3/14/12 Easy Run

7-ish Miles
51:42

Ran a route out down Beechnut, then back down Braes Bayou. Nice run, pretty flat, and awesome weather. It's strange getting used to sweating so much during a run when I never really had to bundle up THAT much otherwise.

Oh well...no problem there. All in all, the run felt really good. No real feeling of wear and tear, although today (3/15), I'm definitely feeling a little tiredness in the legs. So with that in mind, taking the day off, as I've not run 5 days in a row since the start of the year. Yesterday was the 5th, so it's a good time to rest a day, especially with 10-12 as the goal for the weekend.

I'm excited about the run this weekend and ready to tackle whatever comes my way. Should be a great one.

Later!

3/13 Easy Run

6 Miles
43:30

Made sure to take it easy around my 6-mile loop. Nothing too major...just a nice stroll out. Felt good running, and didn't feel like I was pushing it at all.

As I ran, I passed a couple of places that got me thinking where my running has been in this short time this year so far...making it past a spot where I had to stop once to stretch my calves as I was having issues...making it past 30 minutes and being notheworse for wear...moving at sub-7:30 pace and feeling pretty good about it... like I could have held a conversation.

All in all, I'm feeling better about my running. Just gotta work on getting my body back to where it needs to be to train.

3/12/12 - Run w/1-Minute Pick Ups

6 miles
43:00

Got out this evening for a nice run...did 6 miles w/7x1-min pickups. Over those 13 minutes (7 pickups and 6 rest periods), I covered just a hair over 2 miles...I'll take that for now.

I made sure I did some really, really good stretching after the run to try to fend off any pending soreness in the calves, Achilles, hamstrings, quads, etc. Overall, just a great feeling run, and definitely one of those that makes me look forward to the next run. I'll probably run with Dan next time out.

3/10 & 3/11 Running

3/10
9 miles
1:43

Ran w/my brother, so I slowed it down a bit and ran w/him. He's training for a 2nd half marathon within a few weeks of each other. He's 2 weeks out, so I wanted to run w/him to help him do the miles. He's doing awesome... moving slowly, but definitely working at it. He's dropped about 20 lbs since he started running again, and is doing great. He's feeling good about his running and has a marathon as his next goal in his not so distant future.

3/11
6.4 miles
47:11

After seeing my brother and his kiddos off as they hit the road to head back home, I headed to church, then out for a nice run. It was as close to my favorite running weather as I've seen in a while...warm, but not hot, misty/light rain, roads wet... don't know why I like that, but I do. As I started, the mist became a sprinkle and then a little light rain. nothing too bad, as that subsided after a couple of miles. All in all, legs felt good, body felt good. All in all I can say I feel progress, and that's good. Additionally, down 2 lb's from last weekend. I'll take that.

More Updates...Making Progress

Well, the running has become easier, faster and I'm slowly starting to shed an lb or two. I have my first short-term milestone in that department that I'm looking to achieve...hopefully, it's not too far away.

Running, I'm looking forward to my first double-digit mileage day in the next 7 days, which should come this Saturday. Over the weekend, did another 9 on Saturday and then 6.5 yesterday. If all goes to plan (and we know how it goes sometimes when you make plans), 10-12 will be on my Saturday agenda. And if I do that, it may mean a trip out to run with my favorite running group, the Kenyan Way. I've been hesitant to get back out there, as I'm just not the same runner I was last time I was out there...or heck, maybe I am. Either way, it's up in the air if I join the group run or not.

Either way, I'm feeling better with each passing run.

This week, my daughter is on Spring Break w/her mom, so the two nights I would normally have reserved for her won't happen, which means I should get a little more running in this week. Not sure if that will help or hurt my weekend running plans. ha ha ha

So, that's it for now. I should be able to post regularly after each run now, going forward... The running, if all goes well, should get way more interesting.

Quick Hit Updates

Nothing too major, except to say that the last week was a pretty light week. I missed a couple of runs with a couple of spur of the moment schedule changes w/my daughter...if there's one reason to miss a run that is acceptable, that is it for me.

But, it's good, because it gave my knee/calf a chance to get a little rest. Now, I started this week with a nice Sunday run...6 miles, 43 minutes, with 3x2-minute pickups. Felt pretty darn good, and I definitely completed the run in the shortest amount of time since I started running again. Very, very good stuff. I followed that up with an evening gym workout...a nice 30 minute circuit, including some jump rope warmups, then pushups, crunches, side crunches, Supermans, one-legged squats, pullups and weighted running arm motions.

Overall, great workout, and ready to get some sleep, some rest, and keep it going tomorrow.

Later gators!

2/26 and 2/27

Sunday, 2/26
25 min easy run

I started out with the idea of about a 45-50 minute run, but about 10 minutes in, I felt the calf/knee discomfort, so I called off the run about 13 minutes in. I stopped, stretched as best as I could, and then headed back to my car. I did some stretching and upper body work.

Monday, 2/27
40 minutes in Gym

I started out with a 20 minute stationary bike ride. Felt good, and hopefully helpful, as I was off my feet, no impact, etc.

After that, I did a 20-minute circuit of pushups, crunches, pull-ups, one-legged squats and 'step-ups' on a work out bench with 25 lbs of weight. Nothing too major, but going between those felt good and was helpful. Again, no impact, and definitely worked different muscles than running.

Tomorrow may see me hit the road for about 30 minutes running followed by more work in the weight room. We'll see.

2/25/12 "Long" Run

6 miles on 2/22
5 miles on 2/24

9-ish Miles
1:07:30

I'm pretty darn excited about the fact that I ran for over an hour today. Was not a 100% comfortable run, but overall a good result.

Went easy to begin, but felt slow and sluggish.
About 10 minutes in until 30 minutes in, I felt some slight knee twinges. What's weird about it is that I could feel the presence while running, but only became discomfort when I was stopped and stretching while getting water or waiting for traffic. It's clear that the feeling in the knee was tied to my calf tightness, as when I stretched my calf, the discomfort in the knee area magnified.
By the 2nd half of the run, the feeling was gone. When I stopped for water with 2 miles left to run, I felt zero discomfort, and had no issues finishing the run, or in post-run stretching.

The added weight and lack of fitness is getting a little frustrating. I can't describe the feeling as anything other than sluggish...not like tired/sluggish. It's more like slow/sluggish. I'm feeling ridiculously average as I run. I just have to keep reminding myself of the amount of time I took off and how much weight I allowed myself to gain.

And more importantly, that all things will take time.

That's all for today!

2/20/12 Easy Run

6-7 Miles
48:50
25:00 out
23:50 back (6:22 hard mile in middle)

So, I just ran today on a straight, flat out and back course. Nothing too exciting. Although, on the way back, I hit a spot where I know the mile marker, so I ran a hard mile...I gotta tell ya...running a 6:22 mile was NOT easy. All I could think when I was done was "Man, that is the time of one of my slowest miles from my 2:40 marathon..."

Good run though, and glad I took some time to try to drop in a fast mile.

2/19/12 Easy Run

6.8 Miles
1:15

Took a VERY easy run today w/my brother in Arlington. He's training for a half marathon in March out in Dallas, so it was good to get out and run together, talk and just catch up. I don't get to run w/my brother very much...or rather, ever. So, it was good to hang out like that. Being the younger brother, it's unusual to be doing something where I'm in my element, I'm the more "knowledgeable", and being the one to "educate" my brother on something, so to speak. Kinda of a cool feeling.

Anyway, the run was good, and pretty much a good level of effort. Not what I was planning on for running out there, but was a good run. Legs were not worn at all, did just about 7 miles, and was on the road for more than an hour. I'll take it.

Tomorrow, I'll go for a little longer run and take it easy out. I've got my plan in place for working in some speed work and workouts. Should do that in about a week or two. We'll see how it goes as this week and next progress.

2/15/12 Easy Run

6 Miles
46:20

I took it way easy tonight...as my body and legs were just feeling a little tired. Not sure what was up with that, but I think I just needed something easy anyway. Felt mostly good, although my calves never totally loosened up. They weren't tight enough, though, to be of any concern. Ran the whole time without having to stop and stretch any.

Just finished a good dinner, and doing a little work, now it's time to get some rest. Later folk!...or "folks"! Depending on if I have one reader or two (other than myself). :-)

2/13/12 Easy Run

6.4 Miles
48:16

Good run this evening through Meyerland area. Some road running, some running along the bayou...all in all a great feeling run. At 16:30, I stopped and stretched, got off my feet. After a few minutes, I got back on my feet and got running. All in all, a great feeling run, and didn't really have any issues to speak of.

For a 4-day period and covered 24 miles, I gotta say I'm feeling pretty good about it. Glad that tomorrow is my rest day. As a matter of fact, glad that the next 3 days include 1 day of running. Woo hoo.

2/12/12 - Easy Run

5.25 Miles
36:50

Nice "recovery" after my "long" run yesterday. :P No issues to speak of today. I was very mindful of how my legs felt and whether I'd need to stop to stretch and get loosened up. Never happened, so I just kept truckin' along.

Nothing else heavy to report here...just that it feels good to run again for a real purpose, and not just trying to keep from getting hurt, or trying to "stay fit", when there is nothing on the horizon. Even though my body has changed little, my fitness is starting to show juuuuuuuuuust a hair, and I like it.

Before running today, made a grocery store trip to try to clean up what I eat. Stuff to get my day started right, to snack on when needed and to keep me from eating out so much. Who knows if it will change the look of my body, but at the very least, it will be healthier and more able to function the way I want and need it to.

Later!

2/11/12 "Long Run"

7.1 Miles

52:16

So I decided to see if I could "stretch" out my running time a little. Last week I ran just around 6 miles, and even threw one of those runs in mid-week as well. So, keeping with the idea of increasing the long run by only a mile a week, I wanted to get 7 miles in.

Unfortunately, the run was a little more "eventful" than I cared for. About 15 minutes into the run, I felt some soleus tightness again...I kept going until about 20 minutes and I had to stop briefly. I got off my feet, sitting on the curb and doing a little rubbing and stretching until the tension had subsided.

I probably sat there for about 4 minutes...once I got going, though, the effort was good and I had no further issues. What I think I'm discovering is that my body is requiring something it never required before for an easy run...real "warmup". Even though it's different, it's an adjustment I need to make, and one I need to keep in mind as I think about doing longer runs and races.