5 miler

I started from my place at an average pace. It's about a quarter mile from Lake Eola. I hate stretching before running, so I got on with it as soon as I hit the lake. My goal was to do 4 to 5 miles. It's 1.25 miles around the outside sidewalk.

First lap was a piece of cake. I used the rhythm breathing technique again. I think I will continue to do so... at least until I don't even realize I'm doing it anymore. When it's natural, I'll know that I am where I need to be.

I was perusing some running forums the other day and someone was complaining about knee pain. I get knee pain quite frequently when I am doing my speed work. For instance, last week when I did the quarters on the track, my knees started hurting on the last 2 laps when I was getting tired and I started to stride out. Anyway, one piece of advice said to take smaller strides more frequently. This makes for less pounding on the joints.

This was going to be the new thing that I do. Small quicker strides. This also takes me back to some of my high school running. I don't remember if it was my junior or senior year of cross country, but I was taken back by this much shorter fellow passing me before the one mile mark. He had an Osceola jersey and I usually recognized their runners. Who was this guy? He ends up being a freshman and not only that, he's their best runner. His name was Mike something or other and he ran like that. Quick feet. Not a lot of air time.

I did this stride technique and the breathing technique together and the second lap was even easier than the first. My third lap, I could feel my core temp going up and I had to stop for some water. I was really sweating profusely now. One more to go.

During the last lap, I could feel myself getting tired. My arms and my legs. I caught myself starting to go back to my old style of taking long strides and kind of floating between steps. It's easier, but it hurts the knees. I said to myself, "pump your arms, pump your arms," so I did. I lowered my arms and pumped them a little harder and my legs went right along with them. Next thing you know, I've finished up my 4 outside laps and run home.

Total mileage: 5.5 miles
Time: 46 minutes 10 seconds
Average pace: 8:24

I know I started off slow, so I probably was closer to 8 minutes for most of the run. I need more longer runs and more speed work. I just got back into this, so I have to be patient. The corp 5k is at the end of April, so I have plenty of time. An 8:24 pace for 5k would come out to 26:02 and an 8:00 pace would come out to 24:48. Last year, I ran 24:17 at the Autumn Rock n Run 5k. Far cry from my PR of 17:02, but that was another life. Since starting over, the 24:17 is my new 5k PB. I ran around the 24 minute mark on the corporate 5k last year, but those times aren't kept and I don't remember my exact time.

Rewards

Kim and I wanted to eat pizza. We were both feeling lazy and didn't feel like cooking anything. Isn't pizza always the answer?

We know that Papa John's is running a special. The catch is that it's carry out only. To not feel completely appathetic, we decided to walk to the pizza shop.

The walk didn't take too long and it was exactly 1.5 miles. We got some drinks at the Circle K around the corner and our pizza was ready in just a few minutes. On the way, there is a park and we stopped and sat down on a bench where we ate a few slices. We had already burned off a slice's worth of calories and had to walk almost a mile home.

All in all, we walked 3 miles on our trip.

It reminds me of the runs I used to do when I was 14 to 15 years old. Two of my friends and cross country teammates, Chris and Ray, used to do the run with me.

It would start off with one of us leaving home and running to another person's house and meetup at the third person's house or a designated equidistant spot along our way to the local mini mart, which was the Farm Store in front of BVL. When we got to the Farm Store, we would each get a Gatorade. We'd slug some of it down and start walking back. Part of the trip, we'd run.

It was our reward and it makes exercise go down a lot easier.

Week 2

So this is the second week of my training regimen and blisters are showing up like Mormons at my door. I didn't ask for them, but here they are nevertheless.

Weather (rain) has kept me from doing some running at the beginning of the week.

2/13	3 miles at 8:00 pace 4 x 220 with 220 recovery .5 mile cool down
2/14	3 mile run
2/15	3 miles - all walking beer, wings, quesadillas and CRAWFISH!!! Yay!!!
2/16	3 miles
2/17	2 miles (I ran hard, but didn't have any juice. Here's a lesson for the fellas... don't run after having sex. Like I said... I didn't have any juice.)
2/18	3 miles in around 22 minutes 1 mile cool down 1.5 mile walk later that night

On the last run, I used a breathing technique that I utilized back in my running prime (high school). A co-worker mentioned the technique to me during the day and I tried it out. I completely forgot about it and it made a world of difference.

Here's how it works.

Instead of just breathing, you use a cadence in your breathing that corresponds to your foot strike and toe off. It seems to take your attention off the pain in your knees and ankles (until you get numb anyway... gotta love endorphines).

I started off doing 2 in breaths to 3 out breaths. That seemed to work for my first mile, which I ran a little around 7:30 with no struggle whatsoever. The second mile, I picked up the pace a little as I got more comfortable and I adjusted my breathing to 2 in and 2 out breaths. Got the second clocked in around 7:00. The third mile, I tried to keep the pace, but even as I tried, I slowed down. I lost control of my breathing technique. I labored in my breathing and my pace fell off. Regardless, I haven't been comfortable running that pace in some time. In addition to keeping your mind occupied, this technique seems to keep your abdominal muscles taut, which in turn keeps you from jostling your torso around as your legs are churning the pavement.

Props to Josh for the tip!
jalopyjosh.blogspot.com

Anew

I smoked my last cigarette on Friday, January 4th. Oddly enough I stopped before happy hour. That was hard. Smoking during the day and then not having one while eating wings and drinking beers.

I didn't do any running for the whole month of January. I wanted to have a transition time; not wanting to completely shock my system.

I started doing an American Heart Association program through work called START! They are trying to get people up and out walking. I asked if my running would count and they are mostly concerned with getting people that are inactive becoming active people.

So here's my running tally the past few days:

2/3/08	2 miles: alternating 1/4 in 1:30 and 1/4 in 3:00 Walked 2 miles
2/4/08	4 miles all close to 8 min pace Walked 2 miles
2/5/08	Rest: Walked 2 miles
2/6/08	3 miles at 8 min pace (2 miles) 17 x 100 yds (race pace) with 100 yd recovery
2/7/08	2 miles at 8 min pace 1 mile in 6:45 1 mile cooldown Walked 2.25 miles later in evening
2/8/08	Rest: Biked 2 miles

Tonight I am taking off from running. My legs are sore especially my calves. Wings and beer demand special attention and tonight, they will get what they need.