It’s been just over a week since my last post which is the longest I’ve ever gone.  I grew increasingly guilty with every passing day, but simply couldn’t manage to sit down to punch a post out.  Des Moines Marathon

Des Moines Marathon
No… I didn’t run in it, but my wife and several other friends ran the 1/2 marathon.  I did head down to watch on an amazingly COLD frosty morning. 
My wife has had some unidentified hamstring injury that has kept her from running for over 2 years.  Because she couldn’t run, she became slave to the aerobic DVD’s.  I call them “roll-e-poll-e” workouts.  Then, we got pregnant with our first child which basically held her hostage until several weeks after Elizabeth was born.JT&MF (February 14th… that’s right… a Valentine’s Day baby!)  Around April, Jen knew that it was as good a time as any to try to overcome the injury that has owned her for so long.  Using the most fundamental running knowledge out there, we deployed the “run/walk” technique.  For the first 2 weeks, Jennifer walked for 9 minutes and ran for 1 for a total of 40 minutes, 4-5 times per week.  Weeks 3-4 progressed to walking 8 minutes and running for 2, again for a total of 40 minutes.  She took things uber slow and simply stuck to it.  Fast forward to last Sunday and to watch her kick the crap out of the Des Moines 1/2 Marathon made me so happy for her.  Liberation and vengeance was hers!  She worked so hard and had to be so very careful to take things easy and in moderation to avoid a repeat injury.  Big time comeback! She also hit her goal of going sub 2:00!

Off-Season Training
As of this week, I’m into my 4th week of Prep Period training. I’m simply performing all workouts at a “more than manageable” effort.  Although I’ve never incorporated Zone Training in to my workouts, the equivalent would be Zone 2 or below.  My primary objective in this first Prep Period phase is to recover from the 2009 season, but without sacrificing much, if any of my base training.  I’ll slowly stretch things out over the next couple of months, but very slowly and with low effort.  I’m getting in the pool tomorrow for the first time since Lake Geneva which will likely hurt a bit.  I’m excited because I’ve purchased a new instructional swimming DVD called Swim Smooth.  I’ve picked it up off of hearing a few peeps on Beginner Triathlete talk about it.  I’ve tried Total Immersion, picked up a few drills and some technique, but just couldn’t completely get into it.  I’m hoping that Swim Smooth and a Winter’s worth of drills and technique focus will have me swimming a sub 24:00 1500m.  We’ll see.  

I’ve not had a Yoga session for over a week, because I was performing a pose while arching my back and I’m pretty sure I strained my lower back.  I woke up the next morning with some seriously acute lower back pain.  It’s still present, but at a far less concerning level.  It has not impeded on my workouts, in fact, I believe my workouts have helped it.  What do I know though as I’m only as wise as Google!

Iowa HawkeyesIowa-Hawkeyes
The other mentally exhausting happening right now is my football squad, the Iowa Hawkeyes!  Somehow we’ve managed to get to 8-0 and are currently ranked #4 on the BCS standing.  Crazy.  We’ve squeaked out WINS on at least 4 games this year that has the Hawk haters hatin!  It sure ain’t pretty, but I’d rather be ugly and 8-0, than 7-1 and pretty.  We still have 4 games left with one being Ohio State.  That’ll be a tough one for sure!  … at Ohio State!!!

Until the next time…