Turkey Trot 2009

finished in 40:39..... average heart rate 162. Placed 10th in 60-64 age group. 771th out of 2857 timed participants.

Top of right foot sore later in the evening..recurring problem that I haven't seen in a few months.

Stress Test 10/2009

The Cooper Clinic in Dallas used the Balke Protocol.   My VO2 max was estimated to be 51.09 based on the completion time of 25 minutes. A formula is used to estimate V02 max= (1.444 x actual time) + 14.99.  Max. heart rate was 179 which is "superior" for a 60 year old.  The record for my age group was 31 minutes, but after 25 minutes the speed is gradually increased until the client says "uncle."  I REALLY had to push to reach the 25 minutes, but had no chest pain/dizziness, etc.

About one interval session per week. Did 5 mile run at 162 average HR (40:39)...still had some left in the tank but finished at 172 downhill. My bodyfat is down about 1 percent from last year...14.3% Still too high to be a serious runner...but that's ok.

My VO2max calculates at 51.09 based on 25 minute stress test...this is really high and I doubt the formula.

So here are my new workout Heart Rates based on the 179.

Long and slow runs go to 143 maximum.
80% 143
70% 125
60% 107
65% 116
Recovery days: 98-116 (day after hard intervals)
Long Slow Aerobic base building 125-143
Medium intensity: 143-161
High intensity intervals: 166-179

Cooper Clinic Physical Results 10/2009

October 2009:
Weight 181
Height 6'2"
MDCT Scan 0 calcium
Total Cholesterol 206
HDL 89
LDL 101
Ratio: 2.3
Triglyceride 73
Glucose: 93
PSA: .40
Vitamin D: 47
CRP (C-reactive protein): .16
Bodyfat 14.5%
BP pre-stress test 110/67
25 minute stress test at 3.3 MPH grade from 0 to 25 ("Superior")
(record for 60 year old is 31 minutes)
Maximum heart rate 179; Peak BP 164/57
Recovery: 34 in one minute...(dropped from 179 to 145)
Bone Density: Spine normal, hips show bone loss (starting 1000 mg. calcium per day)

Dematologist scan showed no skin cancer, but several "pre-cancer spots" were treated with Nitrogen. Two molds removed... both tested benign.

Why do we work out?

posted November 2008

In spinning class today the teacher asked during a dose of motivation, "ARE YOU HERE TO BURN CALORIES!!??" I chuckled to myself, "working out just to burn calories is just narrow thinking." I'm here for the "health of it" and burning calories, I'm sorry.....ISN'T the reason!

Isn't it odd that in this "modern" world we have to invent ways to be active? We ride "stationary" bikes, walk on a treadmill, lift seemingly meaningless weights. Imagine the consternation of a time traveler from the 1500's who drops into a "Lifetime Fitness" and finds all these strange looking people doing meaningless work! Once they got past the plasma big screens and the skimpy clothes the traveler would be stunned to learn that we travel by auto and not by foot. We get our food from stores and not from the garden. We eat all of the sweets we want and all of the salt. Alcohol is cheaper than water? HUH?

It's upside down world in many ways, but can anything match the way we exercise and abuse our bodies. For years we've invented ways to make our lives less active. Drive-in's, drive through banks, microwaves, automatic car washes and garage door openers, snow blowers and lawn mowers, vacuums, weed killer, electric shavers, telephones and email have robbed us of a reason to move.

Furthermore, we eat too much sugary, salt, saturated fat, and we just eat too much of everything. We eat way more food than we need and gain extra pounds to carry around as our penalty. Another thing that would bewilder a time traveler!

We now understand that a sedentary life leads to premature disability at best and at worst death. Since we have the easy life as a career we had to find ways to move when we are off duty. We do so for the health of it.

Coming Back from a Break in Training

posted winter 2009

I recently took off about 2 1/2 weeks from lifting and upon return CHANGED up my routine without cutting back the reps OR the weight from the previous session. Mon: Chest and Back, medium cardio; Tues: Recovery; Wednesday: Legs and hard cardio; Thursday: recovery.....Legs were really sore, Friday: legs sore! Played Golf, Sat: Legs still sore! Played golf. Sunday legs still sore.

By MONDAY legs were ok back to normal workout..

Lessons learned!

1. After 2 1/2 weeks off we feel great,
2. But should cut sets by eliminating the top weight set during the "comeback" week.
3. NEVER start a new routine after being off for 2 1/2 weeks

10,000 calories burned per week

Summer workout schedule:

posted September 2009

For reference I take no prescription medications or pain relievers of any kind. I do take supplements like glucosamine chondroitin, etc. (all I listed in the file section "Rads Supplements)

I'm 60 and here's my workouts this week:

Sunday: Walked/carried clubs 18 holes of golf (1600 calories)
Monday: Spinning Class 45 minutes, Full body weight lifting workout 40 minutes, 18 holes of golf riding in cart
Tuesday: Light 6 mile jog with 3 dogs, Walked/carried clubs 18 holes of golf
Wednesday: Hard 20 mile bike ride averaging 18 MPH, 18 holes of golf riding in cart
Thursday: 60 hard lifting and sprinting workout
Friday: 16 mile easy bike ride; Walked/carried clubs 18 holes of golf
Saturday: Walked/carried clubs 18 holes of golf

Total calories burned: 10,000....which is about the average per week during golf season.

About every 8 weeks I take 4-5 days off...just walking or golfing.

The new paradigm is that seniors don't have to take meds to perform... This is especially true if we take care in the foods we eat and the quality of exercise and rest we get. Much of the muscle soreness I had in the early days has gone away with elimination of things that cause inflammation. The trick is to find out what they are! For me it was dairy and gluten...

Aerobic Conditioning

posted March 2009

March 31, 2009

Aerobic Base Building is the single most important way to reduce body fat, next to eating wisely. Working out just below the tipping point from Aerobic to Anaerobic is the key to training your body to burn fat instead of sugar (glucose).

For many years I've struggled to understand that despite busting my butt in the gym my body fat remained in the 13-15% range. The reason is that I had trained my body to prefer glucose as fuel by doing weekly Anaerobic sessions. An Aerobic conditioned athlete burns fat for fuel during training. Too much Anaerobic Threshold work turns off fat burning and creates other negative side effects such as cravings for sugar.

To find your Aerobic baseline number use 180-age +/- 5-10 depending on conditioning. Example age 60: 180-60= 120. Add 10 if you are in great condition, 5 if good. Subtract 10 if you're just resuming exercise, and 5 if you're deconditioned. Stay just below the baseline number to train your body to become a fat burning machine. One your reach your targeted body fat then introduce Anaerobic training (about 10% of the work) to increase your fitness further.

If you're working out hard and not getting the desired results then you need to working solely on Aerobic conditioning. Forget the hard stuff until later!

One of the side effects of too much Anaerobic conditioning is the over production of cortisol. This is a normal adaptation response to exercise stimulus. Too much cortisol is an UNWANTED side effect for most people because it results in loss of muscle.

The body needs fuel. Glucose (sugars), fat, muscle, and lactate can be turned into fuel by a body. If you could pick what fuel your body used which would it be? The highly conditioned endurance athlete prefers the use of FAT and Lactate as fuel. This results in a lean and therefore easier to move body! Most exercisers don't want to lose muscle so we need to pay attention to cortisol levels in the blood!

Lactate is a byproduct of the burning of glucose as fuel. The "burn" felt in muscles is caused by the build-up of lactate. Training in the Anaerobic zone teaches the body to tolerate and even burn lactate for fuel. This is one of the benefits of Anaerobic training.

Here's a test for those interested in increasing their level of cardiovascular fitness. It's called MAF (Maximum Aerobic Function). This is for the person who is already exercising 5-6 days a week.

Steps:

1. 10 minute warm-up
2. 20 minutes of exercise on a treadmill (something that measures distance) at EXACTLY 80% of your maximum heart rate. (use the formula 180-age +/- 5-10 depending on your condition. Adjust the speed or resistance to maintain 80% over the entire 20 minutes. Keep the elevation constant.
3. Record the distance traveled for exactly 20 minutes.
4. Repeat in 3 weeks while doing ONLY aerobic exercise (below 80%).
5. You should see an improvement.
6. Repeat every 3 weeks.
7. Once you hit a plateau (distance traveled doesn't increase) then introduce Anaerobic threshold training to improve fitness. Time in the Anaerobic zone should be no more than 15% of your workout time including warm-up and warm-down. Do this for about 4 weeks then return to training in the 80% zone. Retest then start again!
8. For every Anaerobic workout then do a recovery day (65% or less).

Here's what you'll accomplish:
1. Increase Aerobic fitness and all the benefits.
2. Reduced body fat as you train your body to use FAT as it's primary source of fuel.
3. Reduced production of cortisol.

If you tend to crave sugar or sweet things then you'll need to make an effort over the first few weeks to cut back on these foods. Substitute protein, good fat, and carbohydrate from veggies for pasta, rice, fruit, etc.

Update November 4, 2009: Stress test showed maximum heart rate of 179. Bodyfat is around 14%. Been doing Anaerobic drills 2x's a week for about 2 weeks. Hopefully, will see performance gains.