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Building Strength

Posted by Splashfit on October 23, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Motivation, Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: bench press, burpees, cross country skiing, Fitness, fitness goals, goals, gym, health, heavy weight, kayak, running, skate skiing, ski, skiing, squats, winter, workout. Leave a comment
Still time to kayak before the river freezes over

Still time to kayak before the river freezes over

As Autumn and cold morning temperatures seize control of my little place in the world, the training focus of my fitness group has changed from running faster to preparing for ski season.  As we transition from training with the emphasis on moving fast, we are now focusing on building strength.  Building strength means lifting heavy.  I love to lift heavy.  There is something so gratifying about being a girl and being kick ass strong.   I am a big believer in training “periodization”, and while I do still love to mix it up a bit during each workout, our initial training emphasis will be lower repetitions with heavier weight loads.   After this initial building phase, we will move to strength and agility work, focusing on maintaining our gained strength, and building muscular and sport specific endurance.

Splashfit Tuesday
Ski Season is coming!

Ski Season is coming!

Warmup Elliptical 10 minutes
Elliptical Ladder x 5
1 minute 150 spm
1 minute 160 spm
1 minute 170 spm
1 minute easy
Superset x 4
Leg Press  10 x 230, 270, 310, 330
Stiff Leg Deadlift 10 x 70
1 Leg Chair Squats x 10 each Leg
50 Sumo Squats with Lateral Leg Raise
Superset x 4
1 Leg  Hip Sled 10 x 90
Seated Calf Raise
DumbellCurtsy Box steps x 10
Dumbell Lunges 40 each Leg
Elbow Plank x 2:00 minutes
Accordian Crunches x 30
Skating on groomed trails is an amazing workout!

Skating on groomed trails is an amazing workout!

Once my fitness group completed their  final 5k, I asked the ladies about setting new goals. Of course, I love skiing almost as much as breathing, so you can imagine how thrilled I was when they decided to focus on ski season and set the goal of “skate skiing” 10 times this season. Skate skiing is a type of cross country skiing, and is typically performed on groomed trails. When thinking about the energy output of this activity, I like to think that skate skiing is to running, as classic cross country skiing is to walking. It is an intense full body activity. In addition to having well balanced physiques, this activity gives us good reason to work on upper body and core strength.

Splashfit Thursday 
Elliptical  5 minute warmup 
Elliptical Ladder x 5 
4 minutes, 1 x 150, 1 x 160, 1 x 170, 1 x easy 
Bench Press.... 
Heavy drop set to failure x 3 
Superset x 3 
Jumping Pullups 21,15,9 
Dumbell Thrusters 21,15, 9 
Burpees x 10 
Superset x 3 
Seated cable row 10 x 80 
Cossack Bench Dips x 20 
Cable Tricep Press down 10 x 40 
Core 
Reverse Crunch with Leg Lift x 30 
Exercise Ball Twisting Crunches x 30 
Exercise Ball Catch x 50
Don't let old man Winter keep you inside!

Don’t let old man Winter keep you inside!

Change is something that is always difficult for me.  Even change in a positive direction requires an enormous amount of mental energy.  As the ambient temperatures begin to drop towards freezing levels, my natural inclination is to want to snuggle up on the sofa, watch movies, and consume large quantities of comforting foods.   I have to fight that downward pull every day.  Setting my sights on something fun and positive in the future, really does help to keep me motivated.  It helps me to keep those comfort food choices on the healthy side; it helps me to snuggle into movie watching mode, only after I’ve worked my proverbial butt off; and it gives me something to strive towards.   Motivation is a very individualized thing.  For me, I need to be excited about something, and I need a goal.    In less than a month’s time, we could be soaring on beautiful trails through heavily wooded mountainous terrain. Won’t you join us?

No Training Wheels

Posted by Splashfit on October 1, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Uncategorized. Tagged: columbia river, exercise, Fitness, health, windsurf, windsurfing, workout. Leave a comment

SONY DSCSONY DSCSONY DSCActive play is a huge part of my personal fitness regime. Windsurfing is actually a great full-body workout, and after a couple of hours on the water, I was so exhausted, that I could barely pull myself back on shore.   This is just one of the really fun things that I do to try and stay fit.

The most difficult thing for me when contemplating an afternoon of a trillion river baptisms is wriggling my body into 5 pounds of neoprene. I have a serious love hate relationship with my wetsuit.

I even purchased a new windsurfing specific wetsuit that has a much looser fit than my swimming wetsuit, and yet every time I contemplate trying to wrestle with the demonic piece of rubber it leaves me weak in the knees and just a bit queasy.

I have been gradually amassing my own windsurfing gear. It has been awesome to be able to borrow gear, but I want the independence that comes with having my own kit.  Last year I picked up a couple of new sails, and just this month, a new mast and boom.

I have arthritis in my hands and thumbs and as a result, I don’t have much grip strength. Rigging up my own gear has been problematic. As nice as it is for Phil to rig gear for both of us, it does not feel like a good long term solution.

While in Hood River (a windsurfing Mecca) I picked up a crank for rigging the sail, and a two bolt base plate. With these two tools, I should be able to become much more independent and save Phil a lot of hassle in the bargain.

The single bolt base plate is one that must be twisted with much force to remove it from the board. I have tried to “unscrew” the single bolt base plate numerous times and my hands could not generate the necessary grip strength to budge it even a little. With the two bolt base, the plate remains affixed to the board and the base pops in and out with an easy flick of a little button. Awesome!

As I awkwardly tried to thread the 370 cm mast up through the sleeve of the sail, I struggle some, but I am determined and success is mine. I affixed the little hand crank to the bottom of the mast base, thread the line through the works and I am amazed as the sail tightens and straightens. Wow, this is awesome! Maybe I really can do this all myself.

Learning board is almost as big as a refrigerator door!

Learning board is almost as big as a refrigerator door!

I have been learning on a gigantic board. This wonderful oh so stable learning tool more closely resembles a refrigerator door than a surfboard, but we all gotta start somewhere, eh?

Here is where the real pucker factor of my day kicked in. Phil was digging in his gear kit and apparently had not loaded the fin for the big board. No fin, equals no steering.

He offered to let me ride his board, as the wind hadn’t really kicked up enough yet to challenge him. Phil has been windsurfing for over 30 years. This is my second season.  I had sailed on Phil’s board once before, and while the smaller board is much easier to steer, it is much more difficult to remain upright while uphauling and turning.

I waffled. Truth, I was afraid. The Columbia River is big, and there is a very large bridge near our launch site that wreaks havoc with the wind. I was thinking how nice it would be for me to go sit in the truck with a good book while he windsurfed. He persisted, and I relented.

My initial tack was not a good one, and I got stuck beneath the bridge.   Phil paddled out on the stand up paddle board, and we traded positions.  He took the windsurfer and got it back out from its precarious position beneath the bridge and once the board was safely back in the wind, we traded once again.

I would like to say that my day was victorious, and it  certainly does feel that way, but truth be told, I fell off the board more than I stayed on. But, and this is a big but (hehehe), I probably had at least two dozen successful tacks where I was able to drop the sail, spin the board, and uphaul successfully without going for an unplanned swim or launch over the top of the board.

So here is the deal.  I didn’t want to go out on the water with the smaller board.  I was afraid. I was apprehensive, and I was full of doubt.   I had to make the decision to face my fear.  I am always one to ask myself, “well, what is the worse thing that could happen?”   Today, the worst that could happen is that I would fall off the board repeatedly and get cold and wet.  You know what?  The worst absolutely did happen, and it was okay.   In fact, I had a brilliantly wonderful time.

Facing down my fear is never an easy thing to contemplate, but when I am brave and show the necessary courage to do just that, I am never sorry.

Race Week Training

Posted by Splashfit on September 27, 2013
Posted in: Running, Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: 5K race, bodyweight exercises, climbing, diet, exercise, Fitness, fitness goal, goals, gym, health, jogging, mountaineering, mt rainier, pushups, running, running stairs, sprints, squats, weight loss, zombie. Leave a comment

runners-lg-hiAfter successfully competing in the local warrior race, the ladies in my morning fitness group set new goals.    Our quest, was to chase after  faster 5K race times.  For our workouts, this meant a lot of time spent out of doors, working on a more efficient stride (trying to eliminate the “bounce”), running hills, appropriate strength training and very painful sprints. This is the last week of training before their selected 5K race.    I have to clarify regarding the “painful” sprints.  Not all of our speed work was drudgery.   During our 4 mile run with speedplay, I decided to have some fun with it.   Having just watched “World War Z”, I decided to become a zombie and chase after the ladies….   LOL.   Imagine their surprise as I grabbed a handful of T-shirt all while growling, “Ruuuuuuun…. I want to eat your brains”.

zombie1Splashfit Tuesday

Run 2 miles with hill and speedplay
100 Bodyweight Squats
50 Alternating Lunges
50 Sumo Squats with Lateral Leg Lift
30 Grass Picker Squats
Run 2 miles with speedplay
Superset x 4
Leg Press 10 x 230, 270, 310, 330
Stiff Leg Deadlift 10 x 70
Mountain Climbers x 30




Running stairs is a great addition to any workout

Running stairs is a great addition to any workout

Splashfit Thursday
Warm up elliptical
Superset x 5
Crossover bench pushups x 20
Bench dip to bridge x 10
Fit band shoulder press x 10
Sprint 100 yards, run stairs
Jog 100 yards, run stairs
Bench press 3 sets to failure
Superset x 3
Rear deltoids flye x 10
Plank toe taps 10 each side
Row 200 meter sprint
Elbow plank 2:00 minutes
Accordian crunches x 30
Reverse crunch with leg raise x 30
And done!

Setting fitness goals is a really wonderful tool to stay motivated and moving in a forward direction.  When I was in my twenties, I was a self-proclaimed “gym-rat”, and I have to admit to having issues with regard to motivation.  Why am I working out all of the time?  What is the point?

In my twenties... on Mt. Rainier

In my twenties… on Mt. Rainier

It was during that time, that some friends suggested that I join them on a climb of Mt. Rainier.  “Hey, you’re in good shape, you should climb with us!”   Not really knowing what I was in for, I nodded in agreement and my course was set.   I had a goal and needed to take specific fitness steps in order to attain it.  The point I am trying to make is not about climbing, but rather motivation and goal setting.   Working out for general health and fitness is great, but at some point in time, as your body adapts to what you are doing, at least for me, it isn’t enough.   I need a goal and a plan.  How do you form a plan if you have no goal?

I gave each of my “trainees” a time goal for the race this weekend, and I am proud to report that they smashed them!   Hard work, and a clear roadmap will get you to your goal.   Where do you wanna go?

Will Running Make Me Fat?

Posted by Splashfit on September 21, 2013
Posted in: Uncategorized. 2 Comments

I woke feeling as though there was a railroad spike piercing my forehead just above my left eye.  Uh-oh… it feels like a sinus infection coming on.  I have deformed sinuses, and as a result,  I am occasionally sidelined with nasty infections of the same.   I know several folks who have had their sinuses surgically altered, with little positive effect.  The insurance company has approved me to have my own head “rotor-rootered”, but as it is a “nasty” procedure, and the results are questionable, I opted to leave well enough alone, and live peacefully with my deformity.

A few weeks ago, when we  headed up to a local lake for a swim, I took note of the lonely dirt road which included a nice long hill and some rolling easier terrain.    I asked Phil to set the odometer in the car, and we clocked the mileage to the near end of the lake, and then to far end of the lake.  Mileage to the first lake was an even four miles, then to the south end of the bigger lake, 5.6 miles, continuing further still, at a seemingly arbitrary point just beyond the north end of Little Soap Lake, we hit the seven mile mark.  Phil asked me, “are you thinking of running here?”   I nodded in the affirmative.  The hill would be challenging, and the traffic  basically non-existent, all while traversing this hauntingly beautiful high desert landscape.  It seemed a perfect route.

In spite of the building pressure behind my eyes, we had decided that today was the day we would go for a long run.  It was the day to run the Soap Lake Road.  Because these lakes are alkaline and not potable, we decided to drive up prior to our run and cache a water supply at the lake.    As we headed up the dirt road, dust swirling around the truck as we steadily climbed the mile long hill, we flushed a  small coyote from the sagebrush.    My face broke into a gentle smile, my eyes crinkling with delight, as we watched the coyote trot up along the road and disappear into the vegetation on the far side.

The temperature was supposed to be cool all day today. I didn’t give it a second thought as we parked at the highway and left the truck around 10 am. The route heads straight up a pretty kick ass hill for about a mile and then levels out quite a bit while traveling through sagebrush and remnants of old lava flows.  There is something about this type of terrain that calls to my spirit and soothes a dormant part of my psyche.

When I was a small child, my grandmother would load her old pick-up truck with inner-tubes, suntan lotion, and grandkids (myself included).   She would head up this same road, precious cargo in tow, and we would swim in the alkaline waters of Little Soap Lake.   The soil in this region, being quite sandy in composition, does not hold water very well, and as a result, the road is prone to damage from flash flooding and its resultant “wash-outs”.   I remember very distinctly one hot summer afternoon, when the rear tire of the old beat up truck sunk deeply into the mire of the road and stayed there.    Grandma remained calm even with a truck full of screaming younguns’, and she simply got out of the truck, scrounged in the bushes and found and old piece of plywood, got out the shovel, and proceeded to dig us out.   Freed from the dusty mire, we continued to the lake and enjoyed a carefree afternoon of splashing and swimming in the warm alkaline waters.   As an adult, I often think back to this experience, and I’m not certain that given a similar set of circumstances,  I could have been so independent and confident as my Grandmother had been.  Grandma is definitely my role model and one of the strongest and most independent women that I know.

1roundthebendIn spite of the fact that I have a sinus headache and my knee was aching while driving in the car, I felt strong as I headed up the hill.  As we continued running along the rolling dirt road, I still felt pretty good. I chose to slow to a walk while crossing over the numerous cattle guards laying in wait, always ready to grab a foot or turn the ankle of an unaware traveler.

1cattleguardcowpoop lakeAt about mile four, we came upon a lovely little lakelet with beautiful white granite rock formations gracefully decorating its shoreline. The dozens of cows that were lazily browsing along the way mostly moved quickly out of our path. It is too bad that this lake has been claimed as a domicile fitting only for cattle, as a little dip in its cow poop infested waters was less than appealing.

1lakeAnother mile and a half brought us to the south end of Little Soap Lake and our water cache. Both of these lakes are alkaline and as such, unfortunately for hot weary runners, not potable.  Turning around here would give us an 11.2 mile run. Definitely respectable mileage given my training progression thus far, but we had clocked an additional 1.5 to the north end of the lake, which round trip, would make a sweet even fourteen miles.

I took a few sips of water and grabbed a little vegan jerky nugget. The water cache was a  brilliant idea. It tasted sweet and wonderful. Unfortunately,  the jerky was not such a wonderful idea. As I popped the salty little morsel into my mouth, it went about halfway down my throat and stayed there.  Uggh.

As I was taking sips from the water cache, Phil asked me if i was up for the additional miles to the end of the lake.  Focused,  I merely nodded in the affirmative and headed out running.  The terrain to the far end of the lake is mostly flat with just a few little rolling hills.  I really was feeling great.  To protect  my damaged knee, I opted for a more gentile run/walk strategy. I would run until my form faltered and the knee began to ache, and then I would walk a short distance to recover. Phil said that my pace was much faster immediately following a walk break.

I felt pretty good energy wise. The additional three mile loop completed, I stopped to have a few sips of water before the final 5.6 miles of the run. Truthfully, I was having doubts about my ability for the entire distance, but I was here, so I was going to give it my all.

1lakelet2It really was supposed to be cool today, unfortunately for us, the cool weather was a bit slower moving into the area than initially anticipated.   As Phil sprinted ahead of me to take photographs, I could see a large wet “V” completely covering his back.  No doubt about it, the temperature was giving us a run for our money. The sun was relentlessly beating down on us from above. There was no shade.

1dizzy1After a great initial showing, I began to falter. I was still strategically walking across the cattle guards, (narrow metal bars spaced several inches apart and spanning our dirt path). I found myself increasing my walk time after each crossing. This terrain is fairly flat. I chided myself, “come on Splash,  this should be easy”. Only it was not. It was at about mile 12.5 that I was hit with the “spins”. Dizzy beyond belief, I crumpled to the ground and stayed there.  I sprawled flat on my back, waiting for the world to stop moving. I eventually rolled onto my side and curled up in a fetal position, gathering strength from the still cool temperature of the dirt beneath my face. Finally, I reluctantly allowed Phil to pull me to my feet. The sun seemed too bright in the sky, glaring down into my narrowly slit eyelids. I pulled my visor low and began to walk. I saw an electricity transmission tower up ahead. I told myself, “just walk to the tower and then you can run”. I arrived at the tower and even at a walk, I was barely lifting my feet, opting for an awkward dust raising shuffle along the dirt road. Another tower came and went and I was still shuffling; although, thankfully, my equilibrium was returning to a somewhat normal state.

1powerlinesAfter walking for nearly half a mile, we rounded a corner and I could see the road finally angling downward at a fairly brisk angle of descent.  Breathing a sigh of relief, I dug deep and with my eyes and mind set firmly on the road ahead, I began to lift my feet, slowly and somewhat painfully at first, giving way to a more joyous and comfortable stride, I ran.

The mile long downhill stretch passed quickly, and although I was moving on tired legs, I felt remarkably good.  The aching of my arthritic knees did raise a small little flag, and I walked just a short distance to shake it off and regain my form.

Running once again, focusing on taking many small steps to ease the stress of the downhill grade, I spied the highway. When I was a short distance from the finish line, I dug just a little deeper and turned on my jets. I ran like the wind. I ran like I was being chased by a rabid bear. I ran as fast as my legs would go.

My breath, coming out in a somewhat jagged squeaky rhythm, I slowed back to a jog. The highway was less than one city block away. It was so close and yet at the same time, it seemed so interminably far. Could I even make it without once again collapsing in an untidy heap on the dusty surface of the little road? I saw Phil head out for a final sprint to get a photo of me coming in to the finish. Somehow I managed to suck it up and still jogging, raised my hands up in victory as I ran up to the highway and our fourteen mile mark.

Should we celebrate our fat?

Should we celebrate our fat?

The jury is still out on whether or not a former fat girl with arthritic knees can transform into a runner.  The endurance training itself seems to work against me, as it increases my appetite for every naughty food item in sight.   The current popular philosophy states that long slow distance is not the best type of activity to reduce ones’ appetite nor to maintain a lean physique.   There is a reason why HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training is so popular.  With regard to weight control and maintaining a lean body,  HIIT works, and it works well.    So, as I look towards a long distance running goal, I wonder,  am I sabotaging my own fitness by releasing a flood of stress hormones into my body and triggering a “foodmageddon”?  If I believe the current exercise hype, that may  in fact be the case.   As I am participating in more and more long slow distance training, I am not only feeling softer, but am ravenous most of the time.  A quick google search of weight gain and marathon training brings up a paltry 17,500,000 results… really?  This is a real thing.  It does not happen to everyone, but it is more common in women than in men.  Several of the official “running magazine” type articles claim that the weight gain is normal and that it is just muscle weight, but if you dig deeper and read blogs written by real everyday people who are training hard for long distance running, a single theme does emerge.  The weight gain is real, and it is not muscle.   Distance runners who believe that they will whittle away to nothing,  are getting softer, larger, and they are hungry all of the time.    Crap.      I have worked really hard to get fit and lean, and I really don’t want to tip the scale in the opposite direction.  Sigh, sigh, and double sigh.  So, while I’m not ready to give up this current obsession (distance running); I am paying attention.

Truth?   When looking back on the days exertion, victory is the furthest thing from my mind  and I have to wonder, “WHAT WAS I THINKING?”  Clearly, I was not ready for a fourteen mile run. It wasn’t pretty, and I did not do it in fine style, but I had set the goal and I crossed the finish line.  As I was rehydrating and looking for a post work-out snack, my mind drawn like a moth to a flame, goes to the little stash of Baker’s Chocolate in the cupboard… hmmmm, now if I just mixed it with a little peanut butter…

Oh I wish I was an Ultra Runner…

Posted by Splashfit on September 15, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Running, Uncategorized. Tagged: dogs, hill training, jogging, rottweiler, running, small town, trail running, ultra running. Leave a comment

GeeseIt came from behind and it nearly knocked me on my face.  Somebody or something had goosed me hard… right between my legs.   What the hell? As I was frantically looking around for the source of my assault,  something hit my leg hard from the side and again,  nearly toppled me. Still searching for the source of this mayhem, I turned, and all at once I was overwhelmed with big wet doggy love.

This morning did not begin as planned. Last week, I had scouted and clocked a fourteen mile “trail” running route. My plan this morning, was to leave the trailhead by 6:30 am, which would allow me to beat the predicted 93 degree high temperature for the day, as well as get me back home before my grandmother even thought about getting up.

It was not to be. Granny was up drinking coffee by six am this morning. I fixed her breakfast and got her settled in with the Sunday paper and decided that I could still get in a longer run, but that I wanted to stick a bit closer to home.

I’ve clocked most of the local roads for mileage, and I was able to quickly put together a 10.5 mile route. This route would allow me to log a “higher” mileage day without the need to add any travel time to my workout.

blissAs I ran out along the River path, the occasional bird call of the indigenous water fowl was the only distraction from the calm of the glassy mirror like waters of the Columbia River. I was focused on starting slowly and allowing myself to warm up properly before attempting a pace resembling anything more energetic than a “plod”.

As my route turned and headed through town, the only traffic stirring was a lone semi headed down the highway.  As I ran through the orchards, the cooing of the local dove population provided a lovely distraction as well as flooding me with warm memories of summertime bliss spent visiting my grandparents in this idyllic farming community.

The temperature was  fairly cool as I headed up the first major hill of the route.  I told myself, just keep running, you can walk at the top of the hill if you need to.   Once I gained the top of this hill, I felt great, and I kept on running. Phil, aka the “running man” calls these little mental barriers “tissue paper walls”.  At the time that they surface, I am feeling fatigued and I really want to quit running, but in the true athletic sense of hitting the “wall”… these are just misty vapors… phantoms if you will, and as I ran through the temporary discomfort, the wall disintegrated in my wake.  Much of my route involves running through orchards and with harvest nearly complete, the smell of ripe fruit is heavy in the air.

Today’s course has me running along the highway for a bit, and as the morning blossoms, so does the flow of traffic.   As happens so often in small towns, most of the folks in the cars that pass by, lift their arms to wave a greeting.  I’m not particularly fond of this section of my route, as when vehicles are passing by, (cue the theme from Chariot’s of Fire) I feel as though I have to run like I am a contender for the Boston Marathon. Thankfully, after a short distance, my route leaves the highway and heads up for the second of the three major hills.   When I first began running hills this year, my calves would scream for days following a run.  Adaptation is an amazing thing, and I am amazed as I easily float on strong sturdy legs to the top of the hill, this no longer feels difficult to me.

Easily completing this second hilly loop, I find myself back at the highway. From this point,   I could run the mile home for a 6.5 mile loop, or I could head back out on the highway for the most difficult 4 mile hill loop of my repertoire.    I still had a great deal of energy and I didn’t even give it a second thought, as I turned away from home and began the trek along the busy road.   Again, waving at passing motorists, the mile along the busy highway went by quickly and before I could have second thoughts about my choice of route, it was time to get busy and head up the hill.

rottweilerMax Goehry Road…. now this is a good hill climb.  I first discovered this hill while riding bikes with the boys, and thankfully, for me today, it is far easier to run up a steep hill than it is to bike up a steep hill.    I kept my breathing in check, my effort steady and sustained, and I quickly chewed away the puke inducing grade.   It was at the flat atop this long hill climb where I met my little “naughty” wet furry friends.

I had my headphones in and tunes blaring. The music on my ipod,  in reality is far “too young” for my musical tastes, but the throbbing beat provides the necessary driving tempo  to keep my feet turning over at the appropriate rate.   You can perhaps imagine the disorientation I felt when without warning, I was hit from behind.  Not only was I hit from behind, but I was hit hard.   I was hit hard between my legs, in a place where nobody wants to be hit hard.  After nearly toppling me, it was almost comical to see the big furry wet Rottweiler mixed doggies jumping up on my chest to try and get a bit of attention.   It is a good thing for all parties involved that I am a dog lover.

I stopped running and pulled out my headphones long enough to scold the dogs to “go home”.  Confident that they were headed back the direction from which they came, I plugged back in to my gnarly tunes and headed up the road…. Once again, wham!   Hit from the side, I almost went down.  “GO HOME”  I yelled, “GO HOME”.   I turned and continued on my way.   As I crested the last rise of my hill climb, I turned and noticed that the biggest of the two dogs was now pacing me and running alongside.    Sigh.   What am I going to do with this dog?   “GO HOME!!!!”  I had an additional mile to run alongside the old highway, and the beautiful dog shadowed me for the entire route.   I began to feel responsible for the dog.  As I ran, concerned for its safety, I started to formulate a plan to put the dog in my car and drive it back up to the top of the hill and try to find where it belonged.  Of course, the doggy was not wearing a collar… maybe I could keep it.  Sigh.  I arrived back at the main highway and with traffic zooming by at 60 miles per hour, I was quite concerned for the welfare of my shadow.

As I ran across the highway, still worried about the dog, I scanned the horizon.   He must have run across at the same time I did, for he was right there  running on the hillside above the road.   As I rounded the final corner of my route, leaving the highway for the quiet streets of my sleepy little town, it appeared that I had lost my shadow to the parking lot of the nursing home on the hill above town.

In retrospect, the distraction of the dog, was probably a good thing.  I have been plagued with episodic knee pain following the trail run last Saturday. There were probably only 5 minutes during today’s run where I felt the crushing weight of the knee grinding against itself, but the knee pains made me think that perhaps it was a blessing that I had not been able to go out on the 14 mile trail run this morning.  As I followed my well worn route home,  I found myself wanting to walk during my last half mile.  I persevered and even though I reverted to my “old man shuffle”, no walking was done on this day.

In retrospect, the instant I felt that old familiar stickiness in the knee joint, I probably should have walked.  Another bit of wisdom imparted to me by the “running man” is that a strong run is a safe run.   It is when you are fatigued and your form falters that you will open yourself up to injury.   Which intellectually makes a lot of sense, unfortunately when I am in the throes of my ever so stubborn will, I just want to keep pressing on.

1handrailWith the knee pain I have been experiencing this week, I would be lying if I said that I was not feeling apprehensive about running.   I don’t know why I have it in my head that I want to be a runner.  In light of the condition of my knees, it makes absolutely no sense, and yet, it is in my heart of hearts.  I want it so desperately.  Even though I have decided not to run in the 25K trail race this year (which is the baby of ultra runs), as I am clearly not yet ready, I want it.  I think about it every day. It fills my thoughts during the day and my dreams at night.   I want to run a long trail race.   I will start with a 25K, but that is not where I want to stop. I have such a heart stopping desire to run.  It fills me, and gives me the impetus to keep moving in a forward direction.

So, is it smart to want this? Probably not.  But just because a goal doesn’t seem reasonable or attainable, has never kept me from trying to get there myself.  I don’t know why I want it so bad.  I don’t know why it makes every cell in my body buzz with anticipation, but I know that I want it.  If I let rationality get in the way of my irrational dreams, I never would have become a mountain climber.   I never would have competed in triathlons, and I definitely never would have walked the 2658 miles from Canada to Mexico along the Pacific Crest Trail.

Crazy as it seems for a middle aged woman with bad knees, I am inspired, I am motivated, and today, I am running.

Hey Dude… Pass the Hoka!

Posted by Splashfit on September 14, 2013
Posted in: Running, Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: arthritis, bodyweight exercises, brooks, brooks running shoes, brooks shoes, Fitness, gym, health, hoka, hoka one one, jogging, knee pain, running, running shoes, speedplay, sprints, weight lifting. Leave a comment

hokaSkeptical, I laced up these freakish monstrosities, and headed out onto the busy sidewalks of Hood River, Oregon to give them a go. When I say Hoka, you might think I am talking about an elaborately designed water pipe, but you would be wrong. Hoka One One is a new and some say “revolutionary” type of running shoe. When I had mentioned to the Running Store’s shop owner that I never thought I would run again because of bad knees, he insisted that I try these shoes. At $170.00 retail, this shoe is not for the faint of heart. As I bounded out of the store, there is really no other word for the feeling, it felt almost as though I was “bounding” on mini-trampolines, or running on marshmallows.  The shoe while appearing gigantic, is surprisingly lightweight, which is a good thing.  Bottom line, there is a lot of give and bounce to this shoe. Which as somebody who is struggling to improve their running pace, I’m not entirely sure that “the bounding” is a good thing. Would that bounce steal my energy?

A few days after my 12 mile trail run, I am experiencing a bit of residual knee pain. Here it comes, that oh so disheartening stickiness and sharp pains in the joint. Back home, in front of my computer, I decided to do a bit more research with regard to the Hoka’s. The reviews are very mixed. It seems that people either love them or hate them. I did watch the official video on the Hoka One One website, and while it inspired me to want to run their sponsored 50K, I’m not sure that it sold me on the shoes.  During the promotional video, there is an ultra runner of some notoriety, (also sponsored by Hoka) who is holding up a shoe with a big gash in the sole. He claims that had the shoe not absorbed that sharp rock, he certainly would have been feeling pain. I don’t know about you, but if I pay $170.00 for a pair of freaking shoes, I expect that running across a sharp rock would NOT rip the sole of said shoe apart.

I have a few friends who are ultra runners. Desperate for these “marshmallow shoes” to be a solution to my running “with bad knees” dilemma, I put out the question. What do you think of these shoes? Again, the responses are split. My friends either love them or hate them. The actual “wear” of the shoe does seem to be a constant issue. The Hoka sales pitch claims that you will get twice as many miles from these shoes, as they will not break down as does a normal running shoe. Unfortunately, that is just not proving to be true among my friends. One ultra runner friend said that he truly wanted them to be the revolutionary shoe that they claimed to be, but unfortunately, they just proved to be a big waste of money. He tried two different pairs, and both of them lost their cushion after a mere 200 miles. Sigh. Since I am not independently wealthy, and not an athlete of any type of notoriety, (sponsorship of any type is extremely unlikely), it looks as though I will not have an opportunity to try these out for myself. If they truly break down after 200 miles, I just cannot justify the expense.

Brooks and me baby!

Brooks and me baby!

So, my dear beloved Brooks shoes, I’m sorry that I doubted you.  I’m sorry that I thought of straying, but if you will have me back, I’m here to stay.

I’ve been a bit remiss in posting.   Even now, fit, trim, and healthy, I find that my “dark passenger” occasionally decides to hitch a ride.   When I am under its influence, writing anything worth reading, just does not happen.  Sigh.  I find myself filled with self doubt and I constantly question the validity of my efforts.  A big difference for me today, (over where I was three years ago) is that I am aware of its influence.  I am fighting to be free of the negative self talk. Although I still struggle, the fight is much less intense now.  Most days, I think I am winning.

The ladies I am training are just a few weeks out from a 5K race.   We are continuing with speed work and strength training.    A few workouts are listed below.  For my ladies, this is a record of what we’ve done to prepare.


Splashfit Tuesday

1new shoesRun 3.5 miles with random speedplay
Plus 10 x hill repeat
Superset x 4
Leg Press, 210, 230, 250, 270 x 15
Stiff Leg Deadlift 10 x 60
Quad Burners x 15 each leg
Superset x 4
Seated Calf Raise 10 x 60
Straight Leg Calf Raise  10 x 210
Reverse Crunch with Leg Lift x 30
Yoga Plank x 1:00
Seated Accordian Crunches x 30
Foot Exercises
Toe Lifts
Toe Lift and Carry
Towel Scrunch

Splashfit Tuesday
sumo10 minute elliptical
Run 4 miles with hill
50 Sumo Squats with Lateral Leg Raise at halfway point
Superset x 4
Leg Press 15 x 210, 250, 290, 310
Stiff Leg Deadlift  15 x 60
Single Leg Chair Squats 10 x each Leg
Superset x 4
Seated Calf Raise 10 x 70
Straight Leg Calf Raise 10 x 210
Elbow Plank x 2:00 minutes
Reverse Crunch with Leg Lift x 30
Accordian Crunches x 30
and done!
Pushup Variations

Pushup Variations

Splashfit Thursday
Warmup Elliptical Ladder
SEVENS  Superset x 7
Seven Push-ups Each set a different variation
Seven Cossack bench dips
Seven Fitband Squat Rows
Sprint 100 yards, stairs
Jog 100 yards, stairs
Stair Repeats 2 x 7
Superset x 3
Barbell Power Clean and Press
One Arm Dumbell Row
Incline Dumbell Chest Press
Alternating Dumbell Bicep Curls
Dumbell Front Shoulder Raises
Elbow Plank 2:00
Medicine Ball Crunch Press x 30
Medicine Ball Russian Twist x 30
Reverse Crunch with Leg Lift x 30
and done!

Running the Eagle Creek Trail

Posted by Splashfit on September 7, 2013
Posted in: Running, Uncategorized. Tagged: columbia river gorge, eagle creek trail, exercise, Fitness, health, jogging, running, trail run, trail running. Leave a comment
Tunnel Falls on Eagle Creek Trail

Tunnel Falls on Eagle Creek Trail

The trail narrowed and I noticed a handrail bolted to the cliff above.  One look down over the edge, and it is clear.  If I fell, I would die.  I felt absolutely no guilt with my decision to walk along these more severe sections of trail.   Better to live to run another day than to be careless along the way.

I’ve been awake since 3 am. Finally at 4:30 I gave in and got up to make coffee in my hotel room.

boltedI am excited to try and run the Eagle creek trail. It is a 12 mile round trip with spectacular waterfalls along the way.  Portland Hikers describe the route as follows: “The Eagle Creek to Tunnel Falls Hike is one of the most popular and magnificent trails in the Columbia River Gorge, and for good reason. You will literally lose count as you pass dozens of spectacular waterfalls through the lush temperate rain forests and tall basalt cliffs. You’ll traverse passageways blasted out of the bedrock with dynamite, footbridges over bubbling streams, talus slopes, and unique geologic formations along your journey — and that’s just in the first 2 miles!”  

This trail was created in the early 1900’s as an effort to begin preserving some of the wild areas in the Columbia River Gorge.  I can see where workers used dynamite to blast the trail into the side of the cliffs.  It is hard to imagine how those brave men of yore were able to access this area to create the trail, but  today, thousands of people swarm to this veritable watery wonderland to experience this trail that is  unchanged since its creation so many years ago.

I have backpacked this route twice before, but today is the first time I have contemplated running.  There are a few sections where we will need to walk and perhaps even hang onto the cable bolted into the cliff wall above the trail. These sections  of trail have a lot of exposure (to risk of falling) where a slip could prove fatal.  I could just see myself plodding along and a sudden flopping over of my weak ankle sending me sailing over the edge.  No thank you, I think it will be allowed and even mandatory to walk these sections.

tunnel falls

Tunnel Falls in Winter Garb

As I set out for the run today, I have some motivation to run the entire route.  First and foremost  is time.  I am readily discovering that It is so very much faster to run than to walk, and I have a trail festival and “hiker trash” friends I want to see back in town.  My secondary motivation to run the entire 12 miles, is the payoff for making it the distance, for at the turn around point of our designated route today is Tunnel Falls.   This is a spectacular one hundred seventy five foot cascade that rushes down the cliff face and completely obliterates the trail.  A wonderful and secret access to hikers is available via a little dark tunnel blasted from the rock immediately behind the falls.  Truthfully, after the difficult time I had completing the ten mile trail run last week, I had my doubts about this even longer run today.

Twelve miles is the longest run I have attempted since my “weight gain and loss” apocalypse,  and since I am not home,  my nutrition is going to be different. Routine for me is crucial, as I have discovered that when I am pushing myself to new athletic heights, it is not the best time to try and mix things up.  Since breakfast is not served here at the hotel until 6:30, which is right around first light and our designated time to head out for the trail head, I’m not sure just how I am going to fuel my body.  Phil will not eat anything before the run and he will be fine. I might kill people if I try to employ the same strategy. I don’t do well without food.    After searching my luggage, I found an old  smashed Lara bar in my day pack and noshed it right on down with my morning cuppa Joe.  Problem number one solved!

As daylight began to creep onto the horizon, we quickly headed for the car and drove the 3 miles to the trailhead.  As we disembarked our vehicle, The temperature was in the fifties, but as morning temps are often that low  at home in my warmer climate, I didn’t worry too much about it as I headed off up the trail wearing only spandex shorts and a tank top.

eaglecreeksignThere were a couple of other parties at the trailhead as I nervously twitched about waiting for Dash (the running man) to finish lacing up his running shoes.   I smiled and nodded, and finally, we were off.  Adventure of the day begun!

1trail1This trail is incredibly popular with good reason … it is absolutely stunning.  It is a lovely and heavily wooded trail traveling along through moss encrusted trees and rocks.  This trail follows along Eagle creek,  for most of its length, often traveling hundreds of feet above the water all while passing by a ridiculously large number of spectacular waterfalls.   I have read that this trail used to be part of the official Pacific Crest Trail route.   The PCT has currently  been rerouted along the Benson Plateau; however, most thru-hikers (hikers who attempt to walk from Canada to Mexico in one year) still opt to follow the Eagle Creek Trail.

Punchbowl Falls

Punchbowl Falls

After we had run about a mile and a half, we were granted a small view of the 100-foot Metlako Falls, which is the tallest falls on Eagle Creek.  It seems as though there is a secret opening high in the cliff face from which Metlako magically emerges and then falls straight down the cliff face into an idyllic and tranquil pool at its base.   Another easy half mile brought us to Punchbowl Falls. I had backpacked here in the winter and spent a great deal of time with a camera and tripod trying to capture just a fraction of the natural beauty that is so prevalent along this trail.  We didn’t stop running to take photographs of the falls today; however, I have a good selection to share  from my previous trips.

I did briefly consider stopping to explore the falls, but I was concerned with timing, warmth, and my energy.  At this point, I am not even certain that I can make the full twelve miles.  We passed another spectacular series of tall water falls and encountered more sections of trail that offered as an extra benefit that little  adrenaline rush of a “near death experience”.    The trail beyond these falls  is rocky and can be slippery in places especially when wet (yes, it was wet). The trail has been blasted into the cliff face 120 feet up from the creek.   There is  cable-line  affixed in the rock to our left, providing some security, but the pucker factor here was still quite large.  The trail guide warns against bringing children and dogs, as a slip from the trail in the wrong place could and has in the past proven to be fatal.  Our pre-run strategy was to be aware and stay safe. Anywhere I felt a misplaced step might result in me plummeting over the edge to an untimely death, I vowed to walk, and not too surprisingly, we opted to walk through this short section.

1handrailThe temperature outside never really warmed to a comfortable zone, and I was kicking myself a bit for under dressing. My hands were uncomfortably cold for most of the route.   Today’s run is a twelve mile round trip that goes out and back and gains 1640 feet of elevation along the way.  I have taken to heart the advice given by the running man, and I conscientiously strive to keep my pace slower and steady on the uphill grades. The strategy pays off, as not once along this entire twelve mile trail run did I find myself hunched over with dry heaves. This is a good thing.  I was needlessly concerned about the uphill running. This run was ever so much easier than the steeper trail run from the week before.

Running ManAs I remembered, this trail does not disappoint. Brilliant green majesty surrounds us at every turn. Breathtaking drops along the way descending into crystalline waters.  I arrived at Tunnel Falls, the six mile mark and our turn around point,  with an incredible amount of energy.   This was ever so much easier than I had expected it to be!  We took several minutes posing for silly photos near the tunnel.   I was feeling a bit stupid for under-dressing, and as I was feeling uncomfortably cold at our high point, we did not linger.

Stream Crossing

Stream Crossing

Sheer Poetry in Motion!

Sheer Poetry in Motion!

Again, on the way down, we slowed to a walk at the “sketchier” sections of trail.  That didn’t stop me from demonstrating my sheer gracefulness as I stepped on a slimy rock and just like a slow motion scene in a movie,  I watched horrified, as the trail rose up to kiss me firmly on the lips.   Ouch.  Thankfully, this was in a fairly safe area, and there was no imminent danger of death.

As I continued to run down the trail, I was surprised at feeling just a bit emotional as the parking lot came back into view.  I had set a goal for myself, and I didn’t know if I could succeed or not.  But, as I have done so many times before, I suited up, and I showed up, and I gave it everything I had.  Truthfully, in light of where this journey began for me… three years ago, and hopelessly overweight, I could not have been happier if there was a big brass band playing and a crowd cheering for me as I rounded that last corner.   Of course, the Running Man told me that had he not been following me and keeping pace with me, he would have run up the trail faster than I did.  You know what?  Good for him.  I’m thankful that he was willing to plod along behind and support me in achieving a new athletic height. Today, I ran twelve miles along a rocky trail.  Just a short time ago, I never would have believed I could.   So, with renewed enthusiasm, I shout out to the world, “Bring it On”.   I’m ready for the challenge.  Who knows what I can accomplish tomorrow…

You’re Not Ready

Posted by Splashfit on September 5, 2013
Posted in: Running, Uncategorized. Tagged: exercise, Fitness, goals, health, jogging, race, running, trail running. 2 Comments

Going UpDestination In SightTen Mile Uber Hilly Trail Run Completed

I slowed at the top of a particularly steep climb, and the wooziness overtook me.  I stopped, bent at the waist and grabbed hold of my thighs just above the knee.  Wheezing loudly, I struggled to slow my heart rate and respiration from “oh my God, we’re all going to die cuz we’re being chased by a bear”, to,  “say, isn’t this is a lovely morning jog”.   The running man, surveying my physical malaise,  casually asked me about the date of the trail race that I was considering… I gasped at him…. October.   He shook his head and said, “you’re not ready.”

Earlier that day…

My alarm went off at 5am.   I was sleeping soundly and getting up was not at the top of my list of things I wanted to do.   But, get up I did.  I  pulled on my little spandex shorts and top, laced up my running shoes, and headed out in my car to the trailhead.  I must be completely insane, but this morning, I was actually looking forward to a ten mile trail run. This route is not unlike many other trail runs in that it heads up at a freakishly ridiculous grade right along the flanks of a mountain.  This run was an “out and back” course, five miles up to a lake and five miles back.  I am nervous as I contemplate this run, but I believe that I can do this.  It is not just the terrain that has me nervous, but this is the longest distance I have run in over ten years.  That being said, the most difficult part of this outing is the intimidation factor of heading out with the Running Man of Brewster.

running manWhen I speak of the running man, I am not referring to the incredibly awful 1980’s dance move nor the 1987 sci-fi movie, but rather that one guy in every town who everybody knows as “the running man” or “the runner”.

To say that I had butterflies before beginning this run, would be a drastic understatement.  Apparently, jogging was to be our only warm up activity. I had really wanted to just “walk” through the orchard as a prelude to starting the run, but encouraged by the running man, we began our “jog” right away.

The first phase of the route travels along a one mile uphill section of old road.  The running man was right beside me pacing me, and truthfully, it was quite intimidating.  I have no idea if I was going at a comfortable pace for me or not, I was just trying to keep up and not get dropped.   He was carrying my little pocket camera, with the idea of capturing a few photos of this athletic first for me.   As we were running along, he would suddenly leave my side and sprint up ahead.   I merely continued my steady chug up the grade, and once he had positioned himself in front of me, he would snap photos.  He is an excellent athlete and an incredible runner, but as a photographer, could use a bit of help.   As I struggled by him and noticed him snatching shaky shots of my head and shoulders, I huffed and puffed at him breathlessly,  “my feet, wheeze, gasp, choke,  running pictures need to have feet”.

Pacing on this type of terrain, is clearly something that I need to work on.  This route is the training hike that we do when conditioning for backpacking.  I have hiked it while carrying weight on my back numerous times.  This is the first time that I have tried to run this route, although, the running man can be found here several days per week.  Dry heaves aside, I was able to persevere and run this entire route. I am pleased with myself. This was the hardest run I have completed.   I had conversations with Phil (aka, the running man) about my running technique, and asked for suggestions.  He told me that the biggest change I could make would be to slow down on the steep uphill grades.  In light of the dry heaving, this really does make a lot of sense to me… Now, if I could just incorporate the theory into reality, then I would be going somewhere!   That seems to be the hardest thing for me.  I can know something intellectually, but the actual application into my exercise regime requires something more akin to a sledgehammer atop my ever so stubborn and rock hard head.  Sigh.

Prior to this run, I had already come to the conclusion that I was not going to attempt the 25K trail run this year.  When I began to ramp up the running mileage in my training program, it became clear to me that I should wait another year.  The Mt. Spokane run, at 15.5 miles heads up and over (not too surprisingly here), a mountain.  While I am enjoying pushing my athletic limits, I don’t want to injure myself, nor be a liability to the race officials. However,  I really do have my sight set on running a longer race this fall or winter.  Perhaps a simple and well supported half marathon will do the trick.  Today, when the Running Man told me that I wasn’t ready, if I had not been so completely absorbed with trying not to vomit, it probably would have made me mad.     I know I’m not ready to be competitive in that race.  Heck, I probably never would be competitive in that race against anybody besides myself.

But here’s the thing, if I wanted to enter that race in October, I could. Unlike the running man, I only need to finish the race to consider it a successful venture.   There are those dedicated and über athletic folks, the running man included, who really cannot conceive of why anybody would consider entering a race where they don’t have a chance of winning.    What they don’t get, and what I hang onto for dear life, is that just showing up for me, is winning.   Not giving up for me is winning.   Not giving in to the temptation to let one rest day turn into a week of rest days, for me is winning.

Today, I suited up, and I showed up.   Today, I am winning.

Old Man Shuffle

Posted by Splashfit on September 5, 2013
Posted in: Running, Uncategorized. Tagged: exercise, Fitness, health, jogging, racing, running, track. Leave a comment

harvestThe first few miles were a bit rocky.  Not literally rocky, but just a bit difficult for me.   My body was rebelling. For some reason, I just couldn’t find my groove.  As I rounded the corner at about mile number 2.3, leaving the busy highway for the steep incline of a side street, I felt it.   I hit my stride.  Easily bounding up the steep hill, I felt good.  The apple orchards on either side of the road are hives of activity.   It is harvest time.  As I gingerly dodge tractors hauling apple bins, school buses full of farm workers, and straddle trucks hogging the road, I feel almost as though I am floating.  Oh yeah, this is good.

I can feel the heat of the day beginning to radiate up from the pavement in waves.  Thankfully, there is a gentle breeze that when combined with the moisture of effort on my skin, provides a lovely cooling effect.

This is the second time I have run this route. As I am passing milestones along the way, I am happy to note that it seems easier this time.  Five miles done and feeling strong!  I climb and descend up and over another hill .   When I arrived back at the main highway, a simple crossing of the road would lead me back home and to the completion of the 7.5 mile route I had run a few days before.   I felt so good, that instead of heading home, I turned the opposite direction on the highway and added a hill climb and an additional two miles.  Other than some slight tingling and numbness in my backside, I felt really good.  My energy was good, my knees felt good, and my legs felt absolutely invincible.

At right about mile 8.5, unfortunately, I found myself slipping into an “old man shuffle“.   Really?   I had to speak sternly to myself to garner the necessary effort to actually pick up my feet and move at a decent pace throughout the last mile.  It has been over ten years since I have run this far. Truthfully, since I never thought that I would run again, this run, even with the old man shuffle, is no less than miraculous.

Partially due to my “bonkiness” during the last mile of my run and partially because I was bested during a race by others who were using this technique, I decided to look more deeply into the run/walk philosophy and see if there was an advantage to using a walk to recover during a race or is it faster to just struggle through the fatigue with a slow shuffle.  In  my previous post about the Warrior Race, I mentioned a young couple who had been leapfrogging with me for most of the race.  I was employing my “don’t walk at any cost” philosophy, and they were walking for periods and then running.   They beat me across the finish line.  Their time was only a few seconds better than mine, but they walked… and they beat me.  This has me really thinking about my strategy.  I decided to do some research. I am really curious. Which technique would actually get me the fastest race result?

Track

In my research, one name comes up repeatedly with regard to the run/walk strategy, and that is Jeff Galloway.  His basic idea is that during a longer race, it is difficult to hold your pace during the last half, due primarily to fatigue.   Walking at specified intervals prior to reaching that fatigued status, he claims, will enable you to hold your race pace and both finish the race and recover stronger and yes, even faster.   He further claims that personal records (PR) for marathoners are common once they begin to incorporate a run/walk strategy.   One website claims, “According to numerous surveys, you’ll also run faster–13 minutes faster in a marathon with walk breaks than in a continuously run event.”

I decided to put the theory to the test.  Will this technique work for shorter races as well as marathons? Two weeks ago, my morning fitness group ran a 5K for time.  There was no walking allowed, but we incorporated slower jogging intervals to recover.  This morning, my curiosity piqued, we headed to the track for a little experiment.   I set my gymboss timer for 5:00 and 1:00 minute intervals.   Then I set the overall timer to record our time for the 5K distance.   So we ran for 5 minutes and then we walked for 1 minute.

The results really surprised me.  We all posted faster times.  Our times for a 5 Kilometer run dropped by 1:16, 1:21,  00:23, AND WE WALKED!

As we jogged back to the gym, all wringing wet from our time at the track, we chatted about the experience.  I personally, did not find this to be easier effort-wise than jogging straight through.  Undoubtedly, this is because when I am employing my  “don’t walk at any cost” philosophy, my slower jogging pace allows for more recovery than the walking intervals.  But, and here’s the clincher,  and it is evident by our results today, when walking short intervals  to recover as opposed to doing the “old man shuffle”,  the overall running speed, and therefore our overall pace, is faster.

This was an interesting experiment.   I cannot say that I will completely give up the “old man shuffle” in my training, but in the future, I will undoubtedly look at those who walk during a race with an entirely new perspective, and a lot more respect.

Running Faster

Posted by Splashfit on August 30, 2013
Posted in: Active Play, Uncategorized, Workouts. Tagged: exercise, Fitness, half ironman, health, jogging, kayak, kayaking, running, swimming, triathlon. 3 Comments

triathlonThis morning, while enjoying my beloved  cuppa joe, I watched a video recap of the Ironman Canada race (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run) that was held this past weekend.  A couple of my friends participated in this pinnacle of triathlon greatness, and I have to admit to getting pretty choked up while watching the inspirational highlights.  Ten years ago, before the health issues, before the weight gain, before the bad knee diagnosis, I competed in triathlons.   At that time, it was a someday goal for me to complete an Ironman event. I was not really surprised by  the emotional pull I felt while watching my friends going through this process.

We spent the last six months at the gym with our training focused on the warrior race. Goal achieved, it is time to reassess and set new ones. I have been wracking my brain trying to come up with something that will inspire me to new athletic heights.   My ladies have decided that they would like to improve their 5K race time.   It is a reasonable goal.  It is measurable and attainable.  I think this is a great thing to strive toward. I have to say that in the gym, the ladies have been absolutely killing it! I even caught one of them doing extra pushups during a rest break. Seriously, they’re on fire!

Still searching for a new goal for myself, and inspired by my friends’ Ironman finishes, I got online and did a little searching. While it would certainly be a grand goal for me to go from zero to Ironman in one fell swoop,  it appears that  with age, I have been gifted with the unexpected voice of reason. I think a half Ironman is a fine goal to work towards. In May of 2014, there is a race.   This race is a half-Ironman triathlon which consists of a 1.2 mile open water swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and a 13.1 mile run.   I competed in this very race 10 years ago.

When I was living in my dark days, I never imagined that I would be able to once again contemplate something so immense.   Looking to the future, I would love to compete in this event.   You might think that for a former fatty with bad knees, that just competing would be enough, but I want more.  I not only want to complete this event, but I want to beat my time from ten years ago.  The biggest challenge in contemplating this event will be training for the swim.  Winters here in North Central Washington State are cold, and the options for indoor swimming during the winter are severely limited, as in there is NO indoor public swimming pool locally.  I am making inquiries, “anybody have an indoor pool where I can swim laps all winter?”  There may be some options available.  In any case, I don’t have to commit until January when sign-up for the event officially opens.   It doesn’t hurt a girl to dream, and while I’m at it, I may as well dream big.

With renewed commitments to fitness, we have paid our gym fees and signed on for another course of action.  During this new training session, my focus will be on improving our 5K race time, and getting ready for ski season.

Splashfit Tuesday
10 minute elliptical
TrackJog 1/2 mile
Run 5K at the track as follows:
1 mile easy jog
1 mile race pace
1 lap easy
1 lap race pace
1 lap easy
1 lap race
1/2 lap easy
1/2 lap all out freaking sprint
100 1 1/4 squats
jog 1/2 mile back to gym
100 Leg Press x 150
100 Stiff Leg Deadlift x 30
100 Ass burners (each leg)
and done.
Kayak on the Okanogan

Kayak on the Okanogan

Tuesday morning’s workout was all about the legs. Lest my upper body get jealous and feel neglected, in the afternoon , we hopped into the kayak for a 10 mile paddle.  We paddled five miles up river against the current and five back down river.  I can scarcely believe that this is only my second year kayaking.  I have come to really look forward to the active outdoor meditation.   There is a special kind of peace and serenity of the river,  and with the muscle fatigue that comes from  thousands of paddle strokes, this is the perfect activity to help me escape from the worries of the day.

finsWith the possibility of a triathlon on the horizon, I am really eager to begin ramping up my run distance.  As I retired for the evening on Tuesday, I had visions of a long run and a new route dancing through my head.  Unfortunately, I am constantly plagued with insomnia. After a rough night, when I was able to sleep in on Wednesday morning, I just went with it.   I had been looking forward to a run which included a very long and hellaciously steep hill, but I decided to just get a bit more shut eye instead.  The road will still be there later.  It is not going anywhere anytime soon.   Once I got up and greeted my day, a bit more sleep under my belt, I felt great! I got a bit of a late start, but I decided to head out for my run irregardless of the warming temperature outside.   Once home, I realized that I had clocked a 7.5 mile run with significant hills, and other than dripping water like a faucet turned on high, I felt really good.   With dreams of a multi sport event in my little head, in the afternoon, we headed for a local lake and a swim session. As I could always use work on my flutter kick, I opted to don my training fins.   Kickboard in hand, I set out across the lake.  Today, I used my longer fins. These fins slow down my kick speed quite a bit, but this is by design. Longer fins are used to focus on form, the slower kick speed lets me really focus on keeping my legs straight, kicking from the hips, and having a nice fluid motion.    After being overheated on my run, the two miles I logged in the water saw my legs and feet cramping just a bit.   Lucy….. we got some work to do!!!!

Splashfit Thursday
Warm up Elliptical 4 minute ladder
Fitness BandSuperset x 5
10 Burpee Pushups
10 Cossack Bench Dips
10 Fitband Squat Rows
Sprint 100 yards, run stairs
Jog 100 yards, run stairs
Fit band partner resistance run x 100 yards
Jog back to gym
Superset x 3
Jumping pullups  21, 15, 9
Dumbell Thrusters 21, 15, 9
Superset x 3
Rear Deltoid Flye x 10
Alternating Dumbell Bicep Curl x 10
200 Meter Row
Reverse crunches x 30
and done

TroikaIn 2007, I had arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a plica.   While scoping my knee, the orthopedic surgeon discovered an impressive lack of cartilage.  He performed microfracture surgery, which basically took a little awl and dug a bunch of grooves in the bone surfaces.  The purpose of this was to generate scar tissue that would mimic cartilage.  In addition, I had a series of shots of Synvisc or hyaluronan.  I had one shot per week for 4 weeks.   Apparently these shots have been shown to help reduce arthritis symptoms and delay the need for knee replacement surgery.  However, I was told that the knee replacement was looming on my horizon.

So, here I am, six years later, relatively pain free, and I have to admit to having some fear regarding setting a goal that involves running.  It is easy for me to say that, “well, I’ll just keep using my knees until they fail.”  As I sit here, ramping up my daily running mileage, I worry that perhaps I am doing further damage,  Will I regret the choices I am making now?  It is a real concern for me.

That being said, I have gained back so much range of motion and pain free use of my joints through strength training.  It is my belief that by strengthening the muscles that surround the impacted joints, I am minimizing the impact on the joint itself.  I have to tell you, the proof is in the pudding.   I never thought that I would be able to ski again, and yet, last ski season, I logged 71 days on the long boards!

I have seen so many people receive a diagnosis of severe arthritis and just give up.   I’m not trying to say that joint damage is not real.  I’m just trying to say that for me, until I am no longer able, I will fight.  I will fight by facing my fear.  I will fight by running,  skiing, cycling, and swimming.  I will not give in and seek the solace of the couch.   So, yes, I have fear.  While my fears might be based in reality, they are NOT reality.  They are phantoms….  visions of what might be.  Today, I will meet them head on, and it is my hope that perhaps my fears will be just a little bit afraid of me…

“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”   Edward Vernon Rickenbacker

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