So I put the “miles to go before I sleep” motto to the test this past Saturday.
Saturday was a long run day, but started a little earlier than most Saturday runs. I was scheduled to run 18 miles and needed to get it done before 9:00 am, because (to my surprise) I had been signed up to be an assistant coach on Morgan’s soccer team this year, and the first coaches meeting was that morning.
Why not run after the meeting, you say? Well, we had also agreed to host a PTA beer tasting at our house and I needed to get some food and house prep done.
So I was on the road at 5:50 and it turned out to be the best run of the year. I felt fast and injury free. Plus, as I ran west, I watched a huge full moon set and by the time I turned to come back east, I was able to watch the sunrise over the lake.
I made the coaches meeting at 9:00, was cooking by 11:00, cooked steadily from 11:00 to 3:30, changed out our vestibule light fixture, and was ready for the tasting by 7:00.
Had a blast at the beer tasting and way over-indulged for my age.
The last guests left about 12:30am and I got my third wind, whereby I cleaned the house, so we had nothing to do in the morning. Still energized, I of course did some late night Facebook posting before bed and annoyed my brother in Denver.
Passed out…literally…sometime after 2:00 am. A 22 hour day is probably over doing it, but well worth it. (Thanks to all that helped and enjoyed.)
I was able to get in two outdoor rides this past week, including a good ride on Sunday to knock off the Saturday night cobwebs. Loving the new bike and being outside.
Otherwise, training is moving along. We are about 50 days until the marathon and 4 weeks until the first tri.
So many miles to go before I sleep…
Editor’s note: We have a vestibule and foyer. Scott refuses to use either word and insists on calling them both the front hallway, when they are clearly different. I’m not sure if the word “vestibule” offends his manly sensibilities, but I changed it anyway. So there!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Random Recap
Suffering from writers’ block this week, so I’m just going to do a quick recap of last week.
I stayed true to course and cut back my long run to 12 miles after a minor freak out during the week about my training plan for the marathon.
Tends to happen every year… I suddenly get this feeling that I am not getting enough miles done before a race. Then I over analyze my schedule and come to terms with the whole thing. It oddly becomes the thing I like about racing and training, because it is that moment where you begin to make peace with… whatever it is you’re about to do.
The course for the marathon was released this week which included some big changes with the Medical-Mart construction. Sounds like an exciting finish line for the smaller races which will get to finish on Browns Field.
Otherwise, the organizers really flipped the course around and it could make for a very windy last 10k into the west for the finish, but the fun part of the run through Lakewood, Ohio City and Tremont still looks good.
Other than the minor fact that I am fighting a decent amount of muscle fatigue and one nagging injury in my hip abdomen, things are starting to shape up for the season.
I just confirmed my entry for the Miami University Triathlon, which is a good season opener and fun to race back on campus.
This week has been a long week from both distance and time perspectives. Tomorrow is a 16 mile run. Based on the weather, I better pull out my snow shoes. Spring cannot come soon enough.
I stayed true to course and cut back my long run to 12 miles after a minor freak out during the week about my training plan for the marathon.
Tends to happen every year… I suddenly get this feeling that I am not getting enough miles done before a race. Then I over analyze my schedule and come to terms with the whole thing. It oddly becomes the thing I like about racing and training, because it is that moment where you begin to make peace with… whatever it is you’re about to do.
The course for the marathon was released this week which included some big changes with the Medical-Mart construction. Sounds like an exciting finish line for the smaller races which will get to finish on Browns Field.
Otherwise, the organizers really flipped the course around and it could make for a very windy last 10k into the west for the finish, but the fun part of the run through Lakewood, Ohio City and Tremont still looks good.
Other than the minor fact that I am fighting a decent amount of muscle fatigue and one nagging injury in my hip abdomen, things are starting to shape up for the season.
I just confirmed my entry for the Miami University Triathlon, which is a good season opener and fun to race back on campus.
This week has been a long week from both distance and time perspectives. Tomorrow is a 16 mile run. Based on the weather, I better pull out my snow shoes. Spring cannot come soon enough.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Fantasy Racing
So a lot of guys my age look forward to their fantasy football drafts. Or right about now its fantasy baseball draft time. Well, Saturday night I had my own version.
A training friend and I were supposed to go out for a couple of beers, but instead we decided to go over the 2011 race season and have those beers in the comfort of our home.
Like fantasy football, we had our own sort of big board. But instead of players, we had races. We had our 6 month calendar laid out before us and just started plugging things in. Totally dorky moment…but a blast, and we have races planned through November.
It’s interesting where we have come in a short time. When I first started, the big deal was scheduling around which Olympic distance races we were going to do. Now, in a weird way, the Olympic races have become standard. Our focus is around the obvious full “ironman” distance in September, but also where we are going to slip in a couple of half distance races.
Truly, this is an illness that I owe to the particular person that was sitting next to me.
On the training front, I had a good week, even considering it was “Blackout 2011” in our house which had our dog Potter and I huddled around the fire, sleeping in our 45 degree house. Not kidding… slept in running pants, wool socks, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, fleece pullover, sweatshirt, winter hat and I still used a two blankets.
Forgot to mention that our gas fireplace is in the draftiest room in the house.
The blackout was followed up by a blizzard on Friday, where on my way to swim I conveniently lodged my vehicle in a snow drift by my gym’s driveway and had to walk to the front desk for a shovel to dig my car out. Nice. Good stretching before my swim.
Saturday, I was able to increase my long run to 14 miles and I am still on schedule for the marathon. Tough run with snow and I had to take a lot of extra steps. Made for stiff legs on Sunday, but I was able to get on my trainer and swim before dinner.
The unmentioned workouts last week were fairly routine.
Although, one nice thing I have discovered – well behind the curve – is that I can watch Netflix on my phone while I ride my trainer. It looks odd, as I have my phone propped on the ironing board in front my trainer as I ride, but it was effective and a nice change of pace.
I watched the series Spartacus: Gods of Arena while riding. It is actually a decent series, but as I told Anna it’s like watching a mix of MMA fighting and soft-core porn.
This week I am going to taper a little bit in the run and push a little bit more swimming, otherwise it should be a normal week.
(Editor’s Note: He forgot to mention the three hours of shoveling he did in the backyard to make the 4 foot sledding hill/half-pipe for the girls to sled down. Every time I looked out the window he was shoveling more snow onto the thing.)
A training friend and I were supposed to go out for a couple of beers, but instead we decided to go over the 2011 race season and have those beers in the comfort of our home.
Like fantasy football, we had our own sort of big board. But instead of players, we had races. We had our 6 month calendar laid out before us and just started plugging things in. Totally dorky moment…but a blast, and we have races planned through November.
It’s interesting where we have come in a short time. When I first started, the big deal was scheduling around which Olympic distance races we were going to do. Now, in a weird way, the Olympic races have become standard. Our focus is around the obvious full “ironman” distance in September, but also where we are going to slip in a couple of half distance races.
Truly, this is an illness that I owe to the particular person that was sitting next to me.
On the training front, I had a good week, even considering it was “Blackout 2011” in our house which had our dog Potter and I huddled around the fire, sleeping in our 45 degree house. Not kidding… slept in running pants, wool socks, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, fleece pullover, sweatshirt, winter hat and I still used a two blankets.
Forgot to mention that our gas fireplace is in the draftiest room in the house.
The blackout was followed up by a blizzard on Friday, where on my way to swim I conveniently lodged my vehicle in a snow drift by my gym’s driveway and had to walk to the front desk for a shovel to dig my car out. Nice. Good stretching before my swim.
Saturday, I was able to increase my long run to 14 miles and I am still on schedule for the marathon. Tough run with snow and I had to take a lot of extra steps. Made for stiff legs on Sunday, but I was able to get on my trainer and swim before dinner.
The unmentioned workouts last week were fairly routine.
Although, one nice thing I have discovered – well behind the curve – is that I can watch Netflix on my phone while I ride my trainer. It looks odd, as I have my phone propped on the ironing board in front my trainer as I ride, but it was effective and a nice change of pace.
I watched the series Spartacus: Gods of Arena while riding. It is actually a decent series, but as I told Anna it’s like watching a mix of MMA fighting and soft-core porn.
This week I am going to taper a little bit in the run and push a little bit more swimming, otherwise it should be a normal week.
(Editor’s Note: He forgot to mention the three hours of shoveling he did in the backyard to make the 4 foot sledding hill/half-pipe for the girls to sled down. Every time I looked out the window he was shoveling more snow onto the thing.)
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