Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Yesterday’s run began in the usual way. I exited my car wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt, running shorts, socks on my hands and my beat-to-hell cycling cap. It was around 35 degrees, but sunny, and the crisp, cool breeze felt good on my legs. I ran a short distance on the road before jumping on to the bridle trails. With the slight warming, the packed snow was giving way under each step causing me to pitch in every direction. Today’s workout out would be more from staying on my feet than the speed of the run.
I went along in this fashion for most of the run, but knew the last mile would be on dry road and I was looking forward to it. When I emerged from the trail and began running the road, I was facing the orange glow of a setting sun on the trees just beyond the river for which I was headed. Then, something weird happened. I noticed I was in a comfortable stride, breathing easily and with a runner’s gait. I say ‘runner’ to differentiate from ‘jogger’ which is what I had felt like for the years since my calf injury. I had thought of myself as runner since my junior high track days and through to the injury. It was part of who I was and when that changed, so did I. My body gave in more easily to the ravages of advancing age and my levels of dedication to my training program suffered. Maybe, just maybe, I’d turned another corner.
I finished 46 minutes of running feeling like I was back. It wasn’t fast and I was still way overweight, but I saw a light at the end of the tunnel and I’m sure it wasn’t a train. Later that night, I received a call from an old high school friend asking me if I had heard that Bob Rudloff had died. Bob and I had been close in high school, he knew, and figured I’d know something about it. I didn’t.
Naturally, I started to think about Bob and our relationship. You see, it was Bob that had inspired me to run in the first place. He was one of the best high school runners in the country our senior year, but sadly never reached his full potential from, in my opinion, a lack of good coaching. I had decided then that if I was ever in a position to help young athletes to achieve their potential, I would do so to honor him and what he should have been. I kept running and pursued my Masters degree in exercise – coaching numerous high school athletes along the way. State champions and all-Americans followed and I’m pleased to think about the debt of gratitude I owe to Bob.
Thanks, Bob. I’m a runner again and this time I won’t stop.
Run duration: 46 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 bpm
Calories burned during workout: 780
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The Suvival Workout Returns
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
I figured I needed something a little different today. I know I’ve been getting into half way decent shape over the last three weeks and that maybe it’s time for the Back to Basics Survivor workout – or at least part of it.
The Survivor workout is done outdoors using what nature provides and couple of additional tools I bring along including an old tire, a 20-pound sledge hammer, a jump rope and my TRX training bands. I only had the jump rope today.
The workout is designed to address all of the components of physical fitness and specifically as they applied to basic survival when it was truly ‘man verses wild’. Speed, strength, muscular endurance, power, agility, balance, and, to a lesser degree, cardiovascular fitness is addressed in the complete workout. I was doing only some of the drills since there was 18 inches of snow on the ground and I had a run scheduled for tomorrow.
I started with a short hike in to my designated survivor workout spot in the park, which offered an extremely steep 300 foot vertical hill, some broken down former girl scout cabins, a 20 foot stone dam, some fallen trees and big rocks. It’s a picturesque setting and a great place for parking your girl scout cookies in an old fire ring after a tough workout.
I was wearing my heavy boots, which would limit some sprint and balance activities. I began with 25 pushups, slow – with good form, going all the way to the ground with my chest. I work hard at keeping the body rigid as this does more to keep the core working hard strengthening the abdominal area. I hopped up from the last push-up and slow jogged through the 18 inch snow to the base of the hill for the climb to the top. This takes about 60 seconds in fair weather, but took almost 2 minutes under these conditions. I hadn’t done this in some time and my chest was heaving as I ascended the last few yards. The descent, on the other hand, was faster than usual since the fear of falling was allayed by the presence of the cushioning snow. I kind of slid back down.
I plodded back to my starting point where I began the picnic table hop. I don’t think the park would approve, but I hop on the bench, up on the table, down to the bench on the other side and then to the ground. Turning around, I go up and over, continuing this pattern from 60-90 seconds. It is exhausting and does and tremendous job working the explosive muscles of the lower body, the abs as the pull the legs up and onto the bench, and the muscular endurance necessary to keep doing it for the duration. I was gagging at the conclusion of this set.
A brief cool down was followed by 3 minutes of fast rope skipping. By now I was drenched in sweat and looking for the relief some upper body work would provide. I tramped through the deep snow to my cabins and the heavy rocks. I fancy one that weighs about 30 pounds, which I pick up to chest height and then carry for 50 feet, pressing it overhead 7-8 times as I walk. At the end of the 50 feet, I thrust it up and out from chest level as far as I can throw it - about 5 feet if I’m lucky. Retrieving it, I walk back in the direction I came for another throw. This is done a total of ten times and kicks the crap out of me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the rocks under all the snow and so I did another set with the jump rope instead.
I finished the workout by doing some power skips – alternating legs and skipping with a goal of going up more than out. The snow impeded this move, as well and I decided I’d had enough for a first day back with the survivor workout and headed for the car. I purposely walked through the deep snow instead of over the packed trail to add to the workout. I managed to keep the heart rate between 120 and 150 for about 40 minutes.
Once home, I hopped on the trainer and rode another hour while finishing ‘Frost/Nixon’. Fantastic movie for someone who lived that era and followed Nixon’s machinations trying to exonerate himself for his criminal actions throughout Watergate and his presidency, for that matter. He almost pulled it off.
Things are improving. I’m not as sore and I’m already noticing increased flexibility, clothes fitting differently and more spring in my step. I’m not back to my thirties yet, but I’m headed in the right direction.
Survivor workout duration: 40 minutes. Bike duration: 63 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 120-150 bpm for workout. 125 bpm for bike.
Calories burned during workout: 500 for workout. 945 biking.
I figured I needed something a little different today. I know I’ve been getting into half way decent shape over the last three weeks and that maybe it’s time for the Back to Basics Survivor workout – or at least part of it.
The Survivor workout is done outdoors using what nature provides and couple of additional tools I bring along including an old tire, a 20-pound sledge hammer, a jump rope and my TRX training bands. I only had the jump rope today.
The workout is designed to address all of the components of physical fitness and specifically as they applied to basic survival when it was truly ‘man verses wild’. Speed, strength, muscular endurance, power, agility, balance, and, to a lesser degree, cardiovascular fitness is addressed in the complete workout. I was doing only some of the drills since there was 18 inches of snow on the ground and I had a run scheduled for tomorrow.
I started with a short hike in to my designated survivor workout spot in the park, which offered an extremely steep 300 foot vertical hill, some broken down former girl scout cabins, a 20 foot stone dam, some fallen trees and big rocks. It’s a picturesque setting and a great place for parking your girl scout cookies in an old fire ring after a tough workout.
I was wearing my heavy boots, which would limit some sprint and balance activities. I began with 25 pushups, slow – with good form, going all the way to the ground with my chest. I work hard at keeping the body rigid as this does more to keep the core working hard strengthening the abdominal area. I hopped up from the last push-up and slow jogged through the 18 inch snow to the base of the hill for the climb to the top. This takes about 60 seconds in fair weather, but took almost 2 minutes under these conditions. I hadn’t done this in some time and my chest was heaving as I ascended the last few yards. The descent, on the other hand, was faster than usual since the fear of falling was allayed by the presence of the cushioning snow. I kind of slid back down.
I plodded back to my starting point where I began the picnic table hop. I don’t think the park would approve, but I hop on the bench, up on the table, down to the bench on the other side and then to the ground. Turning around, I go up and over, continuing this pattern from 60-90 seconds. It is exhausting and does and tremendous job working the explosive muscles of the lower body, the abs as the pull the legs up and onto the bench, and the muscular endurance necessary to keep doing it for the duration. I was gagging at the conclusion of this set.
A brief cool down was followed by 3 minutes of fast rope skipping. By now I was drenched in sweat and looking for the relief some upper body work would provide. I tramped through the deep snow to my cabins and the heavy rocks. I fancy one that weighs about 30 pounds, which I pick up to chest height and then carry for 50 feet, pressing it overhead 7-8 times as I walk. At the end of the 50 feet, I thrust it up and out from chest level as far as I can throw it - about 5 feet if I’m lucky. Retrieving it, I walk back in the direction I came for another throw. This is done a total of ten times and kicks the crap out of me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the rocks under all the snow and so I did another set with the jump rope instead.
I finished the workout by doing some power skips – alternating legs and skipping with a goal of going up more than out. The snow impeded this move, as well and I decided I’d had enough for a first day back with the survivor workout and headed for the car. I purposely walked through the deep snow instead of over the packed trail to add to the workout. I managed to keep the heart rate between 120 and 150 for about 40 minutes.
Once home, I hopped on the trainer and rode another hour while finishing ‘Frost/Nixon’. Fantastic movie for someone who lived that era and followed Nixon’s machinations trying to exonerate himself for his criminal actions throughout Watergate and his presidency, for that matter. He almost pulled it off.
Things are improving. I’m not as sore and I’m already noticing increased flexibility, clothes fitting differently and more spring in my step. I’m not back to my thirties yet, but I’m headed in the right direction.
Survivor workout duration: 40 minutes. Bike duration: 63 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 120-150 bpm for workout. 125 bpm for bike.
Calories burned during workout: 500 for workout. 945 biking.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
“28 days that set records for snowfall across Ohio” Cleveland Plain Dealer
Monday, March 01, 2010
“Take this month and shovel it” was the first line of an article published in the PD this morning detailing the record snowfall all over Ohio during the month of February. “The highest recording of snow was found in Highland Heights on Millridge Road and particularly in the driveway of long-time resident John Rolf. Officials are at a loss to explain why over 9 feet of snow accumulated in the bottom of his driveway during the month.”
An unnamed source from the service department was quoted as saying “the drivers have a bet going about that guy. He’s always out there in his t-shirt in the dead of winter with his stupid shovel and trying to keep up with our plows. There was a pool guessing the day he’d drop dead or throw a shovel at them. They’re hoping for a couple of more heavy snowfalls in March. They think he’s close to the breaking point. I’ve got twenty bucks on March 10th,” he concluded.
I pointed this out to Holly and said “see – I told you they were out to get me.”
And though I’ve been enjoying the calories burned and the additional conditioning from the snow shoveling, I was quite relieved to find no new snow in the driveway the morning the story hit. I’ve got a sore back and blisters on my hands. But no one cares, so I should quit whining.
I’ve been trying to watch the eating and found that a hell of a lot harder over the weekend. Once the work week begins, I can control urges a little better. I did my usual morning ritual, the new one that is, and grabbed a hand full of baby carrots and three apples before heading for the car and the drive in. I eat one of the apples and the carrots for breakfast and have the other two apples for lunch and the ride home. It’s not the ideal way to eat and I’m working on improving it, but for now it’s what I do. I should eat something a little more substantial for breakfast like a good bowl of Quaker Oat Squares cold or hot Oat Bran. Fact is, I’m too lazy to do it. I like to sleep until just before it’s time to leave. I think I’ll change that tomorrow.
I picked up Dakota after work and grabbed my daypack and a thirty pound bag of salt. I’m getting to the point where I want to generate higher heart rates and thus more calories burned on every walk. While training for backpacking and climbing trips to the Adirondacks, I keep a sixty pound pack in the trunk for my training hikes. I don’t use it in the snow. I figured thirty pounds would be plenty, especially with all the recent snow and the fact that I would be hiking off-trail. I was totally right.
There was 18 inches unpacked in the woods and my heart rate jumped from around 90 to about 110 as soon as I left the trail. Dakota was struggling behind me and I was purposely dragging my legs through the snow instead of pulling them out with each step so as to blaze a trail for her. Still, she was jumping from imprint to imprint and seemed to love it. I was wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt over a short-sleeved one, gloves and a head band and found that the perspiration was running down my nose shortly after hitting the deep snow. There was no sound but that of my heavy breathing and the crunch of each step I took. Totally beautiful, serene and punishing.
Even the 400 foot descent to the marsh had me breathing hard. Sure, the extra weight of the pack was part of it, but balancing the load while sliding/walking down the steep hillside was adding to the work, as well.
We looped back to the all-purpose trail where the going was easier and I ran into a fellow hiker. He noticed the pack and asked me why I was carrying it in this deep snow.
“Got thirty pounds of salt in it. Adds to the workout. I was really struggling back there in the woods – sweating my ass off,” I said.
“Yeah? Shrewd,” he replied and moved on quickly, ending my chance to tell him more and, you know, fill him in on the blog.
We reached the car in 55 minutes and I was relieved to pull the pack from my shoulders, which were starting to ache as it always does the first time I carry it. There are a lot of ways to fill up a pack, but I recommend salt and rice since both seem to fit nicely in the pack and stay flush to your back instead of banging against it as you walk. By salt, I’m talking the softener stuff or rock salt. Rice comes in 20-25 pound bulk bags from places like BJ’s.
I had the trainer set up for some riding when I arrived home. I plugged ‘Frost/Nixon’ into the DVD player and climbed aboard for my least favorite workout. I can’t wait for the weather to break and to be able to start putting in serious mileage outside. Until then – well – another 60 minutes crawled by as a couple of pounds of sweat accumulated in the towel underneath the bike. Good movie, by the way, and I hope to finish it tomorrow night with another hour of riding.
Hike duration: 55 minutes. Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 bpm for hike. 125 bpm for bike.
Calories burned during workout: 600 hiking. 900 biking.
“Take this month and shovel it” was the first line of an article published in the PD this morning detailing the record snowfall all over Ohio during the month of February. “The highest recording of snow was found in Highland Heights on Millridge Road and particularly in the driveway of long-time resident John Rolf. Officials are at a loss to explain why over 9 feet of snow accumulated in the bottom of his driveway during the month.”
An unnamed source from the service department was quoted as saying “the drivers have a bet going about that guy. He’s always out there in his t-shirt in the dead of winter with his stupid shovel and trying to keep up with our plows. There was a pool guessing the day he’d drop dead or throw a shovel at them. They’re hoping for a couple of more heavy snowfalls in March. They think he’s close to the breaking point. I’ve got twenty bucks on March 10th,” he concluded.
I pointed this out to Holly and said “see – I told you they were out to get me.”
And though I’ve been enjoying the calories burned and the additional conditioning from the snow shoveling, I was quite relieved to find no new snow in the driveway the morning the story hit. I’ve got a sore back and blisters on my hands. But no one cares, so I should quit whining.
I’ve been trying to watch the eating and found that a hell of a lot harder over the weekend. Once the work week begins, I can control urges a little better. I did my usual morning ritual, the new one that is, and grabbed a hand full of baby carrots and three apples before heading for the car and the drive in. I eat one of the apples and the carrots for breakfast and have the other two apples for lunch and the ride home. It’s not the ideal way to eat and I’m working on improving it, but for now it’s what I do. I should eat something a little more substantial for breakfast like a good bowl of Quaker Oat Squares cold or hot Oat Bran. Fact is, I’m too lazy to do it. I like to sleep until just before it’s time to leave. I think I’ll change that tomorrow.
I picked up Dakota after work and grabbed my daypack and a thirty pound bag of salt. I’m getting to the point where I want to generate higher heart rates and thus more calories burned on every walk. While training for backpacking and climbing trips to the Adirondacks, I keep a sixty pound pack in the trunk for my training hikes. I don’t use it in the snow. I figured thirty pounds would be plenty, especially with all the recent snow and the fact that I would be hiking off-trail. I was totally right.
There was 18 inches unpacked in the woods and my heart rate jumped from around 90 to about 110 as soon as I left the trail. Dakota was struggling behind me and I was purposely dragging my legs through the snow instead of pulling them out with each step so as to blaze a trail for her. Still, she was jumping from imprint to imprint and seemed to love it. I was wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt over a short-sleeved one, gloves and a head band and found that the perspiration was running down my nose shortly after hitting the deep snow. There was no sound but that of my heavy breathing and the crunch of each step I took. Totally beautiful, serene and punishing.
Even the 400 foot descent to the marsh had me breathing hard. Sure, the extra weight of the pack was part of it, but balancing the load while sliding/walking down the steep hillside was adding to the work, as well.
We looped back to the all-purpose trail where the going was easier and I ran into a fellow hiker. He noticed the pack and asked me why I was carrying it in this deep snow.
“Got thirty pounds of salt in it. Adds to the workout. I was really struggling back there in the woods – sweating my ass off,” I said.
“Yeah? Shrewd,” he replied and moved on quickly, ending my chance to tell him more and, you know, fill him in on the blog.
We reached the car in 55 minutes and I was relieved to pull the pack from my shoulders, which were starting to ache as it always does the first time I carry it. There are a lot of ways to fill up a pack, but I recommend salt and rice since both seem to fit nicely in the pack and stay flush to your back instead of banging against it as you walk. By salt, I’m talking the softener stuff or rock salt. Rice comes in 20-25 pound bulk bags from places like BJ’s.
I had the trainer set up for some riding when I arrived home. I plugged ‘Frost/Nixon’ into the DVD player and climbed aboard for my least favorite workout. I can’t wait for the weather to break and to be able to start putting in serious mileage outside. Until then – well – another 60 minutes crawled by as a couple of pounds of sweat accumulated in the towel underneath the bike. Good movie, by the way, and I hope to finish it tomorrow night with another hour of riding.
Hike duration: 55 minutes. Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 bpm for hike. 125 bpm for bike.
Calories burned during workout: 600 hiking. 900 biking.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Three-a-day
Sunday, February 28, 2010
I popped open the garage door to grab the Sunday paper. Naturally, there was another 4 inches of snow on the ground, but it was the three feet at the bottom of the driveway (yes – I measured it) that had me excited. I stripped to my t-shirt, grabbed the shovel and headed for the mound. My neighbor, someone I’ve taken through workouts, was walking to get her paper when I barked “get your shovel. It’s a great workout.”
“I haven’t read the paper yet,” she replied.
Loser. But my attempt to guilt her had the desired affect and in short order she had returned with a shovel. I’d completed mine by now and the whole drive had only taken thirty minutes. I was moving fast and it was heavy, which generated a heart rate of around 120 beats per minute. I wanted to show off my endurance and so went over to help her out. Thirty minutes later, her driveway was done and I had in an hour of intense exercise. I also was developing a very sore back.
Since I was sweaty already, I figured it would be a good time to get in my run. I headed for the park where the trails now had about 8 unpacked inches covering them. It was about 30 degrees, really kind of warm for a run and so I was in a short-sleeved t-shirt, shorts and head band and, of course, socks on my hands. As I exited my car, the lady next to me was preparing for her cross-country ski trek. She noticed my outfit and looked disdainfully away. Some time in the early 90’s I had initiated the ‘bare legs’ running group, which challenged its members to see how far into the winter they could run without covering their legs. I’d gone about ten years that way – no matter how cold it got and so this was no big deal. There’s a saying in the winter with regards to any kind of outdoor exercise - ‘if you’re comfortable at the start – you’re overdressed’. I was actually comfortable and I had little to take off.
I headed down the all-purpose trail, running on narrow part of the trail that had been packed somewhat by the previous walkers, hikers and skiers. I had numerous comments from my fellow trail users about my lack of clothing. I mostly responded that it felt great – and it did. By the time I hit the turnaround, I was so hot that I needed to take my socks off my hands. I had originally figured I’d run thirty minutes, but I was feeling good and extended the turnaround. I passed my car on the return in an effort to put in a couple of more minutes, making the total run forty minutes. My calf continued to be my main concern, but it was doing well, though it was tight. I was tired and collapsed into the front seat for the drive home and the bike trainer.
Once home, I quickly got on the trainer. I didn’t want time to think more about how exhausted I was. I turned on the winter Olympics and watched the 50K cross country ski race. These were the best cardiovascular athletes in the world and their sport was the most demanding of any aerobic sport. It required so much oxygen to support the total effort of the large muscles of the lower and upper body that they’re calorie consumption was the top of any sport. Watching them work and knowing they would be at the edge for over 30 miles made my little shoveling, run and bike ride seem so insignificant. I easily completed the 60 minute ride.
I
t was quite a training day. I had done my first three-a-day since my triathlon days and burned 2,300 calories in the process. I was really looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow morning. I could use the rest.
Shovel duration: 60 minutes. Run duration: 40 minutes. Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 120 shoveling, 145 running, 125 biking.
Calories burned during workout: 600 shoveling, 680 running, 900 biking.
I popped open the garage door to grab the Sunday paper. Naturally, there was another 4 inches of snow on the ground, but it was the three feet at the bottom of the driveway (yes – I measured it) that had me excited. I stripped to my t-shirt, grabbed the shovel and headed for the mound. My neighbor, someone I’ve taken through workouts, was walking to get her paper when I barked “get your shovel. It’s a great workout.”
“I haven’t read the paper yet,” she replied.
Loser. But my attempt to guilt her had the desired affect and in short order she had returned with a shovel. I’d completed mine by now and the whole drive had only taken thirty minutes. I was moving fast and it was heavy, which generated a heart rate of around 120 beats per minute. I wanted to show off my endurance and so went over to help her out. Thirty minutes later, her driveway was done and I had in an hour of intense exercise. I also was developing a very sore back.
Since I was sweaty already, I figured it would be a good time to get in my run. I headed for the park where the trails now had about 8 unpacked inches covering them. It was about 30 degrees, really kind of warm for a run and so I was in a short-sleeved t-shirt, shorts and head band and, of course, socks on my hands. As I exited my car, the lady next to me was preparing for her cross-country ski trek. She noticed my outfit and looked disdainfully away. Some time in the early 90’s I had initiated the ‘bare legs’ running group, which challenged its members to see how far into the winter they could run without covering their legs. I’d gone about ten years that way – no matter how cold it got and so this was no big deal. There’s a saying in the winter with regards to any kind of outdoor exercise - ‘if you’re comfortable at the start – you’re overdressed’. I was actually comfortable and I had little to take off.
I headed down the all-purpose trail, running on narrow part of the trail that had been packed somewhat by the previous walkers, hikers and skiers. I had numerous comments from my fellow trail users about my lack of clothing. I mostly responded that it felt great – and it did. By the time I hit the turnaround, I was so hot that I needed to take my socks off my hands. I had originally figured I’d run thirty minutes, but I was feeling good and extended the turnaround. I passed my car on the return in an effort to put in a couple of more minutes, making the total run forty minutes. My calf continued to be my main concern, but it was doing well, though it was tight. I was tired and collapsed into the front seat for the drive home and the bike trainer.
Once home, I quickly got on the trainer. I didn’t want time to think more about how exhausted I was. I turned on the winter Olympics and watched the 50K cross country ski race. These were the best cardiovascular athletes in the world and their sport was the most demanding of any aerobic sport. It required so much oxygen to support the total effort of the large muscles of the lower and upper body that they’re calorie consumption was the top of any sport. Watching them work and knowing they would be at the edge for over 30 miles made my little shoveling, run and bike ride seem so insignificant. I easily completed the 60 minute ride.
I
t was quite a training day. I had done my first three-a-day since my triathlon days and burned 2,300 calories in the process. I was really looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow morning. I could use the rest.
Shovel duration: 60 minutes. Run duration: 40 minutes. Bike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 120 shoveling, 145 running, 125 biking.
Calories burned during workout: 600 shoveling, 680 running, 900 biking.
Sometimes things don't go how they're supposed to
Saturday, February 27, 2010
The forecast was calling for another 1-2 inches of snow overnight, but someone forgot to tell Highland Heights. I went out to another 6 inches and more importantly for the workout, two feet of heavy stuff pushed into the bottom of the driveway by the street plows. I think I need to quick flipping off the plow guys and yelling “could you leave anymore snow in my driveway?”
They’ve been trying.
I shoveled for an hour – pacing myself for the rest of the day’s workout. Holly – that’s my wife of 34 years, and I had scheduled a hike in the park for around 2 p.m., after which I planned to put an hour on the bike. Since I was below 200 pounds, I wanted to make sure to stay there and figured a big workout day was in order. I’ve been doing some form of cardiovascular workout for the last seven days and that would normally mean a day off, but things aren’t normal right now.
Two p.m. came and went. With Holly, setting times to do something or be somewhere is just like saying to someone “how are you?” You don’t really want to know and it doesn’t really mean anything. I stayed at the computer and working on blogs.
About 5 p.m., I began to get concerned. I knew we had to get in the hike and I had to go pick up my daughter in Kent around 8 p.m. The way things were shaping up, I was not going to get in my ride unless I did it around 10 p.m., which was pretty much my bed time.
We finally made it to the park, but it was almost dark and there would be no off-trail hiking and high calorie burning. Our paces are a little different too and so I wasn’t getting in the higher heart rate. No big deal. This was supposed to be an off day anyway and I was still planning on doing the bike later. The park was like a winter wonderland with all of the trees bending under the weight of the latest, wet six inches. We had the place pretty much to ourselves and the going was reasonably tough because of the new fall. Holly found the going tough and considered the hike a very good workout.
By the time I had taken her home, retrieved my daughter from Kent and eaten dinner, it was 10 p.m. and I was not in the mood to climb on the trainer. I decided that shoveling and the hike would be it for the day’s workout, which was probably a good thing. Tomorrow was a run day and I had plans to back it up with time on the trainer. Still – for an off day, I’d burned 960 calories.
Shovel duration: 60 minutes. Hike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 bpm for shoveling. 75 bpm for hike.
Calories burned during workout: 600 shoveling. 360 hiking.
The forecast was calling for another 1-2 inches of snow overnight, but someone forgot to tell Highland Heights. I went out to another 6 inches and more importantly for the workout, two feet of heavy stuff pushed into the bottom of the driveway by the street plows. I think I need to quick flipping off the plow guys and yelling “could you leave anymore snow in my driveway?”
They’ve been trying.
I shoveled for an hour – pacing myself for the rest of the day’s workout. Holly – that’s my wife of 34 years, and I had scheduled a hike in the park for around 2 p.m., after which I planned to put an hour on the bike. Since I was below 200 pounds, I wanted to make sure to stay there and figured a big workout day was in order. I’ve been doing some form of cardiovascular workout for the last seven days and that would normally mean a day off, but things aren’t normal right now.
Two p.m. came and went. With Holly, setting times to do something or be somewhere is just like saying to someone “how are you?” You don’t really want to know and it doesn’t really mean anything. I stayed at the computer and working on blogs.
About 5 p.m., I began to get concerned. I knew we had to get in the hike and I had to go pick up my daughter in Kent around 8 p.m. The way things were shaping up, I was not going to get in my ride unless I did it around 10 p.m., which was pretty much my bed time.
We finally made it to the park, but it was almost dark and there would be no off-trail hiking and high calorie burning. Our paces are a little different too and so I wasn’t getting in the higher heart rate. No big deal. This was supposed to be an off day anyway and I was still planning on doing the bike later. The park was like a winter wonderland with all of the trees bending under the weight of the latest, wet six inches. We had the place pretty much to ourselves and the going was reasonably tough because of the new fall. Holly found the going tough and considered the hike a very good workout.
By the time I had taken her home, retrieved my daughter from Kent and eaten dinner, it was 10 p.m. and I was not in the mood to climb on the trainer. I decided that shoveling and the hike would be it for the day’s workout, which was probably a good thing. Tomorrow was a run day and I had plans to back it up with time on the trainer. Still – for an off day, I’d burned 960 calories.
Shovel duration: 60 minutes. Hike duration: 60 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 bpm for shoveling. 75 bpm for hike.
Calories burned during workout: 600 shoveling. 360 hiking.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Goodbye to 200!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Last night as we drove to the park through a light snow for our run, Jack asked for the twentieth time this winter “do you think we’ll have a snow day tomorrow?”
I consider snow shoveling just another outdoor cardiovascular workout. Always have. I tend to race against neighbors with snow blowers to add to the workout and to show off that I’m faster than the machine. When I do this, which is pretty much every time it snows, I typically end up stripped down to my t-shirt because I’m sweating so profusely. I’ve been blessed with the unusual ability to perspire at a rate that, during a summer workout, will have me losing as much as ten pounds an hour.
The snow continued to fall and I pushed about 3 inches before going to bed. If tomorrow was going to be a snow day, I wanted a head start on the removal.
The phone startled me awake at 5:45 a.m. It was a recording from the school telling me that, in fact, Jack did have a snow day. Well, it actually would be a snow day for the entire school, not just Jack. Anyway, it also alerted me that I’d be starting the day with a 1-hour workout. I put on the boots and grabbed my shovel.
It continued snowing heavily throughout the day and by the time I arrived back home, the driveway needed shoveling again. I live on a sharp curve in the road and what that means is the snow plow deposits an inordinate amount of snow at the bottom of my driveway. No big deal – just adds to the workout. I spent another hour shoveling and then headed inside to fetch Dakota for a trip to the park and a snow hike.
We arrived there just before dark to find the trails had accumulated about ten inches since yesterday’s run. I planned to do the off-trail hike down to the marsh – the same loop I had done two days ago in 45 minutes. With about twelve inches of snow on the ground now, it was definitely going to take longer and be more difficult. Dakota, a 50-pound Norwegian Elkhound mix, has only about ten inches between her belly and the ground and found it easier to move by staying in my tracks. My heart rate was running around 90 beats, which is high for hiking and would burn up considerably more calories. The walk took an hour to complete and I was really starting to feel the accumulated affect of all the shoveling and everything I had been doing over the last seven days. I mean I was pretty bushed – but from a hike?
Once back home, I climbed aboard the bike and plugged in “Man verses Wild”. I’d never seen the show, but heard enough about it to give it a shot. Bear something or other (yeah - Bear’s his name) was crossing a part of the Sahara desert and would be demonstrating survival techniques. He began by tearing up a black t-shirt, peeing on it and wrapping it around his head – telling the audience about the benefits of the cooling effect this would have on his head for the desert crossing. Cooling affect? Seriously?
No – I have not done and desert crossings, but I do know a little bit about physiology and heat injuries. He claimed it was 130 degrees. He was in a desert, which would make it dry – right? How long do you suppose it would be before the pee evaporated in these conditions – 5 minutes? I’ll be generous and give him ten, but he was hiking for, like, the whole day so what was that really all about? And a black t-shirt? Dark materials absorb heat and light ones reflect. I’m missing something.
I won’t go into the myriad of inconsistencies I noticed throughout the show, but it did get me through a 45-minute ride. Since I was already whipped when I’d climbed aboard, I was pleased with my efforts.
I grabbed another handful of baby carrots, something I’d taken to eating over the last few days in an effort to curb my appetite, and headed for the weigh-in and shower. I stripped down and stepped on the scale. ‘199’ flashed across the screen. Holy crap – could that be right? I let it reset and climbed on again and again it read ‘199’.
I was surprised, but pretty happy. When I’d weighed in ten days earlier at 206, I figured it would be three weeks or so before I dipped below 200. In retrospect though, I’d made significant changes in my eating habits and was burning calories during workouts at an average of 1,100 per day. You know what? I’ll take it.
Shovel duration: 60 minutes. Hike duration: 60 minutes. Bike duration: 45 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 bpm for shoveling. 90 bpm for hike. 125 bpm for bike.
Calories burned during workout: 600 shoveling. 600 hiking. 675 biking.
Last night as we drove to the park through a light snow for our run, Jack asked for the twentieth time this winter “do you think we’ll have a snow day tomorrow?”
I consider snow shoveling just another outdoor cardiovascular workout. Always have. I tend to race against neighbors with snow blowers to add to the workout and to show off that I’m faster than the machine. When I do this, which is pretty much every time it snows, I typically end up stripped down to my t-shirt because I’m sweating so profusely. I’ve been blessed with the unusual ability to perspire at a rate that, during a summer workout, will have me losing as much as ten pounds an hour.
The snow continued to fall and I pushed about 3 inches before going to bed. If tomorrow was going to be a snow day, I wanted a head start on the removal.
The phone startled me awake at 5:45 a.m. It was a recording from the school telling me that, in fact, Jack did have a snow day. Well, it actually would be a snow day for the entire school, not just Jack. Anyway, it also alerted me that I’d be starting the day with a 1-hour workout. I put on the boots and grabbed my shovel.
It continued snowing heavily throughout the day and by the time I arrived back home, the driveway needed shoveling again. I live on a sharp curve in the road and what that means is the snow plow deposits an inordinate amount of snow at the bottom of my driveway. No big deal – just adds to the workout. I spent another hour shoveling and then headed inside to fetch Dakota for a trip to the park and a snow hike.
We arrived there just before dark to find the trails had accumulated about ten inches since yesterday’s run. I planned to do the off-trail hike down to the marsh – the same loop I had done two days ago in 45 minutes. With about twelve inches of snow on the ground now, it was definitely going to take longer and be more difficult. Dakota, a 50-pound Norwegian Elkhound mix, has only about ten inches between her belly and the ground and found it easier to move by staying in my tracks. My heart rate was running around 90 beats, which is high for hiking and would burn up considerably more calories. The walk took an hour to complete and I was really starting to feel the accumulated affect of all the shoveling and everything I had been doing over the last seven days. I mean I was pretty bushed – but from a hike?
Once back home, I climbed aboard the bike and plugged in “Man verses Wild”. I’d never seen the show, but heard enough about it to give it a shot. Bear something or other (yeah - Bear’s his name) was crossing a part of the Sahara desert and would be demonstrating survival techniques. He began by tearing up a black t-shirt, peeing on it and wrapping it around his head – telling the audience about the benefits of the cooling effect this would have on his head for the desert crossing. Cooling affect? Seriously?
No – I have not done and desert crossings, but I do know a little bit about physiology and heat injuries. He claimed it was 130 degrees. He was in a desert, which would make it dry – right? How long do you suppose it would be before the pee evaporated in these conditions – 5 minutes? I’ll be generous and give him ten, but he was hiking for, like, the whole day so what was that really all about? And a black t-shirt? Dark materials absorb heat and light ones reflect. I’m missing something.
I won’t go into the myriad of inconsistencies I noticed throughout the show, but it did get me through a 45-minute ride. Since I was already whipped when I’d climbed aboard, I was pleased with my efforts.
I grabbed another handful of baby carrots, something I’d taken to eating over the last few days in an effort to curb my appetite, and headed for the weigh-in and shower. I stripped down and stepped on the scale. ‘199’ flashed across the screen. Holy crap – could that be right? I let it reset and climbed on again and again it read ‘199’.
I was surprised, but pretty happy. When I’d weighed in ten days earlier at 206, I figured it would be three weeks or so before I dipped below 200. In retrospect though, I’d made significant changes in my eating habits and was burning calories during workouts at an average of 1,100 per day. You know what? I’ll take it.
Shovel duration: 60 minutes. Hike duration: 60 minutes. Bike duration: 45 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 100 bpm for shoveling. 90 bpm for hike. 125 bpm for bike.
Calories burned during workout: 600 shoveling. 600 hiking. 675 biking.
Running, falling, and running some more
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Anyone reading this thinking that if I’m doing it, it makes good sense just doesn’t know me too well. I’ve made a career of not listening to the signals my body was sending me and ended up injured as a result. Having said that…
Rest is a good thing and there are sensible times to do it. One of them is when you’re sore and it’s not going away. Like right now, I’ve still got that lower abdominal/groin pain thing going on and I should take a couple of days off.
I should – but it’s a run day. And if it’s a run day, well, I just have to run. So that’s what I did.
I called home and told Jack, my 15-year old, that I was headed for the park and a run and he could join me. He said yes, which made me really happy because I like being humiliated by someone who trains by playing Xbox 360. He’s loaded with running talent, but to date, has chosen to ignore it. He’s planning on going out for track, which is a good thing since he was running a 57-second 400 in 8th grade gym class.
Another couple of inches of snow had fallen that day and the trails were covered, rutted, and crunchy. Jack was well bundled and looked curiously at my outfit – short sleeved t-shirt, running shorts, socks on the hands and a hat.
“People will think something is wrong with you, dad.”
“Yeah – and that has always really concerned me, Jack.”
He looked concerned – concerned that someone he knew would see us running together and know that I was his dad. Tough poopy.
The run would be slippery and slow, but promised to be a good workout. I told Jack he could run ahead figuring his pace would top mine, but he decided instead to draft me. He was worried about getting lost - something he can do in our driveway if he turns around quickly.
We passed a cross country skier, who, I suspect, didn’t like us messing with his ski grooves. I was slipping and sliding and busting ass so I figured he should too. Besides, this was an all-purpose trail and not groomed for skiing. Maybe he was just into his workout and didn’t have the energy to say ‘hello’. Maybe he didn’t like my outfit. Maybe he just didn’t like me. Nah.
The snow was coming down heavily when we hit the turnaround mark in about 18 minutes. I like to run negative splits (faster second half) and so picked it up slightly for the return trip. I realized this would get me back to the car in around 35 minutes and I was okay with that – not looking to top the 41-minute run from the last time out.
Jack sprinted ahead with a couple hundred yards to go. I emerged from the woods and bridle trail and could see his skinny butt disappearing into the swirling snow. I tried to pick it up too, but when my foot hit the walking trail, I stumbled and went, ever so gracefully, tumbling to the ground. I slid about ten feet, covering myself in snow, before slowly getting to my feet to finish the run. When I reached the car and checked my watch, I discovered that we’d gotten back pretty quickly – only 34 minutes of running time. This would not do. I decided to make a loop of Squires Castle and when I arrived back at the car and checked my watch again, discovered that if I did one more loop, I could break my two-day old record of 41 minutes. A little competitive? Maybe. A little stupid? Without a doubt. Seemed like a good idea at the time, though. So I kept running and ended up at 42 minutes and my calf was still healthy.
We fogged the hell out of the car windows on the ride home where I had set up the bike before leaving so I could do a double. My knees were sore from the fall and the cold, but I figured a good ride would fix all that. Sound thinking.
I climbed quickly aboard and pushed the ride for the next 30 minutes. I kept doing the calculations in my head. “Fifteen calories burned for every minute riding” was my mantra and along with the fact that I would be writing what I’d done kept me going. I was a sweaty mess at the end of the ride and thrilled to be finished. This was a good double and I knew the pounds would be coming off. Maybe tomorrow I’d weigh in again.
Run duration: 42 minutes. Bike duration: 30 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 beats per minute for run. 125 bpm for bike.
Calories burned during workout: 700 for run. 450 for bike.
Anyone reading this thinking that if I’m doing it, it makes good sense just doesn’t know me too well. I’ve made a career of not listening to the signals my body was sending me and ended up injured as a result. Having said that…
Rest is a good thing and there are sensible times to do it. One of them is when you’re sore and it’s not going away. Like right now, I’ve still got that lower abdominal/groin pain thing going on and I should take a couple of days off.
I should – but it’s a run day. And if it’s a run day, well, I just have to run. So that’s what I did.
I called home and told Jack, my 15-year old, that I was headed for the park and a run and he could join me. He said yes, which made me really happy because I like being humiliated by someone who trains by playing Xbox 360. He’s loaded with running talent, but to date, has chosen to ignore it. He’s planning on going out for track, which is a good thing since he was running a 57-second 400 in 8th grade gym class.
Another couple of inches of snow had fallen that day and the trails were covered, rutted, and crunchy. Jack was well bundled and looked curiously at my outfit – short sleeved t-shirt, running shorts, socks on the hands and a hat.
“People will think something is wrong with you, dad.”
“Yeah – and that has always really concerned me, Jack.”
He looked concerned – concerned that someone he knew would see us running together and know that I was his dad. Tough poopy.
The run would be slippery and slow, but promised to be a good workout. I told Jack he could run ahead figuring his pace would top mine, but he decided instead to draft me. He was worried about getting lost - something he can do in our driveway if he turns around quickly.
We passed a cross country skier, who, I suspect, didn’t like us messing with his ski grooves. I was slipping and sliding and busting ass so I figured he should too. Besides, this was an all-purpose trail and not groomed for skiing. Maybe he was just into his workout and didn’t have the energy to say ‘hello’. Maybe he didn’t like my outfit. Maybe he just didn’t like me. Nah.
The snow was coming down heavily when we hit the turnaround mark in about 18 minutes. I like to run negative splits (faster second half) and so picked it up slightly for the return trip. I realized this would get me back to the car in around 35 minutes and I was okay with that – not looking to top the 41-minute run from the last time out.
Jack sprinted ahead with a couple hundred yards to go. I emerged from the woods and bridle trail and could see his skinny butt disappearing into the swirling snow. I tried to pick it up too, but when my foot hit the walking trail, I stumbled and went, ever so gracefully, tumbling to the ground. I slid about ten feet, covering myself in snow, before slowly getting to my feet to finish the run. When I reached the car and checked my watch, I discovered that we’d gotten back pretty quickly – only 34 minutes of running time. This would not do. I decided to make a loop of Squires Castle and when I arrived back at the car and checked my watch again, discovered that if I did one more loop, I could break my two-day old record of 41 minutes. A little competitive? Maybe. A little stupid? Without a doubt. Seemed like a good idea at the time, though. So I kept running and ended up at 42 minutes and my calf was still healthy.
We fogged the hell out of the car windows on the ride home where I had set up the bike before leaving so I could do a double. My knees were sore from the fall and the cold, but I figured a good ride would fix all that. Sound thinking.
I climbed quickly aboard and pushed the ride for the next 30 minutes. I kept doing the calculations in my head. “Fifteen calories burned for every minute riding” was my mantra and along with the fact that I would be writing what I’d done kept me going. I was a sweaty mess at the end of the ride and thrilled to be finished. This was a good double and I knew the pounds would be coming off. Maybe tomorrow I’d weigh in again.
Run duration: 42 minutes. Bike duration: 30 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 140 beats per minute for run. 125 bpm for bike.
Calories burned during workout: 700 for run. 450 for bike.
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