We played Twilight Princess for around 12 hours.
Then we weighed ourselves
Phil
140.9 lbs (+/- 0)
19.72
Niki
123.7 lbs (- 1.1)
24.28
Niki lost weight! And Phil didn't! GOOD WEEK!
28 February 2010
27 February 2010
Repeat: Santa Ema Reserve Merlot 2007
We had a bottle of Santa Ema Reserve Merlot 2007 with dinner tonight. It was very good. We've had it before, but this time we actually got to drink the whole bottle instead of only half (we cooked with it last time). Yum!
Marathon Training Day 34
5 miles at the Rec on treadmills.
Phil
5 miles / 62:34
12.513 minutes / mile
Niki
5 miles / 64:18
12.86 minutes / mile
Phil ran in VFFs and Niki ran in shoes. Phil ran at Niki's pace most of the time. He sped up towards the end, but only ran when she ran and walked whenever she walked.
It was an easy 5 miles. Feels good.
There was a dance marathon going on at the Rec, looked like fun.
We played 6.5 hours of Twilight Princess today. We beat the game in 51 hours 3 years ago. Such an awesome game.
Good day.
Phil
5 miles / 62:34
12.513 minutes / mile
Niki
5 miles / 64:18
12.86 minutes / mile
Phil ran in VFFs and Niki ran in shoes. Phil ran at Niki's pace most of the time. He sped up towards the end, but only ran when she ran and walked whenever she walked.
It was an easy 5 miles. Feels good.
There was a dance marathon going on at the Rec, looked like fun.
We played 6.5 hours of Twilight Princess today. We beat the game in 51 hours 3 years ago. Such an awesome game.
Good day.
26 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 33
Today was a day of rest so we obeyed. Like pros.
Now we are watching olympic speed skating! Go Apolo Ohno!
Tisdale Merlot NV
The Wine
Region: California
Vineyards: Tisdale Vineyards
Grapes: Merlot
Oak: ??? Probably none
Price: $4
Tasting Notes
Look: Light red or a translucent purple.
Smell: Fruity.
Attack: Immediately dry, you can taste the alcohol.
Evolution: Berries, mostly black cherry.
Finish: A little bitter, the flavor goes away but the dryness lingers.
This wine was on sale for cheap so we bought a bottle to cook with. We poured one glass to taste and the rest of the bottle went in a bag to marinate meat for boeuf a la bourguignonne. It's not the best merlot we've ever tasted, but it is definitely worth the money we paid. This is a great wine for cooking since it's cheaper than the cooking wine sold in grocery stores.
25 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 32
3 miles at the Rec on treadmills in VFFs.
Phil & Niki
3 miles / 38:05
12.694 minutes / mile
We ran at Niki's pace today because yesterday she said she was pushing herself too hard to keep up with me. It was a pretty easy run today. Felt good.
Tomorrow is a rest day and, hopefully, a new wine day!
Phil & Niki
3 miles / 38:05
12.694 minutes / mile
We ran at Niki's pace today because yesterday she said she was pushing herself too hard to keep up with me. It was a pretty easy run today. Felt good.
Tomorrow is a rest day and, hopefully, a new wine day!
24 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 31
Niki here. We ran 4 miles at the rec today. I wore regular running shoes and Phil ran in his Vibrams. Today felt a lot harder than usual for me. By the end of the run I felt very worn out like I had no energy left. Phil felt fine though.
Phil
4 miles /42:50
10.71 minutes / mile
Niki
4 miles / 51:44
12.93 minutes / mile
I hope today only felt hard because I had a long day and I've been very tired lately. I had an early class this morning, which meant I didn't get enough sleep, and I stayed late to get research done. I am definitely taking it a little easier tomorrow and hopefully getting enough sleep tonight.
23 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 30
Niki here. We ran an easy 3 miles at the rec today in our Vibrams. My calves hurt a little, but not as much as they did last week. I am slowly building up muscle in my legs.
Phil
3 miles / 29:00
9.667 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 37:12
12.4 minutes / mile
We both beat our best times today! We are awesome! Running is getting easier every time. Eventually I will get my pace down to 12 minutes per mile. For now, I'm just glad I feel good after I run.
We are watching the olympics right now. They are showing women's figure skating. Neither of us like figure skating much. I would much rather watch hockey or curling. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
22 February 2010
21 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 28
Cross Training with Wii Fit.
Phil
Weight: 140.9 (-0.2)
BMI: 19.72
Niki
Weight: 124.8 (+0.7)
BMI: 24.50
Niki and I need to work a bit harder to move towards our goals. I will work on eating more and Niki will work on eating less. Goal for next week: to see a weight gain for Phil and a weight loss for Niki.
Phil
Weight: 140.9 (-0.2)
BMI: 19.72
Niki
Weight: 124.8 (+0.7)
BMI: 24.50
Niki and I need to work a bit harder to move towards our goals. I will work on eating more and Niki will work on eating less. Goal for next week: to see a weight gain for Phil and a weight loss for Niki.
Chateau Ducla Bordeaux Superieur 2000
Region: Bordeaux, France
Vineyards: Chateau Ducla
Grapes: 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc
Oak: ???
Price: $13
Tasting Notes
Look: Dark, dark red.
Smell: Smells good? Not a big smell, but deep, a little complex.
Attack: Blackberry? (The bottle says we should taste it)
Evolution: Dry, subtle/mild flavor.
Finish: Dry, not very long,
Overall, quite good. It's a 2000 vintage, which means there's not many bottles left in the store. If we see it again when we go back to the store, we'll get it again. Phil drank 3/4 the bottle.
20 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 27
7 miles on treadmills at the Rec. Not in Vibrams because our calves and ankles are not ready.
Phil
7 miles / 84:12
12.029 minutes / mile
Niki
7 miles / 94:21
13.479 minutes / mile
I ran 6 miles at a 12 minute/mile pace and only stopped to walk long enough at the 6 mile mark to drink some water. I can tell that my stamina has increased. I had a great time running today. My knees were a bit sore right after the run, but the loosened up with some stretching. Also, my HR peaked around 166.
And Niki did very well, also! She beat her/our last 7 mile time by 8 minutes.
When we got home, I took ibuprofen and iced my calves to head off the inflammation and pain that I think might be impending. We'll see how my calves feel tomorrow. Niki didn't ice or take any drugs, so if I am much better off than she is, I'll know I did something right.
Niki introduced some high school girls to engineering today. Go Women in Engineering!
We went to see a bunraku-style puppet show of The Hobbit this afternoon: it was god-awfully horrible. Niki and I wanted to walk out. But, we couldn't, so we tried to fall asleep. Didn't help much. Never again shall we even consider a show which is even remotely appropriate for children.
Looking forward to cross training tomorrow.
Phil
7 miles / 84:12
12.029 minutes / mile
Niki
7 miles / 94:21
13.479 minutes / mile
I ran 6 miles at a 12 minute/mile pace and only stopped to walk long enough at the 6 mile mark to drink some water. I can tell that my stamina has increased. I had a great time running today. My knees were a bit sore right after the run, but the loosened up with some stretching. Also, my HR peaked around 166.
And Niki did very well, also! She beat her/our last 7 mile time by 8 minutes.
When we got home, I took ibuprofen and iced my calves to head off the inflammation and pain that I think might be impending. We'll see how my calves feel tomorrow. Niki didn't ice or take any drugs, so if I am much better off than she is, I'll know I did something right.
Niki introduced some high school girls to engineering today. Go Women in Engineering!
We went to see a bunraku-style puppet show of The Hobbit this afternoon: it was god-awfully horrible. Niki and I wanted to walk out. But, we couldn't, so we tried to fall asleep. Didn't help much. Never again shall we even consider a show which is even remotely appropriate for children.
Looking forward to cross training tomorrow.
19 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 26
Rest.
Our calves are still a bit sore. So, rest feels good.
Today was completely unproductive. Just not motivated to do work, today. Watching the Olympics now.
Tomorrow is a 7 mile run.
Our calves are still a bit sore. So, rest feels good.
Today was completely unproductive. Just not motivated to do work, today. Watching the Olympics now.
Tomorrow is a 7 mile run.
18 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 25
3 miles on ellipticals at the Rec.
Phil
3 miles / 36:28
12.156 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 34:58
11.656 minutes / mile
Niki beat me!
We did ellipticals because the 3 miles in VFFs yesterday were rough on our calves. Niki was on a standard elliptical. I was on this odd ambiguous motion elliptical. It wasn't really an elliptical, it was like a cross between a stair master and an elliptical. I could move my legs in whatever way I chose. It was actually harder than running on a treadmill because I had to do work to move my feet forward. Very odd and very tiring.
We didn't even finish running until 12:30am (I am back posting this for archival purposes). So tired.
Phil
3 miles / 36:28
12.156 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 34:58
11.656 minutes / mile
Niki beat me!
We did ellipticals because the 3 miles in VFFs yesterday were rough on our calves. Niki was on a standard elliptical. I was on this odd ambiguous motion elliptical. It wasn't really an elliptical, it was like a cross between a stair master and an elliptical. I could move my legs in whatever way I chose. It was actually harder than running on a treadmill because I had to do work to move my feet forward. Very odd and very tiring.
We didn't even finish running until 12:30am (I am back posting this for archival purposes). So tired.
17 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 24
3 miles on treadmills in Vibrams at the Rec.
Phil
3 miles / 29:06
9.7 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 43:12
14.4 minutes / mile
Personal Best for Phil! WHOOP!
I ran at 6.2 (9.667 minutes / mile) the entire time. It actually didn't feel too bad. And it feels great to have run 3 miles in less than 30 minutes.
Niki, on the other hand, was having calf pain issues and ended up walking most of the way. Her calves hurt even more now. She refused to take ibuprofen or ice them. She'll probably be in pretty poor shape tomorrow. I feel for her. She feels how I felt when I first got my Vibrams: righteously awful calf pain. It goes away eventually as your calves get stronger. But those first couple of weeks are rough.
We ran late tonight because my meeting with Rego lasted a very long time and the Olympics are on. It's surprisingly hard to get motivated to run while the Olympics are on. It feels so good to just sit in front of the TV and watch other people engage in athletics. But, then something about figure skating came on and we had no problem turning it off.
And now I have to wait before I can go to bed so my post-run snack can settle. So, you get to read more while I wait.
I finished reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It is an extremely good book which I highly recommend. It was recommended to me by a friend who told me it helped renew his love for running and he thought it would fire me up about running (since we are training for a marathon we definitely need firing up). It fired me up all right. I finished it in 3 days and lost several hours of sleep because I could not put it down. I even had dreams about running. Which is awesome! I cannot wait until it warms up so Niki and I can go running outside and really reap one of the best things about running: nature. Trail running is something I am really looking forward to. Niki doesn't want to start reading it until she finishes re-reading Lord of the Rings for the 6th or 7th time. LotR is also a great book, so I understand her reasoning. But I still cannot wait for her to start reading Born to Run because I know that she is really going to enjoy it.
Special Note: My heart rate peaked somewhere around 165 - 170 and was under 100 again before I stepped off the treadmill after my cool down. That is awesome considering that when we first started training my HR would peak at over 200 and I wouldn't have even run a mile (and that was at a slower pace). I was in the zone for a very fit person my age. Apparently, I am very fit. Or, I am not very fit (only moderately fit) and I was working too hard. Niki's HR is seeing similar improvement. (My HR right now, more or less at rest, is 88 bpm. So, I'm not a well conditioned athlete yet. Actually, that's a very bad RHR. Maybe blogging is more stimulating than I thought. Or, I am in terrible shape and it's a miracle I survived today's run.)
Phil
3 miles / 29:06
9.7 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 43:12
14.4 minutes / mile
Personal Best for Phil! WHOOP!
I ran at 6.2 (9.667 minutes / mile) the entire time. It actually didn't feel too bad. And it feels great to have run 3 miles in less than 30 minutes.
Niki, on the other hand, was having calf pain issues and ended up walking most of the way. Her calves hurt even more now. She refused to take ibuprofen or ice them. She'll probably be in pretty poor shape tomorrow. I feel for her. She feels how I felt when I first got my Vibrams: righteously awful calf pain. It goes away eventually as your calves get stronger. But those first couple of weeks are rough.
We ran late tonight because my meeting with Rego lasted a very long time and the Olympics are on. It's surprisingly hard to get motivated to run while the Olympics are on. It feels so good to just sit in front of the TV and watch other people engage in athletics. But, then something about figure skating came on and we had no problem turning it off.
And now I have to wait before I can go to bed so my post-run snack can settle. So, you get to read more while I wait.
I finished reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It is an extremely good book which I highly recommend. It was recommended to me by a friend who told me it helped renew his love for running and he thought it would fire me up about running (since we are training for a marathon we definitely need firing up). It fired me up all right. I finished it in 3 days and lost several hours of sleep because I could not put it down. I even had dreams about running. Which is awesome! I cannot wait until it warms up so Niki and I can go running outside and really reap one of the best things about running: nature. Trail running is something I am really looking forward to. Niki doesn't want to start reading it until she finishes re-reading Lord of the Rings for the 6th or 7th time. LotR is also a great book, so I understand her reasoning. But I still cannot wait for her to start reading Born to Run because I know that she is really going to enjoy it.
Special Note: My heart rate peaked somewhere around 165 - 170 and was under 100 again before I stepped off the treadmill after my cool down. That is awesome considering that when we first started training my HR would peak at over 200 and I wouldn't have even run a mile (and that was at a slower pace). I was in the zone for a very fit person my age. Apparently, I am very fit. Or, I am not very fit (only moderately fit) and I was working too hard. Niki's HR is seeing similar improvement. (My HR right now, more or less at rest, is 88 bpm. So, I'm not a well conditioned athlete yet. Actually, that's a very bad RHR. Maybe blogging is more stimulating than I thought. Or, I am in terrible shape and it's a miracle I survived today's run.)
16 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 23
3 miles on treadmills in Vibrams at the Rec.
Phil
3 miles / 30:38
10.211 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 37:42
12.567 minutes / mile
Niki shattered her personal best today. BAM! Way to go, Niki.
My treadmill was possessed. It had a 30 minute limit and it wanted me to run 3 miles in those 30 minutes. Well, so did I, but it was a bit overzealous. I put it at 6 and it went at 6.6. I thought, OK... I can do this. NOT. I dropped to a walk at .7 miles and caught my breath and worked out a side cramp. When I started running again, I put it back at 6 and it went to 7! I managed to convince it to slow the hell down to 6.3 or so and was able to run for a while longer. I ended up stopping and walking 3 times (Niki only stopped and walked twice!) and pounded my way to barely beating my last time. Had the machine not been trying to make me make up lost time by running too fast, I probably wouldn't have been so gassed and probably could have made it 3 miles in under 30 minutes. Oh well, next time... i.e. tomorrow.
Phil
3 miles / 30:38
10.211 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 37:42
12.567 minutes / mile
Niki shattered her personal best today. BAM! Way to go, Niki.
My treadmill was possessed. It had a 30 minute limit and it wanted me to run 3 miles in those 30 minutes. Well, so did I, but it was a bit overzealous. I put it at 6 and it went at 6.6. I thought, OK... I can do this. NOT. I dropped to a walk at .7 miles and caught my breath and worked out a side cramp. When I started running again, I put it back at 6 and it went to 7! I managed to convince it to slow the hell down to 6.3 or so and was able to run for a while longer. I ended up stopping and walking 3 times (Niki only stopped and walked twice!) and pounded my way to barely beating my last time. Had the machine not been trying to make me make up lost time by running too fast, I probably wouldn't have been so gassed and probably could have made it 3 miles in under 30 minutes. Oh well, next time... i.e. tomorrow.
15 February 2010
14 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 21
Niki here. Today was cross training so we played 30 minutes of wii fit and cleaned the apartment. Cleaning the apartment wasn't much fun, but it really needed it and it's so much better now. On the other hand, rhythm boxing on wii fit is a ton of fun! I also like the hula hoop, but six minutes of that wears me out. Time for body stats!
Phil
Weight: 141.1 lbs (-1.3 from last week)
BMI: 19.75
Niki
Weight: 124.1 lbs (+0.2 from last week)
BMI: 24.37
I gained a tiny bit this week and Phil lost about a pound, but we're still going strong. My goal for the next week is to eat Phil's granola bars less often. Phil's goal is to snack more. He got a few high protein bars to try on days we run so we will see how they work out. 3 training weeks down and only 35 left to go!
13 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 20
6 miles at the CC.
Phil
6 miles / 82 minutes
13.667 minutes / mile
Niki
6 miles / 85 minutes
14.167 minutes / mile
We ran at the same pace for the first 4 miles and then Niki said I could 'run ahead' if I wanted to. So, I did. We both felt really tired today and running the 6 miles was pretty tough. When we got home, Niki wasn't hungry but I was STARVING. Running 6 miles took a lot of energy that I apparently didn't have.
The Aggies pulled out a win over Tech. And the Boilermakers beat Iowa. Both our teams won today, so that was nice. We wanted to watch the Olympics tonight, but NBC is completely off air right now in Indy, so we can't. Unacceptable. So, we're watching Tennessee at Kentucky. Should be a good game, but Niki isn't interested in Basketball. (Ooo... Tenn came back from 0-6 to lead 7-6 just now... nice!)
Tomorrow is cross training and apartment cleaning.
Phil
6 miles / 82 minutes
13.667 minutes / mile
Niki
6 miles / 85 minutes
14.167 minutes / mile
We ran at the same pace for the first 4 miles and then Niki said I could 'run ahead' if I wanted to. So, I did. We both felt really tired today and running the 6 miles was pretty tough. When we got home, Niki wasn't hungry but I was STARVING. Running 6 miles took a lot of energy that I apparently didn't have.
The Aggies pulled out a win over Tech. And the Boilermakers beat Iowa. Both our teams won today, so that was nice. We wanted to watch the Olympics tonight, but NBC is completely off air right now in Indy, so we can't. Unacceptable. So, we're watching Tennessee at Kentucky. Should be a good game, but Niki isn't interested in Basketball. (Ooo... Tenn came back from 0-6 to lead 7-6 just now... nice!)
Tomorrow is cross training and apartment cleaning.
12 February 2010
Cherry Hill Vanda Pinot Noir Dry Rose 2004
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Vineyards:
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Oak: Stainless steel
Price: $10.
Tasting Notes
Look: Light red, dark pink
Smell: Fruity Pinot Noir, like a white Merlot
Attack: dry, light, fruity, not sweet
Evolution: dry, can taste the alcohol, 75% good, slightly bitter
Finish: nice aftertaste
We probably will not buy this one again, but it wasn't bad. It's a girly wine, good with light lunch or appetizer during summer.
Marathon Training Day 19
And on the 19th day, we rested.
Our calves feel fine even after running 3 miles in Vibrams. SWEET.
Tomorrow: 6 miles.
Our calves feel fine even after running 3 miles in Vibrams. SWEET.
Tomorrow: 6 miles.
11 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 18
3 miles downed at the Rec in our Vibrams. That's right, Niki's arrived today.
Phil
3 miles / 30:41
10.228 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 40:20
13.444 minutes / mile
I got to 2 miles pretty easily at a 10 minute / mile pace, then took a 1/10 mile water break and then ran the last 9/10 at a 9:40 minute / mile pace. I probably pushed a little bit too hard, but it felt so good up until the last quarter mile. My left ankle started hurting (on the right side) and I got a nasty cramp in my side. But I powered through (like a champ/idiot) and made it.
Niki put her Vibrams on as soon as she got them out of the mailbox and she didn't take them off until just now. We went grocery shopping before running (saw my advisor at the store) and she wore them while we shopped. She was pretty excited to have them, finally. She liked running in them quite a lot, too.
We both posted our best times yet. Niki is getting close to breaking 40 minutes. I probably still have a little ways to go before I break 30 minutes.
In related news, we have been exhausted lately. Also, I'm reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Great book.
Tomorrow is rest (yes, please).
Phil
3 miles / 30:41
10.228 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 40:20
13.444 minutes / mile
I got to 2 miles pretty easily at a 10 minute / mile pace, then took a 1/10 mile water break and then ran the last 9/10 at a 9:40 minute / mile pace. I probably pushed a little bit too hard, but it felt so good up until the last quarter mile. My left ankle started hurting (on the right side) and I got a nasty cramp in my side. But I powered through (like a champ/idiot) and made it.
Niki put her Vibrams on as soon as she got them out of the mailbox and she didn't take them off until just now. We went grocery shopping before running (saw my advisor at the store) and she wore them while we shopped. She was pretty excited to have them, finally. She liked running in them quite a lot, too.
We both posted our best times yet. Niki is getting close to breaking 40 minutes. I probably still have a little ways to go before I break 30 minutes.
In related news, we have been exhausted lately. Also, I'm reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Great book.
Tomorrow is rest (yes, please).
10 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 17
3 miles downed at the Rec.
Phil
3 miles / 33:52
11.289 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 40:59
13.661 minutes / mile
I ran on an elliptical because my left knee was bothering me today. Niki rocked out on a treadmill and is showing some nice improvement in her pace.
I think I might bring my Vibrams with me tomorrow and run/walk in them.
Phil
3 miles / 33:52
11.289 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 40:59
13.661 minutes / mile
I ran on an elliptical because my left knee was bothering me today. Niki rocked out on a treadmill and is showing some nice improvement in her pace.
I think I might bring my Vibrams with me tomorrow and run/walk in them.
09 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 16
On the first day of our third week, we ran 3 miles.
This morning, we got to the CC before it even opened (we walked through something near 4 inches of snow) and had to wait a couple minutes for someone to come unlock the door. The staff recognize us now. Dedication! Results:
Phil
3 miles / 34:15
11.417 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 41:26
13.811 minutes / mile
That is Niki's fastest time yet on a treadmill. I didn't beat my best time, but I ran the entire way, only stopping once for a water break. So, that's an accomplishment.
Niki has her last qual tonight. She'll be missing Lost. I will not be missing Lost. I will be torrenting it the second it is available online so Niki can watch it tonight. It is imperative that Lost be seen the night it airs or else the episode will be spoiled.
Tired.
This morning, we got to the CC before it even opened (we walked through something near 4 inches of snow) and had to wait a couple minutes for someone to come unlock the door. The staff recognize us now. Dedication! Results:
Phil
3 miles / 34:15
11.417 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 41:26
13.811 minutes / mile
That is Niki's fastest time yet on a treadmill. I didn't beat my best time, but I ran the entire way, only stopping once for a water break. So, that's an accomplishment.
Niki has her last qual tonight. She'll be missing Lost. I will not be missing Lost. I will be torrenting it the second it is available online so Niki can watch it tonight. It is imperative that Lost be seen the night it airs or else the episode will be spoiled.
Tired.
08 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 15
Today, we rested.
And now, we're watching HIMYM, Accidentally on Purpose, 2 1/2 Men and Big Bang Theory.
TV WIN!
And now, we're watching HIMYM, Accidentally on Purpose, 2 1/2 Men and Big Bang Theory.
TV WIN!
07 February 2010
Santa Ema Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Region: Maipo Valley, Chile
Vineyards: Santa Ema
Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Oak: 9 months in French Oak.
Price: $10.
Tasting Notes
Look: It is dark purple.
Smell: Fruity. Smells a little like rubbing alcohol.
Attack: Fruity, plum and cherry? (prune and cherry, apparently)
Evolution: Dry, subtle/mild flavor.
Finish: Smooth, leaves you wanting some more, slightly salty?
We liked it. We'll buy it again (and the Merlot from the same Winery). Like the Merlot, we used half this bottle in making Boeuf a la Bourguignonne. SMELLS SO GOOD!
Marathon Training Day 14
Today, we cross trained.
We played Wii Fit for 30 minutes each and then went grocery shopping. We didn't take a walk today. Body Stats!
Phil
Weight: 142.4 lbs (+2 from last week)
BMI: 19.94
Niki
Weight: 123.9 lbs (-2 from last week)
BMI: 24.32
2 weeks of training down, 36 left to go. So far, we feel like we are doing well. More importantly, we are having a lot of fun and feeling great (most of the time).
Today is Super Bowl Sunday. Colts vs. Saints. I really don't care who wins. Either Drew Brees (a Purdue Alum) leads the Saints to victory or the Indianapolis Colts (the Indiana team) win. I'll be happy either way. I predict the Colts will win, though. We'll see if I am right.
We played Wii Fit for 30 minutes each and then went grocery shopping. We didn't take a walk today. Body Stats!
Phil
Weight: 142.4 lbs (+2 from last week)
BMI: 19.94
Niki
Weight: 123.9 lbs (-2 from last week)
BMI: 24.32
2 weeks of training down, 36 left to go. So far, we feel like we are doing well. More importantly, we are having a lot of fun and feeling great (most of the time).
Today is Super Bowl Sunday. Colts vs. Saints. I really don't care who wins. Either Drew Brees (a Purdue Alum) leads the Saints to victory or the Indianapolis Colts (the Indiana team) win. I'll be happy either way. I predict the Colts will win, though. We'll see if I am right.
06 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 13
Lucky Number 13. We ran '07 miles today! WHOOP!
We ran on the treadmills at the CC. We went at about dinner time for normal people, so there was no one there. And then, we monopolized the treadmills for the next...
Phil & Niki
7 miles / 102 minutes
14.571 minutes / mile
That is a faster pace than our 6 mile run last week. Quantifiable Progress, WHOOP!
At the beginning, Niki was feeling not quite up to it, but then she rallied and finished strong again. She needs a couple miles to warm up. I like running at Niki's pace; it's not hard for me and I feel great during and after the run. Our current pace is slow compared to our goal pace of 12.5 minutes per mile, but we still have a lot of time left to get there, so we're not worried.
Our goal pace for the Geist Half Marathon is 13 minutes per mile. That's a fairly long way off from where we are now, though. 7 miles at a 13 minute mile pace would take 91 minutes, 11 minutes less than our current time. Our current pace is 4.1 miles per hour and our goal pace is 4.6 miles per hour. On the treadmill, the speed is measured in miles per hour and when we run at Niki's pace, we run at 4.7. Right now, Niki can only run about a half mile at that pace. A ways to go...
Niki ordered her Vibram Fivefingers today. She got the Pink KSOs.
Tomorrow's training is cross training: Wii Fit and some walking!
We ran on the treadmills at the CC. We went at about dinner time for normal people, so there was no one there. And then, we monopolized the treadmills for the next...
Phil & Niki
7 miles / 102 minutes
14.571 minutes / mile
That is a faster pace than our 6 mile run last week. Quantifiable Progress, WHOOP!
At the beginning, Niki was feeling not quite up to it, but then she rallied and finished strong again. She needs a couple miles to warm up. I like running at Niki's pace; it's not hard for me and I feel great during and after the run. Our current pace is slow compared to our goal pace of 12.5 minutes per mile, but we still have a lot of time left to get there, so we're not worried.
Our goal pace for the Geist Half Marathon is 13 minutes per mile. That's a fairly long way off from where we are now, though. 7 miles at a 13 minute mile pace would take 91 minutes, 11 minutes less than our current time. Our current pace is 4.1 miles per hour and our goal pace is 4.6 miles per hour. On the treadmill, the speed is measured in miles per hour and when we run at Niki's pace, we run at 4.7. Right now, Niki can only run about a half mile at that pace. A ways to go...
Niki ordered her Vibram Fivefingers today. She got the Pink KSOs.
Tomorrow's training is cross training: Wii Fit and some walking!
05 February 2010
Desert Wind Ruah 2006
Region: Wahluke Slope, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA
Vineyards: Desert Wind Vineyard
Grapes: 48% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc
Oak: 14 months in American and French Oak
Price: $16
Tasting Notes
Look: dark purple-ish
Smell: cherry and pepper
Attack: a bit spicy
Evolution: cherry, spicy, dry
Finish: smooth, lasting, gets better and better as you drink it.
This wine is very good. Very worth the $16 we paid. We will probably get another bottle when we go back to the store to get more wine. We have had this wine before at a restaurant (paid $36 for the bottle) and the bartender told us where we could find it for ourselves. We bought 2 bottles and we are saving the other one until 2013 (it's supposed to be quite good when aged).
Marathon Training Day 12
Today's training was rest.
Phil here.
My calves are feeling better today. Still a little bit sore, but a heck of a lot better than they were yesterday and the day before.
Today we registered for the Geist Half Marathon. It takes place in Fishers, IN, which is Northeast of Indianapolis. We will go down on Friday and stay the night at the hotel. Our training for the day of the race just so happens to be 13 miles (a half marathon is 13.1 miles), so it fits right in. We are looking forward to it. It should be a lot of fun.
Tomorrow's training is a 7 mile run.
Phil here.
My calves are feeling better today. Still a little bit sore, but a heck of a lot better than they were yesterday and the day before.
Today we registered for the Geist Half Marathon. It takes place in Fishers, IN, which is Northeast of Indianapolis. We will go down on Friday and stay the night at the hotel. Our training for the day of the race just so happens to be 13 miles (a half marathon is 13.1 miles), so it fits right in. We are looking forward to it. It should be a lot of fun.
Tomorrow's training is a 7 mile run.
04 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 11
Today, we ran 3 miles.
My right calf no longer hurts much at all. My left calf, on the other leg, still is sore. Mom recommends an anti-inflammatory and an ice-pack to combat the probable inflammation which is causing the pain.
We ran at the CC, which was unexpectedly empty tonight. Niki ran all 3 miles on the elliptical and I did 1.5 on the elliptical before deciding it was not enough of a workout for me and switched to the treadmill which was probably too much of a workout for me, given the state my calf muscles are in. Results, ho:
Phil
3 miles / 35:09
11.717 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 36:00
12 minutes / mile
I am offsetting the 300 calories I burned while running with another 500 calorie snack (the same as last night). +200 calorie run, whoop. If I actually manage to get fatter while training for the marathon, I am going to write a book and make tens of dollars teaching people with fast metabolisms how to gain weight despite exercising. Tens of dollars, I tell you!
I am going to go ice my calves now.
Tomorrow, we rest. Amen to that.
My right calf no longer hurts much at all. My left calf, on the other leg, still is sore. Mom recommends an anti-inflammatory and an ice-pack to combat the probable inflammation which is causing the pain.
We ran at the CC, which was unexpectedly empty tonight. Niki ran all 3 miles on the elliptical and I did 1.5 on the elliptical before deciding it was not enough of a workout for me and switched to the treadmill which was probably too much of a workout for me, given the state my calf muscles are in. Results, ho:
Phil
3 miles / 35:09
11.717 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 36:00
12 minutes / mile
I am offsetting the 300 calories I burned while running with another 500 calorie snack (the same as last night). +200 calorie run, whoop. If I actually manage to get fatter while training for the marathon, I am going to write a book and make tens of dollars teaching people with fast metabolisms how to gain weight despite exercising. Tens of dollars, I tell you!
I am going to go ice my calves now.
Tomorrow, we rest. Amen to that.
Blueberry Bran Muffins
Niki here. I just made blueberry bran muffins to have for breakfast for the next few days. I got the recipe from a healthy cooking class I went to as a part of Women in Engineering at Purdue. The muffins are very tasty and are quite healthy. Here is the recipe for all to try:
Linda's Best Blueberry Muffins (by Linda Monahan, RD)
1 cup buttermilk (or 1.5 tbsp white vinegar + milk to 1 cup level)
1 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
1/2 cup oats
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
option 1/2 cup chopped nuts
Add buttermilk to bran and let stand until absorbed. Cream together sugar, oil, and egg until light. Mix the rest of the dry ingredients together. Blend into creamed mix alternately bran mix and dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in blueberries and nuts. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins and freezes well. You can substitute your favorite fruit (dried apricots, cherries, cranberries, mangoes) for blueberries.
Here are the health stats per muffin: 237 calories, 32 g carbs, 6 g protein, 11 g fat, 21 mg cholesterol, 261 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 89 mg calcium
I actually made a mix of mini muffins and regular sized muffins with my silicone bakeware. I ended up making 12 mini muffins and 9 regular sized muffins. I baked my muffins in the toaster oven (which normally cooks things faster) so I had to decrease the baking time down to 17 minutes. I let the first batch go for 20 minutes and they were a little too brown for my taste, but 17 seemed perfect. I really like this recipe so I think I am going to bake a batch every 1-2 weeks. I think next time I will change it up a little bit and add mixed berries and see how that turns out.
03 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 10
Phil here (Niki is making Blueberry Bran Muffins).
Today's training: 3 miles.
My calves are KILLING me. The mile and a half I ran yesterday in the Vibrams is to blame, I think. Apparently my calves were not up for that level of activity and now they are letting me know in agonizing detail how they feel about my (mis-)treatment of them.
Oddly (or, maybe not), it hurts very much to walk, but it hurts very little to run or jog. So, I ran on the treadmill today. Bad Idea. I am hobbling around like an old man right now. And, we have to run another 3 miles tomorrow. I will need to find a way to do an equivalent cardio/endurance workout to running that will not be murder on my calves.
We ran at the Rec and we saw that they are asking students to try out new demo cardio equipment so we went to check it out and found a nice quiet room of brand new high tech cardio equipment. There were touchscreens on the machines. You could watch TV, plug in your iPod, or do really nifty visualizations of your stats while running. It was awesome. The user interface on my treadmill was not yet finished and I managed to get myself to a screen which did not allow me to return to the main stats screen with all the nifty visualization options. Oh well, it was still pretty cool. Niki ran on an elliptical machine again. Here are the results:
Phil
3 miles / 34:27
11.483 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 36:30
12.167 minutes / mile
To stave off weight loss, I have resolved to make my runs calorie neutral. That is, to offset the calories I burn during a run, I eat an equal or greater number of calories as a snack after the run. Tonight I burned just over 300 calories so when we got home I ate some yogurt (100 cal) and a glass of chocolate soymilk (200 cal), a granola bar (140 cal) and blueberry bran mini-muffiin (60 cal), for a total of 500 calories or +200 taking the run into account. On top of that, we had pizza for dinner.
Finally, having the iPod shuffle was nice during the run. I need to put more workout appropriate songs on it. Deathcab for Cutie and Owl City are not exactly conducive to pumping oneself up. A pretty awesome thing happened at the end of my run: I had 1/3 of a mile left to go and I was not feeling like running but then Disorganized Fun by Ronald Jenkees (longer album version: here) came on and I rocked the last 1/3 of a mile to what is probably my favorite jam right now.
Tomorrow: 3 miles.
Today's training: 3 miles.
My calves are KILLING me. The mile and a half I ran yesterday in the Vibrams is to blame, I think. Apparently my calves were not up for that level of activity and now they are letting me know in agonizing detail how they feel about my (mis-)treatment of them.
Oddly (or, maybe not), it hurts very much to walk, but it hurts very little to run or jog. So, I ran on the treadmill today. Bad Idea. I am hobbling around like an old man right now. And, we have to run another 3 miles tomorrow. I will need to find a way to do an equivalent cardio/endurance workout to running that will not be murder on my calves.
We ran at the Rec and we saw that they are asking students to try out new demo cardio equipment so we went to check it out and found a nice quiet room of brand new high tech cardio equipment. There were touchscreens on the machines. You could watch TV, plug in your iPod, or do really nifty visualizations of your stats while running. It was awesome. The user interface on my treadmill was not yet finished and I managed to get myself to a screen which did not allow me to return to the main stats screen with all the nifty visualization options. Oh well, it was still pretty cool. Niki ran on an elliptical machine again. Here are the results:
Phil
3 miles / 34:27
11.483 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 36:30
12.167 minutes / mile
To stave off weight loss, I have resolved to make my runs calorie neutral. That is, to offset the calories I burn during a run, I eat an equal or greater number of calories as a snack after the run. Tonight I burned just over 300 calories so when we got home I ate some yogurt (100 cal) and a glass of chocolate soymilk (200 cal), a granola bar (140 cal) and blueberry bran mini-muffiin (60 cal), for a total of 500 calories or +200 taking the run into account. On top of that, we had pizza for dinner.
Finally, having the iPod shuffle was nice during the run. I need to put more workout appropriate songs on it. Deathcab for Cutie and Owl City are not exactly conducive to pumping oneself up. A pretty awesome thing happened at the end of my run: I had 1/3 of a mile left to go and I was not feeling like running but then Disorganized Fun by Ronald Jenkees (longer album version: here) came on and I rocked the last 1/3 of a mile to what is probably my favorite jam right now.
Tomorrow: 3 miles.
02 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 9
This morning we went for a 3 mile run at the community center.
Phil
3 miles / 40 minutes
13.333 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 36 minutes
12 minutes / mile
I wore my Vibrams today and they rocked. My calves are going to be killing me for awhile, but eventually they'll stop complaining.
When we got to the CC there were already 2 girls in there so Niki and I ran on the ellipticals for a while. Niki ran the whole way on the elliptical (ran is not the correct word, because ellipticals are nothing like running) while I moped and was grumpy and slowly ellipticalled my way to 1.5 miles over 25 minutes. The next 15 minutes I spent running on the treadmill at a 10 minute mile pace in my Vibrams feeling awesome.
Bonus Round: My iPod Shuffle came today. I got the silver 2GB version. That's just over a day of music, certainly sufficient for a marathon.
Tomorrow is another 3 mile run.
Phil
3 miles / 40 minutes
13.333 minutes / mile
Niki
3 miles / 36 minutes
12 minutes / mile
I wore my Vibrams today and they rocked. My calves are going to be killing me for awhile, but eventually they'll stop complaining.
When we got to the CC there were already 2 girls in there so Niki and I ran on the ellipticals for a while. Niki ran the whole way on the elliptical (ran is not the correct word, because ellipticals are nothing like running) while I moped and was grumpy and slowly ellipticalled my way to 1.5 miles over 25 minutes. The next 15 minutes I spent running on the treadmill at a 10 minute mile pace in my Vibrams feeling awesome.
Bonus Round: My iPod Shuffle came today. I got the silver 2GB version. That's just over a day of music, certainly sufficient for a marathon.
Tomorrow is another 3 mile run.
01 February 2010
Marathon Training Day 8
And on the 8th day we rested. And Niki took a qual and Phil forgot to write on the blog.
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