Wordless Wednesday: My first 10 Miler 9/25

Pink Shamrock 5k Race Report in Pictures: 9/24

The corral was rather small, but still
 the race seemed to get off without any issues

The First Annual Pink Shamrock 5k was held in down town Raleigh on Saturday evening to benefit the 1 in 9 cancer organization, which made this race a must in my fall race schedule.  The Race would be taking place in the evening and close to where in some of the most scenic areas of Raleigh.  However, this would also make a rather muggy evening and a hilly course.  Still, I couldn't pass up the race a decided to just use it as a training run for my Half Marathon rather than an all out race.  Therefore, I decided to carry a camera so that I could snap some picks as an unofficial in race camera person.  Hiroko didn't run in the race came to cheer and also took some photos.  I am really glad I made this choice because I was feeling kind of sick even before the race started.  I was having a lot of tooth pain, which I was using clove oil to dull the pain.  Unfortunately, my stomach doesn't tolerate  clove very well, so by the time the race began, I was suffering from a tooth ache (which I would later find out was due to an infection) and was just a little queasy.  Let's just say, finishing this race was a personal victory in it's own right.  This was by far my worst race, but I ran the entire race, didn't get sick, and took a few good photos!  Winning!

Nice little hill to start the race.  Actually the whole
 first mile was nearly all uphill

Front runners at the start

Running in green with my shorts riding up.
  Not a great start Greg!

It was a bit muggy, but the sun was shinning!

Still in Mile 1

Took this one over my soulder near the quarter
 mile mark maybe?

Still Feeling alright at this point

Another over the shoulder shot at abot the half mile mark.  I was trying not to go out too fast
but on this day anything was too fast.

one of the older homes on Hillsborough street can be seen in the background

Raleigh is still a small town at heart

Live Strong . . .yes.  But, I am hurting here!

Just after the H2o station aand I am crushed!

Lots of great supporters and volunteers for this race!

Thanks for the support !

Last hill and . . . I just want it to end.  I am gutting it out.
My tooth is killing me, have a headache, and wouldn't mind getting sickat all!

I'm melting!

No sprinting to the finish in this race!

Look and feel rough after this race. 

3.1 in 29:15 for a 9:21 pace
1 8:26
2 9:23
3 10:11

At the end of it all.  I am still glad that I ran this race,  It was rough, but our bad days are what make our good days all the more sweet!

Post Chili & Pre Work Six Miler: 9/22

Hiroko makes a mean chili.  Really, it is awesome -- it was one of the first things she ever cooked for me and  . . .  well . . .you know the old saying.  Anyway, the weather is getting colder and Hiro and I both started wanting warm foods, but eating this chili the night before you plan to get up a 4:30am to run six miles before work -- NOT the best idea ever.  Added into the mix was the fact that this would be the longest distance I have ever run before work, and most days when I run six miles or more, I am in need of a nap.  So . . . Let's just say that Thursday was a rather difficult day for Greg all around.

The run was alright until the last two miles and then my stomach got to working and hurting.  Running in the predawn hours was awesome as always.  After the run, I felt like pretty awful and work just sucked beyond all belief.  The day just wouldn't end, and I felt like total hell before it was over.  Even though it was a nice day, I ended up asking Hiroko to come pick me up from work rather than ride Frakenbike home!  Still, I did actually enjoy the run and felt a real sense of accomplishment throughout the day.



6 miles in 1:04:34 for a 10:45 pace


1 11:03
2 10:30
3 10:26
4 11:03
5 10:48
6 10:41




I stole this video from bob

The One That I didn't want to Run. 9/20

Tuesday was a rough day.  Not sure why, but I just wasn't in the mood for this world in the slightest.  Might have been because the Raiders lost to the Bills on that Sunday, but I just think it was more of a random funk.  Regardless, I didn't want to run when I got home.  My shin was sore, and my mind was racing about shin splints, stress fractures, and bone spurs.  (I actually do have a bone spur, but it is on my knee, not my shin . . . so go figure.)  Anyway, after thinking about skipping my run I manned up and decided that it was time to feed the warrior and kill the coward within! Thanks, Kevin and manager Armstrong for showing me the way!



I don't know about anyone else, but I tend to push my pace more when I don't want to be running.  Every time that I attempt to just grind out a nice slow run on a day when I am not feeling it.  That run turns into a total shit-show, so my way of dealing with it is just to push and throw whatever I can into the run.  On this day, it wasn't all that much because the fatigue is really starting to build up.

I did a three miler on the Greenway at dusk and was just able to get in the run before they locked up the gate.  I had been worried that I wouldn't get in the run, but I was able to finish without any problem.  My splits were pretty tight and the run felt good afterward.  During the run . . . um . . . not so much.

3 miles 28:29 9:28pace

1 9:35
2 9:26
3 9:25

Last 900 For a While: 9/19

It is getting close!  Under 30 days until my first Half Marathon, and I know that I am in the freakout danger zone.  My mind is guaranteed to start racing well before I ever get a whiff of the starting line.  It is unavoidable.  But, I need to be careful because mixed up in the mad scrabble of paranoia, doubt, self loathing, and fear that run ramped through my brain in the next few weeks.  There will be some very real reasons for concern of which I need to be aware.  And as I wrote in my last post over training must be at the top of my list.

The temptation for people to push a bit harder or do a bit more because there big race is so close is pretty common, but it is a trap -- plain and simple.  I have been following a plan for the last two months to get me to point where running 13.1 miles with confidence and as little chance of injury as possible.  It may seem like adding in an extra workout or pushing a little harder on a run might make me stronger, but in reality -- the best thing that I can do is stick with my plan.  If anything, I need to ease up a bit because nearly all of my optional rest/cross training days have fallen on the Cross Training side rather than the rest.  I have no plan to take my foot off the gas and coast in these last few weeks.  That's unthinkable, silly, and just not who I am in the slightest.  But, I need to make wise choices.  Therefore, I decided that this will be my last 900 workout (which is really only a 600) until after the race.  I will continue to cross train, but will do the 12 Days of Christmas workout rather than the 900.

The Workout:
I did two sets.

5 Laps
20 Dips
50 Push ups
25 Bicycles
15 Pull Ups
35 Side Laterals
40 Super Mans
40 arm Extensions
20 Russian Twists with 6lbs weighted ball
25 Standard Crunches
25 Flutter Kicks

The workout went really well, but left me very tired.  I am getting better at the bicycles and the Side laterals, which makes me very happy.  The Super Mans were the worst exercise for me this time.

Too Much of a Good Thing ? 9/18

There is a tough reality out there that I need to wrap my mind around quickly, which is that I can not get back the fitness level that I had before my illness by pushing to the edge of my training limits.  I don't like to admit this, but I have reached my fatigue threshold.  Both my mental and physical energy levels have been running low over the last week.  I've had some lingering soreness in my knee and shin following runs, also my energy level hasn't been rebounding after my runs as quickly, and I am pretty sure that this stems from over training.  I know . . . I know . . . I know . . .  that it is pretty common for people to push themselves too hard when coming back from injury.  But, it is such and easy mental trap to fall in.  You are so keenly aware of the drop off in your fitness level because of your injury, and it is only logical to to think that you need to work extra hard to get back what you lost. However, that line of thinking is just a trap that will soon have you wanting to gnaw a limb off. 
So, in order to compensate for this I plan on scaling back my training over the next few weeks.  I am going to drop down to one cross training workout per week, and pull out a couple of my three milers over the next two weeks.  I hope by reducing my training level that I can avoid a serious set back and reach the Half Marathon feeling both healthy and energized.  Lets face it, I am (at the time I type this) three weeks out from running my half.  Any kind of set back at this point would be heartbreaking. 

Sunday's run:

6 miles in 1:04:54 for a 10:48 pace.

1 10:42
2 10:29
3 11:13
4 10:55
5 11:09
6 10:21

Saturday Greenway 4 Miler -- First Jacket Run of the Fall: 9/17

Summer seems to have relented, and I can't tell you how happy this makes me.  I pulled out my waterproof Nike running Jacket for this weekend's runs.  I wore it more because of the possibility of rain than for the cold air.  But, when I saw my jacket, I was like "Hellooooooooo Old Friend!  Want to go for a run?"  And my Jacket happily replied, "But of course!"  That's right.  Inanimate running gear has begun to speak to me.  Really, I kid you not.  You should have heard the things my Velcro I-pod band was saying just last week because I had failed to wash it for a few weeks months (you also don't want to hear the things that Hiroko had to say on the subject).  Anyway, I've been pulling out all of my long sleeve Tech shirts from my closet and basically making a mess of our apartment, but I can't wait to start sporting them on a regular basis.  The only downside to the cold air is that it did cause a bit of tightness in my chest, but I was able to manage it.

Me & My Trusty Jacket at last years Krispy Kreme Challenge

The most notable aspect of this run was that my mind wanted to go farther.  However, my body was alright with four miles . . . in fact my body was more than alright with stopping at four miles.  It was like . . . "Oh thank you Sweet Baby Jesus.  Let's go home play with Basil and watch football!"  But, I mentally wanted to push on longer than four miles.  The appeal of longer distances is rather new for me, and I am not sure where it originates, but it is getting stronger.  I am to the point where anything under three miles feels like it's not worth lacing up my shoes.  I've been running the Greenway because I've started to day dream of the day that I can run along the Greenway to Umstead park and back as my long run.  A 12 mile long will get me about a mile into the park, but I'll really get to live out this day dream as part of my training for The Miami Marathon.  And even though I haven't even run a Half Marathon yet, and this 4 miler kind of kicked my bootay, I know that the day these daydreams become reality is just around the corner.  And, I am just naive enough to long for those days!

4 miles in 39:44 for a 9:55 pace.

1 9:47
2 9:31
3 10:32
4 9:52