Running Naked: A Transparent Approach to Change

For some reason, the objective data was missing for a few hours. It’s back now.

Summary

Happy New Year everyone! Week 5 of the winter plan was a week off for Christmas. The holidays definitely made me gain weight faster than expected.

Subjective Data

This was a rest week as I was in Oregon for the holidays. I got two runs in, and I felt a slightly familiar sensation of discomfort in my right foot, meaning I need to be slower on my ramp up. Otherwise I enjoyed the rest.

Objective Data

Blue lines == actuals; Gray areas == my target range for that week.

Note: I had no scale in Oregon, so I’m missing weight measurements for those days.

Assessment

Last week was a rest week, and due to some scheduling errors (the error being my inability to read a schedule and see when classes were scheduled) I wasn’t able to get Yoga, spinning or swimming in. Still, I feel I was close enough to plan. I got two fast but short runs in, and the fact that I could feel my foot means I should ramp up running even slower. I’ll adjust targets next week accordingly.

Eating was outta-control for the holidays, but I don’t care In the event Eve, Zohn, Eric or Lee read this, the cookies were worth every ounce of weight!!!! Thanks again Eve.

Plan

I’m sticking to the training plan next week, although I’m going to watch the running closely and probably cut one day out of swim-bike-run workouts (because the gym is closed on Tuesday). I expect I’ll slow my running mileage ramp for the rest of the plan.

As I mentioned last week starting January 1^st I’m going back on my measured calorie plan: 2,250 to 2,750 calories a week to maintain weight for two to three weeks (i.e. get back in range).

Reminders

My aunt will not be able to run the Dublin marathon in October, so I’m still undecided between New York (November) and Dublin Ireland. If you’re interested in running either with me, let me know. I’m not going to decide until around April. Also, if anyone is interested in doing the Philly Triathlon (June) with me, you’re welcome to join the team!

Presentation Notes

These notes are always presented in SOAP Note format.

Thanks for reading.

- Art

Summary

Week 4 of the winter plan. I’m gaining weight faster than desired, and will need to cut in the New Year, but for now I’m enjoying the holidays (yes, even fruitcake). Workouts are on track, and swimming in particular is improving slowly but surely.

Subjective Data

I didn’t slack off this week, probably because JK gave me shit for slacking off last week. But wow… was I tired come Saturday evening (when I wrote this). My eating was not good this week – way too much chocolate and cookies for the holidays. But I’ve decided to just go with it and worry about changing eating when the holidays are over (and the temptations much lower).

I returned to running this week with two 2-mile runs. No pain which was good.

Objective Data

Blue lines == actuals; Gray areas == my target range for that week.

Assessment

My exercise regimen is working well. My swimming is getting better, my kick is propelling me forward, and my stroke always starts out smooth. However I tire very quickly which leads to form breaking down once I exceed 100 yards in a row, so now I’ve got to work on increasing yardage. My brick workout (swim-spin-run) on Saturday was brutal; it was essentially the same workout as Tuesday, but at the end of the week I’m just beat. Hopefully that improves as I get closer to March.

My eating is not in control, and in the New Year I’m going to spend a week or two explicitly counting again to make sure I stay in range. Still, my body measurements aren’t too far out of shape, so nothing drastic required (like the all oat-bran and yogurt diet… yuck).

Plan

I’m staying to plan for the next week, which if you look at the gray areas you’ll see is almost a rest week. Woo hoo! That’s because I’ll be in Oregon visiting J’s family for most of the week. I’d like to get one to two runs in, and get a few isometric workouts in without a gym (i.e. pushup/pullup combos), but I’m not going to be bent out of shape if none of that happens. The reality is I’m fatigued enough that a week off now will be welcomed.

I did modify my plan slightly based on revisiting my holiday schedule (I hadn’t realized I’d be away from a gym for so long), but not in a way that I think impacts my chances of hitting targets. If you look closely you’ll notice a slight difference in the weight-training, running and spinning plans for the next 2 weeks from prior week’s plans.

Reminders

My aunt will not be able to run the Dublin marathon in October, so I’m still undecided between New York (November) and Dublin Ireland. If you’re interested in running either with me, let me know. I’m not going to decide until around April. Also, if anyone is interested in doing the Philly Triathlon (June) with me… especially if you’re a medical school student about to graduate, are having a light fourth year and want to be in great shape for your wedding (you know who you are…)… you’re welcome to join the team!

Presentation Notes

These notes are always presented in SOAP Note format.

Thanks for reading.

- Art

Summary

Week three of the winter plan, and I’m still tracking well. No injuries so far. I worked in extra rest due to fatigue and holiday parties, and I’m gaining weight slightly faster than plan, but all in, things look good.

Subjective Data

I slacked off slightly this week due to social commitments (damn you Ryan J) but it was worth every second of it. I’m definitely feeling very tired by the end of each week, and had to take an extra rest day (Monday) this week to recover. I also skipped Yoga this week, but that was because I’d been up until 3:30am on Friday night.

My eating was good all week until the weekend when I met holiday parties and holiday cookies.

Objective Data

Blue lines == actuals; Gray areas == my target range for that week.

Assessment

I’m still broadly tracking to plan. As mentioned above, my fatigue level was very high on Monday but as part of the new me, I decided to rest as a result, which means I only spent 2, not 3 days in the weight room. I also skipped Yoga due to fatigue. But all in, I’m quite happy with the training work.

My weight is gaining faster than I’d like, but not worryingly so; it just means I’ll probably have to cut in late January or February to get back on track. I’m discovering that staying on track with eating in the weeks leading up to Christmas is nearly impossible.

I did look for a deep water pool this week, but there is nothing in New York that I can get into without getting a club membership which is more than I want to spend.

Plan

Staying to plan. Changes include adding running and shifting my lifting targets to 75% of max, 6 reps, 4 sets and 3 exercises per muscle group.

Presentation Notes

These notes are always presented in SOAP Note format.

Thanks for reading.

- Art

Summary

This is the second week of my winter plan, and I’m still tracking well. No injuries, but I’m very fatigued by week’s end. Next week it gets a bit more intense.

Subjective Data

I felt very fatigued at the end of the week. My Friday spin ride (I normally do Thursdays) was really hard as my legs felt very weak.

My swimming is progressing well, but my kick remains very weak. My coach suggested a drill to do (also suggested in the Total Immersion program): standing upright in a pool, keep my head above water without using my arms. The problem is my pool is 4 feet deep.

My eating has been schizophrenic; some days I’m really good (yogurt, chicken, and complex carbs) and other days I’m eating whatever I can find (pizza, cookies, etc.). It depends heavily on whether or not I have to travel for work.

Objective Data

Blue lines == actuals; Gray areas == my target range for that week.

Assessment

I’m still tracking to plan, and as expected it’s hard. Come Sundays (my usual rest day) I’m really looking forward to doing nothing.

I’m working with a swimming coach once a week now, and my kick is getting better. But I need to find a better pool to do some drills in.

Also, I’m happy with my rate of weight gain, but not how I’m going it. I’m going to try to be more balanced in eating extra calories this week, and lay off the cookies (these things are my bane these days).

Plan

I’d like to see if I can get the use of a deeper pool for a few weeks to try some deep water kicking drills, but other than that, no changes to plan for this week. Next week my weight limits shift up a little (I’ve been at 45% of max, 13 reps, 3 sets, and 60 seconds rest for the past two weeks) to 50% of max, 12 reps, 4 sets and 90 seconds rest which will really test things.

Presentation Notes

I made one slight edit based on a friend’s suggestion – My yoga target no longer implies yoga is optional. I’m still only shooting for one yoga session per week due to time constraints, but I do think it’s important to improve my flexibility.

These notes are always presented in SOAP Note format.

Thanks for reading.

- Art

For reference, here’s last week’s data. Curious what this post is about? Click here to find out.

Summary

I did OK with my plan for the week, but I had a big decision to make. And I’ve made it. Read on for more (and do click the links… they’re fun J ).

Subjective Data

I did some (not much) weight lifting, tried some spinning, and went to see a physical therapist. Why? Because the pain from my run last Saturday did not subside as quickly as I would have liked. I also went back to my ortho-specialist to see what he thought and had an MRI. The result: nothing is broken, but I have a bad sprain and lots of bruising in my right foot.

My eating wasn’t great later in the week, and my numbers show it.

Objective Data

Click here for a PDF version of my dashboard.

Assessment

I had dinner on Thursday with my friends Jim and Sudipta (who by the way has a great new kids book on sale now… The Mine-O-Saur. Check it out). And during the conversation I asked them for their advice on whether to run or not. I thought Jim’s response is a good candidate for quote of the month:

You’re not Kenyan – the marathon is not a life defining event for you. If you injure yourself permanently during the run, it will become a life-defining event. Don’t make this a life defining event!

Well, facts are facts. I had a stress fracture, but now I have nerve pinching, swelling and bruising in my right foot. I get sharp piercing pain any time I stand up after sitting for 45 minutes or more. I could try to run the marathon on Sunday of next week, but odds are that (a) the pain would become unbearable late in the race and (b) I’ll permanently injure myself by re-breaking the stress-fracture or doing something else stupid as my body compensates over 26 miles to avoid the pain.

So, this morning I notified Team Continuum that I would not run, and have been guaranteed a spot in next year’s marathon. I’m going to take at least 6-8 weeks off running, and then work with a physical-therapist to slowly ramp up again. I’d like to target doing a marathon in the April or May timeframe of next year (and then maybe I do NY next year, maybe not…) – let me know if you have suggestions for one to do.

Also, thanks to everyone for their suggestions (public and private) on what to do. I really appreciate the feedback and support. In case folks are wondering on the breakdown of “live to fight another day” vs. “go for it!” the breakdown was:

Telling, no?

Plan

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed – I am. But when God gives you lemons, you find a new God. Whoops, I mean, you regroup and start again. So, the plan for this week is continue my new weight lifting routine, do some spinning, continue physical therapy, and then… get ready for Mexico. J and I are off to Mexico for 5 days next week (so, no updates next week). When I return, there will be a new format for tracking the metrics on my winter goals, which to remind you are:

1. Be able to swim 1km without stopping by 3/1/08. This is really about form and balance for me.
2. Gain 5-10 pounds from my 11/5/07 weight while keeping a 32 inch max waist by 3/1/08 (I’m expecting my 11/5 weight to be around 153-158).
3. For weight lifting, increase my 1RM by 5% on average across the board by 3/1/08 from my 10/30 1RMs (1RM = 1-Rep-Maximum).

Presentation Notes

No changes to data presentation this week. As with last week, data is presented in SOAP Note format.

- Art

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