Monday 4 Miles

I ran 4 easy with Rick, Hank, and Brian W. today. Not too exciting. Rick and Brian had both run the Hermes 10 Miler on Saturday.

We did run a new route that wound through downtown and past Cleveland State University.

Weight = 184 lbs.

Saturday Long Run - 9 Miles

I didn't really plan this today but when we got up and were working out the details of our day, it kind of just fell into place. Victoria is training for a long bike ride and last weekend she rode her bike to the soccer fields.

This week I ran to the soccer fields. Victoria drove the kids with her bike in the trunk. When it was time to leave, I drove the kids home while Victoria rode her bike.

It's about 9.1 miles from our house to the soccer fields. That is my longest run in quite a while, but I felt pretty good about it.

Friday 3 Miles

Geoff, Milica, and I ran an easy 3 miles today, the bridges route. Milica was resting for tomorrow's Hermes 10 Mile Race. Several others from the fitness center are running this also.

Geoff was exercising today, planning to be a couch potato tomorrow and watch the NFL Draft.

At the end of our run we ran past the House Of Blues so that Milica could pick up her race packet.

Weight = 185 lbs.

Thursday Circuits

I missed several days of working out:

• Saturday and Sunday - too busy
• Monday - forgot to bring my clothes (taken home due to fitness center laundry issues last week)
• Tuesday - off work - court date
• Wednesday - skipped - rain

So today was back at it in circuits class. Still with the same old stations. Chris was the instructor.

Weight = 184 lbs

Friday 6 Miles

Once again Friday was a day for a slightly longer run. There were 4 of us today, Rick, Peter, Milica, and myself. I felt a little soreness in my arm and also I didn't feel totally recovered from Thursday's circuits class. This I attribute to giving blood yesterday.

The highlight of the run was high-fiving Moondog on the sidewalk behind Tower City.

Moondog is the Cavs mascot and apparently they had just finished a pep rally of some sort. There is a big inflatable jersey inside Tower City and huge jerseys hanging from the Terminal Tower that read "Rise Up 07."

Thursday Circuits, Giving Blood

We had circuits with Chris today and I felt MUCH better than Tuesday! It was a good workout!

Then in the afternoon I gave blood. This was my 2nd time this year and 3rd time overall. Besides the cookies and juice, everybody got a coupon for a free pie at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery.

Weight = 187 lbs. (after circuits)

Wednesday Easy 5 Miles

I ran 5 miles easy with Rick today. Rick has asthma and takes an inhaler puff before he runs. He was still wheezing alot today. Rick is mostly recovered from his injury-related month off however.

It was chillier and windier than I thought (hoped?) it would be.

I'm still not back to full health but I'm feeling much better than Tuesday.

Weight = 184 lbs.

Tuesday Circuits

Circuits was with Chris today since Matt has not returned from Boston yet.

I can't say much other than I survived the class. I've been feeling ill (mostly achy) since Monday afternoon.

Weight = 183 lbs

Monday 5 Miles, Cold & Windy

It was cold and windy but I went out and ran 5 miles at lunch today. At least the weather wasn't as bad as it was in Boston where Matt (from the fitness center) and Randy (from the Tuesday night group) were running the marathon. Both finished in respectable times, especially given the horrible conditions.

Thursday Solo 4 Miles, Abs

Of the few people available to run today, nobody wanted to go outside so I did the "bridges plus" route by myself. This route is just short of 4 miles.

I got done just in time to join an Abs class, taught by Jenny. It was tougher than I expected!

Weight = 185 lbs.

Wednesday Easy 3.5 Miles

I just ran an easy 3.5 today with Rick and Milica. It was cold and a little windy. Milica had already run this morning but she likes to work out twice a day. Rick had run on the treadmill the last 2 days but hadn't run outside in a month, due to his injury.

It was a nice, easy run.

Matt and company were not doing speedwork because Matt is running the Boston Marathon on Monday.

Weight = 187 lbs

Tuesday Yoga For Men

The fitness center offered a class today titled Introduction to Yoga for Men. Since my wife enjoys yoga I thought I would go.

Of course work interfered and I was a little late in arriving. I was surprised to find the lights dim. I got myself a mat and a yoga brick (which I didn't use), found a spot, and started trying to follow along.

We did something called the Sun Salutation. This involved going from standing, to bending over, to bending over with hands and feet on the ground, down to a plank, and then back up. We also did a few things that were similar to squats.

There was alot of stretching and breathing. We did a balancing pose on one leg, and then repeated with the other leg.

I'm sure it was good for my flexibility and balance but I am working out for endurance and strength. If I had unlimited time I might even participate in yoga a couple times per week, but all in all, I think my time is better used running.

Weight = 189

Thursday Circuits

We had a crowded class today, with 16 people. This was alot, especially for the last day before a holiday. The weather has been good lately but bad today so maybe the increased number of exercisers wanted to keep working out, but nobody went outside to run.

Matt was the instructor again today as Chris was out.

It was a good, tough class. Lots of upper-body stuff. Geoff jokingly suggested that Matt was trying to make us all "buff for the weekend."

Weight = 186 lbs.

Wednesday Speedwork

I did the full workout today, 6 x 800m. I was able to keep my times even, all within 3 seconds and all under 3:00. There were just 3 of us today, Matt, Curt, and I. Kevin D ran his this morning

• 2:55
• 2:54
• 2:56
• 2:53
• 2:55
• 2:56

The weather was chilly (40's) and very windy.

This was my best speedwork workout yet. Total distance = 5.5 miles.

Weight = 186 lbs.

Tuesday Night Running Club - 4.5 Miles

My soccer team has footskills tomorrow so practice was canceled tonight. I went to part of Jacob's practice and then made it to the running group. Ken was away teaching a class and Keith was at a track meet, so there were 4 of us. Randy, Greg, Brad and I.

This was my first time seeing Brad since fall. He coaches wrestling, a convenient excuse for him to miss running outside during the cold weather.

And it was Randy's last run with us before heading to Boston for the Boston Marathon.

The weather was warm, close to 80, and Randy bought popcicles after we finished.

Topics of conversation centered on frugality, inspired by my car. Randy told of a friend who bought rusted out Datson for $200 to replace a car of the same vintage. Randy then described how this same friend re-soled his shoes using a mudflap he found discarded on the side of the road.

Greg then told of cousin Otho who re-soled his running shoes with a hot glue gun.

It was a great night with a great group of guys!

Tuesday Circuits

Good circuits class today. Jeff said that I was quiet. I liked to think of myself as hard at work.

Continuing with my review of the stations:

Seated Military Press: I think I used 20 lb dumbbells for this. The chair we use is plastic and I always find myself leaning back slightly. Maybe this would be a better station sitting on a stool?

Bent Elbow Lateral Raises (Milk Jugs): With elbows out and hands chest high, raise your arms laterally, meanwhile twisting the dumbbells in your hands in a motion very similar to pouring a jug of milk. I used 17.5 lb dumbbells.

V-Sits / Leg Lifts: An abdominal station, alternating 10 sets of V-sits (sit up and lift your legs up at the same time, putting your body in a V shape) and leg lifts.

Fast Feet / Push-ups: Alternate 10 count of fast feet with 10 push-ups.

Squats: Leg squats with no weights. This seems almost like a rest or stretching station for me.

Crunches lying on side: Another spot to work on abs.

Push-ups with Elasto-Band: We use a stretchy-band like this, wrapped over your shoulders and held in your hands, to make push-ups even tougher.

This concludes the stations in this session of circuits.

Weight = 189 lbs

Monday 6.5 Miles

Running partners were few and far between again today as many of the normal gang did the "Bootcamp" class at the fitness center.

I ran out along the lake, past the Science Center where we went on Saturday, out to Aviation High School and back.

It was a beautiful day out.

Weight = 187 lbs