Revenge of the Turkeys

Posted by Mark

(Warning: for Mature Audiences Only)

I woke up early Friday morning and committed myself to do a 10K post-thanksgiving run. I knew I had over calorie consumed the day before and decided to burn it all off by going for a long haul. When I hit the pavement at 7 AM it was drizzling slightly but I didn't care because I felt great. Great that is until about 5K into my run. At about the half way mark, I started feeling some minor gastro-intestinal pressure that quickly evolved into an all out mid-section assault. All of the carbohydrate sins I committed the day before came back to haunt me with a vengeance and with unprecidented urgency. I'm talking about the kind of pressure that wouldn't wait until I got home. I had a problem and  had to solve it now.  If I had been running anywhere else and found myself in this predicament, I would have been heading for the woods looking for leaves and sticks. But since I always run in a County park I knew I was within striking distance of a much-appreciated and very timely outhouse. Upon arrival at the nearby structure, however, much to my chigrin I found the door unfortunately locked. Closed for the winter! Oh no, now what? I knew there was another outhouse down the road but I wasn't sure I could make it. Should I cut my losses and head for the trees or hope the outhouse is open and that I can make it without a total blow out?  I  took a chance and went for option B. But I had a decision to make; should I run and get there faster and continue to agitate my already desperate insides or should I walk slower and be kinder to myself?  I instinctively chose the former no matter the consequence because I HAD TO GO BAD and mother nature wouldn't allow me to wait. Try to imagine what it's like to run as fast as you can but all the while hold off the inevitable. It was dork walking in sprint form. After what seemed like an eternity I finally arrived at the front door of the next privy with everything still barely intact. I said a little prayer and gave the handle a pull. You can imagine my glee when the door flung open and there in all its glory was a clean, white porcelain throne embellished by a full roll of toilet paper. Problem solved! Within a few minutes the bad man was gone and I was off again on my journey ever so thankful for all modern conveniences and a running route never too far from a crescent moon.

Half Marathon Training Program

Posted by Steph

Begin with the end in mind...

We signed up, paid the money, and now it is time to commit! Here is a link to a 12 week training schedule. We have 22 weeks, which means we can repeat each week to get more training time. Let's commit and help motivate each other!!! We can do it!

http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/halfnovice.pdf

BEFORE STARTING TO TRAIN FOR A HALF MARATHON, you need to possess a basic fitness level. And if you are over age 35, you probably should see your doctor for a physical examination. But assuming no major problems, most healthy people can train themselves to complete a 13.1-mile race.

The above schedule assumes you have the ability to run 3 miles, three to four times a week. If that seems difficult, consider a shorter distance for your first race--or take more time to develop an endurance base.

Pace: Don't worry about how fast you run your regular workouts. Run at a comfortable pace. If you're training with a friend, the two of you should be able to hold a conversation. If you can't do that, you're running too fast. (For those wearing heart rate monitors, your target zone should be between 65 and 75 percent of your maximum pulse rate.)

Distance: The training schedule dictates workouts at distances, from 3 to 10 miles. Don't worry about running precisely those distances, but you should come close. Pick a course through the neighborhood, or in some scenic area where you think you might enjoy running. Then measure the course either by car or bicycle. In deciding where to train, talk to other runners. They probably can point you to some accurately measured courses for your workouts.

Rest: Rest is as important a part of your training as the runs. You will be able to run the long runs on the weekend better--and limit your risk of injury--if you rest before, and rest after.

Long Runs: The key to getting ready to finish a Half Marathon is the long run, progressively increasing in distance each weekend. Over a period of 12 weeks, your longest run will increase from 3 to 10 miles. Don't worry about making the final jump from 10 miles in practice to 13.1 miles in the race. Inspiration will carry you to the finish line, particularly if you taper the final week. The schedule below suggests doing your long runs on Saturdays, but you can do them Sundays, or any other convenient day, as long as you are consistent. (See "Juggling," below.)

Cross-Train: On the schedule above, this is identified simply as "cross." What form of cross-training works best? It could be swimming, cycling, walking (see below), cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or even some combination that could include strength training if you choose to do it on Wednesdays and Saturdays instead of as indicated on the schedule. And feel free to throw in some jogging as well if you're feeling good. In fact, on Wednesdays I offer you the option to run or cross-train. What cross-training you select depends on your personal preference. But don't make the mistake of cross-training too vigorously. Cross-training days should be considered easy days that allow you to recover from the running you do the rest of the week.

Walking: Walking is an excellent exercise that a lot of runners overlook in their training. I don't specify walking breaks, but feel free to walk during your running workouts any time you feel tired or need to shift gears. When you go to the starting line in your twelfth week, nobody will care whether you run the full Half Marathon; they're more concerned that you finish! If this means walking every step in practice and in the race, do it! Be aware that I also offer a separate half marathon training program for those who plan to walk all the way.

Stretch & Strength: Mondays are the days on which I advise you to spend extra time stretching--and do some strength training too. This is actually a day of "rest" following your long run on the weekends, so don't overdo it. It's wise to stretch every day, particularly after you finish your run, but spend more time stretching on Mondays. Strength training could consist of push-ups, pull-ups, use of free weights or working out with various machines at a health club. Runners generally benefit if they combine light weights with a high number of repetitions, rather than pumping very heavy iron. I also suggest that you strength train following your Thursday workouts, however you can schedule strength training on any two convenient days.

Take Time: Does the 12-week progression from 3 to 13.1 miles seem too tough? Do you have more than a dozen weeks before your selected Half Marathon? Lengthen the schedule; take 18 or even 24 weeks to prepare. Repeat the week just completed before moving up to the next level. Don't be afraid to insert "stepback" weeks, where you actually cut your distance every second or third week to gather forces for the next push upward.

Racing: It's not obligatory, but you might want to run a 5-K or 10-K to see how you're doing--and also to experience a road race, if you have not run one before. You will be able to use your times to predict your finishing time in the half marathon, and what pace to run that race. I have suggested a 5-K race at the end of Week 6 and a 10-K race at the end of Week 9.

Juggling: Don't be afraid to juggle the workouts from day to day and week to week. If you have an important business meeting on Thursday, do that workout on Wednesday instead. If your family is going to be on vacation one week when you will have more or less time to train, adjust the schedule accordingly. Be consistent with your training, and the overall details won't matter.
Running 13.1 miles is not easy. If it were easy, there would be little challenge to an event such as the Half Marathon. Whether you plan your Half as a singular accomplishment or as a stepping stone to the even more challenging full marathon, crossing the finish line will give you a feeling of great accomplishment. Good luck with your training.

This Half Marathon training schedule is only a guide. Feel free to make minor modifications to suit your work and family schedule.

Thanksgiving Day 5k

Posted by Steph

Thanksgiving Day is a day to eat right? Wrong. It’s a day to RUN! This year Cailey and I signed up for a Turkey Day run. It’s an annual event where they hold a food drive for the needy.



At 9am we arrive, bags of food in hand, at the designated starting point pumped and ready to run! (It is a balmy 27 degrees.)



We didn’t realize what a huge event this was until we were told to line up at the starting line. There had to have been a thousand people in attendance.



We ended up heading to the back of the pack and to our amazement we were going to share the road not only with dogs, but goats as well!



The race ended up being a total of four miles. We both survived; Cailey of course beating me! (I was so proud of her!)



This may become a Tucker Tradition! We had a great time, and all for a great cause.

Sheralyn's Victory

Guess who took 2nd Place in her age division at the Monster Dash!

Spin Crazy!

Posted by Steph

Tuesday night I mustered enough courage to attempt a spin class!

Upon entering the room I made a mad dash to the back row so I would be less conspicuous if my attempt failed. As I prepared to begin (adjusting bike height and distance to arm rests) I noticed a pattern; my other spin mates brought not only water, but towels as well. Why would they need a towel I thought? By the end of class I figured out why. We were all dripping with sweat!

For anyone who is getting bored with the same exercise routine, I highly suggest trying a spin class. It was a blast! The only thing that would have made the class better was if my sister would have been with me!

Back in my shoes again!

Posted by Mark

I exercised for 18 days during the month of October.  Not too bad for the fall.  Halloween, unfortunately, was the beginning of a quintessential nightmare.  I contracted the flu (likely of the oinker variety) the last weekend of the month and was sick for an entire week.  After that, it evolved into an upper-respiratory problem that lasted for a whole other week.  By the time I was feeling good enough to get out and exercise, the month of November was half over and the weather had taken a turn for the worse.  Determined to remain determined, yesterday (Monday, the 16th) I put on my shoes and headed for the lake regardless of my physical condition and irrespective of the elements.

I felt pretty good at first, thinking my fitness hadn't worn off too much. But things went down hill as I began to go up hill.  When I started climbing the damn (I mean dam) hill I really started to feel out of shape as the wind blew 30 MPH right down my nose. It was grueling to say the least.  Later, I even developed a cramp in my hip that almost forced me to quit.  I decided to persevere, however, and eventually completed the 4 miles albeit in a totally lackluster performance. 

All of the hardship aside, it felt great to get out there again and I feel like I have set the momentum for a winter exercise regiment.

Give Yourself a WOOT WOOT!

Posted by Steph

With the new time change and the cold weather officially upon us here in Utah the big question is how am I going to get my workouts in? If I am to be totally honest here, everyone who knows me well knows that I am terrified of the boogie man, and that I hate to be cold. So what do I do?

As I see it, I have three options. One, confront my demons; buy a can of pepper spray and hit the pavement bundled up like the kid on The Christmas Story. Two, I could quit. Or three, join a gym or buy a treadmill.

I am too wimpy for option one. I’ve seen too many results to consider option two, and I’m too poor for option three.

This is what I decided to do. I found an Aquatic Center not too far from my home that offers a punch pass and is relatively inexpensive. It has an indoor track, basketball court, weight room, pool, and all sorts of cardio equipment. It also offers a variety of classes; step aerobics, spin classes, water aerobics, and even yoga!

Today I decided to test it out. I went and purchased a punch pass, went upstairs and ran on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Then to get my punches worth I got on a recumbent bike for another 20 minutes! It felt great. I was so sweaty I wished I had shaved my legs so I could put on a swimsuit and go for a swim!!

Problem solved! Now, you may be wondering why give yourself a Woot Woot? Well, because as I was biking today I had an older gentleman sit down on the bike next to me and when he was done with his workout he stood up, clapped his hands and gave himself a Woot Woot! Now every time you get done with your workouts give yourself a round of applause for your accomplishment, and give yourself a Woot Woot! It will put a smile on your face(and those around you)!