September 10th, Saturday, 7:00 p.m.

2 new State Titles.   Yahoo!!

Well, all went as planned at the NJ Senior Games today.  I managed to  struggle my way to a first-place finish in both the 800m and 1500m races. The weather was Torrid; my Achilles was screaming; but I willed my way through two races in fairly decent times and captured both titles.  The only warm-up  I was able to do was leg swings, as my Achilles tendon started aching from the first step I took to jog.   I immediately made the decision  that warm- up had to be and non-impact event.  I felt aerobically sound through both races, and my legs responded easily each time I called upon them. I still did the minimum to avoid any further tendon breakdown.  I could not be any happier with the outcome!  Now I have time to get healed and begin my eight month training program for the Nationals.  That is going to start with two weeks of biking, swimming and working in the fitness room on weights and core. I can hardly wait to get started!

I hope everybody stayed cool today and had an equally rewarding and satisfying day.

September 9th,  Friday,  8:00p.m.

Getting Ready

I have not posted for the last 3 days because I have not been doing any workouts.  With my race tomorrow, I decided to take the 3 days off to be sure that my Achilles tendon would not prevent me from competing.  I’ve been icing, I have been heating, I’ve been stretching, I have been taking ibuprofen 3 times a day, only biking and walking.  At this time, 7 o’clock on Friday night, I am experiencing no discomfort, no pain, no soreness in my Achilles tendon.  Hence, I believe that I will be able to compete in at least two races tomorrow, the 800 metres and 1500 metres. There is an outside chance I will also compete in the 400 meters to try and qualify there, also.  I did take 3 days off before my last race in  which I ran new PR .  However, I was in much better shape than now.  I have long believed that taking time off when in top physical shape can have a beneficial impact on performance in the short run.  However, taking time off when not in top physical condition does not give me as much confidence.

So I hope you have missed my postings because I have missed writing them;  but I choose not to write unless I have something meaningful to say and not just be boring.  I am preparing all my gear for a very, very warm and humid day tomorrow, probably in the high nineties.  I hope this does not turn into difficulty for any of the Elder Statesman that will be at this event tomorrow.  My plan is to do the minimum necessary to qualify in any events that I compete.  I only want to become eligible to make the trip to Alabama in June so that I can compete in the National finals and have some fun.  If I am lucky, the events in my age group will be so lightly entered that I will simply have to jog to the Finish Line to qualify.  I have said to many people that this is really only a good reason for a Road Trip.

My stats have been stable, but my weight is higher than I want it to be, somewhere in the mid 150’s instead of the low 150’s where I prefer.  I have to deal with that as a result of not doing enough actual running lately.

I will report details of the event tomorrow evening.

September 6th, Tuesday,  5:00p.m.

Heard this Jimmy Buffett song on the way home from practice today.  It has a happy, sweet sound but always makes me sad.

https://youtu.be/8nlnKkAN6VQ

No more running this week……

Just icing after a slow 2 mile run at XC practice today.  Achilles tendon on left foot hurts each time I try to run.  So, I trudge on to Saturday’s  race date.  Checked last year’s event results for my age group in the 800m  and 1500m.  Less than 3 competed in those races.  If that holds true this year, I can qualify by default.  So, I plan to swim, bike and lift for the rest of the week and be ready to compete painlessly on Saturday.

Stats –

I-Mad – 2 ?

Weight – 154 #

a.m.HR –  54BPM

Sleep – 7 hours

Workout – yuck!?

September 3 & 4, Labor Day weekend

On the down low

Five days from my 1500 meter race I’m still obsessing over legs that seem to be too tired, too often, too easy.  Yesterday, which was Saturday, I took off completely because of  nagging Achilles tendon pain.  Today,this beautiful fall afternoon, I spent at Holmdel Park circling the half-mile field by the starting line while Arlene searched for photo opportunities.  I was in motion for 40 minutes,  but I really wouldn’t call it running.  I walked two laps and ran very slow for 3 laps barely getting to a full stride at any point.  So, I will continue on this very weak, very conflicted and probably very ineffective training series. I keep telling myself that after this Saturday I will be getting on a smart and consistent program for the next 9 months.

Stats – Steady 

September 2nd, Friday, 11:00 p.m.

“Red Skies at Night, Sailor’s Delight”

After a pleasant afternoon along the Delaware River and a stop for drinks and appetizers at the Washington Crossing Inn, Arlene and I returned home as the sun was painting the western sky line a bright scarlet.  We shared a short walk and then I continued onto a 30 minute comfortable run as night fell over the neighborhood. Starting to hear unwanted noise from Achilles tendon that will have to be monitored carefully.

Stats – 

I-Mad – 1 or 2

a.m.HR – 54BPM

Sleep – 6 hrs

Weight – 155#

Workout.-  As above, 30 minutes easy

September 1st, Thursday

Try to stay with the plan, please!

Today I did a little work on the track at Jackson Liberty High School during the cross-country practice. After a short warm-up and some drills I began to do a few pickups starting at about a hundred metres and eventually getting up to 200 meters. I did this for about two and a quarter miles and was feeling pretty wide open and strong. I decided to cut this short after I began to feel some pain in my left foot particularly in the Achilles tendon area. It has been such a long time since I’ve had any discomfort in that area I was acting out of an abundance of caution.  I had actually disregarded my promise to myself that I would not try any extraordinary workouts before I got to run the 1500 meters next Sunday at the New Jersey Senior games. So I went home and ate and got ready to play cards as the card game was scheduled for my house this week.  I’m writing this actually on Friday morning the 2nd of September. Fortunately my left foot did not demonstrate  serious soreness or pain this morning. So I may have dodged that bullet. Maybe I can be disciplined enough to stick to some slow aerobic miles for the next 7 days and get past this self-imposed deadline on my training schedule.

Stats are stable.

August 31th, WEDNESDAY, 7:00p.m.

20 minutes on bike

plus 20 minutes core work

plus 20 minutes swimming in the pool

and 15 minutes in a hot whirlpool

That’s all.

Stats –

I-Mad – 1

a.m. HR – 54 BPM

Weight – 153#

SLEEP – 7 hours

Workout – above

August 30, Tuesday,  11:00 p.m.

XC PRACTICE TONIGHT

https://youtu.be/YowipdsuBdw

One of the great all time Rhymes in music history….

“I’m biding my time, because that’s the kind of guy I’m“

Ran about 3 miles at Lake CARASALJO tonight during practice with the Liberty boys cross-country team.  (You will have to look up the history of Lakewood, New Jersey to get the full story on Lake CARASALJO.)  Keeping a low training profile for the next 9 days approaching  the New Jersey Senior Games.  My legs are still a little heavy and tight from Sunday’s 5K performance.  Need to get to the Cinders tomorrow for some more serious work.

Stats – Stable

August 29th,  Monday,  11:00 p.m

A perfect 90 minute treat

https://youtu.be/XivELBdxVRM

After a good night’s sleep of 10 hours and a lazy morning I headed for the clubhouse to get in a comfortable recovery.  I didn’t have much in mind, only to break a sweat. Things worked out better than expected.  I began with 20 minutes in the weight room doing upper body and core work.  I felt very comfortable: so I got on the treadmill for what I anticipated would be a 10 or 15 minute walk.  I felt so good walking that I pumped the speed and started to jog.  Turned out to be a 30 minute episode which was very nice.  I had now broken a serious sweat. I then headed to the pool which was totally beautiful. The water was  very comfortable and the pool was empty: so I swam nonstop for 20 minutes in luxury.  I finished with 15 minutes in the hot whirlpool to pamper my legs.  Just an extraordinarily pleasant 70 minutes!     I am a thankful and a lucky guy.

Stats –

I-Mad – 1

a.m.HR – 55 BPM

SLEEP – 10 HOURS ?

Weight – 153#

Workout – 90 minutes  of happy recovery – lift, jog, swim