Tuesday, November 29, 2011

I look like I want to hurt someone (last chance half)

Enjoyed yesterday's swim

Hey,

I had a pretty good swim finally, I might actually admit that I enjoyed it again!!  I've been steadily swimming twice a week for maybe a month.  I know it's not a lot, but that's all I can do for now.  Late winter, maybe spring I'll add the third swim, and more later.  Anyways yesterday I finally started to feel some swim fitness.  I was kinda surprised as with the 2 swims it's really hard to improve.  Anyways yesterday I did a warmup of 500m and then did 10x100 on 2 minutes.  At first I thought I should go on 2:10 but I thought I'd give 2 a go, I can always adjust after a few.  I was happily surprised that I was getting adequate rest, hitting the wall on 1:40 so 20 secs was perfect.  I also did every other with pull, which helped a bit.  I had someone in my lane who was just a touch slower than me.  So every time I catch him I rest on his toes till the wall, and then giver.  The 10 went by fairly easily, did some more pull and that came to 2k in 45 min.  Pretty good for November.  Cheers,

DP

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Training indoors

Hey blog,

My wife and I have been training at the local gym!  I'm actually enjoying running on the treadmill.  I don't know why, maybe I'm a freak, but it's fun to run hard and make that tready motor hummmmm.  The hum turns into a whirrrr at about 10 mph ;).  I'm also riding in the basement about 3 times a week so far.  No more than 2 hours yet at a time.  I think I'll wait till later and watch hockey again while I ride.  This seems to be good to pass the time, and I'm really enjoying cheering for my Winterpeg Jets!!  Go Jets GO!!!  I'm not swimming more than 2 times a week yet.  This year I think I'll hold off on the 3x and maybe even 4x till later so I don't start to hate it that much.  Although it's really hard to improve on 2x a week.  I've found I just improve a bit and then just stay at that level till I add a swim, improve a bit, then add another swim, etc.  Oh well the training is going well over all, and my weight has stayed off.  Other years I've tended to gain a bunch in winter and have to train it off when spring/summer hits.  Not this year, I'm keeping it off, which is really nice for the running.  Not so nice for keeping warm though when the wife wants to keep the house cooler than I do.  I wear sweaters constantly in the house, somtimes more than one over a tee-shirt.  ha ha.  That's it for now, make sure you all our cheering my buddy Cam on tomorrow in AZ.  Check his blog for daily updates on his adventures.  Out,

DP

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Last Chance Half mary

Hey,

I ran the Last chance half marathon today.  I almost didn't show as I'm still not quite over a cold I got like 4 weeks ago?  I'm really over the cold itself, I just have a bit of a sore throat/cough.  I've had no problems training through it now, I just notice it when I'm breathing hard.  The dry cold air makes me cough.  So I woke up in the morning still not sure if I'd even go run.  I didn't feel too bad, so I went. 

Started out ok, but after about 5k I thought I was done.  This is the spot where we cross back over the river and I was contemplating just jogging back along the Oclare side back to the start/finish.  I felt really weak, no energy even though I know I hadn't started out too fast, must be the bug/cold thing.  I slowed a bit, let all the runners around me go ahead thinking I'd run easier a bit and see how I feel.  Well I started to feel a bit better and noticed myself picking up the pace again.

I continued on and actually felt ok in the middle(miles 5 - 10) and re-passed all those I had previously let go.  Then towards the end I was still on pace to go under 90 minutes, but then into the last 3 miles, into a head wind and I just had nothing left.  I was running all by myself and walked a couple times inside the second last mile.  I thought for sure the sub 90 goal wasn't in the cards.  But then I got to 20k and noticed I had 5 minutes to run the last km.  No problem, so I sucked it up and finished ok.  Felt kinda lousy for having to walk, it always sucks to have to succumb to that.  But to run sub 90 on a bad day.  I just know my running fitness is better than that.  Next time...  Here's the Garmin:  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/128584108  (yes the course was a touch short)

DP

PS:  Good luck in AZ Cam, I just know you're going to rock it!