10K Record!!

That's a new PR by 2:30 minutes! I was doing pretty good with the negative splits until mile 5; I don't know what happened there. Well, I do know what happened: I slowed down. The "why" part is what I don't know about.

I set the 305's alarm limits to keep me between an 11 and 10 min/mile pace; I might keep this pace as my default long run pace instead of the 11:30-10:30 pace. As I mentioned earlier, I'm starting to feel a little pressure to get my pacing moving toward the goal of 9 min/mile for 13.1 miles.

I ended January with 53.57 miles and 9.48 hours of running. This is my most productive running month to date, and I feel like I'm finally back to being in the shape that I was before taking two weeks off at the end of Dec. Yay me!

Nasty Weather...

...is coming. So, today, I need to get in my long run(6 miles) for the week today because I'd really rather do the shorter runs on the treadmill than the longer ones.

I'm three months away from my first mini-marathon, so I'm starting to feel the need to push things along as far as endurance and speed. Making the distance isn't an issue because, at the very worst, I could walk/run, but I'd rather not do that.

Some of my concerns revolve around interruptions to my training. Weather, a week long tech school, and a week long vacation all have the potential to derail my training with things beyond my control. To help deal with these, I'll need to make sure that I build plenty of flex time into my schedule to accommodate unforeseen circumstances.

My goal for my first 1/2 marathon is 9 min/mile pace and a sub 2 hour finish. Yes, I know, I should just be grateful for a finish, regardless of pace, but I feel it's better to shoot for the stars and hit the moon than aim for your foot and nail your target.

Maybe I just don't like getting shot...

Evansville run

This run was from the hotel. I ran four loops, one around a three quarter mile loop, the other three, I included a lollipop to add on more mileage.

It was warm enough for SHORTS!!! I still wore my under armor + long sleeve shirt, gloves (for just the first 3/4 mile) and an ear warmer. It felt really good to get out there in shorts, though!

6.2 miles = 10K BABY!!

32 degrees again today, except, no sunshine. Bah!

I set the pace alarm limits to keep me between 11:30 and 10:30 min/mile. This is going to be my default pace for my first time running a new (longer) distance. It's a nice pace that I can keep up without worrying about running out of steam. Of course, as I get in better shape, I'll adjust this downward, but for now, this is where I'm at.

For my medium distance runs, I'll be setting a pace between 10:30 and 9:30, and for my short runs (3 miles right now), I plan on keeping it between 10 and 9.

I need to check out the trainer option as for my upcoming race, I'd like to start with a pace between 9:15 and 8:45 for the first mile, 9 and 8:30 for the second mile, and 8:45 and 8:15 for the last mile. The last 1/10th needs to be an all out sprint. I've got two weeks from this Saturday to get down to that.

This week's schedule is a little screwy as we are headed down to Evansville to check out a college for our youngest son. I was thinking about blowing off my run on Friday, but I might just have to get up early and gut it out. I think I'll also do a little running after my strength training tomorrow night in order to get in all my miles for the week.

Luckily, next week should be back to abby-normal with runs of 4, 4, 3 and 6 on M, W, F, S. The week after that I'll run on Mon and Wed, then rest until my race on that Sat.

4 Miler

It was warmer than it has been (32 degrees F), so it was slushy out. I don't much like running in the slush, but it beats the treadmill.

That last mile was the hardest. I have set up my runs so that they are a combination of a 1 mile loop and a 2 mile loop - both of which start at my house, so for example, today, I ran the one mile route, then the two mile loop, and finally, the one mile loop again.

This does a couple of things:
1. I don't get the same boring scenery over and over again. My previous 4+ mile runs were loops around the "nice" neighborhood on the other side of the development.

The road that ran around the inside of the neighborhood was 1.07 miles, so it made a pretty good route to keep track of my mile splits (and of course I knew where the mile markers were!)

With the GPS watch, I don't have to worry about knowing where the mile splits are as the watch keeps track of them.

2. I can mix and match the routes to add up to the mileage I want to do. For a three mile run, I can do either route first followed by the other route. My five mile run on Saturday was the two mile route, then the one mile route, followed by the two mile route. It really is nice to have variety.

3. Because each route ends at my house, if I need to make a pit stop, or drop off some clothing, or pick up some clothing, or take care of pretty much anything, I know that I'm never farther than a mile from my house. Few things are worse than being 2.5 miles from the house and you realize you under dressed, or have a pressing need to get rid of something...

I need to figure out how I'm going to get my mileage in this week; this Friday, we are headed down to Evansville, IN to check out University of Southern Indiana for my youngest son. So, that means I might be able to get in a short run before we leave, and possibly a run when we get back on Saturday. I might have to push it to Sunday; I'm sure I'll figure it out.

Another 5 miler

Yes, those are positive splits, which aren't what I want (I want to make my last mile run my fastest), but I did make it the whole distance at a faster pace, so I'm happy with that.

I set my pace alarm to keep me between 10 and 11 min/mile; looks like it did its job!

No run today

Because I did this last night on the stationary bike and think I strained something. Hoping that I'll feel all right for tomorrow's 5 miler in the snow.

Workin' it

Recently, my wife and I started strength training with a personal trainer from LA Fitness. We're trying to get into a routine of Tue/Thu workouts and have been fairly successful so far.

We are breaking our workouts into three major groups, one of which we work on during a training session. Tue was legs and abs, last Sat was back and biceps, tonight is chest, shoulders, and triceps.

Usually, a workout routine hits all of those areas in one week (or even twice a week for the hardcore muscleheads), but we are spreading it across a week and a half for now. So, in three weeks, we get two of each workout.

I've decided to put the triathlon workouts on hold while I get my core in shape with the strength training. Starting in February, we'll go down to once a week with the trainer and once a week on our own for the strength training, so I might readdress then.

Of course, I could try to incorporate the triathlon training into my regular runs, but I'll wait until the spring before doing that so I can bike and run outside.

Another run

There were little snow flurries during this run, but over all, it wasn't too bad.

I did three fartleks during the last mile of about .1 mile each with about a .2 mile recovery between the all out running. I also jogged at about an 11 min/mile pace during my recovery phase.

Run

Not as fast as last Monday, which is disappointing, but at least I was outside. It felt cooler than the 32 degrees it was; must be something to do with the 14 MPH wind.

First 5 miler of the year

Yeah, I know, the whole "first blah blah of the year" thing is getting old. Luckily for you all, I'll start repeating stuff, so then it will be the "second blah blah of the year!"

It was 32 degrees with a 15 MPH wind, but the run was actually pretty pleasant as I had my running tights, underarmor shirt w/ long sleeve tech shirt (my thickest one), gloves, and a head band/ear warmer. I much prefer running in this kind of weather vs. indoors on the treadmill.

Slow and easy

Treadmill style! I set the speed at 5 mph and checked out. Tomorrow is my first 5 miler of the year, and I'm really hoping that I can run it outside. If it's snowing, though, I'll hit the treadmill again.

Run + Str Training = noodle body

I did the first mile as a warm up before our strength training session (shoulders and chest, if anyone is interested); the last 3 were after, of course.

I was really feeling out of gas around the 2 mile mark, but I pushed on and was able to complete all three miles. That's part of running, eh? Learning how to push through wanting to quit. Now if only I could apply that to other areas of my life...

Back on Schedule

Back to the training program! 3 miles today, 4 on Wed, 3 on Friday, and 5 on Saturday! I've got strength training on Wed and Saturday this week, so that should keep me busy.

I ran in shorts today even though it was just 30 degrees with a 12 mph wind out there. I should have donned my tights. I eventually warmed up, but I don't think I'll do that again.

So, how about those mile splits? I set my watch to keep me between a 9 and 10 min/mile pace, and I was able to respond to pick it up or slow it down as necessary. Wed's run is going to be slower, probably between a 10 and 12 min/mile pace; I was pretty winded after today's run.

Addition

This run was a warm up for strength training at the gym today. My wife and I got a free consultation/personal training session with LA Fitness, so we used it today. The personal trainer chose to work on legs...after I ran this.

Had I known she was going to choose legs, I might have walked for 10 minutes instead of running. And, yes, my legs were almost jello after the workout, so I didn't run any more.

We are now set up for twice a week sessions with a personal trainer for the month of January and then once a week after that. I'm concentrating on strengthening my core to better my running as well as fend off those pesky injuries that happen to flabby people like me.

2010 Running Wrap Up

For my long time readers, most of you know that I am a big time procrastinator, so it should come as no surprise that I'm just now releasing the much anticipated year end wrap up of my running year.

While I did not run 2010 miles last year, I did run some. I ended the year with 180.45 miles including four 5K races.
I'm attributing my injury in Dec to my breast stroke swimming for now; hopefully, I'll get the miles back to Oct's level or higher this month.

What I feel is one of my bigger accomplishments, besides actually finishing a 5K, is the chart below.

This is my progress in 5K races, from a 29:43 first time to my latest at 27:42. Two minutes shaved off my time in under two months. /FLEX! Ow, ow, pulled muscle...

Since I began running in July, I've become a different person. I actually like running now! I feel much better about the direction that I'm going in regards to my health and fitness and miss the runs when I have to rest. I mean, not THE runs; I don't miss getting those...

I've changed my diet a bit; I've changed my reason for running (it's no longer to lose weight.) Call it a mid-life crisis (I sure hope to see 86!); call it an awakening; call it a wake up call. Call it Barney and tickle its nose with an over ripe papaya until it squeaks like an emancipated church mouse...call it...

Where was I? Oh, yeah, papaya. It's good stuff. And sometimes change is too (just don't let that get out. We'll keep that between you and me...)

Not what I was shooting for...

...I was too fast. I might just pay for not keeping it slow and steady. This is part of my problem - I have issues with disciplining myself to keep to what's best for me. Instead, I want to rush and get better NOW!

I hope I didn't set back my recovery.

First run of the year

Aaaaaaand, I'm still figuring the Forerunner 305 out, it seems. I thought that it would find a satellite soon after I started running. It didn't.

So, after 5 minutes of running and no pacing display (which would indicate the GPS was tracking), I turned off the watch and turned it back on. Bingo, got satellites almost right away.

But, of course, I didn't track what turned out to be the first .5 miles. So, no splits.

I'm pretty happy with the run. I was debating on going for another mile, but decided to just run two at a pretty good pace then run three tomorrow at a somewhat slower pace. Thursday and Friday will tell me how my body responds to my back to back daily jogs today and tomorrow and will signal the return of Saturday runs.

Oh, and why didn't I run yesterday? I had a molar pulled. Yeah, ouch!