AC v3.0

Promises

2012-02-13T15:11:00.001-05:00

I caught this song in the gym one day and it took me days to find it and now I'm totally obsessed with it for my gym mix to get me fired up:

Training Log 2/5-2/11

2012-02-12T10:02:00.000-05:00

Solid week in the books this past week:

2/6/12 - Strength Training (@ Cook/Douglass Rec Center)

First week of a new routine - starting light.

Warmup

1a) Bench - Bar/5, 65/5, 95/5, 115/5, 135/5, 145/5

1b) Par Grip Chins - BW/3 X 5

2a) Machine Row - 70/10, 90/10, 90/10

2b) Inc DB Press - 35/5, 50/8, 50/8

3) DB Curl - 10/20, 15/12, 20/8

2/6/12 - PM Run New Brunswick to Highland Park & Back

Garmin - 3.01 miles in 33:37

2/7/12 - Run in Johnson Park

Garmin - 3.82 miles in 40:36

Nice run with my friend Allen from High School

2/8/12 - Strength Training (@ C/D Rec)

Warmup

1) BB Jump Squat - Bar/5 X 3

2) Squat - Bar/5, 95/5, 115/5, 135/5, 155/5, 165/5

3) Rack Deadlift - Bar/5, 135/5, 185/10, 225/5

4) BB Shrug - 135/12 X 3

5a) Plate Twist - 25/20 X 3

5b) Rev Lunge - BW X 8

Went a little heavier than I expected here because of a surly mood. Thankfully I didn't tighten up or get too sore the days following.

2/10/12 - Strength Training (@ C/D Rec)

Warmup

1) DB Snatch - 30/5, 45/5, 45/5

2a) 1-arm DB Row - 70/8, 70/8, 50/12

2b) DB Mil Press - 40/8, 40/8, 20/12

2c) DB RDL - 45/8 X 2

3a) Inc DB Hammer Curl - 15/12 X 2

3b) DB French Press - 50/12, 50/8

4) Iso BB Suitcase Hold - 135/MAX X 2

2/11/12 - Run through Cook/Douglass Campus

Garmin - 2.5 miles in 28:06

Back Again

2012-01-23T16:38:00.002-05:00

No promises this time but after another long lapse in posts I'm back with some fitness & life updates. The last year has been a little crazy personally and I may get into some of that here. From a fitness standpoint I hit absolute highs in 2011 - in fact I got a little too relaxed and slid backwards a bit of late. A quick recap of 2011 since I last wrote:

- Got my weight under 210 lbs. for the first time in....ever! At least since I was this height (6'2").

- Finally saw progress on my Cholesterol numbers - bad went down, good went up.

- Ran the 2011 Philadelphia Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon to my 13.1 PR of 2:09!

- Maintained my weight & diet well.

- Left Renegade Gym and started training on my own again...to great success!

- Kept running & mixed it well with strength training all year - even after my races ended (the mild start to the NJ winter has certainly helped).

- Absorbed some personal life body blows but I am still standing.

Ten Years

2011-09-11T12:45:00.003-04:00

Please take a moment to reflect and remember those effected by the tragic events of ten years ago on 9/11/01.

Half Plan Started

2011-06-27T12:30:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was the start of the 12-week Half Marathon Training Program that I will be following leading up to the Philadelphia Rock & Roll Half. I like this one because it is pretty much what I do now (run three days per week) and the progression works for me. And it is simple. I'll keep some hill sprints in my routine once or twice per week and may sneak in to some track sessions by Coach Cook. Strength & conditioning training will remain three times per week also - hopefully I can fit it all in as the miles increase.

Here is the plan:

Week 1 - 4 mile, 4 mile & 6 mile

Week 2 - 4 mile, 4 mile & 7 mile

Week 3 - 4 mile, 5 mile (1-2 mile warm-up, 4 X 2 minutes at Tempo pace with
1-3 minute easy runs in between) & 7 mile

Week 4 - 4 mile, 5 mile (1-2 mile warm-up, 5 X 2 minutes at Tempo pace with
1-3 minute easy runs in between) & 8 mile

Week 5 - 4 mile, 5 mile (1-2 mile warm-up, 5 X 3 minutes at Tempo pace with
1-3 minute easy runs in between) & 5 mile

Week 6 - 5 mile (1-2 mile warm-up, 4 X 2 minutes at Tempo pace with 1-3
minute easy runs in between), 3 mile, 2 mile & 10.2 mile (2 mile warm-up,
10K time trial, 2 mile cool down).

Week 7 - 5 mile, 6 mile (1-2 mile warm-up, 5 X 3 minutes at Tempo pace with
1-3 minute easy runs in between) & 10 mile

Week 8 - 6 mile (1-2 mile warm-up, 4 X 4 minutes at Tempo pace with 1-3
minute easy runs in between), 6 mile & 11 mile

Week 9 - 6 mile (1-2 mile warm-up, 3 X 5 minutes at Tempo pace and 4 X 1
minutes at Tempo pace with 1-3 minute easy runs in between), 6 mile & 11
mile

Week 10 - 6 mile (1-2 mile warm-up, 4 X 5 minutes at Tempo pace and 4 X 1
minutes at Tempo pace with 1-3 minute easy runs in between), 6 mile & 12
mile

Week 11 - 6 mile (1-2 mile warm-up, 4 X 6 minutes at Tempo pace with 1-3
minute easy runs in between), 6 mile & 8 mile

Week 12 - 5 mile (1-2 mile warm-up, 4 X 2 minutes at Tempo pace with 1-3
minute easy runs in between), 4 mile, 2 mile & race

C-Bus

2011-06-22T15:38:00.002-04:00

A quiet race schedule for 2011 has just gotten pretty serious. I've added the Columbus Half Marathon to my upcoming races. The C-Bus half is in mid-October and I'll be running with Donny & Peter in a reunion race - we ran a 4-miler back in 2009 together. Peter lives in Ohio, Donny in NYC and we have talked about finding a good race to run together again for a while.

I've found a 12-week Half Marathon Training Plan that will begin this Sunday and lead into the Philadelphia Rock & Roll Half on September 18th. The plan consists of three runs per week - pretty much like I have always done. I'm going to keep hill sprints and/or track workouts in my own schedule 1-2 more days per week as pure gravy - I'm not counting on those two days as necessary components of my 12-week plan but the more of those I do, the better I'll be come September.

After the Philly Half I'll have four weeks to recover and run some sort of maintenance plan before the Columbus Half on October 16th. Then it is about four more weeks of recovery and maintenance until the Tough Mudder in NJ on November 12th.

Week of Training 6/11-6/18

2011-06-19T08:06:00.002-04:00

After a good deal of searching and consideration I've found a 12-week Half Marathon program to follow before the Philadelphia Rock N Roll Half in September. That program doesn't begin until next week but I've started ramping up some of my training already. I've cut back on barbell training and heavier weights (compared to a few months ago) but kept the intensity high for the strength & conditioning sessions. I'm running more distance (three days per week, run/walk combo around 4 miles each day) and trying to get in hill sprints once or twice per week.

Here is a look at the last week or so of training:

Saturday, June 11 - AM Fasted Cardio @ Donaldson Park

10 minute warmup walk

Dynamic Warmup - Jumping Jacks (15), Bodyweight Squats (10), Hip Extensions (10), Arm Circles (10 each way), Pushups (10) X 3

Hill Sprints - 5 easy, 8 hard

10 minute cooldown walk

Front & side planks with neck harness - 30 second hold for each side X 3 (I should be doing these every day but have not been consistent)

Sunday, June 12 - AM Fasted Run Outside

5 minute warmup walk
3 minute run, 2 minute walk X 10
5 minute cooldown walk

Monday, June 13 - PM Training @ Renegade (Power Class)

Foam Roller, Stick & Warmup (a little more than the dynamic warmup above)
1) Hang High Pull - Bar/5, 95/5, 115/5, 115/5, 115/5, 115/5, 115/5
2a) Barbell Squat - Bar/5, 95/4, 135/4, 155/3, 155/3, 155/3, 155/3, 165/3, 165/3
2b) 1-arm TRX Straps Row - 6 each side, 6, 5, 5, 5
3a) 1-arm Flat Bench Dumbbell Press - 40/5 each, 60/6, 60/6, 60/6, 60/6
3b) 1-arm Kettlebell Swing - 44/12 each, 53/10, 53/10, 53/10
4) Core - planks, glut bridge - 30 second or 1 minute holds

Tuesday, June 14 - AM Fasted Run

5 minute warmup walk
2 minute run, 2 minute walk X 9
5 minute cooldown walk

Wednesday, June 15 - AM Fasted Training @ Renegade (Burn Class)

Foam Roller, Stick & Warmup
1a) Hurdle Jump - 5 reps X 5 sets
1b) Pushups - Bodyweight/10 X 5
1c) Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift - 50/6 X 5
1d) Pullup - Bodyweight/5, Using Band/6, Band/6, Band/6, Band/5
1e) Overhead Squat - Bodyweight/50 X 5
1f) TRX Straps Low Abs Pull-in - 15 X 5
2) Core - planks, glute bridge, etc.

Thursday, June 16 - Rest

Friday, June 17 - PM Training @ Renegade (Burn Class)

Foam Roller, Stick & Warmup
1a) 1-arm Dumbbell Military Press - 40/6 each side X 5
1b) TRX Straps Leg Curl - 8 X 5
1c) Barbell Face Pull - BW/8 X 5
1d) Step Up with Hip Flexion - BW/8 each, 20/8, 30/8, 30/8, 30/8
1e) PowerWheel Abs Rollout - 8 X 5
1f) Burpees - 10 X 5
2) Core - planks, glute bridge, etc.

Outdoor Run after Training:

10 minute warmup walk
3 minute run, 2 minute walk X 9
10 minute cooldown walk

Saturday, June 18 - AM Fasted Cardio

10 minute warmup walk

Dynamic Warmup - Jumping Jacks (15), Arm Circles (10 each way), Flings (10), Hip Extensions (10), Bodyweight Squats (10), Pushups (10) X 3

Hill Sprints - 4 easy, 8 hard

10 minute cooldown walk

Upcoming Races

2011-06-16T06:52:00.002-04:00

I've caught the racing bug again.

Despite many proclamations that I'd never run more than 5 Miles again in a race I've signed up for two long races. I'm in for the Philadelphia Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon on September 18th and the Tough Mudder (12 miles + obstacles) on November 12th. The Mudder is held on two days (11/12 & 11/13) and I am running with friends on the Saturday race. And I am considering the Columbus (Ohio) Half Marathon in October if it works out as a family trip.

Going back and re-reading some of own blog I am questioning the sanity of this decision. I've been running regularly again and feeling good - with a solid balance of strength & conditioning training and running.

Time and fatigue became serious factors last time I prepared for a Half Marathon (my first and only). I've mapped out a running plan from now through September and hoping the better preparation leads to a better training routine leading up to this race.

Coming Clean

2011-06-08T18:22:00.004-04:00

Hey kids, are you going to finish those french fries? No? Great, Daddy will.

Birthday cake? Of course I'd love a piece.

Hmmmm, a half-eaten bag of chips that has sat here for over a week? I better eat those because I hate throwing away food.

Tastee Subs?!? I always make an exception for those! Heck, President Obama could not even resist those.

White Rose?!? I'll have a Pork Roll and Cheese, a Cali Cheese and a Grilled Cheese. What, I gave up dairy? Nah, not at White Rose. Oh, and I guess not with cake either.

I do my best to eat well. And over the last few years I've been pretty successful. But not perfect. There are a variety of excuses as to why and none of them are good.

Since April I've been actively trying to lose weight and have closely monitored my calorie intake. My weight has gone from 228 pounds on April 11th to 214 pounds as of today. Along the way I lacked some discipline in my diet - occasionally allowing some chips, a piece of cake, a handful or french fries. Not all the time, but enough that the bad habits were going to catch up to me. Now Georgie may say this is all well and good to indulge a little but I was going beyond 150 or so calories of indulgence.

Here is the big problem with my lack of discipline - it was all well and good to sneak some bad foods in while I was still burning more calories than I was taking in and losing weight. Losing weight was the goal and I was dropping a couple pounds per week so what did it matter if I just ate a huge bowl of ice cream? Eventually I hit a plateau and then saw my weight jump up a few pounds last week. At this stage for my weight loss goals I need to be more disciplined to drop these last pesky pounds. Easier said than done but if I allow too much indulgence with my current diet I'll be stuck around 215 pounds.

So for all the good and gains of the last few weeks the lack of discipline and honestly with my diet caught up to me. Time to get serious, get real and stay honest with myself.

Hill Sprints & NRD

2011-06-01T10:16:00.003-04:00

Happy National Running Day!

I've been doing more sprint & speed work and doing a lot of hill sprints lately. There are tons of people smarter than me in fitness who can explain the why's and how's of hill sprints but I am going to just keep this simple - they work.

My primary goal has been to cut fat and get healthy. Sometimes I forget and/or complicate this simple goal and I definitely suffer from Gym A.D.D. (more on that in the future). My journey to getting fit has been a long, sometimes frustrating process. I've tried a ton of different techniques and strategies, some successful, some complete failure - many chronicled on this blog.

What is working right now is a combination of diet (smart, healthy, whole food choices), calorie restriction (I am trying to lose weight & fat) and exercise. With respect to exercise I am really zeroing in on things I enjoy. I love to lift weights and do strength & conditioning work. I love basketball. I love to run. I love playing with my kids. So each day I am trying to do one of those to break a sweat and move around.

Back to Hill Sprints - after much encouragement I finally added them to my running routine and I have really come to enjoy them. This is pretty funny because for the one season I ran Cross Country in high school I dreaded "hills". Now I run on the same hill at Donaldson Park (in Highland Park) that we used to train at in high school.

For me they are enjoyable because they are quick and effective. I get my heart rate up, break a sweat, work my legs/body and I am done pretty quickly.

Here was my hill sprint routine today:

- 15 minute walk as part of warmup with my dog before heading to the park
- warmup at the park - 15 jumping jacks, 10 arm circles, 10 squats, 10 hip extensions X 3
- 5 easy hill sprints to get loose
- 9 hard hill sprints
- 15 minute walk around the park

You could cut out the pre- and post-sprint walks and literally have a 20-30 minute, high intensity cardio workout. The sprints themselves don't take long to be effective. I do this two or three times per week.

Here are a couple things to keep in mind:

- warmup is key
- depending on the hill shoot for 5-10 sprints at a harder pace but never at 100% effort - somewhere just a level down from full sprint
- when I feel I am slowing down and not pushing up the hill as fast as the first few sprints I stop
- Donaldson Park gets pretty muddy and is usually wet in the early mornings when I run, so use an older pair of sneaks or Vibram FiveFingers. I use my older pair of Vibrams that I don't wear in the gym any more
- be careful walking back down the hill - I slipped and fell once when it was really wet
- my rest period is walking back down the hill - I turn around and fire back up each time

Today I tried to use my Nike+ with the Vibrams and it was a disaster - there was almost no accuracy to the pace. I have definitely felt the hill sprints get me stronger for flat ground sprints and regular distance runs - I highly recommend them.

Back Running

2011-05-30T19:42:00.002-04:00

Maybe it is the nice weather. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a challenge. Maybe I like to run. Probably all three but I am back running again regularly.

Just a few weeks ago when I started writing again I didn't have intentions of a regular running routine, but that has changed. The nice weather is a huge contributor. Even when it gets wicked hot and humid through the summer in New jersey I enjoy getting out for a little run. I'm an early morning runner - there is a quiet and comfort to the early morning and a run helps me clear my head and organize my day.

A summer running challenge with other Student Affairs professionals around the country also provided some incentive to run. Through Twitter I learned about a "100 Days of Summer" running club/challenge and joined up. It is fun, helps to see some fellow professionals in a different setting and gets me running with a goal in mind. We use the hashtag #safit11, although I have seen some people (myself included) using that hashtag for general workouts/fitness. Miles are tracked through Nike+, which I had used in the past - more on that soon. Sidebar: I've been finding Twitter to be a tremendous tool for networking lately and using it to correspond, communicate and learn from like-minded professionals around the country - and I know I am late to the part to fully utilize Twitter but that is a blog for another day.

And there is the satisfaction of the run itself. I love running through New Brunswick, parts of Rutgers New Brunswick/Piscataway Campus and Highland Park. I am definitely spoiled with nice areas to run so why not take advantage? There are no plans for any upcoming races or anything formal, though I'll likely run the Jimmy D 5K during Labor Day weekend (9/4/11) and I've been considering a Spartan Race this Fall.

I've been sprinting for a while and doing hill sprints a few times per week - more on that soon also - so I had not completely shut down running. On Saturday I went out for a three-mile loop of walking and running to check my running fitness and it wasn't great. So Sunday I started back at the beginning and what worked best for me - a 13-week run/walk program. It will likely feel easy at first (it did Sunday) but that is OK. Coincidentally the time line fits nicely with the 100-day Challenge and the Jimmy D 5K. I have no concrete goals with running right now - I just want to head out, injury-free, a few times per week and break a sweat. That may change in a few months but for now I just want to enjoy the run.

Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself...

2011-05-18T16:16:00.004-04:00

I've really neglected this blog for the last year. As I wrote last week there is much to discuss but before I get back into writing regularly I thought I'd take a moment to reintroduce myself and tell a little of my own story - along with some updates. Caution: this is a long post, so I hope you stay with me.

I started this blog in 2008 with a Welcome Post and a mission to document my health & fitness journey. So much has changed since. Just re-reading that first post now makes me appreciate that journey even more. In August 2008 I weighed 235 pounds and had just come down from 248 six weeks prior. Today I weighed in at 215 pounds across my 6' 2" frame and still have some room to lose. And the weight loss is only part of the success.

Some basic facts - just turned 40 years old this April. Married with two wonderful children. Born and raised in the great state of New Jersey. Grew up in Highland Park but have called neighboring New Brunswick home for over twenty years. Went to Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (RU Rah!) and loved every minute - so much that I started working at RU soon after graduating in 1993. I cherish my friends from high school and RU. My wife often makes fun of us HP'ers for telling the same old stories every time we get together but I would not have it any other way.

I've worked at Rutgers for over 17 years now, primarily in Student Services, Student Affairs and Information Technology. Currently I split time between an IT group supporting several academic and administrative units and with Student Affairs working with the Rutgers Parents Association where I perform a variety of communication and programming roles. Rutgers has been very good to me and my family - I met my wife at school as an undergraduate and my father, brother, sister-in-law, uncle, aunt and grandfather are all graduates. In addition my dad, mom, brother, cousin, two aunts and two uncles have also worked there - we call it the family business.

In 2007 I started a small side business performing computer repair and technology assistance, ACE Computer Services. I'm currently redesigning my website and re-purposing the business - focusing more on information, less on repair (that probably makes more sense in my head than it does in this blog).

I love health and fitness information and have been on a long quest to learn and correct, especially since I come from a long family history of heart disease. My father died of a heart attack at age 62, my grandfather died the same way at 61 and the list goes on.

Growing up I played a variety of sports. The keyword being "played". We rode bikes every day. Played touch football in the street. Stickball in the school parking lot. And basketball at the Rulewich house (greatest driveway court ever). As we grew up my friends and I played rec baseball in town, Pop Warner Football and just about every other sport imaginable. I lament that my kids are not afforded the same luxuries today because of safety issues but I do try to get them outside and moving as much as possible (more on that soon).

In high school I fell in love with basketball and eventually devoted all of my time, effort and preparation into becoming a better basketball player. I was never a gifted athlete but loved to play and became a student of the game - filling roles no one else wanted, playing out of position and just trying to contribute. Later I would head back to Highland Park High School to coach basketball for five years and loved that as well - I could not have asked for better players and a better experience.

I started dabbling in strength training as a means to get ready for or get better at basketball. Somewhere over the last five years those roles reversed. Strength & conditioning training is my favorite fitness activity and basketball has taken more of a backseat.

Currently I train at least three days a week at Renegade Training Center in Watchung, NJ. Each session is quick (45 minutes or so), focused and functional. I train less now than I did a few years ago yet I am stronger, faster and in better condition. We hit just about every body part over the course of the week. I try to mix in some cardio-only workouts when I can - things like jump rope, hill sprints, some distance running and basketball. Rest and recovery are a bigger part of my overall training philosophy now - not because I am 40 but because I train smarter and listen to my body.

Before finding Renegade, and Jason Ferruggia (the owner) I used to kill myself in the gym - training with the "No Pain, No Gain" mindset. Problem was I made no gains and was often in pain, usually hurt. I was beyond frustrated.

I came across Jason's Blog in 2008 (I think) an drank up everything he said. His no-nonsense style of writing and clear New Jersey feel to his posts appealed to me. But I was slow to apply what he was teaching (still am if you ask him). In 2009 I joined Jason's Gym and fell in love immediately. My wife would argue I fell in love with Jay also (and be pretty correct) but I genuinely fell in love with the style of training that Jay preaches. Everything I described above but I left out the group training aspect. I've met some fantastic people at Renegade and truly look forward to "going to the gym". We push, encourage and compete with one another. The atmosphere and intensity cannot be reproduced in other settings and it is a key factor in my overall conditioning gains. Big thanks go out to not only Jason but to his lovely and talented fiance Jen and his brother Jared. I also love and cannot thank enough the men & women I get a chance to train with each week.

Upon joining Renegade I dropped a few pounds, felt in better overall condition, started to correct some muscle imbalances and built real, functional muscle - all great things. But my weight stayed well over 230 pounds. I was still pretty frustrated and I finally had to look at my diet.

When you hear people claim diet is 85% of success to losing weight they are not wrong. Jason offered great tips and assistance for my diet but I have a huge debt of gratitude to pay my friend Georgie Fear for kick-starting my diet success. Georgie looked at what and when I was eating and created a plan that worked for me. My problem wasn't "what" I ate - I ate some good, whole foods. I just ate things in the wrong order or at the wrong times. Within a few weeks of applying Georgie's advice I dropped down under 230 pounds and have been able to maintain that sub-230 weight for over two years. Cracking the 230 barrier was a huge mental issue for me because I long believed I could not get under and stay under. And now I am below 220. Follow her blog for delicious recipes and great health & fitness information.

In short Georgie made suggestions to pair lean proteins with a fruit or veggie, eat often throughout the day and eat whole foods - things like spinach, chicken, lean beef, carrots, broccoli, etc, to cut down on carbs that were not from fruits & veggies except for post-workout and even encouraged some snacks here and there in moderation. It was simple and effective.

Today I follow something a little different. Not because there is anything wrong with what Georgie taught me - on the contrary because her stuff works for sure - but more so because I love to experiment on myself. I'm following something that Jason is developing called the Renegade Diet. Not to give too much of this away - and people generally think I am crazy when I really start to explain it. The short, simple version is that I fast daily for a period of time and then under-eat just after the fast for a few hours followed by an over-eating phase and then back to the fasting period. I eat a diverse lineup of whole, fresh foods (organic and clean as much as possible). But there is a much more holistic approach to the Renegade Diet that interests me and when I try to explain that part people either don't get it or think I've gone mad.

I am also restricting calories right now because I'm trying to lose weight - staying 800 - 1000 calories below my normal eating. I'm using FitDay online with great success to track my calorie and nutrient intake - I've dropped 13 pounds since April 11th of this year with a combination of exercise, Renegade Diet and calorie restriction. I haven't updated my FitDay profile much this week because I've been super busy but I do keep a food journal there if you are interested.

There are some long-winded reasons why I am trying to drop more weight right now - but I'll spare you that boredom and just update with some posts in the future. Besides, this post is a whole lot longer than I expected.

So that is me in a not-so-nutshell. Thanks for staying with me (if you did) during this long, rambling post. I'll have some more updates & posts soon. If you are on Twitter I share technology, health & fitness information and I'm always up for learning more from others - you can find me there at http://twitter.com/AC_AndyCampbell.

Thanks for reading!

Running in Five Fingers

2011-05-17T17:33:00.004-04:00

For the brave few who have followed or read this blog you may recall that I bought a pair of Vibram Five Fingers a long while back. Unlike many people who gravitate to minimalist shoes for running I've used the Five Fingers for strength training & conditioning - pretty much exclusively indoors. But I've always been curious how it would feel to run outdoors in the Five Fingers and today I tried it out on a quick, one-mile run around campus.

I started with a 10-15 minute warmup walk - mostly because my Garmin would not connect (probably because of the crappy, rainy weather we are enjoying in New Jersey). I wanted to use the Garmin to stay at a mile or under after hearing friends (and reading online) reccomendations to build slowly when going minimal.

From the moment I started running I could tell immediately my stride and gait were much different. I am a big time heel striker - and a big, heavy runner. My running form has never been a thing of beauty. I've crushed many a shoe looking for the elusive "perfect pair" that could correct and protect.

Wearing the Five Fingers I was much more on my toes. Not quite sure if I was striking mid-foot but I can say for sure I was not striking on my heel. My stride length was more compact - in regular shoes I tend to stretch my long legs. I also took off like a jackrabbit and was maintaining a quick pace. Then reality came - I haven't been running much (at all) lately and I settled into my usual speed/pace.

I cut things off at one mile and then walked for 15 more minutes. It was a great workout. My calves felt tight and I was thankful I didn't try to go farther. My ankles were a little sore, as was my right knee right after the run but I feel fine a few hours later.

I highly recommend easing into any minimalist or barefoot running program but for recreational runners it is a fun experiment.

Reboot

2011-05-09T09:34:00.002-04:00

With summer less than six weeks away and a busy Spring Semester coming to a close I'm looking to write a little more - and it has been almost a year since I posted anything here, which is sad.

And there is so much to discuss - I feel like Gene Wilder in "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" when he gets that crazy/excited look in his eyes that there is so much to do and so little time. So much has happened in the last eight months and so much has changed with respect to my health and fitness.

Here are a couple quick updates:

- my weight is down to 218 (as of last Friday) - cracking the 220 lb. barrier was a huge mental sticking point and getting under it has taken a lot of trial & error - more on that later.

- I probably "workout" or train less than I did a year ago but those sessions are much more focused and effective.

- I'm also running less - more on that later.

- Overthinking and gym A.D.D. remain my Achilles heel.

- Recovery and fueling/diet/when to eat mean much more to me now than they did a few years ago.

- I want to start playing basketball again regularly.

- My kids health has taken priority over my own - nothing is bad with their health - I mean this in more preventive terms of eating better and playing/moving more.

More to come.

Week Off

2010-07-29T08:11:00.003-04:00

Is it me or is summer racing by? August is days away and I have been to the beach exactly three times, but only one time in the ocean. One trip was just to stroll the boardwalk with the family and eat at Surf Taco...one trip was for the Spring Lake 5 Miler (and it rained). And I was able to take a day off and enjoy a beautiful day on the beach and in the ocean last month. So it is really like one beach day. But that is not what I am writing about today.

Last week I took the whole week off from exercise. No strength training. No running. Besides swimming with the kids at the pool and walking our dog I didn't do much of anything. It drove me crazy. I kept thinking I was hurting my training....and getting weaker....or slower....or out-of-sync. Much of that is my own craziness at work and years of training until you were hurting (thinking that made you stronger). Basically poor training and planning.

The decision for the week off came at the last minute too. We had just finished up a difficult, strenuous three-week cycle of strength training at Renegade Gym. Heavy lifts and a little more repetition volume than usual. I was very fatigued and not recovering completely session-to-session, let alone week-to-week. Following this three-week cycle we had a scheduled "Deload" week - basically a decreased intensity/weights/load to keep you active but to avoid over training. We have been following a three week heavy/one week deload for a little while now.

As Monday of the deload week rolled around I was still pretty banged up. Tired, sore and generally dragging around. I started trying to recall the last full week I took off and I could not. Clearly I was at the brink (or beyond) that point of over training. So I took the week off.

It paid huge dividends. The Monday after taking a week off (this past Monday) I felt better in the gym than I had in a long time. Fresher, maybe even a little faster, but definitely much better overall. We had a difficult (but fun) workout and I really felt good. That same feeling extended in to Wednesday's routine, although heavy squats and a blistering heat/humidity in the gym took a toll on me last night.

If you have not taken a full week off recently I highly recommend you do.

Coincidentally Jay from Renegade wrote a nice article on "How to Deload Propely...":

http://jasonferruggia.com/how-to-deload-properly-and-why-its-so-important/

FiveFingers & Do Wins

2010-07-02T15:46:00.004-04:00

So a long time ago I wrote about using Vibram FiveFingers in the gym and I neglected to provide any updates on using them. I love them, plain and simple. The FiveFingers and "shoes" like it have garnered a lot of press with the debate out there about barefoot running and minimalist running. While I agree with those arguments to a degree I am still a fan of a running shoe for running.

So how come I own and love the FiveFingers? I use them primarily for strength training and sprinting. In the year that I have used them I've noticed significant improvement in balance, posture and injury prevention. Much of this comes from recruiting more muscles to work together in a near-barefoot postion during strength training. I am no researcher or expert here - just giving my personal opinions and feelings after one year of consistent strength training in the FiveFingers. I feel stronger overall in my legs and core (really everywhere too). Much of my being injury-free (or relatively injury-free) the last year has also come from greater balance in my muscle building....in small part due to the FiveFingers (larger part to better training).

Here are a couple additional observations from the last 13 months:

My FiveFingers did rip along the toe seam on the right foot but thus far I've still been able to use them and not even notice the tear when they are on.

They do get smelly so you have to wash them often. I toss mine in the washer and let them air dry.

They have not stretched, shrunk or changed in size in any way. They literally fit the same as the day I bought them.

The outsoles look barely worn (probably because I don't run much outdoors with them).

I love the grippy feel for exercises that you need to "dig in" for - bench press and anything standing (overhead presses, etc.).

They provide just enough shock absorbtion/cushion for most sprints but I do not like them for jumping exercises (broad jump, vertical leap, triple jump, etc.).

I just picked up another specialty shoe for the gym (yes, I love shoes). This one is for squats: Do Wins. I got mine from Rogue Fitness but there are some other brands and colors floating around the web. Squats are my favorite exercise. I would like to think that my form has always been good and my confidence has always been high. That said I noticed a significant improvement from my very first attempt with the Do Wins on my feet. This was just a warm-up set with no weight on the bar but it was like night & day different than before. My feet felt planted into the ground, as stable a base as I had ever had. By doing this I felt much less stress/strain to maintain my proper arch throughout the squat. I felt I targeted my muscles better as a result as well. It turned out to be my best night of squats ever - not in terms of PR's or heavy weights used but in terms of form, effectiveness and how I felt. I highly recommend them.

1RM's and a Tale of Two Races

2010-06-23T19:50:00.002-04:00

Last week was a big week. After building up for a few weeks we went for One Rep Maximums (1RM) at Renegade Gym. I was looking forward to it for a while and I am pretty sure everyone else was also. There was a different, more serious intensity for the 1RM days. My overall strength dipped a bit and I resigned myself to not getting PR's during this cycle. Instead I looked to push smartly and have an eye on our next 1RM week (in about 12 weeks).

What I was curious to see was how far my 1RM's were off from previous highs. Some quick background - I have done strength training on my own for years (on and off) but never really chased 1RM's. Most of the time I did not train very smart either - tending to get stuck in ruts and routines that did little to progress my strength. Renegade has really helped me focus & plan and progress toward better, more realistic goals for strength. During our last 1RM's in December I surprised myself and set PR's since I was the first time I ever recorded a true 1RM. My numbers would not win any strongman contests but I was pleased.

This time around I have been off & weaker than my build-up to 1RM last time out....so PR's were doubtful. Monday was our bench press day and my previous high was 220 pounds. The previous Monday I missed a 3RM (three rep maximum) of 205 - getting 2 and a half reps....a stupid mistake. For 1RM I worked my way up to singles doing a few reps at lighter weights. Eventually I got up to 215 for a clean (albeit slow) 1RM. Not too bad and not too far off my PR. A good start to the week.

Squat was our other big 1RM for the week. My previous high was 265 pounds. This time out I worked up to 235 before tiring out more than anything. I may have been able to squeeze a few more pounds out but I was getting good and fatigued. Jay from Renegade said my form was much better overall - much better than when I banged out 265, so all things considered I'll take a clean, better form 235.

The rest of the exercises from each of the three strength days at Renegade were all high intensity. By Friday after my final session I was getting banged up - thankfully this week was a deload (decreased, easier) week.

Mixed in to the 1RM's were two 5K's and they could not be more different. On Tuesday I ran the first of a Summer Series of four races sponsored by the Raritan Valley Road Runners. The race series is held in New Brunswick at Buccleuch Park and it proved a much tougher course than I expected. The race is two loops through the park with a nasty incline and then a wicked hill - and you get to do both of those twice. This was also a very serious, competitive field. I got caught up sprinting out way too fast and then wilted....finishing in 29:08 (and dead last in my age group!). At least I have three more attempts at improving on this course and in this race.

This past Saturday was the Fuce 5K in Metuchen and a much, much different atmosphere. Lot's of families and average runners like myself. It was a great race and great cause. I started at a solid, steady pace and was able to speed up as I went along before finishing in 27:52 (and 79th out of nearly 500 runners). Finishing under 28 minutes was a big thrill and one of my best times ever.

After the busy week of 1RM's and races I dialed it down a notch this week - staying active each day but not nearly the intensity of last week. Next week starts a new routine at Renegade and the second in the Summer Series races.

Thank You Coach Wooden

2010-06-05T17:50:00.005-04:00

The great Coach John Wooden passed away yesterday at 99 years old....a few months shy of 100. Coach Wooden led the great UCLA Men's Basketball teams of the 1960's & 1970's to 10 National Championships (no coach has more) and seven in a row between 1967 and 1973. Included in that remarkable run was an 88-game winning streak and four perfect seasons of 30-0 (not all consecutively). Amazing.

I was far too young to witness and appreciate Coach Wooden's greatness first-hand. Basketball was not even on my radar until around 5th or 6th grade....but it soon became an obsession. That said I did not really study basketball with passion until I coached myself.

But let me back up a second. There are only a handful of coaches who I admired. My own high school coach, Frank Cipot, was a volatile and at times comedic leader. I hated his guts when I played for him. On the eve of my senior year he threatened to cut me from the team in favor of a freshman. He told me he'd been watching me play in gym class and did not like my tendency to play outside the paint. He needed more post players and more specifically someone who could rebound, pass and foul hard when needed. If I could not accept this I would be cut. If I ever took a shot outside the paint, I would be kicked off the team.

I fumed with anger. I was barely 6-feet tall at the time. Our starting center was 6'6". Our power forward was 6'3'....although he stood about 6'5" with a wonderful Kid 'n Play style hightop fade. There were a few premiere big men in our conference and I knew I would be getting my ass handed to me each night fighting them under the boards.

Long story short I was ready to quit but my Dad talked me in to playing - playing Coach Cipot's way or don't play at all. I played, loved it...we won a Sectional Championship and made it to the State Final Four for our Group. It remains an experience I cherish. I did get my ass kicked some nights but there were nights that we collectively held some of those big men to season lows. I attempted one shot outside the paint - a three-pointer (my one and only high school three attempt) at the halftime buzzer of a laughable, meaningless game when we were up 30 or so at home. Coach Cipot chewed me out all through halftime but did not kick me off the team. It took me years to appreciate Coach Cipot's influence and what he tried to teach me...in his unconventional methods (I am leaving a lot out and glossed over).

I am really sidetracked now....back to Coach Wooden. So after high school I continued to play basketball and only grew to love it more. When the opportunity to coach at Highland Park became available for me I jumped at the chance.

In preparing for my first season as Assistant Coach of the Varsity and Head Coach of the JV Team I read as much as I could from coaches I admired. Two books really helped shape me early on - one was Coach Wooden's Practical Modern Basketball (the other was Coach Dean Smith's Basketball: Multiple Offense and Defense).

I was so worried about "coaching" a game. The X's & O's. All of that kind of stuff. What shocked me about Coach Wooden's book was how much it focused on life and not the X's & O's. His "Pyramid of Success" could be applied to anything. I took to it like a fish to water. I began to worry less about being a coach and more about being a good person, a good leader and a good role model for the kids.

I applied much of what I learned to my work & career at Rutgers as well. Around the same time I began coaching I was deep in the doghouse with my boss and hated my job. I was young, stubborn and often my own worst enemy. It occurred to me that I needed to change my own attitude....to find the good and great in what I did and could do....to work harder....and to have fun.

To say Coach Wooden was an influence on and off the basketball court for me is an understatement.

I went on to read two more of Coach Wooden's books: Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and Off the Court and They Call Me Coach. Once again I found the books applied more to life than just basketball but this time I was less surprised.

I coached for five years at Highland Park. I nearly threw up before my first game as I left the locker room in South River...then nearly threw up again as my JV team led all the way until the 4th Quarter only to lose. And then I had a player quit moments after the game. I got my first technical foul in the 4th quarter of the next game, at JFK Islin...but that was more to try and motivate the team to play harder and back the parents who were angry at the lopsided calls.

Our first win was against New Brunswick at home in as thrilling a JV game as you will ever see. It was easily my favorite game. New Brunswick was so much better than us and we had no business even being close but somehow we were tied with three or so seconds on the clock and a good kid, good scorer at the line to win it for us. He missed both. I was crushed. We all were. A big crowd had formed by that point for the Varsity game to follow and all eyes were on the JV kids. All I could think about in the huddle before overtime was getting everyone calm. That same kid went out and dominated the OT...scoring eight of our 12 points to get us the win. The crowd went absolutely wild.

We lost more than we won that first year on the JV and I had only one winning season...although that one season was my favorite with an absolutely special group of kids - not to take away from any of the kids I had the privilege to coach. I was never good at X's and O's and none of that mattered. Preparing kids for life and the Varsity level was all that mattered. We had a great run of success on the Varsity during those five years including an incredible run to the State Championship in 1999....only to lose via a tip-in at the buzzer!!

The relationships and life lessons meant more to me than any wins and losses. What is wonderful about technology today is that I have had an opportunity to both stay in touch and follow most of those "kids" as they have grown up in to young men. Nothing thrills me more than to see one of them post something on Facebook about a college graduation, a new job, a baby. For that I have to thank Coach Wooden.

Two Good Articles for the Weekend

2010-06-04T15:56:00.001-04:00

My good friend Dags forwarded me a link to this article (linked below) from the New York Times Magazine:

What if It's All Been a Big Fat Lie?

The article is actually from 2002 but the message is still timely.

I also came across a basketball workout over at Elite Basketball Training that is worth a look:

On Court Strength and Conditioning

A Wet, Crowded 5 Miles in Spring Lake

2010-06-04T11:28:00.002-04:00

This past weekend was the Spring Lake 5 Mile run, near the beach in Spring Lake, NJ. I had run last year with some friends and looked to improve on my time. I woke up to some heavy rain in New Brunswick and kept crossing my fingers that it would clear up or be better down at the race. A persistent rain followed all the way to Spring Lake and then it cleared a little - enough that the rain did not bother me much. The crowd, on the other hand, did.

I remember it being crowded last year, but not like in was on Saturday. The rain clearly did not keep many people from running....although it seemed more people were walking or run/walking and generally getting in my way. I am not the fastest runner out there and I pay attention to my starting position so I don't get in the way of people faster than me. Clearly many of the people in front of me had little or no regard for starting positions. It took at least 2.5 miles - half the race! - before things opened up enough for me to run, with space, at a pace I wanted. Maybe I should have moved up further at the start. Either way it made for a long, annoying run at times.

I averaged around 10:30 minutes per mile for those first 2.5 miles - well off my goal of 9:40 per mile. To make matters worse it stopped raining for a bit early in the race. Yes, yes, I complained about the rain just a second ago but something far worse lurked after the rain....serious humidity! It felt like I was running in a sauna when the rain stopped. I kid you not. When the rain started back up again I was honestly relieved. At that point being wet trumped being so uncomfortably hot.

When the race thinned out at that halfway mark I was able to really stretch out and start moving....I had some ground to cover if I was going to beat my 2009 time and get anywhere close to the 9:40 per mile goal. My Garmin read 48:44 at the finish - good for a 9:47 per mile pace and one-minute or so better than 2009. My official/chip time for the race was 49:01 - also a minute better than my official/chip time from 2009.

Balance

2010-05-27T14:27:00.003-04:00

Balance between running and strength training has proved to be more difficult and frustrating than I ever imagined. The contributions of both to overall fitness/health are positive, so I can't really go wrong for my long term health goals with either. But from a competitive standpoint there is a trade off between the two - or at least there was for me up until recently.

When I starting running regularly just about two years ago I followed a 13-week run/walk beginners program to ease into running and racing. I was doing strength training at the same time but my focus & energy shifted toward running more and I saw some solid gains in endurance and speed. Then I shifted back to strength training....and then back to running...and the pendulum continued to swing with gains going to the activity where I put more focus, energy and time. It's like the old saying that you play like you practice - skimp on training for a race and your performance will likely suffer. Same can be said of strength training - skip sessions or fail to push yourself and you should not be surprised to see a decrease in gains and/or strength.

So fast-forward to the present. In preparing for the CGI Unite Half Marathon at Rutgers I had to put in the preparation...my focus and energy went into adding miles and building a solid base to tackle a distance I had never before ran. It was not easy and I learned along the way that I'm not a huge fan of long distance running. I far prefer races 5 miles and below - but back to my point. All of the energy I poured into running longer distance - at a sustained, steady-state pace - absolutely killed my strength training. My explosiveness, of which I didn't have a ton of to begin with, seemed totally fried. Weights I previously handled with ease crushed me and I had no power behind anything.

Much of this is my own fault - I failed to do both properly and commit energy into speed work along with the base-building miles. Some athletes can probably handle this with easy but I could not - at least not without really thinking and focusing on goals for both running and strength training.

After the Half Marathon I strongly considering ditching running completely and focusing on getting strong as an Ox. But I enjoy running - I can get out in the morning before my wife and kids are up, run for a half-hour or so and be back home to make breakfast for everyone. I enjoy races and I've started to get a little more competitive - I've never been much of a competitive athlete - even in my beloved basketball. I am pretty easygoing in life and I've usually had the same approach to sports. This is not to say I haven't gotten fired up, talked trash or made a complete ass of myself on a basketball court or some other sport....because I have.

Just after the Half and after seeing how poor my strength training performance had become I put more focus into building explosive power. Maybe I had lost focus in general or maybe I was not pushing myself hard enough - maybe the running had nothing to do with it - but concentrating my focus on week-to-week gains in weights used and thinking during each exercise/repetition to work hard and utilize perfect (for me) form has paid off. I am nearly caught up to my personal record highs for most of the big lifts - bench press, deadlift, squat, etc.

After seeing the progress in strength training I took a hard look at my running. I've basically gotten slower over the last year or so. Was I not pushing myself? Was I focused too much on base-building, long runs over speed work? Probably a combination of the two. So I set back out with a new goal - get faster. I started with a two-mile loop out & back from my house through New Brunswick and tried to beat my time each time out. Then I started adding some miles and tried beating the different mile increments. The work has already paid off in a few weeks.

Case in point - I ran the Highland Park 5K this past Sunday. Last year I ran it 28:40 but I was running along side a friend pushing at a pace that I could not sustain and had to stop and walk for a few steps. I was pretty burned out after that race. And the hills on the course killed me. This year I cruised through to a 28:20 (according to my Garmin, website time has me at 28:27) - despite some back spasms that slowed me down mid-race (poor warm up by me). Some people may look at say 'big deal, 10-20 seconds faster' but last year was not indicative of my speed or 5K pace - I was much more a 10-minute per mile runner and the pace I ran last year really knocked me out. This year was smooth.

Right now I seem to have a decent balance between the strength training and the running....hopefully it continues.

Broken, Beat & Scarred

2010-05-12T12:04:00.003-04:00

I've been looking to write this for a few weeks now but my schedule simply would not allow it...March was busy, April a blur and it took nearly two weeks into May to catch up. And so I am left with a round up of my last month.

Where to begin - I ran the CGI Unite Half Marathon at Rutgers back on April 18th...and finished! My goal was to finish under 2:30 and did....2:24! But it was not easy. It was much, much more difficult than I expected. Prior to the race my longest run was 10 miles. I cruised through 10 miles 10 minutes faster than my training pace and was pretty excited. Then I cruised to 11 miles - new PR ground for distance and time. Then Metallica's "Broken, Beat & Scarred" came on my iPod and fired me up. I had these visions of sprinting the final two miles to the finish....only to start to slow down. And then start to feel pain. And then start to feel like I was really, really hungry. I hit my wall at 11 miles and it was not pretty.

My right heel was killing me. Both knees ached. My hips had been fatigued for a few miles and were now screaming. All I could think about was eating large volumes of food. I thought I was running but my Garmin indicated a slow jog...maybe even a slow walk depending on your point of view. I felt like I was running in sand - exerting full effort and going slower and slower forward. It took over 25 minutes to finish those final two miles and it was hell.

Thankfully my buddy Don finished and then came back for me to finish with me - a special treat and gave me enough boost to finish strong. And then I ate. Like a champ. I was in a good amount of pain/soreness/fatigue most of the day. And super tired. But most of that eased up by the evening and I felt nearly 100% the next day - even making it to Renegade Gym the next night for a good workout and some Prowler Sprints.

Coach Cook called me after the race and asked what my food/water plan was for the race and I told him I did not have one. I grabbed water once, Gatorade twice, all after 8 miles. He gave me some solid advice for the future which boils down to: have a better food & water plan if I run that distance again. He was right - had I refuled better through the race I could have boosted performance a bit and probably not been so banged up afterward. You live & you learn.

Since the race I have jumped back into more strength training and less running as I had planned. The balance between maintaining/adding strength and distance running continues to allude me. My strength numbers are off from my PR's and highs late last year and I have lost some speed & explosive power....and I did not have much to lose to begin with! Much of this is due to a heavier focus on distance running from the beginning of the year up to the Half Marathon. More on this in the coming weeks.

Gearing Up

2010-04-13T19:03:00.002-04:00

It was discussed in the comments between Georgie and I earlier but I thought I would expand on my plans (and thoughts) for the last few days before my first Half Marathon (this Sunday!).

My fitness goals this week are pretty simple and rest is a priority. I did not do anything major Sunday or Monday after my last long run - pretty much just walking to and around work and playtime with the kids. Today was a quick 2-mile run before work. I actually looked to push the pace (for me) and was very happy with the results - 2 miles in 18:40, cooking at a 9:20 per mile pace - cooking for me of course. I felt really good. I probably could have pushed a little faster or farther but I will leave something in the tank for Sunday.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) I'll be at Renegade Gym and Bench Press is the main exercise. I have really sacrificed my Renegade time the last two weeks...part of it was my wife working on my standard Renegade nights but I will admit to not being able to "do it all". By that I mean increasing my regular weekly miles, continuing a three day schedule of Renegade or strength training (and work, life, etc.). Something had to give and strength training was the casualty the last two weeks.

Thursday I am planning another 2-mile run but I'll probably focus more on race pace (probably around 11 minutes per mile)...slowing down, especially for that first mile. And just focusing, visualizing my race goals. Keeping it simple. Friday and Saturday will be rest (foam roll, stretch, etc. on the rest days). And then Sunday is race day!

Truthfully I am less concerned about my training/workouts this week - I had that planned out a long time ago. I started following a program way back in November or December but bagged it. It was not working for me. Instead I ran my own routine for a few weeks until I found a great six-week program that I followed. I feel ready.

I was talking with my buddy Don about the race and he was a little bummed I am not terribly excited about a Half Marathon. Now don't get me wrong - I am excited for this race. It is around Rutgers and so many good friends are running also. I love that. I look forward to seeing everyone. But I am not a fan of this long a distance. The time required to train for this race was difficult in my schedule. It was not fun. Running should be fun and most of the time it is for me. I will likely stick to 5K's and 5 Mile races after Sunday. Maybe the occasional 10 Mile Race - Jillian says its her favorite distance and I did enjoy the 10 miles this past weekend.

There are a few pressing things I am concerned about leading up to race day. I am checking the weather like a hawk. I've had a tendency to over- and under-dress in the past...I am pretty sure I know what I am wearing but it is a concern.

Ditto my eating this week leading up to the race. I don't believe in carb-loading or anything fancy like that but I am mindful of what I am eating this week and especially the couple of days before the race. Basically I am trying to get good, whole foods in all day like every day but making sure I eat enough. And trying to avoid anything that may upset my stomach. Race morning is my biggest concern right now. Mostly because I haven't run this distance before (obviously!). I don't like to eat much before morning running or training but I need something - my thought right now is some fruit (oranges or grapefruit), a Cliff Builders Bar and something else. Not sure what the something else is yet. Maybe another piece of fruit (a banana?)...maybe some eggs or egg whites? Not sure yet.

My other concern - race music. Coach Cook won't like that at all but I need my tunes! I literally need to carve out an hour or so this week to make up a kick ass race playlist.

Double Digits

2010-04-11T17:45:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was my last "long run" training day before the Half Marathon next week. 10 miles...my longest run to date. I sketched a course idea in my head before hitting the road and it turned out to be fantastic - at least for me.

It was a little cold, with a wind hitting me pretty good in some stretches of the run but it was clear, dry and the roads were surprisingly empty. Maybe people were still sleeping. I got out early and started from our place in New Brunswick (walking our dog was my warm up). From home I headed down George Street to Rt. 27/French Street. I made a note of my distance from home - about 1.25 miles - in case I needed to add something at the end. This wasn't an out & back - rather it was a big loop and I had to check occasionally to make sure my idea of how far this would go was accurate.

I turned and headed into Highland Park over the bridge (Rt. 27 still) and cut down South Adelaide to run along the South Side...all the way down to South Fifth Avenue where a massive incline awaited me. This course was hilly at times. I cut across back to the main street (Raritan Avenue) and over to the North Side of town, across to and down North 10th and eventually down North 5th and Lincoln Avenue. My idea was to run along the North Side and then down to Johnson Park via Harrison Avenue. Once in the park I ran all the way to the end on the Piscataway side, turned around and ran back. Out of the park I headed back towards Rt. 27 and the bridge to New Brunswick. Checking my distance I saw I'd be short if I headed home right away and my contingency plan was to run away from home to College Avenue (part of the Rutgers New Brunswick Campus) and then loop around for home. It worked perfect - I ended up down by the Rutgers Student Center, turned and headed home. I hit 10 miles a few blocks from home as planned and walked the rest of the way as a cool down.

Hitting 10 miles was a great feeling. Double digits. I was pretty pumped and I even put out a Facebook Update proclaiming my big 10 miles. To my surprise a bunch of people wrote some very nice and favorable responses. This was much appreciated. Later in the day while coaching my kids basketball clinic I was talking to a fellow parent/friend and he started telling me about a race (his first) coming up next week. A 5K and it sounds like he is ready to go out and do great. I mentioned that I had run in the AM and after he asked I told him I ran 10 miles. He was stunned.

I hadn't really thought much about it until that reaction and the response on Facebook. Just about everyone I know who runs has run much farther than me, so 10 miles didn't seem like that big a deal. But there is some cache to hitting 10 miles and above. You cannot fake that distance. That is some serious commitment and a bit of training too. It is not something you typically do on a treadmill or around your block a few times. You are going to see some scenery on a 10 mile run.

I was tired and a little sore but no more so than after any other long run days. My recovery was actually quite good. I felt 100% by this morning...not that I wanted to run an additional 10 miles today. I will save that for next week.

Where Did This Week Go?

2010-04-09T19:27:00.002-04:00

Last week was busy. I was covering for a colleague and there was a ton of stuff to do. This week was a blur. I kid you not - I don't think I was as busy as last week but this week moved by at the speed of light.

In my last post I whined a little bit about longer distance running. Since then I was able to get out and run two 8-mile runs as weekly long runs and mixed in a few 4.5 and 5 mile mid-week runs. This is a pretty significant uptick for me in my weekly mileage. Best of all it wasn't as boring as before. I took some advice of friends and comments to the blog and most importantly I got outside and ran some new routes.

Thanks to my Garmin (I use the Forerunner 205) I can go out and do a nice out & back with a mileage goal in mind. Not that I couldn't do this before - I just wasn't taking advantage of the technology and got stuck in a rut of the same old routes. The two 8 mile runs were out & backs from our place in New Brunswick into and around Highland Park and then back home. One of the 5-mile runs was across New Brunswick and was really nice but I did it after work this past Tuesday in the mini-heatwave we had here in NJ this week. I dehydrated something fierce and was sweating like a madman. Tomorrow I plan to head out for 10 miles. Cross your fingers. I already have an idea of my course and it feels like a good one.

More good news. I set a weight loss goal of 20-pounds to lose between January and April and I met it by April 1st. Down from 232 to 212 on March 31st. I was pretty pumped. Quietly I hoped to get to 210 and hit that on April 3rd. Since then I have totally pigged out - through Easter and then my son's and my birthday's so the 210 was short lived.

There is some bad news - I have clearly lost muscle and strength. Not sure if I went to drastic on my dietary changes or if my recent strength training is to blame - I moved away from the traditional strength training I had been doing to some serious fat-burning, higher rep exercises and a ton of cardio-like exercises. I say cardio-like because we don't do traditional machine-based cardio at Renegade Gym. Instead we do things like Burpees, Battling Ropes and Prowler Sprints. They burn you up just as much, if not more, than an intense session on a cardio machine.

A few weeks ago I started back up into a strength building routine and I could tell quickly that I lost strength. I was struggling to handle weights that had gotten easy into January. My goal right now is to regain some of that strength loss. Once to get past the RU Half Marathon I can get back to focusing on the strength training as priority one. Not that I will quit running, don't get me wrong.

Speaking of diet, as I did above - I have, for now, abandoned my no-meat routine. Maybe I am skittish about the strength loss (I am) and I know that there are plenty of people who can pack on muscle without animal proteins but for now I am going back to what worked best for me last year, with some tweaks. After meeting with Georgie last year and revamping my diet I made solid, steady progress - there was weight loss but no strength loss (just the opposite - my strength increased). Unfortunately I got away from that routine (got lazy/undisciplined) and then went head-first into a no-meat routine and gained weight. My initial foray into meatless was filled with too many grains and simple carbs to make up the difference of meat in my diet. Not good for my waist-line. Eventually I changed the diet to be cleaner - lean, meatless proteins, more fruits and veggies, and less grains. And it worked but my strength and muscle have dwindled.

Maybe this is all in my head, who knows. For now I am back to meat but far less than what was in my diet before. I am keeping my lentil stew, veggie chili and chickpea salad as alternatives and to go along with lean animal protein meals (chicken, fish, etc.). Still lots of fruits and veggies. Truthfully I am not sure (yet) what the right answer is (for me) and that is why I keep changing/experimenting/etc.

My main goal is long-term, optimal health and to beat (or outrun) the family curse of heart disease. My other goals, not necessarily less important, are to get stronger, run a little faster and optimize my overall fitness/athleticism. There is also a vanity/ego factor to look better - just being honest there. Having just turned 39 I can honestly say I am in some of the best shape of my life. Despite my recent strength loss phobia I am much stronger than at any point before and I am running farther and best of all I feel fantastic. Well worth the time at the gym, on the road and the endless experiments with my diet.

Enough rambling - below is a kick-ass smoothie I make that some of the guys at the gym dubbed "Berry Good" (it had us all cracking up but maybe you had to be there)...I am drinking it right now as I type.

I bought a rice-based protein, Sun Warrior and it has the chalky aftertaste of just about every other rice protein I've tried. It is the best of the bunch but that is not saying much. I nearly dumped the canister until I got crazy one day with the blender and created this concoction:

1 banana.
1 scoop Vanilla Sun Warrior Protein Powder.
1 cup of frozen blueberries.
3 or 4 cups of frozen strawberries.
Handful of Goji Berries.
Put all the items above into your favorite blender and add water - I usually fill mine up completely.
Blend.
Enjoy.

Basically I had to go nuts with the berries to offset the horrible taste of the rice protein. I use about a third of the berries for a typical whey protein shake. I probably use even more than what I listed above. Basically I just ram as many frozen berries as the blender will hold. It actually tastes pretty good now.