Jeff's Running (b)log

Still going...

Wow, I have not posted here for a long time. Just because my race was over, doesn't mean I'm done exercising. :) (I hope). I'll have to put my (belated) race impressions on here sometime. The Provo Half was really great, it deserves a post darn it!

Since the half marathon, I've learned a few things about myself:
1) I need either a race to set my sites on or a written exercise plan
2) Even though I do not live to run, it seems to be the best for my body. When I stop running as much, I gain weight, start having back problems, etc.

Knowing that race goals come and go, I've been trying to dig deep and get motivation independent of any specific event. Fortunately for me help came in the form of sitting next to a really cool guy on the bus up to the start of the race.

Now you know to listen to the advice of a guy who ran just 27 miles on Tuesday and is running 13 miles on the weekend as his "social run". After discussing training a bit, he suggested I buy the book, "SERIOUS training for endurance athletes".

It took about a month of my fitness program waffling to decide that maybe I just ought to get the book.

In a nutshell, it contains everything that I know about training right, listening to your body, working with your heart rate, eating right, etc. It seems to be targetted to Triathletes mainly, but the program can be catered to any set of sports or events. If anybody ever asks about how I train, now I can just recommend the book.

After reading the book through and finding supporting spreadsheets on the internet, I now have my whole year's exercise program planned out. I have uploaded my training program (in Open Office format), in case it helps anybody. I divided my year into two 24 week programs so as best to end up ready for the St. George Marathon next Oct. I kept the 52 week program as the last sheet in the document, in case you want to put it back.

My first segment de-emphasizes running and mainly emphasizes Martial Arts (I know, not completely an endurance sport....). Then early next year I take up hardcore running again, training for a fall marathon. I say de-emphasize, but for the first time I'm doing hardcore hill workouts and intervals. But, I'm only running about twice per week.

One last "short" long run before the race

Today I was scheduled for 8-9 miles, which I did from my house to the canyon and back. I ran up the Provo Parkway trail about 1/4 mile to try for somewhere around 8.5 miles total. I ended up doing a lot of walking along the course, since I ran into my sister-in-law Vanessa and my niece and nephews that belong to her, and also because I had some stuff to get done on the phone when I got to the mouth of the canyon. I don't know in the end how long the run took me, since I didn't particularly pay attention. It felt really good though and quite fast. Next week I just need to not workout on Friday and the race should be fine. (I DID feel the effects of yesterday's biking today).
And of course, the "real" workout - surviving a family reunion.

Total workout this week:
11.5 hours in 6 days! (2.5 yesterday were really casual on a bike, but still 9 hourse in 5 days... that's a feat).

Lots of working out this week

Man, after being a slacker with everything but running lately, I really made up for it this week. I did a martial arts workout in the evening after Monday's run, one again on Tuesday, and practiced with Thane Andersen on Wednesday evening. Then a 2 hour martial arts class on Thursday (missed my lunchtime workout, but I'm not complaining). Then, on Friday (my "day off"), I ended up biking more than 11 miles up and down Provo Canyon in conjunction with our Workman family reunion. I tried to take it real easy, since I have a long run planned for Saturday, and since I've already logged 7.5 hours of workout since Monday. Add to that 2-2.5 hours today, I guess.

Last run with Verdon

We had quite the group show up at the fitness center today since it was Verdon Walker's last run with the group before he leave the company. He is one of two people who have largely spearheaded the running group at Novell, and also was the team captain for Novell's Wasatch Back Relay team #1 this year.
We had a good lake view run. Quite hot, but everybody seemed to survive. We ran quite a quick pace, but it was so much better than the last time I ran this route, where I was still recovering from dehydration.