<p>I love the sound of those interval workouts. Just a little too fast for this ol’ geezer.</p>
<p>I’ve been doing the Rachel Cosgrove Advanced Metabolic circuit, which is pretty much the same idea – except that she rotates through all five exercises in each set and then repeats the same circuit. She’s doing 20 seconds of exercise with 40 seconds of rest. I think that’s a great starting point, but probably a little too easy for me at this point – although 20:40 Airdyne intervals are brutal. Plus, I find 20 seconds just a little too short on some exercises. Hard for me to get in the groove and get a full set in.</p>
<p>So I generally do 30 second sets with 30 seconds rest. I find that to be a really good hard workout but short of feeling like I’m going to hurl. I’ll generally see a max heart rate up around 90% of my max by the fourth set.</p>
<p>It’s really interesting to see the heart rate graphs on interval workouts. 30/30s for me show a steady increase during each set, but there is a little dip in the climb between exercises. 20:10s just show a steady climb with zero heart rate recovery between exercises. It’s basically no rest. I end up having to go easy and pace myself on the exercises. Just a little more rest lets me go a little harder.</p>
<p>I listened to a very entertaining podcast during my workout yesterday. I’m generally not a big fan of the FITCAST, unless they have a good guest. Yesterday, they had [Valerie</a> Waters<a href=“of%20ValSlide%20fame”>/url</a> and trainer to the Hollywood stars, such as Jennifer Garner. She has a wonderful way of looking at exercise, taking really solid strength/conditioning approaches and applying it in a way that is motivating for “her girls”.</p>
<p>I thought her comments on structuring workout intensity so that “her girls” stick with it for the long term and seldom skip workouts was very interesting.</p>
<p>Oh, and just what everyone has been waiting for:</p>
<p>Dreadmill time again this afternoon… 4 miles. Can’t decide if I like this change in routine time. I was always a morning exerciser but lately have been going to watch Dr. Oz in the afternoon. Tomorrow will be early morning as I have an appointment mid-afternoon.
Good nutrition numbers this week. Hopefully I am back in the groove! :)</p>
<p>I wish I could get to the gym in the morning but there’d be a major Labrador rebellion at my house. Sabadog gets a major walk in the morning and I can’t see H rushing to take that over. Afternoons it will have to be for me because night exercise just doesn’t cut it. Keep at it, NM! You go girl!</p>
<p>Cals 990
Fat 42 g
Carbs 71 g
Fiber 22 g
Protein 92 g
Sugars 15 g</p>
<p>Not a bad day! My treat was my chocolate protein shake with a 1/2 cup triple berry blend (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries) mixed in. Yum!</p>
<p>The dreaded Airdyne intervals for me. Four half-mile intervals recovering to 70% heart rate in between. Slow, but I punched the clock and got a little huffin’ and puffin’. Half mile intervals are long enough to get the quads burning a little bit. That’s not quite enough recovery for me, but I’ve found that if I wait to 65%, it takes forever. This seems like a good compromise.</p>
<p>For the past two days, it was really a struggle to get to 2 miles. Every step just did not feel right. Thus the negative thoughts yesterday. </p>
<p>Both legs are still pretty sore today and there were some cramping early in the run tonight. So I started fairly slow. The target was 2.75 mile - slightly more than yesterday.</p>
<p>By the 2.3 mile, the feel is back. Everyone who runs must know what I am talking about. Everything just feel right, you breath smoothly, legs move effortlessly, and you just keep going. I go from 6, to 6.3, then 6.6 and end the 3 miles run at 7.5 MPH. It was 9:30 and I got to stop.</p>
<p>So, as long as the foot doctor gives the green light, I think the 1/2 is on. </p>
<p>Many thanks to all of you. Yes, I am crazy but … … I got to give it a try.</p>
<p>Ran at lunch today, which is always sort of a rush, but I did 4.3 miles. We are having ugly, gray, cold weather with chance of snow. One of my first running mentors died this past Saturday at age 92. I ran my 100K (62 miles) in 1982 in conjunction with his 62nd birthday. We ran together much of the race. I’m sad. He also gave our mutual alma mater, Indiana University, it’s track and field complex, which bears his name. He used to say to my son, "I want you to go run on MY TRACK!</p>
<p>Dad2—I always find the first mile a struggle. Once I get that over with I don’t have as mamy negative thoughts. Also I find it much easier if the run is a trail or street loop, otherwise if I’m running laps the temptation is to stop. And finally–find someone or a group to run with. Makes it so much easier.</p>
<p>Leg is better but still can’t run. Walked 4 miles on Wed. at 16 min/mile. Worked out for about 20 minutes afterward.
Weather was awful yesterday. Planning another speedy walk after work today.</p>
<p>idad,after a ten days of steel cut oatmeal instead of cereal for breakfast, I’m down 1.5.</p>
<p>Wow, PackMom is that the only change you made? Cereal to steel cut oats? That’s very interesting. </p>
<p>Good for you keeping up with walking at least. Are you seeing a doc for guidance on your leg??? So hard to wait for injuries to heal and to get to the point that it not only FEELS better but that it IS truly repaired enough to fully exercise on again!</p>