Daddy Brick Workout

Pre-Plan Preparation: Share DNA with someone else, and shelter  the resulting infant/toddler in your same domicile. "Experiment" with parenting strategies. Know that it is NOT ok to revise any strategies in the middle of the night, but that you inevitably will --all to the merriment of your child and the bulging database of your local CPS department. Begin a health-conscious exercise plan such as an 18 week marathon plan. Ready?? Here we go!

In this workout, Brick refers to the feeling in your head as you contemplate hitting the road for a morning run following the nighttime sleep patterns of a 2.5 year old.

The workout is presented in Steps hereforward so that you may monitor your progress vs. the sub-tasks required to get to your terminal goal.











Step One: Throw half a bagel in the trash and begin to put your exhausted toddler to bed at ____pm. Repeat 29 times between 8pm and 9:15pm and believe me it will be a progressive part of the workout as you deplete all of your verbal reasoning skills over the 90 minutes. '29' attempts is a good starting point. Many more experienced fathers can get up to 50 --start slow. Gu and water at the 'end' of this stage.

Step Two: Sneak into bed with your spouse. In this stage we have some important DO NOTS:

DO NOT:

• Flush the toilet
• Pee directly into the water
• make any noise while brushing teeth
• rustle the sheets
• turn on any lights within one mile of the house
• have 'relations' with spouse. Silly!! You stopped doing that long ago and besides, it's what got you into this in the first place

DO have a little water. But do it quietly. Sleep quietly.











Step Three: Wake up at 1am. Your child is done sleeping for the night but wants you to come sleep with him in his bed, or go watch tv, or sleep in the living room, or make pancakes. He will be very pursuasive. Don't do it under any circumstances. Talk him into going back to sleep. Failure at step 3 is actually a success. It's 1 am and technically the next day. Congratulations, you have made it through a Daddy Brick workout. Get ready to build a house.

Jamoosh-Tagged

Jamoosh, a shameless Houstonian late night fast-running beer connoisseur, tagged me to respond to a list of survey questions. I'm doing it now, because you don't want to be on this guy's bad side:

1. What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2010?

This was fun to think about, unlike item #5. The honorable mention is that my parents bought HJG a tricycle for his birthday and he would have nothing to do with it. Mrs. and I helped him learn to ride and now he loves it. So, helping him learn to ride his trike. The most proud accomplishment this year also features my 3 YO. More often than not on our walks these days, he breaks into an 11 minute mile stride and calls over his shoulder, "I'm running daddy! I'm running!" Yes toddler yes, but 35 yards does not a marathon make. Nevertheless, this is clear evidence that we are raising him in a healthy environment of physical fitness. Now in 2011, my inner Santini says, we need to work on his slight pronation problem, get in some speed work (ladders?), and get the nutrition plan nailed down once and for all.

2. What are your running goals for 2011?

Healthy regular non-competitive running for enjoyment and exercise. Some of my regular races. Running with a partner/group(s), some trail running. Lose 10 more lbs.

3. What is your favorite race?
The Moon Valley Grasshopper Bridge 5K. My first race ever and I've been progressively faster 3 years in a row. About 2,000 people line up for this and many are fast, most are mid-pack. Beautiful weather, great organization, easy in and out (twss).

4. What is your favorite holiday guilty pleasure?

For food: Trader Joes chile Thai Lime Cashews. Hell, any cashews! Otherwise, staying up late with wifey and watching classic movies.

5. What was your most embarrassing running moment?

Took wrong turn in SYTO 5K 2010 and ended up running almost 4 miles extra before finding the course again. It was a group of friends so I didn't say anything. Will definitely redeem myself at the FYTO 5K 2011.


Tagging..... Suzanne, Andrew, and Feet Meet Street (Nitmos?!! You read this far??).


Thanks LML.

2010 Fiesta Bowl 1/2 Marathon Report

2:20:35 chip time
2:20:18 on the Garmin (and 13.28 miles on the Garmin -boo!)
Missed first overall by 1:06 and change.

Missed the PR by 11 seconds and averaged about 10:34 per mile which is what was planned. Also planned to finish strong and healthy. Success!

299?? Yep, I'm crazy!!

This was designed by Lauren and I to be a training run/Gallowalk with average miles in the 10:30 range. We kept it there and sort of gradually got faster as the miles ticked off. Each time we noticed the Garmin starting to swell (is that what she said?) we backed off to our planned speed.

Back home now and started to feel worse health-wise, so I headed over to the local urgent care and got a car full of meds. Hard to believe I could run a 1/2 marathon in the morning and have upper respiratory problems in the afternoon. My 3YO has been sick to his stomach and napping all day, so Mrs. G has had a really challenging day.

Ahhhh Runners World is here. What BS do you have for me this month? Can't wait to read your food guide you simps!!

The event was hosted by Runners Den, a local Phoenix running store, and RacePlace events did the timing and bib stuff. It was well organized and because its so small (1061 total 1/2 mary runners), getting there and around was a cinch. We congregated near the start, waited for the Star Spangled Banner --which I don't think they did??!? and we were off right on time. 5 minutes later, the 5K started but I never saw any of them. Water stations were staffed with plenty of friendly volunteers and gave out H2O and Gu drink and Gu Gingerbread at one point. Most of the race was spent in the same group and we only noticed the pace sets break up in the last mile or so. As for hills, what do we in Phoenix know about hills? There really aren't any to speak of, some gentle rises, but flat as a pancake mostly.

I will likely do this again next year. I really like the distance, the small field size, the organization, and the local feel of this race.

Pre-Race Report Fiesta Bowl 1/2 Marathon

Image blurred to protect identity??

This will be (notice the font change? I knew you would!!) the second running of this event for me. I showed up last year with high hopes of coming in first place overall, but 2:22 is just not fast enough no matter how you slice and dice it. I limped through the last couple of miles with a hammy cramp and an asthmatic wheeze that would make Darth Vader retire.

It's a low-key 1/2 marathon, a simple route, I ran it with Runlaur,and for all that I vowed to run it again this year. And it has snuck up on me. But I've been training for the January Marathon, so I feel like I'm as ready as I can be. I've had a head full of cold for the past week or so and have not felt good, but I'm on Bactrin, tea, and medical marijuana -thanks Arizona voters! Runlaur and I have promised to keep it slow and steady as a training run. I don't know why, but it seems that whenever we run, we push each other into faster paces than planned. so tomorrow, we will likely set course records. Weather is supposed to be perfect and  I'm bib number 299 for whatever that's worth. And I got my new shoes today. Very springy and new.

This past Thursday marked the first time in the plan, and the first time in my wretched running life, I have attempted Yasso 800's. The Yasso 800 is an interval plan that calls for a warm up, followed by sets of 800 meter Tempo runs and 400 meter cool down runs. The theory is that the time used to complete the tempo 800 can be used determine marathon finishing time. Thus, 4 minutes 27 seconds to run 800 meters should equal 4 hour 27 minute marathon. We did 4 sets of these, and the target pace for the tempo was 4:27. Nailed it, but it was not easy. I have my doubts Bart!

 look at those nursing home cool downs!

I did get the news while running that the stork finally came for Adam and Tiffany! So cool and I'm proud to be a friend. Hayden is cute, Adam is funny, Tiffany is the most patient spouse on the planet --we all know that. Now can we please get the center of attention back to me??!? Congrats to the Ricklef's!! :)

I've enjoyed reading your blogs lately. You really are a creative bunch and I appreciate your style and humor. I do have a running partner who could use a few followers and maybe some fellowship. If nothing else, she needs support for choosing me as a running partner. Her name is Suzanne, but I call her Johnson. Join her at http://suzannejohnson81.blogspot.com/

Purchasing Power

I love registering for a race. And this marks the first time it has been free which is really nice for something that costs $130.

The promo code is a one time deal Adam!

This RnR marathing has gotten out of control. $130??!? I got a perk for Principaling at one of the schools that participates in Kids Rock. This fun kids event is sponsored by Phoenix Children's Hospital and each year, thousands of kids pull groin muscles, shoot snot rockets at 5:30am and wear compression lederhosen run a mile or three each week until they get 25 miles. Then they get to go on Saturday of RnR weekend and run the final mile of the course and get their picture taken with Ryan Hall, Meb, Darth Vader, and all the other elites out there. The kids get a big kick out of it and are inspired to exercise. I usually go with them which means getting out of bed at 4:30 the day before the race and riding a yellow bus down to Tempe with 75 nervous 4th graders. We have a code: "You get lost, you better stay lost!! everyone stay together and follow our sign." This year, I plan to show off a bit and let my kids know that I'm running the next day and trying to come in first place break 5:00. Hopefully they will be impressed. In any case, this counts as volunteering and its a heck of a good time!

Sorry about the negativity in the last post. I found out today that I may have a sinus infection. I'm not convinced. I went to one of those minute clinics and the nurse was a royal beeotch. And after waiting over 1 hour for the one patient ahead of me who I am sure was having a Whipple surgery. Anyway, she wrote a scrip for some antibiotics and I may fill it tomorrow. She told me to stop taking the over the counter stuff so what now??? My head is stuffed and snuffly and I have been snoring so bad my 3 year old swatted me in the face. I need relief. I tried a netty pot and nearly drowned. I just can't get the hang of that damn thing. Who has ideas for clearing my sinusy head?

I have a four miler scheduled tomorrow with 4 strides. And on Thursday, I have 6 miles of Yasso 800's (4:27'ers). Going to Scottsdale Community College to do those with Johnson and maybe Runlaur. Hopefully, they are able to come over for dinner afterwards. This weekend is supposed to be 18 miles, but I'm running in the Fiesta Bowl Half Marathon and it is damn sure going to count as an 18 miler. I also am going to buy new sneaks Friday. I'll probably go with the same Nimbus 12's but a size longer to see if my toes heal.

Happy hump day!!