Training Week of February 23, 2009

Link to the Training Schedule from the TNT Coaches:
http://www.tnt-nnj.org/TrainingScheduleHalfMarathonNJM2009.htm

Link to my TNT Home Page:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/nnj/nj09/jnavarrfng

Monday February
23: Scheduled day off, but I did 2 miles on the treadmill. I've got some ground to make up from last week.

Tuesday February 24: Scheduled to do 3 Miles. I did 4, again to make up ground from last week.

The fundraiser at the Cloverleaf was a huge success!

Community and Cloverleaf Tavern
Help LLS and Local Runners Raise Funds

Caldwell, NJ, February 24, 2009 — Nearly 200 members of the community turned out for a special dinner on Tuesday February 24 to support local runners and raise $2,870 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) through its Team In Training® program.

For 20 years, Team In Training (TNT) has been helping athletes of all abilities train for success while raising funds to further research, education, and patient services in the race against leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and myeloma. More than 823,000 Americans today are battling these blood cancers.

The February 24 fundraising dinner was held at Caldwell’s Cloverleaf Tavern and was organized by Carolynn O’Brien and husband, Jesus Navarro, Team In Training members and Caldwell residents.

O’Brien and Navarro are raising funds for LLS while training to participate in the Long Branch, NJ, Half Marathon on May 3, 2009. The couple were motivated to participate in the TNT program by their brother-in-law and teammate, Tim Drost.

“As a TNT alumni, marathon runner, and sometime cancer patient, Tim inspires everyone around him to always do their best,” said O’Brien. “He gives us the enthusiasm to do whatever little bit we can to support patients, give them hope, and further the efforts to find a cure.”

In sponsoring the dinner, the Cloverleaf Tavern donated 25% of the proceeds from participating diners’ total checks and then matched those dollars. The event also featured a 50/50 raffle, in which Wayne Costigan (also of Caldwell) won a $540 cash prize.

Drost, of Verona, was the guest of honor throughout the evening. His wife, Jeananne Drost, and their children, Michael (14), Patrick (12), and Alana (4), were also there to lend their support and enthusiasm to the event.

O’Brien, Navarro, the Drost family, and the other TNT members extend their deepest gratitude to everyone who participated in the dinner, as well as to the Cloverleaf Tavern (www.cloverleaftavern.com) and general manager Ryan Dorchak, and his staff, all of whom helped make the evening a major success.

To make a donation to support the local TNT team’s efforts and the mission of the LLS, please log on to one of the following websites:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nnj/nj09/cobrien
http://pages.teamintraining.org/nnj/nj09/jnavarrfng

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education, and patient services. LLS's mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, LLS has invested more than $600 million in research specifically targeting blood cancers. To learn more about the LLS, visit www.LLS.com.

Wednesday February 25: Day Off.

Thursday February 26: 6 mile day. I had to kind of rush it because of work. So I pretty much just ran at the 8 min/mile clip. Felt good.

Friday February 27: Day Off.

Saturday February 28: Taught Boxing, ran 2 miles after.

Sunday March 1: 8 Miler up at Palisades State Park, and the run included the George Washington Bridge. Pretty cool with the scenery and all, except for 2 things. It was COLD and WINDY especially on the bridge, and it was a BRUTALLY hilly run, especially on the way back, which included a head wind. This was hopefully the last really cold run of the season.

Training Week of February 16, 2009

Link to the Training Schedule from the TNT Coaches:
http://www.tnt-nnj.org/TrainingScheduleHalfMarathonNJM2009.htm

Link to my TNT Home Page:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/nnj/nj09/jnavarrfng

Monday February
16: 30 minute back workout. Lame.

Tuesday February 17: Boxing class. Lots of fun. Good workout.

Wednesday February 18: BIG DAY. We received a long email from one of our coaches which felt like it was targeted towards me. It included statements like "The sole reason for your long run is to build
endurance, and although it is tempting to think to yourself "I want to be
able to run a faster marathon, so I should probably try to prove it to
myself by running my 16 miler faster", this is a no-no". That happened to be my strategy as I trained.

Another statement that struck me was "Similarly, going out 3 times a week and treating each of your 4-mile weekday runs as 5k races is counterproductive - you are putting too much stress on your legs too often, and not allowing for any recovery which is what your weekday runs should be focused on".

Anyways, I got the hint and took it easy on my run and will going forward, although is was supposed to be 3 miles not 2. I felt my left calf again getting worse as I ran so I cut it short.

Thursday February 19: Zippo. Ear and sinus infections got me down. Got antibiotics, so should be able to do my 5 mile run tomorrow.

Friday February 20: So much for the 5 miler. I feel like Krud.

Saturday February 21: It took every ounce of energy to teach boxing, although it was fun.

Sunday February 19: Didn't feel good enough to go out for the 7 miles with the team. My wife on the other hand, was quite a trooper and went to Morristown for the team run, in the rain/sleet/snow no less! She'll be working part time for the postal service soon. I did 2 on the treadmill at the gym, and the breathing and muscle stiffness felt better, so I should be good to go from tomorrow on.

Training Week of February 9, 2009

Link to the Training Schedule from the TNT Coaches:
http://www.tnt-nnj.org/TrainingScheduleHalfMarathonNJM2009.htm

Link to my TNT Home Page:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/nnj/nj09/jnavarrfng

Monday February
9: Running day off. Did some upper body as well as some good stretching and foam rolling. The foam roller kills and feels great at the same time, especially on the IT band on the outside of my leg. I should do it every day!

Tuesday February 10: Ran 3 in a little over 24 min. Weights and lots of stretching too. I had some unexpected extra time. Taught boxing at night.

Wednesday February 11: OFF DAY.

Thursday February 12: Brutal 5 miles in 39:31.

Friday February 13: Decided to take today off.

Saturday February 14: Boxing class. Lotta work, lotta sweat. Loved it.

Sunday February 15: Group 6 mile run. MUCH colder than I expected. Nice easy Post-Valentines day run with my sweetheart :-). About 57 minutes.

Training Week of February 2, 2009

Link to the Training Schedule from the TNT Coaches:
http://www.tnt-nnj.org/TrainingScheduleHalfMarathonNJM2009.htm

Link to my TNT Home Page:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/nnj/nj09/jnavarrfng

Monday February
2: Quads, sore. Calves, sore. Back, sore. 15 minutes of light cardio so I could simply stretch is all I could muster.

Tuesday February 3: Boxing Class.

Wednesday February 4: No time to run/train today. That sucks.

Thursday February 5: Again, almost no time to train. This week is HORRIBLE! Got in only 2 miles in 15 minutes, and some leg extensions and curls.

Friday February 6: Tough week. Nothing. Sunday's 5 miles should be fun.

Saturday February 7: Boxing class. I'm feeling my calves quite a bit lately. I think they might be getting used a bit too much.

Sunday February 8: The group 5 mile run in Ridgewood was as tough as I expected. 39:54.