Week 10

I got back on track and completed the scheduled runs.  However, I continued to use the strength training days as rest days.

This was the peak workout week and the long run was 10 miles.

My VO2 Max is recovering from the setbacks from the vacation and illness.  It fell to 37.9 (from a peak of 40.6) and is now back to 38.8.

CIBC Run for the Cure

The CIBC Run for the Cure is an annual fund-raising event in support of breast cancer research.  I had run it a couple times in the past to support friends with breast cancer.

I decided to do it again this year, even before it took on much more personal reasons.  Before we went on our last vacation, my wife had her regular, bi-annual mammogram.  The results came back with some suspicious calcification and she took an ultrasound when we returned.  She was immediately scheduled for a biopsy and at this point we're still waiting for the results.  We're hopeful it's benign but it's just a reminder of how close breast, and all cancers, can hit to home.

The run is 5K but it's not a timed event.  Based on my watch, I did the 5K in 25:31.

I even made it onto a couple of the evening newscasts.

Week 9

Vacation done - check
Recover from stomach flu - check
Ready to resume full training schedule - wait. what?

I thought that, again, I'd be able to get a full week's training done but it wasn't to be.  This time, I woke up a bit lightheaded and any time I bent over it felt like I was about to faint.  My blood pressure was lower than I ever remember it being recorded.  Of course, that meant taking another day off.

I resumed training on Tuesday with a race pace run.  I decided to do it outdoors, the first time off the treadmill in far too long.  I tried out my new FlipBelt to hold my phone and keys.  It works as well as all the online reviews say it does.  

The dizziness resurfaced on Wednesday and I was forced to skip the remaining training runs scheduled for the week.  My hopes of a sub-2:00 half marathon were slipping away.

Week 8

With the long vacation now behind me, I was looking forward to getting back to a full week's training.  However, stomach flu symptoms on Tuesday changed that and I took three unscheduled rest days.

I ended up sick for several days but did manage to do my long, very slow distance run for the week after four days without any exercise.  It was only 6 miles since this week was another scheduled cut back week.

Not suprisingly, my VO2 Max dropped again, and was now down to 37.9 which is less than it was when I started my training program.

Week 7

The vacation continued to wreak havoc on my training.  The only consolation was that I was walking considerable mileage in lieu of running.

Once home, I resumed training and this week's long run was 8 miles.  I did 12 miles for the week versus the 18.5 miles called for by the training plan.

My VO2 Max continued its decline, and was now down to 38.9.

Week 6

With long port days almost every day, there was no time for running.

I managed to get in a run on the lone sea day of the cruise. I did the week’s long, slow distance run of 7 miles.

My wife was up early the next day and decided to go to the gym so I joined her and managed to get in a second run this week before heading ashore to Quebec City.

The lack of running seems to have affected my VO2 Max.  It fell again this week, down to 39.5.