Saturday, August 15, 2009

Training Technology

Some of you probably already know that the Motion Based website is not accepting uploads anymore. This is the result of MotionBased Technologies LLC being acquired by Garmin Ltd. in October 2005. Garmin had their own website for uploading users' activities. My view was that it was pretty lousy. They must have agreed because they went out and acquired MotionBased, whose only apparent asset was a loyal following of Garmin users who uploaded activities to their site - which in my opinion was pretty good. So after a few years of meddling with the MotionBased application, Garmin shut it down and migrated everyone over to their new Garmin Connect site. The process wasn't easy as it was plagued by delays and problems. Finally, the move was made. And guess what? My review of Garmin Connect is ... that it's lousy. On top of that, I don't have MotionBased anymore. Thanks a lot Garmin!

So now I'm experimenting with Sports Tracks. So far I like the added functions, particularly the ability to slice and dice a run into various splits without the device actually having to be set for splits. For example, here's a chart of this morning's run:



I had my Garmin set for mile splits but once I got home, I had the application split my run into half mile segments. The chart effectively shows that I was successful in running a "pickup" today (too bad my overall pace was too slow!).

I'm enjoying Sports Tracks. One thing I'm still getting used to is that the application and data reside on my hard drive rather on a web-based server that I can access from anywhere over the web. Ultimately, it's probably better that I'm in control of my data and the application. Hopefully that means a Garmin-like takeover won't knock me off a favored application again!

As a footnote, I'm also experimenting with RunSaturday which offers a web-based application that appears to be open source.

+15 Miles with The Crew

OBJECTIVE
15 mi. (first 8 mi.@ 7:47-8:36 then gradually increase pace every mile; run last mile @ 7:00)

ACHIEVED
15.23 mi.@ 8:38

5:40 AM 78° 88% 0 mph

This one didn't go exactly like I had hoped but it wasn't a bad run either. Today's version of the group was Michelle, Augie, Stacey, Randy, Josh, William, Jon and me. The group plan was to go 20 miles. My plan was only to go 15 but to make it a progression run over the last 7 miles. After 8 miles, our average pace was around 9:18. I suppose this was reflective of the heat and humidity, as well as the fact that it was a 20-miler for others in the group. The pace picked up somewhat over the next couple of miles. After a stop for water and restroom at a gas station, I decided to pick it up and try to get the most out of the remaining distance. After all the last seven miles were supposed to be a pickup run for me. Josh came with me and that really helped my pace. He dropped off at the cars to wait for the others and continue on for 8 eight miles (hard for me to imagine!). I continued around the Memorial Park loop. My pace was falling off without Josh there to help. Thankfully a high school cross country girl came by and passed me. I jumped on in stride behind her and she helped me most of the way around the loop. Hopefully she didn't think a middle-aged perv was stalking her. I stopped briefly for a drink at the Finish Line tent then continued on for the last half mile plus. No matter how I tried I couldn't get my pace to the 7:00 per mile that was my goal.

My Mile 9 - 15 splits: 8:43/8:45/7:32/7:40/7:41/7:29/7:26
Final 0.23 mi.: 1:38 (7:14/mi.)

I did just complete a 51-mile week which is my first +50-mile week in a long time. I'll be stacking them up for a few weeks now though in the build up to St. George. I was a little freaked out when I looked at last year's schedule and found we had already been to Conroe to run hills TWICE by this point last year. We also had quite a bit more distance than I've been able to muster so far this year.

PRE RUN
water & oatmeal w/brown sugar & 1% milk

POST RUN
SlimFast & water
Later, PBJ smoothie, multivitamin & Kashi GoLean cereal w/1% milk

Friday, August 14, 2009

Easy Recovery Run

OBJECTIVE
2-6 mi.@ 8:37-9:47

ACHIEVED
6.16 mi.@ 9:05

4:54 AM 75° 94% 0 mph

Just putting in the time to stretch my legs and get the miles.

PRE RUN
weight = 164.5
water

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & oatmeal w/brown sugar & 1% milk

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Where Would You Like This Piano?

OBJECTIVE
Dynamic stretching warm-up
1.5 mi. warm-up @ 8:37-9:47
5 mi.@ 6:39/mi.
1.5 mi. cool down @ 8:37-9:47

ACHIEVED
dynamic stretching
1.63 mi. WU
5.00 mi. tempo @ 6:50
1.56 mi. CD

Total distance = 8.19 mi.
Total time = 1:04:36

6:18 AM 75° 90% 0 mph

Three miles into it, I had a solid tempo run going at a 6:40 per mile pace. Then it felt like somebody handed me a piano!

So is the glass half full or half empty?




PRE RUN
weight=162.5
water

POST RUN
weight=158.5
SlimFast, multivitamin & Kashi GoLean cereal w/1% milk

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Keepin' It Slow and Easy

OBJECTIVE
2 - 6 mi.@ 8:37-9:47

ACHIEVED
6.11 mi.@ 9:00

6:29 AM 77° 88% 0 mph

Legs are still feeling shredded. I suppose yesterday's intervals only 72 hours since the hard race effort on hills wasn't too recovery inducing! Oh, boy the way, I've got a tempo tomorrow ....

PRE RUN
weight = 164
water

POST RUN
water, multivitamin & oatmeal w/brown sugar, flax & 1% milk

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

OBJECTIVE
Dynamic stretching warm-up
1.5 mi. warm-up @ 8:37-9:47
5x1K intervals @ 6:25/mi. w/3-minute active recoveries
1.5 mi. cool down @ 8:37-9:47

ACHIEVED
1.50 mi. WU
6:19/6:15/6:14/6:24/6:22
1.65 mi. CD

Total time = 1:02:35
Total distance = 7.24 mi.

6:58 AM 78° 96% 0 mph

Still sore.

PRE RUN
weight = 164.0

POST RUN
weight = 160.0
SlimFast, multivitamin & Kashi GoLean w/1% milk

Monday, August 10, 2009

Back to the Sweet Humidity

OBJECTIVE
8 mi.@ 7:46 - 8:36
steep hill sprints 20 sec.
one-leg hop 20 sec.

ACHIEVED
8.02 mi.@ 8:30

5:06 AM 78° 94% 0 mph

Legs were quite sore this morning. I'm sure it was the racing effort ... on hills ... on crowned streets ... then sitting on a plane for three hours. Loosened up a bit after the first couple of miles.

PRE RUN
weight = 165.5
water

POST RUN
SlimFast, multivitamin & water

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Training Schedule: August 9 - 16

Proprioceptive Cue: Running on Water

Sunday - Rest

Monday - Base Run + Drills
8 mi.@ 7:46 - 8:36
steep hill sprints 20 sec.
one-leg hop 20 sec.

Tuesday - 1K Intervals @ 5K Pace
Dynamic stretching warm-up
1.5 mi. warm-up @ 8:37-9:47
5x1K intervals @ 5K pace w/3-minute active recoveries
1.5 mi. cool down @ 8:37-9:47

Wednesday - Recovery Run
2 - 6 mi.@ recovery pace

Thursday - Tempo Run @ 10K Pace
Dynamic stretching warm-up
1.5 mi. warm-up @ 8:37-9:47
5 mi.@ 10K pace
1.5 mi. cool down @ 8:37-9:47

Friday - Recovery Run
2-6 mi.@ recovery pace

Saturday - Progression Run
15 mi. (first 8 mi.@ base pace then gradually increase pace every mile; run last mile @ half-marathon pace)