Today:
Run 30 miles
Yesterday:
Run 8 miles
Bike 8 miles
Lift 16 lifts
-3 sets of 12 reps
Friday:
Run 7 miles
Thursday:
Bike 40 miles
Wednesday:
Run 12 miles
Bike Commute 3 miles
Had a very up and down Thanksgiving weekend. Up and down in many ways. My training was horrible on Wednesday and Thursday. I felt very weak both days and just wasn't excited to be out running or biking either day. But then by today I had one of the best runs in a long time. I did 30 miles in 3 hours 53 minutes and felt great both mentally and physically.
For Thanksgiving Jill and I went to a dinner with some friends and several of their friends. Met a lot of great people, enjoyed some great food, and maybe a little too much wine. In all it was the most enjoyable Thanksgiving I've had in 4 or 5 years. And then Friday came around and I was in a horrible mood. I felt physically weak, like I was getting sick most of the day and it was such a dark dreary day that it looked like pre-dawn the entire day. I kept waiting for the day to start and then suddenly it was getting dark. I got out for a run as the sun was setting (not that I could actually see the sun at any point in the past week) and that made me feel a little better. Most of Saturday was still very gloomy (the weather and my mood) and then in the evening I went out to a dinner party that was quite enjoyable and got my mood back on track... at least for awhile. And then with such a great run today I couldn't have asked for a better end to my long weekend. Well, until I found out tonight that I need to go into work at 8:30 tomorrow (I don't usually work until noon on Monday) because one of my co-workers is stuck in Anchorage until the morning.
It's amazing to me though how much my training can affect my overall mood. I don't generally end up in a bad mood exclusively because of my training but it's so often the trigger that sets me off dwelling on other things that get me down. And then as soon as I have a great day of training I snap back out of it and am often in as good a mood as ever.
Training totals for the week (as of yesterday): Bike 88 miles; Run 71 miles; 19 hours time.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Glory Days
Run 7 miles
Bike 30 miles
I used to be fast. Or at least I used to try to be fast, as in speed, as in short stuff, as in back in high school and college. At some point I ran a 4:30 mile and a 15:15 5k. Not that either of these are really all that fast but compared to what I could run now, or at any point in the past 5+ years, they are. Of course 13 years ago when I was running these times I would have likely died if I tried running 20+ miles.
Anyhow, the point is I don't ever even try to be fast anymore. I do speed workouts in my training but these aren't geared toward achieving speed but rather toward using speed to improve my endurance running. Anyway, back to the point. Today was one of those runs when I just felt really loose and quick. I didn't really plan on running fast but after about 4 miles it just felt really good to start pushing the pace. I was running on a quite technical trail so I had to be careful about my footing but I knew there would be a one mile stretch of trail at mile 5 that is quite smooth and flat. The forest service has mile markers on the trail so I decided I wanted to do a little time trial. To my surprise I ran a 5:00 mile. This is still a long ways from 4:30, which is still a long ways from any kind of serious speed, but the point is that it felt good and was fun. Enough fun to give up Endurance racing and try to pursue short, track/road races? Not hardly, but a fun change of pace to push myself like that for the first time in a long time.
Bike 30 miles
I used to be fast. Or at least I used to try to be fast, as in speed, as in short stuff, as in back in high school and college. At some point I ran a 4:30 mile and a 15:15 5k. Not that either of these are really all that fast but compared to what I could run now, or at any point in the past 5+ years, they are. Of course 13 years ago when I was running these times I would have likely died if I tried running 20+ miles.
Anyhow, the point is I don't ever even try to be fast anymore. I do speed workouts in my training but these aren't geared toward achieving speed but rather toward using speed to improve my endurance running. Anyway, back to the point. Today was one of those runs when I just felt really loose and quick. I didn't really plan on running fast but after about 4 miles it just felt really good to start pushing the pace. I was running on a quite technical trail so I had to be careful about my footing but I knew there would be a one mile stretch of trail at mile 5 that is quite smooth and flat. The forest service has mile markers on the trail so I decided I wanted to do a little time trial. To my surprise I ran a 5:00 mile. This is still a long ways from 4:30, which is still a long ways from any kind of serious speed, but the point is that it felt good and was fun. Enough fun to give up Endurance racing and try to pursue short, track/road races? Not hardly, but a fun change of pace to push myself like that for the first time in a long time.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
A Little Snow and a Lot of Sun
Today:
Run 25 miles
Yesterday:
Mt. Bike 15 miles
Run 13 miles
Friday:
Bike Commute 3 miles
Run 7 miles
Racking up more running miles. Loads of sun yesterday. Probably the nicest day we've had in over 2 months:
And then today it was snowy and starting to slowly look a little more like winter. Sorry, no pictures. I was carrying too much food on my run today to fit my camera anywhere. It felt nice to actually eat enough on a longer run. I've done too many runs in the past few weeks in which I either didn't feel like eating or didn't bother to take anything with me to eat. I made a decision today that I was going to carry lots of food and force it down. It makes a huge difference. I feel less tired tonight than I did last night even though I ran almost twice as far today.
Spent about $20 at the hardware store and an hour of my time trying to improve my sled design from last year for my sled that I'll use to carry my gear in the Iditarod Invitational. So far just a waste of time and money but it's these failures that will eventually lead to a fine tuned design. My sled worked OK last year but it had a tendency to wobble from side to side causing it to flip over several times. Not something I want to have to deal with again this year.
Totals for the week (as of yesterday): Bike 64 miles; Run 83 miles; 17.5 hours.
Run 25 miles
Yesterday:
Mt. Bike 15 miles
Run 13 miles
Friday:
Bike Commute 3 miles
Run 7 miles
Racking up more running miles. Loads of sun yesterday. Probably the nicest day we've had in over 2 months:
And then today it was snowy and starting to slowly look a little more like winter. Sorry, no pictures. I was carrying too much food on my run today to fit my camera anywhere. It felt nice to actually eat enough on a longer run. I've done too many runs in the past few weeks in which I either didn't feel like eating or didn't bother to take anything with me to eat. I made a decision today that I was going to carry lots of food and force it down. It makes a huge difference. I feel less tired tonight than I did last night even though I ran almost twice as far today.
Spent about $20 at the hardware store and an hour of my time trying to improve my sled design from last year for my sled that I'll use to carry my gear in the Iditarod Invitational. So far just a waste of time and money but it's these failures that will eventually lead to a fine tuned design. My sled worked OK last year but it had a tendency to wobble from side to side causing it to flip over several times. Not something I want to have to deal with again this year.
Totals for the week (as of yesterday): Bike 64 miles; Run 83 miles; 17.5 hours.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Ho-hum
Today:
Bike Commute 3 miles
Run 10 miles
Yesterday:
Run 8 miles
Bike 33 miles
Tuesday:
Run 12 miles
Bike 7 miles
Lift 18 lifts
-3 sets of 12 reps.
Not much new. Jill's now an NPR celebrity. That's pretty cool.
I've just been mostly running. Still no snow to speak of. I've run 156 miles in the past 14 days and have been feeling great. Rode on the trainer for 2 hours last night. Riding on the trainer sucks.
I'll probably try to put in a 25 mile run this Sunday and then hopefully within another couple weeks we'll have enough snow that I can put in long runs dragging my sled with the gear I'll be carrying on the ITI. Still got lots of tweaking to do to my sled and gear but until there's more snow and cold there's not much I can do about that.
Bike Commute 3 miles
Run 10 miles
Yesterday:
Run 8 miles
Bike 33 miles
Tuesday:
Run 12 miles
Bike 7 miles
Lift 18 lifts
-3 sets of 12 reps.
Not much new. Jill's now an NPR celebrity. That's pretty cool.
I've just been mostly running. Still no snow to speak of. I've run 156 miles in the past 14 days and have been feeling great. Rode on the trainer for 2 hours last night. Riding on the trainer sucks.
I'll probably try to put in a 25 mile run this Sunday and then hopefully within another couple weeks we'll have enough snow that I can put in long runs dragging my sled with the gear I'll be carrying on the ITI. Still got lots of tweaking to do to my sled and gear but until there's more snow and cold there's not much I can do about that.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Stuck In The Middle
Today:
Bike Commute 3 miles
Run 10 miles
Yesterday:
Run 23 miles
Last year we never really had a period between the seasons like we're having right now. It went from being fall to winter in a couple days and after that the snow just kept piling up. Right now though it's just kind of stuck in the middle. That's left me with lots of running and not much opportunity for biking or xc skiing. The timing has been good because I'm right at a point when I need to focus more specifically on my running, but I sure would like to be able to mix it up a little more than I have been for the past 10 days or so. Another day or two of this in between weather and I'm either going to bust out the bike trainer or go out skiing on the one inch of snow that we have right now. Maybe tomorrow I'll go to the gym and try to put in an hour or so on the stationary bike... or maybe I'll just go out running for a couple hours again.
By the way, had a great 23 mile run yesterday. I was pretty tired out by the last few miles but I felt physically and mentally so much better than I did on my 20 miler last weekend. I finally feel myself getting into a running specific groove that I have not really felt since early August.
Bike Commute 3 miles
Run 10 miles
Yesterday:
Run 23 miles
Last year we never really had a period between the seasons like we're having right now. It went from being fall to winter in a couple days and after that the snow just kept piling up. Right now though it's just kind of stuck in the middle. That's left me with lots of running and not much opportunity for biking or xc skiing. The timing has been good because I'm right at a point when I need to focus more specifically on my running, but I sure would like to be able to mix it up a little more than I have been for the past 10 days or so. Another day or two of this in between weather and I'm either going to bust out the bike trainer or go out skiing on the one inch of snow that we have right now. Maybe tomorrow I'll go to the gym and try to put in an hour or so on the stationary bike... or maybe I'll just go out running for a couple hours again.
By the way, had a great 23 mile run yesterday. I was pretty tired out by the last few miles but I felt physically and mentally so much better than I did on my 20 miler last weekend. I finally feel myself getting into a running specific groove that I have not really felt since early August.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Monkey's Last Stand
Today:
Mt. Bike 12 miles
Run 7 miles
Yesterday:
Bike 11 miles
Run 2 miles
Lift 16 lifts
-3 sets of 12 reps.
Thursday:
Mt. Bike 12 miles
Run 15 miles
Wednesday:
Run 7 miles
Bike commute 3 miles
By this time tomorrow there will likely be too much snow to ride my Karate Monkey on trails around here anymore. Got out for one last ride today and am now just waiting for enough snow to start skiing more. It was nice to get about 300 miles of trail riding in on my new bike this fall, but now I have to accept the fact that I'm not going to be riding it on dirt trail again until sometime in late April or early May. And at that point I'll only have about 7 weeks before the start of the GDR.
I guess for now though it's time to put the bike away and get entirely focused on the Iditarod Trail Invitational. It's a little over 3 months until the race. 3 months to fine tune my body and, more importantly, fine tune my gear. I've got to build a better sled, figure out what clothing I plan to use, what sleeping gear I plan to use, and countless other details. And then I need to get out in the cold and dark Alaska winter and test these things out. Should be fun. I won't have much time for the next few months for anything other than working, sleeping, eating, and preparing for the race. What more could one hope for?
Mt. Bike 12 miles
Run 7 miles
Yesterday:
Bike 11 miles
Run 2 miles
Lift 16 lifts
-3 sets of 12 reps.
Thursday:
Mt. Bike 12 miles
Run 15 miles
Wednesday:
Run 7 miles
Bike commute 3 miles
By this time tomorrow there will likely be too much snow to ride my Karate Monkey on trails around here anymore. Got out for one last ride today and am now just waiting for enough snow to start skiing more. It was nice to get about 300 miles of trail riding in on my new bike this fall, but now I have to accept the fact that I'm not going to be riding it on dirt trail again until sometime in late April or early May. And at that point I'll only have about 7 weeks before the start of the GDR.
I guess for now though it's time to put the bike away and get entirely focused on the Iditarod Trail Invitational. It's a little over 3 months until the race. 3 months to fine tune my body and, more importantly, fine tune my gear. I've got to build a better sled, figure out what clothing I plan to use, what sleeping gear I plan to use, and countless other details. And then I need to get out in the cold and dark Alaska winter and test these things out. Should be fun. I won't have much time for the next few months for anything other than working, sleeping, eating, and preparing for the race. What more could one hope for?
A bit too much snow now for my Monkey, but just getting to be good riding for Jill on her Pugsley.Totals for the week: Bike 48 miles; run 71 miles; 16.5 hours.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Bright Morning
Finally, the monsoon season may be over here. I awoke this morning to two very encouraging things: snow and sun. It's about time because I don't know if I could have taken too many more days of waking to mud and rain.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Not Feelin' It
Today:
Run 11 miles
Bike Commute 3 miles
Yesterday:
Run 20 miles
After yesterday's run I've decided I really need to start focusing my training more consistently on running. For the past several weeks it's been about 1/2 running and 1/2 biking but with the weather getting worse and worse for biking and with how crappy I felt running 20 miles yesterday it's time to start trying to get a decent run in at least 5 days a week. I don't know what it was yesterday but I just felt like every mile was a struggle both physically and mentally. Felt a lot better today so hopefully it was just a funk I was in for a day. At least the scenery was nice:
Run 11 miles
Bike Commute 3 miles
Yesterday:
Run 20 miles
After yesterday's run I've decided I really need to start focusing my training more consistently on running. For the past several weeks it's been about 1/2 running and 1/2 biking but with the weather getting worse and worse for biking and with how crappy I felt running 20 miles yesterday it's time to start trying to get a decent run in at least 5 days a week. I don't know what it was yesterday but I just felt like every mile was a struggle both physically and mentally. Felt a lot better today so hopefully it was just a funk I was in for a day. At least the scenery was nice:
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Recipe For a Power Vacation
Ingredients:
- Round trip ticket to Vegas
- Rental Car
- Borrowed Mt. bike (thanks Dave)
- ~12 old friends
- ~12 new friends (it's ok to substitute Internet friends for "real" people when trying to make new friends. They're much easier to meet and typically add better flavor)
- 1,500 miles of driving
- 100 miles of Mt. biking on desert doubletrack with new friends
- 50 miles of riding on desert singletrack
- 50 miles of trail running
- 2 hours of soaking in hot springs
- 90 minutes of running with Karl
- 60 minutes of riding with Lynda
- 3 hours of riding with Dave
- As little sleep as possible
Directions: Preheat Earth's surface to 70 degrees and sunny. Use plane ticket to get to Vegas. Use rental car to leave Vegas and head to Utah as soon as possible. Combine all remaining ingredients, stir, and enjoy (it also helps to remember more than one set of almost completely dead batteries for your camera - unfortunately these were the only pictures I was able to get):
Sunrise over the White Rim
I'm sure there was a much better view off to the right but I thought this picture of everyone else taking pictures off to the right was too funny to pass up.
Dan, Jefe, Chris, and Chris
Soaking at Diamond Fork hot springs with Nate, Shanon, and Anna
Riding in St. George with Dave H. ok, so you can't see Dave in the picture but I promise he's out there somewhere in the distance. Wish I had a chance more often to be the slow guy. It's more fun trying to keep up than waiting around for others.
Daily/Weekly Stats
Today:
Mt. Bike 16 miles
Run 7 miles
Lift 16 lifts
-3 sets of 12 reps.
Totals for the week: Run 50 miles; Bike 65 miles; 15.5 hours.
Mt. Bike 16 miles
Run 7 miles
Lift 16 lifts
-3 sets of 12 reps.
Totals for the week: Run 50 miles; Bike 65 miles; 15.5 hours.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Quick Post From Juneu
Today:
Run 15 miles
Bike Commute 3 miles
Yesterday:
Off
Wednesday:
Mt. Bike 35 miles
I'm back in Juneau after a very busy and very enjoyable vacation (and quite expensive). Lots of time spent outdoors and catching up with old friends and making new friends. Hopefully I'll have some time later to post some pictures... although I didn't take very many because my batteries were dead on my camera most of the week and I kept forgetting to buy new ones and suddenly I would be off running or biking somewhere in the desert with great views in every direction and a dead camera in my pack.
For now it's out for a run in the 35 degrees of wind and rain that has greeted me in Juneau.
Run 15 miles
Bike Commute 3 miles
Yesterday:
Off
Wednesday:
Mt. Bike 35 miles
I'm back in Juneau after a very busy and very enjoyable vacation (and quite expensive). Lots of time spent outdoors and catching up with old friends and making new friends. Hopefully I'll have some time later to post some pictures... although I didn't take very many because my batteries were dead on my camera most of the week and I kept forgetting to buy new ones and suddenly I would be off running or biking somewhere in the desert with great views in every direction and a dead camera in my pack.
For now it's out for a run in the 35 degrees of wind and rain that has greeted me in Juneau.