Training

This is a place where you can follow along with my progress in my training program for the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race in early April. Check out my post about it here for some background info.

There’s a course map for the race down at the bottom of this page.

The chart is cumulative and I will be filling it in every time I run, so the numbers in any certain week aren’t final until the week is actually completed.

1/3: Home from work, ran 3 miles outside near my house.

1/6: 6 miles at work on the treadmill.

1/10: 4 miles at work on the treadmill.

1/12: 5 miles at work on the treadmill.

Ugh. I need new shoes before I get too far along in this. Feeling it in my calves and ankles.

1/14: 6 miles in Oranjestad, Aruba.

This was a beautiful but ROUGH run. It was about 90 degrees out and full sunshine even at 9:00 am. I ran through downtown Oranjestad and all the way out past Manchebo Beach up to the bird sanctuary and back. I had to stop a few times while running through the resorts to pull the outdoor shower chains for a little cooling off. I had planned to do more like 8 miles but I just couldn’t hack it in that heat.

1/19: 3.5 miles on the treadmill back at work.

Really need those new shoes asap. Not going to be able to push much farther without them.

1/21: 6.5 miles – treadmill at work.

1/22: Crosstraining: 6 hours of painting the nursery.

1/23: Crosstraining: 8 hours of painting the nursery.

No, seriously. That was a lot of work. My arms are ready to fall off.

Also I put in an order for new running shoes yesterday. I’m not going to get in much running this week (and last week I fell off a bit, too), but I’d rather not quite make my goals then keep pushing in the shoes I’m in and injure myself. My shins are still hurting from 1/21. Nike running shoes = big thumbs down. They wore out super fast. Going back to Adidas Supernovas.

1/25: Ran 2.5 miles at the community rec center.

My wife and I are checking this place out as a new option for our workouts cause her nearby gym closed and my office gym sucks. Plus, this place has an indoor pool which will be great for her during the rest of the pregnancy since it’s getting a bit hard for her to get real exercise without serious back pain and soreness.

Also, my new shoes arrived. They are a godsend and my legs feel much better. Still, I’m not going to get too much running in this week though, due in part to the shitty snowstorm we just had, but also for other reasons which will all become clear late next week…

… and now it’s next week.

I have just joined the Biggest Loser competition at my office.

My initial weigh-in today (2/2) was 187 pounds. This is about as heavy as I have ever been. I have gained – no joke – about 22 pounds since Amanda got pregnant. I decided to join the competition because it falls pretty much the same time as my 10 mile race training does (the last weigh-in being April 15th), and frankly because I just don’t want to weigh this much. I’m not fat, per se – I hide it pretty well, being 6′2″ and all – but the excess baggage has got to go.

So now I will be using the space to track not only my training runs for the race, but also my bi-weekly weigh-ins, and what I’m eating as well. The eating part – well, I’m going to try to be diligent about keeping track of it here – but I’m not one for counting calories so you’ll see none of that. Instead I plan to just list out what I’m eating and when and try to use it to get a good picture of my patterns.

I hope that what I write here will be useful for some of you – perhaps for motivation, if nothing else – but this is also very much a me thing. So, just wanted to put that out there I guess.

2/2 Food: 8am – two waffles for breakfast. 12pm – half a beef taco, some duck fat sweet potato fries. 4pm – other half of taco, rest of sweet potato fries. 5pm – short skinny caramel macchiato. 6:30pm – blood orange. 9pm – dinner of baked turbot with flax seed, salad of lettuce, tomato, onion, pecans with pomegranate blueberry vinaigrette.
2/2 Run: 7pm – 6 mile run at the rec center.
 
 
2/3 Food: 8am – banana/raspberry smoothie made with Greek yogurt and flax seed. 11am – blood orange. 1pm – half serving of leftover turbot salad. 4pm – second half of salad leftovers. 6:30pm – snack of a few bites of roast duck, pita chips, and hummus. 8:30pm – dinner of baked chicken with salad of lettuce, tomato, pecans, broccoli, and pomegranate blueberry vinaigrette.
2/3 Run: 11:30am – 3 miles, treadmill at work.
 
 
2/4 Food: 8am – pomegranate/blueberry smoothie made with Greek yogurt and flax seed. 12:30pm – half serving lunch: balsamic tofu, quinoa salad with edamame, corn, jalapeño, and chickpeas. 4:30pm – second half of lunch. 5:30pm – 1 pint of Nugget Nectar beer. 8pm – dinner of baked trout on quinoa salad with corn, peas, peppers, and bacon. 1 pint of Hopslam. 1 small piece of dark chocolate.
2/4 Run: – Off day.
 
 
2/5 Food: 9:30am – breakfast of carrot and spinach smoothie.  1:30pm – 1 blood orange. 2:30pm – lunch of chicken panini with provolone and mayo. Small coffee. 5pm – 1 Hopslam. 9pm – roast chicken breast with sweet potatoes, and a side of quinoa salad. 2 more Hopslams.
2/5 Run: 10:30am – 7 miles at the rec center.
 
 
2/6 Food: 9am – carrot and spinach smoothie. 11am – apple. 1pm – chicken wings and spanakopita. 3pm – 1 Hop Wallop and some chili. 4pm – 1 Hopslam. 5pm – peanut butter and bacon jamwich. 6pm – 1 Hopslam. 7pm – chicken wings. 8pm – 1 cookie. 9pm – 1 Hopslam, 1 cup cake.
2/6 Run: Off day.
 
 
2/7 Food: 9am – apple, granola bar. 1pm – chicken wings, quinoa salad. 5:30pm – chicken wings, quinoa salad. 8:30pm – half a bacon jamwich.
2/7 Run: Off day.
 
 
2/8 Food: 9:30am – muesli cooked in apple juice. 1pm – half lunch of chicken wings and quinoa salad. 4pm – second half lunch, same. 7pm – short white mocha. 9pm – pork tacos, salsa and light cheese, side of roasted brussel sprouts. 1 vanilla cream soda.
2/8 Run: 6 miles outside, very hilly.
 
 
2/9 Food: 9am – banana and blueberry smoothie. 12pm – half lunch of pork taco leftovers with brussel sprouts. 4pm – second half of lunch. 9pm – lamb burger with walnut sauce and wilted rainbow chard with goat cheese and pecans.
2/9 Run: Off day.
 
 
2/9 Unofficial Week 1 Weigh-In: 182 pounds.
 
 
2/10 Food: 9am – muesli. 12:30pm – half lunch, lamb burger and chard. 4pm – second half lunch. Two small pieces of chocolate. 6:45pm – almond and flax granola bar. 8:30pm – small banana/blueberry yogurt smoothie. 9pm – lamb burger and chard, one cream soda. Small chocolate ice cream/yogurt shake.
2/10 Run: 7pm – 4.5 miles. Crosstrain – 5 miles on a bike.
Comment: Think I might be upping the mileage a little fast, or else just having trouble getting used to treadmills all the time. I had pretty bad shin splints with this workout – had intended to run 6 miles but felt it better not to in order to still be able to do a long run on Saturday.
 
 
2/11 Food: 8:30am – blueberry/banana yogurt smoothie. 12:30pm – half lunch from WF (salmon, steamed broc and potato, polenta, quinoa and black bean salad). 4pm – second half lunch. 8pm – roast chicken leg and thigh, steamed carrots and broccoli, piece of cornbread. Two small pieces of chocolate.
2/11 Run: Off day.
 
 
2/12 Food: 11am – cereal with Greek yogurt. 2pm – Greek yogurt with blood orange. 5pm – small hamburger with steamed veggies. 9pm – chili with cornbread.
2/12 Run: 5 miles. Crosstrain – 4.5 miles on a bike.
Comment: This was supposed to be my long run day of 8 miles but I couldn’t make it with how bad my shin splints are right now. I’m going to dial back the mileage this coming week about 1/3rd, work on some specific exercises for them, and get thorough about ice/heat recovery. Hopefully that should take care of it fairly quickly.

 
2/13 Food: 10:30am – blueberry waffles and scrambled eggs. 2pm – chili and cornbread. 5pm – blood orange. 8:30pm – duck sauce pizza with peanut chicken. 1 piece of chocolate.
2/13 Run: Off day.
Comment: Iced my legs a bit today and did some exercises to try to work out the shin splints. Don’t know if they’ll be successful or not.
 
 
2/14 Food: 8:30am – spinach and banana smoothie. 11am – blood orange. 1pm – half lunch chili. 4pm – second half lunch chili. 8pm – duck sauce pizza and chili, one avocado with lemon and salt. One piece of dark chocolate.
2/14 Run: 2 miles in the afternoon, after warming up with shin-splint-specific exercises. Crosstrain – 4 miles on a bike. Some yoga.
 
 
2/15 Food: 9:30am – spinach and banana smoothie. 12pm – apple with peanut butter. 2pm – first half lunch salad of blood orange, spinach, walnuts, goat cheese with lemon vinaigrette. 5pm – second half lunch. 9pm – borscht with creme fraiche and bread.
2/15 Run: Off day. Icing shin splints.
 
 
2/16 Food: 9am – spinach banana smoothie. 11:30am – more smoothie. 1:30pm – half serving borscht, one slice of oatmeal bread. 4pm – second half serving borscht, one slice of bread. 8pm – rockfish with steamed carrots and broc, cilantro, cayenne, and lime juice, with two pieces of cornbread. Two small pieces of dark chocolate.
2/16 Run: 1 mile. Crosstrain – shin splint warm-ups, 6 miles on a bike.
 
 
2/16 Official Week 2 Weigh-In: 180.8 pounds.
 
 
2/17 Food: 9am – spinach blueberry smoothie. 11:30am – more smoothie. 2pm – half lunch rockfish leftovers, one piece of cornbread. 9pm – something for dinner (damn!).
2/17 Run: 1 mile. Crosstrain – shin splint warm-ups, 11 miles on a bike.
 
 
2/18 Food: 9am – banana strawberry smoothie. 11am – more smoothie. 2pm – sushi from WF. 6:30pm – chicken and spinach salad from Fireworks, two pints of beer. 9pm – one glass of scotch.
2/18 Run: Off day.
 
 
2/19 Food: 9am – spinach and banana smoothie. 11am – more smoothie. 2pm – chicken quesadilla. 7pm – chicken and dumplings with peas, carrots, potatoes. 4 beers.
2/19 Run: Off day. Shin splint stretches, a 30 minute walk, and 2 hours worth of housework.
 
 
2/20 Food: 11am – eggs, grits, and one waffle. 3pm – leftover chicken and dumplings. 8pm – roast chicken with ramp mustard, Swiss chard with walnuts and goat cheese, and corn bread. Two pieces of dark chocolate and one beer.
2/20 Run: off day. Shin splint stretches, 60 minute walk at Burke Lake Park with Amanda.
 
 
2/21 Food: 9am – spinach banana smoothie. 1pm – leftover chicken and dumplings with cornbread. 8pm – leftover roast chicken dark meat with ramp mustard, steamed carrots, peas and turnips, and corn bread. Two pieces of dark chocolate.
2/21 Run: 2 miles. Shin splint stretches. 10 miles on a bike. 30 minutes pool running.
 
 
2/22 Food: 9am – spinach and carrot smoothie. 11am – rest of smoothie. 12pm – blood orange. Other stuff I forgot.
2/22 Run: 2 miles. Cross-train: 10 miles on bike.
 
 
2/23 Food: I got lazy about tracking food this week for a bit. I ate pretty much in the same patterns as before though. Smoothie for breakfast. Pork tenderloin for dinner.
2/23 Run: 1 mile. Cross-train: 15 miles on bike.
 
 
2/23 Unofficial Week 2 Weigh-In: 177.6 pounds.
 
 
2/24 Food: 9am – spinach banana smoothie. Pork tenderloin and quinoa salad for lunch. Chicken noodle soup for dinner.
2/24 Run: Off day.
 
 
2/25 Food: 9am – spinach banana smoothie. 1pm – chicken noodle soup. 8pm – chipotle pork burritos with steamed carrots and broccoli. 1 beer.
2/25 Run: 2 miles. Cross-train: 10 miles on bike. 20 minutes pool run.
 
 
2/26 Food: 11am – scrambled eggs, cheese grits, toast. 2pm – chicken noodle soup.
2/26 Run: Off day. Icing shins.
 
 
2/27 Food: Slacked in tracking here. Don’t remember. Smoothie, sandwich, and pork burritos again I think.
2/27 Run: Off day. Sick.
 
 
2/28 Food: Data missing.
2/28 Run: Off day. Sick.
 
 
3/1 Food: Banana spinach smoothie. Chicken curry for lunch. Spinach and ricotta ravioli for dinner. Small bowl of mint ice cream for dessert.
3/1 Run: 3 miles. Not bad, very little pain.
 
 
3/2 Food: 9am – muesli. 11am – blood orange. 1pm – first half of lunch: pork fajita, steamed vegetables.
3/2 Run: 4.5 miles.
Comment: Longest run in awhile. It was a bit painful but very doable. Icing up shins afterward and I seem to be okay. Here’s hoping, anyway. I am way behind schedule at this point.
 
 
3/2 Official Week 3 Weigh-In: 177.6 pounds.
 
 
3/3 Food: Data missing.
3/3 Run: Off day.
 
 
3/4 Food: Data missing.
3/4 Run: 5 miles – kind of hilly, a little rough, but all in all felt good.
 
 
3/5 Food: Toast, eggs, grits for breakfast. Data missing for lunch. Margarita chicken with salad and chipotle corn bread for dinner. A couple beers.
3/5 Run: Off day.
 
 
3/6 Food: Spinach banana smoothie for breakfast. Blood orange for snack. Spinach salad with avocado, walnut, and goat cheese for lunch. Pulled pork sandwiches for dinner. Glass of white wine.
3/6 Run: 7.5 miles!
Comment: This run felt like such an accomplishment after the crap I’ve been dealing with. 7.5 miles, it felt great, I ran through absolutely PELTING rain and was soaked to the bone, but it was awesome. Stopped in at the rec center afterward for a soak in the hot tub.
 
 
3/7 Food: Data missing.
3/7 Run: Off day.
 
 
3/8 Food: Spinach banana smoothie for breakfast. Half portion meatball sub and string beans for lunch. Second half portion at 4pm.
3/8 Run: 5 miles.
 
 
3/9 Food: Spinach and goat cheese grits with an egg. Sushi for lunch. Edamame for snack. Kashi pizza and egg for dinner.
3/9 Run: No running, cross-train arms and shoulders.
 
 
3/9 Unofficial Week 4 Weigh-In: 176.9 pounds.
 
 
3/10 Food: 8am – grits and an egg, glass of milk. 11am – blood orange. 1pm – half serving spinach salad with chicken, cup of tomato soup. 3pm – edamame snack. 4:30pm – second half of spinach salad.
3/10 Run: 11:30am – 4 miles.
 
 
3/11 Food: Cereal for breakfast, salad for lunch, vegetarian sloppy joes and steamed vegetables for dinner. A few beers.
3/11 Run: 11am – 4 miles.
 
 
3/12 Food: Spinach, goat cheese and grits for breakfast. Leftover sloppy joe for lunch. Ramp mustard chicken wings with chard salad and cornbread for dinner. A few beers.
3/12 Run: Off day.
 
 
3/13 Food: Pancakes and scrambled eggs with juice for breakfast. Fruit and yogurt and light salad for lunch. Chicken with rice and steamed vegetables for dinner, two beers.
3/13 Run: 1pm – 10 miles.
Comment: First 10 mile run of the season and man, it felt good. Very little pain in the shins, either. Here’s hoping it’s on the mend for good.
 
 
3/14 Food: Sliced banana over Greek yogurt for breakfast. Leftover chicken with steamed veg for lunch. Spinach ricotta pasta for dinner. Small bowl of ice cream.
3/14 Run: Off day.
 
 
3/15 Food: 8:30am – Sliced banana over swiss muesli with a glass of milk. 11am – blood orange. 2pm – half spinach salad with chicken, goat cheese, hardboiled egg and pomegranate vinaigrette. 4:30pm – second half lunch. 9pm – teriyaki roast chicken, chard salad, cornbread.
3/15 Run: 12 noon – 9 miles.
  
 
3/16 Food: 8:30am – Sliced banana over swiss muesli with a glass of milk. 1pm – chicken and green beans. 9pm – roast chicken leftovers, green beans.
3/16 Run: Off day.
 
 
3/16 Official Week 5 Weigh-In: 173.9 pounds.
 
 
3/17 Food: 8am – Greek yogurt with blood orange and flax seed.  2pm – chicken and green beans. 9pm – bbq sirloin tips with dry rub, baked potato, spinach salad and three beers.
3/17 Run: No running, crosstrained with 15 miles on a bike.
 
 
3/18 Food: 8am – steak, spinach, goat cheese omelette. 1pm – spicy salmon and tuna sushi. 8pm – grilled chicken salad with mixed greens, quinoa, baked potato, walnuts, and honey mustard.
3/18 Run: 11:45am – 3 miles.
 
 
3/19 Food: 9am – steak, spinach, goat cheese omelette. 11am – blood orange. 11:30am – granola bar. 1pm – leftover grilled chicken salad with quinoa. 4pm – ramp mustard grilled chicken sandwich. 5pm-9pm – 3 beers. 10:30pm – one slice pizza.
3/19 Run: 12 miles!!!
 
 
3/20 Food: 11am – yogurt and strawberries. 3pm – leftover quinoa salad. 8pm – cheeseburger with sweet potato fries and broccolettes.
3/20 Run: Off day.
 
 
3/21 Food: 8am – yogurt and blueberries. 11am – blood orange. 1pm – half serving cheeseburger. 4pm – second half serving cheeseburger.
3/21 Run: 5 miles.
 
 
3/22 Food: Data missing.
3/22 Run: 5 miles.
 
 
3/23 Food: Data missing.
3/23 Run: Off day.
 
 
3/23 Unofficial Week 6 Weigh-In: 172.4 pounds.
 
 
3/24 Food: Data missing.
3/24 Run: 12 miles.
 
 
3/25 Food: Green curry coconut and chicken dinner.
3/25 Run: Off day.
 
 
3/26 Food: Breakfast and lunch data missing, chicken caesar salad for dinner.
3/26 Run: Off day.
 
 
3/27 Food: 2 waffles for breakfast, greek yogurt and blood orange. Cottage cheese snack. Powerade zero. Something for lunch. Chicken, bacon, egg salad for dinner.
3/27 Run: 12 miles.
 
 
3/28 Food: Kashi protein rich cereal with milk, and strawberries. Cottage cheese morning snack. Leftover salad lunch in two portions, Stonyfield vanilla smoothie. Quinoa with seitan, jalapeno, and edamame for dinner.
3/28 Run: Off day.
 
 
3/29 Food: 2 waffles, glass of milk, juice. Cottage cheese. Leftover quinoa in two portions for lunch. Leek and lemon penne with chicken, grilled vegetables for dinner.
3/29 Run: Cross-train: 20 miles on a bike at the gym.
 
 
3/30 Food: Banana spinach smoothie with yogurt. Blood orange.
3/30 Run: Cross-train: 50 minutes on elliptical.
 
 
3/30 Official Week 7 Weigh-In: 170.1 pounds.
 
 
3/31 Food: Data missing.
3/31 Run: Cross-train: 45 minutes on a bike.
 
 
4/1 Food: Data missing.
4/1 Run: Off day.
 
 
4/2 Food: Spinach banana smoothie for breakfast. Cold cut sandwich for lunch, chicken salad for dinner. 3 or 4 beers.
4/2 Run: Off day.
 
 
4/3 Food: Blood orange before the race. Muffin and banana after. Fried chicken, waffle, and bloody mary for brunch. Sushi for dinner.
4/3 Run: RACE DAY! 10 miles. Overslept until 7:15am when the gun was at 7:45am. It was ridiculous but the most fun race ever. More info coming in a post on the main blog.
 
 
4/4 Food: Spinach banana smoothie. Data missing for lunch. Spinach ricotta ravioli for dinner.
4/4 Run: Off day.
 
 
4/5 Food: Smoothie for breakfast. Leftover ravioli for lunch. Cottage cheese for snack.
4/5 Run: Cross-train: 50 minutes on a bike.
  
 
4/15: For the last week after the race, I started to realize I may well have a stress fracture and not just bad shin splints.. because they really weren’t going away. I did all the rest of my training that week on bikes, on an elliptical, or in the pool to minimize impact. I’m getting some x-rays done today.
 
 
4/15 Official Week 9 and FINAL Weigh-In: 168.0 pounds.
 
 
Through this training program and diet I have lost 19 pounds in 9 weeks, which is a full 10% of my body weight at the time I began to train.

 

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