Archive for December, 2008

• Date: 2008.12.28 | Category: running, Uncategorized | Response: View Comments

  The weather has been very strange. Yesterday I ran with my weimaraner Ada, and I went out in shorts. In late December. It was ironic, since the day before I had gone out and bought running pants because my running capris weren’t cutting it that morning in the well below freezing weather. I went to a park that has a 1.4 mile loop and I took her on two loops. Then I put her in the car so I could run one more, and it started to pour rain, with wind. At least it wasn’t cold. When I run with Ada, I use a gentle leader, which is a leash attachment that basically pulls on her muzzle when she pulls on the lead. This is a huge help and I think the only way I can run with her. After the first loop, Ada calms down a bit. She starts me out at an 8:30 pace and we gradually slow down to a 9:00 pace. She is a natural runner. I think she would prefer to add in some 4:00 pace sprints but that is not going to happen, not with me at least.

  I thought it would be interesting to reflect back on my running resolutions from earlier this year:

  “to finish the marathon (of course) ” – this did not happen…
  “to run outdoors more often” – I would say this improved about 50% – thank you Garmin
  “to run in the morning more often. It starts the day off right, and I think it really will be the key to my consistent training” – I would say I made small improvements in this area.
  “to never blow off stretching” – I think I have made some improvement here. This is really a running sin, if there are any. I almost never skip it.
  “to get speedier. I’ve noticed that when I try, the IT band goes crazy. So this one is not a big priority right now.” – I would say over the year, I had an interesting change in my ability to run faster – during marathon training even my regular runs slowed down and 10 minute pace was irritating and difficult. After a couple of months off training, 9 minute miles felt natural.

  As far as goals for the next year, I think in the spring I would like do to another half marathon, and maybe a full in the fall. But I have a wedding coming up in the fall/winter so I can’t plan which races yet. So 2009 running resolutions are:
  - to run in the mornings
  - to weight train and cross train more (especially strengthen IT band related muscles, like the gluteus medius, and quads)
  - to run with Ada more. Now that she is out of puppy-hood, she can graduate to more than 2 miles at a time
  - to do a half in the spring and maybe a full marathon in the fall

• waking up early is still a challenge, and other challenges

  Date: 2008.12.03 | Category: running, Uncategorized | Response: View Comments

  I did not successfully complete the last challenge. I probably did not even successfully start it! As you know, running after work is not really an option. I work from 8 (and sometimes earlier lately) to whenever I will not feel guilty leaving which varies, depending on the amount of work I have or night court, but is usually not earlier than 6:30. I have a half hour commute, which means I am generally home around 7 or 7:30. I am very hungry when 6 or 7 rolls around. I need a meal at that point. Not a run, which potentially might make me pass out. (That’s not an exaggeration, unfortunately.) Tomorrow I need to leave the house at 7, which means a 5 a.m. run is what will be required. This is probably my biggest running related project/obstacle.

  Another running project is my dream of consecutive 8 minute miles. I run a 9 minute mile pretty comfortably. In fact, since I have not been training and over the last couple of months, my running has felt easier. My legs feel lighter. I think it is due to the decreased mileage. Running outdoors last week, I looked down at my garmin at the beginning of a run and saw I was doing 8:39 pace, and it didn’t feel hard. Of course it didn’t stay that way throughout the run – I had to slow down. But maybe consecutive 8 minute miles aren’t that far from my grasp….

  Also, after running outdoors in Nebraska last week I remembered that strong headwind gusts are very much underrated. I’m glad I live in Missouri.