Make-up Run

I was not able to run last night due to the freezing rain. I like to think of myself as being pretty resiliant but freezing rain is just plain uncomfortable. It is my limit. So I had a make up to do on a Friday night, I have no life so I did it.

4.37 miles, 50:08 minutes, 11:28 pace, 858 calories

Mile 1) 11:35
Mile 2) 11:30
Mile 3) 11:12
Mile 4) 11:36
last .37 - 11:31 pace

I started at 10:30 pm so I was a bit fatigued when I hit the road, I didn't want to be out there and it was tough to get going. To make matters worse, Jupiter is not the only gas giant around this evening. I think my nickname tonight should have been Broccoli Rob - well you get the idea. Thankfully the streets were empty.

Long run tomorrow, yikes.

Getting back at it

Tonight the Captain (my Garmin) and I hit the roads for a little more distance on this up effort week. Next week being a cut back week, I am trying to push it this week. Here is what happened:

1:15:01, 6.60 miles, 11:22 pace, 1310 calories

Mile 1: 11:11
Mile 2: 11:03
Mile 3: 11:16
Mile 4: 11:21
Mile 5: 11:53
Mile 6: 11:30
Last .6 - 11:22 pace

My legs were a bit rubbery from Monday, but I pushed through it. The Captain will not tolerate any slacking off. So even though I wanted to stop early for a cocktail, I pushed through to the end. I would not want to see the Captain when he is angry. I will admit that mile 5 was a tough one, there were some ups as they say. I had to push through the mile to get to some level ground. I have to say that I am happy with this. I do feel like I am becoming a better runner. I can remember a time not to long ago that I strived for a 13:30 mile. Now, I get upset if a post a 12:00 on any run that is not long or hilly.

Good and unusual news: I am not injured in any way. Most people take this for granted. However, I have been a member of the walking wounded for so long that I forgot what is was like to not be hurt in some way. I just figured that exercise meant some injuries. But today, I can now say that my right foot is 100%, my shoulder that I dinged falling is 100%, my chest congestion is gone, hamstring injury is gone, back twinge and hip twinge on long runs also gone, basically I am in the pink for a change. The only thing I have to deal with is a couple of old injuries, the nerve damage in the left elbow I received when I elbowed someone in the fist when I was 20 (it creaks and pops ... could be worse) and a broken right wrist from the military (it sounds like rice crispies on occasion).

Up and coming: I have contacted a couple of folks to guest post. I am not going on vacation or anything. But I thought it might be nice to mix things up.

Monday again?

Today my Brooks top came in. I don't know how it keeps you warm and wicks the moisture away but it does. I like the brooks stuff, because I enjoy day glow yellow. Well, not really but it will cut down on my chances of being hit by a car. I won't say it won't happen, as the sales lady said she was almost hit by a car while riding a bike while wearing this top. So people don't pay attention, ok I knew that. I see stupid things everyday in my work as a lawyer, no stupidity would mean no need for lawyers. All that said I like the top.

The Captain (my Garmin) and I went out for a little jaunt this evening. This run kicked by back side for reasons unknown. I feel more tired than I did after my 9 on Saturday. This may be due to it being Monday and after a full day of work, here are the results:

59:07 minutes, 5:12 miles, 1000 calories, 11:33 pace

Mile 1: 11:30

Mile 2: 11:27

Mile 3: 11:32

Mile 4: 11:45

Mile 5: 11:30

Last .12 - 11:32 pace

I have no excuse for mile 4. I thought I was maintaining throughout but I fell off in mile 4, can't say why?? I was a slacking I think. I am getting generally faster.

7 Miles Tonight.

I am still getting back into the swing of things from the flu. So I took my congestion and hit the bricks tonight. I will share a little story that illustrates my insanity to a certain degree. Let's see if you can follow my logic. I run with a Garmin 205 gps, I love it as it keeps me from having to keep track of things the old fashion way. When I was in the Army during basic training one of the drill sergeants encouraged us to name our rifles as we would be closer to the rifle than any woman. With this in mind, I have nicknamed by Garmin, "Captain." Why, well here it goes.



a. Garmin rhymes with Gavin (for Gavin Mac Leod)


b. Gavin Mac Leod was the captain of the Love Boat (Captain Stubing)


c. Hence, my Garmin is called Captain


d. It fits as the Garmin is in charge of my run much like a naval captain would be.


I also have little Star Trek moments about not having enough power to get up this hill or that hill. I have also told myself that the toilets have backed up into the warp drive when I feel like I am going to just fall apart. But this is all part of my inner geek.

So there is a glimpse into my insanity. So tonight the Captain and I went for a little run with a new pair of shoes. I said I wasn't going to use them on a long run, but I lied I guess. I had to try them out. I am glad I did. These are the best shoes I have used to date. They really picked up the impact of the run and I felt very comfortable throughout the run. Great stuff.


7.15 miles, 1:22:05 time, 11:29 pace, 1381 calories


Mile 1: 11:21
Mile 2: 11:17
Mile 3: 11:25
Mile 4: 11:16
Mile 5: 11:27
Mile 6: 11:52
Mile 7: 11:47
last .15: 11:24 pace


Mile 6 and 7 I had a few issues. First I picked up a pretty strong head wind which really slowed me down. Then I tripped. A little unusual for me I don't usually fall. But I lost a half minute dusting myself off. I am fine, just bruised ego.

Speeding Up... Sort of

I am trying to get back into the swing of things after my flu. I am still not 100%, maybe 85% is the best I can say. I am still a bit weak and my lungs complain a bit on the run. But tonight was a bit better than Saturday.

4.35 miles, 49:22 minutes, 11:21 pace, 846 calories

Mile 1: 11:00
Mile 2: 11:05
Mile 3: 11:39
Mile 4: 11:28
.35: 11:54 pace

I had to stop after mile 2 to walk a .2 and clear out my lungs, well you get the idea. When I started again I was a bit slower pace wise. I have to say I am happy with the run. Things are getting better.

Back in the Saddle

I am still not 100% over my flu but I was tired of being at home and resting. So today I went out and ran a little bit. I ran for 4 miles at scenic Pennypack Park. I did not run 4 miles in a row though. I ran a mile than walked a quarter then ran a mile walked a quarter and so on. Without being too graphic, I am surprised at the amount of mucus that the human body can create in such a short time.

Results:

4 miles, 12:13 average pace, 753 calories, 48:51 total time
Mile 1: 11:51
Mile 2: 12:24
Mile 3: 12:13
Mile 4: 12:22

I do feel much better post run and hope that I feel even better later. I just hope that the mucus calms down over the coming days. Keep running.

Weekend Run

With Christmas coming it has been a crazy time for trying to keep consistent with my running. I think we can all say that the holiday season can create a lot of stress on both your weight and exercise routines. So on a Saturday night I was out running at 10:00 p.m. (What kind of nut job am I???). But that being said I did crack the 20 mile barrier I have been struggling with through this winter running series.

Here is how tonight went down:

7 miles, 1:22:32 time, 11:48 pace, 1337 calories

Mile 1: 11:52
Mile 2: 11:34
Mile 3: 11:33
Mile 4: 11:39
Mile 5: 12:02
Mile 6: 11:52
Mile 7: 12:00

I have run during the evenings during the week when things are crazy with my schedule but during the weekend I try to avoid that crazy behavior. I couldn't get around it tonight. But I am really glad that I did run tonight. It was a great overall time for me. I feel like I am really recovering from this plantar injury. I am getting a good deal more speed and my endurance has never been better. I could have gone another 3 miles with no difficulty. The average time was less than 12:00 for 7 miles, this is the best I have run since the half marathon I ran in September. It is nice when things come together.

Here is the week so far:
22.5 miles, 12:02 average pace, 4:30:50 time running, 3271 calories burned.

This is my best week in a long time. To top it off the usual sore feet and ankles are subdued this week. So it is all good, everything is coming up Rob this week. Merry Christmas All.

Running Therapy

Tonight was a bit crazy between laundry, cooking dinner, washing dishes and cooking brownies for my daughter's holiday party tomorrow... all after putting in a 10 hour day. I was a bit tired and it would have been very easy to just blow it all off and go to bed. But I didn't. I went out and ran and I am glad I did. Each mile felt better as I went on and the stress of the day went with each mile. Sometimes I get caught up in the numbers of running that I forget the benefits of what I am doing. For an hour of so I can forget the rest of my life and just concentrate on running. There is something magical about that escape and the value can't be calculated.

Here are the results:

1:02:20, 5:15 miles, 950 calories, 12:06 pace

Mile 1: 12:21
Mile 2: 12:17
Mile 3: 12:13
Mile 4: 11:50
Mile 5: 11:51
.15 mile: 12:04 pace

I just felt better each mile and by the end of it I had left all my stress behind. The therapy of running, it cannot be overstated.

Is it Tuesday Already

Usually on Tuesday, I do my 10k Tuesday run but I did that last night. So what to do today? I did a little recovery run. Yesterday was a great time on the 10k so I backed off on the pace and distance.

4.15 miles, 12:31 pace, 726 Calories, 51:52

Mile 1: 12:19
Mile 2: 12:34
Mile 3: 12:36
Mile 4: 12:33
Last .15: 12:31 pace

So this wasn't a stand up and cheer run. This was just a keep things going sort of run. It was a bit chilly out there and I had some, dare I say, nipple chaffing. (I am sure I will come on some strange web searches with that one I am sure). This stings a bit after a long run as you might imagine. Usually, I use some band-aids before a run in the cold due to this "injury", but it looks like I might have to invest in some body glide to be on the safe side. The odd injuries of the winter runner, mmmm. I wonder what else I have to look forward to as I enter my first winter running season. So far I have encountered:

1. More frequent small muscle pulls in the lower legs
2. the aforementioned nipple chaffing
3. Red Belly
4. Excessive Mucus
5. Wind Sheer

That is all I can think of right now, but it is a good start. Tonight I had some red belly in addition to the other injury. After a warm shower I was fine.

Everyone have fun out there, weather permitting.

10k Monday?

Last Friday I had my office Christmas party. Now I don't drink very often, about two to three times a year. But when I do decide to drink I have more than a couple. I don't fall over or anything but I usually have more than 2 or 3 or 5. Add that to the open bar at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia and I was having a good time for about 6 hours. Did I mention that I love my job, I do. Well that being said I was a bit tired after getting home at 2:30 am on Friday night/ Saturday morning. Sunday was also a bust for running due to the Nor'easter. So where did that leave me, well today.



I usually do 10k on Tuesday due to the catchy rhyming, but I did 10k today or 6.21 mile Monday. Its all I have, shoot me.



6.21 miles, 1:14:05, 11:56 pace, 1165 calories



Mile 1: 11:39

Mile 2: 11:53

Mile 3: 12:21

Mile 4: 12:08

Mile 5: 11:54

Mile 6: 11:48

Last .21: 11:27 pace



This is my fastest 10k to date, fastest to date. I like saying that. It is nice as I was a bit tired before I hit the roads and on my new 10k route there is a big ass hill right at mile 2.3 to mile 3.5. It just keeps going up and up. I need to work on hills so this is why I have been doing this route. But until tonight I have not been doing it without much success. I did not want to take 3 days off but it seems to have helped me out in terms of my running success.



In other news I am in a bit of geek happiness right now. I ordered and received my Miskatonic University Antarctic Expedition hoodie. I am a H.P. Lovecraft fan and this hoodie celebrates his famous At the Mountains of Madness. Anyone else interested can find such Lovecraft goodies at Cthulu Lives . But really I hope that Cthulu doesn't really live.

Thursday Night Run

After a successful Monday and Tuesday, tonight seemed to be a good night to sneak in a quick run. It rained all day and the roads were still wet but the storm was gone and the temps were fine. So at 10:30 I went out for a quick run.

4.2 miles, 802 calories, 11:51 average pace
Mile 1: 11:54
Mile 2: 11:44
Mile 3: 11:59
Mile 4: 11:44
.2: 11:51 pace

This is was a fast run for me as of late. I have been running steadily in the 12:00 range but this was under the whole way, this is getting back on track for me.

This is my best week in a long time, I am at 14.71 miles with the weekend still to come. This is a low mile week in terms of long run so I think I am planning 6 miles on one day and maybe another 4 on the other. This will put me at a minimum of 20.71 miles for the week. That is a great week for me. With all the injuries I have been fighting I am very happy with this result.

Happy Running.

You Know What Day It Is...

Today is that special time of week in my training routine .... it is 10k Tuesday. My run could not have come soon enough. I have been eating far less snacks and sweets as of late; however, today I caved in and then that led to a nutritional disaster. The extra junk calories were legion it seemed to me: the damage 1 mountain dew (12 oz), 1 small bag of chips, 1 payday candy bar and 1 cup cake. I don't know exactly how many extra calories it was but it felt like a lot. So tonight I was looking forward to the 10k just to feel normal after the massive sugar crash I experienced this afternoon. Wow, what an experience that was. I feel much better munching on carrots these days, because the sugar crash I get off of what I used to eat is enough to keep me off the junk. Plus, once I start it seems that I am in for more than I bargained for.

Well on to the results of tonight's jaunt:

6.36 miles, 1:20:32, 12:40 pace, 1057 calories

(10k portion was at 1:18 total time)

Mile1: 12:28
Mile 2: 12:47
Mile 3: 12:48
Mile 4: 12:35
Mile 5: 12:41
Mile 6: 12:30
Last .36 : 13:11 pace

Conditions: It was windy tonight and that really seemed to throw my pace off. I took a new path tonight and that took me up a pretty good incline early on. I felt I did better with the hills tonight that I normally do. So that is improvement. The pace wasn't exactly what I wanted but it will do for now. The miles are what count for me right now.

As an aside, as I write this the new Dawn of the Dead is on cable. Although, this is not as good as the 28 Days movies, funny the English do make a superior Zombie movie (Shaun of the Dead, 28 DaysLater, 28 Weeks Later). But this version is still prettygood. The Romero cameo is a nice touch. The tension in the survior group is really good. I am a fan of the genre.

Quick Out and Back

I gave myself a serious muscle pull on Saturday during my 9 mile jaunt. As a result, the rest of Saturday it hurt to walk and up down stairs. When Sunday came around I felt a bit better, today a bit better again. So when work ended tonight I decided that 4 miles was in my future. Well it turned into 4.15 miles.



4.15 miles, 769 calories, 12:14 average pace



Mile 1: 12:29
Mile 2: 12:12
Mile 3: 12:12
Mile 4: 11:57
Last .15 12:48 pace



Weather: nice temp. with some light rain. It really did feel good. I also did something I liked I put two miles back to back at the exact same pace. That was great. Huzzah. I have also learned that on these training runs that I can't really run three miles any longer the least I can do these days is 4 miles. I am sure I will do shorter distances when I get back to more dedicated speed training in the spring when the roads are less... treacherous. But for now I am going to just focus on base miles for the winter.



Good news: Down 5 pounds since Thanksgiving. Very nice! I was getting a bit frustrated with the weight loss thing. Tough to be the run to lose guy when you aren't really doing any losing. But I have gotten over the hump. So as you can see I am all smiles.

The Night of No Excuses

I had intended to come home and go for a run while my daughter was at her swim class. I thought that would be a great use of time. But alas when I came home my daughter did not feel up to class so I did not get to run at that time. Needless to say I was a bit disappointed. But things like this can happen.

Bear in mind that reasons for not doing something is merely an excuse in another wrapper. It is the same. We make time for the things that are important, period. This may sound harsh but a man of my ... expansive girth ... does not get that way in one day. That being said, I know what an excuse is because I have used plenty in my life.

Fast forward to 10 pm. I head out for the run (wearing my trail shoes for the heavier shoe, plus they are like 4 wheel drive so I figured they are better for the snow - who said I always had great logic anyway). I wanted to do this run yesterday but felt too sick and fatigued to do so. To make matters worse, it snowed today. Not much but enough to make the roads and sidewalks a bit crunchy. (frozen snow) This is not too bad in terms of footing but I had to be a little careful so I had to slow down.

Here is how it all played out:

10k, 1006 calories, 12:48 pace

Mile 1: 11:34

Mile 2: 12:27

Mile 3: 12:38

Mile 4: 13:07

Mile 5: 13:15

Mile 6: 13:33

.2 - 13:20 pace

The last few miles were a bit more icy than the first three. I felt I had to slow down to make sure that I had good footing. This was a tough run. The frozen snow really put an extra strain on my ankles and feet. When I got home I had a case of red belly and as I said already some sore ankles and feet. But it was worth it.

Rob's first rule of running: you will always feel better after a run than before. For me this is always true.

Nice Night for a Run

The runs later in the week have a tendency to get pushed aside due to life demands. I have a billable hour requirement and that forces me to pay very close attention to what I am doing in terms of work each week. As the week wears on I get more conscious of where I am in terms of hours and I tend to push near the end of the week (Thursday and Friday have a tendency to be 10 to 12 hour days sometimes more- the down side to the legal profession). But today I started work very early so I was able to put things to bed early, which meant that I got to go running. Huzzah (I think huzzah is starting to rub off on me, has more to than yeah).

4 miles: my goal was really just to get out there and do it. I did not have a time goal, just run. (I should do this more often)

4miles, 11:55 pace, 762 calories

Mile 1: 11:47

Mile 2: 12:08

Mile 3: 12:00

Mile 4: 11:45

I think this worked out. I just want to get my endurance back up again. I really fell off the wagon after the half marathon. I think I am getting into the swing of things now. Injuries can really suck.

Tonight was nice, not really cold just a bit crisp. Roads were clear and everyone gave me the same look as usual when I run late at night. What is this idiot up to. I have only ever run into another runner once in all the time that I run at night.

10k Tuesday, part the second

As I mentioned last week I was starting a tradition of 10k on Tuesday for the winter. So today I did a bit better than last week's version:

Ran 10k, time 1:15:27, calories 1161

Mile 1: 11:32
Mile 2: 12:01
Mile 3: 12:17
Mile 4: 11:58
Mile 5: 11:55
Mile 6: 13:00
last.21: 13:03

I am pretty happy with this. The last mile would have been a lot faster but I ran into a strong head wind. I really did not realize how much a head wind can slow you down. But I was putting out the same effort as before but I was being held back. Interesting stuff.

Good news: My heel which had been giving me soooo much trouble over the summer seems to be for the most part resolved. I can remember times this summer when I had to crawl up the stairs first thing in the morning. Now the most I get is a little nudge of pain. I am pleased with the progress. I don't even wince when walking stairs any more, it is just the odd step now and then that will give me a dull pain.

This was also run #2 with music. I think I like it. It is a nice change for now. I may get bored with it eventually, but during the winter this may be a necessity as it is hard to enjoy nature with the cold beating down on you.

Hopefully the first of many...

What is this a new tradition in my running schedule. I hope to introduce on a regular basis....



10 K Tuesday



I have been a bit down on myself for not running as much as I want to. Well this is not exactly it. I have been running on a treadmill which is incredibly boring. This was not always true, I used to be able to do the treadmill no trouble, until I started running that is. After running streets and trails nothing else comes is as fulfilling. I found last night that my legs were actually sore after 4 miles. I mean come on. The treadmill caused my legs to fall a bit out of shape. Why, I think because there is no impact on the treadmill, well there is some but it is not the same. So I have gone back to what makes me happy.



Tonight was my first, I hope of many 10k Tuesdays.



How did things go, great thanks for asking. You see, I left the jacket at home and just went out with long sleeve top, pants and gloves (well shoes too). Here the results so that I might build upon them.



10 kilometers (6.2 miles) - 1:15:58 (1143 calories) - Pace Average 12:15

Mile 1: 12:00

Mile 2: 12:10

Mile 3: 11:56

Mile 4: 12:31

Mile 5: 12:30

Mile 6: 12:28

.2 : 11:52 pace



So in the end, I felt so much better tonight than I did last night. It was a nice night for a run. But I did notice as I have in the past that I was the only one running. Now Philadelphia is not the safest place in the world, but my neighborhood does not usually hit the headlines. But it was a nice quite evening for a run, not too cold, traffic was light ... it was good. As you can tell though the course goes down hill about mid way through mile 2 through mile 3 and then up mile 4 and mile 5. So I had to work the hills a bit. Over all a good pace.



The first 10k Tuesday is a success. (Very nice!!!)

Sneaking out for a Quick 4

With the Schuylkill Loop tomorrow, I thought a little tune up would be in order. I had a busy day on tap but was out the door this morning for a quick 4 miler. I haven't been running as much as I would like as of late. Life has its demands as we all know. But this morning here is how it went.



Mile 1: 12:30

Mile 2: 12:01

Mile 3: 12:07

Mile 4: 12:08



I was not looking for speed, I was only looking to find a groove and stick with it. The first mile was shaking cobwebs out of my system. Then after that I was looking for something I could sustain for 8.4 miles. That is the distance of the race tomorrow. For the half marathon I ran at a 12:40 pace. I would like to do better for this run. I have run a 5k at less than an 11:00 pace for the 3 miles. I think I would like to average between 12:15 and 12:30 for the race. I will set the pace at about 12:00 and see where that goes. I am still in awe over the fact that I can discuss these speeds. It may not sound like much to the average runner but for me it is fast. I started running back in March at 15:00 to 16:00 pace. However, over the last few weeks I have not been as diligent as usual in my running. I think it was my body telling me I needed a rest.

Tomorrow will be 8.4 miles around some of the prettiest running territory in Philadelphia. Wish me luck.

Nothing to worry about, Nancy

Nancy , also known as the cave girl, I have placed a picture of her for everyone's enjoyment, and I have a $5 wager on the first person to break the 11:00 barrier for three consecutive miles. We have lofty goals that is for sure. Tonight Nancy has nothing to worry about. I ran immediately after work tonight. Now I don't have a physically demanding job as a lawyer but I am usually intellectually spent at the end of each day. It will take me a couple of hours to get right after work. But tonight I set out for a run. That is how I roll.

The results are not outstanding, I have placed a small picture of how I felt below, Dohhh:

Mile 1: 12:10

Mile 2: 11:35

Mile 3: 11:45

Mile 4: 11:27

I was a bit tired and even though I got into a groove I felt like I needed a nap the whole time. Well the game is still on, Nancy. I saw by your latest post that you are still working on it as well.

Evening Run

I dislike running in complete darkness. I don't mind starting or finishing in it, I actually like dawn and dusk. But to know that I will see no sun on any part of my run gets me down. I think I would make for a bad Alaskan or at least the type that lives above the Arctic Circle. So I have not been too motivated for my morning runs as the sun hasn't been coming up until almost 7:00 am. So last night I began the nightly circuit. I got in to the office early then bolted at 4:00 to get home for a 5:15 run. Good plan, in the end I got out at 5:30, not bad.

Nuts and Bolts:

3 mile run

Mile 1: 11:10
Mile 2: 11:35
Mile 3: 11:45

I think I was hungry when I started the run and my energy was not what I would have liked. I got in a decent groove but I felt a bit off. It was nice to run in the sun again. But there were a couple of problems.

There were 2 dogs off their leashes running around with no owners in sight. They were in the woods calling the dogs on occasion. The dogs were chasing deer in the park. This created a real situation. Excited dogs can be problematic especially with no owners around. I was tensed up as I ran by the scene trying to remember by dog defense training I received a number of years ago when training for my black belt. Snarling dogs make me a bit uneasy. When I passed by I slowed a couple of times to warn folks walking in the opposite direction of the situation. So this may be why I didn't get my run in order.

Problem 2 was more of an environmental problem. I kept running into swarms of gnats. It would only be for a couple of seconds and then I would be past it. But I think I swallowed about 20. I can think of better (and I mean more enjoyable) ways to get my protein. Disgusting. This will go under problems with being a runner, swallowing bugs.