Saturday, February 5, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
Out of Balance
In as much as the resolve was made to make this week (Week 6!) of training the first where I was back on track, I wound up yet again missing more days of training than I would have liked. Something is wrong with the formula of life I'm living right now and up until this morning I couldn't put my finger on it.
This morning I decided to sleep in because of all the extra hours of work I've been putting in. Both of my bosses are out on business today and since I'm caught up through the end of the month it was my executive decision to execute a 3/4 work day.
The alarm went off at my usual 5:15 but this time instead of hitting snooze, I turned the alarm clock off thinking I'd wake up in 30 or so minutes to turn it off. However, the next time I looked at the clock it was 7:30 and I still felt like a bus had hit me. After taking a few moments to reflect on this, I came to the conclusion that my life is very much out of balance. Work is consuming too much time, I'm staying up too late and waking up too early. That's a formula that does not yield much success, as my training clearly reflects. So, starting this weekend I need to find balance again. It isn't clear where or how to find it but a few things are clear:
- I need more sleep.
- I need to become more efficient at my work so it becomes a less time consuming portion of my day.
- I need to get my personal life on track.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Garmin 305 vs Apple iPhone 4 (Runkeeper Pro)
A few months ago I made a brave move and relocated to Chicago. On the whole this has been a positive experience and I'm glad I did it. But like all changes in life, it came with some pros and cons. For instance, on the plus side I have a 0.5 mile long lap lane in Lake Michigan within jogging distance from where I live. Also, within a half mile radius I can get everything I need to survive: food, firewood, dry cleaning and an Apple Store. I also don't need a car so I sold it - that's been a huge money saver.
But there's also the downside. I now have nowhere to bike. And please don't say I can bike in the burbs. Stop kidding yourself. The burbs are better than Chicago proper but are still too congested to get any reasonable training done. Also, if you enjoy running there's essentially only one place to go: the lakefront. It is a beautiful route but there's something to be said about variety. And no, running the opposite direction doesn't count as variety.
But all things equal, the number one annoyance has to do with my Garmin Forerunner 305. It's been my trusty companion on well over 5,000 miles of logged running and biking over the years. The watch, combined with Garmin Connect and Garmin Training Center has proven to be a great tool to summarize my workout life. It's seen emotional highs and lows, been with me through my ups and my downs, my success and my struggles and always performed up to my expectations. I describe this thing like it's a friend with a soul and in a way it is. But ever since moving to Chicago it's been less and less reliable. I've reset the watch so it looks for new GPS satellites but I still have to wait over a minute for it to get signal. I'm blaming all the buildings for this issue but it's where I live. I can't make the buildings go away so I need the watch to step up its game and get with the program.
It breaks my heart that I've had to shelf the watch because on numerous occasions I couldn't get a signal. But if it's not working well I need to keep my eyes open for another solution.
And during the last week of December a solution did indeed present itself. I got an email from a vendor stating that the iPhone app RunKeeper Pro was going on sale for $0.00. For that price who can say no. So I promptly shelled out the zero dollars for it and put it on my iPhone.
After giving it a few runs I've decided it's quite a handy app for city running. It audibly notifies me every five minutes of my total distance, total time and pace. It also has no problem picking up GPS signal in the city. The app is beautifully designed and with the click of a button it stops the workout and uploads it to both Twitter and Facebook. It's also great on the iPhone battery. After a 13 mile run I still had over 85% battery left. In a word it's amazing. There's even a HRM that works with it though I have yet to buy it. It's also unclear how that would impact the battery life but if I ever decide to open my wallet for that I'll be writing all about it.
Now that I have two tools that do essentially the same thing I wanted to try them both out at the same time to see what kind of results I get. After all, if they're both getting GPS from presumably the same satellites so the information should be relatively identical.
Today's run was 13 miles using both my time tested Garmin Forerunner 305 and an iPhone 4 with Runkeeper Pro. Results from both the Forerunner and the iPhone are available for review. I started them seconds apart near the corner of North Ave & Wells. I then proceeded to run all over the west loop to the south loop then over to Soldier Field, across to the planetarium, around the aquarium, along the lake shore and finally home.
Garmin Results
Below is a screenshot of the results from the run with the Garmin Forerunner 305. It's disappointing to see the Garmin Connect service is using Bing for their maps but that's more of a problem with me than anything else.
You can see the Forerunner has me clocked in a 2:01:19 and has me ending pretty much at the same corner as where I started. Good planning on my part. Their calorie count is around 1800 calories and a total elevation change of 81 feet.
It was obnoxious getting a signal at first and I did lose signal from time to time in the city but did manage to get it back within a short time span.
iPhone and RunKeeper Pro Results
Below are two screenshots, both listing the results of the same run using the RunKeeper Pro app. Comparing it with the map above from the Forerunner you can see it's identical though it looks far more attractive because it's using Google's map service instead of that craptastic Microsoft "solution". That aside though, the two tools got GPS data beautifully.
RunKeeper Pro has me logged in at finishing the 13 mile run at the 2:00:57 mark with a total of 1900 calories burned and 927 feet of climbing. I'm assuming that's net of decents because Chicago's almost as flat as it gets.
The RunKeeper Pro app has me finishing the run almost one minute sooner than the Forerunner. That difference I believe is because the RunKeeper app is able to get a better GPS signal than the watch. Also, there's no function to tell the app to stop when you stop whereas the Forerunner is programmed to stop when I stop and then continue again when I'm moving again.
All in all, looking at these results I can say with confidence that the difference between the two is, based on one run, trivial and so I can use either one as my needs dictate.
Now if I can just find an app that'll make me run faster.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
On the Fast Track
Almost three weeks ago I started training for the 2011 season. It's an interesting mix of races I'm doing and decided to approach the season differently than I have in previous years. I'm combining a half-ironman training program with a marathon program. Since I have such a challenging triathlon in very close proximity to my twomarathons I need to make sure I'm prepping for everything.
This is a typical week in my training life:
I'm now able to say taking the time off at the end of 2010 was completely necessary. I'm loving training and loving the process. Sure it gets frustrating from time to time but the burnout I was suffering from is nowhere to be found. In fact, it's gone from a loathed pass time to a wonderful adventure.
I'm tracking my workouts using either the Garmin watch I've been using for years or my iPhone with the Runkeeper Pro app. The iPhone seems to get better GPS signal but lacks the heart rate monitor and the ability to stop the clock when I'm stopped. That winds up being a big deal since there are so many stoplights and stop signs in Chicago. Hopefully this will be an improvement in later releases of the program. But for now it's onward and upward.
This is a typical week in my training life:
| Day | Workout 1 | Workout 2 |
| Monday | Endurance Swim | |
| Tuesday | Speed Bike | Weights |
| Wednesday | Speed Run | Table Cell |
| Thursday | Speed Swim | Weights |
| Friday | OFF | OFF |
| Saturday | Endurance Run | Weights |
| Sunday | Endurance Bike |
So far so good. I'm able to keep up with most of it without sacrificing too much of my life. I know it looks a bit odd having all the endurance stuff during a 3-day stretch and then all the speed workouts during another 3-day stretch. There may be some rearranging of the workouts at some point but at least up to now it's working for my needs.
I'm now able to say taking the time off at the end of 2010 was completely necessary. I'm loving training and loving the process. Sure it gets frustrating from time to time but the burnout I was suffering from is nowhere to be found. In fact, it's gone from a loathed pass time to a wonderful adventure.
I'm tracking my workouts using either the Garmin watch I've been using for years or my iPhone with the Runkeeper Pro app. The iPhone seems to get better GPS signal but lacks the heart rate monitor and the ability to stop the clock when I'm stopped. That winds up being a big deal since there are so many stoplights and stop signs in Chicago. Hopefully this will be an improvement in later releases of the program. But for now it's onward and upward.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
On Your Mark... Get Set...
Almost Go! This weekend marks the end of my off season and the beginning of the training year. I'll have to say it's been a good few months off. I did a little bit of running, a little spinning, no swimming, and not one single regret.
It's strange reading some of my friend's stories and not feeling jealous. They jumped right into some early 2011 races which means they've been training for at least a month now. While a piece of me is jealous, I know for certain that I made the right choice by staying away from training.
During the work out season, many of the things in my life take a seat on the shelf because time is not a luxury. There are just too many things to get done an not enough time to do it. That means sacrifices and compromises need to be made. While there's a lot of that going on the one thing I don't sacrifice is my training. Since training takes up so much of my non-work hours, I need to fill the remainder of my non-work hours with chores like house cleaning, laundry, cooking, and other errands. A direct result of this is a lot of things I'd otherwise love to do don't get done: reading a book, simply relaxing playing a crossword puzzle, watching TV, eating junk food, etc.
As a rule I've decided to take most of the months of October, November and December off from training in order to catch up on life and recharge my mind and soul. Just like we need time away from work or school we also need time away from training.
This time away from training was particularly necessary because I just finished training for and completing Ironman Wisconsin. While it was a monumentous event and a great experience all the way around, it consumed my life for roughly 9 months. In that time that's all I did. It's all I thought about. My world revolved around it. And after 9 months of Ironman I can safely say it caused my world to crash and burn. I was as excited to be done with Ironman as I was to do it. Once the race was over I dropped exercising like the ball and chain it had become and refocused my life.
Over the past few months I refocused on my work, my relationship and my junk food eating. And I'm confident that this time off was a success. I'm happier, less healthy, more fat and, most importantly, ready to start training again. The thought of jumping into a pool or hitting the trails running or biking doesn't make me sick to my stomach any more. In fact, it sound exhilarating. I can't wait to jump into a spin class early in the morning. I'm really looking forward to being stuck in a 25 yard lap lane pool. And it sounds fantastic to start running with CARA for my winter trainings.
I'm ready to be back and ready to train.
So far I've gotten into all the races I've aimed to get into and at the beginning of the year will sign up for the last few I want to do. On the calendar I've got:
and in the queue is
The marathons fall on April 30 and May 1, respectively. I've then got one month to switch gears and get ready for the Escape From Alcatraz tri which falls on June 5. The Door Country tri is July 23 which gives me about 1.5 months to get ready for that one. And finally is the Breakwater tri over the August 27 weekend, another month separation.
Starting Monday I'm going to follow a 6-day per week training regimine for the marathons which will include running, swimming and biking. I'll run two days per week, swim two days per week and bike two days per week. I'll mix in weights 3 days and stretching over lunch. It'll be a subtile return to training but give me some decent exposure to all three disciplines while I build my endurance back up again.
After the marathons I'll plan on mimicking my Mark Allen training to finish getting ready for the Escape. Then, for the next few months, I'll keep building up and working on endurance and strength. That should be about it. I may add some late season races just because August seems too early to stop training but we'll cross that bridge later.
It's strange reading some of my friend's stories and not feeling jealous. They jumped right into some early 2011 races which means they've been training for at least a month now. While a piece of me is jealous, I know for certain that I made the right choice by staying away from training.
During the work out season, many of the things in my life take a seat on the shelf because time is not a luxury. There are just too many things to get done an not enough time to do it. That means sacrifices and compromises need to be made. While there's a lot of that going on the one thing I don't sacrifice is my training. Since training takes up so much of my non-work hours, I need to fill the remainder of my non-work hours with chores like house cleaning, laundry, cooking, and other errands. A direct result of this is a lot of things I'd otherwise love to do don't get done: reading a book, simply relaxing playing a crossword puzzle, watching TV, eating junk food, etc.
As a rule I've decided to take most of the months of October, November and December off from training in order to catch up on life and recharge my mind and soul. Just like we need time away from work or school we also need time away from training.
This time away from training was particularly necessary because I just finished training for and completing Ironman Wisconsin. While it was a monumentous event and a great experience all the way around, it consumed my life for roughly 9 months. In that time that's all I did. It's all I thought about. My world revolved around it. And after 9 months of Ironman I can safely say it caused my world to crash and burn. I was as excited to be done with Ironman as I was to do it. Once the race was over I dropped exercising like the ball and chain it had become and refocused my life.
Over the past few months I refocused on my work, my relationship and my junk food eating. And I'm confident that this time off was a success. I'm happier, less healthy, more fat and, most importantly, ready to start training again. The thought of jumping into a pool or hitting the trails running or biking doesn't make me sick to my stomach any more. In fact, it sound exhilarating. I can't wait to jump into a spin class early in the morning. I'm really looking forward to being stuck in a 25 yard lap lane pool. And it sounds fantastic to start running with CARA for my winter trainings.
I'm ready to be back and ready to train.
So far I've gotten into all the races I've aimed to get into and at the beginning of the year will sign up for the last few I want to do. On the calendar I've got:
- Illinois Marathon
- Flying Pig Marathon
- Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon
and in the queue is
- Breakwater Triathlon and
- Door County Triathlon.
The marathons fall on April 30 and May 1, respectively. I've then got one month to switch gears and get ready for the Escape From Alcatraz tri which falls on June 5. The Door Country tri is July 23 which gives me about 1.5 months to get ready for that one. And finally is the Breakwater tri over the August 27 weekend, another month separation.
My plan
Starting Monday I'm going to follow a 6-day per week training regimine for the marathons which will include running, swimming and biking. I'll run two days per week, swim two days per week and bike two days per week. I'll mix in weights 3 days and stretching over lunch. It'll be a subtile return to training but give me some decent exposure to all three disciplines while I build my endurance back up again.
After the marathons I'll plan on mimicking my Mark Allen training to finish getting ready for the Escape. Then, for the next few months, I'll keep building up and working on endurance and strength. That should be about it. I may add some late season races just because August seems too early to stop training but we'll cross that bridge later.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Time for a Face Lift
The gears are turning and I'm starting to get the itch to train again. And I will be in a few weeks. With that in mind I wanted to do a few new things, one of those being a new design to the blog. Hopefully this will help encourage me to keep writing a bit more as I get back into training mode.
I'll be back in a week or so with an update to the new schedule I came up with. I'm pretty excited about it and can't wait to share.
I'll be back in a week or so with an update to the new schedule I came up with. I'm pretty excited about it and can't wait to share.
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