Run Log #11- Running Fits Me

I will gloss over Run Log #11 because I should have posted it on Thursday when I actually ran.....

No, wait.  Scratch that.  I will describe how I somehow put my iPhone into airplane mode which disabled the GPS which meant that Runkeeper didn't keep track of my route or my pace.  So I manually entered it using MapMyRun.com.  Sweet...

Which brings me to another point. I'm slightly neurotic.  I have semi-weird, occasionally OCD tendencies.  I always eat my burgers in a circle (outer crust first, then slowly whittle it down into ever smaller circles till one bite is left).  I listened to the same Helmet album every time I went to watch one of my high school's football games.  I have a thing for odd numbers and have seen a pattern in the important dates in my life (11-19-81: birthday, 7-5-09: re-Anniversary with Rachel, 11-11-09: my son Chase's birthday, 3-27-11: wedding date). 

All of this detail-oriented, anal-retentive behavior gives me a personality that it is well-accustomed to running.  When I found out that I had put my phone into airplane mode, I obsessed over not being able to track that run.  I needed to know what the specifics were... what were my splits?  Did I improve?  What does it mean...?

I'll admit I'm an addict when it comes to looking at my Runkeeper profile and seeing how far I've run, how quickly I ran, how many calories I burned, the routes I take, etc., etc., ad nauseum, ad infinitum...

Which is why running fits me.

There needs to be something a little bit off inside you if you actually enjoy putting your body through pain for long periods of time while listening to the lonely thoughts droning inside your head.

And I'm beginning to really enjoy it, to need it, to feel antsy if I don't get it, to dread rest days, and look forward to discomfort because I know I can push through it and better myself in the process.

Thanks, running.  For letting me find you.

Run Log#10- Silence is Golden

Soundtrack:

Nothing.  Literally nothing.  Except Runkeeper updating me every 2 minutes on time elapsed, distance traveled, and average pace.

I felt good today.  2.25 miles in 25 minutes.  11:14 per mile (which is under my average pace for the last 3 weeks).

I counted backwards from January 23rd to find out when my actual training will start.  September 27th.  Just under 11 weeks away.  11 more weeks of base fitness training before jumping head first into a more focused marathon training program.  I better get some mountain biking and weight lifting in before I need to cut those out of the routine.

But, oh yeah... Silence is golden.  I didn't set-up a playlist for this morning's run.  I figure I'm not going to listen to music during the marathon, so I should get used to the silence.  And it actually helped.  I was able to focus on my body more, feel how my arms swinging helped the perpetual motion of my legs and how changing my breathing affected the ease or difficulty of my pace.  I'm looking forward to being able to zone out while running, without being distracted by the music I love so much.  There are better times to listen to music.  Running should be about escaping for a bit, and being able to do that in silence will be comforting.

Rest day tomorrow, then another 25 minutes of running on Thursday morning.  I'm tempted to try for 2.5 miles, but I know that I need to take it slow.  There will be plenty of time for speed work later on...

Run Log #9- Slow and Steady Wins the Race...

Slow and steady wins the race.

I've been running for the last three weeks.  Focusing on timed runs to build up my stamina.  Started with 10 minute runs and hope to build up to 40 minute runs by the end of next week. 

Over the course of my first 8 runs, I've been averaging about 11:30 a mile.  Not horrible, considering I've never been a runner and I'm in the worst shape of my life.

11:30 a mile turns out to be just north of 5 hours for a marathon.  (*sidenote: I'm planning on attempting my first marathon January 23, 2011.  That's why I'm doing all of this running.)

So, today I graduate to a 30 minute run after two 20 minute runs this week.  And I figure a solid pace would be 12:30 a mile, which would mean I would run 2.4 miles in 30 minutes.  Achievable, right?

Definitely achievable...

... if I had run at 6:30am, so I could avoid the heat...

... if I hadn't run at 1:21pm in close to mid-90 degree temperatures...

... and if I hadn't started my run at 9:30 a mile!!!!!

I went out too fast.  I played checkers, not chess.  I got ahead of myself, and shot myself in the foot.  I was that hare, sprinting past the tortoise, yelling back, "See ya at the finish line, you slow poke!", burning out at 25 minutes, and panting, gasping, dredging to the finish line as the tortoise lounged in triumph...

I was very disappointed today.  If I had just stuck to the plan, I would have run 2.4 miles in 30 minutes, and I probably would have felt fine...

Lessons learned:

- NEVER skip the morning run.
- If you skip the morning run, definitely don't run IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EFFING DAY...  Just wait for dusk.
- Stick to your pacing.
- Set-up Runkeeper to update every 3 minutes, so I can adjust my pace if it's off.

2 rest days, then 25 minutes on Tuesday.  GOAL: 2 miles.

Now off to watch Spirit of the Marathon on Netflix...

Soundtrack:
With a Heavy Heart (I Regret to Inform You)- Does It Offend You, Yeah?
An Autopsy- The Faceless
Whatever Happened to Pong?- Frank Black
Turned Out- Helmet
He Feels Bad- Helmet
Obnoxious- Immortal Technique
This Is F*****g Tragic- The Impossibles
The Boys Are Leaving Town- The Japandroids
Blood of the Scribe- Lamb of God

Run Log #8- Goal accomplished (kind of)

I wanted to run 1.8 miles in 20 minutes today.  And if you look at my Runkeeper Profile, it says I did. 

But I know the truth..

I ran 1.79 miles in 20 minutes, then walked .01 miles in an extra 22 seconds.

And, yes, it matters.  Because I want complete transparency throughout all of my training.  And because I need to stay focused and hungry and focused and willing to put in the work.

30 minutes of running awaits me on Saturday morning.  It would be nice to get in 2.4 miles.  12:30 a mile would be pretty stellar...

Since I started running two and a half weeks ago, I've run 10.32 miles in about 119 minutes.  That's about 11:30 a mile.  Which would be about a 5 hour marathon...

My goal is to run a 4:30 marathon, which is 10:20 a mile.

I have 2 more months of base training before starting a pretty intense 4 month training program, which is focused on getting me to a 4:30 marathon.  Depending on how I feel after the next 2 months, I might try to actually focus on a 4:15 marathon... or even a 4:00 marathon...

One thing I know for sure.  I never thought running would be so fulfilling...

Soundtrack:
Blood On Our Hands- Death from Above 1979
The Ghost of a Stranger- The Faceless
Freedom Rock- Frank Black
Do It Again (feat. Ali Love)- Chemical Brothers
Stockholm Syndrome- Muse
I-E-A-I-A-I-O- System of a Down
Cicatriz ESP- The Mars Volta

Random thought... I wonder how my runs would go if I didn't listen to music..... ?

Run Log #7- Routine

Up at 6:30.

Get dressed.

iPhone into armband.

Shoes laced.

Make sure GPS is working.

Start Activity...

Soundtrack:
There's No Home for You Here- The White Stripes
Great DJ- The Ting Tings
Bounce- System of a Down
Killing in the Name- Rage Against the Machine
The Stalker- Piebald
For Sunday- Name Taken
Helena- My Chemical Romance
Blood of the Scribe- Lamb of God

Stop Activity.

Walk to cool down.

Shoes off.

Socks off.

Onto yoga mat.

3 sets of 10 sit-ups alternated with 3 sets of 10 push-ups.

Calf stretch.

Quad stretch.

Hamstring stretch.

Groin stretch.

Showerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

I like my running routine.  But I need to push harder.  Stress and recover...  Rest day tomorrow.

Lyrics:
(instrumental)

Run Log #6- It's a mental workout...

I wanted to stop.

Multiple times.

At 4 minutes when my iPod told me I'd only run .32 miles and was on a 12:30/mile pace (I was hoping for around 10:00/mile)

At 8 minutes when I realized I still had 12 minutes left instead of 7.

At 13 minutes when my stomach began to cramp...

Luckily, I didn't.

Today, I realized that training for a marathon is going to be about much more than just getting my body into shape.  In fact, it's probably more about getting my mind into shape.  Learning how to rely on keeping my form to push through the cramps.  Pushing my body farther than I thought I could and realizing that it's not that bad.  Focusing on how much it would suck to pull up and walk only to find out that I'm still tired, only now I'm tired and a quitter and depressed...

I have a long way to go.  But I took an important step today.  I began training my mind to will my body to its best.  And it felt really, really good... 

Soundtrack:
Betrayal is a Symptom- Thrice
Misteryo- Slapshock
Bro Hymn- Pennywise
Linoleum- NOFX
School- Nirvana
Break Stuff- Limp Bizkit
Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine- The White Stripes

Run Log #5- One step at a time...

I feel a little better every time I run...?

Question because I can't really tell.  I think I feel better, but I could be trying to delude myself.  I'm up to the 15 minute stage of my base fitness training, and I can't help but think that running eighteen 15 minute stretches in a row (a 4:30 marathon) is going to be next to impossible.  Which is complete bullshit because I know that if I stick to the program, I'll be golden...

"It was your 5th running session, Glynn.  Take it easy and give yourself a break..."

Soundtrack:
American Hearts- Piebald
You Know the Story- Ozma
Landing of Yuri Gagarin- Ozma
No Support- It's Casual
Going Steady- Death From Above 1979
Dead End Friends- Them Crooked Vultures
Right Hand on My Heart- Whigs
Joker & the Thief- Wolfmother

Run Log #4

Soundtrack:
Treat Me Like Your Mother- The Dead Weather
Saturate- Chemical Brothers
When the Sun Goes Down- Arctic Monkeys
Daft Punk is Playing at My House- LCD Soundsystem
Know Your Enemy- Rage Against the Machine
Streamline- System of a Down

Morning runs might not be the devil after all...  I bought some Clif Bars today, which will forever remind me of when I was in the best shape of my life: spring of 2003.  I cut class almost every day to go mountain biking, and I'd always have a Clif Bar before riding.

Looking forward to Thursday.  One more 15 minute run before graduating to 20 on Saturday.  Maybe I can go for 1.66 miles, i.e. 9 min/mile...

Run Log #2 and Run Log #3

7/1- Soundtrack: Can't remember because I already switched my on the go playlist... pretty sure Dead Weath- Cut Like a Buffalo was on there and Japandroids- Heart Sweats...

7/3- Soundtrack:
Charmer- Kings of Leon
Leviathan- Mastodon
Paris- MSTRKRFT
Deadbolt- Thrice
Song for the Dead (Live)- QOTSA
With a Heavy Heart (I Regret to Inform You)- Does It Offend You, Yeah?
We Are Rockstars- Does It Offend You, Yeah?

Now 2 more rest days... then 20 minutes of running on Tuesday...

Lyrics:
So close yet so far
Eyes on the prize, feet on the ground
Grass, concrete, and tar
Earful of buds, escape in the sound

It hurts and that's okay
I'm the only thing in my way

Run Log #1

Tuesday, June 29, 2010, 21:30

Soundtrack- Battles

10 mins of easy jogging.  Getting back into the swing of things.  Building a base before starting a 4 month marathon training program.

GOAL: Carlsbad Marathon on Sunday, January 23, 2011.

lyrics:

warm up
cool down
push through
look around
and see
everything

left, right
take a breath
keep track
of the mess
inside
your head

run fast
run slow
get off your ass and go