The Big Day

I did it! 26.2 miles, with no walking other than at the water stations, because really, you can't run and drink from those little cups without losing most of the liquid.

I did better and feel better than I thought. When I reached mile 20 I started thinking wow, this is now the longest distance I've run. But the training schedule paid off, and I finished feeling good.

Thanks to my awesome wife and lovely family for their support! Not just today but all year long. My running every day was a change to our schedule, but she handled it with grace and at some point must have decided that if she couldn't beat me, she should join me. And she looks great doing it!

I really enjoyed the race. Getting up early wasn't so much different from when I get up for work or for when I've been getting up for my long runs. The parking was a "bear," not that I want to overuse that term. Several people had mentioned to me that the course itself was very hilly and tough, but this year they changed the route and from what I understand it wasn't as bad as last year's. Training on the hills in our neighborhood and areas close by was definitely a help, and I didn't have any problems on the hills during the race.

I also don't feel like I ever hit a wall. I will say that the last mile was the longest of the race, because you feel like you're almost there when you get to mile 25 and you're thinking that what's left isn't so long compared to what you've just run, but sure enough, it's a real mile, plus a couple hundred yards thrown in for good measure. The weather was fantastic. There was one point at about mile 16 where we headed east about two miles, then turned and went back the same way. The way out on that also seemed like it went on forever, but once we made the turn it was nice to run past all the people who were behind me and hadn't made the turn yet.

I tried to keep a good, slow pace, and I was kind of worried about 4 miles in when I passed a couple of guys and they remarked they were doing about 9 minute miles, and I thought whoa, that's way too fast. I was shooting for somewhere in the 10-minute range, hoping to finish somewhere between 4:20 and 4:40. I thought that was a reasonable goal for my first marathon. At about mile 9 or 10 I picked up a pace group for a time of 4:10. I didn't join them but thought hey, I feel pretty good so maybe that's a reasonable time for me. I passed them at most water stops, but they usually passed me up again within a few minutes. At mile 20 I finally left them in the dust and didn't hear them again the rest of the way. There was a 2.5-mile uphill stretch at that point, and I passed a lot of people. I was kind of surprised at how many people stopped and walked (hill training pays off!). The official results aren't in yet, but I figure I came in somewhere between 4 hours and 4:10 (obviously).

Overall I had a lot of fun. Fun? Yeah, it was cool to be in a race with 6,000+ other people, about 1,000 who did the full marathon. When the half-marathon course split from ours at about mile 6 it suddenly seemed like nobody was running the full course. There's a lot of energy in such a big group of people, and hearing my family scream for me a couple of times was a big lift, too. People lined almost the whole length of the course, most all of them shouting encouragement, and I even got a few high-fives from kids watching from the sidewalks. I was crossing a bridge at about 24.5 miles and a guy was standing at the near end and clapped as I went by and said, "Looking good! Nice, tight stride this far in the race - you're looking great!" And of course I'm nodding and thinking to myself, you betcha!

I'm pretty sore from the waist down, mostly in the hips and calves, but not as bad as I'd expected. I'm taking a couple of weeks off from running to rest my poor aching body, so I'll probably hit the bicycle a few times before lacing up the shoes again.

That Turkey Trot in November will seem like a walk in the park after this!

Marathon Training is Over

After 554.25 miles in the past 18 weeks, including 5 today, all that's left is the 26.2 for the marathon on Saturday. I'll reflect on my training after the race, but right now all I can say is that I feel like I'm ready. The only kink in these last four months was a couple of weeks ago when I ran 9 instead of 15, but other than that I've adhered to the training plan. How Saturday goes will be the final word, I suppose. At least at this point the forecast for race day is showing a beautiful day with a lot of sunshine, lows in the lower 60's and a high of 78.

Tonight I waited until a front passed through so I wasn't running in the rain and any lightning that might be around, which worked to a degree. After 3.5 miles the rain came down again, and after another half mile there was a lightning stroke to the north. Far enough away to keep me from danger, but close enough to coax into getting home a little quicker.

And now for a couple of days of rest, and then the big day!

The Last Fartleks

What a beautiful day! Sunny, not too warm, just enough breeze to stay cool...wow, nothing to complain about!

Ran 5 miles around the neighborhood, doing 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks and enjoying the chance to stretch it and run fast. It made it easier knowing that it was the last time I'd be doing this before Saturday's race. Tomorrow will be the last run before the marathon, since I think having two days off before the long run will be beneficial.

The Last Week

This is it: the final few runs before the big one. Tonight it was very cool, in the low 60s, and a nice cool breeze that seemed to be in my face no matter which direction I turned. I ran 7 miles and it went down pretty smooth. This was my first chance to try out my new iPod Nano since I didn't take it out on Saturday when it was raining. It worked great, of course. God bless the iPod!

I forgot to mention that as of Saturday my training is complete. I ran down a new road still under construction. There was a Johnny-on-the-Spot by the side of the road (which was closed to traffic), so I jumped in, did my business, and hopped out again. I figured that was the last little detail I needed to practice before the actual race. Bring on the race!

Big Day for the Girls

It was rainy and dark this morning, but we all got up early and headed to a 5K race. Teri and the two older girls ran, in the rain, and finished the whole race without walking! I am so proud of my little wife! This is a huge deal for her, and I'm especially impressed that she did it in such rotten weather and never thought of backing out. And now she's talking about doing a Turkey Trot next month. Have we created a monster???

Once we arrived back home I dressed up and went for a nice, refreshing run in the rain myself. Funny how now I can run 11 miles and it feels like I'm just getting started. I really don't mind jogging in the rain since you're guaranteed to stay cool. Only three, maybe four, runs to go before the big one. This taper here at the end of my training is definitely helping. My body feels much better than it did a week ago. I'm not sure if I will take off the two days before the race or just one. I'm leaning toward two just to make sure my legs are as fresh as possible.

Prime Number Fartleks

7-5-3-2-1. Those are all prime numbers, right? That's what I did on my 6.5 mile run tonight. For some reason the thought that those are all primes came to me during the run. I can't explain why.

10 Days to Go

Tonight's easy 5.5 mile run was in lower 60's temperature-wise with a cool breeze coming out of the north. What a change from recent weeks. This past weekend it was even pushing 90, but it's starting to feel like fall. Let's begin the fun of looking at the weather for next Saturday. It's one day beyond the current 10-day forecast, but it looks like low-70's for the high and mid-50's for the low. Given my sometimes cynical nature, based on that forecast I'd say we should expect snow.

Recovery Tempo Run

First run back since Saturday's debacle, and all things considered it went pretty well. I ran to the auto shop to pick up my truck, and since it had been 80 hours (or so) since my last run, I compromised and did part recovery run and added in 15 minutes of a tempo run. The temperature was up today, so I was pretty much sucking wind by the end of that 15 minutes. It felt good to get out again, though, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow's run on the anniversary of 15 years with my wonderful lady. Wow, fifteen years. Who would have thought she could put up with me that long?

Biking Day

In the interest of giving my knees one more day off, I rode the bike today. I had to get my work ID from the truck, which is currently in the shop, so I jumped on the bicycle and had a nice 9-mile ride. I don't know what that translates to in running miles, but the equivalent is probably 3 to 4 miles. It was a beautiful day and I'm glad I was able to get out for a little bit.

I was thinking about Saturday's bad run, and I should probably be discouraged at having to cut the run short so close to race day, but I'm actually feeling pretty good. I had three 20-mile runs during my training, and four more that were 15.5 or longer. My eating has been good, so although I'm not super-confident, I feel like I can finish a 26.2 mile course. I sat in the bookstore last night and scanned a couple of books regardint the taper at the end of training, and so far, so good. Twelve days to go!

Absolutely Horrible Run

This was one of the worst runs I've ever had, and it started out with me wanting to turn around by the time I'd done a half mile. My knees, especially the left one, were both sore, and my left leg had that tired, dead feel all the way up to the hip. Really, I should have gone right back home, but instead I slogged through 9 miles, way short of the 15 I was supposed to do.

I'm not sure if it's because I ran yesterday whereas I usually take the day off before a long run. I'm trying not to be too discouraged, but it does make me think that the marathon, which is two weeks from today, is going to be tougher than I planned due to not getting all my miles in. If you go by weekly totals, this week wasn't too bad, but one more moderately long run would have been nice.

I did take my first ice bath when I got home, and my legs actually feel better after the run than before. That little trick may have just saved me from having to take extra days off. We'll see how I feel on Monday after resting a little.

A Friday Easy Run?

Yes, an actual sighting of a run on a Friday! I'm glad I took it easy last night since today I did 7 miles. Teri and I took the truck to get it serviced (100,000 miles!) and then ran back. It just wasn't her day so we did a little walking, and then I took the girls out for a 3.5 mile run. They did great and did it without stopping! I was proud of all of them. Next Saturday the girls run a 5K, and after today I'm confident they can all do it.

More Interval Avoidance

Seems like I'll do anything to cut intervals short. And this time bad math was involved. I'm planning on running tomorrow morning with the wife and kids, so I decided on my fourth interval that I didn't want to be worn out for that session, so instead of six intervals I did four. And somehow in my mind the warm-up and cooldown plus the intervals added up to 5 miles. Only when I was about done did I realize it all added up to 4.5, which is the first time in exactly six weeks that I've done less than 5. Today's lesson: don't try to do math when running, because apparently my brain can't handle both tasks at the same time.

Easy Seven Miles

I put the Old 97's on Teri's iPod and then went for a run - good running music. This was a good test for my knees since today my left knee - yes, it was my right one that was bugging me earlier this week - was tender. I ran the hills to Target and back along with a couple miles of another nice hill, and it seems everything turned out okay. The weather was perfect today, and after taking Jonathan to a Royals Open House and playing catch in the outfield with my son, the day itself couldn't have been much more perfect.

The Countdown Continues

I definitely like tempo runs more than I like intervals. Today I ran 6.5 miles, doing 24 minutes of it as a tempo run. I ran just slightly more than 3 miles in that time, meaning I was doing a sub-8 minute/mile pace. Amazing, especially since the second mile was against the wind. Ugh. That was tough, but I was thinking that race day could be windy just like that.

Yesterday was an unscheduled day off since my right knee was still tender from Saturday's run. The "experts" say to rest for a while after a race, and I figured since my long run was only 6 miles less than a race that I should probably take an extra day off. Then today for my tempo run I avoided hills and stayed on as much level ground as I could since I think it was the hills that caused my knee to feel that way in the first place. Tonight it feels okay, and I think I made the right choice in staying level. I almost stayed in and ran on the treadmill, but it doesn't give as good a workout as being outside does. And there's no wind to run against, either.

20 Miles (Hills Included)

I ended up running 20 miles and change today, although my goal was 22. But the route I ran was very hilly, moreso than I think the actual marathon course will be. I had just passed mile 18 when my right knee started giving me feedback like it was going to quit on me, so rather than keep pressing for the extra couple of miles I turned around and made it back home. It was much better on the uphill climbs, so I'm attributing the pain to all the hillwork today.

And now starts the taper to the race. Even though I didn't make my goal today, I'm hopeful that with "fresh legs" in three weeks I'll be able to complete the entire 26.2. I've put in a lot of miles, but I can tell it's still going to be a challenge, and when it's over my whole body will hurt. But in a good way, of course.

Another Beautiful Day

And a nice run, too, going 5 miles with some 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks. Sunny and almost the perfect temperature for an outing. This is one of those days that I get the feeling we deserve after all the heat we put up with this summer. I did have to stop at one point to fish a bandaid out of my sock that had come loose, but other than that the run was uneventful and pain-free. In other words, all-around great!

Definite Recovery Run

Yesterday was the first Tuesday in fifteen weeks that I did not run. Boy, I felt horrible, like my whole body was falling apart, and my right hip was sore to even walk on. I deemed it prudent to take the day off from exercise, and today I felt much better. I hated to miss yesterday's run since it was supposed to be a 20-minute tempo run and I enjoy those. It's amazing what prudence will do for you when you listen. I can see why the experts say you should take some time off after a marathon, since it's not just race day that your body needs to recover from. It's all that training that you do to get there that wears out everything from the feet to the knees to the upper body.

With an unexpected day off it made today's run feel like I hadn't run in a week. The rest and relaxation was good, though, as I didn't feel any strain in running 5 miles. It was a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the mid-70's. I'm starting to wonder what the weather will be like on marathon day.

Limping Through Recovery

I can still feel the aches from Saturday's long run, but I went out for a recovery run anyway. Less than four weeks to go, right? The little toe on my left foot had a blister the size of...well, the size of the bottom of the toe, and that was somewhat of an inconvenience. I think it altered my gait because about three miles in I had a sharp pain in my left knee that caused me to stop and walk for about thirty seconds. I could tell my mechanics, such as they are, were way off. Once I got going again everything was fine, thank you for asking, and I finished my 5 miles in good form. It definitely took over three miles to get warmed up, but I felt much better by the end. Thank God for easy recovery runs.

Four Weeks

First of all, let me say that Google Earth is remarkably accurate in calculating distances. I mapped out a new path last night that had a little less redundancy, and it came in at 20 miles. This morning when I ran I cut off a little part of the new route that did not have sidewalks, thinking that going through the curvy streets of a neighborhood would make up for it, and that maybe Google Earth was off a little bit. Nope. I was curious so I went out and drove the route just for comparison's sake, and sure enough, their little program was right on. And I ended up a half mile short of my intended 20 miles.

Four weeks from today is the KC Marathon. Yesterday I officially registered and paid my money, so gee - guess I'm actually committed to it now. Like I wasn't before! Next week I plan on adding a few more miles to the long run before beginning my taper, so I'll be mapping a route of 22-23 miles. And this time I'll believe what Google Earth tells me.

Tired Legs and All

Still a struggle today, but I think I managed about 5.5 miles. It was hard to tell since I was doing intervals. Someday I'll do what is recommended on the chart, but today was not that day. I did 5x800 intervals, and probably could have completed one more. I guess I was just looking forward to tomorrow's off day just a little too early, but my legs need the rest.

Tired Legs

Today's 6-mile run was a strain, and I think it was because I spent about three hours today on my feet recruiting at a career fair. I didn't realize it would be so tough, but the whole run was pretty much a chore. Plus it was still ultra-humid, but I wanted to complete my goal for today, so I worked extra hard.

It also helped to know that my wife had cooked a great dinner and that was waiting for me when I arrived home. Sometimes the simplest motivation is the best.

Waiting Out the Storm

A storm system moved through about five o'clock, and I had to wait until after 6:45 before heading out. At one point I thought the storm had cleared and started walking along the sidewalk, but a clap of thunder to the south sent me back inside. Another false start had me walking out the front door, spying dark clouds to the south, and going back in. My prudence was rewarded since about three minutes later two heavy thunderclaps shook the house. I don't think I would have wanted to be outside during those lightning strikes. I almost hit the treadmill instead but persevered for the outside run since I wanted to do my speedwork on the hills. I like the challenge of that much better than a treadmill at this point in my training.

Anyway, on to the run. I ran 5.5 miles, with 24 minutes of that being a tempo run. I almost didn't have enough room in my route since I sped up after two miles and ran about an eight-minute pace for the next three miles. I didn't have much of a cooldown, just a quarter mile and then a walk back up the hill. And it was very, very humid. But all in all I felt good about it at the end.

A Tale of Two Runs

Saturday morning I ran 15 miles along the banks of the Mississippi River in St Louis. They have a real nice trail that follows the river, and it was a great day for running. I'm a bit jealous, as I was wishing they had something like that trail in Kansas City. My friend Alan ran with me for a couple of miles and then turned around - he ran a total of five, which was a new high for him. Very cool. If only the Cardinals had played well, but I guess we can't have everything.

Today I flew back and took the big girls running again. It was tough, but they went 2.5 miles, and then I continued on alone to get my total of 5 miles in. The girls did a good job, especially on those tough hills. Things are looking good for them to run a 5K in just less than four weeks.

Run With the Girls

Okay, maybe that title is a little misleading, but I did run with my two older girls today. They needed to run 20 minutes and with their mommy under the weather, I happily volunteered. We ran almost 2 miles in that time, and then I continued on for 4 more miles, which included a bout of 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks. Today was one of those runs that seems more of a struggle than it should be, but I struggled through and felt satisfied with my accomplishments at the end of it all.

Now I'm to St. Louis to watch the Cardinals, who lost their seventh in a row today. It could be a long weekend.

Hurried Run

Today was yet another 5-miler. It was rushed since the wife wasn't feeling good and I had to get home to take the kids to church. I don't like running when I'm hurried like that, but I tried to scale it back and take it like a normal run. I looked at my chart and the last time I ran less than 5 miles was three weeks ago. I thought about running less than that today in the interest of time, but figured I need the miles since this week's long run will be relatively short. Just trying to plan ahead is all.

Another Beautiful Day

Two great days for running in a row! Today's 5 miles was brought to you by the letter G - as in gorgeous. It really does feel like fall around here, although no telling how long that will last. I did 20 minutes of a tempo run, and fell about 150 yards short of 2.5 miles in that time. So I guess that's about 8:10-8:20 per mile, and that feels pretty good.

A New Season

Did we skip September and half of October? The temperature was 59 degrees when I started running, with a cool breeze and a little bit of a sprinkle. 59! As opposed to the 95 (yeah, reverse the digits - neat trick, huh?) that I've been used to up until the past few days. I'll take, though. And it sure made those 5 miles seem ultra-easy. That's probably also an effect of just doing a long run of 20 miles. I'm excited, since everything seems to be coming together pretty well. Less than six weeks to go!

20 Miles?

Yes, 20 miles! Surprisingly it went very well. My lovely and talented wife met me at about the 13-mile mark and restocked my water bottle with a well-known sports drink. That was very nice of her, as was the waffles and sausage that were awaiting me when I returned home.

If this was my longest run before the marathon I'm not sure I would be comfortable trying to extend it to 26.2. I'm planning at least two more 20-milers, and I'm thinking I'll extend one of those to the 22-23 mile range. Six weeks to go!

Those Darn Intervals

Maybe it's just the rotten sleep of the past two nights, or not enough sleep period over the last week. But during today's intervals, which was supposed to be a 6-7X800 session but ended up as 5x800, there were a couple of times between the speed runs that I could have just curled up into a ball and gone to sleep. But that would have been weird on the sidewalk where I was running and somebody would have called the police.

Altogether I ran 6 miles, but it was kind of blase overall. Hopefully Saturday's looooong run will be better.

Almost Fall

If the temperature hadn't been in the mid-80's today I would have thought it was autumn already. It'll get here soon enough. Today's run was a 5 mile easy run, and with the temp that low, it was definitely easy.

The Summer Passed

The pool is closed, and Labor Day is already yesterday's news. The summer passed by so quickly, and with a lot of miles under the Asics. I started this running program on June 18th, and since then I've had a lot of good running days with just enough bad ones mixed in to keep me humble.

Today was one of those good days. A front came through and almost blew me off the sidewalk on the trip out, but it was nice to have the wind behind me on the way back in. I did 5 miles total with 2.75 miles and 24 minutes of it a tempo run. Now, just to be fair, a tailwind did help. But let's also qualify that. The first half mile was uphill against the wind, and the way back was up the big hills. The average pace was below 9 minutes, and I was somewhat amazed when I looked at my watch and realized I'd done the second mile in about 8 minutes (that's where the tailwind comes in). But it felt good, and running that fast up those hills definitely pays off during the long runs on Saturday.

This Use to Be a Long Run

I remember when 5 miles was a long run. Really, it wasn't that long ago. Five miles used to be the upper limit of how far I could run, with the norm being more like 3 miles. Today was an easy run, and now 5 miles is just a warmup. I could have gone much further today, but as a recovery from a long run it was just about right. I went out this morning (Labor Day) instead of waiting until this afternoon when the temperature gets back to the upper 90s. So 5 miles now is a big difference from 5 miles four months ago. I hate to quote cigarette ads, but I can definitely say that I've come a long way, baby!

A New Month

It's September, and there was a nice chill in the air this morning at 6 when I headed out the door. Today's run was 16 miles, and this was one of those days where it was just tough to get moving. It took about 5 miles to feel like I was warmed up and ready to go, but once I got going I was okay.

I added up all the miles I've run in the past 11 weeks, and the grand total so far is 320.75 miles. Let's see, what is 320 miles from Kansas City? As the crow flies, I could have run to Oklahoma City, Little Rock, or past St. Louis and two-thirds of the way across Illinois. With approximately another 220 miles to go before race day, I could get to Denver or past Dallas. The possibilities are endless!

This Week's Number is 5

As in 5 miles every day this week. Today was a 1-2-3-2-1 fartlek day, and even though it hurts like crazy to run fast up those hills, I know it will pay off on race day. I'm just over 7 weeks out from the marathon, and today I was checking it out online. There's a video of the course, and it looks like...a long distance. But days like today make me hopeful that I can run the 26.2 without hobbling myself for the week after.

Great Run

If all easy runs were as easy as this one, life would be good. Two times around the neighborhood for a total of 5 miles with an overcast sky and temps in the upper 70s. Prime running conditions. And don't think I don't appreciate that.

Good Tempo Run

Tonight I waited until the sun went down to try and actually get some good speedwork in, and it paid off. I went 5 miles to Target and back. The hills, as previously mentioned on this page, are absolute killers, especially on the way back. For some reason this week I've got some extra energy, and tonight I ran the hills pretty hard. I did 22 minutes of the tempo run, and in that time did 2.5 miles. If I'm doing the math correctly, that averages to less than 9 minutes/mile. I'm pretty happy with that, especially when you throw in the hills. Maybe there's hope for me yet. It just needs to be cool is all.

Oh Good, It's Hot Again

Yahoo! Weather says 96 degrees with a heat index of 101 as I finished up today's run. I would agree that it's at least that hot.

I probably went farther than I should have in today's easy recovery run, but 5 miles seemed like a good number to me. And at least there was something that resembled a breeze. It still amazes me how fast the block of ice that is in my water bottle when I start becomes totally thawed and almost warm by the time I finish. And actually it doesn't even take that long. By the time I'm to the halfway point the ice is gone. I like summer much better than winter, but this extreme heat is getting old.

It's a Miracle!

The weather, that is. Rain last night, and this morning was nice and cool, below 70 degrees when I started out at 6 a.m. That's the coolest it's been in what seems like months. It was great! I ran my 18 miles and learned that my water bottle won't last that long. I stopped at one of the model homes in our neighborhood and topped it off.

This was definitely my highest-mileage week so far, hitting 36 on the mileage scale. My long run probably shouldn't be 50% of the total, but as it starts cooling off in the next month that will probably change. I'm also going to switch some of my long runs around so that when I'm in St. Louis in three weeks I'm not trying to do a 20-miler while on vacation. Just trying to use a little common sense is all.

And now back to our regularly scheduled hot weather.

Thursday Intervals

I'm still not up to speed, as it were, with my interval work. Today was supposed to be 6x800, but it ended up being 4x800 for an overall total of 4 miles. I think the combination of rotten sleep at night for the past two weeks, four weeks or so of running in the heat, a 25-mph wind blowing in my face, and a sore right calf combined to beat me down today. But I have two extra weeks built into my schedule, so I think in the long run (again, no pun intended) things will work out okay.

Exploring

Took a new route tonight through a nearby neighborhood just for fun. It was a little tough getting out of said neighborhood because I wasn't sure where it emptied out onto the main street, but I eventually got there. All in all I figure the distance was at least 5.5 miles, if not more. But I'll leave it at that since I'm not exactly sure. I do know there were some big hills in that neighborhood, and with the high humidity it sure seemed like a good long run.

Lesson Learned

So I've said before that I'm not the speediest of runners. Today I learned that in a big way.

This afternoon's session was supposed to be 20 minutes of intervals. I started out thinking that I would run my warmup doing 10-minute miles and then increase my speed after about 15 minutes. Come to find out - doing a 10-minute IS my fast pace. I was hoping to run 10-minute miles in the marathon, but unless something drastic happens in the next 8 1/2 weeks, that pace would freaking kill me! So now I know I'm slow, but I guess I can live with it since my goal all along was to finish, not to finish in a certain amount of time.

The total for the day was 3.5 miles, the first three at the 10-minute/mile pace, and then a final run up Killer Hill, and I attacked it pretty well, doing at a pretty good clip. Not the speed work I set out to do, but it'll work.

Long Easy Run

Tonight's easy recovery run was 5 miles, the longest Monday run I've had in...well, at least since I started this plan. I ran the usual Monday route, but threw in a twist by doing a loop through a nearby neighborhood that just had a new street paved last week. It was probably too much given the temperature was 94 degrees and, according the 5 o'clock news, the humidity was over 70%. Yuck. I almost didn't take my water bottle, but I wouldn't have made it if I'd left it at home.

Saturday Morning Run

Today was a relatively modest 14-miler, and I was out the door before 6 a.m. Compared to last week's long run it wasn't as hot, but it was definitely more humid. I was sweating profusely about 2 miles into the run, and I do have to say it wasn't the easiest run I've had. I was wondering if maybe there was something sinister about this particular distance (see my previous 14-mile effort), but I put that worry to rest.

Lots of people out this morning walking and running, plus a few bikers. One thing I learned is that if I'm going to set a time goal for my marathon I'll have to pick up the pace a little. I think today averaged out to about 11 minutes/mile, and really I'd rather be closer to 10. I'm also way below the mark on the recommended mileage per week on my plan. For instance, this week's total was supposed to be 40 miles and my total was 31.5. I don't run the day before the long run, so that takes away 4-5 miles right there, but maybe I need to add a little extra on the other days. I don't want to increase it too much, though, since therein lies an easy path to injury. It would also help my cause if this heat wave would take a hike, but the next few days look like more of the same.

Fartlek Night!

Okay, so I was going to wait until later in the evening, but clouds rolled in and the temps dropped to the low 90's. Since I had computer work to do, I went for it. 5 miles including fartleks, and of course it had the usual bit of drama.

I was doing 6-4-3-2-1 intervals, and halfway through the 3-minute speed run I felt a sharp pain in my right calf. I went about 200 yards to see if it would go away quickly, and it didn't. So I walked for a little bit, found a curb, stretched my calves, and continued on. No problems after that, but for a few moments I thought I was going to have to hobble back home. I blame the new shorts. Or the new socks. It had to be one of the two.

Almost Like Cheating

Just reeled off a 5-miler, and yes, it really felt like it was "reeled off." After several weeks of running in the blazingly direct sunlight, which I'm convinced has a cumulative effect, I waited until 8 o'clock tonight before setting out. What a difference! Running in the last light of the day was incredibly refreshing. My pace was quicker, the hills seemed like mere bumps in the path, and I was hardly sweating compared to what's come lately. Since tomorrow is speed work I will probably wait until late to run again.

Taking that Extra Credit

Today was a hot one, 100 degrees with a heat index of 105. So I ran a generously measured 3.5 miles, and yes, I am taking that extra credit. This run included a 15-minute tempo run. I'm behind the schedule on my tempo runs, since today was supposed to last 24 minutes. My thought is to be smart and not push it too hard when it's so stinking hot. I can catch up on tempo runs in a few weeks when it cools down.

Extra Credit?

I mean, seriously, shouldn't I get extra credit for running when the heat index is above 100 degrees? That was the case again today, when I ran 4 miles and carried my new best friend, the trusty water bottle, with me. The distance isn't that bad, but the bad thing about living in a new neighborhood surrounded by other new developments is that shade is almost non-existent. It's so bad that the minimal shade of the saplings planted by the side of the road is a welcome relief.

On another note, this is the 100th post on my little blog here. Which means that due to a couple of extraneous posts, I've probably run 97 or 98 times since starting this thing. Maybe when it's all said and done I'll add up how many miles that represents.

16 Miles!

Hard to believe I actually did it, but I did. I got up this morning at the regular time and hit the road by 6 a.m. Three hours and 16 miles later I returned. It actually wasn't too bad since about the first 6 miles were done before the sun came up. The only time I stopped running was to cross the highway three times, but that was so quick it didn't really count. My weekly mileage was down due to shuffling the schedule around to go to cousin Heather's wedding tomorrow, but that's okay. It should pick back up above 30 miles next week. The heat wave continues. Hopefully running a marathon in October won't be so bad if the temperature's not above 100 degrees.

Tough Run

My thought process this afternoon: it's about 5:00, and the temperature is hot. There's a breeze blowing from the south that makes it feel a little better, but it's still scorching outside. I check the forecast. By 8:00 the temperature will drop a whopping five degrees. Five. I'd like to run earlier in the afternoon so I can get a few things done. I can pull my drink out of the freezer and take it with me because I know I'll need it. Throwing common sense to the wind, I go for it.

This is how it goes once I step out the door: It is hot. Scorching doesn't even begin to describe how hot it is. Gamely, I start jogging, keeping it nice and slow. One mile in I'm okay, but I notice that my drink bottle, which was 2/3 ice when I started, is already almost completely melted into nothing but water. Through the next several miles I take swigs of water and spit them out, keeping my mouth from getting dry. About mile three I squirt some water on top of my head. It feels reeeeeaaaaalllly good. Mile four, and it's still hot. I think about walking, but it's still a long way back, and I think I can make it without suffering a heat stroke. By this point when I squirt water on my head it's not the least bit cold any more. After five miles, I make it home.

It was only five miles, but it was one of the toughest runs I've ever had. If I hadn't taken my water bottle I never would have made it. This is one of those outings that I'm proud of. I didn't give up, and even though it was only 5 miles it counts for a lot more in my mind. This is one of those runs that makes me think I can complete a marathon. If I could go out today and finish waht I had planned, I can do 26.2.

Stupid Time

I should have waited another half hour before leaving the house, seeing as how the heat index was still over 100 degrees when I started. That was stupid. But I listened to my body and stopped after 3 miles instead of going the full 5, which was smart. I could use the miles this week, but when the temperature is this hot it's better to play it safe. Living to run another day is better than running too far in the heat just to get a couple more miles under my feet.

Routine but Late

The only thing different about today's 4-mile easy run was that I waited until almost 8 p.m. to head out the door. The temperature gauge hit 100 degrees today and with the heat index it was at least 106. Let's just get this straight...I ain't running outside when it's that hot. Take it to the bank.

An Entourage

Normally I run alone, but this morning I had a nice entourage of flies to keep me company as I ran past some old cow pastures. Yeah, that was fun. I must have looked like a crazy person shuffling along at my slow pace and pawing at the air as I tried to shoo the stupid things away.

I was out the door before 6 this morning, and ran 12 miles. That seems to be an easy enough distance for me so far, easy being a relative term. I'm not sure if it's because my pace is so darn slow, about 11 minutes per mile, or if it's because I ran an out and back route so there was no opportunity for stopping or walking unless I just gave up. Next week is a 16-mile long run, so I have some planning to do so I can ensure it'll go smoother than last week's outing. Today was encouraging, though, and I'd like to carry this momentum forward.

Rain!

I did actually run yesterday afternoon, but was busy taking care of a freezer that decided to spontaneously defrost so I didn't get to make my post-run entry. It was an interesting outing. When I started out it was 90 degrees and humid as all get-out, and I ran 5 miles total, including a series of 5-4-3-2-1 fartleks. Ugh.

Anyway, after doing that last one minute interval, I thought about cutting the route short but decided that I wasn't going to be a weenie, at least not on this run. So I continued on, and about three minutes later it started to rain, glorious rain! It was almost like God said good for you, I'm going to cool you down a little bit since you didn't give up. And even though that freezer was waiting to be dealt with at home, it was still a great ending.

More Fun in the Sun

4 miles of a supposedly easy run today. This is vintage Kansas City in the summer: 90 degrees and so humid that running 4 miles seems like going about 10. Unbelievable.

After the Debacle

After Saturday's debacle I was a little timid going into today's run. Everything worked out okay, though, and I did 4.5 miles, including an 18-minute tempo run. The run was good, and order has been restored.

I took both Sunday and yesterday off, which is the first time in over six weeks that I've been idle two days in a row. I think my body needed the rest as well as my mind, and that extra day has been well received on both fronts.

Also today I ran into a 62-year old lady who went to a church we used to attend, and she told me how she's run a marathon and three half-marathons in the past year. She's hoping to qualify for Boston next year, and based on how she keeps winning her age division and ran a half in 2:03, I'd say she has a pretty good chance of making it. That little talk was just as inspiring as getting back on the road!

Too Much Walking

Today's long run was very frustrating. Saying I went 14 miles would be true, albeit charitable. I drove out east of Independence to a nice trail, and the first 7 miles went fine. I stopped back at the truck at the halfway point, drank some water and downed a gel-pack, and then after a couple more miles things fell apart. I walked a couple of times, and about mile 11 I walked a mile, then ran really slow for about another mile, and by then I was about done in.

I suppose I learned a few things today. I slept horribly last night, which seems to be a pattern before long runs. It's one of those outings that gives me doubts about finishing a full 26.2. I also learned to pay better attention to my feet (the toes knows!) since my middle right toe is swollen from either pounding against the inside of my shoe or pushing off during my stride. Today was a day where I definitely feel like a forty-year old trying to run a long distance. Hopefully next week gets better.

A New Thing

Ran intervals for the first time tonight, and I kind of liked it. Running faster is fun. The total tonight was 6 miles with 4x800 of intervals. I ran them in half-mile increments since I figured that was close enough. The girls had their last softball game tonight so I ran afterward after watching them win their final outing. At last, the baseball and softball seasons are over! It was fun, but it was a lot of running around with the kids. And not the kind of running around that adds to my weekly mileage, if you know what I mean.

Long run coming up on Saturday - 14 miles!

After the Fillings

Ran 3.5 miles this afternoon, nice and easy like the schedule says. I planned on running more but felt a little dehydrated, no doubt due to the lack of water this afternoon since I left work at 1:30 for a dentist appointment. Having two fillings will keep a person from drinking their normal allotment of water. Oh well, at least I got the running in, and most of it without drooling from my numb lips.

Tempo Run

A late run today, 5 miles to Target and back. This included a 16 minute tempo run. I don't know who thought it was a good idea to do tempo runs on the hills, but since it was apparently me, I should kick my butt. Actually it's gotta be good for me, so when it pays off in the long run I guess I'll cut myself some slack. And I kind of enjoyed it until the last three minutes up that loooooong hill. Thank God for cooldown time.

Sweating and Blogging

Sweat is still pouring off of me as I write this entry. Today was an easy run, 4 miles, and after a little rain this morning it's not hot, but it is quite humid. I guess my evaporating perspiration is just adding to what's in the atmosphere.

Ribs and Running

This morning started off with a half hour of getting the smoker going and putting on three racks of ribs. After that preamble I headed out and ran 10 miles, which is four times around the neighborhood. I thought about heading out and varying the route a little, but it was so peaceful and I really don't enjoy listening to traffic going by all that much, so I just did laps in the development. Cloud cover kept it nice for about the first six miles, and even when the sun came out there was a nice stiff breeze that kept me cool.

Also, I revised Thursday's run downward to 5 miles instead of 5.5. Google Earth says it's 2.75 miles to Target, but my truck's odometer says it's 2.5. I'm going to go with my truck on this one.

Fartleks on the Hills

Ran to Target and back tonight, 5.5 miles, and did some "speed play" on the hills. Since the sun was going down and the temp was cooler, today went much better than Tuesday's run. I felt really good, especially since the first few of my 2-3-4-3-2 fartleks fell on the downhill slopes. That last three minute part of it was pretty brutal, but I made it, and then the last two minute part was actually fun as I tried to make it to a certain point before time was up. All in all a good run over a course that used to seem so far.

Hot but Slow

Ran 5 miles today in 90+ degree weather, but took it slow and everything went fine. The breeze out of the southwest helped a lot. I think if I try to stay in the mindset of not getting the run done as quick as I can and resist the urge to pick up the pace I can do these runs in the hot weather. Tomorrow's run will probably be later in the evening due to a girls' softball game. I feel pretty good about today's outing, especially on the heels of the one yesterday.

Shortest Run

Today was my shortest run in a month, only 2.5 miles. In my defense, the temperature was 94 with a heat index of 97. In a neighborhood with no trees or shade, that's just brutal. Plus I did 14 minutes of a tempo run, although that wasn't as good as it should have been. It does tell you how slow I was going in those 14 minutes, though. This was one of those runs where I just didn't feel like I ever got it all together.

I learned another lesson, too. I started the tempo run going uphill against the wind. Bad idea. Next time I'll remember to turn around and do at least the first part on level or downhill ground. With all the aforementioned factors working against me I decided to cut it short and not push it. After yesterday's easy run I guess I was due for a less than average outing to even out everything. I'm disappointed I didn't run farther, but there's always tomorrow.

Easiest Four-Mile Run Ever

...at least for me, and at least to this point. After 12 miles on Saturday, today's run seemed relatively easy. And since I waited until after eight o'clock to hit the road when the sun was going down and the temperature had dropped steeply, the weather was pretty good as well. Back in the neighborhood, and back on track for that October marathon. Life is good.

An Even Dozen

Got up early this morning again, on a Saturday no less, and did the weekly long run. 12 miles this time, and I have to say it wasn't too bad. I didn't ever hit a wall, although there were times when my hips and knees felt a little out of sorts. After being away from home for a week I can feel the lack of knee, hip, and back exercises. Tomorrow (Sunday) we head back home and the running, as well as other forms of exercise, begin again on Monday. I added up the total and in the last four weeks I've run a total of 105 miles. Wow! Who would have thought?

Beating the Heat AND the rain

It's flooding down in Texas - that Stevie Ray song has been in my head a lot lately, and no wonder. It is WET down here! Fortunately I ran this morning and got my 4 miles in before it got hot and then started raining this afternoon. We did a little bit of touristy stuff this afternoon as well as some curriculum shopping with the wife. Tomorrow is a long run, which I'm actually looking forward to. I guess if you don't look forward to it you shouldn't be doing it.

More Running in Texas

This morning's run is brought to you from Longview, TX, where we are visiting my parents. They have a nice jogging/biking trail about a half mile from their house, and I ran the whole thing and back, which is 6 miles total. The weather was quite humid since this area has had a lot of rain, and that's always fun.

And just when you think the sweating is done, nooooo. Dad and I changed the brakes on the van and even though we had fans going in the garage, it was quite the sweat-fest. But hey, the brake light is off now!

Another Morning Run in Texas

Got up early this morning after being up until 12:30 a.m., and then ran 5 miles. Today was much better as far as temperature goes. The run included a 12-minute tempo run, which was actually kind of fun. My pace had been in the 11-12 minute range starting off, but I did about 9 minutes/mile during the tempo. Not superfast, but after starting so slow that was positively flying.

Today's vacation agenda included the following: run, smoke a brisket, and nap. I accomplished all three. With time left in the day, no less.

Vacation Running

I'm on vacation, and still running! Saturday morning in Tulsa I got up waaaaay early and ran at the RiverParks, and it was the longest run to date. 9 miles, but I do have to say it felt pretty easy because the path was level and the temperature was not nearly as hot at that time of day as when I've been running lately. I felt good afterward, although the nap later that morning also felt pretty good.

This morning I ran 4 miles in the Texas humidity. They've had more rain down here than we have in KC, and it sure felt like it today. If I can keep this up for the rest of the week I think I'll come out of this vacation in good shape.

Early Run

Got up early and tried to beat the heat, although I wasn't entirely successful since it was already pretty warm by 7 a.m. Ran 4.5 miles, including some fartleks, and let's just say I noticed a drop-off in the speediness of my speed play. With the heat taking its toll this week I think this warrants a break tomorrow, especially since it's a travel day to Tulsa. Saturday morning I plan on getting up early enough to run at the Riverside Park in Tulsa. We'll see how well this plan holds up!

Independence Day Run

The Yahoo weather page says it's 90 degrees and feels like 97. I'll vouch for that. We're supposed to get thunderstorms later and I want to start moving back my running so it's earlier in the day. Tomorrow I want to get up early and run before it gets hot. Today I took a new route for 3.75 miles. The first half is a gentle climb uphill, but gentle as it is it's still not level. I took Teri's iPod with me yesterday, but today it was just the sound of nature - which in this case was a bunch of cars. And some bird that didn't appreciate me running on the sidewalk. Don't worry, crazy bird. Your eggs or young ones are safe from me.

Hills and Heat

I should have gone later like I mentioned in yesterday's post. Silly me. 5.5 miles of ups and downs and a lot of heat and humidity. The sun went behind the clouds about 1.5 miles in, but the damage was done. At about mile 4 I walked for a few minutes because I was starting to get overheated. When all was said and done I also ran 6x100 strides just because I wasn't totally done in. Well, that did it. Couldn't run late because I took the girls to softball practice. Tomorrow's a holiday and I am sleeping late! And also trying to find a cool part of the day in which to run. We'll see how that goes.

A New Week

Started off this week with an easy 3.5 mile run. I'm kind of amazed because it seems like it actually takes about 2 miles to get into the rhythm of the run these days. Today was hot, upper 80s, with almost the same humidity. Calling it an easy run doesn't really do it justice, but I was glad that it wasn't a hard workout. Tomorrow night I might go running a little bit later to avoid some of the heat since it's supposed to be about a 6-miler.

Long Rainy Run

8 miles this morning in the rain. It was pretty much just drizzling the whole time, but I had to avoid mud and puddles the whole way. I felt great when I finished, which is probably the difference between running in the rain and running in 90+ degrees heat. Now it's off to Oklahoma for a party for my friend Brad, who is getting married next Saturday.

Fun Run

Today was another 5-miler, this time with about 2 miles of 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks thrown in. It was kind of fun, especially when running the faster parts uphill. Normally I don't go for that too much, but today I found it challenging and thought hey, go for it. It's been rainy here, so there was plenty of cloud cover, a light breeze, and best of all, cooler temperatures. I think tomorrow will be an off day since Saturday morning will be a long run before I head to Tulsa.

Running in Baseball Heaven

Yes, I actually got up early and ran both mornings I was in St. Louis. 5 miles on Tuesday morning with 4x100 strides afterward on the path near the Gateway Arch. Then 3.5 miles this morning. Both days I ran around the park around the Arch. Tuesday morning a barge was heading upstream and I was actually running faster than it was moving. Maybe I'm not the slowest person in the world after all!

Ha!

Got up at 5:30, ran 3.5 miles, and all before heading off to St. Louis for business. The nice thing about early morning runs is that it's not hot, but it was certainly humid. And now I'm off to the home of the World Championi St. Louis Cardinals!

Humid Saturday

Started off the day by having fun at the girls' Softball Olympics at Happy Rock Park. It's been a couple of years since I've been there. I used to ride my bike around the park before the family joined me in Kansas City, and since the path is about a mile around the park and fairly level, plus a good portion of it is in the shade of the big trees, I figured I would go back this afternoon for a run. And I did.

Six miles to complete the first week of my slacker training. For those of you without a calculator, that's 22.5 miles this week. That's quite a jump from basically nothing the week before, but I feel good. The new shoes seem to be working fine, and I don't have any knee or other pain. That's a good sign for things to come, I hope.

This next week I'm out of town five out of seven days, so I'm thinking about doing some morning running. Which is probably a good idea so I can avoid some of the mid-summer heat and humidity

Friday Run

A nice easy run? Yeah, right. Heat, hills, and humidity made those 3.5 miles a real chore. The funny thing is that I felt worse after 2.5 than I did at the end. That last mile was the whipped cream on top, I guess, to make the run feel good. Although the effort expended on this run would have been worth about 8 miles on the treadmill. Good thing I didn't run inside since I need to save that long run for tomorrow.

Fartleks

It's a funny word, but I did it (knowingly) for the first time tonight. The Slacker plan calls for 1-2-3-2-1 fartleks on the schedule for today, so I did what the schedule commands. That's running fast for 1 minute, then slowing down to a normal pace for 1 minute, then fast for 2 minutes, slow for 2 minutes, and so on. Altogether the distance I covered was about 4.5 miles. I kind of enjoyed speeding up a little during the run, and the intervals followed by a slow period works to my strengths (laziness). I started off wth 15 minutes of slow running, then the fartleks, then ending with another 15 minutes of normal pace, and as you know for me normal means slow.

Tomorrow is an easy running day, and then it's 6-7 miles on Saturday!

Another Easy 3 Miles

Or so they say. "They" also said the temperature topped out at 87 degrees, and they lie. It had to be over 90, but I wasn't trained as a meteorologist, so even though I know when a storm is coming better than the guys on TV I must not know anything.

Since I'm coming off a week of non-running and now I've run three days in a row, I think I'll take tomorrow off for some dumbbell lifting and some leg exercises.

3-4 Easy Miles

That's what the schedule for today says, but 3 miles when it's humid and the storms are rolling in isn't really that easy. But it was successful, and even though the first part was like running through the deep South after a week's worth of rain the latter part was easier. Maybe I just got used to it.

I suggested to the wife last night that maybe I need an iPod Nano for running. She laughed. And it wasn't a good laugh. I'll have to work on that.

Father's Day Run

This was a get-back-into-it run since I've been a bad boy this past week while company was in town. Surprisingly, though, I could have run more than 2.5 miles, but decided to take it easy given the time since last my jaunt as well as this being the first run in my Father's Day gift.

Okay, so I picked it out and purchased it, but I'm now trying out a pair of Asics Gel Cumulus. Since I'm gearing up for my marathon training, I thought I'd start with a new pair of shoes rather than possibly switching partway through. My initial reaction is that I liked them a lot. They're lighter than the all-terrain New Balance I've been wearing, and the cushioning of the gel did seem to make a difference. As with the Mizuno I tried out last year, though, I'll reserve judgment until I've used them a few weeks.

I was going to put off the start of the marathon training until next Monday, but since today went so well I might reconsider. Because today was deceptively easy we'll see how tomorrow's run goes before making that decision. If I start this week that gives me a two-week cushion until the October 20th event. If I wait another week the margin of error grows smaller. Stay tuned.

40 Years Old and Still Stupid

Ran a little over 3 miles today, which if you look at the last post really wasn't the plan. I did run on Thursday, but not in the way I'd planned. You would think after all these years that I would know better than to sprint without warming up, but noooooo.

We had our employee picnic at a local park Thursday afternoon, and my boss wanted to race us "boys." So after much trash-talking we agreed, giving her a head start. She won by a couple of steps, but afterward I could tell my right hamstring was sore and I should have stretched first.

It's taken me 40 years to figure this out, so maybe by the time the next 40 are past I'll actually put into practice what I've learned. At least it felt okay today when I jogged.

What a Day!

What a gorgeous day! Temps in the mid-80s, just a slight breeze, sun shining, and very few clouds. Last night I was bringing the boy home from baseball practice and it was absolutely beautiful out, and I thought about running in the evening just to enjoy the weather. I decided against it since I had a few things to do, hoping that today would be as nice. Fortunately I won that gamble.

I was planning on running 5 today, but my body was yelling at me, "Don't do it!" So I ran 4.25 instead, and I think my body was right. You don't win any points for overextending yourself, and besides, it's only Tuesday. The plan is to run 4-5 on Thursday and 5-6 on Saturday. Think the weather will be this nice by then?

Humid, Windy, but Okay

WIth all the rain this past week it was a little humid today, but the stiff wind was what made this 3 miles a tough outing. That's okay, though, I'm just glad to have the time to get out and pound the pavement for a bit. No musical accompaniment this time, just the breeze and my gasping for air. Okay, it wasn't that bad. That's just called poetic license; look it up, it's a proven literary technique.

Nicest Day of the Year

It really stunk to work today, especially with the weather we've been having. Between camping, baseball games, and rain I haven't had a chance to run since last week. Well, I could if I got up early, but since I already get up every morning at 5:30 I'd rather not give up what little sleep I'm getting just to run. Today was absolutely gorgeous, with temps in the low 80's and the sky a beautiful unmarred blue. Only had time to run 2.5 miles today since it's time to get going to another baseball game. Hopefully the weather will be nice Saturday, the next day I actually have more than 30 minutes free.

Another Day in Paradise

A nice day, cloudy, rain earlier, and a great temperature combined to make nice conditions for a run. 5 miles! And honorable daughter #1 accompanied me on her bike. She was a bit surprised when we started on the second circuit of the neighborhood, but hey, she needed the exercise, too.

I can tell it's going to be a challenge to get a run in during the next few weeks with so many baseball and softball games in the evenings. MIssed my Tuesday run this week because of a baseball game, but it was worth it because our team won. Still have to find a way to get the miles in, though.

A Nice Sunday Run

Beatiful day today, with the temperature in the low 80s. Ran 3.5 miles, and this time the iPod behaved. I sunburned my back working in the yard on Friday, so that was a bit uncomfortable, but I can't complain. Days like today are few and far between in this area. Was it always this windy or have I just started noticing since I've been running?

Stupid iPod

Another 5K today, just a little warmer, but still very nice. I was ticked off, though, because I took my iPod for distraction purposes, and less than 10 minutes into the run it just stopped. I think it gets a false reading about how much charge is left. So apparently I need to take it back and get it replaced with that warranty I bought. And just maybe God was telling me to enjoy the sounds of nature instead of a little music.

Much Cooler

Rain came through the area this morning and it stayed cloudy all day, so today's run was in a climate about 25 degrees cooler than Sunday's. Which of course makes a difference, so I ran a nice 5K and felt quite well at the end of it. The wind was gusting quite hard out of the north, but I tried to run nice and easy so it wasn't too bad. It's nice to run and feel good about it again.

In Training

Gak! Has it really been over a week since I've run? I think I finally hit rock bottom as far as motivation goes, and now I'm back and on a mission to run my first marathon in October. The binge of eating badly, having no energy, and generally being lazy is over. And this past week, when we were getting ready for a garage sale, going to baseball games in the evening, and to my bro-in-law's graduation yesterday, is now a memory and it's time to get serious again.

I ran over 2.5 miles today in 90 degree weather. So much for spring. And so much for stuff like the bowl of candy on my desk at work. This week I'm putting the rest of what I have in the bowl and once it's gone I'm not buying any more. Supposedly it's for everyone else at work, but somehow I end up eating most of it. No more. I'm in training!

Also as motivation today while I ran was Petra's album Beyond Belief. I figured if I was distracted by good music the thoughts of quitting early would find it harder to get through. I was right. Thank God for iPods!

No Rain Today

We've had rain every day for the past week, but none today. Another 2.5 miles today, but for some reason I still feel that same lack of energy. I was thinking as I was struggling through it that it shouldn't be this bad after basically taking a few weeks off to let the knees rest. I haven't run in a race since Thanksgiving, so maybe I need to find one in the next few weekends just to get myself motivated. I'm sure there's something out there that would fit the bill.

Better Today

2.5 miles today, and it was much better than last time. Still, my energy level seems low, but that's probably because I haven't been running as much lately with my knees recovering from whatever problem they had. It'll take a few runs to get back up to distance and speed, but maybe this break was a good thing. I'm thinking that in June I need to start the serious training for running a marathon in October or November. Time to pull out the old issues of Runner's World and find the plan I'm looking for. A few sprinkles on today's run, which felt nice until it passed and the humidity set in. The sky was threatening more, but never delivered on the promise.

Yuk

What a horrible run today was. I know everybody has these once in a while, and it's not that I felt really bad or anything. I think it was more a matter of motivation. For some reason I was just very blah this afternoon. I wanted to go earlier in the day but the schedule didn't work out, so by the time I went it was warmer, the breeze was a little stiffer, and I was a lot more tired. Went about 2 miles, and it was a struggle to get that far. Tomorrow is Sunday and church, so maybe I can find some motivation there.

Is It Spring Yet?

I think officially it's been spring for a few weeks, but today was one of those fall-back days where the temperature seems more end of winter-ish than spring. Okay, it was only in the forties, but it was wet, cold, and breezy. A perfect recipe for running on ye olde treadmille.

4.25 miles today and it felt pretty good. It was also the boy's birthday today, so not only did he get to go with me to Bring Your Daddy to Work Day (as it's called in our house), but he also got presents, cake, ice cream, and a chance to chill in front of the big screen when we got home, thus allowing me some exercise time.

Listened to the new Kenny Wayne Shepherd (10 Days Out - Blues from the Backroads) while jogging and loved what I heard so far. This is good running music for sure.

Rain All Around

One thing about riding bikes as opposed to running - at least on a bike you get to coast once in a while!

Ran only 2.5 miles today, but since this is the first time in about 2 weeks I figured it was a good time to take it easy. The knees felt shaky at the beginning but got better as I went along. Kept a good pace and felt pretty good at the end. There were dark clouds all around but all I got out of the deal was a few sprinkles.

Dinner was grilled steak with crumbled bleu cheese, pasta, and green beans. I so totally rock!

More Exercise on Wheels

Forgot to post Thursday (the 19th), but rode 6 miles that day, and then about 7 today. My knees are feeling much better. The magazines say that knee strength is really determined by other areas, like quads, hamstrings, and hips, and I believe that to be true. My upper legs and hips have been getting good workouts, and my knees are feeling better. Nothing like riding a bike uphill against the wind while watching out for traffic to get you going on a Saturday morning.

Almost went for a run today, but decided to do one more day of biking to keep building strength in the upper legs. I can tell how my knees are doing by going up and down the stairs here at home, and they're not as tender as they were a week ago. Hooray for wheels!

Bike Day

Today was a bicycle riding day to work on the legs and let the knees continue their little break from running. My estimate is about 4 miles' worth of riding through the nearby neighborhoods. It was a nice change, but I'd still like to get back to running again soon.

A Nice Day

But I still ran inside, choosing to go a slower pace as dictated by the treadmill. About 3.5 miles, and probably won't run again until next Tuesday since I'll be out of town this weekend. Really, it was surprisingly nice outside, especially considering that snow is in the forecast for tomorrow. The right knee still doesn't feel totally right, so having another extended period off should help.

No Pain

I thought about posting this yesterday, but decided I'd wait until the next day to see how I felt. Yesterday afternoon I alternated walking and running for 3 miles on the treadmill (still colder, and now snow flurries are in the weekend forecast!) and today my knees feel just fine. It's nice to get back to a little running, and hopefully the weather will warm up so I can do it outside consistently.

Taking it Easy

Still cold outside, and the knee is still hurting. So I went for a 50-minute walk on the treadmill and everything seemed to go fine. My knee seems to be feeling better, although I still notice a tenderness on the stairs in the house. I'm hoping if I baby it enough it'll be nice back to me. I also got some new dress shoes this weekend, mainly because I think the ones I was wearing were causing the pain in my knees. We'll find out this week when I wear the new ones.

Sidelined

My right knee has kept me from running this week, so yesterday I did some exercises with ankle weights to strengthen the area around the knee, and today I walked about 50 minutes on the treadmill. As you (my imaginary reader) might imagine, not being able to run is kind of a bummer. But then again, the temperature has dipped back down to near freezing with a stiff wind, so this is just as good a time as any to be sidelined, I think.

If I can't get back into running by early next week hopefully the weather will be warm enough to do some bicycle riding.

Against the Wind - Again!

Ran about 2.5 miles today, and walked about 3/4 of a mile, although that's probably a little generous in both amounts. The wind is blowing fierce again today, and my right knee was barking at me, so I called it quits before hurting myself too badly. I know spring winds are normal, but this is ridiculous.

Tonight the World Champion Cardinals kick off the 2007 season, so whatever the weather and whatever the distance, today is a great day!

Back from Washington

Ran about 3.5 miles today, one with Natalie and the rest by myself. After 5+ hours on a plane the last two days it was nice to get out and stretch my legs, although I didn't feel like pushing it too much. It was a little humid, but that just means spring is on the way. After the cold of winter I'm not going to complain.

A Pleasant Run

Indoors, that is. A little bit of rain today, and the wife had to run to the store, so I stayed in and ran on the treadmill. 3 1/3 miles of intervals, all of which felt a lot better than the last outing. Apparently my body has (mostly) recovered from the weekend. I'm off to D.C. tomorrow, but will be back by noon on Thursday, so hopefully I won't miss my second run of the week.

Learning to Listen

You'd think I'd have learned by now to listen to what my body tells me, but nooooo.

Helped a friend move yesterday, which absolutely wore me out. Then decided to go running today thinking, hey, five miles won't be a problem. Fell asleep on the living room floor while stretching, which should have been the big sign. Went running anyway, heading out into a 20+ mph strength-sapping south wind. Thought I could go the whole distance. Ended up stopping after 3, and that's being generous because it includes the tenth of a mile warmup and cooldown walks.

When will I ever learn?

Better Day

Today was a much better day. 5 miles outside, and the weather was just about perfect. Overcast, probably in the mid-50's with a slight breeze. Although if someone could tell me how in the world you could be running into the wind against three out of four points of the compass, I'd sure be grateful. I felt more energy today and didn't really strain at all, so I count this as one of those good days, especially when compared with the last few times.

Rainy Outside = Running Inside

5 miles on the treadmill with quite a bit more incline than I've used in the past. Hopefully this equals an easier transition when I resume running outdoors.

I've felt kind of blah the last few runs, and it was a struggle to go as far as I wanted. I think it's the lingering effect of the head cold from a few weeks ago combined with the general malaise of allergies. My wife showed me an infomercial last night about a training program that gives you six-pack abs and a ripped body after ninety days. Maybe a change of pace is what I need, but not that drastic. Although it would be a good core builder for a long run, it would set me back when what I really want to do this year is run a marathon. Maybe a program like that will be next year's blog.

Another Cold Wind

Winter keeps hanging on by a fingernail, delivering a cold north wind. That caused me to run inside today, a 4-miler on the treadmill with varying speeds and inclines. Don't know if it will be nicer tomorrow, but if it is I'd like to get a nice outdoor run in the books.

And by the way, I was right about those Stevie Ray Vaughan songs. Instant motivation!

The Wind Blows from the North

3.5 miles today, which wasn't bad considering it's 25 degrees cooler and the wind has shifted to the north with a lot stiffer touch. Natalie ran the first mile with me, and then I braved the elements on my own for the rest of the time.

No music today, but I'm thinking that a lot of stuff by Stevie Ray Vaughan is good for running. For instance, "The House is Rockin'" is a classic get-your-butt-moving kind of tune, as is "Look at Little Sister" or "You'll Be Mine." Good blues mixed with the Texas shuffle is good for the circulation. You died far too young, Stevie.

Seven Days?

Wow, has it really been a week since I ran? We had company, went to Manhattan (the Kansas version) for my grandpa's memorial service, and had more company. I intended to run while away but somehow never made the time.

Anyway, today was beautiful, albeit with a stiff breeze from the south. Ran about 3 miles, including a half mile that was from an aborted run with the kids since a couple of them started complaining and had to walk. Natalie rode her bike with me while I ran, so she got some extra exercise.

Really, that was a week?

Spring is Almost Here

3.5 miles today in beautiful sunshine, nice temperature, and the hint of a breeze. Does it get any better than this? The older girls ran with me for a mile, and it's time for them to get back in shape!

Easy Run

Didn't get to post this yesterday, but I ran an easy 3 miles as a follow-up to Saturday's long run. Just because I felt like it, that's why. Plus I missed last Tuesday since I was flying back from Baltimore, so this helps up the total for the week.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Further and with more of an incline

Snow flurries this morning, so once again ran on the treadmill. 6.5 miles this time, with up to 4% of an incline at certain points so as to make the transition back to the KC hilly terrain easier next time I go through the front to door to run. Pretty good run at a pretty good pace of less than 9 minutes per mile.

One of these days I'll have to put together a list of music that motivates me while running, which is most important while running in place on the treadmill. Today the song "Adonai" from Petra got me through the last half-mile. Thank God - literally.

Blah

Thunderstorms went through the area last night, so naturally I'm tired and feeling blah today. The wind was just brutal and cold, and running inside seemed to be the order of the day. 3.25 miles of intervals on the treadmill and then it was time for dinner and a trip to Target. Even with a heavy jacket it was cold! If I haven't mentioned it before, I am soooooo ready for spring.

Almost 10K

Rainy today, so did 6 miles on the treadmill. I thought about this the other day, but it kind of hit me today when doing the big six. I've been running for about 3 1/2 years now, probably just a couple of months less, but nonetheless in that time I've plateaued at various distances and stayed there for quite a while.

I was stuck at 3 miles for the longest time, and more recently stayed in the 4-5 mile range for a run. Doing six miles today was a big deal, and hopefully it will lead into more long runs. Of course it's going to have to if I expect to do a marathon this year.

Traveling to Baltimore on Monday and back on Tuesday, so I'll miss my Tuesday run. Back to it on Thursday.

Better than the Last

Another nice day, another outdoor run. 5 miles this time, and it felt much better than the last one. Going downhill against the wind and uphill with it certainly helps. We'll see how the weather turns out this weekend. Rain is in the forecast with a possibility of snow, so indoor running might be in store again.

Birthday Run

3 miles on the celebration of year number 40! The thermometer said 52 when I went out this afternoon, which makes this the first time I've run outside in at least a month. I have to say that three miles outside on the hills and with the breeze is like five miles on the treadmill. Wow, that was almost painful, but I'm thankful for the good health to be able to do it.

As my sister remarked, I'm in better shape at 40 than I was at 30. Now I guess the goal is to avoid too much deterioration by the time I'm 50!

Easy Day

This is what I call a low-impact day. 3.3 miles of intervals, this time alternating between running and walking. For some reason I felt my body needed an easier workout, with more thought and concentration on loosening up than on speed or distance.

Plus I'm almost forty, you know? It's good to have an easy workout once in a while.

Snow and Running

5 miles today at a nine-minute per mile pace, all in about four inches of snow and 20 mph north winds. Of course I was inside running while watching a basketball game and listening to the iPod, but nonetheless not a bad run. This treadmill is already paying for itself by allowing me to run even in the worst of weather. By Thursday morning the temperature is supposed to be below zero with the wind chill. I'm planning on another indoors run, so I say blow wind blow, and I will pay it no mind as more miles roll beneath my feet in the comfort of my nice warm house.

The Weight Loss Program

4.57 miles and 595 calories. I tried the weight loss program on the treadmill today since it varies speeds and inclines, and it was quite the workout. I also accidentally yanked the earbuds out with a half mile to go, but fortunately no iPods were injured in the incident. And no circuits were broken during this run, which was a nice change.

Boy am I ready for spring and warm weather to get here.

A nice run

4.9 miles before the breaker tripped today. Apparently I need to put this thing on a different circuit. Why couldn't it have done it when I was about 3 miles in and hoping it would go off? Not that I wanted to quit or anything...

Arc fault

4 miles, interrupted once again by the treadmill losing power halfway through due to an arc fault in the breaker box. That will get annoying real quick. But at least the new issue of Runner's World came today. Yippee!

Two Days' Worth

I was in New Orleans this week on a business trip and came down with what the locals call the Katrina crud. It was like a head cold, and I actually lost my voice two days. By Thursday I felt better and ran 4 miles in the exercise room at the hotel.

Today the temperature at home was about 12 degrees, so once again I opted for the mechanical run. Another 4 miles today after getting in late last night due to delays. I think they should put exercise machinery on airplanes, or at least at the airport so people wouldn't have to wait for their oft-delayed flight in a state of inactivity. But hey, that would cost the airlines money, and they can't make a profit as it is, so that wonderful idea will probably never happen. Oh well.

Posting Comments

Not that anybody else reads this, much less comments, I've still enabled comment moderation so we don't get stupid messages like the comment on the last entry. If you leave a comment and it doesn't show up immediately, don't worry, it'll show eventually once I approve it. I have the power! (evil maniacal laughter)

Things You Don't Encounter Running Outside

If the power goes off and you're running outside, you keep running. If it happens when you're running on the treadmill, you're forced to stop. That happened once, and then when my wife got home and was talking to me I bumped the safety key and it stopped again. Aargh! So I'm guessing I got in a very frustrated 3.5 miles or so. But given the wind and cold today, it's still better than running outside.

For the Moment

At least for the moment I could get addicted to running indoors on the treadmill. Sure, the sun is shining, but it's breezy and cool. I don't listen to my iPod when running outdoors, but it sure is fine when running in place, 5 miles' worth today. Then again, I'm not a big fan of winter, so I'm sure once the sun is out consistently and the weather is warmer I'll be glad to run in the great wide open.

Intervals

3.47 miles worth of intervals, to be exact. 90 seconds at a regular pace, and then 30 at the faster pace, all of this for 45 minutes. The treadmill is still new enough that this actually seems like fun to me. Hopefully the weather will turn warm and I can run outside again before that feeling wears off.

Snow Day

Last night it snowed four inches. Today I ran 4 miles. We should have bought this treadmill a long time ago!

Back in the Saddle Again

Decided to go for a change of pace to get back into running mode, which in this case involves a treadmill. Yes, after throwing the idea around for a few years, we finally took the plunge and got one. It really was nice to start out easy on something besides an asphalt surface. After running intervals on the thing for 2.22 miles (it's very precise, you know), I can tell the difference afterward because my knees don't feel like they've been pistoned on concrete for forty minutes.

Besides which, it's also snowing. I love running, but I really have to be in the mood to go out in the snow.

Disappointing

I was planning on running six miles today and felt pretty good...except for my calves and shins. I don't know what the problem is, but usually when they're this tight and sore I shut things down for a while. I ran 3 miles and decided that rather than risk not being able to run for a very long time I'd listen to what my body was telling me and stop. With Teri going out of town in a few days and being responsible for the kids while she's away this is as good a time as any to take a break. Hopefully next week will be better.

Around and Around

The wind was blowing pretty hard today so I didn't really feel like going out and battling that for an hour. I ended up taking the kids to a nearby school and while they ran themselves crazy on the artificial turf I did what Runner's World euphemistically calls "speed work." The track was short, what I estimated at 220 yards, or half of a normal track, so I did some warmup laps and then four laps of faster paced running followed by several cooldown circles. Not too bad, and it's something I need to do to build up a good foundation for longer runs.

Global Warming Rocks!

I think it's great to be running in temps in the mid-50's at the start of January. Who could possibly complain about (alleged) global warming?

Ran to Target and back, which is about 4.5 miles. My shins have been achy, so I went ahead and wore the old running shoes today. I'll wear them again the next few times in an attempt to get things back into alignment. I'm wondering if the problem might be the new dress shoes I got a couple of weeks ago for work.

Again, cheers for global warming!

The First Run of 2007

2007 Goal: To run and finish a marathon.

Today: The first three miles for the year toward that goal. I ate way too much over the holiday. Six cookies? Cheesecake? Dr. Pepper? What was I thinking? If I was an alcoholic I'd be checking into the Betty Ford Clinic for falling off the wagon so badly. As it was I felt like the proverbial fat guy with the New Year's resolution chugging down the street.

Something odd: I've had some minor aches and pains in my feet and lower legs, so I was pulling out my old shoes since that always seems to set things straight. I was removing the insert from one of the old pair and out came an extra insole! I don't know if this was intentional or not, but the new pair had an extra set of the insole cushioning. They weren't glued down like the ones underneath, but that would explain why they've felt tighter than I thought they should and maybe explains why I've had those pains. So I went ahead and wore the newer pair after removing the extra insoles and I could really tell the difference. Strange but true.