Thursday, July 31, 2008

Pushup Challenge Phase 1 part 2

I've joined the 100 push up challenge group on RunningAhead. It's nice to have other going through this too in case I have any questions or if I struggle.

This week things went a lot better than last week. I was able to complete all the workouts successfully and I did more than the minimum max each day so I'll be moving onto phase 2 starting Sunday.

I guess I should explain the phase thing. In the forums on the RA group people started referring to the weeks as phases since they were repeating weeks also. I think it's a good idea so I'm going to do it too.

Here are the boring details that you don't really care about.

Day 1
Planned 7 - 7 - 5 -4 - Max (5)
Actual 7 - 7 - 5 - 4 - 8
Total of 31

Day 2
Planned 9 - 8 - 6 - 5 - Max (7)
Actual - 9 - 8 - 6 - 5 - 12
Total of 40

Day 3
Planned 10 - 8 - 8 - 5 - Max (10)
Actual 10 - 8 - 8 - 5 - 15
Total of 46

Weekly Total of 117
Combined Phase 1 Total of 222
Grand total of 239

Book on the Run

I don't read as much as I should or as much as I like to. Ok wait, let me rephrase that, I don't books as much as I should. I read all the freaking time, really it's about all I do. But I don't read books much, I just surf the internets finding all kinds of interesting stuff. If you'd like to be as cool as me check out reddit, digg and use stumble upon. I also lurk in the forums on RunningAhead quite a bit as well, but I think I'll become more active there one of these days. One of the best comics out there is XKCD too (reading and understanding this one definitely puts you up there on the coolest list).

Why was I writing this post? Oh yeah, since I don't read books too often I figure running is a great chance for me to "read" some. So I get books from the library, rip them to MP3s, put them on my Cowen D2 and listen to them while I'm running.

Another side note. I know that it is technically illegal for me to rip the CDs to MP3s, I guess I could just download them in a format that allows me to do what I want instead, though I doubt that would be better. In my defense, I only put the MP3s on my MP3 player and delete all traces of them once I'm done listening to the book. I never share or distribute them. Occasionally I will return the CDs before I'm actually done listening to the book, but that's just cuz I'm a nice guy and I don't want some little kid left out in the cold wishing she could listen to Harry Potter but can't because some guy in his mid 20s is listening to it for 30 minutes three times a week which will take him more than two months to finish. Actually that hasn't happened yet, Harry Potter is always checked out :-(

I've added a little link thingy on the right hand side of my blog titled, Book on the Run. Which is a link to the book I'm currently listening to on Amazon. For purposes of total discloser, I'm an affiliate on Amazon so if you buy a book through that link, or any other link from my site, I get a little money. I think so anyway, but it's never actually happened and I don't really expect it to, but if it does that would be awesome, cuz I like money. I'll probably try and post a few paragraphs about the book once I'm done, but book reports have never really been my thing.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Weekly Recap Week 3

It was a good week, nothing newsworthy though. I ran a total of 9 miles for the week. Wow, I have a ways to go to get back to where I was last summer. I actually ran 10 miles in one shot. Oh well, slowly but surely I'll get back there. It was also my first week of the 100 push up challenge, look at my last post if your interested in knowing more about that.

Monday 7/21 - Easy run with Amy when it was pretty hot and humid out, even through we didn't go out until around 8:30 at night or so. I have a feeling it's going to be that way for a couple months at least, I shouldn't complain though, I love this weather compared to winter. Nothing special about our run really, it was pretty slow, but my HR was up a bit cuz of the heat though so it was probably a good thing it we didn't run any faster.
Distance 3.13 miles, time 36:47, pace 11:46, average heart rate 145

Wednesday 7/23 - A nice little 3 mile easy run, same course at Monday actually. We ran a little faster than on Monday, but I'm not really sure why, just one of those things I guess.
Distance 3.13 miles, time 34:23, pace 11:00, average heart rate 155

Thursday 7/24 - We played a pickup game of Ultimate Frisbee again. Man I am so out of shape for that. It's fun though and if I keep playing and running maybe I'll get back in shape a little bit. I'm sure the fact that a few of the guys that play are current or were recently cross country runners at UNK doesn't make me look any speedier.

Saturday 7/26 - We were only supposed to run 3 miles, but I through together a course that went around a nearby lake that was a third of a mile too long. Really what's a third of a mile in the grand scheme of things? So we ran it. It goes along a bike trail that runs next to a little channel thing and went by campus where there is a bridge near a dam, it's pretty cool I think. To get down to the bridge you have to run down this really steep hill with just a dirt path and grass, err weeds, that are more than waste high.
Distance 3.34 miles, time 38:45, pace 11:37, average heart rate 145

This upcoming week, the one starting today, is a fall back week. I'm looking forward to it because my legs are getting kind of tired. I'll only be running 6.5 miles and I plan to take them all pretty easy.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Pushup Challenge Week 1

I completed week 1 of the 100 push up challenge today. To summarize the week in three words or less, I'm a wuss. (I'm only counts as one word even though it replaces two right?)

And now a few more details...

Day 1
During my initial test I was able to do 17 push ups, way more than the 10 push up cutoff for column three of the workout plan. The first day I was supposed to do sets of 10, 10, 8, 6 and then max out, resting 60 seconds in between sets. The first two sets went fine. I struggled a ton and only managed to do 7 for the third set. Then I rested a few minutes and was able to do 6. For my max I was able to pull off 2 whole push ups before my arms were completed drained of all strength. Which was slightly below the 7 minimum the site says I was supposed to be able to do.

Day 2
I was pretty sure day one was just a fluke, I used to be able to do 50 push ups everyday after a couple few hours of practice (about 8 years ago). So I stayed on column 3 and was supposed to do sets of 12, 12, 10, 10 and max with 90 secs rest between them. Again the first two sets were too bad. However I could only do like 2 on the third set. So I quit. I decided I'd try again later but do column 2. I played on the Wii Fit for around a half hour or so and gave it another shot. This time it was sets of 9, 8, 6, 5 and max, again with 90 seconds rest. I was able to get through each set but my max was only 4, it was supposed to be at least 7.

Day 3
I decided I'd do my push ups during lunch today. I'm pretty certain that in my current state I am not where I need to be to do column 3. So I swallowed my pride and dropped down to column 2. The sets for column 2 are 10, 8, 8, and then max. I was able to get through all of but I was only able max out at 7 and I was supposed to do 10.

Since I'm such a wuss I'm going to start over and do week 1 again and this time I'm going to do the second column all three days. I think I'll feel a lot better about it if I'm able to finish my workouts.

Amy is doing this 100 push up challenge thingy too, and she is a doing a lot better than me. Her initial max was only 2 push ups, but she got through every one of her workouts successfully and did more than the minimum max all three days.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Why I run

I started a "series" of posts awhile back on why I run. I think I only wrote one though so I'm not real sure that qualifies as a series.

Anyway another reason that I run is because I can. I'm not going to go into a lot of detail on this post. This is actually my second time writing it. I had Amy read the first one and we decided it probably shouldn't be posted, too much personal information. Don't get me wrong I have no problem letting people know what I think and where I stand. However there was info in it about other people and I don't think it is my place to write about them.

So here is attempt number two. I run because I can. It might sound like kind of an jerk reason or something but it's really not. There are many people out there that aren't able to run, some of them used to, some of them might wish they could and others could careless. Whatever the reason they are out there and we all know too many of them. There are all kinds of reasons maybe they have an illness or decease, or maybe they were injured, or maybe there is some other reason. When I do think about skipping a run or doing it later I think of them. I say to myself, "Self there are people out there that can't run so get off your lazy ass and go run, if you can't do it for yourself then do it for them."

Although not exactly what I'm trying to say I think this quote from Steve Prefontaine is great and can be looked at along the same lines, "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Weekly Recap Week 2

Last week was a good week, all of my plans went well and were on schedule. My cousin got married on Saturday and I got all prettied up in a tux. We had a good time at the wedding, lots of good memories. Other than that nothing real exciting happened. I guess I borrowed a car from my folks that I'll use until I get one. We are thinking we are going to get a 2009 Honda Fit once they come out, which will hopefully be soon.

Monday 7/14
Best run in a long time. I love rain and thunderstorms and ever since I started running again I've wanted to run in the rain but it hadn't worked out. Well Monday night I had my chance. We went on a 2.5 mile out and back run. It was raining when we started but it was coming. Actually it was probably pretty stupid for us to be out running since there was quite a bit of lightning. It started sprinkling a little a few minutes into our run then it start coming down pretty good. It was really windy too, but it was okay because it was at our backs. Ah, but you might recall that just a moment ago I wrote that it was an out and back run. Well the back part wasn't quite as nice. It was like we were getting pelted by little rocks or sand the whole way back because the rain was blowing the rain so hard. It was a great run though and I loved every minute of it. The only thing I would have changed is I would have like it to rain a little bit harder.
Distance 2.5 miles, time 29:28, pace 11:48, average heart rate 146.

Wednesday 7/16
Must not have been an eventful run at all, I don't remember anything about it (other than it was the loop). I don't even remember if I ran with Amy. I don't think I did though because I didn't head out until 9:30 and that is getting to be a little past her bed time.
Distance 2.5 miles, time 25:18, pace 10:08, average heart rate 158.

Saturday 7/19
We were in Lincoln again at my parent's so we ran along the same trail as a couple weeks ago, just a little bit farther. We ran in the morning since we had the wedding in the afternoon. It was only about 9:00 when we ran (which is pretty early for me) but it was already really freaking hot out and pretty humid.
Distance 2.98 miles, time 33:18, pace 11:11, average heart rate 150.

Oh yeah, I started a new book this week too, Digital Fortress by Dan Brown. I'll have to update my little Book on the Run thingy on the right sometime. So far it's pretty good. I'm not sure I'd say it is a literary masterpiece, but it is a good book to listen to on the run.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Weekly Recap

I really want to write up a post each week saying how my runs went the week before and what my plans are for the upcoming week. So for this post my last "week" will really be a couple of weeks.

Week 0 of my plan. Why 0 and not 1? Well two reasons, I'm a computer programmer and a lot of times we start counting at 0 for arrays instead of 1. The real reason though is that Amy was busy all week and couldn't get the runs in so I added a week before the plan so we could be on the same schedule.

7/1 - The first day of the plan. I ran what I like to call "The Loop" it's a 2.5 mile run along the bike path nearby and it kind of goes in a circle, hence "The Loop".
Distance 2.5 miles, time 24:31, pace 9:49, average heart rate 163.

7/3 - A nice 2 mile jot around the neighborhood. There were a few people shooting off fireworks but it was nothing compared my my forth of July run last year.
Distance 2 miles, time 19:03, pace 9:47, heart rate 150.

7/5 - I was supposed to run 2.5 miles but Amy already had a 2 mile run planned so I just tagged along. We were in Lincoln so we ran along a bike trail near my parent's house. It's a nice trail runs a long a little creak thingy, probably more of a drain. Anyway there were cute little baby duckies and stuff along it in a few places.
Distance 2 miles, time 22:09, pace 11:05, heart rate 145.

That took care of week 0. It was a pretty good week and it feels really great to be running regularly again. Total mileage for the week was 7 miles.

Now for week 1.
7/7 - The Loop again. I really like this run so pretty much any 2.5 mile run I have will be on this course.
Distance 2.5 miles, time 24:31, pace 9:49, heart rate 164.

7/9 - Nice easy 2 mile run with Amy. I like going out on runs together. We both have our headphones on so we don't talk or anything, just nice to hang out I guess. I annoy her when we run together though (and most other times really). I run about three steps in front of her the whole time. I don't do it on purpose, I think it is just because my stride is so much longer than hers.
Distance 2 miles, time 23:31, pace 11:19, heart rate 139.

7/12 - The Loop again (I told you I like it). I mixed things up this time though and ran it backwards. It's a little tougher that way though. It wasn't really my intention when I started my run but it kind of turned into a tempo run and I was pushing myself toward the end. It felt great, in that my legs burn like hell and I can't breath sort of way.
Distance 2.5 miles, time 22:17, pace 8:49, heart rate 161. Strange minute faster pace but a lower heart rate. I just don't get it.

Well I guess that gets me caught up on the past weeks. This week (which we will pretend isn't almost over already) I have two 2.5 milers and a 3 miler planned. I'm in a wedding in Lincoln this weekend, but I should be able to get my run in on Saturday morning without much trouble. I really need to look for some new shoes when I'm there though, I have over 360 miles on my current pair.

100 Push Ups

While I was stumbling tonight I came across the site, hundredpushups.com. It has a six week plan to increase the number of push ups you can do to 100. Since I've thinking a lot lately about doing more to get into shape than just running, I figure this is a good way to start.

I can't do the program justice in just a few sentences (but I'm going to try anyway) so make sure you check it out yourself if you're interested. Here is my attempt. You start off by seeing how many push ups you can do without stopping. Then based on that number you do a number of sets and reps three days a week. After a couple of weeks you test yourself again and adjust the column you follow accordingly. Then after six weeks you test yourself again and you're supposed to be able to do 100 push ups.

I don't know about you, but 100 push ups seems like quite an impressive feat. Being able to do that many push ups in one go in just six weeks seems a little unlikely to me. But I'll give it a shot, I got nothing to lose.

Like I said you start things off by doing an initial test to see how many you can do. I managed to 17 of them before my arms were shaking too much to push myself back up. That gives me a rank of 3 and I'll start off in the third column. I'm planning on my three days a week being Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. And I'll start things off on Sunday.

There has been this little voice in the back of my head for a couple weeks now telling me to do before and after photos. I honestly I have no idea why. It's not like I'm going to be losing any wieght, I mean I'm 6'5" and I weigh 175 pounds. That gives me a BMI of 20.7 and my bathroom scale says I have only have 8% body fat. I have this dellousion that I can get ripped someday. So we'll see if I can get Amy to take some pictures sometime.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Thanks Jim

I meant to post this a few days ago but I'm just getting around to it. One of my interests besides running is personal finance and making sure Amy and I do stuff the right way today so we don't have to worry about stuff in the future (or at least not as much). There are a ton of great personal finance blogs out there. One of the blogs that I subscribe to is Blueprint for Financial Prosperity. A little more than a week ago Jim reviewed Financial Infidelity then had a drawing for a free copy of the book. I was lucky and won the drawing and received the book last weekend. It's a nice hardcover edition even. I probably won't get to it for a few weeks because I'm reading a couple of other books now, but I'm looking forward to it. Amy started it and thinks its interesting so far. So thanks for the book Jim, keep up the great work on your blog.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Ultimate Frisbee

We had so much fun playing Ultimate Frisbee in the community olympics that we put our names down to play in pick-up games and stuff. Well tonight we got together for the first time and played a couple of games. I guess to start things off I should talk a little bit about what the game is just in case you don't know.

Basically you run all over the field throwing the frisbee to your teamates trying to get into the endzone. After catching the frisbee you can't run or anything like that, you just have to pass it on. If your team doesn't complete a pass then the other team gets to be on offense. So the pace of the game is similar to basketball. If you want to know all the rules and everything check out Wikipedia or the Ultimate Players Association website.

There were 8 of us that played tonight, 4 girls and 4 boys so it worked out pretty well. It is fun to get out of the house and meet some other people, we don't do that too often. Amy and I were far from the best out there, but since this is only the second time we've played I'll cut us a little slack. We need to work a little bit (or maybe a ton) on catching the frisbee. The other guys that were out there are (or were) cross country runners from UNK and the intermal champs so they could run all over and knew what they were doing. Me and Amy, however, got tired as hell after not too long and dropped a lot of passes that we shouldn't have. We had a great time though.

Every once in awhile I'll play some basketball, but I usually don't run up and down the court except for once a year at our alumni tournament. Amy always makes fun of me because I am like completely dead about 3 minutes into the game. After we played tonight she said she never really played a sport like basketball or soccer where you have to stop and go and change direction and all that fun stuff and pretty much just run your ass off. But now she knows what its like and I don't think she'll give me too hard of a time when I'm dead five minutes into the first game at next years alumni tournament.

I really have no idea where I'm going with this post. I really just wanted to say it is a ton of fun and if you can get a group of people together to play go for it, you won't be disappointed. If you are in the Kearney area feel free to join us. You can just show up next Thursday, July 17th, at Baldwin park at 7:00.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Running Plan

I found a running plan that I think will work for me and I started it tonight. I'm not training for anything in particular right now, I'm just running. (It's hard to type a Forest Gump accent). The plan I'm going to follow is the intermediate plan from runninginjuryfree.org.

There are a couple things that I like about it. First off it will get me to a weekly mileage base of 24 miles. Which is a good place to be if I ever decide to train for a half or a full marathon. Second it gets me there slowly, which is probably the best way to avoid getting hurt doing it. I know I said a couple things but I'm going to through in a third as a bonus. It is pretty even mileage throughout the week. Meaning I'm not going to have three or four 3 mile runs during the week then a 10 mile long run on the weekend to get my mileage in. This is one of the thing that the guys at the Hansons-Brooks distance project talk about. I can't find the actual article right now but I know I read it on there someplace.

I'm not quite at the starting point for the plan yet though. So I added a few weeks in front of it to build up to it slowly. I put everything together on a Google Spreadsheet to keep track of how far I should be running and when. I'll probably keep some notes on there as to how well I followed the plan each week. Feel free to check it out here if you'd like.