Out for A.T.

My Annual Training starts this Saturday, so I am signing off (for now).

I will return on Jun 20, but give me a day or two to decompress. I've finishing my last week of grad school right now and then going directly to AT, not passing go, but collecting a sweet AT paycheck.

See you in two weeks.

The HR manzier

At the suggestion of Steve. I wore the Heart Rate monitor on my run last night. For those who don't know, the heart rate monitor fits around your chest (almost like a bra) and reads your heart rate. It's pretty uncomfortable, looks silly, and I'm not sure what its good for.

It wasn't the greatest of runs (in fact it was pretty bad) 2 miles in 20:40. But I did get some heart rate data.

I'm not sure what its good for. Average was 170bpm, max was 184bpm. I wonder if there is a way to download the chart from the Garmin Forerunner.

Can anyone tell me more about hear rate training? Or point me to an article about it? What is it good for after all?

6 miles

That is the longest run yet on the fitness plan. I was feeling good at the begining, then got alittle sluggish. However, you will be surprised how fast you can run in poorly lit, deserted parts of town late at night.

Totals
6 miles at 1:04:58
Avg pace 10:50 mi
Fastest pace 6:36 mi

Here are the quarter mile laps:

1) 2:08
2) 2:19
3) 2:14
4) 2:13
Mile 1) 8:55
5) 2:27
6) 2:25
7) 2:31
8.) 2:34
Mile 2) 9:57
9) 2:34
10) 2:27
11) 2:22
12) 2:30
Mile 3) 9:53
13) 2:49
14) 3:07
15) 2:57
16) 2:48
Mile 4) 11:41
17) 2:51
18) 3:44
19) 2:58
20) 2:50
Mile 5) 12:23
21) 2:41
22) 3:18
23) 3:07
24) 2:52
Mile 6) 11:58

So, the scary part of town wasn't scary enough to improve my run time. Maybe next time I need to run later at night or a more questionable part of town.

If there are any locals out there in Pasadena, CA. Here is the route I ran:


View Larger Map

On The Road Again

The family left last night and that means I can run again!

Today's work out plan called for a few sets of push-ups and sit ups. The plan calls it "push-up improvement plan #2." Begining with close, then regular, then wide-arm-push-ups. You push in each position till you can't push no more and then swtich grips. One set is 2:30 and there were 2 sets.

Then it called for 1 minute of full sit-ups. I did 26. I had to figet a bit because I live in a cramped apartment and lost some reps.

Finally the run. I haven't run since last tuesday. I was feeling okay at the begnining, but...

2 mile run; quarter-mile laps:

1) 1:57
2) 2:00
3) 2:41
4) 2:18
5) 2:22
6) 2:51
7) 2:23
8.) 2:37

Tomorrow calls for a 6 mile run. I am going to try to find something that is 3 miles away and then run back. Oh, the places I'll go.

Family is in town

My wife is graduating with her masters degree tomorrow and that means the family is in town. Two moms and a step-dad.

Unfortunately that means that my fitness training has suffered. After a long internship day yesterday we went down to the airport to get my mother-in-law and we had a visit. I didn't get to bed until 1 a.m. and that meant I couldn't trek on the 6 mile run (thats almost a 10K)!

They are in town till Monday, through the memorial day weekend. So, the fitness plan is on hold. I think when I restart I will pick back up with Monday of week three. That's actually this week, so rather than skip I will just start this week over again.

The photo of the turtle family has a double meaning...

World Wide Festival of Races

I just signed up for the Zen Run 10k over at World Wide Festival of Races. This is a free race which is open to everyone all over the world. You set your own course at home on 10-11 October 2009 and run your race. You then put your results up on the web for the whole world to see.

You can sign up for the race here. I am entrant number 286 under the username "jjoelness." If anyone is interested in running on a virtual team, let me know.

I wont skip that rest day again

So, because I flipped Sunday and Saturday I ended up doing push-ups two days in a row! Eugh! I think I there was a logic to the spacing of rest days to the plan. I will be sure not to mess with the infallible plan this weekend (though it might be hard; family is coming in town).

I improvised the plan just a bit. It called for 2 sets of 2:30 push-ups. Beginning with close, then regular, then wide arm push-ups. I set a 2 minute rest in between and did flutter kicks/leg lifts. In case you are wondering, no, I am not able to push for 2 and a half minutes straight. Maybe someday...

That was followed by a 1 minute set of full sit-ups. I did 28 right in a row with no breaks, no stopping. If I can keep up that pace for the full two minutes that gives me a 56 which is enough (though it could be better).

Next is a 2 mile run:

Total- 2.09 miles in 19:05
Average pace- 9:07
Max pace- 6:56

Quarter-mile laps:
1) 1:57
2) 2:10
3) 2:05
4) 2:23
5) 2:19
6) 2:29
7) 2:44
8.) 2:27