The ASU Rec Center is a pretty easy 18 miles each way from home for the 6am workout. It is an even more convenient 2-3 miles from my office. There is a very small group that works out 3 miles from home, but then I'd have to deal with traffic getting to my office (Phoenix-area rush hour isn't fun). If I'm working from home or doing field visits near home, I have swam with that group, or on my own at a city pool close to home (or I just run). The Scottsdale-Cactus pool is probably around 25-30 miles from home, and maybe 8 miles to my office. Last year I swam there while I was doing field visits on the other side of town, and was able to expense some of that mileage. For the past 10-15 years (since grad school), I pretty much weighed between 185 and 200 (I'm 5'11"). After I tweaked my diet last year, and increased my running, my weight dropped. It started out gradually, then it seemed I dropped 5-10 lbs in some months. For I while I was around 155, but I'm trying to keep around 160-165. I bring many snacks into work (have a fridge in my office) and snack throughout much of the day (lots of fresh fruits, nuts). I'm not eating as much at meals, but it probably all adds up around the same. I have significantly increased my protein intake, through diet as well as shakes and bars (Balance bars are great).
Isn't it just all the long runs you've been doing that are making you thin? Distance running just jiggles the weight off, I think. Plus, the added muscle from lifting may fire up your metabolism more. Great job!
Keep up the good work! I like that you are willing to drive some distance to get to a swim workout. Where I do alot of my swimming, it is 17 miles from my house.
Hey Patrick, I didn't see your comment until after I posted the workout above. Yes, Laura was coaching, I hadn't seen her for ages. She used to swim down at the SRC, most of the time in my lane. Although some may not like her regimented style, it was nice for a change. She certainly is a very active coach. I swam in 'lane 5' but lanes 4 and above did most of the same thing, except the first round of 8 x 100's (different intervals).
Hope you enjoyed the Monday AM workout at Cactus. Right now, I'm trying to be on a T-Th-Sa swim schedule at Cactus while lifting M-W-F. Hopefully Laura (if she was on deck) wasn't too hard on you!
Hey Patrick, see my entry from today....maybe I got a case of the seasonal thing too. Combine that with being sore from a week of lifting (not that I wasn't before, but just different), and maybe a slight cold (I hope not). So I wimped out and did a treadmill run instead. Maybe I'll see you at workout tomorrow morning.
Hey, you should be loving this weather for running. My wife's a runner and says that, after the summer/fall/spring high temps, it's a joy to run with some light cloud cover. I don't get it. I start to get a small dose of seasonal affective disorder after only a day of clouds here in AZ ...
I was probably a bit ambitious, just checked google maps, and it says 3 hrs 48 min from my Mom's house to DC (using I-81 to Harrisburg, then I-83 to Baltimore). Been several years since I've done that drive. I'll keep my eye on the meet schedule for the area, and try to plan my trip around it. Right now it looks like I'll be visiting my brother & family in the Cleveland area in late March, so maybe mid/late April.
I live near the Philly International Airport and it takes me 2.5 hrs to get to DC. No meets in Philly around the time of Zones. But, check the New Jersey Masters site for upcoming meets in a month or two. Yards Zones is a good time. The facility is great. Just watch out for those slippery walls on the deep end side.
Thanks Paul, I'll keep an eye on the schedule. I think last year I went in April, which worked out well for nice weather there and cheap airfare (~$200). Any meets in Eastern PA, most of NJ, and the Binghamton, NY area would be great (convenient)....possibly Baltimore or DC I could swing (around a 3 hr drive to DC). Then I'll probably go back in Oct to do the Steamtown/Scranton PA marathon.
You would be MORE than welcome to join the assorted fruits, nuts and flakes at Colonies Zones. Come on down!!!!!!!
Thanks for the post, and yes I do feel mostly better now. I think it was a combination of time of day (I am used to morning runs, especially long runs), along with hydration and nutrition (I never eat during runs, and that probably needs to change). Plus with it being windy and very dry I think that contributed to drying me out. I have potentially another week, and could do another long-ish run next Sunday, and still have 2 weeks to taper for the Phoenix Marathon. I'd rather do Phoenix, as it is more flat....Apache Junction is close to where I live, but on the edge of town, with some hills, especially at the very end (they call it Montezuma's Revenge). I've never done a running race at all, other than during some sprint triathlons 12+ years ago, and my Army PT test 15+ years ago. I'll go with the flow this week and see what happens. I certainly don't want a repeat of this run.....
That sounds awful, Tim! I hope you're feeling better now. Do you think it was just the lack of hydration? (Sometimes when I don't exercise until mid-afternoon, I can tell I haven't been drinking enough water.) I've read that you've done some pretty long runs in the past. Most marathon training guides do seem to recommend a 20 mile run prior to your taper for a marathon. If you don't feel like you're there quite yet, register for the Feb. one. Seems like you've done enough running in general to be reasonably ready for a marathon. Is this your first?
Thanks again for the comments. RE: the pushups, no they don't make my shoulders sore. I do use the, "Perfect Pushup," things, which I think takes some pressure off of both my wrists and shoulders. I think weights can make my shoulders more sore. Heck, a set of fly hurts more than pushups. RE: the core work. This is something I had to build up to. Shortly after Ande joined the forum, I remember him saying something about getting his six pack back, and I figured if he could try so could I. Not quite there, but close. Core work also makes doing dolphin kicks much easier. Going off the blocks on Friday I did 8-9 dolphin kicks, then about 7 off the wall (for 50s). RE: the run....again, I've built up to do this distance, I wouldn't recommend starting anywhere close to this distance or pace. Although I b*tch about hating cold weather, I seem to run faster and longer in it.
Do those pushups make your shoulders sore?
Nice run! And I now feel like a complete core work slug. Wow.
This really brings back memories of my running days! Of course I plod along at my non-runner pace. Fall and winter running can be the BEST! That's an impressive time and distance. I'm tempted to add my running back in again. How to do that and swim with the kids. . . I don't quite know. But running outdoors in the cold can be the BEST feeling. How funny it will be to go from feeling like I'm in the best shape (pool) to feeling like a stuffed turkey (running!)
Thanks for the comments, I appreciate it. Nice to know someone is reading!!! I'll edit the post with more specifics as to what I was wearing and the pool, good ideas. We'll see about adjusting that goal--after I get back from my vacation, then the holidays.
You are there. Keep doing an all out speed set every week. the one Ande suggests is here: Help My Speed is Horrible! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Since there is Help my Flutter Kick is Horrible and Help my SDK is Horrible I decided to begin Help My Speed is Horrible! a thread for swimmers who want to dramatically improve their 25 speed and times Help My Speed is Horrible! is a Sprint improvement program If you do it consistently you should dramatically improve your 25 swimming time. When you improve your 25 speed you'll improve your times in all swimming distances especially 50's, 100's, & 200's even 400, 500, 800, 1,000, 1,500 & 1,650 times will benefit. Here's the Program for "Help My Speed is Horrible" Begin with testing figure out your starting point. Where are you now? Then train Then retest Test Get your times on the following swims 1) 15 meters 2) 25 3) 50 4) 75 & 5) 100 Test the 15, 25, & 50 on one day then the 75 & 100 on a different day put plenty of rest between each timed effort like a very easy 75 or 125 or 175 then 3 to 7 more minutes of rest put more rest between the longer sprints also note The suit you wore Your start: how did you start each swim (roll, push, or coaches go, ) dive from a block or side push from in the water Use a STOPWATCH tell the timer how you want them to time you Report your Results in this thread Training 1) do this set 2 or 3 times a week, 12 x 25 swim 3 EASY recovery concentrating on perfect form 1 as fast as possible for time YOU MUST GO SUPER FAST ON THESE IF YOU HOLD BACK AT ALL YOU'RE WASTING YOUR TIME preferably no breath, unless your 25 time is over 20 or 25 seconds It's OK to do more working out, just fit this set in some where in your workouts, be consistent, one round is better than none 2) Test every Friday or Saturday 1) 3 weeks of 15, 25, & 50 2) 1 week of 25, 75 & 100 3) work on improving your flutter kick and SDK http://www.usms.org/forums/showpost....&postcount=245 http://www.usms.org/forums/showpost....0&postcount=48 if you're working on your swimming speed, SDK and Flutter kick do 2 x (4 x 25) swim 2 x (4 x 25) flutter kick 2 x (4 x 25) SDK 4) stretch your feet / ankles to improve your toe point 5) Lift weights to improve your strength power and speed 2 or 3 times a week 6) get a tech suit http://www.usms.org/forums/showpost....&postcount=732 http://www.usms.org/forums/showpost....&postcount=771 7) perfect your swimming technique pushoff streamline SDK head position body position arm motions leg motions touching the wall (the clock doesn't stop until you touch the wall) 8) Train and test for 5 weeks then Rest one week, reduce your yardage Mon 2 x 4 x 25 Tue easy Wed 4 x 25 Thu easy Friday or Saturday TEST wearing a tech suit Report your results 9) begin another 6 week cycle Report your test results in this fashion (put most recent times on top) 8/10/08: 23.48 7/26: 25.92 7/6: 24.94 7/2: 25.45 5/10: 25.55 4/4: 27.18 3/29: 26.27 3/22: 27.62 3/15: 27.12 3/8: 28.0 3/1: 30.2 You should begin to see dramatic improvements in your 25 speed. I look forward to reading your results. Let me know if you accept this challenge Give it a try and see what happens Don't be fooled by how simple it is.
That is AWESOME! I really think you need to rethink your goal times for that 100 fr now. Think BIG! As for the running, you are out of my league - 5:15 or 7:22. Great job!
Blog Categories
Recent Visitors
Archive
Go to Profile
Mark as Read
jimsauer