Week 2: Committing (i.e. Getting into the race)

The big issue for the week is wether or not the race will sell out before the server lets me in. Kendra and I had the same idea of logging in a while before the actual start of the opening for entry. It worked and both Heath and I are now officially comitted and entered to the race. They also have extended the course this year by approximately 10km to make it 96k.

This week is still all about just getting going again. The key is really to just not get injured. The knees have really been feeling great lately and although they are not pain free, I think they will beceom so one I am again used to running and have had a chance to lift and strengthen up my quads and hamstrings.

Starting with the long run this weekend, I will start to log my workouts more carefully to include HRM and distances. Up to this point, it was just to get the legs moving again.

The log for this week :

Monday: Off
Tuesday: 43min run with hills
Wednesday: 36min run with hills (and getting chased by dogs!)
Thursday: Off (feeling a bit sick)
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:

Week 1: JAN 1-6 - EASING back in...

The goal for the week is to get in a few runs and get back onto a sensible diet plan. At the start of all this, I am ~190 lbs, heavier than I have ever been in my life by 10 lbs! This will slow the training down a bit but in the plan I wrote for this month, the schedule is light:
So.. the night of 1 January 2008: Weight 192.5 Resting HR 55BPM (surprising low for current fitness level).

2 January: 30 Minute run to Sarzanello followed by stretching. HR over max target during climb up trail as expected. Felt good and was excited to be training for the first time in a while!

3-4 January: HORRIBLE Weather so nothing much. Did some light stretching. Spent some time mapping out the things we are to this year and found out that Kathy Johnson's wedding is the same weekend of the race. I am surely not going to the wedding but K might which could make all this a non-starter if the kids situation is not solved. (Maybe Kendra will bail us out as she has before ! )

5 January: Nice 45mins run over the castle and then down through a few of the old neighborhoods on the north side of Sarzana. It is amazing how much construction has taken place. It seems to really fly under the radar though. Many, many nice new houses around.

6 January: Another 45 minute run. Reading back through these posts, I can't to think back to Cantello telling people (sometimes me included) "The fucking mayor of Annapolis runs 45 minutes - how the hell are you going to beat Army?"

So... the first week was a pseudo success. Got off the couch - literally - and went for a few runs without major problems. Actually the knees held up surprisingly well given my weight and recent history of problems. I am pretty impressed with the outcome of the hyalubrix shots.

In Summary: 2hrs spent running and a few stretching sessions... and so it has begun. This week is a little more intense. Hopefully the gym at work will be opening but we'll see. Also, we find out wether or not we are in the race in a couple days!!!!

And so it begins..

This year, one of my goals for the year is the finish the C.C.C. race from Cormayeur, Italy to Chamonix, France via Champex, Switzerland (hence CCC) - my partner for this is Heath who I met through a co-worker to whom he is married.
Since I have about 20 years experience competing at the national level in track and cross country as well as adventure racing, I have a problem with jumping too far into the training programs that I write too soon. So the solution to this is to re-think my training plan. After literally running myself into debilitating pain when starting previous attempts to regain fitness, the training plan this time must be geared for something between someone who completely sedentary and someone who is moderately fit (although at the moment, this is stretching it - I am surely closer to the former :O )
So... January will be a month to re-introduce my joints to running. I have high hopes for the effectiveness of the hyalubrix injections that I got over the past year which were to alleviate chronic knee pain. I also plan to train for this as a dedicated event (vice just doing an ultra in the middle of being in climbing shape). I think that starting with a day on day off approach and keeping acting on the off days will be good for a couple weeks and then get into 5-6 days running or long hikes is toward the end of the month. Then it seems like I can ease into Hal Higdon's plan...
Of course all of this is predicated upon two HUGE sticking points not getting in the way:
1. Just getting in could be hard
2. Kathy's wedding logistics if K goes to the wedding.
Fingers are crossed and knees are feeling good!