My wife wanted a handrail around the swingset for the kids, and as usual I decided to run with the project and put in the hand rail and then extended it along the top of a small stone wall that borders our driveway. This way the dog can't get into the play area when kids are out there. So I spend saturday setting fence posts and installing this and squeezed in a few miles in the afternoon. Sunday I grabbed the wheel barrow and went out for 4.5 miles with about 30 additional pounds in it. Death Division in 2 weeks and I do not expect any wheel barrowing this year (it was on the video from last year), but it is a good all around workout for grip, arms, shoulders, hamstrings and glutes, and mental toughness pushing weight in the heat. I took my pushup handles along and got in 160 pushups along the way also.

My brother Mike who will also be there loaded 1,200 40 lb bails of hay into a truck and then into his hayloft. Needless to say we are both looking forward to a nice easy Saturday in Vermont. Hope to finish up the race around noon in time for lunch and a nap.

(just kidding)

Every Thursday Josephine and I go out to breakfast to the Sugar Bowl diner in Darien, CT. All in it takes about 50 minutes, and that widdles Thursday mornings down to just about nothing. I got up at 04:50 and ran some hill sprints and then walked the dog before getting ready for work and then getting J dressed and ready to go to breakfast.

Work has been ridiculous lately, and couple that with the birth of Chris Jr. three weeks ago and trying to stay ahead of he Death Division training and not a lot of time to log on. Training is still going good. I pushed my wheelbarrow with about 80 lbs in it 4.5 miles before work this morning, and mixed in 4 sets of 40 pushups to make it a good upper body work out....I know 4 sets of 40 = Wimpy, but I carry my perfect pushup handles in the wheelbarrow and those things make the pushups much harder, and shoulders and chest already sore from the wheelbarrow.

Very much looking forward to meeting some of you at the Death Race in a few weeks.

Ran 5k yesterday and then perfect pushups workout. This morning went 8 miles with my sister which is tough because she is faster than me. Tomorrow marks 90 training days to the Death Division Race.

Finally feeling better after what has been a prety rough few days. I managed to workout a little yesterday but not enough to mention. Woke up at 4:40 this morning and was downstairs by 05:10. I would like to run outside, but didn't want to risk aggrevating my chest. I did 10 minutes of abs and then got on the treadmill. Plan was to run for 20 off for 5 min of abs, run for 15, 5 abs and rn 15 with 5 more abs and then stretching. My lungs felt better and after 20 I wanted more so ran for 30 and then at 30 didn't want to stop so I ran for 40 then 5 abs, then 5 min sprint, 5 in abs, 5 min sprint, and 5 more min abs before stretching.

I have been using the Perfect Pushups and they are fantastic. Definitely worth the money!

Something living in my chest the last couple of days...slowly hacking it up and think I have it on the ropes. Not been able to do anything for two days.

I was at Sports Authority last night and got the urge to buy a medicine ball. So this morning I decided to take it on a run. We managed to get in 4 miles and change. 12 lbs was the heaviest they had, and it sure got heavy after a couple of miles. Nice thing about the medicine ball is that there is no easy way to carry it. Hand weights, even a sledge hammer are made to fit in your hand. The medicine ball as near as I could tell was not.

Between vacation lag, moving the clock forward...I only managed 35 minutes of weights and pushups and 5k on the treadmill. With 3 months to the Death Race I am trying to find the right balance between endurance and strength. Please feel free to share any opinions on the topic.

Back from vacation, got out a few times in FL, enough for maintenance, but will have to start hitting it hard. We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge in Disney very nice and convenient. There was a 4 mile loop that was littered with lights for about a mile (mile 3). I did 2 pushups at every light and then ran the 30-50 ft to the next one. Eight-count body builders combined with running make a great workout. (that is a squat thrust with 2 push ups after you kick your feet back).

Been a crazy week, we are going on vacation next week and a million things to do.,..70 minutes treadmill breakup routine this morning. Run for .5 miles at about 5k pace then off for 10 pushups and 15 ab reps or 1 minute front or side plank then back on treadmill. Had to slow it down after about 40 minutes. Need to start eating a snack before those extended breakups.

Client dinner last night and I was draggin butt this morning getting out of bed. Yesterday I had to skip the workout as I needed to get to the office early to get some stuff done. This morning I started off by putting a chair behind my treadmill to prop my feet on and put the speed to 1.5 mph 45 minute timer and wheelbarrowed for as long as I could (and then a little more). Incredibly tiring on the shoulders and arms. Finished the 45 minutes running.

Supposed to run Hyannis today with my sister btu she couldn't make it down on account of the weather on Friday so that was canned. 90 minutes on the treadmill. Started out at a pace that would have been a half marathon, but there is no way I could maintain that pace for 90 minutes, after about 25 I slowed down and spent the remaining time recovery jogging and the increasing to pace for as long as I could maintain it. I am about a 1:47 1/2 marathoner.

15 degF in Darien this morning. I know because I was smart enough to check weather.com before going outside. So I went to the basement. 65 minutes on the treadmill started off with 30 seconds of as many pushups as I could do and hopped off at 5 minute intervals for 30 seconds of pushups. No idea how far or how many.

I picked up a pair of those "Perfect Pushup" handles that are advertised on TV last night at Sports Authority. I wanted to give them a try so this morning I went down to the basement for 35 minutes of core and pushups and 30 minutes on the treadmill. I have to say that I like the handles. They give a good range of motion and because they twist you don't bind your joints through the motion.

2 1/2 hours at Ethan Allen with the wife picking out furniture fabrics.....unless you were there you can not appreciate the mental stamina. Physical workout consisted of an hour of chest and core and 40 minutes on the treadmill, "fat burning" program...just enough to flush the toxins out of my legs.

After a couple of days of laziness, one of them a rest day and one of them just a complete cluster f***, I finally got a chance to get back out, and decided I needed to log some miles so I went for an 18.2 mile run. I live in Darien which is down on the water, and it is about 12 miles to the New York State line travelling north. The plan was to run to NY and back, but had to call it a little short on account of it got darker earlier than I thought it would and the last 6 miles are narrow windy roads with no shoulders and I didn't want to get tagged.

Rest day today,

Cold and raining again in Darien, CT this mornng, I know I am super-puss for not gettng out there anyways. I went to the basement and set the time on the treadmill for 72 minutes, and the speed to a touch faster than 5k pace. I stayed on the treadmill for 4 minutes and then hopped off for 4 minutes for either push-ups, planks, or lat-pulls. So total was 10 sets of 4 minutes on the treadmill (should have been 9 on the treadmill and 9 off but I did the last 4 minutes on the treadmill) and 8 sets of strength.

Another cold day in Darien, CT this morning and that means more time on the treadmill. I started out with a 5k and then did some back and more core, followed by another 5k on the treadmill. Supposed to be warmer but rainy tomorrow morning.

Freezing cold in Darien this morning, 40 minutes of mostly chest and shoulders along with 5 k on the treadmill.

Took it easy today.�I think�a lot of people look at Monday as a rest day, but typically I would say I try to get up early Mon-Fri and workout. So yesterday was a long run and today was rest. Supposed to be cold here tomorrow, likely some treadmill and weights in the a.m.

Meredith (my wife) got home from her maternity massage, Chris Jr. is due in May, and Josephine was down for her nap so I got to get out of the house for a couple of hours. I took the chance to get in a 13.7 mile loop. You can see the route at� http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/ct/darien/494072969

I am going to grab some water and take a shower.

Merediths birthday is coming up and we went out to dinner to celebrate it. One too many Sapphire and Tonics made this morning a good morning to rest.

Blog having troubles this morning, I slept thru my 02:30 alarm this morning and got up with the backup 04:30 alarm instead. Raining in Darien, CT this morning which doesnt bother me but I have not been inthe basement for a while so I went downstairs for 35 minutes of core and 40 minutes on the treadmill. I have a Nautilus NS600 home gym and Bowflex Series 7 treadmill, but for core I mostly use the floor and an exercise ball. I try not to let my HR dip below 125 and that means very little rest between sets.

02:15 alarm this moring and out of the house at 02:30 for some midnight training. I grabbed my wheelbarrow with about 45 lbs of wood and bricks in it, and an hour and change and 6.2 miles later I was back home for a couple more hours sleep before getting up to walk the dog.

Up at 05:15 and out of the house at 05:30. Nice weather in Darien, CT this morning. Last night I took the last of the antibiotics the Dr. gave me for my sinus infection, and I am feeling much better. Went for my standard 6.2 mile run, and kept a pretty good pace, and then came home and walked Hemingway before getting ready for work.