Today I had a major breakthrough in the pool. I figured out how to swim fast. I learned it is not how hard you move against the water but how you move through it. I learned this from watching the more advanced swimmers. I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable watching you, but it was a for a good cause.
Of all the cross-training I have done, swimming is my favorite. Biking is just too much like running for me and I feel like my legs need something way different on the three days a week I don't run. Swimming is fitting the bill for me. It really is the best of several worlds. My legs get a rest, my upper body gets a good workout, and I still get to work on my endurance.
I have been swimming a lot to get ready for a triathlon. I am mostly doing this just because I know I can and I want another T-shirt. I am glad I signed up for the sprint distance as opposed to the Olympic. It would have derailed my 50K training too much.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Friday, May 31, 2013
30 pounds in 90 days
For the past two years I have taken fitness and eating right much more seriously. Thus far I have lost over 40lbs, ran two half marathons, and have some goals, one of which includes running an ultra-marathon. Ultimately, I want to line up at the starting line of the Western States 100 Endurance Run and finish in under 24 hours. Losing more weight is a necessary step in the right direction.
I am very grateful for a supportive wife. Exercising 5 to 6 times a week means time away from home and I am glad that she is on board with me getting healthy and staying healthy. Tina has also lost a lot of weight herself and has given me the motivation to drop more weight.
I am ready to do this. Off to the gym.
Chris
I am very grateful for a supportive wife. Exercising 5 to 6 times a week means time away from home and I am glad that she is on board with me getting healthy and staying healthy. Tina has also lost a lot of weight herself and has given me the motivation to drop more weight.
I am ready to do this. Off to the gym.
Chris
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Training log for this week. I am too lazy to check the dates.
Last week was an experiment with two-a-days workouts. Learned something very important. I am not ready for this. Instead of two lousy sessions, I am going to focus on quality.
Monday: Elliptical for 30 minutes followed by 40 minutes swimming laps.
Tuesday: Ran 3.8 miles. For some reason I got sick midway through this morning's run and fertilized plants during my run. Felt awful the rest of the day. I hope I am not getting sick.
Wednesday: I am taking today off. My stomach was so bad yesterday I went to bed at 8pm and slept until 6am. Tina told me to take today off and I decided based on my condition it would be wise to take her advice. I am feeling better and should be better Thursday. Taking time off to recover is good because it gives the body a chance to heal and refresh the mind.
Thursday: Taking a day off to allow my stomach time to recover was what I needed. This morning I ran 4 miles. They were four slow miles which is okay. This morning made me reconsider running at the crack of dawn. The afternoons are warmer, the sun is out, and I am beginning to think it would be better to absorb some sunlight. Plus, I will get to sleep longer in the mornings.
Friday: Ran 5 miles on the Provo River Trail.
Saturday: Hiked three miles on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Still too much snow and mud for my taste. The BST probably will not be runnable until the middle of April when all the snow is gone and the ground has dried out.
Thoughts for the week: I received some sad news this week which has caused me to reconsider my goal of running a 50K in the fall. Sadly, Timp Elk Run has been canceled. I spoke with the race director about it and he said they were unable to get the right permits from the Forrest Service. I have decided I am going to continue to train and keep my eyes open for a race in the fall.
Having the race canceled has been a bittersweet blessing. I was really looking forward to the Elk Run, but I also recognize I was crossing the line between having a goal and being obsessed. My long term goal is to someday run a 100miler. So really anything I do now will help me get ready for that. I will continue to update this blog with training logs and thoughts about training, shoes, and everything else.
Monday: Elliptical for 30 minutes followed by 40 minutes swimming laps.
Tuesday: Ran 3.8 miles. For some reason I got sick midway through this morning's run and fertilized plants during my run. Felt awful the rest of the day. I hope I am not getting sick.
Wednesday: I am taking today off. My stomach was so bad yesterday I went to bed at 8pm and slept until 6am. Tina told me to take today off and I decided based on my condition it would be wise to take her advice. I am feeling better and should be better Thursday. Taking time off to recover is good because it gives the body a chance to heal and refresh the mind.
Thursday: Taking a day off to allow my stomach time to recover was what I needed. This morning I ran 4 miles. They were four slow miles which is okay. This morning made me reconsider running at the crack of dawn. The afternoons are warmer, the sun is out, and I am beginning to think it would be better to absorb some sunlight. Plus, I will get to sleep longer in the mornings.
Friday: Ran 5 miles on the Provo River Trail.
Saturday: Hiked three miles on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Still too much snow and mud for my taste. The BST probably will not be runnable until the middle of April when all the snow is gone and the ground has dried out.
Thoughts for the week: I received some sad news this week which has caused me to reconsider my goal of running a 50K in the fall. Sadly, Timp Elk Run has been canceled. I spoke with the race director about it and he said they were unable to get the right permits from the Forrest Service. I have decided I am going to continue to train and keep my eyes open for a race in the fall.
Having the race canceled has been a bittersweet blessing. I was really looking forward to the Elk Run, but I also recognize I was crossing the line between having a goal and being obsessed. My long term goal is to someday run a 100miler. So really anything I do now will help me get ready for that. I will continue to update this blog with training logs and thoughts about training, shoes, and everything else.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Training Log: 2/18-2/23/2013
Monday: Swam for about 60 minutes at the Wes Deist Aquatic Center in Idaho Falls. I am starting to get the hang of this swimming thing and really enjoying it. Why didn't I do this in high school?
Tuesday: Walked for 65 Minutes. 30 minutes of cycling at lunch. First day of doing things in one day. We will see how long two a day workouts last.
Wednesday: Swimming in the morning and cycling at lunch.
Thursday: Cycling at lunch, Keena's swim class.
Friday: Ran 4 miles. Cycled for 20 minutes before physical therapy.
Saturday: 10 mile bike ride.
As you can see I did not do much running this week. Some nagging things in my feet made me drag my carcass into Orrock Mendenhall Physical Therapy. It is nothing serious. Unlike many runners, I am a believer in prevention and will see a PT to work through things before I get sidelined.
I also decided to experiment with two-a-day workouts. These are killer but great. Doing them everyday is not realistic and exhausting. By Friday I think I had totally depleted my body's electrolyte stores. Thankfully I have a large can of Gatorade mix at work. After a couple of bottles I was feeling great. Also, my weight is down to 244.6lbs. This is the lightest I have been in years. Onward to the 230s.
And now, your shoe of the week. The Altra Instinct. About two years ago I was messing around with minimalism and bought these shoes. I am not at all ready to make this transition but these are great shoes for everything.
Tuesday: Walked for 65 Minutes. 30 minutes of cycling at lunch. First day of doing things in one day. We will see how long two a day workouts last.
Wednesday: Swimming in the morning and cycling at lunch.
Thursday: Cycling at lunch, Keena's swim class.
Friday: Ran 4 miles. Cycled for 20 minutes before physical therapy.
Saturday: 10 mile bike ride.
As you can see I did not do much running this week. Some nagging things in my feet made me drag my carcass into Orrock Mendenhall Physical Therapy. It is nothing serious. Unlike many runners, I am a believer in prevention and will see a PT to work through things before I get sidelined.
I also decided to experiment with two-a-day workouts. These are killer but great. Doing them everyday is not realistic and exhausting. By Friday I think I had totally depleted my body's electrolyte stores. Thankfully I have a large can of Gatorade mix at work. After a couple of bottles I was feeling great. Also, my weight is down to 244.6lbs. This is the lightest I have been in years. Onward to the 230s.
And now, your shoe of the week. The Altra Instinct. About two years ago I was messing around with minimalism and bought these shoes. I am not at all ready to make this transition but these are great shoes for everything.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Weekly Training Log: 2/9-2/16/2013
Monday: Walked two miles then ran two miles. Praxis prep course and lack of planning limited what I could do today.
Tuesday: Swimming- 45minutes
Wednesday: Walked 2 miles then ran 3. Had parent teacher conferences from 2pm-7pm. Did my workout really early this morning at the Smith Field House at BYU.
Thursday: Took today off. Tina and I celebrated Valentines day and then drove up to her parents in Idaho Falls.
Friday: About 4ish miles. Not really sure.
Saturday: 8 mile long run. For this long run I incorporated some intervals. I ran a mile, walked .25 miles and then repeated these intervals for 8 miles.
Thoughts: I have had much better weeks. The thing that killed my training this week was lack of planning. Plus I unintentionally dialed things back to let some minor problems heal. The upcoming week will be better because I sat down and mapped out what I am going to do and when I am going to do it. Also, I am going to cross train this week and then do an easy six miles next Saturday. From here on I am going to run go back to my original training plan of two, quality, runs a week and three days of cross training instead of two days of junk miles and a poor Saturday long run. I think my body will thank me for this and I will see results similar to what happened between the Top of Utah half marathon and the Haunted Half.
And now, the shoe of the week.
The Montrail Fairhaven. This is my favorite shoe for long runs. It is being replaced however its' replacement, the Fluid Balance, has what appears to be a better upper. If you are interested, you can pick up a pair for pretty cheap on Back Country or Amazon.
Tuesday: Swimming- 45minutes
Wednesday: Walked 2 miles then ran 3. Had parent teacher conferences from 2pm-7pm. Did my workout really early this morning at the Smith Field House at BYU.
Thursday: Took today off. Tina and I celebrated Valentines day and then drove up to her parents in Idaho Falls.
Friday: About 4ish miles. Not really sure.
Saturday: 8 mile long run. For this long run I incorporated some intervals. I ran a mile, walked .25 miles and then repeated these intervals for 8 miles.
Thoughts: I have had much better weeks. The thing that killed my training this week was lack of planning. Plus I unintentionally dialed things back to let some minor problems heal. The upcoming week will be better because I sat down and mapped out what I am going to do and when I am going to do it. Also, I am going to cross train this week and then do an easy six miles next Saturday. From here on I am going to run go back to my original training plan of two, quality, runs a week and three days of cross training instead of two days of junk miles and a poor Saturday long run. I think my body will thank me for this and I will see results similar to what happened between the Top of Utah half marathon and the Haunted Half.
And now, the shoe of the week.
The Montrail Fairhaven. This is my favorite shoe for long runs. It is being replaced however its' replacement, the Fluid Balance, has what appears to be a better upper. If you are interested, you can pick up a pair for pretty cheap on Back Country or Amazon.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Training Log 2/3-2/10/13
Monday: Ran five miles. No problems
Tuesday:Swam for an hour.
Wednesday: Ran 5 miles
Thursday: Swam for an hour. This is by far the hardest swimming session I have ever done. The coach had the class swimming laps in an Olympic length pool without fins. It was hard, but because of the improvements I have made in my form, I was able to get through it.
Friday: Today my goal was to run seven miles. Unfortunately my body had other plans, so I went for a leisurely two mile walk in a snow storm. I was reminded that rest is an important component of any workout program.
Saturday: Ran 7 miles. The path that goes around Orem Community hospital is a great option for winter running. Orem city does a great job of keeping the path snow free. It was downright hot out there. Thankfully I finished before the clouds blew back in and the snow started falling again.
Thoughts for the week: I am going to go back to my own variation on the Galloway Method for marathon training and racing. My plan is to run a mile and then walk a quarter mile to rest. My body reminded me that I have not reached my target weight and need to change the way I am doing things.
And here is the shoe of the week. Behold, the Montrail Badwater Hybrid. Yes, I own a pair. They are great.
Tuesday:Swam for an hour.
Wednesday: Ran 5 miles
Thursday: Swam for an hour. This is by far the hardest swimming session I have ever done. The coach had the class swimming laps in an Olympic length pool without fins. It was hard, but because of the improvements I have made in my form, I was able to get through it.
Friday: Today my goal was to run seven miles. Unfortunately my body had other plans, so I went for a leisurely two mile walk in a snow storm. I was reminded that rest is an important component of any workout program.
Saturday: Ran 7 miles. The path that goes around Orem Community hospital is a great option for winter running. Orem city does a great job of keeping the path snow free. It was downright hot out there. Thankfully I finished before the clouds blew back in and the snow started falling again.
Thoughts for the week: I am going to go back to my own variation on the Galloway Method for marathon training and racing. My plan is to run a mile and then walk a quarter mile to rest. My body reminded me that I have not reached my target weight and need to change the way I am doing things.
And here is the shoe of the week. Behold, the Montrail Badwater Hybrid. Yes, I own a pair. They are great.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Log 1/28-2/2
Monday:
I intended to run 5 miles but accidentally ran 7 miles. This happened because I prefer loops to out-and-back courses. The loop got too big. I also freaked out my wife because I was gone for so long and forgot to bring my cell-phone with me. I did this run with a heart-rate monitor and successfully kept my heart-rate my aerobic zone.
Tuesday:
Swam laps for 30 minutes at the Orem Rec. Center.
Wednesday:
Today I went for a 5 mile night run on an undisclosed multi-use path currently under construction. I don’t know who plowed it, but I was sure glad they did. It is going to be really nice once it is completed. I saw around twenty deer eating the vegetation in various backyards along the way.
Thursday:
Swam laps for 60 minutes at my weekly swim class. I am surprised at how much I have improved in just one week. Swimming is great cross training and really works the anaerobic system and is great strength training.
Friday:
This morning disaster was narrowly averted. There is a cool path which circles Orem Community Hospital here in Orem. The path is just over a mile long and really nice. My original plan was to run 5 miles on the path but I chickened out. It was just too dang cold at 5:30am. So I went to the Orem Rec. Center. Once I get there I realized my towel was still at home, drying from last night’s swim class. Despite the cold and lacking a towel, I decided what the heck, there’s a pullover in my bag that can double as a towel. I ran 5ish miles on the Rec. Center indoor track. My heart-rate did not leave my aerobic zone until the very end of the run.
Saturday:
Swim Class. Swam laps and did various drills for 60 minutes.
This has been a good week. I got in six quality workouts. Excited for next week.
I intended to run 5 miles but accidentally ran 7 miles. This happened because I prefer loops to out-and-back courses. The loop got too big. I also freaked out my wife because I was gone for so long and forgot to bring my cell-phone with me. I did this run with a heart-rate monitor and successfully kept my heart-rate my aerobic zone.
Tuesday:
Swam laps for 30 minutes at the Orem Rec. Center.
Wednesday:
Today I went for a 5 mile night run on an undisclosed multi-use path currently under construction. I don’t know who plowed it, but I was sure glad they did. It is going to be really nice once it is completed. I saw around twenty deer eating the vegetation in various backyards along the way.
Thursday:
Swam laps for 60 minutes at my weekly swim class. I am surprised at how much I have improved in just one week. Swimming is great cross training and really works the anaerobic system and is great strength training.
Friday:
This morning disaster was narrowly averted. There is a cool path which circles Orem Community Hospital here in Orem. The path is just over a mile long and really nice. My original plan was to run 5 miles on the path but I chickened out. It was just too dang cold at 5:30am. So I went to the Orem Rec. Center. Once I get there I realized my towel was still at home, drying from last night’s swim class. Despite the cold and lacking a towel, I decided what the heck, there’s a pullover in my bag that can double as a towel. I ran 5ish miles on the Rec. Center indoor track. My heart-rate did not leave my aerobic zone until the very end of the run.
Saturday:
Swim Class. Swam laps and did various drills for 60 minutes.
This has been a good week. I got in six quality workouts. Excited for next week.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Run Slower To Run Faster?
I am in charge of special education at an alternative high school in Provo, Utah. Currently I teach two class periods and spend a good deal of time in my office working on paperwork. For better, and quite possibly for worse, I listen to podcasts during the two to three hours I spend putting together TPS reports and other mundane tasks. Right now I am a huge fan of Ultra Runner Podcast and Trail Runner Nation. Both have provided me with useful information and necessary inspiration to get out and run or count my calories when I really don't feel like doing either.
One week ago Trail Runner Nation featured an interview with Dr. Phil Maffetone. Dr. Phil (not the one you see on t.v.) has been training endurance athletes for decades struck upon an important principal. To run fast you need to train slow. I will not pretend to understand any of the science behind this (nor do I care to, I am only interested in results). Here's the layman's explanation for how it works. Everyone has an aerobic/anaerobic threshold. For an endurance athlete to get faster they need to keep their heart-rate within aerobic range in training, thus developing their aerobic system. Here's the formula Maffetone came up with that anyone can use to get an idea of what their heart-rate should be throughout an aerobic training session:
1. Take 180 and subtract your age
2. Take this number and correct it by the following:
-If you do not work out, subtract 5 beats
-If you work out only 1-2 days per week, subtract 3 beats
-If you work out 3-6 days per week, keep the number
-If you work out 7+ times per week and have done so for a year, add 5 beats
-If you are over 55 or under 25 years old, add another 5 beats
-If you are under 20 years old, add another 5 beats
Now, I run with a heart-rate monitor and keep my heart rate somewhere around 146bpm for 5 mile run. I have not been doing it long enough to see an increase in speed, however I am noticing I am less sore, recover faster, and can go further/longer at this heart-rate.
I recommend you try this for yourself and see what you think. I think a lot of people don't enjoy running because they run too hard, too often, and are in the anaerobic zone instead of building the aerobic system.
If you are looking for a great GPS heart-monitor combo I highly recommend the Garmin Forerunner 410. I have one and love it. Be sure to get the watch and heart-rate monitor package.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Week 1
Last year was a big year for me. I dropped 30 lbs, ran two half marathons, and became a dad. The main reason why I lost the weight was because I wanted to be around to see my little boy grow up and do many great things. Doing two half marathons was great because they gave me a more concrete reason to get out and run or go to the gym on a regular basis. Losing weight for the sake losing weight does not work for me. Having an event I need to get fit for gives me the motivation to get up at 5am to workout.
I have observed that the natural progression of running for most people goes something like this:
I have observed that the natural progression of running for most people goes something like this:
- Run a 5k
- Run a 10k
- Half Marathon
- Marathon
Last year I went from 0 to half marathon. After doing one I decided to do another one and was left deciding what to do next. Running on the road for 26.2 miles just sounds painful. With that in mind I have decided that on 9/28/13 I will attempt the Timp Elk Run. The Elk Run is a 50k ultra-marathon and probably equally every bit as painful as a road marathon. For quite some time I have been intrigued and toyed with the idea of doing one of these trail races. Now, I am getting serious. Along the way I hope to not only loose more weight but increase my overall fitness level.
My training plan is to run three days a week and cross train by swimming three other days. I will take Sundays off to let my body recover.
So, here are pictures of where I am now and will update my progress with pictures and posts as time goes by. If you live close by and want to run with me please let me know.
Chris
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