LET ME OUT!

Good or Bad Run?

2009-07-13T20:18:00.004-05:00

I'm not exactly sure how to interpret todays run. The schedule called for 5 minute warm up, 20 minute run, and 5 minute cool down. I started the day tired, because I got off duty from my part-time job at 6am. By the time I got home, picked-up Taylor, and got back to the house it was 9am. It's July in Houston, so naturally, the temperature was already in the 90's.

The 5-minute warm-up felt good. I even felt fine as I started running, but at the 6 minute point I blew up! I was too hot to continue. I checked my pulse rate and it was in the 160's. I rested for a couple minutes, then set my watch for 7 cycles of; run 2-minutes, walk 1-minute.

I felt fine from that point on. The total running time was 20 minutes. I still logged the entire 7 cycles as a run, because the pace was under 14:00/mile. That has always been my mark... anything less than 14:00/mile is a run (because I can't walk that fast) and everything above 18:00/mile isn't even logged was exercise. These numbers will differ for every person, but these are the parameters I'm using.

While I'm glad I finished the run, I'm disappointed I didn't run continuous for 20 minutes. I'll try again tomorrow on the treadmill.

Drove all the way to Clear Lake to retrieve my wallet at Sun and Ski. That sure was a long drive. On the way home I stopped by Performance Bikes and had them make sure everything looked good, since I've rode ~750 miles since I bought the bike. I typically do all the maintenance myself, so I was happy when the mechanic said the bike checked out really good. All he did was tighten the brake cables a little.

Good luck to those bad asses running the Badwater 135. I read online that the temperature was in the 120's in Stovepipe.

Walk:
0.71 mile
12:06
17.03 pace

Run:
1.99 mile
27:00
13:34 pace

Also bought a cool new shirt today..... "Cranky Old Guys Rule"

Galveston Bike Ride

2009-07-12T20:48:00.000-05:00

Crazy. Busy. Day.

Biked home from work. I took the shortest route possible, but it didn't make much of a difference. I rode on the entire feeder road bridge, and I cut across the bayou close to my house. Nearly the same time and only half mile shorter.

The moment I got home I loaded the bikes and we took off to Galveston. We parked at 69th street and rode our bikes along the seawall, to the ferry road, through the strand and back to the car. It was only 13 miles. We would have rode more, but I have to work the second job tonight.

On the way home we stopped in at Sun and Ski to look at camping gear. Our last stop was at Performance Bikes in Houston where I realized I lost my wallet. After a small bit of panicking, we called Sun and Ski and they found it on the counter. I didn't have enough time to get it tonight, so I will have to make a special trip tomorrow. Also postponing todays run to tomorrow morning.

Losing my wallet put a negative spin on an otherwise great day with my sweetheart.

Trail Bike:
19.55 miles
1:52:13
10.45 mph

KFIT, day 1

2009-07-11T20:09:00.003-05:00

Started the morning with Kingwood Fit at 5:30 am. This is the first time I've been a coach with the USA FIT program, so I assume it went as they expected?!?!

I'm scheduled to be at work today, so Coach Bonnie allowed me to leave early. I was left with enough time to bicycle to work. I need to find a new route to station two because the mileage was 6.66 miles. I know it's silly, but that number seems superstitious. The bike ride went well. It was hot and the Townsen bridge over the railroad tracks completely wiped me out.

This afternoon I ran on the treadmill. The foul calibration of the treadmill is frustrating, but like I said before... I'm running for time, not mileage. Ten minute warm-up walk, 10-minute run, and 10-minute cool-down walk.

Trail Bike:
6.66 miles
34:58
11.43 mph

Walk:
1.04 mile
20:00
19:18 pace

Run:
0.64 mile
10:00
15:38 pace

New Toys

2009-07-10T17:02:00.002-05:00

Received a good email awhile ago. My pre-ordered Garmin 310xt is now en route to me!

I wasn't a big fan of my Garmin Forerunner 405, so I sold it a few weeks ago, before the value dropped with the introduction of the Garmin Forerunner 310xt. Only a few have been released here and there. Last week I talked with Garmin on the phone and they told me the first company expected to receive the 310xt would be Heart Rate Monitors USA. After talking to that company, I learned they were the only ones (outside the San Diego marathon release) to have any. Garmin pushed back the release date several times due to software bugs. It seems everything is worked out and I will have mine early next week. YAY!!!

Thankfully today is an off day. My legs are dead tired.

Installed two new items on the road bikes... one is the Profile Design E-pack. Neat little bag that attaches to the top tube and stem. Perfect for nutrition and tools you need within reach. The second item is the newest and brightest tail light. Actually, its the best one I could find under $25. As I get older, my safety becomes a bigger concern.

As promised, here is another insert from "1 world, 2 wheels":
For Our Future
-In 1964, 50% of kids rode their bike to school and the obesity rate was 12%.... in 2004, 3% rode to school and the obesity rate was 45%.
-Between 1960 and today the average weight of a 6-11 year old has increased 11 pounds.

Running Partner

2009-07-10T01:02:00.003-05:00

My legs are dead after a couple cardio bouts.

The bike ride back home (from work) was tougher than the prior days ride. A late EMS call resulted in a 9am ride.... in the sun.

For the first time in a really long time I had a running partner today. Andrea joined me as part of her 4 mile run. My workout was much shorter and slower, but it was nice to see someone beside me. Between the morning bike ride and the afternoon heat, I felt there was a fair chance I would not have ran 18 consecutive minutes without the support. We didn't talk much, yet I appreciated the company. Seven minute warm-up walk, 18-minute run, and eight minute cool down walk.

Last year I picked up a small booklet at the Lions Club bike race. It's titled "Change the World; 1-world, 2-wheels". It's a great little read and it appears to be a campaign by Trek to get people healthier, reduce pollution, and combat childhood obesity. Anyways, I wanted to quote one of the pages I thought was interesting:
FOR YOUR HEALTH
-The average person loses 13 lbs their first year of commuting by bike
-Just three hours of bicycling per week can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%.
-A 140-pound cyclist burns 508 calories while pedaling 14 miles in an hour.

Cool, fun facts. Maybe I will quote a page each day...

Trail Bike:
7.77 miles
39:09
11.91 mph

Walk:
0.76 miles
13:41
18:00 pace

Run:
1.46 miles
18:02
12:21 pace

Bike @ Work

2009-07-08T15:49:00.003-05:00

Pleasant bike ride to work this morning. A little hair-raising while contra-flowing half a mile on HWY 59 feeder road. The ride was otherwise uneventful. For safety I added a blinking light to the front of the bike. The new light compliments the pre-existing rear blinking light for optimal visibility.

I'm looking forward to my new means of transportation to work.

Trail Bike:
7.82 miles
41:44
11.25 mph

Ahhh, rain!

2009-07-07T12:09:00.003-05:00

Thank goodness it is raining! My lawn is all but dead. We've been in a serious drought and the Houston area have seen a record number of triple digit temperatures.

I ran in a slow, refreshing drizzle. It didn't help my cardio-fitness level, but it allowed me to execute the run at noon. Seven minute warm-up walk, 16-minute run, followed by an eight minute cool-down.

I don't feel comfortable running. It's hard to explain. I'm the furthest thing imaginable from smooth and efficient. Almost feels like I'm running with prosthetic legs... and I'm just throwing them forward for the next step. I hope this goes away soon. No knee pain, so that is always good news.

I've been telling everyone at work that I'm officially going GREEN starting tomorrow.... kind of. The plan is to start riding my bike to work everyday. The mere 7-mile ride is a no brainer, except crossing the San Jacinto River bridge, where I will have to jockey for position on HWY 59. They have an advantage traveling 70+ mph, with four wheels! I've cycled to work twice on the weekends without any serious issues. I'd prefer to ride my rode bike, but I think it is smarter to ride my trail bike just in case I need to ride in the grass, if need be.

Walk:
0.85 mile
15:01
17:40 pace

Run:
1.26 mile
16:00
12:42 pace

One Mile

2009-07-05T20:37:00.002-05:00

At work today.

Two consecutive days without knee pain. Time to get back on schedule. I decided to run on the treadmill after considering the acute slant of the road and amount of turns around the station. My knee felt good, so hopefully last Thursday's aches were only phantom pains.

Eight minute warm-up, 14 minute run, and eight minute cool down.

First full mile since April 8, 2009. The walk pace was 20:15... now I'm positive the treadmill needs to be calibrated. It doesn't effect me much, because I'm running for time, not mileage.

Walk:
0.79
16:00
20:15 pace

Run:
1-mile
14:20
14:20 pace

Pain Es No Bueno

2009-07-02T13:02:00.001-05:00

At work today.

Felt the same aches in my knee today that I experienced yesterday. I've decided to play it safe. I want a couple days without pain, before I continue running.

Wish me luck that this is only a minor set back. I've said it once and it's worth repeating. Any more serious knee issues and I will discontinue running and shift primarily to cycling.

New Bike

2009-07-01T12:48:00.003-05:00

Second run on the concrete, which might have been a bad decision. I felt a couple small aches in my knee. I finished the run, because I felt them in both knees, not just the medically repaired knee.

After the run, I walked Andrea through Boot Camp B. Shaina committed to join us, but she was a no-show. The new circuit introduces plyometric exercises.

Andrea and I bought Taylor a new bike today. She is really excited about her new bike and I couldn't be happier. With a little luck and patience, she should be able to join us on longer rides. Her new bike is a 24-inch Iron horse with Shimano components, aluminum frame, front shocks, etc... In other words, a nice bike.

As soon as we got home, she begged to go for a ride. We rode the five mile loop like it was a stroll around the block. This was a great investment for our family!

Bike:
5.49 miles
34:00
9.69 mph

Walk:
1.22 miles
19:59
16:23 pace

Run:
0.97 mile
11:01
11:21 pace

Busy Day

2009-06-28T22:37:00.003-05:00

Fun filled day! Off duty at 6am this morning. I was exhausted, so as soon as I got home I slept for three hours, which made a world of difference.

Wyatt, Shaina, and company joined us to watch the Astros vs. Tigers at Minute Maid park. Good game, even though we lost. Special thank you to Kevin K (Andrea's boss) for giving us those GREAT tickets!

After the baseball game Andrea and I meet up with a bunch of my co-workers for "game night". A good time was had by all. Delicious snack's, funny stories, and a great game of "right, left, center". The home team (Andrea and I) took home all the winnings!!!

Shaina and her kids met up with me at 9:30pm for a brisk walk around the subdivision. Her cardiovascular fitness is improving fast!

Soon as I finished the walk I took off for a 10-minute run. Since it was dark, I was forced to run on the concrete roads.

I felt incredible running tonight. It was after 10pm, I was sweating from head to toe and I actually felt like a runner again. The distance was really close to one-mile. Looks like my Tuesday 11-minute run will cross the mile threshold.

Rick Cook ran 57 grueling miles of the Western States 100. It was exciting to track him all day yesterday. He's a true bad ass!

I'm thankfully my body is pain-free and I'm happy. Special 'shout-out' to Andrea for a great weekend full of fitness, fun, and smiles.

Walk:
2.02 miles
33:02
16:21 pace

Run:
0.93 mile
10:01
10:46 pace

Andrea Places 3rd, again!

2009-06-27T13:50:00.006-05:00

Woke up sick as a dog this morning. I was faced with a delimma on what to do.... it was 5am and Andrea was pre-registered for a 5k AND I had scheduled four women for Boot Camp. I wanted to cancel, but something told me to tough it out.

Half way to Deer Park I started feeling better, which made me thankful for not cancelling the festivities. As I said above, Andrea sign up for the Independence Day 5k in Deer Park. She did everything right and was rewarded with a 3rd place trophy AND a nice PR. She finished in 26:09. It's amazing that ANYONE could manage a PR in that kind of heat. Like coach Steeve use to say, she's in the "fat curve" of her training. I can't wait to see her times when cooler weather arrives! Good job, Babe!!!

We started Boot Camp A near the rose garden at Dow Park. By the time we began the heat was high overhead and we struggled to find shade for our workout. Half mile warm up walk, 4-circuits of Boot Camp A, half mile cool down, and light stretches.

I'm proud of all the girls and I think they are ready for Boot Camp B, which introduces plyometric-type movements. We'll still continue to focus on core strength, yet add LIGHT jumping/bouncing movements.

Once I got home at noon, I went for my walk-run. I know everyone is tired of reading about how hot it is, but by the time I finished I was dripping from head to toe. On the good side, my legs felt strong on the run. Tomorrow I'm running 10-minutes, which is getting really close to my first mile! All my fitness activities are now done and I need to shower. URG, just remembered I need to start getting ready for work tonight. It sucks working two jobs... and that doesn't count the PT stuff, because I love doing!

Good Luck to RICK COOK, who is currently running the Western States 100 mile run!

Out of Shape?

2009-06-25T11:36:00.005-05:00

It's warm out there, no matter what time you exercise. I started at 8am. Twenty-two minute walk, 8-minute run, which was followed by an upper-body workout.

On the run I realized I'm out of shape. Naturally, I'd like to blame the heat, but I think the burden rest solely on my shoulders. The run felt great.... once I finished, yet my breathing was getting out of control.

Strength training went well. Thankfully tomorrow is my off-day. I'm feeling tired.

Walk:
1.36 mile
22:10
16:18 pace

Run:
0.75 mile
8:01
10:41 pace

Trail Bike:
2.13 miles
12:03
10.61 mph

Strength Training:
Upper-Body

Hot

2009-06-24T21:43:00.003-05:00

My buddy told me it was 104 today at Bush IAH. The temperatures were tolerable under the cover of the greenbelts during my bike ride. On the other hand, at 5pm it was a hot SOB in my garage while working out.

Increased all my weights to pre-injury numbers. It felt really good to sling around some real iron.

Yesterday I finished the American College of Sports Medicine manual. I still have three more books to read, but should be done before next months test.

Trail Bike:
7.98
41:50
11.45 mph

Mid-body workout

1 RM Bench Press Test

2009-06-23T17:25:00.007-05:00

I woke up early enough to walk/run before going to work. The run was harder than expected, but I always feel tight in the morning. After the workout, I cycled the routes to determine distance and pace.

Walk:
1.43 miles
24:19
17:00 pace

Run:
0.54 mile
5:59
11:05 pace

Trail Bike:
1.97 mile
11:53
9.95 mph

At work I had a wild-hair to do a one repetition test for my bench press. I went through the dumbbells up to 70 pounds and had to move to the bench press machine. From there I maxed out at 215 pounds. My training weight is going to be a lot higher than I suspected.

Control

2009-06-22T21:50:00.004-05:00

Spent most of the day dealing with stuff, which frankly, stresses me out. I'm taking control of the situation and hope to see some positive changes in the near future.

All I managed to do today was cycle around the greenbelts on my trail bike. Uneventful ride. The summer heat isn't getting to me physically, but it is killing my lawn.

Learned today that FEDEX lost my overnight shipment, which was my Garmin Forerunner going back for repair. Ought to be interesting to see how long it takes FEDEX to investigate the claim. They stated the package was breached and is now empty. They noticed the empty package when it arrived in Tennessee.

I've also decided to re-release my blog to the open public. I realized I was running scared from people at work who were reading, when in fact, I never had anything to hide.

Trail Bike:
6.01 miles
30:14
11.93 mph

Father's Day

2009-06-21T21:16:00.002-05:00

Sleepless night at work yesterday. We made four calls after midnight, only allowing me two, 30-minute naps.

Little did I know, Andrea and the kids had spent the prior day working on gifts and surprises for me. As I drove up, there was a huge sign in the yard that read, "Worlds Best Dad", then I had hand-made cards from everyone, and a small wooded chest box that was painted by Alison. Inside the box was six ceramic monkeys, which were also hand painted. Andrea bought me two weighted bars for the weight room.

Everything was a pleasant surprise, even if I was a walking zombie.

I took the kids to the SPCA to look at pets, but they don't open till noon, so we ended up driving back home. On the way home we enjoyed a nice lunch at Chuy's Mexican restaurant. Once we arrived home I wasn't able to stay awake any longer and ended up sleeping 3-hours.

At 6pm I had to drop the kids off to Erin in the Woodlands. While driving I made arrangements for Shaina to join me on the walk. Her two kids and Taylor walked with us, while Andrea went for a 3-mile run. I must be getting acclimated to the heat, because it didn't seem too hot outside. After the walk I ran for 5-minutes, then I measured all the distances on my bike.

It was a good day. Life is good to be loved as much as I am!

Walk:
2.12 miles
34:30
16:16 pace

Run:
0.46 mile
5:02
10:57 pace

Bike:
2.58 mile
15:25
10.04 mph

Pre's B-day

2009-06-19T22:49:00.002-05:00

For no reason whatsoever, Friday has always been my usual off-day. Thursday evening I received a text message from Shaina inquiring to the next boot camp session. Since I work Saturday and we have the kids this weekend, I decided to workout on Friday, essentially switching schedules with Saturday.

Andrea went for a 3-mile run while Shanina and I aggressively walked for 30-minutes. The cardio was followed by circuit training, cool-down, and post exercise stretches.

Boot Camp A
Walk:
1.98 miles
30:41
15:30 pace

Hard to believe my baby boy is two-years old today. Where has the time gone?
Happy Birthday, Big Guy! Dad Loves You!

No Garmin

2009-06-18T12:29:00.004-05:00

It feels weird running without my garmin. Last week I sold my Garmin 405, because I'm hoping to buy the new 310xt. I figured I better sale the 405 before the value drops when the new model is released next month. I've had several different garmin forerunners over the last 3-years and I can count on one hand how many times I've ran or walked without a gps watch. I didn't like running without a garmin... yes, I'm a tech nerd.

I gave Andrea my old 305, which has started shutting off unexpectedly. It's frustrating when it shuts off during a run. It's malfunctioning often now, so we shipped it back to garmin for repair.

Today's walk/run felt great. Afterwards I took my bike and measured the route. After a little math I was able to determine the pace. I still haven't decided if I'm going to do any strength training today. Initially I had plans too, but I'm feeling a little lazy.

Walk:
1.6 mile
26:15
16:12 pace

Run:
0.36 mile
4:00
11:07 pace

Second Run

2009-06-16T22:45:00.001-05:00

Shaina joined Andrea and I for another Bootcamp "A" workout at Forest Mills park.

Shaina recently had surgery and admittedly, I had reservations whether she was ready to start working out. Turns out that she did really well and said she felt good. Half mile warm up, circuit training, half mile cool-down, and a few post-exercise stretches.

Later in the evening I completed my second recovery walk/run. Today I walked 27-minutes and ran 3-minutes. I decided to run around the bayou because it is close to the house and the dirt is much easier on impact. The session went well, with the exception of Andrea's garmin shutting off unexpectedly. I need to call and see if we can get her watch fixed.

Bootcamp A

Walk (excluding bootcamp wu/cd):
1.6 mile
27:00
16:52 pace

Run:
0.27 mile
3:00
11:07 pace

Slow Loss

2009-06-15T18:03:00.001-05:00

Keeping my calories sub-2,500 is NOT yielding the weight loss I would like to see. It's coming off, but oh-so-slow.

Small bike ride through the greenbelts on my trail bike. Other than that... not much to mention.

Trail Bike:
5.48 miles
28:37
11.49 pace

First RUN

2009-06-14T19:09:00.001-05:00

First run in more than 8-weeks!!! And boy, it felt good!

I've made a custom schedule for myself to build base mileage and allow my knee additional time to fully recover. Today I ran for 2-minutes and walked for 28-minutes.

Since I'm on duty today I decided to run at the Humble City Park, which has a nice crushed granite surface.

Walk:
1.7 mile
28:00
18:28 pace

Run:
0.18 mile
2:00
11:07 pace

Monument Bike ride

2009-06-13T21:17:00.001-05:00

Up bright and early this morning for Boot Camp "A" in Deer Park. We meet at the Rose Garden in the middle of Dow Park. Even though the location was a long drive for me, the location worked out perfectly.

Earlier in the week we had a group of about five women scheduled for the group workout, but three didn't show for various reasons. Four people total including me. Half mile warm up, circuit training, half mile cool-down, and stretching. The two new girls did an exceptional job at maintaining form and pace.

After Boot Camp, Andrea and I was hoping to ride our road bikes around the San Jacinto Monument. We learned they charge you to enter the park. We decided to stay outside the park and ride the road leading into the monument. Nice ride, but the industrial plants put off an awful odor. We only rode six miles. The short distance was part of my schedule, but I'm not sure we could have handled the odor much longer either.

And if that wasn't enough, I walked for 30-minutes when we got back home. It felt like I was walking a lot faster than the pace displayed on my garmin. Not sure why that is...

Boot Camp "A"

Walk:
1.73 miles
30:01
17:21 pace

Road Bike:
6.03 miles
25:31
14.18 mph

Dreadmill

2009-06-11T18:53:00.001-05:00

At work.
Walk on Treadmill.
Blah.

Walk:
1.72 mile
30:00
17:27 pace

Mid-body workout

RELEASED

2009-06-10T21:56:00.000-05:00

The doctor gave me a 100% full release. He said I can return to cycling and running, but try not to "go crazy" with it. As soon as I got home I jumped on my trail bike and did a 5-mile loop. ...and no, that isn't crazy! It's been eight weeks since I last rode my bike, so it is an re-introduction of ROM to the knee. Therefore I felt a different feeling around my knee for the first couple miles. Nothing painful, just a little "different".

Andrea and I went back to Fosters Mill Lakes for Boot Camp "A". I wanted to ensure my program felt right and hit the correct muscles before this weekend group session. Andrea is always happy to be my guinea pig and I appreciate all her help!

Bike:
5.65 miles
29:15
11.59 mph