Partner training

Everything is more fun with a friend! Small group-training of two to four people has been a popular trend in the fitness industry over the last decade. First, sharing training makes economic sense for many people, as the cost is split between the participants. Second, the participants get the energy (or shared misery!) of working with someone else. It helps stoke the competitive fire, as no one wants to be the first to "fall out" during push-ups to failure, or minutes-long plank sessions. I noticed with my running, if I'm doing intervals on the track or a hill repeat workout, I'm going much faster with another person, with seemingly less strain. By yourself, it takes a ton of mental discipline to push though race-pace "quarters" or "halves." With another person of somewhat similar abilities, the pacing is shared, and neither wants to be the "laggard," or person holding up the general pace of the workout with prolonged rest. Here are a few ideas for partner training, on the track, in the gym, or out in the field. 1. Relays on the track: Set a basic, shared, goals for you and a partner. Let's say, a 14-minute two-mile. Person number one starts off with a 1:45 (or less) quarter-mile. You tag the person as you reach the finish and they set off, trying to retain the same pace. You rest as they run, and then pick it up again as they finish their 1/4-mile leg. Four quarters each, to reach your two-mile goal. Try it a second or third time, if you want to increase volume! 2. Partner jump-pulls, in the gym, or a the playground. Find a pull-up or monkey bar. Two people stand on either side of a pull-up bar. The first person crouches, jumps, grabs the bar, completes a pull-up, and drops. The second person then goes, for one. Set a number (say 10 each) and take your heart-rate after. It will be high! Great for legs, back, shoulders, and arms! 3. Partner plank/pushups: Person number one assumes push-up or plank position. The partner puts their feet on your back and assumes a push-up position (horizontally to parter). You can either both stay stationary like that (great for balance), or trade off doing push-ups. That can be done on a one-to-one cadence, or having the top person doing two (it's easier on top!) to the bottom person's one. Have fun! For an easier version of that killer, have one person in push-up position. The second person is standing, with legs straddling, the person in push-up position. The standing person presses their hands on the back of the person doing push-ups, to add an extra element of resistance. Keep it reasonable, so the person doesn't lose form and bend their back while doing the exercise. Plus, remember, you have to take your turn, too! Or, you can try the wheelbarrow, with one person in push-up position, and the other standing, holding their feet or legs. Try a few push-ups like that, or just do the walking wheelbarrow. 4. Partner squats: One person assumes the squatting position, their partner stands in back, with hands on your shoulders. Try 15-20 squats, then switch places. Vary the resistance with each squat to keep it fresh! The hips, glutes, and quads are all working on this one. 5. Partner dips: One person assumes "dip" position, with hands on a bench or stoop. Their partners lifts your lfeet or legs, and commence exercise. Another great balance one that kills the triceps and shoulders! This is just a sample of the many, many exercises you can do with a partner, with no equipment involved. Have fun!

Lake Takanassee Race 2013

This summer was the 50th anniversary of the venerable Lake Takanassee Road Races in Long Branch. Held every Monday night through the summer, it is the oldest racing series in New Jersey, and well-known nationally through the writings of Dr. George Sheehan. Most of the top runners in the Shore-area have raced there at some point in their careers, and high-school teams often use it as a prep for their runners for the upcoming cross-country season. It's decidedly "no-frills," with a five-dollar entry, no shirts, and the bushes in the nearby trail serving as port-a-potties. Four laps around the brackish lake, with the wind usually coming off the Atlantic. Weave around the parked cars along the street, and yell "on your left" when coming up on lapped joggers and race-walkers. The celebrated "50th Anniversary Race," was held on July 29th, and I wanted to go to see some old compatriots and get in the commemorative 50th-anniversary group picture. Unforseen things at the club got in the way, however, and I couldn't make the hour-ride down the Parkway and get there for the 6:45 p.m. start. I made a mental note to try for the next week, but unsure if I could make it, did eight miles and a heavy chest workout on Sunday, and had six hours of training (lunges, squats, push-ups, and planks) with some fit clients on Monday. Still, with a colonoscopy scheduled for the next week, I knew this was my only chance to get down there before the series ended, so down the Parkway I went. I fortified my tired mind and body with a Diet Coke after the drive down, and tried to psyche myself up. Hoyle Mozee, a longtime running friend and race volunteer, saw me stretching and asked why I wasn't there last week for the big reunion. "I tried," I replied, "how did the old guys do?" "Bill Scholl (another old friend and former winner of the Philadelphia Marathon) won it in 20:30, and a few people were right in back of him, "Mo" replied. "Then they all went out for some beers and told a bunch of stories about the old days." I vaguely had been hoping to come near 20 minutes, even with my heavy day's workload, tired body, chronic achilles tendonitis, and pulled lower stomach muscle. After hearing that Scholl, about seven years older than my 54, but a former 2:18 marathoner, had run 20:30, I think I mentally re-adjusted what I felt would be a respectable time on this particular night. While there were other acquaintances amongst the volunteers, I didn't recognize many of the faces actually competing, and didn't have anyone to pace with. The Ocean Twp. cross-country team was there, as well as some college runners, so there were definitely some good runners amongst the crowd of 100 or so. The high school kids darted out fast, and I tucked in with a few of the them through the first mile, which we hit in 6:22. While not in total oxygen debt, the first mile did feel fast on this particular evening. Feeling I'd have to rely on mental strength in the second mile, I said to myself, "no one passes you from here on out." With so many inexperienced runners out in front of me, I was able to stay true to that credo, all the while slowing down myself. While I probably passed five or six high schoolers in the second mile, my two-split was a rather unsightly 13:04. "Just gut out the third," I grimaced to myself, and managed to do so, weaving through the afore-mentioned cars, joggers, and walkers to finish in exactly 20:30. I felt spent, and my hear-rate was 168, but after catching my breath, wondered, "did hearing the 20:30 that Scholl ran, sub-consciously just having me aim for that time? If he had run, say, a 20:10, would I have pushed myself to hit that?" Those are the unansweable questions of racing, and what draws some people to continue to do it at ages when common sense and aching body parts say not to. I threw a hooded sweatshirt on, caught up with a few other people I hadn't seen in 20-plus years, and collected my 50-59 age group first place medal. I placed 13th overall, and basically was satisfied with the night's effort. I got in the car, had the windows down driving through the summer sunset on the Parkway, and listened to Alex Rodriguez's comeback night for the Yankees on the radio. I hope to be back again next summer.

Hoboken Pump N' Run

  I enjoy bench pressing. Although many other exercises are more functional for athletics, I like the feeling of grabbing a bar loaded with weights, bringing it down to your chest, and exploding it back up.
   My one-rep best I achieved at around age 40, a 240 lb. "single' at a body weight of 148. I never  quite reached my goal of 100 lbs. over my body weight, but was happy with that, nonetheless. I also was able to do my body weight for 22 reps, which, again, I was pleased with.
   Soon after that, my focus turned back to running, primarily, and my body weight has dropped down a good 10 lbs. I've also lost some inches on my hairline, and what's left is quickly turning into more "salt" then "pepper."   That explains why, at 54, I've lost at least 40 lbs. off of my all-time one-rep max.
     I saw the Hoboken Pump N' Run advertised and it appealed to me in a few different ways. You combine a bench-press "rep" competition with a 5-k run - right up my alley! It's also a benefit for the Wounded Warriors Project, which I like to support.
    For guys under 40, the bench was set at 145. For geezers like me, 115. Women under 40 had to lift 65 lbs., over 40, 45 lbs.
   The race is held on the last Saturday in June, right along the waterfront overlooking Manhattan. You bench outside on the gazebo at Frank Sinatra Park. Inspiring!
    A bit anxious and arriving early, I may have warmed up a ltttle too much for the bench. Keeping my back flat against the pad, and locking out each one, I got 29 reps at 115, which I was satisfied with, definitely.
   The 5-k was held about 10 minutes after the last competitor finished, and I honestly didn't know what to expect, time-wise. The crowd of about 100 was primarily young and "jacked" , with men and women showing off muscles and "rips" not normally seen at an average 5-k. There were active and ex-military guys, as well as many "20-somethings' who look like they were perfect extras for a Coors Light commercial.
   The pack went out pretty fast, and I tucked in around 10th place or so. There were no mile markers or splits, so I just gave myself the credo of "no one passes you!" after what I estimated was the first mile. The first woman runner and I stayed together through most of the race, and I was very pleasantly surprised when the finishing clock read 19:46, sixth overall in the run.
    The overall scoring is a bit complicated, but, bottom-line, I placed ninth and third in the 40-over division. The winner, in fact, was a very fit 40 year old.
    All in all, a fun day, and event I will keep on my calendar for next year. Besides the novelty of it, I think it will keep me inspired lifting, and perhaps "turning back the clock" a bit on my bench.     
     
              

Lessons from James Gandolfini

  James Gandolfini's death hit hard here in New Jersey. He was a larger-than-life figure in this state, and that, in a literal sense, may have had something to do with his sudden death at the age of 51.
   The Star-Ledger, the newspaper "Tony Soprano" retrieved off his driveway every morning, interviewed Cardiologist  Barry Cohen of Morristown Medical Center on June 21st about identifying and potentially avoiding fatal heart attacks, which (pending an autopsy) is believed to have killed Mr. Gandolfini.
     Dr. Cohen is Medical Director of the cardiac catheterization lab at Morristown, and author of the book "Coronary Heart Disease: A Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment."
      Dr. Cohen described a fatal heart attack as a situation where the arteries feeding the heart muscle - he used the helpful analogy of a gas line to your engine - become clogged. There is instability in the electrical impulses to the heart, and the heart goes into a chaotic rhythm.
       Symptoms of a fatal heart attack are familiar to many: shortness of breath, chest pain, arm pain, throat  pain and sweating. However, approximately one-third of  heart attacks occur without any warning.
      While Mr. Gandolfini was overweight, that in itself is considered an independent risk factor. There are others, including elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes, all of which can be weight-related; and smoking. The most important factor is family history. I have read many times that family history is 50%, and all other factors can add up to the other half. So no matter what shape you are in, you can't out-run your genes.
    As far as triggers to an actual heart attack, everyone is familiar with these: stress, anger, and, again, smoking.
    As far as prevention, Dr. Cohen's suggestions are solid and sound: a diet low in saturated fats, with lots of fruits and vegetables, and exercise. If you are smoking, quit now! See a doctor regularly for check-ups, and monitor your blood pressure. Don't just shake it off if you feel any of the symptoms of a heart attack mentioned above. It may be the warning sign to get medical help before a fatal heart attack occurs.
   Larger than life in a mythic sense is one thing - in a literal sense, it's quite different.

      
              

MS BIke Ride 2013

   Every year, members of my health club and I participate in the "Coast the Coast" 25-Mile Bike Ride for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, held the third Saturday of May.
   The ride starts at my old college, Monmouth University in West Long Branch, winds through the side streets of Monmouth County to Spring Lake, and returns up Ocean Avenue through Belmar, Asbury Park and other well-known Shore points.
   While there are some very serious riders participating, it is a non-competitive event, with people of all ages and abilities out on various types of bikes, raising money for a great cause. I am happy to say that "Team Mountain Fitness" raised over $1800 and had a strong showing of 12 riders!
    Since age eight, my son, Max had always participated, but his year could not due to a conflict with a track meet. However, my brother-in-law, Bill, and nephew, Daniel, joined in for the first time, and it was good to have the family representation.
   The weather forecast looked great, but like most days this Spring in New Jersey, dawn brought clouds and mist. Luckily, the skies held up for us, as "Team Mountain Fitness" embarked together on our ride.
   The ride down was leisurely, and at the halfway point, all the riders stop for juice and protein bars provided by the MS Society. The comraderie on this day is really special, as everyone mingles and takes pictures. It is a day that holds true to the Mark Twain saying, "There are no strangers. Just friends you haven't met!"
   I pick up the pace on the return trip, and my quads get a good workout as I push my Trek hybrid bike against the wind as we head back north along the ocean. I try to get back in time to get off my bike and take pictures of the rest of our group as they finish. We eat lunch at the college gymnasium, and just beat the rain which comes soaks the state the rest of the weekend.
   One of my favorite days of the year!
         
 

Bob Beckert Run 2013

  The Bob Beckert 5-K Run is an annual event for me and many members of our health club, as chronicled in earlier posts. It is an important run for me. Our club is one of the sponsors, it's local, I practice on the course dozens of times through the year, and it's my first race following the Long Branch half every Spring.
    Held on the first Sunday of June (and benefitting a scholarship fund at Watchung Hills High School in Mr. Beckert's name), it transitions the winter training aspect of my running year to the summer racing part.
    It's my favorite part of the running year, as the doldrums and pain of intervals on the treadmill hopefully pay off with decent times in my races. I love the heat as well, and the Beckert Run did not disappoint, with the temperatures in the 80's, and sticky!
    Two weeks prior to the race, our club's running group did three race-paced mile intervals on part of the course, finishing with the killer hill up the high school parking lot at the end. I also took two days off from
running before the race (just lifting), to be fresh, and to also rest a mysteriously aching right knee.
     My traditional mile warm-up on the high school track felt good, and I was mentally and physically ready to go.
     The first mile is mostly downhill and key to getting a good finishing time. Although it takes me longer and longer to "get in fifth gear" every succeeding year, I did start relatively fast, and reached the mile at 6:02.
     I was neck-and-neck with a runner in his mid-20's at that point, and we informally ran together through the duration, each within two steps of each other throughout. This helped us both through the middle of the race, as we held in fifth and sixth places in the field of 200 or so.
    When it came to the aforementuioned hill at the end, he gained a step on me, I closed near the end, but finished sixth overall in a satisfying time of 20:02, seconds off my best on the course, and first in the 50-59 age-group.
    The key, I felt, was maintaining contact with the other runner throughout the race. I never started daydreaming or thinking of body parts hurting or things going wrong. It was steady oxygen-debt running, but focused, focused, focused. On to the next race...!   
      

Long Branch Half Marathon 2013

  The Long Branch Half-Marathon has been my Spring ritual for about five years now. Held on the first Sunday of May, and snaking along the Monmouth County coastline, it almost signals the start of the "Shore season" for us Jerseyans.
   Although I run with about equal intensity all year long, I start thinking about the Long Branch Half in mid-December, and all of my workouts through the winter and early-Spring have that in mind.
   Last year, I had broken a string of progressively getting slower, by reversing the clock by about two minutes and clocking a "50's decade' best of 1:31.55. I knew matching it would be tough, but that was my "A" goal this year. My secondary goal was matching my "V Dot chart" projection of 1:33.12, and I didn't want to go any slower than 1:35, no matter the circumstances.
    Ideally, I like to precede the half with a 5-K sometime in early-April, to test out the legs and lung capacity, and get that feeling of pre-race jitters again after a winter of just training runs. Unfortunately, due to the seven-day a week nature of being a health club owner and Personal Trainer, I was unable to squeeze it in this year.
   My other issue has been my Achilles. With chronic tendonitis, I felt that another race may set me backwards, training-wise, for a few days, which I couldn't afford to do.
   So, I approached the start not having raced since October, but with a solid base of  intervals, outside "tempo" runs, and a few (not unbearable) 10-mile treadmill efforts.
    Last year, I was lucky enough to meet up with a couple of guys in the first mile who were maintaining the exact 7-minute pace I was looking for. We supported and pushed each other through the first 10-miles, at which time, fairly, it was each man to himself.
   I looked for them at the start this year, to no avail. When the gun sounded, I tried to pace with a few others, who, perhaps because of the stiff cross-wind, settled back into 7:15 pace, slower than I wanted.
  I was off on my own by the fifth mile (split of 35:30), and, maybe because of the slower start, felt strong from five to ten, which I hit in 1:11 and change, just a minute off last year's pace.
    I slowed down just slightly in the 11th mile, then hit a wind tunnel on Brighton Ave. (approaching the oceanfront), that sent me, seemingly, in reverse.
    Somewhat frustrated at this point, I chugged out the final 1 1/2 miles down the (Hurricane Sandy-damaged) boardwalk. But, I don't feel I ever reached the near-unconscious level I have put out when I am nearing a time of place goal.
    Final time: 1:34.01, 133rd out of 5300-plus finishers, and fourth out of about 200 in the 50-54 age-group.
   Slightly disappointed, yes, but very appreciative I can still do this sport at a somewhat high-level at my advancing age. In five years, I am sure I will wish I could hit a 1:34!
    Satisfying for me was that one of the members of our club who I coach in running, aged 61, knocked seven minutes off his time from last year to post a phenomenal 1:49.30!
     Also extremely gratifying was the half-marathon debut of my son, Max, age 16. Despite running a school track-meet the preceeding Friday (3200 and 1600-relay), and seven miles with his team the day before, as well as starting three minutes behind the field due to circumstances beyond his control, he finished, very comfortably, in 1:54.13. He mowed two lawns later that afternoon, and is already planning his next 13.1-mile effort.
    It's a great source of pride, passing along my love of running to others, and it allows me to think outside my own race efforts, as well. That said: next year: 1:33, or below!