Week in Review - March 23-30

Considering I don't have much witty or insightful to say right now, I will present my first Week in Review post. These will come on Sunday. Weigh in Wednesdays will clearly be on Wednesday and then I will try to read something and share something at least a few more times a week. Like with my running, if I have a plan I like to stick with it...so there is my plan for the blog.

Mileage: 20 miles
If I was being honest, which is sort of the point, the runs this week were tough. I didn't particularly enjoy any of these runs. I believe it had a bit to do with the high pollen level (in addition to being out of shape).  I got four miles in the rain on Tuesday along a boring local route. It was a moderate effort with a decent pace. Thursday took me to Golden Gate Park and the Panhandle which was exactly at 9 minute miles (which felt pretty quick) and then slowed way down on the up hill sections of Masonic. I slowed, a lot.

On Saturday, I got eight with the club which I talked about yesterday and this morning after taking the lovely wife to the airport at 5:30am, I knocked out four nice miles with my chum Stephen.

Goal for Next Week: Keep the mileage and increase the week day pace for a completely even four to five mile run. 

Classes: Two out of Three
The spin class I took on Wednesday with Liz Bradley at the JCCSF was insanely difficult. As anyone who has taken a spin class knows, you check the clock at some point during the class. I checked 10 minutes in...it was that bad. But I my goal is to back to Liz this coming week. Because I am crazy like that

I also got a Hard Core class with Tara Widmer under my belt, who is a great teacher except when she is mad. Her bracket got really messed up, so we paid for it in crunches and leg extensions. I am still in pain.

Goal for Next Week: All three classes and don't feel like death after Tara's class. 

Strength: One out Two
I did some strength work at home on Friday that included ankle work, back, and some arms. It was weak sauce but it wasn't nothing, so I am counting it.

Goal for Next Week: Hit the weights at the gym.

No Watch Saturday

My watch with stuff I have long lost.

For the past two weeks I forgot to bring my trusty GPS watch to my long distance slow run with the fantastic San Francisco Road Runners Club. It was liberating.

So here is another new rule for my pre-plan plan: I will not run with a pacing device on Saturdays.

This forces me to focus on my actual pace on that day. It will mean that I might run with 9 min/mile crew or perhaps the 10:30 min/mile depending on how I feel. It will mean that I will push myself based on my internal such and such and not according to that task-master known as Garmin. It is a nice mental break from the fear of not being able to make it back to the start line.

So today's run broke the 100 mile mark for the year. I was proud of it. That said, I know I get caught up in the pace and the net mileage and the Stats that I inflate for personal reasons. And I won't stop that. However, once a week, I think it will be a healthy departure to just run for the sake of running as opposed to doing it every once in a while when my watch dies or when I "need a break" or whatever else. Intention is important.

On the STATS: I will update every Wednesday for Weigh-in Wednesday.

I got a pre-plan plan

I am back. My ankle is at a solid 85% nearly 95% of the time. The other five is either much better or not but at this point I see it as healing and on my way to the New York City Marathon.

I bet that guy to the right gave up.

But I am way out of shape. And not just running shape. But cardio, speed, strength, and perhaps most importantly, mental shape. I am way out of it.

So here it is, my perennial promise to keep this blog updated with my progress and engage in a number of Pintrest-like work outs where I look like an emaciated model doing lunges with script inspirational quotes floating above my poorly lit face, but perfectly sculpted ass.

But seriously I am promising to run about 20-25 miles a week based on pain, stretch and foam roll daily, one take a spin class and two core classes per week, and do two days of strength training until we reach the NYC Training Start Date (TSD). I will keep my goal weight of approximately 200lbs prior to the TSD and get below it for race day. I will blog. I will read. I will get in shape physically and mentally for the hard race that the New York City Marathon will be for me, both physically and mentally.

PLEASE KEEP ME HONEST.
STATS:
Weight: 213.2lbs
Week's Mileage: 8
Week's Classes: 50 min Spin
Week's Strength Training: Nothing Yet