Daily Quote: "If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want to get out of life that we give to the question of what to do with a two weeks' vacation, we would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days." ~Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Late tonight my wife and I'll be flying to New York!! Unfortunately my wife's relatives don't have a computer, therefore this site will be dark until July 11th.
Should be interesting to see if I can maintain my fitness and my weight...I always tend to gain weight during vacations due to large portions at your typical American restaurant. This vacation I will not gobble everything off my plate! I won't have access to a gym, therefore no weight circuit training, hopefully I won't lose to much conditioning. I am looking forward to running around the Finger Lakes Region of New York State!
Today is a General Aerobic Run, and undoubtedly my last treadmill run until July 11th as I'll be running on the ROADS!!
9 miles. Time, 1:17. Overall pace, 8:33 minute miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at 1% grade. First seven miles at 6.6 mph pace, the last two miles at 7.5 mph (marathon pace) Average heart rate: 146 bpm (76% of MHR). Cardiac Drift: 155 bpm (83% of MHR). No aches nor pain. The run went well with mental visions of tree canopy's, summer breezes, and endless roads. Ready or not New York, here I come!!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Vacation Reading
Daily Quote: ""Know your limits and stay within them. Do what you think you can cope with." --Arthur Lydiard
All I need to do is survive work today and then I'm on vacation for 10 days!! Unfortunately, my wife's family doesn't have a computer therefore this blog site will be dark for a short time, I'll update my training during my vacation when I return. I'm so excited about my vacation! New York, ready or not, here I come.
Today I bought two books to read when I'm on vacation, "Pain," by Dan Middleman, and "The Secret," by Rhonda Byrne.
I bought the book, "Pain," as it was recommended in Runner's World Magazine several months ago. Needless to say, it's about running! The back jacket says, "Richard Dubin is a talented distance runner at a major southern university. "Pain" is the story of Richard's senior year as he proceeds with varying success through the year, from cross-country through the Olympic Trails, all the while trying to manage a seesawing relationship with a beautiful and fascinatingly unpredictable woman, 10 years his senior." The books sounds entertaining and very light reading, perfect for a vacation book!
I bought "The Secret" as my daughter, Lisa, made me aware of this relatively new book about positive thoughts...the bookseller told me they couldn't keep the book on the shelf last Christmas!! Gosh, I didn't realize I've fallen so far behind on popular culture's literature. The back jacket says, "As you learn The Secret, you will come to know who you really are. You will come to know the true magnificence that awaits you in life." I have a tendency to be a little cynical, but always tolerant to new thoughts and ideas (or old ideas in new packages)...will give the book a chance to enlighten me.
Today is a Tempo Run.
8 miles. Time, 1:06 minutes. Overall pace, 8:15 minute miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at 1% grade. Warm up: 1 mile @ 6.0 mph. Tempo: 6 miles at 7.8 mph (7:42 minute miles). Cool down: 1 mile @ 6.0 mph. Average heart rate: 165 bpm (85% of maximum heart rate). Cardiac Drift during tempo: 182bpm (95% of maximum heart rate.) No aches nor pain, but do feel a calm exhaustion, a most peaceful feeling. Ran stronger than last tempo workout with less effort, I'm adapting well to this speed, will continue this tempo speed for another month before increasing it to 7.9 mph. I probably won't be doing another treadmill tempo run until I return from vacation.
All I need to do is survive work today and then I'm on vacation for 10 days!! Unfortunately, my wife's family doesn't have a computer therefore this blog site will be dark for a short time, I'll update my training during my vacation when I return. I'm so excited about my vacation! New York, ready or not, here I come.
Today I bought two books to read when I'm on vacation, "Pain," by Dan Middleman, and "The Secret," by Rhonda Byrne.
I bought the book, "Pain," as it was recommended in Runner's World Magazine several months ago. Needless to say, it's about running! The back jacket says, "Richard Dubin is a talented distance runner at a major southern university. "Pain" is the story of Richard's senior year as he proceeds with varying success through the year, from cross-country through the Olympic Trails, all the while trying to manage a seesawing relationship with a beautiful and fascinatingly unpredictable woman, 10 years his senior." The books sounds entertaining and very light reading, perfect for a vacation book!
I bought "The Secret" as my daughter, Lisa, made me aware of this relatively new book about positive thoughts...the bookseller told me they couldn't keep the book on the shelf last Christmas!! Gosh, I didn't realize I've fallen so far behind on popular culture's literature. The back jacket says, "As you learn The Secret, you will come to know who you really are. You will come to know the true magnificence that awaits you in life." I have a tendency to be a little cynical, but always tolerant to new thoughts and ideas (or old ideas in new packages)...will give the book a chance to enlighten me.
Today is a Tempo Run.
8 miles. Time, 1:06 minutes. Overall pace, 8:15 minute miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at 1% grade. Warm up: 1 mile @ 6.0 mph. Tempo: 6 miles at 7.8 mph (7:42 minute miles). Cool down: 1 mile @ 6.0 mph. Average heart rate: 165 bpm (85% of maximum heart rate). Cardiac Drift during tempo: 182bpm (95% of maximum heart rate.) No aches nor pain, but do feel a calm exhaustion, a most peaceful feeling. Ran stronger than last tempo workout with less effort, I'm adapting well to this speed, will continue this tempo speed for another month before increasing it to 7.9 mph. I probably won't be doing another treadmill tempo run until I return from vacation.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Shift Bid
Daily Quote: "You have three stages, conditioning, hill running, then racing, and you should finish one before you start the next." --Arthur Lydiard. [Tony Benson’s note: Triple Olympic Gold Medalist and physiologist, Peter Snell, said the one thing he would have changed in the Lydiard program would have been to introduce a weekly speed orientated session.]
Today is Shift Bid. Every six months Checker Cab Company has "Shift Bid," which is when drivers choose their shift times (a variety of different 12-hour shifts from the day shift or night shift), their days off, and the taxi they wish to drive. Everything is based on seniority...the new drivers sometimes can't even choose their day off as all the best days are already bid. A new driver has to literally take the worst taxi's in the Fleet, five years old with over 400,000 miles on the taxi!
Shift Bid starts at 6:00 a.m. and lasts TWO days as Checker Cab Company has over 831 drivers. I started driving for Checker Cab on June 21, 1990...17 years ago!! Back then, I had a choice between driving for Yellow Cab, Star Cab or Checker Cab and WHY did I choose Checker Cab??? It's because the colors along the side of the taxi looks like a chessboard!!!
Because of my low seniority number of 41 had to be at the cab company's yard at 6:00 a.m. when the bid starts as it usually takes less than 30 minutes for my time to bid. Unfortunately, this means I have to awake at 5:00 a.m. with less than four hours of sleep. Anyway, I discovered my seniority number has went down by three cabbies and my new seniority number is #38 out of 831 drivers! This means that three drivers with higher seniority numbers had either been fired, quit, retired or as usually the case with such a high seniority number, DIED. To make a long story short, I bid a spanking new 2007 Crown Victoria and have the same shift and days off as last bid....hence, the only thing that's different this bid is I no longer drive a 2006 Crown Victoria.
Thankfully, today is a scheduled Recovery Run.
6 miles. Time, 59:00. Pace, 9.50 minute miles. Life Fitness Treadmill on the cardio training mode setting where the elevation automatically changes to keep my heart rate at a constant 144 bpm (75% of maximum heart rate). Treadmill speed set at 6.1 mph. Elevation changes: 2.8 - 2.0 grades. I'm very tired due to waking so early for shift bid, but work tonight will be slow and shouldn't have any problems.
Today is Shift Bid. Every six months Checker Cab Company has "Shift Bid," which is when drivers choose their shift times (a variety of different 12-hour shifts from the day shift or night shift), their days off, and the taxi they wish to drive. Everything is based on seniority...the new drivers sometimes can't even choose their day off as all the best days are already bid. A new driver has to literally take the worst taxi's in the Fleet, five years old with over 400,000 miles on the taxi!
Shift Bid starts at 6:00 a.m. and lasts TWO days as Checker Cab Company has over 831 drivers. I started driving for Checker Cab on June 21, 1990...17 years ago!! Back then, I had a choice between driving for Yellow Cab, Star Cab or Checker Cab and WHY did I choose Checker Cab??? It's because the colors along the side of the taxi looks like a chessboard!!!
Because of my low seniority number of 41 had to be at the cab company's yard at 6:00 a.m. when the bid starts as it usually takes less than 30 minutes for my time to bid. Unfortunately, this means I have to awake at 5:00 a.m. with less than four hours of sleep. Anyway, I discovered my seniority number has went down by three cabbies and my new seniority number is #38 out of 831 drivers! This means that three drivers with higher seniority numbers had either been fired, quit, retired or as usually the case with such a high seniority number, DIED. To make a long story short, I bid a spanking new 2007 Crown Victoria and have the same shift and days off as last bid....hence, the only thing that's different this bid is I no longer drive a 2006 Crown Victoria.
Thankfully, today is a scheduled Recovery Run.
6 miles. Time, 59:00. Pace, 9.50 minute miles. Life Fitness Treadmill on the cardio training mode setting where the elevation automatically changes to keep my heart rate at a constant 144 bpm (75% of maximum heart rate). Treadmill speed set at 6.1 mph. Elevation changes: 2.8 - 2.0 grades. I'm very tired due to waking so early for shift bid, but work tonight will be slow and shouldn't have any problems.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Longest Run of the Year!
Daily Quote: "The only way to build ability is to increase aerobic capacity. Many people try to improve their anaerobic capacity, which is beyond the capability of the human body. The only way to improve is to lift the aerobic base. Most people will still be developing aerobic capacity 10 years after they start running, whatever age they start. So if you start at 40, you will still be developing the cardiovascular system 10 years later." --Arthur Lydiard
Today is my Long Run.
16 miles. Time, 2:26. Pace, 9:08 minute miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% Grade, 6.6 mph. Average heart rate: 149 bpm. Cardiac drift: 157 bpm.
This is my longest run so far this year! The last time I ran farther was last December's "New Las Vegas Marathon." I'm pretty happy with my progress as I'm slightly ahead of my training from last year. My left ankle is a little sore, but overall I'm feeling o.k. I'm pretty tired and it's going to be a very long work night.
Thankfully next week will be a Recovery Week as I'll be on vacation in New York where I'll need to adjust to returning to the roads AND getting acclimated to New York's humidity.
Today is my Long Run.
16 miles. Time, 2:26. Pace, 9:08 minute miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at a 1% Grade, 6.6 mph. Average heart rate: 149 bpm. Cardiac drift: 157 bpm.
This is my longest run so far this year! The last time I ran farther was last December's "New Las Vegas Marathon." I'm pretty happy with my progress as I'm slightly ahead of my training from last year. My left ankle is a little sore, but overall I'm feeling o.k. I'm pretty tired and it's going to be a very long work night.
Thankfully next week will be a Recovery Week as I'll be on vacation in New York where I'll need to adjust to returning to the roads AND getting acclimated to New York's humidity.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Countdown for Vacation!!
Daily Quote: "Athletes need to enjoy their training. They don't enjoy going down to the track with a coach making them do repetitions until they're exhausted. From enjoyment comes the will to win." --Arthur Lydiard
I'll be leaving Las Vegas this Friday for New York, Cayuga County, Finger Lakes Region, City of Auburn, and will be visiting my wife's relatives for 10 days. Unfortunately they don't have a computer so I won't be able to update my blog on a daily basis.
I'll be leaving Las Vegas this Friday for New York, Cayuga County, Finger Lakes Region, City of Auburn, and will be visiting my wife's relatives for 10 days. Unfortunately they don't have a computer so I won't be able to update my blog on a daily basis.
Since I'll be travelling to New York on Friday morning I've scheduled my weight circuit training this week for Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Today, before my run, did a full body weight circuit training, which went rather well, but I'm not used to running immediately after my weight training and was very exhausted afterwards!
Today is a "General Aerobic Run" with two miles at marathon pace. 9 miles. Time, 1:17. Overall pace, 8:33 minute miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at1% grade. First seven miles at 6.6 mph pace, the last two miles at 7.5 mph (marathon pace) Average heart rate: 147 bpm (77% of MHR). Cardiac Drift: 156 bpm (84% of MHR).
Thank goodness today is Sunday and it's my day off from work as I can take a nice long nap now!!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
SUMMARY: WEEK 25
Daily Quote: ""If you are not enjoying training, stop all anaerobic training. Go out for a long jog, so slow that the old ladies with shopping baskets go past you. Do that until you start to enjoy it!" --Arthur Lydiard
Today is a General Aerobic Run.
9 miles. Time, 1:21 Pace, 9:06 minute miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at 6.6 mph with a 1% grade. Average heart rate: 146 bpm (76% of MHR). Cardiac Drift: 153 bpm (81% of MHR). Still a little tired from yesterday's tough Medium Long Run, but not suffering from any aches nor pain.
SUMMARY FOR WEEK OF JUNE 17 - 23, 2007
Finished second week of 4 week running block (I will increase my training each week during the first three weeks and use the fourth week for recovery). Ran a total of 66 miles and continued to run seven days a week. No tempo run this week as my body was tired from many work related stresses and Oldsmobile breaking down.
I have remained consistent with my weight circuit training, which is done on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I'm concerned about my vacation starting next Friday and wonder how I'll maintain my gains without access to a gym for 10 days.
My weight has been stable at 172 pounds on a six foot frame. I'm also concerned how I'll manage my weight when I'm on vacation as I'll be eating in restaurants most of the time...it'll be a big change from my usual fare of Lean Pockets for lunch and granola bars for snack meals.
My sleeping patterns have been tough during the middle of the week when I had awake early for my Medical Exam on Tuesday and T.A. permit renewal on Wednesday. Slept only 4-5 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, but slept soundly for the rest of the week. Morning heart rates were peaking at 52 bpm, but fell to 41 bpm by the end of the week.
A short recap of last week's mileage:
Sunday: General Aerobic Run, 9 miles.
Monday: Long Run, 15 miles.
Tuesday: Recovery Run, 6 miles.
Wednesday: General Aerobic Run, 9 miles.
Thursday: Recovery Run, 6 miles.
Friday: Medium Long Run, 12 miles (includes 3 miles at marathon pace).
Saturday: General Aerobic Run, 9 miles.
Total Mileage: 66 miles.
Today is a General Aerobic Run.
9 miles. Time, 1:21 Pace, 9:06 minute miles. Life Fitness Treadmill set at 6.6 mph with a 1% grade. Average heart rate: 146 bpm (76% of MHR). Cardiac Drift: 153 bpm (81% of MHR). Still a little tired from yesterday's tough Medium Long Run, but not suffering from any aches nor pain.
SUMMARY FOR WEEK OF JUNE 17 - 23, 2007
Finished second week of 4 week running block (I will increase my training each week during the first three weeks and use the fourth week for recovery). Ran a total of 66 miles and continued to run seven days a week. No tempo run this week as my body was tired from many work related stresses and Oldsmobile breaking down.
I have remained consistent with my weight circuit training, which is done on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I'm concerned about my vacation starting next Friday and wonder how I'll maintain my gains without access to a gym for 10 days.
My weight has been stable at 172 pounds on a six foot frame. I'm also concerned how I'll manage my weight when I'm on vacation as I'll be eating in restaurants most of the time...it'll be a big change from my usual fare of Lean Pockets for lunch and granola bars for snack meals.
My sleeping patterns have been tough during the middle of the week when I had awake early for my Medical Exam on Tuesday and T.A. permit renewal on Wednesday. Slept only 4-5 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, but slept soundly for the rest of the week. Morning heart rates were peaking at 52 bpm, but fell to 41 bpm by the end of the week.
A short recap of last week's mileage:
Sunday: General Aerobic Run, 9 miles.
Monday: Long Run, 15 miles.
Tuesday: Recovery Run, 6 miles.
Wednesday: General Aerobic Run, 9 miles.
Thursday: Recovery Run, 6 miles.
Friday: Medium Long Run, 12 miles (includes 3 miles at marathon pace).
Saturday: General Aerobic Run, 9 miles.
Total Mileage: 66 miles.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Tough Medium Long Run
Daily Quote: ""I have a saying 'train, don't strain.' The Americans have the saying 'no pain, no gain' and that's why they have no distance running champions. They get down to the track with a stopwatch and flog their guts out thinking that it'll make them a champion, but they'll never make a champion that way." --Arthur Lydiard
Early AM: 10 minutes warm up on stationary bike, then full body circuit training, followed by 10 minutes cool down on the elliptical. Need to increase the weights by five pounds for Lat Pull and Shoulder Press next Monday. I'll start my vacation next Friday visiting my wife's relatives in New York, Finger Lakes Region...I doubt the motel we're staying will have a gym, I might have to resort to push ups, crunches and a variety of calisthenics. I'll be gone for 10 days and hope I don't lose too much conditioning.
A very stressful week, this is my first hard run since Monday, hence I've had three consecutive easy days...today I plan on running my Medium Long Run with the last three miles at marathon pace (7.5 mph or 8 minute miles.) I'm looking forward to running on the roads during my 10 day vacation, will be fun to run under green foliage!
Medium Long Run.
12 Miles. Time, 1:46. Life Fitness Treadmill set at 1% Grade. 9 miles at 6.6 mph, the last three miles at 8.0 mph. Average heart rate: 155 bpm. Cardiac Drift: 162 bpm. Tough run, but my body didn't feel any aches nor pain during or after the run.
Early AM: 10 minutes warm up on stationary bike, then full body circuit training, followed by 10 minutes cool down on the elliptical. Need to increase the weights by five pounds for Lat Pull and Shoulder Press next Monday. I'll start my vacation next Friday visiting my wife's relatives in New York, Finger Lakes Region...I doubt the motel we're staying will have a gym, I might have to resort to push ups, crunches and a variety of calisthenics. I'll be gone for 10 days and hope I don't lose too much conditioning.
A very stressful week, this is my first hard run since Monday, hence I've had three consecutive easy days...today I plan on running my Medium Long Run with the last three miles at marathon pace (7.5 mph or 8 minute miles.) I'm looking forward to running on the roads during my 10 day vacation, will be fun to run under green foliage!
Medium Long Run.
12 Miles. Time, 1:46. Life Fitness Treadmill set at 1% Grade. 9 miles at 6.6 mph, the last three miles at 8.0 mph. Average heart rate: 155 bpm. Cardiac Drift: 162 bpm. Tough run, but my body didn't feel any aches nor pain during or after the run.
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