In the Pursuit of Wonder

Ran 2.51 in 31:16.  AHR 156, 77% Max, HR Range 148-163, 21:48 in zone, peak 177, cal 740 based on 232 lbs.  Ran in evening, temp a nice 60 degrees. Didn't walk at all until corner of warner and meridian.  Felt like I was running well.  Ignored HR monitor last 1/4 mile.

Hiked to a water tank 1.62 miles in the flat desert with Cub Scouts 3 hours prior to the run, took about 1 hour.

Ran 2.51 in 31:28.  AHR 155, 76% of max, HR Range 148-163, 23:08 in zone, peak 178, cal 736 based on 232 lbs.  Ran in evening, temp was very nice. I ran around 9 PM, high for day was 81 degrees Didn't walk at all until corner of warner and meridian.  Felt like I was running well.  Ignored HR monitor last 1/4 mile.

Ran 2.51 miles in 30:44.  AHR 154, 75% of max, HR Range 148-163, 25:30 in zone, peak 169, cal 711 based on 232 lbs.  Ran at 9 in the evening, temp was 64 very nice for running.

Put in a much faster time than previously and didn't push myself as hard.  AHR lower, peak heart rate lower, and time in zone higher, because I didn't push myself after last turn toward house.  Must mean I am making some progress.

 When I was out on my run through the neighborhood I smelled smoke from what smelled like a campfire.  It didn't smell like a barbecue.  I make a turn and run about 2/3 of a mile and there is a firepit in someones driveway with tons of kids out riding bikes.  I was surprised how far I could smell the smoke and had some sympathy for all you runners putting in outside miles in the colder climates.

Went on a leisurely walk at the greenfield riparian area with the family.  The walk measured out to exactly one mile and took us about 40 minutes.  It has been raining all morning and we got sprinkled on a little bit.  We listened to the thunder and had fun watching the geese honking, shorebirds feeding, and a couple of hummingbirds flitting around.

Ran 2.51 in 31:13.  AHR 153, 74% of max, HR Range 148-163, 26:06 in zone, peak 167, cal 714 based on 232 lbs.  It rained on my way home from work, so I hurried and got into my running clothes and rain jacket and headed out the door afraid the temperature would plummet once the sun went down.  It was a bit windy starting off.  I think I started off a little fast trying to warm up.  I have been making it to the corner without my hr monitor telling me to slow down.  Today I did a walk and started running again before I got to the corner.  I felt like I was doing a lot of walking and I based on my ahr being only 153 I think that is true.  I got sprinkled on a little bit, but not much.  The last 1/2 mile the wind really picked and was I was going straight into it.  My time was better than I expected it to be.  I am proud that I was diligent enough to get out even with the weather.  When I first thought about running about a year ago I would listen to a running podcast.  The guy said there was no such thing as bad running weather, just inappropriate clothing.  I thought about that all the way home from work.  I was hoping all the clouds would produce a nice sunset, but the cloud cover was too heavy and there wasn't much of a sunset at all.  I will have to go look at Burt's blog to see if he got out in the rain.

Ran 2.51 in 32:20.  AHR 155, 76% of max, HR Range 148-163, 27:18 in zone, peak 171, cal 757 based on 232 lbs.

 Ran in evening, temp was very nice.  I focused on running slow so that I could run farther without my hr monitor telling me to walk.  It seemed to work as far as that goes.  I ran considerably farther before the first time I had to walk and it seemed like I ran more than normal even though at a slower pace.  I also focused on keeping my walking at a very fast pace.  I expected my time to be much better.  I read an article a while back that talked about the average speed of changing your gait from walking to running was around 12 minute miles.  So I figured by walking fast and running more, but slower I would lower my time.  It didn't work out that way.  Apparently I was runnng so slow that it was less efficient than running faster and taking more walk breaks.  The 12 minute mile is sort of a psycholigical barrier for me.  I feel more like a runner when I can get under that pace as that is the minimum pace most people can run.  Anyways, it was a nice run and I felt like I recovered and got my wind back fairly quickly after the run was over which I take as a sign of improvement.

I will go running later tonight, but for now here is a news article.

Teenage handbag thief outpaced by 72-year-old ex-sprinter

She added: "I didn't think of my safety, but I did pay for it a little the next day. I was covered in aches and pains and my daughter turned to me and said it was because I didn't warm up properly."

PM  - Ran 1.92 in 23.17  AHR 155, 76% of max, HR Range 148-163, 19:16 in zone, peak 166, cal 545 based on 232 lbs. 12.07 pace.

 I scaled back my mileage this run, because Sasha has convinced me to run 6 days a week.  I plan on running 2.5 tomorrow as long as I feel good as I have Sunday to recuperate from it.  This will be the first time I have ever run 2 consecutive days.  I have been thinking about why Sasha wants people to run 6 days a week and I have decided it is so their are more blog posts which will increase the google page rank and get him higher in search engines, which gets more bloggers signed up and generates more add revenue.  I have seen him blogging about linux, so he is savy enough to pull that off.  I hope the website continues to bea a success so I can buy into that reasoning to.

 This run felt like a big improvement.  Normally I get just under half a mile before my hr monitor beeps and tells me I have reached the upper limit of my zone.  Today I got nearly a mile before that happened.  also my walk breaks before my HR beeped telling me I am at the bottom of my zone were much shorter.  I haven't run this short route in a few weeks, I will have to look at the log and see how much my time has improved in the last couple of weeks.  I really want to get under a 12 mpm pace. Oh and a car that passed me peeled out after he passed me.  He is a neighbor just up the street from me.  He won't be getting any cookies next christmas.

Ran 2.23 in 26.21 AHR 155, 76% of max, HR Range 148-163, 22:18 in zone, peak 167, cal 617 based on 232 lbs. 11.49 pace.

 I have been running consistently for just shy of a month.  I started out with a 1.92 mile run, then a 2.23 mile run, then a 2.51 mile run.  Now that I plan on running 6 days a week I plan on going back to the 1.92 mile run.  But on Saturday I figure I can run longer because I have an extra day of rest.  So I planned on doing the 2.51 mile run.  But my hip was hurting, so I decided to do the 1.92 mile run, then I decided it didn't hurt that bad, so I ended up doing 2.23 miles.  Apparently I have no concept of how fast i am really going.  It was cool, but the sun was out.  The radiant affect of the sun seems to have a big impact on my perceived effort.  I felt like I was going much slower than yesterday and walking much more, but I ran farther at a lower pace.  How I ended up with a lower pace baffels me.  Not that I am complaining.  I am very happy to have it come in under 12 mpm.  Well I am off to a Valentines day dinner.

Went for a walk with my daughter at the greenfield desert riparian water park.  Went 1.63 miles in 1:02.  Trying to figure out what kind of hummingbirds we have been seeing.  I think they are black-chinned hummingbirds.  We also so gila woodpeckers, curve billed thrashers, a snowy egret, as well as all the usual ducks.  Lots of birds were gathering material for their nests.

AM - Left the house at 7:00 with a friend, destination wind cave trail in Usery Park.  It was around 45 degrees at the start.  Took 37.18 to go 1.6 miles and 800 foot elevation gain up to the cave.  Spent about 10 minutes resting and watching the ground squirrels which are always there.  No bees this time with the cool weather.  Decided to check out the trail past the "enter at your own risk" sign.  It was a lot further than I thought We saw a hummingbird on our way up to the ridge where we could the goldfields to the east.  We also had a good view of the pass that pass mountain trail passes through.  Including the rest at wind cave it took us 43:54 to make it up to the ridge and back down to the cave.  I don't have any data for the distance, but the guess is about 1/3 mile up and another 200 foot elevation gain.  Took another 35:17 to get to the car.  for a total time of 1:57.29, 3.85 miles and 1000 foot elevation gain.  The Mexican Gold Poppies were starting to bloom.  I was hoping it would be warm enough for them to open up on the way back down, but it was still too cool.

 I plan on going to YC's Mongolian restaurant for lunch.  Hopefully I can get a short run in this evening.

PM - Ran 1.92 in 22.48 AHR 152, 74% of max, HR Range 148-163, 17:36 in zone, peak 165, cal 516 based on 232 lbs. 11.53 pace.

This was the first time since high school I have ever ran over a mile without stopping.  I know I ran the mile in high school as part of PE, but I don't remember whether I ever did it without walking.  I was never the poor soul who walked almost the entire way and did it in like 15 minutes, but I doubt I ever did it without taking some walk break, if just because I didn't care that much about it.  Today I made it almost to the 1.5 mile mark when my hr monitor told me to walk.  I only took two walks and they both were around 30 seconds.  This was after my fairly rigorous hike in the morning.  Up until this point I have been making progress, but in pretty small increments.  Today was a pretty big jump.   I did get a headache during the run, which I attribute to only eating a muffin for breakfast and a trail bar and dried peaches at the top of the mountain, and then a huge lunch, but nothing for dinner and then ran around 9PM.

PM - Ran 1.92 in 22.07 AHR 144, 67% of max, HR Range 148-163, 11:36 in zone, peak 169, cal 455 based on 232 lbs. 11.31 pace.

I planned on running yesterday, but had cub scout blue and gold banquet and went to get a hair cut and didn't end up running.  My calves were sore from my president's day hike so it was probably a good day to miss.  My calves were sore today as well.

A couple of runs ago I tried running slower to keep my heart rate down and eliminate my walks thinking that would give me a better time.  That theory didn't hold up.  So this time I ran a little faster and took more walk breaks.  The result was shaving over 20 seconds off my pace.  I have never had the opportunity to pass anyone on a run before.  Today I passed two different sets of arm pumping fitness walkers.

PM - Ran 1.92 in 21.45 AHR 153, 74% of max, HR Range 148-163, 18:22 in zone, peak 165, cal 497 based on 232 lbs. 11.20 pace.

Ran faster than yesterday with more walks, lowered pace by 11 seconds.

PM - Ran 1.92 in 22.21 AHR 154, 74% of max, HR Range 148-163, 18:38 in zone, peak 168, cal 517 based on 232 lbs. 11.38 pace.

 Right shin hurting.  It is always my right side that hurts.  Don't know if I have some form issue or if it is because of the slight camber of the road.

PM - Ran 2.51 in 31.20 AHR 149, 71% of max, HR Range 148-163, 19.06 in zone, peak 166, cal 685 based on 232 lbs. 12.29 pace.

Today was Saturday with my planned day off tomorrow, so I planned a 2.5 mile run compared to my typical 1.92 mile run.  after about 3/4 of a mile, my right calf started to hurt.  I didn't think much about it as I usually have some pain on most of my runs.  About half way through the run, it was affecting my gait pretty good.  It's hard to explain, but it is like the strength in my calf faltered for a split second while that leg was on the ground and I had to sort of fall forward a little bit.  I kept hoping it would get better.  Even during my walks which are now generally like 5 seconds my gait wasn't normal.  At about the 2 mile mark the bottom of my left foot started to hurt and I figured it was because I was running with such bad form and decided to walk the rest of the way home.  I think there is a good chance I will be skipping monday's run, but I hope not.  The last time I ran this distance was on Feb 11th.  I ran it a minute quicker this time even walking the entire last half mile.  Perhaps I am pushing forward too fast and need to cut back my mileage next week.  I don't have a gym membership or a treadmill at home, so I don't know what else to do to keep my cardio going without running and I need the mileage to lose some weight.  It is kind of a catch 22.  Can't increase mileage to lose weight because I will get injured, but can't lose weight because I can't run the miles.  I will try not to get to dissappointed and will try to think it through with a clearer head tomorrow.

I plan to run every day, so thought it was a good idea to get a second pair of shoes.  I have been running in Brooks addiction and bought a pair of Brooks Adrenaline today.  They did a gait analysis on me at the running store.  I ran on a treadmill for the first time in my life while they video taped it to show me my gait.  My left foot pronates slightly, while my right foot pronates moderately.  The sales person thought my current pair of shoes had a little too much stabilization.  I liked the lighter shoe and the little more cushioning.  I don't think the new shoes caused my problem today, but I can't completely rule it out.  One thing I noticed about the new shoes is when I step on a half inch sized pebble, the shoe kind of cushions it as I run over it.  My other shoes are much stiffer and I kind of roll over the top.

I saw a running/pirate movie today.  I can't imagine coming up with such an idea, but that is what Disney's Blackbeard's ghost is.  Blackbeard is cursed to limbo until he does a good deed and his good deed is attempting to help a track team win a tournament.  There are funny moments, but the acting is bad and the special affects are atrocious.  I highly recommend it. lol.  Well if you actual read all that then thank you for listening to my ramblings.  Hopefully my next run will have a more positive outcome.

PM - Ran 1.92 in 22.01 AHR 154, 75% of max, HR Range 148-163, 17.00 in zone, peak 169, cal 510 based on 232 lbs. 11.28 pace.

I was nervous about the run after my last one.  I was prepared to bail early if my leg started to act up.  I wore my old Brooks Addiction shoes.  I didn't have any issues.  My right shin hurts a titch.  I really think I need to find a new running route without any camber in the road, but it is nice to start from my doorstep.  I might have to start driving to a canal or something.

I signed up for a study at ASU where they will test my vo2max, test my percent body fat with some kind of machine where I get doused with radiation while holding still for 20 minutes, have a stress test where they make me talk about stressful situations and put my hand in cold water for three minutes while they see what affect that has on my cortisol production,  They will measure some hormones with blood tests during the vo2max treadmill test.  Should be interesting.  My turn should come up sometime at the end of next month.  They don't pay anything, but I will get the results of my tests.  If I get picked for the non-control group they will have me do some "simple exercizes" while standing on a vibrating board.  If anyone in az is interested I would be glad to give you the info.  They need 100 people and have 23 signed up so far.  You have to be a militart aged guy, I can't remember the exact age range, but I think 21-40.

PM - Ran 1.92 in 21.46 AHR 154, 75% of max, HR Range 148-163, 18.10 in zone, peak 167, cal 503 based on 232 lbs. 11.20 pace.  2nd run with the new Brooks Adrenaline

Right shin hurting more, tied one of my shoelaces with too big of loops and they annoyingly slapped my other leg the whole run. 

 Lifetime Miles Logged - 100

PM - Ran 1.92 in 22.01 AHR 155, 76% of max, HR Range 148-163, 17.54 in zone, peak 167, cal 515 based on 232 lbs. 11.28 pace.

Need to figure out how to keep my shins from getting worse.  It is difficult to stretch them, maybe I need to research that a bit more.

PM - Ran 1.92 in 21.32 AHR 158, 78% of max, HR Range 148-163, 13.38 in zone, peak 176, cal 521 based on 232 lbs. 11.13 pace.

I really struggled with this run from the start.  My shin was hurting and I wasn't into the run mentally.  Even after I got out the door and started running I seriously considered going back inside.  Part of it could have been the in-n-out milkshake I ate.  After about half a mile mile my runs were getting pretty short before my heart rate monitor told me to start walking.  About the mile mark I pass two walkers.  As I pass them, one of them says hi, and asked how my wife and baby are doing.  It was my wife's visiting teacher.  Just before I passed them I started running even though my HR monitor hadn't gotten quite to the bottom of the training range.  Just a few seconds after I passed it told me to slow down.  I just turned a corner before I passed them and I had a half mile before I could turn another corner and be out of sight.  So I ignored my heart rate monitor and contintued to run.  So for part of my run I was above 90% of my max heart rate.  Even trying hard not to look too bad I ended up walking a bit of that half mile.  At least I put in a PR time on the route.  Not bad considering how much I dreaded the run from the beginning.  I may not run tomorrow because I really think my shins need a rest.  I keep thinking "pride cometh before the fall."  Lets hope that isn't the case today. Please excuse me while I go get some ice to put on my shins.

Thought I was doing pretty good with soreness and pains, but today I had a meeting upstairs and learned I wasn't doing as well as I thought.  I took a rest day today.

 I did the initial test for the hundred pushup challenge.  I will start on monday.

PM - Ran 2.51 in 28.01 AHR 155, ??% of max, HR Range 148-163, 23.14 in zone, peak 169, cal 656 based on 232 lbs. 11:10 pace.  Brooks Adrenaline.

 Beat previous best on this route by 3:19.  Last time I ran I had to walk the last half mile and was in pain much of the rest of the route.  Most of my runs have been 1.92 miles and after a days rest I ran this longer run at a quicker pace than my best 1.92 mile run.  My shin still hurts quite a bit and I felt a twinge of the pain in my calf.  Tomorrow is another rest day, so hopefully on monday I will be in pretty good shape.

 I watched my daughter play volleyball today, played catch with her, and watched Goonies.

Goonies never say die!