Run you stupid feet!



My morning run was tedious.  It kind of sucked.  There was no va-va-voom, no insight, no gestalt, nada...  I just ran like a Hamster on a wheel.  Bummer.

But I didn't quit!  That, I guess, is something to put on the "It wasn't a total waste of time!" shelf.  It's important to have that shelf.  I keep  many past relationships, awards, jobs.... college, on that shelf. It's a good shelf.

I also paid attention to my breathing and managed to work through a couple of cramps.  It just felt bleck.  Blaaah.  Uninspired.  I guess there are always going to be days like that. Perhaps you just have to motor on.  If every run was Chariots of Fire it wouldn't mean as much.  Maybe its time to mix up my route, change things up?

I posted on ye ole Facebook that I signed up for the Staten Island Half Marathon.  The result was demoralizing to say the least.  Everyone says its a beast of a Half.  ALL HILLS.  One may look upon that and shudder, but I figure that if there are a lot of big uphills, there must be some long downhills as well.  I will get up 'em and catch my breather on the downhill.  Or at least that's my story and i'm sticking to it.

Time to ice the old knees.  I am making myself a pizza tonight!  I used the Franny's cold proof recipe.  It calls for, basically, a 60 hour cold proof.  I am thinking clams.  Or turkey meatballs.  I earned it.

****I ended up making a meatball pizza,

GNAW! MUNCH! CHOMP!

Rainy Monday


I have a suspicion that I am going to need more running gear.

I ran in the rain today and it kind of sucked.  I imagine a warm summer shower is pleasant, but 40'ish degrees in a downpour is far from fun.  I ran with my running group, The Crown Heights Running Club (CHRC), and I managed to keep up, more or less.  I was gassed the whole time until our pacer (who stuck close to me) suggested that I pay attention to my breathing;

"Are you holding your breath?"
"Well, I'm letting it out slowly..."
"Don't.  Deep breath in.  Exhale."
"Ok."

I tried that and it helped.  Amazingly so.  I imagine it will take me a while to breath correctly all the time, but it is high on my to do list.  Funny I didn't realize, or consider, I was breathing incorrectly.

I just signed up for The Staten Island Half Marathon.  It's in October so I imagine I have some time to prepare.  I need a real plan as I do not want to get injured.  I'm not terribly concerned with time.  I am more focused on form, breathing, and keeping a steady pace.

Ok.  I'm hungry.  El Tortuga needs comida.

Getting there


So, I think I have passed on through to a new stage (?) in my running.  I was out the door this morning and was running at a pretty effortless pace for a good bit.  I made my self slow down after a mile or so because I wanted to try and run 7 miles.  I made it to the park and felt really great.  It was a bit cold and I wish I had brought gloves, but I felt good.  I was sans headphones and just grooving on the scenery.

There was a bike race going on in the park so the folks running had to be aware and stay a little to the side.  I chuckled to myself as I never see cyclists in the park if there are ANY clouds.  They must have been pissed to have to cycle on an overcast day.  What a bunch of jerks.  They are also very angry and yell at each other when they race.  Assholes (i'm sure they are nice, but they are nowhere to be seen when it gets cloudy or cold and they really do scream at each other a lot).

I stuck to the trails as much as I could and tried to utilize the asphalt only when necessary.  I am really starting to enjoy the trails and I assume they are better for my knees, hips, etc...  I see myself possibly making some day trips to a state park or two, in the future, to run some more "serious" trails.  It feels great.  I won't say that I feel springy when I run, but I feel less cinder-block-footed.

I ran around my loop (4.2'ish miles from my front door) and after getting up the big hill I still felt pretty good.  I did the inner loop next (2.5 miles) and hit the hill for a second time.  It was not horrible, but it was far from fun.  I continued until I got home and my app told me I had run 7.35 miles at a 10:43 avg pace.  That is a fist pump time for me.  Mid way through the inner loop I started to feel some real tightness in my quads, specifically the back of my quads and I just focused on, slowly,  running the soreness out.

I learned quite a bit today.  I learned that the reserves are, generally, there if you need them and that not all pain is a threat.  I think I am starting to get pretty good at noticing basic fatigue and pushing through it.  I have no idea what dehydration feels like, or what "I need to stop now" pain is.  I imagine like all other runners I will find out.

After I went to Dim Sum with a buddy and his son.  We hadn't seen each other in a long time and it was great to catch up.  I will run a short, slow, recover run tomorrow and then take Tuesday off.  Whoo-hoo!

He liked his woman brown, Puerto Rican and Hatian.....



Phife Dawg passed away today from from diabetes related disease.  He was 45 years old.  One year older than me.  What comes with his passing is grief and sadness, but also the self analysis that often comes with the passing of someone other than you. The more I run the more I think about what I put in my body and the more I think about it the more terrified I get.  Am I going to sustain myself on a diet of mung bean sprouts and almond milk for the rest of my days?  Will I be able to live life well and still house an occasional pizza?  Will the glorious bacon cheeseburger never be able to come knockin' on my mouth-door again?  These are some serious issues compadres...

I started running on earthen paths where I can find 'em in Prospect Park.  It feels a little unnatural, but I like that each step feels a little different.  When I do this I see the image of me running easy much clearer in my mind.  I take smaller strides as I am mindful of twigs, roots, pebbles, dog shit and such. My time is still shit, but today's five miler really felt GOOD.  I felt that I had enough gas to run 3 more miles, but used some restraint and thought of my Coach shaking her head in frustration as I push myself too hard, too fast.  For you Coach I show restraint.

I don't think I am ready to embrace the intervals, or hills, just yet.  I want to focus on distance and form.  When I can run 12-15 miles in a go I will dedicate a day a week to work on speed and endurance.  I am not competitive by nature and I think my goals should reflect that... somewhat. Maybe a more realistic goal is 25 miles a week?  I could build up to that.

I went for a drive to Bay Ridge today for lunch at my favorite Szechuan place.  They must have hired a new cook, because it was kind of mediocre.  I guess i'll have to find joy in brown rice and steamed vegetables after all....  or not.

RIP Malik Isaac Taylor

new personal best



I went out with some friends last night and probably had two too many drinks. I got out of there relatively unscathed considering the debauchery that could have followed had I stayed.  I got to bed around midnight and hoped to sweet Christ that I would sleep well and would be rested for my run this morning.  Ah the hopes and dreams of the stupid...

I woke up at 6 AM, The Captain was meowing and batting my face with reckless abandon.  He was not going for a run. What did he care?  I considered his demise and he continued to attack mode my feet.  I lay in bed for an hour summoning up some sort of will, or hope, or moxy  to get my ass into my shorts and out the door.

It was COLD this morning when I started.  I kept my pace in check because I wanted to warm up gradually.  I felt good, all things considered.  I managed to feel good all the way through my first 3 miles. I managed to feel good pretty much all through my loop, even up the lousy hill at the end.  I felt so good in fact that once I got to the top of the lousy hill I turned around and ran the inside loop (the loop within the loop - 2.5 miles).  I ran a 10K this morning!  6.2 miles at a 10:19 minute pace.

I am feeling pretty good about this.  Now I feel like I can train with more intensity and focus because I have run the distance I am working towards.  Unfortunately I didn't gleen too much from my run.  I did learn one thing though.  I learned this; running makes no sense.

Running makes ZERO sense.  I imagine that my short run tomorrow will be grueling and in 3 weeks i'll have a great run for no apparent reason.  Some runs will suck, some won't.  It makes no sense.  It is total chaos.

My running group ran 12 miles yesterday (I did not partake) to a pizza place in Bay Ridge.  They had a huge ice cream Sunday after they devoured a few pizza's.  This I can understand and this is something I would like to work towards.  Running for treats is something that I can seriously get behind.

I have ice on my knees now and I am going to go do some shopping in a few.  I feel good.  I feel hopeful.

Ciao.

five miles

I ran 5 miles yesterday.  I had a pace time of 10:44.  Not exactly cruising, but I will take it.  I am trying to ease back into my routine and I assume that will take some time.  I am definitely finding it hard to get excited about my run each day.  I think the flu and not running for a week crushed my mojo a little.  

I am trying to pay attention to each run and the stages of suffering I go through. It usually takes a mile for me to wake my legs up and get past the initial discomfort.  After that it ebbs and flows. There are good sections and tough sections.  I still get frustrated when people spring by me like wee fawns. How do they run so gracefully and light?  I still run like the Tin Man in wooden clogs.  

I have been training sans music.  It's different.  It really makes me focus on what I am going through, the good, the bad and the ugly.  I find that it is mostly ugly, but that doesn't mean that there are not moments of zen, flashing moments of hope.  But, yeah, mostly its sucky.  

This is going to be a big week for me.  I want to get a four day week started (that was supposed to be last week, but the flu destroyed that hope) and I am going to start supplementing bike riding into my routine.  I want to keep the pressure on and keep doing until it becomes natural.  

It's supposed to snow tomorrow.  Hopefully it will wait until the afternoon, AFTER my run.   

Adios compadres!

El tortuga and the woes of gravity



That was painful.  9 days since my last run.  Laid out by the flu for an entire week.  Full of anxiety this morning as I dressed for my run.  I started briskly.  I felt light on my feet, my legs felt great, my lungs were.... strained, but seemed healthy considering they had been flu ridden for the past week.

I was, frankly, amazed that I felt so good.

I felt good for about two and a half miles and then the tank started to empty real fast.  I made it just over another mile and then had to stop.  I was a little bummed, but I need to put this into some sort of context.  If I run a 5K four times a week I will be in great shape. Also, i'm coming off of a flu and it's hard to start again.  For now I just need to get out there, four days a week, and do what I can.

Patience is key.

I want to consider whether or not it will be necessary for me to focus on distance.  On pushing myself to and past a limit.  If I run so far that I cannot run the next day... is that too far?  I want to run my 10K next month.  I want to build up to a half marathon.  Will I need to run farther?  Can I be healthiest running less?   Or am I just developing excuses?

These are important questions.

Ok.  I'm tired.  Buh-Bye.