Tired Legs

I took the day off work yesterday to watch the kids while J went to help her sister move. That gave me the opportunity to take the kids and run at Burke Lake Park. The park has a nice shaded trail that runs around the lake, and J usually runs there with the kids twice a week. I was going to run two laps (nine miles), but then B lost his shoes. They're slip-ons that he has figured out he can slip off. I never would have even known they were off except Puff started making noise and I stopped to see what he was fussing about. Then I turned around and ran back the other way to look for the shoes. I found the first one quickly enough, but the second was pretty far back. I went all the way back to where I started, and then a little further down the trail in the opposite direction before turning around and coming back. I ended up with eight miles. In the afternoon, I felt like running a little more, so the kids and I went out on the path for another five miles. The diggers were out working, so that made the kids happy.

This morning I went to the track for some mile repeats. I knew my legs would be tired, but that was kind of the point of running twice yesterday. I did 4 x 1 mile, with each one faster than the previous. The first one was slow, as usual, but after that one I got down a little below marathon pace. With the warmup and cooldown I ran nine miles.

Stroller Ride

I ran six miles with Puff in the running stroller today, ending up with 61 for the week. Now that there's some construction going on next to the path, it's easy to get him to go with me. I just have to ask, "Do you want to go on a stroller ride and see some diggers?"

Hiatus

As anyone who has actually checked in the last month or so knows, my blog has been on hiatus. Basically, life, especially work, has been stressful, and the blog fell by the wayside. Things really haven't calmed down much, but I've gotten used to it, so I'll try to actually write.

So far this week I've run 55 miles in six days. Eleven Monday, nine Tuesday, none Wednesday, ten Thursday and Friday, and fifteen today. I didn't have any real workouts this week; Friday I tried running a local 5k course at marathon pace to get my legs moving a little, but that didn't turn out well. Today I had planned on running a little more than fifteen, but after two hours I was pretty spent, and with this being one of the few runs I've done lately over ten miles it wasn't worth killing myself for an extra mile or two.

Feeling Good

I didn't sleep too well last night, so when I woke up this morning I didn't know quite how my run would feel. It turns out that I felt pretty good, other than some tight calves for the last two or three miles.

I ran 10 miles on the Parkway. Since everyone else seems to be talking about the weather, it was warm and humid as usual in July in Virginia. I definitely felt the need for some water over the last few miles. Tomorrow I'm planning on another fartlek workout.

I'm going to need new shoes soon and am really leaning toward trying training in flats. I'm light (140 lbs) and consider myself efficient. My big concern is switching from the Brooks Glycerin, my current training shoe, to something lighter, would be too big of a shock. Maybe I need to switch more gradually, go to a lightweight trainer first?

Wanted: Recovery

I don't know exactly what the deal is, but the day after both my workout and race this week I've felt terrible and because of that not run very much. Friday night I ran the Bastille Day 4-Miler in 26:10. It wasn't quite what I was hoping for, but all in all not a bad effort in temperatures and humidity near 90. As you can see from the splits--6:21, 6:25, 6:45, and 6:36--I definitely faded at the end. Overall, I was 29th out of I don't know how many since the results haven't been posted yet.

Saturday morning I went out to run a little after 10. I was just so tired that I only ended up running three miles. I got about eight hours sleep, so I don't think my problem is sleep related. If anything, I think it's food related. The race started at seven and afterwards I didn't eat anything until I got home about nine. I wonder if that gap has something to do with my tiredness. I've also had this nagging sensation in my stomach that hasn't gone away for a few days. I wouldn't call it pain, but I don't know what it is.

Epiphany

Last night I had a revelation regarding the construction that is going on around the crosswalk. I was so locked in to my normal route that I completely forgot I could cross at the prior light, where there is also a crosswalk.

This morning's run was eight miles on the path. As if it's not humid enough, the rain that fell last night made it even more humid. I felt a few drops while I was running, but nothing more fell. The legs were a little tired, but not too bad. I worked my calves and hamstrings last night with the foam roller, which seems to have helped. Tomorrow night I'm racing four miles; hopefully the heat and humidity won't be too oppressive.

Bad Run

Today's run was memorable for all of the wrong reasons. I was tired, sore, and just didn't plain feel good. I wanted to run eight to ten miles, but ended up with just five. When I woke up five minutes before my alarm went off this morning, I thought about going back to sleep and running in the evening. But with J's lacrosse game tonight, that wasn't a good option. So I got up and ran.

I ran on the bike path along the parkway, which isn't quite as nice as it usually is since there is some construction going on along the road it parallels. The worst part is that there is a jersey wall blocking the crosswalk, so I actually have to go down the road away from the path to cross and cross a six-lane road in the middle of the road. Luckily, there's not much traffic at 5 am. I felt bad the whole run, especially my stomach, and actually ended up walking a little. I think I'm coming down with a cold too. I'm going to try to get a good night's sleep tonight and I'll see how I feel tomorrow morning.

Speed Play

This morning I ran the fartlek workout that I mentioned yesterday. I warmed up just over two miles, and then ran 2 min on/2 min off until I had run seven miles total, and then cooled down a mile. I ended up running 9 repeats over the five miles. The plan for today was just to get the legs used to running a faster pace again.

The workout went all right. I think the biggest problem was that I ran the recoveries too slow. I was a little tired to begin with, but sometimes I felt like I was going so slow I might as well be walking during the recoveries. The other problem is that my watch no longer beeps. I set the timer to count down and repeat every two minutes, but instead of beeping the Indigo flashes when the timer gets to zero. I had to constantly look at my watch to see how much time I had left. The battery was recently replaced. Any suggestions?

Still Recovering

I definitely feel better than I did Saturday, but still not completely over my sickness. Saturday morning I woke up with a throbbing headache, my stomach didn't feel too good, and I was achy. I was going to run, but had changed my mind once J got back from her run. It's probably a good thing I changed my mind, since later in the day my temperature was up to 101. Sunday I felt better, but still took the day off. I did, however, cut the grass and do some weeding without any ill effects.

This morning I ran a little over seven miles in a just over an hour. It averages to more or less 8:30 pace overall, but I know I started out slow and picked up the pace as I went on because my last mile was about 7:30. While my fever is gone, my stomach still doesn't feel 100%. We'll see how it feels during the little fartlek workout I have planned for tomorrow.

What Not to Do

So usually I run a race on the Fourth of July. What else are holidays for, right? But not this year, and let me tell you this morning I was pretty bitter about it.

Last night I was cleaning up and getting ready to go up to bed when J's sister called and said she and a friend wanted to come over and borrow a movie. Despite the fact that I said I didn't care if they came over, I did care, and I ended up staying up late and skipping the race. I ran a little bit pushing B in the stroller this morning, but I was not into it at all, so I turned back early. Oh, and I may have been so mad at myself that I may not have only kicked myself but kicked a door frame and bruised my toe.

On one hand, I know I completely overreacted. But on the other hand if I could channel the energy from getting mad into my training, it would be great.

I've been getting back into training over the past few days, just doing a little easy mileage. Friday I ran four miles after the kids went to bed, Saturday I ran six miles, Sunday I ran a little under three, and Monday I ran five miles including a few strides over the last mile and a half.

Starting Over

Last night I ran three miles, and then this morning I ran four miles. For about the last month, my training has been very poor. I've been tired, and taken quite a few days off. Last week, which I spent in Houston, visiting some of my wife's family, was particularly bad. Despite the fact that I got in a 10 mile run the first full day I was there, every time I ran it was a struggle to keep going.

J and I discussed the problem and decided that a little break, followed by a week or two of easy running would likely help. That idea was confirmed when I read a few pages in Run Strong about overreaching. Basically overreaching is a precursor to overtraining. It's trying to do too much, but not to the point of needing an extended break. I'm pretty sure that's what happened to me. The running itself was not necessarily too much, but when combined with work, family, lack of sleep, etc. it was too much. I took the last few days in Texas off as well as my first day back at home, and had a good run last night. I only ran three miles, but when I stopped I felt like I could have kept going for a few more miles.

Excuse Me

I got kicked off the high school track this morning. Well, not really kicked off, but asked to leave. I didn't think there was a problem and didn't really want to leave, but did any as to avoid any complications that would lead to me never being able to run on the track again.

The plan for this morning was 3.5 miles to warm up, 3-4 miles at more or less marathon pace (6:45-7:00) and then cool down. When I got to the high school, I passed a security guard in his car and then went down the hill to the track. I just knew he saw me, so I wasn't surprised when he got out of his car and asked me why I was running on the track. So I know exactly how far I've run, I said. The field is set up for graduation, he said, so you shouldn't be down there. OK, I understand, I told him as I ran up the hill off the track. Have a good day, he said as I ran by.

I ran over to the middle school track to do the workout. I really had wanted to run at the high school, which has real track, as opposed to the middle school's asphalt track. I ran 5000 meters in 20:57, with splits of 6:56 at 1600 meters and 13:42 at 3200 meters. I'm happy with the time overall, as the average pace works out to 6:45, but I would have liked to run more even splits. After the cool down I had 10 miles for the day.

What am I Doing?

The last few weeks my log seems to be more full of holes than swiss cheese. I've probably recorded zeros for half of the days. Of all the distances I could race, the marathon is not one I want to run woefully undertrained. So I've got to get in gear, stop thinking I'm too tired, I can't/shouldn't run.

Thanks to Duncan for this link. Dave's blog is inspiring and here's hoping he makes the trials.

Priorities

I haven't slept as much as I'd like the past few nights, so as I was cleaning up after dinner last night I was thinking, when I'm done, I'm going to bed. J was sitting at the table, reading the paper and doing a Sudoku puzzle. I finished cleaning, and told J I was going upstairs. She seemed a little upset about something. I came back downstairs, and we started talking, and the point was she was feeling ignored because after the kids were in bed, all I was concerned with was cleaning up and going to bed myself. She's spends all day with the kids, which while enjoyable is devoid of adult conversation, and then I just want to go to bed so I can get up and run. I felt pretty stupid. Certainly spending some time with my wife is more important than my running.

After last night's late night, I didn't run this morning. Monday and Tuesday were eight and ten miles respectively.

Finally, two random questions:
1. Has anyone ever ordered sunglasses from one of those magazine ads like the one that's in the current issue of Running Times? You only pay postage and handling. I've seen the ads before, but they always struck me as too good to be true. But on the other hand, I think if it was some kind of scam Running Times wouldn't be including them.
2. We've started potty-training Puff. Does anyone have any tips/suggestions to make it go faster/more smoothly? If you don't feel like discussing in the comments, email me. The address is in my profile.

Chasing Women

Yesterday I ran the Run After the Women 5k. It's called Run After the Women because it follows the Women's Distance Festival 5k. The short story is that I ran 19:05 and finished third overall.

Checking the results of last year's race gave me the idea that I could do pretty well. I knew who the winner of last year's race was, and when I saw he was running this year I figured I'd try to stick with him, since his winning time from last year was only a few seconds faster than my PR. When the race started, I was able to hang on for the first kilometer, and then he started to pull away. We went through the k in 3:38, and then I hit the the mile in 5:55. The winner continued to pull away, and I was passed by second place just after halfway, which I reached in 9:30. I struggled during the third and fourth kilometers, but was able to pick it up and run the last k in 3:40 to finish in 19:05. And unbeknownst to me before I finished the race and had a volunteer tell me "Stick around, we have some nice awards," this race actually had awards, and I won a $10 gift certificate to RNJ Sports.

I was really hoping to run about a minute faster yesterday. I wonder if the late nights and lack of running in the days leading up to the race took their toll and left me more tired than I thought. On the plus side, yesterday's mediocre result has given me even more motivation to get out and train hard.

Time Flies

Time certainly flies when you're busy. Work's been hectic, and home has been hectic as well. We really need some more employees at work, especially since one recently left, but that's not going to happen anytime soon. We could use some more people at home as well, to help with the house and kids. Things will be getting easier at home, luckily, since this is the last week of  coaching lacrosse for J and school's almost out so she won't be tutoring much longer either.

I've been running, though not as much as I'd like. There have been too many nights where I've gone to bed too late and just decided to sleep in--like last night. I may be racing a 5k this weekend, depending on how the rest of the weekend goes. I haven't run a 5k for a few months, and would like to see where my fitness is. In other running news, I may have found an occasional training partner, but I'll elaborate on that once I have some more details.

The Good, The Bad, and a Realization

I won my race yesterday. One of them anyway. Despite only signing up for the 2-mile, I also participated in the relay, where my team lost. We had the lead going into the last leg, but their anchor was much faster than ours. I lead the 2-mile from start to finish, fending off a challenge over the last laps. I'm not sure exactly how close second place was to me, but I heard people yelling for him to pass me. I unleashed my barbarian kick and held him off to finish first.

This morning I only managed two miles. I felt a little sick last night before I went to bed, but felt OK this morning when my alarm went off, so I went for my run. My stomach started to bother me, and while I didn't feel like I was immediately going to be sick I felt like if I kept running I'd get sick. I stopped at the two mile point of my run, which because I loop around is only about a half mile from my house, and I walked home.

I think I may be trying to run a little too much right now, and it's not leaving me feeling very good. I'm going to back off a little on the mileage, aiming for 60 instead of 70 mpw. I need to be training consitently, and I think backing off a bit will help me be more consistent and lessen the peaks and valleys I'm going through now.

A Kick in the Butt

Every once in a while I need a swift kick in the butt to keep me on track, to keep me moving toward my goal. I need someone to drag me out the door, to say "Come on, we're going running."

After a good M-F's worth of running, where I did get my 50 miles in, I fell apart over the weekend. Saturday I ran six miles pushing the kids, and then Sunday I didn't run. Both days I chose sleeping in instead of running. I probably could have gotten a run in Sunday, but with the changing Mother's Day plans I didn't know exactly what we were doing until it was too late.

Monday morning came too early, and while I did get up and start my run, I didn't make it very far before deciding to bag it and head back home. I was still tired, and my legs felt heavy and stiff. I got back into bed and slept for another hour.

Today I ran 10 miles that went pretty well. Tomorrow's the big day, Fitness Day, where the agency I work for holds running/walking events on the track of the school that's next to our building. Two years ago I won the two-mile, and last year I came in third. This year I hope to reclaim my title.

What Are You Doing There?

This morning was pretty warm, and I had a decent sweat going when I got back from my run. I stood outside for a minute or two and then turned around to go in, and who do I see standing at the door? Puff. It was only a little after six, so he was up early. Normally when he gets up early he goes to find mommy, but today he came downstairs. He must have wanted to find his book, because that's what he wanted after I got inside. He wanted to read Richard Scary's Funniest Storybook Ever. Luckily he cooperated and came back upstairs with me and got back in his bed to read his book and play with the matchbox car and wooden train cars I gave him. Mommy had been out late last night and was still sleeping.

I ran the same loop as yesterday, except today I added a mile at the end to give me 11 for the day. I felt a little sore, but not too bad.

4:24

It sucks when you wake up a few minutes before your alarm is going to go off. You can't go back to sleep because of the anxiety of the impending alarm, but you don't want to get up just yet either.

Despite the alarm problem, I had a good run this morning. I ran ten miles, in a combination of two loops. I had one of those runs where it just flew by. So far this week I've run ten miles three days in a row, putting me right on schedule for my goal of 50 miles from Mon-Fri. A long run Saturday and then whatever I feel like Sunday should give me a good total for the week.

A question: if you wanted to ask someone if the Metro train you were on went to a certain stop, and there were a bunch of people around you, why would you ask the guy wearing headphones, who probably can't hear you anyway? I was on my way home from work, listening to my iPod, when I was asked the question. I think she asked twice before I could stop the music and could hear what she was saying, but then I could understand her because of her heavy accent. Eventually, she appeared to get frustrated and turned away.

Change in Plans

Today was supposed to be my long run, about 15 miles. About two miles in, I realized it wasn't a good day. I was tired, and my stomach didn't feel too great. The first part of the run is a five-mile loop that ends with me coming back to the house, taking a Gu and some water, and heading out for another ten miles. Today when I got back to the house I ran up to the end of the street and back for another mile, and then called it a day. I just wasn't feeling up to the long run, so I cut it off at six miles. Hope evryone else had a better run than me.

Wednesdays and Fridays

I'm not sure what the deal is, but the last two weeks I have not been able to get myself out of bed to run on Wednesday or Friday morning. I know that going to bed late the nights before doesn't help, but I'm still disappointed in myself for missing the runs.

Yesterday I ran the first double in a long time, eight miles in the am and then four more with the kids in the stroller in the pm. I didn't do anything wild with the kids in the stroller the most exciting part of the run (for the kids anyway) was seeing the trucks that were working in one of the driveways of the houses we ran past.

So far this week I've run 34 miles, over the three days that I've actually run. I'm getting solid mileage in when I run; I just need to be consistent, in both my running and my recovery.

Tired

I haven't updated for a while, but rather than write an extended entry about my absence, I'll just summarize. Last week I ended up with 52 miles and the week before that 70. The first two days this week were 10 and 12 miles.

This morning when I got up I had that I'm so tired I feel like I'm going to fall over feeling, so I went back to sleep. I guess the 12 miles combined with only about five hours sleep didn't leave me in good shape. I may run tonight; we'll see how the evening goes.

Mid-Week Recap

The past three days' training has gone pretty well. Wednesday's run was 12 miles, my first weekday run over 10 miles in quite a while. I definitely want to emphasize the long run and second-longest run in my training, and want to eventually be running parts at tempo/marathon pace. The 12 miles included 18 laps of the track, and idea I got from reading some of Duncan's old blog entries. The hope is that it will build up my mental toughness and help me get through the middle miles of the marathon without losing focus.

Thursday I ran ten miles and this morning eight. I wasn't feeling especially good this morning, so I stopped after eight. So far, running without eating first is going fine. My stomach felt a little funny for a while this morning, but it went away. I haven't really noticed and kind of decrease in my performance, although at this point all I'm doing is base mileage.

I think there's going to be a change in plans of what marathon I'm going to run. J ran this morning with some of her friends, and one of her friend's husbands, along with the husband of another friend who wasn't there this morning, are running Baltimore in October. J mentioned training with them for the marathon. I haven't finalized any kind of training plan yet, and October is still far enough away that I have time to prepare, so I'm pretty sure I'll be running Baltimore.

Listening to my Body

I cut my run short this morning. I was going for ten miles, but turned right to go home instead of left for two more miles, so I ran eight. My legs were rather sore, and I felt my pace slowing, so I decided it was better to head home and stretch out. Yesterday's ten miles didn't feel too good either, but it wasn't like today when I felt like I needed to stop.

I wonder if I'm still recovering from Saturday's 15 miles. I ran two five-mile loops, then took a break for about an hour, and then ran five more miles pushing the kids in the stroller. Saturday morning is Starbuck's morning, and I wanted to try and kill two birds with one stone by running with the kids over to Starbuck's and back. I hoped they would be almost ready to go when I got back from the first ten miles, but they got up later than I expected. Pushing about 40 lbs. worth of kids can be hard work, especially uphill. I'm going to try this again this weekend, but I'm going to run a little more before I get the kids and we'll take the direct route to Starbuck's.

Wanted: One Treadmill

I know that it's spring and the weather's getting nice, but if there's one thing that I think would help my running, it's a treadmill. If nothing else, it would allow me to be home and available if needed, but still run. I think it would be especially useful in the evenings to get in some doubles or on the weekends so I could run while the kids nap. I prefer running outside, but I'd run on the treadmill instead of not run at all.

My running has been inconsistent this week. Monday, B was up as I was getting ready to run. He had a cold and was having some trouble breathing through his nose while he slept. J had already been up with him, so I rocked him and put him back to sleep. I was tired to begin with, and I guess all the rocking made me more tired, so I went back to bed. Tuesday and Wednesday were my standard-of-late 10 mile days, and then this morning was another day off. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I get up at 4:30 to run so I don't leave too late for work. This morning I got up, got dressed, checked on the kids, and then decided to sleep. I haven't been sleeping as much as I'd like lately, and as I was walking around this morning I was tired enough that I felt like I was going to fall over asleep. So I decided that sleep was the better option this morning. Maybe I'll get out this evening.

An Experiment

I was thinking about some comments Evan had made on Mike's blog about fueling before running in the morning. Evan's idea was that not eating before running is a good way to teach your body to conserve glycogen and become more efficient.

I used to not eat before I ran and never had any problems because of it. I'm not sure exactly what changed (that probably means there wasn't a compelling reason) but not long ago I started having half a glass of Carnation Instant Breakfast. The last two days I've had nothing but water. I wanted to see if it made a difference in how I felt, and also if by not ingesting anything besides water I could avoid any pit stops during the run.

So far it's been good. I've felt fine and haven't had to stop once. Wednesday I ran seven and a half miles, and yesterday and this morning ten. I wanted to do more Wednesday, but I was just so tired that I called it a day after seven and a half.

Worst Run Ever

Saturday was supposed to be my long run. What should have been a good 14-16 miles turned into a complete debacle.

I got up early and had some cereal (generic crunchberries that aren't as good as the real thing) and downed a Gu. About a half hour after I got up, I was out the door. From the beginning, I didn't feel good. I had this dull ache in my stomach. About five miles into the run, I had to stop and walk because the pain was getting worse. I walked a little, turned around at the five-mile point, and started to run again. I made it a little more than a mile, and then stopped to walk again. When I started to run again, I didn't make it very far before the stabbing pain stopped me. At this point I was about two miles from home, and I just walked the rest of the way. There were some points that the pain was so bad I just wanted to lay down on the side of the road. When I got home, I lay down on the floor and had some water and graham crackers. I felt better after a few minutes.

While I was running, I thought it was the cereal/Gu combination that made my stomach act up, but when I got home I remembered that the kids had some kind of stomach bug recently, so maybe I caught it. J's been feeling a little nauseous herself lately. The rest of the day I felt fine.

I didn't run Sunday, unless you count the 100 meters I ran to try out the half-dozen pairs of running shoes I tried on. I needed some shoes and had a gift certificate to use, so I made a trip to Metro Run & Walk. I bought a pair of Brooks Glycerins, which of course were the first ones I tried on.

I ran for the first time in my new shoes this morning. They feel good, but are different from the Brooks Axiom, the previous shoe I was wearing. I pieced together two routes and ran nine and a half miles.

Stop, Geese!

Last night as I was driving home from the commuter parking lot, I had to stop to avoid hitting geese that were trying to cross the road. The geese turned around and went back to the grass, safe and sound. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for two cars in the lane next to me. One car had slowed down almost to a complete stop and was rear-ended by another car whose driver must not have been paying enough attention. No one was hurt.

This morning's run was 10 miles. Other than Monday, every run this week has been 10 miles, giving me 48 for the week so far. I was thinking that since my goal race is months away, it would be a good idea to have some shorter term goals as well, kind of a way to measure my progress. The goal for this week is 70 miles.

Crazy Weekend

I still haven't figured out that if I want to run on Saturday, I have to get up and do it before everyone else gets up. If I sleep in, there's just too much going on during the rest of the day and it's hard to coordinate two small children's eating and sleeping schedules. So Saturday's running was a big fat zero. Saturday wasn't all bad, though. It was J's birthday, and we did go out and have a nice dinner sans children at Landini Brothers in Old Town Alexandria.

Sunday was spent taking care of the kids. I think they both have some kind of stomach bug. When Puff woke up and got out of bed, he was very lethargic, when usually he's going a hundred miles an hour. He ate a little breakfast and then got sick. B, who is now eight months old, is spitting up at times too. J coaches lacrosse and her team had a game, so she was gone from morning to mid-afternoon. Sunday was another big fat zero.

I did run this morning, eight miles out and back along the parkway. I'm sad that we have to set the clocks ahead this coming weekend. It's nice to see the sun coming up while I run, and I would gladly give up an hour of light in the evening for an hour in the morning while I'm running.

Seven More Miles

This morning was another seven mile run; actually it was the same loop I ran yesterday. I don't know what happened to spring, but when I got up this morning there was a dusting of snow on the groud and a strong wind was blowing. The wind didn't turn out to be too bad. It was only blowing hard in my face for a small part of my run. I picked up the pace for the last two miles so I was running a strong aerbic pace. That's something I need to do as much of as possible. The more I'm able to do that, the more productive my base building will be.

Ft. Hunt 10k--Race Report

The events prior to the race did not go as planned. I was late leaving the house because J was sick and I took some time to make sure she didn't need me to stay. I had to stop for gas, and then I had a directional problem. I knew where I was going, but when I got off 495 I thought Route 1 intersected the road I needed to turn on to, but it actually ran parallel. I didn't get too far before I realized my mistake.

I got to the race about 15 minutes before the start. I just had time to register, use the facilities, and get changed. The course was 5+ laps around the perimeter road of a park. It sounds like it might be boring, but that wasn't the case. The lack of a warmup made me decide to make my race plan run 6:30s and try to pick up the pace for the last mile or two.

I was able to execute my plan quite well. My splits for the first four miles were 6:33, 6:37, 6:32, and 6:32. I was feeling strong and in control. During the fifth mile, I made a move. Picking up my pace, I caught up to two runners who had been ahead of me for most of the race and passed them. My split for the fifth mile was 6:29. During the sixth mile I continued to press and open up more of a gap. I ran the sixth mile in 6:18, and then ran the last .2 miles in 69 seconds to finish in 40:13 (watch time). I know my splits don't add up right; I truncated the decimal points.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this race. I felt very strong aerobically and only felt like I was breathing hard as I kicked in the last .2 miles. I want to continue to increase my mileage and be as strong as possible for the marathon.

This week is a cutback week. I had planned on higher mileage before the race last week, and even though that didn't work out I'm still taking this week easy. Both Monday and Tuesday were seven mile days.

Ft. Hunt 10k

I ran 40:13 according to my watch, 40:15 according to the results, and finished in 13th place. I was hoping to break 40, but was pleased with how the race went. More details to come.

After It's Done

I really need to refrain from using the word should in my blog. It seems that every time I say that I should be doing something, it never works out. So, since I stated "I should be in the mid to upper 60s this week..." in my last post, it should be no surprise that it won't happen. I haven't run the past two days. Family issues came up that prevented me from getting very much sleep, and I just wasn't strong enough to will myself out the door. So from now on, I'm only going to mention things after they're done.

Resurfacing

Even though I haven't said anything about it for the last two weeks, training has been going well. I've become so set in my routine that it's almost automatic. Mileage-wise, my last three weeks have been 66, 53, and 63. I should be in the mid to upper 60s again this week, since I've started this week with three ten mile days. I'm planning on racing a 10k this weekend, if for no other reason than I haven't raced since December and would like to see how I'll do. The main goal for the year is my marathon debut in Richmond, so everything is going toward that.

Grrrrr...

My alarm didn't go off this morning. I thought it was all set, but when I did wake up about 40 minutes after the alarm should have gone off I found I hadn't turned it on last night. That's odd, since I'm compulsive and usually check it twice before I fall asleep.

Because I got up later than I wanted, I only ran five miles this morning. As I was in the median, crossing the road to head back to my house, one of my friends pulled up in the left turn lane. We talked for a minute while I waited for the road to clear, then I crossed and headed home.

Yesterday, since it was Ash Wednesday and I was fasting, I only ran four miles. Tuesday was a ten mile day. At the beginning I didn't feel too great, but once I was about halfway I felt better and when I was done I was thinking that wasn't bad.

I've been thinking a lot recently about a quote from Pattisue Plummer I read on Zeke's blog--"Workouts are like brushing my teeth; I donÂ’t think about them, I just do them. The decision has already been made." I have a good streak going, and I feel like I'm just getting up and going in the morning--there's no question about it.

Weekend/Monday Recap

I got the running in over the weekend that I planned on. Saturday's run was just over 14 miles, averaging 7:30 pace. I was going to run in the morning, but B was up before my alarm went off, and by the time he went back to sleep that's all I wanted to do. I ran in the late afternoon, when it was sixty degrees with a slight breeze. Most likely it was because I ran in the afternoon and had eaten more beforehand, but I didn't feel like I was running on fumes quite as much this time.

The nice weather Saturday was in sharp contrast to the weather Sunday, when it was in the thirties and windy. I made up my own loop, and ended with eight miles. My legs were sore but loosened up for the last two or three miles. The worse part was my stomach, since I ate a big brunch too close to running.

This morning was another eight miles. I was a liitle concerned with some pain I felt in my shin, but it went soon after it came, so I'm not too worried. I'll see if I feel anything tomorrow morning.

Keeping it Up

Despite a poor start to the week, my running has gone well. I feel like I'm getting into the groove and my training is becoming more enjoyable and less like work.

Monday's seven miles were unpleasant. I was tired and cranky, and my stomach woes continued. I had planned on a few more miles, but seven was enough. Tuesday and Wednesday were both 10 miles, out and back along the Parkway. Thursday I was feeling the effects of the past two days, especially Wednesday because B is teething and did not sleep well Tuesday night. I just ran an easy seven miles, which brings us to today. Today was another 10 mile day. I ran my new neighborhood loop and instead of turning left to go home and end with seven miles, went straight and got in three more.

The plan for this weekend is 13-15 miles Saturday, hopefully with some faster-paced running sprinkled in, and then maybe 8-10 miles Sunday.

End of the Week

The weeks in the training log that I use run Monday through Sunday. My weeks, though, usually went Sunday to Saturday. This is the second year I've been using the log, and last year what I did was just start each week in Sunday's box, even though it was in the lower right hand corner. This year, though, I've decided to use the log as it's set up, so today's eight miles ended my week.

I thought about running this morning, but ended up running in the afternoon instead. I ran out and back along the parkway, finishing the eight miles in 60:10. I didn't feel too great, so I was surprised when I check my watch with a mile and a half to go and saw 49:03. I picked up the pace and tried to finish in under an hour, but waiting to cross the road held me up too long.

My week:
M-7 miles
T-9 miles
W-8 miles
T-10 miles
F-8 miles
S-0
S-8 miles

Advice

Does anyone have any good advice for avoiding digestive problems while running? The last two days I've had issues, and I don't know exactly why. I haven't made any changes to my diet, and haven't drastically increased my mileage. My one thought is that it has to do with not eating before I run. Tomorrow I'm going to eat a little before I run and see what happens.

Yesterday I did 10 miles. My legs were sore at the beginning but did loosen up as I ran. I made it about seven miles before I had to make a pit stop, and that didn't even end the distress. I even felt a little funny after I finished my run and had something to eat.

Today I ran eight miles. I didn't have to make any pit stops while I ran, but I would have if I had been running any further. My stomach was agitated again after I finished and ate. Maybe my body is so ravenous after running without eating beforehand that it's digesting my breakfast quickly and that's bothering me.

Where Did All the Snow Go?

It would be nice if I updated this blog on a regular basis, wouldn't it?

This last weekend we got about 8-10 inches of snow, and now, only four days later a lot of it has melted. This must be the mildest winter I've ever seen. The melting does make for easier running, though.

Saturday morning I got out early for 10 miles before any snow started falling. I don't know exactly the reason why, but I felt pretty tired and just wanted the run to be over with. The only saving grace was that I'm used to the loop I ran and I was done quickly enough.

I took Sunday off. I was wary of running in the snow while it was still dark, so I planned on running later in the day. After shoveling snow, playing with Puff, and working on my Valentine's Day project, I didn't run.

Monday I ran 7 miles. I came up with a new route that took me mainly through neighborhood streets since I wasn't sure how much of a shoulder I'd have on the main roads. The best part of the route was the solitude. It was nice to get time to myself without cars whizzing past me.

Tuesday I had on of my best runs in a while, despite B's best attempts at thwarting it. B wanted to party all night long and would not stay asleep for any extended period of time, until of course J wanted him to wake up. I ran almost the exact same loop as Monday, except for hitting the dead end because I forgot to turn and adding two miles on to give me nine miles for the day. I ran the nine miles in 1:12:XX, just a hair over eight minute pace. That in itself is nothing to be proud of, but it is about 30 seconds/mile faster than most of my runs have been lately. I also picked up the pace for the last two miles and ran those in 15:13.

This morning I ran my residential loop yet again, adding on a little distance to get me to eight miles. My legs are feeling sore, but I'm hoping it's just from coming back after a week off. I gave them a brief massage with the Stick this morning, and I'll repeat the process as well as stretch out a bit before I go to bed tonight. J and the kids are out of town tonight, so I'm getting to bed early in the hopes of catching up on my sleep.

Zeke wrote the other day about the "key" to running being "surrounding yourself with successful like-minded people." I have to second that notion. I'd love to have a group to run with who have the same aspirations as I do. However, what I lack physically I have technologically in the collection of blogs that I read.

Getting Mad

My alarm went off at 4:30 am yesterday. I got up, and then promptly went back to sleep. I was mad that I was up late last night and was tired, so I took out all my frustration by going back to sleep. This morning my alarm went off at 4:30 am again. I got up, got dressed, and went for a run.

What was the difference between the two days? Not running on Thursday made me feel worse than I think I would have felt had I got up and ran. Maybe I've finally made the decision to do what it takes to reach my goals.

Feeling Better

First, congratulations to the Steelers for their win in Super Bowl XL! It wasn't the prettiest game I've ever seen them play, but the win is really all that matters. One for the thumb!

This morning was the first morning I've run in a week. I finally feel like I'm getting over my cold. I ran six miles, out and back along the Parkway. I thought I'd feel good after a week off, but I was actually a little sluggish.

Still Recovering

The worst part about my current sickness is the fact that I almost never get sick. J joked about wanting to say "Ha ha!" when she found out I wasn't feeling well. This cold has dragged on for a week now, and given my current state I don't see an end very soon.

Sunday I ran six miles. My legs were sore from the long run Saturday, but didn't feel too bad. After a late Sunday night, I took Monday off. This morning I ran five miserable miles. I didn't feel good at all and just wanted to be done. I'm going to take some time off until my cold gets better. I chastised myself for not running Friday, but my condition hasn't improved and if anything it's gotten a little worse. I'm hoping a few good-night's-sleeps will have me feeling better.

Sniffles

My little sore throat has become a full blown cold. I took yesterday off and slept in, hoping that would help. It did help a little, but not as much as I had hoped.

After thinking about it last night, I decided I wasn't sick enough to require any more time off. Actually, I was a little upset for using my cold as sort of an excuse to take yesterday off. This morning was my long run for the week. I ran a little over 14 miles, 14.4 according to gmap-pedometer.com. The first few miles had me wondering what I was doing out there, but that feeling passed and the rest of the run went well. As Evan suggested, I didn't consume anything during the run in an attempt to convince my body to use fat as fuel. My long runs are not quite as long as his yet, but in the past I would usually take some water/Gatorade and a gel with me for a 14-mile run. I did feel as if I was running on fumes for those last few miles.

Eight is Great!

Today is the third day in a row that I've run eight miles. I've run out and back along the parkway and two different eight mile loops. I'm not sure what my seeming fascination with the eight-mile distance is. When I was living in Alexandria, I had an eight-mile loop I ran often and when I ran in the park I often ended at eight miles. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it's about an hour's worth of running for me. I hope, though, that eight miles won't be a hard hump to get over in the coming weeks as I increase my mileage. I want ten and twelve to become the new eight.

B has a new schedule. He used to go to bed between ten and eleven, but now he's going to bed between eight and nine. This means more sleep for me, which is good, because I'm sick. It's really just a sore throat, but it's pretty annoying. Thankfully I don't notice it while I run.

Getting Back on the Wagon

I'm exhausted today. It must be because I actually ran eight miles this morning. Sunday and Monday I didn't run at all. Sunday because I was lazy and didn't get up early and then the Steeler game was on, and Monday because B decided he wanted to party all night long instead of sleep. B didn't sleep very well last night either. I was up two or three times and so was J. He's sick though, so I can't really blame him.

This morning I ran out and back along the parkway. I actually saw three people who were out running in the early morning darkness, more than I usually see. What's really amazing to me, though, is the number of cars on the road at 5 am. There are quite a few people who I imagine are heading to work to beat the traffic. If I drove to work myself I'd seriously consider it.

Speaking of traffic, that 's probably another reason I'm tired. I commute to work by slugging. Usually I sleep on the way in, since I'm not driving. But today, the combination of backed up traffic in the HOV lanes and a chatty driver, I didn't get my nap.

Pulling Teeth

Both of the past two days I've been to the dentist. Yesterday was the first day I had gone to this dentist, having recently switched from my old one. I had x-rays and an oral evaluation done yesterday, and then finally had my teeth cleaned and polished today. I don't hate going to the dentist, but I can think of a long list of other things that I'd rather be doing. Growing up, the worst feeling in the world was the feeling of clean teeth after visiting the dentist. I could always hardly wait to eat and drink afterwards.

I've run easily the past two days; nine miles on Thursday and then eight miles this morning. I've been pretty tired, to the point of almost falling asleep in the dentist's chair if not for the bright light shining in my face. My legs were sore this morning so I made sure to stretch in hopes that it would help. Usually I don't stretch because I'm trying to get out the door to work, but I had time this morning since I was going to the dentist first.

In the course of perusing Kevin Beck's website, I found a good article he wrote for Florida Running and Triathalon. The point that got to me the most was the question regarding mileage: "Okay, why did you stop "there" instead of at "there plus ten?" I don't have a good answer for the question. Getting to a good mileage level and maintaining it is something to work on during this training cycle.

Sicko

I'm not sick, but B is. Last night he had a slight fever and cough. Today the fever's gone, but he still has the cough. Both Puff and J have been sick lately too; I'm surprised I haven't caught it. I was up late last night with B, so I slept in this morning and didn't run. Yesterday I ran eight miles. I was pretty tired, and actually chose the loop I ran because I knew that about two miles in I could turn left and head back to home if I really felt badly. Luckily I was OK, so I ran the whole loop.

Today's weather was crazy. It was warm and raining this morning when I left for work, and then the temperature just dropped all day. When I went home it was cold and windy. Looks like winter's back for at least one night.

Holiday

I don't have work today, so I took the opportunity to run 10 miles this morning, rather than the 7-8 I have been running on weekday mornings. I ran out and back along the parkway, on a nice 30 degree morning. Except for a few days, this winter has been very mild. During the second half of the run my left IT band got a little tight, but I don't think it's anything to worry about. I made sure to stretch it out when I got home.

I finished last week with 48 miles in six days, and this week I'd like to get up to 60 miles in seven days. The 10 miles this morning was a good start to it. Since I haven't updated for a few days, here's how the training went:
Wed.-8 miles
Thu.-7 miles
Fri.-8 miles
Sat.-10 miles
Sun.-off

Go Steelers!

Back to Normal

Since I've gone back to running in the morning, I've felt much better. It feels good to get the run done first thing in the morning and not to have it hanging over my head all day. I'm not big on making New Year's resolutions, but this year I've resolved to be consistent with my running and since I've switched back to the morning I've done so.

Friday I ran eight miles, and followed that with ten on Saturday. Sunday I took both kids running in the double stroller for six miles. Getting two small children ready to go out when the temperature is near freezing is quite a production. Monday I did eight miles and this morning I ran seven. My run took just under an hour today but it only felt like I was gone for a minute. Runs like that are great.

Out of my Comfort Zone

After not running on Tuesday, I realized that if I want to reach my goals, it's not going to be easy. I can't expect everything to fall into place exactly as I would like. I'm going to have to make the most of my situation as is. I think too often in the past I used the lack of optimal conditions as an excuse. With two kids, a wife, and a job, I'm never going to have optimal conditions. But that doesn't mean that I can't reach my goals.

Wednesday morning I ran seven miles. I was tired as I started, but as usual I woke up as the run went on. About lunchtime Wednesday, J called to tell me she didn't feel well. When I got home, she was lying on the couch and didn't want to move. She rested, and I took care of the kids. Luckily, both were very good. I didn't run this morning and went in late to work to make sure J was OK this morning. I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to be gone running and Puff in our bedroom telling J, "Mommy wake up now" and climbing on her when she felt terrible. She is feeling much better today, thankfully.

Make Up Your Mind

I don't like running at night as much as I thought I would. When I get home from work, I just want to stay home and relax, at least relax as much as I can with two kids. I'm going back to running in the morning. I'm going to get up a little earlier than I have been so I don't get to work much later than I have been for the last week. Despite getting up earlier, I'm hoping to get the same amount of sleep I have been, just with a slightly earlier schedule.

Friday I didn't run. See the paragraph above about just wanting to stay home. Saturday I did seven miles. This was the best run I've had for a little while. I felt good, and maintained a strong aerobic pace for the run. Sunday I got together with some friends of J.'s, their husbands, and kids for a run at Burke Lake Park. All of her friends attending are members of See Mommy Run, and the woman who started it was having a get-the-new-year-started-off-right run. We did one loop of the park, which is five miles. This morning I did seven miles out and back along the Parkway.

Famous

Last night on my short drive home from the commuter lot, I passed Dawn Cromer (nee Cleary) as she was running. Dawn is likely the most successful runner from Woodbridge, and being the running geek that I am it was neat to see her.

J was a little stressed last night about the whole running-in-the-evening situation. If it's going to work well, I need to do a little more when I get home from work. I was a little late getting out, and also ran a little less than I was originally planning so I wouldn't be gone too long. I ran six miles again, this time over one of my loops instead of on the Parkway. My legs felt good, and the run was good except when the wind picked up and I was running into it.

I'm sure part of the reason I felt pretty good was the unintentional extra sleep I got. I remember checking my alarm to make sure it was set for five a.m., but must not have turned it on. I woke up a little before five and went back to sleep, and then when I woke up again the clock said 5:57. I rushed to get ready and actually didn't make it to work much later than I have the rest of the week.

You Can't Trust the Weather Channel

The Weather Channel said the temperature was 41 degrees when I was ready to run last night. I figured that the actual temperature in Woodbridge was about 45, because the temperature the Weather Channel shows is from Manassas, which is just west of Woodbridge but usually a few degrees colder. Once I went outside it felt even warmer than 45, and when I ran by the stadium the clock said it was 51 degrees. I was dressed in a long sleeve shirt and shorts, and it was a good thing I only did six miles, because I was sweating pretty well when I was finished. I peeled the long sleeve shirt right off as soon as I got inside.

I was tired when I headed out last night, and close to just saying forget it and not running. I figured, though, that I'd feel better if I started to run, felt terrible, and turned around than not running at all. About a mile in, I was cursing my decision to run. Not long after that, though, I started feeling better, and when I finished I felt like I could easily run more.

Back on Schedule

Last night after Puff went to bed I went out for my run. I ran one of my eight mile loops. I haven't run this loop in a little while; lately it seem like all my running's been done on the path along the Parkway. It was nice to run somewhere else for a change.

The run went pretty well. I haven't yet figured out what and when to eat before I run at night, though. Last night I had some goldfish crackers a little more than an hour before I ran, but then for most of the run I had a dull ache in my intestines. I made a brief pit stop about five miles into the run and then felt a little better after that.

After I got home, J and I had dinner, cleaned up, got everything ready for today, and then went to bed. I was concerned that I might have some trouble falling asleep if I ran at night, but I was out seconds after my head hiot the pillow.

Catching Up

I haven't run very much lately, but now that the holidays are mostly over things are settling down and I should be able to get back to my normal schedule. After my night run last week, I didn't run again until Christmas Eve. The rest of the week was just too hectic and tiring. I took Puff with me and we did six miles Christmas Eve. It was warm--mid 50s--and it felt strange to be running in a t-shirt and shorts at the end of December. Christmas was spent with family, and during the break that I had I actually napped. Monday I was off, and took Puff for seven miles. I got a decent night's sleep Sunday night and felt pretty good Monday. It was not quite as warm as Saturday, but when the sun came out from behind the clouds I started to sweat. Then the sun went behind the clouds and the wind chilled me on the second half of the run. This week I'm going back to my night running schedule. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

Night Run

Last night I did my first run after Puff went to bed. Other than having to deal with increased traffic, it went pretty well. I ran six miles, out and back along the parkway. I had to stop and wait a couple times to cross roads. When I run in the morning, I can usually cross when there's a break in the traffic, but last night there were no breaks so I had to wait for the light. After I got back, I had dinner and then once it was finally time to go to bed, I didn't have any problems falling asleep.

While I'm glad that running at night worked out well for me, it's even better that it worked out well for J. Both kids slept while I ran, giving her some much-needed quiet time.

Who Needs a Car?

Last night when I got home from work, both of my sisters-in-law were there. They're both at college; one is a freshman at Virginia Tech and the other a grad student at James Madison. Since they had been gone for a little while, they both wanted to play with the kids. I found out we were invited over to the in-laws for dinner. I wanted to run first, so everyone else left and I was going to come over after my run. Once I started running, I had an idea. Why not just run over? It's about seven miles, which is about what I wanted to run anyway, and it would save me some time and trouble. I didn't have any real trouble running over; just a few icy spots where I had to be careful and slow down. Everyone was surprised to see me when I got there.

This morning I took Puff with me in the stroller for my run. I planned on going eight miles or so, but I felt terrible, so I cut it to six. I think the past two nights caught up with me. Both nights I was up with the kids and didn't sleep as much or as soundly as I would have liked.

I ended up with 43 miles for the week on six days of running. It's a start. Monday I'm going to start running at night. I'll come home from work, help out with the kids, eat a snack, and then go out for my run when Puff goes to bed, about 8. I'm interested to see how it goes.

Welcome Home!

Wednesday was my first day of going to work early, getting home early. I planned on running when I got home, but plans change. One of J's best friends had just returned home from her stint in Lesotho with the Peace Corps and was coming over for dinner. She was bringing someone with her, and they were going to arrive around 7:30, which would have given me enough time to run. But the plans changed, and they were able to come earlier. I had just enough time to go pick up dinner from Take-N-Bake and get home and put it in the oven. So no running Wednesday.

Thursday I took the day off from work to try to take care of some Christmas stuff as well as go to B's doctor's appointment. I didn't get all the Christmas stuff I wanted to do done, but did get Puff and B's picture with Santa. Puff was kind of apprehensive, but was OK when mommy sat with him. The doctor's appointment went well; B's weight and height have risen to where they should be for his age and he doesn't have to go back to the gastrointerologist. He's so chubby now.

After I got home from the doctor's I went out for my run. I ran seven miles along the Parkway in a cold light rain. We had a winter storm yesterday that went from snow to a cold rain. In a way, I was glad that it rained because it helped get rid of a lot of the icy patches on the path. J and I took the kids for a walk in the morning before the storm started and were slipping and sliding all over the place. I had a good run, once I was far enough along that my stomach felt better. One benefit to running in the afternoon is that I'm loosened up and run the route a few minutes faster than I would in the morning.

Jingle Bell Jog 8k

Sunday I ran the Jingle Bell Jog 8k. Given the state of my recent training I wasn't in the best shape, but if I finished first or second in my age group I would win a $50 or $60 gift certificate to Metro Run and Walk. My primary age-group competition finished a few minutes behind me at the one race that both of us ran, so I figured my chances of finishing first or second were pretty good.

The course for the 8k went along a bike path, through a parking lot, along a narrow path, and then out on to the roads for the finish. The course was mostly clear, but parts had the remnants of the snow and ice we got Friday. I started pretty well, and went through the mile in 6:21. During the second mile, I caught up to a few people who had passed me in the first mile. As I passed the second mile marker, I looked down at my watch and saw 12:05 as I hit the split button again. However, that 12:05 was not my two-mile split. The battery on my watch is almost dead, and a few times I've hit a button and had it go blank and then reset itself, which is what had happened. So I pressed on into the third mile with no idea what my splits were and passed a handful of people. One of them stayed on my shoulder and then went by me, building a lead he would hold until the finish. I ran by myself until just after the four-mile mark, when the pack of people I had passed caught back up to me. I stayed with them and we pressed on toward the finish. One runner surged a few steps ahead. I thought If I want to catch him, I've got to go. I went, getting a few steps on the pack but not quite catching up to the runner ahead. As we approached the finish, I was thinking about Mike's finish in his recent half-marathon, how he picked up the pace and passed someone near the finish. We turned the last corner, and the finish was up a small hill. I kicked hard, passing the runner ahead and finishing in 31:35.

I did finish first in my age group and won the gift certificate, although I won't actually receive it for a few weeks. I like the fact that I'm fast enough to win stuff from my club, but I won't be back next year. Not only do I have to drive further than I'd like to run the races, I never felt like I made any connections with anyone in the club. There's another club I'm planning on joining for this next year, and hopefully they'll be a better fit.

Update

I've been running lately (lately being the last four days), but just been too busy to post. I'm not sure exactly why it happened, but on Friday I just started to feel more relaxed about the whole holiday situation. It's only around for a little while longer and then things will return to normal.

Saturday I ran five easy miles, slipping and sliding through the ice and snow that remained from Friday. Sunday I ran an 8k race in 31:35. I'll write a race report soon. Monday I ran six miles and this morning I ran eight. I planned on running on a local golf course this morning, but the combination of the darkness and the fact that I didn't know exactly where I was going made me change my mind. Instead, I turned around and just made up my run as I went along, finishing after eight miles.

I'm not sure how permanent it will be, but I'll be switching to afternoon running for the near future. J wants me to go into work earlier in order to come home earlier. When I get home, I'll take Puff and go for a run. After the holidays, or maybe not until late spring when B is a little older, I'll go back to running in the morning. I like running in the morning better; I can run first thing and not worry about something coming up later. I'd rather only be running in the afternoon when I'm doubling.

Holidays

I'm happy that it's the holiday season, but I also can't wait until they're over. There's just too much stress trying to get everything done as well as take care of two small children. And it just adds to the stress when J's mom asks her to do things when J has her own things to do.

Amid the holiday stress, I'm still trying to run. I didn't make it out Saturday or Monday, but ran 5 miles Sunday and 6 miles this morning. We got 3-4 inches of snow yesterday, so this morning's run was a little slower than normal.

You Suck

I'm not motivated the way some runners are. I don't need myself or anyone else to tell me that I can do it. I know I can do it; I want to do it well. I respond much better to negative stimuli, i.e I'm bad let me try to get better.

I bring this up because yesterday during my hellacious commute home I was listening to my iPod and Paul McMullen interview with Deena Kastor that I downloaded from trackandfieldradio.com came on. I actually skipped the interview with Deena to listen to some music instead, but it made me think of Paul's interview with Katie McGregor. She told him that when she was at Michigan she had a little sign above her bed that said You Suck. The sign would motivate her to work hard. It works for me too.

I didn't run yesterday but did 7 miles this morning.

A Race and Coming Home

On Thanksgiving I ran the Downtown YMCA 5-Mile Turkey Trot. I've run a race on Thanksgiving the past few years, and it's a tradition I'd like to keep alive. Race morning wasn't too cold, but there were some flurries and some snow on the ground from the day before. It was also pretty windy. As usual, I had high expectations going into the race, but realized given the state of my running lately I probably wouldn't meet those expectations.

The race was started by Carol Zajac-Tynan, a Pittsburgh native who had just been named the most outstanding women's athlete in NCAA cross country over the past 25 years. Other than my first mile of 6:37, I don't recall any exact splits, though that first mile is in question since we supposedly ran the wrong way into Point State Park and added some distance to our race. When I ran that same mile on the way back to the start/finish line I ran closer to 6:10. I finished in 33:23.

I spent Thanksgiving with the family and then J, Puff, B, and I headed home Friday because J's mom's 50th birthday surprise party was Saturday. Since I've been home things have been kind of hectic, and I haven't been running like I want to. Case in point:
Sat.-off
Sun.-8 miles
Mon.-7 miles
Tue.-off
Wed.-off

I need to get my act back together and get out there.

The Difference a Day Makes

I felt much better running today than I did yesterday. I'm not completely over the cold, but the cold medicine I took definitely helped. I managed to get a good night's sleep as well. I ran six miles this morning, the majority of it on the trails near my parent's house. The six miles took just over 48 minutes.

I wish that there were trails like this near my house in Virginia. The surface is crushed limestone and the trail is marked every quarter mile. The limestone part is 2-3/4 miles long, though the trail continues on. After the limestone section ends, the rest is asphalt. It's also almost completely flat, making it great for workouts like tempo runs.

I've written about it recently, but reading Mike's latest entries really helped it sink in. If I'm going to be the best runner that I can be and also have a family, I'm going to be tired. But even if I am tired, I need to get out the door and on the roads.

What's Going On

I've been quite busy recently, with not much running fitting in. Tuesday and Wednesday nights were both bad, so I didn't run Wednesday or Thursday. I had a good eight-mile run out the Parkway on Friday. Friday night I was up until 1 AM getting things ready for Puff's birthday party on Saturday. His actual birthday is not until today, but we're out of town, so we had the party Saturday. We had an Elmo party, complete with Elmo cake. Saturday night was another late night getting everything ready to go to Pittsburgh. We had originally planned to leave Saturday after the party, but we changed our minds and left Sunday morning instead. It was a good thing to, because there's no way we would have been able to leave Saturday. Sunday we had a smooth trip to Pittsburgh.

All that brings us to today. I headed out for my run this morning and was planning on going six miles. However, I didn't feel too well and turned around after a mile and a half and came back home. I feel like I've come down with a cold. Running just didn't feel good, so I cut the run short. I've taken some cold medicine, and hopefully I'll feel well enough to race Thursday morning.

Day Off

I took today off. Puff ate a little later than he usually does before going to bed, so I was a little late going to bed as well. When my alarm went off this morning, I decided that I was better off getting the extra sleep, so I reset the alarm and went back to sleep. Despite the extra sleep, it was still a struggle to get out of bed this morning.

I've been thinking about my plan for the upcoming year recently. I'd like to see what I can do in a 10k this spring. I'm not sure I'd really count it as a PR, but my fastest 10k was my 10k split during the 2004 USATF Cross Country Championships 12k. According to the results, I came through 10k in 37:42. After the 10k, I'll start marathon training for Richmond in the fall.

New Shoes

My new pair of the Brooks Axiom were waiting for me when I got home from work yesterday. I needed new shoes; I had been feeling the lack of cushioning in my old ones. The new shoes felt great on my run this morning. Brooks has used a softer rubber in the forefoot, which is great for me since that's where I land. I ran the same six-mile loop that I ran Sunday in just over 50 minutes.

I can't say enough about Holabird Sports, which is where I bought the shoes. I've bought a few pairs of shoes from them, and their prices are great and they ship quickly. Ideally, I'd like to support one of the local running stores, but at this point I can't pass up the chance to save $20-25.

Recap

Since I haven't written anything for a few days, below is a brief recap of my running.

Saturday-I ran seven miles Saturday morning. For the second Saturday in a row after running for a little while I felt a bit lightheaded and walked for a few minutes until I felt better. I'm not sure what's causing it, but after I walk a little I do feel better.

Sunday-I ran six miles on a loop that I haven't run for a while. When I got back home and tried to stop my watch, it made this horrible beeping noise and then went blank. Luckily it came back on in a few seconds, but it had reset itself and said at was midnight on January first. I think it just needs a new battery.

Monday-I ran eight miles, out and back along the Parkway. I felt like I was moving at a good clip the second half of the run. It's been unseasonably warm here the past few days, and I was surprised to be running in a short-sleeve shirt this morning.

Veterans Day

One of the benefits of working for the Government is the holidays. I took advantage of my day off and ran at noon. I took Puff with me in the stroller, and ran six miles out and back on the Parkway. It was still windy, but not quite as much as yesterday. I didn't feel too good until we turned around and the wind was behind us. I ran the six miles in just over 50 minutes, but that includes the time we spent waiting to cross the street three times.

Thanks to those who served our country.

Woof Woof

I made it out this morning for five miles. I averaged 8:30 pace for the five miles, which kind of surprised me since I thought I be running slower. I wasn't too tired, but my five mile loop is one of my hillier routes and the wind was gusting up to 30 miles an hour this morning.

I like this loop, except for the part that goes by the house with the dog. I don't see the dog every time that I go by, but I've seen him a few times. He's always just out in the yard. The house sits back off the road and on a hill, and even though it hasn't happened, I expect the dog to come running after me. I've been bitten twice by dogs during my running career, and one of the dogs that bit me while running has also bitten me while not running. I don't think I'd be so concerned if I ran when it was light out, but it's certainly not light at 5:30 AM or so when I go by the house.

Two-thirds

So far, I've run two out of the three days since I made my proclamation. I wanted to run Sunday, but didn't get out of bed. J and I were up late Saturday night discussing the stresses of having two small children. I spent some of Sunday kicking myself for not even trying to run.

This morning I ran six miles out and back along the Parkway. It was a beautiful morning to run, with temperatures in the low 50s. The weather here has been great the past few days, with highs in the 60s and 70s.

I haven't mentioned it too much recently, but B seems to be doing quite a bit better. He's getting pretty chubby and is outgrowing his 0-3 month clothes. Not only that, but he's much happier and more alert than he ever has been.

Kind of Lost

I didn't really get lost on my run this morning, the road just didn't go where I thought it did. I planned on running seven miles out and back along the Parkway, but I changed my mind and made a right turn off the Parkway instead. According to my map, if I follow the road I turned on to, make a left, go through a small section of woods, and come out on another road, I'll wind my way back toward home, and eventually come out on one of the main roads by my house. I made the left turn and followed the road until it ended at the woods. There was a path that went into the woods, so I followed it. The path ended a short time later at the Occoquan River. I didn't see anywhere else I could go, so I turned around and ran home the same way I came. I ran eight miles instead of seven, but one extra mile is no big deal.

It was a good run overall, except that about twenty minutes in I felt a little lightheaded and slowed down. I walked for a few minutes and then started to run again. I felt fine the rest of the time. I had a glass of Ovaltine before I left, so I don't think the lightheadedness had anything to do with a lack of calories. Maybe I was just tired.

What's my Motivation?

It's hard to come up with things to write about when I'm not running. Each of the past three days I've set my alarm, only to reset it for a later time when it goes off in the morning. Sure, I'm not getting the ideal amount of sleep, but I'm still frustrated that I'm not getting in the miles. So I'm going to put it out there: I'm going to run. I figure making it public will make me more accountable.

Trick or Treat

Halloween didn't quite go as planned. Puff didn't want to put on his costume, so we didn't exactly go trick-or-treating. Puff just wanted to play with the costume. I think he wanted to try and push it around like his other vehicles except the bus didn't exactly have wheels. We did go outside and walk around and Puff did get a little bit of candy.

I didn't get to bed last night as early as I did Sunday since B's schedule was a little messed up by Halloween. I still got up and ran this morning. I did one of my eight-mile loops, which was again interrupted by an unplanned bathroom break. I felt pretty good during the run, and managed to finish the last two miles or so at a steady pace.

The most remarkable aspect of my run is how different the temperature seems to be in different parts of Woodbridge. The Weather Channel said the temperature was 37 degrees when I left this morning, but it felt warmer than that until I made a turn on to main road that goes back to my community. It felt like the temperature dropped five to ten degrees in a matter a minutes.

Some Actual Running

I didn't run much at all last week, only two out of seven days. This week should be better, especially with the end of daylight savings time. Both kids were in bed an hour or so earlier than usual, leading to what was probably my earliest bedtime in weeks. I did make it out for six miles this morning. It was a decent run, fine except for the unwanted bathroom break about two-thirds of the way in. I probably would have run a little further, but I wanted to make sure I was at work by about 8:15 so I could be home in time for Halloween. This is the first year the Puff is actually going trick-or-treating. He's going to be a school bus.

Doubts

I'm not sure about trying to run a marathon this spring. It's not something I want to go into unprepared, and lately I've been feeling like that's what is going to happen. B's still not 100%. He has good days and bad days, and the bad days stress J out, which in turn stresses me out. It doesn't help that everyone's been sick recently either. All this has caused me to miss some runs.

So I'm leaning toward just run-as-run-can until B gets a little older and his eating habits improve. That way, I won't be stressed out about trying to train for anything. If I can run more than I think, great. If not, so what? Then when everything settles down, I can reevaluate.

Miserable

The best word to describe the conditions during my run today was miserable. The temperature was in the mid-40s, the wind was blowing, and it was raining. However, I was determined to run, especially since I hadn't the past two days. I ran out the Parkway, since I figured it was the safest route in the dark and rain. Two minutes into the run I was cold and wet. The out portion of the run was into the wind, leaving me wet and cold. Originally I planned on running eight miles, but I felt so bad going out that I turned around early. Going back was better. The wind was at my back, so I actually warmed up somewhat. I felt good enough to add some loops around the house to get me to eight miles for the day.

Despite the poor conditions for today's run, what happened after I got home was worse. I was in the unfinished section of the basement, getting out of my wet clothes. I was standing up, pulling off one of my socks when I lost my balance and hopped forward. We recently replaced our fridge, and the old one is in the basement, with the metal shelves on the floor. The old refrigerator was in my path, and I sliced my big toe on one of the shelves. It's not quite as bad as it sounds, but it has caused some discomfort when I walk.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

It's not raining as I type this, but it's been raining most of the time since Friday morning. It's not a heavy rain for the most part, just a steady, light rain or mist. Luckily, the rain stopped long enough for the 5k I ran this morning, though it did leave some puddles on the course. And before I write anything about the race, let me say that I am an idiot. The race started as I was making my way to the starting line. It was my fault; I didn't give myself enough time to put on my flats and singlet and get over to the start.

I started about 30 seconds behind the field. It was a small race and the start cleared quickly. I passed people during most of the race, but mainly in the first mile. That was a bit of a problem, since the race was run on a bike path that wasn't all that wide. Despite the weaving during the first mile, my splits were almost even. They were 6:14, 6:16, and 6:17, and then according to my watch 31 seconds for the last tenth, making my time 19:19. I'm OK with my performance. At this point, just getting back to consistent running as I get into the base phase of my marathon training, I can't complain. But that doesn't mean that I didn't want to do better.

Friday I did seven miles and some strides.

Who Needs Sleep?

I need sleep, and apparently B needed sleep last night. I'm exhausted right now, and can't wait to go to bed. I ran eight miles out and back along the Parkway this morning. It was a pretty slow, easy run. I got to bed late last night, after B was done eating, but still got up to run this morning. Ah, routine. But seriously, I think that if I had felt worse than I did, I would have slept in.

B slept for over eight hours last night. It's nice to not have to get up in the middle of the night, but we do want to be sure B is getting enough to eat. He's added a feeding before he goes to bed, though, and that seems to help him sleep longer.

Kicking Myself

Today was the third day in a row that I have kicked myself in the same spot on my ankle while running. I guess my left foot swings a little bit right when it's coming down, and if it swings a little too far to the right I kick myself. It's not terribly painful, it just stings for a minute or so, but I'd like to avoid it.

Yesterday I had a good eight mile run. I ran another of my eight mile loops with a slight modification. There's a fairly major intersection I need to cross, and I just missed the light. So rather than wait for the light so I could go straight, I turned left and went home the back way. The distance is basically the same each way. When I got home, I was surprised to see that I had run a little under eight minute mile pace. Most of my other recent runs have been closer to 8:30/mile. I guess I picked up the pace a little more than I thought.

I took the day off yesterday because B had his follow-up appointment with the gastrointerologist. He said everything looked good, and to come back for another follow-up in two months. He also gave us a prescription for Zantac for B. Our pediatrician had mentioned it, but he said B should be taking it. It could help prevent any future eating issues.

This morning I did seven miles. B's schedule was thrown off from the doctor's appointment, so he, and also I, got to bed late. I still felt pretty good this morning anyway. It must be the nice fall weather.

Get Up!

Saturday I planned to get up early and run in the morning, before everyone else was up. However, a late Friday night thwarted those plans. I woke up, but decided to go back to sleep. J tutors Saturday mornings, so I thought I'd take Puff in the stroller and run then. But B's schedule didn't work out right for that, so I had to hang around and make sure he didn't get too fussy if he got hungry. After tutoring, J fed B and I fed Puff, then J left for lacrosse, so I decided to take the kids for a run. (We have two jogging strollers, a single and a double.) By this point, I didn't want to run that much, but didn't want to take the day off either. So the three of us did three miles and called it a day. Afterwards, I was upset at myself for not just getting up and running early.

Sunday's run went much better. I actually did get up early and run. I ran one of my eight-mile loops and then added on a little more distance to give me nine miles for the day. I wish all of my runs could be like today's. I felt good, the temperature was nice and cool, and the sunrise was gorgeous. The only negative was the wind, but I'll take three out of four.

Today's run was another good one. I ran eight miles, out and back along the Parkway. It was windy when I started, but the wind seemed to die down as I ran. The past few times I've run this far along the Parkway, I've thought of Mike's hill phase. There's a great section of the path, from 11k to 9k, that would be great for hill work. Slightly after 11k, the path goes downhill to just past the 10k mark, and then back uphill to the 9k mark. I'm sure I'll be using it for that this winter.

Enjoyment

This week I've really begun to enjoy running again. B continues to eat and grow, so I'm less worried about him, the cool fall weather has arrived, and cross country season is in full swing.

This morning I ran on the path out the Parkway for a little over seven miles. It was another cool and damp morning. The weather is supposed to get better this weekend, though.

I was reading about the Charlottesville Marathon on marathonguide.com. In one of the comments, someone noted that last year's course wasn't certified, and therefore times run on the course could not count as Boston qualifiers. I'm not concerned with qualifying for Boston this year, but I think running on a non-certified course would leave me wondering about the accuracy of my time. That information makes me more seriously consider my backup plan, which is to run the Cleveland Marathon in May.

Cool and Damp

This morning's run went pretty well. I did eight miles, at a little over 8:30/mile. The temperature was nice, but it had rained not long before I ran, and the dampness made it feel cooler than it actually was. Plus there was some wind, so I'd run for a few minutes, warm up and sweat a little, and then be chilled by the wind. I'll take it over the middle of summer, though.

So far I have 31 miles for the week. After tomorrow and Saturday, I should be close to 50, which would be the most miles I've run in a week in a couple months. As I've said more than a few times by now, I'm working on getting the mileage up to a respectable level for marathon training. The hardest part is just getting out of bed in the morning. After I'm up and moving around, I feel OK.

What is it about rain that makes people drive so cautiously? My commute, which usually takes about an hour, took almost an hour and forty minutes this morning because traffic, even in the HOV lanes, was backed up. And it was really only drizzling.

Caffeinated

I learned a lesson last night. The lesson is not to drink a can of Dr. Pepper when I get home from work. It's the only explanation I can come up with for not sleeping well last night. I didn't think the caffeine with bother me, but I was wrong. My sleep was also not helped by staying up to watch Law and Order:SVU.

Despite the lack of sleep, I did get up and run this morning. I ran my four mile loop, and then ran past the house, up to the library/fitness center, and back for two more miles which gave me six for the day. I felt OK, although a little sore when I got home. I can't wait until the cool weather is here for good. It was in the sixties and humid this morning and I was sweating when I finished.

Ugh

I didn't feel good this morning when my alarm went off. I felt really sore and tired. So rather than get up and run, I set the alarm for 50 minutes later and went back to sleep. The sleep must have helped, because I felt better when the alarm went off again.

The Army 10-Miler took place this past weekend, although it was slightly more than 10 miles. It seems a "suspicious package" was found and the course had to be rerouted around it, making the course approximately 11 miles. Now safe is certainly better than sorry, but the race starts and finishes at the Pentagon of all places. If anywhere is safe the Pentagon should be. If I'd run the race this year, I would understand the concern, but also would be disappointed that I didn't get the race I expected.

Dichotomy

It was 53 degrees this morning while I was running. I'm comfortable in a t-shirt and shorts down to near 40 degrees. Everyone's different, however, and this morning I noticed multiple variations in running attire. I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. At one point, I passed someone wearing a light jacket and shorts. Later on, I passed someone in a sweatshirt, hat, and I think gloves. To each his own.

This morning I did six miles. My legs felt ok, but overall I was pretty tired after being up late last night. Sunday afternoon I did four miles after not running Saturday. I was simply exhausted all day Saturday after a very late Friday night. Friday morning, though, I had one of the best runs I've had for a while. I ran seven miles, but felt like I could have kept going for at least a few more. The soreness that had been bothering my legs was gone Friday and hasn't returned. Maybe I just needed a few days to get my body used to running more than three or four days a week.

In the News

The Washington Post ran an article this week about a runner in Maryland, Mikias Gelagle, who logged some 100-mile weeks this summer in preparation for the cross country season. The article brings up a good question: How many miles per week should a high school runner be running? Personally, I don't think anyone can just say 100 miles a week is too many. It's all about how you get there. If you've been steadily increasing your mileage and been relatively injury-free, you should be able to handle 100 miles per week.

The human body is not, as the article claimed was stated by some coaches, a car that is going to break down after a certain number of miles. That is as absurd as telling people they should not exercise hard because their heart only has a finite number of beats. If you take care of yourself, you can run high mileage for years.

In order to maximize your potential in any event 800m and up, you need to run high mileage. When you start should be up to you, not some arbitrary time.

Gorgeous

I took yesterday off from work because B had his two month checkup. He's doing well, gaining weight like he should, but he does have a slight reflux problem. Since I wasn't going to work, I slept in and ran in the afternoon. The weather was gorgeous, sunny and 80 degrees, with a slight breeze. I did eight miles, the longest run I've done in a little while. The run went well except for some stomach issues. I think I ate lunch a little to close to my run, so I felt almost nauseas for a little while. Thankfully, that went away, but even after that I still didn't feel quite right. I think I have a bug that I might have caught from Puff. He seemed a little ill for a day or two last week.

This morning I was planning on running four miles, but going out of my way to use the bathroom made it five miles. My legs felt really tight this morning; I hope they loosen up as I go on. The Stick should help as long as I remember to use it.

It looks like the fall weather is finally here. Lows for tonight and tomorrow night are in the mid-40's. Finally.

Easy Days

These past few days after my race, I've taken it pretty easy. Sunday I went out in the afternoon for 32 minutes, which I'm calling four miles. It was still warm and humid Sunday, but it looks like to cool fall weather is finally going to be here in the next day or two. Monday and today I went six miles. Despite my less than ideal sleep, I feel OK once I get out the door and start moving. I'd like to begin increasing my mileage. I feel like if I don't start soon, I won't have enough time at a high enough weekly mileage to justify running a marathon. I'm not doing just to finish.

Spiked and Pysched

One out of two isn't bad.

I've been following Matt at chasingtradition.com. While in Boulder with the Colorado Buffaloes, he wrote about the team being "spiked and psyched up" for their workout on Friday morning. I liked the phrase and was planning on being "spiked and psyched up" for my race Saturday. Unfortunately, I realized on the way to the race that I had forgotten my spikes. Oh well, I thought, it should be more of a workout than a race anyway. And it was, although it wasn't really even a good workout.

I felt OK when I woke up Saturday morning, so I figured my plan of running 6:30-6:40 miles would be doable, even without the spikes. I warmed up about a mile, and headed to the starting line. A few minutes in, I realized the race was not going to plan. I think I went through the first mile in 6:45, but it felt a lot harder than I though it would. I don't have any other splits, other than coming through 5k in about 21:50 and finishing in 44:16. I just didn't have it Saturday. Even though I felt OK, I figure I still had to deal with the lack of sleep I've accumulated over the past few weeks. My stomach didn't feel very good during the race either. Somehow, though, I still managed to finish first in my age group to move me to first place in my age group in the cross country series.

Night Game

At one time I was contemplating running in the open division of this race, but it would be even more fun to enter a team.

10k

Despite the fact that I haven't been running much recently, I'm still planning on running a 10k cross country race Saturday. I wouldn't bother, except that it's the last cross country race in the series that I'll have a chance to run, and I need to run one more to qualify. Right now I'm fifth overall and second in my age group, although the standings can be a little misleading at this point because everyone has not run the same number of races. My expectations are basically to try and run 6:30-6:40 pace. The course is two laps of a 5k loop, and does have some hills. If I can contain myself at the beginning and stay conservative, I should be all right.

New Look

As you can see, my blog's look has been updated. I'd like to say I designed it myself, but that's not the case. The template can be found here.

Out of Hiding

I've had a rough past two weeks. The worst part of it was that B was not eating like he should be, and was actually hospitalized for two days to see if the cause could be determined. Despite running a lot of tests, nothing was found that explained his poor eating. As a matter of course, the doctors put him on some antibiotics, which may have helped things, but they never found an infection. B is back home now, and he is eating better and gaining weight. My is that his poor eating has something to do with the jaundice he had right after he was born.

B is also not sleeping quite like J and I would like. He'll sleep for a few hours, wake up, have a snack, and then sleep for a few more hours, and that's not too bad. The problem is that he doesn't start sleeping until around 11 most nights, and last night he didn't go to bed until midnight.

Due to the two items above, I have not done much running lately. I've been able to get out a few mornings and weekend afternoons for a couple miles, but nothing too significant. I know that the priority is B's health, but that does not stop me from wishing I was running more.

One of Those Nights

B did not sleep well last night. I'm not sure exactly what the problem was, but he was fussy and would not go to sleep. The worst part about it was that a few times I had almost fallen asleep, and then he woke up. I thought about running this morning, and probably should have since B woke up about two minutes before my alarm went off, but I didn't.

Yesterday I had a good seven mile run. The weather was great; it was 59 degrees as I ran by the stadium clock with the thermometer. The run started out slowly, but I picked up the pace over the second half of the run and finished the last two miles or so at a good steady pace. Just about at the turn-around point in the run, a guy on a bike passed me. It wouldn't have been a big deal except that it was still dark and I was far enough out on the path to be past the streetlights. The bicyclist said something about a runner, but then took his time passing me. I thought someone driving by had said something since when I turned around I didn't see anything. I was startled when he finally passed me.

About a mile from the finish, I caught and passed two other people who were out running together. For some reason, I'm always concerned that when I pass people they'll think I'm showing them up. That's never been the case, but it doesn't stop me from thinking about it.

Change in Plans

When I began my run this morning, I was planning to run out and back along the Parkway. But instead of turning left to head to the Parkway, I went straight and ran through the park and on the one trail I know of that's close enough to my house to run to. I hadn't been on the trail for a few weeks and so I decided to go back today.

It was a beautiful morning to run. I was out the door at about 7:30, and it was cool and sunny. It made me wish I could stay home every day so I could run after the sun comes up. The trail was still overgrown in some spots, so I was careful not to get smacked in the face by a branch. I felt pretty good after yesterday afternoon's seven miles. Today's trail loop was six miles.

As I mentioned above, Sunday I ran seven miles. I ran in the afternoon, when the temperature was in the mid 80s. We've had a string of a few days of some pretty nice weather, lows in the upper 50s and highs in the mid to low 80s. The warmth bothered me a little, but not as much as my stomach since I think I ate a little too close to the run. I think the stomach bug that I had is gone.

Saturday I ran an easy six miles. I was going to run laps on the soccer fields in order to stay on soft surfaces and to be close to home in case my stomach bothered me again, but there was a soccer tournament going on. I ended up just running around until I felt like I had run long enough to count the distance as six miles.

Last week didn't end up too well. My run on Wednesday didn't go well and then I didn't run Thursday or Friday due to lack of sleep. Running five out of seven days in a week isn't bad with a new baby, but I'd like to be running seven out of seven days.