I'm unfortunately not talking about the kind of moving done while running. Haven't done any of that for about 7 weeks now.
I'm talking about selling our house and moving across the state, from Everett to Spokane, WA. Our house sold three days after being listed. The inspection took place yesterday and, barring anything crazy, the sale will close on May 20th. We'll move by the end of June (the kids get out of school on June 17th.) In the meantime, we'll be making trips to Spokane to hunt for a new house.
Somewhere in the mix, I need to get my behind on the bike. I'm already going to be unprepared for the Seattle to Portland bike ride (July 13th-14th), but if I don't get my body used to time in the saddle, it could be a long 200+ miles. I imagine it will be anyway.
For the most part, my ailing hamstring feels pretty good. One of my daughters hurt herself about a week ago, and I bolted up the stairs, which re-aggravated the hammy, so it seems that it wouldn't take much to set it off again. So, with the need to get on the bike and the impending relocation, it might be a while before I'm running again.
But I'll be back!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Stolen Innocence
Running, in my mind, epitomizes simplicity, purity and innocence. Who doesn't remember the childhood joy of running through the summertime sprinkler, playing tag, or chasing fireflies at dusk?
Running only requires a bit of God-given gravity and the ability to quickly put one foot in front of the other. No other sport is as pure and simple.
Runners will agree that the activity is freeing in a way that nothing else is. Cares can be left behind while our feet metronomically hit the ground and our lungs rapidly exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen. We often run on "auto-pilot," allowing our creative juices to flow freely. Our senses heighten, taking in the surrounding sights and smells as we cover ground.
Runners are, for the most part, a very friendly, diverse and accepting bunch. We cheer each other on during races (even from the sidelines), encourage one another as we reach for goals, and support one another as we battle through injuries. Political and religious differences are usually set aside as we revel in the commonality of our chosen sport.
Yesterday, however, what is arguably the running world's most visible and famous institution was attacked. The repercussions obviously go far beyond the running community, but we as runners take it personally. Much like the country came together after the 9/11 attacks, runners are showing their characteristic support and unity now more than ever. This community, thanks to online social media, is numerous. We communicate extensively and often. Today, many of us are wearing race shirts as a sign of support and remembrance for those who were affected by the bombings.
I'll go out on a limb to speak for the running community that I'm privileged to be a part of. I truly hope that the pathetic, waste of skin coward or cowards responsible for this act of terror are caught and brought to justice, and punished accordingly. I'll keep to myself the form I believe that punishment should take.
Let's all agree that, while we may mourn and share sadness, we won't be deterred from pursuing our passion.
We runners may get knocked down from time to time, but we always get back up...and run more. We as runners may have had a bit of our childlike innocence stolen from us yesterday, but our resolve and passion can't be stolen.
Thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families...
Running only requires a bit of God-given gravity and the ability to quickly put one foot in front of the other. No other sport is as pure and simple.
Runners will agree that the activity is freeing in a way that nothing else is. Cares can be left behind while our feet metronomically hit the ground and our lungs rapidly exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen. We often run on "auto-pilot," allowing our creative juices to flow freely. Our senses heighten, taking in the surrounding sights and smells as we cover ground.
Runners are, for the most part, a very friendly, diverse and accepting bunch. We cheer each other on during races (even from the sidelines), encourage one another as we reach for goals, and support one another as we battle through injuries. Political and religious differences are usually set aside as we revel in the commonality of our chosen sport.
Yesterday, however, what is arguably the running world's most visible and famous institution was attacked. The repercussions obviously go far beyond the running community, but we as runners take it personally. Much like the country came together after the 9/11 attacks, runners are showing their characteristic support and unity now more than ever. This community, thanks to online social media, is numerous. We communicate extensively and often. Today, many of us are wearing race shirts as a sign of support and remembrance for those who were affected by the bombings.
I'll go out on a limb to speak for the running community that I'm privileged to be a part of. I truly hope that the pathetic, waste of skin coward or cowards responsible for this act of terror are caught and brought to justice, and punished accordingly. I'll keep to myself the form I believe that punishment should take.
Let's all agree that, while we may mourn and share sadness, we won't be deterred from pursuing our passion.
We runners may get knocked down from time to time, but we always get back up...and run more. We as runners may have had a bit of our childlike innocence stolen from us yesterday, but our resolve and passion can't be stolen.
Thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families...
Friday, March 22, 2013
Up On Blocks
 |
| A bumper sticker I created for myself. Hey, it's true for me! |
Well, despite my high hopes, substituting cycling for running didn't quite agree with my hamstring.
Which means I need to let it rest completely. Which also means no 5k race tomorrow and likely no 5 mile race on April 6th.
Aside from wasting money on entry fees, I'm really not too bummed about the situation. I've gone through this many times, so I'm confident that I'll be "resurrected" as a runner once again. The tricky thing about this particular injury is that it's hard to gauge. One day it'll feel fine, the next I'll feel a tweak while merely walking around the house. I'll err on the side of caution (which I didn't do when the injury first appeared) and let it rest for at least another couple of weeks.
What to do in the meantime...assuming I don't get the urge to swim (and if I do, I'll just consider it a beer or ice cream craving...or both)...
How about weight lifting!
NARCISSISM ALERT
I've bounced back and forth between running and lifting weights numerous times, so my body usually gets back into the "iron groove" relatively quickly when I start hitting the weights pretty seriously...which is what I've done this week.
I'll never be mistaken for the Hulk, but for a scrawny runner, I put on a decent amount of muscle:
 | |||
| After this morning's workout. I vil crush yoo! |
I just wish the hamstring muscle fibers would cooperate!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Hamming It Up
Well, it seems that I'm in the throes of a persistent, nagging, semi-debilitating hamstring injury. And I'm pretty sure my overly zealous track workout on February 13th was the genesis of said injury.
It didn't hit me all at once. In fact, it seemed to be more of a hip flexor/groin tweak at first. But gradually, and after a race and a few fast-paced training runs, my right hamstring (every injury I've had over the years seems to be on the right side) has progressively gotten worse.
Which is a shame. No sane runner would ever desire an injury, but what bugs me most about this one is the fact that I'm starting to feel fit and some of my speed is returning. I thought I might be poised to take a shot at my 5k PR in a couple of weeks, but after a 7.5 mile run with a guy in my club yesterday morning, and the necessity of walking backward up a small hill during a family walk yesterday afternoon, I'm not so sure. Even taking three consecutive days off before yesterday's run didn't seem to help much.
My immediate plan—aside from icing, ibuprofen, and self-massage—will be to run at an easy, steady pace on flat courses the next few days. No surges, no hills. If the pain remains the same or gets worse, I may be shutting it down for a while. I still haven't hopped on my bike to see if that aggravates it. If not, that'll be the alternative to running, I suppose. But already being signed up for two races makes me hesitant to nix my training runs.
Which is exactly what I should do if this hamstring isn't improving.
Which is why I thought "Resurrected Runner" was a good title for this blog. Some guys are "babe magnets." I'm obviously an "injury magnet."
Okay, and a "babe magnet." Well, at least to one "babe."*
*who didn't know what she was getting into, obviously.
It didn't hit me all at once. In fact, it seemed to be more of a hip flexor/groin tweak at first. But gradually, and after a race and a few fast-paced training runs, my right hamstring (every injury I've had over the years seems to be on the right side) has progressively gotten worse.
Which is a shame. No sane runner would ever desire an injury, but what bugs me most about this one is the fact that I'm starting to feel fit and some of my speed is returning. I thought I might be poised to take a shot at my 5k PR in a couple of weeks, but after a 7.5 mile run with a guy in my club yesterday morning, and the necessity of walking backward up a small hill during a family walk yesterday afternoon, I'm not so sure. Even taking three consecutive days off before yesterday's run didn't seem to help much.
My immediate plan—aside from icing, ibuprofen, and self-massage—will be to run at an easy, steady pace on flat courses the next few days. No surges, no hills. If the pain remains the same or gets worse, I may be shutting it down for a while. I still haven't hopped on my bike to see if that aggravates it. If not, that'll be the alternative to running, I suppose. But already being signed up for two races makes me hesitant to nix my training runs.
Which is exactly what I should do if this hamstring isn't improving.
Which is why I thought "Resurrected Runner" was a good title for this blog. Some guys are "babe magnets." I'm obviously an "injury magnet."
Okay, and a "babe magnet." Well, at least to one "babe."*
*who didn't know what she was getting into, obviously.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Numbers
As you probably know, I'm a numbers guy. I keep close tabs on mileage, times, body weight, waist measurements, resting heart rate, shoe mileage, Mariners losses...the list goes on.
Yesterday, I "celebrated" my 46th birthday by completing 4,646 pushups in the month of February. I'm currently involved in two online challenges to do 20,000 pushups in 2013. At 7,446, I'm far ahead of pace. I'll be slowing that pace since I was unable to devote much energy to other resistance exercises last month.
Another interesting number I nearly missed was passing the 3,000 mile mark for mileage run since my return to running in 2009. That includes nearly two years of down time due to an injury, so that number should be significantly higher. Still, I'm grateful for any mileage I'm able to run.
There are a couple more mileage milestones coming up that I'll share in the coming months.
The next number I want to address is my soft 5k PR, which I hope to take down in three weeks. I'm dealing with a hamstring issue (and a frustrating respiratory problem that won't go away), so we'll see how it goes.
Until then, Run Happy!
Yesterday, I "celebrated" my 46th birthday by completing 4,646 pushups in the month of February. I'm currently involved in two online challenges to do 20,000 pushups in 2013. At 7,446, I'm far ahead of pace. I'll be slowing that pace since I was unable to devote much energy to other resistance exercises last month.
Another interesting number I nearly missed was passing the 3,000 mile mark for mileage run since my return to running in 2009. That includes nearly two years of down time due to an injury, so that number should be significantly higher. Still, I'm grateful for any mileage I'm able to run.
There are a couple more mileage milestones coming up that I'll share in the coming months.
The next number I want to address is my soft 5k PR, which I hope to take down in three weeks. I'm dealing with a hamstring issue (and a frustrating respiratory problem that won't go away), so we'll see how it goes.
Until then, Run Happy!
Sunday, February 24, 2013
You Don't Spit...or Run Fast...Into The Wind
Yesterday my friend Dan and I made the drive up to the quaint, artsy town of La Conner, WA...
Boy, that sentence didn't quite sound the way I intended it to. Let's try again, this time with more testosterone:
Yesterday, Dan and I kissed our wives goodbye and drove his massive SUV to the rustic seaside fishing village of La Conner, while drinking our strong, black coffees and discussing the ins and outs of home-brewing beer.
Trying too hard now, I know.
So...we ran a 10k there (the Smelt Run 5k/10k). We arrived with plenty of time to get our race bibs, use the facilities, and run a little over 2 warmup miles in the sprinkles and wind. By race time, the rain had stopped, but the wind had increased.
The course was nice and flat. The first three miles flew by. I held back and was running at a very comfortable and sustainable pace, but just past the 5k mark, the wind became an issue. It was a very persistent side wind which, after the turnaround, suddenly became a frustrating headwind. I intentionally backed off the pace during mile four, but by mile five, it wasn't so intentional any more. The course turned a couple of times, still either into the wind, or with the wind coming from the side. There were a couple of stretches where I had to lean while running so as not to get blown over.
Not great conditions for a fast race.
The final mile was brutal. Most of it was directly into what I would estimate to be a 20-25 mph constant wind. By the time I reached the last turn that lead to the finish, I was beat. I had very little kick left.
By the numbers:
Final time - 44:39
Splits: 7:04, 7:08, 7:07, 7:12, 7:17, 7:16, 1:32 (for final .2)
5k splits: 22:10/22:29
Average pace: 7:11
I was hoping to break 44 minutes. Minus the wind, I think I would have had a pretty good chance of doing so.
I haven't seen the official results yet, but I'm pretty sure I finished 32nd overall and 8th or 9th in my very tough age group (40-49).
My aforementioned friend Dan ran an amazing PR of 39:29 (his first sub-40 10k) to win our age group.
Next up will be a 5k PR attempt in Arlington, on March 23rd. Guess I better keep doing some speed work.
Boy, that sentence didn't quite sound the way I intended it to. Let's try again, this time with more testosterone:
Yesterday, Dan and I kissed our wives goodbye and drove his massive SUV to the rustic seaside fishing village of La Conner, while drinking our strong, black coffees and discussing the ins and outs of home-brewing beer.
Trying too hard now, I know.
So...we ran a 10k there (the Smelt Run 5k/10k). We arrived with plenty of time to get our race bibs, use the facilities, and run a little over 2 warmup miles in the sprinkles and wind. By race time, the rain had stopped, but the wind had increased.
The course was nice and flat. The first three miles flew by. I held back and was running at a very comfortable and sustainable pace, but just past the 5k mark, the wind became an issue. It was a very persistent side wind which, after the turnaround, suddenly became a frustrating headwind. I intentionally backed off the pace during mile four, but by mile five, it wasn't so intentional any more. The course turned a couple of times, still either into the wind, or with the wind coming from the side. There were a couple of stretches where I had to lean while running so as not to get blown over.
Not great conditions for a fast race.
The final mile was brutal. Most of it was directly into what I would estimate to be a 20-25 mph constant wind. By the time I reached the last turn that lead to the finish, I was beat. I had very little kick left.
By the numbers:
Final time - 44:39
Splits: 7:04, 7:08, 7:07, 7:12, 7:17, 7:16, 1:32 (for final .2)
5k splits: 22:10/22:29
Average pace: 7:11
I was hoping to break 44 minutes. Minus the wind, I think I would have had a pretty good chance of doing so.
I haven't seen the official results yet, but I'm pretty sure I finished 32nd overall and 8th or 9th in my very tough age group (40-49).
My aforementioned friend Dan ran an amazing PR of 39:29 (his first sub-40 10k) to win our age group.
Next up will be a 5k PR attempt in Arlington, on March 23rd. Guess I better keep doing some speed work.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Ye Olde Myle Tyme Tryle
After running a non-satisfying 10k race on January 12th (Nookachamps, in Mount Vernon, WA), I decided to write myself a 6-week mini training cycle, in preparation for my next scheduled race; the Smelt 10k, in La Conner, WA on February 23rd. The first three weeks was my base period, building up to just over 34 miles (last week), then backing off on the mileage in favor of some added speed work the final three weeks.
This week is the first speed week, meaning—in this case—track time.
I hadn't run on a track since August 4th, when I ran a slow 3 miles with my sister, before throwing in a 2:58 800m for good measure. About a week before that, I ran a mile time trial on a different track in 6:26. Since then, though, it's been mostly roads (and, recently, my favorite hilly dirt & gravel trail once again.)
I woke up yesterday to a very blustery morning. No rain, but the wind was gusty, and I wasn't sure I wanted to try to run a fast time in those conditions. Fortunately, the wind died down considerably, so I ventured to the track.
After running two clockwise warmup miles on the track, I changed shoes (from my Brooks Defyance 3's into my Brooks Pure Cadence), shed my warmup jacket and long-sleeve tech shirt and stood ready to test the watch in just my shoes, shorts, visor, tank top and gloves. A bit chilly, but streamlined and unencumbered.
I've been running well lately, but haven't done any real speedwork, so my expectations were rather vague. My dream goal was to break 6 minutes, but I knew I wasn't ready for that. I thought that maybe I could go 6:0-something, but even that was wishful thinking. Realistically, I thought I'd have a shot at 6:15.
There was a bit of a tailwind on the back stretch, meaning I'd have to finish each lap running into a headwind. I intended to run my 400m splits as evenly as possible. I crossed the line for the first time in 1:32, which felt hard but relatively sustainable. Lap two came in at 1:35, for a 3:07 half. Doing the math in my head, I knew I'd have to finish strong to even break 6:15. Lap three also came in at 1:35, but I knew I had a little left in the tank. Not much, but I figured I could kick the final 100m to maybe run even 800m splits.
Not having run fast recently, a full-out sprint to the finish felt awkward, but I managed to close out the final lap in 1:28, for a 3:04 second half and a final time of 6:11. Not my dream time, but still 15 seconds faster than last summer's mile time trial, so I'll take it.
After walking a quick 400m, I added 2x800m at 5k race pace...or that's what I intended. I clocked 3:17 and 3:15, both a bit quick. I closed out the session with a clockwise cooldown mile, for five miles total on the track.
The day after, I'm a bit sore in a couple of areas (calves, hip flexors and upper glutes), but otherwise I feel fine.
I fully intend to break 6 minutes in the mile before this year is over.
I've always loved running on the track. I enjoy the roads and trails, of course, but there's something about the track that gets my competitive juices flowing. The variables are minimized (aside from the wind), and it's you against the clock...or other opponents. Boring? I can see how some runners would think so, but being a numbers geek, the track suits me as well as other venues. Maybe it's also the nostalgia factor that appeals to me.
And since I've made this public already, I might as well post it here. At nearly 46 years of age, I still apparently don't have the maturity to leave my high school 5:01 mile in the past. I'm going to take a shot at the stars to see if I can hit the moon (or, tilt at one big windmill, if you will.) One of my goals is to run a sub-5 minute mile by the age of 50. That gives me four years. If I can train consistently and without injury (those are HUGE "if's"), then I believe I can do it. Even if things go perfectly, it'll be incredibly difficult. I do have a couple of things in my favor, though, that I didn't have as a high school runner. I'm physically stronger now, and I know quite a bit more about training, nutrition and recovery. If I fail to reach the goal, I won't be disappointed, but I'm going to give it a full effort. I won't devote the entire four years to doing track intervals, but I'll gradually build a (hopefully) huge base and create "seasons" for myself, during which I'll focus more on speed. It should be fun! If I stay healthy, and even if I fail to reach the goal, I'll be a much faster, fitter runner.
As always, I'll post the incredibly exciting updates right here.
Run happy, my friends!
This week is the first speed week, meaning—in this case—track time.
I hadn't run on a track since August 4th, when I ran a slow 3 miles with my sister, before throwing in a 2:58 800m for good measure. About a week before that, I ran a mile time trial on a different track in 6:26. Since then, though, it's been mostly roads (and, recently, my favorite hilly dirt & gravel trail once again.)
I woke up yesterday to a very blustery morning. No rain, but the wind was gusty, and I wasn't sure I wanted to try to run a fast time in those conditions. Fortunately, the wind died down considerably, so I ventured to the track.
After running two clockwise warmup miles on the track, I changed shoes (from my Brooks Defyance 3's into my Brooks Pure Cadence), shed my warmup jacket and long-sleeve tech shirt and stood ready to test the watch in just my shoes, shorts, visor, tank top and gloves. A bit chilly, but streamlined and unencumbered.
I've been running well lately, but haven't done any real speedwork, so my expectations were rather vague. My dream goal was to break 6 minutes, but I knew I wasn't ready for that. I thought that maybe I could go 6:0-something, but even that was wishful thinking. Realistically, I thought I'd have a shot at 6:15.
There was a bit of a tailwind on the back stretch, meaning I'd have to finish each lap running into a headwind. I intended to run my 400m splits as evenly as possible. I crossed the line for the first time in 1:32, which felt hard but relatively sustainable. Lap two came in at 1:35, for a 3:07 half. Doing the math in my head, I knew I'd have to finish strong to even break 6:15. Lap three also came in at 1:35, but I knew I had a little left in the tank. Not much, but I figured I could kick the final 100m to maybe run even 800m splits.
Not having run fast recently, a full-out sprint to the finish felt awkward, but I managed to close out the final lap in 1:28, for a 3:04 second half and a final time of 6:11. Not my dream time, but still 15 seconds faster than last summer's mile time trial, so I'll take it.
After walking a quick 400m, I added 2x800m at 5k race pace...or that's what I intended. I clocked 3:17 and 3:15, both a bit quick. I closed out the session with a clockwise cooldown mile, for five miles total on the track.
The day after, I'm a bit sore in a couple of areas (calves, hip flexors and upper glutes), but otherwise I feel fine.
I fully intend to break 6 minutes in the mile before this year is over.
I've always loved running on the track. I enjoy the roads and trails, of course, but there's something about the track that gets my competitive juices flowing. The variables are minimized (aside from the wind), and it's you against the clock...or other opponents. Boring? I can see how some runners would think so, but being a numbers geek, the track suits me as well as other venues. Maybe it's also the nostalgia factor that appeals to me.
And since I've made this public already, I might as well post it here. At nearly 46 years of age, I still apparently don't have the maturity to leave my high school 5:01 mile in the past. I'm going to take a shot at the stars to see if I can hit the moon (or, tilt at one big windmill, if you will.) One of my goals is to run a sub-5 minute mile by the age of 50. That gives me four years. If I can train consistently and without injury (those are HUGE "if's"), then I believe I can do it. Even if things go perfectly, it'll be incredibly difficult. I do have a couple of things in my favor, though, that I didn't have as a high school runner. I'm physically stronger now, and I know quite a bit more about training, nutrition and recovery. If I fail to reach the goal, I won't be disappointed, but I'm going to give it a full effort. I won't devote the entire four years to doing track intervals, but I'll gradually build a (hopefully) huge base and create "seasons" for myself, during which I'll focus more on speed. It should be fun! If I stay healthy, and even if I fail to reach the goal, I'll be a much faster, fitter runner.
As always, I'll post the incredibly exciting updates right here.
Run happy, my friends!
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