Diet/Exercise/Health/Wellness Support Thread

[Dad II]

Success at the 10 mile race... ... Sub 10 minute pace

MOWC, I wish I could walk 10 miles at any speed.

Went to a discount store and found a new pair of Brooks Dyad 5 listed for $20. At the counter, the bar code did not work so the cashier sold me the pair for $12 plus tax. It is about 2 generations old (current version is 7). But for $12??!!

[BCEagle91]

Slept 10 or 11 hours last night and no workouts yesterday or today. My schedule was pretty loaded yesterday. I still feel somewhat weak and tired but maybe some stretching and weights will get the blood going.

[Deborah T]

That's my exercise plan for the evening, BC.

Today's activities included, amongst other things, purchasing a pair of running gloves.

[VeryHappy]

I had the strangest thing happen the other night.

In the middle of dinner, I had to tell DH that "something is not right." I retired to bed. I didn't know if I was having back spasms, digestive issues, or a heart attack, but I was having severe pains through my middle and across my back.

Went to bed at around 8:15 and slept through to the morning, at which time I felt fine. I think it was back spasms. The last time I had those must have been 35 years ago, at which time I also thought I could be having a heart attack.

No reason for them, as far as I can tell. Just damn glad it's over.

[BCEagle91]

Did you take anything for them? It reminds me of leg cramps but I haven't heard of cramps in the back.

I've been out for a bit and noticed people coughing (as I am) so it looks like there's something out there. I took an Advil for some aches and pains and a mild headache that I've had a good chunk of the day.

This changing of the seasons (amount of light for the day) and colder temperatures have my body out of sync.

[interesteddad]

very happy:

Swelling around the nerves from the cervical vertebrae (neck) can cause those symptoms: intense shooting pain throughout the chest, but hard to pinpoint precisely. I have had a bout that sent me to the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack. I believe that inflammed muscle caused the pressure.

[Deborah T]

Okay, spill the beans, iDad. How did it go today? What do you think of group hiking? Willing to give it a go again?

[interesteddad]

Well, I've been home from hiking long enough to take a hot shower, put on fuzzy warm fleece and fall asleep curled up under a down comforter.

What a spectacular day. Brilliant blue sky, much warmer than forecast. I set the alarm for 5:50 and headed out the door at 7 am, only to turn around after 3 miles because I had forgotten my wallet. Still made it to the parking lot at the trail by 8:55.

So much for truth in advertising. The guidebooks say this hike will take 3 to 5 hours. The group leader estimated 5.5 hours for this "over 50" hiking group. I hiked it in 4:05 about a month ago, so I was figuring on a nice leisurely pace. Wrong! Good lord, there were a couple of rabbits who took off and set a blistering pace, over 3 mph which is crazy fast on that terrain. The Appalachian Mountain Club guidebook estimates 1 hour 45 minutes (not including stopping) to the first summit (1.9 miles, 1600 feet of elevation gain, a steep non-stop climb from the car). I have found the AMC time estimates to be much faster than I can hike in this terrain.

I was the next to the last to get to that first summit today -- one guy was really struggling with the pace and I was happy to keep him company! 1 hour 47 minutes, including a 10 minute stop at the first overlook. I really don't know what the hurry was. I was seeing steady heart rates above 90% of my max -- a peak of 95%. That's a pretty good workout.

I figured "OK, I can play this game" and stayed with the two rabbits at the front of the pack for the 2.2 mile downhill leg - non-stop. When we got to the car, the rabbit lady said, "Wow, that seemed quick...". I'm thinkin', "no &$^#, two-shoes".... Including lunch at the summit, etc, I got back to the car in 3 hours 55 minutes. I averaged 79% heart rate over that entire period. About ten more 60 second breathers to stop and take in the scenery on the way up would have made for a more enjoyable hike, in my book.

So much for thinking it would be a slow hike. Kinda nuts, really. The group hiked really fast uphill and seemed to be on the slow side downhill. The organizer of these groups does a fantastic job. People were nice. But, I'm not sure the dynamics of a large group hike really maximizes my enjoyment of a spectacular day in the mountains.

Highs got up into the mid to upper 40s, under a sunny sky, with very little wind. I was way over dressed for the climb up and ended up shedding my fleece, my hat, and my gloves. At the summit, I changed it all up and went with two long sleeve tech shirts and my new ultralight windbreaker. Still some icy places on the rocks, though.

[interesteddad]

Willing to give it a go again?

I'll probably go out with them again sometime, but I don't think I'll go out of my way to make it a regular thing. It would suit me more to have these groups be a little more informal. Separate into smaller groups, hike at your own pace, spread out on the trail, and see each other here and there along the way and back at the parking lot. The guy who organizes them does a fantastic job, but he's a scout-leader type who has been hiking for 45 years and wants to keep everyone in one big group.

[MomofWildChild]

Sounds like a good hike, overall, iDad. I know what you mean about group stuff- definitely pluses and minuses.

VeryHappy- I hope you are OK!

[interesteddad]

Sounds like a good hike, overall, iDad.

It was fantastic. Good workout. And, as nice a day as you'll ever see for November in the White Mountains. Several views of the mountains along Franconia Notch, covered in snow against a deep blue sky.

The interesting thing is that my average pace wasn't too far off the average pace today, but I'm slower uphill and faster downhill. So the total time was OK, but it felt like a grind with the fast uphill pace.

[Deborah T]

Gear report -- anything new and interesting seen, iDad?

[interesteddad]

Gear report -- anything new and interesting seen, iDad?

No, nothing really caught my eye. Most everyone kinda hikes with the same stuff.

Everyone was really struggling with the layers. The forecast was for mid 30s starting out at 9 o'clock. It was warmer than that and everybody was peeling off layers at every stop. Next time I hike in this weather, I'll wear a long sleeve tech t and the hoodie windbreaker, with a second jacket at the ready if I get cold. I normally stop at around the 1/2 mile mark, take my pack off, and make whatever clothing adjustments are necessary, but that was not an option today. So, I shed the hat and gloves on the march, ditched the windbreaker at the first overlook (1.5 miles). And, then reconfigured entirely without the fleece at lunch (2.4 miles). I'll learn. I needed the fleece last week with a similar forecast.

[Deborah T]

I wonder if the quick pace uphill and slower pace downhill is the norm for the group or whether that varies from hike to hike, although with rabbits leading the pack it wouldn't be too surprising to me if that is the norm. Doing the 5Ks, what I see is that it's easy for people to get thrown off by the super speedy toes at the front, start off too fast, and then run out of steam later. Maybe it's kind of the same thing with hike rabbits leading the way.

[interesteddad]

I asked the slow guy, who goes on a lot of these hikes, about that. He said that today seemed just a little bit faster than normal, but they usually set a pretty brisk pace.

They were bookin' right out of the gate. Looking at the graph, I hit 90% of my max heart rate within the first 1/8th mile. I pretty much threw in the towel on that pace at about the 1 mile mark. Third time on this trail and I knew that I needed to pace myself better than that. I was joking about my heart rate to one of the ladies and she said, "yeah, I can feel my pulse pounding in my ears....."

I'm thinking, "damn...."