2009 Spirit of Columbus Half Marathon

Lucky, I finally finished the blog!!!

I am finally ready to write about my experiences at the 2009 "Spirit of Columbus" marathon last Sunday. Like I mentioned on my Face Book page, my time was 17 minutes over what my goal. While the majority of this falls on me and my lack of running my "long runs" during training, part of the problem falls on race logistics as well.

"Pre-Race Gitters" I woke up at 5:15am, got dressed and sat down on the toilet int he bathroom to eat my English muffin with peanut butter. I only ended up eating 1/2 of the muffin before I left to head to the shuttle area. I was a little shaky, but I attributed it to nerves and lack of sleep. I walked about 2 blocks to the shuttle pick up and caught the first shuttle to the starting line. The race was scheduled to start at 7:30am. Once we arrived at the starting point, I found a piece of grass and laid down to stretch out my back. Last year, back pain at mile 7 led to a horrific last 4 miles for both time and pain. I found the 2:30 pace group and hung out with them. I was hoping to finish a little faster than that, but it would be nice to actually pace with someone.

"Ready Set Go, wait how far have we run?" The race started on time and we headed out. There was a decent sized group running together. Our pace leader "Coy" was great, he told jokes and led us in a cadence every mile. He also kept us loose and relaxed. We were plugging along and noticed there were no signs for mile markers. A lady in the group was wearing her Garmin GPS so we had an idea of how far we had run.

"Water water everywhere - but none for you." We reached the first aid station and there was no one there. There were coolers and sleeves of cups, but nobody handing water out. My thought was, "OK, its early enough in the race I'll be OK missing a station." At the next station there were volunteers, but no water. The aid station at mile 4 actually hag "Heed" (an energy drink) but no water. Now we are getting to mile 5 with no water and again no water or volunteers. At mile 6 they were handing out power gels. I grabbed one and opened it, knowing that there would be water to wash it down. Nope, still no water. Finally at mile 7 we found real, plain, water. We walked through the station then picked the pace back up again. I was beginning to feel the effects of my scant breakfast and lack of water.

"Grinding to a Walk." I continued to keep with the pace group until about mile 8. I felt a tinge in my ankle as we changed surfaces. That is when my pace started to fall. At mile 9 I walked for about a 1/4 mile as the pace group ran off into the sun. I finished out he last part of nine at a gingerly jog. I walked through the water station at 10 and pushed about another 1/2 mile and then my body stopped. I was out of breath and a little light headed. My feet were only moving because of the momentum of my body and my sinuses were clogged up. From this point at alternated walking and running for the next 3 miles.

"Round 13 and headed for Home." As I came around the bend at mile 13 I saw Laurel and the kids. Like last year, the kids met me on the road and we finished the race together. I mustered up the strength to run the finish.

"I did this for What?!?" I crossed the finish line with the kids and headed to the reception area. I was not the last person on the course by any stretch, but I got 1 of the last medals. They also ran out of the race shirts and technical hats. So, on top of no water, bathrooms, etc. along the race course. They ran out of finisher's medals, shirts, hats, etc.

I am not sure whether to give this race another year - you know they say,"Three times a charm." But, I finished it and it is yet another step towards Wright Patterson in September.
I took the week after t he race off to recover. I ran last Saturday with Michaela (my oldest daughter). She is training for her first 5K at Wright Patterson in September. We did 2.6 miles and averaged a 10:05 pace. I ran my speed work today and averaged a 4:44 for 1/2 mile on my splits.

Talk at everyone soon!

In Him,

Romans 8:31

A Great Race Followed by the Wheels Falling Off...

Good morning all.

Run #31 - 5K Race (should have done a total of 12 miles): I have not blogged since the New Richmond Scott McDowell Memorial 5K Run. This was to be another "training run" to work on pace and a little bit of tempo running. We got down to New Richmond about an hour before. While wondering around waiting for the start I did something that I have not done before any races to date, I took a quick 1/4 mile warm up jog. At the start of the race, I had decided that I was going to shoot for a 10:00 mile pace. The gun went off and I was off and running. I was really surprised when my first mile was a 9:13. I slowed my pace a little, but my second mile was still at a 9:34 pace. I ended up finishing the race with a 29:20 time, which is the best I have run in over a year. I felt great!!! I crossed the finish line before Laurel had expected to see me so she did not get a good picture.

The balance of the day was hot and muggy, so I opted not to run the rest of the miles I needed, plus, though I felt great, I was spent from the race. Sunday was a crazy/busy day with church (our new pastor started and was very good), then a soccer coaches meeting, then Laurel went to a Pampered Chef party - so no running on Sunday.

This week, the wheels feel like they have fallen off. Laurel had been sick Sunday evening so Monday morning I did not run. Monday night was soccer practices and I ran a couple of 1/2 mile laps with some of the players as well as the drills and other games - so I did get some running in.

Run #32 - Speed Work: Tuesday morning I ran my speed work program 1200's, 400's and 200's. The run went great. My times were below the target times and I felt great. Work was crazy and when I walked through the door at home after work, Michaela met me at the door in her running shoes, ready to go run. She is training for her first 5K run at Wright Patterson in September. We went and ran 2 miles and she did a 16:25 for 1.6 miles (half of a 5K). We came home and ate dinner, then I finished cutting and raking the grass.

Run #33 - Mile Logged, 4 miles: Wednesday morning I decided to run in Bethel on the walking track. This is when I noticed the wheels falling off. My run was horrid. I averaged around a 13 minutes mile and just felt sluggish and my legs heavy. Soccer practice that night was a little better, I ran the drills wit the kids and felt pretty good. I took Thursday off. We had another 6 ton of gravel delivered and I spread that on the driveway.

Run #34 - Tempo/Pace Work 6 miles: This morning was supposed to be a Pace run for 6 miles. I am shooting for an 11:00 mile pace. You would not have known that watching me run this morning. Each lap on the walking track was a bit slower than previous. Again I averaged about a 13:00 mile - with the same feelings and only ended up running 5.5 miles.

I am not exactly sure what is going on. I have had a cough since the fair (about 2 weeks now) that I just cannot shake. I do not have any other symptoms so I have not worried about it - and it has been better over the past week. Still, I feel like I do not have the energy/motivation that I have had in the past months. I am looking forward to the Spirit of Columbus a week from Sunday. Although I have not trained for it as well as I should have, I still feel like I am ready. I am using it as my long training run for Wright Patterson, so I should get a feel for where I am at time wise.

Talk at you all soon.

Peace,

Romans 8:31

Trainig Runs #20 - #30 Finally Caught Up

Good evening all.

I found a really cool way to post running routes on my blog. So I started with the infamous "Dam Run" I talked about when training for the Flying Pig. The route I posted is in a little different from the original in that I am running the long down instead of up like I did for the Pig in order to get ready for the Spirit of Columbus Half Marathon which is a point to point downhill race.

About my blogging, the county fair not only screwed up my training runs, but also my blogging on my runs. So, I am going to only update on my dates and distances for the past 2 weeks and more details on my most recent runs.

Run #20 - Logged Miles Run: YMCA indoor track 5 miles at an 11:12 average pace.
Fair Week - Lots of work and little free time to run. Missed 2 runs during week
Run #21 - Pace Run: Home 4.5 miles and evening soccer conditioning run 1 mile
Run #22 - Logged Miles/Stride Work: YMCA Indoor track 4 miles at an 11:35 pace + strides
Vacation Week - Recovery from the fair (lots of other stuff going on too):
Run #23 - Logged Miles: Dam Run 7 miles at a 12:17 average pace
Run #24 - Pace Work: Bethel Walking Track 4 miles at a 10:48 average pace and evening soccer conditioning run 1 mile
Run #25 - Speed Work: YMCA indoor track: 2x1200, 4x400, and 4x200 splits
Run #26 - Logged Miles: Springfield neighborhood run 4 miles 11:10 average pace

Run #27 - Bethel 10K Race: Here you go Lucky, I am finally getting this written up. The town we live in (at least close enough to to consider living in) had its first ever 10K race on 8/Aug/09. I signed up the run it as a training run and to get another race in. Aaron also signed up to run. The course review on the website was pretty straight forward, a flat out and back run.

I am not sure why my brain shut off, but the day before we had 20 ton of gravel delivered to the house to put in a parking pad and redo the driveway. We (Laurel, the kids and I) moved about 6-7 ton of the gravel by hand that day. Mistake #1: Moving gravel should not be done the day before a race. I did not think that moving gravel would impact my running.

Saturday morning, I got up and did my typically pre-run routine, showered, ate my typical breakfast of a peanut butter, honey and toast sandwich and headed to town to meet Aaron. At Aaron's I ate a banana and we walked over to the race. We got over there about 45 minutes early and wandered around talking to people and stretching out.

The race started on time. Since we were there early, we were in the from of the pack at the start. Mistake #2: As the "old fat guy" don't start out in front. When the gun went off and we started, I knew I was going to be in trouble, I was running way faster than I should have been, trying to keep with the front of the pack. When we hit the first mile marker, my fear was confirmed, I was running a 9:24 pace. Now that does not sound great, but I was shooting for something around 10:30-10:45 pace. The next mile was too slow. I slowed to an 11:34 pace. Mistake #3: Do not try to regain time too fast. I tried to pick up the pace too much in miles 3 and 4 and was not successful, although I was running faster. I spent a portion of t he time talking to a guy who is headed to Wight Patterson for the Half Marathon as well. By mile 5 I had settled down and was running pretty steady. I was talking to a couple of ladies who were running and one was a soccer coach in Bethel. Mile 6 was strong. Coming into the finish the fellow soccer coach I had been talking to was about 6 steps ahead of me. I was content with letting her finish ahead of me until the announcer at the finish line said, "We have a race going on here to the finish line." I picked up my pace a little. The icing on the cake was when Barb, a friend from the YMCA started cheering us on saying, "He's right behind you pick it up, he's going to catch you!" So, right before the line I stretched out my strides and stepped ahead of her 1 step before we crossed the line.

My final time was 1:10:03 with an average pace of 11:17. I was not impressed with my time although it was better than my last 10K run. From my training runs I know I could have finished faster, but chalk it up to experience. The run was good. It was not flat, but rather a series of rolling hills.

Run #28 - Speed Work: This morning I discovered a flaw in my training plan. I started a week earlier than I should have. So, my plan for this week was to repeat the training regime from last week since I missed my long (12 mile run). This was the same as run #25. The speed work went well. I ran an average 7:58 for my 1200's, 2:20 for my 400's, and 1:03 for my 200's. The run felt good, although I felt pretty lethargic afterward and for the biggest part of the day.

Run #29 - Logged Miles: Wednesday morning (12/Aug/09) I went to the YMCA indoor track. I did not have any run/time requirements, just get the miles in. I ran 4.5 miles and averaged an 11:20 pace. Again, the run felt pretty good, but lethargy set in afterward. Wednesday night was the first soccer practice for the girls teams. We did a lot of running and I think I actually outlasted all of them.

Run #30 - Pace Work: Today was a pace workout day. I went to the YMCA and again ran inside (it was too dark to run the road this morning). My runs were actually pretty good, although I shortened the length of the workout a little. My 4 mile run was at a 10:58 average pace, my 400 was a 2:31, and my last pace mile was an 11:05. I actually did not have the "run down" feeling after my run this morning. I have felt pretty good the whole day.

The balance of the week will be interesting. I am taking a day off from running tomorrow since I have run 3 days back to back. I am signed up for a 5K race in New Richmond Saturday morning and still need to figure out how to get my 12 miles in since I am playing guitar/banjo at church on Sunday and our church picnic with the new pastor is immediately after service.

Anyhow, that is what has been going on in the wild and crazy running world of Tim. I will try to be better about getting my blog done in a timely fashion from now on. I will blog at everyone either Saturday evening or Sunday night.

In Him,

Romans 8:31

The infamous "Dam Run"

Runs #16 trhough #19

Hello all,

Well my hope was to blog about each run as they occurred, but life has gotten in the way of that plan at this time. For the grief I have received, I am still running, just not writing fast enough. Here are my latest ventures.

Run #16 - 5 mile run: Per the training program I am following, this was one of those "free" runs where time is not as important as getting the miles in. It was raining Friday morning so I ran on the inside track at the YMCA instead of on the road out front. If you just joined in, the track at the Y is elevated above the gym and you need to run 20 laps to get 1 mile - yup 100 laps. Talk about feeling like a mouse on a wheel. The run went well, turned on the tunes and tuned out the monotony. After 3.5 miles my right ankle began hurting (same ankle I injured before the Flying Pig). I switched directions at mile 4 and that seemed to stop the pain. I was really pleased when I looked at my time and I had averaged an 11:20 mile for the entire run. That may not sound impressive, but I was not really trying and was not winded at the end. Anyhow, I hit the showers and headed off to work.

The cousin reunion weekend: Well we headed to southern Indiana for the weekend to see some of my cousins and hang out with them. I planned on running my "long run" (10 miles) while I was there, but it did not happen. We did do quite a bit of fishing and running around though.

Run #17 - Long Run 10 miles: Well since I did not torture myself over the weekend with a long run, I decided that Monday morning sounded like a good time to do it. I did not have to work so I went to East Fork Lake and did the "Dam Run". I must have been affected by my lack of sleep from the weekend because I did not plan the course well. I ended up only running a VERY SLOW (13:10 mile) 9.5 miles. The biggest reason for the slow average mile time was that I ended up running the last 1.65 miles uphill (at a pretty steep grade - from the bottom of the dam to the parking lot). But I did get my miles logged.

Run #18 - Speed Work: Tuesday morning I got up and headed to the YMCA to do my speed work out. I had to run 2 - 1 mile splits at my 10K pace (10:30 mile) and 6 - 200 splits at my 5K pace (9:30 mile). Mile 1 mile splits I ran outside on the road in front of the YMCA. i have never run well on that route and today was not exception. My 1 mile splits averaged a 11:15 mile. I think one of the problems with this run is that I do not have good markers to pace by and another is that the run is boring (flat, nothing to see, and out and back). However, I made up for the poor performance on my 200's. I ran an average split of 1:04, which equals an 8:32 mile. Also, each split was faster than the previous.

Run #19 - Pace Work: Today was not only the day I had to run what I have deemed my "WSR" ( Weekly Survival Run), but also the third straight day of running. It was raining when I got to the YMCA so I ran inside. The training plan called for a 4 mile run at my 1/2 marathon pace (11:00 mile), 1 mile at my 10K pace, and 6 stride splits (100m build to a 90% of full speed run for 1o seconds). I started out well. My first 2 miles were at a 10:50 mile pace then my friend Barb joined me. Running with someone who runs shorter distances and has fresh legs is always a challenge, but she is great to run with so I have someone to talk to. The next 2 miles were a 10:34 and a 10:17!!! Barb was as surprised as me when I told her what the splits were since we basically talked the entire time we ran. I ended up skipping the 1 mile at my 10K pace since I basically ran the 4 miles at that pace. I finished up with my stride work and it went well as well. I feel like I broke the curse of the WSR, if only for this week. I also came tot he realization that running back to back for 3 days is pretty taxing on the body.

Tomorrow is a "rest" day, but I may go swim if I wake up early enough (that silly cross training thing). I am definitely NOT running tomorrow, even if chased.

My next 2 runs are Friday and Saturday and I am going to try and stay on my schedule from now on. Even though I did run the Flying Pig this spring, over 21 miles of training runs in 3 days is rough.

Blog at you again soon.

In Him,

Romans 8:31

Runs #13, #14, and #15

Good evening all,

Though I try to do good, I continue to fall short of my mark.  Seeing how this past weekend was my 12th anniversary, I was not very focused on running.  I missed a couple of runs this week as a result.  Alas, I am having to blog on multiple runs.  So, here we go:

Run #13 - 6.25 miles:  I got up Saturday morning ate breakfast and Laurel and I headed to the track in Bethel.  Laurel was going to walk while I ran . Since it was a 6 mile run and that would be 4.5 laps, I changed my course and ran 1.5 laps then to and through the cemetery in Bethel and then another 1.5 laps.  My pace for the first half of my run was great. I was running a 10:45 mile.  When I got to the cemetery it was later morning and there was no shade.  That is one of the factors for my time crash.  The other was that I did not take any water with me for the run.  On my longer runs I take water and get a drink every mile or so to stay hydrated.  My final average pace was a 12:20 mile, which was not bad, but considering my starting pace...

Run #14 - speed work:  Monday morning I went to the YMCA and did my speed workout.  I did my 1 mile splits outside on the road and my 200's (1/8 mile) splits on the indoor track.  My average for the 1 mile splits was dead on my target of a 10:30/mile.  My 200's were also right on track, averaging a 1:04/split (which was actually faster than what I needed).  

Soccer Conditioning Run:  We did our Monday conditioning run with the soccer players and families who showed up at the Dairy Barn.  We had a good showing and everyone improved on their time expect for my oldest who slipped to a 9:30/mile.  Granted, she had been swimming for about 90 minutes prior to running AND then went back and swam some more after running.

Run #15 - Tempo run 4 miles (Wednesday Survival Run - WSR):  Today was my "WSR".  At least this is one run that is consistent - consistently bad!!!  My pace for the 4 miles was a 12:20.  It should have been an 11:00.  The 1 mile at my CI (Cruising Interval) was an 11:30 and should have been a 10:30.  The only good things about the run today, was the company, my Speed Work, and the fact that I got 6 miles total in.  I survived yet another WSR!!!

This evening the girls and I rode bike for about 90 minutes and then I attempted to tackle a couple of the "quad trails" behind my house.  Bad idea on a mountain bike, especially as steep as these are.  Anyhow, I got a little cross training in.

Well, I am going to go finish laundry and head to bed shortly.  Talk to everyone again soon.

Peace,

Romans 8:31

Runs #10, #11, and #12

Good evening all,

It is good to be back on the "Grid" again. I have a lot of catching up to do on my run blog. First though, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. It was nice spending time with the family without the hustle and bustle of work and everyday life. OK, now to my runs

Run #10 - 9 miles: We were in Springfield over the fourth of July weekend so I decided to run through town. My goal was to get 8 miles in running around town. Like my post on Face Book said, it was a great run, but equally depressing. The run itself was good. I averaged an 11:00 mile for the first 5 miles and my overall average was a 12:40 mile (the last 3 miles was up/down hills getting back home since pedestrians are not allowed on the overpasses in town). I felt great after wards. No pain, stiffness or anything.

The depressing part was how much my home town has changed. I ran past Community Hospital, where I was born. It will be closing when the new hospital opens downtown. The next major landmark was the site of the old International Harvester Plant, where my dad worked for many years. The plant is gone and all that is left is fencing and overgrown grass. Then, as I ran through downtown I passed the State and Regent theaters, both closed. I cannot count the number of movies I saw there growing up. The empty store fronts did not help either. As I rounded out my run, I ran past several of my old haunts (AKA bars we went to that are closed and boarded up). The Vining Broom company off of Kenton St. and the other industrial buildings that are now vacant, overgrown, and just a shell of what they once were. Then past "Finch's" party store, where I would ride to buy a soda and candy bars and play video games (when they were cool - Space Invaders, Centipede, etc.) and pinball., now under new ownership and not the same. Finally, I ended my run coming up my street and dead ending into the vacant lot where my elementary school once stood. All that is left are the trees and my memories.

Sorry to drone on about the past, and date myself in the process, but I guess that the only constant in life is change. While the bricks and mortar may be gone, the places live on in my memories like it was just yesterday. Reuniting with an old friend on Face Book over the weekend reminded me how blessed I am to have such fond memories of my childhood and the wonderful people I have known. Thanks Teresa.

Run #11 - Speed Work: Since I had Monday off, I did my speed work on the walking track in Bethel. I typically do this running on the indoor track at the YMCA so that I have an accurate way of measuring distances, but the track is marked with quarter miles so it worked well. The runs went well. I met or beat all of my target times and felt great afterwards. The second part of this day was the unofficial soccer conditioning run that I have been doing with some of the kids from the girl's soccer teams (7-9 year old girls and any siblings/parents who want to run). We meet and run a 1 mile course. I discovered that I am in BIG TROUBLE!!! Aaron, a friend of mine who is an X-marine, led the group so that I could keep the middle of the pack together. My oldest daughter (who is 9) ran an 8:32 mile!!! I don't even train at that pace!!! Aaron said she set the pace and he just kept up with her. She was also not really winded when she finished, just wanted her water. Man, this is not a good thing.

Run #12 - Tempo work: This run has been the thorn in my side since I started training. I cannot get the pace, I routinely miss my target time by 1 minute plus, and it is generally a depressing outing. So, I have renamed this run my "survival run". I will continue to run what I need and attempt to make my times, but I have resigned myself to the fact that it is going to suck. And this one was no exception. I ran a 12:40 mile average for the 2, 2mile Pace splits. This was even more depressing when you consider it was over 4 minutes slower than my 9 year old daughter's time for a mile. But, I put in the miles and the work.

I am taking a run off this weekend to enjoy my anniversary, but will be running my distance run this weekend at some point. I will blog again soon.

Thanks for keeping tabs on me and holding me accountable for my runs. You rock!!!

In Him,

Romans 8:31

Runs #8 and #9

Good evening all. I have a a few minutes while grandma puts the kid to bed to write up my last 2 runs.

Run #8 - Pace Interval 4 miles: Well like I have said time ad time again, I CANNOT PACE FOR CRAP!!! And this run was no exception. The training plan called for 2x2 mile pace runs with a 800 jog interval and then 4x200 Stride Runs. I ran outside at the YMCA on the road. It was cool, but 92% humidity. The first split was close to my pace. The next split was run in the rain and my time sucked big time. My overall average for the 4 miles was almost 90 seconds/mile over my target pace. I was frustrated and bummed afterwards. training this time of year has always been tough for me. Last year it was because I had run a half marathon and felt like training was not necessary for another one. This time I think it is due to having run a full marathon and now training for another run which is half the distance. My motivation tends to wain and my runs reflect it.

Run #9 - Open 4 miles: This morning was one of my open runs. I do not have any time requirements, just get the miles in. I went into Bethel to run the walking track. It is a 1.3 mile track with a small hill and slow grades. Laurel and the kids were going to meet me toward the end and run with me ( at least the girls were). I put on my Mp3 player, selected a country mix and took off. My first mile was a 10:19 (40 seconds under my target pace) and I was not even trying, just running. When Laurel and the kids met up with me I was at about mile 2. The girls finished the second lap with me and at the 2.6 mile mark I was still running a 10:20/mile. The next 3/4 mile was with whining kids so it was slow. When I go to the 3.5 mile mark, Laurel took the kids and I finished the last 1/2 mile at a 10:30 pace. My final mile average for the 4 miles was an 11:00 mile pace (dead on my target pace). I felt great, was not winded, and felt like I could go another 4 miles. It was really strange, Wednesday I could not make my time if I tried, today I did better than my pace without even trying. I wonder if it was because I was not trying or felt like I had to make a certain time.

Anyhow, I feel better about my running today. we'll see if the "high" lasts through my long run tomorrow. I am running 8 miles in the morning around Springfield. I am not sure exactly where I am running to, but I need to get some hill work (specifically downhill) to get ready for the Spirit of Columbus, which is a point to point downhill half marathon.

I will blog at you again soon.

Peace,

Romans 8:31

Runs #5-#7

Good morning fellow bloggers,

I have been off the grid for a few days so I am catching up on my blog. Here is a breakdown of the most recent runs and thoughts:

Run #5 - Open 4 miles: We had storms and LOTS of rain on Thursday night. When I got up t 6:30am Friday morning, it was cooler (70 degrees), but still really humid. Since I had the day off, I went into Bethel to run on the walking track (1.3 mile loop) only to find part of the track under water, so I had to modify my route a little. The run went well. There were no time requirements on it, just get the miles in. I averaged a 11:11 mile over the 4 miles, improving on my time each mile. Besides the humidity, it was a nice run. I talked to a gentleman on the track who told we we his rain gauge showed we received 3.5" of rain the night before. I also saw something that I have not seen before. There was a large leech (yes, a leech) crawling across the walking trial. I have never seen them out of water, much less crawling across pavement before.

Run #6 - Distance 8 miles: This was my longest run since the pig. I had been training inside with an occasional outside run on a relatively flat course. Since the "Spirit of Columbus" is a point to point downhill run I decided to go to the dam and run the "Ascent" in reverse. I parked at the top and then started out running the 3 mile downhill jaunt. Then I would run out to the highway and back, getting in 8 miles. There was not any "set" time requirements for this run so I started out at a pace a little slower than my target pace. Again, the humidity was pushing 80%. The other thing that I didn't think about was that whatever I ran down, I had to run back up, so the last 1/2 of the run was basically all uphill (some at a pretty good incline). The run was humbling to say the least. I made the entire 8 miles, but it was painful. I also shot myself in the foot by not eating before I started running.

Run #7 - Speed work (5 miles): Monday was a speed work day. I ran varying intervals at increasing speeds 1x1200 at PI (pace interval 11:00/mile), 2x800 at CI (cruising interval 10:40/mile), and 4x200 at SI (speed interval 9:30/mile). I was under on every run and taking the tines out to a mile, all of them averaged at 25 seconds faster than the targeted time. I was really psyched, but also concerned since it means I do not know how to pace. Anyhow, with all of the jogging intervals and warm up/cool down I ended up with 5 miles.

Soccer Conditioning Run: 3 weeks ago I started "unofficial" conditioning runs for the girl's soccer teams (9 year olds and 7 year olds). We meet at the Dairy Barn in town and run a 1 mile loop. My goal is for all of the kids to be able to run a mile by the end of summer and those who already can, do it faster. My 9 year old daughter ran a 9:52 mile, which I thought was pretty good since she does not "run", but little brother (who was no older than 6) of a girl on my 7 year old's team finished with my oldest. We had a great run

Well, I am off to bed. Tomorrow is pace training.

Peace,

Romans 8:31

Run #4 - Pace Intervals

Good morning,

Yesterday was my 4th "official" training run. The plan I am following called for 2, 2 mile runs at my PI (pace interval) separated by 1/2 mile recovery run and then 4 S (stride intervals) runs separated by 1/8 mile intervals. Since it seemed sort of cool outside, I decided to get my runs in on the road in front of the YMCA rather than the indoor track. My first 2 mile split was great - which was my problem. The first mile was 1 minute under my PI (11:00 mile) and the second mile was slightly over my PI. That is my ongoing problem, pacing. That, and the fact that the humidity was 80% killed my next split. I averaged a minute over my PI for each mile. The stride work was OK. I have never done it before so I have no benchmark to compare it to at this time.

We are planning on taking the family swimming today once we get the house cleaned so that will be today's cross training. My plan is to run 3-4 miles on Friday and then 7-8 miles on Saturday or Sunday, working on downhill intervals in preparation for the Spirit of Columbus.

Peace,

Romans 8:31

Run #3 - Speed Plus

Good evening all,

I am a day behind in blogging about my run so here are the details. We have VBS at church this week and I am doing the music and other "various" parts. Monday morning I did my speed work out. I am following a 9 week plan this time that has me running 4-5 days a week AND I am trying to be more diligent about the cross training and core muscle strengthening.

Anyhow, I ran a variety of distances at ever increasing speeds and hit every target. My 1200 was under my PI (Pace Interval - half maerathon target pace of 11:00) by 25 seconds. The 2x800's averaged out 5 seconds under my CI (Cruising Interval my 10K pace (target) of 10:00) and my 4x400's averaged out 6 seconds under my SI (Speed Interval my 5K pace of 9:30). I felt great afterwards and added enough to get a total for 4 miles in.

Today I did core muscle training and realized that the muscles above my waist suck. I did intervals of jack knives, planks, and push-ups. Over the course of this training regime I will be throwing in swimming as well.

Tomorrow is a Tempo type training - 2x 2 miles at my PI and then 4x200's S (Strides - starting out slow and building to 90% of a full sprint and hold it for 10 seconds, then backing off to a walk to recovery). We'l;l see how I hold uop and I will give a full report tomorrow or Thursday.
In Him.

Romans 8:31

Training for the Next Races - Spirit of Columbus and USAF Half

Hello all,

Well after a short break and some maintenance running I am back on the training track.  I did run one official race, the "Red Legs Run for Home" 5K at the end of May.  In 9 weeks I am running the "Spirit of Columbus" half marathon and then 2 weeks after that is the "USAF Half Marathon".  I am psyched about both races.  I want to beat the race that hurt my back last year (Spirit of Columbus) and the USAF will be a reunion with a great friend from college as well and we have recruited a large group of people to run with us (some for their first half marathon) and the list keeps growing!!!

As before, I will be blogging my training runs and other random thoughts.

On a side, yet very cool, note while running the Pig I saw a couple of shirts with the motivational bible verse I picked to get me through the training and my first marathon, Philippians 4:13.  Come to find out there is a running ministry group that has that as there mantra.  They are TEAM 413.  I became a fan of the group on Facebook and have ordered a shirt from them.  They are worth checking out.

Anyway, back to my training runs.  I have done 2 this week:  Tuesday morning was speed work.  I am mixing 2 training programs that I have found.  One is the one I used last year training for my first half marathon and the other is a little more advanced.  I'll let everyone know how it works out.  So my first run was at the YMCA on the inside track.  2x 1/2 mile (averaging 4:57) 4x400 1/4 mile (averaging 2:16) and 2 stride runs.  The workout was great and I felt awesome afterwards.  A grand total of 4.5 miles with the warm up and cool down intervals.  The second run was this morning, Friday, in Bethel.  IT was a 3 mile tempo run.  That run kicked my tail.  The heat and humidity was already bad at 5:45am and it wreaked havoc on my time.  I average a 10:37 mile, which was slower than my target speed, but you have days like that.  I did rack up another 4 training miles though.  I need to get a distance run in this weekend if at all possible.

In addition to my training regime, we started the "Unofficial" soccer conditioning runs for the U8 and U10 girls soccer teams that I coach (my kids teams).  we get together once a week and the kids (and some parents) run a 1 mile course I have laid out which starts and ends at the local dairy barn - ice cream good.  Several kids are showing up and running. 

Well, I think that is all for now.  I will blog at everyone again soon.

Peace,

Romans 8:31 - My "Old/New" motivational verse.

Back to Training - Next Race "Spirit of Columbus" Half Marathon

Hello all,

Well I have set my sights on my next 2 big races, the "Spirit of Columbus" half marathon 30/Aug/09 and the "USAF Half Marathon" 19/Sep/09.

I tried to start back into training yesterday - running 2 miles. I made it. The first mile was slow and painful and the second was fast and painful. I have decided that I can give myself a little break and start back to running next week.

I am REALLY psyched about the USAF run since a good friend for college is coming back in town to run it with me and Aaron. I have not seen Lucky since college and am looking forward to seeing him and catching up in person. Also, a friend of mine from the YMCA is planning on running it also. My goal is to get a big crew together to run it!!!

I will keep everyone posted.

Keep running, but be sure to stop smell the roses and take in all the joys of life that God gives us. Remember, "Yesterday is History, Tomorrow a Mystery, Today is a Gift, That's why it's called the Present."

In Him,

Romans 8:31 - my new "old" motivational verse!!!

I'm an Official Marathoner!!!

Well,



It's 3 days after finishing the "Flying Pig" marathon and I am still on my high. Before I go into details about the race I need to send out several thank yous:

1. First to God - for giving me the ability to run, especially with my injuries to my ankle and knee.
2. Second to my family - for not only tolerating all of the hours spent training, the long weekend runs, early mornings, etc. but also for their support.
3. Third to all of you - for holding me accountable to my runs, asking how training was going and encouraging me when I doubted.
4. Finally to Becki - although you feel that I helped you finish, supporting you kept me from ever doubting we could do it. Thanks!!! I will explain later.

Now for the details: 4:30am came REAL early Sunday morning. I was pretty restless all night and was actually awake when the alarm on my watch went off. I got up, got dressed, packed up my gear and made a bagel with peanut butter and honey. I checked the radar and there was a large dark green blob over Cincinnati. RAIN, and it looked fairly heavy!!! Aaron came to pick me up at 5:00am and we were off in the rain, to do something that seemed insane.

We arrived downtown and parked about 4 blocks from the starting line. We walked down in the rain following the sea of other runners, some wearing garbage bags (which was a great idea) to the starting area at Paul Brown Stadium. After hitting the restrooms and checking my bag we wondered into the starting area. I found the 5:00 pace group and Aaron headed up towards the front of the pack. He was planning on finishing the half in around 2 hours. While I was standing around waiting for the start, I talked with several people who were planning on running with the 5 hour group. I met a nice couple for Baltimore, a college student from Asbury (Becki), and a few others. Some had run marathons before all over the country and others were like me "first timers".

The race started and we were off. Becki and I had been talking when the gun sounded so we ran together trying to catch up with the 5 hour pace runner. She was about 10 yards ahead of us and with all of the people we could not get moving fast enough to catch her. We gradually gained on her and by mile 3 we were back within 15 yards of her. I kept watching my watch and her pace was faster than what I had anticipated (faster than she had on her sign too) so at mile 5 I decided that I needed to set my own pace. I told Becki good luck and I would see her at the finish line. So i slowed down and kept plugging along. I forced myself to follow my plan of walking through each water station. I found that I ran stronger between each station with the added breaks, even if I was not tired.

The first 9 miles was pretty routine. i had run that part of the course last year on the half and knew what to expect. Reality sat in when instead of turning left like I did last year for the half marathon, I turned right and continued out of town. That was where I saw my first cheering section. Laurel, Christa, Tina, and Jake. They were yelling and giving out high fives and Christa ran a short distance with me. Then it was off again, towards O'Bryanville and Hyde Park. I ran past my old apartment on Madison Road. That brought back memories of snowball fights and riding the couch down the hill tot he dumpster repeatedly. The next stop was Hyde Park. I was surprised and excited to see another cheering section, the Miller clan (Kim, Pam, and mom) were there. I felt a burst of energy and when I started into Hyde Park a saw a familiar runner. Becki was ahead of me about 1/4 mile. I was closing in until she past a group of guys (with a bull horn) cheering her on and then she was off again, leaving me in the dust.

The run took us past the Kroger in Hyde Park and then down near Ault Park. We crossed Red Bank Rd. and headed up Bramble into Madisonville. That is where I hit a water station not on the map. It was a "special blend" AKA Bud Light. I typically do not make it a practice to drink that early in the morning, especially on Sunday and definitely not cheap American Beer, but it tasted REALLY good at that point. As I turned off of Bramble and went into Mariemont I again saw Becki. I picked up my pace to catch up to her.

I caught up to Becki just before mile 15. I asked how she was doing and she was doubting that she could finish. I told that we were going to finish and she told me go on. I told her that she was stuck with me until I was sure that she was going to finish. We did interval running/walking through Mariemont and I even took a couple of passes of a football from some kids along the route (I really suck at that sport). It was an unexpected surprise when my brother's mother-in-law met us in Mariemont and cheered us along. Becki and I talked as went along. As we headed out of Mariemont the Miller clan met up with us again and followed us along the bike trail. Once we were back out on the road, Becki's cousin and her boyfriend cheered us along. We left most of our cheering section in the dust (with the exception of Becki's cousin) as we ran up a steep hill. We had now turned the corner and were headed back into Cincinnati.

On the west end of Fairfax we met up with the whole cheering crew (which now included Aaron who had finished the half marathon) again just before the Frisch's Mainliner. Then we headed down route 50. Again, we did interval running/walking. This part of the course was pretty boring. There was not a whole lot to see since we were on a 4 lane state route. Our cheering section did pass us on the road and offered us a ride, but Becki smiled and told me, "Just say no." It was great to see a smile. At mile 20 Lauri, a volleyball buddy, met me and walked/jogged with us for the next 4 miles. During that time, we met up with our cheering section yet again. It became a mobile party. It was REALLY AWESOME. Everyone was talking and the miles just seemed to fly by. At mile 24 Lauri bid us farewell and Aaron, Tina and their son Jake decided to stay with us for the next 2 miles.

When we reached mile 25, I told Becki we were going to run the last 2 tenths in across the finish line - finish strong. Before we reached the mile 26 mark, Becki said let's go and we headed into a strong finish.

The finish was awesome. As we came down the stretch, Aaron was running with us and a runner who had already finished the marathon joined in on the other side. They announced our names as we ran across the finish. Once across it was a double high five and a big hug - we made it. We both got our medals and shiny silver blankets and headed out to park where the party was. We reconnected with our cheering section and traded email addresses (actually names so we could connect on FaceBook).

We parted ways and I headed home by way of McDonald's (for a fillet of fish and large milkshake). Once home I took a quick shower and was off to coach both girl's soccer games. Needless to say, I slept REALLY well Sunday night.

On a final note. Becki said told me that she w would have not finished had it not been for me. While I am flattered that she would say that, I do not know if I would have finished without her. From everyone that I have talked to that runs marathons, there comes a time in the race when you "hit the wall" and the race becomes a case of mind over matter. Spending time with Becki and all of the people that were supporting us kept me from doubting myself. Just being with Becki did not allow me the opportunity to focus on my doubts. I knew that just my running the marathon was a long shot itself since I had injured my ankle and my knee pretty significantly in the last few weeks leading up tot he race. I commented to Becki as we were talking after we finished, "Just think, you did this after being sick and me after my ankle and knee injuries, just imagine what we could do if we were 100%!"

So Becki, if you ever read this blog - Thank you for putting up with me for the last 11 miles. As much as you feel I supported you, you did the same for me. We are both "Official Marathoners". And in the words of a runner I talked to along the way who was in his 70's, "Remember, your medal is just as big as the guy who finishes first." Enjoy the high, keep running, and I hope we get to run together again someday.

In Him,

Philippians 4:13

Run #72 - 2 mile taper "The Last Run"!!!

Well,

I have finally made through all of my training runs, at least to the end of the schedule. I ran my last run this evening after work. I went tot he YMCA and since it was nice, I ran outside on the road in front of the Y. I did a simple 1 mile out and 1 mile back loop. I ran it at a pace slower than my target MP. It was really strange stopping after 2 miles, I did not even feel like I worked out. I took a shower and headed to the church for ensemble practice feeling good and ready to run.

Looking back I completed a total of 63 runs of the 76 for a total of 340.7 miles. I have run through sub zero weather, having ice form on my hair, beard, and eyebrows. I have run in the rain, the sun, the dark, on roads, tracks indoors/outdoors. I have run alone, with friends, and in races. I have climbed stairs and climbed hills. I have fought through injuries to my ankle, and knee, foot pain and leg/muscle pains. Why? Not for the training, or self improvement, or for the pig - really. All of these were side benefits of all of this. The reason that I run, is for my family. I want to be around to see my kids grow up, share a long loving relationship with my wife, and enjoy all of the blessings God has given me that I have done nothing to deserve.

So, I hope to finish the "Flying Pig" on Sunday and maybe do so in under 5 hours. Whatever the outcome, I am just blessed to be able to participate in the race.

Thanks again to all of you that have supported my efforts, you truly have been a blessing to me. The blog will be reflections on the marathon, unless I blog about my girls running the kid marathon on Saturday.

In Him,

Tim Vogel

Philippians 4:13

Run #71 - Taper 3 miles

Hello all,

Well since I was home with a sick child, went into Bethel and ran the walking track for my taper run. It ended up being 3.1 miles. It was cool when I got on the track (about 50 degrees) at 6:45am. The sun was not quite up and it was a great morning to run. There were not many other people on the track (1 other runner and 2 ladies walking). This was supposed to be an easy run, slower than my target MP. My pace ended actually being right at my target MP. for the entire run.

Tomorrow is my last taper run before the pig. Blog at everyone again soon.

In Him, Philippians 4:13

Run #70 - Taper 4 miles

Hello all,

Well only 2 runs left before the pig and I am feeling great. We drove part of the course over the weekend (last part coming into Cincinnati on route 50 and route 52 to Pete Rose Way) and it looks pretty flat. I should not get confused like last year and start my final kick too early since it is a straight shot into the finish.

My run this morning was only 4 miles. I hit the YMCA at around 5:45am and was on the track. My runs are supposed to be "easy" paces, but yet again I ran way faster than I should be. I ran a negative split for the 4 miles with an overall average pace of 11:06/mile which is 14 seconds under my target MP and 60+ seconds under the pace I should have been running. My first mile was 11:23/mile and miles 2 and 4 were both under 11 minutes. I walked an additional 1/2 mile and then stretched out before hitting the showers and heading to work. Tomorrow is a 3 mile "taper" run. With only 2 runs left before the pig, I am getting excited and anxious.

Will blog at everyone tomorrow.

In Him,

Philippians 4:13

Run #69 - 10 miles (last of the "long" ones)

Hello all,

Well I ran my last long run on Saturday. IT was 10 miles and was the longest run I have done in 4 weeks. This worries me since I missed my 18 and 20 mile runs due to injuries. The longest run I have completed going into the Flying Pig is only 18 miles. Anyhow, Saturday morning I got up and ate a breakfast of wheat toast with peanut butter and honey on it and headed tot he dam where I run. A friend who is running the half marathon joined me (well we both met there and he ran faster than me). I started out with the dreaded "ascent" that I have talked about before. IT goes from the very bottom of the dam up and out over 2 spill ways. I wanted to put my knee and ankle to a final test. The run went well. I used the strategy that I am going to employ fort he pig, stopping about every mile or so (simulating water stations) to get a drink and start back up. Using this system, I was still a little slower than I hoped, but ran the fastest long run of my entire training to date. With no pain, I call it a successful run.

I am not into my last 3 taper runs before the pig on Sunday morning. I asked for 2 prayers. First for thanksgiving that I am healed enough to even run the marathon and second for everyone at church to say an extra prayer for me on Sunday at the start of service (10:00am). I figure I will be at about mile 18 at that point and will need all of the support I can get.

I also want to take a moment to thank anyone and everyone who has followed my writings and rantings in this blog. While I have been doing this as kind of a "keepsake" of my training for my first marathon, it has also been a way for me to have a kind of "accountability partner" since I did not have anyone to train with for the full marathon. Thanks everyone!!! I still have 3 runs to blog about as well as my marathon experience and recovery.

In Him,

Philippians 4:13

Run #68 - Recovery 6 miles

Hello all,

Sorry about posting this so late, but it was a busy weekend at the house. Last Thursday (23/Apr/09) was my 4th recovery run. I was planning on running 6 miles (2 miles further than the day before) and trying to run at a "Tempo" pace (30 seconds under my target MP). I hit the track at 5:30am. I started out at a pretty good clip. My first mile was 35 seconds under my tempo pace and I was feeling good so I kept going. After the first 3 miles I took a quick bathroom break. My average was 34 seconds under my tempo pace (over a minute under my target MP)!!! When i got back up to the track (roughly 2 minutes), I could not get back into a good groove. My fist mile was 13 seconds under my tempo pace and the next 2 were closer to my target MP. The average for the second 3 miles was 15 seconds over my tempo pace. I was very happy with my overall average though of 45 seconds under my target MP, especially since I am still in the recovery phase.

Friday was a rest day and Saturday was to be my last long run and the longest run I had done in 4 weeks due to injuries. That blog later on today.

In Him,

Philippians 4:13

Run #67 - Recovery 4 miles

Good evening everyone,

Well another day, another recovery run and yet another glimmer of hope for catching that illusive pig. This morning my goal was to continue ramping up my running by doubling my distance from yesterday. The plan was to run 4 miles at an "easy" pace.

It was cold again this morning when I got to the YMCA at 5:30am. It was 38 degrees, but not raining. I hit the track and started on my run. Like yesterday I settled into a comfortable pace, trying make sure that it was slower than before. I had my music on and just ran with the beats (trying to pace with a variety of music is difficult to say the least. When I finished my run, I walked another mile talking with a friend that I see on the track from time to time.

When I looked at my times and averaged out my pace over the 4 miles, I was excited to see that my pace average out to 5 seconds per mile faster than my target MP. It was equally exciting since the run was supposed to 45-90 seconds/mile slower than my MP.

Again, after running I was not sore at all and felt good, not winded at all.

With each run, I feel stronger and more confident that I will catch hat illusive pig and earn my first 26.2 medal.

I will blog at you all again tomorrow after my run. i am hoping to get 6-7 miles in and try to run it at my tempo pace (30 seconds under my MP) but I am not going to push it. i am still on the road to recovery and would rather run slow and steady than not at all.

In Him,

Philippians 4:13

Run #67 - 2 miles (the next steps to recovery)

Hello all,

Yesterday was my second "recovery" run. I planned on running2 miles and seeing how the knee held up. I arrived at the YMCA at 6:00am. It was cold (38 degrees) and rainy when I got out of the truck, which made me even more thankful that I have an inside place to run. I hit the track and settled into what felt like an easy pace. When I checked my time at my first mile it was 10:29 - 51 seconds UNDER my MP (marathon pace). I just kept on running at the same pace (or so I thought). When I finished my second mile the pace for it was 10:02!!! I decided to run a 1/2 mile "cool down" and it was at an 11:00 pace, still below my MP. Needless to say I was really psyched about the run. My knee felt great. There has been no pain to date and I am doing what I was told, ramping myself back up slowly.

Today's run was to be a 4 mile run. You'll have to read the blog later today to hear about it though.

Still in the hunt for that pig!!!

In Him,

Philippians 4:13

Run #66 - 1/2 mile trial run

Good morning,

A quick post about my 1/2 mile "trial" run this morning. I hit the YMCA at 6:30am and went up to the track. My goal was to complete what the doctor said, an easy 1/2 mile. I walked a 1/4 mile and then started running. I was REALLY nervous about the run. I wanted everything to be OK, but was afraid that it would not be. I started out at a slow pace and slowly increased it to what felt like my "easy" pace. I was amazed when I looked at my time. The first 1/4 was a 3:03 and the second 1/4 was a 2:41. It was also hard to stop after on 1/2 mile, but I did. I walked a 1/4 mile cool down and then stretched and hit the showers.

My knee feels great. No pain and I felt strong running, with the exception of taking 8 days off. My goal is to ramp up to my 10 mile run on Saturday by running a little more each day Tuesday-Thursday. Then take Friday off to recover beforet he long run.

My goals for the Flying Pig are still alive:

1. Finish the entire marathon (26.2 miles)
2. Finish in under 5 hours

I will keep everyone posted on my progress this week. I am still int he hunt for that pig!!!

Peace,

Philippians 4:13

Thank God for Miracles!!!

Hello all,



I wanted to get this post out yesterday, but ran out of time. First of all, I want to thank everyone for your prayers and support. It seems like when you put things in God's hands, it works much better than going at it alone.



Yesterday (Thursday) morning, I collected my x-rays and climbed into the van to head to my appointment with the orthopedist. I was down about what I was expecting to hear - a long recovery and/or surgery. But, I really had spent since Saturday preparing myself for it. I had held out hope for running the pig, but was already making plans for a fall marathon, looking seriously at the Detroit marathon in October.



When the doctor walked into the room and asked what happened, I explained how I was training for the Flying Pig and was on my last "long" run when... (you've already read it). He told me his wife was a marathon runner and that he thought we were crazy to want to run that far and asked me if I was planning on running the Flying Pig. I said, "I was planning on it until this happened, now I don't think I'll be able to." His response floored me!!! He said, "Well, my goal is to get you to be able to run it." He looked over my knee, felt all around i, moving it, jerking it, all that jazz. He said that my tendons felt good and that I may have "tweaked" on of them since I had some pain twisting the knee to the inside. He also thought that I could have pulled a "rudimentary" muscle in my calf that runners typically damage, which can feel like an ACL tear when it happens, and that I may have had a "baker's cyst" in the back of my knee, from a meniscus tear at some point, that may have ruptured (thus the "pop" and swelling).



He then gave me several options:

1. Ignore it for now since I was healing well


2. Have physical therapy


3. Get an MRI and see what is going on, but if it is a pulled muscle there would be nothing else to do.

I asked him, what he would do and he said ignore it for now. He said I am getting better and to start back running on Monday (1/2 mile at the most) and see how it feels. Then ramp back up to my distances since I am in the taper phase of my training. He did not see a reason why I could not run the pig. He prescribed an anti-inflammatory and said if it was not getting better or worsened next week while running to call and we would to the MRI and get together to discuss options. He said they could be from limping through the marathon on a pulled muscle to surgery if it was more serious.

Well, I will keep everyone posted. I plan on doing just what the doctor ordered, running a 1/2 mile on Monday and go from there. The knee has felt good over the past couple of days. I will post again on Monday after my trial run and let everyone know how it is doing. Only 14 days and 7 scheduled training runs left to the pig.

The final thing that I want to say is "Job was a patient man" - for those of you who follow this blog and went the Catholic Central (Mr. Faulkrod's class). I have recently felt like Job, adversity at every tune in the past few weeks, but I will keep handing it over to God.

Thanks for your prayers.

In Him,

Philippians 4:13

Runs #61 to #65 - Only 3 weeks to go!!!

REPOST - Since my original one did not post for some reason!!!

Good afternoon everyone,

As I look ahead to my last 3 weeks of training, I lay here on the couch in my living room with my left knee elevated and iced, I feel that my hopes of running the Flying Pig (my first full marathon) are ending. I am still holding on to a VERY THIN thread of hope, but the knife edge is pressing against it. First, let me review last weeks runs.

Run #61 - "Quality" 6 miles. Tuesday morning I got up and went to the YMCA to run. My training called for a quality 7-8 miles, but since I had the foot problems on Sunday, I decided to limit the run to 6. I ran 7 Yasso 800's (1/2 mile splits separated by a quarter mile job) and the average was below my target time by a couple of seconds. This may not sound to impressive, but the 6th split was at my marathon pace (30 seconds over my target time). After the run I felt great. I had no pain in my ankle or feet.

Run #62 - "Easy" 5 miles. Wednesday morning was to be an easy 3-4 mile run. This means 30-90 seconds slower than my target MP. I got to the YMCA and started my run, I got into a rhythm and as I was finishing my 4th mile, a friend that runs at he YMCA came up n the track so I ran another mile with her, talking about life and generally catching up. I finished my run and walked another 1/2 mile as a cool down feeling great with no pain and not feeling winded. When I checked my pace later that morning I discovered that I had run at a pace 10 seconds faster than my target MP. I was really excited then!!!

Run #63 - "Tempo" 7 miles. Thursday morning I get to the YMCA and started out on my tempo run. This is a run is to be at a pace 30 seconds under your MP. My training plan called for a 6-7 mile run so I decided to try to push for the 7 miles. I started out at a good pace and maintained that for the first 5 miles. At mile 6 I slowed down to give myself a quick break and reset my Mp3 player. That mile ended up being 1 minute slower than my MP and 45 seconds over my target for the run. I kicked it in for the last mile and finished it faster than my first mile. Then I walked another mile for a cool down while talking to a lady who was walking on the track. For the third day I felt great, no pain, not very winded, and my average pace time was 5 seconds under my target. If I dropped the mile that I slowed down, it was 55 seconds under my target.

So, with 3 of my best runs under my belt and feeling great I went to the Podiatrist to have my feet looked at for the pain I had on Sunday's run. I found out that the problem was most likely caused by not replacing my running shoes soon enough. The Dr. gave me some OTC inserts with added height in the out soles. I put them in my running shoes and wore them to work on Friday to see how they felt. It made a world of difference and I was now ready to tackle y longest training run on Saturday - 20 miles. My plan was to run from Xenia to my home town of Springfield on the bike trail. It would be 20 miles point to point. I was also pumped about the possibilities of having netted 40 miles in 1 week!!!

Saturday morning, we headed out towards Springfield and Laurel asked if I would drive. When we got to Xenia, Laurel dropped me off downtown near the trail and with my camel back, water belt and several power gels, I set off towards Springfield. Running through town was a little rough. I had to stop several times for crossing traffic and when I stepped off one curb I felt a tinge in the back of my left knee. It hurt enough to impair my gait a little. I stopped at about 1 mile at the McDonald's on the north end of Xenia to use the restroom and walk off the pain. When I started out again it was better. At just over 2 miles into the run I felt a "pop" in the back of my left knee that stopped me dead in my tracks. I could not bear any weight on my left leg and was in a lot of pain. I tried stretching it out and resting, but nothing helped. Fortunately I was 50 yards from the "Old Town Reserve" park and a crossroad. I call ed Laurel and told her that I could not run and needed to get picked up. She came to get me and we were off to Urgent Care.

At urgent care the initial assessment was that all of the tendons were fine, but that I had ruptured my bursa and would not be running anytime soon. The doctor was a real "arse" (I don't swear so you get my drift). He sent me on my way in a knee immobilizer, which he and the nurse put on WRONG, and said to take ibuprofen, follow RICE (Rest Ice, Compression, Elevation) and follow up with my primary care doctor on Monday.

On Monday, I called my doctor and they sent me for an x-ray. This morning they called and said the x-ray was negative except for some minor arthritis and referred me to an orthopedic doctor. That brings us to where I started.

I fear that my hopes for the pig are gone. I am going to start looking for a "contingency" plan marathon in the fall so that I can get a marathon in this year. Please send a prayer or 2 this way. I could use a miracle.

Will keep you posted....

In Him,

Philippians 4:13

Run #59 and #60 - Easy 6 miles and foot pain - WHAT NEXT?!?

Hello again,

I am finishing up my back log of blogs for last week. Run #59 was supposed to be a long/easy run (16-18 miles) and run #60 was an easy 3-4 miles. Since I am still nursing back my ankle, my plan was to flip the runs and walk at the horse park on Saturday and see how it felt. Then Sunday, I was going to run a 10 miler to phase back into long runs.

Saturday at the horse park went well. Although the day started out cold (39 degrees), it wormed up nicely by mid afternoon (67 degrees). We walked all around the park and the ankle did surprisingly well. At dinner time I cut off the wrap I put on and it was till doing well.

Sunday, my plan was to go run after church at the dam (where the dreaded "ascent" is located). I was planning on running the upper loop twice and taking a walking/water break every 3 miles to simulate the water stations on the marathon route. The run started out well. I was running on the lower end of my targeted range for the first 3 miles. At mile 3 I walked for about 40 seconds while I got a drink of water and then started back up. I felt strong. The break had given me a boost of energy and I was running well until about a mile into it - then the pain started. The outside of my right foot (same one that the ankle sprain is on) started hurting. There was sharp pain near the wrapped area. The pain continued until I stopped and cut the wrap off of my ankle. It was rolled and really tight on my foot. Once I got it off, it was back to running smoothly. My pace was better than my first 3 miles and things were going well until about mile 2 then the pain came back. This time in both feet. It was not as intense, but still hurt. The longer I ran the more painful it became. At mile 6 I was visibly limping and my stride was suffering from the pain. I decided to call it a day and head home.

I have had pain off and on on the outside of my feet for the past 3-4 months. I have generally attributed it to just being old and needing to replace my running shoes, but I have new shoes and the pain seems to be getting worse. I was frustrated wit my Sunday run because I was feeling fit both physically mentally to go the other 4 miles, but my feet hurt so bad I had to stop. I have made an appointment to see a podiatrist this week and get to the bottom of my pain. Once I get the pain issue resolved, I am confident that I can complete the pig - maybe in under 5 hours.

I will keep you all posted on my saga. Tomorrow I am going to try and get 7 miles in before work. If things hold together, I am going to try to do my Yasso 800's, but we will see how the feet/ankle are in the morning.

Peace,

Philippians 4:13

Run #58 - Easy 7 pushing toward recovery

Good evening everyone,

This post is from last Thursday evening. I had ensemble practice at church and did my run between work and practice. Typically my evening runs are not the best, but my goal was to get miles on my ankle and see if it would hold up.

When I got tot he YMCA at 4:30pm, it was 65 degrees and the rain had held off. I ran outside on the access road that the Y is on. It is a 3 mile loop from overpass to overpass. I ran at an easy pace (30-60 seconds over my marathon pace) and was able to maintain that pace for the extent of the run. My ankle felt pretty good. There was no pain and on the 2 occasions that my foot placement caused the ankle to almost buckle, it withstood the shock and did well.

We are headed to the Kentucky Horse Park on Saturday so I will get a good amount of walking in on my ankle. My plan is to try and get a 10 mile run in on Sunday and see how the ankle holds up.

Blog you soon,

Philippians 4:13

Run #56 - Quality 4.5 miles (done at an "easy" pace)

Hello all,

I am trying to get back onto my training plan I have used for the Pig, but found that I need to make some changes. Missing 3 consecutive runs with an ankle injury has put a slight wrench in my running. So today, rather than trying to run the 7 "Quality" miles (Yasso 800's) that I was scheduled for, I decided to do 4.5 miles at an "easy" pace, just to get my legs, and ankle back up to speed.

I ran on the elevated track at the YMCA. I noticed some pain in the knee of my opposite leg and have attributed it to my body overcompensating for the injured ankle. I was able to maintain a 12:00 mile for the run, which was good.

My plan for the balance of this week is to run every other day and work on increasing the mileage rather than speed. My goal is to be able to complete my last long training run next weekend. It is a 20 mile run and I am planning on running from Xenia to Springfield on the bike trail. I have incorporated a new strategy into my distance runs that I read about in some training information from a friend. I try to stop (well walk) every 3 miles while I get some water. The breaks are only for about 30 seconds (simulate walking through the water stations on the marathon course). The premise is that you are able to keep hydrated and fresh so you can push a little more between stations. This strategy worked on my last run - my poor diet the night before is what did me in. I am still taking a power gel every 9 miles or so as well.

Blog at everyone soon,

Philippians 4:13

Run #55 - The Heart Mini Marathon

Hello again,

Well, as of Friday the doctor did not have the results of my x-ray of my ankle from the previous Wednesday. The ankle had been feeling better over the past day (I could go upstairs with no pain, and coming sown stairs was less painful) and I was getting around better. Since I had picked up my timing chip at the expo (and bought a new pair of Asics running shoes), I decided to go downtown and walk the 5K race and skip the 15K mini. I wrapped the snot out of my ankle with vet-wrap (a cheap alternative to Koban) and headed downtown.

When I got downtown Sunday morning it was a beautiful day for running. The temperature was 41 degrees with a windchill of 30 and it was windy. I got down to the starting area and walked a little and took a quick "gingerly" jog to see how my ankle was feeling. At about 3 minutes before race time the rain started falling.

When the race started, I started out at a slow pace (or what I thought was a slow pace). At the first mile marker I was 50 seconds ahead of my marathon pace with no ankle pain!!! I kept on going and maintained a pretty good pace. At the last mile marker I decided to push it and finished my last mile in 10:09, which was very exciting for me given my ankle issues and the fact that I only need to maintain a 11:25 mile to meet my second marathon goal (finish in under 5 hours).

I went home and took some ibuprofen, ate lunch and headed back out to coach 2 soccer games alter that afternoon.

It looks like I am still in the running for the pig!!! My first goal for the Pig is, of course, to finish the entire 26.2 miles.

Peace everyone,

Philippians 4:13

Runs #52-54 - The Long Recovery

Hello all,

I am doing this quick post so that I can keep my run count straight. Since I screwed up my ankle on Tuesday (24/Mar/09) I did not run the next 3 runs that week. I did however run the 5K portion of the Heart Mini Marathon. That is in the next post.

Philippians 4:13

Run #50 and #51 - Easy 4 miles and Quality 6.5 miles

Good afternoon world. As I lay here with my ankle wrapped and elevated, I wonder if my chances of running my first marathon (The Flying Pig) in May are fleeting.

Run #50 was an easy 4 miles on the Bethel walking track. I met a friend who is getting ready to take the physical test for a local police department and Laurel and the girls came along. IT was sunny and warm (65 degrees). We started out at a jog. The girls ran with us. Both of them ran the entire 1.3 mile track with us on the first lap. The next lap we added a "hard run" for the second quarter mile of the next lap. When we started that run, Michaela actually gave me a run for my money for the first 100 yards. Both girls made the run. After that, they went back to walking with Laurel while we finished out our run. The rest of the run was good. WE pushed hard on the last lap, alternating hard/easy paces.

Run #51 was Tuesday afternoon after seeing Laurel and the kids off to DC for the balance of spring break. It was warm (69 degrees) and cloudy. I ran 6 Yasso 800's alternating with a slower quarter mile between each. Since I was running in the afternoon, I ran the last 1.5 miles at my "easy" pace.

I came home and began working on my "honey-do" list. Since the weather was good. I moved the shed from the back of the yard to up near the parking pad. I had to empty, disassemble, move, reassemble, and refill the shed. It took the better part of the evening to finish the job, but I got it done. I came in, jumped in the shower and then fixed some dinner. I sat down to eat and my ankle popped. Unlike last Wednesday/Thursday - it did not pop back. Now, 2 day later, it is swollen and like I said above - I am waiting to hear about my x-ray results.

I am hoping for just a simple sprain or something that can heal easily. I am supposed to run the Heart Mini Marathon "2 Beat Challenge" on Sunday. This is a 5K race followed by a 15K race. I am not holding out hope to run that event. What is most important now is getting healthy for the pig.

I will blog again once I hear from my doctor. PLEASE send your prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery.

In Him,

Philippians 4;13

Run #48 and #49 - The Run That Didn't Happen and the my "easy" 16.5 miles - Yeah Right

Good evening fellow bloggers. As I sit here with a head full of snot and sore knees, I ponder my run today and can only come up with - "What was I thinking?!?"

First let's review. Wednesday night I messed up my ankle, but by Thursday morning the pain and swelling were gone. I opted not to push it and skipped my run for that day, "The Run That Didn't Happen".

Today my training schedule had me slotted for an easy 15-16 miles. I thought about pushing it to 18 miles, but didn't. So, all of my reading says to use your long runs as an opportunity to see what you should eat before your marathon. Friday night we had friends over for a cookout and bonfire. I forgot about my need to "carb load" that night and ended up eating a few hot dogs and some tortilla chips while watching Xavier win. This morning I got up and thought, "oh crap, I didn't eat my carbs last night." So I planned on eating a good breakfast before running and then eating a power bar on the way to the bike trail. But, breakfast ended up being 1/2 a bagel and a glass of OJ and on the way to run, I realized I did not have a power bar in my truck - another "Oh crap" moment.

I got to the bike trail (Newtown section) around 10:45am. It was about 40 degrees. I strapped on my water belt and headed off. I really need to learn how to pace myself outside since my first mile was faster than my typical "tempo " run and my second mile was still below my target MP. Things are going good, my ankle feels great ands I am plugging along. At 4 miles I took a quick break for water and kept going. At mile 7 I started feeling the weakness of my lack of food planning. When I reached the 8 mile mark (just north of Wards corner for you Cinci people), I turned to head back and took a short break for a power gel and water. The next 2 miles were slower, but still pretty steady - then I hit the wall. I about 11.5 miles I started getting dizzy and slowed to a walk and drank some water. Once I started back up, I could not get into a rhythm. At mile 13 my legs started cramping and I again slowed to a walk. This routine lasted the rest of the run.

When i finished up, my fingers were numb and the coughing that had plagued the majority of my run (the snot/congestion issue) had become more like gagging. I was totally spent.

I feel like missing my Thursday run and my ongoing head congestion issues just compounded the problems from the poor food planning. Even though this was the worst run of my entire training to date, I am not too discouraged. I did go further than ever before.

Tomorrow is a 4 mile run on the walking track in Bethel. I plan on taking it slow and not pushing too hard. I do not need my head cold to move into my chest.

Peace,

Philippians 4:13

Run #47 - Easy 3 miles "The Agony of Defeat"

Hello all,



As I lay here and write this blog, I am reminded of my father who taught us to always give 100%. "Anything worth doing, is worth doing right and giving your best."


Since tonight was volleyball, I ran after work. I got to the YMCA about 6:05pm and decided to run outside since it was around 70 degrees and there was a nice breeze blowing. The road that the Y is on is a 3 mile loop from crossroad to crossroad. I put on my MP3 player and was off. I ran pretty well and averaged out within my "easy" time/mile.


Then it was off to our volleyball tournament. I was feeling great, loose and ready to play. We started out strong. We stayed within 4-5 points the entire game and even though we lost both games, it was only by 3-4 points. he team moved the ball well and made some great plays.

I was on top of my game until the last 8 points of the first match. I was making some good saves and moving well on the court. I dove for a ball out of bounds and missed it. I rolled over and felt a quick sharp pain in my right ankle (my ankles always hurt after years of soccer and abuse). I went to stand up and hit the floor. The pain went from quick and short to agonizing and I was unable to bear any weight. I laid there for several minutes, then got up and hobbled to the side of the gym. After several more minutes I was up and walking, if you can call it that, around the court and gym. A fellow team mate suggested that I go ahead and sit out, a wise choice.

As I lay here in bed with an ice pack and ace wrap on my ankle, ibuprofen in my belly and a LARGE Sailor and Dr. Pepper, I pray that it is only something minor. I was able to drive home and did make it up the stairs (very slowly). The outside of my ankle is extremely tender and although I can bear weight, and have good mobility in space (stretching without pressure or weight on it), it still REALLY hurts.

Needless to say, I a not running my tempo 6 miles tomorrow, but I am hoping to run some, if not all, of my 16 miles on Saturday.

I am asking for your prayers for a speedy recovery. I am 66% of the way through my marathon training and do not want to miss the Pig Gig.

Thanks in advance for your prayers.

Peace,

Philippians 4:13

Run #46 - Quality 7 miles

Hello all,

Today was a good day to run. I woke up this morning and headed out to the YMCA. It was a little cool (46 degrees), but spring is definitely on the way. I got there at 5:30am and hit the track. I ran the same run as last week. I ran 8 Yasso 800 splits, but was not able to run a negative split. My average was lower than any other Yasso's to date. I felt great after my run. The "Luck O' The Irish" was with me today.

Tomorrow is volleyball tournaments and an easy 4 mile day.

Only 3o runs left to the Pig Gig.

Blog at everyone on Thursday (combo blog).

Peace,

Philippians 4:13

Run #44 and #45 - Easy 9 miles and Easy 4 miles

Hello all. I did not get my weekend runs posted so I am yet again writing a double blog. This weekend was truly an easy run weekend. My long run on Saturday dropped back to a 9 mile and Sunday was only a 4 mile run.

Saturday's run was to be a 10 mile easy run, but with all of the commitments of the day, I could only squeeze in 9 miles. I was cool (40 degrees) when I got to he dam to run. I did not do the "ascent", but I did run the usual loop which has a couple of decent sized hills. My hope is that all of the hill training will make me that much stronger on race day. The run was pretty uneventful. There was a point at about mile 3 where I took a step and had a sharp pain shoot through my right knee. The intense pain only last a step or 2 and all of the pain was gone within a quarter mile. I was a little concerned. I did not want to have come this far, only to get injured.

Sunday I kinda cheated on my run. I met a friend at a local high school track to run. She is getting ready to take the physical portion of a test for a local police department and wanted to run some splits (1/4 miles). I agreed. We did a couple of intense splits (under 2 minute 1/4 miles) and then spent the balance of the distance walking. I would have felt guilty if it was not for the pain on my run the day before and the fact that I have only missed 1 of my 45 required runs to this point. Needless to say, we had a great time and solved many of the worlds problems.

Tomorrow is another Quality 8 miles. I am planning on running 8 Yasso 800's. Blog at everyone later.

Peace,

Philippians 4;13

Runs #42 and #43 - Easy 4 miles and Tempo 6 miles

Good evening. I am again combining my Wednesday evening and Thursday morning run blogs (with a volleyball update). Last night I ran my "easy" 4 miles before volleyball. I started running at 5:50pm since my volleyball game was scheduled for 7:00pm. My easy runs are supposed to be at my marathon pace (MP) +45 seconds. I ran the 4 miles at my MP + an overall average of +20 seconds. I also ran another negative split for the total run.

The balance of the evening was pretty uneventful. Volleyball was good. We played hard, but lost all 3 games. I was basically my typical Tiggerish self, bouncing all over the place and wound tight. I came home and made sure to eat something before bed. I had a peanut butter sandwich and was in bed around 10:45pm.

This morning I left the house around 4;55am and headed to the YMCA for my "tempo" 6 miles. It was 26 degrees when I got to the YMCA. I hit the track at 5:40am and started out at my tempo pace, MP-30 seconds. I was pumped at the end of my run that I had run better than 33 seconds under my MP AND a negative split by my largest margin to date. That kind of a start to my day made the rest of the day great.

I have a "rest" day tomorrow and my long run is a scaled back run of only 10 miles. I am psyched all three runs were negative splits, which I have never run even a single one before!!! My confidence about running the marathon has returned and I am looking froward to the rest of my runs this week.

Talk at everyone this weekend.

Peace,

Philippians 4:13

Run #41 - Quality 7 miles Half Way There!!!

Good evening. With all of the chaos in my life I am a day late posting my running blog. Yesterday I completed the first run in the second half of my training. I am now in the home stretch, over the hump, half way there. MY run yesterday was a quality run. I went back to running the Yasso 800's and planned on running 8 of them total. With warm up and cool down and 1/4 mile rests between splits the total miles ran was 7.

I hit the track at the YMCA at 5:30am, It was a warm 70 degrees and trying to rain when I got to the Y. The run went well. When I ran my third Yasso 800 split, I was right at my target time of 5 minutes. I pushed hard for the next 5 splits. When I was finished, I jumped in the shower then headed to work. When I looked at my times later that morning, I had run a negative split for the 800's. My last 4 splits were faster than my first 4. I was REALLY pumped after that. I was also excite that my weight is now staying below the 240 mark.

I ran this evening before volleyball and will run again tomorrow morning, but that is for another blog.

Good night blogger world. Blog at you tomorrow.

Peace,

Philippians 4:13

Run #39 and #40 - Easy 4 miles and Easy 15 miles

Good evening Blog-O-Sphere. Again I am writing a double blog for my last 2 runs. Yesterday was REALLY busy. Run #39 was at the house Saturday morning. I ran at 6:45am on our road. It was 55 degrees when I headed out. On my last lap, Laurel was sitting on the front porch with Sheeba so Sheeba joined me for the last 3/4 mile. That ultimately led to an off road detour, to run her back to the road. So my run was a little interesting. From that point, I left to DJ an event at the Tri-County Mall. After that, it was a shopping trip at Jungle Jim's and then birthday party for Annika. We got home at 10:00pm and headed to bed.

Sunday morning was run #40 and set up a whole new challenge. I had to play at church and then the girls had a birthday party at a local skating rink. I took a change of clothes so that while Laurel took the kids to the party, I could go run my "easy" 15 miles. The other fun fact was that rain and storms were forecasat. I said a prayer for the rain to stay away and headed to the dam. 2 laps of the entire dam would make 16 miles, which is what I wanted to do since I missed some miles earlier in the week. My training plan called for only 14 miles.

When I got to the dam, it was windy, cloudy, and 65 degrees. I started out doing the ascent run. You would think that I would learn not to do this on my long runs. My plan was to stop at 8 miles for an energy gel and water, then keep going. This meant that miles 9.5 to 11 would be a steep uphill run and mile 13 would also have a steep incline. When I got to the 13.25 mile point, I was psyched, every step past this point was the furthest I have ever run. As I worked towards mile 16 I hit the wall at mile 14. I pushed my body for another mile and then was done, but it left me a 1 mile walk to the truck. Mile 15 was more of a "wog" or a "jalk". I worked sooooo hard to maintain a running/jogging form for that mile. It was not fast, but I made the mile. Even though I was spent and could not run any more, I still had a mile walk back tot he car, which was good for keeping loose and cooling down.

I am now happy to say that my longest run ever is now 15 miles!!!! I need to add another 11.2 miles to that for my running "Holy Grail" - the 26.2

I am off to ice my feet and take some drugs before bed.

Peace,

Philippians 4:13

Runs #37 and #38 - Easy 4 miles and Tempo 6 miles

Good morning. I am doubling up my blogs again since this was my running, volleyball, running event again. My goal for yesterday was to run an easy 6 miles to make up for my shortened run on Tuesday. Laurel had a meeting at church so we met at a McDonald's that was between us and I took the kids in to eat and play while she went to her meeting. I had all of the details worked out in my head - meet, spend time with the kids and eat dinner, then be on the track by 6:15pm and have plenty of time to run before volleyball. Never trust things when they are that simple. Laurel's meeting went well, but long. She got back to McDonald's at 7:15pm and my volleyball game was at 8:00pm. I made an adjustment in my running plans.

I was at the YMCA and on the track by 7:25pm and decided that I would run 3 "hard" miles. I would run 1 hard, hen a quarter slow and make up the difference in the next 3/4 mile and then 1/2 slow and again make up the difference in the next 1/2 mile. This seemed to work well. While I did not get the 6 miles in I wanted, I did get 3 in at over a minute under my marathon pace and was not tapped out by game time. By the way, we won 1 of our 3 matches in volleyball.

This morning I did not want to get up when the alarm on my watch went off. I went downstairs and packed my gear to go run. It was 40 degrees and no wind when I headed out the door. I hit the YMCA at about 5:30am and spent 15 minutes talking to a friend who works the desk on Thursday mornings. When I hit the track it was 5:50am. I was supposed to run 6-7 tempo miles. I started out slow and build up to my tempo pace. My first 3 miles were right on target, then things began to unravel. My pace slowed, I was winded and started struggling with the old thoughts of, "go ahead and stop, nobody will know and you can make up miles later." I pushed through and finished 6 miles, but at really slow pace. I think part of this problem stemmed again from not eating anything between last nights workout and this morning. I also did not take any ibuprofen before bed, so my body still ached from volleyball.

As I walked to the locker room I was looking for something to boost my spirits and get me over the hump. When I got on the scale after my shower, I got that boost. At my best weight last year, I was 232 pounds. This was great since when I started seriously running in January of 2008 I weighed 258 pounds. When deer season hit, I stopped running but not eating and had put about 17 pounds back on. I have been hanging around the 243-246 mark since mid February. Today my weight was 237 pounds. I weighed myself twice to be sure it was right.

Tomorrow is a rest day. I hope to let my body recover from the abuse of the last 2 days and find my motivation for this weekends runs. I am switching days again and will run an easy 4 on Saturday and my long run (16 miles) on Sunday.

Have a great day everyone.

Peace,

Philippians 4:13

Run #36 - Quality 3.5 miles (you only cheat yourself)

Good evening. My plan for today as of Sunday evening was to run 7 miles today, consisting of 8 Yasso splits and a warm up/cool down. The road to hell is also paved with good intentions. I found out yesterday afternoon that I had an opportunity to attend a training for work in Lima Ohio today from 8:00am-4:00pm. This put a wrench in my running plans since I had to leave at 5:00am in order to get to the training by 8:00am and would get home after 6:30pm. I decided that I would try to get my run in once I got back from Lima.

I got to the YMCA at 6:30pm and was on the track by 6:45. I started my run and things were going great, but I kept watching the clock. By the 4th split, I was spent and it was later than I wanted to be (although my times were very good). o I stopped at 4 splits and a total of 3.5 miles. I ran down and took a shower and headed home.

When I got home the kids were in bed and Michaela was already asleep. I was hoping to see them both before bed. So I went in and kissed them good night and went downstairs to eat a little dinner before bed.

The reason I say I cheated myself is that I could have run the full amount. I know that the main reason for the decision to end early was to see the kids before bed (at least before they were asleep), but I also know that my heart was not 100% into running this evening. I was tired from minimal sleep the night before and getting up at 4:30am this morning, and used the excuse of getting home to reinforce my lack of motivation.

Either way, I am planning on running 5 miles tomorrow which is 1 more than I am required. I am going to try to make up another mile on Thursday. If things go well, I may try to get an extra 1-2 miles on my long run on Sunday, which is supposed to be 14 miles.

Tomorrow is running and volleyball.

Good night.

Peace

Philippians 4:13