Month: February 2014

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In with a whimper, out with a whimper

I actually had a good month running.  I ran a total of 80.7 miles and that was with a truncated beginning and ending of my month.

My first run of the month wasn’t until the 4th of February.  Reason?  Snow.  I was stuck at work for 3 days and 2 nights and then had to take a day to catch up on sleep.  Also I slightly injured my back in the snow, so I needed to make sure that was healed before I tried running.

I started running on the 4th and my last day running was last Sunday the 23rd of February.  Reason?  I got sick.  So I can’t run until this thing passes.  How frustrating to have one of the best runs of my life last Sunday and then be down and out for a week.  With the way I’m feeling now, I don’t even know if I’ll run this weekend or not… probably not.

Oh well, at least I’m not injured.

Have a great running/racing weekend.

Tom

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The best mountain run ever

I’ve been missing for a few days.  Don’t know if you noticed…

It started Saturday morning when I woke up with a slight feeling in my sinuses.  I decided to walk the dog and jog a few miles with her so as to not over do my workout.  My goal was to get to the mountain Sunday morning.

Sunday morning I awoke with a little more “sick” feeling in my sinuses, but it went away and I went out to run the mountain.  I started out this time with RS.  He doesn’t like running much with other people, but we went about a mile together and he stopped to stretch and I went on.

This run was the best of my 4 mountain runs so far.  It was tough as usual.  800 feet of elevation in 2 miles with only one down hill section on the way up and that is near the beginning.  The wild thing was that I got to the top and was actually surprised that it came so soon.  I had run this 3 times prior, but this time it seemed much easier.  I credit some of that to it being 55 degrees and low humidity, but also the fact that these runs are really beginning to kick in some strength.

At the top and there is about a half mile of a slight gradient, but it is mostly flat.  As I ran, I looked at my watch and I was running between a 7:30 – 8:00 pace.  Shock.  I had just run up a mountain and I was able to run at a pace between my half marathon and 5k pace. Just a few weeks ago I was running about a 10:00 pace in this same place.  I took a moment to take a picture for my “I’m on top of the world” post and went back down the mountain and to the car.  I must say, this was possibly my most fun training run of my short two years.  I am not one to like workouts or to like hill runs, but this is a literal mountain and it is so cool to run it and see such progress.

Later that afternoon I started feeling lousy.  Just achy and tired.  I attributed it to not eating or drinking enough earlier in the day, but Monday I would find out when I woke up that it was not due to that, I was sick.

I spent two days in bed and went to the doctor and finally started feeling a bit better yesterday.

No running since Sunday, but at least I have a fun last run to remember.  I won’t run again until I feel better.  I am still congested and achy a bit. Hopefully I’ll be back in full swing this weekend.

Tom

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All is well in 278toBoston land

This has been a crazy week.

First, I had a great run on Monday.  I felt on top of the world.  I had strength, power and felt like I could run forever.

Tuesday… Not so good. I couldn’t sleep the night before, I felt tired and I ran poorly.

Wednesday… Worst – tired.  Couldn’t sleep. I ran, but ran slowly and walked a bit.  It was 40 degrees hotter than the same time last week.  Not that it was hot, but 40 degrees is a lot of change in a week.

Thursday… The day started slowly in general.  At work I dragged around.  I felt blah.  Then 11:00 happened.  I don’t know what that means, but sometime around 11:00 I felt better.  I wasn’t dragging . I felt so much better.  It was like the past two days just went away and I was back to normal.

I got home from work and decided to walk.. or maybe run… just play it by feel.  I didn’t want to overdue it, but also I was feeling so much better.  So I left the house and walked about a quarter mile.  I got to an intersection where a car was wanting to turn and I was in the way, so I jogged over to the other side… and kept going.

I ended up mostly running about 5 miles.  I walked a couple of times for a few minutes.  The run felt great.  I actually had a good pace, even though I wasn’t trying to.  I got home and I felt good, my hip didn’t hurt and it was a good time.

Last night I slept well for the first time in 3 days and I woke up before my alarm feeling fine.

So what did happen this week.  It is interesting as I wasn’t the only one feeling down and out.  I know several people who felt the same way.  Maybe something in the air?

Either way, I am going to run my mountain tomorrow with TJ.  Since I’ll be running with him, I’ll run harder then I would by myself.  One day, my goal is to run it twice… Maybe next week.

Sunday will be my day of rest (as it should be).

So all is well in 278toBoston land.

Thank you all who showed concern and helped with your comments and posts.

I am sooooo thankful it is Friday.

Till next time…

Tom

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Running as a habit… The good and the bad

Well… taking a break yesterday didn’t go as well as I had hoped.

I got home and decided to just run/walk slowly.  You need to understand that my success in running is based on habit.  I have developed a habit of running 5 – 6 days a week over the past two years.  The good thing about habits is that they become automatic as long as you do the same thing at the same time each day (not time  like a clock, but time as at the same point in your day – i.e.: after work).   Everyday I get home from work and immediately get on my running clothes and head out to run… EVERYDAY during the week.  From the time I get home to the time I am out running it is usually about 10 minutes.  I have trained myself to do this.  It is an ingrained habit that has worked well for me…

Except…

When I need rest, it is almost impossible to stop.  I do rest by taking a day off a day a week, but usually walk on those days.  A true rest day only occurs if I am sick or the day is so busy that I cannot get my run in (usually a Saturday).

So yesterday I planned on resting, but I ran.  To be fair, I ran at a pace 1 to 2 minutes slower than normal and I walked from time to time (about a half mile of the five mile run).  So it was a resting run. 🙂

I didn’t sleep well again last night.  I’m not sure what is happening.  No stress, no pressure, no caffeine or sugar.  I fell asleep late (late for me anyway) and then kept waking up.  I woke up at 3:00AM and just waited for the alarm to go off at 4:00 (and then didn’t want to get up).  Although I feel fine, I wonder if I am not fighting some sickness or something.  It has been a strange couple of days, but at least it hasn’t been more than that.

Finally, I had a hit on my blog yesterday where someone typed into Google, “278 to Boston Boston marathon 2014”.  Ha.  That was pretty neat to see.  I assume someone wondering if I qualified yet or not.  Well this runner will have to wait until at least 2015 and I probably won’t have a real chance a qualifying till 2016.

Goals.  Habits.  Life. All is good (now if I can just get some sleep).

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Running tired and the “Other Dog”

I’m tired.

I’m not complaining though.

I just haven’t slept well the past couple of nights.  Actually I did sleep well last night, but 3:45 came way too early for me this morning.

I noticed yesterday that my attitude before and during my run was not good due to being tired.  I know that makes sense, but I run so much better when I get a good night sleep.  During the week, that is almost impossible unless I go to bed at 7:00 (which I did yesterday).

I am still doing my 5 mile runs.  I haven’t increased the amount this week.  I think this is partly due to being tired and partly wanting to be careful with my hip.  It does great early on in my run, but I have a long down hill about 3 miles in and it always hurts after that.  Yesterday I slowed way down at that hill and it did seem to help some, but of course hurt my momentum some.

That is about it for today.  Being that this wasn’t a very exciting post, I want to post a picture of TJ’s dog.  He is so happy, cute and content (most of the time).

Happy running.

Tom

The "Other Dog"

The “Other Dog”

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Running from obesity

Are you as amazed at the human body as I am?

How is it that a person can go from 160 lbs to 278 lbs and survive.  The amount of adjustment to the structure of the body during that time must be amazing.  I’ve been told, it takes one mile of arteries and vessels to handle one lb of fat.  Think of that infrastructure that God put into place to help us when we become obese.  Not that obesity is  a good thing, but even though I had gained over 100 lbs after college, I was still able to work, walk, sleep, eat and do everyday tasks.  Crazy.

Now, I am just as amazed about how the human body can go from 278 lbs to 178 lbs and totally adjust.  Where did all that fat go?  Where did that infrastructure go?  Where did the extra arteries and veins and… everything that had be be made to contain all that weight go?  I’m sure scientists know and I am sure many of you smart runners know.  I don’t know, but I am thankful that my body was created to adapt.

Another question.  How can a human body go from 278 lbs to running a marathon in just over 2 years.  I am not writing this post to get positive feedback.  I was just thinking of these things yesterday as I was running my 5 mile route.  I have not been running even 2 years yet and have already run almost 2,500 miles.  My weight is up a little from the 178 which was my lowest.  I now am in the upper 180’s, but I’ll get back down there one day.

I guess I am a bit philosophical today.

I am amazed that I have been given the gift of a second chance.  I remember praying years ago that if I could just get my weight under control and get a good job, I would have accomplished more than I ever thought I could.  Now I am a vice president of an awesome non-profit, my weight is in a good place and I am back to running 30+ miles a week.  In fact yesterday my hip had no pain until that last 1.5 miles of my run.  That was HUGE for me.  Running without pain.  Is it possible?

I replied to a comment from Pandora Viltis from my post on Friday when she asked how I could keep running without experiencing much of a “runner’s high”.  My reply was an eye opener to me.  I said, “I run to keep ahead of obesity”.  That is true for me.  That motivates me.  That keeps me going when I hurt and when I am in such pain I have to walk rather than run.  That gets me out 6 days a week, by myself, alone and sometimes wanting to do anything else other than run.  I never want to get back to where I was.  I have been given a gift, an answered prayer, and I do not ever want to lose what I have been given.  It means too much to me.

So I run.  If it rains, I run.  If it snows, I run.  If it is 100+ outside I run.  If it is 10+ outside I run.

Maybe running from obesity isn’t everyones reason for running.  Maybe I should have a better reason.  But for me, that is my reason.

I never want to go back. I cannot go back.  By the grace of God, I will never go back.

Tom

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33 miles of running last week

It was a good weekend for me.  It was bittersweet as I missed running the Mercedes half marathon this year.  It happened yesterday, but because of my hip injury, I wasn’t able to get my training started soon enough to participate.  I did think of all those runners as I was running up my mountain yesterday morning.  Funny, I didn’t see one runner in the entire State park.  Not one.  I guess they were all in Birmingham. I wish I was.

My run yesterday consisted of running up the mountain that I now call “my mountain”.  I figure since I conquered it 3 times now, I can call it mine.  I went by myself yesterday as TJ was wanting to run a long run and RS was sick.  RS did come with me to walk and take some pictures though.

The run itself was uneventful.  It is about 1.5 miles to the road that leads up the mountain.  Then a 2 mile climb (800 ft) and then I continued about a half mile so that I’d have 8 miles in by the time I got back to my car.

I really think this run is one of the best runs for getting me into shape.  It is like a hill run and speed workout all in one.  Also, once you run up and down and still have to run smaller hills for 1.5 miles, it really takes it out of you.

All in all I can feel the strength growing in my legs after each run.  I feel less sore today than I did the first two times and my hip has almost no pain.  I think I will keep this mountain run in my weekly runs for a bit.  Just to get some real endurance and strength built up.

As to the rest of my weekend…  Nothing much happened.  I had a good time with my family.  It was a beautiful afternoon yesterday so we cooked out at TJ’s and then called it a day.  Back to work now and back to my 5 mile runs (or 5.5 mile runs if I decided to add 10% again this week). Last week was a record week mileage wise for me since my marathon.  I managed 33 miles.  Not bad, but far off the 50 miles I used to run.  Time will allow me to get back there.

Have an awesome week.

Tom

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My first runner’s high?

I’ve had four 5 mile days running in a row, and is my body feeling it!

It is interesting that adding a half mile to my run each day has made me feel this way.

What is even more interesting is yesterday I decided to go out slow and just run an easy run.  It went as planned.  I was in shorts and a T-shirt compared to the last two days where it was below freezing with the wind chill.

Anyway, as the run progressed, I started really feeling well.  I felt loose and was enjoying myself overall.  Suddenly at the 3.75 mile mark, I kicked into a faster gear.  Not sure why, but I just felt really good and felt I had the strength to push it a bit.

As I ran, I just kept going faster.  My legs felt strong and my body felt well.  I guess it was the closest I have ever felt to a runner’s high.  About the 5 mile mark I was ready to call it a day, but it was a cool feeling.

I wonder if running up that mountain a couple times has begun to help my legs and cardio.  A 2 mile uphill 800 ft run can do a lot for leg muscles and the 2 mile down hill run can be even harder.

So another week is coming to an end.  Either tomorrow or Sunday I’ll be running the mountain again.  If I get in my 5 miles today, I’ll end up with about 33 miles for the week, which will be a record since my marathon training.

Have an awesome weekend and enjoy your runs!

Tom