I haven't stopped running...I had just stopped posting about it. Now I figure third time will be the charm and I can remain somewhat consistant in updating my runs. Ok, for today:
4.00 miles
Treadmill hill intervals - level 3 (out of 10) every 3 min
35:30 min
more soon....
Monday, August 31, 2009
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
University City Memorial Day 10-k
After a co-worker suggested I run in a race on Memorial Day, I thought, sure I need a 10-k prep for the Peachtree in July so why not. So i registered late on Saturday, took home a medium sized t-shirt (for my daughter as that's all the sizes they had left) and hoped for good weather.
Sunday night rolls around and the sky's opened up and dropped buckets upon buckets of water along with severe lighting and hail...so I thought there's no way they're going to have the race on Monday. I woke up at 5:15 after not sleeping well through the storms, and enduring a night with my son crawling into bed due to the thunder. It was still raining...checked the weather channel and local news to see the radar if it looked promising enough to go out. I decided to push on, and drive over to see if anyone else was going to show up for the race. This was the 33rd edition of this race so I assumed that it would take a lot to cancel this one, and I was right. Through the pouring rain in the half-hour before the start, people were waiting in the library by the starting line awaiting the inevitable run through the rain. And as I suspected most of the people waiting looked like "regular" runners, i.e. more fit and trim than myself. But press on I told myself...
My goal for this 10-k was to run initially under 1 hour, which I thought I might be able to do based on some nice 5k runs I've had since the half-marathon in early April. Then I wanted to run sub-9s. Ok, with my new goal was established, I was ready.
Come race time at 7:30 it was still raining, albeit a bit less of a downpour but more than a drizzle. A brief hello from the mayor and we're off. I knew I'd probably start out a bit faster than I'd like to due to the rain (and the idea that the faster I ran the faster I'd be out of it) but I was surprised when at mile 1 I hit it at 8:30. A lot faster than I had expected. But low and behold, the rain stopped! So by now the runners were definitely nicely spaced out (and I'd imagine there were maybe a few hundred at most) and I was trying to fall into a groove. I had left my ipod at home and was jonesing for some tunes to push me through but I remained poised and travelled on. I brushed off the first water stop, and kept on going 'till mile two @ 17:15. I knew I had started too fast and that mile one was going to be my fastest, definitely not how I usually run. Now that the rain was over, the oppressive humidity fell upon us and I was wishing I had taken that water at the first stop. The run was a pleasant one however through some quiet neighborhoods around U-City (a part of St. Louis I hadn't really been through before) but my main focus was moving forward as close to a pace as I could find. Mile 3 was around 26min so I could tell that under and hour would be possible, but not sure about the sub 9s overall. Miles 4 and 5 were the toughest as the humidity really got to me and I was hoping not to cramp up, but took in some fluids and knew I was almost to the end. But somehow I was also running next to a very loud woman who's every steps were loud grunts and groans and moans and god I thought she was either going to have an orgasm or pass out. Thankfully, I assume, neither happened and I let her pass me with a mile to go.
Being a very local 10-k on a rainy holiday morning I knew there wouldn't be much of a crowd, if any, but the few that were there (maybe 10 spectators total besides runners at the finish) were very much appreciated as they always seem to give me the extra push. One bushy bearded gentlemen sitting on a lawn chair in front of his house was great as he was right near the end and was encouraging everyone to hang on as the end was just around the corner. Thankfully he was right and although the finish was a bit uphill and it took all I had left, I finished in 55:41...8:59miles. YEAH sub 9s !!
An energy drink and banana post-race meal left me feeling proud to have gone to the race despite my initial inhibitions and conquered my first sub- 9miles 10-k. Now, bring on the Peachtree and back to my home town, I plan on this one being my best one yet.
Sunday night rolls around and the sky's opened up and dropped buckets upon buckets of water along with severe lighting and hail...so I thought there's no way they're going to have the race on Monday. I woke up at 5:15 after not sleeping well through the storms, and enduring a night with my son crawling into bed due to the thunder. It was still raining...checked the weather channel and local news to see the radar if it looked promising enough to go out. I decided to push on, and drive over to see if anyone else was going to show up for the race. This was the 33rd edition of this race so I assumed that it would take a lot to cancel this one, and I was right. Through the pouring rain in the half-hour before the start, people were waiting in the library by the starting line awaiting the inevitable run through the rain. And as I suspected most of the people waiting looked like "regular" runners, i.e. more fit and trim than myself. But press on I told myself...
My goal for this 10-k was to run initially under 1 hour, which I thought I might be able to do based on some nice 5k runs I've had since the half-marathon in early April. Then I wanted to run sub-9s. Ok, with my new goal was established, I was ready.
Come race time at 7:30 it was still raining, albeit a bit less of a downpour but more than a drizzle. A brief hello from the mayor and we're off. I knew I'd probably start out a bit faster than I'd like to due to the rain (and the idea that the faster I ran the faster I'd be out of it) but I was surprised when at mile 1 I hit it at 8:30. A lot faster than I had expected. But low and behold, the rain stopped! So by now the runners were definitely nicely spaced out (and I'd imagine there were maybe a few hundred at most) and I was trying to fall into a groove. I had left my ipod at home and was jonesing for some tunes to push me through but I remained poised and travelled on. I brushed off the first water stop, and kept on going 'till mile two @ 17:15. I knew I had started too fast and that mile one was going to be my fastest, definitely not how I usually run. Now that the rain was over, the oppressive humidity fell upon us and I was wishing I had taken that water at the first stop. The run was a pleasant one however through some quiet neighborhoods around U-City (a part of St. Louis I hadn't really been through before) but my main focus was moving forward as close to a pace as I could find. Mile 3 was around 26min so I could tell that under and hour would be possible, but not sure about the sub 9s overall. Miles 4 and 5 were the toughest as the humidity really got to me and I was hoping not to cramp up, but took in some fluids and knew I was almost to the end. But somehow I was also running next to a very loud woman who's every steps were loud grunts and groans and moans and god I thought she was either going to have an orgasm or pass out. Thankfully, I assume, neither happened and I let her pass me with a mile to go.
Being a very local 10-k on a rainy holiday morning I knew there wouldn't be much of a crowd, if any, but the few that were there (maybe 10 spectators total besides runners at the finish) were very much appreciated as they always seem to give me the extra push. One bushy bearded gentlemen sitting on a lawn chair in front of his house was great as he was right near the end and was encouraging everyone to hang on as the end was just around the corner. Thankfully he was right and although the finish was a bit uphill and it took all I had left, I finished in 55:41...8:59miles. YEAH sub 9s !!
An energy drink and banana post-race meal left me feeling proud to have gone to the race despite my initial inhibitions and conquered my first sub- 9miles 10-k. Now, bring on the Peachtree and back to my home town, I plan on this one being my best one yet.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Radiohead & Running
I guess I'm at a time in my life where I want to do things I wouldn't normally do, not because I can't, but because I can. Such an example is the Radiohead concert I went to last night. Yeah the crowd was mainly college age or 20 somethings, (most of whom were in diapers when thier standout album OK Computer came out) but I've always wanted to see them. So I bought 2 tickets on a whim back in December after savoring thier new album In Rainbows and figured I'd find someone to go to the show with by the time they visited in May. Well, the show finally rolled around last night. And what a great show it was ! But my point here, is that in the past I wouldn't have even bought the tickets, and I would've wished I had gone but missed out on the opportunity. For what? A mere $30 ticket price and the fear of going to the show solo? (I did end up going with a co-worker who was suprised he'd somehow missed out on Radiohead all of these years) So I'm chalking last night up to progress of things to make and do.
As it pertains to my running, Radiohead is one of the artists I love to listen to on my runs. There is something about their music and Yorke's voice that takes me away and transends me away from the "pain" of running. During last years Peachtree Road Race, and my poor attempt to train for that race, i was left hurting more than usual until, 'Let Down' from OK Computer hit my ipod and sent me up and off. A true runners high for me was acheived, and something I won't easily forget. So for that I didn't want to waste my opportunity to "thank" Radiohead for all they've done for me.
As it pertains to my running, Radiohead is one of the artists I love to listen to on my runs. There is something about their music and Yorke's voice that takes me away and transends me away from the "pain" of running. During last years Peachtree Road Race, and my poor attempt to train for that race, i was left hurting more than usual until, 'Let Down' from OK Computer hit my ipod and sent me up and off. A true runners high for me was acheived, and something I won't easily forget. So for that I didn't want to waste my opportunity to "thank" Radiohead for all they've done for me.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Baahston run
Just got back from a conference in Boston where on Sunday, during a misting and quite cool morning I got in a beautiful 8 mile run around and over the Charles River. Was able to make the first lap with Susan, my colleague and training partner before her knee was hurting, and the whole run was just great. Felt like I could just keep on going, maybe that's why my supposed 6 mile run went to 8 and was so well worth it. It's runs like that'll keep me going. Other than that, missed the other week runs plus my ipod is done for so I'll catch up tomorrow and over the weekend (somehow).
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
It's a start
3 miles. Went for a quick run outside at work today with a co-worker who I trained with a bit for the half-marathon until she injured her ankle. I felt really good today, with a nice spring in my step (i'm attributing that to my new shoes which, holy crap cost a ton. And if you knew me, to spend over $100 on anything for myself it must be important.) Here's to a good beginning and with much more to come as I know by the end of this training, which should take me to mid Sept, I'll have run over 465 miles!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Things to make and do
I've got things to make and do. And simply, I've chosen to run to get it done.
Two weeks ago I finished my first Half-Marathon (the GO! St. Louis half-marathon) in 2:05:12, and have boldly decided to continue my training in order to run the Lewis & Clark Marathon (missed the Chicago Marathon deadline) in September. This is not a decision I've taken lightly. It's now more of a personal need, a need to know I can do it, to withstand the pain, and triumph in the accomplishment of a task I thought I'd never achieve. I will be posting updates here to keep me motivated and to journal the full experience.
I found this somewhere, but I think it best describes what got me going on this journey:
"A young boy who sees his father preparing for a workout sees more than just training for an upcoming race. He sees a man who is not only strong, but who is intent on making himself stronger. He sees a man who wants to be healthy, for his family as much as for himself. He sees the value of hard work and dedication in pursuit of a goal. He sees that self-discipline and the ability to persevere through the mundane are necessary steps to worthy achievement. In the simple act of going for a run, a man can be an example of a leader who is not afraid to accept a challenge, push through obstacles along the way, and attain victory."
So here begins, the life trials and tribulations of a man with 26.2 miles to go...
Two weeks ago I finished my first Half-Marathon (the GO! St. Louis half-marathon) in 2:05:12, and have boldly decided to continue my training in order to run the Lewis & Clark Marathon (missed the Chicago Marathon deadline) in September. This is not a decision I've taken lightly. It's now more of a personal need, a need to know I can do it, to withstand the pain, and triumph in the accomplishment of a task I thought I'd never achieve. I will be posting updates here to keep me motivated and to journal the full experience.
I found this somewhere, but I think it best describes what got me going on this journey:
"A young boy who sees his father preparing for a workout sees more than just training for an upcoming race. He sees a man who is not only strong, but who is intent on making himself stronger. He sees a man who wants to be healthy, for his family as much as for himself. He sees the value of hard work and dedication in pursuit of a goal. He sees that self-discipline and the ability to persevere through the mundane are necessary steps to worthy achievement. In the simple act of going for a run, a man can be an example of a leader who is not afraid to accept a challenge, push through obstacles along the way, and attain victory."
So here begins, the life trials and tribulations of a man with 26.2 miles to go...
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