Archive for October, 2008

ING NYC Marathon – Three More Weeks

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

Tomorrow is my last 20 mile training run before the NY Marathon on November 2, 2008. The remaining two weekends consist of shorter and shorter “long runs”, as part of my scheduled taper. I believe the last two long runs include a 12 mile run on the 19th and an eight mile jaunt on the 26th.

I decided to travel to Long Beach Island for my training run tomorrow. I’ll compete in the 18 Mile Race. Once I cross the finish line I plan to double back to mile marker 17, then make my way back to the finish to complete the full 20 miles. My training schedule calls for a 7:38 pace, which is 23 seconds slower than my target pace for the marathon. It will be a challenge, but I’m ready for it. I did this course last year with a finish time of 2:53:05; I remember it was very warm that day for a 10:30 am run.

This past week I ran eight miles on Tuesday, did six miles of speed work on Thursday, and ran seven miles on Friday. Thursday’s speed work included a warm up, followed by a three mile fartlek run at a 6:18 pace, then a cool down. I did this on the treadmill. To make the speed work more challenging, I did a 45 minute core workout just prior to the run. This included the regimen below. Yesterday I ran the seven mile course (gmap-pedometer is great) at a 7:29 pace with the last mile at 7:07. Then I left work at a reasonable hour for the first time in many months to make it to my evening karate class.

What follows is the core-body workout I did on Thursday. The first part I like to call “Don’t put down the plate.”

Holding a 25 pound plate, repeat the following exercises three times:

  1. Front raises x 12
  2. In place forward lunges with twist x 12
  3. Squat and tap the plate on the ground, lift and press the plate overhead x 10
  4. Reverse raises x 12 (Standing position, start with plate overhead and arms locked, slowly lower the plate until the arms are parallel to the floor, and return to overhead position)
  5. Side bends (hold plate at right side, left arm over top of head, bend at waist to the right, lowering the plate to the ankle and return; after 10 switch sides); each side x 10
  6. Overhead tricep extension x 12
  7. Hold the plate directly in front with arms locked for as long as possible (I try to do this in front of a mirror so I can keep my eyes trained on my reflection through the hole in the plate)
  8. Between each set, put down the plate and do six pull ups, then hold the pull up position as long as possible.

Repeat three times:

  1. Jump from the floor onto the rounded side of the bosu and do a squat; jump back to the floor and back to the bosu with no pause, x 12
  2. Push-ups with one arm on the bosu, switching arms between each push-up x 10

Repeat three times:

  1. Suitcase squats with the kettlebells, standing on the bosu, x 10
  2. Bent over rows with kettlebells, standing on the bosu, x 10
  3. Upright rows with the kettlebells, standing on the bosu, x 10 

Repeat three times:

  1. Static hold for as long as possible in a modified push-up position; hands positioned away from the body making a 30 to 45 degree angle with the floor 
  2. Double-arm dead cleans into push presses with the kettlebells, x 10
  3. V-sits with feet on the stability ball, x 10

Forclosures in Southern California

Sunday, October 5th, 2008

Families’ treasured homes are forclosed; very personal belongings are left for the landfill, lawns turn brown and pools turn into green mosquito-breeding lagoons. A very sad state of affairs.

http://kcet.org/socal/2008/09/foreclosure-alley.html