further, faster, funner

Easy run with Hugo

10:35 pace

short run before getting on plane

10:34 pace

France!

Cox vers le Burgaud - hilly

10:23 pace

Berges vers Citou

up and down

10:13 pace

Berges vers Fedou - hot and hilly

 11:43

easy run

11:28 pace

Berges vers Citou

Good run - fast up and down

9:28 pace

Berges vers Fedou hilly and hot

11:02

Berges vers Citou

Uphill for 30 minutes ( 10:56) and down for 25 (9:44)

Cox with Elfie. No sleep

11:00 pace

Longest run in years! Felt good except for calf the last four miles

10:48 pace

11:19 pace, hot day. Hugo was slowing me down. Calf still tight from Sunday.

29:25/9:14 pace overall

average for first 3 miles - 9:08  

fastest 3 miles yet!

went out too fast I think - first mile was 8:24.

I think I should try and do first mile at 9:30 or 9:45 

the last 0.18 was at 11:02 

10:30 pace

ran 4x - highest mileage week yet

Warm day, felt good

1 hour @11:05 pace 

didn't want to run too fast and managed my pace better

103 pushups

My goal was to run 2.5h sub 65%hr, At mile 9 , I felt good and so took a longer route home. Calf tightened mile 14. It is very hard to run <65%hr in SF with all the hills!

I recovered much faster today than usual. 12:00 pace

good run!

hot day! quads really tight from Sunday. ran the same route as on 10.7 but did at 10:47 pace today, 18 seconds faster

Hot day again! Trying to run more frequently. At least 4x/week. I'm seeing improvement.

10:14 pace. I think I should have gone slower, taken it real easy on these "in between" days and just use them to loosen up, log another day or two a week and use my planned workouts to train with more specific goals.

Goal today was to do a steady state run. I only had 30 minutes because I had to get A from school early, so it was a bit short. I went out, trying to keep my HR in the 83-87% range and I did mostly, just not on the hills. I went a bit high. It is hard trying to run at a certain pace or HR! But the good thing was I ran over 3M at <9:00 pace (8:59) I have also run 4x this week and there is still tomorrow.

easy run in the park w/ Hugo

10:46 pace

My highest mileage week to date and I ran 5x.

Odd run. I decided to run a 1/2 marathon on much of the same course I normally run on, hills and all, just to see what time I could do. I thought an 11:00 pace would be good. When I got to the park,  I got caught up in the Nike Women's Marathon. I tried to stay separate from the runners, but it was too awkward with all the barricades and water stations. I ended up passing the finish line just as Samuelson crossed the line (she was running the half) and she and the other women were so fast! I've never seen the end of a long race before and I was impressed by their kicks! And I continued to be impressed by all the women passing me by as I plodded along in the middle of their race for a few miles before our paths diverged.

 A couple of my miles were fast, going up hill on JFK, and I attribute that to getting caught up in the enthusiasm of the race, but in the end I don't think it was a good thing because I really flagged towards the end of my run going up the steep hills. In the end I did it in 2:22:19, a 10:51 pace. My legs were tight the whole way, I never really loosened up.

The McMillan Calculator says I could do it at 9:52, using my best 3M pace. Perhaps on a flatter course, but I'm not sure. Using my 1/2 marathon pace, it says a marathon in 5:00:09. I don't like that at all!

I am going to start tracking my PRs like I see the other more accomplished runners do on this site. Maybe it seems a little goofy since I am not even running any races yet, but I want to see the improvement that I am feeling and track those milestones over time.

Warm day, running continues to feel pretty good. Bumped my short run to 40 minutes today. Going to try and do that as much as I can to help increase weekly mileage.

9:30 pace

I am enjoying the whole process so far: the actual running, the variety of runs and the recording of things. Having a Garmin and how it makes it more interesting for me just proves I am kind of a geek.

My heart rate does really tend to go up on the hills, even slight ones. I think I need to do some intervals or something.

And BTW, a question for anyone out there: how does one determine what is a 'fast' mile and what is a 'slow' one. Right now, my working definition is anything >10:00 is slow.

Ran for an hour.

10:12 pace

Easy run, 12:02 pace 

Very nice run! I decided to run long today instead of Sunday because it is suppopsed to rain a lot tomorrow. Good thing because it really started to rain about a half hour after I finished! I meant to try and keep the my HR down, but inspiration and topography got the better of me again. Longest run ever to date! I think I'll be sore due to the hills...

11:28 pace

I went to Chrissey Field and ran along the Marina Green and then under the GG Bridge. Opted for going over the Bridge instead of running in the Presidio. Got across the Bridge and decided to go to the Headlands. All up hill from there! Fantastic views.

Easy run to loosen up the legs after Saturday's run. Still sore in the quads from the hills. I've noticed the pain in the calves has gone pretty much. I'll give credit to the foam roller.

11:25 pace

Beautiful day, sunny and cool. Ran with Emily for the first time. Nice run.

10:27 pace

Good run today. I broke six miles in an hour. Just barely and with the help of a tailwind coming up O'Shaugnessey. Fair is fair though, because I fought one comng up Chenery!

9:54 pace

Muggy day. Tried to keep it slow and relatively flat. Combined the run with a trip to the balloon store for my son's birthday.

11:26 pace

Couldn't run long today so I ran short and fast. Fastest yet!

3M @ 8:34 pace

Looking back at October, it was a good month of running. I was able to, as I had hoped, use the long September vacation in France as a springboard to increasing the frequency, distance and speed of my runs.

I ran as far as 15.75 miles, the longest I have ever run in my life.

I took :54 off my 3M PR, closing in on my goal of running short distance sub <8:00 miles.

Reduced my 10M by 11:59 

I took 5:42 of my 15M PR 

I was able to run 6 miles in just under an hour, even with hills, thus bringing 10M @ < 10:00 pace within sight, even if it may be distant.

I averaged over 4 runs per week, I enjoyed it and my body has responded well.

Going forward in November, let's see if I can continue increase the number of runs this month by a couple, as well as the distance. I would also like to scratch away at some of those times. Need to stretch more and use the foam roller.

Not such a great week for running, between being sick and getting the house ready. Ran with Zack & Kim today in GGP. Slow run. We stopped a few times. Did a couple of sprints with Hugo. Once around the track with Ale.

13:00 pace

10:26 pace

I planned to have an easy run around the Presidio and perhaps explore some trails, but with all the consturction on Doyle Drive and other projects, this was hard. Tried to find a trail through the golf course that I saw on Google Maps. No luck. Made some golfers angry, I think. What a huge suck of natural and economic resources that sport is! In the end, I ran up and down more hills than I wanted to. I'm sore now.

11:19 pace

recovery run - sore from yesterday

Hills. Glen Park/ O'shaugnessey Blvd. I still feel the hills from my long run.

10:25 pace

woke up early, didn't feel great. had to stop early.

10:28 pace

Woke up at 3AM and couldn't get back to sleep. Read for an hour and a half whie it stormed outside. Around 4:30 it cleared mostly and I saw the nearly full moon sert behind Sutro Tower.Since it was supposed to rain all weekend, I decided to go for  a long run, taking advantage of the break in the rain. That lasted for the first hour. Then it rained for an hour. It was cold and I got wet! (I need to think about rain gear if I am not going to let weather be a deterrent to running consistently as we come to the rainy months.) But the run was fantastic even though I was uncomfortable for most of it.

It was dark for the first hour I ran and shortly after the sunrise, I saw something I had never seen before: a perfect half circle of a rainbow, right over the GG Bridge. It was magnificent. There were some light sprinkles but the clouds were scattered and the sun had come up, so the cliffs were cast into relief with the warm horizontal light. The north end of the rainbow seemed so close and was as if it had substance, even though I could see through it to the bright cliffs just beyond it. Just a couple of minutes before I saw it, I passed a guy on the beach setting up a beautiful shot looking in the other direction, back at the SF skyline silhouetted against clouds and backlit by the rising sun. It was a fantastic shot. As I saw the rainbow, I noticed a couple of other photographers running around trying to hurry up and get there shots of the rainbow. I smiled at them and kept running towards the bridge. A fellow runner coming at me yelled to me, "Did you see it, did you see it? Awesome!" just as I was motioning to her to turn around so she would not miss it. We were all happy for having seen it. I kept my eye on it as I got to the bridge and looked back at it a few times after the turn around. When I got to the two photographers, it had started to pour and they were frantically trying to cover their expensive-looking camera equipment while simultaneously jumping up and down whooping with joy. I guess they got their shots. These were middle-aged Japanese men, who normally don't jump and scream a lot in public, so that too, was a sight.

Next I saw the first photographer, running for his car. I called out to him,"did you get your shot?" "Stupendous," he replied. I don't think he ever saw the rainbow or was aware of it, since when I had seen him, his back was to the bridge the whole time.

This was my first run of any length in the rain. It was hard, but I think the right clothing would have made it better, even pleasant. And my quads were really stiff from too much hill running this week. There was pleasure to be derived from sticking it out though. I found my mind saying things like, "I should knock of for the day, I'm going to make myself sick running in this, in these wet clothes," or "maybe two hours is enough today, maybe two and a half, no need to run three if I am cold and wet." Nonsense like that. Luckily, I also told myself this is where one makes a choice about how one is going to run and a little pride and determination won out. Small victory, but maybe significant.

I need to make sure I use the foam roller on my quads thhis week and stretch my IT bands. Anyone out there have a good stretch or a link for that?

Getting ready to buy some new shoes. These ASICS DS 15s have been pretty good, but I am curious to add a pair of Nike Free and or a pair of Newtons.

My first run since I was struck by a truck last Tuesday while crossing the street. Taken by an ambulance to the hospital, where they x-rayed me all over and declared me fine. I'm still banged up a bit: Leg, elbow, neck and butt, bruises and road rash. My thigh looks and feels like it was worked over with a bat and a little sandpaper. My butt as well, though to a lesser degree. I think I'll be OK, but I have to see how my body responds to this little test.

This was a treadmill run, my first in over a year I think. I thought it might be less punishing on my body than roadrunning, as I took an inventory of my moving parts in action.

October was such a good month for running. I had such hopes for November. I'll see how December goes.

10:36 pace

vicki took the car so I ran to to jeff's for the game.

felt ok after 

 9:11 pace 

Ran intervals on the treadmill at the gym. Tail bone hurt afterwards. I don't think I could run a 15 miler like I have been doing. Not sure what the lasting effects of the accident are going to be but currently, I am really disappointed. I was doing well and happily making progress. Doctor's on Tuesday. Probably some PT in my future. Thinking about going to see chiropractor as well.

Tried on a pair of Nike Free Run+, Newton Gravitas and Kinvaras recently. Trying to decide between the Nikes and the Kinvaras.

A short run to get Ale and take him to the doctor's on the bus. He likes the bus and I like running. Still having problems with my back and shoulder, but  so far little runs like this don't seem to bother it. My legs don't seem to suffer although it can be a little painful. Going to try and pick up back the number of times per week I run and then increase mileage.

9:59 pace 

Ran with Hugo for 3.5 miles at around 11:00 pace. He probably ran about 4 or so with all the running in circles and back and forth he did on the big lawns at Chrissey Field. It never ceases to make me laugh. I ran the last 2.5 solo with H in the car at 9:45 - 9:15 pace. It felt pretty good. I think sitting is the most painful thing. Need new shoes.

Ran in the park with Hugo. lower back tightened up the last 1.5 miles

10:24 pace 

Ran with Hugo, took him a while to settle in, so there was a lot of stopping and starting at first, but he did OK after ten minutes or so. First run with the Kinvaras. I like the weight and the flatness of them. The left one is little narrow, so I'm not sure how it'll feel on a long run.

 11:06 pace 

Got up early and ran in the dark and the rain. New jacket  works well, although it is pretty sweaty and running in the rain was fine. Fastest and furthest run since the accident. It felt pretty good. Ran 3 miles at about 9:30 pace and then slowed down. 10:19 pace

Ale is on vacation this week and next, so if I want to run, I have to do it in the dark while he is sleeping and Vicki is home. Ran my O'Shaugnessy loop the easy way, that is down O'Shaugnessy instead of up. First time since accident. Felt good although I'm still slow. Kinvaras were better the second time out, that is, I hardly noticed them except for the at the top where the laces tie: I think they are just going to be a little tight on me there. Also tried my new fuel belt that I bought for long runs. iPod didn't skip once, so that problem seems solved. Water containers were easy coming out OK going back in. Nice to have the reflective stuff for these early morning runs.

10:21 pace

Ran intervals on the treadmill. 

5x 2:00 at 7:40 pace 

Ran o'shaugnessey loop with Hugo. He slowed me down. He just does not like running on leash.

10:49 pace 

Ran four times last week, so I'm getting back into the groove. I start PT tomorrow, at last! Today's run was my first attempt at any distance. Not sure if the back was any more or less stiffer than if I didn't run at all. I think it helps. I'll try and nudge it up some more next weekend.

Ran with Jim, an old friend from high school who was in town. He doesn't run very often; mostly he swims, but when he does, likes to run on the beach. I ran to his parents house, we drove to Ocean Beach, ran 6 miles in the sand from the Cliff House to the Zoo and back, then back to his parents' and I ran home. It was great to see him after so long. Not a big fan of Facebook, but this is one of it's good aspects. Ran on 3.5  hours sleep. I have to admit, if I hadn't made the date with Jim, I never would have gotten out of bed to do this.

I like the Kinvaras the more I run in them. I wonder about durability though, since the soles show more wear than I would like to see on this many miles. The Asics I have always worn seem to be more durable. 

10:32 pace 

ran w/ Hugo. Meant to do about 3 miles, family logistics intervened. 

12:27 pace 

Haven't been feeling well, but wanted to get something in today so I ran for a bit on the treadmill at the gym. I read that one should add 1% grade to make up for lack of wind resistance, so I did.

11:49