Training Update

Ugh, last week was mid-terms week, and I spent the majority of my time correcting tests and projects, and wrapping up the first semester at school. Nonetheless, I was able to drag myself out of bed five mornings in a row to continue what I'm calling my winter maintenance plan. Basically, since I don't have any marathons on the horizon like I did last winter, I'm giving my body a rest. By that I mean I'm not logging excessive miles and I'm incorporating more weight lifting into my regimen (I have a new favorite leg exercise, Bulgarian split squats.). On a good note, I was able to do some speed work for the first time in awhile, and I also did a "long" run of five miles in well under 40 minutes.

Monday: 45 minutes on the bike trainer w/ five 1:00 intervals
Tuesday: inclement weather; back on the trainer for 40 minutes
Wednesday: 1 mile in the pool followed by kick drills
Thursday: 3 miles with 6X400m intervals at @ 80 seconds; weights
Friday: 45 minutes on the bike trainer
Saturday: off
Sunday: 5 miles at tempo pace @ 7:50.

Training Update

Last week started out good, but deteriorated towards the end. Mid-terms are coming up and I had to go into work early Thursday and Friday to get ahead. I managed to get a run in down at the beach on Saturday morning. It was cold; I had icicles in my beard by the time I was done. Later in the afternoon I went swimming...sort of. Some of us decided to do a polar bear plunge in the ocean. The streak continues, 11 years in a row.

Monday - 45 minutes on the bike trainer
Tuesday - 25 minute run; weight routine
Wednesday - 1 mile in the pool
Thursday - off
Friday - off
Saturday - 30 minute fartlek run
Sunday - Off

Rickets Glen

Got out on a really nice winter hike in Rickets Glen State Park on Saturday with Andy B., Kyle F. and Julious. The weather was perfect; it was nice to be in winter conditions. I really miss snow, so being up in northern PA with snow on the ground and falling the whole time we were hiking was enjoyable. I was happy to be in an environment where I was able to use my new crampons, Yaktrax and gaiters. We did around 6 miles of hiking, and had the area pretty much to ourselves. Winter is the best time to hike in the Glen, because the summer crowd is absent. On the way home, we stopped at Selinsgrove Brewing. It was here that I received a special birthday gift: I was carded on my 47th birthday. Woohoo!!!

Here is a sampling of photos.

Training Update

I had a really good week of training: two mornings on the bike, two mornings running and a morning of swimming. The good part of it was that I think I may be over the piriformis issue. I didn't really feel any twinges while running, and even managed to do some fartlek one morning, and was able to open up my stride. In addition to swimming, biking and running I went skiing Friday evening and did a great hike on Saturday.

Monday; 40 minutes on the trainer maintaining a 90 RPM cadence.
Tuesday: 3 miles running followed by weights.
Wednesday: 1800 yards in the pool; interval work
Thursday: 3 miles fartlek followed by weights
Friday: 40 minutes on the trainer; skiing in the evening
Saturday: 4 hours of hiking
Sunday: Off

New Years 2009 And Slightly Beyond

New Years Day for the last 10 years has been spent psyching myself up to plunge into the icy waters of the the Myerstown Quarry Lake. This year, we decided to take a trip to State College, Pennsylvania to visit our friends the Longeneckers and to watch the Rose Bowl with them.

We had a nice trip through the mountains, and arrived at their house around 2:00 p.m. They have a nice home that sits at the base of Mount Nittany, and has a view of Beaver Stadium, and the mountains to the north.

I won't mention much about the Rose Bowl, other than to say that ABC's coverage was the most pathetic broadcast of a sporting event that I ever witnessed. The Lovefest showered on USC by Herbstriet and Mussberger was sickening.

We spent Friday tooling around State College, then headed down the line to my dad and step mom's place and spent the evening and Saturday morning with them.

It was nice to get away for a little awhile, especially to the mountains, and to spend time with family and friends.