Monday, February 27: quick miles

Running: 4 miles, 30:52. Did four quick miles in the Wellness Center this morning. Got a very good rhythm going, with a nice, long stride. I find that running on treadmills shortens my stride a bit, so getting out on the track is a good way to stretch things back out. A good run.

Kendo: a solid 30 minutes in the Wellness Center. I put a lot of work into trying to get haya-suburi down. I more-or-less have the footwork down--I think--but still need to co-ordinate the strikes properly. I also finally got my bogu bag, so now I suppose I am a fully equipped kendoist.

Weekly plan: February 26-March 4

Focus on getting my running program back up to par. Also, I'm going to make this a weigh-in week. I weigh myself and take a body fat percentage reading when I first get up in the morning, every morning, then average the results.

Monday: light run (4 miles), kendo practice
Tuesday: light run (3 miles), kendo class
Wednesday: open day
Thursday: distance run (8 miles), kendo practice
Friday: light run (3), kendo class
Saturday: base run (5 miles), kendo practice
Sunday: base run (7 miles), kendo practice

running: 30 miles
kendo: keep up daily practice, when possible

End of week assessment (February 20-26)

Running: 17.5 miles (missed by 13)
cross: good week; made two complete sets
kendo: again, a good week. good classes, firming up my daily routine.

Running was obviously the weak point here, and it boiled down to two things 1) scheduling problems, and 2) weariness over day-in-day-out treadmill running routines. Of course, the second is related to the first. I might have been able to run outside this week; the weather was decent enough for February. But my ex's requirement that I take the kids on Thursday (her night) blew a big hole in my routine. That, and my manic Wednesday and equally manic weekend.

Looking back over my running routine for the last few weeks, I think it's obvious that my schedule just can't hold all of the things I want to do. Something has to go. Not kendo, of course, and not running, either. So, I guess I'm going to cut my cross routine, or at least modify it so that I'm doing a bit of running on those days, as well. Otherwise, I'll never be able to maintain a decent running base.

Sunday, February 19: piling up at end of week

Cross: I managed to catch up my lost cross-training from Thursday:

1. leg curl: 60 lbs. 21/17
2. leg ext.: 60 lbs. 22/19
3. leg press: 70 lbs. 23/18
4. shoulder press: 40 lbs. 27/19
5. mid-row: 50 lbs. 19/15
6. ab machine: 40 lbs. 19/19
7. forearm: 20lbs. 22/21
8. wrist: 12lbs. 15/15

Running: a pathetic .50 miles on the treadmill, late at night, after an exhausting day.

Kendo: got a good 30 minutes worth of practice in today, following my new routine. Put special emphasis on the footwork.

Saturday, February 25: a daddy day

Running: 3:50, 35.10. I have the kids this weekend, so it was very much a daddy kind of day. This is a good thing, of course, but opportunities to workout are few and far between. I managed a brief run on my home treadmill, and even that got broken up into segments as I had to stop and get snacks, pop popcorn, etc.

Kendo: of course, there were even fewer opportunities for kendo. I can't do any serious practice in my apartment--there's just not enough room. I did practice a bit on folding my hakama, but that's about it.

Friday, February 24: a kendo workout

Cross: couldn't do anything today; my work schedule was packed to the rafters (not to mention a rather odd afternoon; a small fire erupted in the building housing my office on campus; we all had to evacuate, with the attendant difficulties and disruptions), and I had the kids in the evening. Hopefully, I can find a way to make it over to the fitness center this weekend and catch back up.

Kendo: an enjoyable workout this evening. Classes have been a bit smaller lately--about a half dozen students--but I rather like that. I got to do some fairly agressive sparring with Josh this evening, who gave me an education in the need for speed in kendo. Whenever I did a strike, he nearly always caught me on the follow-through with a men or do hit. I really need to get my shinai up and on that center line as I spin around.

Thursday, February 23: getting better

Running: 8 miles, 1:06:25. ran eight solid miles in the Wellness, 3 on treadmill, 5 on track (the archery class again had the track closed down for a while). Run was solid, and totally pain free. I haven't been able to write that in quite a while.

Kendo: got in about 20 minutes practice in the Wellness Center. Would like to have done more, but ran out of time. I'm getting a pretty solid practice routine worked out, that I'll post pretty soon. Lot of focus on footwork.

Daily kendo practice routine

Daily kendo practice routine (approx. 30 minutes):
(last updated 12/09/06

1. mokuso
2. sonkyo
3. ashi : forward and back, side to side.
4. warm-ups, and haya-suburi (50).
4. left-handed single men strikes: 20
5. kirikaeshi: 3 times
6. men strikes: 100, then 10 single men strikes with follow-through
7. kote strikes: 50 each
8. do strikes: 20 each
8. hoki-men, kote and do combination strikes
9. keiko: practice combinations of small strikes
10. kirikaeshi : 3 times
11. mokuso

Yearly master plan

December-February

• running: light schedule, 20-30 miles per week
• cross: weights, alternative cardio twice a week
• kendo: classes, practice 30 minutes a day

March-May

• running: build solid base, 40+ miles per week; do mini-marathon or full marathon in May
• cross: weights, alternative cardio twice a week
• kendo: classes, practice 30 minutes a day

June-August

• running: marathon training time, 40-60+ miles a week
• cross: eliminate weights, do more alternative cardio
• kendo: classes, practice 45 minutes a day

September-November

• running: do a fall marathon, then recovery (10-20 miles a week)
• cross: alternative cardio, speed training for marathon
• kendo: classes, practice 20 minutes a day

Wednesday, February 22: open day, taking stock

Today was my open day, and a good thing, too. My schedule was so hectic that I didn't have time to do much of anything fitness-wise.

It's also a good idea to step back every once in a while, and take stock of what is and what is not working in my fitness plans.

The good:

• I've maintained a pretty reasonable weight, in the 170 range. I still feel and look basically fit.
• I maintain reasonably healthy eating habits, without the burden of constantly counting calories; I seem to have naturally settled into a comfortable calorie/nutrition range.
• I've maintained a pretty steady running program, ranging from 25-45 miles per week.
• I've begun to act on a long dream of pursuing training in kendo.

The bad

• My eating habits are a bit ragged around the edges; I've lapsed into a tendency to skip meals and eat junk food, thinking I can simply run it off.
• I'd like to drop my weight back down to around 160.
• I rarely get more than 5 hours sleep per night; this adversely affects all my exercise plans.
• My running has been steady, but uneven; I've had to rehab a bad injury, and missed my planned marathon in February.
• I need better, more consistent cross-training, especially core/abs routines.
• I need better long-range planning that maintains my goal of running marathons, but is realistic with my work schedule and family life.
• I need more consistent daily practice time for kendo.

With all this in mind, I'm going to work up some short and long-term plans and goals, especially for the upcoming summer.

Tueaday, February 21: old guys

Cross: had to do a late night workout in the fitness center, because of my loopy schedule. Hard to work everything in, but I'm not the only one, I suppose: the fitness center was surprisingly busy for the time of evening (10:00pm).

1. leg curl: 60 lbs. 25/19
2. leg ext.: 60 lbs. 25/20
3. leg press: 70 lbs. 23/20
4. shoulder press: 40 lbs. 23/18
5. mid-row: 50 lbs. 20/15
6. ab machine: 40 lbs. 21/20
7. forearm: 20lbs. 22/22
8. wrist: 12lbs. 15/15

I didn't do the stationary bike; kendo gave me quite the workout. I also need some sort of better ab routine than just the one machine.

Kendo: quite the workout this evening. I showed up at the dojo an hour early to practice, and Josh was again kind enough to work with me on footwork, men strikes, etc. We also did a bit of sparring, which was helpful. I'm still trying to get used to the feel of the bogu. One of my fellow kendoists remarked that "your bogu is your first enemy," and he was quite correct.

Class itself was different this evening; smaller than usual, and the littler kids weren't there. It was kind of nice, in a way. The smaller numbers made for more direct instruction from Sensei Park, and more sparring time. I'm getting slowly better--slower than I'd like. Sensei got on to me a bit for improper do strikes: I need to work on the placement of my cut, and the follow-through. I also need work on kirikaeshi: I'm getting the sequence of moves down, but Nick pointed out that I need to hold the shinai higher.

I'm finally getting to know my fellow kendoists a bit better, and starting to learn names and personalities. Josh is a great kid: he's been doing this for a couple of years, now, and he's been a patient and helpful instructor. Nick is a college student who has quite a bit of expertise; his moves are fluid and aggressive--I learn a lot just watching him work. Chris and Dave are older, like me, and quite friendly. And of course, there's Sensei Park. I like him; he's a bit on the stern side (as well he should be), but very patient. All in all, a good group.

Monday, February 20: kendo in the Wellness Center

Running: 6.06 miles, 51.49. Did a pretty good run at the Wellness Center; no real pain at all in the calf. I think the injury is a thing of the past. The place really is crowded in the afternoon, with lots of students; had to really thread my way in and out of some crowds. A little annoying, but on the other hand it's good to see that first-rate facility being used by people. It wasn't so long ago that there was merely a parking lot where the Wellness Center now stands.

Kendo: got in about 20 minutes of practice after my run at the WC. Normally I prefer practicing alone in the fitness center, but with my crazy schedule it couldn't be helped. My men strike is feeling more comfortable; I'm finally relaxing the right shoulder somewhat.

Weekly plan: February 20-26

Another complicated scheduling week, with kids, work, etc.

Monday: base run (6 miles), wellness center
Tuesday: cross, kendo class
Wednesday: open day (major scheduling issues
Thursday: distance (9 miles), wellness center
Friday: cross, kendo class
Saturday: base run (7 miles)
Sunday: base run (7 miles)

Run goal: 29 miles
Cross: keep up the progress
Kendo: get used to bogu; better practices

End of week assessment (February 13-20)

running: 27.75. pretty much made goal
cross: two full workouts
kendo: only missed one practice day, on Monday.

All in all, a very good week. Made my running goal (more or less), did full cross workouts, and accomplished quite a bit in my kendo routine.

I am thinking I need to be bit more realistic about time, however; I have to balance so much with my fitness program--kids, writing, work, etc.--that perhaps a 40 mile per week running base isn't feasible, or really even necessary. I think I'll aim for 30-35 miles a week, at least when I'm not directly training for a marathon, and figure the added cross and kendo workouts will make up for the lost calorie burn.

Sunday, February 19: late-night treadmill run (again)

Running: 5.50 miles, time n/a. Had kids, some evening plans, so I couldn't mount the treadmill until after 10:00pm. Bad idea, I know, but sometimes it just can't be helped. Not a bad run, actually; had a good pace going for a while (though I very foolishly hit the wrong button to stop the treadmill, and erased my time).

Kendo: got a decent 20 minutes or so in at the fitness center. My men strikes are starting to feel slightly more comfortable and natural. Working especially on getting arm extension.

Saturday, February 18: weekend workout

Cross: did my weight/cross training at my apartment's fitness center today. I have to devise a somewhat different setup than what I use at the AU Wellness Center, since the machines are a little different. I'm basically working the same group of muscles, however. I've also added a wrist exercise Josh suggested at the dojo that could help my kendo strikes:

1. leg curl 60 lbs. 21/18
2. leg extension 60 lbs. 22/19
3. leg press 70 lbs. 19/18
4. shoulder press 40 lbs. 22/15
5. mid-row 40 lbs. 25/21
6. ab machine 40 lbs. 21/19
7. crunches (bench broken)
8. fore-arm 20 lbs. 20/20
9. wrist 12 lbs. 15/15

bike: 20 minutes, level 5

Kendo: rather poor practice, only about 15 minutes; muscles too sore and exhausted from weights. Learned a lesson here; need to do kendo practice before cross-training

Be afraid...be very afraid 

Friday, February 17: time to rock and roll

Cross: I decided to put my cross-training off to Saturday. My 5 year old daughter Rachel was out of school today, so she spent the workday with me, and I had no opportunity to go to the Wellness Center. Tomorrow is an open day, anyway (something I think I'll start building into my weekly routine; given my hectic schedule, it's a nice bit of flexibility).

Kendo: real milestone today; I bought my bogu. Sensei Park very patiently helped me put it all on (something I'll need to practice), and I was good to go for some serious full-contact work for the first time. I quickly discovered that "armor" isn't quite accurate; while the men does cushion a blow pretty well, a kote strike on the wrist stings pretty good. In fact, I was fairly swollen and bruised when I got home; something to get used to, I suppose. Still, it was quite the leap forward--and while I'm not much of a sparring partner, yet, I felt much more in tune with the rest of the class.

Sensei Park had some interesting observations at the end of class this evening. He pointed out that it's fatal to think too much in kendo. By the time you think, you're toast. Reactions must become instinctive--they must happen before one thinks. This will be a real challenge for someone like myself, because I have a natural tendency to over-analyze everything. The answer, of course, is practice, repetition, and more practice, until muscle memory takes over.

So, I've renewed my resolve: practice every single day. With my schedule this won't be easy, but if I'm to master this pursuit, it'll have to be done. I may need to modify my cross and running routines, to keep it all in balance.

Thursday, February 16: making progress

Running: 9.09 miles, 1:22:13. Did 9 pretty good miles in the Wellness Center. Had recurring bout of soreness in the calf during the first couple of miles, but it passed, and I finished strong. I don't much like my pace, but I'm making progress.

Kendo: put in 45 minutes of good practice time in the Fitness Center. Worked (as usual) on men strikes more than anything: trying to guard the center line, keep my left arm the primary striking force, etc. It would help if I had a mirror in the Fitness Center, but I do my best by sighting along the corner line of the room.

Wednesday, February 15: mostly pain free

Running: 7 miles, 60:21. A really first-rate run in the Wellness Center this morning. For the first time in a very long time, my calf was pain-free. This is not to say it was an entirely pain-free run, however; had some real stiffness in my left leg that I had to run out. But that's normal, 40-year-old runner stuff; I can live with that. All in all, best run in a while

Kendo: I brought my shinai with me to AU, and tried practicing in the Wellness Center for the first time. I got about 25 minutes of good work in, using the only basketball court in the field house that has a wooden floor (all the others have that mondo-rubber surface; great for taking stress off your joints, not so great for kendo footwork). I kept working on the usual: relax the shoulders, use the left hand to thrust, the right to guide. I'm getting there.

Tuesday, February 14: Valentine's workouts

Cross: my cross-training routine is shaping up nicely. I did this workout in the Wellness Center this morning. I'm aiming for 2 sets, 18 to 20 reps each:

1. leg curl: 70 lbs. 20/18
2. leg extension: 75 lbs. 21/13
3. leg press: 135 lbs. 26/25
4. shoulder press: 30 lbs. 28/20
5. shoulder pull: 50 lbs. 20/17
6. forearms: 7.5 lbs. 10 each arm
7. ab weights: 50 lbs. 30/26
8. crunches: 12

9. stationary bike: level 5, 20 minutes


Kendo: put in a lot of work this evening. I showed up at the dojo an hour and a half early, where Josh--the guy who put that knot on my head with his shinai last week--showed me a few things I need to work on, focusing especially on my men strike. I need to get those shoulders relaxed, full extension with the left arm, and my timing right. It's all a matter of muscle memory, and lots of repetition. Practice itself went well, except I caught another shinai strike, this time right on the bridge of my nose. No harm done, but I can't get my bogu soon enough (hopefully Friday, when my tax refund arrives).

I am increasingly convinced that I've found a really first-rate dojo. I have to admit I was a bit worried, at first; I didn't have much of a choice, after all (kendo classes are hard to locate) and I knew nothing of Sensei Park or his program. But he is a patient, careful instructor, he pays a lot of attention to detail, and he spends time discussing the spirit and philosophy of kendo--all of which is a real plus, to me. I also think highly of my fellow kendo students. I suspect they didn't quite know what to make of me at first--a 40 year old college professor, taking up kendo?--and were a bit stand-offish, probably wondering if I would take this seriously enough to hang around very long. But I think they're coming to understand that I am taking this quite seriously, and have responded accordingly.

Monday, February 13: Monday Running

Running: 6.06 miles, 52.29. An extremely busy day, so I had to wedge my running in between classes and during what is normally my lunch time. The usual stuff: slower than I'd like, and sore.

Kendo: couldn't practice today, so I worked on terminology. I'm trying to memorize basic Japanese terms for various moves and positions. I think I'll do this on days I can't practice.

Weekly plan: February 13-20

I need to get back in the saddle as far as weekly running base is concerned, and my cross training was a bit of a bust, as well. But for once I don't have any really major scheduling issues (though I do have the kids this weekend, which can complicate matters).

Monday: base run (6 miles), Wellness Center
Tuesday: cross, kendo class
Wednesday: base run (7 miles), Wellness Center
Thursday: distance run (9 miles), outside?
Friday: cross, kendo class
Saturday: open: have kids all day
Sunday: base run (6 miles), Wellness Center

Run goal: 28 miles
cross: get two full workouts in.
kendo: practice, practice, practice: try to work in 30 minutes a day somewhere

End of week assessment, (February 6-12)

Running: 22 miles (missed by 4 miles). A mixed bag this week. My road trip to Kentucky is the chief culprit in missing my mileage goal. But I did have a decent 9 mile run over the weekend, and I seem to be making slow but more-or-less steady progress rehabbing the calf injury.

Kendo: pretty good week spent learning a lot about how much I need to learn. Had a couple of good classes, and got to experience some free-sparring and blocking strikes for the first time. I'm looking forward to buying my bogu next week and getting really serious about the thing.

Sunday, February 12: treadmill again

Running: 4 miles, 36.31. Back on a treadmill again, as weather gets just a bit too cold for another outdoor run. I planned to do 8 miles to make my weekly mileage goal and make up the difference for that one missed day on my road trip, but my calf thing began flaring up badly, and I had to quit. While it's quite a bit better, I think I need to be careful about piling on several longer runs in a row.

Kendo: 30 minutes of good practice time this evening. trying to find some mental cues to relax those shoulders.

Weekly workout schedule

Template for my weekly schedule, March-May 2006

Monday: base run (8+ miles), kendo practice
Tuesday: light base run (5+ miles), kendo class
Wednesday: rest, kendo practice
Thursday: light base run (5+ miles), kendo practice
Friday: light base run (5+ miles), kendo class
Saturday: distance run (10+ miles), kendo practice
Sunday: base run (7+ miles), kendo practice

Run: 40+ miles per week
kendo: practice 30 minutes a day

Saturday, February 11: back in the swing of things

Running: 9 miles, 1:25:42. Weather was just warm enough to justify an outside run at Potter's Bridge with mom. This is the longest run I have completed since my calf injury became serious. Had the usual pain and soreness, but a bit less than before. I think I'm slowly working my way through this.

Kendo: got in 30 minutes of quality practice this evening at the fitness center. I'm hammering together the outlines of a daily practice regimen that I hope will give my personal practices some structure. I'll post it in the near future. Main thing I need to really work on is relaxing my shoulders while executing a strike (especially men).

Friday, February 10: road trip III

Cross: I got up at 4:00am to try and make it back to campus in time to teach the day's classes. After a full day of teaching, appointments, etc., I had no time to do anything. So, I suppose I'll try to catch up my cross-training this weekend.

Kendo: got to the dojo an hour early to try to get some practice in, particularly since I hadn't done much of anything kendo-wise on my road trip. I had a pretty intense evening, as Sensei Park had us working on what were to me some fairly complex moves, combinations of men, kote and do strikes. I got to do a little free sparring tonight, and learned a few new things about blocks and countermoves.

I'm still awfully awkward at all of this, of course, and there seems to be so much information to process. I think the bottom line is repetition of the basic strikes, establishing a degree of muscle memory so that I'm not concentrating on basics--footwork, etc.--while trying also to follow Sensei's more complex instructions. And that means practice, practice, and more practice.

Still, this evening was a learning experience, especially when I took a shinai strike on my bare head, which raised a pretty good lump. Guess I'll learn to do that particular move properly next time. I plan to buy my bogu in a week, thank goodness.

Thursday, February 9: road trip II

Running/kendo: couldn't do anything today. A very long day of interviews, receptions, etc. I had a wonderful time, but didn't get back to the hotel until quite late, and I was far too tired to do any effective exercise.

Wednesday, February 8: road trip I

Running: 2.85 miles, 18:43. I lucked out and stayed at a Holiday Inn with a fitness center--a pretty good one, in fact. I ran at a pretty good pace on their treadmill.

kendo: couldn't do much on my road trip, of course. I brought my shinai along, but--predictably enough--there wasn't anyplace to practice at the hotel

Tuesday, February 7: working on cross training

Running/Cross: started getting serious about my cross training today: Here's my routine:

Weights
leg curl: 70lbs. 18, 14
leg ext.: 75lbs. 20,14
leg press: 135lbs. 25,20
shoulder press: 30lbs. 22,14
pulldown: 50lbs. 20,13

abs: 10 crunches
bike: level 5, 15 minutes, 99 calories


Kendo: I got to the dojo an hour early, and managed to put in some good practice time before class started. Sensei Park tells me my footwork is making good progress, but of course I have a ways to go. I really need to work on my form with my strikes. I tend to start my feet too early and lunge. Most of all, I have to relax my shoulders: I'm way too stiff.

Reading: got some good reading in on the Caldwell book.

Monday, February 6, 2006: more of the same

Running: 6 miles, 53:17. Did another 32 lap run at the Wellness Center. The usual low-grade pain that came and went as I ran. Probably good thing I'm doing a rest day Tuesday, because it hurt worse than it has for a while. Again, gradual is the watchword here.

Kendo: I planned to get some serious practice in this evening, but the kids wanted to come home with me (they were supposed to go with my ex), so I relented, as usual, and this pretty much wiped out my practice plans. That's okay; it was for a good reason. I did manage to download what looks to be a pretty useful chart for putting on my hakama.

Reading: just some internet surfing on kendo-related sites for a little while. Not much time for anything today.

Weekly plan: February 6-12

This week will have its challenges. Indiana's weather has turned back into a pumpkin: cold, blustery and poor running weather. I also have a mid-week trip to Kentucky, and no control over whether or not my hotel has a treadmill. On the other hand, mom and dad are coming, so scheduling ought not be terribly difficult.

Monday: run (6 miles)
Tuesday: cross, kendo class
Wednesday: open (road trip)
Thursday:: open (road trip)
Friday: cross, kendo class
Saturday: run (7 miles)
Sunday: run (7 miles)

Run: 26 miles
cross: start abs/weights

End of week assessment, (January 30-February 5)

Running: 24 miles (made goal). Good week, on the whole. My pace is slow, and every run is painful, but less so as the week progressed. I think I'm over the hump on this calf injury, and starting to slowly work my way back into shape. But I will certainly need to add mileage slowly: observe the 10% rule (add mileage at a rate of 10% a week).

Kendo: a humbling week. I certainly have a lot to learn. Classes went well, especially on Friday. I'm at least starting to understand all the component parts of a succesful strike with the shinai. I've also managed quite a bit of reading and research, which is giving me a foundation in kendo philosophy. On the other hand, the uniform is giving me fits; I need to figure that out, and file away the various dojo protocols.

Cross: I think I have the basics of a good cross routine figured out; plan to implement it next week.

Nutrition: I've set aside outright calorie counting, and so far so good. My weight is staying prety steady in the 171-172 range.

Sunday, February 5: Two steps forward...

Running: 6 miles, 52.19. The weather turned blustery, so I headed for the Wellness Center today. Did 6 decent miles, though in quite a bit more pain than yesterday: apparently I haven't quite recovered yet.

Kendo: terrible practice, because I spent most of my time trying to get my hakama to fit properly. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but the thing just hangs too low, no matter how I tie it. This is most frustrating. Sensei Park showed me how to do this Friday, but I just can't get it to hang right. One thing I'm really learning about kendo: the devil is in the details. Still, I got some decent footwork in, and some good men strikes. I'm working on keeping my posture straight, hips forward, and striking with the flipping motion in my left hand necessary to get that nice flowing cut.

Reading: I bought an interesting book at Border's today, called The Heart of Kendo by Darrell Craig. Should prove very useful.

Saturday, February 4: finally running outside

Running: 6 miles, 58:43. After what seems like forever, I finally was able to run outside at Potter's Bridge. The calf thing seems nearly healed; just a bit of post-race soreness, and very little during the run. Pace still awfully slow, but right now I don't care; just want to rebuild stamina and get over this injury.

Kendo: not much today; a bit of practice in the living room.

Reading: made it most of the way through The Book of Five Rings.

If you have to run in Indiana in the winter, there are definitely worse options than Potter's Bridge 

Friday, February 3: intense kendo evening

Running: rest day. The calf thing seems to be feeling much better, but I'm glad I worked in a little leisure time.

Kendo: this was very much a kendo evening. I arrived at the dojo an hour early to try and get in some practice, so I ended up spending a good part of my evening with a shinai in my hands. It was very productive, as I got a lot of one-on-one time, and was able to work on some things: relaxing my shoulders (big problem), keeping my posture erect, footwork, and of course the dozen different variables involved in making a proper strike. I guess I'm making progress, but this certainly is a humbling experience--which is a good thing, I guess. I'm learning quite a bit about Japanese philosophy, as well, and through it I am beginning to appreciate the great value of humility.

Reading: did a bit more reading on the Book of Five Rings.

Thursday, February 2: Looking better

Running: 6 miles, 50:18. I ran in the Wellness Center this morning, 2 miles on a treadmill (the track was temporarily closed), and 4 miles on the track. The run started off like all my runs, lately: slow and very painful. But by mile 3 the pain began to lessen consderably, and I finished the run strong and relatively pain-free. I hope this is a good sign; it's the best run I've had in weeks.

Kendo: got in about 30 minutes of practice at the fitness center. I'm actually developing a bit of a routine: I start with just footwork, then men from the standing position, then men in motion. I did a bit of kote, but focused on perfecting my men strike. But man, my forearms are sore. I need to work in some arm strengthening for my cross-training.

Wednesday, February 1: tough one

Running: 3 miles, 31.17. Repeat of last night; 3 hard, painful miles on my treadmill. Pretty much same story. Calf hurts big tme when I start, tends to ease up as I get into the run, then hurts big time when I stop.

Kendo: wasn't able to do much today; practiced do strike a bit at home. I had kids all evening, so it was difficult to work any serious practice in.

Reading: think I've found a good core/abs plan here. Comparing it with some things I've found. May do a combination of workouts.