17 And Counting!

I'm up to 17 miles this week which is about my weekly average in 2009.  The Lord is going to bless Chicago with warmer weather the next few days, so I'll be able to go outside, PTL!  I've been "tweeting" and "facebooking" a lot and have built up my network of runners and trainers who are located across the entire world. That's pretty good for a guy who was not even running this time last year!

Today I did some speed work: 1 mile warm-up/cool-down & 4x400 sprints.  I also incorporated core training exercises used by Lolo Jones.  Tomorrow I am going to do a long run outdoors.  Now if I can just figure out where to run...hmmmm.

Re-Discovering Disco Music

What does disco music have to do with running?  For me music is everything.  I need music to run or else I'm bored.  Since I have more than 3000 songs on my iPod, you would think I do not need any more music.  But I Love Music!  I also collect Old School R&B, Disco, and Rap.  So, with extreme caution, I downloaded five new disco songs to add to my collection.  And I played all five of them to death too.  The music helped me get through 6 long miles on Saturday and 3 miles today.  I think I got my ROI on a $5 download.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Practice is the key right?  The more I practice, the better I'll get.  This week I decided to modify my training routine.  I added two workouts on Tuesday and Friday because I can not last for more than hour on the treadmill no matter how hard I try. Those long runs of 10 miles or more won't happen, for now.  Tuesday's run is a Hill Workout and Thursday's run is another Easy Run.  Once the weather allows, I'll go back to my regular schedule and run outdoors at least once per week.

Just Hydrate Me!

I got off my rear today and did 6 miles speedwork on the treadmill.  After mile 2, I started feeling a little strange - like something was sucking the life out of me.  I was unsure what was going on, so I pulled over to the side of the rode at mile 3, i.e., I paused the treadmill!  A few seconds passed before I realized I had not drank enough water before I started the run. Sooooooo, I chugged as much H-2-0 as I could stand and hit the pause button.  I immediately felt better and finished the run with more energy than I started - at least it seemed that way to me.  The lesson for the day:  Just hydrate me!

Taking It Easy

Today was an easy 3-mile run - well, it was easier for me than it was for this guy.  Anyway, I setup a thermometer just outside the window of my workout room so I can see what the temperature would be if I were to run outdoors.  I'm wondering if that was a bad idea now because the temperature will drop below zero for a few days this week.  Boy, do I need motivation!

My Run, My Tempo

My run today: An 8K tempo run on the treadmill (that's 5 miles for the metrically-challenged). Here's the details of my tempo:

1. 10.5 minutes/mile for 1.5 miles
2. 8.5 minutes/mile 1 mile
3. 10.5 minutes/mile for .5 mile
4. 8.5 minutes/mile for 1 mile
5. 9.5 minutes/mile for .5 mile
6. 10.5 minutes/mile for .5 mile
   (.25 mile @ 0%, .25 mile @ 4%)
7. 5 minute cool-down at 4.7/3.7 mph
   
8. 2 minutes stretch
   

After the second segment, my heart rate rose way above 170 BPM.  Nothing to worry about...I just kicked it down a notch in the third segment and cruised the rest of the way.

Tomorrow, I might run outdoors with a friend who needs motivation.  Hey, could this be my first client?

For more info on training programs, go to RunnersWorld.com, click on the "Tools" link and then click on "SmartCoach" (go directly to SmartCoach now).

Who Is That Masked Person?

Well, it ain't the long-lost suburban X-Man, Captain Cold.  It's just me about to get my jog on in the middle of January in the frozen tundra of south suburban Chi-Town.  The thought of running more than 3 miles on the treadmill was just too much for this brother.  So I bundled up, found my old ski mask, put on my spandex shirt / pants, and prayed my fingers would stay warm with two pairs of gloves.  (Hey, I remembered the tips I read in the article "How to Dress for Cold Weather Running"!)

Everything went well until I hit the final mile and realized I was losing the feeling in the tips of my left fingers.  Man, I know things can be worse.  But when you are a mile from home, sweaty, tired, your fingers are cold and don't have your cell phone to call someone to pick you up, ]you start to wonder why you are a jogger!  If you are smart, you pray for strength like I did and the Lord will deliver you to your doorstep with some minor discomfort.

I completed 10K (6.3 miles) and ran through the Heights because I thought there would be less traffic - bzzzz, I was wrong about the traffic.  In case you were wondering, the temperature was below freezing (only 28 F - 19 F with the windchill).  Since I know I can run in cold weather, I guess I have no excuses for running indoors now unless the temperature drops below 25 F or so!

Of Ice And Pain

There was a pretty significant ice storm in the Chicago area yesterday and everything is still covered with ice.  Power lines are down in some areas and the local schools were closed.  I wanted to run outside this morning in the 25°F weather.  But, that clearly would have been too dangerous with all of the ice on the side roads.  Instead of hitting the outdoors, I convinced myself to do an 8 mile run on the treadmill.  After the first four miles, I had a strong urge to relieve my bladder.  Although I stopped the treadmill for just a minute to make a quick run to the bathroom, my legs felt like lead.  In any event, I finished my run watching two of my favorite shows: Survivorman and Man vs. Wild.  When I reached the 7 mile mark, my left knee began to ache intensely.  I did not think I was going to finish, so I began to pray for strength to complete the run.  As soon as my treadmill registered 8 miles, I immediately went into cool-down mode.  My knee is fine now.  I just needs lots of water and rest!

Note: I watched the final episode of Survivorman last night.  Survival TV will not be the same without Les Stroud!

Can You Believe It?

Well, I've only been able to run 5 miles or more on a treadmill a few times. And, today was one of those days. I got on the treadmill early in the day and set the program for a minimum of 5 miles. Following the marathon training program, I ran about a mile at a pace of 10:30 minutes/mile to warm up. Then I ran 3 miles at a pace of 9:05 minutes/mile. Finally, I cooled down for a mile at 10:30 minutes/mile. The run felt great. Since it's snowing and cold outside, I have the ultimate challenge: Running for 8 miles on a treadmill on Saturday!

Marathon Man

Today was an easy 5K, the slowest one I have ever run - my pace was over 10 minutes per mile. That's because today I started my marathon/half-marathon training program I created from RunnersWorld.com. The plan calls for no more than 3 running days per week which will work well with my schedule. My shortest runs will come this week; while my longest runs will occur the last month of training - March 2009. After I finish this 16 week program, I will restart the program in preparation for a half-marathon or, perhaps, the Chicago Marathon.

A New Running Goal

I've been away for awhile, running somewhat intermittently.  I recently came across a training plan that I wanted to share.  The plan comes from RunnersWorld.com and is a 16 week program that will prepare me for a half-marathon by the end of March 2009.  I am going out of town this Friday and will start the program on Monday.  In the meantime, a little practice will not hurt.

Let's see, can I do a 5k (3 miles) with a 1 mile warm up and 1 mile cool down?  I think so!

A Perfect 17

I ran on a Friday for the first time in recent memory. This is usually a day of rest for me. However, since I will be in Champaign this weekend I decided to run earlier today. I completed the week with a 5 mile treadmill run, so I ran a total of 17 miles this week which is just above my average!

Interval Run Revisited

Last night I did a 5-mile interval run and had a 8:56 minute/mile pace on the treadmill. Interval runs are important for building stamina for long runs. I have gotten out of the habit of doing intervals for the past month and have decided to re-incorporate this type of run in my schedule.

I found a really good article on running tips that will help runners at all levels.. Check out Your Best Training Plan on RunnersWorld.com.

Running Is Way Too Cool

Just to get caught up, I ran an 8K on Friday, a 12K on Saturday and an 8K this morning. It should be no surprise that the Friday & Monday runs were much better than the Saturday run. That's because I waited until 8am to hit the road on Saturday - right after the sun had been out in full blast.

When I first started running Saturday, I thought, "Man it's a little hot (72 °F). But I can handle it." Well about half way through the run I had to pull over for 5 minutes because my body temperature and heart rate had gone too high (over 170 BPM) for too long. After a quick 5 minute break, I finished the second half of the run, came home exhausted and slept for 2 hours after a quick run to the local Costco.

I've got a lot of work to do to understand how to run more efficiently in warmer weather. Normally the temperature is between 55 °F and 65 °F when I jog in the mornings. Oh, well, more learning is better than no learning.

On Vacation...Taking It Easy

Yesterday morning I drove around the resort her in Nisswa, MN to see if I could find a good course to run. The best route would be to follow Route 77 since I could run for miles in either direction. I decided to just follow Lost Lake Road because Route 77 had a few inclines that would have destroyed this newbie. Even though route I took had very good inclines, I ran an 8.02 minute/mile 5K, yet another fastest time.


I am enjoying my runs here in the Land of 10K Lakes. I ran two of my fastest times here. And, my Hybrid Camry is getting nearly 40 mpg (ok, that was my shameless Toyota plug.)


I probably will not run again until I get home on Tuesday and get back on a regular schedule.

Ride Like The Wind

The family and I are vacationing in Minnesota for the next few days. This morning I ran my best 8K ever - 8.33 minutes/mile. It was very encouraging to know that I could have gone a little farther. This means that I might be closer to the goal of running between an 8 and 8.5 minute/mile 10K.

A Cool 12K

After running more than 35 miles in six days last week, I started the week with a 12K in the cool summer Chicago weather. The temperature must have been in the mid to upper 50's when I left my driveway this morning. And when I got home, I could not believe how cold my hands were. As with Saturday's 16K, my pace was very slow in the beginning. After the first mile, I picked up the pace a bit and considered running as fast as I could...nope, that would have been a bad idea because I never would have finished the run. The natural inclines of my path provided a pretty good workout too.


Hundred Push Up Update 2
I rested a few days before making another attempt to max out. When I got past 70 consecutive push ups, I thought I had the one hundred push ups easily. Then about 10 push ups later, I started to feel the burn in my arms and chest. I tried to go farther and was able to get up to 85 consecutive push ups. My goal now is to start with Week 4 and then finish the plan in the next three weeks or so.

Eight + Eight = Ten

No this is not new math. Today I ran two 8Ks which the equivalent of 10 miles or 16K. This is the farthest I have ever run and I did it with a 9.91 minute/mile pace while maintaining a 146 average BPM. I thought I would be a lot more tired and sore after the run. It seems that the new shoes and inserts are working well so far because I felt pretty good after I finished the 10 miles. The cooler weather we are experiencing helped tremendously. I did not perspire very much at all and like I said, my average heart rate was pretty low.

Why did I run so slow?
The experts say that when training for a race you should run about 90 to 120 seconds slower than your best pace when you run longer distances. Since I had never run a 16K, I really wanted to say I finished the run so my goal was to run slow. There were times when I wanted to run even slower than a 10 minute/mile pace. However, I found that I could pick up the pace a little and still keep my heart rate at a good level.

Ok, I need to drink my protein drinks and get some rest so I can be ready for a 12K on Monday!

Today's Run: 5K on The Treadmill

I took my run indoors today after running outdoors Sunday through Tuesday. I prefer the outdoors because:

1. The weather and environment helps keep my body cooler which allows me to run faster and farther without overheating, i.e., reaching high a high heart rate.
2. The outdoors is extremely relaxing and breaks the monotony of seeing the same view for the entire run.
3. The outdoors allows me to train in an environments similar to my planned races. I am not against running on treadmill.

Hey, I started running on a treadmill. And here in Chicago, you have to run indoors at least part of the year, so treadmill runs are inevitable for me (I am not the kind of person who goes to the health club before work!)

Needless to say, I overdid the run a little (my average heart rate was way too high - about 160 Beats Per Minute). Even though I felt the weight of my legs for the last half of the run, I just had to keep running. Finished with an 8.85 minute/mile pace, just a .1 of a minute less than yesterday's 8K. Outdoors is just so much easier for me.

Gonna do that 16K from my house on Saturday after tomorrow's 5K.

Impossible is Nothing!

Treating Exercise as A Project

Whether I am working in my garden, adjusting our wireless network, or painting a room, I treat work as a project: there's always a beginning and an end, tools or equipment I need to use, and milestones that help me see progress along the way. I find that this method helps time pass and keeps me focussed on the end result. If you can treat work as a project, why not view exercise as a project?

How I Run My Exercise Project

Every day I workout, I plan the start and finish of my routine. The night before I run, I review my equipment list: I layout my clothes, ensure my shoes are ok, check my Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) to make sure it works properly, drink plenty of fluids and try to rest my body as much as possible. Just before I run, I do a final equipment check. Finally, when I run I check my mileage, heart rate and pace periodically to ensure I hit the milestones I've set.

You do not have to be as anal as I am with my exercise project. However, developing an exercise project of your own could help you surpass some of those obstacles that have held you from incorporating running or other exercises into your lifestyle.