April 11th Monday 8:30 p.m.

All day long I thought it was Tuesday. Very confusing..

Today my finger is feeling better and healing nicely.  The wind was blowing at 25 miles per hour this morning on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City.  So I chose to head back to Jackson.  The weather forecast a 65 to 70 degree day and light winds at the Horse Track. Got all the household work taken care of and headed out to Home Depot this morning to order vertical blinds for our condo.  Then we had lunch at the Shore Diner.  Got home in time to prepare dinner for nephew, Matty O’Rourke, who was coming over to prepare our taxes.  Well, you see, it’s Monday not Tuesday , and so Matty isn’t coming until tomorrow.  Now we get to the workout.

I did not preheat my lower legs today so I took an extra-long warm-up.  The warm up consisted of two miles with 1/2 mile walking and one and a half miles slow jogging all with sweats on.  My legs didn’t feel too happy, but I set out to do two or three CQ miles.  I continue to be amazed at how long it takes a 73 year old to fully dilate and be completely wide open aerobically!   My first CQ mile was not too comfortable, at 9:37.  Then things seem to get easier and I checked my watch and I was running at 9:05 pace for the second mile. This got me pretty excited! So I started to entertain the thought of running the third mile under 9 minutes. My energy seemed to ratchet up as I proceeded. The final 1 mile was in 8:44.  I was a little breathless afterward but totally satisfied with a solid workout.   The final 200m was at 7:30 pace.  Walk then jog for Half Mile and headed home.  I am loving the cinders!

Ice, chocolate milk, a bowl of Arlene’s  homemade soup and a Goose Island IPA    Perfect!

STATS

AM HR –  55BPM

I–Mad     3.5       A little tight

Weight  –  #153.5

HR Post Run  –  132BPM

Workout – Covered 5.5 miles      2 in 26:00

3 in 27:33               9:37,     9:13,    8:44

Asside:

I noticed my heart skipping a beat every 4th or 5th beat while I was taking my pulse  at the end of the workout today. This is the second or third time I’ve noticed this when I have pushed myself to an elevated heart rate.  A doctor told me this awhile go after I had a colonoscopy that I had an irregular heartbeat.  He said it isn’t a problem and not to worry about it, but I should know that it is a fact.  I have not noticed any heart issues as I ran for the last 5 years,  but I think I’m going to do some research and maybe ask my doctor the next time I am in for a check-up if I should worry about this issue.

April 9th,  Saturday around noon

Deterred by the ominous weather forecast, I am spending the morning doing research of my blogs of training over the last 5 years in preparation for a Blog about the history of my senior running experience.  Yes, I discovered it has actually been 5 years that I have been trying to get fit.  Most of my logs are written in random notebooks and are sporadic with fits and starts. Some are very detailed; others are very sketchy with many gaps.  Since I have installed Garmin Connect on my laptop, I do have the details of many of the runs, at least those in which I was wearing my wristwatch. (My Garmin charger is somewhere between Jackson and Florida being shipped I hope. So my recent runs have been without a timer.)  It has become very clear to me that my decision to start this blog has put the pressure on me to log more consistently and in greater detail.  It has now been 20 consecutive days. I hope it has been worth reading. It has definitely seemed worth writing.

I am planning to walk over to the clubhouse and run on the treadmill and swim a few laps and maybe get a whirlpool for today’s workout.

Interesting that my morning pulse rate was very low today.  I took it twice and it came out 50 to52.  I don’t know what that means, but it was maybe the first time I actually took the pulse before even moving a muscle in bed.  I asked Arlene to give me the count, and we did it twice.  It came out the same.     Soooo, that’s an interesting development………

Well it’s 5 o’clock now, no snow has arrived but I have returned from the clubhouse.  I spent 45 minutes on the treadmill. That was 20 minutes warm up walking and jogging,   2 miles at 10 minute pace and 5 minutes cool down – not bad.  I don’t feel comfortable going faster than 10 minute miles on the running machine. This was a good opportunity for me to work on running form.  The things I like to work on when I have this time are as listed below.

1st – Foot Strike  This involves concentrating on a perfectly level landing.  This became a problem when I was altering  my Landing as a result of pain in my left Achilles tendon. I think I have corrected it but have to be very aware. Sometimes I notice myself doing that during the first  few steps I take after getting out of bed in the morning.

2nd –   Stride    Keeping stride short with concentration on better knee lift.3rd-  Arm  Carry

3rd –  Arm Carry    Keep arms low with hands open and thumb lightly resting index finger.

4th-  Belly  Breath    This involves breathing in and out using abdominal muscles instead of chest muscles. I tell anyone who asks about this that they need to let the air fall into the belly  through the lungs as the belly expands. Then, using the abdominal muscles to contract, force the air out.  It helps to practice this resting your hand on your stomach to feel the in/out motion.

Running at a comfortable 10 minute pace today allowed me to concentrate on these four things that contribute 2 running efficiency in my view.

After that I went in the pool and ran for 10 minutes and swam for 10 minutes. My pool running I have devised the plan as follows. I place a noodle across my chest under my arms and hang in the deepest end of the pool which allows me to run without touching the bottom. Today I did slow motion full range of motion strides in the pool. That is with a full back kick, exaggerated  knee lift and full lower leg extension on each stride. I think this just helps with development of running efficiency and smoothness.

A 15 minutes soak in the Whirlpool felt very nice. That is a bit different from icing and we will have to wait for tomorrow to see the effects.

That’s all for now. Happy running.

April 8th,   Friday     7:30 p.m.

A bright, sunny, very windy afternoon.

Bathing in the shine of yesterday’s happy workout,  I took a very relaxed day today.  ?   Arlene and I traveled to the Horse Track . We walked a mile and a half together, and then I jogged a mile and a half.   Had no watch on the workout today;  just a few miles in motion.  I did all the proper pre and post procedures to be proactive.  I am not trying for alliteration but it is fun.

I even failed to take my morning heart rate.  Slacking! ?

Stats-

I-Mad     2.5   Better!

Weight  –    #152.2

Workout –  Covered 3 slow miles. That’s all!

April 7th,  Thursday      10 p.m.

What a wonderful, exhilarating run today!

The weather was very pleasant, about 50 degrees, bright blue sky, high clouds and warm sunshine.

Well, after yesterday’s blog I took a 2 hour nap from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. . Then ate a very light  dinner and got into  bed by midnight.  Remarkably,  I slept through the night till about 9 a.m. turned over 3x, and finally I awoke  for good at 10:30 a.m.  By my math that’s 12.5 hours of sleep in the last 24 hours!  I think my body was telling me something yesterday.  So today about 4 p.m.,  after heating up for a long time and doing all the necessary pre run stuff,  I headed out for the friendly  cinders at the Horse Track.   With trepidation I walked a half mile and jogged a half-mile before removing my sweats.   My legs were springy, my Achilles was quiet and my breathing was very comfortable.  My goal became  to do 3 of those CQ miles  if possible.  I felt better with each mile and finished 4 miles  in 41:20.  

On the back straightaway of this half mile track there is about a  200 meter stretch. Today there was a crisp wind blowing down that straight away.  I struggled into that wind for the first two miles,  but then began to feel exhilarated and started to surge  into the wind each lap.   ( PROBABLY  GETTING CLOSE TO THE  PIZ )  On each of the last four laps I crushed the wind for 200 meters.   Along the way Bob Seger’s song came into my head;

“Well I’m older now and still

  Running Against the Wind“

You see, I wasn’t trying to make any kind of a statement or prove any point today . I think I just reveled in the idea of  getting a little harder by beating the wind.    I left those cinders with a wide smile today.

This was one of those days that makes + 70 running total Joy!

Stats-

a.m  HR- 53 BPM

I-Mad-  2.5  After really long sleep.  Better!

Weight –  #153

Sleep –  12.5 hrs  Really!

Workout-  Covered 5 miles,  1 mile warm-up  + 4 miles  in 41:20, with surges  x 4 @ 200 m  &   400 jog    

April 6, Wednesday

Today was 45* and sunny with a slight breeze.

Headed out with lots of layers of clothing for a road run.  Did all PPP.  (Proper Pre Procedures   – Heat, compression sleves, walk and jog with sweats on.)  Continued to cover 3 miles in 40 minutes.   Legs were heavy all the way.  Never got into a steady, smooth stride.  Thighs felt like weights.  Calves tight,  Achilles tendon not bad unless I tried to pick up pace.  Struggled and felt exhausted at end.  Not a pleasant experience.

Looking for explanation, I come up with the following possibilities;

1-  16 surges two days ago on track    DOMS ?

2- Too cold  ?

3- First run on macadam road in a while  ?

4- First swim and Whirlpool  in months  ?

5- Arl says overtraining to satisfy  new blog.  .?

6- Less than adequate sleep last 2 nights

7- ?NO beer for 2 days   Probably the cause of poor sleep.?

(Definitely time for a beer  blog.)

8- Not on the beach in St. Augustine ?any more. ??!!

So many reasons, I am surprised that I even got up today!

Oh well,  ice,  chocolate milk and rest for a better day tomorrow.

Stats-

a.m. HR  – 54 BPM   Steady

Weight –  #153.5   Steady

I-Mad =  3.5  Slight improvement

Sleep –  6 hrs   – Not enough

April 5th,  Tuesday,    11 p.m.

I spent this cold and windy afternoon at a Jackson Liberty boys track and field meet.  During the meet I managed to get in about 2 miles of work on the track. It didn’t feel like enough work.  So when I got home decided to go to our clubhouse to swim.  I did get in 20 minutes lap swimming and a 15 minute whirlpool.  My body has missed its time in the whirlpool while I was away.  This essentially amounts to a day of rest.   I will have to get back on the road tomorrow.

Comments   –  Thank you to everyone who has commented.  

I have had some very thoughtful communications from fends and  former athletes on a few previous posts.  I do appreciate the comments very much and encourage anyone who is reading  to make a comment even if it’s just to say, “Hello.

Self coaching reminder-

Two things  have had a positive effect  for me on sore muscles and joints. The first is to heat the affected area for 15 minutes prior to setting out on a workout,  and the second is to walk slowly and then more quickly for the first 10 minutes.   The result has been much more comfortable runs even though  the total workout time in minutes is longer.  I am speaking from the point of view of someone who has the time,  first to heat and 2nd to walk before a workout.  We are + 70 runners.

Stats-

a.m. HR @ 54BPM

weight    –  153#

I-Mad  –  4.5   Still sore.    I am  hoping  the day off and Whirlpool will have a positive effect.

Workout –   2 miles on track & grass + 20 minutes of laps in pool +15 minute whirlpool

April 4th , Monday,  8 p.m.

55 degrees and light rain and a steady wind about 8 to 10 miles during workout.

I ran today’s workout on the track at Jackson Liberty High School.  I had not been on a rubber track since December because the high schools in Florida would not allow community residents to run on the high school track. The rubberized surface felt like an old friend as I did my one-mile warm-up.   My body was still a little sore and tired today, but I pushed through managing to complete  4 miles on the track.   I never took my sweats off this day because the weather seemed too  raw.  I had prepared with heat,  my lower leg compression sleeves and plenty of layers clothing.  The soft surface provided the courage I needed to push through. The second and third miles consisted of running  two 100 meter pickups each lap for 8 laps.   I began with very easy pickups but was able to increase the intensity for the last 7 or 8.   My sore left Achilles tendon was speaking to me throughout but not very loudly. Including 16 surges is a nice effort on this rainy day.   Completed the workout with a steady one mile cool down.  It can be logged as a successful workout!

I concluded post-workout ritual with chocolate milk,  ice on lower legs and my green tea &  tart cherry cocktail.   Just finished a mighty vegetable salad of lettuce,  tomato, onions,  cucumbers and peppers.   Very delicious!.

Gentle reader may notice the absence of references to time today.  That is because my Garmin wrist watch charger remains in Florida and my  watch is out of power.  It has been found and I anticipate receiving it in the mail in a few days.  I am also posting my Vital Statistics at the end of the block today on the recommendation my wife, Arlene.

In a separate post today I have published Coach Rich Refi’s self coaching document in which he lists  suggestions for committed runners to follow in order to maximize their training.  Rich  distributes this to all of his athletes annually. He has given me permission to publish it on this blog.  Check it out and print it .  It has helped me to keep focused.  It is on my bathroom mirror.

Weight  154#

AM HR  54   –  Back to normal

I-Mad  @  4+   Still too elevated                     Still monitoring the effects of relaxed shoelaces.   So far I am pleased with the outcome.

Total workout   –  4 miles with 16 moderate 100m surges

Be careful in the snow tomorrow brave  runners.

Coach Rich Refi of Hillsborough High School has graciously agreed to allow me to publish on this blog his self coaching checklist.  This checklist contains a series of items that the committed runner can keep track of daily to be sure that his body is being prepared for Peak Performance.  Coach Refi has been a distance coach for over 20 years, ,and I regard him as one of the top distance coaches in the state of New Jersey.  His girls cross country teams have been at the top of the state’s performers consistently for the last 10 years.  This document contains the collected wisdom of many years of successful coaching experience. I believe this checklist can be helpful to any distance runner from teenage to + 70.

I was very happy to reconnect this afternoon with the Liberty High School distance coaches and athletes.  I had a very enjoyable time during the previous cross country season with these gentlemen and these fine young men.  I look forward to spending some time with the team this spring and volunteering once again in the fall.  In speaking with these young men today the subject of Coach Refi’s checklist came up, and told them I would publish it on my blog.   So, thank you coach Refi and here it is!

It would be an excellent idea for any Committed  Runner to print and post this document in his or her home, bedroom or locker.

⊙☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Coach Refi ‘s  Self Coaching Reminder Checklist     90–95% of my day

Am I keeping my running log updated daily?

Did I sleep enough last night? 8-9 hours? How hard was it to wake up?     *Sleep deficit can result in a 10% loss in performance.

Did I take my morning heart rate for 60 seconds today and record it  ?

Did I eat a good breakfast or grab something as I was running out the door?

Did I eat 3 square meals + 2-3 snacks? ~

Where did my protein and iron come from?~ How many servings of fruits and veggies did I eat? 7-9?

A banana a day keeps the cramps away!

~Am I really taking in enough healthycalories everyday to fuel my training?

Am I drinking enough water every day?  ~Minimum of 1/2 body weight in ounces + more for training.~128 lb. athlete needs to drink more than 1/2 gallon per day.~Intake should be consistent all day (3-4 oz. every 30 minutes).~Should drink a glass of water 2-3 hours before going to bed.

~Am I rarely thirsty and is my urine light yellow?   *A 1% loss in hydration can result in a 10% loss in performance.

Did I drink chocolate milk and water right after my run?~What about a small protein and carb snack within 30 minutes?

Am I being proactive about preventing injuries?~Did I roll out?~Did I rope stretch and/or static stretch after my workout?~Did I take an ice bath?          ~Am I icing after runs whether sore or not?~

Am I rotating my shoes each day?

Am I thinking positively?~

Did I look at my goal today?~Do I carry a written goal with me?~

How often do I perform positive mental rehearsal?*

The best feeling is taking the starting line knowing I am well prepared.

I AM READY TO RUN FAST! 

_________________________
-I will only personally add the following.   Always , everyday,  bring your sweatpants and sweatshirt to practice to warm up.  This should not be an option. Your muscles love to be warm help them out!

April 3rd Sunday 5:30 p.m.

It is a bright,  sunny,  Blue Sky,  very windy,  38 degree day.                           Welcome to April in New Jersey!

AM HR at 58BPM –  still a little high

I-Mad   =  4   after a long sleep

Weight =   154#

Today I walked briskly for 1 hour covering 3.25 miles.  My body was pretty sore all over when I woke this morning.   Neck, shoulders, upper back, lower back, butt, hips, all tight and achey.  I am thinking delayed onset road fatigue is the only answer.  (DORF) ?  Ha,Ha!  I will not try to coin that phrase,  but I think that is what I’m feeling today.  So I arose had coffee and some cookies and went back to bed until 1:30pm.   Determined to get out of the house for some form of exercise,  I slowly dressed knowing I wasn’t going to be running.  It turned out to be a quite enjoyable  60 minute walk around the neighborhood.  Tomorrow back to training.

Tomorrow I’m planning to visit the Jackson Liberty track practice after school to reunite with the distance team down there.  That will also give me an opportunity to do a little bit of interval work on that track.  It has been quite a while.

Happy training!