The Coaching Session Part 1

It was 37 degrees, with a slight mist coming down from the sky.  That alone is not a problem.  I love that kind of weather to run in.  My problem was as we drove into Houston on route to  Memorial Park for our first session with Coach Tim, I was getting a head ache.   I had not had a nap.  My joints were hurting in this perfect for arthritis weather of cold and damp.  I swallowed 2 tylenol as I am prohibited to take Advil, Motrin, etc. due my medical history.  My throat starting hurting and my voice hoarse.  I am wondering I am getting sick and maybe I just want to sit in the car, my seat heater on, and watch Ben be coached.  The funny thing is, once you start running you don't feel aches or irritated throat.  You are too busy trying to keep moving, warm  and breathing.  Often the first steps are the worst and I actually felt better after we were done.  For more reasons than one today!

  I learned several new things today.  There is  scientific evidence to support the angst of today.   In all of our skeletal muscles, within the muscle bundles are slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers.  I can easily run a decent pace for 3 to 4 miles.  I am using mostly slow twitch fibers to do this.  When you race, you are trying to recruit the fast twitch muscle fibers.  Todays  speed training was my first conscious attempt at that.  After we chatted with Tim and he learned our goals, he took us to the track.  I did my first ever interval training, and the first few lapse I did not mind.  He had us warm up  at a slow steady pace, and stretch afterward.  Then we began with him timing pace,  we ran 3/4  of  the 1/4 mile track and had a recovery session for the final 1/4 before beginning the next lap with an  increase of the pace.  Maybe it was 2/3 run, 1/3 walk/recover.  I was going faster than I run each time!  We did about 10 laps.   Next,  he  directed us through stretch, and then he put us through core work.  He runs every step with you, and works out with you.  I am to email him what we do the next two weeks, and then he will adjust what we need to do from there on our own.  "Homework"  Ben elected for us to try to meet with him once a month until the Senior Games.  Interval training is what I need most.  We both need to stretch more.  And I need to be slow to warm up and slower to start my runs than I am accustomed to.  He suggested we try to run more 5Ks for training.  We have our work cut out for us.  For our coach, it was like a walk in the park.  He is ready for the upcoming Houston Marathon and plans to run the 26.2 miles the same pace I usually struggle to  maintain for 3.1miles.  I think I will pay close attention to do what he says!

We both were so impressed by this park.  Lighted crushed granite running trail that circles one part of the park that is 2.93 miles long,  trails for hiking, running, biking, mountain biking, running track, 18 hole golf course that is rated the top public course in Houston, a natural preserve, outdoor pool, fitness gym, tennis center complete with a  Smoothie King inside, horse riding trails, picnic area, and more.  It is a fabulous park, nearly 2000 acres, one of the largest in the country.  We both want to go back one day and run the long trail, but not on a day we do interval training.  

As my grandson would say, " I gotta lotta work to do"