10 Miler

I just wanted a chance to chronicle the farthest distance that I have run since I really started running again. This past Saturday, I ran 10 miles. It was hot and I sure was tired. But it was also very instructive. I found that I am almost certain that I will be able to reach my goal of running in the Stonewall Jackson 20 miler this fall. While I am only halfway there, I really feel like as though I will be able to do it. While injuries prevented me from doing this before, I think that I now have the knowledge and the strength to attain this goal. Ten miles is for me a long way, but I really felt that I am ready.

Parkside Race

As I have said, I have been running the Parkside Running Club for a couple of years. Well, at the end of each season of the Running Club, I have, with limited success had a race for the students to participate in to feel like they have accomplished something. In the past, we have gone down to the Richmond Marathon, to participate in the 1 mile fun run. We have also gone down to the Fredericksburg turkey trot on Thanksgiving Day. But last year, there were so many students that participated in the Turkey Trot that I thought that we should have our own race during the school year to both suport student learning and health. Well, I got the Go Ahead from my principal the other day to set up the races (a 1 mile fun run / walk) and a 5K. So from now on I will give reasonable updates about the setup and running of the race. Also, if you have any advice for setting up the race I would appreciate it.

Keep Fleet of Feet.

First 5 K

Yesterday I ran my first 5 K, in what I hope is to become a series of 5Ks. I ended up running it in 29:15. Much better than I had thought I would do. My goal was less than 30:00. First, I was nervous because I was going by myself, and I didn't know what to do or where to go. But I figured it out. It was the 4th in a series of 5 FARC sponsored Cross Country Runs. There is another next week as well. I hope to be able to do it again. There are four interesting things that I noticed during my run.

First, I was incredibly nervous, my heart-rate was skyrocketing. I checked it a lot and noticed that it was in the 170's, I usually run with it hovering around 154 or so. I am not certain whether it was the nervousness of being in a race or the pace at which I ran it. I will have to check that out again next week, when I try again.

Second, I expected that there would mainly be 5 or so people running but when I got there, there were maybe 50 people. Many were students from the local high schools' cross country teams. It was great to see them out there and watch how quickly they destroyed the competition. It was also funny to remember that I used to warm up for a race, by running a mile or so. I was out there for the 5K and that was it. So I just stretched and ran. I had fun but ran hard.

Third, I have been practicing changing my form to run with shorter strides and a different body position. I found that on the trails in the woods, I experienced complete joy during that section. Not only did increase my speed in that section; but also, I passed some people that I would not have passed them on the flats or in the open. A good reason to keep up that running position.

Finally, I ended up running into a former student of mine. I had this student who had escaped from the Sudan by having been adopted by a church with the rest of his family. I ran the entire race with his younger sister. Nothing like getting schooled by a 6th grader. But the reason I mention this is because, running is unique. I would not have had a great and interesting experience without my having had the compunction to run again. More stories to follow, with the more races I run.

May you have a similar running experience on your next run.

Running

There are a number of runners that teach at my school. Well a couple of years ago, one of my coworkers set up a running club at our school. The goal of the club was to get the kids out and have them run 2 miles twice a week and play a running game. I was a reasonable success. What we would do is run 24 miles over the course of the club and then finish the club with the culminating run of the children’s fun run mile at the Richmond Marathon. Well, that teacher could no longer supervise the running club. So it fell to me to do this and I have had some really great help in the process. I have done this some more times each time to greater and greater success. This past year, I had something great happen in the fall. I had quite a few parents come and run the final mile of our club with their child. I was amazed at this. The kids were so excited at being a part of the running club that they go their parents to run with them as well. Well this past fall, instead of having our culminating run at the Richmond Marathon, we decided that we would have it as a part of the Fredericksburg Area Running Club's Turkey Trot in downtown Fredericksburg (www.runfarc.com) on Thanksgiving Morning. I had so many children participate in that, it was that day that I decided that we would hold another Running Club in the spring. More on that later.

Hot and Humid and a Pizza Lunch

I really waited and waited today to avoid the humidity for my run. I waited until 7:00 to go on my run and it was bloody hot.
One thing that I have loved to do when I have had a day off, the is get up in the morning and do usual morning routines. In the afternoon, I like to eat a large lunch and then take a nap. Well, I followed this routine exactly eating one of my favorite meals, Pizza, and followed with a nap. I woke from my nap and got my act together for the run. I was sluggish and had a couple cups of coffee to shake off the rust, and got out there. Well, I had to take several breaks and each time I had wanted to throw up. I guess that pizza will now have to be a rare privilege and no longer a midday meal eaten to excess. Well, times change and so do our bodies and goals. I guess that the joy of the run, will have to outweigh the momentary gratification of pizzas. Vomiting on a run is just plain unpleasant.

A Quiet Comeback

I had been achy for a couple of days and in all honesty, I did not want to run at all yesterday. Plus, it is now the middle of July and here in Virginia, it is getting really humid. Yesterday. I felt that I had to run again. And so I went for a little and as I got started, I turned the first corner and then the thunder clapped. I laughed aloud and hoped I would beat the rain. Fortunately, I did. The run turned out to be just what I needed. I spent the entire run focused completely on my form and all the aches that I had had before were significantly minimized. I was very happy to have less distractions in my run.

Background

Some people may want to know about the reason while some one would want to write a blog about their running. Let me start with my history. I have always wanted to stay in shape and have never been one who could get big Also, like my father said to me as a kid, I can’t run fast but I can run for a while and thanks to his passing this ability on to me. I finally joined cross country in the fall of my last year of high school, and I really enjoyed it. I moved to track in the winter and summer but not liking it as much. But I always liked the idea of running long distances.

This ability to run and stay in reasonable shape, has always manifested itself in running throughout college and into my adult life. I have taken time off with mixing in biking. But being a cheap guy, a pair of sneakers is the cheapest gym membership that I could afford. Upon further reflection, it is something that I have done everywhere I have lived. I lived in Japan, Thailand back in PA where I grew up, and before I came down here to Fredericksburg, what I did when I wanted to get away was go for a run. But running is something that I have found that I have gone back to like I did with cigarettes. Every so often, I would go back to smoking, just like I would go back to running. It has only been in the last few months that I have really understood my passion for the sport. And this passion has recently reached a new level.

The one thing that I have to admit throughout all my travels, running is something that I can do anywhere, all I need to remember is to bring a pair of shoes. Being a little lazy, I can always remember to bring a pair of shoes. At any rate that is my running background.
Keep fleet of feet.

Setback

Today was a bit off a setback in my running. It was a beautiful day outside so there was no way I was not going to run. Nice, sunny, and No Humidity, it has been humid lately. I had high aspirations in my run today because I wanted to get to my 25 mile goal today on my Nike plus. I am close, I am about 8 miles away or so. So my intent was to run the last eight and hit that goal. Well that didn't take place. I was very achy today. I have been at it hard lately and I got about 2 miles out there and just things were not working out as I might have had them, so I cut it short at 3 miles. No sense in kicking my butt on a Tuesday just for the laughs.
So, while I didn't get as far as I had wanted today, I will get there somehow. I vow to myself that I will not destroy my body so that I cannot participate in the late Fall goal of running a 20 miler and then hopes of running the Richmond Marathon.
Today, I think that the main factor in my troubles was the poor form that I have been working on. Upon looking back today, I think that I was more worried about my feet and every time that I have had trouble with my feet, I have needed to readjust my body position.
Anyway, more to follow later.

Reading about Running Part 1

I recently read 2 books about running this summer. I am going to quickly review the Dean Karnasses book Ultramarathonman. It was a fine book. It offered a unique journey of a man's transition from regular guy to an ultramarathon runner. I liked the structure of the story from his big run ordering a pizza on the road to his explanation of how he got where he was as a ultra runner.

I have to say that initially, I did not like the book. The way the story presents itself, the guy seems like he is bragging. Sure he has done some incredible things running to the South Pole, The Death Valley Race and Running a team race solo. Go Team Dean. There is no denying that. It just came across as look at me, I did this. However, any guy writing a blog is also saying the same thing, "Look at me."

Upon further reflection, I have heard an interview with Karnasses on a podcast Run, Run Live., and I have since changed my mind about him. While I still am not a fan of the book, my thoughts on Karnasses have changed. Many runners think that he has sold out because he makes some money from his running. Being a broke teacher, I would like to be able to make money from something else that I love. And that is what he said, you should do something that you love. There are many people who have jobs they hate, and to reinforce this notion that a person should do a job that they love this is where both Karnasses and I meet. I also subscribe to this idea. I certainly would like to be able to make some money from doing something that I love.

While I may not have liked the book, I do believe that the book's intention has been accomplished and that is to get me to run more. Good job Dean.

Nike Plus Review

Last week I got the Nike plus. Let me start off by saying that I like anything related to my iPod. I am on my third one and when I saw this little thing, it took some time to decide to buy it. It turns out that it is pretty good. I like the way that it records how far I have gone, and my pace and the time I have spent outside running. The really neat thing is the uplink to the Nike plus website. I like that I can put my runs on the internet, in such a fancy manner. I also like the site because people can put their runs into the map feature and I can see where people that live around me ran. I will also put some up on there soon. I am still having some difficulty navigating their site but I think that when I spend a little more time on the site I will figure it out. I will give an update a little later.
The main features that I have explored so far are: Total mileage run during a workout. Basically I use it for telling me how far I have gone. When running you push one button and the lady tells you how far you've gone, etc., etc.
I must admit that this things has 2 drawbacks. First, when you use this I feel like you cannot go out for a run without your iPod. So while I love it now, I think that there will be a time when I do not use it any more. But for the time being, it gives me an excuse to get up off my duff and get out there.
The second drawback is a little more of a technical one. I love to listen to podcasts whenever I am doing anything much more so than music, and when I set up my playlists to include a podcast the iPod skips over the podcast and goes right to the next song. This is generally not a bad thing because I have good taste in music but I also was to have a couple of chuckles while I run. To me there is nothing better than having to stop a run because I am having a laugh.
Oh well, that's enough for now. I will update when I have figured this Nike Plus thing more.
Keep it up.