Tag Archives: health

46 days to go…

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…and I feel like I’m losing some of the hard work I’ve put in.  The last two weeks have been complete disasters as far as my training goes.  I haven’t been able to keep up with my cross-training, I missed my long run on Sunday because of really nasty weather, and today I missed my speed work.  I was able to get in a swim on Monday, but totally missed Tuesday, and now today I missed my run. 

I still have a lot going on, work has been insane, I’ve been really busy at the fire department, and I just started a new MBA course. But still, when I don’t get in a workout, I feel really lazy. I feel like I’m reverting back to old habits, slipping slowly back into inactivity, slowly becoming, once again, what I once was.  I hate that feeling.  I never want to go back there.  I never want to feel the way I felt when I was 375 lbs.  Never. Ever. Again.  For the most part, my kids don’t remember me when I was overweight, I want to keep it that way. 

I guess I’ll get up early for a run.

On a more positive note, this weekend should be fun.  My parents and my in-laws are coming up for the weekend – it’s Woodbury Days – our city’s yearly celebration.  The big bonus is that I get to run a 1/2 marathon on Sunday.  On top of that, Alex is running the Kid’s 1 mile and David is running in the tottler-trot.  Overall, this should be a fun weekend.

Hope you all have a great weekend too!

Later…

Aaron

46 days to the Twin Cities Marathon

 

51 to go and back in the groove…

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Thursday
Good workout – I had today off from work, so that necessitated switching up my schedule a little. Work has been killing me, so I was behind this week, so I did the tempo run today – I’ll do speed work tomorrow, with a 20 miler on Sunday. Also, Saturday is hose testing day at the fire department, so that should be good cross training.

Here is Thursday’s run:

1 mile easy @ 9:22
4 miles @ mid tempo 8:00
1 mile easy @ 9:22

This was a good run for me, I felt pretty solid throughout. It was, however, very HOT!

——————————————————————————-
Friday
Here is the workout from Friday:

10 minute warm up – 1 mile
1 mile @ 7:15 pace
2 miles @ 7:30 pace
2 * 800 @ 3:29 pace
10 minute cool down – 1 mile

Actuals:
1 mile – 7:11.51
2 miles – 14:54.78
#1 800 – 3:24.97
#2 800 – 3:22.07

Once again, I felt really good. These speed workouts are my favorite, I really feel good running them and I’m able to be very consistent.

I have the Woodbury Country Mile 1/2 Marathon next weekend, I’m really looking forward to seeing my results.

Good luck!

51 days to the Twin Cities Marathon.

Aaron

53 and struggling…

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Let me start by saying, I love my job. I have been so lucky to find a place that I can really stretch myself and have loads of opportunity to excel. But lately, mainly just the last two weeks, my job has been playing havoc with my training. I’ve been crazy busy and my priority is work and my family, with running coming when it can. I have been able to minimize the impact to pretty much just a reduction in my cross-training, but cross-training is an integral part of the training program I am using, so I’m a little concerned. This week has been really tough, I missed Monday and Tuesday cross-training, and today I missed my speed workout. This is really the first run I’ve missed in a long time. So, here’s the plan:

  • Tomorrow – run in the morning, tempo run / swim in the evening
  • Friday – run at lunch, speed workout
  • Saturday – swim in the morning, before hose testing at the fire department
  • Sunday – long run, 20 miles, 9:10 pace

If I can stick to this schedule, I’ll still get in my minimum 5 workouts for the week. That wuld be a good thing after a rough start. We’ll see how it goes.

I had a good long run last Sunday – 18 miles, 2 hours 54 minutes. Not bad, but a little slower than I’d hoped. Really I felt pretty good all the way to the end – kind of exciting! Also, I did something a little different than normal during my run, I listened to almost three hours of Steve Runner’s Phedippidations Pod Cast. I really enjoyed it and will definately listen again and again. Steve has a way of really making the time go by. I’ll write more in another post about my thoughts on his thoughts – thoughts on thoughts.

Here is my route:

Aaron’s 18 Mile Loop
Find more Runs in Woodbury, Minnesota

53 days to the Twin Cities Marathon.

Later…

Aaron

58 and counting, correctly this time…

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Yesterday was a swim day – nothing remarkable. I didn’t swim too long, I wasn’t feeling great. I got in about 1500 yards or so.

Here’s todays workout:

2 miles easy (9:22 pace)
3 miles short tempo pace (7:30 pace)
1 mile easy (9:22 pace)

This was a solid effort for me. My short tempo pace by my chart is 7:48, but I was feeling pretty good today so I pushed it a little harder and went to 7:30. I would say this is about the fastest I can run any significant distance – anything over a mile or so. My time in training today would have been a little faster then my 5K PR. Nice.

I’m looking forward to the half marathon in Woodbury on August 26th. That’ll be the true test of my training over the past few months and give me a better idea of where I stand for the marathon in October.

58 days to the Twin Cities Marathon. I miscounted in my last post, this is correct today.

Later…

Aaron

I miss my blood…

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Another Sunday, another long run.

I headed out the door this morning at about 7:00 am, the weather was perfect – about 70 degrees, light breeze and sunny. Nice. I didn’t really have a plan for a set distance. For one, our vacation last week set me back a bit and second, road construction has totally obliterated most of the routes I usually use. I was shooting for a nice, easy, long run. I got the long, but didn’t really get the nice nor easy.

Here is the route I took:

I took just over 2 hours, 21 minutes to complete the 14.55 miles. When I left the house I thought I was feeling a little sluggish, breathing a little harder than normal. About a mile out things started to come together a little bit and I started to feel better. The next 10 miles actually ticked by pretty well, I felt OK (not great) and I was running a pretty steady pace.

Then. it. all. fell. apart.

The last 3.5 miles were not fun. I was tired, sore, stiff, sore, tired, and – did I say I was tired? Anyhow I made it home safe and sound. In the end that’s all that is really important.

As soon as I got home I realized the problem. I gave blood on Friday at work. Duh. No wonder my run was sub-par and I felt pretty cruddy – I’m low on oil. I suppose it’ll take a little while to get my volume back and get to feeling normal again. I’ll have to remember that next time I donate.

Oh, also, please DONATE BLOOD. If you’ve heard my story, you know, someone (or a group of people) saved my life in 2006 by donating blood. I needed it then, they gave it, I’m still here. I’ll be making sure I donate every chance I get for the rest of my life – I hope you do to.

Thanks!

Aaron

Tempo Run

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Today was a tempo run.  Personally, I think this is the hardest of the 3 core workouts in the FIRST training plan. 

Anyhow, here’s what I did:

  • 2 miles @ 9:21 (easy pace – 9:23 from the pace chart)
  • 3 miles @ 7:41 (short tempo pace – 7:48 from the pace chart)
  • 1 mile @ 9:21 (easy pace again)

Total Time: 51:21

Heart rate data:

  • Avg HR: 159
  • Max HR: 183
  • Calories: 753

This was a hard work out for me, but I Was able to fight though the fatigue and make the tempo.  So far, I am really very,very impressed with the accuracy of the pace charts that are used by the FIRST training program.  They are based on my last 5K time (23:20) and seem to deliver just the right amount of stress and fatigue during the various training sessions.  Also, I like the variety that the three core workouts provide. (Speed, Tempo, Distance).

Thanks!

Aaron

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Swim…Run…

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Swim

Yesterday was a swim day (cross training).  Here is what I did:

  • 1 x 450 warm up (swim, kick, pull)
  • 3 x (3 x100, 1 x 300) (1800 total yrds)
  • 100 cool down

2350 total yards, not bad.  I’m starting to feel a little better in the water, but I still feel like I have a ways to go.

Run

Today was a run day – Key Workout #1 – Speed.  Here is what I did:

  • 10 minute warm up – easy run.
  • 6 x 800 pace: 3:29, 90 sec RI
  • 10 minute cool down – easy walk

Here are my times for each 800:

  1. 3:19
  2. 3:17
  3. 3:26
  4. 3:19
  5. 3:27
  6. 3:19

Heart rate stats from my Polar F6 today:

  • Avg HR: 151
  • Max HR: 186
  • Calories: 566

Thanks!

Aaron

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On the Scale…

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I got on the scale today for the first time in a long time – probably 3 or 4 months.  I’ve been really nervous about gaining weight and going back to where I was 2 years ago. Maybe that fear is part of my drive to run – I’m not sure.  Anyhow, I’ve been actively avoiding weighing in for a while but this morning my ‘need to know’ out weighed (no pun intended) my fear and I jumped on.  The results were good! Here they are:

  • Weight: 184.2
  • body fat: 17%
  • Body water: 57%

So, I have stayed the same weight for a while now – which is good.  I would like to get back down to 170 or so before the marathon, but I’m sure that’ll come with my increased training and effort.  I shouldn’t have to work too much to get the extra off.  Also, I’d like to see my BF drop to 13% or 14% by the end of summer too – that would be a nice added bonus.

I’ll be checking my weight more regularly now, and posting my results here.  I’m not so sure anyone is really interested, but it helps keep me honest.

Thanks!

Aaron

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Cross Training from Monday and Tuesday

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OK, I’m going to try and remember what my workouts were on Monday and Tuesday.  These may or may not be accurate.  Both were swimming, I know that much…

Monday

  • 450 Warm Up (150 swim, 150 kick, 150 pull)
  • 400, 600, 800 free
  • The rest of Monday is kind of a blur… I just know it was hard work.
  • 100 cool down

Tuesday

  • 500 warm up (200 swim, 150 kick, 150 pull)
  • 2 x 100 on 1:30
  • 7 x 200 (#1 – 150 swim & 50 kick, #2 – 100 swim & 100 kick, #3 - 50 swim & 150 kick, #4 – 200 kick, #5-7 down the ladder)
  • 10 x 25 (odd Butterfly, even dolphin kick on back) on :40
  • 200 IM
  • 100 cool down

These are a couple of really good swim workouts for me.  I know this cross training is really going to benefit my running!

Thanks!

Aaron

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