You've Been In the Pool, I Can See it in Your Eyes

I realize I am a total rookie at the pool, but my goggles leave some crazy wrings around my eyes and they last for hours! I tried loosening the straps but maybe they are not the right fit. No big deal, I just look like a racoon walking down the halls for a bit after.

I did a pool workout that started with the swimming drills, "finding my sweet spot" in overall flotation. I did this for 6 laps and then put on the aqua-jogger for a bit and finished by swimming for 20 minutes. I progressed to swimming 50 meters at a time before needing to take a break. Yah, that's how much a rookie I am! My overall strokes are starting to feel better, and I am finally starting to relax and not have the urge to max out on each lap. I like this "swimming thing" as the rewards are easy to see when you are new. Back to the roads tomorrow.

Totals: 35 minutes pool work

I'm Coming Around the Mountain

This early mornings run felt like things are coming back around. My quads felt much better and my foot/achilles felt quite good. I did a short out and back on west skyline running into many others in the early morning darkness. It was cool and crisp, the way I love running in the fall. I am keeping optamistic that I will be running everyday come middle October.
Totals: 32:00 4.5 miles

Weeks Review

A little running this week and next to no cross training! Not good, I need to cross train more. The achilles feels all too familiar in the way that it doesn't hurt at all running, but it is very sore the next morning. It also remains tender to pinch. This next week I hope to workout everyday.

Weeks Total: 13.5 miles running and 35 min.'s of swimming on four days.

Years Total: 1498 miles

No Running Today

I went with my gut feeling and decided against running today and went to the pool. The pool at CPF was very slow and I had the pool to myself and one other. I worked on some of the drills I learned from the DVD and did laps for a total of 35 minutes. Overall, a good workout.
Totals: 35:00 swimming

Make that Two in a Row

I wasn't going to run today after yesterday's debacle but I did anyway. Kooks and I did the cemetery loop and for the most part I felt terrible. My achilles is ok, but my quads and overall energy were gone. My heart rate was through the roof for just a little 30 min. jog. Maybe I am going to have a few of these days until I get my feet back under me.
As I said before, a bad running is better than a good day on the couch!
Totals: 29:44 ~4.5 miles

I'm Running But...

Boy this week sure went to shit in a hurry. I must have been fighting a bug of some sorts because I was fatigued and lazy all week. I also had the "taste" of being sick in my mouth when I spit phlegm and blew my nose. Ya, you know what I mean. Anyway, I didn't do a very good job cross training in the pool or bike.

I went out for my morning run only to find my quads completely shredded. Why? I don't know. Both my quads felt like I had just finished a downhill half marathon. I did a short loop through campus and also jumped on the UMD track and did a little over 2 miles. My achilles feels quite good and all I need is my quads to catch up and maybe I can start running again.

On a side note, I received a comp entry to the Pumpkin Run since I was lucky enough to win the inaugural event last year. I guess this is a little motivation to get going and maybe put up a fight for whom ever is going to win it. I don't think it will be me, but I am willing to try. I probably shouldn't even be putting "race" into a sentence but you know how it is.

Totals: 32:03 ~4.5 miles (quads hurt like crazy)

It's Not the Big Time, But It's a Start

Yesterday I should have biked for some, but I didn't. This morning I woke up and decided it was time to test the achilles. I headed out for my cemetery loop and was waiting for my achilles to get sore, and it never happened. My legs felt pretty good and my feet felt great! My next two weeks will be every other day for 30-35 minutes of easy flat running. After that I will see if running everyday is feasible. On my off days from running it will be necessary to remain cross training and keep the fitness up.
Totals: 29:04 ~4.5 miles (yes running!)

Pool Workout

I recently viewed a swimming video on proper technique for freestyle swimming. Today I went to the CPF to try some of the drills. They went pretty good, I need to do some of the drills every time I go to the pool in hopes of getting my strokes more efficient. My right shoulder continues to be my stopping point during my swim. It gets sore if I start to go to long, so it is a built in governor if you will.
I swam and kick-board for 1/2 hour to get a decent workout today.
Totals: 30:00 swimming

Country Bike

The afternoon temps finally warmed up to the point where I figured biking wouldn't be too chilly. I did a nice rolling loop out on some country roads. Amazing how the biking muscles are sooo different from running. I do think it will benefit my running as I can feel my weakness when on the bike. Overall a good ride and better than being on the fluid-trainer. Not quite sure what I'm going to do tomorrow. The foot is feeling better and I may do a couple short (3 miles) runs this next week just to see where I am at. I don't feel much tenderness now, so I decided to take an extra week or two off just to make sure it doesn't resurface.
Totals: 1:10:00 biking (Windy!)

Pool Work...Nice!

It has been a couple of days since I did any form of exercise so I knew I needed to get my carcass out of bed and do something. Since I took the day off of work, (it's our 5th wedding anniversary) I figured I would get an early start and head to the pool for a workout. PR shared a workout from the Pfitzinger website with me that had a detailed aqua jogging schedule. I thought I would do one of the 30 minute workouts and was actually doing a pretty good job and at 18 minutes into the workout I decided I'd had enough. Two lengths of the pool with the kick board and I started swimming laps. As far as swimming goes, I am starting to feel a bit better but knowing I have a long way to go to be able to do actual swimming type workouts. It feels good though.
Totals: 18 minute aqua jog, 25 minutes of swimming.
43:00 of total activity

Late Night Bike

I didn't feel the best today, maybe a cold is working at me. After suppper I decided to give biking a try just to burn some steam. I did the usual workout of warm up, intervals of 1-2 minutes and a warm down. Off to the pool tomorrow a.m.

I took yesterday off.
Totals: 30:00 Bike

More of The Same

This morning Kari, Lucas and I went downtown to watch the Minnesota Mile-Duluth. It was cool and breezy but overall pretty good conditions to run fast. I took a few pictures, as I am attempting to sharpen my skills as a amateur sports photographer. For some reason, I am pretty good at cutting peoples feet off. I guess that is over compensating so I don't lop off their heads. I did get some pretty good shots...maybe I'll try to include an attachment of the men's and women's winners. Go to Race Results link off my front page to get full reults.

Personally, this was more poison for me not able to compete. I love the sport and wouldn't miss watching an event like this for much, but it still pisses me off that I can't be competing.

No running, biking, or swimming.

A good day for spectating though.

The winners of the Elite Races are Kathleen Monaghan(5:06) and Brad Lowery(4:08)

Weeks Review

This was a week that helped lift my mood, even though I had a tough time with the races over this past weekend. Biking and swimming will never replace the feeling I get when running, however I realize the benefits they offer. At least I get a good "burn" when I bike. It looks like I may take another two weeks off from running depending on the progress.
Totals: 6 days worth of cross training.
Totals Year:1484.5 miles

Hum Drum...

I was feeling sorry for myself after watching the UMD invitational this morning. I don't know about others but man do I get crabby when I can train and race. Cross-training just isn't the same but I will have to make due with it. I seem to be an optimist in everyday life and I guess I just needed to sit down and realize I don't have things all that bad. My leg isn't in a cast, I'm not in the hospital, I don't have to work today, it isn't raining, it isn't snowing, I don't have to cut the grass, my family is loving and healthy, the creditors haven't been able to find our new address yet,and I can bike and swim/aqua-jog until I can run again. Having said all that, I got on the fluid-trainer for a workout. I did my usual 10 minute warm up and started the intervals. The whole workout looked like this, 4X1 minute hard/1 easy, 5 minutes of steady at fast RPM >100, 4X 1 minute intervals and lastly 7 minute steady at RPM >100 and a warm down. The workout went pretty good, I do have to monitor my right knee a bit but talking to regular bikers this is normal when one first starts off bike training.
On a sour note: the UMD's men's 8K race got totally F'd up by someone who directed the chase group to the finish line a whole lap early. Don't think that it will be a scoreable race. Hey, there is another point for me...I wasn't running a race where the placing got all screwed up!
Totals: 47:26 biking plus a 30 minute core-work session.

Just Not The Same

As much as realize I need to cross train during times of injury, I just don't get the same "burn" from other forms of aerobic training as I do with running. I managed to get out of bed this morning and get a decent workout on the bike. My legs feel very good, fatigued and tired, but my breathing doesn't get the workout I am used to. Part of this is being new to biking I'm sure but I am eagerly waiting to be running on the trails soon.
The workout was 12 minutes of warm up and 30 minutes of intervals followed by 10 minutes of easy spinning at 100 rpm.
Totals: 52:15 bike
note (right medial knee, just under knee cap sore at end)

No Activity Today

I woke up sore and very tired for some reason, and I got a good night's sleep? I decided to just keep to my core-work routine and be happy with that. Tomorrow I will bike again.
Totals: 30 min's core-work/light weights.

I Feel Like Cement

Since UMD's semester started the pool hours get a lot more in tune to my schedule. After my alarm went off, I decided to make my first trip of the fall to the pool. (notice I said fall, it's like that in Duluth) I did the aqua jogging for 30 min's and then swam laps for almost 10 minutes. All I could muster was on 25 meter length at a time and take 30 seconds of rest in between laps. At the end I felt like I got a fair workout. My achilles continues to heal and it looks like I should get some good running in late September and into October.
Totals: 39:30 pool work

Trainer Time

Believe it or not after yesterday's bike my legs were left a bit dead this morning. I needed to do something so I just did an easy thirty minute workout. Ten minute of warm up and 6X 1 minute intervals and then a cool down to get to thirty minutes. After the workout my legs felt much better and flushed out. Achilles continue to improve every day.
Totals: 30:00 bike

Family Bike

Kari and I (while towing Lucas in a trailer) did a nice loop from our house down to the Lakewalk and headed west in town. From there, we needed to get up to skyline, so only one way to get there which was UP! Lot's of steep climbs and burning quads/glutes and we finally got to our destination. By the time we got home it was a nice 95 minute ride. Both Kari and I said it was nice to feel the legs burn in a way other than running. Nice!
Totals: 1:35:00

Weeks Review

I didn't do any running this week and plan not to run until there is no tenderness when I finally do jog. I try jogging up my driveway and do a little bouncing exercise, and if I feel tenderness, then no running! Things are getting much better, it's just going to take some time. Next week classes start at UMD and the lap pool hours get better, so I will be returning to the pool for aqua-jogging and swimming.
Totals: 1:00:00 biking
Totals Year: 1484.5 miles