8/29/2010

Menjo ran 26:56 alone

It was great to watch that kind of dedication. He didn't want to have any pace makers since he had to pay his tickets from Kenya and back. Weather was slightly windy and temp was 55F. He came and kicked ass (26:56.74)!!!

8/27/2010

Ninja!

Where are my mad ninja skills for avoiding injuries? Thinking twice, I have never even had any of those skills. Does anyone know any secret/less secret ninja clan/school for kicking injuries' ass?

The weather is getting colder here. That was sort of the first thing that crossed my mind while riding in rain. So it seems that Summer already left the building.

8/24/2010

I'm on a break

I've temporarely discontinued my close relationship with Trek. I have to give some mercy for my knee only because I cannot renew my whole left leg during the highly likely operation. Tomorrow there is, however, a chance to ride a 10km time trial, but I'm not sure if I'm willing to change my status as cyclist from recreational mental worker to competitive slow fart. I already tested 10km on my ride on Thursday (16:11) and on Saturday (16:00). Maybe the potential change would be too expensive for my life. Still, the only sport I'd like to continue is....... suprise........ running!

I'm really excited about that fact that Josphat Menjo (the Kenyan who rolled 5000m in 12:55 by himself) is trying to break USA's Chris Solinsky's WL (26:59,60) in our backyard (Paavo Nurmi Stadium) on this Sunday. Local newspaper had a story about him - he left Finland on Sunday and flew to Kenyan to make final preparations in high altitude. He said that if everything goes ok, he'll enough fit to his own personal pacemaker. Actually, there is NO Finnish distance runner to pace himself further than 3km.

8/22/2010

Yet another week on bike

Five days equals 186 miles. I'm happy with this version of mental healing, but left knee isn't feeling the same. Accordingly, I think I have to skip couple days and concentrate solely on stretching and core workouts.

And then something completely different: Kenya's David Rudisha ran new WR in 800m in Berlin: 1:41.09!!!

8/19/2010

Rain, rain go away

Yesterday Kenyan runner Josphat Menjo blasted 5000m in 12:55 in our backyard (at the Paavo Nurmi Stadium). That's fast, 10th best time in this years stats. Nice job alone without pacemakers!

It was also pretty rainy yesterday which meant no biking -day. Further, my left (suprise) knee started to ache after Tuesday morning's ride (6:00 AM w/ Aki). Fortunately, today is sunny. So, I'm good.

8/17/2010

Still on bike

I took Sunday off. Didn't feel a thing. Still I had almost 220 miles done in last six days. Not lot for a cyclist, but I'm okay with that.

Yesterday I took back the lazyness by riding tempo repeats to headwind. That - of course - sucked but in a good way. My things died already during the first 2 minutes "on" but relaxed to some degree during the "off". After the third one I was pretty much done/beaten/cooked/finished but I continued some more. I haven't spend this much fun time w/ lactic acid since our stay in the US. I vaguely remember that last Summer I met her while climbing up Mt. Nasty.

I also got an appointment with nr 1 sports surgeon (who operated David Beckham last Spring) just to check out what's up. Yesterday hamstring started to hurt a bit but achilles tendon was silent. It seems to ache only when I walk (or think about how much I'd like to run).

8/14/2010

On bike

I did my first workout on bike on Tuesday. I decided to start with hill repeats (5x2.5min with 40 mins WU and 20 mins CD) and it felt great. On next day I biked an easy 60 km ride. Then during the next night (after 4:30 AM) I had quality time with our baby boy. Accordingly, I skipped Thursday's ride and chose Friday morning.

Today I joined local triathletes on their long ride (for me it was 107 km including one donut at the midpoint). So, I'm slowly turning into a cyclist, right? Currently, biking is a convenient way to take care of the mind. The body follows that positive feeling - I hope. At least butt and hamstring aren't hurting so much anymore while riding, but achilles is getting worse and worse. Not it is really sore when I'm walking... Nice. But I'm calm.

8/10/2010

Reality is getting closer and closer


On Sunday I went for an easy ride with an Ironman. It was pretty cool to have company the first time after early May. Well, the loneliness of the short distance rider suites for me since I'm not the jolliest buddy to have around (what comes to handling the continuous stream of injuries).

Today I'm seriously considering doing my first workout on bike (hill reps) just for fun. I dunno what my achilles is thinking about it. Should I even care...

8/07/2010

The Usual

Quiet on the running front. Some activity on road biking. Feeling steady, achilles continues to bug me.


Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, running, running, running, tempo run, marathon pace, threshold pace, running, running, run, running, run faster, run, running, runner, marathon, marathon, marathon, running.


Good read.

8/03/2010

A Bit Lost

Damnit!!! I've been updating these DNR posts for so long that the "Check out the next blog" -link at the top directs me to various Zumba/Body building/Fitness -blogs. No offense, but is there really something underneath the rock bottom???? Seems so. Just to correct this: run, run, run, run, running, running, running, tempo run, marathon pace, threshold pace, running, running, run, running, run faster, run, running, runner, marathon, marathon, marathon, running.

Couldn't care less, right? Today I punished my quads by biking w/ classic grinding face for 2.5 hrs. I felt so damn great that I'm not even able to sleep now.

And to continue with a totally different note: next weekend Finnish T&F Nationals are held ... somewhere. It's been a while since I raced there. With no hard feelings, I think that my next one is up... never. The event in question is, however, taking place in my hometown next year (just in our backyard), but in addition to my left leg, I gotta re-organize my guts to achieve the necessary level of performance. Now I'm plain happy with Trek's company and these particularly positive family issues. Life's good!



8/01/2010

Random "workouts"

Due to current state of my worn out body, I'm left with icing, biking, stretching, and core workouts AND with DNR status. This time it does not suck too much since our baby boy is providing something else to think about.

I biked for an hour (fast tempo, just beating the headwind) on Friday, after which achilles was noticeable. Today, after watching Swiss Victor Rothling rocking his way to European Champion victory in marathon and taking care of some baby duties, I took my Trek and headed out for 2 hrs' loop (+ 1.5 hrs of random activies like lawn mowing back at parents' house). The wind was again providing nice and not-so-welcomed additional burden, but luckily I had my moments during which I pedalled at +30 mph. It felt GREAT!