First, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope you had a great one with friends, family, happy children and love all around. Christmas is a very special time of year.
Now for the disaster. On Wednesday Dec. 24th I went out to 8 miles and the run was nothing short of perfect. Sure, you are saying to yourself, "disaster???? this isn't a disaster???" Wait, it's coming. So, on this 8 mile jaunt I glided up a 2 mile hill and flew down the backside of the mountain to finish my run at a very fast pace. I had the wings of an eagle on my shoulders. I finished the run and thought, "oh yeah, I'm ready for the marathon. I just finished a GREAT 20, I recovered well, and I just blazed through a great run."
Rule 1 of marathoning: don't mock the marathon gods. They don't like that.
The night of Christmas, from midnight to about 5:30 am. I got a vicious case of stomach flu. After selling Buicks in the bathroom no less that 6 times (this can be corroborated by my father-in-law, sister and brother-in-law, and my wife...I'm not a quiet sick person), I knew that my training for the week was in trouble. I think that I pulled something in my rib cage. I feels like a broken rib when I take a deep breath, which is not a feeling you want at anytime in your life and least of all when you need to go on a long run.
Today, I tried to go for a 13 mile run with Brice, but I only made it 5 before I pulled off and stopped the run. It felt like I had the lungs of a Chihuahua. If I tried to take a real breath, it hurt. You know your run is in trouble when you keep checking back with your GPS watch ever tenth of a mile: 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1... uh oh.
Then comes the decision as you keep asking yourself, "do I puss out on the run or do I gut it out?" I relied on experience. I usually gut it out if I'm just having an "off day"; however, the last time I pushed when I was not feeling physically well, bad things happened. So, I fought all my natural instinct and...pussed out. I'm going to give the ribs another day to heal and I'll see what happens on Tuesday. I pray that the dawn is just around the corner.
Now get back to work...
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
30 Minutes on the rack
I hate to say this, but the stair-stepper-elliptical-thingy that I use on non-running days really hits the parts of my legs that are weakest on long runs. I believe it's helping me have better runs. I find when I get to mile 16 or so that the outsides of my quads start to fatigue, and they are the most uncomfortable part of my body after long runs. The rack hit's em hard. Kudos to the rack, but I still hate the thing.
Today I hit the rack because both Shannon, who we've taken to calling "little Cindy Lou Who, who was just about two" because of her striking resemblance that character from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", and Reese both got up at a ridiculous our today. Anyway, there I was huffing and puffing and wheezing away on that infernal machine and in walked Shannon. She watched me for a minute and said, "Go faster Daddy." Then she turned around and walked out. Ahhhh the inspirational words our children give us.
Now get back to wrapping gifts for Christmas...
Today I hit the rack because both Shannon, who we've taken to calling "little Cindy Lou Who, who was just about two" because of her striking resemblance that character from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", and Reese both got up at a ridiculous our today. Anyway, there I was huffing and puffing and wheezing away on that infernal machine and in walked Shannon. She watched me for a minute and said, "Go faster Daddy." Then she turned around and walked out. Ahhhh the inspirational words our children give us.
Now get back to wrapping gifts for Christmas...
Monday, December 22, 2008
20.55 Pemberton Trail
So here's the good, the bad, and the ugly of the 20 on Pemberton Trail:
The Good:
- Pemberton Trail and the McDowell Mountain Park are amazing. Kudos to Arizona for operating a place like that. The trail is well marked, well groomed and a pleasure to run on...for the most part. There were a few spots with mid-sized, loose rocks, but the trail is 15.4 miles long, so I can't complain.
- I'm made for trails. I'm slow, but I have a lot of power and I cruised through this run. Sure, it didn't hurt that I had the right mix of fluids and fuels to accompany me on the run, but trails are great!!!
- Damien the dog. About halfway into the run, Brice and I found ourselves being followed and then passed by a beautiful Alaskan Malamute with blue eyes and he was probably about 3 years old. He ran with us for about 8 miles with an effortless gate gait that could have supported him for about 30 more miles without trouble. I watched him run (because he was in front the entire time) and I did my best to mimic his running style...as best I could on two feet.
- One more long run and then the Marathon. I think that my motivation for running is coming back.
- From what I can see Mountain Bikers are a heck of a lot cooler than Road Cyclists. We all shared the trails well, they were quick to say hello, and they seemed to be happier than their asphalt riding cousins.
The Bad:
- Brice, who is arguably the better runner of the two of us, had a nasty run. I'm guessing that it was a combination of things: he's getting over a cold; he only had on a short sleeve shirt and it was probably 38 degrees at the start of our run; and I'm not sold that the gatorade/water combo for a 20 mile run is ideal. We have one more 20 to do and we'll see how it works out.
The Ugly:
- I had a blister issue after the run. I'm guessing that the change in terrain caused hot spots on my feet. I didn't feel them at all during the run, but when I took my shoes and socks off I had one on my heel and another on my middle toe. They are nasty, and ugly too. I took a photo with the thought that I'd post it, but it really is nasty. So I'll pass on the photos this time.
Less than a month to the marathon. OMG!! Panic, shortness of breath, shudder.
Now get back to work...
The Good:
- Pemberton Trail and the McDowell Mountain Park are amazing. Kudos to Arizona for operating a place like that. The trail is well marked, well groomed and a pleasure to run on...for the most part. There were a few spots with mid-sized, loose rocks, but the trail is 15.4 miles long, so I can't complain.
- I'm made for trails. I'm slow, but I have a lot of power and I cruised through this run. Sure, it didn't hurt that I had the right mix of fluids and fuels to accompany me on the run, but trails are great!!!
- Damien the dog. About halfway into the run, Brice and I found ourselves being followed and then passed by a beautiful Alaskan Malamute with blue eyes and he was probably about 3 years old. He ran with us for about 8 miles with an effortless gate gait that could have supported him for about 30 more miles without trouble. I watched him run (because he was in front the entire time) and I did my best to mimic his running style...as best I could on two feet.
- One more long run and then the Marathon. I think that my motivation for running is coming back.
- From what I can see Mountain Bikers are a heck of a lot cooler than Road Cyclists. We all shared the trails well, they were quick to say hello, and they seemed to be happier than their asphalt riding cousins.
The Bad:
- Brice, who is arguably the better runner of the two of us, had a nasty run. I'm guessing that it was a combination of things: he's getting over a cold; he only had on a short sleeve shirt and it was probably 38 degrees at the start of our run; and I'm not sold that the gatorade/water combo for a 20 mile run is ideal. We have one more 20 to do and we'll see how it works out.
The Ugly:
- I had a blister issue after the run. I'm guessing that the change in terrain caused hot spots on my feet. I didn't feel them at all during the run, but when I took my shoes and socks off I had one on my heel and another on my middle toe. They are nasty, and ugly too. I took a photo with the thought that I'd post it, but it really is nasty. So I'll pass on the photos this time.
Less than a month to the marathon. OMG!! Panic, shortness of breath, shudder.
Now get back to work...
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
8...in the rain
Distance: 8
Time: 1:20 exactly
I need to start this blog entry by saying to the rain karma gods that I was in now way, shape, or form making fun of them in my previous blog entry. I meant no harm and did not need them to remind me that they can rain whenever they want to. As such, I can assure them that no further "rain punishment" needs to be handed out to me...at least for this week.
I had a feeling after yesterdays "run between the rain burst" entry that I'd get nailed today, and I did. Actually, the run started off ok. The rain had recently stopped and the temperature was nice, and I was greeted by that awesome "wet desert" smell; however, when I hit mile 5 it started to mist, then light sprinkle, then shower, then rain (I was spared the downpour). I had a jacket with me, tied around my waiste, but by the time I noticed that I was getting pretty wet, the damage was done. So I kept the jacket on my hips and kept on running.
When I got home Shannon ran up to daddy and pleaded for me to carry her. So I obliged (insert evil laugh here). Within seconds she realized that daddy was soaked and she started to do her best Fay Wray impersonation. Sometimes it is very fun being daddy. :-)
On a different note, I've been having some motivation issues for about the last 10 days. I'm finding that waking up is hard and the first mile of each run feels like a death march. I have about a month to go, so this is where is guess I'll have to gut it out. To help with motivation, Brice and I are talking about doing a lap on the Pemberton Trail this weekend. It's a trail in the McDowell Mountain Park (conveniently located about 3 miles from my house) that climbs 650 feet over the first 5 miles, then it goes up and down for about 6 miles, and then it finishes with a steady downhill run for about 5 more miles. It's supposed to be ideal for bikes and runners. I'm looking forward to it. I wonder if Mountain Bikers are any better behaved than their street riding counterparts? I would suspect yes.
Now get back to work.
Time: 1:20 exactly
I need to start this blog entry by saying to the rain karma gods that I was in now way, shape, or form making fun of them in my previous blog entry. I meant no harm and did not need them to remind me that they can rain whenever they want to. As such, I can assure them that no further "rain punishment" needs to be handed out to me...at least for this week.
I had a feeling after yesterdays "run between the rain burst" entry that I'd get nailed today, and I did. Actually, the run started off ok. The rain had recently stopped and the temperature was nice, and I was greeted by that awesome "wet desert" smell; however, when I hit mile 5 it started to mist, then light sprinkle, then shower, then rain (I was spared the downpour). I had a jacket with me, tied around my waiste, but by the time I noticed that I was getting pretty wet, the damage was done. So I kept the jacket on my hips and kept on running.
When I got home Shannon ran up to daddy and pleaded for me to carry her. So I obliged (insert evil laugh here). Within seconds she realized that daddy was soaked and she started to do her best Fay Wray impersonation. Sometimes it is very fun being daddy. :-)
On a different note, I've been having some motivation issues for about the last 10 days. I'm finding that waking up is hard and the first mile of each run feels like a death march. I have about a month to go, so this is where is guess I'll have to gut it out. To help with motivation, Brice and I are talking about doing a lap on the Pemberton Trail this weekend. It's a trail in the McDowell Mountain Park (conveniently located about 3 miles from my house) that climbs 650 feet over the first 5 miles, then it goes up and down for about 6 miles, and then it finishes with a steady downhill run for about 5 more miles. It's supposed to be ideal for bikes and runners. I'm looking forward to it. I wonder if Mountain Bikers are any better behaved than their street riding counterparts? I would suspect yes.
Now get back to work.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
7 in between rain drops
Distance 7
Time 65:07
I went a little faster than usual today, partially because I feel I need to get some tempo runs in before the marathon and partially because I was running in between waves of rain.
Yesterday my dad asked me, "how do you run in the rain." At first I was thinking, "the same way I run in the sun, or under the stars, or in wind: 87 strides per minute and very slow." But then I started to think about his question and it's not a bad question. It's been my experience that, more often than not, rain traditionally comes in waves. Usually, a band of storms will blow through and then there will be a gap before the next one hits and I'll attempt to get my run in between those gaps. If the rain is very hard, I'll stay inside and use Mary's clothes line to exercise.
Sometimes I'm more successful than others at timing my run, and today I was very lucky (especially since weather.com predicted a 70% chance of steady rain at 5am when I prepped for the run last night). It was obvious when I started my run that the rain had recently stopped. I cranked out my run and shortly after I stopped, it started to rain again. So, even though it will rain for most of the day, I stayed dry during my run. I also realize that, now that I've put this down on "paper," it's going to be very wet for the next 5 weeks. Actually, let me amend that statement a little, it will be very wet until I drop a few hundred bucks on rain gear and then we'll get sun and unseasonably high temperatures. Such is life.
Now get back to work...
Time 65:07
I went a little faster than usual today, partially because I feel I need to get some tempo runs in before the marathon and partially because I was running in between waves of rain.
Yesterday my dad asked me, "how do you run in the rain." At first I was thinking, "the same way I run in the sun, or under the stars, or in wind: 87 strides per minute and very slow." But then I started to think about his question and it's not a bad question. It's been my experience that, more often than not, rain traditionally comes in waves. Usually, a band of storms will blow through and then there will be a gap before the next one hits and I'll attempt to get my run in between those gaps. If the rain is very hard, I'll stay inside and use Mary's clothes line to exercise.
Sometimes I'm more successful than others at timing my run, and today I was very lucky (especially since weather.com predicted a 70% chance of steady rain at 5am when I prepped for the run last night). It was obvious when I started my run that the rain had recently stopped. I cranked out my run and shortly after I stopped, it started to rain again. So, even though it will rain for most of the day, I stayed dry during my run. I also realize that, now that I've put this down on "paper," it's going to be very wet for the next 5 weeks. Actually, let me amend that statement a little, it will be very wet until I drop a few hundred bucks on rain gear and then we'll get sun and unseasonably high temperatures. Such is life.
Now get back to work...
18 to Rio Verde and Back
Distance 18
Time: 46 hours (Reese played with my watch when I got home)
The run was slow, but good. I'm in love with Hammer Nutrition. I'm like the guy in "Green Eggs and Ham" after he tries them:
And I will drink it on a boat and I will drink it with a goat,
and I will drink it while I run and I will drink it just for fun,
and I will drink it in the dark and I will drink in in a park,
and I will drink it here and there, I will drink it anywhere.
But really, their stuff helped me to have a noticeably better outing. There's a big difference in a slow 18 where you are not firing on all cylinders vs. having the GI tract, muscles, and mind all happy when you finish. I thought about tacking on some more miles at the end, but then I decided to stick with the plan. So it's 20 next weekend with Brice.
Speaking of Brice, he did the Scottsdale Half Marathon last weekend and was very, very, very close to breaking 2 hours in the race. I think he did 2:00:57. It's amazing how these races seem to come down to a few seconds. Crazy. Great race Brice!
Observations from the run:
- Running in the desert with nothing around you is really cool (actually, it was down right cold and I should have had my gloves with me, but that's another story). The smells of the desert, the cacti, the guns being fired on the Indian reservation. It's all pretty cool, well the guns weren't cool, but the rest of it was.
- While there are some friendly people who ride bikes, most of them are not on the road between Fountain Hills and Rio Verde. Guys, would it kill you to say "good morning" or to at least not make it so obvious that you hate cars, runners, fuzzy bunnies, and Santa Claus. Get over yourself.
Now get back to work...
Time: 46 hours (Reese played with my watch when I got home)
The run was slow, but good. I'm in love with Hammer Nutrition. I'm like the guy in "Green Eggs and Ham" after he tries them:
And I will drink it on a boat and I will drink it with a goat,
and I will drink it while I run and I will drink it just for fun,
and I will drink it in the dark and I will drink in in a park,
and I will drink it here and there, I will drink it anywhere.
But really, their stuff helped me to have a noticeably better outing. There's a big difference in a slow 18 where you are not firing on all cylinders vs. having the GI tract, muscles, and mind all happy when you finish. I thought about tacking on some more miles at the end, but then I decided to stick with the plan. So it's 20 next weekend with Brice.
Speaking of Brice, he did the Scottsdale Half Marathon last weekend and was very, very, very close to breaking 2 hours in the race. I think he did 2:00:57. It's amazing how these races seem to come down to a few seconds. Crazy. Great race Brice!
Observations from the run:
- Running in the desert with nothing around you is really cool (actually, it was down right cold and I should have had my gloves with me, but that's another story). The smells of the desert, the cacti, the guns being fired on the Indian reservation. It's all pretty cool, well the guns weren't cool, but the rest of it was.
- While there are some friendly people who ride bikes, most of them are not on the road between Fountain Hills and Rio Verde. Guys, would it kill you to say "good morning" or to at least not make it so obvious that you hate cars, runners, fuzzy bunnies, and Santa Claus. Get over yourself.
Now get back to work...
Thursday, December 11, 2008
5.5 weeks to go
Distance: 8
Time: 1:26
I like running with other people, not just for the company, but also for the exchange of ideas. For example: Brice noticed that we had 6 weeks to go after last weekend and he told me that his strategy is to go through 3-4 weeks of hell (tons of miles) and then taper for the marathon. I liked the idea and I'm going to follow suit.
So, in sticking with the above play, I ran 8 miles for the second day in a row today, which is something I usually try to avoid (by the way, I don't remember marathon training being so hard 10 years ago). It was slow, but I'm feeling pretty good. I will ice the knee today, as it is being a little cranky, but nothing more than normal.
Of note, after yesterday's run I had no post-run electrolyte drink and, worse yet, no coffee. Are caffeine and electrolytes important after a longer run? Well I ran into a door at Shannon's daycare because I couldn't time the knob turning and pushing of the door to work together. Don't worry, only three mothers were there when I did that. Then I made a beeline for S-bucks to get myself a venti coffee in hopes of getting myself back on track. Seems simple enough, save for the fact that all three baristas behind the counter kept thinking I was saying "baby coffee". One said I was slurring. Great... So today I offed the HEED lemon lime nectar-of-the-gods (this stuff should replace methadone for heroine addicts) and a big cup of coffee. No problems today. I think I'll add the coffee and HEED to my post weekday running routine.
Now get back to work...
Time: 1:26
I like running with other people, not just for the company, but also for the exchange of ideas. For example: Brice noticed that we had 6 weeks to go after last weekend and he told me that his strategy is to go through 3-4 weeks of hell (tons of miles) and then taper for the marathon. I liked the idea and I'm going to follow suit.
So, in sticking with the above play, I ran 8 miles for the second day in a row today, which is something I usually try to avoid (by the way, I don't remember marathon training being so hard 10 years ago). It was slow, but I'm feeling pretty good. I will ice the knee today, as it is being a little cranky, but nothing more than normal.
Of note, after yesterday's run I had no post-run electrolyte drink and, worse yet, no coffee. Are caffeine and electrolytes important after a longer run? Well I ran into a door at Shannon's daycare because I couldn't time the knob turning and pushing of the door to work together. Don't worry, only three mothers were there when I did that. Then I made a beeline for S-bucks to get myself a venti coffee in hopes of getting myself back on track. Seems simple enough, save for the fact that all three baristas behind the counter kept thinking I was saying "baby coffee". One said I was slurring. Great... So today I offed the HEED lemon lime nectar-of-the-gods (this stuff should replace methadone for heroine addicts) and a big cup of coffee. No problems today. I think I'll add the coffee and HEED to my post weekday running routine.
Now get back to work...
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Pig Pandemonium
Distance: 8
Time: slowww
I think I'm going to give myself a two day rest after long runs as I seem to fare much better when I do that. Today was pretty easy and slow. I saw three shooting stars this morning. Seeing those things blaze across the sky helps to make the miles scoot by. It's kinda like looking for a four leaf clover in a field. I keep looking and looking, and then, zing, one flies by.
I had an encounter with 5 Javelinas (wild pigs - see picture) at the fountain park this morning. Let's set the stage, it's very dark and they are wild creatures. As I neared them, the head pig got a little edgy and started to dart in different directions, and then the remaining 4 pigs started to run in different directions, and then I started to run in different directions as if I had a turantula in my pants. Yep, I'm brave. After dancing with the pigs for what seemed to be an eternity, I successfuly emerged on the other side. I'd like this to be the end of the story, but it's not. Next I heard a woman's voice call out from the dark, "are they gone?" About 30 yards in front of me was a woman out for her morning jog. So I mustered my best superhero voice and proclaimed the area to be safe. My only hope is that she has bad vision and that she is now telling her friends about the brave jogger who took on 5 coyotes on his pre-dawn run, but we all know that I'm not that lucky.
Now get back to work...
Time: slowww
I think I'm going to give myself a two day rest after long runs as I seem to fare much better when I do that. Today was pretty easy and slow. I saw three shooting stars this morning. Seeing those things blaze across the sky helps to make the miles scoot by. It's kinda like looking for a four leaf clover in a field. I keep looking and looking, and then, zing, one flies by.
I had an encounter with 5 Javelinas (wild pigs - see picture) at the fountain park this morning. Let's set the stage, it's very dark and they are wild creatures. As I neared them, the head pig got a little edgy and started to dart in different directions, and then the remaining 4 pigs started to run in different directions, and then I started to run in different directions as if I had a turantula in my pants. Yep, I'm brave. After dancing with the pigs for what seemed to be an eternity, I successfuly emerged on the other side. I'd like this to be the end of the story, but it's not. Next I heard a woman's voice call out from the dark, "are they gone?" About 30 yards in front of me was a woman out for her morning jog. So I mustered my best superhero voice and proclaimed the area to be safe. My only hope is that she has bad vision and that she is now telling her friends about the brave jogger who took on 5 coyotes on his pre-dawn run, but we all know that I'm not that lucky.
Now get back to work...
Sunday, December 7, 2008
18 around the fountain
I said on Friday that Eric would break 3:20 by a comfortable margin. Is 3 seconds a comfortable margin?!?! Much congratulations to him for posting a time that qualifies him for the Boston Marathon in April. I guess we'll have to read his crappy blog for another 5 months? Also, congratulations to Mom for running the first leg of the marathon relay with all her golden girl buddies. They all rock and mom rocks too!! Congrats. And a final congratulations to Abby Darra (Eric's girlfriend) for chugging out a leg in marathon relay with a bunch of her friends too. Was I the only person who missed the CIM today????? Eric, did Abigail and Olivia take part in the 10 and under group for the run?
I'm proud of you all.
18 around the fountain.
Brice and I trucked around the "lake" (it's a pond) in Fountain Hills today. We went around, and around, and around, and around, and around, and around, and around for about 12 laps today. Thank the heavens above for GPS, or I would have lost count at around lap 4. Anyway, we plodded along at around 10 minute pace and the run felt good, which was great news for two reasons. First, after last weeks long run, I was about ready to toss in the towel on this marathon. That run was hideous and it affected me for at least 3 days after I finished the thing. Not worth it at that price. Second, after a very, very fun trip to see amazing RC airplanes (some with 90 inch wing spans) with Reese, Shannon, Dad, and Mary, the R-man went down with a very bad stomach flu. He emptied the contents of his tummy out all over the back of the car, which I cleaned up (insert shudder of discust here). I was certain that I would not escape that cleaning with a clear tummy, but there were no stomach issues during the run. I still may get the flu, but I got my 18 in, so who cares what happens the rest of the week?
The only issue I had after the run was that my knee was a little talketive, and it still is. I've iced it twice and downed a fair amount of advil, but it's still not playing well with others. I think I'll give it one last wrap of ice for the evening. By the way, ice works on all that ails you with your joints. I highly recommend icing if you have any discomfort in them. I read that Dean Karnazes dips his lower body into a bath of ice after every run. I dunno if I can do that, but if I ran as much as he regularly does, then an ice bath might look pretty inviting.
Now get back to work...
I'm proud of you all.
18 around the fountain.
Brice and I trucked around the "lake" (it's a pond) in Fountain Hills today. We went around, and around, and around, and around, and around, and around, and around for about 12 laps today. Thank the heavens above for GPS, or I would have lost count at around lap 4. Anyway, we plodded along at around 10 minute pace and the run felt good, which was great news for two reasons. First, after last weeks long run, I was about ready to toss in the towel on this marathon. That run was hideous and it affected me for at least 3 days after I finished the thing. Not worth it at that price. Second, after a very, very fun trip to see amazing RC airplanes (some with 90 inch wing spans) with Reese, Shannon, Dad, and Mary, the R-man went down with a very bad stomach flu. He emptied the contents of his tummy out all over the back of the car, which I cleaned up (insert shudder of discust here). I was certain that I would not escape that cleaning with a clear tummy, but there were no stomach issues during the run. I still may get the flu, but I got my 18 in, so who cares what happens the rest of the week?
The only issue I had after the run was that my knee was a little talketive, and it still is. I've iced it twice and downed a fair amount of advil, but it's still not playing well with others. I think I'll give it one last wrap of ice for the evening. By the way, ice works on all that ails you with your joints. I highly recommend icing if you have any discomfort in them. I read that Dean Karnazes dips his lower body into a bath of ice after every run. I dunno if I can do that, but if I ran as much as he regularly does, then an ice bath might look pretty inviting.
Now get back to work...
Friday, December 5, 2008
Two runs and a purchase
First: Eric (my brother) is running the CIM (California International Marathon) in Sacramento this Sunday. Barring any major catastrophes, he's going to break 3:20 and he's going to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Shoot him an email of encouragement if you get a chance. His email is nortontwin@gmail.com. Thanks!
7 around the fountain
Thankfully this run was much better than the last one. I didn't go very fast, but it all went well. My guess is that the bad run on Tuesday was a product of my cruddy long run on Sunday. I'll push for a slower starting pace with Brice for this weekend. Here's an observation that I hope becomes a hard proven truth for me at some point: When I start slow and then steadily increase my speed, the run turns out well. I'll test this again this weekend.
I also think that part of the problem with my run on Sunday was that I had bad supplements with me. I used to be able to suck those things down without any problem, but not anymore. Which brings me to my purchase.
Purchases:
I dropped a C note ($100) on running supplements and a cool light for running. So, as you've seen in my other blogs, I'm turning to Hammer Nutrition for my running gels, electrolyte drinks, and recovery stuff. However, to get it, I needed to go to a Bike Shop. And in case you didn't know, bicyclist and runners do not coexist very well at all. As I've said in other postings, I attribute this to the "middle child" syndrome. They aren't cars, but they have to follow those rules; and they are not pedestrians, to whom they have to be nice. So they hate the cars and runners with equal vigor. But I digress...I went to a bike shop for my supplies and my fellow "cyclists" were interested in how much I biked, where I rode, was I a "trail guy" or a "road guy". And I finally had to break down and tell them that I was a runner, which put a noticeable damper on the customer service that I had been receiving up to that point. Nonetheless, they had what I needed and I was happy.
While I was there I decided that I'd get a new safety-flasher-thingy for my dark morning runs (my old one died after a year of faithful service), and they had something that totally caught my interest. It's called the Infini Amuse, which is an LED light that is designed to be strapped onto handlebars.
The cool thing is that the strap is a piece of rubber that wraps around the handle bar and hooks back onto the LED. What's cool about that? It turns out that a finger is just as big a handle bar. So I can hook that onto my finger and off I go. I don't have to hold anything and my hands are free to remain relaxed during my run. Plus, those two little LEDs are about as bright as the Sun. Holy cow!! I'll give you an update after I've used it a couple of times.
30 minutes on the rack:
The kids got in the way again this morning, so I did a quick 3o on the stair stepper, elliptical thing. No fun, but at least I got a workout in.
Now get back to work.
7 around the fountain
Thankfully this run was much better than the last one. I didn't go very fast, but it all went well. My guess is that the bad run on Tuesday was a product of my cruddy long run on Sunday. I'll push for a slower starting pace with Brice for this weekend. Here's an observation that I hope becomes a hard proven truth for me at some point: When I start slow and then steadily increase my speed, the run turns out well. I'll test this again this weekend.
I also think that part of the problem with my run on Sunday was that I had bad supplements with me. I used to be able to suck those things down without any problem, but not anymore. Which brings me to my purchase.
Purchases:
I dropped a C note ($100) on running supplements and a cool light for running. So, as you've seen in my other blogs, I'm turning to Hammer Nutrition for my running gels, electrolyte drinks, and recovery stuff. However, to get it, I needed to go to a Bike Shop. And in case you didn't know, bicyclist and runners do not coexist very well at all. As I've said in other postings, I attribute this to the "middle child" syndrome. They aren't cars, but they have to follow those rules; and they are not pedestrians, to whom they have to be nice. So they hate the cars and runners with equal vigor. But I digress...I went to a bike shop for my supplies and my fellow "cyclists" were interested in how much I biked, where I rode, was I a "trail guy" or a "road guy". And I finally had to break down and tell them that I was a runner, which put a noticeable damper on the customer service that I had been receiving up to that point. Nonetheless, they had what I needed and I was happy.
While I was there I decided that I'd get a new safety-flasher-thingy for my dark morning runs (my old one died after a year of faithful service), and they had something that totally caught my interest. It's called the Infini Amuse, which is an LED light that is designed to be strapped onto handlebars.
The cool thing is that the strap is a piece of rubber that wraps around the handle bar and hooks back onto the LED. What's cool about that? It turns out that a finger is just as big a handle bar. So I can hook that onto my finger and off I go. I don't have to hold anything and my hands are free to remain relaxed during my run. Plus, those two little LEDs are about as bright as the Sun. Holy cow!! I'll give you an update after I've used it a couple of times.
30 minutes on the rack:
The kids got in the way again this morning, so I did a quick 3o on the stair stepper, elliptical thing. No fun, but at least I got a workout in.
Now get back to work.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
A very challenging 5 mile run
Distance 5
Time 1:00
Quality 0
I've posted 45 entries into this blog and I can confidently say that this morning I had the worst run that I've had this entire year. I started of with the idea that I'd do an easy 6 to recover from the challenging run I had this weekend, but I soon realized that this run wasn't going to happen. Twice I thought I was going to get physically ill during the run, my head was pounding, and my legs felt like they were tied together. Rough. I'm going to take tomorrow off and see what happens on Thursday.
Get back to work...
Time 1:00
Quality 0
I've posted 45 entries into this blog and I can confidently say that this morning I had the worst run that I've had this entire year. I started of with the idea that I'd do an easy 6 to recover from the challenging run I had this weekend, but I soon realized that this run wasn't going to happen. Twice I thought I was going to get physically ill during the run, my head was pounding, and my legs felt like they were tied together. Rough. I'm going to take tomorrow off and see what happens on Thursday.
Get back to work...
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