Dissertating And Running

ounce wrote:Looks like it's coming along.  2 steps forward, 1-1/2 backwards.

As far as the weather, it'd be great to see cool for the Half on the 26th, but I'm not betting anything.  (It rained last year)

Yeah I know Oz, it is slowly coming along. I hate Cossaboom. I hate it. I am sorry. I know they are the poorest branch in Houston, but dadgum. It was cooler outside than in. Uggh. I did not run. Sorry, did not. I did bike for one hour at level 11 this morning. Quick 700 calories gone. Woo Hoo. I will run 7 miles today at an 8:13 pace with a one mile warm up and cool down today in the 5 pm hour. I will duplicate that tomorrow. That will give me 23 miles for the week ( not bad after being down three days for my back) and with a one hour bike ride tomorrow morning will give me 280 minutes biking. Not bad. I might have a chance to get to 8:06 by Sunday.

Cossaboom sounds awful, but I'm glad you were able to get some time in on the bike. Not as fun as running, IMHO, but it's got to help you stay at a higher level of fitness and not go entirely insane.

Mark B wrote:Cossaboom sounds awful, but I'm glad you were able to get some time in on the bike. Not as fun as running, IMHO, but it's got to help you stay at a higher level of fitness and not go entirely insane.

Yeah, I am done with them. It is over. Tired of it. We ( they and me) are done. Ok, bright notes. Friday, 8:13 pace the whole way. Very happy. 57:30 for 7 ( first 7 miler in 7 weeks). There was soreness on the left soleus, but we are ok. I biked for one hour in the morning. Saturday, even better. 56:55 for 7 miles. At the 2.25 mark, moved to an 8:06 pace. Did that until the last 4 minutes of the run. Then 8 minute pace. I did not die. I did not keel over. LOL. I was really happy. Left soleus sore, but as of this morning, it is ok. I ended up with 21 miles for the week ( not bad after being down 4 days due to back spasms) and 220 minutes on the bike. I want to do an hour on the bike, but I have to take my son to the park this morning. I know the run will happen at 5 pm. 8:06 pace the whole way. I am thinking one more run on Monday at 8:06 then the complete transition to an 8 minute pace by Tuesday. Slowly stepping down.

Well, the Cowboys won. Woo Hoo. I am happy. 6-1. Wow. My son's team is still undefeated. 4-0. Woo hoo. My son, as a goalie, has only let one goal go this year. I did not run yesterday. Why? I am confident in my runs this week coming up. I really am. I go in with a quiet confidence as the corner has been turned. I biked this morning, one hour at level 11. I will tell you this. I have been soaked before, but goodness gracious. This was really bad. I will have to really hydrate before my run at 5 pm. It will be at an 8:06 pace for 7 miles. That is the goal for today and Tuesday. Wednesday should be an 8 minute pace. Thursday, off. Friday and Saturday, 8 minute pace. That will give me 35 miles this week running. We should be back. My outer goal is a 34:00 for the Woodlands 5 miler on Thanksgiving. I think I can do it. We shall see. I have 60 minutes biking this week.

Congrats on the running, on your son's undefeated record... and on the Cowboys (not so much).

Is it too early to start thinking about a goal?

Mark B wrote:Congrats on the running, on your son's undefeated record... and on the Cowboys (not so much).

Is it too early to start thinking about a goal?

I do not think so Mark. I have not raced in 4 years. It would be nice to leg out a run and see what happens. I am projected to be at a 7:30 pace by October 31. We shall see

Well, the bike had to be the only thing. Accident on my way home. Seriously. 6 wreckers. 2 cars. Folks are fine. The 6 wrecker drivers are watching the road in a circle. Yes, seriously. Lost the run. Uggh. Amazing. Just amazing. Biked 60 minutes this morning. Level 11. Soaked again. I swear, where is Fall. Is it coming? Ok, this is my week. I will run 35 miles this week. Today and Wednesday, 8:06 pace for 7 miles. Thursday through Saturday, 8 minute pace for 7 miles. That will give me 35 miles for the week. I am sure Saturday will be a "just hang on' day. I have 120 minutes this week. Outer goal, 7:30 pace by October 31.

This week has been crazy. Just crazy. First, let us address my biking. I have 220 minutes in this week, with a 40 minute bike ride this morning. I feel myself getting stronger with the biking. I know it will keep me healthy and my quads and hams strong. The biking is now a major part of my mornings. They make me feel better and ready to start the day. I plan to do a 60 minute bike ride tomorrow morning. My only concern is the sweat that I am producing in the mornings. I just wish it would get cold. Sigh. My running. I think the frustrating part is when I get home in the afternoons. I promised the wife that I would not run in the mornings so she could sleep. I get up at 5 am, so the bike is the viable alternative. It is very quiet and a 700 calorie burn off on level 11 is nice to start the day. Well, I did get 5 miles in on Tuesday at 40:15. That was the fastest since August 10. Yep, that long ago. Then, yesterday, I ran a one mile warm up. I know many of us on here ( me included) hate warm ups. This one really loosened me up. I mean wow. I had strides that I have not seen before and the run was not jerky at all. I ran a 56:30 with the last 2 miles at an 8 minute pace. I am getting there. The one mile cool down helped too. Now, with the one mile I ran on Sunday with my child, that gives me 15 miles this week. For today and Saturday, wash, rinse and repeat. One mile warm up (10 minutes), 56 minute run and a one mile cool down (10 minutes). That will give me 33 miles this week. If this holds true to form, this will be the best week in over two months and fastest too. I want ( I hope) to be at a 7:30 pace by Halloween. We shall see. Side note, my son had minor on his temple to remove a cyst. No big deal, but he cannot swim or play soccer for two weeks. Oh last item. I will be a sherpa Sunday for my brother in law. He is running (18 minute pace) a half marathon using the Galloway method (5 to 1) and wants me to coach him. I told him I would. I should be fine ( although I have not run 13 miles in years) and who knows, I might be able to run Sunday afternoon. I am thinking no, but I walk at a 15 minute pace. LOL. Talk to you all later.

First, I did not do anything Saturday or Sunday ( well, I did but..). I can say, congrats to Joel Hare. He knocked it out of the park. Really did well. I saw him twice. He was into the zone. You could tell. I did sherpa my BIL, but it was not what I expected. I will not bash anyone, but when you have a schedule running, you must follow the schedule. When you run one day a week, this is what you get. Now, that being said, he finished it. He ran a 3:45, but his leg locked up at the finished. I am proud of him, but he NEEDS to work the program. Rant over. Now, my running. I did not run Saturday or Sunday, so the mileage stayed the same. Today, I biked for an hour at level 11. Tired, but ok. I will run at a 7:54 pace for 7 miles today after a one mile warm up. We shall see how I feel.

I'm liking this new trend of warming up and cooling down, Michael. Who knows? Maybe it'll help with the calves.

Good job on the sherpa duties. It's tough enough getting ourselves to do the right thing at races, but watching somebody else lay traps for themselves? It's an awkward place in which to find yourself.

Mark B wrote:I'm liking this new trend of warming up and cooling down, Michael. Who knows? Maybe it'll help with the calves.

Good job on the sherpa duties. It's tough enough getting ourselves to do the right thing at races, but watching somebody else lay traps for themselves? It's an awkward place in which to find yourself.

Yep. I know, but I still hate warming up Mark. I am so time constrained....Well, I did not run yesterday. Just needed some alone time to write my dissertation and think. Well, on the bright side, I will run at home today. That should be good. I biked 1 hour at level 11 today. I have 120 minutes this week. I will run at a 7:54 pace today and 7:48 pace tomorrow at the YMCA ( Texans branch..NOT Cossaboom) .

I think so. I stretched. I warmed up with a one mile jog. I was ready. As I started, I noticed a small knot in my right gastroc. Yeah, that again. I did not pay attention to it. Then it got more and more noticeable. Sigh. Well, I plowed through 5 miles in 40 minutes and stopped. I knew that if I pushed it, I am out two weeks. The knot is there, but livable. I will do see my DC/PA today and get ART. I do know that I have run when the knot was like this (7:30 pace to be exact), but I think the combination of the ART and tape will allow me to run an 8 minute pace. At least I will have that until it releases. Oh, I did bike today. Goodness gracious. It was humid. I was soaked. I rode 21 miles at level 11 and I paid for it. I actually had to lay down before my shower. I have never had that happen before. Well, appointment in the 9 am hour and run in the 4 pm hour. Stretch and hydration are the name of the game before I run. I have 6 miles running this week and 180 minutes of biking.

Michael Mitchell wrote:I think so. I stretched. I warmed up with a one mile jog. I was ready. As I started, I noticed a small knot in my right gastroc. Yeah, that again. I did not pay attention to it. Then it got more and more noticeable. Sigh. Well, I plowed through 5 miles in 40 minutes and stopped. I knew that if I pushed it, I am out two weeks. The knot is there, but livable. I will do see my DC/PA today and get ART. I do know that I have run when the knot was like this (7:30 pace to be exact), but I think the combination of the ART and tape will allow me to run an 8 minute pace. At least I will have that until it releases. Oh, I did bike today. Goodness gracious. It was humid. I was soaked. I rode 21 miles at level 11 and I paid for it. I actually had to lay down before my shower. I have never had that happen before. Well, appointment in the 9 am hour and run in the 4 pm hour. Stretch and hydration are the name of the game before I run. I have 6 miles running this week and 180 minutes of biking.

Yeah, it was humid, but not as bad as August.  I couldn't wring out any sweat out of my headband, this morning.

and Happy Birfday, too!

Crap. Sorry.

Sorry to hear about the latest setback, Michael.  I'm going to offer a couple of thoughts as I had a similar injury that kept me out all summer back in 2007.  Once I returned to Atlanta and sw my podiatrist, he recommended the following and it worked:

1) Professional massage of the calf for 30 min 2x per week.  This was tough to schedule, but I did it and it made a major difference.
2) Night splint.  Wearing this kept the calf stretched while sleeping.  I still have it and when my calf tightens, I will wear it.
3) Moist heat on the area (you are kind of doing this as you bike in a warm gym and it stretches the muscle).
4) Foam roller.

Any way, these things are worth a try.

http://www.amazon.com/United-Surgical-Adjustable-Splint-Medium/dp/B006L8NAKC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1415888223&sr=8-6&keywords=night+brace+for+calf

Yuck.  Sorry to hear you've had a setback.  Hope you are able to get on top of it as planned.

It has been that long since I have blogged. Wow. Wow. Just wow. Well, without my biking, I would have been sunk. Just sunk. I looked on my bike and saw I have 3000 miles on it. Wow. Just wow. Starting biking on it December 22, 2013. Well, running. It has been up and down. The first week of January, 35 miles. Yea. Then 21, 7, 15 and 20. Terrible. Well, this week has been better. I did not run Sunday, but did Monday. I ran 7 miles in 56 minutes. Felt ok, but the soleus was really hurting. Did have ART done before and my back too. Back went out during the weekend. I ran last night. It was better. Still wanted the run to end. Ran a 55:45 for 7 miles, with the last two at a 7:54 pace. It has gotten humid, as we await the next cold front. Today, I will run at 5:30 pm to finish at 6:25 pm. When I get home, it is just willing myself to run. I am so tired from staring at the computer screen at work then battling the traffic home. I am just exhausted. My goal this week is between 35-40 miles. I do that, we are onto something. Biking. Dang, today was the pits. It was so humid, I was soaked. Gee whiz. I got 19.65 miles and did not even care. I have 81 miles for the week, 240 minutes. My goal is 360 minutes. Fun. Oh, I have 14.35 miles running for the week.

I know I log more time on the V-Team Virtual Page, but I am still here. I have 21 miles this week running and after today's biking, 104 miles. I will run 7 miles in the 5 pm hour. I was so tired and go home late yesterday, no run. LOL

At least the rainy season has ended...I hope.

Still here is a very good thing. I enjoy seeing your updates on FB, but still... here is good, too.