Monthly Archives: March 2007

Dentist

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I don’t like going to the dentist. In fact, according to this survey, I have some serious fears that need to be addressed.* But luckily, my dentist is nice. Usually I walk out wondering what I was all stressed out. Except for that time that I cried. But we don’t talk about that.** Today, it was not so bad and I was left thinking, “What’s the big deal with the dentist, anyways?”

swim at watermania
warmup of 100f, 2 x 50k, 150p, 200f w 20sR
2 x 100f w 25sR
1 x 35 min [15min p, 10min f, 10min p]

*I would hate to be a health provider in this era of the random internet search.
** extremely embarrassing.

Do a Happy Dance!

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I was really looking forward to today’s duathlon. For me, this felt like the first real event of the season. It’s also my first race that I can compare (last year was my rookie year). I knew it was going to be fun, because the result would reflect how much further ahead of the game I am already.

My time goal was to beat 1:30 (I went 1:34 last year) and my race goal was to place in the top ten overall.

The anticipation set me up for a great head space before and during the event. I practiced my positive visualization before the race and even found myself visualizing during race. I held back on the first 5k, raced well on the bike, and Continue reading →

Adriane auf Naxos

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Last saturday night I went to this opera by Strauss. I’ve never been to an opera before, and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. This one is a comedy that plays with mixing the forlorn leading lady and the mischievous high jinx of the dancing troupe. The message that, “She was saved from sorrow by love”, was tempered with a message of “She’ll take whomever comes along next”. :) The sets, costumes, music, and voices were amazing. I must go back to the opera!

My solo ride through Steveston this morning was quite pleasant. It was wet but my body is getting to like the new position on the bike.

bike
1:10:16
Avg Hr 137, Max 155
28.8 km, Avg Speed 24.6, 31.2 Max
592 Kcal
Avg Cad 86, Max 99

A sky full of people

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“In a sky full of people, only some want to fly – Isn’t that crazy” – Seal

Did you know that a mature Douglas fir tree is 250ft tall? I ran the trails in the Endowment lands at lunch today – Swordfern & Douglas Fir – and was surrounded by groves of these quiet giants. Although, today they weren’t so quiet. The wind was blowing making for a hurried feeling coming from way up high in the forest. With the absence of rain, I was surprised there weren’t more people on the trails. Considering that hundreds of people file past my window between classes, you would think that more people would be out doing something active. Isn’t that crazy!

run
38:59
HR < 149, Avg 139

Favorite Snack

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Today, I rediscovered one of my favorite snacks. Dates & almonds – you take the date and you stuff the whole almond inside. Mmm, Mmm – it’s like a crunchy sweet candy. Follow that by a gala apple as a palette cleanser and you’ve got the perfect snack. Food always tastes good after swimming but I’m seriously enjoying my lunch today. Likely, I’m in an energy debt trying to recover from last night’s crazy hard workout. Now, I’ll drink my anti-oxidant filled Rooibos tea and all will be perfect.

swim
warmup of 100f, 50k, 150p, 2 x 50dr, 200f 20sR
4 x 50f desc 25sR
1 x 500m (supposed to do 2 but started workout late)
100f cooldown

Huge Turbo Charged Jets

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“You can either try to race with an engine the size of a lawnmower, or you can build your engine up [..] so that you are racing with a huge-turbo charged jet engine.” quote from this article by Mark Allen.

Mark’s talking about setting up a good aerobic base as a foundation to getting the jet engines up and running. The aerobic base is the main theme for my training these days. I’ve got low HR ranges, and I’m doing my best to stick to them (even when some of my training buddies seem determined to do otherwise).

But last night was different. Last night was about firing up the jet engine to fry out all those cobwebs that were accumulating. It was about lactate tolerance and power. It was about psychological and physical limits. Yes, I did spit da’ chicklets. Yes, it’s true that my legs, the day after, feel like they’re wrapped in steel casings that are on way too tight. But, I CAN DO these killer hard workouts. And if I can go that hard, I bet I could go just a bit harder/longer.

am
gym 35min
stretch 10min
pm
spin session – woah nelly!
Max HR 176

Discovery

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Today, I discovered the hot tub and the icy cold shower at Lord Byng. I now plan on adding hot/cold therapy after the run on Sundays. My Sunday afternoon was very mellow with a 1.5hr nap and some grocery shopping. The forest was really beautiful on the run today – very green with the warm spring air.

swim
400m warmup
4 x 50 desc, w/ 30s R,
100 with band (25 band, 50, 25 band)
4 x 100 pace (25 hard, 50 hard, 75 hard, 100 hard)
400m draft – pace line
100 c/d

run
1h45
avg HR 141

Undergraduate Research Conference

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I had to get my workout’s done early today so that I could go to an undergraduate conference at UBC. I was the faculty sponsor for 7 students at the conference, keen undergraduates from MICB405 – the course I teach in the Fall.

Usually, I would balk at the idea of being at work on a Saturday, but this, this was different. Undergraduate students at their first research conference, keen and just on the horizon of embarking on their careers. One’s off to biostatistics at UW, another Math at Cambridge, another applying for software developer positions, another works at Environment Canada, grad school, time off. Whatever the plan, they’re just about to graduate and they’ve got such a great energy. They thought it was pretty cool that I came to see them – and I got a boost from their eagerness.

ride
3h11:46
Avg HR 136, Max 178 (2h44:35 100-147)
1585 Kcal
75.6km, Avg 23.6kmph, Max 47.5
Avg Cad 83, Max 107

short run
30:33
Avg HR 150, Max 158