janathon, oh how do I love thee

2014. here we come. fun on the run! 

**this is a warm-up for daily movement and blogging for a month.

the plan? Running, cycling, throwing kettlebells, shooting, long walks on the beach, yoga, all sorts of fun stuff. And TRE. Definitely TRE.

26 December 2013 - Primer Phase: A DAY

Turkish Get-ups

Practice for 10 minutes. Up & Down, alternate sides. 15 lb. bell

Goblet Squats
3 x 10 25 lb. bell

Lunges
3 x 10 r/l

pushups
(incline 3x8)
Plank 3 x 60 seconds- these are so fun, said no one ever.

10 min swings. American, Russian, singles, presses, snatches.

The only way out of the woods is through.

2013 overview

2013

egmond HM (jan). done.

puinduin (jan). nope. freezing rain + cold = no go.

Super Sunday in Texel (ATB) (feb). done. still cold from that ride.

cpc (mar) - nope. flu

Mud Masters 16 March - done.

amstel (april) - done.

August 110 km hike on the King's Trail, Arctic Circle - Sweden

Sept 21st - 10 k Peace Palace run

Sep. 28th mudmasters. long course - great fun

another long cycling tour? nope. too busy

October - Amsterdam half. turned into a fun 8k instead

November - meijendel  - nope - had to work

December - seagull mackerel 15 km - nope didn't train

25 Nov. it's always now. so now is the time!

I'm trying to shake off whatever has been afflicting me the last year - hibernation? Stress? Aging?

My weight has been going up and so has my fasting blood sugar level. Not a good combination.

Monday - 30 min lap swim & sauna

Tuesday - Mobility + 2 rounds of tabata, practicing Russian and American swings, H2H, one arm cleans and one arm bottoms-up, towards the wall, not the window. And now I want heavier kb's.

Wednesday - warm-up; 400 m row
Good mornings - 40 with 7 kg bar
Gymnastic WOD: 4 min tabata squat jumps. these hurt
4 x 10 pushups - on the rower base
3 x 10 goblet squats 25lb kb

Thursday - run 400 m for the tram; walk the dog. enjoy the feeling of yesterday's good mornings and squats.

Friday  - warm up; 15 min KB power swings (20 reps x 25 lbx x 9 sets OTM) (then single-hand half-rotation x 10 reps x 6 OTM) (30:30)

mobility - 20 hollow body rocks x 20 pushups

Saturday - walk 

Sunday  - 5k beach walk; warm-up; 15 min KB swings. working on the snatch. oof.


next week starts more mobility & running technique.

monday

really nice weather this morning turned into a beach walk with dogs and a neighbor.

planned evening workout was a big fail since I left my house keys on the wrong side of the front door and had to wait to be let in. by that time it was dinner time.

so this was a walk/rest day.

good enough.

I salute all the veterans of war and their families. which means nearly everyone alive. which is very sad to me.

back at it.

enough hibernation.

yesterday:
7 km soft-sandwalk
1000 m ROW warm up
heavy bells!

warm up with bridge, down dog, plank.
slow, deep squats.

two rounds:
5 one-arm dead lift 20kg
5 clean & press 10 kg
10 taps on shoulder - plank
30 sec rest

then two rounds
5 goblet squats w/20kg
5 one arm rows w/20 kg
5 lunges with 20 kg
30 sec rest

then 15 sec on/15 sec off
one arm swings - R then L
two arm swings
cleans - R & L
plank.


today
2000 m ROW warm up: 10 min.
Gym WOD -  FUN TIMER
AMRAP 10 minutes: (4 rounds. so be it. start where I am)
20 superman rocks. they look more like gravity-struggles
20 air squats. form isn't too bad. heels stay down. Back is flat. depth is good. I need to get the chest up.
20 sit-ups. ab-mat.

fall training plan

I have a lot of fun activities planned. I want to be ready for everything. 

I am giving this program a try:

Fire Your Gym! Simplified High-Intensity Workouts You Can Do At Home: A 9-Week Program--Fewer Injuries, Better Results

I will adapt because I have a 10k run this weekend.

Base testing this week

Tuesday, 17 Sept. 2013

comments: kind a low energy today

500 meter row (subbed for running) 2:06
40 air squats 2:00
30 sit-ups on ab-mat 1:46
20 push-ups - on knees, using grips on the tower 1:43
10 jumping pull-ups with green band assist 1:03

total time: 8:38

Wednesday, 18 Sept. 2013
30 minutes rowing (in place of running)- distance 6560m
comment: oops was supposed to be 20 min.

next:
max air squats - 90 seconds
max situps-60 seconds
max burpees - 60 seconds
max pullups - 
max push-ups
900 m run for time

next 
5k run

next:
three rounds for time:
400 m run
21 air squats
15 kettle bell swings
nine pull-ups

100th anniversary peace palace run

I'm really looking forward to this 10 k race!

Event page

ahead or behind?

2013
	16k
21-Jul	8 800
28-Jul	17.5
04-Aug	9 * 800
11-Aug	19	hike
18-Aug	10 * 800	hike
25-Aug	10.5	travel
01-Sep	12 * 800	travel
08-Sep	22
15-Sep	14 * 800
22-Sep	5 k mm
29-Sep	23 km	MUD
06-Oct	5
13-Oct	8
20-Oct	21	HM Race

I adapted a training plan from 2009.  Time to think about this race, for sure.  I doubt seriously that I will be doing any speed work while trekking with a 20 kg pack in the arctic circle.  Time to consider CrossFit Endurance.

99 days

That's how many training days between now and the Amsterdam half.  

I went down to watch the finishers at the world championship cross tri today.  Got over feeling upset with myself. Got inspired to start thinking about the mud masters in sept, and the half in October. 

And the trek in Sweden is a month out.  We have a couple more training hikes. Then away! 

D.n.s.

I didn't start this morning at the beach challenge.  I feel sad but accept that there is a time  for everything and this isn't mine for tri sport. It's a very difficult course. I have not trained regularly, despite having signed up for a  coached course. 

 the last nine months I have had a heavy load at work and some health issues that have zapped my willingness to train. So rather than go out and risk injury, I slept in. 

Letting go. I will take myself for a consolation ride.  Maybe even pick up my tshirt. 

utrecht walkabout

aka too little planning means more walking.  This week we took a train away from The Hague to hike.

Chances are if there's a wrong way to turn, I'll take it, as this route clearly demonstrates. There was indeed a more direct way to the fort.  However, since this was purely a mileage maker, there's no wrong way!   But I was reading a Dutch hiking guide and following instructions for biking.  Lesson learned?  Spend more time before heading out studying the way.  The other lesson learned?  Followers rarely know when a calm leader is lost.

Our walk produced a righteous 14 km in lovely Overvecht.  We saw one fort, which was underwhelming.  The dog enjoyed a couple swims.  We enjoyed the sunshine.  When the afternoon got late, we hopped a bus back to the train station, saving ourselves the last sweaty three kilometers.  One of the highlights was a slide down the staircase leading to the train station.  Another was a zip line in a playground where we stopped for a snack.  In all, it was an interesting urban hike.

Tick count: one. On the dog.
Blisters: none.

Our Sweden trip is five weeks away.

Juneathon 13 - out with a whimper

junathoning was more walking than running, and more wishing than actual writing here. Last week was busy and thus my training schedule was more "relaxed", walking the dog mostly, getting enough sleep and writing a lot (elsewhere).  Onwards to summer with full, fun days, spent outdoors with friends and family.

ketchup - 22 23 24

saturday. walking
sunday. 20km hike with pack
monday. walking. attending to sore feet.

21. Longest day

Happily I am enjoying the longest day of the year.  I shudder to think how quickly the days will shrink after today.  Inexorable.   Swam today.  Diet starts again tomorrow.

juneathon 17 - 18

monday - bike commute plus daydreaming.
tuesday - an hour in the dunes on the race bike. delightful.

as seen in a shop window

14 -15 - 16

went to see star trek, cleaned house, took care of my family. rode my bike, a lot. walked, a lot. enjoyed the weekend.

something I really appreciate about my dog is taking regular walks.  something I really appreciate about my cat are his gifts. not. had to bury a baby bird today that he was sneaking into the house.

happy fathers day to a great dad

13 * bootcamp

ooof. first lunchtime-advanced-bootcamp class in the park. I almost puked my breakfast. and the instructor said afterwards that was an introduction.

I feel so many things in reaction.
*fat
*old
*energised
*motivated
*regret
*satisfaction

Among other things, the workout was a lot of push ups, jumping jacks, planks and running intervals, including up and down stairs, box jumps and otherwise moving continuously for 50 minutes. the only good thing about it was when it was done.

I wanted to feel light on my feet and capable. instead I felt sluggish and heavy. 

can't wait until the next class!

11 tuesday

A quick run after work.  Literally only about 10 minutes, but still.  Satisfying. 

Wore out the dog.

for some reason, blogger does not post from my phone. I know, you were waiting for this one. 

12. a weighty subject

finally got back into the gym to lift weights and row. 2k 9:30.  not a PR but reassuring that I haven't melted into a puddle of fat while waiting for summer.

an hour of useful, purposeful movement.

photo = something exciting in my life. Getting cool gear for my kids and the upcoming trip.

6 June

Five k in the sun, on the beach this morning, the ideal way to start the day.  I ran intervals and races the dog up the stairs four times.  He cheats sometimes by starting before I say Go!. So do I.   Walk down and do it again.  Then I ran 200m intervals, measured by the spacing of the beach barrels for trash.  Then I collected plastic bags I found while running and deposits them in one of the barrels. I wondered if they'd end up being dumps at sea.  The universe rewarded me with a clean tennis ball.   Which Odie preferred over his sand-encrusted ball.  We traded and made our way home.

Now I'm enjoying butter coffee.  Instead of milk, I've blended some fresh unsalted grass-butter into my espresso.  Really weird, and really delicious.

10 juni 1 km 10 min

today was minimalist monday, as I recovered from yesterday's long hike.  My achilles tendon was not too pleased with me this morning.

And as I dressed for the office, I felt eager to move into a life where I own my Monday's.

Staying up too late last night watching silly cat videos was the antecedent cause of loathing Monday.  Here, it's your turn to laugh too hard.

Juneathon score - 1 km, 10 min, 1 dog.

9 juni

16 km trek with new pack and 10 kg kettle bell.  Heavy.  Lots of flowers blooming.  Saw swans, foals and   coots.  My feet are sore.  What is this 110 km trip going to be like!?

8 juni

Planning a series of training events to prepare for a long hike takes time.  I spent probably five hours researching potential trails and dates,  set up an invite for everyone, and so on.  Then my younger son realized he has some tests next week and wants fewer hours out tomorrow.  Crash and burn.  I mean leadership opportunity.   I want to motivate and inspire the group and keep the kids safe by making sure that we trek at least every two weeks together with longer distances and heavier packs.  So we've adjusted the plan to avoid driving somewhere new and interesting.  Instead closer and familiar.  So close it's out the front door.   Which is fine by at least one on the leadership team.

Today I road the bike for half and hour.  And tonight I will go out again either for a walk or another ride,  this time adding aire to the tires.

7 juni. Under the wire

Sitting in the sun counts for juneathon, right?  And planning a 22km hike for Sunday, right.

Now, out to redeem myself by running the dog at 10 til pumpkin.  I want to visit this bamboo forest someday.

5 juneathon

I have thoroughly enjoyed today's sunny day. The wind kept me from overheating. I had lunch out on a terrace and got sunburned, which made me very happy.

My son and I walked the dog for a short while. I thought about going for a run but invited him to come with me instead. The wind was too cold for him to stay out as long as I had planned.

4 joy-a-thin

I enjoyed a nice run with the dog this morning.  I took Martin Yelling's intervals with me. Great coaching track.  I love the simplicity of going out for a run.

Looking at the pools it occurred to me that nature rarely uses straight lines.

3 joy filled Monday

Today I researched how to use flight vouchers from last year to buy the tickets to Sweden.  The delta website wouldn't let me book a group with multiple vouchers.  After buying two pairs of tickets I ran into a road block trying to book what the computer thought was an unaccompanied minor. I called customer service and had a great conversation with a very helpful fellow who booked the last two tickets and helped me fix a mistake I made, with the help of the website, in using one of the vouchers. 

Juneathin started with the very thought, ugh. I have to do something.  Beside making multiple meals, working all day, doing several laundry loads, talking to colleagues, and buying the above tickets.  Oh, and making dinner, 

What I love about running is you just need to put on your shoes and start running.

Granted it is 3 June but I ran in my ski coat this evening.  And enjoyed the sunset.  I will upload the garmin later to running free online. Which likes to post to facebook and wow my friends.  Not. Nth else are not impressive runs.  They are walks with sudden and short lived bursts of speed,  well, not really speed. But faster than walking. 

I will come back and add some guaranteed lovely photos.  I took them with an incompatible device. 

2 Joyathin

I had computer issues. I swear. Not just a busy life. Sunday was sunny. I walked with some sprints with the wet dog, who visited with all the other wet dogs on the beach.

See ya later. My mind is scheming to find a time slot for today's fun.

The King's Trail

This summer we are going to northern Sweden, above the Arctic Circle, to trek along the King's Trail. We is two adults, a young adult and three 14-year-olds.  It is a thrilling trip.

I just booked the overnight train travel from Stockholm to Kiruna, a fourteen hour trip. We will trek to Abisko and return by train to Stockholm.

1 june - just start

I switched to a Mac and my Garmin isn't sure it wants to make friends.  I switched phones too and haven't figured out the auto upload.  I'm whining about this so you feel better. I imagine you struggle with change too.**

[**solution found: enable google plus on the samsung galaxy III phone. link to account. tell it to back up existing photos.]

Okay. Long windy walk with occasional sprints. Juneathon day 1 done.
Photos to make it interesting.

Sorry. Not possible. I need to feed my child and I cannot figure out the technical requirements of drop box, iPhoto, google and samsung.  So. Instead of windy beach. Here is Spring from a few weeks ago. We skipped summer and we're now into blustery fall weather again.

Aha. Never give up.  blustery beach.

2012 overview

2012 

8 Jan - Egmond KM

22 Jan - Puinduin ? Nope. too hard for my plans

12 Feb Groetuit Schoorl HM

11 Mar CPC 10km14 April Amstel Gold 150 km Tour

20 May Marikenloop 10km

Done Fun

28 May 135 km hill tour Right to Play

10 Juni Rotterdam 10km

17 June Groningen

23 June Stein

23 June run 2 miles against poverty with Joel

7 -8 August Grand Teton Summit

9 sept - 100 km Amsterdam

16 Sept - 170 km hill cycling tour Limburg

21 Oct 8 k Amsterdam

25 November 25 (15) K meijendelduinen run

meeuwenmakrel run 10 EM (december)

Juneathin

I know. It's juneathon.  But I like the typo renaming it to juneathin. I am shedding the winter insulation I managed to acquire.  It is time, even though it is still cold here in the Netherlands.  We had summer  on Tuesday when it was 17 degrees and sunny.  It's now 13 again.

So. Why juneathon.  I miss writing on my blog. And  I have not been running with any regularity.  to motivate some change, I just registered for the Amsterdam half marathon in October, which was my first and I think my favorite race ever.  Ad the best part of juneathon is of course that I love reading others' blog entries.   It inspires me.  And makes me wish I were funnier. 

I need to update my side bar.  I've done most of the stuff I planned for this year already.  The big event this year is taking a bunch of 14 year olds into the Arctic circle for a long trek.   Part of the excitement is helping them to prepare over the next three months.

Upcoming. Juneathon.  A month of penance and tears!  Plus some long distance cycling.
July.  Off road triathlon.  World championships.
August. Kings Road, Sweden
September.  Long course mud masters
October. Amsterdam half.

busted

janathon - I love the camaraderie of fellow bloggers & runners.  this year I was very busy with work and didn't write much. And I wasn't particularly inspired to write about my head cold or walking the dog every night in the "pick-one" Rain, Snow, Wind, Windy Rain, Freezing Temperatures, All of the Above.  

So there's juneathon to catch up.

Ta.

Snow. Ski. bike?

Wonderful  day today. Ski with the dog. Ride my bike in the snow. Sunshine. Nice!

Egmond. Kwart marathon

5,25 km 38:40
Netto tijd 1:15:44
Snelheid 8,357 km/uur


Five minutes faster than last year.

I had a fun day though it was really cold. The beach was frozen and the dunes were icy. Air temp was 23F. I finished in 74 min. I felt like a slug. The cold air gave me some asthma after about an hour. I haven't run very much recently. At most once or twice a week. But this was a really fun day in a little town in northern holland. My friend and I ran last year and had a great time, eve though we were late to the start and the announcer teased us for sleeping in when we started about five minutes after the last gun. This year we drove, arrived much earlier and had plenty of time to. Get ready for the 10:30 start. But christel was sick all week and was still coughing so I suggested she skip the race. She agreed. With lung congestion it's risky and no one wants an infections of the pericardium. She took a nice long walk on the beach and met me at the finish. We found a warm restaurant for lunch and window shopped for a while. In all a great day. Now to do something about the sluggishness. Achilles were fine. A little pain in h left hip. Feet fine. Sore afterwards though.

10 - 11

come back Sunday afternoon, after I've raced and I'll have something to say worthy of Janathon. This is boredathon right now since I'm practicing my desk-jockey skills and walking the dog every night. which is something. meanwhile, here's my new muscle-t to inspire me while breaking a sweat. not that I did this recently. but there's always tomorrow.

9

I don't like leaving things undone, even if I have only a short evening walk to report. The desire to go to the gym slipped through my fingers as the hours raced by and then it was time to pick up my boys. My mind plays a mean trick where it says it's okay to postpone because I'll do it later (at lunch, this afternoon, when I get home). I'm sure this has never happened to you. Maybe it's easier in the dark spots of January, when we are naturally meant to be hibernating. Or eating Christmas cookies.

7 janathon - afterthought; 8 double-header

back to work day = sedentary. today's exercise = sitting and dog walk. blah.

going back to work somehow has resulted in inadequate sleep two days in a row. so again, tuesday exercise is walking. oh, it's enough, even if I'm in street clothes rather than house slippers.

6 janathon

What fun I had today with my triathlon club. They hosted a New Year's party with a little cross-country run. I brought some kids with me, so we made a kids course, including obstacles and a petting zoo. Lots of fun.

5 janathon

I got off my chair finally and did a nice little workout.

Warm-up: 5 minutes speed-rope. Toe touch/wind-mills.

Scaling Fran: For elite athletes, Fran is 21-15-9 reps of 95# thrusters and pull-ups. I checked scaling suggestions at BrandX. This is supposed to be a 3-4 minute workout. Then I watched some videos on how to keep good form for thrusters. (Push straight up, not out).

Working with what's available means modifying for dumbbells rather than barbells. And I used the TRX for supine rows. When I was ready to start, I needed to decide which weights. I tried a couple reps with the 10kg dumbbells, but didn't think I'd be able to press them 12-9-6 with good form. So I dropped down to 8kg. No need to hurt myself. 2:55 I sat on the bench afterwards to catch my breath.

Next time, I can increase the weight and maybe the reps too.

After I recovered, I did a tabata circuit of squats, military press/burpees, "swimming" (which I hate), and mountain climbers.

I will do pull-ups in 2013.

4 janathon

went to bed without writing about my janathon spectacular - another dog walk. Odie mostly-patiently waited while we enjoyed a movie. Jeff, who lives at home, left me ruminating about the open water rescue from a couple years ago. I love getting the annual Christmas greeting from the family and seeing the boys growing.

3 janathon

Because it is janathon. 30 min dog walk. Other plans (to climb) fell apart, and just as well. I might have the dreaded man flu. To the couch!!

Even so, I managed some more spectacular losses at backgammon. I'm not giving that boy any more suggestions.

2 Janathon

I'm vacationing at home this week. I love cooking, so I spent the day in the kitchen making stuff. And doing laundry. Which is why normal people vacation somewhere else.

Today's movement. mobility warmup followed by a scaled CrossFit Helen (four rounds, as fast as possible of this: 500m row, 20 kb swings (20# kb), 10 assisted pull-ups). Spent.

Then my dog reminded me he needed to go out. So I put on my mountain bike shoes and rode in the dunes for about half an hour with him running. I love doing this.

I also lost at backgammon. Teaching my son to play is a lot of fun. Except for the losing part.

1 janathon

Traditional New Year's Dive in the North Sea. Warmer air temperature, colder sea, as if that is possible. A brisk way to welcome in 2013. My favorite part is the mad dash with the crowd into the water at noon. Just before you reach the shoreline, you are greeted by an explosion of people who are running the other way, having dipped themselves into the freezing water.

Luckily the driving rain from this morning let up. Now it's sunny, so I suppose I'll have to do something outside. You never know how long until the next sunny day.