Planning an Off Season

October 25, 2013
Planning an Off Season

COACHING
Now that the tri-season is over and things are somewhat back to normal at work after a crazy summer, I asked my coach about a month agao if he'd be willing to start coaching me again.  I was pleased that he said yes.

RUNNING
Since the run is my worst event, we agreed that I would work on running for the off season.  I'm not sure how much faster I'll get, but my goal is to simply understand how to run.  So here's our basic schedule:

• Monday:  Swim
• Tuesday:  Short Run (3 miles) - or train with coach
• Wednesday:  SPIN
• Thursday:  Short Run (3 miles)
• Friday:  Catch up day if work interferes with one of the previous four days
• Saturday:  Long Run  (so far, up to 7 miles)
• Sunday:  Rest

During our one-to-one coaching, my coach films me running using a free ap on his cell phone called ubersense.  Films can be viewed in slow motion, stopped on a single frame, and saved.  My first film revealed that I am a heal striker.  In other words, I land on my feet when they are in front of me which puts my first contact with the ground in front of me and in essence, puts on the breaks every time a foot hits the ground.  So . . . here's what I'm working on:

1.  Cadence of 90
2.  Feet land below my body (which results in a mid-foot strike)
3.  Lean forward from the ankles
4.  Head up
5.  Chest up
6.  Butt in

My long run on Saturdays has been increasing.  I ran 6 miles on a relatively flat course a couple of weeks ago and felt great.  So . . . I figured I could do a half marathon and immediately registered for the Kentucky Derby Half Marathon in April.  I asked my coach if he thought I was crazy.  He said no, so I'm going for it!

WEIGHT
The biggest reason that I run slow is because I'm still grossly overweight.  I need to loose another 55 pounds.  So . . . my second goal is to continue to lose weight by eating healthy.  I find that it helps when I eat the same thing every day.  A list of what I'm eating is below.  I also do a controlled cheat day once a week where I eat anything I want but with a 2,000 calorie limit.  With my exercise and this diet, I'm losing around 2 pounds a week and don't feel hungry.

Breakfast
Oatmeal - 1C
Plain Yogurt - 1C
Multivitamin
Peppermint tea - 11 oz

Office
Peppermint tea - 11 oz

Lunch
Sprouted rye bread - 1 slice
Plain yogurt - 1C
1 large apple
Green tea - 11 oz

Dinner
Egg Beaters (southwestern) - equivalent to 11 egg whites
Sprouted rye bread - 2 slices
V8 juice - 12 oz

Snack
Gel bites - 2 bags
Peppermint tea - 11 oz