VT Dad’s fight vs. inertia & flab

Yesterday I didn’t have any luck finding time for my run.  As I was preparing for my morning run, I got a call from my wife.  On her way to work she’d had a flat, and she needed me to drive her to work.  After I got to work, I had to sit with the car until it got towed.  By the time I got home everyone in the house was wide awake, and my window of opportunity had vanished.  

Today I didn’t my luck wasn’t much better.  I nixed my predawn run, because I had to drive my wife in to work.  By the time I got back home I only had 30 minutes or so for my run.  I threw on extra layers and went out for a 30 minute run.  It was 9F, -13C.  It was so cold that my tears were turning into ice crystals.  There was a fresh dusting of snow, and my tracks in the snow show that my form has much room for improvement.  I’ve been back running for nearly 2 weeks, and I still have yet to feel like my legs aren’t in cement.  The last time I ran so poorly I was 20 pounds heavier.  I don’t have a clue why I’ve regressed so far from the start of November.

I have a 5K tomorrow.  The forecast is for temperatures in the teens and breezy conditions.  A year ago my goal was to break 24 minutes on this course.  Tomorrow I’m hoping to break 27.  Lots of work to do in the 20&1/2 weeks until the marathon.

As I round into shape, I am having more fun playing basketball.  Unfortunately, my vacation is 1/2 over, and today was my next to last opportunity to play basketball.  I had a good run, getting 7 games in before quiting to drive the dad taxi.  I ran more on the court, and therefore I was more of a factor during my games.

I didn’t have the best week, nor the worst week during the week of Channukah. I was still sabotaging myself by staying up too late at night, and not being able to get my AM runs in.  Another area of disapointment, that  I had no control over was the weather.  During this past week we had icy and windy conditions followed by rain, more wind, and and near record high temperatures.  The heat has destroyed the snow pack for cross country skiing, a type of exercise that I really enjoy.  On the positive side, I was able to play basketball twice, and went for runs both days during the weekend.  The most encouraging development this week was going to the gym with my son for core training.

My schedule for the coming week:
Proprioceptive Cue:  Pulling the Road
Monday:  Basketball and Core Workout
Tuesday: Base Run: 6 miles at base pace, Drills 20 seconds 1 legged hop & high knees & high knees
Wednesday: Base Run 6 miles
Thursday: 5K race Goal: sub26:00 and Core Workout
Friday: 6 Miles at Base Pace and basketball
Saturday: 7.6 Miles at Base Pace
Sunday: 6 Miles at base pace.

It looks as if I have a lifting partner right here in my house.  After lunch today, I went with my 16 year old son out to do a core routine.  We had a great time, and best of all he would like to try and make it a 3X a week habbit.  Now I have no excuses, 3X a week I have a parner spurring me to get to the gym and weight train.  Things look to be headed in the right direction for 2009.

Overnight a steady blustery wind destroyed any chance of nordic skiing until the next snow storm.  With the wind the temperature continued to rise throughout the night, and it was 46F, 8C by morning.  I decided to go for a run.  The wind was still gusting at a substantial pace.  It made running difficult, and I cut my run in half, carving 4&1/2 miles into the wind, instead of the 9 I had intended.

Today the wind was howling, it was raining and cold, 37F, 3 C.  It was the type of miserable day that makes you want to get back into bed, get back under the covers, and hibernate.  But thanks to my teenage daughter, I had to go out for a run.  Yesterday, my daughter had borrowed my car, and wound up with a flat tire.  Not knowing how to change the tire, she tried adding air and then driving it to a nearby service center.  She left my car at the service center overnight, and since I didn’t have a car, a decided to turn going to pickup my car into my training run.

I devised a route for a 6 mile run, and then set off into the miserable morning.  I was unhappy about my pace, ~10:29 miles, but then what do I expect when I don’t run with regularity.  I tried to focus on my form, my running lacked fluidity, but I had some bursts where things felt as if they were coming together.  All in all the conditions were miserable, but it felt great to be out in them.  I need to respect myself, get the sleep I need so that I can go for another run tomorrow.

Unfortunately the weather isn’t cooperating with my desires for outside exercise.   We’ve had mixed precipitation, snow sleet, and freezing rain, and some very windy conditions.  Now it looks as if rain might destroy the snow base for nordic skiing. Argh….  At least I got to play some basketball today.  I enjoyed today’s basketball better than Wednesday’s session.  I felt better on the court, and had more fun.  Still the onus is on me to get out there and run.

Vacation time, and I couldn’t get my body up in predawn for my run.  Since today was a Wednesday, I could play in my lunchtime basketball game.  I got 6 games in, but I was ineffective.  My legs felt heavy, and I was out of synch.  4 more hoops sessions before my vacation ends.  I have much room for improvement.

Tonight’s the 2nd night of Channukah, and tonight I received an electronic scale that calculates body fat%.  There’s no hiding from the calculations: 195.4 lbs, 20.7% BF.  I’ve set some goals for the coming month.  By Obama’s inauguration I want to weigh 185, and drop my bod fat% to 18%.  The keys for success wil be healthy snack choices, and cross country skiing.  If I’m going to munch I need to snack clean.  After tomorrow I’m off work for 12 days.  In addition to my 5/6 scheduled runs weekly, I’d hope to cross country ski almost every day during my vacation, and 3X a week during January.

I’m feeling better, and am looking forwards to a full week of marathon trainoing.
Proprioceptive cue: running on water
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Base run 6 miles at base pace.  Drills: Stiff legged run& Running no arms: 2X 20 seconds
Wednesday: Hill Repetitions: 2 mile warm up and cool down, 8×45 second hill repeats
Thursday: Base Run 6 miles@base pace
Friday:  Fartlek Run: 6 miles @base pace with 8×45 seconds a base pace
Saturday: Base Run 6 miles@base pace
Sunday 9 miles @ base pace
In addition I will be off work starting Wednesday.  I intend to playbasketball Wednesday and Friday, and I hope to cross country ski Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday