Tabata This!

Figured I'd do a quick but excruciating little form of torture called Tabata. It can be done with almost anything....bike, rower, sprints, squats....but I choose my spin bike.With those of you not familiar, its a short warm-up followed by all out sprints for 20 seconds followed by only 10 sec. recoveries. You do sets of 8 (4 mins.) spin a little and then repeat 3 more times. Doesn't sound like much does it? Try it some time. Also threw in 5 sets of 50 decline bench sit-ups with a 25 lb. plate on my chest. That finished me off.

The Viciousness Of Cross Training

After a 6 miler followed by three days of vicious cross training, it's time for a rest. I feel good though. My legs and right foot aren't hurting and I've been icing as everyone suggested. Back in the saddle tomorrow with a quick three and a long run Sunday. Gonna shine up my Cannondale for a ride this weekend too. It's supposed to be nice.

Oh yeh, meet my clean up crew. Muffy, Duffy and Fluffy. Just friendly neighbors of mine (wink.)

Hiking The Grandview Trail

My foot still hurt but I HAD to get outside so I decided to hike the Grandview trail. It's a 4 mile loop of 12% to 15% inclines for a mile and a half, a little ridge line and then back down off the mountain. I fast hiked it in an hour and studied my Garmin the whole way. My heart rate monitor said I was at 154 bpm. That is amazing considering my max rate at my age is only about 160 and I never really felt out of breath. I panted and worked it but i didn't suffer at all.

My pace was 3.3 mph which isn't bad considering the grade and leaning into a howling wind. The downhill side was a quad buster. Great day! It felt so good to get the heart going somewhere other than on a spin bike.

Mountain Climbing With Lance

Crossfit Endurance day two. My foot is still swollen so I worked the Crossfit Endurance wod. I warmed up with 5 x 50 bench crunches for abs, (Chica would be so proud of me) and spun on my bike for a couple of miles. The actual workout was a two mile hill climb in the highest resistance you could hold and still maintain at least 60 rpm. My resistance only went to 10 and I could hold 75 rpm so I felt pretty good about that until I got off the bike and crawled up the stairs.

Crossfit Endurance Playbook

My foot was sore so I went to the Crossfit Endurance Playbook.
21 - 15 - 9 reps for time = 15 mins.
Lat Pulls / Decline Bench Sit-Ups / Bench Press / Squats
(That's a circuit of the four exercises done for the number of reps continuously with no rest.

4 X 5 Min. all out intervals on the Spin Bike with 3 min. recoveries.

One would think that with one's background in running, this would be a walk in the park. It was indeed a very nasty walk in a very nasty park in a very bad neighborhood. Absolutely kicked my butt. And if you ever try it and it doesn't kick ya, you weren't moving fast enough lol. Killer!

A Little Break In The Action

I't a scheduled Recovery day. I feel good although my foot is barking again. The hard race Saturday night followed but a good 6 miller on Sunday made it sore but I will be all right.

Singing In The Rain

I wanted to run 7 this morning but I got in a good 6 miler. After last night I just wanted to ease into a nice pace but I weighed myself this morning and I was at 167 lbs. That's only 7 lbs. away from goal weight. I felt mean and lean so I pushed it a little and ran it in about an hour. I actually turned around at the 3 mile mark only because the rain really picked up and I had had enough for the day.

I hope all my DM friends ran well this Easter weekend and feel well.

Laziness Overcame Me

No excuses The "Laziness" overcame me. I got up at 5:00 am and rain was smacking against my bedroom window like someone throwing gravel. The gym was closed today for renovations and I just didn't want to go downstairs and spin so.....I went back to bed. I guess an extra day of rest isn't bad as long as it doesn't become a habit. But this morning....no fever for going outside in the rain.

My Garmin Is Calling Me

My new Garmin is calling me but this is a scheduled day off. Sadly, I will follow my schedule and rest. Love to all my DM friends.

My New Garmin

OK. I ran 5 miles in 55 mins. but that isn't the good (or bad) part. I wore my new Garmin Forerunner 305 for the first time and I discovered something. I'm not quite the slow slug I thought I was. To explain, I have run the same 5 mile (GPS measured) course for years! And I could never break 50 to 55 minutes. It pissed me off and made me feel slow. Today, for the first time, I wore my Garmin and could see my "real time" pace. It turns out that once I get past the road construction, past the grocery store, around the traffic snarl and through the school drop-off, that when the road opens up.....I'm running a 9 min. mile pace like I'm strolling to the frig for a beer.

Do you know how happy that makes me? On an open course, with traffic control, DURING MY HALF MARATHON! (ha!) if I can run through a 9 min. pace, I can beat my goal of two hours for the 13.1! I am so happy. I never got that before because I never saw how much time is wasted waiting for traffic, watching for cars and running around bulldozers. I can't begin to tell you how great a run that 5 miler was or how great I feel. I hope every one of my friends here (all of you) had a day like me.

Hiding From The Storm

I did 45 mins. of ab work and cardio in my basement today, mostly out of necessity. There was a terrible storm blow through the valley this morning. At one point, I took my pooch and retreated to the basement to be safe just in case. The wind died down a little so I figured I would get something accomplished.

I did 50 decline bench sit-ups, 10 mins. of rope skipping (forgot how hard that was) and then did a 10 mile time trial on my spin bile. I covered 10 miles in just a little over 30 mins. At least I got something out of a bad morning.

Oh Baby It Felt So Good!

Oh Baby It Felt So Good! I was back in my running shoes today. I ran an easy 3 miles in around 35 mins. trying not to stress my foot, but all went well and I was a happy guy. Strangely I found that when I ran faster, I felt much better. Not twangs of pain or soreness. But if I slowed my gait, I felt the little twing that reminds you that it's still there...but getting better.

I don't want to miff my minimalist friends out there but I think the shoes I bought earlier in the season brought on a lot of problems. I bought a pair of Nike Free shoes and excitedly took off in them. Hard runs in the park, intervals on the treadmill and soon I was hurt. I think it was a case of too much too soon. Today, when I shuffled along staying up on my forefoot, it hurt. When I ran faster and I lengthened my stride, I had more of a heel strike which took the pressure off my forefoot and I felt much better. But today, I am a happy man because....I....am a runner again!

It's Nice To Kick Back

Scheduled day off today. I have an early meeting and I don't get hope until late so it's a good day to just kick back. Tomorrow, I try a short run and get back in to the game.

Either Follow, Lead or Get Out Of The Way

I went to the gym today and did an insane hour of ferocious cardio. I think the more "casual" gym go-ers were a little taken aback. I hammered 15 minutes on the Spin bike. I killed an Elliptical machine for 15 and then hit the treadmill for 30 minutes at 10* elevation at 4mph. I was pissed I couldn't run. There was a puddle of sweat under every machine when I was done. I wanted to be wearing Corey's Superman underwear.

I thought of Corey, Nora, Dixie, Skibba, Tim, and everybody that I love on DM and I tried to break every machine. And I wore basketball shoes. I knew if I wore running shoes I would run. So I did what I had to do to rest my foot and ankle and I raised the roof. I love this place and I love you people. Y'all are what I think of when times get tough.

My love to Jodi, Skibba and all the people who raced this weekend. I can't remember them all. I want race reports...we all do. And I am praying for Corey's family and the baby. See ya later.

Watch Out Lance!

I went to my first spin class in a long time. It started at 6:00 am and I was very surprised by the turnout. I thought I was the only one in this hick town who got up this early. Anyway, it was a 45 minute class including 30 second of all out intervals, 60 second intervals (lots of them) and 6 minute, 7 min. and 8 min. hill climbs. I forgot how difficult they were. Then we were led to a large matted room where we did 15 minutes of brutal ab work.

I have to say two things. First, I dearly miss running but this was fun. The time went very fast and I thoroughly enjoyed myself without hurting my foot. Secondly, It was hard. My breathing was excellent but my legs....whole different angle coming at the legs than running. I hope to get back to running very soon but I'm happy today. I feel like I did something.

A Day Of Rest And Recovery

Today is a scheduled day of complete rest. My foot is throbbing. I have to come down stairs one at a time. I probably will try a spin class tomorrow morning and see how that goes, but for now, except for working, I am staying off the foot.

A Six Mile Suck Fest!

I ran a complete six mile suck fest today. It was supposed to be a 1 mile warm-up, 4 miles tempo run and then a 1 mile cool-down. It wasn't that. The first step I took, pain shot straight through my foot and into my ankle. I hoped that it would loosen up during the warm-up mile but that horrible pain stayed with me from the first step all the way to the last step. And I felt like I was breathing underwater. I simply couldn't breathe. I felt lean and mean when I left the house and was completely humbled in a hundred yards. I don't know. Maybe you need that every once in a while. It might have been my new compression shorts. The were way too tight.

Ok, enough of the whining. Two things I guess I have to offer:
#1. If anybody wants to buy a slightly used pair of Under Armour compression underwear, they are going cheap. (Just kidding. Only I would buy used underwear.)
#2. I am going to reassess my training for a couple weeks. Maybe I need to hammer the elliptical for a couple of weeks and rest the foot. Start back running the first of May. The half marathon is the end of May.

I'll figure it out. Love to all my DM'ers.

Stick With The Schedule & Quit Pissin' Around

I ran my scheduled easy 4 miler today at the gym. It was poring rain and 40* and I didn't want to contend with that. I wore my Nike Free shoes (mistake) and immediately felt just how sore my right foot and ankle have become. Nike Free are NOT the shoes to wear when you already have a problem. There just is no support. I'm starting to wonder about these shoes. I suppose if you ran barefoot from childhood, you might be able to run miles in these shoes. But to just buy a pair and take off in them, I found out that is a mistake. Believe me, it is a very special person who can run all their life, and then go barefoot and pound out the miles. I'm afraid these shoes might cost me a racing season. We will see.

Scene From The Treadmill

I ran a scheduled interval workout today. I like doing them on the treadmill (the only thing) and cranked out 8 quarter miles each in slightly under 2 minutes. I paced myself through the first 200 meters and then would kick it just enough to break two minutes. A couple were around 1:58 or so. The surprising thing to me is that I completed 8 quarters and never once was out of breath or struggling. That was a great workout.

My goal for the Ogden Half is to break two hours but that is a tough goal. This course is notorious. It is basically two mountain passes with large rolling hills in between. I've run this race 11 times when it was a 20k and broke two hours easily but this is an additional .7 of a mile. I need a 9 minute mile pace so I work out at 8 min. mile pace. It's a big race. The Kenyans are favored.

Time To Rest A Little

I took my scheduled recovery day today. Yesterday's run beat me up a little. I fired up my new Weber grill and cooked steaks (well, the Goddess did) and had the Princess with me. After the ten mile run, we made short work of the food. Today, I woke up with no pain and just a little stiffness. I'm hoping that I was wrong about the foot injury. Thanks to all for your concern. I'll be fine.

Feels Like San Diego

I ran a 10 miler today out Grave Creek in 1:55.27 on a beautiful sunny day. I sailed along pretty good until the last three miles when my foot began hurting again. I overcompensated for the sore foot which became a sore ankle. I leaned to the left and my left hip and knee began to hurt. So, the last 3 miles were kinda quick but very painful. I still finished it  3 minutes quicker than I have so far this year. I did learn or figure out a few things this run.

#1. The four small bottle hydration belt I wore today is much better than the one 24 oz. bottle belt I have. The even distribution makes it almost unnoticeable when I ran. It's much better for long runs even though I am carrying more weight.
#2. Never sit on a log to take a pebble out of your shoe unless you know what is on the other side. (The sight of a dead rotting dear is normal in WV. They get hit by cars all the time. But the smell....you never forget the smell.)
#3. I don't have an ouchey, I have an injury, probably a stress fracture. But I'm not going to the doctor. No fat ass wearing a lab coat is gonna tell me to sit out a few months. Summer is coming. I stop running when my foot snaps in half.

Love to you all in DM land.

You Ever Have One Of Those Days?

I took a recovery day today that I hated to take.  I've had have a rather sore foot since my long run last Sunday. Of course I continued to run on it and it hasn't got better. Last night while carrying out the garbage, I stepped on the edge of a stair tread and twisted the ankle of the sore foot. Beautiful. I have a long run scheduled tomorrow so I cancelled the short 4 I had planned for today.

I am having the Bahama Mama drive me 12.4 miles away from the house and drop me off and go back home. My intention is to run back the 12.4 to get closer to my half marathon distance in a training run. I'm going to wear an empty hydration belt and hide my four small bottles along the way out, then retrieve them as I run home, drink up and load the bottles onto my belt. Hydration and GU is secured. I hope this works well. It's a long run to make on a sore foot without an alternative for getting home. Love to all of you racing this weekend and love to all my DM friends who are just busting ass by yourselves.

Am I getting Old Or Something? I Seem A Little Sore

I took my scheduled day off today. I needed it. I can run fast and I can run long, but if I run fast and long, it takes me an extra day to recover. No big deal here. I plan for that. I'll rest today, cruise 4 miles tomorrow and punish myself again Sunday on my 10 miler. As Charlie Daniels says, "That's how it's done Son."

The Run You're Always Waiting For

I ran a 7 mile run on my usual course and nailed it finally. I went out the creek and turned up the hill out Tom's Run to the seven mile turn-around and was right on pace to go under 70 minutes for this course. Actually I had never gone under 75 minutes for this course before but my goal today was to dress and travel light (no water bottles) and try to go under 70 minutes. It was beautiful weather, 52* and no wind. I was dressed perfectly and was slightly cool the whole way. Just the way it should be. On the trip back, I recognized every landmark I had passed in forty years of running this road and knew I was going very well. Finally I climbed the last hill that comes about a half mile from my house and put in in cruise control to finish in 1:09.26. I broke my 70 minutes and beat my old best by at least five minutes. (I'll have to look that up.)

You all will probably say "Yuck" to this but I really got dry during the run. Terribly dry and started looking for a water source. I saw a natural stream pouring out of a rock on the side of a cliff. I made note of it. On the way back from the turn-around I spied a tossed empty Avian water bottle and stuffed it in the back of my pants. When I got back to the stream, I rinsed the bottle, filled it up and fired it down. I tossed it into the first trash can I passed. It was beautiful clear amazingly cold water that I hope doesn't give me Mad Cow. Anyway, I'd do it again and I got a great run. I am pumped and full of confidence now.

Intervals Take Your Soul

Monster interval workout at the gym. Intervals are really the only thing I like about a treadmill. They do give you exact pace and measurement. I ran 8 quarters, 2 @ 10 minute mile pace, 2 @ 9, 2 @ 8 and 2 @ 7 minute mile pace. With short walks I only covered about three miles but that was an afterthought. My concern, of course was how well did I run the fast quarters and I have to say I was never out of breath. I hammered it.

I also weighed in at 177 with all my clothes, shoes, sweat etc. and I feel good about that. My ideal long distance weight is about 160 and I have almost 2 months to get there before the Ogden Half Marathon. I feel great. My foot didn't hurt and my nutrition plan is working. Hell......I'm may just chase down a Kenyan in May. (Hah.)

George Jetson Knew What he Was Doing

My foot still hurt this morning. I tried to run on the treadmill but it was too sore. So I cranked it up to 10* grade and 4.0 speed and power hiked for 20 minutes. That hurt my foot too because I was always pushing off with my toes. I hammered it anyway for the 20 minutes. Hell, I wasn't going home. Then I got on the elliptical and did intervals. I was nice and warm at this point so I hammered for 2 minutes and cruised for 1 minute. That was more fun than I thought it would be. I feel good about this workout.

Oh, by the way. One of you ladies here talked about working out to Adele the other day. I got on I-tunes and got it and took it to the gym. I'm not sure it's workout music but some of the very soulful, slow and powerful songs made me want to go find my wife. So thanks very much for that. My wife may write later. Love to all.

I Have An Ouchey

I Have An Ouchey. It's OK though. My foot is stiff and sore but today is a scheduled day off so I will rest up. Maybe tomorrow, if I have to, I'll hit the elliptical for a while but I will probably just run an easy one.

What Is That Bright Orb In The Sky And Why Is It Following Me?

What Is That Bright Orb In The Sky And Why Is It Following Me? I ran my 8 mile run but I don't have a time for ya. At the 4.5 mile point I stepped on a rock and hurt my right foot so I kinda hobbled the 3.5 miles back to home. I sort of switched to a heel strike kinda thing, found a good pace and sailed on home but I did turn my watch off. Bad enough being a little hurt but I didn't want to stare at a poor time on my watch all day and wonder what could have been.

Since I overcompensated for my hurt foot, now everything hurts...calves, hips, etc.......but that's OK. I'm hurt, not injured. Big difference. So I'm gonna do the only smart thing to do. NO I'm not going to the doctor! I'm gonna go buy some beer, go out back with the Goddess and celebrate a courageous 8 mile run in the sun! To all my heroes that raced this week....... Godspeed. To all my DM heroes that didn't....have a beer and think kindly of old Pappy.

According To Dean Karnazes

According to the "Dean Karnazes" rule, I may have a new world record. I ran my Fork Ridge trail 5k in 29:58.81 this morning at 6:00 am. I know that in itself isn't a world record but, and I'll have to check, it may be the first time that a 5k has been run at 29:58 from my house, in the dark, in my shoes, in the snow with one shoelace untied for the last mile. Unless somebody can prove that they have done it, and I haven't seen anybody around my house in untied running shoes, I claim the record.

I will say this though, Nora and Corey and my other DM friends are invited to my house to try to best my world record. But they have to wear my shoes....untied. Tell me what time you are coming.......I'll make lunch.

Spirit Of The Marathon

Today was a scheduled recovery day and I took it. I felt fine...could have run...but I did what I should do, rest for the hard efforts.

I have to ask, has anyone seen the movie on Netflix called Spirit of the Marathon? Maybe you all have and I'm the last person who hadn't but yesterday I found this movie under documentaries on Netflix and watched it. It...is...amazing. It's a story of regular people like us (and one elite) training and running the Chicago Marathon. If you can watch the entire movie and not come to your feet with a lump in your throat cheering for these people, you must not be paying attention. Maybe the best documentary about running I have ever seen. This isn't a commercial here at all. It is just that good. I immediately went to Amazon and bought a copy. Take a peek if you can. Tremendous!