In the Pursuit of Wonder

Back in the saddle.  To be successful I will need to manage my tight hamstrings, which have knocked me out on two previous attempts.  This run was lots of walking, swollen hands, and a tight right hamstring near the end.  I have been trying to stretch my hamstrings lately, I have been focusing more on my left, because that is the one that has given me problems in the past (bursitis and sore knee while climbing stairs or sitting in cramped places like a movie theatre.)  Took me a bit to remember how to use the watch.

Earlier in the evening I helped with cub scout pack meeting where we had a slip and slide where the scouts held onto a rope connected to a pulley system giving adults pulling a mechanical advantage where they would whip the kids down the slide at quite the speed and the kids would have great fun until they ran out of plastic and were stopped by the increased friction of the grass on their tender underbellies.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 30:09 HR: Avg: 158, 85% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 21.56, peak HR: 170, min HR: 122, cal: 728 based on 232 lbs. Pace: 15:47. Shoes: Brooks Adreniline(34.75). Time: 10:15 PM Temp: 100 degrees.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 27:27 HR: Avg: 156, 84% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 20.28, peak HR: 177, min HR: 90, cal: 649 based on 232 lbs. Pace: 14:22. Shoes: Brooks Adreniline(36.66). Time: 9:15 PM Temp: 97 degrees.

Miles: 1.92 Time: 26:00 HR: Avg: 155, 83% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 20.24, peak HR: 170, min HR: 94, cal: 609 based on 232 lbs. Pace: 13:33. Shoes: Brooks Adreniline (38.58). Time: 10:15 PM Temp: 87 degrees.  Light rain.

I wonder how much of the improvement was from the lower temperature.  Did much more running this time.  Interestingly, my avg hr has been going down because I can't keep my HR pegged at the top of the range by walking fast.

Miles: 2.92 Time: 40:14 HR: Avg: 153, 83% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 34.46, peak HR: 166, min HR: 74, cal: 921 based on 232 lbs. Pace: 13:47. Shoes: Brooks Adreniline(41.50). Time: 11:40 PM Temp: 92 degrees

Was at 1.45 miles at 19.12, was at 1.93 at 25:50.  So that bests my last 1.92 mile run by 10 seconds with out my usual extra push near the end.  The last mile was mostly walking fast for a 14:24 pace.

Feel really good about tonight's run.  I was feeling a little guilty about skipping running yesterday.  I am trying to do Sasha's philosophy of run 6 days a week and only run as much where you feel as good 24 hours later.  I'm an analyzer and I like firm rules.  That is one reason I really like the HR monitor.  It acts as a independent judge on when I should reduce my effort.  Last run my hamstring felt tight and I had a twinge of the knee pain I have previously had.  Longer run today and completely pain free.

In an effort to prevent injury I started running on a treadmill last time around, figuring it involved less pounding.  I think that contributed to me not being motivated enough to work through my tight hamstring that was causing my knee issues.  Also the toes on my right foot were going numb.  I'm not really sure what caused that or how to prevent it, but last run it started to happen just a bit.  Maybe orthotics or something.  But I think running outside is where I need to stay.  Hopefully I can find some dirt paths nearby.

The need to start back running has been a lingering guilt in the back of my mind for a long time.  I know lots of people on the blog are interested in helping people get back to it.  For me there were a couple things that made me finally put the shoes back on.  1) I read a book called "Don't let me go."  It is about a father-daughter relationship where the daughter reads the book "Into Thin Air." which results in her asking her father who has never been a hiker to climb a mountain with her.  They hike Pike's peak, run some marathons, and do some other hiking.  I really would like to be in the type of shape to do those kinds of things with my daughter.  2) My ironman watch broke.  So I was looking for a new watch and found the Garmin watches with built in GPS and saw the Garmin Connect website.  I am a very technical person (work in accounting) and like tracking things.  So that got me really thinking about actually doing a run, even though I can't really justify spending that kind of money.  Maybe I can set a goal with that as the reward.

I got an email earlier this week announcing the memorial service of a man in my ward.  I called my wife who found out that he had a heart attack and passed away this week.  He had a doctors appointment for later in the day for chest pains.  His wife told him she didn't think he should go to work.  People at his work told him he didn't look well and to go to the doctor, but he didn't.  He collapsed walking back to his work truck and passed away before the ambulance arrived at the hospital.  He was a Scouter and was an Eagle coordinator who helped counsel scouts on how to do their Eagle project.  I took the morning off work to go to the service.  He is a very good natured guy who was committed to scouting whether in a calling or not.  I admire him alot. He was a lieutenant in the Pinal County Posse and they did a last call on the radio.  I hadn't heard one before in person like that.  Quite the tug on the heart strings.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 26:20 HR: Avg: 155, 83% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 22.26, peak HR: 172, min HR: 107, cal: 921 based on 232 lbs. Pace: 13:47. Shoes: Brooks Addiction(122.6). Time: 10:00 PM Temp: 94 degrees

Exact same pace as my last run which was much longer.  Well, I felt good anyway.  Guess thats what happens when you take two days off.  With all the rain earlier in the evening I figured there was a good chance to hear some frogs.  I heard a bleating sound next to a wash and more in a few retention basins.  I thought for sure with the amount I heard that I would get to spot one and I paid close attention to all the rocks thinking one of them would turn out to be a frog.  I didn't see one and didn't take a break to go look closer at the ponds.  When I got back i checked my field guide.  I was right in that it was a spadefoot, and it turns out they are couch's spadefoot toads.  It always amazes me how a toad like that can bury itself in the dirt all summer and retain enough moisture to survive until a good rain sets off the orgy.  I was hoping all the rain would wash away the piles of dog poop that have become an odd series of memorized landmarks along my route, but no luck. 

Miles: 1.91 Time: 24:36 HR: Avg: 154, 83% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 19.30, peak HR: 172, min HR: 90, cal: 921 based on 232 lbs. Pace: 12:52. Shoes: Brooks Addiction(124.5). Time: 11:00 PM

I've been lazy this week, but this was a good run.  Calves a little tight.  Saw a very flattened horned lizard.