Easy? No. Easier? Yes.

It’s getting easier.  Yesterday my 10k training sent me on a 2 mile run.  A few weeks ago I would’ve cringed at the thought, and then would have proceeded to huff and puff like a hufflepuff through the whole run.  This time, I actually looked forward to a shorter run than I’d been doing the last few times, and didn’t have too much trouble throughout.  That said, I did find the first few blocks to be rather brutal on my legs but I attribute that more to the fact that I haven’t gotten used to getting up in the morning to run yet.

As for times, I took a little slower pace in the beginning and finished the first mile in 11:44 (which, for the record, is immensely better than I did just a week earlier when I ran a mile in 13:26).  The second mile was 13:56, for a total time of 25:51.  Today I am “resting” before a 3 mile run tomorrow.  I’ve actually decided that “resting” means doing a bunch of crunches to try to get myself in better shape overall, and that’s been going pretty well too.  We’ll see how things turn out in a couple months.

I also discovered today that there is a Packers 5k.  That is totally going on my list of must runs for next year.  The run starts on Lombardi Ave (the road outside Lambeau Field), goes through some of the neighborhood, and culminates in a run through the player’s tunnel and around the field inside the stadium.  It would be so fun to run through the tunnel and inside the great bowl!

 

Photo credit:  Easy Run by Banalities

Published in: on July 30, 2011 at 1:44 pm  Comments Off on Easy? No. Easier? Yes.  

Greek Food and Training for 10k


Yesterday I was supposed to run 2.5 miles as the first run of my training for the Lung Run 10k.  Instead, I went to an engagement party for a Greek friend and filled my face with some outstanding cuisine.  By the time we got home I was far too tired and full to run, so I vowed to get up this morning and do the run instead.  Now I admit that in the past doing morning runs has not been easy for me to do and today was no exception.  When that alarm went off all I wanted to do was roll over and go back to bed (it didn’t help that I was tossing and turning all night!).  But I gradually began to awaken and then the thought of running became easier and easier.

Once I got going I did really well.  I started running a little earlier – it seems one of the hardest parts is getting my legs to transition from walking to running – and just kept going.  Every time I got tired I just thought, just run to the next driveway and then you can walk again.  Then when I would get to the next driveway I’d just think oh that wasn’t so bad.  How about one more driveway.  And that pattern repeated until I completed the first mile at which point I decided I could justify walking for a few minutes.  After all, I ran a mile in 10:52 – my first sub 11 minute/mile.  The second mile took a little longer.  I clocked it in 13:17, but that was still faster than the second mile of my run on Sunday.  Overall I am very pleased with how I did and I’m looking forward to running again tomorrow night!

 

Photo Credit: Spinach Pie and Baklava Greek Food by stevendepolo

Published in: on July 27, 2011 at 4:06 pm  Comments Off on Greek Food and Training for 10k  

A Mile in 11 Minutes – Almost

 

Well I didn’t make it to the indoor track today like I had planned, but instead I waited until after dark to run.  It was 78 degrees out with a 70 degree dew point, so overall a little better than yesterday morning.  I certainly didn’t feel like I was swimming, but then again it was still less than ideal weather.  Plus, it was dark!  Oh well, I must have done something right, though, because I ended up with a good run.  The first mile I was able to complete in 11 minutes, 1 second.  That beat my previous best single mile by over a minute – and that was just a little over a week ago!  I think that’s pretty good progress if I do say so myself (and I guess by typing that I did say so myself so…there).  And ok, I admit I was nowhere near as fast as a Cheetah, but after running a mile that fast tonight I feel a bit like a Cheetah, or maybe I’m more like Tony the Tiger?

As you can see, the total distance was the same as yesterday but the time was like 3 minutes shorter.  So that’s another positive thing about the run tonight!

Anyway, starting this week I will be beginning a training program for the 10k I’ll be running in September.  It seems like the schedule has me doing “big” runs on Sundays and gradually increasing the distance on those runs until the day of the race.  The first “big” run, to be completed next Sunday, is 3 miles.  So I’ll be aiming for that this week.

Photo credit: Martin_Heigan

Published in: on July 25, 2011 at 3:05 am  Comments Off on A Mile in 11 Minutes – Almost  

Running After a Record Rain

Last night we had 7 or 8 inches of rain – I forget the exact amount, but suffice it to say it was enough for a fish to end up in our yard even though the closest pond is a couple blocks away.  Anyway, this morning we went for a run.  It was a mistake to run outside after such a storm.  Not only did we find many puddles like the one in the picture, completely blocking the sidewalk, but it was so incredibly humid that it felt like we were swimming.

The run itself was about 2 miles at a slower pace than usual, but I guess it wasn’t too bad considering the humidity, puddles, and the fact I hadn’t run in over a week (that’s what happens when heat waves hit).  The first mile was better than the second – a 13:26 pace vs. 15:23.  I’m planning another run tomorrow at a free indoor track nearby, so hopefully I’ll get some better times.  In the meantime, here’s the overall summary:

 

Published in: on July 24, 2011 at 3:38 am  Comments Off on Running After a Record Rain  

The Long Road Ahead

Long Road Ahead

Today I start a journey (well technically I started on Sunday because that was when I decided to run the marathon and start this blog, but we’ll go ahead and count today as the start).  I am going to run the Chicago Marathon.  But not until my 30th birthday.  I couldn’t run it today; I can barely run 3 miles today.  It feels weird talking about running a marathon when I haven’t even completed a 5k but that’s the whole point of this blog – to record my journey from barely running at all to a marathon runner, all by my 30th birthday.

My 30th birthday falls the same month as the Chicago Marathon, so that will be the target.  Along the way I’ll set small goals that can be achieved in the meantime.  You can read some of them on the Goals page.  Over time as I accomplish each goal, I’ll mark it off there so I can see the progress I’ve made.  I’ll also keep a list of my Personal Bests, and probably list some milestone achievements there as well.

The first race I plan on running will be the Lung Run on September 17th in Chicago.  It’s a 10k so it will be a little tough for a first race, but I am close to being able to run a 5k now (I know because I ran with my wife for a practice run last week before she competed in the Fleet Feet Sports Women’s 5k) and I have about 8 weeks to train for it.

When I run, I’ll be using apps on my iPhone (currently using Runkeeper but if someone has a better alternative let me know) to track how I do.  After each run I’ll try to make a post about how it went, how I felt, and include a screenshot of my time and distance.

I’m off now – unfortunately not to run as it is way too hot out, but hopefully I’ll get a run in soon and be back to write about it!

 

Photo credit: Long Road Ahead by flickr user teamscuby

 

Published in: on July 21, 2011 at 8:00 am  Comments Off on The Long Road Ahead  
Newer Entries »