Running in Life's Slow Lane

Finished the 5 mile run today while visiting my parents.

Mile splits ---
- 11:43
- 11:29
- 12:17
- 12:35
- 11:16
5.0 miles in 59:19 for an average pace of 11:52!

Max HR: 153bpm

Collected all this information from the new Garmin Forerunner 405 that my wonderful family provided as a birthday present. Everything seems to work very well, EXCEPT that I cannot seem to get the Forerunner to synch with my laptop. I am going to spend some time going through the troubleshooting guide and hopefully get this issue resolved.

Location: Wilburton, Oklahoma

3.24 miles of which 3.0 was jogging.

Mile splits ---
11:12.06 130bpm
11:46.19 140bpm
11:35.38 148bpm
3.0 miles in 34:37.38 (11:32/mi) and avg 139 bpm

Sweaty running this morning with tired legs. For some reason my quads and my glutes feel tired after today's run. Maybe they are just complaining about yesterday's long run.

We're heading back home today in time to make tonight's dress rehearsal at the Cameron University Threater so Teresa and I can work backstage. Then tomorrow it is back to the work grind.

Location: Wilburton, Oklahoma

Asics Gel 1120

 

2.62 mi in 30:00 for an 11:27/mi avg pace

Splits ---
1.00 mile in 12:18
1.00 mile in 11:20
0.62 mile in 06:17 (10:08/mi pace)

Crawled right out of bed around 6ish and went for a run. Not used to that schedule but it was a nice temperature which made for a nice run. We were slated for a 3.0 mile day however the housekeeper comes today so we could only run about 30:00 and still have time to get everyone out of the house on time.

Tomorrow is back to 4 miles.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

1.00 mi in 11:45
1.00 mi in 11:38
1.00 mi in 11:30
*stopped to walk numbness out of my right foot and take off shirt
1.00 mi in 12:28 *slowing down to let foot recover
1.00 mi in 17:37 *walking since 4 miles was today's goal
0.54 mi in 11:19 *running the downhill stretch towards home

So I met my goal of 4.0 miles today and then tacked on another half for fun. It was toasty in the sun even at 8:18am with a heat index of 81F. The wind blowing at 20-30mph from the south was refreshing when it was in my face but I still had a hard time shedding some of the heat that got built up so at 3 miles I took off the shirt.

Tomorrow's goal is 3 miles.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

No miles today. Instead I had a visit with Dr for a bit of bloodwork early in the day. By the time I was at home the weather had turned hot and very windy.

Good time for a day off.

1.0 mi in 11:00
1.0 mi in 11:33
1.0 mi in 11:11
---------------
3.0 mi at avg pace of 11:15/mi

Nice cool morning follow last night's strong thunderstorms. This pace is very close to my PR in the 5K I ran way back in March. Here's hoping I can keep it up.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

1.00 mi in 11:58
1.00 mi in 13:32 *includes 5:00 of walking
1.00 mi in 10:50 *trying to catch Teresa
0.75 mi in 12:40
----------------------
3.75 mi at 12:13/mi pace

I intended today to be a 4 mile day. For some reason I woke up in the early morning with very tight hamstrings and was afraid I might be hobbled but Teresa kicked me out of bed at 0615 so I had to run. Once I got loosened up I was able to run well enough. Legs were really tired though.

Tomorrow is slated to be 6 miles. Not sure if that will happen because the family schedule is awfully tight tomorrow.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

2.0 miles walked. The hamstrings that were tight yesterday morning were a problem all day Saturday and into Sunday. As a result, what was to be a 6.0 mile run turned into a walk through the neighborhood.

Splits were ---
12:09
11:45
11:52
11:58
11:12
11:38
02:25 (last 0.21 miles)

So my first 10,000m run took 1:12:59 for an average pace of 11:45/mi. Amazing.

Thankfully I am back to just 4.0 miles tomorrow, IF my hamstrings will allow me that much distance.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

Asics Gel 1130 

Splits were ---
11:11
11:19
11:36
11:50
------------------
Avg Pace: 11:28/mi

Ran this evening rather than the morning. Unfortunately while the sun is not shining it is still plenty hot outdoors.

My legs were feeling the effects of yesterday's 6 miles. And I have to run another 4 miles tomorrow. Ugh!

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma
 

1.00 mile ran in 12:16
0.50 mile ran in 06:04
0.25 mile walked in 05:15
1.00 mile ran in 12:13
0.25 mile ran in 03:09
-----------------------
Average pace: 12:59/mi

Realistically I had no business trying to run again this morning. I did not finish yesterday's 4 mile workout until 9:30pm and was out before 6:30am this morning trying to run. Right now I think I can feel every major muscle below my hips. Or maybe just a few minor muscles hurting enough to feel major. My intended 4 mile workout turned into a 3 mile grunt-it-out which required a 0.25 mile walk in the middle.

No more evening runs. My run schedule is for mornings and if it gets changed by circumstances I just need to face the fact that trying to get back on track by running twice in 24 hours is not going to work at my level of fitness.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

My 1.0 mile splits were ---
12:06
11:31
11:21
11:26
----------------------
Avg pace of 11:36/mi

Much better today on rested legs. My pace seems to have settled around the 11:30ish mark when I am feeling okay. Occasionally I catch myself under 11:00 and can get to 10:00 with a lot of effort so I can see where the increased distance is resulting in an improvement in pace.

Sadly I must report that my much beloved '93 Isuzu Rodeo has reached the point where major repairs are needed. Since the family has been after me to replace the beast for several years now I guess it's time to shop for a new car. The end of an era for the Pendergraft clan.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

 

These are NOT running miles!

Today was the annual butterfly count at the Wichita Mtns Wildlife Refuge and though I had told myself I was not going to participate, I found myself going. I tromped through 4.2 miles of the prairie in 4 hours 17 minutes trying desperately to identify butterflies as they blew past me in the 20-25mph winds. I could definitely tell that my fitness level is much improved over previous years as the 4.2 miles did not really tire me while I was active. Once I got off the trail though I felt like I had been hit by a bus. There's a big difference in running on asphalt and spending 4 hours walking across prairie pastures and granite boulders.


Obviously, I did not run on top of the hiking. THAT would have killed me.

1.0 mile splits-----
10:49 avg HR 126
11:18 avg HR 134
11:51 avg HR 136
11:03 avg HR 145
---------------------
4.0 mi in 45:18 at 11:17/mi avg pace

Today's splits ---
12:20 115bpm
11:44 123bpm
12:00 126bpm
12:28 129bpm
11:55 138bpm
11:16 148bpm
02:42 152bpm (10:49/mi pace)
--------------------------------
6.25mi in 1:14:25 -- avg pace of 11:55/mi -- approx 782 cal

We survived our second 10K run. It was a tough run for about 4 miles and then I got my second wind. Thankfully some high clouds hid the sun making it bearable as I am not sure we could have done the entire distance in the strong rays of the morning.

Location: Lawton, Ok

Today's splits ---
12:01 118bpm
11:23 126bpm
11:23 132bpm
11:40 132bpm
--------------------
4.0 miles in 46:43 -- avg pace 11:38 -- 510 cal

Well I've once again survived the 4 miles after the 6 miles. Tomorrow will be a challenge to run the scheduled 5 miles. Increasing the weekly mileage total while a being a great goal is also a bit daunting.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

Today's splits ----
11:48
11:01
11:33
11:38
09:32
---------------------
5.0 miles -- avg pace 11:07/mi -- 631 cal

Got out ahead of the thunderstorms for a nice cool run to start my day. This marks 15 miles in 3 days and my quads are a little sore from the last mile of today's run where I pushed the pace. My heart and lungs don't seem to have any problem with the faster pace as I don't seem to be labored in my breathing. It's just the legs that need to work up to the speed. No rush though as I have the rest of my life to let my legs catch up.

On a completely unrelated note: I survived my first piano lesson after 25+ years away.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

Today's splits ---
11:52
11:16
11:27
11:07
------------------
4.0 miles -- 11:26/mi avg pace -- 518 cal

Nice and cool but the humidity was above 90% after yesterday's thunderstorms so it was a sweat-fest. Legs were stiff and tired so I tried to keep my pace nice and slow.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

Today's splits ---
11:48
11:18
11:31
10:55
11:32
--------------------------------
5.0 miles -- 11:16/mi avg pace -- 646 cal

A new sweat-fest record: the sweat in my shirt reached to within 1/2" (and I measured to be sure) of the bottom hem.

Because of an early appointment with my physician I could not get my run in until 11:00 am. 83F with 60% humidity and calm winds (the winds are NEVER calm here) left me plenty sweaty. Thankfully the clouds kept the sun hidden and made the run possible.

My blood work came back "fine" according to the Dr. Here are my other numbers so I can find them when I go back in 6 months.
Cholesterol: 159 (<200 is desired)
LDL: 101 (<100 is optimal)
HDL: 35 (<40 is considered "low")
Triglycerides: 139 (<150 is normal)
Uric Acid: 8.9 (definitely on the higher end)
BP: 101/60 (seems way too low to me!)
Pulse: 52
So if anything I guess I need to see about boosting some HDL.

Today's splits ---
12:04
11:58
11:43
10:53
------------------
4.0 miles -- 11:40/mi avg pace -- 531 cal

When the alarm went off at 6:00am I was definitely NOT in the mood to run. Somehow though I made it onto the streets and through today's workout.

The sun was in full force and we had no wind but the temperature was a nice 69F at the start. Very humid so there was plenty of sweating. I measured before and after the run and there was a 0.9lb difference. Most of which seemed to be saturated in my workout clothes. Ick!

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

Today' splits -------------
11:29
11:41
11:58
11:17
---------------------------
4 miles -- 11:37/mi avg pace -- 523 cal

To celebrate our 20th anniversary Teresa and I woke and found Lake Hefner Park in Oklahoma City so we could run at 6:30am. There are a few challenging hills on the course and my calves were being cranky for some reason. As a result the pace was off a bit in a few places.

Not a bad run and I was so glad to be finished.

Location: Lake Hefner Park, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Today's splits ---
11:57
12:23
12:32
12:27
12:26
12:39
01:15 (0.1 mi)
------------------------------
6.1 miles - 12:24/mi avg pace -- 735 cal

Yesterday was Parents' Day at Kristoffer's camp AND our 20th wedding anniversary, so Teresa and I slept a little late in the hotel this morning. We were still on the trail at Lake Hefner Park before 8 am and managed to push ourselves for 6 miles. My calves were a big problem and I used them as an excuse to stop and walk about 0.1 mile at the beginning of each mile segment. Hence all the splits are much slower than usual.

In addition to the calves, I had cramps in my left foot and a stitch in my right side. Then, as if that was not enough, I of course had both feet going numb around the 2.50 mile mark. That is becoming a regular problem with my left foot going numb first, then the right foot and slowly over a mile or more it passes. Consistently it seems to start in the 2.25-2.50 mile area. Annoying as heck.

Got the distance done though it may have been done in a furious waddle to the finish line.

Location: Lake Hefner Park, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Today's splits ---
11:34
11:56
13:10 *walked about 0.25 mi
--------------------
3.0 mile -- 12:17/mi avg pace -- 373 cal

Somebody send me a dose of motivation!

This is the third day in a row that I have just not wanted to run. Even while I am running I try to turn every bit of discomfort into an excuse to stop. I have no idea why I am feeling this way after having a great start to last week and finishing with a mileage PR. If I were to guess I would say that I am not loving the 6am wake up times. I've just got to get to bed early enough to get a full 7.5 hours and face the day with a rested mind.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

Today's splits ---
10:58 (What! This is a crazy pace. Slow down.)
11:18
12:02 (Paying for that first mile)
11:25
------------------------------
4.0 miles -- 11:26/mi avg pace -- 509 cal

Finally, a run that didn't feel too tortuous. I was feeling the calves and the numb feet enough that I considered stopping around the 2.75 mark (probably why the pace was so slow) but told myself I needed at least 3 miles for a decent workout. Once I got to the 3 mile mark there was no way I was going to stop. Amazing the tricks we play in our own minds.

Janis Joplin was not much to look at but that woman could sing some serious soulful tunes. She accompanied my run today and I actually had to join along on a few choruses. Not that my breathless mumbling could be identified as singing by a passerby.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

Today's splits ---
11:31
11:46
12:02
1:06
-------------------------
3.1 miles -- 11:45/mi avg pace -- 379 cal

Today was scheduled for 5 miles but I decided to cut it short. I just didn't feel "the love" this morning and rather than push through I wimped out. My goal is to cut back the mileage a bit this week, try to get plenty of sleep, eat well, in general do all the right things. Definitely going to take Saturday off.

Hope all this helps as we are drawing close to our next 5K on July 5th.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

Today's splits ---
10:45
11:14
10:57 (stopped to rest at 2.25 mi)
11:10 (stopped to rest at 3.25 mi)
08:59 (0.5mi - took a break and walked)
10:33 (yay! almost home)
4:07 (0.25mi - walk to the house)
----------------------------------
5.75 mi -- 11:48/mi avg pace -- 721 cal

Because of stomach discomfort I did not get to start my run until after 9am which meant it was HOT! As a result I ran when I felt like it and rested when I needed. Luckily there are a few places (very few) along the route where a tree is close enough to the edge of the road to provide shade. I picked those as my rest points and stopped at each for a minute or two to wipe myself down with the damp towel I carried along.

Though I was a bit worried about the stomach it feels okay after the run which means I had better get showered and into the office.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

Today's splits ---
12:06
11:43
12:01
12:08
07:11 (*walked 0.35 mi to the house)
----------------------------------------
4.35 mi -- 12:41/mi avg pace -- 517 cal

The legs were tired but once I had made it to 2.75 mi I knew I could finish the entire 4 miles. I really think I am outrunning what my legs are ready to do on some days. If I were smarter I would probably try to keep myself in the 11:30-11:45/mi range for most of my miles. Big IF.

Gorgeous morning to run through. The scissor-tailed flycatchers and western kingbirds seemed very active during my run, flying from fences and overhead wires as we ran past.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

No miles for me today.

Stayed overnight in Oklahoma City after seeing Kristoffer's performance as Motel in Fiddler on the Roof, Jr. Had to have him checked out of the camp dorm by noon so we stayed around, had a nice lunch and then made the drive home.

Tomorrow we try for 7 miles but keep the rest of the week moderate as we prepare for Saturday's 5K.

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

Today's splits ---
11:43
14:12 (walked about 0.3 miles)
11:32
1:06 (the last 0.1 at 10:48/mi)
-------------------------------------------
3.1 miles -- 12:51/mi avg pace -- 385 calories

Okay, chalk it up as "one of those days". I had intended to do 7 miles today but scaled that back to 5 miles before I even started. Then as we got out onto the streets I was running at the edge of the road and the crown on the asphalt really aggravated my left calf. Teresa is a much tougher runner than I am because this is her usual slot when we run together. I made it to the turn-around point about 1.7 miles into the run and then needed to walk a bit. The calf was really tight and painful so I had to walk pretty slow. At this point I decided to get a 5K done and call it a day.

Teresa to her great credit continued running and got 4.5-5 miles done today. She is a stronger runner and doesn't suffer the same frustrations with the mental aspects of running that seem to plague me. No doubt our race on Saturday will see me chasing her to the finish line. Maybe my goal should just be "finish within 2:00 of Teresa."

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma

Today's splits ---
11:23
10:22
10:27
56.13 (.1 mile - 9:06/mi)
------------------------------
3.1 mi -- 10:41/mi avg pace -- 404 cal

New PR today: 33:09 in the 5K!

Actually it was probably just a shade under 33:00 as we stopped once for Teresa to relace her left shoe and once to let a car pass us at the turn around spot. While it's no match for the 14:04 and 13:54 times being ran at the Olympic Trials this weekend, it is a big confidence booster for the two of us.

Maybe we can get some comparable conditions -- 59F temp with no headwind -- on a flatter course during Saturday's race. Yeah, and maybe pigs will fly that day too!

Location: Lawton, Oklahoma