<p>How about trying 5 MPH for 5 minutes? Your chart seems to be saying to me that you could run at least 1/2 mile without getting anywhere near max HR. It doesn’t look like it would be particularly difficult.</p>
<p>I’m actually thinking about trying the opposite: going to shorter 30 second or 60 second jogging intervals and cranking up the pace a little higher. I’m throwing in a short little bonus jog at the end of my route, just as I crest the final hill to the bottom of my driveway. I try to run that pretty fast.</p>
<p>I’ve pretty much run out of room on a couple of these intervals. This route is very hilly. As it is, most of my “recovery” time is walking up very steep hills. The first one and the last intervals in particular – I’ve run out of of real estate without having to run down very steep drops. I guess I could try linking the third and fourth intervals together. That would be the stretch where I could run a little longer.</p>
<p>From everything I’ve read about running intervals, it’s better to walk or to run fast and try to avoid the really slow jogging pace. iPod nazi actually has a new fat-burning interval program that starts with 10 seconds of running hard alternating with 20 seconds of easy recovery.</p>
<p>[yelkaim1's</a> Channel - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/user/yelkaim1#p/u/5/0ZSwkbIhAVk]yelkaim1’s”>http://www.youtube.com/user/yelkaim1#p/u/5/0ZSwkbIhAVk)</p>
<p>[Fat</a> Burning Intervals | Interval Training for Fat Loss](<a href=“http://www.mytreadmilltrainer.com/fat-burning-intervals.html]Fat”>http://www.mytreadmilltrainer.com/fat-burning-intervals.html)</p>
<p>My goal here is to maximize the heart rate intensity running as little distance as I can. Now, that doesn’t completely apply to me because, for a me, a slow jogging pace still has been plenty of cardio challenge! On the other hand, I find that jogging really slowly is excrutiating. It feels like a hippo running in quicksand. Running a little faster is a lot more fun and I’m all about trying to have some fun working out.</p>
<p>One hour of tennis practice - my Saturday morning guy called yesterday and I was a bit reluctant (after four sets yesterday) so we just practiced. Practice is a lot less stressful - if you don’t want to go for a ball, you let it go. No pressure to win points and I didn’t serve so no back stress. It allows you to just focus on your technique and footwork.</p>
<p>Quite chilly when we started and I wore a long-sleeve tech shirt for the whole practice session.</p>
<p>Goal today was 8 miles with 10 as a stretch goal. I ran from the house to have some hills since I’ve been dodging them lately. I made the 10 miles and am glad it’s over. Have a big half marathon (big in size) next weekend- all women.</p>
<p>Sounds good - also sounds like the injuries are behind you.</p>
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<p>That hardly seems fair, you racing against a whole field of big women! Sounds like a sure-fire winner’s trophy! :)</p>
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<p>I did my Friday New Rules workout this afternoon. Had to go to the long pants – Brooks running pants and a 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover (until I was warmed up). Good solid, uneventful workout. </p>
<p>For core I did the non-stop TRX planks – front plank rotating to side plank rotating to front plank rotating to side plank with no break. Two sets. Just about killed me. Those things are really making my abs and obliques burn.</p>
<p>Salmon and brocolli for dinner.</p>
<p>I put on a pair of shorts that I bought a year ago on today - fits quite nicely. It’s an L but a European L which is an American M. Very light pair of running shorts - the downside is that the pocket is too small for an iPod Nano 5th generation. I was thinking of going to the current generation which would fit.</p>
<p>The other thing is that I went to the YMCA to do weights: they added dumbbells from 55 to 100 pounds so it’s almost like the other YMCA (theirs goes up to 125 pounds). I did some exercises to test the back and the back seems to be fine. Assisted pullups were easier too. I will try some barbell squats tonight though at relatively low weights to test my knees.</p>
<p>I was okay with shorts outside today but we’re quickly getting into fall.</p>
<p>HaHa. There will be women of all sizes, for sure. At this point I am not planning to really “race” race, but that might change once I get into the thing. This is the race my daughter and I were supposed to walk last year and did a 2:32.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the right side upper hamstring injury is not really resolved. It still bothers me some on hills, the car etc. I also haven’t been doing my glute or PT exercises. The job-thing set me back- I just stopped being motivated and sort of gave up. If I get a job I am going to have to wait a little bit until they think I am normal, and then wheel in the kneeling chair!</p>
<p>Yeah, I was fine outside in shorts and a short-sleeve shirt yesterday, but it feels cooler in the house without the heat on. That’s OK, I’ve broken out my new Patriots Reebok long-sleeve tech undershirt (in prep for tomorrow’s game) and one of the ultra-lightweight Columbia pullover fleeces I snagged from Sierra Trading Post.</p>
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<p>BTW, for all of ya’ll runners who slog it out in the rain, I tried a shot of the NikWax waterproofing wash and the NikWax wash-in watter repellent treatment. The stuff is fantastic at rejuvenating the water repellency on jackets, hats, etc. Ideal for old GoreTex (and similar) clothing that is no longer beading up water like it does when it’s new.</p>
<p>You wash a load in the wash product and then run the same load with a bottle of the water treatment. Easy. I threw in an old Columbia winter parka that had long lost its water shedding capability. Restored it like new. I think one load a year with all the various rain jackets, running jackets, gloves, rain hats, etc.</p>
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<p>Have you ever had the Graston Technique done on your hamstring? Or any other kind of instrument-assisted manual therapy?</p>
<p>Tried the barbell squats at 55 pounds this morning. There was a tiny bit of crunchiness in my left knee. Not enough to bother me though and not an issue for going back to doing these on a regular basis. I haven’t used a knee brace in a while and I might go back to using them just for squats.</p>
<p>What I was surprised at was how tired I was after doing a set. I do the military press regularly with more weight and it’s harder to do but I’m not as tired afterwards. I guess there’s muscles along the way that haven’t been worked enough.</p>
<p>I don’t have any workouts planned today - I have a lot of housework to do today (already got quite a bit done) and some involves lifting heavy things around the house. I’ll probably do some weights here and there.</p>
<p>I’m going to drop in at Marshalls this morning (we’re going to a different supermarket which is bigger and has a Marshalls next to it) to look for smaller clothes. Probably just shirts and shorts are on the shopping list.</p>
<p>I’m actually sore this morning. I’m not sure from what, specifically, but these NROL4A workouts are kicking my butt all over again. And, I’m not even going crazy with the weights, although I’m using enough weight that 12 reps (and especially 12 reps per side) is enough to be a challenge. I think it’s just the exercise selection in these workouts.</p>
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<p>Successful Marshall’s shopping requires frequent drive-bys as the good stuff tends to come and go quickly.</p>
<p>Mine is pretty picked over in short sleeve tech-ts, although they still have display racks of the addidas shirts I like in black, dark gray, and white: $12.99 in smooth fabric, $14.99 in the fancier textured fabric. I haven’t looked at their shorts for a while, because I loaded up on Nike tennis and running shorts and now have a lifetime supply in medium. I have so many that I don’t even run out between washes! Which is pretty amazing in the summer time.</p>
<p>Look for the Champion C9 tech ts for $5.99. I bought three in different colors: black, navy, and red. The more I wear them, the more I like them. Nicely made plain solid color shirt – they kill the really flimsy Nike version. They seem to fit a little on the tight side. Good for showin’ off the biceps doncha know! 
My Marshalls still has them. I think this was Target’s private label Champion line.</p>
<p>No Graston, but have had a lot of manual PT. The problem is that the main issue is the attachment, and all the work on the hamstring helps, but it’s really hard to do much with that attachment. </p>
<p>Today was biking day. Oh joy. I hated it. We started a little late and I thought there was too much traffic until we got out in the country. I just don’t enjoy cars whizzing by me and H is philosophically opposed to driving his bicycle somewhere to ride it. There was also wind. And more cars whizzing by- love church traffic! The crowning blow was that the breakfast stop was out of cinnamon rolls. 35 miles done. Only 2 weeks until the 2 day ride. I might have to ride about 30 miles next Sunday (the day after the half marathon) and then the 2 day ride and then Mr. Bicycle gets hung up in the garage.</p>
<p>I picked up one of those fancier textured fabric shirts in white. I wanted one in black (looks better with some pants) but they didn’t have any. This Marshalls was a little smaller than the one that I usually go to. The other one had one in black on Wednesday - I might go back to get it this week.</p>
<p>They had very few shorts - most of the space was taken up by warm-up and sweat pants. I will stalk Sports Authority for shorts - they have some nice sales when stuff goes on clearance. Last year, they started in late August - I guess that more people are buying stuff now. I saw some $9.99 Nike Cotton and thought about it but I guess I can wear my XLs for a while though I’m thinking of pruning my bureau and moving some of the cotton t-shirts and shorts to storage.</p>
<p>Took about 40 pounds of clothes (my largest suit, lots of jeans, some flannel shirts) to the clothing donation bin at the YMCA and tossed out some other clothes that weren’t in good enough shape to donate. That felt pretty good. I have another suit that works from 200 to 215 pounds which I thought about - that will go out on the next donation run. My closet is going to be neater with smaller and thinner clothes.</p>
<p>I also saw the Patriots stuff that you were talking about.</p>
<p>I brought my daughter with me and she picked up a New Balance Tech Tee (XS) and another quick-dry shirt that was very flattering (XS). Both were $10. That’s one time when the women’s stuff is cheaper than the men’s stuff.</p>
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<p>It think they only got the textured version of the adidas shirts in white and a really nice charcoal gray. They’ve had the smooth fabric version in white, black, and electric blue. Kohl’s had it in red for $24, but Marshalls has never gotten the red version. I’ve never found the fabric to make any practical difference (I soak through both!), so I tend to get whichever one is cheaper. I did pay extra for the gray textured because I really like the color.</p>
<p>I’m hoping they’ll get the long sleeve versions of this shirt in more colors. They have it in white ($14.99), but that’s it so far in long sleeves.</p>
<p>I like the textured for tennis. It makes it feel like there’s overall less material on me and less material to get caught on my skin, especially on the serve. I have two of the Adidas smooth shirts and the material gets caught up more when wet.</p>
<p>I guess it’s more of a charcoal than a black. I bought the white as I prefer it when it is hot out but black might be better now that it’s getting cooler outside. I don’t think that I’d care for red or electric blue - those are too loud for the office and I’m not really a loud kind of player on the court.</p>
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<p>I kind of like the really bright colors for walking. A little better visibility, which comes in handy as it gets close to dusk, but – yeah – the electric blue, and red, and neon yellow would be a bit much for the office.</p>
<p>A lot of the outdoors companies – like LLBEAN and Columbia and Timberland – make these tech shirts in some nice “organic” earthtone colors, presumably for hiking. I’ve got one from the BEAN outlet store in Manchester in a light “spice” green. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find deals on those and I’m not paying $30 or $40 for a fancy t-shirt.</p>
<p>3 very easy miles for me today. Glad to be back in action!</p>
<p>I treated myself to some nice running skirts by Zella and Nike from Nordstrom Rack and a couple of running bras from Zappos. BTW, Nordstrom Rack is a great place for men’s exercise clothing, too.</p>
<p>We should have a Nordstrom’s Rack coming soon - I think that they are staffing up right now. I will have to check it out (my daughter will probably want to take a look).</p>
<p>I’m in a funk. I’m still going to the gym three times a week, but I’m lost my mojo. Very uninspired. Getting bored with what I’m doing. Need to step it up a notch.</p>