Weekend training

Got lots of training in on this long weekend. Started Friday evening teaching Kodenkan Jiu-Jitsu. I taught the kids class and I had 12 kids which was a handful. It is fun being with the kids and some of the questions they ask. Usually they ask how old I am, if  I'm married. One of the kids wanted to know what my religion was. I have never been asked that. Apparently I gave him the right answer because he was satisfied. The adult class was smaller with only 3 people there. So that meant I got to work out with them. We grappled the last 20 minutes of class. This is always very physical, all out for 5 minutes each round.

Saturday morning was the Galloway group run. We just started a new session and this was the "Magic Mile". Everyone runs a mile fast as they can. These times are then used to sort people into their pace groups for the rest of the training. We started with a 1.5 mile warmup then the magic mile and finally a 1.5 mile cool down. After running I went to the gym with Loanna and we lifted some weights.

Sunday morning was the 26.2 mile bike ride with Donna to benefit Breast cancer research. I did the ride with a group of friends(Scott, Deb, Carolyn & Wally). It started out kind of cool and then warmed up nicely. We averaged about 17 mph on the ride. We weren't pushing it too hard. After we finished I rode back out on the course to look for Wally who was a bit late. I found her a few miles from the finish and rode in with her. There was a cookout after the ride and it was nice hanging out and talking to people.

Monday was Veterans Day. I actually ended up going for a solo run. It is rare that I train alone. I was thinking about how many people I am lucky enough to train with. Between Jiu-Jitsu, Running and Biking I probably trained with 50 people. This is truly a gift to have all these people in my life. I feel enriched in some way by each person I am able to share some of my life with.

Ironman Miami 70.3

Registration has closed for the half ironman event in Miami. The race is October 30th and it is already full. A Half Ironman is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run Do one after the other. I am hoping to finish my race in around 6 hours. Between now and then I will be doing a lot of training. I am going to continue doing the masters swim at the YMCA twice a week and continue working on my running. I am doing the 26.2 with Donna marathon in February and I am still training for that. We have 2 more long runs scheduled. a 23 and a 26 mile run. I will do these training runs in January and then start tapering for the marathon. I am doing the Tour de Cure bike ride in May as part of my bike training. It is amazing how much time and training goes into one of these races. For my marathon I have done about 400 miles worth of running. I will get in at least another 100 miles before the race. I need to work out a schedule for my training that covers 3 swim sessions, 3 bike sessions and, 3 running sessions. Some of these will be brick workouts. A brick is where you do a swim followed by a run or a bike followed by a run. Your legs feel like bricks the first 1/4 mile or so. You need to do a fairly quick transition to get the full benefit of this type of workout. I have a long way to go in my training. I may not be very fast but I know if I train properly I will be able to complete the race

It's all who you know

So a year ago I was just getting into running after years of coasting along physically. I weighed more than I had ever weighed in my life. I decided I need a change. My friend Laura told me about this group she was training with. They used the Galloway method of running. Basically you run a minute and walk a minute. It is supposed to be easier on your body. I decided to give it a try. My first time out we did 6 miles. I was struggling towards the end. Laura offered to go get the car and pick me up. No self respecting guy is going to go for that. So a year later I am training for a marathon. I have completed a half marathon done 4 triathlons and many 5k's and even a 15k race. It has been a very busy year. I have lost a lot of weight and feel much better. The thing that really makes that past year memorable is all the people I have meet. Monday evening I decided to go for a run in the neighborhood. Tami had already done her training run so I was on my own. I took the dog for the first 2 miles and then dropped him off and did my last 3 miles alone. Somewhere along the way I was thinking this was the first run in months that I had done by myself. I have met so many people training for races that I have had people to run, ride and swim with. I enjoyed my run but I was thinking about everyone who encouraged and inspired me along the way. I have also done my share of encouragement, so it goes both ways. I have a group of people I run the bridges with on Thursday evenings. I really enjoy doing this plus it is great exercise. So Saturday morning Tami and I will be out before the sun comes up to go for our training run.

The 26.2 Marathon with Donna is in February.

1 year running

Last year around this time I decided to start running. A year later I am still pretty slow but I enjoy it. I did the couch to half marathon program with the Galloway group. You run a minute and walk a minute. Having a the Half marathon with Donna gave the training a goal. Sharing a ride to the weekly training with Laura and Elaine made me have to go. There were several mornings when I just didn't want to get up but knowing someone was counting on you is a good motivator. I really have to thank Laura for getting me going. A year later I have done a half marathon(13.1 miles) The Gate River Run (9.3 miles) several 5k races and I have done 3 sprint triathlons and even an olympic distance triathlon. And now Tami and I are training for a full marathon in February. At the beginning of the year I decided to set some training goals Basically they were:

run 500 miles

ride 1500 miles (I had to up the bike miles)

I am doing really good on my goals I have done 440 mile running so far and 1400 miles on the bike. I count a spinning class as riding my bike 15 miles. This has been a really good year for my training. I have done more this year then ever before. I am already starting to plan some goals for next year but I am going to keep them to myself for a little while. I will post them after the beginning of the year but I will give a few hints. 26.2 with Donna in February and I want to do some more triathlons.

Fifty-one

February 27th

Tonight was the Thank you party for the volunteers foe the Marathon and Half Marathon with Donna. That's Donna in between Tami and I. She is a really nice person who is herself a Breast Cancer survivor. She has done an awful lot for raising money for finding a cure for Breast Cancer. The race was a first class event. The way they treated the volunteers is first rate as well. Tami volunteered to help and came home with all kinds of shirts and stuff. She had a great time at the race. Then she was invited to this party tonight. They were passing out more stuff and dinner was included. They had a band and Donna came and thanked everyone. It was a really nice evening.  I just have to say I am really impressed with how well the event was run before, during and after the event. I am definitely doing this again.

Forty-six

February 15th

Breast Cancer Half Marathon

I ran in my first half marathon 13.1 miles. My goal was to do it in under 3 hours. My time was 2:54:05 . I was very excited to do this. The whole race was quite an experience. The race was lined with people cheering us on. I ran with the same people I had been training with for the last several months so that was nice. I am holding my race number and also my medal for finishing. The best part was the people I have trained with. I have joined the Hammerhead Triathlon Club. They say "Pain is temporary; Pride is forever;Race Hard! I am sore today but I am proud of how I did. I am already training for the rest of the season , and thinking about future races. 

End of the year

So I have definitely ended the year on the right note. I have gotten serious about exercising and have even started running with a group. I have lost some weight but I feel much better. I am training for a half marathon in February and have decided to do some triathlons this coming summer. I don't expect to be very fast but I do expect to be able to complete the courses. Stay tuned for more updates. I have decided I am going to do a picture a day. This is something I have seen on Flickr. People will take a picture of themselves everyday and them post these. I have thought this sounded cool and have waited till the new year to start this project.

Outback Distance Classic

Or what I did Thanksgiving Day

I got up early and drove over to the race location. It is very nice when the race is only 5 minutes from the house. I ran in a 6k (3.728 miles) I finished in 45:46 with and average pace of 12:41 per mile. I may not be very fast but I was out there running.  There were 1,619 people running in the 6k and another 2,012 that raced in the Half Marathon. We all started at one time, this made for a very busy start. It took me almost 2 and 1/2 minutes to cross the start line. Everyone proceeded up San Jose Blvd. and then turned and started running back in the neighborhood. At the one mile mark the half marathon competitors turned left and we went to the right. It was nice being out and active early. I did well in the race and felt good when I finished. Everyone was still asleep when I got home. 

I did most of the cooking for Thanksgiving dinner. We had Turkey and Ham. I made Green beans and homemade mashed potatoes and rolls. For desert I made Pumpkin Pie. Samantha made homemade whipped cream. It was very good on the pie. After dinner we sat around and talked for quite a while. It was a very nice evening. After everyone left Tami helped me finish cleaning up in the kitchen. Miles got some ham which he really liked. 

Hope your Thanksgiving was good also. 

Working out

You got those shoes now wear them...

I have been training for my half marathon. Saturday we did our group run. We ran/walked 5 miles. We ran along the St. Johns River, then over the Main Street Bridge. Then we ran along the river in front of the landing and down to the Yates YMCA. This took us over the bridge thingy to cross over the railroad tracks, but underneath the Acosta Bridge. We stopped for a drink of water and then continued to the Fuller Warren bridge. We circled around and ran back to the "Y" had another water stop and then ran over the Acosta Bridge. After crossing the bridge we ran back to the starting point. It was a nice run, the weather could have been a little nicer. We had a few rain showers and there was wind. I was afraid my hat was going to blow off while crossing the bridges. 

Sunday morning I went to a spinning class. It was a good work out. The class was almost full. Class lasted a little over an hour with some stretching exercises at the end. The music was good and there were several songs I had not heard before. The instructor set a good pace and kept everyone moving. 

My running shoes and Biking shoes both got the workout this weekend I am putting some miles on each. I ran 11 miles this week. The spinning classes are like going 10-12 miles so I figure I rode 22 miles this week. I also spent some time in the pool, so it was a very busy week for the exercise. Now to take it easy for the rest of the day.

Training Run & Lost keys

Saturday morning I was up at 5:30 am to go for my group training run. We were scheduled to do 3 miles. The second mile was a timed run to sort people into pace groups. I woke up to the sound of rain and the temp was in the mid 50's. I came real close to calling it a day. However I was good and drove to the beach in the rain. The closer I got to the beach the better the weather was. I got there and we did our 3 miles at a slightly slower pace then usual. The group was very large but that will change. I did my second mile in 11:41. I am happy with my time I would like to improve that but only a few weeks ago I wasn't running at all so any time is great. 

After I finished my run I was walking back to the car and realized I had lost the key. I thought I was going to have to walk the whole course again to find it. I stepped back on the course and heard a woman asking a group if they had lost a key. I was very happy to see it was mine. I thanked her and asked where she found it. She said down by the fire station which was the turnaround point. I would have had a long walk finding it. As it was I only had to walk about 100 feet. 

There is another group training for the full marathon. They ran with us and then they did another loop of 4 miles. I think they did 16 miles last week and this was a recovery week for them. I am still impressed with the milage they are doing. We will eventually build up to 14 miles a few weeks before doing the Half Marathon in February. Lots more training to come and I need to figure out a better way to carry my key.

Morning training Run

This morning kicked off the Half-Marathon training.  I got to the "y" early and they had a check in and then you got your book and training log and a shirt. After some brief speeches we went for our run. We ran along the St Johns River on the river walk. It was a little breezy and misting slightly. The city was shrouded in low clouds so you couldn't see the tops of the buildings. There were a few boats on the river. It seemed the city was just waking up.  We only ran 2 miles this morning. A month ago 2 miles would have seemed like a very long way to run. This morning I was actually able to run and talk most of the time. For this program (Galloway Program)we Run for a minute and then walk for a minute. This give the body a chance to recover during the run. The program has a 90% injury free rate. I am all for that. I am still getting into the swing of things. Next week they will divide us up into our pace groups. I am looking forward to doing this program and I have already signed up for my Half Marathon to support the Donna Hicken Foundation

new Shoes

These are my new running shoes. They are New Balance 1224's I actually bought these at a shoe store for runners. I bought them at First Place sports (Baymeadows Store). They were quite busy on the Saturday afternoon when I went in. But they got to me pretty quickly. Then they fitted me for my shoes. The guy (Thanks J J) that helped had me walk around so he could look at how my feet hit the ground. Then he measured my feet. Then he went and got 3 different pairs of shoes. I tried them all on and was able to go walk on a treadmill for a few minutes. I also walked around the store. This was the best shoe buying experience I have every had buying a pair of shoes. Yesterday I took them out for the first run. The kids and I are doing the run/walk thing trying to build up our endurance. These shoes were very comfortable right out of the box. I also bought some fancy new socks. I ran 2 miles and other then being a little winded, My feet felt great. I am looking forward to putting many miles on these shoes. Did I mention I am training for the Half Marathon in February?