Monday, December 31, 2012

2012


2012 End of year recap

After my last 5 mile walk for the year my total mileage for 2012 is;

Ski    36.3

Walk 406.64

Run   904.55

Bike   644.71

Total  1,992.195 miles
 

2012 was a good year for my running; I increased my weekly runs to four a week from three, I set a new PR for the 5k and the Half Marathon, ran in three half marathons, four 5k’s, a couple’s race with my wife and started running with our club group every weekend and a smaller, informal group on Thursdays.  I also dropped 15 pounds and had my cholesterol drug reduced to half.   The group runs, weight reduction and the four-a-week runs were the reason for the PR’s. 
 

For 2013, I am hoping to do my first marathon and I also want to run a half marathon in under 2 hours.  And, maybe, since I will turn 60 this year I might try to finish the Knickerbocker 60k this fall in New York.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Knee pain is gone


 

 

The outer knee pain I have been battling since the Via half marathon in September seems to have left me.  I think this is due to the strength training I have been doing the last month or so.  I started out doing the Iron Strength program but that was too much for me at this point so I modified it with some exercises using resistance bands I bought at Dick’s. 

 

On Monday I had an easy 3 mile run scheduled and the weather was so nice I added a few miles.  Around mile 4 I noticed a little pain in my outer right calf muscle; it didn’t feel like a pull so I cautiously kept running doing around 4 miles.  I stretched and it felt fine but when I got home I could feel a little niggle so I did not run the next day as planned but I did walk with no pain.  Yesterday I skipped my regular Thursday night group run and since I was off from work I decided to run in the afternoon when it was warmer.  I started out with a progressively faster walk and then ran one minute/walked one minute for 2.65 miles with no problems so I am going to run tomorrow with the group from the runner’s club and hope for the best.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Saturday group run.


Today I ran around 7 miles with my Saturday morning group.  Although my leg muscles are a little sore, overall I felt fine.  My left knee has been bothering me and I have been doing some strength training to help that and it looks like it is working since I ran 7+ miles a few days ago and close to 7 today with no knee pain.  I have also been using the foam roller every day along with the Stick.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Nice group run, cold hands.


Last night I ran with my Thursday group at our winter course, the parks around Muhlenberg collage.  I ran from home so that gave me a little over 7 miles, I felt fine during the run and could have gone a few more miles if desired.  Yesterday morning I walked with JoAnne before she went to work and my hands were painfully cold so today I wore double gloves which was a little better but they were still cold for most of my 30 minute walk.  I may try heavier gloves for my group run in the Parkway tomorrow.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Thanksgiving Day Group run

I remembered to take my waking heart rate ( WHR) yesterday and it was at 50 which is not bad for still having some lingering effects of a cold.  I went with the Saturday group from the LVRR's.  It was around 27 degrees when I left the house.  I got there just as the 06:30 group was leaving but I told them I would pick them up at 07:00 because I wanted to get a good warm-up before running.  I started out walking fast and after a few minutes I jogged about 10 steps and walked 10 steps alternately for a few times and slowly moved up to one minute run/one minute walk.  I have found this to be a good warm-up for me to eliminate strained muscles and heart rate spikes.  After a few minutes of the 1/1 ration I just ran steadily until I met up with the group which was on their way to meet up with the 07:00 gang.  We started out running up the long hill on 24th street toward Emmaus by way of Devonshire.  I had decided to only run about 5 or 6 miles so I turned around at 2 miles and led those people that wanted to run less than the main group that was doing 10 miles.  I got back to my car at a little over 5 miles and felt good so I ran to the LVRR's club house and back which gave me a little over 7 miles.  I felt good, no left knee pain which has been bothering me since the Via Half Marathon last summer.  My knee did bother me once I got home for a little, especially when going down the steps.  I am hoping my strength training will strengthen my knee and help alleviate the pain.  This was a good way to burn off some calories before the Thanksgiving day feast!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Short run, lawn mowing.

Tuesday I was without a car and I only wanted to run a few miles so I left my house and warmed-up by walking to a local park and then running for 30 minutes.  I still can feel the urge to cough when I exert myself so I took two or three walking breaks and kept my pace slow.  After breakfast I mowed my lawn using the bagger so I could pick-up the leaves which are steadily dropping yet.  The mowing took about one hour so I had a good one and a half hour work-out.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Iron Strength workout

Yesterday was a non-running, strength training day. Since I had taken off from work I had time to walk with JoAnne before she went to work, then I took my car in for some work (had to leave the car until Wednesday ) and returned home. Iron Strength workouts start with foam rolling (sometimes I use The Stick), a warm-up and then two sets of the actual workout.


The weather was fine so I decided to use the bicycle for the warm-up. First I used my foam roller for about five minutes or so and then I rode the bike on my favorite run, the private lane, which takes about twenty minutes. Then I changed to my indoor exercise clothing and did the first IS workout from the book. I am only doing five to ten reps and only one set until I become adjusted to the program-I'm such a wimp! After I complete one set I do my twenty minute yoga routine and I'm done; about one hour and twenty minutes. I am hoping this workout gives me more muscle balance and reduces injuries and maybe even help me run faster.









Monday, November 19, 2012

First run since returning from Copenhagen

Yesterday I tried running for the first time since my return from Copenhagen on the 10th of November. I have been fighting a bad cold that started on the flight back. I finished my last antibiotic on Saturday so I wanted to get going with my training for the Gardenspot Marathon in April. I decided to run my favorite course…I call it "private lane" because I run on a little road marked private. The route starts at my house, runs through an area of nice homes before entering the Lehigh Parkway where I run along a crushed stone path before leaving by way of the private lane and returning home. It is a little over 5 miles, has hills, crushed stone, beautiful scenery and little traffic; a little bit of everything. I also decided to use the run/walk method by Galloway by first walking for five minutes to warm-up and then start running 1/4 (run one minute then walk four minutes). After a mile I go to 2/4 then mile three 3/4 and so on until I am running four minutes/walking one minute. This is a proven method that lowers your chance of injury and lets you run longer distances. The run went well, no pains which is good because I have been experiencing some left knee pain since my last two half marathons. I am signed up for my first full marathon next April and I may use the Galloway method for this attempt because I am running a half marathon a few weeks after that and I want to try a PR of under two hours for the half. So as I start to recoup from this cold I am formulating a training plan which includes strength training; I am doing the Iron Strength program from the book The Athlete's Book of Home Remedies by Dr. Jorden D. Metzl. In addition to being a physician, Dr. Metzl is a marathoner and an Iron Man. He developed theses workouts to exercise every muscle in your body and lesson injury from your primary sport.






Sunday, June 3, 2012

Weight loss-the program


When I set out to lose 20 pounds I knew I needed a plan.  Here it is; eat less than you burn up.  That’s it, we all know it, and it’s easy.  First, I went online to find out my Basic Metabolic Rate http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ .  For me to weigh 182 pounds I could eat 1713 calories and not gain weight.  This is what my body needs to exist without getting out of bed all day.  So now I had to figure out how many calories I could eat while living the lifestyle I enjoy so I went here  http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/  to the Harris Benedict Formula.  I determined that I lead an active lifestyle but wanted a little cushion so I selected a moderately active lifestyle and that gives me a formula like this  BMRx1.55=Daily Total calories or 1713x1.55=2655.  2655 is what I need to stay at 182 pounds.  Now knowing how I love to eat I thought I would err and just say 2500 calories per day while continuing my running, biking, walking etc. program should help me lose 20 pounds.  I started the first day by writing down everything I ate and measuring everything so I really knew how many calories I was eating.  The first week I lost one pound, then the next week 2 pounds.  During the next few weeks I lost a pound or two or stayed the same, I never gained any weight. 



Next time-why this worked for me and why it helped me eat better.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Weight loss.

Now that my wife and I are empty nestor's and I have been running regularly again for a few years I have decided to get back to my old training and diet.  Since the end of February (22nd actually), I have been watching my diet by trying to stay under 2500 calories a day and I went from running 3 days a week to four.  I weighed 202 pounds on 2/22/12 and today I weigh 182, so I have been able to lose 20 pounds.  Now I weighed about 165 back in 1975 when I ran the Bethlehem City Festival at a 5:47/mile pace, I don't think I can get back to that level but I can already feel an improvement.  I will try to write on a more regular schedule here and in my next installment I will describe the details of my program.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Healthy Snack

Just made some Flaxseed Muffins today.  I used a recipe from Runner's World here http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-303-504-5210-0,00.html they are only 165 calories and 3g fat each.  I substituted a tbsp of white vinegar in a cup of milk for the buttermilk and they taste pretty good and, more important they are good for you.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

60's fast food on the East Side of Allentown

I came across this picture on the Internet, it brought back many memories of my childhood, places like this had character!


Saturday, March 10, 2012

Bike Lanes in Allentown PA

For more information look here http://articles.mcall.com/2012-03-09/news/mc-bicycle-lanes-point-counterpoint-20120309_1_bike-lanes-motor-vehicle-lanes-sharrows

The discussion brings up the controversy between dedicated bike lanes and sharrows or shared lanes where autos and bikes use the same lane but there are signs making the auto drivers aware that bikes have a right to the road.  When you are in a dedicated bike lane you must stay close to parked cars and you could become a "door" victim; a person in a parked car opens their door just as you pass on your bicycle and you get thrown into the traffic lane.  I have come close to this many times but I am aware of it so I look for people in cars and watch them closely.  In share lanes there are signs that make car drivers aware that bikes have a right to ride in the lane-in the center of the street-but the bicycle is not kept apart from the car by a painted line.  I think the bottom line is this; either way will promote more bike riding and this will automatically make people driving cars aware of bikes and this will create a safer atmosphere for bicycling.  However, bike riders will still have to be defensive, alert to their surroundings and obey the law.