My Itty Bitty One Man Tri Morning

I had this plan to create my own little Tri Workout for this morning.  It included swimming at 7am, Group Ride (Spinning) at 9:30 then running the 6 miles home from the gym.  But with rain forecasted for today I changed my plan.  I set my alarm for 5am and after 15 minutes of debating if I wanted to get out of bed I got up.  I put on my running sneakers but remembered my right ankle still has a blister healing.  So I took off my right Zoot and put on my Mizuno.
I figured no one was going to be out and about plus it was dark outside.  So off I was running.  While running I could see flashes of light in the sky.  So between that and the fact it took me a lot of time to actually get ready and out the door I only ran 3 miles. I was going to do the loop which is about the same distance I had ran but I felt safer with the lightening about to hit if I stayed on my side of the main road.  Plus I felt less exposed to being hit with the houses and all on this side of the road. 

After the run I quickly changed and headed to the pool.  The rain had yet to start but the sky was an odd shade of red.  Almost pinkish.  That was an early warning of a pending storm. 

Warm Up

Mixed 500 then 200 Kick (700)

Then we did…

4x125's on 2:10 - 25 Fly / 25 Back / 50 Breast / 25 Free. (500)

And that was it.  It was to be 8x125's but thunder and lightening hit pretty strong so we had to get out.  So a 1200 yard swim.  But I do know what tomorrows swim is going to be so I need my rest.  I got 3 Rounds of 4x100's on 1:20.  Gonna be a tough morning.

The storm hit so fast with rain the the streets were flooded on the way home.  Glad I got my run out of the way.  Now I just gotta get my act together and head over to the 9:30 Group Ride / Spinning Class to finish my Easy Easy Short Short Tri Workout.

Wow oh wow.  I decided to stay for a 2nd Group Ride Spinning Class with Nancy.  So it was 9:30am and 10:45am.
Earning me a whole bunch of things for Fitocracy.  Which the verdict is still out for me.  I like it but really do I need to keep track of everything somewhere else besides here?  But I do earn cool titles and badges...
Not that I understand what they mean.  They are meaningless I guess but sorta cool?
Yes, I am lost.  Oh well a good day of working out!

A Run Thats A Keeper

Well no swimming this morning but I did get in a run yesterday afternoon.  I've been running segments of this loop but yesterday ran the loop.  It's less then 4.5 miles and it's boring as hell.  Also it's dangerous.  Now I'm running on the golf cart / bicycle lane but the snowbirds in golf carts seem not to understand that they are to move around me and not attempt to run me over.  A couple of times I had to jump on the grass along side the road to avoid being hit.  But when I got back safely in one piece I had an email note from Runkeeper.

I keep setting records since I've only been using RunKeeper for a short time.  But hey, a personal best is a personal best.
I need to work on getting my pace under 9 minutes on my runs.  That's going to be my goal this winter into spring.  I don't have any races in my mind right now but I'd like to run a 1/2 Marathon and be under 2 hours.  The two halfs I've done were above 2 hours -

Long Beach International City Bank Marathon & Half-marathon 2009
10/11/09 — Long Beach, CA - 2:09:19

13.1 Marathon - Los Angeles
1/10/10 — Santa Monica, CA - 2:06:55  

I figure if I give myself a goal maybe it'll push me in my running.

My Monday Reboot - Running, Booting and Powering.

Every week I sit down and look what my work week is going to be and then look at the class schedule and try to map out what I intend to do for the week.  Of course stuff happens and changes best laid plans.  Last night I got asked to go to work early so I had to skip swimming.  So instead of swimming I decided to attack the gym.  Which would start with a run outside around the gym.
Since I had to be at work at 5am I was able to go out for a run pretty early in the day.  The location of the gym offers me a few different loops to run around.  I gotta admit I started with the idea I'd do the short 2 mile loop but was feeling pretty good and decided to try the other part of the loop which is a bit longer.  I can expand on this route or loop to make it a 5 mile run which I should do.  I've been a lazy runner of late.  Not running that much and when running short distances.  Gotta change that.  But at least I picked up a little speed out on my run.
After the run I cooled off and headed towards the 10:45 Boot Camp Class.  Even though I wanted to take the class I wasn't too movitated in the class.  I just wanted to get it over with.  I actually felt some pain during some jumping jacks.  I didn't stretch enough after the run is my guess.  Then after Boot Camp I stayed for the 12:00 Group Power Class.  Yeah, my arms will be sore tomorrow.  But in a good way.  I needed a kick in my ass to get myself into gear.  After feeling pretty good in swimming my last two or three weeks seem to have been all over the map.  Feel that I am lacking in strength and endurance in the pool.  Hopefully by pushing my crosstraining I'll get some power in the water.

I'm So Gonna Get My "Unlucky Shark Attack" Badge

Ahhh...an extra hour sleep.  I actually got to swim in the sun today!  Gotta love that.  It was a chilly morning but the sum made it so much better.  That and I got to the pool later then usual arriving at 8am and swimming till 9:30ish.  I even earned a new Foursquare badge. I got the Swimmies badge.  Of course I don't know why it took so long considering I've checked into various pools so many times.  Oh well, whatever.  The workout...

Warmup -

200 Swim
100 Pull w/o paddles
200 Pull w/ paddles
200 Kick
200 IM (Drill/Swim) (900)

4 Rounds -
4x25's on 30 (40 for breast)
100 IM on 1:45
The 25's by round are one of each stroke so one round fly, second round back, etc.  I took 30 seconds extra rest after the back round to chit chat before starting my 4 breaststroke.  Then stopped after the breaststroke round to chit chat again.  (800/1600)

10x50's Free pull on 55 Breathing 3/5 by 25 (500/2100)

Waited for the crew to get together for the workout. 

3x100's Kick on 2;10 (300/2400)

Main Set:
6x50's on 55 Pace
6x100's on 1:35.  I had a very slight descend starting with a 1:12 and ending with a 1:06.
6x50's on 60 descending by groups of 2.  (1200/3600)

And that was it.  I worked those 50's and 100's as I had a fast swimmer with me to push me.  Love the days that he gets to swim with us as it makes me push myself harder then I normally do.  Total workout of 3,600 yards.

Then I headed home ate a bagel and a Gu Energy thingy and went to the  gym for the 11am Group Kick (kickboxing) class.  Woah!  I'm beat for today!  I so earned my Gingerbread Latte from Starbucks.

Forerunner® 910XT

1 More Run For Runtober

I went on a run tonight.  Mostly just to get out for a bit.  Needed some fresh air.  Once out on the run I wasn't feeling it.  So I didn't do the planned loop.  I just ran to a point and came back.  Pretty damn boring run.
But that little run helped cap off another month of running.  At least with the cooler weather I ran a bit more in October or Run-tober. It's a bit sporadic but I did run.  I'd like to get back to running at least 30 miles in a month.  Which isn't a whole lot of running.  I don't plan on running any marathons so no need to be crazy like a year ago.  Just wanna stay fit and comfortable while running.

Octoberfest - On The Road To Recovery...

Looking good, feeling great. 

Okay maybe not great but much much better.  I took Thursday off from swimming and slept all the way in till 8am.  Then after putzing around in the morning I was off to the gym.  Once at the gym I decided to go for a short run to warm up.  I ran just the 2 mile loop around the gym.  As I was almost done with my run a big giant Beer Stein drove by me.  Seriously!

When I was done with my run it was gym time for some weights.  Worked on chest and arms.  When I checked my phone Runkeeper sent me an email about my run.


At least it's a record for my very few Runkeeper runs.  This morning it was "Up And Atom" to go swimming.  My back felt a bit stiff when I woke up but I still headed to the pool.  I figured I'd just go slow.  But I was feeling pretty good and pushed myself for the 300's and 100's.  Not blazing fast but still not bad considering this week has been a bad week.  I didn't even start to do any flip turns to the 6th 50.  Was saving my back.  Now we were to kick 3x100's but I wasn't using fins and was so slow basically I kicked a 250 with no rest and stopped.

450 MIxed Warm Up
2x100's Kick then a 50 Kick (700)

Main Set:
6x50's on 55 (300)
2x300's on 5:00 (600/900/1600)
3x100's on 1:40(300/1200/1900)
3x50's on 55 (150/1350/2050)

And that was it.  My first 300 I was a bit slow.  I came in on about 3:57.  That gave me a minute rest but that's like 1:20 per 100.  My second I was a bit faster at 3:35.  I was shooting for under 3:30.  But considering I've had a bit of back pain this week it's okay.  My 100's were sad.  I did 1:19, 1:15 and a 1:12.  I was getting tired and my back was beginning to feel off.  I don't want to say I'm in pain but I can feel a bit of strain.  So I just took it easy.  And I really did see big giant beer stein as later I took a picture of it driving by... It was Octoberfest!  Today it's some gym time.  Just going to take Group Power but take it easy on the back.  No need to kill myself.

Sunday Afternoon Running

After this morning's swim I headed to work.  Since I only worked a short shift after I was done I went for a run.  It was a nice sunny day in the mid 70's and no humidity.  Perfect afternoon for running.  I ended up only running about 2 miles since someone forgot to charge his iPod Nano last night.  Doh!  No music means no running!
I actually stopped to consult the map app on my phone.  Had no idea where I was.  I sorta did but not really.  It's actually a nice loop of a short run which I can extend into a longer run if I want.  Might hafta try it more often.
Even running just 2 miles is better then me not running.  After I got back from the run I didn't feel like doing weights.  So I went into one of the rooms and put on the Group Kick DVD and practiced a bit.  I really should hit the weights tomorrow.

My Spirit Day! My Purple Day! #spiritday

Well I had to do something for Spirit Day.  Since I don't own much purple I had to at least go with purple steps in Group Power.
GLAAD - "Millions of Americans wear purple on Spirit Day as a sign of support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and to speak out against bullying. Spirit Day was started in 2010 by teenager Brittany McMillan as a response to the young people who had taken their own lives. Observed annually on October 20, individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, media professionals and celebrities wear purple, which symbolizes spirit on the rainbow flag. Getting involved is easy -- participants are asked to simply "go purple" on October 20 as we work to create a world in which LGBT teens are celebrated and accepted for who they are."

I had to then dork it up and take a picture of myself in the only purple workout thing I own.  Note to self: buy more purple for next year.  Oh and put on some muscle!
Oh well.  I did get a good hour in  for Group Power and then took most of Group Kick.  Just got out early to hit the shower before the gym closed. 

I Ran, I Ran Not So Far. Couldn't Get Past Lazy.

Okay so I'm butchering a great 80's classic.  But I did go on a run yesterday.  My goal yesterday was to wake up at 5am and go running before swimming.  Now I did wake up at 5am but it was pouring outside.  So I turned off the alarm and slept in.  Little did I know at the time that the rain would stop by 6am.  Oh well.  So I didn't swim in the morning.  The rain did stop and the sun sorta came out and then it rained some more.  But of course it didn't start raining again till I was out on my run later in the day.
I dropped my stuff at the gym and hit the bricks as they say.  Well part of the run is on a cobblestone path so I can say bricks.  As you can see on my Runkeeper map above I ran to a point well a dead end and headed back.  I thought a street cut back but it turned out to be a dead end into a parking lot.  Oh well.  It was raining a bit at this point so I just ran back to the gym.
The difference between Runkeeper's GPS report on my Android phone and the Nike+ Sportband without GPS isn't all that much.  Now why do I use both then?  Well cuz' I like charts and graphs.  USA Today you had me at little colored infographics!  I have some friends on Nike+ and some on Runkeeper.  Then on top of that I also use DailyMile and now Fitocracy.  DailyMile I can input or sync my Nike+ runs or if I had a Garmin I could import those runs.  While Fitocracy I can only sync Runkeeper.  At some point I'll hafta decide on one or another.  Note noone uses the Adidas miCoach app or device so that has falled off my radar and my phone.  Which is a same cuz' Adidas miCoach isn't so bad.  I'm rambling on about all this because for the holiday's I'm hoping to get a new training device.  And I'm a bit confused and overwelmed by all the choices.  My options right now are the sorta new Nike+ GPS Tom Tom Watch, Garmin Forerunner 910XT or the new Motorola MotoACTV.  Then on the other hand I can just continue using my Nike+ Sportband without GPS so I can continue on with Nike+ and Dailymile but for swimming but the FINIS Swimsense watch which can be synced with Runkeeper.  Too many choices!

Anyways, the point is that I did run yesterday.  And I ran with my new sneakers!  I now am running with Zoot Advantage 3.0's.  After my run I was back at the gym doing weight training focusing on arms and chest.

This morning it was swim time.  And boy was it chilly outside.  I heard reports that it was 48F while I see now that it is 50F.  Cool air but warm water with a pool temp of 83F.  Ugh.  Hate that! 

Warm Up

Mixed 500 followed by 300 Drill/Kick/Swim.  (800)

Main Set:

4x100's on 1:40

400 on 6:00

4x50's on 50

200 on 3:00

4x50's on 50

200 no interval

No extra breaks in between but had plenty of rest.  Almost too much rest.  I was getting chilly in between.  The deal was to get faster during the set.  The 100's were to be descending or pacing then the 400 would be swam at the faster pace.  The 4x50's were to set our pace again and the 2nd 200 was faster then the first 200.  Okay I did that.  My 100's were not descend but pace doing 17's and 16's.  My 400 I can in on 4:57 so had a minute rest.  My 50's sucked but my first 200 I did a 2:25 and my second a 2:15.  Not great but okay.  I was stuggling.  I could feel the cold air on my recovery and my arms were not liking that.  I felt sore by the last 200.  And not sore cuz' I was working hard but sore cuz my muscles were getting tensed up from the cold.  (1600/2400)

I then warmed down a 100 and called it a day.  Total workout 2,500 yards.  Would be interesting to see the swim in infographics via Swimsense.