Just get Through It

After one of those days yesterday when I just felt great, this morning's run produced the opposite effect. It was tough sledding from the start. I packed it in after 7.3K of running. 7.3K in 41:02, with average HR = 115.

More of a general malaise than anything specific, although my knee is a bit sore.

A Nice Row

After being up late (early morning) first watching, then celebrating the Red Sox win on Sunday, I took a rest day on Monday.

This morning, I overslept a bit and scrambled to get my workout in before the work day started. I'd planned a one hour row, I settled for 10K, given the time crunch.

The result: 10K in 40:52.8. I felt good and am enjoying these workouts. The rowing machine marathon beckons. Will sanity win out?

Champions!

The Red Sox are the World Series Champions. This is amazing. I vividly remember their other trips to the series: the impossible dream team in '67 that lost to the Cards; the '75 team that took the Big Red machine to 7 games before falling; the bitterly disappointing '86 unraveling that resulted in the loss to the Mets; and, finally, the joy of '04, with depressing play-off stops along the way in '78 and '03. And now joy again in '07. It's hard to believe.

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

Oh, yeah, my exercise stuff:

I had a nice run Sunday and I hit my 60K goal for the week. Here's the run data:

To Mackworth 6:50 102

Lap 1 12:43 113

Lap 2 12:11 123

Lap 3 12:13 128

Lap 4 12:58 124

Lap 5 11:46 134

From Mackworth 6:35 130

Jeff joined Scott and me for the second half of Lap 3 and all of Lap 4, it was good to see him out on the course!

Rain Delay

The hard rain today forced a switch in my weekend workouts. I rowed this morning: 10K in 41:45. I'll run tomorrow.

I'm thinking about a marathon on the rowing machine. The nutty Brits even set aside a specific day for it: the same day as the London Flora Marathon (the end of April, a perfect timeframe for me). I couldn't help but notice that my age group champion rowed 2:55. I could do that, I think. Hopefully, rationality will set in before I commit to it.

http://www.concept2.co.uk/marathon/

Plugging Away At It

Yesterday was my walking day. The commute and 3 miles at lunchtime gave me 13 miles on the day. Today I rowed for an hour: 14.3K. My legs should be in great shape for my long run (9 miles) tomorrow morning. That'll leave a 10K row to get me to 60K for the week. I can, and will, do it!

Feeling Like a Runner

A bit like one, anyway.

Ran 2 laps of the Back Cove path this morning. It was a bit raw and damp but still (almost November!) tee shirt and shorts weather. The run went well. I took a split from the parking lot to the start, at the 1.25 mile mark (there's no 1 mile mark--it was lost in the storm), at the 2.25 mile mark, and back at the parking lot for each of the two laps. The total run was 1 hour. Here's the data:

1:03 78
11:17 108
10:43 115
8:06 119

0:46 123
10:14 127
10:17 129
7:29 135

All in all a good run. I'll take it a little longer Saturday.

Taking the 60K Challenge

Yesterday was a 10K day. I ran gently with George, my friend and colleague who is preparing for his first ever 5K road race. We ran 5K together and took 30 minutes or so to cover the distance. I then hit the rower for 5K (20:45).

It's back to the Back Cove with Scott this morning. I have a 2 lap target. That's 11.4K. Since I had an off day on Monday, 60K will be tough.

I can't remember when I last had a desire for a material good. I guess that makes me spoiled. But I want one of these:

http://www.trekbikes.com/lime/?gclid=CPvPqNuRp48CFQWAHgodxEenJw

With winter coming I'm in no hurry but I do have the urge.

Going longer

My Sunday morning run was a good one--a beautiful, unseasonably warm fall day started it off properly. 4 laps around Mackworth Island, plus the to/from Scott's house left me pleasantly tired and satisfied.

To the Island: 6:48; 135
Lap 1: 12:37; 114
Lap 2: 12:02; 124
Lap 3: 11:55; 129
Lap 4: 12:26; 126
From the Island: 6:11; 128

My workouts (running and rowing) totaled 53.8K last week. I wonder if I can get to 60K this week?

Today is my youngest's birthday. Happy 19th, Sam!

The Sox are in....

.....the World Series, that is:

A One Hour Run?

That's the plan, anyway. The one hour row on Friday was successful: 14.3K. Uneventful beyond the boredom and a thoroughly chaffed up "plumber's smile".

I'll be off for my 1 hour run attempt shortly. If I can be successful cranking out an hour of sweat exercise consistently, on a daily basis, the weight will fall, inevitably. And a return to fitness will follow suit.

Today's photos are of another one of my grads, daughter Sarah, taken this past June at the University of Chicago, and this morning's sunrise, taken from my roof.

Catching up

I had a good run around the Back Cove plus on Wednesday morning. For the majority of the run we (Scott and I) ran at 8:00/mile pace. At my current fitness level I find this pace challenging. It's amazing how quickly fitness goes and how hard it is to get it back, at least at my age. Another thing that happens at my age is that kids grow up and leave the nest. Like my baby Sam. Oh yeah, I got my camera back! My Blog will be slightly less boring now.

I had a couple of decent rows this week also: 7.25K in 30 minutes and 5K in 21:00. I'm off for a 1 hour row this morning. My weekend goal is a 1 hour run. Once I can run (and row) for an hour and beyond my weight will start to drop. I just wish I had appropriate fuel, like the bowl of ramen in the photo above or below or to the side (I'm never sure where these things land once I push attach--I'll get better at that, too).

Winter beckons...

.....and so does the treadmill. 5 miles today:

9:20 at 151 Ave HR (my tachycardia skewing the average)
9:12 113
8:31 126
7:57 136
8:38 133

Still adjusting to the treadmill. I'm determined to continue running through the winter so I'll get used to it, and run further (and faster as fitness improves).

Back on the rower in the morning.

Comeback Road

Starts here: the Causeway to Mackworth Island (this photo actually captures the causeway from the island, looking towards the Mainland). And no, it hasn't started snowing yet. But it was a fairly brisk 38 degrees F when we struck off from Scott's house. We ran to/from the island and around the island 3 times. The to/from bit is 1.5 miles and each lap is also 1.5. This was my best run in awhile. 6 miles (9.65K) in 51:18. The run breaks down as follows:

To the island 7:18 at 112 bpm

Laps = 13:35, 107; 12:10, 126; 12:02, 132; and back to Scott's in 6:12, 132. I was tuckered out, in a nice way, at the end, with none of the hip, hamstring, or other leg stuff that has been a fixture to my runs of late. I'll add a lap next week.

An Ongoing Struggle

The hip flared up after about 30 minutes of running today. I shuffled on for a bit before packing it in and walking back to the start. I'd hoped to run for 40 minutes, I ran for 34:45. I'll try again on Saturday.

My row was good yesterday, 10.513K in 45:00. The music helps. I have the new Steve Earle CD, Washington Square Serenade, loaded into my iPod. A folksy, bluesy Steve Earle that is quite enjoyable.

Tomorrow is a round trip commute to work--10 miles of walking. Then back on the rower on Friday.

The Long Road Back

I had a pretty good weekend, fitness-wise, but was reminded this morning of how much more work I need to do to get to a fitness level that I'm satisfied with (and, as Steve Earle says, "I ain't ever satisfied").

On Saturday, I ran at a gentle pace for 45 minutes, a recent duration PB. I walked 5K later in the day, and walked 12-13K yesterday. This morning I hopped on the treadmill and logged 4 pedestrian miles:

9:53 HR 130
8:49 113
8:34 124
8:27 129

Then my left hip started hurting so I walked for a bit and shuffled, then jogged the final 9 minutes to get in my daily 45. I've had the hip thing before and it seems treadmill related.

I need to break the pattern of yo-yo fitnessing and develop a lifelong plan. The rowing machine helps in this. It's back on the rower for my daily 45 tomorrow.

Slowly but surely...

....I'm clawing my way back to fitness.

45 minutes on the machine this morning helps.

A Good Start to the Week

I ran for 30 minutes on Monday, rowed for 45 minutes yesterday, and ran for 35 minutes today. I am injury-free (knock on wood). I'll walk to work tomorrow (8K or so) and then hit the rower again on Friday. Saturday, it'll be a 4 Mackworth lap attempt.

I've really lost fitness (as evidence, my HR was rising towards AT zone this morning at the end of my run, despite my pedestrian pace). But that'll be back--I just need consistency, consistency, consistency.