Returning to Blogger??

I'm not sure the motivation to make an entry on this blog again... Looking at the last entry, man, it's been a long, long time. 


When I talk to people, I still essentially relate my life and lifestyle changes that came around the time of that last blog post...I didn't run Chicago, and essentially, within a few weeks of making that decision, I didn't run.  At all. 


What started out as a 3-month hiatus has turned into a 4 year on again/off again, love/hate relationship with running.  So, here I sit, a different version of the man and runner I once was.


Without going too far into the history or reasons, I've come to a point of embarking on a couple of new adventures, so to speak...3 new adventures, to be exact.  And as I contemplate this juvenile and unwavering need to "pursue" goals, dreams and the overcoming of challenges, I look at this blog and I wonder if this is the place to capture it all. 


Further, because of the way things go in they cyber-world, I also contemplate whether it's best to go about them in another blog under this profile, where I know others that I know will stumble upon it, or to go in a much more "anonymous" direction...create a new profile and a new blog. 


For all intents and purposes, the best way to do it may just be a new blog under this profile.  I just don't have the energy to create a new profile, so I'll go the easier route.  :)


That being said, I'm no longer the "Houston, TX Road Racer"...not by a long shot.  I look back on that time and I enjoyed the progress I made, the benchmarks I set...the PR's I set.  They are world-beating, but I take pride in the accomplishments. 


So, for those of you who have continued to check back in from time to time, I'll be adding one more blog under this profile.  I'll probably spend a little time thinking of the right name...one that can be a little more universal so if I continue to write in here, it will be able to stay under one blog and not have to be changed over and over again to capture my current "state" in life.


All that being said, just wanted to make a post, mostly for myself, just to say... I don't know...to say "I'm not done chasing down a dream...chasing a goal...finding new challenges and trying to make things that seem unlikely and impossible a reality, and taking the gifts that I've been Blessed with by the Big Guy and doing all I can to make the most of them."


Next Post here will have my new blog link, so if I have any readers, they will know where to find me. 


That's all for now.

Happening Again...

After a good run, pushing an hour and 45 minutes, and feeling very good about things, life just seems to take some interesting turns.  What's the saying?  Life is what happens when you're making other plans...

Well, Life has shown up and my Chicago plans may be changing.  It's unfortunate, but it's entirely possible.  I may give a little detail, but not likely, as it's pretty personal.  However, I will keep the blog posted of the final decision.

In the mean time, running has continued and it's feeling pretty good.  It's funny the effort it takes to complete a full run at 7:30 pace, and to get a little under 7:30, when it I'm used to running under 7-minutes.  Or at least, had gotten used to running under 7:00 pace, for many of my miles. 

It's good though.  It's really making me appreciate the work to get to where I want to be.  It's humbling and really makes me happy to feel like my running has become a little more relatable to others.

Guess we'll see how things go.  Later all!

Feels so good....

I plodded along today for my first run paced under 7:30 pace in a long time.  Woo hoo.  I got out for 6 miles and ran pretty consistent the whole run...actually, probably actually negative split the run.  Maybe that's not a big deal when it's only 6 miles, but it's still a win here in this guy's mind. :P

I contemplated a couple of extra miles a the end, but thought better of it for various reasons.  Tomorrow may be a different story, though.

Legs felt good, and I just felt awesome moving along out there.  The last 3 miles, if I saw it right on my watch were all around 7:20. 

I must say, the feeling of progress is an awesome feeling.  It's amazing to me how long it felt like I was plodding along with no progress to show for it, getting poked fun at for putting on some weight in my time off, etc.  The weight hasn't really come off that much, honestly, but the fitness is coming back, and it's a great feeling when you get just a little hint of its return...or at least its PENDING return. 

All in all, training is starting to feel better.  Will Chicago still be a rough experience that sees my worst marathon time ever?  That's still highly likely...probable, if I'm honest with myself.  I still harbor some hope, though, that I'll be able to get in good enough shape to make it a good run.  :-)

Later all!

Milestones

So it's definitely not a lifetime milestone, but 12-miles run the other night was definitely a high point so far over the last several months. 

Despite mid-high-90's heat, I plugged along and made it.  It was a tough go, as it was definitely NOT a negative split run, but one that I felt good about considering the places I've been and where I currently am.

Looking forward to another long run.

Still Plugging Along

Well, gang, running has still been happening, but it's slooooooooow progress.  I have had no choice lately but to increase mileage, whether it feels good or not.  :-)  I am signed up for the Chicago Marathon and need to do whatever I can to make that thing the LEAST painful endeavor possible.  I'm already resigned to the idea that it will likely be my slowest marathon...slower than my first one @ 3:14. 

Having said that, running is feeling better and better...going just a little longer each week feels better than it did before to push. 

As things get more worthy of discussion, I'll be more apt to post.  But for now, my running still feels so "mortal" and "average", although in all honesty, it's probably more accurate to say it's below average.

For those that continue to check in and read, I appreciate the little bit of traffic my little corner of the internet receives.  I really enjoyed when I first began my shortlived journey to attempt an Olympic Trials Qualifying time, my readership went way up.  Now, I'm back to humdrum mode and don't have much exciting to post about, at least not in the running realm. 

Hopefully, as I continue to get into better shape, I'll embark on something as equally exciting as a Trials qualifier time.  Till then, thanks again for the reading and the time.

Later gators!

Is this mic on?? (EDITED)

Lo and behold, a new post.  What the heck is going on?  I felt so inclined for a couple of reasons.

First off, and most importantly, I just completed my most "productive" week and best feeling week of running in a long time.  Things with my schedule and time commitments have not allowed me to develop the consistency that I had hoped, but the last couple of weeks have been different, and this week felt awesome...especially late in the week.

I did a "long" run Saturday, amounting the longest run I've done in a long time, and followed that up with a great run today that felt really good on the legs, the lungs and most importantly, my heart and soul. 

Secondly, I'm starting to think to myself "What the heck did I get myself into?"  I'm preparing for a marathon that has the possibility of two things...(1) being my slowest ever, and (2) being the first marathon that I enter with the mindset of just finishing and having fun/enjoying the course.  Even when I ran Boston, I didn't necessarily go in with the mindset of "enjoying the race/course", but that happened all on its own.  Different aspects of that race are forever burned into my memory.  This time around, it will actually be a conscious effort.  But, at this point and for this run, I'm quite ok with that. 

It's funny finding that I've really transitioned into another phase in my life...a lot of things have changed over the last 18 months, not the least of which has been a change in the company I keep and where I put my time.  So, I'm not in the kinda shape I have ever been in while "training" for a marathon (I use that term loosely, so as not to offend those who's hearts and souls are buried in training and they are looking to run a legitimate time).  The best part about this, though, is that I'm learning again to savor all the intricacies of running that I think I'd lost.  The small victories, the little milestones.  I had experienced them at way faster speeds, and looked at the kind of running I'm doing now as a disappointment if I was ever there again.  Well, now I AM here, and it's a pretty awesome feeling, crossing over so many of those thresholds again that I had left behind, what seems like, so long ago.  It's exciting, and it's opened my eyes to a lot.  I'm even going to be helping a few friends train for their first half-marathon.  It's truly an exciting time.

And that leads me to my final reason for posting.  I heard a quote once...and I'm sure I've mentioned it here before.  "Each one gives what each one has."  The meaning behind that was this...whatever lives on the inside a person is all they have to offer.  ***I've decided to cut out the original text here.***

5/15/12 - Tempo Run

Nothing too terribly impressive...just got out and did some tempo miles, and it felt pretty good.

6:13, 6:17, 6:15, 6:22
6.5 miles

Felt good to get a few faster miles in when I feel as slow as I feel.  Right now, I'm definitely setting a little internal goal of just one sub-6-minute mile.  That seemed to once be a regular thing.  NOW, it's a definite milestone.  But one I am definitely moving towards.

As for this run, I started out faster than I'd planned...wanted to come in that first mile somewhere around 6:20-6:25, like the last time I did this.  But once I saw that first mile, I just hung in there as long as I could.  The 4th one was DEFINITELY the hardest one, but feeling good that I pushed through to the finish.  Feeling better and better with each passing mile...

Foiled Again

Well, after getting up at 5:30 and heading out to the race at roughly 6:00, I arrived only to be told that the race was being called due to lightning.  I sorta had a feeling when I woke up that would be the case, but I was up and needed to be prepared for the race to go on.  So, I hopped into the bathroom, put on my Brooks shorts, my Tri On The Run singlet (no I'm not a Tri runner, nor do I run for On The Run), and headed out.  I was nervous, no doubt.  No races in 23 months.  Mentally ready to post a time slower than I have ever done for 10k.  All in all, it was going to be an interesting morning.

But that will have to wait now.  Instead, I did an 10-11 mile run in 1:17 around noon today.  It felt good, although I realized I was not entirely as hydrated as I should have been.  Nothing I could do about it while out there, that's for sure.  But I made it through the run and felt pretty good. 

I had no time to stretch as I needed to get back home to make it to my daughter's dance recital. 

So, it was a good day, for sure, but not getting to put my racing legs on and use them kinda put a slight damper on things.  Fortunately, I live to fight another day.

Later all! 

Getting Ready...

So, no posts for a little while... I bet some of you think that means no running, huh?  :-)  Well, not the case.  Now, have I been running every day?  Heck no... are you kidding?  The routine is so hard to establish with the current schedule I keep.  But, that's all on me.  I suppose I could change it at any time, to a degree, to accomodate some more running.  Honestly, though, it's not been the priority it once was...life is different, pursuits are different, all in all, things are just a little different.  I struggle with it from time to time, but a reminder of the end result I'm after helps bring me back.

So, with all that being said, I'm preparing for my first race in nearly 2 years.  The last race I ran was back in June 2010...I ran a 16:01 for 5k.  As a matter of fact, if I look at my prior races, they were a 5k in 16:01, a 5k in 15:51, a 10k in around 34:00, a half marathon in 1:13...

Saturday, there will be no PR, no blistering pace, no age-group award, probably.  All it will be is for 2 purposes, and I'll do whatever I need to do to achieve those two purposes.  It's funny when you have to mentally prepare for both the pain and the humility of the moment.  As I improved a couple of years ago, I tried to remain humble, grounded and focused on what I wanted.  Now, being a runner that resembles the runner I was allllllllllll the way back in 2000 when I first started running on the roads, I'm reminded of how easy it is to lose track of all the possibilities...both positive and negative.  What makes this all easier to handle is that I have never forgotten where I came from, what I went through, and all that it has taken to get to where I was.  And now to be back at the beginning, it's a strange feeling.  But for me, running has taken on a deeper, more meaningful purpose and direction.  I like it...it moves me, drives me, and carries me in a way that it never has before. 

I enjoy running again, which is awesome, because I spent a lot of time after the injuries began when I didn't enjoy anything about running.  It's good to have that enjoyment back in my heart.

But, let's keep it straight...I'm one who has never improved without running with a little anger on the inside.  And there is no shortage of fuel to add to this fire that is growing. 

I'll post race details after what promises to be a busy but fun weekend.

4/23/12 Tempo Run

6.4 Miles total run
43:15

1-mile warmup, 1.4 mile cool down
Tempo Miles - 6:26, 6:25, 6:22, 6:21

Well, being an afternoon workout, I really didn't know how I'd feel running hard for a "long" time.  Four miles at a hard effort was further than I'd gone for a while.  Did a progressive run last week with Dan, and while that was hard, only the last two miles were below 6:30.  First mile seemed the hardest, as I tried to get my legs under me.  Mile 2 was pretty good.  Mile 3 was good till the last maybe quarter mile of it.  For mile 4, I figured I'd come that far, and the work had finally really begun, I thought "one hard fought mile is going to be plenty good."

Nothing too major to report.  It was not easy, and looking back on it, the fact that it wasn't easy might mean I should have tried that final 5th mile, but I have a pretty good feeling the 5th mile would have not been a complete one...nor would it have been at a reasonable pace. 

All in all, I felt good about it, and it was just like I'd run so many other workouts in my past...100% alone on the road.  If there's been one hallmark to my past training, it's that 95% of it has been out on the roads alone.  And in general, I'm fine with that.  Doing a workout alone, pushing when no one else is around, running when it hurts when no one is around...all those things only make you tougher, and Lord knows I'm going to need all the toughness and fitness I can muster into my small frame come October.

4/21 and 4/22 Running - Progress

10 Miles - 1:11 Saturday

Good run...suffered a little towards the end, but still feel good about it overall.  Definitely NOT a negative split run, but that's ok.  Just happy to get the mileage and the time on the roads.

6.3 Miles - 47:00 Sunday

Felt good...definitely feeling the itch for more.  Although, body is still not there, but I'm loving the progress.

Sorry, still not updating each day, or each run, but I'm just happy to get the time out on the roads.

AND, i've decided on my first race back.  Will be low-key, and will not be to set any blazing records.  It will be solely for the purpose getting a guaranteed spot @ Houston in January. 

That's all for now.

4/18/12 Easy Mid Week Run

Got out for just over 45 minutes, and just a little over 6.5 miles. Great run. Felt good from start to finish. Was definitely one of those fist pump type of runs. Nothing hard, nothing special. Just a good feeling run. Hoping that translates over to the weekend for another good Saturday run and maybe a Monday workout again.

One-day-at-a-time though...we shall see!!

9-Mile Progressive Run

I haven't posted in a while, but last night's workout with my buddy Dan was definitely blog worthy.

We met up at Kenyan Way base and took off towards the park. A mile in, we started our progressive run. Started @ 7:30, and I ended up at the last two miles between 6:15-6:20. He dropped down to 5:50, but Lord knows, I don't have that in me yet.

Then we ran the 3 miles back to base and called it a day. It was about 10-11 miles for him as he ran to base then back home, while I got in my car, and drove home. All I can say is that it felt good to do a workout like that, and having someone to push/pull me along to a harder effort was great.

It's funny how at 9 miles, I felt better after this workout than I did going 11 miles on Saturday. That's ok though.

I need that more. Progress folks... slow and steady, but progress nonetheless.

3/26/12 Run and "Workout"

6 Miles
41:45
2.2 miles "hard" @ 13:45 (6:15)

So, I had wanted to begin doing some workouts this week, and decided that even though I didn't feel good when i started the run, I needed the effort. So, as I hit a portion of the run that puts me on a slightly curvy, but mainly straight part of the route, I just decided it was time to start doing some harder running. And not having done it for a while, I could tell that I was going to have a rough go about 2 minutes into it.

Nonetheless, I maintained my pace as evenly as possible, although, truth be told, I was definitely slower in the last half mile of this effort. Maybe something like 6:10, 6:20 for my 2 miles.

Either way, it felt great, even though it hurt. I'm glad I did it, and am kinda anxious to get going with more of that.

I may be taking tonight off, but we'll see...with my daughter till about 8pm, so could be a little tough to get out for a run after that. Later!