The saga of unleashed dogs in East End Park continues. Nothing quite like a sunny, cool morning trail run to be interrupted by irresponsible dog owners. It amazes me how defensive people are of their damn dogs. Admittedly, I tell everyone I see who has their dog off-leash, "Your dog is suppose to be on a leash inside the park". This morning one guy took it to another level by yelling and cussing. He told me, "Just go run the god-damn greenbelts and stay off the nature trails you stupid fuckin' wetback!!". All this after HIS dog came at ME with the hair on his neck standing up. The verbal assault came after my generic comment, "Your dog is suppose to be on a leash inside the park".
I love East End Park, but I think my days of running there are done. The beauty of the trails is beyond belief, but the tension between runners and idiot dog owners is too much for me!
Anyways I digress...
Tom and I ran three miles at the park this morning. For the first time in a really long time, my legs were D.E.A.D. Over the final mile it was a mental challenge to keep moving. The dead leg feeling is probably the result of adding weight training and two tempo runs this week. After the run I followed Tom on my bike, while he ran a second three mile loop.
Once home I biked for another 30-minutes and lifted weights in the gym.
Foot pain is gone... again. Now I need to make plans for a solo 15-miler Saturday morning. Anyone interested?
Run:
3.0 miles
33:43
11:14 pace
Trail Bike:
9.32 miles
1:06:17
8.44 mph
Workout:
Mid-Body
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
I Found the Pulprit!
Less than 24-hours ago I was bragging about the absence of foot pain. Unfortunately, the pain has returned...
I ran two miles along the Bayou Rim this morning in my Patagonia Release Trail shoes. I'll be damn if the foot pain didn't come back. It sucks having the pain again, yet I'm glad to know the reason. I'll see if Luke's will entertain a return. The Patagonia's have a little more than 70-miles on them and I'm not sure of the cut-off parameters for exchanges.
The run itself was good. Nice and sunny with a cool breeze. As soon as the run was over I changed shoes and went to the gym
Run:
2.0 miles
21:44
10:52 pace
Walk:
1.99 miles
40:21
20:47
Workout:
Upper-Body + Core
This evenings speed workout went exceptionally well. I was expecting a lot more people to attend from the emails I received. We had a total of four, two of which were Andrea and I. Although, I had the privilege of meeting two incredible runners, which had inspiring stories of massive weight loss and distinguished running credentials.
One mile warm up, core strengthening workout, four Yasso's, followed by a one mile cool down. I ran at a comfortable pace, because I was engulfed in the dialog with Chris and Bob. I probably should have pushed harder, but I had an "enjoyable" workout.
My Yasso 800 average was 4:29. I started the session by stating I'm on schedule to run a 4:30 marathon. Even though this is only a Half-Yasso workout, it's interesting to have an average time of 4:29. My Garmin measured the course a little longer (0.53), so the time might have been less on a true 800-meter track.
I spent the better part of 30-minutes measuring 0.25 mile in the open parking lot. Unfortunately, a student driver decided to take my cones and use them to practice parallel parking.
All the times are combined below.
Run:
5.25 miles
51:29
9:48 pace
I ran two miles along the Bayou Rim this morning in my Patagonia Release Trail shoes. I'll be damn if the foot pain didn't come back. It sucks having the pain again, yet I'm glad to know the reason. I'll see if Luke's will entertain a return. The Patagonia's have a little more than 70-miles on them and I'm not sure of the cut-off parameters for exchanges.
The run itself was good. Nice and sunny with a cool breeze. As soon as the run was over I changed shoes and went to the gym
Run:
2.0 miles
21:44
10:52 pace
Walk:
1.99 miles
40:21
20:47
Workout:
Upper-Body + Core
This evenings speed workout went exceptionally well. I was expecting a lot more people to attend from the emails I received. We had a total of four, two of which were Andrea and I. Although, I had the privilege of meeting two incredible runners, which had inspiring stories of massive weight loss and distinguished running credentials.
One mile warm up, core strengthening workout, four Yasso's, followed by a one mile cool down. I ran at a comfortable pace, because I was engulfed in the dialog with Chris and Bob. I probably should have pushed harder, but I had an "enjoyable" workout.
My Yasso 800 average was 4:29. I started the session by stating I'm on schedule to run a 4:30 marathon. Even though this is only a Half-Yasso workout, it's interesting to have an average time of 4:29. My Garmin measured the course a little longer (0.53), so the time might have been less on a true 800-meter track.
I spent the better part of 30-minutes measuring 0.25 mile in the open parking lot. Unfortunately, a student driver decided to take my cones and use them to practice parallel parking.
All the times are combined below.
Run:
5.25 miles
51:29
9:48 pace
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Stressed
There's nothing greater than the joy I receive from being a firefighter/paramedic. On the other hand, there are fewer things more stressful than some of the people I work with. Since this is an open and public blog, I won't go into detail. But trust me; there are some weird personalities up here. Some people are incompetent, a few are lazy & rude, and my personal favorite are those who manipulate their position for personal benefits.
Needless to say I'm at work and I've been in a bad mood all day.
Glad to report everything is better now. All it took was a three mile run on the treadmill, 13-miles on recumbent bike, a lower body workout, and a phone call to my sweet-heart.
Run:
3.0 miles
40:25
13:28 pace
Recumbent Bike:
13.2 miles
50:00
15.84 mph
Workout:
Lower-body
By the way, today was the first day without any foot pain whatsoever. That alone is enough to make me happy!
Needless to say I'm at work and I've been in a bad mood all day.
Glad to report everything is better now. All it took was a three mile run on the treadmill, 13-miles on recumbent bike, a lower body workout, and a phone call to my sweet-heart.
Run:
3.0 miles
40:25
13:28 pace
Recumbent Bike:
13.2 miles
50:00
15.84 mph
Workout:
Lower-body
By the way, today was the first day without any foot pain whatsoever. That alone is enough to make me happy!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Low Blood Sugar
We’ve seen several “cool fronts” over the last month, but today we were treating to the season’s first COLD front. Once the rain stopped, it turned out being a beautiful day. Seriously, I love this weather!
Andrea and I ran a weird route through Kingwood to get our seven miles. The cooler weather yielded a swift pace. Not only were we running fast, but I ran comfortable with energy to spare!
Run:
7.0 miles
1:09:17
9:53 pace
Walk:
1.18 miles
19:04
16:09 pace
Upper body workout in the gym. It's funny how much Texas weather changes in 24-hours. Yesterday I had to turn on the gym fans because I was getting warm. Today I had to close the big door to keep the cold breeze from blowing inside.
Workout went as planned, although I started feeling bad near the end. I needed a mere five extra minutes of cardio, so I rode my trail bike around the block.
Once I completed my workout I rapidly became ill. I felt nauseated and my stomach was in knots. I sat my desk for 20-30 minutes hoping the feeling would pass, but it didn't. After taking a warm shower I made an attempt to eat the meal Andrea prepared. Miraculously, I felt better within 3-4 bites of food. Apparently my blood sugar dropped, even though I had consumed ~1400 Kcals before dinner.
I'm glad I'm feeling better, but I can't help from wondering why I had an acute drop in energy. Hypoglycemia most often has a gradual onset. I felt awesome all day and the crappy feeling hit me like a brick wall, all at once. I'll check my blood sugar at work tomorrow. Maybe that will give me piece of mind.
An hour after dinner I had enough energy to complete a Core Workout. It's sad how weak my core has become. Lucky for me, core workouts are quick to improve with a little attention.
Workout:
Mid-Body + Core
Trail Bike:
1.17 miles
6:10
11.38 mph
Andrea and I ran a weird route through Kingwood to get our seven miles. The cooler weather yielded a swift pace. Not only were we running fast, but I ran comfortable with energy to spare!
Run:
7.0 miles
1:09:17
9:53 pace
Walk:
1.18 miles
19:04
16:09 pace
Upper body workout in the gym. It's funny how much Texas weather changes in 24-hours. Yesterday I had to turn on the gym fans because I was getting warm. Today I had to close the big door to keep the cold breeze from blowing inside.
Workout went as planned, although I started feeling bad near the end. I needed a mere five extra minutes of cardio, so I rode my trail bike around the block.
Once I completed my workout I rapidly became ill. I felt nauseated and my stomach was in knots. I sat my desk for 20-30 minutes hoping the feeling would pass, but it didn't. After taking a warm shower I made an attempt to eat the meal Andrea prepared. Miraculously, I felt better within 3-4 bites of food. Apparently my blood sugar dropped, even though I had consumed ~1400 Kcals before dinner.
I'm glad I'm feeling better, but I can't help from wondering why I had an acute drop in energy. Hypoglycemia most often has a gradual onset. I felt awesome all day and the crappy feeling hit me like a brick wall, all at once. I'll check my blood sugar at work tomorrow. Maybe that will give me piece of mind.
An hour after dinner I had enough energy to complete a Core Workout. It's sad how weak my core has become. Lucky for me, core workouts are quick to improve with a little attention.
Workout:
Mid-Body + Core
Trail Bike:
1.17 miles
6:10
11.38 mph
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Running is the Answer
Rushed home from work, so I could keep my promise to Alison. I told Alison we would go fishing this weekend, but ran out of time on Friday. I worked all day Saturday and Erin wanted to pick up the kids this morning at 9am, hence my rush.
The water was clear and we saw a million fish, but we were not able to hook a single fish. We still had fun. Any time with my kids is a good time.
Andrea and I rode our bikes on the greenbelts after the kids left. We scouted out a new bayou extension. Other than that, it was an uneventful ride.
Trail Bike:
9.93 miles
11.1 mph
Like many things in my life, running seems to answer or solve most of my problems. For example, today my foot felt better than it has all week. Who said rest is the smartest thing to do!?!? ...crap, I said that. LOL
I ran three miles along the bayou rim. Ran a new section, which is AWESOME. The newest route is scenic and has a decent amount of distance (3.5 miles).
A cold front was blowing through during my run. I ran through a couple small, isolated clouds dropping rain and easily noticed the change in temperatures. All and all, it was a good run at a respectable pace.
Run:
3.14 miles
33:17
10:36 pace
Walk:
0.75 mile
12:40
16:58 pace
While waiting for Andrea to finish her 10-miler I hit the gym and had a great workout. I've lost a lot of strength, but I still enjoy my time lifting weights.
The first thing I noticed this morning was how sore my legs were. It's doubtful the ten mile long run made them this sore. Most likely it's a result of yesterday's lower body workout. I would assume my legs are in good shape, but that goes to show you the benefits of cross training and lifting weights. There are numerous other muscles that get neglected when you stick to a single sport/activity. Point dooley noted.
Workout:
Upper Body
The water was clear and we saw a million fish, but we were not able to hook a single fish. We still had fun. Any time with my kids is a good time.
Andrea and I rode our bikes on the greenbelts after the kids left. We scouted out a new bayou extension. Other than that, it was an uneventful ride.
Trail Bike:
9.93 miles
11.1 mph
Like many things in my life, running seems to answer or solve most of my problems. For example, today my foot felt better than it has all week. Who said rest is the smartest thing to do!?!? ...crap, I said that. LOL
I ran three miles along the bayou rim. Ran a new section, which is AWESOME. The newest route is scenic and has a decent amount of distance (3.5 miles).
A cold front was blowing through during my run. I ran through a couple small, isolated clouds dropping rain and easily noticed the change in temperatures. All and all, it was a good run at a respectable pace.
Run:
3.14 miles
33:17
10:36 pace
Walk:
0.75 mile
12:40
16:58 pace
While waiting for Andrea to finish her 10-miler I hit the gym and had a great workout. I've lost a lot of strength, but I still enjoy my time lifting weights.
The first thing I noticed this morning was how sore my legs were. It's doubtful the ten mile long run made them this sore. Most likely it's a result of yesterday's lower body workout. I would assume my legs are in good shape, but that goes to show you the benefits of cross training and lifting weights. There are numerous other muscles that get neglected when you stick to a single sport/activity. Point dooley noted.
Workout:
Upper Body
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Ten speedy miles with foot pain
Out of bed and running by 5:30am. Tom joined my Kingwood FIT group again for a pre-work run. Kingwood FIT members have dwindled to nothing. There was 80-100 runners during the first couple weeks. Today the half-marathon head count was less than 20.
Most of my usual runners were NOT in attendance, so it was just Tom and I. We followed Coach Jenny and her group, which was 50-yards ahead of us. Before the first mile we dropped the hammer and caught up with them. They were running a respectable 11:30 pace, which is faster than my typical long run pace. We both easily settled in their rhythm without any issues. The group of eight runners stopped for a re-fuel break at 3 miles. With energy to spare, we continued ahead of the group and intentionally dropped the pace to 11:15 miles.
The mid-point water cooler was located exactly at five miles. We refilled our water bottles and took at off at our prior pace. When we reached six miles we realized we were running out of time, no pun intended. I had someone holding over for me at work, but Tom still needed to be there by 8am. Our current pace would leave Tom with a mere 15 minutes to get to Humble. Nothing we could do would create significant additional time, but we continued to better the pace every mile.
On West Lake Houston Parkway we started picking off returning marathon group runners and improving our own effort in the process. In the end we finished ten miles with an overall pace of 10:50. Tom and I talked the entire time and ran at a comfortable effort level of seven on a a 1-10 scale.
My foot is still bothering me. It started feeling a little better yesterday, but I'm back to square one. My foot hurts either way, so why not run, right? I plan on running through the pain this week and see where that takes me...
Run:
10.03 miles
1:48:40
10:50 pace
Once I got to work I finished the fitness regimen with a lower body workout.
Workout:
Lower Body
On Showtime (cable channel), I watched the last 30-minutes of "Running the Sahara". It was an amazing documentary and I really want to see it in its entirety now. I searched endlessly, but it would appear this was a one time showing. If anyone else knows when it comes on again, PLEASE let me know.
Most of my usual runners were NOT in attendance, so it was just Tom and I. We followed Coach Jenny and her group, which was 50-yards ahead of us. Before the first mile we dropped the hammer and caught up with them. They were running a respectable 11:30 pace, which is faster than my typical long run pace. We both easily settled in their rhythm without any issues. The group of eight runners stopped for a re-fuel break at 3 miles. With energy to spare, we continued ahead of the group and intentionally dropped the pace to 11:15 miles.
The mid-point water cooler was located exactly at five miles. We refilled our water bottles and took at off at our prior pace. When we reached six miles we realized we were running out of time, no pun intended. I had someone holding over for me at work, but Tom still needed to be there by 8am. Our current pace would leave Tom with a mere 15 minutes to get to Humble. Nothing we could do would create significant additional time, but we continued to better the pace every mile.
On West Lake Houston Parkway we started picking off returning marathon group runners and improving our own effort in the process. In the end we finished ten miles with an overall pace of 10:50. Tom and I talked the entire time and ran at a comfortable effort level of seven on a a 1-10 scale.
My foot is still bothering me. It started feeling a little better yesterday, but I'm back to square one. My foot hurts either way, so why not run, right? I plan on running through the pain this week and see where that takes me...
Run:
10.03 miles
1:48:40
10:50 pace
Once I got to work I finished the fitness regimen with a lower body workout.
Workout:
Lower Body
On Showtime (cable channel), I watched the last 30-minutes of "Running the Sahara". It was an amazing documentary and I really want to see it in its entirety now. I searched endlessly, but it would appear this was a one time showing. If anyone else knows when it comes on again, PLEASE let me know.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Recovery Day 2
Hour long bike ride on the greenbelts. Almost too cold to ride my bike. Before I reached the end of the street I turned around and grabbed a thick sweatshirt for the ride.
Trail Bike:
12.06 miles
60:09
12.03 mph
Workout:
Mid-body
Started "core conditioning" tonight, in preparation of the upcoming speed work. I've noticed my back muscles are fatiguing on long runs, which is sure sign of a weak core.
Trail Bike:
12.06 miles
60:09
12.03 mph
Workout:
Mid-body
Started "core conditioning" tonight, in preparation of the upcoming speed work. I've noticed my back muscles are fatiguing on long runs, which is sure sign of a weak core.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Recovery Day 1
At work today.
Foot pain isn't better, but at least it's not worse.
Recumbent Bike:
14.3 miles
60:00
14.3 mph
Workout:
Upper-Body
Yeah, you read that right... I lifted weights today! Felt good to lift, although I need to find a consistent rhythm in the gym.
Every dark cloud has a silver lining. I've been bummed about the weight gain, but it has motivated me to get my ass back in the gym.
Foot pain isn't better, but at least it's not worse.
Recumbent Bike:
14.3 miles
60:00
14.3 mph
Workout:
Upper-Body
Yeah, you read that right... I lifted weights today! Felt good to lift, although I need to find a consistent rhythm in the gym.
Every dark cloud has a silver lining. I've been bummed about the weight gain, but it has motivated me to get my ass back in the gym.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Daily Grind, DENIED
The weight gain I expected over the weekend did not disappoint. I gained nearly eight pounds in 4 days. Even I didn't expect that much, but I'm learning to take it in stride. I'm eager to get back to the grind and get under 200 lbs, but I don't think it will be this week.
The foot pain is still bothering me. In a lapse of intelligence, I decided to push through the pain and run 7 miles on the bayou rim. I enjoyed my run greatly, but it came at an expensive cost. My left foot feels exactly like it did when I finished the 50k.
It's time to take my own advice and try a couple days off. I don't want to rest for weight loss reasons, yet I know it is the smart thing to do. I'll cycle Wednesday and Thursday and take a complete day off Friday. I'll keep my fingers crossed that I can run 10-miles on Saturday morning with the Kingwood FIT gang.
I explored a couple new trails this afternoon. They weren't as long as I had expected, yet I'm sure I will use them again. BEAUTIFUL day outside. It's sunny and cool. Everything is near perfect, with the exception of this damn foot pain.
Run:
7.0 miles
1:17:34
11:04 pace
Walk:
1.44 miles
24:07
16:45 pace
Ten push-ups during each commercial break of Biggest Loser. So glad to see Shay go home on BL. I've watched the entire season and seen tid-bits of her crappy personality. I was tired of her endless, "I'm the victim" pleas when it benefited her.
Push-ups: 120
The foot pain is still bothering me. In a lapse of intelligence, I decided to push through the pain and run 7 miles on the bayou rim. I enjoyed my run greatly, but it came at an expensive cost. My left foot feels exactly like it did when I finished the 50k.
It's time to take my own advice and try a couple days off. I don't want to rest for weight loss reasons, yet I know it is the smart thing to do. I'll cycle Wednesday and Thursday and take a complete day off Friday. I'll keep my fingers crossed that I can run 10-miles on Saturday morning with the Kingwood FIT gang.
I explored a couple new trails this afternoon. They weren't as long as I had expected, yet I'm sure I will use them again. BEAUTIFUL day outside. It's sunny and cool. Everything is near perfect, with the exception of this damn foot pain.
Run:
7.0 miles
1:17:34
11:04 pace
Walk:
1.44 miles
24:07
16:45 pace
Ten push-ups during each commercial break of Biggest Loser. So glad to see Shay go home on BL. I've watched the entire season and seen tid-bits of her crappy personality. I was tired of her endless, "I'm the victim" pleas when it benefited her.
Push-ups: 120
Monday, November 09, 2009
Left Foot Pain
Race report complete and now published. I back dated it to Saturday's race date.
Tom meet me at the house for a recovery run. We ran 1-mile intervals along my 5 mile loop. My legs feel great, but something on the top of my left foot is hurting. Not sure what it is.
Run:
4.59 miles
53:11
11:35 pace
Walk:
0.65 mile
11:30
17:46 pace
Biked along side of Andrea while she ran the same 5 mile loop.
Trail Bike:
6.0 miles
1:06:08
5.44 mph
Tom meet me at the house for a recovery run. We ran 1-mile intervals along my 5 mile loop. My legs feel great, but something on the top of my left foot is hurting. Not sure what it is.
Run:
4.59 miles
53:11
11:35 pace
Walk:
0.65 mile
11:30
17:46 pace
Biked along side of Andrea while she ran the same 5 mile loop.
Trail Bike:
6.0 miles
1:06:08
5.44 mph
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Recovery
At work today and I feel surprisingly good. Andrea took good care of me yesterday, which helped tremendously. I'm pretty damn lucky to have such a great woman.
Only two minor race related issues left to deal with. The top of my left foot is aching and I have some minor transient soreness on the lateral aspect of my left knee.
I took today off from both exercise and calorie counting. I might regret the decision when I see the scale for a few days, but I think my decision was justified.
I've set two realistic goals for the next 4-weeks;
1. Average weight of 196 or less BEFORE the Texas Trails 50k on December 05, 2009. That will be 60-pound weight loss!
2. A sub 7-hour finish at the Texas Trails 50k.
Only two minor race related issues left to deal with. The top of my left foot is aching and I have some minor transient soreness on the lateral aspect of my left knee.
I took today off from both exercise and calorie counting. I might regret the decision when I see the scale for a few days, but I think my decision was justified.
I've set two realistic goals for the next 4-weeks;
1. Average weight of 196 or less BEFORE the Texas Trails 50k on December 05, 2009. That will be 60-pound weight loss!
2. A sub 7-hour finish at the Texas Trails 50k.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Rocky Raccoon 50k race report
I saw and experienced so many new things in the last 24 hours that I don’t know where to start.
Let me write what I’m able to recall in chronological order, starting yesterday afternoon. I spent most of the day taking care of little errands and chores that needed to be done around the house. The only reason I mention this is because I was on my feet all day. I was so busy I neglected my pre-race hydration regimen and didn’t “truly” rest my legs like I wanted.
As soon as Andrea got off work we drove to Trinity to drop Taylor off at Erin’s house. The traffic through Conroe cost us an additional hour, which I wasn’t expecting. On the trip North we made a quick stop into Luke’s Locker for a new hydration belt and then to the Lodge in Huntsville State Park for our race packets. From there we meet Erin in Trinity at Roma’s Mexican restaurant for dinner. We didn’t get there till 6:30, which is 2.5 hours past my usual dinner time, so I was starving. I devoured a basket of chips before my food arrived. A small voice in the back of my head kept telling me it wasn’t smart to do this, but I did anyways. For dinner I had veggie tacos and rice. Not bad, but not great either.
With Taylor now at Erin’s we took off towards Huntsville in pursuit of a hotel for the night. I was so sleepy the drive was a complete blur. We had called a few hotels on the way to Trinity and all the rates were about the same, so we pulled into La Quinta. I have a serious phobia of hotel germs and general yuckiness. I’ve had good luck in the past with this hotel chain… until now. This place was nasty, but I was so tired it didn’t matter.
I took a quick shower and was in bed by 10pm, two hours later than my original plan. Alarms went off at 4:30 am. I found myself tired and wishing for another hour of sleep, but sleep deprivation has become a norm for me. Another shower, got dressed for the big show, and then checked-out of the hotel on schedule. We stopped at McDonalds for an egg biscuit, but they were having issues (drive-thru speaker was not working and doors were locked), so we drove off hoping to find something else to eat. The only place we found open between Huntsville and the State Park was a gas station. I know better than to eat new or different foods before a race, but it didn’t stop me from walking out of the gas station with an apple fritter, banana, and juice. I don’t think I’ve ever ate so much sugar for breakfast. Well, I’m only human and allowed to make stupid decisions too.
Andrea and I arrived at the starting area by 5:30am with time for a bathroom break and stretches. Weather was a comfortable 58-ish, but far from my ideal running temperature of 40-45 degrees. I’m not complaining, because the humidity was tolerable and the trails were nice and dry. While waiting for the start Andrea and I struck up a conversation with another female runner who was also running her first 50k. You could easy sense the nervous excitement between all of us. Then a HUGE shock came to me when another woman walked up and asked me if my name was Bill. After a quick introduction she introduced herself and told me that she reads and follows my blog. How cool is that!?!? This has happened several times, but it never ceases to amaze me. Too freakin’ cool!!
The 50k race started a few minutes past 6am, about 30-minutes before sunrise. The first section was on the roadway, which was well lit. I spent the first few minutes of the race trying to get my hydration belt positioned. During the process I lost a water bottle among the runners, which I had to run back and retrieve. By the time I picked-up the bottle I was at the very back with the speed walkers, who, by the way are super fast!
We ran nearly one mile before turning onto the trailhead, which required lighting. Many people were running without lights. It was comical listening to people trip without actually falling. I don’t know how many times I heard the sound of someone tripping over a root and hearing them yell out; “Shit”, “Son of a bitch”, and “god damn”. I tried not to laugh, because karma would certainly deliver me a fall. One of many goals I established before the race was to run the first loop without falling down. I purposely spent time training on trails, which I hoped would prepare me for this race. On Rick’s last email he reminded me to pick up my feet to avoid the 8 million roots. Looking back I think his number of 8 million was a low conservative estimate of roots.
Once we turned into the woods, I glanced at my watch several times, like I always do and noticed my pace was 14:23. Something didn’t seem right because I felt like I was moving faster than that. I knew I had a long time to go and blamed it on a poor satellite signal. On the fourth glance of my watch I realized I must have stopped my watch when I went back for the water bottle that had fallen.
I love knowing all the “numbers” when I run, so this error quickly got in my head as bad mojo. To make matters worse I didn’t feel like I was moving effortlessly in relationship to the pace. There again, I didn’t know my pace, but I knew I was at the back of the pack.
There was a huge mental boost when we turned left on the jeep road. I studied the map and didn’t expect to see it this soon. By this time the sun was peaking over the horizon and there wasn’t a need for our lights. With the addition of the mornings light and a wider, straighter path I could see other runners, which helped take my mind off the task at hand. As I was watching the other runners I finally found my “go-forever pace” and started feeling good. Although, I had one issue, I needed to pee. Over the first 5 miles I stopped and pissed at least 3 times. I don’t know what was acting as a diuretic, but I had the urge time and time again.
The first aid station at 4.5 miles was awesome. There was no shortage of smiling faces and helpful volunteers at all the stops. I stayed true to my original plan and did not waste valuable time at the aid stations. I left aid station 1 with another runner who was eager to talk. He told me how this was a training run in preparation of his first 100-miler. He gave me lots of encouragement and during the dialogue I asked him how long we had been running. There was an eleven minute difference between our watches, so that helped me better distinguish my overall time… although it didn’t change anything!
About half a mile outside of the first aid station I heard a soft footed runner coming from behind me. As he approached and passed me I was struck in awe. This man is what I consider a true “runner”. Let me try and explain what I saw. First of all, he was a tall, skinny male and probably in his late fifties or maybe early sixties. He was wearing shorts than appeared to be swimming trunks and they were torn so bad that he had duck tap all over, holding them together. He had taken his shirt off and it was tucked into his belt. I didn’t notice a watch of any type and he wasn’t wearing running shoes, he was actually running in a pair of Merrell hiking boots. All this and he moved effortlessly through the trails, almost too quietly to notice. No digital watches, no technical clothing, no shoes MADE for running, yet this man probably knows more about the love of running than I ever will understand. I mumbled, “good morning” as he passed by and I felt privileged to receive a “thumbs up” from him as he ran deeper into the forest.
On Friday I set up an interval workout on my Garmin for the race. The plan was to run for 1-hour, and then run intervals of 15-minute run/5-minute walk. I started the walk-breaks about 6.5 miles into the race. This is also about the time we left the jeep trail and entered the real beauty of the park. Very few people were within sight of me in either direction, so it was just me and the trails. Regrettably, I spent the majority of my time watching the five-feet of trail surface ahead of me, but from time-to-time I looked up in amazement of the beauty that surrounded me.
About a mile before aid station 2 the leaders of the 25k flew blast me in a blaze of fire. It was amazing watching those guys run, even though I only saw them for a VERY short time. Over the years I’ve learned the leaders seldom, if ever talk when they are running. It was refreshing to have several of the top ten guys tell me, “Good job” and “Looking good”. As sappy as it may seem, their encouragement lifted my spirits.
I stumbled a few times, yet somehow I never fell. On the far side of the Seven Hill Running Club aid station I watched a woman take a wicked fall. I asked if I could help her, but she said she was ok. We ran together for a couple minutes. She explained that she lives in Corpus Christi and they don’t have roots like these. She also confessed that she had already fallen twice before. This was evident, because her extremities were covered in dirt and debris. I felt so bad for her and wanted to help, but there wasn’t anything for me to do. Before we lost sight of each other she fell once more and it seemed rather traumatic, but once again, she stood up and started running. Watching her struggling in frustration taught me to be more careful for my own footing and to be appreciative that I had not fallen.
My scheduled intake regimen was one S-cap every 30-minutes and one Gu every 45-minutes. Around ten miles I started feeling the ill effects of the sugary breakfast in conjunction with Gu gel and S-caps. At one point I was so nauseated that I actually started gagging. Luckily, the feeling was short-lived and the gagging was the worst of it. It was easy to keep track of the S-caps, but I was getting confused about the Gu timing. Several times I resorted to counting old packages and looking at my time to determine when the next one was due.
There was a large 5-6 mile gap between aid stations 2 and 3. I ran out of water at the same spot on both loops, which was mentally tough. On the first loop I had no idea where to expect aid station number 3. At every turn I was hoping to see a table with water. This is also the same time a “hotspot” developed on the outside of my right foot. With no water, I started to tire and found myself being overly concerned about the hotspot on my foot.
I finally found my oasis a couple miles past the boardwalks. The volunteers filled both water bottles, while I gulped several cups of water. With a little water in my system all was well again, except the blister forming on my right foot.
The trail was perfectly marked, but near the end of the first loop I didn’t have a good bearing of where I was in relationship to the lodge. Aid station 3 volunteers said it was only a few more miles to the end. My legs still felt relatively good, but those final miles felt like the longest three miles I’ve ever run. Within a mile of the start line there was a plethora of 25k runners passing me and 50k runners starting their second loop. I must have received a hundred “good job” comments on that last mile. It was a great feeling running into aid station 4 with all the cheering spectators.
As I ran around the mid-way cone I looked and the clock, which read: 3:17:09. Even though my number one goal was to merely finish the race, I couldn’t help but realize a 7-hour finish was plausible. Kevin parked his truck close to the start, so it was exciting to see his truck, even though I didn’t see him. I also thought there might be an outside chance I would see Andrea before I ducked back into the woods for my second loop. Even though she started an hour later, she’s a little speed demon, so seeing her was a reasonable expectation. Unfortunately, I never saw Andrea or Kevin.
Going into the half way mark I had to piss… again. I planned on waiting till I found some thick woods when I broke clear of the other runners on the second loop. As luck would have it, I caught up to two female runners. I tried passing them, but my walk/run regimen kept them within sight for several miles. Mid-way down jeep road I finally passed the girls far enough to enable me to piss without being a total weirdo. I’m actually happy it worked out the way it did, because it took my mind off the run.
Most of the second loop was run in a mental haze. I found it amusing trying to relate my perceived effort to that of my Garmin pace. Sometimes my pace felt speedy, yet the watch told a completely different story. There was a direct correlation between the slowing of my pace when compared to total mileage run. At twenty miles I found myself hurting. Everything hurt, with emphasis to my back and bottom of both feet. For the duration of the race I maintained a regimen of stretching every couple miles, which I contribute to my success.
I spent a lot of time thinking and talking to myself. There was times when I said I would walk the remainder of the route. Luckily, the intervals were spaced with enough time to bargain with myself. I agreed to start each run interval and if it got too bad I “could” walk if needed. The pain was the same both walking and running. The way I saw it, the more I could run, the sooner I would end the pain. Any expectations of a respectable pace were conceded to a mere finish, which was my goal to begin with.
The toughest part of my run was on the second loop, between aid station 2 and 3. Once again I ran out of water. I was hurting all over, but even worse, I was mentally fatigued. My run turned into something that resembled a death march. I didn’t think I would ever find the aid station. I was so thirty I considered asking another runner for a drink of water. While running on the boardwalks I must have looked bad because a female runner with a hydration pack asked me if I needed some water. I seriously thought about accepting the offer, but I didn’t want to foul her run. I did accept the fact that an extra 5-minutes of walking was needed until I found water. After the unscheduled walk the landscape started looking familiar, so I continued my running program.
I was so excited to find the final aid station. Part of me wanted to stop and take a break, but I didn’t want to take a chance of cramping. The volunteers helped me refill my water bottles and I was on my way in less than one minute. I doubled-up on S-caps and continued my shuffle to the finish line.
I don’t remember much about those last miles. Probably not my best idea, but I kept a close eye on my watch. Literally, I looked at my watch every minute… hoping to see a magical number. The trail leading to the finish is a mixture of crushed asphalt, roots, and some dirt. I recall the surface feeling so much harder than the previous trails that were primarily dirt, roots, and sand. I guess this is one more reason why I’ve made the big shift from concrete to trails.
In the final 200-yards I could see the finish line. As I approached the photographer I held up a “5” on one hand and a “zero” with the other hand to represent my first 50k. Behind the photographer I could see a young girl, which turned out to be Taylor. When I heard her yell out, “GO, BILL!” it was music to my ears. Then I saw Andrea running up with her camera. I was so overwhelmed with emotion I couldn’t think of anything to say or do, except run.
Even though there were less than 100 spectators, the cheering of the crowd was amazingly loud. One of my final thoughts while running was the lack of pain on the last mile. A man with a PA yelled out my bib number as I entered the pathway lined with cones and flags. The RD instructed me to run past the last cone, which was near the clock that read; 7:06:32 as I passed it. Andrea and Taylor ran along the outside of the course and were right there when I finished.
I did it. I finished my first 50k. I’m finally an Ultra-runner! I was handed my 50k finisher trophy and found a comfy spot in the grass to sit down. The first thing I wanted to do was take my shoes off. I had no idea what to expect of my feet from my first ultra. Damage control didn’t reveal anything serious other than a one-inch blood blister on the side of my right foot. Everything else looked good.
When I stood up, everything had tightened and hurt ten times more than when I had been running. With a 1.5 hour drive home I decided to take advantage of the “free” massage. I had to wait about 30-minutes, but the massage was well worth it.
On the way home we picked up a bag of ice for our cold bath soaks. Thirty minutes in a tub of cold water and half a bag of ice left both of us shivering most of the night. We finished the day with a mediocre meal at Jason’s Deli and we were in bed, sound asleep by 8pm.
There’s something astonishing about pushing your mental and physical abilities beyond the norm. I don’t think the average person understands what the human body is capable of. There’s a lot more will power left inside of me and I look forward to the challenges pursuing who I really am.
Another amazing day of my life, which I'm living to the fullest!
Let me write what I’m able to recall in chronological order, starting yesterday afternoon. I spent most of the day taking care of little errands and chores that needed to be done around the house. The only reason I mention this is because I was on my feet all day. I was so busy I neglected my pre-race hydration regimen and didn’t “truly” rest my legs like I wanted.
As soon as Andrea got off work we drove to Trinity to drop Taylor off at Erin’s house. The traffic through Conroe cost us an additional hour, which I wasn’t expecting. On the trip North we made a quick stop into Luke’s Locker for a new hydration belt and then to the Lodge in Huntsville State Park for our race packets. From there we meet Erin in Trinity at Roma’s Mexican restaurant for dinner. We didn’t get there till 6:30, which is 2.5 hours past my usual dinner time, so I was starving. I devoured a basket of chips before my food arrived. A small voice in the back of my head kept telling me it wasn’t smart to do this, but I did anyways. For dinner I had veggie tacos and rice. Not bad, but not great either.
With Taylor now at Erin’s we took off towards Huntsville in pursuit of a hotel for the night. I was so sleepy the drive was a complete blur. We had called a few hotels on the way to Trinity and all the rates were about the same, so we pulled into La Quinta. I have a serious phobia of hotel germs and general yuckiness. I’ve had good luck in the past with this hotel chain… until now. This place was nasty, but I was so tired it didn’t matter.
I took a quick shower and was in bed by 10pm, two hours later than my original plan. Alarms went off at 4:30 am. I found myself tired and wishing for another hour of sleep, but sleep deprivation has become a norm for me. Another shower, got dressed for the big show, and then checked-out of the hotel on schedule. We stopped at McDonalds for an egg biscuit, but they were having issues (drive-thru speaker was not working and doors were locked), so we drove off hoping to find something else to eat. The only place we found open between Huntsville and the State Park was a gas station. I know better than to eat new or different foods before a race, but it didn’t stop me from walking out of the gas station with an apple fritter, banana, and juice. I don’t think I’ve ever ate so much sugar for breakfast. Well, I’m only human and allowed to make stupid decisions too.
Andrea and I arrived at the starting area by 5:30am with time for a bathroom break and stretches. Weather was a comfortable 58-ish, but far from my ideal running temperature of 40-45 degrees. I’m not complaining, because the humidity was tolerable and the trails were nice and dry. While waiting for the start Andrea and I struck up a conversation with another female runner who was also running her first 50k. You could easy sense the nervous excitement between all of us. Then a HUGE shock came to me when another woman walked up and asked me if my name was Bill. After a quick introduction she introduced herself and told me that she reads and follows my blog. How cool is that!?!? This has happened several times, but it never ceases to amaze me. Too freakin’ cool!!
The 50k race started a few minutes past 6am, about 30-minutes before sunrise. The first section was on the roadway, which was well lit. I spent the first few minutes of the race trying to get my hydration belt positioned. During the process I lost a water bottle among the runners, which I had to run back and retrieve. By the time I picked-up the bottle I was at the very back with the speed walkers, who, by the way are super fast!
We ran nearly one mile before turning onto the trailhead, which required lighting. Many people were running without lights. It was comical listening to people trip without actually falling. I don’t know how many times I heard the sound of someone tripping over a root and hearing them yell out; “Shit”, “Son of a bitch”, and “god damn”. I tried not to laugh, because karma would certainly deliver me a fall. One of many goals I established before the race was to run the first loop without falling down. I purposely spent time training on trails, which I hoped would prepare me for this race. On Rick’s last email he reminded me to pick up my feet to avoid the 8 million roots. Looking back I think his number of 8 million was a low conservative estimate of roots.
Once we turned into the woods, I glanced at my watch several times, like I always do and noticed my pace was 14:23. Something didn’t seem right because I felt like I was moving faster than that. I knew I had a long time to go and blamed it on a poor satellite signal. On the fourth glance of my watch I realized I must have stopped my watch when I went back for the water bottle that had fallen.
I love knowing all the “numbers” when I run, so this error quickly got in my head as bad mojo. To make matters worse I didn’t feel like I was moving effortlessly in relationship to the pace. There again, I didn’t know my pace, but I knew I was at the back of the pack.
There was a huge mental boost when we turned left on the jeep road. I studied the map and didn’t expect to see it this soon. By this time the sun was peaking over the horizon and there wasn’t a need for our lights. With the addition of the mornings light and a wider, straighter path I could see other runners, which helped take my mind off the task at hand. As I was watching the other runners I finally found my “go-forever pace” and started feeling good. Although, I had one issue, I needed to pee. Over the first 5 miles I stopped and pissed at least 3 times. I don’t know what was acting as a diuretic, but I had the urge time and time again.
The first aid station at 4.5 miles was awesome. There was no shortage of smiling faces and helpful volunteers at all the stops. I stayed true to my original plan and did not waste valuable time at the aid stations. I left aid station 1 with another runner who was eager to talk. He told me how this was a training run in preparation of his first 100-miler. He gave me lots of encouragement and during the dialogue I asked him how long we had been running. There was an eleven minute difference between our watches, so that helped me better distinguish my overall time… although it didn’t change anything!
About half a mile outside of the first aid station I heard a soft footed runner coming from behind me. As he approached and passed me I was struck in awe. This man is what I consider a true “runner”. Let me try and explain what I saw. First of all, he was a tall, skinny male and probably in his late fifties or maybe early sixties. He was wearing shorts than appeared to be swimming trunks and they were torn so bad that he had duck tap all over, holding them together. He had taken his shirt off and it was tucked into his belt. I didn’t notice a watch of any type and he wasn’t wearing running shoes, he was actually running in a pair of Merrell hiking boots. All this and he moved effortlessly through the trails, almost too quietly to notice. No digital watches, no technical clothing, no shoes MADE for running, yet this man probably knows more about the love of running than I ever will understand. I mumbled, “good morning” as he passed by and I felt privileged to receive a “thumbs up” from him as he ran deeper into the forest.
On Friday I set up an interval workout on my Garmin for the race. The plan was to run for 1-hour, and then run intervals of 15-minute run/5-minute walk. I started the walk-breaks about 6.5 miles into the race. This is also about the time we left the jeep trail and entered the real beauty of the park. Very few people were within sight of me in either direction, so it was just me and the trails. Regrettably, I spent the majority of my time watching the five-feet of trail surface ahead of me, but from time-to-time I looked up in amazement of the beauty that surrounded me.
About a mile before aid station 2 the leaders of the 25k flew blast me in a blaze of fire. It was amazing watching those guys run, even though I only saw them for a VERY short time. Over the years I’ve learned the leaders seldom, if ever talk when they are running. It was refreshing to have several of the top ten guys tell me, “Good job” and “Looking good”. As sappy as it may seem, their encouragement lifted my spirits.
I stumbled a few times, yet somehow I never fell. On the far side of the Seven Hill Running Club aid station I watched a woman take a wicked fall. I asked if I could help her, but she said she was ok. We ran together for a couple minutes. She explained that she lives in Corpus Christi and they don’t have roots like these. She also confessed that she had already fallen twice before. This was evident, because her extremities were covered in dirt and debris. I felt so bad for her and wanted to help, but there wasn’t anything for me to do. Before we lost sight of each other she fell once more and it seemed rather traumatic, but once again, she stood up and started running. Watching her struggling in frustration taught me to be more careful for my own footing and to be appreciative that I had not fallen.
My scheduled intake regimen was one S-cap every 30-minutes and one Gu every 45-minutes. Around ten miles I started feeling the ill effects of the sugary breakfast in conjunction with Gu gel and S-caps. At one point I was so nauseated that I actually started gagging. Luckily, the feeling was short-lived and the gagging was the worst of it. It was easy to keep track of the S-caps, but I was getting confused about the Gu timing. Several times I resorted to counting old packages and looking at my time to determine when the next one was due.
There was a large 5-6 mile gap between aid stations 2 and 3. I ran out of water at the same spot on both loops, which was mentally tough. On the first loop I had no idea where to expect aid station number 3. At every turn I was hoping to see a table with water. This is also the same time a “hotspot” developed on the outside of my right foot. With no water, I started to tire and found myself being overly concerned about the hotspot on my foot.
I finally found my oasis a couple miles past the boardwalks. The volunteers filled both water bottles, while I gulped several cups of water. With a little water in my system all was well again, except the blister forming on my right foot.
The trail was perfectly marked, but near the end of the first loop I didn’t have a good bearing of where I was in relationship to the lodge. Aid station 3 volunteers said it was only a few more miles to the end. My legs still felt relatively good, but those final miles felt like the longest three miles I’ve ever run. Within a mile of the start line there was a plethora of 25k runners passing me and 50k runners starting their second loop. I must have received a hundred “good job” comments on that last mile. It was a great feeling running into aid station 4 with all the cheering spectators.
As I ran around the mid-way cone I looked and the clock, which read: 3:17:09. Even though my number one goal was to merely finish the race, I couldn’t help but realize a 7-hour finish was plausible. Kevin parked his truck close to the start, so it was exciting to see his truck, even though I didn’t see him. I also thought there might be an outside chance I would see Andrea before I ducked back into the woods for my second loop. Even though she started an hour later, she’s a little speed demon, so seeing her was a reasonable expectation. Unfortunately, I never saw Andrea or Kevin.
Going into the half way mark I had to piss… again. I planned on waiting till I found some thick woods when I broke clear of the other runners on the second loop. As luck would have it, I caught up to two female runners. I tried passing them, but my walk/run regimen kept them within sight for several miles. Mid-way down jeep road I finally passed the girls far enough to enable me to piss without being a total weirdo. I’m actually happy it worked out the way it did, because it took my mind off the run.
Most of the second loop was run in a mental haze. I found it amusing trying to relate my perceived effort to that of my Garmin pace. Sometimes my pace felt speedy, yet the watch told a completely different story. There was a direct correlation between the slowing of my pace when compared to total mileage run. At twenty miles I found myself hurting. Everything hurt, with emphasis to my back and bottom of both feet. For the duration of the race I maintained a regimen of stretching every couple miles, which I contribute to my success.
I spent a lot of time thinking and talking to myself. There was times when I said I would walk the remainder of the route. Luckily, the intervals were spaced with enough time to bargain with myself. I agreed to start each run interval and if it got too bad I “could” walk if needed. The pain was the same both walking and running. The way I saw it, the more I could run, the sooner I would end the pain. Any expectations of a respectable pace were conceded to a mere finish, which was my goal to begin with.
The toughest part of my run was on the second loop, between aid station 2 and 3. Once again I ran out of water. I was hurting all over, but even worse, I was mentally fatigued. My run turned into something that resembled a death march. I didn’t think I would ever find the aid station. I was so thirty I considered asking another runner for a drink of water. While running on the boardwalks I must have looked bad because a female runner with a hydration pack asked me if I needed some water. I seriously thought about accepting the offer, but I didn’t want to foul her run. I did accept the fact that an extra 5-minutes of walking was needed until I found water. After the unscheduled walk the landscape started looking familiar, so I continued my running program.
I was so excited to find the final aid station. Part of me wanted to stop and take a break, but I didn’t want to take a chance of cramping. The volunteers helped me refill my water bottles and I was on my way in less than one minute. I doubled-up on S-caps and continued my shuffle to the finish line.
I don’t remember much about those last miles. Probably not my best idea, but I kept a close eye on my watch. Literally, I looked at my watch every minute… hoping to see a magical number. The trail leading to the finish is a mixture of crushed asphalt, roots, and some dirt. I recall the surface feeling so much harder than the previous trails that were primarily dirt, roots, and sand. I guess this is one more reason why I’ve made the big shift from concrete to trails.
In the final 200-yards I could see the finish line. As I approached the photographer I held up a “5” on one hand and a “zero” with the other hand to represent my first 50k. Behind the photographer I could see a young girl, which turned out to be Taylor. When I heard her yell out, “GO, BILL!” it was music to my ears. Then I saw Andrea running up with her camera. I was so overwhelmed with emotion I couldn’t think of anything to say or do, except run.
Even though there were less than 100 spectators, the cheering of the crowd was amazingly loud. One of my final thoughts while running was the lack of pain on the last mile. A man with a PA yelled out my bib number as I entered the pathway lined with cones and flags. The RD instructed me to run past the last cone, which was near the clock that read; 7:06:32 as I passed it. Andrea and Taylor ran along the outside of the course and were right there when I finished.
I did it. I finished my first 50k. I’m finally an Ultra-runner! I was handed my 50k finisher trophy and found a comfy spot in the grass to sit down. The first thing I wanted to do was take my shoes off. I had no idea what to expect of my feet from my first ultra. Damage control didn’t reveal anything serious other than a one-inch blood blister on the side of my right foot. Everything else looked good.
When I stood up, everything had tightened and hurt ten times more than when I had been running. With a 1.5 hour drive home I decided to take advantage of the “free” massage. I had to wait about 30-minutes, but the massage was well worth it.
On the way home we picked up a bag of ice for our cold bath soaks. Thirty minutes in a tub of cold water and half a bag of ice left both of us shivering most of the night. We finished the day with a mediocre meal at Jason’s Deli and we were in bed, sound asleep by 8pm.
There’s something astonishing about pushing your mental and physical abilities beyond the norm. I don’t think the average person understands what the human body is capable of. There’s a lot more will power left inside of me and I look forward to the challenges pursuing who I really am.
Another amazing day of my life, which I'm living to the fullest!
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Countdown Is Nearing The End
I'm at work today and its been really busy. Most of the crew has been testing fire hose, while I've been running medical calls on medic one. Not sure who has it worse.
A small break this evening allowed me to use the recumbent bike for 1-hour, walk on the treadmill for 1-hour, and back to the recumbent bike for 20-minutes.
Recumbent Bike:
20.1 miles
1:20:00
15.08 mph
Walk:
3.26 miles
1:00:00
18:24 pace
Time to put my game face on... only one more full day till the 50k.
A small break this evening allowed me to use the recumbent bike for 1-hour, walk on the treadmill for 1-hour, and back to the recumbent bike for 20-minutes.
Recumbent Bike:
20.1 miles
1:20:00
15.08 mph
Walk:
3.26 miles
1:00:00
18:24 pace
Time to put my game face on... only one more full day till the 50k.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Overage
I wasn't keeping a close eye on my caloric intake and accidentally went over. I'm sitting her frustrated by the mistake. It's especially hard knowing I did a solid THREE hours of cardio. I'm going to learn from my mistake and never estimate my calories and eat my last meal without knowing the exact number.
Rode my trail bike to Wyatt's house. From there we rode to Subway for a quick sandwich. After riding back to his house I rode to the barber, then home. It was a great day for a bike ride. I'm loving this weather!
Trail Bike:
16.3 miles
1:28:27
11.06 mph
Arrived early for PIM and ran two loops around Memorial Park before the session started. Great run and surprisingly fast pace. I didn't try to slow myself down, instead I simply ran at a comfortable pace.
Tonight is PIM's last session before their goal race this Saturday. For their last run they are running for 30 minutes running. Also for the first time they will run all the way around Memorial Park. I ran with one of the faster runners in our group, Sara. We finished an entire loop plus a little extra, which totalled exactly 5k. Now she can officially say she has run 3.1 miles (in 35:01)!
I don't want to leave out the rest of the group, becasue they were right on our tail. All the runners I talked to said they ran the entire 30-minutes without stopping. They have been a great group and I wish them the best of luck this weekend.
I combined all the numbers below.
Run:
8.1 miles
1:27:51
10:50 pace
Walk:
1.57 miles
25:44
16:23 pace
Rode my trail bike to Wyatt's house. From there we rode to Subway for a quick sandwich. After riding back to his house I rode to the barber, then home. It was a great day for a bike ride. I'm loving this weather!
Trail Bike:
16.3 miles
1:28:27
11.06 mph
Arrived early for PIM and ran two loops around Memorial Park before the session started. Great run and surprisingly fast pace. I didn't try to slow myself down, instead I simply ran at a comfortable pace.
Tonight is PIM's last session before their goal race this Saturday. For their last run they are running for 30 minutes running. Also for the first time they will run all the way around Memorial Park. I ran with one of the faster runners in our group, Sara. We finished an entire loop plus a little extra, which totalled exactly 5k. Now she can officially say she has run 3.1 miles (in 35:01)!
I don't want to leave out the rest of the group, becasue they were right on our tail. All the runners I talked to said they ran the entire 30-minutes without stopping. They have been a great group and I wish them the best of luck this weekend.
I combined all the numbers below.
Run:
8.1 miles
1:27:51
10:50 pace
Walk:
1.57 miles
25:44
16:23 pace
Live Fire Training
What an exhausting day.
The Captain asked us to wake up at 6:30am to prepare for mandatory Live Fire training. It's been on the schedule for a couple months, so it wasn't a surprise to us. As one of the shift instructors, I've been helping establish training evolution scenarios and logistics for the last couple shifts. It's was fun, but I'm glad it is over. Everything went well and the weather couldn't have been better. Lots of quality teaching and a small bit of exercise also!
I only had a small 1.5 hour break between the end of the live fire training and going BACK to the station for Wyatt. Within 15 minutes of arriving, the alarms went off for our first EMS call, which is typical when I work on medic 1 for Wyatt. Afterwards I spent some time in the gym. I rode the recumbent bike for 45 minutes, ran 2.5 miles on the treadmill, then rode the recumbent bike again for 36 minutes. The run felt great, which is a huge mental boost for my 50k this weekend. The foot pain I experienced late last week had me worried. Now I'm feeling better prepared and I'm starting to show small signs of... excitement!!
Alison was sick Saturday night threw Sunday. Now it seems Andrea has caught the same 'bug'. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to help her from work so she toughed it out on her own. Good news is she is feeling better tonight. Hopefully, I can survive a few more days without catching the virus myself.
Recumbent Bike:
20.7 miles
1:21:00
15.33 mph
Run:
3.0 miles
40:18
13:26 pace
Finally got home at 10:30 pm. Couldn't resist the temptation to watch tonight's DVR'd episode of The Biggest Loser. At each commercial break I did push-ups. I like the results I see in my upper body with push-ups, so I want to start a consistent regimen.
Push-ups: 100
The Captain asked us to wake up at 6:30am to prepare for mandatory Live Fire training. It's been on the schedule for a couple months, so it wasn't a surprise to us. As one of the shift instructors, I've been helping establish training evolution scenarios and logistics for the last couple shifts. It's was fun, but I'm glad it is over. Everything went well and the weather couldn't have been better. Lots of quality teaching and a small bit of exercise also!
I only had a small 1.5 hour break between the end of the live fire training and going BACK to the station for Wyatt. Within 15 minutes of arriving, the alarms went off for our first EMS call, which is typical when I work on medic 1 for Wyatt. Afterwards I spent some time in the gym. I rode the recumbent bike for 45 minutes, ran 2.5 miles on the treadmill, then rode the recumbent bike again for 36 minutes. The run felt great, which is a huge mental boost for my 50k this weekend. The foot pain I experienced late last week had me worried. Now I'm feeling better prepared and I'm starting to show small signs of... excitement!!
Alison was sick Saturday night threw Sunday. Now it seems Andrea has caught the same 'bug'. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to help her from work so she toughed it out on her own. Good news is she is feeling better tonight. Hopefully, I can survive a few more days without catching the virus myself.
Recumbent Bike:
20.7 miles
1:21:00
15.33 mph
Run:
3.0 miles
40:18
13:26 pace
Finally got home at 10:30 pm. Couldn't resist the temptation to watch tonight's DVR'd episode of The Biggest Loser. At each commercial break I did push-ups. I like the results I see in my upper body with push-ups, so I want to start a consistent regimen.
Push-ups: 100
Monday, November 02, 2009
Early Morning Run
Met Tom at 4:45 am for a 7-mile run. Started in Town Center and ran along West Lake Houston Parkway towards Atascocita. Quite, brisk, beautiful morning. While running on the bridge that crosses Lake Houston, we witnessed a boat shinning a light along the shorelines. After 5-10 minutes the would-be poachers apparently found what they were looking for. The morning silence was broken by the sound of five gun shot blast.
Run:
7.45 miles
1:25:22
11:28 pace
I'm at work now. Sat on the recumbent bike for thirty-five minutes and read Skinny Bastard by Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin. It's generally the same as the best-seller female version, which I've already read. Good to re-read the information, which will help me stay true to my diet.
Recumbent Bike:
8.85 miles
35:00
15.17 mph
I'm tired and hungry with a lot on my schedule for tomorrow. Time to get some shut eye.
Run:
7.45 miles
1:25:22
11:28 pace
I'm at work now. Sat on the recumbent bike for thirty-five minutes and read Skinny Bastard by Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin. It's generally the same as the best-seller female version, which I've already read. Good to re-read the information, which will help me stay true to my diet.
Recumbent Bike:
8.85 miles
35:00
15.17 mph
I'm tired and hungry with a lot on my schedule for tomorrow. Time to get some shut eye.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Brooks Cascadia
Recovery intervals along the bayou rim:
5 x 0.50 run/0.20 walk
The late start enabled us to use our LED lights, which is additional trail training. Non-eventful run. It was easy and I feel good... nothing less to report.
Run:
2.5 miles
26:18
10:31 pace
Walk:
1.19 miles
20:18
17:03 pace
Before the run, Andrea and I visited Luke's Locker. She has had some isolated hip pain, so I always consider shoes first. She doesn't keep super accurate records, but I estimated she has run 350-400 miles on the current shoes. With a small nudge from me, Andrea purchased a pair of Brooks Cascadia. I've been tempted to buy a pair for myself, but I'm leery to try Brooks again. I tried Brooks a few years ago and didn't like them. The Cascadia model is getting great reviews from both road and trail runners alike. If Andrea likes them, I want to give Books another try and the Cascadia will probably be my next shoe.
Sat on the boring bike trainer this evening to get my full 2-hours of cardio. I need to start walking or something, because I don't feel like I'm doing anything just sitting there mindlessly spinning.
Bike Trainer:
18.65 miles
1:16:04
14.71 mph
Hope my weight loss continues. The scale was rough on me the last couple days. Usually my weight increases Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, then it drops Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. This is the result of my weekend "free-meal" and I'm learning to not be too shocked when I see 2-4 pound weight shifts. I pay a lot of attention to the 7-day average, which has been 3-4 pounds per week.
Glad to see an American win the New York City Marathon this morning. Way to go Meb!!! I was hoping to see Ryan Hall take it, but any USA runner is fine with me!!!
5 x 0.50 run/0.20 walk
The late start enabled us to use our LED lights, which is additional trail training. Non-eventful run. It was easy and I feel good... nothing less to report.
Run:
2.5 miles
26:18
10:31 pace
Walk:
1.19 miles
20:18
17:03 pace
Before the run, Andrea and I visited Luke's Locker. She has had some isolated hip pain, so I always consider shoes first. She doesn't keep super accurate records, but I estimated she has run 350-400 miles on the current shoes. With a small nudge from me, Andrea purchased a pair of Brooks Cascadia. I've been tempted to buy a pair for myself, but I'm leery to try Brooks again. I tried Brooks a few years ago and didn't like them. The Cascadia model is getting great reviews from both road and trail runners alike. If Andrea likes them, I want to give Books another try and the Cascadia will probably be my next shoe.
Sat on the boring bike trainer this evening to get my full 2-hours of cardio. I need to start walking or something, because I don't feel like I'm doing anything just sitting there mindlessly spinning.
Bike Trainer:
18.65 miles
1:16:04
14.71 mph
Hope my weight loss continues. The scale was rough on me the last couple days. Usually my weight increases Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, then it drops Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. This is the result of my weekend "free-meal" and I'm learning to not be too shocked when I see 2-4 pound weight shifts. I pay a lot of attention to the 7-day average, which has been 3-4 pounds per week.
Glad to see an American win the New York City Marathon this morning. Way to go Meb!!! I was hoping to see Ryan Hall take it, but any USA runner is fine with me!!!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Halloween Long Run(s)
Late yesterday afternoon Wyatt confirmed he would work for me, which allowed me to run with Kingwood FIT. As an added bonus, Tom wanted to run with my group and was able to find someone to work for him as well.
Probably the coldest weather run this year, yet it was only in the upper 40's. Initially I slipped on a long sleeve tech shirt, then I thought it over and knew I would warm up and regret the decision. Fifteen minutes into the run I was glad to be in a sleeveless shirt!
The route was an easy stroll through Kingwood. The group was scheduled for 9 miles. There must have been a mistake, because the route was one mile short. A little out and back was an easy fix for the extra distance. Once I got the group to nine miles, Tom and I took off for another 3 miles.
This was the first time Tom has run further than 10 miles. He was excited to run a new longer distance and I'm happy to help. While running with KWFIT, I ran BESIDE the concrete pathway when I could. I spent a lot of time talking to everyone about the beating our body takes when we run on concrete day after day. When I took Tom out for the extra 3 miles, most of it was along a trail on the bayou. Once we got back on the street, I think he was convinced that concrete truly "rattles your bones".
It was a good easy run. I'm finally in a nice pattern of running. Not to brag, but today's 12-miler simply seemed like "another run".
Run:
12.2 miles
2:24:40
11:51 pace
Once I got home Andrea took off for her scheduled 14-mile run. Once she completed the first 7-miles the kids and I joined her on our bikes. Alison did great and Preston enjoyed sitting behind me in his bike car seat.
Andrea is on track for a great marathon debut and I couldn't be more proud! AGAIN, I spent a lot of time trying to get her off the concrete. Hopefully Andrea and my other runners will train smarter and learn from my mistakes.
Trail Bike:
6.41 miles
1:20:43
4.76 mph
Finished the day by taking the kids trick or treating.... pictures to follow shortly
Probably the coldest weather run this year, yet it was only in the upper 40's. Initially I slipped on a long sleeve tech shirt, then I thought it over and knew I would warm up and regret the decision. Fifteen minutes into the run I was glad to be in a sleeveless shirt!
The route was an easy stroll through Kingwood. The group was scheduled for 9 miles. There must have been a mistake, because the route was one mile short. A little out and back was an easy fix for the extra distance. Once I got the group to nine miles, Tom and I took off for another 3 miles.
This was the first time Tom has run further than 10 miles. He was excited to run a new longer distance and I'm happy to help. While running with KWFIT, I ran BESIDE the concrete pathway when I could. I spent a lot of time talking to everyone about the beating our body takes when we run on concrete day after day. When I took Tom out for the extra 3 miles, most of it was along a trail on the bayou. Once we got back on the street, I think he was convinced that concrete truly "rattles your bones".
It was a good easy run. I'm finally in a nice pattern of running. Not to brag, but today's 12-miler simply seemed like "another run".
Run:
12.2 miles
2:24:40
11:51 pace
Once I got home Andrea took off for her scheduled 14-mile run. Once she completed the first 7-miles the kids and I joined her on our bikes. Alison did great and Preston enjoyed sitting behind me in his bike car seat.
Andrea is on track for a great marathon debut and I couldn't be more proud! AGAIN, I spent a lot of time trying to get her off the concrete. Hopefully Andrea and my other runners will train smarter and learn from my mistakes.
Trail Bike:
6.41 miles
1:20:43
4.76 mph
Finished the day by taking the kids trick or treating.... pictures to follow shortly
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Rain will NOT stop me
Rode my bike in pouring rain for more than one-hour. I'm not talking about a little drizzle, this was a full blown storm. It was hard to see and it even hurt my eyes to look ahead while riding. Either way, I got an hour done.
Trail Bike:
13.68 miles
1:08:33
11.97 mph
Skipped my 2 mile run to allow my foot to recover. So far, so good. It's not bothering me much. I've had ice on it a couple times and I've kept my shoes on. I'm worried it could be peroneus longus inflammation. We'll see how it feels when I run Saturday morning.
I couldn't manage a second hour of cycling in the rain, so I changed into dry clothes and jumped on my bike trainer. The time went by fast as I watched a little television.
Bike Trainer:
13.28 miles
1:00:04
13.27 mph
I've had great weight loss numbers this week. I'm sooooo close to 50 lbs of weight loss. As of this morning I have lost 49.75 pounds in three months and three days. With a little luck I will see the 50-lb mark this week. Only 30 more pounds to go, which seems totally doable!
Today Hank the Hawk arrived. Hank is a small plush Red-tailed Hawk puppet. He is going to be the mascot of my future running club and my own personal "Flat Stanley Project". Today Hank rode on the dashboard of my truck while I gave him a brief tour of Kingwood. We went to the grocery store, post office, Sonic (for an unsweet tea), and back home. Now he is sitting next to my computer watching me type...
Trail Bike:
13.68 miles
1:08:33
11.97 mph
Skipped my 2 mile run to allow my foot to recover. So far, so good. It's not bothering me much. I've had ice on it a couple times and I've kept my shoes on. I'm worried it could be peroneus longus inflammation. We'll see how it feels when I run Saturday morning.
I couldn't manage a second hour of cycling in the rain, so I changed into dry clothes and jumped on my bike trainer. The time went by fast as I watched a little television.
Bike Trainer:
13.28 miles
1:00:04
13.27 mph
I've had great weight loss numbers this week. I'm sooooo close to 50 lbs of weight loss. As of this morning I have lost 49.75 pounds in three months and three days. With a little luck I will see the 50-lb mark this week. Only 30 more pounds to go, which seems totally doable!
Today Hank the Hawk arrived. Hank is a small plush Red-tailed Hawk puppet. He is going to be the mascot of my future running club and my own personal "Flat Stanley Project". Today Hank rode on the dashboard of my truck while I gave him a brief tour of Kingwood. We went to the grocery store, post office, Sonic (for an unsweet tea), and back home. Now he is sitting next to my computer watching me type...
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
W3 and Hardcore
Windy Wednesday Workout.
Rode my trail bike around Kingwood. Beautiful day, albeit windy. I actually saw "white-caps" on Kingwood Lakes, which is something I have never seen before at this small lake. It was serene cycling along the lake, listening to the wind howl and watching the water crash against the bulk headed shorelines of the lake.
Trail Bike:
11.03 miles
54:45
12.09 mph
Rocky Raccoon trail race is quickly approaching and I'm getting a tiny bit apprehensive. Andrea and I decided to run tonight at East End Park, where the terrain is similar to that at Huntsville State Park. We even started later hoping to run in the dark. My RR 50k run starts at 6am and the RD sent an email making us aware that the 50k'ers need to be prepared to run one hour before sunrise. Today's run was exciting and tons of fun!! We measured out a 3-mile outside perimeter loop (we ran 2.5 times). Our daylight timing was a success. As we started the second loop we ran in complete darkness.
It has been overcast with a few small rain showers most of the afternoon, but 45-minutes into the run it started raining hard. So, there we were running trails, at night, in the dark with a tiny LED hat light, and all this while enduring a significant rain storm. Oh yeah... it fuckin' rocked! I enjoyed myself so much I felt like giggling. I kept thinking to myself.... This is HARDCORE running at it's best. I didn't want to stop, but I'm trying to train smarter and take care of the aching right foot.
The session was mixed with 0.15-mile walk intervals every mile. Cool side story: Shortly after the rain started something caught my eye. I happen to look down, because whatever it was didn't seem right. The object was different and shinny, so I felt the need to stop and look. As my eyes focused in near my feet I saw it was a copperhead snake. He was laying across the trail soaking up the residual heat from the pathway and he scarred the bejesus out of me. We stood there for a second in shock and saw that he had his big arrow-shaped head in the air looking around. And I was about 18-inches away! I don't like snakes whatsoever, so it creeped me out. Andrea and I went around the snake without incident and I was a lot more alert after seeing a snake. Makes the hair on my neck stick up just thinking about it.
Glad to report, no negative dog experiences at East End Park. Today I was armed with a small handheld mase canister. The days of letting aggressive dogs threaten me are OVER! I'm glad I didn't have to use it and find it every sad I have to "arm" myself to run at this BEAUTIFUL park, because lousy pet owners can't control their animals.
Run:
6.15 miles
1:13:49
12:00 pace
Walk:
1.1 miles
19:32
17:45 pace
Rode my trail bike around Kingwood. Beautiful day, albeit windy. I actually saw "white-caps" on Kingwood Lakes, which is something I have never seen before at this small lake. It was serene cycling along the lake, listening to the wind howl and watching the water crash against the bulk headed shorelines of the lake.
Trail Bike:
11.03 miles
54:45
12.09 mph
Rocky Raccoon trail race is quickly approaching and I'm getting a tiny bit apprehensive. Andrea and I decided to run tonight at East End Park, where the terrain is similar to that at Huntsville State Park. We even started later hoping to run in the dark. My RR 50k run starts at 6am and the RD sent an email making us aware that the 50k'ers need to be prepared to run one hour before sunrise. Today's run was exciting and tons of fun!! We measured out a 3-mile outside perimeter loop (we ran 2.5 times). Our daylight timing was a success. As we started the second loop we ran in complete darkness.
It has been overcast with a few small rain showers most of the afternoon, but 45-minutes into the run it started raining hard. So, there we were running trails, at night, in the dark with a tiny LED hat light, and all this while enduring a significant rain storm. Oh yeah... it fuckin' rocked! I enjoyed myself so much I felt like giggling. I kept thinking to myself.... This is HARDCORE running at it's best. I didn't want to stop, but I'm trying to train smarter and take care of the aching right foot.
The session was mixed with 0.15-mile walk intervals every mile. Cool side story: Shortly after the rain started something caught my eye. I happen to look down, because whatever it was didn't seem right. The object was different and shinny, so I felt the need to stop and look. As my eyes focused in near my feet I saw it was a copperhead snake. He was laying across the trail soaking up the residual heat from the pathway and he scarred the bejesus out of me. We stood there for a second in shock and saw that he had his big arrow-shaped head in the air looking around. And I was about 18-inches away! I don't like snakes whatsoever, so it creeped me out. Andrea and I went around the snake without incident and I was a lot more alert after seeing a snake. Makes the hair on my neck stick up just thinking about it.
Glad to report, no negative dog experiences at East End Park. Today I was armed with a small handheld mase canister. The days of letting aggressive dogs threaten me are OVER! I'm glad I didn't have to use it and find it every sad I have to "arm" myself to run at this BEAUTIFUL park, because lousy pet owners can't control their animals.
Run:
6.15 miles
1:13:49
12:00 pace
Walk:
1.1 miles
19:32
17:45 pace
Monday, October 26, 2009
R3
Rainy Recovery Run.
I feel great! My legs are fresh and the aching on the bottom of my right foot is all but gone. All this following a solid effort at yesterday's half marathon. I attribute the majority of my success to S-caps, which are amazing and will forever be a part of my double digit runs.
Andrea and I ran 5 miles on the greenbelts. It's been raining all day and continued raining while we ran. There were several areas we crossed with ankle deep water. Wet and cold, but it was FUN splashing though the puddles. With a little discipline we were able to maintain a "recovery pace". Both of us were itchy to take off, yet we held ourselves back in lieu of the "big picture".
After the run I rode the bike trainer for 45 minutes. The periodization portion of my schedule has me back at 2-hours of cardio per day for the next 2-weeks. With that change I also get an extra 200 calories. Two-hundred may seem small, but it makes a world of difference in my dietary menu. Speaking of diet, it is going really, really good. Hopefully by next week I will hit the 50lb loss mark. I started this most recent journey 3-months ago and I feel absolutely awesome.
The wonderful and beautiful woman, which I'm proud to call my fiance is the foundation to my success. Without her I wouldn't be living the life I always dreamed of having. Love ya, babe!
Run:
5.0 miles
57:36
11:31 pace
Walk:
1.08 miles
18:10
16:49 pace
Bike Trainer:
9.53 miles
45:07
12.67 mph
I feel great! My legs are fresh and the aching on the bottom of my right foot is all but gone. All this following a solid effort at yesterday's half marathon. I attribute the majority of my success to S-caps, which are amazing and will forever be a part of my double digit runs.
Andrea and I ran 5 miles on the greenbelts. It's been raining all day and continued raining while we ran. There were several areas we crossed with ankle deep water. Wet and cold, but it was FUN splashing though the puddles. With a little discipline we were able to maintain a "recovery pace". Both of us were itchy to take off, yet we held ourselves back in lieu of the "big picture".
After the run I rode the bike trainer for 45 minutes. The periodization portion of my schedule has me back at 2-hours of cardio per day for the next 2-weeks. With that change I also get an extra 200 calories. Two-hundred may seem small, but it makes a world of difference in my dietary menu. Speaking of diet, it is going really, really good. Hopefully by next week I will hit the 50lb loss mark. I started this most recent journey 3-months ago and I feel absolutely awesome.
The wonderful and beautiful woman, which I'm proud to call my fiance is the foundation to my success. Without her I wouldn't be living the life I always dreamed of having. Love ya, babe!
Run:
5.0 miles
57:36
11:31 pace
Walk:
1.08 miles
18:10
16:49 pace
Bike Trainer:
9.53 miles
45:07
12.67 mph
Sunday, October 25, 2009
HHM, a COMPLETELY new race...
It's been two years since I ran the Luke's & Koala half marathon, hosted by the Houston Striders.
Lot's of changes to the race, some good and a few not so good. Somehow this race has historically fallen on days when the weather is perfect. Today's conditions weren't bad, but it was certainly a lot warmer than I like. Of course this is just luck and chance.
The race has always been three loops of Allen Parkway, but I remember the first loop differently. This year, each of the three loops were the exact same as the prior loop. Unfortunately, I've never been a fan of loop courses. I knew the course route when I signed up, so it wasn't a surprise. I think loops are mentally difficult, but that's my personal opinion. On the other hand, I enjoy the opportunity to cheer on friends I see on the other side of the road.
For my race critique I'll start with the PROS:
Aid stations and time callers were in good order.
I really like the disposable timing chip.
Unique finisher medal. I'm still bummed about running my FIRST half marathon (L&K half 2006) and all I got was a goofy-ass sticker. The wider printed ribbon was a nice touch. On the bottom there are two "towers", which confuses me. Looks similar to the world trade center, but I know it's not.
I'm a member of the Houston Striders and I will probably be frowned at, but below is a non-biased list of CONS:
Poorly designed race shirt. Design "taste" is very personal, but Andrea and I both thought the design was boring and a little out dated. It reminds me of stick-men running a relay. This is an endurance run, not 800's around a track. The shirt has three colors... orange, yellow, and black with horrific shading. Eww. I've only been running for 4 years, but this race has been plagued with awful race designs. I'm not sure which I dislike more... this year or the weird array of purple and reds on a cowboy hat with the city in the center.
The shirt is a complete disaster. It's a brand name Asic's shirt, so I expected something nice. What I got is an ill-fitting singlet. I received a men's Extra-Large, but I could barely get my head through the opening. Once I squeezed into the shirt it was so tight I could hardly breathe. That's an exaggeration, but the shirt is seriously tight. I liked the sleeveless styles from a couple years ago, but this year they gave away singlet style shirts. I'm a "big guy", but I'm not HUGE. I stand 5'7" and weigh 208 lbs. There were literally hundreds of men larger than me at the race. A technical finisher shirt is a deciding factor for me when I'm looking at races and comparing entry fees. Now I have a shirt I can't wear. I'm no different than anyone else; I want a nice shirt and the ability to show off my running accomplishments. I'd rather have a cheap cotton T-shirt I CAN WEAR, than a technical singlet that won't fit.
Post race food. The selection choice was oranges, bananas, or cookie. I've been spoiled with some really good post race food, so maybe I was expecting too much. At the USA 10-miler, there was an endless selection of tasty warm food... breakfast tacos, pizza, Fuzz drinks, sodas, fruit, bagels, chips, cake, cookies, etc. I'm there to run, not eat. That's why a limited selection of food doesn't bother me. Although, at the price point of $50, I assumed there would be more.
I know it is hard work and a labor of love from LOTS of people to put on a race of this size, but I was a bit disappointed. This is probably the last time I will run HHM.
I guess that's it about the race, but I have one more thing to vent about. The "idea" of running a race has become too mainstream and to be "conquered" by recreational weekend warriors. Maybe that is why I am slowly shifting to long distance trail races.
I have good knowledge of where to line up in the start line, but that is not the norm. There were walkers lined up 20-feet from the start line. With a two minute differential, I had to zig-zag past a ton of walkers, which HAS become a new norm.
Then there is 5/1 runners... I don't have any issues with that particular running strategy, but several times I was running a comparable pace behind someone and was forced to quickly maneuver around them to avoid a collision when they came to an abrupt stop without warning.
The water stations were a complete mess and not because of the volunteers, but rather, the runners. I'm aware many people walk at the water stations. Today it seemed like large pods of people were just standing at the water stations sipping their drink and talking with the volunteers. If you want to socialize, get your drink and get the heck out of everybody's way!
Okay, all done with the negative stuff.
Good run, albeit warm. I ran the race as a training run and did exactly that for the first half. My body kept settling into a rhythm faster than I anticipated, so I amended the plan to include the quicker pace.
Saw lots of people I know, which was awesome. I even saw Captain Steve, who was on the sidelines cheering on his wife, Daniel, who is running her first full marathon in January.
Stats below, per Garmin.
Run:
13.28 miles
2:10:37
9:50 pace
Lot's of changes to the race, some good and a few not so good. Somehow this race has historically fallen on days when the weather is perfect. Today's conditions weren't bad, but it was certainly a lot warmer than I like. Of course this is just luck and chance.
The race has always been three loops of Allen Parkway, but I remember the first loop differently. This year, each of the three loops were the exact same as the prior loop. Unfortunately, I've never been a fan of loop courses. I knew the course route when I signed up, so it wasn't a surprise. I think loops are mentally difficult, but that's my personal opinion. On the other hand, I enjoy the opportunity to cheer on friends I see on the other side of the road.
For my race critique I'll start with the PROS:
Aid stations and time callers were in good order.
I really like the disposable timing chip.
Unique finisher medal. I'm still bummed about running my FIRST half marathon (L&K half 2006) and all I got was a goofy-ass sticker. The wider printed ribbon was a nice touch. On the bottom there are two "towers", which confuses me. Looks similar to the world trade center, but I know it's not.
I'm a member of the Houston Striders and I will probably be frowned at, but below is a non-biased list of CONS:
Poorly designed race shirt. Design "taste" is very personal, but Andrea and I both thought the design was boring and a little out dated. It reminds me of stick-men running a relay. This is an endurance run, not 800's around a track. The shirt has three colors... orange, yellow, and black with horrific shading. Eww. I've only been running for 4 years, but this race has been plagued with awful race designs. I'm not sure which I dislike more... this year or the weird array of purple and reds on a cowboy hat with the city in the center.
The shirt is a complete disaster. It's a brand name Asic's shirt, so I expected something nice. What I got is an ill-fitting singlet. I received a men's Extra-Large, but I could barely get my head through the opening. Once I squeezed into the shirt it was so tight I could hardly breathe. That's an exaggeration, but the shirt is seriously tight. I liked the sleeveless styles from a couple years ago, but this year they gave away singlet style shirts. I'm a "big guy", but I'm not HUGE. I stand 5'7" and weigh 208 lbs. There were literally hundreds of men larger than me at the race. A technical finisher shirt is a deciding factor for me when I'm looking at races and comparing entry fees. Now I have a shirt I can't wear. I'm no different than anyone else; I want a nice shirt and the ability to show off my running accomplishments. I'd rather have a cheap cotton T-shirt I CAN WEAR, than a technical singlet that won't fit.
Post race food. The selection choice was oranges, bananas, or cookie. I've been spoiled with some really good post race food, so maybe I was expecting too much. At the USA 10-miler, there was an endless selection of tasty warm food... breakfast tacos, pizza, Fuzz drinks, sodas, fruit, bagels, chips, cake, cookies, etc. I'm there to run, not eat. That's why a limited selection of food doesn't bother me. Although, at the price point of $50, I assumed there would be more.
I know it is hard work and a labor of love from LOTS of people to put on a race of this size, but I was a bit disappointed. This is probably the last time I will run HHM.
I guess that's it about the race, but I have one more thing to vent about. The "idea" of running a race has become too mainstream and to be "conquered" by recreational weekend warriors. Maybe that is why I am slowly shifting to long distance trail races.
I have good knowledge of where to line up in the start line, but that is not the norm. There were walkers lined up 20-feet from the start line. With a two minute differential, I had to zig-zag past a ton of walkers, which HAS become a new norm.
Then there is 5/1 runners... I don't have any issues with that particular running strategy, but several times I was running a comparable pace behind someone and was forced to quickly maneuver around them to avoid a collision when they came to an abrupt stop without warning.
The water stations were a complete mess and not because of the volunteers, but rather, the runners. I'm aware many people walk at the water stations. Today it seemed like large pods of people were just standing at the water stations sipping their drink and talking with the volunteers. If you want to socialize, get your drink and get the heck out of everybody's way!
Okay, all done with the negative stuff.
Good run, albeit warm. I ran the race as a training run and did exactly that for the first half. My body kept settling into a rhythm faster than I anticipated, so I amended the plan to include the quicker pace.
Saw lots of people I know, which was awesome. I even saw Captain Steve, who was on the sidelines cheering on his wife, Daniel, who is running her first full marathon in January.
Stats below, per Garmin.
Run:
13.28 miles
2:10:37
9:50 pace
Friday, October 23, 2009
Falling apart...
I don't know what the heck I did, but the posterior lateral aspect of my right foot is KILLING me. I can't walk barefoot without significant discomfort.
My new shoes finally arrived at Luke's Locker and once again Luke's took VERY good care of me, always helpful and friendly.
I ordered a pair of Patagonia RELEASE trail running shoes. I've been running more trails and I've been searching for a pair of shoes to use on both the trails and road. These shoes aren't marketed for road use, but they have a lot of similar characteristics to road shoes. For example, the lug pattern is not as aggressive as some trail shoes, yet spaced enough to keep mud from sticking to the bottom of the shoe.
When I tried the shoes on for the first time I quickly realized there wasn't much arch support. It's not an issue of the shoe, I simply have high arches. That's probably why I tend to purchase Mizunos and Asics. The Store manager was helping me and suggested I try a set of SuperFeet 3/4 insoles. I've wanted to try them for a long time, yet never have. With the addition of the insoles the shoe gained a ton of support and fit my foot like a glove.
The new Patagonia shoes seemed more comfortable than the shoes I worn in, so I asked to wear the shoes home. While walking around the store I also noticed the shoes were "stiff", but not in a bad way. After buying more shoes than I can count, I have learned that shoes that feel soft and cushioned only feel good at first and then quickly die. I'm hoping the stiffness is the result of a quality mid shoe that will last a few hundred miles.
The shoes have a generous toe box, breathable throughout, and have a very attractive appearance. I found the shoe laces to be a tad bit short. I have a wider foot and when I made the proper adjustments, I was left with just enough to tie them.
As soon as I got home I took off down the streets of Kingwood in my new shoes. I ran nearly 5 miles and walked another 2.5 miles. I'm not sure if it was the Vibram soles or the SuperFeet insole, but my foot didn't bother me at all... until I finished and took them off. As I said above, the shoes are stiff, which resulted in a responsive feeling on the concrete surface. In fact, they were so stiff I couldn't tell much of a difference when I ran through the grass, even though I only ran on the grass for a short time.
Only time will reveal the true quality of these shoes, although I'll admit, I've been impressed thus far.
Run:
4.89 miles
50:05
10:14 pace
Walk:
2.6 miles
42:40
1624 pace
My new shoes finally arrived at Luke's Locker and once again Luke's took VERY good care of me, always helpful and friendly.
I ordered a pair of Patagonia RELEASE trail running shoes. I've been running more trails and I've been searching for a pair of shoes to use on both the trails and road. These shoes aren't marketed for road use, but they have a lot of similar characteristics to road shoes. For example, the lug pattern is not as aggressive as some trail shoes, yet spaced enough to keep mud from sticking to the bottom of the shoe.
When I tried the shoes on for the first time I quickly realized there wasn't much arch support. It's not an issue of the shoe, I simply have high arches. That's probably why I tend to purchase Mizunos and Asics. The Store manager was helping me and suggested I try a set of SuperFeet 3/4 insoles. I've wanted to try them for a long time, yet never have. With the addition of the insoles the shoe gained a ton of support and fit my foot like a glove.
The new Patagonia shoes seemed more comfortable than the shoes I worn in, so I asked to wear the shoes home. While walking around the store I also noticed the shoes were "stiff", but not in a bad way. After buying more shoes than I can count, I have learned that shoes that feel soft and cushioned only feel good at first and then quickly die. I'm hoping the stiffness is the result of a quality mid shoe that will last a few hundred miles.
The shoes have a generous toe box, breathable throughout, and have a very attractive appearance. I found the shoe laces to be a tad bit short. I have a wider foot and when I made the proper adjustments, I was left with just enough to tie them.
As soon as I got home I took off down the streets of Kingwood in my new shoes. I ran nearly 5 miles and walked another 2.5 miles. I'm not sure if it was the Vibram soles or the SuperFeet insole, but my foot didn't bother me at all... until I finished and took them off. As I said above, the shoes are stiff, which resulted in a responsive feeling on the concrete surface. In fact, they were so stiff I couldn't tell much of a difference when I ran through the grass, even though I only ran on the grass for a short time.
Only time will reveal the true quality of these shoes, although I'll admit, I've been impressed thus far.
Run:
4.89 miles
50:05
10:14 pace
Walk:
2.6 miles
42:40
1624 pace
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Work Group run
... still at work.
Ran three miles around the station with the guys of C-shift. A new cool front blew-in a hours ago, which made for an easy run.
Run:
3.07 miles
31:16
10:11 pace
Recumbent Bike:
15.7 miles
1:03:00
14.95 mph
Ran three miles around the station with the guys of C-shift. A new cool front blew-in a hours ago, which made for an easy run.
Run:
3.07 miles
31:16
10:11 pace
Recumbent Bike:
15.7 miles
1:03:00
14.95 mph
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Mixed Bag
At work today. Mixed bag of exercise.
Took off work long enough to attend PIM. Ran 2 miles on Memorial Loop before the session started. Ran 2 x 12 minute run/2-minute walk with PIM participants. Ran 2 more miles around the station once I got back to work. Finished the evening with a 30 minute ride on the recumbent bike.
I combined all the activities below.
Run:
5.89 miles
1:07:34
11:28 pace
Walk:
0.43 mile
8:10
18:59 pace
Recumbent Bike:
7.58 miles
31:00
14.67 mph
Calves still sore, but getting better with each passing hour.
Took off work long enough to attend PIM. Ran 2 miles on Memorial Loop before the session started. Ran 2 x 12 minute run/2-minute walk with PIM participants. Ran 2 more miles around the station once I got back to work. Finished the evening with a 30 minute ride on the recumbent bike.
I combined all the activities below.
Run:
5.89 miles
1:07:34
11:28 pace
Walk:
0.43 mile
8:10
18:59 pace
Recumbent Bike:
7.58 miles
31:00
14.67 mph
Calves still sore, but getting better with each passing hour.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sore Calves
My calves are killing me from this weekends mini adventure. The climb up wasn't bad, it was the decent that got me. The same thing happened earlier this year when I ran the Austin 3M half-marathon. Austin 3M is a predominately down hill race. My lower leg muscles have to work really hard to slow this much weight when running down hill. I'm hoping a little activity will loosen the sore muscles.
Back to the grind today. I felt good about my nutrition on the trip, but the scale has proven otherwise. I've gained a couple pounds since Friday.
Rode my trail bike to Subway for a sandwich, then to the barber shop for a haircut. Nice day to ride. It has been absolutely beautiful outdoors for the last week.
Trail Bike:
10.95 miles
54:47
11.99 mph
Andrea and Taylor joined me for my usual "5 mile loop" run/walk interval session. Calves were super tight for the first twenty steps of each run interval, then the discomfort went away. We were moving a lot faster than I had expected. Good workout. Taylor did an excellent job on her bicycle as well.
Run:
3.0 miles
31:09
10:23 pace
Walk:
2.22 miles
36:31
16:27 pace
Back to the grind today. I felt good about my nutrition on the trip, but the scale has proven otherwise. I've gained a couple pounds since Friday.
Rode my trail bike to Subway for a sandwich, then to the barber shop for a haircut. Nice day to ride. It has been absolutely beautiful outdoors for the last week.
Trail Bike:
10.95 miles
54:47
11.99 mph
Andrea and Taylor joined me for my usual "5 mile loop" run/walk interval session. Calves were super tight for the first twenty steps of each run interval, then the discomfort went away. We were moving a lot faster than I had expected. Good workout. Taylor did an excellent job on her bicycle as well.
Run:
3.0 miles
31:09
10:23 pace
Walk:
2.22 miles
36:31
16:27 pace
Monday, October 19, 2009
Guadalupe National Park
Returned from Guadalupe National Park at 2 am this morning. What a great, albeit fast trip. I woke up a little before 4am on Saturday and ran 3 miles. I packed my equipment the night before, so after my run I showered and started the four hour drive to Kerrville to pick-up Josh and Olga. I managed to make it all the way to Kerrville without a single stop. From there we drove the remaining 5 hours to Salt Flats. It actually took us about 6 hours when you add time for fuel and eating.
We were really worried we wasn't going to arrive in time to get a back country permit, which would allow us to camp near the trail. Our GPS estimated our arrival time at 4:50 and when Josh called the park Ranger he said the visitor station closes at 4:30 and there wasn't enough time for us to make it to the camp site before dark. We were given directions which included a drive down a long dirt road, where we are allowed to camp wherever we wanted. We pushed the speed limits and tried to get there and plea our case to Park Ranger for an exception. Lucky for us, about 20 minutes before we reached the park we entered Mountain time zone, which gave us an additional hour.
After getting our permits we didn't waste any time getting on the trail. We had no idea where the camp site was, which left us a little apprehensive. Josh and Olga struggled in the beginning. Both are very athletic, but this is something totally different. I can say the same for myself. It was a lot harder than I expected, but my cardio fitness was a huge benefit.
After 30 minutes I gave Josh my trekking poles and departed him and Olga. I wanted to insure we were on the right trail. I told them if it was not correct route I would come back and get them, but if they didn't see me then keep hiking. Plus, I wanted to get there as soon as possible and set up camp before it was completely dark.
The climb up was absolutely stunning. Words and pictures just aren't enough to explain it. After 1.5 hours of strenuous hiking I saw a hiker coming down the mountain. I asked how far to the Guadalupe Tent camp and he said, "I think its another hour up". At this point I was getting concerned. It was already getting dark and I had no idea where Josh and Olga were. I kept on hiking and assumed I'll either find the camp or the top!
Once I reached the hour time mark given to me by the last hiker off the mountain, I was mentally reviewing my options. I finally saw some level ground that was suitable to set up my tent, so I knew I would be safe, yet I'd rather find the camp site and then go look for Josh. Finally after 2.5 hours of hiking I found the location. I spoke with a man that was already set up and had been on the mountain a couple days. He showed me a good location to set up my tent that would be out of the wind. It was nearly dark by now, so I set up my tent in record time.
After getting settled, I had to eat before I did anything else. The climb took a lot of effort. While eating I sat there wondering if I should attempt to go back for Josh. As I was finishing the final bites of my sandwich I saw a light walking down the trail. It was Josh and Olga! To my surprise they were only about 30 minutes behind me. Josh told me later he started feeling better and the poles helped a lot.
I don't know what the temperature was, but I was cold the entire night. Our tents were in an establish location with wind barriers, but I still felt a draft coming inside the tent. About 15 yards away was a deep canyon and we heard the wind howling all night long. Thankfully I had both sleeping pads. I could only imagine how miserable I would have been if I had to sleep on the rocky surface of the mountain. It took a couple hours, but I managed to fall asleep.
We woke up early the next morning to start our hike to Guadalupe Peak. The other hiker in the camp said it was 3/4 mile or about a 45 minute hike. Maybe we were better rested or something, but it seemed like we were at the top in no time at all. The views of El Capitan was breath taking. Having lived at sea level all my life, the views from high elevations always manage to leave me speechless.
I was the first to sign the register for October 18, 2009. We took all the usual photos, plus a few funny ones after we climbed atop of the actual steel monument. After calling Andrea from the "Top of Texas" we were back on our way to the camp site where we left most of our stuff. Near the top we saw a two mule deer does only 50 yards below us. Once we got back to our camp it didn't take long to repack and get back on the trail.
The decent was harder than the climb for me. Of course I wasn't out of breath and didn't need to take a lot of breaks, but there is this constant braking as you are going down. On top of that, with each step, your toes are pushed to the front of your shoe and after awhile it starts to hurt. Once again, I left Josh and Olga and hiked down alone. They knew the way down the mountain, so I left them behind. I was in my own special place. I've found something inside of me that craves nature and solitude. Maybe that's why I have a strong new interest in trail running. All I know is I really like my runs/biking/hiking that are undisturbed by urban life.
After a short visit at the ranger station we were back on the road. I've never liked driving, so this trip was a challenge for me. Our plans were to stay in Fort Stockton the second night, but I told them I'd rather drive straight through and sleep in my own bed. We left Guadalupe National Park at 3pm. I dropped Josh and Olga off in Kerrville at 8:30 and I was back in Kingwood at 2am.
I only have two regrets about this trip. 1: I wish Andrea would have been with me and 2: I wish is wasn't so rushed.
Otherwise, it was perfect. This is something I will remember for the rest of my life.
We were really worried we wasn't going to arrive in time to get a back country permit, which would allow us to camp near the trail. Our GPS estimated our arrival time at 4:50 and when Josh called the park Ranger he said the visitor station closes at 4:30 and there wasn't enough time for us to make it to the camp site before dark. We were given directions which included a drive down a long dirt road, where we are allowed to camp wherever we wanted. We pushed the speed limits and tried to get there and plea our case to Park Ranger for an exception. Lucky for us, about 20 minutes before we reached the park we entered Mountain time zone, which gave us an additional hour.
After getting our permits we didn't waste any time getting on the trail. We had no idea where the camp site was, which left us a little apprehensive. Josh and Olga struggled in the beginning. Both are very athletic, but this is something totally different. I can say the same for myself. It was a lot harder than I expected, but my cardio fitness was a huge benefit.
After 30 minutes I gave Josh my trekking poles and departed him and Olga. I wanted to insure we were on the right trail. I told them if it was not correct route I would come back and get them, but if they didn't see me then keep hiking. Plus, I wanted to get there as soon as possible and set up camp before it was completely dark.
The climb up was absolutely stunning. Words and pictures just aren't enough to explain it. After 1.5 hours of strenuous hiking I saw a hiker coming down the mountain. I asked how far to the Guadalupe Tent camp and he said, "I think its another hour up". At this point I was getting concerned. It was already getting dark and I had no idea where Josh and Olga were. I kept on hiking and assumed I'll either find the camp or the top!
Once I reached the hour time mark given to me by the last hiker off the mountain, I was mentally reviewing my options. I finally saw some level ground that was suitable to set up my tent, so I knew I would be safe, yet I'd rather find the camp site and then go look for Josh. Finally after 2.5 hours of hiking I found the location. I spoke with a man that was already set up and had been on the mountain a couple days. He showed me a good location to set up my tent that would be out of the wind. It was nearly dark by now, so I set up my tent in record time.
After getting settled, I had to eat before I did anything else. The climb took a lot of effort. While eating I sat there wondering if I should attempt to go back for Josh. As I was finishing the final bites of my sandwich I saw a light walking down the trail. It was Josh and Olga! To my surprise they were only about 30 minutes behind me. Josh told me later he started feeling better and the poles helped a lot.
I don't know what the temperature was, but I was cold the entire night. Our tents were in an establish location with wind barriers, but I still felt a draft coming inside the tent. About 15 yards away was a deep canyon and we heard the wind howling all night long. Thankfully I had both sleeping pads. I could only imagine how miserable I would have been if I had to sleep on the rocky surface of the mountain. It took a couple hours, but I managed to fall asleep.
We woke up early the next morning to start our hike to Guadalupe Peak. The other hiker in the camp said it was 3/4 mile or about a 45 minute hike. Maybe we were better rested or something, but it seemed like we were at the top in no time at all. The views of El Capitan was breath taking. Having lived at sea level all my life, the views from high elevations always manage to leave me speechless.
I was the first to sign the register for October 18, 2009. We took all the usual photos, plus a few funny ones after we climbed atop of the actual steel monument. After calling Andrea from the "Top of Texas" we were back on our way to the camp site where we left most of our stuff. Near the top we saw a two mule deer does only 50 yards below us. Once we got back to our camp it didn't take long to repack and get back on the trail.
The decent was harder than the climb for me. Of course I wasn't out of breath and didn't need to take a lot of breaks, but there is this constant braking as you are going down. On top of that, with each step, your toes are pushed to the front of your shoe and after awhile it starts to hurt. Once again, I left Josh and Olga and hiked down alone. They knew the way down the mountain, so I left them behind. I was in my own special place. I've found something inside of me that craves nature and solitude. Maybe that's why I have a strong new interest in trail running. All I know is I really like my runs/biking/hiking that are undisturbed by urban life.
After a short visit at the ranger station we were back on the road. I've never liked driving, so this trip was a challenge for me. Our plans were to stay in Fort Stockton the second night, but I told them I'd rather drive straight through and sleep in my own bed. We left Guadalupe National Park at 3pm. I dropped Josh and Olga off in Kerrville at 8:30 and I was back in Kingwood at 2am.
I only have two regrets about this trip. 1: I wish Andrea would have been with me and 2: I wish is wasn't so rushed.
Otherwise, it was perfect. This is something I will remember for the rest of my life.
Friday, October 16, 2009
12 Long Run
Altered my schedule, so I could squeeze in a long run before my trip. Tom initially planned to join me, but had to cancel at the last minute due to important family matters. Linda and Moni from KW FIT joined me. Moni is recovering from a small race injury, so she was on her bike.
My plan was to run 11 miles. Linda repeatedly left herself an out, stating her schedule only called for 8 miles. I've run with Linda for several months and I was confident she could cover the distance, so it was just a matter for her breaking through the mental aspect of running double digits.
Great early morning temperature as we started from my house. We ran a route than was an out & back, which I refer to as a commitment run. We ran the greenbelts to the lakes and then ran to the far end of Kingwood Dr and returned back. On the return trip we took a slightly different route that added some distance. Of course I didn't mention this to Linda, because she was having a good day.
We finished at exactly 12 miles. Great run, which we executed perfect. At times we were speeding up, yet we resisted the temptation. Looking back now, I would have pushed her to 13.1 miles, which is her goal. Either way, she had an awesome run and she knows she can do anything she wants.
It's time consuming being a volunteer coach, but moments like this morning makes it all worth it.
Run:
12.01 miles
2:21:44
11:48 pace
My plan was to run 11 miles. Linda repeatedly left herself an out, stating her schedule only called for 8 miles. I've run with Linda for several months and I was confident she could cover the distance, so it was just a matter for her breaking through the mental aspect of running double digits.
Great early morning temperature as we started from my house. We ran a route than was an out & back, which I refer to as a commitment run. We ran the greenbelts to the lakes and then ran to the far end of Kingwood Dr and returned back. On the return trip we took a slightly different route that added some distance. Of course I didn't mention this to Linda, because she was having a good day.
We finished at exactly 12 miles. Great run, which we executed perfect. At times we were speeding up, yet we resisted the temptation. Looking back now, I would have pushed her to 13.1 miles, which is her goal. Either way, she had an awesome run and she knows she can do anything she wants.
It's time consuming being a volunteer coach, but moments like this morning makes it all worth it.
Run:
12.01 miles
2:21:44
11:48 pace
Thursday, October 15, 2009
He SCORES!!!!
My legs feel a tiny bit better. It FINALLY stopped raining long enough for me to get out and breathe some fresh air on my trail bike.
Trail Bike:
7.45 miles
37:13
12.01 mph
I manipulated my weekly mileage in order to "try" and recover today. Only time will tell. Ran one mile on the trail around the bayou and walked one mile. If you're a dog lover, don't read any further.
REDEMPTION!!! I’m still having isolated issues with dogs on the trails. Today a lady was walking a large mix breed on a leash and 2 non-leashed Pomeranian dogs. The two smaller dogs started barking and came at me full speed. I stopped and as soon as the first one got close enough I punted the little bastard like a football. I immediately told the owner, "I'm sorry I had to do that, but I'm NOT going to stand here and let them bite me". She said she understood and continued the opposite direction with the dogs leashes' in her hand, while the dog was licking his wounds...
It was a good day!
Run:
1.0 mile
11:10
11:10 pace
Walk:
1.17 mile
18:45
16:02 pace
Rode the bike trainer while watching television.
Bike Trainer:
7.45 miles
30:04
14.87 mph
Trail Bike:
7.45 miles
37:13
12.01 mph
I manipulated my weekly mileage in order to "try" and recover today. Only time will tell. Ran one mile on the trail around the bayou and walked one mile. If you're a dog lover, don't read any further.
REDEMPTION!!! I’m still having isolated issues with dogs on the trails. Today a lady was walking a large mix breed on a leash and 2 non-leashed Pomeranian dogs. The two smaller dogs started barking and came at me full speed. I stopped and as soon as the first one got close enough I punted the little bastard like a football. I immediately told the owner, "I'm sorry I had to do that, but I'm NOT going to stand here and let them bite me". She said she understood and continued the opposite direction with the dogs leashes' in her hand, while the dog was licking his wounds...
It was a good day!
Run:
1.0 mile
11:10
11:10 pace
Walk:
1.17 mile
18:45
16:02 pace
Rode the bike trainer while watching television.
Bike Trainer:
7.45 miles
30:04
14.87 mph
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Dead Legs
Unless my legs improve soon, it's going to be a long week. Yesterday everything felt fine, but today my legs are nothing more than dead weight.
Six x 0.50 mile/0.25-mile intervals.
Humid. Hot. Raining. Miserable.
DONE!
Run:
3 miles
34:06
11:22 pace
Walk:
2.28 miles
38:38
16:56 pace
Exercised on the bike trainer while watching Biggest Loser. The show has lost touch with the original mission. It use to be about losing weight and now it's all about playing the "game". URG.
Recumbent Bike:
24.95 miles
1:31:03
16.44 mph
Six x 0.50 mile/0.25-mile intervals.
Humid. Hot. Raining. Miserable.
DONE!
Run:
3 miles
34:06
11:22 pace
Walk:
2.28 miles
38:38
16:56 pace
Exercised on the bike trainer while watching Biggest Loser. The show has lost touch with the original mission. It use to be about losing weight and now it's all about playing the "game". URG.
Recumbent Bike:
24.95 miles
1:31:03
16.44 mph
Monday, October 12, 2009
Feeling good...
At work today.
I haven't biked, walked, or ran to work in a long time due to crappy weather over the last several weeks.
Ran 15 miles this weekend and my legs still feel fresh. Started today's workout with a 10-minute warm up walk, then ran 4 miles on the treadmill. Completed the workout with 30 minutes on the recumbent bike.
Walk:
0.56 mile
10:00
17:51 pace
Run:
4.0 miles
50:46
12:42 pace
Recumbent Bike:
8.0 miles
30:00
16.0 mph
It's going to be a busy week.
Andrea and I are making some interesting changes to our wedding plans! Nothing is confirmed yet, but we are both really excited to be husband and wife!!!
I haven't biked, walked, or ran to work in a long time due to crappy weather over the last several weeks.
Ran 15 miles this weekend and my legs still feel fresh. Started today's workout with a 10-minute warm up walk, then ran 4 miles on the treadmill. Completed the workout with 30 minutes on the recumbent bike.
Walk:
0.56 mile
10:00
17:51 pace
Run:
4.0 miles
50:46
12:42 pace
Recumbent Bike:
8.0 miles
30:00
16.0 mph
It's going to be a busy week.
Andrea and I are making some interesting changes to our wedding plans! Nothing is confirmed yet, but we are both really excited to be husband and wife!!!
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