2 Years Running

...and I'm tired

I've discovered my running song:

I figure I have to be crazy to keep running these kind of miles for half marathons, when much less would do.  If I were even remotely fast it might make sense.  This song came on my Pandora "Poison" channel and it really got me moving my legs.

Today was Friday the 13th, no not the date, just- "I'm going to run 13 miles on Friday" -day.  I feel like I might be borderline burning out on running.  It just seems to get harder to motivate myself for the longer runs, when I used to be eager for them.  Thank goodness for habit.  I just stop thinking about how I don't want to run, move my feet in the right direction, and before I know it, I'm  running.

Based on my Modesto performance, I have all these goals that are outlined for me in the Hansen's Marathon method book.  I do really good on the interval training on the treadmill.  However, I've read that it is easier to run faster on the treadmill.  Still, I'm knocking out 8mph intervals (5.8 mph used to be challenging - see below) at 800-1200 meters a piece, with 400 meter "rest" laps at 6mph.  My long runs also fit within the training goals.  Nevertheless, I'm unable to maintain the 8 minute 46 second pace on Fridays for tempo running.  I'm about 8 seconds off.  Thinking about it makes me not want to run, and so I've stopped thinking about it.

In the hope of lifting my spirits and motivating me to stay with the running, if not the training, I've decided to reflect on my achievements over the past 2 years.  The past year is for the most part documented in this blog.  Before that there was Facebook, and I thought it might be interesting to post some of those comments over to here.

July 21st 2013
"Cross training by high altitude hiking in Mammoth lakes basin"
My first ever online reference to running.  I was getting over my only case of "shin splints" as I took up running distance for the first time.  Before that, I had only run maybe a mile during gym in school.

July 28th 2013 - Warning: Wall of Text
"The Dog-Ear-Infection-Cascade
In an earlier post I mentioned that I had switched my dogs to a raw meat diet. What initiated this switch? My male Cairn terrier got an ear infection. Don’t see the connection? I started looking on youtube for a video how to use one of the ear medications on my dog because my vet is at best mediocre at explaining such procedures. And frankly I don’t trust either of them – there are two vets at our “clinic.” 
One of the videos I watched about reoccurring ear infections and health issues in general mentioned diet. Further investigation revealed a number of sources on a “raw meat diet.” Having heard of this through an affiliation with a Cairn terrier club I looked into it some more and made the switch. Then came the next event in this cascade.
I started thinking what else I could do for my dogs to improve their overall health. My wife used to walk the dogs regularly before she went into administration, and I even used to go along with her. However, my preferred cardiovascular workout was either a bike ride or the elliptical machine at the gym. My dogs can’t be trusted for bike rides and besides they have short legs. So I decided to make the ultimate sacrifice and take up running.
I know, it doesn’t seem like much of a sacrifice to many, but I hate running. My earliest memories of running was my dad going out for his regular morning jog before heading off to work in the Marine corp. It was something that took my dad away from me that much earlier in the day. My first early attempts at this type of exercise resulted in excruciating agony in my legs or an emetic reaction. I hated running.
Nevertheless, the next day I grabbed my dogs leashes, put on my sneakers and we went “running” along our usual 3.4 mile walking route. Well, more like, run, walk, run, walk, walk, run and finally walk. And sure enough, the next day, myalgia in the anterior crus with the new bonus reward, courtesy I assume of advancing age, of pain between the tarsal and metatarsals of my feet. I spent a good day reflecting upon this as I sat in my pool nursing my lower extremities but determined to continue the effort.
Coincidentally both my dogs and I are at, or approaching middle age. I wondered if it were prudent to put all of us through this “lifestyle” change. I considered this during the weekend of my recuperation and looked to my dogs as we went for our next run/walk. But damn it, they seemed to really enjoy this whole running business. I had to wonder if they were laughing at me as we ran/walk the next couple of weeks.
At this point I thought there was no way that I would ever be able to continuously run that entire distance. I went online, again, to figure out what I was doing wrong or if there were people who just can’t continuously run such distances. During the search I discovered websites that outlined an eight week program to run 5 kilometers (3 miles). I took a deep breath, I had only been doing this two weeks, I needed to lower my expectations. 
Notice the switch from better health for my dogs to obsessive desire to reach a certain goal for myself.
On July 26th I ran the entire distance with almost no stops. There were the required stops for dogs dropping loads (twice briefly) and the midway water stop for all three of us. But I was on top of the world having never come close to running such distance before. Today, July 28th, my wife walked the dogs and I ran 5 miles non-stop. 
I’ve bought running shoes and an endurance vest so I don’t have to stop for water. I’ve been looking online at 5K and 10K races. Next week I plan on working to improve my 5K+ time running with my dogs. And next Sunday I hope to run 6+ miles or a 10K run. I love running.
All of this from my dog’s ear infection…"

You can see why I switched to blogging.  I found this funny article during this time:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-NOT-to-run-your-first-5k-or-10k-race/

August 19th 2013

"Ray's running escapades:
Mosey on Monday
Run like the wind Wednesday
Don't falter Friday
Super long Sunday
7.25 miles this Sunday, including cross-training 28 miles a week"

I don't usually run Mondays anymore.  I still run like the wind (for me) on Wednesday, and Sunday runs are still super long.  Friday is now "Fast Friday."

December 15th 2013

"Back when I used to walk the dogs nobody who we passed said "Hi." Now that I run with the dogs everyone wants to say "Hi," as if they want to test to see if I have the breath to return the greeting."

I wave my hand these days.

February 12th 2014

"So, having acquired half of a Gloucester Old Spot, today I made Lardo and hung the Capicola in my curing chamber. The Lardo will be ready the day before my 50th birthday. I may wait a day to try it. The Capicola should be ready in 4-8 weeks."

Something Culinary, that Lardo was finished about a week ago.  I miss it already.

March 15th 2014

"Is it a bad sign if you see a large white rabbit in someone's front yard during your morning 5k run?"

April 12th 2014

"3.25 miles or 5.23 kilometers in 32 minutes. I'm slow, but I finally beat a 10 minute mile."

A 9 minute 50 second pace is my "easy" pace.

April 20th 2014

"6 miles in 59 minutes, I have never worked so hard to run so slow"

April 22nd 2014

"Breakthrough on the Treadmill, 5.7mph at speed for 30 minutes with no holding of handrails, 5.8mph here I come..."

Now that is funny.

May 4th 2014

"Looks like I have hit a plateau in my running time. Oh well, I haven't even been doing this for a year. 9.25 minutes a mile"

May 20th 2014

"I should hit 31+ miles this week. I have a plan for a regular 37+ miles a week, and perhaps 48 miles a week before summer ends. We will see."

I'm now running 60+ mile weeks.

May 30th 2014

"

Today new distance milestone of 10.4 miles (16.7 kilometers). That puts the week total to 37.7 miles (60.7 kilometers). I wonder if I can break 40 miles next week

 — feeling happy."

I didn't break 50 miles per week until after my 50th birthday.

June 10th 2014

"While running today a guy offers a greeting to me:

He either thinks he is Bugs-Bunny,
Or he thinks I am his family physician,
Or he knows I work at the college and thinks I have a PhD.
I wonder which one it was?"

This one makes me sad because the fellow I'm talking about no longer lives in the area - had a health crisis.

June 13th 2014

"The "Long Run." This finishes my second 40+ mile per week pattern. One more week of this, then vacation, then I will start working on tempo and interval running, again within the 40 mile per week regimen.

I started the 10.4 mile run at 150.2 pounds and finished at 144.8 pounds."

My long run is generally 16.5 miles.

June 25th 2014

"Four mile beach run on the Oregon coast-priceless"

July 3rd 2014

"4 mile morning run in Glacier national park"

July 8th 2014

"A year ago...

I started running, supposedly to help my dog's cardiovascular health. They no longer run with me, because they can't keep up or go the distance.

In that year I have gone from barely being able to run a block to running 13.1 miles (once), my first 5 kilometer race and 40 miles per week totals.

This year I hope to run more races and improve my long run to 20 miles. I also want to improve my speed. Currently, on a good day, I can hit a 9.4 minute mile on a 5k run. Today, fresh from vacation, I barely managed 10.27 minute miles."

I still haven't managed 20 miles in a single run, 19.2 miles in 3 hours.

And after that I started my blog, a year and 2 weeks ago.