Improving VO2 Max Quickly

Many scientists consider VO2 max the most important factor in determining success in an aerobic endurance sport. Here are two methods to improve your V02 max in an 8 week period by 5-7%.
1. 15second running at 90-95% max HR with 15second recovery @ 70% HR (repeat 47x)
2. 4x4 minutes @90-95% max HR with 3 minute recovery @ 70% HR

Either method should increase your V02 significantly over the two month period. Do these workouts 1-2 times per week, with a 10 minute warmup and cooldown.

This study ("Aerobic High-Intensity Intervals Improve V02 max more than moderate training", Medical Sports Exercise Journal, 2007) compared long slow distance (45 minutes @ 70%HR, the two methods above, and Lactate Threshold running-85%HR for 24 minutes). Forty athletes were in the study and ran on treadmills set at 5% incline.

The recommendation is to use the 4minute hard/3 minute easy session, as the 47x 15 seconds is difficult for most of us to count up to while sprinting. 95% effort is 15-30 seconds faster than your 5k pace (8minutes per mile for a 5k=2 minutes per quarter, so for the four minutes you would go through each quarter in 1:52-1:56, meaning you would ideally complete more than 1/2 a mile). 90% effort is closer to 10k race pace. It might be wise to begin the interval just under 10k pace and picking the pace up a bit for the last 1-2minutes if you can. Finishing strong is always good.

A workout I always found useful and similar to the two above and equally tough, was 15x 45 seconds at 1 mile pace with 15 seconds jog recovery. Again, I would do this 1x per week as one of my "fast" days. It's easy to time the minute, which I liked. It always took a couple of weeks to get to the 15 reps, if I was really running as hard as I was supposed to be. I always did this workout by feel, not distance. But if you do the same route, say five miles, with a 1 mile warmup, then the 15 reps, then cooldown, you can check the overall time for the workout and/or see how much further you covered in the fast phase than the week before and see the improvement.

Thanksgiving

Top Ten Great Things about Thanksgiving!

10.Several hundred runners at the inaugural Downtown Rochester Thanksgiving Day 8k Race
9. 3,000+ runners at the Webster Turkey Trot
8. 1,000 or so runners at the Race with Grace(which I have run 14 years in a row)
7. Football, between college and pros - four days in a row
6. Four days of not working at MCC
5. Beating all Sal's runners at RWG (maybe)
4. My birthday is always near or on Thanksgiving
3. Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy
2. Jan's cinnamon rolls
1. Family time

Dance Lessons

Do you need some cross-training ideas? Have a wedding coming up and don't know how to dance (like me), well, here is the Fox Trot style, demonstrated simply and so maybe even I can learn it.

Reincarnation

When I die I've decided to be reincarnated as a dog. If I have a nice owner it seems like being a dog would be a good second life. Here are ten reasons to be a dog;

1. Free food prepared by someone else every day.
2. A warm bed next to a fire.
3. Get to watch tv with my owner, hopefully he/she likes sports.
4. Can poop almost anywhere and my owner has to clean it up.
5. I don't have to groom myself, my owner does this or takes me to a dog spa.
6. When the owner is gone off to work the couch is all mine.
7. No more work, unless work is considered looking out the window and barking when a stranger comes to the door.
8. My owner will take me to parks for walks and runs.
9. I could be a duathlete still, swimming and running.
10. Kids would love me.

Now the question is, what kind of dog would I be? A Labrador or Golden Retriever seem obvious choices. They are above average size, like me, don't need a lot of grooming (almost bald as a human has advantages), need exercise and are good with other dogs. A Belgian Sheepdog would be another good choice, except they are really good watchdogs and I think I would fall asleep too much for this duty. A Treeing Walker Coonhound, unusual variety, but a possibility, except they are extremely agile and elegant in movement - not me!
Then I found my perfect match! An Australian Cattle Dog.

This dog needs lots of exercise, easy to groom, trustworthy, courageous, and is exceedingly devoted to the duties they are given. (not sure if I'm really courageous-maybe in my second life?), loyal, and affectionate, the Australian Cattle Dog is protective of their family, home, and territory. They thrive on human interaction and activity but are easily bored which can lead to serious behavior issues(sounds more like me). Australian Cattle Dogs do not respond to harsh or heavy-handed methods of discipline (definitely me)finally, this breed has an inordinate amount of stamina and requires a great deal of exercise -a long-distance runner!

Find what breed of dog you should be at NextDayPets.com

Cubism

I now work in a cubicle. There are three other staff members in the office with me, each with their own cube. I used to have my own office...with a door and two desks. Now I have a cube. Librarians should not be in cubes. We need to be surrounded by books. I love ordering new books, opening the boxes, being the first to touch them, open the cover and browse. Maybe that's why I was sent to a cube, someone was jealous I was touching the books first?

I do have three chairs. They all have issues, or, really, I have issues with them. Two are twins, nice purply color cushions for my butt and back. As a normal chair they are okay, but for an office/desk chair, not so much. They don't adjust, there are no arm supports or wheels. Not good for computer ergonomics.

Then I have the "office chair". It has grey cushions, which match the grey walls of my cube. It also has armrests. Except the arms don't adjust. The chair leans to the left. Really. It does have wheels, but three of the five don't work. It groans whenever I switch position. My officemates think this is me, but really, it's the chair.

How about the space of the cubicle? Maybe 6x6 with the "door" opening four feet wide so I am on display whenever someone walks in the office. I'm thinking of making a fancy sheet to hang across the opening, but the bosses might not appreciate my sense of privacy.

You may be asking what this all has to do with running? Well, these chairs destroy my right hamstring. If I don't get up to wander around every thirty minutes, or be weird and stand inside my cube (forget the stretching when officemates are here, that would really freak them out)by the afternoon my leg barely moves. I miss my old office and chair.

Some other things I've learned about cubism:
1. Body sounds and smells - it would be rude to burp, pass gas, crunch food with officemates so close.
2. Talking on a phone. No matter what everyone in the office area can hear you. There is no such thing as a private conversation.
3. Germs. Does a four-foot wall really suffice?
4. Changing clothes - in my private office at DCC I used to change into my bike or running clothes in the office. It was nice. Now, this wouldn't be welcome by the three women I share the office with. Well, maybe it would, but I'd be uncomfortable. This is where my privacy curtain could help?
5. Watching. At least three people know when I come, when I go. Be ever vigilant.

Governor Cuomo!

Well, my choice for new governor, my real choice, Andy Cuomo, won in convincing fashion. The unfortunate part of this is the mayor of Rochester, Robert Duffy, who himself is a multi-marathon and 13.1 mile finisher, will be the Lieutenant Gov. Why is this bad? Because Duffy believed in Rochester, turned things around, or at least got them headed in the right direction, and worked tirelessly to promote the city and surrounding areas.
The odds of us getting someone as good as the Duffman are low. His support helped get the Snowcheap series of races, the Flower City Challenge (duathlon and half-marathon) and other events off the ground. The Duffman, a former police chief, was able to help get police to support and understand the importance of these events.
He will be missed. Let's hope he doesn't forget Upstate now that he is moving on up to Albany.