Yo

http://running.competitor.com/2013/11/training/specific-training-for-5k-and-10k_88862/4

Monday

Did 40 last week but included a 12 and 14 on 3 days.  Was a fluke.  The 7 I did Sunday was a confirmation that I should survive that potential disaster.

Therefore, the run and the eating are banging!

Friday

Nothing on Thursday though I walk ~2 miles around work each time I'm on campus.

But today I did 14 miles with about 1000ft of vert.  What's big here is that I backed up the 12 miles on Wednesday and this run was a mixture of road and trail, not the more strictly flat I've been doing to take care of the Achilles.

I was pretty sore toward the end of this run and have some soreness.  God I hope I didn't take a step back.

The 50k is about 7 weeks out.  Doing 12 and 14 like this are huge for my mental health alone.  I will scale back, run consistently and just get stronger.  If I can go 18 to 20 in the next 2-3 weeks, we good.

Yeah!

Breakthrough

Unless my feet fall off while I sleep, this counts as a good day on the prep for spring: 12 miles.  Compression socks on, beers on the menu, and about 6 miles tomorrow.  Want to do at least one more of these this week. 

Cheers!

Tuesday 2/19

Logging the exercise on Attack, but things are plugging along nicely.  The achilles feels great.  The food is solid as well though I still need more veggies throughout the day. 

Looking to put a couple of 10 to 12 (even one 15) milers together somehow this week. 

Wednesday

Keeping track now on my Attackpoint log.  Running everyday, though just easy and short.  Right now, I know I'm doing the right thing.  Getting more and more comfortable and getting out regularly, might try to throw a little streak together, is helping a ton.  Running little "bumps" in the road is getting me psyched to get back to running hills (what got me in trouble in the first place).  Can't wait to this party started.

Got the position I want on the Ragnar relay I'm doing 2 weeks after Oriflamme.  If I finish April strong, I am going to be suckin grogs and crushing trail!

For now, I'm looking forward to my ez, short run tomorrow :)

Food is going great.  Yeah I should be nibbling carrots through out the day, salads for lunch, etc.  I haven't even been eating much of the green scrambles I love.

But, there's just no gluten.  I am really opposed to bread, pretzels, noodles, etc.  And I used to love this stuff.  In general, a few eggs, corn tortillas with nut butter, sushi and a lot of chicken arugula salads have been the menu.

- 4 miles at Mission Bay

Monday

With guests over Sunday, ate lasagna and had a piece of garlic bread and a piece of pie.  Not to that point where I tell extended family members I'll pass on that food.  No biggie, but I did feel like shit afterwards.  To my point, why salads and beer are the healthiest meal. 

Took Sunday off because we had a lot going on - traded in my car for another car, guests over, chores to make more presentable (I like yard work actually because you get a little work out and the place looks better afterwards - results!). 

But the real reason I took Sunday off is so I could be stronger today, which I was though pretty sore.  The key was backing up Friday's 10 miles on Saturday.  A 5 mile trail run did the trick. I felt good.  So I hit pause on Sunday.

- 6 miles at Mission Trails, with some definite rolling terrain.  Was really sore starting out.  Probably because I didn't warm-up, I just started running and wanted to run, so I just took off.  The pain subsided.  I felt good thereafter but I can still feel the run now.  Haven't checked the stats but probably climbed ~400 ft.  Very gradual.  Need to do 6-7 most days with a nice 10-12 mixed-in for the next couple of weeks.  The 10 Friday was a huge breakthrough.  Can't wait for the next one. Today seemed a bit of set-back, but I'll judge that tomorrow.

Peace out.

Saturday

I backed-up yesterday's 10 miles with a mellow 5 miles today.  The pace was perfect and I had no choice.  Coulda (shoulda?) rested for a solid Sunday, but this told me a bunch.  I felt the achilles last night.  No doubt.  I put on my compression socks after greasing up with some arnica, just took it ez and slept a bunch.  Woke up and did errands, chores, no worries, no "need" to run and lo and behold I had a window late in the day.  5 mellow miles.  And the achilles was solid.  Sure a little sensation.

- 4 miles Mission Trails

Had the greatest salad ever for dinner (my usual: arugula and a bunch of other goodies with the famous dressing).

Breakfast was a break burrito, lunch was an Udi pb&j.

Let's go!

Friday

So so week of running, but today was about as fine as this glass of world class IPA I've got beside me; I'm beside myself.

- 4 miles Monday at Mission Trails

Tuesday off.  Felt a little discomfort in the achilles and like a wimp, I took day off.  Might've been smart?  who knows.

- 4 miles Wednesday treadmill.  Whatever.  Got it in.  Pace was okay.  I got to watch myself run in the mirror.  Our membership at the Y ends in 2 days.  Unless I start doing pool laps again, no worries.

Thursday off.  Same thing.  Just kinda hmmmmm.  Scared to death of a big set-back.

- 10 miles Friday (today):  Loved this.  Did 8 and then after a few errands and having to wait for someone, 2 ez ez miles.  I'm back!

We'll see.  Have to back this up, have a good weekend.

The eating is solid.  Gotta get the run back!!!

Monday

Sunday did the 6 miles on track and grass, faster pace and felt pretty good.  When I got home, I recovered and then hiked to the top of Mt. Helix with wife and two future trail runners (Jack and Cian).   This hike was done very carefully.  I am a big wuss on the achilles recovery.  During the hike it felt a little tender, but I new I wouldn't do anything too damaging.  So yesterday, 7 miles and the hike gave me a little extra umph.  

But after today, I am really pumped.  The achilles feels strong today.  I was going to run after work only if I felt okay.  After work, I felt great.  Did about 4 miles on a local trail into the dark.  Since I'm scared of the dark, I actually surged at the end.  The achilles feels great knock on wood.  

So I backed up yesterday's run and feel great even now.  I think the hike was key.  So, I will start mixing in some steeper hikes to start integrating vert.  Run flat, hike bigger hills, mountains.  Phase II.

On the food end, pretty solid.  Except today I had some fish tacos that were battered.  And I am bloated.  Wasn't a lot of food and I am distended, uncomfortable.  At a super bowl party, I ate some pulled pork and hot links, and white chili to go with all the beer I drank so yesterday was a bit of a shit house on the food end (just wonky with all the beer and crap).  But felt fine this morning.  The fish tacos sucked.  Keep it straight.

But great news on the run.

- 4 miles Mission Trails

End of Week

Friday I ran 6 miles on a rolling (flat) road that felt horrible.  First day on the thyroid meds (for the rest of my life!) so naturally I attributed my feeling on the run to that.  Great.  Whatever.  The achilles feels pretty damn good.  Find positive (repeat).

No running Saturday because of bizzy family crap and a day between these runs are key.  I am almost there (there meaning run anytime anywhere anydistance).  Patience.  Good day, Saturday.  A lot done, and cooked a killer dinner of pollo asada tacos.  Plus some epic brews and Tim, JW and Rick and confirm.

This morning, about 6 miles on the track and then through a nearby park.  The pace was way up, still comfortable, just jogging.  Probably too fast on the HR end (didn't wear HRM), but still comfortable and a good test of the achilles. Again, things are coming along.  I have no desire to start running hills.

The idea is to extend the runs, still go flat, mix-in trail that naturally has up and down, but mainly just go longer and longer.  I have to ;)

Food has been pretty good on the whole.  Need to get some more UDIs for the morning toast before I the road.  Not having breakie is putting me behind.  OTher than that, really no food floury crap to speak of a all.  Even my tacos last night: corn tortilla, chicken and chopped green onion, avo, chopped jalapeno and salsa.  Bam!  And DIPA :)

- Friday 6 miles Lake Murray

- Sunday 6 miles Grossmont HS track and griffith park.
- Sunday 1.5 hike to Mt. Helix top

Thursday

Espresso

The no breakfast thing is lame and has to stop.

Came home from work around 3:30 and hammered some left over egg/potato burrito and a chicken arugula salad.

Dinner was left over chicken noodle soup, some left over chicken and a few chips.

And a lot of water.  This cold is stuck in the throat.  Will hopefully be clear by weekend.

- Didn't run today.  Partly the energy and plus I am NOT trying for any streak.  I'm trying to get healthy.  The achilles felt great all day.  I'm stoked.  Tomorrow is a solid run.  Looking to go 90 min.  Kick-off the weekend!

Wednesday

Espresso

Breakfast burrito - eggs, potato, bacon, a little cheese.  A ton of hot sauce (goes great w/espresso).

handful of blackberries after my run, a lot of water, gatorade and nuun.

Chicken salad and a bowl of chili.  two ipas.

- 5+ miles on the trail in the hokas.  Haven't worn those in forever.  Probably should be with my niggle.  Ran 7 miles yesterday and felt a little sore.  Started out on todays run and felt the soreness and got pissed.  Took off into a sprint for about 20 yards, told my achilles to go to hell and settled in.  Felt great the whole run.  I figure there is going to be some soreness, but I think it's strong enough to get in shape.  I did a nice time off and have strengthened it pretty good.  The trail was so good today.  Fighting a cold too and this did me right.  Can't wait for the weekend, better health and quaff some good beer.

Picking up my hypothyroid pills tomorrow.  Have spent a looooong time contemplating this next move.

Here we go.

Tuesday

Espresso

2 apples

Baked potato stuffed w/ chicken and veggie, some wings and chips and salsa.  2 stellas.

Asleep by 9:30 to 6:30.  Fighting a cold that has wife on major meds.

Ran a double.  4 miles and then 3 miles.  Achilles a little sore last night.  I'm running through this.  If it blows, fuck it.  I took 3 weeks off.  Have been running flat only.  Achilles, it's all on you.

Monday

Espresso

Left-over chicken noodle that has orzo (really small pasta :( and some quinoa w/left over turkey, chips and salsa.

Halibut I baked last night, couple of scoops of chicken noodle, homemade tabouli some chips and salsa . . . and then more chips, which sucked.  

and a beer.  

Not bad.

- 30 min of core and strength, including achilles lift.  Try hard to I will run a little double tomorrow, even if it's 30min am and 30 pm.  At least!

End of the week

A really solid week end.  The eating is going great, a lot of home cooking, little to no bread/gluten/etc.  Can start to see the shift in my perception of food, which is big for someone who loves food, eats a lot and had my fair share of the bready shit.  One thought on the gluten/flour thing is that those foods seem the easiest to eat, the most available, the quickest. . .But I don't see that necessarily anymore.  With a kid, I might even say I see the flourly foods as kiddie food.  Bread, pasta, doughnuts, corn dogs. . .Yipee!

Good news on the running end.  Been either running or doing a little strength work (not much).  But, the runs are getting less and less about a concern in my achilles.  I am so mindful of this nag even though it never "popped" or got really injured.  Being an athlete all my life and a huge sports fan, I have much respect/reverence/fear of the achilles.  Looks like I might be on my way.  Probably another week of more consistent (and longer) flat and then re-evaluate.

- Friday - 45 minute treadmill

- Sunday - 40 track and neighborhood

Thursday

Espresso morning

Work till 3:00

Afternoon had a huge salad from People's in OB

Dinner half a turkey patty with avocado spread w/siracha and olive oil

And some trail mix.

- 30min core and light squats, achilles dips at the house

Wednesday

Jack's Bday!  Nine years old which means I'm still pretty young.  Seems like he's been around for 20 years.  Seriously.  Haven't missed a breath!

Really impressive veggie egg scramble today, did some homework and then went for a jog before birthday party time.  Solid little trail jog.  It's all relative.

Passing on the cake today but finding some beer to give hearty cheer to that little guy.

Dinner: Sushi and couple of beers.

Stayed-up too late and attacked some dark chocolate almonds.  Still no bread/pasta/gluten to speak of.  Still tweaking the diet, but going in right direction.

- 45 min mission trails (flat).

Tuesday MAF

No breakfast . . .uhg.  Espresso obviously and lots.

A couple potato chips before my run.

Hit an hour today running.  I'm not going to worry about the foot at this point.  Took a lot of time off and I'm jogging slow and flat for a while.

Dinner.  Epic arugula/spinach with turkey burger, red bell, cuc, avo, a little potato, green onion and my dressing.  Damn.

Not good on the whole day nutrition, but I'll take it.  Had pretty good energy.

- 1:06 Robb Field to boardwalk

Monday

Veggie egg scramble, espresso and french press.  No f ing around on coffee.

Some corn chips on the boat whale watching.  Saw a bunch of whales.  Unreal.  Then my dad's steering went out trying to dock the boat (44ft.) in the wind.  Gnarly.  I had to jump to the doc with line and secure before blowing into some serious damage.  A scare for sure.

Killer arugula salad with quinoa, bell, left over chicken noodle soup, turkey, etc.  Yum.
One beer and some dried apricot.

Staying up too late last few nights.  Brutal.  Kills the day's energy.  My bad.

Tuesday, Wednesday last week to the present. . .

Tuesday -

Veggie/egg scramble and piece of toast w/espresso

Taro chips and wasabi peas snack

Chicken salad for dinner and a Racer 5.

Later I had some pistachio gelato.  Not good.  Part of the problem is staying up at night and then running into these kinds of things.  At the same time, I'm not going to freak-out if the rest of my day is solid.  Only problem here (other than the gelato, which is not a real problem) is a lack of food (as if I need more food, but I was gassed the next day. . .)

Walked and ran for about 45 minutes (ran for about 20 minutes).  Then did some eccentric heel drops.  This video talks about it for calf muscles, but it's used to strengthen the achilles, too.  I just started these after a lot of rest.


Wednesday -

No breakfast.  Just espresso.  Had to take son to school and then to the office.  School starts tomorrow, so here comes a lot of work (thank God).  But no eats?  Stupid.

Got home starving.  Had some quinoa and left over meat.  Threw the meat away cuz it kinda grossed me out.  So, some quinoa.  And some taro chips.  Really?

Went for a little run.  Ran for 40 minutes.  Slow and flat.  Kept HR low and I'm disgustingly out of shape.  Took a cat nap before the run.  I was gassed.  Good energy all morning (espresso) but got really tired.  Got home and inhaled two PB&Js.

------------------------------

That post was supposed to publish days ago.  Update: I have been eating well, staying layman's gluten free, which is easy though I am not scrutinizing every ingredient so, for instance, a corn chip despite being made of corn and therefore theoretically gluten-free, sometimes contains an added ingredient to add sweetness, which may contain gluten.  So, technically I may have crossed the line a few times, but since I started this diet, I have been pretty successful.

The improvements I want to make are more veggies and fish.  I have added veggie egg scramble which is awesome.  Easy to make, healthy and yummy.  But need to make more salads, more veggie concoctions.

Staying off flour is not as tough as it sounds.  For someone like me it's been a little tough just to avoid some of those go-tos like PRETZELS and the like.  Beer has gluten, so I have definitely dropped the ball there (and will continue to do so) and goes with a lot of gluten based foods like pizza, pretzels, etc.

Just clean-up the food, eliminate the doughy shit.  I haven't lost a much weight yet, but my shape has changed quite a bit.

On the running end, I have been steadily adding length to the run.  Wearing the HRM is keeping everything in check, but I'm hoping to be up to 1:30 flat runs this week.  I have a lot of work to do to be  ready for April.

Monday

Breakfast -
Espresso
Scrambled eggs, potatoes, and chicken sausage w mint tea

Dinner -
Red curry veggie soup (cleanser) homemade, over quinoa and broccoli.   Unreal.

Ah, at 8:00 I had a freshly baked potato, smothered in chicken chili.  Oops.

45 min walk with a .25 mile run to finish.  The Achilles has to be good to go.  Will continue that routine, hike then run.  

Food

Saturday -

Egg, blue berries and espresso

Arugula, onion, cucumber and chicken andouille dogs

Quinoa, beans and hot sauce with gluten free chips. And some beers


Sunday -

PB&J and espresso (enough to give an elephant the runs)

Sushi

A turkey burger straight-up and some baked cauliflower
and a little leftover quinoa and one chicken sausage.

A Whitehawk IPA from the doers in Mendocino.  and some Racer 5 in honor of . . .

JW and his sick 2nd and his 2nd 50 miler.
___________________________

Spent a few bucks at the store on my diet and supplements.  Will detail.

.

Friday

1:05 on the mountain bike today, exploring the trails I run, really good weather, really good trails, some great climbs (when my HR got too high, I walked), and just had fun.  I'm with Footfeathers: running sucks ;D

The Garmin is giving me a headache.  I could read my HR and time elapsed and the third "screen" was how I was fairing vs. my virtual partner.  Fortunately, I was able to stop, turn around and punch my virtual partner in the jaw.  The 410 is killing me!  Work to do.

Breakfast: Fruit and espresso.

Lunch (before ride): PB&J and water.

Post ride: a vegan meal replacement mix with water and handfuls of blue berries.

Dinner: chicken salad with artichoke hearts, bells, feta, some other goods with balalmic. and two slices of gluten free pizza. Yeah!!

And two beers.

I'm now going to have a few more beers.  Build a fire.  And hang with my kid who has baseball tryouts tomorrow.  Went to the cages today and saw again a sick cut.  The guy has not played organized ball yet (just a lot of me throwing to him).  He's going to turn some heads.  Think it's a product of his tennis.

Happy weekend you two (or three).

Hey Tim, I hope I can get to that post out tonight.  I feel like crushing fools.  But it's movie time, too.

Can't wait to have you and your bud down here.

Garmin Forerunner 410

Breakfast - berries, bagel and nut butter and a little dark chocolate with my espresso (enuff to make an elephant uncomfortable).

Lunch - left overs: quinoa and chicken sausage, a raw spring roll from Saffron (unreal, healthy Thai), and a PB&J.  I was hungry.  Yeah, I know, JW already said chill on the bread even though it's gluten-free.  My belly feels great.  I haven't been "full" in a few days (oh, wait, after the Saffron I was a little distended).

Dinner - a small bean burrito and an apple.

Snacks were berries and almonds.

Keeping it light.  Feel good.

The eggs come aboard starting tomorrow.  Part of my pursuit is to down-play food all together.  I can eat pretty much all day, good bad, you name it.  It's a problem.  So if I eat like a bird here and there, no worries.  I have enough body fat for us all.  More greens.  Steady probiotics.  I just have to be smart, creative and consistent.

If I ever get this fool running again, I will eat, I will replenish.  No concern there.  Less is more.

Now having an Acme IPA.  Odd, really crisp finish, dull hopps, not the robust fruit I'm used to.

___________________________

Setting-up the Garmin 410 tonight.  Wow.  My old 305 is ashamed of itself.  Let's see, however, if this holds up.  The touch bezel feature worries me a little.  I'll write more about this as the process unfolds/unravels.  Going for a run tomorrow.  First one in while.  Can't wait.

Wednesday

Breakfast - espresso (enuff to scare an elephant), berries and some almonds (hadn't gotten my bread yet).

Lunch - two pieces of bread (UDIS) with sesame seed butter and a little jam, and a splash of 0% Fage yogurt and berries and pomm seeds.  Think I'll pass on the yogurt.  Not a fan, thought someone recommended it, but they didn't.  Wife will gladly have.

Snack - toasted slice of UDIS with butter and a little jam.

Dinner - Killer arugula salad with carrots, cucumber, green onion, cherrie tomas, 1/2 avocado, a little quinoa and some chicken sausage.  Dressing (standard): olive oil, braggs, 1/2 lemon, black and red pepper.

Just had a piece of dark choc with hazelnut.

One beer.

_________________________________________________

Went to see my alternative Dr. today.  Will send him my blood results.  We'll go to work, as well.  Haven't heard yet if I have the antibodies, but I'm going AT this thing with diet.

A run is going to happen any day now.  Will set-up my new Garmin 410 tonight and will definitely be using the HRM.  Time to party like it's 2007.  Anti-aging.

The Run

For the record, I am on break.  Of course, my health has my focus now, specifically my diet.  Other than that fiercely important concern, my achilles is still bugging me.  I jogged as consistently as I could when it first surfaced (following a few months of really solid running, for me), but decided to just shut it down.  I consulted GZ, who runs through everything, but I still feared the worst.  No desire to be out for months.  The culprit is obvious: I was climbing everyday, many 15 to 20% grades, about an hour at a time, but the grade, beyond my wildest dreams, upset my achilles.  I have never had this problem.

I have been off for a couple of weeks.  And am in no hurry to get back.  I want to be healthy, physically at least, as I get myself fit for the starting line of a 50k in April.  Only running goal of 2013 is to run that race.  Walk, summersault, whatever.  Get to the starting line and run.

Going back through old blog posts on this ancient ghost town blog had me back in the 08 days looking over some stuff.  I was running a lot, blogging a lot, racing pretty regularly too.  That's when I stumbled upon my thyroid discussions, what I had learned, what I was going to do about it, etc.  That pisses me off.

But I also read through some of my training notes.  Those were the days of MAF.  I was running ~60 miles a week, solid, enjoying it, testing, following HR, etc.  Lucho was keeping an eye, GZ and JW were giving encouragement: life was good.

That's where I want to go, again.  Simpler times.  Run more, get light, stay healthy (pray), and race a lot more.

Help

You said you want to help.  Here's what I need.

I need a real diet plan.  I stumbled upon some old blog posts from 2008 when I was scrambling and dealing (a little) with my thyroid issue.

What's so frustrating is reading about the concern I had, the changes I made to the diet, how it helped (based on blood tests), and then what. . . ??

Have another beer, Matt.

I had some blood work done recently and sure enough my thyroid is still borderline, but the doctor said there's another little sign that things have progressed.

More blood was taken to see if I do have the auto-immune condition that's called, I think, Hashimoto's.  

The tough part of all of this is I don't seem to have the symptoms of hypothyroidism.  I have had enough energy to run and exercise whenever I've wanted.

But I think I have seen the affects in my performance (even in weekly jogs).  The literature pretty much surrounds the fact that people with this condition lose the top end stuff. They can't push it like they used to.  My first couple of trail races and some half marrys were solid.  I almost beat Beth at the Gorge in '08.  I finished 5th in a decent 25k in Vegas.  I ran a 1:30 in 07.  But I have fallen off a lot.  Sure, maybe I'm not very disciplined, and love to eat and drink, but I have definitely suffered in races the last couple of years - feel old and slow.  Could be the thyroid.  Has to be some connection.

I should have stayed with the diet discipline.  I can go easy on beer.  But I have to get the diet together.  I'm a little scared.  Want to get out in front of this even though it may be too late.

So, I'm going to Whole Foods tomorrow to get a few simple ingredients.  Based on the research I've done, it is suggested (and I'm going to get more research and tests done) that I trend toward gluten-free; there may be a huge link between gluten and hypothyroidism.  Going to WF to get some gluten-free bread for breakfasts.  Want to eat something good in the morning.  Was hitting oatmeal the last week or so, but after getting all dialed-in again with Mark Sisson, I'm going kinda primal.  The best I can.

Breakfast:

Gluten free toast with Sesame seed butter (my fave, I hope it's okay) and good jelly/honey/banana/etc.  And my espresso.

Snacks/lunch:

Through out the day - Shakes healthy, nuts, fruit, maybe salad. 

Dinner:  Salad/veggie and lean meat. 

That's it.  That's what I basically do other than the train wreck on weekends, holidays, etc.  I HAVE to be disciplined.  Kinda scared.

I feel like Princess Leia asking Obi Wan for help, because the resistance is threatened.