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.