My Writings. My Thoughts.
Run Done
// January 14th, 2012 // Comments Off on Run Done // Uncategorized
Up at 5. Out by 5:20.
Slipped and shuffled but did 10.5 miles.
Done is good.
Tomorrow I stretch–and watch the Packers.
Pissing Off My Scammer
// January 14th, 2012 // Comments Off on Pissing Off My Scammer // Uncategorized
I’m getting up tomorrow at 5am to do my 10.5 mile run at a 90% max pace. It’ll be cold, dark and early and…it’s just what I need to start facing my fears, demons and scams head-on. Who wants to run when their family is still asleep? I know I’m going to face great mental challenges all along my 100 mile journey. I’m planning to grow increasingly intimate with discomfort, the unpredictable and the less than optimal.
It’s 8:20pm. I’m going to read Durant’s History of Civilization and fall asleep. It’s been a long day and a long, challenging week.
A New Way to Scam Myself!
// January 13th, 2012 // Comments Off on A New Way to Scam Myself! // Uncategorized
I was just talking with a friend of mine, John–an endurance athlete from North Carolina, about my race and training. He recently biked across North Carolina and is training with some of the best cyclists in the US for his ride across the US.
I was talking to him about my muscle soreness on my long runs and he reminded me of something that I’d forgotten. During endurance events, our muscles cry out (give the athlete pain) for sugar–now! Let’s interrupt this message just so I can say that despite the fact that I don’t eat candy bars, if I did, I’d eat Snickers.
Well John continued by telling me that these super athletes recommend a couple of solutions to carry: Coca-Cola and Snickers (the little bite sized ones). I’ll pass on the Coke but hey, I think I need to be more rigorous with my training and eat more Snickers!
Unreal. I’m just about to go out for a run and I thought, “Maybe I should eat a candy bar now!” HA! Isn’t that incredible…and kind of predictable? Oh, how quick I am to take the helpful and find a way to turn it into a pleasure fest!
OK, I’m off for my non-Snickers-packing run.
I hope I make it.
Me Chatting at Mile 12 of 14.5 on 1/10/12
// January 13th, 2012 // Comments Off on Me Chatting at Mile 12 of 14.5 on 1/10/12 // Uncategorized
Recovery Run, Rest-It’s Almost the Same Thing…
// January 13th, 2012 // Comments Off on Recovery Run, Rest-It’s Almost the Same Thing… // Uncategorized
My legs were still killing me today when my window to run was closing quickly. I took yesterday off but am still sore so I contemplated another rest day trying to reason (foolishly) that I din’t need a recovery run (which is named that for a reason!) and that doing nothing was almost the same as running the 4 miles to stretch, flush out the lactic acid and get out and breathe.
I love that. You should try that. “Ahhh, going to my kid’s game…staying home and drinking in front of the tube…same thing, they’re both recreation…whatever!”
Anyway, I ran. I’m sore. I’m planning on running 10.5 tomorrow so long as sore is nothing more than taxed muscles.
This is craziness.
So Much for a Day Off
// January 12th, 2012 // Comments Off on So Much for a Day Off // Uncategorized
I was bummed out because I couldn’t do my long run on Monday (1/9) so I substituted that cardio/legs workout from Insanity–I thought it would essentially be a day off.
Holy Crow! I woke up the next morning hobbling. My thighs were smoked, my calves shot and my butt-OUCH! Anyway, then yesterday I did my 14.5 mile run and was a mess by mile 8. I finished decently but man…
Today I’d planned to do a hill workout (tough on legs/butt) but I am just now (10pm on 1/11) beginning to walk somewhat normally. I’ll do a “recovery” run tomorrow of about 4 miles just to flush all of the lactic acid and then get a good stretch in.
Two things:
I’m nursing a really sore left hamstring. I can feel it wanting to become an injury so I have to be very careful. This training and this race (and this life) are long term events.
I’m training concurrently for the stair climb up the Corning Tower in Albany, NY. I came in 7th last year and think I can do even better. So I’ll be doing more varied workouts to work my thighs/short term anaerobic cardio endurance.
I bought compression pants. I wasn’t sure about them but I think they do help.
Aieeee!
// January 9th, 2012 // Comments Off on Aieeee! // Uncategorized
Ok, no run tonight! My Maria isn’t home yet, it’s 4pm and we haven’t had dinner I have work to do tonight when she comes home so…
Insanity! I’ll do an hour long max cardio/legs workout today plus abs. Not a 14 mile run but I can hit that at 9am tomorrow–and follow my regular weekly plan starting tomorrow.
Life…
Scammer: If you were really committed you stick with your plan even if you have to run at 9pm tonight.
Me: Thank you, bye now.
Mr. Mom
// January 9th, 2012 // Comments Off on Mr. Mom // Uncategorized
No workout again yesterday as my Maria (wife) was away for almost 4 days and I was in charge of homeschool, meals, entertainment, my regular work and… (pant, pant) This is why I have to kick ass when I can kick ass because this stuff just comes up. I’m happy with what I did last week and am ready to kick it again this week.
I’ve got a 14 mile plan in mind for today-just a long “slow” run (about 2/3 “max” pace). Tomorrow I’m planning an 8 mile hill (4 mile pretty steep up then 4 mile down) workout. I have to get to NYC for my show and it’ll be a bit tight time wise but it’ll be a great workout to do.
It’s kind of funny to think about these distances. In a few months 14 miles will be a “recovery run” and not a “long run”. Ooof.
“Off” Today
// January 7th, 2012 // Comments Off on “Off” Today // Doing What I know, Mental Training, Physical Training
My continued struggle with actually stretching has to stop.
I’m “off” today; it’s a rest day. Probably the same for tomorrow. The deal is, that I want to take a mental break and not think about it either but the truth is that I have to…at least a bit.
Not stretching and pushing through an injury cost me in my upper body work this summer. I KNOW I need to continue to care for my body through rest and continually improved flexibility but I need to get serious or I’ll not be able to run my great race because of a “little thing”. Oh the irony that I’m willing to put in piles of hours to build my strength and endurance but not so quick to slow and stretch.
This isn’t a journal about my race as much as it is about me and my goals, strengths, shortsightedness-my process (life) as I look to do great things with my life. I need to do better at the nuances, the less glamorous, the “behind the scenes” stuff. Ug. I’ve stopped doing several things in my life that used to give me strength to be my best. Crap.
I’ve got some thinking to do.
I’m Not the Man So I Don’t Have to Train Like Him!
// January 6th, 2012 // Comments Off on I’m Not the Man So I Don’t Have to Train Like Him! // Uncategorized
Ok, I talked to Jim who is an elite runner whose schedule I was following. He had him/us down for 7 miles in the morning and 10 in the evening! I’m laughing even now! I homeschool, have work and don’t have time to stretch, workout, stretch, shower and repeat a second time in a day!
So a conversation with the master has him thinking that I’ll be great with:
– a long run (12 miles currently) that grows by 2 miles every other week culminating in 40 mile long runs in May/June
– a similar but slightly shorter distance run at marathon (swift) pace the following day
-a couple or few rest days (stretching)
-a day with hills and/or a day with a series of varying length sprints
Still a lot but with those rest/mercy days, I’ll be able to manage the training and be very ready for my 100 mile jaunt in July.
So…no run yesterday but I’m headed out for 6.5 now. This is the one that I really like to do. I have a personal record of 42:26 and love to hustle and see if I can beat it. Now that I’ve written this and will be posting later hopefully I’ll have that little extra motivation.
A little more work, abs workout, run, shower and back to work with me!
