25th- 6 miles fairly easy, had a little tightness in the hip/butt. Got some good myrtle in afterwords.
26th- 2 miles. It was snowing with big drifts over sidewalks and roads. Winds were in excess of 35 mph. Ran back to the house and got the xc skis from the car and skied to the park and skied for awhile until it got too cold. Got a decent aerobic and upper body workout in. Am quite a bit behind on the weekly miles now.
27th- Only ran 5 today due to time constraints. However, it was a great 5. I felt good, no pains, a little extra bounce in the step. I have some work to do to reach my weekly goal of 54 because I only have 13 after today. I expect a couple doubles on Thursday, a longer run or workout on Friday, a long run Sunday morning and whatever is left over on Saturday.
28th- Ran 6 in the morning. Had a little bit of the butt/hip tightness again and it was cold out. I do love Wyoming sunrises and sunsets so much more than anywhere else I've ever lived. It is a joy to see the light peeking over the mountains to the east and illuminating the mountains to the west. That, if not anything else, will get me out of bed on these cold winter mornings. I am prepared for a double today, it is much easier to run doubles while working 8s instead of 10s. Up to 19/54 on the week after the morning.
28th (PM)- Ran another 6. Felt good again. Not overly tight or anything. Got some decent stretching in. Didn't help the weight by eating a Qdoba burrito afterwards but have been under or at 160 for a few days. Now up to 25/54 for the week with 3 days remaining. Alex and I all but decided to entra an ultra-marathon at the end of April (27th). We will be running the Cheyenne Mountain Trail Race. It is a 50k in Cheyenne Mountain State Park near Colorado Springs, CO. It is run completely on trails and appears to have an elevation gain of around 4000 feet total. The course description describes it as slightly technical. The elevation is 6000 to 6800 feet so that shouldn't be a problem as I train at a minimum of 7100 currently. I am not sure how this will affect my Deadwood aspirations but I have awhile to decide. All the great Ultra guys run races close to each other so I should be able to as well! I am hoping to get out to Happy Jack for some trail runs before this race but we will see how the snow melt is going.
1st- Ran an easy 5 with Danielle. I had wanted to get at least 8 in but the pesky wind just sapped my motivation. 30 miles on the week.
2nd- Ran 3 with Danielle before she left for her field trip. Then packed up and drove out to the Snowy Mountain Range. I began with some backcountry snowshoeing. I did that for about 2 hours and probably went less than 4 miles. I measured the snow to be 7 feet deep at some points. After that I put my running shoes on and ran 17 minutes of warm up then 1,2,3,4,5,5 minutes intervals up the hill with an equal rest jog back down. With a cool down the run ended up being nearly 70 minutes. Due to the fact that it was at 10,000 feet altitude and lots of up hill, I will call it 9 miles. After that run I ate a little bit and went out for more snowshoeing. This time it was about 7 miles on more developed trails so I wasn't doing as much work. 42/54 on the week with 14 miles planned for tomorrow. The weather is supposed to be great!
3rd- Got up early after a late night hanging out with The Tinder Box after their show. Ran the mile to Alex's with Danielle then another 10 minutes before Danielle turned off. Alex and I headed out Northwest of town to try out a gravel road recommended by the High Plains Harriers. Winds were in excess of 30 mph and we ran straight into them for awhile. That made for a decent negative split on the way back in. I took down a Chia Surge Gel at 60 minutes. I felt good and energized with that in me. It was my second time using Chia Surge and I liked both flavors. I will probably use that in the Ultra coming up next month. After dropping Alex off, I continued for another 4+ miles picking up the pace and pushing my current fitness boundaries. I don't have the motivation to do a lot of workouts so I need to get the legs moving on runs here and there. I felt very strong and am excited going into the next couple months of training. The run totalled 14 and brings me to 56 on the week.
Weekly goal- 54, actual- 56 miles
Long run goal- 14, actual-14
Pushups goal-900, actual
Weight goal-under 160, made it!
Goals and expectations for March 4th-10th:
Total miles- 62+, with Lars, Big-T, and Blu coming out it will be hard to be under my goal unless I really botch the first couple days of the week. I only had 13 miles through 3 days last time and still reached my goal.
Long run- 16 miles, I felt great through 14 and don't want 50k to be too much of a shock.
Push-ups- I just want to get a bunch in, not exactly shooting for a certain number this week.
Weight- I am consistently under 160. I just want to continue to lose a pound or two per week until I feel that I am at my optimal weight. Somewhere around 150-152 most likely.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Exercises to Physically Strengthen and Lift Moods in Cancer Patients
Today we have a guest post by Milady on how excercise and other activities can affect cancer recovery. She is very passionate about this topic.
Going through cancer treatments can be an extensive journey that is both trying on the body and trying on the emotions. It is common for cancer patients to feel exhausted, depleted, emotionally stressed and physically ill when they are fighting for their lives by engaging in a series of surgeries and treatments that include chemotherapy and radiation.
When a person has many health factors stacked against them, it is important to begin implementing healthy habits. These habits can help to potentially reverse the side effects of cancer treatments and some physical symptoms of the disease. Exercise is an affordable and extremely effective way to begin taking positive action to feel better physically and mentally.
Yoga Provides Premium Results for Many Cancer Patients
Yoga is one of the easiest forms of exercise for a cancer patient to consider. The reason yoga is ideal is due to the fact that it can be performed at home, or with a group. Yoga is a mild type of exercise with varying degrees of difficulty that can be increased slowly as the person grows stronger and more flexible.
Arranging private lessons with a certified yoga instructor could be a great way to start learning. After a few private instructions, the individual can then elect to practice yoga sessions at home or to attend group yoga sessions with friends for a fun social activity combined with physical exertion.
Yoga movements include stretches that increase blood flow, improve circulation and strengthen the muscles and joints. Each of these benefits will provide valuable support to anyone who is in the process of going through rigorous sets of cancer treatments. Yoga is also helpful because this type of workout allows a person to rest better at night. Getting better rest leads to a healthier diet and more physical strength that is vital for a cancer patient.
Combine Yoga with Light Cardio Activities
Adding cardio workouts to alternate on a fitness schedule with yoga is a great way to strengthen muscles and elevate mood levels through the cardio. According to research, serotonin is distributed through the body when a person engages in mild cardio workouts such as walking, swimming or aerobics. This distribution of serotonin increases positive moods and also lifts self-esteem, both of which are vital to a cancer patient’s overall emotional and mental health while going through cancer treatments.
So, no matter what type of cancer you are battling, from breast cancer to mesothelioma, exercise can play a vital role in your recovery. It is important to speak with your doctor to develop a plan to ensure the maximum benefit.
Going through cancer treatments can be an extensive journey that is both trying on the body and trying on the emotions. It is common for cancer patients to feel exhausted, depleted, emotionally stressed and physically ill when they are fighting for their lives by engaging in a series of surgeries and treatments that include chemotherapy and radiation.
When a person has many health factors stacked against them, it is important to begin implementing healthy habits. These habits can help to potentially reverse the side effects of cancer treatments and some physical symptoms of the disease. Exercise is an affordable and extremely effective way to begin taking positive action to feel better physically and mentally.
Yoga Provides Premium Results for Many Cancer Patients
Yoga is one of the easiest forms of exercise for a cancer patient to consider. The reason yoga is ideal is due to the fact that it can be performed at home, or with a group. Yoga is a mild type of exercise with varying degrees of difficulty that can be increased slowly as the person grows stronger and more flexible.
Arranging private lessons with a certified yoga instructor could be a great way to start learning. After a few private instructions, the individual can then elect to practice yoga sessions at home or to attend group yoga sessions with friends for a fun social activity combined with physical exertion.
Yoga movements include stretches that increase blood flow, improve circulation and strengthen the muscles and joints. Each of these benefits will provide valuable support to anyone who is in the process of going through rigorous sets of cancer treatments. Yoga is also helpful because this type of workout allows a person to rest better at night. Getting better rest leads to a healthier diet and more physical strength that is vital for a cancer patient.
Combine Yoga with Light Cardio Activities
Adding cardio workouts to alternate on a fitness schedule with yoga is a great way to strengthen muscles and elevate mood levels through the cardio. According to research, serotonin is distributed through the body when a person engages in mild cardio workouts such as walking, swimming or aerobics. This distribution of serotonin increases positive moods and also lifts self-esteem, both of which are vital to a cancer patient’s overall emotional and mental health while going through cancer treatments.
So, no matter what type of cancer you are battling, from breast cancer to mesothelioma, exercise can play a vital role in your recovery. It is important to speak with your doctor to develop a plan to ensure the maximum benefit.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Training Recap: February 18th-24th
18th- Only got 5 miles in with my beautiful wife. The cold wind really sapped my motivation. I learned my lesson to get out the door in the early hours when it is less windy. That is the plan for tomorrow. I did get tons of push-ups in as well as myrtle routine, some core work and plenty of stretching. Hoping to keep the body healthy and able to run every day- that is half the battle.
Daily Note: I remember reading somewhere that Meb used to drink 3 glasses of water right before every meal to keep from overeating while dining on campus at UCLA. That is a huge problem for me so I am trying out Meb's trick as well as using general will power to eat less.
19th- No work today so I got up early and ran 30 minutes with Danielle before continuing for a loop around LaBonte Park and back to the track for 4x100m. I was trying to just run smooth and build some speed without hurting myself (starting run temp as 9F). 14.02-14.70 for all 4. After that I ran back around the park before heading home. In all it turned out to be right about 10 miles. Did Myrtle routine for the second time in a row as well as some sit-ups and plenty of push-ups. At 15 miles after 2 days for this week assuming I don't run again this afternoon. It is a fairly sunny day with minimal wind, a rarity for Wyoming. I do have to say that Brookings is both windier and colder than Laramie so far.
Daily Note: The more time and thought I put into writing this, regardless of anyone else actually reading it, the more likely I am to get out the door. Motivation is doing well right now, it is just other responsibilities and staying healthy that is the problem. The next 3 days are going to be fairly low mileage but I am going to do my best to get out the door even if it takes waking up at 4:30.
19th (PM)- I had attempted to take a nap in the afternoon and couldn't fall asleep so I must have not been too tired. Alex texted about an afternoon run so I had no excuse to not get out there. We got in 5 at a pretty quick pace. Into the 25+ mph wind for the first half then back. This leaves me with 15 on the day and 20 on the week. I am happy with this because my next 3 days are busy and I probably won't have a ton of time for running. I think I am going to try to run in the morning tomorrow to get used to it for future runs.
20th- Sucessfully got out of bed at 4:30 and out the door at 4:40. I made the mistake of looking at the thermometer in the bedroom and noticing that it was almost 60 degrees warmer inside than outside. I was equally surprised in the fact that I got nearly 50 minutes in. I am now at 27 miles for the week and if I run again this afternoon it will be because I am seeking the fabled runner's high and not because I need the miles to get to my mileage goal. The most enjoyable parts of this early morning run were the stillness (with the exception of the train) and the train. The train runs very close to the fence so you can feel the wind and hear all the noises and power.
Daily Thoughts: I need to wake up earlier or run shorter in the morning. I only had time for a very abbreviated Myrtle and minimal stretching (in the shower, of course. The warm water works miracles, try it sometime) as well as 50 push-ups and 50 sit-ups, both while chomping down a quick bowl of generic Raisin Bran.
20th (PM)- Easy 3 with Danielle and Alex. It was a nice afternoon. I am now at 30 for the week and have some leeway towards getting my goal. A long run of 12-13 puts me nearly there!
21st- It snowed 3-4 inches overnight. Decided this would be my day off for the week. Probably not the smartest move but I'm going to get my weekly goal anyway. This way I leave room for big improvements.
22nd- Got up at 4:30 for an easy 5. I felt like I was asleep on my feet. That might have to be a once-a-week thing for me. Up to 35 on the week.
23rd- Had planned on getting a quick run in before the basketball game but I was just exhausted. Took the second day off in a row. Just have the long run left for the week.
24th- It was cold, windy, and snowy. I ran about 15 minutes before attempting to get onto UW's indoor track. I finally got in when the last door I tried was unlocked. I decided that I couldn't possibly do my whole long run on their 160m track so I decided to do a workout. I ran 10x800 with 320m rest. Yasso 800s. This theory says that you should run the same time for your 800s as you should for the marathon. e.g. 3 minutes 0 seconds for the 800s equals 3 hours flat for the marathon. That was my initial goal this early in my training and I hit between 2:45 and 2:56 for all 10 with most of them being from 2:52 to 2:55. I'm not sure if I fully believe Yasso but it is a nice confidence booster at this time. I did end up getting at least my weekly long run and mileage goal. Long run 13, weekly total 48.
This week in review:
Push-ups- Totally dominated- hit 900. Next week will be to try to maintain and get to where I can do lots of diamond push-ups and some one handers.
Staying healthy- good, every run was followed by stretching and myrtle to some extent. Feeling great. I am going to try and add some Lung Matrix by Coach Jay Johnson this next week.
Miles- 48, 3 above the goal.
Weight- A few days it was at my goal but taking two days off has its effects. This will come down with more running and self-control but I am just impatient.
Next Week's plans:
Push-ups- 1k and more diamonds
Staying healthy- hydration and Lunge Matrix are the key focuses this week. Hamstring flexibility needs to be worked on as well.
Miles: 54, only one day off if any at all. If I run 7 days one will be very very easy.
Long Run: 14
Weight: Under 160 consistantly.
Daily Note: I remember reading somewhere that Meb used to drink 3 glasses of water right before every meal to keep from overeating while dining on campus at UCLA. That is a huge problem for me so I am trying out Meb's trick as well as using general will power to eat less.
19th- No work today so I got up early and ran 30 minutes with Danielle before continuing for a loop around LaBonte Park and back to the track for 4x100m. I was trying to just run smooth and build some speed without hurting myself (starting run temp as 9F). 14.02-14.70 for all 4. After that I ran back around the park before heading home. In all it turned out to be right about 10 miles. Did Myrtle routine for the second time in a row as well as some sit-ups and plenty of push-ups. At 15 miles after 2 days for this week assuming I don't run again this afternoon. It is a fairly sunny day with minimal wind, a rarity for Wyoming. I do have to say that Brookings is both windier and colder than Laramie so far.
Daily Note: The more time and thought I put into writing this, regardless of anyone else actually reading it, the more likely I am to get out the door. Motivation is doing well right now, it is just other responsibilities and staying healthy that is the problem. The next 3 days are going to be fairly low mileage but I am going to do my best to get out the door even if it takes waking up at 4:30.
19th (PM)- I had attempted to take a nap in the afternoon and couldn't fall asleep so I must have not been too tired. Alex texted about an afternoon run so I had no excuse to not get out there. We got in 5 at a pretty quick pace. Into the 25+ mph wind for the first half then back. This leaves me with 15 on the day and 20 on the week. I am happy with this because my next 3 days are busy and I probably won't have a ton of time for running. I think I am going to try to run in the morning tomorrow to get used to it for future runs.
20th- Sucessfully got out of bed at 4:30 and out the door at 4:40. I made the mistake of looking at the thermometer in the bedroom and noticing that it was almost 60 degrees warmer inside than outside. I was equally surprised in the fact that I got nearly 50 minutes in. I am now at 27 miles for the week and if I run again this afternoon it will be because I am seeking the fabled runner's high and not because I need the miles to get to my mileage goal. The most enjoyable parts of this early morning run were the stillness (with the exception of the train) and the train. The train runs very close to the fence so you can feel the wind and hear all the noises and power.
Daily Thoughts: I need to wake up earlier or run shorter in the morning. I only had time for a very abbreviated Myrtle and minimal stretching (in the shower, of course. The warm water works miracles, try it sometime) as well as 50 push-ups and 50 sit-ups, both while chomping down a quick bowl of generic Raisin Bran.
20th (PM)- Easy 3 with Danielle and Alex. It was a nice afternoon. I am now at 30 for the week and have some leeway towards getting my goal. A long run of 12-13 puts me nearly there!
21st- It snowed 3-4 inches overnight. Decided this would be my day off for the week. Probably not the smartest move but I'm going to get my weekly goal anyway. This way I leave room for big improvements.
22nd- Got up at 4:30 for an easy 5. I felt like I was asleep on my feet. That might have to be a once-a-week thing for me. Up to 35 on the week.
23rd- Had planned on getting a quick run in before the basketball game but I was just exhausted. Took the second day off in a row. Just have the long run left for the week.
24th- It was cold, windy, and snowy. I ran about 15 minutes before attempting to get onto UW's indoor track. I finally got in when the last door I tried was unlocked. I decided that I couldn't possibly do my whole long run on their 160m track so I decided to do a workout. I ran 10x800 with 320m rest. Yasso 800s. This theory says that you should run the same time for your 800s as you should for the marathon. e.g. 3 minutes 0 seconds for the 800s equals 3 hours flat for the marathon. That was my initial goal this early in my training and I hit between 2:45 and 2:56 for all 10 with most of them being from 2:52 to 2:55. I'm not sure if I fully believe Yasso but it is a nice confidence booster at this time. I did end up getting at least my weekly long run and mileage goal. Long run 13, weekly total 48.
This week in review:
Push-ups- Totally dominated- hit 900. Next week will be to try to maintain and get to where I can do lots of diamond push-ups and some one handers.
Staying healthy- good, every run was followed by stretching and myrtle to some extent. Feeling great. I am going to try and add some Lung Matrix by Coach Jay Johnson this next week.
Miles- 48, 3 above the goal.
Weight- A few days it was at my goal but taking two days off has its effects. This will come down with more running and self-control but I am just impatient.
Next Week's plans:
Push-ups- 1k and more diamonds
Staying healthy- hydration and Lunge Matrix are the key focuses this week. Hamstring flexibility needs to be worked on as well.
Miles: 54, only one day off if any at all. If I run 7 days one will be very very easy.
Long Run: 14
Weight: Under 160 consistantly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)