This ain't no thinkin` thing, right brain, left brain. It goes a little deeper than that...
You might not be a regular reader of this blog (not too many people are!) but if you do venture out to read it every once in awhile, you might notice that I get a bit philosophical in my writing. However, I always bring it back to my running. Typically my runs give me that time to think, theorize, philosophize or just plain vegitate. A hard training run doesn't afford this free thought. That was my run on Saturday. I went out to run a hard 10 mile tempo run where I wanted to push the pace for at least half the run. When pushing the pace, the focus is on running - form, breathing, adapting, arms, turnover. It becomes relaxed and natural at a point but I am still in a focused, race-pace zone - a focused, race-pace zone "ain't no thinkin' thing"! Thus, you won't get any philosophy or meaning of life in this entry.
The first couple of miles were for warm-up - easy 8:45 pace and then I kicked into a 5 mile 15K-pace tempo run around 7:30-7:45 . I know for you speed demons out there that your warm-up might be in the 7:30's! I pushed the pace both up and down the hills. To me, rolling terrain is the best for training and racing. Your muscles get to rest as the terrain changes. I think it is much better than running on flat surfaces. Using the same muscles over and over again for a long period of time fatigues them. Of course, one might like a flat 5K or 10K where there is more interest in flat-out speed but I will take a rolling course anyday for any distance over a 10 miles. I am sure the elites and locally competitive runners will disagree since they actually have a shot at winning!
Anyway, I brought it home after the tempo portion at a medium pace and then cooled down in the last mile. I need these hard workouts when I am going through race withdrawal. I do at least two harder workouts a week - one typically hill repeats. I love the hills! As Frank Shorter said, "Hills are speedwork in disguise". The other hard workout is usually a tempo or fartlek run.
Hard training runs - This ain't No Thinkin' Thing!
Monday, May 30, 2005
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Horse With No Name
On the first part of the journey, I was looking at all the life, There were plants and birds and rocks and things. Each part of the journey while running is about life. It is not just the life around you but the life within you. In many ways the life within is experienced by touching and seeing the life around you. As I was running a nice, easy 10 miler this week, I stopped to experience life. Millstone is known for its many horse farms. Whenever I see a horse standing by a fence, who seemingly does not understand why someone is running without being hit by a whip or spurred in the ribs, I stop to pet and chat. At about mile 3, there (s)he was, a horse with no name just waiting for an explanation. Friendly and nosey I petted her and chatted about running. It wasn't Mister Ed so he didn't talk back but he seemed to understand. No matter, it was a moment when I got to share my life with the life around me. It makes you glad you are alive but makes you equally happy that there is life outside of your own to share it with.
Friday, May 20, 2005
Against the Wind
Against the wind, I keep running against the wind, I'm older now, but I keep runnin' aginst the wind... I always feel obligated to write when I run in the rain. Today, I just happened to be running against the wind on a cold, wet, rainy day. It was an uncomfortable but easy 5-miler. I don't run well in the afternoon or early evening. Add the rain and wind and an easy day turns into a hard day. I do like to stress my body and mind on days like this though. I know that at some race, sometime in the future, it's going to be a crappy day with wind, cold and rain. When it occurs, I'm going to know how it feels and know how to run in it. That is the beauty of doing hard things - most of your other experiences feel easy or at least easier.
I see few people out in the rain, let alone runners, and I am sure the drivers in their cars are thinking, "what an ass, out running in this kind of weather!", yet secretly wishing that they were running or at least in the shape to run in this kind of weather. Maybe I will motivate someone someday. If that happens, I hope we can wave to one another while we're both out running against the wind.
I see few people out in the rain, let alone runners, and I am sure the drivers in their cars are thinking, "what an ass, out running in this kind of weather!", yet secretly wishing that they were running or at least in the shape to run in this kind of weather. Maybe I will motivate someone someday. If that happens, I hope we can wave to one another while we're both out running against the wind.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
The Sounds of Slience
Sometimes I just need to get away from human noise. When I refer to human noise, I mean, noises that are the direct result of humans - voices, cars, hammers, jets, phones, etc. I turn to the sounds of silence or as close to silence as I can get. I find this silence on the trails. The only things "human" about the trails are related to me - the rhythm of my breathing, the pitter patter of my shoes hitting the stones, sand, and roots. You can open up your ears on the trail - the birds chirping and flirting with one another, the little creatures rustling through the brush, the wind playing the leaves, creating nature's white noise. All playing at once like nature's symphony.
This run was special. I ran 5 miles to the trail and spent the next 4 miles at nature's concert and then 5 miles back. It was a solid 14 miler with a rythm like I was the conductor of the symphony. I picked up the pace once I came off the trail. The roads are still rurual at that point but there is human noise. My last 5 miles were much faster than my first 9 miles. I don't run many negative splits, if any, but I am finding that a good relaxing, easy start affords me a strong, well-paced, energizing finish. I just now need to remember this for races!
Overall, I had a solid 3 days of weekend running putting in 25 miles for 3 days and 40 for the week. The most encouraging aspect was that each of the 3 weekend days was strong and relaxed. That is how I like to run, strong and relaxed.
The body as well as the mind need the sounds of silence every once in awhile. When mine do, I head for the trails!
This run was special. I ran 5 miles to the trail and spent the next 4 miles at nature's concert and then 5 miles back. It was a solid 14 miler with a rythm like I was the conductor of the symphony. I picked up the pace once I came off the trail. The roads are still rurual at that point but there is human noise. My last 5 miles were much faster than my first 9 miles. I don't run many negative splits, if any, but I am finding that a good relaxing, easy start affords me a strong, well-paced, energizing finish. I just now need to remember this for races!
Overall, I had a solid 3 days of weekend running putting in 25 miles for 3 days and 40 for the week. The most encouraging aspect was that each of the 3 weekend days was strong and relaxed. That is how I like to run, strong and relaxed.
The body as well as the mind need the sounds of silence every once in awhile. When mine do, I head for the trails!
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
The Trees
The Trees has always been one of my favorite songs by Rush. As I was running on a gorgeous morning this week, I turned into a tunnel of trees, better known as “skook hollow” - well at least to me it is. It is a dark, spooky, narrow road at night. When driving on it, if you turn off your headlights you will see nothing but dark in front of you, not even your hand, thus the name “skook hollow”.
Anyway, the morning was crisp for a May morning, 37 degrees with a clear sky yet a fog meandering through the low lying areas, over ponds and filling in the newly sprouting leaves of the trees. It was eerie in a sense. As the sun rose and glared at each of my strides, it created a lightshow somewhat like at a rock concert – the fog, the beams of sun highlighting the performer. Each twist and turn on the road presented a different scene. Trees, newly sowed fields, and ponds each had their own personality or relationship with the fog.
It was a normal, medium-paced 5-miler except the beauty of the morning was more daunting. I couldn’t help but look around, hardly knowing I was running. This particular route is a down and back. After the turn, I head up a slight hill, over the crest and back down the other side. Typically, my pace picks up here as my body is warmed and used to the pace. Once I finish the decline, I turn into “skook hollow”.
This is where it hit me. The Trees embraced me! The new blossoms welcomed me home like they missed seeing me run beneath them. The fog was lifting and the sun was rising but The Trees were closing in on me. They now had a personality all their own. This is when the song, “The Trees” hit me. “The maples formed a union and demanded equal rights, the oaks are just too lofty, we will make them give us light.” It was a hug from nature, just me and The Trees!
Anyway, the morning was crisp for a May morning, 37 degrees with a clear sky yet a fog meandering through the low lying areas, over ponds and filling in the newly sprouting leaves of the trees. It was eerie in a sense. As the sun rose and glared at each of my strides, it created a lightshow somewhat like at a rock concert – the fog, the beams of sun highlighting the performer. Each twist and turn on the road presented a different scene. Trees, newly sowed fields, and ponds each had their own personality or relationship with the fog.
It was a normal, medium-paced 5-miler except the beauty of the morning was more daunting. I couldn’t help but look around, hardly knowing I was running. This particular route is a down and back. After the turn, I head up a slight hill, over the crest and back down the other side. Typically, my pace picks up here as my body is warmed and used to the pace. Once I finish the decline, I turn into “skook hollow”.
This is where it hit me. The Trees embraced me! The new blossoms welcomed me home like they missed seeing me run beneath them. The fog was lifting and the sun was rising but The Trees were closing in on me. They now had a personality all their own. This is when the song, “The Trees” hit me. “The maples formed a union and demanded equal rights, the oaks are just too lofty, we will make them give us light.” It was a hug from nature, just me and The Trees!
Friday, April 29, 2005
Recovering the Satellites
Maybe you have noticed. Of course, there are probably so few of you reading my entries here that no one has noticed. Anyway, I have started titling my entries after the names of songs or albums. Now, if you are under the age of 25, you might not know what an album is. An album is a vinyl disc with lots of grooves that produces exceptional static with words and music strewn throughout. On this disc is a collection of songs. “Ah!” you say, “it is like a CD”! Yes, it is like a CD.
Now that we have the basics out of the way, I have decided to title the entry after a song or CD, and think about my running experience in terms of that title. Usually the title comes to me while running. Some of the more recent entries were named after Kenny Chesney songs. This one is named after a Counting Crows CD. So what does Recovering the Satellites have to do with running?
As I was running on Wednesday, I thought to myself, “I feel really good and my legs feel like they have recovered from the weekend”. The weekend included the Runner’s World Half Marathon (see Living Here in Allentown). There are general rules of thumb about recovery after racing. One idea is to allow one easy day of running for each mile run in the race. Some people take a couple of full days off. I tend to take the next day off and then ease into running until my body tells me that it feels good and I can set my sights on training for another race. However, feeling good and being recovered are not necessarily one in the same. This is where the satellites come into play.
During my run on Wednesday, the reasoning behind this entry and the subsequent titling of it in reference to a song or album went like this:
“Hey, I feel like I have recovered. I feel great today! Hmmm, but I know that all those little muscle fibers have not recovered. All those torn little cylindrical multinucleate cells composed of myofibrils (OK, I didn’t really think that) are like little disparate satellites dancing around under my skin trying to find protein to rebuild themselves. It must be a false recovery under the glycogen store guise. I need to recover the satellites. Hey, that’s the name of a Counting Crows album (Hah, kids these days don’t even know what albums are). I think that will be my next entry on my blog”.
The mind of a runner sure works in strange ways. We carry on conversations with ourselves. When running alone, how else can we run at conversational pace? Maybe I should title my next entry Talking Heads!
Now that we have the basics out of the way, I have decided to title the entry after a song or CD, and think about my running experience in terms of that title. Usually the title comes to me while running. Some of the more recent entries were named after Kenny Chesney songs. This one is named after a Counting Crows CD. So what does Recovering the Satellites have to do with running?
As I was running on Wednesday, I thought to myself, “I feel really good and my legs feel like they have recovered from the weekend”. The weekend included the Runner’s World Half Marathon (see Living Here in Allentown). There are general rules of thumb about recovery after racing. One idea is to allow one easy day of running for each mile run in the race. Some people take a couple of full days off. I tend to take the next day off and then ease into running until my body tells me that it feels good and I can set my sights on training for another race. However, feeling good and being recovered are not necessarily one in the same. This is where the satellites come into play.
During my run on Wednesday, the reasoning behind this entry and the subsequent titling of it in reference to a song or album went like this:
“Hey, I feel like I have recovered. I feel great today! Hmmm, but I know that all those little muscle fibers have not recovered. All those torn little cylindrical multinucleate cells composed of myofibrils (OK, I didn’t really think that) are like little disparate satellites dancing around under my skin trying to find protein to rebuild themselves. It must be a false recovery under the glycogen store guise. I need to recover the satellites. Hey, that’s the name of a Counting Crows album (Hah, kids these days don’t even know what albums are). I think that will be my next entry on my blog”.
The mind of a runner sure works in strange ways. We carry on conversations with ourselves. When running alone, how else can we run at conversational pace? Maybe I should title my next entry Talking Heads!
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Living Here in Allentown
Maybe the title of Billy Joel's song should be "Running Here in Allentown"! I've run the Runner's World Half Marathon 4 of the last 5 years. It is one of my favorite races. It is not only the race itself and the great organization by the Lehigh Valley Road Runners (LVRR) organization, but there is always a great motivational speaker and wonderful host at the pasta dinner. The host is always Bart Yasso from Runner's world. Bart's love for the running community and humor always brings out the best emotions in the runners. This year, Sarah Reinertsen, one of Runner's World's heros from their December issue was the guest speaker. I won't go into the details but Sarah runs using a mechanical leg and has completed 7 marathons and participated in the Ironman triathalon in Hawaii. With her dream and belief in herself alive, she will be finishing the Ironman in 2005. She also ran the Runner's World Half Marathon this past Sunday. Her themes, as she was discussing her life, were believing and dreaming - to not give up, to keep reaching, keep working. I must admit, I did revisit her words while running the race on Sunday. I need to keep visiting with them as I try to qualify for Boston.
My run was just alright. I never quite dialed into the groove of the course - as beautiful as it is. The race went as my running has been going since January after the Las Vegas Marathon - a bit of a struggle. I rushed the first two miles getting through the crowds, finally settled into my pace and then raced with sporadic splits in the second half of the race. Everything felt a little tight, a little off-kilter, although my legs felt strong for the most part. I finally crossed the line at 1:46:59 about 4 1/2 minutes off my time from the previous year. However, I always look for good news in a race or at least ways to improve. Since I just turned 45, this race and each subsequent race at a new distance is an age-group PR! That's the good news!
The beauty of running is that we all win when we go out and participate in a race. No matter how I run, I truly feel like I have accomplished something. I rarely get that feeling elsewhere. The other winners are the charities that get supported by these races. The Lehigh Valley Road Runners organization has a great charity support program. The supporting community, runners, volunteers, not to mention Runner's World Magazine, give their time, effort and money to make this race one of the best organized, genuine and generous races being staged. One of my favorite activities is the Kids Races. The determination, exhaustion and eventual smiles on their faces upon finishing says it all about the running experience.
Although I might not be "Living in Allentown" anytime soon (although it looks like a nice place to live) I will always be "Running in Allentown" in the Runner's World Half Marathon. I must also say, If ever I could get a job at Runner's World, I'd move! :)
My run was just alright. I never quite dialed into the groove of the course - as beautiful as it is. The race went as my running has been going since January after the Las Vegas Marathon - a bit of a struggle. I rushed the first two miles getting through the crowds, finally settled into my pace and then raced with sporadic splits in the second half of the race. Everything felt a little tight, a little off-kilter, although my legs felt strong for the most part. I finally crossed the line at 1:46:59 about 4 1/2 minutes off my time from the previous year. However, I always look for good news in a race or at least ways to improve. Since I just turned 45, this race and each subsequent race at a new distance is an age-group PR! That's the good news!
The beauty of running is that we all win when we go out and participate in a race. No matter how I run, I truly feel like I have accomplished something. I rarely get that feeling elsewhere. The other winners are the charities that get supported by these races. The Lehigh Valley Road Runners organization has a great charity support program. The supporting community, runners, volunteers, not to mention Runner's World Magazine, give their time, effort and money to make this race one of the best organized, genuine and generous races being staged. One of my favorite activities is the Kids Races. The determination, exhaustion and eventual smiles on their faces upon finishing says it all about the running experience.
Although I might not be "Living in Allentown" anytime soon (although it looks like a nice place to live) I will always be "Running in Allentown" in the Runner's World Half Marathon. I must also say, If ever I could get a job at Runner's World, I'd move! :)
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Somewhere in the Sun
Spring and sunshine has finally found its way to the Garden State. Over the last week, each run has had a backdrop of pure blue sky and bright sunshine even at 6:30 in the morning. The weekend runs went as planned with a hard 15 miler on Saturday and an easy 5 miler on Sunday. I like to test myself a bit a couple of weeks before a race which will be the Runner's World Half Marathon April 24. I am not sure I will go 1:42 but believe I can go under 1:45. No matter what the time, the joy will be just running it. It has great race organization by Lehigh Valley Running Club and Runner's World.
This week has brought the same weather although a bit cooler. Early morning runs have been in the 30's but still with the bright sunshine; shorts are still in order. While running over the hills and through the woods, I thought to myself, no matter where I am running, I am "somewhere in the sun". Sunshine in general just makes for a more pleasant day but when you get to see the sun rise on a nice brisk run, it is something special.
On your next run with the sun beating down on you, think of how lucky you are to be running "somewhere in the sun"!
This week has brought the same weather although a bit cooler. Early morning runs have been in the 30's but still with the bright sunshine; shorts are still in order. While running over the hills and through the woods, I thought to myself, no matter where I am running, I am "somewhere in the sun". Sunshine in general just makes for a more pleasant day but when you get to see the sun rise on a nice brisk run, it is something special.
On your next run with the sun beating down on you, think of how lucky you are to be running "somewhere in the sun"!
Friday, April 08, 2005
Be As You Are
It has been two weeks since I have blogged but it hasn't been two weeks since I have run. I was "being as I am" in St. John on vacation for a week and adjusting to being back to reality for a week. In St. John, you can truly "be as you are" as opposed to being who you have to be. Running in St. John is a challenge due to the 45 degree (not kidding) hills (up and down), no shoulders, and drivers not used to having runners around. I always run a couple of days and take the challenge - especially the 4 mile trek from Gallows to the Westin that provides panoramic views of the Caribbean and St. Thomas. The hills are brutal but it is worth the hike. I always like seeing the goats and sheep along the way too - living their simple life. The runs always help me control (not) my food and drink intake or at least make me feel better about it.
I ran and worked out enough to ease into a week of good running as I prepare for the Runner's World Half Marathon. I have run 20 miles this week and will run another 20 over the weekend.
Running also allows us to "Be as we are". You can be wherever you want and whover you want on your runs. In some cases it is where dreams are born out of thought or possibly even where they die out of reason. I am me on my runs. I am not a corporate leutenant. I am not a puppet. I run voluntarily and freely. What else in life truly allows you to "be as you are"?
I ran and worked out enough to ease into a week of good running as I prepare for the Runner's World Half Marathon. I have run 20 miles this week and will run another 20 over the weekend.
Running also allows us to "Be as we are". You can be wherever you want and whover you want on your runs. In some cases it is where dreams are born out of thought or possibly even where they die out of reason. I am me on my runs. I am not a corporate leutenant. I am not a puppet. I run voluntarily and freely. What else in life truly allows you to "be as you are"?
Friday, March 25, 2005
The Good Stuff
I'm typically out the door running at 6:30 a.m. With the sun rising earlier and the temperatures starting to rise, the morning presents the essence of running or "the good stuff". There is a perfection to the morning. Everything is still except for the birds chirping waiting to be fed, the deer ending their evening of activity, the cocks crowing letting the farmers know it is time to sow the fields and the sun rising up over the hills. Yes, although I live in NJ running out the door of my house affords me of "the good stuff".
I have had a decent couple of weeks of running with a good medium run of 15 miles last Sunday, short tempo runs and a couple of hill workouts. Next up will be the Runner's World 1/2 marathon in late April. It will be a family affair running with my niece and nephew.
However, it is time for vacation and the beauty of St. John which provides "the good stuff" in a whole different way!
I have had a decent couple of weeks of running with a good medium run of 15 miles last Sunday, short tempo runs and a couple of hill workouts. Next up will be the Runner's World 1/2 marathon in late April. It will be a family affair running with my niece and nephew.
However, it is time for vacation and the beauty of St. John which provides "the good stuff" in a whole different way!
Monday, March 14, 2005
St. Paddy's
Call it the luck of the Irish...the running of the green...but whatever it was, it wasn't expected. I haven't had a good 5 weeks of running. It has actually been a bit difficult to explain but it has been hard pushing anything more than 6 miles and any pace better than 9 minutes. I did get a couple of back to back 10 milers at an acceptable pace of 8:26 but in general it has been a struggle.
I signed up for the St. Paddy's 10 miler a few weeks back, after the LV marathon. I have run it before and last year was a master's PR for me at 1:17:55. I even contemplated not going yesterday because I really didn't know if it was going to be a fun time. The weather was perfect at about 42 dgrees and sunny. I told my myself to get out there, expect nothing and just have an enjoyable run.
I toed the line very relaxed and just waiting for the start. I was really expecting to be in the neighborhodd of 8:25's and just hoping to get in under 1:25. Well, I started out at about 7:40 pace and never let go of it keeping a consistent strong pace averaging 7:37 for the entire 10 miles. I really felt great! I beat last year's master's PR by 90 seconds coming in at 1:16:26. Truly, I was shocked and still not sure how it happened. Maybe I let my body heal for the last 5 weeks; maybe I approached it very relaxed, maybe it was the luck of the Irish. Whatever it was, it gave me some much needed confidence. It's funny how running can do that, just when you need it, it gives once more, something back to you!
I signed up for the St. Paddy's 10 miler a few weeks back, after the LV marathon. I have run it before and last year was a master's PR for me at 1:17:55. I even contemplated not going yesterday because I really didn't know if it was going to be a fun time. The weather was perfect at about 42 dgrees and sunny. I told my myself to get out there, expect nothing and just have an enjoyable run.
I toed the line very relaxed and just waiting for the start. I was really expecting to be in the neighborhodd of 8:25's and just hoping to get in under 1:25. Well, I started out at about 7:40 pace and never let go of it keeping a consistent strong pace averaging 7:37 for the entire 10 miles. I really felt great! I beat last year's master's PR by 90 seconds coming in at 1:16:26. Truly, I was shocked and still not sure how it happened. Maybe I let my body heal for the last 5 weeks; maybe I approached it very relaxed, maybe it was the luck of the Irish. Whatever it was, it gave me some much needed confidence. It's funny how running can do that, just when you need it, it gives once more, something back to you!
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Songs About Rain
Yesterday felt like a taste of spring. Today it is raw again! It was 43 degrees when I got out the door at 7:00 AM but it was raining - the more I ran, the harder the rain got. There is something about running in the rain that feels good - maybe it is just mingling with the elements, flirting with mother nature, dancing with the raindrops. Today, maybe it was just being able to wear shorts yet having cold, wet, numbing legs. Whatever it was, it felt pretty good!
Monday, March 07, 2005
Twin 10's
Sometimes your mind and body is disconnected. My mind wants to run....run races, run marathons, run long and far. My body has not cooperated over the last month barely running anything under a 9 minute pace. On Saturday, I left it up to the body asking it to perform if it wanted to run another marathon in Cleveland in May. In order to say yes, it had to run a 10-miler under 9 minute pace. It responded with a resounding yes and an 8:26 pace. On Sunday, I went back out for another 10-miler and also felt decent. Sometimes, the body and mind need reconciled.
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Do Something
With my running not going so great these days, I have decided that if I don't run I need to do something. I have wanted to get back into strength training for a little while. I figure it is a good time to start a program and then as my running comes around to integrate the two. The key is to "do something" everyday for the body!
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Listen to the Body
Geaorge Sheehan once said to listen to the body. It would tell you when it needed rest, was injured, or was ready to go. For a month, after the LV Marathon and my 5th marathon within a year, my body has been telling me to rest. I still have the motivation to get out on the road, still have the motivation to race but my body is telling me something differently. The energy in my legs and aerobic capacity seems different, different than it has in the last 4 years. I ran 8 miles today after 6 miles each of the last two days. I was registered for a half marathon and decided not to run based on how I have been feeling...thought I would go out for 10 but after 3 miles I cut it to 8 miles never getting under 9:15 per mile.
I'll listen a little longer but I hope the body starts talking back in more of a positive manner. I would like to run the Cleveland Marathon in May but my body is going to have to tell me that it is OK.
I'll listen a little longer but I hope the body starts talking back in more of a positive manner. I would like to run the Cleveland Marathon in May but my body is going to have to tell me that it is OK.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Lake Michigan
I'm in Chicago and decided to run by the lake today. All I can say is to be careful of the concrete walkway around the outside of the museum with invisible ice. I almost took a dip in the icey cold waters of Lake Michigan! The 5 miles were good though!
Saturday, February 19, 2005
The Good News
Remind me that if I ever complain about the 25 mph headwind at the Las Vegas Marathon, that it could have been in 16 degree weather with a windchill of 9 degrees. Today, I ran my longest run since the marathon, 10.5 miles. However, it seemed that it did not matter which direction I was running, that I was always running into a headwind. It was 16 degrees so the windchill was about 9 degrees. During the run I thought about Las Vegas Marathon and running into that stuff headwind much of the way. I suspect it would have been much more interesting if it was 16 degrees instead of 52 degrees.
It did feel good to be on the road for an hour and half running for the joy of it with no watch and no time constraints. Its got me in the mood now to train again. On February 27, I will be running the E. Murray Todd Half Marathon, then possibly the Chambersburg Half Marathon in March and the Runner's World Half Marathon in April. I have a hotel for the Cleveland Marathon in May but have not committed with registration or air. I am already registered for my 5th consecutive Baltimore Marathon in October. I also realized today that I ran 3 marathons from October - January - not that I didn't realize it when I was doing it!
It did feel good to be on the road for an hour and half running for the joy of it with no watch and no time constraints. Its got me in the mood now to train again. On February 27, I will be running the E. Murray Todd Half Marathon, then possibly the Chambersburg Half Marathon in March and the Runner's World Half Marathon in April. I have a hotel for the Cleveland Marathon in May but have not committed with registration or air. I am already registered for my 5th consecutive Baltimore Marathon in October. I also realized today that I ran 3 marathons from October - January - not that I didn't realize it when I was doing it!
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Finally - A good couple of runs!
It has been 2 1/2 weeks since the Las Vegas marathon and my 5th in the last year. Speaking of the 5th in the last year, a guy that was riding on the bus to the start of the LV marathon was running his 4th in 4 weeks and he was 60, so what am I complaining about.
Anyway, it took me a couple of weeks to re-adjust to some decent running. I had a cold, started a new job with a new routine, and had just run a marathon. Just yesterday and today, I had a couple of decent 5 milers and have run the last 5 of 6 days. Being closer to home with my new job, I can now run in the wonderful rural area of Millstone in the morning instead of concrete haven of New York City.
I am still contemplating running Cleveland in May. I think I should but my body needs convinced!!
Anyway, it took me a couple of weeks to re-adjust to some decent running. I had a cold, started a new job with a new routine, and had just run a marathon. Just yesterday and today, I had a couple of decent 5 milers and have run the last 5 of 6 days. Being closer to home with my new job, I can now run in the wonderful rural area of Millstone in the morning instead of concrete haven of New York City.
I am still contemplating running Cleveland in May. I think I should but my body needs convinced!!
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Dichotomy
The marathon is a dichotomy - it will be one of the hardest yet easiest things you will do in your life.
Saturday, February 05, 2005
First Recovery
After taking 5 days off for recovery from the Las Vegas Marathon, I got back out on the road today. It's was a great feeling hitting the pavement again for an easy 6 miler. I am also now unemployed - on purpose - as my last day with Medidata was Friday and my first day with Clinphone is Monday. Hah! Enough about work - it's time to prepare for Cleveland Rocks 'n Runs Marathon!
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