Wednesday, February 25, 2009
16 Feb 2009
Chilly today! The scheduled 4 miles ended up closer to 6, but it was a quite pleasant 6 miles (5.5, actually). I was amazed it was still light out, even though it was nearly 630 when I finished! Spring is on its way, I guess. JUST visible up the street, making its slow but inevitable way towards us, bringing with it longer days, warmer days, flowers, puppies and yes, allergies, too. But I say it's a pretty fair trade-off. I'm going to do my best to remember this when I'm running tonight in the still-chilly evening air. I'm going to savor it, because it's not going to last. Yes, it's cold. But I'll miss it, come the 90-plus days of summer. So I'm going to be as present in the cold tonight as I can be; I'm going to ingrain that sensation in my brain, so I can revisit it when I'm sweating buckets in July and August. Cold. Yay.
14 Feb 2009
A good running day. I met the Team out at Byrd Park, and I'm really glad I did. Holly McFeely and her daughter (a patient honoree) Emma were there for our Mission Moment. It was truly heartbreaking to hear about what Emma went through, being diagnosed with leukemia and undergoing chemotherapy at only 10 weeks old. But at the same time, it was incredibly inspiring. Emma recovered (8 years in remission today!), and is a more accomplished athlete than I am! She is a triathlete as well as a future marathoner (as proudly proclaimed by her sweatshirt).
Her mother, Holly, gave this advice (paraphrased, not quoted): When you're out there running, and you get to mile 17 or 18 and your legs hurt and you're miserable, think about Emma. Think about the pain and trauma she went through during her chemotherapy. Think about all the other people out there undergoing chemotherapy now. That is a more painful and horrible experience than any pain you might be feeling from running a few miles.
Perspective.
Her mother, Holly, gave this advice (paraphrased, not quoted): When you're out there running, and you get to mile 17 or 18 and your legs hurt and you're miserable, think about Emma. Think about the pain and trauma she went through during her chemotherapy. Think about all the other people out there undergoing chemotherapy now. That is a more painful and horrible experience than any pain you might be feeling from running a few miles.
Perspective.
12 Feb 2009
Took last night off, had dinner plans; but I'm going to try for a nice 4 miles tonight. I'm going to miss the long run tomorrow, but I'm going to make up for it by running to Coleman's house before the 5k, then running the 5k, then running some after. It may not be one long 14 miles, but I'll get my mileage in, one way or the other.
11 Feb 2009
Another decent 4 mile run; the knee continues to heal. I am going to give myself a rest today, and do another mid-light jog tomorrow. I am going to miss the long run on Saturday; I am signed up for a Valentine's Day 5k at Forest Hill Park. To make up for it, though, I am going to run TO the park before the race, and home again after. This will make up most of my scheduled long run, and I think will make it easier to accomplish without the motivation of my teammates around me.
I am going to pause on my way to the park, though, to meet up with the team at Byrd Park, and join in the stretching and mission moment.
I am going to pause on my way to the park, though, to meet up with the team at Byrd Park, and join in the stretching and mission moment.
10 Feb 2009
Did 4 miles yesterday, instead of my scheduled 7; but ran a faster pace than usual (about 9:15 instead of 10:00). Felt good, both to accomplish the faster run, and to run, period. The knee felt pretty good, although I found if I landed at all forward on my left foot, there was some pain. As long as I kept my form under control, I was fine, though. So, my conclusion: I'm not recovered, but I'm recovering. I'll chalk that up as a "win."
9 Feb 2009
I took today off, hoping a little extra down-time would speed the recovery of my knee/hip. I'm going to try going for a jog today, though. I'm scheduled to do 7 miles, which is less distance than I did on Saturday, before the pain kicked in, so we'll see. I'm not going to push it, though. I'd rather cut back and recover than over-train (I've been warned against the potentially permanent perils of this - try saying THAT three times fast!) and make things worse. Fingers crossed.
7 Feb 2009
Well, the slight knee pain was NOT from sleeping funny on my leg, it seems. Saturday's run was curtailed by said knee pain. About 10 miles in, it hit me. Never excruciating, but enough to force me to walk the last 6 miles of the route. Best theory at the moment is ITB Syndrome, which is basically just when the tendon that runs from your hip to your knee pulls tight and rubs against your knee bone, causing discomfort. I've got some stretches and whatnot I can do to alleviate the pain and I should be good to go (hopefully) by next weekend.
As an additional treatment suggestion, Coach Chuck advised me to take an ice bath. I have heard of this practice, but have never tried it myself. Fill a tub with cold tap water, then dump in a bag of ice (I used 16lbs), then hop in. Yikes. Cold? Yes, very. Apparently, this weekend also happened to be the annual Polar Plunge, so I guess I can't feel TOO bad about my fifteen minutes of discomfort when compared to guys who jump full-on into water that is most likely colder (or at least AS cold) as what I was in, only up to my waist, with a sweatshirt on and a cup of hot coffee in my hand. And in hindsight, the ice bath really wasn't that bad. I'd do it again.
So, from frosted faces to icy baths, I can say I've experienced my share of cold this winter. Bring on the Spring.
As an additional treatment suggestion, Coach Chuck advised me to take an ice bath. I have heard of this practice, but have never tried it myself. Fill a tub with cold tap water, then dump in a bag of ice (I used 16lbs), then hop in. Yikes. Cold? Yes, very. Apparently, this weekend also happened to be the annual Polar Plunge, so I guess I can't feel TOO bad about my fifteen minutes of discomfort when compared to guys who jump full-on into water that is most likely colder (or at least AS cold) as what I was in, only up to my waist, with a sweatshirt on and a cup of hot coffee in my hand. And in hindsight, the ice bath really wasn't that bad. I'd do it again.
So, from frosted faces to icy baths, I can say I've experienced my share of cold this winter. Bring on the Spring.
4 Feb 2009
Hills last night. I took the day off of work so I could get some things done around the house, and to rest up, so I went a little earlier than I usually go running. It was nice to get out there while the sun was still high in the sky. The run itself was tough; I think I really need to find my stopwatch if I'm going to be running hills alone. I need a better way to monitor my pace. I think I run too fast when I'm by myself, exceeding that 60-90s goal time. My first hill training, I ran consistent 1:17 reps; the second time (with a watch) I ran 1:05 then two 1:10s. I have no idea what my times were this time, but if I were to guess? I'd say my first rep was under a minute, my second slightly over, my third close to 1:30. I was exhausted.
Still, I'm proud of myself. I really wanted to quit after the second repetition. I was already drained, but I took a step down the hill, then another, and then I realized I was committed. I'd have to go down the hill and then run back up it in order to go home. So I did.
Later yesterday evening, we had a Team Injury Prevention Clinic with TNT Coach and certified Physical Therapist Tim Dey. Tim also ran our Nutrition Clinic several weeks ago. He is extremely knowledgeable and, even though I am not currently injured*, I found the clinic to be very informative, and I will be sharing what I learned with all my runner friends.
Tonight, I'm going very hardcore: I will be pushing myself through a rigorous evening of couching and televisioning, in preparation for tomorrow morning's 16-miler.
*I've had some slight knee pain today, but I think it is from sleeping on it funny, not from running. We'll see (fingers crossed).
Still, I'm proud of myself. I really wanted to quit after the second repetition. I was already drained, but I took a step down the hill, then another, and then I realized I was committed. I'd have to go down the hill and then run back up it in order to go home. So I did.
Later yesterday evening, we had a Team Injury Prevention Clinic with TNT Coach and certified Physical Therapist Tim Dey. Tim also ran our Nutrition Clinic several weeks ago. He is extremely knowledgeable and, even though I am not currently injured*, I found the clinic to be very informative, and I will be sharing what I learned with all my runner friends.
Tonight, I'm going very hardcore: I will be pushing myself through a rigorous evening of couching and televisioning, in preparation for tomorrow morning's 16-miler.
*I've had some slight knee pain today, but I think it is from sleeping on it funny, not from running. We'll see (fingers crossed).
3 Feb 2009
All day I felt I was in the midst of fighting of a cold or somesuch ailment. With that in mind, I decided to not run, but to stay in, eat, hydrate and go to bed early. That accomplished, I feel worlds better today. Unfortunately, I neglected to remember I have an appointment at my office's blood drive this morning, so running may not be encouraged. I'm going to ask, but I'm not holding my breath they'll tell me, "Yeah, go ahead and run 7 miles today. It's only 1/6th of your blood we're taking out; you'll be fine." Either way, I'm going to get out and take a nice long walk or something. I hate missing days.
2 Feb 2009
What a day! The weather was absolutely wonderful! Shorts and t-shirt weather! I could tell by the end of my run, though, the temperature was dropping and the wind was picking up, preparing to bombard us with a deluge of... half an inch of snow? Still, it was nice to run in the warm weather and then get to wake up to see the cars and trees and houses painted with snow.
31 Jan 2009
I finally get it. I understand what Coach Chuck means when he says "There are no hills in Richmond." Compared to Charlottesville, a mere hour's drive away, there really are no hills in Richmond. None.
The run itself was a lot of fun, though! We met the Charlottesville Team at UVA's U-Center, and after some introductions and a Mission Moment, we briefly reviewed our route and set off. The course of our run covered a lot of different areas, including the UVA grounds, the downtown mall, the Rivanna Trail (where there were a few ice-related slips and falls - but no injuries!), even some residential neighborhoods.
I ran most of the way with a group of Charlottesville runners: Emily (center, pink earband), Molly (center, white fleece), Vanessa (left, green fleece) and Renee (left, pink fleece). (I'm front and center, lounging - ahem - gracefully, and holding up the sign with Amber - that asphalt was COLD, by the way! And thank you, Art, for the photo!). They are all wonderful folks, and I owe Emily, especially, a great big huge thank you, because when I fell behind (those hills! I love em, but boy are they tough!), she stuck with me. It didn't keep us from getting lost, mind you, but at least neither of us was lost and alone.
There were a few wrong turns (one group ended up adding almost two miles onto their run), but everyone made it, and was smiling at the end. After the run, we all went to Panera Bread for lunch and socializing. We left just in time, though, as the long-run-plus-food weariness was beginning to set in, and I think people would have started falling asleep in their food soon.
In all, a great run ("Yeah, yeah, Dave," you're saying, I know, "They're ALL great runs, aren't they?" To which I respond, heartily, "YES!"). I hope to see more of the Charlottesville folks, either here in Richmond or back out in C-ville. Hills ARE our friends, after all. Why wouldn't we visit?
The run itself was a lot of fun, though! We met the Charlottesville Team at UVA's U-Center, and after some introductions and a Mission Moment, we briefly reviewed our route and set off. The course of our run covered a lot of different areas, including the UVA grounds, the downtown mall, the Rivanna Trail (where there were a few ice-related slips and falls - but no injuries!), even some residential neighborhoods.
I ran most of the way with a group of Charlottesville runners: Emily (center, pink earband), Molly (center, white fleece), Vanessa (left, green fleece) and Renee (left, pink fleece). (I'm front and center, lounging - ahem - gracefully, and holding up the sign with Amber - that asphalt was COLD, by the way! And thank you, Art, for the photo!). They are all wonderful folks, and I owe Emily, especially, a great big huge thank you, because when I fell behind (those hills! I love em, but boy are they tough!), she stuck with me. It didn't keep us from getting lost, mind you, but at least neither of us was lost and alone.
There were a few wrong turns (one group ended up adding almost two miles onto their run), but everyone made it, and was smiling at the end. After the run, we all went to Panera Bread for lunch and socializing. We left just in time, though, as the long-run-plus-food weariness was beginning to set in, and I think people would have started falling asleep in their food soon.
In all, a great run ("Yeah, yeah, Dave," you're saying, I know, "They're ALL great runs, aren't they?" To which I respond, heartily, "YES!"). I hope to see more of the Charlottesville folks, either here in Richmond or back out in C-ville. Hills ARE our friends, after all. Why wouldn't we visit?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
29 Jan 2009
Hills last night with Coach Chuck. We did three reps on the hill, a leeeetle bit fast on the first (1:05), but pretty consistent on the second two (1:10 each). Chuck suggested we try for a fourth, and I declined; but today I really wish I hadn't.
These hill workouts are (I'm told) THE best way to build the muscle necessary to improve my endurance and speed, as well as build my cardiovascular endurance. Speed is probably the least important of these factors, to me. My goal for race-day is not so much centered on a goal time (the closest to a goal time I have is "under 5 hours," but really, if I'm over that, that's fine), but more on the idea of simply finishing, and doing so with a smile on my face. But speed work (and hill work) are both good for your breath, which has always been my number 1 boondoggle, when it comes to running. My legs get tired, yes, but I've always been KO'd more by a lack of oxygen than muscle fatigue. Working on this makes me happy, especially when I have those moments when I can look back and actually see where I've improved.
These hill workouts are (I'm told) THE best way to build the muscle necessary to improve my endurance and speed, as well as build my cardiovascular endurance. Speed is probably the least important of these factors, to me. My goal for race-day is not so much centered on a goal time (the closest to a goal time I have is "under 5 hours," but really, if I'm over that, that's fine), but more on the idea of simply finishing, and doing so with a smile on my face. But speed work (and hill work) are both good for your breath, which has always been my number 1 boondoggle, when it comes to running. My legs get tired, yes, but I've always been KO'd more by a lack of oxygen than muscle fatigue. Working on this makes me happy, especially when I have those moments when I can look back and actually see where I've improved.
26 Jan 2009
A pretty good run yesterday, but I'll be honest, I'm not really looking forward to today's. Cold rain is my least favorite kind of weather, and it's been nothing but cold and rainy all day today. Sigh. I guess this is just one of those things, though. I didn't sign up to train over the winter thinking I would never have to run in unpleasant conditions, so I can't really complain.
I guess it'll be a good opportunity to test the wind- and water-resistance of my new running jacket...
Okay, enough negativity. It is what it is. I'm smiling now; I'll keep smiling while I run, whatever the weather.
I guess it'll be a good opportunity to test the wind- and water-resistance of my new running jacket...
Okay, enough negativity. It is what it is. I'm smiling now; I'll keep smiling while I run, whatever the weather.
22 Jan 2009
HILLS! Coach Chuck couldn't make it out last night for our hill training, but since I was already in my running togs and at UofR, I went ahead and just ran them by myself. I was unable to time my repetitions (I seem to have misplaced my running watch), but whatever my time was, I pushed myself pretty hard. I decided to play it safe, since I was by myself, it was dark, and cars don't like to, you know, NOT hit you, so I only did two reps. Next week, I'll do more.
21 Jan 2009
I think it can be safely said our Silent Auction was a rousing success! The place was PACKED, and lots of great items were sold. (I think) everyone had fun - I know I did. A great big enormous giant thanks to Nikki, Amber and Jen
for putting this thing together, and for making sure it all ran smoothly! You guys are the best!
for putting this thing together, and for making sure it all ran smoothly! You guys are the best!
17 Jan 2009
Okay, everyone, I want you to do something for me. Go back through this blog, check out the archives, and anywhere I mention the cold, immediately have a hearty laugh at my expense, because I have been naive and disillusioned about this. TODAY was cold. When I woke up, I turned on the Weather Channel, which said Richmond was 6 degrees. Fifteen minutes later, that had fallen to 5. I think when I met the group at Byrd Park to begin our run, it had warmed considerably, to
around 12.
The run itself was spectacular. I ran with, and got to know, two more of my teammates, Jamie and Lexi. Jamie is our team rabbit, always well out ahead of the rest of us; but today he hung back and kept pace with me. Jamie is a Mentor with the Team, and (not to sound redundant, because I think I've said this about everyone I've
met so far) he's an incredibly nice guy. I had a great time running with him until about the 3/4 mark, when he finally kicked it up and disappeared ahead, leaving a little puff of smoke, a la the Road Runner.
About a third of the way into the run, Jamie and I caught up to Lexi, a fellow first-timer, training for the Virginia Beach Shamrock Marathon in March. Lexi and I kept each other motivated (okay, it was much more HER keeping ME motivated) through the last REALLY tough three miles, when we got to go back up all those
lovely hills we'd descended on the way out!
In all, it was a great run! I was originally scheduled to only run 12 miles today, but since that would have meant turning around early, and running by myself, I decided it would be better to add an extra mile, and stick with Jamie and Lexi. It worked out.
When Lexi and I got back to Byrd Park, I asked her to take a picture of my beard, which was absolutely coated in ice (not frost, but ICE) from my breath. It was uncomfortable trying to drink my post-run Gatorade, but since the Gatorade was frozen solid, it wasn't that big a deal. And still, I got a kick out of it. So, have
another laugh, on me.
around 12.
The run itself was spectacular. I ran with, and got to know, two more of my teammates, Jamie and Lexi. Jamie is our team rabbit, always well out ahead of the rest of us; but today he hung back and kept pace with me. Jamie is a Mentor with the Team, and (not to sound redundant, because I think I've said this about everyone I've
met so far) he's an incredibly nice guy. I had a great time running with him until about the 3/4 mark, when he finally kicked it up and disappeared ahead, leaving a little puff of smoke, a la the Road Runner.
About a third of the way into the run, Jamie and I caught up to Lexi, a fellow first-timer, training for the Virginia Beach Shamrock Marathon in March. Lexi and I kept each other motivated (okay, it was much more HER keeping ME motivated) through the last REALLY tough three miles, when we got to go back up all those
lovely hills we'd descended on the way out!
In all, it was a great run! I was originally scheduled to only run 12 miles today, but since that would have meant turning around early, and running by myself, I decided it would be better to add an extra mile, and stick with Jamie and Lexi. It worked out.
When Lexi and I got back to Byrd Park, I asked her to take a picture of my beard, which was absolutely coated in ice (not frost, but ICE) from my breath. It was uncomfortable trying to drink my post-run Gatorade, but since the Gatorade was frozen solid, it wasn't that big a deal. And still, I got a kick out of it. So, have
another laugh, on me.
Friday, January 23, 2009
15 Jan 2009
Ran the hills with Coach Chuck last night. It was... Well, first and foremost, it was COLD! But extra layers were worn, and all was okay.
The hill workout program is basically this: Find a hill, with about a 10-15% grade (I don't know what this is, honestly. I know you want incline, but not STEEP), and run up it. Run at about 90% your maximum speed, for a time of 60-90 seconds. The goal is to maintain the same pace, and cover the same distance in the same
time, with margin of error or roughly 2%. Start with 2-3 repetitions, and add one or two repetitions each week.
Chuck and I began with a leisurely warm-up jog of about a mile and a half (with one vaguely surreal pit-stop at the UofR cafeteria, where we interrupted what appeared to be Dance Team tryouts or somesuch), and then went to find our hill. This being my
first hill workout, I ran two repetitions up the hill. My first trip took 1:17, which is right in the middle of the goal running time (60-90 seconds). My second trip, I was shocked and proud to hear, came in at 1:17, as well! It certainly didn't feel like I was running the same pace, but apparently, I was. This is good, and I
will mark this down as a success. These hill workouts are going to become a regular activity for me, and will help (a LOT) toward my "perfect day" goal of finishing this marathon in under 5 hours. Yay!
The day before yesterday, I sent out my update email (some of you reading this likely received that email - if you didn't, but would like to, email me at davebessom@gmail.com and I'll add you to this list!), and mentioned the upcoming hill training. I received two great email responses to this, yesterday, which I found to be both motivating and inspirational, and so I would like to share
them with you here.
First, some great advice:
Never let something that does not move beat you.
My new hill-running mantra.
And second, some wonderful reasons to love hills:
Hills are incredible. This is why:
Without hills, there would be no fantastic cartoons of ever-growing snowballs barreling down on the heels of funny rabbits who always made us laugh on Saturday mornings while we wore our snuggly-footie pajamas. Without hills there would be no mountains. Without mountains, Julie Andrews would not have had a place to sing on her days off from the Abbey. She'd have to, like, go buy cheese or something on her days off. If we didn't have hills, there would be no opportunities to go downhill sledding in the winter. If there were no sledding opportunities, there would be no need for hot cocoa to warm your chilly-bones after sledding all day. Can you
imagine a world without hot cocoa? I can't. It would be a dark, dismal place. See? Without hills, life would be crap. ;-) You're a lucky, LUCKY man, Dave Bessom, to spend the evening with hills.
I AM a lucky man to spend my time on these hills. Many people can't, and so I am running these hills FOR them. I'm honored to have this opportunity, and I'm loving every freezing uphill minute of it.
The hill workout program is basically this: Find a hill, with about a 10-15% grade (I don't know what this is, honestly. I know you want incline, but not STEEP), and run up it. Run at about 90% your maximum speed, for a time of 60-90 seconds. The goal is to maintain the same pace, and cover the same distance in the same
time, with margin of error or roughly 2%. Start with 2-3 repetitions, and add one or two repetitions each week.
Chuck and I began with a leisurely warm-up jog of about a mile and a half (with one vaguely surreal pit-stop at the UofR cafeteria, where we interrupted what appeared to be Dance Team tryouts or somesuch), and then went to find our hill. This being my
first hill workout, I ran two repetitions up the hill. My first trip took 1:17, which is right in the middle of the goal running time (60-90 seconds). My second trip, I was shocked and proud to hear, came in at 1:17, as well! It certainly didn't feel like I was running the same pace, but apparently, I was. This is good, and I
will mark this down as a success. These hill workouts are going to become a regular activity for me, and will help (a LOT) toward my "perfect day" goal of finishing this marathon in under 5 hours. Yay!
The day before yesterday, I sent out my update email (some of you reading this likely received that email - if you didn't, but would like to, email me at davebessom@gmail.com and I'll add you to this list!), and mentioned the upcoming hill training. I received two great email responses to this, yesterday, which I found to be both motivating and inspirational, and so I would like to share
them with you here.
First, some great advice:
Never let something that does not move beat you.
My new hill-running mantra.
And second, some wonderful reasons to love hills:
Hills are incredible. This is why:
Without hills, there would be no fantastic cartoons of ever-growing snowballs barreling down on the heels of funny rabbits who always made us laugh on Saturday mornings while we wore our snuggly-footie pajamas. Without hills there would be no mountains. Without mountains, Julie Andrews would not have had a place to sing on her days off from the Abbey. She'd have to, like, go buy cheese or something on her days off. If we didn't have hills, there would be no opportunities to go downhill sledding in the winter. If there were no sledding opportunities, there would be no need for hot cocoa to warm your chilly-bones after sledding all day. Can you
imagine a world without hot cocoa? I can't. It would be a dark, dismal place. See? Without hills, life would be crap. ;-) You're a lucky, LUCKY man, Dave Bessom, to spend the evening with hills.
I AM a lucky man to spend my time on these hills. Many people can't, and so I am running these hills FOR them. I'm honored to have this opportunity, and I'm loving every freezing uphill minute of it.
14 Jan 2009
Well, plans changed. Coach Chuck couldn't make it tonight, so I ran my regularly scheduled 7 miles. It went well; better than I would have thought. I ran one loop each of my two neighborhood circuits of 4 and 3 miles. Matt ran the first 4 mile loop with me, but was not prepared for the cold, so he ducked out after that.
Maybe it was breaking the run into two smaller sections, but the last 3 miles felt easier (not EASY, mind you, but easiER) than I would have thought. I think I managed to really push myself, as well, in terms of running strong and keeping a faster pace than I normally would on a "long" run (to me, anything over 5 miles is still a long run).
Funny, though, before writing this post, I moved some older posts to the archive, the oldest of which was for our 7 mile group long run. Again, I was caught off-guard by the perspective. It really wasn't that long ago when 7 miles was a near-impossibility in my mind, but now it's just a mid-week run! These moments are
really wonderful, as they remind me I AM making progress, even when I sometimes feel I'm not.
Maybe it was breaking the run into two smaller sections, but the last 3 miles felt easier (not EASY, mind you, but easiER) than I would have thought. I think I managed to really push myself, as well, in terms of running strong and keeping a faster pace than I normally would on a "long" run (to me, anything over 5 miles is still a long run).
Funny, though, before writing this post, I moved some older posts to the archive, the oldest of which was for our 7 mile group long run. Again, I was caught off-guard by the perspective. It really wasn't that long ago when 7 miles was a near-impossibility in my mind, but now it's just a mid-week run! These moments are
really wonderful, as they remind me I AM making progress, even when I sometimes feel I'm not.
13 Jan 2009
Nice little 4 miler yesterday (Now there's something inspiring - not all that long ago, a 4 mile run would have left me a quivering ball of jelly on the side of the
road; now it's just a "nice little run!"). It was not nearly as cold as I'd expected, though, so the gloves and knit cap had to go.
Not to say the entire run was a breeze; I still have to keep myself motivated and focused on pacing and breathing and whatnot. But that kind of concentration is relaxing (as I've discussed before). It was a fun run.
Tonight, however, is where the REAL fun begins. As I've been told (warned) by everyone I know who has run Nashville before, the entire course is made of rolling hills, long gentle uphill sections and long gentle downhills. Running hills is crucial to my training, and so far, I've had precious little of that. So tonight I'm going to run hills with Coach Chuck. I love hills. I love hills. I love
hills.
road; now it's just a "nice little run!"). It was not nearly as cold as I'd expected, though, so the gloves and knit cap had to go.
Not to say the entire run was a breeze; I still have to keep myself motivated and focused on pacing and breathing and whatnot. But that kind of concentration is relaxing (as I've discussed before). It was a fun run.
Tonight, however, is where the REAL fun begins. As I've been told (warned) by everyone I know who has run Nashville before, the entire course is made of rolling hills, long gentle uphill sections and long gentle downhills. Running hills is crucial to my training, and so far, I've had precious little of that. So tonight I'm going to run hills with Coach Chuck. I love hills. I love hills. I love
hills.
10 Jan 2009
Strange, but there seem to be no updates for last week. I'm pretty sure I made them. Maybe I'm losing my mind, like so many people are always telling me...
Well, this past Saturday was a blast! I set a new personal distance record of eleven miles! Again, the only reason I accomplished this was because of the support of my teammates, in particular this week was Mentor Jen, who stuck with me the entire
last 8 or 9 miles, and kept me motivated when I started to flag. Thanks, Jen! I couldn't have done it without you!
And, speaking of relying on others for support, if you haven't yet, please make a donation. The more involved I become with this Team, the more personally invested I find myself becoming in the cause. I really can't express in words just how much your
support means! Thank you!
Well, this past Saturday was a blast! I set a new personal distance record of eleven miles! Again, the only reason I accomplished this was because of the support of my teammates, in particular this week was Mentor Jen, who stuck with me the entire
last 8 or 9 miles, and kept me motivated when I started to flag. Thanks, Jen! I couldn't have done it without you!
And, speaking of relying on others for support, if you haven't yet, please make a donation. The more involved I become with this Team, the more personally invested I find myself becoming in the cause. I really can't express in words just how much your
support means! Thank you!
3 Jan 2009
Had a really great run this morning. My first double-digit day! I've never in my life traveled 10 miles, except by car, train, etc. It was really tough, particularly the last 2 miles or so, but I finished, and with a smile on my face, so I'm happy. I got to know another team-mate, as well. Eric, who is training for his fourth marathon. Eric (and Chad) and I ran together for most of the 10 miles, which I strongly believe was the only reason I made it through. So thanks, guys, for
the conversation and the motivation.
the conversation and the motivation.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
1 Jan 2009
Hats off to 2009! I hope everyone had a wonderful and warm New Year's. I decided to start mine off on the right foot (pun intended) this time, and so I put on my running gear, and left the house at 1130. I ran my way into the new year, and it was, in a word, brilliant. Granted, I had to dodge crowds of revelers (particularly on the return half, which was after the midnight festivities had started to close out), but they were friendly enough, so that just made the run even more enjoyable. My intention was to meet the new year head-on, and set the tone for the next twelve months; a tone of growth, motivation, optimism and, of course, running. I feel like I succeeded. This is going to be a great year, for all of us.
29 Dec 2008
A good holiday was had. A visit home, a Christmas morning run, and the birth of my first niece, Karina McKay (Friday night)! I didn't know babies could smile that young, but darned if she wasn't smiling at me at one hour old! Awesome. I'm already loving being an uncle, and I can only imagine it gets better and better from here.
24 Dec 2008
I had a really fun 4 mile run yesterday, and I'm looking forward to a nice 6 miles today. I'm heading down to Newport News for the holiday, so I think (if it's not too late/dark when I get there) I may go over to the Nolan Trail to run. I love that park, and I always go there to run, during my periodic fits of motivation. Today, I will be able to run the whole trail, though, for the first time!
Here's wishing everyone the happiest of happy holidays, and I hope everyone is able to spend time with their family and friends! I will be back here on Monday, with a full recap of my holiday runs and news of the birth of my first niece!
Here's wishing everyone the happiest of happy holidays, and I hope everyone is able to spend time with their family and friends! I will be back here on Monday, with a full recap of my holiday runs and news of the birth of my first niece!
20 Dec 2008
Really good run this morning. This was the pre-breakfast 5 mile group run, and it was a lot of fun. I'm starting to get to know some of my teammates (there are still some with whom I haven't had a chance to talk much, mostly because they run much faster than I do), and I couldn't be happier to know them. Everyone - EVERYONE - I've met through this program is incredibly awesome.
So, the run... This was actually the first group run I've done that wasn't an out-and-back route; this time we ran a big loop from Byrd Park through the Fan, up into the Museum District, and then back to Byrd Park. Everyone wore bells (this being our last group run before Christmas), and the folks I ran with and I tried our hand at some Christmas carols while we cruised up Monument Ave. That didn't work out great, though, because none of us could remember any of the words! Still, it was fun.
After the run, a bunch of us had breakfast at The Baker's Crust in Carytown. Belgian waffles, bacon and COFFEE. Yum.
So, the run... This was actually the first group run I've done that wasn't an out-and-back route; this time we ran a big loop from Byrd Park through the Fan, up into the Museum District, and then back to Byrd Park. Everyone wore bells (this being our last group run before Christmas), and the folks I ran with and I tried our hand at some Christmas carols while we cruised up Monument Ave. That didn't work out great, though, because none of us could remember any of the words! Still, it was fun.
After the run, a bunch of us had breakfast at The Baker's Crust in Carytown. Belgian waffles, bacon and COFFEE. Yum.
18 Dec 2008
We have a Team breakfast this Saturday, so our coaches decided to shorten our long run to 5 miles (instead of the scheduled 8). With this in mind, I decided to do my own long run, basically switching my mid-week mid-long run and my weekend long run.
The solo long run was...good. Tougher than when I have conversation to distract and motivate, but the Nickel Bridge is beautiful, one of my favorite places to run, and the neighborhood I wandered (and briefly got lost in) was hilly, which is good. I need hills. I needed them; I got them!
It was both the longest and hilliest run I've done so far, and I am feeling it today, for sure. Sore, tired, but overall, extremely happy. I had fun, and I feel very accomplished for having done it. I'm debating a short run this evening, just to stay loose. I know more advanced runners often follow a long run with a half-distance run the next day, but beginners are more prone to injury following that regimen. We'll see how I feel, and how the time works out. I have a few things to take care of this evening, and I'm not going to stress about it, one way or the other.
I had my first "dog encounter" last night. I was jogging up a narrow street, and a car approached from behind me. Rather than squeeze alongside a parked car, I opted to hop onto the sidewalk while they passed. No sooner did my foot touch sidewalk than I heard a jingle and a bark, and a large (albeit pretty friendly-looking) dog came racing toward me. He stopped at the edge of his yard and sat down. "Just making sure you stay off my lawn, pal," he seemed to be saying.
Another standout from the run came as I was farther along the same street where I saw the dog. It was dark out, and many houses had their lights on, so I could see into many of them. One house, a small little cottage-looking thing, was brightly lit, interior and exterior lights blazing. Inside the wide picture window on the front of the house, I could see hung on the wall a large banner reading "Welcome Home." I don't know who was returning or from where, but it made me smile. I hope whoever it was had a safe trip and a happy homecoming.
The solo long run was...good. Tougher than when I have conversation to distract and motivate, but the Nickel Bridge is beautiful, one of my favorite places to run, and the neighborhood I wandered (and briefly got lost in) was hilly, which is good. I need hills. I needed them; I got them!
It was both the longest and hilliest run I've done so far, and I am feeling it today, for sure. Sore, tired, but overall, extremely happy. I had fun, and I feel very accomplished for having done it. I'm debating a short run this evening, just to stay loose. I know more advanced runners often follow a long run with a half-distance run the next day, but beginners are more prone to injury following that regimen. We'll see how I feel, and how the time works out. I have a few things to take care of this evening, and I'm not going to stress about it, one way or the other.
I had my first "dog encounter" last night. I was jogging up a narrow street, and a car approached from behind me. Rather than squeeze alongside a parked car, I opted to hop onto the sidewalk while they passed. No sooner did my foot touch sidewalk than I heard a jingle and a bark, and a large (albeit pretty friendly-looking) dog came racing toward me. He stopped at the edge of his yard and sat down. "Just making sure you stay off my lawn, pal," he seemed to be saying.
Another standout from the run came as I was farther along the same street where I saw the dog. It was dark out, and many houses had their lights on, so I could see into many of them. One house, a small little cottage-looking thing, was brightly lit, interior and exterior lights blazing. Inside the wide picture window on the front of the house, I could see hung on the wall a large banner reading "Welcome Home." I don't know who was returning or from where, but it made me smile. I hope whoever it was had a safe trip and a happy homecoming.
Friday, January 16, 2009
15, 17 Dec 2008
15 Dec 2008 - No news to report today.
17 Dec 2008 - Yeah, I missed a day, sorry. The weather was foul, and I got caught up taking care of some other important business. It happens, I'm told, so I'm trying not to beat myself up over it.
Anyway, yesterday I had what I am trying to get in the habit of calling a "good running lesson" rather than a "bad run." It wasn't a bad run, really; just......educational. Yes.
So, what did I learn last night? I learned I can't judge my own pace. Not yet, at least. I remember in that movie about Prefontaine where he ran each lap on the track exactly one second faster than the lap before. As much as I would like to be that perfectly aware of my body and my performance, I have a long way to go yet.
I ran my usual 5k route around the neighborhood last night, and I timed myself. I'm not really sure why I started doing that; I'm really not so concerned with my time, although I do like to see that I have remained fairly consistent these last few weeks. Anyway, I tried to pick the pace up last night. I ran faster than I am used to, and while my legs felt all right at the end, my lungs were burning and I felt I must have demolished my PR for a 5k (29:02, if you're curious). Lo and behold, to my complete and utter shock and disappointment, I finished in 30:53!
I'm not sure if this is more a testament to my own inability to judge my speed or to the collective motivation that comes with running a race, surrounded by other runners. Either way, I'm making a conscious decision not to try to make or beat any certain time when I go on my training runs. I'm not shooting for a specific time in the marathon (although "under 5 hours" seems like a pretty reasonable and accomplishable goal - if I can maintain my usual 10-minute mile pace, I can actually finish in 4 1/2 hours), so why should I worry about time when I'm training? Right? Right?
Right.
17 Dec 2008 - Yeah, I missed a day, sorry. The weather was foul, and I got caught up taking care of some other important business. It happens, I'm told, so I'm trying not to beat myself up over it.
Anyway, yesterday I had what I am trying to get in the habit of calling a "good running lesson" rather than a "bad run." It wasn't a bad run, really; just...
So, what did I learn last night? I learned I can't judge my own pace. Not yet, at least. I remember in that movie about Prefontaine where he ran each lap on the track exactly one second faster than the lap before. As much as I would like to be that perfectly aware of my body and my performance, I have a long way to go yet.
I ran my usual 5k route around the neighborhood last night, and I timed myself. I'm not really sure why I started doing that; I'm really not so concerned with my time, although I do like to see that I have remained fairly consistent these last few weeks. Anyway, I tried to pick the pace up last night. I ran faster than I am used to, and while my legs felt all right at the end, my lungs were burning and I felt I must have demolished my PR for a 5k (29:02, if you're curious). Lo and behold, to my complete and utter shock and disappointment, I finished in 30:53!
I'm not sure if this is more a testament to my own inability to judge my speed or to the collective motivation that comes with running a race, surrounded by other runners. Either way, I'm making a conscious decision not to try to make or beat any certain time when I go on my training runs. I'm not shooting for a specific time in the marathon (although "under 5 hours" seems like a pretty reasonable and accomplishable goal - if I can maintain my usual 10-minute mile pace, I can actually finish in 4 1/2 hours), so why should I worry about time when I'm training? Right? Right?
Right.
13 Dec 2008
13 Dec 2008 - 7 mile run this morning: awesome. Heather came out and ran with me, which was fun. She had to leave early (about halfway through the run), so the return trek was done solo. It was a little strange: I fell behind the three girls in the front of the group, so I couldn't see them, and no one was close enough behind me to see, either, so it was like I was completely alone. I say it was strange, but it was quite peaceful and pleasant. It was early, and it was cold, so no one was out, really, except a few cars on the Powhite Parkway, next to which our course ran for a bit, so it was (mostly) very quiet. I could hear birds, and a dog, and at times it was almost as if I could hear the cold itself (although it was a good 6 degrees warmer than last Saturday), a hushed, crackling sound just underneath the sound of my breathing and my feet striking the road surface, kind of like the sound of ice before it breaks.
I tell you, this running thing just keeps getting better and better. I keep thinking of all these experiences I've had, and people I've met, which I would have missed out on, otherwise. Pretty incredible.
I tell you, this running thing just keeps getting better and better. I keep thinking of all these experiences I've had, and people I've met, which I would have missed out on, otherwise. Pretty incredible.
Monday, January 5, 2009
10 Dec 2008
So today, for the first time, I actually tried to run a fast 3 miles. I started out jogging, and then thought, 'Hey, 3 miles is not THAT tough anymore; why not see how fast you can run it?' I'm not really sure what I expected, but whatever that was, it isn't what happened. I wasn't looking for a drastic improvement, but then again, I didn't know what difference I would see, having never run for time before. Anyway, I ended up coming in at slightly under a 10-minute mile, which is my average; but I was still slower than my PR (29:02 5K). I'm not disappointed (I was at the time, just because of how tired I was, I thought I deserved to do better), nothing of the sort (anymore). I have never really been concerned with time, except when running "official" races (5Ks), which my only goal was to improve. I don't have a goal time for the marathon; I just want to finish.
Anyway, I don't really have much point to this ramble. I ran as fast as I could maintain for 3 miles, it wasn't as fast as I've ever run, but it was faster than I usually run. That can't be a bad thing.
Anyway, I don't really have much point to this ramble. I ran as fast as I could maintain for 3 miles, it wasn't as fast as I've ever run, but it was faster than I usually run. That can't be a bad thing.
9 Dec 2008
First off, because I know everyone who read yesterday's post is practically foaming at the mouth to know... The socks. I wore my new running socks (with fancy embroidered squished bugs on the bottoms!) for my 4m yesterday. I was expecting a noticeable difference, and...there was. It was not the transcendent experience I had been told to expect, but they are more comfortable than what I was wearing (regular cotton socks). The biggest difference I noticed was actually after I stopped running. My feet felt fresher than I have become used to feeling at the end of a run, which is a very good thing. So, socks: Two big toes up.
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