Pull-ups: 50 today / 483 June
Push-ups: 175 today / 2175 June
Took the day off, as scheduled. No running, no swimming, not even much walking around. Lots of food, including an assemble-your-own-oatmeal-bowl breakfast that Sagan helped with (mine included chopped apples, raisins, ground flax seed, protein powder, brown sugar and cinnamon) and a dinner of about half a salmon, a few slices of sprouted-grain bread and a family-size salad (all for me). And I made time for a solid evening nap, for good measure. I’m looking forward to a good night of sleep then pushing hard on tomorrow’s mile repeats.
Back in 2009, when preparing for the TransRockies Run, I prepared for running at altitude with Intermittent Hypoxic Training (IHT), a protocol that consisted of 20 one-hour sessions with a mask hooked to a machine that removes oxygen from the air. It worked really well, making the altitude less of an issue during the 6-day-long race that was mostly run between 8,000 and 13,000 feet.
While the St. George (Utah) marathon isn’t nearly as high, it is in the mountains. And, I like to get back and forth to other mountains a couple of times a year and each time I have to re-acclimate. I love the benefits after I come back to sea level – getting up to 10% more oxygen feels really good. Many competitive/professional athletes have training camps at altitude for this reason – it removes one of the big performance obstacles for races run at altitude and it improves performance when back at sea level.
At least for the foreseeable future, Austin will remain home. But, since I’m trying to get the most out of my body, for health and performance, I took the plunge and bought a High-Altitude Sleep System, which I’ve been using for a few weeks. Currently I’m sleeping at the equivalent of about 9,400 feet. I think the acclimatization process has been harder than actually being in the mountains, as my quality of sleep hasn’t been the best. Initially, the tubing would come apart while I was sleeping, meaning I was under a tent without air, and I’d awake from the combination of the heat build-up and lack of fresh air. Some packing tape around the joints of the PVC pipes and that problem was over. But, the machine is pretty loud and, while the engineering of the tent is creative and pragmatic, sleeping with your head in a plastic bubble and chain link across your body isn’t ideal for sound rest. I’ve adjusted at this point and plan on using this year-round but it does take some getting used to. I should probably mention the air generator sounds a little like Darth Vader is standing next to the bed. And he’s running an industrial paper shredder.
One of the other effects of being at altitude, at least while adjusting, is an increased heart rate. So, while I’ve been sleeping and my body is getting used to the increasing “altitude”, I’m burning extra calories. (In addition to the extra calories I’ve probably been burning adjusting my body position to the contraption.) That may have contributed to my minor weight loss during the same period. At least that’s a hypothesis that makes sense to me. Once I’m fully acclimatized, things should level out.
I haven’t noticed a huge difference in performance yet but, with the exception of the poor Thursday workout, my training has been going well. I’m guessing that I’ll need to be at my maximum altitude (probably go up to 10,000-12,000 ft) for a couple of weeks before I get the full benefit of the physiological adaptations. And I may also do the IHT come late August, early September, as I understand that protocol to have slightly different benefits (increasing density of red blood cells as opposed to increasing quantity of red blood cells, or something along those lines).
Here’s what the set-up looks like:
And here’s a close approximation of how it looks in use (child included in photo merely to add cuteness):
Pull-ups: 36 today / 433 June
Push-ups: 182 today / 2000 June
18 miles on the treadmill, with incline varying from 0% to 4%, in total time of 3:06. That’s roughly on target, since the idea is to get the miles in at an easy pace. At about 10:20/M, including some brief stretches of walking so I could more easily get in gels while going “uphill,” I finished without any trouble and could have certainly gone faster or farther or both. But as the last long run for a couple of weeks (only a 10M next Friday since it is a step-back week), I wanted today to feel easy. And after yesterday’s poor session and the general fatigue I’ve been fighting, 18M in 3:06 was a good sign.
On my long runs, as in my long races, I use vanilla Powerbar brand gels. In my love-hate experience with gels, these are the easiest to get down – it is all about function and I appreciate what they do for endurance but I’m not about to eat them as a snack. Each has 110 calories so one every 20 minutes gets me 330 calories per hour. That’s certainly not enough to replace the 700-800 calories I’m likely burning most hours while running but it is enough to get me through. And, the sodium and potassium in them can literally (spoken in Chris Traeger voice in my head) be a lifesaver on long and/or hot runs.
And, after each workout I try to get a yogurt-protein powder-soy milk-mixed berry-veggie powder-and-ground-flax-seed shake. Today I downed about 32 ounces of that concoction, which is even less appetizing than it might sound on a semi-nauseated stomach (which I usually have immediately following my workouts).
I only bring this all up because I’ve fighting hard but losing the battle to keep quality weight on. I know I won’t likely get much sympathy from my less active friends (or even some of my more active friends). But, as most readers of my blog are aware, I’m kinda vain. I spent more than a decade from 13-23 years of age working to put on hard-won muscle. Even pound was a victory and at my “peak” I was about 195lb of lean vain-man. And through my 20s and 30s I’ve continued to strength train, both for ego and general health. But I’m now at a weight I haven’t seen since my early teens, despite eating chocolate chip cookies, ice cream, and all the sprouts I can get down my throat. I’m lower now than when I was running quite a bit more during my build-up for the TransRockies and I’m doing at least as much eating and lifting. Just not sure if I’m doing something wrong or something right, as I think I’m a healthy lean and my strength seems to be maintained but the scale doesn’t lie. And here’s what it told me after today’s run:
Yeah, at least a couple pounds is just typical dehydration from a long run but the trend is something for me to keep my eye on. I’m going to keep piling on the avocado and salmon and nuts and seeds and twigs. I guess the good news is that it’ll be just that much easier for me to make featherweight should I decide to transition to MMA.
Pull-ups: 36 today / 397 June
Push-ups: 170 today / 1818 June
Today was a 6-mile “tempo” run. I ran it on the treadmill and, despite feeling fatigued before the start, was eager to get moving and push myself. The idea behind the tempo run is to start easy, slowly accelerate until the pace is hard to maintain for more than a few minutes, then back off to the end of the run. My plan, though not set in stone, was to do the following pace mile: Mile 1 9:25, Mile 2 8:25, Mile 3 7:25, Mile 4 6:25, Mile 5 7:25, Mile 6 8:25. This workout should have been doable, though challenging for miles 4 and 5. (Just a little bit faster than “comfortable” can take a toll of later miles, even if those later miles are run no faster or even slower than what could otherwise be maintained without much strain.)
Last Thursday I did a 6-miler at a pace 0f about 7:25/M. It wasn’t easy but it wasn’t grueling, so what I had laid out for today was reasonable. But, even in the early miles I was tired and by the time I finish Mile 3, though still on target, I could feel myself falling apart. I dug deep for Mile 4 and ran the first half mile at something in the range of 6:50/M, slower than planned and slower than I can ordinarily run an entire 10K. Then, despite the plans I set out for the session, I absolutely had to walk. I know my fitness is strong but something wasn’t right so I walked for about 2 minutes, then ran the final third of Mile 4 at a 6:40ish pace. Upon completing Mile 4 I was fried, had to walk again, and just held on for a couple of much slower miles, averaging maybe 8:30s.
I hate sessions like that. I’ve been feeling really strong for many consecutive speed workouts, including the downhills that have felt surprisingly easy for very quick paces, and the most recent 6M pace and mile repeat sessions. Maybe it is just a bit too many speed/intense sessions too close together. Maybe it is the lack of real days off of exercise. Maybe it is the added fatigue of altitude acclimatization (more on this on a future post). Or maybe it is even the daily push-ups and pull-ups generally tiring me out. Whatever the reason for the poor session, it is just one workout and it wasn’t a total failure. I still was able to get my heart rate up for a good block and got in 6 miles in about 50 minutes, even with two walking breaks.
This one is behind me, hopefully not to be repeated as I progress over the next four months. The goal is to be as fit, fast, and healthy as I can be on October 1, not June 9. I don’t know how much today’s effort advanced that goal but I’m happy to be able to train, even if some days sort of suck. Tomorrow I move ahead with a nice long run that I’ll do as slowly as necessary to get in the miles without working too hard, even if it means walking some/many of the inclines.
Pull-ups: 60 today / 361 June
Push-ups: 300 today / 1648 June
Wednesdays and now Saturdays are my designated days off, at least for running. But, I get so excited to not be running that I’m finding myself even more motivated to do other stuff. Not only did I do 3 loads of laundry and dishes and fix the blender and make fake snow with Sagan, I was eager to hit the push-ups and pull-ups, which then turned into core work and a short but solid swim. So, I’m not sure my body is getting the true benefit of the days off but I’m feeling good and rolling with it.
The day off of running today gave me the opportunity to read about the Rep. Anthony Weiner saga. It seems that a month doesn’t go by when some high profile, generally well-respected, almost always married guy sends a pic of some manflesh to someone who, more often than not, isn’t interested in the first place. House Reps Christopher Lee (R) and Anthony Weiner (D), Senator Paul Stanley (R), Bishop Eddie Long, Brett Favre, are some of the more recent folks but these things aren’t exactly new or rare, especially for politicians. The odd part, at least to me, is the compulsion to send the photos, especially over text and email. What’s the upside, guys? Even if you do “get away with it,” which you probably won’t, is sending that crotch-shot to your intern or caterer or that hostess from Chili’s going to close the deal? Is there any possible way you don’t end up, at a bare minimum, feeling pathetic and more pathetic?
I figured I just don’t get it and just won’t get it unless I walk a few pixels in their pants. (Is that the right expression?) I don’t have that special someone in my extra-marital life who might appreciate any of my uncovered parts sent unsolicited through digital means. But, I do have my wife and I could be pretty confident that my experiment, if directed at her, would result in nothing worse than some eye-rolling. That’s something I’m pretty used to. So, I fired up the ol’ iPhone camera, and just seconds later my point-and-shoot was en route to my beloved. It seems I did something wrong, as her response was underwhelming. Perhaps I wore one too many pairs of shorts? Are such photos supposed to be done after a full-torso hair removal? Or maybe my failing was in not being an elected official or professional athlete? I may never know and Al isn’t providing any constructive feedback, via text or otherwise. Next time I guess I’ll just send this sort of thing to a stranger on Craigslist or my congressional aide, should the opportunity present itself.
Pull-ups: 36 today / 301 June
Push-ups: 175 today / 1348 June
Another good “downhill” 4M run on the treadmill, accelerating to 6:00/M at the end, probably averaging 6:40/M for the session.
Now, about my triathlon thinking. I’ve been intrigued by triathlon for as long as I can remember. I watch the coverage from Kona – the Ironman Championship – and love to talk with friends (and sometimes strangers) who are into the lifestyle. I’ve been listening to the “IM Talk” podcast for at least a couple of years, without missing a single weekly episode, most of which run well over an hour. As a sport and fitness pursuit is is more compelling than plain running and I think competence in each discipline makes for a much more well-rounded athlete.
Though I’m getting fitter, I’m not getting younger, and triathlon takes a lot more knowledge, gear, and experience to do well than marathoning or even ultra-marathoning. If I want to give it a shot, I feel like the time is approaching. And if I’m going to try triathlon, I only want to do so with the “long course” distance in mind.
“Ironman” is a brand, though it is conflated with the distance that it has popularized: 2.4M swim, 112M bike, 26.2M run. There are other promotions that put on “Iron distance” events and, from what I understand, some are among the most interesting, well organized and in the most desirable spots around the world. That said, I’d likely do an official Ironman event, due to their ubiquity, name-recognition, and relative ease of access for Americans. I readily admit it is part ego of both the athletes who compete and the corporation who owns the name but the traditions started with the first Ironman have elevated the branded-events to icons, both in America and world-wide. And that’s something I’d like to be part of.
I’ve been swimming laps semi-regularly for the last few summers. I feel confident that I can complete a marathon even when tired. But, something more than half of the elapsed time of an Ironman race is on the bike, which is unknown territory for me. Yes, I can ride a bike but I’ve never done so for more than a couple of hours, never after an open-water swim, never when I have to conserve enough energy to then be able to run a marathon. I figure the Ironman ride leg would take me a solid 6 hours, assuming a favorable course and a season of putting in the training. And, though I think I can swim 2.4 miles without stopping or completely wearing myself out, I’ve never tried. I don’t want to do an Ironman just to tick a box and I won’t be satisfied taking most or all of the 17 hours alloted for folks to finish. The best professional men complete Ironman races in under 8.5 hours. Some have gone under 8 hours. I’d be shooting for under 12.
Long story short, I’d have to do a ton of biking, while keeping up my running and probably have to re-learn how to swim properly (efficiently), all in a long race build-up, which I assume would be the better part of a year. Maybe longer. From what I’ve experienced in swimming, I’m not likely to make drastic time improvements, even with a lot of work. Since 2009 I’ve gone from swimming a mile in about 40 minutes to a current 35 minutes.
Interesting, however, is that I can comfortably – almost effortlessly – swim a mile in only about 3 minutes more than an all-out effort. Assuming that extrapolates out over 2.4 miles, and that I make as much progress in the next year as I have in the last 3 years, I’d only be shaving maybe 7 minutes off an Ironman on the swim. For a race that will likely take me upwards of 12 hours, saving 7 minutes (or even twice that) isn’t going to make much of a difference. Sure, I’d spend some time on getting better in the water but the big area where I have an opportunity to drop huge chunks of time will be the bike. I may just have to live with the reality that the Ironman swim will take me 90 minutes or so (which might be considered laughably slow, given my passion for training and overall fitness – the pros go under 50 minutes).
This is all still very much in the back of my mind. The next 4 months are about working on my marathon and I won’t let myself get too distracted for too long. Whether or not I venture into triathlon won’t be decided until after I see how fast I can cover 26.2M. There is one decision I have made that relates to Ironman. I can say with absolute certainty that I will NOT be doing this:
Pull-ups: 36 today / 265 June
Push-ups: 200 today / 1173 June
6M easy recovery run on treadmill with variable incline.
1M easy swim in 38:40.
Not exactly a day off but nothing too strenuous. Generally tired but not in a bad way. A good night’s sleep and I’ll be ready for another round of downhill running tomorrow. And, of course, a day’s worth of push-ups and pull-ups.
In upcoming posts: why I sleep in a tent every night (but just my head) and thoughts on my competing in an Ironman triathlon, maybe in 2012.
First, June random goal update:
Pull-ups: 36 today / 229 June
Push-ups: 166 today / 973 June
Ok, so Alison has pointed out there may be the smallest of similarities between me and Rob Lowe’s “Chris Traeger” character on Parks and Recreation. I can’t say she is entirely wrong. I do love vegetable loaves.
This just came to mind after I found myself laying face down on the living room floor after a day of hard running, throwing kids across swimming pools, and generally wearing myself out however I could. Just minutes before finding myself face down on the floor I had washed down my 3rd bowl of hearty tofu stew (just like beef stew, but with tofu!) with some heart-healthy, Shiner ale. But, then I remembered that I had only done 100 push-ups and 24 pull-ups so far today, well short of the minimum daily average needed to meet my June goal. So, I sucked it up and got to the final 66 push-ups of the day, especially proud that I did so without any vomit leaking out, then headed to the pull-up bar in the bedroom closet, where I cranked out 8, then 4 to finish out the day. Yeah, that’s how I do it. Now I’m going to get back to the last of the chocolate cake that I secreted away so Al and Sagan wouldn’t get it.
4 X 1M on treadmill with first two at 6:40/M and final 2 at 6:31/M. I didn’t feel like I was pushing too hard but it was a quality effort. Next week I’ll probably do them all at the faster pace but I wanted to see how I felt today first. Working up to 8 X 1M after hitting 25M and 30M in weeks 14 and 15 will be interesting.
Pull-ups: 36 today / 193 June
Push-ups: 166 today / 807 June
I also got in a relatively leisurely mile swim in 38:34 and burned at least 17 calories on multiple trips lugging beer-and-ice-laden coolers up and down the stairs.
Nothing remarkable today, training-wise, but the focus was on friends and family and hanging out around the pool. My head is a little clearer and I’m actually looking forward to hitting the mile repeats tomorrow, which I’m taking as confirmation that skipping the Saturday run is the right move. And tomorrow will be a hard workout so I better fuel up. First, some sweet potatoes and greens and a salmon. Then I think I might even eat some of Marianne’s not-suitable-for-marathon-training chocolate cake, to follow up the 4 chunks I had last night. Here’s what I have in mind:
Kind of Like Fun 