36

I got some new jeans for Christmas. I used to wear 32x34 but in the past 3-4 years have slowly changed to 34x34. That wasn't a big deal and I accepted that I was just getting a little older.

Well the 34-waisted jeans are just too snug and my wife had to exchange them for 36x34. They fit right but they look huge. I am NOT happy at all.

But I haven't been able to work out ... unfortunately, my right groin is sore again and I am going back today to the doctor who performed my hernia surgery back in June.

Crazy Like Running With A Fox On Your Arm

Here's a video on CNN about a woman who ran a mile with a fox hanging off her arm. Apparently she was bitten and wanted to make sure the animal got checked for rabies, so she ran to her car (a mile away) and locked the fox in the trunk while she drove to the hospital.

I have no idea how or why the fox held on for so long!

Running Again

If you want to follow my daily running progress, you really need to check my log on Running2Win.com. I will try to post periodic updates here though.

I ran once in August, on the road, and then 5 times in September, on the treadmill. All of these runs were 1.5 - 2 miles at an easy pace. My groin still felt tender in the hernia surgery area so I took a few more weeks off and started running again this week.

I ran once this week at the fitness center and then ran 1.75 miles at home tonight. This weeks news is that my weight was 204 when I weighed in on Tuesday. Our company fitness center is running a "Holiday Challenge". Anyone who stays even or loses weight from now until 2009 gets a small prize.

Since this is about my highest weight ever, I'm confident that it won't take much for me to turn things around and get moving in the right direction.

Weekend

I'm heading back to my hometown in the morning so the kids can run in the local 5k & 1 mile fun run. I haven't run all week as my leg felt achy & weak after my short run last week. I'll give it another try next week I think.

I did find this article on RunTri.com about Sarah Palin who was chosen today by Repbulican Presidential nominee John McCain to join the ticket as Vice President. It describes how Palin ran the Humpy's marathon in Anchorage in 2005 in just under 4 hours!

Starting Over

I ran about 1 3/4 miles today. It was an easy run, by myself, from the fitness center. Therw was no pain but still some tenderness in the groin area that led to the hernia surgery in the first place.

The workout was discouraging for a couple reasons. First of all when I got to the fitness center, my locker was locked and the key was gone! (I always leave my key in it). I found the only staff member on duty (Tammy) and she did open it up with the master key. We found an empty mesh bag.

Tammy then helped me find my clothes all bagged up in a closet. I had been kicked out! Apparently I notified the wrong person about my surgery. Everything is resolved now but it did make me feel sad and lonely for a while.

Then as I ran down into the flats and found a road closed and the whole old flats bar district bulldozed in preparation for a new development. Now I knew this was coming but it was still a surprise to see places like the Beach Club and the Paladium (more recently Larry Flynt's Hustler Club) totally gone.

Weight is up to 197 (from 184 last time I ran).

I've Still Got It!

While leaving the fireworks display last week, I was handed a handbill that reads:

The Baddest Man On The Planet Competition 2K8
(The Blood, Sweat & Tears Tour)

Do you think you can fight ??? Now is your chance to prove it!!!
(Open to anyone 18 years of age or older!)

All types of stand-up combat accepted - boxing/kickboxing, karate, & streetfighting!!!

No wrestling or takedowns!!! There are no tap-outs .... only knockouts!!!

Fighters - come as you ar or use ring names, entrance music of your cohice, & cracy flashy costumes will be accepted!!!

Obviously they thought I should participate. Unfortunately my recent hernia surgery will keep me out of this one. Maybe next year!

Avon Eagle Kids Run

Check out my other blog for a post about how my kids ran this weekend in Avon.

Giving Blood

I gave blood today. It was pretty uneventful. My planned surgery probably won't affect my ability to give blood either before or after. At least this time it won't affect my racing.

The prize was a voucher for a free $15 (upper level) ticket to the Cleveland Gladiators Arena football team.

Hernia Surgery Scheduled

My hernia surgery is now scheduled for June 16th. I probably won't be running again until August. What a wasted year.

I Was Right

The doctor diagnosed me with an inguinal hernia this morning. I have a referral to a surgeon and an appointment early next month. I'm won't be running for a while.

Doctor, Doctor, Give Me The News

I have a doctor appointment on Thursday morning. I'm guessing I have a hernia.

Pop! goes the groin

I ran an easy 4.5 today with Milica, Peter, & Rick. The weather was great and I was feeling good until about 3.5 miles when I felt a POP and my groin started hurting again, the same spot as last Thursday. I was able to maintain the (slow) pace and finish but I'm pretty frustrated.

We stopped / regrouped a few times, time of the run was 43:00.

Running Again

After 5 days of rest I ran again Wednesday. At the start of the run my right leg felt a little strange but then once I loosened up I think I'm pretty much back to normal.

I also did 3 sets of 10 each of leg extensions & leg curls before I ran as my left knee has been clicking a little bit the last couple days.

The run was 2 miles on the treadmill in 16:23.

Streaking - No Longer (Aggravated Groin)

Today was my 10th consecutive day of running, but I'm pretty sure I won't get to 11.

I hurt myself today somehow. I was just running along, feeling good, when suddenly my groin started hurting and I started to slow down. By about 6 minutes later I was walking and walked over a mile in.

I've pretty much decided I'm taking the next 3 days off to rest and I'll reevaluate on Monday. I have plenty of time for my fall marathon, but I don't want to be hurt. And I am already signed up for the Hermes 10 Miler in 3 weeks.

Here is a good article I found on groin injuries. It says I should rest for a week.

Tuesday 4/1 - 4.5 miles - 36:01
Nice run with Randy & Greg. Windy from the west and chilly again. Greg told of his wine-tasting trip to southern Ohio, and Randy told of his trip to Ireland.

Wednesday 4/2 - 6 miles - 56:04
Very easy run with Rick at lunch today. Weight is down another pound to 184!

Thursday 4/3 - 3 miles - 24:00
I aggravated my groin today somehow. I was running along, feeling pretty good. I passed 2.37 miles in 18 minutes (7:36 pace) so I wasn't going really fast, just a little faster than I usually run on my own.

I was on a slight downhill and my right groin started feeling sore, like I should slow down. By 24 minutes I was walking, and I walked the last 1 1/4 miles back to the office.

The pain is right on the joint, the innermost spot where my right leg connects to my pelvis. It's not in the quad muscle at all.

It really hurts.

I'm probably going to take Friday-Sunday off at this point, hope it's just a minor ache, and hope it feels better on it's own by Monday.

152 Mile March

No I didn't march that far, I ran 152 miles in the month of March.

But I've definitely transitioned from using this blog as my daily running log, to using Running2Win.

I'll try to recap here a couple times / week:

Friday 3/28:
Considered not running today but ended up going out for a short run in the afternoon. Rachel (part way) and Brooke came along on their bikes. I ran 24:41 for 3 miles and then went back as Brooke had fallen behind a little at the end.

Weather was sunny but cold and windy.

Saturday 3/29:
I ran the same 10.5 route today that I ran last week with Randy. As usual, running alone added about a minute per mile to my pace.

Sunday 3/30:
I had to skip church today as I have a class on soccer coaching from 11-4. So I ran this morning, an easy 5-miler. Weather was chilly (still) and there was a strong wind out of the south.

I ran negative splits, 20:58 on the way out and 19:47 on the way back. That's pretty significant, because as soon as I turned around at 2.5 (on the out-and-back course), I was headed due south, into the wind, for the next 1.5 miles.

I ran as many miles this week as last week, and that was with 2 long runs last week.

Monday 3/31:
Easy run with Rick, had to stop a couple times for traffic as we ran around Progressive Field just prior to the Indians Opening Day game.

Wednesday Tremont

I ran the Tremont 5 1/2 mile route today. I consciously tried to run at a faster pace, but I'm just not good at running fast by myself. I ran 44:03, which is 8:00 per mile.

It was 2 1/2 minutes faster than the same route 2 weeks ago, but part of that is due to the terrain, as the roads are finally pretty much clear of snow and ice.

I did run past the new Progressive Field sign that went up in the past few days.

Hamstring feels about the same as yesterday.

Tuesday Easy 6

I took Monday off, continuing my recent pattern of 1 rest day every week, early in the week.

I had to run at lunch today as I'm going to Rachel's soccer game tonight and can't run with the Tuesday night group. It was an easy run, very windy today. A couple times I felt like my stocking cap was going to blow off my head!

I ran 6 miles in 51:36, 8:36 pace. Good news is it was 1:34 faster than I ran the same course on 3/13.

My right hamstring started feeling a little tender & tingly. It didn't get any worse (or better) throughout the run.

Weight = 189 lbs. I'm not losing anything at all.

Easter Long Run, Vitamins

I ran another 10+ miler, this time with Keith. We ran about 3 hours after easter dinner. We took it pretty easy. Distance was almost 10.5 and time was 1:23:07.

We did have a section mid-run into the wind where we traded off the lead every 3 telephone poles and we might have picked up the pace a little.

But then as we mad the turn by Greg's I had a rather juicy burp and we pretty much cruised the rest of the way.

Also, I started taking a vitamin today, which I haven't done in years. I'm taking the Equate (Walmart brand) version of the One A Day Men's Health vitamin. I was kind of spurred on by last week's slower race which I still think was affected by my giving blood.

Friday Long, Saturday Short, Malachi Pics

Friday AM I ran long with Randy. He was running 19 and I ran the first 10 1/2 with him. I ran 1:21:20 and felt pretty decent.

Saturday afternoon I ran easy on the treadmill at home while watching Duke vs. West Virginia.

I also got an email with my photos from last week's St. Malach 5-Mile race. I doubt I'll order any but they are neat to look at.

Treadmilling Again

Weather was cold again today so I jumped on the treadmill at lunch. I hoped to watch some NCAA basketball but the TV was just too far away. I ran really slow, 25:32 (7:51 pace).

Tuesday Night - Snowy Paths - Light Rain

I ran in Oberlin tonight but ran on the road instead of the path. We had 6, Randy, Keith, Greg, Thomas, Ken, and myself.

I got caught by myself in the middle for the first part, but ran the 2nd half with Ken and Thomas. There was a light rain for the last 10 minutes or so of the run.

I'm giving in and recording my distance to the nearest 1/4 mile, but I refuse to go any further. Distance was 4 3/4 miles and time was 38 minutes.

Scrape

I ran an easy 4-mile run today on the Bridges Plus course. I forgot my watch so no time on this one. The weather was brisk and breezy, especially on the bridges (which is normal).

At the foot of the 2nd bridge, I dodged to my left to avoid a pile of snow and scraped my right knee on the stem of a bush that had been cut back. It bled a little but not too bad.

Sunday Morning 8-Miler

I got up early and ran my 8-mile loop again today. I made no effort at all to run fast on the way out, and it showed, as I passed half-way in 39:22. I did then try to run faster on the way back and finished in 75:04, so my 2nd half was 35:42.

This was my first week this year over 30 miles and I did it with a day off.

Giving Blood And Racing

I found this article about the effects of giving blood on racing.

"donating blood does—temporarily—reduce the oxygen carrying capacity of your blood which will have a negative impact on your running. This condition will last for about a week. Expect anywhere from a five to 10 percent drop in your ability to run."

St. Malachi 5 Mile Run

I ran the St. Malachi 5-miler this morning. Levi and I left early and we were downtown by 8 AM. We got his chip and then started warming up. We probably jogged about 1/2 mile.

Levi ran well, running 7:10 for the first mile (he thought it was 11:10) and then 14:58 at the finish. His adjusted chip time was 14:51.25. He finished 111th out of 478 runners, and 9th out of 20 in the 10-12 age group.

I ran bits of his race with him and had a good 2 miles in by the time I went to the starting line. The first mile is downhill. I tried to just run easy but still passed the mile marker in 6:07. I thought this was ok and that I had a chance to meet my goal time of 32:30.

I stayed relaxed through the 2nd mile, and passed in 12:56, for a 6:39 split. I still thought I was on an ok pace. The next mile had some uphill and I didn't attack it hard enough, running 7:29 for a 20:25 split.

I tried to pick it up on the downhill and ran 7:05 for a 27:30 4-mile time. I crossed the line in 34:44 but my chip time was 34:41.85. I finished 113th out of 1042 and 17th out of 98 in my age group.

I'm not satisfied with my time. I could use a few excuses such as chilly weather or giving blood on Thursday, but the bottom line is I need to work harder. The weather is starting to improve so hopefully I will be able to.

I am at 27.5 miles for the week so tomorrow's run will put me well over 30.

5 Miles & Packet Pick-Up

Before running today, I did 3 sets of 10 leg presses and 3 sets of leg extensions. I felt a little creaky in the knees yesterday and I do this as a precaution. I don't know why but it was recommended to me by another runner over 10 years ago and it has helped me avoid any serious knee pain ever since.

No watch today. I ran the middle section of the St. Malachi course again and then stopped at McCarthy's Ale House to pick up my race packet. This was around 4 miles, then I added on another 1 mile back to the office.

Weather was chilly & drizzly.

Weight = 189 lbs.

One night of eating out and I gain a pound?

Malachi Course Preview

I ran the St. Malachi 5 mile course today, all by myself, plus a mile getting there and back. I had to slow and even stop a couple times to double-check the map. Actually distance was 6.1 miles in 54:05.

I never noticed before but there are several sloping hills in this route.

I gave blood this morning, so that may have slowed me down a little. I really felt fine though.

Tremont 5.5 Solo

I ran the full Tremont route today. Getting to & from Commercial hill were the worst as the sidewalk was snowcovered and that stretch of Ontario is fairly busy. After that I managed to avoid most of the traffic.

Total distance is 5.5 miles and I ran it in 46:36 which is 8:28 per mile. I had hoped I was going faster but I guess that was fast enough. It was nice to go out by myself and get a decent run in.

I have a 5 mile race this weekend. Weather is supposed to be colder with snow possible. My goal is to beat my times from the 2 5-mile races I ran in May of 2007 & May of 2006, that being 33:33 and 33:59. So I guess 32:30 (6:30 pace) would be a good goal.

Weight = 188 lbs

Trouble With Dish Network

I ran 3.5 miles on the treadmill in my basement tonight at 11 PM, I got to watch the last 4 minutes of the Horizon League championship game. Butler soundly beat Cleveland State, which really was no surprise. I ran 28:37 (8:10 pace).

I had wanted to run earlier but my stepdaughter had set up the DVR to record Law And Order. For some reason, you can't watch a different channel while the DVR is recording, so I had to watch the first part of the game on the upstairs tv.

You would think the DVR would go straight to the satellite box. Why can't I watch a different channel while the DVR is recording?

March 2008 Carnival Of Running

Welcome to the March 11, 2008 edition of carnival of running and racing. I did have to reject several submissions this month that have absolutely nothing to do with running, racing, or even fitness. I hope you enjoy the posts listed below, and keep them coming!

Running

Mike Remer presents Celebrating! | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

Kaleena Lawless presents The Marathon, Tour De France + Triathlon Workout posted at Personal Trainer in Toronto. So you may not be ready yet for the famous endurance races but you CAN work a race's distance in to your own routine for fun, a way to track your weekly distance and to aim for a new personal best!

Mike Remer presents Wish Exercise wasn’t so Hard? | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

Diet

Andrew Caxton presents Vitamin C for Your Diet and Training posted at Bike Cycling Reviews.

Life. Money. Development. presents Diet Tips for Preventing High Cholesterol Levels posted at Life. Money. Development. A neat collection of diet tips for keeping cholesterol in recommended levels.

Marc and Angel presents 5 Reasons Why Weight Loss Products Keep You Fat posted at Marc and Angel. Next time you’re tempted by the latest and greatest weight loss craze, ponder these 5 reasons why it’s almost certainly far from great.

Other Fitness

Anne K presents A Funny (Yet Sad) Thing Happened At The Range Today posted at Doug Kercher Golf.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of running and racing using our carnival submission form.

Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Treaded Out

I ran 3 miles on the treadmill today in 23:52. I had hoped to run 10 but mentally I gave in and stopped at 3.

I got 26 for the week, 2 short of last week's 28.

Blizzard!

Easy 3-mile run at home on the treadmill in 23:18. Shoveled snow in the morning. Hoping to be able to get my 10-miler in outside tomorrow. Not sure I'm mentally tough enough at this point to run that long on the treadmill.

I did dig out a VHS tape from 1992 of A Concert For Life, a tribute to Freddy Mercury (of Queen). I watched the first 2 acts which were Metallica and Extreme.

Friday Home Run

I ran from home this morning as I have a funeral for my Uncle Fritz later in the day. I ran the 6.5 mile Waterbury block in 54:42. It was a little slower than I had hoped but all things considered it was a good run.

It was cold, upper 20's with a decent wind from the northeast. I ran into the wind for most of the first 3.5 miles.

I debated staying in and running on the treadmill but I doubt I'd have run as far if I had chosen that route.

Running Around The Hole

It was in the upper 30's and sunny today so Rick, Milica, Vicki, and I ran outside. We ran the marginal route and came back past this hole in the street caused by the water main break.

We also saw the NYU indoor track teams getting off their team buses and heading into their hotel. They are in Cleveland to participate in the UAA Indoor Track Championships at my alma mater, Case Western Reserve University.

It was a pretty easy run for me. The group stopped to walk twice, the 2nd time I didn't stop but ran on ahead.

I wore my watch, time was 42:06.

Weight = 188 lbs.

Back Inside

It snowed and iced all night long so I was back inside today. I ran another 4.5 miles on the treadmill, accelerating every half mile or so. About 15 seconds faster than I ran the same workout last week.

7:52
7:23 (15:15)
7:14 (22:29)
7:00 (29:29)
(33:22)

I saw instructor Chris in the fitness center, he's signed up for the 5 mile race next weekend. He said he hasn't run since September. He's always in good shape though so he'll make it without any trouble.

Weight = 188 lbs.

Outside (Finally!)

I ran outside today with Kevin D, Milica, and Peter. We ran the always popular Homeless Route, shown below.



We didn't encounter any homeless people but we did meet hordes of runners, since this was the first decent day of the year. The temperature was warm, in the 50's, but it was still pretty windy.

No time on today's run but the total mileage is a little over 4.5.

Weight = 189 lbs.

Long, SLOW, Distance

I ran the same route this morning as last week, just ALOT slower (72:06 compared to 62:11)!

The weather was colder (24) and there was a patch near Randy's where the road was not cleared and I ran on ice for about 1 1/2 miles, but mainly it just shows the difference in my pace when running alone compared to running with someone.

I only met 5 cars the entire way, and I never had to break stride when crossing 57!

Good news is I got up and ran early on a busy day, it's a significant sign that my commitment level is back up where it needs to be for me to run well!

Easy 4

I ran on the treadmill this afternoon. Watched part of one of my favorite action movies, XXX staring Vin Diesel.

Mile 1: 8:18
Mile 2: 7:39 (15:57)
Mile 3: 7:20 (23:17)
Mile 4: 7:27 (30:44)

I'm planning a long run (8 miles) on Sunday morning. I have to get up early and get it done before church as we are having a birthday party for George in the afternoon.

Shorter and faster.

I ran a little shorter and alot faster today. On the treadmill in the fitness center (again).

8:03
7:08 (15:11)
6:32 (21:43)
(3:34) 25:17

I had to run on one of my least favorite treadmill models today. It was really shaking when I got the MPH up to 9.5 (near the end of my 3rd mile). Plus it only has one display so I can't see time and distance at the same time, I need to press a button several times to toggle between the 2 displays.

Bad news is I looked at next week's weather forecast, 39-33-30-27-35. Looks like another week of mostly indoor running.

Good news is if I run 3 on Saturday and 8 on Sunday, this will be my 4th consecutive week with an increase in total miles.

Total miles for February is 95. I've only had one month (June 2007, 100.5 miles) in recent years that I've ran that many miles. That dates back to 2005 but I'm sure if I checked it would probably date all the way back to 1995.

I ran 25 days this month with just 4 days off.

Weight = 190 lbs.

Repeat

Usually, when a runner talks about repeats, he is referring to repetitions in an interval training program, such as repeat miles or repeat quarters. That's not what I'm talking about here.

Today I ran almost the exact same run as yesterday!

8:08
7:26 (15:34)
7:17 (22:51)
7:05 (29:56)
33:40

I actually ran my first mile about 12 seconds slower today, ran my middle 3 miles about the same as yesterday (4 seconds slower for the combined 3 miles) and then made up 11 seconds in the final half-mile.

I didn't intend to run this far or fast but once I got on the treadmill and got going, I was able to stick with it pretty well.

Weight = 189 lbs (holding steady)

Treadmill 4.5

I ran a little farther & faster on the treadmill today.

Mile 1: 7:56
Mile 2: 7:24 (15:20)
Mile 3: 7:19 (22:39)
Mile 4: 7:01 (29:40)
Total 33:35

I went a little later, hoping that the treadmills would not be as busy, since I knew I wanted to go more than 1/2 hour. Most of them were still in use but I didn't notice anyone waiting.

Weight = 189 lbs, lowest so far this year.

Treadmill Again

I got back on the treadmill today. Weather.com is calling for heavy snow Tuesday and temperatures in the teens on Wednesday so I'll probably stay inside most of the week.

I had a slightly stiff back this morning but I did 10 sit-ups before I started running and it feels fine now.

Mile 1 - 8:11
Mile 2 - 7:30 (15:41)
Mile 3 - 7:12 (22:53)
Total - 26:54

I was going to run even 7:30's until the end but I got bored so I bumped it up .2 MPH every quarter mile from 2 miles to 2.75, then brought it back down.

Weight = 191 lbs

8 With Keith & Greg

I ran my long run of the week today, 8 miles. I ran it with Greg & Keith, who drove up for the run. I had mapped out a route for us hoping to avoid both traffic and snowy streets, and it worked pretty well.

I wore my watch and we ran the distance in 1:02:11 or 7:46 per mile. Not a blazing pace by any stretch of imagination, but certainly fast enough for a long run.

I increased my mileage again this week, getting a total of 26.5 miles, again with a day off. If I run every day in the upcoming week, I should be able to hit 30 or so.

Memphis vs. Tennessee

I ran 3.5 on the treadmill tonight during the Memphis-Tennessee basketball game. I went back to my old trick of starting easy and then going faster during the commerials, then easing back.

Unfortunately there weren't many commercials. I started at 6.8 and there were only 3 commercials and the fastest I got to was 7.5 mph. My total time was 29:42.

If I wasn't planning to run long (8) with Keith on Sunday, I would have kept going, as the game was very exciting.

Treadmill 3

I ran easy on the treadmill today.

Mile 1: 7:58
Mile 2: 7:30 (15:28)
Mile 3: 7:14 (22:42)

Pules 144 (right after I stopped).

Not too much to say about today's run. I did take yesterday off as I was on the road most of the day.

I'm supposed to run long over the weekend. I haven't decided if I'm going outside or if I'm gonna try to run it on the treadmill.

Weight = 191 lbs

Treadmill 4

I ran a little farther today on the treadmill, all the way to 4 miles. I ran a steady, easy pace, 8.0 MPH most of the way, up to 8.2 for just the last half mile.

Nobody was going super-fast beside me, but there was a girl to my left who bumped the incline up on her treadmill for several minutes. She wasn't running, but still it made me ponder whether or when I should introduce some hillwork to my training.

Mile 1: 8:05
Mile 2: 7:30 (15:35)
Mile 3: 7:30 (23:05)
Mile 4: 7:21 (30:26)

Freezing Cold

We ran the bike path tonight. There were 5 of us, Greg, Ken, Randy, and I, and Randy's friend Ed. The weather was pretty brutal for a first-timer so Ed earned some respect for sure.

The temperature was barely above single digits and there was a wind hitting us in the face as we started out heading west.

Tonight's amusing story was how Ken's transmission failed, leaving him stranded outside a house where he was tutoring. Having just finished a cup of coffee, he ended up walking several blocks to a park to relieve himself, before returning to find the tutoree's mother had returned from swim practice and Ken could phone for a tow-truck and a ride.

I forgot to start my watch but I ran the 4.5 mile course in around 35 minutes, finishing with Ken & Ed. Randy & Greg were a couple minutes ahead.

Treadmill 3.5

I ran 3.5 miles on the treadmill today at lunch.

When I got there the guy beside me was running along at 10.0 MPH. I always feel challenged when I see someone else running faster than I usually run, so I decided to go a little harder today.

I started out easy as always, but then kept bumping the MPH up by .2 until I got to 9.5, somewhere between 2.5 - 3 miles. That was about all I could manage so then started bumping it back down.

Mile 1: 8:00
Mile 2: 6:59 (14:59)
Mile 3: 6:34 (21:33)
Total time: 25:25

Of course the guy beside me was at the end of his workout, he only ran 1.5 miles total and he did it in around 12 minutes so he war running 8:00 pace (7.5 MPH) on average for his run.

Weight = 190 lbs.

I'm pretty sure that one of the things keeping me from losing more weight is my nights that I deliver pizza. I eat so much food there, I think it really sets me back. I'm gonna start being a little more careful.

Timing Runs

I ran 3 miles easy tonight. I had planned to run on the treadmill but the rain had stopped so I went ahead and ran outside. This gave me a chance to try out my new Timex Ironman watch that I bought last night for $20.

Mile 1: 8:21
Mile 2: 8:23 (16:44)
Mile 3: 7:41 (24:25)

I haven't timed my runs for years. In the past, whenever I was running competitively, I ran with a team so I never really had to be concerned with how fast I was running on my own. Those days are gone now so I'm planning on running at least some of my runs with a watch.

The other interesting thing about this week is that I ran a total of 24 miles. This is a half mile farther than last week, but last week I ran all 7 days and this week I took a day off. I'm pleased with my progress so far.

Long Run?

Having run 100 miles in a single week, finished 3 marathons, and run over 3000 miles in a year, I hesitate to call anything shorter than 12 miles a "long run."

Regardless, today's 6.5 miles was my longest run of the week, longer than anything last week, and longer than all but 4 of my runs in 2007.

I timed myself by checking the clock before I left. Giving myself a minute to go up and down the driveway, I ran 52 minutes or exactly 8 minutes per mile.

Another Easy 3

I ran 3 on the treadmill at lunch today. It was another easy run with no notable scenery or weather.

Mile 1 - 8:03
Mile 2 - 7:28 (15:31 cumulative)
Mile 3 - 7:29 (23:00 cumulative)

The Fitness Center was rather busy today. We have 3 Precor treadmills, 4 Stairmaster treadmills, and 2 Woodburys. The Woodbury is my least favorite as it has a very short base and you have to keep a more consistent pace to avoid running off the front or the back.

Today all the Precors were occupied, as well as 3 of the Stairmasters. The other Stairmaster was not working so I was stuck on the Woodbury.

Weight = 192 lbs.

A Little Faster

I ran on the treadmill at lunch today, just a little faster and a little farther. I ran 3.5 miles total, running hard the 2nd mile, harder the 3rd mile, and cooling down the last half.

Mile 1 - 8:00
Mile 2 - 7:13 (15:13 cumulative)
Mile 3 - 6:51 (22:04 cumulative)
Half - 3:52 (25:56 cumulative)

Also I put all my workouts for 2008 in the online running log at Running2Win.com. I know Keith and Randy both use it.

Keith sent me my first set of workouts. He's got me at 30 miles this week with a long run of 6 miles. Since I took Monday off, that means I have to get 24 miles in my other 5 days. I've already run 3 of those days and have only run 11.5 miles. Basically I need to run 2 6's and a 6.5 the next 3 days to hit 30 which I don't think I'll do.

I could but since I'm a wimp in the winter and do most of my running on the treadmill, I probably won't.

3 - Treadmill - Home

I ran 3 miles this afternoon on my treadmill at home.

Mile 1 - 8:29
Mile 2 - 7:54 (16:23 cumulative)
Mile 3 - 7:19 (23:44 cumulative)

It felt pretty easy.

Snow Night

Tonight was the night for the Tuesday night group, but we cancelled due to the winter storm warnings.

Instead, Randy and I made plans to run around his development. We stayed off the main roads so that we could run in the streets. One thing we learned was that the snow was better to run in than the packed down ice where cars had been driving.

In fact, I slipped on one spot and fell right on my behind!

Total distance was slightly over 5 miles.

February 2008 Carnival Of Running

Welcome to the February 12, 2008 edition of Carnival of Running and Racing. This is the second edition of the Carnival Of Running, and it's a little behind schedule. I am going to try to stick to the 2nd Tuesday from here on out.

We've got a long list of great submissions this month. I honestly haven't read them all but I did skim each one and they all have something to do with fitness, some more running-specific than others.

Run Report

Brandon Harshe presents About My Runs This Week posted at Brandon's Running Journal.

Shoes

Home Life Weekly presents How to Prevent Shoe Odor posted at Home Life Weekly, saying, "Tips to stop shoe odor"

Injuries

Sutocu presents Importance of Warming Up Before Exercise posted at 4kg in 7 Days, saying, "Since a lot of people are involved in physical exercises, it is imperative that the importance of warming up before any strenuous activity should be discussed. Many have repeatedly ignored going through the warm up stage before working out, not knowing the consequences in doing so."

Other

Steve Pavlina presents Why Vegan? posted at Steve Pavlina's Personal Development Blog.

Alfa Mercado presents 5 things you can do each morning to have more energy posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Alfa Mercado presents Wellness junction posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria, saying, "weight-loss"

Alfa Mercado presents Create your wellness plan for 2008 posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Alfa Mercado presents The January 2008 Wellness Challenge posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Alfa Mercado presents Four reasons to eat your food slower posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Alfa Mercado presents How to cut the fat and feel good posted at Wellness Junction by Kavit Haria.

Mike Remer presents Wish Exercise wasn’t so Hard? | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

Dorian Wales presents Building Character Through Long Distance Running posted at Personal Financier.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Brain Fitness/ Training Newsletter: January Wrap-Up posted at SharpBrains, saying, "A selection of articles on cognitive and emotional training, focused on implications on health and fitness."

Ed H presents What motivates me posted at A Viking, running, saying, "Discussing what keeps me running."

FitBuff presents 10 Reasons for Heart Rate Monitor Training posted at FitBuff.com's Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog, saying, "That's where heart rate monitors come in, and below are 10 reasons you should use one..."

Frederic Patenaude presents 24-Hour Special for Lightning Speed Fitness Program posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks, saying, "A fabulous regiment to stay fit and gain energy in a short time to improve your stamina for running."

Mike Remer presents Oh, Oh! Here Come the Holidays and the Cold Weather | My Path To Fitness Blog posted at My Path To Fitness Blog.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of running and racing using our carnival submission form.

Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Rest Monday

I decided to take a rest day on Monday. I had run 9 days in a row and my left hamstring is just a little achy. Also I am stuffed up with a cold and have been taking Sudafed for a couple days.

I wasn't going to write in my blog but I ran into an old friend Eric at the rec center where my son was playing basketball. We didn't have a chance to chat as he was obviously in the middle of a workout but I've recently found his blog and hope to catch up with him soon.

Finally, I finished another running book: Road Racing for Serious Runners by Pete Pfitzinger & Scott Douglas. It was a decent book and gets into some physiological stuff like lactate threshold and VO2 Max.

Commercial Breaks

I ran 3 on the treadmill in my basement this morning. I went back to an old trick to vary my training. I started out at 6.8 MPH and I bumped up the speed by 0.5 MPH every time a commercial came on. Then when the show came back on, I bumped it back down by 0.3 MPH.

Well I was watching ESPN Sportscenter and during my 3 miles there were only 2 commercial breaks, so it was a pretty leisurely run. Still it gives me 9 days in a row and 23.5 miles for the week, so it's a good start to my new year.

Long Run (Sort Of)

I ran 5 miles this afternoon. The weather was warmer (low 40s) but very windy. The wind was blowing from the south and west, which is unfortunate because my main routes from my house start off (after the first half mile) going east and north.

Still, I tried to keep a steady pace and ended up running around 41 minutes for the 5 mile run. I called it a long run since I haven't run that far since mid-November. Certainly, 5 miles isn't that long, but at this point in my training it is a starting point, and I can work on increasing my longest-run distance from there.

2008 Goal

I've decided that my primary fitness goal for 2008 is to run a marathon in 3:15. This will be a fall marathon, probably Akron but that's not 100% decided yet.

I'm currently working on putting together a training plan, and also deciding whether or not to set any secondary goals such as mileage amounts or race times for any shorter distances.

Steady Easy 3 Miles

I don't want to get in the habit of racing myself (or my previous times) every day so today I decided to take it a little easier. Instead of my usual game of increasing the treadmill speed every quarter or half-mile, my plan was to quickly get up to 8 MPH (7:30 pace) and stay there for most of the run.

Well Milica walked by right after I started. We chatted for a bit about our respective training and fitness. Kevin D and Rick both also said hi as they walked past. Anyhow I didn't get to 8 MPH as early as I intended, but I was still at that pace before I hit 1 mile.

Mile 1 - 8:25
Mile 2 - 7:31 (15:56 cumulative)
Mile 3 - 7:29 (23:25 cumulative)

I'm not sure why the last 2 miles weren't the same, as I didn't adjust the speed the whole time.

I checked my pulse when I finished (156) and again after walking another 0.1 mile (114) and this confirmed that my body felt that today's effort was much easier.

Weight is still holding at 193 lbs.

Rapid Progress?

I think that at the beginning of most fitness programs, after a couple days of extra soreness, most people experience some rapid progress. I see this in myself especially since I'm not really working towards a new level of fitness, but simply recapturing old ground.

I ran 3 miles on the treadmill today, the same as yesterday. I did time my miles today, and I'm sure I was at least a minute faster than yesterday. I started faster (6.8 MPH), held yesterday's fastest pace (8.8 MPH) for almost a mile, and then bumped it up to 9.0 MPH for a quarter mile.

Mile 1 - 8:23
Mile 2 - 7:15 (15:38 cumulative)
Mile 3 - 6:54 (22:34 cumulative)

I checked my pulse again and it was about the same, 174. I'm not sure how accurate that is as I am checking it for 10 seconds and multiplying by 6, and it feels to me as if my pulse is rapidly decreasing during those 10 seconds.

For comparison, my pulse right now (about 20 minutes after my run) is about 78.

I then walked another two tenths of a mile as a cool-down. I have now run 6 consecutive days.

Weight is also the same as earlier in the week at 193 lbs.

3 Miles At Lunch

Today I worked out at lunchtime again. I went up to the fitness center and ran 3 miles on the treadmill. I forgot to note my time but it was around 24 minutes.

I start out slow, today at 6.2 MPH for 2-3 minutes, then I worked my way up to 7.4 MPH when I hit 1 mile. I kept gradually increasing the pace 2-3 times per mile and by 1.75 miles I was running 8.5 MPH (7:04 per mile). I even bumped it up to 8.8 MPH (6:49 per mile) for a quarter mile.

Then at 2.5 miles I start gradually decreasing the pace and finish around 7 MPH. I then usually walk another 0.1 mile, depending on if I notice anyone waiting for the treadmill.

I did check my pulse when I finished and it was 180 so I was again running at a hard pace, for me. I have a long ways to go to get to the shape I want to be in, but I've now run 5 days in a row so I'm on my way.

Tuesday Night - Good Effort

There were 5 of us tonight, Greg & Keith from the farm and Randy & Ken from up here. We met on the bike path and ran 4.5 miles, out and back. Although Keith said he hadn't run since January 31st and then changed it to December 31st, he and Randy still quickly went to the front. Randy let us know tonight that he was officially signed up for the Cleveland Marathon.

I tried to keep up with them, and Greg & Ken were a little behind. They caught me before the turnaround and we ran together for a while before I started to fall back.

With about a mile to go, when we crossed the last road, I increased my pace. I gained on Greg & Ken all the way and almost caught them at the end. It felt good to run hard.

The weather was rainy but it didn't actually rain while we were running. We had a slight headwind on the way back.

2 Miles?

There once was a time when I thought it was a waste of my time to run "only" 2 miles. But that's what I did at lunch today.

The weather was decent outside, I went out in shorts, long sleeves, and a hat. My primary goal was just to get another light, easy workout in, and I did it. That's now 3 days in a row and Tuesday will make 4 when I run with my Tuesday night group on the bike path.

Weight 193 lbs

Sunday Treadmill 2.5

I ran another easy 2.5 today on the treadmill. I watched some more of "Hard To Kill", and then sat down and watched the end. I had planned to run before church but I didn't. So it was a step in the right direction that I ran after church, saving my lunch until later (now).

Now the next step will be for me to make my return to the fitness center on Monday.

One of my favorite lines from the movie is where Steven Seagal tells his friend they will win, even though they are outgunned and outmanned.

"Superior attitude, superior state-of-mind."

Starting

I've been lazy for most of 2 months. I've only run 8 times since the half-marathon in November. Three of those were the Tuesday night runs with my family, and four others were less than 3 miles.

However, I'm ready to get started again for 2008. I'm reading a book Running With The Buffaloes, a journal account of the 1998 Colorado University cross country team. Since I was a college cross country runner about 10 years prior to that, the book is both interesting and motivating to me.

I have decided I will run my first race, the St. Malachi 5-Miler, in mid March. I haven't finished setting my goals for 2008 yet but I may put a November marathon on the list.

Anyways, with all of that in mind, I got up today and ran 2 1/2 miles on the treadmill in the basement. I watched the first part of Hard To Kill, my favorite Steven Seagal movie.

I could have gone farther but I'm going to try to run almost every day, if not every day, so I took it a little easy on myself.

Snow On The Trails

I ran with the Tuesday night group again tonight, it was Randy, Ken, Greg, and me. We started on the trail but we hit a few slick spots (under a light cover of snow) and Ken and I switched to the road for the 2nd half of the way out, and all the way back.

Randy & Greg were sitting in the car when we got back. Often the runners who get back first will turn around and regroup with the slower runners. But Randy & Greg weren't sure if we were on the path or the road and didn't want to miss us, so they stayed put.

Total distance was 4.5 miles.

Running To Relieve Stress

Many people claim that running is a stress reliever. Fortunately I personally am a guy who feels very little stress.

My son Levi, however, is a different story. He's very competitive. We played soccer today against N-town (where he goes to school at his mother's home) and lost 12-3. Levi was very frustrated during and after the game.

I suggested we go for a short run together. We ran 1 1/2 miles, just out to where our development meets the main road. We talked about the game and the team and it seemed to help him to put things in perspective.

Running In The Rain

I ran tonight with Randy and Ken on the Oberlin bike path. It was raining the whole time. Greg was absent as he had gone trapping, according to a phone call to his son Cory.

I turned around early and then the guys caught me on the way back, I ran about 4 miles while they ran closer to 4 1/2.

I felt pretty good for my 2nd run of the year, and my 2nd in 2 days. My chest was a little tight but I'm blaming it on my new "batman style" tight underarmor shirt that I got for my birthday.

Beginning Again

I ended up taking the entire month of December off as a rest month. The purpose was to relax and also to rest my Achilles that had been bothering me for months.

I ran today, just an easy 2 miles. The weather was amazing. Low 60's in Cleveland in January and if we get 64 it could break the record temperature for the day. I ran down to CSU's Wolstein Center to get some concert tickets.

I was afraid I would be heavier but a bout with the flu in late December helped me keep some weight off and I weighed in today after my run at 191 lbs, exactly the same as the last time I was at the fitness center.