VT Dad’s fight vs. inertia & flab

My day started well, I took my bosu ball and medicine ball to my daughter’s 7AM swim practice and did my bosu workout poolside.  It worked out wonderfully.  Later this morning I went to the gym for some basketball, and I was able to get 2 games in before I had to pick up my daughter from camp.  

This evening, after I put my daughter to bed, I took my pliometric shoes and headed up to the top of the hill were there is a basketball hoop.  I began with 3 sets of the "Mikan" drill hit 12 hook shots, then layups, then short shots while keeping the ball above my head. Next I moved out, and focused on jump shots.  Finally I did a set of 10 key jumpers with follows with each hand.  I then put down the ball, and did some running on the tennis court.  I began with slides, then 2 footed hops, grapevine, and skipping, then a "suicide", bounding, high knees, butt kicks, and another "suicide".  Exhausted and sweaty, I called it a night.

I still haven’t gotten into my running routine, but did set a PR in the 5K, so I guess I had a good week.  Here’s my plan for the coming week, July 7-13:
Proprioceptive cue:  Butt Squeeze
Monday:  Basketball, Bosu Ball Routine
Tuesday:  Hill Workout,  Pliometric Shoes
Wednesday:  Basketball, Stability ball
Thursday:  7.5 mile tempo run: 1 mile warm-up and cool down and 5.5 miles @1/2 marathon pace (8:27 miles), Bosu Ball
Friday: Basketball, Pliometric shoes
Saturday:  Long Run 15 miles
Sunday: Basketball

I had a wonderful morning playing basketball.  I played on a game on outdoor courts.  The games started at 10AM, and I played until 12:30.  The temperature was in the mid 80s, and I did something I used to do all sumer long as a kid, play basketball.

This morning the weather conditions were ideal for a race, 62F, 17C with just the hint of a breeze.  I drove the 20 miles to the start of the July 4th 5K on South Hero, VT.  Along the way I saw a runner I recognized trying to fix a flat tire on his bicycle.  I did a u-turn, a went back to check on him, an indeed he was headed to the race.  I gave him a ride, and I discovered that he was now training for triathlons.  

In previous years todays race had been both a 5&10K, but this year there was only a 5K.  There were about 400 runners, and I set my watches timer for 4:48 in hopes of hitting a 24:00 5K.  I reached the 1K mark at exactly 4:48.  I had faltered slightly by the 1 mile point reaching the mile at 7:50.  I hit the second mile point at 15:52, my hopes of a sub24 5K were all but dashed.  I finished strong, setting a new PR by over 20 seconds, 24:07.  Overall I was 139th out of 319 racers, and I was 25th out of 41 in my age group.

Hope everyone has a great 4th of July.

It’s officially summer in Burlington, VT, Ben and Jerry’s free outdoor movies are back, Tuesdays at dusk through August 19th.  Tonight was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  It’s a fun night, a free movie and an ice cream treat.  Unfortunately, they were unable to get the third reel up and running tonight.  As they sent us away with their apologies, they gave everyone coupons for free cones.

My youngest had a sleepover last night, so  predawn hill repeats were out of the question.  I tried to run in the middle of the day, but even at 74F, 23F I felt overwhelmed by the heat and humidity, so I decided it was time to find the joy of running, and go with Mookie for a run.  We romped through fields and some high grasses on trails for about a mile and a half.  Not the most potent workout for my heart, but it did wonders for my soul.