What's the difference meditation and prayer? I've often thought of this, being a Catholic and a Yoga student. I pray when I'm at church, when I visit my Dad's grave, when I think of my friends and family and their well being, and when I think of all of the people out there who need help. I meditate when I'm stressed, when I want to find calm and stillness of mind, when I want to rest.
In both cases, I talk with God, I walk with him in my mind, hand in hand, and listen intently to what he has to say. His guidance has always been there, and whether I follow it or not, well ... that's another question. I'm not perfect, nor claim to be, I'm human, a sinner like everyone else. But, sooner or later, I find myself in prayer or meditation or both, trying to find peace and meaning.
On Sunday at mass, Father Thomas, one of the Carmelite priests who frequent our church, was talking about vocation, not occupation. He showed us a video of what priests do, and how there's a big need for new priests to find their calling. Father Thomas has an unusual style, in that he takes his time, and tends to meditate and pray deeply before speaking. It's almost like he's waiting for God to fill him with the words to say. He asked us to close our eyes and pray and meditate along with him, and it was one of the most powerful things I've ever experienced spiritually. As a Catholic who has gone to church (off and on) for the better part of my entire life, I tend to go through the motions, worry about what I'm going to do next, what time the football game is, or what we're going to have for lunch or dinner. Instead of focusing on the moment, what's happening right now, what's being said. Father Thomas, very much like my Yoga teachers, brought me back to the importance of the words and thoughts being shared at mass. And it touched me greatly. He's a blessing, a good man, and someone who genuinely cares about what he does. I'm honored and priveleged to hear him speak, and to watch him pray and meditate.
Amen and Namaste to you all...
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
SFM Training : Week 3 Review, Week 4 Preview
Whew! 3 weeks down ... 13 to go.
Monday: 90 minutes again with my favorite teacher. We did some very cool and restorative wall poses. Legs propped up against a wall (like Chi-Running leg drains), back propped up against a wall to help seated meditation, and some really awesome wall plank poses. Was fun and effective. I used them again to recover for my long run.
Tuesday: 6x800 intervals on the treadmill. First 5 were awesome, then bonkage at 6. Had a nice warmup and cooldown and stretch.
Wednesday: 90 minutes of Bikram Yoga. I think I've found my breath in Bikram again, I got through the whole class a lot smoother and cleaner than last week. The room wasn't as hot, there weren't as many people there, so that may have had something to do with it.
Thursday: 7 mile tempo on the treadmill. This was tough, but I felt great. Just worked on keeping my speed throughout and relaxing all the way through. Was drenched afterward, and spent a good 30 minutes stretching.
Friday: Supposed to do P90X yoga, instead did about 10 minutes of stretching. My body was gassed after the 7 mile tempo run, decided to shut it down.
Saturday: 13 mile hilly LSD run. I was supposed to do this at 4am with my nephew. My nephew couldn't make it, and neither did my alarm clock. I slept right through it, and ended doing the run at 5pm. It was hotter than usual (of course), but a slight breeze helped. I was out for 2.5 hours and by mile 12, I was bonked, so I walked it in. I got through the hills great, but the combination of the heat, the time of day, and probably not enough carbs and water did me in. It's a tough hilly run, for sure, and I'll do better the next time. Note to recover from this run, I did the wall propped leg drains for a good 20 minutes, my feet felt tingly, but the inflammation went down almost immediately. Then, I had a nice green smoothie for dinner, took a hot shower, and went to bed. Woke up this morning feeling a little sore, but pretty good considering.
Now for Week #4 upcoming, it's a bit of a recovery week, if you will. Most marathon programs are like that, 3 week sections of easy, medium, hard, with a recovery week thrown in the mix, once in a while.
M: Power Flow Yoga
TU: 3x1600 intervals
W: Bikram Yoga
TH: 3 mile tempo
F: P90X Yoga
SA: 10 mile hilly LSD run
SU: Rest
Monday: 90 minutes again with my favorite teacher. We did some very cool and restorative wall poses. Legs propped up against a wall (like Chi-Running leg drains), back propped up against a wall to help seated meditation, and some really awesome wall plank poses. Was fun and effective. I used them again to recover for my long run.
Tuesday: 6x800 intervals on the treadmill. First 5 were awesome, then bonkage at 6. Had a nice warmup and cooldown and stretch.
Wednesday: 90 minutes of Bikram Yoga. I think I've found my breath in Bikram again, I got through the whole class a lot smoother and cleaner than last week. The room wasn't as hot, there weren't as many people there, so that may have had something to do with it.
Thursday: 7 mile tempo on the treadmill. This was tough, but I felt great. Just worked on keeping my speed throughout and relaxing all the way through. Was drenched afterward, and spent a good 30 minutes stretching.
Friday: Supposed to do P90X yoga, instead did about 10 minutes of stretching. My body was gassed after the 7 mile tempo run, decided to shut it down.
Saturday: 13 mile hilly LSD run. I was supposed to do this at 4am with my nephew. My nephew couldn't make it, and neither did my alarm clock. I slept right through it, and ended doing the run at 5pm. It was hotter than usual (of course), but a slight breeze helped. I was out for 2.5 hours and by mile 12, I was bonked, so I walked it in. I got through the hills great, but the combination of the heat, the time of day, and probably not enough carbs and water did me in. It's a tough hilly run, for sure, and I'll do better the next time. Note to recover from this run, I did the wall propped leg drains for a good 20 minutes, my feet felt tingly, but the inflammation went down almost immediately. Then, I had a nice green smoothie for dinner, took a hot shower, and went to bed. Woke up this morning feeling a little sore, but pretty good considering.
Now for Week #4 upcoming, it's a bit of a recovery week, if you will. Most marathon programs are like that, 3 week sections of easy, medium, hard, with a recovery week thrown in the mix, once in a while.
M: Power Flow Yoga
TU: 3x1600 intervals
W: Bikram Yoga
TH: 3 mile tempo
F: P90X Yoga
SA: 10 mile hilly LSD run
SU: Rest
Monday, April 19, 2010
Friendship
One of my childhood and best friends invited me and the kids over for lunch this past weekend. We've stayed very close over the near 30 years we've known each other. I mean we go back to 7th grade! He's probably more conscious and zealous about health, fitness, and diet than I'll ever be, he's been my inspiration for a long time. We were workout partners at the gym in our teens, and then again in our 20s. And now in our 40s, we're more like health, fitness, diet, and wellness partners as well. We share a lot of the same thoughts, have read the same books, watched the same movies, and came to the same conclusions. Heck, we even did 30 days of only raw vegan food together a year ago. He's a special person to me, someone I trust completely with everything in my life, and someone who's always been there for me.
Our kids are close as well. Our oldest daughters are good friends, ever since they were babies, and his two and my three love to play together and have fun. This past weekend, we arrived at lunch time and left 'when the lights came on' and the kids played hide and seek, and all of the childhood games we played as kids. It was a sight to see, something that brought back memories of my own childhood, and the boundless joy and carefree time spent with loved ones and friends.
I am fortunate to have a friend like that, someone I can talk to, and trust completely. Where time spent, even though months or years interspersed, is as valuable as anything. It's something you can't buy or produce, just those moments of friendship, frozen in time, conversations captured in my mind, pictures of the kids running around, and just enjoying the time, the sunshine, and the moments together.
Friendship is the essence of life, isn't it? To share life's moments and beauty with your friends, to be there to listen, to see your kids relive your childhood in front of your eyes, and simply to live.
If you have a good friend that you haven't talked to in a while, set up some time to see him/her. Spend some quality time together, talk, share, and enjoy life together. Sometimes, it's not good enough just to call or email or text. Spend a day together to cement it in your memory, to keep the friendship alive. I'm very lucky with my friends, my true friends. For us, even if we haven't seen each other in years, we just pick up where we left off last, and go from there. But as time goes by, with our busy lives, those opportunities become more rare and fleeting. So, it's really on us to make time now, while we're able to.
Our kids are close as well. Our oldest daughters are good friends, ever since they were babies, and his two and my three love to play together and have fun. This past weekend, we arrived at lunch time and left 'when the lights came on' and the kids played hide and seek, and all of the childhood games we played as kids. It was a sight to see, something that brought back memories of my own childhood, and the boundless joy and carefree time spent with loved ones and friends.
I am fortunate to have a friend like that, someone I can talk to, and trust completely. Where time spent, even though months or years interspersed, is as valuable as anything. It's something you can't buy or produce, just those moments of friendship, frozen in time, conversations captured in my mind, pictures of the kids running around, and just enjoying the time, the sunshine, and the moments together.
Friendship is the essence of life, isn't it? To share life's moments and beauty with your friends, to be there to listen, to see your kids relive your childhood in front of your eyes, and simply to live.
If you have a good friend that you haven't talked to in a while, set up some time to see him/her. Spend some quality time together, talk, share, and enjoy life together. Sometimes, it's not good enough just to call or email or text. Spend a day together to cement it in your memory, to keep the friendship alive. I'm very lucky with my friends, my true friends. For us, even if we haven't seen each other in years, we just pick up where we left off last, and go from there. But as time goes by, with our busy lives, those opportunities become more rare and fleeting. So, it's really on us to make time now, while we're able to.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
SFM Training : Week 2 Review, Week 3 Preview
2 weeks down, 14 to go.
Monday: 90 minutes again with my favorite teacher, did some nice hip stretches using pigeon, sleeping pigeon, and sleeping pigeon with a lying prayer twist. That last stretch, in particular was good, really worked my right hip, which is much tighter than my left, very well.
Tuesday: 4x1200 intervals on the treadmill. First 3 felt great, last one, I about died. :) Had a nice warmup, cool down, and stretch, but was pasted after this workout. About 5 miles altogether.
Wednesday: 90 minutes of Bikram Yoga. Uh ... I haven't done Bikram in over 2+ years, and it was hotter and more humid in my old studio room than I can ever remember. It was tough! But, I felt cleansed, energized, stretched, and peaceful. It took about 30 minutes afterward, just to catch my breath.
Thursday: 5 mile tempo on the treadmill. Darn tempo runs are the most brutal. I felt great throughout, held my speed consistently, and was drenched afterward. Had a nice stretch and cool down after.
Friday: 90 minutes of P90X yoga. Heck, after Bikram and that tempo run, P90X yoga (which is typically tough) felt easy. It was great to start of my early Friday morning with my boy, Tony Horton. :)
Saturday: 12 mile hilly LSD run. My nephew and I embarked on a brutal 12-mile out and back, with 3 nasty hills. The last one was the toughest because we just went up hill #2 (which is 1.0 mile of death) down hard on hill #3 (which is 1.0 mile of utter terror), turned around and went back up that monster. By about mile 10, my poor nephew's ankle had enough, and we had to walk it in. I felt great throughout, super strong, although I ran nice and slow, especially up the hills. I think all of the intervals and harder tempo runs are making a big difference on the long weekend run. And the yoga is helping immeasurably as well.
Now for Week #3 upcoming, the distances and intervals get longer:
M: Power Flow Yoga
TU: 6x800 intervals
W: Bikram Yoga
TH: 7 mile tempo (ugh!)
F: P90X Yoga
SA: 13 mile hilly LSD run
SU: Rest
Monday: 90 minutes again with my favorite teacher, did some nice hip stretches using pigeon, sleeping pigeon, and sleeping pigeon with a lying prayer twist. That last stretch, in particular was good, really worked my right hip, which is much tighter than my left, very well.
Tuesday: 4x1200 intervals on the treadmill. First 3 felt great, last one, I about died. :) Had a nice warmup, cool down, and stretch, but was pasted after this workout. About 5 miles altogether.
Wednesday: 90 minutes of Bikram Yoga. Uh ... I haven't done Bikram in over 2+ years, and it was hotter and more humid in my old studio room than I can ever remember. It was tough! But, I felt cleansed, energized, stretched, and peaceful. It took about 30 minutes afterward, just to catch my breath.
Thursday: 5 mile tempo on the treadmill. Darn tempo runs are the most brutal. I felt great throughout, held my speed consistently, and was drenched afterward. Had a nice stretch and cool down after.
Friday: 90 minutes of P90X yoga. Heck, after Bikram and that tempo run, P90X yoga (which is typically tough) felt easy. It was great to start of my early Friday morning with my boy, Tony Horton. :)
Saturday: 12 mile hilly LSD run. My nephew and I embarked on a brutal 12-mile out and back, with 3 nasty hills. The last one was the toughest because we just went up hill #2 (which is 1.0 mile of death) down hard on hill #3 (which is 1.0 mile of utter terror), turned around and went back up that monster. By about mile 10, my poor nephew's ankle had enough, and we had to walk it in. I felt great throughout, super strong, although I ran nice and slow, especially up the hills. I think all of the intervals and harder tempo runs are making a big difference on the long weekend run. And the yoga is helping immeasurably as well.
Now for Week #3 upcoming, the distances and intervals get longer:
M: Power Flow Yoga
TU: 6x800 intervals
W: Bikram Yoga
TH: 7 mile tempo (ugh!)
F: P90X Yoga
SA: 13 mile hilly LSD run
SU: Rest
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Aryuveda Workshop and Bikram Yoga
I went to an Ayurveda Workshop last week, and found out that I have Vata imbalance, too much air and space (ether). I'm going to do a 4-day cleanse, using ... ummm ... ghee (clarified butter) as part of the cleanse. I asked my teacher, "Does it have to be ghee?" And she said, "Yes". I said okay, for 4-days, I'll try it. I'll detail that cleanse a bit later, not ready to do it right now because of marathon training.
I like learning about 'funky stuff' and 'alternative thinking'. I mean Aryuveda is thousands of years old, and it has worked for many people. It's so radically different than what I'm doing now, but heck, I'll listen to anyone who has great data, and try it for myself to see if it's something helpful. I think that openness and experimentation are good mindsets to have. There might a tweak here or there that could make a big difference to your health and well being.
Part of the training showed I have sensitivities to cold and wind, and that's true. Ever since I became Vegan, my 'sleepy clothes' have gone from boxers alone to full on thermals and long pants. I used to wear polos in the morning, no jacket. Not any more. Combined with the colder weather (may have more to do with my cold feelings) and my diet, I've been pretty chilly. So, I decided on my own to go back and do Bikram Yoga again.
It's been close to 2-3 years since I took a class, and I took one last night at my same studio. Some changes though, from what I remember. A huge humidifier going full blast spews moisture in the very, very hot room, probably 105-110 degrees. I mean it was freaking hot, and packed with people. I had trouble getting through the first 45 minutes (the toughest part), having to sit down a couple of times. That only happened once or twice in 2 years of practice, but I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself. It's new again, and the environment is a bit different. Once we hit the mat and 2nd 45 minutes, I was good. I took it easy, just to be safe. I felt great afterwards (emphasis on afterwards), cleansed, energized, and stretched. I remember when I used to do Bikram regularly and my body was tuned and used to the routine, the heat, the recovery, the preparation, etc. I'll have to remember what I did to make it part of my routine again. If anything, it will make my running that much better. I'm only doing Bikram once a week, because of time constraints, and overall exertion. The other two Yoga days, I'm doing a Power Flow Yoga (much easier than Bikram, different, and more meditative) and P90X Yoga at home (challenging, but super convenient). I think the variety is good, just like my runs (intervals, tempo, long-slow distance).
I like learning about 'funky stuff' and 'alternative thinking'. I mean Aryuveda is thousands of years old, and it has worked for many people. It's so radically different than what I'm doing now, but heck, I'll listen to anyone who has great data, and try it for myself to see if it's something helpful. I think that openness and experimentation are good mindsets to have. There might a tweak here or there that could make a big difference to your health and well being.
Part of the training showed I have sensitivities to cold and wind, and that's true. Ever since I became Vegan, my 'sleepy clothes' have gone from boxers alone to full on thermals and long pants. I used to wear polos in the morning, no jacket. Not any more. Combined with the colder weather (may have more to do with my cold feelings) and my diet, I've been pretty chilly. So, I decided on my own to go back and do Bikram Yoga again.
It's been close to 2-3 years since I took a class, and I took one last night at my same studio. Some changes though, from what I remember. A huge humidifier going full blast spews moisture in the very, very hot room, probably 105-110 degrees. I mean it was freaking hot, and packed with people. I had trouble getting through the first 45 minutes (the toughest part), having to sit down a couple of times. That only happened once or twice in 2 years of practice, but I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself. It's new again, and the environment is a bit different. Once we hit the mat and 2nd 45 minutes, I was good. I took it easy, just to be safe. I felt great afterwards (emphasis on afterwards), cleansed, energized, and stretched. I remember when I used to do Bikram regularly and my body was tuned and used to the routine, the heat, the recovery, the preparation, etc. I'll have to remember what I did to make it part of my routine again. If anything, it will make my running that much better. I'm only doing Bikram once a week, because of time constraints, and overall exertion. The other two Yoga days, I'm doing a Power Flow Yoga (much easier than Bikram, different, and more meditative) and P90X Yoga at home (challenging, but super convenient). I think the variety is good, just like my runs (intervals, tempo, long-slow distance).
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Oysters
An old friend of mine wanted my take on an article he read titled, "It's OK for Vegans to eat Oysters". I read the article, it was interesting. He makes the case that oyster farms are sustainable, unlike factory farms for fish, poultry, beef, and pork. And hey, he loves oysters, so why not?
My take? Good for him!
The word 'Vegan' is supposed to be a black and white thing, I suppose. A badge of honor, if you will. So, if you even sip a cup of vegetable soup in vegetable broth made from the same kitchen that actually served, god forbid, chicken, then that's a really bad thing. Man, that's just nuts to me. For my situation, telling people I'm Vegan is the easiest way for them to understand that I don't eat animals or dairy products. Now, is that black/white, 100%? No. But, who cares? Honestly. I don't go around asking people what they eat and make judgments or question the labels. Eat what you love, and what makes you feel great. And for those people that say I'm not a 'real Vegan' ... okay fine ... whatever label you want to put 'fake Vegan' '99% Vegan' 'ghetto Vegan' whatever, it really doesn't matter to me, I'm still gonna say "I'm a Vegan" simply because it's easier that way to explain it to people.
To me, it's okay for Vegans to eat whatever the heck they want. It's their life, and their choice. If they really want to eat a burger at McDonalds, then go ahead, seriously. It's not like there's going to be a headline in the news the next morning stating, "Vegan ate a Big Mac, stay tuned for details." The worry and the pressure that one puts on themselves to be so strict, is in turn not good for you, I believe. There's obviously arguments to be made that a few caring farmers out there do the right thing, and it would be perfectly fine to consume animal products, if you knew their origin and the care and love given to them.
In my practice and life, I rarely (if ever) eat any dairy or meat. Not that I wouldn't try something at a fine restaurant or a different country of city, if presented to me. For me, it's a lot to do with where the food came from. If the animals are raised 'right,' then the argument could be made that it's okay to have a small sample, emphasis on small. I still wouldn't make it a big part of my life, simply because I'll never know if what I'm eating is raised 'right'. That's the problem, 99% of our meat and dairy isn't raised right, even though the labels and whatnot tell you so. And living in the City and not on a farm with farmers, it's simply not feasible to look up and question the ingredients used at every restaurant you go to.
Ah, well. I never really liked oysters anyway, even when I wasn't a Vegan. They were slimy and nasty to me, so despite the author's eloquent argument for eating Vegan oysters, I'm good where I am, thank you.
My take? Good for him!
The word 'Vegan' is supposed to be a black and white thing, I suppose. A badge of honor, if you will. So, if you even sip a cup of vegetable soup in vegetable broth made from the same kitchen that actually served, god forbid, chicken, then that's a really bad thing. Man, that's just nuts to me. For my situation, telling people I'm Vegan is the easiest way for them to understand that I don't eat animals or dairy products. Now, is that black/white, 100%? No. But, who cares? Honestly. I don't go around asking people what they eat and make judgments or question the labels. Eat what you love, and what makes you feel great. And for those people that say I'm not a 'real Vegan' ... okay fine ... whatever label you want to put 'fake Vegan' '99% Vegan' 'ghetto Vegan' whatever, it really doesn't matter to me, I'm still gonna say "I'm a Vegan" simply because it's easier that way to explain it to people.
To me, it's okay for Vegans to eat whatever the heck they want. It's their life, and their choice. If they really want to eat a burger at McDonalds, then go ahead, seriously. It's not like there's going to be a headline in the news the next morning stating, "Vegan ate a Big Mac, stay tuned for details." The worry and the pressure that one puts on themselves to be so strict, is in turn not good for you, I believe. There's obviously arguments to be made that a few caring farmers out there do the right thing, and it would be perfectly fine to consume animal products, if you knew their origin and the care and love given to them.
In my practice and life, I rarely (if ever) eat any dairy or meat. Not that I wouldn't try something at a fine restaurant or a different country of city, if presented to me. For me, it's a lot to do with where the food came from. If the animals are raised 'right,' then the argument could be made that it's okay to have a small sample, emphasis on small. I still wouldn't make it a big part of my life, simply because I'll never know if what I'm eating is raised 'right'. That's the problem, 99% of our meat and dairy isn't raised right, even though the labels and whatnot tell you so. And living in the City and not on a farm with farmers, it's simply not feasible to look up and question the ingredients used at every restaurant you go to.
Ah, well. I never really liked oysters anyway, even when I wasn't a Vegan. They were slimy and nasty to me, so despite the author's eloquent argument for eating Vegan oysters, I'm good where I am, thank you.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Green Smoothie Revisited : Nutritional Analysis
Since I've been on a serious green smoothie kick for the last ... I don't how many months, I decided to do a nutritional analysis of all of the ingredients used. Here's the breakdown for my 'nutty green smoothie'.
4 oz. Organic Acai Juice
4 oz. Organic Carrot Juice
4 oz. Organic Soymilk
1 medium banana
4 oz. (or more) Fresh Dark Leafy Greens
1 Tbsp Flaxseed
1/8 cup almonds
1/2 cup frozen Organic Blueberries
1 cup ice
Serving Size : 32 oz
Servings : 1
Calories: 410
Total Fat: 11g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 156mg
Potassium: 752mg
Total Carb: 77g
Total Sugar: 47g
Fiber: 14.6g
Protein: 12.3g
On a 2000 calorie/day intake, the US RDA% for each of the categories listed is:
Calories: 21%
Total Fat:17%
Cholesterol:0%
Sodium:7%
Potassium:16%
Total Carb: 26%
Fiber: 58%
Protein: 25%
So, you're getting a lot of nutrients and fiber, with zero cholesterol and low sodium, all with just 410 calories. Heck, if you drank three of these a day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and had a few healthy snacks in between, you'd be doing just fine, wouldn't you?
To your health! Remember, this is super easy to make. Just throw those ingredients (in the order listed) in a good high-speed blender and simply push the button, pour, and drink. So tasty, so good for you!
4 oz. Organic Acai Juice
4 oz. Organic Carrot Juice
4 oz. Organic Soymilk
1 medium banana
4 oz. (or more) Fresh Dark Leafy Greens
1 Tbsp Flaxseed
1/8 cup almonds
1/2 cup frozen Organic Blueberries
1 cup ice
Serving Size : 32 oz
Servings : 1
Calories: 410
Total Fat: 11g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 156mg
Potassium: 752mg
Total Carb: 77g
Total Sugar: 47g
Fiber: 14.6g
Protein: 12.3g
On a 2000 calorie/day intake, the US RDA% for each of the categories listed is:
Calories: 21%
Total Fat:17%
Cholesterol:0%
Sodium:7%
Potassium:16%
Total Carb: 26%
Fiber: 58%
Protein: 25%
So, you're getting a lot of nutrients and fiber, with zero cholesterol and low sodium, all with just 410 calories. Heck, if you drank three of these a day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and had a few healthy snacks in between, you'd be doing just fine, wouldn't you?
To your health! Remember, this is super easy to make. Just throw those ingredients (in the order listed) in a good high-speed blender and simply push the button, pour, and drink. So tasty, so good for you!
SFM Training : Week 1 Review, Week 2 Preview
Whew, 1 week down, 15 more to go.
Monday was Yoga night. 90 minutes with my favorite teacher after a busy day at work. Felt great.
Tuesday was intervals. 8x400m at the gym on the treadmill. Short intervals like that are great, and I felt pretty good throughout. A short warmup and stretch beforehand and a nice cool-down and stretch afterward.
Wednesday was Yoga night. 60 minutes with a new teacher, some nice stretches and ab work.
Thursday was tempo. 3 mile tempo run at the gym on the treadmill. Ugh! Tempo runs are usually really tough for me, and this was no exception. I had time constraints due to work, etc., so just a quick warmup, the tempo run, a quick walk, and outta there. I really needed some time to stretch afterwards, but didn't have it. But, overall, I didn't feel too bad with the tempo run, better than I expected.
Friday was Yoga morning at home. 90 minutes of P90X yoga + 10 minutes of deep meditation. I was exactly what I needed. I felt great, open and thoroughly worked out, with a calmness of mind I needed for the day.
Saturday was a hilly LSD (long-slow distance) 10-mile run. I felt absolutely great throughout the run, even on the vicious hills I'm throwing in. I think the intervals and tempo runs during the week made the slower pace very comfortable. And all of the yoga just put everything back together.
Sunday is a rest day, and I'm gonna ... rest. I'm gonna get a massage, attend a Yoga workshop, and grab a nice dinner in the City to mark and celebrate this first week.
Now for Week #2 upcoming, the distances and intervals get a little longer:
M: Yoga
TU: 4x1200m intervals
W: Yoga
TH: 5 mi tempo
F: Yoga
SA: 12 mi hilly LSD run
SU: Rest
Monday was Yoga night. 90 minutes with my favorite teacher after a busy day at work. Felt great.
Tuesday was intervals. 8x400m at the gym on the treadmill. Short intervals like that are great, and I felt pretty good throughout. A short warmup and stretch beforehand and a nice cool-down and stretch afterward.
Wednesday was Yoga night. 60 minutes with a new teacher, some nice stretches and ab work.
Thursday was tempo. 3 mile tempo run at the gym on the treadmill. Ugh! Tempo runs are usually really tough for me, and this was no exception. I had time constraints due to work, etc., so just a quick warmup, the tempo run, a quick walk, and outta there. I really needed some time to stretch afterwards, but didn't have it. But, overall, I didn't feel too bad with the tempo run, better than I expected.
Friday was Yoga morning at home. 90 minutes of P90X yoga + 10 minutes of deep meditation. I was exactly what I needed. I felt great, open and thoroughly worked out, with a calmness of mind I needed for the day.
Saturday was a hilly LSD (long-slow distance) 10-mile run. I felt absolutely great throughout the run, even on the vicious hills I'm throwing in. I think the intervals and tempo runs during the week made the slower pace very comfortable. And all of the yoga just put everything back together.
Sunday is a rest day, and I'm gonna ... rest. I'm gonna get a massage, attend a Yoga workshop, and grab a nice dinner in the City to mark and celebrate this first week.
Now for Week #2 upcoming, the distances and intervals get a little longer:
M: Yoga
TU: 4x1200m intervals
W: Yoga
TH: 5 mi tempo
F: Yoga
SA: 12 mi hilly LSD run
SU: Rest
Thursday, April 8, 2010
The Long Road Ahead...
So this is Week #1 of 16 weeks (4 months) of preparation for the SF Marathon. As I mentioned before, this training plan is so radically different than I've tried before, and that's probably a good thing. I'm only running 3 days a week, and complementing that with Yoga 3 days a week, with a full rest day interspersed. This is how it will go this week:
M:Yoga
TU: 8x400m intervals @ 10k pace - 1 min
W: Yoga
TH: 3 mile tempo @ 10k pace
F: Yoga
SA: 10 miles LSD (long slow distance) @ 10k pace + 1 min (or more)
SU: Rest
The rest of the training plan is similar, just modify the amount and distance of the intervals, tempo, and long runs. The yoga really helps with all of the pounding that the body goes through, not to mention the stress relief, relaxation, centering, and all of those other great benefits.
TU's interval runs were good, did them on a treadmill (trialed them at the track the past few weekends). I felt great throughout, did a nice 1 mile warmup beforehand and a 1 mile cooldown afterwards, for a total of 5+ miles or so. In between intervals, I jogged at my LSD pace for 1 minute. Of course, a good 20 minutes of stretching afterwards, and some lighter stretching beforehand.
Tempo runs are always a challenge for me, but I think it'll toughen me up. It'll be on the treadmill again today, because of my schedule, but I do plan to run both intervals and tempo runs either on the road or on the track. The LSD run (with my nephew!) will mirror the SF Marathon course elevation map, hills around mile 5 or so. Living where I do, I'm blessed (or cursed!) with having some vicious hills to climb. Hopefully, that'll also toughen me up and get me ready for the hilly course of the SF Marathon.
M:Yoga
TU: 8x400m intervals @ 10k pace - 1 min
W: Yoga
TH: 3 mile tempo @ 10k pace
F: Yoga
SA: 10 miles LSD (long slow distance) @ 10k pace + 1 min (or more)
SU: Rest
The rest of the training plan is similar, just modify the amount and distance of the intervals, tempo, and long runs. The yoga really helps with all of the pounding that the body goes through, not to mention the stress relief, relaxation, centering, and all of those other great benefits.
TU's interval runs were good, did them on a treadmill (trialed them at the track the past few weekends). I felt great throughout, did a nice 1 mile warmup beforehand and a 1 mile cooldown afterwards, for a total of 5+ miles or so. In between intervals, I jogged at my LSD pace for 1 minute. Of course, a good 20 minutes of stretching afterwards, and some lighter stretching beforehand.
Tempo runs are always a challenge for me, but I think it'll toughen me up. It'll be on the treadmill again today, because of my schedule, but I do plan to run both intervals and tempo runs either on the road or on the track. The LSD run (with my nephew!) will mirror the SF Marathon course elevation map, hills around mile 5 or so. Living where I do, I'm blessed (or cursed!) with having some vicious hills to climb. Hopefully, that'll also toughen me up and get me ready for the hilly course of the SF Marathon.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Good Days and Bad Days
We all have our good days and bad days, don't we?
I was thinking about this a while. What makes a good day or a bad day? What's the difference? What do we do, what do we feel that makes it either good or bad? It's a deep question, and I'm still pondering.
A few random thoughts come to mind. Sometimes, a good day is easy to distinguish. Life's fortune turns your way, your stock portfolio goes higher, your team won a big game last night, you get a raise, do well on a test, you have someone tell you that you are loved, and on and on. And bad days are just as easy to distinguish sometimes. You get a flat tire, you get a speeding tickets, someone yells at you, you feel pressure at work or school, you fail at something, you have a bad hair day, you forget something important, and on and on.
So, what about everything in between? Is it a good day or a bad day?
For me, it's very simple. Think about this.
When I give, it's a good day.
When I expect, it's a bad day.
Honestly, that's what it's been for me lately. That simple, that basic. The more I give, the better my day is. The less I expect, the better my day is. The less I give, the worse my day is. The more I expect, the worse my day is.
Give it some thought, and try to come out of it happier, with a brighter outlook on life, an ease to your walk, and lightness to your thoughts.
I was thinking about this a while. What makes a good day or a bad day? What's the difference? What do we do, what do we feel that makes it either good or bad? It's a deep question, and I'm still pondering.
A few random thoughts come to mind. Sometimes, a good day is easy to distinguish. Life's fortune turns your way, your stock portfolio goes higher, your team won a big game last night, you get a raise, do well on a test, you have someone tell you that you are loved, and on and on. And bad days are just as easy to distinguish sometimes. You get a flat tire, you get a speeding tickets, someone yells at you, you feel pressure at work or school, you fail at something, you have a bad hair day, you forget something important, and on and on.
So, what about everything in between? Is it a good day or a bad day?
For me, it's very simple. Think about this.
When I give, it's a good day.
When I expect, it's a bad day.
Honestly, that's what it's been for me lately. That simple, that basic. The more I give, the better my day is. The less I expect, the better my day is. The less I give, the worse my day is. The more I expect, the worse my day is.
Give it some thought, and try to come out of it happier, with a brighter outlook on life, an ease to your walk, and lightness to your thoughts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)