PARIS MARATHON WEEK 2 OF TAPER

Not a terribly exciting week.  As far as tapers go my energy is feeling pretty good.  Dropping from 44 miles to 34 miles this week and started a low carb diet on Friday to initiate carb loading prior to race day.  My new shoes feel great, the weather got better toward the weekend, and I'm getting anxious about leaving my work and business behind but at the same time more exited than ever to go to Paris.  Think this will be a beautiful, flat, fantastic race. MONDAY- today is my moderate distance run and I've cut down to 10 miles at 9:20 pace. It's pretty rank out. About 50 degrees and raining so feels cold and there's nothing you can do about it. Glad one of the new pairs of shoes are black. Hate taking nice new white shoes out in the rain. Going to Prospect Park and decided to take whatever pace felt right for today. Although it's supposed to feel easy, I took it a little harder mostly becaue I just want it to be over with. Stopped at hardware store also to see if they had the brackets we need for the finishing touches on the kitchen and they did not. Other than that I stopped for a gel at 5miles and a bathroom stop and turned around and high tailed it home. Ran average 8:57 pace at ave HR of 156. Still feel my left IT band a bit and will be sure to use foam roller later today when I do my weight training session.

Before my last client I wanted to get in a good back workout but couldn't because my contractor wanted to stop by to discuss some work. Went to basement for a 30 min workout but then was interrupetd on phone with a client. So not much of a workout. Did 4 exercises total, worked either heavy or moderate with little rest.  Supersets of strength and stability. Should have just done yoga and stretching instead. Dreaming about a massage.

TUESDAY- Normally I swim, but this weeks workout is focusing on strokes other than freestyle and decided mid day to skip it. Doing a partial cleanse, it's horrible weather and just want to hunker down and get a lot of work done. After clients at John Street I did all upper body workout of supersets strength followed by stability. Back, then chest, shoulder, biceps and triceps. Moderate intensity to heavy depending on how my shoulder was feeling about the exercise. Bummed that my shoulder is still testy. Tomorrow I just have an easy run and plan to do another partial cleanse, AM until about 5pm before I go to Staten Island to run with TNT. Will see how that goes.

WED- instead of running in the AM I''m holding off till the evening. Had a productive work day then drove to Staten Isalnd and ran 5 plus miles, goal pace 9mm. Going to follow with a workout with TNT so don't want this to feel hard, yet it did for some reason. It is a combination of the fact that I didn't run yesterday, that I'm not used to running late in the day, plus I was fasting until 5:00 at which point I had an isalean shake before driving to SI.  After my 5 mile run I did an easy warm up with the team. They had 25 minutes of hill repeats. I didn' run too many hills with them but did run about 2 miles total. Good group tonight.

THURSDAY- I finished with clients then went to our accountant about taxes. Had time in-between to have a naturally sweetened muffin and banana. Today is my last day to eat a normal amount of carbs. Tomorow go low carbs with goal being 50g per day. yikes. Feeling good going into my run.  Nice day, sunny, about 55 degrees. Ran around battery park up west side. Want to do race pace work but feel instead of specifying distance I will do it more like a fartlek workout. Over 6 miles I did 7 intervals at a RP (ranged between 7:35 and 8:05) with half mile being the goal distance.  I jogged inbetween intervals until feeling recovered enough to do another interval. Was fun to have a free form workout like this . Was planning to do shoulder work but ran out of time. Will add shoulder to Friday workout. Did do abs today though.

FRIDAY- Had an early morning weight training session. In my gym I did back, shoulder, bicep and tricep work. warmed up with elyptical for my shoulder then did supersets of strength and stability. Back, shoulder, back, bicep, shoulder, tricep. Finished with abs. One hour total. Did 3 set all rep range from 10-20. Everything felt good, and change in rep range was actually challenging.  Today is my fist day of reduced carbs.  So far so good.  Lots of protein and almost equal amount of fat.  Carbs throughout this 7 day period consists of leafy greens and green vegetables only.  Not tomato, root vegetables, grains, bread, etc.

SATURDAY- got a late start for my last long run. Had a client in the AM and then went out for my run. By time I left it was around 11am and warming up outside. About 55 out and warmed up throughout the run. Went over the bridge to the west side. Just going with the flow and enjoying my last decent run. Paris is one week from today. Ended up running my plan which was 10 miles at 9:20 pace. HR monitor went crazy again so numbers are off but think my av HR was 156 BPM. Yesterday was first low carb day and because of that my HR did go up after 6 miles. Did not use any gels or energy drinks and althouth my energy was ok was interesting that my Hr went up.

SUNDAY- easy day on my indoor trainer. It's nice enough out to ride outside so took the trainer to the back courtyard. Did a new Endurance program from my book. Warm up 15 minutes including easy pedal at 90rmp, alternating 30 seconds standing and 30 sec sitting for 5 min, and alternating single leg work for 1 min each leg x3. Set 1 was 6x2min at 70rpm in zone 1-2 with 1 min rest high rpm. Rest 3 min then 3x3 min 70 rpm or slightly slower in zone 2 again 1 min rest. This was supposed to be 6 sets not 3, but was feeling like too much work for my legs so I cut the session short. Tomorrow is some running at race pace and I need to be taking it all easy. This all felt good. Looking forward to a massage later today.

Totals:  7:40 min of training (way down from last month and i'm totally ok with that), 34 miles running, 1:45 in weights over 3 days and 50 minutes on my bike.  All is well yet still feeling some pain in left IT band.

To Eat or Not to Eat, That is the ???

Should you eat before your work out? Is it better to exercise on an empty stomach so that you tap into your fat stores and burn them away?  What if you have a sensitive stomach?  Should it be carbohydrates or protein or both?  The bottom line is that when you eat carbohydrate-rich foods before exercise, you will perform better, both mentally and physically, during the workout.  The question then becomes, what works best for your body Got a Sensitive Stomach?

If so, choose low-fiber and low-fat foods before exercise as they are easier to digest.  Also, try to eat at least one hour before beginning your workout.  Avoid foods like peanut butter and high-fiber cereals before your workout.  Fat and fiber hold food in the stomach longer, and with your sensitive stomach, you want the food that you eat to be digested and out of your gut when you start exercise.  Some good low-fat, low-fiber options are:  Banana, low-fat yogurt, and whole wheat English muffin.

Trying to Burn Fat?

While it’s true that exercise on an empty stomach allows you to burn fat during exercise, this does not translate to a reduction in body fat.  When the body is burning fat for fuel during exercise, it inevitably means that you are working out at a lower intensity.  What does that mean?  It means that you are burning fewer calories per minute of exercise.

To really blast through fat stores, you need to be in the carbohydrate-burning zone.  When your body is using carbohydrate to fuel exercise, it means that you are burning more calories per minute.  If  carbohydrate is not available, your intensity drops, both physically and mentally.  Therefore exercise on an empty stomach generally feels much harder.  Choose a satisfying meal or snack, but keep the high calorie additions to a minimum if you are trying to loose body fat. Give yourself 30-60 minutes to digest and then hit a high intensity workout.  Best lower calorie carbohydrate-rich foods to blast fat:  cooked oatmeal with some berries or banana;  whole grain (look for sprouted bread) toast with a light spread of almond butter (less than 1 tablespoon) and natural preserves; or low-fat yogurt and fruit such as fresh berries.

What about Protein to build Muscle?

Eating protein-rich foods before exercise won’t necessarily lead to muscle gain.  Focus your attention on complete protein from animals such as chicken, salmon, and turkey post workout when your muscles are more receptive to the muscle-building affects of protein.

Before any workout you need carbohydrates.  Carbs power exercise, especially high intensity workouts like weight lifting, cycling and running.  You can blow through your glycogen stores (carbohydrate stores) during a heavy lifting or cardio workout.  And when glycogen levels get low your mental and physical energy will drop.  When trying to build muscle choose pre-workout meals that provide carbohydrate and a bit of protein for extra calories.  Best muscle-building options are: Hummus and raw vegetables; Oatmeal with fruit and some low-fat chicken sausage; baked sweet potato topped with cottage cheese; or snack on edemame (soy beans).

Prime your body for exercise by choosing carbohydrate-rich foods for your pre-workout meal.  When possible, give yourself at least 30 minutes to digest the food and absorb the nutrients.  Experiment with which foods which work best for your body.

Paris Marathon- Week 1 or 3 Taper

This is my first week of tapering for Paris.  I'm 3 weeks out and am reducing mileage by about 1/4, from 53 miles a week to 44.  Longest run is 16 miles.  Really glad to have new sneakers. MONDAY- between morning clients I had half an hour to do some weight training. Until race is over i'm focusing on moderate to light weights, 8-12 reps, supersets of strength and stability. Less total body work and more focus on short workouts more frequently so everything gets trained at least 2x a week. Thursday this week will be the last of my leg weight training (i think), so lots of upper body work. Did 4 exercises for back and 2 for shoulders. Both shoulders are cold and my flexibility is poor this early in the am so kept everything pretty easy and focused on short rest.

Right after clients I ate a pear and got dressed for a run. It's dreary out, threatening rain but just looks damp right now and temps in low 50s. Going over the brooklyn bridge and up the west side for 10 miles. Should be a good combination of hills and flat. As I started running could feel some IT band pain which went away once warmed up. My tempo for 10 miles should be 9:20 but i'm feeling light and quick today so going to keep an eye on my HR and go with whatever pace  feels easy. Had to stop for a bathroom around 4 miles and took a gel at 5 miles and turned around. Feeling really good and pace is averaging 8:50. My energy and HR remained low so I was able to keep this pace working a little harder than planned up and down the hills. Final numbers for the main set of 8.34 miles was 8:53 pace and a nice low HR of only 150bpm.

TUESDAY- my only training for today is to swim so I'm taking advantage of the low work load and doing a cleanse/fast day until just before leaving for the pool.  I't been way too long and I need a break from food. Would like to cleanse all day, but know I won't be motivated to go to pool, nor will I have a good workout unless I have an Isalean shake before. Got to the pool early and had a nice easy workout. That was the plan for the day and I was happy to follow it. Did lots of drills. Sets were interesting. Combined freestyle and backstroke. Sets of 200 free then 100 back, 100 free/100back x3 more. Including drills and cooldown covered 2300 yards but didn't feel like it. My back stroke is getting a bit better, less water up my nose at least, and kicking takes less effort. Think my kick has improved a bit since last time I did backstroke. Found that the 100 yards following a set of back stroke really good, not effortless, but better than continuous sets of freestlye. Not a great day, took lots of concentration and i'm just not focused on swimming today. Didn't get as much work done as I wanted to and have more to do when I get home at 9:30.

WEDNESDAY Right after clients I went for a run. Did not have my customary shake, instead I ate mostly carbs. Had a hard boiled egg around 6, and apple around 8 and some energy beans right before the run. Wearing a new pair of shoes today. New brand (Mizuno) and model than before. Warmed up the 2 miles going to prospect park. The plan is to run the rest of the 6 miles at race effort. Since it is hilly and about 40 mph winds I'm not focusing on pace as much as HR and perceived effort. I set my Garmin at 1 mile intervals. The interval paces varied from 7:38 to 8:21 and the AV hr for the intervals was between 163 and 173. The total average pace was 8:00, juts 5 sec short per mile of my race goal, but feel considering the terrain and wind that this was a good race effort. Felt really good in the new shoes. Did not have any gels, just want more energy in my water. IT band was quite a bit better than my run on Monday, not unnoticeable, but much better. Good run. Will follow up with stretches, a mini shake and then weights.

After my run I went to my basement gym for a shoulder workout. Since my shoulder is nicely warmed up from the run I'm going for high volume, but still not too much weight. Did supersets of strength and stability. Rep range from 10-12 and all were 3 sets. Did 6 exercises, so 18 sets total. Everything felt good. Finished with upper body stretches and 10 min of bosu abs. Still have one more run today. Running with TNT in the evening. a 4 mile "tempo" run, which will be at 9:30 pace at the most. Think it's not a problem at all, but need to be conscious of the schedule moving forward in my taper.  It was a super easy run with TNT. Decided to add these runs, although they are short and very slow including walking as well as easy jogging I need to be aware of all mileage. Walk/jog 3.63 miles av pace 11mm.

THURSDAY- I had two clients in the morning and no time to eat so had a plum before my run. Felt good going into this easy 6 mile run but felt a bit low energy around 4 mile mark. Ran from John street, down chambers, up the west side and back up chanbers. So, mostly flat, but some hills. This easy 6 mile should be at a 9mm pace and HR in mid 150's. Legs feel good, but overall the run did feel a little harder than a typical easy run.  Should have eaten more.  Averages including warm up and cool down was HR 153 and pace 8:50.

This will be my last weight training for legs for about 4 weeks. Paris marathon is 18 days away now, and for at least a week after I will not be doing any weights. Did squats 4x10 reps, deadlifts 20x3 very light, leg extensions pretty light 3x10, cable lateral lunges with spinal rotation, finished with 3x8 single leg squats. All this in 30 minutes. Could have done at least 2 more reps for all exercises, so although it was a lot of volume the weights were pretty light.  Before my last client of the afternoon did abs and some foam rolling.

SATURDAY- This mornings run was fantastic. I got up and spent some time on the computer and prepping dinner to go into a crock pot so didn't get out the door until about 11. Had my typical long run breakfast which was a chcoloate isalean shake with banana, isagreens and Isacalcium. Added new insoles to the new sneakers and headed out. It's quite cold today. A bit of a shock to the system. Only 34 degrees and at least 15 mph wind. Going for 16 miles flat today. My last so called long run is next Saturday and it's a drop to 10 miles, so today is just get out there, have fun, go easy but push it a bit if you are feeling good. By the 3rd mile I was well warmed up and really enjoying the run. Shoes feel great, IT band pain on left leg is almost gone, gait is smooth, posture feels good, shoulder feels good. Pace going up the hudson river path was a little slower than the return because of the wind, but for most part was about 9:10mm with HR steady around 156bpm. Had a gel at 4 mile and 8 mile then turned around. Had last gel at 12 and a bathroom stop. Took the last 2 miles from top of the bridge home pretty hard. Added some speed pick ups. This run was supposed to be at a 9:30 pace and average pace for all but the warm up and short cool down was 8:58 and HR 157bpm.

SUNDAY- Had a good indoor trainer session today. Got a new book "workouts in a binder for indoor cycling". Been looking for more focused indoor trainer workouts and I think this book will help me through pre-season and give me options that are more demanding for race season as well. Picked a speed workout that focused on high cadence. Worklout SS4 Aero Position. 15 min warm up consisting of 5 min easy at 90 rpm then another 10 min at 90rpm but focus on pulling back on the up stroke. Main set is in zone 3 which was not a problem today. Most of them were at the top range and found by rep 5 I had to reduce the resistance to maintain the reps. Not used to working at such high reps but legs felt pretty good. Entire workout was in aero and took breaks to sit up during rest interval. did 8x3:00 in zone 3 with RPM averaging 93 followed by 3 min rest in zone 2 again high RMP about 85. Finished with 5 min cool down. Not a particularly hard workout but was a lot of sets. Thought it fit well into my race taper schedule.

Week totals: 9  hrs 45min;  44 miles running; 1:15 swmi; 1:05 bike; 1:30 weights over 3 days.  Feel good going into week 2 of taper, not lethargic, glad the real work is over.

Had dinner with a friend on Friday who ran Paris Marathon last year and clued me into some things that made me more confident.  First they hand out water bottles, very nice.  And the croud is a bit rough which I prefer because I hate being polite everytime I want to pass someone.

Paris Marathon- last week of sharpening

MONDAY- Today is the 3rd day in a row of rain. Pretty much no sun in three days and today is just an easy run, but i'm not feeling it at all. Contractor is in my apt again, so using it as an excuse to push myself out the door and run, in the rain, again. Was supposed to be 6 miles.. Legs are fatigued from 22 miles yesterday. I'm running below a 10mm at points, so figure, even as a recovery run, this is really not worth my time. As I was approachiing the Brooklyn Bridge decided to cut it short. Have lots of work to do today, the contractor should be gone soon, so will have a productive work day and save tomorrow for a good training day. Ran 4 miles 9:30 pace av HR 144bpm or about 73% max. later in the afternoon before my last client I had a quick short workout in the basement before my last client. Just did shoulders and abs. 30 min total. Wanted to do shoulders right after my AM run but due to contractor activities I had to wait till later. Flexibilty not great today so kept the workout light.

TUESDAY- I'm in the city with clients. New schedule starting this week since I added a client. Have a 1/2 hour break at 9am for breakfast and had a natural sweetened muffin, hard boiled egg and a banana. Then had a run aroun 11:00. My mid length run goal pace is 9:20, and today i'm doing 11 miles all flat and feeling like my pace will be a bit faster. Feeling energetic, but very conscious of my IT band tension. Wouldn't call it pain at this point. Will order new shoes later today. Ran flat up Hudson River Park for 12 miles total. It was a bit windy, but the first sunny day in 3 days and in the mid 50's. Ran into the wind on the way uptown at a 9:00 pace, ave HR 155 and 8:51 pace on the way back at HR 155. I'm feeling really confident with my increase in pace and lower HR over the last couple of week. I know I can run Paris under 8:00 average, it's now a question of traffic.

After my 12.5 mile run I wasn't feeling very energetic but got in a weight training session. Did legs and back, basically alternating between upper and lower body after each exercise. Couldn't do legs at the weight I wanted so did 4 sets at lower weight. Forgot to log this the day immediately, so don't recall specific exercises. Recall leg press (have not done that in a long time), leg extensions and the rest was back work.  NOrmally would swim Tuesday night but have other plans, so no swimming this week.

THURSDAY- Wednesday was a complete day off so on Thursday as the weather had shifted I was really in the mood for a good run. The weather has changed dramatically and it's spring! I'm running from John Street up the Hudson River Parkway for my last interval/tempo run before my race. It's warm enough to wear shorts and a sleeeless top, probably high 50's and the sun is in full force and there's a nice breeze. Warmed up 1.5 miles then 4x100 (goal 27sec) with faster pace than planned by 2-3 seconds. Then 4x200 (goal 54 sec) again faster at 51 seconds each. Feeling my IT band at times, but not really effecting my run. Took a break for about half mile at easy jog and then set my mind on MP of under 8:00 for 8 miles but wanted to focus on HR goal of 173-175. Problem was my HR montior was wacky, said my max hr was 248 and average 188 for the whole run. So not sure what HR average was but held my pace pretty steady for the 8 miles and average pace was 7:52. Had no trouble with breathing, more focus was on form and muscle fatigue. Feeling like new sneakers and 3 weeks of tapering will take care of any uncertaimty.

At John street after my run I had an apple and a shower. Fairly tired from the run so not going to do an hour of weights as planned. Doing supersets of shoulder and back. Fairly heavy for back and lighter on shoulders. Did 4 exercises each- all were 8-12 reps for 3 sets. Shoulder feels good.

FRIDAY- Today is an easy day and was going to ride indoor trainer but it's much to nice out so switching my Sunday and Friday workouts and running 6 miles easy over the brooklyn bridge. It's 70 degrees out and sunny. Supposed to be excellent weather tomorrow then get cloudy and colder so taking advantage of this perfect running weather. Wish my new shoes were here. It band was hurting a bit on the run. Mostly right in the middle, not in the glute like before. Warmed up easy 1 mile then went over the bridge and back. Not sure what my average HR was because my HR monitor went nuts again, but guessing around 158bpm and pace Average was 9:05.

SATURDAY- my traqining plan calls for the last really long run to be 3 weeks from my tace, and that's today. Next week I taper. Doing 20 miles in prospect park and the plan was to do a progressive run but not comfortable with that in these old shoes with my IT band showing me that I should have replaced these shoes about a month ago. Warmed up real easy to prospect park, about 2 miles. My goal pace for this distance is 9:48, but I've been running all my long runs quite a bit faster than that. Today is 20 degrees above normal, so about 70 out and it feels fantastic, but i'm going to just look at my HR and keep it well below 80% max throughout. I found that with this plan it was easy to follow, but at the same time the slower I go, the harder it is to hold that pace. Meaning, if i set my goal at 9:25 for the whole run I would have felt better than going slower than what is typical for this distance. In anycase, I felt i needed to take this run easy, the real training is over, I know what i'm capable of, and should just enjoy the weather. It felt more heated than expected for the last 6 miles and noticed my HR increased even though my pace did not. Ended up running the main set of 16 miles at 9:27 pace and AV HR of 148. Most of my steady state long runs have been at at least an average of 153, so was nice to see that if i focused that I can run long and easy. Max HR even with 6 major hills was only 164bpm, about 83% of my max.  Cant wait for new shoes.  The soles of my feet hurt.

SUNDAY- Today is a recovery bike ride. Got on my indoor trainer with a dvd that a friend lent me. Never done this and thought it would be nice for a recovery ride. When I have "work" I like to have my ride planned out, but thought a tour of Italy would be fun. Well I was totally bored. Thankfully it was a recovery ride because I never got out of zone 2 and after 20 minutes I decided to cut my 1 hour ride short to 30 minutes. Yes I'm fatigued, and yes it a sunny day that really deserves a run, but im just not into this workout. I felt today it was OK to just let it go.

Best news of the week was my tempo run with intervals plus MP for 8 miles.  Felt fantastic.  Bad news for week is that I really need new shoes and my IT band is hurting a bit.  Only at the beginning or a run or when I stop and then start again, but this isn't good!  No knee pain though.

Total miles for week was 53 (somehow i was short 2-3 miles from early in the week when I felt lousy).  I did weights 3 days for 1:30 min total, none of them particularly difficult.  No swimming this week and only a 30 min recovery ride on my bike on Sunday.  Next week starts my Taper and ned to really focus on Nutrition.  I'm about 5 pounds heavier than I'd like for race day.

Paris Marathon- week 9 of Sharpening Phase

MONDAY- I had a super easy run today, combining training wieh business.  Lots of  stop and go as I ran around brooklyn visiting businesses sharing information about Isagenix.  4.75 miles total.

Later in the day I wanted to put in more time for weights and yoga  but ran out of time. In my gym basement before my last client I got in 40 min of weights and 10 min of abs. Since i'm running tempo tomorrow and swimming i'm focusing just back and shoulder. Did sets of 4. Sometimes first set was light, but in anycase worked on increasing weights or shortening rest for each set. Did straight sets alternating between back and chest exercises. Lat Pd supinated, BB OHP, BB bent over Row, DB cg shoulder press, Ca bent over rev fly (light 4x10), Ca sa should horiz extension (light), DB lateral raises. Left shoulder was a little problematic on the reverse fly. Noticing shoulder work is much better after running.

TUESDAY- it's marathon pace day. I'm increasing the mileage at marathon pace from 6.5 from 2 weeks ago to 10. I'm fortunate to be in the city already so have the advantage of avoiding hills and traffic lights for a good chunk of the run. Did a two mile warm up over to the Hudson River Park and ran north. Had no problam hitting 7:54 pace and at first my HR was quite low.  Monitoring both my pace and HR with goal of running 10 out of 14 miles at 7:54 and HR 173. Today is the warmest day of the year so far. about 50 degrees by time time i was in the middle of the run. Wore shorts and tee shirt and felt great to not be wearing a lot. Had eaten a bran muffin, banana, and hard boiled egg about 2 hours before the run and stomach and energy was great. Also very little wind. A bit more wind the first half then the second. Had a gel 3 miles into the MP set and another 4 miles later. No stops for bathroom or water. Jogged briefly for gels and water and picked up the pace again with no problem. I ended up running the 10 miles at 7:52 pace and HR ave 175. I feel I could hold this HR during a marathon as long as I get the fluids and gels frequently enough. Average pace including warm up and cool down was 8:04! Great day for running. Best day of the year so far and this was my last mid distance marathon pace run so I'm really pleased.

I  intended to get in a leg workout but was dependant on how I was feeling and after my fantastic run.  After the run I just wanted to ea, so I had an apple then did Squats and leg extensions and thats it. 3x12. Will adjust my workout schedule so I can do a more thorough leg workout on Thursday.

It's been a real busy day. My kitchen is being demolished for renovation today so trying to stay away from home and it's not a problem with all the clients, calls, and errands I have today. Around 4:00 I felt a drop in my energy and wasn't looking forward to going to the pool. Made a dish of yogurt mixed with isa pro pure protein and that did the trick. Went to Roosevelt pool to swim with tritons. Today is tempo day but I'm not going to take it too hard. Focusing on form, flutter kick, glide, and putting just enough energy in to not sink basically. Did warm up and drills for 15 minutes. The rest is supposed to be at time trial pace which for me is 2:00 for 100yards. The test was from a few weeks back and I know I should be able to do under 2:00 but i'm just working at that level for today considering all the running and weight training i've done. Did 5x100@T with 15 sec rest followed by 5 sets of 150@T (30sec) 50 easy. 100's went well pretty much. Time was good but stroke rate not great. First 150 didn't feel great but time was OK. Feel like i'm working too hard so started to focus in on just being quiet in the water and a real een flutter kick. This did the trick, felt like a lot less effort and although my time wa off by 5-10 sec I was happy that I was able to make the adjustment. Not happy with stroke rate today. Most were between 22 and 25. Really want to get down to 20 soon. Will start to reduce running training soon and hope to see improvements in my swimming at that time. Did about 2300 yards total over 1:10.  Considering all the volume I did today, happy with the results of the day overall.

THURSDAY- Yesterday I did not train at all, except for 40 min jog/walk with TNT, and yet my legs are a little sore. Have not had time for Yoga much this week and I think that is one of the reasons i'm feeling tight. Had a good breakfast about 1.5 hours before my 10 mile run. I ran from John street along battery park city up to the Intrepid and turned around. There was some wind against me on the way up and quite a bit easier on the way back. Focused on HR instead of pace, although pace for this run was suppposed to be 9:20mm. I didn't take any gels and drank pure water. Wanted to see how my muscles would feel if I kept my HR below 80% most of the time. Really didn't feel the need for gels even at the end. The main set was 8.5 miles at HR of 152bpm and pace 9:07. This is a pretty good HR for me for this pace, so the bit of fatigue i'm feeling is not due to over use or inadequate recovery. My legs feel fine when i'm running, just a bit tired when standing and left ITband is still tight.

Following my run I had an apple right away to restore some carbs, stretched and showered. Then I did 30 minutes of weights focusing on shoulders. 5 shoulder exercises, 2 triceps, and light (180#) leg presses. No pain or discomfort in my left shoulder. Seems to be significantly better after running as the joint and surrounding muscles are warmed up and relaxed. Will continue working shoulders after my runs and not before them.

FRIDAY- in the basement gym between clients I put in a quick workout focusing on back and biceps. Not feeling energetic today. It's not so much physical as emotionally drained. Did 5 for back and 2 for biceps. Rps 8-12 and 3 sets each. Supersets of strength and stability. Also did some ab work. Will get on bike later today.

I'm not really into this ride.  I'm annoyed and distracted from getting my work done by the kitchen renovation but will do my best to get in a decent ride. Going to try something new today. 5 minute intervals at about the intensity i would ride a half ironman. My last race HR was average 161, but i dont't hink i'll be hitting that today. Just focusing on 75 or so cadence and moderately hard resistance for 5 min, then 5 min easy pace. Repeat 4 times. Found that a hr of about 142-148 was all I could sustain at the appropriate intensity. A bit disappointed as I don't know if that is more an indicator of fatigue from all the running i'm doing or if I have a lot of work ahead of me on the bike. Rode for 1 hour, did 4 ot those intervals, was fairly bored. Average cadenct for the work sets was between 74 and 80 for the most part.

SUNDAY- I was supposed to run a long 22 miles yesterday but it rained to flood levels and I didn't even run the 6 miles to finish off my week. So yesterday I took the whole day off. Went to bed late, was working on putting items back into kitchen now that the cabinets are installed. Plus clocks were set forward last night, so I got up late, still feeling lazy because it's still raining. Eventually set out for 22 miles flat in the city. Warmed up 1 mile to brooklyn bridge, went down fulton street and around battery pack city up the west side. Was not raining hard at first and run was quite pleasant except for the wind. Around mile 5 it started to rain hard, against the wind, skin soaked and cold...not fun. Rain slowed a bit and the return run was much more enjoyable. My long run pace is supposed to be 9:48 but that's never the case once I get out there, and today was no exception. In general used HR instead of pace for the run. Kept HR average at about 154 bpm, and took some of the hills on the way home a bit hard, but otherwise kept HR no higher than 83% max. Legs felt good, everything felt good, except my skin. Took a gel at 4 mile, 8, 12 and 16 and that worked fine. Walked briefly for each gel and had a bathroom/water stop around 13 mile mark. Aside from the rain I'm happy with the run. One of my better average paces, considering conditions, and my breathing and HR were totally under control. Think it helped to have two easy days prior (friday was bike and Saturday was off). Cooled down completely for a mile. Average pace for the 20 mile main set was 9:11 and AV hr was 154. Of all my long runs this was the fastest at the lowest HR.

Week totals wer 11 hrs 45 in with 50 miles of running.  1 hout on indoor trainer.  1:15 mi swim and 2 hours of weights over 4 workouts.  Good week.  Ordered new shoes after realizing i had run 750 mies in these.  OOPS>

Detoxifying Spring Seasonal Food: Millet

Millet is a grain that is fairly high in protein.  It is a gluten free wheat alternative excellent for consuming in the spring.  It has a sweet and salty flavor; is a diuretic; strengthens the kidneys; is beneficial to stomach and spleen-pancreas; moistens dryness; is alkalizing; and is anti-fungal- one of the best grains for those with Candida overgrowth. This simple spicy dish is versatile and is a hearty accompaniment to wIld salmon, a green salad, or steamed vegetables.  You can toast millet in a little oil before cooking to bring out the flavors.  For softer millet, add more water.  You can find this in boxes in the grain section of gourmet grocery stores or health food stores.  If the store has a bulk section it can often be found there as well.

Herbed Millet with Steamed Vegetables

1 cup millet

2 cups vegetable broth or water

½ onion finely chopped

3 small cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage.

Rinse millet well.  Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat.  Cook for 30-40 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed.  Serve warm with steamed vegetables, chopped raw vegetables, fish or a salad.  Makes 4 servings.

NATURALLY DETOXIFYING FOODS: Foods to eat and Foods to avoid

Whether you are transitioning to a cleansing lifestyle or simply want to be more knowledgeable of which foods to consume to improve digestion and overall health these are good guidelines to follow. Maintenance Nontoxic Diet Guidelines

• Eat organically grown wherever possible.
• Drink filtered (or properly purified water).
• Eat a natural, seasonal cuisine, focusing on fresh foods as much as possible.
• Focus foods on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
• If dairy and meat are part of your diet focus on low-or non-fat dairy products (particularly organic yogurt), fresh fish (not shell fish), organic poultry, and wild game such as buffalo.
• Rotate foods, especially common allergens such as milk products, eggs, wheat, and yeast foods.
• Cook in iron, stainless steel, glass, or porcelain cookware.  Avoid Tefflon and other fabricated non stick finishes
• Avoid or minimize cured meats, organ meats, refined foods, canned foods, sugar, salt, saturated fats, coffee, alcohol, and nicotine.

Foods to Include during a Cleanse

• Dairy substitutes: Rice and nut milks such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Non-gluten grains: brown rice, millet, amaranth, teff, tapioca, buckwheat, potato flour, quinoa, gluten-free oats.
• Fruits and vegetables: unsweetened fresh or frozen whole fruits, water-packed canned fruits, diluted fruit juices, and raw, steamed, sautéed, juiced or roasted vegetables.
• Animal proteins: fresh or water-packed fish, wild game, lamb, duck, organic chicken, and organic turkey.
• Vegetable protein; split peas, lentils, and legumes.
• Nuts and seeds: walnuts; sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds; hazelnuts; pecans; almonds; cashews; nut butters such as almond or tahini.
• Oils; cold-pressed olive, flax, safflower, sesame, almond, sunflower, walnut, canola, and pumpkin.
• Drinks: filtered or distilled water, decaffeinated herbal teas, seltzer or mineral water.
• Sweeteners: brown rice syrup, agave nectar, stevia, fruit sweetener, and blackstrap molasses.
• Condiments; vinegar; all spices including sea salt in moderation, pepper, basil, carob, cinnamon, cumin, dill, garlic, ginger, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, and tumeric.

Foods to Exclude or Minimize during a Cleanse

• Dairy and Eggs, even organic.
• Butter and mayonnaise.
• All processed foods: boxed cereals, frozen meals with additives, bread, canned goods.
• Gluten including sources from bread and grains including wheat, corn, barley, spelt, kamut, rye, and oats.
• Certain fruits and vegetables: oranges, orange juice, corn, creamed vegetables,
• Animal protein in the form of pork, beef, veal, sausage, cold cuts, canned meats, frankfurters, and shellfish.
• Soybean products such as soy sauce, soybean oil in processed foods, tempeh, tofu, soy milk, soy yogurt, and textured vegetable protein.
• Peanuts and peanut butter.
• Specific oils: shortening, processed oils, commercial salad dressings, and spreads.
• Drinks: alcohol, all coffee, caffeinated beverages, and soft drinks.
• Sweeteners: white and brown refined sugars, honey, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and evaporated cane juice.
• Condiments: ketchup, relish, chutney, barbecue sauce, and teriyaki sauce.

RENEWAL AND BALANCE: Why Everyone Needs to Detoxify

In an ideal world our food would nourish us and give us the nutrition we need to replenish our systems.  But since the world is far from ideal, our bodies need much higher levels of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants just to cope with our toxic environment.  The food we eat is for the most part “mass manufactured” and compared to 50 or 100 years ago, depleted in essential minerals, vitamins and may have genetically modified aspects which are very foreign to our bodies. Getting adequate nutrition from our depleted foods is simply not enough. Here are 8 other reasons why cleansing is important:

• Many people eat non-foods like MSG, saccharine, nutrisweet, splenda, artificial colorants and flavors which put stress on our systems.
• Almost all foods have pesticides, chemicals (PCB's, Dioxins), and Fluorides which come into our bodies each day.
• Most meats have antibiotic, hormone, and chemical residues.
• Most fish have mercury and chemical residues.
• Even if we are drinking purified water, most of us shower in water that is full of chemicals, or sit in Jacuzzi’s or swimming pools that are full of chemicals that enter our system every day that must be dealt with.
• Our foods are contaminated with phthalates from plastic wraps, Styrofoam, Tupperware, and non-stick coatings from fry pans which enter our system.
• Our clothes, mattresses, and sheets, are full of chemicals, flame retardants, preservatives, and anti-fungals which enter our bodies through the skin.
• Our air is full of carbon monoxide, petrochemicals, lead, mercury, plastics fumes, etc. which enter our bodies when we breathe.

Thus to flourish we must supplement and consume more foods that are naturally detoxifying.  Click here to learn more about my 12-week Spring into Action Cleansing and Renewal program.  And Click here to learn what foods you should be eating more of, and which ones you should be eating less often.

Make Small Changes for Big Rewards

When your diet is focused on detoxification it is also very important to get regular exercise as it stimulates sweating and encourages elimination through the skin. Exercise, including weight training also improves our general metabolism and helps overall with detoxification.  For this reason, regular aerobic exercise along with weight training is key to maintaining a nontoxic body, especially when we indulge in various substances such as sugar, caffeine, or alcohol.  Since exercise releases toxins in the body, it is important to incorporate adequate fluids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Sometimes people get discouraged because they set goals that are a bit unrealistic and then punish themselves for not accomplishing their goals fully.  In truth, the longest-term success starts with small, short-term goals.  I find when my clients set weekly or mothly goals it leads to more permanent changes in their food choices and physical activity level.  Try these simple strategies to keep yourself on track.

1. Keep track of your progress.  Try keeping a simple journal of your day’s activities including sleeping, eating, exercise and entertainment to discover the glitches and negative habits holding you back from your aspirations.
2. Find more ways to move.  Sure, a 30-minute cardio workout at the gym is ideal for breaking a sweat, but committing to adding small doses of additional movement throughout your day will help put you in a mindset for exercise.  Opt for the stairs, add an extra walk to your dog’s schedule, get off the subway a stop early, hit pedestrian-friendly shopping areas, spend 15 minutes when you immediately get home for some stretching or yoga.
3. Fatigue your muscles.  Don’t’ be afraid of lifting some weight and sweating a bit.  Fear of bulking up keeps many people (primarily women) from challenging themselves with heavier weights.  If you skimp on the pounds, you won’t stimulate the need for muscles to grow stronger and tighter.  Choose enough weight so you can complete eight to 12 reps. The last rep should be tough, but not so difficult that you can’t maintain good form.

"Spring into Action" Teleseminar Nutrition Program

Are you are ready to take your health and fitness to a higher level and would like some help? What you may be missing when it comes to making lifestyle and dietary changes that will allow you to take your health and vitality to a higher level is the right coaching and support.

For the first time ever I am offering a 12- week series of live holistic nutrition teleseminars valued at $1200 for FREE.

Do you ask yourself these questions?:

How can I reduce and eliminate un-healthy cravings?

How can I reach and maintain a healthy weight?

How can I adjust my diet so that I recover well from my workouts?

How can I have vibrant energy and mental clarity all day long?

How can I get the support I need to improve my health?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, it is worth your time to take a look at this video link here. The 12-week program incorporates a nutritional cleansing program and this video explains the health benefits.

Intrigued? If you are interested in learning more about nutritional cleansing and the 12- week program contact me today to get your questions answered such as:

What cleanse program will fit into my lifestyle and goals.  The nutritional cleanse can be easily modified to meet your individual energy needs and schedule.

How can I do this affordably, with no extra out of pocket expenses?

When will the program start and how do I prepare for the start of my program?

To support you in creating these healthy new habits my 12-week Spring into Action live and recorded teleseminar series will include the following topics:

Remember this FREE course is valued at $1200 Creating an environment for success.

Learn the difference between Primary and Secondary foods and how lifestyle affects your physical health and your relationship with food.

Breaking the food craving cycle.

How food choices can improve performance in endurance, strength, and flexibility.

How to incorporate more whole foods into your diet, including what to shop for and how to prepare.

Experimenting with the energy of food.  How to use a food log and learn how foods affect your energy.

The importance of hydration and nutrition intake in relation to exercise.

Sugar cravings and how to address them.

Improve digestion and assimilation of nutrients.

Self care for a healthier you.

The psychology of eating- it’s not that you don’t have will power.

Continuing with your success and how to move forward.

Each teleseminar will include time for you to ask questions, and the calls will be recorded so you can review them at any time.

The teleseminars will be on Monday's at 7:30 pm EST.  The first call will be Monday March 29th so contact me now to learn about the program and to enroll.

carlaweier@nyc.rr.com  or 917-292-2069

For more information on Carla Weier visit www.compleatfitness.com For more information on the Isagenix Nutritional Cleanse visit www.compleatfitness.isagenix.com