Couldn't find my Garmin for this morning's run, so ran "old school" with my watch. When I got home, I looked everywhere and still couldn't find it. Finally I asked Gavin if he'd seen my "running watch", and he was like "oh yeah, Dylan had that. I know where it is." He proceeded to take me to Dylan's "hidden hoard" where the little rascal (Dylan) has been collecting and hiding away "interesting items". And there was my Garmin, along with several other things I've been looking for!!!
Tomorrow's going to be an early start for us as we're escaping the Texas heat and flying to the mountains. My company is holding a retreat at a beautiful ranch in the Sangre de Cristo mountains in Westcliffe, Colorado. 5 days of hiking, swimming, climbing, riding, eating and drinking.
I would say relaxing, but we have two of the most active boys known to man, so there probably won't be much of that. Should be a ton of fun though!!!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Punked
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| Yeah, it's anarchy man!!! |
Usually when I have a run like that, I respond with beatings beatings beatings. Which is why I'm about to do an hour of Bob Harper "Inside Out" hell - it's probably about time I put the cross training regime back in place anyway. Fortunately the beatings will be limited as we're heading to Colorado later this week. Do you think I'm looking forward to running in low humidity in the mountains? You bet I am!!!
Here are some pictures from the rest of the weekend.
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| The boys cooling off |
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| Curioser |
 | |
| and curioser |
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| Chef Gavin |
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| Dylan - where did he learn to drive? |
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Cajun Thai
It's my last night in Baton Rouge, and I finally found a great restaurant - only wish I could have stumbled across it earlier. The problem with traveling is that your eating choices are not always the greatest (as evidenced by my fast developing spare tire), but tonight I was determined to do better, and I found a really quirky little Thai restaurant close to LSU. It was called Rama and seems to be a bit of a local secret. It didn't even look like a restaurant from the outside, and inside it was more like a basement club. But it had a great vibe and served up some delicious Thai food. I was torn between the green curry and the pad Thai, but the noodles won the day. And they sure were good.
In my attempt to halt the progress of said spare tire, I did another 2 miles on the treadmill tonight at a 5:50 pace. It's very misleading - I start off feeling relaxed and thinking it's not so bad. But the further I go the harder it gets - I feel my legs, back and shoulders tightening up with the effort to keep going, and soon the sweat starts flying off my forehead and hitting the control panel while I try to disappear to my happy place.
I nearly fell off the thing at the end - I suspect I will be sore tomorrow.
So I'm sitting here now in my hotel room watching "America: the History of Us" on my laptop. I love history, and this is a really good documentary from the history channel that's so well done. I'm currently on the episode with the roughnecks "walking the steel".
It's quite riveting.
In my attempt to halt the progress of said spare tire, I did another 2 miles on the treadmill tonight at a 5:50 pace. It's very misleading - I start off feeling relaxed and thinking it's not so bad. But the further I go the harder it gets - I feel my legs, back and shoulders tightening up with the effort to keep going, and soon the sweat starts flying off my forehead and hitting the control panel while I try to disappear to my happy place.
I nearly fell off the thing at the end - I suspect I will be sore tomorrow.
So I'm sitting here now in my hotel room watching "America: the History of Us" on my laptop. I love history, and this is a really good documentary from the history channel that's so well done. I'm currently on the episode with the roughnecks "walking the steel".
It's quite riveting.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Intuition my dear Watson
Had an interesting conversation with Clea during our 16 miler on Sunday, based around a book she recently lent me - Matt Fitzgerald's "Run: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel
". He does waffle and ramble quite a bit (just spit it out man), but his main point resonates with me. He argues that running basically boils down to physical and mental confidence - the mental influenced by training experiences, and the physical by physiological feedback from the body to the unconscious brain (a la Noakes' central governor principle). In other words, mental confidence is what the mind thinks the body can do, whereas physical confidence is what the body knows it can do.
(Speaking of Noakes
, I am still ploughing through his lengthy tome, but unless I want shoulders like Atlas it does not go well into my carry-on luggage).
Of course, these two concepts are highly correlated, and physical is a prime source of mental confidence, but his other point is that the entire aim of training is to feed both levels of confidence to go out and run the race you want. So that in turn leads on to the idea of intuition-based training - the concept that through experience, most of our knowledge of what works and what doesn't is stored on a subconscious level that we access through our intuition.
And while I am not quite ready to tear up my training plans and run free into the hills on a wild tear, I do think a bit of flexibility and personalization is needed in any set plan ("cheating" as some might say).
I am making my way through the book (devoured large chunks of it during my "airport day from hell" on Sunday), and I'm hoping to garner a lot more insight and food-for-thought from it.
Anyway, our conversation centered on the different ways people approach and run races. Clea is very methodical and consistent. She will have a plan, hit split times almost to the second and nail those negative splits. If it's a good day, she'll speed up in latter stages of a race. It is a very disciplined approach that works really well for her.
I on the other hand am not wired that way. I don't have the same discipline, nor the same consistency. Maybe I'm a bit of a dreamer, or just plain stupid, but I often stand at the start line of my goal races thinking "what if". What if this is my day, what if this is the day that it all comes together for me. How would I feel if I took it easy at the start and finished the race wondering what I could have done if I'd really gone for it.
I can tell you - I would kick myself. But that's what motivates me.
Yes, there have been occasions (and plenty of them) when I've crashed and burned, but I will happily take all of them in return for the feeling you get when you really go for it and it all works out. You cross that finishing line and it feels bloody fantastic, like you're floating on air!!!
Which just illustrates that different approaches work for different people, and conversely what works for one may not work for another. We all come from different places, with different life lessons, experiences, hopes, desires and motivations. And as it is in races, so it is with training - different plans work for different people, and there is no one-method-fits-all approach. You just need to find what works for you, and have the courage to change it when need be.
And the book makes some interesting points about the role of the subconscious. When I got my huge PR at White Rock, I ran the first 5 miles much faster than I had planned, but afterwards I realized that on a subconscious level I had been preparing for, and anticipating running at that speed for weeks. At mile 5 I guess I just let myself in on the secret. That was one of two key moments during the race. The other was around mile 12 when I saw someone holding a sign that convinced me I was going to run a Boston qualifying time (somewhat embarrassingly, Clea informed me Sunday it was a quote from Star Wars - apparently I'd been "Yoda"ed). For the rest of the race, I had no doubt whatsoever that I would nail it, and it really focused me on that one goal. But would the result have been the same if I hadn't had that moment? I will never know, but I suspect not. I don't doubt I would still have run a good race, but I don't think I would have gotten anywhere near the time I did.
And I've always wondered how I was able to predict my finishing times in both 100 milers I've completed to within 5 minutes. Just coincidence, or the subconscious mind playing its old tricks again?
Interesting things to ponder (and I do so love to ponder).
So putting it all to work. Well I got back to my hotel this evening, and my intuition was telling me that I had a need for speed. So I hit the treadmill. Hard. Only ran two miles, but I ran them in 11:41 (5:50 pace).
Fueled no doubt by the fact that I can't stand the treadmill. Still, gotta be happy with that - never gone sub-6 on a run of more than a mile before (especially since I struggle so much with my long runs in this hot and muggy weather - not that I'm going to become a fan of the treadmill any time soon).
Heading out for some good ol' Louisiana cajun cooking to celebrate.
". He does waffle and ramble quite a bit (just spit it out man), but his main point resonates with me. He argues that running basically boils down to physical and mental confidence - the mental influenced by training experiences, and the physical by physiological feedback from the body to the unconscious brain (a la Noakes' central governor principle). In other words, mental confidence is what the mind thinks the body can do, whereas physical confidence is what the body knows it can do.(Speaking of Noakes
, I am still ploughing through his lengthy tome, but unless I want shoulders like Atlas it does not go well into my carry-on luggage).Of course, these two concepts are highly correlated, and physical is a prime source of mental confidence, but his other point is that the entire aim of training is to feed both levels of confidence to go out and run the race you want. So that in turn leads on to the idea of intuition-based training - the concept that through experience, most of our knowledge of what works and what doesn't is stored on a subconscious level that we access through our intuition.
And while I am not quite ready to tear up my training plans and run free into the hills on a wild tear, I do think a bit of flexibility and personalization is needed in any set plan ("cheating" as some might say).
I am making my way through the book (devoured large chunks of it during my "airport day from hell" on Sunday), and I'm hoping to garner a lot more insight and food-for-thought from it.
Anyway, our conversation centered on the different ways people approach and run races. Clea is very methodical and consistent. She will have a plan, hit split times almost to the second and nail those negative splits. If it's a good day, she'll speed up in latter stages of a race. It is a very disciplined approach that works really well for her.
I on the other hand am not wired that way. I don't have the same discipline, nor the same consistency. Maybe I'm a bit of a dreamer, or just plain stupid, but I often stand at the start line of my goal races thinking "what if". What if this is my day, what if this is the day that it all comes together for me. How would I feel if I took it easy at the start and finished the race wondering what I could have done if I'd really gone for it.
I can tell you - I would kick myself. But that's what motivates me.
Yes, there have been occasions (and plenty of them) when I've crashed and burned, but I will happily take all of them in return for the feeling you get when you really go for it and it all works out. You cross that finishing line and it feels bloody fantastic, like you're floating on air!!!
Which just illustrates that different approaches work for different people, and conversely what works for one may not work for another. We all come from different places, with different life lessons, experiences, hopes, desires and motivations. And as it is in races, so it is with training - different plans work for different people, and there is no one-method-fits-all approach. You just need to find what works for you, and have the courage to change it when need be.
And the book makes some interesting points about the role of the subconscious. When I got my huge PR at White Rock, I ran the first 5 miles much faster than I had planned, but afterwards I realized that on a subconscious level I had been preparing for, and anticipating running at that speed for weeks. At mile 5 I guess I just let myself in on the secret. That was one of two key moments during the race. The other was around mile 12 when I saw someone holding a sign that convinced me I was going to run a Boston qualifying time (somewhat embarrassingly, Clea informed me Sunday it was a quote from Star Wars - apparently I'd been "Yoda"ed). For the rest of the race, I had no doubt whatsoever that I would nail it, and it really focused me on that one goal. But would the result have been the same if I hadn't had that moment? I will never know, but I suspect not. I don't doubt I would still have run a good race, but I don't think I would have gotten anywhere near the time I did.
And I've always wondered how I was able to predict my finishing times in both 100 milers I've completed to within 5 minutes. Just coincidence, or the subconscious mind playing its old tricks again?
Interesting things to ponder (and I do so love to ponder).
So putting it all to work. Well I got back to my hotel this evening, and my intuition was telling me that I had a need for speed. So I hit the treadmill. Hard. Only ran two miles, but I ran them in 11:41 (5:50 pace).
Fueled no doubt by the fact that I can't stand the treadmill. Still, gotta be happy with that - never gone sub-6 on a run of more than a mile before (especially since I struggle so much with my long runs in this hot and muggy weather - not that I'm going to become a fan of the treadmill any time soon).
Heading out for some good ol' Louisiana cajun cooking to celebrate.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Austin at Twilight
A friend found this cool video on YouTube a few weeks ago - it's shot from Town Lake here in Austin, Texas - scene of many an early Saturday morning run. I love this city, and the music goes so perfectly with the timelapse photography (Bob Schneider is a local musician, and the song is "Madeline" from his "Lonelyland" album).
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Weight a Minute
Saturday 9th July: 15 miles in 2:10:25 (8:41 pace)
A much better run this Saturday - I ate a banana beforehand, alternated water and gatorade in my handhelds, and was all round a good boy. The run felt a lot easier, and I had plenty left in the tank, despite the temps being in the 80s at 5:30am. Just as well because the mileage goes up to 16 next weekend!!!
Weighed myself after the run for the first time in forever, and found I was 155lbs. And that's after a 15 mile hot and humid run where I could have expected to lose a few pounds. When I ran White Rock back in December, I was lean and mean at 145. Surely it can't be all the yummy brisket I smoked the other week? Or the equally yummy carrot cake I polished off for my birthday? Or the ice cream I've been enjoying before bed most nights? No, I blame all the hot hotel breakfasts and restaurant dinners from all the traveling I've been doing recently - those egg and cheese omelettes with sausage gravy are pure evil.
But delicious.
Hee hee, whatever it is I intend to be back down to 145 in time to Rock and Roll in San Antonio come November. But I also enjoy eating, so I guess I may just have to add in some cross training to make up for it. It was due to be added back into the schedule anyway - aerobic weights, core training and the bike trainer all made a huge difference to my running last year.
So after we put the boys to bed tonight I hopped back on the bike and did a quick 30 minutes of high cadence pedaling while watching all the spectacular crashes from today's Tour de France.
It's been a busy weekend with very little sleep last night, so I'm off to bed to dream of cheese omelettes with sausage gravy!!!
A much better run this Saturday - I ate a banana beforehand, alternated water and gatorade in my handhelds, and was all round a good boy. The run felt a lot easier, and I had plenty left in the tank, despite the temps being in the 80s at 5:30am. Just as well because the mileage goes up to 16 next weekend!!!
Weighed myself after the run for the first time in forever, and found I was 155lbs. And that's after a 15 mile hot and humid run where I could have expected to lose a few pounds. When I ran White Rock back in December, I was lean and mean at 145. Surely it can't be all the yummy brisket I smoked the other week? Or the equally yummy carrot cake I polished off for my birthday? Or the ice cream I've been enjoying before bed most nights? No, I blame all the hot hotel breakfasts and restaurant dinners from all the traveling I've been doing recently - those egg and cheese omelettes with sausage gravy are pure evil.
But delicious.
Hee hee, whatever it is I intend to be back down to 145 in time to Rock and Roll in San Antonio come November. But I also enjoy eating, so I guess I may just have to add in some cross training to make up for it. It was due to be added back into the schedule anyway - aerobic weights, core training and the bike trainer all made a huge difference to my running last year.
So after we put the boys to bed tonight I hopped back on the bike and did a quick 30 minutes of high cadence pedaling while watching all the spectacular crashes from today's Tour de France.
It's been a busy weekend with very little sleep last night, so I'm off to bed to dream of cheese omelettes with sausage gravy!!!
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