6.25.12 Spinning

The Workout: Spin 60 minutes at MI

It's been a few days since I've worked out.  Thursday and Friday we were travelling almost all day.  My nutrition was all screwed up and I was having a terrible time recovering from my run on the 20th.  I had wanted to run Friday after we got home, but really screwed that up by forgetting to eat as I was driving home.  I had only about 300 calories until around 2 in the afternoon.  I tried to catch up from the deficit, but the day was just lost, I had no energy.

Saturday we photographed a wedding and then Sunday we finally had time to begin to organize all of the stuff we just dumped into our living room from the trip.  It was a busy 4 days and I'm not happy I didn't work out, but I'm not really worried either.

I had a great spin today.  I was working on maintaining a high cadence in order to find any flaws in my form and work them out.  I'm still pretty smooth, but I have a little weakness issue in my left leg that's causing it to be off every once in a while.  I don't think I ever fully recovered my left leg from the meniscus tear (I didn't do physical therapy).  I've slowly been strengthening it and it's not noticeable if you look at it, but I still inadvertently favor it at times and I think that's what is leading to the small problem in my smooth spinning at higher RPM's. (-2 run on sentence)

I'll post this weeks workouts either later today or tomorrow morning.

And I won't be posting the spin info from Endo... it doesn't have any more info than what I've already stated above.

6.20.2012 Running (up a Mountain)

The Workout: Run my ass off.

Prior to the trip up to Winter Park, I was really looking forward to putting in some good efforts up here.  Little did I know that altitude would have such a negative effect.  I knew it would be difficult, but not like this.

Today was our last full day up here and my last chance to really put in an effort that I was proud of. I was headed out to the normal trail we had ran (Fraser River Trail) because I knew it and I was just going to give it all I had and try to put in 4 or 5 miles at a respectable pace.

Well... on my way out there I took a different route to warm up.  I walked through the little village area of Winter Park Resort to scout out some shops that I'd be visiting later in the day.  I came around one of the buildings and it just opened up to a spectacular view up the mountain.  I was immediately inspired to run it.  


I asked the guy operating the lift if there was a trail close that I could run on.  He pointed to a little path of dirt not more than about 13 inches wide and said it zig-zags all the way up to the top of the Zephyr Lift.

Sweet!

After starting Endo, sending a Glympse, and turning Pandora to my Skillet station, I was off.

At first I was charging up with a fury, but all too soon the lack of oxygen caught up with me and I was forced to slow it down.  Way down.  I had to walk for a bit.  I kept up a brisk pace walking and ran when I could.  I was giving 100% so it was all I could do.  Just keep moving up the mountain.  I was loving it!  Every once in a while I'd look back and see how much smaller the village below me looked, it was really rewarding.  This was the kind of run I was hoping for in Colorado!  I ended up ascending right around 1,000 ft.

I had told Meagan I'd be out for about 30 minutes (we were going out soon after I got back so I couldn't take much longer).  I hit 22 minutes and figured I should turn back.  I had taken a few photos on the way up, I wanted to take a video, but it would have been pretty boring and slow.  So, now on my way down I got out my phone, hit record, and began my descent.  It was WAY more fun than the ascent! A little scary at times, but definitely more fun.  What took me 22 minutes to climb only took me 11 minutes to get down.  My thighs were burning and were on the verge of cramping by the time I got down to the bottom.  I wanted to go at least 3 miles so I kept running on a service road until I hit that.

Here's the Endo info and a video of the descent.  It might make you motion sick or it may be boring to watch, I'm not sure.  I apologize for the shots of my shorts, I was trying to get the trail as I was going over it.  Apparently I'm not such a great running videographer.  It starts in a bunch of trees, but I'm not in there for long.  It soon opens up to be able to see down the mountain.  The video is also quite shaky since I'm just holding the phone in my hand.  It may not be worth much but I figured I'd include it anyways.

6.19.12 Impromptu Rest Day

Today we drove up to Rocky Mountain National Park.  I was planning on running when we got back, but it wasn't until much later than we had intended.  Plus, I was just pooped!  I think the altitude was finally catching up to me.  I was just drained by the end of the day.

We hiked in a few spots (I wish I would have had the foresight to track it with Endomondo).  The highest point we visited was just over 12,000 ft.  I felt ok doing it at the time, but on the ride back to Winter Park I think it was all catching up with me and I started feeling better that I took the day off of running.

I'm looking forward to putting in a good effort in the morning.  Not sure what I'm going to do yet.

But, today I just enjoyed the day out with Meagan, Liam, and Oliver up in the Rockies.

Here's some pictures of Liam and I taken with my phone.  We had our other camera up there, I might upload some of those later.

6.18.12 Running

The Workout:  30 minute run @ LI.

I've been doing some reading about running/working out at higher altitudes.  One of the main points I'm taking to heart is to run for effort not for time.  So, today I just took it easy (for the most part) and ran most of the way trying to keep that in mind.  Meagan and I headed out and just sat back and enjoyed the scenery.

It was a pretty run along the Fraser River.  Paved and a lot like the running trails in Olathe, but a lot prettier.  I was hoping for a more adventurous trail though.  One that was dirt and winding through the woods and along a river would have been cool.  I'll have to ask around to see if there's anything like that for subsequent runs.

On this one, I got a little faster each mile and ended up having my fastest one on the last mile, which happened to be uphill all of the way.  It seems like it's a shock to my body when I start running at high altitude.  It's really difficult in the beginning of the run, but near the end I feel like I get a little more used to it and can begin to work with the oxygen I've got.  Still no where near my normal times at 1000 ft in Kansas, but definitely more comfortable.

6.17.12 Running

The Workout: 30 minute run @ LI.

As we're making our way out to Winter Park, CO we ended up stopping in Goodland, KS last night for a little break.  In the morning it was time for a 30 minute run.  I wasn't expecting any real effect on my performance since we were still in Kansas, but as it turned out we were at 3,681 ft.  Which is about 3 times what I'm used to in Olathe, KS (elevation 1,005 ft).  The first mile I ran at a normally comfortable pace of 7:40, which is about what I averaged a few weeks ago for 13 miles.  Today there was no way I could have kept it up even for 5.  It was rough.  

I ran with my wife Meagan for mile two and recovered.  On the third mile I wanted to give it more effort and just see what I could do given that the first one was so tough.  There goes the Light Intensity for today.  

I pulled out a 6:53 mile and I really couldn't have gone much faster.  This was over a minute slower than my fastest mile time so far of 5:49.  

If I was feeling that poor at only 3,681 ft, I'm kind of nervous what I'll be feeling like at 9,000 ft.

6.15.12 Spinning... and then Running

The Workout: 2 hours of MI spinning... and then an impromptu run at the end.

I hadn't planned on running today, and I know my workouts have strayed from the original plan as laid out last week, but I've had to modify the schedule a little bit.  Even so, I've had a great week of training.

We're leaving tomorrow for Colorado and we'll be traveling most of Saturday and Sunday.  Since Sunday was scheduled to be my long day and we'd be on the road, I figured it wasn't going to happen.  So, I decided to do it today.  I didn't have a set time in mind.  I just wanted to spin for a while.  Before I knew it 2 hours went by and I was still feeling great.  Good enough to feel motivated to head out for a run.  The weather was on the verge of stormy, so it was somewhat overcast and there were nice cool gusts of wind... who could resist?

I felt awesome for having just spent 2 hours on the bike.  The momentum was lost right after mile 3 when I got stopped at a stoplight.  I tried to get the motor running again, but it just said no way.  I was content.  It was a great effort at the end of a long workout.

Run info is below...

6.14.12 Swimming

The Workout: 30 minutess of LI to MI swimming.

Another day at the lake.  It was pretty similar to Tuesday.  The unfamiliarity with the water, labored breathing as I struggle to regain my form of late, and frustration with each of those.  It'll just take time, but I know I'll get there.

There are extended moments when my form and breathing are spot on and I feel like I'm effortlessly gliding through the water.  Then I get fatigued as I mess up my breathing, begin to crave oxygen, start to gut flustered, and it all just goes downhill until I slow it down and recompose myself and try again.  It's a work in progress and I know swimming is the area I'll need to concentrate on the most to get into racing form.