time to start training...

[zpd307]

I just signed up for my first 2 races for next year..... a half marathon in march an then in may. the half in march is a repeat from last year, a nice frigid kick off to the year. I did the full last may, but it took enough out of me that my 1/3 ironman tri in july was brutal. so just a half this time. I am glad to have survived the holidays at only 190 lbs! this is the lightest I have been at this time for several years. also just ordered a new set of running shoes, so let the training begin.....

[ElkNut1]

Gary, way to go, nice job on keeping your weight in check too! How far is a 1/2 marathon?

ElkNut1

[Mnbowhunter]

Paul I believe it's 13 miles

[ElkNut1]

David, thanks! I had no idea it was still 13 miles, wow! Now I see why I've never run one! (grin)

ElkNut1

[Fridaythe13th]

In your training if you make it 8 miles east stop in for a beer at Dars I might be there. It's mostly down hill back home. Ha ha ha

[zpd307]

i could certainly enjoy a beer after 8 miles, as long as i can hitch a ride home
speaking of which, the rochester half marathon reward is all you can drink of beer at the finish line!!!! now thats a motivator!

[bald9eagle]

I'm getting a bad feeling here....I'm 40 years old and have a stent in place and now I'm gonna have to start running!

[Ben Nicholson]

Yep, my training is starting up too. Signed up for the Door County half IM and the Liberty Tri (MN) half this morning. Time to dust off the bike trainer!

[zpd307]

the Waseca 1/3 im tri opens for registration today, but I have until april before the price increases... those will be my big races for the year. I don't know if I will be able to talk any of my friends into the twin cities marathon again in October.
baldy, fyi, I am 38...

[WapitiTalk1]

Noooooooo Gary.... It's barely January. I had a tub of cheese fondue tonight with sourdough and rye bread, green olives w/pimentos, and green apples for dipping... along side of a big ole rib eye steak. The only workout I had in the last week was working on my old vintage Shasta trailer. I'll get back on the workout wagon soon.. honest (well, maybe in May).. Good for you tho, my year long workout routine is a thing of the past for these older bones.

[zpd307]

rory, no worries. I haven't done a thing since I got back in September... well, I have been making a point to do sit ups and push ups, most days.... I had to hike with the pack again last night to work off supper. we had prime rib, shrimp cock tails, baked cream cheese bars, etc, etc..... for my father in laws bday yesterday.... no more! the holidays are over!

[Bow4me]

Gary what does your workout routine consist of? And I'm 39 and having a hard time finding the energy to workout after working all day. Do you take supplements to keep you going?

[jmez]

I never stop working out. Go right up till we leave and back in as soon as home. I enjoy it and its part of my daily routine.

[ElkNut1]

I'm with Jason, my training does not have a stopping point or starting point, it's year around! I'll be 60 in a couple months, it doesn't get easier to be committed but I do know if I stopped it would be very tough to get back into the right mindset & the type of training required for our style of run & gun elk hunting! Working with weights, cardio & carrying a pack really goes a long way, this year I'm going to incorporate a bit of running, not like zpd307 but at least I'll give it my all in the distance I'll be choosing! (grin)

ElkNut1

[zpd307]

Gary what does your workout routine consist of? And I'm 39 and having a hard time finding the energy to workout after working all day. Do you take supplements to keep you going?

todd, I really don't have a routine. if I am sort of on my game, I will do several reps of situps and pushups when I get up, before I go to work and the same before I go to bed. every once and a while I will throw in some jumping jacks. for sh!ts and giggles, try do as many jumping jacks as you can in a row before falling over or not being able to raise your arms..... other than that, when I run, I can only run every other day, if I do any distance over 3 miles. too many injuries that flare up. I have the insanity workout series, but haven't touched it for a year. during the summer I also bike everywhere I go in town, or head out on our local bike trail system. last winter I started snowboarding again. I bought a season pass but haven't used it yet. now that it is finally somewhat cold up here I can got out again. the kiddos start school again on Monday so I will be free again during school hours! so in all reality I just do a hodge podge of things to keep me off the couch and somewhat in shape.
I am not condoning this behavior, but for my marathon last may, I finally got off my ass the month prior and started training for it..... I finished, my buddy didn't. he still couldn't believe that I was able to finish. lots of mental toughness is the key.

[Bow4me]

I never stop working out. Go right up till we leave and back in as soon as home. I enjoy it and its part of my daily routine.

That's what I'm shooting for this year. Last year I went from 200 to 180 in about a month before hunt time and it was rough. I had family thinking something was wrong with me. But I'm trying to stay at it this year. Just having trouble finding the energy.

[TheBuzz]

Going to Wyoming this fall, so I decided to start now.

[zpd307]

bryan, its never too early to start! good luck in wyo!

[Lefty]

My training changes with the seasons
Archery elk,.. miles and miles, deer hunting elevation
goose hunting packing up and hauling in goose equipment, hand digging pits
Just pulled cat traps-10 and I was sweating, jacket off , hoodie unzipped 1000 elevation on 40 % grade and about 3 miles of walking in 13-20 inches of snow
Coyote and lion hunting, walking and snow
Bear hunting fighting bear bait barrels and hiking above snow line
Summer scouting and hiking

[zpd307]

sounds like you got er covered!

[pointysticks]

gah. impressive.

i just run 3 miles a day. not a lot of love in it, but mostly out of necessity. my natural body shape is "pear".

funny story about beer and marathons. i know a guy that was running a marathon here in the bay area. he was doing really really well, and he just hit the wall. HARD! he said he mentally checked out. full on quit. he laid down in the grass and there was a bar nearby, and the owner came to check on him, maybe give him some words of encouragement to go on. nope. he was done! the owner gave up, went back, and came back with a pint of Guiness. the guy drank it down. he said it was the most delicious thing ever in his entire life. he was feeling okay with quitting and just layed there enjoying the flavor remnants in his mouth. he said it was pretty instantaneous..he started feeling better, mmmm, maybe he should continue..hey, he thinks he should..hey, he will!! he got up, returned the glass, and he said the last 7 or so miles were easy and enjoyable. hahahha..

well, done!!! Z.

me, i have suspect knees. too much running, or bad running, i get sore. i want to do some organized bike ride. maybe the seattle to portland ride with friends. 200 miles in two days.

[zpd307]

cliff, biking seems to be harder on my knees. slow going riding, nope. but, hard charging in a race scenario, yep. my knees were sore after the riding portion of my tri last summer. made the running harder....
beer, what a wonderful motivator to finish a race! it tasted so good after last years finish. not a good way to rehydrate after running 26 miles in 90 degree weather. but, after 3 beers the pain starts going away!

[itsnlkthing]

Just putting together a team for the Wild West Relay at the end of July. 12 people, 200 miles from Ft. Collins to Steamboat Springs. We ran it in 2013 and it was a blast. Great training for the elk woods because you essentially run 3 10k's in 24 hours and most of it is at elevation. I'll be 51 this time though, which doesn't make it any easier.

[zpd307]

steve, that sounds like an ass kicking good time! it sounds like the ragnor race we have back here, but we don't have the mtns. I was invited to join a team last summer, but it started the day after we got back from vacation to Yellowstone....

[zpd307]

it warmed up real nice today! 37 degrees which melted off all the slush in the streets..... I finally broke out the new kicks and made it a whopping 1.7 miles. I had to detour home to use the restroom which wasn't all that bad. not running for 4 months has really killed the cardio....