Week 5 of 20 Marathon training

I am happy to report that this was another successful week of training.  My long run of the week was 15 miles on Saturday, which is a personal best for me.  It was the first time I have ever ran over 13.1 miles.  The weather in Northeast Ohio has not allowed me outside for the 3rd week in a row and judging from this Mega Storm that starts this evening, it may be till the weekend before I can attempt to run outside.  My long run this week will be back to 13 on Saturday.  As of tomorrow, my training program will have me on a 10 day run-fest.  Well, more of a grind than fest.  I will be running 10 days straight and I believe the total for that time period will be 59 miles.  Hopefully I will drop some more weight during that time period.  Speaking of weight loss, I lost at total of 7 pounds during the month of January.  I also ran a total of 136 miles during the month.  It is easy to see that the weight loss has helped, as my average pace for the week dropped 13 seconds.  

Running:  36 total miles
                 - 0 Outside
                 - 36 Inside
Average Pace 9:11

Cycling:  2  hours  15 minutes on the trainer.


Swimming: 1 swim session. 

Weight training:  1 session:  Bench 1x12 160lbs 1x4 185lbs 1x2 205lbs
                                             Incline Bench 3x10 115lbs
                                             T-Bar Row 2x15 75lbs
                                             Close Grip Pullups 3x15 (Weight assisted)
                                             Military Press 3x12 55lbs
                                             Pull ups 3x15 15lbs


Weight training session 2:  Incline curls 3x12 25 lbs
                                           Preacher curls 3x12 70lbs
                                           Tricep pulldown 3x15 75lbs
                                           Reverse Tri pulldown (one arm) 3x10 45lbs
                                           Reverse Preacher curl (straight bar) 3x12 40lbs
                                           ABS


Calories burned:  8,070
Weight loss this week:  1lbs
Weight loss YTD:  7lbs


BEAL

My cardio song of the week 1/28

Check out my cardio song of the week.  The song is Dataloss (Darth & Vader Remix) by Freefire.  I have been cranking out miles to this song all week, so check out a sample of the tune above.  If you want to add it too your mix.  It can easily be found on iTunes.

BEAL

Week 4 of 20 Marathon training

Well, that's a wrap of my first month of marathon training.  Apart from the 2nd week.  I am pretty satisfied with how things have gone during the first month.  I had two long runs during the month of 13 miles.  The first at 2:06 and the second was at 2:03.  Both were indoors, but I am off from my best time of 1:55 at the end of November.  Hopefully my lack of speed so far has more to do with running indoors than anything else.  I was also excited to lose 2 more pounds this week, which makes 6 for the month of January so far.  One goal of mine is to improve my power to weight ratio by March.  I also made it through a week without Diet Coke.   I gave up of regular pop several years ago, but have been drinking 1-2 glasses of diet pop a day since.  To be honest. I really haven't missed it that much.  The plan for this week is to rest today and start back up tomorrow.  My long run will be a 15 mile run on Saturday.  It may be a little rough as I am scheduled to run 4 the day before.  I will also be spending plenty of time on the bike and continue to work on swim technique.

Running:  33 total miles
                 - 0 Outside
                 - 33 Inside
Average Pace 9:24

Cycling:  2 1/2 hours on the trainer.


Swimming: 1 swim session. 

Weight training:  1 session:  Bench 1x12 160lbs 1x4 185lbs 1x2 205lbs
                                             Incline Bench 3x10 115lbs
                                             T-Bar Row 2x15 75lbs
                                             Close Grip Pullups 3x10 (Weight assisted)
                                             Military Press 3x12 55lbs
                                             Pull ups 3x15 15lbs


Weight training session 2:  Incline curls 3x12 25 lbs
                                           Preacher curls 3x12 65lbs
                                           Tricep pulldown 3x15 70lbs
                                           Reverse Tri pulldown (one arm) 3x15 40lbs
                                           Reverse Preacher curl (straight bar) 3x12 35lbs
                                           ABS


Calories burned:  7,408
Weight loss this week:  2lbs
Weight loss YTD:  6lbs


BEAL

Week 3 of 20 Marathon training

This is a late post as I had planned on writing this while I was off yesterday, but Garmin Connect was a massive fail being down that past day and a half --- The Cleveland Marathon is on May 15th this year.  This past week was my third week of what will be 20 weeks of training.  I feel like this week was a complete 180 degree turnaround from last week.  I am not sure what my deal was last week, but I believe it was either dead legs or the fact I didn't have a proper pre-workout snack.  With cycling, I know exactly what to eat and when.  I have bonked enough before to know what I need for the miles that day.  So, running will take some dietary trial and errors.  Saturday was my long run of the week, which was 13 miles.  It was the most I have ran at one time since the fall classic half marathon the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  The good news is that I survived.  The bad news was that I've lost 6 minutes off my half marathon time already.  What I am most surprised about was how I felt the next day.  I ran 2 halves last year and felt like death the next couple days.  Actually, walked backwards down the stairs.  Lol.  Well, this time.  I felt outstanding on Sunday.  My plan called for only 3 miles, so I bricked it with a spin class.  I felt so good that I ran my best time on Sunday at a sub 9 minute pace.  So, I feel much better heading into this week.   

Running:  32 total miles
                 - 0 Outside
                 - 32 Inside
Average Pace 9:24

Cycling:  2 1/2 hours on the trainer.


Swimming: No swimming :(

Weight training:  1 session:  Bench 1x12 160lbs 1x4 185lbs 1x2 205lbs
                                             Incline Bench 3x12 115lbs
                                             T-Bar Row 3x15 75lbs
                                             Close Grip Pullups 3x14 (Weight assisted)
                                             Military Press 3x12 55lbs
                                             Pull ups 3x15 15lbs


Weight training session 2:  Incline curls 3x12 25 lbs
                                           Preacher curls 3x10 80lbs
                                           Tricep pulldown 3x15 70lbs
                                           Reverse Tri pulldown (one arm) 3x15 40lbs
                                           Reverse Preacher curl (straight bar) 3x12 35lbs
                                           ABS


Calories burned:  7,125
Weight loss this week:  1lbs
Weight loss YTD:  4lbs


My goals for this week will be to get back on track with the swimming, improve average pace time to back around 9, and to get back outside for some runs.  


BEAL

Week 2 of 20 - Ok, who hooked up a trailer?

The Cleveland Marathon is on May 15th this year.  This past week was my second week of what will be 20 weeks of training.  After a day off on Monday.  I was really excited to get back to work on Tuesday.  Unfortunately, Tuesday's run was quite a struggle.  I wasn't exactly sure why, but my 3 runs this week felt like I was towing a trailer behind me.  It got better as the week went on and I felt my best today.  A good friend of mine mentioned that it could be dead legs.  I will hope this is what it was and hopefully things will get better this week.  The good news is that I lost 3 pounds this week.  I hope to continue to lose weight through the beginning of this year as I believe it will help me pick up some speed.  I also completed my first speed drills on Thursday.  

Running:  30 total miles
                 - 10 Outside
                 - 20 Inside
Average Pace 9:02

Cycling:  Two 45 minute spin sessions on the CycleOps.


Swimming: 2 short sessions

Weight training:  1 session:  Bench 1x12 160lbs 1x4 185lbs 1x2 205lbs
                                             Incline Bench 3x12 115lbs
                                             T-Bar Row 3x15 75lbs
                                             Close Grip Pullups 3x13 (Weight assisted)
                                             Military Press 3x12 55lbs
                                             Pull ups 3x15 15lbs


Weight training session 2:  Incline curls 3x12 25 lbs
                                           Preacher curls 3x10 80lbs
                                           Tricep pulldown 3x15 70lbs
                                           Reverse Tri pulldown (one arm) 3x15 40lbs
                                           Reverse Preacher curl (straight bar) 3x12 35lbs
                                           ABS


Calories burned:  6,924
Weight loss this week:  3lbs
Weight loss YTD:  3lbs
Overall, I was pretty disappointed with this week.  With the start of the new year.  I expected to be more inspired, but fought a defeated attitude most of the week.  Most of that was gone today, so hopefully it is past me.  This coming week will be more of the same.  I will be running another 30-32 miles this week.  With a long run of 13 planned for Saturday.  I am counting down the days for when I can get outside and cross train on the bike.  


BEAL

Healthiest day of the year?

I was pondering this question today.  Is this the healthiest day of the year?  With it being the first Monday of the year.  Today is the day that Americans officially act on their New Year's resolutions.  Being that dieting is probably the most popular of these resolutions.  My guess is that most Americans woke up this morning full of enthusiasm packing their lunch with a salad, snacking on veggies, making a trip to Subway, and going to the gym.

The trip to the gym on the first Monday of the year is what I would to talk about today.  This day every year it the worst day to hit the gym for a workout.  It is packed, all the machine are taken, and clueless people high on their resolutions are in your way from the time you start until the end.  The past couple years I have dreaded this day.  With the only salvation being about half the new members will be gone tomorrow and 99% of them will be gone by the end of the week.

In my own disgruntledness, I realized that I was the one who was wrong.  I was THIS person on THIS day just three years ago today.  I remember the work out vividly.  It began with a quick tour of the gym by the manager that resulted in me signing a 1 year contract.  I snaked my way through the gym sheepishly finding a stairclimber in the corner where I could hide.  I went in with the plan to go as long as I could and to slowly build on that time.  I was barely able to survive five minutes that day.  I was sore the next day, but fought through it and continued that same workout the rest of the week.  The next week, I increased it to ten minutes, fifteen in the third and the rest is history.

That brings me to the point of this blog.  I spend this day now, not annoyed with how crowded the gym is or how someone used for poor gym etiquette.  But as a celebration of how far I have come and how much happier I am with my life and the person I have become.  So, going forward on this day.  I suggest that we as people who live a healthy lifestyle.  Reach out to these people, support them in their first trip back to the gym.  Help them learn the proper etiquette of the gym.  Cause if it's just one person who sticks it out this week and becomes a much healthier person.  Isn't it worth the annoyance to welcome one more to the healthy lifestyle?

BEAL

Week 1 of 20

The Cleveland Marathon is on May 15th this year.  This past week was my first week of what will be 20 weeks of training.  This week I primarily focused on running to get back what speed I had lost over the holidays.  Thankfully, mother nature was kind to us in Northeast Ohio as it was in the 50's several days.

Running:  30 total miles
                 - 20 Outside
                 - 10 Inside
Average Pace 9:06

Cycling:  Two 45 minute spin sessions on the CycleOps.

Weight training:  1 session:  Bench 1x12 155lbs 1x8 175lbs 1x4 195lbs
                                             Incline Bench 3x12 115lbs
                                             T-Bar Row 3x15 72.5lbs
                                             Close Grip Pullups 3x13 (Weight assisted)
                                             Military Press 3x12 55lbs
                                             Pull ups 2x10 15lbs

Overall, I am pretty satisfied with this week's training.  I felt much stronger running at the end of the week than I did at the beginning.  I also had a successful 5K on New Years Eve finishing 256th out of 734 people.  My biggest accomplishment was getting outside.  This is my first winter running outside and with a new coat.  I was warm and toasty today at 20 degrees.  This next week I want to keep the same miles running, but add some additional time on the bike.  I also need to make up for my missed swimming session this week and arm workout.

BEAL

My 2011 Race Schedule