Training Log – May 29, 2008

SCHEDULE: Run, Stretch

RUN:
      Length: 8.45 miles
       Time: 1:09:00
       Pace: 8:10 per mile
       Calories Burned: 1,294

CONDITIONS: Sunny, mild, breezy

NOTES: A pretty good run today. I got close to my longest run ever (8.53 miles last Wednesday) and maintained a similar pace (about five seconds slower – but that is factoring in that I had to stop several times for almost 15 seconds before I could cross a couple roads on my route – possibly 30-45 seconds in total). I went off the roads today and hit the bike path that runs through my town. I made it all the way to one end of it (the shorter direction) and I hope to tackle the longer way next week on my long run.

I have come to the conclusion that my new Nike+ SportBand is about a quarter of a mile off (too short) and that the pace per mile times are pretty inaccurate. When they are averaged together, it isn’t that far off, but when you look down hoping to get a good idea of what your pace during mid-run, the thing is all over the place. I had mile times ranging from 7:02 all the way up to 10:30, and that was over the course of the first two miles! After that I just turned it to the overall distance. Hopefully, when I get a chance to calibrate it, these will be fixed.

Tomorrow is an off-day, and then it is off to Foxboro for the Foxboro Against Diabetes 5K! On a related note to the race, I convinced my dad to wait a couple weeks before actively beginning to race again, and he will not be racing this Saturday. As much as he would love to, he just can’t at this point. He ran a half-mile without stopping today, so that was good to hear! I can’t wait for race day!

Training Log – May 27, 2008

SCHEDULE: Hill work, weights, and stretch

HILL WORK: 12 intervals of running up a medium sized hill (no measurment – yet), jogged back down to the bottom

WEIGHTS:
      Bench Press: 3×10 (135 lbs.)
      Barbell Curls: 3×10 (65 lbs.)
      Tabletops/Planks: 3×3 (40 sec. per rep)
      Shrugs: 3×12 (45 lbs. each hand)

CONDITIONS: Overcast, humid, warm

NOTES: A decent workout today. This was my first day doing hill interval work, so I think that I did well for my first time out. After about a half mile warmup jog, I ran as hard as I could up the hill, then jogged back down. I did this 12 times. The hill itself is a decent one. The issue is that it’s pretty steep, but the run up does not take a long time. Unfortunately, there isn’t really any other good place near my house to do interval work like this. There are plenty of hills, but many of them are on streets that do not have any sidewalks. Hopefully, I encounter a better spot on one of my runs this week.

My weight lifting was cut a little short today by my dog, who desperately needed a walk before I left for work. I had planned to get some work on my back and another core exercise in, but I had a responsibility to take care of. When I got home, all I had time for was my stretching, which is crucial. If I miss a day, I could get all messed up. Stretching takes precedence over pretty much everything else.

On a non-training related note, it seems like my dad wants to get into this whole running business with me! He has been struggling with injuries lately, but when he was watching me run at the Baldi River Run this past weekend, he claimed that he suddenly felt incredibly out of shape and wanted desperately to start running again. I have tried to get him to calm down and take it slow (he tore his ACL and rotator cuff seven months ago and hasn’t really done anything except rest and PT since) and that he shouldn’t expect to be ready to run a 5K this weekend. He started yesterday and ran/walked 1.25 miles. Today he said he was able to run for three-quarters of a mile, and then ran/walked another three-quarters for a total of a mile and a half today. He said that, other than being woefully out of shape, he felt pretty good. I keep urging him to take it slow and steady, but, knowing him, he will probably try too hard (kinda like me).

Well, long run tomorrow. I hope to run the same route that I did last week. Hopefully my time will be better this time around.