Thursday, June 28, 2012

before the Peachtree Road Race

Most of us will lay out our Peachtree Road Race uniform the night before. We will also pin our number to our outfit before we go to bed. The night before sleep is way less important than the night before the night before. We may stay up a little later the night before. Getting hammered the night before a race is not recommended but years of research have determined that Racing Under the Influence (RUI) can reduce the pain normally associated with "paying the price" during the race.
The first thing we will notice about the 4th of July is helicopters. Those of us that live near the course will hear the helicopters before we leave the house. Helicopters are everywhere. It is tradition to play "Rocky" while getting dressed.

With Rocky and Helicopters buzzing around our ears, it is important that we remember to walk out with our racing flats. "Racing flats" are another word for our lightest pair of running shoes. They are where the rubber hits the road. They are our most important piece of equipment.

Most of us will be meeting at PRUMC. It is important to remember that much of
Peachtree Street
will be closed at some point so; the drive to the Church will have to be on alternate streets. We will open Sports and Recreation where we will make our final preparations for the race.

Those of us with 4 digit numbers or less will get to run straight to the starting line and stand among the fastest men and women on earth. The spectacle of the PTRR starting line is as good as the race. Fast folks are warming up with their game face on. The press truck is loaded and ready to roll. Atlanta Track Club officials are walking around trying to bring order to the chaos. A big dog preacher says a prayer then the National Anthem is sung with a fly by at the end. Everyone takes their places and Tommy Owens (no relations) fires the gun.


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Peachtree Week

There is nothing we can do in the final week to help prepare for the Peachtree Road Race. All we can do this week is hurt ourselves. We are going to step to the line with whatever fitness we have attained in the prior weeks and months. The best thing we can do now is enjoy an easy week at Boot Camp.

Peachtree is now packed with folks getting ready for the Big Race next week. For us, Peachtree Road Race training started in the dead of winter on the hills and stairs. As the weather warmed up, we switched our strength training to tempo and lengthened our runs a bit. Then, as the Sun began to rise earlier in the workouts, we switched our tempo to speed.

The exercises we do allow us to take breaks during our morning runs without allowing our heart rates to drop toward rest. From a cardio vascular standpoint, we maintain 70% of our maximum heart rate for an hour every day. As we do this, we also build a muscular system that supports injury free running. The exercise combined with running give us well rounded, total fitness and can achieve an athletic physique that is popular today. It also allows us to race with folks who run twice as many miles as we do in training. We are a low mileage group that races like a high mileage group.


Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Plan for Fitness

We had a nice crew working out in ideal conditions this morning. Yesterday we did abs, today we did legs. We will do abs again tomorrow, upper body on Thursday and a combination on Friday. So which day is a good day to miss boot camp this week?

I mean, I guess I don't need a second core workout. My abs are so rock hard and ripped. And, that combo thing looks a little suspicious. If I go out Thursday late, I'll just skip Friday and go the the gym on Saturday. Maybe I'll do a long run on Sunday afternoon after Church. .....

At Peachtree Road Boot Camp, we live an active life. We train our bodies to perform the way they were created to perform. If the rest of the world wants to sit around and watch life pass them by, great for them. We work out every day. The daily discipline works like nothing else. We have demonstrated over the years the power of daily exercise to transform folks into healthy, productive (hot) robo-humans.

Take a few minutes to look at your schedule. Figure out how many weeks you are in town. Register and pay for Boot Camp.

It is amazing. When folks register and pay for Boot Camp, they show up and work out. Make a commitment and then again every night when you lay your head on the pillow.... I'm going tomorrow!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Fathers Day 4 Mile

Fathers Day 4 Mile

Prancer - 23:53 - 1st Master Woman 22nd overall
J. Shannon - 26:21 9th age group 59th over all
D Baker - 26:46 8th age group 65th overall
Glamour - 28:24 3rd age group 112th overall

Age Graded is becoming more popular during this second running boom.
Folks are giving way more at6tention to age graded performances. A 60 year old man can finish 100th in a race and have the top performance of the day based on this age "handicap."

Our race team ALL finished in the top 10 in their age groups. We are running at a middling club runner level on MINIMAL mileage. We are doing it with up tempo efforts (crazy 8s and road miles) and tons of exercise that keep our heart rates up on easy days.

For those who are interested in "going to the next level", this is the Prancer experiment:

Last 8 weeks mileage: 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 45, 40, 35. She has been "padding the book" before, after and during Boot Camp. The extra miles allow her to maintain lactate threshold for more and more minutes. While she was good before, the extra strength and stamina she is getting from the extra miles is putting her near some very good people.

Anyone who wants to can do this. It is a simple program that requires strict discipline and a sincere desire.

I phone camera sucks

Thursday, June 14, 2012

commitment


commitment:
1. the act of committing.
2. the state of being committed.
3. the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself.
4. a pledge or promise; obligation:
5. engagement; involvement:
 
The commitment is to Boot Camp, the folks we work out with and most importantly, to ourselves. This deal is a gift we give ourselves every day. Thanks for making it.


John S28
Margaret27
Lisa 26
Glamour26
Kaffee 25
Barb25
Dave B24
Arnaud24
Harriott 23
Caroline 23
Irene22
Cindy22
Charles 22
Amy22
Wendy21
Susie Mac21
Kathleen21
Jimmy F 21
Roxanna20
Maggie20
Susie C19
Mary19
Karyn18
Jen Jen18
Prancey17
John G.17
Mary M.16
Katie16
Jonathan16
Michael G.15
Mary D.15
June15
John O'Neill15
Reba14
Jenny14
Connie14
John O.13
Alan12
Yesim11
Christine/DQ11
Chris W.11
Paige10
John B10
Michael S.9
Liz9
Frank9
Steef8
Leslie8
Eileen8
Sally 7
Reid7
Molly D7
Jennifer/Jeff7
Fred Glass7
Ellie7
Cindy Neal7
Kwithee6

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Speed

Summer Track is almost over. The Olympic trials are about to start. The Worlds largest 10K is weeks away. Then, London will host The Games.

Everyone is trying to run fast. This morning, there were a half a dozen random folks doing a track workout before we showed up. They are "gettin ready".

Peachtree is packed all day every day right now. Folks are training for the big race.

We are sharpening. We have all of the strength, stamina and speed we are going to carry in the race. Now we are trying to identify and duplicate the pace we can comfortably traverse the Earth at Lactate threshold. How fast can we go and be relatively relaxed and not sucking wind?


John S27
Margaret25
Lisa 24
Glamour24
Arnaud24
Kaffee 23
Barb23
Harriott 22
Charles 22
Amy22
Roxanna22
Kathleen22
Dave B21
Cindy21
Susie Mac21
Wendy20
Irene20
Caroline 20
Susie C19
Maggie19
Jimmy F 19
Mary18
Karyn18
Mary M.17
Prancey16
Katie16
John G.16
Jen Jen16
Michael G.15
June15
Mary D.14
Jonathan14
John O'Neill14
Connie14
Jenny14
Reba13
John O.12
Alan12
Yesim11
Liz10
John B9
Frank9
Christine/DQ9
Chris W.9
Steef8
Paige8
Michael S.8
Leslie8
Eileen8
Reid7
Molly D7
Ellie7
Cindy Neal7
Kwithee7
Sally 6
Fred Glass6
Stephanie5
Matt 5
Jennifer/Jeff5
David Glass5
Mitch4
Kristen4
Jodi3

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Day 24

John S & Glam are getting ready for Peachtree. Margaret and Arnaud are seriously training. Barb and Lisa have gone full robobabe. Cha Cha, harRIOTt & K. Hop are steady and progressing. Everyone else is looking great and IN - Shape. Everyone with 24 days gets a Tee Shirt. 
John S24
Arnaud22
Glamour22
Margaret22
Barb21
Lisa 21
Charles 20
Harriott 20
Kaffee 20
Amy19
Dave B19
Kathleen19
Roxanna19
Cindy18
Karyn18
Susie Mac18
Caroline 17
Irene17
Jimmy F 17
Maggie17
Susie C17
Wendy17
Katie16
Mary16
June15
Mary M.15
Connie14
Jen Jen14
John G.14
Mary D.14
Michael G.14
Prancey14
Jenny13
John O'Neill13
Jonathan13
Alan12
John O.12
Reba11
Yesim11
Chris W.9
Frank9
Christine/DQ8
Eileen8
Leslie8
Liz8
Michael S.8
Cindy Neal7
Ellie7
Molly D7
Paige7
Reid7
Steef7
John B6
Fred Glass5
Kwithee5
Matt 5
Sally 5
Stephanie5
David Glass4
Jennifer/Jeff4