Back on a Track: 10/31

I don't even want to try and count the number of years that it has been since I put even a toe on an outdoor track.  However, I decide to make use of the track that was built a bock away from my apartment.  Meredith college put in a new soccer field and track last year, but I have never made use of it.  I've thought about it for a while now but just never did anything about it.  I never liked running on tracks because they are really boring to run on and don't offer any shade.  But, I have several races coming up over the next five weeks and a nice rubberized flat surface only a block from my apartment was just way too inviting, so I was off to the track.  Luckily, the field was not in use today, so the track was open to the public.

Track I ran on today.  I am really lucky to live in one of the best areas for Runners in Raleigh.

I had planned on running the greenway, which starts right beside the track, but I was feeling a little bit more soreness in from my Plantar Fascittis this week than I have over the previous weeks and just thought that I shouldn't push it too much this close to my races.  I went for a little jog around the neighborhood before heading to the track to warm up, then did a little bit of stretching.  Running on the track felt great on my knees!  I could feel a huge difference between the track surface and the greenway and was immediately pleased with my decision.  I don't know any real speed drills to do on the track, so I just decide to do laps.  Next time I go to the track, I will have done my research.  I did 16 laps in lane six, which is close enough to four miles for me.  I didn't get bored  (Thank you Steve Jobs! If only the I-pod had existed when I was a kid!  I might not have gotten fat); however, the sun was really draining.  Today was in the 70's, but pretty sunny.  I could feel the difference from running in the shade of Umstead's trees the day before.  I'll really need to pay attention to my hydration when I use the track.  Overall, I enjoy myself and will try to pun in more time on the track.  I know that my knees will thank me.  After my run, I did some more stretching and then went home to watch the Raider's crush the Seahawks!

Pre-Halloween Umstead Monster Run: 10/30

If you had told me before I left the house that I was going to have a great run today, I would have scoffed at you.  My left leg had been cranky since Thursday, and I had little to no energy on Thursday or Friday.  In fact, I used a rainstorm that blew in just about an hour before running group to stay home.  I could have gone because the rain stopped about 10 mins. before I needed to be there, but I just didn't feel it at all.  On Friday, I thought about going to the gym to stretch, do some abs, and use the foam roller, but that idea never made past the thinking stage.  And I wouldn't say that I felt anything close to wonderful when I woke up this morning, just "normal" at best.  But, I did change a few things up that might have factored into today's Monster Run!  I call this one a monster because I ran the same course that I always run in Umstead (the loop of the Company Mill Trial) nearly 1 min and 10 seconds faster than my best run.  Two weeks ago I nearly passed out after running the 3.9 miles of this hilly loop trail in 42:36.4, but my time today was 41:26.7 and I was not as gassed doing it.  I am not sure what produce such a big change in my time, but I can point to a some changes in the way that I prepared and ran that are probably big factors. Two days rest might have helped, but I have given myself two days rest before an not seen this type of result, so I think it was more do to these change:

1. Instead of walking the trail to the bridge where I start my run, I did a light jog which warmed me up more.
2. I changed the way I run up hills by shortening my strides.

The stream that runs beside part of the trail

This morning was pretty cold when I got to the park.  The low for today was 47 degrees and our high today was only 64.  Thank you for the return of fall!  87 degrees in late October is nuts!  I would guess that it was still in the upper 40's at 9am when I left for the park.  I only live 10 mins from Umstead, so I hadn't warmed up on bit by the time I left my car and stared down the trail, also I shaved my head last week, so I was feeling the chill, and after walking a bit I decide to jog because I knew the air was only going to get colder due to the shade from the trees and the air coming off of the stream that I would be running along for the first half mile and last half mile of the loop.  The stream wouldn't matter for the last half mile, but for the first half . . . .brrrrr . . . is the word.  So, I did a light jog down the trial to the bridge where I start my run, then stopped for a stretch before I crossed the bridge and began my run.  While I was stretching, I could see that the morning fog was still coming off of the water and steam was coming off of the top of my head!  I felt much more loose than I usual when I started running.  I had never jogged like this before when running in Umstead because it took everything I had just to run the distance of the loop, but recently I have moved beyond the 3 to 4 mile range and knew that the light jog would not hinder my run.

One of the more tricky part of the run are these steps that I have to run down.
It looks like this photo was taken from about half way up.

I felt good at the beginning of the run and didn't notice the cold air at all, but didn't let myself get carried away and open it up too early in the run, which has happened in the past.  Last week I was able to get in a good run on a day where I wasn't running my best by running smarter.  I am not Steve Prefontaine, and I need to realize that I need to manage my runs in order to get my best results.  Coincidentally, I got my first copy of Runner's Word this week and was reading their advice to beginning runner's.  One of the things that they said was that beginners shouldn't charge up a hill; that just before you get to the hill, you should shorten you stride, but keep the same cadence.  In doing so, you will conserve energy and still go up the hill at a good pace.  I put this advice into practice today, and I can honestly say that I think it helped a great deal.  I found at least two different spots where I was able to open up my stride and run harder than I have in the past after the hills flattened out.  Before, I could really take advantage of these good flat spots because I was using them to catch my breath, but I think that running this way is what enabled me to crush this run!  All in all, I was able to conserve a lot of energy to really push the end of the run.  When, I stopped running I was pretty winded, but I wasn't dazed like I was two weeks ago, and I even managed to jog a bit on my way back to the parking area. 

After my run, I drove to the Y for a stretch and to hit the foam roller.  If you haven't tried the foam roller I strongly suggest that you do.  It really helps with muscle tightness.  My PA suggests using the roller first then stretching, which is what I have been doing, and I can feel a huge difference versus only stretching.

Lunch on the Run: 10/27

It was a busy day for me, so I had to fit my run in during my lunch hour becauseI had tickets to the Caps vs. the Canes at the RBC Center, which was a great game for me because my Caps shutout the Home town Canes 3-0!  I had planned on going to the AM Sports Conditioning class at the Y, but I just couldn't get going this morning.  However I wanted to fit a workout or a run in today because on a whim I signed up for my first 10 k . . . and . . . it will be in two weeks!  Next weekend I'll run a 5k then eight days later, I'll do my first 10k.  I think that I am ready for the distance, and I'm not worried about hitting any goal time since it will be my first 10K, a PR is going to happen!  Anyway, this morning Hiro took our car to her work, and I took my bicycle, which gave me the Idea that at lunch I would just run a 5k course to her work, get the car, drive to our apartment, shower, grab a sandwich and head back to work.  After work I could put my bike on the bike rack and pick up Hiro, then we could grab some and drop off the bike on our way to the game. 

Not where or how I spent my lunch

It seems like a bonehead plan it might not be the best idea that I have ever had, but I wanted to try!  So this morning I mapped out my run before I left the house.  Hiro And I only work about 2 miles from one another, so I need to add in some additional twists and turns to make the right distance.  I ended up with a route that was just over 3.2 miles, and had four nice size uphills and two good downhills.  Unfortunately it was unseasonable hot today with highs in the mid eighty's!  The run itself went really well, but I was super sweaty when I got home.  I couldn't stop sweating even after my shower, so I had to wear some transition clothes until I stopped sweating.  The afternoon went by pretty quickly, I thought that the run might make me sleepy but, I was wide awake because I was so frantic to get back to work closed to on time.  Next time I do his it will be a day that Hiro has ridden her bike to work, so I can just run to the apartment.  I lost a lot of time today driving from Hiro's work to out apartment,    Overall, I know that I will do this again, but there is no way that I could do it in the summer because I would melt.

nOg Running Group: 10/25

Hiro and I joined  The nOg Run Club, which is a social running collaboration put together by the folks at Fleet Feet and Tir Na Nog Pub in downtown Raleigh.  They host weekly runs on Monday night through the downtown streets of Raleigh.  Wendy, one of the runners from last weeks Thursday group run at Fleet Feet gave me the details.  You pay $1 when you sign up, and the give you a little key chain scan card, then every time you take part in the run you scan your card, after you come to 10 runs you get a technical running shirt with the club logo, and after 25 runs you get a Run Club Mug.  The run starts at 6pm, but there is a straggler run that starts at 6:30pm, and they have course drawn up for 3, 4, 5, and 6 miles.  They even give you small had held laminated maps.  After the runs you return to the pub and pay one more dollar and get a buffet pasta dinner.  It is an awesome deal!  Basically, the only thing that you pay for is your bar tab, which for us will always be minimal because Hiro is allergic to alcohol (Asian Glow) and doesn't want esophageal cancer, so can anyone say Greg has a life long DD and I rarely drink, so we are talking minimal expense.

Today was our first run, so we had to fill out some waivers, which made us late to the start.  We didn't feel like waiting for the straggler start, so we left at around 6:10 with some like minded folks.  You run in the streets opposite the traffic, and the organizer have tried to put you on less traveled streets, but this is still the downtown, so awareness is key.  For this run we did the 3 mile route, which both of us completed with no problems at all.  In fact, we were shocked that it was three miles because neither of us felt too tired by it.  I didn't time it because I just wanted to have a good run.  Honestly, I doubt that I'll ever time one of these runs, this is just more about enjoying the run.  The Oct. 18th run had 271 people, no totals for this one, but my guess is that it was shy of that mark because of the rain that we got earlier.  The weather was perfect for the run, however, and the sky was just awesome.  The nOg Run is sure to become a fixture of my week from here on out!

Art Museum Greenway 5.5 Miler: 10/24

The Green way path I ran along and one of the exhibits

Today's run was much better than yesterday's, and I can  tell that I have become a stronger runner.  My endurance has improved more than I expected it would by this point in the year.  I live about two blocks from one of Raleigh's best Greenway's.  It starts at Meredith College goes through the NC Museum of Art Park and goes straight out to Umstead park where I run on Saturday's.  I am not to the point where I can run all of the to Umstead and back.  I felt as if I could run to the museum and back, which is 5.5 miles of hills -- really good sized hills.  I never gave any thought to just doing a 4 mile out and back because I had my mind made up to do the 5.5 lollipop route around the museum once I ran through the art park.   The greenway is paved and open to bikes, so you need to watch out as I found out today.  I was actually hit by a kid on a bicycle.  Luckily his front tire just struck the bottom of my shoe as I was lifting my foot off the ground.  I more startled me than anything, but it did make me jumpy for the entire return.  The kid was part of a group of something like six kids and three dad's all on bikes, who would pass on the up hills and would pass me on the down hills, but if anything they actually made me run a bit faster, so I can't complain.

The Rodin Sculpture Garden which I can see on my run

I used to ride this greenway on my bicycle as well, and I would see runners on it, but I never thought that one day I would be one of them.  I was really kind of a small personal milestone.  I was pretty sure that I would be able to do it but wasn't sure just how bad it would hurt.  I knew that I would at least enjoy running through the exhibits, which make the art park one Hiro and I's favorite places to picnic.  Today was a bid windy, but it was wonderful to feel the breeze as I ran through the park as I began my return trip.  This run was just a very pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  I was going to time this run, but not run for a certain time, but I messed up the stop watch on my I-pod.  It didn't matter anyway.  All I wanted to know was just how long it took to run the course at a normal pace.  After I finished I felt good and wasn't winded, it was just a nice little run.

The new wing of the Museum that opened this year with the Rodin's

Running Duvall's Way -- Umstead Run: 10/23

Umstead Saturday is the highlight of my exercise week.  I look forward to it every week and think about it all the time.  I just really like running in that park, maybe because it reminds me of everything I liked about growing up in West Virginia or it could just be that it good to get a way from the city streets for an hour or two.  It doesn't really matter why I love it so much, what matter is that I have found a place where I enjoy running.  I am still running the loop portion of the Company Mill Trail, but there are several other trails, which I could run once I get tired of this trail or distance.  For now the company mill trail is just fine, and now that I have found the stopwatch feature on my i-pod, I can keep my times and compare them from week to week.

This week's run was a few seconds off from last week, which 42:36.4  I did the same course in 42:47.1 this week, which I am really very pleased with because I felt like I was struggling much more this week.  I was fighting the trail a lot more during the second half of the run.  There were a combination of reasons why: my left quad was feeling a little tight (my left leg is a constant source of problems), the light through the trees and the leaves on the ground made it difficult to see or stay on the trail at times, and I was feeling a little dehydrated from all of the stomach issues that I had this week.  However, what pleased my about this run is that I recognized that I was not running nearly as strong as I did the week before and was able to adjust the way I ran.  It was like that scene in Days of Thunder (yes I know it is Tog Gun in race cars, but it is on TV all the time and will suck you in nearly as much as The Poseidon Adventure) where Robert Duvall's

character lets Cole Trickle drive so many mile his own way then has him drive his way and they compare times.  Of course Duvall's way produces a better time and doesn't melt the tires.  Well today I ran Duval's way, I picked my spots to open it up and run faster, and I did much better about conserving energy on the hills.  I wasn't forced to stop running, and never really felt like I needed to think about walking.  I would really like to get to the point where I an produce a good time through running efficiently because I could feel a big difference this week from last week.  When I finished last week I was beat, I was taking in monster deep breaths and a bit dizzy and was incapable of continuing, but this week I felt much better.  I was winded but recovered quickly -- a lot faster than I did the week before.  I hope that if I can learn how to run a smart race that I can produce a better time by running smart for the majority of the race and then have enough energy left to really unwind it at the end.  Anyhow, even though I never was really comfortable in this run I feel great about the outcome, which is a great way to end a difficult week!

Hiro Goes to Running Group & Four Miles of DAIKKON Fun: 10/21

Yeah!!! Hiro joined me for my new running group that meets up at Fleet Feet on Thursday nights at 6pm.  This is a big deal because when it comes to training (these are her words -- not mine, but I do agree), she is incredibly lazy!  Don't get me wrong, Hiro is not a lazy person and has an great work ethic, but she is one of those rare people that is just really athletically inclined, so she doesn't have to train hard in order to preform most athletic activities at an acceptable level.  I offer this as a very stupid trivial example of  her abilities and how frustrating they can be: a few years back Hiro, and a friend went to the North Carolina State Fair together and were playing some games.  Hiro's friend and I lost seven straight games of Wac-a-mole to Hiro, the whole time she played while eating an ice cream cone.  She didn't spill one drop of ice cream nor lose a single game until the last when she had already gotten the prize she wanted.  Hiro's friend was so frustrated that she dismember the chintzy little stuffed bear she one in the last game.  I on the other hand long before gotten use to losing to her. 

Hiro & Her Prize

So since Hiro doesn't train that much (for her 5k, she logged at most five 30 min runs on the treadmill in the month before she busted out a time of 26:45, smiling the entire way), I was shocked that she agreed to come with me to the running group.  Last week, I really had a good time and was expecting to run with the same group of ladies that I ran with.  They were really nice, and their pace was perfect for me.  However, they weren't anywhere to be found when we arrived at the store (I later found out that they had gotten there earlier and left before us).  Hiro and I fell in with a group of runners that were forming up, but who we could tell were much stronger runners than us.  Also, I had been having some stomach pains most of the day because of some Daikkon radish I had eaten the day before.  Daikkon is really tasty, but it has been known to make one a bit on the gassy side from time to time.  I did realize just how hard it would hit me until it was much too late. 

Our group started out on what was suppose to be a 5 miler, but I knew that right from the start that this run was going to be brutal.  Their pace was at a much faster clip than I was accustom.  Hiro and I did really well keeping up for the first mile and half, but their was hardly any talking for us.  At around the mile mark my stomach had started to act up, an by the mile and a half point I was really starting to feel bad.  When we hit the two mile mark we were still right with the group, but I was in really bad pain, and when two other runner decide to cut the run short I asked Hiro to do the same.  We stopped and walked a little bit just so that I could sort out my stomach issues.  Once I determined that I wasn't going to have to look for some bushes, we were able to run the remainder of the way back.  We walked less than a quarter mile, and enjoyed a nice little chat on the way back. 

Once we returned, we met up with the group of runners from last week and made plans to run with them for the next week.  Then we met up with the group that we ran with today and they told us about another run that happens in downtown Raleigh on Monday's, which we plan to attend.  On the way home my stomach went total ape-shite me and just started singing.  But, Hiro said that she had a good time and that she wanted to go again next week, so was really happy I went because  I might make a running partner out of my wife -- at least a part-time running partner.  My stomach was cranky all night, and has been pretty much the same today because when we got home all we had to eat was some fish and the left over Daikkon from the night before!!!  I am stocking up on pasta for next week!  No more Daikkon!

Running Gives Proof: 10/20

**this post is about running and the role it plays in my life: I am not fishing for condolences, so please limit any comment to those about running.  I don't want to sound like an ass, but I not looking for "sorry to hear that comments"**

For the second time this month, I've turned to running as a way to deal with difficult day.  Finding solace in the rhythm of running is a significant change for me.  I've enjoyed exercise for a while now, but  many times  a bad mood or difficult day has drained me of my will to go to the gym.  Recently, however, bad days compel me to run.  I know that sitting around watching TV will not improve my mood, and there there comes a point where talking about the problem isn't going to do anymore to improve the situation.  And, sometime especially with work issues Hiro has heard it all before and has her own problems to deal with, so going for a run become a much better way to work things out .  I think that we are both better served by hitting the highlights, declaring it a crappy day, and lacing up the Sauconys to pound out a few miles.  I've given it a lot of thought as to why running provides me with such comfort.  I think it is the fact that it forces me to breath.  Breathing is so easily ignored, but the way we breath has a direct impact on our minds and our though processes.  I think that when I am running and running well my body and mind shut down all non-essential systems, which allows move past all of the stuff is weighing me down.

Wednesday was supposed to be a good day: Hiro was interviewing for a new position and I was very confident that she would get the Job because . . . well . . . she Rocks!  I was interviewing for new student workers and had a really good crop of candidates.  I just really thought it would be a good day.  All of the work stuff that we had went well, and we were just sitting around chatting when we got a text from a friend about a kitten we had picked out and were going to adopt in a few weeks.  Without getting into too much detail, the kitten wasn't doing well, and I started to worry.  Before we could contact her we got another text that he had suddenly passed away.  I was so shocked.  The fact that his life had been so brief just made me feel horrible.  And, I've been struggled recently with a lot of life/death stuff because one my co-workers suddenly passed away of a brain aneurysm last month, she had only been 42 years old.  Two days before she died I had been in her office talking with her and some of her co-workers about a 5k that I was going to run. And, just prior to that, the student worker in our office had to withdraw from school due to deaths in her family.  It is strange because all of these things have happen right at a time where running has become such an important part of my life.  Running has given me an outlet for all of the negative thoughts.  But, more importantly it has given me a stronger connection to life.  I've started to wonder if the main appeal of running is that it connects us to life so strongly.  Running makes us feel the beating of our hearts, we notice the air in our lungs.  We feel life in our bodies when we run.  Maybe that is why on a bad day now, I want nothing more than to go for a run.  I just want to prove to myself that hey I am alive and that is all that really matters.  Enjoy your life because it is a gift.  So after learning that our kitten had passed away I cried, then went for a two mile run to clear my mind.  I was still sad when I returned but felt a little better, much better than I would have if I just sat around doing nothing.

Treadmill Tuesday post Char-Grill Run: 10/19

I went to the gym today to get in some time on the treadmill.  I wanted to run the treadmill because I needed to be able to stop where I was if I started having stomach issues.  My stomach had been a bit testy all day due to Char-Grill a local landmark burger joint , which is an awesome place to eat, but not great if you are planning to run the next day!  So, I wisely decided to run on the treadmill.  Hiro and I also had stuff to do, so my running window was really narrow.

The Run was alright and I was able to run at much faster pace than I could in the past.  However, I realize that I no longer enjoy the treadmill as much as I did in the past.  The trails and streets are much more appealing to me.  This is a big deal for me because I never thought that I would be the type of person that you would find running through the city streets or along a trail.  Now, I just love that I am out from under the artificial light and am not forced to stare at TV permanently tuned into the 24 hour noise/news channels!

Treadmill Run

3 min @ 3.6

2 min @ 6.8
10 min @ 7.2
3 min @ 3.6
2 min @ 4.2
2 min @ 7.2 (I started having stomach pains here)
3 min @ 6.8 a combination of stomach pains and a need to leave caused me to stop after 25 mins.

Inadvertent Intervals & Advice III: Sunday 10/17

I've been feeling great this week.  My worst run was my the race on the 9th, even that was a new PR, I've run my first 5 miler, and crushed my run in Umstead on Saturday.  Also, I hit a new weekly mileage total: 18 miles, so I knew that the bear was out there waiting for me and at some point he was just going to jump on my back turning one of my runs into a total grunt fest, but after running so well in Umstead on Saturday, I just couldn't bring myself to imagine that it would happen of Sunday.  Well, I am a frickin idiot! couldn't have been so wrong!  Like my Raiders, who were trying to put together back to back wins and did a face plant, my attempt to put together two strong runs in a row went nowhere quickly.  As soon as I got out of my apartment complex, the bear jumped on my back and demanded that I take him for a ride.  I struggled the through the first mile and a half of the run, but after stopping off at Hiro's work for a quick chat, the return trip home turned into an inadvertent interval workout.  I just couldn't get going and could feel that my quad was giving some serious thought to throwing a fit.  So this run turned into a run/walk with that mean old bear just laughing the whole way home.  Topping things off, the Raiders played a shameful game that just told me that it wasn't meant to be my day. 

Monday I took the day off and while reading through some of the blogs that I follow, I came to Scott's blog: 180 Day Experiment where he was asking for advice about staying motivated.  Scott and I know each other through a college buddy of mine, who is a good friend of his.  We haven't spoken or anything, but we follow each others blogs because we are both fighting the same fight.  He started out at 315 and is now down in his 260's, and I started at 316 and am now in the low 270's, so I can really identify with his struggle.  The main differences between us is that he adheres to a much more strict diet while, I don't follow a diet, but just try to eat healthy.  I understand the ebbs and flows of motivation.  I struggle with it from time to time as well, so I feel like it is a good time to talk about motivation.

I've been working out regularly for just around a year now, I started by taking morning classes, but I've transitioned away from taking classes and began running more as my interest formed around running.  Injuries have caused me to transition and change up my workouts, but I've been able to stay motivated because I  have expected this whole process to be difficult.  If it weren't difficult, more people would do this.  Personally, I needed something difficult in my life that was going to cause me to struggle and apply myself, and I have tried to embrace the attitude that whatever challenges come my way are only going to be temporary.  It is the same thing with running.  Crappy runs happen.  They are unavoidable and I just try to look at them as bear that has to be crossed every once in a while.  So, for me periods of waning motivation are just a natural aspect of this process.  I don't try to avoid them, push through then, or anything.  I just look at them as temporary and know that my motivation will return in due course.