Tuesday, February 28, 2017

day 1 of training for the brooklyn half


4 miles this morning and an easy bike ride to work.  Today is day 1 of training for the Brooklyn Half Marathon.   I am very excited about this race.  Other than the hill in Prospect Park the course itself is fairly flat so I SHOULD be able to just chug along.  Also, it is in May so hopefully I won't be frozen like I was for Staten Island.

My pace today was 10:30 which gives me some hope that my legs are getting stronger.  I am shooting for a 9:30 pace and, as I have 3 months to get there, I think its doable.  I am going to ride my bike as often as I can and I am working on a 4-5 RPW (runs per week) schedule.  I am fairly committed to eating well for the next 3 months as I have put on some pounds and would like to lose them by race day.

I'm definitely being more cognizant of my stretching and my lungs are starting to get back to where they were before my knee shit the bed.  Just gonna keep at it and see what happens.  I miss running with my running club, but right now my schedule and their schedule does not seem to mesh.

Alright, back to work.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

KNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-ow



So I went for two runs in PA this past weekend.  A 4 miler and a 3 miler.  I rode my bike to work both yesterday and today and definitely felt some discomfort during my commute.  It feels like a knot, just above my knee, in my quad.  It doesn't hurt when I run, though I do feel some stiffness.

I started to do some foam rolling, but it hasn't eased up yet.  I plan on going for 4 miles tomorrow before work, with a nice foam rolling session after.  I want to keep at it, but I am also trying to stay very aware of my body and what it is going through.  Tell ya what though, I hate it.

The weather is definitely getting warmer this week and I would like to take full advantage of that.  Get some runs in, hopefully loosen up my legs.  I am very excited for the Brooklyn Half Marathon and feel confident that, if I stay healthy, I will run a good race as I have run every section of it (in some way or other) already.  The hills are in the beginning and the rest is VERY flat.

I hadn't ridden my bike in a few months and BOY can I feel it on the inclines.  One of my goals this summer is to utilize my bike a lot more.  When i'm not running I should be riding.  My buddy and I are already planning long bike jaunts.  Destination rides for pizza and batting cages.

Alright, gotta get back to work.




Saturday, February 11, 2017

gain and loss, gain and loss, gain and loss


So I have put on about 10 pounds in the last month or so.  I haven't been running as much because my knee was healing VERY slowly and then I got sick and THEN there was a big snow.  I'm trying to keep a positive outlook and also realizing that the midst of winter is probably not the greatest time to expect much (though I definitely see a lot of runners out there snow or no).  Either way, i'm hoping to get a run in tomorrow.

I have a work-out plan for my Mondays in mind.  I will do some Bulgarian Squats, Push Ups, Planks, Lateral Lunges and some stairs.  I am going to try and take it very easy for the first few times and let my body adjust.  I want my knees strong for the spring.  I also want to lose about 30 more pounds by May so I need to get started.

I want 3 runs a week, plus my Monday routine, to get me through the Brooklyn Half and then this summer (if I can manage to remain healthy) I will start figuring out my Marathon training (if I get in that is).  I can feel my body getting tight and squeaky from lack of exercise and I hate it.  I remember how miserable I was at the beginning of the Staten Island Half and how I didn't think I could make it 3 miles and then low and behold I was running free of pain and feeling unstoppable by mile 6.  I want that feeling back again.

Tomorrow I will just go for an easy run.  I want to go out for about an hour.  I'll let myself walk if I feel tired.  I'll stretch before and after.  I'l hydrate.  I need to get out of these doldrums and back on the street!!!

Adieu homies.