Saturday, November 29, 2008

Best SAG Stop Ever

We're in Las Vegas for the weekend which wraps up a few weeks of travel for us. Today we met up with some other TNT alumni and decided to go for an 8 mile walk. Instead we went 11 miles, but we did have a great SAG stop with big, tasty Margaritas.

Yum.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Just Blame The Dog

There are about 6 posts that I need to write - about mentoring for TNT's Peak Performance team (which is awesome), about the trip to Tucson, and about a bunch of other stuff.

For now, I'll tell you about my new workout mat. On Monday night the TNT training session is an hour of core work. Remember when old skool aerobic classes would finish with 5 minutes of torture abs? It's like that, only much more intense and it goes for a solid hour.

To soften the workout, I treated myself to a new extra cushy workout mat. My old mat is a thin yoga mat and it doesn't really soften much. Today was my first workout on my super-cushioned mat and at first all was good. Then, depending on the exercise, when I moved around the mat made a sort of flatulent sound. Lift, poot, lift, poot. It's tough enough to do the abdominal workout without laughing at faux-farts.

I'm not sure how I'm going to explain this problem when I return it to the store tomorrow.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

On The Road Again

We're driving to Tucson for Steve's bike race. Well, Steve's driving; I don't text and drive. A drive East on Interstate 8 only means one thing to me: Sonic Drive-In. I've missed you my beloved Diet Cherry Limeade made with Real Limes and Diet Cherry Syrup and Extra Cherries.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Dear Southern California Cyclists;

Hey cyclists, did you hear that there's a new metric century ride on December 6?

The ride is the Milestone Challenge and benefits San Diego endurance athlete Skip Gleavey. This summer, Skip was in cycling accident which has left him paralyzed below the waist. Proceeds from the Milestone Challenge will go to help cover his health care costs during his rehabilitation.

Skip has completed marathons, century rides and triathlons. He did those events while recovering from heart surgery and Stage 4 Lymphoma. Now he needs to conquer another challenge - life after a devastating accident.

The ride will be a typically beautiful Southern California course starting in Solana Beach and going up the Pacific coast.

Cyclists and San Diegans. It's time to do a race for one of our own.

Ride
Donate
Volunteer

Canceled

Canceled due to air quality conditions created by the wildfires. Let me share with you this nugget of the wisdom from Bull Durham.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains a wildfire sweeps through and the race gets canceled. Think about that for a while.
- Ebby Calvin LaLoosh

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Stay Safe

Steve and I got to Pasadena after a pretty stressful, traffic-filled drive. I spent about a hour on the road wondering where all these people were going on a Saturday afternoon. Then I looked at the sunset and thought - hey that's smoke. Damn. Wildfires.

We made it in the nick of time to pick up my race number. Most of the fitness expo was already closed. When I picked up my number they said to check the website at 4 am. They may need to cancel the race due to poor air quality.

It would be sad to cancel the race, but it might be for the best. No one wants to have a race that's dangerous to the participants or spectators. Between the heat and the air quality, perhaps another day will be safer. When it comes right down to it - a race is relatively unimportant in comparison to the big events in life like the damage the fires can do.

Hopefully, the fires will be quickly extinguished with minimal damage and injury.




URGENT EVENT UPDATE!

We are in consultation with air-quality experts, as well as health and fire officials, to determine if last-minute adjustments to our event must be made as a result of fires burning locally. If the event must be cancelled due to poor air quality, this determination will be made at 4:00 a.m., and all persons who are signed up for our newsletter will receive a notification to this effect. We thank you for your support and patience.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Groundhog Day Race

It never changes. My race is Sunday. What makes me miserable in a race? Heat. Exactly how many races do I need to do in sweltering temperatures?

Let's read this warning from today's final pre-race newsletter email.



Pasadena Marathon
Final Pre-event Newsletter
RACE DAY TEMPERATURE ADVISORY

Unseasonably high temperatures expected for this weekend can present some Race Day dangers which we are taking very seriously, and we implore our participants to do so as well.


The forecast is for 90°F weather. In case you've missed tearing a few pages from the old calendar - it's November. The average high in Pasadena is 74°F; the record high: 90°F (1949). Yep, I'll be doing a half marathon in heat that Pasadena hasn't seen in November in 60 years.

One day I'm just going to get it over with and do a race on the surface of the sun.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Peak Performance Training Log

A brand new training log. This one is for the next 12 weeks which is my first season as a TNT mentor.






























































































































































February 1 - February 7
Not my most consistent week, but a good transition week between sessions.

DayGoalActualNotes
SundaySurf City Half Marathon






Surf City Half Marathon

Good race, boring course








Monday
Rest


-






-


TuesdayLift










-










Ankle swollen.




WednesdayRun
-



Ankle still swollen. Rx Rest.



ThursdayLift

30 minutes conditioning







-
FridayRest




30 minutes conditioning






-
SaturdayRun 5 Miles






-
-
-
January 25 - January 31
I was sick and I had a sprained ankle

DayGoalActualNotes
SundayCarlsbad Half Marathon






-
Sprained my ankle






Monday
Power Hour
Rest








-






TuesdayRest








-












-


WednesdayPower Hour
Sick









-
ThursdayPower Hour








Sick










-
FridayPower Hour
Sick






-
SaturdayRest






-
-
-
January 18 - January 24
-
DayGoalActualNotes
SundayRNR Phoenix






-
-




Monday
Power Hour /TNT Core
-






-


TuesdayPower Hour /3 Miles








-






-


WednesdayPower Hour /Strength, Flexibility and Balance Class
-



-
ThursdayPower Hour /5 Miles








-






-
FridayPower Hour
-


-
SaturdayVelocity




-
-
-
January 11 - January 17
-
DayGoalActualNotes
SundayRest




-
-




Monday
Power Hour /TNT Core
-






-


TuesdayPower Hour /3 Miles








-






-


WednesdayPower Hour /Strength, Flexibility and Balance Class
-



-
ThursdayPower Hour /5 Miles








-






-
FridayPower Hour
-


-
SaturdayVelocity




-
-
-
January 4 - January 10
-
DayGoalActualNotes
SundayRest




-
-




Monday
Power Hour /TNT Core
-






-


TuesdayPower Hour /3 Miles








-






-


WednesdayPower Hour /Strength, Flexibility and Balance Class
-



-
ThursdayPower Hour /5 Miles








-






-
FridayPower Hour
-


-
SaturdayVelocity




-
-
-
-
December 28 - January 3
-
DayGoalActualNotes
SundayVacation




-
-




MondayVacation




-






-


TuesdayVacation










-






-


WednesdayRest


-



-
ThursdayRest










-






-
Friday5 Miles

-


-
SaturdayVelocity




-
-
-
-
December 21 - December 27
-
DayGoalActualNotes
SundayRest




-
-




MondayRest


-






-


TuesdayRest














-






-


WednesdayRest -



-
ThursdayRest










-






-
FridayRest-


-
SaturdayVelocity




-
-
-
-
-
December 14 - December 20
-
DayGoalActualNotes
SundayWhite Rock Half Marathon


-
Plantar Fasciae are mean


MondayTNT Core
Core




-


Tuesday3.3 Miles








-






-


WednesdayStrength, Flexibility and Balance Class
SFB Class

-
Thursday5 Miles








-






-
FridayRest-


-
SaturdayVelocity




Velocity


-
-
December 7 - December 13
-
DayGoalActualNotes
SundayRest
-
-
MondayTNT Core
Core




-


TuesdayRese




-






-.


WednesdayStrength, Flexibility and Balance Class
SFB Class

-
ThursdayRest




-






-
FridayRest-


-
SaturdayRest


-
-
-
-
November 30 - December 6
-
DayGoalActualNotes
SundayRest
-
-
MondayTNT Core
Core




Wow, my abs are crying. That inchworm thing is a killer


Tuesday3 Miles


3.2 Miles




Laurel St. I cranked it.


WednesdayStrength, Flexibility and Balance Class
SFB Class

-
Thursday5 Miles Intervals


5.3 Miles




-
FridayRest-


-
SaturdayVelocity
Velocity




-
-
-
November 23 - November 29
Not bad - especially considering we spent the weekend in Las Vegas.
DayGoalActualNotes
SundayRest
-
-
MondayTNT Core
TNT Core
Oh, ouch
TuesdayRest




-


-
WednesdayStrength, Flexibility and Balance Class
Strength, Flexibility and Balance Class
Who knows 27 kinds of squats? I do.






ThursdayRest


Rest
-
FridayRestRest


-
Saturday6 Miles


11 Miles


Good. Jay is fast, but I tried to keep his pace.


-
-
November 16 - November 22
Canceled race. Lucky for me, because my feet were in bad shape.
DayGoalActualNotes
SundayPasadena Half


-
Canceled. Darn.


MondayTNT Core
TNT Core
-
TuesdayRest
-


-
WednesdayStrength, Flexibility and Balance Class
Strength, Flexibility and Balance Class
-
ThursdayRest


-


-
FridayRest-


-
SaturdayVelocity
Velocity


-
-
-
November 9 - November 15
Resting up for the Pasadena Half Marathon while starting TNT.
DayGoalActualNotes
SundayRest
-
-
MondayPool, TNT Core
Pool, TNT Core
Wow, that was a burner of a workout
TuesdayBallet Barre
Ballet Barre
-
WednesdayStrength, Flexibility and Balance Class
Strength, Flexibility and Balance Class
Strength, Flexibility and PULL UPS
ThursdaySwim
Rest
-
FridayRestCore Class
-
SaturdayVelocity
Velocity-
-

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Updates

After a day of tests the pet emergency room vets were completely confounded by what was wrong with Toby. I took him home and he stumped us all by getting better on his own.

My bout with the croup is almost complete. Other than a lingering cough, I'm good. It's still a bummer since that cough/cold kept me pretty well out of cardio activities and I'm really worried about the half marathon this weekend. Ah, well. I guess I'll suffer on through it.

I did my first TNT Peak Performance Team workout last night. One hour - all core - all the time. That's a full hour of abdominals with only quick breaks for back. Yikes. My abadabas were screaming for mercy.

Friday, November 07, 2008

More Family Fun

I'm mostly better and now my beloved cat Toby is sick. I'm here the pet ER waiting for the blood work and x-rays.

The pet emergency room is one of the saddest, loneliest places.

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Sick

I'm sick wth a hacking cough that feels like I'm tearing away one smoldering hunk of lung at a time. This sucks.

As Chris Rock says, more tussin!