VT Dad's fight vs. inertia & flab

Weekly Assesment: The Good, The Bad, and the Indifferent

VT dad — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:45:19 +0000

I had a great week this week, accomplishing a lot, but not where I need to focus the most: running. My conference was enlightening, an exceptional experience, but with the Olympics on at night I constantly stayed up too late, and ignored my alarm, and failed to go on any AM runs.

As for the 36 point challenge I scored a 4 for the first week. I earned points as follows: 2pts for basketball, 2pts for my tempo run, 2pts for a bosu/core workout, and 1pt for a game of ultimate frisbee. Earning +7 for the week, but dropping (3) Tuesday night at Ben and Jerry’s.

Here’s how this week is shaping up:
Sunday: Basketball, with a slim chance of an AM base run, stability ball (1-4 points)
Monday: AM base run, basketball, PM bosu (1-4 points)
Tuesday: AM Hill Repeats, PM Ben and Jerry’s (-1 pt)
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday: AM Tempo run, PM plio shoes workout (0-3 points)
Friday: AM Base run, basketball, PM bosu (1-4 pts)
Saturday: AM long run, PM tennis (0-3 pts)
At my worst I will have a 3pt week. At my best I could earn 17, putting me on 21 after 2 weeks. Anything in between will be showing some improvement.

Daughter’s Joy

VT dad — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 07:26:59 +0000

Before the conference even started my youngest joined me at services at the conference site, where she met a 7 year old that was attending the conference with her grandmother. They hit it off, my daughter had fun, and she decided to attend the conference. The grandmother attended kid friendly workshops, bringing along her grandaughter and my daughter. My daughter had a blast at the conference. On Wednesday afternoon the 2 young ones joined together to belt out 2 songs at an open mike during the lunch hour. Later that evening they were the only 2 kids in a 36 member chorus made up of conference attendees, onstage in front of an audience of 1200+. Later they volunteered to play air guitar during another song. What an experience. How cool is that.

Legs of Lead, Heart and Soul Renewed

VT dad — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:10:29 +0000

This conference has been wonderful. After dinner they had a concert to show appreciation for everything that teachers do. There were uplifting songs, and heartfelt words. It was an amazing evening meant to rejuvenate and refresh us. It was an awesome event.

Today I also went on my first run in 5&1/2 weeks. I split from the conference to run 5.1 miles as a tempo run. I ran a warm-up mile, and then started my fast 5K. My mind was telling my legs to turn over, to move, but I wasn’t going anywhere. I couldn’t move, It was almost as if I were in quicksand.

Tonight, I upheld my Tuesday night summertime tradition with my daughter, the outdoor movie at Ben and Jerry’s (Daddy Daycare) and a cone. Tomorrow’s a new day, and I’ll see if I can wake up early, and attend to my scheduled run before the conference. At least with my today’s tempo run, I’m assured of having a positive week.

Spiritually Uplifted, Physically Exhausted

VT dad — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:37:13 +0000

So far the conference I have been attending has been wonderful, but it has left me exhausted, and I’ve been unable to rejuevinate my running spirit. Yesterday I woke up in time for the conference, but not early enough for a run. Then I crashed in my bed at 7:30 PM. I caught nearly 12 hours of sleep, but that included oversleeping my intended dawn run. I’m going to pack my running clothes in the car, and hopefully, I’ll be able to find the time for a 4 mile run today during the conference.

My Plans for the Upcoming Week

VT dad — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:34:13 +0000

I am excited about the upcoming week, not for my training possibilities or the 36 Point Challenge, but because Burlington, Vermont is hosting a national conference for Jewish educators. I will have an amazing opportunity to get professional training, as well unparalleled opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.

This conference has me staring down the barrel of a negative week for the 36 challenge. The only exercise I can guarantee is playing basketball twice. I also know that on Tuesday I’ll be going with my youngest to Ben and Jerry’s for their weekly outdoor movie and some ice cream. If I don’t get off my kesiter that means I’ll end the week at (-1). It’s time to step it up, and meet the challenge. M/W/F base runs have been on my schedule and ignored for the past month, it’s time to break those bad habbits. Scheduled for Tuesday is a 6.8 mile hill repeat. Thursday I have planned a 7.4 mile tempo run with the middle 5.4 miles at 1/2 marathon pace, and Saturday is my long run. If I can follow my schedule, and add a core workout Friday night, I finish the week earning 10 points.

Pixie you’re going down…. talk it up now while you still can.

36 Point Challenge

VT dad — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 03:28:14 +0000

This challenge was inspired as a way to get myself back in gear, and to motivate my friend Pixie to compete and complete. This is a total fitness challenge you earn points for exercising, and lose points when your bad habbits get in the way. The challenge starts tomorrow, Sunday, August 10th, and the first person to 36 points wins.

You earn points as follows:
+1 for each % of body weight lost
+1 for a normal workout: weight training, or cardio, exercise class, or yoga class
+2 crossfit w.o.d., high intensity Trixter workouts, bosu/abs/ core workouts, interval, tempo, or +10 mile long runs

You lose points as follows:
-2 alcohol
-3 sweets
-5 binging, or not taking 1 rest day during a 10 day period.

Participants should blog with their current point total every weekend, and announce once they’ve exceeded 30 points.

Good luck to anyone who wishes to compete and complete this challenge.

Weekly Assessment 7/27-8/3

VT dad — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 03:31:04 +0000

I spent this week trying to recover, and felt better by weeks end. I’m hoping to attain last weeks schedule this week, so here is what’s on my plate:

This week I want to get more running into my schedule
Monday/Wednesday/Friday Base Run 6-7.5 miles
Tuesday Hill Run
Thursday Tempo run (5 miles at 1/2 marathon goal pace 7:38 miles)
Saturday 16 mile long run.

In addition I want to add 3/4 evening plimetric shoe sessions, 3/4 evening core stability sessions, and play basketball 3/4 times this week.

EKG AOK

VT dad — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:22:32 +0000

I’ve been having chest pains for the past 5 days or so. My wife told me that since it was my chest that was hurting, it was time to see the doctor. I saw the doctor today, and everything looked, sounded and felt normal. She recommended that I would get better with rest, with only 10 opportunities to play basketball before my summer is over, I think I’ll wait to then to rest.

Ultimate Frisbee

VT dad — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:30:57 +0000

With my daughter’s swim season complerted, my Tuesday nights are now free to play ultimate frisbee. There is a coed league in Burlington, which I had joined, but I hadn’t been able to play in any games until tonight. I played tonight and found out that I am slow. A basketball court is 94 feet, and all action goes towards the basket. I can make up what I lack in speed with guile and experience, but the field tonight was 80 yards by 25 yards, with the end zones another 20 yards wide. This large field exposed my lack of speed. There was a lot of relaxed running followed by sharp cutting and sprinting. I am slow. Sharp cutting and sprinting are things I haven’t done in 20 years on a playing field.

The game was 7 vs 7 and coed, with the ideal mix of 5 guys and 2 girls on the field. Our team had only 5 guys and 5 girls, so we sometimes played 5 and 2 and sometimes played 4 and 3. The game was to 15 and lasted ~95 minutes. We lost 15-10. My highlight was that I scored twice. This was a great workout, forcing me to adress my foot speed and agility, and is something I should do a lot of during the remainder of the summer. However, the bottom line is that I’m slow, and will have to improve substantially if I have any chance of approaching my lofty October goals.

Weekly Assessment

VT dad — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:20:28 +0000

This past week consisted of 4Xbasketball, and a couple of pliometric shoe workouts.

In addition I want to add 3/4 evening plimetric shoe sessions, 3/4 evening core stability sessions, and play basketball 3/4 times this week.