Final Running Goal of 2009 - CHECK

I completed the White Rock Half Marathon.

13.1 Miles

2 hours, 22 minutes, and 1 second (official time)

My goal was 2 hours and 45 minutes. Yes, I started out too fast, and then just stayed that fast.

It was a WHOLE LOT OF FUN!

Me and 20,000 runners pounding the pavement in downtown Dallas, Texas ...

8,500 runners doing the half marathon ... I came in at around person 5,000 to cross the finish line. I'm very happy with that!

Alas, I Haven't Forgotten This Place

I just don't post here much :)

A) I'm already keeping my running stats in two places ... a third seems re-redundant (word? - is now)

B) So, here's an update:

+ White Rock Half Marathon is THIS Sunday --- YIPPEE!! Yes, I'm ready. I've been ready for a month or more.

+ 1/2/10 - DRC Frigid 10K ... for the record, that's 6.2 miles

+ 1/7/10 - Begin marathon training

+ 4/24/10 ---- Quite possibly, this is when I'll run a marathon --- Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon ... 26.2 miles of extreme fun and enjoyment ...

In April, I'll run "Run for Cover" again - this was my first 5K. Other than that, I MAY run other races, but only if they don't screw with the training.

The marathon may change to one that is two weeks earlier - but, I'd LOVE to "travel to the race" ... it'd be fun!

My Running As Of Late

Once again, yes - I have been running ... a lot.

Once a week, 3 out of every 4 weeks, I do a "long run". To help define "long run" in this conversation, you must know my routine.

Sunday: ~20 mile bike ride. I lead the novice bike ride from CK Sports every Sunday morning.

Monday: 4-6 Miles at an "easy pace". "Easy" in this sense is ~12:00 per mile for the distance.

Tuesday: Softball --- and, if it's a 6:30PM game, I do a short 4 mile run afterwards at a "relatively easy pace" ... ~11:45 per mile for the distance.

Wednesday: 5-8 Miles at "race pace". It's more a tempo run, but we'll call it race pace. ... ~11:00/mile for the distance

Thursday: if I run, it's short and slow to recover.

Friday: off --- no fitness activity.

Saturday: Long Run. The distance varies from 8 miles to greater than 13 miles. I normally just "show up and run" with the marathon training group at CK Sports.

And, Saturday makes the Sunday bike ride burn :) ... in a good way.

The past two Saturdays, I ran ~14 miles on each run. The bad = it starts at 5:30AM ... how do people run that stinkin' early?!?! The good = I run with a group which runs a tad faster than I normally would (thus, making me faster). More good = I run with a group which is very friendly (makes me forget I'm running!). More good = The run does not seem NEAR as long as it would if I ran alone. When you go out and run for two and a half hours, it can get tedious.

So yes, I have been running.

More good from the runs lately = I have no doubt about the half marathon in December. I just ran 14 miles up hill in/around Allen and Plano. The half-marathon course is in Dallas ... and flat as a sheet of glass. Running on Saturdays with the group, it's uphill and faster than I would have attempted on my own.

Estimated finish time as of right now for the 12/13/09 White Rock Half Marathon is less than 2 hours and 45 minutes (roughly, and 11:00 per mile pace).

I really can't wait, because THIS RACE WAS MY GOAL FOR THE YEAR FOR RUNNING. And, baring a devastating injury, I'll meet this goal with energy left.

So, the running store I go to (CK Sports - http://www.cksports.com) has these weekend bike rides that take place. The problem I was having is that all the groups AVERAGE 20mph. I can't average that fast, so I asked about a novice bike ride. "We can certainly start one!" Today was the first day of that novice ride.

What I didn't know is that "we" was "Tony". I drew the short straw in leading the group. Well, when I say novice, I mean "slow". However, we did end up with at least one "novice" rider. She's never ridden for fitness, and never ridden a group (obviously). And, apparently, never thought about having a flat while on an 18.5 mile bike ride with 10 other people. No biggie, we took care of her - and, luckily, her husband was with us - so, when she had a flat at mile 11, I pumped up her tire (HA! I was prepared!), and she and her husband rode back to the store to get their truck.

That left the group at 10 people who have least ridden for fitness at some level (though, only a few of us who've ridden in a group).

All that to say, I thoroughly enjoyed riding with this group. We averaged ~13MPH --- which is a nice pace since most of us riding this wanted to do this more for the recovery from running aspect of it all.

I'm totally looking forward to next week.

Another Day of Stats :)

One day, I'll remember to post this - until then, you get only yesterday's stats :)

Split	Time	Distance	Calories
1	0:11:52	1	163
2	0:11:53	1	164
3	0:11:12	1	173
4	0:11:42	1	164
5	0:12:05	1	161
6	0:11:38	0.94	141
Summary	1:10:25	5.94	966

Stupid Stress Test

Went for a Nuclear Stress Test this morning. All was going well enough. They put the IV jack into my arm, gave me the first injection, and took the pictures of my heart. Then, it was off to the treadmill. It starts of painfully slow. Something around 2.5 MPH at 0% incline. It gets worse.

Thirteen minutes into this, I'm still on the treadmill. This time, however, at an 18% incline and 5 MPH ... jogging, uphill. There is no down hill ... LOL

My heart rate never got above 141. Hot cardiologist said it had to get to 151. It didn't. We all stood around staring at the 141. Not good enough. Then, they said they'd inject me with something-or-the-other to artificially raise my heart rate. Ummm ... no, thanks anyway. I don't even over-drink caffeine due to the effects on my heart rate. I don't do the "artificially elevated" heart rate thing.

So, they want me to come back and redo the test. I set the appointment, but don't know if I want to go through it again. First, I feel like crap now - and, I don't know if it's coincidental, or if it's the stuff they injected me with to start with. But, I don't know if I want to feel like this again.

Of course, it's also a good thing they couldn't get my heart rate up :)

Honest! I'm Running!

Seriously. I am running. Every single day. I've ran the last 6 days - it's just been on the treadmill because it's hot, and I'm getting tired of running in the heat and/or the middle of the night. Yes, I COULD wake up early and go - but, why? LOL. It's EARLY.

Over the past week:

Run: ~30 miles
Calories Burned: 4,330

So, yes. I have been running :). And, getting rid of weight!

Overall Stats:

Weight Begin: ~260
Weight Today: 205

Waist Begin: 46
Waist Today: 36

So, yes. I have been running.

How's That Running Going?

Glad you asked - not bad.

I know I've been slacking in posting the stuff here, but I swear I've been running. Last week, I accumulated 5 days of running!

Saturday, I did 4 miles in 45 minutes on the treadmill at the gym. I hate treadmill running - it's so freakin' boring. Then, on Sunday, I ran the 7 miles in the previous post. Not bad - and, it was SUPPOSED to be that slow.

On tap for this evening - 3 miles ... that's 1 mile warm up, 1 mile intervals, and 1 mile cool down. I doubt I'll go further, but I'm leaving that open just in case.

I'm down to 205, which I'm quite pleased with - but, blew it this weekend on the diet. I did not eat all that well (which is fine, because it was a baseball game and you HAVE to eat, right? Right?!?!)

So, this week has started. I intend to do better. I WILL get to 200 pounds at some point soon, then readjust that goal. I'm almost CERTAIN I can get to 190 - but, 200 is the original goal.

That's all I got for now! Happy trails!

Split	Time	Distance	Calories
1	0:12:39	1	144
2	0:12:47	1	148
3	0:13:20	1	134
4	0:13:40	1	136
5	0:14:22	1	121
6	0:14:11	1	124
7	0:10:00	0.69	85
Summary	1:31:01	6.69	892

Skipped A Post - So, I'm Adding This One Late

Yesterday felt goooood to get out and run! Not too warm, sunny, a slight breeze ... PERFECT!

Stats:

Split	Time	Distance
1	0:12:27	1
2	0:12:41	1
3	0:13:05	1
4	0:12:16	1
5	0:12:16	1
6	0:11:15	0.91
Summary	1:14:02	5.91