5 Miles ...go ME

Wow i' m really far behind with this.
Well I've been keeping up the running, not so much with the blogging, and doing pretty well.
On 2/17 I ran about 3.7 miles at about 43 minutes this was my second time doing this distance but it wasn't too hard.  I did have to take a few minute walk in the middle but still managed to finish.

02/18 was 3.1 in about 37 minutes i was actually about to do this whole run without a walk break.  I think I might be able to do this 5k in march.  This was Thursday because it was supposed to snow friday but it was snowing Thursday morning too.

02/20 Treadmill day - ran for about 23minutes at 6mph, one one minute break and 45 second interval sprints at 7.0 during the last 3 minutes

02/22 about 3.66 in 47.05 there was an update to my GPS software and it seems to be more accurate.  Had a good run, the pace is a little slow but i didn't need any breaks at this speed.

02/23 about 3.1 in 35.45 ran this shorter distance at a faster pace but then i required a walk at the half way point.  I am going to start using Monday, Thursday and Saturdays and my distance days and let tuesday and fridays be other type of workouts, speeds, hills etc..

02/25 about 4.38 in 56.20 Keeping my pace at 4.7 mph i was able to run/jong this distance without walking.

02/27 about 4.94 (almost 5) in about 1 hour  well i thought it was going to be 5 miles but it was just a bit shy.  I managed to pick up the pace to 4.8 and still finished with out a walk break.

I think i could be ready for the 5k in march it's about 2 weeks away and i know i'll finish without a walk break just how long will it take me.   I know i shouldn't care but i do.  I know i won't come close to winning (this year) but i really don't want to be last.  I've been hitting 3.12 miles in about 36 minutes which isn't too bad for someone who started running about a month and a half ago.

02/15/2010

I just realized it has been just over on month before i started this..wow.  I can really tell I've become a stronger runner but i feel i have so far to go still it becomes daunting.  Sometimes i think, With about 247 days left until Denver I'm not sure if I'll progress fast enough but then i just have to remember I've only been doing this for about one month and I'm getting stronger and faster as the days progress.  I'm still shooting for my initial goal of the 5k for St. Patrick's day.  That's only a month away and I'll need to kick up my training not that I'll even think I'll win i just don't want it to take more then 30 minutes.  But i need to get some practice races in before the big day.
Today a had a good run.  I reversed my route again and had a really strong start.  Since it's all downhill at the beginning I find it a good warm up if i don't go too fast.  I was able to go about 1.2 miles before my first walk and that was only after a steep hill.  I made the next  miles or so and walked after my next big hill.  I think it took more out of me then expected besause i had a hard time keepining it up the last mile.  When i got a few block away i felt really tired but like the treadmill the other i just went a little faster mostly in an effort to just get home and be done today.  Overall I was running faster today, i could feel it and the times show it too.

http://roadrunnergps.com/gps/shared/Y6tK

3.11 miles ( lost .01 miles somewhere) in 35.51 minutes = 11.30 pace

02/13/2010 - Treadmill

Today was another swim lesson day so i got to use the treadmill.  Since i'm sort of using the treadmill to help increase my speed i had it set at 5.8 mph.  I did pretty well for about 18 minutes then took a quick break, down to about 3.8 for one minute.  I was getting so tired at the end i need to do something so i cranked up the speed to 6.2 for 45 seconds the lowered it 5.6 for 45 seconds, I did this for the last 3 minutes or so.  Running on the treadmill was nice because my ankle did n't hurt and there were no hills.  I also find i can push myself more.  Oh well see you Monday.

02/12/2010

Felt like crap this morning but you just gotta run, actually i felt much better by the time to run.  I added another half mile today, on top of the quarter added Wednesday and yes another hill.  I had another good run although i'm added distance and hills i feel myself getting stronger and a better at running.  This run did take a bit more out of me it really is a lot of hills and a long one at the end, i think next week i'll reverse it at least once to see if thats any better.
My ankle was getting a bit sore today, not really my ankle but more my achilles tendon.  I've had this before and it's from my slight flat footednees and pronation, I guess this mean I'll need to get new supports and or better running shoes soon.

3.65 miles in 44.47 = 12.15 pace

http://roadrunnergps.com/gps/shared/8fx3

02/10/2010

Ack i'm falling behind in my blogging...oh well no one's reading this anyway...
The weather was a little cold today, about 20 but i was feeling good.  I was able to skip my first break and make a mile none stop.  I decide i would added just over a quarter mile and another big hill to my trip.  I had a good strong run took my scheduled breaks on they way back but did pretty well.

3.12 miles in 38.39 = 12.18 pace

http://roadrunnergps.com/gps/shared/mPNS

02/08/2010

Ack, it's snowing and being new to running i wasn't to sure what i wanted to do.  I did so looking around the internet and found stuff that talked about the right kind of snows, don't have them, and to bring extra socks, noper, run where it's plowed, they don't plow here and that running in snow was almost like running on the beach...oh great.  Well i finally just go up from my desk, put my running stuff on, with a hat because it was also about 25 degrees, and headed out.  It was slippery and cold, i was getting snow in my mouth, which i guess could work as re-hydration, and in my eyes.   Lucky it wasn't much snow, just about an inch or so but it was still cold enough for it not to melt.  It was hard, maybe not as hard as sand but i definitely felt a difference, my ankles and shins hurt more because i was trying to stay on the sidewalk where it was clearer most of the time.  I also felt a little safer there too but had to move back to the street when my legs were hurting too much and it really made a difference.  I also had to slow down a lot but better safe then sorry.  I had to push myself but i made the 2.8 i guess this makes me one of those people i thought were crazy for running when snowing...does that make me a real runner...

btw - the "cold" is gone, i guess i just ran it out of my body ;)

http://roadrunnergps.com/gps/shared/kN8D

2.8 miles at 36.24 minutes =  12.54 pace

02/06/2010

Had the swim lessons today.  Found the lonely treadmill and stationary bike in a little glass room about the office at the Mulberry Pool in Fort Collins. For two buck i was able to get in alttle extra run time while my boys were in swim lessons.  I was able to only run for 23 minutes on the treadmill so i kicked up the speed a bit and ran at about 5.4 miles per hour which gave me 2.05 miles for a pace of about 11.13.  Not bad for a treadmill work out.  There are two more weekends left of swim lessons but it will give me a little extra speed work and an extra run day.

I also had a Scout day at the ice rink and wound up skating for about an hour so I'll count this as part of my cross-training.

Day 13 - 02/05/2010

Still fighting this cold and it's still in my head so running was a go.  I did my regular 2.8 but felt much stronger today.  I even skipped my first one minute break, although it doesn't show in my time :( , but over all it was a good strong run i feel like I'm getting more stamina.  I think I'm ready to add another day, which works out, as i mentioned my son has swim lessons tomorrow and they have a treadmill or elliptical i can use so for now i'll make that my extra day.  Since his lesson is about 45 minutes i'll just run or elip for that whole time, work on my endurance.
I think i might be a runner because I'm already trying to figure out when and where I'm going to run on our summer trip to Vegas...


http://roadrunnergps.com/gps/shared/HJKL

2.8 miles at 33.36 = 11.57 pace  ( my pace has remained consistent in the high 11:50's or low 12:00's, i guess i found my stride not i need to work on distance)

Day 12 - 02/03/2010

Yesterday i started to feel a cold coming, i did some googling and say "if it above the next you can run, if it's below the neck don't and never run with a fever" so i decided to go for it plus i know my body and it like to get moving when i'm sick otherwise it will just give up and crash.  Plus a little Afrin in the nose an I'm breathing easy. I did decide not to make today run a longer then usual one but i reversed my usual track.  It's seemed to be much easier except for the long uphill at the end but that's fine.  I read about all these people trying to schedule their "hill work" and I'm thinking ...that's all i run is hills...so I'm assume this is conditioning me better then just running flats which is why my times aren't getting any faster yet.

btw my GPS freaked out again today so all i have is an accurate time.

2.8 miles at 34.18 = 12.12 pace

Day 11 - 02/01/2010

It was cold today, about 20 degrees when i started so i added a hat to my apperal.  It really made a big difference in keeping me warm.

I did the 2.81 again today.  I was thinking i wanted to get through it with out stopping but now I'm not sure if that's the right course of action.  I need to read some more but i think I'll keep working on my distance and not worry so much about my pace.  There's a 5k in March I'm thinking about doing and I'd like to a) finish it without walking and b) finish it in less the 30 minutes.  To do this I'll need to get my distance longer and my pace slower.  I'm thinking about adding at least one more day to my running.  I'd like to get to 5 days but i want to do it slowly to prevent injuries.  Since my son has swim lessons on Saturdays i might take that as a cross-training day and use their elliptical or maybe a sprint day on the tread mill.

http://roadrunnergps.com/gps/shared/JJJJDDJh

2.81 miles in 33.29 = 11.52 pace

End of week 3 - Day 10 - 1/29/2010

Friday was a bust day we were heading to Steamboat Springs to get a little Rocky Mountain skiing in so i didn't have time to write before we left.

I had a pretty good run.  I went for the 2.8 again but tried to speed it up a bit.  My gps fubared on me so it's data is a little messed up but it looks like i did ok.  The course is pretty tough with about a 150 foot altitude difference.  The first mile is almost all down hill and then the rest of the 1.8 is almost all up hill which really make it a challenging workout.

After three weeks of running i don't think i'm really getting anywhere but i'm just being to hard on my self because it only been 9 days.

2.81 mile in 32.17 = 11.29 pace.

Skiing tomorrow... i guess that will work as my cross-training.

1/27/2010

Weather - It was sunny but cold about 26 degrees.

Back to running today.  Since I've been feeling uch stronger running i decided to go a little further.  I did the half mile jog and one minute walk again.  This works very well so far and i was easly about to get about2.6 miles done today.  I also took a different path today which was a lot more hilly but i like the hills they are a good rest on the way down and a nice hard run on the way up.  One thing i realized is a live on a hill, yes i knew this before hand but you don't really know it until you have to run it, no matter which way i leave i have to go down which just mean it all up hill at the end of my run.  Friday i'm planning on doing 3 miles but I'll have to spend some time with Google maps because I'm running out of roads in my community and there are some busy around here.

http://roadrunnergps.com/gps/shared/JJJJFuEx


2.62 miles at 32.25 minutes = 12.23 pace (averaging 4.8mph, which was a little slower then monday but it was more hilly.  i'll need to pick up the speed a bit more Friday)

1/26/2010

Ok, i didn't get a chance to post yesterday.  It was supposed to a rest day but i've been feeling good and been reading more online, again and everything says to add some cross training.   I added a cross-training day and did some Wii Fit Plus yoga and balance stuff for about half an hour.

1/25/2010

I did a lot of reading over the weekend and revamped my training a bit.  Today I did a half mile run followed by a 1 minute walk at a quick pace.  RoadrunnerGPS software allows me to schedule this and gives me an audible beep.  I did that 4 times until i was done with my 2.18 mile run.  I also slowed down a bit, it seems my average speed used to be about 5.3 mph with a majority of that over 6 mph but i brought the average down to 5 mph while trying to  keep my max speed under 6 mph.  This was a much easier run, i wasn't as exhausted while running and was able to do the whole thing without additional breaks.  When i got home i was tired but not dead like I've been.  I'm sure it's a combination of the slower pace forced walk/rest and my body finally getting stronger but who cares because it actually made it fun and if it isn't fun i won't be able to finish it.  I'm going to start adding some more distance to my runs trying to get to at least 3miles (like a 5K) or so.  Speaking of 5k's i think i need a short term goal so I'm looking for a close 5k in the end a February or beginning of March.


http://roadrunnergps.com/gps/shared/JJJJJkmF

2.19 miles (not sure why it's different) @ 26.30 = 12.05 pace

Day 6

Ok yesterday was a bit crazy and i did get a chance to review my run, so here it is.
I had a good start and again made it half way with out too much of a problem.  Coming back still seems tough.   I know it's only been 6 run but I'm surprised how long it's taking my boy to adjust to running.
So i tried a new app. for my blackberry "RoadRunner GPS" and according to it I've only been running 2.18 miles instead of the 2.33 i thought which got me a bit depressed but it seems more accurate and if i re-draw the route it looks right.  I guess i was a bit off when i tried to figure out my original run. But i like having this software it uploads to a website and gives much more information on my run.  Taking the weekend off again, I've noticed my shins are still sore, the bone not the muscle, so i want to make sure it heals before i hit the pavement again.

2.18 miles took 24.46 at a pace of 11:22min/mile ad 5.3 mph average

Day 5

Weather: Cloudy and about 30 degrees.
Sometime I think it's harder for me to "blog" about running then actually run.
I wasn't feeling too bad this morning I've started doing about 10 minutes of stretching and some jumping-jacks before my run to help loosen and warm up my muscles.  I can really start to feel my body adjust to running.  My first half-mile was easy.  The second half and change wasn't too hard either and I was able to complete half my run without stopping.  My breathing was defiantly much less labored and if i did get winded i was able to recover much more quickly.  Luckily we had some warmer weather the last two day and a lot of the ice that would cause me to walk had melted.  Heading back was still hard but i really tried to push myself and only walk when i really had too, which wasn't too often.  I'm really looking forward too being able to run the whole thing and at the rate I'm going it should be before the end of the month.  Once i can do the 2.33 miles non-stop I will start increasing my distance and add an extra run day.
Although my joints seem to be holding up pretty well it seems my shin muscles are really taking a beating.  It doesn't seem like shin-splints yet just sore muscles hopefully tomorrow's rest will help.

2.33 miles at 24.27minutes at about  a 10.28 average pace.  So 10 minute pace might have been too aggressive for this week but next Friday i'm sure i can make it.

01-18-2010 - Week 2

Start of week two. My legs were a little achy over the weekend but nothing too bad and the two day off really help. The kids and wife were off today so i got started a little earlier, about 8:30am and it was about 30 degrees. I have mentioned how much i hate running in the cold. I feel like an old car because it take me so long to warm up. I started to feel strong running this morning and my breathing wasn't as labored. I made it half way with out walking, just stopped once to catch my breath. I felt like I was running a lot more on the way home too, i did still have some walking but not that much. I even managed a sprint the block before my finish. So i was surprised when my time was the same as Friday. I guess i was just slower today maybe that's why my breathing was better. i might need to get a better stopwatch, right now i'm using my blackberry which is in my pocket and hard to get to while running. Hopefully one of those stopwatch/heart monitors will be on Woot soon.
My recover time was much better today but I'll need to stretch more before an after next time i find my legs are getting tight.
I've double my Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate to help my knees and ankles cope with the new stress and started to take some amino acids to help build and maintain muscle. I also use "Flexpower(r)" as a recovery cream, it's awesome.

2.33 miles in 24.40 minutes about 10.34 pace
(goal - to get my pace under 10minutes/mile on friday)

One week done

Made it trough my first week and third day of "training". It was a little colder outside today then I've had so far this week, about 30 when i left which made it a little more difficult to catch my breath. The first half mile was pretty easy. The next half was a bit harder but i managed it with out walking. The next half mile was tough and there is still alot of ice in the roads on this part so i would run the blocks and walk the streets. I pretty much did that for the rest of my run and still made it home with cutting another almost minute off my time. I have noticed that although i come home exhausted my recovery time seems to be getting quicker. I'm looking forward to taking the next two days off and really let my body rest. My legs are really "sore", well not sore but more well used, but lucky my knees are ok.

so far I've shaved about 1.42 off my total time or about .44 off my pace.

2.33 miles at 24.56 minutes about a 10.41 minute/mile pace

Day 2

I took yesterday as a rest day and boy did i need it, i even took a 2 hour nap. Today i was still a little achy but I figured I'd just run through it. The running was ok on my body, I was surprised how resilient my legs actually were but lungs are having a hard time adjusting. It's either the new altitude, i've only live at 4000 feet for about 5 months or the years of smoking but probably a bit of both. I know it's only been two days but i need them to catch up. I'm assuming like every other muscle the more I work them the stronger they will become yet I was still able to shave about a minute off my total time.
The Denver Marathon registration opened yesterday and i have decide to hold off signing up. I have had a history of knee problems and wanted to give myself a few weeks running on pavement before i commit to anything since the registration fee is non-refundable.

2.33 miles in 25.39minutes about 11min/mile pace

First run 01-11-2010

Well today is my first day of training for the marathon. I set my alarm for 6am, because aren't you supposed to wake up early to run? And it was very dark outside, the sun wasn't even trying to get up so neither did I. I crawled back in bed and got up at my normal time at 7:30 am planning on getting out there at 9am, it's a little brighter at that time of the day.

9am ready to go - my tunes playing on my Storm, got my makeshift running clothes on, sweats, a fleece jacket and my wife's WiiFit controller belt to hold my Blackberry (next time remember gloves). I was only going to do a mile today just to see how it went but as I approached the half-mile mark I felt really good so i continued. I made it to the mile mark and was starting to feel it but at this point the half way point on my easy 2.3 out and back wasn't far so I figured I'd press on. I went down hill from there but I mixed in some walking and that helped. The way back was much harder but I ran the blocks and walked the intersections because they were icy, or at least that's what I'm telling myself, and made it back home.

2.33 miles in 26.23 minutes, about 11.19 per mile...not bad for my first day.

Day one-ish

Ok, well not really but I had to start somewhere.

First let me just say I am not a writer and this blog is mostly just "stream of conscience" writing if i have time and feel like it, or my wife gets tired of my grammatical errors, I'll go back and clean it up but for now it is just my way of tracking myself along this journey.
After spending the first forty years of my life mostly sedentary I have decided not to do that with my next forty, or at least this next year to start. I have decided to run in the 2010 Denver Marathon which is October 17th, my wedding anniversary of course. I think this will give me enough time to get into shape, since i am not a runner. There is a Half-marathon in April that's I'd like to get ready for too, almost as a first goal but before that I'd like to find a 5k maybe in February and 10k maybe in March.

Recent health based achievements
August 24th = Quit smoking
December 01 = Stated EA Sports Active 30 Day challenge.
January 9th 2010 = Finished 30 challenge (the holidays messed me up here)

T-279 days until the Denver Marathon.