Day 4 -- Ran 2.5 miles in 26:41, a few seconds better than yesterday. Temperature: 45 degrees, a few degrees colder than yesterday. The chill obviously helps! Still underdressed. Ran past a couple walking and they were pretty bundled up. I, self-righteous and superior runner, held my nose high as I passed by in shorts and dri-fit shirt (I don't think I had snot running down my face at that point ...)
Tunes that helped today: Bang the Drum by Todd Rundgren, and California Sun by the Ramones -- again, those insistent, punk beats are killer.
Passed the walking moms again -- no laughter this time. They obviously now detect my superior running-ness guy-ness.
Lord have mercy.
Forgot to mention that I also did the P90X abs routine after my run yesterday, and on my lunch break did 30 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the stationary bike. Today, it'll be hoops at lunch -- the funnest exercise of the week, easy.
And made my confession yesterday, but that's another post for another category ...
Legs pretty sore this evening. Probably ought to get in a hot soak before I get in bed.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
On the other hand ...
To quote Twitterati member Helen A.S. Popkin (the A.S. stands for Awesome Sauce):
OMG YA'LL!
Ran my 2.5 miles in 26:44, which is almost 45 seconds faster than days 1 and 2. Probably helped that it was 48 degrees F and slightly breezy out this morning. I was running faster just to simply get warm. I was underdressed, I suppose, with running shorts and a cotton T-shirt. Still, it's a good way to quicken to the pace ...
Two songs I need to remove from my exercise playlist: Talking Heads' Road to Nowhere, and The Beatles' Run For Your Life. The former has a nice beat but the lyrics are an obvious downer for a runner, while the latter is just too darn negative (Lennon wrote it, not McCartney.)
Calves were a little sore this morning, but not enough to make the run tougher. My focus for most of the run was generally on the temperature.
And I actually did a little bit of a sprint to the finish. "Sprint" always being a relative term for me. I've been world-class slow ever since I could run. I recall my mom told me that one of my youth baseball coaches told her once, "Will is quick, but he'll never be fast."
As long as I finish, I'll be happy.
OMG YA'LL!
Ran my 2.5 miles in 26:44, which is almost 45 seconds faster than days 1 and 2. Probably helped that it was 48 degrees F and slightly breezy out this morning. I was running faster just to simply get warm. I was underdressed, I suppose, with running shorts and a cotton T-shirt. Still, it's a good way to quicken to the pace ...
Two songs I need to remove from my exercise playlist: Talking Heads' Road to Nowhere, and The Beatles' Run For Your Life. The former has a nice beat but the lyrics are an obvious downer for a runner, while the latter is just too darn negative (Lennon wrote it, not McCartney.)
Calves were a little sore this morning, but not enough to make the run tougher. My focus for most of the run was generally on the temperature.
And I actually did a little bit of a sprint to the finish. "Sprint" always being a relative term for me. I've been world-class slow ever since I could run. I recall my mom told me that one of my youth baseball coaches told her once, "Will is quick, but he'll never be fast."
As long as I finish, I'll be happy.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sure didn't take long for the fun to wear off ...
OK, Day Two wasn't that bad. But it was noticeably more difficult. I think my attitude was OK -- though certainly not as upbeat as yesterday. It was harder going, harder to finish. I had considered trying to go a little bit further today, but nixed that idea pretty quickly into the run. The goal became to keep running all the way back to our driveway, the same distance as yesterday. So, goal accomplished.
I thought my stride was off -- hah, I'm on my second day and my stride is off: how quickly we become experts -- but that wasn't the case. My running time today was 27:31, a few seconds faster than yesterday. I never would have thought that until I hit the stop button on my watch and saw the time. Weird the tricks the mind can play: I don't feel as good so I must be going slower ...
Did see other humans out today, a cyclist at the beginning of my run, and five walking moms at the end of it. One of the moms laughed loudly as I approached -- surely she wasn't laughing at me. A minute later I thought it more possible as I thought of what my pale, uh, thick thighs must look like in my running shorts.
Speaking of thighs, one of my goals is to lose enough body fat so that mine don't rub together as I walk. There, I said it.
And speaking of body fat, mine is either 36 percent or 31 percent. Our scale is hardly a precision instrument. Day One was 36 percent (Lord, I thought, surely it's not that high!), while Day Two had it at 31 percent. I'm going with 31 percent, for the record.
Weight is 221. That didn't drop from Monday to Tuesday, unfortunately.
More sore tonight than yesterday. Time for a hot soak in the tub to prep for Day Three.
I thought my stride was off -- hah, I'm on my second day and my stride is off: how quickly we become experts -- but that wasn't the case. My running time today was 27:31, a few seconds faster than yesterday. I never would have thought that until I hit the stop button on my watch and saw the time. Weird the tricks the mind can play: I don't feel as good so I must be going slower ...
Did see other humans out today, a cyclist at the beginning of my run, and five walking moms at the end of it. One of the moms laughed loudly as I approached -- surely she wasn't laughing at me. A minute later I thought it more possible as I thought of what my pale, uh, thick thighs must look like in my running shorts.
Speaking of thighs, one of my goals is to lose enough body fat so that mine don't rub together as I walk. There, I said it.
And speaking of body fat, mine is either 36 percent or 31 percent. Our scale is hardly a precision instrument. Day One was 36 percent (Lord, I thought, surely it's not that high!), while Day Two had it at 31 percent. I'm going with 31 percent, for the record.
Weight is 221. That didn't drop from Monday to Tuesday, unfortunately.
More sore tonight than yesterday. Time for a hot soak in the tub to prep for Day Three.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Day One Run
Alarm went off at 5. Hit snooze. Got up before it went off again. Rolled out of bed and didn't feel too bad, actually. The soreness from yardwork on Saturday was gone, though I had a slight headache. Screw it. I got dressed, laced up the Nikes, went out the front door and locked it behind me.
It was kind of chilly, 51 degrees, and I walked for two and half minutes to warm up. As I ran, I tried to focus on the only stride tip I'm familiar with: Don't land on your heels. Try to hit at mid-foot and make your stride a little shorter. I sure felt like I was moving faster than I had when I ran a few weeks ago, but I was also moving more efficiently. I went further and with less effort, it seemed.
I ran about 2.5 miles in 27 minutes, 36 seconds. I encountered no other runners, bikers or walkers, which kind of surprised me. One dog rushed the fence as I ran on the crushed granite trail behind some houses in Behrens Ranch.
And it felt good. I could have gone further, but figured it was best not too push it. As I write this at night, I'm glad -- I'm feeling a little sore in my hips.
I did a 16-minute ab workout (thank you Tony Horton and P90X) when I got back to the house. At lunch, I did 30 minutes on the elliptical.
OK, now, should I recount the songs I listened to on the Nano? Naturally, I think you'll be impressed with my superior tuneage. Then I realized a Journey song snuck in there somehow. So we'll settle on some highlights. I created an exercise playlist and set it random. First song was Radiohead, by the Talking Heads. Key lyric: "Transmitter, picking up something good ... it's a brand new world." What a great way to start. The Ramones' Rock and Roll Radio charged me up mid-run. And I confess, yes, enjoying Steven Perry's nasal-y tenor on Any Way You Want It. Last song was Fleetwood Mac classic Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow. What a great way to finish. The music definitely helps.
So Day One is in the books. It's a start. A good one, it seems. I'll try not to be so blow-by-blow in future posts. It's boring me, too.
But I'm excited to have taken a solid first step on this Run.
It was kind of chilly, 51 degrees, and I walked for two and half minutes to warm up. As I ran, I tried to focus on the only stride tip I'm familiar with: Don't land on your heels. Try to hit at mid-foot and make your stride a little shorter. I sure felt like I was moving faster than I had when I ran a few weeks ago, but I was also moving more efficiently. I went further and with less effort, it seemed.
I ran about 2.5 miles in 27 minutes, 36 seconds. I encountered no other runners, bikers or walkers, which kind of surprised me. One dog rushed the fence as I ran on the crushed granite trail behind some houses in Behrens Ranch.
And it felt good. I could have gone further, but figured it was best not too push it. As I write this at night, I'm glad -- I'm feeling a little sore in my hips.
I did a 16-minute ab workout (thank you Tony Horton and P90X) when I got back to the house. At lunch, I did 30 minutes on the elliptical.
OK, now, should I recount the songs I listened to on the Nano? Naturally, I think you'll be impressed with my superior tuneage. Then I realized a Journey song snuck in there somehow. So we'll settle on some highlights. I created an exercise playlist and set it random. First song was Radiohead, by the Talking Heads. Key lyric: "Transmitter, picking up something good ... it's a brand new world." What a great way to start. The Ramones' Rock and Roll Radio charged me up mid-run. And I confess, yes, enjoying Steven Perry's nasal-y tenor on Any Way You Want It. Last song was Fleetwood Mac classic Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow. What a great way to finish. The music definitely helps.
So Day One is in the books. It's a start. A good one, it seems. I'll try not to be so blow-by-blow in future posts. It's boring me, too.
But I'm excited to have taken a solid first step on this Run.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Adoration of the Cross
This Sunday marks the halfway point of Great Lent, the season of spiritual striving for Orthodox Christians. At St. John the Forerunner we celebrated it with the brief Adoration of the Cross service between Orthros and Divine Liturgy. Father Aidan and Father Deacon Basil processed with a small cross surrounded by flowers that lay in a wooden box. Father placed the cross on a lectern in the middle of the nave. We all performed three metanias (genuflections) and sang of the victory of the Cross -- not the suffering.
During the homily, though, Father Aidan focused on suffering. Of course, the suffering we are called to during Great Lent -- extra services, fasting (essentially a vegan diet), additional giving, confession -- are a far cry from what Jesus endured at Golgotha. Nonetheless, through our suffering we are working toward the salvation of all mankind. Which is a pretty big deal.
Now, you probably think I'm going to segue into the suffering I will surely endure as I train for a marathon. Nope. The Maximus Run isn't just a chronicle of my physical journey; it's about the spiritual, as well. So while one of the things I love about Orthodoxy is the re-integration of soul, mind and body, I'm not going to go there in this blog. Not yet, anyway.
The truth is I've gotten soft in spirit as well as body. Maybe more so, as painful as that is to admit. The Run is just as much about being diligent spiritually, about living my faith with meaning and intention. And not the kind of intention like, "I intend to go to Vespers more frequently," and then not do it. I'm done with that kind of intention.
That's the goal, certainly. Part of the reason for the blog is to hold myself accountable in a public forum. (I'm already feeling it from those of you who responded to my first post!) It's been too easy to let myself off the hook when the only person I've been accountable to is me.
So I sent an email to Father Aiden after services today suggesting a time to get together this week to make my confession, something I've neglected to do too many times during Great Lent.
OK, so now's the time when I blend the physical and spiritual aspects of The Run. The Gospel Reading today included this from Mark 8:34: "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
Consider this another first step.
During the homily, though, Father Aidan focused on suffering. Of course, the suffering we are called to during Great Lent -- extra services, fasting (essentially a vegan diet), additional giving, confession -- are a far cry from what Jesus endured at Golgotha. Nonetheless, through our suffering we are working toward the salvation of all mankind. Which is a pretty big deal.
Now, you probably think I'm going to segue into the suffering I will surely endure as I train for a marathon. Nope. The Maximus Run isn't just a chronicle of my physical journey; it's about the spiritual, as well. So while one of the things I love about Orthodoxy is the re-integration of soul, mind and body, I'm not going to go there in this blog. Not yet, anyway.
The truth is I've gotten soft in spirit as well as body. Maybe more so, as painful as that is to admit. The Run is just as much about being diligent spiritually, about living my faith with meaning and intention. And not the kind of intention like, "I intend to go to Vespers more frequently," and then not do it. I'm done with that kind of intention.
That's the goal, certainly. Part of the reason for the blog is to hold myself accountable in a public forum. (I'm already feeling it from those of you who responded to my first post!) It's been too easy to let myself off the hook when the only person I've been accountable to is me.
So I sent an email to Father Aiden after services today suggesting a time to get together this week to make my confession, something I've neglected to do too many times during Great Lent.
OK, so now's the time when I blend the physical and spiritual aspects of The Run. The Gospel Reading today included this from Mark 8:34: "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
Consider this another first step.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
First step
When I turned 48 last year -- at least, I think it was then -- I made a secret vow to myself that I would run a marathon before I turned 50. I don't really know why, other than that I'm usually either getting in shape or in full-blown couch potato mode, and I was in the latter cycle determined to get into the former.
The first person I shared this furtive ambition with was my then-boss Jim Nuse. Jim's been a mentor and friend for going on 20 years, and runs in triathlons with his son, Adam. I told Jim I was going to do P90X for a while to lose some pounds, and then start running. Jim, thoughtful as ever, said, "Why don't you just start running?"
Simple: Because I don't like to run. It hurts. You've got to get up early and go outside -- where, here in Central Texas, it's generally an uncomfortable temperature. I'm nothing if not a world-class procrastinator. I'll engage in one kind of strenuous exercise to avoid another.
And then, over spring break, while suffering from a nasty sinus infection, I found a book by Dean Karnazes, titled Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss. The first I ever heard of Karnazes was, I think, in a 2006 column by Brom Hoban in the Austin American-Statesman about Karnazes' attempt to run 50 marathons in 50 days in 50 states. Run! was good stuff. So I downloaded 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days -- and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! Holy moly. This was great stuff. So I went back to Amazon for his first book, Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner. I won't go into details here about the many, many compelling stories in the books. Suffice it to say my myriad excuses for not running have been blown to smithereens.
So, inspired, here I am. Flu-like symptoms have abated, and a run first thing Monday morning awaits.
The first person I shared this furtive ambition with was my then-boss Jim Nuse. Jim's been a mentor and friend for going on 20 years, and runs in triathlons with his son, Adam. I told Jim I was going to do P90X for a while to lose some pounds, and then start running. Jim, thoughtful as ever, said, "Why don't you just start running?"
Simple: Because I don't like to run. It hurts. You've got to get up early and go outside -- where, here in Central Texas, it's generally an uncomfortable temperature. I'm nothing if not a world-class procrastinator. I'll engage in one kind of strenuous exercise to avoid another.
And then, over spring break, while suffering from a nasty sinus infection, I found a book by Dean Karnazes, titled Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss. The first I ever heard of Karnazes was, I think, in a 2006 column by Brom Hoban in the Austin American-Statesman about Karnazes' attempt to run 50 marathons in 50 days in 50 states. Run! was good stuff. So I downloaded 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days -- and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! Holy moly. This was great stuff. So I went back to Amazon for his first book, Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner. I won't go into details here about the many, many compelling stories in the books. Suffice it to say my myriad excuses for not running have been blown to smithereens.
So, inspired, here I am. Flu-like symptoms have abated, and a run first thing Monday morning awaits.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)