Thursday, 7/11/13: Three belated runs, *PLUS* How YOU can do something great!

First, I have three runs from this week to log, because I've been lazy and haven't updated in a while.

Sunday, July 7:
Start time: ~8:30 PM
End time: ~9:14 PM
Time: 43:44
Distance:  4.70 miles
Pace:  9:19 min/mile

Monday, July 8:
Start time: ~5:45 AM
End time:  ~ 7:26 AM
Time:  1:40:22
Distance:  9.32 miles
Pace: 10:46 min/mile

And finally, this morning's run:

Thursday, July 11:
Start time: ~5:58 AM
End time: ~ 6:56 AM
Time: 58:12
Distance:  6.12 miles
Pace: 9:25 min/mile

I love running by Billy's Barbecue in the Chevy Chase area of High St.  The restaurant smokes all their daily pork early in the morning, which makes the entire street smell like bacon. My stomach growls for the entire way home.

Normally, this is the place in the entry when I share some flash of insight I had while on my run. Occasionally I give little snippets of running advice (always to be taken with a grain of salt, because I am FAR from a professional). But I've got a more important use for this blog today.

Trinity Hill United Methodist Church, where I regularly attend (and am on staff as the youth ministries assistant) always hosts a 'Back to School Bash' every August, in which schools supplies are given away to needy families in the area.  The local needy community relies on this every year to ensure their children are prepared for the new school year.

So, I started thinking:  "What can *I* do to help?  I'm just a high school teacher/ runner/ amateur blogger."  Then my friend Erica and I dreamed up the MILES FOR MISSIONS project (thanks to Sarah Bailie for the catchy name!).

I am seeking generous people to sponsor every mile I run in the month of July.  Any amount will do:  $0.25 per miles, $0.10 per mile, or even $0.05 per mile.  And if sponsoring per mile isn't your thing, you one-time donations are also greatly appreciated.

All money donated (yes, every single cent!) will go toward the purchase of school supplies to be given away to needy families in the Tates Creek Rd. area of Lexington, KY.  Your donation is completely tax deductible, and receipts for tax purposes can be provided.

If you're interested in helping needy children receive the materials they need for a successful school year, you can contact me:
 - by Email
 - on Facebook
 - or on Twitter

So far, I've amassed 27.74 miles this month.

I'm shooting to hit at least 100 miles over the course of July!  With your help, needy children can be ready for the upcoming school year!

Wednesday, 6/3/13: Running with friends!

This is my second post from Destin, FL. In case you missed the last one, I'm currently here as a chaperone on my youth group kids' high school beach retreat. 

Last night, two of my youth kids and one of the other adult leaders expressed interest in running with me this morning. They wanted to go at 7:00AM, which I thought was kind of late (I went at 6:00AM yesterday, and the sun was already high in the sky). 

Then I realized something. I hardly ever run with other people. And I came on this youth trip to invest in the lives of these kids. If they wanted to run with me, then it didn't matter how late they wanted to start, how far we went, or the pace we kept. What mattered was that we were going out together and sharing the experience. 

It must have been ordained by God that we go out this morning, because even at 7:15 the gray cloud cover hid the oppressive Florida sun. We ran all the way to Winn-Dixie and back (around 3.6 miles), kept a good pace, and even made small talk most of the way. Afterward, we cooled off with a dip in the ocean, and I treated the guys to a cinnamon roll at Bad Ass Coffee, a coffee shop a block from our house. 

I didn't keep exact pace or weather conditions today, because this was a fun vacation run. And like I said in my last post: when it comes to vacation running, don't sweat it. Just have fun!

Also, not 15 minutes after we got back, this started: 

(And it's hard to tell from the picture, but there's a steady rain coming down)

Tuesday, 7/2/13: Running on the run *OR* Some like it hot!

I've been out of town for the last week, on a combination mission trip/ beach retreat with my church's youth group. I'm normally very involved with the youth, so this has been a great experience to bond with the kids, as well as do some good work and relax. But, as I'm sure many of you can imagine, the busy days and time spent away from my normal running route have cut into my training schedule. Nevertheless, I've tried to remain vigilant and get in a few runs while I've been away. 

The first leg of the trip was spent in McDonagh, GA, a small town just southeast of Atlanta. Of the four mornings I spent there, I managed to squeeze in two runs: one of them around 5.75 miles, and the other around 4.25 miles.  I didn't record details like pace and temperature, mainly because I had to hurry back to the church where we were staying and prepare for a day of mission work. 

My apologizes for the crappy quality; they were shot with an iPhone camera before dawn. 

Also, me and three friends climbed Stone Mountain in Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta. I guess it doesn't count as a run, but I'll still include it in my "Vacation fitness exploits" folder. And besides, look at that view! (The tiny buildings on the horizon is Atlanta Proper!)

Yesterday morning we arrived at Destin, FL, for the 'retreat' portion of out excursion. And, of course, this morning I took out on a run. Because how often do hillbillies like me get a chance to run by the ocean?!? 

This run wasn't stellar (only around 4 miles), because I waited too late to get started (around 6:20), and by then the sun was already pretty high in the sky. And those high-rise hotels can only block out so much heat. 

Now time for the introspective portion of my usual blog entry. 

I HATE HUMIDITY. 

For anyone who runs while on vacation (or a business trip, or any extended period away from their normal climate), adjusting to a new area can be the hardest thing. I thought Kentucky was humid, but I had never experienced a humid run until I stepped out into the Georgia soup. Not to mention that my time has been a little crunched, what with looking after two dozen teenagers. 

It's probably inevitable that training is going to FEEL worse while away from your normal running route, because your body isn't used to the conditions of the new place. Which I suppose is good from time to time (how many of us run races on our usual route?), but it sure felt like I had lost fitness since leaving my house (even though that's absurd; it takes weeks of reduced workouts to lose fitness). 

I suppose I'll end with this: if your training suffers for a week or so because of vacation, don't sweat it (ba-dump tssst). As long as you don't become completely sedentary, you should be able to pick up with your normal routine as soon as you get back. I'd reference a recent article in 'Runner's World' magazine on that, but I'm posting from an iPad and I'm not sure how to do that on this device. 

Until then, happy running! 

Monday, 6/24/13: Going Long! *PLUS* another energy product trial!

Do you know that feeling you get right after a really good run?  One where you were satisfied with your distance, your pace, and you still felt good physically when you got home?  I had one of those mornings today.

Sleep beforehand: ~ 6 hours
Start time:  5:50 AM
End Time:  7:48 AM
Total Time:  1hr 58min
Total Distance: 11.14 miles
Average pace:  10:38 min/mile
Temperature at start:  ~68 degrees F
Temperature at finish: ~73 degrees F
Humidity:  ~82%  (UUGGHH!! SO STICKY!!)
Food/Drink pre run:  half English muffin with honey, 1/2 cup of coffee
Midrun food:  SunRype Fruit strips (stats below)

I walked for a bit, so that did cut my pace.  Still, my pace was better than it was the last time I ran just over 9 miles, so I'm simply going to accept the improvement!

If you're new to this blog and you're wondering why I chronicle so much seemingly trivial information, it's because I'm a math and data nerd.  When I find myself performing inconsistently, I always want to know why.  So, I figure, the more data I keep, the easier it will be to pick up on what makes me run at my best (and what drags me down, too).

*     *     *     *

Nearly a year ago, I started this blog with the intent of posting reviews of mid-run energy products.  I was preparing for my first marathon and wondered what food/drink items would provide the most bang for my buck mid-run.  Today, I begin those trials once again!

Product:  SunRype 100% Fruit/ Fruit & Veggie Strip
Stats (for one package):
 - Weight:  0.5 ounces
 - Calories:  50
Good stuff:
 - Carbs:  12g
 - Sugars:  11g
 - Sodium:  5mg

The Rundown:

I used this product on my best run in literally months (see the opening of this post), so that might skew my opinion of it. If correlation indeed implies causation, then this is a product I'll be returning to.

On the product:

First of all, these are not sold as energy products; I simply saw them in Kroger when I want shopping for gels and chews, and I thought they looked good.  Actually, that's probably why they tasted so darn good!  (If you're new to running, you'll quickly learn that most energy products taste less than stellar, usually do to high sodium content).  I ate both of these this morning (they were only 1 ounce, combined), and they kept me going for the entire run. I think the low sodium kept my mouth from feeling dried out. However, that same low sodium content might keep me from taking them on a longer, more serious run.  Even though both of these rolled up easily and fit into the tiny, ineffectual pocket in my running shorts.

Pros:
 - TASTY!  Remember Fruit Roll-ups, from when you were a kid?  Even better than that, because these are real fruit.
 - Easy to carry in shorts pocket
 - Inexpensive.  I think each strip was only $0.50 at Kroger
 - Low sodium content, didn't dry out my mouth
 - Good carbs, for being so small.

Cons:
 - Having to unwrap two of them during a run.
 - Low sodium content may lead to cramps in certain runners
 - No vitamins, minerals, or other stuff that might be needed for more hardcore athletes.

Overall rating:  9/10

I've never found myself needing massive amounts of sodium when just running, especially on just my long runs around town.  These are great to take on a run when no water is available, when the high sodium content of other chews or gels would normally leave me sluggish and grumpy. However, during a half or full marathon, when water is available, I'd probably carry a gel.

By the way, if you manage to find a pair of shorts with a decent pocket that can hold stuff without bouncing against your leg for the entire run, let me know!  I'm always looking for new stuff!

Friday, 6/21/13: Sprints for Speedwork *OR* Into the Fog

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm visiting my parents for a few days.  Since they live in a very rural area without sidewalks (or even a road big enough to run on without being hit by a car), I had to visit my old high school's track for my morning run.

This was the view as I walked onto the track that surrounded the school's soccer field this morning.  I had the whole place to myself, except for an older man cutting weeds around the fence.  

Start Time:  6:11 AM 

End Time:   7:01 AM 

Sprint Laps:  6 

Walk Laps:  6 

According to a few different sources, sprint training is beneficial to runners in a variety of ways.  I do it mainly to improve speed, especially because I have seen my speed suffer in the last few months, since my last half marathon.  I actually didn't know how long the distance around the track was, but, according to a very extensive Google search, the longest lane is 400 meters, or 1/4 of a mile.  

I alternated 400m of sprinting and 400m of walking, changing direction on the track every other lap to avoid uneven stress. 

Distance hogs like me, who normally only run to see how fast we can break a previous distance record (or to hit a new long distance), sometimes miss out on the benefits of sprints.  I had to convince myself that, even though this run was only around 3 miles in length, it was worth the time invested. 

And what a great view I had, before the sun rose and burned off all that mysterious fog!  

Thursday, 6/20/13: A Tale of Bad Hummus *OR* The Pains of Going Slow

Ever been knocked flat for days after eating bad hummus?

If you haven't, it's less fun than it sounds (bear in mind that it doesn't sound like any fun whatsoever).  That's been my life since Sunday.

I finally had enough energy/ minimal nausea/ no headache last night, and was able to get out for an evening run.  Here are the stats as best I remember them:

Start Time: Approx. 8:30 PM
Finish Time:  I... don't remember. :(
Distance: 4.3 miles
Pace: Undetermined
Weather:  Warm, but the sun was down.  Humidity was minimal.

I didn't keep my pace, but it felt like I was going much slower than I'm used to.  I didn't think much of it; after all, I was coming off of what I suspected was food poisoning (on a related note, I won't be touching hummus for a long, long time).  But then I dragged myself out of bed this morning in an attempt to log some better miles.

Start time: Approx: 5:45 AM
Finish Time: Approx: 6:50 AM
Distance: 5.88 miles
Pace:  11:03 min/mile

I used to be able to complete this course (one I run very routinely) with a pace of 9:30 without having to walk.  But this morning, before I hit the 5 mile mark, I started walking because my quads felt like they were on fire!  Clearly that accounts for my sorry pace, and maybe I should just blame it on the hummus.  Still, going slow when I want to go fast is FRUSTRATING!

So, since this is a blog about my running exploits, experiments, and accountability (and not just a place to whine), what am I going to do about it?  Since I'm going to visit my parents for a few days, and the local high school track is the only real place to run, I might be in for some speedwork.

What is speedwork, and why is a track useful for it?  Stay tuned....

And here's a picture from this morning's run in Lexington, Kentucky.  Witness the gorgeous sunrise over scenic... Walgreens.  

Friday, June 14, 2013

So this is my first post in almost a year.  But I've decided to get back at it.

I haven't stopped running in the last year. In fact, the last year has been quite a milestone, in terms of my running. I ran my first marathon in Las Vegas last December (5:13:39 ... yeah, I know, slow as molasses, but I was happy that I simply finished).  I ran a Tough Mudder last October, which was incredibly difficult but a lot of fun.  I ran two half marathons in the spring.

The last year has also been a milestone in difficult life changes.  My wife moved out of our house a little over a year ago, and even now our divorce still isn't finalized.  I also started a new job, and taught my first year at the high school level.  During the process of adjusting to living on my own, coming to terms with my failed marriage, and facing a lot of facts about myself, running was a healthy outlet.  At times, my life felt like it was falling apart. But I still set goals. I even achieved some of them. What I didn't do, however, was keep this blog updated with my running achievements.

But the darkest days are behind me now.  Summer is here, I'm running more than ever, and I need to keep myself accountable.  And this is also for you, those on the internet who have made it through a difficult time with running.

Today's run:
Start: 5:50 AM (approx)
End: 7:33 AM (approx)
Distance:  9.25 miles
Speed: 11:08

My speed has suffered.  Though I qualify this as a "long" run, I need to get myself back up to 12 miles. I haven't done a run that long since December, and if I want to get back into marathon shape by the fall,  I'm going to have to whine less and train more.  I also walked for a while on this run, which I NEVER used to do on this distance.

It's mind over matter time, I guess.

On a side note, Lexington, KY is a great city to run.  Here's a picture I shot this morning when I was out.