VT Dad’s fight vs. inertia & flab

After yesterday’s run that ended with my bonking, I knew that it was imperative that I run today, even if it was a recovery run.  I still haven’t gotten into the habit of responding to my predawn alarm, which today was probably a good thing as temperatures here at 5:00 AM hovered around 0F, -18C.  On Wednesdays, I teach Hebrew School after the regular school day, so I wasn’t able to go for my run until after my little one was in bed.  When I finally got outside at ~10:00 PM, the temperature was 18F, -8 C, it was calm, and light flurries were falling.

My scheduled run was a 2 mile warmup followed by 8X2 minute hill repeats, with 3 minutes of active recovery between hills.  Near my house there is a hill that is at least .3 of a mile long.  I decided to use that for my hill repeats.  Instead of only sprinting uphill, I chose to sprint uphill and downhill, resting at the base for ~4 minutes.  My first uphill took 2:24, while the down hill took 1:49, so I decided to continue running the hills until either the uphill surpassed 2:35, or the downhill surpassed 2:00, or until I had completed  all 8 repeats.  I thought I’d be lucky to get in 3 repeats, but my second and third repeats were faster on the uphill: 2:21, followed by 2:17.  My fourth uphill was also a solid 2:18, but by this time I was having trouble spitting.  I hadn’t brought any water with me on this run, so I went into the snow bank, moving off the road to avoid the road salt.  I grabbed a hunk of fresh snow, and ate it during my fourth recovery period.  On my fifth repeat I exceeded my cutoff time during both my ascent and descent, so I began my cool down.  During the cool down I was able to maintain my form.  I was happy with the quality of this run.  I also have a benchmark for future hill repeats.

Buoyed by the inauguration of President Obama, and itching for this opportunity for 9 days, I couldn’t wait to get on the road this afternoon.  It was a beautiful afternoon for a run cold, crisp, and clear 19F, -7C.   I chose a 7.35 mile route, with only ~1 mile on roads where the traffic would be an issue.  My proprioceptive cue was drive the thigh, and as I began, I ran really well.  My body didn’t show any ill effects from my skiing tumble, and I was able to coordinate all the elements of my running form.  As long as I maintained my focus, I ran well, as soon as I lost focus, it was another story.

The road conditions weren’t that good, as the less secondary roads, and the shoulder of the primary roads were snowy and icy.  The shoulder on the busy road was treacherous so I tried to carefully ran a tight rope along the edge of that road.  The dirt road had a layer of ice underneath the snow. The only good footing was down the middle of the road which had been freshly sanded.  Not wanting to become roadkill, I ran toward the outside of the road where the footing was inconsistent.  Still I completed the first 4 miles at sub10 pace.  The last 3+ miles were another story.  I felt cold.  I was feeling the effects of dropping temperature, and increasing winds.  The sweat on my body turned cold.  My run had the pace and the feel of a funeral procession. Instead of running I was just trudging.  I just need to get home and into a hot shower.  Each step felt leaden, but I persevered.

Looking back at this run I learned two lessons: First, the mind is such a powerful force determining success and failure.  Second, nutrition is so important.  I believed I bonked due to a insufficient lunch.  Still I feel better today, after today’s experience, than during last week while I was waiting for my body to heal.

It felt great to be active again.  It was rough giving my body time to heal.  Since today is the MLK Jr. holiday, a got a chance to run with the lunchtime basketball crowd.  My knee felt fine, only my shoulder still isn’t 100% recovered from my accident.  I played 5 games, before heading my daughter’s pleas to leave and take her to our father-daughter lunch.  I was ineffective on offense, and played solid defense.  Best of all I left feeling healthy, and looking forwards to my run tomorrow AM.

This was a tough week.  I wanted to exercise with every fiber of my body, but I held back, giving my body time to heal.  I did do I nice job tightening my diet, and I believe I lost a few pounds this week. (4+)  My weight loss did get me in the dog house.  My wedding band now easily slides off my finger.  On occasion I have found it in my gloves.  On Friday night, I sat at services, and noticed my wedding band wasn’t on my hand.  I searched through my gloves to no avail.  Saturday morning, I retraced my steps, checking a couple of parking lots to see if the ring had fallen into the snow.  Finally, I returned to synagogue, and moved the sofa, and voila, there was my ring, it had rolled under the sofa.

Here’s my schedule for the coming week:
Proprioceptive Cue: Drive the Thigh
Monday: Basketball and Core Workout
Tuesday: Base Run 7 miles @ base pace & Drills: 2×20 seconds Steep hill sprints, 1 legged hops.  If possible in the PM I’ll go on a 5-10K ski. Core workout at night
Wednesday: Hill Repeats 2 mile warmup and cool down 8×2 minute hill repeats with 3 minute active recovery.
Thursday: Base Run 7 miles @ base pace, core workout at night
Friday: 7 miles at base pace with 8×2 minute fartleks thrown in.
Saturday: Base Run 7 miles @ base pace, PM 5-10 mile ski
Sunday: Endurance Run 11-14 miles.  Possible PM ski.

It’s been frustrating just sitting here resting as I let my knee and shoulder heal.  Tomorrow, I hope to give my knee a go at it, but we are in the middle of a brutal cold snap.  The forecast until Saturday calls for temperatures below 0F, -18C.  In the meantime I’ve decided to focus more on my diet and nutrition.  I’m trying to limit my portion size, eliminate salty snacks, and add more fresh fruits and vegetables.

I was really happy with how my week started.  I am closing in on my fitness level from early October, making up for an awful November and December.  Saturday, I went cross country skiing, and had a bad tumble.  Right now both my shoulder and knee are hurting.  

My schedule for the coming week:
Proprioceptive cue: Pounding the ground
Monday:  Core Workout
Tuesday: Base Run & Drills:  Base run 7 miles@base pace.  2×20 seconds stiff legged running, running no arms
Wednesday: Hill repeats: 2 mile warmup and cool down 8×90 second hill repeats with 2 minute active recoveries
Thursday: Base run 7 miles@base pace.
Friday: Fartlek run 7 miles with 8×90 seconds at 3k pace sprinkled in
Saturday: Base run 7 miles@base pace.
Sunday: Long Run 12 miles

I will test my knee Tuesday if all goes well I’ll run, if things till don’t feel right I’ll have to substitute either cross country skiing or pool running for the running.  I also plan to include 2 more core workouts on Tuesday and Thursday.

As I prepared for my long run, I was concerned about my knee (I took a bad spill cross country skiing yesterday).  I set off, and only took a few strides, before stopping.  My knee couldn’t take the pounding.  I decided to rest today and tomorrow, and reevaluate things Tuesday.

I was up for my predawn run this morning, but with the temperature hovering at 0F, -18C, I decided to wait until later in the day.  In the afternoon, I decided to go cross country skiing.  By then the temperature had risen to 14F, -10C, and I thought that nordic skiing would be a nice change of pace.  Boy was I mistaken.  First of all, I didn’t realize that today was a free day of skiing at all Vermont Nordic centers.  The trails which are normally quiet were bustling with skiers, many of whom wound up getting in my way.  The conditions were horrible, the trails were icy, and in some places rocks were poking through the snow cover.  

I began skiing on the trail the ski center said was in the best shape.  I fell 3X, once in an area where I never fall, once when some rocks grabbed my skis, and once where I always fall.  I decided to try the trails on the other side of the road.  They were virtually empty.  I saw only 3 other skiers during my 5K loop.  After seeing the first skier, I started a wicked descent.  I fell hard.  I didn’t land on soft snow, I landed on hard ice.  My right knee got scraped and bruised, and my right shoulder is still sore.  It was the worst fall I ever took skiing.  After trying to return to my senses, I slowly skied the last 2K back to the parking lot.

I failed to wake up for my alarm.  I preferred staying under the covers than braving single digit temperatures.  I waited until the afternoon for my run, which turned out to be a good choice, since the temperatures rose to 16F, -9C.  At least there wasn’t any wind today.  My run today was a fartlek run.  Can you believe it S.D. coach, I was doing fartleks outdoors at 16F, -9C!!! I ran the same 7.6 mile out and back that I ran Saturday, and Sunday last week.  The run has 8 segments.  During each segments I ramped up my pace for a 75 second burst, then resumed my regular pace.  I had a great run, one that I thoroughly enjoyed, even though some of the footing was icy, especially for the 1.5 miles that I run on the shoulder of a 2 lane state road. I was happy that my splits were comparable to those on this route back in October.  I averaged about 12 seconds per mile faster than just last Sunday, finishing today’s run 90 seconds faster than Sundays.  Considering that the footing today was worse than on Sunday, I am pleased at how my concentration, form and cadence are improving.  Another cool thing about today’s run was that my times for the outbound and inbound spits were identical.

It was 23F, -5C and windy this afternoon, when I decided to bag today’s run.  I was discouraged by the wind, and didn’t like having only 18 hours of rest following my hill repeat workout, so I chose to rest.  Tomorrow, I need to get up for my 7 mile fartlek run.  That early in the morning the temperature should be ~8F, -13C.