Running Through Life

Those of you who have been following the training may havenoticed there is non training #8. Well, I skipped it. It was a 45 minute run and I was going to run the Fat Ass at Lake Mingo. But with all the snow i decided that it wasn't worth the risk. So I did no running. Let the heckling begin.

Ok, that's enough.

This week was a 10 mile run and I did it. Lake of the Woods. I started ealier than everyone. 6:45am I was jogging on a nice sheet of thin ice. Places were real bad. But I ran.

111 minutes later I was done. That's an 11m 6 s pace. Not bad, actually great. I am impressed myself.

Here's a map to the 10 mile run.

Well, I wasn't going to run again but she made me. And she made me do it barefoot.

BAREFOOT.
NO SHOES.

She made run on the treadmill barefoot. What a slave driving, trainor. Now I have blisters and won't be able to run for a year.

So I did the hill run barefoot. Grades up to 8%. I did not do a warmup or a cool down just half the hill portion. 3%, 0%, 5%, 0%, 8%, 0%. Just over a mile in 12 flat. Not bad and ran the whole way.

But BOY does my foot hurt.

I missed training #7.
BECAUSE I WAS MOVING!!!

Yes, moved into a new house. But with Monday I hope to begin a steady stream of weekday training.

Until then, ciao.

Tuesday - L training day.
LLLLLLL
IIIIIIII
HHH

And guess what I s.....started it as soon as I got home from work at 6:30pm. I changed, hopped on the treadmill and started the warmup and then raised the incline. I followed every step and loowered and raised the inlcine as called for.

Up to 8%. That's steep. But I stayed true and followed through.
2.614 miles in 33:00. Not fast but I only set the speed at 5.5 mph and the included warmup and cool down is included.

Maybe the start of something good.

So tired. We went out to dinner and drinks with Tom and Christine last night. Had a pretty good time. But, yea, that has nothing to do with Saturday's training run.

It was CANCELLED by the coach. With wind chills on the negative side of ZERO that was probably smart. So that means running it today by myself or trying to limp out 6 miles on a treadmill.

Did a little cross training this morning around 9:30 for abot 45 minutes or so. Some pushups, sidebends, thrusts... those kind of things. Then headed to the treadmill. Set it for 10k and started walking. Soon up to my 6 mph pace and felt pretty good. But could not hang with it. Ended up slowing and doing a 5k in 33:45 for a 10:54 pace.

That means I have to do another 5k later tonite. I cannot let the distance go. Mileage will be building up 2 miles every week for the longer Saturday runs. I have to keep at this. And I have to add the weekday runs as well. Must find time for 30 minutes every night on the treadmill or outside. MUST!!!

Ok so I haven't worked out or have I?
My fingers are sore from changing this website and creating another (check the links). But with the addition of tracking progress on the blog (through runningahead.com) I can now see my progress (or lack thereof) everyday. I was hoping to join the 1000 mile club this year and that goal is going to be harder to meet with each passing week.

Other things in my life are slowing down, but soon, there will be alot more work in my life. Less stress, but more work. But I think that is ok. The recent stress has kept my mind tired and my body sluggish and frankly, (notice I didn't call you surely) my sex drive to an all time low. Sucks to be my girlfriend right now.

On that note, and with the really cold weather setting in, it is time to start. The motivational drivers that I employ are constantly challenging and prodding me. For that I am grateful! It will be a slow start, but I think in the next 2 weeks I should be able to get some kind of semblance of a training routine done.

As a columnist that I read monthly, ..."it is not about how fast you run or how far you or how often, it is about you running".

And to steal a great catchphrase...

Waddle on, friends.

He is playing intramural basketball and apparently uses only his index finger to catch the ball. Beat he goes back to using his whole hand. I sent him to the emergency room and the doc said he did pop it out of joint but it popped right back in. Swelling should go down in a day or two.

In other news I have final approval of my home loan, meaning I can join the ranks of the debt-ridden once again. Someday a house will be mine.

So hopefully Monday I will train a little. Time will tell.

Today I have to at least run or do some core workouts. NO MATTER WHAT.
Saturday is TNT training #5 but it is only 45 minutes. I say that like I run more than that all the time. 45 minutes that I cannot run continously. 45 minutes of wheezing, knee pain, side splints and general dizziness in my head wondering what the hell am I doing.

Oh way, I am tryin to get in shape and raise money for TNT. Time to start writing letters this weekend.

On a side note, I have been looking at houses... still. I had a house inspection schedule for me and that is how I lost a good friend. Maybe someday he will overcome his anger. Inspection was ok. Pointed out a few things I choose to inore and listed all the no-nos that most homeowners don't really care. They no there is damage or rot here and there and choose to overlook when trying to buy a house they really like. But he did point out the furnace was old (I knew that), the flame was too yellow - due to misadjustment or cracked heat exchanger (I didn't know, well even I could see it was yellow) and the fact there was no CO detector (which I had forgotten that all homes with gas appliances must have them within 15 feet of sleeping areas. New state law as of last year.

I wondering how many homes do not have them. I bet one hell of a lot.

So I am having a furnace guy look at this furnace on Monday to tell me if the exchanger is broke or not. Then on with the next step. Home buying seems to be such a drag and time committment. My lawyer seems to be very knowledgable and nice. I like him.

Appears I lost a good friend today and for that I am sorry . Things were done for me and I did not interject to change those things. Because of that, I have lost a friend. No chance to explain, no chance to say sorry.

I had asked the cost of his services before in voicemail and email and nary a reply. I just assumed he figured I was looking for a freebie, his services for free. That was never my attention. I would gladly have paid for his services. But I never recieved a reply. Ok, he is too busy. Not a biggie.

So when my real estate agent setup the appointment, I just went with the flow. Not thinking. It was just something I did not have to think about or do and I have had a lot on my mind recently.

Therefore, because I cannot keep up with everything going on I have lost a good friend. The last two words of his email say it all - FUCK YOU

I truly am sorry you feel that way.

Hey that rhymes. tee hee

Ok, training on Saturday was supposed to be 5 miles, instead I attempted the Siberian Express (7.45 miles). It was the muddiest I have ever seen it. At places we were slogging through 4" deep mud. We - Tom and I. My knee has been giving me plenty of problems lately and I had to stop every quarter to half mile. Tom, being the friend he is, hung back with me. We still finished in 1h 43m. Making us both believe that without the mud and my knee we could have been under 90 minutes.

So that tells me I need to do weekday running and start the new ELITE core workout that VGFatboy is doing. We both read about it in RW. Core strength is important to everyday life. This coming Saturday is only a 45 minutes run - a cutback week. Then 6 miles, then 8 miles.

Gave a treadmill to VGFatboy for some winter running. His number 1 son seems to love it. He should get some good use out of it in the years to come.

Soon I will have a new blog up. Look for more info to come.

Peace out.

it is 2008
i'll turn 45
don't know if that is significant or not
i might get lucky and get a house this year
or i might not
i hope to run a marathon this year
i hope to beat the Rouge in the Indy half marathon
my wallet hopes i beat him
i hope Jake makes the state cross country meet this year
i hope Tori makes it too high school
i hope Chris gets over his shyness
i hope Allyson stays happy
i hope all my friends stay my friends
i hope i train more
i hope my blood sugar drops to the normal range
i hope i eat better
i hope i learn something new this year
i hope i am better this year

Kids came up on the 21st for Xmas. She sent them up (when it wasn't my legal time) so that she could keep the kids on my weekend to have Xmas down there to benefit her familys schedule. Which ruined things for me.

I had already discussed Xmas to be the weekend of the 29th (my weekend) at Thanksgiving with them. Expecially since I and grandma both had to work on Monday. But alas, the divorce papers are only to be followed by me.

So Xmas was ok. Kids were happy with all their things. Had Xmas with my better half and what a fantastic Xmas. First, as you know, shebought 2 tickets to a Steelers game and hotel. Then she gets me 2 Terrible Towels, Rooney's book and a few others things. Then there is the Craftsman tool chest. Huge. Black. Awesome. Like her. Always.

Saturday, December 29th training.
4 miles.
That's all.
Meadowbrook Park.
2 laps around park plus another four-tenths.

Well the first lap was ok. Got to the south end of the park (where the naked girlie statue is) and my knee starts twinging. Painful lightning bolts of pain trying to wrench my patella off. I ran through it, but it kept coming back. Hopefully it will not be my undoing 2 mils into the Siberian Express.

Still I got 4.2 miles completed in about 45 minutes. With the knee pain running is difficult.
I need to to some weekday running to complement my weekend running. This coming week also starts our mid-week (Wednesday) training. Hopefully by getting tough for one week I can tough out the Siberian and crack a PR. Hopefully run under 90 minutes. A PR means run better than 83 minutes.

2006 I ran 1 hr 23 m and 36.4 seconds. A lofty goal for this year.

We will know...
in a week.

Date - Saturday, December 22, 2007
Weather - 46 degrees, clear skies, strong south wind 15 - 20 mph

Me - tired, legs feel like jello before I started. Going to be a miserable 50 minute run mentality.

ok - 51 minutes later and i managed 4.75 miles. 10:45 pace.

tweaked my left knee somewhere around 4 miles. didn't land on anything just stepped wrong. tired, but not breathing exceptionally hard. I did walk a lot so I guess the distance isn't too bad. Need to see if my Ironman is fixable and start using it.

Siberian Express coming up in 2 weeks and not even close to being ready. Goal - 90 minutes and that could be pushing it. Should be able to hang with Tom for the first half. He has been working out and runnin on a treadmill. He will be ready.

I only hope I can muster my goal.

Bad news - Willie Parker broke his leg and is out for the season. This will make the playoffs difficult at best.

As noted earlier VGFatboy and i headed to St. Louis for a night of football and beer. It was wonderful. Acouple hours of driving down with the Hook and reminiscing over the years past. how our lives have changed and how we have adjusted to the roller coaster thrill rides we have been fortunate to survive.

All in all I feel that we both have become better, more humble individuals because of the travels we have been forced to complete. Sometimes, it is like we were hobbits just forced along by forces stronger than ourselves. Sometimes, like explorers of the past (Magellan, Columbus, Aldrich or Kirk) forging in to the unknown, unsure of anything except the possibility of adventure.

But I am sure that both of us took from the roadtrip a bit of extra serenity and peace. A small but noticeable bit of warmth spreading through our souls. A quietness that has quekked some of the uneasyness we all feel from time to time. And with this we can go on again and start solving the worlds problems or least locate that damn remote control again.

VGFatboy and I traveled to St. Louis, saw a great football and drank some really expensive beer. Not great beer just costly. $8.75 for 24 ozs. But drank we did. Went to Sundeckers and ShowMe's (though no one showed us anything). It was kinda like going to a Hooters. They advertise hooters, talk about hooters on the menu. But do you ever see a hooter. I have only seen hooters at a Hooter's once. And I had to travel to Amsterdam to see them.

False advertising. Should have been ShowMe's NOT!!!

thank you again special lady, lover and friend.

to steal a phrase fom Mike Myers - pinky finger pointing to corner of mouth.

Well I got an early Christmas present yesterday (since I am writing this at 4:47am Thursday). My wonderful girlfriend got me 2 tickets to the Steelers - Rams game in St. Louis for tonite and a free stay at the Crowne Plaza. Awesome baby!!!

And as an added bonus VGFatboy gets to go with me. Awesome baby!!!

Now if ony the Steelers can start playing some better offense...

She is a dreamy woman.

Today was 40 minutes of training. 31 degrees, snow and a fairly stiff breeze out of the east. Of course the trail was snow covered but fine. Until the snow plow drove down and created some slick spots. Met the mentor for this season and he is faster and in better shape than me. Figures. Ran with him for the first lap (1.8 miles) then faded back. I got two laps done in 41 minutes. About 11:23/mile - 3.6 miles.

Now this week I have to start the weekly runs because the Saturday runs are going to get longer quicker. And with the Siberian Express (7.45m) coming up in three weeks I must train. I must train.

I MUST TRAIN!!!!

So train it was said, train it was written and train it shall be done.

The winds have been blowing for almost two weeks but nary a glimpse of changes little ass. Granted I joined TNT again. I ran the first team training - 2.8 miles in 30 minutes - last Saturday. But I did not complete the individual training on Monday. I did 10 minutes out of the prescribed 40 minutes. I just couldn't go on. My legs felt like jello, pudding, molasses. You get the picture.

Tuesday was a cross training day and I sat on the couch and read the Sunday paper, watched House, watched my girlfriend decorate the Christmas tree. Wait, I did cross train. I went in the attic and handed down all the christmas decoration boxes. Maybe that counts. I also painted a small bathroom floor with adhesive remover and then scrapped it clean. About 20 minutes on my knees. Woot! Woot! I did cross train.

Today is Wednesday. There is probably another 40 minutes of running on the schedule; I haven't looked. Maybe I can squeak something in. I have a treadmill at my disposal. I have almost $200 in new winter running gear (there goes Jake's christmas). I could go outside and run. Right!!??

We will see. I have always been a slow starter. The Siberian Express is coming up in January as well. VGFatBoy you up for it??? :)

I read an article in Runner's World today and it reminded me of my best friend. He is doing something extraordinary now as he has been for the last few months. I hope he doesn't think it is anywhere degrading because I mean it with all my heart. I love you like family bro'.

Here is part of the story by John Bingham....
Have you ever noticed that when the friends and neighbors of someone accused of committing a horrible crime are interviewed, they always say the same thing: "I can't believe he did it. He seemed so normal."

I'm quite sure that if anyone had interviewed my friends and neighbors when I first started running, they would have offered much the same response. I'm sure that they couldn't understand why this middle-aged, overweight man was out there running and walking nearly every day. It just wouldn't have seemed normal.

The truth is, it didn't seem normal to me either. Normal was coming home from work, drinking a beer or 12, having a bag of chips and a half pack of cigarettes, and then eating dinner. Normal was being as stationary as possible for as long as possible.

I'm often asked what happened. People want to know how and why a seemingly normal man starts running at middle age. They want there to be some grand design, some elegantly articulated plan to change my life. They want there to be a reason. There wasn't. There isn't. Like an out-of-left-field felon, I think I just came face-to-face with the stranger deep in my psyche. The difference was that my stranger didn't want me to do something bad; it wanted me to do something good.

Here is the link to the full story http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-332--12340-0,00.html

Love you bro'. You are an inspiration. I hope I can do as well.

Well the winds blow and I stood like a mighty redwood and did not break or change.
Monday night football was a drunken mess again - though I spent less than $15. I guess that is a change.

Had a great weekend in Chicago with the kids, Chris and Allyson. Went to the aquarium and Field Museum.

Been busy at work this week which makes the owner happy.

So maybe, a small change. Afterall, I wouldn't want to change too much or too fast. I should be able to make the changes last years.