends on Saturday.
Core--Mom called me, so I did my own core exercise routine while on the phone with her. Exercise balls are the best! I did 6 mini sets of 3 exercises (2 abs/oblique, 1 back) each in 0:45 intervals.
Nutrition--My little "rules" for eating seem to be working well. 1) Eating a piece of fruit before lunch, 2) eating/drinking a serving of dairy before lunch, 3) eating a raw vegetable salad with/for lunch or dinner. If I manage to plan my menus around those rules, I find I eat a lot better throughout the day!
Race Nutrition--I just bought 2 new Clif Bar flavors: Caramel Apple Cobbler and Spiced Pumpkin Pie! I can't WAIT to eat those during the 50 miler this weekend! I have a good idea of what my stomach can handle, so now's the time to start planning my JFK 50 Miler 10 course meal out there!
Run: 6.4 mi
Core: 13:30 min
------------------------------------------------------
Run--Today was beautiful, and I thought it would be a good idea to run in the Brooks today, since we're going to become best friends on Saturday.
Core--Mom called me, so I did my own core exercise routine while on the phone with her. Exercise balls are the best! I did 6 mini sets of 3 exercises (2 abs/oblique, 1 back) each in 0:45 intervals.
Nutrition--My little "rules" for eating seem to be working well. 1) Eating a piece of fruit before lunch, 2) eating/drinking a serving of dairy before lunch, 3) eating a raw vegetable salad with/for lunch or dinner. If I manage to plan my menus around those rules, I find I eat a lot better throughout the day!
Race Nutrition--I just bought 2 new Clif Bar flavors: Caramel Apple Cobbler and Spiced Pumpkin Pie! I can't WAIT to eat those during the 50 miler this weekend! I have a good idea of what my stomach can handle, so now's the time to start planning my JFK 50 Miler 10 course meal out there!
Rest
13 Nov
Rest
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Rest--My body hurt yesterday. I still have a LOT to learn about recovery (i.e. 13 mi trail run 5 days after racing a marathon isn't such a good idea)! What do YOU do to recover??
Rest
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Rest--My body hurt yesterday. I still have a LOT to learn about recovery (i.e. 13 mi trail run 5 days after racing a marathon isn't such a good idea)! What do YOU do to recover??
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Run, X-train, Core
12 Nov
Run: 3.5 mi
X-train: Elliptical 30 min
Core: 7:30
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Run--The rain was coming down pretty hard, and I didn't want to run for an hour (legs still feeling a bit weird). I really don't mind running on treadmills at all!
Core--I love THIS WEBSITE! Earlier this week I did 1:30 intervals. With the JFK 50 Miler this weekend, I don't want my abs to shred apart, so 0:30 intervals seemed reasonable, slowly and with good form. I did some pull-ups at the gym (I can only do 2 right now!). Time to work on those! I really miss working out with my friends, so through the instant messenger, one of my best friends from South Dakota (our Motherland) did the entire ab workout with me. We call it "virtual workouts." We went on quite a few "virtual runs" earlier this year. We would agree to run at the same time for 30 minutes (often more) and try to leave and come back at around the same time. It's a great way to muster the motivation to go outside in the winter if you know someone else is going out at the same time.
Training--I was thinking about all the Ironman athletes who competed last season. You all are brave (crazy) people! I know that's not for me, at least right now. Right now being next 5 years or so. My former roommate at the Academy and I were co-captains of the Marathon Club. Her first marathon was a 5:57 and her second marathon was a DNF. She works RIDICULOUSLY hard and she is an amazing athlete, but she promised herself she would never run another marathon until she could guarantee she could run a sub-4:00. That seems perfectly reasonable to me. Anything longer for her just isn't fun; it's a death march. That's the way I see Ironman. Not only is my body (and mind) NOT mature enough to handle 140.6 miles, but I need to come up with a similar rule to my roommate. I don't even want to attempt an Ironman until I can consistantly run sub-3:30 marathons and average a 20+mph speed bike in an olympic tri. I don't want to qualify for Kona or win (obviously). But I would race to a) finish and b) finish in a healthy state.
Race Strategy--Of course, that had me thinking about this weekend's race, my FIRST 50 miler.
Goals for Saturday:
Goal A: Finish in one piece in under 12 hours and have a religious experience
Goal B: Finish in several pieces in under 12 hours (not lose any pieces)
Goal C: Not get lost and eventually make it to the finish in the same weekend
Run: 3.5 mi
X-train: Elliptical 30 min
Core: 7:30
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Run--The rain was coming down pretty hard, and I didn't want to run for an hour (legs still feeling a bit weird). I really don't mind running on treadmills at all!
Core--I love THIS WEBSITE! Earlier this week I did 1:30 intervals. With the JFK 50 Miler this weekend, I don't want my abs to shred apart, so 0:30 intervals seemed reasonable, slowly and with good form. I did some pull-ups at the gym (I can only do 2 right now!). Time to work on those! I really miss working out with my friends, so through the instant messenger, one of my best friends from South Dakota (our Motherland) did the entire ab workout with me. We call it "virtual workouts." We went on quite a few "virtual runs" earlier this year. We would agree to run at the same time for 30 minutes (often more) and try to leave and come back at around the same time. It's a great way to muster the motivation to go outside in the winter if you know someone else is going out at the same time.
Training--I was thinking about all the Ironman athletes who competed last season. You all are brave (crazy) people! I know that's not for me, at least right now. Right now being next 5 years or so. My former roommate at the Academy and I were co-captains of the Marathon Club. Her first marathon was a 5:57 and her second marathon was a DNF. She works RIDICULOUSLY hard and she is an amazing athlete, but she promised herself she would never run another marathon until she could guarantee she could run a sub-4:00. That seems perfectly reasonable to me. Anything longer for her just isn't fun; it's a death march. That's the way I see Ironman. Not only is my body (and mind) NOT mature enough to handle 140.6 miles, but I need to come up with a similar rule to my roommate. I don't even want to attempt an Ironman until I can consistantly run sub-3:30 marathons and average a 20+mph speed bike in an olympic tri. I don't want to qualify for Kona or win (obviously). But I would race to a) finish and b) finish in a healthy state.
Race Strategy--Of course, that had me thinking about this weekend's race, my FIRST 50 miler.
Goals for Saturday:
Goal A: Finish in one piece in under 12 hours and have a religious experience
Goal B: Finish in several pieces in under 12 hours (not lose any pieces)
Goal C: Not get lost and eventually make it to the finish in the same weekend
Run
11 Nov
Run: 5 mi
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Run--My aunt and I ran all around the Mall in DC, which was a neat way for her to see all the monuments. She likes her 10:00/mi pace, which was just fine with me since it feels like the muscles in my legs are ripping apart. It was amazing to see all the veterans assembled out on the Mall. Especially inspiring was the WWII memorial, honoring veterans from our Greatest Generation reflecting upon their memories of the war. I feel so proud and connected to them in such a special way. No, I haven't deployed (yet!), but I can't help but wonder of my patriotism and my love for America is a reflection of their bravery, courage, and pride. I hope so.
Run: 5 mi
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Run--My aunt and I ran all around the Mall in DC, which was a neat way for her to see all the monuments. She likes her 10:00/mi pace, which was just fine with me since it feels like the muscles in my legs are ripping apart. It was amazing to see all the veterans assembled out on the Mall. Especially inspiring was the WWII memorial, honoring veterans from our Greatest Generation reflecting upon their memories of the war. I feel so proud and connected to them in such a special way. No, I haven't deployed (yet!), but I can't help but wonder of my patriotism and my love for America is a reflection of their bravery, courage, and pride. I hope so.
WWII Memorial, Washington, DC
Steph's Aunt and Steph in DC
X-train
10 Nov
X-train: Hiking
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X-train--My aunt and I went to the Billy Goat Trails at Great Falls, MD. It was a beautiful day. The legs were SORE out on the hike for some weird reason, but we had a lot of fun!
X-train: Hiking
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X-train--My aunt and I went to the Billy Goat Trails at Great Falls, MD. It was a beautiful day. The legs were SORE out on the hike for some weird reason, but we had a lot of fun!
Steph and Steph's Aunt climbing on big rocks
Rest
9 Nov
Rest
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Rest--My aunt came to town to visit me (yay!), and I spent the morning cleaning up the place, grocery shopping, etc. I ended up feeling REALLY lousy, but I'm "tapering" so I didn't care about taking an extra day off.
Rest
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Rest--My aunt came to town to visit me (yay!), and I spent the morning cleaning up the place, grocery shopping, etc. I ended up feeling REALLY lousy, but I'm "tapering" so I didn't care about taking an extra day off.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Swim, Run
8 Nov
Swim: 4800 yd
Run: 6.4 mi
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Swim: Emphasis on freestyle drills and kicking today, not as much fly this time. Must develop those hip flexors and abs! Lunchtime is the BEST time to swim.
Warm-up 400 SKPS
Set 1 (drills)
4x100 IM
10x100 free (50 drill/50 swim)
50 EZ
Set 2 (aerobic)
5x200 free w/paddles
50 EZ
Set 3 (sprints)
8x25 fly
4x25 br
Set 4 (kick w/fins)
12x100 (3xIM order)
100EZ
Run--Today's run was wonderful! It was drizzling just a bit and then it turned into this really eery fog! I only saw a handful of runners out on the trail, which is quite a difference from this past summer. The leaves are changing colors (the red is my favorite). I averaged ~8:40/mi, which felt pretty good, although the legs are still pretty tired. My mind needed this run today too. I need to remember to leave earlier (before 4:00) since the sun sets a lot sooner.
2007 Race Calendar--I'm trying to put this thing together, but it's proving to be a difficult task given my move to Texas sometime this summer. Well, a lot of races occur in the summer. Basically May and June are huge black holes, which is a huge bummer. Maybe the Air Force will give me a more definitive answer in January. I'm toying with the idea of running the San Antonio Marathon as my main race for 2007. Time to do my running homework!
Swim: 4800 yd
Run: 6.4 mi
------------------------------------------------------
Swim: Emphasis on freestyle drills and kicking today, not as much fly this time. Must develop those hip flexors and abs! Lunchtime is the BEST time to swim.
Warm-up 400 SKPS
Set 1 (drills)
4x100 IM
10x100 free (50 drill/50 swim)
50 EZ
Set 2 (aerobic)
5x200 free w/paddles
50 EZ
Set 3 (sprints)
8x25 fly
4x25 br
Set 4 (kick w/fins)
12x100 (3xIM order)
100EZ
Run--Today's run was wonderful! It was drizzling just a bit and then it turned into this really eery fog! I only saw a handful of runners out on the trail, which is quite a difference from this past summer. The leaves are changing colors (the red is my favorite). I averaged ~8:40/mi, which felt pretty good, although the legs are still pretty tired. My mind needed this run today too. I need to remember to leave earlier (before 4:00) since the sun sets a lot sooner.
2007 Race Calendar--I'm trying to put this thing together, but it's proving to be a difficult task given my move to Texas sometime this summer. Well, a lot of races occur in the summer. Basically May and June are huge black holes, which is a huge bummer. Maybe the Air Force will give me a more definitive answer in January. I'm toying with the idea of running the San Antonio Marathon as my main race for 2007. Time to do my running homework!
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Rest
7 Nov
Rest
------------------------------------------------------
Rest--Ya, I'm feeling those core exercises from yesterday. I decided to take a day off (wasn't originally planned) because the calf injury from this summer seems to be coming back. It doesn't hurt so much when I run, but I need to stay off the bike again. It was caused by a crappy bike fit at the tri shop near here. The dude raised the seat too high, and I over-extended my right leg (for a LOT of miles). I competed with that pain all summer, and it's still not completely gone. I want to do whatever I can to make it go away because JFK 50 Miler is going to "challenge" every muscle fiber in my body. I'm ready. I just want to make sure my legs are too!
Rest
------------------------------------------------------
Rest--Ya, I'm feeling those core exercises from yesterday. I decided to take a day off (wasn't originally planned) because the calf injury from this summer seems to be coming back. It doesn't hurt so much when I run, but I need to stay off the bike again. It was caused by a crappy bike fit at the tri shop near here. The dude raised the seat too high, and I over-extended my right leg (for a LOT of miles). I competed with that pain all summer, and it's still not completely gone. I want to do whatever I can to make it go away because JFK 50 Miler is going to "challenge" every muscle fiber in my body. I'm ready. I just want to make sure my legs are too!
Monday, November 06, 2006
X-train, Core, Run
6 Nov
X-train: 25 min of rowing
Core: 22 min
Run: 2 mi
------------------------------------------------------
X-train--Rowing is so much fun, and I hope to do it a lot more this winter. Time to strengthen those lats for some hard-core freestyle swimming for next summer's tri's!
Core--Try doing every exercise on this website in a row for 1:30 each. I wanted to cry by the end. My goal is to eventually get through that entire routine twice in a row in 1:30 intervals. The exercise ball is fun too; it's nice to have variety. My abs are going to be hating on me tomorrow.
Run--I'm still pretty sore from Friday's crazy run. This was just to shake out the legs and hopefully remember what it feels like to run again. Treadmills aren't so bad. It felt like some time had passed since I last ran, and my brain just needed my legs to move for a while, whether my legs wanted it or not. Today was a ROUGH day, and I feel a TON better!
X-train: 25 min of rowing
Core: 22 min
Run: 2 mi
------------------------------------------------------
X-train--Rowing is so much fun, and I hope to do it a lot more this winter. Time to strengthen those lats for some hard-core freestyle swimming for next summer's tri's!
Core--Try doing every exercise on this website in a row for 1:30 each. I wanted to cry by the end. My goal is to eventually get through that entire routine twice in a row in 1:30 intervals. The exercise ball is fun too; it's nice to have variety. My abs are going to be hating on me tomorrow.
Run--I'm still pretty sore from Friday's crazy run. This was just to shake out the legs and hopefully remember what it feels like to run again. Treadmills aren't so bad. It felt like some time had passed since I last ran, and my brain just needed my legs to move for a while, whether my legs wanted it or not. Today was a ROUGH day, and I feel a TON better!
Bike
5 Nov
Bike: 22 mi
------------------------------------------------------
Bike--Brrr, it was chilly! Some friends and I rode a huge loop from Bethesda, down the CCT, and up Rock Creek Park. It was a leisurely ride, and we took quite a few breaks. I did ride LUCKY, which was nice (we seem to be getting along a LOT better now), although I wish I had rode my mountain bike SPOOKY instead. I just love riding that guy! Much fun was had. After I arrived at home, I just lay in the middle of my floor for about 30 minutes attempting to defrost.
Bike: 22 mi
------------------------------------------------------
Bike--Brrr, it was chilly! Some friends and I rode a huge loop from Bethesda, down the CCT, and up Rock Creek Park. It was a leisurely ride, and we took quite a few breaks. I did ride LUCKY, which was nice (we seem to be getting along a LOT better now), although I wish I had rode my mountain bike SPOOKY instead. I just love riding that guy! Much fun was had. After I arrived at home, I just lay in the middle of my floor for about 30 minutes attempting to defrost.
Rest
4 Nov
Rest
------------------------------------------------------
Rest--I could barely walk after Friday's run. Everything above my shins, totally fine. Below the shins, 100% pain. Trail running uses those weird stabilizing muscles we all forget we have. Oh, I am now WELL AWARE of every single one of those muscle fibers now!
Rest
------------------------------------------------------
Rest--I could barely walk after Friday's run. Everything above my shins, totally fine. Below the shins, 100% pain. Trail running uses those weird stabilizing muscles we all forget we have. Oh, I am now WELL AWARE of every single one of those muscle fibers now!
Friday, November 03, 2006
Run
3 Nov
Run: 13 mi
------------------------------------------------------
Run--The practice run of the first leg of the JFK 50 Miler. It was rough going after the three of us ran MCM last Sunday. What were some lessons we learned today??
Run: 13 mi
------------------------------------------------------
Run--The practice run of the first leg of the JFK 50 Miler. It was rough going after the three of us ran MCM last Sunday. What were some lessons we learned today??
-Get used to the feeling of ankles breaking. Embrace it!
-The Appalachian Trail (AT) is rocky as crap.
-Today was COLD!
-Carry Gatorade (fav drink powder) in those TINY sandwich baggies
-Brimmed hat/hat with a bill is a MUST!
-Tie shoes tight
-Wear high socks
-Capris were a good idea
-Hopefully the leaves (covering the death rocks) blow away
-Bring extra shoes and socks
-Use foot powder
-Memorize cut-off times
-It's FUN!!!
------------------------------------------------------
Some quotes from the day:
“Mmmm, the white cream in oreos can sustain me for a 100 miler.”
“BRRRRRRRRRR!!!!”
“Where IS the trail?!”
“Dammit, it looks like I brought Andrea’s gloves. What the… ?! Two left-handed gloves! Looks like I’m going to have to be Michael Jackson today.”
“You brought two left-handed gloves, you can’t find the trail, and you’re a doctor?!”
“I love being a weapon of ass.”
“I love that feeling of bones snapping.”
“My knees don’t need this.”
“Good thing none of us ran a marathon 5 days ago!”
“The race director needs to use a leaf blower out here.”
“At least we have the camera to identify our bodies…”
“When I ran this last time, I didn’t even make it this far!”
(upon seeing a full set of long underwear carefully placed on the side of the trail) “Uh oh, looks like someone didn’t make it…”
Trevor--“I did this skateboard grinding thing off that log, then tripped over my own feet and started hurling my body down this hill! Good thing you caught me!” Mike--“If I had seen you coming, I would have moved out of the way!”
“So the first stick tripped me and then the second stick was pointing straight up from the ground toward my throat.”
“My body lost 5 pounds in the form of snot today.”
“These switchbacks are sweeeeet. My knees are loving this.”
“Pick up the pace, you’re almost home!”
“We ran 13 miles?! It’s not even 13 miles to the other car! I’m not feeling very good about this!”
"Instead of running a 100 miler, I'd rather nail a 2x4 to my knees and ankles. It hurts the same but I'm less tired."
“BRRRRRRRRRR!!!!”
“Where IS the trail?!”
“Dammit, it looks like I brought Andrea’s gloves. What the… ?! Two left-handed gloves! Looks like I’m going to have to be Michael Jackson today.”
“You brought two left-handed gloves, you can’t find the trail, and you’re a doctor?!”
“I love being a weapon of ass.”
“I love that feeling of bones snapping.”
“My knees don’t need this.”
“Good thing none of us ran a marathon 5 days ago!”
“The race director needs to use a leaf blower out here.”
“At least we have the camera to identify our bodies…”
“When I ran this last time, I didn’t even make it this far!”
(upon seeing a full set of long underwear carefully placed on the side of the trail) “Uh oh, looks like someone didn’t make it…”
Trevor--“I did this skateboard grinding thing off that log, then tripped over my own feet and started hurling my body down this hill! Good thing you caught me!” Mike--“If I had seen you coming, I would have moved out of the way!”
“So the first stick tripped me and then the second stick was pointing straight up from the ground toward my throat.”
“My body lost 5 pounds in the form of snot today.”
“These switchbacks are sweeeeet. My knees are loving this.”
“Pick up the pace, you’re almost home!”
“We ran 13 miles?! It’s not even 13 miles to the other car! I’m not feeling very good about this!”
"Instead of running a 100 miler, I'd rather nail a 2x4 to my knees and ankles. It hurts the same but I'm less tired."
"Now, WE TAPER!"
Professional photography here! (I'm on the left)
Shout-Out--Good luck to all the IMFL athletes this weekend!!!! We're so proud of you!
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Swim
2 Nov
Swim: 4400 yd
------------------------------------------------------
Swim--Here's the set
Warm-up 400 SKPS
Set 1 (drills)
4x100IM
9x100 (50 drill/50 swim) fly/br/free
50 EZ
Set 2 (aerobic, free w/paddles)
2x100/200/400/200/2x100
50 EZ
Set 3 (sprints)
8x(2x25 stroke/50 free) odd fly, even br
50 EZ
400 kick (odd 100 br/even 100 fly)
50 EZ
Swim: 4400 yd
------------------------------------------------------
Swim--Here's the set
Warm-up 400 SKPS
Set 1 (drills)
4x100IM
9x100 (50 drill/50 swim) fly/br/free
50 EZ
Set 2 (aerobic, free w/paddles)
2x100/200/400/200/2x100
50 EZ
Set 3 (sprints)
8x(2x25 stroke/50 free) odd fly, even br
50 EZ
400 kick (odd 100 br/even 100 fly)
50 EZ
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
October in Review
Swim: 11100 yd (6.3 miles)
Bike: 22.5 mi
Run: 183.8 mi
Strength/Core: 0
------------------------------------------------------
Swim--Masters swimming went by the wayside for a while since I was doing a lot of my running at the same time. This 200 fly debut is coming up quick! I came up with a plan to swim with more frequency over the next few months. It's time to concentrate on this race and work on technique. Also on my list of things-to-do is create some focused swim workouts and lists of drills. I seem to forget them when I'm in the water.
Bike--Every time I ride my bike, it seems to aggravate the same muscle I injured last June when I had that stupid bike fit. I lowered my seat considerably, and it feels a LOT better, but I can still feel it. The very top part of my calf/lower back of knee is killing me still. LUCKY needs a new saddle pronto! I do ride SPOOKY to the hospital several times a week though, without any problems! Sometime this winter I will also buy a trainer and come up with some good drills and workouts.
Run--Lots of hard pace workouts, lots of miles, a weird taper and a MARATHON! I didn't do as well as I had wanted to in the race, but I still think I ran a smart race. I ran a good Army 10 Miler. That race might show that I have some untapped potential. It's critical to stay focused on the JFK 50 Miler though. Two and a half weeks away...
Strength--Wow, I just let that go. BAD idea. This winter I'm psyched to throw some weights around again. I miss those guys at the front desk at the gym!
Bike: 22.5 mi
Run: 183.8 mi
Strength/Core: 0
------------------------------------------------------
Swim--Masters swimming went by the wayside for a while since I was doing a lot of my running at the same time. This 200 fly debut is coming up quick! I came up with a plan to swim with more frequency over the next few months. It's time to concentrate on this race and work on technique. Also on my list of things-to-do is create some focused swim workouts and lists of drills. I seem to forget them when I'm in the water.
Bike--Every time I ride my bike, it seems to aggravate the same muscle I injured last June when I had that stupid bike fit. I lowered my seat considerably, and it feels a LOT better, but I can still feel it. The very top part of my calf/lower back of knee is killing me still. LUCKY needs a new saddle pronto! I do ride SPOOKY to the hospital several times a week though, without any problems! Sometime this winter I will also buy a trainer and come up with some good drills and workouts.
Run--Lots of hard pace workouts, lots of miles, a weird taper and a MARATHON! I didn't do as well as I had wanted to in the race, but I still think I ran a smart race. I ran a good Army 10 Miler. That race might show that I have some untapped potential. It's critical to stay focused on the JFK 50 Miler though. Two and a half weeks away...
Strength--Wow, I just let that go. BAD idea. This winter I'm psyched to throw some weights around again. I miss those guys at the front desk at the gym!
Bike, Swim
1 Nov
Bike: 16 mi (14mph)
Swim: 2000 yd
-------------------------------------------------------
Bike--LUCKY and I went down the CCT toward Georgetown and back. Oh man, I am going to have to buy a new saddle SOON.
Swim--Just an easy set tonight at the base:
400 SKPS
6x100 (50 drill/50 swim)
3x200 (w/ paddles)
400 kick
Life--Believe me, I know this blog is boring. Everyday my brain is stuffed full of crazy equations, math models, a bazillion questions and facts from grad school and from my job as a health physicist. I'm also a high school youth group advisor. In my "free" time I am studying for rabbinical school. It's also fun to volunteer in the community in different ways. I also play the double bass in an orchestra. It's nice to have a space for all the fun stuff (my training!) to overflow. One of the best parts of my day is the daily workout and trying to figure out how a little piece of training fits into the big picture. I guess this blog is just a place to freewrite, brainstorm, and create a plan to achieve some specific goals.
Bike: 16 mi (14mph)
Swim: 2000 yd
-------------------------------------------------------
Bike--LUCKY and I went down the CCT toward Georgetown and back. Oh man, I am going to have to buy a new saddle SOON.
Swim--Just an easy set tonight at the base:
400 SKPS
6x100 (50 drill/50 swim)
3x200 (w/ paddles)
400 kick
Life--Believe me, I know this blog is boring. Everyday my brain is stuffed full of crazy equations, math models, a bazillion questions and facts from grad school and from my job as a health physicist. I'm also a high school youth group advisor. In my "free" time I am studying for rabbinical school. It's also fun to volunteer in the community in different ways. I also play the double bass in an orchestra. It's nice to have a space for all the fun stuff (my training!) to overflow. One of the best parts of my day is the daily workout and trying to figure out how a little piece of training fits into the big picture. I guess this blog is just a place to freewrite, brainstorm, and create a plan to achieve some specific goals.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Rest
31 Oct
Rest
-------------------------------------------------------
Rest--Once again, I rode my bike all over town, which felt pretty good. When crossing the street (AKA playing Frogger in Bethesda), I hustled/"jogged" across the street in my attempt to avoid becoming a hood ornament. Let's just say the quads aren't quite ready to rejoin Team Steph yet.
Goals--Although I have many goals pertaining to all aspects of my life (career, spiritual, social, etc), this time and space seems appropriate to reflect upon and reevaluate my athletic goals. I am 2 for 3 so far (listed in my profile). Each day is another opportunity to work on making goal #3 for the season (finishing JFK 50 Miler) a success. This leads me to the...
Project--I have learned so much in the past year about triathlon, marathon, and snowshoe it's ridiculous. My project is to train for an entire year for a blazing fast (for me) marathon next fall. I will disclose the time later, after I figure out what is truly realistic. This year's experiment was testing my body with the higher mileage and my mind with longer tempo runs, which I think worked beautifully. This is the first time I will attempt to look ahead past the spring marathon at a speedy fall marathon. My project is challenging, extremely flexible, and the variety will keep me motivated. I am very excited! Here's the rough draft of my 2007 project:
Late Dec/Jan--Maintain base, lots of x-training, swim 200 fly, snowshoe!!!
Jan-Apr--Experiment with FIRST method for Boston (run just for FUN, no time goal), lots of short/fast intervals and shoot for 5K/10K PR (sub-7:00 pace goal)
Jan-May--Increase x-train volume for kick-butt Oly tri (sub-2:45, yay!)
Jun-Jul--Test speed in short races, Oly tri race, transition x-train volume to run mileage
Jul-Nov--Marathon training (similar to what I did this time, higher/more consistant mileage)
Nov--Crazy fast marathon!
Rest
-------------------------------------------------------
Rest--Once again, I rode my bike all over town, which felt pretty good. When crossing the street (AKA playing Frogger in Bethesda), I hustled/"jogged" across the street in my attempt to avoid becoming a hood ornament. Let's just say the quads aren't quite ready to rejoin Team Steph yet.
Goals--Although I have many goals pertaining to all aspects of my life (career, spiritual, social, etc), this time and space seems appropriate to reflect upon and reevaluate my athletic goals. I am 2 for 3 so far (listed in my profile). Each day is another opportunity to work on making goal #3 for the season (finishing JFK 50 Miler) a success. This leads me to the...
Project--I have learned so much in the past year about triathlon, marathon, and snowshoe it's ridiculous. My project is to train for an entire year for a blazing fast (for me) marathon next fall. I will disclose the time later, after I figure out what is truly realistic. This year's experiment was testing my body with the higher mileage and my mind with longer tempo runs, which I think worked beautifully. This is the first time I will attempt to look ahead past the spring marathon at a speedy fall marathon. My project is challenging, extremely flexible, and the variety will keep me motivated. I am very excited! Here's the rough draft of my 2007 project:
Late Dec/Jan--Maintain base, lots of x-training, swim 200 fly, snowshoe!!!
Jan-Apr--Experiment with FIRST method for Boston (run just for FUN, no time goal), lots of short/fast intervals and shoot for 5K/10K PR (sub-7:00 pace goal)
Jan-May--Increase x-train volume for kick-butt Oly tri (sub-2:45, yay!)
Jun-Jul--Test speed in short races, Oly tri race, transition x-train volume to run mileage
Jul-Nov--Marathon training (similar to what I did this time, higher/more consistant mileage)
Nov--Crazy fast marathon!
Monday, October 30, 2006
Rest
30 Oct
Rest
-------------------------------------------------------
Rest--I did ride my bike to class this morning, but I left 15 min earlier!
(New) Total Time for MCM 3:33:30
Pre-Race "Rest"--Fri before the race was one of the most hectic days I've ever had, and included two runs, one of which was in combat boots. It was actually supposed to be my quality rest day before the race. I think this is where I hurt my left a** cheek and right calf. Ugh.
Pre-Race Nutrition--Again, let's just forget about Friday! Friday did end with Greek salad, homemade pizza, ice cream, and some Smirnoff! Saturday, I ate a lot of foods I really like: sushi, salmon, pasta, pizza, and a piece of cake. Breakfast on Sunday: baked salmon, baked potato, piece of cheese pizza, OJ. Just before the race I had my usual frappuccino and snickers bar. My stomach felt AWESOME!
Pre-Race Ritual--I totally jammed to my favorite tunes to get psyched for the race while riding the Metro. I reread the list of people who made the day possible for me and who continue to provide inspiration and motivation. I also wrote the miles where I would eat my gels (water stops were in weird places) and my splits (1-10, 11-16, 17-20) on my hand.
Miles 1-10--My a** cheek wasn't feeling 100% at the start line, so I decided it was going to be a Goal B day (sub-3:40), which was just fine with me. The first 10 miles were ~8:30/pace. It was so packed for the first 9 miles, no one could move anyway. Plus I'm patient and I welcomed the slow pace.
Miles 11-16--We finally spread out, and I picked it up just a little bit. It takes me a while to get warmed up anyway. The wind coming down the mall toward Haines Point near the 1/2 marathon point was just ridiculous though. I passed some guys from the Air Force Academy and from the University just after the half. I was pretty confident of my ability to negative split the marathon when I saw what my 1/2 marathon time was. Considering, I felt pretty good.
Miles 17-20--My FAVORITE part of the race! I needed a break from the tons of people and the crowds. In mile 3, a bazillion people passed me on the way into Georgetown. After mile 16 no one passed me, and I must have passed several hundred people after that. People didn't look so great running around Haines Point. But my TNT friends gave lots of encouragement!
Last 10K--Wind rears its ugly head at this point (BAD wind started on 14th St Bridge). A friend ran with me for the last 7.2 miles, and it sure was nice to have the company! He didn't dictate pace, which was fine. I could not believe how HARD it was to run up that hill at the Iwo Jima memorial!!! The medals this year are awesome.
Post-Race--A friend and I collected my stuff, checked in at the TNT tent, and watched people finish for about 3 hours afterward. I don't have a voice today! It was incredible! My right shoulder hurt the worst out of everything, but my legs weren't that sore. I'm ok today, and the bike ride this morning felt ok. I don't even feel dehydrated.
Overall--Given Friday's horrible day and the wind, I don't think I could have ran any faster. I really did leave it all out on the course. I didn't walk at all, and I ran through EVERY water stop (first time in 9 marathons!).
What went wrong:
Friday. Everything went wrong on Friday.
Too much taper! I should maintain higher mileage.
Wind (no control, but hey)
What went right:
Training to hydrate only every 4 miles
Pre-race fueling
Pre-race ritual (quotes, music, inspirational people, etc)
5 gels (6, 9, 13, 17, 21)
Breaking race down into chunks by pace (1-10, 11-16, 17-20, 10K)
Running for a charity was fun and motivational
Wearing gloves
Writing splits and when to eat gels on my hand
Wearing sunglasses and contact lens
Pinning gels to outside of shorts, then folding inside
Wearing my bigger size socks
Being boxed in for 9 miles
Foot powder in socks
Running through all water stops (pinch cup at the top and sip)
Cheering for runners
A, B, and C goal plans worked well
I have learned patience!!!
Boston Qualification!
Marathon #9
(Most important) I had FUN!
Still need to work on:
Adverse weather conditions
Better pre-race Fridays
More strength training!
Developing a faster "slow" pace (next goal is 7:40/mi)
Not being paranoid in the first 10 miles
Rest
-------------------------------------------------------
Rest--I did ride my bike to class this morning, but I left 15 min earlier!
(New) Total Time for MCM 3:33:30
Pre-Race "Rest"--Fri before the race was one of the most hectic days I've ever had, and included two runs, one of which was in combat boots. It was actually supposed to be my quality rest day before the race. I think this is where I hurt my left a** cheek and right calf. Ugh.
Pre-Race Nutrition--Again, let's just forget about Friday! Friday did end with Greek salad, homemade pizza, ice cream, and some Smirnoff! Saturday, I ate a lot of foods I really like: sushi, salmon, pasta, pizza, and a piece of cake. Breakfast on Sunday: baked salmon, baked potato, piece of cheese pizza, OJ. Just before the race I had my usual frappuccino and snickers bar. My stomach felt AWESOME!
Pre-Race Ritual--I totally jammed to my favorite tunes to get psyched for the race while riding the Metro. I reread the list of people who made the day possible for me and who continue to provide inspiration and motivation. I also wrote the miles where I would eat my gels (water stops were in weird places) and my splits (1-10, 11-16, 17-20) on my hand.
Miles 1-10--My a** cheek wasn't feeling 100% at the start line, so I decided it was going to be a Goal B day (sub-3:40), which was just fine with me. The first 10 miles were ~8:30/pace. It was so packed for the first 9 miles, no one could move anyway. Plus I'm patient and I welcomed the slow pace.
Miles 11-16--We finally spread out, and I picked it up just a little bit. It takes me a while to get warmed up anyway. The wind coming down the mall toward Haines Point near the 1/2 marathon point was just ridiculous though. I passed some guys from the Air Force Academy and from the University just after the half. I was pretty confident of my ability to negative split the marathon when I saw what my 1/2 marathon time was. Considering, I felt pretty good.
Miles 17-20--My FAVORITE part of the race! I needed a break from the tons of people and the crowds. In mile 3, a bazillion people passed me on the way into Georgetown. After mile 16 no one passed me, and I must have passed several hundred people after that. People didn't look so great running around Haines Point. But my TNT friends gave lots of encouragement!
Last 10K--Wind rears its ugly head at this point (BAD wind started on 14th St Bridge). A friend ran with me for the last 7.2 miles, and it sure was nice to have the company! He didn't dictate pace, which was fine. I could not believe how HARD it was to run up that hill at the Iwo Jima memorial!!! The medals this year are awesome.
Post-Race--A friend and I collected my stuff, checked in at the TNT tent, and watched people finish for about 3 hours afterward. I don't have a voice today! It was incredible! My right shoulder hurt the worst out of everything, but my legs weren't that sore. I'm ok today, and the bike ride this morning felt ok. I don't even feel dehydrated.
Overall--Given Friday's horrible day and the wind, I don't think I could have ran any faster. I really did leave it all out on the course. I didn't walk at all, and I ran through EVERY water stop (first time in 9 marathons!).
What went wrong:
Friday. Everything went wrong on Friday.
Too much taper! I should maintain higher mileage.
Wind (no control, but hey)
What went right:
Training to hydrate only every 4 miles
Pre-race fueling
Pre-race ritual (quotes, music, inspirational people, etc)
5 gels (6, 9, 13, 17, 21)
Breaking race down into chunks by pace (1-10, 11-16, 17-20, 10K)
Running for a charity was fun and motivational
Wearing gloves
Writing splits and when to eat gels on my hand
Wearing sunglasses and contact lens
Pinning gels to outside of shorts, then folding inside
Wearing my bigger size socks
Being boxed in for 9 miles
Foot powder in socks
Running through all water stops (pinch cup at the top and sip)
Cheering for runners
A, B, and C goal plans worked well
I have learned patience!!!
Boston Qualification!
Marathon #9
(Most important) I had FUN!
Still need to work on:
Adverse weather conditions
Better pre-race Fridays
More strength training!
Developing a faster "slow" pace (next goal is 7:40/mi)
Not being paranoid in the first 10 miles
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Run
29 Oct
Run: MARINE CORPS MARATHON
-------------------------------------------------------
Total time 3:33:31
Splits:
Mile 1 8:46
Mile 2 8:54
Mile 3 8:19
Mile 4 8:15
Mile 5 8:11
Mile 6 8:13
Mile 7 8:19
Mile 8 8:28
Mile 9 8:18
Mile 10 8:00
Mile 11 7:48
Mile 12 7:55
Mile 13 8:13
0.1 mi 0:56 (1/2 marathon in 1:48:38)
Mile 14 6:56 (rest of the mile, entire mile was 7:52)
Mile 15 8:04
Mile 16 7:48
Mile 17 7:47
Mile 18 7:48
Mile 19 7:43
Mile 20 7:57
Mile 21 8:03
Mile 22 8:02
Mile 23 7:58
Mile 24 8:07
Mile 25 8:09
Mile 26 8:20 (ouch!)
Last 0.2 mi 2:03 (Iwo Jima climb!)
1st Half 1:48:38
2nd Half 1:44:53
Last 10K 50:42
AG 30/891
Women 143/8096
Overall 1228/20855 (but 34000 were registered... hmm?)
I'll write more later. Time for a cough drop!
Run: MARINE CORPS MARATHON
-------------------------------------------------------
Total time 3:33:31
Splits:
Mile 1 8:46
Mile 2 8:54
Mile 3 8:19
Mile 4 8:15
Mile 5 8:11
Mile 6 8:13
Mile 7 8:19
Mile 8 8:28
Mile 9 8:18
Mile 10 8:00
Mile 11 7:48
Mile 12 7:55
Mile 13 8:13
0.1 mi 0:56 (1/2 marathon in 1:48:38)
Mile 14 6:56 (rest of the mile, entire mile was 7:52)
Mile 15 8:04
Mile 16 7:48
Mile 17 7:47
Mile 18 7:48
Mile 19 7:43
Mile 20 7:57
Mile 21 8:03
Mile 22 8:02
Mile 23 7:58
Mile 24 8:07
Mile 25 8:09
Mile 26 8:20 (ouch!)
Last 0.2 mi 2:03 (Iwo Jima climb!)
1st Half 1:48:38
2nd Half 1:44:53
Last 10K 50:42
AG 30/891
Women 143/8096
Overall 1228/20855 (but 34000 were registered... hmm?)
I'll write more later. Time for a cough drop!
Run
28 Oct
Run: 2 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--Just short quick run around the neighborhood to loosen everything up. Windy as HECK outside!!!
Run: 2 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--Just short quick run around the neighborhood to loosen everything up. Windy as HECK outside!!!
Run
27 Oct
Run: 2.5 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--I did NOT want to run on Friday! I had to drive to school, then run home. Then there was a delay on the Metro (very sad story...), so I had to run in combat boots and the like back to the university so I wouldn't be late. I was NOT happy!!!
Run: 2.5 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--I did NOT want to run on Friday! I had to drive to school, then run home. Then there was a delay on the Metro (very sad story...), so I had to run in combat boots and the like back to the university so I wouldn't be late. I was NOT happy!!!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Run
26 Oct
Run: 3.5 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--Holy moly, my new running shoes arrived today in the mail, the newest edition to the family! My reward for my thesis protocol (finally) being approved by the human use review board is a new pair of Brooks Cascadias. Since I'm fully in taper mode, my run today was a short little ditty around the block, a perfect day to take the shoes on a maiden voyage.
Shoe Review--Have you ever had a puppy (or two)? Do you remember that face they give you when they BEG you to take them outside for a walk?? My shoes gave me that same puppy face when I opened the box. Do you remember how puppies' tails wag and flop uncontrollably when you finally take them on a walk, how happy they are? Oh, my shoes' tails were a-waggin'! I can tell you, these shoes are a trip! I just hope I say that 50 miles later in just over three weeks... I have a feeling the dogs will be a-barkin'!
Race--Less than 3 days until MCM. Tomorrow morning I am going to jet over to the DC Armory to do the packet pick-up thing. I actually lost sleep last night due to anxiety. I am very, very excited. Just need to relax...
PS--I will be wearing the tried-and-true purple Asics (with the proverbial 75 miles on them) for the big dance on Sunday!
Run: 3.5 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--Holy moly, my new running shoes arrived today in the mail, the newest edition to the family! My reward for my thesis protocol (finally) being approved by the human use review board is a new pair of Brooks Cascadias. Since I'm fully in taper mode, my run today was a short little ditty around the block, a perfect day to take the shoes on a maiden voyage.
Shoe Review--Have you ever had a puppy (or two)? Do you remember that face they give you when they BEG you to take them outside for a walk?? My shoes gave me that same puppy face when I opened the box. Do you remember how puppies' tails wag and flop uncontrollably when you finally take them on a walk, how happy they are? Oh, my shoes' tails were a-waggin'! I can tell you, these shoes are a trip! I just hope I say that 50 miles later in just over three weeks... I have a feeling the dogs will be a-barkin'!
Race--Less than 3 days until MCM. Tomorrow morning I am going to jet over to the DC Armory to do the packet pick-up thing. I actually lost sleep last night due to anxiety. I am very, very excited. Just need to relax...
PS--I will be wearing the tried-and-true purple Asics (with the proverbial 75 miles on them) for the big dance on Sunday!
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Run
25 Oct
Run: 7 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--A little running, a little post-run mint hot chocolate with my teammates, a little time to chill out. A little tapering!
Run: 7 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--A little running, a little post-run mint hot chocolate with my teammates, a little time to chill out. A little tapering!
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Run
24 Oct
Run: 6.4 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--A marathon: just one foot in front of the other until they tell you to stop. I'm feeling better about this already.
Run: 6.4 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--A marathon: just one foot in front of the other until they tell you to stop. I'm feeling better about this already.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Rest
23 Oct
Rest
-------------------------------------------------------
Rest--Today wasn't really "restful," but there was no running (or any athleticism, really). Ocular science is taking over my life! Grad school and I have a common law marriage at this point.
Rest
-------------------------------------------------------
Rest--Today wasn't really "restful," but there was no running (or any athleticism, really). Ocular science is taking over my life! Grad school and I have a common law marriage at this point.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Run
22 Oct
Run: 6.4 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--1.7 WU, 3 mi at 3:51/half mile (quasi-marathon pace), 1.7 cool.
Splits
3:44
3:44
3:54
3:57
3:49
3:49
Total 3 mi in 22:59 (7:40 pace)
3:5x were not-so-easy today. It's not quite time to freak out... yet. Relax.
Ritual--I am NOT superstitious at all. But I do have some special ways to achieve my special peace of mind before a race. These include but are not limited to:
-Bringing my JTS hat to the race to wear afterward
-Eating a Snickers bar and drinking a Frappuccino minutes before the start
-"Secret Weapon" (to be disclosed at a later date)
-Purposely putting a song into my head. This year it's this song. With a healthy dose of these guys.
-Writing splits and stuff all over myself
-Reading and reflecting on some quotes
-------------------------------------------------------
--I do not run to add days to my life--I run to add life to my days. –Ronald Rook (my favorite)
--We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon. – Emil Zatopek
--I tell our runners to divide the race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart. – Mike Fanelli
--Enjoy your pain, you've earned it. – Anonymous
--A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways as they're capable of understanding.– Steve Prefontaine
--Winners don't do different things. Winners do things differently. – Anonymous
--The only way to define your limits is by going beyond them. – Anonymous
--No doubt a brain and some shoes are essential for marathon success, although if it comes down to a choice, pick the shoes. More people finish marathons with no brains than with no shoes. – Don Kardong
--Running is my church. – Joan Van Ark
--Running won't kill you... you'll pass out first. – Anonymous
--Pain is weakness leaving your body. – USMC
--Do what others won’t do today so you can do what others can’t do tomorrow. (USAFA Basic Training credo)
--Lesson learned here is that good and bad miles come and go in the marathon and in all races.
--You have to have a dream so you can get up in the morning. – Billy Wilder
Run: 6.4 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--1.7 WU, 3 mi at 3:51/half mile (quasi-marathon pace), 1.7 cool.
Splits
3:44
3:44
3:54
3:57
3:49
3:49
Total 3 mi in 22:59 (7:40 pace)
3:5x were not-so-easy today. It's not quite time to freak out... yet. Relax.
Ritual--I am NOT superstitious at all. But I do have some special ways to achieve my special peace of mind before a race. These include but are not limited to:
-Bringing my JTS hat to the race to wear afterward
-Eating a Snickers bar and drinking a Frappuccino minutes before the start
-"Secret Weapon" (to be disclosed at a later date)
-Purposely putting a song into my head. This year it's this song. With a healthy dose of these guys.
-Writing splits and stuff all over myself
-Reading and reflecting on some quotes
-------------------------------------------------------
--I do not run to add days to my life--I run to add life to my days. –Ronald Rook (my favorite)
--We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon. – Emil Zatopek
--I tell our runners to divide the race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart. – Mike Fanelli
--Enjoy your pain, you've earned it. – Anonymous
--A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways as they're capable of understanding.– Steve Prefontaine
--Winners don't do different things. Winners do things differently. – Anonymous
--The only way to define your limits is by going beyond them. – Anonymous
--No doubt a brain and some shoes are essential for marathon success, although if it comes down to a choice, pick the shoes. More people finish marathons with no brains than with no shoes. – Don Kardong
--Running is my church. – Joan Van Ark
--Running won't kill you... you'll pass out first. – Anonymous
--Pain is weakness leaving your body. – USMC
--Do what others won’t do today so you can do what others can’t do tomorrow. (USAFA Basic Training credo)
--Lesson learned here is that good and bad miles come and go in the marathon and in all races.
--You have to have a dream so you can get up in the morning. – Billy Wilder
Run
21 Oct
Run: 13 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--1.5 WU, 10 with TNT, 1.5 cool back home. Last long(ish) run before the big day. Freak out time is coming soon, I can feel it...
Run: 13 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--1.5 WU, 10 with TNT, 1.5 cool back home. Last long(ish) run before the big day. Freak out time is coming soon, I can feel it...
Friday, October 20, 2006
Run
20 Oct
Run: 5.4 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--Today was THE most perfect day for a run! Sunny, cool breeze, leaves falling from the trees, not much traffic out on the bike path. I also loaded some new songs onto my mp3 player (which is only 128MB I found out today!), and I was a-rockin' out on the trail. This taper stuff might actually be working.
Goals--It's so fun to think about goals. I have some specific running goals to keep me motivated, but I have also reached two huge academic goals as well this week. One more step closer to that masters degree! Physics is phun!
Run: 5.4 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--Today was THE most perfect day for a run! Sunny, cool breeze, leaves falling from the trees, not much traffic out on the bike path. I also loaded some new songs onto my mp3 player (which is only 128MB I found out today!), and I was a-rockin' out on the trail. This taper stuff might actually be working.
Goals--It's so fun to think about goals. I have some specific running goals to keep me motivated, but I have also reached two huge academic goals as well this week. One more step closer to that masters degree! Physics is phun!
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Swim
19 Oct
Swim: 3000 yd
-------------------------------------------------------
Swim--I had a meeting tonight, so I went to the pool before class this morning to knock out a few yards. It's time to gear up for that 200 fly in a few short months! It was refreshing to start my day with a pool workout. Here's the set I made up on the "fly" (pun intended).
The Set
400 SKPS (100 swim/kick/pull/swim)
4x100 IM
2x(4x50)--25 drill/25 swim IM order
50 easy
5x200 free w/paddles
50 easy
6x(2x25) sprint--odd fly, even br
4x25 sprint fr
300 kick
Swim: 3000 yd
-------------------------------------------------------
Swim--I had a meeting tonight, so I went to the pool before class this morning to knock out a few yards. It's time to gear up for that 200 fly in a few short months! It was refreshing to start my day with a pool workout. Here's the set I made up on the "fly" (pun intended).
The Set
400 SKPS (100 swim/kick/pull/swim)
4x100 IM
2x(4x50)--25 drill/25 swim IM order
50 easy
5x200 free w/paddles
50 easy
6x(2x25) sprint--odd fly, even br
4x25 sprint fr
300 kick
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Run
18 Oct
Run: 7.4 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--A short slow run. Need to rest these legs! X-training coming up! Yay for triathlon!
Goals--It might be too premature, but I have started thinking about my goals after the 50 miler. My goals for this past spring/summer/fall were pretty simple, and I'm 1 for 3 so far (enjoying the first season of triathlon). I love triathlon, and I really like the olympic distance, so it would be fun to focus on that next season. I also really love the challenge and complexity of the marathon. It would also be a great experiment to focus a year-long effort on a fall or early winter marathon (I'm probably moving to TX this summer, so a Nov/Dec marathon in TX might be golden). Just some random thoughts...
Motivation--The tri podcasts are so fun to listen to! I remember hearing a segment on the GYGO podcast called "why I tri" where people call in to give their reasons for "tri'ing." Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but I haven't heard it in a while. We're all in the offseason I guess. I think today I nailed down some reasons why I love triathlon.
Why I Tri/Run
1) It's fun
2) It's rewarding to meet a goal (time or just to finish a race)
3) X-training prevents injury
4) Pain and burning lungs feel GREAT!!!
5) Cool peeps
6) Military officers need to be in great physical condition*
7) Our bodies are works of art and one our most precious gifts
(*There's a sign in the base gym: "Someone who wants to kill you worked out today.")
(Warning: The following consist of random thoughts on my run today. I'm about to go all rabbinical here.) Like many others, I believe that our bodies are merely vessels that hold who we truly are (HaGuf vs. HaNefesh). We are given the gift of our bodies so our souls can talk to each other and hence create meaning in our lives, a communion of souls perhaps. Because we are given such a wonderful yet finite gift, it only seems fitting that we take responsibility to cherish it and nurture it as best we can (Shmirat HaGuf v'Shmirat HaNefesh).
Our bodies are means of expression. We can tattoo it, we can pierce it, we can lase and exfoliate, we can wash it. We can also pour alcohol into it, we can fill it with smoke, we can overwhelm it with UV radiation and smoke. Or we can give it tasty healthy foods, we can water it, and we can make sure it is in a clean environment.
We are not only able, but we are required, to use our bodies. Our hearts are made to pump a lot of blood, to the point where we can hurl ourselves down the track as fast as our legs (or arms) can take us. Our lungs are supposed to suck in as much air as we can as we try not to blackout from doing the 200 fly. Our muscles should burn like blazing, iron-melting furnaces as our legs crank our bicycles up and over mountain passes. Our sweat is supposed to sear our eyes as we round the last corner to complete yet another 20+ mile run.
My mission as a triathlete and marathon runner is to discover the physical and mental potential and limit of this Guf v'Nefesh. My goal is to take one more swim stroke, bike pedal, and running step further and faster every day. After all, it is what we are made to do.
Run: 7.4 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--A short slow run. Need to rest these legs! X-training coming up! Yay for triathlon!
Goals--It might be too premature, but I have started thinking about my goals after the 50 miler. My goals for this past spring/summer/fall were pretty simple, and I'm 1 for 3 so far (enjoying the first season of triathlon). I love triathlon, and I really like the olympic distance, so it would be fun to focus on that next season. I also really love the challenge and complexity of the marathon. It would also be a great experiment to focus a year-long effort on a fall or early winter marathon (I'm probably moving to TX this summer, so a Nov/Dec marathon in TX might be golden). Just some random thoughts...
Motivation--The tri podcasts are so fun to listen to! I remember hearing a segment on the GYGO podcast called "why I tri" where people call in to give their reasons for "tri'ing." Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but I haven't heard it in a while. We're all in the offseason I guess. I think today I nailed down some reasons why I love triathlon.
Why I Tri/Run
1) It's fun
2) It's rewarding to meet a goal (time or just to finish a race)
3) X-training prevents injury
4) Pain and burning lungs feel GREAT!!!
5) Cool peeps
6) Military officers need to be in great physical condition*
7) Our bodies are works of art and one our most precious gifts
(*There's a sign in the base gym: "Someone who wants to kill you worked out today.")
(Warning: The following consist of random thoughts on my run today. I'm about to go all rabbinical here.) Like many others, I believe that our bodies are merely vessels that hold who we truly are (HaGuf vs. HaNefesh). We are given the gift of our bodies so our souls can talk to each other and hence create meaning in our lives, a communion of souls perhaps. Because we are given such a wonderful yet finite gift, it only seems fitting that we take responsibility to cherish it and nurture it as best we can (Shmirat HaGuf v'Shmirat HaNefesh).
Our bodies are means of expression. We can tattoo it, we can pierce it, we can lase and exfoliate, we can wash it. We can also pour alcohol into it, we can fill it with smoke, we can overwhelm it with UV radiation and smoke. Or we can give it tasty healthy foods, we can water it, and we can make sure it is in a clean environment.
We are not only able, but we are required, to use our bodies. Our hearts are made to pump a lot of blood, to the point where we can hurl ourselves down the track as fast as our legs (or arms) can take us. Our lungs are supposed to suck in as much air as we can as we try not to blackout from doing the 200 fly. Our muscles should burn like blazing, iron-melting furnaces as our legs crank our bicycles up and over mountain passes. Our sweat is supposed to sear our eyes as we round the last corner to complete yet another 20+ mile run.
My mission as a triathlete and marathon runner is to discover the physical and mental potential and limit of this Guf v'Nefesh. My goal is to take one more swim stroke, bike pedal, and running step further and faster every day. After all, it is what we are made to do.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Run
17 Oct
Run: 13.1 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--Today was also pretty busy (thesis and laser survey). I managed to make it to the gym (in the pouring rain) and run a 1/2 marathon pace run on the treadmill. My mp3 player is one of those older ones (512MB) so it repeats songs quite frequently. But it works perfectly! I ran 7:47/mi for most of this run, which was right on target.
Splits (?)
7.34 in 60:00 (8:10/mi)
5.76 in 42:54 (7:27/mi)
Total--13.1 in 1:42:54 (7:51/mi)
Run: 13.1 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--Today was also pretty busy (thesis and laser survey). I managed to make it to the gym (in the pouring rain) and run a 1/2 marathon pace run on the treadmill. My mp3 player is one of those older ones (512MB) so it repeats songs quite frequently. But it works perfectly! I ran 7:47/mi for most of this run, which was right on target.
Splits (?)
7.34 in 60:00 (8:10/mi)
5.76 in 42:54 (7:27/mi)
Total--13.1 in 1:42:54 (7:51/mi)
Rest
16 Oct
Rest
-------------------------------------------------------
Rest--Monday was one of the busiest days I've ever had! Fortunately I also managed to do a lot of important tasks (i.e. thesis progress!!!). I took my friend (and honored teammate) Wendy to the Team in Training dinner at Maggiano's for the Marine Corps Marathon runners. The food was pretty good, and it was neat to pick up our official TNT stuff. Being a TNT coach would be a LOT of fun.
Rest
-------------------------------------------------------
Rest--Monday was one of the busiest days I've ever had! Fortunately I also managed to do a lot of important tasks (i.e. thesis progress!!!). I took my friend (and honored teammate) Wendy to the Team in Training dinner at Maggiano's for the Marine Corps Marathon runners. The food was pretty good, and it was neat to pick up our official TNT stuff. Being a TNT coach would be a LOT of fun.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Run
15 Oct
Run: 9.4 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--I missed the pace run on Friday, so I just did it today. I was supposed to run 3:51 half-miles. Oops. I'll try this run one more time before the marathon to practice consistent marathon pacing. The purpose was to test a pace I could hold for a marathon.
Splits
Home to Capital Crescent Trail (1.7 mi) 15:20
3.5-4.0, 4:02 (downhill half)
4.0-4.5, 3:48
4.5-5.0, 3:50
5.0-5.5, 3:42
5.5-6.0, 3:43
6.0-6.5, 3:37
6.5-6.0, 3:51 (uphill half)
6.0-5.5, 3:37
5.5-5.0, 3:48
5.0-4.5, 3:50
4.5-4.0, 3:47
4.0-3.5, 3:39
CCT to home (1.7 mi), 14:04
Experiment--Even though I’m a research scientist (my day job), I managed to royally screw up my personal experiment. I had some stomach problems, and suddenly I feel a LOT better! Even though I managed to botch all of my controls, a combination of changes in my daily life seemed to work:
--Drinking a LOT of fluids (esp. in the morning—huge glass of OJ, several glasses of chocolate milk, lots of water, Gatorade, cups of hot tea)
--Eating a lot less(this seemed to make the biggest difference)
--Nutrition plan (see below)
--Rest: go to bed between 9:00 and 9:30, read a book for an hour, meditate en route to sleep
--Do at least one fun activity during the weekend to unwind!
Nutrition--I am obsessed with the Food Pyramid website. I have a checklist of all veggie and fruit colors and number of servings per week, as well as different types of grains and protein sources. I have been pretty diligent about trying to eat all colors and types of everything throughout the week. My new rules: 1) drink a huge glass of OJ, eat a dairy source and piece of fruit in the morning, 2) salad with either lunch or dinner. I don't mind having rules because it helps me better track what I eat, I like those foods, and I can resist the urge to go out of control food-wise during this taper phase.
Weekend--Wow, where do I start?! Friday night (my night to stay home and relax) included the hip hop dance instruction video (MUCH FUN!). Saturday included the TNT run, mini DC tour, friends taking me out to lunch in DC, and a great evening at the 'gogue for some singing, dancing, sweets, friends, and liquor. Sunday morning included the most fun and meaningful service of my life. This holiday is crazy, and it's my favorite. Dancing around with the scrolls is one of the most meaningful and memorable experiences I cherish. This great day included the run mentioned above and great weather. (Needless to say, I neglected a LOT of blog reading.) Such a fantastic and beautiful weekend!
Run: 9.4 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--I missed the pace run on Friday, so I just did it today. I was supposed to run 3:51 half-miles. Oops. I'll try this run one more time before the marathon to practice consistent marathon pacing. The purpose was to test a pace I could hold for a marathon.
Splits
Home to Capital Crescent Trail (1.7 mi) 15:20
3.5-4.0, 4:02 (downhill half)
4.0-4.5, 3:48
4.5-5.0, 3:50
5.0-5.5, 3:42
5.5-6.0, 3:43
6.0-6.5, 3:37
6.5-6.0, 3:51 (uphill half)
6.0-5.5, 3:37
5.5-5.0, 3:48
5.0-4.5, 3:50
4.5-4.0, 3:47
4.0-3.5, 3:39
CCT to home (1.7 mi), 14:04
Experiment--Even though I’m a research scientist (my day job), I managed to royally screw up my personal experiment. I had some stomach problems, and suddenly I feel a LOT better! Even though I managed to botch all of my controls, a combination of changes in my daily life seemed to work:
--Drinking a LOT of fluids (esp. in the morning—huge glass of OJ, several glasses of chocolate milk, lots of water, Gatorade, cups of hot tea)
--Eating a lot less(this seemed to make the biggest difference)
--Nutrition plan (see below)
--Rest: go to bed between 9:00 and 9:30, read a book for an hour, meditate en route to sleep
--Do at least one fun activity during the weekend to unwind!
Nutrition--I am obsessed with the Food Pyramid website. I have a checklist of all veggie and fruit colors and number of servings per week, as well as different types of grains and protein sources. I have been pretty diligent about trying to eat all colors and types of everything throughout the week. My new rules: 1) drink a huge glass of OJ, eat a dairy source and piece of fruit in the morning, 2) salad with either lunch or dinner. I don't mind having rules because it helps me better track what I eat, I like those foods, and I can resist the urge to go out of control food-wise during this taper phase.
Weekend--Wow, where do I start?! Friday night (my night to stay home and relax) included the hip hop dance instruction video (MUCH FUN!). Saturday included the TNT run, mini DC tour, friends taking me out to lunch in DC, and a great evening at the 'gogue for some singing, dancing, sweets, friends, and liquor. Sunday morning included the most fun and meaningful service of my life. This holiday is crazy, and it's my favorite. Dancing around with the scrolls is one of the most meaningful and memorable experiences I cherish. This great day included the run mentioned above and great weather. (Needless to say, I neglected a LOT of blog reading.) Such a fantastic and beautiful weekend!
Run
14 Oct
Run: 15 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--The DC/MD/VA Team in Training people scheduled the last long run at the Iwo Jima memorial, which was amazing. We saw the sunrise at the memorial over our nation's capital. An amazing, surreal experience. Then we ran around, and I ran down the Mall to the Metro. I stopped in the Lincoln Memorial. I can only imagine how revolutionary, and maybe even crazy, his ideas must have sounded back in the day. The ducks in the reflecting pool were acting really weird too. They all had their duck butts in the air, heads under the water, feet waiving in the air to stabilize their bodies. It was hilarious. There were also a million Japanese tourists everywhere, which blows my mind. It's amazing how people from other countries flock to our capital to study the foundation and history, not only of our country, but our country's influence around the world. A great run.
Pictures--From the wedding a few weeks ago when my family came to town. Thank you triathlon for some arm definition and endurance for dancing! OH! And my entire outfit (shoes and dress) was less than $30!!! Heck ya!
Run: 15 mi
-------------------------------------------------------
Run--The DC/MD/VA Team in Training people scheduled the last long run at the Iwo Jima memorial, which was amazing. We saw the sunrise at the memorial over our nation's capital. An amazing, surreal experience. Then we ran around, and I ran down the Mall to the Metro. I stopped in the Lincoln Memorial. I can only imagine how revolutionary, and maybe even crazy, his ideas must have sounded back in the day. The ducks in the reflecting pool were acting really weird too. They all had their duck butts in the air, heads under the water, feet waiving in the air to stabilize their bodies. It was hilarious. There were also a million Japanese tourists everywhere, which blows my mind. It's amazing how people from other countries flock to our capital to study the foundation and history, not only of our country, but our country's influence around the world. A great run.
Pictures--From the wedding a few weeks ago when my family came to town. Thank you triathlon for some arm definition and endurance for dancing! OH! And my entire outfit (shoes and dress) was less than $30!!! Heck ya!
Busting a groove!
Steph (being weird) with Mom, two peas in a pod!
Rest
13 Oct
Rest
-------------------------------------------------------
Rest--Friday was a long day: working all day up in Baltimore, getting lost in Baltimore on the way home (and ending up at Ikea concidentally!), fighting Friday traffic, and then sundown. BUT my hip hop dancing instruction DVD from Netflix came! I gave it a try... for 2 hours... and I still can't do any of it! No worries, I am going to work on this everyday when I get home. J Lo will be knocking on my door any minute to recruit me as a flygirl, I know it.
Pictures--Here are some from the Army Ten Miler. I totally didn't see the camera for ANY of these. Also, I forgot my sunglasses at home. I look like I was dying and hating life, but I really was enjoying myself! Really!
Rest
-------------------------------------------------------
Rest--Friday was a long day: working all day up in Baltimore, getting lost in Baltimore on the way home (and ending up at Ikea concidentally!), fighting Friday traffic, and then sundown. BUT my hip hop dancing instruction DVD from Netflix came! I gave it a try... for 2 hours... and I still can't do any of it! No worries, I am going to work on this everyday when I get home. J Lo will be knocking on my door any minute to recruit me as a flygirl, I know it.
Pictures--Here are some from the Army Ten Miler. I totally didn't see the camera for ANY of these. Also, I forgot my sunglasses at home. I look like I was dying and hating life, but I really was enjoying myself! Really!
Flying through the air with a Canadian guy
Oh the sun and a double chin! (Where did that come from??)
Closing the eyes conserves energy
Poofy shirt and shorts and concentrated face
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Swim
12 Oct
Swim: 3900 yd
-------------------------------------------------------
Swim--Only 3900 yd, you say?? Well, about 3000 of that was fly. I wish I was kidding. The rest was a happy mix of the other 3 strokes and 500 yd of kicking. My shoulders are sobbing right now! The set was AWESOME! I LOVE this masters coach! He knows all about my quest to train for and finish (sans DQ) the 200m fly this winter... and he supports it. In the form of a satanic fly workout. Much to the dismay of my teammates. Bwahahaha!
Experiment--Day 1. Today was crazy liquid day. This morning I had a huge glass of Gatorade, a bottle of water, 2 classes of chocolate milk, and 2 glasses of OJ. I did some running around (being a grad student rocks!), and I drank some water on the go. I came home and drank some more chocolate milk and water. I do feel a bit better, but the baseline problem isn't gone. Someone suggested it might be a food allergy since I've had this stomach problem for some time. "Food for thought." Hahaha!
Mental--School, family, research, marathon, random stuff has me pretty stressed out right now. I was thinking about what I would do if I wanted to do something really fun (besides mtn bike, of course). Then it hit me like a big yellow school bus. I LOVE GOING TO IKEA! Few things make me happier than that super warm, happy feeling I have when I walk through the doors to Ikea, when I smell the $1 gooey cinnamon buns begging me to eat them, when I see all that furniture with all the funny Swedish names (my desk is called the Jerker). Next time I am feeling down I am going to Ikea!!! Perked me RIGHT up today!!!
Blogs--This is to the 1 or 2 people who read my blog every once in a while. If you guys make a comment, where do I comment to your comments? Right in my blog? On your blog? In the comments section in my blog?? Help! I am not aware of the proper blog etiquette! I do enjoy reading all of the blogs in the Alliance though, and I sincerely appreciate your comments. I am just now figuring all of this out. Please accept my apologies and help me! Thank you.
Strategy--The phases of my customized periodization are almost complete. X-training this winter is going to be fun! More on that later. I also finished my marathon pace/split time spreadsheet. It's broken down like this: miles 1-10, 11-16, 17-20, last 10K. I will take a split at every mile, but I just don't like to look at my watch much. So I'll write those special mile splits on my arm and when I hit the 11, 17, and 20 mile markers I can adjust accordingly. I bought more gels today, and I haven't quite decided what flavors to use for the race. BUT the best way for me to pin them on my shorts is by the top of the gel flap to the OUTSIDE of my shorts. Then I just flip them into my shorts, two in the front and two in the back. I will eat the front gels first. I can just rip the gels from my shorts and the safety pins and ripped off gel tops will be on the outside of my shorts, causing zero chaffing. I've practiced this. For you marathon runners, if you want my spreadsheet for those splits, let me know.
Swim: 3900 yd
-------------------------------------------------------
Swim--Only 3900 yd, you say?? Well, about 3000 of that was fly. I wish I was kidding. The rest was a happy mix of the other 3 strokes and 500 yd of kicking. My shoulders are sobbing right now! The set was AWESOME! I LOVE this masters coach! He knows all about my quest to train for and finish (sans DQ) the 200m fly this winter... and he supports it. In the form of a satanic fly workout. Much to the dismay of my teammates. Bwahahaha!
Experiment--Day 1. Today was crazy liquid day. This morning I had a huge glass of Gatorade, a bottle of water, 2 classes of chocolate milk, and 2 glasses of OJ. I did some running around (being a grad student rocks!), and I drank some water on the go. I came home and drank some more chocolate milk and water. I do feel a bit better, but the baseline problem isn't gone. Someone suggested it might be a food allergy since I've had this stomach problem for some time. "Food for thought." Hahaha!
Mental--School, family, research, marathon, random stuff has me pretty stressed out right now. I was thinking about what I would do if I wanted to do something really fun (besides mtn bike, of course). Then it hit me like a big yellow school bus. I LOVE GOING TO IKEA! Few things make me happier than that super warm, happy feeling I have when I walk through the doors to Ikea, when I smell the $1 gooey cinnamon buns begging me to eat them, when I see all that furniture with all the funny Swedish names (my desk is called the Jerker). Next time I am feeling down I am going to Ikea!!! Perked me RIGHT up today!!!
Blogs--This is to the 1 or 2 people who read my blog every once in a while. If you guys make a comment, where do I comment to your comments? Right in my blog? On your blog? In the comments section in my blog?? Help! I am not aware of the proper blog etiquette! I do enjoy reading all of the blogs in the Alliance though, and I sincerely appreciate your comments. I am just now figuring all of this out. Please accept my apologies and help me! Thank you.
Strategy--The phases of my customized periodization are almost complete. X-training this winter is going to be fun! More on that later. I also finished my marathon pace/split time spreadsheet. It's broken down like this: miles 1-10, 11-16, 17-20, last 10K. I will take a split at every mile, but I just don't like to look at my watch much. So I'll write those special mile splits on my arm and when I hit the 11, 17, and 20 mile markers I can adjust accordingly. I bought more gels today, and I haven't quite decided what flavors to use for the race. BUT the best way for me to pin them on my shorts is by the top of the gel flap to the OUTSIDE of my shorts. Then I just flip them into my shorts, two in the front and two in the back. I will eat the front gels first. I can just rip the gels from my shorts and the safety pins and ripped off gel tops will be on the outside of my shorts, causing zero chaffing. I've practiced this. For you marathon runners, if you want my spreadsheet for those splits, let me know.
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