Wednesday, July 27, 2011 - A Little Better

After Monday's fiasco, I was wondering if I should take a break. I decided instead of running 6 miles that I would walk 5. I had asked Sherri to walk it with me. She started out with me, knowing that she probably wouldn't do the whole 5. We walked through the neighborhood and got in 1.75 miles. She stopped and I then decided I was going to try to do the originally planned 6 miles, and even run some of it. After all, I had a nice little warm up and felt pretty good. To my surprise, I was able to run most of it. I took a few little walk breaks, but for the most part, I ran/jogged/trudged - whatever you want to call it. My overall time for the 1.75 mile walk with Sherri, plus the 4.25 run/walk was 1:15:28, for a 12:35 pace.

Monday, July 25, 2011 - DISCOURAGING!

VERY DISCOURAGING!

After riding the mower around the yard (Sherri pushed and weed-eated), I headed out for what I thought would be an easy 4 miler. It was almost 7:30, and the sun had dropped behind the trees and hills - no direct sun and 84 degrees. However, it just didn't go as I thought it would. It actually went worse than I thought it could. I didn't think I was worn out. I mean, I walked most of Saturday's last 4 miles and Sunday was a rest day, but I was just past 0.6 miles when I had to begin walking. I didn't even make it a mile! What happened? I tried to run a little during Miles 2 and 3, but just couldn't do it. I didn't even think about trying during Mile 4.

It took me 1:05:38 (16:24 pace) to cover 4 miles! Where do I go from here?

Saturday, July 23, 2011 - Good to Slow

I tried to get out early and beat the heat, which I pretty much did. It was a sunny 78 degrees when I started and 86 by the time I finished about an hour and 45 minutes later.

The first mile was 9:34. I thought, "I can live with that. Maybe that will help me keep the entire run in a pace under 10:00." Well, Mile 2 put an end to that thought, because it was 10:07, and I had 7 more miles to go. I ran 2.5 miles to the end of a road and turned around. The first half of Mile 3 was slower than the second half because I was still running "away" from my truck that was parked at Salem UMC. Once I turned around, I picked up a little speed. My legs were thinking, "We're on the home-stretch now!" My mind was trying to remind them, "We are not stopping when we reach the truck. We will run past it to get in another 4 miles." My legs didn't listen. After completing 5 miles, my pace was 9:41, which was good for the way things have been going. I even ran Mile 4 in 9:10!

Mile 6 is when good when to slow. Mile 6 was 15:28. I did loose about 3 minutes at my truck, trying to towel off a little and gulping too much PowerAde at once. I had to walk - about 20 ounces of PowerAde was now sloshing around in my belly. Toward the end of Mile 6, I tried running some, but that was the beginning of the end. Once I began walking, I didn't want to run anymore. Miles 7 thru 9 were mostly walks with a few little runs mixed in.

My total time was 1:42:41, for a pace of 11:25.

July 21, 2011

I thought the temperature would be a little cooler for this run. Storms had passed through other parts of Tennessee, bringing temps down 15 to 20 degrees. On the way home from work, we ran into a few short downpours. We didn't get a sprinkle at our house, but it was a little cooler. It was below 90 at 87 degrees.

I ran at a steady pace for this 4 miler. 9:41, 9:42, 9:45, and 9:38 for a total time of 38:47 at a pace of 9:42.

July 20, 2011

Ran 6 miles in 1:07:24 (11:14 pace) in the heat (93 degrees) at 5:30 pm. I had to walk some. I still haven't gotten a battery for my heart rate monitor. I would have liked to seen the rates on a few of my last runs.

Monday, July 18, 2011

We did not work today - the entire company closed down - since there were two funerals. I hate that we missed the funeral for James Potts, but it was a long way to Lewisburg. His funeral was at 1:00. We did go to Donna Brown's funeral in Dickson at 2:00. I have never seen so many people at a funeral. It is a good size funeral home with quite a bit of parking, but people were parking in the grass in a small field beside the funeral home and along the highway.

I ran before we went to the funeral, around 9:30. It was 91 degrees hot. I ran 4 miles in 42:32, a 10:38 pace.

Saturday, July 16, 2011 - What a Day

We were going to my mom's for a family reunion. I couldn't decide if I wanted to run before or after the reunion. If I ran before, I would be rushed; if I ran after, it would be hotter, but more than likely, I would be out of the mood and not run at all. So, I hit the road at 8:00 am. It was cloudy with a breeze when I started. Then the sun came out. Then cloudy with a breeze again with about a mile left. The temperature was the same when I started and finished - only 82 degrees, but it seemed warmer.

On a day I needed to finish faster, I finished slower. It took me 1:44:23 (13:03 pace) to run 8 miles. I started off faster than I should have, because I was in a hurry, but that only left me having to walk quite a bit.

When I returned home, Sherri said I needed to hurry and get ready, because I had some stuff to do. I thought load some stuff in the vehicle, etc. for the reunion. I only wish. She then told me that the man (James Potts) that hired me 14 years and 2 days ago, taught me everything I needed to know, and then retired, had passed away in his sleep. He had been battling cancer for several years.

Sherri then gave me a shocker. She said Donna Brown - wife of the person now running Gibbs Brothers Construction, Inc., Kenneth "Elrod" Brown - was killed at a mule pull. I've heard a couple of different stories. She had just finished with her mules and was helping Elrod with his. One of the mules got excited, reared up and came down on her. Another was that one got loose and, as she was trying to hook it back up, she fell/got knocked down and a mule - weighing a ton or more - stepped on her chest. She said she was okay, but she was bleeding internally and later died at the hospital.

July 14, 2011 - Rough 6

Mowed the backyard after getting home from work, so it was 7:30 before I got to run today. I really didn't want to run. I've been feeling dehydrated somewhat, but not wanting to drink anything. I also didn't eat much today. I was really NOT wanting to run. The entire 6 miles I felt so worn out and struggled to keep the pace under 10:00. Time 59:30. Pace 9:57.

July 13, 2011

I got a late start to today's run, so instead of the 6 I was to do, I ran 3. Tomorrow I will run the 6 - hopefully. Sherri I went to Dickson after work for Brandi to give us haircuts. Then we mowed the front yard when we got home. It was 8:00 before I hit the road. It was a "cool" 84 degrees and the sun was down far enough that it was all shade. My total time was 27:25; Pace: 9:08.

Shane, I'm blogging my runs to "inspire" you. I know you were starting back Monday. Now, don't stop!

July 11, 2011 --- Hot!

It wasn't consecutive, but I ran 3 miles. I know not running 3 miles together is not the same as actually running 3 miles, but it is better than nothing.

At 5:30 pm, it was 94 degrees. I'm not sure how hot it actually got today, but the heat index was supposedly going to get between 105 and 110. Since it was so hot, I thought I would walk 4 miles instead of running my scheduled 3. After walking a quarter-mile, I decided to run some. I ran 1/2 a mile, walked another quarter-mile, then ran a whole mile. I walked a quarter-mile, ran another whole mile. Then I walked 3/4 mile, ran 1/2 a mile, then walked the last 1/2 mile home. So, it took me 5 miles to run 3 miles. My total time was 1:04:04, for a 12:49 pace.

Miserable Run

Today, the temperature was just two degrees warmer than Thursday's 83, but it felt a lot warmer. I think the heat index was 98 for today. Funny thing is, I didn't seem to sweat as much, because my shorts were dry around the hemlines. What really made this run miserable is that I was full of food. I had planned on running in the morning hours, but Holly was in from Mississippi, and I ended up riding out to the mall with them. Then we ate at the Golden Corral. Since it was buffet style, I tried to get my money's worth - pizza, rolls, ice cream, and Diet Pepsis. Later, the other girls and families would be coming to our house for grilled pork chops, so I had to run as soon as I got home to be finished by the time they got there.

I carried my full belly for a 7 mile run. Total time - 1:18:12; Pace - 11:10.

Heavy and Slow

After doing so well running 4 days a week as scheduled, the last 2 weeks have been less successful - 3 last week and, hopefully, 3 this week. I ran June 30, missed 3 days, ran a 10k in Nashville, missed 2 days, then ran a 7 miler today. I decided on 7 miles, because I ran 6 on Monday, and if I run another 7 miler Saturday, I will have 20 miles (plus 0.2) for the week. Then, hopefully (that word gain), I can get back on track next week. I'm planning 3-6-3-8 and building up to a long run of 10 miles. Then add to the slower runs for 25 miles per week, probably something like 4-7-4-10.

When I began running on August 10, 2009, I weighed 170.8 pounds. Today, I weighed 183.6. That is the most I have weighed in almost 2 years! The extra weight affected my pace. Well, I am claiming that is the reason I ran so slowly today. It was sunny and 83 degrees. It wasn't real hot - I would think little or no heat index - but I was sweating like crazy and don't know why. Even my sweat was sweating! I didn't tie the string in my shorts before I started out, and they were so soaked I thought they were going to fall down. I had some burns on my arms where the sweat-drenched shirt rubbed. That has happened before, but I even had burns at my tan line on my back from my shorts - that has never happened! Never even heard of that happening! I guess the weight really made me sweat more.

Times by the miles: 10:16, 11:02, 11:04.03, 11:04.04, (3 & 4 were CLOSE), 10:21, 10:39, and 11:22. Total time: 1:15:48; Pace: 10:50.

Monday, July 4th - I Run for the Party 10k

My first run since Thursday - several excuses, but not listing them. My GPS had signal problems since I was surrounded by tall buildings and there were cloudy skies. My GPS had me running 6.8 miles in about an 8:32 pace. I knew it wasn't that fast, but I was really disappointed to see my total time of 58:01 for a pace of 9:22. I was hoping 9:00 or under. The hills got me. Cousin Todd and I were pretty much together until one hill almost stopped me in my tracks. He pulled 30 to 40 yards ahead. It stayed that way until the second time we had to climb that hill and he doubled the distance between us. He finished in 57:14 (9:14 pace).

I was 154 out of 362 finishers. The 98th male. The 11th out of 18 males in the 40-44 age group.