Frostbite Race Report

Saturday Feb. 12th, 2011 I ran Cedars of Lebanon Frostbite Half-Marathon. It was a tough and yet great race. I got there way too early and had a lot of downtime prior to the start( good and bad). I warmed up my usual way but also jogged around more than normal trying to stay warmed and prepped.
Finally the race got started off, and as they warned the first three miles were littered w/ ice in different shady parts. This made for some tricky footing and jamming up at times. Still I got started out fairly well, a bit too fast as usual at 10:10 but hopefully w/in limits. First 5K in 31 to 32 minutes so slowed to a more appopriate pace. The trail/ gravel section of the race was interesting as it was very sloshy to almost muddy. I enjoyed the softness of this part of the race myself. However, this part also had a lot of unlevel terrain that challenged the ankles and hips more. Speed stayed somewhat consistent and I hit 1:03 at the 10K mark. Somewhere around 8.5 to 9 miles we hit a nasty head wind on yet one more of the many "rolling" hills(as one lady said "can you sense the sarcasm", that was one hilly course!!!!!) At 10 I knew I was loosing stem and just didn't seem to be able to push for much, still I hit 11 at under 2hrs. so w/ a good push I had the chance of making around 2:20 but no push could be found. One of my running mates caught up to me at around 11 and said it had taken her 11 miles to catch me, I was going so fast. I muttered something about slowing way down now though and she seemed to be just getting faster. She said she was pretty shot too still I think she could have possibly pushed faster if not for me, I told her to go on several times but she never really pushed past me much. I had to walk several short bouts between 11 and 12.5 but did manage a bit of a kick at the end to come in at 2:24 and some change, a 4 minute PR!!!! WHEW Freaking yeah !!! I did it!!!
I have second guessed a few things since the end of the race: if I had worn shorts could I have kept my temps down and been a bit fresher; if I hadn't went so hard either at first or in some of the middle miles could I have had more at the end; should I, in turn, have just poured it on more before all the fatigue and soreness set in. Nevertheless, I PR'd a tough, hilly, icy race w/ only a long run of 10 miles two days after coming of antibiotics for Strep Throat so I can't be anything but pleased!!!! Really sore but super pleased!!!! A little rest this week and then back to training!!!! Thanks to Becks for helping me through out there, the race directors and volunteers and to my wonderful family for their support, esp. the best wife and dad who came out to cheer me on and drag me back home!!!!!

13.5 stones

I am so glad to be able to say I am at 13.5 stones now. Not quite at my goal but things are progressing nicely. My running group, whom I haven't seen in like 3 or 4 weeks b/c of schedules, really made me feel good on Sunday. Some of them said they almost didn't recognize me at first on the Greenway b/c I had slimmed so much. Granted some of that is b/c of a loss of appetite w/ Strep Throat but I do feel b/c we have been eating and cooking better I have been able to drop some of the needed pounds. At last check the body fat had dropped to 14.5 or 15% which is very important to me. Would love to get that to 10%
The Cedars race is coming up and I am quite nervous for several reasons: first is the fact that I missed several key workouts over the last two weeks secondary to sickness, the second is the effects of the sickness and subsequent meds, third is having only been to 10 miles at this race(had hoped to be at least @12), fourth is the weather and what to wear(low of 26 but high of 42 for the day and the race doesn't start until 11, tights or shorts?), and last but not least is wanting so badly to PR w/o getting hurt or feeling so miserable I can't enjoy the Valentine's weekend we have planned. Two or three weeks ago when I was flying on the 10 mile run I would not have had most of those worries, I felt so ready then. I have got to get that feeling back before Sat. I also need to figure out why I seem to peak too early a lot in my training. Anyways Cedars here I come!!!!!!

1/27/11

Missed a few days of posting secondary to being out of town and returning w/ a sick little girl, which meant a flury of activity: doctor visits, pharmacy(twice) and grocery store. She has strep throat but is starting to feel better,PTL!!!!

I did manage to get a few workouts in while we were OOT, mostly treadmill and core/GS work. I HATE running on the treadmill, but I forgot my running bag which had all my cold gear in it so I was forced inside. I just can't run a consistent pace for very long on the dreadmill plus the scenery never changes. Don't get me wrong I got some good quality work in and the treadmill the hotel had was great but it still doesn't compare w/ running in God's great creation. The first workout was more like interval work and the second more a mix b/t tempo and intervals. All together in the two sessions I got in roughly 6 quality miles. First day back, I got outside despite the rain and cold and got in another 4.5 miles. I am continuing to feel better w/ my running and better able to hold a consistenly faster pace overall vs. the training for the full marathon and post-injury half.

A few body aches hear and there right now: right knee after sitting in the car on the trip, a wierd ache in my left SI joint that has been coming and going for awhile and last night a ver sharp pain in my right shoulder that cruppled me for a few minutes while removing my shirt OH and continues now. Funny how these always seem to crop up on a lighter week or when tapering.

19 days in

19 days into a 30 or 31 day no meat fast/ vegetarian diet plan and I couldn't be happier w/ the results. I am down to 191-193 pounds, b/t 15.5 and 17% bodyfat, running better and recovering faster than ever. I also have less joint pain and symptoms. I know some or even all of this could be attributed to better training such as better warm-ups, more consist running and improved mechanics w/ drills and core exercises. BUT I also know eating vegetarian as pushed me to eat cleaner, less overall, and to think more about what I am putting into and doing w/ my body! It has also been fun to find out how certain things we don't normally eat in our house can be combined together or added to an already familiar recipe to make for a more varied, flavorable meal, and to realize it is not all just salad, salad, salad! I just wish now I could convince my family to continue to eat this way. I would like to go back to some meat but not too much maybe like every other family supper but keep the others,bfast and lunches meatless or at least heavy on veggies and fruit!!! I know my wife misses meat more than I do, which is in some ways odd, but lets face it she eats unhealthier than I do anyway. I know she also usually does more cooking than I do and likes a lot of traditional recipes. I just want this healthy lighter feeling to continue and I am in charge of that to a degree. So even if we "go back to meat" I will control for myself the portions and type. I will also make sure I am getting tons of veggies, fruits and nuts!!!
Forward we go!!!

1-5-11

45min run @ 11:52 pace easy run!

Back Routine
prone opposite arm leg
prone arm raises hyper ext
prone leg lift
prone lower body crawl
sitting bike
straight leg lifts on knee
leg swing on knee
str leg circles on knee
double ar m leg raie
sitting push kick
prone straight legs in and out scissors
prone in and out arms w/ legs raised
australian crawl w/ leg raises
back rounders
side ups
cat back sway back

1-4-11 getting started

I am starting this blog to share my odyssey about becoming a fitter, healthier person. The name comes form where I'd like to be in weight somewhere b/t 175 and 185 pounds which translates to 12.5 to 13.2 stones. Stones have much more symbolism than pounds in literature esp. in the Hebrew Scriptures(I am very much into Judeo-Christian study) and lets face it it just sounds cooler. So I will try to post workouts, diet and other metrics as I feel. I will also post the mental, emotional and spiritual changes experienced during this journey.

Today:
30 minutes of running
10 min. wm jogging, lunges, and leg swinges
1min run: 1min walk X 8
5min cd

GS:
Clamshells X20
s/l hip abd 3positions X10
reverse clamshells X20
Bridges X10 bilat X10 unilat
crunches X20
Swimming X20
Supermans X10

Diet:
Breakfast Smoothie
2 scoops of Vega Health Optimizer
1 scoop of Chia Seeds
handful of greens
1 scoop of instant coffee
ice
Acai/pomegrante juice
Tart cherry juice

Snack
1/2 pear

Lunch
Red beans and rice
7 nut clusters

Snack
2-3 pieces of watermelon
very small bowl of Ezekiel cereal and almond milk

Supper
Asian stir-fry
cabbage
bok choy
tofu