At work today
I decided to do ten push-ups every hour I wasn't on a call. I did a few extra's near the end of the night for good measure.
Push Ups: 260
July 31, 2010
July 29, 2010
Cardio!
I’m too tired to make a lengthy blog post.
I started the day with a 33-mile bike ride with Wyatt. We started at the Lake Houston Church in Atascocita and rode to Crosby Texas, before returning back. Wyatt did exceptionally well considering he had outpatient surgery last week. Looks like the cycling bug has bitten him for sure!
Road Bike:
33.06 miles
2:14:56
14.7 mph
Wyatt piqued my interest while telling me about a bike ride he wants to do in Gruene, Texas. The tour starts at the historical Gruene Hall and winds its way along scenic River Road before reaching Canyon Lake Dam. The ride sounds like a lot of fun. Hopefully I can manipulate my finances enough to go.
Andrea is finally feeling better and wanted to go for an evening run. She allowed me to join her with my walk/run regimen on the 5-mile loop. The intervals were short, which equated to a pleasant overall run pace. We knew the run was destine to be a good once we caught a glimpse of a beautiful sunset through the forest.
Run:
3.75 miles
37:44
10:04 pace
Walk:
1.55 miles
25:39
16:33 pace
Even though I was quite fatigued I forced myself to lift weights. During the short two-week return to weight training I have already started to increase the weight amounts.
Strength Training: Upper Body
I started the day with a 33-mile bike ride with Wyatt. We started at the Lake Houston Church in Atascocita and rode to Crosby Texas, before returning back. Wyatt did exceptionally well considering he had outpatient surgery last week. Looks like the cycling bug has bitten him for sure!
Road Bike:
33.06 miles
2:14:56
14.7 mph
Wyatt piqued my interest while telling me about a bike ride he wants to do in Gruene, Texas. The tour starts at the historical Gruene Hall and winds its way along scenic River Road before reaching Canyon Lake Dam. The ride sounds like a lot of fun. Hopefully I can manipulate my finances enough to go.
Andrea is finally feeling better and wanted to go for an evening run. She allowed me to join her with my walk/run regimen on the 5-mile loop. The intervals were short, which equated to a pleasant overall run pace. We knew the run was destine to be a good once we caught a glimpse of a beautiful sunset through the forest.
Run:
3.75 miles
37:44
10:04 pace
Walk:
1.55 miles
25:39
16:33 pace
Even though I was quite fatigued I forced myself to lift weights. During the short two-week return to weight training I have already started to increase the weight amounts.
Strength Training: Upper Body
July 28, 2010
Cycling legs are back, now where did I leave my running legs?
My darling wife has been sick all week with what appears to be a sinus infection. Even though it’s not possible to “catch” a sinus infection, I’m having similar symptoms now. Maybe it is sympathy symptoms!?!?
Either way, Andrea and I lounged around the house doing nothing more than watching television for the majority of the day. Late this afternoon a realtor wanted to show our house, so we finally pried ourselves off the couch and started moving.
I rode my trail bike nearly fifteen miles with no issues other than the suffocating humidity. I’m glad my cycling legs are back.
The blisters I got from the LSHT hike are healed. I’m ready to try a five mile run. If that goes well, maybe I’ll attempt a double digit long run this weekend. We’ll see how it goes, one step at a time…. right!?!
After a delicious dinner I finished the evening with a lower body workout.
The weather forecasters are reporting hotter temperatures with dryer air next week. I’m actually looking forward to the dryer air, even if it is hotter. This feeling of living in a swamp has grown old.
Trail Bike:
14.73 miles
1:15:47
11.66 mph
Strength Training: Lower Body
Either way, Andrea and I lounged around the house doing nothing more than watching television for the majority of the day. Late this afternoon a realtor wanted to show our house, so we finally pried ourselves off the couch and started moving.
I rode my trail bike nearly fifteen miles with no issues other than the suffocating humidity. I’m glad my cycling legs are back.
The blisters I got from the LSHT hike are healed. I’m ready to try a five mile run. If that goes well, maybe I’ll attempt a double digit long run this weekend. We’ll see how it goes, one step at a time…. right!?!
After a delicious dinner I finished the evening with a lower body workout.
The weather forecasters are reporting hotter temperatures with dryer air next week. I’m actually looking forward to the dryer air, even if it is hotter. This feeling of living in a swamp has grown old.
Trail Bike:
14.73 miles
1:15:47
11.66 mph
Strength Training: Lower Body
July 27, 2010
Welcome back Friend!
At work today
I warmed-up with a one mile run, then lifted weights, and completed the session with a two mile cool-down. Even though I ran on the treadmill, it was an exceptionally good run. It’s been a long time since I have enjoyed a run. I hope this is the start of my return back to running…
Run:
3.0 miles
36:19
12:09 pace
Push-ups: 50
Strength Training: Mid-body
I warmed-up with a one mile run, then lifted weights, and completed the session with a two mile cool-down. Even though I ran on the treadmill, it was an exceptionally good run. It’s been a long time since I have enjoyed a run. I hope this is the start of my return back to running…
Run:
3.0 miles
36:19
12:09 pace
Push-ups: 50
Strength Training: Mid-body
July 26, 2010
Tasty Meal
Not long ago I would bike for an hour and be frustrated because I didn’t feel like I was getting any exercise. Now, I’m huffing and puffing on short 30-minute rides. Its official, I am out of shape.
Sigh.
Another couple small bike rides around the ‘hood today followed by strength training in my home gym.
I made two low calorie, cheap, and TASTY meals today. Lunch was the BEST. I can still smell the aromas in the kitchen;
½ cup of sun dried tomato & spinach couscous
½ sautéed yellow onion
1 cup of sautéed mushrooms
1 small yellow squash, also sautéed with the mushroom and onions
2 tofu egg rolls on the side
Trail Bike:
15.78 miles
1:23:43
11.24 mph
Strength Training: Upper Body
Sigh.
Another couple small bike rides around the ‘hood today followed by strength training in my home gym.
I made two low calorie, cheap, and TASTY meals today. Lunch was the BEST. I can still smell the aromas in the kitchen;
½ cup of sun dried tomato & spinach couscous
½ sautéed yellow onion
1 cup of sautéed mushrooms
1 small yellow squash, also sautéed with the mushroom and onions
2 tofu egg rolls on the side
Trail Bike:
15.78 miles
1:23:43
11.24 mph
Strength Training: Upper Body
July 25, 2010
Biking around KW
Andrea and I rode our bikes to Skeeter’s for brunch. We are "coupon kings" recently. Today we enjoyed a GREAT meal for less than $10.
On our way home we biked to HEB and picked up groceries for the next couple days.
We made a second bike outing to Baskins & Robbins for ice cream late this evening. It’s been a lazy day, but we needed a day off to recharge our batteries.
Trail Bike:
11.21 miles
1:01:53
10.88 mph
On our way home we biked to HEB and picked up groceries for the next couple days.
We made a second bike outing to Baskins & Robbins for ice cream late this evening. It’s been a lazy day, but we needed a day off to recharge our batteries.
Trail Bike:
11.21 miles
1:01:53
10.88 mph
July 23, 2010
LSHT, DNF
I’m off the trail and none too soon!
At the last minute Andrea decided to join me on the trek through the National Forest. What she forgot to tell me at the time was that she was not feeling well. Either way, Andrea insisted on going and I was happy to let her join me. We were on the road by 2am to stage our vehicles on both the East and West ends of the trail.
I’m still fatigued from the trip, so I’m condensing the report to “bullet” form. If this report leads you to assume I was disappointed in the trail, then my message has been conveyed correctly.
• When we drove into the East terminus parking lot at 4am we spooked a parked vehicle. They turned on their bright lights and shortly afterwards drive off. I don’t know what was going on, but the girl in the front passenger seat didn’t look older than 12. Very spooky.
• The trail looked as if it hasn't been traveled in years. Even though we only hiked a tenth of the trail, we had to bushwhack our way for many of the miles. At times the vegetation was waist high. Our legs are covered in small cuts and abrasions from all the thorns and briars. Once we finished I noticed my shoes are frayed from all the bushwhacking.
• The trail was boring. Maybe I’m overly judgmental because I’ve lived in this region all my life, but I was expecting a scenic landscape. We took our camera and didn’t find many urges to capture anything. The thickly wooded forest limited our line of sight and at times it felt claustrophobic.
• What I did expect was heat and humidity and the trail did NOT disappoint. As we crossed several roads we stopped for a minute to enjoy the small breeze, which was not found in the throat of the trail.
• Recent reports stated an end to horse fly season. It has been raining daily, so we were prepared to deal with mosquito’s. Luckily, the mosquito’s were far and few between. On the other hand, we encountered countless deer flies, a smaller pesky cousin of the horse fly. They focused on Andrea a lot more than me. She was bit numerous times, with some of them leaving small bruises! I was wearing a bright red shirt. Maybe there is something about the color red, because I was only bit a half dozen times which was a fraction of Andreas bites.
• Surprisingly, we didn’t see any wildlife. No deer, raccoons, possums, armadillos, or hogs. The only thing we saw was a small owl perched in a tree. For a few hours we could hear a pack of dogs barking in the distance. A short time after we decided to turn around we saw a pit-bull and a Labrador-mixed dog moving quickly down the trail. I yelled to get their attention, which was enough to spook them away. These were obviously hunting dogs, because they were wearing large transceiver collars. I know firsthand that dogs have the ability to drive wildlife out of large areas. Sad appearance to see illegal hunting dogs in the national forest.
• The most frustrating thing about the trail was the fucking spider webs every five feet!!! As soon as I would wipe a spider web off my face I’d look up and hit another one. I was taking it in stride until the ten-thousandth web. By then I had had enough and started getting PISSED. Unless there was a spider in the middle of the web I couldn’t see it until it was wrapped around my head. And yes, I had several spiders on me.
• We walked as fast as we could and even ran a few times. The trail was so overgrown it took us a little more than six-hours to cover 14.5 miles. Looking back, I would have packed lighter. My pack alone weighed in at 49.5 pounds.
We stopped because Andrea wasn’t feeling well. I wasn’t doing well myself with the mileage. I was pushing an effort level close to 80% and still only covering 2.4 miles per hour, which would kept me from obtaining my goal of 30-33 miles per day. I’m not sure if I will ever return to the trail. As I said above, I was very disappointed. Maybe I was expecting too much. If there is a “next time” it will certainly be hiked during the winter.
Hike (50-lb pack):
14.50+ miles
6:10:43
At the last minute Andrea decided to join me on the trek through the National Forest. What she forgot to tell me at the time was that she was not feeling well. Either way, Andrea insisted on going and I was happy to let her join me. We were on the road by 2am to stage our vehicles on both the East and West ends of the trail.
I’m still fatigued from the trip, so I’m condensing the report to “bullet” form. If this report leads you to assume I was disappointed in the trail, then my message has been conveyed correctly.
• When we drove into the East terminus parking lot at 4am we spooked a parked vehicle. They turned on their bright lights and shortly afterwards drive off. I don’t know what was going on, but the girl in the front passenger seat didn’t look older than 12. Very spooky.
• The trail looked as if it hasn't been traveled in years. Even though we only hiked a tenth of the trail, we had to bushwhack our way for many of the miles. At times the vegetation was waist high. Our legs are covered in small cuts and abrasions from all the thorns and briars. Once we finished I noticed my shoes are frayed from all the bushwhacking.
• The trail was boring. Maybe I’m overly judgmental because I’ve lived in this region all my life, but I was expecting a scenic landscape. We took our camera and didn’t find many urges to capture anything. The thickly wooded forest limited our line of sight and at times it felt claustrophobic.
• What I did expect was heat and humidity and the trail did NOT disappoint. As we crossed several roads we stopped for a minute to enjoy the small breeze, which was not found in the throat of the trail.
• Recent reports stated an end to horse fly season. It has been raining daily, so we were prepared to deal with mosquito’s. Luckily, the mosquito’s were far and few between. On the other hand, we encountered countless deer flies, a smaller pesky cousin of the horse fly. They focused on Andrea a lot more than me. She was bit numerous times, with some of them leaving small bruises! I was wearing a bright red shirt. Maybe there is something about the color red, because I was only bit a half dozen times which was a fraction of Andreas bites.
• Surprisingly, we didn’t see any wildlife. No deer, raccoons, possums, armadillos, or hogs. The only thing we saw was a small owl perched in a tree. For a few hours we could hear a pack of dogs barking in the distance. A short time after we decided to turn around we saw a pit-bull and a Labrador-mixed dog moving quickly down the trail. I yelled to get their attention, which was enough to spook them away. These were obviously hunting dogs, because they were wearing large transceiver collars. I know firsthand that dogs have the ability to drive wildlife out of large areas. Sad appearance to see illegal hunting dogs in the national forest.
• The most frustrating thing about the trail was the fucking spider webs every five feet!!! As soon as I would wipe a spider web off my face I’d look up and hit another one. I was taking it in stride until the ten-thousandth web. By then I had had enough and started getting PISSED. Unless there was a spider in the middle of the web I couldn’t see it until it was wrapped around my head. And yes, I had several spiders on me.
• We walked as fast as we could and even ran a few times. The trail was so overgrown it took us a little more than six-hours to cover 14.5 miles. Looking back, I would have packed lighter. My pack alone weighed in at 49.5 pounds.
We stopped because Andrea wasn’t feeling well. I wasn’t doing well myself with the mileage. I was pushing an effort level close to 80% and still only covering 2.4 miles per hour, which would kept me from obtaining my goal of 30-33 miles per day. I’m not sure if I will ever return to the trail. As I said above, I was very disappointed. Maybe I was expecting too much. If there is a “next time” it will certainly be hiked during the winter.
Hike (50-lb pack):
14.50+ miles
6:10:43
July 20, 2010
Big 96
Discussions about the trail group have been quite for a couple weeks. Today Karen stopped by the house to pick up the club banner and the new car decals. It was great to talk with her, because there is something about Karen and Rick that stoke my fire to be a better runner.
This weekend Karen is running a 60k nighttime trail run in the Hill country. I wish her all the luck in the world! Go nerd on them, Karen!
The “Big 96” hike is quickly approaching and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. The more I think about it, the more I feel UNprepared. Most of my insecurities are rooted in the fact that I am hiking solo. Like most people, I’m a social creature and the thoughts of being alone make me uneasy. Essentially I am walking into the woods with everything I need on my back and if the hike goes as planned I will walk out three days and 96 miles later unharmed. I look forward to the challenge and the opportunity to do some soul searching. I’m eager to find personal answers and solutions to halt my weight gains.
I’ll leave the West terminus at 6am on Friday. If all goes as planned I will finish Sunday night on the East terminus and if I needed, I have an extra “flex” day scheudled.
My original plans were to hike 10+ miles today as a test, but I decided to keep my legs rested. Instead of ten miles I loaded my pack and walked a little more than three miles in 100% humidity. I must have loaded the pack better, because the pack felt light and comfortable. My gear weighted in at 40 pounds. When it is all said and done my pack will probably weigh close to 45-lbs, depending if I add the hydration bladder. I still haven’t made that decision yet.
I also decided to go with MRE’s rather that stressing about the food. If MRE’s can keep a soldier alive, it should be good enough calories for a fat man walking down a trail.
After tonight’s hike I lifted weights. Even though it is late, I’m glad I worked out. I don’t know how long I walked, but the pace was comparable to the last hike. I made an estimate of 19:30 minutes per mile pace.
Hike (40-lb pack):
3.25 miles
1:03:22
19:30 pace
Strength training:
Lower Body
This weekend Karen is running a 60k nighttime trail run in the Hill country. I wish her all the luck in the world! Go nerd on them, Karen!
The “Big 96” hike is quickly approaching and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. The more I think about it, the more I feel UNprepared. Most of my insecurities are rooted in the fact that I am hiking solo. Like most people, I’m a social creature and the thoughts of being alone make me uneasy. Essentially I am walking into the woods with everything I need on my back and if the hike goes as planned I will walk out three days and 96 miles later unharmed. I look forward to the challenge and the opportunity to do some soul searching. I’m eager to find personal answers and solutions to halt my weight gains.
I’ll leave the West terminus at 6am on Friday. If all goes as planned I will finish Sunday night on the East terminus and if I needed, I have an extra “flex” day scheudled.
My original plans were to hike 10+ miles today as a test, but I decided to keep my legs rested. Instead of ten miles I loaded my pack and walked a little more than three miles in 100% humidity. I must have loaded the pack better, because the pack felt light and comfortable. My gear weighted in at 40 pounds. When it is all said and done my pack will probably weigh close to 45-lbs, depending if I add the hydration bladder. I still haven’t made that decision yet.
I also decided to go with MRE’s rather that stressing about the food. If MRE’s can keep a soldier alive, it should be good enough calories for a fat man walking down a trail.
After tonight’s hike I lifted weights. Even though it is late, I’m glad I worked out. I don’t know how long I walked, but the pace was comparable to the last hike. I made an estimate of 19:30 minutes per mile pace.
Hike (40-lb pack):
3.25 miles
1:03:22
19:30 pace
Strength training:
Lower Body
July 19, 2010
Blah
Ran one mile followed by weight training. I tried to run after lifting weights, but I just could not HTFU enough to make it past my neighbors house.
Run:
1.03 mile
11:37
11:17 pace
Strength Training:
Mid-body
Run:
1.03 mile
11:37
11:17 pace
Strength Training:
Mid-body
July 18, 2010
In motion.... ever so slightly
Busy, busy day at work today and I am only half way done!
Today’s workout; ran one-mile on the treadmill, upper body workout, one-mile on the treadmill, and push-ups. Felt good to be in the gym. Zero knee pain.
Run:
2.0 miles
25:36
12:45 pace
Strength Training: Upper Body
Push-ups: 21
Today’s workout; ran one-mile on the treadmill, upper body workout, one-mile on the treadmill, and push-ups. Felt good to be in the gym. Zero knee pain.
Run:
2.0 miles
25:36
12:45 pace
Strength Training: Upper Body
Push-ups: 21
July 16, 2010
Test Run
Andrea and I are considering a thru-hike of the Lone Star Hiking Trail next week. We’re new to hiking, so ninety-six miles is a significant challenge for newbie’s. To test ourselves even more; we only have 3-4 days to cover the distance, it’s one of the hottest months of the year, and the media is reporting a worst than usual mosquito season.
About a year ago Andrea and I purchased bits and pieces of hiking gear from REI outlet online and the local REI garage sales. I’ve had a couple opportunities to use the equipment, but nothing more than two days.
Today we set off to see what kind of pace we could walk with our packs to help gauge our predicted daily mileage. I’d like to wear some kind of hiking pants to combat Mother Nature (fire ants, thorns, stickers, chiggers, ticks, snakes etc) but it is too hot to even consider pants. Today I wore typical running gear with the exception of my Merrell hiking boots. The Merrell’s are comfortable, but I think my running shoes would serve me better for fast-packing.
My Ospry back weighed in at 36-lbs, which included two full Nalenge bottles, tent, footprint, sleeping bag shell, pillow, change of clothes, camp towel, matches, multi-tool, trekking poles, toilet paper, air sleeping pad, foam sleeping pad, and key/credit card/id. We didn’t weigh Andrea’s pack. She had everything I had, but instead of the tent she was hauling the food.
We hiked nearly 7.5 miles at a pace of 17:41 minutes per mile. There are two big differences between hiking the LST and walking along the Kingwood greenbelts. One, I was pushing Preston in the stroller while Alison biked beside us. Naturally they will not be on the trail with us. And second, we walked on concrete.
Speaking of Alison, I was really proud of her. Our route made a loop that passed the house at 4.5 miles. We stopped to put bug spray on the kiddos. Before departing again Alison asked to walk the remaining distance with us. She completed the residual three miles without missing a stride! That girl never ceases to amaze me.
On our test hike we realized we forgot to pack a few things, including; camera, guide book, soap, tooth brush, tooth paste, bug repellant, and water filter.
Other than my feet hurting and a heat index of 108, I feel pretty good. We need one more hike in the 10-mile range to decide if we want to pull the trigger on this adventure. If we choose to thru-hike the LST, then the serious challenge begins as we work on the logistics to get back to our starting point.
Hike:
7.31 miles
2:09:20
17:41 pace
Check out the difference between Andrea's forefoot strike and my OBVIOUS heel strike. Yikes, I didn't know it was that bad!
About a year ago Andrea and I purchased bits and pieces of hiking gear from REI outlet online and the local REI garage sales. I’ve had a couple opportunities to use the equipment, but nothing more than two days.
Today we set off to see what kind of pace we could walk with our packs to help gauge our predicted daily mileage. I’d like to wear some kind of hiking pants to combat Mother Nature (fire ants, thorns, stickers, chiggers, ticks, snakes etc) but it is too hot to even consider pants. Today I wore typical running gear with the exception of my Merrell hiking boots. The Merrell’s are comfortable, but I think my running shoes would serve me better for fast-packing.
My Ospry back weighed in at 36-lbs, which included two full Nalenge bottles, tent, footprint, sleeping bag shell, pillow, change of clothes, camp towel, matches, multi-tool, trekking poles, toilet paper, air sleeping pad, foam sleeping pad, and key/credit card/id. We didn’t weigh Andrea’s pack. She had everything I had, but instead of the tent she was hauling the food.
We hiked nearly 7.5 miles at a pace of 17:41 minutes per mile. There are two big differences between hiking the LST and walking along the Kingwood greenbelts. One, I was pushing Preston in the stroller while Alison biked beside us. Naturally they will not be on the trail with us. And second, we walked on concrete.
Speaking of Alison, I was really proud of her. Our route made a loop that passed the house at 4.5 miles. We stopped to put bug spray on the kiddos. Before departing again Alison asked to walk the remaining distance with us. She completed the residual three miles without missing a stride! That girl never ceases to amaze me.
On our test hike we realized we forgot to pack a few things, including; camera, guide book, soap, tooth brush, tooth paste, bug repellant, and water filter.
Other than my feet hurting and a heat index of 108, I feel pretty good. We need one more hike in the 10-mile range to decide if we want to pull the trigger on this adventure. If we choose to thru-hike the LST, then the serious challenge begins as we work on the logistics to get back to our starting point.
Hike:
7.31 miles
2:09:20
17:41 pace
Check out the difference between Andrea's forefoot strike and my OBVIOUS heel strike. Yikes, I didn't know it was that bad!
July 14, 2010
Variety
I haven’t run in two days. I don’t feel like running and that it that…
Today was fun packed with two atypical activities. This morning Wyatt loaned me one of his kayaks and we paddled around the river for a couple hours. Several years ago Wyatt was kayaking all the time, so he is a wealth of knowledge about the sport. Thankfully he passed a lot of this information on to me, which is especially useful because I'd like to buy my own boat soon.
I started riding in his smaller boat and without a seat. Within five minutes my back was KILLING me and then my legs started bothering me. I felt trapped because there was no way to reposition myself. I did not like the feeling and even considered jumping out of the boat for a minute to relax my back and legs. I threw my legs over the side which helped a little, but it wasn’t as fun as I had hoped.
Less than a half-mile from where we launched we turned around and switched boats. What a difference a seat makes. From the moment I sat down I was comfortable and relaxed. To make the ride even more comfy the 15-foot kayak has a rudder. This makes turning effortless with the push of a pedal. On the second trip we paddled a couple miles, maybe more, I’m not sure.
Before we loaded the kayaks I tried the big boat without a seat and was met with the same discomfort I had earlier. In fact, my back started to spasm after only 50-yards of paddling. Lastly, Wyatt put the seat in the small boat. With the seat in place, I paddled a hundred yards like a pro.
Moral of the story; test kayaks before you decide to buy and kayak seats are 100% necessary equipment!
This evening Andrea and I met up with Olga and Josh for a few games of sand volleyball. Not only do I like the game, but I enjoy spending time with good friends. Those two are hilarious and a lot of fun to be around. It might be my imagination, but I think we might actually be getting better!
July 13, 2010
Map and Compass class
Josh and Olga joined Andrea and I for the REI map reading & compass class.
I was disappointed in the presentation. The guy teaching merely read through a PowerPoint presentation as fast as he could. The parts that I didn’t understand are even more confusing now. By the looks on the faces of everyone attending, the class was a flop. On the good side, there was ZERO push to sale any REI products, which surprised me.
We tried. I think I can find enough YouTube videos to learn compass & map reading on my own…
July 8, 2010
Streakin'
A couple months ago I purchased a “package deal” that included several massages. I planned to save them for races, but decided to get a massage today. I asked the masseuse to work on my legs only. The masseuse must not be familiar with sports massages because she didn’t touch my IT band. She spent a majority of the time on my claves, which she said were tight.
This evening Andrea and I went to REI to listen to a presentation by Karen Somers about her Lone Star Hiking Trail guide book. Karen provided lots of great information during her discussion of the LSHT. Now I’m eager to thru hike the trail.
On tonight’s run Andrea wore the headlamp and I followed her lead. The air was clammy with zero movement. We only ran four miles, but it was another tough run.
I’m self-conscious about my weight. For that reason I seldom take my shirt off. Tonight I took my shirt off as soon as we entered the greenbelts (0.25 mile into the run) and never put it back on. I wish I was fit enough to run shirtless during daylight hours.
Run:
4.0 miles
46:31
11:37 pace
Walk:
1.25 miles
22:53
18:18 pace
July 7, 2010
Squishy Seven
Running is getting harder.
Andrea and I didn’t start our run till 9pm. At the time there was a light rain, but it was short lived. The residual humidity left behind was near-suffocating.
I battled indigestion for the entire run. It is disgusting to eat the same dinner more than once.
Couple short episodes of knee pain, barely worth mentioning.
I ran with a headlamp. Near the end the weight of the unit started bothering me. There again, I was tired and EVERYTHING was pestering me. I need to be better prepared to wear a headlamp for an entire night. I’ll have a true test at Capt’n Karl’s night time trail 60k next month.
Thankfully my wonderful bride ran with me tonight and kept me from quitting. It was tough out there, but we got it done. One more four-miler and I get a recovery day.
Oh yeah, F-Houston!
Run:
7.0 miles
1:22:21
11:45 pace
Walk:
1.75 miles
30:40
17:31 pace
Andrea and I didn’t start our run till 9pm. At the time there was a light rain, but it was short lived. The residual humidity left behind was near-suffocating.
I battled indigestion for the entire run. It is disgusting to eat the same dinner more than once.
Couple short episodes of knee pain, barely worth mentioning.
I ran with a headlamp. Near the end the weight of the unit started bothering me. There again, I was tired and EVERYTHING was pestering me. I need to be better prepared to wear a headlamp for an entire night. I’ll have a true test at Capt’n Karl’s night time trail 60k next month.
Thankfully my wonderful bride ran with me tonight and kept me from quitting. It was tough out there, but we got it done. One more four-miler and I get a recovery day.
Oh yeah, F-Houston!
Run:
7.0 miles
1:22:21
11:45 pace
Walk:
1.75 miles
30:40
17:31 pace
July 6, 2010
Just run, Pansy
At work
I’ve been lethargic since yesterdays mid-day bonk. Additionally, my legs have been wickedly sore all day. I almost cancelled todays run. Luckily I HTFU and ran. Even though I was on the treadmill, it was a good run. The pace was brutally slow, but the mileage was completed in good spirits.
Run:
4.0 miles
54:37
13:39 pace
Walk:
1.0 mile
20:07
20:07 pace
Push-ups: 19
I’ve been lethargic since yesterdays mid-day bonk. Additionally, my legs have been wickedly sore all day. I almost cancelled todays run. Luckily I HTFU and ran. Even though I was on the treadmill, it was a good run. The pace was brutally slow, but the mileage was completed in good spirits.
Run:
4.0 miles
54:37
13:39 pace
Walk:
1.0 mile
20:07
20:07 pace
Push-ups: 19
July 5, 2010
Suicide Mission
The kids were dragging ass around the house, so we weren’t able start our run till mid-day. The schedule called for four miles in the morning and four additional miles in the evening. I wanted to get all the mileage over with, so I bite off more than I could chew by attempting all eight miles at noon.
The weather was horrifically hot and the humidity was awful. I adjusted the intervals to walk every half-mile, but even that wasn’t enough to combat the heat. The first couple miles were hard, but I thought I was tough enough to finish all the mileage. Once I passed mile three I blew up. At one point I stopped and sat in the shade of someone’s yard, trying to cool off. Thankfully I was pushing Preston in the stroller, which allowed amble storage for a large amount of water.
I abandoned the run with a little less than four miles completed. My heart felt like it was beating out of my chest. Once I got home I sat down on the patio bench and took my pulse. When I counted my heart rate it had been a couple minutes since I stopped running and my pulse rate was a speedy 192!! If you do the math, my maximum heart rate is 183, which means I was near a medical emergency. Scary stuff
My mantra for the last few weeks has been;
F-Houston!
The evening run wasn’t much better, but I’m proud to say I “HTFU” and got it done. The biggest problem was the fatigue from the exhausting run six-hours earlier.
I’ve been on the concrete or the treadmill all week. I’m yearning for the trails.
I also miss my favorite running partner, Andrea. She seems to be in a running slump because she never wants to run anymore. During the last few runs and bike rides I’ve really had to twist her arm to get her to join me.
Frequently I find myself feeding off her energy when I don’t want to run. This is a great perk for me and keeps me motivated. Unfortunately the feeling is lop sided, if I don’t’ run she is content to not run as well. I’ve been trying to motivate her, but her list of excuses is quite lengthy these days. My fingers are crossed, hoping a spark ignites her fire to run again soon.
Run:
8.03 miles
1:32:07
11:28 pace
Walk:
2.04
33:50
16:35 pace
The weather was horrifically hot and the humidity was awful. I adjusted the intervals to walk every half-mile, but even that wasn’t enough to combat the heat. The first couple miles were hard, but I thought I was tough enough to finish all the mileage. Once I passed mile three I blew up. At one point I stopped and sat in the shade of someone’s yard, trying to cool off. Thankfully I was pushing Preston in the stroller, which allowed amble storage for a large amount of water.
I abandoned the run with a little less than four miles completed. My heart felt like it was beating out of my chest. Once I got home I sat down on the patio bench and took my pulse. When I counted my heart rate it had been a couple minutes since I stopped running and my pulse rate was a speedy 192!! If you do the math, my maximum heart rate is 183, which means I was near a medical emergency. Scary stuff
My mantra for the last few weeks has been;
F-Houston!
The evening run wasn’t much better, but I’m proud to say I “HTFU” and got it done. The biggest problem was the fatigue from the exhausting run six-hours earlier.
I’ve been on the concrete or the treadmill all week. I’m yearning for the trails.
I also miss my favorite running partner, Andrea. She seems to be in a running slump because she never wants to run anymore. During the last few runs and bike rides I’ve really had to twist her arm to get her to join me.
Frequently I find myself feeding off her energy when I don’t want to run. This is a great perk for me and keeps me motivated. Unfortunately the feeling is lop sided, if I don’t’ run she is content to not run as well. I’ve been trying to motivate her, but her list of excuses is quite lengthy these days. My fingers are crossed, hoping a spark ignites her fire to run again soon.
Run:
8.03 miles
1:32:07
11:28 pace
Walk:
2.04
33:50
16:35 pace
July 4, 2010
Four on the Fourth
Happy Birthday, America!
A busy night at work last night left me groggy all day. I hung out with Andrea and the kids during the day, pushing my run to the end of the day. I was so tired I laid down this afternoon and slept for a few hours, missing the Independence Day fireworks. Oh well, fireworks don’t do much for me. Thankfully Andrea is Super-Woman. She corralled the kids and took them to Town Center to watch the explosives with a few friends of ours.
Tonight’s run was the first 100% pain-free run in over a month… maybe longer. I’m optimistic about my progress, but I refuse to put my guard down. There is a small bit of discomfort now that I’m done, but nothing serious.
My route was limited to the concrete streets in my neighborhood. Even though I ran close to midnight, there was a lot of traffic. Most of the vehicles seemed to be teenagers, so I was alert at all times. Other than one car of kids throwing firecrackers out their window, everything was uneventful.
Right here, right now; I promise to start strength training tomorrow. Every day I say I’ll start tomorrow. No more bull shit excuses, tomorrow is the day!
Run:
4.0 miles
46:47
11:41 pace
Walk:
1.25 mile
21:33
17:14 pace
A busy night at work last night left me groggy all day. I hung out with Andrea and the kids during the day, pushing my run to the end of the day. I was so tired I laid down this afternoon and slept for a few hours, missing the Independence Day fireworks. Oh well, fireworks don’t do much for me. Thankfully Andrea is Super-Woman. She corralled the kids and took them to Town Center to watch the explosives with a few friends of ours.
Tonight’s run was the first 100% pain-free run in over a month… maybe longer. I’m optimistic about my progress, but I refuse to put my guard down. There is a small bit of discomfort now that I’m done, but nothing serious.
My route was limited to the concrete streets in my neighborhood. Even though I ran close to midnight, there was a lot of traffic. Most of the vehicles seemed to be teenagers, so I was alert at all times. Other than one car of kids throwing firecrackers out their window, everything was uneventful.
Right here, right now; I promise to start strength training tomorrow. Every day I say I’ll start tomorrow. No more bull shit excuses, tomorrow is the day!
Run:
4.0 miles
46:47
11:41 pace
Walk:
1.25 mile
21:33
17:14 pace
July 3, 2010
Death to the treadmill
I don’t do mornings.
My alarm clock was set for 4:30 am, but needless to say I did NOT get up and run before work. Instead of running around my neighborhood I ran on the treadmill at work. And take my word for it, running seven miles on the treadmill SUCKS.
Intermittent aches and pains with the knee. Hard to describe what’s going on.
Run:
7.13 miles
1:26:41
12:09 pace
Walk:
1.2 miles
24:00
20:00 pace
My alarm clock was set for 4:30 am, but needless to say I did NOT get up and run before work. Instead of running around my neighborhood I ran on the treadmill at work. And take my word for it, running seven miles on the treadmill SUCKS.
Intermittent aches and pains with the knee. Hard to describe what’s going on.
Run:
7.13 miles
1:26:41
12:09 pace
Walk:
1.2 miles
24:00
20:00 pace
July 2, 2010
Ride in the Rain
I convinced Andrea to ride our bikes in the residual rain of hurricane Alex. My legs were tired. The cardio fitness is still there, but I’ve lost some muscular strength.
My knee feels good.
Trail Bike:
17.67 miles
1:52:51
9.39 mph
My knee feels good.
Trail Bike:
17.67 miles
1:52:51
9.39 mph
July 1, 2010
Cold Turkey
An eight month streak of running 100-miles every month ended yesterday. I could have forced the mileage, but I took the high road and did what was smart.
The “big dance” is quickly approaching. It is time to shift gears and really push the knee and see if I have a serious knee problem or not. Today I ran four miles on the greenbelts. I stretched before and after the run. I’ve decided to run “cold turkey”; no ibprofren, no proactive icing of the knee, and I’m not wearing the compression sleeve during physical activities.
The run was a huge success with two small exceptions. I ran one-mile intervals and each time I started running I had a bit of sharp pain below my patella, which went away a minute into the run. Near the end of the five mile loop there is a small hill with a steep incline. I had a significant amount of sharp pain under my right patella the moment the elevation changed. I managed to lessen the pain with a smaller stride, yet it remained uncomfortable until the terrain leveled out.
There was a light drizzling rain for the duration of the run. Not once did I look at the pace. It felt like my tempo was one notch above walking. After uploading the Garmin I learned I was moving faster than expected. Bonus!
There was a pleasant encounter with a deer. I saw a whitetail doe on the right side of the trail about 75 yards ahead of me. When she noticed something moving towards her, she stepped onto the center of the trail and faced me. I honestly don’t think she saw me until I was within 20 yards. Luckily she wasn’t startled; she merely stepped to the side of the trail and allowed me to run by.
I feel really good. I almost forgot how much I love post run endorphins!
Run:
4.0 miles
45:09
11:17 pace
Walk:
1.35 miles
21:57
16:16 pace
The “big dance” is quickly approaching. It is time to shift gears and really push the knee and see if I have a serious knee problem or not. Today I ran four miles on the greenbelts. I stretched before and after the run. I’ve decided to run “cold turkey”; no ibprofren, no proactive icing of the knee, and I’m not wearing the compression sleeve during physical activities.
The run was a huge success with two small exceptions. I ran one-mile intervals and each time I started running I had a bit of sharp pain below my patella, which went away a minute into the run. Near the end of the five mile loop there is a small hill with a steep incline. I had a significant amount of sharp pain under my right patella the moment the elevation changed. I managed to lessen the pain with a smaller stride, yet it remained uncomfortable until the terrain leveled out.
There was a light drizzling rain for the duration of the run. Not once did I look at the pace. It felt like my tempo was one notch above walking. After uploading the Garmin I learned I was moving faster than expected. Bonus!
There was a pleasant encounter with a deer. I saw a whitetail doe on the right side of the trail about 75 yards ahead of me. When she noticed something moving towards her, she stepped onto the center of the trail and faced me. I honestly don’t think she saw me until I was within 20 yards. Luckily she wasn’t startled; she merely stepped to the side of the trail and allowed me to run by.
I feel really good. I almost forgot how much I love post run endorphins!
Run:
4.0 miles
45:09
11:17 pace
Walk:
1.35 miles
21:57
16:16 pace
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