I am finding less and less time to post about my athletic adventures, let alone actually do them. Thus, for now, I am going to take another break from posting. But this time it will most likely be much longer.

In the meantime, please note that I have throughly enjoyed sharing my activities with you as well as reading about yours. Thanks for all the camaraderie!

If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion.
~ Robert Pirsig

The last time I published a similarly titled post I was letting you know about an injury and my upcoming span of off days. Not this time. That is, no injuries here! I’m just taking these days off blogging about my adventures. Thus, please find my plan below for days 27 through 33 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program.

Time: Varied

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Music: Varied

• March 2, Day 27: Bike (recumbent): 50 minutes
• March 3, Day 28: Run (elliptical): 60 minutes
• March 4, Day 29: Strength
• March 5, Day 30: Run (elliptical): 45 minutes
• March 6, Day 31: Bike (recumbent): 40 minutes
• March 7, Day 32: Run (elliptical): 30 minutes + Strength
• March 8, Day 33: Off

Oh, and I’ll most likely be doing some recreational swimming as well. And, of course, things might change a bit especially days 27 and 32. See you next Saturday, March 9!!!

This is day 26 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which calls for rest. And even though I rested on Wednesday—a non-rest day—I’m going to rest again.

This was day 25 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for a two mile run, which I used as my warmup, and strengthening.

Time: Afternoon

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Music: Workout III playlist

Strength: Using novice guidelines and the Legs, Back, Chest, Arms template found at ExRx.net: One warmup set per exercise using 50 percent less recorded weight for 12–15 reps. After warmup, one set of 8–12 reps per exercise to volitional fatigue. Once 13–14 reps has been achieved, increase weight 2–10% for next workout.

1. Lever 45° Leg Press (plate loaded): 10 reps @ 95 pounds
2. Lever Lying Leg Curl: 11 reps @ 70 pounds
3. Lever Standing Calf Raise (plate loaded): 16 reps @ 15 pounds
4. Lever Seated Row: 14 reps @ 100 pounds
5. Lever Bench Press: 11 reps @ 80 pounds
6. Lever Lateral Raise: 14 reps @ 65 pounds
7. Barbell Curl: 9 reps @ 50 pounds
8. Cable Pushdown: 13 reps @ 30 pounds
9. Sit-up: 13 reps
10. Hyperextension: 16 reps

Note: Running for 30 minutes, then lifting weights directly afterwards is quite the challenge. But, I survived. And, as Friedrich Nietzsche said, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

This was day 25 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for a two mile run and strengthening. Using a multiplier of 15 minutes per mile, I ran on the elliptical cross-trianer for 30 minutes.

Time: Afternoon

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Music: Workout III playlist

Run (elliptical): 30 minutes @ level 8

Note: As per usual these fine days, “Felt good, felt strong.” Used this workout as a warmup for strengthening.

This was day 24 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for 35 minutes of cross-training. Instead, due to work related issues, I took the day off.

Relish the bad training runs. Without them it’s difficult to recognize, much less appreciate, the good ones.
~ Pat Teske

This was day 23 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for a three mile run. Using a multiplier of 15 minutes per mile, I ran on the elliptical cross-trianer for 45 minutes.

Time: Evening

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Music: Workout I playlist

Run (elliptical): 45:06 minutes @ level 8

Heart Rate Average (AVG): 152 bpm

Maximum Heart Rate (MAX): 166 bpm

Note: Two words, “ON FIRE!!!” Seriously, it’s workouts like these that make all the other more humdrum ones worth their weight in gold.

This was day 22 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for stretching and strengthening.

Time: Evening

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Strength: Using novice guidelines and the Legs, Back, Chest, Arms template found at ExRx.net: One warmup set per exercise using 50 percent less recorded weight for 12–15 reps. After warmup, one set of 8–12 reps per exercise to volitional fatigue. Once 13–14 reps has been achieved, increase weight 2–10% for next workout.

1. Lever 45° Leg Press (plate loaded): 14 reps @ 90 pounds
2. Lever Lying Leg Curl: 10 reps @ 70 pounds
3. Lever Standing Calf Raise (plate loaded): 12 reps @ 15 pounds
4. Lever Seated Row: 16 reps @ 95 pounds
5. Lever Bench Press: 12 reps @ 80 pounds
6. Lever Lateral Raise: 13 reps @ 65 pounds
7. Barbell Curl: 9 reps @ 50 pounds
8. Cable Pushdown: 12 reps @ 30 pounds
9. Sit-up (arms-crossed): 16 reps
10. Hyperextension: 16 reps

Note: Maybe it was the full moon, but I was on fire tonight!

This was day 22 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for stretching and strengthening which I did later tonight.

Time: Afternoon

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Podcast: Software Test Podcast

• Episode 26

Walk (street): 1.24 miles

Groceries (all organic):

• 3 – bunches kale
• 3 – 10 oz bags broccoli and cauliflower
• 6 – apples
• 6 – oranges
• 3 – tomatoes
• 1 – bunch bananas
• 8 – yellow onions
• 1 – 4.5 oz jar minced garlic

Note: Typical cloudy nice Oregon day.

This was day 21 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for a four mile run. Using a multiplier of 15 minutes per mile, I ran on the elliptical cross-trianer for one hour.

Time: Morning

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Podcast: Software Test Podcast

• Episode 27

Run (elliptical): 60 minutes @ levels 3–6

• 10 minutes @ level 3
• 50 minutes @ level 6

Heart Rate Average (AVG): 147 bpm

Maximum Heart Rate (MAX): 159 bpm

Note: I’m seriously loving my elliptical “runs”, recumbent biking, and weightlifting. Especially since I’m getting my heart rate up, sweating a lot, and strengthening my muscles six days per week—yet not breaking myself. That is, the indoor training I have been doing has allowed me to workout more consistently than any other period of time I can remember in the past. Yay!

Oh, and speaking of heart rate, today was the first day I used my Polar FT1 heart rate monitor. Hence the newly added AVG and MAX stats. What a wonderful tool! Super simple to use, inexpensive, and I will eventually use it to perform heart monitor training to help optimize my workouts.

This was day 20 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for 50 minutes of cross-training.

Time: Morning

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Podcast: Software Test Podcast

• Episode 28
• Episode 31

Bike (recumbent): 50 minutes @ levels 3–5

• 10 minutes @ level 3
• 40 minutes @ level 5

Note: Felt good, felt strong, no injuries, sweat a lot.

This was day 19 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for rest. But, a guy needs his veggies.

Time: Morning

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Podcast: Software Test Podcast

• Episode 29

Walk (street): 1.24 miles

Groceries (all organic):

• 3 – bunches kale
• 5 – 10 oz bags broccoli and cauliflower
• 4 – apples
• 3 – pears
• 3 – tomatoes
• 1 – 14 oz package tofu
• 7 – yellow onions
• 1 – 8 oz box mushrooms
• 1 – 2 lb bag carrots
• 1 – stalk celery

Note: Cloudy, misty, and cold. Felt good to be outdoors.

This is day 19 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which, being a Friday, calls for rest.

This was day 18 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for a two mile run, which I did this morning, and strengthening.

Time: Evening

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Strength: Using novice guidelines and the Legs, Back, Chest, Arms template found at ExRx.net: One warmup set per exercise using 50 percent less recorded weight for 12–15 reps. After warmup, one set of 8–12 reps per exercise to volitional fatigue. Once 13–14 reps has been achieved, increase weight 2–10% for next workout.

1. Lever 45° Leg Press (plate loaded): 10 reps @ 90 pounds
2. Lever Lying Leg Curl: 14 reps @ 65 pounds
3. Lever Standing Calf Raise (plate loaded): 14 reps @ 10 pounds
4. Lever Seated Row: 13 reps @ 95 pounds
5. Lever Bench Press: 14 reps @ 75 pounds
6. Lever Lateral Raise: 15 reps @ 60 pounds
7. Barbell Curl: 8 reps @ 50 pounds
8. Cable Pushdown: 12 reps @ 30 pounds
9. Sit-up (arms-crossed): 15 reps
10. Hyperextension: 14 reps

Note: Switched out Lever Seated Leg Press for Lever 45° Leg Press (plate loaded) and Crunch for Sit-up (arms-crossed). Beyond that, all I gotta say is things are going exceptionally well these days!

This was day 18 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for a two mile run and weightlifting. Using a multiplier of 15 minutes per mile, I ran on the elliptical cross-trianer for 30 minutes. Weights will be for tonight.

Time: Morning

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Music: Workout II playlist

Run (elliptical): 30 minutes @ levels 3–8

• 10 minutes @ level 3
• 20 minutes @ level 9

Note: Felt good, felt strong, lots of healthy sweat, and still no injuries!

This was day 17 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for 35 minutes of cross-training.

Time: Evening

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Music: Workout I playlist

Bike (recumbent): 35 minutes @ levels 8–11

• 10 minutes @ level 8
• 25 minutes @ level 11

Note: Working out at night can be almost magical. That is, you’re tired and beat up from work when you start and pumped when you’re done. Magical!

Running is not, as it so often seems, only about what you did in your last race or about how many miles you ran last week. It is, in a much more important way, about community, about appreciating all the miles run by other runners, too.
~ Richard O’Brien

This was day 16 out of 56 of Hal Higdon’s 10K Novice Program which called for a 2.5 mile run which I did this morning.

Time: Afternoon

Shoes: Brooks Ravenna 3

Podcast: Lean-Agile Straight Talk

• A New Season of Lean-Agile Straight Talk, A New Webinar Series
• Product Portfolio Management: Essential for Agile at Scale

Walk (street): 1.24 miles

Groceries (all organic):

• 1 – bunch kale
• 1 – bunch collard greens
• 3 – 10 oz bags broccoli and cauliflower
• 3 – oranges
• 7 – tomatoes
• 2 – 14 oz packages tofu
• 2 – bars ALMOND soap

Note: Sunny and coolish. Felt fantastic to be outdoors. And yet another walk without hot spots!!!