Showing posts with label marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marathon. Show all posts

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Saturday Morning

Today is 10/10/10.  A piece on the Today Show spoke about how many weddings there will be today because it is a magical number.  An expert on the subject stated that if you add the numbers in the date up, you get 5, which she saw as a very positive thing.  It seems that being born or getting married today is supposed to make you successful.  I disagree.  Your success or failure in life is about your attitude about where you are and what you do with that.  Life is what we make it, not allowing ourselves to be victims, but to be successes (see my blog, Musings of a Methodist Minister, http://revmjq.blogspot.com/).  This attitude is what keeps me running on toward my goal of completing the marathon in February.

Saturday was my first short, relaxing run in quite a while.  I met up with my group at 7:30 and just ran.  My goal in the beginning was 4, but decided to move on to 5.  In the end, I ended up doing 5.6, which made for a nice morning.  The cooler air continues to make the runs nice, with temperatures in the upper fifties when I start and no more then 68 when I finish.

Last Monday I did 10 with Amanda.  It was her first 10 mile run, and we ended up stopping a few more times and a bit longer then I am used to, but surprisingly I found that our time was still better then my last run.  I believe this is the result of 3 factors.  First, I am more in tune with how fast I am running.  I get a good feel for my speed, and am more in touch with when I am slowing down.  Second, I have a running partner, and with the accountability there is someone to help me push through when I am tired, and vice versa.  Finally, taking rests for stretching and water seems to give me more energy, making me feel better about the times I stop.

Monday I have a new goal.  We are planning on going 13 miles.  I am both nervous and excited about this new challenge.  The goal is 13 for the next 2 weeks, then 15 the next 2 weeks, then 17 for 2 weeks, and finally 20 from the third week of November through the end of January.  The 20 mile runs will be the longest I do before the race, and I will be focusing on time on those runs.  My goal is to be able to do 20 miles in 3.5 hours.

So live today, not because it is 10/10/10, but because it is the right thing to do.  Look to overcome the adversity in your life, and make the most of what you have!

Love, love, love, then love some more; then, and only then, will you be truly alive!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Back to School

Here it is Thursday, and I have not posted about the weekend run yet!  My Boys & Girls Club opened this week, and that has been all-consuming as far as my time is concerned.  I've made time to run and workout, but that is about it.

Saturday's run was the 10.1 again.  I started out with the girls, who left me at First Street, then went on to Longhorn Dam.  As with last week, it was a run a mile walk a minute day.  I felt stronger at the end, though it was still tough to push myself that last little bit.  My total time was 2:15:32 with an average speed of 4.5 and pace of 13.26 minute miles.  I am working to get the time down, so I am no longer adding distance to my runs, at least not right now.  While the time is slower then I would like, at least I see my times increasing bit by bit.

I am working on 2 ways to increase speed outside my Saturday runs.  The first is that I am doing a timed mile on Wednesdays.  Last Wednesday was only my second attempt, but I knocked 19 seconds off my mile from the previous week.  I did not do the mile yesterday, as it was raining.  How much was it raining, you might ask?  Well, I would tell you, but I can't.  I emptied my rain gauge twice, both times it was overflowing, which means 6 plus inches.  Over the course of about 48 hours we received somewhere in the neighborhood of 16 inches at my house.  That, my friends, is not good running weather.  So, I will do the mile tomorrow.  My goal will be a 10 minute mile for tomorrow, and ultimately I am looking to be able to sustain 5 miles at 9 minute miles.

The second way I am trying to improve my time is on my mid-distance runs.  Ever since hitting 2.5 miles, I've started doing my training with the idea that I run a mile walk a minute.  Now that I am running 10 miles on the weekend, it seems silly to do the run/walk combination on my mid-runs, so now I am working to run that one the whole distance.  This morning was the first attempt, and I was pleased with myself.  Total non-stop distance was 4 miles.  Speed was 4.7 miles/ hour with an average mile of 12.59 minutes/ mile.  My goal was 13, so I made the goal!  I will continue this distance until I can get the time down to about 12.5, then will start increasing the mid-distance run.

One thing that has helped is hearing people talk about following my blog.  One friend recently told me she was inspired to start running after reading it, and another told Maline that he reads it all the time and is impressed.  We have a friend who is a runner and who used to run marathons who gives advice on technique, some of which I started implementing today, which is helpful.  All this support and all these comments are helpful.  No one says to run faster or better, which helps.  They support me where I am, and I know that with friends and family supporting me, I will complete this race in February with no problem, whatsoever!

Well, back to work.  Until next time, ponder these words from Michael Franti: "Love like your life depends on it because it probably does."

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Ten Miles!

Well, I set out yesterday with a goal in mind. I would run from the MoPac bridge to IH 35 and back, for 7 miles. I met Marianna a little after 6:30 and we started at 6:45. Our first mile was very brisk, at least by our standards. We probably did about an 11 minute mile. Then we did our minute walk, before continuing to First Street. We got water at First Street and said our goodbyes, then I headed for IH 35.

There is a hill, a big hill, seems to me to be the biggest hill in Austin, maybe all of Texas, which we face on Riverside Drive. Each week we run a little farther up the hill before settling into a walk, and we make a goal for a longer stretch the next week. Well, I started up that hill and could not remember what our goal was. I was on my own, so I could not confirm with Marianna. So, like Forest Gump, I just kept running.  Next thing I knew, I was to the top of the hill!  I was about to start walking, but felt so good that I kept the run going.  When I got to the turnaround at IH 35, was still feeling so good about running up the hill that I forgot to turn.  Next thing I knew, I was at Baby A's on Riverside!  I continued running to Longhorn Dam, then walked across the narrow bridge.  After that, I started running again, and did not stop until I was west of 35 again at a water station.  I stopped for about 30 seconds to hydrate, then was off again.  At that point I had completed my 7 miles, but I still had 3.1 to get back to the car, and I was feeling good.  My next stretch was to the Pfluger bridge, which is at Lamar.  I walked for a minute there and was now at somewhere between 8.5 and 8.75 miles.  Now I was starting to feel the run, and was debating about walking the last stretch, which would have made me feel OK.  I walked for about a minute and was going to keep on, when a lady passed me up.  On the back of her shirt was written for me in big letters, "Why quit now?"  I started to tear up and realized that I was going to beat the trail, so I started running.  I ran for about 5 minutes, then had to walk for a minute.  I was hurting, and not sure if I was even capable of walking back to the car.  Then I realized that I was at Anderson High School and that at the end of the campus was my stopping point, so I started running again.  After about 3 minutes I walked another minute, then ran the last stretch to the hydration station, where I cooled down, drank water, and basked in the knowledge that I had just run 10.1 miles, the longest distance I've run in my life!

I have to admit that I did nothing for the rest of the day yesterday, except drink Gatorade and water and watch TV.  I could not have gone any farther, but I did exceed my goal.  In fact, as I was driving home, I realized that the week before I had run a quarter marathon at 6.6 miles, and that yesterday, just 7 days later, I did 40% of a marathon.  I am on track and even a little ahead of my goal.  My next goal is to be at 15 miles by the end of September, which is a little ambitious, but possible none the less.  February 20 will find me running 26.2 with pride, maybe not with the fastest time, but with the knowledge that less then a year before I struggled to run a mile.

Oh, and my timed mile last Wednesday was 10:35.  My hope was between 10:30 and 11, so I was pleased with that.  I start training with my marathon team in 2 weeks, and am pleased to know that I am ahead of most of them, a first for me.

So, until next time, "Why quit now?"

Monday, August 16, 2010

Saturday, Sunday and Monday

Saturday morning I ran Town Lake with my Marianna (my sister-in-law) and her friend Jill. They are training for a half marathon in January and are both avid bikers. They ran from the First Street bridge to IH 35 and back. I kept going when we got back to First Street and went to the Pfluger bridge loop, which is by Lamar. I found myself walking some, which I don't normally do, but I think there were 2 contributing factors. First, I was talking while running. The second factor was the terrain. The parks around the house where I run are all flat. Town Lake, however, has several hills and a few ramps to get from lake level to street level. I think for next Saturday my goal will be to start at First Street, go to IH 35, then back the other way to MoPac, then back to First Street. I will walk the hills, ramps and steps, and run the rest to MoPac, walking from MoPac to First Street.

I found a great app for my Blackberry called Roadrunner GPS. It is a running and fitness tracker which works off the GPS on my phone. This app tracks my distance, mapping out the trail, gives me the total time for the workout, what my mile time is, average mph, and calories burned. It seems to be very accurate, and it should be a great help for tracking the progress of my runs!

Yesterday I rested. Well, I rested from running, at least. I preached about Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his commitment to his faith, even being committed to death by hanging for doing what he knew was right. The scriptural basis was Luke 12:49-56. I believe there is a crisis of faith in our nation. There are many who say they are religious, but they do not practice that religion. Bonhoeffer lived his faith and died for his faith. According to the doctor that witnessed his execution, “I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer ... kneeling on the floor praying fervently to God. I was most deeply moved by the way this lovable man prayed, so devout and so certain that God heard his prayer. At the place of execution, he again said a short prayer and then climbed the few steps to the gallows, brave and composed. His death ensued after a few seconds. In the almost fifty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.” May we all be so submissive to our God and our faith!

This morning's run was 4 miles. My goal was 3, so it was good to go past it. However, my time was way off. Maline started back to work today, so we had to get up and get going earlier then we are used to. We hit snooze a few too many times, but we finally got up and took care of business. Tomorrow we have training with Moe, then running Wednesday and Thursday.

Until next time, Live, love, laugh!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

New Shoes, New Shirt, New Route

My new shoes arrived yesterday. I bought the Asics Gel-Nimbus 11 running shoes from Amazon.com. They feel good. I did a short run of 2 miles and then 1 mile walking last evening to start breaking them in. I also received a running shirt as part of registering for the marathon. Between the shoes, the shirt, and my natural good looks, I looked great!

This morning I had a bit of a hard time getting started, however. Just after I walked out the door, the battery on my mp3 player died, which meant no tunes for the morning. My pedometer, which does not actually measure my distance accurately (after doing 6 miles on Town Lake Saturday, it said I had done .15!), also bit the bullet this morning. It has a clock on it, which I use to keep track of my speed, and to some degree, my distance. I had to really force myself to say I could make it a decent run, and set out grudgingly with my eye on 3 miles. I hit the road at a slower pace then normal, doing what I think was probably 13 minute miles and went my usual route. I got to the park, ran under the road, and came out to another park, which I started running last week. When I got to the end of the trail at the second park, there was a sidewalk leading into the neighborhood, so I took it instead of turning around. I followed the road to the middle school, then back up and around the soccer fields, up to the head of Harper Park, then turned around and came back. When it was all said and done, I hit right around 5 miles, I think (remember, my pedometer was dead, so I had no way of timing myself and determining how far I ran). It was a good run, and the new shoes feel great.

Tomorrow will be a lite upper body workout. I want to rest my legs for a day before running Town Lake Saturday. My goal is to do 6 miles Saturday running at a pace of 12 minute miles. So, anyone wanting to run Saturday, meet at Town Lake under the First Street bridge at 6:30! See you then.

Food for thought: Veni, Vidi, Vici.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Still on a High From Yesterday

I felt like Forest Gump. I ran with a goal in mind, and when I got there, I set another goal a little farther. It just felt good to run! In the end, I was not winded, not breathing heavily. In fact, other then sore feet, I was ready to keep going.

This morning we worked with Moe doing a lot of upper body and ab work. I always complain when we do that, but feel good afterward. The best part of the workouts, though, is not getting winded. I get a little short of breath when we do sprints, but recover easily. Between weight loss, running goals being met, and increased stamina, I feel the best I've felt in years!

Tomorrow I will walk/ run with Maline and Rufus. Saturday will be my next real challenge. I plan on doing all of Ladybird Lake. I will run the first 5, then walk and run as I am able. My goal is to be able to run the entire 10 miles by October 1. Anyone who wants to join me, meet at 6 a.m. in front of the Long Center!

By the way, if you are looking for someone to help you get in shape, I strongly recommend Moe Harris at Elite Fitness (http://www.austinelitefitness.com/index.php/). He has worked wonders for us. He challenges and encourages at the same time, which is a tremendous help.

Till next time, Run, Eat, Sleep!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Five Miles!

I did it! I hit the 5+ mile mark today. I am not sure exactly how far I went, but I know it was between 5.25 and 5.5, based on the times of the areas I knew. I just kept running. I would pick a spot and say, "Just get to there, then turn around." Then I would get to that point and see another that was down the road, saying the same thing. I kept saying this until the road I was on dead-ended to the highway, so I ran on RM 620 for a while. When I got to the next intersection and was heading home, I realized that other then being sweaty and having sore feet, I felt good, so I made a few more side tracks and hit a few trails. I was not at all winded when I got home, and I made decent time. It just felt good!

Today I will register for the marathon, finally. Next expense, a new pair of sneakers. Anyone know anything about Asics?

Friday, July 30, 2010

The End of Slacking

Well, I have been slacking since leaving on vacation. I have not worked out as much as I would have liked. My goal was to be at 5 miles by the end of July, and it does not look like that is going to happen.

We worked with Moe Wednesday morning, and it was quite a workout. I am not sure it was any harder then we have been doing, but we just lost some of our toning while on vacation. Then I ran last night. My goal was 5 miles. Earlier in the week I could not finish 2! I went 4 and just a little over, then walked the balance of the 5 miles. I did more then I thought I could, but realized that I missed my mark and am very disappointed in myself. I will be to 5 miles by next week, though. That I promise!

We did a good cross-training workout this morning with boxing, squat jumps and push-ups. It felt good to have the discipline to do such a workout without having Moe there. Josh made smoothies for breakfast afterward, and now I feel good. Soon I will be taking kids to Austin's Park and Pizza as a reward for their participation in our summer program, and will reward myself with a slice of pizza or 2.

Tonight Josh and I will go to the ranch. I will do a lite run in the morning, just so I can know I did something. I will be registering for the marathon this week, just one more step in the commitment process.

Oh, and I've lost 2.2 pounds this week! Yay, me!

Monday, June 28, 2010

A Little More Each Day

This morning marked another milestone for me. Well, actually 2 milestones. The first is my longest time consecutive running time. Last week I was pushing 17 minutes, and it took everything that I had. I have been gradually increasing my time, and Saturday did 25 minutes, which seemed like an eternity. Today, however, I went 35 minutes straight, covering 2.6 miles, which is my second milestone. I have been stuck at about 2.25, but today was determined to exceed that amount. My mile time was better at Town Lake (11.5 minute mile instead of 14 minute mile) then at Anderson Mill, which I am sure is due to the fact there are so many other people there. However, I see the 2 different running places as having different purposes. Anderson Mill gives me a place to increase my running time, while Town Lake gives me a place to increase my speed.

Now for my dilemma: How am I going to maintain a good training balance while on vacation?

Sunday, June 27, 2010

In the beginning ...

After several years of dreaming about something, I finally decided to turn the dream into a goal now and a reality soon. I used to enjoy running. I've tried a few times to get back into it, but have not been very successful, at least until now. I now am 4 weeks in to getting back to running, and while my times are long and distances are modest, I am enjoying it, and missing it when I do not run. So, now for my dream/goal/reality: I am going to run in the Austin Marathon February 11, 2011. While I know I have much work to do to get there, I also know that with the support of friends and family, I will make my goal. The purpose of this blog is for me to chronicle how a 42 year old out of shape man is going to train and prepare for this marathon. The more people who know about what I am doing, the harder it will be for me to fail! So, bring on the race! I will be there with bells on! Well, maybe sneakers, shorts and a shirt.