...the 4th running of the Flying Monkey Marathon. This marathon is very unique in several ways. To read more about it and see pictures of the breathtaking course, click here. I definitely need to run this marathon one day - one of the things that made me decide to move to Nashville in the first place was running through Percy Warner Park.
Anyway, 3 clients of mine did this race today: Bob, Stephanie, and Judith. This was Bob's 75th marathon. He has completed a marathon in all 50 states plus DC, and obviously has done a little more. About a month ago he was having some pretty bad foot pain, but luckily he took care of it and was able to get across the finish line today with a smile on his face. Stephanie finished 3-4 minutes ahead of Bob with a great time - not too far off of her time at last year's St. Jude Marathon in Memphis. (That marathon is much flatter, by the way, so this shows how much she has improved as a runner.) I heard her tell a family member, "Don't ever do this!" after she was done, but I heard similar things come out of her mouth when running the last 4 miles with her last year in Memphis, so I'll just take it with a grain of salt.
5 minutes ahead of Stephanie was Judith. Judith did this race in its first year, then skipped a year to have a baby. Last year she started the race but had to drop out around mile 16-18 due to insufficient training. (I was not her coach back then!) This year she trained very well and it paid off - not only did she better her time from 2006, she ran her fastest marathon ever. A marathon PR on a super-hilly course!!! I jumped in with her at mile 18 and ran to to the finish, so I can tell you firsthand that she was AMAZING - no walking, no whining, just chatty and positive all the way to the end!!! Next up for Judith is the Huntsville Marathon on Dec 12th.
Awesome job today, girls (and Bob)! Enjoy the rest of your day!!!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday Move of the Week: Interval Training!
Thanksgiving is right around the corner - next Thursday, to be exact. Sure doesn't feel like it around Nashville with these 70+ degree days! But whether we're wearing tank tops and shorts or sweaters and jeans, the holiday season is fast approaching. With the family get-togethers, shopping and partying that we find ourselves "having" to do, a regular exercise routine can fall by the wayside. Rather than throwing exercise plans totally out the window, you can still reap great benefits in less time by doing some interval training.
Interval training is exactly what it sounds like: mixing in bouts of higher intensity cardio exercise with lower intensity "active recovery" periods at regularly scheduled intervals. It is basically a form of speedwork and burns a TON of calories - more, some studies say, than if you went out and jogged at your regular pace for an hour. You can get a killer workout in and still make it to your holiday party on time! You don't need any equipment for this type of workout except a watch. If you'd like to do this outside then great, or if you'd like to go to your local gym and hop on your favorite piece of cardio equipment that's great too. (Another requirement for this is a decent exercise base. If you're a complete beginner, not having exercised in quite some time, then I suggest you stick with some lower-intensity cardio for a while and build up a base before you tackle the intervals.)
When I put my clients through cardio intervals, I use an intensity scale of 1-10. A 1 is lying on the couch and watching TV - basically doing nothing. A 5 is walking a happy, active dog. An 8 is high intensity but not quite all-out -- more like if you had tickets to a Broadway play and you were on the verge of being late so you're hurrying through the theater lobby as fast as you can to find your seat before the curtain goes up. A 10 is an all-out sprint, something that you can't do for more than 15 seconds. (Those descriptions may sound a bit goofy, but I bet you can relate to them more so than if I told you to work at 70% of your maximum effort!)
So, keeping those intensity levels in mind, here's an example of an interval training workout I'd put a client of mine through:
Warm up with light cardio for 10 minutes - level 4-5
Increase the intensity a little more for 5 minutes - level 5-6
30 seconds at level 9
90 seconds at 5-6
repeat 4 more times for a total of 5
3 minutes at level 5-6
2 minutes at level 4
Total time: 30 minutes
Here's another example that's a little more advanced (only because the work intervals get longer):
Warm up with light cardio for 5 minutes - level 5
1:00 at 8
2:00 at 5-6
1:30 at 8
1:30 at 5-6
2:00 at 8
1:00 at 5-6
3:00 at 8
3:00 at 5-6
2:00 at 8
1:00 at 5-6
1:30 at 8
1:30 at 5-6
1:00 at 8
2:00 at 5-6
Cool down with 1-6 minutes at level 4-5
Total time: 30-35 minutes
And a final one, one of my faves - The Pyramid of Pain! The active recovery period stays the same, but the work interval increases up the pyramid before heading back down the other side. This one requires a little more attention to your watch. You may want to use your lap button function, or maybe write down the times you need to change your intensity at on a piece of paper:
Warm up for 15 minutes at level 5
:30 at 8 (start this at minute 15:00)
:30 at 5 (15:30)
1:00 at 8 (16:00)
:30 at 5 (17:00)
1:30 at 8 (17:30)
:30 at 5 (19:00)
2:00 at 8 (19:30)
:30 at 5 (21:30)
1:30 at 9 (22:00)
:30 at 5 (23:30)
1:00 at 9-10 (24:00)
:30 at 5 (25:00)
:30 as hard as you can go!!! (25:30)
4 minutes cool down at level 4-5 (26:00)
Total time: 30 minutes
Over the next several weeks, I will continue to discuss time-saving, calorie-burning moves in my Monday's Move of the Week to keep you motivated through the holidays. Come January 1st, I don't want anyone's New Year's Resolution List to include one for losing the 10 pounds gained in December!!!
Interval training is exactly what it sounds like: mixing in bouts of higher intensity cardio exercise with lower intensity "active recovery" periods at regularly scheduled intervals. It is basically a form of speedwork and burns a TON of calories - more, some studies say, than if you went out and jogged at your regular pace for an hour. You can get a killer workout in and still make it to your holiday party on time! You don't need any equipment for this type of workout except a watch. If you'd like to do this outside then great, or if you'd like to go to your local gym and hop on your favorite piece of cardio equipment that's great too. (Another requirement for this is a decent exercise base. If you're a complete beginner, not having exercised in quite some time, then I suggest you stick with some lower-intensity cardio for a while and build up a base before you tackle the intervals.)
When I put my clients through cardio intervals, I use an intensity scale of 1-10. A 1 is lying on the couch and watching TV - basically doing nothing. A 5 is walking a happy, active dog. An 8 is high intensity but not quite all-out -- more like if you had tickets to a Broadway play and you were on the verge of being late so you're hurrying through the theater lobby as fast as you can to find your seat before the curtain goes up. A 10 is an all-out sprint, something that you can't do for more than 15 seconds. (Those descriptions may sound a bit goofy, but I bet you can relate to them more so than if I told you to work at 70% of your maximum effort!)
So, keeping those intensity levels in mind, here's an example of an interval training workout I'd put a client of mine through:
Warm up with light cardio for 10 minutes - level 4-5
Increase the intensity a little more for 5 minutes - level 5-6
30 seconds at level 9
90 seconds at 5-6
repeat 4 more times for a total of 5
3 minutes at level 5-6
2 minutes at level 4
Total time: 30 minutes
Here's another example that's a little more advanced (only because the work intervals get longer):
Warm up with light cardio for 5 minutes - level 5
1:00 at 8
2:00 at 5-6
1:30 at 8
1:30 at 5-6
2:00 at 8
1:00 at 5-6
3:00 at 8
3:00 at 5-6
2:00 at 8
1:00 at 5-6
1:30 at 8
1:30 at 5-6
1:00 at 8
2:00 at 5-6
Cool down with 1-6 minutes at level 4-5
Total time: 30-35 minutes
And a final one, one of my faves - The Pyramid of Pain! The active recovery period stays the same, but the work interval increases up the pyramid before heading back down the other side. This one requires a little more attention to your watch. You may want to use your lap button function, or maybe write down the times you need to change your intensity at on a piece of paper:
Warm up for 15 minutes at level 5
:30 at 8 (start this at minute 15:00)
:30 at 5 (15:30)
1:00 at 8 (16:00)
:30 at 5 (17:00)
1:30 at 8 (17:30)
:30 at 5 (19:00)
2:00 at 8 (19:30)
:30 at 5 (21:30)
1:30 at 9 (22:00)
:30 at 5 (23:30)
1:00 at 9-10 (24:00)
:30 at 5 (25:00)
:30 as hard as you can go!!! (25:30)
4 minutes cool down at level 4-5 (26:00)
Total time: 30 minutes
Over the next several weeks, I will continue to discuss time-saving, calorie-burning moves in my Monday's Move of the Week to keep you motivated through the holidays. Come January 1st, I don't want anyone's New Year's Resolution List to include one for losing the 10 pounds gained in December!!!
Friday, November 13, 2009
What to do with bad juju
Today is Friday the 13th. If you're superstitious then you may be holed up inside your house and not venturing out in this beautiful weather lest you turn into the victim of some bad luck. Me - I chanced it and went for a short run in the sunshine and pretty fall leaves.
But what do you do when you get hit by some bad juju? Bad juju can strike at any time. For an athlete, the worst time it can strike is during a race or competition. Last weekend my client and close friend Dee went to Miami and participated in the Miami Man 1/2 Iron distance triathlon. As I mentioned in my previous post, things didn't go as planned and she didn't finish the race. She got off course during the swim and had a volunteer say some nasty things to her, accusing her of trying to cheat. That nastiness that she had to listen to destroyed her mentally in the first 8 minutes of the race. On the bike, she struggled through some strong winds. She was already beaten down mentally, then the wind beat her down physically. She completed the bike course and started the run. Here's what happened next in her own words:
"There is a point in a race where you keep going not because you trained really well, or ate right or slept enough. There is a point where you are going on sheer will. I had no more will. I was heartbroken and didn't care any more. Now I think that was pretty silly of me and wonder if I should have cowboyed up better, but I had already cowboyed up 2 times and was all cowboyed out. I did the first half of the run and quit.
I have been trying to figure out what to do with this situation in my head to make it make sense. Miamiman was my A race - and the only one besides a sprint I did all year. I put all my money and energy into it and it was destroyed in the first 8 min of the swim.
What do you do with that?"
When something like this happens to you, the thing you want to do the most is scream, cry, go back in time and try again, or punch the nasty volunteer in the face. When I was forced to drop out of a marathon for the second time, I could not wait to get back to the hotel room so I could throw my backpack against the wall and scream obscenities into a pillow. At the time that feels like the right and good thing to do, but in reality that doesn't get you anywhere. After you've had the chance to recover emotionally and screw your head back on, take a deep breath and figure out how to put a positive spin on things. Yes, it totally sucked that the volunteer was nasty to Dee and she dropped out with 6.5 miles left to run. But during her training leading up to Miami Man, she made major improvements both on the bike and on the run. She ran a half marathon and set a PR. She increased her strength on the bike to where despite those winds in Miami, she passed a LOT of people. She did not suffer any physical injuries so she can continue to work on her running throughout the winter. When next summer rolls around she'll have an amazing aerobic base and we can turn her into a speed demon!
In a nutshell, my theory is this: don't let some bad juju break you. A wise and dear friend said to me last summer as I was sidelined for the entire season by a stress fracture and a blood clot, "Let a setback be a setup for a comeback." Try to put a positive spin on things and figure out a way to turn a bad situation into a learning experience. Instead of crying and pouting all summer long last year, I volunteered at races, swam, and worked on my strength. I gave my body rest from the long training hours I had put it through for years, and it thanked me by allowing me to become a faster triathlete. I was fast enough to qualify for the National Championship Triathlon this past August and then for the World Championships next September in Budapest. So - you WILL get through it, and it WILL make you stronger.
Enjoy your weekend! Look for the second installment of the Monday Move of the Week next Monday!!!
But what do you do when you get hit by some bad juju? Bad juju can strike at any time. For an athlete, the worst time it can strike is during a race or competition. Last weekend my client and close friend Dee went to Miami and participated in the Miami Man 1/2 Iron distance triathlon. As I mentioned in my previous post, things didn't go as planned and she didn't finish the race. She got off course during the swim and had a volunteer say some nasty things to her, accusing her of trying to cheat. That nastiness that she had to listen to destroyed her mentally in the first 8 minutes of the race. On the bike, she struggled through some strong winds. She was already beaten down mentally, then the wind beat her down physically. She completed the bike course and started the run. Here's what happened next in her own words:
"There is a point in a race where you keep going not because you trained really well, or ate right or slept enough. There is a point where you are going on sheer will. I had no more will. I was heartbroken and didn't care any more. Now I think that was pretty silly of me and wonder if I should have cowboyed up better, but I had already cowboyed up 2 times and was all cowboyed out. I did the first half of the run and quit.
I have been trying to figure out what to do with this situation in my head to make it make sense. Miamiman was my A race - and the only one besides a sprint I did all year. I put all my money and energy into it and it was destroyed in the first 8 min of the swim.
What do you do with that?"
When something like this happens to you, the thing you want to do the most is scream, cry, go back in time and try again, or punch the nasty volunteer in the face. When I was forced to drop out of a marathon for the second time, I could not wait to get back to the hotel room so I could throw my backpack against the wall and scream obscenities into a pillow. At the time that feels like the right and good thing to do, but in reality that doesn't get you anywhere. After you've had the chance to recover emotionally and screw your head back on, take a deep breath and figure out how to put a positive spin on things. Yes, it totally sucked that the volunteer was nasty to Dee and she dropped out with 6.5 miles left to run. But during her training leading up to Miami Man, she made major improvements both on the bike and on the run. She ran a half marathon and set a PR. She increased her strength on the bike to where despite those winds in Miami, she passed a LOT of people. She did not suffer any physical injuries so she can continue to work on her running throughout the winter. When next summer rolls around she'll have an amazing aerobic base and we can turn her into a speed demon!
In a nutshell, my theory is this: don't let some bad juju break you. A wise and dear friend said to me last summer as I was sidelined for the entire season by a stress fracture and a blood clot, "Let a setback be a setup for a comeback." Try to put a positive spin on things and figure out a way to turn a bad situation into a learning experience. Instead of crying and pouting all summer long last year, I volunteered at races, swam, and worked on my strength. I gave my body rest from the long training hours I had put it through for years, and it thanked me by allowing me to become a faster triathlete. I was fast enough to qualify for the National Championship Triathlon this past August and then for the World Championships next September in Budapest. So - you WILL get through it, and it WILL make you stronger.
Enjoy your weekend! Look for the second installment of the Monday Move of the Week next Monday!!!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Monday's Move of the Week
Welcome to the first installment of Monday's Move of the Week!
This is my favorite time of the year to run. The air is crisp, the trees are beautiful, the roads in the park are covered with leaves - perfect. Unfortunately when I increase my mileage or my speed (or both!) too quickly, as I tend to do during this time of year, the ankle that was the cause of all of injuries I suffered in 2008 gets angry. In an attempt to strengthen it and therefore make it happier, I incorporate a simple move I call the single-leg stability squat into my strength training routine. This exercise doesn't require anything but a target for you to reach towards (I use a water bottle while at home, but in the gym I prefer a yoga block) and your concentration. It's great for strengthening all of the little muscles in your feet, ankles and lower legs, and it helps improve your balance.
To perform the single-leg stability squat, place your target diagonally to the left in front of you. On a clock face, this would be 10:30. Pick your right foot off the floor about 2 inches and while placing all of your body weight in the left foot, bend the left knee as if you were doing a squat and reach for your target with your right hand:
Do all of your repetitions on one side, then move to the other. The target will now be at 1:30 on your clock face, you'll be standing on your right foot, your left foot will be off of the ground, and you'll be reaching for your target with your left hand.
Things to think about while performing this move include:
--keeping all of your body weight in the heel of the standing leg as if you were doing a squat - this will help you keep that knee from going past the toes, which could lead to injury:
--keeping the leg that's off of the ground as still as possible - this is where your concentration and core strength come into play - this may be quite difficult at first, but keep at this exercise and your balance will get better:
There are a couple of things NOT to do while performing a single-leg stability squat.
DON'T bend over at the waist:
Bend the knee of the standing leg instead, just like you were doing a squat. (Actually, you ARE doing a squat - just a variation of the traditional version.) Bending forward at the waist isn't doing much for your legs.
Also, DON'T let the leg that's hanging out in mid-air move all over the place:
This is the trickiest part of this move. If you have balance issues, you'll be fighting this for a while. You might feel wobbly and your foot may involuntarily go out to the side or behind your body, but really try your best to not let this happen. Working on keeping that foot still will improve your balance and your core strength. Tighten up your tummy and that'll help. And fitting this move in on a regular basis will also help.
My recommendation is 2 sets of 8 repetitions on each leg twice a week to start out with. After a couple of weeks at this level, you can add more repetitions (10, then 12, then 15), 1 more set, and/or 1 more day. Remember the strength training rule: at least 24 hours of rest between workouts. Monday/Thursday, Monday/Wednesday/Friday, Tuesday/Thursday, Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday - those are examples of good strength training schedules.
Once doing this move becomes second nature (which it may never do, but in case it does), you can increase the difficulty level by making your target lower to the ground (soup can instead of water bottle, yoga block placed on its side), taking your shoes off and going barefoot, or standing on an uneven surface such as a foam pad or a stability disk.
Enjoy!
This is my favorite time of the year to run. The air is crisp, the trees are beautiful, the roads in the park are covered with leaves - perfect. Unfortunately when I increase my mileage or my speed (or both!) too quickly, as I tend to do during this time of year, the ankle that was the cause of all of injuries I suffered in 2008 gets angry. In an attempt to strengthen it and therefore make it happier, I incorporate a simple move I call the single-leg stability squat into my strength training routine. This exercise doesn't require anything but a target for you to reach towards (I use a water bottle while at home, but in the gym I prefer a yoga block) and your concentration. It's great for strengthening all of the little muscles in your feet, ankles and lower legs, and it helps improve your balance.
To perform the single-leg stability squat, place your target diagonally to the left in front of you. On a clock face, this would be 10:30. Pick your right foot off the floor about 2 inches and while placing all of your body weight in the left foot, bend the left knee as if you were doing a squat and reach for your target with your right hand:
Do all of your repetitions on one side, then move to the other. The target will now be at 1:30 on your clock face, you'll be standing on your right foot, your left foot will be off of the ground, and you'll be reaching for your target with your left hand.
Things to think about while performing this move include:
--keeping all of your body weight in the heel of the standing leg as if you were doing a squat - this will help you keep that knee from going past the toes, which could lead to injury:
--keeping the leg that's off of the ground as still as possible - this is where your concentration and core strength come into play - this may be quite difficult at first, but keep at this exercise and your balance will get better:
There are a couple of things NOT to do while performing a single-leg stability squat.
DON'T bend over at the waist:
Bend the knee of the standing leg instead, just like you were doing a squat. (Actually, you ARE doing a squat - just a variation of the traditional version.) Bending forward at the waist isn't doing much for your legs.
Also, DON'T let the leg that's hanging out in mid-air move all over the place:
This is the trickiest part of this move. If you have balance issues, you'll be fighting this for a while. You might feel wobbly and your foot may involuntarily go out to the side or behind your body, but really try your best to not let this happen. Working on keeping that foot still will improve your balance and your core strength. Tighten up your tummy and that'll help. And fitting this move in on a regular basis will also help.
My recommendation is 2 sets of 8 repetitions on each leg twice a week to start out with. After a couple of weeks at this level, you can add more repetitions (10, then 12, then 15), 1 more set, and/or 1 more day. Remember the strength training rule: at least 24 hours of rest between workouts. Monday/Thursday, Monday/Wednesday/Friday, Tuesday/Thursday, Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday - those are examples of good strength training schedules.
Once doing this move becomes second nature (which it may never do, but in case it does), you can increase the difficulty level by making your target lower to the ground (soup can instead of water bottle, yoga block placed on its side), taking your shoes off and going barefoot, or standing on an uneven surface such as a foam pad or a stability disk.
Enjoy!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
An *almost* perfect weekend
Lots of racing was done by Team Honeycutt this weekend! Here's how things went down:
1. I travelled to Clarksville with my friend Johnny to run in the inaugural Clarksville Half Marathon on Saturday morning. My goal was 1:47, an 8:11 pace. There were several great things about this race: The weather was AWESOME. Couldn't have asked for a prettier day. The course was very scenic and not terribly difficult. There was a couple of rolling hills, but nothing major. Rolling hills keep things interesting. The entire event, which also included a 5K and a kids' fun run, was very well organized. I will definitely go back next year and hopefully will take some friends and clients. The only big gripe of mine was the wind. Man, did it get windy around mile 7!!! Clarksville is known for wind so I shouldn't have been surprised, but it still sucked. When I looked at my splits, I could definitely see when I turned into the wind and also when I got out of it. Even with the wind, though, I hit my goal: 1:46:43. Woot!
2. While I was battling the wind, my client Keith was enjoying what I hear were near-perfect conditions in Wilmington, NC at the Beach 2 Battleship Iron Distance Triathlon. This was his first attempt at this distance, and it was his last race of his first year in triathlon. (He did do one triathlon a year or so ago, but I would call this summer his first true racing season.) He emailed me about a month ago and asked if I thought he could go sub-12 hours given his half Iron distance time of 5:45. I told him that I don't really condone setting a time goal for yourself on your first Iron distance race. You might do all of the best training in the world (which, of course, he did - I was his coach after all!) but you still don't know what's going to happen when you put everything together. Knowing him, however, I knew he'd still set a time goal for himself, so I gave it some thought and said that I felt he'd finish between 11:30-12:30. Fast forward to Saturday evening: Keith crossed the finish line in 11:49! Woot!! I haven't talked to him personally so I don't know exactly how it all went, but I'm sure he's pleased with his day and with his time.
3. Also racing the long distance for the first time on Saturday was Stan. He was down in Panama City Beach, Florida at Ironman Florida. I checked on him all day long on Ironman Live and while I was at a local high school production of Wizard of Oz with my family, he crossed the finish line in 13:18! Woot!!! Stan and I met last Sunday at a nearby Starbucks to go over things. He told me that he had been very emotional in the last several weeks, just thinking about the day and that finish line and Mike Reilly saying, "Stan Smith, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!" I can only imagine the tears in his eyes as he threw his arms up in the air. His dad had travelled down there with him on Tuesday so he was there to see the entire day. His wife and 2 daughters drove down early Saturday morning and got there to see him out on the run. I have no doubt that they are incredibly proud of Stan.
So, if I had one more good race report for you it would've been a perfect weekend for Team Honeycutt. However, I sadly do not. Dee started the Miami Man 1/2 Iron Distance Triathlon this morning but had to drop out. Her body was fine, her training was where it needed to be, but some harsh words said by volunteers out on the swim course killed her spirit and the strong winds blowing a storm into the Miami area broke her body down. We spoke on the phone this afternoon and while she's sad, she's okay. She's going to enjoy the rest of her much-needed vacation and when she comes back we're going to regroup and get her back on track. Unfortunately not every race can go the way we want it to, and she got to experience this today. These are the experiences that make us stronger, in a sick way.
(This is my favorite picture of Dee, taken last year at mile 70 of the bike course at Ironman Florida. It has a very "Where's Waldo?" feel to it. She needs to learn how to pee while riding her bike so that she doesn't have to pull over and find some bushes to squat in!)
Coming this week: the beginning of Monday's Move of the Week and details of my winter running program!
1. I travelled to Clarksville with my friend Johnny to run in the inaugural Clarksville Half Marathon on Saturday morning. My goal was 1:47, an 8:11 pace. There were several great things about this race: The weather was AWESOME. Couldn't have asked for a prettier day. The course was very scenic and not terribly difficult. There was a couple of rolling hills, but nothing major. Rolling hills keep things interesting. The entire event, which also included a 5K and a kids' fun run, was very well organized. I will definitely go back next year and hopefully will take some friends and clients. The only big gripe of mine was the wind. Man, did it get windy around mile 7!!! Clarksville is known for wind so I shouldn't have been surprised, but it still sucked. When I looked at my splits, I could definitely see when I turned into the wind and also when I got out of it. Even with the wind, though, I hit my goal: 1:46:43. Woot!
2. While I was battling the wind, my client Keith was enjoying what I hear were near-perfect conditions in Wilmington, NC at the Beach 2 Battleship Iron Distance Triathlon. This was his first attempt at this distance, and it was his last race of his first year in triathlon. (He did do one triathlon a year or so ago, but I would call this summer his first true racing season.) He emailed me about a month ago and asked if I thought he could go sub-12 hours given his half Iron distance time of 5:45. I told him that I don't really condone setting a time goal for yourself on your first Iron distance race. You might do all of the best training in the world (which, of course, he did - I was his coach after all!) but you still don't know what's going to happen when you put everything together. Knowing him, however, I knew he'd still set a time goal for himself, so I gave it some thought and said that I felt he'd finish between 11:30-12:30. Fast forward to Saturday evening: Keith crossed the finish line in 11:49! Woot!! I haven't talked to him personally so I don't know exactly how it all went, but I'm sure he's pleased with his day and with his time.
3. Also racing the long distance for the first time on Saturday was Stan. He was down in Panama City Beach, Florida at Ironman Florida. I checked on him all day long on Ironman Live and while I was at a local high school production of Wizard of Oz with my family, he crossed the finish line in 13:18! Woot!!! Stan and I met last Sunday at a nearby Starbucks to go over things. He told me that he had been very emotional in the last several weeks, just thinking about the day and that finish line and Mike Reilly saying, "Stan Smith, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!" I can only imagine the tears in his eyes as he threw his arms up in the air. His dad had travelled down there with him on Tuesday so he was there to see the entire day. His wife and 2 daughters drove down early Saturday morning and got there to see him out on the run. I have no doubt that they are incredibly proud of Stan.
So, if I had one more good race report for you it would've been a perfect weekend for Team Honeycutt. However, I sadly do not. Dee started the Miami Man 1/2 Iron Distance Triathlon this morning but had to drop out. Her body was fine, her training was where it needed to be, but some harsh words said by volunteers out on the swim course killed her spirit and the strong winds blowing a storm into the Miami area broke her body down. We spoke on the phone this afternoon and while she's sad, she's okay. She's going to enjoy the rest of her much-needed vacation and when she comes back we're going to regroup and get her back on track. Unfortunately not every race can go the way we want it to, and she got to experience this today. These are the experiences that make us stronger, in a sick way.
(This is my favorite picture of Dee, taken last year at mile 70 of the bike course at Ironman Florida. It has a very "Where's Waldo?" feel to it. She needs to learn how to pee while riding her bike so that she doesn't have to pull over and find some bushes to squat in!)
Coming this week: the beginning of Monday's Move of the Week and details of my winter running program!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Big weekend for Team Honeycutt!!!
This weekend is a big one for several clients of mine. Stan will be competing in his first Ironman triathlon, Ironman Florida. Over the summer he put in the long training hours mainly by himself. I have trained for Ironman races both with a group and by myself. The group is definitely the more fun way to go, but I think the solo training that Stan has done has prepared him mentally for the long day he'll have tomorrow. An Ironman triathlon is 90% mental, so you gotta be ready for it. He and his father have been in Panama City since Wednesday, and he's loving every minute of it. One text I received from him read: "Fit people are everywhere. I'm in heaven."
Another client, Keith, will also be competing in his first Iron distance triathlon, Beach 2 Battleship in Wilmington, NC. This is not an Ironman-sanctioned event but the distances are still the same - 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run. This race is a new one, just a year or two old, and it's gotten some stellar reviews. I just got off the phone with Keith, and he sounds fine and ready for tomorrow. Today it's windy but the forecast is calling for those winds to die down overnight. Keeping my fingers crossed for that! It's also going to be a little chilly, but Keith is ready - legwarmers and armwarmers to start out with (which he'll be able to take off once the temperatures rise), and he'll be putting newspaper down his top Tour de France-style to shield his core from the cold. I've warned him not to throw that paper on the side of the road just anywhere when he's ready to get rid of it as that would be a rule violation (littering) and he could receive a time penalty. His plan is to give it to one of the volunteers at an aid station: "Here, I'm done with the Sports section. You can have it." HA!
Dee will be competing in a half Iron-distance triathlon, Miami Man, on Sunday. She did this race several years ago and has made fitness gains since then, so she's hoping to improve her time. She had an old injury flare up in the last couple of weeks that forced her to cut back on her running and her riding outside, but she's been doing well this week and is ready to go on Sunday. I know from experience that sometimes forced rest is the best thing to help you go faster - I hope it pays off for her.
I will be racing as well - the Clarksville Half Marathon Clarksville Half Marathon tomorrow. Because it's in Clarksville it should be flat, but the race website describes the course as rolling. We're going to have beautiful weather so it should be a good morning.
And while Steve won't be racing this weekend, he'll be having a big time - last couple of days of heavy training before his taper to Ironman Cozumel starts! We got a chance to run together earlier this week. He's been doing great with his training but he says he's ready for the taper to start. Steve - you're about to have your wish granted. Woot!
Good luck to all of the Team Honeycutt athletes this weekend! May the waters be calm, the wind be at your back, and your legs be fresh and fast!!!
Another client, Keith, will also be competing in his first Iron distance triathlon, Beach 2 Battleship in Wilmington, NC. This is not an Ironman-sanctioned event but the distances are still the same - 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run. This race is a new one, just a year or two old, and it's gotten some stellar reviews. I just got off the phone with Keith, and he sounds fine and ready for tomorrow. Today it's windy but the forecast is calling for those winds to die down overnight. Keeping my fingers crossed for that! It's also going to be a little chilly, but Keith is ready - legwarmers and armwarmers to start out with (which he'll be able to take off once the temperatures rise), and he'll be putting newspaper down his top Tour de France-style to shield his core from the cold. I've warned him not to throw that paper on the side of the road just anywhere when he's ready to get rid of it as that would be a rule violation (littering) and he could receive a time penalty. His plan is to give it to one of the volunteers at an aid station: "Here, I'm done with the Sports section. You can have it." HA!
Dee will be competing in a half Iron-distance triathlon, Miami Man, on Sunday. She did this race several years ago and has made fitness gains since then, so she's hoping to improve her time. She had an old injury flare up in the last couple of weeks that forced her to cut back on her running and her riding outside, but she's been doing well this week and is ready to go on Sunday. I know from experience that sometimes forced rest is the best thing to help you go faster - I hope it pays off for her.
I will be racing as well - the Clarksville Half Marathon Clarksville Half Marathon tomorrow. Because it's in Clarksville it should be flat, but the race website describes the course as rolling. We're going to have beautiful weather so it should be a good morning.
And while Steve won't be racing this weekend, he'll be having a big time - last couple of days of heavy training before his taper to Ironman Cozumel starts! We got a chance to run together earlier this week. He's been doing great with his training but he says he's ready for the taper to start. Steve - you're about to have your wish granted. Woot!
Good luck to all of the Team Honeycutt athletes this weekend! May the waters be calm, the wind be at your back, and your legs be fresh and fast!!!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Absence makes the heart (and lungs and legs) grow fonder
As I was running this morning, I had a revelation: when we're pushing ourselves physically we complain and can't wait until it's over, yet when we take some time off, we can't wait to return to it. Funny, huh?
Whew! What a week I had - Disneyworld, weekend with college friends, then the K'naan/Lenny Kravitz concert. It's taken me 2 days to get back to reality.
First up: Disneyworld. This was our 8th trip in 3 years. (Yes, my child is spoiled.) It never gets old! Seriously: could you ever NOT want to go to the Happiest Place on Earth???
It is very tough to exercise and eat right when you're at Disney. I tried my best, but I somehow ended up running only 35 minutes one morning. As far as food went, I did decently - not great but not awful. Didn't snack a lot, but did go a little crazy on the all-you-can-eat buffet we did one day for lunch. I figured all of the walking I was doing negated *some* of those calories. Plus, our son was having a super-great time. I can accept making unhealthy food choices and not getting my usual exercise time in so I can experience this:
Next up: weekend with college friends. We flew in from Florida around 9am on Friday, and by 1130am I was getting my long run for the week in: 13 miles. When I was done I had just enough time to speed home, take a quick shower, then head to the airport to pick my college roommate up. She and I hadn't seen eachother in 15 years. We went to dinner that night with 4 more of our sorority sisters - what a blast! Saturday, Sunday and Monday were spent hanging out, catching up, introducing her to my Nashville friends. She does not exercise like I do, so I tried to limit my training to an hour on Sunday and Monday morning before she got up.
The finale: the K'naan/Lenny Kravitz concert on Monday night at the Ryman Auditorium downtown. The Ryman is one of the coolest, most special places to see a show and there isn't a bad seat in the house. Both musicians were incredible, but I truly was blown away by K'naan. If you aren't familiar with him, I highly suggest you change that quickly. One of the most interesting, smartest, wonderful souls around. My friend and I got the privilege of meeting him after the show and talking with him for a bit.
Wow.
By the time Tuesday rolled around, I was truly missing my exercise. I am used to working out 8-12 hours every week, doing something 6 days out of 7. Last week I managed to almost make it to 4 hours over the course of 3 days. Monday I swam for 45 minutes and Tuesday I did some strength training for 40 minutes and ran for 28, but I was so tired that it felt like 3 hours. So this morning I awoke a new person: no more sleep deprivation, back to healthy eating, and ready to hit the track! 1.5 mile warmup, 8 x 800 @ 7:10 pace with an easy 400 jog between each 800, then .5 mile cooldown. Boy, was it a struggle! I got through it though, and am excited about getting back to reality and back to my usual routine. As fun as Disney, reunions, and concerts were, I was ready to return to my normal, crazy life and my sweaty workout clothes.
So my point is this: it is good and healthy to take a vacation from exercise every once in a while. It'll keep you from getting burned out and/or injured, and it'll also help you appreciate it more when you get back at it. My next exercise vacation will be right after Christmas when we go to Utah, and that won't be as bad. Cross-country skiing, here I come!!!
Whew! What a week I had - Disneyworld, weekend with college friends, then the K'naan/Lenny Kravitz concert. It's taken me 2 days to get back to reality.
First up: Disneyworld. This was our 8th trip in 3 years. (Yes, my child is spoiled.) It never gets old! Seriously: could you ever NOT want to go to the Happiest Place on Earth???
It is very tough to exercise and eat right when you're at Disney. I tried my best, but I somehow ended up running only 35 minutes one morning. As far as food went, I did decently - not great but not awful. Didn't snack a lot, but did go a little crazy on the all-you-can-eat buffet we did one day for lunch. I figured all of the walking I was doing negated *some* of those calories. Plus, our son was having a super-great time. I can accept making unhealthy food choices and not getting my usual exercise time in so I can experience this:
Next up: weekend with college friends. We flew in from Florida around 9am on Friday, and by 1130am I was getting my long run for the week in: 13 miles. When I was done I had just enough time to speed home, take a quick shower, then head to the airport to pick my college roommate up. She and I hadn't seen eachother in 15 years. We went to dinner that night with 4 more of our sorority sisters - what a blast! Saturday, Sunday and Monday were spent hanging out, catching up, introducing her to my Nashville friends. She does not exercise like I do, so I tried to limit my training to an hour on Sunday and Monday morning before she got up.
The finale: the K'naan/Lenny Kravitz concert on Monday night at the Ryman Auditorium downtown. The Ryman is one of the coolest, most special places to see a show and there isn't a bad seat in the house. Both musicians were incredible, but I truly was blown away by K'naan. If you aren't familiar with him, I highly suggest you change that quickly. One of the most interesting, smartest, wonderful souls around. My friend and I got the privilege of meeting him after the show and talking with him for a bit.
Wow.
By the time Tuesday rolled around, I was truly missing my exercise. I am used to working out 8-12 hours every week, doing something 6 days out of 7. Last week I managed to almost make it to 4 hours over the course of 3 days. Monday I swam for 45 minutes and Tuesday I did some strength training for 40 minutes and ran for 28, but I was so tired that it felt like 3 hours. So this morning I awoke a new person: no more sleep deprivation, back to healthy eating, and ready to hit the track! 1.5 mile warmup, 8 x 800 @ 7:10 pace with an easy 400 jog between each 800, then .5 mile cooldown. Boy, was it a struggle! I got through it though, and am excited about getting back to reality and back to my usual routine. As fun as Disney, reunions, and concerts were, I was ready to return to my normal, crazy life and my sweaty workout clothes.
So my point is this: it is good and healthy to take a vacation from exercise every once in a while. It'll keep you from getting burned out and/or injured, and it'll also help you appreciate it more when you get back at it. My next exercise vacation will be right after Christmas when we go to Utah, and that won't be as bad. Cross-country skiing, here I come!!!
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