5/30/10

Got up Sunday morning and ran 7.5 miles with Ken around 630a. I took a 2 week break from longer runs to get in some bike/swim time and really paid the price. The run was brutal...heart rate stayed between 171-190 the entire 7.5 miles. I finished at a 8:14 per mile pace...but it felt much more challenging than it should have. 

Once I finished the run, I hopped in the pool and did trainer Shellie's 800 meter swim workout.  I did extra sets on all the technique drills...so it was closer to a 1000 meter workout. After just over 2 hours of running and swimming I was pooped. 

My triathlon training is much like life...you may want to put a lot of yourself into one particular aspect (and maybe you get really good at that one thing) but the reality is that you have to be efficient and spread yourself amongst multiple causes (running, cycling, swimming, strength training, rest.) One is not more important than the other and, much to my initial surprise, there is only a little bit of carry over from sport to sport (i.e. you don't get better at running by swimming more.) 

Here is my training schedule for this week

Mon-Rest

Tues-Upper Body Strength Training

Wed-Core Training and Swimming

Thurs-Lower Body Strength Training

Fri-Cycling and Short Run

Sat-Rest

Sun-Long Run and Swimming 

Swim Lesson #2

Swim lesson #2 went down this Wednesday. I really wish the breathing was more natural for me. I made considerable stride in my technique...but now I'm thinking so much about breathing properly that my form falls apart at times. 

Nevertheless, it is really great to be able to cross train between weight lifting, swimming, running, and cycling. Because I'm not doing the same thing 4-5 times a week I notice I really look forward to each and every workout. 

We swam Wednesday, lifted on Thursday, and today I'm going to knock out the "home workout" our trainer Shellie gave us. Here is how it goes...

2 x 25 meters catch up drill with pencil (working on arm technique) 

2 x 25 meters:  swim

2 x 25 meters: slide and glide drill with breathing work (position to side and work on getting head in correct position for side breathing)

 2x 25 meters:  swim -incorporating drills into swim

2 x 25 meters: slide and glide with breathing on every 3rd stroke 

2 x 25 meters:  swim drill incorporated

4 x 100 meters: quicker pass while maintaining form swim

1 x 100 meters: cool down swim

TOTAL: 800 yards

Swimming is frustrating because it's unfamiliar...but I love it and I can't wait to get better. 

Food

My food looked pretty typical this week. Eating for me is very much routine. I don't think much about it, I don't look to be entertained by it...I just do it because it's what my body needs. I set up meal and snack "rotations" early in the week. Doing this allows me to put my nutrition on cruise control. If my activity level increases significantly on a particular day...I just increase the quantity of the food I eat (2 chicken breast instead of 1, larger handful of almonds, etc.) 

Here are the meal rotations I used throughout the week...

Breakfast Rotation

1. Wheaties fuel w/ syntha 6 and skim milk w/ V8 Fusion

2. Whole wheat bread, almond butter, agave nectar sandwich w/ banana. 

3. Egg bowl (egg beaters, salsa, avocado, turkey bacon-no nitrate)

Snack Rotation

1. Fage 0% with cranberries

2. Cayenne Almonds, 2% String Cheese, Apple

3. Grapes, Curry Cashews

4. Smoothie King Immune Builder Shake

5. Carob Chips (taste like chocolate chips-60 chips gives you 5 grams of sugar), organic 1% chocolate milk

6. boar's head turkey, gluten free cracks, frank's red hot, banana 

7. Syntha 6 Protein Shake 

Meal Rotation

1. Eating for Life Enchiladas

2. Turkey Sandwich on whole wheat sandwich rounds, romaine lettuce, mustard, frank's red hot, grapes.

3. Chicken breast sandwich (baked chicken breast, frank's red hot WING sauce, romaine lettuce, 1/2 slice of colby jack cheese) squash 

4. Squash, grilled chicken breast with frank's wing sauce, green beans

5. Fuzzy's grilled shrimp corn tortilla taco, no garlic sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, feta cheese.

6. Thin crust broccoli pizza (steamed broccoli on top of pizza) side of broccoli. 

Have a safe Memorial weekend everybody! 

-Brad

Thursday-Sunday Workouts

I really enjoyed training this week...especially swimming. Here is the breakdown...

Thursday Blitz Weights

Warm Up: Plyo JUmps x 10 reps and Barbell Squats @ 135lbs x 10 reps

Set #1: Plyo Box Jumps @ 24 inches x 10 reps and Barbell Squats @ 195lbs x 10 reps

Set #2: Plyo Box Jumps @ 24 inches x 10 reps and Barbell Squats @ 215lbs x 10 reps

Set #3: Plyo Box Jumps @ 24 inches x 10 reps and Barbell Squats @ 235lbs x 10 reps

Set #4: Plyo Box Jumps @ 24 inches x 10 reps and Barbell Squats @ 245lbs x 10 reps

Thursday Swimming

Cowboy Jeff and I practiced our drills in the pool Thursday night for about 30-40 minutes. 

Sunday Cycling 

CJ and I rode 28 miles and averaged 16 miles per hour. I think we would have averaged closer to 18 mph...but we got lost at one point and had some in-town driving early in our ride. 

I was most concerned about the seat wearing me down (did not get padded cycling shorts) but really wasn't bothered by that at all. My biggest issues was my eyes...they got seriously irritated from the wind. I got a cornea scratch on one eye about 5 years ago that never quite healed...so my eyes are really sensitive. I'm going to experiment with tinted tri-goggles for both the swim and the bike so I can get a complete seal around my eyes. My eyes have been an issue on both rides I've done so far. 

Saturday Food "Splurge Day" 

700a- 4 egg scrambled egg bowl, avocado, salsa, 3 turkey sausage links

945a-pre-soccer game: banana and raw cashews

1130a-we took Hayden out to the dining establishment of his choice since this Saturday was his last soccer game...he picked Double Dave's...

-2 cheese sticks, Salad with pinch of cheese, black olives, tomatoes, hint of  honey mustard dressing, 3 slices of black olive pizza on whole wheat crust and 50% cheese by request. 

-230p-sugar free Red Bull, apple

530p-Baked Zita from Biggest Loser cook book (carrots, italian seasoning, lean ground turkey, low sodium sauce, no yoke egg pasta noodles. )

930p-Gluten Free Bakery on Main Granola, Fat Free Cottage Cheese, cranberries

"Eating for Life Menu Day" Sunday Food

600a- Pre-Ride: (1/2) 5 Hour Energy, peanut butter sandwich on sandwich round.

930a-Post-Ride:Eating for Life pancakes w/ no syrup, grapes, organic chocolate milk

1230p-Lean ground beef taco salad from Eating for Life

200p-Curry Cashews, apple

530p-Orange and (1/2) No Nitrate Beef Hot dog (my snack...the kids dinner)

700p-Eating for Life Chicken Enchiladas, steamed green beans

1000p-Syntha 6 protein shake and (2) gala apples. 

First Swim Workout

We had our first workout at Bryan Aquatics tonight. I have to say...I really enjoyed it. We spent a lot of time (about an hour) tonight working on technique and swim specific drills. We enjoyed it so much that we stayed about 20-30 minutes after to work on our drills. 

The three of us (as well as clients Lisa and Niki who joined us)  improved significantly from our first practice swim to our final laps. John is the best swimmer of the three of us...he made everything look pretty effortless. Cowboy Jeff and I had a pretty sweet wind mill stroke thing going for a while, but corrected it towards the end. 

I am not a swimmer, but I'm really looking forward to adding another aspect to my fitness routine. 

On a side note...I almost wasn't able to find my Speedo "jammers" at Academy. I grabbed the last pair they had in my size. The only other option they had in my size would have been the skimpy ,as John would say, "euro trash" swim briefs. I guess today was my lucky day. 

Running and Monday Food

I desperately wanted to redeem my poor Friday run all weekend (8:54 average pace on 11 miles, down about 24 seconds per mile from last 11 mile run.) I decided to get up this morning and do my best on a 5-6 mile run. Ran 5.91 miles at an average pace of 8:04. It wasn't 11 miles...but felt good about how my body responded to the first 6. Last Friday I had trouble maintaining 8:40 per mile for the first 6. 

Cowboy Jeff, Trainer John and I have our first swim workout with ou

r trainer (Shellie) this Wednesday at 7pm. I've got my goggles, now i just need to get a pair of speedo jammers (long/tight swim trucks for swimming.) 

Just an FYI...Speedo jammers look like this...

Not this...

Monday Food

530a-1/2 5 hour energy and apple

630a-wheaties fuel, syntha 6, skim milk

930a-4 energy nuggets, 2 cuties

1245p-2 slices of broccoli pizza, side of broccoli, 

300p-raw cashews, 3 energy nuggets, apple

700p-Turkey sandwich on whole wheat sandwich rounds, 1/2 small avocado, mustard, frank's red hot, serving of natural Cheetos Puffs (kid's treat I fell for), Kefir yogurt probiotic smoothie

1000p-2 apples and (1) 2% string cheese

More excitement to come

I took this weekend off...so I don't have much to report. My little sister got married this weekend, so we spent the weekend in Marble Falls staying very busy. They had an awesome gym at the resort...but too busy to enjoy it.

 I had a long run Friday morning early before we left...but the humidity and being a little dehydrated when I got up made for a miserable run. I ran just over 11 miles at a 8:54 per mile pace. Right at 25 seconds slower per mile than last weeks 11 mile run. I'm going to be much more aggressive about my hydration the day before my outdoor exercise activities from here on out. I got lazy...and paid the price. 

"Gulp Gulp...drink some water"! -The Wiggles

Last week before serious cross training begins

I'm really excited about our triathlon training kicking off next week. My schedule will look like this...

Monday-Off

Tuesday-Upper body/Core Blitz

Wednesday-Swim Training 

Thursday-Lower Body/Core Blitz 

Friday-Run/Bike Training

Saturday-Off

Sunday-Long Run Day

Awesome right? 

Here is what this week looking like...

Tuesday

Buzzer Beaters

2 min burn out sets  of the following...

• Indo Push ups
• Free Motion Hammer Curls (15lbs)
• Dumbbell Back Adduction (25lbs)
• Tube triceps ext (heavy)
• Double Crunch 

Thursday

• Single leg press (155lbs-165lbs x 10 reps each leg x 4 sets)
• Leg Press Calf (155lbs-165lbs x 50 reps x 4 sets)
• Free Motion and Body Bar Good Mornings (40lbs x 15 reps x 4 sets)
• Incline Dumbbell Chest Press (50lbs x 10 reps x 4 sets)

530a-Syntha 6, Wheaties fuel, skim milk

900a-Crunchmaster Gluten Free Crackers, Boar's Head Turkey, frank's red hot, grapes

1230p-whole wheat sandwich rounds, avocado, franks' red hot, boar's head deli chicken

300p-fage 0%, cashews and cranberries

700p-vegetable/no pasta lasagna  and grapes

1000p-2% string cheese and apple

Bloody Heel and Monday

Ken and I ran Sunday morning. I made a huge mistake in my choice of socks. I usually run in very specific socks...this Sunday I grabbed the wrong socks and paid dearly. At mile 2, I felt a blister coming on the back of my heel. I continued on 9 more miles and had a really nasty raw spot on my achilles when done. It was so bad I couldn't put shoes on today...had to wear flippy floppies. 

We ran 11.18 miles and finished at an average pace of 8:29 per mile. I finished off my run with a 10 mile bike ride on the spinner just under 25 minutes taking it up a gear of tension every mile from 6-15. 

Monday Food

630a-Egg beater bowl, avocado, frank's red hot, apple

900a-fage 0% and cranberries

1100a-4 energy nuggets

1245p-leftover chicken fajitas, (2) whole wheat tortillas, fage as sour cream, yucatan guacamole, apple

300p-2% string cheese, dark chocolate banana chips, grapes

645p-2 turkey fork burgers, avocado, 1/2 slice of colby jack cheese, frank's red hot, 

2 cups broccoli

930p-strawberry Kefir probiotic smoothie

Ironman Friday

Our two boys have been really excited about the new Ironman movie coming out. I'm not sure why...it will be another 10 years before they can watch it (it's PG-13.) 

Anywho, Burger King is giving away Ironman 2 toys inside their version of the "happy meal." So...Kara and I decided to make two small boys dream come true and eat at Burger King Friday. 

Here is a picture of what I ate...

This was the healthiest thing I could come up with. I got a not-so nutritious grilled chicken salad (made with iceberg lettuce, 3 baby tomatoes and 4 very small carrots, and about 3 oz of grilled chicken.) I then got a whopper dry and tossed the bun and just had the all beef patty. 

All in all, I consumed roughly 350 calories including the honey mustard dressing I drizzled on. Needless to say, I had to toss back some cashews when

 I got home to pump up my afternoon calories. 

My meal was less than spectacular,

 but our two boys loved every minute of their Ironman Friday...

Friday Food

530a-4 energy nugguts, apple

700a-cheerios w/ syntha 6, skim milk, apple

930a-fage 0% and cranberries

1230p-Burger King meal (grilled chicken salad, all beef patty)

130p-Raw cashews and apple

330p-3 energy nuggets

630p-chicken fajitas (2 corn tortillas, grilled chicken, green peppers, onions, salsa) 

1000p-no nitrate turkey hot dog (no bun), avocado, 10 crunch master gluten free crackers

Overall, it was a pretty bad day for food...very little vegetables. No vegetables for breakfast, only 3 baby tomatoes, and 4 small carrots for lunch, and a few pepper slices for dinner. I don't count iceberg lettuce as a vegetable because it has very little nutritional value. My overall calories where fine...but the lack of veggies really hurt me. 

Weekend workout plans

Today Cowboy Jeff and I moved, what felt like, a 1,000 lbs desk (just kidding...it was probably more like 400lbs) upstairs. You laugh...but it was exhausting. Tomorrow, Ken and I are running 11 miles and then following that up with a 10 mile ride on the spinners. I'll update on how that went on Monday. 

Friend's Blog Has Me Thinking, Thursday Food/Workout

After reading a friend's blog, I've been thinking a lot about a statement I hear all too often, "I want to eat well, but I can't afford to eat well." In her blog, she mentioned that the average U.S citizen spends less than 10% of their income on food. For those of you that are curious...that is lower than any other country. 

We are the wealthiest country in the world, yet we are "forced" to buy processed junk because that's all we can afford. 

I wonder how our monthly car payments measure up to folks in other countries? Wonder is we have fatter savings accounts or better clothing than men and women abroad? I hope my children's generation will invest in their health(and their family's health) and not rapidly depreciating assets and temporary pleasures.

Anywho, I did a blitz lower body workout with John today. Here's how it went...

Thursday Workouts

Warm up: Single Leg Bench Lunges @ 10 reps per leg

Set #1: Single Leg Bench Lunge @ 10 reps per leg/30lbs

Set #2: 225lbs Calf Raise @ 25 reps

Set #3: SLBL 10 reps per leg @ 35lbs 

Set #4: 275lbs calf raise @ 25 reps

Set #5: SLBL 10 reps @ 40lbs

Set #6: 295lbs calf raise @ 25 reps

Set #7: SLBL 10 reps per leg @ 50lbs

Set #8: 295lbs calf raise @ 25 reps

Set #9: Free Mo Core Twist-10 reps each side at 20lbs

Set #10: Free Mo Core Twist-10 reps each side at 25lbs

Thursday Food

530a-Cheerios, syntha 6, skim milk

815a-apple

900a-2% string cheese, 12 oz organic chocolate milk

1200p-leftover corn tortilla, black bean, tomatoes, corn, fage 0% casserole meal (one of the sweet college students from our church made this for us so Kara and I wouldn't have to cook last night.) i also had a handful of black grapes.

230p-Oh Yeah protein bar and raw cashews, 2 cutie oranges

500p-4 energy nuggets and banana 

700p-Our small group from church is meeting for dinner...not sure what the plan is...I'll keep you posted. 

1000p-Boar's Head Turkey, Frank's red hot and apple

Sprint Tri Planning, Food, and Workout

Yesterday, I found a sprint triathlon in Waco that will be held in late July. It's roughly a 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike ride, and a 5K. I think this will be a good way to ease into the world of triathlons. Cowboy Jeff is down and I'm still waiting to hear back from two of our trainers (John and Linda) who might be going. The bike and the run don't bother me...it's the 1/2 mile swim that's the kicker! 

Still coordinating a time for swim lessons between the other guys. Hope to get everything straightened out this week. 

Tuesday Blitz workout

The goal was to get as many sets of 10 reps as possible in a 5 min time frame.

1. 65lbs Dumbbell Bench Press with Ring Push Ups (3 sets)

2. 30lbs Prison Curls and 45lbs weight dips (3 sets)

3. 115lbs T Bar Row and Hyperext (4 sets)

4. FreeMo Butterfly Sit Ups at 5lbs and FM Oblique Dips at 40lbs (2 sets)

Tuesday Food

530a-Syntha 6, Slim MIlk, Wheaties Fuel, 8 oz natural orange juice

830a-4 energy nuggets

900a-10 oz organic chocolate milk and raw cashews (post workout)

1100a-left over homemade fajitas (red peppers, green peppers, fage 0% as sour cream, yucatan guacamole, 2 whole wheat tortillas, chicken breast slices), 1 cutie

230p-Smoothie King Immune Builder and string cheese

400p-3 energy nuggets

700p-Homemade Tacos (lean ground beef, romaine lettuce, avocado slices, salsa, pinch of 2% shred cheese) will skip tortillas tonight as I had them for lunch today.

10:00p-Apple, syntha 6 shake

 

Sunday was the longest run I've had in a while...9.86 miles. The run was tough due to a slight strain just below my knee at about mile 5. It's the same little "tweak" that I had to work through this winter. Somehow, Ken and I managed a 8:23 per mile pace. I'm going to go back to my prehab routine this week and give it a little time to heal. My hope is that the combination of swimming, biking, and weight lifting this week will help my knee improve. 

Sunday Food

630a- half bottle of 5 Hour energy (pre-run), apple

700a-830a-mix of water and gatorade during run  (8 0z gatorade and 24 oz water)

900a-Wheaties Fuel, Syntha 6 protein, slim milk

1200p-thin crust/light cheese pizza with broccoli topping, side of broccoli, 2 cuties (long run day treat) 

200p-cutie orange

330p-peanut butter and banana sandwich, keifer probiotic yogurt smoothie

730p-Buffalo Burger, Salad (cucumbers, romaine, baby tomatoes, light honey mustard dressing)

1030p-grapes, gluten free crackers, string cheese