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