DeLaWho? DeLaWhat? DeLaWhere?: 01.07

Your Daily Boondocks via Okayplayer.com

1.04.2007

Oh, youtube, how you entertain me so. In search for something more amusing than significant figures and chemistry and inspired by the hilarity of the SCTV's Christmas DVD (a lovely Christmas present), I entered four of the English language's 26 letters and stumbled upon a wealth of SCTV skits and apparently a run-on sentence as well. Here are of my favorites so far...

The McKenzie Brothers "Mouse in A Bottle"

Liberace's Christmas Special

The Shmenge Brothers salute New Wave Music

# posted by Ivan @ 4:56 PM |

1.02.2007

Not time for time trials yet

Upon realizing that I could not find a stop watch and that afterschool practice may have commenced at the local high school tracks, I have delayed my time trials. Which, like Martha Stewart, is a good thing. I still have a couple of issues that I need to address. One: the pulled right hamstring that has been nagging me since a pick-up game of football about 4 or 5 weeks ago. Two: Poor running form that leads to lower back pain. Luckily, for me, at least one of these two is something that I can physically correct...poor form of course. I will have to wait out this hamstring pull. I have the tendency to run "top heavy", that is, I lean forward. Apparently, too much forward lean puts additional stress on one's lower back, shoulders, and neck. Luckily, there is a quick fix exercise that I found courtesy of runnersworld.com. Hopefully, with a little practice, I will be running with better form soon.

Back to the event at hand. Today, I chose to go for a leisurely run around the neighborhood. The run lasted about 15 to 20 minutes before my poor form and aching back cut off my run. I tried to implement the quick fix, but I was unable to maintain proper form for too long before poor running habits resurfaced. Since, I am using the blog to hold myself accountable, after my post-run cool down, naturally, I found myself at the computer attempting to manipulate mapquest to figure out how long my chosen neighborhood route was and what kind of pace I was running (by the way, if I was to guage my effort level, I would say it was approximately 50 to 60% of my maximum mile pace). Befuddled, I nearly broke out a ruler for scale and measured my route using the map on the screen. Luckily for me, my sister came in a told me about mapmyrun.com. Using the resources of google earth, you enter your starting point. Then mark your run by entering markers manually until you have accounted for your entire run. After, entering the end point of your run, the distance is calculated...and viola. Additionally, you can use the workout calculator to figure out your pace, average speed, and number of calories burned. For my 1.5 mile run, I had an average pace of 10 min/mile, an average speed of 6 miles per hour, and I burned a whopping 230 calories. This certainly was not a neckbreaking pace. In fact, it is approximately, 2 to 3 minutes off my desired pace for the 5-k. C'est la vie. I guess you could chalk it up as a baby step.

Labels: Running

# posted by Ivan @ 4:00 PM |

1.01.2007

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, marks the beginning of my training for the flying pig 5-k in Cincy on May 5th. I have been perusing the internets looking for training programs and I have come across a few. Instead of going for a 2 or 3 mile run tomorrow, I will be timing my quarter-mile and mile times, in order to gauge what kind of realistic 5-k pace I would run at this time and what kind of 5-k pace I want to run in 3-plus months. In my travels around the internets, I have found Runners World and Running Times Online to be very helpful resources. I had never been a huge fan of running, like many others, as I had found it to be an under stimulating activity, especially when compared to the physicality and speed of hockey, basketball, football, soccer, and baseball. However, this past summer, I bought a pair of ASICS and started to find running to be both stimulating, therapeutic, and challenging. This past semester, I would run 3 to 4 times a week, usually for 1.5 to 2.5 miles. While it served as a excellent outlet for energy, I did not time myself or "push my limits." So, the training begins. It is my plan to log my progress on this blog, in order to maintain some level of accountability.

So, without further adieu, here is the chosen training program (via Running Times Online)

In the Novice Program, the athlete is ready to think about time. It is set up for the runner who has a little background (i.e., has completed the Beginner Program or has been running at least as much as was recommended in the Beginner Program), but is still fairly new to running. If you are piggybacking these programs, give yourself a down week of gentle running before you begin this program.

This program will take your heart and lungs to the next level. It will also continue to strengthen the muscles and connective tissue as well as the mind. The connective tissue is the slowest to toughen and since we can progress only as fast as our weakest link it is important to be patient. As everything toughens the likelihood of injury decreases greatly. If there is any question as to how fast the progression should go, ask a coach or be conservative.

All workouts are in miles, unless otherwise noted.

	Mon	Tues*	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat**	Sun
Week 1	3	WO1	off	4	off	4	off
Week 2	3	WO2	off	4	off	4	off
Week 3	3	WO3	off	4	off	4	off
Week 4	4	WO4	off	4	off	5	off
Week 5	4	WO5	off	4	off	Mile TT	off
Week 6	4	WO6	off	4	off	5	off
Week 7	3	WO7	off	4	off	2 mile TT	off
Week 8	4	WO8	off	4	off	5	3
Week 9	4	WO9	off	4	off	5K race (practice)	3
Week 10	3	WO10	off	4	off	5	3
Week 11	3	WO11	off	4	off	5	3
Week 12	3	WO12	off	3	off	5K race	3
On all days other than the Tuesday workouts and the Saturday time trials and races, run/ walk under 75% of your maximum heart rate. You can be tested for this number or you can continue to use the formula 220-age = max HR. Remember if you do choose to use the formula there is potential for error so pay attention to what you are feeling compared to the numbers. Do they make sense? Ask questions. At this point in the program, you are probably starting to see and feel some real results, as you gain fitness and confidence. Be careful, though, that you don't push yourself too hard. Listen to your body--if it is telling you something is hurting, don't be afraid to take a day or two off (or more if you need it!). Tuesday Speed Workouts: WO1 & 3* = one mile warm-up / 4 x 400 @ 85-90% with 400 jog recover / one mile cool down. WO2, 5, 7, 9, & 12 = one mile warm-up / 8 x 200 @ 85-90% with 200 jog recovery / one mile cool down. WO4 & 6 = one mile warm-up / 6 x 400 @ 85-90% with 400 jog recovery / one mile cool down. WO8 = one mile warm-up / 4 x 600 @ 85-90% with 400 jog recovery / one mile cool down. WO10 = one mile warm-up / 3 x 800 @ 85-90% with 400 jog recovery / one mile cool down. WO11 = one mile warm-up / 2 x mile @ 80-90% with 400 jog recovery / one mile cool down. Saturday Workouts/Race: Mile TT = one mile warm-up / 1 mile Time Trial. Each 400 should be quicker than the one before it. / one mile cool down. 2 Mile TT = one mile warm-up / 2 mile Time Trial. Each 800 should be quicker than the one before it. / one mile cool down. 5k race (practice) = Most people have a very hard time learning to pace themselves. The workouts and the Time Trials have started this process. This race will continue it. Run the first 400 at recovery day training pace, the next 1200 (to the mile mark) at an effort that is approximately 30 seconds a mile faster than training pace. The next mile should be approximately 30 seconds faster than the first mile. You should race the last mile using a progressive build-up from the two mile mark and running your hardest and your fastest at the end of the race. Remember this is a practice race with the goal being to begin to learn to run negative splits (i.e., run the second half of the race faster than the first). Race day** = A solid controlled effort in which you are successful if each mile is a few seconds faster than the one before it. (If course terrain or weather conditions make this an improbable goal, aim for a good steady effort.)

Labels: Running

# posted by Ivan @ 7:58 PM |

DeLaWho? DeLaWhat? DeLaWhere?

The experiences of Me, Myself, and I(van), a young Delawarean, currently working in Cincinnati, Ohio

1.04.2007

1.02.2007

Not time for time trials yet

1.01.2007

Tomorrow