Skip to main content

Can't..Stop...MAFing

I mean that.  I did another MAF test.  Then when I got home 8 hours later, I looked over my training plan and realized that today was supposed to be a rest day and tomorrow was supposed to be my second MAF test.  Overexcited maybe?  Well, I think giving me 3 days off on a training plan is likely to drive me crazy.  I mean, I did some push ups and planks and even tossed a football in the direction of my wife a few times on Monday, but running was a no-go.  So I don't run tomorrow?  Is that what I'm supposed to do?  Ugh.  Ok, no run tomorrow but Mila and I can go lift (relatively) heavy things and set them down.  Today's run got off to an inauspicious start when I had to start 20 minutes late.  I was supposed to meet someone at 720 on the track to help him get ready for his PT test.  He would only be able to run until 730 before having to head to work.  Luckily I got a text from him later explaining that he'd run the night before, so wasn't waiting around for me on the track.  More on helping people train for their pt tests in a later entry.
The view from this morning, rained last night so it was a bit wet

The test went very well.  Here's the comparison:
5/9/20166/1/2016
45 minutes (3.8845 minutes (4.05)
mile 110:3710:27 (:10)
mile 211:1110:56 (:15)
mile 312:1011:18 (:52)
mile 40.8811:49
mile 50.05

I was supposed to run for 60 minutes, but due to time constraints, I had to cut it short.  I figured it would be better for comparison anyway.  As you run, you will eventually run slower.  If I was running faster on my second, third, etc, it would mean that I didn't warm up enough.  
This shows that I'm improving.  The theory is to get my fat burning zone to last into faster speeds.  The faster I can run while still burning fat, the longer I'll be able to run quickly.  I've got Dr. Phil Maffetone's books (Big Red Book, Big Yellow Book) but I'll be honest, I haven't gotten to reading them yet.  
The theory is that I'll be able to run quicker with this diet, weight loss, and training strategy.  Time will tell though.  I'm willing to take this year and give it a try.
An unexpected side effect is that even though I've lost about 10 pounds, I have gotten stronger.  When we started 5 weeks ago, I was doing squats 5 sets of 5 squats @ 175 pounds and 5 sets of 5 deadlifts at 185.  We lift about once a week and last week I did 4 sets of squats @ 185 and 1 @ 205.  Deadlifts were 3 sets @ 195 and 2 sets @ 205.  I just found it interesting, I don't think I'll really add too much more weight on there.
We're volunteering for our first race this weekend!  Come see us and run!  Run in the sun

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Surprise!

I was sitting in an awards ceremony the other day and one of the "get to know you" questions asked of the awardees was "what is your dream job?" (odd thing to ask at a work awards ceremony, but I  wasn't the one asking) Me being me, I spent the majority of the rest of the ceremony pondering this question. and, of course clapping at the proper intervals. Of course This is also coming as I am closing in on retirement, possibly as early as the summer of 2028. Only three years to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. I came up with two possibilities, specific to the caveat that money does not enter into the equation - travel blogger and/or history podcaster. As my 8ish faithful readers can tell you, I'm not the most consistent travel blogger out there. On the other hand, do we really need another millennial dude talking into a microphone and telling everyone he knows "Hey bro, you should listen to my podcast"? So, here's what I'm going t...

Fanciness, gardens, and you're a guey

 Day 4 was "supposed" to take place mainly outside. The forecast called for rain most of the day and, well, it looked like we would be running ourselves ragged to make the self-imposed time hacks. So, we made a little adjustment. We still decided to go to a couple different gardens. However, we needed breakfast first (let's be honest, it was second breakfast for this hobbit). We went to Confiteria La Ideal for a fantastic breakfast. I had thought it was a smaller place to grab a coffee and snack and then be on our way. However, we walked in and realized it's not that type of spot. The cafe originally opened in 1912 and was long considered the best example of porteno (coming from Buenos Aires) gastronomy for the best part of the 20th century. They closed their doors in 2016 but reopened in 2022 after a massive restoration project.  We also saw that we were way underdressed. Luckily, we could play the ignorant tourist card and, if need be, I could always speak horrendou...

"For ME this is heaven" part 2 (Ushuaia pt 1)

     We last left off  with Mila and I arriving at a Buenos Aires Airport after hitting up the Hard Rock Cafe (#2 for the trip) at the Iguazu airport. We'd scouted a good, (seemingly) quiet spot to crash for our overnight layover before the flight to the southern tip of the continent. Thing is, they shut that portion of the airport down overnight, so we were escorted out past security, swept along with the weary procession of bleary castaways marooned in the same purgatory. People plopped down wherever they could and we were glad to see that there was at least an overnight cafe right there in the lobby. Mila can fall asleep sitting at a table. I, it was proven, cannot. But there was cafecito.  The flight was obviously uneventful as evidenced by the fact that I can't remember anything about it some 18 months later. We went from the jungle to the literal southernmost city in the world. The city of 80,000 is situated in a bowl between mountains to the north, east, ...