Going Off-Plan

Admittedly, I haven't run since Thursday's disaster, largely due to allowing the shin splints time to heal.

 

I can't get to 20 minutes as it stands...that is painfully obvious. This, of course, means that I can't advance to future weeks because I can't finish the W5D3 exercise.

 

So I'm going to have to go off-plan. Please do not misunderstand..."off-plan" does not mean "quitting"...far from it. It only means that I'm going to have to change my method and utilize my current built up fitness to focus on getting to 20 minutes before I can focus on getting to 30.

 

So...here's the plan: Gallowalking. For those not in the know, Gallowalking is a technique made famous by Jeff Galloway that consists of 4 minutes running, followed by 1 minute walking, over-and-over. It has been used by many to finish not only 5ks, but even marathons and ultramarathons. For me, however, it's going to merely be a training tool. I fully intend to run 20 minutes straight in the coming weeks, but I'm going to have to keep working to it. So, I figure I'm going to run as many Gallowalking intervals as possible with a maximum of 8 (which would be 32 minutes running). Then I'm going to gradually take out those 1 minute intervals and increase the running intervals.

 

Hopefully, this will get me to my 20 minute run. I don't have a set date on this one, but we'll know it's successful when I finally finish W5D3. For now, however, we're on "C25K Off-Plan Run 1".

Habitrot 5k

Date: 11/26/09
Time of Day: 8:00 AM
Location: Cool Springs Galleria

Conditions: 41-44 degrees F
Music: Running Music 2
Clothing: Long sleeved wicking shirt, Compression shorts, Under Armour shorts
Shoes: Nike Air Pegasus 26+

 

Week 5 has turned into my Mt. Everest.

 

I've read of people zooming right through it. That the 20 minute run was "cake city" or whatever.

 

I can't do it. No matter how hard I try. I can't do it.

 

On Thursday, I did everything "right"...I was well rested, I ate well, I was properly hydrated...but I only made it 5 minutes...and then I only got 3 minutes on the second leg of my W5D1 repeat.

 

I'm not quitting...but I need a new plan to get me to that 20 minute run...more on that in a later post...for now, let's deal with the race.

 

My friend Bob surprised me by showing up to run the race (and he killed it...running a sub-30...his first 5k running all the way through, so mad props to Bob!).

 

I woke up at around 7, took a shower and got to the race at about 7:15.

 

First off, it was easily the least organized 5k I've ever been a part of. When I walked into the indoor football field that was the registration area, I had absolutely no idea where to go. There was no one directing anyone to the registration tables and there were no signs pointing them out. I had to push through the crowd to finally find them. When I got there, for the second time in a row...no 2X shirts. Alas.

 

The race began next to the Harley Davidson dealership. As per my usual modus operandi, I started as close to the back as possible. The one bright side here is that no one passed me the whole race. The course itself had one downhill at the beginning, but the uphill portion was so gradual and spread out that you never noticed it. For the most part, the course was fairly flat.

 

When it was time to run, I ran, but there was no way I was getting 20 minutes. First of all, people kept stopping in front of me. Some stopped to wait on people, some stopped with their strollers...and some just stopped. More than once, I almost tripped and fell.

 

At around the 4 minute mark, shin splints started kicking in. It took me six weeks to get shin splints. I tried to keep going, but I couldn't...it was just simply too painful. So I backed it down...thinking I would just do W5D1 again like on Monday.

 

The next run, however, was all shin splints...and 3 minutes was just about all of the torture I could take. So I walked the rest of the way.

 

I finished the race, but I felt - and still feel - completely defeated.

 

So many people are able to do this...why can't I?

Week 5 Day 3 Attempt 1

Date: 11/23/09
Time of Day: 10:00 PM
Location: Marriott Route

Conditions: 52 degrees F, sprinkling
Music: Running Music 2
Clothing: Under Armour shirt, Compression Shorts, Majestic Braves shorts
Shoes: Nike Air Pegasus 26+

 

Sometimes, things just don't go according to plan.

 

It took me until my 15th run...the first one past the halfway point...to finally fail a run.

 

I was supposed to run 20 minutes, but I only got to 5:36 until my body started screaming at me to stop.

 

I don't know if I started out too fast or if I need another week of week 5 or what, but it didn't happen.

 

I walked out the door last night with a new route mapped out. There is a Marriott hotel next to my apartment complex...if I run from my usual starting point to an entrance in the back, that is exactly one mile, which means I would have an exactly one mile out and back. This route I creatively call "The Marriott Route".

 

The first 3 minutes were easy...but I didn't feel quite right. Part of it was that I had a slice of pizza at the hockey game earlier...not a great pre run food. Perhaps I didn't warm up enough or didn't cool down enough on Saturday, but I hit a point where my mind was telling me to keep pushing but my body was telling me, "Yeah, no, you're going to have to stop."

 

Usually, it's the other way around. In this case, I figured I would trust my body and stop. There's nothing that says it absolutely has to be done in 9 weeks...and I was not going to make 20 minutes. So at 5:36...for the first time in the C25K program...I walked.

 

Needless to say, I was pretty dejected. I thought about turning around and going back home...but I realized...everyone has bad runs. It's okay to have a bad one every once in a while...maybe I'm not ready for the 20 yet...but I'm definitely not going to quit.

 

So...having seen that ~5 minutes of running would be my limit for the day, I set my iPod app to re-do Week 5 Day 1 - the one with three 5 minute running intervals. Granted, I had a slightly longer walk break than I'm supposed to have, but I also ran for slightly longer, so I think it evens out. What was amazing to me was that last week, Week 5 Day 1 kicked my ass. This week, it was hard...but it was never, "OhmigodI'mgonnadie" hard.

 

When I run my 5k on Thursday, I'll be trying the 20 again...but I won't be dejected if I don't make it...I'll just make sure to at least complete Week 5 Day 2 again. Since Week 5 Day 1 was easier on the second go-round, I'm fairly certain Week 5 Day 2 can't possibly be harder when I've already done it once. I just have to remember to not get dejected and not get mad at myself. I have to be patient...I'll get there.

 

I'm disappointed that I didn't finish the 20 minute run, but I'm proud of myself for not quitting.

Week 5 Day 2

Date: 11/21/09
Time of Day: 10:30 AM
Location: Nissan Route

Conditions: 56-62 degrees F, sunny, warm
Music: Running Music 2
Clothing: Under Armour shirt, Compression Shorts, Under Armour shorts
Shoes: Nike Air Pegasus 26+

Yesterday's run was different for several reasons.

First of all, it was the first day time run I had made that was not a 5k. Secondly, it was honestly the closest I have come in any of my runs to quitting.

I missed Friday night's run due to getting home at a late hour and having no energy. I made a promise to myself to run in the morning. One thing that I have learned about the C25K program is that unlike in the past, when I make promises like these to myself...I keep them. And I kept this one.

Thus, I walked outside yesterday morning for Week 5 Day 2. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, which was a plus.

Week 5 Day 2 consists of two 8 minute runs separated by a 5 minute walk. While it seems like a fairly straightforward, easy exercise compared to the past few, running 8 minutes in one stretch is extremely difficult when the longest I had run so far was 5.

I started the first run and after about 3 minutes, I could very much feel it. As I've mentioned, the Nissan Route is pretty much up a hill and then back down the hill...although there are a lot of flat portions. Anyway, it was rough, but I managed to finish it.

The second run at least started out easier...but it got harder as it went on...to the point that I very, very much wanted to quit. I was contemplating what time today I could retry it...I did not feel like I could finish it. I even contemplated how to label the blog posts if I missed it...but I didn't miss it.

It was probably the most difficult last two minutes of anything I've ever done...I had slowed down to a snail's pace...and had to look very attractive as spit formed on my lips...but I managed to pull it off.

In fact, I made it back to the starting point before the music ran out, which was the first time I had done that.

I recognize that I've accomplished quite a bit at this point. In fact, I'm past the halfway point.

However, I don't know which I'm more surprised about...that the workouts keep getting harder or that I not only keep finishing them, but keep moving onto the next harder one.

Anyway, the next run is the big 2-0. The 20 minute run. After the way I struggled through the 8 minute runs, I'm not so sure how it will go, so this week I am not considering week 6 until I finish it.

I'm not sure I will finish the 20 on the first attempt, so I've set aside this week to make 3 attempts at it - Monday night, Thursday morning and Saturday morning. If I can get it...I'll move on to week 6. If not, I'll keep trying until I get it.

This is it. If I can do the 20 minute run, I can finish the program.

So...until then.

Week 5 Day 1

Date: 11/18/09
Time of Day: 9:30 PM
Location: Nissan Route

Conditions: 43-44 degrees F, chilly
Music: Running Music 2
Clothing: Long Wicking shirt, Compression Shorts, Target-brand Shorts
Shoes: Nike Air Pegasus 26+

I say this every run, but man...last night was hard.

For those who are unaware, none of the workouts in Week 5 are the same. Day 1 (last night) consists of three 5 minute running intervals with 3 minute walks in between. Day 2 is two 8 minute runs with a 5 minute walk in between. And....Day 3 is the dreaded monster 20 minute run.

On paper, it seems that W5D1 would be easier than Week 4 because you are running for 1 minute less. However, as they say, runs aren't done on paper.

The first thing I realized was that last week, I had been using the wrong set of hedges to mark my 1 mile point, so I moved back up the sidewalk a ways to start from the correct spot. Also, earlier this week, I had updated the C25K app on my iPod...and this would be the first run with the updated version.

The first run started out easily enough...but by about the 3 minute mark, I was pushing it. Another one of those feelings of, "How am I going to keep doing this? It's so hard!" As usual, I picked a landmark that I thought would be close enough to the end of the run and ran to it...knowing that if I could make it there, I could make it to the end of the run.

It's weird how I know I can run that far - I did it 6 times last week - but something in my mind is still telling me...oh, but you haven't done it enough in your life, you might not do it now. I always do, though. Again, not a lack of confidence...a lack of prior evidence. I guess I actually have to see it to believe it. And every day, I keep proving to myself that it can be done.

The second run was a little easier, mostly because most of it was downhill. I hit the halfway point both in the run and in the program in the middle of the run here. It definitely wasn't easy...it was still one of my hardest intervals ever...but it was definitely easier than the first one.

At this point, not one inch on my body was cold. Despite it being 40 degrees and my body being covered in sweat, every single inch of my body was warm. It was a very strange experience to be standing in 40 degree weather wishing you had on short sleeves.

Finally, I hit the third run. I saw my shadow in the streetlights and realized I had to look very penguin-y running along and chuckled to myself. The fact that I was able to laugh, however, told me again that I would be able to finish...as long as my breathing isn't hurting me, I'm pretty much fine. And so I finished at approximately the same spot as Sunday, despite running one minute less and starting further up the trail. At least my pace appears to be improving.

I keep having to argue with myself on virtually every run...after every running interval, I think, "Wow...that was really hard...I don't know how I'm going to do the next one." And I have to tell myself, "Of course it's hard. That's the whole point. It's not easy. It will get easier the further you go."

And I keep telling myself that.

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Note: I also started the Hundred Pushup Challenge on Monday. Last night was W1D2. Not much to report other than...I did a lot of pushups.

Week 4 Day 3

Date: 11/15/09
Time of Day: 10:00 PM
Location: Nissan Route

Conditions: 53-54 degrees F, clear
Music: Running Music 2
Clothing: Long Wicking shirt, Compression Shorts, Adidas Shorts
Shoes: Nike Air Pegasus 26+

Sometimes life gets in the way of your runs.

I had originally planned to run W4D3 on Saturday night, but by the time I got home from the Predators game, it was already past 11, which - by the time I got out on the road - would have put my run past midnight. To me, this didn't seem like the world's safest idea...so I delayed my run until Sunday.

So...Sunday night, I put on my new shoes and headed out the door. After driving around and measuring distances, I found the exact (or at least close to exact) 1 mile marker for my run. Therefore, that's where I started. My first 3 minutes of running weren't easy, but my feet weren't bugging me. More importantly, I kept my eyes off of my iPod and focused on running for the entire interval.

The first 5 minute run was even rougher. And I chalk up the problems that I began to encounter here to eating less than an hour before heading out the door. I started to get serious side stitches...and my breathing was definitely more erratic than usual. My legs felt okay, at least...it was the side stitch that was getting to me. But again, did not look down at my iPod, which means I was not as worried about continuing as usual.

I hit the 1 mile marker at exactly halfway, turned around and headed back up the "halfway hill" as I call it (I guess to myself). I still had side stitches when the second 3 minute run started. In fact, this was the hardest one of all...my breathing was funky, I had side stitches and I was running up a hill. I practically felt every ounce of my 304.2 pounds during this one. I picked a landmark that I would get to and then look at my iPod to see how much time was left...luckily, it was only :08...and I got my 90 second walk.

As per the rest of the week, the last 5 minute interval was the easiest one of the day...while I still had side stitch issues, I think the fact that I know that it's my last run must do something mentally to get me through it easier. I finished that one with no problems (and almost at the exact same point as Thursday, despite starting further back). When the cooldown ended, I was only about 20 feet from where I started, which means that I made 2 miles in 32 minutes (counting the 16 minutes of walking). Not bad when you factor in the leisurely pace of my cool down.

So...here we are. Week 5. The big one looming at the end of the week...a 20 minute run. But first, I have three 5 minute runs on Tuesday and two 8 minute runs on Thursday. I know it's there, but I have to take it one step at a time...like I have the whole way so far.

One step at a time.

New(er) Shoes

Well, it only took a month...I had to go shoe shopping again on Friday night....I took the Five Fingers out for a nice leisurely walk the other day...on the way back, I looked down at my feet...and where there should have been shoe, there was skin. My new Five Fingers are already falling apart. There is a very large hole in the side of them, as you can see:

I haven't had a chance yet to see if the store I purchased them from will return them (it's on the other side of town from anywhere that I usually go, so I'm going to have to set aside a special trip just to see if they will take them back. Of course, the bigger issue here is that I'm back to needing a new pair of running shoes. Needless to say, I don't have much faith in a product that falls apart in less than 20 miles. While I understand that sometimes companies will accidentally put out a faulty product, a google search revealed that this seems to be pretty common. Thus, it was time for me to seek out a new pair of running shoes?

First, as I explained earlier, the reason I have to get new shoes is that the Puma Sierra Trails that I am running in cause blistering on the side of my feet due to the elastic that holds the tongue to the base of the shoe. I have been wearing Band Aids over the hotspot, but they are still occurring, as you can see.

The way I figure it, the sooner I get in to a better pair of shoes, the sooner I can quit worrying about the blisters popping up on the side of my foot in a longer run. And...since I'm a week away from the 20 minute run...I figured it was probably the best time to go ahead and snag a pair of shoes that will last me a while.

So, on Friday night, I went looking at a few stores...I'm sure I looked very silly running up and down the aisles of the stores trying on shoes...and I know a lot of people recommend going to a running store to get your proper shoes, but I wasn't going to spend a ton of money on shoes and felt guilty putting them through the motions and then going somewhere else for a better deal.

Anyway, after some searching, I succumbed to the lure of the mighty Swoosh. I purchased a pair of very Nike Air Pegasus 26's for $65. Also, it's Nike+ compatible. There's a small slot under the left insole for the Nike+ sensor.

My first run on them will be later this evening...and I will report on them first thing tomorrow morning.

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Note: Due to the lateness of last night's Nashville Predators game, W4D3 has been delayed until this evening.

Weekly Weigh In

This week's weight: 304.2 pounds. I've lost 2.2 pounds since my last weigh-in and 8 pounds total since beginning my journey.

Week 4 Day 2

Date: 11/12/09
Time of Day: 9:30 PM
Location: Nissan Route

Conditions: 46 degrees F, clear
Music: Running Music 2
Clothing: Wicking shirt, Compression Shorts, Under Armour Shorts
Shoes: Puma Sierra Trail II

I'm not going to lie. Beginning a running program is not easy...last night reminded me of that.

I'm not a pessimist by any stretch of the imagination, but sometimes I'll get out in the middle of a run and think to myself, "There is no way I can finish this." And when you're running longer distances each week, boldly going where you have not gone before, those thoughts run through your head. As I've mentioned before, it's not a lack of confidence, it's a lack of certainty.

I finished Week 4 Day 2 last night...and it was another one of those nights that I was amazed that I was able to do it. Last night was a little different because I had taken about a 5 mile walk on Wednesday night in the Five Fingers (more on that this weekend). The bottoms of my feet were blistered and my calfs (or is it calves?) were sore. I thought about delaying my plan by one day...but then I thought better of it.

The run began a little further out than usual. I gave myself a little more time to warm up due to the aforementioned calf soreness...plus, I wanted to start past the stoplight so I wouldn't have to stop and run in circles.

The first 3 minute run was not easy. Not one bit. And it had everything to do with the aforementioned calf pain. Somehow, though, the 90 second walk loosened them up and I got through the 5 minute run...while not easily, I wasn't gasping for hair or wincing in pain, which is good. I turned around at the bottom of the hill and ran my second 3 minute interval mostly on an uphill.

For the second time this week, the last 5 minute run was the smoothest run...I promised myself I wouldn't look at the timer on my iPod until I hit a certain landmark. Normally, I'll check it every so often to see how long I have to go...and more often than not, I'm somewhat frustrated with how much time is left. It's hard not to look when you know it's there, but I promised myself I would not.

Sure enough, I made it to the landmark...looked at my timer...only :30 left. The last :30 were a complete breeze after that. I didn't run it out this time...I figured it was better for the legs to not do any extra work.

Altogether, this run was the hardest one I've done so far. At least once I actually got into the first 5 minute run, I at least knew I would finish, but due to overtraining in the wrong shoes on Friday, it was not easy. Don't get me wrong, the run is completely doable...and I finished it and felt absolutely fine afterwards...I just learned that the cross-training I do on my off days can affect my run enjoyment.

On the other hand, I can't believe I've made it this far.

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Note: You can now access this blog from RunNoobRun.com. While the blogspot address still takes you directly here, this one works as well. Also, it makes it easier for you to tell your friends! Plus, it looks better on a t-shirt...(yes, this means I'm making myself a shamelessly self-promoting t-shirt).

Week 4 Day 1

Date: 11/10/09
Time of Day: 9:30 PM
Location: Nissan Route

Conditions: 56 degrees F, clear
Music: Running Music 2
Clothing: Wicking shirt, Compression Shorts, Nike Shorts
Shoes: Puma Sierra Trail II

Week 4...the gauntlet.

While you add :30 per interval on Week 2 and they double on Week 3, you're still running roughly the same amount of time (8 minutes in Week 1, 9 minutes on Weeks 2 and 3). On Week 4, however, the amount of time you are running essentially doubles - to 16 minutes. That's a daunting number when you look at it at the beginning...especially if you struggled through the 1 minute runs at the beginning like I did.

Week 4 consists of a 3 minutes running-90 seconds walking-5 minutes running-2.5 minutes walking-3 minutes running-90 seconds walking-5 minutes running. Total running time is increased...and walk time (compared to the first 3 weeks) is virtually non-existent.

Honestly, I headed out the door last night thinking that I wasn't going to be able to do it. It wasn't so much a lack of confidence as it was a lack of belief. On that first 5k on W1D1, I had trouble with some of the 1 minute intervals. Heck, I even had trouble during the 5k on Saturday. I was just going to push as far as I could...and hopefully I'd complete most of it.

I headed out the door and put on Running Music 2. Republica got me ready to go...and when my 5 minute warmup ended, I started running my first 3 minutes.

For the first time, I changed my route. Instead of running back in the neighborhoods behind my apartment complex, I ran the other way, past Nissan HQ. From now on, we'll call this the "Nissan Route". The reason for this change is actually pretty simple...a couple of weeks ago, they extended the road, so it simply goes further...the more I do this program, the longer I'll be able to run down the same street.

Back to the run, I finished my first 3 minutes...and it was actually fairly easy. That's always a good sign. However, I hadn't looked at the plan for the week other than seeing how long my runs were going to be. The walking portion was only 90 seconds...which meant that I only had a minute-and-a-half to give my legs a little rest until I was back pounding the pavement. To make it worse, "Don't Cha" by the Pussycat Dolls was starting to play on my iPod. I didn't realize until this moment that I don't like that song.

As luck would have it, the 5 minute interval started before I had to cross the street, so I sat there running in circles at the crosswalk for about 20 seconds before the walk signal flashed...once it did, I took off across the street onto the sidewalk next to the business parks that surround my apartment. For pretty much the entire 5 minute run, I was on an incline. It wasn't a hill, but it was definitely not flat...and when I looked at the timer on my iPod at one point...I had 2:30 to go...yeah, this was hard. How on earth was I going to do it again?

Finally, the timer chimed and told me to walk...and I did. After the quickest 2:30 of my life, I had to kick in another 3 minute run...this one was definitely easier. At this point, the sidewalk had changed to a pavement trail. I didn't even know it did that...I had never been this far. As I came upon Nissan headquarters, the iPod chimed for me to walk again.

One more. I had made it this far. So I told myself, "Just two 2.5 minute runs. That's all it is." And when the timer chimed again, I took off...and it was easy. Well, not easy, but it wasn't a struggle. I could put each foot in front of the other one. Granted, I was going at a glacial pace, but speed will come later. As Rocky said, "It's not how hard you hit, it's how hard you can get hit," and at this point, I was taking a pounding. I was going to do it, though. I knew it. And I was running with a smile on my face because I realized I had actually accomplished something.

As "Praise You" was playing on the iPod, the final chime sounded and told me to cool down. I was done...or was I?

I wanted to at least run to the stoplight at the next intersection, so I kept running. When my foot landed in the crosswalk, I had run an extra 1:30...meaning that in 22 minutes, I had run 17:30. I pumped my fist and screamed a loud, "Woo." And I know I did this because I instantly looked in all directions to make sure no one had seen that. A month ago, I struggled to run 1 minute...and I just ran 5 minutes twice...and still had gas in the tank.

I've had days during this plan like I was on my way to doing something big that I hadn't done before...this was the first time that I had actually done something I hadn't done before. I ran longer and farther than I ever have in my adult life.

And I'm going to do it again on Thursday.

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Note: As I mentioned, I realized that during my run, I actually didn't like one of the songs on my playlist...so I've adjusted Running Music 2. Here's the new tracklisting:

1. "Ready to Go" - Republica - Republica

2. "Weapon of Choice" - Fatboy Slim - Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars

3. "3" - Britney Spears - 3 - Single

4. "Toxic" - Britney Spears - In The Zone

5. "Womanizer" - Britney Spears - Circus

6. "Gimme More" - Britney Spears - Blackout

7. "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim - Praise You - EP

New Music Tuesday

In a sense, at least...it's "New Music Tuesday", as tonight will be my first run with new music.

As much as I love listening to my podcasts and stories, it's really hard to concentrate on them when you get to running...so I'm going to save them for the walking portions. I've set up some playlists here for multiple reasons. First off, I've put music in that's going to get me psyched. Secondly, I've made every one of these between 30-35 minutes so that I can somewhat judge my improvements by which point in which song I'm on at certain landmarks. If that sounds convoluted, that's probably because it is.

In summation, here is my new music...and evidence that I sometimes have the musical taste of a 16-year-old girl...

Running Music 1

1. "The Battle" - Hans Zimmer - Gladiator Soundtrack

2. "The Final Game" - Jerry Goldsmith - Rudy Soundtrack

3. "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)" - Bill Conti - Rocky Soundtrack

4. "Olympic Theme" - L'Orchestra Cinematique - Olympic Themes

5. "Going the Distance" - Bill Conti - Rocky Soundtrack

6. "Gonna Fly Now (John X Remix)" - Natalie Wilde & Bill Conti - Rocky Balboa: The Best of Rocky

Running Music 2

1. "Ready to Go" - Republica - Republica

2. "Weapon of Choice" - Fatboy Slim - Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars

3. "3" - Britney Spears - 3 - Single

4. "Don't Cha" - Pussycat Dolls - PCD

5. "Toxic" - Britney Spears - In The Zone

6. "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim - Praise You - EP

7. "Womanizer" - Britney Spears - Circus

8. "Gimme More" - Britney Spears - Blackout

Running Music 3

1. "Ready to Go" - Republica - Republica

2. "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)" - AC/DC - For Those About To Rock We Salute You

3. "Express Yourself (Remix)" - N.W.A. - N.W.A.: Greatest Hits

4. "Here It Goes Again" - Ok Go - Oh No

5. "Galvanize" - The Chemical Brothers - Push the Button

6. "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" - Cake - Comfort Eagle

7. "Do the Evolution" - Pearl Jam - Yield

8. "The Distance" - Cake - Fashion Nugget

Running Music 4

1. "Weapon of Choice" - Fatboy Slim - Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars

2. "Gimme More" - Britney Spears - Blackout

3. "Praise You" - Fatboy Slim - Praise You - EP

4. "Womanizer" - Britney Spears - Circus

5. "The Rockafeller Skank" - Fatboy Slim - The Rockafeller Skank - EP

6. "Toxic" - Britney Spears - In The Zone

7. "3" - Britney Spears - 3 - Single

I don't know which one I'm going to run with tonight, but from now on when I do my post-run summaries, I'll put the (not very creative) name of the playlist in the music portion. That way you know what I'm listening to...and I'm sure there will be more coming.

Week 3 Day 3: Hoover Run For Hope 5k

Date: 11/7/09
Time of Day: 8:00 AM
Location: Ravenwood High School
Conditions: 54-55 degrees F, sunny
Music: New Yorker Fiction Podcast
Clothing: Long sleeve wicking shirt, Compression Shorts, Adidas Shorts
Shoes: Puma Sierra Trail II

When I got to the elementary school where the race started yesterday, I was feeling good about myself. I was well rested and I had a good 3 weeks of running under my belt.

Then I got out of the car.

The first problem I ran into was when I got to the registration table.

"What size t-shirt would you like?"

"2X, please," I responded.

"The largest we have is an extra large."

"As in you are out of anything larger...or that is the actual largest shirt you have?"

"It's largest one we have."

Okay...so that's not a good start. I've entered numerous 5ks...this is the first one I've been in that did not have a 2XL t-shirt. It's a small complaint, as I didn't enter this race for the t-shirt...but it is kind of a good feeling to pop out of the shower when you get home and put on your ugly 5k t-shirt (they're almost all ugly) and wear it around for the rest of the day. So I got an XL...maybe I'll wear it sometime in the future.

But I digress...you want to know about the race.

As usual, I flipped on my iPod, started my New Yorker podcast and got ready to start my C25K app and waited. And waited. And waited.

Finally, the 8:00 gun went off at about 8:10...and I was in for my next surprise.

I had mapped out the run via Google Maps and had done the street view for the whole course. What I gathered from street view was that I was going to be running a mostly flat course with a small hill in the third mile.

Google Maps lied.

After running about 100 yards, we made a left turn...and went down a very long hill. In my mind, I knew...if we're going down, we have to come back up.

My first 90 second running interval kicked in about halfway down the hill. So I took off running. At the bottom of the hill, the course flattened out for about 30 feet while we ran across the street between the school and the neighborhood. Then we started climbing. For about 45 minutes of the first run, I was climbing.

Then...after 90 seconds, my 3 minute run kicked in...and we were still climbing. At this point, I was starting to wonder if it'd be easier to just repeat W3D3 on Sunday.

Finally, about halfway through the 3 minute walking interval after the run, we hit a flat portion...and I had my 90 second run again...this time, slightly downhill.

When I hit the second three minute portion, it was mostly in a downhill...and I finally hit the end of the three minutes at the bottom of the hill.

At this point, every muscle in my leg was killing me. My original plan had me continuing for the rest of the race...but my race strategy had been based on a flat course. This was not a flat course.

The course continued down the street and turned into another neighborhood. At this point, a car came zooming by...and it wasn't the safety car. There were also a few people cutting across the course to take shortcuts...I honestly couldn't believe this...but I did come upon a group of volunteers crossing race numbers off a list, so they were clearly anticipating that someone might try it.

The street we turned onto was another hill. Therefore, I decided that it would probably be better for my progress if I walked the rest of the way instead of continuing to run. It's too early in my journey to worry about my times...and I had finished Week 3.

So...I walked the remainder of the way...and it was quite literally uphill both ways. Of course, another couple of cars came zooming down the course...which I again found very bizarre.

Finally, I hit the line at 54:33...but hey, I was tenth in my age group!

Next year, I'll probably run it again, because I feel like this course completely kicked my butt...and I want to get sweet revenge on it. Until then, however, I have to continue my C25K journey.

And I've finished Week 3...which makes me 1/3 done. And that's what I really have to remember. One-third done means that I am not done. I shouldn't get that discouraged from how the race went when I was working on essentially 1/3 fitness. Again, it's a baseline...and it shows me that once I get through with C25K, I need to start tackling hills.

Luckily, I know that the Habitrot 5k on Thanksgiving is mostly flat.

Onto Week 4!

Pre-Race: Hoover Run for Hope 5k

Now it's time to talk a little race strategy...

As I have mentioned, tomorrow morning, I am running the Hoover Run for Hope 5k.

Since I'm only in week 3, it's not very realistic to think I could run this entire event. However, as the Oktoberfest 5k taught me, I should be able to run a large portion of the event.

I will begin the race by completing the W3D3 exercise. After the last interval, I will restart my iPod application and walk 3 minutes, run 1 minute and walk 1 minute. After this five minute portion, the running portion of the app should kick back in, which means I will finish with my 90 second run, 90 second walk, 3 minute run and 3 minute walk. I am not anticipating having to go all the way through W3D3 twice tomorrow, but I know it's a possibility.

Also, should this become too hard (after I have finished the running portions of W3D3), I will not hesitate walking the rest of the way in order to avoid injury. At the moment, though, I'm heading in with the thought in my head that I will be able to merely extend W3D3 all the way through the race.

My primary goal tomorrow is to finish Week 3. My secondary goal (should I complete all of my running) is to beat my PR (and only time) from 10/10 of 49:47. However, if I beat Week 3, I will come home feeling satisfied.

Race starts at 8 a.m.!

Week 3 Day 2

Date: 11/5/09
Time of Day: 10:00 PM
Location: Neighborhood
Conditions: 39-40 degrees F, chilly
Music: New Yorker Fiction Podcast
Clothing: Long sleeve wicking shirt, Compression Shorts, Champion Shorts
Shoes: Puma Sierra Trail II

We hit the 30s last night...and I was still in shorts, although I think I'm going to invest in one or two pairs of running tights tonight. As macho as I am, my legs do get a wee chilly every once in a while.

Week 3 Day 2 is complete! I took a slightly different route last night...instead of a straight-out route, I ran an out-and-back. I found approximately the one mile point in my run, got to it, turned around and ran back. It still took me slightly longer than 30 minutes, but no worries...speed comes later.

As for the run itself, the first 90 second run was fairly easy...but the first 3 minute run was absolutely brutal. As each foot hit the ground, I thought to myself, "How am I going to keep this up? There is no way I'm going to be able to run 5 minute intervals next week." I also had to step around a dead squirrel. That didn't make it any better.

When I finally hit my 3 minute mark, however, I was further than I was on Tuesday. After my 3 minute walk, I kicked in another 90 second run and decided to turn around at approximately the one mile point instead of continuing further out as I usually do. Not that I was quitting, I just wanted to see if I could make it back to my starting point before time ran out.

The second 3 minute portion was remarkably easier. Don't get me wrong - it wasn't easy by any means. However, once the chimes on my iPod app told me it was time to walk, I decided to prove to myself that I had more gas in the tank (and that I'll be able to continue next week) and set my sights on a tree. I ran to the tree...and decided to set my sights on the next tree. Then I saw the dead squirrel...and set my sights on the tree past him. Finally, I ran past a part in the sidewalk where it has a bit of a lip (that I always seem to find with my big toe) and decided to walk before I went to far and injured myself. When I looked down at the timer on my iPod app, I had added 38 seconds to the final run. And that is what gives me confidence going into next week.

Tomorrow, I am running a 5K for W3D3...obviously, in order to finish the race, I will have more intervals, but I will get into my race strategy in a subsequent post.

On to W3D3!

Past My Bedtime

So on Monday night, I get the bright idea at about 9:45pm to go head over to my apartment's gym before I go to bed and get in a quick workout.

I took the long way from my apartment to get there and turned on the World Series and did 30 minutes on the elliptical once I was. I was the only one there.

Side note: I noticed that when I'm in the gym, my iPod absolutely has to be on music. For some reason, when I'm not actually going anywhere, I can't focus on the story, so I switched on Ben Harper's new album.

When I finished the elliptical, I thought, "Hmm...I'll do some weights." So, I walked over to the chest machine and did 3 sets of 12. Then I moved to the lat machine and did 3 more sets of 12. I moved the bar down to the bottom and did rows for 3 sets of 12 (getting an idea yet?). Then I moved to the ab machine. On this one, I did 3 sets of 35, switched it to back mode and did 2 sets of 12. Then, I went to the resistance machine and did bicep curls for - you guessed it - 3 sets of 12. Finally, I did some tricep presses on it for 3 more sets of 12.

I couldn't feel really any soreness and was afraid I didn't spend enough time there (I always forget that this comes the day after)...so I checked my watch...it was 12:05. I had been doing this for over 2 hours.

Needless to say, I'm going earlier tonight.

Week 3 Day 1

Date: 11/3/09
Time of Day: 10:00 PM
Location: Neighborhood
Conditions: 43-44 degrees F, chilly
Music: New Yorker Fiction Podcast
Clothing: Long sleeve wicking shirt, Compression Shorts, Adidas Shorts
Shoes: Puma Sierra Trail II

I'm not going to lie. This one was hard.

For starters, I switched back to my first shoes. When I looked at the bottoms of the Puma H Streets, I noticed that there was some very significant wear in the forefoot area...and that was just from two runs. Considering they're always watering the sidewalks, I felt it would be safer to run in something more grippy. While the Five Fingers are definitely more grippy, the wind chill was in the 30s when I took off running. Considering that my feet got a little cold in the 40s, I figured I needed something warmer, so I went back to the Sierra Trail. This time, however, I stuck a Band-Aid on the place on each foot where the band tends to rub. Problem solved.

I was moving slow last night. It wasn't intentionally, it's just that dinner didn't quite sit with me right and I had fallen asleep on the couch while watching TV (probably due to my late night gym session the night before). When my cooldown ended, I wasn't as far along the path as I usually am (but only by about 20 feet). The first 90 seconds went by fairly easily...but I guess I didn't look at the plan enough because I was not expecting the break between the first and second runs to only be 90 seconds.

My app chimed telling me that it was time to run. And here I was...a 3-minute interval...twice as long as any I've done so far...and it was hard. The devil on my shoulder kept asking me, "Why are you doing this? Just walk...it's not that different." I didn't listen to him. I backed my pace down...but I finished the first one. Then I got a three-minute break. I needed it. Even the next 90 second run was hard...plus, I had to run through more sprinklers. Seriously...why is it so hard to point them at grass?

Finally, I hit my last three minute interval. It was easier than the first...admittedly, my pace was a crawl, but I didn't have trouble doing it. In fact, once it was through, I probably ran another 20 feet just to prove it to myself. Then, my iPod app gave me a huge surprise. Instead of saying, "Cool down," as it usually does when I have finished my intervals, it said, "Walk." When it tells you to walk, it means there's another run coming. So I prepared myself...and walked for the next 3 minutes...and when the chimes started, I picked up my feet and started running again...only to hear, "Cool down." That's right. Due to the way the C25K program is set up, the intervals all end with walking intervals this week.

So...despite my initial difficulty, I finished. I was actually ready to kick in another 90 second interval at the end, which I think bodes well for my progress.

Aaaaaand...with the completion of W3D1, that means that I have completed 7 of the 27 workouts, which means I am one-quarter of the way home. Hooray to me.

On to Day 2!

Week 2 Day 3

Date: 11/1/09
Time of Day: 10:00 PM
Location: Neighborhood
Conditions: 42-43 degrees F, chilly
Music: New Yorker Fiction Podcast
Clothing: Long sleeve Under Armour shirt, Compression Shorts, Under Armour Shorts
Shoes: Puma H Streets

This time, I didn't make the mistake of running in short sleeves when it was chilly. Knowing that my legs always heat up when I run, I stuck to shorts (if it's above freezing, I'm most likely going to be running in shorts).

Again, I wore my Pumas, although I did it this time due to the temperature...I have no blistering on the bottoms of my feet.

I took my usual route and listened to my usual podcast. I should note that instead of doing an out-and-back run, I run out...and then walk back. And my "usual route" actually differs each day, but I stick to the same general area a) so I don't get hit by cars and b) because it's well lit.

While running down one long street I usually run down, I hit the 4th running interval and had a bit of trouble, but just slowed my pace down and finished it. When I crossed to the other side of the street, I noticed that the street I usually run on has a slight incline, which means I've been doing a very small amount of hillwork without really knowing it. Good to know for the future.

Also, I had another horrifying sprinkler surprise...imagine running through cold water at 42 degrees...then imagine running soaked in cold water. Brrr.

When the last interval came, I had my eyes set on a lamp post that I was going to make it to, but the interval ran out before I got there. Nevertheless, I kept running, making sure I passed my goal...and that's the whole point of this, isn't it?

I can't believe I'm already done with Week 2.

Due to last week's weird scheduling...I only have one rest day between Week 2 and Week 3, but I don't think it's going to affect me. I begin the next stage tomorrow night.

I'm amping up my cross training this week...and I have a 5k on Saturday (the Hoover Run For Hope).

On to Week 3!

Weekly Weigh In

Picture Coming Soon

This week's weight...306.4. That's right...only two-fifths of a pound since last week, which means I need to ramp up my cross-training.