31 January The Finish Line & the Starting Line

Well, it's been a fun run with you all this month. I'm totally impressed by the dedication of my fellow runners and athletes of all sorts.

I had planned to ride for an hour this evening, but the software for the trainer had other ideas. I gave up in frustration and pulled on my running tights and shoes. I gave up looking for my heart rate strap.

My dog was glad for the company and we trotted out into the cold for a short 20 minutes of walking & jogging. I gave up waiting for my watch to find the satellites. I find the pleasure in the activity is in the doing, not the recording of it. So, I just enjoyed being outside, feeling how tired I feel and letting go of the day.

I didn't feel particularly like running, since I did a nice 10k yesterday. And my right knee is a little cranky. I barked it on a grip while climbing yesterday, and anyway, my knees and I have a deal. I don't run two days in a row, and they don't complain about my running. But I did run enough of the 20 minutes to feel like I ended Janathon honorably!  I hope our running & blogging paths cross again.  I really appreciate all the supportive comments I received, and I hope I offered as much support in return.  Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out how to reply to comments on the Blogger format.

I hope we'll keep in touch. I usually use this blog for race reports and exciting things I've learned or want to share.  I'm planning an exciting triathlon season this year, and hoping to continue to increase my fitness and sport confidence. I just made up that idea, but you know what I mean, I hope.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

30 Jan.

Odie and I enjoyed a nice 10 km run today. The temperature was below freezing, but the sun came out a couple times. Suddenly it would brighten and shadows would form.

Since we were in the dunes in the middle of the day, I kept Odie on his leash.  There were took many other people on the pathways, and I didn't want him to be a nuisance or to slow me down.  I ran the second half at a slightly faster pace. Total time was 80 minutes.  I kept it slow to try to keep my heart rate lower, but gave up and just ran at a comfortable pace.

In the late afternoon, we went to climb. I really had fun. My boys each invited a friend. That cut down my climb time unfortunately because our guests couldn't belay. After warming up, I tried an easy route and climbed as fast as I could.  I tried one with an overhang, but couldn't get a grip on one spot and needed chalk for my sweaty hands. No chalk, so I left it for another day.

I was more successful with another route. It took some effort to figure out, and I just had to sit there looking around until I saw the solution. Plus some muscle and some changes to hand holds that made me afraid I was going to fall.  Today I had some vertigo when coming down. That felt uncomfortable. I wonder if it could be related to swimming on Friday - water in my ears.

I cooked up some duck for dinner, and had some chicken liver for an appetizer. My younger son loved the liver -with ketchup, of course, and then asked if we had any pickled herring. We did, and he promptly polished off the whole jar of rolmops, which are pickled herring filets wrapped around a slice of pickle and onion.  He said he liked stuffing them into mouth whole to intensify the flavor. You know, he explained, you get more juice that way. I never thought of it that way.  And he ate a whole duck leg with dinner too.

One more day in january!

29 Jan. Saturday

I selected my first A race of the 2011 triathlon season.  Antwerp 70.3 on Sunday, 24 July.
 
I'm very excited about this race. I'm planning a second half iron race in September.  Either provence or koln. I have to look at my family, budget, and work schedule before deciding.

Today was a restful day. I got teased by my son this morning for reading a tri training book with my breakfast.

Exercise today: dog walk under an ice blue sky.

Best of all, my boys will be running with me on 13 March. Small guy 2.5 km, bigger guy 5 km.  Me, half-marathon.

28 Jan

fabulous training day today. I worked only a half day, so indulged myself with a long session at the gym until I was completely spent. And then some time in the sauna. a couple hours later, I rode for an hour on the indoor trainer, which was really nice. then a surprisingly intense swim practice that included a 100m timed test and several long sets (500m non-stop, for instance).

Now I am whipped! Will sleep well I hope.

All I've done today is eat sweet potatoes after training. I need to catch up on my food logging.

27 Jan. if it's not one thing, it's another

so, it's not raining today. Clear blue sky all day. Sunny. I went out for a run this evening after supper and nearly froze my nose off. Just enough wind to make it wickedly cold. So I ran 30 rather than 40 minutes, and that was enough. I walked intermittently to keep my heart rate down. That made the temp feel even cooler. Wow.

Also, bike commute today. And sore abs from yesterday. A nice reminder of a fun workout. Hope you're enjoying the dwindling days and nights of Janathon. This has been so much fun!

The other thing that has been rather nice about January is success in losing weight. I'm down nearly five lbs this month, right on schedule. You'll have to come back on 31 Jan. to see the official number for the month!

Exercises to Increase Climbing Strength

Culling ideas from the internet.   Starting with  wiki how and  livestrong 

Pull-ups to work hands, arms, shoulders. Increase grip strength

Dead Hangs: grab a pull up bar and hang off the ground for as long as you can. 

Speed climbing on a moderate route that I can climb easily and without stopping. Teach muscle memory.

Train with variety.

Climb regularly. 

Increase your strength. Climbing depends on both strength and technique

• Arms: Improve your grip by doing exercises that will strengthen the arms and wrist/forearm region. Use a squeeze ball regularly to strengthen the wrist and hand region; lift small weights frontwards and sideways to improve overall arm strength. Try static hangs on a bar to increase your capacity to do static hangs while climbing. Better to discover on the low bar than a high wall that you can't do this!
• Shoulders and upper back: Having this area of your body be strong is an important part of being a great rock climber. These muscle groups will help you lock off on holds as you reach for the next one on steeper terrain. Pull-up exercises, exercise elastics, weights and simple arm rotations are all ideal strengthening exercises for shoulders. As you become stronger, look into more sport-specific training exercises like hang boards, campus boards, and system boards.
• Midsection (or "core"): This is a vital link in the climbing movement chain. Without strong abdominal and lower back muscles, your legs cannot communicate the force they are producing effectively to your arms, and vice versa. The main key here is producing a flexible and stable core. This may be hard to produce, but get creative! Hanging leg raises, dumbbell side bends, and back bridges are all great exercises to strengthen these muscles in a way that is useful for climbing.
• Legs: Legs do more work climbing than some give them credit for, mostly by putting us in a body position to better use the holds available. Don't overdo the leg exercises, just ensure that they are flexible and strong. A focus on single-leg strength is encouraged, like lunges, one-legged squats, etc.
• Watch your growth. With all these exercises, don't go overboard and develop bodybuilder-sized muscles. Climbers don't need the extra weight; climbers need strength and flexibility. Your exercise routine should be regular and short in duration; enough to build strength only. Focus on using enough load that you can do only 8 reps or less of any exercise you choose. Ultimately, for the beginning and intermediate climber, the best physical conditioning for climbing IS CLIMBING

  8 foot bubble: The only things that matter while climbing almost always reside within a 8 ft radius of you. Everything else (outside noise, the climber next to you, work troubles) won't help you climb, so just forget them for the time you are on a route.


Keep your weight over your feet.
Use the rests when you find them.


more here from Indoor climbing.
Hanging side crunch/twist

26 Jan. Wednesday

Janathon is winding up. I'm exhausted. At the beginning of the month I visited a lot of blogs and commented. Now I can barely keep my own up to date.  Swimming finishes at 10:45, and it's a bit of a drive home, even if I don't get lost, which I usually do, or at least I take yet another creative route home. So I deny that I get lost.  But I was awake until 1:30 a.m.  I received a kind suggestion that it would be easier to fall asleep if I weren't sitting in front of the computer.  But that's when I was catching up on janathoners' wonderful adventures, interesting, funny tales, and inspiring efforts.   I looked at the group tables on Running Free. Holy crap. where do you people find the time!

Today, bike ride and sweaty tough core workout at the gym. I think I managed to work the painful knot out of my trapezius.  I'll know better on Friday's swim.   Being a little neurotic, I can't decide between going out for a run and going to bed. I have to walk the dog, and it's not raining. So, so. So. I'll decide in a minute and tell you tomorrow.