_plan
Duration: 4~5 weeks.
Yoga: 10+ sessions.
Inline: lots of short skates to get used to boots.
Outdoor cycling: get in aero position often.
Indoor trainer: watch a few movies.
Running: minimum running using minimalists’ shoes.
Calories ingestion: unlimited.
_actual: 12/15/2013 ~ 1/13/2014 = 4.1 weeks.
Weather had been outdoor wheel sports unfriendly.
1-month yoga pass.
Indoor trainer happened a few times but was awkward with the house guest.
3 run races as social events.
Gained 3 lbs in 4 weeks and slept better at night.
_activities
Skate
I skated around the house couple times a week. The Mojos were marginally useable 8 months after casting. I couldn’t bear the thought of another round of troubleshooting with the manufacturer after confirming its flakiness in Houston. It’s a shame. They’re beautiful boots.
I deleted annual payment reminder to Round Rock for Road Rash race from Quicken. I was sad.
Looked forward to Olympic speed skating.
--
Uptown Yoga
Even with history of yoga-related injury—including a spine surgery, yoga was a job benefit that was hard to let go.
Years after giving up yoga practice, I bought a month pass at the fast-food style yoga studio. The impersonal approach made me miss my past yoga teachers. My loss of flexibility and strength was in line with expectation.
Part of growing up was expanding used-to-could skills.
--
Carrollton Runners Club 1-mile and 5k 12/29/2013
1-Mile. All the rabbits stayed home. I led the field half way into the race and lacked motivation to hang on to 6:06 electronic pacer. The intensity was unfamiliar. I won the race with personal slowest 6:19.
5k. The legs felt dead after 1-mile race and 2 days of yoga. I set GPS to 7:11 pace. I finished with 7:03 pace, the slowest 5k in years.
Stephanie won over all 5k and shared her prize. The chocolate was delicious.
--
Dallas Runners Club Frigid 10k @ Winfrey Point, White Rock 1/4/2014
I abandoned the original plan of solo 5k and a yoga class to hang out with Casey and Voon. I also met Carrollton and Plano club friends.
The body was more used to yoga; the legs felt fresher than the previous race. GPS pacer was set at 6:57, 7 seconds/mile slower than 10k PR. Things stayed easy ‘til 6k. I followed Kisha Littrell who seemed to know what she was doing. I led for the final 2k as she developed difficulties holding pace.
I anticipated a sprint finish with Casey. We’re in the same age group for a few months every 5 years. I managed to keep my podium position with 43:12—13 seconds off PR.
This racing without training thing was fun. I was looking forward to the next race. I would be 44.992-year-old.
--
5 lb 11 oz, 46 cm 2014/01/07 at 9:41 pm
Boy Ville Wei Rakkolainen arrived.
Good job, Kay and Timo.
--
Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers Club 15k 1/11/2014
I set GPS to 7:00 pace--aggressive considering my 21k PR was 7:03 pace with full preparation.
We stayed inside Casey's car 'til warm up time. I tried to psyche Voon up for her 5k: sub 10:00 pace, negative split.
5k and 15k started together but in opposite directions. Course had more elevation change than at White Rock. I shifted to a fast-walk heel-strike climbing. Lots of runners passed me ascending--I couldn't imagine these 7:00 pacers were all good climbers. I made up the speed going downhill; 1 runner didn't like my speed and expressed displeasure to his friend. Majority of the even-pace runners slowed down by 8k. I followed the same female age grouper Kisha.
6 miles into the race, 7:00 pace became challenging, but I was still chasing down competitors, Tony Stone being the last one. We ran side by side:
"That girl is kicking our ass."
"I'm gonna chase her."
"You want her phone number?"
Running made dumb conversation enjoyable. Tony encouraged me to take the lead and soon dropped off the pace.
I struggled to hold 7:00 pace and burned a match at every incline. At the muddy parking lot, a volunteer directed a car into my path. The adrenaline helped me to get over next section. Then my legs decided to quit. I went all out while Tony passed me using long and hairy legs. He was the only runner in sight capable of anything resembling 7:00 pace.
Result
1:06:14; 7:06 pace
_thoughts
My 3 race results were in line with preparation and VO2-based calculator. The prediction precision was satisfying, yet I wished I ran faster.
My blood chemistry changed with my 2013 diet. I performed in the same level as 2012, yet I wanted the old numbers back.
My greed bothers me.
_2014 fitness plan
No “A” races.
Main event: Montreal 24-Hour 8/23. Casey and I want a respectable result and fond memory but not structuring our daily life to optimize the race result.
I’ll start 2014 training on my 45th birthday. 2013 Maffetone experiment was fun. I want to learn more. Reading Maffetone was often infuriating; he forced me to consider the balance: fitness vs. health. In 2013, my encounter with the car and Jack’s bike crash affected my decision.
Run events:
Cowtown 50k. Run by HR.
Dallas Rock n Roll Half.
Solo long run. Need to recover for next race.
Irving Marathon. Attempt a PR.
Katy 5k.
Dallas Marathon.
Texas Whiner Double might wait another year.
Skate events:
Tour Dallas.
Mesquite Rodeo.
Philly. Will make an effort.
Montreal 24-hour.
Hotter n Hell. Might not happen <= Montreal.
A2A. I want to be there when Candy crosses 38-mile line.
Battle at Bear Creek. Hopefully get to see Duane.
It’s hard to plan sport events knowing they could be derailed by family health issues.
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