Training Log Archive: PG

Trying again, a few minutes of running but still not right, so walked the rest (@ 10%). At least that works up a good sweat.

C • 10 fingers 7

Getting tired of this. Just enough pain in the back of the leg to make running more than a few minutes seem like not a good idea. So walked for a while (at 5%).

Another attempt at some mellow running, but the back of the left leg was objecting just enough that this was mostly walking (at 5%).

So in the interest of morale, more specifically my own morale, I have instituted the following surcharges for certain of my clients:

-- the annoying person surcharge
-- the third-hand smoke surcharge (they can't smoke in here, but if their clothes/papers reek of smoke....)
-- the bad BO surcharge

Already had to apply the first one twice this morning. The financial impact is slight, but it sure feels good.

And so my next client is a sweet lady, 64, husband went in for gall bladder surgery in October and never came out, though it took 5 weeks in ICU trying to deal with infections before he succombed.

We spend most of the time just talking. She's taking it pretty hard, they were together for 45 years. The phrase that sticks in my mind --

"People don't realize what they have until it's gone."

C • alternate career 4

Just a little running to see if how much the hamstring objected. Don't think I overdid it, but it was close.

And then a couple miles of therapeutic walking, 5% grade, entertained by CarTalk so the time went quickly.

Lower left hamstring was sore enough that a little therapeutic walking on the treadmill (5%) seemed wisest.

Early morning....

Loop on snowmobile trails from Conway school, heading south first. Trails were a little soft, mid-afternoon, so good training I suppose, though the primary feeling was just of hard work. A little soreness in the lower left hamstring the last couple minutes. But a nice day, upper 30s. Trails were a little slushy where the sun hits them, soft powdery for the rest, which is normal for the weekend when they get more traffic.

And then home just long enough for a fast change and then off to the movies. Milk was sold out, so we saw The Wrestler instead. I really liked it (except for all the blood), Gail not so much.

Another outing on the treadmill as it was cold and windy outside, the roads were not appealing, and I didn't have time to go off in search of runnable trails. So four miles was the plan, a little faster for the middle two, and that's what I did, with the passage of time greatly aided by the latest version of CarTalk.

Ok, and my next clients, another couple, both 59, he works at a recycling business, she works at the local Salvation Army store. My usual questions -- do you still have a job, and how's business. Both still have jobs. His place has slowed down a lot in the last couple of months, while her place is hopping. As she says, they're seeing some people shopping at the SA thrift store that you wouldn't expect to see there. A sign of the times.

He has a 401K. About 90K in it a year ago, 22K less now. Best as they understood what had happened, someone had come and taken the 22K. "Do you think they're going to give it back?" she asked. Nice people, but unlike Lake Wobegon, everyone around here is not above average when it comes to smarts.

It's worth thinking about people like this anytime someone starts talking about privatizing Social Security.

C • That's what I say 8

8:54 for then first mile, 8:35 for the next four. Plan was to go a very long distance at a comfortable pace. Accomplished, although legs were a little twingy the last mile.

At the Smith indoor track before work. 1600 to warm up (8:24), then planned to do some number of 800s, at least one, no more than 4, ended up doing 2 (3:30 and 3:27) with a slow 800 between (4:27). The second 800 was strenuous enough that a slow lap walking was needed. Then a metric mile and a half (12:06) and that was enough.

Mostly successful. The faster laps were a struggle for sure but could have been worse.

And thinking about it afterwards, both pleased at the effort and aware of how much work needs to be done, there was the realization that if I want to be serious about getting in better shape, then I need to do something about the ballooning G, 144 this morning, I'm carrying 10+ pounds more than when I was running really well 2 or 3 years ago. I guess one indication of how serious I am will be what happens to the G over the next 3 months.

And now what I really need is a nap, but it ain't going to happen....

8:38, 7:19, flat.

From the office, Lovers Lane loop, counter-clockwise. Managed, though going up the hill halfway I contemplated the thought of running the 10-miler this Sunday and concluded that it was unlikely I could run that distance at any pace, no matter how slow I went. I am not planning on going.

Leaking as usual, but no visible bleeding today. Another small (and maybe temporarty) triumph.

And just a wicked busy day at work, first time to look at AP is 5:30 pm while having lunch.

8:35, 7:30, flat. Didn't want to push it after yesterday's over-distance run. One day at a time.

And a nice Valentine's Day dinner (yeah, a day late) at the Blue Heron, a fine restaurant in what used to be our Town Hall.

From the office, Lovers Lane loop clockwise. One day at a time.

Don't know if it was the positive vibes from Friday the 13th, or Valentine's day today, but there has been serious progress on the leakage front (though not yet while running). It may also have something to do with my I-91 workouts, which I have been very diligent about. Life is good.

A follow-up to yesterday's "training" report --

An observer of me cruising up and down I-91 might have noticed that my speed was varying quite a bit, sometimes on the fast side, sometimes on the slow side. It seems while I was concentrating on one part of my body, I was less aware of the force I was applying to the throttle. So this morning I turned on the cruise control, almost never used, and things were much better.

Just one of many things that I am counting on to make this Friday the 13th an especially lucky day.

So far the other bits of good fortune include a file cabinet drawer that has been sticking, the only way to get it open has been to bang on the one below it. And this morning even that didn't work, and the file I needed was in that drawer. But my client was the mechanical type, and in about 30 seconds he had spotted and extracted a long piece of cardboard, probably part of the original shipping materials. Now the drawer works like a charm.

Have to celebrate small triumphs.

And the other good fortune, though I hesitate to claim it yet, is that it seems, when I am just sort of moseying around, that there has been some real progress on the leakage front. Which would be great. Keep my fingers crossed and keep doing my I-91 routine.

Running is still another matter.

9:00, 8:01, 7:47, flat. One day at a time.

More Friday the 13th good news.

One of my clients, a very old lady, well off, got a letter from the IRS saying she didn't report 110K worth of income. I knew they were wrong, but wasn't sure how hard it would be to prove it. Pulled out the file and everything I needed was right there. So nice.

And everyone today, when I tell them that this is going to be a great Friday the 13th, seems to actually get in a better mood.

Training report of a different nature....

When I went to see the surgeon 10 days ago, and we were talking about my incontinence, he asked if I could stop my stream if I tried, and I said yes, no problem. And he thought that was wonderful, that the right muscles were there and working, they just had to get more used to doing the work. I was less optimistic.

When I got home, next time I took a planned pee, I tested myself and discovered I could mostly stop my stream, but not as well or as completely as I had thought. And if I also coughed at the same time, even quite gently, then I had almost no control. And that was a bit surprising. And quite discouraging.

But there was also a good side to this. To stop peeing when you don't want to, you have to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, and also train yourself to contract them at the moments they are needed (sudden movements). Now there is no Nautilus machine for this, no system where you can see if you are getting stronger by how much weight you can handle or how many reps you can do. No way, in other words of measuring how you are doing.

And I've always thought measuring was an important part of training. You need to have a way of getting legitimate feedback of how you are doing. It's why I've often run regular running races over the years, no orienteering, just to see where my fitness was, either to get the satisfaction that hard work was paying off or the kick in the butt that some hard work was needed. If you just did orienteering, it was so easy to fool yourself.

And peeing in your pants, well, it's been hard to measure. But the realization that I couldn't stop my stream as well as I thought was the classic kick in the butt. And also the way of measuring if there is any improvement.

So it has gotten me much more rigorous in doing the exercises every day, especially when I am driving, especially the few miles up and down I-91 each day. Squeeze hard for a quarter mile, relax for a quarter mile, 10 to 20 reps each time. Then at the end, a session for the fast-twitch part of the muscle (seriously), short intervals, a second or two contract, a second to relax, do it 20 or 30 times.

And then every so often test at the toilet.

I think there is some progress, though still a good ways to go. And I very much like the process. Though I don't plan to log the training.

C • training 1

9:01, 8:28, 8:01, flat.

Back streets in Greenfield, sluggish as ever. Though I should note that it was in the 50s and it was a day for shorts. Route.

Usual early Tuesday morning class (as long as I get up in time).

9:37, 8:58, flat.

Snowmobile trails in Montague. Warm, so the snow was on the soft side. Which I would like to use as an escuse for having to stop three times going up the main hill. But mainly my conditioning just sucks. Feeling more and more like a permanent condition.

Just generally feeling a little tired. And way too much work to do. Don't have the time or the energy right now for tax tales....

C • Returning energy 2

10% grade, miles in 14:41, 14:00, 14:00, 13:58.

Just walking, 10% grade. All I could do before the gym closed.

Finally got around to seeing Slumdog Millionaire. Enjoyed it.

All walking, 10% grade, miles in 14:39, 14:16, 14:15. Pulse seemed to be in the low to mid 130s. No blood.

Got out early today.

At 5% grade, walked a mile (14:42), jogged a mile (10:56), walked a mile (14:17). Then ran a mile flat (7:58) just to see if I could run 8-minute pace.

Think I need to take a few days off running.

Loop on snowmobile trails from Conway school, going north first, routes 8-93-10-93-8. Excellent conditions, nice and firm. A couple minutes faster than 9 days ago, ran most of the hills but walked parts of the couple after crossing 116, just didn't have the willpower. But real nice out, about 20, sunny, had the trails to myself.

Walking, 10% grade, miles in 15:09, 14:29.

So I've been listening to Fresh Air podcasts. I thought it was mostly arts/culture interviews, but out of maybe half a dozen shows there has been one about wrestling (well, a wrestling movie) with a lot of focus on pain, one about boxing, one about the Israeli/Gaza war, and one about the use of robots in the military. All very interesting (as was the one about the HBO show on the polygamous family).

My recollection from the robots -- for the operators at their computers many thousands of miles away, it's more important to have a strong bladder and a big butt than to be able to do 100 push-ups. Seems like I would fail on all counts.

C • So this is what you wanted? 8

Quick trip into Boston for my 6-week check-up. Seems like on the 3 major issues (in priority order, the cancer, incontinence, and impotence), the surgeon was giving me A+, A+, and A+, whereas I would give myself A+, B, and A+. His response to my concerns about the incontinence was to give it time, it just takes a while. And on the impotence, I think he really gave me an A++, the surprise on his face was quite visible as I gave him a detailed report. :-)

I was prepared, had my whole list of questions and worries, and left feeling pretty good. And cleared to do pretty much any activity I want.

Just before the gym closed, miles in 9:44, 8:28, and 8:20. And then home (to complete the day's geographic palindrome) for a late dinner.

Snowmobile trails in Whately, including a couple of miles (the first half, except for the first half-mile) I hadn't been on before. I'd forgotten my map, not that it had the trails marked on it anyway, so just kept turning right at any junction, figuring at some point it would hook up with the trail that climbed up northeast of Mt. Esther, which it eventually did. And I knew that trail and the loop around from the top of it.

Reasonable conditions, not great, not impossible. The first half was soft and loose, had already had some traffic this morning -- saw two guys on that part, one looking for his cell phone, the other grooming (the trail, not himself). The second half had had just a little traffic since the last storm, the crust was chopped up into chunks and not really packed out much, but the running was better than it looked and certainly tolerable.

Ran probably about 80-90% of the time, walked any steeper sections.

C • Whately 2

A walk up and down Sugarloaf just as it was getting dark (which is not until 5:30 now, getting better). Not pushing the pace, but legs felt tired. Quite soft conditions, sinking in.