Or however you make that "eek" face.
Had one of those moments last night at karate. On Thursdays, we have a brown and black belt only class (followed by an all belt adult class, hence my two Thursday classes). As it happened last night, when class started, there were only three of us there, VERY oddly, all three of the brown belt three stripes, a.k.a., black belt candidates. Because I was out for a while, the other two candidates jumped a bit ahead of me (we've progressed through the ranks together and should have all tested together, but I wound up testing several months behind them). Well, last night sensei hinted that what he would really like is for all of us to test for shodan together. I'm not entirely sure that will fly with the head (NY) sensei, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit. Which means I would test this fall, whereas I had expected that I'd be testing next spring. So, :o
I don't really know what to make of this. I can prep in time, I'm sure, but I hadn't been planning to get that super-intense about training until around the new year (I expected to be testing next March or April - and for all I know that may be what happens). However if it is to be this fall, I can pretty much scrap my sorta plan to do an ultra (50K) in January - and yes, I already have a training schedule mapped out; doing it is contingent on training for the half going injury-free. Which is fine with me; I'd rather go at an ultra full tilt, so if THIS is the way things are to be, I can reorient my thinking to a 24 hour race next summer (goal would be 50 miles).
Got whiplash? Good, because I do, too.
I've also taken a second look at the NROL (original) fat loss program, which I was thinking about using for my strength training during the half prep. I'm probably going to have to mod it a bit more than originally planned. Each of the first two stages contain three supersets, with three sets of each exercise. Looking at the sets/reps/rest scheme, I figure as written the workouts will take the better part of an hour, and that's too long. Likely I will drop to two sets of each exercise so I can keep it under 40 minutes total. I'll also mod the ab work because as written it's too easy. There's a lot of heavy leg work in these workouts, and that really doesn't thrill me, but we'll see how it goes. It's always nice to drop legwork at some point in a running plan - it's like getting a turbo charger.
Ah well. Off to the gym...
Friday, May 21, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
It's Official
I've entered the Philadelphia Distance Run. I know I've been talking about it and throwing schedules around, but talking is one thing and filling out that entry form is another. And now, it's all official-like.
The training plans haven't changed. I'm still planning to follow Hal Higdon's Intermediate half marathon training schedule, and I'm still planning on doing a bastardized form (shortened cycles) of the NROL fat loss program for strength training, although I'll probably eyeball that one again when it gets closer to the time. I should finish NROL/W during the first week of official half training, and I might want to take a week off from weights at that point, so as things project now I have until around July 4 to make the call.
So I've done my change as planned for this week, and added my 2 mile run on Monday. That was kind of fun, actually. I worked in some baby speed play (fartlek) (yes, that's really what it's called), and will probably do that in future as well. Had a really good run yesterday, too, despite kind of pukey weather - 50's and a heavy mist that turned to rain. Sounds kind of crappy but I'll take it over a warm, humid day any time. Which is what I expect to have tomorrow. Weird-ass weather we're having, but I guess that's May for ya.
Today I hopped over to the back half of Stage 6 of NR. Finished the written workout (minus warm-up) in about a half an hour. I have to say, this is a really strange Stage, and I'm not used to getting done so quickly. I'm sort of at odds now, with energy to burn, but I have my glute activation stuff left to do (was pressed for time and didn't get to do it before my workout) and then I'll probably go for a walk or something. I am really liking this stuff, as I think I've mentioned before. I don't see a difference so much in my lifting, but dang, do I see it in karate, and I'm assuming it will come into play when I get to doing a bit more formal speed training over the summer. (In fact, some of the later glute exercises are actually sprints.)
The training plans haven't changed. I'm still planning to follow Hal Higdon's Intermediate half marathon training schedule, and I'm still planning on doing a bastardized form (shortened cycles) of the NROL fat loss program for strength training, although I'll probably eyeball that one again when it gets closer to the time. I should finish NROL/W during the first week of official half training, and I might want to take a week off from weights at that point, so as things project now I have until around July 4 to make the call.
So I've done my change as planned for this week, and added my 2 mile run on Monday. That was kind of fun, actually. I worked in some baby speed play (fartlek) (yes, that's really what it's called), and will probably do that in future as well. Had a really good run yesterday, too, despite kind of pukey weather - 50's and a heavy mist that turned to rain. Sounds kind of crappy but I'll take it over a warm, humid day any time. Which is what I expect to have tomorrow. Weird-ass weather we're having, but I guess that's May for ya.
Today I hopped over to the back half of Stage 6 of NR. Finished the written workout (minus warm-up) in about a half an hour. I have to say, this is a really strange Stage, and I'm not used to getting done so quickly. I'm sort of at odds now, with energy to burn, but I have my glute activation stuff left to do (was pressed for time and didn't get to do it before my workout) and then I'll probably go for a walk or something. I am really liking this stuff, as I think I've mentioned before. I don't see a difference so much in my lifting, but dang, do I see it in karate, and I'm assuming it will come into play when I get to doing a bit more formal speed training over the summer. (In fact, some of the later glute exercises are actually sprints.)
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Actual training stuff
A nice, quiet week, sans drama... So I figured I'd actually talk about exercise for a change.
I'm in Stage 6 of NROL/W. This stage is optional, and is designed to help you increase your strength relative to body size. There is only one "big lift," that being the chin-up - sort of. The "A" workout calls for negative chins with a slow descent (20 seconds), and call for you to add weight when that becomes too easy. You go from that to 10 sets of 2 pulldowns (yes, you read that right) with a 0-1-4 tempo, and decreasing rest period through the series of workouts. The idea is, presumably, to get you strong enough to do chins, but it does not seem that you are in fact ever expected to succeed, as it's never even suggested that you try one. (Thanks for the vote of confidence, Alwyn.) Well, I've already added weight to the negatives, and I definitely plan to start working the actual chin sooner rather than later. I was previously able to do a few short sets (2 - 4 reps) of pullups, but that was when I was doing the ETK (Enter the Kettlebell) program and was doing them 3 days a week. I stopped practising them when I finished the program and surprise! lost that strength. A dumb mistake I don't want to make again.
The rest of the exercises in both workouts are normal enough (by NR standards) - pushups, squat and lunge variations, push presses, rows, etc., and the workouts should all be doable in under 45 minutes, which makes them winners in my book. The A workouts are even faster, around half an hour (but it's a hard half an hour). I have the A workout scheduled for tomorrow, and am planning to add my first Monday run to the schedule. It will be a shortie, NTE 2 miles, a very weird distance for me; I can't remember the last time I ran anything less than 3.
The running has been going very well. I've been doing 4 - 4.25 miles Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 5+ on Saturday. Yesterday I did 5.6 miles on a pretty hilly (for south Jersey) course and came off it feeling good, which made me very happy. Karate is also going well; sensei is on a real fighting kick lately, and we've been doing a ton of sparring-type drills, focusing on combos and distances, speed, power, deception. He's also taking jiu jitsu again, and is downloading what he learns to me, and I in turn get to help him teach it. Granted it's not a "real" jitz class and I have no delusions about my skills in that department, but we have fun with it. It's where I intend to go next in martial arts and he knows that, so it's a good fit for me. Hopefully in a few years I'll have an actual ranking in BJJ and will be able to bring that stuff back for real on my own.
And how can I NOT give a shout out to my Flyers, for coming back from a 0-3 game deficit to win their playoff series vs. Boston? I think it was only the 4th time in professional sports history that's been done. And this, from a team that needed a freaking shoot-out to get in the playoffs to begin with. I was so damned excited afterwards I could hardly sleep. And speaking of sleep:
I'm in Stage 6 of NROL/W. This stage is optional, and is designed to help you increase your strength relative to body size. There is only one "big lift," that being the chin-up - sort of. The "A" workout calls for negative chins with a slow descent (20 seconds), and call for you to add weight when that becomes too easy. You go from that to 10 sets of 2 pulldowns (yes, you read that right) with a 0-1-4 tempo, and decreasing rest period through the series of workouts. The idea is, presumably, to get you strong enough to do chins, but it does not seem that you are in fact ever expected to succeed, as it's never even suggested that you try one. (Thanks for the vote of confidence, Alwyn.) Well, I've already added weight to the negatives, and I definitely plan to start working the actual chin sooner rather than later. I was previously able to do a few short sets (2 - 4 reps) of pullups, but that was when I was doing the ETK (Enter the Kettlebell) program and was doing them 3 days a week. I stopped practising them when I finished the program and surprise! lost that strength. A dumb mistake I don't want to make again.
The rest of the exercises in both workouts are normal enough (by NR standards) - pushups, squat and lunge variations, push presses, rows, etc., and the workouts should all be doable in under 45 minutes, which makes them winners in my book. The A workouts are even faster, around half an hour (but it's a hard half an hour). I have the A workout scheduled for tomorrow, and am planning to add my first Monday run to the schedule. It will be a shortie, NTE 2 miles, a very weird distance for me; I can't remember the last time I ran anything less than 3.
The running has been going very well. I've been doing 4 - 4.25 miles Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 5+ on Saturday. Yesterday I did 5.6 miles on a pretty hilly (for south Jersey) course and came off it feeling good, which made me very happy. Karate is also going well; sensei is on a real fighting kick lately, and we've been doing a ton of sparring-type drills, focusing on combos and distances, speed, power, deception. He's also taking jiu jitsu again, and is downloading what he learns to me, and I in turn get to help him teach it. Granted it's not a "real" jitz class and I have no delusions about my skills in that department, but we have fun with it. It's where I intend to go next in martial arts and he knows that, so it's a good fit for me. Hopefully in a few years I'll have an actual ranking in BJJ and will be able to bring that stuff back for real on my own.
And how can I NOT give a shout out to my Flyers, for coming back from a 0-3 game deficit to win their playoff series vs. Boston? I think it was only the 4th time in professional sports history that's been done. And this, from a team that needed a freaking shoot-out to get in the playoffs to begin with. I was so damned excited afterwards I could hardly sleep. And speaking of sleep:
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Drama Girl – The Final Chapter
I wasn’t going to talk about her anymore, BUT, Drama Girl has provided what for me will be a happy ending to our friendship, so here you have le fin. On a fitness board I belong to, someone has in her signature a quote along the lines of, “Some people bring pleasure wherever they go; some, whenever they go.” And I dedicate that thought to DG.
As mentioned previously, Drama Girl is an artist. This past Saturday, she had an art show in a neighboring town. She’s been talking about it for weeks, and has sent me photos of her pictures as she’s finished them. The show was from 6 – 9 with a party beginning immediately thereafter at her apt., lasting until Whenever. As I tend not to stay up until Whenever these days, and didn’t want to be there when the wet and dry goods came out in full swing (also not my thing these days), it was understood that I’d come and leave early.
Friday rolls around, and as far as I know, we’re still friends, or what appears to pass for friends. She calls me in a fit of hysterical laughter because some guy she was trying to help with a legal problem (because, as you remember, she worked in a law office) apparently reacquainted himself with a substance he cares to abuse, and sent her a text photo of his penis. Which she forwarded to me. Now this guy (and DG, for that matter) are allegedly adults, in their 30's or 40's, so I was kind of speechless about the whole thing... Maybe I live a sheltered life. Whatever.
Saturday afternoon, I went to the drug store (to buy a Mother’s Day card – yes, I am one of those slugs who waits until the last minute, but at least I didn’t wait until SUNDAY) and run into her there. We chat, I confirm I’ll check out the show, and she says she’ll be back to the party by 9:15, 9:30. All seems well. I had karate class plus what turned out to be a really rough run that day so I would have been far happier to have just parked my ass on the couch, popped some corn, and watched sports, but I did the whole girlie prep thing and hit the art show. I saw her pictures – for all I know, they were spectacular, but I have less than no appreciation for art, so to me they were just pictures – walked around the rest of the place, and finally met up with DG. We did the friends hug and I left, figuring she was there to sell paintings, not socialize, and I’d best get out of the way.
So the appointed hour rolls around, by which time I had long changed back into comfy clothes and very happily settled into the couch. But, I said I’d go, and all that… So I change again, and walk all of the 300 or so feet to DG’s apartment. The following, more or less, takes place:
Me: knock knock
A Male answers the door: Hi.
Me: Hi! You must be… Robert. [Robert – not his real name - is DG’s brother. She told me he’d be there hosting the pre-after party, and I’m pleased with myself for actually remembering his name.] I’m Redcat, a friend of DG’s from the apartments.
Robert: Do you have a card?
Me: A what?
Robert: A card, one of DG’s cards.
Me puzzled
Robert: She said not to let anyone in without a card, with something written on the back.
Me more puzzled
Robert: Did you go to the show?
Me: Yes, I was there.
Robert: Well, she told me no one can get in without a card. You could call her…
Me: I didn’t bring my phone.
Robert: Well, she’ll be here in maybe half an hour, you could come back…
Me: I don’t think so. Just tell her I stopped by.
Me
Robert was nice about the whole thing, but I had to wonder if this was intentional or a misunderstanding, as I had no clue that DG and I had had a falling out. And then I started to wonder if this was a blessing in disguise. DG didn’t call me to try to clear things up, and I waited a few days before seriously considering calling her. I wouldn’t have at all, except I hate leaving things on a juvenile note, so I did – only to find out her number has been disconnected.
I would say that epitomizes the way she seems to run through people, except I got off easy, as she isn't filing a law suit against me. At least not to my knowledge. So in the words of Cheap Trick, Bye Bye, So Long, Farewell...
Exercise stuff: I don’t know if I’ve talked at all about NROL/W, Stage 6. And honestly – I’m about all talked out for today, so I’ll have to get to that in another post. Suffice it to say, I am still boringly on schedule with everything. Perhaps I’ll have to find a way to spice things up, what without all the craziness…
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Procrastinatin'
I should be out running before it gets any hotter... but I haven't updated in a long time and it's on my mind. So this will be brief.
The Drama continues - but not in the form of immediate upstairs neighbor, thankfully. We met a couple of times after the night I actually went up to (gently) complain, and since then, I wouldn't even know she was there. It's hard to believe it's the same person; she's actually quite nice, just going through a rough patch (divorce - I think many can relate - and relocation) and is a bit lost. So - yay! - lack of sleep is no longer an issue in my life.
Artist/manic girl, though... wow. Let me say first that she is a really nice person under it all, and apparently a fairly good artist (I have no way of judging, really - don't know shit about art - but she seems to sell plenty of her work, so she must be doing something right). I don't think she actually has a mean bone in her body BUT damn, does she have a flair for drama. I could type it all out, but it's not worth the effort; half the things would resolve or be compounded by tomorrow. The only thing that has me slightly worried right now is that she's fired her court-appointed prosecutor and plans to represent herself pro se in her case against the guy against whom she's filed assault charges. (Apparently, she worked in a law office for a while.) *sigh. To me that's like taking a knife to a gun fight, even if we are only talking municipal court. I don't usually try to talk her down - there's no point - but this time I did, to no avail. Maybe over time it'll sink in...
LOL. I don't even know why I'm blogging about that crap, except that I've never known anyone who could invent this degree of a whirlwind around themselves and it's kind of fascinating to watch.
Exercise stuff: I am DONE Stage 5 of NROL/W: did the last workout yesterday. About halfway through, I realized I was so demotivated by the workout and flat-out frustrated with the amount of time it took to complete that I couldn't even work up a resounding "happy" that I was done the freaking stage. I chopped most of the rest periods to hell and even so, the thing took me over an hour and a half to complete. I maxed the weights everywhere I could and in the end, I STILL didn't have that incredibly worked-out feeling one might expect after one works out out for over 90 minutes. Bah. I guess what I'm saying poorly is that I don't like not liking my workouts, and I really didn't enjoy that stage at. all. Plus, I've come to question the workout design in several places... (See what happens when you utterly bore my ass with 2 minute rest periods?) BUT, it's over, and the stage 6 and 7 workouts look to be much shorter (under an hour) and I'm totally ready for that.
The running is going well, and another reason I'm looking forward to shorter gym workouts is that I'd like to start increasing my mileage, and maybe sneak in some speed work here and there. I'd like to add one more day a week of running, which will most likely be Mondays; that would be a short run, 2 - 3 miles. Tuesdays and Thursdays would stay in the 4 - 5 mile range and Saturday would creep from 5 upwards. The goal would be to get to 20 miles a week by end of May, and stay around there in June. That's the plan, anyway!
The Drama continues - but not in the form of immediate upstairs neighbor, thankfully. We met a couple of times after the night I actually went up to (gently) complain, and since then, I wouldn't even know she was there. It's hard to believe it's the same person; she's actually quite nice, just going through a rough patch (divorce - I think many can relate - and relocation) and is a bit lost. So - yay! - lack of sleep is no longer an issue in my life.
Artist/manic girl, though... wow. Let me say first that she is a really nice person under it all, and apparently a fairly good artist (I have no way of judging, really - don't know shit about art - but she seems to sell plenty of her work, so she must be doing something right). I don't think she actually has a mean bone in her body BUT damn, does she have a flair for drama. I could type it all out, but it's not worth the effort; half the things would resolve or be compounded by tomorrow. The only thing that has me slightly worried right now is that she's fired her court-appointed prosecutor and plans to represent herself pro se in her case against the guy against whom she's filed assault charges. (Apparently, she worked in a law office for a while.) *sigh. To me that's like taking a knife to a gun fight, even if we are only talking municipal court. I don't usually try to talk her down - there's no point - but this time I did, to no avail. Maybe over time it'll sink in...
LOL. I don't even know why I'm blogging about that crap, except that I've never known anyone who could invent this degree of a whirlwind around themselves and it's kind of fascinating to watch.
Exercise stuff: I am DONE Stage 5 of NROL/W: did the last workout yesterday. About halfway through, I realized I was so demotivated by the workout and flat-out frustrated with the amount of time it took to complete that I couldn't even work up a resounding "happy" that I was done the freaking stage. I chopped most of the rest periods to hell and even so, the thing took me over an hour and a half to complete. I maxed the weights everywhere I could and in the end, I STILL didn't have that incredibly worked-out feeling one might expect after one works out out for over 90 minutes. Bah. I guess what I'm saying poorly is that I don't like not liking my workouts, and I really didn't enjoy that stage at. all. Plus, I've come to question the workout design in several places... (See what happens when you utterly bore my ass with 2 minute rest periods?) BUT, it's over, and the stage 6 and 7 workouts look to be much shorter (under an hour) and I'm totally ready for that.
The running is going well, and another reason I'm looking forward to shorter gym workouts is that I'd like to start increasing my mileage, and maybe sneak in some speed work here and there. I'd like to add one more day a week of running, which will most likely be Mondays; that would be a short run, 2 - 3 miles. Tuesdays and Thursdays would stay in the 4 - 5 mile range and Saturday would creep from 5 upwards. The goal would be to get to 20 miles a week by end of May, and stay around there in June. That's the plan, anyway!
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