The start of marathon training was a success. I was scheduled to run 25 miles (nice and easy start) and I finished with 26.2 miles with a total time of 3 hours and 21 minutes. With taking two days off, the legs feel great. Although my runs have been a bit faster than my training goal pace, I won't complain. I expected that since the runs are fairly short and I am in pretty good shape. The crazy thing about my total time for this week: I want to run the marathon faster than a 3:21!
This first week featured a myriad of paces and weather! Five of the three runs, totaling 16.01 miles, were with my good friend, Ben. Ben isn't exactly training for anything but he enjoys staying in shape. I am very thankful to have him go on runs with me, especially in the evenings when it is quite dark and cold. A few of the runs were in the mid 30's but the surprise came Thursday when it was a balmy 55 and I was able to wear shorts in December! It was awesome.
Overall, there wasn't anything too exciting about this week's training. I've made a pretty conscience effort to stretch a bit more and start drinking more water. I wish it were more beer! I've discussed with several friends and other runners about my training plan. They have all said I should follow my weekly mileage plan but I could do a mile or two over what I have planned. I should be able to hold up pretty well since it's not an overly tough training plan.
This next week I am scheduled to hit 30 for the week. I'm planning on attacking it the same way as this past week - run five of seven days and at least twice with Ben. Tomorrow (Sunday), is the start of the week and I have officially designated that my run with the Bagel Bunch Lite Group. Typically, the BB Lite Group runs 6 on Sunday's and later in my training cycle I'll add extra miles to that run.
Hopefully there are some good runs to talk about this coming week! If not, maybe I'll try a beer that I haven't had before and talk about that.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Day 1
So it begins. Today marked the first day of training. I couldn't think of a better way to start training than a nice easy 6 mile run with the Bagel Bunch group. Below is a picture of me for the start of training. I'm assuming that smile won't stay around come February and March!
I know the marathon is still quite a ways off but it never hurts to get the training going. For now it's just adding to my base. The first two weeks are fairly easy, just 25 miles a piece. I'll be running every other day for right now to avoid injury.
Today's run was pleasant. It was finally pretty nice out for the first day of December. It is looking like this week will be in the mid to lower 30s which beats the teens of last week! There wasn't anything too exciting on today's run to report. The first three miles were fairly quick and were mostly into the wind. The pace kind of hurt me for the last mile but I survived.
There is always a little extra motivation in the last few miles when you know you're going to go in and get warm and drink coffee! Around the table we told stories of Black Friday shopping and the general thought is people are insane!
For the rest of the day, it's just time to relax and finish off my Saranac Christmas Ale!
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I know the marathon is still quite a ways off but it never hurts to get the training going. For now it's just adding to my base. The first two weeks are fairly easy, just 25 miles a piece. I'll be running every other day for right now to avoid injury.
Today's run was pleasant. It was finally pretty nice out for the first day of December. It is looking like this week will be in the mid to lower 30s which beats the teens of last week! There wasn't anything too exciting on today's run to report. The first three miles were fairly quick and were mostly into the wind. The pace kind of hurt me for the last mile but I survived.
There is always a little extra motivation in the last few miles when you know you're going to go in and get warm and drink coffee! Around the table we told stories of Black Friday shopping and the general thought is people are insane!
For the rest of the day, it's just time to relax and finish off my Saranac Christmas Ale!
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Don't touch the feet.
I've been sidelined for several days. It has been a real struggle. The last day I ran (before today) was the 19th. I'll give you a recap of how I became injured.
Last Sunday after my run, I was messing around with my wife. Turns out, she does not like being tickled. To avoid my tickling ambush, she flailed and accidently kicked me in the chest. It hurt quite a bit but I didn't think anything of it. Monday rolls around and the weather was awful so I ran on the dreadmill (see post). Nothing was wrong and nothing hurt.
Tuesday the 19th. I'm not sure what happened. I was running with Ben and about a mile into the run I realized my chest was hurting. It was pretty chilly and Ben thought it might have been the cold. We finished the run (6.2 miles that I didn't write about) and I was gasping for air. My chest felt like someone took a bat to it. It hurt to walk, breath, sit/stand, and pretty much do anything. I was pretty nervous but there was no swelling or bruising. Needless to say, I didn't sleep very well that night.
I obviously knew that I had to take a few days off. Wednesday (the 20th) I went to Immediate Care and got my chest checked out. I was still in significant pain. Luckily they had a X-Ray machine and I found out I did not have a cracked rib. Huge sigh of relief. The doctor believes that I have torn or pulled some muscles/cartilage in the chest. His prescription: rest and extra strength Ibuprofen. The medicine has significantly reduced the pain.
I've been itching to run. Finally my chest wasn't hurting when I took a deep breath anymore so I decided to give running a chance today. Well, the weather was a balmy 24 degrees with a stiff wind out of the west. Brrrrr.
Thankfully Selke was willing to run with me today; I doubt I would have made it too far because of the cold. There are two things I hate about running: too hot and too cold weather conditions. Ugh. Since Selke's foot is really bothering him we ran on some snow covered trails. Running in the snow is always fun as long as it's less than a few inches. Most of the mud and puddles were frozen, except the one I stepped in (of course). Now I only wanted to test out my chest to see if I could take some deep breathes. Therefore, we only did a 4 miler. Throughout the run I was feeling pretty good but I could still feel a little pain. Nothing too serious.
We got back to my car and my chest is a little sore. This is pretty good news. I was pretty worried that I would have to withdraw from the Race with Grace on Thursday morning. I will just take it pretty easy the next couple of days and see what Thursday brings.
I'm really glad that I was able to run today. 4 days of rest is definitely enough. This injury is probably a blessing in disguise. Marathon training begins in exactly 1 week! Let's go!
Last Sunday after my run, I was messing around with my wife. Turns out, she does not like being tickled. To avoid my tickling ambush, she flailed and accidently kicked me in the chest. It hurt quite a bit but I didn't think anything of it. Monday rolls around and the weather was awful so I ran on the dreadmill (see post). Nothing was wrong and nothing hurt.
Tuesday the 19th. I'm not sure what happened. I was running with Ben and about a mile into the run I realized my chest was hurting. It was pretty chilly and Ben thought it might have been the cold. We finished the run (6.2 miles that I didn't write about) and I was gasping for air. My chest felt like someone took a bat to it. It hurt to walk, breath, sit/stand, and pretty much do anything. I was pretty nervous but there was no swelling or bruising. Needless to say, I didn't sleep very well that night.
I obviously knew that I had to take a few days off. Wednesday (the 20th) I went to Immediate Care and got my chest checked out. I was still in significant pain. Luckily they had a X-Ray machine and I found out I did not have a cracked rib. Huge sigh of relief. The doctor believes that I have torn or pulled some muscles/cartilage in the chest. His prescription: rest and extra strength Ibuprofen. The medicine has significantly reduced the pain.
I've been itching to run. Finally my chest wasn't hurting when I took a deep breath anymore so I decided to give running a chance today. Well, the weather was a balmy 24 degrees with a stiff wind out of the west. Brrrrr.
Thankfully Selke was willing to run with me today; I doubt I would have made it too far because of the cold. There are two things I hate about running: too hot and too cold weather conditions. Ugh. Since Selke's foot is really bothering him we ran on some snow covered trails. Running in the snow is always fun as long as it's less than a few inches. Most of the mud and puddles were frozen, except the one I stepped in (of course). Now I only wanted to test out my chest to see if I could take some deep breathes. Therefore, we only did a 4 miler. Throughout the run I was feeling pretty good but I could still feel a little pain. Nothing too serious.
We got back to my car and my chest is a little sore. This is pretty good news. I was pretty worried that I would have to withdraw from the Race with Grace on Thursday morning. I will just take it pretty easy the next couple of days and see what Thursday brings.
I'm really glad that I was able to run today. 4 days of rest is definitely enough. This injury is probably a blessing in disguise. Marathon training begins in exactly 1 week! Let's go!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Dreadmill
The one piece of equipment that I despise the most is the treadmill. Properly termed: the dreadmill, as it makes me shudder every time I think about having to get on it. Unfortunately, last night I decided to give it a go. I probably could have gone out for a run but the weather conditions were not really conducive to running.
With winds near 35mph and the temperature below 40, I thought it best to run on the dreadmill. Naturally, that means my mileage was shorter. I don't know what it is with the dreadmill but I can't seem to run further than 3 miles at a time on it. It's not like 3 miles is a struggle because it's not. 3 miles is a cake walk. Alas, 3 miles is all I can handle on the wicked dreadmill.
On the positive side - my ankle is not hurting. This is really good news. As the Race with Grace nears and official marathon training approaches, I want to be injury free. Sure there is some mild aches and pains but that's part of the game.
With winds near 35mph and the temperature below 40, I thought it best to run on the dreadmill. Naturally, that means my mileage was shorter. I don't know what it is with the dreadmill but I can't seem to run further than 3 miles at a time on it. It's not like 3 miles is a struggle because it's not. 3 miles is a cake walk. Alas, 3 miles is all I can handle on the wicked dreadmill.
On the positive side - my ankle is not hurting. This is really good news. As the Race with Grace nears and official marathon training approaches, I want to be injury free. Sure there is some mild aches and pains but that's part of the game.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Muddy Sunday
Yesterday (Saturday) I decided to run really short just to test out the ankle. Everything seemed fine which is great news. Naturally, I made plans to run on Sunday.
I ran with Ben and Selke today. Selke and I have both been nursing injuries so we wanted to run on soft surfaces. We decided to run at Oatka Park in Scottsville. I have never run there up until today so I wasn't sure what I was expecting. Last night, Ben told me he wanted to run 8 miles and I chuckled to myself because I wasn't sure how Ben would hold up.
Driving up to Oatka Park I was pretty sure that we were going to get murdered. You know those times where you are driving out in the middle of nowhere and the houses look like really sketchy people live there? Yeah, that is exactly what the houses looked like on our way.
The weather was really good for the 17th of November. It was a comfortable 50ish with a slight breeze and on and off sprinkles. The rain didn't stick around too long and soon the sun appeared. I was glad that I chose shorts and a tshirt. We sort of knew that it was going to be really muddy. That is an understatement.
Less than 2 miles into the run there was some uphill trail for a little. The entire hill we were slipping and sliding all over the place. At one point in the run, Selke actually bite it and got covered in mud. These runs are fairly fun if you don't mind getting muddy. We decided that we should test out our nagging injuries and do a 30 second pick-up. Selke and I took off and were probably running close to 6 minute pace and we left Ben in the dust. Poor Ben. Both Selke and I felt fine and it was definitely worth the one pick up.
About half way through the run I rolled my ankle real bad. We took a break to allow me to walk it off. Of course this is the ankle that I have been nursing. I was a bit nervous that I really hurt it but I walked it off within 5 minutes. So we took it a bit slow for a few minutes and just in case I needed to head in. Thankfully, nothing was wrong and I trucked on.
We're about 40 minutes in now and Selke and I notice Ben is struggling a bit. Naturally we asked him if he wanted to keep going. He groaned. We kept going. As we approached the car we didn't bother picking the pace up and kept steady. As we pull up next to the car Ben just sits down as he was completely gassed. We figured we did about 7.5 miles covered in mud.
Overall, it was a great run. My ankle isn't hurting and the weather was ideal for late fall running. The only thing that will make this day better is some winter ales.
I ran with Ben and Selke today. Selke and I have both been nursing injuries so we wanted to run on soft surfaces. We decided to run at Oatka Park in Scottsville. I have never run there up until today so I wasn't sure what I was expecting. Last night, Ben told me he wanted to run 8 miles and I chuckled to myself because I wasn't sure how Ben would hold up.
Driving up to Oatka Park I was pretty sure that we were going to get murdered. You know those times where you are driving out in the middle of nowhere and the houses look like really sketchy people live there? Yeah, that is exactly what the houses looked like on our way.
The weather was really good for the 17th of November. It was a comfortable 50ish with a slight breeze and on and off sprinkles. The rain didn't stick around too long and soon the sun appeared. I was glad that I chose shorts and a tshirt. We sort of knew that it was going to be really muddy. That is an understatement.
Less than 2 miles into the run there was some uphill trail for a little. The entire hill we were slipping and sliding all over the place. At one point in the run, Selke actually bite it and got covered in mud. These runs are fairly fun if you don't mind getting muddy. We decided that we should test out our nagging injuries and do a 30 second pick-up. Selke and I took off and were probably running close to 6 minute pace and we left Ben in the dust. Poor Ben. Both Selke and I felt fine and it was definitely worth the one pick up.
About half way through the run I rolled my ankle real bad. We took a break to allow me to walk it off. Of course this is the ankle that I have been nursing. I was a bit nervous that I really hurt it but I walked it off within 5 minutes. So we took it a bit slow for a few minutes and just in case I needed to head in. Thankfully, nothing was wrong and I trucked on.
We're about 40 minutes in now and Selke and I notice Ben is struggling a bit. Naturally we asked him if he wanted to keep going. He groaned. We kept going. As we approached the car we didn't bother picking the pace up and kept steady. As we pull up next to the car Ben just sits down as he was completely gassed. We figured we did about 7.5 miles covered in mud.
Overall, it was a great run. My ankle isn't hurting and the weather was ideal for late fall running. The only thing that will make this day better is some winter ales.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Rest is nice.
After taking two days off I thought my ankle would be good to go. The swelling went down and the pain subsided. The rest was great. I started a core workout schedule which should help in general but I really hate taking breaks.
Every week I try to get a run in with someone. Running miles in the dark by yourself suck. So last night I ran with Ben. Typically when I run with Ben we're out there for 4-7 miles and nothing super fast. Last night was no different - an easy 5 miles in 39:18. Solid pace and beautiful conditions. Around 2.5 miles though, my ankle started bothering me again. Nothing like it was on Monday during the 16 miler, but enough where there is some mild discomfort walking around today.
After the run I did some stretching and headed over to one of my friends' house to enjoy some empty calories. We bought a variety pack of Saranc beer. They're delicious. I know a lot of people are complaining that Christmas advertising/winter is coming too soon. I agree to an extent, however, winter beers are my personal favorite.
Overall, 5 miles and some nice cold beer to wash away the pain in the ankle was a great Thursday night. I'm probably taking today off just in case. Off to work and the ice bags!
Every week I try to get a run in with someone. Running miles in the dark by yourself suck. So last night I ran with Ben. Typically when I run with Ben we're out there for 4-7 miles and nothing super fast. Last night was no different - an easy 5 miles in 39:18. Solid pace and beautiful conditions. Around 2.5 miles though, my ankle started bothering me again. Nothing like it was on Monday during the 16 miler, but enough where there is some mild discomfort walking around today.
After the run I did some stretching and headed over to one of my friends' house to enjoy some empty calories. We bought a variety pack of Saranc beer. They're delicious. I know a lot of people are complaining that Christmas advertising/winter is coming too soon. I agree to an extent, however, winter beers are my personal favorite.
Overall, 5 miles and some nice cold beer to wash away the pain in the ankle was a great Thursday night. I'm probably taking today off just in case. Off to work and the ice bags!
Monday, November 11, 2013
Veterans Day Struggle
Since this is a very important day for all of our active military and our veterans I figured I could go out there and struggle for for a bit. After all, I'm more than positive the military has is harder than running 16.4 miles. The route: Brockport to Greece via the Erie Canal path.
This is probably one of my last long runs of the year and man was it pretty tough. Running 16 miles is no joke. Thankfully the run was a net downhill and pretty much all on gravel. The temperature was upper 30s lower 40s with a strong southwesterly wind. Another positive for the run, 14ish miles was going with the wind! It was a win-win situation for me. However, around mile 4 or 5 the rain started to come. From there out I could tell the rest of the run might be ugly.
I'm really thankful I have a lot of running friends that find the same joy of causing pain to the body as I do. With that said, I'm pretty sure I couldn't have run this whole route without my good friend Selke. Now, Selke is a much faster runner than I but he doesn't mind taking easy recovery days. Naturally, I thought this was going to be a slower run since it was a long one. Not so fast. We went through 5 miles around the 38 minute mark - much of that pace was due to the wind. Several times I said "we should probably slow down a bit." Naturally, we didn't slow at all.
Finally we get to mile 11. We're soaked and it's the first and really only rest stop of the run. Yesterday I purchased some GU bars and I brought one with me to experiment. It was strawberry flavor and it tasted alright. I'm convinced that if I didn't have that I wouldn't have made it the rest of the way. It was a short break and then we were back on our way.
The other day I mentioned my ankle was a bit sore. Up to this point (mile 12ish) I was doing alright. We start going around this bend and I feel some pain in the ankle. Uh oh. I told Selke about it but we just pushed on. He reasoning - we're almost done! Silly for me to have thought about calling it a day and walking in and cutting the run short!
The last 3 miles were the worst. I thought they were going to be very easy at the beginning since there is a really nice down hill around 13.5. However, at that point we turned northwest and were not running almost right into the wind the rest of the way with the rain picking up. Not fun. To top that off, my ankle was throbbing. I sacked up, however and continued forward.
The last 1.5 miles:
We are just about to turn west - directly into the wind. I'm certain the wind has picked up and I know for a fact that it is raining harder. I'm pretty beat and Selke can tell. Allegedly he claims to be pretty beat at this point too but I have my doubts. I tuck in behind him and at this point we're just holding on to whatever we have left. Every step of the way I'm just thinking about how much further we have to go and how nice it will feel to be inside and warm. Finally we have a half mile to go. Nothing is left in my legs. We tick off another quarter and now we know we'll make it. We put it in cruise and just finished.
The end:
We reach the destination. There was talks early of maybe tacking on the extra .1 miles to make it 16.5 but there was no way that was going to happen now. There was no signs of delight to be done. We were just glad to be heading inside. At my parents' house we sat down and my dad had fresh pineapple and hot coco ready for us. It was so nice to be warm and sitting. I immediately went for the ice pack as my ankle was and still is visibly swollen.
I'm glad my father drove us back to the my apartment from where we started. The ride was nice and I was definitely glad to have ran when we did since the weather conditions got worse. We finished the run in 2:10:59. The last 2-3 miles was pretty slow due to the wind and my ankle. I'm sure we were probably averaging around 7:35-7:40 pace which I find to be quite impressive. Overall, I'm glad I got the 16 in for the day. I'm also glad that tomorrow is a rest day!
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go devour everything in sight and fall asleep.
This is probably one of my last long runs of the year and man was it pretty tough. Running 16 miles is no joke. Thankfully the run was a net downhill and pretty much all on gravel. The temperature was upper 30s lower 40s with a strong southwesterly wind. Another positive for the run, 14ish miles was going with the wind! It was a win-win situation for me. However, around mile 4 or 5 the rain started to come. From there out I could tell the rest of the run might be ugly.
I'm really thankful I have a lot of running friends that find the same joy of causing pain to the body as I do. With that said, I'm pretty sure I couldn't have run this whole route without my good friend Selke. Now, Selke is a much faster runner than I but he doesn't mind taking easy recovery days. Naturally, I thought this was going to be a slower run since it was a long one. Not so fast. We went through 5 miles around the 38 minute mark - much of that pace was due to the wind. Several times I said "we should probably slow down a bit." Naturally, we didn't slow at all.
Finally we get to mile 11. We're soaked and it's the first and really only rest stop of the run. Yesterday I purchased some GU bars and I brought one with me to experiment. It was strawberry flavor and it tasted alright. I'm convinced that if I didn't have that I wouldn't have made it the rest of the way. It was a short break and then we were back on our way.
The other day I mentioned my ankle was a bit sore. Up to this point (mile 12ish) I was doing alright. We start going around this bend and I feel some pain in the ankle. Uh oh. I told Selke about it but we just pushed on. He reasoning - we're almost done! Silly for me to have thought about calling it a day and walking in and cutting the run short!
The last 3 miles were the worst. I thought they were going to be very easy at the beginning since there is a really nice down hill around 13.5. However, at that point we turned northwest and were not running almost right into the wind the rest of the way with the rain picking up. Not fun. To top that off, my ankle was throbbing. I sacked up, however and continued forward.
The last 1.5 miles:
We are just about to turn west - directly into the wind. I'm certain the wind has picked up and I know for a fact that it is raining harder. I'm pretty beat and Selke can tell. Allegedly he claims to be pretty beat at this point too but I have my doubts. I tuck in behind him and at this point we're just holding on to whatever we have left. Every step of the way I'm just thinking about how much further we have to go and how nice it will feel to be inside and warm. Finally we have a half mile to go. Nothing is left in my legs. We tick off another quarter and now we know we'll make it. We put it in cruise and just finished.
The end:
We reach the destination. There was talks early of maybe tacking on the extra .1 miles to make it 16.5 but there was no way that was going to happen now. There was no signs of delight to be done. We were just glad to be heading inside. At my parents' house we sat down and my dad had fresh pineapple and hot coco ready for us. It was so nice to be warm and sitting. I immediately went for the ice pack as my ankle was and still is visibly swollen.
I'm glad my father drove us back to the my apartment from where we started. The ride was nice and I was definitely glad to have ran when we did since the weather conditions got worse. We finished the run in 2:10:59. The last 2-3 miles was pretty slow due to the wind and my ankle. I'm sure we were probably averaging around 7:35-7:40 pace which I find to be quite impressive. Overall, I'm glad I got the 16 in for the day. I'm also glad that tomorrow is a rest day!
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go devour everything in sight and fall asleep.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Getting back to basics
Since I have been running quite a bit this year (763 miles after today on the year which is more than double than last year) and I have officially decided to run the Buffalo Marathon in May 2014, I figured I should start writing again. My last post was back in February? Crazy. There has been so much going on with the training, I'll try to sum it up quickly!
Up to date, running has been going great. I've run a few races on the year and have one more coming up on Thanksgiving Day. I've stayed pretty much injury free besides the little aches and pains. I have also lost a toe nail. I've run 14 for my furthest run and have a 16 miler scheduled for Monday. Overall, I'd say training and my base has been going great. Official marathon training begins December 1st.
Until December 1st, you'll get to read my ramblings about the miles leading up to the real training. For instance, todays run was a nice little 6.3 miler. Nothing too exciting to report. The temperature was in the upper 40s with a slight breeze. The breeze made it feel like it was upper 30s. I'm glad I wore tights.
When I was out on the roads with Ben I felt really comfortable. The pace wasn't killer and the legs felt great after taking a day off. I do have a slightly sore ankle and I was and am a bit worried about that. Nothing ice can't fix I suppose. We'll see how tomorrow and Monday go.
Up to date, running has been going great. I've run a few races on the year and have one more coming up on Thanksgiving Day. I've stayed pretty much injury free besides the little aches and pains. I have also lost a toe nail. I've run 14 for my furthest run and have a 16 miler scheduled for Monday. Overall, I'd say training and my base has been going great. Official marathon training begins December 1st.
Until December 1st, you'll get to read my ramblings about the miles leading up to the real training. For instance, todays run was a nice little 6.3 miler. Nothing too exciting to report. The temperature was in the upper 40s with a slight breeze. The breeze made it feel like it was upper 30s. I'm glad I wore tights.
When I was out on the roads with Ben I felt really comfortable. The pace wasn't killer and the legs felt great after taking a day off. I do have a slightly sore ankle and I was and am a bit worried about that. Nothing ice can't fix I suppose. We'll see how tomorrow and Monday go.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Frosty
Current temperature is 21 degrees. When I went for my run it was near 27, not too much of a difference. However, that 27 felt like 10 with the bitter wind coming out of the West. I probably should have checked the wind direction before I stepped out the door.
I had a great run. The only bad thing about today's run was the wind. My first couple of miles were with the wind so that made the run slightly more enjoyable. Once I started running into the wind I sure wanted to get home quickly. I felt like I was running fast but it was probably fairly slow. I did get some glances from people driving by thinking I was crazy for running outside. I'm pretty surprised I didn't trip over anything since I could hardly keep my head up while I was running into the wind. Let's just say it wasn't the prettiest running form today...
When I got home from my run I had a pleasurable surprise that Chelsea was waiting for me so she could get her first run in of 2013. We only ran a half mile together, approximately about 6 minutes, but it is a good start! I'm not too sure why she picked a miserable weather condition day to go for her first run of the year but I'm sure glad she did!
It's currently a few hours after my run and I'm still a bit cold. I really could use a good shot of whiskey just to warm up. That probably won't happen tonight.
I had a great run. The only bad thing about today's run was the wind. My first couple of miles were with the wind so that made the run slightly more enjoyable. Once I started running into the wind I sure wanted to get home quickly. I felt like I was running fast but it was probably fairly slow. I did get some glances from people driving by thinking I was crazy for running outside. I'm pretty surprised I didn't trip over anything since I could hardly keep my head up while I was running into the wind. Let's just say it wasn't the prettiest running form today...
When I got home from my run I had a pleasurable surprise that Chelsea was waiting for me so she could get her first run in of 2013. We only ran a half mile together, approximately about 6 minutes, but it is a good start! I'm not too sure why she picked a miserable weather condition day to go for her first run of the year but I'm sure glad she did!
It's currently a few hours after my run and I'm still a bit cold. I really could use a good shot of whiskey just to warm up. That probably won't happen tonight.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Merp
There are few things I hate more than the treadmill. Every time I step on the treadmill I get some cold chill that runs up my spin. I despise it. I always feel disgusting after I'm done with my run and it seems that I can never run as far or as long as I would have liked. Even a simple easy pace seems difficult on the treadmill. This is why some of us have appropriately named the treadmill the dreadmill.
I would have liked to run outside today but after letting my dogs outside I decided it was way too cold (16 degrees) to even think about going out for a run. I then decided it was a good idea to eat pizza and get fat. It's probably a good thing that I gathered enough courage to step onto the dreadmill. At this point, I would like to give a big shout out to my boy John E. for showing me the website/app www.songza.com. If you haven't heard of it go check it out - it'll be worth your time. I typically don't listen to music while running, or working out for that matter. However, when I run on the dreadmill it's nice to listen to anything rather than the humming motor of the dreadmill.
I now know why a lot of runners like to drink too much. It is because of the treadmill. I couldn't help but think how awful I felt after I finished my run. It honestly felt like I ran 10 miles even though it was only 3. And 3 miles is as far as I want to run on the treadmill.
I would have liked to run outside today but after letting my dogs outside I decided it was way too cold (16 degrees) to even think about going out for a run. I then decided it was a good idea to eat pizza and get fat. It's probably a good thing that I gathered enough courage to step onto the dreadmill. At this point, I would like to give a big shout out to my boy John E. for showing me the website/app www.songza.com. If you haven't heard of it go check it out - it'll be worth your time. I typically don't listen to music while running, or working out for that matter. However, when I run on the dreadmill it's nice to listen to anything rather than the humming motor of the dreadmill.
I now know why a lot of runners like to drink too much. It is because of the treadmill. I couldn't help but think how awful I felt after I finished my run. It honestly felt like I ran 10 miles even though it was only 3. And 3 miles is as far as I want to run on the treadmill.
Friday, February 15, 2013
TGIF?
This has not been quite the week of training that I expected. In fact, it is the complete opposite of what I really wanted to do. Let's chalk this week's mileage, or lack thereof, up to bad weather (so far)... However, it was nice to get out for a quick little run before this evenings activities.
For the first day this week the weather was cooperative! Tonight's run was great, mid-30s and a slight breeze out of the West. Of course I didn't check the wind direction before running so I started the run going into the wind (I'd rather start going that way than finishing into the wind!). I told myself before going out that tonight was going to be a short "easy" run since tomorrow I am planning on running quite a bit further than usual with a few people. Around the mile marker I took a glance at my watch and I realized that I was running much faster than planned. This is a good thing, especially because it didn't seem difficult. Whoever said that you loose a lot of muscle memory after taking a day off is completely wrong! I was thoroughly impressed with the time.
A little bit more about what happened on the run. You know those jack asses that think they're cool when they yell at you? Some douche bags thought it would be funny to yell at me on the run. Lucky for them they're fat and will most likely die of diabetes at the age of 25. Good for them, those fat fucks. If you couldn't tell I really despise people that think they're cool and I hate fat people. Not a good combo for those guys.
Really, tonight's run was pretty uneventful. It was beautiful conditions and it's nice that it is staying a bit lighter out longer. Hopefully the temperature starts going up soon! Now it's time to stay warm with some good alcohol! Beers up!
For the first day this week the weather was cooperative! Tonight's run was great, mid-30s and a slight breeze out of the West. Of course I didn't check the wind direction before running so I started the run going into the wind (I'd rather start going that way than finishing into the wind!). I told myself before going out that tonight was going to be a short "easy" run since tomorrow I am planning on running quite a bit further than usual with a few people. Around the mile marker I took a glance at my watch and I realized that I was running much faster than planned. This is a good thing, especially because it didn't seem difficult. Whoever said that you loose a lot of muscle memory after taking a day off is completely wrong! I was thoroughly impressed with the time.
A little bit more about what happened on the run. You know those jack asses that think they're cool when they yell at you? Some douche bags thought it would be funny to yell at me on the run. Lucky for them they're fat and will most likely die of diabetes at the age of 25. Good for them, those fat fucks. If you couldn't tell I really despise people that think they're cool and I hate fat people. Not a good combo for those guys.
Really, tonight's run was pretty uneventful. It was beautiful conditions and it's nice that it is staying a bit lighter out longer. Hopefully the temperature starts going up soon! Now it's time to stay warm with some good alcohol! Beers up!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Sunday Funday
Nothing really beats a beautiful Sunday run, especially after a boring 4 hour work day. Typically, Sunday's mean long runs - I chose to run a bit short today (I kind of bitched out). But that's fine, I took it slow too and I felt pretty good. My legs are still a bit sore and tired from yesterday's snow shoe run but it's nice to feel good after runs.
I never say that I prefer running on the sidewalks over the roads but today is a different day. The sidewalks were much nicer to run on than the roads today. The one problem with running on the sidewalks today was that the snow is slightly melting therefore, some of the snow on the tree branches is falling off. Needless to say, there was several times on today's run that I got slapped in the face by Mother Nature and it was a bit awkward. There was also a few time where I almost got snow thrown at me by people shoveling their driveways. Thankfully, the few people shoveling saw me and stopped as a I passed.
It's always nice to see people outside when the sun is shinning. I would like it better if it was about 30 degrees warmer! In fact, today was one of the first days that I felt like I dressed comfortably on the run. Lately I have been wearing too many layers and getting too hot (and smelly according to some). The worst part about running on sunny days is when you get inside and your eyes haven't adjusted. I'm pretty sure I might have knocked something off the kitchen counter! I am also quite impressed that I am able to see the computer screen right now.
I never say that I prefer running on the sidewalks over the roads but today is a different day. The sidewalks were much nicer to run on than the roads today. The one problem with running on the sidewalks today was that the snow is slightly melting therefore, some of the snow on the tree branches is falling off. Needless to say, there was several times on today's run that I got slapped in the face by Mother Nature and it was a bit awkward. There was also a few time where I almost got snow thrown at me by people shoveling their driveways. Thankfully, the few people shoveling saw me and stopped as a I passed.
It's always nice to see people outside when the sun is shinning. I would like it better if it was about 30 degrees warmer! In fact, today was one of the first days that I felt like I dressed comfortably on the run. Lately I have been wearing too many layers and getting too hot (and smelly according to some). The worst part about running on sunny days is when you get inside and your eyes haven't adjusted. I'm pretty sure I might have knocked something off the kitchen counter! I am also quite impressed that I am able to see the computer screen right now.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Found Nemo
A little break from the norm is a good thing. After a pretty rough run earlier in the week I decided to jump on the opportunity to run with my friend, Ben. We went snow shoe running for the second time this winter at a local country club. Luckily there was no one there to yell at us!
Snow shoeing is quite different that actual running - if you've never tried it, I highly recommend it! It's more of a trot and you pick your legs up a little more than usual. The one downside to show shoe running is you get soaked and cold. It makes it easier with a friend.
There was a few times on the run I thought I was going to bite it. There were random spots that were deeper than other spots. I'm sure if I did fall it would have been funny.
I really like Nemo better as a clown fish and not a wintry storm.
Snow shoeing is quite different that actual running - if you've never tried it, I highly recommend it! It's more of a trot and you pick your legs up a little more than usual. The one downside to show shoe running is you get soaked and cold. It makes it easier with a friend.
There was a few times on the run I thought I was going to bite it. There were random spots that were deeper than other spots. I'm sure if I did fall it would have been funny.
I really like Nemo better as a clown fish and not a wintry storm.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Bobble head
It's time for some good news bad news.
Good news: I'm alive.
Bad news: The run sucked.
Good news: Survived a potential dog attack.
Bad news: The old lady walking the dog fell flat on her face. Actually, it was kind of funny.
Good news: I found out I had some serious "Spidy skills."
Bad news: I also found out that there was some ice out there.
Good news: I was out there.
Bad news: I cut the run short.
With that being said, I really felt like I wasn't moving out there. Sure I had a decent pace but I was sure glad to finish when I did. Maybe my legs are just a bit tired? Oh well. Beer time.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Super Sunday
Super Bowl Sunday is probably one of my favorite days of the year. Not because my team ever makes it to the Super Bowl but because of the amount of beer, chicken wings, and pizza we consume. Nothing beats that. To make myself feel good about what I'm about to put into my stomach I had go for a run. It's been several years since I ran at Mendon Ponds Park with Selke but it was well worth going back.
Mendon was my favorite high school xc course. It's fairly hilly and I always believed that I had an advantage on the hills. Thankfully, Selke decided against the hills today. We ran on a we trails and there were a few icy parts. Luckily, neither of us fell.
After we get back to the parking lot there was this lady driving around the parking lot. It was strange. She was driving super slow and using her turn signal ever time she turned. Either she was nuts or being very cautious. I figured that was a good opportunity to get out of there and Selke needed to add a few more miles on.
I will most likely have to run tomorrow to make up for the damage I'm about to do to my liver, intestines, and arteries.
Mendon was my favorite high school xc course. It's fairly hilly and I always believed that I had an advantage on the hills. Thankfully, Selke decided against the hills today. We ran on a we trails and there were a few icy parts. Luckily, neither of us fell.
After we get back to the parking lot there was this lady driving around the parking lot. It was strange. She was driving super slow and using her turn signal ever time she turned. Either she was nuts or being very cautious. I figured that was a good opportunity to get out of there and Selke needed to add a few more miles on.
I will most likely have to run tomorrow to make up for the damage I'm about to do to my liver, intestines, and arteries.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Groundhog Day!
So the groundhog didn't see his shadow today! Spring is coming soon. Hopefully. Today was no spring with it being a whopping 28 degrees outside. Pretty cold but I'm a warrior. With such an epic day of running I figured I couldn't be a lazy ass all day. If you didn't catch any action today, shame on you. A quick recap of the action today. Meyo Mile at ND. USA XC Nationals. And Lagat went all beast mode today in the 3k. My run was nothing epic like today's races.
I was supposed to run this morning before work. Obviously that didn't happen. I had one too many last night so I figured I would get a few miles in after work. I cut the run short tonight due to the cold temps and a variety of other reasons. They're pretty epic reasons.
I only ran a quick 3 miles. I didn't feel tired after which is great news! Solid run. However, my lungs felt like they were the turf of the USA XC Nationals because it was so cold. Needless to say, I'd rather have some Jameson that gives a nice burn. On top of the burning lungs my shin felt like Barry Bonds added to his home run record. I know I know, pretty lame excuses for only running 3 miles. The shin feels fine now. I did feel like I was running differently than usual. I probably could have worn ice skates today and I made a big rookie mistake: I wore the wrong socks. Nothing is worse than your socks falling down while you're running. Weak.
Good thing there is only 6 more weeks of winter! I need a beer.
I was supposed to run this morning before work. Obviously that didn't happen. I had one too many last night so I figured I would get a few miles in after work. I cut the run short tonight due to the cold temps and a variety of other reasons. They're pretty epic reasons.
I only ran a quick 3 miles. I didn't feel tired after which is great news! Solid run. However, my lungs felt like they were the turf of the USA XC Nationals because it was so cold. Needless to say, I'd rather have some Jameson that gives a nice burn. On top of the burning lungs my shin felt like Barry Bonds added to his home run record. I know I know, pretty lame excuses for only running 3 miles. The shin feels fine now. I did feel like I was running differently than usual. I probably could have worn ice skates today and I made a big rookie mistake: I wore the wrong socks. Nothing is worse than your socks falling down while you're running. Weak.
Good thing there is only 6 more weeks of winter! I need a beer.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Winter dreaming?
Another 60 degree day in Rochester, NY. Incredible. Obviously I wasn't going to miss out on another beautiful night running in shorts and a long sleeved shirt in the end of January. I really want to make up a crazy story to tell you - like I out ran a cop and a dog all in a nights work. But that is not so. Quite the opposite. Tonight was just like any other normal run.
I had a great run tonight; just under 4 miles and under 8 minute mile pace. Solid. However, I felt like an old man (hint of the beer tonight!). I was super stiff and it didn't seem like I could loosen up. The first half mile was rough. Around mile 1 it seemed like I was going to be alright so I decided I would run a route that I haven't run since high school.
All was going well until around 2.5 miles. I then realized I was still hurting and my legs were real stiff. I probably should stretch more often. The problem here is, if I turned around I would have run further than had I just continued like I did. I sucked it up and I'm glad that I did. The run sort of reminded me of the good ole days of high school cross country. It sure as hell smelled like fall with the mud and the sweat (I wish there were leaves still on the ground).
It is such a buzz kill that tomorrow is supposed to be back in the 30s. I sure of could have gotten used to shorts again! But until then, I'll keep on trucking along and I might even stretch a bit. With that being said, time for some Southern Tier Old Man Winter beer. If you've never tried it, you're missing out!!
I had a great run tonight; just under 4 miles and under 8 minute mile pace. Solid. However, I felt like an old man (hint of the beer tonight!). I was super stiff and it didn't seem like I could loosen up. The first half mile was rough. Around mile 1 it seemed like I was going to be alright so I decided I would run a route that I haven't run since high school.
All was going well until around 2.5 miles. I then realized I was still hurting and my legs were real stiff. I probably should stretch more often. The problem here is, if I turned around I would have run further than had I just continued like I did. I sucked it up and I'm glad that I did. The run sort of reminded me of the good ole days of high school cross country. It sure as hell smelled like fall with the mud and the sweat (I wish there were leaves still on the ground).
It is such a buzz kill that tomorrow is supposed to be back in the 30s. I sure of could have gotten used to shorts again! But until then, I'll keep on trucking along and I might even stretch a bit. With that being said, time for some Southern Tier Old Man Winter beer. If you've never tried it, you're missing out!!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Trivia Night!
It's a beautiful night in Rochester! I really can't believe that it's 50 degrees and rainy at the end of January. Nothing really beats running in shorts and a light rain-jacket in the middle of winter.
There was nothing special about tonight's loop. I ran exactly 4 miles and it was essentially an out and back. The one road, Straub Road, was the main road I was on. There was a a good quarter mile on Straub that smelled like a septic tank. Gross. I'm pretty sure there is a dead bambi somewhere back in the swap. It smelled so bad that I wanted to throw up; almost like trying to run with a hangover. Guaranteed throw up session.
At least the septic tank smell was only around for a few minutes. The one annoying part of running at dusk, and when all the snow is melting, is I couldn't see the damn puddles. Needless to say that my shoes are soaked. Pro tip: put newspaper in soaked shoes and leave them in front of the refrigerator over night. I tried to avoid the puddles as best as I could but it was futile. The random tip-toeing around puddles must have been a sight to see as people were driving past me and I tried to avoid falling on my ass because of the muddy grass.
The one downer tonight was Chelsea promised me to go for a run with me when I finished my run! Did she? Nope. I don't blame her, I'd rather drink than run. Good thing I'm going to trivia night tonight! What type of beer am I drinking tonight? Not too sure yet. I'm hoping Victory Storm King is on special tonight and I sure hope we win trivia night! $50 bar tab for the winners!
There was nothing special about tonight's loop. I ran exactly 4 miles and it was essentially an out and back. The one road, Straub Road, was the main road I was on. There was a a good quarter mile on Straub that smelled like a septic tank. Gross. I'm pretty sure there is a dead bambi somewhere back in the swap. It smelled so bad that I wanted to throw up; almost like trying to run with a hangover. Guaranteed throw up session.
At least the septic tank smell was only around for a few minutes. The one annoying part of running at dusk, and when all the snow is melting, is I couldn't see the damn puddles. Needless to say that my shoes are soaked. Pro tip: put newspaper in soaked shoes and leave them in front of the refrigerator over night. I tried to avoid the puddles as best as I could but it was futile. The random tip-toeing around puddles must have been a sight to see as people were driving past me and I tried to avoid falling on my ass because of the muddy grass.
The one downer tonight was Chelsea promised me to go for a run with me when I finished my run! Did she? Nope. I don't blame her, I'd rather drink than run. Good thing I'm going to trivia night tonight! What type of beer am I drinking tonight? Not too sure yet. I'm hoping Victory Storm King is on special tonight and I sure hope we win trivia night! $50 bar tab for the winners!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Back to the Future?
My last post was April 8th, 2012. It is now 27 days into 2013. I've been running off and on over the past year and drinking more beers a week than miles. I'd say I'm nowhere near able to run a marathon! With that being said, I guess I'm back to running - again. Will it last longer than last year? Probably...not. Who knows, I might surprise myself and surprise you!
Here is a little background. The end of 2012 I decided I should probably start running again. I gained a few pounds (compared to my racing days) and I can drink way more than I probably should. Late November and early December I started to run again. I ran a few times with a few friends, Pete and Selke. I also started running once a week with my good friend Ben (which we still try to do). I ended 2012 with several good weeks of running and have continued to debate if I should actually train for anything (obviously I debated this while drinking).
2013 starts and I get a few great runs in - then the flu happened. Knocked me out for around 12 days. I got better and ran one or two days then Mother Nature decided to slap us around with single digits. Finally, it is starting to be warm enough to go outside without whiskey!
Enough with this background noise. Today's run was nice. I ran with a good friend, Chris, who has just under a week of fatherhood under his belt. He is currently training for a marathon and has been asking me to go for runs with him. It finally worked out today. It was only 5 miles and it was around 8 minute mile pace. This is great news for both of us. Chris is just starting to run and I am just starting to get back into shape. I like talking to Chris because we hold the same political views. It's great to bitch and moan about Louise Slaughter and Obama. It makes my day.
The run today was pretty uneventful. It was just above 25 degrees and plenty of slop in the roads and sidewalks. It makes running feel like beach runs except your face freezes and the only type of burn you'll get is wind burn. I did realize, however, that I need a delicious beer after this cold run. I was thinking something along the lines of a Brooklyn IPA. Brooklyn IPA had mild hops that like to bite your tongue at first - similar to the cold wind. Perfect match for today's nice run.
Here's to more miles and more beers!
Here is a little background. The end of 2012 I decided I should probably start running again. I gained a few pounds (compared to my racing days) and I can drink way more than I probably should. Late November and early December I started to run again. I ran a few times with a few friends, Pete and Selke. I also started running once a week with my good friend Ben (which we still try to do). I ended 2012 with several good weeks of running and have continued to debate if I should actually train for anything (obviously I debated this while drinking).
2013 starts and I get a few great runs in - then the flu happened. Knocked me out for around 12 days. I got better and ran one or two days then Mother Nature decided to slap us around with single digits. Finally, it is starting to be warm enough to go outside without whiskey!
Enough with this background noise. Today's run was nice. I ran with a good friend, Chris, who has just under a week of fatherhood under his belt. He is currently training for a marathon and has been asking me to go for runs with him. It finally worked out today. It was only 5 miles and it was around 8 minute mile pace. This is great news for both of us. Chris is just starting to run and I am just starting to get back into shape. I like talking to Chris because we hold the same political views. It's great to bitch and moan about Louise Slaughter and Obama. It makes my day.
The run today was pretty uneventful. It was just above 25 degrees and plenty of slop in the roads and sidewalks. It makes running feel like beach runs except your face freezes and the only type of burn you'll get is wind burn. I did realize, however, that I need a delicious beer after this cold run. I was thinking something along the lines of a Brooklyn IPA. Brooklyn IPA had mild hops that like to bite your tongue at first - similar to the cold wind. Perfect match for today's nice run.
Here's to more miles and more beers!
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