January 26, 2010

Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT dvd was released. We stopped on the way to work to buy it.

January 25, 2010

Sherri called me at work to say it was snowing at home. She e-mailed some pictures and our yard was white. We later got some activity in Nashville, but it didn't stick. The snow had also melted by the time I got home.

I had already talked myself out of running my 4 miles by the time I got home. Sherri asked me if I was running. I said, "No". She asked me again a few minutes later, so I forced myself out the door to run.

Last week I wrote that I was going to try to run Mondays at a fast past. However, I thought Mondays would be 3-milers for a few more weeks. Not so. Today, Mondays moved up to 4 miles, so I just ran at a normal pace.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

I am still "paying" for yesterday's 10-miler. I should have known better than to run the day before my long run. If I had not ran on Friday, maybe yesterday would not have been so painful.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Back to double-digits! Today was a 10-miler!

I usually have a "rest day" both before and after my Saturday long run. However, since I ran yesterday in attempt to make up for 2 missed days, I was running back-to-back days. My legs hurt; my knees hurt to the extent I thought my ITBS was coming back - not that it has gone away completely. The last two miles were rough! I was wondering if I was going to have to walk. My pace over the last two miles was over 11 minutes each, so I was almost walking. I finished in 1 hour, 42 minutes, and 17 seconds - about a 10:13 pace.

The rest of the day I was in recovery. My legs were sore and my head ached. My main concern was the ITB in both knees. I do NOT want to be in the position I was a few months ago. I was not only unable to run, but I had trouble walking. My knee could only bend just a little before the excuriating pain hit.

Friday, January 22, 2010

I have not ran in several days: Tuesday was a "rest day"; Wednesday was rainy; and Thursday, it was raining even harder. Wednesday called for 5 miles; Thursday was for 3. Since I did not work today (having trees cut/propane tank installed), I had time to run the longer 5 miles. I did so without anything being worth writing about.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

I am not losing any weight! I haven't been at the weight I want to be to run the Oxford Run 4 Hope Half Marathon since the day I injured my knee (November 16). Although my heart rate has gone down just a little so far this month from December, it is still up from November. November's average was 59.2; December's 68.3; and January's (thru today) 66.2.

I chatted with John Beard (an old high school buddy) on Facebook. He has been running for a couple of years. He asked me if I was going to run the Country Music Marathon in April. I replied that I wanted to, but it depended on my knee. He just recently ran 13 miles, so I think he will do the whole 26.2 in the CMM.

Today was a nice day for a run. With a low in the a.m. of 26 degrees, it warmed up to 53 degrees - a heatwave. I ran in the evening and it was 44 degrees when I completed my 3 miles.

I intend - at least until the Oxford Half next month - to run all my Monday runs as fast as I can. I guess the word "run" in the title of my blog should be replaced with the word "jog". I haven't been doing any "running"; I've just been jogging my miles with no exertion at all. Today, I thought I would change that! Since I have a rest day before and after Monday runs, I thought this would be the best day to put a little effort into my runs. I do no other workouts - no speed training, no hills, no cross-training - so maybe this will help build a little speed and help my lungs, too.

Okay, I wanted to put some speed to it, but I didn't want to kill myself or risk reinjuring my knee, so I decided I would attempt a sub-9 minute pace. I know; it is not much of a challenge from some of my previous times, but is something I haven't done since my injury. And I did it! An 8:23 pace. I had already thought, "9 minutes this week; 8:30 next week". Well, I guess I will now try a sub-8 next week. I will also have to adjust my take off. I started out too fast. My
first mile was 7:40; mile 2 was 8:41; and mile 3 at 8:48.

Will I ever see a sub-6 minute mile again? No, never.

8 Miles on January 16, 2010

Well, I ran 8 miles today. The first two miles were the hardest. I wanted to stop - my feet and ankles were killing me. They finally loosened up and I settled in for the final 6. The first two miles, however, were 2 of my 3 fastest times. The second fastest was my last mile.

I finished in 1 hour, 23 minutes, and 28 seconds - a pace of 10:26 per mile. I am satisfied with that for now.

Considering the weather we have had the last couple of weeks, the weather was great! It was 49 degrees when I left at noon, and 51 degrees when I returned.

January 15, 2010

Okay, so I was to make up yesterday's 3 miles today; I didn't do it, and I have another excuse. A tree service was came by to give a price on trimming/cutting a few trees. When he left, it was dark, so I easily talked myself into not running. I will just skip it and pick up with tomorrow's 8 miles.

January 14, 2010

Well, I didn't run my 3 miles. I have a good excuse, though. Sherri and I went to have our picture taken for her church's directory. We had to drive all the way to Erin for it. We did go to Fitz's afterwards to eat with Jeanette Hoskins.

I found a training plan to assist me in preparing for the Nashville Ultra in October. It is an 18-week plan that begins June 15. The plan suggests that a marathon or 50K be completed 3 to 4 weeks before beginning this schedule. The Country Music Marathon is about 8 weeks before, so I may try to find something in between the two.

January 13, 2010

Ran my 5 miles in 48:53 (9:46 per mile). I know I need to run faster, but I'm afraid of injuring my knee again. The marathon (which calls for 4 miles today) I am hoping to run is just a "finish" goal for me - "time" doesn't enter the equation. The half marathon, however, is a different story; I want to best my one and only time of 01:58:06 (9:00 minutes per mile). I do not do any other kind of training - no speed workouts, no cross-training, etc. I just run.

I did not check the temp when I headed out, but it was a cool 30 degrees when I returned just after 6:00 pm. The 30 degrees seemed cooler than when I was running when the temp was just around 20 degrees. Weathermen are predicting temps in the low 50's for Saturday. Sounds great! Saturdays are my weekly long runs. This week is an 8-miler.

Rest Day. Ultra in the Distant Future?

Today is a rest day from running.

As I was scanning through a couple of websites today, I came across an Ultra Marathon that will be held in Nashville in October. I've "thought" I would like to run one of these. Well, not actually doing the running, but crossing the finish line and receiving the bragging rights to say I ran an Ultra, is what I really want. A 50K, 60K, 70K, and 80K are offered, with the 80K actually being 50 miles instead of a true 80K of 49.6 miles. If I am to run, I may as well do the 80, right?

My interest in the Ultra came a few months ago. Sherri and I were at Crissy's house preparing for here to return home with her new bundle of joy, Lainey. (Okay, so Sherri was preparing and I was watching TV.) My channel surfing landed me on a channel showing endurance athletes running 100 miles through an American west desert. 100 miles! The runners had mobile aid stations - assistants in vehicles that kept the fluids prepared, suntan lotion at the ready, among lots of other necessities. Even after seeing that these runners were exhausted from the extreme heat and in pain after the mileage toiled on the body, I thought to myself, "I want to run 100 miles one day."

January 11, 2010

On my way home from work, Sherri called and wanted me to pick up a pizza and cheese sticks. Yes, pizza. A major "No, no" for runners and my number one weakness. I talked myself in and out of running my 3 scheduled miles many times before I got home. I resisted every temptation of eating a slice of pizza or a couple of cheese sticks while driving home. A major accomplishment. When I got home, I forced myself to run. I used the pizza as my motivation - the faster I run, the quicker I get to eat pizza.

It took me 27:39 to run 3 miles. I am happy because I have been trying to remain under 10 minutes per mile. This was an average of 9:13 per mile. The thing is I want to run 3 miles in no more than 21 minutes. At my age (and after years of "nothing" and hundreds of pizzas later), I don't know if I will ever get there.

Hey, it was a little warm for my run at 5:00 pm - it was 37 degrees. Today's high was 40; the low 12. Finally, we rose above freezing. (I still don't know about the record).

Sunday - Rest Day

After running 3 days in a row, which my training plans advise against, I got a rest day. Other than going to church, I did nothing. The day went by fast, though.

The temp was 8 degrees at 5:00 am, when I had to take Porky out. Sometime between then and when I got up for good at about 8:00, the temperature had dropped to the day's low of 7 degrees. The high reached 28. I haven't verified it, but I believe today tied the mark set back in 1895 for consecutive days below freezing.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Today the temperature was in the low 20's when I ran my 6 miles. Flurries were still falling, even a little heavy at times. My trouble with the flurries were not so much as hitting me in the eyes, but landing on my eyelashes. It has been flurrying for about 3 days now and the temperatures have remained below freezing. However, the snow on the ground is melting away. Strange.

This week was Week Number 3 for my Half Marathon training; it also was Week Number 1 for the full. (I may have written about this before). For the Half, today's schedule was for 6 miles; the Full would have been for 5. So, I am ahead in the Full Marathon department - at least until my taper period for the Half.

I am disappointed in my time. As I mentioned in earlier posts, I hoped to keep all my times at under 10 minutes per mile. Today's time was 1 hour, 1 minute, and 12 seconds. It was not that bad off. Plus, I limped most of the last half-mile, due to pain returning to my knee.

National Champions: ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

Alabama won the National Championship!!! The Crimson Tide defeated Texas 37-21. I will not bore you with all the details.

I ran 3 miles today. When I got up this morning, it was 17 degrees. I waited until it warmed up to 18 degrees before I started out; it had risen to 19 by the time I finished. My road was slick in spots, and I completed my run in 29:23. I had no idea my legs would be so tired. At times, I felt as though I was running in place.

Today would have been Elvis Presley's 75th birthday.

Where's the snow? Most Importantly: The National Championship

Well, where is all the snow? There is just enough snow to cover my street in Clarksville. The snow depth is very thin and the street is very evenly covered - almost like somebody painted the road white. When I reached the main highway I travel, it was mostly wet from all the brine and salt added to the road preparing it for the "snow storm". The snow disappeared the closer I drove to Nashville - not a single flake hit my windshield. The temperatures have improved, though. At 6:30 am, it was 28 degrees, up 2 from midnight.

My main focus today is on the National Championship football game tonight. My ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE will be taking on the Texas Longhorns. ROLL TIDE!!!

Well, I left work at noon. The two people that did come in had already left, so I left, too. It had been snowing in Nashville for an hour or so, and there was some accumulation on the street in front of the office. The home was pretty smooth, though.

I ran 4 miles when I got home. The temperature was 28 degrees when I left and when I returned. I completed the run in 39:22 - not blazing speed, but right now I am trying to keep my average per mile under 10 minutes. I guess my run was balanced. At times, the wind was blowing my top half to the left, at times to the right, at times backwards/forwards. I believe the wind's main goal was to blow me over.

January 6, 2010

Well, I was scheduled to run 4 miles. I didn't do it. This blog was supposed to help make me accountable for my running. So far, it is not seeming to help. Now, I am a day behind again.

I continue to write about the weather, because of the cold spell. At 6:20 am, the temperature had dropped to 9 degrees from the 13 degrees at midnight. It dropped another degree, before reaching a high of 32. (These temperatures are as recorded on my indoor/outdoor atomic clock/thermometer, and not from any official television news station). The news channels are all forecasting some snow for January 7. Depending on the area in middle Tennessee, an estimated 1 to 3 inches. Since it has been so cold for the last week or so, the snow is expected to stick around for awhile. Most schools in the Nashville viewing area have already closed, without the first snow flake hitting the ground yet. It is almost like we have never seen snow before.

January 5, 2010

Today is January 6, but since I did not write yesterday's entry, I am writing it today. A day behind will probably be the norm from now on for my blog entries.

Work is slow, due to the weather - we just can't pave when it is 12 degrees. The 12 degree temperature was at 6:50 am. By 7:15, it had dropped to 11 degrees. I heard on the news that we were closing in on the record of 12 days in-a-row when the high temperature for the day remained below the freezing mark. The record was set way back in 1895.

"Hey, Al Gore, you live near Nashville, what do you think about this global warming thing?" Oh, I have a lot of questions/comments on Al Gore's ideas of global warming. I will save you from that rant, though - at least for the time being.

Since I did not run my 3 miles scheduled for Monday (Jan. 4), I ran them January 5. It was 22 degrees when I left the house at 5:15 pm. When I returned about 30 minutes, the temperature had dipped to 20 degrees. I did not wear gloves this time, because my hands sweated the last time I wore gloves. I wish I had worn them! Since it was dusk, I carried a small flashlight and my right thumb got so cold it felt like I had jambed it. The rest of me sweated.

Back to work. Ugh!

Sherri and I both had trouble sleeping last. I wouldn't say it was because we were excited to return to work, but returning to work after two weeks had something to do with it.

We got up at 5:00 am. My digital thermometer read 13 degrees. An hour later it had raised one degree. According to television weather forecasters, the temperature will not reach freezing for the rest of the week, and maybe some snow on Thursday. Thursday is the day Alabama plays for the National Championship.

Today was the first day of Week 3 for my half marathon training. It was also Day 1, Week 1 of training for the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, Tennessee, in April. Well, I didn't run. Sherri wanted to stop by the store and get a few things. When we got home, it was dark and cold. It will not be as dark as I thought when we get home at our usual time, which is a plus. Now, I have to make up for the "lost" run.

Rest Day

Sunday is usually a rest day from running. My knee is sore from yesterday, but I believe it will be well enough for tomorrow.

Another New Year's resolution is to lose the 6 pounds I have gained since I ran the Clarksville Half Marathon, plus 8 more pounds. I will be happy losing 9 pounds, but really want to lose 14.

We went to church at Salem UMC this morning, took down the Christmas tree, watched some football - a pretty relaxing day that just flew by!

Bonus 1.4 Miles!

Morgan (our dog) had to go out at 5:00 this morning. The temperature was 18 degrees. At 8:30 a.m., it was still 18 degrees.

After reading day 2 of the Bible and a cup of coffee, I finally headed out the door for my 5 mile run at 9:30. The temperature had warmed up to 22 degrees with snow flurries. I listened to my MP3 "Travel Bible" as a ran. When I thought I had completed the first mile, I looked at my watch to see my time. My GPS battery had died! My plan to run 2.5 miles, turn around, and run home had to change. I decided to run the loop at the end of the main road. I figured the round trip would give me 5 miles. When I got back home, I drove my route and discovered that I had ran 6.4 miles! So, my 1 hour 5 minute and 23 second time was not as bad as I thought. My average was 10:23 per mile. Still, it was slower than I would have liked. The temperature had reached 24 degrees by the time I got back home. (The day's high was 27).

My knee gave me some trouble at times, especially running downhill. Some instances were quite painful, but only lasted a few strides. And I never had to walk.

Sherri and I carried a piece of furniture to Crissy. I tweaked my knee while walking backwards carrying it out to load in the vehicle. I am glad tomorrow is a rest day to give my knee a chance to feel better.

Happy New Year!

It is hard to believe it is 2010! It doesn't seem that long ago we were worried about Y2K.

My wife and I are not party people - we once again sat home alone; we once again did not make it to midnight. We tried. About 11:00, I went upstairs to brush my teeth, take my contacts, etc. When I came back downstairs a few minutes later, Sherri was asleep. I decided I would watch TV until close to midnight and wake her up. My eye lids were getting heavy; I wasn't sure if I would make it. Well, she woke up while rolling over on the couch and said she was going to bed. I went to bed, too, at about 11:30. This year, however, we didn't sleep through the ringing in of the new year. We were awakened by some fireworks. We told each other "Happy New Year" and went quickly back to sleep.

We got up after 10:00 this morning. And I feel awful. I like routine when it comes to sleeping.

My New Year's resolutions are reduntant: eat better, exercise more, be a better person, etc. My main goal resolution is to once again attempt the read the Bible in a year program. I have read the entire Bible, but I slacked at times, and it took me just over a year-and-a-half. Sherri got me a Bible MP3 player for Christmas. I was going to use it as a read-along, but the versions are a little different. There is nothing like actually reading, so that is my main focus. I plan on listening while running and driving to work sometimes. Hopefully, I will get the Bible twice this year!

Another goal - a reason for my blog - is to run my first full marathon - at the age of 40. A couple of obstacles that stand in the way (besides the condition of my knee and laziness) are the COLD weather and daylight. Tomorrow I am scheduled to run 5 miles - the temperature is supposedly range from a high of 29 degrees to a low of 9 degrees. I don't want to run in the cold, especially that cold! Since we have been off work for two weeks, I could choose my time of the day to run. When we return to work on Monday, daylight will be just breaking as we pull out of the driveway, so I must get ready for work before sun-up; when we get home from work, dusk will have fallen. No daylight and cold weather for the next few months. Do I have the will-power?