3 Miles

I took a few days off over the Thanksgiving holiday, but I got bacl on track today. I ran 3 miles, including running up a large hill and 2 smaller hills (I walked most of the way downhill after I finished the 3 miles).

2.5 Miles

I ran another 2.5 miles yesterday. I plan to run again tomorrow. So far, the weather has been great for this time of year. Hopefully that will hold out for a while longer so I can keep doing my longer runs outside.

Three Miles

I ran three miles this morning. Once again, no pain issues. Hopefully I can build up my distance a bit before it gets too cold to run outside.

Two Miles

I did 2 miles on the indoor track today in 18:35. I felt fine the entire time and had no leg pain.

2.5

I did 2.5 miles today over lunch. I felt OK the entire time and had no calf pain.

Three Miles

On Saturday, I was able to run 3 miles without any pain in my calf. I was very tired by the end, as it has been a while since I have run that far, but I was happy to reach this milestone in my continued training.

I don't plan to run any races in the near future. I just want to stay in shape over the winter. I then hope to start training next summer to do the half marathon again, with the goal of running the entire race without having to walk.

I'm Back

I started running again this week after taking some time off. I did 25 minutes on Monday (about 2.5 miles). At the 18 minute mark, my calf started to really hurt, but I decided to just run through the pain.

My calf was still hurting yesterday, but I was determined to run 2 miles. I did it in about 19 minutes, and while my calf did hurt a little, it actually felt better after I ran.

Update

Ever since my second or third time trying to run after the half-marathon, my calf has been bothering me again. I'm glad that it waited until after the race, but it is still disappointing. I tried running on Wednesday, but I had to stop after about 2/3 of a mile because of my calf (I ran at about a 9 minute mile pace).

I ran 2 miles yesterday at about a 10 minute mile pace, being careful not to stress my calf (which means I went pretty slow and didn't push off much on my steps). It was slow and not very long, but it was better than nothing.

I hope to be able to build back up to being able to run around 6 miles before the winter weather sets in. After that, I will probably limit myself to about 3 miles, as I will be running on an indoor track that is 9 laps per mile (any more than 3 miles on that would be too much to ask).

Two Miles

I was feeling much better on Thursday, so I decided to try running again. I hoped to do 3 miles, but decided to stop after 2 because I didn't feel I could go much further. So I did about 2 miles, about half of which was uphill.

Two Days Later

I am actually probably more sore today than I was yesterday. However, I did decide to go ahead and work out a bit today. I ran 1 mile in about 9:15, then walked a mile, then did 15 minutes on an exercise bike. The run hurt a lot! Now it's time to takw a couple of days off.

It's Over!

I completed the half-marathon yesterday. Unfortunately, I was not able to run the entire course without walking. I am disappointed about that, but I am happy that I ran the longest I have ever run before I had to walk. Also, I am happy that I completed the race and was able to run over the finish line.


The race started out pretty well. I was under a 10 minute mile pace for the first 2 miles (around 9:55 or so), and was at about 40 minutes when I reached the 4 mile mark. I started to really slow down and feel drained by the time I got to the 6 mile mark, but I kept running at that point. Shortly before the 8 mile mark, I reached the beginning of a long, upward hill, which was a real challenge at that point in the race. Part way up the hill, I passed the 8 mile mark and kept running for a couple hundred yards. Then I had to walk. At this point, I had been running for over 1 hour and 22 minutes, about 2 minutes longer than my previous longest ever run. I walked the rest of the way up the hill, then ran again on the downhill leg, until I reached and aid station and walked while I ate an orange slice and drank some water. For about the next 3 miles I ran and walked off and on, running on the downhill portions, and walking up the hills. After the 11 mile mark, I ran a downhill portion of about 3/4 of a mile, then walked until about the last 3/4 miles of the race. I was able to run the last 3/4 miles, even though there were a number of times I really felt like I needed to walk. I crossed the finish line in 2:28:14, which while slower than I had hoped, was still acceptable.


Here are some of my stats:

Overall Place: 2627 out of 3839 finishers
Place by Gender: 1555 out of 1930 finishers
Place for Males 35-39: 236 out of 278 finishers

I am very sore today, but glad that I was able to complete this race. I definitely hope that I can do better if I choose to try again next year. I think that having to take a few weeks off (essentially) due to my calf injury hurt my training a lot. Also, only building up to 8 miles in training was not enough. My training plan had me doing 11 miles a couple of times in training, but unfortunately, I was not able to get there, and I think that is a large part of why I needed to walk a lot during the last 5 miles of the race.

10 More

I ran for 1 hour and 19 minutes on Saturday - just about 8 miles. Then on Monday I did 2 miles in just over 19 minutes. Only 3 more days!

A Half Marathon in Three Parts

I have run a total of about 13 miles since my last post.

Last Saturday, I went to a local trail and ran 8 miles (80 minutes). I felt pretty good the whole way, though the last half mile was a struggle.

On Monday, I ran 2 miles in 19:04.

Today, I ran about 3 miles in 30 minutes, including running up the steep hill where I hurt my calf the last time I tried it.

Three Miles

I ran a little over 3 miles yesterday, including one long, gradual uphill stretch. I felt fine the entire run, but I was a bit sore later in the day.

Tomorrow will be 2 weeks out from the half marathon. I hope to run 8 miles tomorrow morning, or at least a minimum of 6 miles. Hopefully that will be long enough to prepare me for race day, as I just don't have time to build up to 11 miles like I had hoped.

40 More

I ran another 40 minutes (4 miles) on Monday. My route included running up 3 steep hills, which I was able to do without any calf pain.

Back to 4 Miles

I was able to run 40 minutes (about 4 miles) this morning. My calf felt a little tight at about the 6 minute mark (for about 20 seconds or so), but everything was fine after that.

By the way, I am blogging from a Cincinnati Reds game at Great American Ballpark!

25 Minutes

I ran again today, but this time decided to try doing some hill work. I ran for 25 minutes (about 2.5 miles), with about half of the distance uphill. I was hoping to run a little farther, but I was starting to feel a little sore, so I decided not to push it. I also avoided running down a big hill, as I have pulled muscles running downhill in the past. So far, so good!

3 More Miles

I completed another run today without any pain in my calf. I did about 3 miles (30 minutes). I avoided hills and stuck to a flat route, even though it meant running part of the route more than once (which I normally like to avoid).

Back on the Run

After not working out at all since my bike ride last weekend, I decided to try running again. My calf has not bothered me for a couple of days, so I figured it was time. I decided to take it easy, and did a flat 2 miles. My time was 18:50, and more importantly, my calf did not bother me at all. I am going to keep it easy for a while, and build up my distance very gradually. I honestly don't think I'll be able to build up to as far as I had hoped to before race day, but hopefully I will still be able to complete the race.

Not Quite Another Run...

Yesterday I decided to ride my bike since my calf hurt too much to run. I rode 9.09 miles total, leaving from home and going to a bike trail near my work. It was primarily downhill on the ride out, which meant the ride back was primarily uphill. It wasn't too bad except for one stretch, where on the way out I got up to 30 miles per hours, but on the way back I only went about 3 MPH! It definitely wasn't a run, but it was definitely a good workout (I think it took me about 39 minutes to cover the 9 miles).

BIG Problem

I ran again yesterday and had a major setback. My calf had been feeling better, but I still made sure I stretched out well before running. The first mile or so was flat, and I felt pretty good except for 1 or 2 times when I felt a little tightness in my calf - but it stopped after a couple steps. Then I ran up a long hill. Just before the top, I took a step and then felt a sharp pain in my calf. I had to stop running (just under 16 minutes) and walk back down the hill to get back to the gym. It really hurt walking down the hill, and it has hurt to walk ever since (especially on stairs). I guess I will take some more time off from running, then see if I can overcome this problem. I am not too hopeful that I will be able to get over this injury and build up to be able to run 13.1 miles in the next month or so before race day, but I'll give it a shot.

Update

I'm falling a little behind on my training. I did run last Thursday. I did 27 minutes and 17 seconds. I had hoped to run a bit longer, but I was away on business in San Diego, and I didn't want to get lost and not be able to get back to my hotel. I did not run over the weekend because I was too tired to get up early enough to beat the heat. It was still pretty humid today as well, so I skipped once again.

The good news is that this has given my calf time to heal (hopefully). The bad news is that I am just over a month away from race day and I haven't done a long run for a couple of weeks. However, I plan to revise my training schedule a bit so that I can hopefully build up to an 11 mile long run by early September. I will try to do a 4 mile run either tomorrow or Wednesday, then a 6 or 7 mile run over the weekend, to at least get in another long run in the short term.

A Couple More Runs

On Saturday, I ran for a little over 53 minutes. I didn't feel great, but didn't feel like stopping earlier. The last block or so I was running, I picked up the pace and slightly strained my right calf. It has been a little sore since.

I got up this morning and did an easy 2 miles in 19:09. My calf hurt pretty bad the first quarter mile, but then it felt a little better. Hopefully a day or 2 off will help.

Yet Another 40

I did another 40 minute run yesterday. I had hoped to do a little longer run, but I had to get back to work. Also, I didn't feel very comfortable on the run. It wasn't really hot, but it was pretty humid. I also did a long (.75 mile) hill in the first 15 minutes, and I really felt like walking (but didn't) after about 25 minutes. But I was able to push ahead and complete a little over 4 miles in 40 minutes.

Another 4 Miles

After taking 5 days off, I ran for a little over 4 miles yesterday (40 minutes). I felt OK, but it was pretty hot with the sun beating down and very little shade where I ran.

37 Minutes

I did a 37 minute (and 9 seconds) run yesterday morning. It was probably just under 4 miles. I felt fine the entire way.

Another 8 Miles

I completed my second 8 mile run today. The weather was perfect (upper 50s and cloudy). I ran on a local trail that was mostly flat. I ran just under 4.5 miles out, then ran back. My run took 80 minutes and I estimate I actually went slightly more than 8 miles. I felt really good except for maybe the last 5 minutes, when I was a little tired, but not as tired as my last 8 mile run. I am a little sore now, but again, not as bad as last time.

8 Miles . . . Then 3 Miles

This is a double post, as I have now run twice since my last post.

First, on Sunday I ran for 80 minutes (that's 1 hour and 20 minutes!) and covered about 8 miles. This is my new longest run ever. The last mile was really tough - I felt like walking after almost every step, but I pushed on and ran the entire time. I was really sore the rest of the day.

Second, I did another easy 3 mile run today before lunch. I felt OK the whole way.

Easy 2 Miles

I got up early this morning and ran an easy 2 miles before work. My time was 19:29.

7 Miles

I skipped my long run over the weekend (I got home really late from a baseball game Saturday morning), so I did my long run yesterday instead of a short run. I was able to complete my 70 minute/7 mile run this time, unlike last time I tried. The course included a few big hills and some smaller hills as well. The last 6 or 7 minutes were extremely hard, as my legs felt like lead, but I did it!

Another 10K

I ran for 60 minutes today, going a little over 6 miles. My shins hurt a little between about 5 and 10 minutes into my run, but felt fine the rest of the way. My course included one very big hill and a few smaller hills. I felt good when I finished, but I am a little sore now. My next run (Saturday) is supposed to be 7 miles, the distance I was unable to complete last time.

Fast 2 Miles

I only had to run 2 miles today. I got up before work and did the run. I finished the 2 miles in 17:42.

Wake Up, Run 5K

I got up at around 6:30 this morning, got ready, stretched, then ran about a 5K in 30:00 minutes. I felt pretty good, but ran a little slower than I did on Wednesday. This time I ran at about a 9:50 to 10:00 minutes per mile pace.

Running Home

I had to take my car in for new brakes this morning, and it just happened that the repair shop is exactly 3 miles from my home. I dropped the car off and then ran home. I had a pretty good time: 28:09. I did the first mile in 9 minutes, then did the next 2 miles in about 9:30 each. I think I went a little faster than I have been going. If not, then I have been doing more miles than my training plan calls for (as I go out an run based on time, estimating 10 minutes per mile). That should put me in pretty good shape for race day!

Back on Track

Yesterday I ran 4 miles. My route included a couple good size hills, which I was able to manage pretty well. I was able to pick up my pace and finish the last quarter mile or so at a medium sprint. Overall, I felt pretty good for most of the run.

70 Minute Run . . . Sort Of

I tried to complete a 70 minute run this morning. First, the good news: I didn't really experience any pain during the run (knees and muscles all felt fine). The bad news: I wasn't able to run the entire time. I ran the first 47 minutes, then I had to walk a bit. At that point, I was out of energy, going uphill, and running against the wind. I walked until about 50 minutes, then ran for about a minute and a half, then walked again until about 60 minutes. I just hit the wall and couldn't keep going this morning. I did run the last 10 minutes. I probably covered about 6 and 3/4 miles in the 70 minutes I was out. The weather was pretty good (a little windy). I did eat a bagel and a PowerBar before I went out, but it turns out that wasn't quite enough. As I start running for longer times, I am going to need to bring something to eat and drink with me in order to keep my energy up. I guess I will try some energy gels to see how that works, and try to find a small water bottle to carry with me, filled with either water or Gatorade.

Next week really is my easy week (4 miles, 3 miles, and 3 miles), and I don't plan to push it beyond that. While I am disappointed I wasn't able to run the entire 70 minutes, I am very glad that it was not because of any injuries or pain. I can handle just "hitting the wall" once in a while. I still think I am on track at this point in my training.

Early Morning 5K

I was supposed to run 5 miles today, but due to my work schedule, I just didn't have the time. However, I did get up early this morning and run a little over 5 kilometers. I ran for 32 minutes and 22 seconds. I would estimate my pace was about 9:45 per mile, so that was over 3 miles.

Monday Morning

Yesterday morning I did an easy 2 mile run. My time was 18:50.

I was wrong in my last post: this is not the easy week, but next week is. I am supposed to do a 5 mile run during the week and a 7 mile run on Saturday. I should be OK with the Saturday run, but with my schedule at work, I do not know when I will be able to fit in a 5 mile run. I may just try to do a few miles on Thursday before work.

Another Long Run

I ran for 60 minutes this morning - about 6 miles. My knee was bothering me for about the first 2 minutes, but I felt fine after that. It was a good run, and I am not really sore yet. Next week is a slightly easier week. After that, I will start adding more distance to my long runs. At that point, I hope to start doing some of my runs on the bike trail system around the area.

Running in the Rain

I ran late this afternoon. My goal was 50 minutes, but when I had less than 10 minutes to go, I heard thunder, so I stopped at 46:23. It was raining the whole time I ran today, and the rain actually felt really good (except when I stepped in puddles). I thought it would just be rain and not a thunderstorm. I am happy with my run, even though it ended up being a few minutes short. I felt good almost the entire time.

Back to Training

I took 2 days off after my 6 mile run over the weekend. I did 25 minutes at a pretty good pace, so probably covered about 2.5 miles. After my run, I did 27 push-ups and 40 sit-ups.

Six Miles

I ran 6 miles yesterday in 60:53. I ran in the late afternoon, which is not my favorite time to run. It was a real struggle from about 24 minutes until the end. I am really sore right now. My next run is supposed to be 2 miles on Monday. I may move that to Tuesday due to my work schedule and the fact that I am really sore! But the bottom line is I was able to run 6 miles.

Five Miles

I did my second official training run today. I ran about 5.2 miles in 48:30. The temperature was in the low 60's with very little humidity and heavy cloud cover. I felt pretty good for about the first 30 minutes and the last 10 minutes, but felt a little tired in between. After the run, I did 50 sit-ups and 30 push-ups.

This was my first run in my new running shoes, New Balance 993's. They are definitely much lighter than my 992's, which is great since the weight was my biggest complaint about the 992's.

First Training Run

I went out for my first official training run this morning before work. The weather forecast today calls for it to get hot and humid this afternoon, so I decided to try to beat the heat. My strategy worked perfectly: the weather was beautiful for my run. I ran for 25 minutes, covering about 2 and 1/2 miles. Afterwards, I did 20 push-ups.

Per my schedule, I am supposed to either rest or do cross-training tomorrow. On Wednesday, I will try to do a 50 minute run covering about 5 miles.

The Beginning

I just signed up to run the half marathan at the United States Air Force Marthon. Now I just have to train myself to be able to run 13.1 miles. I intend to use this blog to keep track of my training and to let anyone who cares know how it is going.

So far this year, the farthest I have run continuously is about 4 miles. Towards the end of my training, I expect to run as far as 11 miles. I have about 16 weeks to go until race day, which is about the right amount of time for me to adequately build up my endurance. I don't really care so much about speed: my goal is to complete the race without walking. Based on the pace I usually keep, that would mean I would probably finish in under 2 and 1/2 hours.

My first official training day will be this coming Monday, June 1. My goal that day is to run about 2 miles, according to the training plan I created on runnersworld.com. I actually prefer to run for time rather than distance, so I will normally assume about a 10 minute per mile pace and multiply that by the recommended number of miles (I actually will probably run slightly faster than this pace). Since 2 miles is rather short, I will probably try to run for 25 minutes, so I will probably run roughly 2 and 1/2 miles on Monday. I will post another entry after my run. Wish me luck!