Some good, some bad

The good:
Looks like my toenail isn't going to leave me anytime soon. It's half black and very nasty looking (i think I'll post a picture).

Just got back from a week in Puerto Vallarta, very relaxing.

Got new shoes, same kind but without the nasty funk, and with all that new shoe cushioning.

The bad:
My watch broke at the finish line. Popped right off my wrist and smashed into the pavement destroying it. So no lap times for me.

Have not run in more than two weeks.

The 2007 Chicago Marathon

The results - I managed to finish in 5:14, it was no PR, it was not even a good race. Yes I finished, but I am pissed. I am furious at race director Carey Pinkowski. He bears the ultimate responsibility for the absolute debacle that affected thousands upon thousands of runners.

The reason - You may not understand why someone would choose to run a marathon. True, no one forces us to run. But that isn’t what this is about. We do choose to run, but we choose races that are professionally managed so that they are able to provide us with the necessary resources to run. It’s a pretty basic agreement. I pay the entrance fee, and the race provides water and Gatorade at the aide stations specified on the course map. It’s that simple. If I wanted to run without concern for my own health, I would run 26.2 miles around the city, dodging traffic and finding water wherever I could. But I do have concerns for my safety, which is why I pay my entrance fee for someone else to accept the responsibility of keeping me safe and providing me basic supplies. Mr. Pinkowski failed me on October 7th.

The parallel - If you still can’t get past the idea that we, as runners, choose to take on this daunting task and that we should have known better and simply stayed home rather than try to run and get pissed at the race director, then consider this parallel. Anyone who likes music would be pissed to buy tickets to a concert only to show up and find out that there aren’t any speakers and that those in the back will just have to deal with hearing only the occasional chord. That is exactly how it was to run to the aide stations with empty, or overturned, water tables. Sorry, we can't give you what you need and what you'd be reasonable to expect.

The conditions – It was hot out, no doubt. It was no surprise that it was going to be hot that day. The Marathon organizers knew it would be hot, an e-mail was sent to registered participants warning of the expected heat. Knowing this, they should have been fully prepared for exponentially more water usage than normal. They were not, despite their declarations to the contrary. The issue wasn’t just the heat. It was the heat coupled with the inability of the race volunteers to provide enough water and Gatorade. They may not have even had enough water on hand, who knows? If they actually had enough water on hand, then they failed miserably at providing it to the runners. Either way, the Marathon failed runners by not providing adequate water and/or Gatorade.

The spectators - The heat was tolerable with enough water. I managed to take in just enough. I never felt like I was in really good shape, nor did I feel the effects of the heat beyond what I could tolerate. The only way I managed to tolerate it as well as I did was the spectators. I drank from 3 garden hoses and one spigot in the side of a house. I ran through every open fire hydrant (I’d guess about 4 or 5), and I took ice when it was offered on the last half of the course. The spectators saved many runners that day.

The criticism - What I don’t understand is that Mr. Pinkowksi is claiming to have made a tough, but wise, decision by canceling the race. I don’t believe he would have had to make that choice if he could have supplied adequate water and Gatorade to all the runners.

The play by play - The first aide station I reached was out of water, but they had Gatorade concentrate, which they were giving out with a warning to mix with water. No water was available. The second aide station appeared to be out as well. They handed out empty cups and told runners there was water down the way. You could easily see where they intended us to go, by looking at the clumps of hot and thirsty runners. At the center of each clump was a volunteer with a water jug, frantically pouring into whatever receptacle was placed underneath. With cup in hand, I stood there among the hot, sweaty, thirsty runners…begging for water. Yes, actually begging. I got a half a cup to drink. No extra water to splash on my head and cool myself down with. Oh well maybe at the next station. Rounding the corner to the third aide station, I spotted a line of porta pottys. Business done and cleaned up, I grab a Gu and down it, figuring I’ll get water to wash it down momentarily. I was wrong. No water. Just Gatorade concentrate, but again no water. A mile or two later there’s a spectator with a garden hose, amen! I finally get the water I was supposed to take with my Gu. Miles pass, with similar aide station experiences. Trust me it got redundant to experience it, and it'd be redundant to recall it here. In the meantime I become very good at spotting alternative water sources such as garden hoses. I never got as desperate as the folks who drank out of the fountain at Lincoln Park Conservatory or the little reflecting fountains at various high rise hotels. I keep running, knowing that today will be no personal record.

The announcement – Around mile 16 I start to pass many more walkers. I figure people are slowing down because of the heat. Not so. Shortly after noticing all the walkers that I am passing I hear vague rumblings that the race was cancelled. Nothing specific, just some random bits of conversation from people I am passing. Then I hear it loud and clear. Over a police cruiser loudspeaker I hear someone say that the race was cancelled due to the heat, and that we are supposed to stop running and walk to the finish line. What the hell? How do you tell someone who trained for at least 4 months, and to whom you did not provide adequate support (see “the reason” above) to simply stop and walk back? Maybe, just maybe, if I had received the support I had paid for, and expected, I wouldn’t be pissed. But I didn’t, and so I am.

The verdict – Despite living in, and loving, Chicago I do not plan to register for another Chicago Marathon. Not unless there are significant changes. Perhaps Mr. Pinkowski needs to resign. A new race director should then limit the field to a smaller group, adjust the starting time as needed, and prepare to adequately supply water and Gatorade to all the runners. Then I’ll consider another attempt at what is supposed to be a Chicago institution.

The end.

it's almost time

bad things happened Sept 16th at the 20 miler. I am fine but a bad four letter word was spotted at mile 16. needless to say I haven't had much to say since.

ran lots. missed some days. still running.

Sunday is the marathon. I mention this now because it's just dawning on me at this point. in 5 days I plan to finish 26.2 miles.
up next, really next: 4 miles tonight

5 miles

yay! i didnt skip it.

went 5 miles, at a slightly quick pace (probably close to 11:30 but i'm not really sure). then gorged on a salad and fruit smoothie, cuz i'm a good boy.

long run, sortta

This week's group long run was 14 miles. yep, that's a cut back. see, every fourth week is reduced mileage, to sort of give your body a rest. i know it doesn't sound like much, but dropping 4 miles is really a nice break. the only thing is, and i have made fun of other people for this, that i ran fast on the way back. running faster during a cut-back is just plain dumb. what energy you save in milage you expend in speed. here's my story:

tc just couldn't bring herself to get up that early, she's had a rough week, and all that Wii playing puts a strain on the body that only a good night's rest can fix. well, since tc wasn't there, i wanted to shorten my run and get back to a warm bed (with her in it). my return trip was far faster due to the compound effects of a: not having her there to tell me to slow down and b: not having her there and wanting to get home quickly to snuggle up with her. so yeah, on the return i left the group with 4 miles to go. the first two miles were by myself at a 9:40 pace (as opposed to my self-selected 12 minute pace group). it was then that i spotted another CARA training group at a water stop. since i cant pace myself for shit i figured i'd be best to hang with them and let them set the pace.

at times their pace seemed faster, at times it seemed slower. turns out they were the 9:30 pace group. it figures i'd do the last 2 miles at an even faster pace than running alone without knowing.

while it was good to know my body will run at a sub 10 minute pace, it was not good for my body to do so. i was sore after the run, even more so than after the 18 miler last week. buh. that was not smart.

oh well, time to focus. next sunday is the 20 miler. the longest of our group runs. the longest pre-race run of the program. the longest i have run in a long time.

but first, tc's b-day on wednesday...hooray!

fives

sorry for the brevity, but i'm writing this while riding on the bus.
tuesday went 5.5 miles with a very negative split. wednesday only went 5 miles, just didn't want to still be out running at 9pm without having eaten. thursday 5 miles, felt like poo so I knew I wasn't making up any milage during that run.

18 quickly followed by $16

the group long run was just OK this week. not spectacular, but overall quite good. the weather cooperated with us, keeping it rather mild for the first couple of hours. the sun only made an appearance on the return trip, and even then we were running in mostly shaded territory.
the reason it wasn't all it could have been was clearly.....me. it was my fault that it wasn't great. see i skipped tuesday's 4 miler, then i cut 2 miles off of wednesday (only going 7 that night), and on thursday i had to stop after two miles because i got sick. so, instead of doing the planned 18 miles, i only managed half that. i'm pretty sure the reason this long run felt less than ideal was the fact that i hadn't kept up my weekly mileage.

not so this week. i am prepared to cast aside all responsibility in order to fit in 19 miles. i'm pretty certain that the 14 miler on saturday will seem much easier and, hopefully, that really long run in a couple of weeks will be improved too.

so why is this post titled "18 quickly followed by $16"? because tc and i managed to put away $16 worth of McDonald's breakfast food after the run. that's two breakfast value meals, each. i am pretty sure that Runner's World says you need a high-fat, high-carb, high-sodium meal after a long run.

7ish, and i felt like crap

went for 90 minutes or so, at a really slow pace. maybe went 7 miles.

must not take three days off of running again.
must not skip short runs.
must not jump back into a week with a semi-long run.

City Chase - Chicago 2007

wow...that was something.

since tc wrote a great post about our experience i'll just direct folks to read about our journey on her blog. however, there are a couple of points i'd like to clarify.

A. I wasn't that dumbfounded and googly-eyed when I got to see boobies (hehehe boobies...yay!)

B. tc wasnt the only one of us to shout...i got a little flustered trying to read a map that seriously made no sense whatsoever, to tc's credit instead of telling me that i didnt need to understand it since she already did and that my dumb ass ought to just follow her without questioning where we are going since she is clearly of superior intellect, she simply let it slide.

that's about it.

16

that was the longest distance i've run in quite some time now. 16 miles, in just under 12 minute pace (overall i think we finished a whopping 1 minute early). the group ran without our pace leader. he tried to run early on, but developed pain in his shins (he was thinking shin splints, but let's hope not) so he stopped about 4 or 5 miles in. the path was crowded thanks to the air and water show, but we survived.

we carried on without him. other members of the group paced, and frankly we do pretty well now. we all seem to be able to hold a 12 mnute pace reasonably well. granted tc and i tend to speed up a little near the end, i think it's because we get excited that there's only a mile or two left.

8.5

glad i just did that on a tuesday night, cuz i need some time off to recover.

so, i went 8.55 miles in 1:30:30, which is a 10:35 average pace. probably too fast for a semi-long run. it wasn't even a tempo run...it was just a fast run.

it felt like perhaps i'd be a little tired and slow down on the return trip, but as it turns out, i was only 4 seconds slower on the way back. that is amazing to me. for a moment just forget the fact that i can't tell what pace i am running and let's look at the surprising fact that i was able to maintain a consitent effort for an hour and a half. true the pace was a good minute faster than it probably should have been, but my splits were damn near identical and my percieved effort remained constant. i am so pleased with myself.

woohoo

here's my update...and i might add, it's fairly timely.
friday was a party. i managed a few miles before the party and i managed a few drinks during the party, so no running on saturday.

sunday on the other hand was the long run. tc and i went to the sunday 7am group run. turns out there weren't many people there. i guess the sunday group is usually smaller, but adding to that effect was probably the fact that the Chicago Distance Classic half marathon was taking place at the same time.

tc and i formed our own pace group, primarily because we planned to run 12 minute pace. when we asked the person who we figured was the pace leader for the slow group what pace she'd be keeping, she said "11:30, 12:00, 13:00". wait a minute! the slowest pace group for the CARA program is supposed to be 12:00. and what the hell kind of answer was that anyway? she gave three different paces, for one damned group. buh. we decided just to run as our own group, at (hopefully) a 12 minute pace. we passed the group that we didn't want to be a part of at the first water stop...they took long enough that we arrived just behind them, but were able to start back up before them.

tc yelled out the half mile splits, and we managed to do pretty good with pacing. we fluctuated between 13 and 10:30, but most of the time our splits were pretty good for the two of us. we did manage to run a negative split overall. we came back 3 minutes faster than we went out (about 24 seconds per mile faster), most of it probably due to Gu and learning to pace a little better, oh and that reserved energy to draw upon. average pace was 12:12 (15 miles in 3:03).

basically, woohoo!

oh, and that photo, it's from engrish...i just love the weird statement the words make, and where hands land on the shirt...hehe i'm sure i look like that little guy sometimes.

up next: gotta go 8 on tuesday.

they call me flash(y)

went back to fleet feet today. was helped by the manager. which i think is primarily because i just returned an expensive pair of shoes that i had run in. i'm quite sure he wanted to keep me from bringing back yet another pair of shoes. i went in with my head full of all the wisdom and information one can gain by searching the internet. i had gleaned a lot from my searches, which brands just came out with new models, how those models differed from the previous, how some shoes i hadnt tried before may work for me. my supremely wise ideas for various shoes were swiftly dismissed, and i was fine with it. he is the expert after all, and truly he should know what was best. he asked a few questions, listened to what i had to say, got a feel for what i needed, and brought out 3 different shoes. in the end it was a Brooks, the super-flashy Trance 7 to be precise. it would figure that the high-end stability shoe from the same manufacturer as my Adrenaline's would be the way to go. why i didnt just suggest it last week, and why it was not mentioned i'll never know. i left the store feeling much better about the choice i had just made. i felt bad for the store, cuz now they have a pair of really nice mizuno's with 10 miles on them, but that's the price of good customer service.

then i took them for a little spin. just over 6 miles at about 11 minute pace and it felt good. the shoes are clearly rather firm, and will need some breaking in, but they do have all the cushion i was looking for. good job fleet feet, good job.

10 with mixed emotions

so the 10 miles in and of itself wasnt so bad. i can handle running for two hours. i am a machine...a slow machine, but a machine none the less.

what i cant handle are the new shoes. maybe it was mental, but those shoes felt like crap the entire run. my right big toe rubbed, and it felt tight throughout the midfoot and on into the forefoot. it was more than just new shoes that needed breaking in. it was a bad fit, both mentally and physically. time to head back to fleet feet.

Some biking

Ok. while i haven't run in two days, i have been biking a lot. on both wednesday and thursday i biked to and from work, and on thursday i ran a few errands after work, so there's some more milage. i may run a mile or two tonight. i know it's just before the long run, but frankly it's a cut back week and i am not too concerned with it.

the whole reason i want to do a mile or two is because i got some new shoes. different brand and everything, and i already have buyer's remorse. i am a little wary of spending $150 on a pair of shoes, but mainly i am wary of the guy who sold em to me....he didnt seem to care and certainly didnt take the time to fit my that i am used to. Fleet Feet is usually a running great store, i think i was unlucky and got the least interested employee that day. hrmph. we'll see how they feel, but saturday may be done in my old Brooks.

Part 2 (tired)

Just got done running 7.15 miles in 1:08:15...average pace 9:33
I'd love to call it a tempo run, but as tc confirmed, I was just running fast out of the gate and I cant pace myself for shit. Oh, and jc...I am not too old to be out at 10pm running.

Part 1

Saturday was fine. went 13 with the CARA group. my quads were pretty cashed at the end, but everything else was fine.

Sunday and Monday were rest days. I just haven't been doing those cross training days like I should be.
end of part one ;-)

6...and put some stank on it!

Yep, went 6 miles today, not the 3 that my schedule told me to go.

Sort of made up for missing my midweek semi-long run. I put a little stank on it too...average pace was 11:07. felt good, didnt feel like it was too tiring, but that's probably because i had tc with me, she biked while i ran alongside. the first mile and a half was a little rough, but i had a chance to stop and stretch and i think it really helped, because the next 4 and a half were really good.

next: rest day (amen)

Swing and a then a miss

Ran 3 on Tuesday...went too quick, prolly close to a 10:30 pace but i'm not really sure.
Missed my longish run on Wednesday...oops.

12 miles, woohoo!!!

So, yeah. i did the long run with the group. my left calf felt great for the whole run, although i didnt feel comfortable until at least somewhere in mile 2 or 3. and i kept chasing a rhythm, catching it only every now and then. by the end my quads were appropriately fatigued.

on sunday tc and i weren't as lazy as we have been. we actually cross trained, biking around to various places in the city. even cathcing a movie along the way. tc's not one to mince words, so see her blog for what must be the most concise movie review ever. oh, and i agree with her.


next: 3 on tuesday

6

went six beautiful miles. it was hot and muggy, but the run was quite nice. I didn't have any pains and I was able to focus on my form and footstrike. actually got into a rythum at one point and went a good half mile before I realized I had mentally flown the coup.
thanks to tc for helping me figure pace (10:35) and for reminding me that I have consistently missed one run a week since the CARA program started. oh yeah, I missed yesterday's run too...got into some cardio and was not in good shape to run after than. cest la vie.
next: 3 miles

7 miles

that wasn't so bad. it was a cutback week...amen because running can get a little tiring on the ole body. the best thing about the run was that my left calf never really hurt. it was tight at first, as it has been for weeks, but it never hurt. it's one of those achy pains that i tend to run through figuring it's just because i am not used to all this mileage. yes, i know, it could be a sign of an overuse injury. but i've had a couple of those in the past and this felt different. this felt like adjustment rather than overuse. you know, it's like if you haven't done sit-ups in a long time and you decide to bust out a hundred or so. you know your body can handle it, but it still aches. that was what my left calf was experiencing. and then somehow during this cutback week, it didn't hurt. i think that not missing my 3 weekday runs helps, i think it keeps it stretched and used to the strain.

not looking forward to 6 miles at the ass-crack on wednesday.

3 miles, then 5, then a realization

went a nice 3 miles on tuesday. had a slight drizzle during the beginning of the run, it helped lots. average pace was 11:30. the most apparent thing about the run was that i really need to start taking this training seriously, more on that in a bit.

woke up early on wednesday and ran 5 miles. i didn’t even try to wake up. i just rolled out of bed, drained the main, got dressed, and was out the door within 5 mins. the fact that i didn’t wake up first is probably why i was at a 10 minute pace when i checked at the 1.5 mile mark. of course i tried to slow down a bit, but at 2.5 miles i was still on 10 minute pace. by mile 4 i knew there was no adjusting...my body just wanted to run at that same pace. frankly i think i was so sleepy i couldn’t self-monitor effectively and therefore i ended up running the same pace as when i started. i was happy that i could maintain the pace, but physically a little sore from all the effort. in all, 5 miles 9:59 pace.

so, about taking training seriously. oh yeah, i do the running part. true, i occasionally miss a run a week (but i view that as a little extra rest), i wake up at the ass crack to grind out a few miles if i know i have something else to do that night, and i haven’t skipped a long run. but what i haven’t been doing, which became very obvious on tuesday, is taking the totality of my training seriously; only certain aspects are given the proper attention. the most obvious aspect i am leaving out is proper diet. on tuesday i could feel the pizza crawling up my throat, trying to get out as i ran. and it wasn’t the first time i've fell buh during a run. so now, i need to start paying attention to my diet. better snacks, healthier meals, less fast food crap.

now i know you'll say that beverage choice is part of my diet. but let me be clear. i will continue to drink beer and whisky, perhaps just in smaller quantities...perhaps.

this is not turning over a new leaf, just enlightenment. a realization of where i am and how i am not helping myself out.

10 miles

that was the first double-digit run in a long time for me. it felt really good to be going "long" again. there's something rerally satusfying about running for two or more hours. the group run was just as good as last week. the leader is a good guy, who doesn't waste our time. and the other runners in the group are pretty nice too, not always the most conversational, but nice all the same.

i was a little tight at first, still had that nagging left calf issue. i've gotten used to it, it takes a few miles to warm it up, but it's feeling so much better than it did just two weeks ago, so i think i am finally adapting. this week i actually had Gu with me, horay! it helps, if not physically, mentally.

up next: 3 on tuesday

Tempo

Since I missed my mid-week semi-long run, which I had planned to do a tempo run for, I thought I’d stretch out today’s run. Went just under 4 miles and had a 20 minute tempo in the middle. tc says that two days before the long run is a bad day to do a hard workout like a tempo. While she is usually right, as she is a great bit smarter than I am, I sure hope she’s wrong on this one.

It felt pretty good. It was friggin hot out (86 degrees), and I think I got a nice pink sheen on my nose from all the sun, but it was at least windy.

Next: rest

Sat: 10 miles

2.6

Yep. ran 2.6 miles, that's all. calves hurt, and tc felt like crap. sounds like a couple of good reasons to stop short. also managed to skip my mid-week semi-long run, again.

9 miles

ran with the CARA marathon training group today. tc and I decided to run with a different group and it was an excellent decision. the group leader was not only on top of what was happening, but he was decisive. we didn't dawdle at water stops, if you fell behind, then you fell behind...as long as he could see you somewhere on the path, that was good enough. none of that waiting around crap, and no more "do we have everybody? yeah, i think so."

about the actual running, it was good. 9 miles in slightly less than 12 minute pace (but don't quote me because i forgot to start up my watch after a water stop). on a final note, Sport Beans make me gassy. yeah i said it...gassy. so, if ever i forget to buy Gu before a training run or a race, and i am forced to go to Walgreen's and buy the beans...don't run behind me. this was your fair warning.

4 miles

Did the midweek semi-long run with tc. It was fine, slight drizzle, nice and cool out. I felt a bit like vomiting my lunch at several points, but that was reflection on the greasiness of my lunch and proximity to the start of my run, and not on my general fitness.

Up next: 3, but I’m skipping it. Yep. I could do it, but I’m not gonna.

cross training...check

up next: 3 miles

Oh the shame....the shame!

Yes, it's a bit shameful...I skipped my midweek semi-long run. Wednesday's four miler didn't happen. Oh, I cross trained, that's for sure...but no running for me. Really it's for the better. Not only was cross training fun, but my left calf has been feeling a little wonky so the day off was good for it.

I did go 3 on thursday. The calf was still semi-wonkda-fied, but it wasn't as bad as before.
Saturday was the long run. Since it was a cut back week (only five instead of eight), and since the pace group leaders are too wishy washy... tc and I decided to just go on our own. Set out at like 7:30, along with ks. We made her run slow for the first half, then she was set free to fly for the last half (although she clearly went further than tc and I did. It was beautiful out, had to be in the 60's with a slight drizzle and overcast skies, perfect weather for a run. The calf got tight on the return, but never locked up or got too tight to run.

I still need to baby the calf. Today is cross training, I think I'll bike, and for sure I'll clip in so as to keep everything lined up. Later.

3 miles

Some might argue that 2.99 miles and 32:55 is not equivilent to 3 miles in 33 minutes...but I am not that someone. So I am calling 3 miles at an 11 minute pace.

7 miles and some cross training

This weekend's group long run was 7 miles. It was a fine 7 miles, as far as the actual effort of running went. For details on what was not ideal, see tc's blog...as she sums it up quite well.

Then today was cross training. Nine miles of nice gentle biking. Explored a new neighborhood, nice little bike ride up there...and may need to go back and try some of the restaurants. While we were up there i picked up the stick, that wonderful little bit of plastic that saves runners lots of pain following a good long run.

31:47

That’s the time I ran for. I have no idea how far I ran, not even sure of the exact route I took. I started out way too fast, I’d guess it was somewhere around a 9:30-9:45 pace. I only figured that out after the first mile or so, when I reached a landmark and thought “huh that was quick.” After that I slowed it down a bit. Overall I’m gonna call that equivalent to my 3 mile scheduled run.

3, 2.5, bike, bike, 6, bike, bike, blog

Yeah, it’s been that long since I’ve updated. So here’s the run down.

Tue 6.5 went 3 miles, pretty quickly for my first time out since the 3 miler, about a 10:15 pace…must have been the company riding along on the bike next to me.

Wed 6.6 all I could muster was 2.5 miles. Seriously. I was supposed to go 3 according to the CARA training schedule (I also am supposed to have been running consistently for the past 6 months or more, but we all know how that didn’t happen).

Thur and Fri 6.7 and 6.8 – Biked, ohhh about 7 miles each day.

Sat 6.9 First marathon training group long run. 6 miles, just over 12 minute pace. Yes I ran with the 12 minute group. I figure that with my lack of any kind of running base, and my desire not to injure myself, I’d better go slow. So 12 it was. Which was a good time except for the girl who would sporadically decide to stop running and start speed walking, and the douchebag who kept complaining that the pace was too slow for him. Hey! Douchebag, shut your cake hole. This is the SLOWEST POSSIBLE PACE GROUP. It’s not like your superman and in the 7 minute group and that’s too slow for you. Some of us are not speed demons asshole. You might be upsetting us fatsos with your jibber jabber, and we may be forced to eat you.

Sun 6.10 well-deserved rest day.

Mon 6.11 Bike 7 miles

Tues 6.12 Bike 7 miles (yes I missed a 3 mile run)

Saturday

Miles for Malawi fun run.
3 miles in 27:44, not bad.

Legs and pride

That’s all that hurts right now. My ankle still feels good, but man my quads are burning like a cheap hooker’s nether regions. Granted, I am actually happy to feel this burn, but wow what a difference a couple of months make. I feel sluggish, and kind of like I don’t belong out there on the path yet…too proud to let people see me suck wind.

So here’s the scoop on yesterday. My legs were a little achy at the start, but by the end of about 2 miles they hurt but real good. So, we’ll call it 2 miles in 20:13.

Up next: rest in front of a big ass t.v.

Saturday: Miles for Malawi.

I'm baaaaaaack (remix)

That's right baby, I'm back! And I am inspired...

Crazy n' deranged,
bust'n from LaGrange.
you suckas don't know,
just how i flow so.
you cant be seein,
all i am slayin.
so back up off me
'fore i get busy.

hehe, enough of that, here's the running related stuff:
1.9 miles, 19:51.

The only protest my body put up came from my lungs. Gisele was effective at keeping my legs strong, but I clearly didn't work my lungs as much as I could have during my off time. Even my ankle was happy with me. We'll see how it feels tonight.


It was wonderful running along the lake shore path. A bit brisk, but great all the same. I almost forgot how sweet Gatorade is after a run.

Up next: it depends, maybe a couple more miles, maybe not.

My rant

Since I can't run these days and the weather is looking better I've been taking Gisele out for a spin much more frequently.

On a recent evening commute I was fortunate enough to have a random companion. Just some other schlub who was also headed in my general direction. Travelling downtown, on a major roadway (3 lanes each way) we were jockeying for the lead but just for the fun of it. We essentially took over the right lane, but cars had two lanes to pass us in if they had to.

After a couple of blocks we came across a series of cars parked in the right most lane. Illegal to do in the Loop, but that doesn't stop people. What to do? Well, we moved to the center lane, didn't cut anyone off since the lane was clear (for the moment).

No sooner were we about to move to the now empty right lane as some asshole honks his horn, then guns it and flys by. At the next red light I weave through stopped cars and get up to the asshole's car. I simply tell him that bikes are traffic too, he blurts out something about moving over, then guns it when the light turns green...and that's when I see the logo on his car. The asshole was an adult crossing guard, he was driving a Traffic Management Authority (TMA) car. I scream at him "you of all people should know", really only because I didn't have time to throw some poo at him like an angry monkey would. Mr. Random biker asks at the next light if the TMA guy was the culprit, I confirm and biker man says, so accurately, "what a dick." the end .

you've lost that tingling feeling

OK so i've been really bad about updating. last time I mentioned that my staples were out. and I couldn't be happier about that.
but here's something neat. the tingley feeling I've had in the top of my foot since surgery is starting to subside. I didn't post about it when it first showed up, partly because too many of u readers think you're my mom ;-)
it's a little early to know if it is getting better or if I am just etting used to it but i'll keep you updated (promise)

They are out, but the memory remains

sans metal

The picture is not one of those random-ass photos I usually post. That's actually a shot of my former hardware in it's nice sterile baggie. The penny is just there for comparison purposes...so please don't be a bonehead and ask if it too was removed. I can't quite decide if I want to make it into a paperweight, or put it with my bib from that damned race.

That's right. I am now without that nasty metal object in my ankle. I underwent a minor surgical procedure to have it taken out yesterday. Forgive me if this posts sounds a little crazy or if it seems to wander...I'm on some gooood pain killing narcotics right now :) Norco anyone? Oh and thank you to Wiki for letting me know that this would be a poor choice of drugs to abuse, as the added acetaminophen can cause liver failure...in fact should one want to abuse opiate narcotics it is apparently best to stick with "single entity opiates such as OxyContin."

The actual surgery only took about 15 minutes. The pre-op paperwork, waiting, and recovery took several hours. Thanks so much to tc for being there with me, she's the greatest. Unicorn anyone?

The worst part of the whole thing was not eating or drinking anything from midnight until post-op recovery. Surgery wasn't scheduled until 2, and it was delayed a half hour...so i wasn't out of there until like 3:30, buh. Never have graham crackers and apple juice been so tasty.

So now I just cant run for 6 weeks. But all is not lost. I can cycle when my incision heals. Oh and you'd better believe I'll post that pic as soon as I can get it (cant change the dressing for 2-3 days kids).

2 whole weeks

Yeah I've been really bad about updating. It's been two weeks since my last post. Granted one week of it was my taper...which i did with gusto, that is to say i basically didnt run for a week. I managed a long run of 5 miles last monday, but that was about it. Oh, and I saw my doc, more on that later.

Yesterday was the Shuffle, I managed not to break anything, so that was good. Even better, I managed a 45:41, or 9:11 pace. I have got to say, that was the most crowded race I've ever run. Hot damn, the crowd just never let up. It was duck and weave from start to finish, like trying to walk down Michigan Avenue during the peak of tourist season (and yes it should be a season so we are allowed to bag one or two).

As for my doctor's visit. It went reasonably well. Nothing is broken, and the xrays show that I am fully healed from the break last spring. So that pain I've been feeling? It's "plate pain" says the doc. Saw the ortho doc, he agreed with my p.c. So, I'm getting it taken out, that's right my hardware gets removed April 5th. I know what you're thinking, because i thought it too...will i be healed in time to start marathon training? Yes, so says both doctors.

3.25

Ran after work today. Was supposed to go 3 miles, went 3.25 without knowing it. Total time: 30 minutes, average pace 9:15. Why did i go 3.25? Well, my out and back route took a slightly different back route. See, I had to go pick up my CT scan results from the imagining center. I had a chance to play with the CD last night and man, is it cool seeing your leg reconstructed like that. I promise I'll try to find a way to post the images so you too can enjoy.

I suppose today's run bodes well for the Shuffle. As long as I meet my revised primary goal (don't break anything) then I should be able to make a 10 minute pace secondary goal.

Up next: rest, yes I am resting today even though 2.5 is on the menu I think my body needs it.

long and slow

Ran in and around D.C. and Georgetown today. It's a really nice place to run, except for how hard the sidewalks are. They are nice and wide, but wow are they hard. True I could have run on the streets (and I did for short stretches) but I didn't feel like extending my vacation because I'm laid up in a hospital bed...so I played it safe and stuck with the sidewalks.
I found a running store, which is great because I had one shoelace that Gisele chewed up. So I was able to replace the one lace that looked like a my little pony tail reject.
Overall I went about 5 miles in about an hour. I only know the distance because of Google maps for my smart phone...but the time is really just an approximation - hey I'm on vacation.

whoa!

Updated goal #1 for the Shuffle:
Don't break anything.

Gremlin out.

2.5

Yay! I finally stuck to my training calendar it was the first time in almost a week. It appears to have paid off, because my pace was great. Went 30 laps, that’s 2.5 miles, in 22:55… that’s a swift 9:10 pace. Yes, faster than I plan to “Shuffle”, but that’s ok because it was only half the distance. Have I shared my Shuffle goal? I think not. And since I like to be held accountable for my training (hence the blog) I will do so now.

For the Shamrock Shuffle I aim to finish in 49:42 (10 minute pace), that’s called the “let’s be reasonable I can do this goal #1”, for goal #2 (the if I can do it I’m gonna be happy goal) is 47:13 (9:30 pace) and goal #3 (the I don’t think it’ll happen but if the gods are willing and I do manage to haul my ass around the course fast enough then woohoo! goal) is 44:44 (9:00 pace) Got all that?

Up next: supposed to go 2m tonight, we’ll see how that goes.

better late than never?

went 4.5 miles tonight. yes it's true that I was supposed to do that yesterday and that today would be cross training...but there's something funny about weekends lately; i'm quite lazy and don't want to run, I just want to lie in bed and chase cars ;-) so, I made up for missing my sunday long run, but not for missing friday's run.

I'm sorry that there haven't been many crazy photos lately, i've been posting on the run and as amazing as my fancy-pants phone is it doesn't like surfing image heavy sites.

2 miles

yesterday was another nice day. since I over ran on tuesday I decided to only go 2 miles on wednesday, and i'm pretty sure I did.

my ankle is still wonky though, so i'm gonna go see a sports med doc about it. the nice thing is he's a runner.

up next: gonna rest a day early.

4.5 Miles, cross train, and 3.1miles

This past Sunday was a great day. We finally got some sort of break in our nasty Chicago winter. The weather warmed up into the high 30s. Yeah, I know high 30s doesn't sound like much of a break, but it was all I needed to get outside and run.
Sundays are my long run days. Since the Shamrock Shuffle ocurs on a Sunday, it makes sense that my schedule should prepare me to run long on Sunday. And since I havent run consitently in such a long time, when I say long run, I mean I top out at 6 miles before the Shuffle. This past Sunday was supposed to be a 4 miler, but with the great weather and my meandering route past Bakers Square, it turned out to be 4.5 miles in 42:30 (about a 9:30 pace). Nothing intentional about it, I just kept going and by the time I looked at my GPS I had already gone almost 3.5 miles and I knew to get home would be more than just a half mile.

Now then, Monday was reserved for cross training. I had the day off work, so I rested my legs from the previous day's long run. Some may call this being lazy, I call it important recuperative methodology. Since it was warm out, I did bike that evening, about a half hour in all. Lifted upper body only, chest x2, back x3, obliques, abs, tris, and bis.

Today continued the trend of beautiful weather. I went for a little run during lunch, the temperature was 39 degrees Farenheit (that's 4 degrees Celsius for you Canadians). I thought I went for about 2.25 to 2.5 miles. But the time of 27 minutes didn't jive with how it felt. So I visited GMaps Pedometer http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ to get a better idea. Just as I had thought, my GPS wasn't recieving a signal while I was weaving around foot traffic in downtown Chicago. This is a known shortcoming of GPS devices, they tend to lose signals in urban areas, thanks to all the tall buildings, and in heavily wooded areas, thanks to the tree coverage. As it turns out, GMaps tells me I went 3.1 miles, in a time of 27 minutes, that's about an 8:45 pace. Based on that, I'm gonna call today a speed workout. I think that sounds better than admiting how poorly I pace myself.

Up next: 2 miles Wed and 3 miles Thurs.

2 miles

According to my Shuffle Training Schedule I was supposed to run 2 miles today. So I ran 2 miles today. Lapped the Bally's track 24 times (woof). Only thing is, I was going too fast. Total time 16:56, that's about an 8:30 pace. Could it have been that Miami girl who was cruising, despite holding her arms rather high and stiff? Was I actually trying to keep up? Maybe, I dunno, I just know that it went by really quickly. Too much too soon they tell me, and they are right. For that reason, the next workout will hopefully be done on a treadmill, where a machine can govern my speed since I obviously can't.

In addition to the run, I lifted. Hit pecs times 3, rest of the upper body, and legs too.

up next: dinner, no workout ;)

mo-bile post

I didn't run this weekend. no good reason for being that lazy. I just wasn't motivated to leave the apartment.
did get to watch the Superbowl, why is that significant? simply because of the almost half a chicken, 6 beers and tons of other food I consumed. oy, after that celebration I needed to workout.

For that work out I ran a short 1.5 miles (my left quad has been a little wonky lately), then lifted upper body and hips.
up next: time to make a training schedule for the Shuffle.

Hurts so good

Ok, I am down to 158 now (which does not include shoes, so add an extra couple of pounds there). That makes my to-date weight loss a whopping 2 pounds; or does it? This is a somewhat interesting situation I find myself in. In a previous post, I weighed in at 162 with gear, but before that post, when I began the countdown, I actually weighed 157 (less than I weigh now). So, it seems to me that the impact on my body has not yet really started to take shape, in fact I continued to go up for a while. Sure tc says my arms look more muscular, but that can’t account for what my scale is telling me.

It is a little frustrating to think that I’m putting a lot of effort into it, but I am not yet seeing tangible results. I know better than to give up at this point, it’s just like learning to run, where the front end is the most difficult. Once things start happening, it’ll get even easier, until then it’s a bit depressing. I feel like I just need more cardio, need to burn that fat that I have accumulated.

Last night I did the bike for 30 minutes and it felt good, tons of sweat and maybe even a little stink. I noticed that my RPMs were generally around 105-115, more than double the lady next to me, who was, not coincidentally, not sweating at all. Also fit in a bunch of lifting, mostly lower body (lying hamstring, leg extension, seated leg press, seated hamstring, bench press, and seated row), then hit the abs, real focused, real effortful, definitely real painful.

Did I mention?

I registered for the Shamrock Shuffle. From what tc says it's a great race. Not too long and not too short for the start of
the season, lots of people, and lots of energy. Based on her recommendation, I registered. Let's hope most of the extra pound-age had dropped of by the time of the Shuffle.

2 miles

Worked out last night. Went 2 miles for the warm-up run. Pace had to be around 9:30, but I don't know for sure. Following the warm-up I lifted; total body.

Following the workout, I undid all the work with a RJ Grunts Yowza burger and Fat Tire draft.

While I may have undone all the work in terms of calories burned, what didn’t change is the fact that I feel better these days. After just a week of consistent workouts I can already tell my energy level is up during the day. Granted, I am tired after working out and just want to go to bed when I get home, but that'll change. As my body becomes more accustomed to the workouts I'll recover faster and I won’t feel the need to nap right when I get done. For now, I welcome the tired feeling, knowing full well that it's because I worked hard.

Tonight tc and I are going to Fleet Feet Sports to help kb pick out some workout/running shoes. kb is gonna try the running thing, see if it suits her. Wish us luck.

I've not been so good...

In respect to posting. My recent posts have been intermittent at best, and often not running related (but hey! Hinder deserved it).

So
here is a recap. Yes, I worked out again last night. The workout
started with a 1.5 mile (approx) run. Just as the workout did onMonday and last Thursday.

So the tally is 4.5 miles thus far, this week. Not big numbers, but certainly more consistent than previous runs were.

Oh, tc it's official, I'm a fat ass. In running gear I currently weigh 162 lbs.

That's all.

I’ve been good and bad

The good:
I’m on my way to 145 thanks to working out on a regular basis for the past week. How can that be? A whole week, wow! Yeah yeah yeah, I know…but I can stick to a training plan. Last Thursday I lifted for the first time in a long time. It was painful. Not that day, but the next day, and the day after that. On Saturday I did the dumbest thing possible; I attended a kickboxing class. Even knowing the instructor didn’t help, she was still ruthless. I was so sore I could barely put my coat on. Maybe I looked thoughtful and introspective whenever I departed, although it’s more likely I looked feeble and malcontent. Finally, yesterday I lifted again, this time legs. Surprisingly I don’t hurt as much as I would have expected. It’s funny to think, that after just a few sessions of working out, the body adjusts and goes back to healing itself faster with less discomfort. The moral of the story, it’s far easier to keep working out than it is to start and stop in cycles. I’m sure any half-educated personal trainer could have told you that, but hey some things have to be learned the hard way.


The bad:
I had two French crullers for breakfast.

I hate Hinder

First and foremost Hinder's music is an aural assault of the worst kind. It makes me wonder about the state of music today: how did that sound get out of the corner deli's open mic nite and make it to a record company? Could it be a sign of the coming apocalypse, and if so, is Ann Coulter behind it all?

Hinder is also a bad name for a band, almost as bad as the lyrics, which I'll get into in a minute. Hinder, aside from meaning to impede (my ability to enjoy terrestrial radio), also refers to the ass end of an animal (and the lead does look like a horse, I'd even go so far as to say he resembles a Lipizzaner what with his freakish little arm-twitch-dance-thingy he does).



The lyrics to that shit-fest titled "Lips of an Angel" are at best amateurish, and at worst verbal vomit. What kind of asshole can't sack up and pick one girl. Look dickbag, either you want the one you're with or your with the wrong one. Grow some hair on your sack and make your choice.

A little ride in the city

Last night the cross training took the form of a little ride in Chicago proper. All tolled I went 13.5 miles in just over an hour. The night was slightly brisk but overall the ride was great. Gisele ran smooth (like buttah) and never once felt awkward. my legs on the other hand, felt like jell-o after about a half hour. the ride back was against the wind and was a lot harder than the ride out.

The city is so beautiful at night, it was like seeing a postcard. Out there, alone, on Gisele, it felt great. I can't wait for warmer weather and more chances to take a ride. What a great city.

not sure

of the distance i ran on saturday. i do know the time was 15:22, so i'd guesstimate it was about a mile and a half.

next: a little cross training tonight on Gisele.