October and November came and so did my annual bronchial infection. That combined with working out of town and I quickly got out of shape. I am very disappointed in myself.
Finally in December I went to the doctor and got some antibiotics and started to feel better.
A 7 day cruise and we ran 5 days, 45 minutes or more on the treadmill. Although my pace was not high I was pleased I could still run 45 minutes.
But, I feel my fitness slipping. Every hockey game (I play once per week) is getting tougher and tougher. It is taking me longer to recover on the bench. And, I am more sore in the days following the game.
The weather up here in Minnesota is brutal; the worst I've seen since coming to Minnesota in 1999. Typical mornings start out -5 to sometimes -10 or even -18. And, the high is often in the single digits. Not running weather!
Although I live on the famous parkway in Minneapolis, I can't get myself to step out the door and run but once or twice in January. I look on in awe as I see others braving the -10* weather and don't know how, or why, they do it.
By the end of January I am frustrated with my fitness and mention in passing to my GF that I am considering buying a treadmill or getting a gym membership. She jumps all over that, as she asks me almost everyday to go with her to LA Fitness; but the $20 guest fee has kept me away.
By the end of the day I am signed up at LA Fitness on a family plan; only $29 per month. Not bad. I was thinking it'd be $100 a month or more. If I'd known it was that cheap I would've signed up sooner.
So, I'm signed up now, and 'luckily' I am off assignment as a technology consultant, so I go to the gym 7 out of 10 days.
Treadmill running is tough. First day 45 minutes at a pace ranging from 5.4 to 6.0 mph. Felt great. This is going to be GREAT! Continued to do well for a couple days, and then the boredom set in. Man this is tough. Only did 23 minutes yesterday. I was cruising along great, got to 20 minutes and then like a switch my mind didn't want to run anymore. What is that?
I talked to GF about that and it happens to her too. So she says; the woman runs 6 to 7 miles 6 days per week. She says that's why she changes her music almost every day.
Off to downloading new music and even a book on tape - I mean an audio book.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
#10 - Last race of the season
So much for commitment, I got away from the blogging for awhile and didn't even finish the season.
Well D12 ran in her first JV ("B) 4K race in the state Sectional meet in October. The day was cool, clear, and the course, a golf course, was fast.
My coaching, stay with your team's top JV runner until 1.5 miles and then if you feel good make a move.
What'd she do?
Took off like a crazy person and was in the top 15 at the half-mile mark, a good 100 meters in front of her teammates. Yikes! She went through the mile in 6:25 and 12th place and looked ridiculously comfortable.
I was running all over the course, 1/2 mile, 1 mile, 1.5 mile, and 2 mile markers, though because I was filming on my iPhone I missed some times.
At 1.5 miles and about 200 meters from me I see her surge to catch up with 2 girls from a rival school that had 5 girls in the top 7. The surge was too hard and by the time she reached me she was feeling the affects.
The next half-mile was tough for her and she fell back, and her teammates, who were running a much more even race caught her just past the 2 mile marker. Seeing her teammates catch her brought her out of her mid-race funk and she re-engaged for the final 600 meters tracking down several competitors in front of her and finishing 7th overall, and 1st for her team.
Her time of 16:24 for 4K was simply awesome. A 6:34 average! 1st 7th grader to cross the line! Although there would be two 7th graders in the Varsity race that would beat her time. And, after the Varsity times were collated she finished 7th for the team and earned a spot by time on the State Team.
In the end the coach decided to take the senior captain to the State Meet instead; a good decision on his part, rewarding the athlete that spent 6 years in his program. The most impressive part was that the coach met with my daughter and explained his reasoning. He's a good coach, but maybe even a better person.
We went to the State Meet to cheer on the team and they finished 10th, about what was expected, led by a top 20 finish of their 8th grade star. The coach is hopeful that his fleet of 7th graders will make the transition to varsity next year and move the team up in the top 5.
Well D12 ran in her first JV ("B) 4K race in the state Sectional meet in October. The day was cool, clear, and the course, a golf course, was fast.
My coaching, stay with your team's top JV runner until 1.5 miles and then if you feel good make a move.
What'd she do?
Took off like a crazy person and was in the top 15 at the half-mile mark, a good 100 meters in front of her teammates. Yikes! She went through the mile in 6:25 and 12th place and looked ridiculously comfortable.
I was running all over the course, 1/2 mile, 1 mile, 1.5 mile, and 2 mile markers, though because I was filming on my iPhone I missed some times.
At 1.5 miles and about 200 meters from me I see her surge to catch up with 2 girls from a rival school that had 5 girls in the top 7. The surge was too hard and by the time she reached me she was feeling the affects.
The next half-mile was tough for her and she fell back, and her teammates, who were running a much more even race caught her just past the 2 mile marker. Seeing her teammates catch her brought her out of her mid-race funk and she re-engaged for the final 600 meters tracking down several competitors in front of her and finishing 7th overall, and 1st for her team.
Her time of 16:24 for 4K was simply awesome. A 6:34 average! 1st 7th grader to cross the line! Although there would be two 7th graders in the Varsity race that would beat her time. And, after the Varsity times were collated she finished 7th for the team and earned a spot by time on the State Team.
In the end the coach decided to take the senior captain to the State Meet instead; a good decision on his part, rewarding the athlete that spent 6 years in his program. The most impressive part was that the coach met with my daughter and explained his reasoning. He's a good coach, but maybe even a better person.
We went to the State Meet to cheer on the team and they finished 10th, about what was expected, led by a top 20 finish of their 8th grade star. The coach is hopeful that his fleet of 7th graders will make the transition to varsity next year and move the team up in the top 5.
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