Week 3 is complete. Mostly, I am happy I stuck with it and completed the week. I'm also very happy with the progress. I'm still in Column 2 on their plan, which is fine with me.
Day 1: 12-17-13-13-22
Day 2: 14-19-14-14-25
Day 3: 16-21-15-15-25
Not a bad overall total when I simply count the pushups.
77-86-92 = 255 for the week
Monday, November 29, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Alternative Workouts
One thing I'm finding with various training plans is the inclusion of cross training. Find something to do on a day or two during the week that you don't run and rest your legs. I've been focusing on weight lifting. However, I'm back into ramping up my base mileage, and I've found that my weight time is becoming limited on the lunch time runs.
I decided to go back to an old workout routine that I started a couple years ago. It is one of those gimmick workout routines, but it is simple and doesn't take up much time. Plus it works out one area I'd like to strengthen. This 100 pushup plan covers a number of weeks and will get you on your way to doing 100 pushups continuously. Last night, I just finished up week 2 day 3 and I am doing the middle column. I do my workouts every other day before bed.
Here are the week 2 results:
Day 1 - 9-11-8-8-14
Day 2 - 10-12-9-9-19
Day 3 - 12-13-10-10-20
It really only takes 5-7 minutes each night, so I'm trying to convince myself to stick to the plan. That's a total of 50-59-65 pushups for the week and a grand total of 174 pushups. These do not in any way replace any exercise I do for the week. I am doing this in addition to the running and weights I'm already doing. Tonight I will do the Week 2 Exhaustion test where I simply do as many pushups as I can in one set.
I decided to go back to an old workout routine that I started a couple years ago. It is one of those gimmick workout routines, but it is simple and doesn't take up much time. Plus it works out one area I'd like to strengthen. This 100 pushup plan covers a number of weeks and will get you on your way to doing 100 pushups continuously. Last night, I just finished up week 2 day 3 and I am doing the middle column. I do my workouts every other day before bed.
Here are the week 2 results:
Day 1 - 9-11-8-8-14
Day 2 - 10-12-9-9-19
Day 3 - 12-13-10-10-20
It really only takes 5-7 minutes each night, so I'm trying to convince myself to stick to the plan. That's a total of 50-59-65 pushups for the week and a grand total of 174 pushups. These do not in any way replace any exercise I do for the week. I am doing this in addition to the running and weights I'm already doing. Tonight I will do the Week 2 Exhaustion test where I simply do as many pushups as I can in one set.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Cold Weather Running
We just enjoyed a nice week of weather for mid November. Temps were in the high 50's to low 60's and was basically perfect for running. However, the weather is bound to turn cold here over the next week or so, and I think we are in for a long winter. Some of the shorter days of running, I may just turn to my treadmill at home or at work.
If I want to get outside like I did this past Monday for one of my longer runs, I'm going to need to start picking up some cold weather gear. Last year, I stuck to the treadmill and the indoor track. Only 2 or 3 times did I even bother to venture outside, and those were unseasonably warm days anyways.
I depend on Runners World for a lot of my initial advice before I hit their forums and figure things out for myself. One problem I have with a lot of the advice for any gear is Runners World and the more seasoned runners almost spare no expense when it comes to the items they choose. Cold Weather gear guide from Runners World.
If you follow through the content of that link, there are not a lot of options to start shopping for, but they cover the bases as to what type of clothing to look for.
The key to the winter clothes is choosing the right options to layer.
They start with a Long sleeve tech fabric shirt from Asics, retailed at 65 bucks.
Next, they mention a pair of light wool boxers for $45 bucks.
A waterproof lightweight zip jacket at 140 bucks from New Balance.
RW offers two hat options from Nike, a baseball style cap or a thermal beanie. each around $30.
They do suggest another, cheaper windbreaker option around 85 bucks from Brooks as well as a North Face Vest option.
I prefer a looser fitting pant since I don't think people want to see me sporting the spandex leggings, but there are a loose and a tight option for around 65 bucks.
Saucony's UltiMitt is recommended as a running glove that has a flip Mitten part to it. These actually look reasonable for 30 bucks.
So, now I need to look at what it is I need. I have one of those goofy looking fleece headbands for covering your ears. I also have a knitted, fleece lined hat that I've felt comfortable wearing on cold runs. This hat was meant for skiing but is a nice comfortable running hat.
At the end of last winter/early Spring, I picked up a long sleeve tech fabric shirt similar to the Asics one mentioned above. It is a Reebok Option that I picked up at Marshall's for 8 bucks. I also have a couple tech fabric long sleeve shirts that aren't as tight that I got for each marathon I ran. I figure those two shirts or my regular short sleeved shirt are good to layer over that Reebok shirt.
I see at Target, for less than 20 bucks I can get a pair or two of running pants from Champion's C9 brand. I love the C9 stuff, so I'll check those out this week. I'd still like to pick out a wind breaker/running jacket, but for now, if i need another layer, I do have a fleece jacket that I got real cheap last winter.
I tend to avoid running in the real wet stuff. So, I think I can stay clear of the rain gear. Mostly, I think I'll play it by ear as I need stuff. Aside from a pair of pants, I think I'm set for the early weeks of winter ahead.
If I want to get outside like I did this past Monday for one of my longer runs, I'm going to need to start picking up some cold weather gear. Last year, I stuck to the treadmill and the indoor track. Only 2 or 3 times did I even bother to venture outside, and those were unseasonably warm days anyways.
I depend on Runners World for a lot of my initial advice before I hit their forums and figure things out for myself. One problem I have with a lot of the advice for any gear is Runners World and the more seasoned runners almost spare no expense when it comes to the items they choose. Cold Weather gear guide from Runners World.
If you follow through the content of that link, there are not a lot of options to start shopping for, but they cover the bases as to what type of clothing to look for.
The key to the winter clothes is choosing the right options to layer.
They start with a Long sleeve tech fabric shirt from Asics, retailed at 65 bucks.
Next, they mention a pair of light wool boxers for $45 bucks.
A waterproof lightweight zip jacket at 140 bucks from New Balance.
RW offers two hat options from Nike, a baseball style cap or a thermal beanie. each around $30.
They do suggest another, cheaper windbreaker option around 85 bucks from Brooks as well as a North Face Vest option.
I prefer a looser fitting pant since I don't think people want to see me sporting the spandex leggings, but there are a loose and a tight option for around 65 bucks.
Saucony's UltiMitt is recommended as a running glove that has a flip Mitten part to it. These actually look reasonable for 30 bucks.
So, now I need to look at what it is I need. I have one of those goofy looking fleece headbands for covering your ears. I also have a knitted, fleece lined hat that I've felt comfortable wearing on cold runs. This hat was meant for skiing but is a nice comfortable running hat.
At the end of last winter/early Spring, I picked up a long sleeve tech fabric shirt similar to the Asics one mentioned above. It is a Reebok Option that I picked up at Marshall's for 8 bucks. I also have a couple tech fabric long sleeve shirts that aren't as tight that I got for each marathon I ran. I figure those two shirts or my regular short sleeved shirt are good to layer over that Reebok shirt.
I see at Target, for less than 20 bucks I can get a pair or two of running pants from Champion's C9 brand. I love the C9 stuff, so I'll check those out this week. I'd still like to pick out a wind breaker/running jacket, but for now, if i need another layer, I do have a fleece jacket that I got real cheap last winter.
I tend to avoid running in the real wet stuff. So, I think I can stay clear of the rain gear. Mostly, I think I'll play it by ear as I need stuff. Aside from a pair of pants, I think I'm set for the early weeks of winter ahead.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Training Preparation
I'm officially a running geek. Well even more so than I already was. I ordered Pfitzinger's Advanced Marathoning book last night. I'm still sort of figuring out what I want to do until the new year now that my official 2010 marathon is over. However, I'm starting to think more and more that I want to do 2 marathons next year. This would be in early May, the inaugural Kalamazoo Marathon. And depending on how that went, I'd still look at doing Grand Rapids in October.
So, if I want to run the Kalamazoo Marathon on May 8th, my official first week of training would start January 2nd. That means I'm in a 9 week period of no official training agenda. Well, I suppose that is not completely true. I need to work on my base mileage and do some strength training, so maybe it would be worthwhile to create a pre-training training plan.
I think it is important to still run on the weekend, but primarily my workouts will happen during the week since I have a full hour of lunch to utilize. I'd really like to hit a 3-5 mile run each day and occasionally get out for a longer run in the 7-8 mile range. Every other weekend I'd like to push that to at least 10. This doesn't mean I won't run on other weekends, but I'll probably do shorter treadmill runs.
Any workdays that I do shorter 3-4 mile runs, I think I'll spend 10-15 minutes with various weight workouts. I'd still like to strengthen my core, but also would like to start toning and firming up other areas that I don't work out from running such as the shoulders, chest, and arms. I am also looking at starting a quick evening workout routine like the 200 Situp Challenge or the 100 pushup challenge.
My weight goal for the next 9 weeks would be to get comfortably under 190 lbs. I'm still between 193 and 196 on any weigh in day. Time to shed those lazy 5lbs off.
I'm going to work on a base building running plan next.
So, if I want to run the Kalamazoo Marathon on May 8th, my official first week of training would start January 2nd. That means I'm in a 9 week period of no official training agenda. Well, I suppose that is not completely true. I need to work on my base mileage and do some strength training, so maybe it would be worthwhile to create a pre-training training plan.
I think it is important to still run on the weekend, but primarily my workouts will happen during the week since I have a full hour of lunch to utilize. I'd really like to hit a 3-5 mile run each day and occasionally get out for a longer run in the 7-8 mile range. Every other weekend I'd like to push that to at least 10. This doesn't mean I won't run on other weekends, but I'll probably do shorter treadmill runs.
Any workdays that I do shorter 3-4 mile runs, I think I'll spend 10-15 minutes with various weight workouts. I'd still like to strengthen my core, but also would like to start toning and firming up other areas that I don't work out from running such as the shoulders, chest, and arms. I am also looking at starting a quick evening workout routine like the 200 Situp Challenge or the 100 pushup challenge.
My weight goal for the next 9 weeks would be to get comfortably under 190 lbs. I'm still between 193 and 196 on any weigh in day. Time to shed those lazy 5lbs off.
I'm going to work on a base building running plan next.
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