Running Through Life

It has been a week. I haven't exactlyslacked off, but I have been remiss in writing to you. Maybe, not all of you have missed me, but I have missed you. The images I have of you, coming to my blog and eagerly anticipating what I might write here. Well, I will not try to disappoint.

I have run. I ran tonight. Intervals. Mile repeats. (why is the theme to "The Beverly Hillbillies" running through my mind?) Tonight I had 3 x 1 mile @ 8:11 or better with 1 minute recovery. To be honest, I usually cheat the recovery and give myself some extra time. Normally this would be about a 3 minute recovery. But tonight I thought I might try to be true. True to you and true to myself. I was close. About 1.5 minute recoveries. It was tough.

Last time (4 weeks ago) I went out fast and ran 7:47 for the first 2 repeats. I suffered on the third. This time I purposely looked at Greenie (my green Garmin) at every quarter beep. I slowed down or sped up as needed to try and stay right at 8 minute pace. As seen above, I was close. I kept my recoveries down as well. I am really happy with the workout.

I just might become like all of you and some day be a runner. I am trying.

Saturday I ran with some TNT alumni. Very slow conversational pace. 8 miles. But good. On the 25th I ran 3.68 miles. Really a hard (physically) run. Just wasn't feeling it. On the 23rd was intervals again. 5 x 1000m repeats in 4:59 with a large recovery. I made them all in time, but I was beat.

Tomorrow is TNT training (if I make it back from Indy in time), then Thursday is a tempo run of 2m easy, 3m @ 8:44, 1m easy. And a long run on Saturday. 18 miles is scheduled for that. I want to at least make 13. I really need to bite the bullet and get going. With Boston in the back of my mind I need to train.

And train hard.

Train some more.

Then train a little harder again.

It is going to be tough to drop 92 minutes of my marathon PR. But that is the goal. With a half in August and a full in October, I will have an idea if it is feasible. I have a few around me that say I can do it, but what do they really know. They will support me in the challenge, but it is up to me to make it happen.

More like it is up to my body. I'm not young anymore. I never ran in high school. I never seriously ran at all. Races from time to time, but no training, no running in between them. I have really set a daunting task.

A task that I will give a try until at least the end of the year. I have lost weight this year - almost 16 pounds. That I believe is due to a little better eating and more serious running. If I can drop another 10 pounds (175), I think that will be ideal to hit my goal and run faster longer.

On another note, there was a new baby goat at the farm again today. Another boy. That gives the farm, 4 boys (Valentino, Lucky, Thor and Rump Roast), 5 girls (Momma, Brownie, Lily, Lightning, Thunder). Recently Velvet left us due to bloat. Of course, the hens are doing well and laying more eggs than I can eat.

Consider yourselves now caught up.

the beginning of the end

3 of them @ 8:11

Did I do them?

Of course.

Did I do them correctly?

Of course NOT!!!

Did I hit the 8:11 avaerage?

Yes, just under at 8:09

Mile 1 - 7:47.10

Mile 2 - 7:47.78

Can't ask for much more consistency than that.

Mile 3 - 8:34.43

Slow, because I walked twice, cussed myself out and started again. Might have... never mind. Might haves do not matter when you didn't do it.

Then it starting raining so I took a slow mile walk back to the car. I got thoroughly drenched, but enjoyed.

The gf had her women's training run as well and she finished in the top of her group again. Going to have to move her into the intermediate running group.

This morning I did P90X again. More cheating though. I have no dumbbells (why do they call them dumbbells?). GF had some 5 lbs things that I used, but far too light. So basically I went through the motions of the routine. I am going to buy some dumbbells for when this routine hits again next week. The morning routine worked on biceps and triceps. Both places I am sorely lacking.

No running tonight with TNT as I have the great VMWare user meeting. So junk food, soda and a bunch of tech people trying to bullshit each other about their data centers.

Thursday, I have a 6 mile run (2 easy, 2 @8:44, 2 easy) and Saturday 13 miles @10:14. Plus P90X every day.

the beginning of the end

P90X

Plyometrics

Killer

My resting probably means I made it through 65% of the routine

I am still tired and weak 2 hours after I finished the routine

My pecs are sore where they attached near the clavicle

Tonight I have mile repeats

Only 3 of them (thank you running gods)

Some of the routine consisted of squats, jump squats, heisman poses, jump shooting, baseball throwing, leapfrogs, etc. Most of it was fairly low impact but very high intensity. I'll get the workout listed at runningahead.com tonight.

I can very much see that if you do the routines you will get in shape. I am hoping to build some up body muscle but most importantly build core strength. A stronger core makes a stronger runner. I'll see the difference in 88 more days. I took measurements last night and will take them at 30, 60 and the final 90 day end of workout.

I feel like I am dieing.

the beginning of the end