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.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 24:30 HR: Avg: 155, 83% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 19.54, peak HR: 166, min HR: 82, cal: 921 based on 232 lbs. Pace: 12:50. Shoes: Brooks Adreniline(43.41). Time: 8:15 PM.  Right ham and calve a bit tight during run.  Stretched a lot today, both during the day,  before the run and after.

Nice weather.  Tried to do some yoga from a video, but I can only handle so much talk about breathing.  Need to find a manly yoga video, although I'm not sure one exists.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 24:39 Pace: 12:56 HR: Avg: 155, 83% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone:??.??, peak HR: 173, min HR: ??, cal: 288 based on 240 lbs. . Shoes: Brooks Addiction(126.4). Time: 11:40 PM.  Right calf a bit tight during run, right knee twinged a bit near the end.  Didn't do very good stretching today.

1st .5 Miles 6:04.73 min - 12:09 pace - 149 bpm - 84 calories - best pace 9:46

2nd .5 Miles 6:33.10 min - 13:06 pace - 155 bpm - 74 calories - best pace 9:15

3rd .5 Miles 6:40.59 min - 13:21 pace - 156 bpm - 71 calories - best pace 9:07

Last .41 Miles 5:22.70 - 13:14 pace - 161 bpm - 59 calories - best pace 9:52

Got the Garmin 305 in the mail today.  Really easy to use.  It's ugly, but I think more functional than the 405.  My wife said "it is kind of hideous." The mileage from the garmin matched exactly to mapmyrun.com for my typical run.  The HR seemed to track very closely to what my timex said it was on my previous runs, so I think HR monitors are fairly accurate.  I've never had any issues with the HR monitor spiking like some claim happens.  The only time I had an issue was one run a long time ago where the monitor wasn't tight enough.  Will have to install the software tomorrow and see if I can get some of the other data I am used to like time in zone.  The calories used is much more accurate than timex's shot in the dark which didn't know the distance.  288 still seems a bit high for less than a two mile run.  I wonder if it subtracts base calorie usage had I been sitting in front of the tv.  Seeing my pace made me tend to walk a lot faster which I think is why this run was a smidge slower in that I kept my HR in the zone just by walking fast.

Miles: 1.90 Time: 24:16 Pace: 12:56 HR: Avg: 155, 83% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone:??.??, peak HR: 175, min HR: ??, cal: 308 based on 240 lbs. . Shoes: Brooks Addiction(128.3). Time: 10:31 PM.  Right calf and ham got a bit tight.  Did an ok job stretching today.

1st .5 Miles 6:00.06 min - 12:00 pace - 150 bpm - 91 calories - best pace 9:33

2nd .5 Miles 6:21.17 min - 12:42 pace - 155 bpm - 79 calories - best pace 10:09

3rd .5 Miles 6:37.95 min - 13:16 pace - 157 bpm - 78 calories - best pace 9:42

Last .40 Miles 5:17.23 - 13:09 pace - 159 bpm - 60 calories - best pace 10:04

Compared to last run, avg pace rose on each lap, best pace fell on each lap.  More of an even keel run.  Uneventful.

Miles: 2.91 Time: 39:47 Pace: 13:41 HR: Avg: 157, 85% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 32.16, peak HR: 168, min HR: 90, cal: 413 based on 240 lbs. . Shoes: Brooks Addiction(131.23). Time: 8:34 PM.  Stretched good today.  Right leg bugg'n early on, but got better second half.  Hands swelled, right toes went numb.

1st .5 Miles 6:01.67 min - 12:03 pace - 148 bpm - 87 calories - best pace 10:07

2nd .5 Miles 6:24.94 mini - 12:49 pace - 157 bpm - 86 calories - best pace 10:13

3rd .5 Miles 6:54.20 min - 13:48 pace - 156 bpm - 78 calories - best pace 10:32

4th .5 Miles 7:14.01 min - 14:28 pace - 154 bpm - 70 calories - best pace 10:04

5th .5 Miles 7:15:41 min - 14:30 pace - 162 bpm - 61 calories - best pace 11:58

Last .41 Miles 5:57.02 min- 13:40 pace - 163 bpm - 49 calories - best pace 11:30

Miles: 1.90 Time: 25:00.77 Pace: 13:08 HR: Avg: 156, 83% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 17.53, peak HR: 176, min HR: 85, cal: 308 based on 240 lbs. . Shoes: Brooks Addiction(133.13). Time: 11:00 PM.  Did a mediocre job stretching today.

1st .5 Miles 6:14.85 min - 12:29 pace - 149 bpm - 86 calories - best pace 10:13

2nd .5 Miles 6:39.58 min - 13:19 pace - 156 bpm - 75 calories - best pace 10:34

3rd .5 Miles 6:51.99 min - 13:43 pace - 156 bpm - 70 calories - best pace 10:48

Last .40 Miles 5:14.35 - 13:00 pace - 163 bpm - 63 calories - best pace 10:37

Felt good, made it all the way to the corner before walking.  Ran more, walked less, worse time.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 24:31.49 Pace: 12:51 HR: Avg: 156, 83% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 17.04, peak HR: 175, min HR: 109, cal: 310 based on 240 lbs. . Shoes: Brooks Addiction(135.04). Time: 8:52 PM.  Did a mediocre job stretching today.

1st .5 Miles 6:05.73 min - 12:11 pace - 151 bpm - 92 calories - best pace 10:18

2nd .5 Miles 619.22 min - 12:38 pace - 157 bpm - 84 calories - best pace 9:51

3rd .5 Miles 6:51.73 min - 13:43 pace - 156 bpm - 73 calories - best pace 10:08

Last .40 Miles 5:14.81 - 12:52 pace - 161 bpm - 61 calories - best pace 8:56

Miles: 1.91 Time: 24:08.77 Pace: 12:37 HR: Avg: 155, 83% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 18.36, peak HR: 171, min HR: 81, cal: 314 based on 240 lbs.  Shoes: Brooks Addiction(136.95). Time: 8:47 PM.  Did a mediocre job stretching today.  Ate very sensibly today.

1st .5 Miles 5:50.79 min - 11:41 pace - 149 bpm - 94 calories - best pace 9:53

2nd .5 Miles 6:24.83 min - 12:49 pace - 156 bpm - 82 calories - best pace 10:31

3rd .5 Miles 6:37.69 min - 13:15 pace - 155 bpm - 75 calories - best pace 9:56

Last .40 Miles 5:15.46 min- 12:44 pace - 159 bpm - 63 calories - best pace 10:13

Miles: 1.90 Time: 23:28.39 Pace: 12:20 HR: Avg: 154, 82% of max, HR Range: 148-163, In Zone: 17.08, peak HR: 169, min HR: 79, cal: 323 based on 240 lbs.  Shoes: Brooks Addiction(138.85). Time: 9:25 PM.  Did a mediocre job stretching today.  Ate very unsensibly today.

1st .5 Miles 5:47.15 min - 11:34 pace - 147 bpm - 93 calories - best pace 10:18

2nd .5 Miles 6:18.13 min - 12:36 pace - 155 bpm - 83 calories - best pace 10:06

3rd .5 Miles 6:22.21 min - 12:44 pace - 156 bpm - 84 calories - best pace 9:52

Last .40 Miles 5:00.73 min- 12:26 pace - 158 bpm - 63 calories - best pace 9:48

yesterday's run was my best time to that point.  This run beat it by 40 seconds.  Hope this level of improvement keeps going.  Tried to spot a shooting star, but didn't see one.  This caused me to walk slower which counterintuitively helps improve the time as my HR recovers quicker allowing me to run a bigger percent of the distance. This resulted in 7.5 walks compared to 6 yesterday.  Lots of people don't like Galloway, but he's got some things figured out for those without a solid base.  Sometimes walking more gives you a better time.

Before my run I took a big bite of cake and took a drink of water to help wash it down.  Then I sneezed.  Usually you can tell you are about to sneeze, not this time.  So I shot a chocolate cake water mixture out my nose.  One of the most disgusting things I have ever done.

Miles: 2.89 Time: 38:46 Pace: 13:25 HR Avg: 153, Shoes: Brooks Addiction(141.74).

With the watch I am going to be recording less data on the blog as that was for a record for myself which is now stored elsewhere.

This run was kind of a mixed bag.  I ran .8 miles before walking.  Last run was .5 miles before walking.  This run started off slower, but I was trying to conserve for the longer run.  Still, I think that was a solid improvement.  I ran the same run a week ago in 39:47, so this represented over a minute improvement with worse tactics.

At about the 1.5 mile mark my right shin got really tight.  I even stopped once to try and shake it out.  Even while walking I was limping badly.  I pushed through and the tightness stayed in my shin, but expanded to my ham and calf.  By the end of the run, the tightness had worked itself out and I was running pretty good with no limp.  I also had swollen hands and my right toes went numb.  I have bought into Sasha's argument about running more often under the rational that the more often you run the quicker you will improve and the lower mileage per day will reduce the chance of injury.  After a rest day yesterday and today's performance I belive that, at least for me right now, a complete rest day actually does harm as it allows my muscles to tighten back up and un-does the stretching that occured in the previous days run.

The last few days I have been watching streaming running movies from the internet.  I have watched Saint Ralph, On the Edge, and Run for your Life.  The first two had a little to much taking the lords name in vain for my taste, but they were fun to watch.  Saint Ralph was about a 14 year old boy training to run Boston while at a catholic school while his mom was ill.  On the Edge was about a guy training and running in a trail race as a bandit because they wouldn't let him compete legitimately because of old infractions.  Run for Your Life was about the history of the New York Marathon and sort of a bio of the guy who started the thing.  All three educational and motivational.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 23:35 Pace: 12:20 Avg HR: 155, Shoes: Brooks Addiction(143.65).

Good run, R hip bug'n a tinge, but nothing bad.  I have stretched a lot the last two days.  I had a dream that I was really flexible.  If my subconscious believes it maybe reality will get there.

Miles: 1.90 Time: 22:51 Pace: 12:02 Avg HR: 153, Shoes: Brooks Adreniline(45.31).

Stepped out the door and heard Couch's Spadefoot Toads calling.  It had poured rain earlier.  I got a few sprinkles on my run and got to see two toads on the road.  First one was quite big, second one medium sized.  Solid improvement over yesterday's run.  Ran .89 before HR monitor told me to walk.

Miles: 1.90 Time: 24:10 Pace: 12:41 Avg HR: 155, Shoes: Brooks Addiction(145.55).

The last couple of days I have been really busy and haven't run for two days in a row.  I caught a cold yesterday, but didn't want to go three days without a run.  My wife ran to the store because we were out of milk and we need some for the kiddo and I was going to run as soon as she got back.  The door opens on their return and there is a downpour outside.  They were completely soaked and had just ran from the car to the front door.  So I waited for the rain to ease and got caught up in a movie.  Finally I get ready to walk out the door, the rain is now just a light drizzle and then the power on the entire block goes out.  We light a candle and find some flashlights.  I have the big flashlight out anyhow, so I go and check out the spadefoot toads at the retention area.  I really is pretty cool to watch them call.  I also saw a big spider trying to swim to safety.  It might have been a brown recluse, will have to look at some photos tomorrow.  I find a little flashlight to take with me and my wife asks me if I really am going to run without any streelights and I tell her I am and she tells me to be safe.

 Off I go.  There was a thin layer of cloud cover that reflected the city glow and it really was fairly bright.  It got a little darker the second half as the clouds cleared away.  My performance was pretty poor.  I ran against a stiff wind for 1/3 of the run, it was humid, I am currently a snot factory, and I think I probably lost some fitness in the last two days.  Despite all that, it was a nice different atypical fun run.  Gives me a eensy weensie bit more respect for the ultra runners.  Can't imagine trying to find turns on trails and the wierd thoughts that must go through their heads in the middle of the night after all that excertion.  Scared a couple of whirring doves out of trees which is always startling and had to watch my step a bit closer to make sure I didn't twist my ankle on a rock or something.

I get back and pace circles around the house as I let my HR get back to normal.  Finally I sit down exhausted and immediately all the lights in the house come back on.  Seems like a lot conspired to not let me get my run in.

My left knee is starting to concern me.  It is hurting when I am not running, but not when I am running.  I stretched my hams at least 10 times different times today.   I think that helps a lot.  I think the time for them to get tighter than the last stretch lengthened them is fairly short and not running for two days isn't helpful either.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 23:43 Pace: 12:25 Avg HR: 155, Shoes: Brooks Addiction(147.46).

Almost over the cold.  Legs feeling really good, especially left leg which has been hurting when not running.  Run seemed kinda tough.  Hopefully in the next two runs will be back to where I was a week ago with a 12:02 pace.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 23:34 Pace: 12:20 Avg HR: 154, Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline (47.23)

Run felt good.  No tightness.  Watched the movie Gracie about a girl who played men's Varsity Soccer in the early days of Title IX.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 22:34 Pace: 11:50 Avg HR: 154, Shoes: Brooks Addiction(149.37)

Legs felt good, solid improvement.

Miles: 2.89 Time: 36:23 Pace: 12:35 Avg HR: 154, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (152.26)

Ran the same route 2 weeks ago in 38:46 and 13:25 pace for an improvement of 2:23 on the route.  At .69 miles saw a DOR yearling Gopher Snake.  Had a lightening show to watch during my run.  Felt a little light-headed early in the run.  Legs feeling pretty good.

 Earlier today went to the Sea Life Aquarium at Arizona Mills Mall.  That was a lot of fun.  Both my kids enjoyed it.

Miles: 1.90 Time: 22:12 Pace: 11:39 Avg HR: 154, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (154.16)

Run felt good.  Beat last run by 22 seconds or 11 seconds per mile faster.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 23:14 Pace: 12:08 Avg HR: 154, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (156.07)

Been a rough week.  My kid has been waking up in the middle of the night crying.  Doctor thinks he has pneumonia and sent us for a chest X-ray and put him on antibiotics.  Hopefully he is getting better because we are leaving for Vegas for a wedding tomorrow.  Hope to get at least one run in Vegas.  This run was disappointing, but considering I am tired and haven't run two days in a row it is to be expected.  Right hamstring very tight during run.  I did pass a walker and a driver flashed his lights at me.

Hiked the Keystone Thrust Trail in Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas with my daughter. Pretty area with a nice breeze going on.

Dist: 2.15 miles Time: 1:06:50 Pace: 30:00 Elev Gain: 599 HR 136 Max HR 170. Did a little running on the way back.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 22:33 Pace: 11:49 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (157.98)

I've been out of town (Vegas) for a wedding and haven't run much lately so I have been wondering how much fitness I lost.  Especially considering I gained a couple pounds on vacation.  Hash House a Go Go is an amazing place to eat by the way. I go on my run and feel pretty good, but run at a comfortable slow pace.  I get to the point on my run where I normally start running, but my HR alert hasn't gone off yet, so I keep going and going.  About the 1 mile mark I realize I turned off the alert on my hike earlier in the week.  So my avg HR is higher than normal and it is difficult to compare to prior runs as I didn't follow the same rules.  I think I did lose a bit of fitness, but not as much as I feared.  Going camping  tomorrow for the weekend (Chiricahua area) and will do some hiking, but probably not any running.  Hopefully the hiking will keep me in shape.

Andy's Sage Fried Chicken Benedict

-a layer of mashed potatoes
-biscuit
-sprinkle of fresh spinach
-a thick layer of smoked bacon
-fried chicken breast
-scrambled eggs
-a griddle melted mozzarella
-waterfall of cream chipotle sauce
-tomatoes here and there

1 mile of easy hiking exploring the Chiricahuas.

Hiked 1 mile near Price Canyon Road

Hiked 2.04 miles from Herb Martyr Campground to Little Damn to Ash Spring and back to the campground.

Hiked 3.37 miles doing the Echo Canyon Loop in Chiricahua National Monument.  Saw a Rock Rattlesnake in the shade along the trail.  Very Scenic with lots of rock spires.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 23:01 Pace: 12:04 Avg HR: 155, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (159.89)

Been out of town the last couple weekends and have done some hiking, but very little running, so I have lost a bit of fitness.  Also my right ham was extremely tight this run to the point of limping.  It is good to look forward to some stability and hopefully more consistent running.

Watched Ultramarathon man.  I respect Karnazes a lot, but largely view his 50/50/50 feat as a gimmick.  A little too commercial for my taste.  Maybe I would feel differently if I read his book.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 22:06 Pace: 11:36 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline (49.14)

Best time yet this year.  Nice to know my slacking the last two weeks didn't hurt too much.  Felt good aerobically.  Tried to stretch my hams well before run, didn't seem to help during run. Right ham still very tight.  Saw a guy from my ward, so had to delay a walk break.

Miles: 1.91 Time: 22:25 Pace: 11:45 Avg HR: 155, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (161.80)

Rt ham still tight, but much better than the last two runs.  Good luck to everyone at TOU tomorrow.

Miles: 1.90 Time: 22:15 Pace: 11:45 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (163.70)

I haven't been running as much as I would like.  I could blame it on the pain on the top of my foot that developed my last run, but I've just been lazy.  The weather outside is great tonight (cool and humid).  I started off with a bit of a headwind making me run slow and I had just read the part of Burt's open mile race that he had posted so far.  Anyway, I came to want to run a mile without any walking.  I ran slow to keep my HR down.  At the mile mark my HR was still doing well, so I kept going.  Rt ham still tight.  1.5 miles my HR monitor is telling me to walk, but I slow the run and eventually just live with the high HR.  I made the complete run without any walk breaks.  I want to run a 5k on Thanksgiving and got it in my head that I want to beat 32 minutes to be respectible.  I have two months to get there.  This gives me a bit of hope that it is possible.  Next week will be lengthening my run a bit.  Maybe test a 5k distance this saturday to see how many minutes I need to cut off my current time.

Here is a video in Celebration of Burt's new post HS personal record in the mile.

Miles: 1.90 Time: 22:15 Pace: 11:45 Avg HR: 158, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (165.60)

 Legs felt good.  No tightness.  Seeing signs the weight is finally (barely, but noticeably) starting to come down.  3 walk breaks.  Same identical pace as last run.

The worlds smallest stop motion animated film:

Miles: 3.1 Time: 44:04 Pace: 14:13 Avg HR: 161, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (168.70)

98 degrees with sun beating down.  Kind of depressing, next week we'll run it in a much cooler part of the day and see where I am really at.  The last few days were getting cooler, don't know what I was thinking.

Miles: 2.34 Time: 28:19 Pace: 12:06 Avg HR: 154, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (171.04)

Lengthened my typical run.  Maybe next week will start running a little less than half a mile with my daughter at the start of my run.  She runs to her bus stop every morning and calls herself a runner like her dad.

Speaking of fathers...

Miles: 2.31 Time: 27:55 Pace: 12:04 Avg HR: 153, Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline (51.45)

Took my daughter with me for first part of the run.  Before we left I told her "We're not racing, we're just running."  She says "That's because last time I beat you."  I laugh and she says "I don't get why that is funny."

 Also, I am glad this isn't my job.

Miles: 2.33 Time: 27:25 Pace: 11:46 Avg HR: 153, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (173.37)

Was at 1.91 in 22.12.  Nice cooler weather.  Wanted to run the last two nights, but it was storming pretty fierce with hail.

Miles: 2.33 Time: 26:59 Pace: 11:35 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline (53.78)

Saw what I thought was a cricket, but looking closer, it was a tiny toad.

Miles: 2.33 Time: 26:31 Pace: 11:24 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (175.70)

hit 1.91 miles in 21.23.  Good run.  Ran my old route without any walking.

Miles: 3.10 Time: 35:04 Pace: 11:19 Avg HR: 157, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (178.80)

Ran on the canals in the dark.  Very proud of the run.  My goal was to get under 36.  Could have gotten under 35 if I had started my kick just a bit earlier. Cassiopeia led my to the finish.  I want to run under 32 on thanksgiving day, so I need to cut of 3 minutes in 6 weeks.

I'm sick.

Miles: 3.10 Time: 41:36 Pace: 13:25 Avg HR: 157, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (181.90)

Lots of big fish in the canal.

Miles: 1.90 Time: 22:46 Pace: 11:57 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (183.80)

Left quad had slight ache.  Coughing during run.

Miles: 1.90 Time: 22:17 Pace: 11:42 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (185.70)

 Good run, still a little flemy.

Miles: 1.90 Time: 21:47 Pace: 11:29 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (187.60)

Saw a coyote where I normally see bunnies.

 Here is a high school hurdles race for your enjoyment.

Miles: 2.34 Time: 26:17 Pace: 11:14 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline (56.12)

 1.90 in 21.06.  Good solid effort.

 This video will blow your mind.

Miles: 2.34 Time: 26:16 Pace: 11:14 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (189.94)

Beat yesterday's run by 1 second.  Ran 1.9 in 21.20 seconds.

 Here's some Family Feud

Miles: 3.10 Time: 36:50 Pace: 11:53 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (193.04)

Rt hamstring aching before run.  Hoping running would work it out and I wouldn't end up walking it in.  It didn't get any better, but it didn't get any worse either.

Miles: 2.34 Time: 25:44 Pace: 11:00 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (195.38)

 Ran 1.90 in 20.40 or 10:53 pace.  Good solid run.

 Here's some video of the recent New York City Marathon.

Miles: 2.33 Time: 25:44 Pace: 11:08 Avg HR: 157, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (197.71)

Ran 1.90 in 20.55 or 11:01 pace.  Not quite as fast as yesterday.

Miles: 3.10 Time: 38:18 Pace: 12:21 Avg HR: 153, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (200.81)

Miles: 3.10 Time: 34:51 Pace: 11:14 Avg HR: 162, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (203.91) No walks.

Very happy with the run.  HR peaked at 186.  I've been nervous about the race on thursday.  If I can repeat this performance I will be happy.  Hopefully I can avoid going out too fast in the excitement.  No run tomorrow.  It's my taper, lol.

Shoes: Brooks Addiction (207.01) 

My goals for this race were

1) Finish my first 5k.

2) Run it under 35 minutes

3) Don't Walk

4) Beat my co-workers fiance

5) Finish strong and not get passed a lot at the end.

 My co-worker started near the front and I started off with his fiance.  She ended up going out a little faster than I wanted, but she slowed down to my pace pretty quickly.  I ran fairly consistently at 11 MPM pace.

I ran a 5k in training 2 days ago, just under 35 minutes and didn't think I could improve much on that time.

At about the 2.5 mile mark I picked it up to about 10:30 pace.   Shortly thereafter my HR was over 180 and took a couple 5 second walk breaks.  The fiance was just ahead of me most of the race.  With about 1/4 mile left I really picked it up and passed her about 50 yards to the finish line, allowing me to avoid humiliating comments at work for the next year.  In truth, had she seen me coming up on her, I think she could have held me off.  I also gave an extra burst right at the finish line to pass a girl in a pink shirt.

 So I met all my goals except the not walking one.  I am pleased with the race.  I really had no idea I could beat my run from 2 days ago by over a minute.  I am wearing my race shirt proudly to this afternoons family activities.

Miles: 3.10 Time: 36:17 Pace: 11:43 Avg HR: 154, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (210.11)

Not very motivated today.  Went to the canals.  Gusty winds on and off.  Sun out last mile.

Pay attention to the guy's shirt in this video.

Miles: 3.10 Time: 37:13 Pace: 11:59 Avg HR: 160, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (213.21)

 Kevin Bacon...

Miles: 2.66 Time: 31:51 Pace: 11:59 Avg HR: 153, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (215.87)

Miles: 3.1 Time: 35:04 Pace: 11:18 Avg HR: 158, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (218.97)

 Hide yer kids, hide yer wife - Christmas version.

Miles: 3.1 Time: 34:58 Pace: 11:18 Avg HR: 158, Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline (59.22)

Trololo Ho Ho Ho

Miles: 4.62 Time: 2:46 Pace: 30:00 Avg HR: 123

Hiked to Hackberry Sprngs and surrounding area with my daughter.  Found a nature journal that had been left that was pretty cool.  Saw some deer tracks in the mud.  Lots of puddles of water.  We originally planned to go to the massacre grounds, but the road to the trailhead has been permanently closed and now the hike in is much farther.

My doctor doesn't take the insurance my company is switching to for the new year, so we pushed up my hand surgery to today.  My fingers are big fat sausages.  I have to keep my bandage on for 4 days and can't get it wet for a week.

Miles: 2.89 Time: 35:10 Pace: 12:09 Avg HR: 158, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (221.86)

Miles: 1.82 Time: 20:18 Pace: 11:08 Avg HR: 156, Shoes: Brooks Addiction (223.77)

Brrr cold.  Burned my lungs a little bit.  Can't imagine those who run in colder than this all the time.  Cold also made my stitches hurt.

4.58 miles hiking

Hiked to Freemont Saddle via Peralta Trail.  About a half mile to the saddle it got really icy.  Water would run down the trail and then freeze.  I still had stitches in my hand so i was very careful on the ice because I didn't want to rip my stitches.

At the saddle it was very cold, but we got a nice view of Weaver's Needle and took some photos.  I used my christmas binoculars to find a Western Scrub Jay.  There was a small amount of snow in the shadow of a tree.

About a half mile down I slipped on some ice and sprained my ankle.  The ice on the trail had begun to melt and was almost impossible to see.  I told my friend we needed to keep moving before it stiffened up.  Then we hiked about another 1 3/4 back to the car.