I have no idea if there is anyone out there in the blog-o-sphere who bothers to read this blog or not anymore. More timely updates would probably guarantee more readers. Since my posts have in general been sports/fitness related, I will avoid filling in details from the past several months like Christmas, Elves & More, New Years, etc. If you really want to know the details, check me out on Facebook.
Having made the transition last year to 'runner', I felt it was time to make a shift back to more generalized training. What exactly does that mean? To me, it means having a good balance in several different activities. Fitness should be more than cardio and it should mean more than being able to run 26.2 miles or riding my bike 100 miles. All those are great goals from specific sports, and I have had fun achieving them both, but with my two sons getting older, I'm really having to find the need for better balance so that they can grow up with having a father around...something that I wasn't given the pleasure of having until later in life, but that's a story for another day. (I think my careful use of punctuation has avoided a run-on sentence there but it looks like I pushed it to the limits!)
In 2010 I will only be running one marathon in the fall. This Monday I registered for the Chicago Marathon that happens on October 10th. In my previous training experiences, I believe that I need a substantially long training block which gives me lots of rest periods to get me to the start line healthy and in peak physical condition. I have had some type of injury at the two marathons that I've run which kept me from performing at my best and the third one I had to completely cancel due to a stress fracture in my thigh. By picking a marathon in the fall, I have 10 solid months of training time to get me up to the long training runs that I need to complete it while not hurrying the process and putting my body under any additional stress. What I like about this concept is that it also allows me the opportunity to get back on the bike. I never really got off the bike but there's a huge difference between commuting to work and riding with my buddies from the race team. I have no intentions of racing this year as I don't think I can sacrifice Saturday's and Sunday's away at the races but I look forward to joining the team on the ritual Thursday night training rides out at Middlebranch. For anyone who has ridden with the team there, those efforts are more difficult than 90% of the races that I have ever entered.
So, as I mentioned previously I wanted to have a more rounded fitness routine. So far I have only addressed running and cycling, not quite well rounded yet. I'm happy to say though that I now have a membership at my neighborhood gym (The Natatorium in the Falls) where I am swimming three days a week and doing some strength training. I'm hoping to also start lifting with Tim House at his local fitness local (a.k.a. his basement)as he has a lot of experience and can help guide me in the direction that I need to become well rounded. So how do I do this while still not sacrificing time with my family....early morning workouts. I am at the gym or in my basement by 5:00 a.m. to get it all in before work. It makes for a long day but I'm willing to live with it.
Until next time,
b
5 comments:
Brian, Sounds like you're headed for an attempt at the triathlon, that's definitely well-rounded. I did my first one last year and have signed up for 3 this year - it's addictive! The best part of triathlon is that it is definitely family friendly - my kids are registered for the Chicago Kids Triathlon in August. Good luck with the new direction, I think it's for the best.
Good luck to you!
Keep bloggin!
How did the marathon go?
Tom, Marathon went as well as it could have possibly gone considering I went into it recovering from another stress fracture and with little miles in my legs. That being said, I suffered big time and was happy to finish.
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