Sunday, November 30, 2008

He's going the distance....

He's (not) going for speed.

I made it through 18 miles today. It took a little over 4 hours. I think I figured out the hydration/nutrition issue. that seems to have helped today. I still should have had a more energy producing dinner last night. I'm getting all the kinks worked out. However, my shoes are killing me. I went to the local running store earlier this week and they didn't have the shoes I want in my size so they ordered them for me. They New Nike Air Pegasus 25's should be in any minute now, I can't wait.

I crossed the 700 mile mark for the year. I'm now at 714 miles. Those of you who look at the stat tracker at the bottom of this page know that my goal was to get to 1000 miles, but it ain't gonna happen. But, I am happy that I will be able to break 800 miles(knock on wood). I'm averaging 25 miles a week with 4 1/2 weeks to go. that should put me around 830ish for the year.

On an unrelated note, this is the last day of my Thanksgiving break. I'm not looking forward to doing lesson plans tonight or going to school tomorrow. On the bright side, it's only 3 weeks till Christmas break. Christmas break means we're halfway to summer break( you gotta keep things in perspective). It's good to be a teacher

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Thanks to my friends and family, I appreciate your efforts this week.

Monday, November 24, 2008

18 & life to go

I don't know what happened, or why. Yesterday was my first attempt at 18 miles. I was very confident that I would be successful given how well 16 miles went last week. Maybe it was overconfidence, poor hydration, poor diet, lack of rest, old shoes, warmer temperatures, or the stresses of my life right now. I don't know what it was but I know that 18 miles just wasn't in me.

The first 5 were great. Maybe too great. I think I went out to fast and burned out. Alls I know is that after 11 miles everything on me hurt or felt weak. I made it through 12 miles then started to walk. I don't know why I stopped running, but once I stopped I couldn't get started again. I was about 3 miles from home at this point so I walked it in. I guess I could say I did a total of 15, but I didn't. I died at 12.

Paula Radcliffe, I promise I won't make fun of you pulling out of the marathon in Athens anymore. I totally feel your pain.

I'm supposed to do 20 this Sunday. I'm gonna set my goal for 18 and if I'm not dead at the end of 18 I'll keep going. Among other things in my life this is a major blow to my confidence. I can already feel myself putting too much pressure on my upcoming 18/20 mile run.
Right now I'm just gonna try to focus on one step at a time, eventually those steps will add up. I wish it was as easy as it sounds.
It amazes me how running can be a metaphor for life. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and eventually you'll get somewhere, I hope.

As well as I can remember, "18 & life to go" was recorded by the band Skid Row sometime in the early 90's. I think.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Sweet 16

This morning I ran 16 miles in 3 hours 28 minutes (13 minutes per mile) and I didn't puke or die. Yea Me!

Sunday, November 09, 2008

I'm not a man of many words....


.... So I'll let the picture speak for itself.

Sunday, November 02, 2008

I take it as a compliment

Over the years I have had people say some pretty nice things in regards to my running. But, I think the nicest, or at least the one I like the best, happened on Thursday. I have a neighbor a couple doors down that gets home from work about 30 minutes after I do. I usually change and get ready for my runs as soon as I get home so just as I'm starting my run he pulls up to his house. He always says "hi" or waves, but Thursday as he was passing by he slowed down and said, with a smile on his face, "do you ever stop running"? All I could do was laugh. I know that I give people that I don't know nicknames, like "shirtless Joe" who lives across the street (you can guess why he gets that name). I wonder if they give me names like "The running guy" or " the idiot with the Alabama flag" or something like that.

I would be OK with either one of those names.

At any rate, it made me feel good that someone thinks I run a lot. I usually run about 25 miles per week, which I think is good. Which brings me to the story of today's run. Last Sunday I ran 12 miles in about 2 hours 50 minutes. I was very happy about that. But all week I've been thinking that I need to be running a little faster. So in my workouts I have picked up the pace slightly. Today I was to do a 14 mile run. I did the first 10 miles with no problems, 2 hours 5 minutes. That is a 10 mile personal record for me. My overall goal was to do the 14 in under 3 hours. I was cruising, then it went down hill in a hurry. At about mile 10.5 I developed a sharp pain in my right hip. I tried to run trough it but it was like having someone hammering a railroad spike with every step. I stopped and stretched and then continued at a much slower pace just wanting to finish. I hobbled and stretched till the 13Th mile, which happens to be right in front of my house. I decided that I had just completed a half-marathon and that I had never done 13 miles before, I counted it as a victory. I did walk the last mile. I got to 13 miles in 2:40:30. I was able to walk in the final mile at 2:59:36. Goal accomplished, I guess.

It seems as though my sciatic nerve was not happy with me today. I had this same problem when I first started delivering water. But after a couple months of lugging bottles I got a bit stronger and the problem went away. Hopefully that will happen again.

Sciatic problems are truly a pain in the @$$.

I also but an iPod shuffle today, I'll let you know how that turns out.