The Next Step

Started the New Year off with an easy 5 miles today.  It was nice around 38 with just light wind.  I felt a little sluggish today. Probably from staying up late and eating a bunch of junk.  Time to get in gear.  I spent most of the day having fun with the family but did jot down some goals for this year.  I am going to shoot high this year with running and see what I can do.  My first goal is to stay healthy.  If I can't do this all of the goals go out the window. I finished 2010 off poorly due to injuries and lack of motivation so time to turn that around.  Here is what I am shooting for this year:

 1.  Sub 3 marathon.  I am not getting any younger so need to go after this now before I slow down too much.

2. Sub 1:25 half.  I love the half marathon distance and would like to improve my PR in this area.

3. Sub 39:00 10k.  I have run a 10k in a long time and want to see what I can do.

4.  Run 2600 miles for the year.  That is 50 miles a week avg and I will need to do this to accomplish the other goals.

5.  Run more races.  I didn't race much in 2010 and it seems that when I race more I get faster.  Just need to set aside the time to make it happen.

There it is so now time to get busy.

 Happy New Year!! 

Today was my last day of vacation so waited and ran in the afternoon when it was warmer.  It was 37 but windy so it felt much colder.  I felt good today but just ran easy.  Nothing special just trying to get the miles back up.  I did see a car wreck right in front of me.  I was waiting at an intersection and a car was waiting to turn and another car came by the other way and just drifted into his lane and side swiped him.  They are probably lucky that he didn't drift over enough to hit him head on.  Other than that pretty normal run.  Back to work tomorrow and need to get into a good routine.

56:45 (8:07 avg) 

It was very windy today (20 mph+) and I didn't feel like battling the wind so just stayed in on the TM.  It was an easy day anyway and just took it nice and slow.  I felt ok but a little sluggish.  I am trying to just build back up slowly and got to realize that Dec was really bad month and lost a lot of base.  It is going to take me several weeks to get that back.  

41:02 (8:12 avg) 

It wasn't as cold this morning (30) and only a light wind.  Started off real easy this morning since I was having a hard time getting going.  I felt good once I got into the groove and ran smoothly the rest of the way.  Might get some snow tonight so that might mean the TM for tomorrow.  Hopefully not.

49:51 (8:19 avg) 

It was 10 degrees and very windy today so stayed in on the TM.  I started off real easy around 9:15 pace and took it slow the first couple of miles.  Then I started picking it up and ran the last couple of miles in the low 7's.  It felt good to run a little faster for a change.

48:21 (8:04 avg) 

I have to leave this morning for travel so wanted to get out early this morning.  Didn't want to run on the snowy roads in the dark so just ran on the TM.  I felt good this morning but just ran easy.  Not a bad run on the TM as the time passed pretty fast since I was watching TV.  Watched a lot on the tragdey in AZ.  That is a really sad story.

57:01 (8:08 avg) 

It was snowing this morning and slick roads so ran inside on the TM.  I was dragging today for some reason.  I just felt tired so I took it real easy and shortened the run.  Hopefully will feel more energy tomorrow.  Other than being tired the run went ok.  Nothing special just trying to get in the miles and get back up to normal mileage.

41:50 (8:22 avg) 

Huntsville, Al:  The big snow in the south made it impossible to run outside.  They had the roads clear but the shoulders were still covered and piled up from the plows so nowhere to run.  I ran on the hotel TM and started off easy then picked it up as I went along.  I felt kind of tired today and the pace seemed harder than it should have.

48:34 (8:05 avg) 

Huntsville, Al:  Wed was a super long day and I was wiped out.  I had an early morning on Thurs as well so got some extra sleep and didn't run yesterday.  Had another long day on Thur but got up early today to get the run in.  On the TM again since conditions outside haven't changed.  I felt better today but still started off easy.  Today I picked it up more and the last 3 miles were closer to 7:30 pace.  Extra rest yesterday probably helped.

47:35 (7:56 avg) 

It was warmer today around 30 with a light wind.  I started out easy and was running good but my nose started bleeding after about a mile and I couldn't get it to stop so I ran back to the house.  I got it stopped and then continued on the TM in case it started again. The rest of the run went ok and I didn't have any more problems.  I felt pretty good running and picked the pace up as well.  It has been crazy the last few days and I didn't get any runs in.  I hope this week goes better.

Raining and very foggy out this morning so thought it was safer to stay inside on the TM.  I felt pretty good this morning and just cruised along.  Nothing special but nice to get the run in and start the day off right.  Feel like I am starting to get back in the routine.  I need to make sure I keep my commitment and stay consistent.

56:40 (8:06 avg) 

My wife had a meeting this morning and the girls were had a two hour delay from school so I stayed inside with them and ran on the TM.  I felt good this morning and wanted to get in some faster miles.  I started off easy and picked it up every 1/4 mile until I was running around MP for the last 2 miles.  I am not really sure what MP is any more but it did feel good to get some faster miles in.  

38:06 (7:37 avg) 

Snowing this morning with slick roads so back on the TM today.  I am starting to get tired of the TM.  I am not a big hater of the TM but after being stuck on it for over a week I am ready to get back outside.  Such is life in Indiana in Jan.  Today was just an easy day.  I kept it slow and steady nothing much else to say.  I felt pretty good and hope I can finally get a full week of running in.  If so, it will be the first of the year.  Off to a slow start but hopefully I can get it in gear and make some progress.

58:40 (8:23 avg) 

It was -2 outside today with a -17 WC so on the TM again.  I felt good today and started out easy.  I picked it up some the last couple of miles but nothing special.  Good to finally get into a consistent routine.  Going to be a cold weekend so don't see getting off of the TM anytime soon.

39:29 (7:54 avg) 

It was another cold (2) and snowy morning so back on the TM.  I felt good this morning and started out easy.  After a couple of miles settled into around 7:45 pace for the rest of the way.  It was the longest I have ran in awhile and finished up my first complete week of running since around Thanksgiving.  That is hard to believe.  Hopefully, I can stay in this routine and keep building back up.

70:28 (7:50 avg) 

Still cold out and the roads are not much better.  The roads around are clear but no shoulder to run on or no place to go if a car passes by close.  Because of this I have just stayed in on the TM.  I would really love to get out but rather be safe than sorry as they say.  I felt pretty good this morning but was a little tired and had the Monday blues.  I just took it easy today nothing special just trying to stay consistent and build up the miles.

47:44 (7:58 avg) 

Roads still not good for running so back on the TM.  I felt good this morning but just ran easy.  Nothing special just getting in the miles.  It is supposed to warm up some today so maybe that will melt enough snow to be able to get back outside.  Tired of winter.

65:56 (8:15 avg) 

Still on the TM.  Today I planned to do some faster miles at MP.  I started off easy for the first mile then slowly built up the pace.  The MP miles were at 7:08, 7:03, 6:58.  This is probably faster than MP for me but it felt good and relaxed.  I didn't feel like I was pushing.  I plan on increasing the distance of these MP runs for the next couple of weeks then I should be ready for some tempo paced runs.  Hopefully, starting to get back on track.

45:30 (7:35 avg) 

Still on the TM. I was dragging this morning.  I didn't have a lot of motivation and had a hard time getting going.  Once I got going it was ok.  I just took it easy today nothing special.  My energy was down for the whole run and just good to get it in.

65:45 (8:13 avg) 

More snow last night so another day on the TM.  Felt a little sluggish this morning but once I got going I felt better.  I started off real easy for the first mile and then slowly picked up the pace.  I actually got into a pretty good groove the last couple of miles.  Turned out to be a pretty decent run.  

48:05 (8:01 avg) 

Finally got outside this morning.  It was around 25 but felt colder with the wind.  It might be that I have just gotten soft will all of the TM running.  I started off easy and just kind of cruised the the whole way.  I have been having some problems again with my achilles the last couple of days and it was worse today.  It was just kind of a dull ache from about 4 miles on.  I was going to go 10 today but decided to turn around early because of the foot.  I am hoping that I can get it back without to much trouble.

66:02 (8:15 avg)