My First 5K Race: Complete

I did it. I set a goal, I put in the hard work, and I made it happen. My first 5K race is now in the books, and it went great.

This morning we left the house a little latter then I had wanted, but we would have been fine if I didn't turn the wrong way going to the zoo. Once we figured out it was the other way we turned around and not long after that traffic came to a stand still. I had 15 minutes 'till race time and we were sitting in traffic. We were only about 2 minutes away (driving time), but with traffic as slow as it was it would have taken about 20 minutes. 'Would' being the key word there. I say that because at 7:55am (5 minutes before it started), traffic started moving right before the turn we needed to make into the zoo. When the car in front of us made it's turn I was pressing on the gas and feeling relief that we were going to make it. That's when the police officer stepped in front of us and started moving the barricade directly in front of our car, and motioning for us to go straight instead of turn. I'm thinking to myself, I'm in the race. The race is that way, not that way! But she was just doing her job. I was pretty frustrated, but it was my fault for not getting there earlier. So, I got out of the driver's seat and walked the rest of the way there. Amanda lovingly took over driving and some how found a parking spot near by.

The walk to the starting line was probably good because it gave me time to warm up a little. I made it to the start by following some other people who were walking there, and once I arrived I was surprised to see so many people. The road was crammed with runners rearing to go. I tried to find the middle of the crowd and squeezed my way in. I heard the whistle blow (I think it was a whistle) and everyone around me started inching their way forward.

Now, I'm pretty competitive. I know I said that all I wanted to accomplish was finishing the race, but I wouldn't have been happy with that. I wanted to get a good time. I knew I could finish. Heck, I wanted to come in first (although I knew I wouldn't). So, when we started and I had to walk past the start, and continue walking after that, I wasn't all that happy. But I moved off of the road and onto the grass at first in order to run past some people. When I was finally able to run it felt pretty good. All of the sights and sounds and people made this run unlike anything I had ever done before, which also made the race go by pretty quick.

At my first mile there was a lady there yelling out times. "10:38!"
10:38?? I lost about 2 and a half minutes in my first mile. Oh well. At the second mile marker I was at about 18 minutes and something. I was very glad when during mile 2 my breathing was still slow. The wind was blowing pretty good, and it was sort of cold. I probably should have worn my long sleeve shirt, but it didn't take me long to warm up. There was quite a few hills at the zoo. I knew there would be, but I've never been able to train on hills. It wasn't too bad though. Once the hills went down I didn't hit the breaks 'cause I figured that would just use more energy. Instead I let 'em carry me down as fast as they could. The real bad part about running at the zoo was the smell. Especially when I went by the rhinos (which, strangely enough, happened to be the only animals I saw).

Amanda was able to be there, thankfully, moving down the race path three different times in order to cheer me on. That made the race ten times better, knowing that I had her support.

Before I knew it the finish line was approaching. I tried to run harder, but it didn't make that much difference. If I would have realized how close it was I would have finished somewhat stronger, but I'm happy with it.

I ended up finishing at 25:34.83. That's a pace of 8:14 per mile. The list that is up now at rivercityraces.com shows the first 1,000 finishers (I think they are going to update the rest soon) and I came in 237th place. That's at least the top 23%, so I'm proud of it for my first race. Next time I think I'll arrive earlier and line up closer to the front. The overall winner ran it in 15:54! Amazing.

I would like to keep running, and keep improving, so I'll probably have to schedule another race to keep me motivated. Maybe I can persuade Amanda to start running with me. I'll let you know how that goes.

Race Day!

It's race day ladies and gents. I'll be leaving the house in 20 minutes and heading up to the zoo. I went to Fleet Foot Sports yesterday morning to pick up my race number (1276) and free Throo The Zoo t-shirt.

I read an article on Runner's World last night for people who are running their first 5K. It recommended that you line up at the very back where the atmosphere is relaxed and stay to the side where you can get out of the way and take walk breaks. Even though this is my first 5K, I'm not going to do either of those things. The runners out there all have different goals, so there's no shame in walking some (or all of it), but I really want to finish with a good time. I'm not going to line up in the very front because I don't want to get in the way of faster runners. If I did that I might be tempted to try and keep up which will just cause me to run out of fuel too soon. I'll try and line up somewhere in the middle of the pack and start off slow. Once some space is made between the runners I'll try and take a moderate pace until the end. If I have anything left in me I'll try and finish fast. We'll see how it goes. Amanda (my wife) will be there cheering me on. It is very sweet of her to wake up this early on a Saturday to support me (I love you baby).

On that note, the next time you hear from me I will have finished my first race. Until then...

"You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off of your face." -Gatorade Ad

Motivation From Your Own Personal Arnold

My very first 5K is just under 72 hours away! I hope I am prepared. I registered for the race a couple of days ago, so there's no turning back now. I just finished my run and the sun was just beating down on me. I usually run about an hour earlier than I did today, so I'm not used to so much heat. Thankfully the zoo run will be at 8am, so we should finish before the sun starts to heat up the pavement.

Today I ran 3.6 in 28:22, which is 7:53 per mile. That's an improvement of 27 seconds per mile from last time! Sweet. It was a tough run though. During my run I thought over and over again about stopping early, or taking a walk break. I wasn't sure if I could finish. One thing that kept me going was that I knew that if I finished my run that I could use that experience the next time I felt like quitting. I would be able to tell myself, "Look, you know you been here before. You wanted to quit, to stop and whine like a baby about how hard it is, but you didn't. You kept going and you finished. It's hard, but you can do it because you've done it before." After a few of those experiences you begin to trust yourself when the tough side of your conscious (the one that looks like a tiny Arnold Schwarzenegger doing bicep curls on your shoulder) says you can do it.

Well, that's my life lesson for today. Until next time...

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about." -PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

My First Full 30 Minutes

I reached my goal today - running for 30 minutes without stopping! It feels real good to have come from running for only 10 minutes out of 30 to going the whole 30 minutes. I have a greater sense of preparedness for the 5K now that I have this accomplished. It ended up taking me just over 2 months.

I've ran 3 times since I've last posted. My wife pointed out to me that there was a neighborhood directly behind our apartments with little traffic that I could run in, so I tried it and it's been great. I don't have to drive there and the distance is longer than the path at Highview Park. It is about 0.9 miles around, but if I go down a different road I think I can make it a longer loop, 1.5 miles. Anyways, it is nice because the scenery gives me other things to keep my mind on while I run. Like cars, dogs, birds, houses, buses, garbage trucks, and the occasional person. It also offers a wide variety of smells, such as trash that has been sitting out too long, wet dog, even when there are no visible signs of a dog being near, and exhaust. It's quite an experience.

Today a dog was out on the driveway with their owner and it got away and started chasing me. I could tell it was getting closer as the sound of it's yelp-like bark became more distinct. It was a small dog. The owner took off running after it and started yelling, "BRUNO! STOP! BRUNO!" I tried to ignore it and kept running, not looking behind my shoulder, but when it got close enough to possibly reach out for a early morning taste of ankle bits, I turned my head. It was looking up at me with an expression like he meant no harm. He just wanted to run along with me. The owner yelled, "He won't bite." But I wasn't taking any chances, so I turned and kicked it just enough to scare him. No, not really. I didn't believe her, but as soon as he began to back off I replied, "He's okay," when I really meant, "Please keep your dog away from me lady." I'll be looking forward to meeting up with Bruno again.

I ended up running 3.6 miles in 29:54. Not all that great, but I think that my mile time should go down quite a lot during the race. At the end of this week I'm going to time a 3.1 mile run just to see where I'm at. Until next time...

"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs." -Jesse Owens

New Day, New Shoes, New Run

Counting today I have 17 days until race day. I'm running out of time to prepare so I have to make the most of the next couple weeks.

Yesterday I bought my first pair of running shoes. I went to Swag's as soon as they opened and requested to be fitted for a pair of running shoes. The lady who worked there asked me if running is all I would be using them for, and I told her yes. I was wearing pants so she asked me to roll the legs up to the middle of my calf and to take my shoes off so that she could watch me walk. So I did. I walked about 5 steps and turned around and walked about 5 more. Then I did it again, and then once more. She said, "8 out of 10 people who come in here have some sort of movement in their ankle when they walk, but your ankels seems to stay pretty straight, so you shouldn't need any extra support in the shoe that you run in."

"Cool," I said. "So I don't over or underpronate?"

"Nope," she said.

If you overpronate, that means that your ankle rolls inward too far when your heel strikes the ground and you probably have flat feet. A normal pronators' foot will roll inward about 15%. Under pronators (or oversupinators) are usually people with high arches which do not allow the foot to roll inward and therefore it does not act as a good shock absorber. Runnersworld.com says that most runners are normal pronators, which is strange since the lady at Swag's says that 80% of their customers are not. Oh, well. All it means is that my feet should be absorbing the shock efficiently when I run. That is good!

Next, she put a different brand shoe on each of my feet and had me go outside and run up and down the sidewalk so that I could compare the two and figure out which one felt better. In the end I choose a pair of Brooks Defyance 3. They weren't the coolest looking shoes that I tried on, but they felt the best. $80. I think they will be worth it.

I tried them out today at Highview Park and really liked running in them. They fit my feet better then my old shoes and were more comfortable. Plus they are lighter. Today I ran 10 min, then walked 1 min, repeat, and finished off with an 8 min run for a total of 30:00 minutes. It felt good to get back out there. I think I'll be ready come May 8th. Until next time...

"I'm going to work so that it's a pure guts race at the end, and if it is, I am the only one who can win it." -Steve Prefontaine

Week 4: Don't Worry, I'm Still Running

I'm back. Yes, I was gone. No, I haven't been running. Well, not until today. No, I haven't been strength training. Yes, I have been eating whatever I want - ice cream, cookies, chocolate, etc.

But I'm back. I haven't ran since last Wednesday, and it is now Thursday. Oh, well. I'm still doing it, and that's what matters. So, today I did 8:1 3x's and finished off with a 3 minute run. I actually felt pretty good throughout the entire run. After my last 3 minutes I could have ran another 8 minutes easy. I think it seems easier because I'm not breaking up my runs into so many segments. When I know that after my first 8 minutes I only have to do it 2 more times and then a simple 3 minutes, it doesn't seem as far. I was worried before I ran that I might have gotten behind since my time off, however, that doesn't seem to have happened. It feels good.

I'm getting closer to the 5K, and thus closer to getting a new pair of running shoes. Maybe after this week I'll get some. My feet could really use some better cushioning. That's all for now, hopefully I'll be back out there tomorrow - I need to do some catching up.

Oh yeah, I just read the autobiography of Steve Martin, Born Standing Up, which tells the story of how he got to where he is now, focusing on his childhood and his time doing stand-up comedy. Great read. Until next time...

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." -Theodore Roosevelt

No Sleep, No Run

No run today. I didn't get enough sleep last night - stayed up to watch the University of Kentucky defeat Cornell for a trip to the Elite Eight! I also ate way too much yesterday, so I shouldn't need to eat at all today to make up for it (j/k). So, yeah...bad decision making by me, but today is a new day and I start fresh from here. I leave you with this:

Organize Your Running

I'm giving my legs a much needed rest today, so not much to report. However, I did want to let everyone know about a pretty sweet tool that is available from RunnersWorld.com. It is a free training log which allows you to log all of your running information at one convenient site. You can get there here, click on "Log in Or Create an Account." As I'm writing this, for some reason every time I click to log into my account it goes to the home page. I'm not sure why it's being stupid but it should work. Oh, there it goes. It worked! (It's like you're reading this live)

What can you do with this training log? I'm glad you asked. Each time you run you can click on "New Run Entry" and record the date/time of your run, type of run (easy, interval, hill, race), the route you ran, distance/time, what shoes you wore, and more. Selecting the route you ran is fun because you can use their map to select and customize your own personal route, or find routes that other runners have added in your area. It also tells you how many miles your route is once you've made it. It also will make a calendar which shows you what you've done for each day of the week. Also, there are graphs which track your distance over 12 months or 52 weeks, and you can make your own graphs as well. Additionally, the training log allows you to log other information such as biking, swimming, strength training, and walking. Very nice.

So, if you like to track and see your progress in front of you, all organized and accessible, you will like this training log at RunnersWorld.com. That's all I've got for now. Until next time...

"Mental will is a muscle that needs exercise, just like the muscles of the body." -Lynn Jennings

Week 3: Keep on Running

I didn't feel like it, but I did run today at Highview Park. 6:1 4x's and 2 minutes to finish off. It wasn't easy, but I did it. There were quite a few people up there today. I arrived at close to 10am. You have the usual walkers, men and women, with dogs and without. There was also a baseball game or practice at the ball field (it looked like a senior game). The weather was chilly at first (45 degrees) but as the sun came out it got pretty warm. My iPod jammed a David Crowder Band playlist and the SkullCandy earphones worked great. You have to put them in sort of like earplugs, but it's not that bad.

This week I was actually supposed to start week 4 of my training schedule, but because of my decision to take some days off last week that isn't the case. I don't want to start week 4 right in the middle of the week so I think I'll take this opportunity to have a couple custom workouts. For example, one day I might run at different paces or do a long run on another day. We'll see. Next week I'll start week 4 which will begin with 8:1 3x's. Until next time...

"The difference between a jogger and a runner is an entry blank."- George Sheehan

Week 3: Digging Deep for a Cup 'o Joe

I really needed some motivation to finish my run this morning. I'm glad I watched Prefontaine, a movie about Steve Prefontaine. I'm also glad I'm writing this blog because I didn't want to have to tell everyone that I didn't finish my run. Now I can say (with fists raised high): I finished!

I did a 6/1 (run/walk) with a 2 minute run to finish off the 30 minutes. Unlike my previous run, this time I decided to time my first mile. I didn't go all out, but my pace for that mile was quite a bit faster then I usually run. I was supposed to take my 1 minute walk break after 6 minutes, however I wanted to finish my mile first so I kept on running. I finished the mile in 06:27. I'm happy with that. After 06:27 I turned off my watch and walked for about 45 seconds and then turned it back on and began running my next 6 at 07:00.

Needless to say, the rest of my run was a struggle. I had to dig pretty deep to keep going. There was a lady there (Highview Park) running as well, and the fact that she kept going helped me to keep going also. The weather was nice, about 45 degrees and sunny. A shirt, track jacket, and windbreaker pants were enough to keep me warm. My new SkullCandy earphones for my iPod stayed in my ears (for the most part), and I prefer to run with music. After my run I went to Target to pick up some stuff and got a coffee. For some reason a hot coffee is nice after a morning run. It's a nice way to reward yourself for getting the job done.

I think I might run again tomorrow and do another 6/1. On my training schedule I was supposed to do two 6/1's back-to-back last week. I took some days off last week so I didn't get to do that. Since my run was sort of rough I would like to do it again before I move on. Because I'm following the schedule so loosely I'm not going to title my posts by what day I'm on, but only by what week of the schedule I'm on. Until next time...

"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." -William Faulkner

Steve Prefontaine

Good news, my leg is doing better now. I took two days off and played basketball on Sunday. It is Monday morning and I don't feel any pain when I walk. I'll start running again tomorrow, probably another 6:1 for 30:00 at Highview Park.

Question: have you ever heard of Steve Prefontaine? If not, it is about time you have. I'm not going to write a bio here (you can read about him here and here and watch his story in the films Fire on the Track, Prefontaine, and Without Limits), but I'll just say that Pre, as they call him, is a running legend. His story is inspiring, motivating, and sad. He died when he was only 24. He competed with heart and guts, and watching him makes you ask yourself why you're not giving it all you've got. He is quoted as saying: "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."

I can't wait to run tomorrow.

Listening To Your Body

Yesterday my right leg began to hurt during my run. It has been sore since Monday or Tuesday, and it bothered me all day at work on Thursday to the point that I began to favor it when I walked. I couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, I could be injured. It doesn't seem to be that bad though...at least not yet. I don't want it to get worse, so I'm going to do what Amby Burfoot of runnersworld.com says is one of ten laws of injury prevention: listen to your body. I'm going to listen to my body (not yours). My body says: "Something is not right. I should not be in this kind of pain. Whit ails ye me laddy?" (My body has a Scottish accent). Amby says, "at the first sign of an atypical pain (discomfort that worsens during a run or causes you to alter your gait), take three days off." Therefore, I'll take at least two days off, since I'm supposed to play basketball on Sunday, and if it is not better by Sunday then I may skip out on that as well. I could do some work on the elliptical if I want, but we'll see.

Based on another article at runnersworld.com, I think I may be suffering from...(dramatic pause) Achilles tendinitis! It says that Achilles tendinitis is "tenderness in your lower calf near your heel that usually strikes when you push off your toes." That's it. That's what I feel.

And this is where I feel it:

So, I won't be running for a couple days, but I'll keep you updated on my condition. By the way, if you haven't noticed, runnersworld.com is a fantastic site for runners. And I don't use the word "fantastic" lightly. Until next time...

"Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're probably right." -Henry Ford

Week 3: Day 4 - When Nature Calls

I would have finished my run for the day a couple of hours ago, but when nature calls there's nothing you can do about it. Thanks to a suggestion by my friend Matt this morning, I ran at Highview Park. It has a basketball court, tennis court, playground, and a path that goes around 1/3 of a mile. That's what I ran on this morning. I got there early because I left our pastor's men's book study (on Crazy Love by Francis Chan) at around 7:10am. I pulled into the parking lot and it was still dark. I took my time, changed my shoes and decided to take a walk around the path just to see what it was like. I got ready to run, and I went slowly around once. By the time I got around I knew I couldn't hold it for 30 minutes (too much info?? :)). So I left and stopped at Walgreens. By the time I left I had bought some bandages (for my blister on my heel), and two hot & cold packs. I got back to the park and finally began my run.

It was a nice park to run in - not too big, but bigger than the little path at my apartment. There were big trees, green grass, birds singing and squirrels playing. It helped that the path was longer since I'm runner farther now then I used to. Going around a small circle over and over makes the time creep by. It wasn't crowded either, just one person walking toward the end of my run. I think I'll start going there more often (thanks Matt!).

Like I said yesterday, I'm up to a 6:1 4x's (that's 6 min. run and 1 min. walk) with a 2 min. run to finish up the 30 minutes. It wasn't too bad, although my right leg, between my calf and my heel started to hurt about mid-way through. It has been hurting since at least Tuesday. I iced it when I got home and inclined my legs for about 10 minutes. They (runnersworld.com) say that after a run you should always stretch, ice, and incline, so I'll see if that works. You are also supposed to put heat on your muscles after you ice, I think, but I didn't have time for that today. I have to leave for work in 3 minutes.

So anyways, today's run was good. I think I'll be ready for my 5K in May. Every so often I would time myself for 1 time around the path and it was usually between 02:35 and 02:20. Not great, but I'm not really running for speed right now, just trying to keep on running when I'm supposed to. Next time I won't drink any coffee before my run, that way I won't have to hit up the little boy's room at Walgreens. Until next time...

"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'" -Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner

Week 3: Day 3 - Pink Flamingos and Such

No running today. Just some strength training (that makes it sound like it was easy), but I'll be back at it tomorrow. If you were curious (and even if you weren't), the 5K race that I am planning on participating in is the Throo the Zoo 5K Run/Walk on May 8th at 8:00am. I thought it would be pretty sweet to be running the race and checking out the flamingos at the same time!

I just had a thought...I suppose I should simply run the race with the goal of finishing. I'd like to be able to run all the way through without taking any walking breaks. However, having somewhat of a competitive nature, I think it would be motivating to set a time to beat. But what time??? Well, since I'm in my 3rd week of training now, that means I'm almost to the halfway mark of my preparation. So here's my idea: After week 4 I'll give the ol' 3.1 miler a test run. I'll set my very first personal record (PR) and after I see what I'm capable of (or not capable of) I'll make my race day goal to set a new PR. Sound good? It does to me. That's all that matters right? :) Until next time...

"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it." -Oprah Winfrey

Week 3: Day 2 - It's a Beautiful Morning

Blisters or no blisters, I was going to run today. Unless you count playing basketball on Sunday (which you should), I hadn't ran since last Thursday. Well, I ran today. 8:30am I was out the door and into the 45 degree weather - when I realized how cold it felt and went back for my jacket...and then I was out the door. I started my stop watch to time my 5 minutes of walking to warm up, and hit play on my iPod - Awakening by the Passion Worship Band. It was a little cold, but the fresh smell of a new day made me feel like I was getting the most out of it by starting it off with a run. After 5 minutes of walking I reset my watch at 00:00 and took off.

The nice thing about today's run was that I didn't struggle during the last 2 or 3 5 minute runs like I did the first time I ran/walked the same times. My legs stayed strong the entire time and my lungs only really started to feel it during my last run. It actually went by fast, possibly due to the music but possibly because I was counting my laps this time. I've never done that in the past, but today I decided to for some reason. 23 full laps and it made me focus on something else rather than looking at my watch to see how much time I had left before I could walk for 1 minute. I also think playing basketball, which involves a lot of sprinting, helped my endurance as well.

On my last lap I had a visitor, some guy in a red hoodie started walking the track (not really a track, more like a side walk that goes around a small pond). Once I was finished he started running. It's good to see people getting motivated to exercise and stay healthy. Next time I will move up to 6 minute runs and 1 minute walks 4x's and ending in a 2 minute run. That's all for now. Until next time...

"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." -Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner

Preparing For My First 5K

I've decided to run a 5K in May.

I've been training since February 15th, 2010. To be honest, I was inspired to do so while watching the Winter Olympics and seeing Apolo Ohno run. I thought, "That looks fun." Isn't that what most people think when they are about to begin some sort of exercise program? I was also thinking that it would be a good way to get into better shape than I was in at the time (I've always wanted a six-pack). I like the challenge of it as well: how far, and how fast can I go? Another thought that lured me was the simplicity of it. I mean, all I need is myself and a pair of shoes to run in (after some research I've come to realize that there is much more too it, though there doesn't have to be).

It is now March 15th, and I have completed just over 2 weeks of my training. I haven't really stuck to schedule but I have stuck to the content of the 8 week training program I'm following. This program is supposed to gradually prepare a new runner for a 5K (3.1 miles) in 8 weeks . It combines both running and walking until you can run a full 30 minutes without stopping. A full 30 minutes of running should get many people across the finish line of a 5K. So far I've moved up from 1 min. runs and 2 min. walks (1:2) to 5 min. runs and 1 min. walks (5:1). Each run/walk session is 30 minutes long, so in a 1:2 run/walk session I would repeat that 10 times until 30 minutes was up (1:2 10x's). In my last run I did a 5:1 5x's.

Why all this complicated timing? The reason is that it is important for a beginner not to start off too fast. If you try to do too much too fast you will probably just get burnt out and give up. A second reason is that rushing into a training program of any kind is more likely to lead to injury, and that is the last thing I or anyone else wants to happen. Easing my way into running has been perfect for me. Each time I increase the time I spend running I know it is going to be tough to finish, but not so tough that I pass out or loose my lunch (or breakfast, or whatever). When I'm in those last 5 or 10 minutes, I have to continue to tell myself that I can finish. I know that pushing my physical limits just a little will make me stronger for the next run, and that helps keep me motivated.

Today is Monday March 15th, and I haven't run since Thursday March 11th. I had been planning on running today, but last night I played basketball at my church in a new pair of shoes. The end result was blisters on my heels, ankles and toes. I'd like to give those a day or two to heal before I head out again - when I do I'll make sure to write about it. Until then....

"If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it." -Priscilla Welch, who won the 1987 New York City Marathon at age 42