Heat...and a slight change of plans...

It's been hot!  Really hot.  Both Tuesday and Wednesday morning when I woke up around 5am it was already 80 degrees with humidity pushing the heat index close to 90.  I was able to get my short easy runs in without issue, although I did break down and go out sans shirt.  I'm sure this is not ideal for anyone I may happen to meet along the way, but it was the coolest way for me to run.  Today is a rest day for me getting ready for my Friday/Saturday double header.

Speaking of the double header, I've decided to make a slight change in my schedule.  I've found that running long on Sunday mornings just doesn't seem to work out the best for me any more.  The runs are getting much longer, and some traveling that we're doing towards the end of the summer has made me reconsider.  I've decided to shift my schedule by a day for awhile.  I will now be doing my weekend double header on Friday and Saturday, Saturday being the long run.  Then I will use Sunday as a rest/recovery day.  You can see my revised training plan here.  I'm going to go with that for awhile and see how things go. 

Tonight will be an exercise in self-control.  We are celebrating a friends birthday.  There are a group of us going to the new casino that opened not long ago.  The drinks will be cheap, the food will be plenty (buffet), and the time will slip away quickly.  We'll see how well I can control myself so I can still get out and do my 8 miles at MP tomorrow morning.  Wish me luck...

No excuses.  Just Run.

Vacation...done!

For last week+ my family spent some time in Denver and Silverthorne Colorado.  The time away from work was much needed.  However, as any runner who is training knows, there isn't really a vacation from running.  I was able to stick to my training plan and get all my runs in.  I found that there are pros and cons to running in new areas.  On my long run last Sunday in Denver, I quickly learned that we don't have any hills where I live.  Those hills and the added elevation made for some walking during my 14 miles.  I also learned that there is a difference between 1400 feet above sea level (home), 6000 feet above sea level (Denver), and 9100 feet above sea level (Dillon/Silverthorne).  At 9100 feet you run out of breath quickly.  It made the marathon pace run extremely difficult.  When we got back home, we arrived right smack in the middle of a heat wave.  This left me trying to decide which is worse.  60 degrees with little to no humidity at 9100' or 80 degrees with high humidity at 1400'.  After struggling through 10 miles this morning before work, I definitely know which I would choose.  I'll take lower temps just about every time. 

After driving ALL day Saturday to get home.  I was not up for an early morning run Sunday.  The extreme heat/humidity kept me from getting out at all on Sunday so I was forced into a Monday morning run to make up for it.  Whoa!  Not fun.  You've probably had one of those runs.  I have too.  The first 3 miles were pretty good, but then the sun came up.  That combined with my not so good diet the last few days made for a pretty miserable run.  I'll spare you the details and just let you fill in the blanks.  I got it done though, and I'm ready to get back into the routine of home/work and everything else that comes with it.  Vacation was nice, but they don't last forever....do they???

No excuses.  Just run.

Tale of two runs...

7 miles today.  This morning was one of those days that keep you coming back.  Not a cloud in the sky.  Sun just coming up in the first mile or so.  Just a slight breeze and 58 degrees.  A little humidity, but not too bad.  All that adds up to a nice easy run this morning.  As you can tell, I enjoyed myself immensely.

In direct contrast to that, was last night's run.  If you remember, I didn't get up to run yesterday morning.  That meant I was doing 3.5 miles last night after work.  It was mid-80's and humid.  Not ideal at all.  Bo found out quickly that this was going to be work and spent most of the time looking for water in the ditches.  I pushed through and completed the miles, but I remembered quickly why I get out of bed early every morning.

At this point marathon training is going pretty well for me.  However up to this point I have not run further than 13 miles...ever.  This weekend is 14 miles which will be my new longest run ever.  I'm not really nervous for the distance.  I'm just nervous as to how my body will react to the distance.  Does that make sense?

No excuses.  Just run.

Holiday weekend...

Saturday morning called for a 6 mile marathon pace run.  The weather was almost perfect for running and for ballooning.  Huh?!  What do I know about ballooning?  OK, I'm guessing about the perfect weather for being in a hot air balloon.  But I did see a couple of them out flying Saturday morning.  One of them flew directly over my head.  I didn't pay too much attention, but did think it was funny that my dog wasn't sure what to do about those big "birds" flying over.  About a mile later I looked out into a corn field and saw the same balloon, only this time he was really low.  I realized it was trying to land.  Something changed and it aborted mission.  Then another mile later I looked into the middle of a different corn field (or it might have been beans, not sure) and there it was again trying to land.  Just before it hit the ground it hit the flame again and went up just a bit.  Then it coasted down and came to rest right on the road about 1/4 mile from where I was running past.  It was kind of a cool sight, and distracted me for half my run.  Once I was past the balloon I got back to business.  Everything was going great until last night's supper choice came back to haunt me in the last mile.  I swear, soon I'm going to get my diet under control and not put myself through these things.  I finished the run and decided to walk my cool down.  Just as I was about to turn down my street the balloon came past, all packed up in the back of a pickup.  I hope they had as good a morning as I had (for the most part).

Sunday morning brought my long run.  13 miles this week.  After my issues Saturday morning I concentrated on eating well all day Saturday.  I headed out the door hoping I had accomplished my goal.  The weather was pretty decent again, although a little humid.  The good news being the sun wasn't out along with the humidity, so that was a bonus.  I took a long out and back route knowing there there are some decent hills right around the halfway point.  I also made a point of slowing down this time.  After 13 miles...mission accomplished.  I really felt good the whole way and had no issues.  It was a relief, and also showed that when I concentrate and do things right, the miles go by a lot easier.

After the long run I was free to enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend.  We went to a couple BBQ/picnics, ate a bunch of good food (drank some good beer), and blew up some fireworks.  It really was a fun weekend that ended with me being to worn out to get up bright and early Tuesday morning for a run.  That means a late afternoon run today...ugh.

No excuses.  Just run.

4 in a row, and counting...

Friday's are rest days for me.  So no run today. 

My runs this week went pretty well.  3, 6, 3 was on the schedule and I got the miles in.  Tuesday my wife got up and ran with me.  That was great!  Yes, the pace was pretty slow (over 11 min/mile), but I really do enjoy running with her.  Wednesday was 6 miles.  I felt great for 90% of the run, but then ran into a few issues towards the end.  I only have myself to blame.  Tuesday was not a very good eating day for me.  Bad diet can cause issues on the following day's run.  I know better, but did it anyway.  I struggled through and completed the run reminding myself not to do this next time.  Thursday morning was back to feeling good again.  In fact, I felt so good I threw in a few strides just to pick up the pace for a bit. 

So 4 in a row.  What is that?  June marked the fourth month in a row that I went over 100 miles in a month.  I know that's not a huge number to many, but for me it still a little strange to think/talk about.  It was less than 2 years ago that 5 minutes of running was a daunting task.  Now I'm getting 100+ miles/month with more to come.  The month of June also saw me go past the 500 mile mark for the year.  I'm currently sitting at 557 miles.  Again, for me that's a big deal.

I'm still adjusting to being called a "runner".  I'm not sure how it came about, but somewhere along the line I morphed into what many consider to be a runner.  I know in the runner cosmos I'm pretty low on the totem pole, but it is a group that I'm proud to call myself a part of.  I feel like I could sit down over a beer (or whatever your drink of choice is) and immediately start talking with any other runner.  There are things you do and experiences you have that are hard to discuss with someone that has not gone through them.


As usual, I have no idea where this is going.  Just a few things that are floating around in my head today.  I have a lot to learn about running, and I can't wait to learn it.

No excuses.  Just run.

Cutback week...

Yes, last week was an "easy" week.  My weekend runs were 6 miles at goal pace on Saturday, and 8 miles on Sunday.  Yes, my long run was "only" 8 miles.  We were hanging out with some friends on Saturday and I caught myself saying I only had to run 8 miles the following day.  When did 8 miles become "only" 8 miles.  That's bizarre.  It was just a year ago that I thought 5 miles was a forever distance.  It seemed  like a really long ways.  Now I'm thinking of ways to make 8 miles seem a little more difficult to give myself a little better workout.  What a difference a year makes.

Three weeks of marathon training completed.  Things are going well (knock on wood).  I'm still looking forward to what is coming.  We'll see how long that lasts.  One thing is certain, I'm going to have to figure out how to run while traveling.  We will be doing some traveling in July and this coming weekend is the only weekend that I will be at home for my long run.  This is another bizarre change of mindset for me.  Vacation has always been my time to indulge.  While I'm sure I'll do my share of indulging, I'll also continue to get my miles in.  I've done some Google map scouting on available trails/running routes near my destinations.  It should be fun to explore some new areas. 

No excuses.  Just run.

Country Runner vs. City Runner

My training schedule called for 6 miles today.  For the second day in a row rain was in the forecast, and for the second day in a row it held off during my run.  Maybe I'm lucky.  It was a bit of a restless night of sleep, but I got out of bed and out the door.  The 6 miles went by uneventfully.

So I do the majority of my miles in rural America on country gravel roads.  I take my dog along and he gets to run around off leash.  I get to log my miles on a little more forgiving terrain.  I very rarely see other runners, or even cars.  It's usually just me, Bo (my dog), and miles of nothing.  This is all setup for this past weekend.  We took our kids to Omaha to visit the Henry Doorly Zoo.  Luckily we have family that lives in Omaha so there is a free place to stay and most of the comforts of home.

Saturday morning I woke up to rain.  I have no issues running in rain, however I'm obviously not used to running around cars.  About a half mile into my run I was at a corner.  A pickup came flying past right through a puddle, soaking my left side from head to toe.  These are things I remember doing as a stupid teenager, now I'm regretting it.  The rest of the miles went by without issue, but I had my head on a swivel.

Sunday's run called for 11 miles.  I was able run on the Keystone - Central and Big Papio trails in Omaha.  For the second day in a row I learned some things about running with other people around.  The first few bikers that passed me on the trail did the proper thing and announced themselves as they were passing.  In the process of announcing themselves they scared the living daylights out of me.  I think I jumped on the first 10 bikers that came past.  As the miles went by I noticed my legs aren't used to putting in miles on the concrete surface.  This is something I should probably work on over the summer.  I'm guessing the Chicago Marathon isn't run on gravel roads, so I'll probably work on getting a few long runs in on hard surfaces to train my body for that.

Overall the runs went pretty well.  I learned a few lessons about running in the big city (what a hillbilly I am), but those can only make me a better runner...right?

No excuses.  Just run.

What is this?

I don't know what this is, or what it will become.  I guess we'll see together. 

Official marathon training has started.  I'm in week 3 of Hal Higdon's 18 week Intermediate II plan.  So far, so good.  There is a lot to catch up on, not sure how much of it I'll get down in a post.  I guess you'll just have to wait and see.  For now, let's just say that I'm wanting to keep up the blog, but not sure if I have what it takes. 

No excuses.  Just run.

Kansas Half Marathon

This weekend wife and I went down to the home of the Jayhawks so I could run the Kansas Half Marathon with my youngest sister and her husband.  For me, this was a long slow training run.  Overall I felt great, and although parts of me wanted to go faster, I knew why I came and really enjoyed the day.

The actual race on the other hand needs a little tweaking before I decide to run it again.  Anyway, I'll fill you in along the way.  This was a 13.1 mile training run for me.  The weather was perfect.  A light breeze, crisp air at the start.  Less than a mile into the race was the first mess.  There was a big sign pointing 1/2 marathon straight, 10k'ers turn right.  No volunteer in sight.  Well, it's still a pretty big mass of humanity at this point so there are people cutting across traffic trying to make the turn.  A couple hundred yards down the road there were still people running backwards trying to make that turn.  Messy.

We continued on down the road.  I guess I'll tell you know, this route did not take us through the most scenic parts of Lawrence.  I guess this race used to be run through the campus of KU, but people complained about the hills so they changed the course.  It is now run through more of an industrial part of town.  There was a short stretch where we ran through part of downtown.  This was probably the best stretch except for the extreme lack of crowd support.  It was almost like a ghost town. 

Another thing that kinda bugged me.  About mile 5.5 or so there was a volunteer handing out Gu packs.  That would be great except he was standing right after a water spot.  I had just dumped my cup and was then handed a Gu.  That's not the right order for me.  Miles 4 through 10 (ish) where an out and back so we made our way back through the industrial area...then we passed the finish line on our way to the last 3 mile loop.  Ugh.  For a training run, not a big deal.  If I were racing, big deal.  The few volunteers they had out there didn't seem to know what was going on.  We were told by consecutive volunteers to run on opposite sides of the road.  It was almost comical at that point. 

My last gripe (sorry, I'm not usually like this) is the lack of water stops at the end of the course.  By the time we got to the last few miles the sun was out and it was warming up (it got up to 75 on Sunday).  It would have been nice to have the water stops a little closer together towards the end of the race for some of those runners that were struggling.  They seemed a little too spaced out. 

To end on a positive note...at the finish line there were plenty of drinks and snacks (although no bananas, but that's personal preference).  My sister and her husband finished there first 1/2 marathon in about 2:35.  I thought they did great.  I enjoyed the time with them, and the weather.  The race...ehhh.

I'm now 4 weeks out from my goal half marathon.  I'm still feeling fairly confident, but as always there are those worries creeping into the back of my head.  For the time being I'm just concentrating on the training left to do.  More crappy weather in the forecast for this week, so I guess the winter running gear gets to stay out for a bit.  I'm pretty sick of using it.

How was your weekend?

I'm ready for Spring...

This weather is getting ridiculous.  I had to get out the tights again this week.  Wind chills back down around freezing.  Ugh. 

After taking a couple days in a row off, I'm back on the wagon.  Went out for 5 miles on Tuesday, and my legs were a little dead yet.  I was a little disappointed.  Things picked up though.  Wednesday I headed out for a 40 minute tempo run and felt great the whole time.  I pushed myself and thought my body responded well.  Yesterday was a nice easy 3 miles, and other than he cold wind pushing me around the run felt good.

This weekend we're headed south.  We get to see some family.  More importantly I get to run with some family.  That's a treat for me.  Other than my wife, I've never really run with anyone else, let alone family.  My sister and her husband are running a half marathon, and I decided to run it with them.  I won't be racing this one, just using it as a training run.  The best part is that I get to spend a couple hours of quality time with a couple people I don't get to see very often.  As you can tell (hopefully), I can't wait.

Have a great weekend.  If you're racing, Good Luck!

Two days in a row...

I've slacked off a little.  After the race Saturday I headed up to a friends hunting cabin.  We did some goose hunting and drank too much (no, not at the same time).  I didn't get home on Sunday until after 3 pm.  I spent the rest of the day recovering on the couch watching golf.  Then yesterday (Monday) I had some doctor things to do and watched my oldest play baseball. 

What do all these excuses lead up to?  Two days in a row with no running.  I could definitely tell yesterday that I was getting antsy.  However, I just didn't have the time yesterday to get a run in.  You better believe I'll be out there this afternoon.  A good reason to try out the new Brooks Defyance 3 shoes I picked up from Running Warehouse last week. 

That's all for today.  Not much else going on.  At least not running related. 

MVCA Race for Christ 10k...

This past Saturday Wife and I drove about an hour to a little local race.  The reason we did this was because I wanted to get a 10k race in as part of my half marathon training.  Wife did the 5k and got a nice little PR out of it as she went under 29 minutes for the first time.  Congrats to her.

Saturday was just about perfect weather for a race.  It was overcast and cool, right around 50 degrees.  This was a small race with only 29 people running the 10k.  However, I was confident in my training and felt great before the race.  It was an out and back course and we were running with the 5k'ers for the first 1.5 miles.  After that things thinned out quite a bit.

As usual I started out to fast.  This is something I'm trying hard to work on.  I ran the first mile in 7:38.  With my goal being 8 minute miles, I knew I needed to slow down.  I got myself slowed down a little and ran the second mile in 7:51, I guess I needed to slow down a little more.  Halfway through this mile is where the 5k runners turned around, so we were out on our own now.  This helped a little to get me to relax and get in a rhythm.  I ran the 3rd mile in 7:57.  Nice!  That's right were I needed to be.  I had a new set of problems now.

As I began to slow down I lost the person I had been running with as she left me behind (I can't believe she didn't slow down with me).  There were still people within view, so I still had something to work for.  Around the 3 mile mark I passed someone and that left me with a lot of open road ahead of me.  Basically I ran the last half pretty much alone.  There was a guy just a bit behind me.  From time to time he would get a little closer, and I would do a check and realize I had slowed down a little.  So I'd get back on pace and pull away a bit.  That's how the last half of the race went.  The 4th mile was 8:02, the 5th mile was 8:10.  As you can see I was struggling just a bit.  But then I picked it up for the finish.  The 6th mile was 7:49.  I gave a pretty good kick at the end and finished in 48:21.  That was good enough for a new PR.  The course was a bit short I think as my Garmin measured 6.15 miles.  I know Garmin's can be off also, but I'm still calling it a 10k PR.

After the race we hung around for the awards.  This is not something we usually do as we're middle of the pack type runners.  However, I knew this was a small race and I knew there weren't many guys running the 10k.  This turned out to be a smart move.  I got 1st in my age group!!!  What?!?!  Yep, I won my first age group award.  That was kinda cool.  I beat the two other guys in my group, but a win is a win, right?

Overall it was a great race.  A new PR along with a age group win.  I'll take it.

Race week...

Yes, this week is a race week.  But before I get to that, I should probably recap the last few runs as it looks as if I may have slacked off a little.

This past Saturday was a first for me.  The first time on the other side.  I volunteered at a local 5k.  It was tougher than I thought.  I was fine until the runners started going past, then I felt a twinge of envy.  After a bit I got over it and enjoyed myself.  After the race I headed out for a run of 4 miles at race pace.  The run felt great.  Then came the downfall of my weekend.

We threw a little Final Four basketball party at our house.  I got the smoker out for the first time this spring and smoked some ribs.  The house filled up with friends and we started eating...and drinking.  After a few beers we decided to break out the rum.  Long story short, I got to bed too late and a little to tipsy to think about an early morning long run the next day.  What a mistake.  The next morning we woke up to perfect running weather.  Cool, sunny, and very little wind.  However, since I missed my morning window I couldn't get out for my 10 miles until about 4:30 pm.  The weather changed by then. 

By the time I headed out the sun had disappeared and the wind was now blowing at 25 - 30 mph with gusts as high as 40.  That's not cool.  The first 4 miles were with the wind, I took it easy knowing what was ahead of me.  The next 5 miles were into the wind.  When I made the turn I was able to convince myself it wasn't so bad.  Two miles in I started laughing at what a mess I had gotten myself into.  The last mile I was just trying to survive.  I made the last turn and with a mile left the wind was on my back again.  What a relief.  That was the hardest 5 miles I've ever run.  It totally wiped me out for the rest of the night.

This weeks runs have gone well.  I did 5 miles Tuesday at a decent pace.  Last night I did 8x400 intervals around 5k pace.  Those actually felt great.  Tonight will be a nice easy 3 miles.  Then the next time I run will be a race.  Finally!  We are heading to a nearby town to do a 10k on Saturday morning.  I'm really looking forward to seeing how this half marathon training has treated me.  I'm expecting a nice PR.  Granted that won't be too hard as I've only run one other 10k and that was pretty early on in my running.  My A goal for Saturday is to come in under 50 minutes.  We'll see what happens.

That catches you up on my running.  How's your running going?

So far, so good...

100 miles! March 2011 will go down as the first month I ever went over 100 miles for the month.  107.5 to be exact.  Wow!  What a difference a year makes.  March 2010 saw me starting up the couch to 5k plan trying to get through 3 minute runs without dying.  Now I'm running for an hour and a half on a Sunday morning before church.  If you knew me, you'd know how crazy that sounds. 

Training has been going well so far.  This is the first time in my short life as a runner that I've run five days a week.  I was a little nervous at first about how things would go, but I've settled into a good rhythm.  I can feel it in my legs, but they aren't sore, just a little tired.

The week didn't start off so well when I got lazy on Monday and did nothing.  Monday's are supposed to be the day to stretch out well and do some strength training.  I didn't do anything.  On Tuesday I got in 4.8 miles at a decent pace.  When I got home I did some core work to make up for Monday.  Wednesday is a hard day in the Higdon Intermediate plan.  This week called for a 40 minute tempo run.  I went out and got in 42 minutes and felt like I worked pretty hard.  Thursday I went out with my wife for 4 easy miles. 

I know there will be ups and downs in running, just like there are in every other part of life.  It seems that I'm in a pretty good place right now.  Hopefully that can continue as the races start picking up over the next couple months. 

If you're racing this weekend, good luck.  If not, enjoy your long runs this weekend.

Running through the weekend...

I had great intentions of getting this posted yesterday.  I also planned on getting a good workout in yesterday.  Neither of those happened.

Saturday called for a 3 mile run at race pace.  If you don't know, my goal is to run a half marathon in 1:50:XX.  So I need to keep a pace of 8:27ish per mile.  Well I started out with a warm-up mile, and then started picking up the pace.  I ran the next mile at 8:19 and was really feeling good.  These kinds of runs are the ones that are true confidence builders (yes, possibly false confidence, but confidence none-the-less).  The next mile came in at 8:14, and I was really having trouble slowing down.  This is starting to turn into a tempo run rather than race pace.  At 2.33 miles I turned the corner towards home.  This means the next 3/4 mile is down hill with a slight tail wind.  I finished the 3rd mile at 7:56 and the final 1/3 of a mile was 8:00. 

Like I said, this really became a tempo run, which isn't all bad, except I really need to work on my pacing for the upcoming half marathons.  I need to get my body used to running around 8:25 and holding that pace.  That will be my emphasis in the near future.  Teach myself what 8:25/mile feels like.

Sunday is long run day.  I got up early and ate a little breakfast.  I decided on two pieces of toast with pb and banana.  Drank a couple cups of coffee and then headed out.  My plan was 9 miles.  My wife was going out for 5 miles, so I got to run the first 2.5 miles with her.  This is good for me because is slows me down.  The first 2.5 miles were at about 10:20 pace.  After she turned around for home (out and back course today), I picked up the pace a little and settled into a rhythm. 

Almost too focused.  All of a sudden I looked around and Bo was no where to be found.  I called him a couple times, then heard a slight little yip from behind me.  I turned around and started running back.  I got back to the last farmhouse I had passed and found him stuck in the fenced in front yard.  I have no idea how he got in there, but he could not figure out how to get out.  I ended up finding the shortest part of the fence, reaching over and lifting him out.  This isn't a little 20 lb. dog.  He hasn't been weighed in awhile, but I'm guessing about 80 lbs.  Dork!  With Bo released and back on the prowl we continued on. 

I got to the halfway point and decided I wanted to do the 2nd half with music.  So I dug out my iPod and put on the tunes.  The 2nd half was uneventful and I finished strong with plenty of energy left.  I could tell Bo was getting thirsty by the time we got home, so I'm a little worried about how we'll keep him hydrated once the weather gets warmer.  I'll have to do some thinking on that.  I'm open for suggestions.

That was my weekend.  Two good runs.  How was yours?

 

Agreed...

I saw this over at I thought they said rum.  This describes me pretty well.  The very first 5k I ever entered I came in dead last.  I was bummed for awhile.  Then I remembered that I ran the whole course and didn't walk once.  That was a victory for me.  Over time I've come to realize that the competition for me is between me and the clock. 

She was right...

Don't tell her I said this, but my wife was probably right this time.

Yesterday when I got home from work I was dying to get out for a run.  Sunday's run was great, and Monday was a stretch and strengthen day, so I was ready to run on Tuesday.  It had been raining off and on all day.  On my way home it was spitting a little bit, but not raining too hard.  I got home and my wife tells me we have to go to the gym and run on the treadmill.  Of course my first question is "Why?".  She tells me she has been hearing thunder.  I tell her she's crazy and head out.

About a mile or so into it there is a little rumbling.  I forged on.  About 2.5 miles in I turned a corner and was running directly into the wind.  Still not too bad.  I rounded the last corner at 3.5 miles and was feeling pretty good.  About that time the rumblings got a little louder.  Then the rain started to pick up.  By mile 4 it was an all out downpour.  Then it happened....hail!  What?!  Where did this come from.  Bo looked at like me like "You've got to be kidding, where are we supposed to go?".  I said "Sorry, bud.  Let's keep moving".  I picked up the pace.  I was just about home and everything settled down again.  It was a quick little storm, but I was out running around in it.  I don't suggest trying it.  I ended up with 4.8 miles at a 9:20/mile pace.

Today was interval day.  And it didn't go well.  I'm not sure if I didn't eat enough today, or what the issue was, but I didn't have much energy tonight.  The schedule called for 7x400 at 5k pace.  I was able to get 4 of them in before I had to take a bathroom break.  When I got back on the treadmill there wasn't much left.  But I was able to get in all seven 400's at 8.2 on the treadmill.  Note to self for next time, make sure you eat enough on speed day.

Runner's high...

I've finally experienced it.  I was starting to wonder if I had, or was ever going to, experience what people were talking about when they talked about the runner's high.  Yesterday morning I experienced it.  I felt great.  It was cool and overcast but I wanted to get my run in right away in the morning.  I got up early and ate a bowl of Raisin Bran and had a couple cups of coffee.  Bo (my dog) and I took off about 7:45 and headed south.  There was a little breeze into my face.  I had forgotten to grab my ipod, so I was without music which I was OK with.  I started out too fast (as usual), but got myself slowed down a little in the second mile.  I was at a comfortable pace and felt good. 

Before I knew it I was at my turn around point.  I turned around and everything clicked.  That little breeze that I was running into was now at my back.  Things got quiet and it was like I started floating.  I slowly started picking up the pace.  I figured I'd see how long it lasted, I'd get tired and I'd slow down for the last mile or two.  Before I knew it I was pushing hard the last mile and finished strong.  My 8th and final mile was a 7:50 mile.  Not fast for some, but for me that's pretty fast. 

When I got done I didn't really feel tired, in fact I was ready to go.  I got home and was pumped.  I was trying to tell my wife about it, but she wasn't all that interested (remember the reason for the blog?).  Overall, it was 8 miles at 9:13 per mile pace. 

3 weeks until my next race.  Can't wait.

Christmas is finally over...

Say what?  Yep, Christmas is finally over.  We finally took the Christmas lights off the house today.  I realize it's the middle of March.  My excuse is that we have a two-story house, and there is no way I'm climbing around on the roof with snow and ice around.  With the nice weather this past week all the snow and ice went away, so it was time to get them down.

However, before taking care of that (and all the dog poop that "showed up" in the backyard) we got out for a nice easy 3 mile run.  I ran with my wife, so it was a good easy pace.  I felt great.  A little windy, but the temperature was perfect.

So a nice easy run.  Outside chores done.  Take the rest of the day to watch basketball and maybe eat some pizza and drink beer.

"Long" run tomorrow.

Some runs are bad runs...

This has been a hard lesson for me to learn in my short running career.  Not every run is going to feel great.  Tonight was one of those nights.

It started out pretty good.  My 12-year-old son wants to run a 5k with me.  Tonight was the beginning of his training.  We did a run/walk (or as I read somewhere today a "rulk").  This was almost 2.5 miles in about 27 minutes.  It seemed like a great warm-up for the tempo run that was on my schedule for tonight.  After I sent him home and started picking up my pace I could start to feel that my stomach was not feeling the best.  Of course, I ignored it and kept on going.  

I was about 2.5 miles in and things started getting a little worse.  I decided to start my cool down a little early and started slowing down.  I only made it another 1/2 mile.  At that point I had to stop and walk it in from there, almost a mile from home.  I ended up doing 3 miles at an 8:40 pace.  So it wasn't a terrible tempo run, other than it was a little short.  The way it ended was what made it a rough night.

Yes, I had a bad run.  That doesn't change the training though.  Tomorrow is a scheduled rest day.  Saturday I'll be back out running...and I can't wait.

Ugh...Another blog.

Yes, this is another blog about running, trying to eat right, and probably a little big of life in general.

XL Runner really says it best.  When you think of runners you think of those little skinny guys that a stiff South Dakota breeze would blow over.  That's not me.  I've been the big guy most of my life.


Image from chrisfarleymovies.com

In December of 2009 I got sick of it and decided at 307 lbs. that I needed to do something different.  I started eating better and I started working out.  In the spring of 2010 I decided to run a 5k.  My wife and I started doing the Couch to 5k program.  A funny thing happened during the training, I started enjoying running.  Not only that, but I enjoyed the results I was getting on the scales.  We decided to sign up for a local half marathon that was taking place in September.  13.1 miles seemed like an impossibility at the time.  Using Hal Higdon's novice half marathon training plan, we ran all summer long.

September came and we ran the half marathon together.  I loved it!  My wife endured it.  In the end, I became hooked on running.  Along with finding a new hobby, I found a new body.  In one year I had lost more than 75 lbs.  Some people hear 230 lbs. and think that's still a big guy, but believe me, there are huge differences between 300+ and 230.

Anyway, running became a hobby/addiction.  I started reading everything I could find online.  I even bought winter running gear and was out running in single digit temps.  So what's next?  Well, this year I decided I should run a marathon.  Whoa!

Image from www.thirteenpointonex2.com

That's right, I signed up for the 2011 Chicago Marathon.  My current goal is to get into one of the starting corrals for the marathon.  They have 4 starting corrals and then EVERYONE else.  With 45,000+ runners running the marathon, the "everyone else" section is going to be a mob.  The slowest starting corral (Corral D) is my goal.  To get in I need to run a half marathon in 1:50:59 before August 19.  This is a pretty aggressive goal for me.  My half marathon time last fall was 2:09:XX.  So I need to knock almost 20 minutes off last fall's time.  My first chance is May 14.  I'm signed up for a local half marathon.  Training is ongoing.

Well, there you have it.  It felt a little like I was rambling, but now you know a little about where I came from and where I'm headed.  Since I don't really talk to anyone in real life about this stuff.  I'll be doing quite a bit more rambling.  Somewhere along the way maybe I'll find my niche in this community.