Experiment Update (Days 8 - 12) and Ego Boost

My last "experiment" update was on January 15th...a week ago. I guess I lost track of time because I was spending so much of it running, riding and swimming...at an excruciatingly slow pace. Why the slow pace you ask? 

Well, I read this article by Mark Allen (of Ironman fame) about base training... here's the link so you can read it yourself...

http://www.markallenonline.com/maoArticles.aspx?AID=4

According to the formula in this article, the upper end of my heart rate zone for developing my aerobic capacity and my ability to burn stored fat is 134...maybe 139 if I push it. It also suggested keeping it about about 80% of this! OMG! Do you know how slow I have to run to do this?

Friday - Day 8

I ran 10 miles trying to stay in the correct HR zone. My average heart rate was 143 and my average pace was  11:39 minutes per mile. Not only did I not stay in the correct zone, but my run took me nearly 2 hours...almost half an hour longer than the week before.

Food wise...everything is going good. Rings feel loose, mind is clear. Still eating more nuts than I probably should.

Saturday - Day 9

Started the day with a ride from Stockton to Tokay High School for swim practice. Nancy and Matt joined me and HS for this freezing cold trek. Average HR was 119, so that was good.

My toes were frozen by the time we got to Lodi and I was dreading getting into the water. I placed a kickboard on the edge of the pool and sat on it so I could dangle my feet in the water and not freeze my butt too. To my surprise, the water felt extremely warm...I could have sat there all day like that. Unfortunately, it was still chilly outside and I began shivering. At that point, F'n James yelled at me (yes, he yelled at me LOL) to get in the water. Ugh!

I hopped in expecting to freeze to death but instead, it felt like a warm bath almost as good as when I stuck my feet in! Why can't it feel like this all the time? Seriously, I miss summer sooooo much. I would rather run in 100+ temps than swim when it is cold outside.

Swim workout

James had a workout planned for us. I did the yardage, but switched the kicking set to strictly swimming (foot is still achy and prone to cramping during kicking sets). Unfortunately the workout ended and I had to get out of the pool and back on the bike. Luckily, things had warmed up a bit and we made the ride home without any frozen body parts.

Average heart rate on the ride home = 122

Pistachio crusted salmon with veggies for lunch

HS and I treated ourselves to a nice lunch... no counting calories, only made sure I didn't touch the pitas!

Sunday - Day 10

After church, HS and I were back in Lodi for the Speedstar ride. There was a big turn out (the best so far) considering the NFC playoff game was in a couple of hours. Paul was back, and Eric and Rosa joined us for the first time. James announced that he was tapering for the Olympic Club 1500 SCM meet and therefore would not be taking the lead. I wasn't taking the lead either, unless everyone wanted to go really, really slow.

Football game? What football game?

Another group photo (without me)

Sad selfie because I'm always the photog

Eric, Paul and Anthony took off as soon as we got out of town. I had to fight every fiber in my being that screamed "Go get them!!!"

Nope, not going to chase...gotta stay in my HR zone (which averaged 138 for this ride).

Speedstar by tpengilly at Garmin Connect - Details

Picked up some Wing Stop on the way to watch the Niner's lose...stuffed my face with chicken wings and later on a bun-less cheeseburger. While this decision was sugar and grain free, it left me feeling bloated the next two days.

Monday - Day 11 (MLK Holiday)

That triathlon isn't going to train for itself!

With this in mind, HS and I headed up to Folsom to get our youngest out on the bike (she's doing Barb's race with me).

I am utterly green with envy. In the pic below we are walking our bikes through their apartment complex, across a small stretch of lawn and then onto the bike path. It was that close! No loading the bikes in the car or navigating through less than bike friendly streets to get to our destination. Nope. It was right there! Right within walking distance!

It was probably less than 100 yards

Mother-daughter photo op

We ended up riding for 40 miles. Our pace was slow and that was just fine with me. We were out on the trail for nearly 3 hours and my average HR was 118.

American River Ride by tpengilly at Garmin Connect - Details

Tuesday - Day 12

Tuesdays are reserved for the Fleet Feet run. Normally this is a speed workout for me as I chase the younger runners through the route. Tonight was different because I was going to try and keep my HR low. This wasn't too difficult during the early part of the run, but as the group thinned out, I watched Nancy and HS leave me behind :-(

This sucks!

I wanted to chase them down so badly. Its one thing to run alone because you are out in front, it is a totally different feeling when it's because you are so far behind.

Eventually HS became worried since it was dark and waited for me. He had a hard time running as slow as I was going.  My average HR was 146 and my average pace was 10:52 minutes per mile...I guess this is a successful run, even if my HR was a little on the high side.

Fleet Feet Run by tpengilly at Garmin Connect - Details

Now for the Ego Boost

As we were waiting for the Fleet Feet run to start, a woman walked into the store and over to our group...

Woman: "Oh so this is where all the people I see running come from" (or something along those lines) 

Group: (Me, HS, Nancy and Tony Vice) Nod in agreement 

Woman (leaning towards me): "Do you mind telling me how old you are?" 

Me: "46" 

Woman: "Oh! Killer body. Wow." (or something along those line...ask my witnesses!)

I'm not making this up! I swear! Ask my witnesses!!!

Also, I would be a liar if I said that her comment wasn't a HUGE ego boost!  Thank you, thank you,  thank you Ms. Unknown Woman!!!