Weekly Plan, June 29-July 5

Should be a good week, schedule-wise; need to get some writing done and prep for teaching summer school, but otherwise an open enough schedule that I can get some variety into my running life. I should also be able to do some good kendo, as well.

Running: 65 miles, 16 distance.
Nutrition: free week, but finalize marathon training plan.
Kendo: make classes at Mudokwan (no classes at Baxter Y), home practice

End of week assessment, June 22-28

Running: 60 miles (made goal). A good week. Had some tough runs, and got stuck on 7.5 as my base run, for some reason. But had a nice distance run on the Monon, and generally a good run-up for marathon training.

Nutrition: pretty free-wheeling here, for a variety of reasons. Really need to get back on some kind of program again, by the time I start marathon training.

Kendo: good week. Two classes, and progress made on footwork and timing.

June 28: back on the Monon

The new bridge on the Monon.

Running: 15 miles, 2.08.11 (8.5 pace) (172). Really needed a change of pace, so I drove out to the Monon Greenway for my long run today. A perfect day for running; the temp and humidity finally are a bit more bearable. The Monon was crowded, but I had a very nice run.

Nutrition: pretty solid day here.

Kendo: more kata practice this evening.

June 27: night running

My sweetie and her parents watching baseball today.

Running: 7.5 miles, 1.04.12 (8.7 pace) (171). A very long day of Little Baseball; a tournament with my stepson's travel team, from 6:00am to 8:30pm. I had no choice but to do a late evening run around Little Dog, the last lap of which was quite dark. this isn't a problem, really, except for a stretch along Lantern Road with no sidewalk, no street lights and lots of turns in the road. I'd rather not run this route in the dark again.

Nutrition: complete bust day. Did manage a fairly healthy salad for lunch at McDonald's (food choice being pretty limited near the ballpark) but every thing else was pretty much junk food.

Kendo: I'm really making an effort to restore my daily practice routine, but not much time at all today--just some kata practice at night, after my run.

June 26: rare Friday class

Running: 5 miles, time n/a (170). A short little treadmill run in the basement today. I couldn't do my usual early morning run around Little Dog, and the day became far too hot and sticky for a decent outdoor run after about 10:00. So, I took to the treadmill, and kept the run short because I had kendo in the evening.

Nutrition: again, meals were pretty irregular; not a good week here.

Kendo: a rare Friday class at Mudokwan. I normally can't attend Friday classes, but I did so this week to make up for Tuesday's absence. It was a small class, but enjoyable. We did our usual drills; but since Friday's class is only one hour long, we didn't have much time for jigeiko. Hiro concentrated a great deal on dojo etiquette this evening; a good thing, what with my upcoming kendo camp in July.

June 25: finally back in Southport

Robin and Sugawara-Sensei in jigeiko; the pic is a bit odd because I'm still learning to use my new cell phone camera.

Running: 7.5 miles, time n/a (169). Yet another difficult 7.4 miler, this one on Lsntern Road. The culprit on this occasion was dehydration. I underestimated the humidity and heat for a late afternoon run, and paid the price.

Nutrition: meals pretty irregular today, because of schedule.

Kendo: finally managed to make it to a class at the Baxter Y in Southport, where for one reason or another I've been pretty scarce, lately. While Mudokwan is still my home, I like working with Sugawara-Sensei and the kendoists in his class; they can give me a different perspective n my kendo and what I need to improve upon.

A good class this evening, too, with drills and a good bit of jigeiko with my friend Robin. Sugawara-Sensei thinks my timing is coming along (though as always there is room for improvement) and I've improved my timing in my forward strikes during kirikaeshi. My backwards strikes were off, however. He also encouraged us to take bigger steps and really follow through on our men strikes.

June 24: more rough running

Running: 10 miles, 1.27.12 (8.7 pace) (168). Another unpleasant morning run along Little Dog. The problem wasn't with the distance, or the pace (both of whch were pretty good), but trouble again with my NipGuards. My right one slipped off (again) and got my new Father's Day shirt bloody (again). Argh!

Nutrition; not so good here, I'm afraid; scarfed a lot of chocolate today. Really need to get settled on a marathon training plan and get back on the wagon.

Kendo: Wednesdays are always off days for me and kendo.

June 23: missed class

Up with the sun again.

Running: 7.5 miles, 1.09.33 (8.9 pace) (167). Another morning run on Little Dog. I did 3 laps again, mostly just to even out my distance numbers from yesterday. Not a bad run, though a bit slower than yesterday.

Nutrition: good enough day, I suppose. I'm working on simplifying my nutrition plan for my marathon training.

Kendo: had to miss class this evening; Julie was nable to take care of my daughter, Rachel, so she would have accompanied Nathan and I to the dojo. Rachel's done this on numerous occasions before, and never complained, bless her heart. But it is very tedious for her to sit around and watch others do kendo, and since it is also terribly hot, I decided it wouldn't be fair to ask her to go to the dojo again. So we stayed home.

I tried to at least partially remedy the situation with a full practice session at home, including the first three kata. I'm focusing in particular on smoothing out my footwork.

June 22: all-weather running

Paddled around on the Indy canal this afternoon.

Running: 7.5 miles, 1.06.33 (8.8 pace) (166). Another tough morning run on Little Dog, this time caused by a torrential rainstorm that got me soaked to the skin. I had pretty much expected it, having waited out one early morning shower only to get caught in a second one, but with my treadmill down I just had to pretty much resign myself to an outdoor run, come what may.

I did have a nice afternoon, however, renting a paddle boat with the kids and floating around Indy's Canal district. Pumping that boat wasn't such a bad workout, either.

Nutrition: stayed pretty healthy today. I'm thinking I'll still follow my ultra nutrition plan, but with a few simplifications to make it more realistic.

Kendo: got in a decent little home workout today; the first in a long while. Did footwork drills, similar to what we've done recently at Mudokwan, trying to smooth out my steps.

Weekly Plan, June 22-28

Okay, time to re-think things. First and foremost, I'll need to re-formulate my running plan for a marathon, rather than an ultra-marathon. The bigger, more attractive races (Chicago, Marine Corps) are already closed, so I'm thinking a smaller, more modest marathon: the Louisville Marathon, on October 18 (I would also very much like to run the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon again in November, but I may have a scheduling conflict). A 16 week training plan for Louisville would begin next Monday, June 29, so I have a week to come up with a new plan.

Nutrition-wise, it's time to get back on the wagon. My busy travel schedule over the last couple of weeks really made following any serious plan a challenge. In fact, it was nearly impossible, so I didn't try, opting instead for going generally healthy and hoping my running would keep things in check. It has so far--my weight right now is 165, right in the middle of my acceptable range. But I'd like to do a bit better, and I need to think about a good nutrition plan for my marathon training goals, so this week I'll come up with a new plan.

Kendo-wise, I really need to get re-focused. My travel schedule wrought havoc with my kendo, too, as did the miles I put in trying to get ready for the ultra. I need to most of all to get my home practice program back up and running, and to prep for my upcoming summer kendo camp in Tennessee.

Overall, a lot to do.

Running: 60 miles, 15 distance; finalize new training plan.
Nutrition: free week, but stay healthy and formulate new nutrition plan.
Kendo: make at least two classes this week, and get my home practice back in gear.

End of week assessment, June 15-21

Running: 56.5 miles (missed by 13.5). Not a great week here, obviously. I'm not so upset, though, about missing my mileage goal, which was geared towards training for the ultra-marathon which I have now decided to postpone.

Nutrition: travel and holidays made it a free week, but didn't do too badly for all that.

Kendo: a down week again. Made one class at Mudokwan, but that's about it. One of the main reasons I'm postponing the ultra-marathon.

June 21: one of those days...

A cool old tree along my route.

Running: 8.5 miles, time n/a (165). Quite the irritating time in the running department today. I did an early morning run on Little Dog that turned into a very muggy sweatfest. Lately, this has meant battles with a runner's nightmare: nipple burn. I deal with this by wearing NipGuards (whoever invented those things deserves a Nobel Prize), which I did this morning--except one of them fell off, creating a painful, nasty, bloody time. To make matters worse, I was wearing the new, white Under Armour shirt my kids got me for Father's Day, which was stained pretty badly. So I cut my run short and staggered on home.

I planned to finish what I wanted to be a 16 mile run (this would have given me 60 for the week; short of my goal, but respectable) on the basement treadmill. Unfortunately, my treadmill--my brand-new, shiny, awesome new basement ride--wouldn't work. The problem seems to be the start button, which will not engage the treadmill. The thing is still under the manufacturer's warranty, so I can surely get it fixed. But not today.

Augh!

Nutrition: Father's Day meant pretty much an open day, since the kids wanted barbecue, ice cream at Handel's, etc. Who was I to argue?

Kendo: nothing again.

Time for a reboot

Hey, they're all the rage these days: Batman, Star Trek, Land of the Lost, you name it.

So, in the spirit of the times, I've decided to reboot my running plans for the next few months. I'm going to postpone my ultra indefinitely--perhaps next year--and instead train for a fall marathon.

I have numerous reasons for the change. First and foremost, I need to spend time with my family, and I'm afraid that the training required to successfully complete an ultra-marathon will seriously cut into my family time. Doing a three or four hour long run once a week for a marathon plan is one thing; doing five plus hours of running on back-to-back days for an ultra is something else entirely.

Second, I have professional obligations I must meet--namely, a book contract, with a manuscript due on my editor's desk in September. The running I've done to prep for my ultra is already cutting into my writing time, and will only get worse as I ramp up the miles.

Third, my ultra training threatens to seriously unbalance my fitness life. I've already found that it is seriously impeding my kendo practice: my home practice sessions have already practically disappeared, and I'm afraid this will only get worse. I am also finding no time for adequate cross-training--again, a problem that will only be exacerbated as the mileage mounts.

I still very much want to do an ultra someday, but right now I have too many other considerations, fitness and otherwise, which make it both difficult and undesirable. So, I'm back to marathons. I'll spend the rest of the week figuring out what to do next.

June 20: casualty of baseball

How I spent nearly the entire day.

Running: 4 miles, time n/a (164). Back home, and a beautiful summer day, which I spent at baseball. Hardly any time for running, so I could only manage a paltry little run in the basement.

Nutrition: another bad day, with solid lunch--a veggie burger--but junk food around the ballpark.

Kendo: nothing again.

June 19: fighting the traffic

How I spent most of the afternoon.

Running: 5 miles, time n/a (163). Just barely had time to work in a quick 5 miles on the hotel treadmill in Evansville before another day's activities at the Lincoln conference. I drove home in the afternoon, and had hoped I could do a few more miles in the evening, but the traffic was awful--I got to Indy just in time for the afternoon rush hour--so I didn't have time for anything else.

Nutrition: travel day, so I had to grab what I could. A healthy lunch--Salmon salad--but just junk food on the road in the afternoon.

Kendo: nothing. I had hoped to make the Friday class at Mudokwan, but it didn't happen.

June 18: split running

An enjoyable but very humid walk around New Harmony, Indiana today.

Running: 10 miles, time n/a (162). Busy day at the Evansville conference--including a very enjoyable but also very warm field trip to New Harmony--so I had to split my treadmill runs: 5 miles in the morning, and 5 more miles late at night.

Nutrition: not too bad, but had to eat banquet food and whatever I could find at the conference.

Kendo: no place (or time) for kendo at all today.

June 17: back in Evansville

Running: 9 miles, 1.19.21 (8.8 pace) (161). Yet another trip, this one Lincoln-related, to Evansville, Indiana. I'm speaking at a conference for Indiana educators on Lincoln's legacy, and will be staying in Evansville for the next couple of days. There isn't much in the way of a running path near my hotel--heavy traffic, and no sidewalks--and the heat is getting oppressive. Fortunately, my hotel has a decent treadmill, and while I am heartily sick of hotel treadmills, I don't seem to have many other options. So I worked in a decent run this evening.

Nutrition: a good day, even though travelling. I really can't count calories, since I'm dining out, and at conference functions, but I'm doing the best I can. A good blackened salmon dinner at a local German restaurant called the Gerst Haus, for example.

Kendo: as usual, travelling pretty much wipes out my kendo practice opportunities.

June 16: new shoes

I snapped this wonderful little pic of Nathan yesterday.

Running: 5 miles, time n/a (160). Picked up a new set of shoes at The Running Company last night (identical to my previous pair), and did a brief morning run on Little Dog. I planned to work in a split run, with more miles in the afternoon, but my schedule got in the way.

Nutrition: not a good day here; healthy enough until dinner, but scarfed way too much of my sweetie's spaghetti pie.

Kendo: class at Mudokwan this evening. Our usual regulars, with two new members. This, along with Nathan and Matt meant that we actually had more people who were not in bogu, which meant for some creative practicing. I had a decent gigeiko with Hiro, working on keeping my feet still and using proper ashi during my strikes. A good class.

June 15: time for some new footwear

Holland Park, on my Little Dog route; I stop here for water and bathroom breaks.

Running: 10 miles, 1.31.21 (9.1 pace) (159). Another early morning run around Little Dog. A slower than usual pace, due largely I think to some worn shoes. Time for a new pair, I think.

Nutrition: 2550 calories (2500/3000) went just a tad over my calorie limit today, so can't begin a new streak.

Kendo: off day. Not sure yet how I'm going to do my home workouts. I need to integrate the advice Hiro has offered, and be realistic about my time, especially given the stresses and strains of my ultra program.

Weekly Plan, June 15-21

Week 1 of my ultra training program begins this week (though truth to tell, I've been more-or-less in training for several weeks now). I'm still putting the finishing touches on my training program, however, which I'll post this week. Meantime, I'll get a good start on what I need to do to prep for the ultra: 70 mile weekly base, sandwich distance runs, and begin my hills workout program. I still need to figure out a way to begin some trail running, but I haven't quite got a handle on that, yet.

Meantime, I need to get back on track with my nutrition plan. Somehow I actually managed to escape paying a price for my Puerto Rico indulgences--heck, I even lost a pound. But I need to get back on track with my posted plan.

As for kendo--well, last week was certainly a lost week. No way I could do anything in Puerto Rico, and of course I couldn't make any classes. this week, I'll be able to make Mudokwan at least once (can't do the Southport class again, unfortunately; I'll be out of town). I also really need to revamp my home practice sessions, which have pretty much fallen apart.

So...

Running: week 1 of my ultra plan: 70 miles, 18/15 sandwich runs, begin hills routine.
Nutrition: get back on my nutrition plan.
Kendo: make class at Mudokwan; redo home practice plan

End of week assessment, June 8-14

Running: 60 miles (made goal). I made my truncated running goal for the week, despite the various trials and tribulations of running in Puerto Rico. had my share of pains and setbacks, but overall I'm pretty happy with how my running fared during my vacation.

Nutrition: a totally free week, which was fun. I certainly indulged in some great Puerto Rican cuisine; hope it doesn't show up too badly on the scales later.

Kendo: totally off week here, but that couldn't be helped.

June 14: back on Little Dog

Running the neighborhood again.

Running: 10 miles, 1.30.40 (9.0 pace) (158). Back home in Fishers, and back out on my Little Dog route--four laps at 2.5 miles each. Good to be home again, and especiallly good to be off the freakin' treadmill.

Nutrition: one last free day before getting back on my program.

Kendo: nothing.

June 13: headed home

Packed and ready to head home.

Running: 6 miles, time n/a (157). Flying back home today, but our flight doesn't leave until the afternoon, so I had time for a short run before we left. Loved Puerto Rico, but I'll frankly not miss the hotel treadmill very much.

Nutrition: junk food while travelling today; couldn't even find a decent Powerbar in the various airports we visited.

Kendo: nothing.

June 12: in Condado

More pool time today.

Running: 12 miles, time n/a (156). Logged some serious treadmill miles today, though not without some suffering--serious nipple burn this time. I didn't wear my guards since I hadn't been experiencing difficulties in this department, lately. But the P.R. heat and humidity, even in the fitness center, meant a lot of sweating, and so...there it is.

Nutrition: we visited Condado this evening, my wife's neighborhood where she lived with her family from junior high through high school. Lots of restaurants (and a great many runners, too; the sidewalks were fillec with them), and we chose a nice Italisn spot. Huge portions and nothing much at all on the menu that was very healthy. I went with a veggie lasagna, but quite aware that this was not my best evening, nutrition-wise, here in Puerto Rico.

Kendo: nothing.

June 11: old San Juan

Lots of levels and steps in el Moro made this a good cardio workout.

Running: 8 miles, time n/a (155). The hydration issues appear to be gone, so I'm logging some decent treadmill miles at our hotel (though I am getting heartily tired of that treadmill). I also managed a hike that was nearly as solid as yesterday's time in el Yunque, walking around old San Juan and touring an old Spanish fort, el Moro.

Nutrition: my in-laws took us to a really wonderful old restaurant in old San Juan, el Patio, where I sampled yet another excellent local dish: asopao, an excellent chicken and rice soup. I think it was actually pretty healthy, though indulged a newfound love for fried plantains (I prefer the ripe, sweet kind) which aren't likely very healthy at all--but darned good.

Kendo: nothing.

June 10: getting back on track

A wonderful hike here in el Yunque today.

Running: 6 miles, time n/a (154). Took things very carefully today, after yesterday's hydration scare. I drank plenty of water, and did just a light treadmill run at the hotel.

I did get another kind of cardio workout today, however. We visited the Puerto Rican rainforest, el Yunque. We did a pretty strenuous 3 mile hike to a nice waterfall. The trail was hilly, beautiful, and would have made a really nice trail run, had I been properly equipped.

Nutrition: sampled Cuban cuisine this evening, at Metropol, my father-in-law's favorite restaurant in San Juan. Awesome food, and I finally was able to sample to Cuban black bean soup my wife has been describing to me in such glowing terms ever since we began dating. I have to find a recipe for this: I love the taste, but also believe this could be a very good, low-fat protein source when I get back home.

Kendo: nothing.

June 9: scary lesson

Became way too dehydrated here at the pool today in P.R., and paid a price.

Running: 7 miles, time n/a (153). More treadmill time in Puerto Rico today--and a rather scary lesson in hydration and exercise in a tropical climate. I spent most of the day laying out by the pool with my family, getting a tan and (of course) sweating up a storm in the humidity and hot Puerto Rican heat. I then went for a treadmill run without drinking very much.

I learned this was not a good idea. I felt pretty weak while running, and after I'd run through the 1 hour limiter on the treadmill, I took a brief bathroom break before getting ready for a few more miles. To my surprise and consternation, I discovered blood in my urine. At first I feared a recurrence of the food poisoning that laid me low a couple of years ago (which began much the same way), but after talking to my mother-in-law, a former nurse, she suggested the culprit was poor hydration. So I shut the run down and drank a ton of water, hoping for better things later in the week.

Nutrition: didn't do Puerto Rican food much, today; the kids all wanted pizza, so we found a really good local pizza place in Durado. I did the best I could, eating only the vegetarian pizza and foregoing the ice cream dessert we had afterwards.

Kendo: nothing.

June 8: the big four-four

Julie and Evan coming in from our (quite small little) beach.

Running: 10 miles, time n/a (152). A fairly grueling treadmill run in our hotel on my 44th birthday today.

I'm finding that my optuions for running in Puerto Rico are pretty limited. I had hoped for some nice morning beach runs, but our hotel here in Durado unfortunately only has a very thin strip of beach, bounded by rocks on both sides--really not a viable option. Running in Durado itself isn't such a great idea, either. The traffic is very dense, sidewalks are limited, and I've been told by my wife and her family--they lived in San Juan for six years--that safety is a serious concern. That, and the language barrier are strong motivations to stay close to the hotel. There are some running routes in the area immediately surrounding the hotel--it's sort of a big walled compound, holding hotels, condos, a golf course, etc.--but the weather is also a factor; I would need to run very early if I wanted to go outside, and this is supposed to be a family vacation. I don't want to order my family's schedule around my selfish running needs.

So, that pretty much leaves the hotel treadmill as my only real running option. Fortunately, the fitness center has three very good machines, but they do have one hour time limitations, so I can only go about 6.5-7 miles before I have to stop, reset the machine and start over.

All in all, certainly not ideal. I had hoped that Puerto Rico would offer more interesting running options than a treadmill. But I'll make do.

Nutrition: free week. I'm actually glad I'm not able to follow my nutrition plan. I've always thought that travel ought ideally to afford opportunities for trying new things--especially food. I really want to sample as much local cuisine as possible while here. This evening we went to a local restaurant, where I was able to try Mofongo y Pollo, an interesting local dish made from mashed plantains, garlic, various other stuff, and a really interesting stewed chicken. For dessert I had a guava dish with cheese. Awesome stuff.

Kendo: off week.

Weekly plan, June 8-14

This will be an interesting week. I'm in Puerto Rico until Sunday, and I have no idea what my running options will be. I'll need to be realistic here: 70 miles ain't gonna happen. Still, I should be able to manage a decent enough base--60, perhaps.

As for nutrition and kendo, they'll both need to be put on hold. I'll have almost no control over what I eat in P.R.; I'm travelling with ten other people, after all, and I can't very well impose my rather idiosyncratic nutrition plan on other people. Kendo opportunities will be pretty much nonexistent, as well. So....

Running: 60 miles
Nutrition: free week
Kendo: off week.

End of week assessment, June 1-7

Running: 70 miles (made goal). A good, solid week. I think I've laid a nice foundation for my ultra, with a solid base and some good distance runs.

Core: a very good week on the nutrition front. I've dropped about 4 pounds (down to 167), and eaten very healthy.

Kendo: pretty good week; a good class at Mudokwan on Friday, though again I could not make the class in Southport.

June 7: off to Puerto Rico

The view from our hotel room in Puerto Rico

Running: 5 miles, time n/a (151). Spent the whole day on airplanes, traveling to Puerto Rico. We arrived at our hotel, the Embassy in Dorado (about twenty miles west of San Juan) in the evenin, and I was of course very jet-lagged. The hotel has a nice fitness center, thank goodness, so I was able to work in a decent little run.

Core: off day. No way I'll be able to keep my nutrition plan intact on this trip.

Kendo: nothing. I've found from past travel experiences that it is impossible to pack a shinai or even a bokuto in my suitcase--it just won't fit. I had hoped to do some footwork drills, but our hotel has no good place to do that sort of thing.

June 6: splitting a long run

Lots of family time today.

Running: 15 miles, time n/a (150). Busy day, so I had to do somethin I'd prefer not to do--split a long run. I think for my ultra training it's important to do my long runs all at once, but what with various family activities and prep for our upcoming Puerto Rico trip, I hadn't many options. So I did a 10 mile treadmill run in the morning, followed by 5 miles on Little Dog in the afternoon.

Core: 2555 calories (3000/3500) (17). Good nutrition day.

Kendo: no time for kendo, I'm afraid.

June 5: more chilly morning running

Up with the sun again.

Running: 10 miles, 1.29.31 (149). Man, it's cold here, lately. I actually had to don long sleeves and gloves this morning when I headed out for my run shortly after sunrise. A decent run, yhough, doing my usual four laps around Little Dog. Feeling a bit sore, but overall I'm very happy about how my body is taking the increased mileage. Bodes well for my ultra.

Core: 2275 calories, (2500/3000) (16) A very good day here, with lots of healthy protein. Seeing progress on the weigh-loss front, as well: I've dropped about three pounds.

Kendo: I worked in a rare Friday evening class at Mudokwan (I normally cannot make it to Friday classes). The class is a bit shorter--an hour--so we had to jump right into things rather quickly. After warmups we devoted most of the class to footwork drills. Hiro is trying to get us to smooth out our footwork, so we're doing some drills that have us simply walking and jumping. he wants us (shades of my "assignment") to integrate kendo into our regular, daily lives, and our footwork mechanics--doing kendo by forgetting kendo.

You'd think this would be easy, but it isn't--at least for me. They say that in kendo you do constant battle with yourself (same in running, as well, I suppose), and my constant battle, ever since I began doing kendo, has been finding some way to calm myself, not get quite so amped up, and subsequently smooth and natural in my kendo movements. I can certainly see what Hiro is getting at with these recent footwork drills, etc., but actually achieving it is very difficult.

June 4: Little Dog

Running in my neighborhood today.

Running: 10 miles, 1.31.06 (9.1 pace) (148). Managed to get back outdoors today, but had to get up very early--6:00am--to do so. I did four laps around my "Little Dog" route, staying in the neighborhood and close to the house. A solid run, though a bit slow. And cold, too; we've had a chilly spring so far.

Core: 2230 calories (2500/3000) (15). Had to dodge some real temptations here today: my mother-in-law's brownies (I love brownies) and then a sumptious buffet banquet this evening (my sweetie graduated from Indiana's Teaching Leadership Academy; I'm very proud). I managed pretty well, though. The brownies stayed untouched, and I did tilapia and veggies at the banquet while totally foregoing the cake.

Kendo: no time to practice kendo.

June 3: indoors

The kids had to settle for the indoor pool.

Running: 10 miles, time n/a (147). An unseasonably cold, rainy day, and a houseful of kids in my care with nothing to do--recipe for problems. I did what I could to keep them busy and entertained, and sort of stuck in my runs where I could. They went to the indoor pool at the Y, so I was able to do 5 miles on a Y treadmill before they became bored and wanted to go home. I then squeezed in another 5 miles in bits and pieces on the basement treadmill.

Core: 2320 (2500/3000) (14). Managed a good nutrition day, as well, against all odds.

Kendo: Wednesdays are always my off days for kendo, which is just as well.

June 2: more basement time

Running: 10 miles, time n/a (146). Another busy day with the kids, which meant another treadmill run in the baeement. Wasn't much of a run; I was interrupted by kids, phone calls, etc. about every fifteen minutes, but finally managed to get in a decent number of miles.

Core: 2405 calories (2500/3000) (13). Pretty good day here.

Kendo: had to miss class at Mudokwan this evening, but hopefully can make it up on Friday. I tried to compensate by doing a home practice session, but this was frequently interrupted, as well.

June 1: terrible run

Had to watch out for some threatening thunderstorms on my run today...in between all the sneezing.

Running: 10 miles, 1.30.16 (9.0 pace) (145). Had a terrible run around Little Dog this evening. My seasonal allergies reared their ugly heads, and I was a mobile phlegm machine, which made running less than enjoyable. My allergies aren't nearly as bad as they were when I was younger, but every once in a while they flare up, and that makes running no fun at all. Still, I finished the @#$% run, despite the problems and privations.

Core: 2490 calories (2500/3000) (12). Another solid nutrition day.

Kendo: no time for any kendo work at all today.

Weekly Plan, June 1-7

This will be a challenging week. The kids are home all week, which will make for the usual busy schedule. On Sunday, we leave for Puerto Rico, as well (which will make next week even more interesting), so I'll need to backload a lot of miles into the first part of the week, since I doubt I'll get much running time on Sunday.

Running: 70 miles, 17 distance.
Core: stick with my plan; also need to figure out some sort of reasonably healthy plan for my upcoming Puerto Rico trip.
Kendo: make classes at Mudokwan and Baxter Y: also need to revise my home practice routine.

End of week assessment, May 25-31

Running: 68 miles (exceeded goal by 8 miles). Wow. Really blew the lid off my weekly mileage goal here. A very good week all around, except that I'm not too happy with my pace. Still, I'm defintely building my stamina; no real soreness or injury issues to speak of, as well. I had planned to begin official ultra running in mid-June from a 50 mile a week base, but I suppose I'll need to revise my mileage goal upwards. A lot.

Core: a very good weekl here, as well. Settling into my nutrition plan, which seems to be working. I've dropped about 2 pounds, I think, which is exactly the rate of weight loss I want. My nutrition program is effecting my running in unexpected ways. I find I am more motivated to add miles to my daily runs so I can add more calories. I'm also getting in the habit of morning runs whenever possible, the better to calculate what my daily calorie intake will be.

My only complaint here is my ongoing difficulty in establishing a good abs workout. Just can't seem to find the time. I'll need to work on this.

Kendo: so-so week. Made only one class, Tuesday's Mudokwan session. I wasn't able to attend Thursday's practice at the Baxter Y because of family concerns, and Nathan and I were unable to make our planned trip to Ohio for the regional joint practice session on Sunday. My home practice sessions have also become quite erratic. Still, I am I think making some progress with Hiro's "assignment," and class sessions are generally going well.

May 31: more pool time

Still more time poolside at the Fishers Y.

Running: 6 miles, time n/a (144). Another busy day with the kids today, including yet more pool time, so I had to settle again for a treadmill run in the basement, despite the picture-perfect weather. Took it easy, given my high mileage this week and the 16 miler yesterday.

Core: 2035 calories (2100/2600) (11). Solid day here.

Kendo: nothing organized, but did practice footwork, and kirikaeshi with Nathan a bit this evening.