Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Running again...

I'm running again.

And I have a more realistic goal in mind this time. A little over a month to train to run a 5k in less than 30 minutes. Essentially 9:40 per mile. And the 5k is on July 4th with my very good friend, Kris. (eat a bag...)

I had started running last July. To get back in shape. To train for a marathon. I thought that I could wrap my head (and my life) around training for a marathon. That proved to be too challenging, so I hit the brakes and downgraded to a half-marathon. I even signed up for the Carlsbad Half-Marathon in January... I even got up to an 8 mile run at 10:00 per mile at the end of last October...

... But ultimately, I fell off my training. November was a huge month in my life. My son turned one. Oh Girl had two really successful shows including my 29th birthday show. And it was all just too hectic to keep running and maintain my eating habits and keep everything rolling at work and stay on top of band stuff and continue to plan a wedding and then Thanksgiving and a crap load of food and then the holiday season (not a stressful time at all...) and then Christmas and more eating and New Year's and more eating and... wow... the half marathon is in a week and I haven't run since Halloween...

I didn't run the half-marathon. I didn't even walk it. I just plain didn't show up... which was probably a good idea because I most likely would have seriously injured myself...

But now I'm running again. And I'm keeping the goal manageable. Ugh... even reading that sentence I'm realizing I should make the goal a little more ambitious. 27:54 5k... 9:00 per mile...

Yeah. That's what it should be. Stretch yourself. Push yourself. Set a goal that scares you a bit...

No one got anywhere by setting goals they knew they would achieve...

Ok. Time to sleep so I can get up in 6 hours and run. 35 days away from pushing and scaring myself...

Thursday, May 26, 2011

I'm a Lover not a Hater...

It's so easy to hate...

On Justin Bieber.

On Lebron James.

On Rebecca Black.

On this guy...

I think Dave Chappelle put it best...

"Haters wanna hate. Lovers wanna love. I don't even want none of the above. I want to piss on you..."

But, seriously, the collective blood pressure of the world would go down if people stopped hating...

Brought to you by Dr. Oz...

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Workspace...

I start a (new?) job next week.

My first focus will be on my workspace. It will be ergonomically arranged to enhance productivity and efficiency. Phone and keyboard and mouse and monitor placement are paramount. Filing areas must be kept clean and well-labeled. Audio speakers must be placed for optimal aural pleasure. Kitsch and nostalgic items will provide a sense of home and inspiration...

Wow. I'm a nerd.

Sweet. Wouldn't have it any other way...

It's gonna be good to be back, Kaenon Polarized.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

It's not a chess match...

... and you're not a computer.

The only thing you get by trying to guess everyone's move three turns in advance is paralysis by analysis.

Don't worry so much. People's feelings get hurt, but life goes on. It's not your responsibility to make sure everyone else is okay.

It's okay to put yourself first.

It's okay to put yourself first.

It's okay to put yourself first.

*This attempt at self-motivation has been brought to you by the letters "O" and "K"...

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

I don't know what's worse...

The fact that this website exists...

OR

The fact that I typed something into google that made that website the number one entry...

Sorry, Kurt, but I have a feeling that somewhere deep down inside, you actually would have approved...

Monday, May 9, 2011

A Homeless Guy Flipped Me Off Today

It was during minute number 7 of my run, just past the Huntington Beach Sport Chalet entrance. Right around 6:12pm (18:12 for all you military timers).

He had just come out from a corner of the lot. Maybe he had just woken up/ been rooting through garbage for food/ stopped to rest for a bit/ decided to move on to the place where he was going to sleep that night...

I turned the corner, and we made eye contact, and he flipped me off. Very matter of fact-ly. Almost like the instinctual wave that we make when we see someone we know across a parking lot.

The thing I'll remember most was how young he looked. Younger than me for sure. Early to mid-20s maybe.

The second thing I'll remember is how he glanced over his shoulder when I continued past him. He was almost... frightened. Like a squirrel who keeps you in his peripheral vision as he eats the potato chips out of the bag you left on your golf cart bench...

The third thing I'll remember is how I thought to myself, "Yeah. It hurts to breathe while you're running because you're out of shape. But at least you get to go home and take a shower after this run. At least you don't have to worry about where you're going to eat or sleep tonight."

Sobering experience. I wish I had a way to capture it more completely with my words...

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Running... and Planning for a 5K on 7/4

... feels good.

It's been a solid 3 months since my last real run. 12:43 a mile for 20 minutes isn't too shabby. The goal is a sub 30 minute 5k on July 4th which is 3.1 miles in less than 30 minutes which breaks down to about 9:40 a mile...

On October 13, 2010, I ran 3.12 miles in about 28 minutes which was 9:00 a mile... This was about 3 and a half months after I started running. And I never really did any speed work...

I can get back there.

There are essentially 57 days until July 4th. If I run every other day... 28 run sessions to get ready... about 3-4 sessions a week for the next 8 weeks. 2 weeks will be getting back up to speed. In that time I can probably get back up to 30 minutes of 10:00 pace...

And I apologize for the running numbers geek fest that this post has turned into...

2 weeks of base training, 2 weeks of speed work, 3 weeks of endurance, 1 week to taper down and make sure I'm fully rested and peaking for the race.

July 4th is a Monday. So my "long runs" will be on Monday mornings. That will be a nice way to start off the week. I always had more energy when I was running regularly...

Next week:

Sunday, 5/8: 20 minutes
Wednesday, 5/11: 25 minutes
Friday 5/13: 30 minutes

Stick to the plan, Glynn...