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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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!!!

Space City USA 10-miler

Late last night our race day babysitting fell apart, leaving us wondering about the race. Out of nowhere Tom called and asked if I was running Sunday. I told him about the race and he took an immediate interest. Within a hour we worked out the details. Tom's wife generously offered to watch the girls at the start line along with their daughter while I pushed Preston in the stroller.

A lot better experience than the last time I ran this race in 2006. Today's temperature was 63 degrees with overcast skies at the start with very little change over the two-hour duration.

Andrea and I seeded ourselves as the final people to start due to the "prohibited" stroller use. Our plan was to run an 11:00/mile pace and pick up the pace over the last tenth of every mile. By mile three we were far ahead of our game plan. We continued to run negative or near-negative splits the entire time. At mile six we altered our goal to finish sub-10:30 pace. Our goal required a lot more work, yet was obtainable. To reach the new goal we needed to run a 9:30 pace, which we executed without any issues. Over the last half of the course Andrea and I evenly alternated stroller duties without any unwanted changes in our pace.

Andrea got a kick out of all the comments made as we passed other runners with a stroller. The most common comment was, "It's bad when you get passed by the man running with the stroller". Since we started so far back, we passed lots and lots of people. Only one snide comment, which I'm OK with. I purposely stayed out of every one's way, but I know the frustration runners feel when the path is clogged by a stroller or they hit your heal with the wheel of the stroller.

Great long sleeve Brooks technical shirt, good water stations, and great food at the finish line. Well done RD!

Spent the remainder of the day watching Andrea and the kids decorate the house with Halloween stuff. We had a lot of fun. I think the most productive thing I did was play with the kid's.

It's been a long, exhausting day.

Even though last night rocked the core of my soul, I feel good and I'm happy with my life. If there's one positive to be taken from the incident, I think I found it... a greater respect of those who love me and a new outlook on my priorities.

Run:
10.05 miles
1:44:15
10:22 pace

Splits:
11:13, 10:51, 10:31, 10:40, 10:42,
10:23, 10:23, 10:12, 9:51, 9:10

Great Start, HORRIFIC End

Awake at 5am to run with Kingwood FIT. I'm running the USA 10-miler in the morning, so I offered an alternate 5-mile run as opposed to the 7 mile scheduled run. I told myself I'd only do 3 miles, but some how it turned into 5 with the beautiful weather.

Two participants ran the alternate route with me. Great run and great conversation!

Run:
5.0 miles
57:08
11:26 pace

When I got home I installed the baby bike seat and took Preston for a ride around the greenbelts.

Trail Bike:
5.77 miles
33:26
10.35 mph

By the time we finished the bike ride Andrea and the kids were packed and ready for our day at Chain of Lakes outside of Cleveland, TX. I've heard of the place several times in my life, but I've never been there. I was shocked by the size and how nice it was. It's a large network of log cabins on numerous lakes. There is a lot to do out there, almost too much to list. The kids had a great time and I was appreciative to Andrea's mom to inviting us. During our visit we socialized on the porch of the cabin, fed an alligator, fished at a stocked pond, visited the playground, and went swimming.

Then I found a bump in the road. Somewhere along the way, something went horribly wrong. My presence is completely new to Andrea's family and it would seem, not welcomed. I refuse to post details on an open blog, but it was brutal.

With the exception of my divorce, I honestly can't think of the last time someone made me feel the way they did. Everything seemed perfect until we said we were getting ready to go home. While packing there was a series of deliberate jabs, which I ignored. In fact, I sat there smiling and tried to change the subject with each assault. And trust me, it's not my "style" to sit there and just "take it", but I did because I love Andrea more than anyone will ever know. The matter came to a boiling point and I found myself cornered. I tried to calmly explain our way though their misconceptions of the facts. Unfortunately, some people can be oblivious to reality and the truth.

It's appalling knowing they confronted me in front of our children. Initially it was one versus one, but quickly turned to three vs one. There is nothing I can do or say to change the ideals of people who are unable to reason, listen, or communicate. Knowing as much as I do about their lives I could have Rocked-Their-World, but I took the high road, leaving them to live in their our gross inadequacies.

I'm so disappointed in the whole ordeal. There has been sucker punches before this, but I had hoped they were done in fun without any real merit. If nothing else, today I learned their true feelings. Who knows if I will ever get over this, but I can promise it will never be forgotten.

No Time to be Sick

I'm not feeling well. Woke up the last couple days with a sore throat and now I have minor intestinal issues.

Ran a long, slow interval session along my 5-mile loop. Nothing much to write about, just burning calories.

Run:
3.54 miles
40:00
11:18 pace

Later in the afternoon I completed the remainder of my workout with a walk around the bayou and riding my bike trainer while watching television.

Walk:
3.84 miles
1:04:28
16:47 pace

Bike Trainer:
12.91 miles
1:00:04
12.9 mph

Caffeine

A large unsweet caffeinated iced tea kept me up all night. I didn't fall asleep till 4am.

Mandatory overtime training at work today. Haz-Mat training is not a fun topic, never has been and never will be. The hardest part of the class was staying awake.

I've not feeling too good. My throat is sore. It's probably the crud everyone else has. I don't have time to be sick!

Ran with PIM tonight. Not sure what happened, but my 310 will not power up. I tried EVERYTHING without success. I ran a couple miles before the group run. I felt handicapped without my garmin. I actually had to use the trail markers and my Timex watch... HOW PRE-HISTORIC!!! LOL

Both runs were good. I've been busy all day, so I missed 45-minutes of cardio AND consumed 150 too many calories. I'll make it up tomorrow. I cannot make excuses anymore, I have to start strength training this week.

Runs times combined.

Run:
3.83 miles
46:04
12:02 pace

Some people (like me) are emotional eaters. Luckily, most of that has been tamed and is a part of my past. I'm learning the dynamics of people who are emotional exercisers. I don't understand why they "give up" on their training schedule simply because they are sad. There again, they probably don't understand why I use to eat because I was sad, or happy, or any emotion other than "normal". I suppose I will try to be more accepting of their decisions. It's their training program and they can be as success as they want to be or they can decide to fail. My role is actually quite small.... they need to have a desire to make it happen.

Another Day Closer to Retirement

At work today.

Treadmill run. Started at 3.0 mph and increased 0.1 every minute. Slow, albeit comfortable run. Cool down walk, then rode the recumbent bike for 45-minutes while reading my ACSM book.

Run:
2 miles
27:38
13:49 pace

Walk:
1 mile
17:53
17:53 pace

Recumbent Bike:
11.1 miles
44:00
15.14 mph

Humidity Sucks!

Wore my newest shoes most of the day and my legs feel so much better...

Waited for Andrea to get home, so we could run together. I set up a session with intervals. Half mile run followed by tenth of a mile recovery walk. It wasn't until we were finished that I realized we were moving a lot faster than I assumed. The humidity was awful and it felt like I was crawling. I had no idea we were running sub-11:00 pace.

Andrea said she has a few pains in her calf. She's usually a trooper and I seldom hear any complaints from her. This has me worried. I have her sitting in a tub of cold water as we speak. Hopefully it's only over use discomfort and will be resolved with the cold water soak and lighter mileage tomorrow.

Run:
4.0 miles
43:31
10:52 pace

Walk:
1.41 miles
23:20
16:32 pace

Lazy Sunday

Came home and jumped in bed, even though I slept all night at work. Slept till noon... not sure why I'm so tired!?!?!?

Went to Luke's Locker to exchange a hydration belt I bought a few weeks back. I've had lots of different experiences with Luke's through the years. Thankfully my last few visits have made me fall in love with them again. They were happy to find me a new hydration belt and return the old belt without any hassles.

The original hydration pack I bought is better suited for walkers. I learned this the hard way. I found it hot, cumbersome, and ill-fitting. Today I purchased a Nathan 4-bottle belt, which is very similar to the Fuel Belt. I liked the Nathan because there was more elasticity in the belt and I was able to remove and insert the bottles with one hand. Seemed like a good choice.

This evening Andrea and I went for a 3 mile run slash 3 mile hike. I wore my new hydration belt to see how things were going to work out. While walking I could tell the bottles were touching my skin. I didn't notice this in the store, but that's probably because they didn't have water in them. Once we started running it felt like the bottles were actually digging into my abdomen. I know this is the result of my "big belly", but it's not going to work for me nor will I wear on every run.

Now I find myself stuck on what to do. I feel lucky they returned the first hydration belt, but do I push my luck and try again? I don't want to be a bad customer, but these belts cost $50, so I want to find one I will use. I've been using a handheld bottle for my longer runs. Maybe I should stick with handheld devices until I lose more weight. After the run I lifted my shirt to find two red spots where the bottles were rubbing. These hot-spots were on their way to becoming a blister.

As for the run, it was entirely too humid for my liking. Actually.... it was raining the entire time. It was only a light drizzle, so it didn't bother us inside the greenbelts.

I wore an older pair of shoes, because it was wet and I'm trying to get every last mile out of the shoes before I get ride of them. During this run I had all kinds of aches and pains. This makes it easier to retire the shoes. They were good shoes, but today was their final run.

Run:
3.0 miles
36:27
12:09 pace

Walk:
3.49 miles
59:08
16:56 pace

Nuero-Muscular Response

Ran 9.5 miles this morning. Two miles before Kingwood FIT and seven miles with the group.

I woke up in a crappy mode, which Andrea had to deal with... Sorry. Luckily, I managed to "get over it" and have a good run.

Run:
9.45 miles
1:53:11
11:59 pace

Rushed to REI-Westheimer location for their garage sale. Not as many bargains as last week, but still bought a few items.

For lunch Andrea and I went to New York Pizzeria. For as long as I can remember I have ordered pizza with chicken, pineapple, and jalapenos. The combination of toppings doesn't sound appetizing, but I LOVE IT. I had EVERY intention of ordering my meal "vegetarian". As I sat there waiting for Andrea to finish her meal I thought to myself... holy crap, I ate chicken!! I had no idea. I must have been on auto pilot when I placed my order. Andrea later confessed that she knew I ordered chicken on the pizza. She didn't say anything because she assumed I had changed my idea about a vegetarian free meal.

I'm disappointed I ate meat, but I will survive. I need to fix the old habits that plague my sub-conscious eating habits. Today was weird and should have never happened.

Lesson learned.

Urban Hike

Donned my Keen hiking boots and walked 5 miles through Kingwood. I walked along the greenbelts, but not actually on the concrete. The Keen's are probably the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn.

Worked up a sweat during the mid-day walk. I like Fall , but I do not like 20 degree temperature swings. As a reminder that it is not truly Fall, I had an issue with mosquito's today, which is something I've not dealt with in a few months. The issue probably was the result of me walking in the grass and stirring them up.

Walk (hike):
5.34 miles
1:27:41
16:25 pace

Dreaded the run all day. I'm glad things worked out the way they did. Andrea and I ran the bayou at sunset. We followed a creek for 1.5 miles before turning around. It was completely new territory and not well traveled. It's an amazing feeling running a route you have never ran before, while in knee high grass and watching a beautiful sunset. We timed the 2-miler run perfectly with just enough light to see our way home. Beautiful run and a perfect end to a challenging week.

Run:
2.03
23:58
11:49 pace

For the last couple months Andrea and I have been shifting our diet towards plant-based foods. A few weeks back we set October 1st as or officially kick-off date to a vegetarian lifestyle. We felt the need for a transition to learn how to shop, cook, and learn what we can buy when eating out. We're excited about the new changes. True to my usual self, I treated the last week like the scene of the "final meal". I ate more meat than usual and I can honestly say I feel like shit!

My biggest obstacle has been people and their responses when they learn of my diet choice. It's amazing how judgemental people are. I'm not asking them to stop eating meat, yet they get very defensive towards MY DIET. A friend of mine who is vegan, told me a little trick... When they ask me, "Why don't you eat meat?", I tell them, "For medical reasons". They seem to accept that response and don't seem quite so judgmental. And I'm not lying.... this is for medical reasons. If I continue to eat as I always have I will continue through life obese and likely suffer from diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and a long list of other ailments I want no part of.

I'm afraid this might be the first week I don't lose any weight due to the influx of meat into my diet. Don't read this wrong, I didn't binge or anything, just a little more meat than usual. I feel 100 times better when I'm consuming plant-based foods and it's evident in my training. On the other hand, I feel like I swallowed a center block when I eat lots of meat, which results in sluggish capabilities both mentally and physical.