Wednesday, January 31, 2007

235.8

Rowing: 6K in 25:15.6; HR Ave = 114; Max = 134

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Progress

236.2

6K treadmill run in 33:11; HR Ave = 121; Max = 136

Monday, January 29, 2007

A Big Transition!

238.2

Today is closing day on our condo. Tonight will be my last night at 188 Danforth Street, a place that has been a wonderful home over the past two years. It's cross-town for me: to the top of Munjy Hill!

The move involves a lot of details. It seems that the folks responsible for electricity, gas, water, mail delivery, phone, etc. are incapable of mind reading and must be notified of these kind of changes. I also need to move without misplacing the stuff I need for my Japan trip on Thursday. And, I need to run, and row, and spin and manage my intake.

AM workout: 6K erg in 25:20; HR Ave = 114; Max = 131

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Spin, Run, Row

240.6

Today's plan: a 1.25 hour spin (if I can get a bike, I'm not signed up); then 40 minutes on the treadmill (my treadmill boredom threshold); then 25 minutes on the rowing machine. I will report back with the numbers and results.

Today's delivery: not exactly plan but a strong workout, and I salvaged a pretty solid week that was particularly challenging given the business travel demands.

Spin: I recorded the middle (i.e. no warm-up and no cooldown) and tracked 45:10 with HR ave. = 102; Max =117. A good solid recovery workout after yesterday's endurance ride.

Run: 8K in 43:59; HR ave = 115; Max = 136. This was interesting. I warmed thoruoghly and and gradually, then added .1 MPH (the treadmill measure) every 2 minutes until I got to 7.3. I then dropped .1 every 2 minutes but my HR did not drop. I am really unfit.

Row: First, the ergometer at the Bay Club sucks. I'm going to do all my future significant rowing at the Fitness Cenetr (work). I struggled through 3K in 13:08 before calling it a day. HR Ave = 113; Max = 127.

For the week:

3 Hours of spinning; 33K running; 8K rowing. I'm fairly pleased.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Need a big weekend

241.6 (ouch, again!)

The 2 hour spin:

I like this workout. It's a gradual build to mid-range aerobic and then just kind of holding it there, with occasional up and down spikes that can last as long as 10 minutes or so (on the up side). I recorded my HR exclusive of the long intitial warm-up, the 4 minute break in the middle (water and bio), the second warm-up, and the cool down. Here's the numbers:

1. 45:00 with ave HR = 108, max = 122

2. 34:56 with ave HR = 112, max = 131

Friday, January 26, 2007

Road Weary

240.8 (Ouch!)

I don't know that there is any scientific evidence to support this but I'm starting to think that body weight is influenced by intake (i.e. eating and drinking).

I need a decent workout day today and a great weekend. And I need to eat and drink less. How about them tactics?

5K erg in 21:12.3, HR ave. = 117, max. = 134

4K run (treadmill) in 22:56, HR ave. = 127, max. = 134

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Still in the Garden State

6K in 34:00, HR = 125

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Stepped on by my brethren

Only 2 treadmills in the Crowne Plaza in Clark, NJ. Both occupied by fatboys walking at a slower pace than I thought possible.

I have to go to work. I'll try again tonight.

PM: Managed to sneak in 5K in 17:44, HR = 124.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

the treadmill is my friend

It's Tuesday morning here in Pittsburgh and I just completed my workout:

10K in 55:44 with average HR of 130 (high end aerobic).

Last night my colleagues took me to Fat Head's Saloon where I waded through 3 IPAs, a Wiezen (sp?), and a Rogue YSP. All delicious. Dinner was a strange and uniquely Pittsburgh sandwich with principle ingredients of kielbasa and pierogie (again with the mangled spelling--blogger must have a spellcheck somewhere and I'll find it).

Off to work.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Finish Strong!


235.0


With one day to go, I have an opportunity to have a great week. I must finish strong. My plan is a 15K gym workout, with most of those kilometers on the treadmill. My daughter Kim has the car so a barrier is the walk to the gym in the cold (7 F or -13C, and quite windy) and dark. Another barrier is a minor head pain owing its origin to a lovely bottle of Montsarra Cava I enjoyed last night. These are minor challenges I will easily overcome.


Next week is very challenging--chock-a-block full of business travel, business lunches and dinners, and unknown hotel fitness facilities. I leave for Pittsburgh at 6:00 AM on Monday morning. I'll be back in Portland at 11:30 PM Thursday, if there are no delays. New Jersey is also on the docket. My goal for those days is 3 (a B) or 4 (an A) treadmill runs.


I'll summarize this week at the end of the day, I'll also lay out the full plan for next week.


Kim, by the way, has improved her driving skill markedly since the photo above (with boyfriend Dominic), taken after an early parking practice session.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sunday's totals:
2K erg plus stretching and strength
9.5K treadmill in 52:14, HR ave. = 124; max. =138
Weekly totals:
Spinning = 3.5 hours
erg = 10K
running = 30K
stretch and strength = 3 sessions
Great week!

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Photos?




I think I figured out the photo thing. Unfortunately, this (left) is a quite unflattering photo taken on January 1, 2007. It is a motivational photo, however, and that's what this blog is all about. Close inspection reveals my brethren, sumo wrestlers, in the background. Further inspection reveals my need for a "bro" (a manssiere).
My goal is to look more like the photo above, taken at the mid-point of the Ohtawara Marathon in November 2004.

The 2 Hour Spin

236.2
Back home after the 2 hour spinning session. It was a good workout, with the vast majority of the time spent in mid- and high-aerobic range (as measured by my brand new HR monitor, which is an improvement over the old monitor in that it works).


Friday, January 19, 2007

Goals

235.2

I have just one fitness goal for 2007: a 42 minute 10K at Beach-to-Beacon, which is our world class local race. It's the first Saturday in August.

To achieve that goal, I will have to work very hard at my running, lose weight (at least 20 pounds from the 240 I started the year with), and remain injury free--or at least avoid being de-railed by an injury for an extended period of time.

This is a goal that meets the "challenging but attainable" test. I haven't run under 40 minutes in 5 years (Ohtawara 2002, 39:37). I ran 40:30ish in 2004. I can only jog 10K currently.

To be in 42 minute shape, I'll need to be able to run 5K in 20 minutes (give or take). I'll try that in May, and again in June. If I can run 42 minutes for a 10K in August, I should be able to hang on and run a decent M/2 in the first week in October--that'll be my longest race of the year.

I'll explain why 10K (and not a marathon, or a triathlon, or a rocking chair) another time.

It's a gym workout today, with emphasis on the rowing machine, stretching, and core work.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Another 10K Day:

AM: 5K erg with stretching and core work

PM: 5K treadmill in 27:31

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Cold!

236.0

It's 6 (-14 C) out there. I don't have a specific temperature below which I won't run outside but I have determined that it's too cold to run outside. It's a treadmill run for me today.

The 1.5 hour spinning session went pretty well last night. A disappointment is that my cheap heart rate monitor seems to be completely broken. The readings jumped all over the place despite fairly constant work load (tension on the wheel and rpms). So either the monitor or my heart was disfunctioning. Since many of the readings were in the low 30s and a quick non-scientific check of the blood flow through my neck revealed pulsations quite a bit faster than 30 bpm I determined that it was the timex, and not my heart, that was disfunctional. I suppose that the monitor is more easily replaced than the heart, so this is actually good news.

I'm going to pack my bag for 2 workouts today. The goal: 30 minutes on the treadmill in the morning and 30 minutes on the treadmill in the evening. This followed by moderate consumption of food and drink.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I had a 10K day! Split almost evenly between my morning and evening workouts: 10K in 56:55. After a gentle but fairly long warm-up (for each of the two pieces) my HR (my strap works and the treadmill picks up my HR and displays it, the watch part of my HR monitor remains worthless) was in the high end aerobic zone despite my pedestrian pace. I am unfit. I will fix this.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Mistakes Were Made

237.4

Beer was drunk. Some food-like substance that had been battered and deep fried was put in front of me and as a result, was eaten. More beer was drunk. A beautiful steak, with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, was consumed, and enjoyed immensely. A glass of Cabernet washed it down. More beer was drunk. In the morning, empty chocolate truffle wrappers were discovered.

And the day had started in a promising way--with a decent treadmill run: 5.5K in 30 minutes.

It is bitterly cold in a way typical of Maine this time of year. It is 3 degrees F with 10 MPH wind. It feels like -11. These numbers, in C, according to my computer machine, are -16 and -24 respectively. I will do nothing outside today other than hurry to get inside.

My workout plan: 1.5 hour spinning. I need it.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

A Backwards Day

237.6

I gained weight, and I know why. A variety of factors conspired against me yesterday. The day started properly, with a 2 mile walk to retrieve the car from daughter Kim, then the short drive to the gym where I put in 3 K on the erg, back bitchin' at me the whole way. Then some stretching and some core work, followed by a nice hot shower. My plan was for an afternoon spinning session, the 4:30 class offered by the fitness center at the office. Mother nature had other ideas as our first winter storm of any signifigance blew in. By 2:00, the office and the fitness center were both closed. I didn't have to go to Ruski's as an alternative but the full slate of NBA games on the tube was tempting and I succumbed. I also succumbed to several Hooker IPAs--arguably more than were necessary to wash down my tuna sandwich.

So with the running trails and roads snow and ice covered, I'm off to the gym for a date with the treadmill. I'll report in again tomorrow.

+++++++++++++++++++

3.35 Miles in 30 minutes

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Finally, progress

236.8

I am finally recovering from my cold/flu symptoms and had a solid workout weekend: Saturday = 2 hour spinning; Sunday = 10K running/erging combo (7/3).

The plan this week:

MWF
Gym workout, erg (rowing machine) continuing to build sports specific fitness.

Tu/Th
Running outdoors (treadmill if wintry weather continues). A lap of the blvd with Bernie.

Saturday = 2 hour spin.

Sunday = longest run of the week.

Bonus workout = 1.5 hour spin on Wednesday night.

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Monday, January 8, 2007

A Lost Weekend

236.4

I am still recovering from a terrible flu and I opted for rest as the best form of recovery. I feel better today (Monday) but am still not 100%. I have business travel this week which will challenge my workout schedule.

Saturday, January 6, 2007

A Set Back

236.0

Friday, January 5, 2007

Friday

238.6

Yesterday's run was a struggle despite being slow and short. I feel a little better today. Tomorrow is the two hour monster spinning session. I won't be physically prepared for that so I need to focus on getting my mind right.

Thursday, January 4, 2007

First Run of the Year

237.4

I will leave in an hour or so for my first run of the year. I'll report on that tomorrow.


Result: 3 miles in 27:39. Short and slow, but a start.

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Sick

238.2

Still sick and looking forward to feeling better and starting my '07 exercise program. I have a goal: 42:00 (or better) at the '07 Beach-to-Beacon 10k race on the first Saturday in August. To achieve this goal, I will need to lose weight, run hard and run a lot. I am motivated to do this.

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

The First Day

240.6

So I answered the question I raised in my post yesterday by continuing in my holiday pattern of eating and drinking too much and exercising not enough (well, not at all). In my defense, in addition to being fat I am also sick--as bad a flu as I've ever had. I may take it easy again today. I also said goodby to daughter Sarah yesterday. She flew back to Chicago after a nice visit. Today (in a couple of hours) Sam returns to Tokyo.

Thanks, Steve, for acknowledging and encouraging my blog. One of these days I'll figure out how you did that. I'll also figure out niceties like including photos and linking to other sites on the internets. But, for now, getting started seems okay.

I have fitness goals and action plans. I'll describe them in future posts. I will also put action plans in action.

Monday, January 1, 2007

The New Year

I weigh 240.4 pounds. That's a lot for me. That's too much for almost anyone who isn't a sumo wrestler or an offensive lineman. I'm planning to go to the gym today but this blogging is hard work. I might go to Ruski's for a big greasy breakfast and a bloody mary instead. Do the new year's resolutions kick in today, the holiday, or tomorrow, which is the real first day of the year in that it's when we go back to work?