Another Hot One

I was happy to survive my 11 miler today. I keep thinking this will get easier the more I keep it up and push through yet it is still misery for me at the end. Miles 8 through 11 are running on fumes and hoping too make it back to the zero mark not too long after the faster pack has finished. Each week I keep up a little longer but the last stretch might as well be heartbreak hill because that's what it feels like. I keep wondering how I will ever run a decent marathon when I am struggling through 11 miles. There is always the possibility of switching to the half which sounds really good after days like this. I guess it is still early so I will try to quiet my negative thoughts for now. I still have hopes in the back of my mind to qualify for New York (no lottery) and run in '09 but only time and hard training will tell. I hope everyone had a great 4th, good races, fireworks or whatever makes you happy.

The Politics of Running

I guess it is that time again. I am now down to maybe 1.5 readers so I will try to at least retain that. The upside to this is I can rant about something I have noticed in recent years that really gets me. I enjoy running with groups and I get so much motivation and energy from the wonderful people I meet running. The thing about groups is they always seem to want to get political and snippy with each other and get in the way of why we are there in the first place which is to run and enjoy each others company. I am with different groups all day for work and all I hear is gossip, complaints, in fighting, etc. I usually escape this through a good run but more and more the politics of running seems to get in the way. Throughout my running years I have run with several different groups and gotten some valuable friendships from each. I have become a better runner because of these groups. Two years ago I left the first group I joined because I was in search of more challenge and running politics had started to rear it's not so pretty head. I was tired of the in fighting and I was not enjoying running like I used to. I retreated to the treadmill and solo runs for awhile and eventually found other groups. The group I am with now seems to be mostly free of politics (as much as a group can be) maybe because I stay on the fringes and just stick to one weekly long run but it seems to work. They also reach out and have events with other running groups and promote an attitude of community. They recognize clubs and programs are there to promote running and a healthy lifestyle not behaving like my kids on the playground. I can accept it from kids but not adults in the running community that should be setting a positive example. So maybe it is time to let go of politics and just shut up and run.

Tuesday at the Boardwalk

Today I ran at the boardwalk in Kemah and we mixed in some hills at the parking garage there. I didn't feel like running the bridge today so we stuck to the beaten path. I felt beaten today after only 4 miles. Anyway I don't think I am a good morning runner. My alarm went off at 4:15 am and all I thought was this is way too early. I made myself get up because I knew someone was waiting and canceling was not an option today. I like Mondays and Fridays because I run in the afternoon before circuit class. My brain is too tired to think about much more today so I think this will be short if not sweet. Until tomorrow (or whenever I get myself in the blogging mood again)....

Happy Monday

So we arrive at another Monday. Mine started busy and has now slowed a bit so I decided to update my 3 readers about my latest running happenings. Not much very thrilling though I made it to yet another long run yesterday which is really good considering my record lately. The long run was fine for about 5 miles then I started to hurt. Around 8 miles I wanted to give up and walk which is what I did for a bit. A fellow BCRRer came upon me and encouraged me to jog for a little while after this we picked up the pace for a few telephone poles and then had another recovery. This is how it went until we made it back to the 0 mark and I felt pretty good about my effort on the hard repeats. The heat really got me but I will keep fighting my way through and hopefully come out stronger and faster when the cool weather arrives.

This morning I ran while my daughter rode her bike. The bike seems to be her new found passion in life. We started at about an 8 min mile and brought it down to 6:30 at the end so this was a pretty good workout for the both of us. She got some good practice for her upcoming kids tri on the 28th. I printed out a schedule for her and tonight we will head for the neighborhood pool after I pick them up. She will have to be able to swim 50 meters without stopping then bike 1 mile and run a quarter mile. The biking and running will be no problem and we are currently working on the swimming. She is so excited and thought it was really cool that you get to write your number on your arms.

Back to Blogging

I guess I have sort of fallen off the wagon as far as blogging goes. I really have no main focus to my training lately except to actually run most days. I showed up for the Bayou City run yesterday and did pretty decently for the heat. I really just want to make it through these hot runs right now and not beat myself up about pace. The treadmill is where I try to keep the pace below 8 min miles so that this will become my all day pace and will be doable in a marathon around December or January. I have had some individuals attempt to lobby for San Antonio but I just think it is too much of a gamble. Some times the weather is pleasant but more often it is way too warm being early November. It is usually the weekend summer tries to make one last appearance. I liken this race to the Space City 10 miler which you know is always going to be miserable. I have pretty much given up on that event. Gone are the days when I show up to a death march. Anyway summer is here and now I just have to deal. The instructor in my circuit class has become fond of dragging us out to the dirt track at 4:30 pm for 12 minutes of sprinting during which I think my head will explode. I know it is only 12 minutes but man it hurts. So anyway onward and upward or something positive.

Killer Wednesday

I failed to wake up to meet the people at Kroger this morning so I had to pack my stuff and get to the gym after work. I managed to make it to the gym and warm up for a mile on the treadmill before my circuit class. I had the good fortune of being the odd man out when we picked partners so I got the teacher and he pretty much kicked my butt. We did a series of cardio drills with weights mixed in for 30 minutes straight. We then rested and went into rotating sets of weights, push ups, and three minutes of cardio for the next 30 minutes. I managed to stay pretty strong during this set but I wanted to collapse at the end. I was so tired and we finished up with crunches. I was the overachiever that finished first and got rewarded with our trainer telling me to do another set. Yea! I really wanted to run some more after but I was way too exhausted. I think it is time for some TV and bed...

Saturday 5K

The family ran the Summer Kick-Off Run in League City this morning. There were a lot of people but not too many of the regular racers. I ran the race with my son Alex in hopes of getting him under 30 minutes. I have had a cold for the last few days so I knew there would be no PR today for me so I had planned to not run at all. The kids had other ideas so I started out with them and at the half way point Tabitha slowed down and I told her to just keep going at her own pace. Alex and I stayed steady until the last half mile where I encouraged him to speed up and give it all he had. I knew he still had something because he was talking the whole time. He thought he could not speed up but when he saw the yellow finish banner he took off. He ended with 30:24. He was very happy and now he feels like soon he will be under 30 which I think is awesome especially for a 6 year old. I think he does so well because he just loves to run , maybe it is genetic. The race took place at my old high school which has been remodeled since I went there some 16 years ago (how time flies). After the race we walked around to look st the new campus. That was strange because it was hard for me to remember where things were with all the new additions. Things look really nice now and they kept the open courtyard in the middle of campus. Anyway that was fun then we took a trip to Starbucks before heading home. Now I must get going so we can get some yard work done.