Final Run of the Year

It's nice to end the year on an up note. Today was great temperature-wise, with a foray into the low 60s. The wind was a brutal sustained 20 mph with gusts much higher than that. The Wife ran the first couple with me and then I carried on for another six to end up with 8 miles total. Fortunately I was running against the wind mostly downhill. Other than that it wasn't really that bothersome.

The Year in Quick Review
I started running marathons in 2007, and this was the first year since then that I did not get to run one. Starting with the heel problems early in the year to the knee problems in the second half, it was not a great running year. I had my best half-marathon in April, but that was the high point. I'm just glad to still be running and enjoying it. Even though it was frustrating at times, especially since I registered for Memphis and ended up having to halt my training, I think about people who have career-ending injuries or who can't run in the first place. So even with a few setbacks I'm thankful that I have the opportunity to continue lacing up my shoes and getting in my runs three times a week. Let's hope I can return to marathoning in 2012. If not I'll still be content with what I can do.

Fartleks=Speed Play

That's what the word is supposed to mean, anyway. In the spirit of speeding up the workouts a little bit, I ran two miles with The Wife and then did some fartleks over the next three before finishing with a normal-paced final mile. It actually was fun to run faster. I picked arbitrary landmarks, like street lights or fire hydrants, as my target for the speedier parts. My pace during the quicker stretches was right at 8 minutes/mile, which wasn't blazing fast but good enough to make me sweat a little.

The temperature was unseasonably warm in the 50's this afternoon. It was really nice outside at lunch but had clouded over by late afternoon. It was still nice enough to go out in longer pants and a long-sleeved technical shirt with no other layers or head covering. I also went without my iPod since I just wanted to enjoy an untethered run, both musically and my running plan. It worked and I feel nice and relaxed. Definitely a successful run.

Speeding It Up

I thought today was going to be an inside running day, and even said so when The Wife called this morning to ask me about it. She was curious because she was going to run with me. However, when I left work it was sunny and the temperature was in the mid-40's. That fact quickly changed my mindset to the possibility of an outside run.

At home I discovered The Wife laid out on the couch, tired from her day. Now that I was running solo I hurried out the door for a brisk warmup walk and then a run a little quicker than normal. The Wife runs at a more relaxed pace, but I've been thinking I needed to kick it up a notch and vary my running a little bit. I've been "stuck" in the easy run mode for the past few months, but then again I've also been stuck in the recovering-from-an-injury mode during that time.

Tonight I set out at a quicker pace. Surprisingly I saw a number of other people out exercising, which was weird due to the stiff breeze and the cool weather. I finished the 6-mile run with an overall pace of 9:12/minute. Not blistering, but definitely faster than I've been running. It felt relaxed, even against the wind. I wasn't sure how today's run would go since I spent most of the day at work moving around carts and sleeving mail trays due to several people being out on one of our busiest production days. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it didn't affect my run, or at least it didn't affect it to where I noticed.

Christmas Eve Run

Yesterday it was nice enough to get outside for a run. The Wife and I took off after lunch and she went about 2 miles with me. I continued on for another four and took it nice and easy. It was a good run with a decent temperature, warmer than I'd expected. I keep hearing that this winter isn't supposed to be as bad as last winter, but I'll believe it when I see it. We had lots going on with Christmas Eve and all that, but fortunately we were able to fit in the run. A few more outings and it'll be 2012. Hopefully that will turn out to be better for marathon racing than this year was!

On Second Thought

When I left work I thought I was going to run outside today. The sky was partly cloudy, but the temperature didn't seem as low as some of the other times I've run. Plus the wind didn't seem too bad. After I picked up my truck (finally repaired!) I drove home and then took some pictures of it. As I was standing outside I realized it was breezier than I thought. That led to the quick decision to run on the treadmill instead. For some reason I just didn't feel like being cold. And that's the story of how I did 6 miles inside instead of out.

A Storm Missed

The blizzard that struck the Great Plains yesterday was predicted to bring a wintry mix to KC. This morning we were supposed to wake up to icy roads and overlaid by an inch of snow. If the forecast was to be believed it was going to be a slippery ride to work. Once again the forecasters were wrong in a good way. The temperature was just above freezing, so all that precipitation stayed in the form of rain. While that proved excellent for the commute, it also made running inside this afternoon a necessity.

It's getting close to Christmas, but I'm not letting up on the training. 6 miles was in order for today on the treadmill - or three NewsRadio episodes if you're counting at home. One thing I did today that I don't recall doing before was to think of where I would be on my regular 6-mile route at a particular point in time during my stationary run. It helped a little bit. Even though the TV was mostly distracting enough, it still helped to think of the actual progress of a run in relative terms. Let's see if this technique works during the long winter ahead.

Almost Perfect Winter Day for Running

The kids asked me if I was crazy when I headed out the door just after noon today. I responded that it was actually a perfect day for running, at least in winter. The temperature was above freezing but below forty, and the wind was only about 7 mph. The sun was shining brightly and the overnight frost had all disappeared. When it comes to the seasons, this is the best kind of day to run in the coldest of them. And for the first time in who knows how long I ran 8 miles.

Strangely I had some discomfort in The Knee while on the run. But it wasn't enough to slow me down too much. It was weird, though, and a little cause for concern. I tried some high-steps to stretch things out but that seemed to aggravate it a little, and I wasn't sure if that was due to friction with the new tights I previously referenced or with The Knee itself. Also in the strange category: it doesn't hurt when I'm not running.

This was a 20-mile week. It's nice to be back up to that plateau, which hopefully I can hold. As always it depends on The Knee.

Nice Evening

It was a actually a nice evening for running. The temperature was in the 30's, but the wind was almost nonexistent. The Wife wussed out and didn't go with me today, so I ran 6 miles by myself. It's amazing what a little bit of good music will do. I was in a somewhat cranky mood from work, but I pulled up Old 97's on my iPod and listened to them for a good hour. And it was definitely a good hour. I started with their first album and then finished with all of their most recent. I love me some Old 97's.

I dressed in layers again, which is probably why it wasn't so bad as far as the temperature goes. I wore both my ear warmer and stocking cap, gloves, and three layers of shirts. The lined pants again kept my lower half warm. I found some tights yesterday at Target. Once those have been washed I can go back to my more stylish black Reebok pants. Some days, like today, it's not about the fashion. It's about staying comfortable.

Rats

Back to the treadmill today. The cold rain and cooler temperature pretty much forced my hand. I ran 6 miles and three NewsRadio episodes on this one. It'd be nice to get back outside but I'm not sure this is going to be the week for that with more rain in the forecast.

The past two days have not gone well nutrition-wise. I blame the buffets. Yesterday was Godfather's with The Boy and today was the Ameristar lunch buffet with my employees. As much as that one costs you kind of feel like you have to get your money's worth. Which I definitely did. And if I'd run 20 miles today then I might have come out even, but I'm not running that far on the treadmill unless I absolutely have to and have a couple of movies I can watch while doing so.

An Unsure Run

I wasn't quite sure whether or not I wanted to run outside today. The temperature this morning was about 16 degrees. It seemed prudent to wait until after we went and got our Christmas tree, which was an incident that exposed us to the cold quite nicely. That's where I discovered how breezy it was. The temptation to run on the treadmill was certainly on the rise.

The factors in favor of running outdoors was an increasing temperature and bright sunshine. The Wife ran with me again and she completed a full three-miler. I considered running 8 miles, but the longer I was out the less I enjoyed the wind. I decided three runs of 6 miles was plenty for the week and a nice incremental increase over last week's total. My goal is to build up the mileage, not to suddenly spike with a long run. Running with the older shoes certainly seems to be helping, too.

Running and Thoughts on Albert Pujols

Another night much like Tuesday, except this time I was expecting it. Just for variety I ran the first 2.4 miles with The Wife and then continued on by myself to complete a 6-mile run. She apologized that the initial part was slower, but that was okay because I like her. Then I cranked it up to a 9-minute/mile pace for most of the rest of the run. I started feeling like that was a little fast when I'm trying to keep myself from getting injured, so the last mile I slowed down and tried my best to keep it a minute slower than before.

This was one of those crisp evenings where I have to get outside to run even though it's cold. The Wife even said it wasn't so bad, and I agreed that when the temperature is hovering around freezing and the wind stays relatively calm it's actually a good time for running.

The second half of the run when I wasn't talking or being talked at, I pondered how Albert Pujols betrayed a legion of fans by accepting a contract from the Angels. I've come to several conclusions that lead me to use the word "betrayal," and I don't use the word lightly. I'm not a naive person and I certainly understand the economics of the baseball world. First, I classify this as a betrayal because of what the man has been saying the past several years. I'm amazed that a person can invest so much of himself into his community, into probably tens of thousands of people in that community, and into all the personal relationships that come from being in the same place for a decade - and then walk away from all of that in the blink of an eye. In the past he has said too many times the right things, such as wanting to be a Cardinal for life. Or that this is the best place in the world to play baseball. Or this is the team with the best fans. That it's not about the money. All of the things a player who believes in his heart that he has a great deal and is happy where he is. When you say those things and invest in so many people and they invest in you, you don't just walk away. You don't do it unless you're just spouting what you think people want to hear. Plenty of baseball players do so, but when you're the face of a franchise and you keep repeating those things, people tend to believe you. Shame on us for believing.

Don't get me wrong - I would have taken the extra $30 million or so, too. But I wouldn't have spent several years saying I was above the money and that it wasn't the deciding factor. A-Rod still has the biggest baseball contract ever, and everyone knew that was his goal I don't recall him wasting time saying he loved the fans and wanted to do the best by them. It was all about the money. Contrast that with the former Cardinals first baseman, who spent plenty of time giving us all warm fuzzies about his motives but today turned out to be a liar. Which would you rather have? A greedy, money-grubbing jerk who is after the money and is honest about it, or a greedy, money-grubbing jerk who is after the money but who turns out to be completely dishonest about his true motives? Well?

Second, Albert (I call him that because that's how he's known to his former fans) has repeatedly invoked the name of our Lord in his career. He's thankful for the abilities God has given him, as well he should be. And he's said that his career is in God's hands, and I'm sure he and his wife prayed about this and where the Lord was leading them. But isn't it funny how with people like this that the "will" of God always seems to lead them to dollar signs?

Finally, we have a player who has acted different with his alleged motives and his Christianity. In the end, though, he's no different from any other athlete. That's what's disappointing. And sadly, this betrayal is what will make it that much tougher on the next guy who comes along. Albert has his money, an obscene amount of money that makes all of us wonder what is really the difference between $220 million and $254 million? Either way you can't spend it all in this lifetime unless you buy your own country. He said himself in 2009 (I believe) that $3-4 million a year wasn't a big enough difference to go somewhere else. Sadly, in the end it wasn't about the people who believed him, the kids he helped through his foundation who believed the things he said, or the fans who thought this guy was different from the rest. It was always about him. We just didn't recognize it.

To Albert: Thanks for your time as a Cardinal and all the thrills you gave us. I was at plenty of games where you made us jump to our feet and scream like crazy little kids. Good times, but they're over. So go to the Angels. Play your ten years and take your $254 million. And I hope you suck. I don't say that because I'm angry or vindictive. I say it because I say that about any player on any of the other 29 teams. Now you're just a player on one of those teams, not a player on my team. I'm a Cardinals fan. And I'll be a Cardinals fan after you retire, but you won't be a part of it like all the other legends who are darn near worshipped every time they appear at Busch Stadium - Stan, Red, Ozzie, Gibby, and Lou. You'll never have a statue there, either. What a legacy you threw away. How sad.

Crisper

Today definitely felt like winter. It was one of those days I couldn't resist running outside, though. For one thing the sun was out and the clouds had disappeared as I drove home from work. For another, the wind was almost non-existent. Never mind the 28 degree temperature. I have a feeling that days like this will be rare as we move deeper into winter.

I plugged in a new Hardcore History and hit the pavement. I layered up with a long-sleeve tech shirt with a cotton race-t over that topped off with a long-sleeve running jacket. I miss the tights I wear under my running pants and need to solve that issue before we get too deep into the cold season. I had to throw away the old ones due to seam issues. I wore my old running shoes again for the 6 miles. Again I was conscious of my stride as well as my posture. I kept finding that I was unconsciously hunching forward as if to stave off the cold. That wasn't working, but keeping my shoulders back was better for the run. The Knee made its presence known, but not necessarily in a bad way. It was one of those I've-been-hurting-let's-run-with-a-correct-stride type of ways.

In the end, let's just say that once I made it back inside I felt much warmer. Tonight's low is 16 degrees. This is when I start thinking again about moving to a warmer climate.

Long Run Inside

It's rainy and cold today, which is the perfect combination for staying inside to run. I wonder how many times I'd have to run back and forth across the downstairs room to get 6 miles? Let's say it's 30 feet. I don't know if it is or not or if that's over- or underestimating, but we'll go with that. Here's today's math lesson. 6 miles * 5,280 feet/mile = 31,680 feet, divided by 30 feet of room = 1,056 times I'd have to traverse the room. I'm thinking I would lose count really fast. Not to mention die of boredom. I suppose it's a good thing I have a treadmill and some TV shows to watch.

The Knee has been feeling fine the past few days. Running on the treadmill seems to be lower impact than running on concrete. Let's see how having a couple of days off helps.

UPDATE: Can't believe I didn't mention this in the original post, but this was also the day I was supposed to participate in the Memphis Marathon. The weather looked good and I wish I'd been there. I also missed feasting on ribs at the Rendevous after the race. I'll be putting the Memphis race on my schedule again, and by golly I'll be making it there next time.

North Wind

Wow, did it get cold quick around these parts. I was thinking of running on the treadmill again, but I had a conversation yesterday with someone about how this will feel warm in a few months. Yes, it's happened before. A temperature in the mid-40s will feel absolutely balmy in February. We'll be happy about it. But right now it feels extremely cold, especially with the wind out of the north. That was pretty tough on the way back, but I soldiered through it. I ran a pretty good 5.5 miles and at the end it was nice to climb into a steaming hot shower to warm up.

The Knee was not in good shape after Tuesday's run. That night I tossed and turned and every time it was The Knee waking me up and causing some discomfort. The funny thing is that it was good on Wednesday and all day today. And then it felt just fine on the run this evening. This is a strange thing. I'm still not sure what to do. I suppose the textbook thing to do would be to stop. Again. I did try something different today, though. It seems like the knee problems started this summer when I started running in a new set of shoes. So today I went back to the pair I was wearing earlier this year. I did that to a little degree a couple of months ago, but I wasn't consistent with it. This time I'm going to wear the older shoes for the rest of the month and see if that makes a difference.