Barb Shim's micro
I'm glad I started my out season as early as I did! There has certainly been an adjustment period as far as handling volume, dealing with lingering injury issues, and getting used to the trainer. I just substituted 2 weeks of easy runs, walks and swims during the holidays to deal with hamstring/piriformis tightness that has been bugging me since the start. I feel it's much better now and plan to integrate some yoga for more flexibility as my new year's resolution. I missed my mid-OS tests, but plan to do them this coming week. Swimming really seems to help relieve the tightness, so I'll add laps to my routine Mon. and Friday and get in the pool for EZ pace drills or deep-water running any evening I can make it down there. I'm planning to build up the volume gradually until I get used to knocking out a mile in the pool again. This is all part of my age 60+ "science experiment" -- figuring out what my body can handle as I build strength and durability--the "no swim" advise doesn't seem to work for me. I'm staying positive and although I sometimes doubt myself, the doc says to keep doing what I'm doing -- plus, I love working out through the winter months.
For the bike trainer: this is new to me--and I love the intensity. Since I'm a car-free city girl, riding to the "ride" adds alot of junk miles and having the trainer in my home office solves both the time issue and bumps up the workout tremendously. I got a heart rate monitor to monitor intensity. What set up do I need to track mileage,etc.since the front wheel is stationery?
On the run: I've come into the off season after coaching slow marathoners (Team in Training) and run/walking most of my mileage in 2015 at an easy pace. Goal #1 for me has been to run a greater percentage of my workouts. I was able to run a Dec. 10K with short walk breaks at the water stops at a 10:40 pace. I felt like the interval workouts really helped kick-start this transition. I have a 10 mile, 5K and half marathon race on the schedule for Jan/Feb for more motivation now that the cold weather is back. My goal is to continue to minimize the mental habit of taking walk breaks and find the run pacing that works best for me at these distances and also to move the needle on my sustained "fast" pace.
Thanks!!--onward and upward in 2016!
Comments
+ Swimming is okay, esp mondays and fridays.
+ The trainer is great, but still warm up like 15 to 20 minutes...for tracking you'll want a speed sensor for the rear wheel that will place nice with your computer. Usually a magnet for the spoke and a sensor for the frame that the magnet pings as it goes by. You can google your compter name + wireless computer sensor or ask for help in the Gen Discussion forums!
+ Let's keep your running to zero intensity, just frequency...don't want to exacerbate the hammy / glute tightness...
Let's keep it rolling!
~ Coach P
Thanks for the thumbs up and trainer info, Coach! Since I posted, I've added yoga sessions in the mornings for my new year's resolution and the added stretching seems to be addressing the tightness issues! Happy New Year! Barb
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~ Coach P