Thursday, March 31, 2011

How to Gain 12lbs in 2 Weeks

OPEN MOUTH...


INSERT THE FOLLOWING...



BEEF!

HOTDOG AND FRIES

FROZEN HOT CHOCOLATE



MATZAH BALL SOUP
DEEP FRIED TWINKIE

CORNED BEEF AND PASTRAMI SANDWICH

BUCKET OF BEER

APPLE FRITTER






GOTTA LOVE VACATIONS!!!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Where in the World Has the Fat Guy Been???

On vacation....no running...where is the Fat Guy?!?





Saturday, March 19, 2011

Bengal Run 5K


Nice day for a race, a bit chilly, but overall good.


I was hoping to run at least as fast as I did last 5K (19:29). Course was nice and flat, not too much wind, so this was possible. However, about .25 into the race I felt my HR skyrocket and this was confirmed with a 202 on my HR monitor. I slowed it down quite a bit and finished mile 1 @ 6:30, well off my desired pace. My HR stabilized nicely and I was able to run mile 2 at 6:16. From there I gave it all I could and ran a 6:05 for the final mile and a 5:45 pace for the final .10, finishing at 19:30, 1 second off my best.


I also placed 1st in my age group out of 27!
Mileage:3.11
Time/Pace: 19:30/6:16
Avg HR/Max HR: 165/208
Elevation: 40ft

Monday, March 14, 2011

HR Monitor

I think I finally figured out my issue with my HR monitor. For months now, when I start off my workouts, my HR registers in the 160-170's, but I certainly don't feel this. Today I remembered reading that the sensors need to be slightly moist to function properly, so I "moistened" them and my "high" HR went back to normal.

Tempo Run today, 4 miles @ 6:33.

Mileage: 6.00
Time/Pace: 43:45/7:17
Avg HR/Max HR: 152/165
Tempo Splits: 6:27, 6:32, 6:31, 6:24

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Rest Taken!

I took three full days off. Mentally it was very tough. Physically I needed it. Ran at the indoor track with my wife today for about 1.5 hrs.

Mileage: 11.00
Time/Pace: 1:31:48
AvgHR/Max HR: 138/171

Feeling much better.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Rest Needed!

My body is just burnt out a bit. I attempted my 4 hr run today, was only able to get through about 2.5 hrs of it.

I hereby decree the next two days completely off!!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

10x800

Today's Goal: 10x800 @ 3:12

800 Splits: 3:04, 3:07, 3:10, 3:10, 3:11, 3:10, 3:09, 3:10, 3:11, 3:09

Mileage: 10.00
Time/Pace: 1:13:00/7:18
Avg HR/Max HR: 146/176

These splits would seem to suggest that I can run a marathon in the 3:10 range. I'll take that for now!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Shamrock Run 8K (a.k.a. Careful What You Wish For)


I've been complaining about the cold weather hampering my outdoor running for most of the winter. I've begged Mother Nature to give me anything above 32. Today she delivered. I guess I wasn't specific enough, because with the 45 degrees, she also gave me rain and a ridiculous wind ( somewhere in the 25-30mph range, with gusts of 35+).

The first 3 miles of this race delivered a nice pace for me. I was at a 6:30ish pace. However, at the 3 mile marker we turned into the wind and rain. When I say turned into it, I really mean right into the teeth of the storm. My pace dropped from a 6:30 to a 7:20 instantly. I tried to find some shelter by tucking close behind some other runners, but this was of little relief. The rain turned to little jagged balls of ice at one point. Delightful. Certain gusts actually stood me up and I felt as though I was actually moving backwards. At 4.25 or so, we finally turned away from the wind and I was able to manage a 6:38 pace for the final mile.

I'm certainly pleased with my performance, given the circumstances, but I really need some better running weather.

Mother Nature: I request 35-45, 5 mph winds or less and sun. I know, it is a lot to ask especially in Buffalo.

Mileage: 4.98
Time/Pace: 33:33/6:43
Avg HR/Max HR: 161/178
12/312 in age group, 94/3439 overall

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Treadmill Movie Review: Duplicity

My wife and I tried to watch this movie awhile back, but were unsuccessful. At the time, we found the plot a bit confusing and we weren't really wowed by the opening sequences. Today, with a 20-miler on tap, I figured I'd give it another shot.

Duplicity is one of those romance/suspense/bit-of-a-twist movies that we have become too accustomed to. They try really hard to confuse you with some slight of hand, i.e. jumps back and forth from the present to the past, feeding you bits and pieces of non-sequential information. The story really needed it too, because it was otherwise as transparent a pane of glass. You felt the "twist" coming the whole time and if I wasn't on the treadmill, I would have ran from this one along time ago. Too bad too, with a decent cast; Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, etc.

Anyway, run went off without a hitch, legs still a bit tired, but understandable with the work I've been putting in lately. Tomorrow is looking very much like a day off, before an 8K race on Saturday.

Mileage: 20.00
Time/Pace: 2:56:28/8:49
Avg HR/Max HR: 137/164

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

My Weak Legs

I have been doing bike intervals for the past couple of months and I always find that my legs are the weakness. Each interval session has a HR target, but I find as though I am usually short of this target, not because my lungs can't handle it, but because my legs are on fire and I can't keep up the pace.

Today's goal of 6x4min @ 82-88% of MHR @ 70rpm with 3min easy spinning at 95rpm, was another example.

1: 144 avg HR/147 max HR/ 68rpm
2: 142/147/69
3: 142/147/70
4: 142/148/69
5: 145/149/70
6: 142/148/69

My legs just won't pump fast enough, strong enough, long enough to get my HR up higher.

Mileage: 14.79
Time/Avg Sp/Max Sp: 53:01/16.7/23.3
Avg HR/Max HR: 135/149

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

How It's Done!

Take a scheduled 3.75HR run, add darkness, sprinkle in some cold wind, toss running outside to the curb, mount the treadmill and go.

Yep, that's right 3.75 HOURS on the treadmill. I was determined to get this long run in today. Originally, I thought I'd be done with work early and be able to use the daylight and relative sun "warmth" to my advantage. Of course, the best laid plans.....whatever.

The key to my success tonight: decent prime time programming. I started about 6:30 with the evening news, 7pm Sabres vs. Rangers (3-2 Sabres, nice!), 8:30ish flip flop between Idol (I know, don't say it!) and Sabres, and finished with 1/2 an episode of The Office.

This made the time fly by relatively fast. I also tried a bit of an "ultra-marathon" strategy, consisting of run/walk intervals. Beginning with mile 18, I briskly walked for the first .1 mile and then ran the remainder .9 at a pace that kept me in line with my 9:15/mile pace. I used to be dead set against walking at all, but I figure if I can keep a certain pace and throw in some brief periods of walking to keep the legs fresh, then why not?!?

Mileage: 24.50
Time/Pace: 3:45:01/9:11
Avg HR/Max HR: 133/164

Oh, BTW, my Idol picks for top 5 men are (in no particular order): Jacob, Casey, James, Paul & Scotty. Go ahead crucify me now!