1,000 Miles

I've been sick and busy, and too busy to be sick. I know I should not have ran today, but it was the last day of the year. If I was to have a 1,000 miles in by the end of the year, it was now or never. I only needed 2.1 miles, but ran 3.1 to have 1,001 miles from August 2009 through December 31, 2010. I hope to get in 1,000 miles in 2011.

It was 66 degrees, mostly sunny, and windy at 1:00 pm when I headed out. The run was rough for many reasons: tired from the Christmas get togethers, sickness, and other stuff that had to be done. I also had eaten only half of a candy bar all day. It took me 30:49 (9:56 pace) to complete the run. Heart rates: avg. 160, max. 178, rest 82. 82 is highest in a long time.

Catchup

After running for 3 consecutive days, I took Christmas day and Sunday off. I planned on running Monday after Sherri and I got back from the mall and eating lunch. She had wanted to hit Hobby Lobby when it first opened Monday morning. Before we left, I told her I was aching a little. While we were gone I felt tired, but I just thought it was everything adding up over the last few days. As soon as I got home, I went to sleep on the couch. I felt I was getting sick. When I awoke, I had broken a sweat. I hoped this meant that I would escape sickness. Tuesday was my worst day. Wednesday I felt good during the middle of the day. This was after the drugs took affect and before they wore off. That evening, although I was worn out, Sherri and I went to Sears. We had someone to work on our refrigerator on December 11 and it had stopped working again. I called them to come look at it again. I called them at 8:30 am on Tuesday and was led to believe it would be 2 or 3 hours. I called them back at 2:00 - they would be "straight out". Never heard from them on Tuesday. Never heard from them on Wednesday. So, we went to buy a new one. We also got a new washer and dryer. Thursday I kept my brother, Shane, busy carrying two dogs to get shots. A lot of time was taken - the previous sentence doesn't do the situation justice. That evening Sherri and I moved the old washer and dryer into the garage. We realized the dryer vent would need replace, so I made a run to Lowe's about 7:00 pm. Friday, I was under the house redoing the dryer vent. The old vent was pretty much nonexistent. The amount of lint under the house is unbelievable. After the delivery of the new appliances was complete, I got in a 3.1 mile run, before having to get ready to go to Crissy's for NewYear's Eve.

December 24, 2010

I forgot that had not logged this run. I guess because it was just another boring run. It was 38 degrees and breezy at times. Mile 3 was the slowest - 8:44, 9:46, 10:07, 9:45, and 9:49. Total time - 48:11 (9:38 pace). Heart Rates: avg. 167, max. 183, rest. 70. Recovery from 179 to 159.

Ditto

Pain-wise and time-wise today was much like yesterday. It was 38 degrees, so i only had on one long sleeve shirt. I was not prepared for the cutting wind and the windchill factor. My legs hurt in the same areas, but felt stiff due to yesterday's run. I did finish about a minute faster, though - 47:37 (9:31 pace). My slow mile now seems to be Mile 4. 8:38, 9:38, 9:35, 10:11, and 9:35. Heart rates: avg. 167, max. 183, rest. 70. Recovery. 171 to 115.

Not a Good 5 Miler

First day of winter, but the warmest day in about a month. It was 45 degrees at 9:00 am and cloudy with rain in the forecast. There was only some misting during the day in my neighborhood, though.

The run was not a good one. My weight has hit a new 6 month high. My shins hurt; my feet across the bends at the top hurt. Even my right knee cap hurt. My time was also quite slow - 5 miles in 48:34 (9:43 pace). Mile 3 wasn't my slowest, though. 8:42. 9:53. 10:18. 10:21. 9:21. Two miles over 10:00 - not what I wanted to see. Heart Rates: avg. 166; max. 183; rest. 74. Recovery: 174 to 120.

Back (Once Again)

After a 10 day layoff, I ran 5 miles today. It was 30 degrees when I ran at 8:00 am. It has been cold; 5 degrees kept me from running one morning. I have an excuse for each day, but will save you from reading them.

I ran the 5 miles in 48:13 (9:39 pace). I feel so slow and heavy that I want to give up. I feel like I am having to start over again, and it was torture when I first began running. I do know that it will get better, if I stick to it.

I finally put a new battery in my heart rate monitor: avg. 169, max. 185, rest 66, recovery from 171 to 124. As usual mile 3 was my slowest: 9:01, 9:35, 10:35, 9:24, and 9:38.

16 Degrees!

I was up and dressed to run before 5:00 am. Since it was early and only 16 degrees, I had decided to go back to bed until time to get ready for work, but my wife said, "If you are planning on running a marathon and half marathon, you need to train." Out the door I went.

Of course, it was cold at first, but I warmed up; I had dressed warm enough that I broke a sweat. I ran today's 3 miles a minute faster than Monday's. 28:03 for a 9:21 pace.

A neighbor, getting her paper, said she couldn't believe I was out in this weather, but then she added, "You are dedicated." I hope to be. I don't want these cold, early morning runs to be worthless. I've got to keep it up.

Dedication or Stupidity

If you have read parts of my blog or viewed the Log Your Run table on the right-hand side, you know that I am not "dedicated". So, it must be "stupidity"!

I was running at 5:00 this morning. It was 23 degrees! At times, I was also heading into a strong wind, but not often, thankfully. I was afraid that if I waited until I got home from work I wouldn't run at all today. So, if I have the urge, I better do it! I dressed warm enough that I broke a sweat, but I guess my legs never completely thawed out. Well, that's my excuse for my time being on the slow side. A total time of 29:02 (9:41 pace) for a 3 mile run.

Up to Five

My wife woke me up about 7:00 this morning and said I better take the dog out before it began raining. I knew the forecast called for rain, and I wanted to try running 5 miles, so I jumped right up. After that, I loaded the garbage into my truck and hauled it to the dump - almost a month's worth - before it rained. Once back home, I was in no hurry to get ready to run. Secretly, in the back of my mind, I was waiting on the rain to talk myself out of running. However, there was still no rain as I headed out the door at 9:00. I thought that my brother, Shane, should be completing Mile 6 (probably farther than that with the adrenaline pumping) in the St. Jude's Marathon in Memphis. Six miles - with 20.2 more to go. And I was only running 5.

It was 44 degrees when I headed out, with a forecast high of 45 and rain. (The temperature reached 60 with no rain, though). I was a little surprised by my time - 43:48, a pace of 8:46. 8:42, 9:03, 9:09, 8:34, and 8:20.

After I finished my run, I was thinking that Shane should be somewhere between Miles 11 and 12 by now......

Made Myself Do It and Got a Surprise

I didn't get up early enough to run this morning, so if it was to happen it had to happen after work. After I had to stop by Foodlion for Sherri, I was even later getting home, and leaning even more towards not running. But I ran! It was dark and 38 degrees. I ran as if I was only running 1 mile. I don't know why I was in such a hurry, except that I wanted to get it over with and eat. I am unable to button some of my blue jeans that I was wearing only a month ago. The last 2 runs have reminded me of what it was like when I first began running about a year-and-a-half ago - labored breathing and a heavy belly. However, I'm running 3 miles instead of one! The "pains" of this run led to my surprise of running it in 24:45, a pace of 8:15. Mile 1 was 7:55. Mile 2 - 8:23; Mile 3 - 8:27. I was EXHAUSTED afterwards, but the times made me feel pretty good about it.

Evidently, I Wasn't All That Serious

I was prepared to run over the Thanksgiving holiday, but it didn't happen. I carried my running garb to Mississippi with me, but never really gave running a thought. My excuse is/was "I'm spending time with family."

I planned on picking up again Monday morning (so I would only have a week between runs), but I couldn't make myself get out of bed to run before work. I thought, "No big deal; I will run when I get home from work this evening." However, it was raining when I got home, and I sure wasn't running in that downpour.

Tuesday, I overslept. Sherri wasn't going to work, so I had my iPod alarm set. I also had the sound level so low that I did not hear it. So, no running Tuesday morning. No problem. I will run when I get home from work. After I stopped by Foodlion, it was too dark (and I was too lazy) to run.

Finally, after 9 days I ran again. I thought today would be a good day to start - December 1st. Oh, it was not easy rolling out of bed and hitting the road at 4:45 AM! When I returned, Sherri asked me how it went. I said, "I hated every minute of it, because all I could think about was that I could be in bed." It was 32 degrees with a slight breeze. This morning my weight once again hit a number I haven't seen since June - 176.0. I wasn't going to type it, but I hope by doing so that it will help me work on it. It took me 26:26 (8:49 pace) to run these 3 miles.

I am struggling to run 3 miles on Wednesday, while my brother, Shane, will be running 26.2 on Saturday in the St. Jude's Marathon in Memphis.