Category Archives: NudeNumbers

SOAP Notes tracking progress on my fitness goals

Nude Numbers (#17)

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For reference, here’s last week’s data. Curious what this post is about? I’m tracking my training progress for the New York Marathon. Click here for why.

Summary

I’m still a likely “no shot” for the NYC marathon but I’m keeping some hope alive. I tried Yoga for the first time this week and liked it. And I’d love your thoughts on what my winter Fitness goals should be. Read on.

Subjective Data

As I mentioned last week, my running days are over for the foreseeable future. My foot hurt most of the week, but by Sunday I was able to walk 4-5 miles without being in a lot of pain. I had a light cardio week where I didn’t swim (didn’t feel motivated to get into the water), did some weight work, and tried Yoga for the first time in my life. All in all, it was an enjoyable week but I’d still like to be on the road…

Objective Data

Click here for a PDF version of my dashboard.

Assessment

I’m kind of in limbo at the moment; I’m pretty sure the marathon is shot, but I’m unwilling to call it until I have to (Oct 24). Therefore the key focus this week was maintain some cardio-endurance, and work on weights (and the six pack challenge). Given the challenge, I’ve started cutting body fat again just to see if I have a shot at winning (which led to a very funny dinner conversation with some friends on Friday when I passed on dessert). On the suggestion of a friend, I tried Yoga for the first time; it was fun, challenging, and relaxing. I’ll have to do that again.

I’m also starting to think about my post-November-4th/winter fitness goals. Here’s what I have so far, let me know what you think:

  1. Be able to swim 1km (80 laps) without stopping by March 1st (starting at 5 laps between breaks now): Basically get my swimming form down for a triathlon in the spring.
  2. Be between 163lb and 168lb with a 31-32 inch waist by March 1st (starting at 155-158 and 31 inches right now): Weight training and weight gaining for the winter – the challenge here is gain the muscle without the fat, which shows up as belly-fat on me. That works out to around 0.5 lbs a week of muscle gain.

I did a series of tests on Wednesday to baseline my measurements (bodyfat, dimensions, and max-weights) for the winter. (I’ll put together a new dashboard based on whatever goals I ultimately pick in the next few weeks so you can play along at home if you’re interested.)

The timing of the test was fortuitous. I was feeling down about the marathon (likely) being shot and I almost cancelled the (previously scheduled) test. But afterwards, and especially when comparing my results to my August 2006 test results, I looked at things in perspective. Sometimes, especially when one of my big goals looks shot, I lose faith, but the numbers reminded me that (a) I’ve made a lot of progress in the last 15 months and (b) this is a process, not an event.

Plan

Plan for next week:

  • Keep weight cutting (through November 5th‘s 6-Pack Charity Challenge);
  • Do some spinning, yoga or swimming.
  • Keep weight training going at current pace.
  • Come up with another draft of goals for the winter.
  • Don’t run.
  • Do smile.

As a reminder, I get to decide on October 24th whether to try to run the marathon anyway, or take my guaranteed spot next year. Let me know your thoughts.

Presentation Notes

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

– Art

Help me raise money for people suffering from cancer

Nude Numbers (#16)

1 Reply

For reference, here’s last week’s data. Curious what this post is about? I’m tracking my training progress for the New York Marathon. Click here for why.

Summary

And just like that, I go from a “long shot” to a likely “no shot” on the NYC Marathon. Read on for why.

Subjective Data

I took longer than expected to recover from last Sunday’s run – the bottom and sides of my foot continues to be sore from the tendonitis. I decided not to run all week except for my long-run (target of 15-18 miles) on Saturday. I substituted some swimming and spinning instead, coupled with rest for my right foot. My weight training was good but also relaxed. I thought I was actually doing a good job of trying to recover.

Alas, on Saturday’s run, the pain started on mile 2, and by mile 7, with sharp pain shooting through my entire right leg every time I stepped, it was apparent I was seriously hurting myself by running further. I spent the rest of Saturday with my leg getting progressively sorer and even had to wear crutches on Saturday and Sunday before my leg could bear weight again. As I write this, I’m back to wearing a restraining boot on my foot and being on an ibuprofen diet. I’m not sure, but I think that’s a bad sign.

Objective Data

Click here for a PDF version of my dashboard.

Assessment

Time to be honest with myself: The marathon has gone from a long-shot to a “likely” no-shot.

Why do I use the word “likely”? Well…

Plan

Thanks to all of you and Team Continuum, I have the option of declaring my intention to withdraw and get a guaranteed spot in next year’s marathon. If I do elect that option, I will train for and attempt this again next year (without the fundraising again).

The deal is (a) if I meet my minimum funding commitment (which thanks to y’all we blew that target out of the water), and (b) I declare my intention to withdraw by either October 19th or October 24th (I’m still in discussions on this), then I get a spot next year. In the interest of laziness, specifically not making a decision before I need to, I’m not going to withdraw until the latest moment I can.

So between now and then I’m not going to run at all in the hope that 4 weeks of rest will work wonders. I’m not hopeful, and I’d love your thoughts on what to do. Please add comments or e-mail me between now and October 19th, and I’ll make my decision then.

So, complete change in plan, while I await the October 19th (or 24th) deadline:

  1. Stop running. Period. End of sentence.
  2. Re-start swimming this week assuming my leg has trouble bearing weight. If my leg feels 100% better, I’ll consider spinning at the end of the week (I know that biking doesn’t aggravate the injury given that I was able to do 180 miles on my leg with no pain).
  3. Keep weight training on the same plan for now, but I’ll be mixing that up soon (I’ll figure that out next week).
  4. My weight gain plans were successful, almost too successful, so I’m cutting back now. I went from 152 (my low) to 163-165 (relative high today), so I plan to cut back down to around 156-157 pounds, and then add weight again. I’m starting to track calories closely again, and hope to get back to around 156 within 5 weeks, which happens to be the week of the 6-Pack Charity Challenge
    J
  5. Keep smiling because, well, what else can I do.

Presentation Notes

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

– Art

Help me raise money for people suffering from cancer

Nude Numbers (#15)

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For reference, here’s last week’s data. Curious what this post is about? I’m tracking my training progress for the New York Marathon. Click here.

Summary

A week of good and bad news. On the good side, I got new shoes and now I can run much faster and further without the sharp pain. I got back into the gym, and ramped up my running mileage (actually ramped up a little too much). On the bad side, I got a bone scan and confirmed I have a stress fracture and some tendonitis in my right leg. That said, provided I try to not run every day and rest well between runs, coaches and doctors still think I have a chance at a (slightly painful but) safe marathon. 5 weeks to go.

Subjective Data

On Monday I figured out that if I run slowly (<11 min mile) I can avoid the pain for short distances (2-4 miles) so I started doing that. I also saw my ortho guy again, and got set up for a bone-scan to check for stress fractures.

On Wednesday I went to a running store, and bought new shoes. I did a test run on Wednesday, one on Friday, and then a long run on Sunday.

And in the new shoes, I found I could increase my speed (up to 8.5 min miles) without the pain occurring, which is a good sign.

That said…

Objective Data

Click here for a PDF version of my dashboard.

The other piece of objective data to add is the results of my bone scan. The radiologist said he saw “nonspecific focal fusiform radionuclide activity in the distal right fibula suggestive of a stress fracture.” He didn’t see any problem with the bones in the bottom of my foot, which is good, but didn’t explain the sharp pain. However, switching shoes has made that pain go away.

Assessment

Buying a new pair of shoes was a god send. The sharp pain doesn’t show up now provided I keep good form and my speed slower than 8.5 minute miles. Awesome.

I did well sticking to last week’s plan, but ran a little more than I should have on Friday (I had a blast running with an old friend and let myself run too far). I moved my Saturday 10-mile run to Sunday to align better with some of my training partners, and that run was easy. That said I woke up this morning with a slight limp so I need to remember to ramp up slowly.

The confirmation of the stress fracture is bad news, but it’s not necessarily a marathon-killer. It just means I’ll need to do light training (try to get in 1 or 2 but no more long runs) and then try my best on November 4th. At this point I’ll be happy with finishing, really happy with less than 5 hours, and will probably kill myself if I shoot for less than four.

I kept weight room work and other activities to a minimum, and kept with my gaining weight plans.

Plan

Getting down to the final 5 weeks here. Here’s my plan for the week ahead. The basic theme is to keep cardio up through spinning and running, and save up for the long run on Saturday.

  1. Monday: Rest after 10 mile run on Sunday. Try to make the limp (pain in right heel) go away.
  2. Tuesday: Weight room and short run if pain isn’t there. If there is pain, skip the run.
  3. Wednesday: Weight room and 4-6 mile run.
  4. Thursday: Weight room, and swim.
  5. Friday: Weight room, and maybe a swim or spin.
  6. Saturday: 15 mile run.
  7. Sunday: Rest up.

Presentation Notes

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

– Art

Help me raise money for people suffering from cancer

Nude Numbers (#14)

3 Replies

For reference, here’s last week’s data. Curious what this post is about? I’m tracking my training progress for the New York Marathon. Click here.

Summary

This was a bad week for my training as my right foot developed a sharp pain immediately upon returning to running. I let the depressing thought of not running the marathon weigh me down all week.

Thankfully part of the reason for “Running Naked” is to force myself to admit to folks when I stumble, and I woke up this morning more determined as a result (thanks everyone, even if you don’t believe you actually did anything!). I got an x-ray done this afternoon (no obvious breaks in foot), scheduled a few more specialist visits this week, got back into the weight room and I may have found a way to run at least short distances that keeps the pain away (I ran across the Queensboro bridge).

This week is all about figuring out what is wrong without getting annoying or depressed at the hand of cards I’m playing with.

Subjective Data

I rested on Monday after the ride, and then tried to run on Tuesday. Even though I had absolutely no foot pain during the ride, I got a half-mile into my Tuesday run and the same pain I had two weeks ago in the top of the foot returned. It’s was a very sharp pain, and not runnable-through.

The next day my scale broke.

And in general, I let myself feel a little depressed and annoyed at my body, and the things around me, breaking down. This led to me being very (relatively) inactive this week. I stopped going to the weight room. By Friday I convinced myself to try a short run (still painful) and did a low-key bike-ride supporting a long training run on Saturday. On Sunday I just hung out with friends.

But all week, I was annoyed at myself for being annoyed at myself. Sigh.

Objective Data

Click here for a PDF version of my dashboard.

Assessment

I went from a high to a real low when I couldn’t even run a half-mile without collapsing in pain. And I let the disappointment at that take me completely off my training track. Last week sucked, but in retrospect (as I write this) I know I’m going to have those weeks. For some reason the thought of publishing my “laziness” last week spurred me on today to resume my training, so thanks in advance to everyone for at least viewing this blog and giving me encouragement.

That said, I’m still shooting to win The Six Pack Charity Challenge, and finish the NYC Marathon. So I’m going to focus everything on the Marathon until told otherwise (by my body or a doctor).

As usual, if you have suggestions, leave a comment, or reach me at “art (at) abclarke.com”.

Plan

The big thing is remember to keep smiling, and that I’m doing this for charity. I’m going to slowly ramp up mileage as I test out the foot and try to find a way to run without pain, but where the marathon was “at risk” before, it’s now a long shot. But I’m also going to let everything else take a back seat to running and not worry if I don’t spend every spare moment at the gym. So:

  1. Short runs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (no more than 6 miles on any run)
  2. Leg permitting, perhaps a long run (10+ miles) on Saturday.
  3. Swim if I feel like it, but don’t sweat it if I don’t.
  4. Keep the weight room work going, but again, only as I feel like it.
  5. Keep eating sensibly but continue gaining some weight.

Presentation Notes

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

– Art

Help me raise money for people suffering from cancer

Nude Numbers (#13)

2 Replies

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

Summary

I successfully completed the New York to Providence bike ride to raise money for the Jack Brown Appeal. And I met Jack, who was so cool! I’ll write about it in a separate post.

I am sore from 3 days in the saddle, but seem to have emerged injury free and ready to switch to running. I also gained 1-2 pounds without adding a lot of fat, which is cool. Now, 7 weeks to go until the marathon, and time to get back to running.

Subjective Data

  1. Completed the NYC-Providence 180+ mile bike ride without any injuries. And had a blast doing it.
  2. Weight lifting was good this week, but admittedly it was stupid to do heavy leg lifting two days before the ride started.
  3. I ate whatever I wanted this week, but after spending over 25 hours in a bike, I’m not too worried.

Objective Data

Click here for a PDF version of my dashboard.

Assessment

The ride was a blast, I rode very well (for me), and I’ll write about it separately. My leg injury didn’t even play in, even the foot bruise I got last Saturday, and although I am sore today, it’s the good kind of sore. That’s one of the two major events out of the way (just the November marathon remains), which is awesome.

I will post photos later (we’re still gathering them together).

On the sad side, it likely means my bike goes into storage for the winter season. I’ll miss it.

I cut back on the swimming this week because of time pressure, but my form was good when I did get time and my speed is improving. My weight control was on track. I gained 1-2 pounds without a major increase in body fat.

I’m still shooting to win The Six Pack Charity Challenge, and finish the NYC Marathon.

As usual, if you have suggestions, leave a comment, or reach me at “art (at) abclarke.com”.

Plan

Time to switch over to running. I’ll do a short 1.7 mile run on Tuesday, and then work with my trainers to come up with a short-time plan to ramp up for the marathon. More details next week. I’ll also keep lifting, do some swimming, and eat around 2,875-3,125 calories a day to gain some weight.

Presentation Notes

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

– Art

Help me raise money for people suffering from cancer