Week 6- Run 3

25 minutes. Wow did that hurt. Mainly because I waited too late in the day and by 11:30 it was in the mid-90s. Way too hot to run. But it's over. Now I need to start making my own playlists. Ullery isn't as helpful at this point and the music has gone downhill to me. I actually ended up enjoying the first few weeks, but not anymore. I'm glad that the next three runs will all be the same as what I just did. I don't think I could do much more than 25 yet without really pushing it so a week of that will help me adapt to it.

This one was also hard mentally. A lot on my mind. Instead of being a distraction to the pain of the run, it just bogged me down. I'm hoping that most of what's on my mind goes away in the next couple of weeks. Usually things always turn out for the best so I shouldn't worry, but I do.

Starting to read again which should help. I always feel better when I have a book going. My life seems to take the direction of the book instead of feeling like I'm just drifting along.

Update: just looking for upcoming races. There is no good website the shows all the upcoming races but after checking a few different sites, I found this race:

http://www.buttar.com/events/running/MossParkForestRun/index.htm

What do you think?

Also here is the path I took today:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2976834

Week 6- Run 2

Same path as last time. I was a little disappointed at first because I thought I was going a lot slower than the last run. I really had pushed it last run and was running, not quite sprinting, but running for about 1/4 of the total time. I couldn't keep up with that same pace so soon after doing it. I also realized that this day's run was either 1 or 2 minutes shorter than the last.

I really felt tired by end of this one. The next day's run of 25 minutes is going to suck. Suck a lot. I'm really opening that in days my legs are better conditioned.

Week 6- Run 1

2 times around the lake? No, this time three times. Look at that mile count! http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2961464

I rock. Also I updated the last run with the track for it.

Btw, I really pushed it speed-wise on this run.

Week 5- Run 3

20 minutes down. Would say more, but tired, both physically and mentally. Perhaps emotionally as well.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2961466

Week 5- Run 2

8 minute runs. Not too bad. Not looking forward to the jump to 20 minutes. Were 12 or 15 minute runs not possible?

Week 5- Run 1

Best run ever? Maybe. Had to be a night run. When the heat index is 95 degrees at by like 9am, no way am I running while the sun is up. Pain was almost non-existent in the left foot which is a major improvement. I felt some awkwardness in my Achilles tendon on the left foot, but nothing that really hurt. So that felt like major progress.

So no more easily defined running trail. This has both a slight drawback but does have some benefits. More freedom to create new routes, but no water fountains and mile markers. So I had to figure out how much I ran today. I left the house and made two laps around the lake. (I think). I may have made three laps around. I really lost focus for awhile and started daydreaming. I'm leaning towards three laps because I was going pretty slow during the first five minute run and didn't start to really go for some speed until the 2nd and 3rd five minute runs. Here is a map of the run. Lake Davis park is nice, but not much to do except for walk/run/bike around it or sit at a bench and look at the lake.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2941608

I felt like I could have run longer. This is the variable week in which each of the three days has a different schedule. The next run has 8 minute runs which seem feasible. The third day's run of 20 minutes seems hard but we'll see. By that point I hope I have a good path to run along. I'll get bored going around the lake that many times.

Week 4- Run 3

Left foot still hurting some. First time running from the house. Sidewalks that go up and down make running interesting.

Week 4- Run 2

New shoes worked well. Minimal pain but abdomen pain, probably a cramp.

Week 4- Run 1

Slower music. Not my favorite mix. Run felt ok-ish. Getting new shoes tomorrow.

Week 3- Run 3

Much better run. Main reason? Probably because this was a night run. I don't think night runs and day runs are comparable. I feel at least two to three times as tired at the end of a day run. I also end up sweating about four times as much. But since I doubt there are nocturnal 5k runs, I will continue to train primarily during the day.

Week 3- Run 2

Athletic inserts didn't cut it this time. Left foot hurt through most of the run. Arch of foot hurt the most and the rest of the leg hurt up to the knee. Didn't quite feel like shin splints, almost more like a cramp. Ran through it. Not sure about running tomorrow or pushing it to Saturday and then Sunday to Monday and then resume the Wed, Fri, Sun schedule.

Week 3- Run 1

Best run ever? Probably.

Factors influencing this:
1. Ullery's rave music, during the brisk walks I was totally liquid dancing. (fyi, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_dancing )
2. Cool night breeze, not used night running. I'm accustomed to hot and humid mornings.
3. Distant storms provided nice heat lightning shows to keep me entertained.
4. Dr. Shoals. Need I say more?
5. The last factor also seems to help my shin splints from not flaring up. They almost did last run and that was one reason why I moved yesterday's run to today. I wanted more time to rest my legs.

Week 3

Monday: 3 miles

Alright... did this one. It went relatively okay. Almost no foot or ankle pain, and it wasn't that hard to just keep going. Running faster definitely makes me realize how easy running slow is, relatively. Did feel like I was going to pass out or vomit right after while I was walking the rest of the way home. It wasn't hunger... I had yogurt with a little cereal a few hours before. My stomach has just been so shady lately. It was not pleasant in the slightest. But hey, it's over. 

Wednesday: 6x400

Thursday: 4 miles

Saturday: 5 miles

Week 2- Run 3

Perhaps most painful yet. Definitely need some new shoes or inserts at least. Not looking forward to increased run times in week three. Oh well.

Week 2- Run 2

Probably best run yet. Had some speed going without even trying for half of the runs. Felt a good burning feeling in my calves. Oh yeah.

Week 2: 13.5 miles

I was trying to figure out why I was only on week 2 of this training program when I know I've been running for three weeks now, then I realized I did week one of the 10k program first, then decided to switch to this. I didn't make an entry about last week's runs, but they were awesome. Sprinting was freaking hard, but it was cool when it was over. And allegedly interval aerobic training is more effective at burning calories, so maybe it'll give my weight loss a boost too. I hope it makes me faster. I feel a little faster, but that's probably due in large part to running at night in cooler weather than I'm used to. On Saturday I did my awesome 60 minute non-stop run, which even at my conservative pace estimate of 12 min miles is 5 miles! I felt like the coolest person ever.

Monday: 3 miles

Just finished this. It was pretty good. Made a new playlist and tried to zone out. I have a lot of weird momentary pains while running in various places: shins, achilles tendon, outside of ankle, ankle, back twinges, and the ever-present heel aches, but they usually resolve themselves after a minute or two, and I just keep slapping the pavement until the next pain arises. Pushed myself to do a whole 36 minutes so that I could feel sure I was doing at least the 3 miles. I sweated for the first time on a night run, so it must finally be getting to be summer. I'm noticing that I recover really fast. (Well, really fast compared to how I used to be. I don't know about other people.) I never really feel very out of breath, even when I feel like I'm going faster than my usual pace, and although I feel a little oofed when I stop, I feel like I return to normal pretty quickly. That's one of those measures of good fitness, isn't it? You should see if you feel yourself improving in that respect.

Wednesday: 30 minute tempo run

For any of my readers who might be wondering what a "tempo run" is... Just kidding. :) So I actually woke up at 5am this morning to go running, which is amazing. I knew I was going to be out tonight, possibly drinking a bit, so I knew I wasn't going to be up for a serious jog later. But when I set my alarm for 5am, I didn't actually imagine myself getting up. I figured I would not do it, and then end up having to do it at like 3pm in the burning hot sun and really half ass it. Especially when I had a hard time falling asleep last night from about 10 to 10:30. But miraculously I woke up at 5 and despite my efforts to go back to sleep for ten more minutes, just gave it up and got out of bed and changed. I felt a bit tired, but once I got started it was fine. The goal was 10 minute warm up jog, then 15 minutes at a faster pace than usual (10 minute mile), then a 5 minute jog to cool down. I was really feeling tired and not wanting to do anymore after 1 mile at the faster pace, but I stuck it out for the next half mile. I got the worst stitch in my side during the 5 minute cool down, but I just kept taking deep breaths and counting the seconds. I definitely felt like puking, but I refrained, which is all that matters. Running is f-ing hard sometimes.

Foot pain: Minimal. I felt some twinges, as always, in ankle and heel, but nothing too bad, and now it's feeling pretty good.

Thursday: 3 miles (fast)

This was just humbling. Stupid "fast." What does that even mean? Run faster than usual? Well, I can't run any faster than usual for extended periods of time. If I could, I would! I warmed up with a 5 minutes jog at normal pace, then managed to kick it up a bit for about 10 minutes before I had to slow down if I wanted to continue. And I tried to do another 10 minutes of faster pace after 5 minutes of slow jogging, but I felt like I was running through sand... couldn't work up any speed at all. Could've just been an off-day. 

Saturday: 4 miles

So I just decided to run 5 miles instead. Doing a little speedwork has really made me appreciate running slow. I sort of feel like I could run forever at a slow pace now so long as I never had to speed up. It would help if there were no hills. So this was 60 continuous minutes, with some hills, and I finished it relatively easily. Awesomeness. 

Week 2- Run 1

Not as much of a fan of this music. Most songs did not have lyrics which merely emphasized the bad techno nature of the song. Probably my best run yet. Felt like hell though most of it, but my running portions were faster than I could speed walk so I felt like when I can put it all together I'll actually make a halfway respectable time. I also realized that I've been going about 2 or 2 1/4 miles each run. I didn't think it was that long until I finally started to read the 1/4 mile markers on the trail. That makes 3 miles seem easily within reach.

Week 1- Run 3

We talked about this run, but here's the post. Need shoes.

Week 1- Run 2

My feet hurt. Specifically my left foot's arch. Time for new shoes. Ullery's music is growing on me. Although the second or third song is a guy telling a girl to get away from him and leave him alone. Since you got me started on this program, you are often in my thoughts when running. Not a good song to be playing in the back ground. I ran into G yesterday at Crispers. I'm going to ask him if he wants to start hitting the gym together again like two or three days a week. I really miss lifting. I was so close to consistently benching 200lbs and I want to get back to that mark and then break it.

Week 1- Run 1

Here's my beef with Robert Ullery. I'll live with the bad 90s techno. I know to post his podcasts with music he has to find free tracks, fine. I might even grow to like it by the third time. But, you cannot forget to say GO on the second run. Every other run is clearly marked with a lead in and then a GO. Also near run 6 he makes a comment like "you may be feeling this now, but you should NOT be winded." What couch did he come from before his 5k? My couch is well worn from days of HBO and L&O. Insulting. Also, can humidity be above 100%? Did we invent a humidity machine in Florida? I think so. Screw biofuel. If they could make a car run off sweat, I could easily supply the world.

I'm going to work. I think I will adopt his running days of Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Work doesn't start until 10 on Sundays, so that day is easy and I normally take off Wednesdays. Fridays would be the only day that I'd have to get up an hour early. Or I could just come into work at 10. Management does have its perks.

Rain, rain, go away

It's hard to run when the rain and lightning won't go away. Five days or so of rain so far? Over 8 inches in Orlando? Over 20 inches in Daytona? This is getting crazy.

Week 1

#1: 25 minutes

Monday (5/18): Not sure how much I actually ran. I've been running with Jo these days, which is great in some ways. Whenever I quit jogging it's because I get bored with it. It's really hard (nigh impossible) for me to run any more than 30 minutes by myself, because when I get bored I start thinking about how running is not a very pleasant sensation, and I'd much rather be, say, eating pizza with friends. So running with Jo is a lifesaver in that it has gotten me off my ass and into my running shoes the past two weeks. The only problem is that Jo is a smoker, so she can't last the whole time, which means I end up slowing down a bit when I know I could go a bit faster. That doesn't bother me too much, though, because I know that the alternative is probably not doing it at all, and I'm going to do the long Saturday runs on my own, I've decided. I'll try to add in another extra run in the week if I feel so inclined. Monday didn't turn out to be continuous. There was like 5 minutes, then a walk break when I met Jo. Then maybe another 7 or 8 minutes, then a walk break when I ran into my host mom. Then another 10 solid minutes, a walk break, and another 6 minutes or so. So that was definitely at least 25 minutes, and it actually felt pretty good. I'm running in the evenings again, which is definitely when I do my best. I love summer nights. I even feel like I'm running much faster than I used to, although I'm not sure if that's accurate. We'll see when I get on the track and actually do a run by mileage on Saturday. 

#2: 20 minutes

Did it. 

#3: 3 miles

Did it. Think I did at least 3.5 miles. This is my struggle. I used to run about 10 minute miles on my distance runs. Then I slacked off, or started running in the heat, or something, but I got to the point where I was only running about 12 minute miles. I think I'm picking up again now though, especially now that I run at night. That's the point of this speedwork anyway. Sprinting is hell. Anyway, the plan is in mile increments, but running on the track bores me and I have no way to measure, so I usually just translate this to time in a 1mi=10min ratio, even though I know that I don't actually run that fast, probably. 

1st run

Looking forward to my first run. Hope you have a great one.