Month: March 2014

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100 mile month… Finally!

Last week was a BUSY week for me.  I missed 2 days running because I was out of town on business.  Then when I got back to running, I felt I lost all my speed.  I ran about a minute a mile slower than I have been running on both Friday and Saturday.  Honestly, I think it was a combination of two things…

First, I drove much of the time I was away.  Just sitting in a car for days on end, I am sure didn’t help my legs at all.

Second, I eat junk food for 3 days.  It was like I could feel the food weighting down my stomach as I ran.  It was horrible.

Sunday I had a great run!  I did my mountain run which is normally 8 miles.  Being that I am running the Country Music Half Marathon at the end of April, I figured it was time to begin upping my mileage a bit.  So I parked at the same place for my run, but rather than running left to the mountain road, I ran right. This took me up and down a large hill.  At the bottom of the hill I turned left and ran up to a parking lot that @BigBigGeek and I used to park at last year while running together.  I then turned around and headed back.  By the time I got to where I started I had 3 miles under my belt.  So from there I kept going and ran the mountain.

I felt great by the way.  My legs felt good, my speed was good, my strength was good.  By the time I got to the top of the mountain, I could feel my legs were noticing the extra 3 miles.  When I finished I had 11 miles completed and I was ready to stop.  I was shot.  Even this morning, just walking up the step I could feel the burn in my legs.  What a great workout.

Also, I made it to 100 miles this month.  This was the first 100 mile month since my marathon in September.  Neill and David and I are on Nike+ together.  Over the past year I have had the higher mileage of the three of us – of course, I have been running longer.  Here is the breakdown as of yesterday:

IMG_1130

Looks like I’m the looser this month.  Neill asked me yesterday if I was going to run today (being the last day of the month).  I texted back, “That is for me to know and you to find out”.  🙂

Honestly I am amazed at Neill and David.  They were nowhere near 100 miles just a couple of months ago, and now I can’t keep up.  Impressive.

So running is going good – and I forgot to say that I ran my mountain run just over a 9:00 pace, which is one of the fastest paces I’ve had doing the mountain.

I guess all that junk food is finally out of my system. 🙂

Tom

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Short and Sweet

I really liked this. Thought I’d rebog it for you who haven’t seen it yet.

runs4treats

Someone posted this on facebook today and I so loved it and wanted to share it with you all.  This reminded me about everyone else pounding out the pavement and how beautiful watching other people run is, especially after grinding out 13.1 this afternoon after a full work day.

Happy Thursday!!

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Running better, Running faster

I’m out of town and can’t run.  I’m a little bummed about that.

Tuesday was my last run and it my running keeps getting better (finally).  I am sticking to my 5 mile route for now and the mountain on the weekend.  Tuesday, I went out slow at first.  As I got going, I started feeling better and stronger.

Here are the splits:

 

8:19 Pace

8:19 Pace

My legs felt strong.  My hip felt good overall.  It always seems to bug me a little more at the end of my runs, but not much.

So at an 8:19 overall pace, this was the best 5 miles I’ve run in my neighborhood in a long time.

So, is it the mountain running or the ACV (apple cider vinegar)?  Yes, I am still doing both.  Either way, I am getting good results and am excited about my race at the Country Music Half Marathon in April.  I do need to work on my long runs though.  I still stop at 8 miles after going up the mountain and back.  I would like to add more miles to that soon.  That should wear my legs out well.

Anyway, no running yesterday, but I hope to get home before dark so I can run today.

I hope you all are happy and running.  I also hope to get back reading blogs soon.

Tom

 

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2 years running today!

2 years ago today I ran 1.5 miles.  I weighed in at 220 after losing 58 lbs.

My pace was 12:44.

That was the beginning.

Yesterday I ran 5 miles at an 8:30 pace.

It has been a good two years.  Lots of races (wish I did more).  Lots of fun with TJ, RS and @BigBigGeek.

My PRs are:

  • 5K – 21:43
  • Half Marathon: 1:44:11
  • Marathon: 4:14:32

I’ve never run a 10K or a 10 miler.  No reason, just haven’t done it.

This is a short post and business will keep me from posting the next day or two, but once again, thank you for taking this journey with me.  I appreciate everyone who reads the blog.

Tom

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Weekend away along with some running

I had a good weekend of running overall.

It started Friday with my run at up the mountain.  That was a strange run.  Other then the strangeness of it, I got in 8 miles before my trip out of town and that was nice.

Then Saturday I got up and ran the Riverwalk in Chattanooga.  As I began my run, I noticed a race getting ready to start.  It looked like a 5K.  I was temped to go ask if I could join, but decided to just keep with my run plan of another 8 miles.  This was a nice run.  My legs were tired from the day before, but it was nice to run along the river.  I ended up with about 7.5 miles because I had to get back to the hotel by 10:00 to eat breakfast… and I really wanted to eat breakfast.

So I got back and eat.  Eggs, sausage and potatoes.  A good post run meal.

Sunday I got up and it was raining and cold… So I went back to bed.  We got home yesterday afternoon and I just didn’t have the desire to run, so we eat and went to bed.

All in all it was a good time.  I had fun in Chattanooga and I did get almost 16 miles of running.

Back to work today.  I’m a bit tired from the trip, but not bad.

Hopefully I’ll put in 5 – 6 miles this afternoon.

Tom

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Nightmare on Oak Mountain

Running up the mountain…

Thoughts running through my head…

A dream.  I was hear before in a dream.  I remember part of that dream.

Oh. Another dream.  Another thought.  I can see a vision of it in my head.

By now, I’ve totally forgotten I’m running. Flashes are going through my head.  One dream, another, another.  It seems like dozens.  I remember.  Now were these dreams I’m remembering or were they real.  What is the difference between my dream and reality.  My mind is reeling.

Suddenly I’m near the top of the mountain.  I’m not feeling well.  Was I running too hard or is there something happening that all these thoughts are causing.

I start walking.

I am panicing.   What is happening to me.

20 seconds.

I start running again.

Slowly.  I feel better.  I am moving toward the end of my destination and heading back down the mountain.

5 minutes later.

I forget most of the thoughts.  The visions.  Even the panic and feeling like I am not going to make it.  All gone.  I feel normal again.  I get back to my car and head home.  All is normal again.

What was that.  I wasn’t running too hard.  I eat eggs and a banana.  Everything was normal.  Then it hit.  It was like a daymare.

Ever happen to you?

I hope I never experience it again.

Tom

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33 miles and 20,000 views

 

 

 

 

To begin this post, I wanted to put up a screenshot from my phone from yesterday morning.

photo

 

20,000 views.

That may not be a big deal, I don’t honestly know.  For me, however, it is really cool.  Thank you to everyone who looks at my blog, either once, twice or daily.  It means a lot to me.  The best ever at 646 was the day of my marathon.  Good times!

Okay, on to running news.  I got my 6 days in a row in for a total of 33 miles (not bad coming back from an injury).  Yesterday was my sixth.  I went out a bit overconfident and started too fast.  By the 2 mile mark I was shot.  So I walked a few seconds and started up again.  Sort of funny that I was overconfident.  Confidence in running hasn’t been my thing over the past year.  Still my average pace ended at 8:40, which is only about 5 seconds a mile slower then my other days this week.

No more said about ACV this post.  I use it and I like it.  Even the taste is getting tolerable.  I have almost 2 weeks of great progress and I mostly attribute it to that.

Today will be an off day.  I will try to get several miles in walking.  Then tomorrow we are leaving our adult kids at home and going to Chattanooga.  I plan on getting up early each day and running River Walk.   It is an awesome path that was built and goes about 7 or 8 miles along the river.  I hope to run 8 miles each day we are there.  Tomorrow morning I will get up, get a wash in, drive to the park and do my weekly run up the mountain.  Then I will be getting ready to head out of town.

Everyone needs a break and I really enjoy these weekend trips with my Lovely Wife and this time with my oldest son.  We have a great routine and time away is always good.

I hope everyone has a good weekend.  This may be my last post until Monday, but time will tell.

Tom

 

 

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The pace continues… Where did this come from?

Day 5 of running and my pace hasn’t slowed down.  This may not be a big deal to most people, but for me, I always run faster after a day off and as time goes on, my pace slows.

Yesterday I thought that I wasn’t running as well as past days.  I am still taking 2 Tbs of apple cider vinegar (ACV) twice a day.  Once in the morning and once before my run in the afternoon.  Honestly that is the only thing I can equate to my lowering pace.  I have been running now for almost 2 years (in 6 days it will be 2 years) and have tried almost everything to help my running.  I fell on ACV by accident as I read it was beneficial for weight loss.

Back to yesterday…

I got to the 4.8 mile mark and got a call from work.  I paused my app on my phone with my Pebble watch and talked for about 5 minutes.  I then looked at my pace and it was 8:38.  Seriously. I have been running for 5 days straight and my pace has been almost exactly 8:38 each day.  My last two miles were 8:14 and 8:18.  That is crazy for me.  By day 5, I am usually in the 9:30 area and ready for a break, especially running 5 miles a day.

So perhaps SOMEONE out there in the world who reads my blog can tell me if you use ACV before a run.  Or perhaps someone will give it a try and let me know if you experience the same thing I do.  I honestly think it is the difference in my running and would like to verify that.

Funny, TJ used to tell me that it would take him a couple of miles to warm up and then his runs would get much better.  I never experienced that myself.  I just felt pain and tiredness throughout my runs, but I continued out of commitment and the desire to reach my goals.  Now, I am hopeful that I can start enjoying running the way others have and start really making a difference in my life.  I have a half marathon in just about a month.  Hmmm.  I wonder if they make ACV GU Energy Gels.  Nah.  Probably not.  That might just be a little too disgusting.

Until next time…

Tom

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If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

This was the news from my chiropractor yesterday.  I wanted to make my hip was well since I hurt it on the steps about 10 days ago.  He examined me, and did an adjustment and at the end said everything looked great.  He thinks my runs up the mountain at our state park have done wonders for me.

So I got home after that and a long day at work.  Not long hour wise, but long difficulty wise.  We moved our phones over from one carrier to another and our internet.  It was so crazy that I didn’t even get to eat lunch.  I got home and drank my apple cider vinegar and headed out for my run.

The beginning was a bit rough.  I had just been adjusted and my hip wasn’t too happy.  But after a couple of miles, my body fell into place and I ran great.  In fact I had to stop to take a phone call from work in the middle of my run and didn’t stop my app, but with that call, I still came in under a 9:00 pace and that was without eating all day.  My fastest mile was at an 8:12 pace.

I’m not going to make a habit out of not eating lunch, but I honestly think the apple cider vinegar gives me energy that I never had before.  Also for the first time in 2 years, I run and feel like I can push it if I want.  I “feel” like a runner and not an old man.

So all is well in body, mind and spirit.

I can’t ask for more than that.

Tom

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3 runs and I feel great!

After my week off from running because of falling up the steps and hurting my bad hip, I had a very successful “come back” running this weekend.

Here are my workouts:

  • Friday: 4.25 miles in my neighborhood @ 8:40 pace.
  • Saturday: 8 miles up my mountain @ 9:43 pace.
  • Sunday: 5 miles in my neighborhood @8:38 pace.

Okay, I have been hurt before.  I have taken a week off before.  In fact this time I took a week off 3 weeks ago while sick, then ran 5 days, then took another week off for my hip.

There are many times I come back strong after taking time off.  It makes sense.  However this time there was a difference.

Yesterday’s run was – different.  I ran well.  I ran hard.  Up hill especially.  I would normally attribute that to my mountain runs, but I haven’t run my mountain in 3 weeks and that mountain wore my legs out yesterday.

I have another thought.

I’ve been taking apple cider vinegar for over a week now.  I take 2 tbs in water in the morning before breakfast and 2 tbs in the afternoon before my workout.  I started this to help my weight while not running as I read it can be beneficial.  However I noticed last week as I walked that I “felt” like walking longer distances than normal and my energy level was up in general during the week, especially at work.

My runs have felt much better to me over the past few days.  Of course it could be all the rest, but honestly I think there is more to it then just rest.  I have energy in my runs, in my legs and in my body overall.  I wasn’t planning on running yesterday, but an hour opened up in the afternoon, so I went out about a half hour after I took my 2 tbs of apple cider vinegar.  I felt so good that I decided to go for 5 miles rather than the 4 that I had planned.  Normally my head is screaming at me to shorten my runs, but I didn’t have that yesterday.  It was just a good, hard run.

So, have I stumbled on a super drink or is it just coincidence.  Either way I am going to keep up with the drink.  I strangely seem to be sleeping better also.  Maybe there is something I was missing mineral wise that the vinegar fills.

So all in all it was a good weekend and a good time running.  17 miles in 3 days after an injury and I feel great.

I can’t complain.