My Lovely Wife just found my running shoes. They were in our van with some other old shoes. Sorry housekeeping staff at the hotel that I thought had taken them.
Now I have two pair of shoes at least.
😉
Great runs lately, but…
I think I need new shoes…
Actually I had new shoes and left them at a hotel a couple of weeks ago. Of course housekeeping never saw them, but they are gone. So I had to use my 300 mile Brooks that have gotten a bit worn from my mountain runs. It is a rough road and I guess I drag my foot a bit going down the mountain. I must admit though, the great runs I have been having aren’t from my shoes. 🙂
My new shoes arrive today, so these will be converted to lawn mowing shoes for the summer.
Have an AWESOME weekend.
Tom
Running with a positive outlook
This continues to be a strange season in my running life.
Yesterday I came home and wasn’t feeling well. I had a bit of a sick headache. My thought was to perhaps skip my 5 mile run for the day and just walk a few miles. By the time I got home I felt better thanks to my Lovely Wife suggesting I drink some chocolate milk. I guess it was low blood sugar. Anyway, I decided to go out for my run.
It went really well. In fact it went much better then Tuesday’s run. I did have my ACV before I went out as usual, but the run was stranger then my runs lately.
I ran easy. I decided to not push myself. I told myself to just take it easy and get a slow 5 miles in.
As I ran, I noticed my pace improving. I wasn’t pushing myself. In fact I was trying not to push. The more I relaxed, the faster my pace got. There were actually a few times where I got below 7:00 pace – and I didn’t feel like I was running very hard at all.
In the usual places I got a bit tired and did have a phone call during my run, but I felt strong and well for the whole run.
My last mile (almost a full mile – I don’t care much anymore about the last .05 of a mile) I ran at a pace below 8:00. I was, however, pushing more at that point since I knew it was going to be a good run for me.
It was a good run. 8:23 pace overall.
Here is a breakdown:
I really don’t know what I am finally doing right. I feel good while running. My hip is doing well. My pace is getting better and my VO2 Max seems to be improving greatly.
I have had thoughts of increasing my mileage, but I am good with 5 miles a day and 8 – 12 on my long day. Rhythm is important and I feel like I am developing one. In fact, this was pretty much my whole training for my marathon. 5 miles a day during the week and 10 – 20 on the weekend.
So things are moving in a positive direction… Thankfully. My weight is also down. I was up above 190 for a bit, but am now at 187. Hopefully that will continue to go down.
My half marathon is in just over 3 weeks. I plan on getting in an 11 or 12 mile run this weekend and 13 the next.
This could be a very interesting race for me. I’m beginning to actually look forward to it.
Tom
Running in heat – and other musings
Summer…
Actually heat.
I remember last year. When the heat got above 65 – 70 degrees, I was shot. I had the hardest time adapting. My pace dropped about a minute or more per mile. I would get so frustrated and down. The hotter it got, the slower I got.
I then found out that running in the heat is similar to running at a high altitude. I learned to start slowly to allow my body to get used to the heat and then try picking up my pace. I used my app to tell me my pace, not so I could make sure I was going fast enough, but to make sure I was going slow enough. If I started to fast, I would hit a wall in a dramatic fashion and just have to stop.
Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far for me. It was above 80 degrees and sunny.
I did not start slow enough yesterday. I ran well until about mile 3 and then had to walk a bit. Fortunately I was able to recover pretty quickly and it didn’t affect me much. I still ended my run with an 8:12 mile and an overall pace of 8:43. Not bad for an old man.
I learned from last year that as the heat and humidity go up, I need to not only be careful to not over do it physically, but I need to drink more water (I drink about 96 oz in the winter and 120+ oz in the summer).
I am really interested in how apple cider vinegar (ACV) will help my summer runs. I still feel it working for me, even an month after starting to take it. I tried everything in the past from chia seeds, to a bagel, to energy supplements and have never felt they affected my running at all after a few weeks. Taking 2 tbs of ACV in the morning with water (before I eat anything) and then 2 tbs in the afternoon before my run has made me feel so much better and stronger. One day I would like to do a study on what helps most, running up a mountain road every week or ACV. I honestly think the ACV has had a larger impact on my running since I ran the mountain about 5 times and didn’t notice a huge difference until after starting the ACV. I also wonder if I was just missing something in my body that ACV fills. Honestly, for me to run 5 miles in the heat and the last mile at 8:12 pace is nothing other than a miracle. Even my hip is better – not perfect, but much better.
So that is about it for today. My musings.
Oh, one more thing…
When I started my run yesterday I could feel that my legs were still affected from my 11 mile mountain run on Saturday. They didn’t hurt, but had a good feeling of fatigue. I can’t explain it, but they are getting so much stronger then ever before that I know one day, they will take me to Boston.
Keep running.
Tom
Running strength. Building a base for the future.
Well I ended up with almost 105 miles for the month after my evening run yesterday. I can’t complain. I felt great.
I started out my run too fast at an 8:12 pace for the first mile. What was I thinking! Fortunately I got 3 calls from work during my workout which gave me an excuse to rest for a few minutes each time.
All in all things are coming along well with my running. I feel much stronger after all my mountain runs. It is like I am a whole different runner. I can push myself up hills in my neighborhood like never before. I run at paces that I have never run at before except to do a speed workouts. I just really feel good out there.
I think back to my marathon and specifically remember mile 4. I was coming down a small but steep hill and I felt my leg give way a bit. It was very unnerving and made me realize that even after all the training, my legs weren’t really strong enough for the 26.2 miles. I finished with a 4:15 time, but I had to walk off and on the last 10 miles or so.
Now I feel like I am on the right track. I am gaining leg strength. My lungs can handle longer and faster runs. I run mainly to feel, and have been in the 7:30 – 8:00 pace off and on lately. Overall my pace averages around 8:30, but I honestly think I am building a base so that I can run a sub 8:00 pace for a marathon and qualify for Boston one day.
So now we start a new month. All our apps set back to the big zero as we head out today to run.
The future is looking bright.
I love running.
Tom
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:
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
Short and Sweet
I really liked this. Thought I’d rebog it for you who haven’t seen it yet.
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!!
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
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
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
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
Morning run
I love this place…
278 to Boston 