Bikram = instant headache

Got out of work today at 10:50am ... just short of 9 hours today but I was riding on "E" all the way from Brooklyn to home.  Ate a PR bar on the ride because lunch would not be an option, fueled up and got home with a half hour until yoga class.  I was able to get dressed, hit the bathroom, and drink 16 ounces of water and make it to class with 2 minutes to spare.

Bikram yoga is hot.  The room is literally over 100 degrees and I quickly realized I had forgotten the one clutch accessory that helped make today miserable ... my Gutr.  As a bald guy I figured out that I needed sweatbands whenever I exert myself - I sweat heavily and without a sweatband it gets in my eyes and burns.  The problem with sweatbands is they are pretty nasty and I guess my acidic sweat eats them up or something because I would use them, wash them and within a dozen uses they would be shot.  So I found the Gutr this rubber thing which I had initially purchased for using with cycling has been my activity sweatband. So today I forget it, and before we have even started Pranayama (the initial deep breathing) the sweat is rolling down my dome and into my eyes.

So much for trying to relax (seriously I can't relax in yoga at all but some of the human pretzels in my class seem to be completely at peace).  Now I look around as class goes on, there is a bank of mirrors and you can't really not look ... today's class had 5 men and 17 women.  Three of the four men wore just shorts, and the ultra yoga dude in the front was wearing a speedo.  Myself, the largest guy in the room, and hairiest (I have been called a gorilla by my children), always wear a tech shirt from a race.  So by the third exercise, "awkward pose" I am a sopping wet mess and already dying to drink ... but wait, wait ... no drinks until after pose four.  I guess other people get in a relaxation zone, I count poses ... 26 in all - 13 is my favorite, corpse pose, when you just lay on your back and melt into your towel for 2 minutes.

Today's group of women consisted of maybe four relative neophytes and 13 diehards.  I am pretty good with the first set of 12 poses and am pleased when I can keep a pose longer than these svelte yoga obsessed ladies.  It's the second set I am not quite as flexible with and today with pose 18 and 19 I was both starving and suffering from sweating so much and then the pain behind the eyes started.  At least for morale boosts I could look at the struggling women and say to myself "take that lady!"  

I hate getting headaches, I don't get them often.  Typically I will get a headache if I am super exhausted - I average 5 hours of sleep, if I get say 4 for three days in a row on day four my body will rebel hit me with a headache which I will have to sleep off.  The other type of headache comes after super exertion, typically on a hot day.  Last time I got a headache like that was after an adventure race that I did not train properly for.  This was the second time I got a "yoga headache" ...

On a good day, I have problems doing Half Tortoise, Camel, and Rabbit poses - today I flopped around a bit on each try gave up and returned to corpse pose.  My towel was holding a gallon of sweat, my had towel for my face was now holding enough sweat to easily fill 2 shot glasses, and my water bottle was empty.  Seriously shot.  I did do the final poses and cut the final corpse pose short just so I could flee the heat.

Head rush, dizziness ... that can't be good!  I sat in the lobby on a bench in a growing puddle of sweat for a good 10 minutes before I stood up again - hello nelly, dizzy as hell!!  Ok dehydrated - over heated, over tired?  Grabbed a Zico and headed out into a nice cooling rain.  Had a Clif bar in the car with my Zico as I drove home and spent the next hour standing in the shower and drinking 2 liters of water.

Finally feeling back to normal by the time I picked up my kids only to have my 5 year old lie to me about a letter in his backpack from his teacher and for the third time this week (and it's only Wednesday) having to have a conversation about the ramifications of bad behavior and potential punishments on the ride home ... and yeah, the headache came back.

Tomorrow - swim and Shoulders and Arms ... 18 days until my next race ...        

Miserable long day at work - followed by bad commute on the LIE ... got a one mile swim in before the life guards closed down half the lanes for cleaning - I was shot and it was almost time to get the kids ...

Here's hoping for a better day at work tomorrow so I can make my Bikram class ...

In an effort to stay the course each Monday I will post my planned training schedule for the week and then update daily - most posts will be related to training though I guess it is possible that I will mention family events, work, or anything that suits my fancy.  Have to get used to the whole blogging thing - up to now I have just used training peaks and this book "The Complete Runner's Day-by-Day Log 2012 Calender" by Marty Jerome to track my workouts but as no one ever sees those - no one can call me out on slacking - not that I have, or plan on slacking just figure if I air in public what I plan versus what I end up doing I amy stick closer to plan.

Next weigh in is next Monday  - the 2nd - at 11am.  The plan is to weigh in every other Monday (that daily stuff is ridiculous) watch diet, work out hard and hope to meet a weight target by the Long Island Half.  My goal is to weigh 223 before that event - last weigh in (last Monday) I was at my standard 229 which seems to always be my weight - after some triathlons/races I have lost as much as 11 pounds but that does not count - I want my walk around weight prior to the race to be 223 ... we'll see how I have progressed next Monday.

Today I planned to run (easy) 7 miles and do a chest and back workout.  I ran 7.2 at a non-taxing 9:46 pace - my legs felt it and my big toes were aching but I could have run further and faster but the plan this week is to take it easy.  I did the P90x chest and back workout - and was way off my numbers from the last time I did a P90x cycle - I'll get there - just will take work.

The rest of the weeks plans (all these workouts will be after a 10-11 hour work day - typically I am fried by Friday) ...

Tuesday - swim at Aquatic Center (goal 2250 meters) ... immediately after run 4 miles.  (I won't do the P90x Plyo anymore - can't chance the leg injuries).  Cub Scouts at 6:30 which I will no doubt be nodding off during waiting for Lydia to come relieve me so I can go to bed.

Wednesday (weather calls for rain) - Bikram Yoga at noon ... this is all contingent on getting out of work in time to make the class - if I do not I will do P90x Yoga at home.

Thursday (weather calls for rain) - swim at Aquatic Center (goal 2250 meters) - P90x Shoulders and Arms.

Friday - Bike day - my plan is to get home - gear up and ride my 18 1/2 mile 5 towns loop in an hour and then try to get through P90x Legs and Back - I have a feeling now with Friday being a day I am typically dragging - and my legs fried from a ride this may not happen but that is the plan.

Saturday - my wife has a wedding shower to go to - I need to take Wells to track practice and then hope to get in P90x Kempo after lunch.  When Lydia comes home (around 4) - I plan to do a 10k at a 9:30 pace.

Sunday - my training partner (my brother Steve) has his wedding anniversary so I doubt he will be in play.  Assuming he is not - I will get up early and do the 18 1/2 mile bike loop followed by a 7 mile run locally instead of where we usually go.

Hoping for a peaceful week at work so this can come true ...

Wells takes Age group gold at Order of the Arrow 5k!

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the other running highlight in our household yesterday.  While I was running in Queens, the rest of my family was in Wantagh to cheer on my eldest son as he ran in his second ever 5k.

Wells and I had prepared him by working on pace and distance over the past two weeks.  We started with a mile, but his last training run was actually 3.4 miles so we were confident the distance would not be an issue.  Wells also takes a while to settle into a grove and runs sorta spastic for the first couple hundred meters because he wants to sprint - he's getting better and has shortened his stride a bit and runs with his arms tight.

I gave him a kiss and told him to do his best as I headed out for my race - he told me he would pace to Mr Honerkamp.  Mr Honerkamp is the father of one of Wells friends, a scout leader, and Wells track coach.  I checked on his last few race results and his pace was one that Wells could handle so I was off and my wife took Wells to his race.  The fact that the race was enclosed into Wantagh Park was a plus - if for some reason Wells stopped/quit/got hurt ... he would not be running through streets.  Plus even with my mother, sister, wife, and other son going they would not be able to keep eyes on him the whole time - I was just hoping he would not be discouraged if no one was watching him the entirety of the race.

He lined up behind Mr Honerkamp (Frank) and kept pace with him the whole race.  Wells told me he would pass him and then Frank would pass him back.  At some point in the race Wells stopped to pick up seashells - when Frank asked him what he was doing Wells replied that the shells were beautiful.  I guess we need to go to the beach more or something - but with Franks urging Wells was back in the race.

While he doesn't look so fresh here - he was running into a headwind (see the reeds) and it was cold down by the water - my wife pulled his soccer sucks up way past his knees and left his sweat shirt on but he was chugging away.

 The sprint to the finish - Wells is looking fresh as he chugs along.  Finishing first in his age group despite stopping to pick up sea shells.  Definitely stoked that my son seems to enjoy running for distance - I am hoping he and I will be doing some trail runs in the near future at Hempstead Lake State Park.

After the race he had - track practice (haha) - in second grade and almost as tall as his Mommy!

First race of the season ... Queens NY 13.1 Half Marathon

This morning I woke up at 6:15, slightly nervous that today I would be competing in my first half marathon.  Started my morning with a glass of orange juice, vitamins and a granola bar.  Then I got gearded up.  The shorts I chose to wear today have a liner, usually I wear compression underwear but since I needed pockets I opted for these, hoping it would be a good choice.  Next I strapped on my heart rate monitor and watch and fired it up (all systems go).  My wife had gotten me the Timex Ironman Watch which is one of the best gifts I have ever gotten - this combined with Training Peaks is the best way I have found to track all my workouts (more on that another day).

So electronics in place - the next step was taping the nipples.  I have watched enough marathons to see the bloody nippled guys cross a finish line and there is no way I want to deal with that.  Training in the winter and wearing compression shirts chaffing is not an issue, but today would be mild and I used medical tape to make my own pasties.  Wore a nice wicking shirt from the Prospect Park Duathlon series and ran my ear buds through my Runner ID hat.  Final step to gearing up - the sneakers, I only race in my Saucony Kinvara's - unfortunately with a size 14 foot my options for racing shoes are somewhat limited - I train and trail run in different shoes but for races I break out the Kinvara's (today's socks were Thorlo's).

I filled up a 10oz Fuel Belt bottle with eFuel (I went Tropical Blast) and drank the other 14 ounces on the ride to the race as I ate a Peanut Butter PR Bar.  In my pockets were two eFuel Gels (Cherry Bomb and Tropical Blast) and one Gu (Chocolate Outrage with Caffeine).  To settle my mind I listened to the news as I drove to Citi Field - should have listened to music because the news is more depressing than calming - another lesson learned on a race day.

I don't live that far from Queens and I ended up getting there at 7:15 for a 9:00 race start.  Headed to check in and was happy to run into my former boss Dan Scully and his wife Sue.  Seems they were doing this race as a primer for the Long Island Marathon ... I'll be doing the half on Long Island - Marathons are a next season goal - only my second season racing - still taking baby steps.  Checked in, got my number (lucky 898) and my swag.  Bag checked my sweats in the swag bag with my ID and cell phone and still had over an hour to kill.

Unfortunately I could not find Dan and Sue again so instead I chatted up a military guy and his marathon running girlfriend from Washington DC.  I would see them later in the race as I tried to burst some speed from mile 10-12 but I never did catch them.  I like talking to random people at races - sometimes people approach me about my tattoos, sometimes I will say something - but most race day conversations are somewhat enlightening and help get me relax before the gun sounds.

About 20 minutes before the race started I bumped into Jen Chabus and her girl posse.  Seems her crew was there celebrating one of the ladies 50th birthdays.  Two of my neighbors were in the group - and it was nice to talk to a group that have done a bunch of Ironmen and get some of their advice.  I seem to garner a lot of advice but  for some reason I am hesitant to use most of it - today's made sense though - I grind the hell out of my gears when I ride the bike always hammering in the high gear - I need to learn how to maintain cadence at a lower gear and get the same power output.  I have heard it before - I just need to put it into practice.

This race started with a 5k and then they asked us to line up where we thought we would finish.  My goal was a sub 2 hour finish.  I was now starving and took one of my eFuel gels with two cups of water to try to fill me up, it seemed to work but I was definitely nervous that my nutrition plan was screwed before the race had even started.   The longest I had race prior was 10 miles last June, I finished that in 1:34 but my brother and I had done a bunch of 10 milers this winter and I had knocked down a few 15 milers.  If I could keep my pace steady for the first 7 miles the plan was to turn it up a notch in the second half and come in under 2.  I lined up between the 2:00 and 2:20 finishers and set off - IPod playing The Moody Blues of all things - not to knock the Moody Blues but "Your Wildest Dreams" is not amped enough to get me pumped so I guess it was a good choice as I did not shoot off too fast like I usually do.

I picked a guy in a GoRuck challenge baseball cap and his girlfriend to pace to.  They were going at a 9:10-9:20 pace with the guy obviously pacing her.  This guy was in stellar shape, jogging backwards, leaping over cones - making little effort but pulling her with him.  They were a solid duo that took me to the 10k mark at a minute over my target at 57:15.  I took my second (and last eFuel gel) and broke my rule and took a water cup near the 7 mile marker.  It didn't make sense to me to wash down my eGel with my dwindling supply of eFuel.

The course curved left and out alongside the LIE and my pacers fell off.  I picked a second target a taller guy than myself who had been with us for most of the race but as we curved and hit a stretch of muddy road at mile 8 he suddenly pulled off to the left.  To hell with pacers - I looked at my watch - I was moving at around a 9:20 pace - the mile marker at 8 showed I was close to target.  My plan now was to stay solid to mile 10 and then kick it up a notch.

The next two miles we ran over a bridge to a live band cranking out tunes and then past a drumline and cheerleaders.  I forgot to mention the drumlines and cheerleaders.  There had to be at least five groups of high school/college drumlines banging at several spots on the course - I thought it was pretty awesome but then to top it off there were groups of cheerleaders not to far from the drummers chanting "go runners go" and doing pom pom shakes and kicks.  The crowds at this race were pretty rambunctious cheering loudly, waving signs, reaching out for high fives.  There was one guy with a poster board over his head that said "Free High Fives" - so I had to get one.  The ambiance of the race was great - loops through Flushing Meadows Park - I am sure this will make the Long Island half be very boring and depressing (save for the finish line) by comparison.

So the crowd kept me pumped and I took my final Gu shortly before the mile 10 marker.  I then ran my fastest mile, my mind said 5k left see what you have so I opened it up.  I can't believe I had a kick but I kept up a solid sustained kick and passed a bunch of people (later when I checked my watch I ran this mile at 6:50   which I find hard to believe but it might explain what happened to me next) ... my plan was to look at my watch at the 11 mile marker and check pace and see where what I needed to do for the final 2 miles but right before the 11th mile marker my body felt weird.  I slowed and felt chilled to the bone for some reason, I actually shivered.  I drank the rest of my eFuel and kept stride.  Checked my watch and saw I was at 8:20 so notched it down a bit to see if I was ok going back to a 9:00 pace.  By this time the crowd was thick as we ran near the Queens Museum of Art and the Unisphere for the final time.

From here I just tried to stay strong with the final turn around the Fountain of the Planets to the finish line.  I saw a guy in a neon shirt swaying and banging into the rail around the fountain in front of me.  As I closed in I saw he was stiff legged, I looked back as I past him and he was white as a ghost and moving forward on sheer will - the guy was shot and looked ready to pass out.  So the dilemma was should I kick to finish or help - I opted to run off the rail and wave down help and direct them to the guy as I continued forward momentum, but my shouting directions and gesturing seemed to drain my final kick because I had none.  I crossed the line at 1:29:36 ... a 9:07 pace ...

First race is in the books - a few weeks of training and then the next race is in Brooklyn.